I don't own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings. I usually just spend Tuesday afternoon with a cup of tea and my reviews. Sweet!
Sweet Tea
Spock had enjoyed nearly a week at Lake Tahoe with Sirin's family. Then Rachel received a communication from her Leethrian friend, Nurse Nordu.
"Rachel, the first of the hatchlings should make an appearance in the next thirty-six hours. Cendrehu and I would be honored if you would be here. We would also worry less if there were a physician in attendance."
"Nordu, I wouldn't miss it for the world! Sometime in the next thirty-six hours, you say? Today's December 30th. You might very well have the Starfleet New Year's Baby and get to collect all those neat prizes!"
Rachel explained the situation to her family and all agreed that it would be best to return to San Francisco. They hurried packed up their clothes and pets, switching vehicles so that Rachel could go directly to Nordu and Cendrehu's condo in the small ground car.
Queen Iliathu tossed another batch of raw sweet potatoes into the large food processor, which already held alfalfa, green tea leaves, and molasses. She was still marveling at how differently her grandchildren would be raised! She looked at her son-in-law questioningly.
"Cendrehu, you are certain that the hatchlings will get all the necessary nutrients from this concoction?"
"Yes, Mother. This fruit and vegetable slurry contains all the vitamins and minerals that the young ones would receive from plina fruit and leaves back home. It was designed by one of Starfleet's most promising young physicians, a Dr. Leonard McCoy. He took the project on as part of his course work."
"Ah, well in that case, it must be alright. It just seems so unnatural, giving younglings processed food rather than having them forage for themselves."
"There is no other option, Mother. The children must eat. We have only a few young plina trees in our greenhouse. They must be allowed to grow to maturity as we propagate more."
As Cendrehu added soybeans and sugar snap peas to the machine, the door chime rang. He wiped his hands on his apron and hurried to answer it.
"Rachel! Welcome! Thank you for coming so quickly. Nordu and her sister Yadeku are in the greenhouse. We expect the first hatchling at any moment."
Rachel shed her coat and ran up the stairs. She found the two Leethrian females hovering over the nest box. They waved at her and then motioned for her to join them.
"Wow" whispered Rachel. "The eggs have really changed."
This was quite true. When they were first laid, Nordu's eggs resembled shriveled watermelons. As the offspring grew, the eggs became round and shiny. Now they were wrinkled and transparent, as the young inside them had consumed nearly all of the stored nutrients.
"This one will hatch first."
Nordu pointed to an egg in the front left corner of the box. The small being inside of it was trying to chew her way out. Yadeku turned on the music, an assortment of Leethrian lullabies that would welcome the new lives into the world.
Sirin was called to the hospital for an emergency surgery. A member of the Rigelian diplomatic corps had broken a hip in a skiing accident. Esther was editing another medical text.
Spock checked his messages. There were birthday wishes from former shipmates Fred and Petra, as well as an unexpected communication from Dr. Lois Bowen. Curious to see what it contained, Spock settled himself onto the sofa and opened it. An attractive, middle-aged woman's image filled the screen.
"Greetings, Lt. Spock. I would like to inform you that your student, Cadet Nyota Uhura, has taken the highest honors in my Origin of Idioms seminar. I want to make sure that this accomplishment is appended to her Starfleet Academy record. She is really quite the treasure. I tried to steal her away for myself, but she wouldn't hear of it. However, I don't give up easily, so watch your back!"
Spock stopped the message for a moment. He would not permit Cadet Uhura to be stolen away. That would be a great loss to the service and to the Xenolinguistics Department. That he would also miss her was not a factor in the matter at all. Spock pressed the play button and Dr. Bowen continued on.
"By the way, I'm quite a fan of your work with the universal translator. Perhaps we can discuss it together in person someday."
"Farewell, Lieutenant."
Spock was quite certain that the ever-efficient cadet had already submitted a copy of her seminar certificate and grade to the registrar's office. However, it would certainly do no harm to verify this. Using a secured Starfleet issue PADD, Spock accessed Cadet Uhura's academic records. Yes, the files had been updated. He paused a moment to gaze at the young woman's image, so strong, graceful, and beautiful!
"I must not dwell upon such things!" he chided himself, then went to the kitchen for a cup of tea. Spock placed theris leaves into the pot and added boiling water. This herbal tea was often used to help calm and center a person before meditation.
Jason wandered in and asked for a drink.
Spock recalled the beverage his mother used to prepare for him as a child. She would fill a mug halfway with theris-masu, theris tea, and then top it off with kasa juice, from a blue-green fruit also of Vulcan origin. The sweet juice canceled the slightly bitter taste of the tea. His mother had called it Vulcan sweet tea. Spock had tasted sweetened iced tea while visiting family in Minnesota. The sugary drink was not to his liking, so Spock had involuntarily wrinkled up his little nose. Amanda had just laughed.
