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Battle for Spock, Part 3, Chapter 7

Beta Reader:Jsilver2000

 

              Dr. Saana Uhura

                                                 Reuben Achebe

 

 

Summary: Now we are up to date: (based on the last chapter) Spock and Uhura are on a slow (3-week) journey to Vulcan. But things are happening during those 3 weeks. But things are happening during those 3 weeks. The 3 weeks are broken down into different scenes that will entwine to later chapters. Now we have two happy mothers, Amanda and Saana, expressing their excitement about their children's marriage. All of Vulcan is aware that S'haile Sarek and Spock are descendants of the great Surak and will finally be recognized for their service to Vulcan and the Federation, and Spock's bonding to Nyota will be celebrated as well. T'Pau has gotten satisfaction from the S'oleh-nau clan for T'Pring's behavior during the Kal-i-fee incident. Saana is in a peaceful place right now, unaware of what is to come.    

 




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

First Week: Part 1-Back in the Saddle

The day after her lengthy talk with Amanda Grayson, Saana busied herself around her house. She did her chores, humming happily as she went. She downloaded the three holo-vids of Nyota and Spock, placed them in seamless frames, and hung them up around her condo. She downloaded them again to her PADD so she could take them to work on Monday. A big smile formed on her face at the thought of seeing her daughter married and happy. She had high hopes for a successful marriage.

Saana thought about her marriage to Kayode, the way they fell in love as teenagers about to go to college. Then Starfleet offered an opportunity for people to utilize their skills, and Kayode took it. They were prosperous for a while; they had a beautiful wedding that both families attended. The sad part was that her side of the family had never liked the Uhuras. The Buharis considered the Uhuras to be upper class and were arrogant. Saana generally respected her family, but not when it came to Kay; he was her whole world. Saana and Kayode became a successful couple and proud parents. Every now and then her side of the family would shun them by not inviting them to family gatherings. But that made no impact on the love between the three of them; they created their own party. Saana's brother Zurberi was the only one who refused to be part of the family's hatred and openly embraced Kayode. Kay would hold her and declare that Saana was his one and only and that they were the perfect family. A tear formed and slid down Saana's face as her memories flashed by.

"There's no one like him. He treated me like a queen-his one and only."

Kay had often told her to be strong in bad situations; his death had been the very worst situation. "Kayode, I miss you so much." His side of the family, the Uhuras, had encouraged Saana to move on with her life. They thanked her for loving their son and blessing them with an intelligent granddaughter. Although they had given their blessing to move on, Saana respected and honored the Uhuras; she still felt a strong tie to them. "They have insight," she thought, taking a deep breath and dusting a portrait of Kayode.

After Saana completed her chores, she took a shower and got dressed to go into town for some shopping. She was in such a good mood, she decided to treat herself to some shopping. "I deserve a new dress and shoes; as a matter of fact, I think I'll treat myself to lunch too!," she said to herself. Her daughter's news had brought this new mood on, and she wanted to celebrate. She stepped out of her house into the bright sunshine; she put on her shades and hat and took a stroll into Grahamstown. A rare cool breeze passed over her, like a whisper, giving Saana peace. She didn't know where it came from, but it touched her heart and soul.

As she was walking, she was greeted by her neighbors, and she waved back at them with a smile on her face. When she reached town, more people greeted her, but one man her age was particularly glad to see her. Reuben was a handsome man with salt-and-pepper hair, chocolate mocha skin, and a winning smile. He came out of the barbershop to intercept her:

"Good afternoon, Saana! How are you on this fine day?"

"Well, Reuben! How are you?"

"I'm doing well now-now that I've spotted you," Reuben said, giving her his most winning

smile.

Saana didn't know how to take Reuben. She had known him for years. He had often tried to ask her out, but Saana had never been interested. But today, being in such a good mood, she wanted to share her joy with someone. Saana gave Reuben a warm smile after his statement.

"You say that to everybody; you have a business to run."

"How is your daughter, the one in Starfleet?"

"I'm so happy for Nyota! She has just gotten married to one of the officers on her ship!"

