Planet: Vulcan

Stardate: 2227.22

Sand was stirring in the air and lightly hitting Sarek's cheek. Within the next two hours Vulcan would have one of its first sandstorms of the summer. Sarek instinctually felt the need to seek shelter but he was detained and remained motionless. He looked over at T'Pau who stood emotionless and stared at the crowd in front of her. Sarek hands were behind his back and he remained still. It had only been 14.5 days since the massacre at Shi'kahr Station. The political and social climate on Vulcan was perilous to everyone who lived on the planet.

The last 14.5 days were a spiral of chaos and destruction. The outrage that was displayed because of the death of his younger clan member, Soval was seen planet wide. Soval had become a trufemu, a martyr. The massacre at Shi'kahr Station infuriated many on the planet. They used Soval and the death of Skon as a reason to fight against the Terran Empire. It began with the Terran Empire symbol getting defaced from buildings as small acts of defiance. As the days passed small violent crimes against Imperial Starfleet officers occurred. Then assassinations at the Terran-Vulcan Imperial Academy became a normal occurrence. The escalation of violence was unprecedented.

In one instance, a group of Starfleet officers were conducting a cadet review when one of their Vulcan colleagues came into the meeting and injected himself with a hypo. In a matter of seconds his skin started to glow and crack, and the Vulcan exploded like a photon grenade. His suicide bombing terminated 4 of the officers in that room. The rest were injured. After that incident security had become more brutal and violent. Starfleet officers started to kill Vulcans who even made eye contact with them on the streets. In turn, Vulcans would exterminate Imperial Starfleet Officers they deemed barbaric. Guerrilla warfare was occurring and Shi'kahr and other cities on Vulcan were no longer safe places to live.

When Sarek was watching the holonews 2.3 days ago the transmission was intercepted and overridden by another. The holo only had one Vulcan individual. They started by raising their hand in the ta'al. It was a foreign greeting to Sarek. It was an ancient greeting and was so inexplicably Vulcan at its core, but it was unmistakably forbidden. When Vulcan became apart of the Terran Empire it was eradicated. Anyone caught using the ta'al would get a 500-point deduction from their behavioral credit.

The holo continued as the Vulcan spoke. "Greetings fellow Vulcans. I am Vorsil. The Terran Empire has occupied Vulcan for many decades. They have erased history and forced us to change our ways. They have used violent means and fear to control us. The Terrans have gone to great lengths to murder our own governor and leave his body on display in a most disrespectful manner. Skon's corpse has been left for the elements and beast of Earth to scavenge. With the death of Skon we have also lost our right to representation in the Empress' delegation. Soval of the S'chn T'gai was executed on the spot for simply protecting his clan matriarch. The massacre at Shi'kahr Station was barbaric and unjust. The Terrans have exterminated countless others in the last 12.2 days. The Terrans will not halt in their annihilation of us.

"The Terrans kill only because of their emotional weakness. Their logic is supremely flawed and not in accordance with the true Vulcan way. The Ak'spar will form a new government once it has eradicated the Terran Empire from our planet. There is only one logical path before us if Vulcan is to preserve itself and survive as a species. We implore you as a Vulcan citizen to join in our cause and do the following: First, remove the Terran Empire symbol from your dwellings and anywhere you may come in contact with it. Second, exterminate any Imperial Starfleet officers or Terrans that you encounter. Vulcan will have its freedom. Logic will bring us peace. Live long and prosper."

Sarek's eyebrows rose as the holonews came back on. The hours that followed that holo recording only increased the frequency of attacks on Terran officers and anarchy. Even though Sarek partially agreed with the Ak'spar, the delivery of their mission was too violent. Increase in violence only meant more loses to the Ak'spar and created more brutality from the Terrans. It was complicated and for the next 2.2 days the Ak'spar were able to override the holonews with their own transmissions. Each transmission detailed the success of their insurgent group and the reasons for their rebellion.

