Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to vulcangiggles and 3DPixeldust for reviewing, and to everyone who's reviewing! You keep the story going.
Bridget dutifully followed her grandfather and Sorak into the infirmary, but when she realized where she was, she paused, looking up at Sorak in confusion.
"I want to be sure you were not...mistreated while in Shran's hands."
"I'm fine, Sorak," she said quietly, but she obeyed his request to sit down. Strom finished a conversation with the doctor aboard the ship, and approached her with a soft gaze. She relaxed and smiled in greeting, and he ran a scanner over her, raising an eyebrow at the results.
"She is unharmed, Sorak. There are no drugs in her system, and as for your earlier concern, she is untouched."
She had the sudden feeling they were talking about something very intimate, and she looked away, blushing madly.
"I am pleased to hear she is all right. Skel is with us, Bridget-am. Would you like to talk to him? He kept us informed as to your condition throughout this ordeal."
Bridget blinked. "Does he want to talk with me?"
"Yes. He was concerned for your well-being," Sorak said, looking over Strom's report.
Strom nodded. "Bridget, you may meet with Skel in the mess hall. Your chosen father and I will be speaking for a bit."
She grinned and hopped off the bed. "Ok. Thank you for everything, Dr. Strom."
He offered her a tiny smile. "You did well under the circumstances of your kidnapping. You show the signs of a strong mind."
"Thank you...well...I better go talk to Skel." She blushed and walked out of the room, and Strom watched her leave, staring after her with a pensive gaze.
…
Skel was sitting looking out the window, watching the stars go by and gently fiddling with his spoon. He brightened a little when he noticed Bridget walk in. He stood stiffly, pushing his chair to the side as she approached.
"It is agreeable to see that you are unharmed. I tried to tell the adults you were not in any danger, but they did not seem to believe me."
"I wasn't ever in danger. Shran didn't want to do this in the first place."
He nodded and sat back down, and she fetched herself some tea before joining him at the table. Silence festered between them for several minutes.
"What did you do aboard the Andorian ship?" Skel asked finally, breaking the silence.
"I talked with Shran...we talked about my dad and Weytahn and school. That sort of stuff. He taught me martial arts. I think I'll ask dad to teach me Vulcan styles when he gets back from his mission."
He nodded, then stared out of the window. "Do you still have an affinity for that doctor?"
Bridget sighed and sipped her tea, preferring not to answer.
Skel looked up at her. "I was concerned for you. I am glad you have returned unharmed. " He fell silent again. "I believe I should speak to you about...many things. Are you of the mind to speak on serious topics?"
She sipped her tea. "Sure."
"I believe you...need to know some things about me and if I have been...or seemed distant. It is not you, it is...me." His head dropped. "You are an agreeable female," he said softly. "I have many issues. This will be difficult to discuss but think you should know more than I have..."
He sighed not sure how to talk about all that his mind held. He looked to her again. "Do you...I do not know how to begin?"
She stared at him, watching him struggle with words, and decided to take the first step. "Until my dad came along, I didn't think anyone would want me. My birth mom and dad always argued over who was supposed to take care of me...mom never wanted a kid. She left when I was two."
Skel's eyes widened, and she kept going. "Dad dropped me off at Grandma's Jess' house a few months later and never came back. I lived with her until Soval and Genie adopted me. I hardly ever saw Grandpa Forrest and Grandma Abigail. And the girls always teased me because I didn't have parents."
He blinked. "That was cruel of them."
"Yeah...Sorak talks about you all the time. He wants me to write to you and get along with you. I think he figures if I marry you one day, he can have his son back. I think he misses you."
"I...am not agreeable to my father not being in my life." Skel said softly. "My mother called a challenge. It made me...fearful that all females would do such. My father did not choose to fight, it made me think that he no longer wanted me in his life, as he left mother. My mother speaks ill of my father and his principles. When we were bonded, she threatened to disown me; she dislikes humans, and...I tried to be like she is so she would accept me. Anytime I showed any inclination to humanity, I was ostracized by my mother. "
He blinked. "It...has been why I have not been allowed to write father, because she thinks his influence on me will corrupt me in ways she finds...distasteful. I should not admit this, Bridget, but I have been in fear for a long time. My mother has a new child with her new a'dun. She is more agreeable to it than to me. But my new father is...he is more tolerant, and has no ill thoughts about humans. I...am sorry if I have mistreated you, but I was frightened as I hope you now see...for many reasons. When I felt the agreeable feeling you had for the doctor, it reminded me of my mother leaving my father for one who had more land, and money. Do you understand, Bridget? It is my fear, not you. It is, as you say, ok if you do not find me agreeable as a potential mate, you can do better than me. My logic mentor said I should speak to you on these matters, that if I did not it was a disservice to you. You deserve honesty. I however, did not know what to tell you."
