Kenya
Githurnu, Kenya, 2273.178, 1020 hours. They had been living with Babu, Bibi and all their aunts, uncles and cousins for over a week when Mama decided she was going to cook a special meal for them all. To that end she enlisted his and T's and Selas' help going to the open-air market to buy the food. The square was packed with people and as they entered he couldn't help but overhear several pieces of gossip aimed in their general direction.
Now, Se'tak was not unaccustomed to racism. He'd heard it spoken behind his back from the lips of strangers on foreign worlds; in hushed whispers during his visits to New Vulcan. However, until his visit to the market that day he had not heard it spoken directly to his face.
He was seven years and seventy-three days old.
Mama had sent him back to a stall for more tomatoes for the kachumbari*. "I think six more large ones will do nicely; I want to make sure we have enough for everyone and your Sa-mekh would eat an entire bowl by himself if I let him. Make sure they're ripe but not too ripe!"
"Yes Mama!" he cried, darting off through the crowd, pleased to be able to help with this important task. The stall owner smiled and helped him pick seven more tomatoes; he liked her kachumbari too and wanted to make sure Mama made enough to feed him and Sa-mekh.
He was walking away from the cart when he heard it. "What a freak."
Se'tak froze. He knew without turning around that the boy was talking about him. He had seen him and the two other boys standing near the entrance of an alleyway over by the sorghum stand.
The second boy quickly agreed. "He doesn't even look like one of them; I mean, his skin is a weird color!"
"His skin?" the first one cried. "Forget about that, look at his hair! It isn't even straight it's all…weird!"
"Very weird," the third boy repeated coolly.
Se'tak knew he had a decision to make—either walk away or confront them. So he turned around and headed back in their direction. The two smaller boys quickly lost their composure.
"Quick, he's coming back!"
"Let's go!"
"Act cool."
He walked right up to the boy leaning casually against the wall. "Hello."
"What d'you want?"
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking about me. I thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Se'tak." He held out his hand and braced himself for the contact.
"See!" the rounder boy on the right whispered loudly. "I knew he wasn't Vulcan! Remember what they said in class? Vulcans don't like to touch people!"
"Shut up, Loba." The tall one turned his attention back to Se'tak. "So?"
"I thought I would educate you and your friends. You seem slightly misinformed about Vulcans."
That made the boy take notice. "Is that so?" He nudged the skinny boy on his left who started chuckling nervously. "He wants to 'educate' us." His eyes narrowed as he honed back in on Se'tak.
"That's correct. Firstly, I am one quarter Vulcan and three quarters human. My mother is originally from this region and that, combined with my copper-based blood account for the rather unusual color of my skin." He felt the taller boy creep in closer, the ill-will fairly pouring off of him, yet Se'tak continued to talk. "As for my hair, well…I wish it wasn't as wavy either. It's unusual for Vulcans. But you should see it in the morning; Mama says I look like I got licked by a herd of cows!"
"Kwame, that sounds like you!" the boy called Loba said, nudging his buddy behind the tall boy's back. Kwame flushed.
The tall boy stepped right in his face and spoke through clenched teeth. "You, little freak, are starting to get on my nerves."
Se'tak didn't back down. "I already told you, my name is Se'tak. I was hoping that together we could improve Vulcan and Earth-African relations."
The two stared one another down before the older boy lost his patience and shoved him away. "Ugh! You're not worth my time!" He started to stalk off and realized his friends weren't following. "You two comin'?"
"Uh…I think I'm gonna stay here and talk with Se'tak. He seems kind of cool," Loba announced.
"Kwame?" The smaller boy simply shook his head and stayed where he was. Now the older one was really angry. "Suit yourself. Freaks!"
They stared after him until he rounded a corner and was gone from sight. "I'm Loba, this is Kwame. That was Agu."
"Hi."
"Hi."
Se'tak stood by while Loba and Kwame seemed fixated on his ears. "Are you really part Vulcan?" It didn't take long for him to realize that Loba was the unofficial spokesperson of the pair.
He grinned and nodded. "Yes. My Sa-mekh is half-Vulcan and I'm one quarter."
"Samack? What's that?" Before he could answer the first question Loba asked, "And how come we've never seen you around before?" Kwame nodded in agreement. "Sa-mekh is Vulcan for Dad; and me and my family live up on the Enterprise. We're here visiting my Babu and Bibi while the ship is being repaired. Mama works in communications and Sa-mekh works in the science department."
Kwame's face fell open in shock. "That is so cool!" he whispered in awe. "Do you know Captain Kirk?"
Se'tak grinned and rolled his eyes. "Of course; he's my uncle!"
"No way!"
"That is so cool!"
"Se'tak!" He turned back toward the marketplace and saw Mama looking about for him frantically, a bag full of foodstuffs in one hand and Selas holding onto the other. "Se'tak, where'd you go?" She spotted him before he could answer. "There you are!" She made a beeline for him through the crowd.
"Hi Mama!" He introduced her and Selas to Loba and Kwame.
"It's nice to see you making new friends," she told him, "But I still need some of your help. Maybe you boys can come over this afternoon? You and your cousins could always use more players for your football games." He handed Mama the tomatoes and she put them in her big bag. "And maybe if it's alright with your parents you can stay for dinner, ok? Come by the Uhura compound around 4 or 4:30. Do you know where it is?" Both boys stared at her dumbstruck before Loba nodded. "Ok." She started to lead Selas away. "Say good-bye to your friends for now, Se'tak."
He followed her but not before looking back at Loba and Kwame. "See you guys later?" Again, all they could do was shake their heads in response before he ran off after Mama and Selas.
"Uhura? Did Se'tak's mom just say her last name was Uhura?" Loba said before he got too far away. "That is just so…so…"
"COOL!" Kwame and Loba finished together.
Se'tak just grinned and helped Mama as she stopped at the bread cart.
* katchumbari = a tomato and onion salad
A/N: So I've been meaning to ask this for awhile but kept forgetting-are there any artists out there who maybe want to draw the S'chn T'gai family? I can barely do stick figures and I know sometimes people who write/read stories are also skilled with a sketch pad so I thought I'd ask. If not or you have no interest, no worries, I was just curious.
Oh yeah, and only 6 chapters left until the end of the Drabbles! Hold on to your hats, folks!