Osmosis - a STXI Spock/Uhura fanfic
Disclaimer:
I do not own the characters, nor do I profit from their depiction.
Kinyozi hajinyoi na akijinyoa hujikata (The barber doesn't cut his own hair and if he does he cuts himself; no one is completely self-sufficient; we all rely on each other).
- Kiswahili proverb
Vulcan vocabulary in this chapter:
Okosu = honored lady, or madam. Honorific / form of formal address.
Opidsu = Lord. Honorific / form of formal address.
Osasu = honored man, or gentleman/sir.
Osavensu = honored teacher.
Osular = gentlemen/sirs, ladies, ladies & gentlemen; 'honored people'.
"Opidsu Spock, this is an unusual request, considering the circumstances." Donstelralth's deep voice was steady, but his face and hands were flushed green with repressed emotion. "I honestly described all of the events that led to our becoming stranded, withholding nothing from you. We have followed ship rules. I do not understand why we Vulcans are now under suspicion." He crossed his muscular arms across his barrel chest and awaited a reply. His apprentices, Serranstivlen and Stelendos, watched their mentor and the First Officer of the Enterprise apprehensively.
"Allow me to clarify, Osavensu Donstelralth," Spock said in a respectful tone, suitable for addressing an elder regardless of Vulcan social class. "I do not wish to offend any of you, but as we do not know exactly how the drone came aboard the Enterprise, we must consider all possible means of entry."
"Honored Spock, if we meant to harm Starfleet we would not have assisted in the ship search," Serranstivlen blurted out. "Why would we betray you? Do you not trust us?"
"None of you are accused of wrongdoing, osular," Spock said. "Believe me when I say that both I and the entire crew appreciate the considerable time, care, and attention you gave to the search. However, the possibility remains that, without your knowledge, the drone attached itself to your possessions while you were stranded on Algid-17. I must use a tricorder to scan the exterior and interior surface of your toolkits and traveling bags. The tricorder will detect any traces of materials used to make the drone."
Donstelralth's anger abated; he clenched and unclenched one hand, then retrieved his own toolkit from the closet of his guest quarters. "Officer Spock has explained the situation, men. Go get your tool and traveling bags and bring them here to be searched. Please comply with his request and do not further question Starfleet procedures. It is a military organization, and there is much we do not know. "
Spock noted Donstelralth's use of the Standard word this time – Officer instead of Opidsu (Lord), the formal Vulcan form of address. Spock almost preferred that no title had been used at all; the fragile possibility of a friendship with these Vulcans seemed suddenly distant.
Spock moved the tricorder over the each bag efficiently, breaking the tense silence by explaining his actions and the device's function during the procedure. Stelendos was fascinated by the tricorder, relaxing enough to ask Spock questions about its function and manufacture while a sullen Serranstivlen leaned against a far wall, arms crossed.
Relieved to find nothing, Spock finished scanning and switched the tricorder off. "The tricorder shows no sign of the materials related to the drone. All clear, gentlemen." Spock replaced the tricorder strap on his shoulder. "Please feel free to use all public areas of the Enterprise. As before, your presence is welcomed and valued on this ship. Before I leave, I would like to discuss a different area of concern. It is my understanding that some crew members aboard the Enterprise have expressed curiosity about you. Specifically, certain...personal social interactions with you."
Serranstivlen ventured to speak. "Opidsu Spock, we are not opposed to personal social interactions with humans." He glanced at Stelendos. "At least, I am not."
"N-n-nor I," the other apprentice stammered.
"Understood." Spock thought that the young Vulcans' discomfort around him was caused by his social rank, instead of his human blood. He wished that he could speak to them without such barriers between them. "You know of my own bond with a human woman, and the mixed public reaction to our union. Any Vulcan who interacts frequently with humans is subject to scrutiny from both sides – humans and other Vulcans. Some may judge you harshly, considering you to be inferior beings, or see you as nothing more than entertainment. You are all free men, Vulcan citizens and Federation allies, but sometimes the pursuit of temporary pleasures exposes one to difficult situations. Please be careful."
The apprentices exchanged a guilty glance, and Serranstivlen bit his lip.
"Opidsu Spock, I appreciate your candor." Donstelralth said, his tone of voice sounding a bit friendlier. "Eik-veshtaya to'ovau kau - lu veshtaya ri glazhau goh na'kastorilaya t'kashan (Wide experience increases wisdom, provided the experience is not sought purely for the stimulation of sensation.)"
