Title: The Bargain.

Author: Jaxomsride

Word Count: 2400
Rating:  Gen
Fandom: Star Trek AOS

Disclaimer:  Paramount owns this universe; I'm only playing about with it.

Summary:  T'Pau has a proposition for Sarek.   Sarek and Talera discuss it over a game of chess.


Seheik = “declared ones”
kun-ut kaunshau = matchmaker
khaf-pekh= an expletive
K'hat'n'dlawa = half of each other's heart and soul
kwon-kanashik = always fertile
Kah-ka = “The Bond”


“Sarek I would speak with thee.” T'Pau's voice broke into his reverie.

“I live to serve,” he responded formally. He was somewhat puzzled as to why T'Pau had sought him out. Although physically she was frail, leaning heavily on the arm of her retainer. Her eyes still burnt with a fire and vitality that refused to be quenched by anything. It was her guidance that led what remained of the Vulcan race, but it was her spirit that inspired others to follow her example.

“Your service honours us.” T'Pau studied him closely.

Sarek resisted the urge to straighten his robes. He was no longer a nervous young boy being introduced for the first time to the Head of the House. However, looking into those piercing eyes, the years had a tendency to fall away.

"Sarek, I wish you to consider an alliance with House Talera."

“I thought an alliance had already been ratified. Our…” Sarek hesitated a moment as he decided what was the most diplomatic way to describe the relationship between the two peoples.   “Our distant cousins have agreed to settle on the Northern continent.”

“True.” T'Pau waved a hand, dismissing her aide. Once he had gone, she linked her arm through Sarek's and looked up at him, her head canted slightly to one side.

The pose reminded Sarek of a Terran bird he had seen in the grounds of the Vulcan embassy. Amanda had identified it as a sparrow. His eyes softened in remembrance of Amanda laughingly describing it as another alien invader to their shores. It had been several months since her death, yet he still felt the pain of their parting as if it were mere moments ago. The healers had assured him that, in time, that too would fade, but for now it remained fresh and sharp.

“Sarek, I was thinking it would be best to do it the old fashioned way,” T'Pau said, studying him intently.

Sarek stared at her as the full import of her words sunk in. “You are suggesting a marriage alliance, to unite Vulcan and Seheik?"

“Exactly.” T'Pau squeezed his arm slightly.

“T'Pau, I still mourn Amanda,” Sarek replied stiffly as grief choked his throat.

“I know,” T'Pau sighed. “But who of us does not grieve?”

“Talera is much younger than I.” Sarek frowned slightly. “Another candidate would, perhaps, be more suitable.”

“Technically, she is far older than I,” T'Pau remarked evenly. “She has shown a marked preference for your company.”

Sarek raised an eyebrow. While it was true they had spent some time in each other's company, he had not realised her preferring, in her words, a less stiff necked Vulcan, would lead to such a consequence. “Have you broached the matter with her?” Sarek asked cautiously, hoping that so far the idea was purely T'Pau's.

“No,” she replied.  “However, tentative discussion has begun with their kun-ut kaunshau. They view their matriarch's bonding to be of the highest priority. They will not consider another until she has been bonded.”

“I...see.” Sarek closed his eyes briefly. He had hoped that he would not have been called upon to make such a decision so soon. However, his private need to mourn Amanda had to give way to their need to survive as a species.  The Seheik not only brought much needed genetic diversity, but also a large number of un-bonded individuals. “I will consider your proposal.”

~ooOoo~

“Sarek, what's wrong?” Talera asked as she studied him. "I have managed to capture two of your pawns and a knight with no opposition.”

“Nothing is wrong,” Sarek replied as he studied the board with renewed concentration. “I apologise, I am a little preoccupied.”

“Well whatever it is, it doesn't appear to help your mastery of chess." Talera's eyes twinkled impishly. "Would you rather admit defeat now and talk?”

Sarek studied the board again.  “My position is salvageable, I do not believe your victory is secure.”

“Now that's fighting talk.” Talera smiled teasingly. Sarek found his own lips curling upwards slightly in response. Her eyebrow rose slightly. “At least you don't frown when I do that. Sovak looked so disapproving I was tempted to stick my tongue out at him.”

“A childish response that would fail to convince him that you are, indeed, an adult,” Sarek responded as he moved his queen to the lower board.

“True,” she sighed, her chin on her hand as she studied the board. “Some times your people are so...so stuffy it brings out the worst in me.”

