(Voice-over)

"Captain's Log: Stardate 4372.5. I am pleased to report the malfunctions that were previously affecting the ship have ceased, along with the hallucinations the crew has been experiencing since our encounter with the creature called Asmodeus. Thanks to Doctor McCoy, Mr. Spock has made a miraculous recovery and has been deemed fit to return to duty. Commendations are hereby granted to Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy and Commander Spock for going above and beyond the line of duty."

"Mr. Scott, how's our warp core?" Kirk asked from his chair on the bridge.

"Purring like a kitten, Captain. She's ready for a long journey," Scotty beamed from his station.

"Good. It's about time we got underway," Kirk replied with a satisfied nod. "Can you give us warp 2, Mr. Scott?"

"Aye. And maybe a wee bit more," Scotty grinned, moving toward the turbo lift. "I'll be in the engine room, sir, and everything is in order."

"That'll be a pleasant surprise, Mr. Scott," Kirk called after him.

"Well I, for one, am glad to see things finally getting back to normal around here," McCoy announced, moving to stand next to the Captain's chair.

"The concept of 'normal' is arbitrary, Doctor. However, it is agreeable that the ship is no longer at risk of imminent destruction," Spock replied, coming to stand on the other side of Kirk.

"Mr. Spock, coming back from the dead would be an emotional experience for most. You, I presume, felt nothing?" Kirk asked, turning toward the Vulcan.

"Quite the contrary, Captain. I had a very strong reaction," Spock replied. "My first sight was the face of Dr. McCoy bending over me."

"Hmm. 'Tis a pity that death did not increase your appreciation for beauty, Mr. Spock," McCoy remarked.

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"A famous Earth physician once said, 'Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future,'" McCoy proudly recited.

"Darn clever, these humans, wouldn't you say?"

"Spare me your philosophical metaphors, Doctor," Spock replied. "If I recall correctly, one of your poets also said, 'Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye.'"

McCoy frowned in annoyance. "God, I liked him better before he died," the Doctor muttered irritably.

"If you gentlemen are finished, we have a scientific survey mission I'd like to get back to," Kirk interrupted. He smiled at his two squabbling friends, eyes shining in amusement.

"I am merely trying to point out the Doctor's continual faults in logic, as is inevitable when humans are involved," Spock informed him.

"Which humans, Mr. Spock?" Kirk asked, a little too innocently.

"He means that when humans become involved with Vulcans, Jim," McCoy added helpfully, a knowing smile on his face.

"Ah, yes. I understand," Kirk replied with a warm, deliberate grin.

"I fail to ascertain the purpose behind your clarification," Spock commented stubbornly.

"Perhaps it does have to do with the illogic of humans, Mr. Spock. After all, I suspect you're becoming more and more human all the time," McCoy replied with a gleeful smirk.

"You—" Spock stopped, too offended to speak. "Captain, I see no reason to stand here and be insulted," he announced.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen... We've just been through one fatal ordeal. Let's not start another," he advised them with a meaningful look.

"Tell that to him," McCoy jerked his head at Spock. "Maybe it didn't cross that macho kind of yours, but space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence. There are a thousand different ways to die out here and I'm always the one who has to patch everybody up afterward," he grumbled, eyeing the Vulcan moodily.

Kirk raised his eyebrows, sharing a knowing glance with Spock.

"Thank heavens we all managed not to blow ourselves up," McCoy muttered.

"Doctor McCoy, there was no deity involved. It was the Enterprise moving out of range which disrupted Asmodeus' influence over the crew," Spock corrected him.

"Well then, thank pitchforks and pointed ears," McCoy declared.

Spock tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"That's a fair statement, Bones," Kirk agreed, smiling in amusement.

McCoy just harrumphed. "We all could use a nice, long bout of shore leave, that's for sure," he muttered to himself.

"In this particular instance, Doctor, I agree with you," Spock remarked.

McCoy's eyes instantly narrowed, eyebrows drawing together in a frown.

Kirk's mouth stretched in a wide, beatific smile. His face shone with radiant affection and his eyes danced with amusement.

"Ahead warp factor 2, Mr. Sulu," he called to the helm.

"Warp factor 2, sir."

And the ship sailed onward, gliding serenely through the infinite vastness of space to boldly go where no man—or no one—has gone before.

THEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEND

[Author's Note: okay if you want the full TOS experience, pls watch the video at the end of this chapter hehe. I basically just picked all my favorite/cutest/feels-good-est TOS photos from my camera roll and added the song Sign Off from the Undiscovered Country soundtrack lmao. Really gets ya right in the feels. I love my space boys so much god dAmn—and yes I did create an entire YouTube channel just so I could upload that video lmao]

[Author's Note Part 2: McCoy's quote was said by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Spock's quote was by Grey Livingston]

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Thanks for reading!