2

Gently I maneuvered the ship in orbit. Such a racket here, sales ships, army, civilian.you name it.

"Logic would be much needed in this.what they call port." I glanced at T'Pring. She was right. It was chaotic.

"Ah well, different species, different customs. Earth can be just as chaotic." "I do not posses the knowledge to counter or agree with that statement." I nodded. Okay.

"We will beam down soon, better change clothes." I saw her glance curious. "You can't walk around like a Vulcan, too conspicuous. You practically are everything that Vulcan stands for, no offence."

"None taken, so covert it shall be, I shall change." She rose as I, by now, wondered who did her hair. Obviously herself. Always perfectly groomed. Here I was with my standard dress and loose hair. I suppose I must be very uncivilized in her eyes. She never mentioned anything.

About 15 minutes later she emerged. A standard black dress with her very sleek and VERY long hair. Longer then I presumed. She had it loose, just like me.

"Any suggestions as to how we proceed?" "We have to go through the customs first. I took the liberty as too.well.you will be displeased by this."

"Proceed" "You're my mother."

"I am not." "I know, but it will be a necessity.just for a few minutes."

"I shall not lie." "Not needed, I will.overdo it a bit." I saw her think.oh dear.hmm.well I would not lie.Vulcans are family.right..?

"How shall you proceed when they ask me about you then?" "Be creative?"

"I am creative, but not in lies." "You can, Vulcans can lie if necessary."

"I agree with that statement, however, I have never done so." "It's easy, Spock, Kirk and actually the crew of the Enterprise did often enough."

"Lie?" "No, exaggerate." She frowned. "What is the definition then." "Good question, more like stretching the truth to the limit. I already am like a sister to the planet, right? So.family.and you could be my mother, so hypothetically speaking.your not lying." Okay, good story, she did not buy it.shame.

"The fist argument, agreed.the second.maybe.the third? I wonder." "Good deduction, come on." I rose from my seat and stepped to the mini pad that would beam us down.

"How does this work." I turned around. She boarded this ship from a little shuttle. "It takes your cells apart and re-arranges it on the planet. Quite save.come on."

"I am disturbed that my body will be 'taken apart' and will be re- arranged." "It's save enough, I tested it.step on the right pad?" She did.wonder how a Vulcan with a fear for transporting would react.better not test it.she really was not used to much.well.after this trip she would be very space- wise.

"Before I forget, this is a communicator. Tap once and a direct link will go to me. I shall ware one too. You can place it anywhere. But chest is more logical." She glanced at the Vulcan communicator which I creatively changed to a broach.she placed it on her chest and it settled nice enough. "Be careful at the customs, they do pick-pocket there."

"Noted." I activated the transporter and we beamed down. And then I saw something never witnessed before with T'Pring. She tapped her body?

"Told you everything would be fine." "Very disturbing experience." I wondered about that.well.for an first timer she did great.some freaked.None Vulcan though.

T'Pring covered her hair with a shawl, as did I. A long line of immigrants and travelers were waiting. This could take a long time. And I was right. Four hours later I looked at the man. A young centurion who took my passes.

"Romulan women, from the border.Miss? Look this way." I glanced at T'Pring who looked at a woman being dragged away by centurions. Probably going to the V-Shar.oh dear.she heard and turned.

"It is not Miss but Milady." I turned pale. Okay.the centurion gazed at the passes and frowned. "My apologies Milady T'Rathne.be welcome.as is your daughter." She nodded as the stamp was placed on it.

"Do you require aid for the search for you granddaughter?" Hmm. stood I here for the looks of it? "Perhaps, please be so kind as to look in your database for the name of Soryana." My eyes went wide. Okay..

"A moment milady." He tapped the computer and a list was shown. He printed it out and handed it over. "There are three with that name. On the list the specifications. Good luck with your search." We nodded polite as we walked in the city.

