(I believe my creative juices have begun flowing again as I have finished another chapter. Thank you guys for reviewing! Enjoy!)
T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V
Sakar walked through the doors of the Betazoid Embassy and headed to his office.
There seemed to be something of a commotion going around this morning, but he paid it no mind. If it was important to him, he would surely have a report on his desk.
"Good morning, Sakar. I hope your trip went well?" A man's voice came from his door once he sat behind his desk.
Sakar looked up to see a middle aged Betazoid man, "Good morning, Hanal. The trip was agreeable. Everything went better than I had calculated. I trust you were able to handle things here with ease" He said motioning for the man to take a seat.
Hanal came in and sat, "Things have been fairly quiet aside from a set of rumors of disappearances all over Vulcan. The authorities are looking into the situation with great urgency, of course. It should not be long before the problem is found."
Sakar furrowed his brow a little, "I was unaware of any disappearances. However with my daughters visit home, I have been preoccupied."
Hanal gave a small smirk; something that even Sakar always thought looked a little odd and rather cold on him, "Ah yes. I had heard word of a Starfleet vessel in orbit. How is the family anyway?"
"Well. The T'Kumbra has been here eleven days and it has been good to have my daughter home. My son, Kalen, has also come home. He and his new wife are expecting a child as well." Sakar answered. He and Hanal had been good colleagues for a few years now and had even joined him and Lorina for dinner a few times.
"Then congratulations for your growing house." He gave a small bow then stepped forward and set a PADD on his desk, "News you had requested on the Dominion. Starfleet has been issuing as much information as they can to all corners to be gone over. Seems things are getting serious."
Sakar gave him a nod, "T'Pel and I were discussing it this morning. Starfleet has not announced as much, but it seems they are preparing for war."
"Let us hope it does not come to that. I assume that is why they are sending out reports for review as to obtain suggestions and a possible peaceful outcome." Hanal added, detecting a hint of worry in his Vulcan friend.
Sakar simply gave a nod then engrossed himself in the PADD right away. Hanal took that as his queue to leave and made his exit.
T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V
T'Pel had arrived to Samoks residence and rang the chime, feeling that this probably was not the best idea. However conversation with her mother on that matter convinced her that it was a logical move to provoke a required response that Samok needed.
Samok had been expecting the chime and headed toward the door and opened it to see T'Pel standing there in a dress that was hardly Vulcan. It was a bright yellow with large blue flowers that seemed to increase in number the further down her long skirt it went. It was also sleeveless but had a high collar that accented her thin neck. He quirked a brow and gave a nod, "Greetings. Please, come in." He said and opened the door wider for her as she entered.
She entered and looked around the room. His house was not large by any means and was modestly decorated.
"Thank you for agreeing to this." Samok said finally after he had shut the door and began heading to the kitchen, "May I get you something?"
"No. Thank you. However, I would like you to explain to me just what it is you want me to do. What is the end result you are aiming for?" She answered and he stopped, looking toward the living room a moment.
"To be honest, I was hoping that simply seeing you sitting on the couch would provoke something from her." He said as he took a few more steps toward her.
This situation made him a little uncomfortable. His stance betrayed that much, "And if it does?" She asked.
He looked to her, "I had hoped you would be able to handle yourself accordingly."
T'Pel gave a small sigh and walked into the living room and sat down, "I see. Then we shall require two cups of tea."
He gave a nod and headed into the kitchen and a moment later came out with a tray and set it on the small table in front of her, looking to her for his next instruction, or so it seemed.
She gave the couch next to her a pat, "Now sit next to me." T'Pel was feeling a growing feeling, that this was almost backhanded. Not just on his part, but hers as well.
Samok took the seat next to her and she gave him a pointed look, "If you want to stir a reaction in your mate, you will need to sit a bit closer than that."
He blinked and moved closer to her slowly, "Is this sufficient?" he asked.
T'Pel gave a nod and sat back; crossing her legs toward him and turning herself so her body was facing him and clasped her hands in her lap. Samok continued to sit there rigidly, "You will need to relax. When she comes in she will need to believe you are making advances on another woman or at the least attempting to."
"One of those, 'this is not what it looks like' situations?" He asked, leaning back a little.
"Something of that nature. However, Vulcans are not prone to assumption, so this needs to look as convincing as possible." She added.
Samok gave a nod and looked to the tea on the table, "Are you not going to drink?" He asked.
"No. I am putting myself in the position of a harlot far too much as is. We do not want her to think you have struck up an arrangement just yet. This is simply giving a visual presentation of the notion of that intention." She answered.
Samok blinked, "A Harlot?" She nodded and he looked to the floor, "I had not faced that fact. T'Pel…"
She raised a hand, "You asked for my assistance, and this is the reason I needed time to think. Your emotions dealing with this have made it clear that you require it as you over looked the nature of your request. She has answered your questions logically and has held nothing back, but according to my mother, even Vulcan bonding's need a boost every so often. Especially with those whose mates serve aboard starships. The distance can lessen bonds."
Samok sat, a bit speechless and picked up the tea and took a sip, "I see."
"With this simple scene, I am attempting to…stir the ashes, so to speak." She continued.
Samoks eyes were fixed on the flowers of her dress, "Logically planned out."
