The shuttle craft flew down toward Vulcan. Tilly played with her fingers overwhelmed in excitement. Tilly watched the Discovery become smaller and smaller to her view as the shuttle came toward the clouds. She turned her attention away from the window then looked down toward her hands. She twirled a lock of her orange hair. There was a light tap on her shoulder. Tilly looked over to see Stamets.
"This helps me when I need it," Stamets said. "Might help you, Tilly."
"A fidget spinner?" Tilly said. "I thought they were no longer in production."
"They are still in production," Stamets said. "you must be looking in the wrong places."
"Thanks, Dad," Tilly said, balancing the spinner on her leg.
Stamets looked back toward Culber in shock that slowly turned into a honored and genuinely happy look.
Culber silently laughed placing a hand on his partner's shoulder placing his hand onto his face propping his elbow on his knee.
The shuttle craft came toward a landing nearby what was a series of columns that were all connected that remained in place by long sectioned rectangles except for a gap in the back. Tilly was the first one to exit the shuttle craft to the side. There were Vulcans in garments walking toward the center in gray sparkling armor that went well with the black attire that went with and the colorful sashes wrapped around their waists. A few of them wore helmets that left no room for their pointy ears stick out. A well aged Vulcan female dressed purple and black garment with golden accessories was carried into the ceremonial center supported by two muscular female Vulcans. Tilly noticed that the older Vulcan wore a familiar stoic look with a sophisticated hair style that made her envious.
Stamets handed Culber a bottle so his partner downed it. Stamets had a bewildered look as his partner went past him handing back the empty water bottle. Stamets put it back into the shuttle craft. The Vulcan security officer walked out of the shuttle coming past the human. Stamets came behind then followed along with the small group. There was a drum hovering above a steaming pit in the center of the sacred place. They came to a stop at the left hand side across from Burnham except for Tilly. Tilly went on ahead of them waving at Burnham. Culber grabbed hold onto Tilly's shoulder as she stepped forward. She shifted in the direction of Culber with a alarmed expression.
"Tilly," Culber started. "You do not want to approach Burnham."
"Why?" Tilly asked. "She is my friend," then she randomly took out a collection of flowers from behind her back. "She needs her flowers."
"I'll take that," Stamets said, taking the flowers. "Thanks."
"I have been to a Vulcan bonding ceremony before and they don't start off with Prime Minister attending," Culber said. "nor with a Vulcan trying to restrain themselves," Tilly looked on toward the male Vulcan clasping his hands together tightly. "If she is connected to him then she can feel what he is feeling and is experiencing it right this moment."
"Oh," Tilly said. "OH."
"Just keep your distance for now," Culber said. "if she has a plan, it won't be you touching her during this ceremony."
"I will respect that," Tilly said, as the doctor let go of her shoulder.
"It will be okay, Sylvia," Burnham's voice came as Tilly's eyes rested on the woman who didn't move her mouth.
Tilly stared back at Burnham in shock standing beside the two men. Her eyes were quite taken on the woman's outfit. She was in a sparkling blue, purple, and pink dress with hands linked behind her. The male Vulcan toward T'Pau then knelt down toward her. T'Pau placed a hand on the side of the man's face then moments afterwards withdrew her hand making a comment that Tilly wasn't hearing. Burnham's hair was braided starting from the skull until two braids were on her shoulders. Her purple eyeliner highlighted her brown gorgeous eyes. To Tilly, it seemed as though the woman was radiating and ready to be crowned as a queen.
"They are my friends," Burnham said, snapping Tilly out of her self-indulging fog. T'Pau gestured toward them and they abided, with difficulty, as did Burnham only she kept her distance. "This is Tilly." Tilly smiled with a little wave. "Doctor Culber and Lieutenant Stamets."
"Thee names outworlders friends," T'Pau said. "How does thee pledge their behavior?"
"With my soul," Burnham said, her eyes meeting Tilly.
A intense flare of arousal arose in Tilly in the most unexpected moment.
"What they are about to see comes down from the time of the beginning, without change." T'Pau said. "This is the Vulcan heart." The camera panned over toward Tilly. "This is the Vulcan soul." then it turned in in the direction of Burnham. "This is our way. Kah-if-farr."
Burnham caught up with the tall Vulcan male. She made it to the drum first then placed her hand on it with her other hand still linked behind her back.
"Kal-if-fee!" Burnham shouted.
"What's happening?" Tilly asked.
"Someone is going to die," Stamets said.
"For who?" Tilly asked.
"For her freedom," T'Pau said. "She will choose her champion."
