Disclaimer: I don't own anything Star Trek it is all property of Gene Roddenberry, J.J. Abrams, Paramount, and whoever else owns rights to the franchise. I am not making any profits off of this so please don't sue me.

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Chapter 31

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Spock prided himself on always doing his best to maintain his cool and logical Vulcan composure, be it on away missions of negotiations with newly discovered peoples who wished to join the United Federation of Planet, Spock always kept himself together. But right now as he stood on the dirt and grass floor of the Sehlat habitat of Lady T'Sera's Sehlat Breeding Facility, the normally unflappable Vulcan was finding it very difficult not to give in to the many powerful emotions and urges that had suddenly risen up inside him. The reason behind Spock's current predicament was the sight he was witnessing before him.

There amidst a patch of soft, beach-like red sand was a massive chocolate brown Sehlat who was letting out deep rumbles of pleasure as he lay spread-eagle on his back with an expression that could only be described as one of pure and total bliss. The cause of the massive sehlat's pleasure was one James T. Kirk, Captain of the Flag ship of the federation, who was currently standing beside the large animal and grinning wide and bright as he furiously scratched at the sehlat's exposed stomach area. Although he was not the only one of this patch of sand who was enjoying the company of the large Sehlat's, Jim being the one full-bloded human in the place was naturally making his absolute delight open for all around to see.

" My god you're a big softie!" Jim grinned as he found a particularly soft spot on the sehlat's belly and went to town scratching at it, earning a loud and happy rumble from the large animal. Jim quiet chuckles flitted through the air, and though he would never admit it out loud, to Spock's ears the sound was quite pleasant. Finding that he could no longer just stand by, Spock made quick work of walking the short distance across the red-sand patch and came to stand beside Jim and his new Sehlat friend as he spoke.

" I am not one for gloating, but it is quite clear to me that you had no reason for your earlier nervousness Jim."

Jim looked up from the Sehlat he was whole-heartedly petting and met Spock's dark eyes, seeing that they were filled only with warmth and barely veiled fondness.

" Yeah yeah, I hear you Spock, but how come you didn't tell me that the second I'd meet one of these big fellas I'd end up in a literal bear hug?" Jim asked, barely stifling a chuckle as he remember how not twenty minutes ago when he and Spock had entered the habitat and made their way over to this patch of sand, that the big Sehlat had lumbered forward and sat on his rump, and the moment Jim had come within a few feet, had seized the blond-haired young man into a surprisingly gentle hold with it's front paws. It had been in that literal bear hug that a laughing Jim had first started scratching at the Sehlat's belly, thus leading to his current position with the animal.

" That was actually an unexpected response on the sehlat's part, they are usually wary of strangers they encounter, but I suppose this sehlat simply liked you at first sight." Spock offered in explanation.

" He possesses good taste." Spock added with a barely there glint of mischief in his dark eyes.

Jim looked up quickly at Spock's word and eyed the way the Vulcan was looking at him, feeling a slight heat creep into his cheeks at Spock's veiled compliment giving the Vulcan a soft smile until an expectant bark from his new friend had Jim going back to rubbing the giant sehlat's belly.

After a few more minutes of belly rubbing the sehlat finally let out a soft snuffing noise and rolled onto its sturdy paws. The sehlat gently nuzzled its great snout into the crook of Jim's neck and made a deep rumbling noise before it drew away and took its leave of Jim and Spock.

" See ya later Big Guy." Jim smiled as he watched the sehlat lumber off towards an area of the habitat that was made to look like a rock-face filled with several cave-mouths.

" Perhaps he has gone off to take an afternoon nap." Spock said before he turned.

" Come Jim, there is more yet left for us to see in this place."

Witha final look at the large sehlat Jim turned away and trotted off after Spock, passing by other visitors who were enjoying the company of the other sehlats of various size who were on the sand patch. As the pair walked side by side across the sand patch, Jim smiled as he watched the other visitors who were interacting much the same way with the large sehlats much like he had been.

" Hey Spock, why was that sehlat so big?" Jim asked as he and Spock walked. Spock was naturally quick to explain.

" That particular sehlat belongs to the breed that was found in the mountainous region of Vulcan. Through the breeding facility their numbers are steadily expanding with the intention of carefully introducing them into New Vulcan's wild without disturbing the existing eco-system."

Jim nodded and then grinned widely as a thought entered his mind.

