Friends with Benefits - Chapter 10 - Part 3
Monday - August 25th - 6 a.m.
Jim yawns as she drags herself to the science and mathematics building with the enthusiasm of a catatonic zombie. It can't be helped, really. She's spent all weekend going all out for Bones's birthday because that what best friends do. Joanna and her had basically spoiled him beyond reasoning by cooking for him and baking for him and hanging on his every word. They took him out to different places like bowling alleys and skating rinks and a horse ranch located a few miles outside of San Francisco. He really appreciated that last one and spent three nights showing Jim just how much he did. That's probably Jim's favorite part about Bones's birthday weekend. That and the way it didn't take much to keep him smiling.
Bones has a gorgeous smile when he lets himself relax into it.
Jim and Joanna go above and beyond for this ordinarily grumpy man. He did deserve it after all. Ever since he accepted the position as head physician in the Academy's health center, he's been working all sorts of odd hours (even hours that sometimes dragged him out of bed in the middle of the night). And while he doesn't seem to hate it, it was still obviously paying its toll for the first couple of weeks. He just recently got the hang of it all and has managed to amaze Jim with his total Zen-ness. She kind of finds it hot actually, though he's always hot when he's confidently working in his own element.
Anyway, Jim is pretty tired from all the birthday excitement and amazing birthday sex, and she is not looking forward to any interaction with Commander Spock. The fall semester starts next week and she hopes that there is barely anything that he'll need her to do. Short and sweet-that's how she likes it.
Spock is already sitting behind his work desk when she arrives in the doorway of his office because of course he is. He's Vulcan and Vulcans are exceptionally punctual. He probably thinks she's late, even if by a few seconds.
Jim clears her throat and waits until he looks up at her before she says, "Permission to enter, sir?"
Spock inclines his head and stands as she approaches him. "Cadet Kirk. You are prompt." She could swear that he sounds surprised but his facial expression looks like its carved in stone, and it's still intimidating, so she can't really be sure.
Jim ends up shrugging as she takes another sip of her (iced) green tea because it's the closest thing to caffeine that she's allowed to have. After two swallows, she says, "Should I not have been? I can always take a few laps before I'm acceptably tardy."
Spock lifts a brow but his face gives nothing else away. "I must confess that the complexity of Human humor still escapes my comprehension," he states flatly.
Jim shrugs again. "At least you can recognize it," she points out.
"Indeed?" Spock replies and his inflection doesn't change. It's kind of weird. "I am given to understand that you have been made aware of your assigned apprenticeship to me," he pauses and waits for her to confirm, which she does with a nod. "Very well. We shall begin with a discussion of what I expect from you, as well as what as I expect from my students as a whole."
Jim makes a sloppy gesture for him to continue as she sits down on the chair on the other side of his desk.
Spock sits as well, picks up his PADD and continues, "It has become evident to me that your mathematic proficiency is within the ninety-eight point thirty-four percentile. That is above average, even by Vulcan standards."
Jim hides her grin behind her cup of tea. "That almost sounded like a compliment," she points out amusedly.
"It is only logical to give credit where credit is due," Spock merely states. "I have yet to encounter a cadet whom I find worthwhile. Therefore, it is only conceivable to presume your apprenticeship shall undoubtedly be sufficient for both parties."
"Okay that was definitely a compliment," Jim says and doesn't bother hiding her smile.
"If you wish," Spock says but his neutral expression never wavers. "If you will allow me to continue-"
Jim mimes zipping her lips.
"-I have taken the liberty of forwarding a virtual almanac to you of my anticipated lectures," he continues, ignoring the gesture.
Jim fishes for her PADD in her handbag. When she finds it, she pulls up said timetable and looks it over. "Wow," she murmurs as she studies the different colored blocks filling up each day of each month for the whole of the fall semester. "You are literally booked every moment of every day."
"It is efficient by Vulcan standards. We are far superior at multi-tasking than most species," Spock explains. "Will this present a problem for you?"
"Uh, no," Jim says, even though she's not sure. "I'm sure I'll adapt."
"Indeed," Spock murmurs as he studies her before lowering his gaze. "You will be in attendance for all lectures marked by grey blocks. In-class preparation is expected of you, as I will be busy with other matters. If you will review my transcribed syllabus, you will be able to familiarize yourself with my teaching methods. Every six minutes at the beginning and end of the lesson, I permit a brief intermission for inquiries, which will now be directed towards you. Are you amenable to this?"
Jim nods. "Yeah, it's cool. It's just a good thing that I'm not one of those people who suffer from stage fright."
Spock looks slightly perplexed.
Jim realizes he doesn't get the reference. "Never mind that," she says, waving it off. "Um, so, here's the thing. I don't know how much Captain Pike told you about me and my situation, and while I respect that you have a certain way that you like to do things and have things in a certain order, I also hope that when I make a mistake, which I'm sure there will be some, you'll remember that I am doing my best. And at the same time, I do need you to understand that I am very pregnant, and I have another little girl that depends on me. So with that being said, I'll need snack breaks, as well as meal breaks, and bathroom breaks. I have monthly prenatal appointments that I can't miss so I'll need to be pardoned on certain days."
