(Thank you to Jamille Shane, Es, and everyone else that has been kind enough to post a review. I really enjoy reading what you all have to say. This chapter is a little short, but I was up most of the night writing the next one which has turned out...MUCH longer so, enjoy!)

Dear Emily,

Please forgive the large gap in my current letter to you. You may or may not hear by the time this reaches you that my father has been the victim of an abduction on Vulcan, during the T'Kumbra's shore leave. We have been working on the case day and night and I have had little time for anything else.

I will admit, it has taken its toll on me. I had our CMO sedate me last night so I could get some proper rest. My emotions have been threatening to burst from me and I have been desperately trying to keep myself together. It is foolish, but I feel as if I should be handling this better than I am. My crew has been quite helpful, however. I find that it is easier to draw from their control and keep myself balanced. Though I am shamed to say I lost myself upon my recent discovery.

I will warn that there may be yet another gap as this investigation is far from over. However I will be sure to write the details when it is done. Farewell for now.

T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V

T'Pel sat back and shut down her computer. It was likely early morning in the Capital City now, so she headed off to the transporter room. Her report had been made and sent to Solok for review, but she needed a break.

A short time later she arrived at her parents home and headed in. The house was quiet and the only one she saw was Kalen on the couch reading. His dark eyes moved to hers when he heard her enter and the small smile he gave her quickly faded.

"Kessy?" He asked, setting down his data pad and walked over to her, "You look like hell. Are you not well." He paused and swallowed hard, now fearing for the worst and T'Pel could feel his mind nudge against hers with the word "Father?"

T'Pel simply shook her head, "No news of his death. Just the gift of his finger and ear. I have...not had an agreeable night." She said softly.

Kalen breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped his arms tightly around his sister, "I am sure. Do what you need, you know I will not judge you." Warmth spread through him when she held him in return. Though it brought to life just how emotionally worn she had become but he refrained from commenting.

"I...do not want to be here. Will you walk with me?" T'Pel asked quietly, "I do not wish to disturb mother. Nor do I need her emotional input."

Kalen nodded and opened the door for her then followed her out. It was refreshing and alarming to see his sister in such a state. He knew she prided herself on her control and where he had embraced his Betazoid side and shunned his Vulcan half, she had done the opposite. All their lives they had tried to get the other to see their side to things. Her wanting him to embrace logic and control, and he wanting to see her smile and allow herself to enjoy life.

Though with the emotion he was getting from her, it pained him. This sorrow was never what he had ever wanted for her and he let her know silently. T'Pel glanced at him and took his hand in hers quietly whispering a thank you.

"How are you handling all this?" She asked finally.

Kalen quirked a brow, "As well as I can. Why?"

"It was something of a surprise to see the tears in your eyes. Given that you and father have never seen eye to eye...I was unsure how you would take it." She answered.

Kalen was wounded by her words, "True we have not always gotten along, but that does not mean I wish to see him die." He gave a sigh, knowing she meant no offense, "I love and respect him. More then I think you realize. I want him home just as much as you do. Trust me."

T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V

Varel had been looking through purchases of force fields in the past month, when he found something unusual. There was one man who worked for the Betazoid Embassy who had made a very large purchase shortly before the killings began. There was no log of any force fields being installed around that time nor in that amount at the Embassy so it seemed a good place to search.

He sent a notice to the Vulcan authorities and informed them he would meet them with a small contingent of his own guards at the location of this man's house. With in an hour there was a team of guards outside the small rural home.

Varel rang the bell and a young Betazoid man answered, looking quite confused, "H-how may I help you?" He asked weakly.

"Beltran Sorbie?" Varel asked plainly, the harsh cold of Vulcan authority drenching his creased face.

"Yes. I...I do not understand. What is this about." Beltran asked, his grip tightening on the hinges of his robes. Being Betazoid offered him insight into others emotions, even with Vulcans from time to time. However he was getting nothing from the Starfleet officer at his door and chills of alarm ran down his spine.

"We have records of a rather large purchase of high level security fields made by you. As you may know there has been an investigation into the murders of Vulcans. Your purchase was made shortly before they began. We are here to search your home. I have a warrant." Varel explained, handing Beltran a data pad with the proper papers.

"I see." Was all he said before moving to allow Varel and his men entrance. "I don't know what you mean by high energy security fields, though. I have made no such purchase."

Varel began to scan around the room and glanced over at Beltran, "You work in engineering for the Embassy, do you not?"

Beltran nodded, "Yes, but I haven't put in an order for security fields. I keep the ones on property fairly well maintained. This has to be a mistake."

Varel continued searching, "We will see."

It was possible the man was telling the truth, but then again the killer would not admit to anything if confronted. There was also no guarantee he would find the fields in this mans house. However with the urgency of the case, he was not about to let anything slip by him. If there was something here to find, he was determined to do so.

T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V

Kalen walked up to a tree and began to climb it, "So Nala and I have been discussing names for our child. I was hoping to ask your input on the matter."

T'Pel quirked a brow and clasped her hands behind her back as she watched him, "Do you know the gender?"

Kalen finished hooking his legs on two branches and leaned back, now seeing his sister upside down, "We do not. Nala wishes to be surprised. Though...I did have the thought that if it was a girl we should call her Kestra. What do you think?"