"Well..." She wasn't sure what to say after that confession. "What if you found a new mate? One that your mom would be ok with, and one that will make you happy? I don't think I'll ever make you happy. I'd just be jealous of Callie and Notak and how perfect they are." She spat the words out, then softened her gaze. "It's not their fault they're so wonderful together, but it is starting make me sick."
Skel frowned. "Callie and Notak...the blonde girl and the Vulcan boy that attended our bonding?"
"Yeah...I know your father wants you to be in his life, and I don't know if this is rude or not, but it's not fair for your mother to hog you, and take out her problems on you. It's not your problem that she doesn't like humans, and she shouldn't have a say in who you're agreeable to. She can run her own life, but she should lay off yours. Maybe you should talk to your other dad about it, and ask him to talk to your mom. She should respect what you want in life, and respect your dad and his choices. Amanda is a wonderful woman, and you shouldn't let your mom convince you otherwise."
She stopped and looked away. "I'm sorry if that was rude, but I don't like your mom the way you describe her, and I don't think I'd want her for a mother-in-law. I've had enough of people not wanting me. If they don't want me, that's their problem, not mine."
He reached across the table and gently touched her hand. "Perhaps we are not meant to be together, Bridget, but it does not mean I do not want you in my life. I like you. With our bond open these past few days, I have been able to know you more. I find you to be a good person. I never meant to make you feel more rejected, but...my wound was fresh as was yours. My mother is sending me away to a school like your Earth boarding schools. She has told me it was for the betterment of my education, but it is not that. "
He blinked and slowly withdrew his hand from hers. "She will not have the same control with me being gone, though. It is time I find my own path." He fell silent for several moments. "Do you...forgive me for my behavior now?" He asked looked up at her with earnest eyes.
She nodded and smiled, and she noted there weren't very many people in the mess hall. She squeezed his hand tight.
"Does this mean we can't be friends? I don't have very many friends, you know. I've never been good at making them, not with people my own age."
"We can be friends, Bridget. You are my father's chosen daughter...we will be friends."
Her smile widened, and she let go of his hand, taking a grateful sip of her tea. "So where is this school you're going to?"
"It is one of the best in Shi'Kahr Province. It is closer to Kir, but I will be too busy to visit my mother and father."
"Can I write to you? I think it would do us both good to have someone to talk to, don't you?"
"I do not have many friends either, and I would be very agreeable to write with you. I will also keep our bond open. It aids me and I believe will aid you as well." He leaned in. "And if you do find a male you are agreeable to, then I wish for you to take that male. You know...the doctor you have feelings for is still young. Perhaps I will aid you and we will work together on gaining you a proper mate."
She blushed. "What makes you think I want a Vulcan?"
"Bridget," he sighed, his tone playful, "I am still bonded to you." He gave her a discreet grin, and then schooled his features. "I thank thee for this, Bridget. Truly I do. We will be friends for life, I swear to you, and I will be there for you any time you have need. Mother was not going to allow me to come, but Soval pressed it, and when the comm was off I ignored her."
"You are going to be glad to get away from her aren't you?"
"It serves logic that I am. Perhaps she did my father a favor in finding another mate..."
"Can I ask you something?"
He nodded, leaning forward.
"That doctor...you know he brought his sehlat to Earth, right?" When Skel nodded, she continued. "Well, I went out into the courtyard after your visit, and Strom was playing with it. So the sehlat came over to me and started sniffing me, and then pulled me over to the doctor. What was that all about?"
Skel's eyes widened. "It sensed your attraction to the doctor. It wanted you to be its master's companion." He shrugged. "My sehlat is female. Sometimes she growls at mother when she berates me. I won't be able to take her with me to school, but father promises he'll take care of her."
"I'm sorry...I don't have a pet. But I'm sure when you visit, your sehlat will be really happy to see you. I know I-Shen was practically dancing when he got off the shuttle and saw Strom."
"Sehlats are very loyal, Bridget, and very smart. If I-Shen thinks you pair well with his master, then he will behave in naughty ways," Skel said, blinking. "You can have my sehlat to play with as much as you wish. Her name is I-Sula. " He looked out the window. "My father said the Andorian Shran taught you a game..." He looked at her. "Would you like to teach me?"
Bridget smiled. "Sure! We'll have to improvise a bit, but let's go to my room and I'll teach you."
Skel stood up and pulled Bridget's chair out for her, waiting for her to stand before he took a place beside her. "Tell me about the Andorians. I've never met one."
