Chapter 20 Bittersweet Symphony

When Spock reached his father's quarters, he tried a light telepathic ping instead of buzzing his quarters and possibly awakening Autumn. Moments later his father opened the door wearing his pajamas. "Spock is something wrong?"

"Not really," he answered. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, Autumn is sleeping and I was meditating." Sarek gestured for Spock to enter. "We may speak in private."

Spock noted the closed bedroom door. After they sat down, he handed his father his data padd. "Please review this and see if you come to the same conclusions I have." While he did, Spock used the opportunity to meditate himself.

Thirty minutes later, Sarek interlaced his fingers and rested his chin upon them. "It seems we have a moral dilema without a logical conclusion."

"Those are my thoughts exactly. I am compelled to tell the captain but that would mean revealing certain secrets of our biology." That is where Spock felt the true dilema.

"I understand. That is why you consulted with an elder." Sarek lit some more incense. "In this instance, revealing certain secrets to the captain is appropriate. We will ask for his discretion and that it be kept off the record."

Both Vulcans looked up when they heard rhythmic pulsating music above. "Who is playing that music?"

"Rishley," Spock replied. "I need to stop this before he disturbs the Praetor."

"I am curious to see exactly what Rishley is doing." Sarek grabbed his Vulcan robes which covered his pajamas. "It seems this Rishley is a walking disturbance."

Though Rishley demanded a nightclub be built, with him pouting in the Renaissance, no one thought it would be used. However, the nightclub located between the decks where the the Praetor resided and where Sarek did was in full swing with techno music, strobe lights, smoke, a number of crew members and Rishley, easily spotted with his tri-colored mohawk. The decibel level of music prevent Spock from calling out to Rishley and he didn't want security involved seeking a peaceful resolution instead.

As Spock neared Rishley by pushing through the crowd, Rishley turned and waved at someone at the entrance. The Praetor, his advisors and his guards entered wearing somewhat dressy but not formal clothes. At that moment, Spock knew to let things be. After all, they were still in the getting to know each other phase and it seemed like this is what they wanted. Several female crewmembers greeted them. While the advisors and the Praetor danced, his guards stood watch. Spock exited the club along with his father.

"Well at least he is enjoying himself." Spock nodded towards the Praetor.

"Now I wonder if he truly inherited the Risvitan Kash-Tok weakness." Sarek watched the females who surrounded the Praetor.

"Look at the color of his shirt," Spock stated.

The color matched the Orion female's exactly. "You have a point."

"Well, well, someone snuck off to go clubbing and didn't invite me." Autumn arrived wearing an umber satin off the shoulder dress and just a touch of lipstick. "I heard the music and had to come."

"I planned to shut this club down until the Praetor arrived." Spock folded his arms.

"Well that's no fun!" Autumn then turned to Sarek and placed her hand on his chest. "Will you dance with me?"

"Not to that sort of music," Sarek replied. Not even her pouty lips could persuade him otherwise so she went in without him.

When Autumn entered the nightclub, she saw several Romulans which made her nervous. Seeing the horrible revenge of Nero made her wonder what kind of people they were. While she knew that these were not the Romulans who killed her husband, she couldn't bring herself to like them. However, she loved the music and couldn't help but tap her foot to it. As she sat in a quiet corner, one of the Romulans who was slightly smaller than his compatriots and tried to hide his wavy hair with some gel approached her. "Would you like to dance?"

"I'm not sure that would be acceptable with Sarek."

"Oh, you're with the ambassador. Trust me, your Sarek has nothing to worry about. I always ask the most beautiful woman to dance with me." Bahar sat next to her. "You see my man is both a blessing and a curse." When he witnessed her do a double-take, he laughed. " You heard me correctly. My lover is smart, loyal, thoughtful and everything I could ever want in a man. However, he is one of the straightest men I've ever known."

Autumn laughed. "What you mean by that?"

"I mean the only thing that makes him a deviant is me. He's all about sports and he can't dance." Bahar swallowed some water. "He never shows any sort of affection in public but he's not ashamed just highly discreet."

Autumn remembered her time at the culinary institute. "I had a friend like that and he hated what he called the flickety wrist shit." She flambouyantly flicked her wrist.

