The Garden of Thought

by Bishop T

Summary: On the grounds of the Vulcan Academy of Science is a beautiful garden for the purpose of private meditation. Come and wander the winding pathways of the Garden of Thought and the stories of the Vulcans who meditate there.

The Garden of Thought

by Bishop T

Rated: T (13+)

Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount.

Summary: On the grounds of the Vulcan Academy of Science is a beautiful garden for the purpose of private meditation. Come and wander the winding pathways of the Garden of Thought and the stories of the Vulcans who meditate there.

Chapter 1 Seed Sown on Rocky Ground

ooOoo

T'Pring walked the winding pathway through the Garden of Thought on the Science Academy campus. Every Vulcan home included a family meditation room and a place in one's bedroom for private meditation. Many families had an area in their gardens for meditation too, but the Garden of Thought was her personal favorite. It was big enough for fifty people to meditate in, at the same time, and not disturb each other. Walking on its quiet winding pathways helped her to clear her mind of the everyday cares of her life and become focused on a single problem to meditate on. Small vine-covered alcoves with benches were placed throughout the garden so that one could stop their wandering and meditate in total privacy. Her favorite alcove was near the middle of the garden and she hoped it would be available for her use.

She had a lot to think about since her bondmate, Spock, had not been home for many years. The seven times he came home, on leave from Starfleet, he did spend time with her so that they could get to know each other better. She respected him for that. It could not have been easy for him to come home to Vulcan when his father, Sarek, so strongly disapproved of his career in Starfleet. She did not mind Spock's career nor the fact that he was half human. What she did mind was that he could not be manipulated into doing whatever she wanted him to. No matter what she tried, she wasn't able to wrap him around her little finger, as the humans said. He was becoming a legend on Vulcan, also. She would not be the center of attention in their family if she married him. That would never do.

Stonn, on the one hand, would do almost anything and everything she desired him to do. On the other hand, he had disgraced himself, at a young age, by becoming obsessed with jealousy and bigotry and committing a crime. Her parent's choice to make a bonding agreement with Spock's parents rather than Stonn's had turned out to be the best decision they could have made. It would have been quite embarrassing for them if they had chosen Stonn. Poor Stonn. He had been sent to Gol in disgrace to be retrained in The Way by the adepts. He had been allowed to go through his kahs wan and passed but he was not allowed to seek a bondmate until after his tenth year. No female had wanted him and he had remained unbonded. He was as obsessed with her now as he had been all those years ago.

She approached her favorite alcove and sensed, to her delight, that it was available. She entered into it and sat down. She began to focus on centering herself to enter into a deep level of meditation. Should she choose marriage to Spock or the challenge with Stonn as her champion? Did she really want to risk losing Stonn? Could she accept becoming a chattel of the victor? Yes, she must consider all possibilities very carefully and make the most logical decision for herself.

Chapter 2 A Dream Come True

ooOoo

Hindsight was a good thing, thought Stonn, as he wandered the winding path in the Garden of Thought. It was also annoying, frustratingly annoying! How could he have been so blind? Were all Vulcans that way in some part of their childhood? They must be, but maybe not in the same exact way that he had been. After all, children were not truly expected to behave like adults until after their kahs-wan.

He found it difficult to understand how he could have allowed himself to get caught up in tormenting Spock. It was illogical to do so, in fact doubly illogical, since he had been the target of torment on a number of occasions, too. He had no control over the fact that his ears were big and stuck out so far and it was most unpleasant to be told that he looked like a flitter with all four doors opened.

T'Pring had never said that to him. It never mattered to her that his ears were big and stuck out really far. She was always pleasant to him. How beautiful she was, how kind and thoughtful she was. He longed for her to be his bondmate, then and now. Unfortunately, he had allowed his desire for her to control him. Illogical! He had been instructed in The Way and had been learning the Disciplines under his father's tutelage successfully when somehow he took leave of his senses. Why did she affect him in this way? Even now, he would do almost anything for her. It was illogical to hope that she would want him. He had disgraced himself as a child and no decent female had accepted him as a bondmate since. Not even elderly females who were widowed! He was fortunate that one reldai was willing to serve his needs and preserve his life.

He had been doing his utmost to stay true to The Way and to redeem himself in the eyes of all Vulcans in his community. He participated in every opportunity to improve the quality of life in Shi Kahr as he possibly could. For as long as he lived, he would never forget the day that T'Pau had openly praised his continuing success to serve the community for the benefit of all. Perhaps some unbonded widow would be willing to accept him now. T'Peta was only 100.253 and was very attractive for her age. Dare he hope? Dare he dream? T'Vera was 120.432 and still attractive. He had nothing to lose by asking them and possibly everything to gain. He needed to meditate and be sure that he was centered before approaching either female. He must have ironclad control of himself in the event that they both turned him down again.

He was in the center of the garden and he sensed that the alcove there was occupied. To his total astonishment, T'Pring came out of the alcove and looked at him with such warmth in her eyes that he actually felt weak in his knees. His heart was pounding and he felt his breath go out of him as his eyes drank in the beauty of her face. She suddenly took his hand and pulled him into the alcove. She said three little words. "I want you!"

Chapter 3 Questions

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Sarek walked the winding pathway of The Garden of Thought, very disturbed by the outcome of his son's wedding day. Why? How could this have happened? What could have happened to change the lovely, thoughtful young lady T'Pring had always been into the plotting, cold and calculating woman of intrigue she had become? How could she claim to follow The Way of Surak having so little regard for the lives of others? No female had chosen the kali-fee in centuries!

Vulcans did not seek divorce unless it was absolutely imperative. The kali-fee had become undesirable to even be considered as a possibility in dissolving a marriage bond. Modern Vulcans went to a priestess at Gol to have their marriage bond dissolved, well in advance of the male's pon far. Even that rite of divorce had not been used in his lifetime.

When he and Amanda had married, it was permanent until death would part them. They had believed it would be the same with Spock and T'Pring. T'Pring and her parents, Sonak and T'Penn, had always been devout followers of the Way, adhering to the philosophy of IDIC. Sonak was one of his closest friends, second only to Soren, and Sonak and T'Penn had openly welcomed Amanda as his wife when he had first brought her home to Vulcan. The four of them believed that bonding their respective children together was the most logical choice they could make. They were also pleased to be formally joining their Houses together.

What had gone wrong? Sonak and T'Penn had been stupefied at T'Pring's choice of the kali-fee and more so of her choosing Captain Kirk as her champion. The human couldn't possibly know the full ramifications of accepting the challenge. There was also the fact that T'Pring was willing to become a chattel of the victor. Did she no longer respect herself or her parents?

For as long as he and Amanda lived, they would never forget coming home to Vulcan from a diplomatic mission, and finding Sonak waiting at their gate with the news of what T'Pring had done. Sonak and T'Penn wanted to be sure they heard the news from Sonak personally. Spock's parents appreciated that and their respect for Sonak and T'Penn escalated. They vowed to remain close friends despite what had happened. To do otherwise would be illogical since parents could not be responsible for the choices their adult children made.

Sarek approached his favorite meditation alcove near the back of the garden and was relieved to find it available. It was the quietest area of the garden and Sarek very much needed the extra quietness to center himself. He had questions -- many questions -- and he knew he would not find all the answers right away but entering into a deep state of meditation would help him to persevere through this difficult time and be a staunch support to his wife and son.

Chapter 4 Our Friendship Is Like the Red Bird

ooOoo

T'Penn came out of her meditative state in the vine-covered alcove of the Garden of Thought. She had been contemplating her friendship with Lady Amanda. Amanda was the first human friend that T'Penn had cultivated and she had remained a faithful friend in spite of what T'Pring had done to her son, Spock. T'Penn rejoiced in the fidelity of Amanda's friendship as she left the garden and got into her flitter. She drove to Amanda's home to keep her appointment to have mid meal with her.

Humans could be very unpredictable but that was part of the reason T'Penn found them to be so interesting. It was that trait, however, that had made her wonder if Amanda would hold T'Pring's behavior against her and her husband. Fortunately, she had not and T'Penn was gratified that her original estimation of Amanda's character proved to be correct. If anything, their friendship was becoming stronger as they steadfastly supported each other through this tragic time.

She had learned a lot about friendship from a human point of view through Amanda. A true friend could cheer your heart and open the door of hope. They came in when every other person had gone out. Amanda's friendship did not come and go with the tides of life. It was as constant as the seasons on Earth, which never cease to present themselves before you with their refreshing vigor. What she would never forget was what Amanda had said to her about their friendship. "We've all had friends like the snow goose. When winter comes into our lives, they fly away to warmer climates. Let our friendship be like the red bird, who makes her nest near our window in spring and chirps to us during the winter. May our friendship always refresh each other's spirit."

Chapter 5 Faithful Friends

ooOoo

Sonak walked the winding path through the Garden of Thought. He began to wonder if he would ever find an empty alcove to meditate in as they all seemed to be occupied. At last he espied someone leaving an alcove just ahead. He had been coming here often in the last five weeks since T'Pring had disgraced herself and their family by choosing the kali-fee at her wedding. There were many things that he wanted to say to Sarek but his thoughts were in a state of disarray. Meditation would help him to sort out his thoughts and to express himself clearly and logically. He entered the alcove and sat on the bench and began to enter into a meditative state.

Sonak was an only child but Sarek had always taken time to be like a brother to him. They had pledged to be friends until the end of their days. So when Sarek and Amanda had come home to Vulcan two weeks after their son's ku-nat-kali-fee, he had been waiting for them at their gate. He wanted to make sure that his friends heard about what his daughter had done to their son from his own lips. He rejoiced that the bond of friendship he and his wife had with Spock's parents was not destroyed but had become even stronger. Each one had pledged to be an open door that the others could count on no matter where they were or had been, in short, faithful friends. He began to recenter himself and put his thoughts in order.

ooOoo

Sonak gradually came out of meditation. He stood up slowly and proceeded to do a few stretching exercises before leaving the alcove. He walked the winding path out of the garden and headed to the Academy of Science to teach his last class of the day. He was looking forward to meeting with his wife after class and the two of them going to Sarek and Amanda's house for end meal. He entered the Academy and went to his office to get what he needed for his class. He was approaching the door to his office when he saw Sarek walking down the hall toward him. He raised his hand in the ta'al and said, "Live long and prosper, Sarek."

