disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or any of its licensed content.
T'Kau looked at Spock with her eyes narrowed. Spock could see her in the reflection of the glass that he faced while sitting at his mother's piano. Spock ignored her. He closed his eyes and saw the notes of Chopin's Sonata 3 in B minor skate through his mind. His fingers flew along the keys as he slipped further and further into the music. Spock loved the ancient Terran composers and Chopin was his favorite. Spock did not think that it was a coincidence that written Terran music looked so similar to written Vulcan. Spock found that good music was inherently logical, mathematical and ordered. Eventually, Spock felt a cool hand on his shoulder.
"Spock, that was lovely." Amanda smiled down at her son. "Did you know that T'Kau was here to take you to the concert tonight? She's been standing here for some time."
"I apologize." Spock found that he could not lie, so he avoided it by skirting the question, something he saw his mother do often. "T'Kau, allow me a moment to gather my things and I will be ready."
T'Kau was T'Pring's aunt and Spock's lyre tutor. Spock found that the lyre was an admirable instrument and he found that playing it suited him; however, he did not enjoy T'Kau. He believed that the only reason that T'Kau had been hired by his parents was because of her connection to T'Pring and Spock found that to be an unacceptable basis upon which to choose a tutor. T'Kau was impatient. Spock supposed that there were logical merits to impatience, especially when one was predisposed to efficiency; however, T'Kau was not. T'Kau was not even a very good player. She was mediocre at best and her mediocrity translated into even poorer teaching. Spock had learned little from her in the time that they had spent together. It was one of the reasons that he had begun playing the piano more often. At least with the piano, he did not have to participate in a mutually hostile lesson before getting to actually create music.
With his lyre case in one hand and his bag over his shoulder, Spock told T'Kau that he was ready to go to the concert hall. She looked over at him, her mouth a straight line. Spock ignored her poor mood. T'Kau was not making a good impression for T'Pring's family although, Spock noted inwardly, T'Pring did not either. Spock had been wary of T'Pring when the two children had been presented to each other. He had not met her before but he thought that her disinterest in learning more about him was inappropriate. In the years since they had been bonded Spock realized that his initial impression of T'Pring had been correct. Vulcans were supposed to be interested in almost everything, at least intellectually; however, T'Pring never seemed to find anything beyond herself interesting. She had shown some vague initial interest when she felt Spock's memories flood into her mind, but when she realized that most of Spock's memories included his Human mother, she had insisted that Spock refrain from thinking about Amanda too often. Spock decided at that time that he would simply not require a bond mate when he became an adult.
In reality, Spock could not see a practical reason for him to have to bond. He understood that reproduction occurred in some manner but it did not seem to be a pleasant experience over all and it was certainly not something he was interested in. Spock believed that the universe would be just fine without his genetic material being reproduced. He had decided that it was all completely logical to go through life without a bond mate. Plus, if Spock did not have to attend to children or a bond mate, then he could spend his time more efficiently. Spock's plan was to be the youngest Vulcan to complete the Vulcan Science Academy, to win the Three Dimensional Chess Championships and to join the Vulcan Space Ministry in that order. He would not be able to meet his goals if he had to live with T'Pring. T'Pring did not even play chess.
In fact, in the six years since his bonding with T'Pring, Spock could not discern what she actually did do. He knew she played the lyre, but beyond that her time was a mystery. She was not an exceptional student, so Spock had concluded that she did not spend her time studying, nor was she graceful, so she did not spend time doing physical activities. On the occasions that he had been privvy to her thoughts in his mind, he could barely discern that she was thinking about anything in particular. In short, Spock found T'Pring to be vacant. Spock suspected that she felt similarly about him, except that she found him overwhelmingly busy and dull. Spock found this to be acceptable since it would allow him to break their bond with more ease. If T'Pring had formed some attachment to Spock it would be more difficult.
T'Kau stopped in the road and snapped at Spock to quicken his pace. Spock's eyebrow shot up. T'Kau told Spock that his leisurely pace might be acceptable on Earth; however, real Vulcans did not dally.
"You forget your place T'Kau." Spock said calmly, continuing his stride. "You are a servant of my family until the time that they deem your services are no longer required. Perhaps you would do well to avoid hastening that time by remaining unconcerned about my pace." T'Kau's eyes widened at him as he walked past her. Spock made no further attempts to speak with her and he did not slow down when she labored to catch up to him.
***
Nyota was anxious to go. Basim had been playing a game called kal toh and he did not want to be torn away, so Kiano had allowed T'Mana to take Nyota to the concert alone. Kiano did have work to do after all, and kal toh was a nice way to keep the wiggling five year old occupied. No sooner than Kiano had given T'Mana permission to take Nyota on her own had Nyota begun pushing T'Mana out of the door.
