A Time for Change

by Sensara

It was bad enough that the government gave her the grumpiest Vulcan alive as an exchange partner. But Genie has to survive a year with Soval, and she's certain the Vulcans are hiding something. Why are the Vulcans acting strangely, and if love gets in the way of her quest for answers, will everything fall apart? Rated T for safety, some chapters may be M. 1st-person POV.

34. Questions and Understanding

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

So my old computer decided to kick the bucket on me, and it's going to be a while before I can recover my files on there. Thankfully, I hadn't gotten very far in this chapter before my laptop bit the dust, so I figured I would just start over. Sorry this took so long!

Our conversation dwindled once our food arrived, but as soon as the waitress whisked away our empty plates, Soval set his dark gaze on me. His eyes gleamed with a soft expression, and he tilted his head in the direction of the water down below.

"Once our bill is...what is the phrase, squared away?" I smiled and nodded. "There is a path below us that follows the waterfront. If you have no objection, we could take a short walk and discuss our plans for the coming months."

"Sure!" I replied warmly, glancing at the railing. "I think that would be lovely."

And so, fifteen minutes later, Soval led me down a narrow set of steps about a block from the restaurant, and the path was there just as he had said, stretching along the waterfront to our left and right. Soval turned left, back towards the restaurant, and I fell in step beside him. The path was wide enough to comfortably let four people walk abreast, and my roommate gently steered me to the rightmost "lanes", putting himself between me and the rest of the empty path.

"Before we discuss any plans, I should tell you of an upcoming visit from my homeworld that may affect you. The newly elected administrator wishes to meet with me to discuss our progress in this exchange, and he is quite eager to meet you, and listen to your experiences and feedback."

I suddenly felt as if I had missed a step walking down stairs, and my stomach dropped at this news. "Oh...alright, when is he coming?"

He glanced over at me, his brow furrowing. "Your tone of voice suggests that you are nervous...do not be. V'Las is..." Here he paused and breathed out of his nose, and looked to be choosing his words carefully. "He has a singular talent for governing, and has proven himself to be an efficient legislator. Furthermore, he was among those who took initiative in this exchange, foreseeing before most how valuable your people and our alliance are to us. There is no need to be concerned about how he might view you. He will treat you with nothing but respect, I assure you."

"I suppose that's comforting," I said, slowing my pace. "I just...I hope I can make a good impression, you know?"

His eyes flicked over to meet mine. "Genevieve, you were chosen for this exchange for a reason. You are precisely the type of person that will guide both our species into the future. The administrator knows this, and will treat you accordingly. Your service honors us...there is no need to be nervous about this visit. I only wished to keep you informed, not to make you worry."

I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat. "Thank you...for keeping me informed. I hope the visit goes well."

Soval bowed his head, his expression softening. "As I said, there is no need to worry. He will be coming the week after next, so this visit is not immediate, if that is any comfort to you." I nodded, relieved to have a little breathing room; our walk continued in silence for a little while, but the quiet wasn't uncomfortable. The waves to my right lapped at the shoreline, slapping the rocks with a wet thud before hissing on their retreat. The ambassador set our pace as casual.

The path ahead was bathed in shadows as the sun finally slipped beneath the horizon, but even I could see the group of three figures wandering our way. Their conversation rang out loud and boisterous in the evening air, their voices echoing over the water. I drew closer to Soval, who stiffened slightly.

I relaxed somewhat when I saw that the group comprised of two women and a man, all younger than me and smiling and laughing into the night. The trio waved cheerily at us as they stumbled past, the young man seemingly the drunkest of the bunch. He paused upon seeing us, staring confusedly at Soval, before giggling a little and pointing him out to his companions.

"I...have never seen an alien!" he said far too loudly, and Soval raised an eyebrow. The ladies burst out laughing at this, shaking their heads in clear exasperation, but the man smiled at the ambassador, still giggling.

"You have...like...really pointed ears, dude...am I imagining this? Karissa, I'm not...I don't wanna be stupid here, you know?"

"Yes, Derrik, his ears are pointed," the one named Karissa muttered, rolling her eyes. "Come on, bud, let's get you home."

The group sauntered on, Derrik swaying a little while he walked away, and we stared after them in shared silence for a full minute before continuing our walk.

"May I ask," Soval began, his hands folded primly behind him, "what is your people's fixation with our ears?"

I smiled to myself, glancing sidelong at him. "They're an outward reminder that you are, indeed, an alien. And they're very lovely, if I do say so myself."

He paused, slowing his pace, and he stared intently at me. "Truly? I was under the impression your people found Vulcans to be disagreeable to look at. I distinctly remember the monikers 'devil-man' and 'hobgoblin' whispered behind my back."

