Serena
T'Mur was the best Captain in the history of Vulcan. As well as she knew that, Serena Grayson still resented leaving Jim. Jim could not know, not a hint, that she was alive. In order to save him, she must die. She would do that, and more, to save him. Just as T'Mur had vanished, so would she. It would hit her brother hard, harder still after Sahara disappeared, but Spock had to handle it. T'Arn and T'Pel would leave not long after her.
How did it come to this? We were so careful. Nothing showed on her face, but deep inside, Serena Grayson, daughter of Sarek and Amanda, sister of Spock and Sahara, beloved of Jim Kirk, was howling. Why do we have to fall in love? Why do I have to leave him? For all her knowledge and beauty, Serena Grayson did not know if she would ever again lay eyes on Jim Kirk.
Third
Four years to the day, Serena disappeared in the same manner on the same day as T'Mur. In the next six, three other young women disappeared on the same day in the same way, simply different planets. From the lives of three different men. T'Pel disappeared the day she graduated an advanced engineering program alongside Montgomery Scott. T'Arn vanished in hours of Hikaru Sulu being pronounced the fencing master of Starfleet. Last but not least, Sahara Grayson fled a graduation party and the arms of Pavel Chekov.
Ten and a half years after T'Mur disappeared from Vulcan, a fleet of foot female rescued an Enterprise landing party. Bearing only a katana and small phaser, she barked orders to the men attacking the Starfleet officers. Who backed down when the female spoke. Sulu recognized the katana but not the masked female holding it. "Who are you and why do you have T'Arn's katana?" His demand was met by mirthless, mask muffled laughter. "Why should I tell you?" Another female slipped out of the shadows. "We need to be gone. That which we hoped against has come to pass, lieutenant mine." Her sensual rasp went against the Vulcan ears unobscured by her own mask. The first woman bowed at the waist "Forgive my rudeness, but knowing our names could be deadly. If you must refer to us, use Katana for me, and Darkness for my Captain." Without another word, they hurtled into the shadows.
Spock was slightly perturbed because the second woman spoke like T'Mur, mature, stentorian and wise. Knowing how she had vanished without a trace, Spock acknowledged there may have been a reason he did not understand for her disappearance, but they had been almost entirely open with each other. It was the almost that bothered him. Of course, there had been things that had been necessary to keep from each other, but they had mind melded regularly.
Hikaru too, was in shock. T'Arn had been gone for years, but she'd had her katana, at least, it had not been in her personal effects. Effects her parents had allowed him to look through for a few mementos. All he'd taken was a 3D photo, taken at a festival when she'd laughed and danced for him, out of view of her Vulcan parents. Hikaru Sulu had cried over her before, but not in a long time. Tonight he cried for his lost love from Vulcan.
With Darkness and Katana
"Should we have told them?" Katana asked her Captain. Darkness shook her head slightly. "Much as we desire it, we should just give them a warning beforehand. After all, the Killing Sect is almost vanquished, and the Daughters of T'Al should relax a little." Katana, who was really T'Arn of Vulcan swung her katana. "I admit, knowing he is out in the world and functioning is soothing but really-" Darkness, real name T'Mur, cut her off. "Well, he may have moved on. He is human." T'Arn swung around "Of course he's moved on, but that doesn't mean we have." T'Mur sighed and ushered T'Arn through the door of their domicile. "Come along, we have work to do."
A few months later, the Enterprise was pulled back to Starfleet base because Pike (Who had survived Khan's attack) found something that he wanted Spock to tell him about, but sat the crews of the Enterprise, the Jupiter and the Taurion in the Amphitheater. A music video began playing, with the opening chords of a Terran song, two hundred years old (Kesha's We R Who We R).
Onscreen, a Vulcan female with long black hair was singing. Dressed in black leather, a whirlwind tattoo on her forearm identified her as something other. Four other Vulcan females in similar style- long black hair, sleeveless leather shirts and tight pants, each with a whirlwind on her forearm, and when they turned around, each with a tattoo of the Starfleet symbol overlaid with gorgeous calligraphy letters on their left shoulder. The lead singer had an S in blue over the black Starfleet symbol. Another had a red M. A third had a yellow J. When the credits rolled, everyone gasped.
