Oh my gosh, the new semester is about to start. Four classes, all science means four labs. This is goignt o be so interesting. I must be a nerd, cuz I'm kinda excited.
Many thanks to my beta! Even when she accidentally holds my edited chapters hostage.
Finally, here is another chapter! Read and enjoy!
Nia gasped as the jab caught her hard under her ribs.
Spock definitely wasn't holding back.
Well, that's one way to convince me to use my whole strength.
Squealing, she ducked beneath the next blow. Nia took a few hasty steps back before launching into a kick her sparring partner barely avoided.
Across the room, Kirk was watching again. This time he was baffled by the mirth that was clearly bubbling inside the Paladian woman. She was having fun getting beat up by a Vulcan.
Just as Kirk was shaking his head, he heard a voice speak up from behind him.
"She's quite a sight, isn't she?"
Kirk turned to see Ensign Harris standing just behind him. The captain turned back to watch the fighting pair. "Yes, I suppose she is. You watch her spar often?"
"Oh yeah. Watching her get knocked around by Sulu was hilarious." Harris grinned. "It got even better when she started giving the man a run for his money. Now, she's moved up to Spock." The grin twisted a little and Harris seemed to forget who he was talking to. "Personally, I'm thinking she's into pain, if you know what I mean."
Oh, how Kirk wished he didn't. Straightening his shoulders and his stance, the blond man turned his body slightly in the ensign's direction.
The posture was lost on Harris, since the man's eyes had left the fighting Paladian on the mats.
"Oh yeah?" Kirk asked, wondering just how long it was going to take for the man to realize his error and start the fumbling back track.
"Just look at her. She is enjoying that fight just a little too much." The brown haired man chuckled. "Now, I'm not one for interspecies mating, but I could make an exception for that one." The man's original grin was no longer recognizable under the twisted leer it had become.
"So the obnoxious orange shorts aren't a deterrent?"
"Hell no." The man snorted. "I'd just like see what she's got underneath –"
As Kirk turned to firmly reprimand the man, the sound equivalent to a roaring grizzly bear filled the air. Alarmed, Kirk barely had time to blink before Ensign Harris was tossed aside and the captain was backing away from a rather angry gentleman.
On the mats, Nia had heard the roar and the hairs on the back of her neck had stood straight up. Forgetting herself, she whirled around to disprove the familiarity of that sound. Nia had just enough time to take in the sight before an iron band wrapped itself around her neck.
Choking, Nia struggled. "Spock, no! Let me go!" The grip only tightened.
So not the time to teach 'never turn your back on your enemy'.
"Spock, come on! Let go. Spock!" Catching her breath was starting to be a real problem. Feebly she tugged at his arm as she lifted the other in the direction of the alternate altercation taking place. "The captain…" She managed to grind out.
The sudden release on her throat was a relief that dropped her to the floor gasping and Spock hurried to where Nia's cousin was attacking the captain.
Pulling herself up, Nia hurried over to where Jacek was currently making a fool out of himself.
"Jacek!" Nia snapped as she tried to understand what exactly was happening. "What do you think you are doing?"
Instead of answering her, the man crouched down and hissed at the offending captain. Just over his shoulder, Ensign Harris was unconscious and in a useless heap on the ground.
It was the hiss that set her off, that brought the realization and the subsequent embarrassment.
"Oh my gosh, you moron!" Nia near screamed in Standard.
In surprise, Jacek broke off his attack to stare at her.
"You are not protecting my honor! You are embarrassing me!" When words failed her, she stormed out of the area with her head in her hands.
Jacek stared after her with a rather dumbfounded look. A look that was almost identical to the ones of the spectators around him. As the big Paladian faced the captain, he found that Spock had managed to place himself between the two males.
Kirk, standing just to the left of Spock's shoulder, was still tense and wary of Jacek. He signaled over two Security Officers who had been called to the ruckus. "Escort Mr. Jacek here to the brig."
Knowing the officers wouldn't be much of a fight, Jacek went with them anyways and allowed himself to be taken to the brig. He had a sinking feeling he may have made a huge mistake.
Once Jacek had been escorted out and Ensign Harris had been taken to the medbay, both Kirk and Spock departed in the direction Nia had left in. After confirming her location in the ship's computer, they found her fuming in her lab.
Clearing his throat, Kirk barely stepped forward when Nia cut him off.
"I am so, so sorry for my cousin's behavior." She said, tears welling in her eyes. "I-" Her cheeks flared up bright pink and she whirled away from the men to face the wall.
"Do you know why Jacek attacked Ensign Harris and I?" Kirk asked.
Nia shook her head. "I don't know for certain, but I have a pretty good guess." She faced the men again, but oddly enough avoided looking at Spock. "But first I have to ask, was Harris saying anything that either was or might be seen as inappropriate? About me?"
Ignoring the intense look from the man next to him, Kirk nodded. "I was about to reprimand him when Jacek appeared." Kirk leaned against the center counter with both hands in front of him. "If he was defending your honor, why did he come after me? I know he doesn't like me, but Harris was the one speaking."
