I do not own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writing. Does anybody have a peanut butter cookie?
Wardrobe Issues III
There were fifty-three Tragan refugees currently aboard the Enterprise. Most were women and small children. The Romulans had either killed the males while they defended their families or taken them as slaves. They had also taken most of the adolescent girls. Lorven and Kensed were the only adult males. Lorven still had a wife and five-year-old son. Kensed's wife had been killed three years ago when she tried to stop Romulan raiders from taking their two teen-aged sons. All of the refugees had similar tales to tell. Seventeen of the twenty-nine children were orphans. None of these had surviving siblings.
The Tragans had sacrificed much for their dreams.
The Enterprise crew could not give them back what they had lost, but they could spoil the refugees a bit while they were on board.
The replicators were working overtime. Jim had authorized a package of basic necessities for each refugee which included toiletries and three changes of clothing. Crew members donated some of their replicator credits for "non-essentials" such as toys and rummaged through their closets for gently used cast-offs.
La Keisha Johnson was excused from her engineering duties so she could give the ladies hairdos and manicures. Jim decided he could live without a yeoman for a while, allowing Janice to entertain the children. Dr. Rashad the dentist gave Chernal a set of dental implants. She was able to chew properly for the first time in over twenty years.
Bones had all the refugees on nutritional supplements. Many had vitamin deficiencies. They all needed physicals and vaccinations. There were several minor surgeries to perform.
However, the busiest crew members were Spock and Nyota, who had opened up a Vulcan language school in one of the conference rooms. When they weren't in the classroom, they worked away on an interactive Common Vulcan course for Romulan speakers.
It seemed that T'Pau had lost none of her clout with Starfleet. Admiral Pike ordered the Enterprise to proceed directly to Starbase 7 at a speed which would not attract attention. Once there, they would rendezvous with the USS Lexington and receive a shipment of copied records from the Federation Archives to be given to the New Vulcan Cultural Ministry. At the same time, they would also transport a team of document experts, an archeologist, and a xenosociologist to New Vulcan.
Sofiyan was an orphan and a sweet child of four. She reminded Aliyah of her baby sister and Hamed was absolutely charmed by her. The couple had volunteered to care for the child while she was on board. After the second night with her, they started the adoption process. There was no way they were going to allow her to spend even a minute in the orphanage on New Vulcan. Starfleet Legal bent over backwards to get it all done as soon as possible. Sofiyan's name was not included in the list of Tragan immigrants. Hamed marked the occasion of her adoption with a multi-tiered, heart-shaped carrot cake.
Nyota had experienced a growth spurt in the last week. Not much fit except her maternity uniform any more. She had been wearing the ugly purple stretch pants and Spock's old jeans that she had rescued from his mother's house. Corri showed her how to jury-rig them with an elastic hair-tie. If she worn them under a long t-shirt, no one was the wiser.
Over night, she had grown again. Now the jeans wouldn't work anymore. Nyota was not amused to learn that there would be no shore leave at Starbase 7. They would be stopping only long enough to pick up cargo and passengers before heading to New Vulcan.
That night she lay on their bed feeling sorry for herself while Spock rubbed an anti-stretch mark product on her belly.
"If I get any fatter, I be running around New Vulcan in your dinosaur pajamas!"
"Nyota, you are not fat. You carry our child. You are beautiful and desirable. The fact that you are growing means that our son is also. I am thankful for this."
Spock had stopped his ministrations to speak those loving words to Nyota. His hand still rested on her belly. Suddenly, sensitive Vulcan fingers picked up a gentle movement.
"Nyota, was that the baby?"
"Yes. I don't think he wanted you to stop rubbing my tummy. I think he likes his daddy's big, warm hand."
Spock got more lotion and started over again. Every time the rubbing stopped, the baby kicked. After ten minutes, Nyota had had enough.
"You guys are gonna have to continue this tomorrow. Mama needs to go to sleep."
However, when Spock took his hand away, the kicking started again. Nyota fell asleep with Spock's hand on her stomach. He held it there until he was certain the baby was sleeping too.
