Author's Note: I have re-posted a properly edited chapter 5. Thank you to everyone who caught all those mistakes. Hopefully, there won't be any more horrible errors. Apparently, my "track changes" function ran wild! Hence the duplication of words and other mistakes in chapter Five. Thank you to everyone who is reading and enjoying.

Alekhine's Gun

Chapter 6

"…and here you will find the reference library. It contains duplications of 1,567 texts which chronicle the last 5,678 years of Vulcan history."

Amanda stared in awe at the built-in shelves, literally filled with scrolls and texts, surrounding her.

She was in the Vulcan embassy's library. The room itself was so much like the embassy. Open and vast, with high ceilings and desks built in stone, it was a combination of functional, ancient and modern. Clean lines. Everything neat and meticulous. And very, very quiet.

"Thank you, Director Silek."

" 'Silek' will suffice."

Amanda genuinely smiled at her tall Vulcan companion. Her voice bounced off the stone walls.

"I am slightly ashamed to say that I have never been inside the Vulcan embassy."

"That is because we rarely invite outsiders. If you had not specifically been invited, or had no business here relating to diplomacy, you would not be here now."

The words did not sound harsh as they fell from his lips and Amanda could tell he was simply being forthright with her.

They continued their tour of the embassy, the sound of their footsteps echoing down the halls.

"Silek, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I have to say that this invitation is a…surprise. Especially considering the conference…"

He looked back down at her as they strolled. His hands remained behind his back, but he wasn't standoffish.

"It is my opinion that your thesis has merit. Not all of us are favorably inclined to such works; however, we are an often misunderstood and maligned people. It would be beneficial to both of our species to begin a dialogue."

Amanda smiled to herself at that as they moved through the embassy halls.

Finally, they came to a stop in the entry hall, next to the grand staircase which led to the upper floors.

Earlier in the tour she was told that was where the ambassadorial offices were located. In the rear of the building were private living suites. Some members of the staff chose to stay on embassy grounds, while others did not.

Silek was a most fascinating individual. Though his face remained calm and placid, he did not give off any of the coldness she had felt in her prior meetings with Vulcans. Though those meetings were few and far between, her last one had not ended well.

She flashed back to the confrontation at the Conference.

And suddenly, she had a question for him.

She turned around to face Silek and as she opened her mouth to ask, an uncomfortably familiar voice called out.

"Silek."

They both turned to the top of the staircase and Amanda's mouth dropped open as the Vulcan at the top descended.

Her eyes unconsciously narrowed to slits as she looked at him.

Up close, she could not deny he bore a striking resemblance to the Embassy director. They both shared the same, dark, penetrating eyes, broad shoulders, and lean frames.

This time he was not in one of the ornate robes she had come to recognize, but in a suit. A dark, almost metallic bronze with a high neck and asymmetrical cut at the bottom.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and walked towards them, hands behind his back, face set in stone. Amanda followed him with her eyes.

Silek turned and acknowledged the other Vulcan.

"Ambassador Sarek, this is Dr. Amanda Grayson. Dr. Grayson, may I present Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan….I believe you two have met before."

Her head quickly turned to look at Silek, and if she didn't know better, she would swear he found amusement in the situation. His face was still schooled into its still mask but his eyes….Amanda looked at him hard….he was laughing! She didn't know how sheknew it…but there was something…

"Dr. Grayson. I am familiar with your work."

Sarek's voice caused her to snap back to face him. Though the two males may have looked alike…they were like night and day.

Behind his words, Amanda sensed…disapproval. He obviously didn't like her. She smiled a tight smile in acknowledgment of his words…the feeling was certainly mutual.

An uncomfortable silence fell between the three of them, and after what felt like forever, Sarek finally spoke again.

"I will return later in the evening."

With that he began moving towards the tall embassy doors. Her eyes followed his retreating back until he disappeared into the sunlight and the doors fell closed yet again.

"Shall we continue our tour?"Silek asked. She nodded and they began walking again.

Amanda was torn between excitement, confusion, and curiosity. She had only been at the embassy for a little over an hour…and yet…she felt she had learned more about Vulcan and her people in that time than years of secondary study.

A voice in her mind told her she would need to completely re-evaluate what she thought she knew.

II

One week later found Amanda sitting in her temporary office at the embassy. The room's accoutrements were sparse, save for a desk, two chairs and stacks upon stacks of books and scrolls taken from the library. She was currently pouring through one of them and furiously typing notes on her PADD when her door chimed.

