Chapter 29

(Language is English)

Major Hayes was in a quandary. First off all he was supposed to be on short term leave. Having a weekend leave wasn't much fun on this planet but he had managed to find a volcanic phenomenon to study. Volcanoes were his hobby and the Vulcan Fire Plains were frankly the best site he'd ever seen in person. They were hands down better than anything he'd seen on Earth. They were almost enough to make him want to shift over to those Star Fleet punks if this was the sort of thing they got to see regularly. On the other hand, Star Fleet was for those who couldn't make it in the MACOs and MACOs were the ones who guarded embassies. They had inherited that duty from the Marines their service was descended from. It would be far easier to sign up for more guard duty on other planets.

The second problem was that everyone around here had seemingly gone nuts. There was no way a Human had smuggled a virus into the Vulcan Embassy on Earth. Not with two different security systems and teams going over everyone and every thing going into that building. Plus there were security measures in place that no one knew about outside of those who served on those security teams. He also knew for a fact that both teams had secretes that they'd kept from each other too. Hayes had spent six months there preparing for his tour of duty here. It just wasn't possible; which meant that a Vulcan had to have created the virus on site. There were enough scientists running around that building to make it possible.

So here he was, stuck in a Vulcan monastery, while the Vulcans in general went nuts. He wasn't sure if he was a prisoner, or a guest or what. If he was a prisoner he had the duty to escape. Only he was behind enemy lines if that was the case, and in the middle of the worst desert on the entire planet. There was a reason it was called the Forge. There was no way he'd survive an escape attempt. If he was a guest, then he had overstayed his leave and was now AWOL. That was something that had never happened to him before. He was a MACO and extremely proud of if. He would never bring shame to his service like that.

On the other hand, from what he had been able to pick up from the locals, you didn't ever disobey the old broads that were hanging out here. Learning the local language was something that every embassy guard did their best to do as you never knew what sort of information you could pick up from listening to the man on the street. Listening, not talking; embassy guards stood duty, they didn't talk to tourists. Who knew, the old ladies might just be the equivalent of the local governor. And he was under orders to obey any reasonable request from the locals.

He was pacing the guest room; he guessed it was proper to call it a cell either way as it had belonged to one of the monks before he was put in here, when another Human walked in. "I thought all of the other Humans got kicked off the planet?" he asked as he held out his hand. "Major J. Hayes, MACO."

Trip smiled, "Commander Trip Tucker, Star Fleet, Chief Engineer of the Enterprise."

"Why don't you sit down Commander? I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of accommodations but we can share the bunk if you're willing."

"Better than those pillows they use around here. I know these guys are priests and such but would a chair inside the rooms kill 'em?" Trip chuckled as they both sat down on the bed. It was the only piece of furniture in the room other than a meditation pillow in front of a firepot.

"Do you know what's going on Commander?" Trip noticed that although the guy was as relaxed as possible under the circumstances, he didn't stop using Trip's rank. Hayes had to be career MACO.

"Well, I got good news and I got bad news," Trip started.

"I'll take the bad first."

Trip nodded. He'd expected no less from a MACO, they were as bad as Malcolm in his opinion. "It's pretty bad. The head of the Vulcan High Command has committed mass murder of his own people and blamed it on us. Almost every Vulcan at their embassy is dead, killed by a virus that he ordered released. His name is V'Las and he's using their deaths to kick us out and cut off diplomatic relations. What I'm really afraid of is that this guy is planning a coup. The High Command is the Vulcan Military, the High Council rules the planet and right now the entire council is right here." Trip pointed to the ground. "Normally they're scattered all over the planet taking care of their own Clans and the Clan Mothers just send their chosen reps to the High Council meetings in Shi'Kahr. But they're having this huge ceremony right now that involves all of the Clans. It's a perfect setup for V'Las and whoever is working for him."

"How does kicking us out work into that?" Hayes asked, his mind searching for answers.

Trip grinned evilly. "I don't think he knew that I was down here. He knew just when Enterprise was supposed to get here but we made it in a little early. I think he wanted to make sure that my wife and I weren't on the planet when he set things into motion. You see, I'm married to Enterprise's FO and she's Vulcan, and the daughter of a Clan Mother. We're having a Vulcan marriage ceremony as part of the big to-do here. And when that happens, it will cement an alliance between her Clan and Star Fleet. That in turn will take some if not all of the power away from V'Las if I'm reading the situation right."

"You're married to a Vulcan, sir?" Hayes asked.

