cautionary love story: Chapter 2 Phone calls and drinks.

This chapter has been revised since first put up to get rid of some typos.

Warning: This chapter does contain a swearword, if anybody feels I should up the rating to an M because of this then please contact me.

Spock had found an e-mail from the administrative office that morning in amongst the usual e-mails from students asking questions that could have easily been avoided if they had actually made notes during his class. The e-mail had requested that he come to the offices at his earliest convenience, there was no other information on why his presence was required.

At 10:00 between his first year advanced Vulcan and his 11:00 guest lecture for the intermediate programming class he made his way across the campus to the administrative service offices. He approached the secretary on the main desk as the e-mail had been sent by her. Her name was Lisa she was in her late twenties with curly red hair, she was shorter than average and always well presented which Spock found quite agreeable. She blushed when she saw Spock walk in he noticed but she always did blush in his presence. Spock had never really stopped to consider why, blushing was one of those things that Humans did.

" Commander Spock." Her hand went to her hair to tuck it behind one ear. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course, it is my duty to respond to all e-mails from within the academy. Your e-mail did not explain what you needed from me."

"That linguistics cadet, the one whose only seventeen."

" Cadet Uhura. Though to be exact she is not currently a student merely a prospective student."

"That's the one, well I had a message through last night saying that due to legal reasons we need written permission from her parents for her to attend this fall."

" That is logical, why did you contact me?"

" There's a note on the cadet's file that says all contact prior to her attendance must go through you. I thought it was a bit unusual but I guessed it was too make her feel more comfortable, what with star fleet wanting her so much."

"Yes, I believe that to be the reason." Spock replied suspecting it was not the only reason.

" Do you have a PADD on you? I can download the form straight to it."

"Of course." Spock reached into the over shoulder bag that he always carried when working, he got out his PADD and handed it over, he waited for a few seconds as the secretary downloaded the file then handed it back to him. He carefully placed it back into his bag.

" Just e-mail it through to me when it's signed, okay?"

"Yes. Do you know who it was who added that note to the prospective cadet's file?"

"It was Captain Pike."

Spock nodded, it seemed that Christopher was going to enforce his suggestion that Spock befriend the young future cadet.

" Thank you Lisa, have a good day. " He turned away ready to head back to his office, he would have time to contact Miss Uhura's parents before his lecture was due to start.

"Spock." He turned back around to see Lisa the secretary standing close to him, her pose suggested to him she was nervous about something, Humans body language when properly read could be a useful tool.

" Do you require me for something else?"

"Do you dance Spock?

"No."

"Watch holovids?"

"No."

" Do you eat?"

"All lifeforms require some form of nutrition. I am heading back to my office now." He turned away, he never had seen the point in small talk and it was not something he wished to spend his time on.

Back in his office Spock looked up the number of the Uhura household. He went over to the small screened phone set built into the wall of his office, he typed in the number and stood waiting for somebody to answer his call. It was Mrs Uhura's face that appeared of screen.

"Commander Spock, hello I did not expect to hear from you, is there something wrong with Nyota's application?"

"A small problem but easily rectified. I hope you and your family are well." Spock's mother had taught him from a young age that on earth it was considered bad manners not too ask after peoples health.

" Very well thank you, and yourself?"

" Also well. As Miss Uhura is under eighteen parental permission is required for her to attend the academy. I shall forwards you the forms."

"Thank you, and if me and my husband sign the forms and send them back will we have to do anything else?"
" At this particular time I do not foresee there being any further issues."

"Thank you commander." Spock inclined his head to her.

"Do you wish to speak to Nyota?"

'To what purpose?"

" I think she has some questions about some languages she wishes to study that aren't in the syllabus."

" I am giving a lecture in half an hour but if she is not busy at the moment I will answer any questions she has until that time. "

'I'm sure she'll be grateful, I'll just fetch her."

One minute thirteen seconds later Nyota Uhura appeared on screen. This time she was wearing her hair down it was straight and shining. Spock imagined if he were to touch it he would feel silk under his fingers.

