Author's Note: In Chapter 12, Uhura further explores her own sexual boundaries. A solo experience, the sex would probably best be rated "T+," but is not quite an "M." Most of the sex talk is in italics, so you can probably skip those parts if you find them offensive. You could also just skip over to Chapter 13 and pick up the story there with little problem. The chapter also includes scenes with Gaila and Kirk.
Your comments are always welcome.
On a SkyBus, Uhura opened her bag to see if it was still there. When she saw the unopened envelope, she could not help but tell herself, So, what were you thinking? Was it going to magically disappear out of your bag, because your eyes had not been on it for the last three minutes?
The East African closed her bag and settled back in her seat wondering why she was not nervous on her way to see Mr. Sevat, the Vulcan Visiting Professor at the University of California-Berkeley. After all, during her oral comprehensive exam he had asked the only two questions she could not answer. Yet, she did not feel in the least apprehensive about her meeting with the famed Xenologist. Perhaps, she reflected, It's because today everything seems to be going my way.
Earlier that Monday, Uhura awakened lazily in her dorm bed. As she stretched her arms over her head, Gaila came out of the bathroom already dressed in her Cadet's uniform.
"Oh, I see Sleeping Beauty has finally decided to wake up." The Orion commented as she went to a mirror to apply her makeup.
"What time is it?" Uhura asked. "It can't be that late."
"It's 7:39 and I've got to get out here in 5 minutes to make it to my class in Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction on time. Professor Schlosberg said if I'm late one more time, she's going to have my head."
"7:39? Really?" The East African said while clasping her arms behind her head.
"Yeah, I almost called for a medic when I saw you still in the bed when I got up this morning."
"The first thing on my schedule today is my appointment with Dr. Greeley to find out the results of the exam I had to retake. And, that's not until 9 AM."
"Uhura, you know you're usually up no later than 6 AM correcting papers for your class, listening to language disks, or reading an academic journal even if it's not for a class or a project you're working on."
"This weekend's military exercises were certainly no picnic. Maybe my body just needed a little more time to recuperate."
Gaila shuddered. "Every time I think it can't get any worse, our Commanding Officer proves me wrong. With little sleep we had to deal with endless rain, mud and manual labor that must have been designed by some sort of masochist. I must have broke three nails this weekend!"
"I'm sure Starfleet appreciates your sacrifice." Uhura quipped.
"But Uhura, while there you acted like it was nothing. All weekend you seemed to have a silly grin on your face."
"Me with a silly grin?" She replied playfully.
"Yeah, kind of like the one you have on your face right now. The kind of grin that seems to say, I'm getting some, even though I know you're not."
Uhura turned to the side propping her head on her hand and teased, "I'm not sure what you mean, Gaila. Getting some of what?"
Turning to the East African, Gaila told her, "Don't play innocent with me, Uhura. You know I'm talking about sex and I know you haven't had any . . . at least, not yet."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you would have told me." The Orion told her with confidence.
"Oh, really?" Uhura said with a mischievous edge to her voice.
"Uhura!" Gaila exclaimed excitedly as she came over and sat on her roommate's bed. "I should have known something was going on. Now I want all of the details."
"Gaila," Uhura laughed. "You should know I'm just messing with you."
Her roommate looked at the East African warily. "I don't know. Something is up with you."
"Well, it's not the sort of action you're thinking of." Uhura commented, although she knew her erotic topless activity with Spock last Thursday night would have certainly shocked Gaila's impression of the roommate she felt was sexually repressed.
"But you are seeing someone, aren't you?"
"How could I? My weekends are all spoken for and, unlike you and Kirk, I always make it back before curfew."
"Oh, Uhura, now I know you're hiding something. Trying to talk nonsense as if you can't get it on before 11 PM. So, come on. Let me know what's going on."
"All right . . . all right. There is one thing I've got to tell you."
"That's more like it." Gaila said as she drew closer to her.
Uhura whispered, "It's 7:51."
Gaila shrieked and got up to grab her iTablet and bag.
"Don't forget you're supposed to go out with the gang, tonight, to celebrate the passing of your exams."
"That's not a certainty, yet."
