A/N: Thank you all for the support of this new story. I wish I didn't have to work full time because I have like a dozen Trek stories for you all and if I set up a account I wouldn't get to claim I wasn't getting paid for writing Trek pieces! HA! Sooo one step at a time. It's delightful to know so many folks enjoy vulcan and romulan stories, I'd say let's beg for a series for them, but the way things are going they'd ruin it :( Anyway, let's see how things are going in this new story….

Sara stepped off the transport dressed in simple vulcan attire. She'd spend the trip reading up on all of the etiquette and protocols she was expected to know. She was grateful that Soval had set her up with the proper clothes, and when she stepped out into the heat she was surprised at how much the layers she wore helped keep the worst of it at bay. It was going to take getting used to, that much was sure, but she had nothing else to focus on but that. Walking forward, she shouldered her packs and saw a thin angular looking vulcan male approach her. This had to be Skol, the man she was replacing.

Skol saw the black haired human woman step off the transport and began to slowly approach her. He wanted time to assess her movements, really look at her before greeting. She was thin, pale, with high angular cheekbones, and striking black hair with a single thick white streak that started at her temple. She was older, he thought, but refined looking-suitable for the noble house she'd be serving. From a distance, she could have passed for Vulcan, in a way, but closer he saw her face was very much human. "Sara Blanc?" he said evenly, "I am Skol, I will be taking you to the Kuvak estate, and staying with you for a few days as you get settled. There will be, in a week's' time a contingent of humans arriving who will serve under you, replacing several of the vulcans who are going to Earth." He paused and opened the flitter door for her, offering to take her packs, "Is this all of your belongings?

"Yes, Osu." She said softly, not making eye contact with him, per what she had read.

""Ah, yes, I am no, Osu, my ranking is not so high, Skol is fine. Kuvak and his clan are either Osu, or If you speak with Kuvak, S'haile, is appropriate."

"I'm sorry, Skol." She said buckling into the flitter.

He got in and locked the doors, "You are a very attractive female, you will do well to observe the protocols so no cultural misunderstandings happen. You have a very exotic look, let me see your eyes."

She glanced at him and he nodded, "You could pass for vulcan in some ways, but in other ways you are very, very human, that may make you a target when you are out shopping for unwanted attention. I would take someone with you, a vulcan if possible."

"Thank you." she said simply, recognizing he wasn't meaning to give her a compliment, he was simply stating facts.

"Are you lips always that red or is it cosmetic stain?"

"Cosmetics." She said.

"Your cosmetics are fine while you are in the house, but I would not think it wise to make yourself more beautiful out in public. We have sects of vulcans who will dislike you because you are human, and small sects of vulcans who are without logic and can be impulsive. Where you are should be fine, but in larger cities, or near Raal where the Minister has his second home you may need to mute yourself some." He engaged the engine and flew off toward Kuvak's estate.

"I already miss meat." Kov said picking through the veg on his plate. Kuvak looked at him and Kov waved him off, "I won't ask you to resort to savagery, Uncle. I am just thinking out loud."

Kuvak nodded, clearly relieved, "I am grateful for that, Kov, I'm not sure I could stomach seeing it eaten."

"Did you know, that there are humans that don't eat meat either?" Kov said trying to sound cosmopolitan. He had been with his uncle a month now, and had not take any time to share what he had learned while he was experimenting with emotions.

"I did not know that. Perhaps some of them that come during the cultural exchange will be non-meat eating." Kuvak said forking a bit of pasta, "Do you know many humans?"

"I have a friend, Trip, who is a human. He cleared up a great many cultural misunderstandings for me. Would you like to hear about that, Uncle?"

Kuvak's eyes brightened, "I would be agreeable to that actually. I have read a great many observations about them, written by our anthropologists, they seem a conflicted species. Yet, the one I met, Commander Archer, seemed affable."

"I met him too." Kov bragged, "He gave aid to the ship I was on. That's how I met Trip, we still keep in contact."

