I don't own any of it, I just play with it!
Family Is What You Make It
Jim wiped the sweat from his forehead and threw another stone into the wheelbarrow. He had asked Admiral Pike for another ten days on New Vulcan so that the crew could assist with the post-fire recovery efforts. Pike had granted it happily. The crews from the supply ships were also participating, so New Sura'Kahr actually had more help than needed.
Since his adoption into the S'chn T'gai clan and Sarek's family, Jim had teased Spock about being the Vulcan's little brother. Spock decided it was time for Jim to have a demonstration of just what was expected of him in such a relationship.
"As you are my younger brother, you must follow my lead in regard to certain family duties. Caring for one's grandparents is one such obligation. Currently, four people are residing in a home designed for the comfort of only one or two. Elders Tauril and T'Pau will be adding on to their cottages in such a way that the two homes will become one, with several additional rooms. In order for this to occur, the stone fence between the houses must come down and the land must be cleared. As there is at present a shortage of laborers in New Shi'Kahr, I propose that you and I do this while the ship is in New Vulcan orbit."
Jim didn't dare refuse. Family was family. He had completely recovered from his lung infection and the exercise would do him good. At least that was what he had told himself at the time. However, as the sun beat down on him, he began to wonder about what his other family obligations might be.
T'Pau's cottage was full of activity. As Spock and Jim toiled away outside clearing vegetation and moving stones, T'Pau, Tauril, and Nyota were just as busy inside. Saavik was proving to be a challenge. At nearly ten years of age, she spoke only limited Vulcan, and could neither read nor write.
Not accustomed to being told what to do, she often refused to cooperate with her adoptive parents. She was used to being in charge, having been the leader of the small band of children who had escaped from the mine. She simply did not grasp the concept of a parent/child relationship, that others were responsible now for her care and feeding, nor that she was expected to obey them. When challenged, Saavik would throw things, scream Romulan curses, or even strike the person she was angry with.
Saavik had a fear of being touched, except by Senar, which was understandable considering all she had been through. However, she was very jealous of the attention Senar got from T'Pau. At three years old, Senar was still a "lap baby." He had missed hugs after the death of his mother, so he enjoyed receiving them from the ladies in his life. This type of affectionate demonstration was acceptable for small children in Vulcan society. Generally such displays would cease by the time the child went to school at age four.
Senar was still quite wary of males, but he was starting to warm up to Tauril, his adoptive father. Tauril told the children stories and would sit down on the floor and play games with them. Saavik tolerated the elderly gentleman more than the other males in the family. For some reason, she found Sarek especially frightening.
The biggest challenge would be getting Saavik ready for the new school term starting in a month. She was a very intelligent child. Learning was not an issue, obedience would be the problem. Tauril and T'Pau quickly learned that punishment did not work well with Saavik. She would simply endure confinement to her room or loss of privilege. Far worse things had happened to her on Hellguard. Rewarding good behavior was a far more effective strategy with Saavik.
It was Nyota who discovered what Saavik liked best. While helping T'Pau teach the children the Vulcan alphabet, Nyota remembered the little song Spock had made up for his first year cadets. He had borrowed the tune from a Vulcan counting song called "Ten Lost Sehlats." Using her husband's ka'athyra, Nyota taught it to the little ones. Saavik and Senar quickly learned both set of lyrics and wanted to sing the songs over and over.
When T'Pau put Senar down for a nap, Saavik came and sat by Nyota.
"More songs!" she demanded.
"Why should I give you more songs, Saavik? You have yelled and cursed at me, hit your father, and broken two of your mother's tea cups. I can not reward that kind of behavior."
Saavik walked away dejectedly.
When all the kids were in bed, Rachel sat down on the sofa and looked at Sirin expectantly. He left his chair and cuddled up beside her but said nothing. She waited for several minutes and then took the initiative.
"Sirin, a promise is a promise."
"I beg your pardon."
"You promised Jason that we would discuss adopting a brother for him."
Sirin stiffened. He had hoped the subject would be forgotten, but Rachel persisted.
"Oh, you seem to not like that idea."
"Rachel, that is not the issue at all. I would be glad to raise more children with you. However, I am not certain that it would be possible for us to adopt a child on New Vulcan. More specifically, I might not be allowed to do so. As you may recall, I have been declared V'tosh ka'tur, without logic. That pronouncement still stands."
"Well, I think it's high time you did something about that. Talk to your grandmother T'Pau. See what can be done about having that pronouncement reversed. It was done for your cousin Sybok."
"That is true. Very well, I will contact my grandmother in the morning."
"Thank you."
Rachel gave her husband a toe-curling kiss, which he returned.
Ivan the Rigelian parrot observed all of this from his perch and broke out in his best Marvin Gaye imitation.
"Awwk! Oh baby, let's get down tonight....."
On the fifth day after the fire, Scotty ran out of constructive things to do. He couldn't even get drunk, as T'Mardis had run out of beer. Her stock of wine and spirits was also getting thin, with so many Starfleet personnel wandering the streets of New Sura'Kahr.
Bones was being kept quite busy at the local university. The woman in charge of the Healer's School had asked him to demonstrate the technique for in vitro fertilization. That demonstration had resulted in a flood of requests from couples who had been unsuccessful in their attempts to conceive children by natural means. The good doctor was booked solid for the next three days.
