Author's note: I don't own Star Trek or any of its characters, places or organizations and I am not making a profit from this story.
Warning: Descriptions of child abuse and suicide. Not graphic or anything, but described, nonetheless.
Thank you for reading. Two more chapters to go!
"Mr. Uhura, I don't mean to be disrespectful," McCoy and Kiano had walked back to McCoy's apartment from the restaurant. "But is there a reason that you came by here today?" McCoy was thoroughly enjoying Kiano's company, but he was still suspicious of the Uhura family. Not Nyota so much, although he wondered how she fit into this family, but both of her parents seemed off in some way. During McCoy's conversation with Kiano he had learned that Naima had either lied to him or had no idea who her husband was. McCoy didn't think Kiano was lying. His experiences and excitement revealed his truthfulness. And for Kiano, who claimed to spot liars as part of his job, it made no sense to McCoy for him to be married to Naima who, as far as he could tell, was deeply troubled at best and deeply deceptive at worst.
"Well, my dear boy," Kiano began, "there is something I had hoped to ask you." Kiano suddenly lost some of his confidence and he seemed awkward. McCoy slowed his steps and looked at the other man, urging him to continue. "As a medical professional, and an obviously good man, can you tell me of your opinion of my wife's... behavior yesterday?" Kiano paused, thinking, "I've spoken to her and I've spoken to my daughter, but neither of them are especially reliable reporters when dealing with each other." Kiano sighed, "And as an intelligent man, I am sure that you have surmised that my wife is not a particularly reliable reporter on a number of topics, especially where human relationships are concerned." Kiano suddenly looked shy when he spoke about his wife, as though he had spilled a secret that he had meant to keep.
"Well, I observed a number of things Mr. Uhura. I don't know that I can speak to you about them though. I am a doctor, and ethically, I have to respect doctor patient confidentiality." McCoy was puzzled. Now he knew that he was not the only person who saw Naima's behavior as unusual, from her heavy drinking and the mixed signals that he received, to her odd behavior with Nyota the day before. McCoy recalled that Naima seemed, at first, despondent at Nyota's implication of an intimate relationship between herself and McCoy, but at the hotel, she spent more time questioning McCoy about Spock. She had asked McCoy to disregard Nyota's comments, as though they were comments about unflattering pants instead of an assumption of infidelity.
"Of course, of course. Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything. I should have thought of that of course." Kiano shook his head. "My son, he is constantly telling me that I should accept that which I cannot change. Do you you think that is a smart thing Dr. McCoy? That I should simply allow this to keep going on as it is, to simply accept it?"
"This thing? I'm sorry sir, but I don't think I know what you're talking about." McCoy did not mean to pry, but he felt like he was on the edge of the truth and he wanted to coax it out. He had only known this family for three days and every interaction with them led to more questions.
"My family, the state of disarray." Kiano looked down. "When we started out, there was so much promise. I'm sure you understand, you were married before." Kiano looked over at McCoy. "My son Basim, he says that it will be impossible to return to that promise and I, I can't seem to accept it. I keep hoping to move forward."
"Well, Mr. Uhura, I'm a psychologist, but I doubt that I'm qualified to give you advice on your family dynamics." McCoy felt awkward. "I'm not very good at them myself, having married the human equivalent of a klingon bird of prey." McCoy smiled, hoping that the joke would lighten the mood. It didn't. "I can't tell you anything specific that I observed yesterday as far as symptoms, but I can tell you, just as one man to another, that you seem to already know what is at issue. Far be it from me to give advice, but I think that you should examine what you really want and decide if it is truly achievable." McCoy shrugged as the walked on. They were almost at his apartment now.
"What I want?" Kiano gave a wry laugh, McCoy seeing for the first time that the man was not all joviality and warmth. "I'd like for my wife to regret telling our daughter that she wished she was dead. I'd like my daughter to forgive her and at least try to see her as the woman that she once was." Kiano was looking off into space, walking slowly. "I want to go back in time Dr. McCoy. I would like to take the bottle out of my son's hands and protect him from his mother's coolness in the way that I protected my daughter. I want to go back and wait for the birth of the children, to take it more slowly. I want to be absolved of the guilt that goes along with knowing that I allowed my wife to take on a life that she never wanted, to bear children she could never bond with."