"Very well, I shall acclimate to those requests to the best of my ability," Spock says as though it isn't an inconvenience to him.
Jim's standing opinion of him is quickly shifting in his favor. "Well, I appreciate that. Most people wouldn't be so accommodating."
"I believe you will find, Cadet Kirk, that I am unlike 'most people'." Spock shifts his attention to his PADD. "As we move forward, I would like for us to begin to sort through the student index so that we may learn more of the cadets expected to be in attendance."
"Right," Jim says with a sigh as she straightens. "Are we going in alpha order?"
"If it conveniences you. It makes no difference to me," Spock replies, agreeably enough.
For the next three hours, they work in tandem, making notes of each cadet that is assigned to his classes. They study their academic profiles and give their expectation of that student's success rate a wide berth. They then separate them into groups by these statics and make assigned seating out of the results.
Jim would have never thought that teaching took this much effort or consideration. It gives her a new respect for teachers everywhere.
Spock certainly appears to enjoy what he does, not that one could tell but Jim just kind of picks up on it in the way that he pays grave attention to each student's academic scores and formulates each of his lesson plans based on the indicating factors he picks up from them. Once she sees past that cold and unflappable exterior of his, she understands that he's not as strict and rigid as he would have everyone to believe.
Jim stretches and looks at the clock on the wall behind Spock. It's nearing noon and she's getting hungry. "Do you mind if we pause?" She stands and stretches. "Would you like to go get some lunch?"
"Negative. I require no nourishment presently," Spock declines as he fixes his gaze upon her. "However, I urge you to procure the proper sustenance. Your stomach has made an audible indication that you require it."
Jim blushes a little and presses a hand to her stomach, and sure enough, it rumbles again. "Yeah, uh, maybe you'll join me next time. I'll suffer sitting by myself this time around."
Spock lifts a brow. "You do not strike me as an individual that experiences difficulty attaining company."
"There you go with the compliments again," Jim says with a grin. "Careful, Commander. I might start to get the idea that you like me."
"That is a sentiment unfamiliar to Vulcans," Spock coolly replies before he lowers his gaze. "If you depart now, Cadet Kirk, you will be able to return promptly in twenty minutes."
Jim snickers and grabs her handbag on the way out. She can take a hint.
The cafeteria is not nearly as crowded as it could be, which means short lines.
Jim grabs a tray filled with a bowl of vegetable rice soup, a pineapple smoothie, and a green apple. She sits down at an empty table and tries to drown out the general noise of the cafeteria as she eats and starts going through her own personal copy of Starfleet General Orders and Regulations, highlighting the parts she deems the most important.
"Excuse me, miss," a voice says, loose with an Irish accent. "D'ya mind a bit of company?"
Jim glances up and looks between two male cadets. One is tall and lean with broad shoulders, coiffed hair and a very charming smile that befits a very handsome face. The other is almost as tall as him, dark-skinned with a buzz cut, and a infuriated scowl that makes Jim want to reconsider her initial answer.
The grinning cadet notices and says, "Ah, don't mind him. He's just in a tuff about something. I promise we're harmless, and good company to boot."
Jim shrugs and keeps a straight face.
They take that as the invitation it is and they sit down.
"Name's Neil Finnegan," he introduces with a cocky salute. "The fellow to my left is Richard Ayers."
"Jim Kirk."
"Lovely name," Finnegan compliments. "So, what're you then? New? You must be because I'd remember a face like yours."
"New," Jim simply confirms.
"All good. Dick and I are upperclassmen," Finnegan admits.
Ayers bristles and glares at him. "Ay, man! I told you not to call me that. You do it again and I'll break your goddamn nose."
Finnegan just waves him off. "Listen, Ms. Kirk, I don't want you to think we've come to bother you or court you or any nonsense like that. I just remember what it was like my first time here and having no one to sit with. Just think of us as sentinels."
Ayers snorts angrily as he jams some fries in his mouth. "Man, you corny. She don't wanna hear all that." He looks to Jim with a smile. "Don't mind nothing this dude says. He's got all the wrong things loose in his head."
"Smarter than you," Finnegan sings as he eats his club sandwich. "How're you liking the Academy so far? Need us to tell you what classes to take or what instructors to avoid?"
"I think I'm good," Jim says amusedly, but then reconsiders. "Just for later reference, who should I avoid?"
"Commodore John Gill," says Ayers immediately, and Finnegan makes a sympathetic sound. "He teaches InterPolitical Science and he thinks he's God's gift to interstellar relations."
"He's way too cocky," Finnegan adds. "He's got this book, the-what was it again, Dick?"
Ayers glares at him but responds, "Protocols and Regulations of Interstellar Movement and Exploration."
"Yeah, that. It's a good read and all," Finnegan supposes. "He makes some good points. He's very tough, but also compassionate and amazingly perceptive."