" Well that's good to know, but wouldn't it be hilarious if we took one of these big ones back to the ship?"

" If by this you mean would it be amusing to see such a large animal attempting to navigate the corridors of the ship and fit within your quarters then yes, I believe it would be. Though it would be a very illogical thing to take such a large animal aboard a star ship, the only place for a sehlat of that size to have adequate space would be in the ship's cargo hold."

Jim let out a soft laugh as he pictured a large beed sehlat doing exactly those things. Of course Spock was right that it was by no means a practical thing to take such a large sehlat, but the thought was funny and interesting anyway. As they continued, Jim's interest was piqued in another direction from the size of sehlats as he spoke.

" Hey Spock, where are we headed to next?"

" We may go wherever you wish, but I had a thought that perhaps you would be inclined to visiting the nursery area where the younger sehlats are kept." Spock replied.

" That's great and all, but won't their be over-protective mother sehlats we'll have to look out for?" Jim asked.

" You need not worry, though mother sehlats are quite protective of their young, as long as we make it clear that were intend no harm, the mother will allow us to get close. In addition, If the mother sehlats are not in an agreeable mood today, we can always go see the sehlat cubs who are orphans being raised by the facility's staff. " Spock explained.

Jim felt his smile dim at the mention of orphaned sehlats, once again being reminded that it was not just the people of Vulcan who had suffered tremendous loss that hands of a deranged Romulan. Jim quickly shook himself of such melancholy thoughts and instead focused on that fact that he would soon be in the midst of baby sehlats. The large sehlats of earlier, though lumbering and fearsome looking with their sabertooth fangs had still managed to look like large extra large and living Terran teddy bears. Jim knew without a doubt that he would definitely be no match against the baby sehlats.

When he and Spock reached the nursery, Jim took a moment to take in the area. The nursery was separate from the main habitat area with a large glass wall surrounding it to keep the adult sehlats out but allow for a clear view of the inside. Once Jim and Spock stepped through the glass doorway that lead into the nursery, Jim could best describe the place as the oasis that stood amidst the desert landscape of the rest of the sehlat habitat.

While there was no shortage of red colored sand, there was also an abundance of a lush looking moss and a long pool of crystalline blue water off to the far edge of the habitat. And there in the midst of this beautiful landscape were dozens of absolutely adorable sehlat cubs with a different sized mother sehlats and Vulcan keepers standing watch over them as they interacted with visitors, most of whom were Vulcan children and their parents.

Jim all but beamed as he gazed at the baby sehlats. There were just s many of them frolicking about and playing as baby animals did. There were ones with light brown fur the color of rich, dark caramel, some that were hued in the shade of the darkest chocolate, all the way to ones that were completely black in fur color. All of them were stunning and if Jim were completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that they were some of the cutest things he's every laid eyes on.

" Come Jim, let us introduce ourselves to the little ones." Spock said as he began leading the way to the center of the nursery.

Jim quickly fell in step beside Spock, silently eager to get to the babies but not wanting to take any chances in angering any of the mothers, especially the large mama sehlats with the dagger-sized fangs jutting out the corners of their mouths like the saber-tooth tigers that had once roamed Earth.

Jim and Spock came to a stop right at the edge of the moss patch. Jim then turned to Spock.

" So what's the plan Spock?" Jim asked.

" Simply follow me and do as I do Jim." Spock replied.

Then Spock stepped onto the moss and began slowly making his way towards the sehlat cubs. Jim followed suite, carefully observing and follow Spock's example of simply taking it slow as they got nearer to the baby animals.

Both Jim and Spock were careful to avoid stepping on any of the little ones until they were at the very center of the moss patch and completely surrounded by the sehlat cubs. It was then that Spock gracefully sank to his knees and sat down on the moss. Jim followed suite and lowered himself to sit down Indian-style on the moss.

" Now what Spock?" Jim asked quietly, noticing that the cubs were at the moment giving them both a wide berth but opening gazing at them curiously.

" Now we simply wait for them to come to us Jim, simply relax and be as non-threatening as possible." Spock answered.

" Non-threatening, right." Jim nodded, and then he gave a small shrug.

" May as well get comfortable."

With that Jim smoothly leaned forward and plopped down onto his front, crossing his forearms so that he could rest his chin on top of them. Spock was momentarily stunned by this, but he quickly recovered and let his eyes take in the sight of Jim's relaxed form.

