Title: Distant Cousins
Author: Jaxomsride
Fandom: Star Trek AOS
Rating: Gen
Word Count: 2300
Notes: Story written for the "expelled from the Nebula" challenge
Summary: Sarek makes a proposal to a very old family member.
Disclaimer:
universe.
The small research craft hung grimly to the tail of the ion storm as it swept
through the sector of space close to the Neutral Zone. Their sensitive
instruments busily recorded each rise and fall in the patterns of magnetic flux
the storm generated. They were the first to detect the sleek silver craft
as it was expelled from the nebula.
XXXXX
"Ambassador Sarek it was good of you to come." The human stepped
forward, his hand outstretched in greeting. Sarek raised an eyebrow as he
glanced meaningfully at the proffered hand, his own hands remained tucked into
his sleeves.
"I am sorry, I forgot." Commodore Brewster coloured slightly, clearly embarrassed to have committed such a
social gaffe. He snatched his hand back. "Er, if
you'd come this way. Our guests are currently in the quarantine section."
"Quarantine, Commodore? For
what reason?" Sarek studied the man coolly.
"Well, putting them in the brig seemed a mite unfriendly. However I
couldn't have them running around the base either."
"Logical." Sarek nodded.
Commodore Brewster eyed him uncertainly.
Was that disapproval? You never could tell with Vulcans. They continued on in
silence. Sarek was relieved at this. The majority of humans he had encountered
tended to think a silence had to be filled with meaningless chatter.
XXXXXX
Sarek studied the video feed from the quarantine area. He realised he was, in a
sense, looking back into history. Silver armour gleamed against pale green
skin. Six tall figures clustered around the smaller one, as if protecting her.
Although she looked hardly more than a child, her eyes held a
wisdom and a burden of knowledge far beyond her apparent years. As if
sensing his presence behind the pick up, she gazed at the security monitor and
raised an eyebrow. Sarek blinked as he sensed a mind brushing lightly against
his shields.
"Commodore, once your medical staff has
ascertained that the quarantine is indeed unnecessary, I would wish to speak
with their leader in person."
"Ah, yes I'll see what can be arranged." The commodore frowned.
"But are you sure that that's a good idea? I mean weren't your people
savages then?"
"No more so than your own ancestors were, Commodore," Sarek replied
evenly.
"Harrumph!" The commodore crossed over to the intercom. "Well I
wouldn't expect to find mine frozen in the depths of space either."
"It would have been even more unusual to encounter a human colony ship of
the same vintage." Sarek studied the screen again.
The commodore frowned was the ambassador rebuking him or stating a simple fact?
He was beginning to think he preferred the ancestral version of Vulcans better,
at least you could read what they were thinking, unlike their modern
counterparts!
XXXXXXX
Sarek stood as she entered the room. She paused briefly on the threshold as she
saw him. An eyebrow raised slightly as an expression of surprise flitted across
her features. Her eyes were dark, almost as black as the long hair that
was piled high on her head in an elaborate style. Although among the warriors
she had seemed frail and childlike, alone she was clearly an adult. The shimmering silver robe she wore outlined
the figure of a mature woman. "You
are the one I sensed." Her voice
was soft and lilting.
"Yes, my name is Sarek." Sarek bowed slightly. "I must commend
you on your Standard; the pronunciation is flawless."
"It was easy to learn." She shrugged nonchalantly. "I am called Talera, though no doubt the commodore has already informed
you of that fact."
She circled the table in the small briefing room to stand directly in front of
him. She moved with the grace and elegance of a hunting lematya.
Her vibrant, dark eyes caught his, drawing him into their glittering depths.
Sarek hastily firmed his shields as he felt a gentle push against his mind.
"We could converse in Vulcan if you prefer." She smiled slightly. "Although that may inconvenience the humans monitoring
us."
Sarek raised an eyebrow. Logically, he was not surprised that she was aware
their conversation was being observed. However, he had not expected her to
reveal the fact that she knew so frankly.
"For the convenience of our, observers, I am content to continue in
Standard." Sarek bowed slightly to her. "Will you not be
seated?"
"Only if you do so as well." She laughed
slightly. "I'd get a dreadful crick in my neck if you remained
standing."
Even seated, she still had to look up to him. Sarek found himself leaning
forward slightly in order to minimise their disparity in heights. For a
Vulcan she was tiny, smaller even than T'Pau.
"It is strange to think so much time has passed," she murmured
softly. "So much has changed while we slept. So tell me, what is Vulcan
like now?"
Sarek was unprepared for his response to such a simple question. Indeed one he
should have expected from her. He struggled to control the grief that rocked
him as he tried to marshal his thoughts and control. How would he explain the
destruction of their world?
"Vulcan is gone!" she breathed, her eyes wide with shock.
Sarek closed his eyes as he tried to master his emotions. He had not realised
he had broadcast beyond his own shields. Yet she had clearly heard him. The
touch of her hand against his cheek was like a cool breeze in the midst of the
desert heat, easing his mental turmoil. Sarek's eyes flew open in surprise to
find her gaze mere inches from his own.