"In real life though, he's as stubborn as a mule," Ayers points out. "He'll fail anybody who doesn't align themselves to his beliefs. And don't even think about disagreeing with a single word of his lecture."
"Really?" Jim says and makes a face. "Well that's unreasonable."
"That's Gill," Finnegan and Ayers chime simultaneously, like it's a thing, like it's a saying.
"Oh, well, good to know. Who else?" Jim says as she sucks away at her smoothie.
"Admiral Royal Kobayashi," Finnegan says and shoots a sly glance towards Ayers.
Ayers is glaring down at his double cheeseburger like he wants to set it aflame just by sheer mental will.
Finnegan laughs and pats his friend on the shoulder. "Dick's had some hard times with him. That's what had him in such a twist earlier."
"What class does he teach?" Jim asks, curious.
"He don't teach a class, per say," Ayers grumbles.
"It's more of a thing to do with a mockup," Finnegan clarifies when Ayers refuses to, obviously frustrated beyond words. "He's the creator of the Kobayashi Maru-a notoriously challenging command simulation."
"Kobayashi Maru," Jim repeats, testing the name on her tongue. Something about it peeks her interest. "Tell me more about it."
"Easy there," Finnegan laughs with bright eyes. "You wont have to be worrying about it until the end of your junior year and the beginning of your senior. Hold on, are you even on the command track?"
Jim nods to confirm.
Finnegan looks intrigued. He looks to Ayers. "What can we say about that ole Maru?"
Ayers's expression turns thunderous. "It's a dirty cheat of a thing. It's unfair and an absolutely humiliating experience," he swears. He takes a furious bite of his burger.
"Honestly, we're not supposed to talk about it as is. The conditions are supposed to be secret," Finnegan says with a wink. Then he lowers his voice to say, "In the simulation, you and a crew of your choice are typically presented with an exceptionally difficult command decision: to save a colony of helpless humans from death. But you must risk proceeding into the restricted space beyond the Neutral Zone between Romulan and UFP territories. Once there, you'll encounter an overwhelming enemy force where you will either be destroyed or forced to surrender."
Jim waits for him to add more but he doesn't. "Wait-that's it? That's the only options? Surrender or die?"
Ayers scowls and says, "The exercise is purposefully unwinnable, and you have absolutely no possibility of surviving the game. I've failed it three times before one of my professors let me in on the joke."
"That's absurd," Jim decides as she finishes the last of her soup and keeps an eye on the time. She'll have to leave soon, and she doesn't want to because things are just starting to get interesting. "Why would they make it impossible to beat the odds? Why not at least allow room to compete and lose in a fair fight? That's just absurd. I don't get that."
"No one does, that's the thing about it," Ayers supposes. "Something to do with accepting defeat or what have you."
Jim snorts bitterly. "I don't believe in no-win scenarios," she remarks.
"You best start then, Ms. Kirk," Finnegan says. "Cause the time's gonna come when you'll have to face it the way we all have and you're gonna understand what it's like to have to accept defeat."
Jim just hums before she stands. "Well boys, thanks for keeping me company, but I have to run along now."
"Class?" Finnegan asks.
"Not quite. I'm interned to Commander Spock."
Ayers coughs on his next bite of burger. "Commander Spock? The Commander Spock? The very Vulcan that made Neil here cry his eyes out during his sophomore year when he was taking his Advanced Phonology class?"
"Uh, I don't know anything about all that, but yes, I suppose that Commander Spock," Jim replies.
Finnegan's cheeks burn with a deep red as he glares at his friend. "You damn bastard, you swore you wouldn't bring it up anymore!"
"Dude! But it was the most epic thing since that whole dog fiasco between Scotty and Admiral Archer. And besides, you broke down in public! It's not exactly a closely kept secret," Ayers points out unrepentantly. "My condolences, Ms. Kirk. I heard he's a-tough one."
"Nah, he's fine," Jim says with a shrug.
Ayers scoffs like he doesn't buy it and Finnegan frowns very doubtfully.
"You just have to get on his good side," Jim suggests as she gathers her things together.
"Well, I'm supposed to be in his Advanced Quantum Physics course this fall. Think you can put in a good word for me?" Ayers semi-pleads.
Jim snorts and it suddenly clicks why his name seemed so familiar. She'd seen his name on the roster. "No promises, but I'll see what I can do. I'm still trying to get him to fully warm up to me as is," she says before she hikes up the strap of her handbag onto her left shoulder. She quickly pulls out her communicator to check the time. "Listen, I think you guys are cool and we should hang out some more and continue our conversation about who I should avoid some other time."
Ayers nods and Finnegan gives a half-smile.
They exchange comm links before Jim scuttles back to the science and mathematics building. Just as she approaches, she nearly bumps into a twig of a boy. He looks like he's someone's lost kid, possibly one of the professors, but oddly enough, he's sporting the Academy red.
"Ah, sorry," he gushes with a thick Russian accent and wide eyes. He reminds her of Bambi almost. "So sorry. Please to forgive."
