Chapter 1: A History To Make Amends
15th of April 2238
It was night on Vulcan and very cold, but the long robes kept the cold out. The Vulcan youngsters had just finished another long lesson at the Vulcan Learning Center.
S'laren T'Aimnu Shinat, a 10-year-old boy was sitting on a big rock to meditate. His bright azure blue eyes stared far in the distance to the horizon of mountains and his wavy black hair wove in the light summer breeze of the night.
The boy on the rock was considered a k'torr skann, an outcast to the Vulcan society. Mainly because of his strange blue eyes, but also because he showed a small level of emotions to those who were the closest to him, which were his four sisters.
Suddenly, voices were heard. Loud ones, like yelling.
Shinat reacted quickly and ran back to the center. He found three elder boys insulting a younger one. Without thinking, the blue-eyed boy ran forward to stand between the older boys who were smaller than he and the younger one. He recognized one of them as Stonn, a future bond mate for one of his sisters. "What does this mean?"
The three cowered back at the sight of his appearance.
Even for a ten-year-old, Shinat was rather tall and muscled as he worked out nearly every day as his family mainly ignored him and his activities. Also, his eyes were rather impressive, especially by the light of the moon.
The tallest was pushed forward by the other two, not wanting to deal with Shinat.
The blue-eyed Vulcan stretched himself to his full height. "Accessing logic, it is very illogical to bully a younger child just for his heritage. It is also morally and socially improper business. Keep up, would you?"
The boys murmured something unintelligible, something that made Shinat roll his eyes.
"If I ever see you bullying someone again, I will and shall inform the elders of your improper behavior. Is this clear?"
The three nodded and began running into the black of the night.
"You did not have to do that." it was the younger boy behind him who spoke.
The tall Vulcan turned around, his blue eyes gazing over the other male full of concern. "Maybe not, but I do not wish to see one hurt."
"I will not be hurt, it is illogical." it was a rather stoic and forced reply.
"Do not be silly, everyone can be hurt. It is only that Vulcan society does not accept one to show it on their faces. But on the inside the hurt will be there no matter what." Shinat told, explaining why he did what he did.
"Your knowledge is rather advanced." the brown-eyed boy commented. "I heard of you from my parents… the one with blue eyes. Is your name not Shinat, son of Sitak?"
"It is. And who may you be, if I may ask." the blue-eyed Vulcan replied.
"My name is Spock, son of Sarek."
Shinat let a smile twitch, his brilliant white teeth visible. "It's nice to meet you Spock."
Their friendship started out that day, brilliant and bright right from the start. Lady Amanda, Spock's human mother, had been eccentric the day Spock took Shinat home to meet his parents. Spock's older brother Sybok had been there too.
Sybok had taken an unhealthy liking in the blue-eyed Vulcan, seeing the other man as a god of fertility and peace. All because of his blue eyes that resembled the Earthly oceans that were full of life and flowed peacefully. But the liking was replaced by an unhealthy obsession for the tall blue-eyed Vulcan who was his little half-brother's friend.
Yet that piece of truth never came out, as Sybok was sentenced to death once Sarek realized his son's rather cunning but very evil plan. Only Shinat was told about it as it concerned him the most of everything involved in the plan.
28th of August 2246
Spock rushed through the door of the spare room that had been reserved for his best friend ever since they met eight years ago. "You're leaving."
It was no question, as it was true. His best friend was packing all his belongings.
Shinat turned around, his blue eyes as clear as water radiating guilt and regret. "I am sorry Spock, but I cannot be here any longer. I do not wish to marry T'Thelaih, I am not right for her or for anyone here on Vulcan for that matter. It would only be logical for me to leave and find my future elsewhere."
"I do understand your cultural reasons, but have you thought about me and my mother?" the younger Vulcan asked, tears appearing in his brown eyes. He only ever allowed his mother and Shinat to see his emotions, where he could be his true self without hiding behind that mask he despised off.
"I know you will be devastated about me leaving and I know Lady Amanda is going to raise hell for leaving you behind, but I can see my future is not on Vulcan no matter how hard I wish it to be. I'll be joining Starfleet, making use of my knowledge differently. I hope you consider joining too, as I wish you to be by my side as more than just a friend." the blue eyed Vulcan said, his words full of emotion.
Spock let a small smile play on his lips. "If possible, I will. Just two more years."
"I know. And I will be waiting for you, that is my one vow to you."
