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From: webmaster@in-cebu.com (yen the nut)
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: NEW TOS "A Fic for a Wonderful Ship" 1/1 [PG] Sarek & Amanda
Date: 3 Dec 2004 20:53:06 -0800
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TITLE: A Fic for a Wonderful Ship
AUTHOR: Yen the Nut
Sites: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sarek_and_Amanda
http://www.fanfiction.net/~yenthenut
SERIES: TOS
RATING: PG
CODES: Sa/Am for Sarek & Amanda
PART: 1/1
SUMMARY: A fic starring my favorite ST couple. (=^.^=)



Amanda watched the Protocol Officer carefully as he perused her file.
She waited for it and wasn't disappointed when Sevn's eyes widened
ever so slightly. She knew he had just read that portion of her file,
which listed the languages she knew.

"You are conversant in Vulcan?" He asked; there was a hint of doubt in
his otherwise polite tone.

"Yes, I am," she answered in English, hoping her expression gave
nothing away about her present state of mind which was more nervous
than calm. Albert, her second guardian, had once told her that it was
a good thing that she had a guileless face by nature because she
couldn't act convincingly enough to save her life.

Sevn's right brow rose marginally. "T'Sai Grayson, your file also
states that you know Andorian, Deltan, Tellarite in addition to Vulcan
and Terran." His tone still bordered on the polite side but it was
quite clear he didn't believe her resume.

Both his brows flicked upward when Amanda started speaking in Vulcan.
"Yes, I know the official languages of those five systems. I have
stayed approximately for 3 years on the Andorian homeworld, a year on
Delta IV, 2 years on Tellar & 1 year on Vulcan." That was also
included in her file, and what she had been instructed to say. The
true accounting was actually 8 languages and 12 systems, but her
guardians felt it wasn't necessary to mention all that in order to
secure a summer job at the Vulcan Embassy. Besides, they didn't want
her to be deemed overqualified.

Sevn was staring at her speechlessly. Apparently, a Terran just
speaking in badly accented Vulcan was already difficult to believe.
Amanda mentally wished her guardians had followed granduncle's Samuel
suggestion to just list Terran and Vulcan on her resume. Then again,
they hadn't wanted to risk her being considered under-qualified.

Finally, Sevn recovered from his surprise. He glanced back to her
file; Amanda knew he was double-checking her age, which was 19.
However, she appeared older due to careful cosmetic applications,
which she had learned under the direct supervision of Guardians Helen
and Coraline. They had felt it was to their charge's best interest to
appear older since she tended to look too young without make-up.

Her year-mates couldn't believe their eyes when they saw her first
make-over. Thankfully she had a far easier time developing a more
mature tone of voice that suited her more sophisticated look. She felt
& all her guardians agreed that she now sounded very respectable
regardless that the twins, Stephan and Misha, had teased her
mercilessly about how she sounded just like their strict and
oh-so-proper Aunt Sofia.

While Sevn re-read her file, Amanda tried to ease her nerves by coming
up with a prank to pull on the twins (if she didn't get this job).

Fortunately for them, she got the job but only after she had to read
out loud to Sevn a long winding dissertation on the first basic tenet
of logic twice, first in Vulcan and then in English.

(1.7) Brainstorming

Ever the practical one, Farah suggested that Amanda begin with idioms
that were used the most often. Eleanor, who shared Amanda's interest
in classical novels, suggested cross-referencing those idioms with
famous passages.

"Perhaps you could have them read aloud?" said Eleanor, looking over
Amanda's shoulder at the computer screen showing Amanda's proposed
syllabus.

Amanda only needed a moment to decide on Eleanor's suggestion; she
liked it. "I could bring some of my books to class," she told Eleanor
with a note of pride in her voice. The books she was referring to were
actual real paper books, not electronic or digital versions.

"Vulcans probably find real books illogical," said Misha offhandedly;
he was on the couch, watching the holo. An avid follower of the news
feeds, he was the first in their group to note that Vulcans found a
lot of things (mostly of non-Vulcan construct) illogical.

Stephan, also seated on the couch, said in a querulous tone, "What?
They never had paper books?"

"I think they had before," said Amanda. "I think what Misha meant was
that Vulcans probably don't read from real books these days."

