Chapter 7.

Beautiful Music Together

At First Glance

After they had left the shop, Boma and Spock wound their way through the streets and the unseasonably bright evening of San Francisco. Spock squirmed a little in his new clothes, since he wasn't used to the tight cling of his trousers and shirt. Boma assured him that he looked stylish and not to worry…his clothes would settle…new clothes were always that way. Spock relaxed a little and mused at Boma's reassurances.

He had never had a real friend before, and definitely not a friendship with a human male. Upon reflection, he had actually enjoyed his time shopping for clothing with Samuel. He never realized that such a trivial process as buying clothing could be so interesting. He had no real desire to repeat the experience, though. He had read up on human relationships before leaving Vulcan, never thinking that he would get the chance to put his knowledge into practical use. He had found, up to now, that professional, distant relationships worked well within a military framework.

But then came Captain Pike's influence in his career. Captain Pike definitely filled the role as mentor, and he recognized right away that Finnegan represented a slight aberration in normal human behavior. Samuel provided a sort of comradeship that he had never experienced before. Someone, who was not related to him that seemed to care, no matter how friviously, about him as a person.

At first, all eyes were on Samuel as he cut a fashionable path through the streets of the evening life of San Francisco. He was getting used to being recognized again...and liking it...and even posed for a couple of PADD pics for some of his fans. But as the evening drew on, more and more female eyes started to turn and to take interest in his companion. Boma noticed Spock's discomfort as he looked over at Spock as a group of women were scrutinizing the handsome Vulcan. Boma grinned when the women started whispering and giggling behind their hands. Spock, of course, could hear every embarrassing word.

Boma was having a good time. It was nice being away from the oppressiveness of the Academy, and he was fully enjoying civilian life once more. Spock wasn't too bad to have around, either. Boma also suspected that the Vulcan was even relaxing a bit in his company.

'I think that you're going to be quite a hit tonight, Spock! Brighten up, will you? Many guys would give a lot to be in your position, believe me. Aren't you glad that you decided to accompany me tonight?' Boma said, in a teasing way.

Spock gave Boma a decidedly stern look. Boma just ignored him, continued his grinning, and patted Spock companionably on the shoulder. Spock resisted a wince at the familiarity, but remembered this was also part of male comradeship.

They finally found the casual bar that Boma had wanted to visit. It wasn't crowded yet, so they were able to get a decent table for two in a dim corner where they could easily observe incoming patrons while having some measure of privacy. After ordering some beverages, they settled comfortably into their chairs. They remained silent until their drinks were delivered. Not wanting to sit in silence the entire evening, Boma decided to break the ice.

'Spock, I've been wanting to ask you. How on earth did you survive being roommates with Finnegan?'

Spock paused and reflected on the question. 'It wasn't entirely disagreeable. I learned many things about human habits, customs, and some interesting vocabulary.... I consider our brief association a success.'

Boma didn't believe a diplomatic word of that little speech, and decided to probe a bit deeper into the psyche of his enigmatic friend. At that moment; however, a nice looking Orion female with a female friend, entered the bar. He smiled at them as they looked over, taking a look at the merchandise. They smiled back, but made their way to the left side of the bar. Boma sighed. The Orion female had definitely looked interested. Spock emitted no reaction at all from the curious and interested glances in his direction which prompted Boma to ask a bit too callously, 'Have you ever had a girlfriend, Spock'?

Spock turned a little green at the ears. Again he paused, not used to such direct, personal questioning about himself. He carefully considered the question. Boma, noticing his discomfiture, almost withdrew the question when Spock answered suddenly, 'Actually, Samuel, I had a wife.'

Samuel, who was expecting a negative answer, gaped at Spock not knowing what to say. Reluctantly, Spock slowly gave Boma a limited explanation about T'Pring and the termination of their 'marriage'. Spock actually found the experience of discussing this unpleasant event as a relief. He wondered at this feeling, because he was used to keeping personal things to himself. He told Samuel that she'd loved another Vulcan named Stonn, (that shifty-eyed weasel, Spock thought, drawing on colorful metaphors learned from the dictionary of Sean Finnegan). Also, it hadn't helped that Spock had denied the Vulcan Science Academy and left Vulcan for Earth.

'Well, that doesn't sound like any relationship to me since you were bonded as children,' Boma remarked, as Spock finished his story. Spock gave Boma a look which suggested that he drop the subject.

The bar was filling up quickly. Some guys had just walked in and settled at a table adjacent to Spock and Boma's. Boma groaned inwardly, because they looked like the scholarly type. They seemed to be civilian students from the looks of them from the nearby university. They weren't too bad looking, but he hoped that these fellows wouldn't scare the ladies away from their side of the room. One of the guys began introducing himself when he got caught looking over.

'Dr. Roger Korby,' he announced with a slightly, nasally twang, 'and this is Dr. Aaron Brown, my assistant.'