The Tragans were excellent students. They practiced their Vulcan language skills all the time. Two youngish ladies, Lonisa and Devena, had discovered that Pavel also spoke Vulcan. They flirted with him shamelessly every time the opportunity arose. Devena was especially fond of Pavel.
One morning when class was on a break, she asked Nyota a very interesting question.
"How old is Pavel?"
"He is twenty."
Devena seemed rather disappointed with Nyota's answer.
"I see. At what age are Humans sexually mature?"
"It varies from person to person, but generally happens by the time they are fifteen or sixteen. In most Terran cultures, young people are considered to be adults at eighteen."
"That is good to know."
Devena returned to her seat with a small smile on her face.
Spock, did you hear that?
Yes, beloved.
Should we warn Pavel?
Pavel is old enough to take care of himself.
When they reached Starbase 7, Admiral Pike came aboard with the cargo and team of experts. Pike insisted upon examining the security measures taken for the Artifacts himself. Jim had known that the "Treasure" held great importance for the Vulcan people, but now realized that its value might be beyond the scope of his imagination. When Pike was satisfied that everything was in order, they made for New Vulcan.
Jack and Lewis were excited to be back on New Vulcan. They had brought Jack's mother Corazon to help with the kids. Sonrisa had been a little anxious at first, worried that they might be trying to return her to the orphanage. They finally convinced her that everything was fine and that she would be getting a new baby brother and a great-grandma.
Rachel had sent a package with them to give to Nyota.
"Don't forget about it in your excitement. It's something she desperately needs."
This would be Commander Ardana Treli's last assignment before her retirement from Starfleet. She was aboard USS Enterprise, currently en route to new Vulcan colony. Her assignment was to observe the process involved in re-establishing Vulcan culture and civilization. She would also be providing the Vulcan Cultural Ministry with copies of all the pertinent documents, films, photos, etc. that were available in Federation archives. This was literally millions of records of Vulcan's recent past.
Ardana also had another mission, to give a certain Vulcan some very personal pieces of his own past. She had met the ship's young First Officer and his parents when he was a child, at the very beginning of her career; on her first space mission. Ardana and Amanda had become friends, and had occasionally corresponded over the years, so she had been able to observe his progress from a distance. Ardana had been saddened by Amanda death and Vulcan's destruction, now almost three years in the past.
They had arranged to meet in the Rec Room, of all places. He brought his lovely, obviously pregnant wife Nyota with him. She was taken aback when she saw him. The cute little boy had become a handsome young man. Their child would be absolutely adorable .
"Good morning, Commander Spock. You probably don't remember me."
"To the contrary, Commander Treli, I remember you and the diplomatic mission to the Jorians very well. You and my mother maintained a friendship afterward. She always spoke well of you."
"Thank you. I miss her very much. The reason I requested this meeting is that I have some items I think should rightly belong to you. These are photos and video clips of you and your family from the Jorian mission."
She spread several photos on the table. There was one of Amanda holding Spock up in front of an old-fashioned viewing port, another of Sarek and Spock coloring, one of Spock playing chess with Lt. Pike, a few others of Spock by himself, holding what appeared to be small dolls, and a final of Spock in a blue parka.
Nyota practically squealed with delight as she looked at the photos.
"Spock, you were just adorable, a regular little Prince Charming. How old were you?"
Spock shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the tips of his ears turning slightly green.
"I was three at that time."
Just then, Spock was mercifully interrupted by a call to the bridge. "I shall rejoin you later." He exited the Rec Room as quickly as possible.
"Goody, we're alone!" exclaimed Ardana. "I have got some stories to tell you!"
"I can't wait.".....
When Spock reached the bridge, he was diverted to Pike's quarters for a meeting with the Admiral and Jim. The subject was the now deserted planet of Tragan V.
