Author's Note: Chapter 25 is the third part of a storyline depicting a period of schism between Uhura and Spock. Taking place during Uhura's second year as a cadet at Starfleet Academy, this chapter features Spock, Pike and a woman named Kaatje Pierson.Warning: Adult subject matter and language included; however, not enough to warrant a "M" rating.

On the island of St. Maarten, Kaatje Pierson stumbled out unto the patio of the cabana. Blinded by dawn's morning light, she tripped over the Vulcan not seeing Spock sitting cross-legged on his meditation mat. She did not stay sprawled on the ground for long as the strong arms of the Science Officer pulled up the blond, young woman and placed her effortlessly on one of the lounge chairs.

As Spock knelt beside her, he asked, "Ms. Pierson, will you be requiring medical attention?"

"Oh, no, Mr. Spock." Her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm usually not so clumsy. I should actually be the one asking you if you're all right."

"I assess there was no damage to me physically."

"I'm glad to hear that." When the Vulcan did not move away from her immediately, she knew the shade of red on her face was deepening. In her line of work as a commercial starship attendant, she had dealt with a number of Vulcan passengers. However, until she and her best friend, Keiko, arrived at the cabana on Christmas Eve last night, she had never spoken more than a few perfunctory lines of dialogue to a member of the Vulcan race.

She asked, "Mr. Spock, is there something . . . else?"

"I am observing you to check for any latent effects from your fall."

"Oh, Mr. Spock, it isn't necessary. I'm fine. Really, I am. Probably a little tired, but that wasn't from the fall. There may be three bedrooms, but the walls are so thin they almost seem nonexistent."

Spock sat back on his legs. "The Captain and Keiko were definitely appreciably audible in their sexual activities last night."

"Last night and well into the morning. As a starship attendant and one of my closest friends, I've known Keiko for quite some time. But, even I didn't know until last night she had so much . . . stamina."

"The Captain's performance appeared up to par."

"Up to par to what?"

"With the high functioning sexual capabilities one would expect of a Starfleet Captain."

Spock looked at her curiously as she laughed. He had stated a fact and did not know why she found humor is his statement. "Ms. Pierson, are you sure you are functioning normally?"

"Of course, I am. Just what do I need to do to get you to believe me? And, what do I need to do for you to call me by my first name. My mother is Ms. Pierson. My name is Kaatje, but most of my friends just call me Kaat."

"As you wish, I will refer to you as Kaatje."

"Why not Kaat?"

"You stated your friends call you, Kaat. I could hardly be thought of as your friend, since we have not had sufficient time together to establish such a relationship."

"Last night, you certainly didn't act as if you cared about getting to know me at all. When Keiko and I arrived, you couldn't have said more than six words to us."

"That is incorrect. I actually spoke thirteen words. I said, Good evening. I must return to my work. If you will excuse me."

"Right. Then you headed back into your room and shut the door. That wasn't very flattering, now was it?"

Spock cocked his head slightly as if processing her reaction. "From your tone of voice, it appears you were somehow offended."

"What was I supposed to feel? After all, I thought the two of us were supposed to keep each other company, while Keiko and Chris were . . . together."

"Did you expect to fuck on the first night?"

A hot flash of anger came across her face as she rose up from the chair. "All right, now I really am offended." She headed back toward the entrance of cabana, but stopped when he called her name.

"Kaatje."

"Yes, Mr. Spock."

"Please explain the origin of your impulsive reaction."

She turned around sharply to face him. "Come on, Mr. Spock, don't play innocent with me. You are well aware of what you just said. Did you expect to fuck on the first night?"

"Were you insulted by the use of the word or the presumption of your expectation?"

She retorted hotly. "Chris told Keiko you're a genius. Why don't you try to figure it out?"

"Your friend was the one who informed the Captain of the recent termination of a relationship with a man with whom you experienced several years of cohabitation. According to the Captain, you were ready to be laid. Are these circumstances not accurate?"

Kaatje lowered her eyes. She could not refute him, even when he added his next comment.

"And, does not the word – fuck – best describe the desired action you seek?"

"You could have used a gentler term . . . like make love."

"We are not in love. Such an engagement between us would be purely of a carnal nature." Spock noted her eyes cast downward. "Look at me." He commanded.

She quickly complied and took in his tall Vulcan frame. Dressed in his meditation robe, he appeared of noble bearing with a presence that bordered on being imposing. From the sudden dampness she felt between her legs, she knew she was becoming aroused.

"We will go to your bedroom. It is the furthest from the room occupied by the Captain and your friend and, thus, we are less likely to disturb them in the event the sounds of your screams travel beyond our enclosed space."

"Screams?" She asked incredulously.

"You do not appear to be the type of woman who would hold back her appreciation of well executed sexual acts."

The blatant arrogance titillated her even more. However, she was not ready to end the verbal foreplay. Unconvincingly, she feigned reluctance. "You weren't interested last night."

"When the Captain and I arrived on the island yesterday afternoon, I had a limited period to speak with my research assistants concerning ongoing projects back at the Academy. Before we arrived, the Captain prohibited me from spending any time in this endeavor on Christmas Day."

