We all know Star Trek and the characters contained therein don't belong to me. They never have, they never will. There will be some mild smut in later chapters. If you don't like that sort of thing, don't get attached to this story.

As always and forever, thanks to my friend and Beta, miss steph. She is the person who converts my blathering into readable English.

Note: In my RomCom version of Star Trek, T'Pring severed her bond with Spock when he moved to Earth – so he isn't a big fat, amoral cheater; Spock is above all that!

~Part One of Eight: Welcoming Party~

"Nyota!"

I didn't turn fast enough or brace myself firmly enough, and Gaila's enthusiastic greeting – I'd swear she'd jumped off a bench onto me – threatened to flatten me. It did serve to send me staggering back into Boris.

"Ouch!" he yelped dramatically, whimpering loudly. "You broke my foot!"

Attendant Morris had been on our shuttle again, and he'd been terrified into silence for the last three hours – he needed some sort of release.

"Your foot isn't broken, Boris," I noted, spitting wild red hair out of my mouth.

"I'm so happy you're home," Gaila said to me, ignoring Boris and squeezing me so hard I was sure I'd end up with at least one broken rib.

She really was freakishly strong.

"We have so much to talk about," she whispered into my ear before releasing my aching waist.

Ignoring Boris's plight, even though he was hopping around on one foot and glaring at her, she waved cheerily at my teammates and said, "Hey, everybody, you did good."

There were murmured thanks from everybody but Boris; he continued glowering and rubbing his foot.

"I'm not that heavy," I hissed leaning closer to him.

"You are when an Orion is attached to you," he replied as he continued to act as if he'd been grievously injured.

I shook my head and looked at the rest of the Squad for support. Et'Bet and Jenka were too busy cooing to each other to notice that I needed their help; Niobe had wandered over to a bench and was scanning her PADD. I sighed. Guess my tenure as their fearless leader really was over.

Preparation for the Invitational had consumed almost all of my free time for eighteen months.

Whatever will I find to do now?

Guess it's finally time for that independent study of Vulcan physiology; a very thorough independent study of Vulcan physiology.

Starting with the Vulcan response to flavored oils.

Then I heard three words that ended my pleasant reverie, turned my blood cold and sent me spinning back to Gaila.

"Oh, hi, Commander."

Oh God.

She was standing very straight, grinning up at the subject of my research.

My very own tall, lean, utterly gorgeous hunk of Vulcan perfection was standing on the edge of our little group and was regarding her the same way he usually did Boris.

She smiled bigger, her teeth very white against her bright red lips. "How was Oxford? Did you have fun?"

I'm going to kill her.

Slowly, methodically, painfully.

Spock remained unfazed and unruffled. "The trip was most successful. The team preformed admirably."

"So I heard," she said, smiling indecently.

I took a step towards her with dire intent in mind when, out of nowhere, a small crowd surrounded me. I heard Boris' excited voice and Niobe laughing; the rest of the Idiot Squad's friends had come to welcome us home.

I couldn't see Spock or Gaila, and I was worried.

I didn't really want to kill her.

Maim, perhaps; not kill.

I pushed my way through the throng to find Gaila bouncing on her toes and smirking at Spock; he was standing ram-rod straight and pointedly not looking at her.

I wrested her away to the corner of the pad before she said something I really would have to kill her for.

"Are you nuts?" I hissed at her. "There are people here - people with ears and brains."

"Pwah," she responded, completely unconcerned. "No one would believe that you and the Commander did what you say you did; quite frankly, I don't really believe it myself. I'm going to need details - lots and lots of details."

I wish I'd made Spock teach me the Vulcan Nerve Pinch.

"You're getting sparse details when we're back in our room," I said.

She started humming.

It was the music from The Green Penis Song.

"Gaila!"

"Jeesh, you're the only person I know who's crankier after they have sex then they were before."

Would it be too much to ask for a small meteor to drop onto her head and render her unconscious for the next twenty minutes?

Would it?

There was a murmuring rush that caught my attention and diverted me from the happy picture of Gaila lying unconscious on the cement, a fiery piece of rock burning merrily beside her.

Seven people were walking onto the pad and heading towards Spock.

Holy crap.

The Academy commandant and almost half of the Academy Council were on the shuttle pad, their dark uniforms a stark contrast with the cadets' bright reds.

Gaila stopped humming in mid-note; the Idiot Squad and their friends stopped talking; Boris had dropped his foot and he looked terrified.

It was seeing Boris, the Human hummingbird, standing frozen with wide eyes and open mouth, that started panic – glaring white and shaky – building in my stomach.

Everybody began to straighten their uniforms and their postures, everybody except for the Admirals, Spock, and me: The Admirals, of course, because it was their presence that was causing the panic; Spock because his uniform was already impeccable and postures didn't get more rigid than his; me because I was trying very valiantly not to pass out.

Desperately, I looked at Spock; his eyes met mine, and his eyebrow twitched infinitesimally before he turned to address the Admirals, completely calm and utterly collected. A wave of admiration and affection washed over me.

