The Departure

U.S.S. Enterprise, 2279.347, 0835 hours. Despite the lack of sleep Se'tak was determined to get up early and keep his promise to Meruka that he would see her off. A quick shower and a change of clothes later he made a slight detour toward the botany labs with an extra bounce in his step. He wanted to surprise Meruka with a small bouquet of flowers (assuming Lieutenant Commander Andridge let him have some) and see about wrangling her out of duty one last time to escort her to breakfast.

Se'tak was nearing the gym when he heard Ambassador Nissa's voice drift toward him. Her tone made it seem like she was talking to a pet poodle rather then another being. "I see that you finished the packing early, and that's good. It's a shame that you got to it because your evening was cut prematurely short." He knew instantly that she was talking to Meruka. "It's not as if you couldn't have handled both boys if they'd been willing, even if that one young man was rather rude and demanding. The stereotype prevails, of course, so you'll have to get used to that kind of behavior wherever you go, at least to some extent." He started to gag at the words 'handled them both'. Share Meruka like she was a piece of meat?! And with Cole?!

It was beyond disturbing and oh so gross.

"Of course, Mistress." She sounded quiet and sad. Distant. He hoped she wasn't still upset about last night. He was about to rush over and comfort her but the Ambassador's next words stopped him cold.

"I'm glad though that you've taken care of all our friend's son's needs. You have, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Good, good. His family's been very generous with their time and I wanted them to know we appreciated it, even if they didn't accept our initial invitation. You also needed the practice and it was interesting to watch the way you and that young man interacted. If I were a younger woman and Vulcans and Humans weren't so prudish in their mating practices I'd have done it myself. Think of it, only 13 and already been with a Vulcan!"

At that his eyes bugged out of his head while Meruka hurried to add, "Se'tak's only ¼ Vulcan, Ambassador, and he acts more human than Vulcan; he said so himself."

The Ambassador kept talking, making out as if he were a prize to be won from some carnival. "Still, it's closer than many of us ever get, as Vulcans are even more closed-minded about the sensual pleasures we can provide than Humans! No, Little One, I couldn't be prouder of you than if you were my own uma*!"

They were nearing the intersection where he'd stood frozen and he now flung himself into the nearest corner so he wouldn't be seen. OH MY G-D! Not only did the Ambassador think that they'd—you know—but now he finds out that Meruka had been ordered to spend all that time with him?! And service him?!

Se'tak felt dirty and violently ill.

Once the nausea passed he leaned his head back against the bulkhead and tried to think. He didn't think he'd been under the influence of pheromones—in fact he thought Meruka liked him for him. Then again he'd never spent that much time with Orions before so maybe he had been under the influence and just didn't know it.

On the other hand maybe what started out as a duty for her had actually turned into something else.

Or maybe she was just a really good Orion, making the best of a bad situation with a smile on her face and a wiggle of her hips.

Se'tak tried his best to put his own feelings aside and look at the situation objectively but it was nearly impossible for him to do so and he hated feeling so unsure of himself, especially when they'd grown so close over the last seven days.

He decided what he needed to do was go for a nice long walk and clear his head.

1126 hours. Meruka looked anxiously around the shuttle bay as the last of their luggage was stowed aboard. They had been scheduled to transport over to the Orion ship the Gallinara, but it's transporters were down and the Enterprise offered to ferry them over instead. Spotting Commander Uhura standing with Ambassador Nissa and Lanae she was about to interrupt their little group and ask her if she knew where Se'tak was when he came strolling in, staring down at the ground with his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pockets.

He just looked all—wrong.

She rushed over to him but then stopped short; Se'tak looked so upset and while all she wanted to do was throw her arms around his neck in relief he didn't look like he wanted her to touch him right now. Instead she put her hands behind her back and smiled broadly. "I'm glad you're here! I was so worried you weren't going to make it."

"Yeah, well, I said I'd come." He toed a scuff mark on the floor and continued to avoid looking her in the eye.

Meruka's brow crinkled in confusion. "Are you sure you're ok? You didn't get in any trouble for last night, did you?"

"No, no, it's cool." The fact that he'd completely avoided answering her first question should've warned her what was coming but she was completely oblivious. She was beginning to wonder what was so interesting with the floor when Se'tak spoke up. "Listen, I know I was an—an assignment, that your feelings weren't real, but I had a nice time getting to know you and hope you weren't too bored spending time with me. Thanks for my first kiss and all that and have a safe trip back home, ok?"

He knew about her orders? But how…? "Se'tak…"

"Look, this is hard enough as it is so just stop pretending, ok? I can take it."

She fought hard to keep back the tears starting to pool in her eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

"Meruka!"

Ambassador Konis stood with the rest of the party at the base of the shuttle and was waving her over. They were leaving and she didn't have a chance—a real chance—to tell Se'tak how she truly felt. Resigned, she turned from him and slowly headed toward the shuttle.

She only got halfway there when she spun around and sprinted back, flinging herself at him. It wasn't a pretty kiss by any means (there was a split second where teeth were again involved but it happens) and she whispered, "I might've had my orders but it wasn't a front, not one minute of it."

"Meruka!"

The ambassador stamped his foot, impatient to depart since they first stepped aboard. Se'tak gazed at her in wonderment while Meruka rolled her eyes at her boss' antics. There wasn't time for anymore words and so she slowly let Se'tak slip through her fingers. Once at the shuttle she turned back, blew a kiss and smiled at him, then let the doors close behind her.

Nyota watched Meruka's final display of affection as she clambered aboard the shuttle and turned to see her son in the far corner of the room. He was smiling sheepishly and his cheeks and the tips of his ears were dark from blushing so hard. As the shuttle turned in mid-air she broke rank and moved to stand beside him as he watched his first crush leave the ship.

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't had her little misgivings about the two of them (especially after that rather explicit offer made to her and Spock by both the ambassadors their second day aboard) but after spending some time with Meruka her concerns lessened. Nyota hoped their young relationship had been sweet like hers had been with Dembe; he was her first kiss and in all these years she'd never forgotten him. In fact Dembe and Spock were a lot alike: serious and studious but kind and with a playful side to them if you knew where to look.

Hard to believe that that was thirty years ago now.

She sidled up beside Se'tak (who was almost as tall as her) and couldn't help but picture the little boy with the big toothless grin toddling around the living room. It was hard to believe that that had been so long ago too. Every time she blinked her kids were growing up.

Playfully she nudged him in the shoulder. "You ok?"

"Yeah," he answered quickly. A glance over at her showed him she wasn't buying it. "I will be."

A wise and honest answer; Nyota was impressed. "Ok." Without a care for his sensibilities she threw an arm around his shoulder and pressed a kiss into the side of his head.

"Ahh! MOM!"

* uma = Orion word for daughter (I made it up)