Author's Notes: Ah, the pon farr story. I wanted to write my own Spock/Uhura pon farr story and was trying to figure out a way that went beyond the standard " Spock has an fever and the only prescription is more Nyota ". So, while researching bonding and pon farr (yes, I research for my fics... sad) I came over a gem in an episode of Voyager where in an episode a Vulcan initiated a mating bond with one of the main characters (without her permission) and she ended up suffering the same effects of the pon farr as he. So I figured out a mating bond must be the same as the bonding they're always talking about and this fic came to be.
Nyota suffers the effects of pon farr and doesn't realize it... Oh the drama that will ensue!
Not beta'd. Plan this to be a short fic. Maybe three chapters? four? Who knows... wasn't really thought out much.
i.
The thermostat said it was eighteen degrees Celsius but it must have been malfunctioning. Nyota Uhura felt like she was burning up where she sat, which was ironically enough under one of the air conditioning vents in the briefing room. It couldn't have been a hot flash; she was only thirty-four years old and nowhere near menopause. She was absolutely sure of it. Her latest physical, just under a week ago, came out perfect – so it couldn't have been that. Every part of her body was in perfect tip top condition (a clean bill of health, as Doctor McCoy put it) and yet she was burning up in a cold room while watching one of her subordinates give a presentation on the trend of primitive subspace frequencies within the star system they were currently exploring.
It should be noted that Uhura had moved to four different chairs during the course of this thirty-five minute department briefing. Originally, up at the head of the table in front of the presentation screen and ending in her current position; sitting two chairs away from the end of the table. She had tapped her stylus against the table, tugged on the hem of her skirt, adjusted her silver Engineering pin, and fanned herself with a paper towel. Her fellow subordinates took notice but kept all words to themselves. It was unlike the chief communications officer to be anxious like this.
Uhura looked at the thermostat; it could not have been eighteen degrees. Maybe twenty? Twenty-four degrees? Definitely not the eighteen degrees the computer dared to display against its blue backlit screen. She would have slapped it, cursed at it, and probably would have shaken it's assumed malfunction out of it had she not been in room of fifteen people.
" … We've pin pointed the source of these primitive signals coming from these three specific planets in the system…."
Who cared about primitive signals when the thermostat was obviously malfunctioning in this room? Didn't anyone notice the temperature rising? Was she the only one suffering in this hellish sauna? The ensign, a young male around the age of twenty-two, carried on with his presentation without noticing his superior officer in the back of the darkened room. He rambled on, speeding through his findings, and seldom making eye contact with the rest sitting at the table. It only added to the lieutenant commander's growing frustration. Uhura looked up at the officer, gripped her stylus in her hand, and leaned forward in her chair.
Maybe a slight increase in her angle from ninety degrees to around seventy-three degrees forward would increase the potential of receiving a better airflow to her face and chest. Wait. She blinked and clicked her tongue in frustration. Now she was thinking like her husband.
" T-the planets are Vega Alpha one, two, and three. Vega Alpha one… and two... W-wait. " Uhura eyebrow ticked. " No, wait, one and three have no life. Vega Alpha two has life… according to the science department. The signals from Vega Alpha one and two, I mean three, are simply beacons from probes that probably crash landed on the planet."
The ensign paused and waited for a comment from the lieutenant commander. There were a few coughs, a stifled yawn, and a squeak of someone twirling side to side in their chair. He cleared his throat and changed his presentation to the next slide. The ensign read what it said in large letters, End of Presentation, and laughed nervously. He had thought there was more. The lack of preparation only added to the agitation that his superior was feeling at the very moment.
" I-I guess that's it. Well, Lieutenant Commander Uhura, what woul—"
" Computer, lights." Nyota said briskly as she stood up, cutting off the ensign. The briefing room was drenched in the artificial white light and the crewmen winced and blinked to adjust their eyes to the light. Uhura grabbed her PADD and looked at her officers. " Forward the information to the Captain, Ensign Harris. Good work. See you at next week's briefing." She rushed through what she said as walked over to the door.
