Nyota continued working on the recordings several more hours. They presented quite a challenge to her and appeared to be a cross between a Romulan and Vulcan dialect. Even though she could not totally understand all of it, she was able to translate some of the phrases and she put the information in her report.
After several hours she decided to take a break and took her findings to the captain. He admitted her into his quarters and she found him sitting on the sofa shirtless. She tried not to stare.
"Good evening Lieutenant" he said looking up from the PADD he was reading.
"Captain, I have a report on the recordings found in the mine." she said standing at attention. She was after all reporting to him in an official capacity and did not want to seem too casual.
He looked at her. "At ease, Lieutenant. Tell me your findings."
She told him about the recordings being a strange cross dialect between Vulcan and Romulan. She then read to him the translation she had done. She tried to focus on her translation and not on his chest which was incredibly sexy.
"Perhaps you should share your findings with Mr. Spock." the captain said standing. "I am sure that he will be able to shed some light on the situation."
He then sent a message to Spock to come to his quarters.
Almost immediately after he sent the message, his door chimed.
"Come" Kirk said looking up.
Spock walked into his quarters.
"That was mighty fast, Spock" Kirk said "I just sent the message not even a minute ago."
"I am aware of that, captain." Spock said with his hands behind his back. "I was on my way to your quarters when the message came through. I wanted to inquire as to our agenda for tomorrow. Do you wish me to return to the planet with you?"
"Yes, Mr. Spock. In fact, the Lieutenant here had translated some of the recordings and feel that they are a Romulan/Vulcan dialect of some sort. I thought that she should share her findings with you and get your analysis."
Spock raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating! I shall be happy to do so." He turned to Nyota who handed him the information.
"The recordings are in the library. I will be happy to gather them together for you, Mr. Spock." she said.
"That won't be necessary. I will get them and take them to my quarters for further analysis if that is agreeable with you, captain. I will then make a comparison with the lieutenant's findings."
"Fine, Spock. You do that. I have a few other things I need to discuss with the lieutenant."
Spock raised an eyebrow and looked from one to the other. "Very well. I will take my leave"
He nodded to Nyota. "Good evening, lieutenant."
"Good evening, Spock" she replied and watched him walk out of the door before returning her gaze to the captain.
"You said that you have a few other things to discuss, captain" she returned to her rigid stance, her face unreadable. She hoped that it hid the turmoil she was feeling.
He watched her a moment before speaking. "Nyota..." His voice trailed off. He wondered why she was being so formal now that Spock had left.
"Yes, captain."
"We're not on duty now, Nyota." He walked over to her, but did not touch her.
He looked at her and waited for her to respond. He searched her face trying to figure out what was wrong.
Nyota wished that he had more clothes on. He was too damn sexy for his own good. The line that distinguished him in her mind from being captain to being her lover was becoming seriously blurred.
"Have I upset you in some way?" He tried to keep his voice level even though the frustration crept through when she seemed somewhat distant.
She reached out and touched his nipple and pinched it sending a jolt of pleasure through his belly. He gasped and then grabbed her wrist pulling her to him.
"You like screwing with me, don't you lieutenant" he hissed. He didn't like the control she had over him. Just her touch was enough to test his control and distract him from the matter at hand.
She smiled at him. "I couldn't resist. You're very sexy with no shirt on. You are a very hard man to resist sometimes. I must confess that my control somewhat weakens when I'm in your company."
Her confession surprised him, especially since he felt the same way about her. The thought that she wanted him as much as he wanted her gave him comfort and tempered his insecurities.
She ran her hands across his chest and he quickly pulled her closer and captured her lips in a searing kiss. His tongue clashed with hers as he explored her mouth.
"I can't get you out of my mind." he said more to himself than to her.
"I want you. I want you now" she replied undoing his pants. She chastised herself mentally for having no willpower against a half naked James Kirk. She was already wet and he hadn't even touched her yet!
A part of Jim wanted to deny her. He needed to talk to her, try to understand what was going on in that head of hers, but her hands were all over him leaving a trail of heat on the skin she touched.
"You didn't want me last night" he said in a mild protest. "I came to you-"
"Last night was about you, not about me" she responded as he pulled her down on the bed. "I wanted to please you, I didn't want anything from you."
"No, it wasn't about me and what I wanted." he countered. "I wanted you and you didn't want me. I reached for you, and you didn't respond to my advances."
"You only wanted me because of what I did for you. I didn't want you like that. I didn't want you to 'repay' me. I just wanted you to take what I offered."
He was quiet for the moment, surprised at what she was saying. Her hands ran freely over him and there was no doubt in his mind that she wanted him now and that made him happy.
