Chapter 3: Decision
The golden expanse stretched in every direction for as far as the eye could see. Beating down on the expanse, sitting high in the sky, the heat of the sun radiated down onto the golden sand, the air torrid, but comforting. Zara stood unmoving, the shadow of Mount Seleya hiding her from the direct sunlight beating down on the Vulcan desert. She stared out across the barren expanse, the familiar site allowing her a peaceful setting more conductive to thought that a small meditative flame in her quarters.
As she stared out across the expanse, she thought about the last time she stood in this spot. It was many year ago, before she left for Starfleet Academy. Despite the fact that she had decided early on that she would enter Starfleet Academy, she had been trained to fulfill a very different role from a young age.
Long before other Vulcan children could say they had as much mastery of emotions as any adult, Elizara had mastered her emotions past the point of many adults. She applied herself totally to the task, believing it only right for a Vulcan...her Betazoid half unknown to her. Such discipline caught the eye of a Vulcan Master, T'Prelle. T'Prelle taught her throughout the years until finally, Elizara attained Kohlinar just days before she was the head to Starfleet Academy. It was then that she had last stood here, on Mount Seleya, staring out onto the golden sand of her homeworld.
It was here, many years ago, that T'Prelle, her mentor of many years, had asked her to stay on Vulcan and not attend Starfleet Academy. T'Prelle saw in Elizara the ability to be a Vulcan Master, and guide others through Kohlinar, as T'Prelle had guided her, but it would require years more to attain such status. Her life must be devoted to the Kohlinar ritual, and as such, Starfleet was not an option. Elizara thought for a long time about this new option for life, T'Prelle standing beside her stoically, awaiting her decision.
Elizara remembered it now, the details vivid in her mind. She remembered T'Prelle beside her, the exact place of the sun in the Vulcan sky, and the golden shine of the Vulcan desert. Yet she could not remember what had prompted her to continue on to Starfleet Academy, she could not remember her reason for not staying at Mount Seleya with T'Prelle. She had instead left Mount Seleya and Vulcan to begin her journey as a Starfleet Officer.
Now, her decision, for whatever reasons she had made it, seemed wrong. Perhaps it had started with the discovery of her Betazoid side, and the knowledge that she was not solely from the logical Vulcan culture, that she was also from a highly emotion-dependant race. How could this have destroyed her complete suppression of emotion? But she could feel it, her mind was not clean of all emotions, the ideal of pure logic fleeting faster than she could retrieve it. Perhaps she should return to Vulcan...return to the teaching of T'Prelle and try once more to attain Kohlinar. Her mastery of emotion was slipping away, and soon her logic would be impaired. She must journey to Mount Seleya and re-attain Kohlinar before she suffered for her emotions, for her lack of pure logic.
Elizara turned from the golden expanse of desert and closed her eyes for a moment as she spoke, "Computer, End Program." She opened her eyes as the lines of the holodeck returned and walked out the door. Once she returned to her quarters, she would have to make the necessary preparations to visit Mount Seleya. Once again she must stand on Mount Seleya and stare at the golden shine of the Vulcan desert with T'Prelle at her side.
Note: Kohlinar is a Vulcan ritual intended to purge all remaining emotions in pursuit of the ideal of pure logic. Vulcan Masters are elder mentors who guide Vulcan aspirants through the Kohlinar ritual.
The golden expanse stretched in every direction for as far as the eye could see. Beating down on the expanse, sitting high in the sky, the heat of the sun radiated down onto the golden sand, the air torrid, but comforting. Zara stood unmoving, the shadow of Mount Seleya hiding her from the direct sunlight beating down on the Vulcan desert. She stared out across the barren expanse, the familiar site allowing her a peaceful setting more conductive to thought that a small meditative flame in her quarters.
As she stared out across the expanse, she thought about the last time she stood in this spot. It was many year ago, before she left for Starfleet Academy. Despite the fact that she had decided early on that she would enter Starfleet Academy, she had been trained to fulfill a very different role from a young age.
Long before other Vulcan children could say they had as much mastery of emotions as any adult, Elizara had mastered her emotions past the point of many adults. She applied herself totally to the task, believing it only right for a Vulcan...her Betazoid half unknown to her. Such discipline caught the eye of a Vulcan Master, T'Prelle. T'Prelle taught her throughout the years until finally, Elizara attained Kohlinar just days before she was the head to Starfleet Academy. It was then that she had last stood here, on Mount Seleya, staring out onto the golden sand of her homeworld.
It was here, many years ago, that T'Prelle, her mentor of many years, had asked her to stay on Vulcan and not attend Starfleet Academy. T'Prelle saw in Elizara the ability to be a Vulcan Master, and guide others through Kohlinar, as T'Prelle had guided her, but it would require years more to attain such status. Her life must be devoted to the Kohlinar ritual, and as such, Starfleet was not an option. Elizara thought for a long time about this new option for life, T'Prelle standing beside her stoically, awaiting her decision.
Elizara remembered it now, the details vivid in her mind. She remembered T'Prelle beside her, the exact place of the sun in the Vulcan sky, and the golden shine of the Vulcan desert. Yet she could not remember what had prompted her to continue on to Starfleet Academy, she could not remember her reason for not staying at Mount Seleya with T'Prelle. She had instead left Mount Seleya and Vulcan to begin her journey as a Starfleet Officer.
Now, her decision, for whatever reasons she had made it, seemed wrong. Perhaps it had started with the discovery of her Betazoid side, and the knowledge that she was not solely from the logical Vulcan culture, that she was also from a highly emotion-dependant race. How could this have destroyed her complete suppression of emotion? But she could feel it, her mind was not clean of all emotions, the ideal of pure logic fleeting faster than she could retrieve it. Perhaps she should return to Vulcan...return to the teaching of T'Prelle and try once more to attain Kohlinar. Her mastery of emotion was slipping away, and soon her logic would be impaired. She must journey to Mount Seleya and re-attain Kohlinar before she suffered for her emotions, for her lack of pure logic.
Elizara turned from the golden expanse of desert and closed her eyes for a moment as she spoke, "Computer, End Program." She opened her eyes as the lines of the holodeck returned and walked out the door. Once she returned to her quarters, she would have to make the necessary preparations to visit Mount Seleya. Once again she must stand on Mount Seleya and stare at the golden shine of the Vulcan desert with T'Prelle at her side.
Note: Kohlinar is a Vulcan ritual intended to purge all remaining emotions in pursuit of the ideal of pure logic. Vulcan Masters are elder mentors who guide Vulcan aspirants through the Kohlinar ritual.
