Author's Note: Thanks to Aphrodite420 for pulling beta duty. Enjoy folks. This is the start of the Sarek established in "The Prince" verse.

Alekhine's Gun

Chapter 2

"You did WHAT?!?!"

Amanda winced as the sound of human indignation hit her ears. She loved John. She really did. But sometimes, he was a bit too melodramatic for her taste.

Dr. John Templeton was her mentor and current head of the Berkeley Department of Anthropology. She was in for her monthly department meeting, and right now, in addition to Templeton's, every other mouth around the room had hit the floor.

All she saw were teeth, eyeballs and tongue from her colleagues.

She sighed and leaned back in the chair, rubbing her temples and bracing herself for the onslaught of comments about to be directed her way.

Sure enough, like clockwork, they came.

"Dr. Grayson, are you crazy?"

"You turned them down?"

"Do you know how big an opportunity this is?!"

The group burst into chatter all at once, decorum temporarily forgotten.

Finally, the noise died down and everyone looked to her to speak. She answered each inquiry with her own brand of humor.

"No, Marcus, I am not crazy. Yes, Dr. Nwebe, I did turn them down, and yes, John, I do know how big an opportunity this is," she answered dryly.

A round of subdued laughter broke through the incredulity of moments before.

Later on, after running through everyone's schedules for the upcoming semester, and after the meeting had broken up, Dr. Templeton pulled her aside.

"Amanda, I wish you'd reconsider the invitation. You know how important that conference is. The Vulcans don't just invite anyone- and it would be a big boon for your career."

"John, I've presented all over the place already. It's not like what I'd give them there is anything new. And besides, I actually want to be the person in the classroom teaching- doing my JOB. How can I teach these kids if I'm off tromping the galaxy to whomever calls? I'm a teacher first and foremost. Not an attention-whore. And I've had my fill of it this past year. I just want to work on something new," she replied.

"I understand that, Amanda. Really, I do…and trust, your academic celebrity hasn't died down yet. I just thought you'd be a little more willing to capitalize on it," he said with an exaggerated sigh of resignation.

She laughed.

"Normally you hate these conferences as much as I do. The only reason you want me to go is because you want to go, too."

"Ah, you got me," he replied, throwing up his hands in defeat, a smile forming across his austere features. "But if you deem it unnecessary, then so be it."

"Thanks, John," she replied, rising up from where they had been sitting at the wide conference table.

"You're welcome, Amanda," he called, still chuckling behind her retreating back. Before she left the room, she heard him muttering to himself.

"Those Vulcans are going to shit a brick at this one."

She laughed aloud as she walked back down the hall to her office.

II

Sarek stood by the window in his office, hands clasped firmly behind his back as he looked over the city. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a series of muted purples, oranges and blues across the rapidly fading sky.

It was at hours like these when Earth most resembled Vulcan- at least in one physical regard. The two planets shared a resplendent sunset.

Politically however, they were miles apart, and Sarek was in a foul temper.

Again he had gone before Earth's government and again he had endured one empty promise after another from the planet's leaders about getting their finances in order.

Did the humans believe him in jest? His patience was wearing thin.

The High Council was demanding resolution to this stalemate and yet the Terrans continued on as if nothing were amiss. Trying to keep the council at bay while he worked out a budget agreement with the Earthlings was proving to be a massive undertaking- one that stretched the limits of his own tenuous infuriated his Vulcan sensibilities. But he refused to allow his own increasing frustration to show.

His musings were cut short, however, by the chime of the office door.

"Enter," he commanded, still not turning from his position by the windows.

It was his assistant, Vulcan stepped forward into the study.

Though he was every inch a Vulcan, Sakketh was young,and therefore suffered from the insecurities of youth. And right now, he had failed the Ambassador. He was not looking forward to telling Sarek about the single denial he had received.

He cautiously stepped forward into the he had been in here numerous times, it never failed to be a more than intimidating experience.

