Understanding that humans have delicate environmental needs

I bit the last bit of white nail off my little finger as the orange skies of the Vulcan came into view from the shuttle window. I felt my stomach drop with nervousness as I wiped the beads of sweat off my brow. Jesus, was it me or did it suddenly become hot in here?

"There is no need to worry Ashayam." Sarek said from beside me. "In order for you to become better accustomed to the vast difference in temperature between Earth and Vulcan, Captain Cooper has changed the environmental settings of the ship.

I nodded in acknowledgement before drawing in a breath, continuing to stare out the window as the ship prepared for landing. I glanced down, hardly recognizing myself in the long modest blue dress that fell at my ankles and squeezed my neck with its high collar. It was certainly far different from my usual jeans and a t-shirt.

My head began to hurt from the tight French twist pinned to my head, but seeing how beautiful I looked and given how Sarek was about to introduce me, his fiancé, betrothed, ashayam, adun'a to the most important Ambassador on Vulcan I thought better than to ask for a change of hairstyle now.

"Will Sybok be there?" I asked softly.

"Yes, I have been informed the child will be at my residence with my mother."

My heart sped up and I suddenly felt as though my knees would give way at any second. First, I was told within twenty-four hours that I'd be meeting Ambassador Sovol and the entire delegation and now with probably only an hour to spare, I will be meeting not only his son, but his MOTHER.

I swallowed the excess saliva that filled my mouth.

"You are nervous?" He asked flatly.

"Well, yea. I'm meeting the most important person in all of Vulcan, the entire delegation, your two year old son and your mother all is one day." I turned around and faced him, "How can one not be nervous?"

He looked quite handsome in his dark robes and his usual bowl-cut hair. I wiped more sweat from my temples and began to fan myself, I swear it felt like the captain increased the temperature five more degrees within the space of ten minutes.

"Did you taken your tri-ox injections before departure?"

"Of course, I went to the appointment you scheduled for me."

He reached for the tissues on the table nearby and handed me a few. "You are perspiring quite a lot."

"Well duh!" I wiped my forehead and temples. "It happens when humans are under pressure," I said, fanning myself, "and when its hotter than balls." I said, unfiltered.

"We shall land in 2.45 minutes. We should take our seats with the rest of the crew."

With each step out down the corridor I could hear more and more of my heartbeat through my ears. I gasped in surprise as we arrived at the bridge. The hot, humid air hit me like a ton of bricks and nearly took my breath away.

Oh. My. God. Is that really the heat I'm going to have to get use to for the rest of my life?

I practically fell into my seat as my head suddenly started to spin, I laid my head on his shoulder as he took his seat beside me and closed my eyes as we began the landing process.

There was at least ten minutes of silence before Sarek poked at my conscious lightly.

"Are you well?" He asked, "Your complexion resembles a pale grey colour."

"I am alright." I inhaled while unbuckling my seatbelt.

There was two more minutes of silence while I admired the small details of Sarek's outer robe when I saw him hold up his hand in a Ta'al and it was when I forced my head up that I noticed a foreign Vulcan man in front of us dressed in the most exquisite Vulcan attire I had ever seen.

"Ambassador Sarek. Ms. Grayson. Vulcan welcomes you. Follow me."

I didn't know if it would be appropriate or not but I couldn't help but wrapped my arm around Sarek's as I stood to my feet. While I was thankful that my knees did not give out, my sense of relief quickly turned to nervousness when Sarek removed his arm away from mine.

Please, I screamed internally, hoping that somehow through our basic mental bond that he could hear me. I feel-

But my words were cut short as we walked off the ship. The air, the hot sun- I thought the bridge was bad. The hot sun shined upon us as we took the first steps away from the ship. Five pointy-eared men stared at me as I walked a few steps alongside Sarek up to them. I watched Sarek and the elder grey-haired Vulcan in the middle of the four men greet each other and then, suddenly all eyes turned to me.

"Ambassador Sovol, may I present Ms. Amanda Grayson."

I remembered Sarek's recommendation that I salute them with the Vulcan Ta'al, but instead with my nervousness and overcome with overwhelming heat I moved my foot behind me and curtseyed.

An awkward silence filled the hot humid air.

"Ms. Grayson, I am Ambassador Sovol." The grey-haired elder said flatly. "I welcome you to planet Vulcan, and offer my blessing in your upcoming bonding with Ambassador Sarek."

The hot air caught the back of my throat, I exhaled to prevent myself from coughing. "Tha- Thank You, Sir."

"That was quite a historical human greeting." Ambassador Sovol said. "A curtsey, am I correct?"

I simply smiled, as my head began to spin and the skies around me beginning to move and contort. I looked up at Sarek and hoped he could sense something through our bond.

"In.. deed." I mumbled softly.

Suddenly, my knees gave out. I felt my knees hit the ground and then darkness.

"Ms. Grayson…. Ms. Grayson?" I heard a female flat voice call.

I opened my eyes slowly, sighing in relief to feel much cooler than before, but still hot. I groaned feeling a droplet of sweat roll down my forehead. A quick observation of the all white neatly kept room told me that I was indeed in the hospital.

