I don't own 'em, don't get paid.
Farewells And New Beginnings II
T'Mardis had packed them a lovely picnic lunch, complete with wine and cheese. Bones and T'Ameela walked by the river, not saying much, just enjoying each other's company. T'Ameela grabbed his hand and pulled him behind the trees planted along the bank. They embraced and kissed, Human kisses, unaware that they were being watched until they heard the splash.
A small boy had fallen out of a tree and into the water. As he was Vulcan, of course he could not swim.
"Korsau nash-veh!" (Rescue me!") he cried. The boy was very young indeed. An older Vulcan child would not have cried out.
Bones threw off his shirt and boots and dove into the river. Fortunately the current was not fast and he had the child up on the shore in seconds. He wrapped the blanket T'Ameela had brought around the shivering child.
"Saeris, Saeris....."
A youngish looking Vulcan female came running up to them, T'Rus. T'Ameela knew her. She was a recent widow, her husband was killed in a construction accident. T'Rus had her hands full, working full-time in Maintainance at the new university and caring for Saeris and his infant sister. Saeris had slipped away while T'Rus was meeting with a potential new bondmate. Now he stood in front of her, soaking wet.
"What has happened to my son?"
"Saeris fell from a tree into the water. My friend Leonard the Healer saved him from drowning."
The woman bowed her head in a gesture of thanks.
"Thee has my gratitude, Healer Leonard."
"You are quite welcome, Ma'am."
"My son, what were you doing in a tree?"
"My friend Torvisk told me that it is a good place to observe mating behaviors. He was correct in this."
"Were you observing the Healer and T'Ameela?"
"Yes, Mother."
"That is unacceptable behavior. Please make your apology."
"I am sorry, Healer Leonard and T'Ameela. I also thank you for saving my life."
"That's okay, kid. You're quite welcome."
The woman grabbed Saeris by the hand, returning the blanket to T'Ameela.
"We will leave you in peace now. Live long and prosper."
"Peace and long life to you, ma'am. Saeris, stay out of the trees."
When they were alone, T'Ameela pulled Bones behind the tree once more, and kissed him again.
"Come Leonard, we must return you to the Inn and get you out of those wet clothes. I would not wish for you to become chilled."
However, if such a thing should occur, Bones was certain T'Ameela knew exactly how to warm him back up.
Newly promoted and detailed to Starbase 7 Security, Chief Petty Officer Knowles was eager begin his new duties and prove himself worthy. He was thrilled when Commander Rossi selected him for a special assignment.
"Knowles, this is top secret. I'm assigning this task to you because you've already seen these two and know who they are."
"You can count on me, Commander. What do you need me to do?"
"I need you to sit in the corridor in the brig, in full view of the solitary confinement cells and eat steaks and burgers. We're gonna get you a big fan to blow the smell into the cells our two spies are in. It's a little psychological warfare. We're trying to wear them down before Admiral Pike gets here."
"I won't let you down, sir."
Steaks and burgers! Knowles thought of the years he had wasted pushing papers. Being a "redshirt" had its risks, but it also had a few perks.
Nyota could hardly believe it. She and Spock were finally meeting Sybok and his family. It had been just over a year since Sybok and his wife T'Veri had been reconciled to their families and to the Vulcan people. Both had been declared without logic in their youth and fled Vulcan. They had two daughters, T'Plesa, a child of five and and Senlal, just a few months old.
All four had arrived in New Sura'Kahr just last night. Sybok and T'Veri would be teaching at the new university there. Classes would begin in a week. Sybok had just finished his last term teaching on Risa.
The family ate a simple lunch on Sarek and T'Sela's patio. Little T'Plesa enjoyed the fresh air after three days confinement on the shuttle. T'Sela had recently discovered sidewalk chalk, so she had ordered some when she learned the child was coming.
After the meal, they separated into gender groups, with Sarek, Spock, and Sybok heading for the workshop.
The ladies discussed marriage, husbands, and pregnancy, experiences now common to all three. The males had some more serious topics to discuss.
"Home at last!" Jack entered the security code and opened the door. Everything was in order, as Rachel had watered the plants and little Jason had fed the fish and the pouch rat, and cleaned their respective habitats.