"Wow! Congratulations-this is cause for a celebration! Please, let me treat you to lunch!"

Saana thought about it for a moment. "What harm could come of it? Reuben is a nice, handsome man, and I'm feeling kind of attractive today. Maybe someone to share my happiness wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Okay, Reuben! I would like that-but only if we share the bill."

Reuben's eyes lit up; he had never expected Saana to say yes. He'd been asking her out for years. His mouth became dry, and he was slow to respond. He'd been dreaming about Saana since the day she moved into the neighborhood.

"I can close my shop now, and we can go!"

"It won't be a long lunch, Reuben. I have some shopping to do."

"Sure, wait here or come in while I clean up and close the shop!"

Reuben led Saana into his shop, Reuben was one of those people who liked the old-fashioned ways. His shop was very clean, with advanced equipment for face shaving, but he still used the time-honored tools of his trade to cut hair by hand. He enjoyed interacting with his clients while trimming and shaping their hair, and they appreciated his human touch. Reuben quickly picked up a few towels. He took off his apron and folded it before placing it on a shelf. Then he slipped

into the bathroom to check his face and hair and to wash his hands. Reuben was about the same age as Saana-in his mid-50s-which was still considered young in the twenty-third century. But Reuben had a deep crush on Saana. In his opinion, this lunch date was a blessing in disguise. He dried his hands and went to take his dream date out to lunch. They smiled at each other.

"I'm ready, Saana. Any place special you want to go?"

"Just the deli down the block. It's just a friendly lunch, Reuben."

As they started walking, they continued to talk:

"I know. I just didn't think you would say yes."

"Why not? Aren't you my friend? I've known you for years."

As they were walking, Reuben put his hands in his pocket, like a teenager trying to talk to a girl for the first time. He hoped he wasn't striking out.

"Sure! We're friends, and we look out for each other."

They walked into the deli and sat in a booth. Menus appeared the moment they sat down. They both ordered a sandwich and drink; exactly one minute later, their lunches came out of the replicator. Reuben tried to insert his credit, but Saana stopped him.

"I will not have any of that, Reuben; you promised!"

"Yeah, but this a celebration of your daughter's marriage. Please let me do this."

Saana looked at him quizzically and conceded.

"Okay, but only if you promise that I can treat you next time."

"DEAL!"

They sat there, enjoying their lunch and talking about small things: Reuben's business and the goings-on in the lives of his kids-three full-grown adults who worked off-planet. Reuben is a grandfather; he had lost his wife years back. The barbershop kept him busy, but when he had noticed Saana Uhura a few years back, he had instantly become attracted to her. Now he hoped the friendship would grow into a relationship. Reuben felt like the bear in the honey pot; he was thrilled that the woman of his dreams was having lunch with him. He desired to move this friendship a little further along.

"Saana, um-are-are you seeing anyone-like dating?"

Saana froze with her sandwich in mid-air when she heard his question. She looked at Reuben quizzically and wondered where this was leading.

"I haven't dated anyone or even thought about it since Kayode's death."

She was content with her current life. Nyota, her only concern-and the only legacy of her beloved Kayode-was now married.

They continued eating and making small talk about current events. Saana was hoping that Reuben wouldn't mention dating again. But before they left, he reached across the table and took hold of one of her hands, holding it gently.

"Saana, I've been admiring you for some time, and I hope we can continue our friendship. But if you don't mind, I'd like to call on you from time to time."

Saana felt the warmth of his hands and sincerity and gentleness of his voice. She hadn't thought much about her loneliness-until now. She gave Reuben a warm smile. Saana knew she wasn't ready; no one could ever replace the true love of her life.

"I don't know, Reuben."

"Just say you will think about it. I think you are a wonderful and beautiful woman. Our children have moved on, and we are free to have a meaningful relationship."

"He is right about that," she thought.

"Let me think about it. This is new to me, and I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"If nothing else, can we at least continue being friends and maybe have more lunches together?" Reuben asked.

"That would be nice; we could start there." Saana said, giving him a warm smile.

