I don't own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings. While this disclaimer serves its purpose, it is hardly cutting edge.

The Edge

The two Andorian hustlers, Ghomer and Ghuber, grabbed their drinks and wandered over to the table where Paolo and Spock were playing.

"We would like to challenge you to a friendly little game, say five credits a point."

Spock was about to pass on such a challenge.

"Perhaps not, as I have only just..."

He was interupted by one of Paolo's elbows to his ribs.

"We'll take you up on that!"

"Paolo, I do not believe that..."

Paolo shook his head and whispered.

"Trust me Boss, it'll be fine. Let's play."

Ghomer and Ghuber shot each other knowing looks. This was too easy, almost like taking honeysticks from an infant.

Introductions were made and balls were chosen. The Andorians selected the stripes, leaving the solids for Paolo and Spock. The balls were racked, and as the table initially belonged to Paolo and Spock, it was decided that Paolo would break.

The game progressed, with each player shooting until a foul was committed. Teams alternated with each turn. Spock and Paolo won the first game easily.

Spock took his friend aside.

"I believe that they have permitted us to win in hopes that we will place a bigger wager on the second game."

Paolo laughed.

"That's okay, Boss. They don't know I'm holding back. Let's go for it."

They returned to the table, where Ghuber suggested that the bet be increased to ten credits a point. Paolo readily agreed to this, with Spock nodding his assent.

Though Speroni's drew a varied clientele, two Andorians playing eight ball with a Terran and a Vulcan was still a curious sight. Other patrons stopped what they were doing to watch the proceedings, including Mitch the bartender. He was so distracted that the draft he had just poured missed its target, the Xtazzi who had just ordered it, sailing over the bar's edge and onto the floor.

Rachel had time to read through one more thesis before Sirin picked her up for lunch and their appointment with T'Phera. The student, a Dr. Esha Heiyar, proposed what she believed to be the best-stocked medkit for almost any away team mission. There were all the standard meds, laser scalpels, dermal regenerators, etc. However, Dr. Heiyar felt there was no substitute for a good, old-fashioned steel scalpel with a finely honed edge. There was no power source to fail, it could be used to cut through bonds if one was captured, or even as a weapon if necessary.

Rachel chuckled to herself. As a cadet on training missions, she had always taken scalpels in her own medkit, and had found a variety of uses for them, including scaling fish! Dr. Heiyar was definitely on the right track, so Rachel would approve the thesis and look forward to its presentation and defense, complete with sample medkit.

She switched off her terminal and tidied her desk, then looked up to see two handsome males in her doorway.

"Hi, Mama! Let's go eat at Wong's! I want noodles!"

"You always want noodles, Jason!"

She scooped him up into a hug, while Sirin planted a kiss on the back of her neck.

"I'm a lucky woman, my love!"

"I am rather fortunate, myself." He kissed her again.

It was amazing how much Spock and Paolo's playing had improved in just a few games, especially Paolo's. They had now won five games in a row. The Andorians had wanted to increase the wager with each game, expecting the Human and Vulcan's luck to run out at any moment.

Ghuber took Ghomer aside.

"Perhaps we should quit now. We're almost down to our stake money. If we lose that, the wives will become most upset with us."

"No, Ghuber, I'm not leaving until we win all our money back and take all of theirs. It's personal now."

Ghomer made his way back to the table and raised the wager to fifty credits a point. Paolo smiled as he accepted the terms, while Spock merely raised an eyebrow.

The game was a close one, with Ghomer making a difficult masse shot. However, it was Ghuber who sank the eight ball, while "kissing" one of the solid balls belonging to the other team. He was about to declare himself the winner when Spock stated that a rule had been violated. Ghuber had been sitting on the edge of the table to make his difficult shot, permissible under the house rules as long as one foot remained on the floor. Ghuber had picked up both his feet in order to increase his reach.

The Andorians disputed this, of course, so the other patrons asked the bartender to review the security tape, as one camera was aimed directly at the table they had been playing at.

Mitch put it on the big screen for all to see. Ghuber had clearly broken the rule. Ghomer was furious.

Jason was a happy child with a full tummy, having gone to his favorite restaurant with both his parents in the middle of a work day. He eagerly looked forward to the next part of the adventure, a visit with another "Vulcan lady doctor."

Healer T'Phera and her assistant T'Meya had agreed to meet with the family in their offices at the Voorhees Family Planning Clinic on Hyde Street. Once there, Sirin checked the family in with the receptionist, then they all took seats in the waiting area.

Though the Voorhees Clinic assisted many mixed species families, Vulcan-Human couples were still quite rare. Rachel and Sirin were aware of the stares they drew from patients and staff alike. Jason was unbothered by the attention, smiling at what he perceived as friendliness. Soon the whole waiting room began to smile back at him.

After a few minutes, the family was summoned to the Healer's office and introductions were made. T'Phera made her initial assessment of Jason with a diagnostic meld, just as T'Mena had done. However, T'Phera did some further testing, trying to push Jason's psionic gifts to his limits. She discovered that in addition to his strong touch telepathy, Jason also had rudimentary telekinetic skills, (moving a stylus a few centimeters across the healer's desk using only his mind), and the ability to touch the thoughts of a person he shared no bond or physical contact with. She shared her findings with the little boy's parents.