" Lieutenant Commander Uhura," One of the officers asked. Uhura eyebrow ticked for the ninth time that morning. She closed her eyes, took a breath, exhaled, and turned around to the bright face of Lieutenant Palmer, her Beta shift relief. For a woman who just put in a twelve hour shift no more than an hour ago, she was unusually chipper. " What about this week's scheduling? " A smile. Maybe too chipper.
Uhura looked at her PADD, " I'll send a notification to all of you later today. Is that all?"
" Aye, ma'am."
" Good work."
She quickly exited the briefing room. The group of communication officers looked at each other with a mix bag of expressions. Some had looks of concern while a few had smirks on their faces. Lieutenant Junior Grade Samson stuck his tongue against his cheek with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Palmer punched him in his arm.
Nyota walked down the corridor in a hastened pace. The crowded corridor didn't seem to make her situation any better. She felt like her skin was burning and clammy on the inside. She needed to get out, to touch something cool, even sitting inside a refrigeration unit seemed like a great prospect. Unfortunately, there was no need for such a machine when general source of food was created via the onboard replicators. The thought made her quicken her pace even more. Nyota needed to get out of that deck and somewhere secluded, cool, and fast.
Uhura rounded a corner and came up to the deck's turbolift. The doors slid open as she approached them and she stepped inside. They remained open for another thirty seconds for any more passengers and closed. She leaned back against the turbolift wall and closed her eyes. It was finally comfortable and no longer stifling hot. She took a deep breath and exhaled, relishing in the cool metal against her skin. She turned around, rested her head against the cool fiberglass wall, and sighed in content. Her body temperature was decreasing and she no longer felt as if she was choking in her own skin. She pressed against the cool surface.
This was good.
" Destination, please."
The monotone voice of the ship's computer startled Uhura from her cool euphoria. She quickly pushed herself off of the wall and straightened her uniform, tugging on the hem of her dress as if she was shamelessly caught doing something she was not supposed to do. Nyota cleared her throat and reflexively ran a hand through her shoulder length hair. She had cut it months ago after a field mission went awry. It more or less involved falling into a pit of goo and a certain Captain finding it absolutely hilarious.
" Bridge."
He wasn't laughing for long.
The turbolift jerked and headed to its ordered destination. Within moments the doors slid open to reveal the bright and bustling bridge of the Enterprise. Crewmembers walked about the bridge with PADDs in their hands, with the remaining few at their stations working diligently. She stepped out of the turbolift and approached James Kirk at the captain's chair. He looked up at her and gave the communication's officer his best grin.
" Ms. Uhura, it's wonderful to see your face today." He said as he turned in his chair to look at her better. She handed him her PADD and stylus while chuckling.
" Nice to hear. I need your signature to process this report and schedule." He took the device from her and signed it. He didn't take time to read over the contents; he rarely did with her. His trust and confidence in her work truly transcended levels that she, herself, couldn't comprehend at times. " I'm sure you got the report from my division's briefing?" She took the PADD and stylus back.
" I did, actually. I want to investigate the source of that frequency. It might be a malfunctioning probe or something. It's not a language the federation is familiar with."
" Hun? Language? I thought it was just a beacon…"
Jim laughed lightly in disbelief, " What is this, Uhura? Aren't you the chief of communications? That was in the report from your briefing this morning."
" Oh." That meeting was nothing more than a faint memory in her mind now. " I may have over looked that bit of information."
" Overlooked? Are you okay, Uhura? This is unlike you."
Nyota felt a flitter of concern through her bond with her husband. She glanced in his direction, just briefly, to see him at work at his station. Ever so the Vulcan, deceiving those around him with his outward appearance except the one standing next to the captain of the ship. Jim raised an eyebrow at his communication officer. He would never understand, what McCoy dubbed as, their voodoo love magic. Nyota looked at Jim again and sighed.
" I've had a bad morning, Captain."
" Not because of…" There was a hint of mischievousness in Jim's voice.
