AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before you read/ review this, I would like to make it clear that I think Uhura is a totally awesome character, and I love her a lot. I just think she was somewhat misrepresented in the new movie. This dialogue should not in any way be interpreted as "bashing" becasue I would never indulge in something so counter-productive. That being said, please enjoy. :) And if you're offended in any way...well, just pretend you never read it. Don't take it too seriously. :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Christine."

"Oh, Hi Nyota!"

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"Of course not! Here, I'll move my books…"

"So…what's new with you?"

"Nothing much. Just helping Dr. McCoy finish up the ship-wide quarterly physicals. You?"

"Oh…nothing really. You know, just keeping those hailing frequencies open…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine…"

"Good, because for a second, I th—"

"I can't believe this."

"Can't believe what?"

"Me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't believe what they did to me."

"Who? Did something happen between you and Spock?"

"Ugh! Don't even get me started on Spock!"

"Then something did happen?"

"Well…not exactly…"

"Please, just tell me what's wrong; I hate to see you upset."

"I'm not sure if it's anything you can really help with…"

"Try me."

"It's just that…I just don't feel like myself anymore."

"How do you mean?"

"I feel like...I don't act like me. I feel like a…a…"

"A what?"

"A bitch."

"Nyota, don't say that! You're a lovely girl!"

"Oh come on; do you hear half the things I say? Or see half the stuff I do?"

"Well, I do admit I don't get to spend much time on the Bridge…"

"…"

"I'm sure you're just exaggerating; everyone can be a little short-tempered at times…"

"No…its not like that."

"Well, then what is it like?"

"I can't explain it…but I'm just more…manipulative? Sassy? I guess you could put it like that."

"How so?"

"For one, I basically demanded my way into being stationed on the Enterprise. I really don't feel like that's me at all…"

"…"

"The first time I remember feeling it was about 4 years ago…actually, it was the night I first met the Captain."

"Really? What happened?"

"Oh, I don't even remember. I think I was just being all pretentious or something; we were in some bar…but I definitely wasn't acting like myself."

"Uh-huh…"

"And I only did all that stuff because they made me do it! I think I'm too nice to do things like that…"

"…"

"Okay, for another example: Spock."

"What about him? You two seem happy together…"

"But we shouldn't even be together! What was I thinking? I respect him way too much to be in a relationship like we are…but again; they made me do it."

"Nyota, who are 'th—'?"

"I mean, he's a Vulcan; you can't just go around throwing emotions at them like that!"

"…"

"I see him as more of a mentor, if anything. I look up to him."

"I see…"

"And why do I have to be in a relationship anyways? I like to think that I'm a strong independent woman. I don't need a man to complete me."

"You're right."

"But—"

"Let me guess…'they made you do it'?"

"Yes."

"So…what do you intend to do about it?"

"I just wish I could live my own life. I wish I could be free to be the person I know I am. I know that I'm kind, strong, intelligent, caring, independent, and talented…and I want to express it myself. Not how they tell me to."

"…"

"And I want…I want to sing. I want people to hear me sing."

"Nyota…"

"What?"

"I…I think you should sing. If you want to. No one should be able to stop you."

"But th—"

"Yes, yes, I know: 'they make you' do things! I've heard, I've heard! But you haven't even bothered to at least tell me who 'they' are!"

"…"

"Well? Who are they?"

"Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, of course."