CHAPTER NINE
“You have to go,” Gart said.
“I’m not getting on the transporter pad,” Tammas resisted, firmly planting a foot.
“It’s very safe,” said the transporter technician, Lean Carpani.
“I may be a kid, but I know I have rights, and one of those rights is not to have my molecules scattered throughout the Universe,” Tammas said.
The technician shrugged. “The kids right,” she said. “I can’t transport him against his will.”
“Ah, would you explain to the Potemkin that there will be a slight delay while we find a shuttle to escort him up?” Gart said.
“Sure, hang on,” the Technician said. “Transporter Betazed Seven A, to USS Potemkin, come in please.”
“This is Transporter Tech Malone, go ahead Betazed,” answered the transporter chief on the Potemkin. “We’re still waiting for your signal.”
“Yes, well, we have a slight problem,” Lean said. “The young man is refusing to be transported.”
“Did you say he’s refusing?” Malone asked.
“Affirmative,” Lean confirmed.
“I thought all kids wanted to be transported,” Malone said.
“Not this one,” Lean said. “Gart Xerx, his chaperone, is going to charter a shuttle to bring him up. I wanted to explain the delay.”
“Stand by, one,” Malone said.
Lean smiled at Gart and shrugged. “It’ll just be a moment,” she said, trying to establish some small talk, unconsciously pulling down on the hem lines of her skirt because the kid’s eyes kept going there. She was relieved when the Potemkin’s transporter chief hailed her again.
“Um, Betazed Seven A, this is Malone,” the Potemkin’s transporter chief said. “If you will have Mr. Xerx escort the package to the Lenax spaceport, hangar seven, we’ll have a shuttle waiting for your arrival.”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Xerx said.
“It’s not an inconvenience. The shuttle was picking up supplies anyway,” Malone said. “They will delay their lift off until you arrive. A William T Riker will be waiting.”
“Oh, great. I know him,” Gart said, smiling at Tammas who was now planning to drag his feet over sharing a shuttle with Riker. “Good day.”
“Potemkin out,” Malone said.
Lean powered down the system. “Have a nice day, guys.” She smiled at Tammas, whose eyes lingered on her a little bit longer than she would have expected from a kid his age. She resisted the urge to adjust her skirt down, and thought how amusing it was that kids are getting started earlier and earlier. She attributed it to all the holosuite gaming going on in the worlds these days.
“Come on, Tammas,” Gart called, but Tammas seemed hesitant. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m thinking,” Tammas said, wondering how he was going to avoid Riker. Transporter, or Riker. Transporter… Riker.
“You’re not going to change your mind and use the transporter after I just arranged for your shuttle ride,” Gart said. “Now come along.”
Tammas sighed, and followed Gart out of the room. Lean returned to her Engineering homework. What a strange kid, she thought.
William Riker was hopeful about the delay, thinking Deanna was going to come around the corner any second. He was a little disappointed when Wendy, Gart, and Tammas came around the corner instead.
“Hey, Will,” Wendy said.
“Wendy. Doctor Xerx,” Riker said. “I was glad to hear your daughter got out of the hospital so quickly.”
“Thank you,” Gart said. “I have a favor to ask of you before you go.”
“Anything,” Riker said.
“Tam’s the reason for the delay,” Wendy said.
“Um, it still takes nine months, doesn’t it?” he said, trying to jest.
“Don’t be silly,” Wendy said, amused. “Of course I got nine months left.”
Not expecting the quick retort, Riker nearly stumbled. “Uh?”
“Just kidding, Will. Relax,” she said.
“That’s not funny,” Will said.
“What does any of this have to do with getting me to Vulcan?” Tammas asked.
“I’m taking you to Vulcan?” Will asked.
“You’re taking him to Vulcan,” Wendy said.
“I am?” Riker asked. He hadn’t heard any of this.
“The Potemkin is, and you’re now part of the crew, so, I guess that means you,” Wendy said.
