I don't own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings. I'm almost done with my shopping, time to turn on the holiday music and hum along.

Humming Along

Rachel had already spent more than forty-eight hours at Nordu and Cendrehu's home waiting on the eggs to hatch. Sirin had come and gone several times, tending to various emergency orthopedic cases. So far, the Leethrian couple had been blessed with 15 healthy children, 8 males and 7 females. When there was a break in the action, she contacted her boss.

"Dr. McKenzie, so far there haven't been any complications, but the parents would really feel better if a doctor was on site. I'm scheduled for clinic hours tomorrow at 0800. Can you send someone over here to relieve me?"

"Silverstein, the Leethrian royal family trusts you. Leethrians are an endangered species, so these kids are top priority. Stay put. I'll find someone to take your clinic hours or I'll cover them myself. Do you need any help?"

"I sure wouldn't refuse any. Another pair of hands would be great. Sirin was here, but got called away. My mom's been helping out, now she's exhausted."

"Okay, I'll see who's available. McKenzie out."

McKenzie was true to his word, sending volunteers from the clinic to the Leethrian couple's home. All of them seemed quite taken with the hatchlings. Rachel couldn't blame them, for the little Leethrians were beautiful, just like their parents. All had an exoskeleton resembling silver skin. Their eyes were either gold or amber, with hair that ranged from teal to deep purple. However, they really did not resemble babies. Their strong bodies were long and slender, without the large head-to-body ratio of Human or Vulcan infants. These little ones did not yet possess wings, merely little silver buds where the wings would grow in after their fifth molting, usually sometime in their second year.

Once a new hatchling had been transferred to the bamboo frame, he or she was hand-fed Leonard McCoy's sweet tea slurry. After the exoskeleton had dried, each of the offspring would be able to crawl along the frame and sip on feeding tubes which came from a bottle containing the same mixture. The frame was constructed over a large "litter box," eliminating the need for diaper changes and the risk they held to tender, wet exoskeletons.

The hatchlings did not cry as most other infants that Rachel had encountered. Most of their communication was telepathic. They would learn to speak as they grew. Little Leethrians were excellent mimics, though, attempting to hum along with the lullabies Nordu was playing in order to soothe them. Some of the higher pitched sounds they made were beyond the range of Human hearing, but unfortunately not Vulcan. Sirin was actually quite relieved to get called back to SF General for another emergency knee repair.

Spock somehow managed to make needed changes to his course curricula while caring for little Jason. It made no sense to drop the child off at daycare, only to pick him up a few hours later and then drop him off again. As the Academy was still on semester break, it was logical that Spock assume responsibility for Jason. He worked when the child slept. When he awoke, Jason had Spock's undivided attention. Esther had come home a few times to catch a nap and pick up things for Rachel. Sirin had stopped in for fresh clothing and a few moments of playtime with his son. However, for the most part, Spock had been alone in the house with Jason and the pets.

It was nearly noon. Spock abandoned his PADD when he heard the pitter-patter of little feet. Nap time was over.

"Awwk! Boy and dog alert! Awwk!"

"Thank you, Ivan. I am aware of their imminent arrival."

Seconds later, Jason bounded into the den with Matt close behind.

"It's lunch time, Uncle Spock!"

"Indeed it is. What shall we eat?"

"Nana's tomato soup and crackers!"

"Very well."

Jason and Matt followed Spock to the kitchen, sitting on the floor to play while Spock heated the soup. Jason removed a toy ground car from his pocket and pushed it along the floor. As he did so, he made engine noises.

"Vroooom! Vrooom!"

Lunch was ready quickly and the toy car was abandoned for the moment. After they had eaten and cleaned up, Rachel called to talk to Jason.

"Hi Sweetie."

"Hi Mama. How many babies does Nurse Nordu have now?"

"Nineteen so far. Are you being a good boy for Uncle Spock?"

"Yes, Mama. Mama, what is that noise? My ears hurt."

"Oh, those are the babies trying to hum. It hurts your daddy's ears, too."

"Yeah, Uncle Spock is rubbing his forehead."

"I guess we'd better say goodbye then. I love you, Jason."

"I love you, too, Mama. Bye."

Jason handed the comm unit back to Spock.

"Let's play cars in my room."

"As you wish, Jason."

Jason grabbed Spock's hand, trying to pull him along faster.

"Sit on the floor, Uncle Spock!"

Spock complied with the child's wishes. He watched as Jason pulled toy cars one at a time from a small case.

"Which one, Uncle Spock?"

"The blue one, please."

