Isobel typed her code and walked in throwing her bag on the bed and pulled out her work, settling at the desk. An hour later she went to bath and sat before her computer. She hadn't called Anica since the party night, which Isobel knew, didn't brood well for her. But no matter how much she tried Isobel couldn't gather up her measly courage to call her best friend. After the meeting with the Starfleet then . . .
Her PADD pinged, saving Isobel from excuse making and she brightly picked up thanking her saviour but the sender's name deflated her. It was from Spock.
Isobel
Captain has just sent the day's reports. Be prepared for the meeting with Starfleet Admiral tomorrow.
Spock
Isobel walked to bed, falling on it, went through their plan before switching off the lights.
Isobel looked at herself in the mirror, brushing. D-day. Spitting and tongue cleaning, she switched on the most melodious piano music and jumped into hot shower. She immensely loathed the sonic shower, it was unsatisfying, didn't warm her up at all and popped her ears to make it worse. Who ever wanted to wake up that way? Not me. Putting on her uniform and arranged her hair in an elegant bun, Isobel marched to canteen as usual. Entering she saw Spock eating with Captain and Dr McCoy, as usual. Joining the line, Isobel piled on fruit bowl, a generous helping of Full English and with an Earl Grey walked on to her group's table. Spock had asked her to sit with him in the canteen, which Isobel very much suspected had an ultra motive though what, she hadn't yet found. Mourning for the loss of its familiarity for a second, Isobel dug into her breakfast, reading new science journal on PADD.
Spock took a glance at Isobel before returning to his breakfast very much aware of the pair of eyes on him. After coming out of the medbay, had he realised what Isobel had done. She sent a calming jolt through our bond. Her abilities with the bond were fascinating and intriguing.
Besides his parents no one had ever bonded with a human and hence, they didn't know how humans experienced their bond. Since they were not telepathic and psi null, it was generally assumed they didn't felt its presence like a Vulcan all the time and hence, didn't use it like Vulcans did except during the mind meld. So every new development intrigued Spock.
Isobel followed Mr Scott as he explained the procedures of operating and maintaining the warp core and an hour later was walking to the bridge with a report to be signed by the Captain. Mr Scott had been handing her lots of them lately, Isobel snorted at her boss's newly acquainted laziness.
"Captain."
"Ensign Carrington." Said Jim turning around with a smile, studying the ensign with new interest.
Isobel saw Captain trying to study her and mentally snorted. She knew James T Kirk was an intelligent person suffering from hyper curiosity and indulged freely in masochism, someone who liked to play dumb. I wonder what it's like? Isobel smile at him as she approached him and Jim suddenly felt he had become someone's prey. Isobel's smile got wider seeing Captain's unnerved reaction.
Spock watched the silent interaction between the Captain and Isobel, feeling her amusement and smug satisfaction. Spock looked down at his PADD hiding a minuscular smirk.
"The Starfleet headquarters are hailing us, Captain." Said Uhura turning around with a frown.
"On the screen." Said Jim nodding to her, sitting up straight.
"Admiral." Greeted Jim.
"Captain Kirk."
"Why don't we take this to the conference room." Nodding to the Admiral, Jim got up looking at Spock and glanced at Ensign Carrington, started walking out of the control room, "Uhura, transfer the call to the nearest conference room."
Spock glanced at Isobel for a millisecond before following Jim out of the control room; Isobel nonchalantly walked out and followed them discreetly when they got off the bridge.
Jim opened the door and entered the room.
"I apologise for the delay, Admiral." Said Jim with an easy going smile and stepped aside to show Spock and Isobel standing with an air of nonchalance.
"None needed. Shall we begin?" Said the Admiral eying Spock and Isobel.
"I'll go then." Said Jim nodding at Spock and left the room.
"Please." Said the Admiral gesturing the chairs and Spock and Isobel sat down.
Jim walked into the control room and sat down in his chair, absentmindedly. The whole control room frowned at Captain's presence and exchanged looks. Uhura wanted to question the Captain badly but refrained seeing him lost in thought.
"You have both broken the Inter-personnel directive. I hope you have a very good explanation." Said the Admiral looking straight into their eyes.
"I had approached Ensign Carrington on the night of our celebrations on planet 24K. Things accelerated between us and we identified it as one time occurrence and resumed our professional relationship." Said Spock looking straight back.
"Was it consensual?" asked Admiral looking at Ensign Carrington.
"Yes." Answered Isobel without missing a beat, staring back at him too, unfazed.
