Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek and its concepts. I haven't written fanfiction in a long time, but I had an idea that I just had to write down. Please note this is M-rated, especially in later chapters. Don't like, don't read. 18+ This story is the opposite of first contact; instead of Vulcans making first contact, humans do. Please Enjoy!
Notes: Updates maybe slow and inconsistent due to university torture. I'm also dyslexic, so there maybe an error or two. My eyes simply shift over it regardless of how many times I read it. My apologizes.
BOLD & ITALIC = Vulcan language ITALIC = Inner thoughts
Trigger Warning: Goryish scenes, crash landing, mentions of death.
Chapter one: 40 Eridani A
Extreme heat, that's the first thing that came to Ava as she started to regain consciousness. She laid upon the hot sand uncomfortably, but she didn't have the effort to pull herself up yet. Ava had an assortment of injuries fractured ribs, concussed, scraps, and cuts. Crashing into a rocky desert is not the way to go. That crash landing wasn't exactly graceful either. She would have rather crashed on a tropical island filled with lush greens and an ocean. Yet she was one of 75 souls still alive who had the lucky fortune of finding themselves on a desert planet. Why couldn't they have surveyed a tropical planet, she wondered.
Instead, here she was in a hell hole deprived of oxygen, lush green, and a cool breeze. Her body was struggling to take inbreathes of the hot air. Suppose you could even call it air. It was fire. Her lungs not only struggled with the oxygen but the gravity. It felt like a weight was pressed upon her back, pushing her deeper into the sand. She wondered if she had awoken in hell? Was she even alive? If this was hell, it sure fits the description.
Still lying face down, her green eyes examined the dusty red landscape surrounded by the debris of the crashed escape pod. Her eyes squinted from the bright sunlight causing her head to pound. She was disoriented and struggled to get her thoughts together. Finally, with a shaky deep breath, she pulled herself up. Once pulled back in a perfect bun, her bright red hair laid tangled, coated in sand, hung loosely at her waist. The lack of oxygen made her feel lightheaded, but she managed. Slowly her senses started to tune to her surroundings, and she began to notice the aches and pains—much to her regret.
Her eyes were focused, and the high pitch ringing in her ears subsided. This was nothing like she'd ever seen before. This world was entirely desert and undeniably a wasteland. The heat was nothing like she experienced before, even on her occasional trips to Arizona to visit her aunt. She picked herself up off the sand only to shriek from the searing pain that originated from her right shoulder. She cried out from the movement, which sounded more like a crackle because her throat was coated in dry sand and ash. She gripped her right side, gasping collapsing into the dirt. At first, she only noticed the scrapes, the cuts, and her mangled excuse of a uniform. Then she saw the ungodly sight of her dislocated shoulder. If it weren't for the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she probably would have passed out again. Well, at least it didn't seem like anything vital.
Concentrating on her breathing, she tried to ground herself. Her survival training prepared her for this very moment. Now all she must do is remember. It wasn't exactly easy to focus as she realized she was ultimately alone. Sand dunes surrounded her. There were no other pods, no animals, and no people. There was only silence and the whistle of the wind. Ava wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She was glad there weren't any animals but seeing no other crashed escape pods gave her little hope. Was she the only one alive? Impossible, she assured herself. She saw other escape pods in orbit right before…well, she couldn't remember much past that point.
A hot breeze graced her face, and she braced against the sand blowing into her eyes. Wiping away the dust, she saw her damaged pod. It looked more like a heap of metal instead of a once fully operational pod. The door that was supposed to keep her secure was thrown wide open, glass cracked, and several pieces were scattered. Judging by the debris and her positioning, she was ejected from the pod. Another equipment failure, she noted. Not only did the pod not take her to the predetermined rendezvous point, but the damn door failed. Place that on the list along with the Phoenix, she noted once more. It was supposed to be a simple mission. 40 Eridani A and back. Nothing complicated and no difficulties. Damn, was she very wrong. A crew of 300, primarily dead, injured, alive…. who knew?