"This is Midwestern tea, not really very sweet. The further south you travel, the more sugar they put in the tea, 'til you can almost stand a spoon up in it!"
Spock had avoided subsequent exposure to Terran sweet tea.
Jason drank his tea and juice mixture with enthusiasm, but then seemed to quiet down. The house was nearly silent.
"Jason, I am going to spend some time in meditation. Would you like to learn a basic technique?"
"Oh yes, Uncle Spock!" Jason adored his Uncle, always glad to spend time with him and eager to learn whatever Spock might teach him.
"Very well. Let us go to the den."
Once there, Spock placed incense in an asenoi or firepot that sat on the coffee table, then lit it.
"Hot! Awwk! Hot!" squawked Ivan from his perch.
Spock bade him be still and then seated himself in the lotus position. He motioned for Jason to sit inside the circle formed by his legs.
"This is the loshirak, or crossed leg position. This is how my father taught me to meditate. Were we on Vulcan, we might be seated on a lo'san, or meditation stone. Let us begin with wh'ltri, the simplest form of meditation. Focus your mind and attention on the flame."
The child actually managed this mental exercise for approximately twelve minutes. Suddenly the flame was extinguished, followed by giggles.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Spock. I wondered if I could put the fire out."
"It is of no consequence, Jason. I believe that we have meditated enough for today."
"Okay. Uncle Spock, who is the pretty lady you were thinking about?"
"She is...my student, Jason."
Spock made a mental note to devote Jason's next lesson to touch telepath ethics!
Nyota had missed Christmas Day with her family in favor of Dr. Bowen's course. Her mother M'Umbha was not pleased about this at all.
"Child, you have been away for months. Finally you get a break but choose to spend it studying. I worry that you will exhaust yourself. Look how skinny you are!"
M'Umbha poured her daughter a cup of tea and added extra sugar. She handed Nyota a plate piled high with coconut macaroons and chocolate chip cookies.
"Mama, if I eat all of that, my uniforms won't fit. You worry too much. I'm fine."
"Oh yes, fine. You are carrying much more than a full academic load and serving as an Instructional Aide for multiple courses."
"Yes, but only for one instructor. Think of how good it will look on my record."
M'Umbha sighed, knowing Nyota would do just as she pleased.
"Alright, just don't fall for some Vulcan. Many of them are quite good looking, but they don't believe in love, only logic."
"I'm far too busy for love right now, Mama."
Rachel had nearly nodded off when she heard a crunch, followed by a popping sound. The first little Leethrian baby had broken out of her shell. While Yadeku summoned Cendrehu and Iliathu, Nordu placed a large spatula in front of the slippery and wet little one and waited for her to crawl onto it. Then Nordu carried her new daughter to a specialized bamboo frame, much like a jungle gym. The baby attached herself.
"Their skin is very fragile, so they must not be handled until it dries."
Cendrehu came running into the greenhouse/nursery with a modified baby bottle containing Leonard McCoy's special sweet green tea baby formula. He held it for his daughter, who greedily drank it down.
Queen Iliathu had once explained about the early life cycle of a Leethrian.
"Leethrian hatchlings feed themselves on vegetation. They do not leave the nesting area until they have undergone several cycles of growth and shedding of the exoskeleton."
This meant that Nordu's offspring would spent their first two years in the very room where they were born.
The young parents beamed with pride. They had a beautiful baby girl with teal hair and amber eyes.
"Nordu, what shall we name our first-born?"
"It is our custom to name a child for a good friend. I would like to call her Rachelu."
Cendrehu nodded in agreement, while Rachel tried not to cry.
"Thank you, I am honored."
However, there was little time for sentiment, as another baby prepared to make his way into the world. Five others were also close to hatching.
Rachel grabbed her comm unit.
"Nordu, I think we're going to need more help. Dr. McKenzie is on duty and most of the other staff is on leave. I'll see if Sirin and my Mom can come."
Esther and Sirin arrived just in time to see the third baby hatch. Rachel dutifully recorded each baby's time of birth in her log. These little Leethrians were very special, members of a species still considered endangered. They were the first of their race to be born away from the home world in nearly a millennium. The parents were also special, one a diplomat, the other the first Leethrian to serve in Starfleet. Both were of royal blood.
However, baby number eight had one more distinction. Born at 12:01 am on January 1, Sirindrehu was the official Starfleet New Year's Baby.
A/N:
Italicized Vulcan terms come from the Vulcan Language Dictionary
