The seed

According to Spock, the conference on Babel will begin in twenty two hours and thirty six minutes.

Her husband having been allowed to leave Sickbay for their quarters aboard the Enterprise, Amanda decided to invite Spock and his two best friends for dinner.

Leonard was glad to spend the evening with Amanda and Sarek, and saw the opportunity to ask them a few questions, once again, on his favorite topic: Spock's childhood.

"Please, can you tell us more about him, Amanda? What kind of child was he? Was he shy? Was he already stubborn with a logical mind? You have certainly some stories to share!" Leonard said with his best charming smile on his face.

At his side, Amanda was also smiling while bringing a glass of wine to her lips. "Well, I have some interesting stories but…my husband has asked me to not reveal them, in order to not ridicule my son before his friends…"

"Sorry, Bones, there will be no revelations tonight!" Seated in front of him, Jim began to laugh at the Doctor's discomfiture.

Spock and Sarek looked at each other and after what seemed to be an eternity, Sarek broke the silence.

"Indeed, some of these stories could embarrass Spock…However, If Spock agrees, I can tell you a story in particular, a story that I cherish and that Spock himself does not remember…"

Spock hesitated but eaten up with curiosity, he nodded in agreement.

Sarek put his cutlery next to his plate and began to speak before an attentive audience.

"I perfectly remember that day. Spock was 4 years and 3 months old. He had spent the morning to observe his mother, who was planting seeds in our vegetable garden. He entered my office. He approached my desk and handed me the small bag he had in his hand. Then, he explained that I had to select one of them in order to give it to his mother. I was somewhat surprised and …curious. Therefore, I emptied the contents of the bag in the palm of my hand. They were seeds. Seeing my puzzled look, he added that he had already preselected these seeds himself. He had kept the most beautiful seeds after having eliminated those which, according to him, had imperfections or defects. All the seeds were perfectly circular and monochrome. I asked him why he had come to see me with all these seeds, why he didn't choose himself one seed to give to his mother… explaining that she would have already planted the seed with the others in the garden. With seriousness, he responded that it is the father who gives the seed to the mother…in order to be swallowed by her…as a result of that, after several months in her belly, the seed will grow and will become a baby brother or a baby sister…"

While taking his glass of wine, he looked at Spock, with a barely perceptible smile on his face. Spock copied his father, also hiding his smile behind his glass. Amanda had tears of joy in her eyes, while Jim and Leonard were laughing, already asking for another story.

The end