"Oh," said Stephan, and then he frowned, "Well... most humans nowadays
don't bother with real books either. Reading on a padd is better, in
my opinion. No offense, Amanda."

"None taken, Stephan," said Amanda, smiling.

Farah, who was watching Misha watching the holo, suddenly said, "How
about showing film clips in your classes?"

(2.5) Break a leg

Amanda felt she did well with her first class. There were only 4
students; nonetheless, she felt it went well.

Each of her classes were 50 minutes long. Roughly half the time was
spent introducing the idioms, their figurative meanings as well as
other pertinent information (if any). Next, Amanda had each student
recite classical or contemporary passages containing the day's idioms.
Then, she showed what film clips she had been able to find and edit in
time. The remainder of the lesson was spent entertaining questions.

She didn't assign any homework. Her Peda didn't believe in homework
and neither did she.

Unfortunately, there was no second class for that day or a third or a
fourth. After her students left, she took stock and began putting away
the portable theatre system Theodore had loaned to her.

"T'Sai Grayson."

Startled, Amanda whirled about and banged her hip sharply against a
table. She let out a pained gasp and did an awkward half-shuffle away
from the table made of heavy teakwood.

"T'Sai Grayson." Something warm brushed her upper right arm; Amanda
turned her head to see one of the students, T'Fan.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to startle you," T'Fan said
conscientiously, lowering her hand. She was about Amanda's height and
looked to be the same age as Amanda. However, it was rarely a good
idea to judge a Vulcan's age by appearance alone.

"It's okay. I'm okay," mumbled Amanda, raising her right hand at T'Fan
while her left hand gingerly rubbed her bruised hip.

Someone else said, "According to the lesson T'Sai Grayson gave, okay
when employed in that context means fine, in satisfactory condition,
unhurt, well..."

Amanda moved her head slightly and spotted another student, Sopek,
standing by the door. Amanda's eyes narrowed; she vowed to install a
bell on that door.

Sopek stopped his recitation, thinking that the T'Sai was frowning at
him. According to his teachers and peers, Terrans dislike
comprehensive explanations.

He was surprised when T'Sai Grayson said, "No, Terrans just generally
prefer to employ as few words as much as possible, and I am not angry
at you, Sopek. It's that door I'm angry with."

T'Fan turned to Sopek with raised eyebrows but her bondmate was as
puzzled as she was. She turned back to T'Sai Grayson and was about to
say that being angry with doors was illogical when their teacher
sighed loudly and said, "Oh, never mind. Just please keep in mind that
not everyone have hearing as good as Vulcans do, okay?"

Sopek opened his mouth to begin another dissertation of 'okay' - this
time when used in the approval context, but he decided not to when the
T'Sai clearly glared at him this time.

(3.1) A basket case

The number of students increased steadily throughout the week. On the
second day, there were four in the first class and two in the second.
On the third day, aside from her first and second classes, she held
private lessons with a Vulcan couple who held senior positions in the
embassy.

Amanda was about to begin with 'Achilles heel' when T'Sai T'Ren raised
her hand.

T'Ren and her spouse, Starn, were considerably older than the Vulcans
Amanda had been teaching so far. In terms of Terran years, they looked
like they were in their thirties, but Amanda had been instructed by
Guardian Yusef to multiply by a factor of 2 to 2.5 when it comes to
estimating Vulcan ages.

"Yes, T'Sai?" said Amanda in a voice that sounded a mite squeaky. She
had been struggling with the uneasy idea of tutoring people, who were
old enough to be her grandparents, who only looked old enough to be
her parents.

T'Ren stood up regally; her husband glanced at her. Amanda
unsuccessfully tried to distract herself from her unease by thinking
how sweet it was that all the Vulcans she had been teaching were
couples.

"May we request T'Sai Grayson to begin with the second list of
idioms?"

Amanda blinked. A strangled voice, that she had a bad feeling was
hers, said, "W-what?"

T'Ren spread her hands slightly as though presenting a case. "We are
already familiar with the introductory list of idioms." When that
explanation only resulted in the Terran T'Sai just staring at her
wordlessly, she looked to her bondmate for assistance.

The edges of Amanda's vision turned blurry when Starn also stood up.

"T'Sai, our son had already informed us of the first list of idioms.
We are quite certain we do not require- T'Sai, are you unwell?"

