There are always wars and rumors of wars. However, to prevent any possible legal battles, I will inform you all of the following: I do not own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings.
The Jorian War II
Admiral Pike had a coded message from the Jorian Ambassador.
"Hostilities have broken out. There are fatalities."
The colonists on Nalthus had killed three Jorian soldiers they considered invaders. The Jorians had killed two Nalthusians in return. War had begun. The diplomatic team's mission would be to stop it before it escalated.
Jim ordered their speed increased to maximum warp. Even so, the Jorian system was nearly a day away. Pike suggested that they all get some rest and then spend some time reviewing what little was known about the situation.
The Jorian language was an easy one to learn and even easier for those who chose not to learn it, but simply relied upon the universal translator. The Jorians used no idioms, figures of speech, slang, nor expletives. They had few words to convey emotion or describe beauty. To Jorians, things either were or they were not.
Nyota had not spent much time studying Jorian. It had seemed pointless. Few Humans ever ventured to the Jorian system and the Jorians never left. She spent a few hours reviewing the language in case it was needed. However, Bones had made it very clear that she was not going on any more away missions until after the baby was born. Her due date was now about ten weeks away, though Healer T'Mena and Bones both thought that her son would come a bit earlier.
After she finished her linguistic study, Nyota read over the limited information the databases held about Jorian society. It was incredibly dry and boring, just as the Jorians themselves were.
Then she remembered something. Spock had visited Joria as a child. His parents had been on the first contact mission and had taken him along.
Spock was reclining on the bed next to her with his own PADD, so Nyota decided to pick his brain.
"Spock, tell me what you remember about Joria."
"There is not much to tell, Nyota. Also, my memories would be from the perspective of a three-year-old child."
"Children can be quite insightful. Also, from what your father and grandmother have said, you were a pretty sharp kid."
"Very well. My first impression of Joria was that it was a desolate place. The landscapes held little variation in color. The sky, rocks, and even the vegetation seemed to be in shades of gray. The Jorians themselves possess gray skin and dull, black hair. Vulcan as I remember it was a colorful world of reds, browns, tans, and golds, with green plant life. I recall being homesick for it, as was my mother."
The surface conditions of the planet were very harsh, so the people lived underground in dwellings carved out from the rocks. The diplomatic party, including my family, stayed in what the Jorians referred to as the royal palace. It had all the necessities of life but it was not very inviting. The food was relatively tasteless. My mother supplemented my diet with canned fruits and peanut butter and cracker sandwiches. She always brought such items when she and my father traveled."
"Oh, there was an incident related to one of my snack times. King Gerlhu had allowed his children to play with me, though his wife had been against it. There were two daughters, Taela and Viella. They taught me a very complicated game which involved solving math problems and then converting the solutions into musical phrases. The game was quite enjoyable. Perhaps I will teach it to our child someday."
Nyota looked at her husband and rolled her eyes.
"Get back to your snack story, love."
"Ah, yes. As we were playing in my family's room at snack time, my mother invited Taela and Viella to join us, after first determining that peanut butter and canned peaches would not harm them. They found the food to be to their liking."
"When their mother came to fetch them after we had eaten, Viella tried to explain to her how tasty our little snack had been."
"The mother told her "It was sustenance, Viella, nothing more." Viella countered "The Vulcan boy is permitted to enjoy what he eats." Her mother told her "He is a savage and knows no differently. The gods expect better of us."
Nyota sighed and cuddled up to husband.
"Something tells me the Jorians are not going to be much fun to work with."
Rachel returned from changing baby T'Lonna and found Sirin, Esther and the older children sitting on a bench eating ice cream. They all sat in the food court of the mall by the shuttle terminal at Starbase 7. Sirin took the baby from Rachel and handed her a double scoop of strawberry cheesecake. Rachel shook her head at the two "responsible" adults.
"We have three hours to kill before boarding the transport shuttle to New Vulcan, and you two just had to go and give them sugar."
Sirin raised an eyebrow at her.
"Rachel, you worry too much. What could happen?"