" It's okay Spock, you can check me out all you want." Jim grinned as he raised his head to look over his shoulder at Spock, watching as he words immediately caused the Vulcan's cheeks to take on a slight green blush. The two shared a quiet look for a beat before Jim felt his own cheeks start to heat up. With a soft smile Jim ducked his head and laid back down onto his crossed forearms.

And so began the waiting game with the baby sehlats who were eying their new visitors with wary, but curious eyes.

Jim and Spock simply stayed as they were, with Spock sitting with his knees under him and Jim laying on his front, thoroughly enjoying the ultra-soft moss beneath him. Both men kept a veiled eye on the baby sehlats that were watching them, and then it happened, one brave little sehlat cub, the color of milk chocolate, took a tentative step forward. The baby animal carefully made its way across the moss until it came to stand before Jim. Jim did his best to stay relaxed as the baby sehlat sat down on its rump and seemed to be sizing him up with its large black eyes.

Jim met the baby's gaze head on with his pale blue eyes and smiled softly. The sehlat cub finally blinked and them tilted its head to the side, and it was the most adorable thing Jim had ever seen. Jim let out a soft chuckle, to which the baby sehlat let out a small bark.

Very slowly, Jim pushed himself off his front into a sitting position before the baby sehlat. The cub was momentarily wary upon seeing that Jim was bigger than he had first appeared but the cub didn't run away. Deciding to make a move, Jim slowly and carefully held his hand out to the baby, not making and sudden moved and remaining and still as possible.

The sehlat regarded the hand that was stretched out to it with large eyes, and then it slowly rose to its feet and slowly stepped towards it. The cub came to a stop and then leaned forward his little black nose twitching as it sniffed at Jim's pale fingers. Jim smiled at the gesture and kept his hand stretched out. The baby sniffed at him for about a minute before it let out a bark. Then out of no where the baby sehlat lunged at Jim's hand, seizing it with his little front paws and started lightly nibbling at Jim's fingers, making happy little squeaks.

Jim's entire face lit up with joy and he reached out with his other hand and scooped up the little sehlat, letting the baby animal still nibble on the finger tips of his other hand while he brought the cub to his chest, cradling it close.

This breaking of the ice between Jim and this one chocolate colored cub seemed to set off a chain reaction as with happy barks the other cubs converged on Jim and Spock. Within seconds Jim and Spock were basically up to their necks in happy, playful, and adorably curious sehlat cubs. It was basically one giant pile of cuddling all around.

Jim laughed out loud when he caught sight of a sehlat cub that had managed to somehow perch itself on Spock's shoulder and was now paw at his hair curiously, and while Spock remained as blank faced as ever, his dark eyes gave away that he was enjoying himself in the company of the cubs just as much as Jim was.

After almost half an hour of letting the baby sehlats use him as a climbing frame, Jim decided that it would be a good time to wash off all the baby sehlat saliva that had accumulated on his hands from all the tiny mouths that had thoroughly enjoyed nibbling on his fingers.

With great reluctance Jim gently pried off any cub that was clinging to him and rose to his feet with a little difficulty seeing as to how his right leg had fallen asleep a few minutes ago after having sat on the moss for so long.

" Hey Spock, I'm just gonna go wash my hands in the pond, I'll be right back." Jim said.

" Very well Jim, but do be careful not to trip, because the area around the pond his moderately slippery, and a sehlat cub may try to run between your feet as well." Spock replied.

" I'll be careful." Jim said with a smile before he started carefully stepping around the many sehlat cups that were still running about.

Once he was clear of the sehlat cubs, Jim made quick work of getting the rest of the way to the pond. He carefully knelt down by the edge of the water and promptly dunked both hands into the cool and clear liquid. Jim lightly scrubbed his hands together to get them clean before he pulled them out of the water and shook them off. Jim then stood and wiped his damp hands of the legs of his jeans. As he turned to head back to Spock something caught Jim's attention out the corner of his eye. The blonde turned his gaze to further down the edge of the long pond and he was slightly started by what he saw.

There further up the pond and sitting all alone by the edge of the water with its back to him was a tiny sehlat cub. What had startled Jim besides the fact that this little cub was all by itself, secluded from the other sehlat cubs, was that unlike its fellow brown and black furred sehlats, this little cub had fur that was the color of pure white snow.

" Huh, an albino." Jim thought to himself as he slowly started making his way towards the little white cub.

