Chapter 33: The Recital

A/N: Thanks for your comments, Team Tosha and Drummer!

christine79, Asha's poetry describing certain, uhm, aspects of her relationship with Thorek are only for the two of them, not for anyone else's eyes :-) And yes, with the way Vreenak is behaving, Asha is not in the least impressed!

romulanlover, great comment about Asha's family back on Earth. They're miserable but refuse to give up hope. The Federation has filed her as "missing". The canon-Romulans are truly not very cordial, and if they're pleasant (like Cretak), they've still got their own agenda. It's rather like stepping on eggshells around them. Things became quite tense between Cretak and Kira, for instance.

Drummer, lovely reading you again! I see that you are open to Team Tosha and Team Vreesha (of which I believe you are currently the only member) :-D Vreenak knows that Asha is very protective about her family. We'll have to see how he uses (or abuses) that knowledge...And yes, you're right, I have drawn up a detailed plan (including the end) for the story, that way I have a clear goal I can write towards.

Vocab lesson: "Daie" in Romulan means "yes". The Romulan last name "Terrh'vnau" is courtesy of the Romulan name generator. I cannot recall a Romulan Firebird existing in canon or non-canon, so I daresay I can attribute it to my overactive imagination. If I cannot, please correct me :-) Romulans do have a thing about birds of prey.


The seats had been assigned to the guests. Asha discovered herself to be seated very close to stairs leading down to the podium where the poets would recite.

Looking discreetly around her, she was keenly aware of being seated among the "upper crust" of Romulan society. Such people had a reputation for being snobby, and it didn't come as a surprise to her. Romulans were very conscious of hierarchies and social status. After all, Thorek's former lover R'ëal had chosen her family reputation over a committed relationship with him, despite the fact that both had enjoyed the best of educations and possessed much in common.

She, as a member of a minority group with limited rights, belonged to one of the lowest social strata. It felt like she had no right to sit among the Romulan aristocracy. When she was nervous, she was used to playing with her braid or twirling the ends of her hair around her fingers. Her hair was too short for this kind of tic now, and so she kept her hands neatly folded in her lap and focused on breathing calmly.

Senator Vreenak stepped onto the podium. He greeted the audience, showered thanks and gentle flattery on them and when he reached the end of his greeting, he announced the first poet.

The poets themselves had been separately received from the other guests, and Asha's mouth almost dropped open when the third poet turned out to be none other than her tutor Rhian t'Merek, whose stirring recital of a battle between two Romulan warriors, reminiscent of Greek and Roman legends, made almost the whole audience lean forwards in excitement. Romulan poets were strong on elocution and gestures. Sudden expansive gestures were normal parts of the recital. Asha found this style rather startling and disruptive, but it certainly was a good strategy to keep the audience's attention and minimise the risk of boredom. She recalled the time she had almost fallen asleep during the most monotonous violin concert her cousin Maya had invited her and her parents to. She dragged her mind away from her family back on Earth. She would have gladly attended a hundred boring concerts if she could have sent her family and friends on Earth just one word from Romulus.

After each poet had finished reciting, they sat at the edge of the podium in massive chairs, the backs of which were designed in the shape of the outspread wings of the Romulan raptor.

After six poets had delighted the audience with their mastery of words, Senator Vreenak took the podium again, full of praise and more flattery. Then his eyes travelled along the rows of enthusiastic Romulan faces and he declared:

"I have prepared a surprise for you. There is seated among you a Human poet, a most special guest. She is studying our language with the aim of gaining a better idea of our people's culture and traditions. What better test can there be for her poetry than to submit it to your skilled ears and thoughtful comments? Ihhei Asha Sen t'Darak, I look forward to hearing about what you have learnt about us Romulans during your diligent studying."

His frosty blue eyes met her shocked ones, and he gestured to her, calling one of his aides to escort her to the podium.

Every face in the audience turned towards her. She heard rather than saw Thorek stir restlessly in his chair. She glanced at Kihika. The young woman's expression was worried and angry at the same time, outraged by Vreenak's attempt to expose and even humiliate her Ihhei. Asha drew a deep breath. "I'll show him," she whispered to Thorek, her eyes flashing.

