Hot Chocolate
The Vulcan race was spared the more dubious benefits that alcohol had on humans and other humanoids, however, the lady Amanda Grayson had discovered quite by accident that chocolate had a very tranquilizing effect on the Vulcan nervous system. It was often Amanda's secret weapon to get her husband and child to cooperate, to soothe raw nerves, and to relax their very overactive logic minds. Spock remembers fondly the evenings when his mother secretly served him a drink she called 'Cocoa' before bed on stormy evenings or when he was feeling ill. The drink had a very... illogical effect on his mind and body. Spock later learned that he had been what humans call 'high'.
Having grown up on the Vulcan home-world Spock was not overly concerned with Earth and her customs and cultures. He knew there were many different types of Humans, that they came in many different shapes and sizes and complexions and had varied beliefs. He also understood that the universe was filled with beings so different from himself that his mind could not even begin to comprehend their many variations.
However, all his encounters with beings from the earth and abroad had never prepared him for his meeting with an earth woman whose skin was the color of creamy cocoa and whose voice was as warm and soothing as that drink his mother served him so many years ago. The earth woman was not tall but she had long well-toned legs, she was very curvaceous and very aesthetically pleasing to his Vulcan senses.
When they first met she had greeted him with nearly unaccented High Vulcan, the diplomatic dialect of the Vulcan worlds. She had seemed very eager like must of the new crew but unlike most, she didn't shy away from him. Most people he met were subdued and intimidated by his rank or race. Vulcans were certainly a rare sight in Starfleet even though they were becoming a more common sight on Earth due to the new home base of the federation being located in San Francisco. Still, Spock was an oddity even to other Vulcans because of his human ancestry.
So he drew attention even among Vulcans. Humans were especially curious about him but rarely mustered the nerve to actually speak to him except for official matters. Yet this human woman, the new communications officer had boldly introduced herself in High Vulcan.
"Commander Spock?"
"Yes."
"Lieutenant Uhura reporting for duty, Sir."
"Welcome aboard Lieutenant" Spock said ready to dismiss her and welcome the next crewman. But she didn't step aside, she continued speaking.
"Dif tor heh smusma." Live long and Prosper she said in high Vulcan and held up her hand in the proper salute.
"Live long and Prosper Lieutenant," Spock said returning the greeting in Vulcan as well.
"I come to serve," she said with a broad open smile.
Humans smile with so little provocation, Spock thought but he answered, "Your service honors us."
"Thank you, Sir." She bowed her head in Vulcan fashion and walked away finally. Spock had the desire to turn his head and watch her walk away but that was illogical.
For the first time, Spock was curious about a human woman who was not his mother. Of course, he had known many human females, but none were like Nyota Uhura. She had not introduced herself as such, she had simply called herself Lieutenant Uhura, but afterward, Spock had pulled her Starfleet personnel file and learned her given name. And he learned she had an impressive record. She was among the top 10 percent of academy graduates and the first in her class in linguistics. She was proficient in several alien languages including Vulcan, Romulan, and Klingonese. She was also an accomplished athlete and a talented musician.
Spock was impressed and he was fascinated by this female. "Nyota," he said to himself. Whose name means Star in the Earth language Swahili. A bright star indeed.
Spock didn't know why he read her file. It was a breach of protocol and illogical. She as just one of the dozens of new crewmembers assigned to the Enterprise for her new mission under a new captain. She was certainly not the only human woman he'd been acquainted with, there was nothing remarkable about her. Human women often tried to befriend him in order to seduce him. If he were human he supposed he would be flattered, however, he more often than not felt annoyed by their pursuit.
He was paired with T'Pring. He would not dishonor that bond weak though it was. He had not felt T'Pring in his mind for several months. In the past, their contact was always sporadic however lately it was non-existent. He could not summon her via subspace because she was never home. Or it was an inconvenient hour. When he did reach her it was always a very stilted perfunctory conversation. They said greetings and there was nothing to talk about afterward. Like his father, she did not approve of his career in Starfleet. Unlike his father, she had no say in the matter. They had nothing else in common. She did not share nor did she understood any of his interests and she had no interests he cared to explore. They were little more than strangers bonded in a way that would bring them together when his Time came and nothing more.
Spock secretly hoped he never experienced the TIme, hoped that he would be spared the madness which would strip him not only of his Vulcaness but also his humanity. He hoped he never had to mate and marry T'pring of Vulcan.
His mind drifted back to the earth woman Uhura. If he were bonded to someone like her, perhaps he would not mind returning home for his Time. And he might even be tempted to stay with her as a husband. But it was not to be. Nyota Uhura, like his mother's cocoa, was a dangerous temptation and luckily far out of his reach.