Telen had been very busy all day, coordinating the delivery of mining equipment. New Vulcan's newest dilithium mine was scheduled to open in the next few days. Telen had studied geology on Risa, as he had been denied admission to the VSA . That fact had probably saved his life. He had been home on a semester break when the Genocide happened, visiting his bondmate T'Seva. If he had been in class at the VSA, he would have died. Very few managed to escape from there. As it was, Telen had suffered a serious injury, as the ceiling of T'Seva's parents' home collapsed on him. T'Seva and her brother pulled him to safety and all three got away in a small vessel the family owned. Telen spent months in the hospital on Starbase 7, still not fully recovered when he experienced Pon Farr. T'Seva was there for him when he needed her.
That had been two years ago. Though he and T'Seva enjoyed each other frequently, no child had resulted from their union. Telen's injury had caused extensive damage. It was likely that he would never father a child. When asked for a donation to the colony's sperm bank, Telen was ashamed to admit that he could give none.
Old Healer Thorgal had been kind and informed him that with so many donors, he and T'Seva might instead become recipients. After all, the goal was the conception of as many genetically diverse children as possible. Thorgal instructed the young couple to meditate as to the characteristics their child should have. They could even select the donor, if the male in question approved of them.
T'Seva wanted their child to be intelligent and musically gifted. Telen wanted a child who would not endure such academic struggles as he had. He also wanted his child to be brave and morally upright. Both he and T'Seva agreed on the one person who embodied those qualities. However, given their past history, Telen doubted that Spock would agree to the request.
That was why he nearly fell over when he read the message from Thorgal. Spock had consented. This was what forgiveness felt like, a gift not deserved. It nearly made Telen weep as he gave the news to T'Seva.
Jim re-read the information that Admiral Pike had provided him with. It was scanty at best. The Jorians and Erdrusians were in dispute over the planet Nalthus. All three worlds mined dilithium, which was traded to Federation worlds for grain and other foodstuffs.
There were also rumors that the Jorian ruler was put out because more and more Jorians were leaving his planet for Erdrusia, and still others for Nalthus. It was also being said that some Erdrusians thought that their ruler had permitted the prevailing attitude of hedonism to go too far. They were immigrating to Nalthus. Nalthusians wanted independence from the whole lot. It seemed that they should have been able to work things out on their own.
There had to be a missing piece here, but Jim could not determine what it was. Hopefully everything would become clear once they reached the Jorian system.
As Jason and Hannah ran back and forth through the food court, Rachel tried in vain to stop then while alternately shooting Sirin and Esther dirty looks. T'Lonna was cutting a tooth and drooling all over everything in sight. Rachel breathed a silent prayer of thanks for the laundry and fresher facilities at the mall. Esther had washed up all the dirty clothes from their trip so far. At least they wouldn't have to arrive on New Vulcan looking homeless.
Rachel's thoughts were disturbed by Jason's screams.
"No, Hannah! Don't put your hand in there!"
The landscape of Joria was just as bleak as Spock had remembered. King Gerlhu was not any more pleasant as he met the landing party inside his "palace."
"I do not know what you Federation people can do that has not already been done. Though since you are people of passion, perhaps you can reason with my daughter."
The Vulcans in the party were all somewhat annoyed at being called "people of passion." However, they held their tongues. They probably seemed passionate when compared to the Jorians.
Sarek asked the obvious question.
"King Gerlhu, what has your daughter to do with all of this?"
"My daughter Viella has declared herself queen of Erdrusia. Her pleasure-seeking lifestyle has violated our way of life and offended our gods. Now her contamination has spread to another world."
"There we are!" thought Jim. "The missing pieces, family and religion. Now we're in for it."
Three-year-old Hannah loved gummy bears. While she and Jason were cruising the food court, she saw another child obtain some from a vending machine.
They were the ones in the green bag, all natural, made with fruit and sweetened with honey, the only ones Rachel would allow her to have.
Hannah walked over to the machine, lifted the little door flap near the bottom, and stuck her hand up inside. Jason started screaming at her, but what were big brothers for, if not to be ignored?
She pulled on the bag of gummy bears, but it would not budge. Unfortunately, neither would her hand. In fact, her arm, up to the elbow, was stuck in the vending machine.
Sirin ran to find a starbase security person, who in turn paged the vending machine technician. He was servicing machines in the hospital complex.
Hannah began to scream that her arm hurt. Esther sat down on the floor next to her and hugged her. T'Lonna began to cry, both in sympathy for her sister and because her gums hurt. Rachel gave the baby a medicated lollipop and checked her chronometer. The family was supposed to board their transport to New Vulcan in less than an hour.