Shrugging, Nia raised her hands to her face. "It doesn't matter. Just you being present could be considered enough."
"Enough for what?" Spock asked.
Nia still refused to look at him. "Enough to defend my honor and yours." She let out a shaky breath. "I think. I need to speak with him to know for sure."
"Defend Spock's honor? Why would that matter?" Kirk pressed.
"It's a Paladian trait for males to be territorial." Nia tried to explain.
Spock stepped up beside Kirk. "That trait can be seen in many humanoid species. However, you have yet to explain what that has to do with Jacek's attack on the captain."
"Because it wasn't meant as an attack. I don't think." Nia said, desperately. She turned to Spock, finally making eye contact with him. "Has Jacek been around more than would be considered normal? I know he sits with you during the meals, and so has Grego lately."
"He has approached me more than once in the labs and in the halls if only to greet me. Is that not typical?" Spock had put no thought into the occurrence beyond the acceptance of what appeared to be a Paladian custom.
Nia's frustration grew as she continued to fail to explain what happened. She had to tell the men that Jacek hadn't been trying to kill the captain, that what Jacek had done was considered normal if not acceptable by Paladian customs.
"Alright, just calm down. Here, sit" Kirk grabbed a stool and Nia promptly sat and focused on breathing. With her eyes closed, she failed to notice Spock reaching out until her wrist was firmly in his grasp. A connection formed between them, one much different than she was used to, one that didn't have the same emotional weight. This was a more mental connection.
How could I forget that Vulcans are telepaths?
Despite the differences to what Nia was accustomed to, Spock's effort did the trick. In fact, it worked much better than Nia would have thought. She could feel the absolute calm exhibited by the mind of the Vulcan male, and breathing was quickly much easier. The tension eased from her shoulders and the events and information in question ordered themselves much more efficiently.
When she opened her eyes, Spock released his hold on her wrist. It had been an experiment (or really, a gamble) so see if the connection he could form would do any good.
"Let me start by explaining that Jacek has not showed as much interest in my previous husband, Henry. By human standards, Henry was a very good man, but not an intimidating one. For Paladians, that lack of intimidation can equal a lack of, well, quality I suppose. Not always, but it can." Running a hand through her hair, Nia allowed herself to smile. "The fact he is so interested in Spock is a good sign. It's a sign of acceptance and respect of my choice."
"Choice?" Kirk asked, confused.
"Paladian females chose who they desire to court." Spock supplied.
With a look of dawning understanding, Kirk waved Nia to continue.
"Right. Well, sometimes males don't like who a female has chosen. They may continue to charm the female in hopes of changing her mind. It's not often a woman will change her mind, but it has happened." Nia bit her lip. Now came the awkward part. "Captain, you would consider Spock a friend, correct?"
Not certain how to answer, Kirk responded with "Sure."
"And by extension, you treat me as a friend, correct?"
"Sure." He said again.
Nia smirked. "And, I'm sure you are also still 'scoping' me out? Making sure I'm good enough?"
Kirk returned the smirk. "You bet."
"Captain, I must protest – "
"Don't, Spock." Nia interrupted. "It's a human thing. Take it as a sign of respect. He has treated me well enough so far. Besides, Wena has been acting the same way towards you if you haven't noticed." She grinned at him. "Anyways, if the male a female is currently courting finds another male trying to gain her interest, the original male – or the boyfriend if you prefer – is expected to defend her right of choice."
Kirk nodded slowly. "Ok. So Jacek was defending your right. Why didn't he just expect Spock to do it?"
"This doesn't make sense in human terms, but if the boyfriend" Nia really hated that term "can't defend her, a relative of the male can step up. That way, the male's honor is also protected."
Spock's lip twitched into an almost apparent frown. "I do not see why I would have been viewed incapable of defending you. Also, Jacek is not my relative."
It was Kirk who responded this time, having caught on to the way the Paladian would have been thinking. "If Jacek has accepted Nia's choice, then because she's family you would be family." He looked at Nia when she nodded in agreement and then asked, "Since Spock isn't Paladian and was clearly unaware of how the custom works, would it be wrong to assume that Jacek would have found it his duty to defend yours and Spock's honor?"
Relief flooded through Nia. "Yes, that's exactly it." She let out a harsh chuckle. "As soon as I heard that hiss, I knew what was happening. It was a challenge, one I've actually heard a few times while growing up on Palad." She explained.
"While I still have to document the cause for Ensign Harris's injuries, it's a good thing for Jacek that he isn't Starfleet. I can write this all up as a cultural misunderstanding." Kirk told Nia. "Of course, after I confirm with Jacek that your reasoning is also his reasoning."
"Of course." Nia agreed. "Thank you. I'm still so sorry about all this."
Kirk just waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. No one was seriously injured and it's a lesson learned for all parties involved."
"Still, I'm really sorry."
This time, Spock spoke before the captain could. "It is not uncommon for the captain to find himself of an individual's anger."
"True." Kirk muttered.
