AN: Edited by the fantastic genber0398. Send her some virtual love. Go, send! Oh, and if anyone can pick up the hidden meaning behind Uhura's description of her 'chess pieces', i'll dedicate the next chapter to you ;)
"Is there anything you would like to add in your defense Miss Uhura?"
The hall was quiet. Several rows of vacated chairs stretched high above where she stood. The blue fabric covered seats seeming to stare down at her accusingly, even though as she stood with her back held straight and her jaw jutted rebelliously – she had done nothing wrong.
This inquiry had been announced barely an hour before. She had been on her way to her next lecture when the Academy Director's head assistant had called her to the side, casually informed her that she was to attend a meeting regarding her 'recent misconduct towards Star Fleet property' and she had to report to the main hall within the hour.
Uhura had been livid.
True to her word, the day after she had been released from the infirmary, she had organized a meeting with the head of security. In his office, she had detailed every movement she had made that day in the canteen. She had also apologized for her actions, and had stated quite firmly that she would accept any punishment given.
So it had been somewhat of a surprise that the head of security had brushed her apology aside and informed her that she had not been at fault. He did not give her any more information, and had simply sent her from his office with the confusing comment that 'she was lucky she had someone so high up on her side'
That comment had left her feeling bewildered for the rest of the day. Gaila had eased her mind a little, stating that it was possible that either Commander Pike or Commander Spock had filed a report on Bado. As her friend has so elegantly put it, having a deranged stalker gave her a 'get out of trouble' card.
Uhura recalled smiling weakly, but it had not eased her worries. Admittedly, having being almost thrown out of the head of security's office had made her feel somewhat better – she knew that she would not be charged or punished for breaking the replicator.
Yet the small issue of Bado trying to kill her was still at the front of her mind. It had been almost four days since the canteen incident. Due to lack of available time given that the end of semester exams were approaching, Uhura had started submitting her work internally once more. Each time her written documents were whisked away into the server, she had to remind herself to breathe.
Since being discharged, her attitude towards to entire situation had changed. With every viral document she send, a hard copy was also submitted to the respective tutor. A primitive method perhaps, and one that would seem a waste of time to many – but Uhura was taking no chances.
Bado was not going to scare her any more.
Now that she knew it was him, Uhura found herself becoming defiant. She had an enemy yes, but it was also one she knew. She knew his weakness just as he knew hers. She had spent enough time with him during her college years to begin to estimate his next move.
It was like playing a game of chess. He had moved his pawn, and she had removed his piece with a knight. He had tried removing her queen, and she had counter attacked with her king. It was simply a matter of out maneuvering him.
She could not understand why, but now that she knew that her 'stalker' was not one of her classmates, she felt herself becoming more confident. She was no longer afraid to leave her apartment at night, she had even re-kindled her tradition of locking herself in the library on Monday evenings – something that she had stopped doing half way through the term.
How did that old saying go? 'It is better the devil you know'. It was almost sarcastically fitting...
Her mood and mental state had improved considerably over the last four days.
As such, when the Academy Directors PA had informed she was to face a tribunal in that sickly sweet voice of hers – Uhura could have thrown her bag through the nearest window in anger.
Instead, she had power-walked her way back to her room. Once there, she had written a quick message to Commander Pascal (her Visual and Audio Transmission tutor) explaining why she would be late to his lecture.
With that sent, Uhura had changed into the most professional uniform she had. It was a shade darker than the standard red, the jacket high collared and cut to fit her frame more falteringly. She was not wearing it for the aesthetic appeal, she was wearing it because it was an article of clothing that had been specifically designed for such situations.
Each member of Star Fleet was required to have a dress uniform. Something that was to be obligatory worn during tribunals and award ceremonies.
She had also put on a fresh pair of stockings. The material an opaque black instead of the semi-transparent set she usually wore. The denser garment reflected her mood.
Suitable attired, she had brushed her hair, retied it into her standard ponytail and removed her earrings.
There were still over thirty minutes remaining until the trial was scheduled to begin. Her mental state seemed to be becoming more aggressive as each minute passed. Had she not had enough to deal with? She had been assured that she would not have to face a tribunal. The Head of Campus Security himself had confirmed this.
So why was she required to stand before the board of directors now?