"Commander Spock." Spock noticed that her wide smile made her eye sparkle.

"Miss Uhura, your mother informed me you wished to study some languages that were not offered in the syllabus."

"Yes, I wanted to know if the academy library has the resources to learn Ontarian?"

"I will find out for you and contact you with the answer tomorrow."

"Thank you, I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It is no trouble, I find your desire to learn non- required languages admirable."

"Thank you."

"How are your preparations coming along?"

"Good, I sent off my measurements for my uniform today, it's kind of exciting."

"That is good, tell me how is your physical training?"

"I do some jogging, swimming and yoga."

"And your combat training?"

"Judo and some self-defence."

Spock nodded it was better than some cadets who had no physical training at all, however she did not have enough combat training to properly defend herself. He would be sure to advise her on a new exercise routine when she arrived.

" I have to go, I have lecture to give. When will be a good time to contact you tomorrow?"

"Any time after 17:00"

'I am teaching at 17:00 I will contact you at 18:15."

" Thank you, take care commander."

"I will. Goodbye Miss Uhura."

The library felt like a second home to Spock, as a student he had spent the majority of his evenings and weekends there. His room-mate had not been respectful of his need to meditate or to study. He had resorted to meditating whilst his room-mate slept and and slept while his room-mate partied. He kept out of his way the rest of the time to avoid arguments, the man had been completely void of logic. As a result the library had become his haven.

He made his way to the obscure languages section , a label he had always found incorrect. Most of the languages were not obscure, obscure would be be a language that consisted of different toned whistles, Ferengi was not obscure, it was just largely untranslated. He felt that the section should be divided into extinct languages, obscure languages, untranslated languages, little known languages and rare dialects. He did could only find the most basic of Ontarian phrases so he checked the other xenolinguistic areas and found them also lacking. Dissatisfied he accessed the nearest computer, looked up the available resources then spoke to the assistant on the desk about ordering them in.

The next day was a Wednesday, and as such it was a day in which he laid aside time in the morning to meet with students and went to get a drink with Christopher in the evenings. Spock had set aside half an hour to talk to one student in particular. Cadet Williams had started out as one of his best students, his marks had been within the top tenth percentile, but over time it appeared he had become complacent and now his marks had fallen below the acceptable grade limits. Spock had thought the young man to have had the required attributes to succeed and was displeased with the way things had turned. As the module's teacher he had the task of accessing whether the cadet's marks could be brought up to an acceptable passing grade before the end of the semester, only a month away and trying to get him back on track if they could. He marked work until the cadet arrived at his office, a full five minutes late, quite unacceptable and it spoke towards a bad attitude.

"Cadet Williams, come in take a seat, I will just finish off grading this assignment, as you have kept me waiting it is acceptable that I do the same to you."

The young man who sat opposite him had entered the academy later in life than most and therefore was actually two years older than Spock himself, however he lacked maturity and had been on report already that semester for talking in a rude manner to a commanding officer. When he had finished grading the work and writing a comment on syntax at the bottom he turned his attention to the cadet.

"Are you well Cadet Williams?"

"I'm fine thank you, just a little puzzled as too why you asked me here."

"So you are actually in good health?"

"Yes."

"You have not suffered any recent emotional disturbances?" When teaching humans one must allow for these things.

" No."

"Has your workload increase exponentially?"

"No."

"Then there is no excuse for the fall in quality of your work."

The cadet showed signs of becoming agitated.

"Well, I know I've let thing slip a little lately."

"By two grade since your last assignment. Cadet, you will rewrite your last assignment."

"Okay, thank you for the chance to improve my grade."

"Your current grade will stick Cadet, I merely wish to re access you abilities and consider your continued attendance in this module. For this reason you will write 5000 words on the given topic."

The cadet stood up, Spock remained seated.

"But that's double what I had to write in the first place."

"Please sit down cadet, your anger is illogical and it will not serve you in anyway."

Cadet Williams sat back down folding his arms this time.

