Warp Core Breaches Are Overrated...
Sarek set the notebook down and entered in a communication code. He waited patiently as the call was encrypted, processed, and accepted. His grandfather's aging face appeared on the screen.
"Sarek'am, mene sakkat ur-seveh," he said, pleased to see his young grandson.
"Osa-mekh'al, peace and long life to you as well," Sarek answered. "I require your counsel, sir."
"I am honored. What would you discuss, Sarek'am?"
"The addition of a member to our delegation."
"Ah, the human female responsible for beta testing the universal translator?" Solkar speculated.
"The same." He paused, never surprised at how information would move faster than the speed of light. "Dr. Amanda Grayson."
"What troubles thee?"
"She passed our highest background checks and clearance requirements. I am not concerned with her professional abilities, it is her assertiveness. I am unfamiliar with protocols regarding this type of human behavior."
Solkar looked at his cherished grandson carefully.
"Elucidate."
"This afternoon I scheduled a final briefing with her to establish expectations regarding her behavior with the delegation. I believe I offended her. However, she stated that there was no offense taken."
"Continue," he answered, knowing where this conversation was going.
Sarek moved uncomfortably in his very comfortable desk chair.
"She informed me that if I were to address her in such a fashion again, she would have no choice to but to assume I intended offense, and that we would discuss it in detail."
Solkar smiled internally. He had researched Amanda Grayson thoroughly when T'Pau informed him of the addition of the human female to the delegation. He estimated that Sarek had chosen the wrong woman to trifle with, as illogical as that may have seemed.
"Sarek'am, you have finally encountered one of the elements of humanity that I hold in the highest regard: tenacity. Unfortunately, you have not ingratiated yourself with this woman appropriately."
"I do not understand, sir. I merely established the protocol for her participation and behavior during diplomatic engagements - "
Solkar interrupted.
"And in the process of attempting to establish appropriate boundaries, you ill-considered hers."
Sarek looked at the old Vulcan, confused broiling under a carefully maintained visage of control.
"My grandson, you failed to perceive one very important aspect of human behavior: they are quite capable of performing their duties with great honor. Our people have the unfortunate tendency to assume humans incapable of such performance and professionalism. I encourage you not to make the same mistake with this human again. She will not forgive such an offense so easily a second time, if the first has been forgiven yet.
"Your actions were within acceptable standards for a Vulcan. However, for a human, especially one as intelligent and industrious as Dr. Grayson, your attempt to establish protocol was likely perceived as assuming, arrogant, and condescending. Hear me carefully, Sarek: condescension is not well tolerated by humans. To use a Standard idiom, your comments were 'fighting words', and she has evidently accepted your challenge."
"Grandfather, it is my desire to assist in the successful development of the translator. It will greatly improve the efficiency with which we perform our duties. I wish no further altercations with her."
"I am aware of that, however she may not be. But, as ambassador to Earth, your highest priority is to develop a sound, reasonable understanding of human behavior. You have excelled in everything you have attempted, and brought honor to our House in doing so. Perhaps this challenge will allow you to discover how much more there is to learn about them, and about her," Solkar said.
"How may I perform my duties more effectively?" Sarek asked, at a loss for how to solve this problem.
"You will find the solution both simple and complex, Sarek'am: consider that you must make accommodation to her needs, and do so without losing who and what you are. Consider the needs of the many. You will accomplish this if it is what you truly desire."
Sarek nodded slightly.
"I thank you for your counsel, Grandfather."
"I am the one honored, Sarek. I have no doubt that you will continue to serve our people with honor and distinction. Allow yourself the experience of flexibility and understanding; you will find the overall opportunity to be highly satisfying."
Solkar looked upon his grandson once more. He recognized Sarek's desire to perform his duties to the best of his ability. If anyone in their clan was destined for greatness in diplomacy, it was the young man looking back at him.
"Peace, and long life, Sarek."
The next morning, Amanda made her way to the dining roomfor breakfast, following the soft voices and quiet conversation. Unlike the night before, most did not even acknowledge her entry into the room. A few looked for a moment, and then returned to their conversations.
Moments later, all were seated around the tables in the dining hall. As if on silent cue, all of the bonded males began to prepare a plate of food for their wives, and Amanda noticed that Sarek was the only one not doing so.
Sarek sat watching the company of his own people partaking in the rituals and care of their mates. Illogically and unexpectedly, a yearning to provide for a bond-mate rose in him.
While his face never showed it, he carefully struggled to prevent the wounds of a long-ended bond from hurting. He had maintained his commitment to her, and she had abandoned him at the barest possibility of survival, taking his son Sybok from him in the process.
