Title: Christmas on Vulcan
Author: Terry L. Gardner/T'Pree
Series: TOS
Rated: G
Codes: (Sa/Am), S
Part: 1/1
Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to
Summary: After mending his relationship with Sarek, Spock comes home for
Christmas and Amanda’s family comes to spend Christmas on Vulcan for the first
time.
Chapter 1
Answered Prayers of a Wife and Mother
~ooOoo~
Amanda entered the
She had almost lost her husband. The one true love of her life and Spock
had nearly let him die with that exasperating Vulcan logic of his! She had
always believed that the Way of Surak was a better way of life even though she
knew it was not flawless.
Intellectually, she could understand how the needs of the many could
outweigh the needs of the few, or the one; however, she also believed, in her
heart, that a way should be found to take care of the few or the one. Humans
were experts at that and Captain Kirk had come up with the solution to their
dilemma. Thank God. Spock had such a wonderful best friend!
Jim Kirk had hit the nail on the head when he stated that her two
Vulcans were both stubborn. She smiled as she thought how most Vulcans denied
they had emotions. If that was true, what were they controlling and
suppressing?
If Spock had obeyed his father and stayed on Vulcan at the
As terrible as that time was, much good had come out of it. Not only was
her wonderful, handsome, sometimes exasperating, Vulcan, hunk of a husband
restored to her; her family was restored, also! She had prayed for this to
happen for more than eighteen years and now her personal family life was happy
and complete again.
Spock would be coming home on leave at the end of the Terran year and it
would be the first of many warm and wonderful family reunions they would have.
She couldn’t think of a better Christmas present than that for her family.
Her expression sobered as she knew she was going to have to have a long
talk with Sarek about his secretiveness, specifically, his keeping the fact of
his poor health from her. It was true that she could not do anything medical
for him. She could have been supportive to him, lessening the stress factor a
little. As his wife, she had the right to know about his life threatening
illness!
She wanted to be calm and in control of herself when she discussed it
with him and meditation would help her tremendously. She found Sarek’s favorite
alcove empty, entered it, made herself comfortable and
began to center herself. Logic, exasperating logic, would be the perfect tool
to use to convince Sarek she was right.
Chapter 2: The Hopes
and Expectations of a Father’s Heart
~ooOoo~
Sarek entered the
He had come to some very important realizations during his
illness, near death and recovery on the USS Enterprise. Spock had proved to be
an honorable Vulcan by making difficult logical choices. The only logical
choices open to him at the time. Spock had stayed true to the Way and the rule
that the needs of the many out weighed the needs of the few, or the one.
His son had made excellent choices in friends, too. Because he had been
married to Amanda all these years, he knew that Spock’s human best friend would
find a way to solve his family’s dilemma. As ill as he had been, he had
overheard the Captain presenting his plan to Dr. McCoy. It was a good plan,
although a very illogical one as the Captain was taking a serious chance with
his own life because of the severity of his own injury.
Interesting. Three life and death situations at the same
time and place, my heart condition, Spock volunteering to take a dangerous
experimental drug to save me and Kirk risking his life to enable Spock to save
my life.
Had he judged Starfleet too harshly? Was he wrong to protest against his
son joining Starfleet? Perhaps. Logic dictated that if
Spock had obeyed him and remained on Vulcan, he would not have been on the
He was not without hope about his son. He was very aware that Spock’s
own natural diplomatic abilities had surfaced and had been put to good use. It
was not precisely the same diplomacy Vulcans used but rather a combination of
Human and Vulcan techniques. It was known as cowboy diplomacy and he was not sure
he entirely approved of it but it often worked. The most fascinating thing
about it was that it seemed to produce the same results as Vulcan diplomacy.
Most intriguing!
Spock would not remain in Starfleet forever and all his efforts to train
Spock to be a diplomat were not in vain. They would probably never see eye to
eye on everything but Spock had proved he was a son that any father could
approve of. Surely they both could rejoice in their differences.
Spock would be coming home, on leave, for Christmas. He agreed with his
wife that the restoration of their family was the best Christmas present their
family could have.
He knew he needed to let go of his son. Spock would make his own unique
way in his life and he knew his son would make good, logical decisions balanced
with human intuition and ingenuity. He was already becoming a legend on Vulcan
and had won the respect of his people. Soon, he would marry and start a family
of his own. He would become a great diplomat, following in my footsteps as I
have followed in my father’s footsteps. Yes, I do have much to think about and
to rejoice over. He found his favorite alcove empty, entered it and prepared
himself for meditation.
Chapter 3:
Homecoming
~ooOoo~
Spock entered the
The Human half so desperately wanted to save his father’s life by giving
his blood in the needed operation; the Vulcan half knew his father would
respect no choice other than the logical one: the needs of the many outweighed
the needs of the few, or the one.
Even more difficult than that was having to say
no to his mother, a human mother, who he loved more than life itself. His heart
had wrenched when she shared that she had cried in empathy with him over his
inner pain and anguish when his peers had tormented him about his mixed
heritage when he was a young boy.
It was almost more than he could bare to see
the pain and anguish his refusal caused her, speaking on and on about logical
choices of the mind. He might as well have slapped her. He did not begrudge the
fact that she had slapped him. He understood that it was her fear of losing her
beloved husband that caused her to react so.
He was very grateful to have best friends like Jim and the good Doctor.
They were faithful friends who found a way to make things right so that he
could save his father’s life and still stay true to The Way.
Everyone must have believed that he was terribly gullible. In truth, he
knew that they had found a solution to his dilemma. He showed the proper amount
of suspicion and reluctance before allowing Dr. McCoy to escort him off the
bridge. In the end, all was well and miraculously, the breach in his
relationship with his father was mended.
