Star Trek - Sarek

by A. C. Crispin

  They have told me of your dreams for the future."

  Valdyr glanced over at Peter quickly; he was smiling as he winked at

  her.

  "I want you to know that I, personally, wish to assure you that your

  future will be as bright as the one you granted your people through your

  courage." Azetbur leaned closer to the screen, her expression softening,

  becoming less formal, more earnest. "You were born to be a leader,

  Valdyr, and I shall make sure that is what you will become. You will be

  trained as diplomat, under my auspices and tutelage. Our Empire needs

  people like you to insure her welfare. Our people are facing a time when

  they can no longer solve problems the way they have in the past. We need

  warriors who will gain our ends with words, not weapons. You are our

  future, aldyr."

  "MET' Valdyr stammered, but after a second, she managed to regain her

  composure enough to say, "Chancellor, you honor me too greatly. I do not

  know what to say."

  "What is there to say? It is only what you deserve. Kirk has told me

  that his ship is currently on a vital mission to Freelan. As soon as his

  mission is fulfilled, when you are completely recovered, General Korrd

  will be sending a crew to fly the Taj home. He has instructions to bring

  you to me, so we may discuss your education, and your future, at greater

  length. Grow strong, Valdyr. I will see you soon." And then, abruptly,

  she signed off.

  Valdyr just sat there, completely taken aback. She'd been resigned to

  giving up her life as a Klingon, to adjusting to this new life. Now ...

  She looked at the men standing around her. Azetbur must have spoken to

  them. She turned to Peter. "You told her ... about me?"

  "I told her the truth," Peter explained. "I told her about your dreams

  of getting an education, about being a diplomat ... "He trailed off.

  "Isn't that what you wanted?"

  That was what she'd wanted ... before. Did she still want it? "But ...

  if I go back to school ..." She turned and looked at Captain Kirk. Was

  this his way of pulling her and Peter apart? She didn't know what to

  think.

  "Valdyr," the captain said softly. "You're being given a

  wonderful opportunity. You're very young. This could shape your whole

  life. Think carefully before you decide."

  McCoy suddenly stood in front of her. "Come on, Jim.

  These kids need time to talk." Nodding farewell, the two older men left.

  Peter pulled himself up to sit beside her on the bed. He had said little

  so far.

  "If ... I do this, Pityr," she said quietly, "then ... we must part

  ... Is that what you want me to do? You want me to leave you?"

  He didn't answer for a long moment; then finally he said,

  "Remember that talk we had, where I told you that everyone expected me

  to be like my uncle Jim and take the Command track, and you said ..."

  "That I was expected to marry and bear children and spend all my time

  scheming for their advancement. Yes, I remember."

  "Well, you made that sound like a fate worse than death, Valdyr. If you

  pass this opportunity up ... that's all that will be left for you to

  do. If you married me, and had my children, and worked to improve our

  lives--someday you'd wake up and realize you ended up living the very

  same life everyone wanted you to have on Qo'nos. And then, I think,

  you'd be very unhappy."

  The truth of his words hit her hard. But why did her future as a

  diplomat require her to leave him? "Why can't our futures somehow ... be

  closer together? Why must I be on Qo'nos and you on Earth? Why can't

  things be better than that?"

  He slipped an arm around her and pulled her close to him.

  "I'm not sure it can't be, Valdyr. We'll have to work at it, and we'll

  have to be willing to suffer separations ... Did

  you know that Mr. Spock's parents are of mixed species?"

  "No, I did not."

  Peter nodded. "His mother was human." Then he chuckled.

  "And his father is a diplomat. What I'm trying to say is, that Sarek and

  his wife had to spend a lot of time apart, because of their work. She

  was a teacher, and a mother, and that kept her at home."

  "I understand about Mr. Spock's patenf s," Valdyr said,

  "but what has that to do with ..."

  "Us? Well, I just mention that because they enjoyed many years of

  marriage, even though they spent a lot of time apart.

  It was a good marriage. I've been thinking about them because, well, Mr.

  Spock's mother just died ... while Sarek was on this last diplomatic

  mission."

  Valdyr was startled by that. "That was a difficult thing to do, to serve

  with honor while one is grieving."

  "Yes, but Sarek is a Vulcan. My point, Valdyr, is that other people

  maintain relationships even when they aren't always together. Even when

  they have to spend large amounts of time far apart."

  "You are saying, if they can do it, that we could, too?" Peter shrugged.

  "I mean, if a mere Vulcan can maintain a relationship with a human over

  time and space ... what can a Klingon accomplish?"

  She rested against him. "Now I know what it is I will be missing, Pityr.

