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curious 
I remember awhile back there was some speculation about Spock's appeal. Some said that Spock is considered untouchable, like the male version of the "virgin ideal". He's a cultural icon precisely because he's this idealized stoic, noble, untouchable male.
It follows that perhaps the reason some fans have attributed angry, aggressive, and violating adjectives to Uhura's actions *especially* towards Spock in ST:XI is because they've attributed this old cultural bit of fail to Uhura.
In other words, she's "The Black Brute" violating
Tangentially, no matter how often she smiles sweetly or how many tears she sheds she'll be considered less than Uhura Prime for having stepped out of the place that was "comfortable" and
Just by virtue of being a black woman, her default setting is neither feminine nor sweet. It's Angry Black Woman. She has to be extraordinarily benign (i.e. OG Uhura) to prove that she's not ABW, because any assertive behavior would be perceived as a regular part of that (i.e. criticism I've seen her getting for turning down Kirk at the bar and "allowing him" to be beaten up).
It goes back to rawles' awesome post and her points about black women not being in the same place feminism-wise as white women. This is one of the main facets of that. We're not fighting the "sweet feminine trophy" label because we're seen as beneath that; aggressive, angry, sexually-tough *not-quite* real women.
Black women still are not seen as, nor are they allowed to be vulnerable, which is why I think so many overlook Uhura's tears in the turbolift. A belief in black female aggression trumps gentle affection, *even* when the only evidence shown is for the later, as is the case here. That's how ingrained it is in our culture to the point where merely *speaking on it* reinforces the awful loop that allows it endure
This is what bugs me most about much of the language I've seen used to criticize Spock and Uhura's interactions together. She's *always* the aggressor, regardless of who actually has the power in this situation (that would be Spock!).
It was to the point where people were actually micro-managing a look or touch, saying "Well, if she hadn't embraced him, that would've been fine! If they hadn't kissed on the transporter pad..." etc., etc... As a way of basically trying to remove themselves from those initial knee-jerk reactions. I am convinced that's how certain fans see her and her interactions with Spock ...and that's not even touching the idea that Spock is OOC for being in a relationship
January 12 2010, 00:31:06 UTC 2 years ago
yeah, never mind that she was yelling at Cupcake to stop too.
srsly. and you'd think people would say--wait a minute--isn't this *exactly* how an emotional human woman would respond in this situation? isn't this *exactly* how a Vulcan would respond? that was the whole point of pairing up these two to begin with, because the writers wanted to highlight the intense reactions and his inability/refusal to show emotion.
and omg, this does take me back to the
Given the really small amount of time we have with nuUhura--she had quite an emotional range there.
January 12 2010, 01:03:17 UTC 2 years ago
I missed this wank. And thank goodness. I don't necessarily think it's racial though, I think a lot of people are just flat out uncomfortable with strong female characters.
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January 12 2010, 00:35:04 UTC 2 years ago
Uhura is awesome. Some people just can't handle that.
January 12 2010, 00:46:24 UTC 2 years ago
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January 12 2010, 00:45:38 UTC 2 years ago
January 12 2010, 00:54:27 UTC 2 years ago
The best stuff is outside lj where folks are more apt to be outright. Here it's mostly racial overture. Check the wank on [Bad username: st xi kink]. Anon makes people bolder. imdb messageboards and comments to articles posted about about the pair on blogs and news aggregators especially, have some choice comments.
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January 12 2010, 00:46:50 UTC 2 years ago
January 12 2010, 00:51:00 UTC 2 years ago
Wait, seriously? People are hating on Uhura re: her reaction to Kirk? That's pretty seriously disturbing. Should a woman be grateful for any unsolicited male attention she receives? or just a black woman for white male attention? I don't know about you, but when I'm out with my friends and some drunk asshat can't take a hint, it doesn't exactly sweep me off my feet.
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January 12 2010, 00:50:32 UTC 2 years ago
pure white womanSpock.Funny how in being "too agressive (read: sexual)" in this warped way of thinking, then it's not about sex anymore but power (read: aggression). That's gross.
January 12 2010, 01:57:07 UTC 2 years ago
Yep, pretty warped.