Daughters of T'Al We R Who We R Dance Video
Director T'Mur
Producer Serena Grayson
Dancers/Singers
T'Mur, Vulcan
Serena Grayson, Human/Vulcan hybrid
T'Arn, Vulcan
T'Pel, Vulcan
Sahara Grayson, Human/Vulcan Hybrid
DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED AND LEFT FOR REASONS THEY COULD NOT SAY.
Another video played, yet another old Terran song, (Rascal Flatts, My Wish). This time, Sahara's voice played over the speakers, expressing emotion out of the ordinary for Vulcans. Pavel Chekov cursed the tear leaking from his eye. Sahara was saying hello and goodbye. He knew that as well as he'd known her. But he hadn't gotten over her, hadn't even wanted to try. Spock felt ashamed. He'd done as his society dictated, move on so he would survive Pon Farr. But it wasn't fair to Nyota, that the attachment wasn't soul deep on his part. He had only ever wanted T'Mur's gentleness, but Nyota's fire had been alluring, too. Frustrated because he did not wish to hurt a good friend, but knowing T'Mur's continued existence alone warranted breaking things off with Uhura. Jim Kirk was elated. 'Serena is alive, oh god, she's really not gone!' Hikaru Sulu looked stoic, but he was dancing inside. T'Arn had been there, had rescued their landing party. Montgomery Scott's view mirrored Chekov's. She's saying goodbye, because I've been gone so long you will have moved on. T'Pel, sweetheart, how wrong you are.
Scotty spoke first. "Thank you, Admiral, but where ever you found that, they are long gone." Pike was puzzled, but before he could speak, Chekov put in "Zhey do not vant to be found." Scotty nodded. "Ye are righ', laddie, they donna wan' te be found, T'Pel was da best engineer I eva' knew." "What!" Jim's exclamation rocked the Amphitheater. Spock sighed. "Captain, the Daughters of T'Al do not want to be found, let alone by us." Kirk blinked and Pike demanded "What the hell?" A Vulcan female from onboard the Taurion spoke up. "My mother's mother was a daughter of T'Al. Commander Spock is correct, Captain T'Mur, Lieutenant Grayson, Weapons Master T'Arn, Engineer T' Pel and Navigator Grayson will not want to be found by Commander Spock, Captain Kirk, Lieutenant Sulu, Lt. Commander Scott, and Ensign Chekov."She blinked. "Ironic, that."
Spock raised a brow at her. She explained. "That all five of the Daughters love humans or a hybrid. It is a new dawn." Kirk looked confused. "Hold on. Serena doesn't want me to find her?" The female Vulcan snorted. "The Daughters are the protectors of our race. They only love once. But Vulcan society dictates that if a Daughter has to disappear, her mate has every right to reject her if she comes back later than three years passing. From what I gather, you saw them in disguise a few months ago. You are moving in the world, and they are so sure of rejection they are afraid of you. If you cannot accept that their reasons for disappearing may seem trivial, I advise against pursuing them."
Sulu crossed his arms. "What will make T'Arn stay long enough to hear me out?" The female tilted her head. "Three little words humans often have a hard time saying." Spock bowed to her and turned to Pike. "Admiral, I must request leave to find my mate and sisters." Pike frowned and took in the coiled tension of Hikaru Sulu, the desperation of Montgomery Scott and Pavel Chekov, the pleading in Jim Kirk. "No leave necessary. I want to meet the women who have turned five of my best inside out. We'll take the Enterprise."
Uhura was horrified. Spock openly claimed this long gone mate over her? To be fair, she was gorgeous and afraid that Spock would reject her. But she had faked her death, and on her orders, so had four others. While she didn't really like Captain Kirk, Uhura did respect him. The way his eyes had lit up upon seeing the image of Serena Grayson, and hardened with implacable resolve to find her had hurt her heart.
Because Nyota Uhura knew Spock and Kirk were a hell of a lot alike in that they loved intensely if at all. Understanding now, that she had been a step towards forgetting a woman who had branded a man with far more love than even she had believed he possessed, she wanted to cry. That Scott, Sulu and Chekov were equally infatuated with different women of the same nature made it worse. The female Vulcan from the Taurion had asked to accompany them to act as mediator in T'Al customs. Once accepted, she had introduced herself as T'Ing.