" 5000 words will give me a better idea of your abilities than 2500 words cadet. Be assured If I do suspend you from this module I will allow you the chance to retake it next year. I want the assignment submitted by 17:00 on Friday. If you have no other questions you may leave."

"Thank you commander." The cadet seemed to spit out the words.

Spock heard the cadet mutter as he walked down the hall, human ears wouldn't have picked it up.

"Green blooded Bastard."

Spock was going to meet Christopher earlier than usual tonight 19:30 instead of the usual 20:00. He finished his lecture at 18:00, entered his apartment at 18:05, ten minutes before he had said he would call Miss Uhura. He decided to change into his casual clothes. Seeing as he did not know what Chris had planned for the night he picked out black jeans and a black shirt, he deliberately left the top buttons open as he felt this made it look less like an outfit for a formal meeting. Satisfied he went to his personal com unit, it was set into his coffee table, it remained hidden till he pressed a button and then it raised out of a trap door. He typed in the number of Uhura's house, this time not having to look it up in file.

Miss Uhura answered quickly, This time she appeared to be dressed in the bright coloured robes of the sort her parents had been wearing on the recruiting mission, her hair was curled today, Spock couldn't help wondering whether it was naturally straight or curly, he decided it was inappropriate to ask.

" Commander Spock." Her voice was a tone higher than usual suggesting she was happy.

"Miss Uhura, I hope you are well."

" Yes, thank you and yourself?"

"I am in good health."

" Are you going out?" She must have based that assumption on his clothes.

"Yes, but not for one hour and forty-five minutes so I can answer any questions that you withheld from asking yesterday due to my time restraints."

"I don't have any other questions, I was just asking."

"In that case then yes, I am going to a bar to have a drink with Captain Pike. It is a standing weekly appointment. Does this satisfy your curiosity?"

She gave her twinkling laugh and Spock found that it had the same affect as it did when they had been in Africa, it was a pleasant sensation.

"Yes, commander Spock, I suppose it does."

"I was calling to tell you that the Library did not have the resources that you requested but they have been ordered and will be in stock by the time of you arrival."

"Thank you Commander."

"You are welcome Miss Uhura. Can I be of any further assistance?"

'No, thank you."

"Do not hesitate to call me if you have further questions."

" I will. Bye Commander."

"Take care of yourself Miss Uhura." He didn't add ' until you get here and I can keep you safe' but he thought it.

It was Christopher's turn to pick the bar. Which meant Spock never knew where he was going to end up. Sometimes Chris liked to share a few drinks with the students and they'd end up in a noisy club other times he'd find himself in a bar where the academy maintenance staff frequented or what Chris called an "up class joint" where they would sometime bump into an admiral. Tonight however he found himself at the quiet little bar miles away from the academy. Chris choose this place when he didn't want to be disturbed by anybody else, A few times this had been due to him wishing to have a private conversation, like when he asked Spock what he would think about serving under him on the Enterprise but most of the time it was simply because he didn't feel like socializing. According to Chris, Spock was easy to be around because he didn't have to kiss arse or be gushed at, of course there was more too it than that. The two men had great respect and understanding of each other. Spock sat down in a corner with his ginger ale, Chris had a bud classic.

"So how has your week been?" Chris asked.

"Uneventful."

"Uneventful. really? I guess the department gossip was wrong then."

"You know I don't listen to gossip."

" Well, the gossip today is about you."

"It seems to me that it is about me more often than it is about most other people."

'You do manage to get yourself into quite a lot of awkward situations."

"I do not perceive them as awkward until you inform me that I should."

Christopher laughed.

" I don't know whether you should thank me or hate me for that."

"Neither do I, but you are a friend so I do not hate you. That doesn't mean I have to thank you though."

" Well, you can consider this to be a warning rather than gossip. One of your students tried to make a complaint about you today."

"For what reason? I was not aware that I had transgressed any Star fleet or academy rules."

" You haven't, that's why the complaint didn't go through but cadet Williams definitely holds a grudge against you."