"Please, do tell me what you have learned. It may be useful since we will have some humans living among us. " Kuvak pushed his plate away, and gave Kov his attention, he didn't like talking over his food, and Kov seemed to be most open while eating.

"Their game, american football, the one that our people said that a group of men attempt to kill one man over an oblong ball, they aren't trying to kill him, only stop him from passing the ball to gain ground." Kov began, hoping to impress his uncle, "And a full third of their crew are female, in fact females and males mix easily in their culture, and rarely do they fight over them. They don't have sex like we've been told, with any random woman at any time they wish. They do…"

Kuvak shifted, visibly uncomfortable, "Do you actually speak of such things to your friend?"

Kov shrugged, "Yes, he began the conversation asking about vulcan mating rituals. They didn't think we even had sex." he said, a lot louder than Kuvak would have liked.

"Lower your voice." Kuvak asked softly, clearly embarrassed.

"See, Uncle, humans talk more openly about things and so do I. It's not logical, it's simple biological functions." he shrugged, "Fun functions, lots of fun." he said with a grin, "I had sex with a human once, actually once is a minimization, we had sex for nearly two days straight."

Kuvak seemed to melt into the chair, but Kov rattled on, "We were on a space station, and a female that ran the drinking establishment. She said she'd never had sex with a vulcan and I said,"

Kuvak held up his hand, "I do not require details, Kov. While I can appreciate your discovery, I do not need to hear every detail."

Kov shrugged, "Ok, but suffice it to say humans are amazing and very compatible with us."

Kuvak sighed, "Thank you for the information. Do you have information regarding humans that is not sexual in nature?"

"Oh, yes! Lot's of it!" Kov said smiling, "They have a rich culture. They have all kinds of dances…" he began, and Kuvak started to relax.

Skol opened the gates for Sarah and motioned for her to follow. The estate was huge, made of white marble looking stone, beautiful statues, and even some kind of fountain in the center. The pillars were so large she couldn't put her arms around them. "This is stunning." she whispered not sure where to look next, it was like the most beautiful dream.

"You'll become accustomed to it, "This is the groundskeepers duty." he said motioning to the intricate gardens, the stones placed in vulcan patterns Sarah didn't understand. "He will be under you, and report to you, but you do not have to concern yourself with the actual labor."

He placed his hand beside the door and the door popped open, "Place your hand there, I will program the house to respond to you. You'll have access to every part, and be able to give and remove access to others."

Sarah did as she was told, the scan felt warm and tingly slightly, "Is this the servants entrance?"

"It is, specifically, it's your entrance. No other may come in and out of this entrance but you. It leads directly to your office and your rooms. Kuvak is most generous, and has granted people with our titles a great luxury of space and privacy." he motioned for her to enter.

The moment she did Sarah knew Skol was not exaggerating. Her office was large and beautiful. Her rooms, a sitting room, bedroom, and bath, and a small kitchen, were better than the most expensive apartments back on earth. They were large enough it made her meager possessions look insignificant. It took everything for her not to say wow repeatedly. "May I put my packs in my room?"

"Of course, that would be logical since I am about to give you a tour of the house." He stood stiffly, just outside the door to her private suite.

She walked in, still in awe, placing her packs on her bed. If she ever saw Soval again, she'd be tempted to kiss him on his lips for this whole thing. It was surprisingly comfortable in the rooms, temperature wise. It didn't feel like air conditioning, but it was cool enough she'd get good sleep.

Everything in her wanted to lay down, and rest, just explore her rooms, but she knew she wouldn't have Skol around for long and knew she needed to take advantage of it while he was there.

Sarah joined him, "I'm ready. How many people do we have on staff?"

"Twenty five," he said moving swiftly out of her private area into the halls where the people who would work for her would live, "Twenty people inside the house, five that work the gardens and exterior. You have five cooks, that come every day but do not live here."