I stopped in my tracks at that admission, frowning up at him. "I'm so sorry that you had to encounter people like that. For what it's worth, I think you and your people are the opposite of disagreeable, in looks and personality. Still, calling you a hobgoblin...people are so dumb, I swear..."

"It is no matter," he said, his eyes still intent on me. "Offense at petty insults seems to me one of the worst of emotional vices, and is not worth the effort. But it is...agreeable to know that you find my people and our features lovely. I must admit, I am unused to being complimented, but knowing that you are agreeable to us...it is...encouraging."

More like agreeable to you, but that's beside the point, I thought to myself, and I said nothing in reply. I shook my head to myself, rolling my eyes as I pondered just how off-base those insults were.

"May I ask," he murmured a moment later, "what are you shaking your head at? I can tell by your expression that something has upset you."

"I'm not necessarily upset, just annoyed," I said with a shrug. "I'm still trying to work out where in the world they got 'hobgoblin'. I mean...have they seen drawings of hobgoblins? Do they even know what those are? You look nothing like a hobgoblin, and if I'm recalling my folklore correctly, I wouldn't exactly call you particularly mischievous. So..." I huffed in frustration. "And that's not even touching the fact that if you want to insult someone, you should at the very least be insulting their character, not their appearance, you know? Like if the worst thing they say about you is that you're ugly, then what are you actually saying? 'How dare you not be pleasing to my eyeballs'? If you think about it, that's not really much of an insult."

I took a deep breath and glanced sidelong at him, but he did not seem perturbed at my ramblings. "I know, this is turning into a speech, but I guess I'm just incensed on your behalf? Like, I get it, you're not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but I think objectively you're not even close to ugly, and again, insulting someone on their appearance is dumb and uncreative."

I nearly stopped in my tracks once I realized what I had said, but continued walking as if I hadn't let slip that I found Soval handsome. I dared a glance at him, and he stared at me, but said nothing on the matter and continued walking forward.

"We have strayed from the original topic I wished to discuss with you," he said quietly after a pause. "Do you have any thoughts on what activities we might do together over your Spring Break?"

"I actually did have some thoughts on that." I turned to him. "I know I mentioned hiking, but how would you like to get to where we're going via motorcycle?"

He blinked, then a shadow of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "You are offering to transport us to our destination?"

"I am." I smiled at him. "Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?"

"No, but I have driven an aircycle on my home planet for many years. I presume the experience is somewhat similar."

I nodded. "I've got an extra helmet you can borrow, and if we don't pack too much, we should be alright baggage-wise. I bought it already installed with a fuel converter and it gets great mileage, so we wouldn't have to stop so much on the way. What do you think?"

"For a short excursion, I think it would be an effective mode of travel," he said, his eyes clouded with thought. "To my knowledge, there are several national parks and hiking trails outside of San Francisco."

"There are," I agreed, but then a thought crossed my mind that made my cheeks flush red and my fingertips tingle. "Now, I know you said you've driven an airbike on Vulcan before, but have you been a passenger on one?"

"No." He slowed his pace, staring at me. "Is that going to be an issue?"

"We'll see. I'll show you what I'm talking about once we get back to the Consulate."

He bowed his head, and we continued on in silence until we had reached the quiet of the aircar. He started up the vehicle, his fingers quick and clever across the control panel, and I fiddled with the hem of my skirt, casting around in my mind for something to say.

"You know," I finally muttered after a while, and I could hear him turn his head towards me, "it's kind of ironic that you were ever given the moniker of 'devil-man'. I know they truly meant it to insult you and such, but unlike the hobgoblin, which has kept a lot of its original features over the years, devils have undergone so many changes from their original iteration that they're practically a different creature."

He said nothing at first, and I glanced over to see him frowning at the controls. "I understand that devils are evil creatures from your mythology and are seen as a nuisance at best and at worst, a moral and sometimes physical threat. In what way is that not an insult?"

"But was the person insulting you attacking your looks or your personality?" I asked, and he turned towards me. "You said you got the moniker as a result of your ears, so are they not then insulting your appearance?"

He tilted his head, then turned back to the controls. "I suppose the insult was directed at my visage."

I grinned. "So that's why I'm saying it's very ironic. Devils may have started out with monstrous faces and grotesque bodies, but they did not stay that way." He glanced sidelong at me and raised an eyebrow. I took a deep breath. "Well, sometime after the Renaissance, devils kind of got a makeover towards the more...aesthetically pleasing side of art, so to speak. Gone were the pig snouts and distorted proportions, instead replaced with very attractive, half-naked humanoids with Greco-Roman features and chiseled abs. So...again, the insult was definitely there, but take comfort in that devils nowadays are far sexier and appealing than their medieval counterparts. Just food for thought."

