Was The Gift Wrap Necessary?
    Jazz Man

	"We have two days until Spock's birthday, any 
suggestions as to what to do?" asked James Kirk.
	"We could hold a party in the Observation Lounge," 
suggested Uhura.
	"Good idea, but would he enjoy that?" asked Sulu.
	"Does that matter? We would," grinned Dr McCoy, 
"And I've got a great idea for a present."


	"Mr Spock?"
	"Captain?"
	"Would you meet me in the Observation Lounge at 2000 
tonight?"
	"Of course. May I ask for what reason?"
	"You can ask."


	The preparation was almost ready. All the crew of the 
Enterprise where waiting for was McCoy's gift, then things 
could get started. Well once Spock arrived.


	It was 1930 hours and Spock was about to go off duty.
	I wonder what all the fuss was about earlier on, he 
thought to himself, perhaps it is someone’s birthday. It was 
his own, but that was recorded in the Vulcan Date System, 
someone would have had taken the time to calculate what it was 
in the Human system.


	"He'll be here any minute now, so all of you get out of
sight. I've got the chess board set up, so that's why he'll 
think I've asked him here. When give the signal come out, okay?"
	Nods of confirmation were given and the crew went into 
their hiding places.
	At 2000 exactly, the doors opened to reveal an 
always prompt Spock.
	"Captain," he said by way of acknowledgement.
	"Spock, Happy Birthday!"
	The crew jumped out from their respective places and 
continued to congratulate the rather confused Vulcan.
	"How did you know it was my birthday?"
	"It's not to hard to figure out, Spock," said Uhura, 
"Not if you have someone willing to take the time to calculate the
date, and we sure had one of them."
	"Who?"
	"That's for us to know and you to find out."

	He hated parties, and this one would be worse, Leonard
wasn't here. This time it would be hard to excuse himself. It was 
his party. 
	Spock waited an appropriate time before asking, "Is Dr 
McCoy not coming?"
	Kirk almost smiled, "Bones said that he would try and make it, 
he had to finish up in Sickbay." Kirk turned round to see Scotty and Chekov 
beckoning him over to the large pile of presents for Spock, "Present
time!"

	Judging from the large number of presents Spock was very 
popular amongst his fellow crew members. There were only a few 
more to be opened.
	"Here you go Spock, this one's from me," said Uhura as she 
tossed a package over to him.
	Spock opened the package slowly, careful not to tear the 
paper, inside he found a blue Vulcan robe. "Thank you, Nyota."
	From behind Scotty came a sound, it seemed to be emanating 
from the rather large present behind him, "What was that?"
	"Nothing," answered Scotty, covering up for the present's 
sender, "I didn't hear anything."
	"On with the next present then, this one's from Sulu. 
Wonder what's inside."
	"As do I."
	"Well open it then."
	Spock pulled the lid off the container and out slipped a 
bonsai tree. "Thank you, I will have to find somewhere to put this 
in my quarters."
	Now only the large present was left, "If you would excuse 
me, Mr Scott."
	"Of course I will."
	As Spock opened the present in the same slow meticulous 
way he had done with the others, the whole of the senior crew 
looked on expectantly. They all knew what was inside and where 
waiting for Spock's  reaction to the box's contents.
	Suddenly the box decided that Spock was opening it to 
slowly. The lid lifted it's self off and out came Leonard McCoy.
	Spock was quick in regaining his composure, "Dr McCoy, how 
nice to see you."
	"Is that all you can say?," asked McCoy.
	"No, I have a question for you. Was the gift wrap 
necessary?"
	"What the . . . Vulcans, who needs them," the Doctor 
cursed.
	If Spock was Human he would have smiled, but he wasn't so 
he didn't. "Thank you for your . . most interesting gift."
	
	McCoy spent as little time as was possible socialising. As 
soon as he could he grabbed Spock and headed for the door. Kirk and 
Scott meet them on the way.
	"And where would you be going gentlemen?"
	"Spock's hurt himself, we're going to sickbay."
	"But Doctor, I am uninjured."
	"Unless you shut up you won't be in a minute. We're off 
now."
	"Goodbye, Captain, Mr Scott."

	"I've never seen Bones leave a party so early."
	"If you were leaving with Spock wouldn't you leave early?"

	Later Spock was looking over his large collection of 
presents, the book from Kirk, the robe from Uhura, the tree from 
Sulu. His eyes came to rest on McCoy. Without a doubt McCoy was 
the best present of them all.

End

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