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Soval leaned back as they finished their mid-meal. "Clove, things may be different for you after you leave this place."

Clove wiped her mouth and placed the napkin on the table, "I don't follow..."

"There has been more coverage of the break-in and your...relationship with the Vulcan Consulate since you were moved here. You may encounter more attention than you may have wanted."

"Paparazzi?" she said with a wry grin. "Oh joy..."

"They have become very curious about Vaughn Armstrong Pre-school and the two brave teachers who are making a difference in their community," he elaborated. "And they especially want to know why the Vulcans are involved."

"What should I tell them?"

He sighed. "I try to ignore the questions, and I advise you to do the same for now. Your principal has already made a statement on behalf of your school."

Clove looked into the distance for a moment, "I could take this time to make a statement...Not about you or Sarek, but about how grateful we are that the people who donated toys and funds did what they did. Earth is a lot better, even since I was a kid but we still have a long way to go. I guess I was jaded into thinking that people were content the way thing were, and as long as the hood stayed hidden we could go on pretending everything was ok. Maybe now I can make a statement that we are still there, and things still need work."

Soval blinked, "That is well said, Clove. You might well become an Ambassador in your own right. An Ambassador of the poor."

Clove blushed, "There needs to be someone better than me..."

Soval leaned forward, "Surak worked as a programer in a computer firm before he became the one who lead our people out of violence. There are no great people, Clove, only great tasks done by ordinary people."

She smiled and blushed into her soup. "You're too kind."

He smirked. "You have yet to tell me more about Santa Claus."

That made her smile widen, and she launched into another lecture.

…

Soval straightened his robes and matched Sarek's stride as they walked down the hall towards the formal reception room, where Bronswick was waiting. The ambassador wasn't exactly sure why the senator was so eager to speak with them, but he would know the answer to that question soon enough. Perhaps he was only here to make sure the Christmas Ball he was planning fit into their schedules. The senator, in years past, had been very adamant about their attendance, and Soval concluded that it was most likely for this reason that Bronswick was here.

The senator in question was staring at a piece of artwork when they walked in, and Soval inclined his head ever so slightly in respectful greeting.

"Senator," he said solemnly. "I hope you have forgiven us for missing your Thanksgiving celebration. Did you enjoy the Vulcan port?"

The Senator grinned, "It was surprising. I was not aware that vulcans made any kind of alcohol. It tasted a lot like...chocolate. As you gentlemen might say, it was very agreeable."

Sarek sat down and the Senator followed suit, "How did your Thanksgiving go? From the news I'd say it was eventful."

Soval took his seat and nodded, "It was an unfortunate event. Things are cleared up, the robbers are in custody, and the toys are returned to where they belong."

Bronswick smiled, "That's wonderful. Might I ask a question?"

Sarek nodded, "Of course."

"Why are you doing this?"

Soval frowned, but Bronswick continued. "This donation thing to this school. Why? Why bother? Of all the places to set your sights, you choose a preschool in the middle of a San Fran ghetto? I don't understand."

Sarek opened his mouth, then turned to Soval, whose eyes were neutral. "We owed two teachers who worked there a favor."

"What kind of favor? Do they have information you want to keep secret?"

Soval narrowed his eyes. "Nothing of the sort. They gave us a ride home when our aircar broke down in the middle of their neighborhood."

"That's it? These two girls gave you a ride home, and now you're at their beck and call?"

Soval blinked twice, his nose threatened to flare, "I am not sure I understand your meaning."

Bronswick leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table pointing all ten of his fingers at Sarek and Soval, "Two ladies, pre-school teachers, pick you up out of the ghetto. You then proceed to donate thousands of credits, and toys to the school." He leaned back and chuckled, "Hey, can I take you guys some place in a car sometime? Because if that is what happens when a Vulcan gets a ride consider me your personal chauffeur."

Sarek's eyebrows raised slightly, and he looked at Soval, in a soft voice he spoke in Vulcan, "Should we not be forthcoming, Soval?"