McCoy looked at Kiano who suddenly looked every single one of his years. He aged in front of McCoy when he spoke about his wife, his family. McCoy recalled that Kiano had adeptly avoided speaking of them when he was in the restaurant. McCoy wondered if he knew that this is what would occur. McCoy was also struck with how resilient Nyota had to be. Suddenly, he could understand the anger that was exchanged in the computer science building. McCoy knew little about Naima, but he had not sensed that she harbored any feelings of responsibility toward the state of her relationship with Nyota. Kiano was still vague, his comments about Naima's relationship with her children only told part of a story that McCoy did not know if he would ever fully understand, but he could tell that Kiano blamed himself for all of it. McCoy didn't know if Kiano's attempts at keeping them all together had made things worse or not, but he knew that no one deserved the brunt of such misery.
"Well, sir, we're here." McCoy and Kiano had walked the rest of the way in silence. McCoy still felt a certain affection for the man, despite the fact that his unique "ability" had seemed to have worn off. "Mr. Uhura, I wish you the best in," McCoy gestured vaguely, "all of this. I don't know if your son is right, that you should just accept it all." McCoy shrugged as he spoke "Sometimes, it's just time to disentangle yourself and move forward, hoping for the best." Kiano didn't say anything and instead just looked at McCoy, his hair suddenly looking greyer, lines appearing around his mouth.
oOo
Spock hated public transportation. He found that the human tendency to be unconscious of Vulcan concepts of personal space in normal interactions was amplified ten fold on the various trains and trams. Nyota and Spock sat on BART together and watched the city fly by. The old BART train system had been replaced by a hyper transit hover vehicle, but it took the same route through the city. Although Spock was carefully making sure not to touch anyone on a busy Saturday afternoon, he was distracted from his intense anxiety about unintentional contact by controlling the rising tide of anger that bubble through him.
Spock had explained to Nyota, when he had first determined that he was interested in a non-platonic relationship with her, that Vulcans did in fact have feelings. He had likened his feelings to a volcano within a rocky mountain. The mountain was always still and solid, but deep within, hot lava flowed and churned. On occasion, there was an eruption. Sometimes it was merely steam, at other times it was a fiery and devastating flow of lava. She had seemed concerned when he explained this to her, but he explained to her that Vulcans thrived because they were able to control their emotions. She had heard of Surak, but had not realized that his teachings had reshaped the Vulcan population so dramatically.
Now, Spock took the majority of his focus and aimed it at quieting his anger toward Naima Hassan. Spock had listened quietly as Nyota slowly disclosed what had happened between them when she announced that she would join Starfleet Academy. Spock's father had merely been silent toward him ever since he rejected the offer of admission into the Vulcan Science Academy. He knew his father would never understand his reasons, especially since his father was not half Human, but he lived with the break. Nyota, on the other hand, had gotten a completely different reaction when she announced, at age 15, that she would be joining Starfleet Academy. Naima had physically thrown Nyota out of the house, cursing her birth, destroying all of Nyota's track trophies, clothes and her collection of books. Nyota had explained that she had known that her mother would oppose the decision and had braced for a fight, but had no idea that she would become physically violent.
Spock was less concerned about the violence level of the experience than about what had been said; after all, Naima was average size and shape for a human female. Spock trusted that Nyota's quickness would have kept her safe; however, he could not fathom a parent expressing the wish of death to a child over anything, especially over the choice of an educational institution. Nyota had explained that Naima had alluded to such sentiments before, but had never come out and said so. It was clear to Nyota that Naima blamed her, and her brother especially, for the halt of her career in genetic research. It was something that they understood from the time that they could understand what she was saying. Nyota confided that if her mother had ever, at one time, expressed regret or apologized for the words, that she would have worked to forgive her; however, her mother still felt justified.
Nyota explained that Kiano had returned from San Francisco, where he was in the final moments of the Matsuzaki campaign, as soon as he heard what had happened and taken her to live in his apartment until it was time for her to enter Starfleet Academy. Basim had opted to stay in the house, concerned that his mother might do something drastic, and Kiano had allowed him to, against his better judgment. Nyota told Spock that Kiano had asked Nyota not to mention her decision to her mother until he was there, but she had gotten her acceptance letter that night and could not conceal her happiness. Nyota explained that Naima had already planned out Nyota's future. She was to be enrolled at a university that was acceptable to Naima, had no alien students and offered a rigorous curriculum of natural sciences. Naima had never thought to consider that Nyota found the study of language and linguistics to be as exciting and rewarding as Naima found the study of genetics.
