I don't own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings. I merely hope to give my readers a nice, meaty chapter.
Where's The Beef? Part I
It was so difficult to say goodbye. Nyota had become quite attached to both Sarek and T'Sela. There only about four weeks remaining until T'Shana's birth. The thought of Spock's baby sister made Nyota smile. Soon she and Spock would have their own child.
Sarek walked them to the transporter platform, shouldering some of their luggage. The people of New Shi'Kahr had been generous with their baby gifts, an outpouring of appreciation for the songs that Nyota and Spock had shared with them. Sarek had also given them a hand-made cradle of his own design, as well as a new ka'athyra for Spock.
It was time to go. They could delay it no longer.
"Return to us safely, my children."
Nyota thought she could detect just a trace of wistfulness in Sarek's voice.
"Live long and prosper, Father." Spock gave his father the Vulcan salute, Nyota joining him.
"Peace and long life, Spock and Nyota."
Sarek gave the transporter technician a signal, which was passed on to the Enterprise. A moment later, Spock and Nyota were back on board, their shore leave concluded.
Ah, big, juicy Kosher hot dogs for lunch! Knowles enthusiastically ate a third one as Hurev and Vilas looked on, their salads untouched.
Jim and Admiral Pike ate breakfast with Selek and T'Mardis, giving Bones a little more time with T'Ameela.
Bones was dressed and ready. T'Ameela had helped him pack. He held her tightly, not wanting to let go. They didn't say goodbye, nor did the make each other any promises. T'Ameela would be starting classes at the university, studying nursing for the next four years while still working at the Inn. With the new Starbase coming, the Enterprise would have reason to visit. Bones had a little over two years left on his current assignment. Maybe he could get assigned to New Vulcan then. He marveled at the thought, actually wanting to return to the land of hobgoblins!
"It is time, Leonard. You must not keep them waiting."
T'Ameela walked him to the dining room, where T'Mardis handed him an order of something to go. Proper Vulcan farewells were exchanged and the trio headed out the door. Bones knew if he looked back, his heart might break in two.
Once the Enterprise had left New Vulcan orbit, Pike called a meeting of the bridge officers in one of the small conference rooms. He outlined the recent events that had taken place at Starbase 7, and told the story of the Romulan spies and the three clever women who had outwitted them.
"The New Vulcan government has asked us to do two things. The first is two go to Caldena and retrieve any artifacts that might still be there. The second, and most important, is to locate Hellguard and rescue any captives we find there. You'll have to slip in and out of the Neutral Zone undetected. We don't have coordinates for either world, but I bet our two spies do. Jim and I are going to interrogate when we reach Starbase 7."
"Admiral, I have a question."
"Just the one, Spock? That's amazing. Ask away."
"How are we to enter the Neutral Zone undetected?"
"It's quite simple, really. You and Mr. Scott are going to modify that cloaking device to hide the Enterprise."
Spock raised an eyebrow, but this time it was Scotty who said it out loud.
"Fascinating."
They had missed their Friday night photo-op, so Nyota donned Spock's "red-hot lover" pajamas and stood against the archway of their sleeping alcove. Twenty weeks! Bones and the doctors from the fertility clinic in San Francisco were estimating that Nyota's pregnancy would last forty-one weeks if she went full term.
Spock took the picture and uploaded it into the file with the others. While he was sitting at the terminal, the comm link chimed, informing him of an incoming message from Jack and Lewis.
"Hey, kids! We made it back home in one piece, however, we have a slight problem."
Nyota joined Spock at the terminal. She looked concerned.
"Oh, Jack, no one's sick are they?"
"No, sweetie, nothing like that. However, when you swore Lewis and I to silence about your pregnancy, Sonrisa must have overheard. She told Jason that Auntie Nyota has a baby in her tummy. Sirin told Jason not to tell anyone, but he's so excited he can hardly stand it. The secret's bound to come out. You might want to contact your family in Africa, 'cuz Esther's keeping in touch with your uncle."
Nyota groaned. Her mother would probably give birth to a live hippo in the kitchen if she found out about her grandchild secondhand.
"Okay, thanks Jack. I'll call Mom now. Nyota out."
Orinar was becoming quite concerned. It had been nearly two weeks since his last transmission from Vilas and Hurev. It would have been risky for them to contact Orinar from Federation space, even with an encoded message on a scrambled channel. The subdermal transponders the women had been implanted with only had a very short range. They could not be tracked from Romulan space. Orinar could only hope that they had completed their mission and were on the way back with some useful intelligence.