T'Ren quickly moved to assist the Terran who seemed about to faint;
however, as she reached towards her, Amanda automatically moved away.
Amanda knew full well that Vulcans didn't like to be touched or to
have to touch non-Vulcans.

"I am well, T'Sai," murmured Amanda, bowing her head slightly as an
apology to T'Ren and Starn for causing them concern. "Please excuse my
lapse. I am well," she repeated when they didn't look convinced.

Amanda moved to the projector at the back of the room. "I understand
your request, and I will begin with the 2nd list just as soon as you
both have seen these clips which correspond to the first list. It will
only take a few minutes. Kindly please be seated." It felt like an
eternity before both Vulcans were seated again.

She turned on the projector. A horse's whinny sounded from the tiny
speakers she had positioned about the room; an old Western stagecoach
appeared on the screen. With only scant minutes to spare, Amanda sat
down on the closest chair and took deep calming breaths.

(4.18) Step on it

On the fourth day, Amanda was determined to avoid near-faux pas
similar to what had happened with T'Ren & Starn's first lesson. Before
beginning any lesson, she asked her students if they were already
familiar with the list of idioms included in that lesson. She was
quite rocked to discover that all the students in her second class
were already familiar with idioms she had intended to teach them that
day. Apparently, Vulcans discuss their studies with their peers and
families during their spare time.

As with T'Ren & Starn's lesson, Amanda decided to skip to the film
clips of the third list of idioms with the second class. Concerned
that they hadn't done any formal reading of those idioms, she sent
copies of the corresponding list of passages to their padds and
suggested that they read them when they had the time before proceeding
with the fourth list of idioms. At the end of the lesson, she told the
second class that they could join the first class if they wished to.

(5.9) Buckle down

The weekend found Amanda pent-up in her room, working on the idiom
lists. Her year-mates tried to coax her out with little success.

"Didn't you already prepare two weeks' worth of lessons?" Stephan
asked, his chin on top of Amanda's head; he was peering down at the
computer screen. Amanda pushed him away. "I did but those Vulcans went
through them like the way you went through Eleanor's cherry tarts last
night."

"Oh... that quick, eh?" Theodore avoided Stephen's friendly punch
easily. Amanda rolled her eyes ceilingward when he too placed his chin
on top of her head.

"How about doing review lessons, Amanda?" suggested Eleanor, placing a
food tray on Amanda's desk. Amanda looked at her thankfully and
grabbed the bacon avocado sandwich before Stephan or Theodore could
give in into temptation and take a bite out of it.

"Vulcans probably find reviewing illogical," said Misha. He was
lounging on the floor against Amanda's bed with a padd in hand.

"With you around, we don't need a Vulcan to tell us what is or is not
logical," said Theodore dryly. His headrest sighed loudly; he peered
down to find Amanda glumly chewing her sandwich.

"Bokans zo swine seryuwing irogikan."

"Say what, Red?" said Theodore with a chuckle.

"That sounded kind of like Russian," said Stephan, mooching a sip of
Amanda's lemon soda.

Misha translated. "She said Vulcans do find reviewing illogical."

Amanda nodded. "Zat's right," she muttered. She cheered up a bit when
Eleanor rescued her beverage from Stephan.

(6.1) Getting the hang of it

The second week was less hectic. Amanda had decided to forgo with the
film clips until further notice since it took considerable time to go
through individual movies. Q & A time was lengthened, and she
requested the students to make note of puzzling Terran statements
encountered outside of class.

The third week rolled by smoothly. When a month passed by, they had
already covered more than 500 idioms and their variations. At this
rate, they would be going into the more obscure idioms by the middle
of the second month. Amanda was pleased with the fast-paced progress
but also concerned that she may ran out of practical teaching material
before the summer was over.

(7.23) A window of opportunity

"Well... at least now we know why the Vulcan Embassy can't seem to
keep their English teachers on a more permanent basis," said Yusef
dryly.

Amanda's third guardian was the only one not seated. As usual, he was
wearing a turban and robes. His teeth gleamed white against his dark
brown coloring as he replaced the stem of his empty pipe in his mouth.

"Their learning aptitude is remarkable," said Albert with a shrug.
"However, as we all know, learning a language is useless unless it is
actually practiced. Anyway, that isn't our concern."

