8.
Nyota swam. This morning Spock had told her that the vlur was very rare. After their lovemaking last night, he had taken one of his prescribed sleeping aids, which had dehydrated him terribly, making him quite vulnerable to feelings. He hadn't had the nightmare, but thirst had urged him awake to get some water. He had not yet reached the dispenser when he'd collapsed to the floor, overcome by dizziness and grief, where Uhura had found him.
She and Spock had finally returned to bed in the early morning and slept for a short time together, but not nestled; Spock did not want Nyota to experience the nightmare if he should have it. And he was not about to take another pill until he spoke with McCoy.
He was suffering terrible survivor's guilt, because of the way his mother had died, no doubt. Uhura had heard all about it from Chekov, who was trying to figure out how guilty he himself was for Lady Amanda's death. As Uhura saw it, no one was guilty but Nero. Chekov had done his best operating the transporter and Spock had escorted the Vulcan Elders from the Katric Ark, risking his own life in the process.
Her own survivor's guilt and horror were nothing next to Spock's. The 'Fleet ships bore Starfleet personnel and a few families, perhaps; some senior officers traveled with their spouses and children. But everyone on a starship knew of the possible dangers of the service. No one on a planet expected to become part of a black hole.
How many children and elders had perished on Vulcan? How many new and nursing mothers? Just marrieds? Couples in their later years of marriage? Proud young scientists, fresh from the Vulcan Academy? Craftspeople and musicians and artists? Vulcan engineers and architects? Writers of analysis and poets? How many peacemakers?
She wondered if, when they got back to Earth, they would finish the Academy year per usual and have the graduation ceremony. If the chorus was still scheduled to sing. She might as well practice her solo. The music was a 20th century piece by Eric Whittaker based on e.e. cummings' "i thank you God for this most amazing" … which she supposed would be applicable for the event of their return, as it would be an amazing day, or for the event of Earth's survival, for which they could all thank Spock, this most amazing Vulcan, or whatever. She would go to the recreation deck later to practice. Singing might help heal her spirit.
The swimming pool was the same size as the Academy pool, a good place to work off excess energy, then float meditatively, eyes fixed on a ceiling designed to recall the skies of Earth. Images of fluffy white clouds came and went, and Uhura breathed and floated, focusing softly on the "sky" above. She decided she would swim in the evenings too, when the shipboard "skies" went into twilight and, later, night mode, so that she could see the stars of home, as if she were swimming in the ocean off Mombasa. She wanted so much to be with her family.
Father and son sat together, after a while, in silence after their meld, when Sarek spoke. "You know, now, that I truly married your mother for love."
Spock, whose heart was overflowing, could only nod. He was mentally reviewing everything he could from the meld to hold his mother's actions and words in his eidetic memory. (As a child and young man, he had trained his mind to hold images and sounds and other senses, but his memory had only come to full capability in his late teens, when he was fully occupied with his studies.)
Now he saw and heard Amanda on the day, dark eyes sparkling, she had verbally challenged and bested his father, leading to a "fascination" that led to a "logical" romance, and how, after a few months, Sarek had asked Amanda to marry him.
They stood together at the top of Peace Tower, in New York City, after Sarek had concluded successful negotiations with the Romulans' designated delegation to the Federation Council, meeting in New York City in the old United Nations headquarters. [The Romulans had sent a neutral party to negotiate on their behalf; they did not wish to interact directly with the Federation.]
Amanda's eyes were alight with happiness because Sarek had achieved such a goal, with her help [because of her work on the Universal Translator project, she had perfected not only her Vulcan but her Romulan, and was able to aid him directly in the negotiations to establish the Neutral Zone]. She and Sarek had developed a communication so instantaneous it almost seemed that they had a mental link already.
"I love this view," Amanda said. It was dusk, and sunset still lit the sky at the edges, reflecting on the buildings' exteriors, painting them burnt orange-to-pink, and lights in the lower stories of the skyscrapers were beginning to wink on.
"Architecture on Vulcan is equally fascinating," Sarek told her.
"Oh, everything on Vulcan is equally or more fascinating to you," Amanda said in her "pooh!" tone. "Isn't there anything on Earth that you can't find a better version of on your home world?"
Sarek turned away from the view for a moment to look at her, and when Amanda met his eyes, his gaze was full of love. There was no other word to describe that particular look. In the past, Amanda had thought of it as "friendship" or "fondness," but in this moment she knew it for what it truly was.
"Besides Earth's forests and oceans … you, Amanda. There is no better version of you on Vulcan."
Her expressive dark eyes gleamed as she smiled sweetly. She touched his arm, which was the only kind of physical contact they had ever made, and that, only recently. "You are terribly sweet."
Sarek made a tiny expression, that, had he been Human, would have been a roll of the eyes or a shake of his head. "Amanda, I was bonded long ago, in my youth, and have survived my dead wife by fourteen years. I am sixty-seven years of age, beginning the prime of my life. I wish to share the coming years with you as my bond-mate, if you are agreeable."
She clasped her hands together under her chin, looking up at him, beaming. "You're asking me to marry you!"
"Yes, I believe that is the Human term for it."
"You know it is. Why do you pretend ignorance of our Human expressions?"
"Because it amuses you so when I do it." Sarek raised the forefinger and middle finger of his right hand, and held them up to Amanda. She tilted her head a bit and raised her hand, fingers extended, an inquisitive expression on her face. Sarek nodded, a tiny nod, and touched his fingers to hers.
"Oh, Sarek," Amanda sighed, smiling broadly and shutting her eyes briefly as his mind reached out to hers. "You are sweeter than I ever guessed."
------------------
