Saavik raised an eyebrow at Uhura.

"So--am I to understand that, against my will, you have arranged a date between myself and Captain Kirk's nephew?"

Nyota shook her head.

"Honey, if you don't want to go, then you certainly don't have to."

Saavik nodded.

"Then I do not wish to go."

Uhura frowned.

"But you have to. Peter Kirk is so looking forward to it. Jim would be disappointed if we backed out now."

"Then perhaps weeee should not have promised this so readily. Particularly when weeee promised not to do this to me again."

Nyota gulped.

"Wellll, this isn't precisely a blind date. You and Peter have met before."

Saavik frowned.

"His pulling off my bathing suit when we were 12 does not constitute a prior romantic encounter. Although I found his embarrassed yelps when I returned the favor most satisfying."

Nyota tried to smile her way out of this.

"At least you got to know each other."

"Didn't he spend time in prison?"

"No, that was his older brother George. He tried to kill someone with a candelebra."

"Didn't he reject the Federation and all ties to his family?"

"No, that was his younger brother John Caligula Kirk. He's best if not discussed."

"What part of Starfleet does he serve with?"

Nyota now had a permanent grin. Saavik did not.

"Sra Nyota---have you fixed me up with someone who knows nothing of the life we lead?"

"Not at all. He--was told all about our lives by his Uncle---My Captain? Our friend?"

Spock merely sat and stared at the Starfleet Periodical, unwilling to intervene when it was pointless.

"Hmmm...Blondie is correct. If Dagwood had left a mere five minutes earlier, that confrontation need never have occurred."

Later that night, Captain Kirk arrived in the company of a young man who looked almost exactly like---his late mother, Aurelan. The resemblance to Jim was tenuous, at best. He looked Saavik over, and
nodded. She did the same. Matchmakers Kirk and Uhura nodded at one
another, smiling. Spock was now reading magazines.

"Jim--did you know that Kahless looked very little like the being we
saw on Excalbia, with Abraham Lincoln and Surak? Fascinating."

Finished taking each other in, the young people asked virtually the
same question.

"Is s/he actually going to wear that?"

Spock only partially observed this exchange, and continued with his
crossword.

"Eight letters. Dragon of myth--starts with a G, ends with an h.
Peter--would you know the answer to this?"

The younger Kirk shrugged.

"How should I know? Epic poems make me snore. Beowulf, Siegfried,
Arthur-- all freaking morons."

Saavik unclenched her fist.

"How--eloquently put."

Peter smiled.

"Boy--I'd like to see you in that bathing suit now!"

She did not.

"Doubtless you would. Since it is now 5 sizes too small."

He chuckled.

"More like---six. You better watch those carbos."

Saavik nodded.

"Indeed. But some things will never gain size or mass, no matter the
years. Like your brain--and its probable location."

He raised an opened palm.

"Look--truce, Ok?"

Wishing to have at least a passable evening, Saavik agreed.

"Very well. May I ask your profession?"

A bit calmer now, Peter answered.

"I'm a scientist. R+D."
Uhura breathed a sigh of relief at this seeming bit of common ground.

"Ahh. I myself enjoy the sciences, with the exception of exobiology.
Exobiologists are, in my opinion, air-headed elitists who speculate
endlessly on the unknown, and are invariably proven wrong when these
species become known. Their innate stupidity and stubbornness has thus
ruined many a first contact."

His face red, Peter turned and looked at his Uncle.

"If any of my future kids want into Starfleet, you are gonna owe me the
BIGGEST letter of reccomend you ever saw, Jim!"

Spock looked up from his crossword.

"Doctor Kirk--is an exobiologist."

Saavik rolled her eyes.

"Sri Spock--thank you so much for that information."

As they left for the night, dinner plans were made.

"Pepperoni Pizza?"

"I do not eat meat---no commentary."

"Perish forbid. Half-pepperoni, half onion?"

"No. If there is meat on the pizza, at all, I will not eat it."

"All fresh garlic, then?"

"No, although it would tend to explain much about your......"

They were gone, and Captain Kirk tried to sound positive.

"I don't believe in the no-win situation."

Uhura nodded.

"Nor do I."

Spock looked up.

"Believe."

To be continued.....?

PS - Don't worry; This isn't precisely a 'Moonlighting' type scenario. I
still have a few twists --- Rob ;)
 The Unseeing Date
by Rob Morris

After three hours had passed, the crewmembers of The Enterprise had
eaten, and were quite relaxed. But Spock had a question. His late Aunt
Roberta's home somehow made him a bit blunter than normal, a legacy of
that dear woman.

"The children obviously did not wish that date to occur. Yet I can tell
that the two of you forced them to go. Jim, you are Thy'la. Nyota, you
are the love of my life. But there are many times when your behavior is
simply beyond me. Now is such a time."

Which is the closest Spock would ever come to demanding an explanation.

Jim went first.

"Jessa Preston has Scotty under investigation again. She refuses to
accept that her uncle didn't somehow cause her brother's death. Scotty's
own sister won't speak with him, for all the talk Jessa's spread."

