Two: The Governor of Zanzibar, or, Spock's Unpleasant Business
The House of Wonders was a white palace that rose up over the other, grey buildings of Stonetown. It overlooked the Strait of Zanzibar, and the lavish Forodhani Gardens, where the Governer allowed the public to congregate.
As far as palaces went, Commander Spock had seen human ones far more lavish, but this still had all the trappings of wealth and "glamour", a concept Spock was mystified by. It wasn't like a temple, or any place of study or meditation. But it was still gigantic and decadent, with cavernous high ceilings and winding staircases.
There were several layers of housing, like a cocoon, going further and further inside, the house courted around itself, and a wide courtyard in the middle. It was cool in the innermost parts of the house, where Spock and Mister Scott were led by servants up to the Governor's office. Spock found it pleasant, but it was just as unbearable as outside for Mister Scott, who huffed and sweated in his thick navy uniform, clutching his hat and mopping at his brow.
"I dinnae how you can handle it, Commander," Mister Scott sighed, as he creaked back in the wicker chair. "It's hotter than Satan's arsehole, and you look as if you just stepped into a brisk spring morn."
"I'm familiar with this type of weather, Mister Scott," Commander Spock replied. "I find it quite refreshing." They were sitting in a large office at the top of the House of Wonders, on two wicker chairs that faced a big lacquered wooden desk. The room was dark, to keep it cool, and hung throughout were bright, thin curtains.
A large terrace opened up behind Spock and Scott. Curtains mostly hid it, but they were drawn slightly in the middle to let in the light - a piercing shaft of hot white light into the dark room, revealing swaying palm trees, and the glint of the ocean, dhows bobbing in the distance. Spock sat straight up in his seat, looking out at the ocean, still wearing his hat, his blue military jacket crisp and perfect.
Commander Spock was one of the very few star-man to visit Earth in an official capacity. His father, Sarek, was the first Vulcan ambassador to Earth, when King George the II of England commissioned a powerful telescope which was able to read the mathematical messages laid out on Earth's moon by the then-fledgling Federation. A gigantic kaleidoscope, for lack of a better word (indeed, that is what the public called it - the Kaleidoscope), was built to relay a message back, and Sarek was among the first explorers to make contact with this new species. He eventually married the Lady Amanda, a minor British noble, and Spock became the first child of an interplanetary union with humans.
The issue of Earth joining the Federation had been in the forefront of Spock's life since his birth. Human society was so diverse, and fractured, and hopelessly illogical - and yet several segments of it desired deeply to join the Federation. One of the main requirements for doing so, however, was complete abolition of the despicable act of slavery in all its forms. While some governments and Empires were dedicated to doing so – it was still technically legal in England though it was rapidly becoming unpopular - it was so widespread that it seemed, at times, pointless to even try.
Nonetheless, Sarek was still committed to one day introducing Earth into the Federation, and at his behest Spock agreed to work on one of the millions of little problem spots that Earth was having. Working with the British government, he was given command of a ship - the HMS Enterprise - and told to do what he could about the slave trade in the Indian Ocean, particularly the trading hub on the island of Zanzibar.
Mister Scott gulped down a cup of cooling chai tea, and once again wiped sweat off his face. "He better not keep us long," he said. "I'm itchin' to get back to the Enterprise, it's not right leaving a pretty lady like that in a harbour of thieves like this place." He clunked his empty tea cup down on the tray left for them on the table. "Godforsaken little rock," he grumbled.
Commander Spock knew he should say something for the sake of propriety, but he liked Mister Scott's honesty. Unlike many humans that Spock had met since coming to work with the British government, Mister Scott was guileless and easy to understand - he didn't hide his motives behind traditions and proprieties, and he shared Spock's bafflement at the sometimes illogical behaviour of other humans.
He could trust the man, who was chief engineer on the Enterprise, one of Britain's only amphibious ships. And among the few amphibious ships that existed on Earth, the Enterprise was the finest, and was on its way to becoming aether-ready and capable for space travel. Mister Scott's cunning and talent was to thank for that.
Before Mister Scott could continue his grumblings, the Governor of Zanzibar finally arrived.
"Aha Commander Spock! How nice it is to see you again," he said. Governor Said al-Mugrabi was one of the nephews of the Sultan of Oman, the official ruler of Zanzibar. He was a jovial, short man, who favoured a European style of dress with the exception of his turban, and he shook Commander Spock's hand vigorously.
"Good afternoon Governor," Spock said politely. "This is Mister Scott, my chief engineer and assistant," he inclined his head slightly as al-Mugrabi shook Mister Scott's hand.
"Please, please, sit," the Governor said.
"Sir, I will get straight to the point," Spock said, as he respectfully took off his hat and held it on his lap while he sat. "We would like to speak to you about your position on ending slavery in the Omani Sultanate."