It had not been easy to break with tradition and disobey his father’s
wishes all those years ago. Sarek had expected him to follow in his footsteps
as he had followed in the footsteps of his father, Skon. His situation was
simply beyond Sarek’s comprehension. It took a life and death experience and
the observation of his ability to make a logical decision for Sarek to finally
see and understand that he had not really rejected his Vulcan heritage and
upbringing.
It was good to be home and he was looking forward to the first of many
truly wonderful homecomings. He had some very good news for his parents, also.
The new fertilization treatments formulated by Soren,
his family’s healer, and administered to him on the USS Enterprise had worked.
He was no longer sterile! He came across an empty alcove, made himself
comfortable and began to center himself.
Chapter 4: A Special
Christmas Gift
~ooOoo~
It was a bright sunny morning on the planet Vulcan. In the Terran
Embassy, Ambassador Stevens entered the study he shared with his wife, Evelyn.
He found her at her writing desk, gently laid his hands on her shoulders and
gave her a peck on her right cheek. "Good morning, darling, who are you
writing to?"
"Good morning, dear, I am writing a thank-you note to Sarek and
Amanda. It is so thoughtful of them to host an annual Christmas party for our
employees who cannot go home for Christmas."
"I agree. They are able to do so much more than you and I could do.
Heaven knows, Sarek has more credits than he’ll ever be able to spend, even in
his long lifetime. When you are finished, shall we go and finish up our
Christmas shopping?"
She turned to him with a look of surprise, "I thought you didn’t
like to go shopping?"
"I don’t usually but I have one more gift to purchase for you,
dear, and it would be best if you try it on."
Her eyes lighted up and she smiled as she answered, "I’ll be
finished in five minutes!"
Chapter 5: Santa
and the Vulcans
~ooOoo~
Sarek gradually came out of meditation in the
Usually, Amanda celebrated Christmas with her sister’s family on Earth
and when his schedule permitted it, he went with her. They were living in
This year Patricia, Robert, and Bobby were coming to celebrate Christmas
on Vulcan for the first time. What will they think of Vulcan? Will they mind
not having a white Christmas? He had purchased a live Douglas fir tree in a
planter, from Earth and it had been delivered in time for the annual Christmas
party. Spock had helped him set it up in their living room, under Amanda’s
supervision. The three of them had decorated it with the old-fashioned
ornaments that Amanda had brought from Earth and some homemade Vulcan ornaments
that Spock had made as a child, down through the years. Spock would help him
move it into the greenhouse after the holidays.
When Spock was four years old, Amanda told him, in more detail, about
Christmas and the real Santa Claus, Bishop Nicholas. She explained about the
fables that people made up about him out of their great love for him and how,
as a bishop, he really did care if children were naughty or nice. She told
Spock how the bishop was responsible for establishing children’s rights in his
seaside village and how he bravely led the villagers to the sea to rescue
survivors of shipwrecks.
Then Amanda explained that it was the right of the parents of children,
everywhere, to decide what to tell their children about Santa Claus and when
they should be told the truth. Spock promised them he would respect that custom
and keep the truth to himself.
The corners of his mouth quirked upward slightly, as he remembered an
amusing anecdote. It was the Christmas when Spock was eleven years old and
Spock had told Bobby about the Pre-Reform Vulcans who refused to accept the Way
of Surak and left Vulcan in rocket ships. Bobby was holding a picture of an
Elf, at the time, compared it to Spock’s profile and excitedly exclaimed that
the emotional Vulcans must have come to Earth, called themselves Elves and had
been making toys for Santa Claus ever since! Spock’s eyebrows shot up, nearly
to his hairline as had his. Amanda, Patricia and Robert just laughed and shook
their heads.
He drove up his driveway and parked his sporty red flitter in the
garage. When He got in the house, he would have to check his personal messages
to see if Amanda’s Christmas present had arrived yet at Solek’s
Jewelers.
Chapter 6: My
Favorite Ornaments
~ooOoo~
Amanda placed a few more gifts under the tree. As she straightened up,
one of Spock’s homemade Vulcan ornaments caught her attention. She smiled as
she remembered the day he had presented it to her. She had just sat down in her
favorite chair in the living room, when Spock walked up to her with his hands
behind his back.
He was nine years old and he had been giving her homemade ornaments
since he was three. He always gave it to her the day before the annual Christmas
party and he had proved to be inventive and very artistic over the years. She
was eager to see what he had made this year, too. He brought the gift out from
behind his back. It was in a gold colored box with a bright red bow on top. He
proceeded to make his formal presentation.
"After the angels brought the good news of great joy to the
shepherds, they sang a song of praise. Glory to God in the
highest and on Earth, peace and goodwill toward men. The baby Jesus grew
up to be a man of peace, as did Surak of Vulcan." He handed her the gift
box and continued, "This year I decided to make an ornament symbolizing
the Earth’s Prince of Peace and Vulcan’s Father of Peace."
She opened the box carefully and removed the tissue-covered ornament.
When she removed the tissue paper, she found a light weight oval ornament with
a picture painted on it of the little town of
"Oh, Spock, it is beautiful! I cannot think of a better ornament
that you could have made that embraces the best of Earth and Vulcan
cultures." It had become her favorite out of all the ornaments Spock had
made over the years.
She looked a little farther down to a branch that held the only
Christmas ornament that Sarek had given her in all their years together. He
gave it to her the Christmas after Spock was born. He had found a master
craftsman that made custom Christmas ornaments. He commissioned him to make a
glass ornament with a hand painted scene of their family. In the scene, she was
seated in a rocking chair, holding baby Spock in her arms with Sarek seated in
a chair to her right, his right index finger held firmly in Spock’s little
hand. The caption below the family scene said: Spock’s First Christmas. It had
warmed her heart and moved her profoundly. A few tears of joy had streamed down
her face and Sarek had reached up and gently wiped them away. He wished her a
Merry Christmas, lifted her chin up and kissed her tenderly.
