A chair is still a chair

Even when there's no one sitting there

But a chair is not a house, and a house is not a home

When there's no one there to hold you tight

And no one there you can kiss goodnight

A House Is Not a Home - by Luther Vandross

A Ship is not a Home

Christine sat alone in her cabin curled up on her sofa and sipped a mug of hot plomeek soup. She had taken to drinking the beverage years ago when she discovered it was a staple of Vulcan cuisine. Back then she had been obsessed with learning anything and everything she could get her hands on concerning Vulcans. Because she had fallen madly in love with a Vulcan, and she wanted to impress him. She laughed bitterly to herself. She didn't know how foolish that idea had been back then. You couldn't impress a Vulcan with something as illogical as soup. But she hadn't known that back then, and even if she had, it wouldn't have mattered. Spock was too attractive to ignore. She had simply wanted him. And she would have done anything to get his attention, even learn how to make soup.

But Spock had thrown her soup in her face and rebuffed her every attempt at a relationship with him. It was a shame because she would have been such a good girlfriend, lover, and wife. She would have taken such good care of him, worshiped the ground he walked on. But he rejected her in favor of Uhura. And look where it got him. In jail! Arrested and carted away like a common criminal. His career and life were on the line and all because of Nyota Uhura.

Christine wasn't surprised though. She knew it! She knew Nyota would be the downfall of Spock. She just never imagined Spock would be on trial for his life. Christine wished there was something she could do to help him, but nobody would tell her anything. Dr. McCoy was being tight-lipped as usual when it came to Spock, and she couldn't go to Uhura for information since they weren't friends anymore and she'd rather choke on this soup than ask Uhura for anything.

Her door chime sound and Christine wondered who could be calling on her at this time of night. The ship was docked for some minor repairs while they were at the starbase awaiting Spock's trial, so a lot of the crew were on shore leave and not on board. There was just a skeleton crew keeping the ship running and a few other essential personnel working their shift, but for the most part, it was eerily quiet.

So she didn't think twice about answering the door without asking who it was and when the door opened, there was a stranger standing there filling in the doorway.

"Excuse me," she said. "Who are you?"

"Nurse Chapel?" a deep rich voice asked, and Christine looked up into the face of a very handsome man.

"Yes?" she asked while she fumbled to straighten out the bathrobe she had been lounging about in to make herself look more presentable.

"My name is Lieutenant Westervelt, from Admiral Komack's office." He gave her a business card.

Christine took the card and read the embossed lettering on the old-fashioned cardstock. Pretty fancy for a Starfleet officer. "Oh? What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"May I come in, we have some business to discuss."

Christine looked past Westervelt to see if anyone was in the hallway behind him and then she stepped aside to allow him entrance.

Westervelt took a seat on her sofa, and when Christine joined him, he got right down to business. "I want you to testify against Commander Spock," he said.

"I beg your pardon?" Christine couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. Why would she testify against Spock?

"Nurse Chapel, I want you to be our key witness against Spock. I have your official report on the incident involving the Commander regarding the night of his so-called 'illness'. Your testimony might prove vital in convicting him."

"I cannot testify against Spock," Christine said. "I think you should leave." She stood and walked back to her door to show him out.

Westervelt gave chase and stopped her hand before she released the door lock, "Why is that, Nurse?"

"Because I just can't. I won't. Spock is innocent. He was delirious with a fever when he did those things."

"Lieutenant, that is not what the report you wrote shows. Moreover, I also have several anonymous communiqués from this ship's medical department, which I believe I can prove are from you as well."

"What communiqués?" Christine asked, as if she didn't know.

"Communiques reporting Lieutenant Uhura for domestic violence. Communiques reporting Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy for covering up evidence of that crime. there are other accusations I am certain you would not like me to mention." Westervelt said with a smarmy smile.

Christine held her ground. "If you say these communiqués are anonymous, why are you talking to me? They could have come from anyone."

"We have our ways, Nurse Chapel. Nothing is truly a secret in Star fleet, even coded messages can be deciphered and traced."