/*-/*-/*-/
Lieutenant Uhura spent her first night in her crew quarters getting herself acquainted with her new home. It was amazing and much larger than she expected. A very handsome engineer named Montgomery Scott had offered to show her to her rooms When he found her roaming the halls aimlessly. He explained that her quarters were actually the first officers quarters, however, Mr. Spock, the current first officer preferred to remain in his standard crew cabin and so she lucked out. Scott speculated that Spock refused the cabin out of a sense of respect for the previous first officer, Gary Mitchell who was the captain's friend.
"Mr. Scott, that doesn't sound very Vulcan like. It sounds downright illogical."
"Well lass, Mr. Spock is not your typical Vulcan, he's half human you know."
"Really? Vulcan-human hybrids are so rare. I wonder how it happened."
"Well now lass, I never would believe I'd have to be teaching you about the birds and the bees?"
"I know all about that, thank you very much. I just meant, how would a human and a Vulcan ever meet and marry? Vulcan's are so standoffish."
"And private. Mr. Spock has never mentioned his parents. I believe his mother is the human parent, though. He has mentioned his father's people a fair bit and always as being superior to humans."
"Typical Vulcan." She shook her head.
"You are acquainted with Vulcans?"
"I've met a few. I had a Vulcan language professor. And I've been to Vulcan before as a child. It was hot. That's all I remember."
"I hear that is all there is to the planet. Hot and sand."
"Anything else I should know about the ship? What's the Captain like?"
"He's a peach. You'll like him. He's stern but fair and he lives and breathes for this ship. You'll meet him tomorrow at the official reception for new recruits."
"I can hardly wait to start my new duties. The next 5 years are going to be a blast."
"That it will lass, now that we've such a lovely communications officer aboard. I wager there'll be a few broken hearts left in your wake too."
"Nope. I'm here for business not pleasure. I'll be captain one day, mark my words."
"Marked and noted." Scotty said with a grin.
"What about you Mr. Scott. What do you expect in the future?"
"I'll be making chief engineer soon. Then perhaps a small ship of my own to command one day too. See what's out there beyond the farthest point." He said with that familiar wistful tone that all hardcore officers have. Wanderlust. Some called it space happiness. Whatever it was, Scotty had it and so did Uhura.
"Mr. Scott, do you think we'll make it back from this mission in one piece?"
"With James T. Kirk in command? You better believe it, lass. Well make it back and we'll be heroes, we'll all get commands of our own."
"I like the way you think. Never say die!" She said pumping her fist.
"Care for a drink?" She offered as she inspected her new little kitchenette. It had one of those new food replicators. She couldn't wait to play with it and the other gadgets the ship was decked out with.
"I could use a wee drop of an adult beverage if you have it."
"Sorry. I don't drink. It makes me lose my wits. And I think I need all my wits about me with you." She teased. "What can this thing do?" She pointed to the food replicator.
"Right now it's been programmed with basic staples. We still have a mess hall and kitchen. Starfleet hopes to get the replicators fully functional to replace kitchen crews soon."
"What is considered a basic staple?" she wondered.
"Coffee. That was the first thing the captain requested. And it can make bread, eggs, cereal. Most juices and teas and soups. The more liquid content the item has the better"
"How about hot chocolate?"
"Sure I don't see why not." Scotty went over to the programmer and put in a code. In a matter of moments, there was a ding of a bell and when he lifted the compartment door there were two steaming cups of hot chocolate.
"There you are, lass, hot and fresh out of the oven. So to speak."
Uhura took a tentative sip and then another. "Hmmm. Not bad. Not like my grandma's though."
"Some things cannae be and shouldnae be duplicated by a machine. And home cooking is one of them."
"What's another?" Uhura asked with a laugh.
"Women," Scotty said. "I know those egg-headed scientists have been trying to replicate a perfect woman for centuries but they always fail. And do you know why?"
"No why?"
"Because every woman is perfect in her own unique way and you can't replicate that."
"Oh, Mr. Scott, that's lovely."
"So are you lass," he said softly.
Uhura blushed. As sweet as he seemed to be, she suddenly wanted Mr. Scott to be going on his way. She wasn't here for romance. She was an officer and her adventure was just beginning. She wasn't about to end it by getting caught up with the first handsome man she met.
Romance was like this hot chocolate, a guilty pleasure that was easy to come by, made you feel good in the moment, and afterward, you're left with extra pounds around the middle, self-recriminations, and pimples.