Competition


When they materialized on the Enterprise, Nyota was waiting along with Erik in the transporter room. She headed toward Spock and Selina. "How is she?"

"I believe she is suffering from an unintended reaction rather than deliberate attempt to incapacitate," Spock replied. "However, I have not yet probed her mental state closely enough to determine the effects." He stepped down from the pad. "Cmdr. Sorenson, if you would assist?"

He stepped forward and took Selina from Spock's arms. She stirred slightly. "Shhh" Sorenson said softly. "I've got you." Her head rolled back against his chest and she became quiet again. Spock removed the long coat and placed it over her before reaching forward and placing two fingers to her temple. His gaze became unfocused for a few moments, and then he met the other man's eyes. "She is semi-conscious, but her thoughts are disordered. It is much like the reaction she had to the 'candies' at B'Fret's farewell party."

Sorenson frowned. "I remember. Do you think it would be better to let her sleep it off or inflict her on sickbay?"

Spock stepped back and clasped his hands behind his back. "I believe sickbay would be best since we cannot be certain. Please inform Dr. McCoy of my suspicion as to the chemical compound involved."

Erik raised his eyebrows at Spock. "You're not taking her back, are you?"

Spock tilted his head and looked at Selina's face. "She appears to be content."

"I'll take her," he said with a tight smile. "But if she wakes up and decks me before we get there, I'm holding you responsible."

One corner of Spock's mouth turned fractionally upward. "I consider that to be an acceptable risk."

"You would," he said.

"I could take her," Kirk offered.

All three of them looked at him like he'd just proposed setting the ship's self-destruct mechanism.

"That won't be necessary," Sorenson said, carrying her out the door. "Come on, Grey, let's get you to sickbay."

Kirk looked at Spock after they left. "Grey?"

"A ...nickname," Spock explained. "A reference to a fictional character who was quite skilled with a rapier."

Nyota laughed, realizing the reference and remembering that character's usual companion. "Nothing," she said when Kirk looked at her for an explanation. "I think I'll make sure he gets her to sickbay alright."


.

Selina had drifted in and out of darkness and a confusion of ideas and images. At one point, she thought Spock had called to her, but when she had tried to respond, she had connected only with a series of her own memories of him, as well as some fantastical elements she knew had never happened. She had even imaged him asserting that he would act in place of a brother as her guardian - except that while she was without a father or brothers, she was neither underage nor a Vulcan for such conventions to apply. Sometime later, she thought she had felt Spock's mind, but then she'd heard a voice from the past and drifted into another old memory.

Now, finally, she recalled what had happened and felt once more in control of own her mind. She opened her eyes. Sickbay again. She swore softly to herself.

"How are you feeling?" Nyota was sitting beside her.

"I believe I have returned to myself again," she said, sitting up. "How is Lt. Hanlan?"

"She had a bad blow to the head, but we got her out in time. She'll make a full recovery." Len came over to her bed. "Hu is gonna pull through too. You gave us quite a scare though. Whatever possessed you to let a guy like that buy you a drink?"

"He did not intend to drug me," she said. "I believe you will find that Aolian wine contains a substance similar to heraladil."

"Yeah. Spock thought that might be it," Len said. "We just didn't know how you'd wound up taking it."

"But that drug's a mild stimulant and with anti-depressant properties," Nurse Chapel said.

"Check the rare reactions listing for it," Selina said with a wry smile. "My picture is probably there." She noticed her clothing and looked puzzled.

"I was told you'd be a lot happier if you woke up in your own clothes," Nyota said. "So Christine and I got you changed."

"Much happier. Thank you." Selina began to get off the bed.

"Whoa there," Len objected. "At least let me make sure you're okay before I let you bolt out of here."

"I am quite recovered and have been absent too long from my other duties," she protested.

"Spock already spoke with the Ambassador. He and that Starfleet computer expert got enough information from the station and casino computers to show Vekalthian smugglers were behind the attack. Once both sides realized they were being manipulated for someone else's profit, they came around to cooperating pretty quickly." Len grinned at her. "So, except for some final shindig, you are officially on leave."

"I see." She took a moment to process that. "Then kindly release me from sickbay so that I may enjoy it."

"Since the main concern is that your head is clear, I'll make a deal with you." Len smiled, producing a small 3D chess set. "I'm not as good as Spock, but I can hold my own. Beat me and you're free to go."


