Chapter 5

by Starsinger

T'Nara becomes more adjusted to Iowa. Don't own them.

Tiberius helped make T'Nara comfortable on the couch. Jim and Bones had left three days before along with everyone except David. Jo returned to Georgia. Jo had been a startling look into Bones' life, and how much love the man was capable of. Her mother had joint custody of the little girl. She hadn't batted an eye at taking away almost everything else, but had felt a child needed both parents. The result was a vibrant little girl who loved both her parents, grandparents, and both step-parents as Jo's mother had also remarried.

"Vulcans marry for life?" T asked casually.

"Yes," T'Nara replied. "the bond makes lies very difficult."

"How are T'Pring and Stonn? he asked. He'd met the pair while arrangements for New Vulcan were being made.

"They are well. T'Pring hopes for a child soon," T'Nara replied. She watched as Dan ambled over and lay down with a long sigh in front of the fire. A puppy came scampering after him as well as Kylie, George, and Tesla. The puppy's name was Danielle. T'Nara stared into the fireplace where a roaring fire kept the room warm. "Will we see snow?" T'Nara asked.

"Eventually," T replied. "maybe even as early as mid-October. "You'll be fine," he told her, patting he blanket clad knee. "I have practice taking care of pregnant females," he said. T'Nara raised an eyebrow. He chuckled, "I have livestock, cows and horses, there comes a time when they have babies. It's a family thing."

"Dairy or meat?" T'Nara asked.

"Dairy," T told her. He rose and added another log to the fire.

T'Nara looked down at her PADD to find two e-mails in her inbox from Jim and Bones. Bones was commenting on a particularly boring medical conference on emerging viruses. Jim was trying to instill diplomacy into Cadets who may not have a ship's diplomatic officer aboard. "I swear most of them need to be put on a science vessel or an asteroid run until it gets into their heads," Jim wrote.

"Why should I care about an emerging virus on Omicron Theta III when no one lives or goes there without environmental suits?" Bones wrote. "A plant virus who's DNA…oh, never mind. Oh, goodie, another plant virus, and this one with a silicon DNA sequence. Viruses have gotten boring since the found a cure for Ebola…" David was upstairs finishing his homework. Carol had told them that she was doing something Top Secret, and wanted David to have stability until she was finished. T'Nara understood that, she wanted that for the twins.

T'Nara and Jim had six months of employment left on the Enterprise and with Starfleet. She watched as T brought dinner in and placed it on the table. She loved the atmosphere in the home as much as she'd loved the atmosphere her own parents had provided. It was a good evening as the young played around the fireplace while their elders looked on.

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Jim sighed as he sat across from Chris. He hadn't changed from the Vulcan robes he customarily wore, and Chris envied the freedom of movement they afforded the younger man. "Chris, I have to be honest, Finney is the most stubborn of men. I can't get anything across to him."

"Have you looked in the mirror?" Chris asked with a grin. Jim gave him a long look. "I know he can be. You've tried talking to him?"

"Spock, T'Nara, Gary and I have all tried talking to him," Jim told him.

"Jim, I have a five year mission coming up, and Marcus wants to give it to the Enterprise," Chris told him. Jim's back straightened. "I know your contracts are for only another six months, and you'll want the twins on board and Tesla…"

"And Kylie…" Jim said casually.

"Kylie? Please tell me she's a dog," Chris said. Jim shook his head. "Okay, we'll work in Kylie. Just make it the next few months, and you can come back here for paternity leave, with McCoy." Jim smiled and nodded. It was a deal.

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Gary sat in the bar observing Finney. He didn't mind being the Executive Officer, although he felt Spock would have been a better choice. Hell, Spock would have made a better Captain. Finney sat at a table surrounded by a mixture of cadets and fellow officers telling some tale from his time with Harry Mudd. Gary shook his head. Harry Mudd was a well-known pirate and currently on the run.

Uhura sat next to him studying Finney as well. Spock was arranging a seminar on Quasars and Black Holes. "He's a blowhard," Uhura muttered taking a pull from her beer bottle. Finney, launched into another story involving him and a little blonde nurse. Uhura watched as Gary's hand tightened around the bottle in his hand. "Chapel," she murmured.

"Christine, damn, that's what happened. Her sudden transfer makes since now!" Gary exclaimed. "How has Starfleet thought he's even close to…to… You just don't treat women like that!"

Uhura sighed, unfortunately, Finney did. "I know. He's a misogynist," she told him.

"He's also Xenophobic," Gary said as he finished his beer. "Come on, we need to get back to HQ. Don't want Spock getting the wrong ideas." Uhura nodded. Spock wouldn't do anything to Gary, Gary would never cross that line. Both rose from the table before glancing at Hendorff. He nodded, noting their departure before returning to his companion at the bar. The young woman seemed genuinely interested in his company. "Maybe I should stop looking," he said thoughtfully.

"Why?" Uhura asked.

"Everyone I know found someone when they stopped looking," Gary said as they stepped out and hailed a cab. He opened the door for Uhura and followed her into the back seat.

"There is something to that," Uhura said. "I wish we could get Jim in charge of the ship. At least he has a level head on his shoulders." They were silent again as they travelled the city streets. "What do we do when Jim's contract is up?"

"I don't know," Gary said. "I've been attending some of Jim's classes. Doesn't hurt." Uhura silently agreed. They just needed to get through their own contracts and they'd be done. Who knew, maybe they could transfer to other ships in a couple of years. It would be interesting to say the least.