Disclaimer: I don't own Sarek or Amanda. Nor do I profit from their antics

Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom (all mistakes are mine…I added last minute changes).

Getting the Scoop

At the embassy in Sarek's office two hours later, Josef handed Sarek a PADD. "You're the ranking official here right now, Sarek -- this will need your sign off."

Josef looked over a PADD of his own. "Hmmm...they didn't use a healer during their initial bond," He murmured. Then he said more audibly, "After the team combs through the rooms and removes anything suspicious, we'll contact the local authorities and let them know that the disturbance was medically related but not contagious to humans -- and not the Vulcan chicken pox."

Sarek briefly scanned the electronic document. "Will the charges incurred during this incident be filed under miscellaneous medical expenses?"

Josef looked up at him. "You know about that?"

Sarek nodded.

"That is how I found out, too," Josef said softly.

"Really?" Sarek asked, not sure he'd believe anything Josef said but curious nonetheless.

"When I was working under the former CFO...I thought he was fudging numbers and I'd impress T'Zena and T'Pau with my investigative skills. I don't think they were precisely happy with my results..." He went and sat down at a chair across from Sarek. "But they find me useful when the police arrive."

"What happens to this couple now?" Sarek asked.

Josef blinked. "Well, officially this never happened. They're a fairly high profile couple, so they'll probably be encouraged to move to Vulcan. I wouldn't be surprised if they receive invitations to join the Vulcan Science Academy, and lab space and facilities beyond their wildest dreams.

"...and they'll be encouraged to be discreet," Josef said. "In return for their discretion, Vulcan High Command will work to see that his family doesn't create a fuss and try to force them to unbond."

"Really?" said Sarek. "I would have thought High Command would be interested in seeing the bond broken..."

"They used to encourage that as a matter of policy..." Josef said. "But after the bond is broken humans are much more likely to talk...heartbroken...angry...you know how illogical humans can be."

Josef pushed up his glasses and stared hard at Sarek a heartbeat too long. Was he challenging Sarek?

Sarek decided to give an answer he expected the human would not expect. "A broken bond is a difficult thing."

Josef tilted his head. His jaw clenched and he looked down for a moment. "T'Zena and T'Pau orchestrated this change in policy about fifteen years ago...the hardliners don't like it, but they are interested in keeping things quiet as long as they can.

"Personally, I think they don't want you guys to know you have choices. Right now...with Pon Farr...with your need to bond, you need to find a nice logical Vulcan girl or you'll die. And that forces you to stay within the fold, to stay logical, to not break the rules." Josef adjusted his glasses on his nose. "I told T'Pau as much one time."

Sarek did his best not visibly display his discomfort. It wasn't just the words 'Pon Farr' that set him off... Surak's teachings were, at one point, 'just an idea.' No wonder T'Pau wanted Friedmann watched.

Sarek took a breath. There was a problem with Josef's theory. "If keeping Vulcans in the dark is so critical, why bring them home to Vulcan?"

Josef looked up. "Because you have no yellow journalism on Vulcan. The only people who would know is Nivock's family, and possibly families that try to join Nivock's immediate family through marriage. Their neighbors might know, but it is in such poor taste...seen as so disrespectful to gossip on Vulcan...it won't go very far. Ironically, if you want to keep Vulcans in the dark about human Vulcan couples, Vulcan is the best place to hide them...which is why all the high profile couples tend to be recalled."

"Ah, yes," Sarek said. "Our press has no Most Eligible Bachelor features."

"Precisely," said Josef. "No yellow journalism whatsoever. There are some anonymous postings on bulletin boards and there have been a few sensationalist articles here and there in the Terran press, initiated by friends or family. But no human in a Vulcan bond will confirm the relationships. The stories tend to die --"
"What if the couple will not go back to Vulcan?" Sarek asked.

"The offers tend to be too good to refuse...there was one...maybe you've found him. A martial arts expert..."

