Naruto: Infinity Divide
The Grayth
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Star Trek
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This time Naruto meets a zoo animal and finally gets to work on that bike. Enjoy!
Last time:
"If Arev attacks me or anyone I care for then I won't hold back." said Naruto in an iron tone.
"You mean you would actually use your chakra?" asked T'Lyra.
Naruto nodded. "If he tries to hurt you in any way T'Lyra; I will put him down like the sick animal he is. I won't let him touch you."
…
Vulcan Science Academy
Naruto got back to his suite at nine-thirty and sat wondering what exactly happened to Arev. T'Lyra's parents explained to Naruto that the engagement was mutually broken between Arev and T'Lyra's parents which put the blue wearing girl in the position of being thirteen and unbonded. Regardless of this fact; Arev had been completely enraged and apparently was dragged out of T'Lyra's house by his own very mortified Father…
'It isn't like Arev was ever any sort of friend to me.' thought the blonde. 'Other than taunting me from day one and attacking me we are barely acquaintances. I saved his life and it made him mad. Perhaps he was damaged all along and rebelled completely during his therapy. How disturbing.' Naruto showered and changed into his night clothes. He thought aloud, "If Arev tries to harm T'Lyra in any way there will be no power in the world that can save him from me."
Naruto slept uneasily that night dreaming of assassination techniques from his ancestral memories. Whether he knew it or not his dreams would prepare the blonde for anything…
…
Chapter 7
...
Stardate 2267.316, Planet Vulcan, ShiKahr District, Vulcan Science Academy
Naruto woke up Monday morning with the knowledge of several ways to kill a person both armed and unarmed and wondered if he should have his head examined. -By Friday he knew dozens of ways. The blonde felt he would have to practice these moves in order to make sure he had mastery over them so he wouldn't use them instinctually like so many moves. On the positive side Naruto could see each move with absolute clarity as if he had a deeply ingrained memory of every one of them. Like the many chakra techniques in his arsenal Naruto knew this was an ancestral memory. 'Just what were my people, assassins?' wondered the blonde. The concept made sense. "I need to talk to Mother and Father about this." he thought aloud.
After recording his morning personal log and having a light breakfast, Naruto reviewed his Genetics & Biology homework for his first session of class with Professor T'Par. While Naruto enjoyed T'Par's manner of teaching with rapid fire questions and answers expected; his friend Geoff was terrified of the woman. Often Naruto ended up helping Geoff with homework because the young human man tended to get nerve wracked. Senva and Alison had Professor T'Par for their third class session together so they had the same homework at least. Naruto had a slight advantage that he already studied genetics intensively with his Mother because of the blonde's hybrid nature. (T'Ara had a Master's Degree in Xenobiology)
Naruto soon was dressed and put on his platinum Academy medallion. Exiting his suite for class, the blonde stepped out in the hall and felt his fighting instincts roar to life. Naruto suddenly heard yelling and screaming coming from the south. He saw an animal running down the hallway; it reminded him of a Le-matya in a way. It was some sort of big hunting cat and was white with blue spots. In the back of his mind, he heard others calling out in warning that the beast was dangerous and to get away. It growled at him, and Naruto's eyes crackled with chakra. The massive creature paused for a moment and then lunged at the blonde hybrid. Naruto hit the cat with an axe kick on top of its head that sent it crashing to the floor senseless. The big cat stumbled back and put its paws on its head. It hunkered down and meowed in deference. Naruto said, "Don't you move one centimeter. I know you're scared but attacking others will do you no good."
About that time a Vulcan three Andorian guards arrived with stun guns and other gear to subdue the creature and stood gawking as Naruto scolded the 300kgs of solid muscle, teeth, and claws as if it was a common house pet. Both Alison and Geoff saw what happened through their cracked doors and were wide eyed and speechless. So was everyone else who witnessed the blonde's actions which was a good chunk of the western dorm…After the caretakers took the animal back with them to captivity Naruto found out it was an Andorian predator called a grayth and the animal had apparently escaped its confines after some sort of medical examination…."If I was taken to another world and poked and prodded I'd want to escape too." was all Naruto had to say about the whole incident.