"Michael?" Tilly said, confused.
"Do not attempt to speak with them, Tilly" T'Pau said. "Nor with her bethrothed while deep in the plak-tow, the blood fever. Shall not speak with thee again until what has passed through what is to come. If thee wishes to depart, thee may leave now."
The two men looked over toward Tilly.
"I am part of a war and I see friends die after every battle," Tilly said. "I am ready to support my girlfriend."
"Then we're staying, too," Stamets said.
"We don't leave one of our own," Culber agreed.
"Burnham has chosen her friends well," T'Pau said. "Burnham, thee has chosen the kal-if-fee, the challenge. Thee are prepared to become the property of the victor?"
Burnham simply nodded.
"T'Tellis," T'Pau said. "does thee accept the challenge according to our laws and customs?"
T'Tellis had a simple nod.
"Michael, thee will choose thy champion," T'Pau said.
"I VOLUNTEER!" Tilly shouted. The two men had horrified looks on their faces.
"Is this thee's choice?" Burnham had a long stare at T'Pau.
"I do," Burnham said, after a long moment.
"Here begins the act of combat for possession of the woman, Michael. As it was at the time of the beginning, so it is now." T'Pau said, she gestured off toward the two Vulcans holding what seemed to be rugs covered in glitter. She snapped her fingers. "Bring forth the lirpa."
Sashes were wrapped around the champion's waists each coordinating to their career track eerily. Tilly had a red sash wrapped around her waist while T'Tellis had a blue one wrapped around his waist. They were handed long spears with a shovel like addition that was wide like a axe with a counterweight at the back. Tilly balanced the lirpa in her hands then began to twirled it to her side making it spin in a circle. Culber was tempted on speaking out but Stamets beat him to the punch.
"Be careful, Tilly," Stamets said. "you might kill yourself unexpectedly with that."
Tilly merely shrugged, treating it as there it were non-trivial.
"I twirled more dangerous things," Tilly said. "My grandparents taught me to twirl fire."
"Not even terrified?" Culber asked.
"Not even a little," Tilly said.
"If both survive the lirpa, combat will continue with the ahn woon," T'Pau said.
"That sounds pretty disturbing," Stamets said. "That form of combat feels homophobic."
"Why?" Culber asked.
"Because I have never heard of it," Stamets replied, simply.
"Combat will commence," T'Pau said.
Tilly lunged fast toward T'Tellis with the front tip aimed at the Vulcan, aggressively. T'Tellis leaned back missing the tip then turned propped himself back up and made a tear in the side on her left sleeve on her shoulder. Tilly made two long cuts on T'Tellis knees. T'Tellis and Tilly's lirpa's smacked together with a loud clink. Tilly was slowly forced further and further toward the steaming pit. The two Starfleet officers gasped, watching in anticipation, in horror. Tilly smacked up the counterweight of T'Tellis's weapon hitting his face. She made a long cut on his chest making a boob window and a long green cut on his chest. T'Tellis slung his lirpa at the ensign making a long vertical cut on her torso. A light red cut was left on her skin except for the black bra that covered her right breast was left not cut.
"Aim for the liver, aim for the liver, aim for the liver!" Burnham's voice shouted in Tilly's mind.
Tilly ducked making a long cut on the side of T'Tellis lower torso then made a stab wound into the center of his chest. T'Tellis used the rounded weighted end knocking her back. Tilly landed onto the sparkling sand landing face first.
"T'HY'LA!" Burnham shouted in her mind.
Tilly turned over then flipped over and picked up the lirpa. T'Tellis charged back toward Tilly with a firm grip on the lirpa. Tilly made her next move. It was swift and decisive making a wound where the Vulcan heart was located. She hit close enough to the Vulcan heart. T'Tellis looked at her in shock and confusion. Taken down by a mere human? He was stunned. Merely a woman taking him down lethally. Tilly yanked out the lirpa then stepped aside.
"Kroykah!" T'Pau shouted.
The bells sounded loudly by a pair of Vulcan men. Culber sprang over to the side of the Vulcan then checked for a pulse as Stamets stood in the way of T'Pau's sight.
"He is dead," Culber said. "Request to take the body to the Discovery for repairs for his funeral."
"Permission granted," T'Pau said, then Culber took out his communicator and spoke into it. She turned her attention on to the young woman. "You are now the owner of S'chn T'gai-Burnham, Michael. Treat her well and she will make your life long and prosperous."
"I will do both," Tilly said, looking over toward Burnham with a wink.
Culber, Stamets, and T'Tellis vanished in orange light from behind her.