Maybe Sarek was hanging out at the local Earth library where Amanda was working... when Pon Farr struck.
Dear Penthouse...
Dear Penthouse...
Spock and Uhura [SPOILERS]
- Thread starter Professor Moriarty
- Start date
^ ^ It's said in the novelization that Sarek and Amanda needed help from geneticists to produce Spock.
I finished up the book today. Here is the passage regarding the transporter-room scene. It's interesting in that it explains the reason Uhura was in the transporter room and that Spock kissed her:
p. 235
...In the main transporter room Kirk and Spock were readying themselves for departure. Utility belts, tricorders, phasers -- they needed to take enough gear to try and ensure the success of their mission but not so much that it would slow them down. At least they were able to leave behind food and water. If they were on the Romulan vessel long enough to have to either eat or drink, then they likely already would have failed...
...Having already equipped Kirk, Uhura was in the process of passing a special translator to Spock. "This goes in place on your uniform, in the chest area. Far enough from your mouth to enjoy some protection, close enough to pick up speech and transmit replies."
"I am aware of the instrument's optimal location," Spock replied quietly.
"Yes -- yes, of course you are." She eased it into place. "We don't have a full understanding of Romulan syntax -- some of their words and names are hard to pronounce -- but I've modified these translators to allow you to speak and to be understood conversationally."
"Thank you, Nyota."
Standing nearby, Kirk reacted sharply. Nyota? That was her first name? But how did Spock...?
As he looked on, she proceeded to attach the tiny translator unit to the science officer's uniform. Then he bent forward -- to whisper something over the buzz of conversation in the transporter staging area, no doubt.
There was no doubt when he kissed her -- of that much a startled Kirk was completely certain.
She put a hand on his chest, letting her fingers drift slowly past the translator unit.
"Be careful. Come back."
"I always endeavor to come back," he murmured with equal tenderness. "Especially when I have something to come back to."
She stepped clear, turned, and exited the transporter bay. Even at a distance, Kirk could see that her eyes were moist...
...Spock's mind was focused laser-like on the dangerous task on which they were about to embark. Kirk's was -- momentarily distracted.
"Her first name is..." He broke off, careful not to stray from the transporter pad on which he stood. "How'd you pull that one off?"
Leveled straight ahead, Spock's gave, like his attention, did not wander. "I have no comment on the matter." Kirk just stood on his own pad, grinning at the science officer..."
I finished up the book today. Here is the passage regarding the transporter-room scene. It's interesting in that it explains the reason Uhura was in the transporter room and that Spock kissed her:
p. 235
...In the main transporter room Kirk and Spock were readying themselves for departure. Utility belts, tricorders, phasers -- they needed to take enough gear to try and ensure the success of their mission but not so much that it would slow them down. At least they were able to leave behind food and water. If they were on the Romulan vessel long enough to have to either eat or drink, then they likely already would have failed...
...Having already equipped Kirk, Uhura was in the process of passing a special translator to Spock. "This goes in place on your uniform, in the chest area. Far enough from your mouth to enjoy some protection, close enough to pick up speech and transmit replies."
"I am aware of the instrument's optimal location," Spock replied quietly.
"Yes -- yes, of course you are." She eased it into place. "We don't have a full understanding of Romulan syntax -- some of their words and names are hard to pronounce -- but I've modified these translators to allow you to speak and to be understood conversationally."
"Thank you, Nyota."
Standing nearby, Kirk reacted sharply. Nyota? That was her first name? But how did Spock...?
As he looked on, she proceeded to attach the tiny translator unit to the science officer's uniform. Then he bent forward -- to whisper something over the buzz of conversation in the transporter staging area, no doubt.
There was no doubt when he kissed her -- of that much a startled Kirk was completely certain.
She put a hand on his chest, letting her fingers drift slowly past the translator unit.
"Be careful. Come back."
"I always endeavor to come back," he murmured with equal tenderness. "Especially when I have something to come back to."
She stepped clear, turned, and exited the transporter bay. Even at a distance, Kirk could see that her eyes were moist...