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January 12 2010, 00:52:57 UTC 2 years ago
Exactly! Where are people getting this idea that Spock is some kind of helpless victim against Uhura's raging emotion? The way some people talk you'd think she practically raped him in that turbolift. Give me a break. If at any time Uhura's advances had been unwanted, or if she had crossed a line into his personal space somehow, of all people Spock would be the first to put a clear stop to it. Never mind the fact he's physically much stronger than she is, or that he's her commanding officer. Just the fact that this is a man who is all about being in control at all times--he wouldn't allow someone to get that close if he didn't want them to. This is why the turbolift scene is so emotionally powerful--the fact that he lets his guard down around her even that tiny bit is proof enough of his regard for her.
It seems to me that often times the fans most hell-bent on defending Spocky-poo are the ones who understand his character the least.
January 12 2010, 00:56:45 UTC 2 years ago
*nods* Like those who turn around and highlight any display of emotion over Kirk without realizing they've just contradicted their view of "cardboard Spock."
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January 12 2010, 00:59:35 UTC 2 years ago
Not women of color, but white women.
I would take your "black brute" hypothesis and raise you an intimidation factor.
The sterotype of the strong, black "superwoman" female. Add to that a splash of the black woman as seducer, temptor of innocents and the taboo-- and you've got yourself the devil's brew.
And I just finished listening to Michael Baisden who pissed me off, AGAIN...so Ima have a post related to that one tomorrow.
Hotep.
January 12 2010, 01:04:27 UTC 2 years ago
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January 12 2010, 01:01:14 UTC 2 years ago
-The first clue was her confronting him about assigning her to the Farragut and his justification was not wanting to show favoritism.
-The second was Uhura following Spock to the turbo-lift when he went to try and save his parents. It was obvious her concern for him was personal.He explained to her why he had to go. He didn't have to but he did, as if he knew she would understand.
-The third was the turbo-lift scene used in that icon. Come on people he hugged her back. In fact for a moment he sank into her arms as if he needed her to hold him. He stood there while she kissed him and he did kiss her back.
-The fourth was the transporter pad. The body language. The placement of that hand on her back. It was an intimate gesture. The kiss in full view of their crew mates. Her concern for him, she let him know in Spock speak, "I'll be monitoring your frequency." His use of her first name. His trying to reassure her he would return. Him giving Kirk that death stare when he asked about her name.
-The fifth was Spock trying to send Uhura a message through Kirk. Not to his father but to Uhura.
The writers intent was pretty blatant and obvious. These two were in a relationship.
Then there is the Kirk/Spock fandom that will never let that go. Not that I would expect them to, but Uhura/Spock had a following before this movie. There is evidence of it through fanfic dated years before the movie.
As for the other. I have come to realize that some people will carry those kinds of stereotypes with them to their grave. Nothing will convince them of anything different. It's their problem. Just stay away from me. I work in a predominately female environment and I've seen co-workers of different races and cultures lose it. The myth of the angry black woman has been all but diffused over the years by women like Coretta Scott King, Oprah Winfrey, Condoleeza Rice, Robin Roberts, our current first lady, Michelle Obama and so many others. There are just too many of us out here proving this kind of non-sense invalid.
People who try to perpetrate that kind of stupidity end up with egg on their face. Like the people that tried to paint Michelle Obama in that light during the presidential campaign.
January 12 2010, 01:11:37 UTC 2 years ago
yeah, this was so damn irksome. i know all first ladies get scrutinized to a degree, but criticism for wearing sleeveless dresses? I mean damn! her only crime has been for looking good! lol
and as to S/U--you'd have to a special kind of clueless to think that these two weren't in *some* kind of relationship that permitted that kind of closeness.
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January 12 2010, 01:29:25 UTC 2 years ago
Daddy and me wina rival ship made canon), but the moment I started hanging out in fic-heavy comm, I started noticing a viciousness that I hadn't noticed before.Then I went back to my old discussion boards, and, sure enough, the mean was there, too.
And more people than I would have imagined brought up race -- but mostly in the context that "if you think I called Uhura ugly/evil/worthy-of-death/etc because she's black, well obviously you're the one hung up on race! Get over it already!!"
Looking back, in some cases I would have liked to have responded:
1). Why is Uhura ugly/evil/worthy-of-death if not because she's Black?
and
2). We'll "get over it already" when race is no longer an issue. When being non-White in Western society stops opening us up for immediate, albeit often subconscious, critcism.
But, like I said in my very first post here, I was raised by folks who mostly "fought back" by becoming model citizens and who only "got loud" in the face of the most egregious offense.