“He should have a guardian awaiting him on the Potemkin, if the flight schedules coincided,” Gart said.
“Very well,” Riker said. “So, Tammas, have you ever been on a shuttle before.”
Tammas glowered at Riker but did not answer.
“What’s up with him?” Riker asked.
“He’s a child, Commander,” Xerx said. “Tammas. Behave.”
“Of course,” Riker said. “Come on, then.”
Xerx leaned down to Tam’s height. “Remember what I’ve taught you. Practice you meditations and you’ll be fine. Also, know you are always welcome in my home,” Gart said, mentally.
Tammas reached out and touched Xerx’s face, and then hugged Wendy. He observed Riker’s posture and noticed impatience, and decided to drag out his departure a little more just to antagonize the Commander. And though his prolong hug with Wendy was suppose to be torture for Riker, he was beginning to note how pleasantly warm her embrace was. Tammas was beginning to suspect that there was definitely something medically wrong with him.
“Tammas, go on,” Gart told him, fully aware of his intended mischief, and noticing Wendy was feeling a bit awkward.
Tammas slung his backpack with the souvenirs and a few clothes he had collected, and boarded the shuttle. The toy black footed ferret’s head stuck out of the pack, as if keeping an eye out for people sneaking up on him. Riker followed him on, closing the door behind them. Tammas had gone right to the co-pilots chair and sat down.
“Hey, kid, that’s my chair. You’re over here,” Riker said. “And you will strap in.”
“You don’t have to strap in,” Tammas pointed out.
“It’s regulations. Kids will be strapped in,” Riker insisted.
Tammas tossed his bag down, sat, and pulled the straps out of their hidden recess. He wondered if he could challenge Riker on this “rule,” but the more resistance he gave the more time he would end up spending with the man. He wanted to be done already.
Riker put Tam’s bag into a compartment. “As soon as you get clearance, Ensign.”
“Aye, sir,” the Ensign said.
Riker felt as if the back of his head was burning and he turned to see Tammas staring at him with laser eyes, his arms crossed across his chest. He shivered and turned back to what he was doing.
“What’s with the kid?” the ensign asked, not looking back.
“Beats me,” Riker said. “I think that’s the kid I saved the other day.”
“Try not to do it again,” the Ensign said.
Riker permitted himself a smile, but otherwise didn’t encourage that line of humor.
“Besides,” the Ensign continued, “Kids and starships are a bad combination, if you ask me, Sir.”
“Yeah,” Riker agreed, glancing back at Tammas. “But times are changing. It won’t be long before its standard practice for whole families to live on board starships.”
“Yeah, right, and we’ll be letting the kids pilot the Starship,” the Ensign laughed.
Riker laughed, too. “Yeah. Can you seem some kid saving a Starship when the highly trained officers can’t?”
“Or an entire Away Mission revolving around saving kids?” the ensign said.
“Or kids swaying the command decisions…” Riker said.
“Trust me,” the Ensign said. “It’ll never happen.”
They both had a good laugh.
The shuttle departed Betazed, signaling the Potemkin of its approach. Tammas had resisted even small talk with Riker, and so Riker simply chatted with Ensign Garold. Tammas did observe a bit of water vapor freeze to the glass of the left port window as the ship climbed out of the atmosphere. It reminded him of his first solo rocket flight. The Potemkin loomed ahead of them larger and more impressive than Tammas remembered seeing in the past, but it was still a familiar sight. He was sure it was the Potemkin that he had seen on that memorable occasion when he launched himself into space. What were the odds of it once again coming to his rescue, he wondered? The moment they touched down, Tammas clicked out of his harness and jumped to the door before the power down sequence had finished.
“Hey, wait a minute,” Riker said, getting up to stop him.
