Author's Note: The chapter covers seven days and jumps around that period with little regard for chronological order. The text features a T-rated sexual fantasy and delves into religious spiritualism.
Warning – Spock comes off looking "bad" in this chapter. However, see my note at the end of this text before "kicking him to the curb" (smile).
Your comments are always welcome.
3:36 PM Thursday - In a small auditorium style room in the Hoshi Sato Communications Building, Uhura walked unto the stage in full dressed uniform. She surveyed the set-up that included a semi-circular table with one chair for each of the five auditors for her oral examination. The table faced the auditorium seating, while her chair had been placed so her back would be to audience members.
The East African checked her chronometer and smiled. It will begin in 24 minutes.
Much of the last six days had been a blur to her. Last Friday, she had only three minutes to spare out of four hours to complete her first written comprehensive exam. She then spent the weekend enduring a grueling military exercise, but was grateful when her squadron leader – Ensign Vladjina – chose to look away when she took out a prohibited mini-iTablet to review her notes during one of her few breaks.
Uhura completed both of her exams on Monday and Tuesday near or as the permitted time expired. However, on Wednesday, the exhausted Cadet spent far too much time formulating her outline than on previous days. When her advisor, Dr. Greeley, came into the room to call an end to the examination period, the East African's heart sank as she saw she had not started on the final contention of her answer or provided a concluding paragraph. She was not sure if Dr. Greeley had spoken to her at all as she left the office. Upset over not completing the exam, Uhura did not want to disclose her great disappointment to her advisor.
Spock . . .
10:56 PM Thursday - Uhura had not seen the Vulcan since they met outside her residence hall during the previous week. In semi-darkness on a bench, they rose up as they prepared to depart from each other. Uhura asked, "Aren't you going to wish me luck?"
"Why would I want to engage in such a pointless activity?" He responded drily.
"I begin my comps tomorrow."
"Yes. I am well aware of your exam schedule and this weekend's training mission. It prohibits us from meeting, again, until next Thursday evening."
"Well, I know if I were like you and already held three doctorate degrees, taking another set of comprehensive exams probably would not phase me. However, this process is all very new to me and I would rather pass them the first time instead of facing more months of intense study."
"At the end of your second year at the Academy, did you not meet with your doctoral committee to outline a plan of study for the examinations?"
"Yes."
"Since that time, have you not spent your time prudently as you adhered to the study strategy to optimize your ability to address each of the exam questions?"
"Yes."
"Do you not feel mentally, intellectually and physical prepared for the schedule of written and oral examinations?"
"Yes, I do. But – "
"There is no need to qualify your answer, Nyota. You are either primed for this endeavor or not. Having me or anyone else to wish you luck as you termed it will have no effect on the outcome of these assessments of your scholarship."
Uhura knew it was a typical Spock answer, but she would not allow the discussion to end there. "Spock, I know I am as ready for these exams as I will ever be. However, I'll admit I'm in need of a little reassurance. Someone who will say . . . Girl, I know you've got it. You're going to be just fine."
As if it were even possible, the Uhura saw the Vulcan straighten his posture even more to assume his professorial demeanor. "First, I am certain you do not expect me to speak in that vernacular. Second, it is illogical to hold the view you have expressed. If you have properly trained for this academic trial, there is no reason to perceive the need for assurance of your success from anyone outside of yourself."
His words did not rest well with her. "Spock, just who are you to tell me what I need? If I say I need some words of comfort, you should be willing to offer it without question."
"It appears you are confusing the word need with desire. What you ask is not a requirement for passing the exams. The outcome you seek is not at all dependent on any fanciful expression from me."
"So, then . . . " she said with her anger simmering below the surface, "You have nothing to say to me?"
"There is a matter of logistics I would like to share with you." He told her seemingly oblivious to her emotional state. "As previously noted, we will not easily be able to meet, again, until after your oral exam next Thursday. Under these circumstances, I thought it best if I once more arranged the use Diarmuid's apartment. This time, I will prepare dinner and we will have the balance of the evening to further explore our personal association."
Uhura stared at the Vulcan with her mouth agape.
"Nyota, are you troubled about something?"
