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The Enterprise was in spacedock. Like any vessel that spent so long on the edges of Federation space, and exploring past it, they had to do what they could in space, but once it was time to come in for the sort of repairs that only a space station could provide it was usually extensive. That meant that for most of the crew there would be time to take real shore leave.
The interests of the crew on shore leave were diverse. Some flocked to local sporting events, eager to for the sights, sounds, and smells of a match in person instead of seeing them on a screen. A group was planning a trip to see a museum. A few just liked having a change of scenery for their drinking.
While Scotty appreciated a chance to get off the Enterprise, he’d gotten his fill of that on the first day of shore leave. Now he was back, fretting over the space station engineers who knew nothing changing everything about the Enterprise, and right when Scotty had gotten it just the way he wanted.
Scotty had a toolbox in hand as he headed up to the bridge. Spock had mentioned a loss in speed for his science station. Now that Scotty wasn’t in a constant battle to keep everything repaired, it was a good time to see about speeding up the science station.
When the turbolift doors opened he heard singing. The voice was beautiful and unmistakable. He stepped onto the bridge to see Uhura with her head in and hands in an access panel beneath the communications panel, the bridge toolkit next to her.
“Working during shore leave, Lieutenant?” Scotty asked her in a jovial tone.
The singing stopped and Uhura pulled her head out to look up at Scotty. “I’ll be going to see a concert later today. Captain Kirk had asked for volunteers to take shifts in manning the bridge while everyone else was on shore leave. I volunteered since I thought it would be a good time to take care of some needed maintenance.”
Scotty nodded it was good that Uhura wouldn’t be stuck up here the entire time. It was also reassuring to see her working on communications herself. Her knowledge of the tools and systems she used on a daily basis surpassed most of Engineering’s. Scotty wouldn’t even be surprised if she knew more about those specific systems than he did. It was a shame the lass wasn’t in engineering, she would have made a fine addition to the crew, but he couldn’t deny that she was the most talented communications officer he’d ever met.
“I’ll just be over here working on Mr. Spock’s science station. I’ll be quiet as a church mouse, you won’t even know I’m here,” Scotty said.
Uhura laughed like a bell as she leant back to get to her work. “Mr. Scott, you are many things, but quiet as a church mouse isn’t one of them.”
“Aye,” Scotty agreed.
The two set back to work at their respective tasks. Scotty was soon in the guts of the science station. It was nice, just the three of them: Scotty, Uhura and the Enterprise. It would be easy to forget that there was anyone else in the universe but them. Uhura started singing once more, filling the bridge with her voice, echoing off the walls. He found himself humming softly along, not enough to bother her, but enough that he could hear himself.
The time passed quickly, he always lost track of time when working on the Enterprise and not being under constant attack, dealing with a new dangerous anomaly, or other some other exciting way to get the Enterprise almost destroyed.
When the turbolift doors opened it was like a harsh siren.
“Liuetenant Uhura, I’m here to relieve you,” Captain Kirk said.
Scotty pulled his head out of the innards of the ship to see Uhura picking up her tools before standing up. He did the same.
“I’m sorry, Captain. I thought Chekov was coming to relieve me,” Uhura said as she pressed the wrinkles out of her uniform.
“He was, but he had a little too much shore leave and is now in the starbase infirmary. I wasn’t going to make someone else cancel their shoreleave to cover the shift and I’m not going to ask you to work a double. Besides, I have some reading I can catch up on.”
“Would you mind waiting a wee moment,” Scotty said. “I’m just about finished and I’ll come with you.”
“Alright.”
Scotty stuck his head back in the ship’s inner workings and finished everything up. Uhura helped him clean up his tools and get everything sealed up nice and tight. After the tribbles got into the computers he’d completely changed how the access panels attached.
Captain Kirk had sunk into his chair and was reading a book about life on the Alpha Centauri colony when it was first founded. There were quick good evenings exchanged and the two left their captain as they got into the turbolift.
“I’ve always wanted to say that I admire the way you work with the communication systems,” Scotty said. Uhura was always a beautiful woman, but she was never more beautiful than when she was showing her mastery over all things communications.
“Thank you, Mrs. Scott, that is high praise coming from you,” Uhura beamed.
“I mean every last word of it. You probably could rewire the entire communications system better than I could.”
Uhura laughed. “Mr. Scott, would you like to come with me to the concert? I could use the company. We could get dinner and drinks before the show.”
Scotty felt his heart beat harder in his chest. He’d been planning on spending the evening with the Enterprise. But the thought of spending it with someone is brilliant, brave, and beautiful as Uhura was not something he could overlook. He’d always wanted to get to know her better.
“I think that would be delightful,” Scotty said as turbolift doors opened and he held his arm out to her.