"Perhaps, it seems he has the wrong impression."

The elder ambassador turned back to Bronswick, who looked irritated, and switched back to English. "Vulcans are endowed with an acute awareness of other's personality. There are those who can deceive us, but Ms. Harrington and Ms. Summers are open and friendly, compassionate. We saw that from the moment they helped us. They are good people who are certainly deserving of our aid. It was not just the car ride. It was their willingness to help us when they could have ignored the situation and gone about their daily business. Do you see now why we wish to help them?"

The senator leaned back, a slow grin creeping across his face. Soval thought it did not make him look any more pleasing, not in the way Clove looked when she smiled.

"I see...you like them?"

"Like them, senator. Vulcans do not...like. They are agreeable women."

He smirked again and chuckled, "Ok, ok, agreeable. But what level of agreeable are we talking here?"

Sarek opened his mouth to speak, but was silent for a moment, "That is not a concern, Senator. Let it simply be said they are agreeable. They are in much the same business as you...making the Earth better for the future." He blinked, and tilted his head, "You do it with old men, and they do it with those children who might be lost if it were not for people like them taking initiative. Just as we are firmly committed to the growth of Earth in the galaxy, and we aided in bringing you from the infancy of your knowledge to now."

Bronswick gave a frowning smile, "Good point gentlemen, perhaps this is a couple of ladies we could use on our team...get them out of the hood."

"They have made the most of living in their bad neighborhood, working from the inside to convert the citizens therein into hardworking, ambitious students. They have worked hard, sacrificing their own welfare for the good of the children they work with. They come only to serve, and to us, that is an incredibly admirable trait."

"Oh, yes, the old 'we come to serve' adage," the senator said with a chuckle. "You make them sound like angels. May I meet them?"

Soval raised an eyebrow. "If they do not mind meeting with you," he said calmly, and Sarek nodded.

"You want to hide them from me?" he muttered, his smile dissipating. "Are you embarrassed on their behalf?"

"We would never condone any action that makes them uncomfortable," Soval said firmly. "If they do not wish to meet with you, I will not allow you to do so. I am not embarrassed on their behalf. Vulcans do not feel shame. If I felt pride, I would be incredibly proud of them and all they have accomplished."

The senator sighed, "I'm sure you are gentlemen, in your vulcan way." He pressed his palms together for a moment and then pointed at them, "I know humans, Ambassadors, and poor people...especially women tend to be..."

"What?" Sarek said sitting forward.

"Well, they can be embarrassed by their social position, their lack of good clothes, their..." he waved his hands around, "Any kind of illogical thing. You see, your race is the only race that can claim to have logical women." he chuckled.

Sarek nodded, "Very good point, but their clothes are all new. We saw to that when their personal things were destroyed in the robbery."

Bronswick bit his cheek, "Did they ask you for that?"

"No."

The senator pursed his lips, "And some times the people who are still in the ghetto use good-natured people like you for personal gain."

"This is not one of those times," Sarek said with surprising conviction. "Your concern is noted, senator, but I assure you...Ms. Summers and Ms. Harrington would not use another for personal gain."

The human nodded. "Of course. I was simply letting you know that not all humans can be trusted."

"Indeed," Soval agreed. "However, we are already aware of your less-than-noble attributes. When is your Christmas Ball?"

"The 15th," he replied. "Are you coming?"

"We are," the ambassador said. "And we are bringing Clove Harrington and Suki Summers with us, so you will see for yourself that they are noble, self-sacrificing individuals and not the...unsavory kind of human you describe."

Bronswick smiled, "Good, I'll look forward to meeting these ladies." He looked at his wrist watch, "I must go, our meeting was scheduled to last only this long and I know how you vulcans are about punctuality." He stood and raised the ta'al to them both, "I'll look forward to meeting your two ladies." He cleared his throat and smiled, "You know, taking them to such a dance might be construed as a date..."

"We are aware," Soval said, his jaw flexing. He raised the ta'al, "Peace, and long life."