Last of all, she looked up to the very top of the tree at the Star of
Bethlehem. It had originally been purchased by her great, great-grandmother
Grayson. It had been passed down to a chosen Grayson daughter down through the
years to her. She and Sarek had tried to have another child, a daughter, but
their baby girl had died in childbirth and sadly, she was unable to conceive
again.
Maybe Spock would have a daughter someday that would appreciate
Christmas and cherish the tree top ornament. If he did not, then she would
choose one of her nieces to pass it on to, perhaps her namesake. Their
grandfather clock chimed the hour and she realized it was time to prepare end
meal.
Chapter 7:
Christmas Gifts
~ooOoo~
Spock gradually came out of his meditative trance in the
"Good morning. My name is Miss Vicki and I am the proprietress of
this boutique. How may I serve you?"
"Good morning, Miss Vicki, my name is Spock and I want to purchase
a dress for my mother, for Christmas."
"Spock? Are you the Lady Amanda’s son, Spock?"
"Yes, Ma'am, I am."
She smiled and led him to the viewing area. "Do you have
anything in particular in mind or would you like a suggestion?"
"I have some ideas but would also appreciate some suggestions. I am
interested in purchasing an elegant, lightweight evening dress with satin or
lace accents in either a shade of red, rose or pink."
"Won’t you please be seated?" An assistant came forward and
Miss Vicki instructed her on four evening dresses to model. She turned back to
Spock and asked, "Would you like a cup of tea while my assistant changes
into the first selection for your viewing pleasure?"
"That would be acceptable."
Miss Vicki sat down on the settee next to Spock, picked up a tiny bell
from the coffee table and rang it gently. A young lady came out of the back
room and Miss Vicki instructed her to bring out the tea cart. Moments later she
brought out the tea cart and placed it next to Miss Vicki who began serving the
tea and offered Spock kerela biscuits form a serving
dish. The proprietress took a sip of tea, set her cup down and commenced
introducing the first selection as Burgundy Chiffon.
~ooOoo~
Spock came out of the boutique and headed for his rental flitter. He was
quite satisfied with his purchases but it had not been easy to choose. Miss
Vicki had to show him what each dress would look like on his mother, using a
simulation program on her shop’s computer before he could make up his mind. He
had decided to buy the very elegant Burgundy Chiffon and another dress,
recommended by Miss Vicki. It was called Heavenly Clouds and was made from
yards and yards of white silk combined with a delicate white sheer material
with silver accents. It did indeed look heavenly and his mother would look
astonishingly beautiful in it. He would remember to purchase a gift certificate
from this boutique for his mother on those occasions when he could not come
home for Christmas.
He had one more stop to make. His father’s Christmas gift was ready to
be picked up at Setak’s Apparel. It was a new suit in
dark forest green with silver trim and a silver silk shirt. It would go well
with one of the gifts his mother had purchased for Sarek; a pair of black boots
with upturned silver toes. They were very popular on Vulcan and nearly all
males had a pair in a neutral color.
He had already bought presents for uncle
Robert, aunt Patricia and cousin Bobby. He had not seen them in ten years and
it would be good to see them again. Bobby had grown up to become a medical
Doctor and had a family practice in
He pulled into a parking facility, parked the flitter, walked to the
entrance of Setak’s Apparel and entered the popular
establishment.
Chapter
8 I’m Dreaming of A Red
Christmas
~ooOoo~
"I’m dreaming of a red Christmas, unlike the white ones that were
grand. Where the cactus tops glisten, and sehlats listen to
children playing in red sand. I’m dreaming of a red Christmas, with
every Christmas greeting said. May you be merry and well fed, and may all your
Christmases be red!"
Patricia’s jaw dropped in surprise. "Bobby! You are incorrigible!"
In spite of her scolding tone of voice she began to chuckle.
"Haven’t you ever heard a Vulcan Christmas carol before?"
"No, and neither have you, you rascal!"
"Sure I have, Mom, how about this one? I’ll have a meatless
Christmas on Vulcan. Oh yes a meatless Christmas on Vulcan. Decorations of red
on a green cactus tree, Won’t be the same, though,
without roast turkey! And when that Vulcan wind starts blowing, thats when those red sand dunes
start flowing; you’ll be doing all right with your Christmas of white, but I’ll
have a red, meatless Christmas!"
"Wherever did you hear Vulcan Christmas carols?"
"Spock and I made them up when we were kids."
"You’re kidding! Spock actually helped you make them
up?"
"Yep! How about this one, Mom? You know Sprinter and Spritzer and Splinter and Drifter, Comet and T’Khut and
"Oh my gosh, Bobby! How many of these
fractured Christmas carols did you two write?"
"I’m not sure, Mom . . . There was Rusty the Sandman, Oh Cactus
Tree, I Heard the Gongs of Gol Today
and Up on the Housetop. Then Sarek caught us and I nearly peed
my pants!"
"No way! What happened?"
"We both froze in our tracks and he picked up the paper I had
written the carol on. He read it and fixed us with that regal gaze of his and
told me I had made a serious error. That was when I nearly peed
my pants. Then he very patiently and calmly told me how to spell sehlat."
Patricia laughed hardily. "I know what you mean about his regal
manner. You have to remember that he is a member of the most royal clan on
Vulcan and that as Vulcan’s Ambassador he speaks, not just for himself, but for
all of Vulcan."
"True enough, Mother, but as an eight-year-old, I felt like the end
was near. Little did I realize what a kind man uncle Sarek is.
He truly is a wonderful uncle. How long before we reach Vulcan?"
"We will arrive in about an hour. Your Dad has finished doing a
final check on my luggage, as well as his own. You had better do the same with
yours."
"I’ll do that right now, Mom." As he began to check his
luggage he started to sing, "Up on the housetop sehlats pause, out jumps
good old Santa Claus!"
Patricia grinned and shook her head as she left her son’s cabin.