“That is no excuse to act like a child.” Sarek's eyebrow climbed his forehead. Her phrasing showed that she still viewed modern Vulcans as separate from her own people. A perception that was shared by both those who had journeyed with her and with the Vulcan survivors settling Rish-tor.

“I suppose not.” She shrugged and then moved her queen. “Check.”

Sarek studied the trap she had sprung on him. His king was neatly cornered; there were few options that did not result in defeat in a few moves. However, Sarek was not ready to give in, not just yet.

“Do your worst, Ambassador. You won't be able to escape for long.” Her smile broadened, anticipating his capitulation.

Sarek stiffened as his mind’s eye conjured up another chessboard and a very different female smiling across it. Amanda had surprised him occasionally when she played. The expression on her face as she triumphed over him was very like that which Talersa now wore.

“Khaf-pekh!” Talera exclaimed, half rising from her seat. “I'm sorry to cause you pain. Perhaps we can resume at a later date.”

“It is of no concern, certainly no reason for profanity,” Sarek assured her, waving her back to her chair. He had become accustomed to her eavesdropping on his thoughts, realising she did it no more consciously than she breathed.

Admittedly the comparison between the two women had shaken him. He still could not think of his wife without experiencing her loss all over again. Physically, Talera and Amanda were not at all alike, but in behaviour, the ancient Vulcan was surprisingly human. Was that why he found Talera so unsettling? Because she reminded him of his wife? Or was what had drawn him to Amanda also what drew him to Talera?

Sarek concentrated again on the chessboard. Such questions should be saved for more private contemplation. Certainly not when the object of his distraction sat across the board from him radiating palpable concern.

“I'm sorry about swearing. I hate it when I do or say anything that upsets you.”  She watched his next move with some puzzlement. “Do you know T'Pau wants us to be wed?”

“She has broached the matter, yes,” Sarek nodded, acknowledging her change of subject. He studied her closely. With her head bent over the chessboard, it was difficult to read how she felt about the matter.

“I'm afraid our kun-ut kaunshau has put her in a difficult position.” Talera raised her eyes to his face. Sarek was surprised to see they gleamed with barely suppressed humour. “T'sai Merala insists she will not consider another match until I am settled.”

“You do not appear overset at the notion,” Sarek said, raising an eyebrow. “In fact, I would say it amuses you.”

“Guilty as charged,” she chuckled, moving her queen to threaten his king again. “I find it funny that I am now considered a Grand Matriarch.”

“You are head of the Seheik. Therefore, you qualify for the title,” Sarek pointed out to her as he countered her move with his remaining knight.

“True, just in comparison to T'Pau, I am a mere stripling.” She shrugged, bringing in her bishop to box in his king. “However Merala's stubbornness puts me in somewhat of a quandary. Although I have the time, not all of my people or the Vulcan survivors are as fortunate. It is ironic that, for a logical race, you are at the mercy of your emotions.”

“It is the price we pay,” Sarek replied.

“For what?” she snorted. “The mind rules? Your logic? You are as much a victim of your own biology as we are. The only ones who aren't plagued by the blasted pon farr are the ones you call Rihannsu!”

“Unless we embrace Kohlinahr, it comes to us all.” Sarek moved the board containing a pawn down a level.

She frowned, her dark eyes contemplating him solemnly. “You aren't considering doing that are you?”

“That path has never appealed,” Sarek replied, concluding she was referring to Kohlinahr rather than his probable chess move.

“Thank T'Rukh! I would be sorry to lose you.” She laughed slightly. “Seriously, Sarek if you did, I don't think I could be in the same room as you without misbehaving. The Adepts make me want to shake them to get some reaction out of them!”

“Humans have made similar comments,” Sarek said, studying her.

“Probably for similar reasons. It just doesn't look, or feel natural. The last time I had seen such, coldness was...” She stopped and closed her eyes briefly, biting her lip. Her mental shields wavered slightly as she struggled to maintain her composure. Sarek stifled a gasp as pain and sorrow washed over him.

“Pardon me, Sarek, I should have better control. Well, it was a long time ago, as you reckon the years. Shock does that to people sometimes. It's never very good to block like that. Sooner or later the dam bursts.”

“Forgiveness is unnecessary. An Adept of Kohlinahr is not in shock," Sarek informed her gently. "It is a state that takes some time and is only achieved by meditation and diligence,”

“Yes, I know! At least I know here.” She tapped her head. “However, knowing and convincing my instincts are two different things. It just doesn't feel at all natural. Instinctively I want to snap them out of it.”

“Do you normally shake people in shock?” Sarek queried, raising an eyebrow.

