Author's Note: Thanks to Aphrodite420 for beta-duty. Thank you for everyone who has reviewed thus far. Thanks to those of you who have put this on alert or favorites. It is appreciated.

Alekhine's Gun

Chapter 3

Silek strolled leisurely down the halls of the embassy, nodding in acknowledgment at the many staff and assistants as he passed. They all bowed slightly in mutual recognition and continued about their tasks.

It was quiet. Not that he minded. His people were known to be rather reserved. Why speak when there was nothing to be said? Why waste movement when there was nothing to be gained?

Though others would often misinterpret their ways as standoffish and rude, Silek knew that was not a fair assessment of his people's motivations, nor their intent- save for one.

And that one's office was where he was currently headed.

As Embassy Director, it was his charge to work directly with the public- to organize social events and be the "face" of Vulcan to the general population of Earth. He also acted as curator of the many ancient artifacts in the facility and coordinated the myriad of personnel on the grounds- from the maintenance crew on up to the numerous legal scholars, intelligence officers and security personnel. It was a massive group- and all at the beck and call of one.

Now, finally up on the top floor suite reserved for the Vulcan Ambassador, he could clearly feel the tension emanating from the staff around him.

As he rounded the corner they all nodded to him in acknowledgment, but looked away quickly and buried themselves in their work. In front of him were the large, heavy black th'laax doors. They were closed and sealed, which usually meant the Ambassador was in a meeting with someone. Silek knew there was currently no other dignitary on the grounds- so that meant…

He inwardly sighed to himself as he scanned the room for who was not at their post.

Ah. He spotted the empty desk immediately.

He stepped forward and knocked on the door. Not bothering to wait for admittance, he opened it and stepped forward into Ambassador Sarek's study.

As the doors swooshed closed behind him, he immediately spotted the Ambassador standing in the middle of the room. He was in his usual stance, hands clasped firmly behind his back. But his face was absolutely frozen, and his eyes were steely and cold- trained on the young Vulcan before him.

Silek stepped in immediately. He cast a glance at the young assistant before moving up to Sarek.

"Ambassador, we must discuss the impending conference."

Sarek's focus snapped back to his assistant and when he spoke, his voice was flat. No inflection, but Silek wasn't fooled.

"That is precisely what Sakketh and I were discussing. Ninety-nine percent of the invitations have been accepted, except for one."

His eyes darted back to the young Vulcan, who, standing in a similar stance, seemed to shrink under the probing gaze.

Silek suppressed an un-Vulcan sigh.

"Very well, Ambassador. You and I should begin making final arrangements. Sakketh." He turned so he could face the assistant directly. "You are dismissed until further notice."

Sakketh nodded in accord and exited the office. Silek felt for him. Sarek could be…difficult at times.

Once the doors had closed again, he dropped the pretense of formality.

"Sa-kai, why must you be so hard on young Sakketh? He is doing his best. That was uncalled for."

Sarek raised an eyebrow at him.

"If he is to work in this field, he must learn how to negotiate. I do not believe that my chastisement of him was undue."

"It was, and you know it. Now- what is really bothering you? Because I know that it is not Sakketh's inability to secure the last invitation. Your displeasure is projecting, which is why I have come."

Silek folded his arms over his chest and waited. It could take Sarek a while to discuss things, but he had lived over 60 years with his brother. He knew him well.

Finally, Sarek began to move, breaking the stiff, formal posture he had previously assumed as he began pacing the office.

"The high council is demanding resolution to this. I have yet to reach an agreement with the Terran government. They continue to say that they are "making an effort" but cannot seem to reach any kind of accord on a sound fiscal policy. They are also asking for additional funds- which the high council is refusing to provide. The multiple factions within Earth's governing system are in dis-accord, and the high council is as well. There is a schism occurring. T'Pau is working to mitigate it, but there are those on the council who would see to the immediate withdrawal of all of Vulcan's financial support and investments. As you well know, that would be crippling for Earth and the Federation as a whole. The Terrans understand this, and are exploiting it. I am.. at an impasse."

Sarek finally stopped pacing and stood facing his brother. Silek was silent a moment, before responding.

"I do not envy you your position, sa-kai. I am sure there are some humans who see the logic in your case for fiscal stability. They cannot possibly sustain the same habits they are currently engaged in."

