Disclaimer - Please See Chapter 1.
By special request Peter re-appears. RBS, thank you for reminding me about the different characters. I hope this chapter is ok and you enjoy :-)
Chapter 37 - Planning of a different sort (The important things!)
Rachel, her husband Andrew, Peter and Adam had just arrived at the gates of the Vulcan Embassy. There were stringent security measures in place. Prior to their visit they had to make an appointment with Sordd, Mimi was not a member of Embassy staff so for security reasons she could not make appointments for herself. The family had also undergone security screening before arriving. The adults had a sense of apprehension, the security staff were more intimidating than average security personnel. The children were excited at the thought of being allowed inside the Vulcan Embassy.
The male security officer, Senek, was wearing a metallic dark grey uniform with ribbing running down the chest and back. His hair was dusted with grey, which happened to match his uniform. He had an almost stern look about him, but this was counteracted with a softness around his deep hazel eyes; an unusual eye colour for a Vulcan.
"What is the purpose of your visit Mr Robertson?" he asked, while checking the ID's.
Andrew replied in an typically British accent "'We have made an appointment with Dr Sordd ... so we can visit Mimi. She is my sister in law, this is my wife Rachel and my sons Peter and Adam. We have brought get well cards for her and some gifts." Ordinarily Andrew was not one to be unnerved, however the circumstances were warranting it. Andrew knew all he needed to say was that he had an appointment with Dr Sordd, however, there was something about the Vulcan standing in front of him that made him want to give more information than had been asked for.
Senek raised an eyebrow while he checked information on his PADD.
"Your belongings will need to be scanned and you will all have to pass through a full body scan before you are allowed into the compound. Do you have anything you would like to declare before we proceed?" He asked with an authoritative tone, looking at each member of the party in turn.
Prior to the visit they had been sent a list of items that were not allowed to be taken into the Embassy grounds. If you have ever passed through airport security you will know the kind of things on the list. Keeping hand luggage to a minimum was encouraged. Any liquids were to be limited to 100ml or less and placed in a sealed container. Prohibited items included, flammable liquids and solids, oxidisers, phasers, replica or toy phasers, incendiary devices, radioactive material, corrosives, irritants, preloaded hyposprays, knives and anything with a sharp edge or blade. In fact anything that could be used as a potential weapon was not allowed to be brought in.
Rachel had spent the entire morning checking and rechecking her handbag to make sure she had no prohibited items. She had also pestered her husband and children on the same point. She began fumbling in her handbag, which caused her to fluster. She was sure she had put the item in the back compartment… eventually she found it.
"Adam has a hypospray for allergies, here it is with the biodose pods and the medical certification letter." She handed the items to Senek.
Senek inspected the hypospray to ensure that it was not preloaded. He then inspected the biodose pods and medical certification letter. When he was satisfied he handed them back to Rachel, "Thank you." he said. "If you will come this way." He led them to the scanning area.
*'*
After they had passed through this part of security Senek introduced himself. "My name is Senek and I will be escorting you today." He began to hand out individual ID cards, "It would be agreeable if you can keep this on your person at all times." He didn't tell them that the ID cards were fitted with individual tracking devices. "If you happen to get lost, you must alert a member of Embassy staff immediately. Visitors who are unattended will be challenged and removed from the premises after investigation." He also did not tell them that being removed from the premises may mean being extradited to Vulcan depending on the seriousness of the security breach.
"I will take this opportunity to remind you all that no images are allowed to be taken inside the Embassy Grounds, as outlined in the protocols sent to you prior to your visit, section (5), subsection (1) paragraph (b)." He paused for a moment, "Are there any questions?"
Rachel and Andrew shook their heads in a no. Rachel was frightened to say anything, which was quite something on her part.
Peter shot up his hand.
"Yes Peter." Senek asked.
"Avarak and I had planned to meet up, he said he would be waiting at reception. Is that ok?" He asked hopefully, with a smile on his face.
"If Avarak is at reception when we arrive there he can join you. If he is late he can make his own way to Healer Sordd's office." Senek replied.
"Thank you." Peter smiled.
Senek nodded. "We shall proceed."
*'*
The walk through the compound from the security screening area to the reception area was short. From what they could see it was obvious that the grounds were extensive. To the left of the path there was a flitter landing pad, they just happened to be passing when one flitter landed and another took off. To the right of the path, there was a garden area that seemed to extend around to the back of the building with a number of flower beds and trees. Both Vulcan and human gardeners were tending the grounds. There was also a small lake.
The Embassy building followed traditional Vulcan architecture, the thick stone walls had a red hue and the building had an overall minimalist look. The inside of the building had just undergone extensive renovations creating a very modern Vulcan interior, the predominant palette being a sea of red and purple. All interior rooms throughout the building received natural light through an elaborate system of skylights, similar to those used in the Vulcan Science Academy. The temperature inside the building was very hot for a human, comfortable for a Vulcan. If you didn't know better you could have been led to believe that you had set foot into a building on planet Vulcan.