"Tushah nash-veh k'du, Sarek,"* Talera
murmured. For a moment Sarek could sense that the words, instead of being a
polite ritual phrase, were literally true. She too mourned, for her Vulcan was
gone as surely as his. She released him and the brief, intimate contact of
minds was broken. Sarek drew in a breath, feeling suddenly bereft as she moved
away.
"So, what Surak feared finally did come to pass." She sighed.
"Though I doubt my father would feel any sense of satisfaction that he was
right."
Sarek's eyebrow climbed his forehead. "Surak was your father?"
"Yes." Talera's dark eyes sparkled briefly
with laughter. "Oh don't tell me they expunged the fact that his own
daughter refuted some of his teachings?"
"It was never mentioned in the histories, no," Sarek replied. He
considered her for a moment. "In a sense then, we are related for I am of
House Surak."
"I did wonder." Her hand indicated the symbols emblazoned on his
robes. "One of those is our house sigil after
all. So, cousin, why are you here?"
"To speak with you," Sarek answered. "Vulcans are much reduced
in number. It has become my mission to find as many of our people as I can who
would wish to help save our race from extinction."
"And you think that we would wish to return to a world that is ruled by
Surak's teachings?" Her eyebrow rose in surprise.
"You will find much has changed in the intervening millennia."
"But for better or worse, Sarek?" She shook
her head. "My people left because we couldn't and wouldn't become what
Surak wished us to be. To us, it has only been a short time since we
left!"
"I understand that." Sarek nodded. "However all I ask is that
you listen. The choice however, is yours to make."
"What, no bombardment of logic to convince us that our way is not The
Way?" Her lips twitched in amusement. "If that is true, then you are
indeed right, much has changed."
"Surak himself extolled the virtue of IDIC." Sarek frowned
slightly. "Are you saying you didn't have a choice?"
"My father and I did not see eye to eye on many things. I thought his
desire to expunge all emotion was as extreme as the ones who refused to embrace
logic. He viewed my logic as flawed as I believed there was a place for emotion
in our philosophy." She cocked her head to one side and eyed Sarek, a
slight smile on her face. "Is there a place, do you think for a Vulcan who
does not view a display of emotion as anathema?"
"Since our exploration of space has brought us into contact with many beings
who do display their emotions, I think you may find we have become more
tolerant of such," Sarek assured her.
"Really?" Talera
straightened in her chair. "This will require much thought and discussion
among my people. Starfleet assures us they can find us a world to colonise. For
some reason they seem reluctant to allow us to simply repair our ship and
continue our own journey."
Sarek considered her thoughtfully, wondering just how much Talera
had picked up from the humans on the Starbase. Was
she aware of how close they were to the Neutral Zone and what lay beyond? The
Romulans, when they arrived at their new worlds, had sought to eradicate any
with mind gifts as strong as hers. Now, however, it was rumoured they sought
them out actively. If Talera and her followers did
indeed continue their journey, the most likely outcome of that, would be their
capture and subjugation by the Romulans. Yes, Sarek could fully understand
Starfleet's reluctance to allow that to happen, both for the sake of her people
and the security of the Federation.
"Your craft has withstood the passage of time remarkably well," Sarek
answered. "However it is unlikely to survive the rigours of a long journey
and the local area of space contains significant hazards."
"Well that is a more honest, if diplomatic answer than the commodore gave
me." She fixed him with a level stare "So tell me Sarek, who and what
are Romulans?"
Sarek studied her for a long moment. Evidently she had gleaned enough to be
curious. "They are the descendants of Vulcans who, like you, refused to
accept the teachings of Surak. It was a Romulan who was responsible for the
destruction of Vulcan."
"You fear we may join forces with them?" She frowned darkly, half
rising from her seat. "Ours is still a path of peace. Even though we do
wear armour, we are not bloodthirsty warriors."
"No, I am afraid, however, that they might not give you a choice,"
Sarek replied calmly.
"Ah!" She sank back into her chair, her anger draining from her face.
"Forgive me, Sarek. You are right, our craft would not be much of a match against
theirs. It was never intended as anything other than a colony ship."
"I would advise you to accept Starfleet's offer of transport. Where you
choose to go, however, is up to you. I am sure though, our archaeologists would
like the opportunity to study your craft."
"I am certain they would." A laugh escaped her lips. "Though it
does seem odd to hear what we thought of as the leading edge of our technology
being described as a museum piece."
"Indeed." Sarek nodded gravely. "It will take time for your
people to adjust. You are more than welcome to visit Rish-tor**.
You can then decide if you wish to remain, or find your own world.”
"Yes, it would be more logical to see if modern
Vulcans are more accepting than their ancient counterparts." She smiled at
him. "After all we could always leave again, if we cannot get on."
"If most are like you, I am sure the task will not prove beyond us,"
Sarek assured her.
* "I grieve with thee"
** survive, persevere in spite of trauma