Spock and Boma introduced themselves. Roger Korby took an instant interest in Spock, and vice versa, and they quickly became engaged in a discussion about the university.

Boma grinned weakly at the entire scene.

'You look vaguely familiar,' Brown said, looking at Boma.

Boma just smiled. 'Just one guy in this vast sea searching out female life forms.'

'So, what kind of doctors are you guys?' Boma asked, not having anything better to do at the moment.

'I have my doctorate in Archaeological Medicine, and I'm now working on my PhD,' Korby replied.

Brown said, 'I just have a Doctorate in Archaeology'.

Spock looked even more interested at the newcomers and was especially impressed when he found out Korby's work in Archaelogical Medicine.

'I am familiar with your work. Wasn't your doctoral thesis based on translations of Orion medicine?'

Corby flushed at the mention of his pride and joy. In a flash, the tables seemed to have been pushed together, and heads were bent low in technical discussions, and Boma was left on the fringes.

'Right', muttered Boma to himself. He had no intention of being sucked into scholarly discussions anyway.

Boma, taking advantage of his outsider position, retrieved his drink, excused himself, and left the 'brain-brains' in deep conversation.

______________________________________

Nyota learned a little more about Christine as they spent time talking and laughing about various topics, mostly trivial things, as they left the little bar they had found and continued their way through the streets of San Francisco.

'Actually, Nyota,' Christine was saying, 'I had hoped that I would meet somebody with brains tonight. Ordinary men are such a bore.'

Nyota giggled, but she thoroughly agreed. They had just made a hasty retreat from the pushy guys they had just encountered. She hated guys who were over-confident and so sure of themselves.'

'Maybe, they're all studying!' offered Nyota, earning a speculative glance from Christine.

'Well, everybody needs a break once in awhile. Hopefully, we'll get lucky tonight. If not, we can check out what came in with us at the dorm tomorrow. Maybe, you'll run into your friend, again.'

Nyota seriously doubted it, and was instantly depressed again.

Noticing her error, Christine countered quickly. 'Here's another one, Nyota. Let's try this one out!'

_________________________________

A soft breeze turned Boma's attention again to the door. His eyes were now on two women who had just entered. He had been sitting at the bar nursing his drink. He had been in the process of sipping from his glass, when it stopped in mid-air before his lips. His eyes were locked on the beautiful woman on the left. Her hair was up in a rude bun, but that didn't take away from her beautiful, brown eyes, her perfect, slim figure, and her coffee-brown, smooth skin. He felt a chill travel up and down his body as he surveyed her from head to toe. The two, not noticing him at the bar, walked quickly over to an empty table next to Korby and Brown's. The men hardly noticed the ladies as they sat down. Typical, thought Boma.

Roger Korby, noticing a pleasant fragrance close by, finally lifted up his head from his conversation with Brown and Spock, turned to his right, and noticed a stunning blond sitting at the table next to him. He stammered something meaningless in the air as her eyes bore into his. He tentatively raised his glass to her. Since she didn't shrink away and continued to hold his gaze, he grew a little bolder, and introduced himself to her. Brown and Spock, not missing Corby, continued their conversation.

Boma surveyed the changes at the table as he sat at the bar. His eyes were still locked on the beautiful woman. He was instantly charmed as she laughed at one of her friend's jokes. Boma examined his feelings. He had never felt this way about anybody at first glance, and realized that he had to play this one carefully for he didn't want to lose her. He sat at the outskirts for awhile listening to drifts of the conversation. She seemed highly intelligent, and would probably be immune to typical human male advances, he surmised.

Seeing his opportunity when her friend and Korby seemed to draw closer together, Boma walked up to her table since the woman didn't seem to be occupied, and carefully joined her table. The huge brown eyes turned towards him, and he returned a shy look of his own. The eyes questioned a bit, and he said, 'Sorry to disturb you, but the other side of my table seems to be taken by my friends, and I didn't want to disturb their conversation,' Boma said, assuming the air of having the utmost respect for others as he waved a hand at Brown and Spock who now occupied the chairs at his former table.

My name's Samuel Boma', he said quietly.

'My name is Uhura. I'm a cadet candidate at Star Fleet Academy, and this is Christine', she replied, moving a bit backward in her chair to introduce her roommate.

'Please to meet you both,' Boma said, not quite sure that Christine had even heard him.

'You're a cadet candidate? Well, what a coincidence! I'm a first year cadet at the Academy... not exactly first year, since I've only been there since January,' he said humbly.

'What are you studying, Cadet Boma?'

'Please call me, Sam.'

'Okay, Sam. You may call me Uhura,' she said, ruling on the side of caution.

'I'm studying Physics,' said Boma.

'How are you a first year cadet when the class doesn't enter for another three weeks?'

'Well, I came in at mid-term', he said, lowering his head a bit.