Alison on the other hand was ecstatic about it. "Naruto; that was amazing! How did you know how to subdue that grayth? I mean, it was only one hit…Have you studied grayth biology?"
Naruto sighed. "I didn't even know what a grayth was until after I knocked it down and they restrained it. Most predators back off when they realize a stronger predator is nearby. I gave it the impression I was an apex predator; that's all."
"That's all?" asked Geoff in disbelief. "I'd have been running in terror."
The blonde said, "All creatures fit into an ecosystem with an apex predator at the top. The best way to deal with such creatures is to convince them they are completely outclassed."
"You make it sound so elementary." deadpanned Geoff.
"I still say it was tremendous!" said Alison as they headed off towards their first sessions of class…
…
Alumni Lecture/Debate Hall
Later that morning T'Ara was giving a short presentation on Quantum Mechanics and when she found out that her co-presenter had been unavoidably delayed. Her co-presenter was an Astrodynamicist and Astrophysicist and together they'd been working on a warp theory tentatively called transwarp. Basically, the concept was overlapping warp fields shifting places to increase current warp speeds. As it stood the power consumption, size and cost made the idea prohibitive but proving the theory and generating discussion was the goal here; not selling a working product. At any rate the lecture was received well though it ran short because T'Ara didn't have a copy of all her counterpart's notes. '…Damn stubborn Tellarite…' thought the onyx eyed beauty.
Having some unexpected time on her hands T'Ara knew it was close to lunchtime and decided to see if her son was in the Western Dorm Cafeteria that Naruto mentioned he usually ate in. As she glided down the halls soaking up memories of her own time in the Academy, she started hearing rumors of a student frightening a zoo animal, (an Andorian grayth of all things) into obedience and that he did it completely unarmed. 'Now I must find my son just to see what he's been up to. He can even make dorm life an adventure. What are we going to do with you Naruto?' she thought with a gleam of mischief in her onyx eyes…
…
Western Dorm Cafeteria
After their morning class sessions Naruto and his friends were having lunch together. The Academy rumor mill was in full swing. The fact Naruto's spiky blonde hair sticking out like a sore thumb did not help. Alison was still excited about the situation with the grayth. "I wish I'd recorded it on my tablet. You were so awesome Naruto!" gushed the redhead. "I'm surprised you haven't been interviewed yet."
Geoff nodded. "It had to be seen to be believed. I bet the Media Team is very interested."
"I truly hope I'm not interviewed." groused Naruto. He'd already done his best to avoid the Academy Media Team. Being a hybrid had them all rather curious about the blonde to begin with.
"I heard the rumors about the grayth being loose in the Academy but I wasn't sure what to think until Geoff explained the situation to me." said Senva. "From what I've heard it is part of an Andorian travelling zoo and the animals are going to be here at the Vulcan Science Academy over the next three weeks. Logically they should improve their security if this is going to take place. Having an animal escape captivity before the actual display has taken place is not a very promising start."
"It might be better to have the display in a more controlled environment like the Zoo in ShiKahr City's Old Quarter." said Naruto. "They have an impeccable safety record."
A beautiful Vulcan woman in formal crimson robes of the M'Fau clan walked up and said, "Ah Naruto, there you are my son." She wore an Academy Medallion that had masses of symbols on it including three doctorates and a number of lesser degrees. Humor glimmered in T'Ara's onyx eyes as she saw her son cringe in embarrassment. "I came to the Academy to give a presentation to the Alumni only to find out you frightened a full grown grayth into submission. Hasn't fighting Le matyas in the Forge curbed your appetite for that sort of entertainment?"
"Hello Mother." said Naruto. "It is good to see you are well. I wasn't aware you would be here today."
T'Ara explained, "One of the other speakers was unable to appear and I found myself with unexpected time on my hands. When I heard all sorts of rumors about a student taming a grayth with a glare I knew it had to be you. It was easy to confirm given you are a blonde. May I join you?"
