I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for nearly 6 years. I always wanted to finish this story, but other stuff kept coming in the way. Lately I had an idea for another story and was looking for my note book in which I found my latest notes on Irina & Soltek from 2013. So I read through the whole story again and the comments and remembered how much fun I had with this. Then I took the draft from the note book, found another draft on an old memory stick and wrote the lines missing between those scenes...

The ending Debbie Hicks wrote for this story in the comments is hilarious, btw! ;-)

Chapter 29 – The Bonding Ceremony

Shortly after Irina and Soltek had sat down at the table again waiting for their parents & Soltek's clan head to finish their negotions the back door opened and T'Fera emerged. Her eyes looked even sharper than before and Irina wondered if the clan head was pissed off. Her face didn't betray any movement though and with her perfect short traditional Vulcan hair cut she looked almost like a statue. Her hair was a lighter brown than Soltek's father's hair was, but Irina could see the resemblance in their faces. Maybe her hair was bleached by the harsh Vulcan sun and it was also peppered with grey strands.

'We have reached an agreement,' she said curtly turning to Soltek and Irina with a strict look, 'the bonding ceremony will be conducted tomorrow at 10 am, be punctual.'

Irina breathed out in relief and could feel something similar from Soltek wonderin gwhat had been the subjects of such a long debate.

'You are Lt. Paranov's family healer?' T'Fera asked turning to Hedak.

'I am Lt. Paranov's healer on Jupiter station,' Hedak corrected her in a much more polite and diplomatic tone than Irina would have been able to if adressed this apruptly, 'I know Soltek and Irina Paranov well enough to perform the bonding'.

'You shall do so then' she said not lightening up one bit.

Hedak simply nodded.

'I will retire for the evening,' T'Fera said and raised her hand in the Vulcan salute, quickly but with dignity. She left before everyone had caught up and returned the gesture. (So much for practicing that on the way to Vulcan.)

'We will prepare the evening meal now,' T'Miha said sounding somewhat tired and vanished into the house with her husband.

Irina's mother followed them to help and Irina looked expectantly at her father.

He sighed loudly, 'I hope this is the only Vulcan wedding I ever have to negotiate for my whole life,' he said, 'don't get me wrong, but I'm glad Olga has other interests in that area. I sincerely refuse to do something like this ever again!'

'If our future children should marry Vulcans, we could conduct these negotiations if you wish, Juri,' Soltek said.

Now Irina was the one who blushed.

To Irina the ceremony looked quite simple with only a few relatives gathered around outside in a dry area on a hill. It looked a bit like an ancient meeting place, Irina couldn't help but think about what she had learned about ancient tribes or north europe and a community meeting called 'thing' or something like that. There was no decoration and nor music though and she found the atmosphere to be very spartan and not festive at all. She almost felt lost in that place full of red sand and only a few rocks for company. Maybe this was because Soltek's clan didn't fully approve their marriage and just wanted to get it over with so them living together wouldn't cause a scandal. Or whatever the Vulcan version of a scandal is.

Vulcans don't communicate these things through gossip, but they find ways to communicate them indirectly, Soltek told her over their bond apparently 'listening' to her thought process. But we must not get distracted by what others think about us, the negotiations have been successful and we will live our own life, when we return to Jupiter station.

You're right, Irina answered, and I'm sure when we fly to Luna tomorrow our neighbours will try their best to organize any kind of party even though they don't know you.

It would be different if my aunt was here, but that would really produce a scandal, Soltek said through their bond.

They couldn't finish that conversation because T'Fera indicated that she wished to begin. She told to stand in the middle of the circle the attendents have formed and then she recited some words like she was just doing her duty. After that was finished she called Hedak to form the bond. He approached them and put one hand on Irina's and one hand on Soltek's face.

Irina immediately felt Hedak's presence in her mind, but it felt calm and soothing like an old grandfather assuring a nervous child not to worry. She remembered the dreams in the Vulcan desert she had and suddenly she was there again. She saw Soltek, but there was like a fog between them, she realized it was sand though.

There is still a question in your mind concerning your bond, Soltek of Vulcan, the healer said.

Irina looked at him afraid something was wrong and she felt how he realized her fear.

It is not about you, Soltek said to Irina.

No, it is about you, the healer said looking at Soltek.

Soltek looked slightly pained and Irina felt a peculiar sensation from him. Fear? Shame? Confusion?

I must speak to the healer alone first, Soltek said.

I will wait, Irina replied. She felt the telepathic link to Dr. Hedak gently being released. Then she was standing there and realized everybody was staring at her and she felt like a protective soap bubble had just burst.

I am still with you, Soltek said through the bond sensing her distress. I know, Irina replied, I will wait.

And then she waited just looking at Soltek and Dr. Hedak figuring something out in a mind meld.

Your previous wife, the healer said in the meld.

T'Punh, Soltek called up her image and a few seconds passed while both of them seemed busy sensing what effect that image had on Soltek.

She didn't stir you like Irina does, the healer stated.

No, Soltek replied and there was the question, the healer knew he had found what he had been looking for.

What Irina effects in you has always been the way of the Vulcan heart, the healer said calmly.

Soltek frowned, it is a test of our logic then, something I didn't encounter before, he said wondering.

It is, the healer replied, but it is more than that.

A few surreal moments passed in which Soltek had the peculiar sensation that he could not only hear his heart beating more slowly, but it seemed to him that he could hear his brain thinking and his blood circulating through his body connecting brain and heart.

It is more than logic and still a part of logic, the healer said.

It is life, Soltek realized and reached out to Irina with two fingers extended.

After this chapter there will be one more. (I've already written the draft for it last weekend.)