The slight tension Amanda had felt vanished as all the guardians
visibly relaxed and turned their attention to her.

Helen had a look akin to that of the cat who caught the canary. "You
have shown the aptitude to be an excellent educator. More importantly,
you love to teach."

Coraline agreed with a small, pleased nod.

"Amanda, we are all in agreement that you are qualified to begin
teaching Standard on Andoria," said Helen, gesturing at Coraline, who
handed a data-chip to Amanda. "As you may be aware, there is a
tremendous need for English teachers in that system."

Amanda nodded. "Yes. My parents have told me that they are swamped
with students over there."

"English teachers are also in demand amongst the Tellarites," said
Albert with a careless wave of his hand. "And amongst the Argelians,
the Deltans, the Rigellians - even our colonies want to learn the
Standard accent. The only exception are the Vulcans."

"Amanda, after one year on Andoria with your family, you will be sent
to the Tellarite homeworld to help establish a school. Do you
understand why?" said Helen.

"Yes," Amanda answered immediately. "Demand for English teachers on
Tellar has been calculated to exceed even the current demand on
Andoria several years from now."

"Very good," said Yusef with a chortle. Helen also made an approving
sound but then she made a disgusted noise, saying, "Now, if some of
your year-mates only have half the sense you possess."

"Now, now, Helen," said Coraline gently, "You know these things
shouldn't be rushed, and they do still have time to decide on which
paths to take."

(8.11) Murphy's Law - "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."

Eleanor began preparing pack lunches for Amanda when she learned that
her closest friend would be leaving within the year. She also started
combing Amanda's hair at night the way she used to when they were
children. Amanda didn't want Eleanor to go through any trouble but
decided not to protest since she didn't want to chance upsetting her
kind-hearted friend by refusing.

It was a different matter with Stephen and Theodore. Much to Amanda's
disgust, they took turns in regaling her with poetry recitals and
serenades to which she responded to with (ineffective) cushions and
pillows. She was sorely tempted to throw an actual book at them. When
Farah gifted Amanda with a padding stick, they wisely resorted to
placing chocolates and small stuff toys in strategic locations around
Amanda's room.

Other than a warm smile and a teasing "Don't forget about us, okay?"
Misha didn't do anything out of the ordinary when he heard the news.
Farah was similar, simply giving Amanda an affectionate hug and
wishing her all the best.

Strangely enough, it was during the next tutorial session that a tight
lump suddenly formed in her throat and tears came unbidden to her
eyes.

Fortunately, Solvak was reading from "Love's Labour's Lost" by William
Shakespeare and, as was expected from a Vulcan class, all eyes were on
the speaker. Amanda quickly swallowed to relieve the tightness in her
throat and blinked to clear the tears away. She cursed silently when
more tears came.

"Please excuse me, Sovak, everyone." All attention turned to Amanda
who was heading for the door, her head was bowed slightly, a hand
raised to partially conceal her eyes. "Just have some dust in my eye.
I need to wash it out. I will return soon."

In the commode, Amanda splashed water on her face. As she reached for
a towel, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and stared
at herself, horrified.

Her make-up was ruined!

Having been constantly reminded that there was a solution to every
problem, Amanda quickly calmed herself down by reminding her vanity
that she could redo her make-up easily enough. Frustration resurfaced
when she realized she hadn't brought her bag along with her.

Soon enough, she was unable to stand seeing and feeling the runny mess
on her face. She thoroughly washed her face and remembered with a pang
that she had students waiting for her.

Buck up, Amanda, she thought to herself sternly. You can get through
this day without make-up.

However, she couldn't help but feel as though she was missing several
crucial pieces of clothing when a wave of eyebrows rippled through the
classroom.

(9.9) "When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do"

After the lesson was over, Amanda decided to use the break between
classes to re-apply a little make-up. She was reaching for her pouch
when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Sevn entered; Amanda felt annoyed when he started at the sight of her.
After a pause, Sevn stepped aside, and another Vulcan male whom Amanda
didn't know entered the room. She stood up, carefully noting the
stranger's aquiline features as Sevn introduced them.

"T'Sai Grayson, this is Sarek. Sarek, this is T'Sai Amanda Grayson."

"Sarek," said Amanda, with a polite nod. She wondered why they were
here.

