Chapter 14
T'Sharl awoke very early that morning. She hurriedly got dressed and went downstairs. Outside was still dark. She made it down the spiralling staircase and entered the kitchen through the sitting room. She was a little surprised to find her father waiting patiently at the kitchen table drinking tea. He looked up when she stepped into the room and she appeared to be a little startled.
"I thought you would be up early," he said almost pleasantly.
"I did not expect to find you here Father," said the girl with a little surprise in her voice. Spock tensed at the word father being mentioned. It would take a little while getting used to being addressed as that. He was barely coming to terms with being her father let alone being called it.
"I understood your enthusiasm for this expedition," he said. "I thought that I would journey with you to the meeting area." T'Sharl nodded.
"Thank you."
"There is hot tea if you wish it," said the Vulcan. T'Sharl nodded.
"Thank you." She passed by him and helped herself to a cup of the hot steaming sweet Vulcan tea, which had just brewed. Then she sat down opposite Spock at the table. "How are you this morning Father?" She asked politely.
"I am well," said Spock. The girl nodded at him. "And you?"
"Yes I'm fine." For a moment her father gazed at her intently and she saw something strange in his expression.
"Tell me about your mother," he said quietly and unexpectantly.
"Saavik?" She questioned as if a little astonished.
"Yes," he said. "I have not seen her or spoken to her for twelve years. It is a long time." T'Sharl nodded and took a delicate sip of the tea she nursed in her hands."
"What do you wish to know?" Spock remained very quiet for a long time.
"Did she ever speak about me?" T'Sharl swallowed and glanced at him for a fleeting moment.
"Well," she said. T'Sharl tried and struggled to remember something Saavik might have mentioned about him. "She said she met you when she was a child."
There was silence for a long moment and Spock seemed to be in deep thought. "I am afraid that she didn't mention you extensively." T'Sharl frowned. "Mother seemed to be rather private when I asked about you for some reason." Spock raised a slim black eyebrow. "At the time I didn't know why. Even though you are famous throughout the Federation it wasn't my place to pry. Of course I understand why now."
"Yes," he simply said.
"Please," she said suddenly. "There has been something bothering me."
"What is it?"
"I trust you enough to speak of it now."
"Then that is good is it not T'Sharl?"
"Yes. I know, but I think mother was apprehensive that you would be..." She struggled to phrase the words appropriately and unemotionally. "Tell me the absolute truth. Are you ashamed of me because of the consequences of my birth?" T'Sharl averted her eyes.
"No. I am not ashamed of either of you," he said quietly. "As I have said before it is illogical to regret what has happened in the past." The girl nodded.
"Do you miss her?" She said.
"Miss? Missing is incoherent," he said. "But yes..." He glanced down at the table. Spock wanted to say that he missed her very much, but he held back those last few words. They were unsuitable as well as being unconstrained. He looked into her face.
"I did hear that Saavik was promoted recently?" He said changing the conversation completely.
"Yes you are correct. Mother is now chief science officer aboard the USS Lincoln. She was promoted to Lieutenant Commander three weeks ago." Spock nodded.
"She has worked hard and has achieved much."
"Father why did you leave Starfleet?" Spock breathed in deeply.
"There were a lot of reasons."
"I am sorry to have heard that your friend James T. Kirk was killed while a guest aboard the Enterprise B."
"There is nothing to be sorry for," he said. "It simply exists. Captain Kirk was reported missing not dead. The research has not been finalised yet." Was the Vulcan silently hoping that his friend was still alive somehow in some place? Spock realised that it was incongruous to think so.
Was he allowing this thread of hope because he could not deal with the loss of his friend? He had taken the news hard when he was told that Jim was lost. At that time he had refused to believe it. Only when he attend the memorial ceremony on Earth did it fully register that Jim was gone. He had been driven to leave the fleet because of his friend's departure.
But there was something inside which went very deep. The link that had been subtly made between the two men, which had been established by countless mind, melds in the past. It could never be properly erased.
There was something in the back of his mind a spark of energy that still belonged to Jim. How could he still sense Kirk when he was supposedly dead? Everyone had assumed that Jim had been killed instantaneously. If not by the energy wave then by the vacuum of space.
They had finally came to terms that he was now gone. Spock never discussed this with anyone, not even with McCoy. They would have pronounced him mad or insane, but wasn't that the same reaction Kirk had got when he declared that Spock's soul, his katra was safely being housed in Doctor McCoy's head?