"No it's fine," Jim quickly assures and rewards him with a disarming smile.
He flushes and swallows. "Please to excuse," he squeaks before he scrambles past her and out of sight.
"Huh," Jim says before she enters Spock's office. He's still right where she left him. "Who was that?"
"A former student of mine. Pavel Chekov," Spock replies with that indifferent tone of his. "His mathematical proficiency is nearly equal to your own."
"Ha, yet another compliment. You must like him too," Jim says as she throws her bag down while she curls up in the seat across from him.
"I must reiterate that Vulcans do not-"
"Blah, blah, denial of emotions," Jim interrupts and waves it off because it's getting old at this point. He'll probably be doing that a lot in the future. "You said he was a former student. Why'd he stop by?"
Spock pulls his gaze away from his current project. He studies her face for the extension of six seconds and Jim feels oddly like some complicated equation he's never encountered before. "He wished to extend his gratitude for the proposal I submitted to the academic board on his behalf in regards to his consideration for the Starfleet Graduate Grant, which he has appeared to have acquired."
"Wow," Jim says. "That must have been some proposal."
Spock doesn't comment on the matter.
"I swear, the more I get to know you, the more you just seem so very gentle," Jim teases, just to watch the way Spock lifts an eyebrow. "You're like a total softie, aren't you?"
Vulcan's don't sigh but Spock gives a distinct twitch that indicates maybe he wanted to.
Jim laughs. "Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing. Just tell me this one thing."
Spock looks at her expectantly.
"Is it true you made a cadet break down in tears during one of your classes?"
Spock stares at her unblinkingly, and remarks, "To which cadet do you refer?"
"Oh my God," Jim says and marvels at him. "Have there really been so many that I literally need to give a first and last name?"
Spock continues to appear indifferent but there's an indecipherable something in his dark eyes. "During my time on Earth, I have ascertained that Humans are unable to receive any form of criticism with solemnity."
"We're all weeping babies, huh?"
"I do not believe that is an accurate analogy," Spock says with a frown. "Though one would argue that the sullen disposition of most cadets does leave a lot to be desired."
"Whoa, slow down, Commander. I'm starting to think you're developing a sense of humor," Jim dryly states but she is kind of amused.
"Cadet Kirk, I ask that you do not insult me," Spock merely replies.
Jim laughs and she can't say why it's so funny. "You do realize you have a bit of a reputation?"
"It concerns me little."
"Yeah, I figured as much."
Spock says nothing.
Jim knows she should leave it alone, but she can't help but to jokingly ask, "Are you going to make me cry? Should I be prepared for that?"
"It is never my intention to solicit an emotional response," Spock reports and he seems vaguely exasperated. Vaguely. He's masking it very well. "Nonetheless, it would appear my position does not afford me the same courtesy."
That subdues Jim well enough. "Sorry. Just-sorry. I'm not trying to-just forget I even brought it up," she says.
"There is no need to apologize," Spock ensures bluntly. "I am aware you are not being deliberately offensive. It is of no consequence." He leaves it at that and sends her out on an errand.
Jim spends the next two hours fussing with a photocopy machine until it spites out multiple double-sided copies of syllabi. Thankfully, when she brings it all back to Spock, he dismisses her for the day.
She gets to go home and tell Bones all about it.
Bones is unhelpfully amused throughout her entire narration.
888
Three Weeks Later
This is how Jim's weekly schedule goes:
On Mondays and Tuesdays, she gets up bright and early with Bones and they decide between them which one of them will drop Joanna off at daycare, and if they get up early enough, sometimes they do it together. If they do it together, sometimes this means they get to sit down in the Academy cafeteria for a hurried breakfast before they part ways.
She acts as Spock's TA from six in the morning to six at night. She sets up and cleans his classroom before each class. She writes out the equations he wants on the whiteboard and that's mostly for the students benefit. If they solve it or even describe the origin of it, they get a bit of extra credit for it. Jim's usually in charge of determining which cadets have earned it and which haven't.
In the beginning, when the semester had started, there had been a constant reaction of surprise to Jim's presence. But at least they eventually warmed up to her quicker than they did to Spock, and they never hesitated to bombard her with questions whenever Spock opened up the floor for them to do so. After a while, they all grew accustomed to her and willingly petitioned her help. Sometimes, on odd days, Jim will bring two-dozen cupcakes to each class and pass them out because she's awesome like that.
Spock finds her methods strange but he doesn't question this habit because even he has to admit that it has a positive effect on the cadets and the way they retain the knowledge they're being given. And sometimes, when she feels like he'll concede to it, she brings him a small box of special order cupcakes made of lemons and limes and grapefruit and generally any sour flavor that any Vulcan would find appealing.
Is she trying to butter him up? Yes. Yes she is.
Jim would like to think it's working, and as a result, she has some sway with him.
When she's all done with that whole affair, she goes to pick up Joanna from daycare and take her to either her ballet lessons, or karate lessons, or linguistics class (she's learning both Vulcan and Universal Sign Language). Jim's allowed to stick around and watch if she doesn't have anywhere else to be. They're only hour classes and at the end of them, Jim takes Joanna back to the apartment where Bones is usually waiting for them with dinner.