"What makes you so sure I would want to go to bed with you, now?"

Spock sighed. To him, her posturing was tiresome. "Even at the height of your indignation this morning, you did not leave my presence when I spoke your name. Moreover, your body is currently displaying several signs of sexual arousal . . . erect nipples, a pink flush across your skin, and a noticeable quickening of breath."

Kaatje's eyes unconsciously drifted down his torso and rested on his pelvis. However, the robe covered what she wanted to see. She wondered . . .

"Kaatje." He snapped.

She returned her look to his face as she laughed nervously. "Mr. Spock, may I ask you a question?"

"If you must?"

"I've never been with a Vulcan before . . . at least, not in that way. I never even saw one naked. Actually, I've never seen any alien without clothes. So, I was wondering . . . " She laughed, again, nervously.

Spock was not amused, but surmised the intent of her rambling. He stated drily, "With the exception of a difference in hue, I can assure you the relevant sexual organ has the appearance and functions like those you have been accustomed. Now, are you ready to proceed or need I go to my room and take matters in my own hands?"

Kaatje did not hesitate. "Let's go, Mr. Spock."

The Belgium woman closed the door after they entered her room. As they stripped themselves of their clothes, she gasped at her discovery upon the removal of his robe.

As she positioned herself on the bed, she commented. "You must find me to be a complicated woman."

As he position himself over her, he retorted, "Without a doubt, I can attest to the fact that particular thought never crossed my mind."

Dressed in sunglasses and swim trunks, Pike lay on one of the lounge chairs outside the cabana. Still sore from the previous night's activities, he tried to direct his mind to other sensations - the heat of the sun's rays and the gentle sound of the surf of the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoying the tranquility of his surroundings, it would not be long before the quiet was broken by the presence of another one of the vacationers. Opening his eyes, he saw the tall Vulcan clad in a pair of broad shorts.

"Spock."

"I'm sorry, Captain. I did not mean to disturb you."

Pike grinned. "You should have thought of that earlier this morning when you and Keiko's friend were at it. That woman was so loud, she could wake the dead."

Knowing that feat to be impossible, Spock reasoned the phrase must be another human expression. "Her decibel level was definitely on the high end of that capable by members of your species."

"Your species, too."

"While I do have a human mother, my physiological makeup, cultural identity and mental processes is decidedly Vulcan."

With Spock standing over him, Pike could not help but take in his friend's finely toned and taut body. As if sculpted, fine black hair covered his chest in a shape of a "V," with the tip of the vertex suggestively pointing the way to his genitals. No matter his biological makeup, Spock's physique revealed in this manner was the source of sexual attraction for women and, at times, men. Half-jokingly, Pike commented, "Have a seat Spock, you're about to get me all hot and bothered and I don't even bat for that team."

In one of those rare moments, Spock appeared perplexed. "Although I once assisted your son with batting practice and attended a few of his baseball games, I am a loss for the meaning of your metaphor."

Knowing it probably would be best to be left unexplained, Pike simply told him, "Sit down, Spock."

Spock complied by sitting sideways facing Pike in a nearby chair.

The Captain continued, "Now turn your body so that your back leans against the chair and your legs are stretched out before you in a relaxed position."

Noting his friend's reclined pose, Spock asked, "Am I to mirror your posture, sir?"

"That's right."

Spock appeared clueless to the reasoning behind the request, but followed Pike's instruction as he always had done in the past.

Pike added, "Now close your eyes."

When Spock complied, Pike did the same and the two men remained unmoved for several minutes. Finally Spock broke the silence.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Spock."

"What is your next instruction?"

Speaking as quietly as possible. "There is no other instruction. Just be still."

"What is the purpose of taking this position?"

"We're just lying here."

"Just lying here, sir? On what should I focus my mind?"

Becoming annoyed, Pike was in no mood for this line of questioning. "Nothing, Spock."

"Nothing, sir?"

"Yes, nothing."

"That does not appear to be an effective use of time."

Pike opened his eyes. "Then meditate."

"On what, sir?"

"On nothing. Think about nothing!"

"Captain, meditation is an active process which requires a clear point of focus."

With a strained voice, he told the Vulcan, "We're just relaxing and taking in the sun's rays."

"As you know, the sun's rays have been proven to be harmful to the human epidermis."

As he held up a tube, he shouted, "Sunscreen!"

"Even the best sunscreen on the market will not protect humans from being harmed by overexposure to ultraviolet rays and the adverse effects inflicted by near infrared energy."

With raised voice, Pike turned on his side and spoke sharply. "Spock, there's a reason why I didn't ask my mother to come on this vacation!"

"Perhaps, you should have reconsidered. Knowing your mother to be in close proximity in one of the cabana rooms may have effectively tempered your judgment on the frequency and duration of sexual activities. It may have saved you from feeling the need to just lie around in an attempt to rest your body in case more demands are placed on you tonight."

With a bemused face, Spock dodged the first lounge pillow thrown his way and caught the next one with one hand. Then, the Vulcan sat up and swung his body to the side of his chair in order to face Pike. Acting as if innocent as he offered back one of the pillows, he asked, "Were you looking for this, Captain?"