Nyota had applied for admission to Starfleet academy covertly, only telling her father when she had completed the application process. It was easier for Nyota to do things on her own then because her father was constantly traveling to Federation planets to organize Ambassador, at the time, Matsuzaki's campaign. Nyota would have loved to travel with her father, but she had her own obligations, unlike when she was a small girl and went everywhere with him. Kiano expressed concern about Nyota staying alone with Naima; however, Naima had never done anything overtly dangerous up until that night. Naima and Nyota quarreled frequently, Nyota choosing her own path over the one that Naima had set out for her. When Kiano would come home a few weekends per month, he lacked the energy to reason with Naima, and found it simpler to ask Nyota to be nicer to her mother. Nyota, however, never did anything that was wrong; it was simply different from what Naima wanted. Nyota was a straight A student, she was never in trouble and she always completed the work that Naima had assigned her on top of her school work. She read books by the ancient earth scholar Steven Pinker by tricorder light under her covers at night. When she was at track meets, she pulled out a copy of the Journal of Intergalactic Linguistics and read hungrily. Nyota had gotten used to the rows with her mother over her reading material, so much so, that she simply expected them as a part of her day and had started slipping. Her carelessness was what had led to the fight that had changed their family ever since.
Spock looked at Nyota, dressed casually in jeans and a bright white t-shirt, her hair in a long braid down her back. He decided that he much preferred her short cadet uniform. They were on BART because she was meant to meet her father for a late meal at his apartment that night. Spock decided that if Nyota was able to deal with her family dynamics, with her deeper emotional ties to them, then he should be able to restrain his emotion at least as well as she did.
Spock considered Nyota as the hovervehicle slipped into a tunnel. Spock had often taken Nyota's upbeat personality and gregarious nature as signs that she had never experienced the sort of trials that he had as a child. While it was true that she had not been accosted by bullies on a regular basis based on her genetic heritage, she had endured as much as he had. Unlike Spock, however, she had not come home to a sanctuary with a loving mother to soothe her and offer her encouragement. Her home was the battlefield. Spock had the distinct impression that Kiano had taken Nyota with him to the planets of the Federation in order to protect her from Naima's unpredictable and rigid behavior. Despite all of this, Nyota smiled and assumed the very best of people, glad to simply brighten someone's day if she could. Spock pondered the probability of this situation and decided, yet again, that Nyota was a singularly exceptional individual and that it had been a logical choice to embark on this relationship with her.
When Spock and Nyota went up to Kiano's apartment Spock had expected something more lavish. The apartment was fairly spartan. The furniture was high quality and looked expensive though. There was a huge window that over looked the city and the large desk that Spock had seen in the view screen was placed in front of it. Across the room was a black sofa that Spock determined was made of a man-made material that resembled an animal hide, an ottoman, and against another wall a table with four chairs. Spock immediately noticed one of the best 3-D chess sets that he had ever seen on the table. Spock's eye also traveled over what seemed to be, from his studies, a variety of African art. There were scrolls with Arabic calligraphy hanging next to tribal masks.
Kiano was not in the room that they stood in. Nyota had let herself in and was calling out to her father. Kiano walked out into the living room, wearing fleece pants and a casual shirt. He had a towel around his neck and was rubbing his ears with it. Spock observed that Kiano looked older in person, but he still seemed calm and logical in his demeanor. He embraced Nyota, who laughed and commented that he hadn't needed to shower just for them. Kiano just shook his head at his daughter and grinned. Spock stood stiffly near the table, slightly uncomfortable to observe this familial intimacy. Kiano turned his attention to Spock and evaluated the younger man silently for a moment before approaching him, nodding solidly and informing Spock that it was his pleasure to meet him. Spock was relieved that he had not tried to shake hands, not that Spock thought that he would have. Kiano seemed more aware of Vulcan sensibilities than most people. Kiano ushered them both to sit. Nyota sank into the sofa while Spock, irresistibly drawn to the chess set, sat at the table.
Kiano sat next to Nyota for a time and told her about his day. He told her that he had gone to talk to McCoy about the events over the last few days, and had ended up helping him move. Kiano told Nyota what had been said and that McCoy had given him some interesting advice, although he did not elaborate as to what it was. Nyota had asked whether Naima was still convincing herself that everyone in the world agreed with her, only to feel that the world was shattering when someone actually made an independent choice. Nyota frowned when she spoke about her mother. It was clear to Spock that Nyota did not agree with Kiano's decision to remain with his wife, or to tolerate her actions. Kiano looked alternatively sad and perplexed, and then finally changed the subject.