In the end, Uhura had chosen to wait outside the main hall until the proceedings began. She had still been forced to wait an extra fifteen minutes, the sweet voiced personal assistant informing her of this after Uhura had almost knocked on the locked doors to signal her arrival.
When those same doors had opened, Uhura had been ready to stand before those eight officials and give them a very descriptive piece of her mind.
It was only catching sight of Commander Spock standing behind one of the pedestals that stopped her. He looked calm and unperturbed. His expression blank but his posture showing the smallest signs of annoyance.
All of her anger had left her body in a whoosh. When the PA had escorted her to her own stand, Uhura had felt weak and confused. Spock had greeted her politely, which she had responded in kind.
Commander Pike stood near the windows. His arms crossed in a relaxed fashion as he leaned against the wall. He had also called out a friendly greeting, inquiring to her health. Uhura remembered answering him quietly. Pike had given her reassuring a look, a small smile on his face.
Just relax.
"Miss Uhura?" The voice called out. Uhura blinked, and forced herself to focus. The man towering above her on his elevated table frowned, seemingly annoyed at her lack of response.
"Do you have anything else to add?" He repeated. Uhura squared her shoulders and raised her head to look directly at him. She had to be very careful with what she said.
"I have nothing else to add regarding my involvement in the incident five days ago, Sir" She replied carefully. Admiral Joss raised one eyebrow, glancing down at the PADD he held in his hand.
"I see you spoke directly to Sergeant Hallows the day after you were discharged from the infirmary. His report states that you went to him prepared to accept any punishment necessary for your involvement" Joss stated. Uhura nodded, Joss watching her carefully. He expected her to continue. When she didn't, he let out a soft hum and used his finger to scroll across his PADD.
"The report also states that Sergeant Hallows cleared you of all repercussions. Is this true?" He asked. Once more, Uhura nodded. Her fingers winding together firmly behind her back as she forced herself to keep her back straight. Beside her, Spock shifted slightly. He also had a PADD held on one hand, but his attention was focused upon the interaction between herself and Admiral Joss.
"Sergeant Hallows informed me that my actions that day were not the source of the replicators malfunction, and the resulting explosion" Uhura said carefully.
"And do you believe that?" Joss asked. Uhura frowned.
"If that were my personal opinion Sir, I would not have turned myself into to campus security" She said tonelessly.
"A valid point. However, do you still consider yourself responsible?" Joss asked. Uhura let out a deep breath.
"No sir, I do not"
Joss narrowed his eyes at her, before placing his PADD carefully beside him and raising his hands until his chin rested upon his joined fingers.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"The day I visited Sergeant Hallows, I also booked an appointment with Arthur Kasscon, the head of the maintenance department. I gave him a detailed explanation of everything I did when I used the replicator. He informed me that even though hitting the appliance had been foolish, it would not cause anything more than the replicator to shut down. The resulting explosion was not something that I could have initiated" Uhura replied.
From his position against the wall, Pike gave a small laugh.
"Which is a good thing. If a replicator exploded every time somebody happened to brush against it, half of the academy would be missing" He joked, sending Uhura an assuring wink as he did so. Behind his table, Joss sighed and leaned forwards slightly to glare at the Commander.
"Commander Pike, you are only here because you also submitted a report regarding the incidents of five days ago - even though you were not even in San Francisco at that time. Your presence here is not necessary" He said, his voice tinted with irritation. Pike shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"Unnecessary but valid" He replied cheerfully. Uhura could not help the small smile that spread across her lips. She knew that if this were an official tribunal, Pike would not have dared speak out. However, there was only one member of the board sitting opposite her. It was not completely official, yet any decisions made would mar her academic record at the very least.
However, Pike's presence was a great comfort. Spock had yet to speak, but Uhura felt confident he stood by her side. He had not once looked at her since she had walked through the doors, something that did not concern her too much.
If the tribunal ended without any serious repercussions, she would apologize for her actions the day he had carried her to the medical wing. Spock was not the type of individual that would think too much into such a brazen act. Or rather, he would not let it affect his behavior towards her. Hopefully.
