Visitors

VI

Mac'hla stared out of the window at the vast emptiness of space. Trillions of stars soared past, little more than miniscule balls of light passing by.
It perplexed and fascinated Mac'hla, how frequently stars were seen but not considered. Each one, an independent ball of energy, billions of years old, burning bright and alone out in the vacuum of space. Despite this, they were passed with no second thought– the flaming wonders disregarded as nothing. They were just... stars. A complex thing, wrapped into a four-letter name.
The clock on the wall read 03:17... she should really get some sleep, but ever since she was young, sleep was never easy.
They curled up in a ball on their couch, resting their chin on their knees and staring at the floor.
Though their eardrums had been severely damaged, their hearing aids made up for it and brought their hearing back to normal levels for vulcans... perhaps even better. In the corridor, there was the sound of footsteps approaching. They stopped in front of theot door, as if the person was thinking.
Mac'hla crept quietly across the room, careful not to wake up her sleeping family.
Still, the person stood still. Mac'hla wondered if she should open the door, or if it may spook whoever was outside. If they were debating something, opening the door may surprise them.
Knock-knock.
Mac'hla jumped and waited a moment, not wanting to seem like she had been just waiting by the door for someone to visit.
Well, she pretty much was, but the visitor didn't need to know that.
She opened the door and was pleasantly surprised, and confused, by her guest.
"Captain S'chn T'Gai." Mac'hla said quietly, not daring to raise her voice above a whisper.
"Captain Tirok." Spock said, just as hushed.
"Please, come in."
Mac'hla was perplexed; why was Spock coming for a visit at 3 am?
She peeked down the hall, and seeing that both T'Ve's and the Nursery's doors were closed, spoke a little louder, "Is there something I can do for you, Captain?"
"I believe that I may have presented myself as unwilling to speak earlier." he explained... though it didn't really explain all that much.
"I was presenting that way as well." Mac'hla said, peering down the hallway once more to make sure, "Please, sit down."
They gestured to the couch and Spock sat slowly, looking around Mac'hla's quarters.
"Would you like a cup of tea, Mr. Spock?" she offered, already approaching the resequencer.
"Thank you, I would."
"Darjeeling tea, no sugar or milk, hot. Red spice tea, two sugar, no milk, hot." Mac'hla requested.
Spock smiled faintly to himself. Mac'hla remembered what tea he drank and how he preferred it.
Almost every morning on The Enterprise the two vulcans would make their way to the mess hall before everyone else and sit together in silence. They would have a cup of tea as the drowsiness of the night slipped away, and slowly begin to talk about the day's plans. It seemed like after hearing Spock request Darjeeling tea in the exact same way for nearly five years, it stuck.
"You still don't sleep much." Spock observed.
Mac'hla handed him his mug, "Indeed not."
They sat on the floor and sipped their tea, "What brings you to my quarters at such an odd hour?"
"I hope it is not an inconvenience." Spock said flatly.
"Not at all."
Clearly, both of their conversational skills needed work.
"I know that you have a tendency to be somewhat nocturnal, therefore I deduced you would be awake." Spock said quietly.
Mac'hla smirked, "You are as clever as always, Mr. Spock."
"I have come to, as humans say, 'catch up'." Spock explained.
Mac'hla tilted their head, their white curls falling over their shoulders, "I see. It has been quite some time."
"Indeed, it has. I have heard of your great successes as the Captain of this vessel."
Mac'hla's cheeks flushed a little... she hadn't been expecting a compliment.
"Some may call them that, yes. Perhaps it may simply seem that way because of the assumption that a Crossfield class science vessel is less impressive than, for example, a Constitution or Galaxy class."
"From what I have heard, your navigator and helmsman steer her like a Klingons bird of prey." Spock said.
While it was very true, Mac'hla wondered how he could have possibly known that.
Spock elaborated upon seeing their confusion, "I read the report about the outbreak of the virus we first detected on Psi 2000. They not only talked sense into your second in command, but they navigated their way out of a star's pull, correct?"
