Getting to Know You
Chapter Seventeen : I Just Want to Be Your Everything
Uhura
She had clothing spread out all over her bed. Her duffle bag sat open on her desk, waiting to be packed. She would need at least two uniforms besides the one she would wear on the plane. And some casual clothing, as well. Surely they would go out and celebrate the night the competition finished. Underwear, toiletries. Something to read on the plane.
Gaila entered from outside to the scene of controlled confusion. "Hey, girl, why are you packing so soon? It's two days until you leave. Those uniforms are going to get really wrinkled if you pack them now."
"Oh, this just a test pack."
"Test pack? What's that?"
"You know, pack everything in to see whether it all fits or not. Whether there's room for anything else. Just to check so I don't get any surprises at the last minute. Then I'll unpack everything and hang it back up." Absently, Nyota looked over the garments she had spread out on the bed. "After we win, I'm sure we'll all go out clubbing. I can't decide what to take to wear that night."
Beside her, Gaila burst out laughing. "After you win? Girl, you have so much confidence. But I know you and the others on the team, too, so I'm sure you're right. Okay, let me see what you're taking with you. No, those are no good at all. You are all going to be so high on winning all those medals, you need something really hot." She went to the closet and began to sort through the clothes hanging there. She pulled out one dress, looked at it closely, looked over at Nyota, then back at the dress. "I've never seen you wear this - go try it on for me."
She took the dress - well, it was really hard to call it a dress, it was very short. Almost more like a long top than a dress. She considered, then went to her dresser. Pawing through a drawer, she found what she wanted. Pulling off the loose pants and tee she had on, she pulled on the tights with the swirly pattern of alternating sheer and colored bands, then pulled the bright green dress over her head, letting it settle down around her. Next she dragged a pair of matching bright green heels out of the closet and put them on. Then she twirled around, showing Gaila the outfit.
Gaila pursed her lips and considered. Something was just not quite right. The neckline was certainly low enough. The dress clung perfectly to Nyota's slender body. The skirt barely covered the bottom of her butt, giving suggestive little hints at curves as she twirled. But there was still something missing. Going to her own dresser, she opened the second drawer and rummaged around. Straightening up, she brought something over to Nyota and clasped it around her hips.
Nyota looked at the belt of shimmering gold links with all the little tinkling bells dangling from it. Her eyes widened. The belt sat low on her hips. She shook her hips a little, testing. All the little bells chimed softly. She swiveled again, swaying as if dancing. The belt shimmered and quivered about her hips, drawing attention there. She looked up at Gaila, eyes wide and excited. "Oh, Gaila, oh, wow! Can I really borrow this?"
"I don't think I could ever forgive myself if you don't! That looks perfect! Those are the neatest hose - some places your bare skin shows and other places there are colors - it's like you're playing peek-a-boo!" Gaila looked at her friend, speculating. If this outfit didn't drive that green-blooded instructor insane, he was hopeless. Suddenly, she had a marvelous idea. She could help her friend out in another way - she wasn't a computer software specialist for nothing.
Spock
This would be the last time he would have alone with her before they left for England. She would be here shortly for her meditation practice. He had wondered whether she might say she was too busy to come tonight, but she had not. He was irrationally relieved.
He looked about his quarters. Everything was neat, there was nothing he needed to straighten up. He could not understand why he was so restless. He had graded all the papers, given them to the substitute who would handle his classes for the few days he would be gone so that they could be returned to the students. He had given explicit directions to that substitute about the material to be covered in his absence. He had recorded a message to be played to anyone who called his office or quarters during his absence, explaining where he was. His duffle bag sat, partially packed, in the corner of his bedroom. The uniforms he was taking with him hung at the end of his closet, ready to fold into the duffle in the morning. His toiletry pouch sat on the bathroom counter, ready to have his razor, toothbrush, and comb added to it in the morning.
There was nothing he needed to do, except for the one thing that was giving him problems. Captain Pike had insisted that he take one casual outfit with him, commenting that the team would deserve to celebrate after they won. In fact, he had insisted on joining Spock in a totally unnecessary shopping trip to purchase an entirely new outfit to wear on that occasion. Everyone seemed sure that the cadets would win. So he needed to choose one outfit to take with him, something suitable for escorting four cadets out to clubs so that they could drink and dance. So far, he had not been able to settle on the appropriate clothing. He had severe doubts about the outfit that Captain Pike had selected for him.