He smirked and shook his head. "I appreciate your attempt to comfort me, but I find it illogical to dwell on passing insults from so long ago. But thank you for that brief glimpse into the evolution of your mythology. I had thought that devils were firmly situated on the side of evil."

"In most stories, that's true," I admitted. "But more modern interpretations put devils as anything from misunderstood rebels to some necessary force of the universe, or even a crucial arm of justice. We are very far removed from our deity-fearing ancestors, and yet...not very far at all." I sighed. "But, long story short, devils are no longer here to cast unrighteous sinners into eternal flame. More like tempt mortals into indulging in sensual vices and hedonistic freedoms."

His eyes glinted with something unreadable before he turned his attention back to the controls. "If you are implying that my people are here to tempt humans into overindulgence, I'm not sure you've been paying attention to Surak's writings."

I grinned. "No, I would never imply that you would tempt us on purpose. Now, whether or not my people find some gratification in imagining Vulcans in such a light...well, there's a lid to every pot, they say, and I did mention how lovely your ears are?"

He glanced sidelong at me, the narrowing of his eyes softened by the smirk on his lips, and I cleared my throat and looked out the window just to escape the heat of his stare. I recognized the neighborhood that housed the Consulate below us, and before I could come up with anything else to say, the aircar gently drifted towards our destination, and we came to rest in the dimly lit parking garage.

Soval turned off the car and faced me, seemingly going to reply, but he simply raised an eyebrow and unbuckled himself. I followed suit, trailing behind him as he walked towards the door, but instead of leading me into the Consulate, he made his way to my motorcycle. With his hands clasped firmly behind him, he nodded towards the machine, inviting me to inform him of the issue I had hinted at earlier.

I sighed and mounted the bike, tucking my skirt neatly under me, and I glanced at him as my hands rested easily on the handlebars.

"A passenger on this thing rides behind the driver, on that little seat right there," I told him, nodding to the space behind me. He raised an eyebrow, but mounted the bike behind me; I could feel the heat of his body from the proximity, but he did not touch me.

"You're going to have to sit closer to me than that, Soval," I said quietly, and he scooted forward, his legs now barely brushing mine. "Closer," I repeated, and that seemed to give him pause.

"I can see now that the weight of the passengers must be centered on this bike for its stabilization. What does the passenger hold onto? I know these machines can achieve great speed, and thus far it does not seem like a safe option."

I laughed and twisted around to face him. "Well, the aircar is definitely the safer option, but I promise, if I were driving you, I would be very careful. And you hold onto the driver."

He blinked, then tilted his head slightly, and it occurred to me that his pupils had bloomed, making his gaze grow dark and intense. "It strikes me that the most secure place to hold you would be around your waist," he said, his voice low and gravely in my ear. I couldn't seem to break eye contact with him, and I nodded slightly at his observation.

"Correct," I whispered, and I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I glanced down in time to see his hand pause inches from my side, as if he had contemplated wrapping his arms around me that very moment. "So...I don't necessarily know if this would comply with your rules and such..."

My eyes trailed back to meet his, so unnervingly close and seemingly intent on my every move. The heat of his body had now sunk into mine, casting thrills deep inside me, and his breath and my heartbeat sounded so loud in my ears...

"In this case, it could be argued that this vehicle is an acceptable alternative to an aircar, as it is far more fuel-efficient, however...considering the type of journey we have planned, I wonder if the aircar would not be the better option." I nodded, privately disappointed. "That being said..." I raised my eyebrows in anticipation. "Perhaps you would allow me to be a passenger on this vehicle during a shorter excursion? We could take it on our next outing, if you are agreeable to it."

"Of course," I said, and he nodded and dismounted, straightening his robes. "After all, I offered in the first place."

He smirked and offered me his hand, which I took, steadying myself on his arm as I got off the bike.

"Thank you for accompanying me to dinner, Genevieve." Was it just me, or was that a purr under his voice? "It is always a pleasure to be in your company."

I fell in step beside him as we walked towards the door. "No, thank you," I insisted, and he bowed his head. "Dinner was delicious, and we really need to take walks together more often."

We strode in contented silence all the way to our rooms, where I did not even have to ask for help before Soval's fingers hovered above my zipper.

"May I, Genevieve?"

"Yes, thank you." I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as his warm, calloused fingers brushed ever so slightly against my spine. He undid my zipper enough so I could reach it, then deftly unlatched my necklace, letting the chain slink into my palm.

