Pride and Logic Chapter 4

Spock stood outside of Cadet Gaila’s door, his eyes fixed on the spot where Cadet Uhura had stood moments before. He had been surprised when Shuran had informed him of her imminent arrival and requested that he meet her at the transporter room in the adjacent camp. He had related to Shuran that he felt her presence was unnecessary and illogical, but Shuran maintained that Cadet Gaila was unwell and had requested her presence.

 Spock was becoming concerned about Shuran’s interest in Cadet Gaila. While he could not fault his colleague for requesting the cadet’s assignment on the mission given Commander Ubecca’s unavailability and Cadet Gaila’s unquestioned skill in computer programming and mechanics, Spock felt that the mission could have an unwelcome impact on Shuran’s career. The student body and faculty members had already begun to speculate as to the nature of his relationship with Cadet Gaila. If Shuran continued to pay particular attention to the cadet for much longer, his reputation in Starfleet would be irreparably damaged.

Shuran had argued that Spock’s concerns were unfounded as he was not currently engaged in a romantic liaison with Cadet Gaila and his position as an adjunct with the computer sciences department meant that any relationship he may pursue in the future would be well within Starfleet regulations. As Shuran did not have supervisory authority over Cadet Gaila and was not in an evaluative capacity in relation to the cadets, Spock could not fault Shuran’s reading of Starfleet regulation. However, as humans would say, the appearance of impropriety can be just as damning as the presence of actual impropriety.

Yet, Spock had to admit that some of his concerns were based in a very human and illogical fear for his own reputation. If Shuran were to be so often in the presence of Cadet Gaila and if he were to come to an understanding with her, Spock would then be thrust into the company of her friend Cadet Uhura.

Spock was coming to realize that he had an inexplicable fascination with Cadet Uhura. Even though they had not crossed paths since the New Term Formal, he found that he was plagued with irrational yet pleasing visions of full lips spread in an engaging smile revealing a row of straight white teeth, an impudently raised dark brow, soft warm russet skin wrapped in turquoise silk, and exemplary deep brown eyes. Their initial meeting alone required that he dedicate an extra half hour to his daily meditation regimen in order to regain control. As the weeks since their encounter turned to months he found that his need for increased meditation had lessened. However, he had been unable to fully expel the cadet from his thoughts, a situation that he found…troubling.

He both dreaded and craved the sight of her during the two days in which he had to await her arrival after Shuran’s announcement. He desired to engage the active mind that he had only briefly glimpsed two months ago, to have those large brown eyes fixed solely on his person, that sonorous voice caressing his ears and that musical laughter coaxed from those enticing lips.

Spock shook himself from his reverie. He was surprised to find himself still standing outside of Cadet Gaila’s door one point eight minutes after Cadet Uhura had left his presence. He could still smell her scent on the air, a pleasing mixture of citrus and cinnamon. He noticed that his heart rate was accelerated 35.2 percent, his breathing increased by 25 percent and his body temperature had risen 18.5 percent. The corners of Spock’s mouth twitched downwards. During their brief walk to Cadet Gaila’s quarters, Cadet Uhura had already upset the mental balance that he had spent the past two days fortifying in anticipation of her visit. Spock calculated that his chances of surviving several days in her presence with his emotional control firmly in place was only 40 percent. He estimated that he had four point five hours until the evening meal. With surprising reluctance, Spock turned from the door and made his way towards his quarters and his meditation space.

***********************

“Really, can you believe her coming all of this way just because her roommate has a little cold?” Nurse Chapel tittered as the officers gathered in the common room ahead of the evening meal. “Its all so ridiculous. I have the situation well in hand. What can she mean by coming all of this way? It is not as if she has any medical training.”

“Indeed,” Spock replied from his seat on the other side of the room where he busied himself reading reports on his PADD.

“I think it shows a concern for her friend that is very pleasing,” Shuran piped up.

“I am sure that you would not engage in such illogical activity, Spock,” Nurse Chapel continued as if Shuran had not spoken.