Naruto stood up. "Certainly Mother; allow me to introduce my fellow classmates." Naruto quickly introduced Alison, Senva and Geoff.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Ma'am." said Geoff with a slight blush. 'She's really beautiful.' he thought dreamily.
Senva said, "It is an honor to meet you Mrs. M'Fau." 'I see were Naruto got his facial expressions.'
"Naruto was amazing! He took out that grayth in one hit." said Alison excitedly. "I'm Alison; you have so much on your Medallion. Are those three doctorates?"
T'Ara raised an eyebrow in an identical fashion as her son. 'What an exuberant girl. Reminds me of my days in Starfleet.' "You translate Golic Vulcan well Miss Alison. Yes, I hold three doctorates. I specialize in quantum physics primarily."
"I wondered why Naruto had such talent in that area." said Senva conversationally.
T'Ara looked over at Naruto and said, "Naruto's talents lean more towards astrophysics actually. He will exceed me before he graduates."
Naruto blushed and said, "You don't know that Mother."
T'Ara hid her tiny smile and enjoyed listening to the banter of Naruto and his classmates while she ate…
…
Geoff's Suite, that evening
"Well it's a small wonder you are so cute when your Mom looks like that Naruto." said Alison. (Naruto blushed slightly) "She's beautiful. I thought Geoff was going to melt into goo looking at her."
Geoff blushed madly at Alison's banter. He squeaked out, "Was it that obvious?"
Senva nodded and said, "Yes, it was quite apparent. It's only a natural reaction to an attractive member of the opposite sex…at least for a human I believe. I'm still studying such things in xenopsychology."
The black-haired young man looked to Naruto for support but the blonde said, "I was intentionally ignoring the situation at the time."
Alison laughed and Senva was amused. They were both enjoying teasing the boys…
…
Stardate 2267.317, T'Ara and Sovar's house, garage
Naruto burned the midnight oil and got most of his homework done the night before. He caught a transport home and was looking over Sovar's bike he was planning to restore. The blonde contacted Kesh who had been shanghaied into helping help his Father but T'Lyra was available and soon was knocking on the garage door where Naruto was looking over the bike's specifications with a critical eye on his data pad. Naruto was jolted out of his thoughts and saw T'lyra standing there beaming at him. His brain promptly short circuited at that point.
Rather than her usual blue robes T'Lyra wa wearing a snug gray sleeveless work shirt and matching pants. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a tight braid so she could work. Her very practical work outfit also showed off all the teenage girl's well developed feminine curves. Being a hybrid Naruto was of several minds:
Naruto's logical, Vulcan side thought, 'T'Lyra's quite the mammal.'
His teenage boy side thought, 'She's been hiding all that under those loose blue robes?!'
The blonde boy's base instincts simply screamed 'WOMAN!'
T'Lyra noticed Naruto's heated stare and asked, "Is everything alright Naruto?" She was feeling a little self-conscious under his scrutiny.
Naruto mentally slapped himself and said, "I guess I've never seen you wear anything but blue. It took me off guard."
T'Lyra said, "I guess I really do favor blue as it is my favorite. This outfit seemed more logical given how dirty we are going to get."
"Ah, of course." agreed Naruto. 'I will be driven to distraction with all those soft curves on display. I need to focus on the bike…'
…
"According to the specs all we should have had to do to drop the engine was disconnect all the wiring and remove those four bolts." said T'Lyra in a puzzled tone. "Why is it unmoving?"
"Perhaps it's rusted together." said Naruto from under the bike. He had a work light and was looking at the underside of the ion repulsor engine. "T'Lyra, there are four metal straps holding the engine to the right side of the frame still. It's all bent. I don't think they belong there."
T'Lyra slid underneath the bike with Naruto and started comparing the straps to the diagram on her tablet. As she looked at the puzzle Naruto couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was becoming. 'Her lips look so soft…' thought the blonde.
The brown-haired girl said, "Naruto; the right frame is supposed to be straight and is bent inwards. She turned her face to him and said, "Those straps are a nonstandard modification I'm afraid. They need to be removed."