"Spock, all I asked for were just a few words of encouragement, but for some reason your Vulcan sensibility won't allow you to do so even though I have explained why it is so important to me. Under these circumstances, do you really think I am going to stand here and discuss plans to meet you for some sort of romantic rendezvous?"
"The arrangements do not require a discussion, since I have already taken care of the details. Your oral exam is scheduled from 4-6 PM. After a half hour of deliberations, the results will be announced. In the schedule, I have generously allowed 30 minutes for you to share any obligatory statements your wish to render to the committee and your guests in attendance. Subsequently, you will have a full hour to go to your housing unit, shower, dress and meet me at Diarmuid's apartment at 8 PM."
Her hands found her hips as she assumed her furious Black woman pose. "There appears to be one more activity you neglected to take into account."
"And, what might that be, Nyota?"
"Seems like you're going to need time to go f**k yourself. In fact, alone in Diarmuid's apartment, you will have the entire evening to do just that!"
She did not wait to see if the Vulcan had any response as the East African turned quickly on her heels and angrily headed into her dorm.
5:07 PM Wednesday - Uhura stood outside of the Communications Building not sure where she wanted to go. She realized she had enough time to go to the cafeteria for dinner before her Bible Study meeting. However, after her unsatisfactory performance on the fourth written exam, she was in no mood to eat or delve into religious studies. And, there was only one person she wanted to see . . . Spock.
After her heated words of parting during her last meeting with the Vulcan, Uhura was grateful for the fullness of the upcoming days which gave her little time to think about Spock. Her schedule proved so mentally and physically taxing, when it came time to rest her head she would fall asleep with no hesitation.
Still, there were moments when thoughts of Spock would find their way to her consciousness when she least expected . . . brushing her teeth . . . putting on her socks . . . sipping hot coffee . . . walking across the quad . . . taking time to listen to a song by one of Gaila's favorite Orion bands.
5:13 AM Tuesday - The Vulcan slipped into her thoughts when she awakened in her bed to find one of her hands nestled between her bare thighs underneath her nightshirt. She surprised even herself by not removing it immediately upon discovery. Comfortably warm and rested, she imagined herself . . .
Laying in a bed . . .
Spock's bed . . .
Her eyes not yet open but knowing he was there . . .
His eyes . . .
Watching her . . .
Waiting for her . . .
Until he could wait no more . . .
His large hand moving beneath the single, white sheet that covered their bodies . . .
The tips of his fingers finding their target . . .
Her soft, brown thighs . . .
He lightly moved his fingertips against her skin . . .
As he gently called to her . . .
Nyota . . . Nyota . . .
She opened her eyes and saw him . . .
Black hair . . .
Dark piercing eyes . . .
Strong cheekbones . . .
Full lips . . .
Beautiful, flawless olive skin any woman would long for . . .
She smiled upon the sight of him and told him . . .
"Hey, Baby . . . what can I do for you this morning?"
"Let me in." He told her simply as his fingers continued to dance upon her thigh . . .
Without hesitation, she parted her thighs just enough for his slender fingers to gain entrance and find a welcoming home . . .
Spock . . .
She called him as she felt herself grow delicious wet from his touch . . .
And then . . .
Uhura laughed aloud as she withdrew her hand from between her legs and roused herself from her fantasy. She quieted herself only after realizing she had made Gaila stir in her bed.
She thought to herself, How ridiculous was that to think the Vulcan could be such a gentle lover. Wouldn't that degree of intimacy require someone conscious of and willing to satisfy his partner's physical and emotional needs? He certainly seemed to be unwilling to deal with the latter the last time we met.
Yet, the East African could not deny the warm, tingling sensation that had overtook her body as she had lay thinking about Spock. Damn, she exclaimed as she stifled another laugh attempting to escape her lips, How that Vulcan turns me on.
5:23 PM Wednesday - Uhura stood outside Spock's office in the Physical Science Complex. She reasoned, If he kept the same office hours as last semester, he should be available. Not wanting to appear needy, she waited until she could think of a fitting excuse for her visit. Then, a motive came to her.