Christine crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest. "I don't care what you think, I won't testify against Spock. You'll have to find another snitch."

"Then we'll subpoena you, and your 'anonymous' messages will be submitted into the official court records. Your colleagues will know you've been spying on them."

"I wasn't spying on anyone, I was just-"

"You were just tattling on your rival. It doesn't matter to me why you did it. What matters is that you provided vital evidence that Kirk and McCoy were complicit in the actions of Spock and his wife."

"It would be much easier for you if you just cooperate. Do you think Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy will want you to remain on the Enterprise if they found out you've been reporting on them behind their backs?"

Christine couldn't believe her ears. She was being blackmailed into testifying against Spock! She hadn't meant for Spock to get hurt. She had been trying to protect him from Uhura. And now if she did not testify against him, her career on the Enterprise was over? She'd have to leave the ship in disgrace and lose Spock forever. But if she did testify against Spock, his career would be over.

"I can't testify against Spock, he'll hate me," she whined. "Everyone will hate me."

"Oh, come now Nurse Chapel. Mr. Spock is a cold-blooded Vulcan. He won't care one way or the other." Westervelt looked her up and down dramatically. "And you don't seem to be too popular, anyway. It's Saturday night and you are sipping soup alone on the Enterprise so you won't be losing much. But if you refuse, you can kiss your career in starfleet goodbye."

Westervelt pressed the door release and let himself out. Christine returned to her seat and buried her face in her hands. Everything was falling apart. Sure she had been miserable here lately, but she didn't want to leave. This was still her home. She liked her work. She didn't want to start over somewhere else, on a different ship, with a different crew. Maybe she had kept to herself lately, but she did have friends here. She didn't know what to do. She had fucked up, and now Spock was going to pay the price for her jealousy. Why was it that every time she tried to win Spock over, her plans blew up in her face? And this time she didn't have anyone to blame but herself.

*/*/*

Spock may have been cured of his virus on Betazed, but in all the chaos of his arrest, Uhura still had not been medically cleared for duty. So she was still on medical leave. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. There was so much going on with the preparations for the hearing that she didn't have time for anything else. And she really didn't feel like facing the crew and answering uncomfortable questions about Spock, so she spent most of her time in her cabin.

After she and Spock made up in his cell, she returned to the Enterprise alone. She sat in his quarters and looked around the room at all the little things that reminded her of her husband and their time together. They had a routine. She would sit at the nightstand and brush and braid her hair before bed. Spock would always tidy up the cabin and put away their clothing. And when that was done, they always ended up making love before they drifted off to sleep. Spock didn't require eight hours of sleep and so he would wake hours earlier than Uhura and meditate in the dining area of the cabin.

Uhura knew he used to meditate on a spot just at the foot end of the bed, but he had moved his meditation mat to the other room in deference to her comfort so that he would not disturb her sleep.

She had tried sleeping in that bed without Spock for a few nights, but she couldn't do it. It was cold and lonely without Spock there to hold her tight or make love to her until she lay in an exhausted heap. So she packed a few of her belongings, including the Big Book of Vulcan, and headed back to her own quarters. She hadn't been in there for a while except to grab belongings to take to Spock's cabin. It was strange being there now for extended periods of time. Nothing had changed. Everything was just as she left it, but at the same time, everything felt different. Same, bed, same desk and dresser and mirror. But as she stood in her bedroom looking at herself, she felt like a stranger in a strange place. She should feel at home in this room that she had lived in for the past four years but she didn't. Without Spock, no place felt like home anymore.

Now Uhura had a new routine. She would practice playing the ka'athyra, read the Big Book of Vulcan, and then cry herself to sleep holding a pillow that should be her husband. When she did find the strength to leave her cabin she just moped around. There was no spring in her step, no smile on her lips, no twinkle in her eye the way people were used to seeing her. She looked miserable, which just gave people more reasons to whisper about her behind her back.

Without Spock, everything seemed dull and gray. But she still had to live. She still had to eat and drink and breathe. Charlene had come by and dragged her out of her quarters one evening against her better judgment.