Naruto stared at the straps and said, "More of Father's work no doubt…Let me get a couple of adjustable wrenches and some rust remover. These straps are rusted solid."
T'Lyra was soon sitting back while Naruto battled with the 'infernal straps' as he called them. After nearly a half an hour of struggling Naruto removed the last strap only to find the engine still wouldn't lower. Both teens were getting frustrated at this point. "Take a break and let me look under there with the diagrams Naruto." said T'Lyra. "I'll run some comparisons. It's probably the bent frame."
Naruto sighed as he slid out from under the bike covered in grease and dirt. He had a big stripe across his face that looked hysterical to T'Lyra. She hid her tiny smile behind the data pad and said, "You might want to wipe your face." as she handed him a towel. The brunette quickly slipped under the bike where she could silently laugh at Naruto's expense and look at the diagrams.
"…The bent frame is in the way, and we have no tools to bend it back." reported T'Lyra. "Are there any tools designed for such a task?"
Naruto glared at the obstinate frame and said, "I'll bend it back myself T'Lyra. Stand back." Once T'Lyra was clear he braced himself and used chakra to enhance his strength. T'Lyra watched as she admired Naruto's muscles ripple under his black tee-shirt. 'All that lean muscle and those amazing blue eyes…' She was on the verge of drooling when the frame slowly but surely started to give and finally was bent back roughly where it was supposed to be. "There." said Naruto "Let's try dropping the engine now T'Lyra."
Shaken out of her stupor; T'Lyra blushed and said, "Hold on and I'll lower the jack." Then the engine finally dropped. Both teenagers breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let's take a break." said Naruto tiredly. "I am hungry. I'll bet you are too."
…
The pair cleaned up a bit and ate some lunch out in the garage. That was when Naruto's family got home from shopping and Sovar said, "How is it going kids? It looks like you got the engine out easily enough."
Naruto gave his Father a withering stare and said, "Once we got those four rusted, corroded straps off and I bent the right side of the frame out again it was a simple task to drop the engine. How did you manage to mangle the mainframe that badly?"
"It was a physics experiment." said T'Ara. "Your Father tried to ram an immovable object and ended up in the hospital with a concussion."
"I didn't want to be late for a date with your Mother and hit a boulder when I took a turn too fast." admitted Sovar.
"A boulder?!" asked Naruto dumbfounded. "And how are you still alive Father?"
T'Ara had humor in her onyx eyes. "We had a pleasant date in the Emergency Room. Your Father was back on his bike within a week though."
"That's when I strapped it back together to make sure the engine didn't vibrate its way free." explained Sovar. Seeing the deadpan stares of disbelief from Naruto and T'Lyra, Sovar said, "I think I'll get these groceries put away." He quickly went into the house.
"I'd best help Sovar with the groceries." said T'Ara with a twinkle in her eye. "You never know what kind of trouble he will get into with Talok helping him."
…
Later that afternoon Naruto escorted T'lyra home and they agreed to continue their work tomorrow. Naruto came home and thoroughly scrubbed himself clean in the shower before he joined his family for dinner and a few rounds of poker afterwards. "You should come home more Naruto. It's not as fun to play Kal-toh without you here with me." said Talok as she drew a card with a cute look of total concentration on her face.
Naruto drew a card himself. "I wish I could Talok but school at the Vulcan Science Academy keeps me very busy and I don't have as much spare time as I'd like."
Talok replied, "It's still more fun when you are here. -OH!" She laid her cards on the table. "I call, straight flush. Beat that." said the little girl triumphantly.
Everyone else epically face faulted… 'Utterly crushed by a five-year-old…' lamented Naruto and his parents.
…
T'Lyra's house
The blue wearing girl was thoroughly clean and had a late dinner with her parents. They were discussing the rather dire situation with Arev. T'Lyra's Mother Anauk and her husband Falor were concerned about their daughter's safety.
"It would be in your best interest if we arranged a new bonding due to your broken engagement with Arev." said Falor.
Anauk explained, "Your Father and I believe that Arev might consider you off limits if a new betrothal is in place. He would be honor bound to leave you alone."