Sirin and Jason had picked the family up at the shuttle port and were now helping to unload the luggage. Jason was fascinated with Baby Karl. Jason's two younger siblings were girls, as was Sonrisa. It would be great to have another guy around, even if he had to wait a few years until they could play together.
Sirin watched Chernal's painful gait as she slowly walked into the house. Arthritis in both knees! However, he was the best orthopedic surgeon in San Francisco. Sirin was certain he could repair the damage.
Once everything was unloaded, the three fathers allowed the kids a few minutes to visit. It had been nearly three weeks since they'd last seen each other. Sonrisa had something she desperately needed to share with Jason.
"Jason, guess what! Auntie Nyota has a baby in her tummy."
Nyota had sworn the adults to silence, wanting to tell Rachel's mom Esther and the children herself. However, she hadn't realized that Sonrisa had overheard the conversation. Now the secret was out. Jack would need to contact Spock and Nyota, because he was certain that Jason would tell Esther. Esther was in frequent contact with the Uhura clan in Kenya, as she had struck up a "friendship" with Nyota's Uncle Rubanza. Once Esther knew, so would Nyota's parents.
T'Ameela marveled at the man sleeping beside her. Leonard was a Human, short-lived and fragile, but also brave and selfless. He had been married once, fathered a child, and had one of the most hazardous jobs in the galaxy. These were good reasons to tell him goodbye, but she just could not do it yet. He was already too precious to her.
This was the easiest duty Knowles had ever had. He sat in a comfy chair in front of two cells, eating big, fat, juicy burgers. Knowles made certain that he spilled some of that "burger juice" on his uniform. He smelled nice and meaty. Three times a day, he took meals to the two Romulan prisoners, plates piled high with bread and vegetables.
Knowles was certain their forced vegetarianism was beginning to get to them. Hurev would spend Knowles' entire meal time standing and staring at him through his cell window.
Sarek told his two sons of the financial provisions he had made for each. Sybok made it very clear that he had no plans to wrest anything away from Spock in the event of Sarek's death. It was Spock that Sarek had raised to become the head of the family and the protector of their financial interests. Sybok knew Spock would always have first place in Sarek's heart.
Sarek then gave Sybok a special gift, a handmade wooden cradle carved with both his and T'Veri's family crests. Sybok was greatly moved by the gesture.
"Father, this is most gracious. I thank you."
The door to the wood shop opened. In walked Selek. Sybok knew of him, however they had yet to meet.
"Greeting, Sybok."
"Greeting, Selek. I am pleased to finally meet the one who is both my younger and my older brother."
"Father thought it best that we meet first here, rather than at the university. We will be working in the same department."
"Yes. I understand that you will be the head of Physics and Mathematics. I will have no problem with this. There is no cause for concern. I understand that relations between you and I were difficult in the other time line. Perhaps we might discuss them, so that there is no misunderstanding between us."
"I would like that, Sybok."
Jim had enjoyed the most relaxing shore leave of his life. He'd explored some of the New Vulcan wilderness on a rented hoverbike, toured the new university and various other facilities, and drank some of T'Mardis' fabulous beer in the company of Scotty and Admiral Pike. Scotty had gotten wrapped up in some engineering problem at the new university, a glitch in the main power distribution system. There was nothing the man liked better than a puzzle. He and Selek got it all sorted out, so everything was a go for the first day of class.
However, Jim was beginning to get antsy, ready for some action. It was a good thing they were leaving in the morning, even if Bones didn't think so.
He gone on a picnic with T'Ameela, intending to enjoy one last day with her before telling her goodbye. He'd ended up saving a little Vulcan "voyeur" from drowning and then spent the afternoon in bed. Leonard couldn't do it, his heart just wouldn't allow him to let go of T'Ameela. He told himself he wasn't going to get attached, but he'd gone and done exactly that, lost his heart to a Vulcan woman.
Nyota lay in the chaise on the patio and held her arms out to Spock.
"Come watch the sunset with me, beloved. We've one more night underneath the stars instead of among them. I want to spend it enjoying my handsome husband."
"As you wish, my beautiful wife."
Spock joined her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. The neighbors could not see them and his father and T'Sela expected such behavior. Their shore leave was ending. In the morning they would say goodbye to the family and begin a new mission.