Let the Sunshine In
Chapter 25 - Moving In
San Francisco, Earth
Late July, 2264
Elinor
She was so glad to get all the papers finally signed. The men came from the Embassy to pick up all the boxes right after that. And then the man who had purchased her flitter came and picked up the keys, smiling. She walked around the semi-bare apartment for the last time, checking to be sure she had not forgotten something that she wanted, and then sighed, and picked up the small duffel, Sarek taking the large one, and she walked out, locking the door behind her for the last time.
They spent one night in Sarek's quarters at the Embassy before leaving on the shuttle for New Vulcan. She felt strange there, this being only the second time she had been there. Sarek apologized, and said he should have brought her here more often, but she understood that he had been constrained, before they were married. And there were some, among the Vulcans, who did not even recognize their marriage as valid. After they were formally bonded, it would be different.
New Vulcan
She stopped on the path outside their home, hardly recognizing it. The house was twice the size it had been before. Immediately, she realized that they would have to go and buy more curtains! She giggled to herself, and Sarek looked at her, questioning, but she just shook her head. Once inside, she hurried through the new archway on the left side of the living room, into the new office. Desks were needed, and chairs, and lamps, as well as curtains. She opened the heavy door between the office and the printing room, admiring the sound proofing that that implied. The wall opposite was covered with shelves. And a heavy-duty power module sat in one corner. Sarek stood behind her and looked, admiring the color of paint that she had selected. It made this room bright, but not overpowering. The paint in the office was cool and refreshing. He had not realized that the color of the paint on the walls would change the tone of a room.
They went back through the office and across the living room to the hall. The hall was now much longer. Next to the bathroom was the new laundry room. Elinor admired the 'fresher, which was much nicer than the one she had had in her apartment. The broad counter for folding clothing and linens was coated with something hard and smooth. She ran her fingers over it, gliding. When she exited that room, Sarek drew her into the bathroom, and she went, wondering what he wanted to show her. She grinned in delight when she saw that he had had the shower renovated, without telling her. There were shower heads at both ends now, as well as a wide bench of smooth stone against the back. They would test this improvement before the day was over, she had no doubt.
She went down the hall now, past the master bedroom, and looked into the three new rooms, all smaller than the big bedroom, each with a window letting in the bright sun. These rooms she would not furnish, not yet. But the one closest to the master bedroom, that would be the nursery. She would plan how she would decorate it, all in her mind, until its use was certain. Sarek led her back to the master bedroom, and she thought it felt different, somehow. And then she realized that there was a new door, much thicker. He had had soundproofing put in here, too! She grinned even wider at him, and the tips of his ears turned a brighter shade of green. But if those small rooms were filled, it would be necessary!
The shipment from the printer company arrived the next day, and they spent the afternoon setting up the printing shop. It was time for her to sit down and write the first issue of her paper! But first they must go and buy the furnishings for the office. They agreed to do that the next morning, and then Sarek must go into his office, and begin to catch up.
She had half of the first issue completed when the boxes arrived. After that she alternated - she would write for a while, and then unpack a box. There were not enough book shelves. Sarek contacted the builders again, and they came and built bookshelves against the wall between the office and the printing shop.
The potter's assistant arrived with the additional pieces that they had commissioned. He carried the heavy box into the kitchen for her and waited while she emptied it, taking it away with him. She admired her new dishes, realizing happily that Sarek had ordered casserole dishes for her as a surprise.
When she had the first issue completed, she printed off four copies. She walked down the path to Selek and Durra's house and invited them to supper. Durra was glad to accept, eager to see what she had brought with her from Earth.
After supper, when the table was clear, she brought out the four copies of the newsletter, and gave everyone a bright marker, telling them to search for mis-spelled words or other problems. Her Vulcan was still shaky.
Durra especially liked the order she had put the articles in, starting with the furniture, then the curtains, the shop that handled place mats and napkins and such, and last the dishes, then finishing up with the food stalls. It was like building a room, she said, that was the order you bought things in. Elinor beamed at her.
Selek and Sarek debated for a while, and then suggested that she try a slightly different typeface. They went to the comlink on her desk, and experimented, and came back with a new sample. All four looked at it, and she agreed. This one was much easier to read. She thanked them profusely, and they flushed, ever so slightly.
The next day, she made the changes, and printed the first stack of sheets. She walked down to the community center, and left most of them there, on the tables, fixing one to the bulletin board. She walked around to the merchants who had been featured, giving them each a copy. They nodded their heads, and began to read, to her great delight.
She went home, and began to print again. In the late afternoon, the boys Sarek had recruited showed up, and she explained that one sheet was to go to each occupied home. They talked together briefly, quickly dividing the town into districts, and set out with their stacks of sheets in the carrybags they had brought with them. Now she only had to wait, to see what the reaction was. And begin on the next issue.
Reaction did not take long. When next she went to the farmer's market to do her shopping, she was continually approached by the stall owners, asking when it would be their turn to be featured. She assured them that everyone would have a turn. She would feature one baker, one cheesemaker, one fruit seller, and one vegetable seller in each issue.
Sarek returned from his office, telling her of what he had heard from other workers there. And Durra told her what she had heard at the Healer's House, when she had gone for her regular checkup. She stood with her hand over her tummy while she talked, rubbing against her son, trying to get him to settle down. It seemed the paper was well received.
And then the summons came. T'Pau was ready to receive her. She dressed carefully, in one of the new outfits she had had made, here on New Vulcan. Soft, flowing pants and tunic, of fabrics made to be cool and yet stay unwrinkled. She worked hard at her hair, trying to contain it so that the curls did not fly everywhere. She wished the invitation had specified a time when Sarek could have gone with her, but she swallowed down her butterflies and presented herself at the appointed time.
She was ushered into a room, the bright sunshine subdued by gauzy drapes, the furniture softly padded, the colors gentle. There were small statues set here and there about the room, woven tapestries hanging on the walls. And there, in a chair on the other side of the small table, sat the head of the clan, T'Pau of maat S'chn T'Gai. She dipped her head in respect, and T'Pau waved one wrinkled hand at the only other chair. She seated herself and waited. T'Pau looked her over, her eyes sharp. And what came out of her mouth was a great surprise.
"Thee knows of the fires?"
"Yes, yes I do."
"Thee does not fear?"
"Fear? No. I do admit to some apprehension, but I do not fear him."
T'Pau nodded. "Thee must approach him with determination. Do not allow him to control thee. Thee must control him. Does thee understand?"
"I believe so. I will do my best."
T'Pau's dark eyes observed her. "Thee has stamina. It will serve thee well." She reached for the small bell on the table and rang it. Instantly, two women entered the room, with trays in their hands. They set small plates of delicacies on the table, and cups of steaming tea, as well as tall glasses of fruit juice. T'Pau dismissed them with a wave of her hand. She looked back to Elinor. "They are my granddaughters. There are only two grandsons, and one seems lost to us, and the other serves StarFleet. It is necessary that there be more. Do you understand this?"
Elinor flushed. "It is my hope that there will be more. We are both hoping for that."
T'Pau reached for a small cake on one of the plates, and nibbled at it, then drank from her teacup. Elinor followed her example, tasting one of the small tarts, filled with a fruit puree, tangy. She would love to have the recipe for these. She was quite startled at T'Pau's next statement.
"I have a list of merchants that I have found to have outstanding quality in their items. It would please me if you would feature them in the Merchant Sheet."
Elinor almost choked. "I will be very glad to accept your list. I will go and visit them to see what I can write about."
T'Pau settled back in her chair, her face not quite as tight as it had been. This girl would do. Sarek had chosen well.
Maat = clan; family group