Chapter Ten

"Something wrong with the food, Salen?"

"Wrong? No, no I do not believe so."

"How can you tell? You haven't eaten anything." Joanna noted. "You've just been kinda pushing it around."

Salen looked down at the meal that he didn't even remember ordering. He had brought Joanna to a nice restaurant along the waterfront, however his thoughts were still stuck on his strange meeting with Beckett that morning. Although he was trying to enjoy his first official date with Joanna he was finding it difficult to concentrate.

"I am sorry, I am just not very hungry."

"You seem on edge tonight...I mean more than usual. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I am glad you are with me tonight."

"How did your meeting go?"

"My meeting?" Salen replied nervously.

"Yeah, whoever you had to run off to see this morning."

"It was not important. I should not have gone."

"You know what I like about you, Salen?"

"No." Salen answered honestly.

"You're mysterious." Joanna chuckled.

"I do not mean to be. I am just trying to live my life to the best of my ability."

"If only everyone had that same goal I think the galaxy would be a better place."

Salen smiled and nodded in agreement. He pushed away the plate of uneaten food to keep it from distracting him further. Joanna had finished as well and placed her folded her napkin on the plate. The waiter quickly came to clear the table and the pair were left with little to do other than look at one another awkwardly across the table.

"I didn't think this would be so uncomfortable." Joanna smiled anxiously. "We've known each other for months and we've never found it difficult to just talk. I feel like a teenager again, what about you?"

"My teenage years were not spent in the traditional way, so I do not feel that way tonight. However, I do feel an unusual tension that I do not understand."

"I think our first mistake was going on a true 'date'. Perhaps we should get back to teaching you to swim."

"Is there not a rule about waiting half an hour after eating before swimming?"

"That's a myth, we'll be fine. So what do you say to a late night dip?"

"I believe that would be most pleasant."

Salen got up from the white cloth table and offered his hand to Joanna. Pleasantly surprised that Salen would make such a gesture Joanna gently took his hand. Salen unnecessarily helped her to her feet and found her reluctant to release her prize. Flushing slightly Salen allowed her to hold his hand as they left.

Once outside the restaurant Joanna pushed herself up on her tip toes and kissed Salen's cheek. Salen smiled and turned to look at her. He had always found himself mesmerized with how blue her eyes were, a trait never found in a Vulcan woman. She normally wore her deep brown hair up, but tonight it fell in loose curls that reached just past her shoulders.

"You are so beautiful." Salen said softly.

"For a human." Joanna teased.

"For any species."

"You're so sweet."

"Really? I have found both humans and Vulcans to have more of a salty flavor to their skin."

Joanna laughed and shoved Salen's shoulder playfully. When he flashed her a confused look she snaked her free hand into his hair and pulled him down so that she could give him a more involved kiss. Salen enjoyed her new habit of this spontaneous affection and returned the kiss, taking particular note of the flavor. There was very little about her that was subtle, just like her father. Joanna released Salen and gave him an expectant look.

"Well?"

"That time you tasted of raspberries." Salen grinned.

"That would be the lipstick, not something I wear very often so feel special that I slathered some on tonight."

"I am not sure how to feel special, but I am grateful that you seem to enjoy my company as much as I enjoy yours. I had become so used to being alone that I was unsure when I came to the Academy if I would still have the skills to interact with others in a manner that they would benefit from."

"Salen...you make it sound like you're some sort of social pariah."

"Among Vulcans I am."

"Luckily you're not among Vulcans." Joanna said and then furrowed her brow for a moment. "Salen, why are you so different? I've spent time with Spock, he's half human and yet you're twice as human as he is. Everyone says that Admiral Pike is your adopted father, but is that true or his he actually your biological father?"

"Why would I lie about such a thing?" Salen demanded. "I would be proud to be related to Admiral Pike by blood."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. As for why you would lie, it would be terribly scandalous for the Admiral if he had an illegitimate half-Vulcan son."

"He does not. I am full Vulcan. My parents were killed, and I found myself alone on Earth. Admiral Pike took me in because my true home was destroyed and I did not wish to live on Natala. I am different because I lost my chance to be a true Vulcan when my parents died and it is too late for me to recover those critical years."

"Do you wish you were more like the rest of your kind?"

"Sometimes." Salen admitted. "I will never know the peace that my brethren experience through the mastery of their emotions."

"True, although emotions have advantages that logic can not offer."