T'Lyra frowned. "That's assuming that Arev has a shred of honor left. –Which I truly doubt."
"We need to keep you safe at any rate." said Falor. "Your Mother and I are going to start looking around for a suitable mate for you. It may take time but-"
"What about Naruto M'Fau?" asked T'Lyra. "He is my dear friend and has never been bonded. He is strong and brilliant. Naruto is already in the Vulcan Science Academy. I would be honored to have him as my husband."
"Naruto is a very good young man but he is a hybrid my dear." said Anuak. "Does this not bother you?"
"It doesn't bother me in the least." said T'Lyra. "I cannot see the logic behind you judging him for such a thing. Naruto is a wonderful person and can keep me protected from Arev."
Falor said, "We had not considered Naruto. It never occurred to us you would be interested in him that way. We thought…well, never mind what we thought."
"We will talk to Sovar and T'Ara and see what they think." said Anuak. "They may have someone in mind for young Naruto. We will find out, okay?"
"I believe that Naruto and I would be well suited to each other." said T'Lyra. "Please speak with his parents seriously. I would be very pleased to be betrothed to Naruto."
Falor said, "We will talk to them this week then."
…
T'Ara and Sovar's house
After Talok went to bed Naruto was discussing his dreams with T'Ara and Sovar. He also demonstrated some of the assassination moves he'd learned by going through the motions with his Father.
Sovar scratched his chin. "There is little doubt in my mind each of those moves is suited for a professional assassin. As disturbing as it seems your ancestors took killing very seriously and were exceptionally skilled at it. Each of the twelve unarmed moves you demonstrated are one hundred percent lethal."
"The ones with weapons sound even more deadly." said T'Ara uneasily. "Even when you were a little boy you had remarkable dexterity with a knife. Perhaps it would be best to train you in the traditional Vulcan weaponry used in ceremonies. Your Father is very well versed in their use."
"You want me to train with the old weapons?" asked Naruto surprised.
Sovar nodded. "I agree with your Mother. You already have knowledge and if you find yourself in a situation with a weapon you should know how to use it properly. That way you won't injure yourself or others by accident because of lack of familiarity. I'll start training you with swords and knives in your month break after your first trimester of classes is over since you are already familiar with those from your memories. You already are superb with a bow. I can train you in the Lirpa*① and the Ahn'woon*② as time passes."
Naruto nodded and said with a sigh, "That seems like a logical solution. It appears that my race was quite violent."
T'Ara ruffled her son's hair affectionately. "Your people on Tori Prime IV destroyed themselves in a war. You already know this. Besides, you are a hybrid so you know better than to repeat their mistakes. Moreover, you behave like a normal, logical young Vulcan. Knowing extra fighting skills does not mean you're following in their footsteps. Consider it extra survival insurance my son."
…
Stardate 2267.318, T'Lyra's house
T'Lyra awoke bright and early and was looking forward to spending another day with Naruto. The brunette got up and had breakfast with her parents before she received a text message from Naruto saying he would arrive within the hour. "Excellent timing." thought T'Lyra aloud. 'I have plenty of time to pick out some work clothes.' Changing into a snug black shirt and pants she thought, 'I really need to get some blue work clothes…'
Naruto soon arrived and exchanged greetings with T'Lyra's parents before T'Lyra came out of her room and short-circuited Naruto's poor brain…again. Naruto coughed and said, "I found a shop in the Old Quarter that has the parts in stock to replace the damaged frame pieces. Kesh is still busy with his Father so it will just be us T'Lyra."
The brunette nodded happily. "That's just fine Naruto. We work very well together." T'Lyra was beaming inside. 'Kesh is my friend but spending the whole day together alone with Naruto is the best.'
…
City of ShiKahr, Old quarter
Naruto and T'Lyra came into a parts supply store that specialized in speeder bikes. They realized it was actually more of a junked bike emporium when they arrived. A large and muscular Vulcan greeted them when they arrived. "Welcome to Mahak's Speeders. I'm Mahak; what can I do for you young people today?"