Focusing her attention back, she took a deep breath concentrating. She had to move; she had to grip through the pain and move. She needed the medkit and water. Another deep breath…she stood up in one swift motion. With blurry vision from the sudden head rush, she staggered her way to the escape pod. She pulled everything she could with her one good arm. The medkit, the tricorder, and of course, her communicator. She struggled to get her brain to communicate with her fingers. She tore apart the medkit and began to conduct scans.
Just as she expected, she quickly dosed up with pain killers and a tri-ox compound for oxygen thinned atmosphere. With a sharp hiss of the hypospray, she could instantly feel the sweet relief. It dulled the pain, at least for now. She had enough dosages to last for a few days, but she needed medical care. At least the fractured rib on her left concluded from the scan didn't cause severe pain; the shoulder hurt the most. With her one good arm, she fumbled with the tricorder. Taking an initial scan, it detected a large city. Walking would take at least a full day, she calculated. It was far, but it was either stay and wait and hope somebody would come along or take her chances. She checked her supplies finding water and emergency rations. It would have to be enough, but the question was how she would carry it all.
Her right shoulder was dislocated, which would lead to difficulties. Remembering her survival training, she eyed the wreckage. She reflected on critical facts about dislocated shoulders, and honestly, it wasn't appealing without a higher dose of pain medicine. But without a second thought, she placed her back against the metal. With all the energy she mustered, she pushed her shoulder against the metal plating, pushing it back into place. She screamed once more falling to her knees on the sand. She was rather impressed that it worked the first time. She had to thank her friend Juniper for forcing her ass to the gym daily. Ava didn't know what she would have done if she didn't have the strength to put her shoulder back. Grabbing her communicator, she flipped it open, and it made a noticeable beep.
"This is Ava Sage. Does anyone read…." She cleared her throat. "Does anyone read?" Just static. Her heart sunk further into her chest. What if she was the only one left. Her best friend, Juniper, and Jackson. The thought of Jackson made her eyes water. She saw him die right before her eyes. He had a wife and two little boys back on Earth. Oh my god, she thought, how will I tell his wife. Tears coursed down her face.
Stop! She commanded herself. Realization struck her. There wasn't time to mourn. She had to pull herself together. This wasn't the time to cry. She found it hard to focus even though her mind started to piece together the tragedy that occurred only hours ago. How much time passed? Was it an hour, or was it several? Once again, she shook past the concern. She had to find the others.
Gathering her things, she decided it was best to set out. It wasn't sure how long the days were on this planet. She was afraid of what was to come as night would fall. If there was anything she learned about deserts was, don't be out at night.
L'Vor observed an extensive class of Vulcan students as they went through their daily drills of Suus Mahna and Sha'mura. It was a busy day of training, and it was the perfect day to practice in the Vulcan summer heat. His most preferred time of year. The students wore black tunics, which consisted of light and movable fabric. L'Vor wore the same except the gold scripture embroidered on the side indicated a higher status as the other masters did. He's been a master of all Vulcan martial art practices for 50 years, and he's highly regarded as one of the best teachers on Vulcan. Every Vulcan family who wished their sons or daughters to become masters would send them to L'Vor's temple, no matter the distance. The school is prestigious, and the screening process before enrolling new students is intense. Some Vulcans don't make the cut based on their family status. L'Vor's family can be dated back to the time before Surak. Not only did the students have to be physically adequate, but they also had to be mentally adaptable. After all, martial arts isn't just physical strength but also a logical practice.
The facility was large and surrounded by sand dunes. It is made of red stone and rock. It was aesthetically pleasing to any Vulcan since it is incredibly outdated to today's more modern buildings. A relic in the desert. The facility dates back to the time before the awakening before Vulcans had logic. Somehow it survived those horrible wars, and so did his family's legacy.
L'Vor enjoyed the hot summer days on Vulcan. It was best to train in the day's heat to further the student's discipline, strengthen their agility and sharpen their skills in harsh environments. Then again, Vulcan is a very harsh planet, but nothing compares to a Vulcan summer. He watched silently, taking mental notes of each student's performance. He held his hands firmly behind his back as he walked around the courtyard. Other masters also observed the students taking in every mistake they saw.