"Ms. Grayson," said Sarek. Amanda's brow twitched at that; it was the
first time she had been referred to as a Ms. by a Vulcan.

Curious, Amanda allowed their eyes to meet and was a little taken
aback by the intent way Sarek was looking at her.

Sevn was saying, "T'Sai Grayson, I hope this isn't an inopportune
time. Sarek was most interested to make your acquaintance upon
learning of your fluency in the Andorian language. He is skilled in
Andorian as well."

"Only somewhat skilled," said Sarek in a slightly deprecating tone of
voice, again surprising Amanda who wondered if she was about to meet
her first humble Vulcan.

"According to His Excellency, Ambassador Theban of Andoria, my accent
is atrocious, and that my grasp of the courtesies, even of the most
common ones, is practically non-existent." Sarek's tiny belittling
smile drew a smile from Amanda without her realizing it as she also
found herself wondering if she had just seen a Vulcan smile.

"Really?" said Amanda and decided it was best to sit down just in case
there were more surprises. She made her way to the front row and
gestured at them to occupy the right desk while she settled herself
down at the center desk.

She got another shock when Sarek chose to sit at the same desk as her.
Sevn remained standing.

Amanda gave herself a mental shake and warned herself that she was
stereotyping. Guardian Coraline would be upset. Focus, Amanda. He's
likely a diplomat. This is an embassy after all, and he did mention
about an Andorian ambassador.

He probably wants to improve his Andorian, Amanda decided, closing her
eyes & taking a few moments to prepare. It had been some time since
she had spoken in Andorian, barring greetings and the occasional
indulgence in Andorian colloquialism.

"Please let me hear you speak in Andorian," she said to Sarek in
Andorian. She had opened her eyes, which had become somewhat
unfocused. She was looking off to a point slightly above Sarek's right
shoulder.

"What shall I converse about?" he replied in Andorian.

Her eyes took on a more alert shine. "How would you state that
question you had just asked me to Ambassador Theban?"

There was a pause as he considered her question. "Should it be stated
in a different manner?"

Her lips curved slightly. "It depends on whether you desire his good
will or not." She proceeded to explain that Andorians defer to the
judgment of the more senior party in a dialogue. Andorians consider
themselves as the more senior party when it is their language being
employed as the medium.

"If you are speaking in Andorian, Ambassador Theban would naturally
expect you to say something along the lines of 'what do you wish me to
converse about?' rather than 'what shall I converse about?'"

Amanda then looked directly into Sarek's eyes, which she noted were
still focused intently on her. "Amongst Andorians, it is also
considered good manners to not look directly at each other's faces. Or
as how Terrans usually phrase it - it isn't polite to stare."

The reminder seemed to go over Sarek's head. Amanda's eyes narrowed
when she spotted a telltale twitch in the left corner of his mouth.
He's amused...?

Sevn appeared unaware of the tension between them. "Sarek, I have a
meeting to attend to. If I may leave you alone with T'Sai Grayson?"

Sarek turned his head towards the Protocol Officer and nodded. Sevn
inclined his head slightly in return. "T'Sai." He also nodded to
Amanda before leaving the room.

When Sarek returned his attention to Amanda, he found her looking at
him with a suspicious expression on her face.

"... You're different from the other Vulcans I've met," she said.

Without hesitation, Sarek said, "Thank you for the compliment, Ms.
Grayson, and may I also say that I also find you unique from the other
Terrans I have been acquainted with." And then in a very dry tone, he
added, "I sincerely doubt we will ever find two Vulcans or two Terrans
who are the same."

Due to her Peda's curriculum, Amanda was quite familiar with the way
various non-Terrans react to being surprised. Andorians' antennae
usually twitch when they were surprised. Tellerites generally snort.
Deltans were rarely really surprised, and it usually wasn't a good
idea for non-Deltans to try to surprise Deltans (unless they were
prepared to wake-up in a strange bed one week later).

A Vulcan teasing would surprise even the most consummate of Deltans.

Being human, Amanda was unable to help herself; she gaped at the
Vulcan seated beside her.

(10.6) Nothing new under the sun

Sarek requested to have Andorian lessons; an arrangement, which if
Amanda agreed to, would have her work schedule completely booked.
Having four classes appealed to Amanda who had felt she wasn't
properly fulfilling her contract by having to only teach up to 3
classes a day ever since she began working at the embassy.

