Sorry for the delay, more to come. Please review, let me know what you think, as always.

Amanda could hardly breathe.

She didn't want to make too much noise lest she would distract him.

Of course as soon as she thought about her breathing, she couldn't think about anything else and her breathing became erratic. She stopped then took a breath too deep and she was sure he noticed it.

He didn't look up from his papers, didn't acknowledge that she was in the room. Apparently, what he had in his hands was more important than she.

Then again, she was pretty sure that in his eyes, anything was more valuable than her.

The silence was deafening and the large, richly decorated room seemed to echo the silence. Her ears were ringing from the it. The room had a lot human paintings, she could tell that much from the techniques used in the paintings. The shelves were full of books and vases not leaving space for much else.

"Miss Grayson."

Amanda's heart almost burst from her chest. The silence had been so thick that when he spoke, his loud voice scared her.

"Yes?"

She spoke louder than she meant to and she realized it was because she was more nervous than anything about what the Ambassador had to say to her.

She cleared her throat. "Yes, Ambassador?"

He set the papers down on the desk and walked around it to meet her. "You must be curious to know the reason I asked you to be here."

Amanda only nodded.

"I do hope you were not disturbed by the cadet's sudden appearance."

As Amanda was about to speak, one of the devices on the Ambassador's desk blinked and beeped. He picked up the blinking, thin pad and touched the screen making the device silent.

"I do need to speak to you and I have very little time to do it." He stood a little straighter, if at all possible. "My brother was actually the one to suggest the idea."

Amanda hardly got a word in, as soon as she was about to speak again the device sounded off, prompting Sarek to pick the pad up again. He spoke again when it stopped beeping.

"There is a Vulcan child on his way here now from Vulcan. He was entrusted to me by T'Rea for a temporary period of time and she felt it was important for him to see Humans." His placed his hands behind his back. "Because my brother, unfortunately, had to go back to the Capital, he cannot give him the lessons T'Rea would like for him to learn."

Amanda swallowed. "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you want me to do."

"Miss Grayson, as you are a schoolteacher, I believe that Sybok would be in no greater hands than yours to learn of Human customs and culture."

"You want me to teach a Vulcan child of Human culture?"

The device sounded off again, this time, he barely glanced at it and only shut it off.

"Like I said, my first choice would be my brother but he is indisposed at this time. He believes you are the most qualified to teach Sybok what his mother wants him to learn about your race."

Amanda could hardly speak at all. "Qualified? Excuse me Ambassador, but I don't think I'm qualified at all."

He didn't bat an eyelash. "Why do you say that, Miss Grayson?"

"With all due respect, Ambassador, I hardly know anything about your culture, what if I offend him in any way?"

"You will not. I am told that this boy is not your typical Vulcan child." He walked from the desk to the doors she had come in from. "It is my belief that you two will get along quite well."

Amanda tried to speak again but he cut her off. "I'm sure your father would appreciate this opportunity I am offering to you, Miss Grayson."

Amanda understood what he meant. She'd be stupid to give up this opportunity, not only because it was an unheard of opportunity that a lot of people would be enthusiastic to have but that she felt she owed the Ambassador for what he was doing for her father.

He had a bargaining chip over her and he probably didn't realize it.

Or he knew it and was using it mercilessly.

Amanda had no choice. "I would be honored, Ambassador. Even though I don't think I'm the most qualified for the position."

"Your opposition is duly noted, Miss Grayson."

His tone of voice let her know he didn't care for her opposition.

She had to bite her lip to stop herself from saying anything else.

"There are conditions to this arrangement, as you can imagine."

Amanda nodded. "Of course."

"The boy cannot leave the premises of the Vulcan Embassy. He will have to be taught here. Every day for three hours, is two in the afternoon inconvenient for you?"

Like she had a choice. "No."

"There is a special room for him on the grounds, which will be supplied with what you need to teach him. He will be here for two weeks. I trust that will be enough time for him to absorb some of your teachings. There will be compensation for your services."

"Yes, Ambassador," like she could argue with his tone of voice.

"The Cadet will pick you up from Starfleet Academy promptly at one-thirty so you are here on time for Sybok's lesson. He will also take you back after each lesson. Agreed?"

Amanda nodded when he looked.

He pressed a button next to the doors that made them open automatically. "Accompany me to the hangar where we will meet the boy."

He, as always, left no room for argument and made his way through the hallways where half a dozen Vulcans waited for him. Amanda trailed behind him trying to keep up with his steps.

The Vulcans followed her and when she looked at the back of the group, she saw Lario was trailing behind them.

She followed Sarek through a maze of richly decorated hallways and finally to large metal double doors that opened automatically.

The hangar was empty, save for a single ship that had long since arrived and its passengers were now alongside the ship. They were all Vulcans except for two men in Starfleet uniform.

As the Ambassador stepped to them, they all stopped conversations and a small boy stepped forward.

He couldn't be more than six years old and his eyebrows and ears gave him away as Vulcan. He was impeccably dressed if Vulcans had a hierarchy, he had to be a son of a very important person. He had a diplomatic air about him, a very proud look on his face that was uncommon for a child his age to have.

Of course, Amanda knew only of Human children not Vulcan.

The boy raised his hand and placed his index finger and middle finger together while the other two fingers did the same. "I come to serve."

Sarek raised his hand also in the same gesture. "Your presence honors us, Sybok."

Sarek stepped aside. "Sybok, this is your new teacher, Miss Grayson."

Amanda stepped forward and kneeled down until she was eye to eye with him.

He gave her the same salute, "Greetings, Miss Grayson."

She did the same, or at least tried, having to use her other hand to put the fingers together. When she managed to pull it off, she laughed. "I'm sorry. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sybok."

He stepped forward and took her hand and shook it. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Grayson."