Sarek's study was massive. Heavy, dark molding adorned the high ceiling. The colors were muted reds and browns. The desk was carved of the blackest of Vulcan volcanic rock, and sat like a sentry against a backdrop of volumes upon volumes of ancient texts.

Around the room, carved stone Vulcan warriors stood sentinel, their blades freshly sharpened and gleaming, and every bit as deadly. Sakketh knew his Master was well-versed in the warrior arts. He was also well aware that Sarek trained with the lirpas nearly every single day.

The Vulcan in question was currently standing near the giant windows, half draped in the silhouette of the setting visual was…disconcerting.

Sakketh bowed as Sarek stepped forward into the dim light of the room.

"Osu," he said in greeting.

Sarek stood, waiting, hands tucked firmly behind his back, face expressionless.

The young Vulcan started, his own voice calm despite his nervousness. Such a display of emotion would be considered unseemly.

"We have received confirmation on all requested delegates to the conference, except one. Dr. Amanda Grayson has declined."

A silence filled the room as Sakketh awaited further stood as still as a statue, the only evidence of his displeasure the slow raising of one elegantly arched eyebrow.

Cold, dark eyes met his own and Sakketh hurried to continue.

"Of course…she can be contacted again. It is possible she has misunderstood the nature of the invitation. I will go visit her personally, Osu," he said, this time his nervousness coming through in his tone.

Sakketh was of a lower house, and working at the side of the esteemed ambassador was sure to grant him a higher place in their society. He did not want to fail in even the most seemingly meaningless of tasks.

"Very well, Sakketh," Sarek replied as he once again turned to the window. "You are dismissed."

Sakketh wasted no time. He would get Dr. Grayson. Surely this was a mistake,for no one denied such a prestigious invitation. Especially one personally delivered by the Ambassador's office.

III

"…and now cultural anthropologists believe there was a cataclysmic event that propelled man back into the Dark Ages- and pressed the reset button on human evolution."

Amanda Grayson stood at the bottom of the theatre-styled classroom, rows upon rows of students surrounding her in a semi-circle,each one filled with a student. All eyes steadied intensely on her. There were no sounds except the quiet beeps and clicks of PADDs as students either wrote down notes or recorded her lecture.

She inhaled. Ah… the smell of knowledge in the morning.

It was in moments like these when she knew she had their undivided attention- and interest- that she absolutely loved being a professor.

Her lecture was soon interrupted by the chime of the bell signaling the end of class. And just like that, the reverie was broken and the room suddenly got very, very noisy.

Amanda found herself surrounded by students, each talking over one another, asking question after question.

She held up a hand.

"Hold on! One at a time! I don't have a clone working here, it's just me!" She laughed. The students around her chuckled too and she answered their questions one by one.

When the last student left, Amanda gathered her own PADD and began walking out of the classroom and up the stairs to her office. She was halfway down the hall when she spotted her grad assistant, Drew, exiting.

"Drew!" she called to him and he turned.. He started running towards her.

"Dr. Grayson! I was just coming to get you!" Drew screeched to a breathless halt right in front her, his face awash in anxiety.

She was instantly alarmed.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Automatically, her mind began swirling with possibilities…had something happened to one of her family members? A friend?

Seeing her look of concern, Drew was quick to reassurance.

"No, Dr. Grayson. Nothing has happened. But…" Suddenly his face broke into a nervous grin and he cast a glance back to her office door. His voice dropped low as he fell in step beside her and they continued down the hall.

"You have a guest. A Vulcan guest."

"What?" Amanda stopped in her tracks. "You mean to tell me there's a Vulcan in my office? What does he want?"

Drew looked a bit ashamed.

"Honestly, Dr. Grayson, I didn't ask. But he's from the embassy. He said that much. And when I told him you were in class, he said he'd wait. So…he's waiting."

They had resumed walking and had now arrived at the office door. Amanda looked at Drew and handed him her PADD as he opened the door for her.

She stepped in one of the overstuffed chairs in her waiting room, was indeed a Vulcan.

Amanda eyed him as he stood to greet her.