" No. Not because of that."
Jim looked over his shoulder at Spock who was sitting at his science station deep in his work. That would make sense with him being Vulcan and all, he sardonically thought with a small chuckle. Kirk didn't understand how their marriage lasted all these years but considering how the two of them were both bookworm perfectionists, the doubt seldom lasted long in his mind. He returned his attentions to his communications officer and feigned a look of innocence. Nyota glared at him knowing exactly what was going through his mind. She probably, or actually, knew him better than he knew himself. It was most likely latter. Jim sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
" Mr. Sulu," He said aloud, turning around in his chair and looking straight ahead at the view screen. " Set a course for Vega Alpha Three. Warp factor two." Her expression softened and she returned to her station. Nyota relieved the ensign who was temporarily manning her station.
" Aye, sir. Setting course for Vega Alpha Three, warp factor 2." Hikaru Sulu responded as he input the coordinates into the ship's navigation system.
" How long at present speed?"
" Three hours, sir, at present speed."
Kirk crossed his legs and settled into his chair, " Thank you, Mr. Sulu. When we arrive, I want Mr. Chekov and Ms. Uhura to accompany me at the transporter room for a landing party."
" Aye, Captain!" Pavel Chekov said, his thick Russian accent ever so present and a face that defied his real age after all these years.
Uhura could feel his eyes on her and she turned around in her chair to verify her suspicions that Spock was, in fact, looking at her. He didn't have to say it, but it was written all over his face with the arch of his eyebrow and the warmth of his brown, human, eyes that he was concerned for her.
For whatever reason she didn't even know.
Nyota was completely in control of her situation. She wasn't losing control nor was there anything wrong with her medically. It was just hot and she had came from a long and frustrating briefing that involved a incompetent officer delivering his report on stupid sub-space relays. She did not need his concern nor him to play the knight in shinning armor every time she had a moment!
" I see."
Oh. She slipped up.
His voice was curt, yet smooth, and filled with that deep hidden displeasure that Spock was a master at - conveying so much emotion with the slight inflection of his voice. She unknowingly allowed her bond to falter and allowed him to sense her frustration that she was trying so hard to control. It also did not help that it was directed towards him and not at the situation at hand.
Nyota sighed and shook her head. It was useless in an attempt because he was backing away from her through their bond. That cold, empty, feeling of him no longer encompassing her was unbearable and she hated the feeling. She looked at him and noticed his raised eyebrow. It now expressed a slight tinge of ' excuse me for even being concerned '.
Uhura had to take a moment to think on how much a little raise of an eyebrow could convey so much emotion. She also had to take a moment to realize that he was being far too sensitive about that emotional outburst through their bond.
" I-it's nothing, Spock." Uhura said exhaustedly with a wave of her hand. She pulled out her earpiece. " I've just been feeling a bit… agitated this morning."
" Agitated." Was he doubting her? Surely he wasn't. Uhura sat there looking at him for a moment to analyze the tone of his voice. No, it couldn't be.
" Yes… agitated. " She continued. " It must be the stress from the job. Don't take it like I'm angry at you."
He turned around in his chair, " Very well."
Uhura needed a break.
There were very few things that could surprise Doctor Leonard H. McCoy. With all the diseases and creatures he had come across in his ten years at Starfleet, he could dryly note that nothing could really surprise him and it would be a waste of an effort to even try. Andorian shingles? Check. The Tiberian Bat Virus? Double check. Lazarian Diarrhea? Check, check, and check. But, it is not to say that he didn't have a list of things that could surprise him. There was a list, it was small and did not contain much but it existed, and one of them was happening right before his very eyes.
" Are you... That's your fourth…."
" I'm really, really, hot, doctor." Uhura plopped the spoon full of chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream into her mouth.
McCoy glanced at the three empty sundae glasses to the side of the lieutenant commander. There was also an empty plate of what were once a caesar salad and a wrapper for a small turkey sandwich. He had barely eaten a spoon full of his soup. Hot must have been a word for something else entirely different.
