Disclaimer: I don't own Spock, Nyota or the Federation
Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (Opa!)
His vision went black. Gasping for air, his body convulsed and was flooded with delicious warmth. His hips beneath Nyota's nearly imperceptible weight made one final jerk...
Suddenly, there was no weight on his hips. Through the haze of his climax he heard a loud thud.
Spock's eyes opened. Nyota was bracing herself against the headboard, her bare breasts above his mouth, her core above his chest.
"Whoa there, cowboy!" Nyota said.
How did she get up there? A moment ago she was astride his hips...his mind whirled. The gravity on Altair 25 was less than Earth's; he hadn't adjusted for it. He should have kept his hands on her...but she already had bruises.
Nyota burst out laughing.
His mouth dropped. She knew he was terrified that someday he might hurt her. He was as strong as a full Vulcan even if he was technically half-human. And yet she laughed.
"I'm fine, Spock." She started laughing again.
He lifted an eyebrow. He was glad she was uninjured, but, really.
"Whoa there, cowboy? Nyota, is this some sort of colloquialism?"
She collapsed breathlessly on her side next to him. "Yes."
Well, that was unsatisfactory.
"I infer the meaning is to reign in one's behavior?" Spock asked.
"Reign in...Ha! That's kind of funny, Spock. You pun-ster, you." Her head fell forward on his chest.
"But in this circumstance the descriptor 'cowboy' makes absolutely no sense," Spock said, trying to keep from sounding annoyed.
"Why not, My Spock?"
"Because, obviously, you were on top of me. Therefore, it is only logical that the 'cowboy' in this scenario is..."
"Me, not you!" Nyota laughed. She lifted her head and raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course, that would make you the horse. I retract my previous statement. Whoa there, Nellie!"
"Nellie? That is a female name, is it not?"
Nyota rolled her eyes. "Whoa there, Trigger! There, are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied? At being metaphorically compared to a brute animal? No."
Spock caught himself. There was an opening here for teasing. "Although...I suppose, that there are other metaphorical comparisons to horses that might be...flattering."
Nyota's eyes narrowed. "And what metaphorical comparisons would those be, Lieutenant Commander?"
Spock raised an eyebrow. He just couldn't bring himself to say it. No matter how good a joke it would be...it was too vulgar.
Nyota's eyes got even narrower. "Would these be anatomical comparisons, Mister Spock?"
His lips quirked involuntarily.
"Forget it, I am not going to say that you are hung like a --" She sat up, picked up a pillow, and attempted to swat him across the face with it. He blocked it easily with one arm. He felt extremely satisfied.
Nyota settled down at his side and muttered, "That sort of compliment would only go to your head."
He couldn't resist. "Which one?"
Nyota made a sound that sounded like a growl. "You know, Spock...men who are extremely well-endowed tend to make lousy lovers."
He tensed. Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. "You know this how?"
He shouldn't have asked.
"Gaila," said Nyota.
Ah, her Orion roommate.
Relaxing a bit Spock tilted his head. "Actually, her sample size is probably adequate..."
"Yep." Nyota agreed. "She has a hypothesis -- she thinks the big guys rely too much on that one piece of anatomy."
"But there always 'exceptions that prove the rule,' as humans say, are there not?" he asked, wondering how far he could push her along this topic.
Nyota's brow furrowed. "You know, I don't really even...you know my sample size has been too small..."
Her eyes widened. "I mean...that's not what I mean." Nyota's skin became ever so slightly red. "I've always thought you were proportional..."
Spock raised an eyebrow at her. He actually had no discomfort in this regard. It would be illogical. His lips quirked.
"You're teasing me, aren't you?" Nyota said, eyes narrowing. She sat up again quickly and another pillow came crashing towards his face. He let it hit him this time and then he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in. He put two fingers on her temples and transmitted his mood. He was happy, satisfied, sated.
"Me, too," said Nyota. "But today we are actually going to get out of bed..."
"Agreed." He looked out the window, open now to the warm air and the humming of the native insects. It was the third morning after Nyota's arrival, and still early. They hadn't done much the past two days.
They'd gone to two of the native towns for meals and had walked along the beach -- even gone swimming. The water was saline enough that Spock's denser body mass didn't cause him to sink like a stone. They hadn't visited the local museums or historical sites yet, though. Usually by the time they really got up, it was late afternoon and almost closing time.
"...after a short nap," said Nyota, yawning into his shoulder.
Through the link Spock felt...
Happiness...comfort...
Spock took a moment to savor having her cool body pressed against his. After their recent bout of exertion, he was actually a little warm, even lying on the bed without clothes or sheets.
Gazing down he admired Nyota's hair falling in a long wave on the white sheets behind her. Her eyes fluttered shut and he watched as all the muscles in her body began to stiffen then relax. His gaze fell on the welt he'd made the first morning she was here and he felt himself get slightly warmer.
He started to breathe deeply. Now, in his state of afterglow and contentment, it would be an ideal time to meditate...