"An apt choice of quotation. Surak's observations are well suited to this matter. I would appreciate insight and wisdom such as yours if I were an unattached stranger aboard a foreign starship. Thank you for your patience," Spock said, and left.
…
The corridor was still empty in the early morning, aside from Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy. Both rose early to see to the business of the ship's last day of full operation before temporary space dock. They saw the First Officer leaving Donstelralth's guest quarters and fell into step alongside him.
"How'd the search go, Mr. Spock?" Jim asked.
"It went well, Captain. I found no evidence that the Vulcans brought the drone from Algid-17. One of the apprentices expressed dismay before the search, misinterpreting it as an indication of distrust. After I explained the purpose of the search they complied. I used a tricorder to analyze the surfaces of their traveling bags, but found no signs of materials used in the construction of the drones."
"Thank you. I'll speak with Sciences and Security about this."
McCoy cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice. "There's no polite way of saying this, Spock, but you may want to tell that tall one, Serranstivlen, to be a mite more discreet about his comings and goings. Yesterday I checked on a patient in crew personal quarters, and while I was walking back to Sickbay I saw Serranstivlen leaving a Yeoman's room."
Jim rolled his eyes. "I issued a ship wide command to respect the Vulcans' privacy. Sounds like the Yeoman interpreted 'privacy' creatively."
Spock half-raised an eyebrow and sighed audibly. "Captain, I warned the young Vulcans about unwelcome attention and unwise personal conduct. Apparently, I was too late."
"Hold on a minute; this might could be my own fault." McCoy briefly explained how he'd given the young Vulcans a detailed human anatomy lesson, with side notes on clitoral care and attention.
"The shorter one, Stelendos, probably won't give you much to worry about, but I suspect the taller one has what my Great-Aunt Minnie calls 'hot pants'. He bragged a lil' bit about his previous 'experience' and he's hoping to gain more. I shoulda just told him to stay out of the vagina business entirely," McCoy groaned. "May the gods spare me from young men and trouble. I just ain't got the patience."
"Easy, Len. There's nothing to worry about." Jim smiled confidently. "I'll have a chat with these guys, let them know that I think it's best not to sleep with anyone on my crew, and maybe they'll get the point."
McCoy blinked. "Jim, are you holding yourself up as a model of demure, virtuous behavior?"
"Sure thing. I won't tell 'em what I do on shore leave." Jim winked.
Spock's expression seemed mildly pained. "Captain. Doctor. I appreciate your interest in the welfare of these young men, but I doubt either one needs additional 'hints' about appropriate social behavior on a starship. Donstelralth is also present to offer moral and philosophical guidance. I also warned them that both humans and Vulcans may take an inappropriate interest in their personal lives...as my own experience has taught me."
McCoy nodded. "All right. We can't interfere with consenting adults, but maybe they'll take what you told them to heart, Spock."
"Thank you, Doctor. Excuse me; gentlemen. I will see you on the bridge."
"The guy can't win. People question him for being too human, or too Vulcan." McCoy said, watching Spock walk away. "He said the tricorder read clear. Maybe there's more to this drone thing than scanning and data analysis can tell us."
"Len, surely you don't suspect the Vulcans."
"I'm not saying they've done anything, Jim, just that things may not be what they seem. If I tell you that a hen dips snuff, you'd better look under her wing for the can."
…
Enterprise Crew Quarters and Gym
Early morning
It would be better for all the crew, Nyota thought, to maintain a normal routine before reaching space dock. People needed the familiar camaraderie and the knowledge that they could trust each other and work effectively as a team. She woke before her alarm went off and tried to maintain calming, positive thoughts while she dressed, reviewed new messages from the bridge, and quickly ate a protein bar before going to the gym.
Her tired body seemed to grumble, insisting she return to bed, but Nyota smiled and greeted crewmates in the corridor. She paused to ask some about their well-being.
Were you able to rest and eat? Are you still feeling stressed?
Earlier, you told me you wanted to send a message to your family; maybe I can access a crew communications channel for you if you have trouble getting through?
I hope you're feeling better now. I was worried about you. Please don't hesitate to go to Sickbay.
We're all in this together. Don't feel alone. Sometimes it's hard for any one of us.
Most kept up brave facades as Nyota did, or maybe it was all real: Starfleet folk tended towards resilience. However, by the time she reached the gym she'd made two appointments to meet and talk privately with Communications staff. Anyone who needed help with serious psychological issues would be referred to Medical, but these crewmates just wanted to discuss the incident's effect upon their work and their role. As always, Nyota planned to try to listen impartially and offer useful professional advice.