Spock was the love of her life. But her Captain's voice had always lent
her courage, and always would. She was therefore glad he spoke first.

"Pavel's younger cousin met that crazy ex-girlfriend of his--Doctor
Svrin's follower? She has now denounced all of us---and him especially."

Jim went again, and Spock could tell it was draining those dearest to
him.

"Bones' daughter can't be seen with him in Atlanta. Her mother regards
it as a betrayal. Poor Len has to wear disguises to see his grandkids.
That'll pass--but how a woman who cheated ends up hating him more than
Carol ever hated me, even right after Genesis--fails me. Floors me."

Nyota finished.

"Life being what it is--I can't recall when I last spoke to any of my
younger family members. Some--I may just never see again."

Spock understood.

"Then your motive becomes clear. As we lose touch with our younger
family, you seek to create a bond--so to speak- -between the closest
things we three have to children."

His wife and best friend smiled.

"That is a stupid idea."

Their smiles faded.

"You seem puzzled. Then let me state further. No such bond may exist by
arrangement of mortals."

Nyota was stunned.

"This from a man whose marriage was arranged?"

Spock raised an eyebrow, and his wife gulped.

"Oh...yeah...T'Pring."

Jim jumped in, phasers firing.

"That's just wrong on its face, Spock. Gary Mitchell set me up on a
blind date that went fabulously."

Spock's head tilted in query, and Jim's face turned beet-red.

"Well, you know...Carol and me...bad example."

"No. It is a good example. As was T'Pring. Sarek arranged that outside
of the now-common channels. To some extent, children are tested for
compatibilty. But not we two. Like arrangements of old, it was
made...for political reasons. Because the adults in question thought
that two children with houses of such history would certainly have to
get along."

Bloodied but never bowed, the two matchmakers dismissed their naysaying
dear one.

"Nyota---please tell your husband what will happen when Saavik and my
nephew return, would you?"

The first-naming was unusual, but indicated solidarity.

"I most certainly will. Saavik is going to ask Peter to stay the night.
I'll hem, I'll haw--then I'll allow it. From there--who knows?"

Spock knew. As if on cue, the happy couple emerged.

"You are a primeval little boy!"

"Oh, good one. You know who uses the phrase, 'little boy'? Catty little
girls, who punch and scream to get their own way!"

"So help me, had I not taken Vulcan oaths regarding all life as
sacred....."

"All life? Hah! You drained all life out of that ristorante!"

"How would you know? One must first be alive to recognize such
circumstances."

"Stiff!"

"Moron!"

"Bitch!"

"Bastard!"

Saavik made a beeline for her room. Peter fairly glared at Jim, and
left.

Spock steepled his fingers.

"Shall I send out the wedding invitations now, or should I first see if
the night's passion has left Saavik with child?"

A man and a woman who had survived a savage mirror universe together
had just been utterly defeated by the truth of reality, which Vulcans
called C'Thia, and was sometimes referred to--as logic.

To Be Concluded.......
 The Unseeing Date
by Rob Morris
( WC -- let me make one thing clear. I know you violated a personal
rule, letting 'The Least Forgiven' on your site, however much you liked
it. So I am not presuming at all on this story. Its mainly for fun, and
if you approve, it goes on my site. If not, it goes away. I just like
writing PK&Saav, even if they are not neccessarily PK/Saav. Besides,
you're a much nicer editor than Randy Landers ;) -- Rob )

After some coaxing, Saavik emerged. Captain Kirk had gone in pursuit of
Peter, although he'd rather have faced Khan again. Nyota began.

"Saavik, we're sorry."

Spock took exception to this, in his own way.

"Indeed, we are sorry. I accept full responsibility for my part in
this."

If a now-glaring Uhura had expected support from her dear bondmate, it
was not coming right then. Alone she had made the plans---alone she
would suffer.

"Saavik--Jim and I meant well."

Saavik was not buying.

"The road to hell and blind dates, Sra."

Nyota was actually hurt.

"That's not fair. No matter how the date turned out, you and Peter Kirk
have a great deal in common. Including angry mouths that get you into
trouble, young lady!"

Saavik stood her ground.

"Yes. We both suffered early on. He killed to survive the madness that
Deneva devolved into, as the parasites took him. I killed to survive. We
both took on new families at seven. And those families are part of a
larger unit. Nyota, Peter and I spent that whole week together, when we
were twelve. At the time, Spock's absence made me wonder if you and The
Captain--"

Spock stopped her.

"Jim only sought to comfort her during one of my blind-foolish periods,
Saavik-kam. And in any event, he learned his lesson with Janice. Nyota's
competence and drive are treasures he would not compromise, nor would
Nyota seek to dilute his objectivity and hard edge."

"My point, Spock-kam, was that any thing that might have occurred would
have begun then. Instead, there was only that bitter wrestling match,
with each of us seeking to recover our bathing suits."

Nyota conceded defeat.