He watched as Sarek's face darkened, a storm of emotions flicking across his face. His voice was hard when he spoke next.

"They are beginning to test the limits of my control. It is becoming increasingly difficult to meditate. I admit to being…not as favorably disposed to their kind as I previously was."

Silek frowned. The implications of Sarek's statement disturbed him on a myriad of levels…

The S'chn T'gai Clan was known for its violent temperment- and Sarek possessed one of the worst ones. It had taken him a long while to master control, and if it was faltering now, it could be…unpleasant for all involved.

He decided to change topics.

"Upon entering, you said 99-percent of the invitations were accepted. Sakketh was having difficulty securing the last. May I inquire as to the person who holds the final invitation?"

Sarek immediately followed course.

"Dr. Amanda Grayson. You recall her work on logic and emotion- it has been repeatedly brought up at all the scholastic conferences in the last year. However, according to Sakketh, Dr. Grayson claims that she is too "busy" to attend the Conference. You well know how the council feels about her work. However, it would be improper to not include her in the list- her lack of attendance would be perceived on Earth as a slight."

Silek nodded in agreement as Sarek continued, "And yet she refuses to come. Her refusal to attend would be perceived by some on the council as further evidence of human irrationality."

Silek smiled- to the obvious chagrin of his brother.

"Sarek, I shall go secure Dr. Grayson's invitation."

"Your human tendencies are not becoming," he retorted dryly.

"Perhaps- or perhaps those same 'tendencies" may be what get you your Dr. Grayson." He turned to walk out the door before pausing once again as he cast a final look at his face was once again schooled into its placid mask,his tone and posture once again formal.

"Ambassador, with your permission I will assume the task of finalizing the details of the conference."

Sarek, too, had slipped back into his formal self.

"Very well, Silek. Please see that everything is taken care of accordingly. Sakketh will be at your disposal."

Silek bowed his head in deference and acknowledgement as he opened the doors and left the study.

He now had another task: attain confirmation of attendance by Dr. Amanda Grayson. In the back of his mind, he worked to reinforce his brother's mental shields. Humans, he well knew, were often difficult and highly illogical. But their tendencies made them unique, though he knew Sarek did not hold the same view.

II

For the first time in a week, Amanda was alone in her office. It was Friday; Drew had the day off, and it was late. She was the only faculty member in the building.

She had to admit, the silence was more than a little welcome. It gave her room to think and focus.

From the staff meeting, to her unexpected Vulcan visitor a few days ago, it had been an… interesting week to say the least.

Now she sat in her office, casually reclining in the chair at her desk as she graded Padds. Her shoes lay abandoned under the chair, her feet propped up on the desk. She was currently bobbing her head and rocking her feet to the early 21st century music currently streaming through the office. It was some tune by an obscure artist she had recently discovered. A "disco stick"... she made a mental note to look up the reference later on.

So engrossed in her work was she that she failed to hear her comm chirp for entry.

And so when she caught sight of a movement at the office door and its accompanying silhouette—she was terrified.

Amanda saw a shadow fall across the doorway, and instantly her heart rate sped up and she began to panic.Be calm…be calm… she chanted to herself asshe quickly moved to exit her chair.

It could be an intruder…or …maybe someone worse…

She kept her eyes on the door as she slowly brought one…now two feet down from their perch, trying to be as silent as possible…

The shadow under the door moved.

Amanda fell backwards in the chair, causing a loud crash as she hit the floor – the Padds that had previously been in her lap clattering loudly about her. She scurried under the desk,terrified,closing her eyes…

She heard the door open and an unfamiliar and slightly lilting voice call to her…

"Dr. Grayson?"

Heavy footsteps moved closer to the desk and once again she felt a presence ,she opened her eyes…and found herself staring at a set of large feet, encased in rich-looking boots…and the tail end of what appeared to be a long robe…

The feet moved and the figure above her came down. When Amanda blinked again, she was staring into the sexiest pair of chocolaty brown eyes she had ever seen, as well as a set of quite impressive pointed ears…

And suddenly, the face was gone and the desk seemed to lift itself into the air. She found an impressively tall Vulcan male looking down at her as she still cowered in the curled position that she hadn't moved from since slipping under the desk.