Bridget grinned as they walked together down the hall, telling him all about "uncle" Shran, and what she learned of his people. Skel listened intently, and she could see for the first time since they met that she held great value in his heart.
…
Bridget swallowed down her nervousness and followed Sorak into the imposing building of the High Command. The lobby echoed with their footsteps as they crossed the large slabs of stone and slipped into one of the spacious lifts in the core of the building. Several Vulcan politicians entered the lift with them, but they ignored her, simply nodding to Sorak.
"What sort of questions are they going to ask me, Uncle Sorak?"
He glanced down at her. "Nothing that you cannot answer. They want to know what the Andorians thought of you."
She nodded and swallowed thickly, and she watched as each politician got off at a different floor, until they were the only ones on the lift. Their floor was at the very top, and a guard was waiting for them at the landing.
"This way, please," he said, mostly to her. He led her down the hallway and around a corner, and a handsome set of double wooden doors was at the end of the hallway.
"In there," he said to her. "They're waiting for you both."
Kuvak took his place at the end of the row of ministers. "I'm told Soval's daughter shows great promise," he murmured absentmindedly, reading over the reports Sorak and Soval had sent him.
V'Las grunted in agreement. "The fact she lived several days with them proves to me she is resourceful."
Kuvak nodded and looked up when the doors opened, revealing Soval's daughter and his aide.
The ministers watched as the girl walked toward them. Sorak walked behind her, and raised the ta'al to them. "This is Bridget, of Soval's house."
Kuvak motioned for them both to step forward. "We are gratified to meet you, Bridget. Do not be frightened, you have done nothing wrong. We only wish to ask a few questions of you."
"Ok," she said, obeying his request that she stand in the middle of the room. Sorak stood behind her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Firstly...you were not injured during your stay on the Andorian ship?" V'Las asked gently.
"No," she said clearly. "Shran didn't even want to go through with this plan, and he promised he wouldn't hurt me."
Kuvak nodded. "And he made good on his promise?"
"Well, yeah," she said with a smile. "I don't look injured, do I?"
The ministers smirked, and she frowned. "That was...impertinent? Isn't that the word? Sorry about that. No one seems to believe me when I say that I wasn't hurt or anything like that. They all think Shran is evil or something."
Kuvak nodded. "Andorians are typically violent people, Bridget. That is why we ask."
"Well, he wasn't violent. We had ice cream, a rare kind...some kind of berry, and Shran made it himself. Then we played a game that can take decades to complete, and he taught me Andorian martial arts. He read me bedtime stories, even though I told him I wasn't a baby anymore, but..." she blushed, "He had a nice voice and did voices for each character...so it was kind of fun."
Kuvak and V'Las both blinked, at a loss to what they were hearing.
"I was scared at first, but he sat me down and said that your government and his government did things he didn't agree with, but he had to follow orders. He told me all about Weytahn, what you call Paan Mokar, and that his people made this happen, because they needed my daddy to negotiate so there wouldn't be another war."
V'Las raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Kuvak, whose gaze had softened even further. "What was your impression of Andorians, Bridget?" V'Las said, turning back to the girl.
"Well, if they're all like Shran, I like them! I like Shran, at least. His crew was nice to me."
Kuvak nodded. "And can you make an educated guess as to what his impression of you was?"
"He seemed to like me. He calls me Pinky, short for pinkskin. I guess he means that in a good way. And I told him my skin is peach, not pink."
V'Las almost looked like he might smile, and he nodded. "I hope you made a good impression. You do realize that you most likely just made First Contact for your species?"
Bridget sighed. "Yeah, that's what Shran and his crew said. None of them had ever seen a human in real life. So they asked me questions about Earth and humanity. Did you know they only have two skin tones? Blue and white. So they were surprised to hear that humans come in a lot of different colors. They also said that Antarctica sounded like a great spot for a vacation."
Kuvak's lips curled slightly. "So his crew was kind to you?"
"Oh yeah, some of them volunteered to be my practice dummy when I was doing martial arts. They thought I was pretty strong for a girl."
Kuvak shook his head, struggling not to smile. "Well, I for one am pleased First Contact went so well. Your father is the best candidate for resolving our dispute with the Andorians, and judging by his past accomplishments, it shouldn't take him more than one or two months to resolve this matter."
"Two months?" she said, frowning. "That long?"
"All other negotiations over Paan Mokar have taken years," V'Las said, and her eyes widened.
"Tell him to hurry it up for me, would you?"
All the ministers smirked, and V'Las nodded.
"I will pass along the message. Thank you, Ms. Forrest, for cooperating. I hope your journey home is pleasant."