"Ah, yes," al-Mugrabi said, sitting up a little straighter in his seat, and smiling a knowing little smile. "We have spoken about this at great lengths already, Commander Spock."
"Indeed."
"And I have kept up a in-depth correspondence with your people," the Governor went on. "I have to admit, I find it slightly hypocritical that the Sultan of Oman is being asked to end a practice that has been a cornerstone of our economy for generations while the English still, themselves, keep slaves." He glanced knowingly at Mister Scott, who glanced himself at Commander Spock, in an attempt to reign in his eyeroll.
"I understand that," Commander Spock went on. "But we are not making a frivolous request. There are legislative measures being taken in England as we speak to abolish slavery," he paused for a moment, unsure if the look on al-Mugrabi's face was one or disbelief or what he was often accused of by Mister Scott, condescension. "The efforts to end slavery is one that every nation on Earth must undertake."
"As yes, so that we may join this Federation of yours," al-Mugrabi added.
"Yes."
"But why we should we care about such a thing?" the Governor went on. "The Sultanate of Oman has become a very prosperous empire since we rid ourselves of our Portuguese oppressors. Human oppressors, Commander Spock, and not just the Portuguese, but also the Persians, the Yemeni. The Omani people have been controlled by other humans for a very long time, and now we are in charge of our own selves, and this is the only way to stay in control, do you understand?"
He didn't, entirely, but Spock nodded.
"And you are not even human!" al-Mugrabi went on. "And yet you sit here lecturing me on what every nation on this planet should do."
"You're correct," Spock nodded, furrowing his brow slightly and taking a different angle. "Sir, there is a very influential slaver working in these waters, one who has supplied your own clove plantations with slaves. His name is Nero."
The Governor nodded. "Yes, I know this Nero."
"He is not human," Spock said. "He is Romulan. And his people are, in fact, an enemy of the Federation. By harbouring him in your waters you, sir, are taking a very dangerous stance."
The Governor smiled that knowing little smile again. "And how is that, Commander Spock?"
"Well for one thing, there are many alien forces looking for Nero," Spock said. "He made himself a lot of enemies, not just in the Federation, before he came to hide on Earth."
"Nero attacked Vulcan," the Governor said shrewdly. "Talk plainly. He attacked your people, but this is none of my concern."
Spock felt a slight tremor in his body, a very small shock that traveled from one knee to the middle of him, and he took a sharp breath, small enough that it wouldn't be noticeable. He felt such tremors often, as a child, and never quite knew what to do with them except ignore them.
There were, of course, a few humans that had died in that targeted blast on Vulcan, and among them was Lady Amanda. Spock was saved from having to come up with a response by Mister Scott.
"Vulcan and Earth are friends," Mister Scott said. "Nae matter what happens with the Federation, that will always be true. Vulcan has given us technology and knowledge that is opening our world up faster than anything we've ever known before. And, your... Governorship, Earth will eventually have other enemies. If Vulcan is no longer our friend, we won't be able to defend ourselves."
"Mister Scott is correct," Spock said. "We haven't made the knowledge of Nero's residence on Earth known off-planet, because we do not wish to invite his enemies here. Earth does not have the technology or the... unity to defend itself."
Governor al-Mugrabi regarded Spock for a long moment, measuring him. "Look," he said. "Nero imports a good deal of the work force we use on our clove plantations here. Without it, we would starve. There is another thing plaguing this island – piracy." He gestured behind Spock, out the terrace, towards Forodhani Gardens. "There are hundreds of those parasites in my waters, stealing our spices and rum and cloths, all the things that are traded through this island, and we lose who knows how much money to them. You can look out today and see a bunch of them all out there in the open, in our very own Garden, like rats nesting." The Governor leaned back in his seat and smiled again. "If you get rid of the pirates, I will give you Nero."
There was just the sound of wind on the palm trees for a moment.
"Get rid of the pirates," Spock said.
"Yes."
"All the pirates," Scott said.
"Yes."
"That's-" Scott sputtered. "But that's imposs-"
"Mister Scott," Spock warned him. "It is a difficult task, to be sure, but nothing is impossible for the Enterprise," he inclined his head at al-Mugrabi. "And I believe this is the best offer we will be getting from our esteemed host."
Governor al-Mugrabi grinned. "It is."
"Very well," Spock stood, and put his hat on. "Thank you very much for your time and hospitality, Governor. I believe you have what you would call a deal."
When they stepped back out into the bright, hot day, Scott squinted into the light and fanned his face with his hand. "Well that didnae go well," he said.
"Well is a particularly vague term, Mister Scott," Spock said. "I believe it would depend on how you define such a thing."
"If you think agreeing to capture all the pirates in Zanzibar is going well, then I suppose," Scott said.
"Indeed."
"So we are," Scott said, incredulously. "Going to try and capture all the pirates in Zanzibar."
"We are going to try," Spock said. "In addition to that, we are going to try to simply capture Nero ourselves."