Chapter
9 Surprise!
~ooOoo~
As Robert, Patricia and Bobby Treeport exited
the ship and entered Vulcan Space Central, they heard an announcement over the
loud speakers. "Paging the Treeport family, you
have a call on com-line one. Paging the Treeport
family, you have a call on com-line one."
The family headed for the nearest comm consul
and wondered who could be paging them. Robert pressed the button for line one.
"This is Robert Treeport."
A familiar voice said two words, "Turn around."
The Treeports turned around and could hardly
believe their eyes. Patricia’s face lit up and her lips broke out into a huge
smile as she ran forward and exclaimed, "Richard!"
"Hello, Sis, merry Christmas!" Richard caught his
sister up and hugged her hard.
"Merry Christmas, Richard! How long has it
been since we last saw each other? You look terrific! Where are Victoria and
the kids?"
"In answer to your first question, it has been five years since we
have seen each other. Thank you for the compliment. You look terrific, too!
Last, but not least,
"Congratulations, Richard! Does Amanda know about the baby and that
you all are coming for Christmas?"
"No, she doesn’t but Sarek knows. We didn’t know for sure, until
four days ago, that we were going to be able to come. Sarek sent his long-range
shuttle, the Surak, to bring us here on time and we decided to surprise
everyone."
"I’m so thrilled and I know Amanda will be too."
They approached Richard’s family and he began the introductions.
"Elizabeth Ann is eighteen, Amanda Marie is sixteen, Charles Robert is ten
and
The hugging and greeting process started up again.
~ooOoo~
As the Graysons and the Treeports
exited Space Central in their rental flitter, they began to sing Christmas
carols. After singing Jingle Bells, Charlie spoke up and said, "We should
sing one of Bobby’s Vulcan carols."
Patricia looked surprised and asked, "You know about the fractured
carols?"
"Sure,
"Oh Cactus Tree."
Bobby grinned from ear to ear. "Really?"
"Most definitely!"
"It is the whole family’s favorite because it is the funniest one
of the bunch," added Amanda.
All the Graysons chuckled, then
"Okay," replied Bobby. "We will start after the count of
three ... One, two, three."
"Oh cactus tree! Oh cactus tree! How
prickly are thy branches! Oh cactus tree! Oh cactus tree! How prickly are thy
branches! Not only green in summertime, but all year ‘round and all the time!
Oh cactus tree! Oh cactus tree! How prickly are thy branches!"
"Oh cactus tree! Oh cactus tree!
Decorating you isn’t easy! Oh cactus tree! Oh cactus tree! Decorating you isn’t
easy! We must not get too close, too near, Or we’ll
get pricked in front or rear! Or cactus tree! Oh cactus tree! Decorating you
isn’t easy!"
The Vulcan desert air was suddenly resounding with hysterical human
laughter.
Chapter
10 Musical Gifts
~ooOoo~
Sarek came out of his study and went into the kitchen for mid-meal.
Amanda was just finishing putting the food on the table and looked up at him as
he began to speak.
"I have good news, my wife. Skon and T’Lara will be able to attend
the family Christmas Eve celebration, as well as, uncle Steban
and aunt T’Pree."
"That is wonderful news, dear. I’ve always wanted to have a blended
family celebration. They will be bringing their lyrettes,
won’t they?"
"Yes, aduna, it will be interesting and beautiful to hear the
combination of lyrettes and earth instruments in a
family recital. It is most pleasing to my family that your family is musically
talented, instrumentally and vocally."
"I thought that would please them. I just wish that Richard and his
family could be here too."
As they ate their meal in silence, Sarek thought how supremely happy she
would be when she found out that Richard and his family were coming. He had
talked to aunt T’Pree about
purchasing a soprano lyrette for Amanda Marie and a
tenor lyrette for Charles for Christmas gifts. Bobby
had shown an interest in the bass lyrette last
Christmas and would receive one from them this Christmas. He and Amanda had
given
All of the Graysons were musically gifted and
played several instruments. They all could play the piano and Amanda Marie had
recently had her debut concert with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. They had
their own string quartet with Amanda Marie on the violin,
He, Steban, T"Pree and his parents were very much looking forward
to the family recital. They were all master musicians and had formed the
first Vulcan lyrette quartet as the first models of
soprano, tenor and bass lyrettes were made. They also
had mastered many Earth musical instruments and rejoiced in opportunities to
perform with other talented musicians. This would be one of the best
Christmases they would have in many a year. Amanda’s family would be arriving
in two hours. He rejoiced that he could bring the rest of her family here for
Christmas.
Chapter
11 Where the Love Light Beams
~ooOoo~
As the Treeports walked up to the front door
of Sarek and Amanda’s home, the Graysons snuck over
to the right side of the door, just out of sight. Patricia rang the door chime
and, a couple of beats later, Amanda opened the door to welcome them, with
Sarek and Spock a pace or two behind her. As she stepped forward to hug the Treeports, the Graysons stepped
forward and yelled out, "Merry Christmas!"
Amanda stood there looking very startled, then
her whole face lit up with joy. "Richard!
"This is my baby sister, Kendall Cheree.
She is six months old."
"Oh, she is absolutely adorable! Look at all that hair. She has the
Grayson blue eyes, too. Congratulations! Everyone please come inside and get
comfortable. Don’t worry about your luggage. The servants will bring it
in."
As each of them entered the house, they exchanged the Vulcan familial
hand greeting with Spock and Sarek. Richard gave Sarek’s hands a brief squeeze.
"You have done a very great kindness to my family by bringing us here.
Thank you, my brother by marriage."
"Not at all, you are family. On Vulcan, family is of great
importance, including family gained through marriage. What greater, logical
gift could I bestow on my wife than bringing her family together on Vulcan for
Christmas?"
"Of course, Sarek, our being here is a very logical gift."
