Ch 1: Obligation

Uhura swiveled in her chair on the bridge, her hand pressed against her ear piece. "Captain, we're receiving a transmission from an unidentified Starfleet ship. They're addressing it to you and Mr. Spock."

As soon as he heard the words "unidentified Starfleet ship", he knew exactly who it was that Uhura was talking about. It had been almost a year since they last met with T'Maire on Star Base 215, and it seemed like she finished her new ship a little faster than she had originally anticipated. He looked at Spock, who stood loyally by his side as always, and smirked at the grimace that graced his features. Facing forward, he said, "Put them on screen."

Sure enough, as soon as they were giving visual of their unidentified new arrival, he saw the familiar face of T'Maire grinning back at him. Everyone on the bridge other than Kirk and Spock looked in awe at the smiling Vulcan woman. On her face was a light dusting of eye shadow and blush that complimented her golden tan skin. Her lips were a faint olive green tint that looked far from a natural Vulcan coloring of lips, indicating that she was also wearing lipstick. It was a rare sight to see a Vulcan woman with as much makeup as this one wore; the only thing rarer was the smile she wore openly and unabashedly on her face. It was clear that this woman was an even more unique Vulcan than Spock was; despite Spock's half-human heritage, he exhibited textbook Vulcan behavior. That is, when he wasn't off duty with Kirk.

Kirk returned the grin fully and exclaimed, "T'Maire! You're looking just as lovely as you did when we met a year ago! I can assume the ship you're in is the new ship you built on Star Base 215?"

T'Maire blushed a light green, yet another rare sight to see for those only familiar with the average Vulcan, but one the crew was slightly more familiar with from seeing Kirk and Spock together. T'Maire flashed her perfect white teeth at Kirk. "Oh Kirk, you're such a flatterer!" she gushed, adding yet another non-Vulcan behavior to the steadily growing list of oddities. "Yes, this is indeed the new starship I built. We've named it the Santa Maria, and it's the first of the three ships we're building."

"Let me guess," Kirk said, still smirking, "the other two are called the Niña and the Pinta?"

The sound of twinkling bells filled the air as T'Maire laughed at the blue-eyed captain. By now half of the crew was short-circuiting from this woman's strange behavior. "Ever the observant one, aren't you? Yes, they will be called the Niña and the Pinta, and before you guess they will be used for exploration."

Spock couldn't help let out a rather dramatic sigh at the two's banter. Unfortunately, doing so brought T'Maire's attention to him. "Don't think I've forgotten about you, Spock," she said, having enough decency to refrain from using her nickname for him in public. When it came to business matters, T'Maire was as professional in her address as she could stand to be. "Like I promised, I've come here after the completion of my ship to take you to New Vulcan. If I have the permission of the captain, I would like to beam you aboard the ship and make our way there immediately. You'll be pleased to know that I wish to keep our visit to New Vulcan as short and sweet as possible."

Kirk looked up at Spock again, this time greeted with a look of exasperation. Through their mind link, he said, Jim, do I really have to go through with this?

Yes, Kirk said, sweetly yet firmly. If you don't want to explain to the Vulcan council why you're engaged to your captain, you have to.

Spock pursed his lips and said nothing further, not out loud or mentally. Kirk turned back to the screen and smiled once more. "Of course you have my permission. Please give us some time to prepare Spock for his trip. Is half an hour okay?"

"That's perfectly fine Captain," T'Maire said, returning the smile. "We'll have a crew in the transporter room waiting for him. T'Maire out."

The screen went black, the musical voice of the Vulcan woman still ringing in the still shocked crew's ears. Spock let his shoulders slump as much as he dared in the presence of the crew and turned on his heel. Kirk rose from his chair and walked over to Uhura. He bent over and said, "Uhura, please alert Scotty to report to the transporter room. Once you have done that, you have the Conn."

With a nod, Uhura replied, "Aye Captain."

Spock placed the last of his clothing in his bag and zipped it up. He sighed wearily, not really wanting to leave, but knowing it was a necessary evil if he wanted to live out his life in peace with Kirk. T'Maire was unbearable, but not so unbearable that he couldn't spend an extended amount of time with her. Besides, maybe they really just needed some time together to get reacquainted. She was a year younger than him, and thus entered Starfleet after him. The moment he entered Starfleet, he cut all ties with her and avoided contact with her as much as physically possible. Starfleet was his opportunity to show everyone that he wasn't just an unfortunate result of interracial breeding, and associating with someone that was looked down on because of her total disregard of emotional control wouldn't help him in his ambition endeavors.

Now that he had been with someone who accepted him for who and what he was, he was beginning to wonder if he had been in the wrong for treating T'Maire so coldly. Other than his mother, she was the only one that really cared about him the way he was, not as he was expected to be. She gave him great comfort as a child and was the first real friend he had ever made. In retrospect, he was a fool to treat her the way he did just to save face.

It was easy to see how and why she got along with Kirk. When he looked at the two together, they really had a lot in common, almost as if T'Maire was a Vulcan female version of Kirk. They were both very emotive people and far more intelligent than they presented themselves. If Spock had been able to realize that he needed to be himself instead of what others expected him to be, it was possible that he and T'Maire could have become life mates and start a family. But what would have become of Kirk then? Would he had ever even considered Kirk as a romantic prospect?