"Cadet Uhura. The members of the board have discussed your involvement in great detail. Given the discoveries made during the following investigation, we have agreed that your deliberate vandalism towards Star Fleet property was not the cause of the explosion – whilst it was very much out of character for you to do such a thing" Joss scolded. At this, Uhura let out a near inaudible sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing.
"I understand Admiral. And I will apologize for my actions once more. I have been under a great deal of stress lately...but I should not have let my personal issues effect my behavior" Uhura agreed. Joss nodded, accepting her apology wordlessly. He then leaned backwards in his chair, his eyes thoughtful as he observed her.
"There is another issue I wish to discuss with you. The real reason this meeting was called. I have read both of the reports given by Commander Spock and Commander Pike regarding the incident, which occurred in Kenya. You were nearly killed by another prospective candidate. A mister-" Joss paused to glance at the information on his PADD "-Kuvuli Bado. You believe that Mr Bado has followed you to San Francisco?" He asked. Uhura blinked, her eyes widening.
"That is my assumption now, yes..." She replied slowly. Joss observed her for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.
"Previous to this meeting, myself and the other members of the board discussed your case in great detail. We each agreed that in such a circumstance, the most reasonable thing to do would be to put you under temporary academic suspension, as your presence at the academy resulted in the unfortunate death of another student. Your being upon Star Fleet grounds is a serious risk to the remaining students residing here" Joss said. Uhura felt her heart drop to the bottom of her ribs, her eyes widening in shock.
"Bu-" Joss held up his hand, instantly silencing her. Uhura clamped her mouth shut.
"...However, after discussing this with Commander Pike and Commander Spock, we have decided that your suspension would not be beneficial to Star Fleet. Your academic records state that you are an exceptional student. Your grades are at the highest level given by the academy. Commander Spock himself has stated that your understanding of foreign dialects is unparalleled. Whilst Mr Bado's insistent pursuance of you is a very worrying, new security measures will be taken to ensure your safety" Joss stated. Uhura swallowed heavily, her eyes wide as her mind struggled to catch up. From the corner of her eye, Spock moved. He took a small step backwards, placing his PADD inside the ever present small duffel that hung from his left shoulder.
"Cadet Uhura. Are you listening?" Joss called out. Uhura gave a small jump and blinked guilty.
"Of course sir. Forgive me. I am just feeling relieved" Uhura said softly. Joss nodded, and flattened his palms firmly against the table as he prepared to push himself to his feet.
"From today on Cadet, you will not leave your quarters after 2000. If you are going off campus for whatever reason, you will be escorted by a member of security. I have examined your time table, and I noticed you spend a lot of your time in the long range communications laboratory. As that specific building is set on the edge of campus, you will need to be supervised" Joss said. He turned his head slightly, glancing towards Spock. Uhura followed his gaze.
"Commander Spock, as the tutor in charge of the communications lab, is there anyone you can recommend to supervise the cadet whilst she is there?" He asked. Spock was silent for a short moment.
"If Cadet Uhura reschedules her allocated time inside the laboratory to Wednesday evenings, it would coincide with the Sonic Anomalies lecture I give to second year students. Should she wish to remain after the lecture's end, I will be available to escort her back to her dormitory" Spock said politely. Joss nodded and turned to Uhura.
"Is this OK with you Cadet?" He asked. Uhura nodded her head quickly.
"Yes sir"
"Well then, there is nothing more to say. Meeting adjourned"
With that last comment, The Admiral stood, his chair rolling across the floor behind him. He moved around the table, walking down the four stairs that lowered onto their level. Pike straightened himself, stretching his shoulders as he stood. Smiling, he crossed the short distance to Uhura's pedestal and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder when her breath rushed from her lungs as a loud relieved whoosh.
Beside them, Spock closed his bag and moved to stand next to them, his hands clasped behind his back. He nodded politely towards her.
"Well...that was eventful" Pike said lightly, glancing between the two of them. Uhura sighed, her shoulders slumping forwards as her hands flopped to her sides. Her eyes closed tiredly. She was quiet for a moment, organizing her thoughts carefully.
She had nearly lost her place in Star Fleet. If Spock and Pike had not been present, she was sure she would have been packing her bags by now. A wave of gratefulness and genuine affection for the two men surged through her. She did not know what she had done to deserve their trust and comradeship, but she felt like leaping over the barrier between them and hugging them both. She would not so such a thing of course. Pike would most likely respond, but she did not want to do anything that would make Spock feel uncomfortable.
