Disclaimer:I don't own "Star Trek Enterprise" or any of its characters, wishful thinking aside.
Authors Note #1:This is a Soval x Amanda Cole fic, the _ in a series of drabbles titled: "Hearsay." Previous to Vulcan coffee shop fic.
Warnings: mild language, canon appropriate violence, drama, mild flirting, look at these clueless idiots.
Embrasure
"We often end up in this predicament," Soval observed. Surprisingly retrospective as he attempted not to make his distaste at the mud splattered across his robes noticeable.
She eyed him with a suspicious squint. Pony tail feathering across her neck as he stood on the small ramp of the shuttlepod. Not sure if he was dissing her or just being pissy.
He'd been moody lately.
For a Vulcan.
She could tell the difference.
Which was a discovery in of its own, to be frank.
She chose to tackle his comment like a question. Otherwise, she wasn't sure what he wanted from her. To anyone else - anyone human - she would have chalked it up as some well-deserved whining or just flat out boredom. But with a Vulcan? With Soval? Ambassador Soval? Well, who fucking knew?
"Because we both chose potentially dangerous professions," she stated blandly, sucking in a breath that tasted like muddy lavender and rot. "Also… because someone at Starfleet command is a god damned moron."
Soval just looked at her impassively. But privately she knew he was itching to comment on her choice of language. Feeling particularly smug when he chose not to voice it. It was probably the smartest thing he'd done in days.
The world they'd crash-landed on howled wind through the rocky hills. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. The hills were sparse with lonely, twisted trees and low-lying brush. From the scans, she guessed they were in the northern desert of the world's largest continent. With much of it, save for the hundred or so miles they'd landed in, razed flat by the migration of massive, acid-water glaciers millions of years before.
They'd been here for two days.
It wasn't the best place to crash, but it wasn't the worst either.
At least no one was shooting at them this time.
"This is not the first time we have been in such circumstances," Soval pointed out. "I believe this is approximately the third such incident."
"We haven't been stranded for this long," she pointed out, splitting hairs, just because. Grouchy and in desperate need of a shower and good news as she peered over at him. "Variety is the spice of life."
Soval blinked, but said nothing.
"Look on the bright side," she interjected after a while. Flashing him a grin as she munched on a square of stale-tasting ration bar. "I didn't blow up the shuttle this time."
She was teasing him.
She knew it.
He knew it.
It was inappropriate.
And yet-
"How fortunate," Soval deadpanned, flicking the hem of his robe to the side in order to dislodge a clod of drying, burnt-yellow mud. "Thank you for your discretion."
He never failed to give as good as he got.
She'd been testing a theory over the past few months regarding Soval actually having a sense of humor. She was torn between that or him just being the snarkiest Vulcan she'd ever met. She wasn't sure if it was his personality or just his long exposure to humanity, but Soval was different. When he was around other Vulcans he was always the most unpredictable. And when he was around humans, well, she'd seen his interactions with Captain Archer.
If there was such a thing, he was the most human Vulcan she'd ever met.
She nearly choked on her ration trying not to laugh when her mind automatically went to picturing the look on his face if she ever said it out loud.
She was sure she'd get some sort of reaction for that.
And god, was it tempting as hell.
"May I pose a personal query?" Soval asked, surprising her. Gingerly stepping off the ramp to join her at the edge of the clearing. The only position that gave them a view through the hills and down into the flat lands beyond.
"Sure," she answered, masking her curiosity by looking down the scope of her phaser rifle. Seeing what she could see.
According to the star charts, the planet was mostly uninhabited. Save for some large sea-going predators. There was evidence of early humanoid evolution on the planet. Something bipedal and intelligent with vestigial gills and four heart-like organs. But they hadn't survived the hyper-ice age the planet had suffered fifty million years ago – give or take.
Mother Nature was a bitch like that sometimes.
"What is the purpose of your visit to Vulcan at the end of this standard Terran month?"
She blinked at the awkward phrasing. Then blinked again when the question sunk in.
"How do you know about that?"
Soval posed his hands behind his back. Looking ridiculous as the wind puffed at his fringe. Making him look far less severe as he replied matter-of-factedly.
"I am often given a list from the consulate as a courtesy. On occasion, my ship is used as a general transport between embassies. I am returning to Vulcan for personal business at the end of the month, therefore my ship will be used to shuttle embassy personnel back to Vulcan, as well as the humans who were granted travel visas," Soval explained, hands posed behind his back. "As you know, Vulcan accepts a limited amount of off-worlders at a time and thus, there is a considerable wait list. Your application was marked urgent and was accelerated through the approval process. However, it did not elaborate on the reason."
She stiffened uncomfortably. She knew it was hard to get a tourist visa to Vulcan, but she had no idea being connected to Starfleet would expedite her application.