Spock pushed these thoughts out of his head and picked up his bag, making his way out of the room and down the hall. It hadn't taken him long to prepare his clothes and Kirk was waiting for him in the transporter room. After five minutes with T'Maire, Spock was certain he'd remember why he never pursued a relationship with her. He was absolutely sure of it…well, 98.2 percent sure of it...

When Spock entered the elevator, he heard Kirk's voice. Are you on the way to the transporter room already? You've only been in your room for ten minutes! Spock smiled and replied. You forget that Vulcans do not pack anything unnecessary when they leave for a trip. I packed only the essentials that I would need for approximately four days, which will likely be more than I actually need. Humans could learn something from watching a Vulcan pack for a trip.

Spock heard Kirk laugh in his head, a pleasant sound that made him smile even more. The elevator arrived on the floor where the transporter room was located and Spock stepped off the elevator. As he made his way to the transporter room, he heard Kirk respond. There's nothing wrong with taking the occasional frivolous item you know. It helps make your trip more enjoyable.

Smirking, Spock shot back: Is that why you carried your teddy bear with you wherever you went until you were nine years old?

Even though he couldn't see Kirk's face, he could feel the blood rushing to the man's face through their link. When he arrived at the transporter room, Kirk's face was an adorable shade of dark pink. He pointed at Spock and said out loud, "I swear to God, if you tell T'Maire, I will never forgive you!"

Spock's smirk grew wider. "You have my word that I will not tell her. However, if we were ever to mind meld, I couldn't be held accountable for what she finds out…"

Kirk playfully punched the Vulcan in his arm and grinned. Scotty looked at the two men and wondered what it was he had missed, but decided he probably didn't want to know. They locked eyes for a moment, enjoying one last look at each other's face before Spock left. Spock held out the index and middle fingers of his right hand and was greeted by the same fingers on Kirks' right hand. Since they had become engaged, they used this simple touch to show intimacy in public. To those familiar with Vulcan forms of expression, this was an undeniable sign of their love; to anyone else, it was simply a curious touching of fingers.

"I will send you a transmission when we arrive at New Vulcan," Spock said in voice that conveyed his love in a very subtle way that only Kirk picked up on. Kirk nodded and said, "Don't have too much fun without me."

Spock closed his eyes and shook his head, which was his way of rolling his eyes at Kirk. Lowering his extended hand and placing it back at his side, he said, "I thought I made it clear that Vulcans do not experience this thing you call 'fun'."

Kirk replied mentally with a smirk. You seem to have plenty of fun with me when we're alone…

Clearing his throat, Spock quickly moved to the transporter pad before Scotty could see him blush. Facing outward, he raised his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute and said, "I shall return soon, hopefully before you even realize I am gone. Mr. Scott, energize."

Scotty's hands fell into the familiar pattern of button pressing and lever pulling on the transporter console. Slowly Spock began to glow and then disappear, reappearing in the Santa Maria transporter room. T'Maire stood before him with her arms behind her back and a wide smile on her face. Greeting him with the Vulcan salute, she said in her musical voice, "Welcome aboard the star ship Santa Maria, Commander Spock."

Spock returned the salute and stepped off of the transporter pad. T'Maire threaded her arm through Spock's and began leading him out of the transporter room. Placing her head on her shoulder, she said, "We'll set a course immediately for New Vulcan. The trip there should take no less than a few hours, and once we've 'performed our engagement ceremony' to the Council's approval, we'll come right back and drop you off! You shouldn't be gone more than a day, two days tops!"

Inwardly, Spock drew a sigh of relief. It looks like he was right about packing more than he really needed; a thought that comforted him. T'Maire had hinted that the new ship she was building would be significantly faster than the Enterprise when they visited the star base a year ago, and it seems she had been correct. It pleased him that he'd spend as little time away from the Enterprise as possible, as it was almost the year anniversary from when he and Kirk had become engaged. He didn't want to be separated from Kirk on their anniversary, and if T'Maire was correct, they'd be back two days before it.

I wonder if Jim is planning anything for our anniversary, Spock thought to himself, careful not to let his thoughts reach Kirk. Knowing him, he is likely planning some sort of surprise celebration to honor our first year of engagement. No doubt it will be something frivolous and taxing. Spock couldn't help but smile at the thought. Whether he openly admitted it or not, he was looking forward to whatever it was that Kirk had planned.

"You guys have gotta help me plan something for my first year anniversary with Spock!" Kirk's voice was loud and frantic as he spoke to Uhura and McCoy in McCoy's office. Uhura sighed and shook her head at the now monogamous captain that had checked her out in an Iowa bar almost five years ago. McCoy had his arms crossed and a heavy frown on his face. He didn't know why Kirk had to come screaming into his office every time he had something "important" to say, but at least he had the decency not to bother him while he was with a patient.

"Can't you come up with something on your own?" McCoy said, clearly irritated by his frazzled friend. "I got better things to do than to hold your hand while you try to plan something for Spock!"

