Nyota and James were enjoying lunch in the courtyard of the prequisite Starfleet Academy on a relatively sunny day that warranted a blacing cool breeze. Though the days aesthetics implied an air of lightheartedness the topic between the two pre-cadets was anything but.
"So Nyota," Jim Kirk began, "have you made a decision yet?"
The aspiring linguist looked away and inwardly sighed. "Jim we haven't...there isn't a decision to make." Noticing that he wasn't happy with her response she added, "I'm here with you. Now. Why can't we just worry about now?" She inquired in an exhausted frustration.
"Because now won't last forever! And if-"
"It doesn't need to last forever Jim. That's why it's now . You know as in the present!" Uhura stressed.
"I don't like being toyed with Nyota," he seethed through his teeth.
"Why are you doing this Jim?"
"Because you don't already know."
"No Jim! I don't know why you're doing this! What is making you act this way?" She gasped; frustrated. "Jim really I don't-"
"I saw you two kiss." Once he uttered those words it was almost as if you could hear his heart break. "I saw you...kiss him."
"Jim I-"
He jumped up and shouted as he slammed his fists against the table. "Don't you dare try to validate what you did!" By now the couple held the attention of the whole courtyard. Uhura's cheeks began to burn and tears of entrapment began to swell in her eyes. "Nyota I-..." The teenage boy hardly knew how to phrase what he felt. "I love and he..." Jim remained standing. but bent down and lowered his voice so only she could hear. "The shit you two are doing isn't even legal. I could easily have him fired and sent back to Vulcan and you would subsequently be furrlowed from this school ruining your chances of being accepted into Starfleet Academy. You would never be an intergalactic xenolinguist and why?" He let his harshly phrased question hang in the air.
She choked on her tears as all of the possibilities overwhelmed her all at once. "So Nyota like I said; make a decision."
He threw his book bag over his shoulder and was about to walk away when Nyota defiantly staggered to her feet. "You're not being fair Jim."
He looked slightly back at her. "Is that supposed to be a joke?" She only stared after him as the bell rang. "If so it's a bad one."
Class ended as usual with everyone rushing out except for the seventeen year old Nyota Uhura. Before, she would linger to make inquiries requiring the utmost comprehension followed by small talk which which was a rare occurrence with Vulcans as they are always concise and to the point. However, today she lingered because she had made a decision. One she thought would be the cure.
"What have you prepared on this occasion Nyota?" Spock inquired spurring their usual after class encounter.
"Actually," she took a deep breath, "I wanted to discuss us, Professor."
"Professor?" he questioned with a quirked brow.
"Does that bother you?" she asked aware of his confusion as she almost never referred to his title when it was just the two of them.
"No," he answered, "quite the opposite actually." Her conflicted eyes met his wanting ones and his lip quivered in anticipation. He began to pace towards her as she only stood there in shock. "This is a coincidence for I too wished to converse with you on the matter." Before she could do anything his lips captured hers and his strong, purposeful hands gripped her hips as to steady her in place. Uncontrollable hormones being the driving force behind his actions, he then proceeded to forcefully prop her on the desk and ravish her neck.
"Spock," she gasped trying her best not to become enamored.
"I beg your pardon cadet," he managed to phrase between breathy kisses.
Involuntarily she smirked and tilted her head back. More playfully this time she questioned, "Professor?" She giggled. "Permission to speak?"
Dragging his tongue across her collarbone she correspondingly rolled her head and moaned.
"Permission," he pulled her legs tightly around him, "granted."
Though she felt a rush of ecstacy at this motion with that came a torrent of guilt.
Using all the will power she had, she pushed her professor off of her. "Spock," she said more sternly. "We can't...anymore."
He cautiously took a step back. She furrowed her brows and tightly smiled as she continued.
"This experiment has been a real learning experience really for me as much as I hope it has been for you, but we can't." There was a silence between them. "It would be better if you tested the stimulus between humans and Vulcans with someone else."
She scooted off of the desk and gathered her belongings once she was on her feet.
Much to her surprise, however he spoke. When she turned around his eye-brows were furrowed.
"Is that what you truly believe, Nyota? That our encounters are a mere scientific occurrence due to the collection of statistical data?" His question startled her.
"I just assumed-"
"I suppose that would be the most logical conclusion to draw; that a Vulcan would only pursue an emotional relationship with a human for knowledgeable references. In any other case your deductive reasoning and technical attention to detail would have proven your theory accurate. And this processive behavior of yours is what drew me to you. However, in this case you would be wrong." Uhura shifted. "Which leads me to say that what I feel towards you is most sincere." Her mouth slightly parted in shock and the burning sensation of tears began to threaten her eyes. "What I feel is true."
Her professor; Spock was in truth only a couple of years older than she so the feelings were never misplaced persay and the young girl was unmistakably attracted to the Vulcan male and all that he stood for. It would be a lie to say that his feelings were one sided, however it wouldn't be the truth to say they were exactly mutual.