Recently L'Vor has been more and more involved in his work. Each day he's been going to the temple earlier and earlier and staying later and later into the evening. All to avoid his mother, the matriarch of the family Solvia. She was pressuring him to acquire a mate. She's been lenient for some time due to his grief, but as L'Vor's Time approaches, his mother becomes more and more pressing. L'Vor's family is more progressive and doesn't typically practice the old traditions of arranged marriage. He chose a mate years ago, mated with her once, bore one child, then went on an expedition trip. Where she, unfortunately, met her death.
That was ten years ago, and it was time to choose another before his next Time. Previously it was a priestess who helped him through the Time, but his mother refused to let him go through it again with a proper mate. Since L'Vor has failed to choose a worthy mate, his mother has threatened to arrange a woman for him. Unfortunately for L'Vor, no Vulcan women interest him. Only T'Miria truly stimulated his mind, but now she's gone. L'Vor convinced his mother that he wished to focus on his career for some time. He wanted to use work to cover his grief, but it didn't convince his mother very long.
There was no logic in waiting for a mate anymore, yet he didn't understand what was stopping him. There are plenty of worthy Vulcan women with high status. They were aesthetically pleasing and would make fantastic wives, yet…none engaged his mind. None of them offered interesting conversation. L'Vor figured meditation would be the best solution to his problem in his struggles. So far, he hasn't found a solution, and it irritated him. He pushed the emotion aside and buried it in logic. He had to focus on his work. That was his solution, and maybe the feeling of uncertainty would pass. He returned his attention to his class, shouting commands in Vulcan, and the students responded correctly.
Eventually, he would have to face his mother. He soon would have to take a mate, but perhaps he would wait it out longer. Maybe a woman who can provide not only interesting conversation but bring wonder into this life. To care for T'Sella and bore him other children. Even though Vulcans show no emotion, they still feel all the aches and pains life has to offer. And he was feeling them all. And he wondered if the pain would ever diminish. Breaking a bond that he and T'Miria shared was horrible. And losing the connection so suddenly was catastrophic.
Of course, he was the perfect suitor for any Vulcan woman. Many families would do practically anything for their daughters to wed a highly prestigious Vulcan male. He's intelligent, diligent, disciplined in the art of logic, and disciplined in the art of the mind. Not only that, but he's pleasing to any woman's eye. Chiseled features, tall, muscular, and very fit. His tunic couldn't hide his muscular outline. His eyes are a caramel brown, and his hair straight and black. Cut in the typically Vulcan style. Yes, he was perfect.
Sliding down a large dune was Ava, dirtier than before. It looked like she's been rolling round in the sand for hours….and she was. After walking the desert, which felt like hours, she became desperate. Her communicator wasn't working even though she kept checking it every thirty minutes. She was rationing water already, and it wasn't enough to keep her hydrated. The sun was burning her skin, but luckily before she left the wreckage, she grabbed an energy jacket to cover up. Still, the bright sun was causing her head to ache.
The pain from her shoulder and ribs was starting to resurface. She quickly pulled out a hypospray and tried to inject it. Nothing. Nothing happened. She began to fettle with it. The damn thing broke.
"DAMNIT!" She screamed, throwing it to the dusty ground. "Is there no life on this fucking piece of desert rock!" Of course, she was aware there was life because the Phoenix wouldn't have had a warp core breach if it wasn't for their tractor beam. They wouldn't have gone to 40 Eridani A if they didn't detect a signal from this location. It meant one thing, there was life here, but apparently, she couldn't find anyone on this side of the planet.
Suddenly, regrading her words, she felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned slowly. Behind her was a child with pointed ears and at his side was a large bear-like creature. Ava's eyes grew wide. Unsure of what to be startled most, the child or animal to back a few steps. She wondered how the hell this child could sneak up on her like that. Instead, the child just peered at her with curiosity. The child had long hair braided into an elaborate fashion, beautiful amber eyes, and dressed in a purple tunic. Ava could only estimate the child was ten years old, but that's Earth years.