T'Pel tilted her head and raised a brow, "You almost sound surprised."
His green eyes darted up to hers and he raised both brows, "I will admit I am on a low level. However I know women have a system all their own. I just did not realize the extent it could go."
She gave smirk, "I suppose I have an advantage of having a Betazoid diplomat for a mother. I have seen her use emotion to a logical advantage. At times even against me."
His eyes widened, "You discussed this with her?"
"I did. I needed advice on how to proceed. I do not know if you are aware, but matters such as these are not a common occurrence for me. Trust me; she will keep this a secret. It tends to be part of her job." T'Pel reassured and he seemed to ease a bit more.
"Now all that is left is for her to come home." Samok said shortly. She gave a nod and they began conversing of ship duties, the Dominion, and other things to pass the time. It had also been an attempt to allow him time to get comfortable and forget why they were waiting. The timing was carefully calculated, and T'Pel was almost disgusted by herself for being so efficient.
T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V~T~V
Larkin was sitting at his desk in his room working on one of his fractal sculptures when there was a chime at the door and he gave a sigh and ignored it. A moment later it sounded again and he set his tools down and went to answer it. Upon opening the door he saw T'Pring standing there with her hands behind her back.
Larking quirked a brow, "T'Pring? Is there something I may assist you with?" He wasn't used to answering his quarter's door let along his homes'.
"I was in the area and thought I would pay you a visit." She answered.
Larkin looked behind him to the empty house then back to her, squinting his eyes slightly due to the blaring Sun, "Why?" He asked bluntly.
T'Pring blinked a little at his response, "Perhaps I should have called. If you are busy then I will leave."
"I am just working on a sculpture. Not terribly pressing. However I am curious as to why you came to see me." Larkin responded.
T'Pring brought her hands out from behind her back and was holding a PADD and held it out to him, "I came across a study on Gorn physiology I thought you may find interesting."
Larkin's brows crept up slowly as he eyed the PADD a moment, "I see. Well then…you may enter." He stepped back and opened the door a bit wider for her. Once in he shut the door and ushered her toward the sitting room, "Have a seat?"
T'Pring nodded and found a chair, "I remember you mentioning having an interest in reptilian physiology when I came across this at the Academy. So I made you a copy." She set it on the table in front of her and sat back.
Larkin remained standing a moment before finally taking a seat in a chair across from her and picked up the PADD and began giving it a look over, "Information I fortunately do not already have." He looked up at her, "Thank you."
She gave him a nod and looked around the room, "I never did ask you how you enjoyed dinner the other night."
Larkin's eyes had returned to his newly acquired reading material, "It was adequate."
"I would agree. I found it interesting to meet T'Lara's peers." She continued, attempting to encourage him into conversation; however she was thinking she should have offered the reading material afterwards.
"The T'Kumbra's crew is…rather interesting at times. They can also be a burdensome group." He added, still reading.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
His eyes moved up to hers, "I get to see and hear the worst from them. I am also not permitted to divulge such information. Let us just say that Vulcans are no different than any other race when they require medical attention." He added then continued reading.
T'Pring sat there for a few minutes in silence, letting him read over the information she gave him. He had not expressed a desire for her to leave yet, so she would wait.
Several more minutes had passed until he had finished and set the PADD down and looked up at her, almost having forgotten that she was there, "Fascinating. I was unaware their tails were capable of growing back. Seems practical."
She gave a nod, "Yes."
Larkin however had also been observing her while he read and he clasped his hands together, "Did T'Lara instruct you to come here?"
Her eyes widened slightly, "No. I came of my own will."
His expression didn't change, "Why are you really here? I doubt that this was all you wished to accomplish on this visit."
T'Pring adjusted slightly, "I wished to see you again."
Larkin's quirked a brow, "Why?" He asked. He was gathering that he was coming off as a bit rude, but it was not his nature to beat around the bush. In his opinion or impression it was not the Vulcan way either.
"I find you agreeable." She took in a breath and adjusted herself again, "You are well educated, highly intelligent, capable, and logical to a fault. You have qualities I find agreeable in a prospective mate." She finally confessed, "My family is searching out a mate for me, however I am attempting to beat them to it. I would prefer the choice be mine."
"And you thought you could properly decide on a mate in what little time I have on Vulcan? You do realize I will be leaving in ten days' time, do you not?" He pressed.
T'Pring was silent a moment and nodded, "I was hoping that at least we could strike up a friendship. If that worked out, then we could progress further."
Larkin gave a sigh and brought his fingers to his lips, "I am going to inform you I feel you are wasting your time with this endeavor. You seem to be adequate enough, however I am not remotely interested in you in such a way. I apologize if I somehow gave you such an impression."
T'Pring lowered her head a moment and then stood, "Then I feel I should leave." And she headed to the door.
Larkin stood to walk her out and opened the door for her, "I trust you will have an agreeable evening."
T'Pring gave a nod, "I would like to keep up communication with you, if that is agreeable to you. I do find conversation with you stimulating."
Larkin gave a nod, "If you wish."
She gave a small bow, "Then good evening." And then she headed off down the walkway.
Larkin shut the door and turned to head back to his room. What an odd situation that had been. He shook his head and returned to work on his sculpture.