"C'mon girl. What's the point of moping around here for Spock? You think he'd want you holed up all alone like this?" Charlene asked.

"I don't care what he wants. He's gone," Uhura said.

"I know you care, so stop moping. I know you're worried about him, but guess what? He is getting three square meals a day and there is no more secure place to be than a Starfleet bring. It is not a five-star resort but I think he'll survive." Charlene said. "It's you I'm more worried about now."

"Char I'm fine. Like you said Spock's the one in the brig while I'm here living it up."

Charlene looked around Uhura's room. There was nothing to remark on. Everything was neat and tidy. Too tidy. No clothes scattered about, no sheet music on the tables, not even any music playing on the sound system. Nyota loved music. She loved to dance and sing. Now she was just dragging around like a lost puppy.

"I have an idea. Let's grab some drinks in the ship's bar and do some karaoke?"

"I don't want to have drinks. I want Spock." Uhura pouted.

Charlene rolled her eyes. One minute the girl couldn't stand the man, now she can't live a few days without him? "I can't believe what I am seeing."

"What are you seeing?" Uhura asked.

"I'm seeing my good friend and best buddy being beaten and defeated by Starfleet. Just laying down and playing dead."

"I am not. I just don't feel like partying and having fun while my husband is fighting for his freedom." Uhura corrected Charlene.

"And what are you going to do? Wait like a widow until he is free? You need to get out there and show people you're not worried. That you know he's innocent and will be coming home soon."

"But what if he isn't?" Nyota asked.

"Then we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, I want you to get up, take a shower, put on your 'freakum' dress, and let's go show this ship who's the boss."

Uhura reluctantly got up to do Charlene's bidding but before she did she said, "The captain is the boss," and stuck out her tongue.

Charlene slapped Uhura's behind playfully. "Girl, get in that bathroom before I really show you who's boss."

Uhura yelped and ran into the shower.

They ended up going down to the starbase since the ship was pretty much a dead scene. It was Saturday night, and everybody had the same idea as Charlene. Every pub, club, disco, and restaurant on Starbase 11 was filled to the rafters with crew members from different ships in the fleet. When Uhura and Charlene entered what they thought would be a quiet karaoke bar, the place was packed.

The music was loud and the man who was currently singing sounded like a wounded animal in pain, but it was the best choice they had found so far. As they pushed their way through the crowd, Nyota noted ship insignias from all over the fleet.

"What is going on here? Is it a fleet week or something?" she yelled to Charlene, trying to be heard above the din.

"Hey hey, pretty ladies!" A Uniformed officer said to them as he blocked their path. "Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?" Charlene yelled.

"That Vulcan Commander from the Enterprise is on trial. They say it's going to be the trial of the century. Ships from all over the sector are making excuses to put in port here to view the spectacle." The guy yelled back.

Charlene grabbed Uhura around the waist and pulled her aside to keep her from popping off on the stranger. "Oh? We're here for that too." She said.

"Oh yeah? What ship?"

"Enterprise," Charlene said.

"Oh, then do you girls know the commander?" The guy asked.

"No, Charlene said, we're from the lower decks. Just out for a night on the town."

"Well, if you're interested, there is a betting pool over there. Odds are better than even that the Vulcan will be convicted. I heard there were a couple of Vulcan D'Vahl ships headed this way, too. Rumor is they are going to try and spring their boy if he goes down. I'd like to see them try that."

"Why would Vulcan ships interfere with Starfleet business? We're all federation members. The Vulcans would never do something like that." Charlene said.

"Yeah, WE are federation," the stranger said, waving his hand between the three of them. But the Vulcans think they have some kind of say in Earth business. It's time somebody knocked them down a peg or two."

"Oh Yeah?" Uhura finally said, loosening Charlene's grip.

"Yeah! Say, what are you two, some kind of Vulcan lovers?" He laughed at his own joke but neither Charlene nor Uhura laughed. Before either, one of them could say anything more, Chekov slid from out of nowhere between the two parties.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere."