The girl still stared curiously at Ava. She has never seen an alien before. To the small girl, Ava was highly different from her curly red hair, green eyes, and pink skin. The girl noticed Ava's makeshift sling for her arm, cuts and bruises, and tattered clothing. The girl logically reasoned that Ava was a crash victim, strained in the desert. Logically this alien female won't survive the coming sand fire, the girl thought. The sand fires were prominent this time of year, and there was one due tonight.
As the hot wind whipped through Ava's hair, the child was stuck with awe at the sight of her round ears. Definitely not Vulcan.
"Hi, I'm Ava." She spoke softly. Of course, this child probably couldn't understand anything Ava was saying. But she had to try. The chance of survival out her was low. Her eyes drifted to the creature, which had enormous fangs. Ava tried not to exhibit nervousness, but that creature was frightening. Yet, the child wasn't bothered by it. Was it a pet? The child had placed her hand on top of the creature's head, and it purred in response. That made Ava breathe a little easy. "Can you help me?" She pointed to her shoulder.
There was no question; she had to take this lost woman back to the family manor. The girl approached, grabbing hold of Ava's wrist. Unable to communicate through language, this was the only method the girl knew how. Vulcan parents and children rely on touch telepathy at young ages to establish connection and communication. Ava was nothing more than a lost child in a foreign world, unable to communicate to the girl. The girl would sense Ava's surprise, apprehension, and fear as the girl pulled her to the north. The creature followed ahead.
Ava was more surprised at the strength this girl had. The pull was nothing of a child's strength. The girl would also sense Ava's nervousness, pain, grief, and sadness. She was interesting the girl through. Ava was experiencing so many emotions. The girl was amazed Ava was sane with all those emotions combating one another. A Vulcan would have gone mad by now.
Back at the family manor, L'Vor was working in his office, completely immersed in the job. It took a lot to run the old temple, the classes, and select students—a new wave of students' applications needed to be analyzed and evaluated. Not only but the finances of the temple had to be organized and cataloged for the quarter. Nevertheless, he enjoyed his work, and he found it comforting to do it back at the traditional family manor. After all, someone had to take care of T'Sella as he continued his work at the temple.
The manor was ancient and housed hundreds of generations of Vulcans. The manor walls told stories before and during the time of awakening. Family heirlooms and artifacts decorated the halls. It's like a time capsule and a museum with the finest curators. L'Vor's office was located on the manor's third floor, at the southern wing, just outside of his quarters.
He paused from his work, wondering about T'Sella and how she did at school. He keeps track of her studies, making sure she is doing well. He wouldn't be a good Vulcan father if he didn't. However, T'Sella is very bright for her age. She's surprised her entire class. He felt of wave of pride when she received recognition for her work—suppressed, of course. He also made sure T'Sella received Suus Mahna training. Not surprisingly, she was picking up on it well.
He turned away from the computer folding his hands behind his back; he began to walk towards the main living quarters where most of the family resides. The house contains five different full families. The other six have moved to other regions of Vulcan or simply have their own homes. As he made his way to the center and bottom floor of the house, he noticed heightened chatter. More than normal and louder. Most of the time, Vulcans don't speak above a certain octave or have voice inflections. So that means it must be the children.
As he stepped at the bottom of the stairs, he was greeted by a peculiar sight. His daughter T'Sella, his nieces, and nephews surrounded an alien woman.
When T'Sella brought Ava home, the language barrier was becoming an issue. Ava, with her concussion and all, could hardly keep up. It took her everything to make it to the front door. She marveled at the large stone archways at the manor's front, the beautiful gardens, and the stonework. The fire fountains lit the entrance in a warm glow as the sun started to dip into the horizon. The atmosphere started to cool and breathing became slightly easier. Ava was very uncomfortable entering a house…an alien house, uninvited. She wondered if this alien child even knew what she was. Does she think I'm a pet? If she gives me food and water, I won't complain, she thought. T'Sella motioned for Ava to sit; she contemplated while the child ran out with her fuzzy fanged creature. She was sitting on a bench in the middle of a large grand hall. Her heavy eyes wondered at the artwork as she assessed her situation. So whoever these people are, they could kill him? But would that be so bad? Could I even escape? Death would put her out of her misery, but one thing for sure, escaping into the night wasn't an option. Death would be a guarantee in the desert.