Naruto got out his tablet and said, "I need a right mainframe engine support strut for a VST-220R." The blonde showed the specs showing the bent frame and Mahak raised an eyebrow.
"May I ask how it got that bent?" asked Mahak. "That can't possibly be ridden safely."
"It was in a wreck involving a boulder about twenty years ago." explained the blonde. "We are restoring it from the frame up."
Mahak said, "That's quite an undertaking. I've got the parts, but you'll need a plasma torch to weld it properly. Come on, I'll show you two."
As they walked along Naruto introduced himself and T'Lyra. Mahak raised his eyebrows. "M'Fau? You wouldn't happen to be related to T'Ara M'Fau would you?"
Naruto nodded, "T'Ara M'Fau is my Mother. My Father is Sovar M'Fau."
Mahak said, "That's quite a coincidence. I went to school with your Mother at the ShiKahr Primary School. You bear a striking resemblance to her."
…
Soon they were standing in front of two VST-220…carcasses. "This one is a VST-220." explained Mahak pointing at a blue frame. He then pointed at a brown one. "That one is a VST-220R. The -R was optimized for higher performance but the frames are identical. The 220 frame is in better shape so I would advise getting the frame parts you need from it. If you need engine or airbrake parts you'll want to pull them from the 220R."
Naruto nodded and said, "We'll focus on restoring the frame first. The engine and electrical systems are next."
Mahak was kind enough to use his own torch to cut the part off that they needed for a small service fee. It wasn't long before Naruto a T'Lyra were on their way back to Naruto's house to mark where they needed to install the new piece. Then they needed to figure out someone who knew how to use a plasma torch…
…
"…A plasma torch?" asked Sovar. "I've never used one. Why do you think I used those straps to begin with? I think Kesh's Father Skon probably has one since he is always working on their family's hovercraft."
"I'll give Kesh a call and find out." said T'Lyra. T'Lyra stepped outside and Naruto sat down to mark the places they needed to cut and install the new frame piece. T'Lyra came back ten minutes later and said, "Kesh said his Father has one but we'd have to bring the frame there somehow because the torch isn't mobile."
"Kesh lives over two streets, right?" asked Naruto. Seeing T'Lyra nod the blonde said, "Without the engine this frame weighs nothing. I could carry it."
T'Lyra's eyes got wide and said, "Are you sure Naruto? It weighs quite a few kilograms."
Naruto stood up and effortlessly lifted the frame with one arm. "It won't be an issue. We'll need to remove all the wiring and the airbrakes to weld though. I don't want anything to be damaged by the plasma torch welding. Let's call Kesh back and see if his Father could weld it for us next weekend."
"Okay, let me call Kesh." said T'Lyra as she walked back outside.
Naruto had his eyes locked on the gentle sway of T'Lyra's hips and thought, 'She's gorgeous from behind as well…' He kept an eye on her while she was talking to Kesh on her communicator. 'I should stop staring but she's sooo smooth…' T'Lyra caught his eye and waved at him. Naruto blushed and waved back before he turned back to his work. 'I hope she didn't notice me gawking…' he thought embarrassed.
'He must be eager to hear what Kesh's Father says.' thought T'Lyra as she waited on the communicator. 'I need to impress it upon Mother and Father to talk to Sovar and T'Ara. Sovar is so kind and T'Ara is so smart. They are very admirable people, I-' "Ah, there you are Kesh; what did your Father say…?"
…
T'Lyra came back into the garage and said, "Skon has agreed to do it if we can get the frame over there by Saturday afternoon. Is that acceptable?"
"That's excellent T'Lyra!" exclaimed Naruto. "Please convey my gratitude to Kesh and his Father. We can spend the rest of the afternoon removing these airbrakes and the various attachments to the frame."
The brunette girl thanked Kesh over the communicator and then the two teens sat down together and started stripping parts off the frame so it could be fully restored…
Naruto escorted T'Lyra back to her house a few hours later. After cleaning up and having dinner with his family Naruto caught a transport back to the Vulcan Science Academy to relax and get a good night's sleep before class tomorrow…
…
Stardate 2267.319 , Vulcan Science Academy
"Personal Log: My weekend was quite eventful but squeezing it in consistently with the amount of homework I have could make things difficult. Last night my ancestral memories were of knife and sword 'katas.' That was the name of the practice forms my ancestors used. Compared to the many assassination moves I've been dreaming about; swordplay is peaceful and serene."
