Chapter Text
Jim had just greeted the leader of the Meka people with his carefully rehearsed Federation-approved salutation when Lieutenant Sulu made a strangled sound and collapsed into a heap.
"Hikaru?" Uhura asked urgently, already kneeling at his side. The two security crewmembers who had beamed down with the team to Meka Tala hovered behind her, poised to spring into action.
"What's going on?" Jim whispered to her as unobtrusively as he was able (while of course the Meka all listened avidly).
"He's breathing, Captain, but I think he's passed out." When she gently touched Sulu's arm, his face twitched in pain. "I think he needs help, and soon."
The welcoming party immediately began to murmur amongst themselves. A group of tiny Meka children, gathered to perform a good will greeting, chattered hysterically. One watched Sulu anxiously, his lower lip wibbling as his big orange eyes filled with unshed tears.
"What ails your crewman?" the Meka leader asked in alarm. He moved to stand in front of the children, spreading his arms out to shield them. A few clutched his ornate robes and peered fearfully at the Enterprise crew. "Is it contagious? My people have not met many aliens, and your crew has traveled to all quadrants of this galaxy. I must ask you to remove him from our planet at once."
"Oh, no, don't worry -- he's fine!" Jim protested.
Spock cleared his throat, gesturing ever so slightly in the direction of Sulu's still-recumbent body.
"Or at least, he seemed fine before he beamed down," Jim hedged. "But trust me, our medical staff vets all members of our away teams before they're allowed to transport anywhere. And I happen to know our Chief Medical Officer personally examined Lieutenant Sulu."
The Meka leader frowned. "I hope you are not suggesting that he has been harmed by traveling to Meka Tala, or that we have in any way interfered with his well-being since his arrival."
"I definitely didn't say that," Jim answered immediately while at the same time Spock intoned, "The cause of Mister Sulu's collapse remains unknown."
"Would you excuse me and my first officer for a moment?" Jim asked. He didn't wait for an answer, but immediately stepped aside, Spock moving in sync with him. Meanwhile, Uhura gestured for Ensign Ashberry to take her place watching over Sulu, and stood, beginning to speak in a hushed and placating tone to the assembled Meka.
"Spock, what gives?" Jim asked. "We can't let the Meka people think we blame them for whatever's wrong with Sulu, especially when we don't know what's going on."
"I merely noted that we are unaware of the source of his fainting at the present time. We must not rule out the possibility that some element on the planet has impacted his health poorly."
Jim sighed and scrubbed at his face with his hand. "At least everyone else seems okay. But Uhura's right; we should get Sulu help. So do we put the meeting on hold, or...?"
"There is little we ourselves can do for the lieutenant. I suggest we transport him back to the capable care of Doctor McCoy while we continue our planned conference with the Meka."
"Agreed." Jim turned back to the Meka and announced, "Please accept our apologies for any disruption. We'll have one of our people take our crewmember back to the ship, and continue on with our talks as planned."
"Very well," the leader said suspiciously.
"Ensign Ashberry, please accompany the lieutenant back to the Enterprise," Spock ordered.
The security member nodded and carefully picked up Sulu, slinging his arm around him to keep him upright. "Ashberry to Enterprise," he said into his communicator. "Two to beam up."
"Enterprise here; this is Lieutenant Johnson. Confirmed, Ensign; please stand by."
As soon as the two of them disappeared in a smattering of particles, the welcoming party seemed significantly more relaxed. The Meka children babbled to one another, and quickly burst into the song they had obviously rehearsed to sing for the Enterprise crew.
"This way, Captain," one of the Meka adults intoned as soon as the song was over, gesturing for the rest of the landing party to follow.
**********
"We made it back aboard as soon as we could," Jim told Bones as he hurried into sickbay. "Where's Sulu? Has he recovered yet?"
Bones beckoned him over to an area behind a generated privacy screen. "It's the damnedest thing," he muttered. "There's nothing at all wrong with him."
Jim glanced at Sulu, who lay prone on the biobed. "Bones, he's passed out," he said helpfully.