" That does not concern me, I acted fairly with cadet Williams. I gave him a chance to prove his abilities to me and I didn't have him suspended when he insulted me."

"Why not?"

" Because he was unaware of the fact that I could hear him and I am doing as you advised and allowing for emotional reactions."

"You might be allowing a little too much there, what did he say?"

"He called me a green blooded bastard."

"Why is it they never come up with anything original ? Every year same old insults and nick names."

"The student body seems to lack imagination."

" Perhaps we should introduce a new module, imaginative insults for your senior officers."

" Are you being sarcastic again?"

"Yes. You've picked that concept up quite well now."

" Yes, though how it is considered humorous I still do not understand."

Christopher smiled and took a deep drink of his beer he looked around the room for a few minutes taking in the crowd as he would put it, even though the bar was empty apart from a few women on the opposite table.

"Apparently you also broke another heart this week."

"That phrase is greatly inaccurate, if I had indeed caused anybody injury to their heart I would be in the brig."

"So, you didn't turn Lisa down?"

"I am not sure to what you are refering."

"Lisa in administrations, she tried to ask you out and you shot her down then walked away."

" Lisa did not ask me out, she asked if I danced, watched holovids or ate. I replied in the negative to the first two then in the positive to the final one."

"She was trying to ask you out Spock."

"To clarify, she was seeking to start a romantic involvement with me?"

"Yes, Spock she saw your reply as a little harsh."

"I do not wish to make an enemy of a member of staff. Do you think if I give my apologies for the perceived slight and explained to her that I do not seek romantic involvement with anybody then the matter would be resolved?"
"Perhaps you'd better allow me to act as an intermediary, you saying it might embarrass her further. Especially with the way you say things."

"Indeed, thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"You're welcome."

"And yourself, has your week held enough unusual content to be considered interesting?"

"Oh same old stuff, I had to confirm some new features for the Enterprise, they'll probably upgrade the technology again before she's finished."

Spock nodded the enterprise was not due for completion for another two years and three months, the tests that it was required to go through would take another six months after that. It was going to be Star Fleets flagship, the best equipped and well-manned ship in federation service.

"Oh an you'll be pleased to know I found Uhura a nice room mate. Lovely girl, I met her on a recruiting run. All it took to have them assigned to the same quarters was to buy the accommodation officer a drink, well quite a few drinks, got to keep an eye on that one."

"This neither pleases or displease me. Christopher, I know that you put a note in Miss Uhura file that all contact should go through me. I was wondering why you are manipulating this situation?"

"I need to entertain myself somehow Spock."

"What entertainment is there to be had by making sure me and Miss Uhura are in frequent contact?"

"I'll let you figure that one out. Besides the big boys at headquarters have plans to use Miss Uhura as a trial run."

'For what?"

"Have you heard of Pavel Chekov?"

" He has been on the news, he is the thirteen year old boy in Russia who passed a college level astrophysics exam."

"Yes, but he also built a transporter from scratch in his backyard and sneaked into a shuttle pod race two years ago and won. He's the quintessential unlikely genius and he's set to finish high school next year."

" Star Fleet wants him." Spock gave the logical conclusion.

"Yes, they're trying to change the rules to allow applicants under the age of eighteen to join. Though only if they are considered to show excellence in a certain field."

" Like Miss Uhura."

"Exactly, the idea is to get the talent before anybody else does, and to keep them. They're going to try to draw up guidelines on how to get these younger kids to sign-up, they want to make them feel welcome and comfortable, keep their stress levels to a minimum so they don't drop out. I knew they were playing around with the idea of only one person being in contact with the cadets before they arrive so that the Cadet could start to form a trust bond with a staff member. I suggested that you should be the one for Miss Uhura, I have to tell you it took a lot of pushing."

"So I am meant to make Miss Uhura trust me."

"I'm guessing she already does Spock. Of course with Miss Uhura being close to the entry age she shouldn't require too much extra attention."