When T'Sella returned, she returned with other children, who stared at her with stoic expressions just as T'Sella. Each one looked similar to the other. Siblings? She handed her a Kal-toh, a strategy game on Vulcan. It was a chaotic ball of rods. She gave it to Ava, who took it happily with a smile, but she had no idea what it was. Defiantly not food or water, as she hoped.
"Is it a toy or a game?" She asked, but the children just stared. Finally, T'Sella seemed to get part of the question since she pulled out a single rod. Is it like Jenga? She wondered. Ava pulled out a single rod which seemed to satisfy the girl. If you call an expressionless face satisfaction, I guess I did something right. The other children surrounded her, ignoring her dirty appearance or tattering clothing. They didn't seem to mind. One little girl, perhaps five, reached out to touch her red hair feeling the silk texture. Another child, a boy, maybe seven years old, started pressing buttons on her tricorder.
"T'Sella," The sudden voice made Ava jump, meeting the eyes of an adult Vulcan. He stood tall and held the same stoic expression as the children. Yet, his looked more menacing. His striking features weren't what made Ava grow still, but it was his presence, the power that he radiated. It was frightening. "What is this?" To Ava, the language sounded like a combination of French and German. Soft but with harsh pronunciations.
"I found her in the desert, father. I was unaware you were home; otherwise, I would have taken her straight to you. She would not have survived the sand lighting." He took in her words then looked at the alien woman.
"Sikan," He addressed another child, a boy who is 11 years of age. "Your father should have returned from the clinic; bring him here. This woman requires medical attention." The boy nodded and left, turning the corner out of Ava's view.
"I'm sorry," Ava said, placing the chaotic game to the side of the bench where she set. She could hardly focus. She needed pain medication. "I'm not here to hurt anyone." He didn't understand her language, but he could see she wasn't a threat. Not in her condition. How did an alien woman get stranded this far out of the city? he thought. Judging by the tattered uniform, she's been through a horrific accident or something traumatizing. She's covered in dust and bruises, so a crash, perhaps. Did her shuttle malfunction and diverged far from the city? Maybe she's a diplomat heading to ShiKahr. Yet, her species, I've never seen before. L'Vor wasn't precisely a traveling man; he didn't travel outside of his solar system. He never desired to see other worlds. However, he knows all the allied species and enemies with Vulcan. He had no clue what she was.
He approached her. His robes swept the stone floor. Her eyes are as green as Vulcan blood. A trait not seen in Vulcans; they were bright but unable to focus. He sees why the children took an interest in her. He crouched down to better look at her as she sat on the bench. He could sense her discomfort, but regardless he assessed her. She's new and different. Her eyes weren't the ultimate giveaway of her exotic beauty, her hair was as red as the Vulcan sand dunes. Her clothing suggested a uniform of a high rank judging the number of emblems on her collar. The symbols were unrecognizable, and so was her uniform; it was mangled and torn, exposed to the top of cleavage and stomach. He admits that his eyes lingered on her bare skin more than propriety allowed. It was evident that she was exposed to too much sunlight as her skin started to turn scarlet. The red undertones suggested an iron-based blood type. Interesting. Despite the dust, dirt, and injuries, she's….beautiful.
"T'Sella, where did you find her? Was she near any wreckage?"
"I found her near the lava plains, close to the temple. I was studying the plains before returning home from school." T'Sella paused. "She is not dangerous, and I sensed no ill intentions. However, she is very emotional and is suffering from significant trauma."
"You sensed her emotions, T'Sella?"
"I initiated contact to understand her better." The child's brown eyes shifted to the floor. "I kept my mental barriers raised. Based on the contact, I concluded to take her to the manor. She's in pain and disoriented." He assessed his daughter's logic. "If I didn't take her back to the manor, she would have died." T'Sella was not at fault, and she defended her logic. She did what she thought was necessary for a child her age. An adult would have approached it differently instead of initiating physical contact. But T'Sella was still a child learning to master her emotions.
