Jim's Antique Music Ch8

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Lieutenant Uhura opened the door to the observation lounge, slowly entering the room. Her left hand held a cup and saucer, the contents thankfully still steaming, despite how long she'd been searching the ship, her right hand closed and locked the door, mainly for privacy purposes. She walked into the room, looking around before her eyes settled on her target, quickly, but quietly striding over to him.

Commander Spock was sitting, back straight despite the relaxing moment, in one of the plush chairs that Captain Kirk had ordered into the lounge. Spock would never admit his enjoyment of these luxuries, it wasn't the Vulcan way to express gratitude over material objects, and instead enjoyed his private moments in the chairs. He had heard the door open, and heard Uhura's quiet steps across the room, even in his half-meditative state, but he did not respond until she had moved closer.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

"Nyota." The single word almost made her jump, but she smiled at the realization that he knew it was her. She gently set the cup and saucer beside the chair for him.

"I thought you'd want some tea…"

"Thank you." His words were kind, but clipped. He wanted to be alone, and she wasn't allowing it. She stood in silence for a moment, her hands twisting together behind her back. She hadn't only come to give him tea.

"Spock…listen." She circled the chair, standing in front of him. "I know you've been hiding something from me, and you know that you can't do that. Something's…changed over the past few weeks. Talk to me, Spock. We agreed to be friends, and friends don't keep secrets from other friends…" She watched him carefully, observing him, waiting to see if maybe he'd give just a single hint as to what was bothering him, be it good or bad.

"I am…not permitted to say."

"Bullshit." He blinked at her for a moment after her outburst. "Spock, you've told me ways you've gone against regulation before. I mean, hell, going against regulation is how I'm still alive." She moved close, putting her hands on the arm rests of the chair. "Talk to me." He paused for a moment before letting out a slight, almost undetectable sigh.

"I am, and have been for the past two point four weeks, in a relationship with our ship's captain."

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

Nyota could feel her head reeling. Out of everything she had considered could be wrong with Spock, this was in no way on her list. Perhaps partially because she didn't believe that Spock swung that way, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt the slight inclination that this was indeed true and quite possible. She shook her head, gathering her thoughts.

"What? Sorry…I just…wasn't expecting that." He tilted his head slightly, an unspoken question of explanation. "I mean, I can see why, with how you two work together, but first of all, it's James T. Kirk, Mr. I'll-do-whatever-the-hell-I-want-and-you-just-sit-back-and-enjoy-the-ride ladies man. And secondly, I didn't know either of you liked men."

"To Vulcans, the concept of male and female preference is used only for mating purposes, which includes the marriage process. Normally, Vulcans do not indulge in carnal pleasures such as relationships such as these, but instead more like the relationship we shared. It was at first a surprise to myself as well, however, I cannot say that I do not enjoy it."

She considered his words for a moment. "But I still thought you preferred women?"

"As did I. The revelation of the relationship between the captain and myself was as much of a surprise to myself as it is to you, Nyota. Jim has also expressed his bewilderment at the situation."

Uhura finally decided to sit, moving around Spock and grabbing the seat next to him, sitting on the arm rest. "I thought Jim slept with anything that moved…"

"On the contrary, he was singularly interested in females, however, the species of his interest did tend to vary."

"You say that like it's in the past, have you considered that he may get bored of monotony and return to his polygamist ways?"

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you.

He once again took a moment to consider her words. "Indeed I have. He has assured me, however, that those times are over. He used a rather…odd word to describe his feelings…" Uhura paused for a moment, staring at Spock, before a feeling of realization spread across her face.

"Please tell me that he didn't say he was 'Spocksexual'…" She was trying to suppress a laugh, wanting to hear it from Spock before believing it.

"Indeed he did." She couldn't help it, the laughter started in her throat. She shook with the laugh, almost falling off of the chair a few times. Spock waited silently, a look of amusement on his face. Finally, her laughter subsided and she wiped the tears from her eyes before looking back at Spock.

"So he seriously said that he was just seeing you now?"

"Though not in those words, yes. He did indeed point out the exclusivity of the relationship."

A look of wonderment spread across Uhura's face. "I never thought I'd think of James Tiberius Kirk being exclusive."

"I will admit to my confusion in the matter as well. I did not expect it either."

She sighed slightly, getting up from the chair. "Well, if he does something stupid, you tell me and I'll take care of him…" Spock looked slightly confused before nodding at her. She was sure he didn't know what she was saying, but it made sense to her and that was all that mattered. "I gotta go do some stuff before calling it a night, don't stay up here too long, it'll get cold."

He nodded again, his eyes following her as she left the room with a small wave.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.