"Have you ever had a woman to give to you without wanting anything in return?" She stopped her exploration of him momentarily and looked at him.
He looked at her surprised. "If you're speaking sexually...no...not really."
She smiled at him. "I wanted to give to you without you believing that you had to 'pay me back' so to speak."
He rubbed her back thinking about what she was saying. "I thought you didn't want me...that perhaps I didn't satisfy you the other night." He had lowered his voice to a murmur.
Nyota couldn't believe that he could be insecure about himself in the area of lovemaking. She had been so sure that he knew that he was an exceptional lover.
She looked shocked at the doubt in his eyes. "You're kidding, right?"
He shook his head and wouldn't look at her directly. The thought that she just wanted to please him without taking anything for herself never occurred to him. She never ceased to amaze him.
Nyota rolled on top of him and grabbed him by the chin forcing him to look her in the eyes.
"The other night was wonderful. You're good...even when you're half asleep."
He grinned. "Really? Is my size...satisfactory?"
She rolled her eyes. Why were men so hung up on the size of their penises! "If it's not, can you change that?"
Jim laughed at her question.
"I guess not...but still...I want to know what pleases you."
"You please me...very much." she said sliding down his body. She ached for a taste of him.
"Oh no you don't!" he said sitting up and stopping her. "Last night was good...but I want the real thing tonight."
He pulled her up as he sat up and reached under her uniform and pulled down her underwear and stockings.
She kicked them off and started to take her uniform off.
"No, leave it on." he said his voice husky. He fell back on the bed.
"Slide up here" he demanded. He wanted her directly on his face to explore at his leisure. The thought of doing it made his pulse race in anticipation.
Nyota started to protest realizing what he wanted, but changed her mind. She climbed on him straddling his chest. She leaned down and kissed him.
"Come on, bring it on up here where I can taste and talk and watch your reaction at the same time."
She did as he asked and he kneaded her buttocks as his tongue found her center. He didn't seem interested in doing much talking as his tongue aggressively explored her while his other hand moved up and down his shaft.
"Save some for me" she gasped covering his hand with hers, stopping his jerky movements. She didn't want him to cum like this...she wanted him inside her!
He quickly flipped her over on her back.
"As you wish" he said kissing her.
He entered her with one quick stroke, filling her.
"You're mine, Nyota Uhura. Don't give this to anyone but me." His voice was pleading, his eyes searching hers.
His strokes became quicker, almost desperate as if he was making love to her for the very last time.
"The same thing goes for you, captain." she countered running her hands up and down his back.
He grabbed her under the hips willing his body to hold back even as he felt himself being drawn towards the orgasm that was threatening to consume him.
"Please, baby...mine, nobody elses..mine..oh yeah!" He threw his head back, lifting her hips in the air, and Nyota knew that he was nearing climax.
She quickly pulled away from him causing a quick disconnect. Jim gasped and quickly tried to position himself at her entrance.
"No." She looked at him, her voice firm.
She saw the confusion on his face. "What's wrong? Am I hurting you?"
"No. We need to talk."
She pushed him off of her.
Jim couldn't believe what she had just done! Talk? Why couldn't they talk afterwards?
"Talk? God Ny, I was about to cum-"
"I know that. Listen to me a minute." She saw his confusion turn to anger but he didn't say anything. He was breathing hard and began stroking himself.
Jim didn't understand what she was doing. His member was aching and she had cut him off like it didn't matter to her. He felt confusion and anger that cutting him off in the middle of sex and insisting that they talk came so easily for her.
She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Stop it, Jim"
"Damn it, Ny! What do you want from me?" He sat on the side of the bed, his back to her. He hated the fact that she had such power over him, that he couldn't control himself around her while she could just turn her feelings on and off as if it didn't matter.
Nyota came around the bed and faced him.
"Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. You're claiming that I'm all yours while knowing full well that if you need to sleep with Jayl or any other woman to get your mission accomplished you will. You want me to be yours, but can you really be mines, Jim?"
"Damn, Nyota. I told you that I didn't want her! I think you like busting my balls! You know I'm in love with you, but you're not in love with me. I know that. You know that you have this power over me and so now you're using that to punish me, to manipulate me. That's not right."
He covered his eyes with his palms trying to get himself together and she quickly grabbed his hand and pulled them away from his eyes.
"Look at me" she demanded. He looked up at her, his eyes angry and sad.
