Planning A Party Stardate 2259.181

Scarlett was still angry and upset and she didn't want to be comforted by him now. She pulled away from him and he would know from the feeling she got from her that touching her again was not something he should do. She didn't want to talk to him right then. 

"We need to get to the bridge," was all she said as she pushed past him and left sickbay. They got onto the bridge and Amara took one look at Scarlett and knew she was angry...even though she tried to hide it. Scarlett sat down at her station and kept her back to Spock.

Spock moved onto the bridge and feeling the coldness and the disappointment coming from Scarlett. he knew he had let her down. It was sometimes difficult to anticipate her needs. Often, as a Vulcan, such things would never occur to him. They just didn't because he simply wasn't human. Facts were facts and her being pregnant meant that she would have to leave the ship. Her having a half Vulcan child? He was going to suggest that she go to Vulcan and stay with his parents who could help her through it all the most effectively.

The Enterprise was headed for more systems that had yet been unexplored. The Federation and Starfleet knew of them but they hadn't been a real priority for study. After a few hours Kal began to see that there was tension between Spock and Scarlett. Scarlett's responses were brief and she didn't seem interested in idle chatter that usually went on between everyone on the bridge. He and Elyse had shared looks more than once when Spock asked her for something and her responses were short and factual and nothing more. Scarlett didn't even look at him they noticed.

No one on the bridge was really used to Scarlett behaving like she was. She was usually happy and enjoyed chatting. Not today though. She remained focused on her work and her responses were short and to the point. Even Jim took notice, although he didn't say anything. 

After their shift was over, Scarlett didn't remain behind to idly chat. She just quickly left and headed back to Spock and her quarters. Amara was left standing there with Spock and James and Amara looked over at the Vulcan. "Is she alright?"

"I have no comment," Spock said and left soon after Scarlett did. Kirk gave him an odd look but didn't say anything but he did look back at Amara. A sign he might want her to get to the bottom of that, eventually.

"Sir, we're coming up on the Shavinoir system, the planet Aleus Quintus, was named by the Terrarites who had visited this system," Wyatt said. "Sounds good Ensign, Priya, go into a low orbit when we arrive," he said. Everyone but Amara and Kirk had reverted to Beta shift. Once this ship was in low orbit, they began their scans of the planet.

"It looks so...beautiful," Uhura said. It had swirls of colors in blue, gold, almost a pink and green. "It has continents but the air is not at all breathable and the gravity was crush us easily," Wyatt said. "Chekov, prepare a class 3 probe and launch it when ready," Kirk said.

Spock arrived at his and Scarlett's quarters and he entered.

Amara blinked at Spock's response and she knew then that there was something going on. However, she got the sense that trying to push the matter would not be a good thing so she let it go for the moment. However, before she and James could comment on what had just happened to each other, Wyatt announced that they were coming up on the Shavinor system. Amara turned and looked out the view screen at the planet as it appeared. It truly was beautiful. She and James decided to stay for a while longer to see what the probe readings revealed.

Scarlett had changed out of her uniform and into some civilian clothes. She was sitting at the desk in their quarters doing some reading for her PhD work. She didn't even look up when Spock came in. She was clearly still upset about what had happened that morning.

Spock did not see her right away and he suspected she was either in the bedroom or in the small office they shared. He turned the corner and saw her working in the office. She he disturb her or shouldn't he? It was a complete crap shoot. But they did need to talk and her studies could wait. He came up toward her.

"Will you at least accept my apologies for my lack of sensitivity?" He asked plainly. Spock was almost always direct.

Scarlett heard Spock walk into the office. She sighed at what he said. She still felt upset about what he had said, but she knew they needed to talk about what was going to happen. But perhaps that was part of the reason she was upset...because she already knew what was going to need to happen and she didn't want it to.

"Five years without seeing you..." she said quietly as a few tears came to her eyes.

Spock had known that already. "You wouldn't be alone Scarlett. And you'd be the mother to our child. We would miss one another but we'd both being doing something important for our family," Spock said as he stepped up to her. He pulled the chair on the other side of the desk around and sat in it next to her. He took her hands in his.

"You could go and stay with my parents on Vulcan. they could help you with having had a Vulcan child already," he said.

Scarlett was conflicted on how she felt about this pregnancy. She and Spock had never really discussed it before. She had just figured it wasn't going to happen and she didn't worry about it. However, it had and she felt overwhelmed by it since this had happened so suddenly.

"I've been wanting to be apart of a mission like this one since I was at the Academy. Please don't misunderstand. I know that inter-species conception is extremely difficult and I will be happy once the shock wears off. I just...I just wish it hadn't happened now."

"I do understand but this is a gift Scarlett, do us both. What we pay for now, will last us the rest of our lives," Spock said. "You're career might change, but there will be other opportunities. Perhaps there will be future expeditions where we could bring our families with us," he said. "You are young Scarlett, there are always opportunities," Spock reminded her.

Scarlett listened to Spock and she nodded a little. She let him take her into his arms and she felt him kiss the top of her head. She relaxed a little in his embrace and they just remained like that for a short while. She then slowly pulled back and looked at him. "We need to tell Kirk."

"Lets just...enjoy this for us for a while," Spock said. "There is no hurry, this can be our little secret and you can perform your duties for quite some time," he said, "However, if we 'are' going to be separate for such a long time, shouldn't we...live for now then?" Spock asked suggestively as his eyes shifted briefly down to her chest. He wanted to see her magnificent breasts when he did that. And he did that often.

