Monitoring Frequencies


Spock rose from meditation when he heard the door open. He was not alarmed. Only Nyota could enter unannounced. She sat on his bed and waited for him to remove his robe and come sit beside her before speaking.

"Someday Spock you have to get into the habit of using first names outside of strictly private conversation. Either that, or I'm going to have to start introducing myself as 'Nyota' to all your friends and acquaintances just so that I can be sure of who they are."

"I was raised to follow certain formalities. That is not easily discarded. But I will make an effort to provide full names with future introductions if you wish." His lips compressed slightly. "I did not realize he would not introduce himself as Allen. Perhaps because he guessed at our relationship, he chose to remain formal with you out of courtesy to me."

Nyota smiled to herself remembering Allen's comment about not noticing her legs. "But you might at least have told him that Selina was here. He was shocked when he realized it was her in the casino."

"That is why I did not tell him. That he did not recognize her once he broke into the security feeds is testament to the effectiveness of your disguise." Spock nodded to her. "Indeed, if I had not known that to look for an unconscious woman, I might have had difficulty identifying her myself."

"And I figured she wouldn't want anyone else to know it was her, so I just said she was a friend." Nyota chuckled and smiled up at Spock. "When he saw her, he asked if she was single."

Something pulled at the corner of Spock's mouth. "I take it that you did not offer to introduce them?"

"I thought she had enough on her hands trying to deal with Jim and Len." Nyota couldn't help a slightly wicked smile. "But you're just lucky I didn't. They probably both would have thought we were conspiring. Selina already thinks you brought him here on purpose."

Spock shifted slightly, the Vulcan equivalent of a shrug. "I did specifically request that, if available, he be assigned to this task. But my primary reason for doing so was that he is well-known to me and I trust him."

"Primary reason?"

There was another Vulcan shrug. "Despite the way they spar with each other, she is generally happier and less reckless when in his company."

"Spock, I know she cares about him, but they are just friends. I mean, she told me that he and David became good friends. If you ever broke it off with me, I'm not sure I could ever really become friends with anyone you took up with."

"Then it is good that there is no chance of that scenario ever occurring." He placed his around her. "However, if you ever found some aspect of our relationship so unsatisfactory that you could not continue, I hope that I would be able to form at least a cordial relationship with whoever did make you happy." His brows furrowed slightly. "However, I admit, it might require circumstances similar those under which Allen and David met in order to achieve that goal."

She looked at him inquiringly.

"Selina met David originally because his timely diagnosis saved Allen's life. Because David had done his medical internship on Betazed, he recognized immediately that she was trying to reach Allen's mind and told her to draw him into the link so that he could see his condition through her. David had a calm and rational mind. I believe his presence in the link helped to focus and stabilize both of them."

Nyota bit back a smile. "So David was a doctor then?"

"Yes. That is why Allen expressed surprise to see her flirting with our doctor. She had had some rather short liaisons with doctors in the past, but after losing David she swore she would not consider becoming involved with a physician again - a somewhat ironic sentiment on her part, since her reasoning was that they will too readily sacrifice themselves for the sake of their patients."

"She does seem determined to place herself between you, Allen and whatever might go wrong tonight." Nyota's expression became serious. "Why didn't you tell me there was more going on than just busting a ring of smugglers?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise. "It is not meant to be widely known. Intelligence wishes to give the impression that we believe only Vekalthian smugglers to be involved. I assume Selina told you in confidence, just as Allen confided in me?"

"Because she wanted me to understand why she was determined to be there tonight - if they're both SI, why prevent her from going?"

"I do not believe that either of them is, although both have worked with SI to some extent. That is not unusual for either a diplomat or someone with Allen's talents. As to why I prevent her from going, I agreed with Allen's request to do so." He lifted an eyebrow. "Were it possible, I would restrict him to his ship as well. Her concerns for him are not entirely unfounded."

"You might have let me know," she said, a little irritably.

"I calculate that there is less than a 19.741% chance that anything unexpected will occur. I did not wish for you to be unnecessarily concerned."

"Well I am. You're going to be looking out for Allen and you've got Selina restricted to the ship. Who's going to be looking out for you?"

He took her hand and kissed her lightly. "I trust that you will be monitoring my frequency."


.

Selina entered the nautatorium, noted the single swimmer, and strategically settled herself cross-legged on a diving block to wait. She and Spock had repeatedly attempted to teach him to meditate sitting before a flame, but he had claimed that the only state he ever achieved was that of 'cramped legs'. He seemed to require motion, even if it was just drumming his fingers on a desk, but she knew this particular form was his favorite. When he had not been in his quarters, she knew that she would find him here. For someone who tended to look slightly awkward on land, it was a pleasure to watch him swim where a slim build combined with long legs and his large 'wing span' allowed him to move swiftly through the water with easy grace.

