Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek in any way, shape, or form...I just happily play with the characters :)

A/N: This story is based on two weeks crammed knowledge of Star Trek. I've been avidly watching TOS on Netflix, and reading various resources provided by the many, many Trekkie's out there on the World Wide Web. I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it. I will try updating frequently; however, between my school studies and an incurable ailment that rears its ugly head occasionally (I believe the medical term is "Writer's Block"), it might not be as often as I'd like to. Please encourage me with reviews and suggestions. I will gratefully accept both :)

Sincerely,

~2trek

Captain Kirk, Commander Spock and Dr. McCoy pressed through the jungle-like shrubbery of the newly discovered planet Kirk had jokingly dubbed "Amazon". Kirk was leading the way, shoving aside branches and stamping down the tall grass that hindered their way. Spock followed, his tricorder whirring and whistling busily. McCoy, bringing up the rear of the trio, was not nearly as occupied as his companions. In fact, he was wishing he'd stayed on the Enterprise in his office. He'd rather be going through medical records than trudging through the woods.

"What do you think, Bones?" Kirk called back. He was enjoying the lack of hostile natives the planet housed, though he wouldn't have minded a few pretty ones.

McCoy sighed. "It's nice."

"It's fascinating," Spock replied, compensating for McCoy's lack of enthusiasm, "The soil here is incredibly fertile for the environment."

"Fascinating, indeed," McCoy grumbled.

"What was that, doctor?" Spock asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Oh, nothing," McCoy said, "I was just agreeing with you."

Spock hummed doubtfully, but made no further remark.

"I don't think it's a bad place to have shore leave," Kirk commented, "the climate is absolutely perfect!"

"Perfect is not the word I would use to describe it, captain," Spock contradicted, "in fact, it is considerably cool."

"Of course it is," McCoy breathed.

Kirk glanced briefly over his shoulder. "Well, somebody's in a good mood today?"

McCoy glowered. He hated being teased, especially when he was in a bad mood. Irritably, he shoved aside a plant Kirk had missed. What he didn't notice were the glass-sharp thorns protruding from its stem. Two caught his blue uniform sleeve, tearing the fabric and the skin underneath.

He hissed through his teeth sharply. "Oww..."

"Are you alright, doctor?" Spock inquired.

"Yeah, fine and dandy." McCoy pulled his arm away and twisted it so he could examine the damage. "Just a scratch."

However, it was anything but just a scratch.

"Doctor McCoy, I have-" Nurse Chapel paused mid-sentence and made a face. "What happened to your arm, doctor?"

"Oh, it's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about." McCoy took the test results she had been about to give him and started to go over them.

Chapel touched his arm gingerly. "Are you sure? It looks infected."

"What?" McCoy turned his arm to look at it. Even though the wound was barely more than half an inch long and about as shallow as a pinprick, all the way around was a deep and fiery red. "Hmm," McCoy sighed thoughtfully, "nothing an antibiotic can't solve."

"Maybe I should look at it for you, doctor," Chapel suggested.

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "I think I can handle it, nurse."

"Of course, doctor, but-"

"No more about it. We've got work to do, nurse." McCoy was feeling unusually irritated, and besides that, he hated being the patient.

"Yes, doctor."

McCoy caught her annoyed glance before she turned back to her duties. She might be under his command, but she could sometimes act like a mother with her "fine, have it your way" look.

He medicated his scratch quickly, covering it with a small bandage to keep it away from the prying eyes of Chapel, and then went on with his work, not giving it another thought.

At lunch, McCoy settled himself beside Spock and across from the captain. Kirk nodded at McCoy. "What happened to your arm?"

McCoy was just about sick to death of that question. "Nothing worth talking about. Just a scratch," he said after a moment of suppressed exasperation.

"Is that from the plant yesterday, doctor?" Spock inquired.

"Yes, Spock, it is," McCoy replied with obviously fake patience, "and I don't know why everyone keeps mentioning it."

"Maybe because it looks bad," Kirk commented, pointing with his fork.

"It doesn't look anything...it's just a-" he glanced down at his arm. It was entirely red, like a deep burn. He swallowed and looked up again. "Just a scratch," he finished lamely.

"I would say it is more than a scratch," Kirk stated. "Have you had anyone look at it?"

"I put antibiotic on it this morning. That should have killed any infection, or at least kept it from spreading." McCoy shrugged his shoulders, trying to keep nonchalant. "I'll have someone look at it when I get back to my office."

"That's a good idea," Kirk agreed. He grinned. "If there's anything we don't need, it's a sick doctor."

McCoy made a face. "I'm probably just having an allergic reaction to whatever that plant was."

"An alien plant," Spock pointed out. He looked at Kirk. "Perhaps we should retrieve a sample of the specimen for testing, captain."

"Not a bad idea, Spock," Kirk said. "Why don't you, the good doctor, and Mr. Scott beam down and do that?"

"I don't even remember what it looked like," McCoy protested. In his opinion, he'd been down to the planet's surface one time too many.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I have an acute memory of the plant's appearance."

"Oh, really?" McCoy drawled, sitting back in his chair and staring at Spock doubtfully. "And how would that be?"

"Because I took certain precautions, as did the captain, not to touch the plant when we passed it. Unfortunately, you made no such effort," Spock said as smugly as his Vulcan temperament would allow.

"Why you-" McCoy sputtered, but with no comeback to offer, the sentence was left unfinished.

A/N: Chapter Two coming soon...