"I'm falling in love with you too. I don't want to,I've tried to hold back and protect my feelings, but I can't help myself. The thought of someone else having you tears me up inside. I've tried holding back my feelings, but that hasn't worked. I'm in this thing deep. I want you just as badly as you want me. In fact, I want you all the time! I know you have your duty to perform...we both knew that from the beginning. You know that I also have my duty to perform also. There can't be a double standard here, Jim. You can't be angry with me for spending time with Talnik if that helps us accomplish our mission. We are a team!"
"I just don't want you to sleep with him." he confessed. He was still trying to process everything that she had just said. She said that she was falling in love with him! She wanted him all the time too! His heart beat faster as he searched her face for the truth wanting desperately to believe the words she had just spoken.
"I don't plan on sleeping with him. You need to know that, and trust me. But if you are going to declare your love for me and demand fidelity when you make love to me, then I want the same thing from you."
He was quiet and she grabbed his chin. "You said you'd always be honest with me. That is so important to me!"
"I meant what I said." He looked at her and was surprised to see her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"I love the way you make me feel." She ran her finger across his lips staring at them.
"The thought of you doing things to another woman...those intimate things that you do to me-" Her voice lowered and she looked away unable to look him in the eyes.
"Oh, baby..."
He cut her off and grabbed her chin as the tears fell. He understood now what was bothering her, why it was hard for her to relax when he was pleasing her with his mouth.
"There are some things I only want from you...I promise you this, we will only taste one another's sweetness when we kiss. Some things I only do with the one I love...and that's you."
He pulled her face to him, kissing her and he felt her tears fall on his face.
"If I can't promise you anything else, I promise you that yours is the only fountain I'll drink from...trust me."
He wiped her tears with his thumb as he held her face and she saw the sincerity in his eyes.
"I'll never lie to you about something that I can see is so important to you. I want you to trust me."
"I do" she replied, and she did.
She reached down and stroked him and he closed his eyes. She bent down for a quick taste, running her tongue over the slit and circling the head. His gasps of pleasure sent jabs of fire through her belly.
"Now please tell me that this belongs to me and mean it from your heart." she whispered. "I want you to know that I'd never use sex as a weapon to try to control you. What we have between us is too precious to me for that. Just reassure me that this is mine, because what I have is yours."
"It's yours." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I mean that with all my heart."
She pushed him back on the bed and sat on him, pushing him into her hot center. Jim looked up at her. "I've never felt so whipped in my life."
She began to move and he grabbed her hips quickening the pace.
"That goes both ways, captain" she replied grinning. "Because I want only you."
His fingers dug into her hips as he moved her up and down.
"I want only you." She repeated herself again for emphasis as she rode him, her breasts bouncing up and down. " And for the record...I'm just as whipped as you are."
He grinned at her remark, basking in the reassurance her words gave him which sent a fire through his loins.
He quickly flipped her on her back. He didn't speak but covered her mouth with his as he drove into her with a fury that he didn't know he possessed. Never had he allowed a woman to get under his skin like she did. It was dangerous to feel that way because he knew he had to remain focused on the mission, but he couldn't help himself.
He knew it was crazy but as his impending orgasm threatened to carry him over the edge, a part of him wished that she'd get pregnant with his baby. She was his, no one else's and he wanted the world to know it. He kissed her neck, grabbing the tender flesh between his teeth and sucked, marking her as he felt himself filling her with all he had as his release consumed him.
Nyota felt him bite her neck and knew what he was doing. He wanted Talnik to see it and know that she had a man. She quickly returned the favor, biting him hard. She was surprised when he didn't pull away, but pulled her closer.
He collapsed on the bed breathing hard, but still holding onto her tightly. She didn't break the skin, but she knew that she had left a mark. His would show much more easily than hers and she wondered what explanation, if any he would offer.
**************************************************
Nyota had planned to return to her quarters, but found that the captain had other ideas.
He made love to her again slowly and tenderly. He held her tightly afterward and she waited until he was asleep and quickly slipped out of the bed.
She half expected him to call out to her before she was dressed, but he was sleeping soundly and she was able to leave his quarters undetected.
The next morning she quickly showered and dressed and prepared to beam down to the planet. The captain was in the transporter room when she arrived. He nodded and smiled at her as she joined him, Dr. McCoy and Spock.
Talnik and Jayl were waiting for them and she noticed that both of them were looking at them curiously when their party walked up to them, but did not say anything.
She wondered if the marks showed and had caught their eye. She had checked herself in the mirror before she left the Enterprise and the mark on her neck was very faint. She didn't think that anyone could see it unless they were right up on her. The captain's was a little more obvious as the red mark could be seen quite clearly.
Spock had been able to further translate some of the recordings and gave the information to Talnik. He then accompanied Scotty who was revamping their computer systems.