At Vulcan Space Central, his shuttle was ready for departing to Earth.
Shinat was walking towards it when a pair of small boys' voices began yelling at him. He turned around just before both his legs were hugged by a set of Vulcan children, his nephews Sopek and Sadzick.
Neither may have their uncle's blue eyes, but the wavy hair was certainly there.
"Why are you leaving?" Sadzick, the eldest of the two and the son of Shinat's sister T'Kar, asked. The boy was only six years old and already quite intelligent. But he was goddamn curious.
The blue-eyed Vulcan knelt down in front of his nephews, falling to their eye-level. "Well, as you know I am not very much liked around here. My future is not upon this planet and grandpa Sitak said I had brought shame upon our family by not choosing for a career at the Vulcan Science Academy."
"I want to go with you, uncle." Sopek said, his voice rather firm for a 4-year-old.
The socially different Vulcan shook his head. "I do not think either of your parents would allow you to live with a k'torr skann like me."
"There is no logic in casting someone out because he did not want Kolinahr!"
Shinat grinned. "Through I completely agree with that, Sadzick, I cannot stay here. My future lies elsewhere, that much I know. It was never Vulcan and it will never be. I need to find the right place for myself, and I think Starfleet can take me there."
"Will you ever come back?" Sopek asked.
Blue eyes cast to the ground. "I don't know. Maybe once I have a family and all, a wife or husband of my own with a few kids. Just… do not count on it, and do not wait for me to return. I might as well die in space and never ever return anymore."
Sadzick wrapped his tiny arms around his uncle's neck. "Please do not say that."
"It is a danger that comes with Starfleet, but then again, what is life without danger?"
"Boring!" both boys replied in union.
Shinat laughed. "Just keep that in mind if you think of me, and be yourselves."
Not long afterwards, the shuttle departed, both children standing there and waving at their uncle until the metal spacecraft was no longer in sight.
Sadzick turned to his cousin. "Mom is not going to approve of what we just did."
"When did they ever approve of uncle Shinat?"
It was quite a travel from Vulcan to San Francisco on Earth, but it was worth it all the way.
The climate was normal, one a Vulcan could get used to though it was a colder temperature than on his own planet. But it was manageable.
After having landed, Shinat was lead to the assembly hall where all new students were gathered. It was where he met someone intriguing.
The man was drinking some sort of liquid, his clothes suggesting he'd come from a colder climate than San Francisco. That man's eyes immediately wided when he saw Shinat. "Holy mother of God! I've never seen a Vulcan in ma life!" the man had an accent, it suggested he was presumably from the British Isles.
"Glad to be your first." the blue-eyed Vulcan said, rather amused at the reaction of the other man who looked like he was good in his thirties.
The Brit stood up, a bit wobbly, but he managed. "Montgomery Scott, but everybody calls me Scotty. What's yer name lad?"
"Shinat, it is nice meeting you Scotty. Do you already know which department you want to be in or not?" Shinat introduced himself, feeling quite comfortable.
"It'd only ever be Engineering for me! What about ya?" Scotty asked.
"I am rather split between Command and Science, but I am having a conversation with Captain Barnett after the welcome speech." the Vulcan replied.
The friendly human smiled. "Good luck, hope he's not too strict on ya!"
"I hope so too, I hope so too."
Captain Barnett opened a file on his PADD, frowning at several sentences as he read through the admission document. "I must say, Mr. Shinat, that I am rather impressed by your techniques of Mind Healing. Also, those battle tactics are quite manageable."
"It flatters me, Captain." Shinat commented.
"You're here because you are unsure which track to follow, and since you're capable of both, I'll suggest you do just that." the Captain said, placing the PADD back on the table.
The Vulcan frowned, one of his slanted eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. "I did not know that was possible, I take it that that option is not often decided?"
"You're very correct." The dark skinned Starfleet officer replied. "But do you think you can manage two schedules? We'll make it a personalized one."
Shinat thought about it for a few moments before looking into the Captain's eyes. "I think it will be manageable. So how do we personalize my schedule?"
"That will be a talk for later on. But right now, you chose which science track and which command track you want. Then we combine the schedules. No doubt it'll be a busy one, but Vulcans have slightly different biology, isn't that right?"
"Affirmative, Captain."
"Now, let's get started on it."
It was quite an easy choice for Shinat which tracks he wanted. The Vulcan choose the psychology track to combine with the command track that could eventually lead to be captain of his own ship, maybe even Admiral far in the future.