"What is uncommon is the fact he was not deserving of it in this instance."
"Hey!" Kirk protested.
The only response was an unrepentant expression from Spock and giggle from Nia.
"Yes I've heard about that." Nia said. "I even heard you got recruited after a bar fight."
"Uhura?" Kirk asked.
"Nope, Pike. Uhura just confirmed."
With a roll of his eyes, Kirk held in hands up to defend against any more incriminating stories. "Enough. I'm getting out of here before you tell me that McCoy has been selling my dirty secrets."
"You mean your academy escapades?"
"He didn't!"
"Not to me." She answered with a cheeky smile.
Groaning, Kirk left the labs. Not only did he want to escape the abuse inflicted upon him by the pair, he also had a story to check with a Paladian in the brig.
"He didn't!"
"He did."
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"Wow."
"Ye-ah."
"At least it's good in the sense that-"
"I know, right?" Nia giggled. "He wasn't even this way with Henry."
Wena snickered. "Yeah, you were lucky if he even acknowledged Henry's presence. Of course, that was before you married."
Nia just shook her head with a reminiscent smile. Family. What trouble they could get a person into.
"So, Spock took it well? And I'm glad the captain isn't too upset." Wena asked.
"Yeah, he did. It's yet another cultural difference to work through." Nia snorted. "Though I did think about getting even for the choke hold he put me in just when I was going to rescue the captain."
Wena coughed and lay back in her bed, laughing. Both women were relaxing after a long day and were content to just chat. "Let me guess, he was trying to teach not to turn your back on him?"
"Got it in one. As it was, Jacek had only time enough to start the challenge, you know with that stupid hiss, before I yelled at him and called him a moron."
"Bet that went over well."
"I don't know."
"You mean it did go over well?" Wena asked, confusion apparent on her face as she sat up to look at Nia.
"I don't know. I stormed out, remember?"
Wena giggled at her mistake. "Ah."
Silence fell in the shared quarters for a few moments.
"Can you believe it?" Wena asked.
"Yes, but I understand why you can't." Nia answered.
The brunette sighed. "I've seen all the pictures of the colony and the planet."
Nia groaned quietly. "Of course you have. I bet you've even done research on all the predators, too."
"… Did you know NiPila has bears?"
"Oh my gosh! Why?" Nia pulled her pillow over her face and let out a strangled yell.
"Why? Why? I'm going to be living there, that's why!"
"I swear if you start spouting statistics at me like you did with the sharks when we decided to try surfing, I will be forced to hurt you." Nia warned.
Wena protest. "Oh come on that was four years ago!"
"And that matters how?"
"Besides we were just surfing. This is much more serious. In two days we'll be dropping out of warp and – oh my gosh." Wena looked at Nia with a sudden panic. "We'll be dropping out of warp in two days. I don't even know if I want to live there. Gah!"
Nia started laughing. She knew she wouldn't, but Wena was being so… Wena. "So you went from being in awe that you'll finally be on NiPila in two days to freaking out about it? Well, you should make up your mind because your only way of not staying the planet will be shooting off into uncharted territory."
"This isn't funny. Wait," Wena hit Nia on the arm. "You'll be leaving me! That's not cool."
Nia started laughing yet again as her friend pouted. Eventually Wena rolled her eyes. Her friend's cackle could really be annoying sometimes. Annoying, but amusing enough that Wena started laughing with her.
The two were reduced for giggles for a not nearly long enough period of time when McCoy's voice cut through the comm system.
"Verde to McCoy."
With a long suffering sigh, Wena pulled herself up. "Verde here. What do you need this time, McCoy?"
"Don't get smart with me. Just get down here."
"I don't work for you McCoy. You're missing an important word there."
"Verde, so help me…"
"No, it's 'Dr. Verde, will you please get down here?' I'm not asking for much McCoy."
"Dammit, Verde!"
"…"
"Fine, I need your help, please."
Wena grinned and Nia smirked. Gaining the half-Paladian's attention, Nia imitated the cracking of a whip. Giggling, Wena mouthed 'Shut up!' before telling McCoy she was on her way.
"Wonder what that's all about." Nia mused.
"No idea. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Don't stay up for me." Wena told her as she pulled her shoes on.
"Couldn't even if I wanted to." With that said, Nia made her final preparations for bed.
Wena chuckled and left for the medbay.
When she got there, Wena wasn't sure what to expect. The busy preparations weren't it.
"What's going on?" She asked the southern doctor.
"Ship had to drop out of warp early. Got a distress signal from a shuttle that's just floating out there and we're beaming the survivors over." McCoy asked quickly. "Need you to keep an eye on your people, while I handle the newcomers."
"Got it." Wena answered. "Anything I can do to help you prepare?"
"You bet."
A/N: Gah, I can't believe there was such a delay between postings. I'm so sorry.
Thank you to ilovemedia18 and SerenityAngels for reviewing. I really, really appreciate it!
Thank you also to those who have favorited and/or are following this story. I've noticed and I'm glad this is good enough to follow :)