Talnik continued to charm Nyota and then took her for a tour of their compound. She noticed that he led her away from the others and stopped at a large painting of his homeland.
"It's beautiful" she remarked looking at it.
"Just as you are" Talnik said. He then studied her for a moment.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Why didn't you or the captain indicate to us that you two are intimate?" He watched as her mouth fell open. "Don't deny it."
"How did you know?" she asked surprised.
"You may not know this, but Jarians have an incredible sense of smell. Our noses are very sensitive. I can smell the captain's scent all over you. You know that everyone has a scent, don't you? I could also smell your scent on him. I detect that you two are having intercourse because the scent is a very distinctive mix of the two of you. You two are involved, is that not correct?"
Nyota was embarrassed. How could he tell that? She had showered that morning!
"It doesn't matter that you have bathed." Talnik said as if he could read her thoughts. "The scent is still there and will be until your natural scent overrides any of him remaining, which could take half of the day. Since it is fairly strong, I detect that your coupling was recent."
He took her arm and they continued to walk. Nyota did not know what to say. He looked at her and smiled, patting her arm.
"I must confess that I am somewhat disappointed...I had hoped that I had a chance, and Jayl had her heart set on having him, you know."
"We are not married or anything." Nyota said
"Does that mean then that you are still available?" He looked at her somewhat hopeful.
"No"
"I didn't think so. Right now he is most likely wondering what I am doing with you." Talnik said grinning.
*********************************************
Jim listened to Jayl as she showed him around the compound.
He looked at the weapons that their ancestors had used to protect themselves. The large number of swords, axes, and lances in all shapes and sizes impressed him.
"I see that your people were not as passive as Talnik described." he said as they walked along.
"Oh, we are a very passive people." Jayl replied. "However, we are very passionate about protecting what is ours."
She turned and looked at him. "I understand that people from your planet are the same way about some things."
"We are" he said smiling.
She looked at him slyly. "Is there someone I need to watch out for?"
Jim looked at her surprised. "What do you mean?"
Jayl walked up closer to him. "I want you. Is there someone else?"
Jim looked away. "There is."
Jayl smiled at him. "Will she share?"
"Only if she has to." Jim replied.
Jayl was quiet as they walked along. She then looked up at him. "Do you want to be with me?"
"I'm with you now." Jim hedged, not wanting to reject her outright.
She laughed and stopped and turned to him. "Duplicity doesn't become you, captain."
She ran her hand along his arm. "Can I at least get a kiss?"
She put her arms around his neck pulling him to her. Jim yielded to the kiss and her tongue searched for his. Suddenly she pulled back and looked at him.
"She's all over you." she said angrily.
"What?" Jim looked at her confused.
"I knew there was someone, because I can smell her scent on you. I just didn't expect to taste her in your kiss."
Jim was taken aback. "Wh-what?"
"The woman with the skin like Calderian cocoa that my brother desires. It is her. She is all over you...even in your mouth." She wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her dress.
Jim stared at her a moment. "I love her" he said simply.
"Then why did you not declare her to be your woman when you came here?"
"It's complicated-"
Jayl eyes were filled with anger. "There's nothing complicated about telling the truth, captain."
"Jayl-"
"Do you have many women?" she hissed her eyes narrow slits.
"No."
"Are you joined?" she asked searching his face.
"If you're talking about marriage...no." Jim said. "Jayl, I haven't been deceiving you. Our lives are very private. I am the captain. When we are on duty I treat her as I would any of my crew. There can be no hint of favoritism. It is best that the crew does not know about our private lives."
Jayl led him to a secluded corner in the room they were occupying.
"If you are not joined, and you have indicated that there may be instances that you would be with other women...will you be with me?"
Jim looked at her. "Why would you want to be with me when it's obvious that you can tell when I'm with her. That fact seemed to disturb you a few minutes ago and now you want me to be with you? I don't understand."
"Her scent will leave you if you do not go to her in a day or two and then we can be together." She leaned up against him and ran her finger over his lips.
"I would love for my scent to be the one to replace hers on your lips."
"Jayl, why would you want to be with a man who already has someone else. You are a beautiful woman, why not-"
"I want you!" she snapped. "She is going to be with my brother anyway, so why do you care?"
Jim pulled back from her grasp as if he had been slapped. Nyota was not going to be with Talnik and he wasn't going to be with her! He held his peace and chose his words carefully.
"I think we should go back and find the others now." he said, his voice low.
Jayl drew herself up and stomped out of the room.
Jim sighed and followed her wondering if Nyota was somewhere having to fight off Talnik's advances.