"On the contrary, Miss Uhura warrants extra attention, not due to her age but due to the fact that she is talented and she has already mastered the languages in the first year linguistic modules. She has also told me she wishes to teach herself Ontarian, this is an admirable endeavour, one I will help her with if she wishes."

"You speak Ontarian?"

"No, but I will by the time she arrives."

Chris laughed again.

"So, what I'm saying is that even though I think you should befriend her because you obviously like her. Don't give me that look I know you friend, but it would also seem like you are acting to help Star Fleet with their latest scheme."

"Yes, maybe I'll offer to meet her at the shuttle station. She may find it disorientating to leave Africa for the first time."

" That's a nice idea as is the fact that it's your round."

Three weeks later Spock sent Miss Uhura an E-mail, it was the seventeenth anniversary of her birth (stated in her file) and he had noticed humans like to celebrate this every year. He wrote a quick note wishing her a happy birthday as was traditional. It was the last week of term, then the students left the academy for a six week break though many returned during the final week of this as that was the week they called Thristies week when all the new cadets arrived. That also meant that It would be only six weeks till Miss Uhura arrived in San Francisco. He decided he would wait till next week to extend his invitation to meet her at the shuttle port. Five weeks was a sufficient period of notice.

The next day as Spock sat grading papers in his office the com system started beeping, he had not been expecting any calls. He stood up and activated it. Miss Uhura's face filled the screen, her expression spoke of a slight nervousness that made Spock curious as to it's cause, she had never been nervous to talk to him before.

" Miss Uhura."

"Commander Spock, I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Not at all I was merely grading some assignments. How may I assist you?"

Her call pleased him, but as to why this was Spock was not sure. Perhaps it was simply a teachers delight at finding a student who was dedicated to their learning.

"I probably shouldn't have called you, it's not really to do with academy." Spock became even more curious.

"I gave you permission to call me about anything, go ahead Miss Uhura."

"I'm having some difficulties with Romulan I'm not sure I am emphasizing the right syllables. I was wondering if you had the time to help me with a few of the phrases?"

" It would be my pleasure."

"Oh, I forgot to thank you for your message yesterday."

"Your welcome, did you enjoy your day?

"Yes, my brother visited, it was nice to spend time with him I won't get to see him again before I come to the academy."

Spock nodded.

"Do you have siblings commander?"

"No, " He hesitated unsure if an expansion was required. "As I have mentioned before my mother is Human. A life form with an iron based blood shouldn't be able to carry a copper blooded foetus to term. "

Miss Uhura nodded and he was relieved when she didn't ask any further questions, both Vulcans and Humans tended to see him as either a fascinating and unique life form, medically speaking, or an abomination. Vulcans tended towards the latter, Humans the former, both outlooks he found disagreeable.

" What particular phrases are you having difficulty with Miss Uhura?"

He listened to her pronounce a few simple Romulan phrases, she was mispronouncing them. She was using the same syllable emphasis as were used in Vulcan, he concluded she was doing this unintentionally due to the similarity of the languages. Patiently he explained her mistake to her and described the differences then taught her a few rules of where to emphasis in the Romulan language. Then asked her if she could apply those rules to the previous phrases. He was pleased with her when she got them right, she had been quick to learn something that his third year students took weeks to learn. Not wanting their conversation to end he demonstrated to her how the tones and emphasis changed when the speaker was showing different emotions. When Miss Uhura had finished repeating her phrases with an angry tone she apologized, she had promised to go shopping with her sister and had to leave soon. Spock nodded.

" Of course, you learn quickly Miss Uhura, I look forwards to having you in my class next year. There was something I wanted to ask you, when you arrive at the academy would you permit me to escort you to your new quarters and assist you in filling out the required entry forms."

"Yes, thank you commander that's such a nice offer."

" Your welcome. Goodbye Uhura, enjoy your day."

"You too, Bye Spock."

The fact she didn't call him commander didn't escape his notice, it didn't displease him though.

Reveiws always welcome. Next chapter up on Wednesday.