"Very well. Acquire water for our guest and summon the maidens of the house. She will require attending too in our care…" He paused. "Take the others with you." T'Sella and the other children left to fetch the maidens. The sehlat also followed. He continued to eye her curiously while she nervously sat there. Ava found it difficult to look at him. Not only was he very intimidating but also very handsome. Those caramel eyes were deep and expressionless but held so much curiosity. He wondered what star system she came from. Hopefully, his brother would know. He could sense her fear and wished to comfort her somehow, telling her there was nothing to fear here. But he was an alien to her, and she was in an alien house; of course, she could be terrified. When their eyes did meet, he was lost in them. What was he feeling for this woman, an alien he doesn't know? An alien he just met. He would have to meditate on this later.
"I'm really tired," Ava whispered, her eyes starting to droop. He noticed she was starting to lose consciousness and began to sway. Quickly he supported her, taking her off the bench and holding her beside him. He supported her head as she continued to lose focus. He didn't understand her biology and feared she was going into shock. Then, disregarding his mental barriers, he started to hear her thoughts. She was scared and panicked. L'Vor quickly started to push comforting and calming effects on her mind and body. She relaxed instantly. For Ava, she was sure this was the end, dying in the arms of a handsome alien. But she couldn't die. She has a duty to her crew and since the entire bridge crew perished, she was the only one left able to command. At least he was comforting. Thankfully it didn't take long for Sikan to return with his father in tow, L'Vor's brother.
Tavik was much older than L'Vor. His hair was starting to get strains of grey, and his face showed years of medical service.
"You requested my presence, brother." He said, lifting his eyes from his PADD to notice his brother trying to keep an alien woman conscious.
"This woman requires medical care." Tavik kneeled, quickly conducting his scans.
"She's a human female. I was unaware humans acquired the technological ability to warp."
"Human?" L'Vor raised an eyebrow. He made a mental note to study her species later this evening once she was stable.
"Yes, She's from a planet 16.5 lights years from Vulcan. They call it Earth. It has a vast ecosystem, and 70 percent of its surface is water. On my expeditions, I found humans one of the more fascinating species we observed." He continued his scans.
"She was conscious one minute ago and then started to collapse."
"She's not acclimated to the depleted oxygen or increased gravity. Along with the heat has caused heat stroke. She is also suffering from a concussion, fractured ribs, and swelling. We need to get her upstairs to my lab and stable." Tavik injected her with a medication cocktail hypospray, hydration, tri-ox compound, and more. Swiftly L'Vor lifted the entirely unconscious Ava to Tavik's lab. Tavik conducted medical research on the side. The lab wasn't suitable for patients, but it was the best chance she had.
That evening the sand lighting season started. The hiss of the wind and lightning could be heard throughout the entire manor. After Tavik stabilized Ava and began treatment, he resided for the evening. T'Sella wished to stay and care for her new friend. However, she had school the next day, and L'Vor ordered her to reside for the evening. All was quiet in the lab, and as for L'Vor, he stayed, watching the human woman breathe easily. Her chest rose and fell steadily, and seeing her content, stable, and well satisfied him.
For the next few days, she had a slew of visitors. First, everyone in the house had to visit the alien woman sleeping in the lab. Her condition improved, but Tavik thought it best to sedate her while she acclimated to the planet. After that, her most frequent visitors were T'Sella, who insisted on her father that she wanted to keep the alien woman. After all, she was the one who found her, but this led to a lengthy discussion that the woman wasn't a pet like her sehlat. Her other frequent visitor was L'Vor. He moved some of his office work in the lab, even mediated there, so while Tavik was busy, he could watch her vitals, and over those next few days, he took every opportunity to study humans.
He began to study the language intensively. It was easy and not as complex as Vulcan. He studied her culture, the politics of Earth, and her history. There hasn't been an expedition to Earth in fifty years, and apparently, they've achieved warp drive in that time. Unfortunately, their data was out of date, but this would suffice for now.
Thanks for reading, I hope to get the next chapter out soon! Stay tuned.