Richard smiled and thought, ‘You are not fooling me for one minute. I know you
love our little Mandy. I have seen how you look at her when you think no one is
looking at you. I see how happy she is to be your wife. It is comforting to
know you will always take good care of her and keep her safe.’
Amanda took her family on a tour of her home and when they saw the
Christmas tree they all admired it and the old fashioned and homemade
decorations. Then they were free to rest and freshen up before end meal which
would be ready in three hours.
Bobby singled out Sarek and asked if he could speak with him privately
for a few minutes. Sarek agreed and they went into Sarek’s study and closed the
door. Sarek invited Bobby to have a seat and sat in the other chair in front of
his desk.
"How may I be of service to you, Bobby?"
"As I informed you and aunt Amanda, I am
engaged to be married. My fiancé and her family are Protestants and my family
is Catholic. We believe that we can make a marriage work, despite some
differences in our beliefs and upbringing. I have seen how successful your
marriage with aunt Amanda is despite the many
differences between the two of you. I have no intentions to pry but I would
like to know how the two of you came to the conclusion that you could be
successfully married."
"The blending together of Amanda and me consists of so much more
than two people finding their way through the wind-tossed desert into each
other’s lives, where we will spend a lifetime recovering from the sandstorm
that drew us together in the first place. It is more than two people whose
destinies were meant to be intertwined. It is even more than the Creator’s
bilateral partnership designed to birth our child into the universe, model for
him the cherishing and commitment we have for each other. It is also the
combining of traditions and ideas."
"My family and Amanda’s family are totally different and when we
married, her ideas of marriage and family were somewhat different from mine.
Many of the traditions we brought into our union are really carry-overs from
each of our childhoods. She and I quickly realized that most of our respective
customs worked well together. They mixed like a carefully blended cup of spiced
tea, and we were able to enjoy the fresh aroma of our concocted
experiences."
"This does not mean that married life is a bed of roses. You and
your fiancé will have your share of disagreements and some of them will be difficult
to resolve but a solution will be possible. I am not human and do not love but
I do know what it is like to be loved by my wife. For humans, love is very
important and I have come to understand that love is not just an emotion, but
also a choice. Amanda did, indeed, fall in love with me and she chooses to
continue to love me unconditionally. You and your fiancé must do the same, choose to love each other, unconditionally, as long as
you both will live."
Chapter
12 There Is Nothing Like Home Cooking
~ooOoo~
After going to their rooms and unpacking, Victoria and Patricia went
downstairs to see if Amanda needed help with end meal. They entered the kitchen
and saw Amanda chopping mushrooms.
"Need help with end meal, Amanda?" asked Patricia.
"You bet. Has either of you made homemade mushroom veggie burgers
before?"
"No," answered Vicky and Pat at the same time, Vicky
continued, "I’m glad to learn how, though, because I have a cousin who is
vegetarian and it will be great to cook a veggie burger for her next time she
visits."
"Terrific. This recipe makes sixteen burgers. Vicky, you can start
by dicing the onions to make two cups worth and the cloves of garlic. They are
on the counter on my left. Pat, you can chop the parsley to fill one quarter
cup and shred one and one third cup of Parmesan cheese. They are on the counter
to my right. I’ll finish chopping the mushrooms."
As Vicky began to chop the onions she asked, "I love mushrooms.
What kind of mushroom are you using?"
"I finished chopping two pounds each of the crimini,
and Shiitake and I’m nearly finished chopping the Portobelo
mushrooms."
"Mmmmm! Portobelo
mushrooms are my favorites!"
"Mine too!" added Pat.
Elizabeth and Amanda Marie entered the kitchen and
"Of course you may.
~ooOoo~
Spock walked up to Sarek’s study and looked in through the open door.
Sarek was sitting at his desk and Spock cleared his throat to get his
attention. "May I come in, Father? I wish to talk with you privately about
an important matter."
"Of course, Spock, please enter and be seated."
Spock closed the door and took a seat in front of Sarek’s desk. " I wish to talk about marriage and family."
"Quite logical, my son, as your time is only a few years away. Have
you made a decision whether to have Soren implant
some of my sperm or do you plan to adopt a child?"
"Neither, Father, because the treatments for sterility I undertook,
on the USS Enterprise, have worked."
Sarek’s eyes lit up as he took in Spock’s announcement. "That is
wonderful news, Spock. To be able to procreate is one of the greatest blessings
of our people. I rejoice with you, my son, at receiving so great and precious a
gift." Then Sarek stood and walked around his desk to Spock with his hands
raised in the familial greeting. Spock stood up and touched his palms to his
fathers. Sarek continued, "We will always remember this Christmas when you
received the best gift of all."
~ooOoo~
An hour later everyone was seated at the dinning room table, taking in
the sights and mouth-watering aroma of the feast before them. There were the
mushroom veggie burgers, scalloped potatoes, tossed green salad with cracked
wheat and lemony dressing, several vegetable side dishes, both Vulcan and
Terran, and a huge platter of Vulcan and Terran fruit.
Charles was unable to keep his delight to himself any longer, "Wow!
Everything looks and smells so wonderful, Aunt Amanda!"
"Thank you, Charlie. Your mother, Aunt Pat and your sisters helped
with the mushroom veggie burgers. We need to say the blessing over the food
before we start eating. Richard, would you do the honors?"
"The honor is mine, Sis." As everyone bowed their heads,
Richard prayed, "Father in heaven, we thank you for this food and ask that
you bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. We thank you for this
opportunity for our families to get together in celebration of your Son’s
birthday, in Jesus’ name, amen."
**************
Recipe for Mushroom Veggie Burgers
(Makes four patties)
Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ lb mushrooms, roughly chopped (combination
of crimini, Shiitake, and Portobelo)
½ cup finely chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried
parsley flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preparation:
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute
the mushrooms, onions and garlic over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or
until the liquid boils off, and the mushrooms begin to saute.