.

Jim was in the gym equipment room with Bones having just finished their workout, but hanging around and waiting to watch Selina finally fence Sulu.

"So I understand that was about the fastest checkmate in history," Jim teased.

"It wasn't that bad," Bones protested. "Especially considering she and Spock stalemate 9 times out of 10 and I haven't beaten the pointy-eared computer yet."

"Uhura says the white pieces practically slunk off the board in shame."

"Yeah, well at least she seems to have decided humiliating me in chess counts for a good hard slap, so she might forgive me now for not keeping my thoughts in check." Bones grinned. "I understand Uhura made her a present of that vid of you being tossed out of the casino."

"That fact that she likes it just shows she's interested." Jim grinned back at him.

"So you've decided to settle for her being interested in you for comic relief, Jimmy?"

Jim winced. "Stop it with 'Jimmy' already. And she never would've cozied up to you if she hadn't been just a little jealous of Calli checking me out."

"R-i-ight" Bones scoffed. "Jim, the only one around here jealous is you. You can't stand that I might get the girl for once."

"What, may I ask," came a voice from the doorway, "makes you think that either one of you would get any girl?"

Bones looked at Jim. "Just how long has she been standing there?" he whispered.

"Quite long enough." Selina stepped forward and glared at both of them. "And I have had more than enough of this nonsense for today. Allow me to explain something to both of you. I am not 'interested' in any sense of the word, and most especially not in the sense of being some sort of prize in your private competition. In fact, -"

"Hey, Selina. Are you ready yet?" Sulu ducked into the room hefting his foil.

Selina smiled slowly. "In fact, do you wish to know whom I would prefer?" She spun around, grabbed Sulu by his jacket, pushed him against the wall and kissed him.

It was only due to his long dedication to fencing that Sulu did not drop his foil in shock. However, following a moment of stunned surprise, he thought 'What would d'Artagnan do?' He wrapped his free arm around her and returned the kiss, while holding the foil at guard toward the other two men. He had no idea what he had done to earn this, but it fed nicely into every fantasy he had ever entertained about being d'Artagnan with the fair Constance.

She pushed him back suddenly. "Constance was a twit! Next time, try Zorro and Elena!" She grabbed a foil and strode out to the practice floor.

Hikaru looked at the two dumbfounded senior officers in front of him. A wide grin spread over his face. He saluted smartly with his foil, slashed a 'Z' in the air and strutted out after her.

Jim and Bones looked at one another. "Nah" they said.

"You know she only did that because we pissed her off," Bones said.

"Not only that, but she's cheating," Jim added. "She's good, but Sulu is better. At least he is when he's not distracted - and I don't see how he couldn't be after that."

Laughter came from the doorway. Uhura was standing there shaking her head. "Now that Hikaru is picturing himself as Zorro, he's going to give her a great fight - which is exactly what she wanted. If you two can manage to swim out of denial, you might want to come up and watch."

The bout had just begun by the time Kirk and McCoy joined Nyota on the low bleachers. Considering how much aggravation they'd caused her new friend, she was enjoying their discomfort even more than the competition. She decided to have a little more fun with them.

"Looks like they're both fencing in a more Spanish style, don't you think?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kirk said. "But I don't get the reference. I mean Sulu would have fought just as well as d'Artagnan and I thought she styled herself as whoever 'Grey' is."

" 'Grey' is just a joke between her and Erik. But in the 21st century remake of Zorro, the governor's daughter knew how to fence and fought Zorro when he first tried to escape from the mansion." Nyota smiled. "It was really steamy scene, almost more paso doble than fencing."

She paused for a moment as they watched Sulu counter-attack against a particularly aggressive advance. "You should really watch it some time." Nyota grinned evilly. "The fencing was definitely a metaphor for passionate sex."

"Indeed?" Spock's voice came from behind her. Damn. He was supposed to be helping Erik.

"Uh, I was just explaining an old film reference," Nyota said, moving over to make room for him.

Spock sat down between them. "May I inquire what occasioned that particular reference?"

All three of them were quiet, waiting for someone else to speak. Nyota broke first. "Selina said something to Hikaru about Zorro and Elena just before the bout started," she said, trying to keep a straight face.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "It must have been an extraordinary remark to require that specific explanation."

"It was ...more the context," McCoy mumbled.

