A/N Christine's little way of saying that she's cool with Nyota/Spock. Happy holidays!

Lucent:

Shining

Translucent; clear

Deck Five

Every year, it was an unspoken tradition for Nyota Uhura and Christine Chapel to meet and get ready for the annual dinner that the Captain organised for his crew.

By the time that Nyota arrived, Christine was already sitting at the dresser. She was perfecting her make-up. "You look great, Chris," Nyota said. "Love the dress. Short and sweet."

Christine feigned a curtsy. "What are you wearing this year?"

Nyota reached into the bag she had brought with her, "I thought I'd go for something a bit different." She pulled out the long robe that she'd bought from her last trip to Vulcan. She held it up against herself.

"It's beautiful, Ny."

Nyota fumbled through her bag and produced her gift for Christine. "Sorry it's not wrapped," she said sheepishly. It was a pair of old style leather bound journals, with crisp blank pages. "You told me you thought the ships logs were so impersonal."

Christine smiled happily as she set the books gently on her dresser. She opened a drawer. "I bought yours from that trader who came to the ship last month. I hope it's as good as he said it was." She produced a small rectangular box and handed it to Nyota.

"Perfume!" Nyota opened the box and took out the slender bottle. She held it up against the light. "I've never seen this kind before." The liquid inside was thick, almost gelatinous, but when it caught the light it there was a golden tint to it. She sprayed a little against her wrist, and it was as suddenly as delicate as water. It smelled spicy, yet sweet and clear. "I like it."

"Well, you'd better get ready. We don't have much time."

When the women arrived at the ready room, the others were already milling around, drinks in hand. Even Spock appeared to have caved in to the doctor's requests and had what looked like a glass of Saurian brandy in his hand. Untouched, naturally.

Nyota smiled at Spock, and self-consciously smoothed the deep blue fabric of her dress on her hips. Though he would never admit it, the motion was not lost on Spock. As it was a Vulcan dress, there was certainly nothing on show. But she had learned through experience that Vulcans had their own brand of sensuality, and the dress demonstrated that perfectly. It happened to cling just right to the curves of her body. Spock's eyes lowered from her throat to her hips in one motion that the others would never have noticed. She smiled.

Just before everyone sat down to dinner, Christine whispered to Nyota that she really ought to top up her perfume. It was fading, apparently. Nyota dutifully reapplied it.

She and Spock sat next to one another at dinner. Nyota happily conversed with everyone around her, like she always did. She joked and smiled and occasionally shrieked with laughter. At first Spock only nodded, adding a dry comment here and there. But as the night wore on, she noticed a change in his demeanour. His hand, hidden by the table, rested on her thigh.

Even when dinner ended, and they went back to drifting about the room, he was reluctant to leave her side. He seemed strained, somehow, almost impatient.

"What is it, Spock?" she asked him when they managed to retreat to a private corner.

She could hardly believe it when he ran his fingertips lightly along the exposed skin of her neck. He leaned in and whispered, "Come to my quarters. Now." He straightened and raised his eyebrow. How did this man make that gesture so damned suggestive? She couldn't help smile a little. He turned slowly and then left the ready room.

Nyota paused a moment to make to heat die down from her face. She caught Christine's eye just before she left to follow him. Christine darted forward, "I think he likes the perfume," she said, her eyes glimmering.

"The perfume…? Ah…"

"Enjoy tonight, Ny. Happy holidays."

Nyota was going to say something, but she decided against it. There was an unusually stimulated Vulcan waiting for her. On her way to his quarters, she made a mental note to keep a bottle of that perfume in stock at all times. The results would prove to be…fascinating.