Once again he turned to his closet. Finally, he pulled out the new black slacks. He had purchased them only last week. The fit was very trim. If Captain Pike had not been with him, he would not have purchased them, but he had been assured that they were attractive. In fact, the salesman had told him that he looked hot in them. He assumed that that was a complement of some sort. There was a silk shirt to go with the new slacks, in the same tone of black. The collar did not button closed, but lay open a short way down the chest. He was not sure that it was appropriate to wear when escorting cadets, but if Captain Pike said that it was, it must be. There was a black leather belt as well, made of braided strands. He folded these pieces, adding black socks from his drawer, and laid them all carefully in the duffle bag. As he straightened up, the door chime sounded. She was here.
Uhura
She was outside his door again. She certainly needed to meditate tonight, she was so jumpy and excited. In her bag, she had a pair of loose pants and a larger than normal tee. She would change in his bathroom. She just hadn't felt comfortable wearing that soft, loose outfit across campus in the dusk.
She tapped the door access plate and announced herself. He opened the door and stepped aside to allow her in. She slipped off her shoes. A bit self-conscious, she held up her bag. "I brought some better clothes for meditating, sir, if you don't mind, I'll go change in your bathroom."
He had an odd look on his face. She couldn't read it. She had become fairly good at reading the little signs on his face, the small muscle quirks, the lift of eyebrow, but this look she didn't know. Maybe she had overstepped? She lowered her hand with the bag in it, trying to decide what she should say to relieve the sudden tension, but he waved his hand towards the bedroom and turned toward the meditation area.
She quickly crossed the room, through his bedroom, noticing the open duffle bag on the floor, and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He was so neat! In her limited experience, men were usually not anywhere near this neat. His toiletry kit stood open on the counter, ready to finish packing in the morning, much like her own, back in her quarters. She set her bag on the other side of the sink and quickly changed her clothes, folding the ones she took off and laying them on top of her bag. Leaving the bag where it was, she returned to the living room, settling down on her usual floor pillow.
***
When their meditation was over, she felt so much calmer. Rising, she went to change her clothes again. Coming out of the bathroom with her bag, she found him in the bedroom door.
"If you would like to leave that clothing here, Cadet, you would not have to carry it back and forth across the campus each week." He paused, awaiting her answer.
Flustered, she was not sure what to say. That seemed like a.. very personal thing to do. On the other hand, it would certainly be simpler. She nodded, not sure she could trust her voice. He opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, which was entirely empty. She took the loose pants and shirt from her bag and laid them in the drawer. When she straightened up again, ready to leave, he spoke once more.
"If you will wait a moment, I will change and accompany you back to your dorm. It is quite dark outside."
Unable to say why she was glad to hear those words, she just nodded again and walked out to the living room to wait.
When he left her at her door, it was with the direction to be ready at 0500 for him to fetch her for the trip. She turned into her room with a wide smile on her face as he strode off.
Spock
When she asked to change her clothing in his bathroom, he felt a totally unexplainable surge of elation. He had no idea why. In order to cover his confusion, he waved her into the other room and turned his back on her. Perhaps that had been rude? He was quite ready for the meditation to begin. As he sat there waiting for her and trying to calm himself, he had an idea. Would that be too forward? How would she react? He would just have to wait and see.
***
While she was closed in the bathroom, changing back into the clothing she had worn to cross the campus to his quarters, he quickly cleared out the bottom drawer in his dresser and closed it again, going to stand in the doorway just as the bathroom door began to open. He made his offer, waiting apprehensively while she considered it. With great relief, he saw her nod, and turned to open the drawer he had just emptied. Then he found himself saying something unplanned. She nodded again and left the room and he quickly changed his clothing before she had a chance to change her mind.
***
When they reached the door to her quarters, he turned his face to her and spoke quickly. "I shall be here at 0500 to collect you for the trip. Please be ready to leave then." He was sure that she smiled as she entered her room.
***
The campus was still dark and quiet as he made his way to her door. Just as he arrived, she slipped out, duffle bag in hand. Giving a slight nod to her, he was unaware that the corners of his mouth quirked upward in what she now recognized as the equivalent of a broad smile. Together, they turned and headed across campus to the shuttle hanger for the first leg of their trip to England.