On Wednesdays and Thursdays, she gets to sleep in a little bit longer.
Bones and Joanna are usually long gone by the time her alarm pries her from bed. These are the days she has classes from ten in the morning to eight at night. She attends four classes (eight overall between two days) and they are all just mandatory courses that no one can really test out of. She finds one or two of them boring, and she never runs into anyone she personally knows, but that's just the way of things.
Outside of classes, however, she finds herself sometimes sitting down with Finnegan and Ayers for lunch or a brief study date. Other times she lets Gaila drag her to some of the debate team meetings or to some kind of campus affair/mixer. When she thinks she can get away with it, she visits Bones while he's working at the health center and he usually lets her hang around and be a nuisance until he has to chase her out because her next class is starting or because she's being a general distraction to him.
She's on good speaking terms with at least six of her professors, and she does what she can about the other two. She's at the top of all her classes so far, but it's still too early in the semester to label it as anything substantial. But needless to say, she's pretty exhausted by the time she finds her way back to the apartment, and she usually stays awake long enough to eat, and give Bones and Joanna as much of her attention as she can spare with what little energy she has by that point.
On Fridays, she's usually booked up with tutoring sessions. She does that from noon to nine, and each tutoring session is about an hour. Some of her tutees are pretty cool, while the others either try to hit on her or try to bribe her into bribing Spock into giving them a good grade. Lucky for them, she has the patience of a saint and she kindly tells them that she has no problem with letting them fail because of their own ignorance. They usually shape up pretty quick after that and life goes on.
Her days of rest and relaxation is pretty much on Saturdays and Sundays, and even then not so much because she has homework to do, papers that Spock expects her to grade, required reading that needs to be done, and so on and so forth. It's a challenge at first, of course it is, but Jim's a quick study and she's able to get into the groove of it after the first week.
Speaking of getting into the groove-she's about fifteen weeks along by this point and starting to show. Not in a major way, but her face is getting a bit fuller and she does have a small baby bump that Bones loves to ogle from time to time. Though she can't really talk because sometimes she stands in front of a mirror and ogles it herself.
Joanna is getting especially touchy and grabby. If it isn't obvious that Jim's pregnant then Joanna makes it so because she uses every opportunity she can get to kiss Jim's stomach or talk to her baby sister (whom she's so excited to meet) or offer up the baby names she likes the most.
Jim finds it sweet if not endearing.
But this the way of things.
This is what her life has become.
Currently, it's a Thursday night (six o'clock) and Jim's been holed up in a private study room since her last class of the day got canceled. She's polishing off the dissertation for her InterPolitical Science class, which is due next Wednesday, because it's just her luck that she would land herself in Commodore John Gill's class at the behest of Captain Pike. Of course it's only been three weeks, and she has yet to feel any particular way about the man, but she figures this dissertation will kind of be a deciding factor for his opinion of her. The assignment is to compare early 20th Century diplomacy to Starfleet's current policy of interstellar relations.
"As we have already seen in the incidents on Sherman's Planet and at outposts in the Vero Nebula, Starfleet's policy of non-interference as mandated by the P.R.I.M.E. Directive can sometimes be counter-productive to the interests and well-being of the planets in our Federation. It is both dangerous and reckless to propagate-" Jim types onto her PADD. "-a policy so clearly unsuited to the times in which we live. Therefore [in the future] selective application of unilateral pressure or even direct force against seemingly benign or harmless civilizations will undoubtedly be necessary for stability and strength as we move out into the cosmos. A lack of timely communication over vast distances may be used in the future as a practical excuse to absolve Starfleet of the "rogue actions" of commanders who were incapable of consulting higher authority before acting."
Jim sighs as she looks over that last paragraph one final time before she concedes to the fact that she has outlined her argument to the best of her ability. She knows that the subject she's raising at hand will probably invite a strong backlash on moral grounds, as well as a series of complex ethical questions. She's sort of blatantly questioning Starfleet's rigid and long-standing policy of human non-interference in the affairs of other races.
Jim snorts a little as she thinks about the benefits of having Spock proofread her dissertation and giving her useful feedback. It only takes her five minutes to really consider it seriously before she's forwarding it to him and asking for his opinion in her general obnoxious way. She knows he'll unwillingly reply with a few rejections before it morphs into eventual consent. When that's all said and done, she stretches with a yawn and begins to dog ear all her open books before packing them up and carrying the books she has yet to checkout in her arms.
She gets one foot out the room before she collides into another body with a soft 'umph' and the books she's cradling in her arms go sprawling all over the floor around her feet. She closes her eyes with a sigh and reigns in her temper before she gets on her knees and starts to collect them.
"You," a livid voice says and Jim recognizes it all too well. "Goddamn, you."
Jim lifts her eyes up to Uhura, who is standing with her hands on her shapely hips and glaring down at her with utter contempt. "Okay-what did I do this time?" she says and continues to pick up her books.
