Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek and I'm sure you know that.

Author's Note: Story re-edited and tweaked 05/27/2010

Master and Commander

A sequel to 'A Pleasure Theory'

"Are you coming to the party or not?"

This was the third time today that Ensign Tryk had asked about my plans for the evening, and I tried not to laugh at him. I figured he'd been paying closer attention to the packages I've been receiving from Orion. He made several random appearances on the bridge today, each time stopping to linger at my station. Maybe he hopes I'm his 'secret Santa' and that his gift is one of the numerous parcels I've gotten from the pleasure planet.

'Sorry, Ensign. You're out of luck on both counts,' I thought with an imperceptible shake of my head. I purchase OrionOptionsOnline products with only one man in mind and Ensign Tryk is not him.

I caught a glimpse of our First Officer from the corner of my eye as he left his station to step into the command pit and talk with the Captain and wished immensely that I was talking to him instead of the ensign. I finished my last notation to my report, wrapping up the logs for my shift, and stood to face him.

"I'll be there, Tryk." I said, giving him a smile. "It's been a while since I've been to a party, and the Christmas festivities on board is always fun." As I gave my answer, Ensign Townsend arrived to relieve me.

I gave Commander Spock's body a good, but discreet, once over then turned to exit the bridge.

Ugh, what a beautiful ass.

"What did you ask Santa to bring you for Christmas, Lieutenant?" Ensign Tryk asked with a bit of a randy smile as he looked my way, temporarily dragging my mind from the gutter, while he led the way to the turbolift.

I returned the smile in kind as we exited the bridge, turning on my heel once inside the lift to take one last lingering look at Commander Spock. He had turned his body as well and met my gaze before the door could close.

"Why, my good Ensign," I replied, loud enough to be heard by the pair of Vulcan ears before me, "I asked for more."

My smile grew as I watched Mr. Spock's eyebrow begin to drift upward as the door shut with a hiss.

It took me a little longer to get ready than I'd planned. Spock's uncanny ability to undo me with nothing more than a look should be annoying as hell, but I instead continue to find it thrilling. I just wanted to leave the lift and lick Spock's eyebrow when he gave me that look. That is exactly what I thought about as I brought myself to completion in the shower, coming under my fingers' rapid circles to my clitoris. I dried off quickly, put on a little makeup, and headed out to the party.

The rec room was crowded and noisy when I got there and I only managed a few steps into the room before I was greeted again by Ensign Tryk, proffering a drink, with a wink.

Really?

What have I done to make this guy think I'm interested in him? I have a Vulcan, there is no substitute.

I tried to accept the drink him thrust at me graciously, though the statement 'somebody save me', must have been emblazoned on my forehead. Thank goodness Chekov did just that, giving Tryk a loud clap on the back as he came up to tell us both hello, then skillfully guiding me away to a table stacked with presents and with most of the command crew seated at it.

I was disappointed Spock wasn't there but not really surprised. I had thought he might make a brief appearance, considering his position on the ship, but understood he didn't celebrate the holiday, so the captain may have excused him from the festivities.

After partaking in a lot of good food and even better drinks, the gifts were distributed. My pile was embarrassingly large and I couldn't help but smile at this group of uniformed teddy bears. Music from McCoy. Vodka from Chekov, which would have been odd but for the exquisite Russian decanter it came in. Fine chocolates from Scotty. Promised fencing lessons from Sulu. And drop dead gorgeous earrings from Kirk. I gave him a look and he gave me a wink, which looked much better coming from him than from Ensign Tryk.

"Okay, who paid to have their gifts professionally wrapped?" I ask with a laugh as I looked at the last two beautiful and immaculately wrapped boxes. I found myself hesitant to open them for fear of ruining something so beautiful.

"Must be from your Secret Santa, lass. Ya already got gifts from all of this lot." Scotty smiled.

I opened the small, square box first, carefully removing the crystal encrusted bows. When I saw - and heard - the trilling contents I couldn't help but laugh as I shot the captain an apologetic look and lifted my gift for all to see.

"Oh no…absolutely no way, Lt!" Kirk exclaimed when he laid eyes on the little creature.

"When I get my hands around the neck of the crew member... who is stupid enough to bring that on board my ship..." He growled while his face flushed with irritation while the others laughed.

"I love you, Uhura, really, but that thing can't stay on board. We'll be completely overrun by the end of the week!"

I held up the furry little tribble, letting it purr against my cheek. I knew I couldn't keep it, but damn if it still wasn't the cutest thing I'd ever seen.

I found a card in the box and felt my pulse increase and begin to thud in my ears as I read it. Though no name was on the note, I knew from the wording the gift had to have come from Mr. Spock. I realized I'd stared at the note a little too long when Dr. McCoy cleared his throat, prompting me to look up and read the note aloud.

'Please inform the Captain that your new pet has been surgically altered and will not reproduce. I wish you a pleasant holiday.'

I smiled triumphantly at the Captain as he gave me a withering, skeptical look.