"I'd better go and finish my shopping," Saana said, getting up and putting her sunglasses and hat back on.

"I want to thank you for our lunch," she said. "And remember-I'm paying next time."

"Saana, the pleasure was all mine. Thank you for accepting."

Reuben took one of her hands, held it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. He looked into her eyes and gave her another of his winning smiles.

"Until then, Saana."

Saana felt flushed. She walked around the corner to continue with her shopping. As she entered the dress store, she thought "Maybe it's time I DO live a little."


On Monday, Saana returned to the South African University of Rhodes, where she had worked for the past twenty-five years. She was a leading authority in the field of anthropology and was currently doing research on one of the lost tribes of Igbo. Saana would take her graduate students as assistants on some of her research trips so they could gain experience and write their theses on their findings. Saana was not some dainty woman who needed to be pampered; she was ready and willing to get dirty, climb into caves, and fall into the occasional mud hole. She could pull her own weight. Her classes were always full of eager students wanting to learn how to excavate sites and preserve artifacts.

On this day, Saana wore a sleeveless yellow sheath dress that contrasted with her mocha skin. Her coworkers noticed that she seemed to have a new outlook on life. She greeted her peers and students as she strolled down the hall with a bag full of PADDs to work on. One of her colleagues, Dr. Nelson Banks, a younger man with a growing family, greeted her:

"Good morning, Saana! How was your weekend?"

"Actually it was really nice. I had lunch out and did a little shopping."

Banks was stopped in his tracks by her response: "Whoa, that's different for you! What brought that on?"

"My daughter, Nyota, got married a couple of weeks ago."

"Well, congratulations are in order! That is a good reason to celebrate! Did you do any work over the weekend?"

"Oh yeah. I finished those reports and started working on another research project."

"Oh, Saana, you are so committed! I don't know how you do it," Nelson said, chuckling at her.

"I've always liked my job. How are your wife and kids, Nelson?"

"My two boys are going up so fast-they make me feel old!"

They both laughed.

As Saana and Nelson walked down the hall, he asked, "Do you have class today?"

"Yes, I have two classes to teach today; and you?"

"Yes, I have a couple as well. Look at the time-I'm running late! I'll see you later, Saana."

"You too, Nelson, . Have a good day!"

That was the most Saana had shared with anybody at her job. She always had kept to herself, but Nyota's marriage had sparked new life in her and the start of new beginnings. Saana went to her office, sat down at her desk, set up her PADDs, and leaned back in her chair. She was happier than she'd been in quite a while as she looked forward to the day she would meet her new extended family. Saana pulled out a vid-photo of Nyota and Spock, placed it on her desk like a trophy, and stared at it with a smile. Then Saana glanced at the image of her husband and traced a finger around the frame:

"You would be proud, Kayode! Your baby is married now. Can you believe she's married to a Vulcan? That's a whole new species. I wish I could have been part of the wedding and given her away for you. Plans are coming together for me to meet him and his family. Our baby is safe now; I hope I did a good job, Kayode."

A tear ran down her cheek as Saana sniffled.

Her week was smooth sailing. Her job was sometimes tedious, but she generally enjoyed the work and found it rewarding. By Wednesday, Saana was tired but content. She was sitting at her desk at work, finishing up one of the projects on her PADD, when she received a com-link from Reuben. She clicked to receive him.

"Hello, Reuben. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Saana. I'm just checking with you to see how your work is going."

"I'm in the process of calling it a day; I'm going home to find something to eat."

"If you're not too tired, I would like to take you to a small bistro where they cook Italian food."

Saana thought about it for a moment, wondering whether to take the next step with Reuben.

"Maybe I should give dating a try. Just once."

"Okay. I think I would like that."

"Remember, I'm treating because I asked you first!" Reuben said, chuckling.

"What time?"

"How about 7 p.m.?"

"What's the name of the place, so I can meet you there in case I'm late."

Saana was not ready for him to show up at her door; they were just friends. Even though she'd known him for some time, dating was something she hadn't done since her teenage years.

"It's called Grazie Restaurant; it's on Bamboo Street in town."

