Endings and Beginnings

Vulcan Science Academy, New Shi'Kahr, 2283.138, 1502 hours. "You guys!" Casey squealed, "We're graduating!"

Seated beside her, Poleia broke eye contact with the professors and speakers now gathering on the raised dais. "Casey, you have once again proven that you have quite the knack for pointing out the obvious."

"HA! Who'd have thought four years ago that you'd have such a sense of humor!?" She wrapped her friend up in her arms. When she was satisfied Casey slung an arm over each of their shoulders. "I can't believe we're finally here…"

T'Alora agreed, but rather than give in to her emotions she turned to look back at her family. They were seated some twenty meters behind in the section reserved for families and friends of the graduates. She spotted Selas first, dressed in new robes and with his head cocked toward the platform, waiting patiently for the ceremony to begin; beside him sat Mama, grinning so hard T'Alora knew her cheeks had to hurt. Sa-mekh was next, straight-backed and straight-faced, though when she looked deep into his eyes she saw his pride for her shining through. Se'tak sat sandwiched between Sa-mekh and Sa-mekh-al, tugging on the collar of his robes and scratching his neck-he always complained that Vulcan clothes did not agree with him. Last was Sa-mekh-al, and a trill of giddy happiness shot through her when she detected the faintest smile on his lips.

Selek was also in attendance, though she knew not where, as he wished to keep a low profile so as not to "mar her important day".

Across the aisle sat Casey's aunt and sister, and 3 rows behind them was Ferlan with the other eleven members of the T'nar M'ren clan. There was quite an assemblage gathered to listen to the keynote speakers. Unlike Terran graduation ceremonies there would be no diplomas dispensed or individual accolades presented; the spokesmen and women would dole out their final pieces of advice to the students and then the gathering would disperse. The families had joint dinner reservations for later that evening to further commemorate the occasion.

This moment was 4.1 years in the making—and as Professor T'Neris stepped up to the platform to call the ceremony to order, T'Alora could not help but crack a small smile of her own for all her accomplishments and for the bright future that lay ahead of her.

12 Trelevin Street, Apartment 4, New Shi'Kahr, 2283.140, 2216 hours. She and Poleia stood in the middle of the living room, eying the numerous packing crates stacked up against the walls around them. They had spent the majority of the day collecting their personal belongings for removal. What items they no longer wished to keep had either been sold or donated; all that remained was what they needed to see them through the next several days. Casey was returning to Terra with her sister and aunt in the morning and Poleia would be on the transport to New Gol the following day. Only she and Stalvek would remain until the lease ran out at the end of the month.

Casey padded barefoot down the hall, a blanket draped over one arm and a bottle of champagne in the other. "I kicked Stalvek out," she declared quite proudly. Setting the bottle aside she spread the blanket out and sat herself down. "Can one of you get some glasses?"

T'Alora duly entered the kitchen and retrieved three mis-matched glasses from the donation bin that was being collected in the morning. "I do hope you are speaking in jest with regards to Stalvek," Poleia said as she easily sank to the floor.

Head cocked to the side and tongue stuck firmly between her lips, Casey continued to work on the cork. "Hmm? Oh I didn't literally kick him out, I just asked him to leave for a little while. Since this is our last night together I told him I wanted it to be just us girls." Suddenly the cork popped and the fizzy beverage began to spill out. "Ha ha, yes! Oh shit, quick, give me a glass…" T'Alora thrust one into her waiting hand as she sat down to join them.

Three glasses were soon poured and dispensed. Before Casey could say anything more T'Alora held her glass aloft. "I believe that it is tradition for a toast to be made, correct?"

Casey grinned and raised her glass. "By all means, take it away, T."

"4.1 years ago, on the first day that we met, I admit to having reservations regarding our relationship. We each had and have such different personalities that I was uncertain that we would be compatible long enough to survive the school year, let alone the whole of our upper level academic career."

Poleia tried to interject. "T'Alora…"

"That said," she rushed on, "I admit that I now find it difficult—no, unfathomable—to imagine my life without either of you in it. You have been great sources of camaraderie and support and I will miss each of you greatly when we go our separate ways." She clinked glasses with the other girls and took a small sip of the fizzy beverage.

Casey was busily wiping the moisture from her eyes while Poleia replied, "I could not have expressed our friendship better myself." She took another sip from her glass.

"You guys!" Casey bawled, "You're making me cry!"

Over her head, T'Alora and Poleia shared a teasing smirk. "Emotional creature, is she not?"

"Indeed; most emotive."

"Stop it!" Casey half-laughed, half-sobbed, smacking her lightly in the arm. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "You two are terrible, you know that?"

"I believe the word you are looking for is incorrigible," said Poleia.

"Ugh!" Casey threw back her head and took a healthy gulp from her glass. They sat together in companionable silence for several seconds, each lost in their own thoughts. "I'm going to miss you guys too."

Poleia scooted closer and gave her a somewhat awkward one-armed hug. "Do not think of this separation as a final farewell, Casey; think of it as a temporary parting of ways. We will communicate often and see each other as frequently as we are able."

Casey nodded as she sniffled. "If only I'd been able to find work here…"

"And yet your services were required on Terra," T'Alora interjected. "So much the better, as your Vulkhansu is nearly perfect and you will be better able to aid both our species with your flawless translations."

"Now you're just trying to make me feel better." Her friend picked up the champagne and gently sloshed it around in the bottle. "Anyone want some more?"

Poleia held out her glass rather quickly. "The taste is quite intriguing and very refreshing." After another sip T'Alora offered hers up as well. The trio reminisced into the early hours of the morning and awoke after only 3.6 hours sleep to accompany Casey to the transport terminal. It was far from an easy farewell—many tears were shed—and yet T'Alora knew that this was (as Poleia had so eloquently put it) not a permanent farewell but a temporary parting. Theirs was a lifelong friendship that would survive the distance as much as the passing of years.

Vulcan Space Program Headquarters, New Shannai'Khar, 2283.152, 0859 hours. T'Alora retrieved her duffle from the back of the flitter cab and proceeded to the front gate, her sure steps never betraying the nervousness she felt deep inside. As she approached a rather large Vulcan man stepped out of the booth with a PADD in his hand. "State your purpose."

"Cadet T'Alora, reporting for duty as ordered by Captain Evanna."

The guard consulted his PADD. "Identification." She reached into her robes and produced her identification card which he swiped and handed back. When she was cleared the man stepped aside and entered the code to open the gate. "You may proceed."

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, T'Alora crossed the threshold and began a new phase in her life.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter; it's the last one I'll be posting for "Forging" for awhile. I'm going to be switching gears for a bit and posting more in "Being Se'tak" so be sure you have it in your alerts if you want to catch the updates. And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Selas, I just haven't had a chance to start writing his story out yet! As always, thank you all so much for sticking with me!