Her guardians had differing opinions on her giving Andorian lessons to
a Vulcan. Guardian Albert didn't like the idea. Guardian Coraline
thought it would be a good teaching experience for Amanda. Guardian
Helen agreed & disagreed with both. All of a sudden, a 3-way debate
erupted.

Guardian Yusef hurriedly led a stunned Amanda away from the fracas.

"Beti Amanda, it's only one to teach, no? You shouldn't let us decide
for you on one-to-one lessons. Private lessons are for your own
prerogative. Bring up this matter to us again when there is more than
one to teach at a time."

Amanda quickly added, "There should be at least two." All her students
so far were Vulcan couples.

Yusef wasn't impressed. "One, two, even three is nothing. Especially
if it causes that much trouble." He gestured back at his associates.
"Let us know when you have four Vulcans who want to learn Andorian."

(11.28) A change of pace

Sarek; however, was alone when he attended his first lesson. Amanda,
who had become accustomed to teaching to Vulcan couples, discovered
that her eyes tended to wander over to the empty space on Sarek's
right. During her year on Vulcan, she had learned that, when dealing
with a couple or a group, to address the female first as Vulcan had a
matriarchal society.

She had just re-adjusted her line of sight for the fifth time when
Sarek said in Andorian, "Perhaps you will find it more convenient if
we assume yesterday's seating arrangement?"

Amanda immediately said, "No. That may be construed as belittling
since you are suggesting that I am somewhat at a disadvantage or worse
- I may consider it as insulting since you have revealed that you
think that I am at a disadvantage. In this sort of matter, where you
think that the other party is at a disadvantage, it is better to not
to defer to their judgment or to cast attention on their supposed
disadvantage. Simply say 'May we assume yesterday's seating
arrangement?' or suggest that you think you are currently at a
disadvantage in which case you say something like 'If you do not find
it inconvenient, I would prefer that we assume yesterday's seating
arrangement.'"

Sarek's brows were at his hairline though Amanda didn't notice because
her eyes had again wandered to where his wife would have been seated
if she had attended the lesson.

Perhaps she wasn't interested in learning Andorian.

In her opinion, Sarek's Andorian accent was quite all right. If His
Excellency, Ambassador Theban of Andoria, did indeed find his accent
atrocious, then it was doubtful Amanda's accent would fare any better
with the ambassador. She told Sarek so at the end of the first
tutorial.

"For my accent's sake, I do hope that it is actually only your
courtesies that the ambassador has difficulty dealing with."

The left corner of Sarek's mouth curled upward slightly as it had done
more times than once in the past near-hour, but Amanda hadn't noticed
as she had either been looking to his right or somewhere above his
shoulder.

"Should that not be, 'for our accents' sake, let us hope that it is
actually only my courtesies that the ambassador has difficulty dealing
with?'"

At that, Amanda grinned and met his gaze with an impish twinkle in her
eyes. "No. Neither of us are Andorians, and as the teacher, I have the
higher standing in this conversation."

(12.4) Pig-headed

The first thing Sarek said in their second lesson was, "If you do not
find it inconvenient, I would prefer that we assume our seating
arrangement 2.1 days ago."

Seated at her desk at the front of the classroom, Amanda was staring
at Sarek, who was standing in front of her desk in that attentive
(hands behind their backs) stance that Amanda had observed Vulcans
habitually employ.

Amanda was more than slightly unnerved by his request. If they assumed
the seating arrangement before, she would be seated again on his
right, where his wife was supposed to be.

She wasn't certain but Amanda had a strong feeling that there was a
mutual agreement of sorts amongst Vulcan females that only the wife
may be seated by a Vulcan's right hand. Amanda wasn't Vulcan, but she
could see the agreement being adhered to in the seating patterns of
her students.

She wanted to deny his request for she did find it inconvenient;
however, she would then have to provide an explanation for refusing
his request. After all, diplomats do not usually converse 2 meters
apart from each other.

Sarek was waiting, and he was watching her carefully. Amanda was once
again staring at a point somewhere over his right shoulder. She
frowned, thinking furiously. She was certain there was an elegant
solution to this dilemma. She had to respect his wife's place even if
she wasn't present, and Amanda especially didn't want to have to
explain her gut feeling about something (Vulcan) that Sarek didn't
appear to be aware of.