Orinar had not meant to reveal his plan, but the Praetor's chief aides were breathing down his neck. He had to show them that his promotion was not a mistake. However, if his plan failed, he might lose his head as Dorist had. The Praetor had no tolerance for error.
M'Umbha and Alhamisi had just sat down to breakfast when the comm link chimed. It was an incoming transmission from Nyota on the Enterprise. Alhamisi took the call.
"Daughter, is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine, Baba. Spock and I have news, though. We're having a baby, a little boy. He's due in about twenty weeks."
M'Umbha started squealing and hugged her husband so hard that he nearly lost his breakfast.
"Calm down, woman. Congratulations Nyota, and Spock. This is wonderful news."
M'Umbha pushed her husband out of the way and sat in front of the terminal.
"Daughter, are you feeling well? Is the baby growing normally? What does he look like?"
Nyota looked and Spock and rolled her eyes.
"I'm fine, Mama, and so is the baby. He'll most likely look a bit like both of us."
"Have you picked a name for him yet?"
"Yes, we have, but we're not telling just yet. I'm sending you some pictures that Spock's been taking of my growing tummy. I'll keep you posted on the latest developments."
"Thank you, Daughter. We'll look forward to this."
The call ended and the excited grandparents-to-be resumed their breakfast, only to be interrupted by another call. This time it was Alhamisi's brother Rubanza. He was excited, almost out of breath.
"Brother, I have just heard from Esther in San Francisco, who told me the most wonderful news....."
Spock had tucked Nyota in and stayed with her until she fell asleep. The baby had been active all day, so he was tired as well, not likely to wake her up with his kicking. Satisfied that they were resting comfortably, Spock went to the Officer's Lounge, where he found Jim and Bones. They were having a snack. Bones was moping and Jim was not being much help.
"Bones, I told you not to go and get attached to her."
"Yeah, well, what do you know about it? You change women like you change your underwear. I should ask Spock here for advice."
"You know, Bones, that's not a bad idea. I'll just take my nachos and leave you two alone. Goodnight, Spock."
"Goodnight, Jim."
"Yeah, well, good riddance to you!"
Bones took a bite of his sandwich and then threw it on the plate in disgust.
"Spock, I've gone and done a stupid thing. I've fallen in love with T'Ameela."
"Why is this stupid, Leonard? Is she unworthy of your affection?"
"No, she's wonderful. In fact, I don't understand what she sees in me."
"Yet she finds you appealing. I fear I do not understand the problem."
"Are you saying that you think I should pursue a relationship with her?"
"Leonard, when I was contemplating a relationship with Nyota, my mother gave me some excellent counsel. She asked me if I could imagine my life without Nyota. I could not. In the aftermath of the Genocide, I very nearly threw my chance for happiness away. However, the memory of my mother's words and those of my elder counterpart persuaded me to do otherwise. It is my personal belief that it is preferable to at least attempt to fulfill a dream than to abandon it altogether because it seems impossible."
"That doesn't sound very logical, my friend."
"Again, I am reminded of the advice Selek gave me. He said that I should set aside logic and so what feels right. I believe those words may apply in this case."
"Thanks, Spock. You've given me a lot to think about. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Leonard."
The Enterprise reached Starbase 7 in the early morning hours. Spock and Scotty immediately set to work adapting the cloaking device to fit the power ports in main engineering. They would have to jury-rig a control panel for it. The one removed from the small vessel the spies used had been heavily damaged through repeated modifications. After several hours, they came up with a workable plan and began to build the necessary parts.
Pike had a little plan of his own. Starbase 7 was well supplied with fresh meat. There was a cattle ranch nearby. Pike ordered fifteen large beef roasts and had them delivered to Hamed Mofasu, the Enterprise's chief cook. Then he asked the man to join him for coffee in his quarters.
Hamed brought the coffee with him, along with some excellent cheese danish. Pike ushered him in and had him take a seat.
"Mofasu, I understand that you and your wife recently adopted a little Romulan orphan. How would you like an opportunity to help me catch some of the bastards who made her suffer?"
Hamed only had to think about it for a moment.
"Admiral, I can't think of anything I'd like more. However, I'm a cook, not a soldier nor a spy. What can I do?"
"You can make the best roast beef au jus you've ever done in your life, and then serve it up as French dip sandwiches. I'm going to use it as an incentive to get a couple of Romulan spies to talk. They've been on a vegetarian diet for a while now."
"Not a problem Admiral. I'm happy to oblige."