  I will be missing you so terribly." She felt him swallow, and knew that

  was one of his ways of controlling the emotions he didn't want her to

  see.

  "We'll find a way, Valdyr," he promised her, hugging her tight. "We'll

  find a way to be together. We'll just have to be patient."

  Smiling, she let him help her off the bed, and lead her to her quarters.

  During the next two days, the Enterprise warped toward Freelan,

  accompanied through space by Shardarr. When they reached the fringes of

  the Freelan stellar system, the ships dropped out of warp. Sarek

  accompanied Taryn to the transporter chamber so he could reclaim his

  ship from Poldar.

  The wing commander, having a typically strong Vulcan constitution, was

  fully recovered from the effects of the senapa poison. He had resumed

  his uniform. For the first time, Sarek was able to study his features

  freely, without either a mask of fabric or anger to conceal them. The

  two Vulcans stood facing each other in the transporter chamber,

  while the Enterprise's transporter chief discreetly busied herself with

  duties.

  "What has been the reaction to your orders to allow the Vulcans to

  leave, should they choose to do so?" Sarek asked.

  The officer drew himself up, his expression taking on a touch of the old

  arrogance. "I am still wing commander. I am being obeyed," he said. "As

  soon as I have beamed over, I will send Savel back ... and then any of

  my officers who wish to leave. The Vulcans on Freelan have been told to

  gather at a central point, so they may be beamed up efficiently. They

  will do so."

  "Of course," Sarek said, with a touch humor. "They are Vulcans.

  Efficiency is in their blood."

  "You gave me yo. ur word that Savel will be under your personal guidance

  in establishing her new life," Taryn reminded the ambassador.

  Sarek raised a hand formally. "I gave you my word. She will be given

  every opportunity and advantage it is possib
le for me to offer."

  The wing commander relaxed slightly. "Very well, then. I must go. If you

  will wait for Savel, she will not be long."

  "Taryn ..." Sarek began, and the officer, who had begun to turn away,

  turned back. "Come with us," the ambassador said, aware of a note of

  entreaty in his voice he did not entirely trouble to repress. "Your

  people will need leadership, you are correct in that. You could provide

  that leadership yourself. And ..." The ambassador's mouth quirked upward

  slightly. "And we could play chess ... "

  A slight smile touched the wing commander's grim mouth. "And have you

  continue to beat me? I think not. It is my duty to take Shardarr back to

  Romulus, and to face the praetor with what I have done."

  "But you know what will happen."

  "Of course," Taryn said. "But this is what I must do, Sarek. I am a

  Romulan officer. I have lived as a Romulan ... and I will die as one."

  Sarek sighed. "I was not expecting anything else," he said.

  "But I had to ask ... "

  Taryn nodded curtly, then stepped up on the transporter

  pad. Again that faint smile touched his mouth, as he lifted his hand,

  and, with a slight grimace, spread his fingers into the Vulcan salute.

  "Peace and long life, Sarek," he said, quietly--

  just as the transporter beam took him.

  Minutes later, Savel and Taryn stood together in Shardarr's transporter

  room. The young Vulcan woman's features were composed, but her voice

  trembled uncontrollably.

  "I do not want to leave you, Vadi! Let me go back with you to Romulus.

  Perhaps I can bear witness for you, and they will understand."

  Commander Taryn smiled faintly. "Understand? The praetor? Why, Savel, I

  never knew you to make jokes before ... "

  "But ..." She was trembling, thinking of what would happen to him back

  on Romulus. "Please, Vadi.t"

  "Savel," he said, chidingly, "remember your control. You are a Vulcan,

  and under Ambassador Sarek's guidance. He has promised me that he will

  sponsor you, until you are ready to take your place on your rightful

  world. You must look to the future."

  "You are a Vulcan, too," she said, an edge in her voice that betrayed

  her anguish at parting from him. "Come with He was already shaking his

  head. Taryn drew himself up proudly. "I am a Romulan," he corrected her.

  "And I must take Shardarr back to Romulus and make my final report."

  A number of the young Vulcan bridge officers were already aboard the

  Enterprise, and were leaving with the Federation vessel ... but a

  surprising number of the senior officers--including Centurion

  Poldar--had announced their decision to accompany Taryn on their last

  voyage home.

  "Besides," the commander added, "the ambassador will need help to gain

  the trust of the Vulcans who have chosen to go home to their native

  world. They will need a leader.

  You have the strength to guide them, Savel."

  "What will happen to the others?" she wondered. At least

  fifty of the Vulcans, mostly those who had married into Romulan

  families, had chosen to stay.