"Five? How many people do we feed a day?"

"There are twenty in the clan lands, all of Kuvak's bloodline, but that is not the whole of his clan, the others live on the satellite estates, as Kuvak himself did before his brother died. Others, of course, live or work on other planets. His clan has been prolific, and meritorious."

"I'd say." She placed her hands behind her back as she took in her surroundings, "Will I get a file on each of the people, to know who is who and what they like and dislike?"

"You will, in fact it's on your desk in your office. Osu Kuvak is not married, his wife died some years ago. His nephew, Kov, has just joined the family and lives in Kuvak's side of the estate. He is different." he paused, "He is," he paused in his walking, "A vulcan without logic, so prone to emotional outbursts. It is advisable to tread with caution around him. I have only been in contact with one of his kind, and it is unnerving for any vulcan. The full information about him is in your office, as with others, but I wished to note him because you will likely have contact with him."

"Is he older or younger?"

"He is younger, and well nourished." Skol said trying to be diplomatic. He placed his hand on the side of the wall and the door opened into the main entry of the house. There were large statues made of marble standing in the entrance and the red and white marble floor was so shiny she could see her reflection.

"How beautiful." she said softly, her eyes unable to settle on any one thing. "Does it ever rain here?"

"No, not in this region, in other regions there is precipitation, but this area has not seen rain in two hundred years. We are fed by natural springs that come from the mountains. It allows us to grow most all of our own food." He turned abruptly, "Which reminds me, we do not serve meat at all, and no meat is cooked in the house. Is this going to be an issue?"

"No, Skol, I'm fine with that." She said with a nod.

"I have been told that humans are carnivores."

"Actually, humans are omnivores generally, but some are herbivore." She didn't elaborate on which she was, but she didn't like the generalization that all humans were one anything.

Skol's eyebrows rose, "Fascinating, there is diversity within your species. I meant no offense, simply stating what is generally thought about your people."

"I understand."

Skol was about to say something when he stiffened, "Osu approaches." he nudged her, "stand straight."

Kuvak approached them both, Sarah noticed his face was much softer than any vulcan she'd met, his eyes almost seemed to smile as he got closer, "Skol, it is agreeable to see you. I thought you had gone to Earth today."

"Not yet, Osu, in the next few days. Today, I picked up Sarah Blanc," he motioned toward her, "She is taking my place."

He turned to her and she was transfixed for a moment how expressive he seemed, his blue eyes contained a kind of serenity and happiness. The corners of his mouth curled upward slightly, "Greetings" he said, raising the ta'al, "T'Sai Sarah, of Earth." he looked her up and down, never having been this close to a human female before.

"Osu Kuvak, I am pleased to meet you. Thank you for this opportunity to work with you and your people."

"The honor is ours," he said with an almost imperceptible up-beat lilt to his voice, "What are you both doing now?"

"I am giving her a tour of the compound, Osu." Skol answered still standing, more or less, at attention.

"Then allow me to join you. I grew up in this home, my father was the keeper of this house when I was young. My brother took it over after my father died. I've only just returned last month." Kuvak said conversationally.

"I grieve with you, for your loss." Sarah said.

Kuvak nodded, impressed by her phrasing, "Is that a common thing to say on Earth, or have you been studying our culture."

"I have been studying, ever since Ambassador Soval said it to me at my husband's funeral. I like it better than some of the human platitudes." She replied honestly, "It seems to really mean something."

Kuvak's eyes widened, "I grieve with you. When did you lose your mate?"

"Last week." she said in a clipped manner.

Kuvak blinked, that brought a great many questions to mind, but he was not sure if he should ask any of them, so he turned, "Skol let us show, Sarah around since this will be here home now."

Skol nodded, "Yes, Osu, we are honored that you would join us."

Kuvak moved so Sarah could walk between the two of them, his mind puzzling about the information he'd learned but also, now, on making her feel welcomed.