"When did you learn Romulan?" She spoke it fluent.but how? "Computer database. During our travel here I studied." I looked at her with respect.

"My compliments, not one flaw." She nodded polite. Not the woman I imagined her to be, but that happened more and more these passed weeks.

We walked over a market, people buzzing all over the place. T'Pring gazed around her in astonishment. Never had she seen a different culture like this up close. Stands with food and beverages were stalled out. Fruit, bread and many other things were for sale.

"Not as primitive as I believed they would." T'Pring gazed at a certain fabric. By the looks of it some kind of silk. "Perhaps, do not be fooled. This culture holds slaves and is a very right winged one. The strongest survives. Add to that that the Romulans on Remus are more violent then here. The Romulan that created me will most likely reside there. Then again, there are good Romulans, and those who wish change." Okay, never thought I would say the latter but it was true.

"Perhaps, still. This place is very emotional.." "Surak pleated for the first not too leave the planet, they did. They never did accept logic." She nodded.

"True, it had to be. We kept peace and logic while they traveled and changed and became our brothers rather then our people. From appearance to food, to language. It is very fascinating."

"GRAB YOUR CHANCE.FOOD FOR ONLY 3 CREDITS." A saleslady shouted and actually it sounded very appealing. I showed T'Pring the small canteen and we sat down.

"What will it be guests?" A sturdy lady, probably the same as the shouting one gazed at us. I kindly regarded her.

"The daily menu please. And do you have a vegetarian menu?" She looked a bit funny. "Yes." "One of those as well. And something to drink." She made notes as she walked away to the kitchen.

The canteen was small. 20 by 20 meters. Very dark but cool. And surprisingly enough very clean.

"My gratitude for the menu Saavik.eating what is considered standard food here disturbs me." I nodded.

"Very logical actually. You are not accustomed to meat, neither do you wish it. With me it is a necessity. My body is too adapted to meat. I have no choice. I tried though. Made me sick." She inclined her head. "You tried to adapt. More we cannot ask." The lady came in again and poured some orange juice in. grateful I glanced up. "Thank you."

"It's alright. So, you are strangers here if I am not mistaken?" I nodded. "Yes, we are from the border planets. We went here because some people took my daughter." She glanced a bit mad.

"Those fools still think that we mothers have to condone all they say. Usually blackmailing. Perhaps to sell as slave.shish.and you are her mother if I may be so bold?"

All T'Pring did was a tiny nod. Good woman.well done.no lie.

"Well a word of advise then. Be careful.the V'Shar is rounding up people at random at the moment. They took two costumers right from behind their food. Never saw them again." I cursed in my mind.not the annual round up.damn..

"My gratitude.we shall be careful." After the meal we walked on. Street after street. There was no logic in it. Just build where they wished. T'Pring agreed. No city map off course.and then.I turned pale.

"It's Spock.quickly.here.." I gently nudged her in an dead end alley as I gazed around the corner. Yes, it was him.in Romulan outfit.duh.and surrounded by people I did not know.suddenly a shadow over mine. T'Pring gazed over my head at the same direction as I did.

"Thanks for the warning by the way." I grunted. She gazed down. "I told you the link was weakened. At the last moment I sensed his mind. He obviously will sense mine." And indeed he did.He gazed at our hiding place a bit confused ..no...no .no.gaze somewhere else. "And now I wonder why I refused him.he still is very active."

"Well, he is away a lot, has his own idea's, and you dumped him for Stonn.if I am correct."

"I did not 'dump' him. At that time my interest was for Stonn, not for Spock.and I wished a mate that would remain on the planet.to be honest.that was not the smartest idea I had." I almost smiled.right.okay.

"Okay. confession, I too did some mind-probes with him.but no melt.can he sense that too?" She thought about that. "Yes, faint, but he will.so that makes two people he can sense in near proximity.very disconcerting." Understatement.

