A/N: Just a short one at the end of a really busy day. More coming Wednesday.

Usual disclaimer: I don't anything Star Trek, I don't anything My Fair Lady. I just like giving the characters lives and new situation in chapters named after lyrics from show tunes.

Back on the Enterprise, things were also looking up. Spock, McCoy and Kirk were taking advantage of Uhura's absence to meet. With arrival at Earth looming, they needed to add the final touches to the wedding gown. Almost since Uhura had beamed over to the Uzhau , the three had been working furiously at huge rectangular table erected in Spock's quarters for the purpose.

As their needles dipped in and out their respective bits fabric, they traded war stories and gossip. At least Kirk and McCoy gossiped. And told tall tales of their many imagined conquests. While Spock was not an active participant in this ritual of human male bonding, he was surprised to note that he felt no discomfort as he listened intently.

"I should have known she was bad news the moment I walked in that bar," McCoy told them. "I mean what kind of woman wears with wool crepe tailored pants to honky-tonk in Mississippi? But it wasn't her feet that caught my eye, if you know what I mean."

Finally, Spock felt he could dive in.

"No, Len, what do you mean?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Was the 'honey' in question also wearing a top incongruent to her other garments, as well as to her environment?"

McCoy belted out a hardy laugh; Jim grinned like an idiot.

"I always knew you had to have sense of humor in there, you hobgoblin," he accused. "It sure as hell wasn't them ears that's got the delectable Ms. Uhura eating out of your hands."

Even Spock succumbed to the pull of a quarter-smile at the thought of his bride-to-be eating out of anyone's hands. Kirk grinned like an idiot.

"Actually, Bones, I remember this story." The captain's words put them all back on track. "You only told it about seven million times back at the Academy. I don't remember you ever mentioning her shoes before, though."

While his friends smiled fondly at the memory, Spock once again applied his focus to attaching the completed bodice to the gown's full skirt. They'd taken the good doctor's advice and made it somewhat less voluminous. Still, even the more contoured design, which would fit closely in the front while flaring out into a train at the back, required a lot of gathers. Spock didn't want anything marring his beloved gorgeous skin (or his chances for a great wedding night, no doubt) so he took extra care to make his stitches neat and even, and his edges appeared nearly seamless.

"It was only March, but all she was wearing up there were two lace patches just big enough to cover what all the men in there wanted to see. She looked a damn fool and I could see her goose pimples from across the room, but I didn't care. Goosebumps can be mighty inviting to a warm-blooded – ."

A chime interrupted the story. The three men froze, then Spock rose to his feet and, laying the dress on his chair, stepped away from the table.

"Who?" he called.

"Lt. Sulu, sir," said Lt. Sulu's voice over the comm..

"Come," Spock told the voice as he walked towards the doors.

Kirk and McCoy both stashed their work in their laps, counting on the large table to conceal the night's activities.

The doors slid open, and Sulu almost ran Spock over and dropped his PADD as he bounced through the doorway.

"Man! I have the greatest – uh…" Sulu stopped short when caught sight of his captain and the ship's chief medical officer.

He looked curiously at Spock. When the commander didn't offer any explanations, he resumed speaking, in a rush to get it out and get the hell out. "That is, uh, sir. I, uh, I came to talk to you about that, uh, that… thing that we've been talking about. I've been thinking about the thing we agreed on already. I mean it's a great choice; a great… thing. But I think I may have a… a different… thing you'll like even better."

Spock inclined his head and led Sulu further into the room.

"Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy have also been assisting me in my preparations, Mr. Sulu," he told the nervous helmsman. "You may speak in front of them. Indeed, if it will allow you to speak clearly, I encourage you to do so."

Sulu stopped short again, and goggled for a second before moving to join the others.

"Oh. Okaaay," he said, not sure he was welcome to sit, but feeling a bit uncomfortable standing and staring back at the three pairs of eyes trained on him. He addressed his shoes, instead. "So, I know you decided on Lilium michiganense weeks ago, and I have plenty for your needs if you still want to go in that direction."

Sulu caught movement and a flash of orange out of the corner of his eye. McCoy had taken up his work again as the lieutenant spoke. Now, he could see the doctor was holding a filmy length of tangerine-colored cloth, mounted on a small round embroidery frame.

Sulu leaned forward slightly. McCoy was shaping little stars into the fabric.

"You know how to embroider?"

McCoy's eyes met his.

"Nyota is Swahili for 'star'," he explained and turned his gaze back to his needlework. "Go on, though. You were saying wanted to pull a fast one on Mr. Spock. Thinking about switching up Ms. Uhura's bouquet, are you? Think you got something better'n the tiger lilies he chose?"

Sulu grimaced at McCoy's version of things. He felt steel pool into his back, as he glared at the doctor.

"Michigan lilies, actually," he corrected him. "Some people call them tiger lilies, but these are more orange than yellow."

He glanced from Kirk to Spock to see if they were paying attention.

Kirk was frowning as he sewed tiny orange-brown beads onto a pale orange strip of silk. Spock was calmly sewing a strapless bodice in the same apricot hue to a skirt of pumpkin- and persimmon-colored brocade.

Sulu shook his head, then headed for the only open seat.

"Ever heard of Lychnis chalcedonica?" he said, swinging the chair around and straddling it.

When his query was met with three blank stares, his felt his lips slide into a satisfied grin. He ran his fingers over his PADD for a few seconds before placing the device on the table were everyone had a view of it. The display screen showed long leafy stalks topped by large bunches of small flowers in shades somewhere between the pumpkin and persimmon of dress.

"A lot of people call it the Maltese or Jerusalem Cross, others call it the Flower of Bristol," Sulu explained. "But my mom always called it Burning Love. If it won't interrupt the sewing bee, I'd like to bring over some samples."