The disorder in Shi'kahr had created a hiatus on Project Satev-tukh. It happened almost immediately when the Terran Empire realized the possible data breaches that were probable. The amount of crime happening around the vicinity of the Vulcan Science Academy created too large of a risk to the project and the team. A sense of relief filled Sarek when he heard he would not have to travel to the VSA. He would not have to present the findings of his research anytime soon, and he could delay it for as long as possible. As far as the Empire was concerned he was still a loyal follower even though they had boosted surveillance of him and his clan.

Sarek decided that neutrality could not be an option for him. His allegiance had to be absolute. The consequences of defecting were incalculable. Most of them would probably end with his life being taken. Even with his internal struggling with Project Satev-tukh and his growing dislike of the Terrans, he simply was not in the position to join an insurgent group. He was not fully sure of the Terran Empire and did not fully believe in the cause of the Ak'spar. He felt this discord inside of him when presented with both sides.

Even with his inner struggling his outward loyalty to the Terran Empire was stronger than it had ever been, it had to be. Many people were looking up to him to see if he would make a move of rebellion against the Terran Empire.

A day ago T'Pau and Sarek received an invitation to oversee the first public execution. The Emperor had tasked them with this assignment and they would have to make their appearance at the executions twice a week until the Emperor deemed to do away with them completely.

That was where Sarek and T'Pau now stood under the ridiculing gaze of the Vulcan sun. They stood on the ancient stone that laid beneath their feet in front of the Hall of Thought in the heart of Shi'Kahr. Representation from all major clans were found in the crowd. Even T'Latya stood in the crowd next to her bondmate, Selek. Sarek's eyes scanned the crowd and the amount of Starfleet officers present was unnecessary. The security on this event was the highest he had seen.

He could hear the guards moving around in their protective gear. It was a clear reminder to everyone present that any act of rebellion would be met with force. The captive Vulcans who were on display on the platform were from the Ak'spar. Each had a covering over their mouths, their hands handcuffed behind their backs, and crude nooses around their necks. Sarek realized he was almost mirroring them and relaxed his arms and put them to his side instead. It was silent and holo cameras were filming the whole event. The Terrans had resorted to their old execution techniques, they were not quick deaths. The traitor were to be hung. Sarek had only seen old photos of lynching in data archives when he studied Terran history in the Learning Center as a child.

An executioner stepped forward and Sarek realized that he had held his breath for a quick moment as the air became more tense. The Imperial Starfleet officer started to announce the names of those that were being executed and what their crimes were.

In a matter of seconds, the ground beneath the prisoner's feet disappeared and the Vulcans dangled by their necks as they tried to break free and gasp for air. Life slowly escaped from them as their bodies stilled, and the only movement left was created by the wind pushing lifeless corpses on its unrelenting current. Sarek let out a controlled breath and he knew that their katras were lost forever as they were carried on the eastern wind to a dark oblivion.

Sarek swallowed his hatred for the Terrans in that moment. He repeated his mantra to himself that he was a loyal subject and that the Vulcan people were looking to him. The sand that caught on the wind reminded Sarek that a sandstorm would be there within the hour. The event was over and the crowd left from the area and T'Pau and Sarek left the platform to return to the fortress.

T'Rama was sitting at her desk in ancient battle room of the ancestral home when he returned. Sarek noted that Torin and Lhai were not currently there. He assumed they must have left to their own shelters in preparation for the sandstorm. Not everyone in the clan lived in the fortress. There was not enough space to accommodate the whole clan.

T'Rama did not look at Sarek as he entered. She was still working on her PADD. T'Rama was in the latter years of her life. His mother had a sense of sophistication and elegance that accompanied her. She was a stark contrast to his own father whose severity brought a sense of fear to those around him. Her face had wrinkles and she rarely left the fortress. T'Rama had a genetic heart condition that made her prone to heart attacks. The healers did not have many solutions to her terminal condition. She once had to get a transfusion and Sarek had to provide his own T-negative blood to help with her recovery 5.9 years ago. Sarek did not know how many years T'Rama had left in life but she had made it this far into her life and survived.

"Mother, I did not anticipate to find you located here."

T'Rama continued to stare at the screen, "Son, it is important to use all available time to find evidence that points to T'Latya's downfall. With the sandstorm we will lose connection to any deep space correspondences."

