Leonard didn't get to tell them that night. He was too angry at Saavik. He had to sleep on it. They ate in silence, as well, with a different meal that night. Leonard retired to bed that night without speaking a word to the children. He had been let on about the total extent of the damage that David had given the children. The house was in tip top shape. The sound of drums was low. They could hear it from the doctors bedroom. The children went to bed that night except David.
David had his head poking out of his bedroom.
Saavik's door opened.
"Go to bed," Saavik said.
David looked toward her.
"No," David said. "Where is the drumming coming from?"
"I dunno and I don't want to know," Saavik said.
"I can't sleep with questions on my mind," David said.
"He is playing with drums that he keeps hidden," Saavik said. David raised his eyebrows back at her.
"Why would he do that?" David asked.
"He is testing us," Saavik said. "punishing us for being suspended."
"If I could believe that, I would," David said. "I would. . . But he is giving us the silent treatment."
"I never seen him this angry before," Saavik said. "it's like he is disappointed in us. That we're repeating . . . something."
"Something that you can't put your finger on," David said.
"History," Saavik said. "it's history to him but news to us."
The two siblings shared a glance.
"I wonder if he was Spock's friend," David said.
"Let's ask him in the morning," Saavik said. "Go to bed."
"No, you," David said.
"No,you," Saavik said.
"You," David argued.
"You," Saavik said.
"You," David said.
"All right," Saavik said. "how about we both sleep together tonight? Is that fair?"
"Sure," David said. "which one of us has the larger bed is the most important question."
"Hmm. . ." Saavik said. "I was given the larger bed. I think it used to belong to another family member in this house. I am not entirely convinced they had two children in the house. Like, look at all those locked rooms around the house," she gestured about toward the closed doorways. "this must have been a family that adopted a lot or had a lot of blood relatives in their family."
"Vulcans tend to have a high fertility rate," David said. "If they have a basement devoted to more rooms, that is top secret, I won't be surprised."
"And here I thought you humans bred like rabbits," Saavik said.
"Hey!" David said. "straight couples are the ones of my species who breed like rabbits!"
Saavik raised an eyebrow.
"Then what about your mother and father?" Saavik said.
"I was an accident," David said. "they don't have to say. But I know. It was a one time thing."
"When did you first figure it out?" Saavik said.
"When did you figure out that you weren't supposed to be born in a hell hole?" David asked.
"Pretty quickly when I was old enough," Saavik said. ". . . How about my bedroom? I got a larger picture of Jim and Mnih."
"I am in," David said, ducking into Saavik's room.
David slid into bed coming to the side where laid on the counter was a holophotograph of Kirk and Leonard side by side in off duty attire. Leonard's hand was wrapped around Kirk's waist as the man's hand was wrapped around the doctor's waist while they were both beaming at once with wide smiles. Saavik slid into bed alongside the child. She fit behind him with one hand cupping the side of her cheek. She had propped herself up to see the photograph as well.
"I miss him too," Saavik said.
"Do you think . . ." David said. "that. . . dad?"
"He would know what was going on," Saavik said. "he always does."
"You are right," David said. "he would."
"And he would tell us everything," Saavik said. "everything. . ."
David put down the photograph then closed his eyes as did Saavik. Their eyes flipped open, unexpectedly. Saavik and David turned in the direction of the door side by side hearing their hearts beating fast against their chests. Our scene panned over to Leonard bolting up from bed, "No!" he cried. He sat on the edge of the bed going through his hair. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He rubbed his forehead. His padd was beeping from alongside his elbow. He picked it up placing it onto his lap. It was from New Vulcan Central Command. He opened the email.
Doctor Leonard Kirk:
Starting tomorrow, there will be a evacuation of ShiKahr. You will be required to enter work early. Full Vulcanian children, expectant parents, and the elderly are the first to be evacuated. In the event that this is a false alarm, childless couples are not required to leave. Those engaging in Kolinahr will be evacuated, those involved in Kahswan will be evacuated, herds of sehlats and other wildlife are being evacuated in numbers as you read this. There will not be any school tomorrow for the Vulcan Science Academy including with the plants. Historical relics have been evacuated. Elders are being evacuated. You and your family are more than welcome to join the evacuation.
Sincerely
T'Hal.
He looked closely.
It was sent nine hours ago.
So someone went over to new VCC regarding the plausible threat.
No new messages from the Enterprise. Nothing. Dead space.
It worried the doctor.
The doctor turned the padd off then placed himself onto the bed placing both hands behind his head. Normally he would have a message from Scotty, Uhura, Pavel, Hikaru, or Christine. Scotty hadn't smiled since Jim died. It seemed like he would never smile again. Uhura was still Uhura. Sulu was keeping things together the best he could. Stopping them from falling apart at the seams. Leonard placed his two warm blankets onto his chest turning to his side. He could hear the sobbing of the woman from downstairs. The sobbing made him feel like he wasn't the only one still grieving. In a way he was still grieving for the loss of his sun. Vulcans were going to come right back. He didn't have to leave.
Leonard's eyes bolted open when he heard the sound of drums in his sleep with wide, terrified eyes.
He didn't fall to sleep that night and simply watched the stars, spending the rest of the morning watching some dots in the sky vanish one by one distantly.