Spock forced himself to repress a sigh. Nurse Chapel’s behavior had become most peculiar after the she had learned of Cadet Uhura’s arrival at the substation. Spock could not comprehend the woman’s dislike of Cadet Uhura whom she admittedly had never met. He had made the error of asking Cadet Gaila about the health of her roommate eight days ago while Nurse Chapel was present. After Shuran unnecessarily praised Cadet Uhura’s beauty and intellectual prowess, Nurse Chapel inquired after his own opinion of the cadet.

“Cadet Uhura is visually pleasing. Her eyes possess a quality not commonly found among human females,” he had replied in a moment of candor.

This proved to be the catalyst for Nurse Chapel’s unusual behavior. Spock found it to be very unprofessional as well as personally displeasing.

Nurse Chapel continued in her verbal assault of the cadet, despite the fact that her audience had resolved to ignore her.

“I wager that this has lessened your appreciation for her fine eyes?” Nurse Chapel addressed Spock once her diatribe neared an end.

“I fail to see how Cadet Uhura's display of compassion for her friend is related to the superior aesthetic qualities of her eyes,” Spock replied, his right brow raised in confusion.

Shuran repressed a snort of laughter at Nurse Chapel's indignant huff.

Spock and Shuran were saved from the pleasure of hearing Nurse Chapel’s reply by the entrance of Cadet Uhura and the start of dinner. Conversation during the meal largely consisted of Shuran enquiring after Cadet Gaila’s health and regaling Uhura with stories about his boyhood on Andoria. Spock refrained from participating in the conversation, instead contenting himself with observing Cadet Uhura.

After the meal, everyone moved back to the common room to indulge in more socializing and extra curricular activities before retiring for the evening. Spock settled at a side table to engage in a solitary game of kal-toh. He did not bother to inquire if Shuran or Nurse Chapel desired to participate in the game, as Shuran freely admitted that he lacked the concentration and patience required for the intense game of strategy. Spock had previously learned not to invite Nurse Chapel to the game as she would focused most of her concentration on his person rather than on the task at hand and would consequently transform the jumbled mass of rods into such a mess that it would take Spock hours to form the rods into the intended perfect sphere. Instead, Shuran and Chapel sat down to a game of cards.

“Will you not join us, Cadet Uhura?” Nurse Chapel offered sweetly.

“No, thank you. I think I’ll work on some translation problems instead,” Uhura replied as she settled into an armchair.

“Cadet Uhura is a great student and takes little enjoyment in anything else,” Nurse Chapel laughed in reply.

Uhura set down her PADD and regarded Chapel with an arch smile. “I neither deserve such praise or censure. I am an adequate student and I take pleasure in many things.”

“Yes, Gaila tells me that Uhura was just elected as next year’s Vice President of the Academy Chorale Ensemble. It always amazes me how so many Starfleet cadets manage to be so accomplished. They sing, they dance, write arias, excel in all manner of intergalactic martial arts while still excelling in their studies. It is all so impressive. I barely managed to make it to class on time when I was a cadet!”

“I have yet to meet more than a half dozen cadets whom I would call accomplished,” Spock interjected, turning from his game of kal-toh to observe Cadet Uhura. He was pleased to see that she met his statement with an arched brow and prepared to challenge him before she was interrupted by Nurse Chapel.

“Yes, to be truly accomplished a cadet must not only be well versed in a variety of disciplines, but they must have a certain professional bearing, a manner in their walk and speech that inspires confidence in their leadership abilities.”

“And to this they must add a commitment to improving their minds through constant study and testing,” Spock replied, his dark eyes resting on Cadet Uhura.

“Why, Commander Spock, I am surprised at your even knowing any such cadets.”

“I have known many such cadets, Cadet Uhura,” Chapel replied, putting emphasis on Uhura’s rank. “Perhaps you just have not had the benefit of mingling among the most elevated circles of the academy.”

Shuran then asked if Uhura would perform for them all, his natural aversion to conflict leading him to bring the conversation to an end. Cadet Uhura politely declined, promising to entertain them another time. The party fell into an easy silence, absorbed in their respective tasks for another half hour, before Uhura excused herself to check on her friend.

Spock watched the cadet’s retreat with a niggling and unfamiliar feeling of regret. He soon found himself growing disquieted by Nurse Chapel’s renewed attacks on Cadet Uhura. Leaving his kal-toh unfinished, Spock excused himself from the party to engage in more meditation before retiring for the night.