Authors Note: Alright, for the next few chapters the timeline may be a little shaky. Technically, Spock's fight with his father would have come to a head in 2249, but I set it at the end of 2248. Spock waited till he was nineteen to actually leave Vulcan in my timeline. So, it is now 2249, but cannonly Spock starts attending Star Fleet in 2250 when he is twenty-years-old. The way I am going with this is that he arrives on earth and takes entrance exams and see's if he is capable of living on campus; and once all of that is done he would be starting his training/education in the spring of 2250. Spock has a summer of nothing to do really. Though I suspect he would be familiarizing himself with the Academy and deciding his courses very carefully and probably attending lectures and what not to prepare for his own education. Once we actually hit 2250 things will run much smoother (I hope.) Oh yeah and I'm not dead! And I apologize that this chapter maybe choppy and…a tiny bit dull. It will improve I assure you.
Thanks go to: The Great Space Hobo, KariSilver, KeeblerGirl1208, Spockaholic and T'Pinto for reviewing chapter one. Your reviews are greatly appreciated.
Chapter Two: 2249, Departure
The dawning of the day that Spock was scheduled to leave his home planet of Vulcan and travel to Earth to attend Star Fleet Academy arrived to a rather grim welcome. The home of Sarek was as silent as a tomb. The early morning Vulcan sun, which shown through the open windows and dappled the floor with light could not even bring warmth to those who resided there.
Spock had awoken before the sun to finish packing his bag; he spent the time between awaking and the sun rising meditating. It was a rather bitter ordeal; seeing as he would never again have the privacy of his own room for meditation. The thought was disconcerting but he pushed it aside. He would not change his decision.
At 0700 hours Spock emerged from his room bag in hand. Setting the bag down at his feet he turned and starred at the closed door before him. The door was simply carved; slightly warn with age. Rising a hand he ran his fingers along the still smooth wood. The room that lay beyond the door had been his private place of peace and rest for nineteen years. He knew no other safe haven. Permitting himself only a moment to linger he reached down and grabbed his bag; shouldering it as he made his way down the hall and towards the kitchen-where he knew his mother would be.
Spock paused in the doorway of the kitchen gazing in. His mother was sitting at the table tea cup in hand gazing out of the window. She appeared troubled. "Mother."
With a start she turned to him. He could now see her glistening eyes and the red rings that circled them. She had been crying.
"Oh, Spock. I didn't hear you come in."
Heart stirring in his side he approached her; lifting a hand to gently rub at her cheek.
"I did not mean to startle you." He stated quietly. He could feel his mothers pain and wished more than anything that he could take it all away. Her hand lifted to meet his and she removed it from her face and instead held it between her hands. Spock felt his heart grow troubled in his side.
"I have come to say good bye mother." A panged expression flickers upon her face for only a moment; but he does not miss it. She stands, his hand still clasped in hers.
"What time does your shuttle leave?"
"0730 hours. I will remain at the space dock until 0900, when I shall board the transit vessel Goldroy; the vessel that shall take me to earth."
Spock swayed slightly when his mother wrapped her arms around him and held him close. After a moment he wrapped his own arms around her and bowed his head against her shoulder. Had his heart ever been so troubled? "I shall send you a transmission when I arrive at Earth's Space Dock mother."
"Be safe Spock." She squeezed him tightly. "I love you."
He could feel her love. He could feel all of her love, fear, and worry pouring into him like a sickeningly thick wave. He couldn't help but let his fingers dig into her back ever so slightly.
"I will." Was all he could say. But as he hid his face in the junction of her neck and shoulder he hoped that she knew that he loved her as well.
Removing himself from his mothers grip he adjusted his bag and gazed down at her. Tears swam in her crystal blue eyes and made him uncomfortable. No matter what he said or did he would cause his mother to cry; this knowledge did not make the situation any easier. With a nod and a quickly muttered goodbye he turned and exited the kitchen. He could hear his mother following him as he made his way down the hall. And, as he reached the front door he could hear her stop. He did not look back; he could not look back. And he only permitted himself to hesitate a moment before taking his leave.
The shuttle station was as busy as it had always been; organized, ever moving but rather congested. Spock knew the station no other way and found it easy to make his way through the sea of his fellow Vulcan's towards shuttle dock 4. Climbing onto the already full shuttle craft Spock recognized several of his peers from his school days. He ignored them save for a brief nod of his head should their eyes make contact. Finding a seat in the back of the shuttle he placed his bag in the lower compartment before sitting. He felt himself relax a little as the structure of the seat shifted to suit his build ever so slightly. This was all familiar. He knew his course; he had traveled to earth on two other occasions. Once with his mother to visit his human relatives and once with his father to observe his fathers work. The only difference now was that Spock was alone. He had neither his mother or father to guide him with their experiences. This stirred something deep inside Spock; but as usual he pushed it aside to deal with at a later time through extensive meditation.