"It seems that the Romulans are very interested in your activities. The Lexington and Challenger have picked up a lot of coded messages. The Romulans have been desperately looking for something on Tragan V, something they don't seem to be able to find. There's even been talk of someone quite literally losing his head for incompetence, a Commander Dorist."
"Whatever you boys picked up on Tragan V must be extremely important."
Jim looked at Spock and then back at Pike.
"Admiral, both Spock and I have sworn not to tell another soul about what is in those containers. I don't even understand what I saw, but Spock does. I can safely say they're a heavy burden he'll be glad to be rid of."
"Affirmative."
"Relax. I wasn't asking either of you to reveal any secrets. Two other starships will be following us to New Vulcan, just to be safe. Once there, they will assist Enterprise in beefing up the planetary defense system. Expect to be in orbit for a week to ten days. I'll be authorizing a liberal shore leave for the crew, especially any who happen to have family or friends on New Vulcan. That will make our mission look a little less official."
"That would be greatly appreciated, Admiral."
"So, Spock, I saw your lovely wife in the Rec Room earlier. She seems to have "blossomed" a bit. Is there anything you'd like to tell your old commanding officer?"
"You seem to have already determined that Nyota is with child, Admiral. We are expecting a son in about five to six months."
"Congratulations, Junior. "Uncle" Chris will be looking forward to his arrival."
Nyota was highly amused by a few video clips Ardana had rescued from the archives of a celebrity telecom mag called Galactic Snoop. They had covered the UFP Trade Conference of 2233 on Risa. The photographer had obviously used a long-distance lens. One showed the "devastatingly handsome Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation and his beautiful Terran wife playing on the beach with the first known Vulcan-Human hybrid baby." Spock walked back and forth between his parents on chubby little legs, occasionally dropping down on his bottom.
Another clip showed Sarek running on the beach trying to catch Spock, who had removed his diaper. It was a "rear" view.
The final one showed Amanda blowing raspberries on a little bare tummy. Spock wiggled his arms and legs and laughed. Sarek looked on with a raised eyebrow.
Jim and Spock spent the next several hours in sub-space conference with a representative of the New Vulcan Council of Elders. An approximate arrival time was confirmed and a protocol for delivery of the "items" established. They would reach New Vulcan in eight hours time.
Ardana had told Nyota the story of how three-year-old Spock had outsmarted Sarek and demonstrated his linguistic ability early. Spock had not been fond of the food served aboard the Cochrane. He saw Christopher Pike getting peanut butter cookies from a replicator and decided those would make a good dietary supplement.
Unfortunately, he did it a bit too often and his father caught him at it. Sarek had the replicator reprogrammed to no longer accept Spock's requests for cookies, either in Standard or in Vulcan. Undaunted, Spock learned to say "peanut butter cookie" in several other languages, simply by asking various diplomats and crew members how to say the phrase in their own tongues.
Nyota finished packing her bag for their shore leave on New Vulcan. Spock's was mostly packed as well. She hoped he would come back to their quarters soon and get some rest. Tomorrow would be a long and busy day. He had been so sweet to her and so understanding. She wanted to do a little something for him.
When a tired Spock finally reached his quarters, he was greeted with a kiss by a giggling Nyota. While he showered, she laid out his favorite sleep pants and T-shirt on the bed, along with something tied up in a cellophane bag and a pile of napkins. When he had dressed himself, he picked up the bag and looked at his wife questioningly.
"Go ahead, open them. I understand that they used to be one of your favorites."
With a twinkle in his eye and a lift of his brow, he shoved a peanut butter cookie in his mouth. He followed it with a second and then a third.
"Thank you for my dinner. I gather that Commander Treli has told you my "naughty" little secret."
"Yes. I'm actually relieved that you could be naughty on occasion. I was afraid that I'd be blamed for any future mischief our child might get into."
"I am sure that my father could tell you several stories about my behavioral lapses. As a child I had a fondness for disassembling mechanical devices."
They settled down into bed and completed their nighttime ritual. Thankfully, even the baby was ready to sleep. They would only have a few hours rest before reaching New Vulcan.