"You must begin to train him early. Some of his gifts should be developed to their fullest extent. Others must be suppressed until he is older and has more understanding. In ancient times, Jason would have been selected for foshinahr, the training for a defensive psionic warrior."

"I note that you are of maat Sch'n T'gai. Are you a close relative of Sch'n T'gai Spohk?"

"He is my cousin and Jason's en'ahr'at. (godparent)

"Excellent. I will teach you some games to play with Jason to help him build telepathic barriers. Spohk also learned these as a child. As he has similar abilities, he may better be able to assist Jason."

Jason was becoming a bit fidgety, so Rachel took him out of the room for a walk, sensing that Sirin had more he wanted to ask the healer. Once his wife and son were gone, he did so.

"Healer T'Phera, you are in possession of important knowledge. May I ask why you are not furthering your research on Vulcan?"

T'Phera sighed, revealing both weariness and frustration.

"My research has proved unpopular with other Vulcans. Terrans would refer to it as too "cutting-edge." I have discovered that combining Vulcan DNA with that of certain other species such as Human or Betazed results in enhanced psionic abilities. This view has not been well-received by many traditional healers, especially those still resentful of the Syrranite Rebellion which led to the Reformation. I have twice been "relocated" because of my research and theories."

"I understand" said Sirin, and he did completely, for his grandmother T'Pau had been one of the original Syrranites. She and the other rebels had spent years in hiding on Vucan's Forge.

Angry over his losses, Ghomer grabbed Paolo and held a knife to his throat. Paolo laughed nervously as he felt the blade's edge against his skin.

"You don't want to do that friend!"

Ghuber also tried to get Ghomer to drop his weapon.

"Come on, let's just go home. The wives are waiting. We'll really hear about it if we end up in jail."

"But they have all our money!" protested Ghomer as he relaxed his grip on Paolo just a bit.

Spock saw his opportunity and wrested Paolo away from the Andorian, simultaneously delivering the Vulcan neck pinch. He handed Ghuber two hundred credits.

"It would be best if you took your friend away from here."

Ghuber nodded and grabbed Ghomer under the arms, dragging him out the door.

Paolo massaged his throat, which bore a faint scratch from Ghomer's knife.

"Boss, why did you give them back some of their money?"

"If we left them destitute, they might commit violence against someone else."

"So why didn't you give them back everything?"

"I hope that they will learn a valuable lesson."

"Good point, Boss. Let's get a table and I'll buy you a beer."

"That is a most agreeable suggestion, Paolo."

However, when Paolo tried to pay for their drafts, Mitch informed him that their drinks were on the house.

"I've been waiting two years for somebody to take those two down. I really enjoyed the show. Thanks!"

Mitch also showed his appreciation with applause and was joined by the patrons. Spock and Paolo had also been observed by a pair of Orions, who boldly approached their table. The older one spoke up.

"As you gentlemen are now quite flush, perhaps you might be interested in a little business transaction. We have some very potent "Risan Fly" cream..."

Rememberin his and Cadet Uhura's "accidental" poisoning, Spock quickly rose from his seat.

"It is illegal to sell such a substance on this planet and particularly unwise to attempt to do so with a Starfllet officer."

"Starfleet officer? Oh, crap! Run, Thel!"

Spock thought to give chase, but decided to call Fleet Security instead.

Mitch brought them each another beer, smiling.

"Twice in one night! I can't believe it. I hope you boys become regulars."

"Gaila, I'm going to apply for the Instructional Aide position."

"Uh-huh" said the Orion lazily, having draped herself over her bed. "Whose Instructional Aide?"

"Lieutenant Spock's. Of course."

"Of course. That way you can spend hours with Lt. "Hotstuff," being able to look but not touch. Nyota, that sounds like torture to me."

"Maybe, but it will look really good on my service record if I get the job."

"Whatever. Now should I paint my nails red or blue, with silver metallic edges?"

"Oh Gaila, sometimes I think you don't take life very seriously."

"Life on Orion is serious business, where most people are slaves. I'm free here and I plan to enjoy it."

Three days had passed with only four cadets applying for the job. Though he knew that two of these were unsuitable, Spock gave them an interview anyway.

Cadet Chalmers never seemed to get his own assignments turned in on time. How could he be expected to assist Spock in promptly grading papers and projects?

Cadet Haust always turned her work in far ahead of schedule. Her essays and projects were nearly a thing of beauty, the Vulcan grammar so precise. However, her pronunciation was among the worst Spock had ever encountered, sometimes literally setting his teeth on edge. She would be a liability in the Language Lab.

Henri Bouchard was one of Spock's favorites, a well-rounded student who excelled at almost everything he tried. However, Bouchard was like Spock in that he cultivated multiple options. Shortly after his interview, he informed Spock that he had been hired as an Aide to the Klingon instructor.

Though it was highly unusual for a first-year cadet to be chosen as an Instructional Aide, it was not without precedent. Such had been the case with Spock himself. Cadet Uhura was the most qualified of the three remaining applicants. Her diction and grammar were nearly flawless. She had also just taken first prize in a translation competition usually won by fourth year cadets studying at the graduate level, a fact which gave her a definite edge. Cadet Uhura was the only logical choice.

Spock contacted the other two candidates, informing them that a selection had been made. However, he decided that he would summon Cadet Uhura to his office to give her the news in person.

TBC

A/N:

The Syrranites were a small group of Vulcans who believed that their government had strayed far from the teachings of Surak.