The Desert Saga Continues
Chapter Eleven
Laura asked Ellie did she think it would be possible to meet with the bondmates again. Ellie let her know she would arrange it. Then she added,
"Before the end of the month there is going to be a wedding, or bonding. Everyone is invited. On Vulcan the bonding was not celebrated as such."
Of course, she did not mention the reason why there was never a reception after the bonding. She then continued,
"With the influx of Terran brides we now have receptions. So it is another reason for a community celebration. It is truly a moving experience. The actual wedding is Terran, the bonding is Vulcan. We have a local judge perform the wedding. He is a regular here for any celebration. He is becoming a d'Vel'nahr, a Vulcan by choice."
By the time they returned to their complex Ellie said,
"Su'auk has already left for the job site, come in and have 'First Meal' with me. Laura nodded. Then added,
"Should I put a note on my door so S'nass will know where to find me?"
"He will know."
"He will know?"
"Yes, you are in the most logical place to be, outside of your own residence."
First Meal was oat cereal, coffee, fruit, juice and talk.
"Thank you for taking me to that most moving experience, I don't think I will ever forget it."
Ellie thought to herself,
'Of cause not dear, you will have a similar experience.'
As they sat and talked they was a soft rap on the door and a voice,
"It is I, S'nass."
Ellie nudged her with her elbow and said,
"Did I not tell you? Enter."
He entered and his eyes found Laura and he visibly relaxed and addressed Ellie,
"Although when I did not receive an answer, this was the logical place for Laura to be, I came to ask you to enter her residence to make certain that she was not unwell."
His eyes locked on hers and she knew that her experience the day before had caused him concern.
Ellie came to her defense,
"S'nor and Elaine's son was born and we went to celebrate his birth and welcome him into the world."
Involuntarily, at that moment remembrance hit her and her lips trembled. Ellie noticed and touched Laura's cheek and
spoke,
"Laura was enlightened and joined in the welcome."
To possible explained her emotional response Laura said,
"It was one of the most moving experiences of my life."
An invitation was voiced,
"S'nass stay and have tea while Laura goes and gets ready for the day."
With moist eyes Laura looked up and nodded. S'nass went with her to the door and watched until she arrived at her door, she turned and waved and he nodded. It was only with that assurance of her safety that he returned to the table and sat facing Ellie and said,
"I know that she suffers from deep seated grief and has also been betrayed. There is no doubt a massive degree of mistrust was created by that experience. I will now confess to you, she is my K'diwa, she drew me here and now I feel almost helpless to assist her to a proper state. At this point I fear she will flee from here to return to San Francisco so as to be able to bury her heartache again. She is unaware of the fact that I would be forced to follow her there. The reward is too great to give up on my quest."
Ellie tapped his clothed arm and confessed,
"I do know the source of her grief and betrayal but it would be improper for me to reveal it to you. It would be betraying a confidence if I told you. However, the experience has left her with a great lack of self-worth and familial loss. Continue in your supportive role and perhaps she will open up to you. As Su'auk has told you, it will require kindness and patience."
As if his superior hearing picked up on another entity, he rose and went to the door just as Laura, now dressed in her signature exploration gear, smiled and said,
"Ready?"
"Ellie we will start our day. I think S'nass straining at the bit."
Ellie picked up on his raised eyebrow,
"'Straining at the bit', being anxious, lacking patience."
Well he could not have any lack of patience in his dealing with Laura. He would examine his conduct carefully.
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Returning to his role as guide, S'nass intoned,
"This morning we will examine two established sites. The developments contain housing, central meeting place, and an educational building. A Vulcan child's education begins at birth and accelerates from three years onward. Most education is received from the child's parents, but certain subjects are taught in a group setting."
"What would be some subjects taught to that larger group?"
"Star charts, certain workshops, Vulcan history, and with the males a females separated, Terran and Vulcan biology and sexuality."
"Outwardly there only appears to be a difference in eyebrows, ears and your non-expressive façade."
