Aftermath.

"So – we have to talk."
"Indeed?"
"Why don't you sit down?"
"I prefer to stand."
"Yeah, well it makes me uncomfortable! This is my office, so sit. Anywhere is fine."
"Very will. I will comply, if it will set you at your ease. Though I cannot imagine what else you wish to talk about, doctor, considering the amount of time we have spent recently with eachother."
"Well, just that."
"Explain."
"Well, first I wanted to apologise if I was acting like an idiot at any point, or-"
"You acted exactly as I would predict – in accordance with your nature, as I behaved in accordance with mine. One does not apologise for one's nature, doctor."
"O-kay…"

Pause.

"Well, anyway, I was thinking some more about what you said. How it wasn't a completely unique experience for you, how it make you think of that….vigil. And I realized – I really don't know much about you, Spock. I mean, who you really are. And before you give me any bull about the natural reserve of Vulcans making that impossible, well, that's exactly what I'm getting at. I don't even know about your people. And you sure as hell know about mine."
"Indeed."
"Yes indeed!"
Pause.

"I have often felt…my knowledge and understanding of the human culture to be woefully insufficient."
"Seems to me you rip us apart pretty well."
"An innacutare metaphor. I am a scientist, as you are, therefore I anyalise. A process which often entails a certain amount of…dissection. I do not mean to offend you."
"Yeah, well you do a damn good….no. I know, I know, but it's just – hard for me to understand you. Jim knows – God knows how he does it. It's like the two of you have this link…"
Long pause.

"Okay, sorry. Dangerous territory. But anyway, I was wondering…even, in the name of research…couldn't you tell me a little more about this…vigil thing?"
"It would be….permissible."
Pause.

"I meant what I said you know – about admiring you. That's why I want to learn."
"The will to learn is always admirable. Given this case, I will do more than tell you of the vigil at Vulcan's Forge. I will show it to you."

Time passes.

"But you're sure this is safe, right?"

"The ship's holographic falicites are designed to prevent injury."
"Including heatstroke? Dehydration, sunburn…"
"I have modified the temperatures somewhat to be tolerable to humans. Thus far the simulation is inaccurate. You will also be experiencing the period of vigil only – you would not withstand the desert crossing."

Pause.

"YOU CALL THIS TOLERABLE?"

"I advise caution, doctor: raising your voice will likely attract desert predators, and whilst they are not capable of actually harming you, I believe you would find a confrontation with a close-range holograph rather…unpleasant."

Times passes.

"So…what happens now?"
"Explain."
"What do we do?"
"We do not do. We exist. Here."
"There are no…prayers or anything?"
"There is discipline of the mind. Here, in this place, Surak the prophet drew inspiration and strength from the desert sands. At vigil we attune our minds to what this means to us, attempting to absorb the same."
Pause.

"Perhaps it is not possible for you."
"I guess not."

Long pause.

"But it's still….incredibly beautiful. If it wasn't for this damned heat."

Time passes.

"Hey, are their Vulcan artists?"

"Artists, doctor?"
"Painters, I mean, illustrators. It's the land out here. The colours, the contours…it makes me wonder."
"There are some who work with images. There are also poets."
"Poetry? Isn't that rather…emotional?"
"Poetry is a disciplined exercise in balance and the synthesis of oppositions."

Pause.

"Besides which…Vulcans are not without aesthetic appreciation of beauty."

"I'm glad to hear it. Sights like this…they do things to a person. A feeling of peace – order. Like for all the chaos and destruction out there in the Universe, there's always going to be hope. Because at the heart of it, this kind of beauty lies."
No answer.

Times passes

"Spock?"

"Hm?"
"My leg's asleep."
Pause.

"You are free to leave."
"I don't want to leave! I am...appreciating this you know. I'm just gonna walk about for a second. Besides which…it seems kind of a waste not to see some more of this beautiful hologram. You did a great job. That's still experiencing the desert, right?"
"Yes."

Pause.

"I will come."
"You mean you've finished?"
"No indeed. Were I to undertake the ritual in earnest, for a second time, I would only now be approaching the second stage of the inner disciplines."
"Oh. Then I've wrecked it for you."
"On the contrary. I brought you here to experience my culture, and you have done so. The fact that your experience is more external than internal is simply a facet of your nature. I meant to show you a Vulcan way, which can be done – but I cannot make you see through the eyes of a Vulcan. Nor would I wish to. My people have a saying…"
"Which is?"
"A moment…the ever-present problem of translation. I cannot render it exactly but an approximation is…I rejoice in our differences."

Pause.

"That's a wise saying. From a wise people."
"A logical people, doctor."

Laughter.

Finis