"Vulcan Interrupted"

[Guest TParek]

"Vulcan Interrupted"

Lieutenants j.g. Sean Xiang and T'Parek

February 23, 2156

 

Sean was walking along the surface of Nequencia III. He had sworn he would not return to the alien complex, but after careful review of the topography, the lakes had seemed appealing. They were also far enough away from the weapon complex that Sean felt comfortable.

 

T'Parek was quietly seated Indian-style on the edge of one of the smallest, most picturesque, lakes on Nequencia.

 

She had not been lying to Matt when she had said she needed to meditate. As intriguing as humans were, Vulcan she was, and as a Vulcan, she required frequent meditation to remain at her best.

 

Sean broke though a thin layer of trees separating him from the nearest lake. It was a small lake, but quite possibly the most calming site he had seen all day.

He stopped for a moment, closed his eyes, and took in the air, letting the light breeze ruffle his short hair. Opening his eyes, something caught his attention. Something that was seated near him Indian-style. Something looking calm and serene. Something with pointy ears.

 

"Rom khru - osu." Good evening, madam.

 

T'Parek jumped, startled out of her concentrated meditation. "Du stariben Vuhlkansu?" You speak Vulcan?

 

"Nash-veh isha wuh gen-lis - osu," I am a linguist, madam. Sean sat down beside T'Parek. "So you really were not kidding about the meditating?"

 

"I was not. Being among humans is stressful. My mind needs time to recuperate, especially after these last few weeks. And I have to admit that Admiral Gardner did not help matters."

 

Sean pulled his knees up to his chest, put his arms around them, and propped his chin on his kneecaps. "Brass rarely help relieve stress." He sighed. "After what we have been through ... this crew could use a lot more than meditation."

 

"You are correct. I intend to recommend a full battery of psychoanalyses to the Captain. It seems logical. After all, many psychological problems appear during long space voyages that do not manifest themselves quickly."

 

"It is not the immediate problems that hurt you; it's the nagging ones in the back of your head." Sean replied. "You feel like taking a break from all this..." He gestured around them. "...excitement?"

 

"I hardly find it exciting. To the contrary, I find it ... peaceful. Serene. How do you find this environment, Lieutenant?"

 

I find it calming, quiet ... and beautiful." He smiled at her. "And I have been meaning to tell you, Sean will be sufficient." He looked out across the lake and at the mountain behind it in the distance. "It is breathtaking."

 

"It is aesthetically pleasing." She stood up and brushed off her uniform. "So, tell me, Sean. How is it that you learned the Vulcan language? Were you acquainted with Vulcans during your Starfleet training?"

 

Sean stands and puts his arms behind his back, beginning to walk along the lakeshore. "One of my professors taught me. He was a linguist as well." Sean shrugged. "In this day and age, and in our line of work, knowing your people's language just makes sense."

 

"Being able to communicate with Vulcans is always logical," she commented. "What led you into linguistics to begin with?"

 

"I love the study of culture in any form. Learning of different species, races and worlds ... it is all fascinating. During my studies I found I had a knack for picking up the languages of the cultures I studied." Sean continued walking with his hands behind his back.

 

"The common quest that sends all scientists into space."

 

"True," he replied looking over at her. "I guess it is the thread that ties most in our field together." He looked out across the lake taking in the beautiful scenery. It was hard to believe that such a beautiful place could house such a destructive force. "You are a scientist. What drives you?"

 

"The pursuit of truth, and of logical explanations for natural, philosophical, and artificial phenomenon."

 

"Ozhikaik danayatra. (Logical explanations) I suppose that means you're not in it for the thrill of new discoveries?"

 

"Discovery provides me with no emotional reward, no."

 

"It does not provide, or you do not allow it to provide?"

 

T'Parek blinked slowly. "It does not provide any." She narrowed her eyes at the other scientist. "Are you attempting to provoke a reaction of annoyance in me?"

 

"I would not dare provoke a Vulcan." He said with a smile. "So much pent up zherka (Emotion)..."

 

The pointy-eared one stopped walking and stared at Xiang for a moment. "Excuse me, but aren't you making a rather presumptuous assumption?"

 

Sean stopped and turned to her. "To presume is to be a scientist. It is how we operate. Hypothesis, experiment, adjustments to hypothesis, experiment...." He inclined his head a bit. "You know that if anyone."

 

"I am well aware of the nature of the scientific method, Lieutenant." She did not mean to snap at him, but her tone came across as a bit on the annoyed side. She silently chided herself. But then again, she would not have let herself slip if he had not interrupted her meditation.

 

He caught the way her tone changed a bit. "I am sorry if I offended you, ma'am." The two were standing near the water, small bugs remarkably similar to dragonflies buzzed along the water’s surface.

 

"I'm not capable of feeling offense." She watched the peaceful ripples pass from the middle of the lake to the shore. "And there is no need for you to address me as ma'am. We are the same rank, after all."

 

"Oh. So what should I call you then?"

 

"Seeing that I have no other designation that is used off of my homeworld, T'Parek will do as well as any other."

 

"Very well, T'Parek. Since I have no other designation either...Sean should suffice for me." He repeated from earlier in the conversation.

 

"Very well, Sean." She had grown accustomed to the usage of primary designations among humans. "Well," she said, "I suppose I should return to shore leave. A pleasant vacation to you, Sean."

 

"Sochya-bosh kohl na’du - T'Parek." Peaceful meditation for you, T'Parek. He nodded and turned back to the woods and the clearance his shuttlepod was waiting in. As he had said more times then he wished to count, Nequencia was nice to visit, but not to stay.