Not bothering to look up she called out, "Enter."

The door swooshed open and heavy footsteps walked towards her.

"Dr. Grayson?"

This voice was somewhat familiar, though she couldn't quite place it…

She glanced up, her eyes widening slightly in recognition.

Sakketh.

He too was out of his formal robes and wore a simple plain white tunic and dark trousers, much less ornate than anything that she had seen either Sarek or Silek wearing. She was beginning to notice a pattern.

"Yes, Sakketh?"

"I have been instructed to assist you in your research by Osu Silek. Should you need transcription or interpretive assistance, I am qualified for the position."

He stood before her and she studied him intently. He too wore what Amanda was beginning to think of as "the mask". The same unsmiling facial expression that his people were known for and yet...hmmm…inspiration struck her at that moment.

"Actually, Sakketh, I do need some assistance. Would you mind if I interviewed you?"

"Not at all, Dr. Grayson. I can state many specifics on my qualifications—"

"No, no. I mean…talk about you. Your life, and life on Vulcan-things of that sort," she interjected, smiling a bit.

He was quiet, considering her request. After a moment, he spoke again.

"Very well. Your request is logical."

He moved to sit directly across from her and Amanda studied him again before she spoke.

"Sakketh, how old are you?"

"I am 21.6 of your Earth years."

"Are you still considered a child?"

He stiffened at her question.

"Dr. Grayson, I can assure you, I am of proper mating age."

"I meant no offense, Sakketh, but considering Vulcans live twice as long as humans…you are still young. Do you have a mate?"

.

.

Later that same evening Amanda returned home. Every time she stepped into her apartment, she couldn't help but be proud of herself.

It was an eclectic mix of ancient and modern. A 23rd century living space set in a 20th century renovated factory building. Her space occupied the 14th floor, and overlooked the bay. From her perch high in the sky, she could see the twinkling lights of Oakland across the bay. A smattering of small lights decorated shone through the vast dark vastness- that of ships passing through the bay.

It was lovely.

As she walked across the entryway she kicked off her shoes, draped her jacket across the couch and continued her trail of clothes to the bedroom.

She removed everything else, and slipped on a comfortable Berkeley T-shirt before slipping into bed. It was late, and she'd been at the embassy the entire day. Her interview with Sakketh had taken up most of that time, and she'd been so engrossed in talking to him that she hadn't noticed how late it had gotten.

Talking with him had started off incredibly rough, but, in the end, she had made a friend. Settling back against her pillows, Amanda sat back and activated the mini Padd recorder by her bed.

"Computer, begin recording. Dr. Amanda Grayson."

The device whirred and clicked, coming alive to the sound of her voice.

Amanda waited for the three beeps that signaled the start.

Satisfied, she began to recount her thoughts.

"Sakketh-Vulcan male, age 21.6 Earth years. Today on a whim, I sat down with Sakketh. I first met him several months ago, when he came to my office with an invitation to the Federation Conference of Scientists-although…that conference didn't go too well.

He has been assigned as my assistant by "Osu" Silek. From Vulcan, that translates into "Lord." I am unsure of whether that is an honorarium or simply a title for Silek. And a question I will ask in the future when it is spoken again.

Sakketh is bonded. He has a wife who is currently on Vulcan. During our conversation I learned that he came to the embassy three years ago and is an apprentice to the Ambassador. He is incredibly smart, which is not such a surprise. But what is interesting, is that unlike the Ambassador and Silek, he seems very…insecure. At times his control falters, and he seems genuinely nervous.

It is strange, really, that for a species who allegedly have no "emotions," Sakketh is sometimes quite easy to read, though he hides it well.

Ultimately, I did learn that he comes from a small rural clan. His parents are agrarians. And he has four other siblings. That's far above the average number for Vulcan families.

After about an hour, he seemed to relax with me. I talked about my own family with him, how I came to academia. He seems to have a genuine curiosity about humans. I do believe Sakketh and I will get along fine.

I am also in the process of forming a hypothesis about Vulcan culture…but I would like to conference with Silek before I state my assumptions.

There are several things here that I find very similar to our Earth culture.

Grayson out."

Amanda yawned and stretched her arms over her head. She checked the time.

2300 hours.

Another yawn forced its way out and finally, she gave in.

"Lights out."

The glow in the room slowly faded as she moved further under her covers, and in minutes she was asleep.