Surprisingly, the gym was busy despite the early hour. People ran, lifted, stretched, climbed, pulled and moved, casting off worry and fear. Nyota joined the energetic activity in the weight room, then the stationary bikes. She neared the end of her workout and saw that Scotty, who she'd, expected to be exhausted, leaving the indoor track as she approached it.
"Good morning, Scotty! Everything all right? While I was on the bridge, I heard that you and Engineering crew were on duty for nearly seventeen hours."
"Morning, Ny. Couldn't be better, I'm still in one piece and I've slept a bit. Look at us – aggressive normalcy, people keeping up the routine until the ship docks. Makes me feel proud, we're a tough bunch. I heard you worked well past your shift as well, wouldn't leave the bridge until ordered."
"I couldn't leave the bridge, not with our ship and crew at risk."
"That's the spirit. Ye may well be a Captain of your own ship someday. 'Captain Uhura' – how do ye like the sound of that?"
"Ha! That's a deep question for this time of day -"
Someone moved behind her left shoulder and she turned to see Ensign Steap passing from behind them and onto the track. Her shoulders tensed, but she spoke to him anyway. "Good morning."
Ensign Steap looked blankly back at her. No one else stood nearby, so he couldn't possibly have thought she greeted someone else. "Good morning," Nyota repeated in a slightly louder voice.
"Good morning," Steap finally replied, but he nodded at Scotty instead of Nyota.
Scotty crossed his arms, frowning. "Are ye all right, lad? The Lieutenant addressed ye first."
"Of course. Good Morning, Mr. Scott." Steap nodded, stepped onto the track and began to run at a relaxed pace.
"Don't mind him, Miss Uhura. His manners had a prior engagement today; he certainly didn't bring 'em here," Scotty said.
Nyota shook her head and shrugged. "I barely know him, but sometimes Steap behaves as though female colleagues don't matter. If I ever make Captain I sure as hell hope he's not on my ship. That wasn't quite insubordination, but it was a lapse of common courtesy."
Scotty rolled his eyes. "Gads, Steap won't be in Starfleet long enough to have the privilege of having you sack him, the way he's actin'. Shall I complain to the Captain, lass, or do ye prefer to do the honors yourself?"
"Oh, it isn't worth it. Let's forget it, unless it turns into a real problem. Maybe I'll catch up with you later today, around coffee break time?"
"Right. Sixteen hundred hours? Already planned to meet up with a few others. Join us; we're a more sociable lot."
Nyota knew that 'others' included Charlene, but decided not to tease the Engineer, who could be quite shy about certain things. "Thanks, Scotty. I'll be there."
She said goodbye and sought out a treadmill in an adjoining room, as Steap was still on the track. Nyota preferred the 'real' experience of running on a track, the freedom of greater movement, but she'd had enough of Steap's indirect nastiness for one day. She set the holo projection around the treadmill to 'city park' and immersed herself in its artificial distractions, running as though a sunny, happy morning flowed all around her.
…
Inside the Enterprise Cafeteria
It was unsophisticated to appear perpetually awestruck, so Stelendos affected an air of calm detachment as he began his second day aboard the Enterprise. The interaction with Opidsu Spock had worried him until he understood that Spock meant well. The ship search was both frightening and exhilarating. For several hours his actions had directly benefited Starfleet, and by extension, the Federation. It was good to feel part of something larger. During the search, Stelendos lifted heavy boxes, moved machinery and expanded his Standard vocabulary by listening. He still had difficulty understanding the sarcastic humor of many humans but assumed it was a way of showing bravery.
Stelendos looked around the cafeteria as he quietly ate breakfast, memorizing interesting details to tell the other apprentices back home on New Vulcan. His own family were diasporic Vulcans, who had lived on a colony at the time their home planet of Vulcan was destroyed, so Stelendos had had some prior exposure to living among different beings. However, his largely agricultural colony planet lacked the sheer variety of planetary origins and languages commonly found aboard a typical Starfleet ship. Even now, as he ate his first meal of the day alone – Donstelralth and Serranstivlen were no doubt on their way, but Stelendos preferred to begin early – the young Vulcan found much to observe and felt content.