"I can see that, you nitwit. But I'm not finding any cause to explain his loss of consciousness. His blood sugar is fine, there are no conditions of the heart or nerves that might account for such a collapse, and none of our tests indicate anything unusual." As he spoke, Bones glanced up at the machines monitoring Sulu.
"And no signs of him waking up?"
"Not yet." Bones grabbed a nearby PADD and made a note. "I'd like to do another battery of tests in an hour's time, see if we're reading consistent levels of all the hormonal --"
"Where is Hikaru?" Chekov's voice called beyond the privacy screen. One of the nurses began murmuring to him in a reassuring tone.
Bones heaved an exasperated breath, but leaned past the screen to signal to Chekov to come over. "Might as well," he told Jim gruffly when Jim's eyebrows shot up at the unusual allowance for a visitor. "Those two are joined at the hip already."
"Is he -- may I see him, doctor?" Chekov asked worriedly. As soon as Bones nodded, he moved toward the bed. "What has happened?" he asked in a trembling voice. He reached out with a shaking hand to touch Sulu's slack fingers.
All at once, Sulu gasped and sat up.
"Holy shit!" Jim exclaimed, jumping back.
Looking completely unfazed other than a deeper furrow in his brow, Bones immediately began scanning Sulu again.
"Hey," Sulu said in a hoarse voice.
"Hikaru, you are awake! We were all so worried!" Chekov exclaimed. He had grasped Sulu's hand in excitement as soon as his friend had come to, but now he let go quickly.
"I'm okay, I think, I just --" Sulu paused to look around himself. "Captain, weren't we down on Meka Tala a second ago?"
"About three and a half hours ago," Jim corrected him. "We sent you back up when you passed out -- almost right after we touched down, actually."
"That's really weird. I wasn't feeling sick or anything." Sulu frowned, but as soon as he glanced at Chekov's fretful expression, he summoned a smile. "Hey, it's probably just a freak thing. I bet I'm good to go back on duty right away."
Chekov smiled tremulously back. "I am very relieved."
"Yeah, well, freak things don't usually keep a person unconscious for so long," Bones pointed out. "Your levels all look fine, but I'd like to keep you a little longer, run some more tests."
"Bones, we should have someone needlepoint that onto a pillow for you," Jim observed. Bones waved him off irritably.
"Whatever you think, Doc," Sulu agreed. "But I'm sure I'm all right. It's just --" He paused, frowning. "Wait, hang on. I remember now. As soon as we landed, I got one of those crazy headaches, way worse than they usually are. Felt like I was going to pass out." He laughed self-consciously. "Guess I did."
"It is likely something in the air vents in our quarters; I have had several such headaches myself lately," Chekov said helpfully. "I will ask someone from Engineering to examine the ducts once more."
"Hold up," Bones growled. "You've been having headaches -- both of you -- and neither of you saw fit to mention it to someone in Medical?"
Sulu shrugged. "I've gotten headaches from allergies before. I figured it was just more of the same. It's only been happening off and on lately, and they tend to fade fast. I thought it wasn't a big deal."
"Do your headaches dissipate quickly too?" Bones asked Chekov.
Chekov nodded. "Because Sulu and I share quarters, I theorize the cause is something environmental."
"How long has this been going on?"
"I don't know." Sulu pressed his lips together as he thought. "A couple of weeks?"
"No more than a month." Chekov touched his fingertips to his temple.
"And you only get the headaches when you're in the room?"
"Sometimes. Though most times they hit me when I'm somewhere else," Sulu admitted. "When I'm on the bridge, or in a recreation room, or even down in the botanical labs. A couple of times, I've gone looking for Pavel to ask if he had gotten a headache too. But usually by the time I get there, it's gone already."
"Actually," Chekov piped up, "I had one such headache earlier today, one of the strongest ones yet."
"Well, why didn't you head down here right away?" Bones demanded.
"I was off duty, and already in my quarters," Chekov said. "While reading on my bed, I felt shaky, so I went to sleep at once, thinking that would solve the problem. When I awoke the headache remained, though at less severe strength. But just as I entered sickbay it went away entirely. Truly, I am sure it is nothing of concern."
"Who's the doctor around here, anyway?" Bones asked irritably. "All of you deciding what's a problem and what's not -- I don't see anyone else here with a medical degree."