Sarek raised his hand in the ta'al and said, "Peace and long life, Sonak."

"T'Penn and I are looking forward to having end meal with you and Amanda this evening. I would like to bring a bottle of wine to share. A particularly fine vintage comes to mind that I believe you and Amanda will enjoy immensely."

"A bottle of your wine would be most appreciated, my friend."

"I have my last class of the day to teach and I need to pick up some graded papers from my office but before I do that I have something to say to you. I am one of many whose path in the Way has been made clearer by the light that you have carried faithfully. Your devotion to peace, your embodiment of IDIC, has been a constant inspiration and encouragement to me. Let us celebrate together this friendship we have this evening, this faithful friendship that will last until the end of our days."

"You are most kind, my friend. I appreciate your friendship and your unconditional acceptance of Amanda as my wife. Celebrating such a friendship is most appropriate. Until we meet this evening, live long and prosper, Sonak."

"Live long and prosper, Sarek."

Chapter 6 The Burden of the Matriarch

ooOoo

T'Pau entered the Garden of Thought. It had been two weeks since Spock's kun-nat kali-fee and T'Pau was still disturbed at its outcome. It was not easy or pleasant to officiate when T'Pring chose the kali-fee. Spock was her great grandson and she could not show favoritism toward him; it was not their way. T'Pring had not broken any laws and was well within her rights to choose the kali-fee but no female had made such a choice in thousands of years. Why did T'Pring not tell Spock she wanted to divorce him long before his time of pon far? They could have gone to a priestess of Gol to have their bond severed and both would be free to marry someone else. She would never believe that T'Pring did not realize what she really wanted long before the time of mating. How long had Stonn been her secret lover?

Before the kun-nat kali-fee she would have said that Stonn was not worthy of T'Pring but afterwards she knew that the opposite was true. T'Pring had proven herself to be a coward by not choosing Stonn as her champion and that by choosing Captain Kirk as her champion showed that she had little or no respect for the lives of others. Her insistence that she had made her choice using logic was true but what kind of logic? It certainly was not Surakian logic. The whole incident would be a tragedy and embarrassment to her parents, also. Sonak and T'Penn were very pleased to have Spock as the bondmate of their daughter and had been looking forward to their marriage and in joining the two Houses together. It was a great loss to both clans.

She had not fully realized what the consequences of Kirk's death would be for Spock, either, until she had raised her hand in the ta'al and bade him to live long and prosper and he had answered that he would do neither because he had killed his Captain and friend. Spock would be arrested and tried for murder! She would do all she could to help her great grandson but she doubted that even her influence could save him.

She was tremendously relieved to learn that Doctor McCoy had tricked them all by giving Kirk a neural paralyzer instead of more triox. It was as if a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders and she wasted no time in informing Sonak and T'Penn of the good news that their daughter would not be guilty of causing Spock to commit murder. Sarek and Amanda were on a diplomatic mission and didn't know what had transpired. She had decided to wait until they came home to tell them face to face what had happened when Sonak requested that she let him tell them first. She knew of the great friendship between Sonak and her grandson, Sarek and agreed to his request. Her respect for Sonak and T'Penn escalated.

She was to go to Sarek and Amanda's estate for end meal and she needed to meditate first. She was three quarters of the way into the garden when she finally came across an empty alcove. She breathed a sigh of relief, entered the alcove, sat down on the bench and began to enter into a deep meditative trance which would bring back the peace of Vulcan over her being.

Chapter 7 Decisions

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Spock walked the winding pathway of the Garden of Thought on the grounds of the Vulcan Academy of Science. It had been three years since he had been home on Vulcan. The last visit had nearly been a disaster, his kunat-kali-fee. Even now, three years later, it was still a painful memory for him. Rejection had never been pleasant but to be rejected by his bond mate while he was in the pon far was nearly intolerable. Her choosing his Captain as her champion was so treacherous that he could hardly believe she had done it. What had happened to T'Pring to make her change?

He did realize that she had always been a little self-centered and manipulative but not disturbingly so. She had tried to manipulate him into doing things the way she wanted to on two different occasions when he visited her on leave. He now realized that he should have taken those incidences as a warning.

He needed to go into deep meditation and decide what course to take next. He would have to choose between having his parents to select his bond mate or selecting his own. It wasn't his parent's fault that T'Pring turned out as she did but he was hesitant to have them choose another. Was he being illogical? Perhaps. He didn't know any Vulcan women that were available since most Vulcans were bonded at age seven, so she would most likely be a widow.

On the other hand he could marry a human woman. Christine was in love with him. Miss Kalomi might still be in love with him and be available. Uhura was very attractive and he had once accidently picked up a stray thought from her that she was very attracted to him. He would have to think over the possibilities very carefully. There was no reason to rush into anything and it would be illogical to do so. He still had a few years before his next pon far but it would be logical to have a few years to develop a close relationship with whomever his bond mate would be. Yes, it would be very wise to do so.

He found an empty alcove and sat down to meditate. First he would purge himself of anything that still disturbed him about T'Pring then think about his options. He would discuss it with his parents after end meal this evening.

Chapter 8 Women of Quality

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Spock gradually came out of his meditative state in the Garden of Thought. He knew what the next logical step was in his seeking out a bondmate. He proceeded to do stretching exercises to limber up his muscles before leaving to have end meal with his parents. As tempting as it might be to choose someone out of the women he did know, he decided it would be logical to have his parents add some Vulcan females to his list of probable bond mates and it would please his parents, especially his father.

Since he and his father had mended their broken relationship, on the Enterprise, he had sought out ways to seek his father's advice and Sarek had been more accepting of his choices. They still did not see eye to eye on everything and probably never would but his father treated him with respect and as an adult. Amanda would support whatever choice he made and lovingly welcome his chosen wife into their family and clan. He exited the garden and headed for his rental flitter.

ooOoo

They had finished end meal and were nearly finished cleaning up when Spock addressed his parents, "I have an important matter that I need to discuss with both of you. I hold both of your opinions in high regard and seek your advice."

Sarek spoke for himself and Amanda, "We will be honored to advise you, my son."

"Indeed we will," added Amanda. " Lets go into the living room and make ourselves comfortable."

They went into the living room, sat down and his parents, who suspected what he wished to talk with them about, gave him their full attention.

"As you know, I am an unbonded male. My time of mating is just a few years away and I need to seek another bondmate. I have meditated on this matter and have come up with a list of possible human females to choose from; however, I have come to the conclusion that it would be wise to not limit my choice to human females only. I want your help in adding Vulcan women of quality to my list."

"We would be honored to do so, my son," replied Sarek, "we are very honored that you trust us to assist you in this matter, especially considering what happened with T'Pring."

"That was not your fault. Neither you nor Mother could have predicted the unfortunate change in T'Pring. Let us not speak of it again."

"Agreed."

"I'm curious to know which human females are on your list, Spock. Is that nice young lady, Christine Chapel, your father and I met on the Enterprise on your list?"

"Indeed she is, Mother, along with Miss Uhura and Miss Kalomi who I told you about before."

"Yes, Spock, I do remember you telling me about Miss Kalomi; however, I would like to point out to you that Miss Kalomi didn't accept you for whom you are. After the effects of the spores were gone from her she still tried to talk you into going back down to the planet to be reinfected by them so she could have you. Speaking as a member of the human race, knowing about true love, I tell you truthfully that Miss Kalomi was obsessed with you but not in love with you. Love, real love, is not selfish. I hope you will accept what I have said and remove her name from your list."

"Your Mother is quite right, my son. I, too, would advise you to remove Miss Kalomi from your list. I am no expert with being in love as humans are but I am an expert at being loved by your Mother. If you choose to marry a human female, be very sure that she loves you. You will not regret it, my son, you have my word on that. The other two young ladies are excellent choices."

"Quite logical. You have given me sound advice and I will remove Miss Kalomi from my list."

Sarek answered back, "We will make the appropriate enquiries and give you a list of probable Vulcan females to add to your list. There is one young lady that comes to mind. A widow named T'Pen whose husband was killed in a shuttle accident. She is a highly skilled and respected healer that any parent would be pleased to have as a bondmate for their son. She is very pleasing to look upon, also."

"You've noticed?" teased Amanda.

"Only as a concerned father looking for attractive, as well as, skilled and honorable young ladies as possible bond mates for his son."

"Quite logical, Father."

"Of course, quite logical, my husband," Amanda replied with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes.

"If you will excuse me, Mother and Father, I have some calls to make. I want to make plans to visit with my friends on Vulcan while I am here. I would be interested in playing chess with you later Father. I have learned some interesting new techniques that might enable me to . . . beat the pants off of you, as Captain Kirk would say."

Sarek's eyebrows nearly disappeared under his hairline and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Indeed, my son? I look forward to our game but I warn you, you are not the only Vulcan to learn some interesting chess techniques from humans. Shall we meet in my study in two hours?"

"That would be acceptable," Spock said, then he left the living room.

As soon as Spock was out of hearing range, Sarek turned to Amanda and took her small, delicate hand in his. "I have come across some interesting new techniques that I would like to show you in the privacy of our room, my wife."

"Oh?" she answered in a breathy voice as she gazed lovingly into his eyes, totally mesmerized and excited by what she saw in them.

His voice deepened as he answered her softly, "Indeed, my wife." He stood up, still holding her hand, and gently drew her up into his arms and kissed her passionately. She slid her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with ardor. They were both a little breathless as they reluctantly broke off the kiss and he led the way to their bedroom.

Chapter 9 Getting Acquainted

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Spock entered the Garden of Thought and began walking on the winding pathway. He had met and had spent time with the widow T'Pen for the last two weeks. She was a very attractive female, rather quiet and shy yet was very attentive to him. Her shyness gradually faded away as they got to know each other better and she finally confessed to him that she had been in awe of him when they had first met. He had become somewhat of a legend on his home world and was highly respected by his people. T'Pring had told him the same thing at the time of mating and that it was one of the reasons she did not want to be his wife.

T'Pen was the only available Vulcan female at this time. He enjoyed her company and they had spent many pleasant hours talking and attending concerts. She was an excellent cook and they had enjoyed many dinner engagements at her home and at the finest restaurants in the city, also. They had many interests in common and each could often finish the other person's sentences. She was an excellent healer with a sterling reputation, a woman of quality and he could understand why Sarek approved of her; however, there was something missing in her that he couldn't put his finger on. He wasn't ready to take her off his list of probabilities yet, but he would begin to initiate time together with Christine and Uhura, also. The Enterprise was scheduled for maintenance and repair at Vulcan in three days and the crew would be taking shore leave for a month.