They quickly arrived at the reception area. Avarak had been waiting patiently but quickly jumped up when he saw the small group approach. After some short pleasantries the children fell in behind the adults as Senek escorted them through the corridors towards Sordd's office.
The corridors of the Embassy also maximised the use of natural light with floor to ceiling glass, shutters could be programmed to come down at night or when privacy was required. They were currently walking through one of these corridors towards the medical wing. Although there were a total of six people walking along the corridor the sound of feet trampling on the floor could not be heard. They passed a number of doors marked with signs written in Vulcan. Peter, Adam and Avarak started to talk, it was a bit of a ping pong match.
"How long will you be staying in New Britain?" Peter asked Avarak.
"One week." He replied.
"What day are you arriving?" Asked Adam
"The Thursday before the wedding." Avarak replied.
"That's brilliant… " replied Peter, "We will be there on Friday. There are lots of things to do ... We can go for woodland walks and go to the beach. There are also some old castles... We can go hunting for fossils..."
"Fossil hunting, that sounds fascinating" Avarak asked excitedly. "Where Peter?"
"On the rocks, near where Gran and Grandad live…" He replied.
"Saros will be coming as well… he would find fossil hunting fascinating." Avarak quickened his pace to catch up with Senek... "Osu Senek."
Senek, looked down at Avarak. Like any Vulcan Senek had outstanding hearing and he had overheard the boy's conversation. However, it would be illogical to jump to conclusions. "Yes, Avarak." He replied.
"Can Saros come fossil hunting when we are in New Britain?" Avarak looked up hopefully.
Senek raised an eyebrow, "Fossil hunting. That sounds quite fascinating. Have you asked permission from your sa-mekh?"
"No…" Avarak frowned, "Not yet Osu."
Senek spoke again, "It would be prudent to ask for permission from your sa-mekh first." He paused for a moment, "Regarding Saros, I will allow him to attend if the logistics are agreeable."
'Thank you Osu." Avarak replied. Inwardly he was pleased but he remembered to school himself. He then slipped back to talk again to Peter and Adam. Avarak began to give his report.
"Osu Senek has given permission for Saros to attend if the logistics are agreeable. I will ask my sa-mekh this evening." He couldn't see why there would be any objections. Perhaps sa-mekh and T'Sai Mimi would like to come as well he thought.
Adam spoke, "We are going to have a lot of fun…"
"Vulcans do not have fun." Avarak replied in a serious tone. "Fun is illogical."
Adam looked at Avarak in a strange way, a similar look to the one he had given him when he said he had never tasted ice-cream, but said nothing.
"We will need to take picnics." Peter said, already getting excited about things.
"I will ask T'Sai Mimi if she can make 15's" Avarak replied, inwardly smiling.
Andrew turned around. Speaking quite sarcastically he addressed his sons. "Peter and Adam, you will also need to check with your parents if it is ok, in the same way that Avarak and Saros have to check with their parents."
"Dad…" Peter asked pleadingly, "Please!."
"I will need to discuss this with your mum. We will also need to see what the weather is like and look at schedules." Andrew replied.
*'*
"Will you be wearing ceremonial robes?" Avarak asked Peter and Adam.
"Yes, I am going to be wearing a kilt" Peter replied.
"Me too." Said Adam with a small scowl on his face.
"What is a kilt?" Avarak asked intrigued.
"It's Scottish Highland dress, it's like a skirt." Peter replied.
"It's made from tartan." chipped in Adam.
"Do you have to wear special clothes?" Peter asked.
"Affirmative." Said Avarak, "I am wearing a ceremonial robe... it is uncomfortable."
Senek who was still able to hear their conversation raised an eyebrow.
"What is tartan?" Avarak asked.
"It's a cloth made from wool, different clans have different colours." Peter replied.
Adam then spoke, "Our kilts are made from Scott Green Ancient tartan. Kilts are itchy! Are your robes itchy Avarak?"
"No, they are not itchy…" He replied. After some thought he spoke again, "Vulcan clans wear different coloured robes."
"That's interesting." Peter said. "Did Vulcan clans fight each other?"
Again Senek raised an eyebrow at the conversation.
"Affirmative... Did Scottish clans fight?" Avarak asked the boys.
"Yes, Scottish clans fought each other and anyone else that came along." Adam replied laughing. Avarak failed to see the humour in the statement, fighting was barbaric and illogical.
"What weapons did Vulcans use?" Asked Adam.
Fortunately Avarak had just been studying this in history. "Pre reform Vulcans used a lirpa and then they made more terrible weapons."
Adam frowned, "What is a lirpa?" he asked
"It's a weapon with a fan shaped blade... What weapons did the Scottish use?" Avarak asked.
"Ahhh, Ancient Scottish used a claymore." replied Adam.
It was Peter's turn to chip in, "It was a two handed sword, they also used knives. We have sgian-dubh's for the wedding…"
Avarak frowned again, before he had time to enquire what a sgian-dubh was they had entered the medical wing and they arrived at his fathers office.
*'*
Notes
Sa-mekh - father
Sgian-dubh is a small, single-edged knife (Scottish Gaelic: sgian) worn as part of traditional Scottish Highland dress along with the kilt.