I'm still trying the figure out where the line is, but I've read enough by now to realize that a lot of S/U haters and Uhura haters cross it.
January 12 2010, 01:45:08 UTC 2 years ago
Personally, I like analyzing these kinds of things. I'm curious about what makes people say this stuff.
You can be a "model of behavior" and while that's admirable, it sucks that you do that in order to only get closer to that setting of normal relaxed woman. You never really achieve it, because if you do get angry, righteously or not, suddenly you're Angry Black Woman.
Still, it's always good to be a best person for the *you* regardless of the others. :)
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January 12 2010, 01:36:10 UTC 2 years ago
I'm not a great follower of the fandom, so i don't notice things as often, but i've noticed what i think of a latent racism in fandom.
Such as a propensity to overlook subtext between characters in favor of white characters.
This added to the tendency of shows to caricaturize black characters and women left out of the majority of fanfiction.
In fact, i've always thought the popularity of slash was partly due to the lack of well drawn female characters.
January 12 2010, 02:23:15 UTC 2 years ago
In the TOS, she is as much as anyone other than Kirk, Spock, and maybe McCoy.
What i was saying, was that in most of geek!dom, female characters are generally caricature's in and of themselves. So, people will go towards the more intriguing characters who are generally male and slash them.
This is just my opinion of why slash came to be so popular.
However, the Uhura bashing throws it out the window.
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January 12 2010, 01:41:04 UTC 2 years ago
2 things that struck a chord for me were 1) the notion of power, and 2) black female sexuality. Oh, and the old "uppity" woman thing...knowing one's place, etc.
Those in power do not want to lose that power. To see someone that doesn't usually have power actually succeed is disconcerting to those used to power.
I've seen first-hand some of the sick and twisted perceptions of black female sexuality. Expecting "easy" to wild animalistic behavior. That's an old and ugly stereotype that some still ascribe to us.
So seeing a very "together" Nyota, a successful professional who chooses not to be picked up in a bar by a wasted Kirk busts up a familiar stereotype. The ignorant weep.
And while I *am* an angry black woman (yeah, it pisses me off to be treated poorly in the nation of my birth!) Heaven forbid I stand up for myself or speak up in my defense, because then I've become an ABW! (Run away!)
When Nyota confronts Spock about her assignment, she's speaking up for herself, with ample evidence that she deserved the Enterprise. I know the joke is that this scene proves he's "whipped." But the fact that a woman, much less a black woman, confronted her "superior" makes some people squirm and others just hate.
OK...I've rambled on enough. But yes, your points are valid!
January 12 2010, 01:58:20 UTC 2 years ago
See!! That's pretty much, verbatim, what I read about a month after the movie came out when I first started reading fic again. Well, new fic. The first thing I did was re-visit WildCat and Rolletti.. but I digress.
Until I read that first argument for Chapel, I honestly thought the hate was solely slash-related.
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January 12 2010, 01:41:57 UTC 2 years ago
But I figure the biggest group of haters are the K/S slash fans (who are most likely white women, I will agree). Not only did we get the canon romance for Spock with a woman, Spock and Kirk didn't have any bromance in the film. They definately didn't like each other; they might have respected each other by the end, but we didn't see it on screen. Of course slashers can turn their dislike into passionate, hot, angry sex, but really slashers got nothing but a roadblock for K/S in the movie. I think they're very angry.
I'm thinking the cause of the irrational Uhura hate is more that more than the black brute, but maybe I'm just thinking better of my fellow human beings than they are.
January 12 2010, 02:01:14 UTC 2 years ago
And while I think there's more material for K/Mc, I also think there is also plenty of material in ST:XI for K/S.
The mind-meld was very intimate, heck that *entire* meeting was heartfelt and full of emotion. And yes, on a purely sexy level that fight scene made me lose my breath. I'm just baffled by the tendency to bump heads with the other ships, in so viciously!
IDK, maybe I'm spoiled I'm coming from the experience of being a Browncoat IRL fandom, into this fandom on lj. :)
I know talking about it isn't going to change fans. There will *always be* haters for whatever reason, but I'm one of those people who likes to figure out, well, why do people think that way? Is this a reason?
The discussion in and of itself is cathartic and interesting for me. :)
And it's actually fascinating to find out if there is some cultural reason that we may not even be aware of for the way we think.