He sensed that the alcove ahead was available and entered it and sat down. He would seek the answer to what was missing in his relationship with T'Pen and in the best possible ways to approach Uhura and Christine in his quest for a bondmate.

ooOoo

In an alcove near the back of the garden, T'Pen gradually came out of her meditative state. Her thoughts were much clearer now and she had decided that if Spock decided to choose her for his bondmate, she would accept. She had been in such awe of him two weeks ago but as they became better acquainted she was able to be more relaxed in his company. She respected him and found him to be an excellent companion. She was delighted to find that they had much in common and could often finish each other's sentences. It had taken her little time to adjust to the human part of him that she caught glimpses of from time to time and she was, in fact, fascinated by that part of him.

She was also pleased with that fact that he enjoyed her cooking and she had actually blushed when he told her that her pak tar reminded him of his mother's recipe. Spock would make a good husband and she would be honored and pleased to be his wife. Even so, she sensed a certain amount of hesitation on his part. Like everyone else in Shi Kahr, she knew what T'Pring had done to him at their wedding. She hoped that would not deter him from choosing a Vulcan for his bondmate. Only time would tell and she had plenty of time.

Chapter 10 Revelation

ooOoo

Spock gradually came out of his meditative trance and slowly stretched his muscles. He still did not know what it was that caused him to think that there was something missing in his relationship with T'Pen. Could it be that he preferred to be loved the Human way rather than cherished the Vulcan way? Perhaps. He knew there was much more to it than that and he would continue to seek the answer through meditation, further talks with his parents and in getting better acquainted with Christine and Uhura. He would ask his father's advise on the proper way for a Vulcan male to court a Terran female. He was allowed this and he had always been curious to know how his father had wooed his mother. He left the garden and headed for home.

ooOoo

Spock exited his rental flitter and entered his family home. He knew his mother's schedule and that she would still be teaching at the Vulcan Elementary Academy. This would be the most logical time to have a private discussion with his father. He went to his father's study and finding the door open, looked in and saw Sarek sitting at his desk.

Sarek sensed his presence, looked up and said, "Good morning, my son."

"Good morning, Father, I would like to talk with you if you are free to do so."

"I am free, Spock, please be seated."

"I have been getting acquainted with the widow T'Pen for the past two weeks. She is a woman of quality, very attractive, we have much in common and enjoy each other's company very much, however, I sense there is something missing in our relationship. After much thought and meditation I still have not discovered what is missing. I have decided to keep her on my list of probabilities for now and to consider courting either Miss Uhura or Miss Chapel. I need your advice in how to pursue this matter."

"It will be an honor to assist you, my son. On Vulcan, I would approach the woman's father to discus the possibility of his daughter becoming bonded to you. He would then discus the possible bonding with his daughter to see if she was agreeable to becoming your wife. With Human females you have three choices. One, it might be possible for me to get in touch with each young lady's father and to discus it with him; two, I can speak of the possibility of acquaintance, courtship, and marriage privately with each young lady; three, you may approach each young lady and discus the possibility of courtship and marriage with them."

"I prefer that you would discus the possibility with each young lady privately, Father. If either of them is not interested, it would be easier for them to tell you than to tell me."

"You have made a wise decision, Spock. I have been informed that the Enterprise will be coming to Vulcan for repairs and will be giving the crew shore leave for a month. I will send separate invitations to Uhura and Nurse Chapel to make arrangements to meet privately with each of them. Is there anything else you want my advice on?"

"Yes. I need to know the proper way for a Vulcan male to court and propose to a Terran female."

"I see. I met your mother when she was hired to teach the standard language and idiomatic standard to the Vulcan Embassy staff and their children. I had private lessons with her and became very well acquainted with her. I found her to be highly intelligent, exotically beautiful and found that I enjoyed her company. I began to take her out on a regular basis. We had many things in common but your mother also had a mind of her own and a tremendous amount of common sense. She accompanied me to diplomatic parties and had a way of putting everyone we came in contact with at ease. I gradually realized she would be the most logical choice for my wife."

"At that time I had come to know that anniversary dates were very important to humans and decided to propose to Amanda on the first anniversary of our first dinner engagement. I arranged to reserve the same table and the same exact meal at the restaurant where we first dined. Our table was on the patio next to the rose garden. We ate our meal in silence per Vulcan custom and then I invited her to go for a walk in the moonlit rose garden. We walked the fragrant pathway through the rose garden to an area where there was a tall rose trellis. I led her behind the rose trellis for total privacy. I decided to woo her with a kiss. That surprises you, my son?"

Spock lowered his eyebrows, which had previously risen to his hairline, found his voice and replied, "Indeed. It would never have occurred to me that you would woo her with a kiss."

"I believed it was the logical thing to do. After all, Spock, your mother is human. I found the experience thoroughly pleasing and most stimulating. I asked her to marry me and she said yes."

"I appreciate your sharing this very private memory with me, Father. If I choose to bond with Christine or Uhura, I now know what to do when the time comes to propose. If you will excuse me, I have some errands to do. Are there any errands I can do for you, too?"

"No."

"Very well, Father, I will return late this afternoon."

Sarek sat and thought a moment then opened the drawer of his desk and took out his personal stationary. He wrote out an invitation to Miss Uhura to have lunch with him the day after the Enterprise would arrive at Vulcan. He wrote out a second invitation to Miss Chapel to have dinner with him the same day. He sealed each invitation in its envelope and made arrangements for the invitations to be delivered by hand by a diplomatic currier on the day the Enterprise would arrive.

ooOoo

Spock returned home and entered the house. He heard singing coming from the living room and realized his mother was listening to the broadcast of the Annual Barbershop Quartet Competition. Spock enjoyed listening to the close harmonies of talented quartets and decided to join his mother on the couch. She heard him come in, smiled at him and patted the cushion beside her. He made himself comfortable and proceeded to listen to the harmonized vocalizations and quaint lyrics of the old time songs.

One quartet caught their attention in particular. It was a quartet made up of Vulcans called The Four Bondsmen. They sang in perfect harmony and sang some of the oldest, most beloved songs of Earth. They were an instant hit with the audience in the auditorium. One song in particular suddenly caught Spock's attention to the point where he suddenly stood up, startling his mother, and said, "Of course! I should have realized it before!"

"What should you have realized before?" asked Amanda, her eyes still wide with surprise.

"I will tell you later, Mother, for now just know that I am greatfull that you are my Mother." With no more explanation than that, he left the living room.

Amanda's vision blurred and her heart filled to nearly bursting with love for her son as she watched him leave the room. Then she whispered, "I love you too, Spock."

Chapter 11 Does A Sehlat Have Six Inch Fangs?

ooOoo

The Enterprise arrived at Vulcan Space Central and after being welcomed the ship was maneuvered into the repair space dock as instructed. A private message came through to Captain Kirk from Ambassador Sarek for permission to allow a diplomatic currier to personally deliver two private messages on board the Enterprise, one to Lieutenant Uhura and one to Lieutenant Chapel. Kirk granted permission. He was curious to know what the Ambassador wanted with his two officers but it really was none of his business. It suddenly occurred to him that it might have to do with Spock, after all, his next pon far was only a few years away and it would be a good idea to seek a wife now so they could get to know each other better. A smile broke out on his face as he thought, 'Yes! That has to be it.'

Personally, he hoped Spock would choose Christine. She was very much in love with Spock and he was sure she would make him an excellent wife. Uhura was a good choice too except that he was very sure Uhura wasn't in love with Spock nor did she seem to have any inclinations toward marriage. In fact, he had heard through the grapevine that she was showing a definite interest in Lieutenant Marc Branson in the Bioscience Department. He decided to file the matter in the back of his mind for the time being. Spock would tell him about it when he was ready to.

ooOoo

Uhura had just entered her quarters and was about to call Janice Rand to reconfirm their shore leave plans for the next morning when her door chime sounded. "Come," she called out.

To her surprise it was a courier, a Vulcan courier! He took one step into her quarters, pulled an envelope out of his satchel and announced, "I have a special delivery message from Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan for Lieutenant Nyota Uhura."

"I am Lieutenant Nyota Uhura."

The courier handed her the envelope and added, "Ambassador Sarek instructed me to wait for your reply."

Uhura accepted the envelope, sat down at her desk and took the invitation out to read it. She didn't know what to think about the luncheon invitation but she wasn't about to turn it down. She opened the drawer of her desk and removed a single sheet of her Starfleet stationary and a matching envelope and wrote a note accepting Sarek's invitation. She put the note in the envelope, sealed it and handed it to the currier. She raised her hand in the ta'al and said, "Live long and prosper."

The courier put the envelope in his satchel, raised his hand and said, "Peace and long life, Lieutenant," then he turned and exited her quarters.

She immediately called Janice and when Janice answered, Uhura excitedly said, "You'll never guess what just happened! Not in a million years!"

Meanwhile, the courier made his way to the quarters of Lieutenant Christine Chapel and pressed the door chime.

Christine had just finished changing from her uniform into a comfortable blouse and slacks when the door chime rang. 'Now who could that be?' she wondered. "Come," she called out.

The door opened and a Vulcan courier stepped into her quarters, removed an envelope from his satchel and announced, "I have a special delivery message from Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan for Lieutenant Christine Chapel."

Christine just stood there, surprised, with her mouth open for a beat. She blinked her eyes twice, getting a hold of herself and answered, "I am Lieutenant Christine Chapel."

The courier handed her the envelope and added, "Ambassador Sarek instructed me to wait for your reply."

Christine opened the envelope and took out the invitation to read it.

Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan

request the pleasure of

the company of

Lieutenant Christine Chapel

for dinner at eighteen hundred hours

on Tuesday the first of June

at

The Desert Inn

126 Sasashar Drive

Shi' karh

RSVP

Beam down co-ordinances will be provided.

Christine slowly sat down at her desk while her mind raced to think of a reason for Sarek's invitation. Her body was working on automatic pilot as she set the invitation down opened the drawer of her desk and took out a single sheet of her Starfleet stationary with a matching envelope and picked up her stylus. She wrote out a gracious acceptance to Sarek's dinner invitation, put it in the envelope and sealed it. She stood up and handed the envelope to the courier.

