Part 15
"WHAT!" Both Vin and Chris exclaimed. Ezranok sat beside them stunned, but silent. Even Admiral Travis looked a little off balance.
F'arnock raised an eyebrow at their outburst, causing the Starfleet officers to bring their expressions under control quickly. Ezranok shifted in his chair uncomfortably, wishing he could move closer to Vin, but not wanting to draw attention to himself more than it already was.
Clearing his throat, Travis glanced at Ezranok, wondering what in the world was going on. "Could you please explain what you mean, F'arnock? I've done extensive research, and as far as the Federation's records go, there are only two races that possess the physical characteristics the boy exhibits."
"You are correct in that, Admiral Travis. However, Federation records are not completely accurate in this matter. However this is not surprising, as until now even the Vulcans were not certain that they still existed," F'arnock said as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the conference table. "Malhai'ik has verified that the boy is Standai'ishi." F'arnock looked directly at Vin for a moment before asking the man who was now staring at Ezranok with wide eyes, "Do you recognize the term, Lt. Commander Tanner?"
Vin looked up and swallowed hard as he tried to control his surprise. "Yes, sir."
"Would you care to tell us what you remember?" F'arnock invited.
"The Standai'ishi are the subject of several Vulcan legends. The word's literal translation means 'the peaceful ones'." Vin spoke as if he were reciting a school lesson. "I was not told all of it, but I remember that they left Vulcan even before the Romulans."
"You are quite correct, Mr. Tanner," Malhai'ik nodded as he spoke. "While the Vulcan people are telepathic, the Standai'ishi were both telepathic and empathic, among other things. They were our people's greatest healers and scientists, but because of their empathic abilities they could not take part in the barbaric wars and battles that were so prevalent at that time. They felt the pain of every combatant as their own. They would eventually be driven to insanity by it, and either be killed or run away. Because of this, over the course of several decades, they started being relegated to one area of the planet and shunned. Every time a child was born that gave signs of being a Standai'ishi, it would be taken out to the edge of the wilderness and left. The Standai'ishi would then come to collect the child and raise it as their own. They cherish children with an even greater passion than the rest of the Vulcan people. Over time, they gathered enough that was of value to barter for a ship to take them to another world."
F'arnock waited until Malhai'ik stopped the story at this point, then he stepped in. "After the Enlightenment of Surak, it was decided that the abilities of the Standai'ishi would be of great benefit to the people once again. However it was discovered that the Standai'ishi had not just chosen to send some of their people into space, as was supposed, but that all of them had disappeared. According to the legends, the elders realized then that there had not been a Stansai'ishi child born to the majority population for at least two hundred years. They left behind records of all that they had learned of healing and science, since they one day hoped that our people would find peace, but they could not live with the violence that surrounded them. Until this day, Vulcan has never had any proof that the Standai'ishi survived their journey into the stars."
Travis, Chris, and Vin sat silently through the Vulcan's explanation of the origin of the Standai'ishi.
"And you believe that Ezranok is one of these Standai'ishi?" Vin asked.
"Yes," Malhai'ik confirmed. "Besides the abilities you have documented, he exhibits the legendary signs as well."
"What signs?" Vin wanted to know.
F'arnock and Malhai'ik looked at each other for a moment, then F'arnock nodded and turned forward. "I mentioned that children gave signs of being Standai'ishi, I should probably have said infants. Some of the signs were very obvious almost from birth, curly hair and light colored eyes being the clearest ones."
Vin looked down at the wavy locks that still brushed Ezranok's shoulders and caught a glimpse of frightened emerald green eyes as Ezranok looked up at him. He reached out a placed a reassuring hand on the boy's arm. "So Ezranok is Standai'ishi. What is going to happen to him?"
Again F'arnock answered. "The Vulcan government has decided that it would be best for him to be taken to Vulcan to be placed with a foster family there."
Vin managed to keep his face from showing the pain that lanced through him at that moment. Chris glanced over at his friend and saw the slight tightening of his mouth that signaled the distress the man was in. Chris was sure he could hear the sound of the quiet Texan's heart shattering into a million pieces.
"Are you sure that is wise?" Vin inquired, working hard to keep his voice even. "Ezranok is over eleven years old and has had none of the intensive training that Vulcan youth undergo in their first twelve years. And since his is Standai'ishi, emotions and their expression will be necessary for him, will they not?" Chris cringed internally at the formal tone that was overtaking Vin's speech.
"We understand that," Malhai'ik said. "The Vulcan Council has been very excited since the news reached us that a descendent of the Standai'ishi had been found. They have proposed that he be given into the care of Ambassador Sarek and his wife. It is believed that they will be able to give the boy a good home, and Mrs. Sarek, being human, will be able to provide the boy with companionship and emotional support as he ages."
Vin's heart crumbled that much more as he heard the plans that had been made for Ezranok. How could he deny Ezranok this chance? The Vulcan Council wanted him, and they were planning for him to be taken in by one of the greatest families on the planet. Hell! They were as close to being royalty at one could get on the planet, for God's sake!
Vin looked down at the boy that he had come to care so much for, and closed his eyes when he saw the fear and confusion that still clouded Ezranok face. Looking back up, he asked, "If I might, could I take the boy into the next room to speak privately?"
Before F'arnock could deny the request, Travis spoke up, "Of course, Commander." Even in the last few minutes he could see how much the boy had come to mean to Tanner.
Nodding, Vin stood and led the boy out quickly. Chris didn't react much, but his eyes followed them out the door wishing that there was something he could do to help them both.
"Admiral, would it not be more logical for us to take the boy now? You already notified us of the bond that has developed between the boy and Lt. Commander Tanner, and it would not be wise to let it deepen any farther," Malhai'ik pointed out.
"Malhai'ik," Travis said quietly as he too watched the door behind which Vin and Ezranok had disappeared, "that boy is not a Vulcan. His emotions are already tied to Lt. Commander Tanner. The bond is already deeper than you probably know. You must treat him differently than you would on of your own people." Looking back at the impassive men sitting next to him, he added, "Ezranok is like nothing you have ever had to deal with for your own people. But we," Travis waved around the room to include himself, Chris, and the place Vin had just vacated, "have dealt with emotional children our entire lives. Indeed, we each were one at some time in the past. It is a difficult and most illogical task."
Malhai'ik looked at his partner then nodded, "I stand corrected, Admiral Travis."
Author's Note: For those that wonder where in the world this comes from...
In my mind, I couldn't believe that an entire race would embrace the barbaricness that is described as ancient Vulcan, and if the Romulans broke off, whose to say there aren't a couple more races branched off from the Vulcans running around. This is not canon to ST:TOS and I have no clue where it would fit in to the other series.