The other instructor / chaperone arrived slightly after they did and the other three cadets were only a few minutes behind. Seating themselves in the waiting shuttle, they took the quick trip to San Francisco International Airport. Exiting, they headed for the concourse designated for their international flight.
The other instructor had all the tickets. As they approached the gate, she passed them out. "Commander Spock, you and Cadet Uhura are in the back on the left side. Sorry, there was some mix-up. All the seats were supposed to be together. The rest of us are in the front on the right side." She turned to the other three cadets. "You three come with me now, and behave."
He would have her all to himself for the entire flight? That was unanticipated - and quite unexpectedly wonderful. He glanced quickly in her direction, but she was proceeding ahead through the gate and he could not see her face. He followed behind, showing his ticket at the gate, walking down the sloping walkway into the large aircraft. She picked her way down the aisle, swerving out of the way of other people standing in the aisle, forcing bags into the overhead compartments. She looked at the ticket in her hand and up at the markings above the seats, finally locating the correct row. The overhead bin was open and empty. As she raised her duffle to put it in the bin, he reached out and took it from her, lifting it the rest of the way and putting his beside it. He shut the bin door and realized that she was still standing.
"Did you want the window seat, sir?" She was looking up at him, question in her eyes.
"No, Cadet, I would prefer the aisle seat if you do not mind. There does seem to be more leg room there."
She slid across to the window seat and settled down, fastening the safety webbing as he sat down beside her.
Fastening his own harness, he cast about for a topic of conversation, but she beat him to it, asking for drilling in the languages she would need to be prepared for the next day. They had no trouble keeping themselves occupied with conversation until the flight ended.
Meeting the rest of their group outside the exit gate, they proceeded to the curb outside the airport to catch transportation to their hotel in Oxford. Once again, there seemed to be a mix-up, with the female instructor and the other three cadets on one floor, and the two of them on another. He had no complaints. He would be able to escort her to and from her room each time they left the hotel with no one to comment on his actions.
Uhura
At breakfast the next morning all four cadets were so excited they could hardly sit still. They had been preparing for this day for over three months and it was finally here.
They walked the short distance from their hotel to the college building where the competition would be held. Once there, they checked in and picked up their packets with the schedule of events. They needed to go in two different directions. The team divided up, the other instructor taking two of the cadets off with her. The fourth cadet came with her and Commander Spock to the large auditorium where their events would be held. It was SO EXCITING!
***
At the end of the long, exciting, exhausting day, they all met at the exit to that same large auditorium. They were all quite ready for supper. The other instructor had been given the name of an Indian restaurant that sounded good and they headed that way.
They were seated at a low table, on big fat pillows. There were punched tin lanterns on the tables with flickering candles inside. The walls were draped with fabrics printed with bright paisley designs. There was some sort of music playing in the background. The whole room was filled with the odors of spices and incense. It was the perfect way to end the day.
The food was brought out and set down in the center of the table. A stack of plates was left at the side. One of the cadets took a plate and passed the others around and everyone began to serve themselves. The food was outstanding. She filled her plate again, noticing that everyone else was doing the same. Even Commander Spock had found plenty of vegetarian dishes on the menu. It was just too perfect.
They walked back to the hotel, stuffed to the gills. Tomorrow would be another long day and they were all ready to go straight to bed. The female instructor and the other three cadets got off the elevator on their floor, with directions to meet them for breakfast. Commander Spock escorted her to her door and halted.
"You did an outstanding job today, Cadet. I feel sure that your scores will be remarkable."
"Oh, I hope so, I do want to beat out MIT! I'm so excited I may have trouble getting to sleep."
"Cadet, you do need a full night's sleep to prepare for tomorrow. I suggest that you spend some time in meditation before going to bed - in order to calm yourself." He hesitated. Then he spoke again, his voice lower. "If you need any assistance..." His voice trailed off.
She felt a thrill curling inside. Had he just made a very interesting suggestion? Impossible. She looked up at him. He was waiting for a reply, some indefinable expression on his face. "I... I think that would probably help me, Commander ... meditation, that is. I will take your advice. Good night, and thank you." She turned and pressed the code for her door, leaving him standing there watching her as she entered her room. He couldn't have meant that the way it sounded, could he? Surely not, it was just her overactive imagination.