Spock required substantial meditation to soothe the haunting sight of Jim's bare back crisscrossed and riddled with long, discolored scars that marked him permanently.
She can only imagine how painful such whippings would have been, tearing open that skin viciously and not being allowed proper treatment. Had Jim screamed in pain or suffered in silence?
She felt an irrational urge to inflict violence on the people who had done this to the young human. It had taken an immense level of self-control to not give away her emotions to him. He probably disliked being stared at and she hoped he wasn't angry at her intrusion or presumption to offer advice.
Befriending Jim and helping him begin a new life had become more important to her than finding a new species of salamander or the antidote to the poison of the giant Deneban spider. She told herself it was because she wanted to see that promising mind fulfill its potential, but part of her simply wanted to see the fear and wariness chased out of those striking blue eyes.
For now, she'd assist in his efforts to finish his education and perhaps attend college if he desired.
The following day, the men from Starfleet again were present at the ambassador's residence. The Doctor seemed rather uncomfortable and mostly talked to Jim. Spock found herself conversing with Captain Pike who seemed very interested in her scientific studies.
"Spock, if you've ever thought about Starfleet, it certainly could be a way for you to expand your scientific studies across the galaxy and document life forms no one has seen before."
"The prospect has certainly crossed my mind before, Captain," she admitted, "and I admit that it is very appealing to me, but Jim's experience has brought to light some very troubling tendencies. What use is exploration if it merely results in another planet or species being exploited? The Federation claims to frown on the practice of slavery, yet Starfleet allows the Orions to continue their trafficking almost unchecked. It should not have been a simple matter for Jim to be sold off of earth, of all places, and yet, it was."
She checked herself before she allowed emotion to take over. It would not be fitting in front of such honored guests and Jim would probably be uncomfortable. So she finished in a cooler tone. "Perhaps, if steps were taken to be strict with the current laws, I could one day consider joining. Many allies of the federation will soon be raising serious objections once they realized how many of their people have been taken."
"That's already happening, Spock," Pike sighed. "The Tellarites and Andorians are threatening to not back the next exploratory phase at all. It doesn't look like Vulcan will either, from what your father said.
Jim's testimony could go a long way to convincing my bosses-if we could get him to do it."
"I will speak to him about it, but it is his choice as to when or if he chooses to speak." Spock said this in a tone that indicated the subject was closed.
Her attention was arrested by a strange sound from the other side of the room: Jim was laughing! Not merely chuckling, but full-blown, belly-shaking peals of merriment were coming from his thin frame. It was remarkable.
He'd barely smiled a few times since he'd resided in Vulcan, yet the doctor had evidently said something that broke the dam. Jim's eyes were crinkling at the corners as he gasped and shook, long hair swinging back and forth.
Beside him, the doctor looked on amusedly and somewhat self-satisfied at having made the withdrawn man laugh.
Spock thought she hadn't seen such a pleasing sight in over 22.52 months and it made her own lips curve up in a smile.
"What is so amusing, James?" She asked at last after he had caught his breath, still grinning widely. He looked at her with those bright eyes and she felt a strange sensation inside, like she had been touched by metaphorical ray of sunshine. In the doorway, Amanda was watching the sight with a very pleased expression.
"Bones here was telling me about his granddaddy's coon hound and what an eccentric old rascal he was," Jim explained, mirth in his voice. "He used to dig holes and bury his food dishes like they were bones, then forget where he'd put them and they'd have to walk the whole property with a metal detector to find them when it was time to feed him again."
Jim was chuckling again as he looked at Bones for confirmation.
"It's true." said doctor McCoy. "Plus, Roscoe was so fat and lazy, that he just walked sedately along after the scent and then howled at the treed coon like he was singin' it a love song."
Pike shook his head. "Leonard and his tall tales: They'd make a Klingon bust his gut laughing." He was looking at Kirk with a wistful, almost affectionate manner that was puzzling to the observant Vulcan.
Spock also noted that even her father was observing them in a rather pleased manner as well. He understood that for humans, laughter was very beneficial, especially for those who hadn't been able to in nearly a decade.
She wondered if she could ever make Jim so completely and utterly blissful as he was at the moment and that was when Spock, who's never had romantic inclinations for anyone realized just how invested she was in this man. To put it in human terms: Uh-oh.