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January 12 2010, 02:11:54 UTC 2 years ago
Personally, I see Spock/Uhura as perfect in the Darcy/Elizabeth sense. Stoic, emotionally repressed, almost autistic man and strong, vibrant, kick-ass woman. They are each others perfect foil.
January 12 2010, 02:26:16 UTC 2 years ago
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January 12 2010, 02:28:24 UTC 2 years ago
I guess what I'm saying is thanks for the post :)
January 12 2010, 02:32:55 UTC 2 years ago
January 12 2010, 02:35:03 UTC 2 years ago
They are perfect, just wish it was Spock who kissed Nyota in TOS instead of KIrk... as for the bromance between S/K...hahahaha I guess Im the ABW now..in real life I am shy and get along with everyone...some people are so clueless...
January 12 2010, 02:39:44 UTC 2 years ago
I think if they had, they might not have gotten together now in canon!
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January 12 2010, 02:49:47 UTC 2 years ago
You know, this makes me think of The Gamesters of Triskelion, which I was watching this evening. Uhura was put into a cell and Lars (the gamer who was supposed to train her to fight) went into her cell telling her that she had been selected for him. The entire scene was way off. Lars was in there trying to rape Uhura. You never see the attack directly, only their shadows.
Chekov said nothing (though he did look afraid/horrified), and Kirk just repeatedly asked her if she was okay and to answer him. He didn't demand that Lars leave Uhura alone. It's even possible to speculate that Lars actually raped Uhura but it wasn't shown (it certainly sounded like he raped her, from the noises Uhura was making). Now, it's obvious what's happening to Uhura, and Kirk, at the end says "What's happening to Lt. Uhura?"
Well, it's freaking obvious what happened to her. Do you know that Kirk (nor Chekov) never once asked Uhura if she was okay? He didn't try to comfort her or anything. Had that been Christine Chapel he would have tried to fight his way out of the bars to get to her and save her. He would have demanded Lars leave Christine alone, threatened, bargained, anything to save her virtue. I'm sure that if Kirk hadn't been restrained he would have gone to Uhura's aid, but because she was black Kirk wasn't allowed to even verbally demand Lars leave her alone, and he was never shown to comfort her after her experience. That just really pissed me off.
Earlier in the episode, when they first arrived on the planet, lying on the ground, neither Kirk nor Chekov even offered to help her to her feet. Had she been a white woman, I'm more than sure Kirk or Chekov would have helped her up.
January 12 2010, 02:57:11 UTC 2 years ago
If i recall correctly, and it's been a long while, it was given more as if she was fighting Lars.
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January 12 2010, 03:27:40 UTC 2 years ago
I imagine it's long pushed to the back, but about 2 weeks ago, I found myself on the imdb site where one person said something similar to they didn't like the way the directors/writers were shoving the interracial relationship down our throats. What made it worse was someone responded that they did think it was shoved down, but it didn't bother them because they liked black women anyway. First, I was like WTF? and then I was like NO and backed quickly away from that site.
One thing that does seem like subtle racism that even those thinking it is the issue with Kirk. It's like Nyota should feel privileged to be hit on by Kirk. It doesn't matter that he isn't her type or that while he's being playful, he's also being obnoxious and drunk (just what every woman wants!). He's Kirk damn it! (which no one but us know at the time) and she should be happy he gave her the time of day.
This takes away from her agency to choose who she wants to choose. In fact, what's being said is she should practically get in the middle of 5 guys fighting to save this man that not only caused the fight but whom she doesn't even know (I'm guessing she actually knows Cupcake, Kirk not so much). I say this is subtly racially involved because black women are so rarely hit on by men in movies, much less good looking white men (there is recent evidence that black women are the least contacted group of women by white men on dating social networks), that it's almost like she should fall down in glee at the idea.
January 12 2010, 03:30:19 UTC 2 years ago
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January 12 2010, 04:20:51 UTC 2 years ago
THIS.
And I lol'ed. XD WHERE'S MY FLYING CAR!? And I *still* want a hoover-board!
I agree about those issues still existing. I've seen fic where Spock deals with xenophobia, but *I'd* love to see a fic where they both deal with the -isms.
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January 12 2010, 05:38:18 UTC 2 years ago
'Cause it's about the white guys
It doesn't matter that he isn't her type or that while he's being playful, he's also being obnoxious and drunk (just what every woman wants!). He's Kirk damn it!--fishphileExperiment: let's give Uhura's race a slight backseat for a split second and give the white boys that extra attention they deserve.