"May I help you?" she asked politely.

She noticed he wore the traditional ankle-length jackets that seemed to be the prevailing style among Vulcan males. His hair was cut in the usual bowl pattern, which reminded Amanda a lot of the style humans wore back in the mid-20th century.

He was on the tall side, yet even his heavy robes didn't completely hide a lanky form. She guessed he was still very young- though one couldn't quite tell with Vulcans. They developed normally, but had an extended period in which they didn't seem to age at all.

She guessed he must be just shy of adolescence.

And…she smiled.

It must have worked, because his entire demeanor seemed to relax at once. She saw his shoulders loosen, though his hands remained firmly clasped behind his back.

He had a sweet face, though emotionless. Yes. He was young.

"Dr. Grayson. I am Sakketh, aide to Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan."

Upon hearing his office, Amanda's smile disappeared as she went into her office, Sakketh following behind her as she shut the door.

"And to what do I owe the honor of this visit, Sakketh?" she asked, taking a seat behind her desk. The Vulcan remained standing.

"Two point four days ago you were sent an invitation to the annual Federation Conference of Scientists. However, there seems to have been an error in the correspondence we received from you. It was marked as a rejection of your attendance."

"Oh?" Amanda replied, feigning surprise. Sakketh did not get the sarcasm.

"Yes, Dr. Grayson. I am here to rectify the mistake. Do you have a specific date during the allocated time frame that you will be able to present?"

"I don't. And I am not." She replied calmly, her own keen eyes observing her guest.

Sakketh's dark eyes widened slightly and she saw his entire frame stiffen again.

"Excuse me, Dr. Grayson, but I do not quite understand the human forms of jest."

"I'm not joking, Sakketh," she replied, rising to her feet and moving towards the door. "I do thank the Vulcan delegation for the invitation, but I simply can't attend at this time."

Amanda opened the door and stood by it expectantly.

Sakketh understood the gesture and turned to leave. However, before exiting fully he turned, his young face once again schooled into calm. Amanda made note to record her observations of him at a later time.

"Dr. Grayson, I cannot change your mind, as your decision is yours alone. But on behalf of Vulcan, I implore you to reconsider your decision to not attend. I thank you for your time."

She nodded at him tersely as she walked him out and into the hall. She noticed Drew at his desk, trying hard not to be noticed eavesdropping and doing a terrible job of it.

Once the door had shut again, Drew sprang up from behind the desk.

"Dr. Grayson! You just turned down the Vulcans! Are you serious? You're not going to the conference!?"

The questions spewed forth unrestrained from Drew's mouth, just as they had days prior from her colleagues.

She waited calmly for his tirade to end. And then the final question. "Why"

"Drew, you know as well as I do that my schedule is booked. I'm teaching four classes a day, not to mention three conferences this month, NOT including the FCOS. Plus, you know I HATE presenting something I've done before and my current project is not yet finished. I would be going to the conference unprepared and incomplete. And that is NOT acceptable."

Drew shook his head.

"Dr. Grayson, you could present the same thing for the rest of your life and it would never get old, or tired or boring. And you'll be presenting your original thesis again at those other three conferences. So why is the original research okay for those and not for the FCOS?"

It was Amanda's turn to sigh

"Drew, I committed to those last year when my work was first published. They've been on my schedule for six months. And those are peer-reviewed. The FCOS is nothing but a media circus designed for the politicians of the Federation planets. All they do is listen and then spin our work for their own political gain. I work to spread knowledge, not bullshit. Book closed."

She heard him bite back a laugh at her expletive. Amanda rarely cussed,so when she did it was a sign that she was annoyed.

So much pressure was coming in for this damned conference. Hadn't she done enough? Presented enough? Surely it was completely unnecessary that she attend this. There was more recent research published. Surely the Vulcans could pull from those scientists.

Amanda did not count herself among their number. She was an educator first and foremost. She'd stick out like a sore thumb in a room full of white coats.

Besides, she had papers to grade.