"Okay, lets go.how agile are you?" T'Pring walked to the wall. "Very, need a push-up?" I nodded at I stepped in her hand and was catapulted up. The wall being about two and a half meters posed not too much of an effort. While sitting on the top of the ridge I held my hand down. She took it and I pulled her up. Together we jumped off the other side and found our self in an other alley. Nice.behind us we heard footsteps. HAH, long gone.

"It would seem that whom ever came here has fled." Ah? Spock.I gently placed my ear against the wall.lets see if he talks more. T'Pring was the lookout.

"I know them, but cannot place it yet. It is too faint.there are two, Vulcan in origin.there a quit a few options." I heard another voice.

"Maybe there were some visitors from Vulcan, the word is spreading." "Not likely D'Tan, then you do not know my people yet. They can be very xenophobic." Behind me T'Pring nodded calmly, agreeing with Spock's words. Softly whispering to me.

"Let us leave D'Tan. Pardek is waiting." The footsteps went away. Slightly sighing I pulled back a bit. Phew. Close call. A bit disgruntled T'Pring gazed through the wall.

"We are indeed, for a very good reason.their dangerous." I nodded. "Was Pardek not an ambassador?" "Yes, close contact for years."

"I do recall my father speaking of him, he is an ambassador himself." "I see, makes a logical mate for Spock.too bad you refused.."

"I explained before.I shall not repeat." I smiled inwards.a bit sensitive huh. "He indeed is quite busy." I agreed. Ah well. First my daughter.

We gazed at the paper that T'Pring managed to get from the centurion. Very confusing streets. They all looked alike.

"They never heard of street signs." I mused while walking through yet another. "Perhaps asking would be advisable." She strolled to a merchant and asked directions. Soon she returned and walked in a sturdy walk to the right. I followed.

"If the man's directions were correct this would be the house." She pointed at a free standing house with white chalk against the heat. T'Pring walked up and rang the bell. An elderly woman stood there. Probably the same age as her.

After a few minutes the door closed again.

"Not this house, she opened the door, and I do not believe your child is older then you are." I shook my head. One down, two to go.

"Soryana is about ten." She nodded.

"Should not be hard." "How so?"

"The note, the dates of birth are on it, leaves one. 10.8 years old. Adopted." I glanced over the paper. That would be her, would it?

"You never mentioned the father's name." "I did not, Xon. He was with Starfleet as well. He died during the Borg attack."

"Then I grieve with thee, that was not so long ago was it not?" "No, thank you, Soryana is all that remained. I desire her back home."

"Then let us continue and do so." We walked through the city for five hours before arriving at the proper place. Outside a young girl was playing. She glanced up and a face of recognition struck her. "MOTHER??" She ran to me and hugged me tight. I barely contained my tears of joy. A woman emerged.

"Who are you? Solear, come back." My daughter shook her head wild. "No, my name is Soryana not Solear and this is my mother.. It is not logical for renaming me." I glanced proud as T'Pring looked at my little girl with a content face. Yes, I raised her in the way of logic.I was a good mother.

"I shall call the centurions.you were not to come here." She ran inside as T'Pring walked after her and calmly closed the door. Bewildered I looked at it. What was she up too.?

After 30 minutes she emerged and calmly wiped her hands on her dress, grabbing a bag and closed the door. Fixed her scarf around her head and strolled my way.

"She will not be a bother, I erased Soryana from her mind. She was a member of the V'Shar. I obtained a lot of knowledge.not correct to do so by force, but damage has been very much minimized." In gratitude I nodded. Well done, I could not do that.sigh.

"Not a very logical thing to do so.a felony." I muttered. "Perhaps, but necessary.the masters will not know.she will not know, and I shall not tell." A bit devious she gazed at me.wow.that T'Pring.very blunt and daring.

"Mother? Shall we go now?" I nodded yet again and the three of us walked away. T'Pring even took some clothes. A good woman. "Let us do so, come on." And we went in search of a hotel. Knowing the city.that would take while.