Rules
‘Rules are made to be broken.’
I remember when I first told Sarek this;
I can still see the slight twitch in his right eyebrow, the tilt of his head
and a sigh of resignation as he prepared his brain for the inevitable waves of
illogic that always preceded my assault on his perceptions.
However, of all the philosophies I have
encountered during my much-travelled existence, this Ouroboros
rule has been a constant. It has been my shield against injustice and a weapon
to fight the bureaucracy that infests every civilised society.
My most memorable battle was against a
somewhat green around the ears Vulcan ambassador. My triumph was absolute!
Earth,
“If you’re going to give me a present,
Sarek, now would be a good time.”
His head shot up. "A present? Is
it normal practice to present a gift?” His eyes darted to the pocket of his
discarded jacket.
“You’ve been hiding something in that
jacket all evening. Don’t think I
haven’t noticed.”
He straightened and pulled his head back,
looking down his nose. "The robe
does not secrete anything except a data PADD, Amanda.”
“You’re reading?” I was miffed
and felt somewhat cheated of the perceived gift. "Obviously my conversation isn’t
gripping enough!”
He seemed to take in a deep breath before
answering. "It is essential that I
have some guidance with this type of interaction.” He waved his hand at our
table and the room. Then he snatched the
concealed data PADD, flipping it so that it came to an abrupt halt next to my
wine glass. Before I could even peek at the display, he continued, "It
contains a list of the excepted courtship rules on this planet.”
“What?”
“They are the standard ones of course,
considering the cultural and geographical variations…”
“You brought a guide for dating humans!”
He shrugged. “I did not; it was given to
me.”
“Someone gave it…who?”
“The embassy has a protocol officer whose
duty is to provide rules for effective interaction with non-Vulcans. I admit
that it was a surprise to see this particular study on my desk, but it has
proven useful.”
“Oh wonderful, I have one of your staff
dictating our great romance! So what
happens next?” I folded my arms in exasperated resignation.
Sarek ignored the sarcasm and picked up
the pad, his slim fingers becoming a blur of activity, his dark eyes narrowing
before meeting mine. “As this is our second outing, it is acceptable for me to
make a creative change to the evening’s schedule. With your permission I could
suggest a walk, weather permitting. There is also the possibility of a visit to
another drinking establishment, providing you have not already consumed the
benchmark units of alcohol, as it is not advisable to render one’s partner
intoxicated. Which would you prefer, Amanda?”
“Given the choice, I think the
intoxicated bit sounds the most attention grabbing.”
He looked sceptical and consulted the PADD. "It would be against the excepted rules
and such behaviour could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt at seduction.”
“Oh, do I get to choose a seduction
option?”
Again, he used the PADD before answering.
“No, not until the fifth date.” As he double checked
that statement with obvious interest, he added, “You should never discard rules,
Amanda; they are usually established to maintain civility.”
“Waiter.”
“Yes, Madam?”
“Another bottle of wine,
please.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Sarek, have I ever told you my views on
rules…?”