Uhura agreed with the grumpy doctor. "Honestly Jim, you've been with Spock for almost a year and a half now! You even share a mind link with him! How are you unable to think of some way to celebrate with him? You know what he likes and what he doesn't like, so this should be simple!"

"You don't understand!" Kirk said, flailing his arms in frustration. "This is all new to me! I've never been in a relationship for this long, especially one this serious! On top of that, this is Spock we're talking about! I could probably have come up with at least a dozen different things to do if he wasn't a Vulcan!"

"Half-Vulcan," Uhura and McCoy corrected in unison.

"Dammit I know he's only half-Vulcan!" Kirk yelled, causing both Uhura and McCoy to wince. Kirk's voice was already loud enough; hearing him yell made them both feel as though their ear drums would burst. "He's embraced his human side, we all know that, but that doesn't mean that he's going to want to do all the things a human would want to! I gotta come up with something that's boring enough to appeal to his Vulcan side and interesting enough to entice his human side!"

A light knock came at the door. All three of them turned to it and screamed, "COME IN!"

A meek Chapel poked her head into the room and looked at the three very angry looking people inside. "Uhm, excuse me," she said quietly, her voice shaking out of nervousness. "I couldn't help but overhear you three talking about what Captain Kirk should do with Mr. Spock for their first year anniversary. If I'm correct, we're not very far from a pleasure planet that many people from Starfleet visit when they go on shore leave. You could look up the details of the kind of services they provide there and perhaps find something that Spock would enjoy doing…"

Kirk, Uhura, and McCoy all gaped at Chapel. Unnerved by the intense stare she received from three different people, she blushed and said, "I-it's just a suggestion. It didn't seem like anyone really had a concrete answer, so I figured I'd try to help. Besides, we've been exploring continuously since we left Starfleet, so I'm sure the rest of the crew would like a little time off as well..."

Chapel tensed as she saw Kirk charge straight for her. She took a couple steps back but not fast enough. Kirk wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly. His laugh rang in her ears as he picked her up and spun her around. Caught off guard, she clutched on to the captain and gave a cry. Placing her down on her feet, he held her out in front of him and said, "Christine, you're a genius!" He planted a firm kiss on her cheek and rushed out of sick bay to begin researching the pleasure planet.

Swaying somewhat unsteadily on her feet out of dizziness, Chapel leaned against the doorway to McCoy's office and looked Uhura and McCoy. They both shrugged, McCoy saying, "Whatever gets him out of my office…"

Kirk sat at his desk in his room and looked at the specifications for the pleasure planet with a joyous look. The planet was incredible; it was as if it were terra-formed for the specific purpose of being an entertainment paradise. There was gorgeous scenery of all types, resort like hotels built specifically for tourists and Starfleet officers on shore leave, malls, amusement parks, museums, bars, clubs, nature trails, concerts…just about anything you could think of.

His eyes glittered with excitement. On a planet like this, it would be a piece of cake to come up with a plan for an incredible getaway. Surely he could find something that Spock could enjoy while still exposing him to new and exciting experiences. And of course, the crew would definitely have a good time as well.

It was settled. As soon as Spock returned from New Vulcan, he would set a course for the pleasure planet and allow the crew to spend a week relaxing in paradise. He grinning and fidgeted excitedly in his desk chair. He couldn't wait for Spock to get back! Placing his arm on his desk, he propped his head up with his hand and began to daydream about the fun he and Spock would have. As he daydreamed, he thought, I wonder what Spock's doing right now…

Spock's eye twitched for the sixtieth time as he listened to T'Maire blather on about what she did during the time they had been apart. His belief that he had been too harsh with T'Maire and that she had matured was swiftly contradicted as soon as they made their way to New Vulcan. It had been three hours since she had started talking and it didn't seem like she'd stop until they arrived at New Vulcan. Actually, it didn't look like she'd stop talking after they arrived there either. He looked at T'Maire, who was still talking.

"T'Maire," he interrupted, happy to finally hear something beside the sound of her voice. "If I may ask, how much longer before we arrive at New Vulcan?"

Smiling warmly, she said, "Another two hours. We're making excellent time though. Normally it'd take a day and a half from where we took off. We're traveling seven point two times faster than the Enterprise does right now. That's why I didn't assign a room to you when you arrived; it'd be a waste to have you walk all the way to your room, stay there for only a few hours, and then have to hop off the ship when we arrive."

Another twitch. That made sixty one times in the last three hours. "You do realize," he said in a slow, steady voice, trying desperately to remain calm as he spoke, "that even with such a drastic decrease in travel time, I would want a place of my own to rest in instead of staying in your quarters?"

T'Maire blinked for a moment, looking blankly at her old friend. "You know, you're right…" Spock dared to have a hopeful look on his face. Laughing, she slapped him on the back and said, "Oh well! Too late to worry about that! After all, you're already here in my room and I haven't prepped a room for you to crash in, so why not just chill out with me? Oh, that reminds me of a funny story…"

Twitch. That made sixty two. Great, another 'funny' story… Spock wondered how many funny stories he'd have to endure before the trip was over. He was also beginning to worry about his eyes. At this rate, he might develop a permanent twitch…