He stopped at the other end of the lane, and startled slightly, noticing her. She smiled to herself. She had placed herself directly between him and the locker room door, a fact that he would not fail to notice. Seeming to resign himself, he fell back into the water and resurfaced shortly in front of her. She had a towel at the ready, but he did not emerge with a splash.

"What in the blazes are you doing here? I thought Spock had you safely locked aboard the Enterprise tonight?"

"He issued orders that I was not to be transported to the station, but he said nothing about the Aldrin," she said smugly. "You two are slipping."

"Must be." He palmed the clear covers from his eyes and then leaned against wall, draping his arms over the edge of the pool. "Doesn't matter though; you aren't coming with me."

"Transporters are swift and in case you decide to take the shuttle, I brought earplugs." She dangled them from one finger. "And I have already spoken to Captain Morris and explained to her that I will be accompanying you as an observer for the Ambassador."

His eyebrows rose. "Pak okayed that?"

She pursed her lips. "No. But I am sure that he will, eventually."

"I should have had Spock lock you in the brig," he said, looking up at her.

"And when has that ever worked?"

"There's always a first time." He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Wish he'd use a nerve pinch on you. I can't imagine what you threatened him with to make him so set against it."

She leaned down and fixed him with a stare. "I could demonstrate."

He pushed off from the wall and floated just out of reach. "You'd have to catch me first."

"You do have to come out of there sometime," she warned.

"Not necessarily." He grinned. "I could probably be pretty happy as marine mammal."

"A red-furred Beluga perhaps?" she suggested, tilting her head.

"Maybe if I slapped my flukes and soaked you that would keep you from tagging along." One cupped hand batted the water playfully. "I know you don't care to be seen in wet clothing."

"What happened to chivalrous young man who lent me his t-shirt?" she asked with a mock sigh.

"Um, ...he got to know you?" he ventured with a laugh.

She reached down and threw a handful of water at him. He blocked it with a hand and grinned. "Seriously, Grey? You think I won't?"

"Do you think that I do not know you by now?" She arched an eyebrow. "I did bring a change of clothing."

"Think of everything, don't you?"

She glanced at the chronometer. "I think you need to decide if you are staying in there or getting changed to go to the station. I am quite content either way, but I intend to keep an eye on you until the raid is over."

He kicked forward and pulled himself up on the edge of the diving block, cocking an eyebrow with a teasing smile. "So you're planning on following me into the shower?"

She narrowed her eyes and looked down into his. "If need be."

"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure there's some regulation against that. With my luck, I'm the one who would end up in the brig." He sighed, dropped back into the water and then climbed out on the side. Taking a seat on the edge next to her, he gave her a mischievous grin before shaking his head like a big dog.

She shielded herself with the towel and then looped it around his neck, pulling him closer. "Someday I will show you exactly why Spock is unwilling to use a nerve pinch on me."

"Someday I'll call that bluff." He pulled the ends of the towel from her hands and stood giving a mock salute. "I'll meet you in the shuttle bay, Madam Observer. We'll see how well those earplugs work."


.

Jim Kirk woke to the buzz of his comm. Opening a bleary eye, he hit the key to respond. "What is it? And it had better be good."

"Keptin," Chekhov's voice, much too enthusiastic given the hour, chirped over the comm. "I em zorry to vake you, but our ghost zhip, I beliewe zhe iz back."

"Okay. Thanks Chekhov. Keep an eye on her. Kirk out." Jim sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at the chronometer. Four hours sleep, could be worse. As Captain, he'd learned to make due with what he could get in terms of shut eye. Well, misery loves company, he reflected, keying an ID into the comm.

Scotty's agitated voice answered. "Whot are ye needin', Captain? Ah was just within ah hair's breath ah finally finishin' one ah mah journals."

Did the man never sleep? "Scotty, it seems a cloaked visitor just popped into station space. Please tell me this ship is ready for action again."

"She's right as rain. I'll have her ready to pull out of dock in 20 minutes, sair."

"Thanks, Scotty, but just in case, make it 10. Kirk out."

He got up and headed to the 'fresher. No point in trying to go back to sleep now.


.

As Spock indicated, Sorenson wasn't so much teasing when he asked about another doctor as surprised since she swore off the breed after David got himself killed. It remains to be seen if Bones can change her mind on that.

Scotty's obsession with keeping up with his technical journals is clear in TOS, where he prefers time reading them to shore leave. In AU, he's more interested in real food, but in the novelization, his journals are his one solace on Delta Vega. Kirk telling him to do something in half the time is also a TOS staple. In TNG when Scotty gets to chat with Geordi, he advises him to always inflate the time estimates he gives the captain. He says that it's the way to get a reputation as a miracle worker, but I think the strategy was originally developed in self-defense.

And since I haven't said it in a while, I own nothing but my plot and OCs.