"Maybe your friend became my boyfriend." Bahar could still see doubt in her eyes and she scooted away from him a little. "You were affected personally by the Narada."

"My husband was killed aboard his ship when they arrived at Vulcan. It's just …well never mind."

"You wonder if any or all of us are like that." Bahar clasped her hand and felt her slightly shaking. "I'm sorry for your loss. The destruction of an entire planet both saddened and sickened us all. While most any Romulan would seek vengeance, only a handful would seek it on that scale but luckily lack the resources to do. Unfortunately Nero did and had the capability to do so."

"Earth had its share of tyrants who caused mass destruction."

"Most every planet has. Now enough talk. Will you dance with me," Bahar asked. "Unlike my lover, I can dance like you wouldn't believe." Autumn glanced at the dance floor. "If you don't I may have to ask one of the crewmen and my boyfriend will get very jealous. Maybe you cannot keep up."

"Bring it," she replied standing up. "I can keep up. I had friends like you back home who taught me."

"You might find some things are universal." Bahar lead her to the dance floor.

Together they hit the dance floor. To show off, Bahar dropped to the floor and performed a Valdez to show up everyone on the dance floor. Not to be outdone, Autumn performed a front ariel, one of her basic cheerleading moves. Bahar bowed. "How about we pretend we're partners?"

"Alright, can you do a swizzle?" Autumn wasn't sure that translated. "You hold on to me, twirl me and let me dip down parallel but not let me hit the floor."

"I know that one. Until we can read each other, I won't dip you too far down." They performed several swizzles; each one becoming more daring until Autumn dipped to a foot above the floor and both were in a comfort zone. "How a twirly?" When he asked, Autumn looked at him strangely. Bahar dropped to a kneeling position. "I grab your ankle that is stretched behind you. I flip you forward while you kick up and you land on your feet."

"That's a lawnmower. I'm up for it." Autumn did so and fell slightly forward during her landing. Bahar twirled in front of her and stopped her momentum. "You're strong like Vulcans. Sometimes I forget."

"You're alright though?" When she nodded, relief flooded Bahar. After all, he didn't want to damage the Federation ambassodor's woman.

Between their rhythm and athleticism, they became a hit only stopping to drink water. Both Spock and Sarek watched just outside the doors. After awhile, Rishley, the Praetor and a couple of his guards exited and spoke softly in a corner. The Vulcans watched and listened intently.

"I promised you a gift that would fulfill your heart's desire." Rishley handed him a comm link that had a bronze looking wrist band with a modified comm portion surrounded by bluish green spade shaped leaves. "Put it on and press your thumb on the comm part to activate it."

When the Praetor did, wearing it next to a similar leafed bracelet, an extremely high quality hologram of the Orion girl appeared wearing a long sheer cream color dress. Standing upon a grey sandy beach, she looked up at him lovingly and extended her hand to him. "That's the dress she wore the first time I saw her." His voice shook and his eyes seemed misty. "That beach was the first time she....never mind." For a moment, he just stared in awe before he regained his composure. "Thank you very much. This means more to me than you can ever realize."

"You're welcome," Rishley replied. After the Praetor left, Rishley walked towards the club entrance and Spock and Sarek. "Very sad and very romantic," he muttered.

"What is?" Spock asked.

"In his dying breath, he wants to gaze upon her and remember a very special moment they shared."

Now that he had bonded to Nyota, Spock understood. So that is the Praetor's heart's desire.

Rishley turned to him as he walked by. "No, that is Sen's heart's desire. No one sees him much anymore."

Sarek and Spock gazed at Rishley skeptically as he left. Then they watched the Praetor's party leaving. "I'll arrange a meeting with Captian Kirk tomorrow morning."

"That is acceptable. I think Autumn will be sleeping in."

With the departure of her dance partner, Autumn joined Sarek and they returned to their room. After they entered, she freshened up and poured a glass of water while Sarek meditated on the floor in the middle of the living room. Soon after she sat down to come off the dancing high, Sarek opened his eyes. "Did you enjoy dancing?"

"Very much," she replied hoping he wasn't upset. "I practice my cheerleader moves frequently and now I finally got to use them."

