Slow Way Home
Chapter 10

[Day 17 of 45]

"You are nothing but a whore who shouldn't be allowed into Starfleet," Jim heard Cupcake who yelled down the hall and she froze. She took a deep breath, counting to ten. Spock was there and she could feel his anger at the insinuation. There were Vulcans all around and she had a feeling they did not appreciate the outburst.

The only reason she'd spoke to the man was somebody reported in that he and another member of Starfleet disappeared for over twenty-minutes, while he was meant to be on shift. The woman he went with was definitely not his wife who was a civilian back on earth. But that part hadn't been her business. What was her business was leaving his post while on shift for sex.

She turned and walked toward him. Her head was high and she moved to stand right in front of him.

"Due to the extenuating circumstances I was letting you off with a warning. Now I am writing you up for abandoning your post… I will also be making a note that you both made a spectacle of yourself and your commanding officer which you disrespected in front of Guests," she told him, her voice holding no anger. She sounded calm, in control when in reality all she wanted to do was reach out and slap him across the face, kick him in the balls, or punch him in the nose… maybe all three. "I will let somebody else – maybe the Admiralty – be the ones to inform your wife of your infidelity since your wife is the civilian granddaughter of Admiral Archer." He paled. "Now… return to your shift… Lieutenant."

She went to walk away when she heard him double up his fists and pull his hand back. Material ruffled and her instincts were set to fight as it were. She moved quickly, blocking the strike before giving him a jab in the abdomen then knocking him down to his knees.

That's when a few other security officers approached. Spock walked toward her and pulled her back.

"Lock him in the Brig," Spock ordered and they nodded. Then she looked at Spock who was angry though far more in control than she'd believed he would be. The Vulcans nodded in respect while T'Pau walked over.

The woman seemed impressed and led Kirk back to Spock's quarters while he told her he'd go write up the report. She would write hers when she had time.

"I am sorry you had to witness that," she told Lady T'Pau when they arrived at the quarters.

"There is no need to apologize. Even on Vulcan men often react… harshly and without logic to women in control. That man, while less controlled and far stupider than most, is no exception," T'Pau told her. Jim blushed.

"I don't mean any disrespect but… you're different than I expected you to be," she told the woman.

"Yes, well. Most of my peers call me… forward in my beliefs. I believe that we have alienated ourselves for far too long, especially since we consider ourselves civilized and logical," T'Pau stated. "It is why I am… proud to have a grandson who is half-human and you as family… and grandchildren who, by their records, surpass even what is expected amongst their Vulcan peers. Brilliant with a better understanding of their emotions than any of us."

"They are smart," she admitted and the woman cut off Jim.

"Not just smart. Even by our standards the twins are registering at the level of children eight and fifteen years of age. They are beyond brilliant. They are prodigies. As was their father, and you," T'Pau stated, with a conviction Jim had never heard from a Vulcan other than Spock.

"I hadn't realized," Jim muttered. How were they so smart? She hadn't done anything different. "But… I don't understand how they could be so smart that they surpass what is expected amongst your people since you have some of the hardest grading systems in the galaxy." A smile seemed to flicker across the woman's lips before it was gone.

"We may never know. It may have to do with their psychic abilities and the fact humans – while most incapable of anything remotely psychic some are capable of feats beyond the ordinary. It may also be the combined Intelligences of you and Spock. It may also be the way in which they were raised. A combination of all these factors could contribute to their intelligences," Lady T'Pau said. Jim nodded. "Has my son bothered speaking to you?"

"No… Ambassador Sarek has not yet spoke to me about anything. Is something wrong?" Jim asked and the woman shook her head.

"My son is just being… I believe the word is stubborn. He should speak to you, as you are family, but he has not," she said and Jim shrugged at her.

"He didn't approve of me when we were teens. He found me too emotional and rebellious. I'm sure that hasn't changed," Jim told the older woman who almost seemed to sympathize with her. "It doesn't matter, either way. "

The woman nodded her head at the younger woman who didn't care. Sarek was just one person. Sure, he was her father-in-law but going into the marriage she'd known he wouldn't approve. He hadn't approved of her antics as a person… why would that change.

So, after a long conversation with the matriarch T'Pau went back to help with the other Vulcans and Jim sighed before writing up her reports on the incident. No sooner had both hers and Spock's been sent was she getting a comm.. She knew it had to be from Archer. That was not going to be fun to explain.