RECAP:

Brittany T'Martilina has been summoned by the Vulcan Learning Academy, but she is unsure why. She recently submitted a research proposal that would take her to an Class M planet to observe and study humans along with other research. She has been a teacher the last five years and has immensely enjoyed that, but now she knows she must consider her future and her career.

AFTER HER SUMMONS:

Brittany walks from the Learning Academy Council's chamber. She is a bit shocked that her proposal was accepted on the same day it was received. She has been granted permission to study aboard to finish her research. However, the only Class M planet having open spots for science researchers are Earth and the Starfleet Academy. She accepted the proposal immediately, but inside she had mixed emotions. Earth? Where my father is from? Starfleet? Where Spock is? What are the odds?

Brittany had long given up hope for any acceptance of her heritage (her human side) so much so that she had kept it secret from everyone, until her mother had started to tell everyone two years ago. She started to tell her Vulcan friends, because everyone praised her (modestly) for her success on raising Brittany. Her achievements and triumphs were credited for her success as a mother- a single mother. But, this was not enough for her mother. She had to tell the Vulcan society that Brittany was half human. Most people believe she was joking. But after time, they came to believe her and Brittany finally received the discrimination that Spock had endure for all his childhood and adolescences. But her mother, she received even more praise for her- Brittany's- achievement even with a disability.

I can't help but think that this quick response to my research proposal and even with my human "disability"- as many called it. Elder Vulcans often regarded Brittany with a sense of a "lower class," but her peers and her fellow teachers had regarded her the same as before (for the most part). Although their eyes would often betray their inner feelings. But everyone was polite. They appeared mostly to be angry or hostile because they could not perceive the difference between a full Vulcan and a half Vulcan for nearly thirty years. They felt as if Brittany had tricked them with lies and this was the most disrespectful thing one could do to a Vulcan...trick them or lie to them.

Brittany traveled home to tell her betrothed of her accomplishment. Brittany had been betrothed by her mother to a Vulcan since the age of seven. His name was S'Kendal. He was a military officer and was successful in his work. While they had nothing in common other than their Vulcan heritage, Brittany found some comfort in the fact that he did not terminate the marriage agreement when he discovered she was half human. However, when she came to tell her mother and S'Kendal the news of her research; they were not pleased.

S'Kendal: I forbid you to go!

Brittany: It does not matter if you forbid me; I am going.

Mother: This is my fault. If I hadn't told them you were half human ;they wouldn't be sending you to the second rate Class M planet.

Brittany: I asked for this. My research on human emotion and logic is near completion. Earth is the best place for it.

S'Kendal: [sitting next to Mother] You can't go. We are to be married soon. How long will this research take?

Brittany: Two years.

Mother: Two years? But that would make you close to thirty. You need to start breeding now in your prime and not later.

Brittany: Mother, 30 is not the Vulcan prime age.

S'Kendal: It is if you are part human.

Brittany: I see. So, you want me to have kids and forget my research?

Mother: Now she is seeing the logic. Remain a teacher at the Academy and marry S'Kendal and earn your place here.

Brittany: Earn?

S'Kendal: Yes. We will set the best example of a Vulcan home that you will no longer be sneered at, but you will earn the esteem of the Vulcan society.

Brittany: How can I earn something I already have? I was the best at what I do for several years until the Council discovered I was part human. I don't need to earn anything.

Mother: You need to calm down. There is no reason to be so emotional.

Brittany: I am not being emotional, Mother. And don't tell me to calm down.

There is a pause and Brittany starts to suppress her human emotions that are starting to leak out.

S'Kendal: You cannot go.

Brittany: I am going.

Mother: If you go, I will disown you.

Brittany: What? Now who's being illogical!

Mother: You are. You must do what is best for your future and family. This is not it.

Brittany: According to you, but this is what is best for me.

S'Kendal: As my future wife, I will not allow it. I will bring it up to the Elders and you will not be allowed to go.

Brittany: Then I invoke koon-ut-kal-if-fee.

Mother: No! I will not have you calling off this marriage.

Brittany: I do not wish to marry you S'Kendal if you are going to inhibit my dreams and not grant me equal weight in this marriage.