"Please elaborate Doctor." Spock tilted his head to the side, looking at McCoy. Neither he nor the Captain seemed inclined to respond, although they both looked distinctly uncomfortable. He turned to Nyota. "Please, I would prefer not to have to ask her directly."

She sighed. Vulcans didn't worry, but he was so cute when he did. And it was her fault for talking about the movie. "She got fed up with these two competing for her, so when Hikaru walked in, she kissed him. It must have made him think of d'Artagnan and Constance, but I guess she isn't a big fan of Constance. She pushed him away and said Zorro and Elena would have been better."

Spock's eyebrows rose to half-mast. "I see."

"Look, Spock," Kirk put in. "Sulu's the best helmsman we've got and it really wasn't his fault. He was probably more surprised than we were."

Spock turned his attention to the bout. Sulu had just scored a point. "He does not appear to have been unnerved by the encounter."

"He's probably realized she just did it because she caught us arguing over her," McCoy said. "She just wanted to show us we weren't her only options."

One eyebrow rose again. "Clearly, you are not."

Kirk frowned. "Spock, you don't think she's actually interested in him?"

Spock had returned to watching the bout. "An attraction to Mr. Sulu would not be wholly illogical. He possesses several qualities that she has found appealing in other men. And she is not prone to kissing men in whom she has no interest."

Nyota was watching as much as listening to the discussion. Jim and Bones were both looking slightly ill. Spock, however, seemed far less concerned than she had expected. He sounded more like he was analyzing the results of a simulation than his sister's romantic interests. And the corner of his mouth was definitely struggling to move upward. A thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Spock," she said in a low voice. "You swore to her that you wouldn't play matchmaker again."

His eyebrows rose. "I do not recall making any vow to her. She merely threatened me with a now extinct fan club were I to interfere again." There was a trace of amusement in his eyes.

"You didn't."

"Until now Mr. Sulu had not occurred to me as a potential match." Spock shook his head. "This is most interesting."

"Interesting?" McCoy asked. "You didn't much care for me or Jim flirting with her, but she practically throws herself at Sulu and all you have to say is 'interesting'?"

Spock shrugged. "Mr. Sulu is neither a womanizer nor given to emotional outbursts. In fact, I have observed him to be calm, discrete and reliable." The corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Selina has made it quite clear that my opinion has no bearing in such matters but were she to take him as a lover I do not think I would find it objectionable."

Kirk and McCoy were aghast. Nyota bit her cheeks to keep from laughing. Spock would absolutely never admit it, but he was enjoying this. Either he had figured it out or there was something going on that he was not telling her.

There was a small round of applause as Sulu scored the winning point. The two removed their masks and shook hands. Sulu nodded toward the four bridge officers in the audience and Selina leaned closer and said something that made him laugh. They both turned toward their friends, saluted and slashed their initials in the air. Then they made exaggerated stage bows and headed back to the locker rooms still smiling.

Nyota fell against Spock's shoulder laughing. Kirk and McCoy looked at them and then at each other before giving in and laughing too.

"How did you manage to set that up?" Kirk asked, staring at Spock in amazement.

"I do not know," Spock replied. "I would not have known anything unusual had occurred until the end of the bout if I had not overheard Lt. Uhura's cinematic critique."

Nyota nodded. "He really didn't know. In fact, she surprised me too. It wasn't quite what we'd had planned."

"Well, you're not getting out of it so easily Spock." McCoy grinned. "You may not have helped planning that prank, but this time you definitely took part."

"Vulcans do not engage in pranks, Doctor," Spock said smoothly. "However, we do understand the logic of assisting in the measured application of retribution."

Kirk slapped him on the back. "And you said you couldn't act!"


Yes, Selina and Nyota totally pwnd them, even if the plan was adapted to take advantage of circumstances. Selina did tell Nyota after the shopping expedition that the 'sort of revenge they might extract jointly should be more than enough to deter any sentient male from playing games'. The only question now is whether she's over-estimated the sentience of human males when it comes to pursuing women.

I really meant to write this differently, but somehow Sulu kept walking into the scene and Selina insisted it would be more fun if she kissed him. Then I had to work out how Spock would deal with that. Fortunately, he knows her well enough to have caught on and played along.

Jim and Bones took it well enough though - although Jim knows perfectly well that Spock hates it when people slap him on the back.

PS: Bonus geek points to anyone who has figured out why Sorenson calls Selina 'Grey'.