Title: During the Journey to Babel
The Formal reception was like any other that Lord Christopher had attended in the past. He stood in a back corner and observed the delegates as they talked and debated amongst themselves. No one really spoke to Lord Christopher because they never really noticed him. He was not exactly invisible, such an act would have been too much of a strain on Lord Christopher if he did it for a long time; the best way to describe it was that if someone saw him they would register him as someone of little importance and move on to someone more 'important'. Those who did talk with only did 'small talk' which he did not mind it just got tedious answering the same questions over and over again.
Ambassador Sarek and Amanda entered with little ceremony; Lord Christopher raised his glass and gave them a small nod greeting them which was returned with Sarek returning the nod and Amanda smiling. Captain Kirk, followed by Doctor McCoy and Spock, entered soon after the Vulcan Ambassador. The officers mixed and mingled and finally ended up talking with Sarek and Amanda.
"What does your government say about Coridan?" a small voice spoke up. Lord Christopher looked around for the source of the voice with little success. "Down here." Lord Christopher looked down and saw a golden man who was about three feet tall.
"My apologizes, friend." Lord Christopher said.
"Don't worry," the little man said with a smile. "I'm use to it with aliens; most of the members of the Federation are taller than us."
"Forgive me – but what was your question?" Lord Christopher asked.
"What does your government say?" the little man asked again.
"My government has sent me to observe the conference more than anything." Lord Christopher explained truthfully. "My government has no voting rights within the Federation."
Before the golden man could ask for further clarification the Tellarite Ambassador, Gav, loudly demanded to know Sarek's position concerning Coridan. Fortunately the heated discussion was defused by Kirk.
"Ambassador Gav's temper is going to get the better of him one of these days." Lord Christopher commented taking a sip from his drink. The little golden man nodded and wished Lord Christopher a good evening when his compainoin called him away.
"He did have a pet sehlat he was rather fond of." Lord Christopher heard Amanda say. He looked over to where she was standing. She was talking to Dr. McCoy.
"Sehlat?" McCoy asked.
"It's sort of a fat teddy bear." Amanda said making no effort to conceal her grin. Lord Christopher smiled to himself; he had many fond memories of Amanda embarrassing Spock whenever he came to visit them on Vulcan. Terran parents took such delight in embarrassing their young in front of others outside the family.
"There is no logic in it." young Spock once said to Lord Christopher over a game of 3D chess.
"Spock, she's your mother." Lord Christopher said moving one of his pieces to another level.
"That statement is illogical." Spock responded moving one of his own pieces.
"To you perhaps," Lord Christopher smiled. "Checkmate." Spock looked over the board and gave an inaudible sigh admitting defeat. "Come one – time for your lesso—."
Lord Christopher was suddenly rammed to the floor by a sehlat that began ferociously licking his face in joy.
"I-Chaya!" Spock said as he tried to get the creature off Lord Christopher.
"It's alright Spock," Lord Christopher said with laughter. "Yes I missed you too I-Chaya; now get off of me." The sehlat obediently got off panting happily and sat next to Lord Christopher's prostrate form.
"My apologizes; I –" Spock began but Lord Christopher raised his hand.
"No harm, no foul." he said breathing hard. "I think I-Chaya is a bit bigger since last I was here. That or it just feels that way; and I'm going to go with the latter assumption."
"What happen?" Amanda asked as she walked into the room. She looked down at Lord Christopher on the floor with a worried look on her face.
"Sometimes Amanda I think that sehlat of your husband and son acts too much like a dog." Lord Christopher said from the floor. "It was overjoyed to see me apparently."
"Apparently," Amanda repeated moving out of the way of her son as he helped Lord Christopher back on his feet.
"Animals, Spock, have played an important role in the history of Terrans." Lord Christopher began explaining brushing himself off. "In war and in personal life; for today's lesson I think I will start with the Carthaginian commander Hannibal and his use of elephants against the Romans during the Punic Wars."
Lord Christopher smiled at himself at the memory and looked at Spock who had just given McCoy more details of a sehlat and walked over to him.
"I remember that sehlat rather fondly." Lord Christopher said.
"You do?" Spock remarked rasing an eyebrow. "Despite the fact that I-Chaya would repeatedly pummel you to the ground?"
"If I didn't know any better I would say you were just being sarcastic," Lord Christopher said taking the last gulp of his drink and looking at the glass sadly. "This stuff is not the same as the real thing; no matter how much one drinks one can't even get close to being tipsy."
"I thought you could not get drunk even if you had actual alcohol." Spock commented with a very subtle confused look on his face.
"I don't," Lord Christopher said. "You shouldn't let McCoy get under your skin; he's just joking. Terrans like to poke fun at each other in jest."
"It would illogical for me –" Spock began but stopped when he saw Lord Christopher shaking his head.
"For Creator's sake Spock," Lord Christopher put down his empty glass and looked harshly at Spock. "Did all the lessons my sister and I gave you mean nothing? You seem to be forgetting you are Terran as well as Vulcanian."
"It is better that I chose the path of logic then that of emotions." Spock justified himself to Lord Christopher.
"Better? Or is there another reason?" Lord Christopher looked over at Kirk. "You have to go now; Trouble on the Bridge."
Lord Christopher bowed to Spock and left just as Kirk was walking over to his First Officer
Authoress' Note: Thank you all for reading and reviewing.This story is connect to my story about the Keepers, which also has Lord Chirstopher in it. Enjoy and please review!!