"Stop trying to be so modest. You know you can't miss this time. And, don't you dare try to find some lame excuse to back out of it."
"Who me?" Uhura feigned innocence.
"You promised!" The Orion told her as she dashed out the door using a tone that sounded more like a warning, than a reminder.
Uhura happily rose up from the bed and headed for the bathroom. There, she slipped off her panties and oversized t-shirt, and then climbed into the shower.
While her comments had been veiled, Uhura knew she had probably said too much to her roommate. However, she took solace in the knowledge the Orion had been swamped with coursework and her ever time-consuming Robotics Club activities. Gaila did not seem to have the time to spend on her own love life, much less trying to pry information about Uhura's. The East African knew she had to be careful to not divulge any more than her roommate already suspected. Still, this day her thoughts of her affections for Spock had especially been difficult for her to keep beneath the surface.
Nyota is in love . . .
Head over heels in love . . .
Crazy in love . . .
With a Vulcan who called her . . .
Ashayam . . . my Beloved . . .
Yes, Baby . . .
I love you, too, with all my heart.
As she stood beneath the showerhead, Uhura thought back to the evening Spock had expressed the term of endearment through a Vulcan folktale while at the teahouse he owned. Following the telling of the story, she recalled how he walked her back to her residence hall. Unlike the previous night when they parted feeling frustrated and unsatisfied, this time was different.
Like the warm water caressing her body . . .
She felt his eyes touching her . . .
There . . .
And . . . there . . .
Yes . . . Baby . . .
And . . . there . . .
Once more . . .
Right there . . .
And while on campus grounds the Vulcan could not dare to meet her lips or even take her hand in his . . .
Ashayam . . .
The sweet memory of him voicing that tender word was all she needed . . .
For now . . .
Spock . . .
She surprised herself as she felt a nipple between her fingers . . .
Teasing . . .
Pulling . . .
Squeezing . . .
Mmmmm . . .
Yes, Baby . . .
Like that . . .
And then, she laughed at herself as she picked up the bath sponge to begin to wash her body. She thought, What would the precious ones1 think if they saw that demonstration? They wouldn't believe it! . . . Even, I don't believe it.
It was not that she had never before touched herself (although the occurrence had been rare). However, this was the first time she could recall to have so consciously summoned her arousal with just the thought of him.
Of course, it was a little . . .
Naughty . . .
Yes . . .
Erotic . . .
Yes . . .
And carnal . . .
But did she like it . . .
Oh, yes . . .
And, if she were to be honest with herself, it would not be the last time.
Had it been one year or two since she called her friend Shaniqua with a shameful confession after having given into touching herself when her arousal had grown too intense. The actress from Motown tried to calm her concerns and let her know it was natural. But, at the time in Uhura's mind, Just because its natural, does not make it right.
What made it different, now? Is it Spock? I can understand feeling this way when I'm with him but why does this happen when . . .
Back on the SkyBus, Uhura felt a warm, sensual feeling between her legs. Without knowing why, she closed her eyes and gave into the urge to cross her legs and . . . squeezed.
The East African felt an erotic sensation move throughout her body. The Cadet gasped for breath as she could feel her pulse racing.
All right, girl. You better get a hold of yourself. She admonished herself as she opened her eyes and turned her head slightly to see if she were being watched. She sighed with great relief when it appeared the other passengers were occupied with their own thoughts and activities.
Time to bring this thing under control. Think of something that won't get you all hot and bothered. She said to herself as Uhura tried to calm down. Think . . . think . . . think of . . . Dr. Greeley!
At one time, Uhura felt a strong sense of loyalty to her graduate advisor, even though few others shared her feelings toward the faculty member. In Dr. Greeley's courses, even Xenolinguistic majors found it challenging to keep focused on her talks for the entire period. While it was against Academy policy to ever skip a class, non-majors would find themselves present in body only as their minds would usually slip away to another matter to occupy themselves. Kirk often challenged Uhura's estimation of the professor.
"Listening to that woman is about as interesting as watching paint dry on the wall." He charged.
"Oh, that was original." Uhura retorted.
"You know what I'm saying, Uhura. Experiencing one of her classes is a painful way of testing the question as to whether or not it is possible for time to stand still."
