Chapter 10 - A Human Walks into a Bar
"A fan club? My reclusive Commander Spock had a fan club?" Nyota was a bit shocked.
"I believe the experience is what made him reclusive."
McCoy was turning red trying to contain his laughter. He couldn't help it. The mental image of Spock trying to fend off the advances of drunk, horny Cadets was just too much. Kirk on the other hand looked a bit nauseated. "You're kidding," he said. "This is still part of the joke to punish me for coming on to you like that, right?"
"Did you think your communications officer was the first Cadet to be interested in him? Intellect and self-control can be surprisingly attractive qualities." Selina gave him a thin smile. "You should try them sometime."
"Ouch! Truce!" Kirk pleaded. "I promise, my ego is sufficiently battered. Can we get on with the story now?"
.
She sat down at the corner of the bar, the only place allowing at least one empty seat to each side. A guy a couple seats lifted his glass toward her. "You might actually want to bother looking at this one, Spock."
Spock, however, did not turn around. "What would you like to drink, Miss?" he asked while focusing on the inventory in front of him.
"Theris-masu"
His head snapped around. "Selina?" For just an instant, his face brightened, but then his brows drew together. "What, may I ask, are you doing here?"
She straightened and folded her arms across her chest. "Good to see you again too."
"Apologies. It is good to see you again," he said. "I knew you were on earth, but I thought you were in Toronto. I had not expected to encounter you, especially here."
She gave him a tight-lipped smile. "In other words, of all the gin joints in all the world, why did I have to walk into this one?"
"I see." He turned to fix her tea. "Since you are quoting from my mother's favorite film, I assume that means she sent you."
"No. My mother actually, although I suspect there was some degree of collusion. I was told that a friend of the family had been induced to take a most unsuitable job, and might appreciate the company of someone from home."
"In other words, you were sent to check up on me," he stated. "I am sorry that you were induced to make a long and unnecessary journey."
"It wasn't a long journey. I began my studies at Stanford last fall."
"Indeed?" He placed the Vulcan tea in front of her. "It was unnecessary, nevertheless. I assure you I am not in any need of assistance."
"Yes, I can see you are doing quite well for yourself." She glanced down the bar at the small group of women watching them and whispering among themselves. "How long have you had a 'fan club'?"
She was probably the only one who could have detected the slight blush. "Four days." His tone suggested that four minutes would have been too long.
"And how long have you been working here?"
"Nine days."
"You work fast," she teased.
"Selina, it is not a laughing matter." It was nice to know he still found her sense of humor vexing.
"I do not recall laughing." She raised her eyebrows and keeping her face as straight as possible.
He leaned over the counter to look her in the eye. "Only someone who does not know you would think that you are not laughing simply because you are not making the sound."
"Only someone who does not know you would think you are not in need of assistance simply because you refuse to admit it."
"And what sort of assistance do you think you -" He was cut short by a hand on his arm. It was attached to the blonde from the end of the bar, who was leaning far enough over that her considerable bosom appeared to be on the edge of escaping the inadequate constraints of her clothing. Spock's back stiffened in a way that in a human would have been a cringe. His eyes shifted and focused fixedly on a point somewhere on the far wall.
"Do you require another beverage?" he asked flatly.
"What's a girl got to do to get this kind of service?" she purred, looking darts at Selina and running a finger possessively up his bicep. "I'd love to learn that language if you'd tutor me."
Selina realized that they had naturally fallen into conversing in Vulcan. For all this woman knew, he had been propositioning her instead of trying to get rid of her. This could be interesting.
.
"So my communications officer also wasn't the first Cadet to try to pick him up by asking for tutoring?" Kirk grinned evilly and Uhura kicked him under the table. "Ow! What'd I say?"
"You made a factual error," Spock explained. "It was I who approached the lieutenant about a tutoring position."
"Really? And just what sort of position – Ow! Geez, the toes of those boots are hard!"
Nyota glared at him. "Drop it, or I'll use the heel next time."
McCoy was beaming like a searchlight. Kirk held his hands up in a warding off gesture. "She didn't kick me that hard, Bones. Don't even think about whipping out one of your hypos."
" 'Only someone who does not know you would think you are not in need of assistance simply because you refuse to admit it'." McCoy recited. "I think I may have that embroidered on a sampler and hung in my office."
Spock gave Selina a long-suffering look. "You see why I have not introduced you to my crewmates before now?"
To be continued...
Note: I have been watching old TOS episodes again because my daughter (8 yrs old) expressed an interest in Star Trek. Kirk in TOS was not as lewd, but he often wasn't much more mature. Between Kirk and McCoy, Spock got lots of practice perfecting that long-suffering look