As the shuttle doors closed and a voice spoke over the intercom informing all passengers of the plans Spock let his head rest against the back of his seat and his eyes close. He could feel the vibrations beneath his feet as the shuttle awoke and lifted from the station floor. Shuttle accidents were not common but the likelihood of a shuttle having an accident were 14.7 percent higher during departure and arrival. Spock had learned that closing ones eye and slipping into either sleep or a meditative state relaxed not only the mind but the body and would thus lessen the likelihood of serious injuring should an accident occur. His father had actually been the one to teach him that. The thought left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
The shuttle ride to the Space Dock only took around ten minutes meaning that Spock would have over an hour to wait till the arrival of the Goldroy. Unsure of how to waste his time and not exactly fond of socializing Spock merely sat in the waiting area and meditated.
He found meditating difficult and after sometime gave up and instead pulled his PADD from his bag and pulled up the files he would need to review before attempting to take his entrance exam. The likely hood of Star Fleet turning him away was very low, but Spock did not wish to place low in his classes or training and so he studied. Studied everything he thought he would need to know. He inwardly wished that he could be more prepared.
When the Goldroy arrived Spock found himself hesitant to board. Should he board and depart for Earth there would be no turning back. He would not be able to return to Vulcan. But Spock didn't let his hesitation last long. With head held high he boarded the Goldroy and located his temporary quarters. There was no turning back and he refused to even give the thought any merit. He would be taking up residence on Earth and he would join Star Fleet Academy.
During the trip Spock did little wandering around. He remained in his temporary quarters laying upon the bed offered and spent his time thinking. Earth. It had been such a long time since he'd been there. And he'd never been there for long periods of time. His knowledge about humans was strictly textbook based or whatever knowledge he'd gained from his mother. He knew he wasn't completely ready to handle humans and all of the issues they may cause him. But he was determined to learn. He would learn how to deal with the humans and tolerate them. He would learn about their social standards and expectations and adapt as best he could without demeaning his Vulcan upbringing. It looked to be a daunting task but Spock was never one to back down from a challenge.
When the Goldroy arrived at Earth's space dock and Spock transferred to the shuttle that would take him to San Francisco he was more than a little bit irritated. He was tired, hungry and in need of some place quiet and still so he could meditate properly and deal with all of the stresses of the day. That is perhaps why he was surprised to find his aunt and uncle waiting for him at the shuttle station. They waved him over and he couldn't prevent his aunt from hugging him. Thankfully his uncle restrained and merely offered a smile.
"I do not understand, what are you doing here?" Spock questioned, his gaze drifting from his Uncle Aaron to his Aunt Sarah and back again. His aunt, who snatched his bag from his hands quickly patted him on the shoulder.
"We're here to pick you up of course!" She said with a smile, hooking her fingers around his elbow and leading him towards the exit. Spock permitted himself to be lead, brows furrowed in confusion. "Now we know that you had plans to be staying at the Academy's temporary quarters until you'd taken your entrance exams but why stay some place where you'd have to pay when you could just as easily stay with family for free?" She asked hypothetically as they exited the station and approached the families vehicle.
Spock had met his aunt and uncle on four other occasions. Twice on Earth, once with his father and once with his mother. He had met them once while they were visiting his mother on Vulcan when he was nine and for the first time when he was two. He knew little about them save for general things. His uncle Aaron Druce was his mothers older brother and that he had two cousins who were five years older than himself. He also recalled his aunt having a cat named Tulip.
His uncle Aaron was a tall man, an inch or two taller than Spock, with short brown hair, square jaw and hazel eyes. He was a bit thick but not unhealthy by any means. His aunt Sarah was a short woman with a black bob cut and bright blue eyes. She was slender and unthreatening in appearance.
"Aunt Sarah, I do not understand. How is it you came to know of my arrival here in San Francisco?" He asked as his aunt put his bag in the storage compartment.
"Oh your mother of course. She told us quite awhile ago that you were planning on joining the Academy. And about a week ago I got to estimating your arrival and had your uncle check with Star Fleet about your accommodations. And well, what do you know, you were listed."
"You didn't cancel my listing did you?"
"As a matter of fact we did."
Spock also remembered another fact about his aunt. She was what her mother called 'pushy'. He inwardly groaned. His mother had never been more accurate. He clasped his hands behind his back and gazed imploringly at his aunt.