"So, she's not an entertainer. Why should she be? It's the content that's most important and you can't question her credentials in that regard, especially as a Vulcanologist. She spent five years on Vulcan; a record that has never been matched by any human with, of course, the exception of Mr. Spock's mother, Dr. Amanda Grayson."
"Five years might as well have been five minutes. In our Introduction to Vulcan class, did you really get the impression Dr. Greeley really had any more insight on Vulcans than you or I?"
"You're exaggerating, Kirk. It's not really fair to characterize her experience that way. Even living among them, it is my understanding as a people they are not receptive to outsiders . . . "
Kirk interrupted, "You mean anyone not a Vulcan . . ."
"They are not receptive to outsiders," she repeated, "delving into their culture and traditions. They will explain them if asked, but they're not amenable to being the subject of such intensive study. Even being a cultural anthropologist did not give Dr. Grayson permission to publish her first-hand insights on the Vulcan way of life. Her marriage to Ambassador Sarek came with a strict understanding that such matters would not be for public dissemination to those beyond their world."
"That doesn't quite explain it."
"Explain what?"
"I took a look at Greeley's dissertation. Grayson didn't serve on her Doctoral Committee. Don't you think that's strange considering the circumstance?"
Kirk never ceased to amaze the East African. How many Cadets would take the time to read the thesis of a faculty in their own major, let alone those outside their major? However, in contrast to his anti-intellectual façade, Uhura knew him to have a voracious academic appetite. He also paid attention to and could recall detail like no one else she knew with the exception of Spock. Even Uhura had not realized Dr. Grayson did not serve on her advisor's dissertation committee.
But, Kirk's insights did not stop there. "And one other thing, Uhura. How come you know so much about what Dr. Grayson can or cannot do as someone married to a Vulcan? I can't imagine that tight-ass Mr. Spock discussing this with you. Didn't you tell me he hardly ever said two words to you while you served as his Course Assistant?"
"Yeah . . . something like that." Uhura did not believe she had lied since at the time she shared this complaint with Kirk, Spock kept discussions short and firmly on matters related to coursework. "But remember I told you that one day I did spend some time with Dr. Grayson when I served as an Academy Ambassador. This happened well before I became Mr. Spock's Course Assistant."
"Oh, yeah? So, she thought your tour was so great, this woman just started opening up to you about how she has to negotiate her life as a human in a Vulcan world. Really?" He questioned her suspiciously.
Unlike Gaila, Uhura could not so easily maneuver around Kirk's sharp mind. He usually would stay on her, unless he got a satisfactory answer.
"For some reason, I believe she felt me to be a kindred spirit. Like her I aspire to earn my doctoral degree and we are in related fields."
According to Kirk's expression, it did not appear he fully bought the East African's explanation. Yet, unexpectedly his comments turned back to Uhura's advisor. "Well, I still think it's telling that someone with Grayson's educational background and experience wasn't tapped by Greeley to judge her work. I wonder what was up with that?"
"As one of Dr. Greeley's students, I've got to hope your insinuations are unfounded. If true, it doesn't bode well for my future reputation in the field."
Then Kirk gave Uhura one of his "patented" smiles of assurance. "Come on, Mildred, do you think Greeley can hold you back? Without a doubt, you're a real star. One day, the time will come when your achievements will far outshine anything Greeley can claim. And I got a feeling, it won't take too long before that comes to pass."
Uhura returned his smile, although she was sure he did not realize the inadvertent reference he had made to her actual name.2
"That's the way I like to see you look." Kirk commented. "I guess when I finally grow up, I'll learn how to act less like a smart ass and more like the man you want me to be."
The East African could not help, but raise her hand up in a futile attempt to brush down Kirk's wild blonde hair. "Got to admit the name game is real tired. But, I think I already see the man I want you to be. You just got to grow into him."
Author's Note: In Chapter 13, Uhura learns of her exam results and an offer by the Vulcan professor, Mr. Sevat.
Your comments are always welcome.
1 Her best friends – Shaniqua, Habibah, and Yasmin – from her pre-Academy days.
2 Uhura's Swahili given name, Nyota, translates to mean "star" in English.