Kirk was stunned for a moment. Was Spock happy? It was a question he couldn't answer and he could just imagine what Spock would say, how it was an illogical question, how being happy or unhappy was an emotion, and therefore for him, as a Vulcan, it was not only impossible to answer, but also irrelevant. Still, he could understand the woman's question. Her son was half human, too, with pointy ears, and from what he'd gathered so far, he hadn't had a very happy childhood.
He didn't know much about Spock's childhood, he had to admit to himself. But he had been growing up on Vulcan, among rational, logical people, not suspicious, envious, emotional humans who were prone to xenophobia. However, there must have been a reason why Spock had chosen to spend his life mostly among humans, even though he denied almost everything that was human within himself. Bones had spent the last five years pointing that out to anyone who would listen, and anyone who would not listen, especially Spock himself. At first, Kirk had been worried that Spock would become upset, would interpret Bones' well-meaning psycho-analysis, good-humored and sometimes not so good-humored teasing as racist insults. But over time he'd found out, that Spock actually enjoyed the doctor's verbal affronts, not that he'd ever admit it, of course.
"Well," he started, trying to find an answer, "he's got good friends who love him and whom he loves in return." At least that was true, and what else was happiness?
"I can imagine," she said, looking back at Kirk, her expression softening.
Kirk saw his chances of winning the woman's trust were rising. But he had to be careful. He was still very aware of his own phaser, that was in her possession at the moment, and most of the time pointed at him, even though she was becoming lax with it. He was sure he could take it from her in one of her unguarded moments, but was that wise? Maybe he could gain more by winning her heart.
Spock was still out there, if he had found and captured Tamulok, they would need some support in this village, so that they could administer the vaccine to everyone. Not all of the villagers were trusting them. If Tamulok was still loose on the other hand, he'd have to do everything to get him. They could explain later. However, it would mean he'd have to leave Bones which he didn't want to do. He wasn't in any immediate danger, though, as Bones had assured him himself, just before he'd given himself that hypo with the virus in it.
He sighed. Spock, what's taking you so long?
"Are you hungry?" she asked him, after a while of just sitting on the floor, watching.
He was. So, why not replenish his energy, when given the opportunity? "Yes. Thank ..."
He was interrupted by a violent rapping at the door. She stood, startled, raising the phaser again, aiming at the door. "Who's there?"
"Brent," came the reply through the door, "I have news, ... and a captive."
Kirk swallowed as dread and frustration formed in his gut. Brent was a guy they had met on their first encounter with the villagers. He hadn't been the most friendly, said he hated Starfleet officers. And Vulcans.
As she opened the door, Brent, a mid forty year old man with a boxer's face and a butcher's figure walked in, pushing a half Vulcan into the room, threatening him with a phaser. A Starfleet issue phaser, as Kirk recognised immediately.
"Spock!" he exclaimed sourly, "Had any success?"
Spock briefly scanned the room and the middle-aged woman with Kirk's phaser, before his eyes settled on his captain who was sitting on a bed, an injured, feverish McCoy slumped in his arms.
"I've found Mr. Brent, Captain," he said calmly, "What about you and the doctor?"