  "They will have to go underground, to live as Romulans for the rest of

  their lives." He sighed. "The Plan has failed. I would not be surprised

  if the praetor decides to evacuate Freelan entirely. The repercussions

  of the failure of the Plan will echo through the Empire for many years

  ... perhaps decades."

  "What will the praetor do?" Savel asked.

  "What we Romulans always do in the face of adversity ... pull back,

  regroup, wait. The Empire is patient, Savel. That is why it has endured

  so long. The Empire will wait, and plan ... until it is time to try

  again."

  "If only there could be peace," she whispered.

  He raised an ironic eyebrow. "If only there could be," he echoed. "But

  not today, I fear." He glanced up at the waiting transporter technician.

  "Come, it is time."

  Savel straightened her shoulders and nodded, her features calm ...

  though her eyes were full of anguish. With her bag of personal

  belongings in hand, she slowly took her place on the transporter pad.

  Taryn gave her a Romulan salute.

  "Farewell, vadia-lya."

  Squaring her shoulders, Savel hesitantly lifted her hand, spreading her

  fingers apart as she had seen Sarek do. "Peace, Vadi ... peace and--"

  She broke off. To say "long life" under these circumstances was

  ridiculous. "Farewell," she said, instead.

  Just as the beam of the transporter began to whine, Savel saw him smile

  at her fondly. "Give my regards to Soran," he said, just before she

  winked out of existence.

  Wing Commander Taryn took a deep breath, squared his own shoulders, and

  left the transporter room without a backward glance.

  Peter Kirk and Valdyr stood together in the Enterprise's docking bay, at

  the foot of Taj's gangplank, to say their farewells. They did not

  embrace, because there were three Klingon officers in the doorway,

  eyeing them interestedly.

  Peter smiled unsteadily at the young Klingon woman.

  "You'll get home days ahead of me," he reminded her.

  "Uncle Jim finally introduced me to Ambassador Sarek and he said he

  would grant us access to the diplomatic corem-net.

  I expect to find a communiqu6 waiting when I get back to Earth. I want

  to hear all about your schooling, Valdyr. I want to know everything that

  happens to you, until we can see each other again. Promise me."

  She nodded in turn. "On my honor, I will. You must do the same."

  "On my honor, I will."

  She gave him a faint smile. "Then ... I wish you safe voyage back to

  your world. I know you will pass your warrior's test with honor, Pityr.

  You have already faced far worse ... "

  "Yes, but then I had you to help me be strong," he said, and for a

  moment felt his control slipping. "Farewell Valdyr-oy. Safe voyage.

  Until we meet again. May it be soon ... "

  "Farewell, Pityr-oy. We will make it be soon," she replied fiercely,

  giving him a wartlot's closed-fist salute.

  As he watched, she turned and ran up the gangplank. The last glimpse he

  had of her was the gleam of her armor, and a final toss of her long

  braid.

  Hearing over the intercom that the bay was about to alepressurize, Peter

  hastily left, without looking back ...

  Sarek sat on the divan in the small VIP cabin aboard the Earth-bound

  Enterprise, Amanda's journal open in his lap.

  The ambassador was rereading the entry his wife had made on the day that

  the news of her father-in-law's death had reached her.

  April 5,2249 l just received a communiqudfrom T'Pau, telling me that

  Solkar died yesterday. He was the last surviving member of Sarek

  immediate blood-kin--except, of course, for Spock ... whom Sarek has

  declared vre-kasht.

  I find myself thinking about how lonely Sarek must be. Of course, after

  what he did, he deserves to be alone ... but time, I am discovering,

  has a way of putting things in perspective.

  This past year, as I look back on it, has, in a way, been a good one. It

  was a thrill to go back to teaching, an
d, because of my celebrity

  (notoriety?), I've been given the best and brightest that Earth had to

  offer. My students have been wonderful--watching them grow and expand

  their horizons has been so rewarding.

  Also, living here in San Francisco while Spock attends

  Starfleet Academy has been a good opportunity to renew closeness with my

  son.

  It was also good to spend time with More and Dad ... Aunt Matilda

  passed away this year, and she was younger than Dad ... it made me

  realize, for the first time, that roy parents will not go on forever.

  Neither will I, come to think of it.

  Neither will Sarek.

  It's funny how death puts things in perspective. I think ... I think

  it's time to go home to Vulcan. Spock will soon, as second-year cadet,

  be going off on training missions. He has made the admittedly difficult

  adjustment to living in close quarters with so many human students, and

  he is finally beginning to make a few friends.

  He doesn't need me here anymore ... he needs the company of people his

  own age, cadets who are learning the things he is learning.