While most of the staff knew some of the details, only Soran and T'Lyra knew them all. Soran also knew how long Sarek had to select a mate before one would be chosen for him. Sarek found himself resenting the possibility of having to choose from a 'suitable list of candidates'.
He observed as Soran carefully selected the fruits and vegetables that T'Lyra preferred, choosing two pieces of kreyla baked to just the consistency she liked. He watched as Soran offered the plate to her, she accepted, and then paired her fingers to his.
Sarek knew what they were thinking to one another. Refusing to allow it one more moment of influence, he apportioned the feeling to his nightly meditation and began to serve himself.
Amanda chose the items that she recognized, and then decided to get brave, and tried a few things she'd never seen before. Variety being the life-spice that it was, she determined to expand her palate.
She carefully watched Sarek out of the corner of her eye as he served himself, and wondered why it was so.
/Maybe she is on Vulcan. Surely he is bonded. But why would she not be here with him? Perhaps it is too dangerous...I wouldn't want to be parted from my husband.../
Sarek looked at Amanda directly as he took a bite of food, and watched as she tasted different items. Some disappeared quickly from her plate, while others were graciously and politely shuffled around, only to be neglected for an item that was preferable. As he noted which items she liked better than others, he thought her a fascinating individual indeed.
That evening, Amanda found her way to the gardens. Their schedule would have them in space on various stations and planets for the next three months. She decided to enjoy one more night under friendly stars and went for a walk.
Sarek sat on his balcony with a cup of tea, reading another poem. He was noticing trends in word usage by different poets and authors. He found an appreciation for symbolism in several, Octavio Paz among them.
Cloudburst by Octavio Paz
Tra-masu-wan Thoraya t'Paz
The rain...eyes of shadow water, eyes of well water, eyes of dream water.
Sov-masu.. bezhunlar t'du-masu - bezhunlar vik-masu - bezhunlar t'run-masu.
Blue suns, green whirlwinds, pecks of light that opens pomegranate stars.
Pla-kur las'hark-lan - yar-kur da e'shua - tu'ash narc yel'ar ish-hage.
But tell me, Vulcan, is there no water? Only blood, dust - only naked footsteps.
Von-tor T'Khasi - hi nam ray masu - ha. Goh khan - grazhiv - goh sai-fam ash'yai dar lar.
The rain awakens... we must sleep with open eyes, dream with our hands,
Rai yuk-tor sov-masu - yuk-tor k'sharu bezhunlar dungi etwel - run-tor k'el'rular etwel -
and sing until songs cast roots, trunks, branches, birds, stars!
heh urulau abi'spes-ralashlar lehm-tor gir-lar - lap-feklar - kas-gel'ar - laralar - yel'ar...
We must leave the lost civilization and remember what blood, tides, soil,
Trasha paki-sutenivaya dungi etwel heh vokau ra zhitlar t'khaf - mashenlar - solek
and body say.
eh ak'shem.
The social corollaries between Terran and Vulcan culture were fascinating to Sarek. The reformation of Vulcan culture had been the salvation of his world. How many countless times had Surak himself asked his fellow Vulcans to consider the loss, the devastation, the significance of destruction - and to rebuild in the solace that logic offered.
As he considered this, he heard footsteps below in the embassy gardens. He leaned over just enough to get a look at who was there. It was not uncommon for embassy staff to walk with their mates in the evening; however, that did not often happen the night before a major departure.
He watched Amanda sit on a bench a mere thirty feet away from him, contemplating the situation she was in.
"Dammit, Amanda, how'd you get yourself into this? You had to approach him about it. You had to give in when the others should be going. You had to do it. You always have to...you can't leave well enough alone."
He listened to her talk herself through her troubles.
"Then you had to tell him off today. He is allowing this to take place and you had to go off on him. Great job. Some ambassador you are..."
Sarek thought she had been very straightforward with him regarding what was and was not an acceptable interaction between them. Most humans wouldn't have granted such brevity. After the conversation he had with his grandfather, he could see the merit in her clarifying the situation.
"All you did was reinforce the stereotypes Vulcans have of humans. Geez."
He rose and walked back into his quarters. Amanda looked up, thinking she'd heard something but saw no one there. The air had grown colder and she decided to call it a night. When she returned to her quarters, she found a message waiting for her on the com-unit. T'Lyra's face appeared.
"Amanda, first meal will take place at 0600 hours in the dining hall. Ensure that your belongings are available outside your quarters no later than 0545 hours for transport to the shuttle."
