Maat S'chn T'gai
Chapter One - T'Pau
New Vulcan
April 2264
T'Pau
She sat in her favorite chair, the one with the cushions that were not too firm and not too soft, just perfect to cushion her old bones. One hundred and forty-two years old. Not so very old yet. She still had another sixty years in her, maybe more.
She wore her favorite tunic, the one with the matching trousers, both trimmed in a slightly darker shade of grey. Very simple, very elegant, very comfortable. She found comfort to be more and more important.
Her two surviving granddaughters had brought her tea and a plate of those tiny honeycakes, and a new book. When her youngest granddaughter had put the PADD on the table, she had winked at her. T'Pau had picked up the PADD immediately, this must be a racy one, just liked she liked. But she found that she was not interested in reading today.
There was nothing she needed to do in service of her maat - her clan - today. Selek and his new bondmate were progressing nicely and the healer assigned to her had confided that they were indeed expecting. They had not come to her with this information yet. Perhaps it would be necessary to invite them to tea.
Sarek, on the other hand, was still unbonded. Perhaps his trip to Earth had something to do with that. She certainly hoped so. He could not have much time left before a bondmate was necessary. She mused on this subject for some time. She could not think of a single unbonded female on New Vulcan who would be acceptable. Certainly there was none in whom he had expressed an interest. When he came back from Earth, she would have to force him to discuss this issue.
Spock and his bondmate were still in the service of StarFleet and appeared to plan to stay there. She did not think that his time had come upon him yet - he was still young. But surely there would be children from that union - there had been so many children at their wedding in Africa, surely this young woman was fertile.
Sybok was still unlocated. She used every contact she still had to try to find him, but no one seemed to have seen or heard of him in many years. She sighed. They needed him. They needed him to come home. There were too few left in their clan, they must accept all that remained. Not matter how they had acted in past years. She must try again.
And then there was the matter of the two granddaughters. The men to whom they had been bonded in childhood had both perished with Vulcan. And they were approaching the age when it would be appropriate for them to be bonded. Especially the older one. There were still many unbonded males on New Vulcan, she must examine them, to see whether any were appropriate for her granddaughters. She did not think of class now, or wealth, but of how they would treat the young women, whether they would cherish them or not. She would not let them go to just anyone. And perhaps she would speak with them, to hear their thoughts on this subject. She wondered whether they had any particular desires in this area. She knew the younger had a lively interest in what happened between males and females. A male uninterested in mating outside of his time would not do for her, not at all.
She poured out a cup of tea, and nibbled on a honeycake. Her clan needed children. There must be babies, as many as possible, for the clan to grow again. Each time a new group of orphans was brought to the planet, she checked all the DNA records, to see whether any of the children belonged to them. If ever there were any, she would take them into her household. She was sure of that. And when immigrants came, from the colony worlds, those she checked as well. She did not leave anything unchecked. Any member of their clan would be welcomed, found a place. They would care for their own. This she was absolutely certain of.
She leaned back against the pillows, content that she had thought of everything, everyone, that she was responsible for. Perhaps a short nap now. Yes, that seemed like a very good idea. She picked up the soft shawl that lay on the edge of the table, and spread it over her, putting her feet up on the footstool, and leaned back more, closing her eyes. Just a short nap.