I've posted two new chapters today, so you should make sure you've read the previous one before reading this...

Thanks especially to Jamille Shane for reviewing so quickly! It's wonderful to have some regular readers and get quick feedback on newly posted chapters!

Soltek walked through the arboretum. Irina's behavior was extremely disturbing to him. He was able to sense that she was crying and he wanted to do something about it, but didn't know what and she had told him to be left alone.

He had anticipated some difficulties in bonding with a human female, but he hadn't anticipated something like this. He had always been confident that every problem could be solved logically, even problems concerning a mating bond. Although he wouldn't lie to himself and he knew that expecting the fever stirred some feelings of discomfort in him, he had always known in his bond with T'Punh that they would quickly get past their irrational urges. T'Punh had never expected anything else than efficiency of him and even in the emotional state of p.f. he had been able to be at least efficient. They've had a very predictable protocol about how to deal with this irrational time and everything had been on the course of logic quickly afterwards. He hadn't sensed any lingering emotions from T'Punh afterwards whatsoever while Irina seemed an emotional mess.

With her he didn't know how to behave anymore. She was unpredictable and she wanted strange things from him T'Punh had never wanted. He felt the urge just to do and say the things she wanted and at the same time he was almost shocked about the emotionality of it and half the time he didn't even know what she wanted, just sensed her raw emotions and suspected she sometimes didn't know what she wanted herself. He didn't know how he could look into another Vulcan's face again if he started to behave any more emotional than he had already shamefully done.

He had once heard of a minority group of Vulcans who had rebelled against logic and gone on a quest to explore emotions and had brought shame to all of their families. He did already agree on some compromises, but he would never act that shamefully and talk about emotions like one of those misguided rebells. If he did that his parents would have been right in their warnings... But he was much too logical and strong-willed to loose the Vulcan way. There must be a logical compromise to deal with the problems they had together. He wasn't the first Vulcan bonding with a member of an emotional species after all, there must be some logical protocol on how to establish inter-species relations like this...

When he returned to his quarters he immediately knew that Irina had left his to return to her own. He sat down on the seat in front of his console to continue his nearly finished repairs. When it finally worked a thought crossed his mind...

There was one family member who had bonded with a male from an emotional species. He wasn't supposed to talk to her, but he had already crossed the lines his parents and clan head had set for him and she was the only close person who could offer insight to the problem.

Greetings, my aunt,

he wrote,

I wish to inquire after your health and the health of your husband. And I hope your work is progressing well.

I apologize for not responding to your last letter 49.3 years ago. I conclude that you were able to extrapolate the fact that my parents and our clan head have forbidden all family members to conduct any form of contact with you, but I assure you that I respect your decisions and still have the utmost respect for your person and your accomplishments. I was following the news on your career silently over the years.

I have recently moved from the T'Kumbra to Jupiter station and currently work in the field of holographic programming. My work is progressing well, but I find it difficult to deal with some behavioral patterns of my human colleagues. There's especially one person I'm having communication difficulties with, although I appreciate her very much.

If you still wish to exchange communication with me, I would be grateful for any help you could offer, you are the only person I can think of trusting in this matter. I would also appreciate any news about your life.

If you should however chose to continue the silence, I can understand your reasons and wish you

peace and a long life,

your nephew Soltek

He skimmed what he had written and sent it to ambassador T'Kala of the Vulcan embassy on Romulus.

Irina had just calmed herself when her comm beeped. She expected it to be Soltek, but Olga appeared on the screen. Her hair dyed in green now.

'Hi honey,' she said.

'Hi,' Olga greeted back, 'have you been crying?'

Irina wanted to deny it, but quickly succumbed to tears again.

'What's going on? Have you talked to Jason again?' Olga asked shocked.

Irina shook her head, but wasn't able to talk.

'It's about another guy?' Olga guessed.

Irina nodded and seemed finally able to control herself, 'promise me not to tell mum or dad.'

'Sure,' Olga said, 'what has happened?'

'His name is Soltek,' Irina said and stopped there is if that explained it all.

'What happened? Did he cheat on you?' Olga asked confused.

'No,' Irina said, 'things are complicated...you see...he's Vulcan.'

'What?!' Olga exclaimed and stared at her sister for a moment.

'Yeah, that's the problem...he wants to marry me, but we seem unable to talk about our feelings,' Irina babbled.