S'Kendal: Fine. Who do you name as your challenger?

Brittany: I name myself.

S'Kendal: What? No. That is not sound. One can only invoke koon-ut-kal-if-fee if a female Vulcan does not wish to marry her betrothed and has a male challenger. Then the challenger and betrothed fight to the death for her hand.

Brittany: Seeing as I am not a female Vulcan, I believe we can forgive certain clauses of this rule. [she said as she started to assume a defensive martial arts positions]

S'Kendal: No. I will not partake in this act.

Brittany: Fine. Coward.

S'Kendal: I am not a coward. I am anything but a coward as my military record would elude.

Brittany: Then release me of our marriage vows and marry some other woman.

S'Kendal: [ he looked to Brittany's Mother, who nodded, and in a disgusted tone said] Very well. There is no dishonor for me in breaking a vow with a half Vulcan. Ma'am [to Brittany's Mother] forgive my manners if I have offended you. Good Day.

Mother: Good Day. Please keep this meeting and my daughter's outburst to yourself.

S'Kendall: Of course [ He bowed slightly and exited].

Brittany started to walk out of the room to pack and ready herself for her journey.

Mother: If you leave, I will disown you.

Brittany: No you won't. That would be illogical. I am still respectable pursuing this research and S' Kendal may not marry me, but many Vulcan men would welcome the chance to marry into our ancient and esteemed family.

Mother: You are right. I misspoke. I will not publicly disown, but privately know that you are not daughter of mine.

Brittany was hurt at this fact. She had only one parent after all.

Brittany: That is a shame. I have lived my life only to procure your affections and pride in me as your daughter. If you are to disown me, at least, tell me of my father?

Mother: Him? Why? It matters not.

Brittany: My human side is curious.

Mother: Human side? I guess, I can humor it one last time. Come here.

Brittany walked over to her Mother and kneeled besides her. Her mother place her fingers onto Brittany's face and had Brittany do the same to hers. Brittany hadn't used telepathy as often as others except when in training sessions. She knew the logistics and mechanics of it, but she had never been intimate with people enough to warrant any type of touch. She hadn't hugged, kissed, or held another being outside her mother. And these actions ceased at the age of 2. At her mother's touch, she felt an overwhelming amount of emotions and saw various images.

TELEPATHY

Her mother was on a starship. She was a young woman. Very beautiful. She was the head medical officer on the ship. She was doing research on what had caused several of the officers on the ship to get sick. She believed it was a human virus which she was immune to. Suddenly, the images flashed to a handsome human man. He was sick, but seemed to be recovering. Next I saw my mother overcome with by the ponn far and blood fever. She was being plagued by the Vulcan mating sickness. If she could not satiates her needs; she may go insane. She talked logically with the handsome man and ask if he would partake in intimacy in order to spare her of insanity or death. He was hesitant, but he agreed. And they were intimate with each other.

Brittany not wishing to see her mother in that manner pulled away from her mother's finger and thus breaking their telepathic bond.

Brittany: But what was his name? Where is he? Does he know about me?

Mother: I never told him about you. I left that starship and returned to Vulcan after that mission.

Brittany's Mother slowly got up from her seat and moved to the doorway.

Mother: I owe you nothing else as a Mother.

Brittany: His name? And what affiliation does he serve?

Her mother stopped and without turning to face her said,

Mother: Pike. Christopher Pike. He is with the Starfleet. I doubt he would remember. He was sick and that disease was often accustomed with memory loss. Now you know. Do whatever you like with that information, but you are not welcomed here until you are married and settled down with a respectable Vulcan.

Brittany was shocked at her mother's words. Not the fact that she would disown her (for she had grown accustomed to the coldness of Vulcans), but Starfleet...Pike. What are the odds that I would be assigned to the place where Spock and my...my father were? She could calculate the odds, but it seemed to not matter. She knew they were unsurmountable. She would pack and be on her way immediately.

Next Chapter: Uhura shows up on Spock's doorstep utterly annoyed and distraught, what will he do? What feelings will he act on and which will he suppress?