He was being a little unusual to be sure, but T'Pel figured he was attempting to be humorous to lighten the mood, "It is your intention to name your girl after me? Why?"

"Because I love and respect my big sister. Plus, when ever she misbehaves I can reprimand her. 'Bad Kestra. Do not play with that Kestra.' Things of that nature. It would almost be like I am reprimanding you." Kalen said with a grin, letting himself dangle back and forth.

His smile only widened when T'Pel rolled her eyes and gave a sigh, "Hardly a good enough reason to name your child after me, Kalen."

"It was a joke, Kessy. I swear...your sense of humor is lacking. You should work on that. You would have one hell of dry sense of humor if you took the time to nurture it." Kalen answered, feeling the blood rushing to his head so he unlatched his legs and returned his feet to the ground.

"Humor is not a part of my job. Nor do I wish to be a comedian. However, I have my moments, or so I am told. My more humorous moments being when what I say is taken completely out of context because my crew mates have a perverted sense of humor." She answered dryly.

Kalen gave a chuckle, "Vulcans not excluded from that I assume?"

"Less so, but occasionally I will noticed a slightly shocked glance from time to time. Especially when something wet and slippery is being examined." T'Pel went on.

His chuckle quickly grew into a giggle, "I will take that as a perfect example. Examine many wet and slippery things do you?"

T'Pels brow quirked again as she just looked at him, "Nothing of a sexual nature, I assure you."

"Why does that not surprise me. T'Pel Kestra...epic prude." He gave a laugh and snort, "So what would you name your children?"

"I have not given it any thought." She answered.

"Still reserved to never spread your gene's, are you. It wouldn't be so bad if the father was Vulcan." Kalen pressed, knowing his sister has never wanted children. Though he thought perhaps one day she would meet a man who would change her mind.

"Perhaps. However it is not a priority for me." T'Pel said, not really wanting to talk about children. She was not good with them nor did she really want any.

"Very well, I will stop pressing. I am sure the day will come where you make me an uncle." Kalen smirked, giving her a light nudge.

"Very far into the future." She answered, giving him a nudge in return. It was good to just hang out with him. Their relationship had always been strained growing up, but now they were both grown and he had evened out a great deal, it was easier to speak with him. He lightened her mood a great deal and she was sure returning to work would be less stressful now.

T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V

The guards had moved to the outside of Beltran's home, and Varel had moved around to a part of the back yard that was unkempt and messy. He began to sift through the weeds and junk, finding what looked like a fairly new patch of dirt. More like recently unearthed, so he began sweeping it away. Upon the removal of the dirt he found a door that seemed to lead down and so he opened it revealing stairs.

"I found a door." He called out to another, waving a few of the men over before crawling down, utilizing his flashlight.

Once his feet hit a hard floor and looked around for a light switch. Slowly the lights above began to flicker on and his eyes adjusted quickly. He began to walk forward, allowing the other men to follow him in. There was a feeling of mild horror and joy that coarse through him at the things he saw. Lines of cells that had been carved into the stone with the security fields at the entrances.

The feeling of joy at finding what he had been hoping for quickly sank when he saw a body of a man on the floor in one of the cells. The smell of rotting corpses was beginning to seep into his lungs and he fought to keep it back.

Varel tapped his badge, "Captain Tomik, you will want to take Beltran into custody for murder. We have found his secret...lair. You may also want to call forensics as there are victims down here."

"Understood." Tomik said and motioned for his second in command to take the Betazoid man in.

Beltran's eyes widened in horror as he turned to run, bumping right into another guard. He tried to fight though the Vulcan's strength was too much for him and he was cuffed shortly after. Tears began to pour from his eyes as he sobbed, insisting on his innocence as he was dragged out of his home.

Varel tapped his badge again, heading out of the cellar, "Varel to Solok."

"Solok here. Have you found anything, Chief?" Solok's voice echoed off the stone walls.

"We have. The killer has now been taken into custody." Varel answered coldly.

"What about Ambassador Sakar?" Solok asked.

"We will need to wait for forensics to check the bodies. Identification was impossible to determine as the bodies have been mutilated and likely left here for a few days." Varel responded, headed to the front of the house.

"I see. I will alert the rest of the crew and T'Pel. Keep me updated with any further developments. Solok out." He said, a grim tone creeping into his dulcet tone as he cut off the communication.

T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V

Kalen and T'Pel had reached the market side of the city where people were just now getting a crowd of customers for the day when there was the beep of T'Pel's communicator, "Solok to T'Pel."

"T'Pel here." She answered, her eyes locking on her brothers as they both braced themselves for bad news.

"I am alerting you to the fact that Varel and the Vulcan authorities have found our killer. He has been apprehended and taken into custody. However I regret to inform you that your fathers whereabouts are still unknown as the bodies found left no visible trace of him. Forensics will be determining their identities shortly."

There were mixed emotions flowing between Kalen and T'Pel, but she gave a nod, "Understood, Captain. Thank you. T'Pel out."

Kalen pulled her in for a near rib crushing squeeze, "Let us hope he was not there. Come, we need to tell mother." He said and ran to hail a transport home, T'Pel in tow.