Sighing quietly, Uhura opened her eyes slowly and raised her head to smile at the two men.
"Thank You Commanders" She said. Pike smiled and shrugged.
"It was my pleasure Cadet" He replied.
Spock simply nodded in response, his head inclined towards her.
"Were they really going to suspend me?" Uhura asked, her face showing her concern. Pike sighed, and turned to glare in the direction Admiral Joss had left in.
"They were. God knows why. Admiral Joss hasn't been in a fight since his balls dropped. Man has no idea how to face situations like these" Pike growled. Uhura blinked and gave a small laugh at the Commander's tone. Spock turned to look at him.
"Commander, it is not respectful to talk about your commanding officers in such a manner" He said tonelessly. Pike cut him a glare and sighed.
"Some situations call for friendly insults Spock" He growled. He then tilted his head to give Uhura a teasing smile.
"Do you have any classes to attend?" He asked. Uhura nodded.
"I am supposed to be with Commander Pascal. But his lecture ends in ten minutes, by the time I changed back into my standard uniform and made my way back to his class it will be too late" She said with a sigh. Pike nodded in understanding.
"Are you now finished for the day then?" Uhura nodded again. Pike smiled.
"Then would you care to join me for a drink? I for one could use a nice brandy" He asked. Uhura smiled and nodded slowly, bending to lift her bag from where she had placed it on the ground. She then stood and looked at Pike thoughtfully.
"Would that not mean going somewhere off campus?"
Pike nodded.
"There's a small pub right outside the campus grounds. Don't worry, I promise not to leave your side" Pike said, laughing slightly and giving her a quick wink. Uhura smiled and looped her hand through Pike's offered elbow. Uhura glanced over her shoulder towards Spock.
"Are you going to join us Commander?" She asked politely. Pike also turned to observe the other man.
"How about it Spock? I'll see if they serve Chibuku" Pike said innocently, his eyebrows rising. If Vulcan's could glare, the expression on Spock's face would have been a very appropriate demonstration. Uhura blinked and looked between the two men.
When had Spock drunk Chibuku? The mention of one of her native home's beverages filled her with a very deep feeling of homesickness. She frowned and brushed it aside.
"I shall join you and Cadet Uhura for a beverage, Commander" Spock replied tonelessly. Pike gave a small laugh and placed his hand over Uhura's.
"Shall we get going then?"
The bar Pike had in mind was indeed very close to the academy grounds. It was situated barely within a five minute walk from the arching gates. Uhura presumed the establishment was popular with the star fleet students, or rather that was the intended intention)
The Smoky Bear was a very small business. Its décor was aimed towards older males, and based upon (in Uhura's opinion) the style of the 1980's.
A large snooker table filled her view as they stepped through the front door, Spock holding it open for her politely. On either side of the snooker table, small four person booths adorned the walls. Each segment separated by a large mahogany divider. The padding covering the seats was old. Colored a deep green that felt rough against the back of her thighs as she sat down. Spock seated himself opposite her, whilst Pike ordered their drinks at the bar.
Placing her bag on the seat beside her, Uhura lifted herself slightly so she could flatten the hem of her skirt. Comfortably seated, she rested her elbows on the table and smiled towards the man opposite her.
"When did you drink Chibuku?" She asked with a small laugh. Spock leaned backwards in his seat.
"I sampled the beverage in Kitui, the day I conducted your interview" He replied. Uhura smiled and tilted her head.
"Did you like it?" She asked. Spock nodded slowly.
"I found the taste pleasing. Does this surprise you?" Spock asked when Uhura's eyebrows lifted.
"A little. I've always found the texture a little off putting. It reminds me somewhat of cement" Uhura said, her nose scrunching up in distaste. Spock found her description unusual. Had she previously ingested cement? This was the only plausible explanation for her being able to make such a comparison. It was also a highly jeopardous thing to do. He stated as much, his tone slightly reprimanding. He was confused when Uhura burst into a peel of laughter.
"Have I said something amusing Cadet?" He asked, one eyebrow raised. Uhura covered her mouth with her hand and controlled her laughter.