Nyota really liked T'Mana. T'Mana said that she had known Nyota since she was a baby, but this was the first time that Nyota could recall meeting her. T'Mana was calm and patient. She never got angry at Nyota for doing things that she liked and T'Mana always explained things in a way that Nyota could understand when Nyota had questions. Nyota knew that T'Mana was important, she could tell by the way that the people on the road looked at her as they walked to the concert venue. Nyota especially liked that T'Mana was important but she had no problems spending time with Nyota and her brother. Kiano loved his children, but Nyota sometimes felt like she was in the way, especially when other adults commented on their presence at meetings. No one, besides Sarek, had ever commented on T'Mana being with Nyota and when she was with T'Mana everyone was nice to her. Nyota did not know if this would only be true on Vulcan, but she thought that everyone would always be nice to T'Mana.
Once they got to the concert, T'Mana was shown to one of the best seats in the venue. Nyota could hardly contain her excitement. She had never seen a Vulcan lyre and now she would get to hear them being played up close. Nyota looked around the hall and saw all sorts of Vulcans and her eyes lit up when she saw children standing in the wings of the stage. Nyota wanted to go talk to them. She looked at them closely. She was pretty sure they were children, but they did not smile. They looked like miniature versions of the adults that were in the audience.
"T'Mana?" Nyota whispered. "Can I go talk to those children? I'll be right back."
"Perhaps after they've performed child. For now sit quietly and allow them to play for you. You will appreciate it more if you are calm." T'Mana smoothed her hand over Nyota's hair, a gesture that she had not done since her youngest daughter was a child more than seven decades ago.
Nyota took a deep breath in order to calm down. She had not realized that this was a recital and that there would be children on stage. Nyota thought that T'Mana was probably right. She would be able to hear better if she did not have a hundred questions for the other children in her head. Plus, Nyota thought, if she was playing in front of so many people, she would like it if the audience members were quiet and respectful. Nyota continued to breath deeply until she had relaxed significantly. She absently rested her hand on T'Mana's arm as the house lights went down and the first group of children marched onto the stage to play.
Nyota thought that the first group of children looked younger than her. Even though their faces were strangely still, they reminded her of Basim. The music they played was fine, but Nyota had not been particularly moved by it. She was not especially moved by the next group of children either, and these children seemed to be about her own age. Nyota wondered what they did that made them never smile. They did not seem unhappy, but Nyota was still jarred by their lack expression. As the third group of students came out, Nyota thought they might be between nine and eleven, Nyota noticed herself becoming more interested in the music than in the expressions of the performers.
T'Mana noticed Nyota's focus sharpen as the more adept students began to take the stage. By the time that the final group of students came out, Nyota was rapt. T'Mana recognized the gangly figure that was Sarek's son and repressed the urge to frown. T'Mana felt sympathy for Spock because he endured much at the hands of those who had small minds and no discipline; T'Mana felt her distaste for the boy's father intensify as she thought of the number of people who spoke ill of Sarek's wife in his presence while Sarek did nothing. The boy was more awkward than many of the adolescents that shared the stage with him. His feet seemed too large for his body and his neck seemed unusually long. He had an unfortunate case of wadi pi'tak, a Vulcan form of acne. Still, when it came time for Spock's solo, both T'Mana and Nyota were transfixed. Spock was not on par with the very best lyre players of the day, but he was by far the best among the group he was playing with. He infused something into the music that the other students did not. If Spock had suddenly stopped playing, T'Mana was sure that a pin could be heard striking the floor.
When Spock was finished playing, Nyota forgot that she had wished to speak to the other children. She was excitedly talking to T'Mana about the performances when she saw Sarek meet Spock. Nyota stopped mid-sentence.
"T'Mana, is that Mr. Sarek's son Spuck?"
"Spock?" T'Mana felt amusement twinge in her chest. "Yes. That is Spock. Did you meet him today?"
"No. I heard Mr. Sarek talking about him to my father." Nyota and T'Mana neared Sarek and Spock. "Mr. Sarek didn't say he'd be playing here tonight. He was very good."
"You're right Nyota. It is very observant of you to notice his ability above the others. It would be appropriate for you to tell him your thoughts on his performance. Would you like for me to introduce you to him?"
Nyota froze. On the one hand, yes, she really wanted to meet some Vulcan children; however, on the other hand, this was a big kid, not the type of child she had envisioned. Big kids, as far as Nyota knew, were universally annoyed by little kids like her. She certainly did not want to make a poor impression on Spock, the first Vulcan young person she would have the opportunity to meet, by annoying him or failing in her Vulcan; at the same time, however, she did not want to pass up such an opportunity. Nyota considered it out loud.
"It probably would be alright since our fathers know each other right?" Nyota said to herself more than to T'Mana. "And if I just tell him I liked how well he played, I probably would not mess that up would I?"
"Your reasoning is sound." T'Mana's lips quirked as she considered Nyota. She was growing increasingly fond of this child, completely independent of Kiano. "Shall we?"
"Ok." Nyota took a deep breath and walked, with her hand on T'Mana's wrist, to speak to Spock and Sarek.