In his mind Spock heard the haunting words that Jim had said to him in the few minutes after he had regained consciousness from the refusion. "You would have done the same for me." Spock felt himself shiver inside. There was no way he could save Kirk now or in the near future.
"You were captain aboard the USS Stargazer?" Came T'Sharl's voice in the background. Spock brought himself back to their conversation. He nodded. "I read the report on the energy wave." She continued.
"It was a well known phenomenon," he said. "The press were attending when the disaster happened. I'm sure what you heard was dramatically exaggerated." Spock glanced at the chronometer on the wall. "We must get ready. You do not wish to be late."
"No father." T'Sharl got up and took her mug to the sink area. She realised that her father was not prepared to talk about the past any longer.
Despite it being inappropriate T'Sharl had been looking forward to the archaeology trip to the Th'elli valley. She had never visited the sight before and had been told that for many centuries before the wisdom of Surak, that the sight had been regarded as sacred. The place was an archaeologists treasure trove, rich with finds over forty million years old.
Spock's twelve-year-old daughter left early that morning. It was her first 'breaking in trip' so one of the human tutors had said the other day. She had meant that everyone would get to know one another by experiencing a real life situation away from the classroom.
T'Sharl and Spock headed on foot to the rendezvous point. There would be ten people including her who would attend. Among them was a sixteen-year-old human girl named Teresa Lew and a Triapien boy of the same age called H'rejak.
After landing at the appropriate destination the team would travel by foot across the mountain range and enter into a bleak lifeless landscape. There they would meet the team of scientists working on a recent digs.
The sky was still amber when the shuttle arrived at Shikahr. Gently it descended down an acute slope towards the landing spot. Everyone had appeared at the meeting point in time so there was no waiting for others to turn up. Vulcans were renowned for their punctuality. Today would be very interesting epoch for all the students.
The craft landed in a circular motion and everyone filed into single order as they got in. Soon it was T'Sharl's turn. She turned back and gazed at her father before she finally stepped into the awaiting craft. She sat down in a seat next to a small window or porthole and put her small duffel bag on the floor. A Vulcan boy perhaps a couple of years older than her sat down next to her. His name was Salek.
T'Sharl had come to know him at the Academy. He had been attending there for a year. This was to be his second stay at the Vulcan Science Academy. For T'Sharl this was her second week in attending.
She turned and looked out of the window down at the lone Vulcan man dressed in a dark cloak which was moving slightly due to the rush of warm air the shuttle had produced when it landed.
He appeared rigid and stern, but T'Sharl saw warmth in his dark eyes. The man gazed up at her and was waiting for the shuttlecraft to take off and disappear.
Spock watched and listened to the shuttle hum into operation then rise into the air. Soon it passed him by until the small ship was out of sight. Spock turned and followed the path, which he and T'Sharl had just taken and proceeded back to Sarek's house.
Finally the group of youngsters arrived at their destination and all stepped out into the dimness with caution, onto the antediluvian red sand. Up here was chillier than normal because the mountains were two thousand metres above sea level. They had been briefed about their mission during the flight to the valley.
T'Sharl drew her arms around herself as to conserve warmth. Everyone followed their teacher, T'Saae and took particular care not to slip down the steep hill as the boulders and stones were very easy to dislodge.
Salek, the fourteen-year-old Vulcan boy walked along side T'Sharl. He was a thin and a good deal taller and stronger than she, but the girl easily managed to keep up with his long strides. It would take a good deal of time, approximately two point one hours to travel to their final meeting place with the scientists.
Gradually the sky took on a paler contrast, and the land looked less black and eerie. Over the mountain range one could clearly see the sight of the archaeologists camp. Salek flung his tricorder over his shoulder. Soon enough he would be needing it.
Carefully and with caution the team climbed down the last of the precipices. Despite the remote appearance of the land, it held many ancient mysteries of the planet Vulcan's past.
Millions of years ago creatures quite unlike any dinosaur that roamed the planet earth, ruled Vulcan. Those days it was amazing to everyone that any life could exist at all in that dangerous time. The world consisted of million upon million of volcanoes and earthquakes. The air was virtually un-breathable. It was speculated that these creatures were breathing in poisonous sulphur/oxygen air.