"If you are not too tired, would you object to joining me out here once you have changed?" he asked, and I nodded, and quickly retreated to my room to put on sleeping clothes. I emerged a little while later, and he waited for me on the couch, dressed more simply in his lounge outfit and, to my surprise, two small glasses of familiar blue liquid.

"You promised to answer a few questions for me, Genevieve," he explained as I frowned, "and if you have no objection, I would have you fulfill that promise now."

I swallowed thickly, but joined him on the couch and accepted one of the glasses. I took a small sip, staring at him over the rim of my glass. He waited until I had set my cup down before taking a deep breath and setting his intense gaze on me.

"In the spirit of the questions you asked of me, I only wish to compare and contrast our two species from an anthropological standpoint. It is not my intention to make you uncomfortable, and if I ask a question you do not wish to answer, you are under no obligation to indulge me."

I nodded and smiled, raising my eyebrows in anticipation of his first question even as my heart raced in my chest.

"Firstly," he rumbled, and my attention was briefly drawn to his fingers caressing the side of his glass, "I have noted a tendency towards public and private displays of affection between couples on your world. Is this a common phenomenon or am I seeing a pattern where there is none?"

My smile became less forced, and I relaxed a little. "That's very common, all across the world. Most people aren't going to show overt affection in public – well, I say that, but I guess medical emergencies and partings are an exception – but I suppose what I think and what you think overt means are rather different?"

He raised his chin slightly, but nodded, looking contemplative as he took a sip of his drink. "Your people freely hold hands and kiss each other in public. Such displays are seen as...lewd on my world, but I also understand that your anatomy differs from ours, so I would ask...is this simply an indulgence granted to those in relationships or is the act of holding hands not what I see it as?"

"Uh..." A smile crossed my lips despite myself. "You're going to have to explain how holding hands is so lewd, because in my culture, it's seen as a wholesome sign of affection. Same with kissing, so long as it's brief and...well, for a lack of a better term, chaste. So why no hand-holding on Vulcan?"

He raised an eyebrow at my explanation, but did not seem perturbed. "Our hands are far more sensitive than yours, Genevieve. We have nearly double the nerve endings in our hands as you do, and that is part of the reason why our mental disciplines are so important. With effort, I can suppress some sensation in my hands, but if I am not careful, I could easily gain a certain...advantage over you by not putting up mental barriers." He shook his head. "To put this in perspective for you, to see a couple join hands as you do would be the equivalent of allowing your partner to grope you in public."

I flushed, but accepted the answer even though I still was curious about this new revelation, and I waited for him to ask his next question.

"Forgive me if this is too personal, but...do all of your women embrace sexuality, and see no reason to suppress their desire? I have told you it is not so on my world."

My cheeks burned as I stared at him, but I swallowed down my embarrassment and chased it with another large sip of Vulcan port. "For the majority of human women, the answer to that question is yes. But I feel its only fair to let you know there is a minority of men and women who feel no sexual attraction at all, towards anyone. The longer we've lived in these past few centuries, the more we've looked at sexuality as a spectrum, rather than something someone embraces or not. Everyone is different, and has their own amount of desire and priority towards it, if that makes any sense."

He nodded, looking thoughtfully at me as I took another sip of my drink. "If I may be so bold as to continue on the subject," he said, and I gripped my glass tighter, "how often do couples on Earth engage in sexual intercourse?"

I was really glad I had already swallowed what was in my mouth, otherwise I would have spit it out in surprise. I dared not look into his eyes, but directed my words at his chest, trying not to fumble my words. "Oh," I squeaked, and I could feel my face burning even hotter, "well...it kind of depends from person to person? For some, it's every six months or once a year and that's all they need; for some, it's maybe every six months and they want far more, or far less; for others, it's once a month, or once a week, or every day. It's up to each individual to decide that for themselves, and find someone who has a similar kind of priority."

"You are saying that it is common to engage with one's partner on a daily basis?" His voice dripped with incredulity, perhaps even shock, and I forced myself to meet his gaze.

"Not necessarily common, but certainly not unheard of." I nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear and cleared my throat. "I've never had...I'm not exactly an expert in this sort of thing since I've never experienced it myself, but...if I had to pick an average, I would say somewhere between once a month and maybe three times a week? Again, desire for...intercourse and its priority in your relationship is going to vary from person to person."

"I believe I understand," he said, his voice low and soft. There was a prolonged pause between us, and I took another large gulp of my port. It was now almost gone, and I wished I had paced myself better.