"Hey, you." The guy protested. "I was talking to these ladies."

"These ladies are vith me, my dates," Chekov said.

"Bullshit, little man! You couldn't cop one of these-"

"Paval!" Charlene exclaimed. "Where have you been? Ny and I thought you stood us up. This," she looked the guy up and down "person has been trying to talk shit about the Enterprise. Can you believe that?"

"Vhat?" Chekov asked. "The Enterprise is the greatest ship that ever was or ever will be. Pity you'll never serve vith us." Chekov took Uhura and Charlene by each arm and guided them to a secluded table in a corner.

"What was that all about?" Chekov asked once they were seated.

"That jerk was talking smack about Spock. Said people were betting against him." Uhura said angrily.

"Don't worry, I bet my credits on Mr. Spock," Chekov assured her.

"Oh thank goodness then," Uhura said, voice dripping with sarcasm. She stood up. "I can't do this. I'm going home."

"No, wait Ny. You shouldn't be alone up there. Stay and have at least one drink." Charlene insisted.

Uhura shook her head. "No. I don't need liquor. I'll be fine. You and Pavel enjoy yourselves and don't worry bout me. I'm just tired and need some rest." She bent down and kissed her friends on each cheek and left.

She didn't go back to the Enterprise though. She found herself back at station security.

"I'd like to visit Commander Spock," she said sweetly to the officer in charge.

"Visiting hours are over." The guard informed her.

"Yes, but couldn't you make a little exception for an old friend? I just found out he was here. It'll only take a few minutes."

"Come back tomorrow during visiting hours." He said, not even bothering to look up.

"I could have been in and out of there already. My ship is leaving soon and we may never see one another again. Please?" She leaned over the security desk and looked at the guard with her best pleading smile. And it didn't hurt that she had on her "freakum" dress. She was pretty sure the guard was not looking at her big brown eyes as he stared down at her.

"Ok, but make it fast. It's almost lights out." The guard dropped the force field to Spock's cell.

"Oh, I will sugar, cross my heart." She drew a cross over her chest, drawing attention to her cleavage again. "This will just be a lil quickie." She winked at the guard and then stepped into the cell.

Spock was laying in his bunk, but he sat up when the force field was deactivated. Before he could utter a word, Uhura rushed over to him and hopped into the bunk beside him.

"Hush! I've only got a few minutes so we better be quick." She threw her arms around his neck and pushed him back on the bunk.

Spock tried to pry her off. "Nyota, what are you doing?"

"I can't sleep without you. I'm used to you being pressed against me all night keeping me safe and warm."

"Yes. I've become accustomed to your presence as well. But we have to be apart," he said. "At least temporarily," he added.

"But it's not right. We're supposed to be bonding together." Uhura said as she tried snuggling down in the bunk with Spock.

"I agree, but we must endure this separation a little while longer. If all goes well with the trial we will be able to bond properly again." He tried to reassure her while he let his hand slide down the length of her body. "Aduna, what are you wearing?"

Uhura sat up. "Oh, this old thing. Charlene tried to take me out for drinks to get my mind off everything. But I don't want to talk about that. I don't need drinks, I just need you. You better do everything you can to get out of here."

"I promise to do everything within my power."

"Good." Uhura settled down next to Spock again. They lay quietly like that for a few minutes, just holding one another. She had this desire to tell him she loved him, but she was afraid to say it. She had never said it to a man before. Oh, she'd said it to her friends playfully, but not in the way she felt it now. She sat up and looked down at Spock's calm handsome face and he looked up at her with inquisitive eyes.

She took a deep breath to gather her courage. "Spock-"

The force field dropped, and the door opened. "Alright, Miss. Time's up!"

"Nyota?" Spock asked as he looked up into her eyes.

She dropped a tender kiss on his lips. "Another time. Sleep well." She rolled out of the bunk and straightened her little dress, and sauntered out of the cell, leaving both Spock and the guard staring after her.

Note:

ka'athyra - Vulcan lyre or harp