"You are a grown-up. And I still remember the looks on your faces when
Jim and I found you---you were viciously angry. Alright--next time I do
this, remind me of this night. You can't force things."

Saavik closed her eyes.

"I love and forgive you, of course. But I am meeting someone I saw at
the restaurant. May I have--private--use of the guest house, just over
the hill?"

Nyota nodded.

"Like I said, you are a grown-up."

A quick kiss, and she left. Nyota looked at Spock.

"No gloating?"

Spock was deep in thought, about a certain pattern in the evening's
events.

"No gloating, Uhura-kam. Indeed--I see nothing to gloat about."

Not truly understanding his words, Nyota decided to retire for the
evening. Spock followed his suspicions by calling Jim.

"Hi, Spock. Peter's forgiven me, bless him. But I am under God's own
promise never to set him up again--and I intend to follow through, this
time."

"Nyota feels much the same way, Jim. Where is Peter, now?"

"He went to see someone he ran into at the ristorante. I left my outer
tunic at your place. I'll be by for it. Take care, Spock."

Spock breathed in, and crossed over the hill to the small but
comfortable guest house.

"Who is it?"

"Saavik-kam, it is I. May I come in?"

There was a moment of silence. Then, as Spock half-expected, a
robe-wearing Peter Kirk answered the door.

"Hello, Captain. Saavik will be dressed in a moment."

There were no scars or bruises on the younger Kirk's face, only a light
smile.
When Saavik returned, she did so with an empty bowl--and a kiss for her
blind date.

"Popcorn. Butter."

"Yes, Maam!"

Saavik nodded at her mentor.

"You guessed."

Spock nodded.

"A well-orchestrated charade. Was its purpose to teach Nyota and Jim a
lesson about blind dates?"

"Indeed. As soon as Peter learned of this, he called me and we moved up
our usual weekend together."

Now Spock was surprised.

"Your 'usual' weekend? For how long has this been going on?"

Saavik was nonplussed.

"One long weekend a year, since we were twelve. We have a great deal in
common, you know. I believe humans refer to this as 'kissing cousins'."

"But what of your angry wrestling match, when Peter stole your bathing
suit?"

She smiled.

"Mine was a one piece suit. I posess five times his strength. Do you
honestly believe that it could come off without my compliance? We were
curious of one another. When found out, we felt it best to act angry, to
avoid further punishment. We also never saw the need to inform anyone
otherwise."

But Spock was still puzzled.

"Twelve, Saavik? A very young age to begin...."

"Sixteen...and I will offer up no more details. Those first four
summers--we necked--'petted'--and spoke of the burdens of others'
expectations. Just as I was teased by supposedly more proper Vulcan
girls, Peter got into fights because of his name. Of late, though--we
talk less, but that too is still enjoyable."

"Then you are a couple?"

She shook her head.

"Seventeen...we went a bit longer than a week. It went poorly. He and
I, you see, are too much alike. We treasure these few days, once a year.
But such as we may not sustain more than that. We both require more
patient mates, if they exist."

Spock almost smiled.

"They do. Accept the word of one who knows. So you two are an
impossibility?"

"Perhaps not. We once encountered reality-travellers--who were
ourselves, though living a life beyond any and all comprehension. To
them, our parting every year was incomprehensible. They were
klaefthe--and they were heroes. But we have not their powers, nor their
burdens. We were not klaefthe--born bonded--but I do not question these
few days of happiness. Now, Spock-Kam--we go to play Shark in the
swimming pool."

Spock raised an eyebrow as she gently closed the door. Another was
raised as he heard Saavik's giggling voice.

"Not--there!"

"Fascinating."

Back at the main house, Nyota was awake, and Jim had returned for his
outer tunic. Together, they watched an ancient vid called 'Same Time,
Next Year'. Spock fought back laughter as he never had before. His loved
ones thought he was going insane.
------------------------------------------------
DECEMBER 1ST, 2295

"So.....Michael?"

"Yes. I love him a great deal. He treasures me."

"Well, its not like you don't deserve it. Guess who I'm seeing?"

"I could not."

"Jessa Preston. She called up after Scotty was lost on the Jenolen. She
apologized for the way she acted at Jim's........"

She put her head on his shoulder.

"You do not have to say it. I miss him as well. So Preston is a good
person?"

"Well, she may handle her Scotch well, but not her anger. It was
killing her. Like it almost did us. She needs me. And I like feeling
needed."

"So."
"So."

Saavik nodded.

"We may have both found someone. The someone."

Peter shook his head.

"It may mean that these weekends have to stop."

"Indeed. Then we shall stop them---"

She kissed him.

"At such time as our bones are too brittle to make contact."

"Eminently logical, Mister Saavik."

"Well spoken, Mister Kirk."

"Mister Saavik--are you still a Polar Bear?"

In great fun and temporary happiness, two people who only met once a
year continued their friendship, a reflection of the friendship shared
by the two great men who were their mentors.

And no one except Spock ever knew.