She rose quickly to her feet. Now angry- and more than a little embarrassed- she stared at the Vulcan in front of her who held her heavy desk as if it were weightless.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" she demanded, eying him hard.

Now that she was looking at him from a more equal level, she noticed more about him. For one, he was extremely tall- hitting the high end of the six-foot range- and she only came to the middle of his chest. Secondly, unlike Sakketh, his robes were much more formal and seemed to be made of a more expensive and quite luminous fabric of a deep, dark rich blue and teal green woven into a black background. The robe itself had a high collar and was fitted, outlining a long, lean frame.

Amanda found herself admiring the wide set of his shoulders and chest, and the way his neck curved into a strong jaw and squared chin, and a wide, full mouth…

And those eyes…

She mentally shook herself. Get a hold of yourself, Grayson.

"And would you please put my desk down?" she barked.

The Vulcan obediently placed her desk back down to the side and drew his hands behind his back. Although his face was still, it revealed none of the hardness or uncertainty that Sakketh's had.

She could tell he was older, and by his appearance, obviously much higher up on the totem pole.

Finally, he spoke.

"You are Dr. Grayson, I presume?"

"That's what people call me."

"I am Silek, Director of the Vulcan Embassy."

So, they went for the big fish. "I have already told you that I won't be attending the conference. I believe I have made myself clear on the subject," Amanda cut him off.

"Indeed you have, Dr. Grayson, and perhaps it was not best to send our assistant. Therefore I have come to appeal to you personally. As a representative of Vulcan and her people, it would be our honor and privilege to have you attend and share your work with us."

His face never changed, nor did his tone, but Amanda heard the sincerity behind his words.

And the fact that he was asking her- not demanding-was…quite impressive in itself, really. Vulcans were well known for their aloofness and slightly domineering ways in these sorts of things. Still, she hedged.

"To be quite honest with you, Silek, I do not feel entirely comfortable presenting work that I have done before. And I am not quite done with my preliminary research into my next thesis…so I don't think attending at this time would be wise."

It was next that he did the single-most sexiest thing she'd seen any male do. Ever. One gracefully slanted eyebrow arched up.

Shit.

And she knew she'd have to go home and check herself because she swore his already deep voice dropped another octave and she knew she had to be imagining that somehow the distance between them had just gotten smaller.

All of a sudden it was hot as hell in her office.

"Dr. Grayson, we would not want to place undue stress upon you. This is simply a gathering of the most notable minds in the galaxy- and based upon your published work and your recent exposure, we felt it in keeping with our mission of scientific exploration to implore you to attend. However, we do respect your decision."

Suddenly, the heat diminished as he turned to leave. And Amanda felt herself give in.

Well…It would prove an interesting testing ground for my new research…I could get preliminary feedback…and there is the slight possibility that the Vulcan delegation could contribute…..

"Alright, I'll go."

He stopped at the door and turned to look back at her, his face as calm as ever.

"That is acceptable news. I shall go and begin planning for you."

With a swoosh of her door he was gone and Amanda stood alone in her now-wrecked office.

Slowly, she sat down in the midst of the pile of Padds on the floor, in a slight daze.

What the hell had just happened here?

III

She was still trying to get over herself when the office door chimed again for entry. The sound startled her out of her daze and she jumped up quickly, brushing herself off and running her fingers through her hair.

"Come in."

The door swooshed open and there stood Drew. He took one look at her and glanced back out the doorway again, then looked back.

"Don't look at me like that," Amanda shot.

"I didn't say or look anything. But you look guilty. So, another visitor, huh?" Drew chuckled as he stepped forward into the office. The chuckle abruptly stopped though, when he caught sight of the mess that was now before him.

"Dr. Grayson, what happened?"

She groaned, having temporarily forgotten the mess of Padds on the floor and the skewed desk.

"Long story, Drew. But now that you're here, would you mind helping me clean up? I've got a conference I need to start planning for."

Amanda began walking towards the mess. As she bent down to pick up a stray Padd, she caught the beginnings of a smile on Drew's face.

"And DON'T you dare laugh!"

At that, a choked guffaw came out and she turned back around and ignored him.

"I guess logic does win out in the end." Drew chuckled.

She didn't respond. Logic… it was as good an excuse as any.