"Milock," said Sarek.

"Yes, that is him," said Josef. "Have you met? He is an incredible guy."

"You were there when the police arrived at the scene? How did you get the call completely obliterated from the police files?" Sarek asked.

"Oh, I wasn't there for that escapade," Josef said, sitting back in his chair. "That was the cover-up I first discovered. Apparently, the head of Vulcan security didn't interact with the police very well. It turned into a major diplomatic hush-hush incident. It was only three years ago during the last major SNAFU that they started relying on me when the authorities become involved."

"So you met Milock..."

"On my own," said Josef.

"And he talked to you? That was far from discreet of him," Sarek said.

Josef's face went red. "I convinced him I was on official business." Standing up abruptly, Josef pushed his glasses up again. "Good night, Sarek."

x x x

Three minutes later Sarek was on a subspace call with Vulcan.

"These...situations...could potentially be dangerous to the underpinnings of our society," Sarek said. Technically, the use of the word potentially kept this from being a lie. Personally, he was of the opinion too few Vulcans would ever seek mates outside of their own species for it to truly be a problem, but he'd keep that opinion to himself.

Logical diplomacy was like 3D chess with words. The rules, speaking the truth, the goal...discover the true risks involved in bonding with a human without letting that goal be known.

Hopefully establishing his bona fides as a skeptic he could get the information he really wanted. "How long has this been going on and how many couples are there?" Sarek asked.

T'Pau took a breath. "Since first contact there have been...unions. We suspect only as few as one hundred fifty couples."

Sarek tilted his head. Excellent; an adequate sample size.

"The current policy of containment is working," T'Pau said quickly.

"Accidents in bonding could potentially be extremely...inconvenient. A botched bond, or one that deteriorated over time could conceivably damage a human irreparably, how do we deal with such situations?" Sarek asked.

"I understand your concerns," T'Pau said. "There have been accidents; in about 25% of cases there has been headaches, and nausea, but no lasting damage."

"Who knows about these situations...officially, and what are their thoughts on this policy of containment?" asked Sarek, curious to know who would be in opposition to him.

"Only a select few among High Council..." She informed him of the various opinions of the officers in the High Council and how they had deduced that granting 'amnesty' to Vulcan-Human couples was 'logical.' Some of those in opposition shouldn't have surprised him -- but they did.

One of Sarek's own uncles, as well as two members of T'Zena's clan, including her own father, were still fighting to have T'Pau's current policy overturned.

Sarek returned home. Amanda didn't greet him. Controlling his concern he checked on Sybok -- and found Amanda too, in Sybok's room, curled up asleep behind his son. He wasn't sure what the motivation was for such sleeping arrangements. It was not what he would expect from a Vulcan, but Amanda was not Vulcan.

He tilted his head. T'Sala had been nearly a female mirror image of himself. She had the same interests, abilities and a similar temperament. Amanda was very different from T'Sala, but she complemented Sarek just the same.

...and Sybok looked comfortable. Sarek decided to let them both be.

In his home office he canceled his PI and then he went downstairs to meditate.

x x x

Amanda was lying in the desert by an oasis wearing clothing in the style of a belly dancer -- which is to say, not much. She was sleepily hugging a black rock that was still hot from the sun. She was too hot. She shifted her arm. The rock moved slightly.

Ah...she was dreaming. Which meant she was asleep. Sleep was nice, but she was still too hot. In her dream she took a breath, and maybe in the real world too because the breath didn't smell like desert. It smelled like...

...Vulcan toddler. Huh.

Pulling herself upright she opened her eyes to dim light. She recognized Sybok's tiny form next to hers.

The evening before came rushing back. As soon as Sarek dematerialized Sybok started to cry. She went to his room and picked him up to comfort him. He'd placed a tiny hand on her forehead and she felt her stomach lurch with fear, and a picture of Sarek backlit by red light danced through her mind. Had it been an image of Sarek on Vulcan? Had Sybok put the picture there or was it her imagination.

