I had no idea why he was staring at me as if I was something that he had lost and suddenly had found.

Whoa. Hold on, Jim, aren't you reading too much into this? He didn't say *you* were the thing he had been seeking. Hell, if I was the thing he had been missing, wouldn't I remember him from another time?

I had met very few Vulcans in the past. I knew the Vulcan Ambassador, Sarek, his assistants, and the five Vulcans who were liasions with Starfleet from the Vulcan Science Academy. None of them were anything like the Vulcan before me.

Well, I had met one other Vulcan. I had encountered him on a rescue mission. I never saw his face. But he had been so quiet, so withdrawn that he couldn't have been Sanosh. And my companion certainly wouldn't have been caught dead on that ship...

I tried to stop the stream of thoughts before they got me in trouble. It was obvious that my companion had so entranced me that I was seeing things that weren't there. But I wasn't strong enough to push my musings away. Only my growling stomach was able to stop them. I was starving.

Happy to be distracted from what I knew was a growing obsession, I walked over to the replicator. As I looked over the choices suggested on the display in front of it, I turned my head and asked my companion, "What can I get you?"

He shook his head at me as he came over to the counter. "You are quite exasperating. It is I who should be serving you. You are interfering with my ability to do my job correctly."

That comment sounded so familiar that it brought a grin to my face. But it wasn't a Vulcan who I usually heard it from. "Don't take it personally. My yeoman yells at me about that very thing about twice a week."

Sanosh gave me an indulgent look. I could almost see him imagining that scene...and liking it. "It is amazing that your yeoman has not quit in frustration." The teasing in his eyes was obvious. Or was it? All of a sudden, I seemed to be very good at reading a member of the most inscrutible species in the galaxy. One who I had known for a matter of hours...

But the mention of my yeoman distracted me before I could analyze that discovery further. I sighed as I remembered the scene at the cabin. I didn't know if Rand would leave the ship to be with Gary. I hoped not. She was able to handle me quite well. She followed me all over the ship to keep me informed of scheduled events and Starfleet communiques. She picked up my uniforms from the laundry, got my coffee in the morning... Hell, if it wasn't for her, I'd probably eat about once a day.

I must have gotten lost in my thoughts again, because Sanosh touched my arm gently. "I did not intend to bring back memories of your difficulties."

His comment surprised me. I didn't remember mentioning Rand to him, and I knew Bones hadn't said anything to Edan. But I just shrugged. He probably had made an educated guess based on my distraction.

"It's okay. My yeoman is actually the least painful part of all this." It was true. After a few minutes of thought, I was convinced she'd be back when she realized what a prick Gary had become. Or was that the prick he always was? I had started to realize he had been using me all along. Now that I was away from him, my vision was clearing so I could see the truth.

That truth was being reinforced by the being in front of me. He was the one who was reminding me what real pleasure felt like. And how having someone focused on you could make life easier, even if it was just for a moment. It was an enlightening experience. Real pleasure and real attention, even without affection, made a great deal of difference to my state of mind.

Gary had given me neither. It was becoming apparent that he never would have, if we had stayed together. Even the affection he had shown me suddenly felt fake.

But why did Sanosh give me those things? It wasn't like I was paying for all this. For many business people, getting payment from a second party was a good reason to give substandard service. Especially when the one handing out the money didn't actually see the services rendered.

But I was sure I was getting services as good as Sanosh's other clients. Was my benefactor that powerful that he could persuade such a renowned being to treat me as if I were one of his high-paying clients?

Or was there more to it than persuasion? It could simply be a matter of pride. But I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with that look in his eyes earlier.

Those thoughts began to multiply as we sat down at the small table to eat our meals. For me, it was a perfectly done steak and potatoes, for him a large salad with some rather exotic vegetables. When I looked across the table, I seemed to pick up an excitement in the Vulcan. And it seemed to be directed at me.

But again, I had to reel myself in. Because when I looked up again, his face was serene.

I shook my head, trying to convince myself that I was seeing things. But the damage was already done. Real or imagined, the idea of him having real interest in me so intrigued me that I had to ask...

"Why did you agree to this?"

It seemed that he was expecting that question. He put his fork down calmly and looked me straight in the eye. "You were in need of distraction. Distraction I would gladly provide, for the sake of yourself and others. The galaxy would indeed suffer if you were not in good health."

I scoffed. How many of those damned Starfleet propaganda vids did he watch? "I'm only one man. The galaxy isn't going to fall apart just because I'm having a bad day."

Sanosh acknowledged my statement with a nod, then contradicted me. "But your deeds have influenced many others to follow in your footsteps, or to take other routes towards galactic peace. If you are not well, your state could discourage their efforts."

I shook my head, trying to shake off his praise. He made me sound like a god. I wasn't comfortable with the comparison.

My discomfort persuaded him to abandon the argument. So he changed tactics. A moment later, he stood up and came around the table. Smoothly, he turned my chair so he could kneel at my feet.

I looked down at him nervously. I was still naked. I had been comfortable with my state when I sat down, but as I watched him, I couldn't help but compare myself with the glamorous people he was usually around.

He must have felt my anxiety, because he ran his hands gently over my thighs. "I can see that I will have to work continually to relax you...and to convince you that you are entitled to the relaxation." He sounded resigned to this, but at the same time, like that was exactly how it should be.

"When do you get to relax?" I countered. "You'll spend the next two weeks catering to me. By your description, by being here you will be helping galactic peace by making me fit for duty. But it won't be easy. You already know how hard it is to get me to rest. I'm sure you'll be exhausted by the time you leave."

"On the contrary," Sanosh whispered as he massaged my legs, drawing a soft moan from me. "Seeing to your needs will aid in my meditations. You will aid me in connecting with the rest of the galaxy."

In a strange way, that actually made sense. And gave us something in common. "So you're using me, like I'm using you." I chuckled, then moaned again as he took my foot into his skilled hands. "I guess that's fair."

"I fear it is not. For I am gaining more from this than you," Sanosh said almost too quietly for me to hear. Or did I hear it? It was almost as if I *felt* it.

I looked down at him in surprise. But his face didn't change expression. Had I imagined those words? I must have. Still, the idea led me to another question. "Is your employer...my benefactor...paying you extra for your time with me?"

"He is not." Sanosh said softly. Again, it was as if I felt the words rather than heard them. But this time, he raised his head and continued. "I would consider it an insult to both of us if he had."

"Why? I'm not your usual type of client. I bet some people would expect extra compensation for taking me on."

He actually looked angry at my comment, but he refused to tell me why. "The explanation is not necessary for you to know."

Oh, wonderful. I ran into his privacy wall just at the point that I really wanted an answer. So, of course, I tried to push. "Come on! You can't just tell me that without an explanation."

Sanosh shook his head, but luckily didn't take offense at my persistence. "I will not answer that. As we agreed, I will simply consider this part of your innate curiousity. But I will not answer."

"But-" Damnit. I wanted to press him further, but he stopped me from asking anything more. He swallowed my cock in one quick, heart-stopping move. And then he put his talented mouth back to work 'relaxing' me.

For almost an hour after that, I forgot about my questions. In fact, I forgot about everything except the pleasure he was giving me.

But that distraction was only temporary, for even as he carried me back to bed, I was trying to figure out what he wasn't telling me.

I could tell he held me in high esteem. Higher than would be expected, given his usual company.

But what was such a big secret? Why was he afraid to tell me the reason that he liked me?

end part 4