"Daie," he whispered back, brushing his hand against hers, and that familiar tingling sensation, this time soothing, washed over her. The aide reached the top of the stairs and looked at her haughtily.

And taking a deep breath, she stood up gracefully, passed before him and went down to the podium with the aide following closely behind her as protocol demanded. She was relieved that she had worn her prettiest lehenga and set of jewellery. Vreenak watched her with an impassive expression on his face.

As was fitting and expected, she addressed the Senator before her recital, saying:

"I thank our host warmly for his generosity. He has extended to a complete beginner and non-native speaker of Rihan the unexpected and precious opportunity to speak in front of the most distinguished poets and listeners tonight. As our host mentioned, I am a Human, but what I share in common with you is that 'my poems are to my soul what blood is to my body', to quote Terrh'vnau."

She noticed several heads nodding slightly. Good – she was getting their approval by quoting one of their most popular and beloved poets.

Asha's hands were sweaty, and to judge from the warmth of her cheeks and ears, her face was flushed, too.

She had already decided on a poem on which she had been working for a long time. She reached for a bangle and removed it from her wrist, stretching it out on her hand. Her heart was racing and her mouth was dry. Adrenaline was kicking in, and for a moment, there was just a big black hole gaping in her mind, and she stood there helplessly, balancing the bangle on her palm. The audience waited. She sought her husband's face and found it. Their eyes met, and he dipped his head a little, giving her an encouraging nod. Kihika did the same.

Asha started and followed Romulan tradition by reciting four opening lines of verse and making the first and last words of each line rhyme with each other. The poem in itself was simple, describing a Romulan woman who had lost the bracelet a loved one had given her. The bracelet, as if it were sentient, refused to be retrieved and rolled on and on through various Romulan landscapes, encountering each of the four elements on its path. A raptor carried away the bracelet through the air; then it fell into a river, was buried in a pile of mud and finally reached the Firefalls of Gal'Gathong, where it rolled into the flames – together with its owner, who stubbornly followed her bracelet into the fire.

Asha paused briefly at this point. From what she could see, her audience was completely absorbed, hanging onto her words and not in the least concerned about her missing brow ridges. Her eyes met Vreenak's briefly.

She continued the narrative with how the owner emerged from the fire in the shape of a Romulan Firebird, the equivalent of a phoenix, and around her feathered neck she wore the bracelet. She hunted down the raptor which had snatched away the jewel, and the poem ended with their battle and a flash of the bracelet in the sunset – hinting at the identity of the winner. She paused again and looked at Thorek. His face was radiant. She stretched out her arm and made a gesture of throwing. Thorek nodded, and she flung her bangle over to him. He caught it, and his eyes glowed with pride.

"I would like to thank my family," Asha smiled at Thorek and Kihika, "and my teacher Ihhei Rhian t'Merek for instilling me with the love and discipline for Romulan poetry and mythology."

There was another pause. Finally, a stern silver-haired Romulan got up, bowed his head deeply to her and applauded by hitting the back of one hand with the palm of the other. Others imitated him until nearly everyone – a handful remained defiantly seated – was standing and clapping, including Vreenak. Asha felt the aide's hand at her elbow, and she was escorted to a chair next to the other poets.

The Senator stepped onto the podium.

"A most agreeable conclusion to our poetry recital!" he exclaimed. "And a testament to our outstanding education system and teachers on Romulus!"

Asha smiled inwardly. Trust Vreenak to ever be the politician and pander to the power of the Romulan Empire during a poetry event!

The poetry recital was closed, and the poets were allowed to mingle among the guests.

"You did very well," Rhian t'Merek said as Asha greeted her.

"I'm waiting for you to say, 'for a Human'," Asha replied jokingly.

"You will have to wait for a very long time, then," Rhian said, "as you have done homage to my teaching. I am proud to have you as my pupil."