One section of Uhura's oral exam on Wednesday would be given entirely in Vulcan, Romulan or Klingon by a scholar with a Visiting Professor appointment at the University of California, Berkeley. As Spock had in the past, she could ask him if he would assist her with practicing conversation using these languages for an hour. Afterwards, she thought, I can talk to him about my incomplete exam and find out, as a faculty member, if he has any advice on how to deal with it.
Uhura entered the office and was soon disheartened at the sight of Spock's empty chair. However, the suite was not completely vacant.
"Hi, Uhura." Cadet Goldberg said as he rose from his seat. "What are you doing here? I hope you're not trying to get back your old job." He commented only half-jokingly.
Uhura had not regretted giving up her position in Spock's office. While she missed seeing him on a more regular basis, she felt freer to speak her mind when not in such a subservient position.
"Look, Goldberg," she told him, "That's something you'll never have to worry about. I learned quite a bit as Mr. Spock's Course Assistant, but it was just a temporary position until something else opened up for me in my own department."
"Well, to be honest, I still don't understand why he chose you instead of a student in the Physical Sciences field."
"Mr. Spock 's academic concerns are much broader than that. He also teaches Ethics, Universal Philosophies, and serves as guest lecturer for several Xenosociology Courses. It is a wonder you feel confident to serve as his assistant dealing with such a wide breath of subjects."
"This is true, but his grading rubrics are so detailed that as long as you have a brain, almost any student could serve as his . . . " Upon seeing Uhura knowing look, Goldberg chose not to complete his sentence. The Cadet was grateful when she chose to change the subject.
Uhura commented, "I thought Mr. Spock held office hours at this time."
"He's hardly been in his office at all since last Thursday. He spends most of his time dealing with his courses, research projects and oversight duties regarding the building of Enterprise. He told me it would probably be like this for the next few months and I said that was fine with me. I don't mind working independently and there's always plenty to do to keep me occupied, so the time goes fast."
"Yes. There's never an idle moment in Mr. Spock's office." The East African remarked, while glancing back at the Vulcan's chair once more.
After a few moments passed without her speaking, Goldberg asked, "So, Uhura, was there a reason why you stopped by here?"
"I was just walking by and thought I'd stop in to see how things were going."
"Well, that was thoughtful of you, but as you can see I'm doing fine."
Uhura refrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Goldberg, I actually came by to chat with Mr. Spock."
"To chat?"
Uhura knew why her word choice would seem peculiar to the Cadet. To him, speaking with the Vulcan would be anything, but casual and familiar.
"I wanted his advice on a matter." She replied.
"Well, he's not here."
"I think that has already been established." Now Uhura was sure she knew why Spock chose not to spend much time in his office. "Listen Goldberg, I should probably be on my way. Thanks, anyways." She said as she headed for the door.
"Do you want to leave a message for him?"
Uhura turned back, "Just tell him . . . " As she struggled to find the right words, she thought, His absence is probably a sign I should not have bothered to come by. Regardless of my exam performance, there are definitely some issues Spock and I need to deal with. But, the way I'm feeling, any encounter I would have with him right now certainly would end up in another argument.
"Never mind, Goldberg. Just forget I even came by."
Just as she reached for the touch plate, Uhura heard Goldberg call her name once more. Reluctantly, she turned back to him.
"What is it, now, Goldberg?"
"You might as well take your stuff with you."
"What stuff?"
"Some personal items you left behind. I guess you forgot to clean out your drawer after you resigned." Goldberg went back to his desk and opened a small side drawer. Uhura met him there and blushed as she recognized the articles.
Goldberg continued. "When I found these on my first day on the job, I started to put them in a package, but Mr. Spock stopped me. I told him I could drop them by your dorm, but he said it would not be necessary."
"I'm sorry, Goldberg. I had forgotten all about these things." Uhura began to place the articles into her bag . . . a nearly depleted tube of lipstick . . . a small bottle of lilac perfume . . . a black hair band . . . several wrapped panty liners . . . and a used emery board.
"You can imagine," he told her, "I wasn't feeling too secure about my job after he told me to leave them in the drawer. It was like he was expecting you to come back."
