Si'len and Ba'na
Chapter Two
When Si'len and the girl boarded the ship he explained the situation to his crew and gave the girl into the custody of T'Mar with the request,
"Please have her clean herself up, teach her to use the sonic shower and see if any clothing aboard will fit her. I would prefer something that covers her entire body and please, put shoes or sandals on her feet.
Si'len then told the crew of his intention to leave her on Celtus II. Now it is known galaxy-wide that Vulcans never waste anything they were known for their devotion to ecology, which includes the premise of no waste. So, based on that mindset T'Mar spoke up, addressing Si'lin not as captain but as her friend,
"Si'len, you are not thinking clearly. She is far more valuable to you on this ship then if you free her. Educate her, make her useful and remove from yourself the urgency that accompanies 'Your Time' when we must hurriedly attempt to find T'kek, The Comforter. This female will save you for you, Silen, will probably be the first male that has treated her with respect and restraint during her captive life. I will attempt to find out her history and she will assist me in the kitchen and in general cleaning. She will not fear me because I too am female."
Si'len replied,
"She is but a girl."
T'Mar's reply was simply,
"I am female and I know this, that she is a woman with childish ways. She probably is illiterate and has never been free. Build in her a trust so she will come to you willingly."
Si'len nodded in understanding and handed the unnamed female into T'Mar's care saying,
"Take her to the sonic shower."
From his short time with her Si'len had observed the female's eyes and determined somewhere in her heritage he would find Betazoid. Since much of that race's gifts were not just inherent, but were enhanced through training by parents, he determined that she probably was taken away from her parents at an early age. Perhaps she was probably kidnapped in space by pirates. That would explain how it was that she was so far away from her home world. Perhaps some time in the future he would be able to question her.
He was seated in the ship's galley drinking tea when T'Mar brought the properly clad female to him, It was as Grup had said, she was indeed beautiful. He rose in greeting and invited her to be seated. In Batazed He asked,
"What is your name?"
She voiced a Standard expletive. Although his expression did not change his eyes displayed shock for he and T'mar were familiar with the Terran word that was used as an expletive.
Si'len questioned,
"Who gave you that name?"
"Grup, he said it fit me perfectly."
Of course they was no shame on her face or in her eyes for she had no idea of the meaning of the name she had been given.
It was not unusual for T'mar at times to show a small degree of emotion on her face. She and her husband had left Vulcan years ago labeled as V'Tosh ka'tur, Vulcans without logic. She and S'mat had developed a healthy respect for The Vulcan Way as it was practiced on the ship. So, although small traces of emotion might be shown at times their expressiveness was never as obvious as those who held on to all the tenants of that cult.
"That name you uttered is from your other life. What name would you like to be known by?"
She stayed mute.
"Would you like T'Mar to assign you a name?"
She shook her head and then said,
"My name is Be'na*
"My parents, maternal grandparents and siblings died on Xenos II of some disease. It was a small colony of exiled V'Tosh . After it appeared the entire colony had died, pirates, looters came and they took me and I was sold to Grup. I am now twenty years old.
Si'len marveled because that was probably the most strung- together words she had spoken in years. Her captives had thought she was mentally deficient and that ploy had probably saved her from further forms of abuse. Perhaps she found out about the planet's very stringent laws regarding rape and the abuse of any kind, and used it to her advantage. This spoke well of her intellect.
Now it was understandable why Grup was anxious to get rid of her. As Terrans would say she was 'jail bait'. Si'len was convinced that if one of his 'hanger-ons', associates or whatever they could be called, were accused of any of the above actions, Grup must have had no doubt that that one would 'take him down' with him. So, it was best that he remove the temptation and accuser, because one of his men had already made the attempt, much to his injury.
Si'len continued,
"Do you know how old you were when you lost your family?"
Lowering her eyes she said,
"Six Terran solar years."
Nodding, Si'len instructed her,
"You may assist T'Mar with meals and any other duties she may assign to you. All hands on the ship must work to answer the needs of the many.
Part of your day must be spent in learning to read and write Vulcan, learn the sciences, astronomy, history and star charts. You may use the ship library."
Turning to T'Mar, Si'lan said,
"Let her study after First Meal and work after Second Meal. We will eat Second Meal now."
There was no aye, aye captain, no nod, just an about face and the addressing of duties. Every member of the crew gathered in the galley and Second Meal was served and eaten in silence. T'Mar was about to demonstrate the use of their eating utensils, but it appeared the Be'na was familiar with their use.
After the meal and before she and T'Mar gathered up the tableware she revealed to Si'len information that he had wanted to know,
"My immediate family were Betazoid, my two brothers and one sister died with my parents and as did one set of grandparents. My paternal great grandfather was Vulcan."
With the receipt of that information Si'len wondered if her telepathic skills could be nurtured. There was no information about such matters in any literature he had read, so he would make the attempt to perform a study.
He asked her whether she had any training in telepathic abilities. She remembered her family did meditate, and that her older siblings seemed to always know what one another were thinking, but her parents and grandparents spent quite a bit of time just trying to make sure there was enough to eat. Si'len thought that perhaps malnutrition played a part in the colony's extermination by whatever plague came to them.
Si'len wanted to question her further but his own instruction had been that she would do her work after Second Meal, so he dismissed her.
When shift change came, he made his way to the bridge to relieve S'Mat. No matter what time of 'day' was seen on any time keeper on a space ship, outside it was black with the light of stars shining like jewels. Si'len never tired of its beauty, ever changing, always glorious and holding a degree of danger that would remain ever present even with the most diligent of preparation.
His first mate was an excellent pilot and they already had engaged the services of a third pilot who would join them when they arrived for their time away from the ship at Celtus II. In addition, one of the Vulcan crew who presently served as a laborer S'Mat had started training to pilot the ship. His assignment on the bridge was going to be a long time in the future. Presently there were two shifts of twelve hours each. During certain clear runs, auto pilot could be implemented.
With Si'len's presence on the bridge S'Mat nodded, turned all the lights on the console illuminating all the various dials and meters so that with very little effort Si'len could determine their position and the necessary readings on the ship's condition that were displayed on the console. The final step to transferring duty was S'Mat placement of the headphones on top of the console and slipping out of the command chair allowing Si'len slipped in. No words were exchanged; the transfer of responsibility for the safety of all on the vessel now was in Si'len's capable hands.
*In one of my stories I did assign Lo'vaak's mother a name but I cannot remember what it was nor was I able to locate it in my stories. So, we have just picked another name.