In a large bowl, add mushroom mixture to oats, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs,
parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to
develop the flavors. Shape into patties. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large
non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Fry patties, cooking about 5 minutes on
each side, or until golden brown.
Serve with your favorite burger toppings.
Chapter
13 An Old-Fashioned Christmas
~ooOoo~
Everyone helped to clear the table after end meal and then gathered in
the family room to watch some of their favorite Christmas movies.
Robert had been talking with Spock, the two of them catching up with one
another, then Robert inquired, "Where can Pat, Bobby and I do some
Christmas shopping for Richard’s family?"
"I can show you tomorrow morning where to shop if you like or on
line if you prefer. I need to purchase gifts for them, also."
"I think we would rather go shopping to see what Vulcan shops are
like and what they have to offer."
"Very well. There are also intergalactic shops where one
can purchase items from all over the member planets of the Federation."
"That is a good idea and I’m sure Pat will be excited about that.
Would tomorrow after first meal be a good time?"
"That would be acceptable." Spock’s attention was drawn to the
view screen. "Ah, I see that ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is to be first."
~ooOoo~
As Spock, Robert, Pat and Bobby were about to leave for last-minute
Christmas shopping, Amanda said, "Have fun shopping. Since Christmas isn’t
celebrated by Vulcans, shopping will be a more relaxing experience."
"That sounds wonderful, Amanda," answered Robert. "I
don’t much care for going shopping as it is, and sometimes our people can be
very rude at Christmas time, especially on Christmas Eve day. See you later."
Pat added, "We should be back in plenty of time for me to make my
famous
"I LOVE your pecan pie! The raw pie crust will be ready for you
when you get back. Good luck in your shopping."
"Luck will have nothing to do with it," Spock responded.
"It will be my expert guidance that will make the shopping excursion a
success."
"Did you all Hear what he said? Really,
Spock, of all the days to be naughty," joked Amanda.
Spock raised an eyebrow in mock offense. "I see no reason to stand
here and be insulted." He looked at Robert and his family and continued,
"Lets go shopping."
Amanda grinned and the Treeport family
chuckled as they left the house.
~ooOoo~
T’Lara left the
Down through the years she gradually came to admire and accept Amanda
through her hard work to learn The Way and to comport herself in an acceptable
manner. The Way was not easy, not even for Vulcans, and Amanda had made very
few mistakes. She could not help but admire her daughter-through-marriage,
especially since she did not have the advantage of being raised in The Way
since childhood. She hoped meeting Amanda’s all too Human family would not be
too stressful. The meditation helped her to strengthen her mental shields
against emotional mental thoughts that might accidentally bombard her mind.
If Amanda’s family were anything like Amanda, herself, it would be an
enjoyable experience, indeed. She was not ignorant of the fact that meeting
them now was probably easier that it would have been all those years ago when
Sarek and Amanda were Wed. She rejoiced in her own obvious maturation in The
Way and specifically in the doctrine of IDIC.
She was intrigued with the Terran celebration of Christmas and in some
of the similarities between Jesus and Surak that Skon had shared with her. Skon
had written the book ‘The Way’ and was contemplating writing a theological
paper about the differences and similarities between Surak of Vulcan and Jesus
of Earth. She was sure he would do it and it would be a fascinating paper to
read. There was always the possibility that he would be asked to teach a class
on the subject at the Academy. She entered the Academy parking facility, got
into her flitter and headed for home. She would have plenty of time to make the
fruit custard pies she would bring for the celebration.
~ooOoo~
The kitchen staff was busy preparing mid meal, comprising various Vulcan
and Terran soups, salads, salad dressings, and banana-cherry-walnut jell-O
salad. They would have plenty of coffee, iced and hot tea to drink, as well as
some Terran milk
The shoppers were home and Pat joined the other female members of the
family in the kitchen to make home made pies. There would be chocolate, lemon marang, coconut cream, pumpkin, boysenberry, pecan, banana
cream, plomeek, and several kinds of Vulcan fruit
custard pies.
The males were busy setting up the large parlor for the blended family
recital with chairs, music stands and various musical instruments near the
grand piano. Everyone would receive a souvenir’ program of the recital and Skon
picked one up to examine it. Everything was as it should be.
~ooOoo~
The family members all took their places and the recital was about to
begin when the door chime sounded.
"I wonder who that could be," Amanda said. "Were you
expecting anyone, Sarek?"
"No, my wife, I am not expecting anyone."
Amanda went to the front door and opening it was very surprised to see
T’Pau. The Matriarch entered the house and asked, "Is it too late to
accept your invitation to the Christmas Eve recital?"
"Not at all, T’Pau, we are honored by your presence. Please come
into the parlor and make yourself comfortable."
"You are most kind."
Everyone was surprised to see the Matriarch and the Humans hushed their
conversations out of respect and awe. Who would have believed that the great
and powerful T’Pau would come to a blended family celebration of a Human
holiday? After she was seated comfortably and given a program, the rest of the
family took their places.
Instruments
Piano : Spock
Vulcan Lyrette Quartet: T’Pree,
Steban, Skon, Sarek
Choir
Sopranos: Amanda,
Altos: Patricia, Amanda Marie
Tenors: Richard, Charlie
Bass: Robert, Bobby
1. Christmas medley: Silver Bells, Jingle Bells, Here Comes Santa Claus,
Up on the House Top, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Caroling, Caroling, and The Christmas Song.
2. The truth About Santa Claus.....................Amanda
"I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma Grayson. I
was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my hover-bike to visit her on
the day my cousin Jan dropped the bomb: There is no Santa Claus, she jeered.
Even dummies know that! My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I
fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me."
"I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth
always went down a lot easier when swallowed with one of her ‘world-famous’
cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had
to be true. Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I
told her everything. She was ready for me."