"According to the report, you found out about the pregnancy about a month and half later."
"I hadn't expected to get pregnant given Command Spock's complex DNA make up, sir." Replied Isobel without bating an eye.
"Is it true, Commander?" He looked at the Vulcan.
"Yes, sir. The chances of conceiving with an incompatible DNA make up were 1:100,000. Ensign Carrington being a compatible match was purely coincidental." Replied Spock.
Admiral nodded, "As it may, why hadn't you got a test earlier?"
"I attributed it to being stressed when I first vomited. Only when I went back to consider my food poisoning three day prior did I suspect being pregnant and next day we went for check up." Answered Isobel.
"Mr Spock was with you during the check up?" asked Admiral frowning a bit.
"Yes, sir. I informed him of my suspicion after his shift, day before the check up."
"So, you both came to know about the pregnancy only after the check up, not prior."
"Yes, sir." Answered Spock.
"Even then you have broken the Inter-personnel directive by having sexual relations without being married thus, compromising the professional relation and disrupting the working atmosphere." Said the Admiral with a smug air.
"Actually, we haven't, Admiral." Said Spock, stoically rebuking.
"How is that?" asked the Admiral, almost frowning.
"Ensign Carrington is my bond mate. The bond was formed when we consummated. Hence, in accordance with the Vulcan tradition and law, we are married." Replied Spock.
Isobel felt smugness and bit of irritation coming from Spock through the bond. It was the first time she had felt Spock's emotions through the bond. Isobel was properly stunned for the first time in her life, to feel an outside presence in her mind. She would have jolted if not for her excellent self control and impeccable common sense coming to her rescue.
"I see." Said Admiral bringing Isobel out of her revere. "This changes everything, though the remarks will be unavoidable I'm afraid."
Spock nodded slightly while Isobel didn't move.
"Ensign Carrington, will you be returning to Earth?" asked Admiral seemingly eager.
Spock turned to Isobel, tense. They hadn't talked about it and returning to Earth meant Spock won't be able to see his child grow and it would be particularly straining on their bond, another thing they hadn't discussed either though had agreed to keep it a secret.
"No, sir. I will not be resigning and returning to Earth. I want my child to have a proper childhood with a father in it." Said Isobel sensing Spock looking at her.
"Very well. Starfleet agrees with your sentiment and hence, you shall both be assigned the family quarters provided in ship from now on." Said Admiral, feeling a sense of defeat.
"May I?" said Isobel interrupting, feeling both pairs of eyes uncomfortably on her.
Admiral nodded.
"As you can infer, we weren't acquainted prior to the party night and forcing us together, accelerating the natural course will only be antithetic to our cause. If the family atmosphere is strained the child will suffer and this strain will bleed into our daily professional lives as well. We will certainly move into the family quarters, when we form a familiar relation such that our personal relations will not affect our professional one. Until then I respectfully request the Starfleet to respect our privacy and not disclose this matter to the public." Said Isobel. Please agree!
It was not helping that she wasn't able to feel or detect any emotions from Spock. A misunderstanding was the last thing her wanted right now.
Admiral nodded slowly, "Indeed. We take our family policies seriously."
"Yes, Admiral." Said Isobel and Spock nodded in agreement.
They slumped back (figuratively) into their chairs and mentally sighed in relief. Finally meeting each other's eyes they silently celebrated their victory and success of the plan. Now one more thing to take care of . . .
Speaking of the wrong which, Jim came barging as soon as Uhura told him that the meeting was over.
Spock and Isobel collectively turned to look as the door slid open to reveal the Captain. Isobel stood nodding to Spock and the Captain before walking out of the room. She could almost feel Spock calling her traitor . . . .
A minute later, Bones made his appearance and locked the door behind him.
"Ok, Spock. Tell us everything." Said Jim staring down at Spock.
"So he didn't get fired?" Said Bones looking at Spock too.
"No, Doctor. I am not terminated from my employment. Though the remark was unavoidable." Said Spock looking at them for a second and got up to leave.
"Not so fast Pointy." Said Jim blocking his way.
Spock raised a brow and looked down at him.
"How did you manage get scout free with only a remark?" asked Bones.
"Since it was unexpected and not pre-planned, we did not break the Inter-personnel directive. Excuse me Doctor, I have important work to do." Replied Spock quickly unlocking and walking past their disbelieving faces.
"Do think he's lying?" asked Bones looking at the closed door.
"No. He's just not telling the whole truth." Replied Jim opening the door.