Jason seemed pleased with his choice and readily handed it over. He showed Spock how to "steer" the toy car over an imaginary road and around pretend hazards. They played this way for some time. Spock noticed that the little boy was very willing to share his vehicles, with the exception of the red one he kept behind his back. That was new, a birthday gift from Amanda. Spock wondered if he might use Jason's fondness for the toy as part of a lesson in ethics.

"Jason, may I play with the yellow car?"

"Sure."

The yellow car was handed over without issue. After a few moments play, Spock asked for the orange car. Again, Jason was only too glad too share. Spock waited until the boy was occupied. Without warning, he reached behind the child's back, grabbed the red car and started to play with it.

Jason's jaw dropped.

"Uncle Spock, you didn't ask!"

"Ah, that was very wrong of me. You did not like it when I took your toy without permission, did you?"

"No. That was bad."

"I am sorry. I shall return it to you now. Jason, I do not enjoy it when you access my thoughts without permission."

"Is that a bad thing, Uncle Spock?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I won't do it again."

Nurse Melba came after her shift at the clinic, just in time to see hatchling number 21 emerge from her shell. Esther grabbed a bottle of the special formula and showed Melba how to feed the new arrival. Some of the little ones were completely dry, their exoskeletons beginning to harden. They climbed along the frame and grasped the feeding tubes. It was an amazing sight. Others sought contact with their parents, not really cuddling, just enjoying closeness and body heat.

Rachel was keeping a close eye on the nest box. Numbers 22 through 24 should be popping out at any moment. Little holes were already appearing in the eggs, which seemed to be in constant motion. The last egg was worrisome, not moving much. It also seemed smaller than the others. Nordu placed little Rachelu on Yadeku's shoulder and joined her friend.

"I am also worried about that one. It was the last egg produced. There may not have been enough nutrient material inside. The child might not have enough energy to work his way out of the shell."

The two ladies had not heard Leonard McCoy enter the room. He walked over and peered into the box.

"What if we poke a little hole in that shell and feed him?"

Rachel and Nordu just looked at each other as if to say "Why didn't we think of that?"

Hatchling number 25 came out of his shell six hours after the supplemental feedings began. His grateful parents named him Leonardrehu, while a beaming Georgia doctor transferred his namesake to the frame and gave him a bottle.

Queen Iliathu was nearly beside herself with joy.

"Twenty-five out of twenty-seven! That's a ninety-two percent hatch rate, almost unheard of."

The Queen stood in the middle of the nursery, wings outstretched, and began to hum. The other adult Leethrians recognized the tune and joined in. It was a song of praise and thanksgiving, both for their Creator and for the friends who had shared in the miracle of new life. The greenhouse/nursery glowed with the brilliant colors of the Leethrian's wings, reflected in the many panes of plexiglass.

The experience was a glorious one, but Rachel and Esther were ready to go home. In the early hours of the morning, nearly four days after the first hatchling emerged, they tip-toed into the den. Sirin lay sleeping on the couch with Jason in his arms. Spock was dozing in a chair, while Matt snored away. Ivan stirred but remained quiet.

The ladies silently agreed that the "boys" were all too cute to disturb and went off to their own well-earned rests.

Sirin dropped his cousin off at the campus on his way to work the next morning. Spock was found of Jason but somewhat glad to be headed back to his own quarters and relieved of his childcare responsibilities. As he reached Sato Hall, a rather disheveled Devi Nhegmi was also entering the building. They boarded the lift together. A Human might have called this the "walk of shame," however Devi looked quite pleased with himself as he smiled at Spock and hummed a familiar tune.

"I believe that one is called Oh, What A Night! Menace has covered it, yes?"

"Yes we have. Might I assume that you have indeed passed a good night?"

The lift deposited them on the third floor, where the two friends stood in front Spock's door.

"Oh, I did! My friend, I believe that I have found my future mate. Kiya is a wonderful girl, from a devout Hoorian family. Both my mother and grandmother approve of her. She is a Lieutenant in the Engineering Division, currently serving aboard the USS Lexington. The only drawback is that it may be some while before we can be posted together. I must finish my studies. We currently have different ship and planetside rotation schedules."

"I have heard that exceptions can be made for outstanding officers. You are a very gifted engineer and programmer."

"Yes, but I am also a Hoorian. There are only a few of us in the service, so Starfleet still does not know what to do with us, just as they are not sure about what to do with you."

Spock could only nod in agreement at this.

Once aboard the shuttle, Nyota relaxed. The journey from Nairobi to San Francisco would be just long enough for a good nap. She checked her student account for messages. Good, there was one from Gaila. The girls were both returning to the Academy a little early and planned a spa day before classes started.

When the pilot gave the okay, Nyota leaned her seat back and let the hum of the engines lull her to sleep. This time she would try not to dream about Lt. Spock.