"So those were the moves of a cheerleader, interesting." Sarek got up and poured some Romulan ale. "There is something I planned to do after this mission. However, time is of the essence to indicate to prospective suitors that you are off-limits."

"Oh Sarek, I'm not interested in Bahar and believe me he's not interested in me. I love you."

While Sarek didn't verbalize, he touched her fingertips so she could sense his feelings. "Do you like that flower over there? It's a Denabulan Sunset."

Autumn looked at the purple, blue and white rose crossed with a chrysanthemum looking flower in a crystal vase. "It's beautiful."

Sarek reached over and removed it from the small table. "Take a closer look." She studied it closely. "Blow on it," he said.

When she did, it opened to reveal a knot work gold banded diamond engagement ring which he slipped on her finger. "I know we have agreed to a Vulcan bond but will you marry me in the Terran tradition?" The squeal almost popped his eardrums and the tackle would've knocked him back if not for his Vulcan strength. Instead he cradled her in his lap and kissed her. "Is that a yes?"

"An absolute yes," she answered. She showered him with kisses. "I eloped for my first wedding but now I can have the wedding I've always wanted. We can have a huge church wedding at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. The Beaumonts have attended that church for a few hundred years. Don't worry we're Catholic light so I won't be wanting a dozen children just two like we discussed, maybe four. The reception will be at the farm. This is so exciting." She showered him with more kisses. "I can't wait to tell my parents."

"I already asked their permission." A huge church wedding, a reception at a Terran farm followed by four children: Sarek suppressed his fear.

"That is so sweet of you. Mom's probably already planning it. Grandpa and Grandma own a tailor shop so I'll have a fabulous gown." She hugged him tightly. "Sarek, you seem worried."

"Worry is illogical."

"You're being so quiet." She caressed his cheek. "Are you just taking it all in?"

"Yes," he replied. With the meeting tomorrow with a non-Vulcan to discuss Pon Farr among other things, Sarek felt the need to discuss it with Autumn now. He had hoped to wait until after this mission but that would not be the case.

"Talk to me Sarek. Tell me what's wrong."

"There is something that as my bond-mate you would have to endure. It happens to Vulcan males every seven years once they reach full adulthood. It is called Pon Farr and it lasts two to four days. We become enfevered and voilent. During that time we must mate or die."

"I'll be with you. I won't let you die." She caressed his ears.

"You think that I have lost control before but I Pon Farr is far worse. During that time, we will be sequestered from everyone. If any male approached, I would kill him because of fear of losing you and the need to protect you." Remembering how it was for Amanda, guilt overwhelmed him like it did everytime with her despite her reasssurances. "The Sarek you know will be replaced by a savage. Most likely, you will need minor medical attention afterwards because of the mating." Sarek scooted her off his lap and stood in front of view screen, gazing at the stars. "If you wish to end our relationship, I understand."

Autumn contemplated the full meaning of everything he said. Such a gentle logical soul becoming a beast was hard to believe but Amanda survived it and she was human. For that reason, Autumn knew it would be physically bearable. She had no doubt she could cope mentally because she loved him. Mate or die, maybe that was why he was so protective of her; something she found endearing. Guilt over Pon Farr radiated from him.

"That's part of you and I love all of you." Despite his facade of impassiveness, she still saw a flicker of guilt and doubt. "Four days of crazy every seven years with wonderful and loving the rest of the time, I still have a better deal than you do." Sarek's eyebrows raised at her admission. "For four days every four weeks, you're going to have to deal with a cranky crazy human woman craving chocolate who is upset with you for no reason. I think I have the better end of the deal. I hope you don't want to end our relationship because of that."

"I do not." He hugged her tightly. "I will keep ample chocolate provisions in anticipation of that time. During those four days, I may indulge myself."

"I encourage you to." Autumn started giggling with a new realization. "It's going to be a little strange having a stepson and daughter-in-law older than me. Hopefully, they don't subscribe to the tales of the wicked stepmother."

"Do you plan to be a wicked stepmother?"

"No, " she replied. "You haven't read many fairy tales, have you?"

"I haven't read any fairy tales."

Please R&R. Can anyone guess Rishley's super power?

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