As Barnett had told him, it was nothing easy and very busy. Sometimes, his days were from 8 in the morning to 7, no free periods in between except for the usual breaks that were lunch and dinner.
But the Vulcan did not care, he managed it all rather well. It was a lucky thing he shared a room with his new friend Scotty, who was rather addicted to Scottish liquor.
The blue-eyed alien completed both his first and second years without complications and held the highest marks in class.
All went by so quickly, and before he knew, Spock was joining him at the Academy.
1st of September 2248
Shinat sat on one of the stone benches in the park in the red cadet suit when another shuttle landed, one that obviously brought new students to the Academy for that year.
Scotty sat down next to him, handing over a cup of coffee. "I've missed this, just sittin' with a friend and nothin' to worry about."
"Just two more years to go and we will be up in space." the Vulcan said before sipping from his coffee, a vanilla latte with chocolate powder on the cream, just how he liked it. "I cannot wait to be assigned. I pray for the Farragut."
"Apparently the Constellation ain't bad, or maybe the Discovery. We'll see." the Scotsman told, taking a large gulp from his Irish coffee.
The new students stepped out of the shuttle, all of them looking around with wide eyes.
"Ah, freshmen! Time goes fast, doesn't it?" the Scot was already partly slurring.
Shinat stared at the ground for a moment. "Yes… it does."
Scotty looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. "Are ye alright mate? Ya seem rather off today. Someone caught your eye?"
The Vulcan sighed. "Do not feel betrayed or something, but I am a homosexual. Someone caught my eye long ago, back on my birth planet Vulcan. He is the son of the Ambassador and his human wife, I am and always have been afraid he will never return my feelings. And that is not even the worst… he might be among those freshmen."
The brown-eyed Scotsman looked apologetically. "I'm sorry mate, sounds like hell!"
"Nothing to do about it, I will have to face my fears." the blue-eyed alien sighed and stood up, straitening his shirt.
"Ye said 'might', so it could be he isn't on board." Scotty said.
"I know he applied and accepted, Captain Barnett informed me." Shinat told.
"Go get 'em mate!"
Just that moment, a Vulcan came out of the shuttle, carrying a bag that was much smaller as the bags the other students carried. His bowl cut hadn't changed in two years, neither had his physical features.
"Is that him? The love of yer life?" the Scot asked, looking from the unknown Vulcan to his friend and back.
"Yes, that is Spock." the blue-eyed Vulcan replied and took a deep breath.
Spock had spotted his best friend immediately and came headed his way. He did frown at the sight of the older brown-eyed hazel-haired man sitting on the bench next to his only friend, looking like he was already drunk.
Shinat smiled as he came closer. "Spock! I've missed you very much the past two years. How have you been? And how are Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda?"
"My parents are well, so am I. I too missed you."
"Ye goin' to introduce me?" the still sitting human asked. Indeed he was drunk.
The blue-eyed Vulcan shook his head. "Spock, this is my roommate and friend Scotty, he's in Engineering and he's quite good at what he does."
"Yet I'm nowhere near yer level! You've been asked to teach already! Plus yer doin' two tracks at once!" the human slurred, his doe-like eyes.
"You are about to become a teacher?" the hybrid didn't know what he heard.
Shinat smiled fondly. "It is not much. It is on Cambridge University, I will have to teach about mental illnesses and their consequences, so I will be away for some time after my graduation. I do not know how long it will take, I am sorry but I cannot let this chance go if you understand what I mean."
"It is quite logical you take this change upon you. But I shall keep my promise and wait for you." Spock held out his hands to the one person he had a crush on, not knowing if the other man would accept his vow or not.
Without hesitation, the elder Vulcan took the hands that were held out to him. A fond glimmer appeared in his eyes, the rest of the world forgotten.
Scotty understood this was an intimate moment. He just stood up and walked away from the pair of lovebirds to give them some privacy. The Scot was no idiot, even though many thought he was. He might not know much about biology and anatomy, but Vulcans touching hand to hand was equal to making out for humans.
k'torr skann = outcast, without family
This is my first attempt writing something in the Star Trek universe. I have read many fanfics for information, but I still don't know if I'm doing this stuff right.
I think Shinat is a Gary Sue, so if you don't like such shit, please leave and don't flame.
If you have constructive critics, feel free to write a message as PM or review, I welcome both.
- Artemis Hunter 441