The typical Hollywood hero is a cocky, drunken obnoxious white guy whose flaws are forgiven because he eventually saves the day, whether in the shallow action flick, the annoying white guilt fantasy flick, or tacky romantic comedy flick. If you're wondering why more and more guys out here in the real world "can't take hints" at the bar(no matter how much we tell them), it's partly because of THAT: we live in a society where men with thoroughly flawed personalities are tolerated and, to an extent, encouraged.
Now for white guys who aren't having much luck hitting on black women, it's partially 'cause we're the least likely to tolerate "that guy". So for white guys who are watching ST XI, identifying with Kirk, seeing their hero get shot down after spitting his best game is a HUGE kick in the balls. But they brush it off, comfort themselves ("Whatever, dude...black chick...what does she know? Kirk's gonna banging an evil hotter chick later, bro, just watch...") Ah...but then those evil ST XI writers DO show what happens to pretty girls who fall for a guy like Kirk; they blithely board a doomed ship and get blown to bits. This film had many flaws, but the romantic subplot was actually not one of them--that part was actually handled quite insightfully, come to think of it. Abrams quest to "humanize Kirk" (read: put him in his place) is a very deep and noble one.
But then comes the biggest rub of all...the mean black girl DOES, in fact, hook up with a white guy--it's just not Kirk. Nope, she insteads settles for, oh say...the hottest, smartest, most interesting white guy in the film--and gasp! He loves her back! Blasphemy!!!!
This white guy, Spock, is highly intelligent, cultured, noble-blooded, and disciplined--the anti-Kirk. Young men in our society haven't been raised to be like Spock; guys like Spock are "nerds", "dweebs", and "apple-polishers". REAL white guys were raised to be tough-talking, brashly-acting, go-getters like Kirk. Spock thus becomes truly "alien" to them, an though the white male audience adores him, anyway, they can't help but feel slightly inferior to him.
But alas! Spock seems to be the only type of white guy Uhura will go out with. And if that doesn't sting enough, this "better, stronger, and faster" white guy gets to whoop the ass of the obnoxious, reckless white guy.
Maybe white guys are threatened by/intolerant of the S/U ship because they are threatened by Spock himself (at least, what he represents: discipline, self-restraint, selflessness, brilliance)--and it's something which white guys in America aren't ready to confront and examine. Spock is a hybrid-human, in effect, "superhuman" in every way--untouchable even, as mentioned originally. To our knowledge, he's unique in the universe. So while white guys like Kirk are a dime a dozen (they, after all, identified with him, and not Spock), Spock becomes irreplaceable.
I must also point out that his intellect is profoundly superior, and the only human who seems to match him isn't another white guy, or even a guy at all--but a woman (ouch; that must really sting; tack on "black" to "woman" and you can upgrade to agony). Conclusion? Your average whites guys can't be Spock, for all their admiration of him, and they don't know what to do with themselves because girls like Uhura (whom they actually do want, for all the smack they talk) won't accept anything less.
And what irks them the most isn't just that Spock and Uhura got together, but that Kirk lost Uhura to Spock. So instead of addressing their own insecurities and inadequacies, they pick a classic target--the black girl. Had she been a blonde or a red-headed alien and still been lost to Spock, there would still be some hate because again...the man they identify with the most, the "hero" of the story, still isn't wanted.
Just a theory.
January 12 2010, 06:00:52 UTC 2 years ago
Re: 'Cause it's about the white guys
the only thing i disagree with is Gaila, the 'pretty girls who fall for a guy like Kirk; they blithely board a doomed ship and get blown to bits' it's never explicitly stated she wasn't on the Enterprise. In fact, in a deleted scene, Kirk tries to apologize, but mistakes another female Orion Enterprise science officer, played by Diora Baird, for Gaila. This implies that he believes Gaila to be aboard the Enterprise. Giving credence to the idea that she was an officer aboard the Enterprise.2 years ago
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January 12 2010, 12:53:54 UTC 2 years ago
None of my melanin-deficient friends, male and female, thought anything of Uhura's race one way or another (but then I don't hang out with racists -- they're *crazy*, and any smart white person knows that kind of crazy spills over into other aspects of their lives).