Uhura doesn't make a move to help, even though she's the one that bumped into her. She says, "What don't you ever do? God, can I go one day this year without you turning everything upside down for me?"
"You're going to have to elaborate," Jim says between clenched teeth. She grabs the last book and stands, blowing her long bangs out of her eyes so she can see Uhura clearly. "What exactly did I turn upside down?"
"You know that little apprenticeship you have with Commander Spock? I was up for that. In fact, he personally requested me," Uhura hisses. "But somehow, and who ever knows how Jim Kirk manages to manipulate things, but somehow you got it instead. Do you know what that would have done for my academic record? Do you have any idea how hard I worked to earn that spot?"
"I have a vague notion," Jim mutters.
"Blood and sweat," Uhura continues, ignoring the comment. "Commander Spock is one of the most respected instructors in all of the Academy. That apprenticeship would have opened vaults for me, but you get to glide right on in, late as the day is long, and wahlah-you get it, just like that."
Jim scratches the side of her nose. "Look, I really just feel like you have it out for me and I can stand here and make apologies for any and everything, whether or not it is my fault, but I don't really think it would do much good."
Uhura scowls and crosses her arms. "I just want to know why this? Why this one thing? Is it a revenge thing for you? Or do you like to play games?"
Jim huffs out a tired laugh and shakes her head. "Are you hungry?" she asks.
Uhura blinks and frowns. "What?"
"Are you hungry? Have you eaten? Would you like to eat?" Jim patiently clarifies.
"Please don't joke with me, Kirk," Uhura angrily begs. "I am up to my neck in frustration. I have been doing everything I can to make sure I can succeed and make the most out of this education because I can't afford to treat this like one big vacation. I have always had to give a hundred and fifty percent because anything less than that is just unacceptable. I'm working two jobs to afford the tuition here because I've only been given so many scholarships and grants that don't even cover the full cost and I can only keep them if I continue to show academic excellence and I can't do that if I'm competing with you for everything."
Jim can hear the distressed irritation in Uhura's shaky voice and she can read it from her tense shoulders. "I'm not asking you on a date. I just think that you should hear my side of things, and we can really talk and hopefully move on to something better. I just really feel like this whole thing is just one giant misunderstanding so-if you haven't eaten and you would like to eat, I'm inviting you to have dinner with me back at my place. Please."
Uhura hesitates and she narrows her eyes with vague suspicion before she straightens. "Fine," she curtly decides.
"Okay," Jim says and moves to walk towards the elevators since they're on the fifth floor. "I just need to check these books out and we can walk from here."
Uhura says nothing. She just quietly follows her.
Jim shoots off a quick text to Bones.
*FYI bringing some company over. Okay by you?
Bones replies right while she's in the middle of checking her books out.
**Fine by me. We've got enough food to feed an extra mouth. I'll make lasagna.
"You like lasagna?" Jim asks as they cross the campus grounds and head towards the apartment complex.
"It's fine," Uhura merely says and follows her inside. She looks around curiously with a questioning frown. "Do I want to know why you live in the same building as Commander Spock?"
Jim blinks as she jabs a finger at the elevator call button. "He lives in this building?"
Uhura looks at Jim like she's an idiot. "This is the building that houses all Starfleet instructors," she points out.
Jim just hums because she did forget. It's not like she runs into anyone she knows. She's never run into Spock, that's for sure-but that was good to know for future reference (mostly she'll probably bug him for her own amusement if anything).
They climb on the elevator when it comes and travel up to the third floor where Jim's apartment is.
Jim punches in the entrance code and relaxes instinctively.
Bones and Joanna are sitting on the living room floor while they eye the tower of Jenga blocks built up on the glass table.
Jim drops her messenger bag to the floor with the frown. "Hey, what'd I tell you guys about playing that on the glass table. Come on."
Joanna giggles and quickly climbs to her feet so she can run to Jim. She latches onto Jim's left leg. "Hi, momma! I told daddy you wouldn't like it but he didn't want to listen," she reports.
"Jo, you're supposed to be on my side," Bones complains as he stands and makes his way over. He nods politely to Uhura and offers a hand. "Leonard McCoy."
"Uhura," Uhura responds and shakes his hand with a confused frown. She glances between the three of them and Jim can tell she's doing a bit of math and calculation in her head to comprehend what she's seeing.
"Do you not tell anyone your first name?" Jim asks, amused.
Uhura cuts her gaze to her and lifts a finely arched brow. "That depends," she says and doesn't clarify. She's still being a bit defensive but some of her usual cold has thawed.
"Momma," Joanna says, yanking on the hem of Jim's uniform skirt. "Momma, can you make me a smoothie?"
"In a second, little duck, but you're being rude. Introduce yourself," Jim says.
Joanna's green eyes widen contritely and she turns to Uhura. "Sorry. My name is Captain Joanna McCoy." She points proudly at the badge pinned to her blue t-shirt.