" Like, really… really…" She picked up the maraschino cherry that rested on the napkin next to her now devoured sundae. " Hot. " And plopped it into her mouth.
McCoy cleared his throat, " Why don't you… come by to sick bay and we'll get you checked ou—"
" No!" McCoy jumped slightly in his chair. She sighed. " No… no, there's really no need for that, Doctor." Uhura tried to give him her best smile but it did nothing to lower that raised eyebrow he was giving her. What was up with him and Spock with the raised eyebrows?
" As CMO on this ship, I can make you go, you know."
" Doctor," She paused. Nyota needed to win this old country doctor over if she wanted to get him off of her case. So, with a sweet voice she said, " Leonard, Len…" A smile followed. " Lenny…" And with a chuckle. " Please, you said it yourself last week. I have a clean bill of health."
" That doesn't mean you haven't caught the symptoms of a Luracian Fly Bite or a strain of the Karmasian Flu." Leonard leaned forward slightly, looked around the mess hall, and with a serious face said, " We're in space."
" A fact that I am self aware of, Leonard."
McCoy frowned and leaned back in his chair, " My God, you sound more like him every day." Leonard glanced at the empty glasses and plates on the table. If she kept denying that she was sick then there was only one other logical conclusion to explain her growing appetite, " You must be pregnant."
Nyota burst out laughing. She held her sides and leaned forward, laughing away at what Leonard had just said. Pregnant? Really? He must have been off of his rocker today to even suggest that theory. McCoy didn't seem phased by the uncharacteristic display of hilarity from the communication officer but he was becoming aware of the looks that were now in his direction.
He cleared his throat and reached over the table, putting his hands on Uhura's shoulder. He shook her lightly. " Uhura… Nyota…. Okay, okay, you can stop it now."
" Oh, Len, that's a good one." She wiped a tear from her right eye. " Pregnant. You know I'm on those shots. You're funny. "
" With that appetite…" He trailed off, looking at the glasses again. " You sure you're not experiencing anything strange? Like, urges? Maybe irregular bowel movements… Maybe a hot flash—"
" Doctor, please, you worry so much. I can see now why Jim makes fun of you. Such a worry wart!"
" You should seriously come by sickbay."
" You are really pushing this check up, aren't you?" Nyota leaned forward, smirked, and in a low whisper said, " Why? Do you really want to give me a check up that bad?"
Was this woman coming on to him? Leonard did not know how to take the comment she had just made. He looked around the mess hall nervously; he did not need to have rumors spreading that he was messing around with the First Officer's wife. He and the Vulcan already had a weird love-hate relationship; it would not help if the Vulcan decided to kill him over some rumor based on a misinterpreted gesture from the woman in front of him.
He grabbed his cup of orange juice and downed the watered down drink. He winced as the lukewarm unpleasant concoction of melted ice water and juice went down his throat. He puts the cup down on the table, probably harder than normal, and pushed his chair back. Yeah, he definitely was not going to attempt to go down this road.
" Actually, let's just forget about this." He stood up. " This conversation never happened."
Uhura blinked, " Oh?"
" Yes, yes…" He took a step backwards. " Yes. Never happened. You have a great day, Commander."
Nyota watches as the country doctor rushed out of the mess hall with a raised eyebrow and then back at the chair he had occupied earlier. She sat there silently, trying to recall what had just happened. It wasn't like McCoy to run away from her in the middle of a conversation like that, especially like he was trying to avoid her. Then, suddenly she realized what had happened – a heat rose throughout her body, different from the heat flashes she felt before. It was primal, like an urge that consumed her entire being.
She had flirted with the Doctor and did not realize it. She was actually attracted to him for that brief moment without even being consciously aware of what she was doing. Why did that happen? What was happening to her body? To her mind? She stood up and left the mess hall wordless without making eye contact with anyone in the room.
Nyota reached out for Spock through her bond and he wasn't there. But faintly in the back of her mind there was an urge to be with someone. Anyone.