"Yes, Doctor," Chekov said miserably.
"And what's with the two of you sharing quarters?" Bones asked, his eyes back on his PADD as he rapidly jotted things down. His gaze snapped to Sulu. "I would have thought that as a lieutenant you'd have private quarters."
"I had a previous roommate, another Ensign -- unfortunately, we did not get along well," Chekov answered. "Sulu very kindly offered to room with me instead."
"It was no big deal," Sulu said. "Pavel and I hang out all the time anyhow. So I figured why not? We got one of the larger doubles because of my rank, two small sleeping areas on opposite ends with a good-sized common room in the middle. It's much bigger than my last single, so it all worked out."
"I see," Bones said darkly.
Chekov and Sulu exchanged a worried look.
"Could they really both be getting the headaches because of their room?" Jim asked.
"It could be something in the quarters, sure, but it could also be something else entirely. Chekov, I want you up on that other biobed right now." Bones jabbed his finger to indicate the nearest bunk. "I'll run the same tests on you as I did on the Lieutenant so we can investigate exactly what's happening."
"It's likely nothing, Ensign. Doctor McCoy just has to check out all the possibilities," Jim assured Chekov. "You and Lieutenant Sulu will probably be out of here in no time."
"I am sure you are right, Keptin." But despite Jim's comforting words, Chekov bit his lower lip as he hefted himself up onto the bed.
"Hey, it'll be fine, Pavel; no worries," Sulu told him, his voice low and soothing.
Chekov shot him a grateful smile, and immediately looked reassured.
Jim put his hands on his hips. "Okay, is it me, or did I just say the exact same thing?" he asked Bones in an undertone.
Bones ignored his complaint and tugged him further aside. "Jim, I'm going to have someone in maintenance check out that room and its vents. But I also want a compilation of all the away missions these two have been on together the last few weeks." He poked at his PADD, changing the screen. "And while you're at it, get me a list of everyone who beamed down with them during those trips, so I can start asking the others if they've experienced similar symptoms."
"You think they might have ingested something on one of the planets, or been exposed to a noxious substance?" Jim asked. "I haven't heard anything about other away team members getting headaches."
"If the headaches tended to diminish quickly, like the ones these two have been experiencing, those other crewmen might not have mentioned anything about it. I want those reports as soon as possible, Jim. This could be a random occurrence, not a real cause for alarm, but I want to know exactly what we're dealing with here."
"Okay, I'll get someone on it right away," Jim agreed.
Before Jim left sickbay, he glanced over his shoulder to see that one of the nurses had already begun scanning Chekov. A med tech stood at her elbow, a tray of instruments at the ready. Nearby, Bones hunched his shoulders over a computer terminal, frowning over his files. Meanwhile, someone from Sciences, who must have been summoned to help with research, hurried inside with a stack of PADDs.
Somehow, though, Sulu and Chekov seemed oblivious to the commotion around them. Instead, their bodies curled familiarly toward one another on their separate biobeds as they talked. And despite Chekov's obvious worry, when Sulu grinned and said something to him, Chekov ducked his head and snickered.
**********
"We've found it," Bones announced as he burst into Jim's quarters.
"Good morning to you too," Jim mumbled from underneath his pile of blankets.
"Hey, I buzzed," Bones said indignantly. "It's not my fault you sleep like the dead."
"But it is your fault you keep using your medical override to sneak into my room," Jim said. He scooted up slightly, still clutching the covers, and yawned.
"Stop complaining, you big baby," Bones snapped. All the same, he stalked over to Jim's small personal replicator and punched in the code for how Jim liked his first cup of coffee.
The door buzzed again, but before Jim could grope around for the entry button Bones had already leaned over and mashed it with his fist.
"Captain, Doctor," Spock said evenly as he stepped inside.
"Took you long enough," Bones scolded him.
"It took the same approximate span of time to reach this location from the science labs as it always does, Doctor. Perhaps you should consider whether your wrist chronometer requires repair."
"You know what I mean, you walking computer --"
"It is way, way too early for wacky banter," Jim complained, running a hand through his hair. When Bones thrust the mug at him, though, he took a gulp from it and immediately brightened. "Okay, fine. What's up? Start from the beginning and try to make sense this time," he advised Bones.