Uhura
"Lieutenant Uhura, may I have a word?" T'lng's question was asked more gently than her tone implied. I nodded. She inspected me. "You will not win." Her soft pronouncement made me stiffen. "Excuse me?" She flicked her gaze to Spock. "He has already chosen her over you. You can tell because his aura is far more alive than it has been since her vanishing." I snapped. "She faked her death!" T'Ing shrugged. "The Daughters of T'Al have reinitated Operation Vanish before." I gaped at her. "So they could-" Her cut direct stung. "Captain T'Mur has much to live for, just as Spock has much to die for. Only a woman could fake her death and not expect her mate to take her back after she returned. Because she loves him, she wants him to do what will make him happy. With you, he is content. With her, he was happy and will be again. He knows it as he knows himself." I ran to my quarters. Why does he have to throw away all the time we spent together. She left him for no reason! I don't care if she's perfection incarnate, he is mine now! Vowing to confront Spock about this when she was more in control, she set about breathing exercises.
Pike
I watched in amazement as Spock and Kirk conferred in front of a map, debating where T'Mur might have taken the other Vulcans. Sulu and Chekov were asked for input, and when Scott was finished his inspection of the ship, the engineer gave his opinion in Scottish jargon. T'Ing calmly shot down theories and pointed out a few obvious facts that Spock had overlooked. My amazement grew as she pinpointed their location with an ease that caused Spock to ask if she herself was a Daughter of T'Al. To which she replied "Watchmen T'Ing at your service." Kirk decided to leave Dr. McCoy in charge of the Enterprise while He, Spock, myself, T'Ing, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov were beamed down.
Uhura was asked to accompany us to get us inside the bar where the Daughters of T'Al were hiding. Wanting to know for herself, Uhura agreed to go. So we prowled into the bar like a pack of dogs.
Chekov broke away to tap a girl on the shoulder, and Spock started to growl when the girl turned around. "Spock, my dear brother, how are our parents?" Her bright voice and smile were forced, and she was avoiding Pavel's eyes. "Fine, now that they know their daughters are not is T'Mur?" Spock gestured to Chekov. "Zahara, vhy are you awoiding me?" She cringed, still not looking at him. "Because I do not belong to you anymore, Pavel." The raw honesty in her voice made him sigh. "Darling, I still beelong to jou. Vhere does zat leave us?" She looked around. "T'Mur, we have a problem!"
T'Mur glided noiselessly, flanked by three others. "Navigator Grayson, what-" Serena drew in a breath. "Run!" Jim Kirk gripped her arm. "Not very logical, Lieutenant Grayson." The mock disapproval in his voice made me want to laugh. Spock arrowed his gaze to T'Mur. "We will have this conversation, T'Mur, or I will rip what I seek from you in a mind meld, as is my right." I was alarmed, but the ladies gave in. T'Arn stood in front of Sulu and pulled him down to a kiss. Sahara twisted to grab Chekov's hand, planting it on her hip. Serena traced Kirk's cheek bone. T'Mur placed two fingers to Spock's temple, while T'Pel buried her face in Scott's neck. I glanced at Lt. Uhura, and felt a vindictive glee that I was not the only one to feel envious. Despite the harsh questions, Spock's threat and Jim's bodily hold, the years that had elapsed, the females entrusted them implicitly. T'Arn, a weapons master in her own right, had her back to the door, trusting Sulu to be on the lookout. They'd wrapped up their kiss, and were simply holding each other.
Sahara was furled against Chekov, his protective arm curled around her. Jim was anxiously studying Serena's face, looking for something which he probably would not tell me about. T'Pel was touching her forehead to Scotty's. Spock was staring into T'Mur's beautiful eyes, communicating something with her.