Its only on comms like this one where I saw how much it meant to have a black woman in a lead role. (My African American friends chose not to point it out to me...maybe it was self-evident to them?) Uhura was inspiration for BOTH Kirk and Spock, that is pretty powerful even if her role was 'small'.
On the one hand it might be kind of bad that I didn't immediately empathize with the African American experience enough to see how uplifting the role of Uhura must be for African American women...
On the other hand...its kind of great that the white people I talked to about the movie didn't think anything of it.
I guess what I'm saying is that I really think there is hope...the crazies feel like they can only come out on the intertubes. But I know when you face racism in a first hand way that it can seem like there isn't.
January 12 2010, 15:11:18 UTC 2 years ago
There's hope
as long as some people believe there's hope.2 years ago
January 12 2010, 12:57:51 UTC 2 years ago
Wishful dreamers...
I really don't' think Spock would be the only one still dealing with antiquated notions of race. I think those who think this stuff will eventually go away are wishful dreamers.It will never go away. I've met women/men who are adamant about only marrying within their Lithuanian community (like that doesn't cut down your options a tad) or Greek, or Italian or what have you -- so marrying outside their ethnicity is probably really not going to happen.
But it can get better.
January 12 2010, 14:28:25 UTC 2 years ago
Re: Wishful dreamers...
It's one thing if a person plans their marriage according to tradition and with the desire to preserve a distinct culture. It's perfectly okay when they do that--for themselves.It's another thing, however, when such people get upset about others making the decision--for themselves--to marry interracially.
It's almost like homosexuality. If it doesn't work for you, that's fine. But people can't get upset when it works for others. It'll get better when people live and let live.
January 12 2010, 13:48:02 UTC 2 years ago
January 12 2010, 16:33:16 UTC 2 years ago
Why all the drama?
One of Roddenberry's main goals when creating Star Trek was to show a future with equality and diversity working together for the greater good of not just humanity but the known universe. Anyone who boasts being a Star Trek fan (like I am and countless others) and then turns around and shouts out misogynist and racist garbage has completely missed the point of the show and really needs to re-think their love of this series.The saddest thing to me about so many in the Star Trek community's massive race fail is that the Spock/Uhura kiss of 2009 is getting just as much as or equal to the amount of negative, racist energy being spewed as the Kirk/Uhura kiss in the 1960's. And what's more Uhura is the problem, not Kirk who is consistently sexually harassing her, and not Spock who obviously loves her. It's the 21st century and we're still afraid of the mystique of the woman of color. She's no different from her Caucasian sisters- she wants and loves the same things, but yet there is still such a strong stigma/mystery surrounding the woman of color... Fascinating.
I think the writers of NuTrek have done something quite interesting here. Whether intentional or no, the writers are saying something about the woman of color being alien or mysterious and somewhat untouchable by pairing her with Spock. And by pairing this enigmatic figure of the woman of color with an alien you're kind of giving some face to her humanity. Truthfully, we aren't given much insight into Uhura's personality, but what we are given (which is amazing what personality traits of Uhura Saldana manages to shine through in the amount of scenes she's in) allows us to see that not only is she a lady and sexually desired, but she is a warrior, a lover, and a compassionate nurturer, which is something that is so foreign when given a brown face.
A black woman who is sexy, smart, focused, strong, supportive, and gentle. A black woman who is not over-sexualized as a whore, asexualized like a nanny or a maid, or undersexualized or prudish like a slave. A black woman who is just as intelligent or moreso than her white, male counterparts. Not only is she all those things, but apparently she's Vulcan cryptonite, because even the stoic one wants her brown sugar, and he's the one she gives it to, not Kirk. All the frat boys are saddened, but the cute nerds are smiling triumphantly and perusing Priceline.com for discounted trips to Africa.
January 12 2010, 16:36:10 UTC 2 years ago
Re: Why all the drama?
lmfao@Priceline! And Vulcan Kryptonite!! I'm sooooo using that. XD2 years ago
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January 21 2010, 02:38:19 UTC 2 years ago
Uhura: *lovingly holds onto him and offers her significant other some comfort in his time of need therefore 'attacking him'*
Spock: Leutenant, are you "attacking" me? *trying to cheer her up at seeing her teary and vulnerable like that* *places his hands on her hips* *blatantly interested in her loving attention and in her well-being*
Uhura: *amused* No. Why do you say that?
Spock: No reason. *smiles into the kiss* Just keep "attacking me" forever, lieutenant, keep "attacking me" forever. <3