Olga stared, 'seriously? He wants to marry you?! Are you drunk?'

'He's serious,' Irina said, 'he kinda proposed two times, but I'm not sure he really loves me or that I really love him...there are so many things about him which are still so strange to me...sometimes I feel so close to him and then he suddenly transforms into just another Vulcan computer.'

Olga stared at her. 'Can you start at the beginning? Why does he want to marry you?'

'For logical reasons, I suppose,' Irina said sadly, 'he said something about our conduct being outside defined parameters and Vulcan protocol required us to be married or something like that.'

Olga took some time to decipher that statement, 'what does he mean with conduct outside defined parameters?'

'Well, obviously Vulcans aren't supposed to do certain things before they are officially married,' Irina said.

Olga stared at her puzzled, 'like what? Kissing? Having sex?'

'Yeah, those things,' Irina said.

Olga goggled and then gave a laugh that was half a shriek, 'you've been in bed with him?'

'Yeah,' Irina confirmed tonelessly.

'Holy crap!' Olga exclaimed, 'did he enjoy it?'

'Yeah, what sort of question is that?' Irina replied annoyed.

'You said he was Vulcan,' Olga responded confused.

'He is,' Irina said.

'It's kinda hard to imagine...how did that happen?' Olga asked.

'Olga, you're being nosy, how do you end up in bed with your fiancé?' Irina said annoyed.

'My fiancé is human,' Olga said, 'you know how the males of our species work...Did you have a logical debate with him before...you did it?'

Irina sighed and folded her arms. 'I'm pouring my heart out to you and all you're interested in is asking me how to get laid by a Vulcan?'

'I'm just trying to understand how your relationship works,' Olga said in a slightly pouting tone.

'Would I cry if it did work?' Irina replied exasperated.

'Okaaay,' Olga replied, 'so you were in bed, he proposed to you and now you cry because you're not sure he really loves you or just wants to follow his Vulcan rules because he has a guilty conscience for being a naughty boy?'

'Yep, that's it in a nutshell,' Irina said.

'Have you talked to him about this?' Olga asked.

'Not in so many words, but I told him not to push me and...I asked him if he loved me,' she said in a low voice.

'And he said that was illogical or something?' Olga asked.

'Yep, something like that,' Irina replied.

'Maybe he felt cornered by your question?' Olga offered.

'And proposing for the second time in a row isn't cornering?!' Irina replied.

'I didn't say that,' Olga replied, 'it just sounds like a difficult question for a Vulcan to answer...even some human guys would have trouble with that...'

'Leave Jason out of this, please,' Irina said.

Olga raised her eyebrows, 'you're the one talking about Jason...maybe you should tell Soltek what you're afraid of.'

Irina sighed.

'Maybe he simply isn't able to talk about his feelings...is there any indication that he doesn't love you?' Olga said.

Irina pondered this. 'I thought he was my friend...it started to get awkward when I...was shortly holding his hand after he gave me that birthday present.'

'That planetary holo shots program? I remember! I wanted to ask who gave it to you, but that was when our call got interrupted,' Olga said.

'Yeah, after the incident with the hand he told me not to initiate skin contact in public,' Irina said.

Olga giggled, 'that sounds Vulcan and also pretty hot somehow.'

Irina drew a weary breath.

'That's quite an elaborate present for someone he doesn't love,' Olga said, 'if I were you, I wouldn't jump to conclusions just because he failed to get down on his knees and confess his undying love for you... Might simply not be the way Vulcan do things...'

Irina sighed, 'I often wished I had your optimism...but maybe you're right, at least I hope so,' she said insecurely.

'Can I meet him?' Olga asked.

'I don't feel like bringing him home at the moment,' Irina replied.

'That's not what I meant, I've been calling you because we wanted to ask if you'd have time for a short visit next weekend? Mum and dad and me,' Olga asked.

'Of course! I think I can use some diversion! But please leave Soltek out of it...I don't want to be pestered with questions by mum and you know how tactless dad can be...,' Irina replied.

'My lips are sealed,' Olga replied, 'but maybe I can sneak a peek at him when you show me your workplace or something?'

Irina sighed, 'maybe.'

Olga grinned. 'I have to leave now, I've got a workshop in half an hour and need to prepare some stuff...don't give up on him yet!'

'I won't!' Irina said, 'have fun!'

'Bye!' Olga blew her a kiss.

'Bye, sweetie!' Irina replied.