Trip laughed. "I know what you're thinking. I'm a sick bastard for hooking up with a Vulcan. But they're a good people in general and you can see from what's going on that they aren't that different from us."

"And you love her," Hayes said. He'd seen it before. Tucker might be around his age but he'd seen enough youngsters in love among his troops to know all the signs.

"Yep," Trip said smugly. "And the really weird thing is she loves me back, although she'd never admit it. You see for Vulcans, admitting that they have emotions in any way is rude and uncivilized behavior. You're a MACO so you've probably seen enough of the Human equivalent of that over the years to understand why a lady like she is won't admit it."

"So how did the two of you hook up if she's not going to admit it? And how do you know she does?" Hayes wanted to know. What Hayes really wanted to know was how disturbed this guy really was. If he had a rational explanation then he could probably be trusted and if he didn't, well then, he'd probably have to call the priests to come take the mental patient away.

"That's easy enough. You see Vulcans are touch telepaths and they form permanent mental connections with their mates called bonds. Their religions says that any bond that forms on its own with no conscious help from those involved is a bond created by God, who they call the Other by the way. Now the bond that T'Pol and I have is one of those spontaneous bonds. You can't hide how you feel from someone who is inside your head."

Hayes had to admit that was one smooth setup for Earth. He knew about the bond stuff, it was in his briefing and he'd asked about the generalities before. So Tucker probably wasn't talking out his ass about him and his wife. And if he was it didn't really matter. None of the Vulcans were going to be able to say crap about the wedding if the priests said it was set up by God. And if Tucker was right about this V'Las guy then Earth and Star Fleet was going to need the wedding and the alliance that went with it.

Xon, one of T'Pol's brothers and Skon, T'Pau's bondmate entered through the room's open door leading Dr. Phlox. "Commander Tucker, have you had time to inform Major Hayes as to the part we need him to perform in the kal'i'fee ceremony?" Skon asked.

Hayes knew that kal'i'fee meant marriage. So Tucker was serious. He looked over Tucker and noticed that he was dressed in Vulcan robes similar to what the unknown alien was wearing. He decided that he would go along with whatever Tucker would ask him. He had to support Earth in anyway that he could.

"Nope not yet, I was just getting to that." Trip turned back to Hayes. "I need a Human groomsman for the ceremony. Dr. Phlox here is going to be my best man because he serves on Enterprise with me but you're the only other Human on the planet right now. What do you say?"

"What do I have to do?"

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(Language is Vulcan)

T'Pol waited in the small courtyard in her wedding finery. There was just one last person in her wedding party who had yet to arrive. T'Pol rose to greet him as he entered. "Koss," she called as she bowed her head.

"T'Pol," he returned as walked up to her. He had wondered why his family had been called to participate in the Great Gathering. Although his family was prominent in these times, they had not been so in the days of the Awakening. His only connection to the families of the Clan Mothers was his once betrothal to T'Pol. Now that he saw her finery, he understood. As her former betrothed he would stand beside her to champion her should she call the challenge. "Does the Clan Xtmprsqzntwlfd require a champion?"

"Only as a formality," she assured him. "My marriage is to take place as part of the Clan Alliances, thus the full rites are to take place."

"I had heard that your mate was, Human." he said uneasily. Koss wasn't sure whether or not the rumors were true. The reports were so conflicting as to be utterly worthless. The only thing that was certain was that T'Pol's bond was that of chosen mates. He himself had known that for months now as the bond between them had withered. It had died a full death months ago. Skon's announcement had been merely a formality for him.

"Yes," she said simply. "My husband is the Chief Engineer of Enterprise."

"Your husband?" he asked.

"We have already married in the manner of his people. We now marry in the manner of mine," she said.

"I am curious to meet the man who the Other has chosen for you."

"He is Human," T'Pol warned him. Then she changed the subject. "Have you found a new betrothed? I do not wish you ill."

"I was fortunate. One of my colleagues had no betrothed as her parents wished for her to choose her own mate. Her name is T'Pring and she has accepted my proposal." Koss was actually pleased with the new arrangement. He was not fond of non-Vulcans and would rather spend his days in his studio designing buildings than have to deal with aliens. T'Pol, he knew was fascinated by the unknown. T'Pol was far better off with her mate just as he was with T'Pring.

"I wish you both well," T'Pol said without rancor. She had never truly wanted Koss. She personally thought he was the dullest person on the face of Vulcan; halfwits had more personality than he did. She had said a prayer of thanks to the Other every night since the Healer had proclaimed her bond to Trip was real.

"It is time," called T'Pau. Silently the wedding party together to travel to Mount Seleya.