While Bones blustered out an incoherent irate reaction, Spock began to speak. "As the Doctor no doubt wished to inform you, Captain, Lieutenant Mangal believes she has discovered the chemical substances that in all likelihood have caused the headaches of both Lieutenant Sulu and Ensign Chekov."
"That's great. So can we give them something to counteract that now, stop the pain and passing out stuff?"
Spock shook his head. "At the present time we are unsure how to offset or cure those symptoms. Additionally, those specific components were, prior to this star date, entirely unknown to Federation science."
"Well, at least that rules out the cause being something on board," Jim guessed.
"So much for Chekov's vent theory," Bones agreed.
"Indeed. Now our best course is to work to discover the foreign substance that enabled those elements to enter Sulu and Chekov's bloodstreams. Then we can identify and prepare an appropriate antidote."
"Okay, sounds like a good plan. In the meantime, did researching the away missions give us anything, Bones?" Jim asked. "That seems like the best way to figure out where and when those two got whatever-it-is into their systems." He flung the covers aside and swung his feet over the side of his bunk before he took another long swallow of coffee.
"For god's sake, Jim," Bones protested, throwing a pillow at him. "Cover up."
"I'm wearing underwear," Jim pointed out, aggrieved. "And it's nothing the two of you haven't seen before." All the same, Jim set down his mug to reach for his plaid sleep pants and yank them on. When Bones lobbed a stretched-out t-shirt right at his face, he let out a disgruntled sound but pulled that on too.
"Given the symptoms' duration, which both men estimate began several weeks ago, we have ruled out more recent missions," Spock continued on unperturbed as Jim dressed. "Prior to that, our logs show Lieutenant Sulu and Ensign Chekov were members of a strategic team that went on several brief away missions together."
"Luckily, it looks like other crewmen on those missions aren't reporting headaches, and none of them tested for the same elements that Chekov and Sulu have in their systems," Bones put in.
"That's something at least," Jim said. He yawned and reached across his chest to scratch his left shoulder before grabbing his coffee once more. "So, what, now we have to check scattered planets from those missions? That'll set us back some."
"Negative. It would seem that we can narrow down the potential opportunities for contamination to a single week, when the Enterprise visited the chain of planets collectively known as the Nihal."
"Oh yeah," Jim recalled. "Nihal One through Seven. They were all similar to each other, weren't they -- but didn't each planet have slight variations in their flora and fauna?"
"That is correct. Given that fact, it is possible we may have to visit several of those worlds in order to discover the precise source of the problem."
"But at least we won't be scurrying all over the galaxy to do it," Bones noted. "And it doesn't hurt that we're returning to planets that are known for their hospitality."
"I would think you had amply availed yourself of the Nihalians' hospitality during our initial visits, Doctor," Spock said.
Bones sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't help it if the natives were extremely friendly and always asking us into their homes for meals or drinks. That's just good diplomacy, accepting those invites."
"Yeah, you were like the talk of the town on Nihal Six," Jim remembered.
"Several dinners were thrown in my honor, it's true," Bones said with great dignity. "So what? The Nihalians enjoy entertaining, and who am I to refuse a good meal and some fine brandy -- or whatever they call what passes for brandy down there, anyway."
Jim took another gulp of coffee before he said, "Not that I mind revisiting friendly planets, but didn't we already get samples when we visited the Nihal system? Shouldn't those be enough to answer our questions?"
"Several crewmen in sciences have begun to run tests on our available samples, but so far, none has provided the answers we seek. I suggest that for maximum efficiency we reroute back to the Nihal planets while at the same time we continue our onboard experiments with the already gathered materials."
"Well, we're not doing much more than mapping this corner of the quadrant right now," Jim answered. "I can't imagine Starfleet will object strongly to us going after whatever's causing this thing."
"Especially considering we'll likely find unfamiliar substances for the record books, and learn about a new ailment," Bones added.
"I am inclined to agree," Spock put in. "Therefore I have taken the liberty of preparing a summary of our intended mission for the admiralty. It requires your signature before I submit it, Captain."