Then, spotting Thorek weaving his way through the groups of people, she added: "I can see that your deyhhan wants to speak with you very urgently."

She moved away as Thorek took Asha's hand in his and slipped the bangle over her wrist. Her eyes sparkled. "Great catch," she said.

"Great aim," he answered, hugging her with one arm.

"Always good for a surprise," the Senator's voice commented from behind them. Asha and Thorek turned around.

"Indeed, for the surprise was courtesy of your ingenuity," she said crisply.

"You flatter me, but I am merely a politician," he said with a modesty which left her completely unconvinced.

"I see you have given back the bracelet she lost," he commented to Thorek.

"It is an honour that you chose to showcase Asha's gift for words in front of so distinguished an audience," Thorek said smoothly.

"Yes, it was a remarkable delivery," Vreenak agreed. They were interrupted by one of the poets who took Asha aside and presented her with a lengthy list of suggestions and improvements for her poem. Asha listened politely.

"Excuse me," Rhian interrupted them, sounding disapproving. "Unless you have been appointed as my successor to tutor her, it will be up to me to teach her more about Romulan poetry."

"Oh, it's you, isn't it? Your recital was so monotonous that the tips of my ears almost withered away."

"Your stanzas were so clumsy that I almost wept!" Rhian exclaimed scornfully.

A third poet almost pushed her way in. "A few stumbles here and there, but quite promising, despite…" she brushed her forehead. "I'll be glad to instruct you in particularly challenging parts of our poetry, Ihhei t'Darak."

"My teacher is Rhian t'Merek and that's my final word," Asha said firmly. They glared at her and stalked off.

"You have certainly made quite an impression. They're fighting over you like raptors," Rhian remarked.

"It's ridiculous."

"It's a compliment on Romulus. We are warriors. We fight over what we want."

"I am an individual, not an object. I will stay with whom I want," Asha countered.

"You made that clear. You are a warrior at heart," Rhian observed, smiling.


It was late when Asha and Thorek parted from their host and left in their flitter. Once at home, Thorek hugged Asha and kissed her. She held him tightly. "I was terrified when he suddenly called up my name," she whispered. "Was he trying to make a laughing stock of me?"

"Maybe he was trying to force you to reveal your way with words."

Asha removed the tracking device from her dress and placed it on the table. "Whatever he wanted, the way he went about it was disgraceful."

"I agree. Did he behave properly when he took you on that tour of his collection?"

Asha bit her lip. "He said I reminded him of his wife whom he loved and who died with their unborn child during a Klingon raid. I made sure to tell him that any attempts of seduction on his part would be futile."

She picked up the tracking device. "It should have recorded our conversation."

Thorek shook his head. "I do not wish to intrude."

"I think it's better if you listen. You might pick up some clues I missed. It will take me a lifetime to learn about all the nuances of Romulan culture."

"Asha," Thorek said gently, "There are no nuances to miss. It would seem that you have captured the Senator's attention."

"It feels like I've committed a crime," she said. "If what you say is true, then I am afraid. Rhian said that Romulans are used to fighting until they get what or whom they want. Humans do that, too, but people like Vreenak seem like they'd go to any lengths to win. At least he has shown some mercy towards his aide and reengaged his services."

Thorek held her close. "Your words obviously have influence over his thoughts, Ashaya, and for a Human with limited rights to wield such influence over a Senator's mind gives you more power than you think."

"Power! I don't care about power."

"You have it in you, Ashaya. You are simply unaware of it. See how you have captured my heart!"

"You are so optimistic, Thorek."

"Whatever vestiges of logic remain in me from my Vulcan grandmother merely show that I am being logical."

He considered. "I do agree with you that Vreenak can be very persistent, and persistent politicians can be dangerous. I have no doubt, however, that you have won the respect of many, including his, after your recital this evening."

"You gave me such courage whenever I looked for you in the audience, and I daresay Kihika would have defended me with her bare hands if anyone had tried to interfere with me."

"I knew you would be fine. You told me as much when Vreenak's aide came to fetch you."

They smiled at each other.