Sarek had never realized that Queen Viella was King Gerlhu's daughter. That information had never been volunteered, nor was it considered polite to ask a ruler one was visiting as to how they came to be in power. It was especially unwise if said person happened to be holding one for ransom. Viella must have changed much as she grew. Otherwise Amanda would have recognized her. Sarek had never met Viella as a child.
The Jorians gave the diplomatic party a short briefing, adding little to what was already known about the situation. The king did not know who the leader of the Nalthusians was. However, the team could not help but be struck by the Jorians' religious zeal. It seemed to be the only emotion they permitted themselves in public.
After a few hours, the team returned to the Enterprise, much to everyone's relief. The atmosphere had been both oppressive and repressive.
Kehel, who was very fond of eating, sighed as they materialized in the transporter room.
"It is a pity that we weren't invited to dinner."
Spock and Sarek replied to this, almost in unison "No, it is not."
The vending machine technician got to them as soon as he could, Lars, a sympathetic man with four children of his own. He had to cover Hannah with a blanket and shatter the window of the machine in order to effect her rescue. This permitted him to spray lubricant on the little girl's hand and arm, then ease her out of the machine. He took a report from Rachel, noting her Starfleet rank and service number. The cost of the repairs to the machine would be deducted from her pay.
The family made their connection to New Vulcan with mere minutes to spare. Hannah was covered in lubricant, of course, and had a bandage on her finger because of a small cut. However, Lars had given her 15 bags of gummy bears to take with her on her trip. The machine had to be emptied, as the door was missing. Besides, her mother was being charged for all the food, which would be handed out to people waiting to be seen by the New Vulcan Immigration Ministry.
Jason tried to persuade Hannah to share some of her prize, but she refused.
"Oh, c'mon, Hannah! You've got 15 bags!"
"I wasn't getting them for me. They're for Torel!"
Esther roared with laughter as she broke open a second package of baby wipes, trying to remove the lubricant from Hannah's arm.
Rachel started laughing too, and leaned over T'Lonna's safety seat in order to give Sirin a kiss on the cheek.
"Kids! We must be crazy to travel the galaxy just to pick up another one."
Sirin gave her just the ghost of a smile.
"At least we did not encounter any Romulans."
"We still have the return trip to make. You never know what might happen."
Erdrusia was a much more colorful world than Joria, even in the dead of winter. When contacted by Admiral Pike, Queen Viella was quite willing to have the diplomatic party visit her.
However, Sarek had made it clear that Viella was not to be trusted, so the team was accompanied by a security force of ten members, headed by "Cupcake" Giotto. This gave each individual on the team their own body guard if the situation called for it.
Queen Viella's servants led them to the Erdrusian royal palace. This at least was an actual building of brick and stone. It was sparsely furnished, but at least some attempt had been made at decoration. In the Queen's sitting room, colorful cushions adorned the stone benches and large pillows were scattered on the floor for additional seating. The diplomatic party was encouraged to be seated. Queen Viella would join them in a moment.
When everyone was comfortable, they were served a hot beverage. This was scanned by Spock to insure that it was safe for consumption. Then Viella made her appearance. She wore bright yellow robes and a head scarf that Sarek recognized as one that had been part of his ransom.
"Welcome back, Ambassador Sarek. You did not bring your lovely wife this time."
"Amanda is deceased."
"I am so sorry to hear this."
Sarek was uncertain as to whether Viella was grieved over Amanda's loss or the fact that there would be no more trinkets from her. He introduced the other members of the team to her.
Viella showed definite interest when she heard the name Spock. So much interest that Giotto sensed a possible threat. He came and stood behind the Commander with a hand on his weapon.
"Spock, you are the little boy who liked to play math games and eat peaches and peanut butter."
"The very same, your Highness, though I am not so little now."
"Indeed you are not. So, you have all come to stop a war. Your assistance is most appreciated. Perhaps you can get my father and my husband to see reason."
Spock looked at Sarek, who shook his head. He had no idea who Viella's husband was.
Viella sensed their confusion.
"My husband Guran is the leader of the Nalthusians. He left me because I began trading dilithium to the Ferengi. They offer such fine treasures in return, whereas the Federation only gives us practical items."
"Oh, fabulous!'" thought Jim. "We've got a daughter estranged from her father, religious differences, disputes over land and mining rights, and now a marital dispute and Ferengi! It's like the plot to a cheap holonovel!"
TBC