Spock watched as Kiano tried to warm Nyota up after The previous topic. Finally Nyota relaxed and returned to her usual smile, teasing her father about the upcoming election and his ability to reach out to both Vulcans and Andorians at once, with the same message. After some time, Nyota announced that she was hungry. Kiano suggested that they order in, but Nyota reminded him that the food had to be vegan for Spock to eat. Kiano apologized for his forgetfulness and asked Nyota what her suggestion was. She indicated that there was a Thai restaurant nearby that had a large vegan menu, but that did not deliver. Nyota told him that she would go pick up the food.
"I'll be back soon." She said, finding Kiano's wallet and slipping a card out of it. Kiano raised an eyebrow at her. "Baba, I'm a starving student aren't I?" Nyota laughed which in turn caused Kiano to begin giggling. Spock was not sure he had ever seen a man giggle before, but they both seemed to find it normal. When Spock stood to accompany Nyota she stopped him "It's okay Spock. I can manage on my own. I know your tastes well enough to order for you." She smiled down at him as he returned his gaze to the chess set. Nyota called over her shoulder to her father "Baba, please play chess with Spock before he loses it. I can't bear to watch him stare longingly at the game boards anymore." Nyota said as the door slid closed behind her.
"Although I do not believe that I fully understand her statement; I disagree with it. I am unsure of what 'it' she was referencing; however, I am sure that I am not in danger of 'its' loss." Spock pursed his lips and stared at the closed door.
"Well, in any case, she's given us a very logical instruction hasn't she Mr. Spock? Shall we?" Kiano approached Spock, the mirth returned to his eyes. "You'll have to forgive me Mr. Spock, I am out of practice. I hope I can be a little bit of a challenge in play." Kiano set up the board carefully and settled across the table from Spock.
"This is a very unique board Mr. Uhura." Spock thought that he might have been more nervous to be around Nyota's father, but he felt calm and in his element.
"Ah, yes!" Kiano's voice and eyes betrayed his enthusiasm, but his face remained neutral. "This was a gift from my good friend T'Mana! It was a wedding gift that she and her son hand crafted for me. Do you recognize the marbleized Vulcan pyroclastics that have been used to make the pieces? It is very unique, one of my most prized possessions."
"Fascinating." Spock said as he examined the pieces more closely. Spock knew the name T'Mana. She was a member of Vulcan High Command and had been for at least 100 years. From what Spock knew of her, she was not the type that would give such a gift lightly. Spock wondered about the particulars of his friendship to T'Mana. T'Mana was a brilliant woman, but she was deeply conservative, even amongst Vulcans. A human friendship was unlikely. Of course, it had occurred to Spock that Kiano had many Vulcan friends. It was surprising to him, considering what he had observed to be his wife's disinclination toward his kind. "You appear to know quite a few Vulcans Mr. Uhura. Have you spent time on Vulcan in your travels?" Spock asked.
"Hmm?" Kiano was thinking about his next move. "Well, of course, yes. Vulcan is a member of the Federation, after all, and part of my job is to ensure that Vulcan needs are being met by our administration." Kiano chose a good move, obviously undistracted by Spock's question.
"I see." Spock could make his move and hold this type of conversation easily. He only had problems if the conversation turned too personal. "I know of T'Mana and of Dr. Tyvoc. They are both Vulcans with very high rank. I am surprised that they would enter into a personal friendship with a human. Similarly, I am surprised that you retain such friendships considering Dr. Hassan's antipathy toward Vulcans." Spock was neutral but he noticed the change in Kiano's posture immediately. Spock wondered if he misspoke. Kiano made another good move before he answered.
"I've always had Vulcans in my life Mr. Spock. My grandmother and father both fought along side Vulcans during the Romulus-Earth War. My father served aboard a Vulcan ship during the Battle of Cheron. He was the very best navigator available at the time, despite his young age." Kiano responded absently as he watched Spock make a move. "He could, with his innate senses, discern Star Empire ships that were cloaked." Kiano said, responding to Spock's unasked question. "It was quite a valuable skill at that time I'm sure you understand."
"Your father must have been very young indeed." Spock was incredibly pleased with Kiano's level of skill. He was sure he could beat him, but the game promised to be long and gratifying.