"You are in current communication with our contact on the ISS Forge?"

"Correct. First Officer Georgiou has discovered time to communicate with me. She was unable to respond to any messages in the last 14 days because of a mission the ISS Forge was involved in."

"What are First Officer Georgiou's motives in aiding our cause?"

T'Rama finally looked at her son, "It is clear she desires the seat of the captain just as T'Latya covets the position of Governor."

"Would it not be simpler for Georgiou to help T'Latya petition for the Governor's seat? "

"It would seem that everyone has their motives. Perhaps First Officer Georgiou has a similar vendetta as you and I."

"I only question her reliability and if she can be trusted in the future."

"A valid outlook. Her intelligence has all been checked, and rechecked by Torin and Lhai. She has not given us any misinformation. The amount of credits we are giving her in exchange for information may also be benefitting us."

Sarek raised his brow, "T'Pau was correct about Terrans and their fixation on obtaining an increase in monetary gain."

"T'Pau's wisdom is to be valued and put to practical use. The death of your father demands justice."

For the first time in Sarek's life he could almost see this sense of sadness in his mother's eyes at mentioning the death of her bondmate. That is why she stayed in the room while others in the clan made preparations for the sandstorm. His mother had more determination than him to see an end to this whole situation.

Sarek replied, "What information have you received?"

"First Officer Georgiou has given me a holo video of T'Latya planting a PADD in your father's office when the Emperor visited Vulcan a year ago. She also included encrypted correspondences between T'Latya and Selek containing information about your father's schedule. She has recored messages between her and T'Latya, in addition to some of her Captain's logs. It is thorough for a Terran. It is enough evidence for us to use against T'Latya."

Sarek walked over to his mother who was sitting down. She silently handed him the PADD and he looked through the files Georgiou had sent. They were carefully archived and each had a time stamp to indicate when and how each incident occurred. Selek was also heavily involved in this situation. He was the one aiding T'Latya when she was away on missions on the ISS Forge. It was the only logical solution for T'Latya to accomplish her goals. T'Latya's plan to become Governor of Vulcan had been in process for years. Some of the messages between her and Selek date back to 2224.34. Sarek was hardly surprised that Selek was involved in this. Sarek set the PADD down on the desk, and spoke.

"We must inform T'Pau immediately."

"Agreed."

Sarek grabbed the communicator out of his pocket and inputed T'Pau's personal comm information. He heard her voice immediately.

"Sarek speak."

"T'Rama has been corresponding with our intelligence agent on the ISS Forge. We have the information."

"I will be there in 5.2 minutes."

T'Pau ended the communication and Sarek put his communicator back in his pocket.

Soon T'Pau was there and she reviewed the incriminating evidence.

"We must send this to the Emperor with hast."

Sarek nodded in agreement, "I will send the files to Torin and Lhai for cross-referencing with their sources before we send the final files to the Emperor."

"It is logical to be thorough. Plan on sending the final files to the Emperor at 0800 tomorrow after the storm has cleared."

T'Pau left without another word and Sarek looked to his mother who continued to work hard on the project. He quickly sent the encrypted files to Torin and Lhai for validation and they both responded immediately and said they would work on it through the storm.

"Mother, you are not retiring to the other part of the fortress to wait out the storm."

"I will spend my time in this location as the storm passes. There is enough food and a portable sleeping arrangement that it will be more logical to finish out the details of this report here."

Sarek worried about her health, but her resilience and stubbornness was not to be tested. He had inherited those personality traits from her. He would work in his own quarters instead. It would be illogical to crowd this room during a storm, especially if there were only accommodations for one.

Sarek left the room and continued on the path to his quarters. Not many of his clan members were still walking around. He could hear the sand hitting the wall from the harsh winds that they rode on. Sarek noticed a person walking towards him from his peripherals. Based on the height and color of the wavy brown hair, Sarek knew it was Selek. A desire to kill the man on the spot filled him but he maintained control and knew that it was not yet the right moment to do so.

Selek approached Sarek and gave him the Terran salute, "Why are you not in your quarters?"

Sarek raised his brow, "The same question could be directed at you."