Stelendos read books about humans of different appearances and behaviors working and living beside each other on Earth. Sometimes they formed friendships, studied each other's cultures and language, or even felt affection for one another. Some on New Vulcan mocked his interest in off-planet foods, music, and people, but he did not care, continuing to pursue his interests in the guest workers' neighborhoods of New Vulcan cities.
Now the Enterprise journeyed to Starbase 231, where it would be searched again by Federation security. If he asked politely perhaps Donstelralth would delay their return to New Vulcan so that they could learn the results of the space dock search and have more social contact with the crew. There might even be another party to celebrate the successful search and the safety of the ship.
Sipping his tea, he imagined himself working aboard the Enterprise. There seemed to be little wood aboard the ship and many of the metal or composite furnishings were built into walls and floors. The most logical job for a Vulcan furniture and carpentry apprentice might be in Engineering, Facilities or Logistics, where he could assemble and repair things.
A woman in a blue uniform entered, waving greetings at other human crew. Her short hairstyle flattered the graceful lines of her head and neck. Okosu Charlene Masters. Captain Kirk had introduced her to him and other Sciences and Engineering in the transporter room. The fit of her uniform reminded him of the action of forming smooth curves on a wooden table or chair leg on a lathe, molding the shape beneath his fingers. The woman put breakfast items on her tray and began to cross the room towards a table of other humans; then she paused and walked over to him.
Stelendos' heart thumped in his side. She smiled gently at him, without her teeth showing in that way that made him worry that he was completely out of step with human culture. He had easily exchanged greetings with her in the corridor yesterday, and had spoken with many other human females. It was illogical to be fearful now. He looked back at her and tried to seem approachable.
"Hello. May I join you here?"
"Yes, Okosu Masters."
"Please, feel free to call me Charlene...I mean, if that's culturally acceptable." She sat down across from him.
"Charlene." He tried the soft sounds on his tongue.
"Please tell me if I am pronouncing your name correctly, Mr. Stelendos?"
Informality seemed most appropriate in this setting, where other beings interacted socially. "Sanoi...please, you call me only Stelendos, no Mister. I am not officer, or...big man."
The young Vulcan was big. Taller than herself, anyway, with high, almost sculpted-looking cheekbones, broad shoulders and a lean, well-muscled frame. Charlene had no doubt that he could easily pick her up and carry her. Not that she'd give him any reason to, of course; she was just looking.
"Stelendos," she repeated, careful to correct her earlier pronunciation. "Whether or not you are an officer, everyone here on the Enterprise wants you to feel respected. I saw you sitting alone and I thought I should say hello, at least."
"Thank you, it is..." He found the right word. "...considerate, good to think of others." He glanced down at the table as he felt his cheeks grow warm. It was not easy to explain that he desired the company of other beings despite his shyness. Stelendos liked the feeling he got from sitting in a group of talking beings. It was particularly good when human females were present, with their rising and falling vocal tones.
Stelendos noticed the grains and fruit on Charlene's tray, and he half-smiled. "You eat a Vulcan breakfast," he said without thinking.
She blinked her long eyelashes at him.
"We Vulcans eat a simple first meal. Grains. Fruit. Also tea."
"Oh!" Her smile was natural and appealing, and this time it was Stelendos who blinked, transfixed. "That's interesting, learning that we have something in common. Coffee for me, though." She took a sip and grimaced slightly.
"Disagreeable taste. Perhaps you change to tea next breakfast?" Stelendos was surprised to hear himself attempt a joke. Charlene's eyes widened, and she laughed. Good! He must tell be sure to tell Serranstivlen, who spoke and flirted so confidently with all beings. Soon they conversed somewhat easily, discussing Stelendos' impressions of the Enterprise, his furniture-making apprenticeship, and the work Charlene did in Engineering.
Although he had read that human societies were highly stratified around class and social status, Stelendos detected no negative change in Charlene's behavior towards him after he described doing manual labor. To the contrary, she expressed admiration.
"You're lucky, to have such a skill. You make things that people will use and enjoy every day, and from what Nyota's told me, beautiful items are produced in Donstelralth's shop."
Vocabulary words returning to him in a torrent, he tried to express himself.
"Is the same for everyone who do work they like, yes? You, Charlene, engineer. Working. Solving a problem, help to make ship operate securely so all are safe – it brings good thoughts, makes work good for you, yes? Same when I design, then make a fine table -" he tapped his fingers against the one where they were seated, and Charlene felt the heat from his hands even a few centimeters away from where her own hand rested – "so is like, I take idea, work to solve problem, working, working so hard, and then a good clear thought comes when the object is made. I find a way to make it look pleasing, not only for me but others. Humans say – beautiful. When the piece has its own life, then I know am finished."
