Disclaimer – If I could claim Star Trek as my own I would

CHAPTER TWO

Earth date, May 2268 – Starbase 4, somewhere in Federation space

"Good luck with your new assignments."

The Commodore spoke to the waiting Starfleet officers. Starbase 4 being near to the Sol system was one of the drop off points for officers and crew personnel transferring to starships for their new positions.

Newly promoted Lieutenant K'ril es chan T'Shira or Lt T'Shira as she was known by her colleagues since very few nonVulcans could pronounce her clan name, was one of those waiting to be transferred. Her next post would be on the flagship the USS Enterprise. If she was nonV'Tosh she would be excited at the prospect. However as a Vulcan she considered this step in her career logical. Her post as the new Deputy Head of communications after working at the New Vulcan starbase* was most welcome.

It had taken a lot of compromises for her to leave the planet. The Vulcan government had laid down strict criteria when it came to joining the organisation. After the Va Pak all Vulcan applications to join Starfleet were rescinded at the Council's insistence. The Vulcan defence force had been decimated, only 4.97% of the fleet were left from the violent aftermath. Vulcan needed its youth to help build up the colony not travelling around the galaxy. The only exceptions were the ones already in the fleet, however they were expected to stay in the Vulcan sector as part of the Starfleet patrols**.

T'Shira had joined the new colony from Vulcanis Lunar where she had worked for a sub-space communications company. The rest of her clan were on the homeworld, the majority of her clan, including her parents and siblings were destroyed, only fifteen including herself were left. Over the years the numbers were slowly increasing and an alliance with the K'st Kau clan ensured their economic survival. The humans would call it 'ironic' that a clan their elders held with such disdain were now their legal kin.

T'Shira had considered the elders too conservative hence she moved away to limit their influence to Vulcanis Lunar. Her bondmate Szack had perished as well. He was chosen for her when she was just seven. They did not see much of each other, they did not have one of those 'romantic' relationships that she read about in Terran novels. Maybe contentment would have come, but she would never know now since he was no more.

Well she served her time over the years on the colony, extending the communications infrastructure. The work was challenging and rewarding. Thankfully the Vulcan people were not starting from completely nothing***. The planet chosen by the elders was already a Vulcan colony with a few hundred thousand scientists and other residents. The place was so similar to Vulcan it was called Vulcan Beta on the Federation records. Now renamed New Vulcan.

It had been ten years since the Va Pak and the colony was growing, it was not yet fully self-sufficient. Still heavily reliant on the Federation for aid but things were going in the right direction. For a start the bann on Vulcans joining Starfleet were slightly relaxed. One could join if they had official permission from a clan elder or the Ministry of Defence. Although reluctant, Elder T'Nara, her second cousin and matriarch had given her permission for her to enter the fast track officers programme. Her proviso being she left a genetic contribution with the clan Healer so if her life ended prematurely her offspring would still be born and that she was allowed one five year mission, after that she was expected to return to the clan and 'do her duty'.

That meant only thing, find herself a bondmate. At least this time round she was determined to make her own choice. But there were not many unbonded male Vulcans in Starfleet. She knew of only one, apart from herself, assigned to the Enterprise, a Lieutenant Saylen, navigator for the Beta shift.

It would be logical to make his acquaintance after she settled on the ship. She was 58 years old, a mere youth, in the past she would have plenty of time to make younger Vulcans but now life was different. What was that Terran saying oh yes 'when life gives you citrus fruits you make citrus juices.' It was a good thing she found lemon juice pleasurable.

Author's Notes

*The idea of a starbase is in 'Looking for ashau'

** I believe Spock got to stay on the Enterprise as a symbolic gesture

*** Prime found a colony so fast in that movie that there must have been something set up already lol

Va Pak – Immeasurable Loss/Nero's genocidal actions

T'Shira's clan is mentioned in chapter 2 and 29 'Looking for ashau' story