Pavel was sitting in on a advanced Astrophysics class taught by Spock's half-brother Sybok, while Sulu worked with some botanists trying to grow better fruit trees. "Cupcake" Giotto and La Keisha spent their time with the orphans in New Shannai'Kahr, as did Janice and Christine when they weren't shopping. Scotty had no one to "play" with, so he rented himself a hovercycle and took off for New Shi'Kahr. Hopefully, Jim and Spock were doing something interesting.
Jim and Spock had worked hard. The garden wall was down and the stones had been saved in a pile in a far corner of the yard. They dug up the ruined tea bushes and moved the surviving ones out of the way of construction. All the valuable plants were moved to Tauril's greenhouse. When that was done, they marked off the dimensions for the foundation of the new addition.
They were about to start digging when Scotty arrived.
"Lads, that'll take ye forever ta dig by hand in this hard dirt. A couple o' jackhammers would really speed things along. I'll have em' beamed down from the ship."
Jim and Spock both agreed that this was an excellent idea, provided appropriate hearing protection came with them. Vulcans had very sensitive hearing, so they would need enough "Mickey Mouse Ears" for the whole family and for the neighbors on either side.
Thirty minutes later, when everyone's ears were appropriately covered, the excavation began. The noise and the dust were the talk of New Shi'Kahr for days, especially the noise! In a few hours, they had broken up the soil, making the whole project much easier. Jim smiled at Scotty in appreciation.
"That was a great idea, Scotty. Wouldn't it be cool if you could just beam up all this loose dirt and dump it someplace?"
Scotty considered this for a moment.
"Where would ye be wantin' me ta put it?"
"I was joking! I mean, that's not really possible, right?"
Scotty grinned.
"Aye, it's quite possible, at least in theory. Mr. Spock and I were discussing it just the other day. I just need the volume and mass of the soil and the location of the dumping site."
"Gee, Scotty, I don't know about this. We could end up with a transporter room full of dirt or worse. I hate to be a killjoy, but remember what happened with Admiral Archer's dog."
"Aye, but the wee beastie did turn up eventually! It would be a fascinatin' exercise in transporter theory. Think of the paper Mr. Spock and I could write on it!"
Though Spock hid his enthusiasm better than Scotty, Jim could tell that the Vulcan was definitely weighing the merits of the idea.
"Okay, you two, but wait until after dark. There'll be fewer witnesses that way."
It was late afternoon when the comm unit in T'Pau's kitchen chimed and then announced an incoming subspace from S'chn T'gai Sirin in San Francisco.
"I will accept the communication."
"Greetings Grandmother and congratulations on the adoption of thy children."
"Greetings to thee, my child. To what do I owe the honor of another call so soon after our last? I trust there is no difficulty."
"No, Grandmother, none at all. I was simply wondering what the process was to get a pronouncement of V'tosh ka'tur reversed."
"One must have one of the Elders petition the Council in their behalf. Does thee seek this action for thyself?"
"Yes, Grandmother."
"Very well, then. I will petition the Council for thee at the next meeting, which is in two days. I must ask thee one question, however. Why dost thou seek to do this now after so many years?"
"Rachel and I would like to adopt an orphaned child. Jason has requested a brother, saying that there are too many females in the family. Jack and Lewis have just adopted a third child, another girl who is related to the other children."
"Jason speaks the truth. He is quite outnumbered. I will contact thee with the Council's decision. Live long and prosper, my child."
"Peace and long life, Grandmother."
Because they had all had such a busy day, T'Pau sent Tauril and Saavik to a local restaurant to pick up a carry-out meal. There would be five extra people for dinner that night. T'Pau made certain that there were several dishes safe for Jim's consumption in her order.
Saavik did not object to her errand. She kept pace with Tauril and was well-behaved in the restaurant while he paid for the food. She carried her share of the food containers without complaint. Tauril made certain to praise her. When they arrived home, he told the rest of the family just how good the child had been.
As the family and guests ate, Saavik actually attempted to use her fork and spoon and asked for food to be passed instead of grabbing for it.
Nyota was quite impressed when Saavik helped clear the table after dinner.
"I think Saavik has earned a reward. She is very fond of music. Spock, perhaps you and I could sing some songs for her."
"That is a most agreeable suggestion, Nyota. I will fetch my ka'athyra."
While the whole family listened, the couple sang for nearly an hour. They chose songs from both Nyota's childhood and Spock's. Senar was getting very sleepy by the time Spock sang the last lullaby. T'Pau sent the children to get ready for bed, Saavik making no complaint for once.
The adoptive parents shook their heads in amazement.
"My children, I would ask a favor of thee both. Would thee be willing to record some of those songs for the children? They have proven a powerful stimulus for good behavior, especially for Saavik."
"It would please Nyota and I very much to do so, Grandmother. We were already planning such a thing for the benefit of our own child."
An hour later, when it was dark and the children were in bed, a very strange thing occurred. All the loose dirt disappeared from the excavation in between T'Pau and Tauril's cottages. A few moments later, a compost pit on the outskirts of New Ski'Kahr was mysteriously covered in soil, saving the farmer and his wife hours of labor. They awoke in the morning to find their scheduled task already completed. It was quite perplexing.
Scotty drove his rented hovercycle back to the New Sura'Kahr Inn after he had shared a pint of Guiness with Tauril and the lads. As he hovered over a certain field on his way out of New Shi'Kahr, he smiled to himself.
"Ah, thank God that bloody smell is gone!"
A/N: My DH tell me that "Mickey Mouse Ears" is military slang for hearing protection!