He put the envelope in his satchel, then raised his hand in the ta'al and said, "Live long and prosper, Lieutenant Chapel." He turned and left her quarters.

Christine stood there and thought frantically. 'Does Sarek know I love his son? Is he displeased? Is he going to lecture me on the illogic of love? No, he wouldn't do that his wife is human. What if he knows and approves? Don't be a silly goose, Christine, it might not have anything to do that! He could be wanting to show appreciation for my care of him and Spock on the journey to Babel. But wouldn't the invitation be from his wife, also? Why isn't Amanda going to be there? Oh my God! Surely he wasn't interested in having an affair! No! No way! Can my thoughts get any crazier? Come on, Christine, get a grip! You just put all these ideas out of your mind. The best thing to do is to keep a positive attitude, dress to the nines and have a good time. Yeah right! What if he does know that I love Spock and really does approve? What if he thinks I'd make a good wife for Spock? What if he asks me if I'm interested in becoming Spock's wife? Am I interested in marrying Spock? Does a sehlat have six inch fangs?!?'

Chapter 12 Preparation

ooOoo

Uhura and Janice returned to their hotel room after doing a little shopping at some of the most popular stores in downtown Shi'karh. They had found some great bargains at T'Pola's Boutique and were hanging them up in the closet when Janice asked, "What are you going to wear to the luncheon with Sarek? It's nearly time for you to get ready, isn't it?"

Uhura grabbed her garment bag out of the closet and headed straight for the bathroom, paused just outside the door and said, "Wouldn't you like to know!"

"Oh, come on Nyota! Enquiring minds want to know!"

"You'll see when I come out. It's too bad that Sarek is married."

"You said it! Not only is he handsome but he has a commanding presence about him that nearly makes a lady swoon! All the females on the Enterprise were practically panting after him on the way to Babel, including me!"

"Me too! He is gorgeous! I could just . . . Never mind. Spock is single," Uhura said as she waggled her eyebrows. With that said, both ladies laughed and Uhura entered the bath and closed the door.

ooOoo

Christine was walking down the main thoroughfare of Shi'karh's shopping district when a boutique sign down a side street caught her eye. She turned and walked down the side street to get a better look at the store. It was called Earthly Delights and had some of the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen in its display windows. She entered the boutique and heard the soft tickling of a bell that announced her presence.

An elegantly dressed lady came forward and said, "Good morning. I am Miss Vicki, the proprietress of this boutique, how may I assist you?"

"I am looking for an evening dress appropriate for a dinner engagement with a Vulcan male. It will not be a romantic dinner so the dress cannot be too revealing and yet accentuate my figure in a tasteful and elegant manner."

"I believe I have several selections that are just what you are looking for," she smiled and led Christine to the viewing area. "Won't you please be seated? An assistant came forward and Miss Vicki instructed her on three evening dresses to model. She turned back to Christine and asked, "Would you like a cup of coffee or tea while my assistant changes into the first selection for your viewing pleasure?"

"A cup of tea would be fine, thank you."

Miss Vicki sat down on the settee next to Christine, picked up a tiny bell from the coffee table and rang it gently. A young lady came out of the back room and Miss Vicki instructed her to bring out the tea cart. Moments later she brought out the tea cart and placed it next to Miss Vicki who began serving the tea and offered Christine tea cakes and dainties form a serving dish. The proprietress took a sip of tea and setting her cup down commenced introducing the first selection as Midnight Velvet.

ooOoo

Uhura finally came out of the bath dressed in a native African dress of red and gold that flowed gracefully around her shapely body. It was cool, comfortable and very appropriate for a luncheon date with a distinguished Vulcan male on a hot desert planet. She was wearing large hoop earrings to match and a pair of delicate gold sandals on her feet.

Janice did a double take and exclaimed, "Wow! You look fantastic!"

"Thanks, Janice, I feel fantastic."

There was a knock on the door and Uhura said, "That must be my ride. I'll see you later and tell you all about it."

"ALL the juicy details?"

"Janice! I never kiss and tell," Uhura said smiling as she walked out closing the door behind her.

ooOoo

Christine walked out of the Earthly Delights Boutique totally satisfied with her purchase. It was an easy choice to make when she had seen the last selection. She already owned an elegant black evening dress so the first selection, Midnight Velvet, didn't catch her interest. The second dress, Scarlet Flame, would have looked absolutely fabulous on her but she thought it was a bit more daring than was appropriate for the occasion. When she saw the third dress, Blue Rhapsody, she gasped in wonder. It was perfect! Everything was covered but at the same time it would accentuate all her feminine curves. The color matched her eyes perfectly! Miss Vicki assured her that the attention of every male in the restaurant, including Vulcans, would be on her. She could well believe it. It was the most stunning evening dress she had ever seen and within her budget, to boot! She walked down the street with a lightness in her step and headed for the beam up point.

Chapter 13 Lets Do Lunch

ooOoo

Uhura fastened the seatbelt in the Vulcan diplomatic limo and thought, 'Does Janice really think that Sarek has romantic reasons for inviting me to lunch? She realizes that I was joking with her, right? Vulcans aren't prone to extramarital affairs and anyone with eyes in their head could plainly see, on the way to Babel, that Sarek only had eyes for his wife. Nor do I participate in affairs with married males. The whole situation reminds me of the lyrics of an old earth song by Stuart Hamblen, Don't Fool Around With Calico When You Have Silk at Home. The big question is, why did Sarek invite me to lunch? It must have something to do with Spock.'

'Wait a minute! Don't Vulcan fathers arrange the marriage of their sons? That has to be it! Thats right! Spock was supposed to marry that lovely looking Vulcan lady. What was her name? – T'Pring! Something had gone wrong down on the planet and when Spock beamed aboard the ship, he was single!' The flitter pulled up to the entrance of The Desert Inn and the chauffeur came around and opened the door for her. She stepped out of the limo and spotted Sarek near the entrance to the restaurant. She lifted her hand in the ta'al, "Live long and prosper, Ambassador Sarek."

"Peace and long life, Miss Uhura. Your attire is esthetically pleasing. Is it native African in origin?"

"Yes it is. Thank you, Ambassador Sarek."

He opened the door for her and they entered the Inn. He walked up to the Hostess who immediately recognized him and said, "Good afternoon, Ambassador, please come this way."

She led them to their table, Sarek pulled out a chair for Uhura then pushed it in as she seated herself; then he seated himself. The Hostess handed them each a menu. "Your waiter will be with you presently, can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll have an iced tea, please," answered Uhura.

"Make that two iced teas," added Sarek.

"Two iced teas," repeated the Hostess. She then looked directly at Sarek. "May I also suggest a carafe of iced tea for your table, Ambassador?"

"That would be most welcome."

"I will return shortly with your beverages."

Uhura picked up the menu and glanced through it. She found what she was looking for on the second page. She looked up at Sarek and caught his attention. "I am a vegetarian and I especially enjoy eating salads. I do see several salads here that I am familiar with but I would like to try something new. Could you assist me in choosing a salad with both Terran and Vulcan ingredients that is palatable to humans?"

"It will be my pleasure to do so. Leave it to me."

ooOoo

Christine reached the beam up point, took out her communicator and flipped open the grid. "One to beam up."

When she had fully materialized on the transporter pad, she was surprised to see Spock standing next to the transporter consul. Her heart rate sped up at the sight of him but she managed not to outwardly show her excitement. "Good afternoon, Mr. Spock"

"Good afternoon, Miss Chapel." He looked down and saw the name of the clothing store on her shopping bag. "I see you have been shopping this morning at the Earthly Delights Boutique."

"Yes, I have, Mr. Spock. Are you familiar with that Boutique?"

"Indeed. It is one of my mother's favorite places to shop. I purchased a dress there for my mother for a Christmas present last year. I commend you on your decision to shop there."

Christine blushed a delicate shade of pink and replied, "Why thank you, Mr. Spock. You are very kind." 'Wow! Am I really having this conversation with Spock? I've got to slow down my heartbeat and respiration! It's a wonder that he can't hear my heartbeat with his Vulcan hearing! Calm down, girl!' She stepped down off the transporter platform as Spock stepped up on it.

Spock nodded at the transporter tech and was promptly beamed down to Vulcan.

ooOoo

Sarek and Uhura had followed the Vulcan custom of eating their meal in silence. After the waiter cleared their empty dishes from the table and they were alone again, Sarek said, "I have a very private matter to discuss with you. It is a subject not usually discussed with non Vulcans. I need for you to give me your word that you will not discuss any of the details with others."

"You have my word, Ambassador."

"Very well. On Vulcan, it is a father's duty to seek a bondmate for his child. This is usually done at the age of seven. The two children get to know each other as they grow up and at the proper time, the time of mating, they are drawn to each other through the bond they formed as children. They are then married by the clan Matriarch and the simple mind meld bond is transformed into a true marriage bond that will last until the end of their days. It is also at the wedding that the female has the right to divorce the male by initiating a challenge. My son Spock went through this ritual at the age of seven and when he returned to Vulcan to be married, his bondmate, T'Pring divorced him with the challenge. The Vulcan mating cycle occurs every seven years and Spock must find a mate. Spock has asked me to discuss the possibility of courtship and marriage between the two of you. This is his right. Are you interested in the possibility of becoming the wife of my son?"

"Spock is very attractive and I'm sure he will be an excellent husband but I'm not in love with him. I have to marry for love or not at all."

"I understand, Miss Uhura, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Being Vulcan, I do not know about being in love but I am an expert at being loved by my wife, Amanda. I want no less for my son if he chooses to marry a human female. I thank you for your time, patience and honesty."

"I feel very honored that Spock considered me as a possible mate and I enjoyed having lunch with his very distinguished and generous father."

Chapter 14 Putting on The Ritz

Note: Sheekuya na'na is a Vulcan iced tea tasting similar to Earth's orange mint iced tea. Yorakar is a cracked wheat and vegetable salad with a lemony vinaigrette dressing. Tabsheel is made with makor tubers and tastes similar to potatoes and cheese. Tsamah tanoor is braided egg bread. Shumar is Fennel Au Gratin.

ooOoo

Uhura entered her hotel room and found herself alone. She had told Sarek that her best friend Janice knew about the luncheon date and asked if she could at least tell Janice about the proposal. She explained that human females liked to share special happenings in their life with their best friend and being considered as a wife for Spock was very special and honorable. To her relief, he said yes but she was not to go into any of the more private details. She had been thinking about what to say to Janice all the way back to the hotel and now that she was here, where was she?

