*-*-*
Saavik of Vulcan became Lina Doyle to her classmates. She preferred the use of her father's name because they accepted her when she used it. Her first day had been rather uneventful. They were given a tour and their timetables and sent off to their rooms so that they could get comfortable with their new homes and new roommates.
Lina hadn't seen Spock. She assumed that he would be teaching those in the years above and she would probably miss his classes anyway. He was teaching linguistics and she was following a science career, like he had originally.
She walked along the corridor until she found her new room and knocked politely.
"Come in!" A cheerful voice replied. The doors slid open to reveal her roommate, a human, probably of oriental origin.
"Hello, I'm Lina, your roommate." Lina supplied softly, moving further into the room.
"Lina, are you a Vulcan?" The girl asked, bemused, "If you are you aren't acting like one." She was looking pointedly at her hairstyle, which was definitely not Vulcan, and her clothes, normal for a human teenager.
"Half Vulcan," Lina told her simply, "What's your name?"
"Oh, sorry! I'm Skie, from Japan." The girl said hurriedly, blushing.
"It's nice to meet you Skie."
Lina and Skie got on well at first. Their friendship grew with each day. Lina taught Skie martial arts and Skie taught her fencing. Lina showed her how to meditate and Skie showed Lina how to play the piano. For the first few weeks however most of their time was spent studying and doing homework. After one particularly busy day Lina came back to their room to find Skie looking rather upset.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm so going to fail Vulcan I." Skie replied, holding out a PADD. Lina took it with some hesitation. The essay that Skie had written did have many mistakes, but that was to be expected. The mark caught her eye.
"Seventeen out of fifty," She exclaimed, "I would give this twenty five, at least, and I speak Vulcan fluently!"
"Yeah well, Commander Spock…" Lina stopped dead at her friends words.
"Spock marked this?"
"He is the Vulcan lecturer. In case you hadn't noticed." But Skie's words didn't reach Lina's ears. She was already half way down the corridor, heading in the direction of Spock's office.
*-*-*
The doorbell chimed disrupting Spock's meditation. He had said that his door was open to anyone at any time but eh hadn't expected anyone this early in the term, apart from Nyota Uhura of course.
"Come in." He called standing and dusting himself down. The door slid open and a student he hadn't taught came into the room holding a PADD, "Cadet?" He questioned.
"Commander." The girl's cool voice replied. It was then that he recognised her. It was Saavik and there was no doubting that.
"Saavik, what can I do for you?" He could feel her anger from where he was standing. She handed him the PADD.
"You can explain why you gave this such a low mark!" She shouted at him, barely holding in her emotions. He raised an eyebrow at her and scrolled through the essay.
"There are many mistakes." He told her simply.
"I can see that! Skie only started Vulcan three weeks ago! Of course there are going to be mistakes!" Her anger was started to disturb his control.
"Cadet Saavik, please regain control of your emotions." He watched as the fire in her eyes burned out and she seemed to slump. He watched her as she sat down on the nearest chair and buried her head in her hands.
"I'm sorry." She muttered, just loud enough for his Vulcan hearing to pick it up.
"It is expected." He replied glancing down at the PADD he still held, "I will consider your comment about my marking Cadet. As you seem to understand humans better than me and you speak all Vulcan dialects fluently it would be logical that I take your opinions into account." Lina didn't move but he heard a sound that he recognised, it was a sound his mother made when she was upset.
"I try so hard to be Vulcan," Lina choked out the words in between sobs, "but I can never be Vulcan. I grew up in a place where emotions are normal, where emotions are encouraged, so when I meet a Vulcan and I try to act like my emotions are suppressed they can always see through me."
Spock stood opposite her, unsure as to how he should react. After a few moments he sat beside her.
"It is not your fault." He told her, trying to comfort her, "I too struggled with my emotions when I was a child. Many of my elders and classmates rejected me." Slowly Lina lifted her head and wiped away her tears.
"You did?" She sounded rather surprised.
"I will… show you, if you will permit me." Lina looked at him properly for the first time since she had rushed into the room.
"That won't be necessary," She whispered, "I can imagine it." Then much to his shock she hugged him, starting to cry again. But this time he understood that the tears were for him. He hesitantly marked the essay on the PADD for a second time.
"Here." He said simply, holding it out to her. She pulled away, blushing again.
"Sorry." She muttered quietly, taking the PADD.
"I hope the new mark is acceptable." Lina glanced down at the PADD, twenty five out of fifty.
"It is perfectly acceptable." She replied, standing and heading towards the door.
"Saavik," He called after her, "My mother once told me that I should not try to be something I am not. It is some advice that I think will benefit you." Lina nodded one hand on the door.
"In that case, please call me Lina." Hr raised his eyebrows but nodded.
"Goodbye Lina."
"Goodbye Spock."
*-*-*
Lina handed the PADD back to a bemused looking Skie only ten minutes later.
"Twenty five, what on earth did you do to him to get that?" Skie exclaimed having seen the mark. The PADD now rested on the bed, where it had fallen from her shocked fingers.
"Nothing, I just offered some advice." Lina replied, sitting down to do her own homework.
"What sort of advice? How to get the girl you want in six easy steps?" Skie teased from her bed. Lina rolled her eyes and went back to her essay. By the time she finished her essay it was nearly midnight. Much to her surprise her communicator clicked on.
It was a message from Spock.
I have sent with this message my mother's communication number. I believe that talking to her will help you to make peace with yourself and understand the realities of being Vulcan. If you do make a decision please contact me.
Spock
This message has one attachment.
Amanda Grayson – 783409/2
Vulcan
With shaking fingers Lina typed in Amanda Grayson's number and opened a communication link.
*-*-*
"Hello?" Amanda Grayson asked. She didn't recognise the communication number and the young girl didn't look like anyone she knew.
"Hello, are you Amanda Grayson?" The young girl questioned.
"Yes, who am I speaking to?"
"Saavik, Commander Spock suggested that I discuss some issues with you." Lina told her.
"Spock? How is he?"
"He is fine; he said that you could give me some advice."
"Of course Saavik, what do you wish to talk about?"
"I wish to know whether or not I should try to be Vulcan."
*-*-*
The following day Lina called at Spock's office.
"Yes Cadet?" He called.
"Can you teach me to suppress my emotions" She asked hesitantly.
"I am assuming that you have spoken to my mother, in which case, if you wish to learn then I will teach you." He replied.
"I do."