With A Little Help From Friends
"Lieutenant Masters, I require a woman," Spock said to Charlene down in the auxiliary control room.
"Well, Mr. Spock, I am very flattered, but I'm not interested. And besides, don't you already have a woman? A wife in fact who happens to be my best friend. You better not be playing her because Charlene doesn't play that," Charlene said getting up in Spock's face defiantly.
Spock was taken aback by her vehemence. He had never had much interaction with Lieutenant Masters but he knew she was one of Nyota's closest friends. Apparently, unlike Christine, she was also a very loyal friend.
"You misunderstand me, Lieutenant, I require a woman's opinion. We are out of communications range of Vulcan at the moment and I believe this is a matter of some urgency."
"What's this all about?" Charlene asked still defensive.
"Is there someplace we could discuss this privately?" Spock looked around the control room. There weren't a lot of engineers present but what he wanted to discuss was private and confidential.
"I have an office, come this way." Charlene led Spock into a small office that was decorated in what some might call earth tones. It was quite pleasant looking.
Charlene sat at her desk and Spock stood at attention with hands behind his back.
"Have a seat Mr. Spock. You wouldn't be trying to intimidate me, would you?" Charlene asked.
"Of course not," Spock said still standing.
"Then, do I make you nervous?"
"No."
Charlene looked at him as if she didn't believe him.
Spock took a seat and wondered what brought him down to the bowels of the ship on this fool's errand.
"Lieutenant..." he began and then stopped at a loss as to where to start.
"Commander?" Charlene said askance. She had a smirk on her very attractive face. Spock noted there were quite a few similarities between Charlene Masters and Nyota Uhura. They were both intelligent, confident, and competent women in their fields. But Spock felt there was a hardness to Masters, a world wariness that Nyota didn't have. Lieutenant Masters was mature and she seemed to have experience beyond her years whereas Nyota still possessed an innocence that should have been muted by time but had remained resilient.
"Commander, are you going to sit there staring at me or are you going to talk?"
"Forgive me, Lieutenant. I was just thinking of my wife."
"Oh, that's sweet. How is she? I heard there was an incident but I haven't been able to get in touch with her. I left several messages."
"She is fine. She is staying in my quarters."
"Oooh, so you two are finally all boo'd up huh? About damn time." Charlene said.
Spock looked flustered and Charlene laughed.
"Don't mind me, Mr. Spock. I've been told I have a wicked tongue." She grinned. "It must be serious if you came all the way down here to see me, so shoot."
"Lieutenant, I am concerned about Nyota. I'm not sure how much you know about the incident but Nyota had a lapse in judgment and caused some minor injury to an attacker."
"I heard she kicked his ass," Charlene said frankly.
"Yes, quite so."
"So what's the problem? He had it coming to him. He's lucky it wasn't me because he'd be eating through a straw instead of sporting a few bruised ribs and ego."
Spock almost cracked a grin in spite of rigid control. "I completely agree with you, Miss Masters. He should not have touched my wife and he got his comeuppance. But it has been brought to my attention that no one is aware that Nyota is married and therefore situations like this could occur again. I intend to rectify that."
"And why do you need a woman's opinion?"
"I am at a loss as to how to rectify it. I am unfamiliar with Terran marital customs. There are as many customs as there are varieties of humans. I would like the opinion of one of Nyota's closest friends since we are far from home and family."
Charlene was quiet for a moment or two and then she broke out into a huge grin. "Oh my god! You mean you want to put a ring on it?!" She spun around in her chair and clapped her hands.
"It's about time you did the right thing by my girl. I heard all about the shoddy wedding she got on Vulcan." She sobered up and glared at Spock. "Had it been me you'd be drinking out of a straw or in your case breathing through one," Charlene said obviously referring to the unfortunate incident when Uhura punched Spock in the face.
Yes, Spock thought Miss Masters did indeed have a wicked tongue.
"Then, Miss Masters, it is indeed fortunate that Nyota has a friend such as you to point out the errors of my ways and advise me on how to make appropriate amends."
"You're as charming as Nyota thinks you are. You wouldn't happen to have any brothers would you?"
"In fact I do," Spock stated truthfully, "however, can we come back to the question at hand?"
"Okay, okay, I'm just busting your chops. You know you put Nyota through a bit of hell?"
Spock knew it. "Yes, I know, that is why I am here."
"Okay so long as you know. You'll have to make this a big deal. First of all, you'll need a ring, and the rock has to be as big as her head for all the drama you caused."
"That sound very impractical."
"Okay as big as her fist then. It's not supposed to be practical, its a symbol of your love and devotion. I know you're Vulcan, but its the thought that counts and the thought behind the ring is that you want everyone to know she is your woman and this is what she's worth to you. It's not really a wedding ring I'm talking about, its the engagement ring. The actual wedding ring can be a simple band."
"We are already married, why do we need an engagement ring?"
Charlene sighed. "Because you're doing this Earth style now. The engagement ring is the announcement. That's why it has to be big and gaudy. It has to make both women and men take notice, make all the girls jealous of her and the men jealous of you. This is psychological warfare."
"Warfare?"
"Yes, haven't you ever heard the expression 'love is a battlefield'? You Vulcans fight for your wives don't you?" Charlene said ignoring Spock's look of discomfort. "Well, you need to let everyone know Nyota is off the market. This may sound crude to your Vulcan sensibilities, but a big ring says she's bought and paid for and you others can't afford the credits. It's much like your Vulcan bride price. A show of force and power, if you will."
"She told you of the bride price?" Spock asked in awe that Charlene knew so much about the matter.
"I know pretty much everything," Charlene sat back and stared at Spock.
"I see," Spock said.
"Do you Mr. Spock? Nyota told me because she needed to tell someone. You not only had your family but you had Jim and Leonard on Vulcan with you and by your side every step of the way. Who did Ny have with her? Did she have any of her friends or family? Anyone at all who wasn't really there to ensure you had a perfect marriage and survived?"
"No," Spock confessed feeling like a chastised child. Spock had the strangest sensation. He felt the way he did whenever Amanda was disappointed in him. Charlene was as fierce as a mother goose protecting her chick.
"I love Nyota and I am not about to let you or anyone else hurt her. I think you love her too which is why you're down here suffering my abuse." Charlene smiled at Spock. "So let's agree to put our differences aside to help the woman we both love." Charlene held out her hand for Spock to shake on it but he just stared at her appendage.
"It would be inappropriate for me to touch you thusly," he said finally.
"Okay, I get it. You're spoken for. How about a fist bump?" She tased him raising her eyebrow.
Spock couldn't help it. He had been so wound up with stress and this woman was the last 'straw' so to speak, he barked out a brief loud laugh/cough.
It shocked the shit out of Charlene. Had she broken Nyota's husband!?
"Are you alright Mr. Spock?" Charlene asked cautiously.
"No. But I think I will be, with your help?" he held out his fist to her and Charlene nervously bumped it.
Spock gave her one of his rare smirks and Charlene could see why Nyota was head over heels in love. He was kinda cute when he took the stick out of his ass.
"So, tell me about this brother of yours..."