Jim stayed quiet until he was just a few feet away from the cub, and then smoothly sank down onto his knees and spoke.

" Hey little one." He said softly.

The little white cub startled and whirled around to face the owner of the voice, and when it did Jim could barely hold back a gasp as he found himself staring into a pair of the biggest and most gorgeous pale, ice-blue colored eyes he had ever seen.

" Oh my God." Jim whispered to himself in warm awe.

A tiny little growl had Jim realizing that the little white cub was baring its tiny fangs at him, ready to defend itself from a perceived threat. Not wanting to scare the little one off, Jim scooted back a little and sat crossed legged, even going so far as to hunch over a little to appear smaller and less threatening. The little white cub continued to stare warily at Jim, but the human stared right back unflinchingly.

The pair stayed that way in a silent stalemate for what seemed like hours instead of seconds until Jim finally made the first move.

" It's okay little guy, I'm not here to hurt you." Jim said softly as he leaned carefully stretched out his hand.

The white cub let out another tiny growl and took a step back, eying the hand offered with distrust. Jim just smiled tenderly as he kept his hand out and waited for the sehlat to respond to him. Another long moment passed between the young man and the white sehlat cub, and then the cub blinked and relaxed its defensive stance a little. Jim too did his best to remain as he relaxed as he could, like he had in his initial meeting with the other cubs, as he waited.

Finally the little white cub took a very hesitant step forward, and then another, and another until he was slowly walked across the moss towards Jim's outstretched hand. The cub came to stop a breaths length away from Jim's hand. The cub carefully stretched out its neck towards Jim's hand and like the first cub Jim had met, sniffed at the appendage with its little black nose.

" Little guy looks like a polar bear with tiny walrus tusks." Jim thought gleefully as he felt the tiny cub's warm breath against his finger tips.

The cub sniffed at Jim to its hearts content, and then it did something completely unexpected. The cub sat down on his rump and then slowly raised one of its front leg up with its paw facing foot-print out, exactly like Jim's hand.

It didn't take Jim long to figure out what the little white cub was doing, so with a small breathless laugh Jim let his hand drop and leaned forward so that he was on his hands and knees, low to the ground and nearly eye level with the baby sehlat. Paying no mind to any discomfort Jim slowly crawled forward till his face was just inches from the white sehlat cub's out stretched paw. Jim smiled and then proceeded to make exaggerated sniffing noises with his nose over the diminutive paw that had been offered to him. When he drew back with the small chuckle the sehlat lowered its front paw and gave a small, high-pitched bark. Jim kept himself crouched low on all fours and waited to see what the cub would do next, hoping that he had gained the cubs acceptance.

The man and the baby sehlat stared at each other once more, and then something in the are between them seemed to ease as the white sehlat cub's pale blue eyes filled with light and he happily shot forward. The next thing Jim knew he had a pure white baby sehlat all but glued to his face. Jim laughed into the soft furred baby belly that was pressed against his nose. He gently took hold of the cub with his hands and lightly pried it off so that he could sit up straight and properly hold the cub to him.

The tiny white cub let out a happy, high pitched whine as it nuzzled at Jim's neck to its heart's content, basking in the warm of its new human friend. Jim grinned widely as he used one hand to hold the cub to him while he gently stroked the sehlat cub's soft-furred back with his other.

In that quiet moment Jim felt his heart fill with a delirious kind of joy that he had not felt in a really long time. It soothed something deep inside him that had remained cracked and broken despite his reclamation of his life and his love. It the span of a few second this little white cub in his arms had completely nuzzled its way right into Jim's heart.

Jim was so happily lost in holding the little white sehlat cub that it startled him when he heard someone, a female someone, lightly clear their throat. Jim looked up to see a tall and slender Vulcan woman standing a few feet way from him, looking at him with calm and serene greenish-hazel eyes held within a neutral face.

This unknown woman was the first to speak.

" I am T'Sera, and I greet thee."

Jim smoothly rose to his feet, still holding the cub to him as replied to the woman now revealed to be the owner of this breeding facility.

" Pleasure to meet you Lady T'Sera, you facility is absolutely amazing."

Jim smiled warmly at T'Sera who gave a small nod of her head.

" I thank you for you kind words Captain Kirk."

" Oh so you know my name already, cool. Please, call me Jim, I'm here on shore-leave after all."