Perhaps Vulcan males, by and large, were unaware of it. It may
essentially be a feminine matter only amongst their kind.

Amanda managed a partial solution by occupying Sarek's seat for that
lesson. In the proceeding lessons, she brought along a light-weight
portable stool (& umbrella in one) which she borrowed from Farah.

(13.29) Organized chaos

In the next week, there was a curious commotion at the Vulcan Embassy.
First, three cleaning crews descended on the embassy. Next, a party
planner and his staff arrived and set up shop in the grand ballroom.
Two more crews (floral & electrical) arrived the next day. Thursday
saw the arrival of thespians and an 18-piece orchestra on Friday.
Before the week was thru, caterers had taken over the kitchens.

"No! No!"

The workers froze as a flash of purple swooped down upon them and
shouted, "That goes over there!" A purple-frilled fan snapped shut in
the direction opposite to where the workers had been heading.

On an antigrav in their midst was a replica of the Venus de Milo.
There were currently 26 replicas of Terran masterpieces on display in
the main ballroom. Apparently, certain parties were of the opinion
that the Vulcan Embassy was lacking in certain aesthetic qualities.

Felippe, the H.O., was not pleased when Amanda met him instead of
Sevn.

"Why you and not Sevn? Does he think he doesn't have to deal with me
personally because I am a lowly party planner by profession?"

"Not at all, Monsieur Felippe. Sevn sent me in his place because he
does not know much about this sort of thing," said Amanda, waving a
hand to indicate the multitude of activity about them.

Cleaners, equipped with anti-grav boots, scrubs and sprays, were
everywhere: washing the windows, scrubbing the walls, polishing the
enormous crystal chandeliers. Elaborate floral arrangements were being
assembled onsite while engineers formed stasis fields that would keep
the flowers fresh for the ball. Engineers were also installing more
lights about the embassy and on the grounds outside as well as
upgrading an antiquated audio system. On the stage, programs were
being rehearsed while musicians practiced in the orchestra pit.

"To be honest, Monsieur, Sevn thought that since I am a human, I could
provide more assistance and useful suggestions to you than he can. But
our Protocol Officer is mistaken." Amanda shook her head and looked
embarrassed. "I wouldn't know where to begin if I had to organize
something even remotely like this. I am already amazed by just seeing
all of this being accomplished."

Felippe's irritated mood cleared at her words. He pursed his
purple-tinged lips loudly. "Well... at least you seem to have an idea
of how complex a task it is to organize something like this. Most
people have absolutely NO appreciation whatsoever of the time, energy
and skill it takes to throw a GOOD party."

He started walking around, signalling Amanda to follow him with an
imperious flick of his fan. "The last ball held here was absolutely
dead. Dullsville. The pits. Even the Tellarites threw a better party,
and they're pigs. On retrospect, your P.O. does have his head screwed
on right in sending you instead. In fact, he should have sent you in
the first place. All he did was trip things up around here. Vulcans
have no sense at all on what it takes to get people to cut lose and
enjoy themselves. Now, the Argelians... and those Deltans..."

He suddenly turned around; Amanda barely managed not to crash into
him. Felippe scrutinized her. "You are Terran. Why are you with the
Vulcans?"

"I'm a linguist. The Vulcans hired me to teach them idiomatic
English."

Felippe made a rude face at that. "Ma cherie, you've got your work cut
out for you." He turned away with a flamboyant whirl and started
walking again. "Just take that Sevn character as an example. He's a
Protocol Officer and he doesn't know what throwing a bash means!"

Amanda got enough material from her first meeting with Felippe to make
a new idiom list.

(14.16) Into the fray

With so many Terrans working in the embassy, Amanda asked Sevn
permission to have her students spend their tutorial time amongst
humans instead. It would be like a practicum. Sevn agreed reluctantly.
Felippe was harder to convince.

"They're just going to muck things up!"

"Monsieur, I promise they won't be a bother, and I will be
accompanying them."

"My dear, I like you. You're a very nice girl, but I can't have my
people wasting their time explaining figures of speech to your
students. We have a ball to prepare for!"