"Aunt Sarah you really shouldn't have done that. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
His aunt lightly swatted at him before climbing into the blue station wagon.
"Of course you are! I don't doubt that. Not at all. But you could be saving your credits rather than wasting them on room and board." She said with a stiff nod gazing out at him. "You can stay with your uncle and I until you're sure that you'll be accepted to stay on the Academy grounds free of charge."
Spock inwardly sighed and, unwilling to argue the point further, climbed into the station wagon and took a seat. Push was most definitely the word to describe his aunt.
Upon arriving at his Uncles home his aunt lead him down a carpeted hall babbling on and on and telling him that he would be staying in their guest bedroom and that he could settle in, call home, or whatever while she went and prepared him some food. Once she'd gone Spock let a sigh escape his lips. He really was exhausted. He crossed to the video-phone and proceeded to call to his home on Vulcan. He didn't have to wait long before his mother's face appeared on the screen.
"Oh Spock, you've arrived safely, thank goodness."
"Mother, why did you inform Aunt Sarah about my decision to attend Star Fleet?" He asked as he pulled the chair from the desk and took a seat, gazing steadily at her. She let out a small sigh.
"Your aunt asked how you were doing, I wasn't going to lie to her. Besides, knowing that your aunt and uncle are there for you should you need them makes me feel comfortable."
Spock tilted his head to the side slightly.
"Mother, do you not believe that I am capable of taking care of myself? If that is the case let me assure you that I am."
"Oh I know you are Spock, I know you are. It's just… You're so far away Spock. I don't know. Perhaps it is just my human need as a mother to worry about you."
Spock would have sighed but instead straightened his head and gazed at his mother's image in the video screen.
"I will be staying with Aunt Sarah until Star Fleet accepts my request to be housed on the Academy grounds." He stated as a matter of fact, seeing as there would be absolutely no arguing with his aunt about where he was supposed to be staying. At this statement his mother made a surprised sound and peeked around the room behind him.
"Oh, I wondered why the room looked familiar. Did Sarah and Aaron pick you up at the station?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Well, I'm not really all that surprised. Well, I know it's late there and you've had a long day. So sleep well Spock, and I love you." She pressed her hand against the screen and Spock, even though he thought it was unnecessary pressed his own hand against the video screen.
"Thank you, I will attempt to gain the required amount of sleep mother. Good evening." And with that and a simple head nod Spock disconnected the call, his hand slipping from the video screen and resting in his lap. The glint of sadness and disappointment that always shown briefly in his mothers eyes when she confessed her love for him always made his heart feel heavy in his side. He tried to push it away, but he'd always had trouble with his emotions when it came to his mother.
A knock at the bedroom doorframe drew him from his troubled thoughts, and he turned to find his aunt leaning into the room.
"Spock, your foods ready hun."
"Thank you, I'll be out in a moment." He said and with a nod his aunt vanished down the hall. Spock stood and crossed to his bag, which he unzipped and pulled out his pajamas and meditation robe.
Once he'd changed his made his way out into the living room which was connected to the dinning room which was actually just a space adjacent to the kitchen. His uncle was sitting watching some holovid and his aunt was setting a steaming bowl of something onto the table.
Spock eyed it curiously as he pulled out a chair and slipped into it. His aunt set down a glass of water and a small dish of some type of flatbread. He inhaled the warm aroma and concluded that it was tomato soup with basil. He recalled that he'd been quite fond of the soup, so long as there was no milk in it. He turned to ask his aunt if she'd remembered not to add the milk but she merely smiled, cut him off and confirmed that she'd remembered. He nodded and thanked her before tucking into his late dinner.
Spock spent only an hour meditating before retiring to bed. He found that he didn't wish to remove his robe and he wrapped the beds comforters tightly around himself. Earth was a bit cooler than he'd remembered it being. He nuzzled his face against the fluffy pillow and exhaled, warming the material before closing his eyes and gradually letting himself fall to sleep. He listened to his heart beat and regulated his breathing until his mind was cleared and he drifted off. He planned on getting a restful nights sleep. He had a long day ahead of him and wanted to be prepared and as sharp as possible. He would prove to his father that his choice to join Star Fleet was not an ill advised one.
Authors note: Ugh. This chapter is like HALF the length of the last one. I'm sorry guys. I really am. It's just, I'm going to be struggling with this until Kirk is introduced cause well, yeah. The stories about Spock and Kirk's relationship and it will be a little while till he comes along and joins the story. Darn timeline and trying to be as accurate as possible.