Sarek rose at 0400 hours to meditate in preparation for an early departure. Afterward, he sat at his desk completing final tasks in need of attention prior to departure. Once completed, he found himself with fifteen minutes before first meal. He turned to the next page in the notebook.
Hope by Kapact
Rok t'Kapact
Hope is the trickle that patiently becomes an ocean.
Shetau tranush masutra se rok.
Hope is the voice in the darkness that will not be silenced.
Rai nam-tor dungi vesht ralash-fam spes vi'mu'gelik se rok.
Hope is the seed that pushes a sprout through the ice.
Kwitau kfai le-suma tehk nei se rok.
Hope is the smile in my eyes when I think of you.
Nah-tor t'du abru-ru'lut svi'bezhunlar t'nash-veh se rok.
He closed the notebook and placed it in his bag, placing his luggage outside his door at precisely 0545.
"Computer."
"Working."
"Record personal log entry."
"Ready."
Amanda thought for a moment and began.
"I thought it best to maintain a personal log in tandem with the research entries I will make each day. I think I might need to reflect on my own feelings and responses to the things I will see over the course of this testing phase.
"At first, I thought I made a terrible mistake in agreeing to accept the responsibilities that came with the beta testing phase for the translator. As it is now, while I still feel confused as to customs and expectations, I am beginning to develop a greater understanding of the species I will be working with.
"Two days ago, I had an… exchange with Ambassador Sarek. I regretted it at first, but I now feel I made the correct choice to confront that which I felt was unnecessary. If I am honest with myself and our positions were reversed, I would much prefer that someone tell me I was doing something offensive.
"Last night I doubted myself regarding the assertiveness with which I managed that confrontation, but now I feel I handled it rather well. We had a delegation meeting this afternoon after we departed Earth, and it was much smoother than I anticipated.
"Speaking of departing... we are aboard the T'Plana Hath, a ship of Vulcan registry. Evidently this is the diplomatic vessel that the delegates use regularly. It also happens to be the vessel that experienced the warp core breach a few weeks back.
"Soran assures me that the malfunction in the containment system has been appropriately resolved, but it's still rather frightening to consider: matter and antimatter together...well, not a pleasant experience, I would think.
"T'Lyra has been a gracious hostess in every sense of the word. Both she and her mate Soran have been coaching me in social customs and etiquette so I am not quite such the sore thumb I thought I would be. I am grateful for that. They are a beautiful couple.
"I find myself so curious about the people I am working with now, but their penchant for privacy has made getting to know them rather challenging. There are even a few that would rather I not be here. They've not said or done anything to that effect, and I could very well just be hypersensitive right now, but it feels that way to me.
"Evidently, we have three days to Altair - as if I have not been there enough lately. There is some kind of tariff negotiation that will take place. I am hopeful that the translator will function effectively. We shall see. Oh, it's 1755 hours, dinner in five minutes. Computer, end recording and save."
Sarek walked in to the dining hall aboard ship to find the delegation awaiting him. Soran and T'Lyra were seated with Amanda on his right, and to his left was the security detail. He seated himself and on cue, they began.
Amanda observed the food in front of her, and noticed one thing different: the foods she did not care for weren't available to her. They were in reach of the others. As she prepared her plate, the men continued as they had during each meal she had shared with them. The custom, and the stability that came with it, was an interesting point that Amanda felt lacking in her own life.
She certainly had her own rituals, but the whole familial thing ended when her grandmother died. Amanda had learned to take care of herself. But there was only so much that could be made up for in routine.
It was empty, almost like the actions of a person moving through religious rites yet not possessing the heart to commit to the true experience of worship. It was motion for the sake of it, nothing more. She yearned for depth in the ritualistic elements of her life.
As Sarek ate end meal, he could not help but hear the thoughts she was having. He knew she was unaware of just how loudly she broadcast her thoughts, and it was certainly no offense to the others; they simply ignored it - or they did not hear her at all.
He understood her desire for meaning in her personal life. His had been lacking for the better part of five years. After the bond with T'Rea was severed, it became too easy to allow his duties to trump his personal needs.
As irrational as it may have been, he missed the satisfaction of his bond-mate at his side and the prospect of his children at his feet. Sybok… He felt the absence of his son, and found the disallowance of his participation in the boy's rearing to be most unsatisfactory.
Amanda selected one more piece of globe fruit, and then found herself more than full. She was developing an appreciation for the nutritional value of the Vulcan diet: lean, hearty, and plentiful in small quantities, except where globe fruit was concerned. She decided she could live on that alone.