...Spock's mind was focused laser-like on the dangerous task on which they were about to embark. Kirk's was -- momentarily distracted.
"Her first name is..." He broke off, careful not to stray from the transporter pad on which he stood. "How'd you pull that one off?"
Leveled straight ahead, Spock's gave, like his attention, did not wander. "I have no comment on the matter." Kirk just stood on his own pad, grinning at the science officer..."
I always pictured Leila as a stalker who wasted a lot of time throwing herself at Spock when he was on earth.
Now now.. Kirk was too professional for that. He DID have some flirtations and dancing with Helen Noel at a Christmas party but did anything more serious happen? I'm not too sure. However Janice Rand has been mooning at him for years and he is very careful to not give her any encouragement. I do not think he'd respond to Uhura flirting with him.
Not sure what the chain of command rules with relationships are in Starfleet. Would it have been inappropriate for TOS Spock to take up with Uhura? If that is verboten than I do see it as more likely to be ribbing, especially as Uhura flirted with him in public.
Norrin Radd
Vice Admiral
I read the turbolift Spock/Uhura scene in the book, but it just didn't come across as well as in the movie.
Not nearly as well.
In the movie, the scene is made more powerful through its simplicity ("What do you need?").
I'm not much of a romance buff, but even I was moved. Really solid acting.
Not nearly as well.
In the movie, the scene is made more powerful through its simplicity ("What do you need?").
I'm not much of a romance buff, but even I was moved. Really solid acting.
I liked the scene; but some have said it seemed maybe out of character or jarring. So the book gives more detail for them.
Norrin Radd
Vice Admiral
Considering the things that happened to the Spock of this alternate universe, i.e. world is destroyed and mother is killed, I didn't find his scenes with Uhura out of character...yes even the scene on the transporter platform.
Yup, me too.
And as discussed elsewhere, Sarek admitting to Spock that he married Amanda for love is a huge admission and one that practically gives Spock permission to engage his emotions.
And again, it wouldn't have happened but for the death of his wife and world.
While their was evidence of an attraction between them (at least on Uhura's part) in the OTS, it was never acted upon (on camera) in any meaningful way. It was also never mentioned that Spock was Uhura's instructor either, or even if they had met before both were assigned to the Enterprise.
My thoughts are that the Kelvin incident messed with their timeline in serendipitous and unexpected ways. Uhura's original Academy instructor served aboard the Kelvin and was killed during the battle. Cut to twenty two years later, his or her absence on the teaching staff is filled by Spock. This change would mean that he and Uhura spent more time together to start a relationship before joining the Enterprise crew. The reason they never hooked up in the OTS or in any of the movies was because they never shared enough off time to really interact and connect. Put in a teacher/pupil situation for perhaps as long as a year and suddenly Spock is concered about accusations of favoritism (or more... ). If you know what mean... they were schtuping.
My thoughts are that the Kelvin incident messed with their timeline in serendipitous and unexpected ways. Uhura's original Academy instructor served aboard the Kelvin and was killed during the battle. Cut to twenty two years later, his or her absence on the teaching staff is filled by Spock. This change would mean that he and Uhura spent more time together to start a relationship before joining the Enterprise crew. The reason they never hooked up in the OTS or in any of the movies was because they never shared enough off time to really interact and connect. Put in a teacher/pupil situation for perhaps as long as a year and suddenly Spock is concered about accusations of favoritism (or more... ). If you know what mean... they were schtuping.
oh not true.... he told her that she was assigned to the farigut because people could precieve the posting to Enterprise as favoritism. Implying that people already know their close if their paying attention.
She ordered him to assign her to Enterprise... and he did...
they have a past.
She ordered him to assign her to Enterprise... and he did...
they have a past.
Exactly right. Almost a century.
All based on Spock's not entering the Vulcan Science Academy and joining Starfleet. Then you have Spock pursuing Kolinahr in TMP etc.
So not only did the events greatly affect the half human Spock, they also had an enormous impact on Sarek and therefore his relationship with his son.