But the door was opening and Tammas was through it before the ramp had even finished lowering. Riker followed, not that he would have been able to do anything had the shuttle bay leaked any atmosphere while they slipped in through the annular shield. Tammas tore across the hangar deck, and pushed the button to open the door that allowed him egress from the hangar deck to the rest of the Potemkin. Riker pursued.
“I said wait a minute,” Riker yelled, running to catch up to Tammas.
The door cycled through its safety, and slid open to reveal the Captain and a person in a robe. Riker tried to gain composure as he slid to a halt in front of the Captain. Tammas leaped into the arms of the man in the robe, his hood falling back to reveal the highly decorated, and well-known Vulcan.
“Um, Ambassador Spock,” Riker said, surprised.
“Lt,” Captain Keller said. “I know you were anxious to get here, but you could have waited for the full power down sequence before exiting the shuttle.”
“Aye, Captain,” Riker said.
“Thank you for your assistance in transporting Tammas, Lt.,” Spock said. “Captain, if you’ll excuse us, Tammas and I will retire to my quarters. Please notify us when we have arrived at Vulcan.”
“Of course, Ambassador. Please let me know if there is anything I or my crew can do to make your stay more comfortable,” Captain Keller said.
Spock nodded, and walked away with Tammas. Captain Keller turned back to Riker, who was feeling a bit anxious. He looked to the Captain, wondering if he should even asked.
The Captain decided to oblige his new Officer’s unasked query. “Don’t even ask,” Keller said. “All I know is some retired Admiral with a bee up his bonnet managed to facilitate our maintenance and repairs, and with no little subterfuge, had us rendezvous with the Ambassador, swing by here ahead of schedule, and now would have us expedite their delivery to Vulcan.”
“How odd,” Riker said.
“That’s just the half of it,” Captain Keller said. “You and I are the only ones who know about Ambassador Spock’s presence, and we’re to forget that, if you know what I mean.”
“I understand.”
“Oh? Then you understand more than I do. By the way, welcome aboard, Lt. Riker,” Captain Keller said, giving Riker a firm hand shake.
Captain Keller piloted the shuttle that delivered Tammas and Spock to one of the busiest orbital facility at Vulcan. Tammas got a good look at the registry at the bottom of the Saucer section: the USS Potemkin, 1657 C, as the shuttle backed into a docking port. Spock thanked Keller personally for delivering them, pulled his hood up, and exited the shuttle. Tammas followed, flashing back to the hustle and bustle of Deep Space K7. The Orbital Star Base at Vulcan was different. There were more Vulcans present in this one place than Tammas had ever seen before, which made sense, them being at Vulcan, and all. Even the air smelled of Vulcans. Living and breathing on a station made smells and taste more noticeable. There were still quite a few humans, but the diversity that he had witnessed at K7 did not seem to be here. And the smell of humans on the station was quite noticeably different than it had been on the Hood, obviously suggesting that concentrations of people made a difference. It wasn’t that the Vulcan smell was an unpleasant smell. It was just different than humans. In fact, he would say humans smelt more unpleasant than Vulcans, if he were pinned to make a preference.
From the space station, Spock and Tammas took a private shuttle down to a small spaceport. From there they took a tram to the outskirts of the city, where Tammas got use to seeing more and more hooded Vulcans coming and going. He was getting curious as to what sort of game this was, hiding under the hood. Not all Vulcans hid themselves. Most of them, but certainly not all. Yes, it was hot, and the sun was intense, but it wasn’t like they were avoiding sun exposure. At the ninth stop, Spock got up and Tammas followed him out of the tram. The heat hit Tammas like a train, and he wanted to return to the air-conditioned comfort of the tram. His sister’s words about comparing Vulcan to hell came to mind.
“I must pick up a few items from market before we head home,” Spock said.