Sulu
After so long wondering if she was alive, holding T'Arn was wonderful. Her kiss was better, until she used it as a mind meld conduit. I am forbidden to tell you, but not forbidden to show you. Images swirled before a memory came into focus. She was awakening next to me, feeling my arms around her, my heat, she was happy. Until she turned over to wake me up and found a stranger pointing a phaser at my head. The deal she'd made, out of terror that I would be shot. Fine, I'll leave, just do not hurt him. The answer that had chilled her bones. No good byes, Vulcan. He must think you left of your own free will. She had cried when she was away from the monster who had forced her to leave. T'Arn withdrew from my mind, expecting me to reject her because she had left me. I exhaled. "T'Arn, no matter how upset I was, I just wanted you back. I knew, in a way, that you had not wanted to leave." She tilted her head, silently asking for clarification. "You left everything except your weapons and that picture we had taken at the festival."
That picture was probably her favourite. Another from the same day was mine. Hers featured me, clad in gi pants and sword belt, the day I had taken my kendo blackbelt test. Although she could use katanas and sais fairly well- a product of being raised on an Asian colony as the child of an Ambassador- T'Arn was better with shushken fans. Mama had taken a picture of her with her fierce eyes, brandishing her fans.
T'Arn would never admit weakness. Her training in all things forbid admitting to someone who wasn't ultimately devoted to her. T'Ing had told me to say I love you. I would say it, in my language.
In the middle of a strange bar, thousands of anything from where they'd fallen in love, Hikaru Sulu dropped to his knees and submitted to his lady. T'Arn looked struck by fascinated horror. "Hikaru, stand up-" she was cut off when he pulled out his collapsible katana and a knife from his calf, still on his knees. Carefully, he laid his sheathed weapon at her feet, and unsheathed the sai shaped knife in his hand. In his home language, he chanted what translated to For you I would bleed. Before slashing open his wrist and offering it to her. She pulled out a white cloth she'd carried in the hope that if he did find her, he might forgive her.
Tying the slash shut with the cloth, she sang softly, what translated to I will always care for you. She pressed the katana into his hand. "Love me." It was a command and a plea and a pledge. Hikaru Sulu revelled in hearing it all in her voice.
Scotty
T'Pel was trembling in my arms. I'd wondered if she'd ever let me hold her in the first place, when we had first met, and after she left, I'd wondered if I'd hold her ever again. After being exiled to Delta Vega, I'd been sure I would never see or hear from her again. When Kirk had fought to keep me on the Enterprise, I had hoped to find T'Pel. Lost in my own misery I had not realised the others were suffering same as me.
T'Pel shook herself, trying to stop trembling. "Monty, I'm sorry, so sorry. T'Mur warned me it would hurt, but I didn't-" Running a hand over her back, I crooned "There now, sweet lass, I gotcha." She buried her face in my neck. When I felt the tears, I lifted her and waited for the others to arrive to the same conclusion I had. This was a visit, and unless we held them captive, we wouldn't get them to stay. At any rate, answers could wait.
Kirk
Serena poured images through her touch, emotions falling through in a wave. Panicked sorrow wove through her as she awoke to an alert on her comm. T'Mur had insisted on the special chime, when she sent them each a certain code. The chime ringing through her quarters meant one thing-It was time to go. She'd known it would happen, but knowing and believing, even for a Vulcan are two different things. Pressing a kiss to Jim's forehead, she whispered a loving goodbye before walking out the door to locate T'Mur.
Shock coursed through me. My adored Serena had left because her Captain had ordered it. It was more shocking then the fact that Serena is the full sister of Spock. She started to draw away, certain I was over her. My next actions surprised me, and probably would get me a beating from Spock, but I didn't care. I yanked her to me and growled "No." Then I bit her neck, holding her to me as hard as I could because she is mine. I didn't care why she'd left, but I wasn't letting her go.
Chekov
I could not believe my Sahara was right there in front of me. Clutching my hand to her hip, she went to mind meld, but I pulled her into a hug. "Nyet. Jou are 'ere and jou are ztaying with me." She started to shake. "Pavel-" I kissed her cheek. "Nyet, Zahara, lateer." She relaxed, but didn't fool me. She intended to explain and run way so I could not find her.
Spock
T'Mur had been the defining fact of my life once. If I allowed her back in, she would be again. After interrogating Watchmen T'Ing, I knew that T'Mur had watched over me, had intended for me to suffer her abscence until i found love- again. Nyota is pretty, fiery and intelligent. Not unlike T' Mur, who is by vulcan standards.