She heard the hotel room door open and Janice walked in. "Oh goody, your back! Okay, girl, spill it! Don't leave anything out! What was the real reason Sarek invited you to lunch?" Seeing the surprised look on Uhura's face she continued, "You didn't really think I was serious about an extramarital affair, did you? Not that you're chopped liver or anything!" she quickly amended.

Uhura laughed. "I did wonder if you were serious at the time. Never mind about that and have a seat. You're my best friend, Janice, and I want you to promise me that you will keep what I tell you a secret."

"I promise I won't tell a soul but hurry up and tell me, for Pete's sake! I'm dying to know!"

"Vulcan fathers arrange the marriages of their children. Spock is seeking a wife and Sarek invited me to lunch to offer the possibility of courtship and marriage to Spock!!"

"Oh my God! I can hardly believe it! You lucky girl! What did you say?"

"I said that Spock was very attractive and I was sure he would make a good husband but if I were to marry, it would have to be for love."

"Well, I can't fault you there. You must feel very honored to be considered and to be asked formally by his father, too!"

"I do and I will treasure the memory of it all my life. Now, I don't know about you, but I want to change into my bikini and go swimming in the indoor pool. You never know what good-looking guys will be there."

Janice grinned then waggled her eyebrows.

ooOoo

Christine beamed down to the transporter pad in The Desert Inn. Ambassador Sarek stepped forward to welcome her. He lifted his hand in the ta'al and said, "Live long and prosper, Miss Chapel."

"Peace and long life, Ambassador Sarek." She stepped down off the pad, expecting him to lead the way to the dinning area. When he didn't move, she looked up into his face.

"You look most charming this evening, Miss Chapel, not unlike my wife when she was a young lady."

She blushed at the compliment and answered, "Thank you, Ambassador. You look very distinguished."

"You are most kind." He then turned and led the way to the dinning area.

As they came in sight of the Hostess she smiled and said, "Good evening, Mr. Ambassador. Please come this way."

As they made their way to their table, Christine became aware of being stared at. Males all over the restaurant turned to look at her including some young Starfleet officers who had the temerity to whistle! She continued to follow Sarek with dignity and with a small satisfied smile on her face. He helped her to be seated before seating himself.

The Hostess handed them their menus and asked, "What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have sheekuya na'na," answered Christine.

"Make that two sheekuya na'na," added Sarek, "and a carafe of sheekuya na'na for our table, please."

"Two sheekuya na'na and a carafe," the Hostess repeated. "Your waiter will come to take your order shortly. Be sure to ask him about our dessert specials for this evening. I will soon return with your beverages."

As the Hostess left their table, Christine began to search the menu to see if some of her favorite Vulcan dishes were listed.

After a few moments Sarek asked, "Do you see anything you like, Miss Chapel?"

"Yes indeed, Ambassador, two of my favorites are here on the menu, yorakar and tabsheel."

"Those are excellent choices. I suggest an order of tsamah tanoor with our meal."

"That sounds delicious."

The waiter came and Sarek ordered for both of them. "We will have yorakar and tabsheel for two, an order of tsamah tanoor and an order of shumar. What are the dessert specials for this evening?"

"Our special dessert selections are fresh baked prusah kisan, all three varieties and perach kisan, both varieties."

Sarek turned to Christine and asked, "Are you familiar with Vulcan custard fruit pies?"

"I have heard of perach kisan, one that tastes like plums and the other one like apricots."

"Indeed, they are quite similar in taste to that Terran fruit. Prusah kisan comes in three flavors, one that tastes similar to pears, one similar to peaches and one similar to rhubarb. Would you like to have some?"

"Yes I would, thank you. I'll have the apricot flavored perach kisan."

Sarek ordered the rhubarb flavored prusah kisan for himself and the waiter took their menus and left to post their orders.

ooOoo

Amanda came into the house from her quiet meditation out in her rose garden. She wondered how Sarek's dinner date with Christine was progressing. 'Christine is such a nice young lady and very much in love with Spock. I'm so glad she is on Spock's list. I just hope he has the good sense to choose her! T'Pen is a nice young lady, too, but I just know, in my gut, that Christine is the best choice he could make. Hopefully, Spock will be a chip off the old block.' She smiled as she thought of what Sarek's reaction to that colloquialism would be.

She was glad when Sarek came back from lunch and told her that Uhura had declined the offer of courtship and marriage with their son. She liked Uhura but she was very sure that Uhura wasn't in love with Spock; a mother always knew these things. It was vitally important to her for a human wife to be totally in love with their son; to be head over heels in love as she was with Sarek.

She had also contemplated at what had caused Spock to suddenly stand up and proclaim that, "Of course! I should have known!" during the Barbershop Quartet competition. She still didn't have the answer to that. She was on her way to the kitchen, to fix herself a light dinner, when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Of course! The lyrics to the old song the Four Bondsmen were singing! Duh! I must be getting old!" She laughed at herself and happily began to sing as she fixed her dinner, "I want a girl, just like the girl who married dear old Dad!"

Chapter 15 The Sweet Fulfillment of a Secret Longing

ooOoo

Sarek and Christine had just finished eating dessert and their waiter cleared the dishes away from their table. When Sarek was sure that they wouldn't be disturbed he looked directly at Christine and said, "I have a private matter to discuss with you. It is a subject that Vulcans do not usually discuss with out-worlders. Do you promise not to discuss the details with others?"

"I promise." 'Oh my God! He really is going to talk about marriage! Quick! Get a grip on yourself!'

"Three years ago, Spock came to Vulcan to get married. At that time his bondmate, T'Pring, divorced him. Spock is seeking a mate now and has asked me to offer the possibility of courtship and marriage between the two of you. Are you interested in becoming the wife of my son?"

Christine fought hard to hold back tears of joy, found her voice and answered, "Oh yes, I am interested and accept his offer."

"Spock will be pleased to hear that. He will contact you tomorrow morning to appoint a time to initiate your courtship and to familiarize you with our courtship and marriage customs. Where can he get in touch with you?"

"He may contact me at the Shi'karh Oasis Hotel, room 404." 'I can't believe this is really happening!'

"Very well. My diplomatic limousine will arrive in 1.02 minutes. May I have the honor of escorting you to your hotel, Christine?"

"I would appreciate that, Ambassador Sarek." 'He called me Christine!'

They stood up and she followed him outside to the diplomatic limo. The chauffeur opened the door for them. They entered, made themselves comfortable and fastened their seatbelts.

After the chauffeur received instructions to their destination, Sarek turned to Christine and said, "From this time forward you may dispense with my title in privacy or at family functions in my home."

"As you wish, Sarek." 'Family functions – Oh, how I have yearned for this – not only to be Spock's wife but to be a part of his family! I wonder what other secret desires of my heart will come to light?'

"I am very pleased that you have accepted my son's offer, Christine. Amanda will be very pleased and happy to hear the good news also."

Christine was speechless and despite her best effort, a single tear trickled down her face. Sarek gently wiped it away and said, "The cause is sufficient."

Chapter 16 Information Please

ooOoo

When Christine got back to her hotel room she had undressed and taken a shower, which she thought would calm her down. Unfortunately, it took her two hours to calm down. The high emotional state she had been in took a toll on her physically and when she finally ran out of steam she felt like she'd been run over by a shuttle bus. She barely managed to crawl under the covers of her bed before she lost consciousness and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

ooOoo

The next morning Spock joined his parents in the living room and stood before them with his hands clasped behind his back. "You wish to speak with me?"

Sarek motioned for Spock to have a seat and said, "Indeed, we do. It is your responsibility to contact Miss Chapel to set up a meeting with your mother. It would normally be the responsibility of Miss Chapel's mother to teach her about our marriage customs, but as she is not Vulcan, this duty now falls upon your mother. It is vitally important that Miss Chapel understand Vulcan mating rituals and practices before making a final decision to be courted by you."

"I understand, Father."

Amanda added, "If Christine decides not to continue to the courtship stage, no offence will be taken. If she decides to continue, you may then initiate the courtship with the intent to marry. During the courtship period the two of you may decide, at anytime, that you are ready for the bonding ceremony. Because the two of you were not bonded as children and she is human, it will be at this time that the two of you will meet with your Father and me for The Sharing of Marital Wisdom. During this sharing, neither of you is to speak, not even when we pose questions to you. Instead, the two of you are to meditate on what we say and ask, then discuss it privately amongst yourselves."

"I understand, Mother."

Sarek continued, "Terran and Vulcan courting and marriage customs will be equally important in your relationship; however, Vulcans do not practice premarital sex and we hope that the two of you will honor that. What happens in the marriage bed is sacred and private. If the two of you decide not to marry, no offence will be taken. If the two of you come to the conclusion that you are ready for marriage, the bonding ceremony will take place in our home. The two of you will be free to have a Terran wedding ceremony, as we did, and a Vulcan ceremony at the time of mating. Do you have any questions, Spock?"

"I have no questions at this time, Father."

"Very well. Go and call Christine to make an appointment to see her, to inform her of what we have discussed with you and to assist in setting up an appointment with your Mother. She is staying at the Shi'karh Oasis Hotel in room 404."

ooOoo

Christine woke up feeling a little tired. It was time for a triox shot and she decided to add a multivitamin shot also. She needed it after emotionally exhausting herself last night. 'You can't allow your emotions to get so out of hand again. You are not a teenager with a school girl crush! You are a grown woman who is deeply in love with Spock and you need to keep your head on straight. Am I being too hard on myself? I don't know. I was absolutely mortified when that single tear escaped my control last night. I will never forget how Sarek gently wiped away my tear and spoke so softly to me.'

'It is a new day today and Spock will be contacting me soon to initiate our courtship. It is time to get serious and think soberly about becoming his wife.' The com. chime sounded and Christine answered it.

Chapter 17 Vulcan Mating Rituals

ooOoo

The door chime sounded and Christine walked the short distance to the door, opened it and invited Spock in. "Please have a seat at the table, Spock. Can I get you some ice tea?"

"No, thank you, Miss Chapel."