Uhura closed her purse and tried not to allow her face to portray her conflicting emotions. The East African loved the Vulcan as she had no other man. Yet, he seemed to want her only on his own terms. She wondered, Did he always have to be in control? Could he not bend? Could he not learn to treat her as an equal partner in their relationship?
"Let me assure you, Goldberg, I won't ever try to reclaim this position."
"And, actually it really wouldn't be worth your while to do so since it is only good until the end of the semester anyways. When the Enterprise is ready to launch at the beginning of May, Mr. Spock will be off on another five-year tour."
The last thing Uhura needed to be reminded of was Spock's upcoming deep space assignment. To her, the timing of the nearing date of the StarShip launch, made the deepening of their relationship all the more impractical and unsound.
Goldberg added, "Maybe the next Physical Sciences Department Chair will want to take me on."
Lost in thought, Uhura nodded although uncertain of what Goldberg had said.
"Hey, are you all right?" Goldberg asked. "Uhura?"
"I'm fine." She replied abruptly before adding, "Thanks for keeping my things for me. It must have been awkward for you."
"Are you sure you don't want to leave a message for Mr. Spock? I thought you wanted some advice."
"Not any more." She again headed for the door.
"Where are you going in case he asks?"
Reaching for the touch plate, she replied, "I don't know. I was going to Bible Study, but now I'm not sure."
Uhura moved quickly out of the office just as she felt her eyes well up in tears. Damn it, Uhura! She cursed herself. Why do you want what you can't have?
Coming out of the Physical Science Complex, she hurried across campus intent on returning to her dorm room. Then, she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Uhura." Fourth year Cadet Jordan Williamson called to her. Uhura feigned as not hearing him, but Jordan caught up with her. "Hey, Uhura, if you're going to Bible Study tonight you missed your turn."
"I'm not going." She said curtly.
Sensing her hurt, Uhura's old friend continued to walk along with her. "So, where are you headed?"
"To my room."
"To review for your oral exams?"
"I'm probably going to cry my eyes out." She retorted sarcastically.
"What's the happy occasion?"
"Just feel like it."
"We've known each other too long for you to try to bullshit me, Uhura." Jordan and Uhura had first met as undergraduates at Harvard. He introduced her to Christianity and became the object of her first major romantic crush. Although her infatuation never came to fruition, they maintained their friendship and mutual religious interests.
"Everything went wrong, today."
"Everything?"
"This afternoon, I spent four hours on one of my written exams, but I I didn't finish it.
"If you spent four hours on it, it can't be all bad."
"Didn't you hear me, I didn't finish it, Jordan. I've had over nine months to prepare for these exams and I was expected to be able to complete it within the time allotted. And then tomorrow there is the not so small matter of the two-hour interrogation I have to endure for my oral examination. Even if I miraculously get through that ordeal, Dr. Greeley will probably tell me I can't move on to begin my dissertation because I failed to finish . . ."
Uhura stopped unable to take another step as hot tears began to fall down her face. Jordan watched her, but made no move to embrace her.
"I'm not joining your pity party, Cadet Uhura." Jordan told her. "You're too strong of a woman to play that part."
"I can cry if I want to." She whined, not even recognizing her own voice.
"There's nothing wrong with shedding a few tears, Uhura. But you seem to have yourself all tied up in knots in anticipation of something that may or may not happen."
"I've worked too hard for this, Jordan. Failure is not an option I can easily accept."
Jordan took her by the shoulders and spoke directly to her. "What's the worse that can happen, Uhura? Yesterday, you told me you felt pretty good about your answers to your first three written exams. With a good night's sleep and time for review, I know you'll do well on the oral exam. So, ifyou'll need to take the fourth written exam again, it won't mean suddenly your career dreams are dashed. But, what it does mean is that you have taken a major step in fulfilling one of the requirements for your doctorate and that alone is reason for celebration."
Uhura raised her face and looked up to him and nodded. Besides being a good friend, he played the role of the older brother she had always wanted. She thanked God for bringing him into her life.
"Come with me to Bible Study, Uhura, and then I promise I'll stop with the sermonizing."
"I'll come with you to Bible Study, but I never want you to stop being real with me."
"All right." He smiled as he took out his handkerchief. "Then, take this and clean up your face and blow your nose. You look like shit!"