Pushing all of his conscious thought out of his mind, he began to relax and let himself just be.
And then his comm rang.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Spock looked down at her as she lay in bed; he was in uniform. Only his blue shirt was missing.
"You look great," she said. And he did. Nyota decided she hoped she never had to see him in his instructor uniform again. He just looked so much more at ease in his science blues -- even without the blue.
"I am sorry, Nyota." Kneeling down next to her, he brought his forehead to hers. "Someone dropped the main sensory array board and I am needed to recalibrate it. You are authorized to operate the hover...you have my comm number and I yours."
"It's alright, Spock, I'll be fine." She was glad they weren't linked. She did not want him to know how disappointed she felt. "Will you have to go into orbit on the Farragut, or will the repairs be done here?"
"The repairs must be done here, but...I may wish to observe the sensory array being put into place aboard the ship. Perhaps with more careful monitoring, this will not happen again. I should be back by mid-evening."
She nodded. "Go catch your shuttle."
Spock pulled away from her and gave her a gentle kiss. And then he nodded once, turned and left the room without a backward glance. She heard the front door open and close.
The day had started out so wonderfully. They'd made love...and it had been wonderful. And then the expression on Spock's face when he bucked her off, eyes wide, mouth opened...she'd remember that until the day she died. The raunchy teasing...he'd changed. But it hadn't all been bad.
Now he was gone
She swallowed. She was completely alone on an alien world. Well...get used to it. Their careers would always have to come first.
Berating herself she muttered, "Don't let yourself be miserable, Nyota."
Swinging her legs around, she brought her feet to the floor and headed in the direction of the shower.
Nyota liked driving. Usually. But she found in the strange landscape of Altair 25 that she would much rather be staring at the vibrant purple blue foliage, or looking up at the slightly-pink-tinted clouds. It was hard to keep her focus on the road.
At the town closest to where their cabin was located, she parked the hover and hopped out, happy to be on the ground and free to stare and daydream.
It was midday, and hot, of course, but she'd adapted to the heat by now. It wasn't too humid either. Even in town the melodic insects were still humming.
The local architecture reminded her of pictures she'd seen of the Greek islands. Whitewashed stone domes lined the streets. The sidewalks were shaded by purple palms. When she was up close to the palms, she realized that the foliage was more like feathers than leaves. Beneath each leaf the coloring was filmy and slightly reflective, causing the walkways to dance with color as the trees shifted in the slight breeze.
It was Altair 25's island chains' prime tourist season, so she was hardly the only alien in town. The sidewalks were swarmed with humans -- she swore there were more of them than the natives; she also thought she saw a Vulcan or two, and even an Andorian...though she couldn't imagine that an Andorian could ever be comfortable in this climate.
As she walked along the street she passed directly by a group of humans carrying signs that said, "Save Altair's 25 Island Chains!" and "No New Dilithium Mines!"
One of the humans in the group approached her. "Miss, help us save Altair 25's natural environment from Federation opportunists." He held a flyer and pamplets in her direction.
Nyota did care about the environment, but she noted that the group was made up almost entirely of humans, and one native Tillal'a'han...who looked slightly drunk. It just didn't feel right that most of the protesters were not natives. She decided to take a page out of her mother's book and be diplomatic. "Thank you, but no." Then she lied. "Maybe on the way back...I don't have anywhere to put it right now," she explained holding up her small purse.
"Okay, well maybe on the way back then." The man smiled at her and turned to the next human behind her.
Nyota did her best to bolt without looking like she was bolting. She noticed a few curious Tillal'a'hans following her with their eyes.
A block and a half down the street, she found herself outside a little building that had native crafts in the window -- jewelry, pottery, small paintings. It looked like an excellent place to get souvenirs for her family and Gaila. Ducking into the cool interior of the shop, she nodded at the shopkeeper and said in the native language, "The trees are purple, the sky is blue."
It was the Tillal'a'han way of saying good day. She was ashamed that she hadn't had a chance to really study the native language before her trip -- what linguist ever ventured to a foreign land without pouring over the language first? She felt like a disgrace to her profession, but she'd found out she'd be coming just as it was time for exams. Still, she had managed to memorize a few key expressions.
The Tillal'a'han stared at her. She was an older woman--Nyota would have guessed mid-forties if she'd been human. There were delicate lines beneath her eyes. Long white hair hung straight and neat halfway down her back. She wore a simple purple blue irridescent dress.
The Tillal'a'han woman was still staring at her...Nyota wondered if maybe she hadn't gotten the expression right. "Excuse me..." Nyota began in the native language, preparing to apologize.
"Tishgi' tsilan iolll tinogolinka Tillal'a'han kee ma?" The woman asked quickly.
Nyota understood only one word out of the string, but she could guess what the question was. It was the same question always asked when you tried to speak the native language in a foriegn land. The woman asking if Nyota spoke Tillal'a'han.