“It's been known.” She grinned. “Speaking of which,” she moved her queen again, “check.”

“That,” Sarek countered evenly, “was a move I anticipated; it did not startle me.”

“Hmm, does that mean you have a counter move against it?” Her eyebrow rose quizzically.

“Indeed,” Sarek replied as he took her queen with his knight.

“Ah, ungallant, sir, to lay a lady low!” Talera laughed. “Mind you with your population as it is, there aren't that many that could embrace Kohlinahr. The gene pool is shallow enough; you can't afford non-contributors.”

“Unfortunately, it might be a decision forced upon some, due to the lack of a mate.” Sarek studied her. “Marriage to an offworlder would have the same effect.”

“Well, not with modern reproductive techniques.” She frowned at the board. Before, it had seemed Sarek was just delaying the inevitable. Now, she suspected his strategy was more complex than that. “Though I do believe the humans now have prejudices against babies being grown up in a bottle, so to speak.”

“Their laws prohibit the genetic manipulation of such, though not with the practice itself,” Sarek informed her.  “The problem, for a Vulcan, lies in obtaining the material to allow in vitro reproduction.”

“A tricky procedure as one has to await pon farr before one can, er, collect, yes.” She giggled “As we aren't kwon-kanashik like the humans or Romulans.”

“A little exaggerated to describe them as always fertile. In humans, the female is only periodically fertile,” Sarek corrected her.

“Ah, another myth dispelled.” She took his knight with her bishop. “So the choice is either Kohlinahr, a Seheik, or diluting the gene pool further with hybrid offspring. It's no good Sarek, we will just have to get married.”

Sarek blinked, startled. He had not expected her to be so blatant about the matter. Then he noticed the smile that was spreading across her face. Her eyes twinkled merrily at him.

“It is not a matter for jest,” Sarek said reprovingly. He moved the board with his pawn onto the White's board.

Talera stifled a groan. She had been so preoccupied by her own attack on his king, she hadn't noticed the board's steady progress down the levels. Her bishop could not be in two places at once. She could either threaten his king or try to prevent his pawn becoming a queen, but not both.

“No, seriously, we are going to have to become betrothed."  She sighed, abandoning the chess game for the moment. “The kun-ut kaunshau refuses to match anyone else until I am settled.”

“I am honoured by your proposal,” Sarek began, although this was what T'Pau had asked of him. Sarek found he was unwilling to agree to go through with it.

She held up a hand. “Peace Sarek! I wasn't suggesting we actually marry. Apart from anything else, sometimes when you look at me, it isn't me that you see. I don't think that would be healthy for either of us.”

“My apologies. You are very like Amanda in some respects.” Sarek bowed his head slightly to her. “So what, exactly are you suggesting?”

“As I said, a betrothal. After all, you aren't going to go into pon farr any time soon.” She grinned. “That will get Merala off my back and T'Pau off yours.”

“I do not think that that is what T'Pau had in mind at all.” Sarek frowned thoughtfully. Her suggestion had merit. It would gain him the time he needed to mourn Amanda. His time was not due for another five years. Perhaps, in that time he could learn to appreciate Talera for her own self, without seeing the ghost of his wife. He mentally shook his head. That wasn't what she was offering at all. “If you do not wish to marry me, then why offer a betrothal?” Sarek studied her.

“Because it is the logical thing to do,” she replied simply.

Sarek studied her for a long moment, saying nothing. She could not have known that that was the argument he had used to persuade a very stubborn young woman that his intentions were sincere, honourable and that he wanted to marry her.

“Your logic currently escapes me,” Sarek responded, echoing the words his wife had used in reply.

“If we go through Kah-ka then it's not set in stone.” Talera sighed. “If you choose another mate before your pon farr, then we can dissolve the bond to allow you your choice.”

“If I do not choose another and my time comes, what then?” Sarek asked her.

“That rather depends on the intervening five years, Sarek.” She brushed his cheek lightly with her hand. Caring, warmth and a definite feeling of affection flowed from her to him. “If you keep seeing her ghost, then I might have to choose another. If not, well, provided neither wants to strangle the other, it might work.”

“That would have sounded better if you had not added the last.” Sarek quirked an eyebrow.

“Probably.” She shrugged. “Do I get an answer? Or do I have to ask a third time?”

Sarek considered her thoughtfully. She was correct; the proposal would benefit both of them. “Very well, though I also stipulate that if you find someone you prefer, I would also agree to dissolve the bond.”

“Agreed.” She smiled. “I wouldn't expect you to settle it the old fashioned way.”