"Am I…dead?" I asked, my voice horsed and raw.

"You are not dead." The Vulcan woman said scanning my face with her tricorder. "You are just overheated. This will help your body adjust better to the planet's climate."

A dull pinch went into the side of my neck causing me to groan. "It is complete." she said, placing the tricorder in her white coat pocket. "Do you remember the events that occurred?"

"Yea…" I adjusted slightly in bed facing her as she walked back towards me with a white cloth in her hand. She ushered me back down into the pillows and placed the cold rag on my forehead. "I passed out." I said with a relaxing sigh, the cloth cooling my hot forehead, "I guess I was just really nervous."

"You suffered from heat exhaustion, Ms. Grayson which has nothing to do with human emotions."

As I relished in the coolness of the rag, I suddenly remembered the faces of the entire delegation when I fell to my knees… and Sarek. SAREK!

"Sarek!" I stood up quickly, "Where is Sar- Am-Ambassador Sarek?"

"Be calm, Ms Grayson." She urged, "I spoke with the Ambassador twenty-five minutes ago. He has informed me to tell you that in the event that you shall wake while he's away that he shall return at 18:20."

I turned, seeing a clock on the wall to my right. 18:18.

"Rest now, Ms. Grayson." She said, urging me back down onto the bed, "I will send your husband in when he arrives."

And with that, she picked up her things and left, completely disregarding my attempt to correct her. After an awkward moment of silence, I sighed and threw the white blanket from over my legs. I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed, trying to get used to my new surrounding. I rubbed the crust from my eyes and buried my face in my palms.

"How embarrassing." I whispered to myself.

"Embarrassment is illogical."

I turned to see Sarek standing in the doorway. Dressed in new diplomatic robes his arms were crossed behind him. "The Doctor has informed me that you were awake. May I come in?"

"Of course." I smiled, "You don't have to ask."

I felt a slight drift in the bed. I turned from rubbing my aching neck to see Sarek sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Did you have to go back to your estate because of Sybok?"

"Yes. I received a call from my mother during a meeting with Ambassador Sovol."

I sighed, continuing to rub my neck "I'm sorry."

"I fail to see the reason for your apology."

I gave him a sharp look, "I passed out in front of the delegation and the most important man on Vulcan, present company excluded, of course."

"You caused no inconvenience. The doctor informed me that it was a result of sudden change of temperature. Thus it was, how you say, out of your control."

I smiled gently and nodded, "Did the doctor tell you when I would be released?"

"She said that once I have returned and that you are dressed you will be discharged."

Taking some blue out of the deep pocket in his robes he handed me a light blue bundle. The cool fabric soothed my still warm fingers with its breathable fabric.

"What is-?"

"I hope this dress is to your liking. The shop assistant informed me that the fabric is quite adaptable to even the warmest days on Vulcan."

I smiled feeling a wave of gratitude fill me. "Thank you."

"I will leave you to get dressed."

"Actually, can you stay?"

He rose his brow in what I could assume is confusion.

"I mean we are to be married… and its not like you haven't seen my bare body…"

He was silent until I made the first move towards the bathroom, he stood outside the bathroom door as I dressed, washed my face, and pulled my still sweaty curls into a low bun. The blue dress covered my collar bones, had three-quarter length sleeves and dropped just to my ankles. It was gorgeous, and for a moment I had to remind myself that I was not a Princess.

Ten minutes later I opened the door to the bathroom and looked at his flat face, trying to read it for some kind of response. Was it not appropriate? Did I look horrible? Did I still have sleep in my eyes?

"You look more appropriate." He said flatly.

"Thank you."

He continued to stare at me with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Everything is as it should be. I have signed the discharge papers on your behalf, we are free to leave."

After I pulled the covers over the bed, we made our way down the empty corridor of private rooms.

"Where are we going now?" I whispered.

"Back to the Embassy." He replied.

"No. You require rest and proper environmental acclimatisation. We are going to my estate in Shi'Kahr. You will stay there for six days then resume your duties at the Embassy for our remaining time here."

A wave of butterflies swarmed my belly. "But, Is- isn't Sybok there? Along with your mother?"

"They are and they are aware of you impending arrival." He answered. I had nothing to say. "Your silence suggests that you are… nervous."

"Well, I haven't exactly had a good welcome to Vulcan so far. I passed out in front of the most important man of the planet and now I'm meeting your mother and son after getting out of the hospital from heat exhaustion."

"My mother has met many humans before, she is aware of the appropriate customs. Now come, we shouldn't keep Savik awaiting."

I was in stunned silence as we arrived to the main part of the hospital. I nodded at the staring people with a small smile trying to completely ignore my rapid increasing heart rate that I could hear beating out of my chest. In one day, I embarrassed myself in front of the most important man on Vulcan, landed myself in a foreign hospital, inconvenienced my fiancé, and now I'm on the way to meet my soon to be mother in law and three year old step son.

"Your nervousness is illogical." Sarek said, breaking the silence as we walked out of the hospital greeted with the hot, but now bearable Vulcan heat.

I drew in a breath, "I hope you're right… I really do."

*The End*