"No Santa Claus? She snorted... Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That
rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad! Now, put
on your coat, and let's go. Go? Go where, Grandma? I asked. I hadn't even
finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun."
"Where turned out to be Kerby's General
Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As
we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten credits. That was a bundle
for kids in those days. Take this money, she said, and buy something for
someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the flitter. Then she turned and
walked out of Kerby's."
"I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my
mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed
big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that
ten credits, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought
of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school,
and the people who went to my church."
"I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Robby
Decker. He was a new kid in school with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat
right behind me in Mrs. Woodberry's grade-two class. Robby Decker didn't have a
coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His
mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we
kids knew that Robby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I
fingered the ten credits with growing excitement. I would buy Robby Decker a
coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked really
warm, and he would like that."
"Is this a Christmas present for someone? the
lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten credits down. Yes,
ma'am, I replied shyly. It's for Robby. The nice lady smiled at me, as I told
her about how Robby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change,
but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry
Christmas."
"That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell
out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and
ribbons and wrote, To Robby, From Santa Claus on it. Grandma said that Santa
always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Robby Decker's house,
explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's
Helpers. Grandma parked her flitter down the street from Robby's house, and she
and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma
gave me a nudge. All right, Santa Claus, she whispered, get going."
"I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present
down on his step, pounded on his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes
and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door
to open. Finally it did, and there stood Robby."
"Sixty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent
shivering, beside my Grandma, in Robby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized
that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they
were: Ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still
have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95."
"And now we come to the real reason for the season. Without the
birth of the Christ child there would be no celebration and no gift
giving."
3. The reading of the birth of Jesus from the Bible in St. Luke chapter
two: Robert Treeport
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be
taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius
was governor of
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judea, into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was
of the house and lineage of David; to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife,
being great with child,"
"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born
son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because
there was no room for them in the inn."
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night. And, Lo! The angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them: and they were sore
afraid!"
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of
"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men."
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us."
"And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger. And when they had see it,
they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them
by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in
her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."
4. Christmas medley: O little Town of Bethlehem, While Shepherds Watched
Their Flocks, The First Noel, Hark the Herold Angles
Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, Silent Night, and Joy to the
World.
5. Poem: Our Christmas Gift: recited by Amanda Marie
"Magi came across the desert, They
journeyed from afar, They had no map or compass, They simply followed the star.
May that same star still bring us, to celebrate at His side, To
cherish Him within us, each year at Christmastide."
6. Solo: O Holy Night: Amanda
Accompanied by the blended family orchestra
7. A special presentation: Sarek
"You are all familiar with the Vulcan Christmas carols that Bobby Treeport and my son Spock wrote as children. There is one
carol that they wrote that was totally serious. I and my family are honored by
this carol because it truthfully represents our hopes for peace in our galaxy.
I and my Father, Uncle Steban, and Spock will sing
it, in four part harmony, at this time. The song title is I Heard the Gongs of Gol Today." Skon, Steban and
Spock took their places beside Sarek and began to sing.
"I heard the gongs of Gol today, Their old familiar message play, Logical and sweet, The
words repeat of peace in our whole galaxy. I thought how as this day had come, The gongs of Gol and Vulcandom, Had tolled along the unbroken song of peace in
our whole galaxy. To meditate I bowed my head, There
is no perfect peace I said, Romulan hate is strong, Klingons mock the song of
peace in our whole galaxy. Then rang the gongs more loud
and deep, Though the path to peace is rough and steep, The wrong shall fail!
The right prevail! With peace in our
whole galaxy!"
Amanda and her family applauded enthusiastically. Then Amanda announced,
"This is the conclusion of the recital. I thank you all for participating
in it. We will be gathering in the dinning room for dinner in one hour."
She turned to T’Pau and continued, "We would be honored if you would join
us for dinner, Grandmother."
"I accept your invitation. I wish to have a private discussion with
Bobby and Spock about their song."
"Would you like to use my private study?" asked Sarek.
"That would be acceptable."
~ooOoo~
The family recital was a complete success. Afterward, Charlie was taking
a closer look at the tenor lyrette when Skon
approached him.
"Would you like to examine the tenor lyrette
more closely?" asked Skon.
"Would I?! I mean, yes I would, Great-Uncle Skon."
The corners of Skon’s mouth quirked upward slightly at
the boy’s enthusiasm. "Come sit with me and I will instruct you in the
basics of playing it. I am sure that you will learn quickly. You are a very
talented young musician."
"Thank you, Great-Uncle Skon. I will do my best to learn what you
teach me. This is so totally galactic! Oh! I hope I’m not getting on your
nerves, or anything like that, but this is really exciting to me."
"Not at all, Charles, I am very pleased with your enthusiasm."
~ooOoo~
After end meal, Pat and Vicky were helping Amanda in getting a few last
minute preparations finished in the kitchen for the Christmas dinner the next
day.
Patricia turned to Amanda and asked, "I wonder what T’Pau said to
Bobby and Spock?"
"I am sure that she was impressed with their song."
"Do you really think so?"
"Yes, I do."
"Whew! That is good. I just hope Bobby didn’t feel too intimidated
by the Matriarch."
Vicky changed the subject. "Remember Christmas morning when Bobby
was seven years old and tried to make breakfast for everyone by himself?"
Amanda laughed and answered, "I’m not likely to forget it. He was
trying to make omlettes and put all the ingredients
in the blender. Unfortunately, he turned the blender on, forgetting to put on
the lid! There was omlette mixture everywhere!"
The three ladies laughed.
"I was absolutely flabbergasted," Pat added, "and Bobby
was horrified and turned off the blender. I told him that he was too young to
prepare a meal by himself and that I would help him clean up the mess."
"That was when Amanda and I walked in," added Vicky, "and
I told him that, with the lid on he wouldn’t get omlette
mixture on the floor. He said oops!"
