Chapter 108

Amanda woke to a mouth full of dry sand. She scrambled up, coughing and spluttering to get the grains out of her throat. Rubbing her face and mouth of sand with her sleeves, Amanda suddenly flinched at her pounding headache. Straining to open her eyes she saw the oppressive sun overhead radiating its relentless heat and there were dunes as far as the eye could see. Grasping for her water she managed to squeeze out a few drops that remained in the sachet. It scarcely relieved her thirst and she could still feel what felt like thousands of grains of sand in her teeth.

She cast about looking for anything or anyone that would be familiar to her. The dunes stretched out around her for miles, almost gleaming white in the scorching sun. Starting to panic, she struggled to her feet and reeled from the stabbing pain in her head. Trying to ignore it she looked around anxiously. There was no indication of how she had got here. Not even a single footprint. Either she had been dumped by a shuttle or she had been carried there unconscious, the wind smoothing away any traces of footsteps hours ago.

Shielding her eyes against the sun she searched desperately for some sign of life or civilization. Just when she thought all was lost, she saw a faint white bulge in the distance. Could that be… a dome?

As Sarek neared his sister's rooms he felt a brief flicker of alarm from T'Sang. Although he had previously agreed never to communicate with her telepathically again it was necessary for him to reinitiate the connection until Amanda could be found. He quickened his pace.

As he approached the front door, he tried to reach out to his sister once more but their bond was still blocked. Impatient, he opened the door. He walked into the living area to find T'Sang standing submissively before Svelda and… his mother. Sarek now understood why his sister had been so secretive.

Walking into the room, T'Sang's eyes lit up when she saw him before she realized what she had done and became neutral. He wished that she had better control over her emotions; his mother could be very perceptive…

Svelda came forward to greet him with the ta'al.

"My brother, I was not expecting you," she said calmly but with a warning tone.

Their bond suddenly sprung to life and she projected caution.

Sarek returned the gesture.

"I apologize for visiting unannounced but I have an urgent matter I must speak with you about," he explained.

"Your wife is not here," Svelda communicated to him telepathically.

Remaining perfectly still, he responded to her.

"How did you know that is what I wanted to discuss?" he asked.

"Your attendant," she stated pointedly.

Sarek resisted the urge to look at T'Sang. Before he could ask further, Svelda interrupted him.

"Sarek, she knows."

It didn't take any telepathic context for him to understand who "she" referred to. He diverted his telepathic attention to T'Sang with a query: how?

"The Lady T'Rama overheard me speaking with Lady Svelda. I did not know she was in the other room," T'Sang explained, dejected.

Before Sarek could respond, T'Rama stepped forward and Sarek had no choice but to look into her gaze, devoid of all warmth.

"It is most unfortunate that your wife is so ill mannered to shirk her duties again, Ambassador. So soon after we thought she had learnt her lesson," she said icily. When she provoked no reaction from him, she continued: "Such a disgrace. I shall report this directly to the Matriarch to ensure she receives the adequate disciplinary action for her repeated transgression."

Realizing that there was no way that he could stop her from doing this and that she was attempting to use this information to have some power over him, he let it go.

"You may share the facts of the situation with her grace. I was about to report it myself in fact. I would request, however, that you keep any of your further elaborations on the sequence or motive of the events separate until we have further information. Confirmation bias will not stand up to her scrutiny no matter how well you may sell it," he said coldly.

T'Rama's lips pursed but she did not say more.

Swiftly taking his leave, he left Svelda's rooms with T'Sang following close behind. If Svelda couldn't help him then his next step would be to find their lady of the household: T'Arris. She watched the comings and goings of the compound diligently. Perhaps she may know something…

He came to a stop as he felt a familiar, less sophisticated mental tug for his attention. As he expected, it was not from T'Pen…

Following its influence, he rounded the corner to the inner courtyard to find Taro standing there waiting for him.

The boy had grown since they had last met. The soft plumpness of childhood was being shed as he grew taller and leaner. His eyes were as serious as his mother's but he had his father's more approachable mannerisms.

Sarek stepped forward and Taro's gaze flitted away, trying to affect disinterest when in reality it was discomfort. But now was not the time for a reconciliation over their past grievances.

"You wished to speak with me?" he asked, curiously.

Unexpectedly, Taro opened their bond. In the past Taro only used this method of communication as a very last resort.

"Please do not take offense, Osu, but I know that you cannot locate your wife through your bond," he stated.

Sarek raised his eyebrow at this. How could he know this? Taro answered his question without being asked.

"She previously confided in me her difficulties and frustration on the subject," he explained.

Sarek was displeased to hear this to say the least. Why would Amanda have talked about this with anyone outside of their relationship? Let alone his nephew? But although this information was disturbing, it seemed that Taro was not seeking to provoke a reaction from him, as he continued:

"I cannot help you find her but with my abilities I can help you find I-Chaya who has been able to pick up her trail."

Sarek's mind traveled the length of his bond with I-Chaya but still he received no response. Could it really be?

"You can reach him?" he asked, intrigued.

Taro nodded.

"Let me take you to him," Taro hesitated before finally adding, "…Uncle."