Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1

Chapter 20 - Getting in the water

Mimi and Rachel had booked a local pool for swimming lessons for the Vulcan children. The pool was 25m x 13m. The shallow end was 1m deep. The other end of the pool had a maximum depth of 2.5m, however, the movable floor had been altered to 1m deep for training purposes. The pool also had the advantage that it could be heated. The water temperature was currently sitting at 31°C (88°F) instead of the usual 25°C (77°F). This was still on the cool side for a Vulcan, but hopefully more comfortable for them. The sessions were in two blocks, the boys and girls being taught separately.

Mimi was currently in the shallow end of the pool. She was wearing light red boarding shorts and a red and white striped tankini, her hair was tied up in a loose ponytail. Standing ramrod straight at the pool edge was Sordd. He was clothed in unusual Vulcan attire consisting of navy blue boarding shorts and grey sliders. Mimi had only ever seen him dressed in Vulcan clothing, which made it difficult to determine what was underneath. His body turned out to be lean and well toned with noticeable muscle definition and shape, but not too much bulk. His skin had a greenish hue.

"Sordd, you need to get in the water if you are going to learn to swim!" she splashed some water at him. He just stood and blinked. He had been standing at the edge of the pool for the last fifteen minutes. Mimi was trying to coax him in.

"Look, it's fun." Mimi was playfully bouncing up and down while treading water, letting the buoyancy take her… What are you scared of?" she teased.

"I'm not scared. That would be illogical. There is no need to be able to swim on Vulcan. Also Vulcans have a greater density than humans, which increases the risk of sinking." He said this in a matter of fact tone. His logic since meeting T'Sai Mimi was on occasion far from being sound, this being a prime example. He was wondering why in all of Vulcan he had agreed to this in the first place.

"Yes, but you are not on Vulcan, you are on Earth and it's a great skill to have. You have a larger lung capacity so you will not sink! We are also in the shallow end, look." Mimi stood up on her feet, the water came up to her waist. "You are taller than me, the water will come upto your mid thigh." She splashed him again, he didn't flinch. "We only have forty minutes now until the children come for their lessons. Avarak and T'Shahel have already learned breaststroke and are moving onto front crawl. It will be easy for you to learn. Please, come into the water." She smiled encouragingly. "The pool has been heated to 88° if that helps with your decision."

He inclined his head, "You could demonstrate how to swim and I could learn that way."

She shook her head and waved a finger. "No, no, no. I'm not doing that. You need to get into the water! You need to get wet."

Sordd flushed slightly. He was conflicted. He did see the logic of learning to swim, which is why he had allowed his children to do so. However, so much water was … disagreeable. Being Vulcan and being wet were not synonymous. He inwardly sighed. "Is there a price to pay if I do not get in the water?" he asked this with a look of total innocence on his face.

"Well seeing as it's a lesson normally there will be a price to pay if you do!" Mimi teased again.

Sordd thought for 1.15 seconds. It would perhaps be logical for him to learn to swim after all. He decided to get into the water.