"Only a little," Nyota replied. She held her hands up palms out in the way she had read was like a nod.
The Tillal'a'han woman smiled. "No humans speak Tillal'a'han here! Come! We get food."
Nyota stared. Should she go? She had read that the Altair 25 islands were a very safe place. She hadn't read of any human visitors being murdered or abducted. Still...one never wanted to be the first.
On the other hand...it was an older woman she was speaking to...she didn't look dangerous.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Watching as the sensory array was placed into its protective casing and loaded into the shuttle, Spock hurriedly took out his comm. It was late afternoon; he was worried about Nyota. Although they had planned on his having to work a few days during her visit, he had not expected to be called on duty today. She hadn't had time to prepare or make plans.
He suspected she was disappointed. He was disappointed. Although, of course, he could not shirk his responsibilities as a science officer.
The shuttle would not be cleared to depart for another twenty minutes. He had some time. Flipping the comm into transmit mode, he chimed Nyota.
He waited five rings and there was no answer. Where was she? She would never get upset with him for attending to his duties as science officer. He blinked. Would she? There had been another woman in his past who had gotten upset with his "single-minded pursuit of his career"...it had ended with an unfortunate incident involving his comm, his roommate Brian from his Academy days, and a shoe...But Nyota had never resented his work. He'd been apart from her so long he had forgotten the type of person she was...
...of course, that meant she was unable to get to her comm for some reason.
Perhaps she was in the shower? It was late in the day, though.
She would never go swimming by herself, would she?
Had there been some sort of accident?
His comm started to chime. Hastily putting it to his ear, he felt his body relax as Nyota's voice rang out, "Hi Spock!"
"Nyota, I..." He stopped. Listened. From his comm came something that sounded like a harp in a musical dueling contest with a drum. "Is that music in the background?"
Nyota laughed through the comm so hard Spock felt the device vibrate. "Yes, it's music. Isn't it great?"
Before Spock could answer from his comm came the sound of a multitude of hominid voices shouting, "En-lai!"
Nyota said, "I think that loosely translates into Opa!"
"Opa?" Spock asked.
"Yeah, you know, like the Greek. They're teaching me their native dances...it's kind of like a belly dance meeting square dancing. Don't worry, only dancing with the girls...for now," Nyota said, obviously breathing heavily. "Are you alright? I couldn't get to my comm in time to pick up."
Spock blinked at the rapid-fire pace of Nyota's words. And the expression 'for now.' "I am afraid I will need to go up to the Farragut to ensure installation of the sensory array is done properly. I am afraid that it will not be completed until approximately 19:00."
"Oh...that's too bad..." Nyota sighed.
Ahh...she was as disappointed as he was. He would try to make it up to her.
"...but, wait, I've got a great idea..." Nyota said quickly. "If you're on the Farragut, could you pick up your lyre? They've invited us to a huge party they're having tonight...I haven't said yes yet, but it would be really great if we could attend. Spock, the Tillal'a'hans are wonderful! They think that interspecies marriages are great. It's all part of their great big Rejoining thing. They so want to meet you..."
Party? Tillal'a'hans? Belly dancing?
"Please..." said Nyota.
He had really wanted to spend time alone with her tonight. And every night, really.
"I'll make sure they don't touch you..."
There had to be a legitimate way to get out of this. Ahh...yes.
"Will they be able to provide vegetarian food? The Tillal'a'hans are famously carnivorous. It would be unfortunate if I were to cause an uncomfortable incident due to an inability to eat the proffered cuisine."
"Don't worry, the local Tillal'a'hans are omnivores, Spock, just like humans. I've already checked; there will be vegetarian dishes."
"You realize...I will not...belly dance. Under any circumstances." Even pain of death.
"Yep. But I think you and your lyre would be a perfect addition to the band...I know you're great at improvising..."
"I am Vulcan. Flattery will get you nowhere," said Spock.
Through the comm came a long shout of "En-lai babab ab abbbbbabaaa!"
"You don't want to come, do you?" Nyota asked, her voice nearly drowned out by the sound of another En-lai from the Tillal'a'hans in the background. "It would mean so much to me...It would be nice to have friends while you're working..."
"But is it necessary to attend a...party...to make friends?" Spock asked.
Spock's comm quaked with another loud, "En-lai!" The natives sounded excessively jubilant.
And loud.
"But what better way to learn about a new culture than by studying their celebrations? It would be good for my career, of course, to get to know the natives better, too. And their language...I am a xenolinguist, after all..."
He couldn't fault her logic. His father had remarked that an understanding of a society's celebrations was a good way to achieve deeper understanding of their culture. And she would probably enjoy having company when he had to report to duty...although he himself might have been more content with just a guide book.
He sighed. He was bound. To a future communications officer.
A/N:
The first scene was something I wanted to put in Descartes. Just random fluff fun.
If you enjoyed, please drop my notes beta and I a line...its the only way us fan fic authors and betas get paid -- and we love hearing from you!