Pike playfully snatched the pillow from Spock's hand and told him, "Spock, you know sometimes you can be a real shit."

"I recall you telling me once such behavior is typical of male friendship bonding rituals."

"Maybe not in those exact words, but close enough." Although experiencing discomfort as he sat up and turned to face Spock, Pike sensed a turn in the conversation, which would require a different posture.

"Learning to be a better friend to you is important to me."

Pike smiled and Spock readily understood his words had pleased his friend.

The Vulcan continued. "I find women to be a different matter. There are many times when they are quite mysterious to me."

"Welcome to the club. Any man who says he totally understands women is delusional. Did you and Kaatje have some sort of disagreement?"

"You pillow was not the first object I dodged this morning. Earlier she threw a shoe at me with a force that was meant to cause harm."

"Are you sure it was not some sort of sex play?"

"She accompanied the throwing of the shoe with expletives. I am certain her actions were borne from fury, not lust."

"What do you think triggered her reaction?"

"I'm not sure. From her verbal and physical cues, I knew I had satisfied her sexual needs while attending to my own. I removed myself from her bed, gathered my belongings and started toward the door. When she asked where I was going, I informed her it appeared we had completed our activities so now it was only logical I would go to my room and rest."

Pike knew what was coming, but tried to keep a straight face. "Is that when she threw the shoe, Spock?"

"Not quite. She then told me she was not a whore. I replied I was well aware of that fact since no type of currency had been exchanged. However, that could be arranged if required."

"So, I'm sure that's when the shoe came flying."

"Yes, sir. Her aim was inaccurate, but I'm afraid there was some damage to her bedroom door. Of course, I will inform management I accept responsibility for the cost of the repair. However, I do not quite understand Kaatje's behavior."

Pike searched for the right words for the explanation. "Spock . . . women . . . human women often feel a need to . . . cuddle . . . especially after experiencing . . . the main event."

"I'm not sure I know the meaning of the word, cuddle."

"It's when you hold someone in a tender manner. For instance, cuddling is a sign of affection between a parent and infant or small child. When engaged with sexual partner, for many women cuddling brings about a sense of completeness to sexual activities."

"But I have no feelings of affection toward Kaatje. We were simply satisfying a biological drive."

"Well, Spock, I can guarantee with that attitude there will be more thrown shoes in your future."

The Captain laughed.

"Sir, I fail to understand the source of your humor."

"It doesn't matter, Spock. And, judging from the expressions I heard from Kaatje, you should not worry about whether she'll want to indulge in the pleasures of your company, again."

"While Kaatje was an enjoyable sexual partner with several commendable talents, I am not concerned as to whether will desire me to return to her bed."

Pike had been Spock's friend long enough to discern something unspoken. He looked to the Vulcan and waited patiently for him to share what was on his mind.

Finally, Spock spoke. "She is still with me."

Hearing his serious tone, Pike knew his friend no longer spoke of Kaatje. "The Cadet you took to the Brooklyn Bridge."

"Yes."

"I thought you said this relationship was over."

"It is . . . if there ever was truly a relationship beyond that of instructor/student."

"Then how is she still an issue?"

"From time to time, she enters my thoughts. I could be reading, playing the ka'athyra, or simply sipping a cup of tea . . . she is with me."

"Obviously, it must be disconcerting for her to disturb you in this way."

"She does not disturb, but comforts."

"In what way could she provide you comfort? That day on the bridge, you rejected her. Then, you told me yourself you later saw her the day we took Jack to the airport. Yet, you walked past her without speaking. In what way could she possibly comfort you?"

"I have found this woman to be the personification of grace, compassion, wit and constancy, wrapped in an unpretentious cloak of beauty. In this troubled universe, how could such a woman not calm . . . soothe . . . reassure."

"Spock, you obsess. You cannot have her, so you have transformed this Cadet into some sort of fantasy, sustained only by your selective memories of her. My friend, this woman does not exist."

Spock reflected on the Pike's comment, before he spoke. "You are correct, Captain. I cannot have her, for she will not take me. Not after what I said . . . not after what I did. Yet, the fact remains she does exist for she remains here in my heart."

Pike had no words.

The Vulcan was in love, but as his superior officer the Captain could not condone it.

Spock was in love, but as his colleague Pike could not encourage it.

His friend was in love, but nothing could or should come from it.

The Captain wanted to believe time would eventually clear Spock's mind of this unattainable desire. Pike could not give Spock what he needed and, thus, chose the only logical alternative – make no further comment on it.

Pike rose up from his seat and Spock copied his action. "I'm going back inside to see if Keiko is up, yet. Don't forget, we're taking the women out for Christmas dinner."

"Yes, I recall it as being one of our few pre-planned activities."

Pike started his walk back into the cabana as he said, "I made the reservations for seven, tonight."

Alone, Spock closed his eyes and felt the radiant warmth of the Caribbean sun against his skin as the sounds of the waves filled his ears . . . and she was with him.

Author's Note: In the next chapter, this episode will continue from both St. Maarten and San Francisco. Your comments are always welcome.