"There is more that does not meet the eye. This is what is also taught in the educational classes given to the females who will shortly be bonded. I will accompany you to the bonding ceremonies if you so desire."
By saying this he was hoping for her committal to stay for a longer time. He wondered what she had recorded for the birthing experience. Perhaps he would inquire later or maybe not, earlier mention of it had affected her adversely. He questioned himself, had she experienced childbirth, an unsuccessful one...? Such an event would be a heart breaking experience.
"That would be nice, I think I will enjoy that additional exposure."
"Have you been in contact with you co-workers in San Francisco?"
"Yes, they are very excited about my assignment. James, my immediate boss is very anxious for my return."
There was a pang of concern, he recognized the name as one given to a male Terran. Was this a rival male?
She continued,
"He is my girlfriend's husband or like you say, bondmate. He was the one who hired me and then talked our boss into allowing me to make this trip and make this report on The Settlement. Since I left the newspaper has been writing teasers like,
'Have you wondered what happen to those Vulcans after they left San Francisco? Did our Vulcans ever find wives? Are they as hard working as it is rumored?'
Several other leading questions have been posted all making persons anxious for my report. It will be published in installments or not in it's totality one time. It will be published over a period of time."
As always, as they walked they passed others on the road and they were greeted with nods which were returned. They reached a quiet location that had thirteen houses in a circle with a common front yard and the back area enclosed with fencing. The adunas were in the yard playing with the children. Once the children observed the visiting adults they lined up together facing the visitors with their hands raised in The Vulcan Salute. They were all dressed in tunics and black trousers mirroring the clothing their fathers wore. Amazingly, they were all boys, all with their father's ears and eyebrows and serious façade. There was no laughter, or shouting. Even the play they engaged in was an educational experience.
S'nass said,
"When they throw the common ball they are required to calculate how many meters the projectile will travel. Because they have also inherited their father's eidetic memory at the end of the session they will recite their calculations and if they are incorrect, they will be corrected by one of their peers. Because non-major courses are gender specific, the females are housed apart from the males and in non-major courses of study, educated separately. At all other social gatherings there is no separation."
The courses that differ are that the males will learn martial arts, even the deepest forms of meditation, survival skills, machinery and its repair, agriculture, building skills, water treatment, and limited domestic skills. As you can observe, these males are being trained to be the next generation to manage The Settlement.
All families meditate together in early morning but the form used at that time is whiltri, the simplest form, not something as difficult as s'thaupi, The Beyond State which is taught the males.
The fathers teach Vulcan history and language, the mothers teach Standard and Terran history. Both groups are required to learn to play the Vulcan harp, K'thyra. Because some of the mothers play musical instruments they are also taught to sing. This is not part of The Vulcan Way but is a concession to their Terran mothers."
Laura sighed and said,
"The children are so beautiful, their mothers so happy, their fathers so content. perhaps what you all have created here is Shangri-La."
S'nass searched for the definition-an idyllic utopia, hidden paradise, and answered,
"Indeed."
Before they left Laura went over and spoke to the mothers. She inquired as to when they could meet again. This groups chose tomorrow early afternoon. She would spread that information when she visited the next group. Ellie could contact any others and make sure they were all informed. There were hugs all around, of course by the mothers only.
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When they approached the next development they could hear a far more noisy environment. When they went through the common gate to observed the neat houses and the common yard they saw a group of girls, giggling, and playing what could best be described as tag. Like the view from before, the cllhildren were beautiful and in this case quite vocal.
The questioning look on her face was answered by S'nass,
"It was determined that since the quality that had drawn the Vulcan males to the Terran females was their emotions. We could not deny these females their birthright. Their education in core subjects such as, mathematics, physics, star charts, language is taught co-ed, but domestic skills, explanation of their duties as an aduna which is far more complicated then what appears on the surface is taught to them by their mothers.
These mothers were in agreement with the first group as to meeting together again tomorrow. Of course there was a repeat of the hugs much to S'nass' feeling of unease.
As they left he mentioned,
"Second meal will be served shortly. We will walk towards the dining room.
This time, it was she who nodded.