"Who knew that sneaky, pointy eared bastard could be such a conscientious gift giver." He said finally. "I had no idea he even participated."

"Look, Lieutenant, if I see one more of those things on my ship, I blow the one you're holding and its offspring out the nearest airlock. Am I clear?"

Oh, for crying out loud.

"Well, just to let you know, captain," I said, laughing harder, "women powder their noses with something that looks remarkably similar to this. If you happen, for some reason, to visit the personal lavatory of any of the females on board and see something that looks like this on the counter, I suggest you make sure it's a tribble and not a powder puff before you jettison some poor girl's makeup out into space!"

The table erupted into laughter at my dig at the Captain's sometimes not so discreet dalliances.

"Come on, Uhura." McCoy cut in. "It looks like Santa's abnormally large elf got you something else, by the looks of the matching wrapping paper. Maybe he trained your new tribble to walk or bounce or whatever the hell it is they do to get around and he provided a leash."

A leash. Hmmm, that could be used several different ways.

I started to giggle.

Damn Bones for planting that in my head! Complete excitement took me over. Spock had gotten me two gifts! I wasn't as careful opening the second box as my inner six year old took over. I lifted the lid to the oblong box and felt my entire body flush with heat.

The first gift may have been suitable for my inner six year old...this gift certainly was not.

I moved to quickly replace the lid, but Kirk had leaned over in curiosity and in a flash was holding the item up for all to see. It was greeted with several confused stares all around, except for McCoy, who began smiling broadly, rocking back in his chair with arms crossed over his chest, while the captain had a smug look of satisfaction on his face, sharing a glance with the good doctor as the corner of his mouth twitched up into a lopsided, boyish grin.

"Why, Lieutenant...I didn't know you were an equestrian."

His tone said this was by far the best gift he'd gotten this evening - confirmation that his first officer and his communications officer were up to something.

"This, gentlemen," he stated to the rest of the table, "is a very, very nice riding crop."

He slid the whip back into its box, leaning into my ear to whisper conspiratorially. "I didn't know he had it in him." Then he turned back to the table, once again addressing the group. "I mentioned a while back that I thought Risa offered riding lessons at one of their resorts and that Uhura might enjoy them. I guess our first officer heard and agreed with me."

Kirk rose from the table, as if to say 'there's nothing else of interest here', stretched, and said, "I need another drink and a shot at Yeoman Rand under the mistletoe."

I could tell by McCoy's amused face he knew the captain was manufacturing bullshit, but he rose from the table to follow his friend anyway. I thought I was finally in the clear until he threw a remark over his shoulder as he strolled away.

"Enjoy the ride, lil' Miss...enjoy the ride."

I took off my high heels so I could walk faster. As fast as I could manage without looking like I had inside information the ship was going to explode and I was currently fleeing to the only functioning shuttlecraft.

Spock was not only a tease and a sneak; he was a smart ass, with a sometimes not so well hidden sense of humor. I couldn't believe he'd left that gift for me to open at a table full of fellow officers! Although I couldn't do anything tonight because of previous plans, he was so going to get it.

Per my orders, I had tried to be a good girl all day.

I wanted to please Spock, my Commander, because today, by prior arrangement, he was more: he was my Master.

I had been his Mistress on several occasions now, after our initial experiment. Spock was breathtaking as a submissive when we chose to play in such a way, but I knew like myself that he was a switch; equally comfortable in either role with a trusted partner, just as I was.

Spock had silently observed me all day as my XO and my dom. And as far as days go, it had been a busy one for the bridge crew, but it didn't matter; regardless of circumstances, he never missed a thing. I could feel his eyes on me, though I never looked his way except when I'd exited the bridge. I had earned a punishment for that. The thought made me flush with heat again. I had been given clear and concise instructions as to what I was permitted to do, and I believed that I had followed them to the letter, save for that one look, which was the exception.

First, I was only to address Spock as Commander; the use of any other term, i.e. Mr Spock, Spock, or Sir, would display a failure to follow instructions and would result in a punishment - easy.

Second, I could not touch him in any way. Well, per protocol, I couldn't touch him on the bridge or anywhere else while on duty. But he was referring to the casual contact of which I had been guilty in the past. Thank goodness we had been busy.

Third, I could not cross my legs while sitting at my station at any time, as doing so caused the hem of my skirt to rise, displaying an unacceptable amount of my thigh and the edge of my buttocks. I was his; no other male had a right to see.

'Well Ha, Ha, Ha, Handsome,' I had thought to myself. I typically don't sit with my legs crossed anyway. This rule has nothing to do with the other men on the bridge, but more to do with the last time I had hiked said skirt. The only time I'd done so in the past was intentional, and was probably the incident he was thinking of when he made the rule. I had purposely crossed my thighs, allowing the hem of my skirt to ride up, just to tease him, fully revealing a lovely bite mark he himself had left. Though no one else could tell, it was quite plain to me that the first officer of the Enterprise nearly 'lost his shit' when taking in the view and spent the remainder of his shift burning with lust. Just thinking back to it made me wet. I picked up my pace.