Stelendos caught himself, stifling the unseemly display of emotion. "Then I clean up, move to next project," he said shortly. Some humans were so easy to talk with that he let his guard down. He must be more careful.
Charlene smiled at him. "I think that I understand. What a thoughtful way to describe your creative process. I get excited about projects, too."
Over Charlene's shoulder, Stelendos saw the honored Engineer Montgomery Scott enter the room, scanning the tables in search of someone. His gaze rested on the table where he sat with Charlene; Osasu Scott hesitated, and then left.
...
Inside the Enterprise Gym
Charles Steap rounded one end of the track, feeling warm and sweaty. If the gym hadn't been so crowded he could have removed his long sleeved T-shirt and cooled off. The metal disk in his arm might not be obvious from a distance. Hiding the thing was becoming uncomfortable.
He looked up and saw a tall, still figure clad in blue and black at the edge of the track. Surprised, he just managed to maintain his footing. Commander Spock hadn't been there a moment ago. The Vulcan's dark, unblinking gaze was pointed right at him. Steap's overheated feeling cooled. He slowed his steps, coming to a halt before the First Officer.
"Mr. Spock?"
"Steap."
Most of the other people in the gym were completing their routines and leaving, or using machines in a different room. Even the fans and vents circulating the recycled ship's air over the track sounded very quiet.
As Steap remembered from the surface mission on Algid-17, Commander Spock normally used formal language, addressing people by their titles while on duty and often even when off duty.
"Uh, sir?"
"I will be economical with time and speech. Have you some opposition to the presence of female beings on Starfleet missions?"
"No, of course not. I'm used to girls, worked next to them all through my years at Starfleet Academy."
"The majority of your classmates would have included women over age eighteen rather than minors, is that not correct? Few girls would have been among the student body."
Steap tried a casual, 'buddy' approach. The Vulcan was a man; they had at least that much in common.
"I stand corrected, 'women'. Listen, if this is about that thing with Uhura the other day –"
The First Officer's expression did not change, but Spock squared his shoulders in a way that emphasized just how tall and solid he was – "Lieutenant Uhura, I was just having a bad morning. Totally wasn't personal against her, or anything. I was just not in a good frame of mind about some things." He wasn't lying; the aliens' delayed payments interfered with his plans to get the hell out of Starfleet. "I apologize, really. They call each other 'chicks', I call my friends 'you chicks', it's no big deal." Steap spread open his hands and smiled.
The gesture had the opposite of the desired effect; Spock's expression hardened. "In future, do not use pejorative terms such as chick when addressing the women who serve beside you on this ship," Spock said. "They are as devoted to their work as the men, and at equal risk during emergencies and combat; perhaps a greater risk in some situations. You are their fellow officer and they need to know that you work with them in a cohesive unit."
Steap took a half-step back.
"All crew experience varying levels of stress; however, as an adult and Starfleet graduate you should know how to resolve interpersonal conflicts or to avoid creating them," Spock continued. "No being is perfect, but we are all capable of courtesy and mutual respect. As the past twenty-four hours have reminded us, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
"I get it, sir. Won't happen again."
Another long, unblinking silence. The metal disk in his arm itched but Steap grit his teeth, unwilling to draw attention to it through a furtive scratch.
"Thank you, Steap." Spock half-turned to leave; then he turned around quickly, almost before the Ensign could change his surly expression to a grin. "If you are unwilling to spar with a woman officer in future, you may spar with me instead. Blunted weapons or hand-to-hand combat."
Spock's voice held its usual Vulcan flatness, but the man could stare harder than a Romulan.
"Any time, Commander," Steap said tightly, staring back. Vulcan strength didn't matter. Aliens thought differently, and so far, Steap had managed to out-think an entire starship. He knew how to fake moves and ambush during a fight.
Spock regarded Steap with an infuriatingly calm expression. "Remember that as Starfleet officers, we fight on the same side. Good day, Ensign." He turned and left.
…
As he headed for the bridge, Spock's thoughts turned to the writings of Surak for the second time that day. "Ma etek natyan — teretuhr lau etek shetau weh-lo'uk do tum t'on (We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of both of us.)"
Nyota might have quoted a Kiswahili proverb to him, Kinyozi hajinyoi na akijinyoa hujikata (The barber doesn't cut his own hair and if he does he cuts himself; no one is completely self-sufficient; we all rely on each other).