"Give it here," Jim said, unsurprised when Spock produced a PADD from behind his back already loaded up with the appropriate forms. He fumbled with the coffee, but Spock deftly caught the mug and handed him the PADD and stylus in one smooth exchange.
"All right, I'm going to head back to sickbay, see if any of the staff in Medical has new input for me," Bones announced. "You two stay here and do...whatever it is that the two you of you do."
"Doctor, whatever untoward behavior you are implying," Spock began.
"Thanks, Bones; that's all for now," Jim interrupted. When Bones didn't budge right away, instead watching them both with a hint of mischief on his face, Jim shot him a look and tilted his head toward the exit.
Bones rolled his eyes and stalked out.
As soon as the door shut fully behind him, Jim said in a placating voice, "Listen, I know you don't like talking about private things in public. But just because Bones joshes us a little, it's no big deal. He'd never let anything slip when someone else could hear; he knows we're not talking about --" He gestured between himself and Spock. "You know, to everyone."
"All the same, I find his insinuations of indecency invasive." Spock drew himself up, looking very piqued and proper.
"Noted, Commander." Jim grinned up at Spock. "How about we work out all of that frustration by doing something seriously indecent?"
Spock glanced at him, and though he quickly arched an eyebrow, Jim could tell he was wavering. "Might I remind you, Captain, that I am still on duty?"
"Five minutes," Jim suggested. "You're totally due a five minute break for indecency. Besides, we could always just talk."
Spock looked stern as he moved to set his PADD on Jim's desk, and for a minute Jim prepared to hear a very Vulcan rebuke. But a moment later Spock sat on the bed, yanked Jim to him, and kissed him fiercely.
"Have I told you how much I love our little talks?" Jim huffed out, pressing in closer.
When Jim attempted to straddle Spock's thighs, though, Spock pressed a firm hand to his chest to halt him. "You are due on the Bridge in twenty-two minutes, Captain. You must ready yourself for your shift."
"Aww, come on. Back at the Academy, I used to get up, shower, throw on my cadet reds and hustle to classes across campus in under eight minutes."
"Such haste is inadvisable for diligent Starfleet cadets --"
"Spock, seriously, we've got plenty of time." Jim climbed on Spock's lap anyway, moving forward on his knees until they were lined up exactly how he wanted.
Spock did not push him away; Jim could feel his heart beating faster against his side. "See? That's better." Jim rolled his hips, smiling when Spock made a very soft, utterly enticing sound.
"And yet I should file this request with Starfleet at once so that we may officially change our course," Spock said reluctantly.
"Unf." Jim kissed Spock's neck one last time for the road and broke off with a sigh. "Okay. You're right."
He untangled himself to stand and stretched his arms over his head, grinning when Spock watched his movements with obvious interest. Then he briskly began to undress, balling up his t-shirt up and tossing it aside before getting his regulation clothing.
As soon as he had his black shirt on, though, he paused. "Hey, Spock, you don't think Sulu and Chekov are in any real danger, do you? I hope we're not working against the clock here."
"Unknown. Currently, it would seem their symptoms are manageable, even infrequent. This would suggest we may proceed at a moderate pace to conduct our inquiry. Still, whenever a new malady appears before us, it is of course beneficial to investigate in as timely a manner as possible." As Jim finished pulling on his trousers, Spock wordlessly rose and retrieved his boots.
Jim sat in his desk chair to pull the boots on, frowning as he did so. "Makes sense."
Spock reached out and gently brushed Jim's hair off his furrowed forehead. When Jim looked up in surprise, Spock murmured, "Do not trouble yourself unduly. At the moment, I would rate the state of affairs as one of concern rather than urgency."
At that moment, an emergency hail sounded over Jim's intercom. "Captain, are you there? This is Nurse Drexler. Captain?"
"Ah, fuck," Jim said under his breath as he sprang up to activate the intercom. "What is it?"
"Doctor McCoy asked me to alert you immediately. Both Lieutenant Sulu and Pavel Chekov have been discovered in different parts of the ship, completely unconscious. They are currently being transferred to sickbay."
"We're on our way. Kirk out." Jim tugged down his command gold shirt and hurried to the door, Spock right on his heels.