From the episode Journey To Babel, Amanda speaking with Kirk...
"It has kept Spock and Sarek from speaking as father and son for 18 years
Spock is my best officer ...and my friend.
I'm glad he has such a friend. It hasn't been easy on Spock. Neither human nor Vulcan. At home nowhere ...
except Starfleet. I take it that Spock disagreed with his father on a choice of career.
My husband has nothing against Starfleet. But Vulcans believe that peace should not depend on force.
Starfleet force is used only as a last resort. We're an instrument of civilization. And it's a better opportunity for a scientist to study the universe than at the Vulcan Science Academy
Perhaps. But Sarek wanted Spock to follow his teachings ...as Sarek followed his own father's teachings.
Oh My God! Do I feel you sister. If I get over 10 words a day Im lucky. And we have 4 sprogs!
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If you think Kirk was too professional for hanky-panky with crew members, I can say with certainty that Spock was even more so. Spock, who quotes the page number of Star Fleet regulations, and who probably broke regulations the least of any crew member, who behaves the most professional of them all, and who didn't fraternize and distanced himself from everyone would never engage in an unprofessional "office flirtation".
TOS used Spock all the time as a vehicle to examine some of our human idiosycrasies. One of them was human sexuality. On Vulcan, marriages were arranged, the people are emotionless and logical -- they would not have our culture of "dating", "flirting", "broken hearts" etc. Spock, who was raised on Vulcan, was often naive to our culture, slang terms, motivations, and social norms. It was often a great vehicle for comedy, and it made us think about our human habits and culture. That which other see as Uhura flirting, I always saw as teasing him because he would never respond, and often wouldn't even understand. Perfect example is when Uhura TEASINGLY tells him, to tell her, about how Vulcan looks on a moonlit night - he doesn't even understand what she is looking for and responds by telling her "Vulcan has no moon". It went right above him. They all took advantage of him in this fashion. They set him up, teased him, ribbed him all for amusement or to make him uncomfortable. If Uhura flirted with any other human crew member, the human sexuality games would have been invoked. But with Spock, you didn't have to worry about that - if he even understood what you were doing, he wouldn't play along. He was too serious, too logical, too professional, too dignified etc.
If they wanted to have some foolish, youthful affair by Spock or Uhura, they should have had it be with a "guest stars" instead of another regular. Now we have "sexual tension" on the bridge involving Spock and Uhura. It is so out of character for Spock, who supresses emotion and for Uhura who was very professional, and smart enough not to be involved with her closeby superior officers.
^^^ Great post maryh.
I still like what was done with Spock and Uhura in this movie though. Now to make your points, the movie witers have a great oppurtunity to reveal the consequences of their relationship in the next movie. I believe they should show Spock having a very difficult time with it.
I still like what was done with Spock and Uhura in this movie though. Now to make your points, the movie witers have a great oppurtunity to reveal the consequences of their relationship in the next movie. I believe they should show Spock having a very difficult time with it.
Naturally i saw the trailers and the scene where Uhura embraces Spock.. i always believed that she comforts him during a time of crisis (unluckily i was spoiled that Vulcan would buy it so i knew why he needed to be hugged) but when they kissed it blew me out of my seat! 
I so love Quinto"s Spock.. that guy is still trying to find his place but he's not afraid to break with some Vulcan traditions. Him having an affair/relationship really adds something to his character and when he experienced Vulcans destruction you could see that he needed a friend and more in these tough times.
"Sooo.. Nyota.. " - "I have no comment on the matter!"
I so love Quinto"s Spock.. that guy is still trying to find his place but he's not afraid to break with some Vulcan traditions. Him having an affair/relationship really adds something to his character and when he experienced Vulcans destruction you could see that he needed a friend and more in these tough times.
"Sooo.. Nyota.. " - "I have no comment on the matter!"
Sounds like Peyton Place in Outerspace.
No, its a soap opera. Actually I'm not that upset or angry, I just don't think they made the right decision along these lines in the long run. It's a quick, get rich, short term gain, but is done at the expense of not having lasting value like a long term investment does.
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