An: End of the story at last!
Epilogue
(Fifteen Years Later)
In the years since leaving, T'Mir had become captain of the Danela aptly named using the first two initials of Davina and Nell and the last two of Sela's name.
Her newly appointed position as captain as well as her marriage and the birth of her daughter, named T'Davina helped provide T'Mir with a sense of purpose.
It also helped to her to forget about Carbon Creek, Mestral, the High Command's secrets, and fallout that followed between her and Stronn.
Memories of Carbon Creek often crept into her dreams for years Earth and T'Mir struggled to forgive herself for abandoning Mestral and Davina.
She thought of them so much and wondered what happen to them.
Where did they go?
Did they survive?
She knew in her heart that most likely both had been killed by The Coalition, but accepting that would have meant accepting Nell's death as well.
And T'Mir didn't want to think of the poor child suffering a terrible death at the hands of The Coalition.
She had so many questions, but Captain Tavek informed her of the importance of not asking any questions and the consequences of those who tried to seek them out.
What is The Coalition?
What became of Turon?
And what would happen to the humans? Would The High Command eventually send another team to 'observe'?
A part of T'Mir wanted to let it go and devote herself to advancing The High Command's agenda, nonetheless, a larger part of her wanted to get the answers to her questions.
With a decimated population of which there are an unknown number of human/Vulcan hybrids, would humans evolve into something else?
If so, what would be the long term consequences?
T'Mir sat there for nearly four hours thinking about such things until a commlink interrupted her thoughts.
She knew it was her daughter, T'Davina trying to reach her, the girl had just turned nine years old and had already showed promise of getting into the academy.
"T'Davina, how are you?" T'Mir asked.
T'Davina lived on Vulcan with her grandparents and father who taught literature at the academy.
"Everything is fine. I just wanted to know when would you be coming back to home?" T'Davina looked like her father with long raven hair pulled back into a pony tail with green piercing eyes and icy pale skin.
T'Mir looked away to the disk on her table, "Soon enough."
"Mother?"
"Yes."
"Is everything alright?"
T'Mir kept silent, "T'Davina have I ever told you the meaning of your name?"
T'Davina shook her head, "No."
"Vulcan parents traditionally share their with their children the meanings of their names once they reach your age, but your name is very special and I worry that if I share it, you won't understand."
T'Davina raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"Tensions with the Andorians are increasing and soon I believe we will be at war with them. The High Command thinks so too and they are ordering my ship to parole the borders of Vulcan space. I know soon I will be ordered to move into Andorian space to engage them."
Confused T'Davina asked, "What are you talking about?"
"The High Command is going to declare war on Andoria simply because they want to advance Vulcan territory. Those planets rightfully belong to the Andorians. Growing up I always believed in The High Command, I believed in what they were doing and what they stood for. My dream was to break free of my family's legacy of servitude, attend the academy, and become a captain for the service of Vulcan. Now, I see that The High Command is no different than The Coalition."
"The Coalition?"
"T'Davina, I want you to know the meaning of your name because I fear I won't be around much longer. War is coming and I must do my part, I sacrifice my morals to achieve my place in the captain's seat. I want you to have something of mine's it's a diary of sorts, one that I started writing shortly after rescue from a planted known as Earth."
"Earth?"
T'Mir nodded her head, "Yes, Earth. It's very special place, a very special place inhabited by a species called humans. I am transmitting this diary to you now but you can't access it until you much older when you perhaps will be better able to understand what happen. And the choices I made."
"I can't access it?"
"No, I have it encrypted. It won't activate for another twenty years."
"Why?"
"Like I said, because I want to make sure you are old enough to understand what happen and the request I am going to make of you."
T'Davina said nothing until she heard her grandmother's voice in the background.
"Mother, I have to go."
"Take care."
T'Mir finished transferring the file.
Suddenly she thought of Stronn.
(Twelve Years Ago)
Despite Mestral's family constant scrutiny, T'Mir never told them anything.
T'Pena, Mestral's fiancé quickly found another man of noble birth and had several sons.
And The High Command assigned T'Mir her first command.
She enjoyed commanding her own ship and eventually accepted an offer of marriage once her parents made it clear their desire for grandchildren.
She also kept her promise, and never contacted Stronn again.
But she never knew what became of him.
Out of curiosity, T'Mir looked into the faculty listings at the academy and was surprised to see Stronn had never fulfilled his teaching position. It was a shock because Stronn had been offered the position long before the events at Carbon Creek and during the trip to Earth; he made many lesson plans in his anticipation of becoming a teacher.
