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Chapter 14: Under a Ghandilean Moon

Spock's revelation that he was half-human comforted Amanda greatly. It comforted her because while Vulcans can give off the impression that they are perfect in every way, humans have flaws. And a lot of the time, they have many flaws.

So, like any curious individual would do, she started scanning Spock's face for those human flaws.

Too bad she didn't find any.

The pale evening glow cast a shadow across his face that was peaceful and mysterious all at once. Those signature Vulcan eyebrows that at times seemed immovable actually did betray inflection when he allowed them to, and though they were the feature that would most likely be most unusual to humans, they didn't really bother her at all. They were just curtains to prepare the casual onlooker for those eyes.

Spock's eyes were incredible. She'd never taken the time to study them properly before, and now that she was gazing at them she could see that they were truly magnificent. They were an amber color, lighter than she would have expected from a Vulcan. She wondered if perhaps they were a trait that he received from his mother. She could just get lost in those eyes.

She was walking alongside him, and so she had a profile view which allowed her a perfect view of his other distinctly Vulcan attribute: his ears. She knew from her times with Sandek that they were extremely sensitive to the touch. The delicate points at the tops were not as outrageous in appearance as one might have expected them to be. On the contrary, they looked almost – natural when combined with the angular features characteristic to Vulcans. She wondered if their hair would remain that perfectly coiffed if they didn't maintain it. How often would they have to cut it, anyway?

The differences between humans and Vulcans had always interested her, and it had been a while since she had been so close to one. She had forgotten how much they…turned her on.

Amanda shook her head vigorously. She couldn't believe that she had just allowed herself to think that! What kind of a lonely, sex starved fiend was she!? All because she happened to be alone on a romantic island strolling along side an attractive Vulcan. A very attractive Vulcan. Okay, possibly the most attractive Vulcan she had ever encountered.

She soon decided that maybe she needed fluorescent lighting to properly judge.

"Are you alright?"

His words pulled her out of her reverie. Spock watched her face flush with embarrassment, though he wasn't sure why she would feel that way.

"Yeah." She nodded and shook her head vigorously once more. "Yeah I'm fine."

They walked further in silence, until Amanda's thoughts got the better of her and she had to quench her curiosity. "So, since we're being nosy…" Second thoughts made her trail off.

"Yes, cadet?"

"I'm not a cadet anymore."

"Seeing as you do not have a permanent position on Starfleet, I'm not sure what else to call you."

"How about 'Amanda'?"

"I suppose that is acceptable. Now, the question?"

"Ah, yeah. Umm. I wanted to ask you – I don't know why – I just, I heard something – That seems a bit uncharacteristic of you – "

"You wish to inquire about Lieutenant Uhura and I?"

She was surprised by his willingness to address the subject matter. She had expected him to cleverly avert his eyes and comment about the nature of the purple tree bark on Ghandilet.

"Well, yes. I realize it's none of my business, but –"

For some reason, Spock found himself wanting to explain the situation to her. Wanting to clarify it for her, so she didn't get the wrong idea. "The Lieutenant and I maintain a close relationship, though it is no longer what it once was. It is not sensible to attempt to maintain a relationship in such close quarters."

"Quite the contrary, Commander, that's usually how it's done." She informed him with a cheeky grin. He took her insinuation with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile that made her stomach do a flip (though she quickly decided that the effect had begun because of the thin air on the planet). "So, you dated?"

Spock smiled at the oversimplification. "I suppose you could address it like that, yes."

"But you wouldn't address it like that?"

"Nhira and I.. We never actually went on what humans refer to as a 'date.' Therefore, I do not believe that it is logical to refer to it as 'dating'."

"Well, what did you do then?"

"We –" He tried to think of a better way to describe their relationship, "We talked."

"About what?"

"Things, Amanda, about things."

She took that as a cue to be quiet.

"Now, perhaps I may make a similar inquiry?"

"But of course, Commander. What is it that you would like to ask?"

"I wish to inquire about the nature of your relationship with Ensign Chekov."

Spock watched her reaction carefully. She smiled and looked down at the ground shyly, and he felt his heart drop, but for what reason, he could not discern.

"Pavel is a dear friend."

He needed more clarification, and decided to get right to the point. "Do you love him?"

She was startled by the abrupt question, but the surprise was soon overtaken by a shrug and she countered him with another question of her own. "In what way?"

"I wasn't aware that there was more than one way to love someone."

"Of course there is. The ancient Greeks had four, in fact."

Spock's eyebrows came together in concentration, "I am not familiar with this aspect of human history."

"The ancient Greeks had four ways to describe love: Eros, which is passionate love, like sexual attraction, Philia, that's love for close friends, Storge is the kind of "Blood is thicker than water" family love, and the fourth one is Agape."

When she didn't continue, Spock pressed: "And Agape is?"

"Its – indescribable love." She told him. "It's the highest form that love can take. Unconditional love for others in spite of their character flaws and weaknesses. It's extremely difficult to attain because we're usually more concerned with ourselves than with the world around us."

He nodded reflectively.

"I suppose the love that I feel for Pavel is the philia kind."

She was answered by another nod. Spock was consuming the information carefully, probably trying to line up his various relationships to their appropriate designations under the Greek characterizations of Love. Once she figured out that he was thoroughly distracted, she took the opportunity to peel away.

It was several minutes before Spock pulled himself away from his innermost thoughts to realize that Amanda was gone.

Panic gripped him: how could he be so stupid? How did her disappearance go unnoticed? He forced himself to calm down and listen carefully for her footfalls.

He followed her trail to a waterfall about 100 yards away. He did not immediately see her, but he knew that she was there based on the trail that disappeared into the water, right next to a pile of clothes.

She was there, underneath that waterfall, alright. Naked.