Uhura smiles and crouches down to be eye level with her. "Very honored to meet you, Captain." She gives a neat salute.
Joanna beams and echoes the motion with less grace before she turns back to Jim with hopeful eyes as if to say, 'See? I did good and just like you asked. Smoothie now?'
Jim snorts and pats Joanna affectionately on top of her head. "Give me a second, and I'll make it for you," she promises.
"Kay," Joanna chirps and turns to Uhura. "Ms. Uhura-would you like to play the Jenga with me? Daddy has to start cookin' and I don't wanna do it by myself."
Uhura looks to Bones and then to Jim as if to ask permission and when Bones nods, she says, "Sure. But you have to teach me how to play because I don't know how."
Joanna nods eagerly and grabs Uhura's hand to guide her over to the living room.
"Not on the glass table. I don't want it to crack," Jim says before she turns to Bones.
"Isn't she the one-"
"Yup."
"Huh." Bones glances over at Uhura thoughtfully before he looks to Jim again. "Go get yourself settled and then come help me cook."
"What?" Jim groans. "But I'm tired," she whines.
"This is useful," Bones argues. "You can't survive off of junk food when I'm not around to cook for you."
"I'd like to disagree but I know it wouldn't matter so I'm gonna go pee and change," Jim decides and tucks away in their room to do just that. She reappears in some pajama shorts and a t-shirt that fits snuggly on her. She doesn't care because she's home and she's allowed to dress how she wants (despite company) and it's not like she's trying to hide her pregnancy.
Bones has her brown the meat and they work in tandem in the kitchen. He steps into her space and guides her through it all, putting his hands on her hips, or on her wrist to guide her stirring, or on her lower stomach to feel for the baby. He likes to be real flirty whenever he's teaching her to cook, often stealing kisses when she least expects it or is distracted, or sometimes he'll whisper things in her ear that has nothing to do with the dish they're preparing.
Jim likes it. Mostly because it's Bones and because it helps her remember things for future reference. But as is, she's even more aware of how they behave together because she can feel Uhura's curious gaze burning up her body and the unsaid questions are obvious.
The lasagna is ready to be pulled from the oven an hour later, and the four of them sit down at the kitchen table with their plates filled with lasagna, salad, and garlic bread.
Joanna is sitting quietly in her booster seat and generally ignoring everyone and everything that isn't edible and located on her plate.
Jim allows herself the first plate, and when she has Bones fix her second one, to Uhura, she says, "The apprenticeship with Spock was just a happenstance. I tested out of their highest level of mathematics and since I was behind on my observation hours, Captain Pike, who is my direct academic advisor, thought it would be best to place me in that position so I could make up for lost time. But, in saying that, I do apologize if that's inconvenienced you and I just want you to know that I'm not trying to purposefully piss you off."
Uhura nods slowly as she eats with as much poise and grace as a queen.
"Also-I recall you saying some very hurtful words to me that I'm not holding against you in any way. But it does bother me, as it would anyone, that you have this whole image and perception about me that I don't agree with. I am selfish in some ways and I am spoiled in some ways, but I've never for once, for a moment, for a second, ever, ever, ever had it easy," Jim goes on to say. "I'm not going to go into detail about that and I don't want us to sit here and start a pissing contest about who's had it harder and the struggle and whatever. But respectfully, at the same time, I can appreciate your frustration and why you might be frustrated because I've been there too. You know, adult to adult, woman to woman, I just want you to know that this doesn't have to be a competition. Why can't it be like me doing what I can to help you and build you up and then you turn around and do the same in the way that you're able?"
Uhura swallows and says, "First off, I want to apologize for those hurtful words and my behavior. It was totally uncalled for and I do agree that I could have handled it better. I kind of have a temper and when it gets going then that's when my mouth gets me in trouble." She pauses to smile self-deprecatingly. "I also, you know, really respect the fact that you were a bigger person than me in this situation and you took the time to try and mend things. I know a lot of people would not have done the same. They would've wrote me off like, 'Hey, she's crazy, and she needs anger management, and let me avoid that'. But you didn't and I feel really bad about how I've been treating you. I know I can't blame other people for my circumstances but, and not using this as an excuse, um, I've come from like a sort of impoverished background and that situation didn't change until after my parents enlisted with Starfleet and even then it was still a struggle. So I'm at a place where I'm used to really going hard and fighting for the things that I want. Success hasn't been easy, and even more so as a woman. I know you can relate to that, because as women, we have it twice as tough, even still now, and we're in the 23rd century and the issues are still there. So I do agree that as women we should band together and lift each other up and not make it a competition because change does start here and now and with us and our generation."
"Right on," Bones chimes. "Everyone should just smile. Life really ain't that serious. We make it hard. The sun rises. The sun sets. We just tend to complicate the process."
Jim snorts and slaps his chest before she shakes her head fondly. To Uhura, she says, "I accept your apology and I'm sorry for the trouble I caused when we first met. I'm glad we got that all sorted out, and just know that if you ever need anything like a warm meal or a study buddy or anything, I'm happy to do that for you."