'You're embarrassing him,' chimed in Christine, who had just listened in after taking a quick break from her conversation with Korby.

Boma just smiled and shrugged. 'I was accepted to the Fast Track program, so that's why I was allowed to start a little earlier.'

Boma saw that Uhura was really impressed by this as she edged a little closer to him at the table.

Korby and Christine began another conversation, while Spock continued a discussion with Brown at the other end of the table.

'You're in Fast Track! I applied to the program, but they chose somebody else!'

'What are you going to be studying, Uhura?' Boma asked, hoping that she wouldn't say ''Physics', taking her Fast Track place away.

'I'll be studying Xenolinguistics. Tell me, is it hard at the Academy?' Uhura said, impressed that this man was experiencing her dreams.

'Well, it's a pretty big challenge, but they wouldn't accept you if you weren't capable of handling the curriculum.'

Uhura considered this, relaxed, and then smiled. 'What's a typical day like?'

Uhura and Boma continued their conversation quietly exploring each other and enjoying each other's company. Christine and Roger seemed to be equally enthralled with each other.

Spock finally rose, catching Boma's eye, and motioned quietly that it was time to get back to the dormitory.

Boma, not wanting to cause a scene, gave Spock an 'another five minutes nod' and wound down his conversation with Nyota in their little niche. He exchanged PADD data with her, and offered to help her in her Academy transition. Perhaps even as early as tomorrow.

Uhura laughed at Boma, grinning at his cleverness in working out their next meeting.

Spock had risen from the table again and was making his way to Boma's.

Boma announced, 'And this is my mentor, Lieutenant Spock. He keeps me out of trouble.'

And Boma confidentially whispered in her ear, 'And he's as cold as they get!'

Boma smiled and reiterated his goodnight to Uhura. He rose slowly from his chair leaving Uhura fully exposed to Spock for the first time. Feeling finally relaxed and tired of her bun, she loosened the band on her long, silky, black hair. Spock stood transfixed as she shook her tresses free, as she finally stood revealed in agonizing loveliness, her long hair trailing down her back.

Boma said, 'Spock, come on, you said that we had to be going!'

Yes, of course, Cadet Boma,' referring to his formal name in his confusion.

Uhura barely acknowledged the Vulcan as she turned back to Christine...who had turned back to her conversation with Korby. Meanwhile, Brown had moved around the tables, and began a conversation with Uhura. She found both Brown and Korby to be extraordinary in their fields. Brown was currently explaining a project that they wanted to take part in on a planet called Exo III. She was impressed. These guys seemed to be adventurous for civilians, she thought admiringly. And Christine seemed to have hit the jackpot with Roger Korby. They were currently exchanging PADD information. Nyota smiled looking over at her new friend enjoying herself.

__________________________________

Christine and Nyota left the bar about an hour after Boma and Spock had left. They walked contently and lazily to the transport station.

'Well?' queried Christine.

'Well, what?' Nyota said, smiling, running her fingers through her hair.

'Tell me. No secrets!'

'You tell me! You two seemed to have known each other for years!'

Christine smiled dreamingly thinking about the evening. 'He was absolutely everything that I was looking for in a guy. Brilliant! Adventurous! Self-assured, but not overbearing... and interested in me. Did you know that he's already garnered several prestigious Federation awards?

'When are you going to see him again?'

'Whenever we get settled in. I don't know what our schedule's going to be like. Ok, Nyota, your turn! What was that cosmic stir you caused tonight?'

Nyota hadn't thought she had caused a cosmic stir, and said, 'You saw him! Samuel is a first year cadet, and he's in Fast Track! He majoring in ....'

Christine interrupted impatiently, 'What are you talking about, Nyota! Come on! No secrets!'

Nyota just stared at Christine.

'Nyota,' Christine said, drawing her name out. I'm not talking about Samuel, I'm talking about the Vulcan!'

Nyota said, 'The Vulcan? You mean Sam's mentor? What are you talking about?'

'Didn't you see the way he looked at you? I've never seen a Vulcan react like that before.'

'He just glanced at me when Boma introduced us. Boma told me that he was cold.'

'Well, he looked pretty warm to me,' Christine said, nudging her friend.

'Come on Christine. Vulcans aren't that way. You know that. I really think that you are stretching things a bit, don't you?

'No, Nyota. Not at all.'

__________________________________

Spock and Boma made their way back to the dormitory. Boma was walking with an extra bounce to his step, thinking of Uhura! Spock's behavior wasn't any different from normal, and he didn't recognize that he was slightly withdrawn.

Spock was silently calming himself in the cool evening air. He couldn't understand what he had found so fascinating about her. Totally illogical. He replayed his meeting with her in his mind, and then willed himself to forget the entire episode, because on reflection, he had come to a conclusion: the woman that he had been fascinated with didn't even know he existed.

Hope you like this chapter! Took long enough, I know. Please take time to review. It makes me feel good.