'Maybe we actually have to start the courtship before he will call me Christine,' she thought. "Very well, Mr. Spock." She took the chair directly across from him. She looked at him straight in the eye and he blushed slightly and turned his head away for a moment, then seeming to get his courage up, he turned and looked at her face not quite making eye contact. 'Goodness, he is bashful. Even the tips of his ears are green!'

"Miss Chapel, forgive my reticence. It is difficult for Vulcan males to speak of our mating customs."

"Oh course, Mr. Spock. If I were a Vulcan female, you would not need to do this. I give you my word that anything you tell me will be our secret."

"I appreciate that. It is vitally important that you be told about – about – the pon far. As we were not bonded as children and you are Human, this duty will be taken care of by my mother. I will assist you in making an appointment with her for this purpose. Should you decide to not continue to the courting stage, no offense will be taken." Spock continued to tell her all that his parents had instructed him to. When he had finished, he asked, "Shall I help make the appointment for you?"

"Yes, please do."

ooOoo

Christine felt a little nervous when she met with Amanda in her private sitting room at her home. Amanda went out her way to make her feel at ease and it helped; she still felt like she had butterflies in her stomach.

Amanda began, "The pon far is part of the Vulcan reproductive cycle occurring once every seven years during their adult life. During the pon far a Vulcan male will undergo the plak tow, or blood fever, during which they lose all control of their emotions and are compelled to take a mate, or die. During pon far, the Vulcan male's biological functions increase from the norm and rise dangerously high in plak tow. If the Vulcan does not mate, the neurochemical imbalance becomes fatal. During pon far, the male is stripped of his logic and is flooded with uncontrollable emotions of an intensely sexual nature; he may become violent and unaware of his surroundings. A Human female would not be able to mate with a Vulcan in his youthful prime; she would not survive it. Fortunately for me, Sarek was past his prime and fortunately for you, Spock is half Human. A further precaution will be taken at the time of mating to be sure you will not be injured. The Matriarch and a male attendant will be nearby in case you need them for the first thirty minutes of the pon far."

"If you decide to go ahead with the courtship and bonding you will be trained in Vulcan mental techniques. This will include mental imaging, used through the bond, that you will use to help cool the fires of the plak tow. This will help Spock to be calmer and give some relief from the fire of the fever. You will have times for rest and food will be made available to you. Take full advantage of this as you will eventually become veraciously hungry and exhausted over time. When the fires are finally spent, you both will spend the next day or two sleeping. Although the mating cycle is once every seven years, Vulcans can mate anytime they want to. It is up to each couple if they do or do not and how often. I will just say this once: Sarek is very attentive to my needs and I have no complaints."

"The truly great thing about being married to a Vulcan is the marriage bond. Because your minds are bonded together, you both truly know each other and can be confident of each others fidelity. I hope that you will decide to continue into the courting stage, Christine, and eventually marry Spock. I believe that you truly love him and I know you have what it takes to succeed as his wife."

"Thank you for your confidence in me. You have given me the rest of what I need to know in order to make my decision and my answer is yes. I want to go ahead with the courtship stage."

Amanda smiled and answered, "I'm so glad and I know Spock will be pleased to hear it."

Chapter 18 Getting to Know You

ooOoo

Spock stepped out of the patio door and took the path on the right into his mother's garden and found her attending to her roses. She heard him approach, looked up and said, "Good morning, Spock."

"Good morning, Mother, may I assist you?"

"Yes you may, I just have the tea roses left to trim and four hands can get the task finished much faster than two."

Spock walked over to the garden shed and found a pair of large garden gloves and slipped them on. He looked at the tool rack and found a pair of rose trimmers, removed them and went out to help his mother. Mother and son worked side by side in companionable silence for twenty minutes.

"Mother. I am planning on taking Christine to some of the various places of interest on Vulcan. I

want for us to get to know each other better and at the same time, show her the beauty and wonders of the planet."

"That is an excellent idea. Your father did the same thing when he brought me to Vulcan as his wife."

"You did not become bored?"

"Not one bit; I totally enjoyed it. Be sure to take her to the Fire Plains of Raal to see the multicolored crystalline formations that grow from the rocks. Oh! And you absolutely must take her at night to see the Fire Falls! It was so romantic when Sarek took me there."

"Romantic?" Spock raised his left eyebrow. "Fire Falls?"

"I am not going to paint a word picture, Spock, but it is a great place to smooch."

"MOTHER!"

Amanda just smiled and thought, 'Ah, so he does know what that word means. Good!'

ooOoo

On the first three days of their courtship Spock picked her up from her hotel and took her to see some of the local attractions in the city. She was in awe of the delicate and meticulously maintained sand gardens and the imaginative statuary all throughout the city. She especially enjoyed the Shi'karh Museum of History and they talked about the exhibits during mid meal. They also attended the opening of a new exhibit of contemporary art at Sulak's Art Gallery and Spock introduced her to several of his friends there including Mr. Sulak. It was a very pleasant evening and she realized that they were quickly becoming good friends and very comfortable with each other. They liked a lot of the same things but occasionally had a difference of opinion. She thought that might cause them some problems but it actually made their relationship more interesting.

They spent the next few days outside of the city. She saw the huge underground lakes and caverns with colorful stalactites and stalagmites and spent one morning at the famed Mineral Springs Spa where they changed into bathing suites and slipped into the soothing mineral water that was said to have healing properties that promoted good health. That afternoon he took her to the spectacular Fire Plains of Raal. The multicolored crystalline formations were like nothing she had ever seen before. But the most exciting trip they took was hiking up the Mount Soloma Volcano.

Their journey up Mount Soloma began in a silent plomeek field under the reflected light of T'Khut. There, a Vulcan farmer guided trekkers across jagged lava beds. In the silence, the songs of silver birds, and the bell-like sounds of wind chimes from a distant village could be heard clearly at 1,717 meters above sea level.

As they reached one of the three spectacular peaks, dawn broke, laying out an ethereal panorama of pink and purple skylight above a green valley, black lava beds, and glittering Lake Soloma below.

This is a piece of Vulcan, that's a bit farther from the beaten tourist track, with accommodation minimal enough to seem improvised. Mount Soloma, considered sacred by the Pre-Reform Vulcans, is a fairly easy journey up one of Vulcan's most active volcanos leading to a strange pristine wilderness.

Their tour was arranged at the little hotel at the shores of Lake Soloma. The hotel supplied a driver for the predawn jaunt at a cost of twenty credits for the ride to the volcano and another thirty credits for the guide up to the top.

The strenuousness of the 700-meters climb to the tallest peak and the predawn start time kept crowds fairly small. The journey up the tallest crater could take anywhere from one-and-a-half to six hours, and could be completed easily by anyone in good physical condition. In pre-Reform times entire Vulcan villages ascended the peak for religious rites.

A graphic designer from Adelaide, Australia, named Phil Gallegher, nearly gave up three times but conquered the peak with the rest of them in three hours time. The crater had fissures and there was a huge dry cave as well. It looked blown out rather than made by lava.

At the top of any of the three craters, Soloma is a frightening testimony to the power of nature. The long sharp arcs of blown-out rock attest to violent volcanic eruptions, some as recently as ten years ago. A walk to the smallest peak led to the site of recent activity, with huge plumes of billowing steam overhead and the sight of molten red lava down the caldera. Steam eruptions heaved and crashed like the sound of Earth's ocean waves and the soil underfoot rumbled restlessly. The Vulcans look upon the volcano as an ultimate blessing for its enriching effects on the soil.

For tourists, the greater danger does not lie in unexpected eruptions, but in making the trek without a guide, especially alone. The slopes can be treacherously slippery and narrow, and the vertical crater walls below can be unexpectedly steep. Their guide said he knew of a tourist hiking alone who died when he fell from a rain-slicked trail into a slippery gorge. He wasn't found until weeks later!

Steam rose from crevices and broken rocks at the top of all three peaks. There's an indescribable elation that comes with arriving at the top of the craters and viewing the surrounding ring-of-fire caldera--the remains of a volcano that blew apart about 50,000 years ago. They had worked up an appetite and the volcano and their guide accommodated them. Eggs were actually cooked in the steaming holes with a little dried grass piled on top, and after a few minutes, came out perfectly hard-boiled!

And somehow, it didn't take nearly as long to descend the peaks as it did to climb them--an hour at most. With volcano ski shoes, the volcano can be "skied" down on the small crunchy lava pebbles. There are actually treks down some parts of the slopes that features "lava skiing." They skied down the lava slope, which took three hours to climb, hopped into their guide's shuttle bus to go back to the rental flitter, and they could not help but feel that they were flying home!

Chapter 19 I Only Have Eyes For You

ooOoo

Spock gradually came out of his meditative trance in the Garden of Thought and stretched his muscles. His mind was clear and he had succeeded in deciding who would be his wife between T'Pen and Christine. He left the garden and got into his rental flitter and headed for T'Pen's office.

ooOoo

Sarek entered the library and found Amanda sitting in her favorite chair reading a book. She looked up at him and he said, "The Terran Embassy is hosting an inaugural ball for the grand opening of their new facility here in Shi'karh in two days. Diplomats are encouraged to bring their whole family and I extended the invitation to Spock and his intended."

"He told you whom he chose?" Amanda asked excitedly as she set down her book and stood up.

"No, he has not, only that he has made his decision. He accepted the invitation and we will find out whom he chose at the ball."

"That's not fair! I don't know if I can stand to wait that long! What if she needs help shopping for a ball gown?"

Sarek raised an eyebrow in amusement and answered, "Both women are capable adults and know how to purchase a ball gown. Furthermore, I gave Spock a credit chip to help defray the cost of a gown if needed. Two days really is not so long a time to wait."

"I suppose you're right but I don't have to like it." Amanda's eyes lit up suddenly. "Will you let me know if Spock uses the credit chip?"

"No, my wife, I will not."

"But Sarek!"

"No, Amanda, I have no plans to check for myself either. Spock wants to surprise us and I am going to respect his request."

"Spoiled sport," she teased. She tried pouting but it didn't do any good. The corners of his mouth twitched upward fractionally and he walked out of the room.

ooOoo

Christine entered her hotel room and was about to close the door when she heard Spock call out to her. She opened the door and looked down the hall and saw Spock approaching her room.

"Good evening, Christine, would you have dinner with me? I have something important that I need to speak with you about."

"Of course, Spock," she answered as she closed the door and made sure it was locked. "Where are we going?"

"That is a surprise."