T'Sera nodded,

" Very well Jim, I do not mean to be intrusive but may I ask how you managed to get the cub you are holding to interact with you?"

Jim was quick to explain.

" I just came to wash my hands in the pond when I saw him sitting by the water all by himself, so I just held my hand out to him and let him sniff me, but then this little smarty held out his paw for me to sniff back and when I did he practically jumped into my arms. Why, isn't that normal?"

" Not for this particular sehlat cub, because of his atypical fur and eye color, his mother rejected him as have the other sehlat cubs, and even though the keepers here have raised him thus far, he has not been particularly receptive to visitors. It is most surprising that he had come to you so willingly."

Jim was stunned into silence at what had just been revealed to him about the sehlat cub in his arms. For a creature so young to have already had such a harsh and lonely life, it made Jim think of a little blond boy back in Iowa who had grown up with a string of dead-beat step-fathers and a mother who would rather be off-planet than with her young son. It sent a phantom spike of pain through Jim entire being, but he quickly quashed it down and instead adjusted the cub so that he was cradling it much like a human baby and looked down at its sweet little teddy-bear face. The baby looked up at Jim with wide, adoring pale blue eyes and let out a soft trilling sound. Jim made his mind up right then and there.

" How much do you want for him?" He asked as he looked back up at Lady T'Sera.

Jim watched as a knowing look filled the Vulcan woman's eyes, and she was about to say something when another, familiar baritone voice rang out.

" Please do tell us the amount you require for the purchase of Jim's sehlat cub Lady T'Sera, for I will gladly pay the amount."

Jim, T'Sera, and the white sehlat cub all looked to see Spock standing a little to the side, most likely having heard the conversation between Jim and T'Sera. With his arms cross behind his back, Spock wordlessly made his way across the moss and came to stand beside Jim in a silent show of support.

" Spock what-" Jim began to ask softly when Spock gave a small gesture with his hand to Jim to wait as moment as he turned to T'Sera.

" I greet thee son of Sarek." T'Sera said as she held up her hand in the Vulcan gesture.

" And I greet thee in return Lady T'Sera." Spock replied while raising his own hand in reciprocation.

" Please pardon me for asking but, are you quite sure that this is the sehlat you wish to take as you companion?Lady T'Sera asked.

" Because Sehlats are not sold here, they are adopted into families much like Terran canines and felines." She added.

Spock looked to Jim and the Sehlat he was holding, eying them both with a veiled warmth in his dark eyes.

" I believe that it does not matter what I think, the sehlat has already chosen who he wants." Spock said with the barest hint of fondness.

" In addition Jim has always had a particular fondness for things that possess uniqueness." He added, watching as Jim's mouth fell open for a second before he closed it and looked away with his cheeks rapidly taken on a slight flush. Meanwhile the Sehlat cub in Jim's arms was now staring up at Spock with curious pale-blue eyes, interested for sure, but a little wary at the new person in the mix.

Lady T'Sera's eyes looked between the pair before she nodded.

" Very well, if you would all come with me we may begin filing the necessary paper work for the adoption."

With that T'Sera turned and started walking. Jim and Spock quickly followed after her and as they walked Jim immediately turned to Spock.

" Spock you don't have to do anything, I can pay any fees, I brought my cards with me." Jim insisted.

" Be that as it may, please allow me to do this for you." Spock replied.

" You trying to win points with me by buying me a baby sehlat." Jim asked with smirk as he stroked the baby sehlat's head.

" Of course not Jim, I do not need to bride you for your affections." Spock said with a completely straight face.

Jim barely stifled the belly laugh that rose up inside him, instead allowing himself a good chuckle at Spock obvious deflection. Through out this the baby sehlat in Jim's arms looked between the pair, an utterly perplexed look on its face, as if it were trying to figure out what the heck was so funny.

About and hour later...

Spock and Jim were seated in Sarek's hover car, driving away from Lady T'Sera's breeding facility.

Jim grinned wide and happy as he stared down at the small animal carrier he was holding in his lap. Within it was the white sehlat cub, curled up into a ball of white fluff, fast asleep against the soft lining inside the carrier. Everything had gone through without a hitch with the adoption, and now Jim was the proud owner of a unique white furred and blue eyed baby sehlat who he had named Khiori, which meant "Star" in Vulcan.

Now he, Spock, and little Khiori were heading back to Sarek's at the end of what really had turned out to be a very good day.