“Okay,” Tammas said, taking in all the strange sights and smells. He was more curious about exploring new surroundings than he had been when first arriving on Betazed, probably due to Deanna’s influence. He knew that he had changed, or evolved somehow, but if you asked him he couldn’t tell you in what way. He wanted new experiences and he wondered if he would ever feel settled again. Spock urged him to keep up and he hurried his pace. He was not likely to ever argue with Spock, he realized, as he might with Pa Pa, grandfather, Admiral, Doctor Leonard Bones McCoy. Whatever Spock said, Tammas was going to do.
None the less, he became distracted and began to wander in a new direction, and inquired telepathically about a sign on a certain vendor’s shop. Spock redirected his focus, and Tammas returned to following Spock through the bustling crowd.
“We agreed you would avoid using telepathy,” Spock reminded him.
“Okay,” Tammas said, making sure he said it out loud. He looked up into the sky to see if he could see the Hood. He couldn’t, and he wondered if it had already departed on some adventure, or would be staying a couple of days. He blinked in the heavy sunlight, wondering how far up he would have to go before the air started cooling substantially. He also wondered why people use air conditioners when it might be possible to just erect pipes up into the atmosphere and pump the cooler air down to the ground level.
They forged on quietly through the streets, occasionally slowing so Spock could examine the fruits and vegetables of a near by vendor. While at one booth, something stirred in a bag near Tam’s feet. Tammas looked to Spock, who had dropped his hood and was haggling with the booth keeper. He was tempted to send a telepathic query, which seemed less rude than interrupting the haggling process, but then, he reminded himself he was not to use that skill. He looked back to the sack and knelt to examine it. The sack shifted in his hands. Again he peered back at Spock and the vendor before returning his attention to the sack, where curiosity finally got the better of him. He opened it.
A creature leaped out of the sack. Tammas gave a cry as he fell backwards, his hands coming up to protect his face from the thing that was bearing down on him. He resisted, as it licked at his face, a tooth brushing the side of his cheek so that Tammas was sure the creature was trying to bite his face off.
“You’ll have to pay for that,” yelled the vendor. He was an Andorian and Tammas would have been impressed that an Andorian’s face could actually become even more blue when displaying emotions, but Tammas was still quite distracted by his life or death struggle.
“I don’t see why I should pay for your carelessness,” Spock said.
Tammas continued to cry for help.
“It has imprinted on your child and is now useless to me,” the vendor said.
Spock picked the creature up by the scruff of the neck, holding it well above, and out of Tam’s reach. It struggled to return to Tammas, reaching for him. Tammas struggled to regain composure. As he looked around to see how his emotional out burst had disrupted the quiet little Vulcan street, he quickly put a lid on it and stood up and brushed himself off, as if embarrassment from loosing ones composure could brush off so easily. The animal seemed less foreboding now that he could see what it was. He had no idea what it was, but it looked less threatening, none the less, especially hanging from Spock’s grip. In fact, the more it whined and struggled to get loose from Spock’s grasp the cuter it seemed. Tammas looked to Spock and tried to figure out what his response should be. Spock was simply unreadable by any measure he had been taught on Betazed, and he was still restricted in his use of empathy. It would have been easy enough to gather intelligence by following his telepathic thread back into Spock’s mind, but he was quite aware that he needed permission to do so.
“If you don’t take it, I’ll have to put it down,” the vendor said. “Either way, you just bought it.”
“Tammas,” Spock said. “The shop keeper is right about one thing. It was irresponsible for you to examine his property without asking.”
Tammas didn’t have a response for that.
“You are responsible for its life,” Spock said. “Are you willing to care for it?”
“Yes,” Tammas agreed. He didn’t want the shopkeeper putting it down.
“Very well,” Spock said, lowering the creature into Tam’s arms. “You will be responsible for its well being and training. It will not respond to telepathic communications. You will have to use hand and voice commands. Also, I expect you to reimburse me for the price of this sehlat, which I had not intended to purchase.”