Selek almost seemed annoyed by the response, "You have been collaborating with T'Pau on a pressing matter. What information are you are researching?"

"That is classified and cannot be shared."

"I see. Have you considered any of the bondmates that T'Rama has selected?"

Sarek felt a flood of irritation pool in his chest, but his face remained emotionless, "After the assassination of my father and the turmoil that has afflicted Vulcan, there has been little time to consider my next bondmate."

"It would seem your mother and the pid'kom do not prioritize your survival."

Sarek did not want to talk about this highly personal topic, "It is not at the forefront of their concerns at the moment. Neither should it be a topic so openly discussed."

"The focus is on your father. He is deceased, and has been confirmed a traitor just like your late bondmate. T'Rea."

Sarek felt something snapped inside of him at the mention of T'Rea's treason. He grabbed the dagger at his side and almost attacked him. Sarek's feet remained glued in place as he fought to gain control over his emotions. It wasn't the right to time to see Selek's demise, he had to wait until T'Latya's crimes were sent to the Emperor. Sarek remained silent but gave Selek an angered look. He knew that Selek was trying to test his control. Every conversation he had with the man seemed to do so. Each conversation seemed to revolve around his deceased bondmate, his lack of a bondmate or the fact that he knew more confidential information than him.

Selek looked almost pleased by the reaction Sarek had showcased, "When she deserted her post at the Battle of Andromeda IV it was clear that she was not a loyal follower of the Terran Empire. Logically she lost her candidacy as captain to the ISS Forge when it was getting constructed. The right candidate was chosen for that post shortly thereafter."

Sarek clenched his fist to his sides. He kept repeating to himself that he would soon see the downfall of Selek and T'Latya. Sarek spoke with an even voice, "I am aware of the details of T'Rea's treason. However, Skon has been inaccurately accused of being a renegade."

Selek raised his brow in response, "Yet his body is still mutilated and hanging in front of the Emperor's palace. The fate of those who dissent meet their demise with the termination of their lives. The case examples are T'Rea's desertion and Skon's aid with the Klingon insurgents. I remind you that treason is a generally perilous path."

Sarek narrowed his eyes. Why would Selek ever suspect him of being anything other than loyal to the Empire? Was Selek warning him that he could make it look like he was a traitor? Or did he know about Sarek's reservations about Project Satev-tukh? Sarek came to the conclusion it was more of a threat than an accusation. Sarek's verbal and physical display of allegiance was obvious to everyone in his clan and even many on Vulcan. No one had forced a mind meld on him. Sarek tried to remain calm, and tried to understand the swirl of emotions in him. He felt anger at Selek's prodding and discourtesy. He also felt a small sense of fear in regard to anyone discovering his thoughts and feelings concerning the Terran Empire. Lastly, there was this sense of guilt that accompanied the feelings of disloyalty he had felt within the last 16.7 days. The cycle of emotions was not healthy for his emotional stability and had been wearing on him for days. Selek seemed to know that he was aggravating Sarek with every word and sentence he uttered. It was all done purposefully. He needed to leave Selek's presence immediately.

Sarek managed to continue with his usual display of control, "Selek, I suggest you return to your quarters before the storm approaches our location."

Selek nodded quietly and gave the Terran salute to Sarek in an almost mocking way. He returned the salute with resentment in his core. Sarek walked as fast as he could to his quarters. He needed meditation, and then he needed to continue going through the information that he just received. Tomorrow he would finally see the justice T'Latya and Selek deserved. That thought alone gave Sarek a sense of satisfaction he had yet to feel through this whole process. He only had to wait 12.6 hours until T'Latya would be stripped of her chances at governorship.

Author's Note:

I have gone down the Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal rabbit hole again. I feel like I have been channeling all that as I have been writing these last couple chapters. Maybe that is a good thing or maybe it's a bad thing. There is going to be angst and intense violence throughout the whole story, but it is in the Mirror Universe so those things are to be expected. I swear there are better things to come.

We are getting closer to Sarek and Amanda getting married. I haven't forgotten about Amanda either. We still have a few more chapters until they meet again.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Like where the story is going? Or are you more terrified than excited?