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“What is that?” Spock asked, Nyota looked up.
“It’s a kanga; Baba sent it to me when she heard I was pregnant. I’m covering Lieutenant Trillis for her lunch hour.” She said, noting his concern as she zipped up her uniform.
“Surely, you do not need to wear your uniform for the hour.” He said.
“Well, I can’t go out there nude.” She said.
“You cannot be comfortable in restrictive-“
“Spock, I can’t go on-duty in civvies.”
“I am certain the Captain would not mind.” He said. “Your body is still very tender. It has only been several weeks and Doctor McCoy has cautioned against-“
“All right!” she threw up her hands in defeat. “You win, I’ll change.”
“What will you do until noon?”
“Go for a little walk.” She said, he quirked an eyebrow. “I’ll take it slow, very, very slow.” She promised. Still unsure, Spock took his time leaving their quarters that morning, until finally Nyota was practically shoving him out the door; reminding him he would be late. So, warily, Spock headed to the bridge.
Jim was already in his chair. He swiveled around at the sound of the turbo lift doors opening.
“Mr. Spock!” he said gaily “And how is our youngest crewmember this morning?”
“T’Meni is in excellent health Captain. My wife wishes me to inform you that she will be taking Lieutenant Trillis’ duties at Communications during the lunch hour. She will have T’Meni with her while she works.”
“Well that’s fine Mr. Spock; I can’t see any problem with that.”
“She will be wearing her civilian clothing as the regulation uniforms are still constricting-“
“It’s only an hour Spock.” Kirk said already waving a hand “I’m sure we’ll manage.” Spock quirked an eyebrow, but took his seat at the Science Station.
Nyota took her time that morning. After almost a month of being quarantined to their quarters, and then after being in labor for six and a half hours, she was then returned to their apartments for two more weeks of recuperation. Frankly, Uhura had had it with their apartment. She wanted out. She dressed in a comfortable tunic that hit her just at her thighs, still stretched and swollen. Digging through her drawer, she found what she was looking for: a pair of silky billowing pants that Sarek had sent to her. The note accompanying them stated that Amanda had been partial to such a style after giving birth to Spock. Uhura had to admit, they were extremely comfortable, and she found that they had been made of such a material that she could go about in public in them, leaving her free to carry on with duties. How very logical. Smiling to herself, she quickly tied the kanga, then opening the fabric wide at her middle; she gently set T’Meni in the sling. The child shifted slightly, opened her eyes for a moment, and then shut them again. Satisfied, Uhura left the apartment, carrying a small bag with her. Diapers, a few bottles of milk, and a change of clothes. There was a nook in there somewhere, probably around the bottom.
Walking the halls of the Enterprise, there was always someone wanting to peer at the baby, stroke her soft cheeks and whisper to Uhura that the child was beautiful before moving on. She took her time, letting anyone who wanted to approach and look at the baby. Eventually, she made it to Sickbay. It was a slow day and Leonard was in his office. Nurse Chapel looked up from her desk;
“Oh you brought T’Meni!” Christine beamed at the child, then looked up at Uhura. “How are you? Do you need anything?” she asked softly, seeing T’Meni’s sleeping form.
“Still sore.” Nyota shrugged. “I’ve got until lunch, so I thought I’d bug Len if he’s not busy.”
“No, go right in.” Chapel nodded and went back to her desk to sort through files. The doors slid open and Doctor McCoy looked up. A smile broke out on his face,
“Well, well, if it isn’t my two favorite ladies on this ship!” he said gaily, a loud “harrumph” was heard outside. “Oh you go without saying Christine.” He called, the nurse, and Doctor’s good friend stuck her tongue out at him, grinning. He got up and pulled a chair out for Uhura, “Sit down, sit down. What brings you here? No problems I hope?”
“No, no, we just thought we’d go for a little walk.” He gave her the same look Spock gave her “I’m taking it slow, I promise. It took me almost a half-hour to get here.” She sat carefully. Leonard sat on the edge of his desk, he held out his hands.
“Here,” he said, “I’ll hold her for a while, give your back a rest.” He said. She nodded and carefully untied the kanga and lifted T’Meni out of it. Leonard gently took her in his arms, settlings her against his shoulder.
“Oh you’ll have to take an extra ten or twenty minutes with this little one.” He said, pressing his mouth to her head, he shushed her softly in her ear, swaying gently. He looked perfectly at ease with the baby, and Uhura knew he was thinking of Joanna.
“I wish I could have seen you with Jo-Jo.” She said, he looked at her, smiling bittersweetly. “T’Meni likes you just fine, anyway.” She said and Len looked at the baby girl in his arms.
“That’s just because my shirt is all shiny and soft.” He said. “Any baby would like that.” He grinned suddenly. “Course it could be my effervescent charm too.” A scoff from the other room was heard. “You know, Christine, you can do your work just as well in here.” He said. Christine lost no time picking up her PADD and hustling into the Doctor’s office. In thirty minutes, eight more nurses were crowded into the small space, so they moved into the main room of Sickbay, Uhura amid all of them, gently cradling the baby. Soon though, she said that the two of them had to get going, it was almost noon. Leonard helped her tie the kanga again, and settled T’Meni into her mother’s arms; the sling stretched slightly, but held up sturdily under the weight of the baby.
“Bring her by any time.” Leonard said, “She’s no bother.” Uhura promised she would before waving one final goodbye and heading for the bridge. In the turbolift she met Gaila, who giggled, tickling T’Meni’s chin, showing the baby her brightly colored bracelet. T’Meni stared, fascinated by the shining charms. Gaila called goodbye when her deck came up, telling Uhura she looked beautiful, and that Scotty wanted to babysit for them soon. Uhura rode the rest of the way to the bridge by herself. Alone time for momma and baby for a few moments at least.
The doors slid open; the Captain swiveled around in his chair, smiling brightly. Spock looked up as well, watching her as she moved slowly around the bridge, stopping at each station, everyone patiently waiting their turn to see the baby. Sulu and Chekov smiled, cooing at the child before she moved on. Kirk grinned as she approached him. He leaned over, peering at the tiny bundle in her arms before he turned his full attention to her.
“Well, I know how she’s doing, since everyone asked her already,” he said, “What I want to know is how you are doing Ny.”
She smiled, appreciative. “Fine, tired.”
“Taking it slow, I hope.”
“Yes sir.”
“This one too.” He said, smoothing T’Meni’s cheek. She gurgled in her mother’s arms, her mouth twitching. “Lieutenant Trillis, your replacement is here.” The woman stood up, her sucker fingers carefully removing the earpiece. She pressed a button in the desk and slid the earpiece into the sanitizing station. In a moment it beeped and she set it down on the desk. Uhura went up to Communications, slipping the earpiece into place. “Mr. Spock, you have the bridge.” Jim got to his feet, stretching his back slightly before boarding the turbo lift. Spock, taking the captain’s chair, swiveled around to where Uhura sat, a bottle poking out of the kanga, slowly being emptied. He studied Nyota for a moment, admiring the picture they made. One hand on the communications panel, Nyota was patching messages throughout the ship from the list Lieutenant Trillis had left for her, the other hand supporting T’Meni, minding the bottle, and making sure the baby did not fall asleep with it in her mouth.
“You aren’t going to lunch?” she asked, looking up at him. Her hand typed idly across the memorized buttons and keys.
“I am on duty until 1300 hours.” He said.
“What a coincidence.” Nyota said, smiling coyly. “So am I.”