'Hmm . . . he is being very mysterious. Perhaps he has made up his mind about whom he wants to marry! Dare I hope? Yes, I dare!'

They left the hotel and walked the short distance to the Paradise Garden Restaurant. Christine turned and looked at Spock, a look of delight unmistakably on her face. "Oh, Spock, I've always wanted to come here! I have heard so many wonderful stories about this restaurant but have never been able to afford it!"

"I am pleased at your delightful reaction." He opened the door for her and they entered into the cool, semi-dark and fragrant atmosphere of the indoor garden restaurant.

The restaurant contained small intimate tables for two, surrounded by Terran flowers, plants and rose-covered trellises. There were small fountains here and there and a small waterfall, on the back wall, which contributed to the soothing sound of cascading water. The ceiling looked like the nighttime sky complete with twinkling stars and a full moon. Christine felt like she had entered an enchanted fairy garden. The hostess led them to their table in the most secluded spot in the room.

"I hope you do not mind," Spock said, "but I took the liberty of ordering our meal ahead of time. A very special meal."

"I don't mind at all. I trust your judgement."

Their waiter brought a delectable selection of vegetable dishes, salads, fresh fruit, sweetbreads, and fresh sweet cream to their table. He filled their champagne glasses and water goblets then left them in total privacy. When Christine went to pick up her fork to eat, she was surprised at the length of its handle. There was no way she could possibly reach her mouth with it! Then she suddenly realized that she and Spock would be feeding each other! 'How romantic!'

All through the meal, they gazed into each other's eyes as they silently fed each other. No words were necessary. When they had finished their meal, the table had been cleared and they had finished drinking a cup of coffee, Spock reached across the table and took her hand in his and asked, "Will you marry me, Christine?"

"Yes, Spock, I will."

And then the moment she had waited so long for finally came, her first real kiss with Spock, her heart was beating wildly in her chest. He leaned over, and she felt his soft, hot, moist lips just barely graze her own . . . it was like every nerve ending in her body was awakened! He kissed her again so tenderly that she thought she might die of ecstacy. When he ended the kiss, he said, "I want to keep your engagement to me a secret for two days." He told her about the inaugural ball and that he wanted to surprise his parents with whom he chose for his wife.

Christine readily agreed but wondered what she would wear. She didn't own any ball gowns. To her surprise, Spock pulled a credit chip out of his pocket, explaining that it was a gift from his parents.

ooOoo

It was the night of the inaugural ball. Sarek and Amanda had already made their grand entrance and were waiting for Spock and his intended to arrive. Amanda was starting to tap her foot with impatience when Spock and his intended finally arrived. He looked absolutely splendid in his midnight blue suit and on his arm was a blond goddess dressed in a flowing ball gown that made her look like she had just stepped out of Neptune's realm.

Amanda's face broke out into a delighted smile as she stepped forward to welcome her future daughter-by-marriage. "Christine! You look beautiful, my dear."

"Thank you, Amanda, you look absolutely fabulous too."

Sarek stepped forward and added, "The two of you look aesthetically pleasing to the eye."

Spock replied, "Thank you, Father, you are most kind. May we set a date and time for the sharing of parental wisdom?"

"Of course, is tomorrow morning, after first meal, convenient for you two?"

"Yes, it is quite convenient."

"Excellent."

Chapter 20 The Wise Counsel of Parents

ooOoo

Spock and Christine followed Sarek and Amanda into the living room and Sarek indicated they sit down on the sofa. Sarek and Amanda sat on the love seat across from them and Sarek said, "You are here today because you have decided to become bonded and are now ready for the sharing of marital wisdom. All that we share with you is private and not to be discussed with others. It is time for the ritual sharing to commence. Keep your lips sealed, hear with your ears and keep your minds open as we share our wisdom with you."

"As I am Vulcan and Amanda is Human, the wisdom we share with you is rather unique. We will be talking to you about devotion. When Surak changed our world for the better by basing our lives on logic instead of emotion, he taught our people how to suppress their emotions. To publically display emotions is grossly offensive. But what is privately shared between a husband and wife is perfectly acceptable. If Surak had meant for our people to be otherwise, he would have insisted that we all achieve Kolinahr. Although Amanda is Human, I have never said those famous 'three little words' to her. It is not the Vulcan way, however, Amanda knows the secret devotion of my heart."

Amanda continued, "To love a spouse amid the flame of honeymoon passion is easy, but to love a spouse all the days of your life, even before you ever lay eyes upon that person—this kind of love is selfless. Your goal is not only to make your relationship work but to make it thrive romantically for a lifetime. Selflesslove means things have to change in your lives. The theme of your lives can no longer be about what you want; it has to be about what is best for those around you. Selfish love is illogical and comes naturally to all —we don't have to labor to be excellent at it. But selfless love on the other hand is opposite our bent. We have to allow our lives to be remade to exhibit its glory."

"For most humans the highest ideals of love bring to mind moonlit serenades, dozens of roses, and ardent rhymes that troll the depths of a lover's feelings. These pictures of romance are wonderful, but they barely scratch the surface of what is possible with true, selfless love. The beauty of romance is designed to stretch through an entire life, not to sputter its final breath after the honeymoon ends. True love goes the distance-- lasts forever, withstanding the harshest winds of time. True love is a poetic love—so fabulously beautiful that it is nearly impossible to describe. A poetic love is a selfless love. It's noble, it's pure, it's tender, it's dignified, it's grand – it's heavenly. We all have our moments of selfless nobility, but poetic love isn't a one-time heroic deed. Rather, it's a lifelong lifestyle of romantic service to our spouse."

"There are three main ingredients," Sarek continued. "The first is lifelong thoughtfulness. Thoughtfulness is the catalyst to romance. Without it, a relationship is flavorless and one-dimensional. Many couples practice thoughtfulness only while they are courting. The thrill of thoughtfulness for a spouse was never meant to be isolated merely to the courtship season of a relationship."

"The second ingredient is sexual devotion. To be sexually set apart just for him or her, to bond together and finally enjoy the rewards of their patience. Sexual devotion is not just a bonus blessing in a marriage. It is a foundation for a forever kind of relationship and when the context for the exploration of sexual intimacy is kept sacred, a couple discovers an amazing depth of satisfaction in each other and quickly understands why it is best to wait. Make the decision to cherish your spouse by being sexually set apart for him or her from this day forward. Fiercely protect every expression of physical intimacy as a sacred treasure for your lifetime bondmate. Sexual allurement is seemingly all around us in today's universe. When your betrothal bond is initiated, these allurements will have very little effect on you. This will be even more so with your marriage bond. Until that time, do not treat sexual allurement casually, give your bondmate the gift of faithfulness by guarding your heart, eyes, and mind from the temptations of the universe. Let your desire be for your bondmate alone, and you will discover the fullness, freedom, and beauty of true sexual intimacy. To sexually set your life apart for your future spouse out of duty is commendable. But your goal is to be sexually set apart for each other as an outflow of selfless and purposeful devotion. Two people set their lives aside for each other willingly and with great enthusiasm, knowing that every challenge and difficulty in doing so only serves to strengthen their future marriage relationship."

"The third ingredient," Amanda added, "is outrageous generosity. Love with abandon. Give everything, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Sacrifice and face the most challenging difficulties for the joy set before you. Before you get married, learn to give everything—and learn to give as if giving were the greatest pleasure, because it is. Learn to stop figuring what you should be getting out of the deal. Learn to give without requiring payback. A wedding day marked by poetic love is a wedding day of true and lasting love."

"Are you truly passionate about each other? My definition of the word passion does not refer to excitement or sexual lust. What I am asking is this: Are you passionate enough to sacrifice yourselves for each other, knowing full well that both of you are imperfect? In other words, are you so spiritually, sexually, mentally, and emotionally attracted to each other that you also accept one another's ugly, weak, and selfish faults?"

"Spock, do you feel just as interested in Christine when she removes her makeup? Are you willing to drop your pride and cherish her during her mood swings? Are you willing to go out of your way to make sure she feels appreciated? Do you love her enough to seek her best interests even if that means denying your wishes or telling her no?"

"Christine, are you more concerned with delighting Spock than making yourself happy? Are you willing to love him even if he neglects or offends you? Do you adore him so much that you are prepared to follow him wherever destiny leads?"

"Marriage involves loving someone even if he or she disappoints, irritates, or ignores you. If you do not think that the other has any flaws, I encourage you to date longer. No one is perfect, and you set yourself up for relational failure if you expect marriage to be smooth and easy. Sarek and I knew what each other's faults were, but we felt such passion that we still chose to marry. You make this kind of commitment when you choose to marry someone."

"As husband and wife, Sarek and I are still amazed by how our hearts continue to unite in deeper ways. Our marriage has surpassed my wildest dreams of what romance, friendship, and love could ever be. If our marriage and our words are inspiring you to give yourself to each other, then take the opportunity to pour your love into each other and relish the passionate relationship that is waiting for you to explore together."

"In closing," added Sarek, "it is our hope that you will diligently heed our words and logically come to the right choice for your lives. The time of ritual sharing is ended."

Silently, Spock and Christine stood up and exited the living room, then the house. Each of them was caught up in their own thoughts as they got into Spock's rental flitter and drove away.

Chapter 21 One and Together

ooOoo

Spock had upgraded his two-seated rental flitter for a six-passenger van model. He and Christine had picked up her parents and aunt at the beam down area at Vulcan Space Central. They were coming to attend the bonding ceremony scheduled for the next day and the human wedding ceremony at the chapel of the Terran Embassy in two days. Sarek and Amanda had invited them to stay at their home and they graciously accepted their invitation.

When Christine introduced them, Dr. Christopher Chapel had given Spock a warm handshake and his wife Maria and sister Kirsten gave him a brief hug which he accepted but did not reciprocate, except to very briefly touch his palms to their backs. They all loaded up into the flitter and headed for Shi'karh.

Once they were on their way, Christopher spoke up, "My wife and I are pleased to finally meet you, Spock. We have heard a lot of nice things about you from Christine and you have served on the Enterprise with such distinction that you have become somewhat of a legend in the Federation. At first, we did worry about our daughter marrying a Vulcan but Christine pointed out the fact that your mother is a human married to a Vulcan and that they have been successfully married for more than forty years."

Maria added, "The success of your parent's marriage is renown throughout the Federation and we hope that your marriage will be as successful and blessed as theirs is."