He's amazing. He's incredible. He's good at everything, especially when he's naked and hovering over me, his eyes focused raptly on my body as he slides forward and ent….

"Stop staring," Gaila hissed into my ear.

Oh God! I just had a fantasy about Spock and me having sex while I'm standing in front of seven Admirals!

"Nyota, stop it!" she continued, her breath hot against my ear.

Oh God! I just thought about the fantasy I was having about Spock and me having sex while I'm standing in front of seven Admirals.

Gaila stepped on my foot. I blinked and focused on Admiral Barnett, who was rapidly approaching me with Spock and his colleagues trailing in his wake.

The non-Squad members all pushed away from our little group; Gaila took a step closer to me. I stood at attention; I was vaguely aware of her doing the same.

And then Admiral Barnett was standing very close to me. I could see myself reflected in his brown eyes. "Cadet Uhura," he said.

"Good morning, Admiral Barnett," I said, my voice steady; my legs were another matter entirely.

"You, of course, know my colleagues." He indicated the rest of his companions.

"Of course, Sir. Good morning Admiral Tau, Admiral Erikson, Admiral Tobias, Admiral Lo'rax, Admiral Stefanus, Admiral Jennings," I said, nodding at each of the Council members in turn.

Thank God Gaila and I studied up on them.

I took deep, measured breaths. I was not going to embarrass myself. Or my team.

Or Spock.

I am a confident, intelligent, professional woman.

"Congratulations. You and your team did a fine job of upholding the honor of Starfleet Academy," Admiral Barnett said, obviously speaking for his colleagues; he thrust his hand out.

"Thank you, Admiral," I said, grasping his broad hand in mine. He had a very firm handshake.

He released my hand and nodded sharply at me. "I look forward to following your career. I have no doubt that you will continue to be a credit to the Academy."

"Thank you, Admiral, of course. I look forward to contributing in some small part to the humanitarian and peace-keeping mission of Starfleet."

Gaila sniffed next to me.

No one else heard her.

I had become very attuned to Gaila's sniffs over the last two years.

Admiral Barnett looked slightly taken aback. "Well, yes. Much appreciated." He stepped away from me, and the other Admirals approached, each shaking my hand in turn. They all had strong and hearty grips; I idly wondered if I should start practicing my handshake technique.

I felt a little dazed and woozy. I looked at Spock without thinking; he was staring at me fixedly; when he caught my eyes he looked towards the rest of the Squad. I blinked and caught on.

"May I introduce my team?" I motioned towards each of my teammates, naming them. The Admirals shook their hands and offered their congratulations.

"Breathe," Gaila whispered.

I did, the painful rush of oxygen indicating that I'd been holding my breath.

I glanced at Spock. He was looking at me. I smiled at him; he nodded his head in response, then turned his attention to the rest of our group.

I could write that Spock-to-Human dictionary tomorrow – and it'd be a bestseller.

Admiral Barnett turned back to Spock and me. "Again, fine work Commander, Cadets." He swept his gaze around the pad. The assembled cadets dropped their heads, looking anywhere but at him and his colleagues. He sniffed audibly then marched off the dock, the other Admirals following behind him.

"Wow! The Commandant and six Admirals, Nyota. This Invitational thing really is a big deal," Gaila said, almost immediately reverting to her normal state: Unrestrained.

I sighed; she grinned back at me then turned her attention to Spock.

"So, Commander, what'd you do in Oxford? See any interesting sites?"

I pinched her ruthlessly.

Spock blinked at her then looked at me. "Cadets, I will take my leave."

"Thank you, Commander. I appreciate all of your assistance in preparing me for the Invitational," I said, smiling at him gently.

I am a professional, confident, intelligent woman.

He looked at me, his eyes flat, his face placid, and nodded, "You acquitted yourself well, Cadet Uhura."

You know it!

He turned to my roommate, said, "Good day, Cadet Gaila," and strode off into the eddying crowd; the rest of the cadets were rapidly leaving the pad – no doubt realizing that they had been caught skipping classes.

"It will be, Commander!" she called after him, "For all of us!"

I whimpered as I picked up my suitcase, "Do you want me to have a nervous breakdown?"

"Not really, I wouldn't want to break in another roommate." she said, gazing after him, her head tipped to the side appraisingly; a jet of jealousy erupted in me, shocking me.

In my defense, she was looking at his ass for far too long.

Even though it really was a thing of beauty – meant to be admired at all times.

Just not by anyone who wasn't me.

She turned back towards me, whipping more hair into my mouth and waking me from my Spock-induced stupor. "Are you sure you slept with him?" she asked quietly. "'Cause neither of you are acting any different."

I thought about liquid brown-black eyes, hot and hard hands, a pale green body undulating above mine, humid kisses, thrusting movements that led to communion with the Universe.

The ripped dress currently balled up at the bottom of my suitcase.

"Very sure," I murmured, starting to walk in the direction Spock had taken.