"No Commander. It was simply the manner in which you said it. I have never ingested liquid cement. Nor do I ever intend to. I was simply making a comparison to the texture of the drink" Uhura smiled. Spock considered this for a moment.
"The color and grain of the beverage do have similar qualities" He agreed. Uhura laughed, a wide smile upon her face. Spock felt somewhat pleased to have amused her, even though he had not intended to be humorous. Uhura let out a long sigh and rested her chin upon her hand, turning her head to observe Commander Pike. He seemed to having a deep conversation with the middle aged man behind the bar, his arms leaning against the polished surface as they spoke.
Whilst the Commander was distracted, this was the perfect opportunity to apologize to Spock. She was just a little unsure as to how to go about it.
"...Commander?" She started hesitantly. Spock raised his eyebrow at her use of his native tongue.
"Is there something you wish to discuss Cadet?" He asked, also switching to Vulcan. Uhura lowered her eyes to stare at her hand.
"I wanted to apologize for my actions the day you rescued me in the canteen. They were highly inappropriate" She said quietly. Spock raised his eyebrow. She could have said this in English. Yet he understood her want for privacy.
At her comment, the skin upon his cheek began to heat, as if the sensation of her lips pressing against him was rekindled simply by the memory. Spock frowned, his hand twitching slightly from its place on his knee. He almost raised his fingers to touch that place on his skin, much as he had that day.
That action was most unprecedented.
Uhura sat opposite him expectantly. Her eyes showing her concern and slight embarrassment. He had not expected an apology from her. Whilst her kissing him had been improper, her fragile mental state and emotionally weak perspective forgave her for her actions. It was not uncommon for humans to express their gratitude through physical affection after life threatening situations.
It was his reaction to that incident that was the most concerning.
He would not let her know this of course. Since she had been hospitalized, he had had no contact with her. Had experienced no reaction to her. The gentle burning on his cheek, his skin remembering the firmness and feel of her lips against him was unpredicted. He would mediate upon this once he returned to his quarters.
With his calm expression in place, Spock inclined his head in a gesture of forgiveness.
"I will accept your apology Cadet. Your actions were inappropriate, yet understandable given the circumstances" He replied. Uhura's concern did not leave her eyes.
"So I am forgiven?" She asked, her frame leaning forwards slightly.
"You are forgiven" He replied.
Uhura looked at him for a long moment, before leaning backwards and giving a small self-confirming nod, a smile once more stretching across her face. Spock felt the corner of his mouth twitch in amusement. It pleased him to see that old gesture.
Pike appeared at their table, three drinks balanced upon a thin wooden tray. He sat himself down carefully next to Spock, placing the tray on the table between them.
Removing his own frothing beer, he then placed an identical drink in front of Spock, and handed Uhura a tall thin glass of orange juice. Taking a long sip of his drink, Pike let out a sound of satisfaction.
"So, what were you kids discussing so privately whilst I was gone?" He asked. Uhura felt her cheeks bloom with color. She did not want Commander Pike to know about the kissing incident. He would also find it forgivable, but Uhura had a feeling he would tease her mercilessly about it for the rest of the night. She also knew that Spock would not lie.
"We were discussing my class schedule for next term. I will only have four lectures a week, which is going to give me a lot of free time..." She said quickly. Spock raised an eyebrow and the blatant lie, but said nothing. Pike hummed in thought.
"Which would mean a lot of sitting around in your bedroom doing nothing...considering you're under house arrest" He said, his tone teasing. Uhura blinked, and then frowned. She had only used the topic as a diversion, yet that was a valid point. If Bado was not caught within the Easter break period, her curfew would still be in affect when she returned to the academy. She would be required to stay in her room as much as possible. Her usual place of research had been banned to only one day. What on earth was she supposed to do with herself?
AN: Okay, a really shitty ending, but I just wanted to get this uploaded ASAP. I've been busy with the Battling Guilds contest on Youtube. The deadline for my studio's MEP is coming up and...well...light-speed masking and BETA's flying about everywhere. You probably know how it is.
I may add more to this later one. I just wanted to give you guys an update as you've been brilliant with waiting. Another 'not much happening' chapter. Sorry about that. It does get better, I promise. :D