"He was." Kiano said, considering the best way out of the trap that Spock had laid for him. "He was only 15 during the Battle of Cheron. The way that some of the people he served with told it, it was my father that allowed the coalition to get the upper hand in that battle. Of course, Vulcans say they don't exaggerate, so my father tended to believe the story." Kiano raised an eyebrow at Spock. "My father wasn't a man of science or letters, but he was committed to those that he called friends. He would have loved Nyota if had lived to meet her. She is so much like him. He did not end up joining Starfleet after that battle, but he wanted to. He always spoke of returning to the stars."
"Nyota is exceptional." Spock said softly, engrossed in the game. Kiano had completely side stepped Spock's trap and Spock was still contemplating how he had done it.
"Speaking of Nyota Mr. Spock, I'm sure you understand it is my duty as a father to ask, what are your intentions toward her?" Kiano made another move, keeping his eye on Spock to watch his reaction.
oOo
Naima had stopped at a restaurant for dinner. She had taken a very long way to Kiano's apartment. She was not exactly lost, but she wasn't precisely sure where she was either. She recognized a few landmarks though, and thought that she was probably getting closer. Naima was torn about San Francisco. On one hand it was beautiful, having retained history that other cities had lost during the nuclear events of the past. Naima certainly felt more cosmopolitan walking through the city on a mild summer day than she ever had previously. She could see why Kiano preferred the city to the sleepy Nairobi suburb that they lived in. The city never seemed to stop. Naima also loved how much attention she was getting. Men on the street smiled at her, assisted her with her things and left their intended paths to open doors for her.
On the other hand, Naima felt decidedly uncomfortable with the number of Tellarites, Vulcans, Andorians and other races that she couldn't name on sight. She alternated between feeling that they were judging her negatively and that they were intruding on her otherwise pleasant day. Naima understood that the Federation's headquarters were on Earth and that the Federation offices were in San Francisco. She understood that all the members of the Federation had their people employed in the city, along with the number of Ambassadors and dignitaries, she just didn't understand why they had to be so visible. Kiano never mentioned that the streets were literally packed with aliens. Nyota didn't either, but she hadn't spoken to Nyota since that night, so she hadn't expected any reports from her. Naima wondered if this environment, where humans and aliens mingled so freely, was responsible for Nyota's choice of lovers.
Naima shook her head. The thought that her daughter could be doing something intimate with someone like that repulsed her. She had been fairly strict with Nyota's social life and Naima wondered if she had let Nyota spend time with human boys if this would have been avoided. Basim, as far as Naima knew, had no interest in alien women, although she had seen some images of scantily clad Orion women on one of his PADDs. Naima wondered if she would have to lose both of her children to aliens. The thought saddened her, but she knew she had to stand her ground or else Nyota and Basim would be lost, one way or the other.
Naima felt a little sad as she sipped a glass of wine. She'd lost so much to aliens already, it didn't seem fair. She had been so careful with the children too. She had made sure not to spoil them or coddle them, she had not touched them when they cried and she had pushed them harder than she had ever pushed herself and still, here she sat, having not had a conversation with either of her children in more than 8 months. Naima was pretty sure that she had done the right things as a parent. She knew Kiano disagreed, but when Samir had come home with the Orion girl, Naima's mother had cut him off too. Of course, Samir hadn't responded in the way that they anticipated he would. He never came back begging for forgiveness. He never came back at all. All that Naima's mother had gotten for her determination to make Samir a respectful son was a cold announcement that he had been killed on a merchant ship in the neutral zone. Arif had convinced Tariq to find those responsible, to seek revenge for their baby brother, getting them both killed and leaving Naima all alone.
Nothing had been quite the same after that. Nyota came along just after Tariq's funeral. Naima's mother had held Nyota in her arms just once before she committed suicide, desperate to follow her sons. Naima recalled, as she watched people wandering by on the street, that she had felt alone even with Kiano at her side and Nyota in her arms. She had never understood why her mother would chose to leave her. Was she such a bad daughter that death was preferable than remaining with her as she started her own family? Naima could have used her mother's help with the baby. She had absolutely no idea what to do with her and neither did Naima's father. The only person who seemed to have a clue about interacting with Nyota was Kiano, which was a relief, but frustrating at the same time. Naima had been determined that Nyota would not be the type of daughter that a mother would prefer to leave, to die instead of staying with, yet there she had been, sleeping with a Vulcan. A half Vulcan.