The land was also quite different. What plant life did survive was quickly consumed by the other life forms at that time, but it still wasn't really established what these creatures lived on. Perhaps the planet was even older than what was originally speculated. That was what these scientists had come here to do. To unravel the mystery.
The camp appeared just ahead of the group. It housed three large tents, which were occupied by three Vulcans, four Humans, and one Andorian. Evidently a tall gangly human woman with streaks of white hair was the leader.
She started to jog out towards the team of trainee archaeologists. Teresa chuckled softly to herself. For the woman almost appeared like an ancient Earth cartoon character she had once seen. Olive Oil. She almost expected to see Popeye the sailor lopping along beside her.
The woman beamed at them and ushered them to come along inside the tent. Everyone placed his or her bags down just inside the flap opening, which served as the front door. The smell of coffee was in the air. There would be a brief chance for a rest before the task review then everyone would team up into groups of two and go off into their assigned mission to do their own thing.
T'Sharl took the coffee despite the fact had she detested it and sat down on a plump cushion on the floor. The tent was warm and brightly lit. It appeared that this was used as the recreation tent. It housed a number of assorted tables and a few soft chairs.
Something that looked like an old fashioned radio was positioned in the corner and a few rather wilted looking plants were spread here and there. On the other side of the room there was a cupboard full of various games and on the top of that stood a rather bedraggled looking Vulcan three-dimensional chess set.
T'Sharl took a sip of that horrid liquid. It would suffice for now. At least it was a drinkable liquid, or was it? She questioned herself. Salek came over also carrying a cup of the same revolting coffee, but he did not grimace as she did when he took a sip. T'Sharl had to remember not to do that. He placed the disposable cup onto the low table and sat down cross-legged on the floor.
"It should be interesting what finds we may discover," he said. "I believe that the remains of a Dre'koloural has been recently been discovered here." T'Sharl raised an eyebrow, a typical reaction her father may have used.
The Dre'koloural was a huge bird creature almost like the mystical dragon except that it was thought that the creature had feathers. It had been a tremendous achievement in discovering that a full skeleton did exist. The species was practically legend and only small specimens had been previously discovered which consisted of the jaw, a small part of the spine, and one shoulder blade.
"I had not heard. I have been away from Vulcan for the past six years." Salek nodded in acknowledgement.
"I believe that sections of a creature had been discovered fifty two years ago." The conversation was loudly interrupted by the team head. The slender woman waved her hands for silence and everyone hushed.
Donna Perterson cleared her throat noisily.
"I'm Donna, the project co-ordinator. Everyone is assigned work teams of two." She smiled. "Every team will be working in a different mission as to speak. Each group will follow their orders to what is displayed on your stylus pad. They shall be given out in random and then you can proceed.
"Once you find the correct destination a scientist will be waiting for you. When your mission is completed everyone come back here and swap missions. Are your instructions understood?" She paused briefly expecting a question from at least someone, but none came so she continued without haste.
She stepped down from the table, which stood as a lectern and hurriedly began passing out the pads.
"Please remember that you have a time limit which you must keep to and return back here at exactly nine hundred hours ready for your next task." She smiled pleasantly and added. "Have fun!" No one commented.
Everyone got to their feet and calmly in single order stepped out into the bright sunshine. Donna crossed over towards the Vulcan tutor. T'Saae stood silently reading the report tasks she held in her hands. She looked across at the older woman.
"I must take this opportunity to thank you for allowing the students and myself access to your site." Donna shrugged casually and smiled.
"Well, it's your planet," said the human with a smile. T'Saae nodded. "Would your care for a tour of our humble establishment?"
"Thank you madam." Donna exited out into the open. Following her was the elegant T'Saae. She appeared a ridged, but a very beautiful woman with striking chiselled features and shoulder length wavy black hair.
Once outside in the open all the youngsters spread out into their teams. T'Sharl and Salek wandered off reading their assigned information.
"It seems we are being tested as well," said T'Sharl.
"I agree," said the boy. "To me it appears the mission we have been chosen to undertake is a little premature."
"How do you mean," said T'Sharl.
"We have had little or no experience in exploring this place on our own."
"Perhaps they wish to improve our ability to work in teams, personal endurance, strength, and stamina," said T'Sharl.
"Perhaps. It would appear we have to cross this hillock to get to our destination." He frowned for a moment and glanced at the electronic compass in his hand. T'Sharl held the stylus pad and began to read the map. Salek scanned the landscape with his tricorder then pointed towards the east.
