Chapter Twenty-five
The Desert Saga
Skoon spied a kiosk with lettering:
He made the inquiry,
"What do those letters designate?"
Her answer was,
"It is a dairy product that is frozen."
There was a raised eyebrow. Then,
"Dairy?"
"Yes liquid sustenance called milk obtained from a mammal, a bovine."
Skoon nodded and guided Michele toward the
location. Standing at the counter he inquired,
"Is this product sweet or savory?"
The man's back was towards them and as he turned the light of recognition crossed his face and he said,
"Welcome back to San Francisco my Vulcan
Survivor. I remember when you first came here. Say, I am sorry about what happened at your settlement the other day. I
believe it is in the process of being settled."
"Indeed," was Skoon reply.
The proprietor now said,
"Here, let me allow you to sample this product."
In her protective mode, Michele informed the owner,
"In a cup with a spoon please."
"Vanilla or chocolate?"
Having already been warned about chocolate's
affect on a Vulcan, she said,
"Vanilla. May I have a cone, the same flavor?"
Skoon produced his chit and the man's hand raised in protest,
"No, it is 'on the house.'
Skoon looked around as if looking for such a structure where he assumed he would have to go to secure the product and
then illogically stand on it... but he asked aloud,
"On the house?"
Michele informed him,
"That means that there is no charge or cost."
Skoon nodded, then glancing to the side of the structure he said,
"Thank you Mr. Proprietor John Smith."
When Skoon introduced the frozen custard into his mouth there was no change in the expression on his face, but Michele
noticed he licked his lips which was followed by,
"It is most satisfying."
Before the couple left Mr. Smith continued to show his concern about the situation in Nevada.
Skoon responded,
"There is no offense when one is not taken. Live long and prosper Mr. Proprietor John Smith."
Over the top of her cone Michele's gaze met the owner's smiling eyes.
Holding his cup aloft and gently positioning Michele in front of him he said,
"This is she who is soon to be my wife and bondmate."
Mr. Smith smiled and said,
"I wish you a very happy life, please whenever you are in San Francisco, visit us and next time order a banana split."
Banana split?"
The tone of Skoon questioning comment made Michele think that he was about to go into an interpretation overload but he
said,
"Thank you."
As they started to walk away Michele thought to herself what an adventure her life with Skoon would prove to be.
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Back on the boardwalk Sus'na and Hilda came upon an area where Sus'na observed several couples were holding and
releasing one another as their feet and bodies would moved to music.
Hilda explained,
"It is called ballroom dancing."
Sus'na said,
"I will observe."
He then inquired,
"What is the purpose of this activity?"
Hilda knew that if she informed Sus'na, that it was for enjoyment that idea would be against his Vulcan sensibilities so she
said,
"It is a form of exercise."
They continued to stand to the side and with his perfect concept of musical rhythms, which she
discerned by his head movements coupled with his eidetic Vulcan memory that allowed him to encode the foot patterns that
he observed which meant within a short time he had memorized the dance which was being performed-The Waltz. He
strethened his shields and took her hand and held her body close and gracefully led her out on to the floor. After a few
minutes the other dances drifted from the floor and stood to the side to observe them. When the music stopped there was
applause and the contest director came toward them applauding also. He gushed,
"Bravo, bravo. Never in my entire life have I seen such a beautifully graceful rendition of that dance."
Of course, there was no expression on Hilda's companion's face, but she beamed. Other males were present and Sus'na
drew Hilda closer to himself. A young woman came toward the director with a bouquet which was handed to Hilda.
The gentlemen inquired,
"How long have you two been dancing together?"
Sus'na's hands were now behind his back and his internal clock produced the answer for him,
"Five minutes and thirty seven seconds."
First staring in amazement then recognition came to this man also,"
"You are one of the Vulcan Survivors who visited this area a while ago. Welcome back. What has brought you back to our
city?
Sus'na's reply was,
"In two Terran days, I am to be married, and bonded."
Pulling Hilda closer he continued,
"This is she who will be my mate."
The master of ceremony now talked into his microphone and announced,
"Folks, folks, we have one of the survivors here in our midst and he is about to be married in two days. Personally I don't
think he should leave here without a wedding gift."
People started lining up to transfer credits from their chits to a gift one. People even came running to the area as the news
reached them. Finally the master of ceremony said,
"May you marriage be long, happy and fruitful."
He then placed a gift chit in Hilda's hand. Sus'na positioned his hand in the ta'al and said,
"Live Long and Prosper."
From the surrounding crowd and a lone unidentified voice gave the reply,
"'Peace and Long Life,' to you two."
With a smile and wave on Hilda's part they left that area of the boardwalk. The two of them were at first silent as they
began their walk to the point of rendezvous with Spock, Skoon and Michele. He was marveling at how accepting these
Terrans had been. She on the other hand was marveling over the Vulcan who would soon be her husband.
`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`
Earlier. when Spock had left with the couples and the other males the woman immediately went into party mode. Within
three hours they had made all the necessary purchases, decorated the room and set out a buffet meal. Rachel's mother,
Esther and
"Rabbi Goldie will also be present."
True to form Rabbi Goldie was able to pull out of her cavernous satchel something that she could give as a gift. That bag
seemed to carry the solution to multitudes of problems, candy for children, jewelry and scarves as gifts, even writing
instruments, and paper. It was possible that the solution for galaxy-wide peace could have been located in the deep
recesses of the rabbi's bag.