"Sounds good. Now let me go, so I can be there on time. Thank you for inviting me."

Reuben smiled widely, showing his handsome face.

"Thank you for accepting; see you soon, Saana."

Saana packed up her things and left her office to go home to bathe and change. Getting ready to go out was new to getting back into the dating game. She quickly styled her hair. She didn't mind the silver streaks that shined in her hair. She had a youthful face and a full hourglass figure that a less modest woman might have shown off with clothes that hugged her body. Saana chose a loose-fitting turquoise jumpsuit and accented it with a silver charm bracelet. When she was ready, she took the shuttle to downtown Grahamstown. The restaurant was just a short walk away. When she arrived, Reuben was waiting outside for her. When he saw Saana approach, his mouth watered and his eyes widened. "She is so beautiful."

"Reuben, why are you staring at me?"

"Saana if you don't know-have you looked in the mirror lately?"

Saana gave a quizzical look, thinking something was wrong with her appearance. "Is-is there something on my face?" she asked, raising a hand to her cheek.

Reuben flashed her a huge smile: "Saana, I don't know how long it's been since someone told you, but you are a very beautiful woman."

Saana's cheeks flushed and she giggled. "Reuben, you are not serious!"

"I'm afraid so. Let's go eat; they are waiting to seat us."

He escorted Saana into the restaurant. It was a small, quaint restaurant with an old Italian theme. Artificial salami and cheese, along with grapevines, hung from the walls and ceiling. Wine racks were placed throughout the room. A musician strolled through the place playing a violin. And the restaurant used actual people as waiters and cooks. Inhaling a heavenly aroma, Saana could tell that real ingredients, instead of synthesizers, were used to make the food. But best of all, the atmosphere was warm and receiving; it gave off a romantic vibe, as Reuben had planned.

"This is a nice place, Reuben! It has a warm feeling to it."

"I used to come here when I had time. I've spent my spare time visiting my children the past couple of years."

"Wow! It's nice that you have the time to visit your children."

Saana felt a little sad, thinking of how she couldn't just visit Nyota whenever she had the urge. Her daughter was usually in deep space, who knew where.

"Nyota visits me here about every three years or so. I really miss her."

"Of course you do; every parent does, no matter how old their kids get to be."

Saana looked up into Reuben's eyes and acknowledged his comment. He understood how she felt about her daughter.

"I totally agree with you."

"Maybe one day, if Nyota returns to Earth, and my children come to visit, we could have a cookout or something."

"That sounds really nice."

Saana wondered if she was reading more into it than was there. When you start meeting family members. you're announcing some form of relationship. Am I ready for that now? Is this too soon?"

The waiter came with their food, and they dug in, finding it delicious. They sipped wine, talking about their personal lives and events around the world and the universe. Saana saw a nice businessman before her and welcomed the friendship. "Reuben's not like those hard corporate types who would do anything for a profit. He's a kind and sensible man."

After dessert and coffee, they walked to a nearby park and strolled around, enjoying the warm evening. Reuben was emboldened and reached for her hand to hold; Saana didn't resist. His hand felt warm; it was a strange sensation for Saana after all these years-the touch of another man's hand on her skin. It was new to her, and she briefly wondered if she had betrayed Kayode. She let him hold her hand for a few more minutes and then gently released his. Saana turned to Reuben:

"I want to thank you for dinner and a lovely conversation. But this is all new to me; it's always been Kayode since I was a teenager."

"I understand," Reuben said. "I know you and your husband shared a life together, and I respect you for that. If you wish, I will take it very slowly-just-I would like to continue to see you as friends, until you want to-make it more."

Saana looked into his eyes and saw the warmth in them, but she needed to be honest: "Thank you, Reuben. I think it's best that we take it slow."


During the following week, she received a message and the gift of a tropical plant from Reuben, who thanked her for a nice lunch and dinner and expressed the hope of seeing her again the coming weekend. After closing the com-link, Saana smiled and began to wonder if anything could come of their budding relationship. She chuckled at the plant and thought, "He IS trying really hard, isn't he?"

 












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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.