"So I am learning." Salen smiled.

Joanna nuzzled against Salen's shoulder briefly as they continued to make their way back onto the Academy campus. They had agreed to go to the pool for a late swim lesson, however, somehow they found themselves simply walking around the pleasant campus aimlessly. The Academy went to great lengths to provide green spaces for the Cadets. When the Academy clock tower chimed midnight the couple looked at one another in surprise.

"It is getting far too late. I will take you back to your dorm."

"We are so close to your place. You should just get to bed, I can make it home on my own."

"No." Salen shook his head. "I will not have you out on your own in the dark."

"Salen, we live at the Academy, there isn't much danger here."

"I disagree. There is always a chance of danger when a beautiful female is alone on a dark night."

"And the same can't be said for a handsome lonely male?" Joanna mocked.

"I can take care of myself."

Joanna smiled brightly and nodded. She peacefully allowed Salen to escort her back to the medical side of campus. Getting to her dorm she pressed her hand against the reader that unlocked the door before turning around to face Salen. She started to invite him upstairs, however Salen interrupted her with a head shake. As much as he wanted to accept the invitation he knew she had to be at the medical center for a long shift early the next morning.

"Thank you for sharing some of your past with me." Joanna said sincerely.

"You are welcome, it is not easy for me."

"I know, and if you never want to talk about it again that's fine with me."

"You are lying." Salen accused.

"You're right, I'm dying to know about your scars. How could you tell?"

"Because you are your father's daughter."

"McCoys are famous for wanting to be 'know it alls'." Joanna chuckled. "That's why we become doctors."

"Doctors know it all?"

"We like to think so."

Salen gave Joanna skeptical look and she laughed once again. She gave him one last good night kiss before disappearing into the dorm. Salen stayed at the locked entrance for a moment while he tried to figure out his chaotic emotions. Furrowing his white brow he looked up to the window that he knew belonged to her. The lights turned on for a moment as she prepared herself for bed.

"I believe that I love you, Joanna McCoy." Salen whispered.

Salen waited until the lights turned off again before heading back to his own side of campus. Unable to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching into a smile Salen walk through the campus. There was only a small portion of his path home that was poorly lit, and it was this section where he had worried about leaving Joanna on her own.

"Very chivalrous of you to offer the lady an escort home." A deep voice chuckled.

Startled by the sudden voice Salen whipped around. Langin was standing behind him about ten feet away. Salen looked Langin over for a moment and then glanced around for his friends. When Salen was convinced that Langin was alone he relaxed slightly. He was not particularly worried about dealing with Langin alone, particularly since he knew there were sensors all over campus that instantly set off alarms if anyone fired a phaser.

"I am going to give you two choices," Langin smiled "come with me peacefully, or make me drag you along."

"Leave me alone, Langin."

"Does that mean you're not coming with me peacefully?" Langin chuckled.

Rather than answer Salen simply turned to leave. He had yet to take a step when a painfully familiar sound split the cool night air. Knocked breathless from the explosion of unexpected pain Salen clawed at his pointed ears in a desperate attempt to block out the paralyzing noise.

"Wow, it actually works." Langin said impressed. "Gotta love technology."

Salen couldn't hear Langin gloating over him. As the sound and the agony that it cut into him escalated Salen tried to run. Everything around him had turned to disorganized fuzzy shapes that he could not discern. Why the sound should also rob him of his sight was something Salen had never understood, but it was a fact. Being disoriented when he went to run he only manage to stumble and bring himself to his knees. Arching back he took a breath to finaly scream.

With plenty of time to approach Langin stepped up behind Salen calmly. He clamped his hand down over Salen's mouth just as he cried out. With his scream muffled there was little chance of attracting anyone's attention at this time of night. Lashing out randomly Salen failed to keep Langin from jabbing him in the throat with a hypospray.

"Night, night." Langin said sweetly.

Panic kept Salen conscious long enough to land one good shot to Langin's ribs. However Salen was doubled over as Langin returned the favor by kicking him in the stomach with enough force to make him retch unproductively. Dizzy and still being assaulted by the venomous sound Salen eventually collapsed. He moaned in protest as felt his wrist being secured behind his back. A sudden wash of rage helped him fight the drugs for a moment more.

"La...Langin..." Salen panted "let me go..."

"Not a chance."

"Let me go...and I...I will kill you..."

"Don't you mean 'or'?"

"No..."