"Same here," Uhura promises genuinely. "And I have to ask because I'm curious and nosy-are you expecting?"
Jim nods. "I'm about…" she trails off to think before she looks to Bones. "What am I?"
"Four months," Bones supplies.
"Do you know what you're having?" Uhura asks as she finishes up her food.
"Girl," Jim says and shoves another forkful of salad in her mouth.
"What's your focus?" Bones asks.
"Xenolinguistics as it applies to spatial navigation, duotronics, and cryptography," Uhura replies. "How about you?"
"He's a doctor. So he's attending the post-graduate medical academy," Jim answers before Bones get to.
Bones snorts. "Thanks, because I couldn't answer myself," he snidely remarks.
Jim just tosses him a sarcastic smile that he rolls his eyes at.
Uhura watches them amusedly. "How long have you two been married?"
Jim flushes and sputters.
Bones gets real smug for some reason. He says, "That's a good question. Refresh my memory, Jim. How long has it been? Feels like years by this point."
Jim kicks him under the table and he jolts with a muttered swear. She ignores him as she primly replies, "We're not married."
"Not yet," Bones mutters. "But give me time. I'll talk her into it."
Jim kicks him again.
"Stop kicking me," Bones complains. "It was joke."
"I don't believe you," Jim mumbles.
Bones just shrugs.
Uhura smiles and says, "You're really cute together. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you."
"Well what about you?" Jim says, ready to change the subject because if Bones looks any more insufferably smug than he already does, she might reach over and strangle him.
"Nothing to report," Uhura assures and checks her wristwatch before she stands. "I have to get going. I don't want to miss curfew. Thanks for the meal."
"Curfew? No way is there curfew," Jim says with a doubtful frown.
"There is for the first years. It's different for you I think because your living situation is different. I don't think it applies," Uhura supposes with a graceful one-shouldered shrug. She turns to Joanna and says, "Rom-halan, ang'jmizn." It's Vulcan. "Dif-tor heh smusma."
Joanna beams and replies (like the little genius she is), "Amsetri tre. Sochya eh dif."
Uhura gives her a gentle smile. "Shaya tonat."
Bones starts clearing the table and cleaning the kitchen.
Jim stands to walk Uhura to the door.
Before Uhura completely exits, they exchange comm links, make an arrangement to have lunch next Tuesday, and leaves things at that.
Jim makes Joanna the smoothie she promised and they curl up together on the couch to watch a short movie.
Joanna keeps one hand pressed to Jim's small baby bump while she holds her smoothie in the other and sucks it down.
Jim strokes her fingers through Joanna's soft, wild curls.
Bones joins them halfway through the movie when he's finished cleaning and he sits down on Jim's other side, pressing close until his arm is wrapped around her shoulders while his hand drifts down to her stomach to join Joanna's.
Jim feels warm and content between them, and with that much comfort, she drifts off in no time, her head lolling on Bones's shoulder as the TV drones on.
This must be what it feels like, she thinks dreamily. To not feel lonely.
888
[Spock's response to Jim's forwarded InterPolitical Science paper goes as followed:]
STARFLEET CORRESPONDENCE
STARDATE 225009.18
COMMANDER SPOCK VIA STARFLEET ACADEMY
JAMES T KIRK OF STARFLEET ACADEMY
Cadet Kirk,
Your attempt to relay the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action in advance of any likely crisis is sufficiently executed.
However, it is apparent that the moral arguments you raise are likely beyond your capacity to argue at present, and as such, you meekly steer around them. It is also clear that you invite criticism, yet deflect the invitation of such by exhausting imperfectly understood precepts found in Baruch Spinoza's 1677 tome 'Ethics' in an impulsive endeavor to justify the notion that "might is right".
You state that you believed that Spinoza had quantified virtue and power as equals, and as such, consider that actions are their own justification. I propose that you reread 'Ethics' a little closer. Greater minds than your own have misinterpreted Spinoza's philosophy over the years, but very few continue to believe that he was proposing the equation: Force = Good.
Nevertheless, the dissertation does not ignore the potential interstellar political ramifications of a policy that could (and would) be clearly read as exactly what it is: a muscle flexing display meant to intimidate - and occasionally punish - "inferior races". For that, I commend you.
Please bear in mind that, though you make your regard of stoic fearlessness in the face of immense odds blatant, it is evident that passivity is not in your nature, and therefore you should be obliged to distinguish that ambition without compassion provides hollow rewards.
Overall, I urge you to reassess the definitive message you are striving to conduct, and be prepared for the disparagement your "quintessential thinking" will provoke.
Commander Spock
Chapter 11
Author's Note: Most of ya'll don't never review, like, come on, and writing this stuff isn't easy. I deserve a little more than a one-word comments. Give me something to think about! Thanks for reading in any case.
Also, credit goes to the EtherBase portal's 'All Our Yesterdays', the newly published biography of Star Fleet Admiral James T. Kirk (2233-2293), in regards to filling out what Jim might have been doing during the Academy years and so on and so forth.