"He wouldn’t get any on the ceiling either," added Amanda.
"Then Sarek walked in and before we could warn him, he looked up and the omlette on the ceiling dripped all over his face!"
"We all clapped our hands over our mouths in horror and Bobby eyes
got really big and he said ah-oh! I thought, for sure, that Sarek would be very
upset with my son but he just calmly picked up a kitchen towel and wiped his
face off, then grabbed the disposable towels and said, ‘It will only take
twenty minutes to clean this up if we all work together.’ That was when I first
realized what a truly kind man your husband is, Amanda, and that he would be a
good father."
Unknown to the ladies, Sarek had just walked into the kitchen behind
them then said, "Thank you, Patricia, you are most kind."
"You’re welcome, Sarek and unlike that time, you won’t get egg on
your face today."
"That is good to know and I assure you, ladies,
that was the only time I have had egg on my face."
The ladies laughed then Vicky added, "I bet that is true in more
ways than one."
Amanda looked at the kitchen chronometer, "Goodness! It’s getting
late. We had better get the kids to bed so Santa Claus can come." With
that said, they left the kitchen.
Chapter
14 Christmas Morning
~ooOoo~
It was bright and early on Christmas morn and the citizens of Vulcan
went about their usual business of private meditation, first meal, and
preparing for work or school. In Sarek and Amanda’s household all was ready for
a traditional Christmas morning. Sarek and Spock had finished their private
meditations and had welcomed Skon, T’Lara, Steban,
and T’Pree at the front door and led them into the
living room to join with Amanda, Pat, Robert, Bobby, Richard, and Vicky to
observe the traditional Terran customs of Christmas morning.
They had all helped the adult members of Amanda’s family prepare for
this event on Christmas Eve by helping to fill the stockings, hung on a
bookshelf with weights, with a bag of unshelled mixed nuts, a small bag of hard
Christmas candy, a couple of very small Christmas gifts, and last of all a
banana. On a narrow table behind one of the couches, they set an orange inside
the rim of plastic replicas of Santa’s boot. Each stocking and boot had a
person’s name on it.
Amanda had explained that the tradition of putting a banana in the
stockings and an orange in the boots went back many centuries to an era when
fruit was scarce and people did not have much money to purchase it. Therefore,
it was a very special treat to get fruit at Christmas. Many Terrans kept the
tradition down through the centuries to remind themselves of the hard times of
the past and to be grateful for times of plenty. They also brought in the
Vulcan lyrettes that were gifts for members of
Amanda’s family from their side of the family, including Amanda.
This morning the Vulcans noticed that there were four extra stockings
and boots. Before they could investigate further, Amanda walked over to the
stairs and gave permission for the children to come down and see what Santa had
put in their stockings and to choose a place to sit so they could exchange
gifts.
The children came down the stairs as fast as was safe to do and stopped
abruptly in front of the tree, their eyes all agog with surprise and wonder at
the sight before them. Charlie was the first to regain the ability to move and
stepped toward the tenor lyrette in its opened
carrying case, hoping upon hope that the gift tag had his name on it. He
reached out and took hold of the tag and read: To Charles, from Sarek, Amanda,
Spock, Skon, T’Lara, Steban, and T’Pree.
He let out a breath that he did not realize he was holding and his vision began
to blur. He exerted all the control he could to keep from crying with joy. It
was okay to cry in front of his family but he was afraid of offending the
Vulcans.
Vicky started to step forward but T’Lara was quicker. T’Lara knelt down
beside Charlie and gently turned his face toward her own. His eyes widened in
surprise at seeing her and the tears of joy he had valiantly tried to hold
back, trickled down his face.
She wiped the tears away and said, "It is normal for a Human to shed
tears of joy. We rejoice in your pure appreciation of our gift to you."
"Thank you, Great-Aunt T’Lara."
"You are welcome."
The rest of the kids stepped forward to check out the gift tags on the
other lyrettes and in turn, thanked their Vulcan
relatives for their wonderful gifts. Then they all found places to sit down,
some on the floor, and Spock went forward to the tree and began to pass out the
gifts.
~ooOoo~
After the gift giving was finished, everyone helped to clean up the
trash and then began checking out what Santa had put in their stockings. All
the children were old enough to know the truth about Santa but they got a kick
out of keeping the stocking tradition, as well as their parents did.
Skon and T’Lara walked over to the extra stockings and discovered that
they were for them and Steban and T’Pree.
Skon turned to his brother and sister-by-marriage and remarked, "It seems
that St. Nicholas has left our family filled Christmas stockings."
"Indeed, my brother? He has left a sash-savas
in four of his boots with our names on them, also."
"Fascinating," answered T’Pree,
"Let us see what he left in our stockings, shall we, my husband?"
"That would be agreeable."
Sticking out of the top of their stockings was a plantain, underneath was
a small bag of hard kasa candy, and last of all a bag
of unshelled mixed nuts.
The door chime sounded and Sarek went to answer it. He came back into
the living room and announced, "I have a special delivery document from
T’Pau to Bobby Treeport and Spock cha Sarek."
Spock and Bobby stepped forward and Spock indicated that Bobby should
open the document by nodding his head. Bobby opened it and read it silently to
himself, as Spock read it over his shoulder. A wide grin began to spread across
Bobby’s face and Spock raised his right eyebrow.
"Well, don’t just stand there, keeping the news to yourselves," said Patricia, "What does she say?
Does it have to do with the secret conversation you had with her?"
"It surely does, Mother! We can tell you about it now. According to
this document, the song that Spock and I wrote, "I Heard the Gongs of Gol Today," is to be added to
the official music sung on the Celebration of Surak Day!"
"Wow! That is totally Galactic!"
responded Charlie in excitement.
Then everyone extended their congratulations at once.
Finally, Amanda stepped forward and said, "Merry Christmas! May God
bless us, everyone!"