"It appears we are headed in that direction," he said pointing the way.
"Are you sure? It appears very bleak. It does not look safe. Perhaps the equipment is malfunctioning. In that case we better return to the camp."
"Appearances can be deceptive," he said confidently. "Why would they trouble to send us out into a mere simple exercise? They obviously appear to be testing us for our mental prowess."
T'Sharl took a long stride next to him and peered down at the compass in the boy's open stretched hand. Her eyes narrowed.
"I am mistaken," she said. "You are correct. The device is functional." Salek nodded once.
"Let's go," he said taking her lead.
Each step along the trail became decidedly narrower. The air became thinner and suitable footings became decidedly more unstable.
T'Sharl jammed her foot on the side of a large stone. She caught her breath as the stone broke free and she nearly lost her footing and fell down. The stone suddenly broke loose and tumbled down the embankment at least three hundred metres. Salek glanced back at her just as she managed to pull herself back up the steep bank by holding onto a dried root.
T'Sharl's eyes began to sting and her throat tightened. For a moment they both stopped and took a look around at their surroundings however inhospitable. Everything was harmonious and still. Nothing wavered. Surly nothing could survive here, she thought gazing around in silent wonder. This place didn't look like anything the directions on the map had stated. Perhaps they had taken an incorrect turn.
Once again the boy glanced down at the compass. His own eyes had begun to water immediately. He shook the compass quite harshly. It appeared to be indicating in the correct direction still.
Two hours past. They were far beyond their dead line. They had found nothing. Nothing to indicate a digging sight or that there was a scientist in sight.
"I think we should try and get back," said Salek.
"I agree."
He took the compass and radiated it around him. To his disbelief it pointed north in all directions. Salek looked out and across the harsh landscape then back down at his compass. His voice took on a distinctive rasp "The pointer does not change..." he said with the lightest hint of apprehension. "...In any direction." Why didn't he test it before they set out? It was an invaluable tool. They were well and truly lost.
"And the tricorder?" She said. He shook his head and tried to desperately swallow the coughs that were now choking him.
"Too basic. Only scans up to ten metres." The cough escaped.
"Are you all right?" She asked with definite concern in her voice.
He nodded defiantly. "The air. It seems to thicken."
"Did you not record our assent?"
"Unable to. This tricorder is too basic. It is not a Federation general issue."
Anger stirred in her voice. "What!!" A belt of coughs raked her and she bent over doubled for a second.
He ignored her emotional outburst and scanned with the tricorder. It served its purpose in detection and recording, but it was too basic for anything else above those specifications.
T'Sharl rubbed her eyes. She was having difficulty with her vision and at every opportunity they had, her eyes suddenly completely welled up. They turned around and together they made the decent back down the hill. Salek climbed towards her.
"I believe we have just come from there," he said pointing in the opposite direction.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," replied the Vulcan with a touch of doubt in his voice. "Definitely." This time strength showed in his voice despite the uncertainty he felt. Reluctantly she turned on her heel and followed him back down. She scanned the landscape with her eyes.
"It appears not to be the same." She rubbed soot out of her eyes. Salek frowned and realised that his presumption was a grave mistake. "They will send out a rescue for us," T'Sharl said trying to convince her as well as him.
There was heavy dust and ash everywhere, coating the black ground with a blanket of residue, which came from the active volcanoes in these parts. The air seemed to smell more and more sulphur rich. All around them gas and steam from the planet's core rose in heavy clouds of dust, which clogged the air turning it, a deep black and grey.
Back at the camp T'Saae approached Donna Peterson. "I am concerned that Salek and T'Sharl have gone missing." Said the Vulcan teacher. "It is too long and they should have been back before now." Donna sighed and deep concern filled her voice.
"I'll send out a rescue party out immediately," she said hesitantly.
The two young Vulcans stumbled along almost blinded by the thick dense smoke emanating from a small yet turbulent volcano.
He scanned with the limited use of the tricorder, but they had no idea how to get out of there. The tricorder was useless. It was only scanning the peripheral surroundings. Then he saw it. The way out or so he hoped. The scanning device registered a gap in the smoke and it was supposedly getting thinner.
Relying solely on their basic instruments and instincts they both followed the scan. T'Sharl walked on ahead. Perhaps finally they would get out of here.