Spock decided that he had to accept Steap's words for the present. One was not deceitful simply because one was disagreeable. However, it was not unpleasant to imagine knocking Steap flat on his back and out of breath during a sparring match.
…
Bridge/Command Area, the Enterprise
Spock joined Kirk and McCoy in the Captain's ready room for a review of space docking procedures, followed by a brief video clip with handy planetside information: topography, power systems, and people. One section introduced local elected officials. An attractive woman strode across the screen, her hair threaded with silver, her posture somehow both stately and athletic. Her face had laugh lines in some places and was smooth in others. As she walked, a slit in her long purple skirt parted to show her legs; not slim legs, but firm, nicely formed ones.
Jim tapped the pause command. The image data on the screen read: Her Honor Mayor Aurelia Tutto.
"Ah, yes, the Mayor of our host town," McCoy said; he was paging through planetary notes on his padd during the video. "At least this base planet has some social life. According to this, Mayor Tutto organizes good parties and public celebrations. I once heard someone familiar with this place say that she was considered a great beauty in her time."
"Was?" Jim said. He shook his head. "I think that her time is now."
He tapped the command to set Aurelia Tutto's movements back into action and smiled, planning ahead.
…
Bridge of the Enterprise, 15:45 hours
Anomalies may reoccur in systems for a multitude of reasons. Nyota had already fixed a problem nearly identical to the one confronting her now. Why did it happen again? She had discussed the matter with the computing operations division of the Enterprise and they'd solved the problem. Here it was again, in a different form.
"This is illogical," Nyota sighed. It was a simple matter of moving unlocked files back to their proper location and resetting certain security protocols. Not difficult, but time-consuming, and found no obvious reason for the occurrence. She was still tired and looked forward to the brief pleasure of the coffee break before she returned to work, finalizing planetside crew communication system and guidelines for all Enterprise crew to use while they were on the surface of Alpha Cachette, waiting for the Federation to complete its thorough search and examination of the Enterprise in space dock.
Nyota reported the new problem to Computing Operations, checked her work, and prepared to log out. Then her fingertips hovered uncertainly over her workstation. One more time, she would review her efforts once more to be certain. She would also check her work report for this shift, just in case fatigue had caused her to work less efficiently than unusual.
Nyota still leaned over her workstation when Communications staff for the next shift arrived.
"Hi, Lieutenant Uhura; is everything all right? Isn't your shift over?"
"Hi, Lt. Chu, how are you? Everything's fine. I just want to double-check my reports." In fact, she was now triple-checking her work.
"Oh. Can I help you with anything?"
"No, but thank you for asking. I'm nearly finished. Do you mind signing in on that other station, please?"
Spock paused and looked back at Nyota as he prepared to leave the bridge. Their shifts ended at the same time today, yet she continued working. Spock sensed her focusing her attention as she searched for errors in her own work, found nothing, and prepared to review it again.
Finally, Nyota decided she could find nothing else wrong. The anomaly seemed to recur every twenty-four hours, from what she could tell, and appeared to become active only when she herself was logged in. She went off duty after sending a carefully worded message to Gaila calling upon the Orion woman's skill as a programmer, and though Gaila told only those who needed to know, as a hacker.
Spock considered appropriate actions. No obvious threat to the Enterprise remained; therefore it was now acceptable to think about recreational and personal activities. Engineer Scott had asked Spock to join him, Nyota, and others for a quasi-social gathering, a 'coffee break', after their shifts ended. Nyota usually enjoyed casual socializing with colleagues. Why did she now make herself late?
As First Officer, he had the right to command her to alter her schedule and to participate in stress-reducing activities. Nyota eagerly worked for the common good, yes. She took directions, true. Demands...no, she pushed back quietly and firmly. He could not force her to relax.
He could, however, be very persuasive.
Thank you very much for reading, and for following this story! Also, thanks for posting reviews and comments! Sorry about the delayed updates. Readers, your patience is appreciated.
Some personal issues came up during the past several days…makes a person grateful for the distraction of writing and for the human quality of storytelling – I enjoy others' stories very much as well, and hope to read & review other S/U fic after finishing this.
Kiswahili proverb source: Wikiquote, "Methali za Kiswahil"
Vulcan philosophy/Quotations of Surak: Star Trek Online Geekipedia/ Vulcan Language Institute Reclamation Project