Amanda managed to quiet the little guy, but every time she tried to put him down he started a tantrum. Grabbing the safety railing on his little single he'd shaken with such force the wood creaked and groaned ominously. Amanda's arms were exhausted from holding Sybok -- he was so much heavier than a human child. She climbed into bed with him and held him there until he went to sleep. Evidently, she'd passed out herself.

Looking between the cracks in the shade over Sybok's window Amanda estimated it was about four in the morning. There was a little bit of light outside. Turning her head to the door she thought she saw the faint glow of yellow light. Slipping around Sybok she made her way out his door, gently closing it behind her.

There was definitely a light coming from downstairs. Sarek must be home.

She found him in the living room, sitting in lotus position, his head tilted, eyes open, staring directly at her. His ornate robes were gone. He was wearing the simple outfit Amanda always regarded as pajamas: loose pants, with a light long sleeve top buttoned up the front. She noted his attire provided significantly more coverage than her pajamas.

Suddenly conscious of her braless-ness she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Goodmorning, Amanda," said Sarek. "Thank you for watching Sybok."

"You're welcome," said Amanda. She was too uncomfortable to even be curious about where he'd gone. More than anything she wanted to run, wanted to be home, she did not want any more uncomfortable conversations with her Vulcan.

"Um...do you think I could borrow some clothes?" she asked. There was no way she'd get into a cab with what she had on now.

"You are cold?" Sarek asked standing up. "I could turn up the heat, I turned it down a little for your benefit --"

"No, its just that I'm practically naked!"

Sarek looked her up and down.

"I feel naked," said Amanda closing her eyes.

"Ah...I see." Sarek began unbuttoning his top.

What was he doing? Was he going to give her his shirt? Sarek began pulling the garment off his arms. Amanda looked at the floor. Please don't let him be bare chested underneath. Don't look up...don't look up.

She looked up. He was not bare chested. She felt inappropriately disapointed...although, the fitted black tee he was wearing did actually provide a nice outline of his...

Inappropriate, Amanda.

Stepping forward Sarek put the shirt over her shoulders, his warm dry fingers briefly coming into contact with her skin. Amanda felt herself go warm in ways that were very inappropriate...oh, for the convenience of her lost days of asexuality.

Wait. Vulcans did not touch...not even momentarily, accidentally...

Sarek did not withdraw after putting the shirt over her shoulders. "I have some things to discuss with you," he said putting his arms behind his back.

He was standing too close. The only other time he'd been this close was when he'd touched her forehead weeks ago and they'd had that talk.

"Ummm..." said Amanda. Which wasn't what she wanted to say of course, but what came out anyway.

"I have recently become privy to information I did not have access to before," said Sarek. "It is possible for humans and Vulcans to bond, although there are slightly more risks involved than between Vulcan pairs."

Oh. Wait. What?

"Risks?" asked Amanda. The closeness of Sarek's body was beginning to make her disorientated. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was in his house, in the wee hours of the morning, after being beamed here practically naked...

"Yes, apparently headaches and nausea result in 25% of bondings but no fatalities or permanent mental injuries. Which as I explained was my primary objection to a..." He tilted his head. "I believe the Terran term would be a romantic relationship. The concept does not exist on Vulcan. But I suppose that is the most accurate description of our relationship, until we can bond...it might take a few weeks for me to find a healer. Someone who is discreet. But I believe I have a lead --"

"A few weeks?" stammered Amanda.

"Yes," said Sarek.

"A few weeks to find a healer -- or a few weeks until we bond?" she said softly.

Sarek tilted his head. "If you are willing...Both?"

Amanda blinked. Her jaw dropped.

At least he made it a question and added the 'if you are willing part'.

Amanda articulated the first thing that came to her mind. Which was a blank. "Ummmm..." she managed.

A/N:
I think Sarek is being very logical, actually. Do you disagree?

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