“Okay,” Tammas agreed. It was large, heavy, warm, and very soft. It tried to snuggle in closer, putting its head at his neck, and licking. It made a noise like a soft chanting, “bububububu,” not unlike the baby, Earth, Polar Bears made in the documentary he had seen while browsing through an Earth Encyclopedia. Klondike and something…
“Perhaps you would also be interested in purchasing some food and this sehlat kit for beginners?” the shopkeeper offered, with a huge grin.
“We will take a pound of the kitten food, and a half liter of the milk formula,” Spock said.
“The kit comes with a leash, and a training book,” the shop keeper said.
“Just the food and formula,” Spock said. “Thank you.”
With this new burden, Tammas found it a struggle to keep up with Spock as they proceeded to his home and was relieved when they took a cable car up to the top of the mountain. For one, the cable car was much cooler, but also he was doubtful he could have walked much further. They were alone in the car, and so Tammas had his choice of views, all of which were hot, arid desert landscapes, large circular patches describing some form of crop or gardening, and domed habitats stretching as far as the eye could see. He noticed some sulfur springs, and some boiling pits, with water vapor rising, and hoped to go investigate them closer some day. He put it on his list of things to do, which was growing by leaps and bounds. Tammas continued to unconsciously pet the animal the whole while he took in the immediate sights of Vulcan.
“Spock?” Tammas asked.
“Yes,” Spock said. Spock had been observing Tammas as he stared out the window that stretched the length of the car.
“All of this is a waste,” Tammas said.
“Please clarify your statement,” Spock said.
“All of this,” Tammas said, turning to Spock. “All of this energy, help, attention, and resources that have and are being put into my continued existence is a waste. Evolutionary speaking, I would have been abandoned by the hunter gathering tribe, left under a tree with an ostrich egg full of water. And when the water ran out, I would die.”
“We are no longer at the hunter gatherer stage of life,” Spock said.
“Perhaps, technologically speaking, but biologically speaking?” Tammas asked. “I’m requiring more energy than is logical. Just the energy necessary to run the Starship that brought me here is astronomical. There is no balance, no logic…”
“Life is not always logical,” Spock said. “Sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many. Indeed, the many will often rally around the one, for there is benefit in it for them as well, even when recognizing that the one can never repay the debt to the many.”
“That just doesn’t make sense,” Tammas said.
“You are operating from several false premises,” Spock said. “You are not a waste. You are, for the lack of a better term, family. Also, resources are only limited by technology, and since our technology gives us tremendous returns, it is only wise that we use them accordingly. We are not wanting.”
“But you were busy,” Tammas protested.
“It was time for me to visit home again. You are not an inconvenience,” Spock said. “And Tammas, I would not lie to you.”
Sarek and his wife, Perrin, greeted them at the door.
“Oh, Spock, it’s been too long,” Perrin said. “Hello, Tammas. What is this that you have?”
“It’s my pet sehlat,” Tammas said, showing it to her as if he had known her all his life, though this was their first meeting.
Sarek raised an eyebrow at Spock.
“It imprinted on him at market,” Spock explained.
“No doubt in a similar fashion that it happened to another young Vulcan I once knew,” Sarek said.
Tammas looked up, thinking he had heard playful banter. Sarek closed the door and took one of the bags of vegetables from Spock, and headed towards the kitchen.
“What is its name?” Perrin asked.
“I hadn’t thought of one,” Tammas said, setting the sehlat on its feet to let it romp around on its own. It never wandered far from Tammas, and it would always look to him before pushing its boundaries or trying something new. If the something new frightened it, it would rush back and hide behind Tam’s legs.
“If I recall correctly, yours was called I-Chaya,” Sarek said.
“Your memory is impeccable,” Spock said.
“I-Chaya,” Tammas repeated. “No. I think I will name him Sparky.”
“Very human of you,” Sarek agreed.
“Tammas, why don’t you take Sparky out back into the garden,” Perrin said. “Sarek, Spock, why don’t you retire to the study. I’ll bring you herbal tea and then start preparing dinner.”