Mac'hla nodded, "I was unaware that you had read that report."
"I read all of your reports, Misses Tirok."
They tilted their head. Maybe they were hearing things, but Spock almost sounded proud.
"Though I do have a question for you." Spock continued.
"Yes, sir?"
"I understand that you not only carry the crew, but their families as well, including their children. When listening to your reports, I noticed that you mentioned the children multiple times, but in one instance, you referred to the children as yours."
Mac'hla bit the inside of their cheek, thinking of the best way they should approach this.
Bluntness was the Vulcan way, and Mac'hla believed that this was the most logical route.
"I have two children." she tried to say nonchalantly, but it sounded more like a confession.
"I was... unaware of this." Spock said, genuinely surprised.
It felt strange thinking of Mac'hla as a mother. Sure, she had always given off a maternal feeling, but in Spock's mind she was just a kid. It was hard for him to grasp that the person in front of him was 25 years old and the Captain of her own ship. He felt like at any moment he would blink and the two would be sitting in her lab on The Enterprise and discussing some unimportant plant fact.
"I have a son and daughter. I would like to introduce you, but... well, it is 3 in the morning."
"What are their names?" Spock inquired.
"My eldest is Reelok. She is four."
That certainly perplexed Spock. Unless his math was wrong, which it never was, four years ago Mac'hla was still  on the Enterprise. So unless something happened that he wasn't aware of...
"We adopted her nine terran months ago." Mac'hla clarified, "Her parents, V'tosh Ka'tur, were killed by logic extremists. She was brought aboard under the care of Starfleet. Supposedly, the extremists were still after her, and having her here made her undetectable. Fortunately, we now know they were not, but she is safe with us regardless."
"And your youngest? What is his name?"
Mac'hla hesitated for a moment and stared up into Spock's dark eyes, "My son's name is S'chn."
For what felt like hours, they just stared at each other, millions of thoughts rushing through their heads.
"You named your son..."
"...After someone very important to me." Mac'hla said softly, "Someone who changed my life for the better."
Spock was deeply, deeply flattered. Having a child named after him was the purest and most genuine compliment he had ever gotten. He had always taken compliments with a grain of salt, only half believing them... but there was no way to do that with this.
This was a true declaration of trust, admiration, and love.
"I do not know what to say." Spock admitted.
Mac'hla huffed in amusement, "You do not have to say anything at all, Spock."
They sat in silence, drinking their tea and enjoying each other's company as they had done thousands of times before.
"Has Jim told you of his idea?" Spock inquired.
"He has. I find it to be incredibly illogical."
Spock nodded, "That is precisely what I told him. He seems to have his mind set on it."
"Indeed. I have to admit, his plan is well thought out, but it is a gamble... and Vulcans do not gamble."
"He has always had an affinity for taking these risks. Am I correct in assuming you will go along with his plan, regardless?" Spock asked.
"You are. I may not agree with his idea, but it would be illogical to deny that he does have a point... and I am sure Camari will be pleased to have an excuse to do more work on temporary genetic modification."
"We are just over three days away from Betazed for the conference. You have until then to prepare everything– do you think you are capable of that?"
Mac'hla raised an eyebrow, "Do not be insulting. I will have everything prepared by tomorrow night."
"I do not doubt your capabilities, Captain." Spock said teasingly, "But you should get some sleep. Your mind will need to be sharp, and a lack of sleep will dull you."
"Spock, I rarely sleep." Mac'hla reminded him.
"That should change."
Mac'hla sighed, "Yes, well... you are right. I will sleep, if it soothes your emotions."
"Now you're being insulting." Spock smirked. He had certainly missed their banter.
"Feel free to stay here as long as you wish. Everything you could need is here."
"I will not overstay my welcome, Captain." Spock said, helping Mac'hla to her feet.
"You are always welcomed here, Mr. Spock."
Mac'hla stretched, her joints popping as she did.
Spock strode towards the door before turning and watching her over his shoulder, "Captain?"
"Yes, sir?"
"I'm proud of you."