6:52 PM Wednesday - In a meeting room in the Student Activities Center, 29 Cadets and 7 administrators/officers listened as Ensign Ng and Cadet Schreiner concluded the evening's lesson.
Ng announced, "At our next Bible Study meeting, we'll be back to more political intrigue and will see how God's plan manifested itself during the reign of Queen Esther."
Some of the attendees began to rise from their seats.
"Hold on." Schreiner raised her hands to signal them to sit back down. "It's not quite 7 o'clock and we have something else to take care of." After they regained their seats, she continued speaking in a good-natured tone. "Now I know some of you were checking your chronometers instead of fully listening to this evening's exciting lesson on the Book of Nehemiah." A few chuckles were heard. "However, we wanted to end early to ask one of our sisters to come forward. Uhura, please come to the front."
Surprised to hear her name called, Uhura hesitantly rose to her feet after taking a gentle elbow from Jordan. She had been pleased her friend convinced her to attend the meeting, since she felt these sessions usually deepened her understanding of her faith. However, still feeling unsociable due to the day's events, she had taken a seat in the back of the room hoping to slip in and out of the meeting with little notice of anyone other than Jordan.
"This way, Uhura." Ng encouraged her as the East African made her way to the front.
Schreiner told her, "A little bird informed us you are facing your oral comprehensive exam tomorrow after four days of written exams. Is that true, Uhura?"
Uhura gave the eye to the little bird she knew had to be Jordan, but he just answered her look with a huge grin.
"Yes, that is true." The East African replied.
Schreiner continued, "Then with your permission, we would like to end tonight's meeting raising you up in prayer."
The request gave Uhura pause. While she had certainly prayed for others or for herself, she could not recall a time when someone else did the same for her in a public forum. When she sighed uneasily, Ng could tell the offer had made her uncomfortable.
"Think about it this way," He told her, "You would be doing us the favor by allowing us to put our faith in action. Could you do that for us, Uhura?"
"Yes." She answered reluctantly, not fully understanding why that made the circumstance more palatable.
Ng took her right hand in his.
"You may want to close your eyes." Ng gently advised, causing Uhura to giggle nervously. She looked back at Jordan who nodded his head once in encouragement. She then took a breath and closed her eyes.
When Ng began to pray it was almost like a song . . .
A simple melody preparing her spirit for the journey . . .
A journey that began with Ng's touch and his words . . .
Calming her . . .
Making her ready for . . .
Schreiner's touch as she took up the East African's left hand . . .
Her voice added a second melodic line to that of her Christian brother . . .
Making her ready for . . .
The joining of another who touched her shoulder . . .
While another gave support to her back . . .
One by one they came . . .
If they could not touch her directly, they linked with someone else who could . . .
Moved by the spirit of God, they forged a bond leading to and from Uhura . . .
The harmonies of their voices reinforced the dominant melodic lines . . .
"Release your burdens, Uhura . . . "
"Let go . . . "
And suddenly . . .
She felt as if her body were floating on air . . .
Her heart filled with joy . . .
Her spirit uplifted . . .
Her soul finding peace through their love . . .
3:58 PM Thursday - Uhura found her seat on the stage as she awaited the entrance of the examiners. Until Gaila had given her the time, the East African had stood at the doorway and greeted each of the audience members as they arrived . . . Kirk, McCoy, Gaila . . . Jordan, Ng, Schreiner and several other members of her Bible study group . . . Damitra Clark, Shen Tan and other U.S.S. Potemkin crewmates with whom she served last summer . . . former faculty members . . . and other peers and support staff she had met during her Academy days.
Spock had not been among them.
But Uhura did not care.
She felt so good . . .
So confident . . .
So alive . . .
And, at 4:00 PM, when the examiners entered the room, they were disarmed by the smiling, East African young woman more than ready to take them on.
Author's Note: You should know by now I greatly appreciate your comments, but withhold judgment on Spock until you have had a chance to read about these seven days from his point of view. Like all of us, he is still in the process of learning, so please don't launch any "stones" at him – yet (smile).
With that being said, your comments (even if they are anti-Spock) are always welcome.