"On the subject of peace, it is my fervent hope that there are no wild animals running through the halls this morning. Last Friday I had to avoid the Academy Media Team through a series of stealth maneuvers that my friend Geoff Baker likened to 'playing cat and mouse.' I didn't get the inference at first (It's a Terran phrase) but once it was explained to me it was an apt description. The Media Team neglected to look up when I was on the ceiling above them…"
"Hopefully today will prove to be a pleasant, normal day of classes…"
…
T'Ara and Sovar's house
Naruto's parents were very surprised that they received a call that morning from T'Lyra's parents, Falor and Anuak Tolaris. Generally, T'Ara and Sovar were on good terms with the Tolaris couple but they weren't particularly close to them. Anuak acted with a sense of urgency so T'Ara invited them over for tea that evening to discuss whatever was on their minds.
"What do you think is going on T'Ara?" asked Sovar over breakfast. "You don't suppose it has something to do with that boy Arev again, do you?"
T"Ara looked perplexed. "I don't know. Perhaps they are concerned for T'Lyra's safety on the weekends. I don't think they realize it but she couldn't have a better protector her age than Naruto."
"Maybe she got too dirty working on that bike and ruined her clothes." commented Talok.
Sovar gave a tiny smile. "Somehow, I don't think that's it Talok. Your reasoning is a possibility though."
"We will keep it in mind." said T'Ara fondly. "I guess we will find out this evening…"
…
Vulcan Science Academy
Naruto was in metaphorical hell. The first session with Genetics and Biology had been simple enough though Geoff got called upon, so he was all flustered. (He'd been staring at an attractive female classmate instead of paying attention). History with Professor Sepel resulted in a massive writing assignment that Naruto believed was some sort of record for undergraduates. 'I can't believe he chose for us to pick a random clan to write a one-hundred-page report on by Friday. I'm lucky that I already find my own clan fascinating, and I doubt anyone else will write on the M'Fau Clan. Most will choose an old dynastic clan because information is readily available.'
Geography had been equally bad with a fifty-page report on the Fire Plains. It was Professor Storn's pet subject so it wasn't a report that could easily be blown off. 'Professor Storn has probably forgotten more about the Fire Plains than I will ever learn in my lifetime. He is a walking encyclopedia.' Naruto sighed.
The blonde was now in Logic and Philosophy with Professor T'Laan. Unfortunately, she had a keen interest in Naruto's (typically Vulcan) views. She seemed to have a deep-seated fascination with hybrids and had been disappointed when Sarek and Lady Amanda's son Spock didn't attend the Vulcan Science Academy. Needless to say, Naruto was now in her sights. 'I think Professor T'Laan is disappointed that I'm just an ordinary Vulcan for the most part. She keeps asking me questions and I believe she expects some sort of radical answers. Just because I have blonde hair doesn't mean I'm a revolutionary by nature.'
Hearing the chime Naruto thought to himself, 'Thank the Gods it's lunchtime. Hopefully this afternoon will be less stressful…'
…
T'Ara and Sovar's house
Anuak and Falor Tolaris arrived promptly at 6 PM for tea. T'Ara welcomed them and both couples exchanged formal greetings.
"Thank you for inviting us into your home." said Anuak. "We apologize for such short notice. Is your little one around?"
Sovar replied, "Talok is keeping herself entertained in her room while we adults talk. It will be fine."
T'Ara said, "When you called this morning you had a sense of urgency in your voice. It concerned us. Is T'Lyra alright?"
Falor said, "T'Lyra is fine but since we broke her betrothal, she is unbonded. We are concerned that Arev will return and try to take her by force."
"Whatever happened to Arev?" asked Sovar.