"That is all I wished to know about your people's customs regarding sexuality, Genevieve, but I do have a few more questions about your courtship rituals, if you are open to answering them." I nodded and drained the last of my port, and he took the empty glass off my hands. "I believe I have told you that marriages on my world are almost all arranged for us by our parents when we are young. I know this is not the case for the majority of your people, and I was curious as to how you select mates for yourselves."

I shrugged. "Well, coming from someone who has never been in a long-term relationship, it's really about looking around in your peer group for someone who you think you would be compatible with, or at the very least someone you're attracted to. If you find someone you like, and they agree to go on a date with you, and everything goes well and you find you still get along, then you enter a committed relationship, which may or may not blossom into marriage or a long-term partnership. But it's basically up to the individual to try and find someone to marry."

He frowned. "The two parties must come to an agreement, then? Parents are not as involved in this selection process?"

"I mean, your parents are free to their own opinions, but no, they don't have a say in who you choose."

He looked surprised, but seemed to take this information in stride, continuing on with more questions. "And is there a standard of qualifications one's potential mate must show to be eligible for consideration? Are there certain qualities in a mate that your people find particularly attractive?"

I tilted my head, frowning in concentration as I tried to come up with a reasonable answer. "Well, to answer the first question...are you asking if there's like a baseline that people have to meet?"

"Yes."

I shrugged. "I mean, kind of? But I think you'll find a pattern here that what a person wants, what a person finds attractive, what their sexual desires might be...it's all up to the individual. There is no catch-all, there is no simple answer...but I think there's a general consensus for most people, if that's any consolation." I sighed. "Sorry, I know that's not really helpful, but it's the truth."

A smirk tugged at his lips, and he seemed to accept my vague answers. "What is the general consensus then, Genevieve?"

"Most people are just looking for someone who loves them, I guess," I said, but shook my head as Soval opened his mouth to question further. "The best way I've seen it put is that the best relationships are going to have respect, competency and affection from both parties. Respect means that there is equal say in the relationship, in the running of the household, in the raising of children, in how your finances are handled. Also in that consent is an absolute must, and the two people communicate with each other." I took a deep breath. "Competency means accepting the responsibilities of being in a relationship, and also of just being an adult. Do you both have jobs? Do you both contribute to the household? Do you both contribute towards raising children? That sort of thing."

"That is understandable. And what is the expectation in regards to affection?"

"Only that you and your partner are on the same page as to how much and what kind and how often. I think affection is what sets romantic relationships apart from friendship – well, for the vast majority, I suppose. We must allow the asexuals their romance if they so desire it. Just because someone doesn't like sex doesn't mean they don't enjoy cuddling or kissing or things like that. But I'm not exactly an expert on that point of view, so...I don't know." I sighed again and shook my head. "I'm not sure that lecture was at all helpful. I really hope you got something out of all that mess."

He smirked, raising his eyebrows in apparent amusement. "Rest assured, Genevieve, I found your lecture most informative. I thank you for indulging my curiosity."

"Of course," I said, smiling back at him. "That's the whole point of this exchange, right? I'm glad I could help."

He nodded, draining the rest of his glass; he rose from his seat, setting the cups in the sink. "I am pleased we were able to have this conversation. I believe this adds to my understanding of you and your people, and I feel it only fair that I offer you a chance to respond with questions of your own. Do you have any questions for me?"

I yawned, shaking my head. "I do, but I don't think I'm going to last much longer on this couch. I'll ask later when I'm more awake."

He turned to me, and before I could summon the will to get off the couch, he was at my side, offering me a hand to help me up. I stared at the offered hand and hesitated.

"Well, one question. In this instance, you're offering me a hand to help me up, right?"

"Correct."

"So this wouldn't...if I take your hand, it's not considered lewd or anything?"

"My barriers are up," he explained. "I am prepared for your touch, and it is not inappropriate to accept this."

"Okay." I smiled and took his hand, and privately relished the warmth of his skin, the rough callouses along his fingers, the strength of his grip as he pulled me to standing. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable is all."

"As you have reiterated several times. There is no impropriety here." I blinked as he gently laid his hand on my shoulder. "Thank you for this evening, for your company and for the information you have imparted to me. I cannot tell you what it means to me for us to come to a closer understanding." I nodded, at a loss for words, and I could have sworn his fingertips trailed down my arm as he pulled away. "Sleep well, Genevieve."

"And you, Soval," I replied. My voice came out as a whisper, but I coughed in an effort to hide my embarrassment. "See you in the morning."

He nodded, and I retreated to bed, my thoughts whirring in my head until exhaustion claimed me, and I fell into an uneasy sleep.