A Taste of Honey

Chapter Thirteen

As they finished their meal M'Binga looked at his friend,

"Seriously Leo, how have you been feeling?

"Considering everything, pretty good. Regular meals, exercise, not imbibing seems to be working in my favor."

He flexed his muscle and M'Binga thumped it.

"Hard as a rock, like your head…sometime. You still want to go through with it?"

"Let me give you this scenario:

"I fell in love, worked unrelentingly, lost my wife and child, was given a reprieve by the most beautiful woman in the fleet, she saved me from myself. With her I didn't need drink, she even made me laugh. Geof, she begged me not to go on that last research mission. She begged me in tears. I did the male thing, I was unreasonable, unreasoning, and unresponsive to her needs and wishes and it destroyed me and my second marriage. Many years have passed since I 'died'. I owed that much to her. Why should she be denied what was her due as a wife? Why should she be saddled with an old dried up man. I could not do that to her. Spock had made her happy and has kept his promise to me…I have my son, and his family. Before I close my eyes I want to look into her eyes one more time. The beauty of those orbs has been indelibly impressed in my mind; they were like deep pools of peace in which I could immerse my tortured soul. It was indeed difficult for me to believe she truly loved me. I remember asking her that one time. Her answer as she laughed was,

'Your 'charming' bedside manner won me over.'

Then she snuggled closer and whispered,

'You healed me…'

"That was when I discovered passion, deep abiding toe tingling passion."

Running his fingers through his hair he said,

"She is an amazing woman, she brings out the best in people…she did it for me. I am certain Spock is a better person because of her. Damn it, I better stop this rambling."

The waitress came with their check. McCoy/Blake put up his hand to his friend and said,

"It is my treat…no comment if you please."

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

On Terra, all of the family members involved had been contacted by Sarek who had made arrangements for an Embassy shuttle to transport them to Na'cluv2. Nyota had given instructions to her backup team and advised them that she was unable to provide specifics as to her return. T'Prie's due date was two weeks away. The planet was light years away, so at warp six, it would take twelve hours of travel. It was already determined that their arrival would coincide with her daughter-in-laws earliest possible delivery date and her father-in-laws arrival from New Vulcan. She knew Spock would desire private time with his father and this earlier arrival date would allow this to occur and still not impede the efficiency of the Vulcan inspection.

It was understood that they would be officially welcomed by Drs. Blake and M'Binga. Probably her son would be keeping a watchful eye on T'Prie. Perhaps her grandson, Blake would be present at their touch down.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Spock came home and tenderly greeted his wife.

"K'diwa, I am in receipt of a bit of disturbing news from our son. It appears that Dr. Blake was involved in a laboratory accident. He was exposed to the Junapa virus. It appears our exposure to him will be quite limited. He is well past the contagious stage but his appearance is disfigured by the mottled condition of his face."

Nyota made a face,

"I remember seeing a cadet that had been exposed to that virus while I was at the Academy. His face looked like an artist's palate, every color imaginable was present on his face, then it got crusty and scaly before it went away."

Laughing she continued,

That was definitely not a girl magnet.

"Indeed," was her husband's reply.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Sven stood at his wife's back rubbing her shoulders. Like her parents, he was a head taller than she. He had just arrived from his job assignment. His blue eyes were twinkling,

"So, I step off of one transport, and then board another?"

"Yes, but only if you wish to accompany me and our children or perhaps you would prefer to stay here…by yourself…in an empty house…with no comfort."

Caressing her ear he said simply,

"Tee, I don't think so. When will the children be returning to the house?"

"Two and one-half hours."

"That appears to be the amount of time required for you to give me a proper welcome."

T'Ama giggled just before she was silenced by his lips.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Kov and Xon's families were also packed and ready. Both of their wives were the model of efficiency. The children were excited about the trip, anxious to meet their cousins in the flesh. Twice a month, on a weekend the cousins all shared a conference call with one another. This would be the first time in their conscious existence they would all be together. At the time of births, the family usually attended, but of course the new born had no recollection of that shared day. Now, all would be old enough to enjoy each other's company and recall this experiences.

Kov's wife, Troi, a research scientist, like her husband, had researched the temperature and weather conditions on Na'cluv2 and had packed accordingly. Her sister, Illia, a botanist, had shared, with all the children, information about the family members they would meet for the first time. Kov and Xonmaintained their familiar bond so they were aware of their family's wellbeing. With the action of the two wives, no one would prove to be strangers at this reunion.

To any eye that would observe this multi-cultural family, a powerful truth would reveal itself:

Interspecies couples produced children of outstanding intellect and appearance. The couples, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren shouted this truth.*

Kov and Xon, both excellent pilots had determine they would not travel in the same ship. Forethought and caution sided with this idea, for if the unthinkable happened, the odds of it happening twice was outside the realm of calculation.

So each family awaited their departure dates and Dr. McCoy/Blake awaited his time of absence from a mirror.

*Pearl S. Buck who wrote the trilogy of the Wang family, the most famous of them being, "The Good Earth," made a comment about the Euro-Asian children she had observed and adopted, that they seemed to take the most valuable from either parents. While in a genetic sense this might be truth, it is my belief that the mixing of various DNAs might provide the raw materials, these must be cultivated. As is the case in my stories, this is done within the household first and then taken up partially by education. The child's first and continuing teachers have to be loving, concerned parents.