"You are very kind," Spock answered. "Recently, my parents shared their parental wisdom with us and we have discussed, very thoroughly, everything they shared with us. We will certainly work at having a successful marriage. We wish to extend an invitation to you and to Aunt Kirsten to share with us your parental wisdom, also."

"That is very thoughtful of you both, and we will take you up on that," answered Christopher.

Aunt Kirsten felt relieved. She had some wisdom that she wished to impart to her niece and fiancé' to help guard against them making the same mistake she had made in her marriage. Divorce wasn't pleasant and she wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy, never mind her beloved niece.

ooOoo

Sarek and Amanda got along famously with Christopher, Maria and Kirsten. In the afternoon, the ladies were out in the garden laughing and indulging in girl talk and the men were in Sarek's study discussing everything from the latest medical discoveries to diplomacy. As the afternoon passed into early evening, Christopher turned to Sarek and said, "Spock and Christine have invited my wife, sister and me to share parental wisdom with them. We would like to do this after dinner if we may."

"Of course," Sarek answered. "Would you care to use my study?"

"Thank you, Sarek, your study will be perfect."

ooOoo

After dinner, Spock and Christine followed her family into the study for parental sharing. They made themselves comfortable and Christopher began to share first.

"Don't use erotic sexuality as relational currency. Your body and sexuality are beautiful and you can take great pleasure in that truth. Single adults can practice affirming each other's soul-sexiness in ways that don't require bartering of sexual favors, big or small."

Maria continued, "Avoid sexual rushes. Something is terribly wrong when sexual interactions are reduced to simple recreation and physical titillation. Great relationships are about deep intimacy, not creating erotic buzzes and rushes. Lovemaking can remain satisfying in the covenant of marriage in part because two lovers grow increasingly intimate over a lifetime, but pursuing lovemaking only for the sexual rush always demands bigger and stronger buzzes to maintain the high. This type of erotic pursuit is the stuff sexual addictions are made of. Sexual surges are more than hormones; they reflect an intrinsic desire to be intimately connected with another being. Creating a three-dimensional intimacy of body, soul, and spirit takes sexual interactions beyond the buzz."

"Contrary to popular belief," Christopher said, "instant chemistry and erotic behaviors neither cement commitment nor ensure long-term romance. Many single adults ache for intimate closeness and hope erotic behaviors will provide the answer. True sex doesn't create intimacy. It only enhances intimacy that's already present when enjoyed within its proper context, the commitment of a covenant marriage. Focusing on the physical alone will all but guarantee relational imbalance and sabotage."

"Don't try to control your sexual surging by complete repression. Kiss, hold hands, or even allow your knees to touch while watching a movie. That way, when you get married, you won't be surprised to find you can't enjoy sexual intimacy because the script in your minds is still saying wrong and dirty. We aren't suggesting that you need to practice certain erotic behaviors for your honeymoon. What we are saying is that it's extremely important to recognize and honor your erotic desires and not just suppress them. If you do set boundaries around more conservative erotic behaviors, such as kissing, you should make certain you are motivated by godly, heartfelt values rather than religious traditions or repression. To avoid these problems you will need honest dialogue with your partner on how to set limits within your unique relationship. Such practical boundaries will serve to help protect your budding relationship from harm, promoting loving intimacy."

Aunt Kirsten spoke last. "I recently became divorced from my husband. We both made mistakes but I will only talk to you about my mistake with the hope that you will avoid it. I made the mistake of trying to make him happy and neglected my own happiness in the process. That was one of the main things that eventually ate away at my marriage and brought it to an end. If I had known then what I know now – about the importance of having a good attitude about the circumstances, learning how to live above the circumstances and not under them, finding inner peace and happiness within myself, and how important it is to have that positive attitude is and then treating my husband with respect and affection, even when I didn't feel like it – well, I guess I might still be married. Who knows? The important thing now, is that you both realize that you can't make each other happy at the expense of your own happiness. The time for sharing is ended."

ooOoo

It was a beautiful morning and everyone was gathered in the living room for the bonding ceremony. T'Pau was seated in a special chair and at the appropriate moment addressed all who were gathered there.

"Greetings. We are gathered here in the home of Sarek and Amanda for the bonding of Spock and Christine. Let the bonding ceremony begin. Spock, son of Sarek and Amanda, are you prepared for bonding?"

"I am."

"Christine, daughter of Christopher and Maria, are you prepared for bonding?"

"I am."

"Come forward and give me your thoughts." Spock and Christine knelt before T'Pau and she placed each of her hands on their katra points at the same time. After a pause she continued, "Our minds, one and together – touching, yet not touching, apart, yet never apart."

Spock repeated, "Touching, yet not touching, apart, yet never apart."

Christine repeated, "Touching, yet not touching, apart, yet never apart."

Then they spoke together, "We are one."

"The bonding has succeeded," announced T'Pau as she broke her link with them. "When the pon farr comes, you will return to Vulcan to the place of kun-ut kali-fi."

Spock stood up and doing as his father had instructed him to do, took Christine by the arm to help her stand up and keep her steady.

T'Pau spoke, "The bonding ceremony is finished." She lifted her hand in the ta'al, "May you both live long and prosper"

Spock and Christine raised their hands in return and spoke as one, "Peace and long life."

Chapter 22 A Joyous Occasion

Note: The wedding ceremony I chose for Spock and Christine's Terran wedding was custom designed by my parents, the Reverend Leslie W. Gardner and Reverend Velva A. Gardner. There is a small portion of the ceremony that has to be there, as originally written, in order for the ceremony to be legal. The rest may be custom designed. I made a few small changes to fit the Star Trek universe.

ooOoo

Spock and Kirk took their places to the left of Bishop Julianna Blevin and waited for the ceremony to begin. The wedding march began, family and friends stood up and turned to watch as Uhura, maid of honor walked down the aisle followed by the Bride, Christine, her arm linked with her fathers'. Uhura made her way to the right side of the bishop and Christine and her father stopped a few steps in front of the bishop.

Bishop Blevin began the ceremony. "Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the magic charm of home and with all that is pleasant and attractive in the tenderest and most sacred relations of life."

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, in the presence of this company, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Who giveth this woman in marriage?"

"Her mother and I do," answered Christopher as he handed Christine over to Spock. He then went and sat down next to his wife, as Spock and Christine stepped directly in front of the bishop.

"At the marriage in Cana, Jesus wrought his first miracle, bringing cheer and joy to the host and his guests, and thus beautifying this earthly union with the first recorded manifestation of his miracle working power. We see in this a symbol of the day to come, when he himself, as the blessed heavenly Bridegroom of the church, will lead his own beloved, the Mystical Bride, chosen and drawn by grace from among mankind to that great Marriage Supper of the Lamb, that God the Father, himself has ordained, and shall be celebrated when the victory of the Cross shall have been consummated."

"In Creation the man was first formed . . . Then Eve, saith the Scriptures. That the woman would be for the man, bringing forth humility, modesty and gentleness that should characterize her life. Yet man, being the best and most excellent of all God's created works, and so Eve, the woman, being made after Adam, and out of him, sets an honor upon the woman of being the glory of man."

"The man is the head. She is the crown, a crown to her husband. The man was dust refined, but the woman was doubly refined, one step further from the earth. In being created for man or out of man, she was not out of his head to dominate or be over him. Not out of his feet to be under him or trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, from under his arm to be protected by him, and near to his heart to be loved."

"Spock, will thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's holy ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, cleaving only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"

"I will."

Christine, will thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's holy ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will thou love him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, cleaving only unto him, so long as you both shall live?

"I will."

"Spock, you may now take Christine's right hand in yours, and repeat after me: I, Spock, take thee Christine, to be my wedded wife."

"I Spock, take thee Christine, to be my wedded wife."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health."

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

"Christine, you may now take Spock's right hand in yours, and repeat after me: I Christine take thee Spock, to be my wedded husband."

"I Christine take thee Spock, to be my wedded husband."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health."

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

"To love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

Bishop Blevin took and held up the rings.

"Let us meditate upon the symbolism of these golden circlets. Holy Writ tells us that when God made a covenant with Noah, he set his rainbow in the cloud as a token of that covenant, and said: I will look upon it, that I may remember the Everlasting Covenant."

"From this, we learn that it is well, that when we enter into solemn agreement, to set aside some reminder. You have selected these rings to be a token of your marriage covenant. They are made of gold, which is a type of that which is least tarnished, and most enduring, fittingly representing the tie that binds husband and wife. The ring, an endless circle until broken by some outside force, is a symbol of the unbroken union which is to continue until broken by death."

"Take this ring, Spock, and place it on the third finger of Christine's hand . . . and let it be the seal of your mutual fidelity and affection and a memorial of sacred service. Spock, repeat these words after me: With this ring, I do thee wed, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"With this ring, I do thee wed, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Take this ring, Christine, and place it on the third finger of Spock's hand . . . and let it be the seal of your mutual fidelity and affection and a memorial of sacred service. Christine, repeat these words after me: With this ring, I do thee wed, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"With this ring, I do thee wed, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Now let me speak to your hearts. I charge you both as you hope for happiness, in your married life, to be true to these vows you have made to each other. With your marriage, from this day, you begin life anew with larger responsibilities."

"Spock, guard well this your Bride, who commits herself into your keeping. Strive so to live so that no word or deed of yours shall cloud her brow with grief, or dim her eyes with tears."

"And Christine, it will be your part to strive to retain, by your virtues, the heart you have won by your graces. To you both I would say, let not your voices lose those tender tones of affection, your eyes forget the tender ray with which they shone in courtship's day, and greatest of all, let God be enthroned above, all times."

"Now I have heard you make these pledges of your affection and take these vows of fidelity, and I do by the authority conferred upon me by the Church of Jesus Christ and by the laws of the Federation, pronounce you Husband and Wife. No longer twain, but in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Let us Pray."

"Heavenly Father, as we bow before you in Thy Devine Presence, as we come to ask Thy Devine blessing upon Spock and Christine that you will keep your hand upon them, and direct them. We ask you now that you will help them as they begin life together, through life's pathways. Now we ask your Divine richest blessings to be theirs' in Jesus name. Amen."

"Those whom God has joined together let no man put asunder! You may kiss the Bride."

Christine handed her bouquet to Uhura then turned to face Spock. He lifted her veil, placed his hands on her shoulders, bent down and kissed her.

End