"Oh, I hope I didn't bump anyone from line," she said with a frown, remembering being pleasantly surprised when she'd opened her messages a few days before and found she'd been approved.
Soval didn't react. He just looked at her unblinkingly.
"You were given priority," he answered simply.
Right. Okay, then.
"I applied to attend a Vulcan Martial Arts training seminar. I passed all the background checks and was pretty far in the rankings for a spot when the Xindi probe happened. When I got back I still wanted to do it, so I tossed my name in. I got the news a few days ago. I thought they'd want me to retake all the tests since its been so long, but they said my current status is 'sufficient.'"
The air quotes she added at the end were purely for her own benefit.
Meanwhile, Soval's right eyebrow flicked up the slightest of bits.
"Indeed?"
He sounded surprised.
And honestly, that just pissed her off.
She rolled her eyes. Swearing a Vulcan could chap even Satan's ass.
"Surprised?" she snapped lightly. Tapping into that particular brand of frustration every human had felt at least once when it came to Vulcans and their raging superiority complex. "I earned it, I can assure you. Or do you need a demonstration?"
The same eyebrow twitched.
"That will not be necessary," he answered.
The silence that followed was uncomfortable, but she was used to it. Soval spent his nights in the front of the shuttle, meditating rather than sleeping. Like he didn't want to inhabit the same space when it was time to bed down for the night. And it hadn't gotten any better from there. It was like they'd passed some unspoken line being stuck together, day and night, without work to act as a barrier.
It was something she was afraid to examine too closely. Mostly because – at least on her end - she had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with the comet-sized thing she was starting to develop when it came to him.
God, just saying it inside her own head was mortifying.
Of all the one-sided crushes a girl could have?!
She was caught off guard when Soval spoke again.
"To my knowledge the Suus Mahna Academy has only accepted twelve human participants in the last fifty years. Your acceptance is...impressive."
Surprisingly, it didn't come out sounding snarky.
In fact, it encouraged her enough that she found herself replying.
"My dad had me in martial arts since I could walk," she answered, the corner of her mouth lifting in a fond smile. "By high school I even tried out for the Olympic team. Didn't make it, but I did pretty well in the world championships for a while. It's become a hobby, mostly. Though, I can't deny it hasn't come in handy in this line of work."
Soval nodded.
"Indeed. It is a worthwhile pursuit in your profession. I took the introductory course for the program in my youth. It was very instructive. I would expect your experience will be much the same, perhaps more so. The current headmaster is a member of my clan. She is quite formidable."
I'll bet.
She wasn't a hundred percent when it came to the Vulcan version of a family tree, but she figured that meant the woman was a part of his extended family. Like a great aunt or something. She wasn't brave enough to ask. Too afraid of him closing off again. Walking the thin line between pleasant conversation and prying with sweaty palms. They were literally the only two sentient beings on the planet and frankly- she preferred to hedge her bets, thank you very much.
After all, they could be stuck here for a while.
"I noticed a lot of similarities," she remarked, determined to push forward while she had the advantage. "Some of the more advanced forms of Vulcan Martial arts remind me of Tai Chi. I'm interested in the history behind them. Do you know of a class I can take while I'm there? I know its only eight weeks, but I figured I'd put some feelers out."
Soval actually looked impressed.
"I believe there are, I will make some inquiries after we are rescued."
She smiled, a bit embarrassed at the idea. Looking down her phaser scope as she scanned the barren landscape. She couldn't deny a little bit of name clout wouldn't make her life easier. Especially on Vulcan. But it did feel a lot like cheating.
"Only if it isn't any trouble. I know you're pretty busy," she said firmly, privately wondering if she was slowly selling bits and pieces of her soul for Vulcan-related favors.
"It is a simple matter," Soval informed her, voice level as ever. But looking contemplative as the wind picked up. Staring at her unblinkingly for an awkward moment before continuing. "The training center is approximately three point six Terran miles from my primary residence on Vulcan. You will honor me by being my guest during your stay."
Her phaser-rifle drooped in shock.
Wait, what?
"It is logical to accept," Soval pointed out before she could say anything. "And I believe far more comfortable than the standard accommodations. My clan has a number of estates, you will not be disturbed."
She blinked. Stunned stupid as she tried to figure out how to reply.
"Yes, but-" she started, struggling with the words only to be cut off when the radio in the shuttle crackled to life.
"Enterprise to Shuttle Pod 3? Enterprise to Shuttle Pod 3, please respond."
The cavalry was here.
A/N: Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think. – This story is now complete, there will be more in this series.
Reference:
- Embrasure: an opening, as a loophole or crenel, through which missiles may be discharged.
- Suus Mahna: a form of ancient Vulcan martial arts that takes many years to learn.