I stepped out of the Terran house, glancing at the odd green plants which surrounded me. Shivering, I realized that here I had to put on a slight coat to keep warm, and hurried back inside to do so.

My name was Spock. I was half-Vulcan, and approximately 13.146 years of age. I was in the process of visiting my human mother's relatives on the planet Earth, for what she so innocently called a family reunion. My Vulcan father was here also, all though I could not see the logic in this. Technically, he was not related to any of the people here, but my mother insisted upon an Earth custom naming the person in question a brother -in-law.', sister-in-law', father-in-law', and so on.

Hey, Spock! I heard one of my teenage cousins yelling from out in the front yard', as my mother called it,You wanna play a little baseball?

Baseball. I remembered that it was a sort of game that humans played, and had originated in the 20th century.

I am unsure of the rules. Also, from what I know of Earth games, they are highly illogical, I said to him, and he shook his head and muttered something to the boy standing next to him, who grinned, and they both continued playing their Terran game.

I grabbed my coat, hoping to go outside and find a place to meditate, but as soon as I opened the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Spock? Where are you going? I turned around, but had recognized the voice. It was my mother.

I was hoping to find a place outdoors to meditate, I told her, and she shook her head.

Oh, Spock!She said,I know none of your little Vulcan friends-

I stiffened at the word - Vulcans did not have friends, and if they did, I would surely have none. Just enemies.

I know none of your little Vulcan friends are here,My mother continued, But why don't you go play with the kids here? They are your family, you know.

I said,I do not wish to socialize with the children that are currently residing here. I wish to meditate, and as this place is a free country', as you call it, I have every right to do so.

My mother sighed, and turned around, as I left the house in search of a quiet place. As I was walking through the dense woods, my ears picked up the sound of some one following me. I turned around and saw a human female, perhaps a few years older than me.

She said, sticking out her hand,I'm Elizabeth Coulter. I'm your mother's godmother's granddaughter. I'm not related to you. She said this last sentence as if it meant something, but I was unsure what.

She was holding in her arms a small child in a sort of small hammock, who made a variety of strange sounds. Slowly I backed away from it, and Elizabeth laughed at this.

Don't be afraid! This is just Sarah. She's my baby sister. She won't hurt you.

I am not afraid. I said, Just unaccustomed to small children.

She nodded, winking. Oh, of course you're not afraid of her. I completely understand. Elizabeth turned to the child. Hi Sarah! Look! This is Spock! Do you want Spock to hold you?

Elizabeth, I am not sure I - My protests were silenced as Elizabeth handed the child to me. I looked at it, and immediately it began to cry out. Elizabeth laughed again as I hurriedly handed Sarah back to her.

She doesn't like you. I don't suppose she's seen one of your kind before.

I have never seen this many humans, I admitted,But so far it has been quite a fascinating experience.

Elizabeth laughed, and I began to wonder why human females laughed so much. Obviously it was a defect of the species.

So why are you out here in the middle of the woods?Elizabeth asked me,You could be out playing baseball with the guys.

I thought about this for a second. I came out here to meditate.

Elizabeth noticed my failure to answer the second part of her question. You don't like your cousins much, do you?

I paused uncomforatably. Well.... they- they act much like my - my classmates on Vulcan.

She said, not noticing how uncomfortable I felt about the subject matter. I hate my classmates too! They're always picking on me because I live with my grandmother.

I raised an eyebrow. What is wrong with your real mother so that you can not live with her?

She said,My mother - she's dead. She died when I was very young, but I think she worked on a starship or something. No one really talks about her to me much.

I said, unsure of what to say, I am sorry. You have my condolences.

Suddenly the optimistic, laughing girl I had known for exactly 2.4793 minutes disappeared, and was replaced by a very sad one.

I watched her, and saw that she was very near tears. Finally, she exploded, sinking down to the ground as tears poured from her eyes.

Oh, Spock! She said,It's horrible! I barely even knew her! My grandmother refuses to tell me anything about her, and she didn't even know my father! Soon Grandma's gonna die, too, and then I'll be all alone with Sarah.... She burst into tears again, then calmed herself.

She said, quite embarrassed at her outburst, Why do the kids at your school pick on you?

I started. How had this strange girl known?

It is because I am half human. I said, wanting to get away from the subject, I forgot to ask you - why is it that you are in these woods?

She grinned. Come see!