T'Mir knew better than to try to contact him and learn what happen, after all it didn't concern her and Stronn refused all contact.
A few months later and before her deployment, T'Mir received a message from Tanek, Stronn's son.
He asked her to meet in park where he worked nearby at a lab.
She agreed.
"My father is dead. He died six months ago," Tanek said.
Tanek reminded T'Mir of Stronn and she suddenly felt the guilt of Carbon Creek threatening to overwhelm her emotions.
T'Mir lowered her head, "I am sorry."
"My father was never the same after returning from Earth, he became mentally unstable and was unable to take the position at the academy. My mother, a proud woman, covered up his illness by telling everyone he retired to spend time with his grandchildren. She was ashamed of his weakness," Tanek looked up at the sky.
T'Mir didn't say anything.
"My father lost all control of his emotions and went through extreme bouts of depression to point where he often cried even in public and sometimes he even became violent, especially with my mother who did her best to temper his outbursts."
"Why your mother?"
Tanek seem to ignore her question, "Last year, my wife gave birth to a daughter and my father became adamant that he name her. Eventually he wore us down and we decided to let him. He named my daughter, T'Nell, a very unusual name but I have a feeling might have something to do with his final mission."
"You didn't answer my question."
"She reminded him of you," Tanek's voice dropped.
T'Mir's eyes widen, "Me?"
"My father always talked about you, he cursed you. Whenever I ask what he meant he would only say, 'On Earth, I left my little one on Earth. She's dead. So am I. What happen on his last mission? What is Earth? Who is Nell?"
He put his head in his hands.
"Tanek, I am under orders never to discuss what happen during Stronn's last mission. The only thing that I can tell you is that the experience changed both our lives….."
"Really?" Tanek spat, "Because all I see is a woman who benefited greatly from that mission while my father descend into madness. The last few months of his life he stayed in bed and kept repeating one phrase, 'I'm so sorry Nell.'"
T'Mir stood up as she could sense Tanek's anger and feared what might happen if she stayed.
Tanek quickly grab her arm, "My father refused to eat, sleep or do anything expect for mumble those words over and over again. I wanted answers so I tried contacting The High Command, but they wouldn't tell me anything. So I looked for you. Now tell me what happen to my father!"
T'Mir pulled her arm away, nearby others who had heard the shouting watch in growing concern and she knew if Tanek continued authorities would be called.
"I don't know what to say to you. I am sorry."
T'Mir walked away.
"Carbon Creek, whatever this place was, destroyed him. All I want to know is why?" Tanek called after her.
(Twenty Years Later)
All my life, I have devoted myself to the will of the High Command, shown obedience without question, and never doubted my decision to do so. Like all Vulcans, I believed the High Command existed for the benefit of the people, to serve the people and to protect the people.
But after this experience and learning the truth behind it, I can no longer be sure.
What was the point of it all?
Was I right?
Or just brainwash to think I was?
Right now, the answers won't come to me and I am struggling with the truth.
Do I reveal it?
Or do I hide it in the dark depths of mind.
I've decided not to.
T'Davina I want to share the meaning of your name and the truth behind it. A truth I had to keep to myself all these years.
But once I reveal it, I then must also place a terrible burden on you, one you will understand once I am done.
T'Davina had reviewed her mother's message to her for the fifth time since the encryption was broken and she still struggled with what it revealed.
T'Mir had been killed less than five years ago during the war with the Andorians when her ship was destroyed and now she and her father were left alone.
She missed her mother but always felt T'Mir distance herself from her.
Now she understood why.
T'Mir had done a terrible thing and desperately tried to atone by naming both her ship and her daughter after those she lived with in Carbon Creek.
T'Davina sat in her room while her father prepared dinner.
She replayed the last part of her mother's message.
Now you know what happen.
I might not ever know what you think of me, but it is my hope that least you understood why.
I was naive and this naivety led to my inaction which could have saved the lives of my friends.
Yes, T'Davina, Mestral, Davina, Nell, Sela, and all those people I lived with in Carbon Creek were my friends. I realized that now.
I betrayed them and for what?
A lie.
Now I must ask you to help in my atonement, my daughter.
I have been consumed by my guilt in leaving them behind, but it might not be too late. Or maybe it is.
I don't know.
But I need to know what happen.
Return to Earth.
Do what you can and expose the truth.
Live long and prosper my daughter.
T'Davina stopped the message.
Should she return to Earth?
Return to Carbon Creek?
An: I hope you like the ending. I might write a sequel about T'Davina fulfilling her mother's wishes and learning more about Earth and the fallout of the Vulcan's DNA being mixed with humans.