"He ran away from home and has not been seen since." said Anuak. "We are good friends of his parents and they indicated he was a danger to T'Lyra in their opinion. For obvious reasons we are very troubled."
"I understand, how can we help?" asked T'Ara. "If she needs a place to stay over at for a few days she would be welcomed."
"No, it's nothing like that though we thank you." said Falor. "I suppose it would be best to be direct. T'Lyra is unbonded and it is our hope that if she were to become betrothed properly that Arev would stay away because he is honor bound to respect a new bonding."
T'Ara raised an eyebrow. "That is highly illogical. If Arev has completely rebelled against logical reason, then I see him doing the same with his sense of honor."
"We realize this, but we want to protect T'Lyra any way we can." explained Anuak.
T'Ara was thinking about a logical counterargument when Sovar put his hand on her knee. He said, "I believe all parents sometimes place logic aside when it comes to their children's welfare."
"Thank you." said Anuak. "We were wondering if your son Naruto is bonded. T'Lyra says he is not."
"Naruto hasn't been bonded since he was seven years old, and his bond mate died in an earthquake along with her parents." said T'Ara in a hollow voice.
Falor sighed. "How tragic. Did you not seek a new betrothal after his kahs-wan?"
This time it was Sovar's turn to sigh. "Our family tried to make betrothal arrangements on five separate occasions and each was a complete failure. Naruto finally decided it was better to be alone and dropped the subject entirely."
"But what about his Pon farr?" asked Anuak. "Does he not realize he could literally die? He is taking it far too lightly."
"It is a difficult situation because Naruto is a hybrid." said T'Ara. "Many potential mates do not wish to be with him for that reason."
"T'Lyra does." said Falor. Everyone was silent for a few moments after he dropped that bomb…
Anuak explained quietly, "We informed T'Lyra that we had to start looking for a new mate for her and she was very insistent that she wants Naruto M'Fau to be her betrothed. Bother Falor and I were surprised as we didn't realize she felt this way or this strongly about it. T'Lyra spoke very highly of both of you and that she would be deeply honored to become Naruto's wife."
Falor added, "We knew they were dear friends but assumed T'Lyra would not want Naruto as a mate. We were very wrong. It seems T'Lyra exclusively wants Naruto to be her mate. Do you think Naruto would be willing?"
"If Naruto is willing then we would gladly give our blessings." said T'Ara as she held Sovar's hand. 'I knew there was an attraction, but I'm surprised they would propose such an arrangement.'
Sovar nodded. "I know T'Lyra is dear to Naruto so perhaps this could work out. I hope so."
….
POSTSCRIPT:
*①: Lirpa: A lirpa is a Vulcan weapon consisting of a wooden staff a little over a meter in length, with a semicircular blade at one end and a metal bludgeon on the other. The overall length of the weapon appears to be approximately 1.22 meters. It is similar to the Monk's spade and the pugil stick.
*②: Ahn'woon: An ahn'woon is a Vulcan catch-strangle weapon, similar in principle to the Earth Roman gladiator's cast net. However, it is much more versatile. Depending on the skill of the user, it can be used in several ways. It is wide enough to be used as a sling. The multi-strapped weapon (approximately 1.1 meters long) uses weights on the ends of the straps, like bolas, to entangle, stun, or cut the target. The application of tying action and wrapping, as with a garrote, can restrict the breathing of the target, asphyxiating the victim. It is considered the oldest Vulcan weapon.
*③: Here is Naruto's class schedule:
1 Genetics and Biology – Professor T'Par (F)
2 History – Professor Sepel (M)
3 Geography – Professor Storn (M)
4 Logic and Philosophy – Professor T'Laan (F)
Lunch
5 PE (Self Defense) - Master Aloran (M)
6 Writing and Literature – Professor Kawarda (F)
7 Astrophysics – Professor Iria (F)
8 Quantum Physics - Professor Stavel (M)
So the footnotes have returned in force. Naruto will be steadily working on both the bike and weapons training in the background. It also seems that he potentially could have T'Lyra Tolaris as his future mate. The question is whether he will get a break in his homework to initiate the actual bond. See you next time. Blue out 8/24/23