And here the seventeen year old Nyota Uhura found herself at a crossroads.
On one hand she had James Kirk: the most highly regarded student besides herself who held his own and was more than adequate in academia. Even with all that he still managed to be the bad boy the teachers hated, the girls loved, and the guys envied. He got in trouble, he let loose, and illuminated a side of her she never knew she had. He was Kirk, but most importantly he was Kirk.
And then there was Spock: the cookie cutter, legalistic Spock she was beginning to know very well. He was an exponentially intelligent and logical being. Every move he made had reason and every word he spoke was meticulously thought out. But despite all of these things Nyota knew him to be fervent and passionate as well. She knew him because based on their intellectual compatability he let her know him. That in it's own right was immensely special to her.
"I can honestly say that I am very attracted to youand on several levels we have immense compatability," she began.
"Though there was the slightest twinge of light in the mans eye he regardlessly stated, "From my studies of cultural human sentence organization I sense that a counterargument is to ensue your statement."
She hesitantly nodded. "A dear friend of mine brought to my attention that our," she couldn't bring herself to say relationship, "encounters will only reap a negative outcome. I care about what happens to both of us and the only option present would be to," she closed her eyes and took a breath, "discontinue...this."
"I can only infer that this dear friend of yours would be your legitimate significant other James Kirk." She looked away and nodded. "I could offer more discretion though considering our circumstances this conclusion would be most illogical."
"You would be correct, Professor," she agreed. Silence persisted between the two before she nodded and began to retreat.
Before she reached the door he suggested, "In another galaxy perhaps?"
Knowing the true minimal liklihood of the suggestion she simply replied, "Maybe."
As a symbolic means of concrete reconciliation Nyota and James planned a study date.
"So," the boy began, "how did he take it?"
Nyota inwardly rolled her eyes replying, "He's a sophisticated professional. How do you perceive he took it?"
"Like a champ," the arrogant boy chuckled. "Hey look can we take a break?"
"You came over to study not to take breaks," she snapped. She wasn't so much upset about the break up with Spock, but more the reason of the break up. She hoped that when their end did come it would be either her or his decision alone. Even though she knew what she did was wrong she still did not appreciate her hand being forced or dealt for her.
Despite the evident frost in her tone Jim smirked in the playful way he did whenever he upset her. He scooted closer to her and craned his neck to a degree that would permit him access to hers. Through most of his nipping and kisses she maintained her unperturbed exterior though couldn't hold out for long. She laughed and he took this as permission to wrap his arms around her waist and nuzzles into her neck.
Finally succumbing to his advances she tilted her head so that her lips were close to his. He took the invitation and tenderly pressed his lips to hers. With the powerful grasp her held her waist with he turned her around facing him where they deepened the kiss. The sweet and tender moment, however, quickly turned bitter as Jim continuously placed his hands on places unwelcome.
"Come on Nyota," he cooed in her ear, "there are so many new things I can teach you." His fingers danced with the fastening of her pants, but she wriggled uncomfortably.
"Jim just not now," she sighed pullinf away from the kiss. "I'm not ready."
He stopped and sighed as well. "Okay then when will you be ready?"
"I don't know Jim. Just...not now."
"Did you do it with him?"
"Excuse me?" she questioned; insulted.
"Did you do it with your professor?" Noting the bewildered look on her face he added, "You know the one you cheated on me with."
"That's not even a legitimate question. Jim. Really."
"But is it? Really?"
"No." She scoffed. "You should hear yourself right now. You sound ridiculous!"
"Can we just go to be?" he exhaled.
Through a clenched jaw she responded, "Fine."
They both departed; him to the living room couch and her to her room. Though their eyes were closed they could not rest.
"He has a funny accent."
"That means he's a cyborg."
"I heard he's a cyborg."
"Well I heard he's part Vulcan."
"No way! Everyone knows he's a subhuman clone."
These were just a few of the rumors that buzzed around the pre-cadet highschool, regarding the new student, that Jim and Nyota arrived to on monday morning.
"Who are they talking about?" Jim inquired of his now weary girlfriend.
"I don't know Jim, you're the one who is Mr. Popularity. You should know," she hautily reasoned. "And also I don't care."
"Come on. Everyone wants to know the newbie," James teased.
"Well I don't!" she firmly stated.
After that, they continued their day normally without another thought towards the new student.
Until lunch.
He sat with his back completely erect, hands neatly folded on the table, a resigned expression, and ate nothing.
When Jim and Nyota joined their lunch crew Jim asked one of his friends, "Hey what's his deal? Does anyone even know his name?"
` Out of curiousity one of Jim's friends went to confront the boy. "So what's your story?"
"I'm a foreign exchange student," he simply answered.
"Okay so what's your name?"
The new boy tilted his head ever so slightly and said, "John Harrison."