Scarlett saw Spock's eyes shift briefly down to her chest before he looked back into her eyes. She couldn't help but smile a little and the feeling of anger Spock had felt from her earlier was replaced by feelings of love and lust. No more convincing was necessary and a while later they lay in bed together with just a sheet covering them. 

"Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" Scarlett asked as she laid her head on his chest.

Spock owed Scarlett and so he hopefully made up a little ground in what he did to her as they made love. He was pleased to see that she had lost her breath...again, and a sheen of sweat covered her pale flesh. He laid back and propped up his head with a pillow. "Oh I don't care either way as long as it looks more like you do," Spock said. "Perhaps, it has my...mental faculties though sometimes, you appeared fixed on my wars," Spock said. "I see you looking at them, sometime," Spock said.

Scarlett smiled and reached up and gently touched one of his ears. She ran her fingertip along the edge, starting at the point. "Why shouldn't I look at them? They're apart of you and I love you...so...logically, I love your ears too." She saw him smile and he even laughed a little. She kissed his chest a few times before settling back down in his arms. "This child will be more human than Vulcan."

"Even so, he or she...could benefit from Vulcan education," Spock said. "It might be tough for them but the benefit would be great," he said as he stroked her champagne colored hair. "I sometimes wonder what you might look like with red or black hair, I don't know if it would look better than your present color. Would you change it, If I asked?" Spock asked.

Scarlett tried to imagine herself with a different hair color. It was difficult for her to do since she had never changed her hair color before. However, that didn't mean she wouldn't do it. "I can definitely say that I don't think I would look good with black hair, but the right shade of red...I might agree to it." She became quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I don't suppose there is any way you could come to Vulcan for the birth...."

"That would be very unlikely. But, my mother would be there with you. You would not be alone Scarlett and i would return as soon as I am able," Spock said. And he would. "After the mission, perhaps I could become an Instructor again at the Academy, I found that to be...gratifying work," Spock said. "It also beings up another point, since we are so...compatible, we could try to have more children," Spock said. What that meant was that Scarlett's career would take an even greater hit.

Scarlett nodded a little. She knew that it would be nearly impossible for him to be there for the birth of their child. It pained her to know that he would miss out on experiencing it. However, he had made a commitment to Kirk and this mission and he would see it through. She glanced at him a little though when he mentioned having more children. Just the thought of the one was overwhelming enough to her, without thinking about having more.

"Let's just focus on this one for now," she suggested. 

She became hungry and they got up and put on their robes. Spock used the replicator to make them something to eat and Scarlett drank some tea. "I promised Amara you would come to Elyse's surprise party. We should bring her a present. Any thoughts?"

"Well, I do have a book for Elyse called The Teachings of Sarek. I could give it to her as a present," Spock said.

Scarlett gave Spock a little smile at his suggestion. "Uh...maybe. I think perhaps I will talk to Dr. McCoy tomorrow and see if he has any thoughts or can give me any more ideas." She became quiet for a moment as she thought about something else. "I suppose I will also need to talk to him about pregnancy care."

"Undoubtedly, at least for the early stages. But once again, I think we can keep this between us for a short time," Spock said.

Scarlett nodded and she and Spock ate before going to bed. 

----------------------------

Amara and James had eventually decided to head back to their quarters. They had been hungry, but Chekov said he would contact them with news about the probe. Word didn't come quick enough though and a few kisses between them had quickly moved into making out and then pieces of clothing coming off. They weren't entirely undressed yet. Amara was in her bra and panties and James in his small clothes. He was on top of her on their bed, kissing her down the length of her body.

Their quarters intercom chimed. Kirk and Amara looked into one another;s eyes. Kirk had his hardness against her middle though he was still in his small clothes. It wasn't going to take much for what was happening to turn into another, sexual melee between them. Amara had reached back and unlatched her bra. Kirk had grabbed it and flung it over his head. They both smiled as they kissed again as she felt his chest rub up against her newly exposed nipples.

The chime went off again.

Kirk sighed and pointed at Amara. "Don't you move," He said warningly then shifted to hit the intercom button that was on the wall just above the bed. "Yes?" He asked as he felt Amara shift and begiin to do something very very naughty to him that chanced his voice a whole octive.

"Uh, Sir, we've transported a small sample of rock from the surface. We detected an organic energy signature from it but it appeared to disappear fairly quickly. We're not detecting a vast amount of this organic rock in some kind of formations on the planet. Should we investigate?" Chekov asked. Kirk looked down at Amara who stopped what she was doing and had a look of complete innocence. Kirk sighed. "Ok, I'll be there in 10," he began but then Amara grunted in disapproval. "15, minutes, Kirk out," he said and killed the intercom as Amara went right back to what she was doing.

When Kirk arrived Doctor Lagasho came over the bridge speakers. "I think bringing it up like that killed it, Chekhov. I doubt sending it back down now will make any difference," she said in obvious irritation. Chekhov stood.

"Captain, the sample we brought up appears to have...been part of a larger organism. A rock-based one of some kind," Chekhov said. "I suggest sending down someone to catalog it or at least, find out what it is,' Chekhov said. Kirk thought about that a moment then sighed. "Alright, wake up Scarlett, Nathan and Amara," Kirk said. "Yes sir," Chekhov said.