“Thank you, Perrin,” Sarek said.
Spock followed Sarek into the old study. He surveyed the books on the shelf, while his father made himself comfortable in a chair he used primarily for reading.
“You will not be staying long, I surmise,” Sarek said.
Spock nodded, turned and took a seat across from his father. There was a chessboard between them, but he did not offer to play. He merely studied the game in process. “I believe it is crucial that I return to my work.”
“Will the galaxy fall apart if you tarried too long with your family?” Sarek asked.
Spock raised an eyebrow. “I suppose not.”
“However, you feel indebted to the memory of your old friends, and therefore find it compulsory to be a key player in the ending of hostilities between the Romulan and Federation,” Sarek said. “I know you too well, son.”
“It is only logical,” Spock offered.
“Spare me your logic, son,” Sarek said. “I do not consider it an offense when you recognize your human half, and pay tribute to the feelings you have for your past companions. I have adapted to this. I just want you to be certain that you do this because it’s what you want to do, not because you have to repay a debt that can never be repaid.”
“I do this because I know I can, and because I want to work towards this peace,” Spock said. “Are you sure it will not be a burden, leaving Tammas here with you and Perrin?”
“Family is not a burden,” Sarek said. “Yes, I have discussed matters with McCoy, and I know. I have discussed the matter with Perrin, and she is looking forward to having Tammas stay with us.”
Spock nodded. “It truly is best that I not stay with Tammas, for the same reasons McCoy should limit his interactions.”
“If that line of logic is correct, there is no little danger having him associate with me,” Sarek pointed out. “But Perrin and I are capable of misdirection, should it come to that. Besides, I find it highly unlikely that anyone will come looking for him on Vulcan, much less while he’s in my protection. What do you make of the situation on Kelvan?”
“I wasn’t referring to the Kelvan threat, but more to the fact that his telepathic bond with us is rather strong, and our physical presence has the potential to disrupt or further delay the creation of appropriate psychic boundaries,” Spock corrected. “However, I suppose the Kelvan threat is still potentially real, though less likely as time goes on. As for the war, it would appear that the faction supporting the return to original Kelvan form has won. There are still factions for the other two parties, but they are fractured and powerless at this time, limited to terrorist tactics. This new war front has grown to a larger theatre, encompassing three solar systems. The Kelvan have officially severed all ties with the Federation.”
“If I understand it right, they merely had a friendship treaty with the Federation. They didn’t want to share their technology. Perhaps you should focus your attention on ending their war and encouraging them to reconsider their position,” Sarek said. “Their technology could be used against the Federation.”
“I doubt they will ever be a threat, as divided as they are,” Spock said.
“But you do not know this for certain,” Sarek argued.
“I am sure the Federation has people on it,” Spock said. “What they don’t have is a dialogue with the Romulans.”
“Because the Romulan’s do not want to have a dialogue,” Sarek pointed out.
“That is exactly what you said about the Klingons and we are now at peace with them,” Spock said.
“A tenuous peace at best,” Sarek said. “There is always something looming over the Klingons that threatens the peace.”
“None the less, it does not require my attention,” Spock said.
“I think your energies would be better spent closer to home. The Kelvan situation is out of hand, and we’re having an increasing number of conflicts along the Cardassian border,” Sarek said.
“I already offered you my advice regarding the Cardassians,” Spock said. “If you choose not to act on it, I don’t see how my involvement will change matters.”
“Just because I disagree with you, does not mean you have to avoid participating in a dialogue,” Sarek said. “Or help me in that endeavor.”
Spock got up to leave just as Perrin entered, carrying a tray with a two glasses of tea and some sliced fruit. “I’ve already said enough on this. I think it is best that I leave,” he said, and exited.
“But Spock, you haven’t had your tea,” Perrin called after him.
Sarek put a hand on Perrin’s arm. “Let him go.”