"They won't ask your staff for explanations. I've instructed them to
ask only me. I promise they won't be a bother. Monsieur, please. At
the very least, just for today."

Felippe sighed loudly. "All right. All right. Fine. We'll see how it
goes. Go tell your Vulcans they can mingle with my staff."

Of course, the Vulcans behaved themselves. It was the Felippe's staff
who misbehaved, sort of. When they found out that these particular
Vulcans were said to be more idiomatic than the average literal-minded
sort, they started using outlandish figures of speech, old Terran
accents and jargon.

"T'Sai Grayson, what is a snafu?"

"T'Sai, what does bamboozle mean?"

"He appeared to be warning us. He said, 'You folks are just asking for
trouble.' We informed him that asking for trouble is illogical.
However, he reiterated, 'Yes, you are asking for trouble.'"

Amanda had expected trouble, and she had prepared her students by
instructing them on "how to change the topic," "pretending ignorance"
& (with the particularly officious) "just be silent and look
attentive." She also advised them to not automatically believe
explanations freely offered by Felippe's crew.

"She said that Solvak was hot and that she wanted to eat him up."

"T'Sai Grayson, he kept on referring to T'Fan as 'Baby' despite that
my bondmate is clearly not an infant."

"T'Sai, what is a Bah Humbug?"

Amanda decided to recommence with film clips ASAP and seriously
considered using comic books in class.

Despite the initial fuss, her students didn't cause any delays and
actually speeded things up considerably when they fortuitously
assisted with the preparations with their people's trademark
efficiency. Even Felippe began to develop a more favorable outlook on
Vulcans when a quartet led by Sopek requested for permission to play
with the orchestra.

"At least the Vulcans have an ear for music," Felippe said as they
waited for them to return with their instruments. The orchestra was
playing a warm-up piece.

Felippe suddenly said, "But no taste buds; I refuse to let any of them
back into the kitchens until the ball is over."

Amanda giggled at that and was about to inform Felippe that the
Vulcans have had to make do with vegetarian take-out when the quartet
returned with Sarek, who was carrying a Vulcan lyre.

(15.1) Ignorance is bliss.

Amanda was listening with rapt attention; her eyes were closed, a
small smile played on her lips.

She started when Felippe murmured in her ear, "The ambassador is
interested in ma cherie."

"... What?" She stared up at the tall orange-coifed Frenchman.

Thick orange eyebrows waggled suggestively at her. Felippe unfolded
his fan and covered his mouth, his eyes flicked towards the orchestra.
"My dear, he keeps looking at you. Now, I do not need to tell you that
I find this very very intriguing."

Amanda frowned at Felippe and looked towards the orchestra. The
musicians were intent in their playing. Some kept glancing at their
displays. Those who knew how to play the piece by heart seemed to be
in a semi-hypnotic state as they wove the invisible magic that was
music.

And then she saw him looking at her.

Shock rendered her immobile. For long moments, all she did was stare
back at Sarek, who lifted an amused brow when she didn't look away to
that point somewhere above his right shoulder as she usually did.

"He's... the ambassador?"

One orange eyebrow slowly lifted. Behind the fan, Felippe's smile
widened to a grin. Amanda's brow furrowed, mildly noting that she was
short of breath.

"Yes. That's His Excellency, Sarek of Vulcan, Ambassador
Extraordinaire to Terra. ... Do you know him?"

Felippe's coy question did an excellent impersonation of a bucket of
ice-cold water. Amanda broke eye contact with Sarek and looked aghast
at Felippe.

"It's nothing like that, Monsier." Amanda took a full breath before
continuing, "I was just very surprised. I do know him. I've been
tutoring him in Andorian for the past week. I didn't know he was
Vulcan's ambassador to Terra."

Felippe gave her a dubious look. "You didn't know you were tutoring
the top dog around here?"

Amanda's lips twitched at that idiom being used to describe Sarek.
"The one who hired me is the Protocol Officer, Sven. He's the one I
think of as my boss, and there's nothing like that between me and Sven
either," she added sternly when Felippe's eyes gleamed yet again with
intrique.

But like a hunting dog with a clear scent trail, Felippe didn't back
down. "Does the Protocol Officer also look at you the way the
Ambassador does?"

"No," said Amanda emphatically. Then, she let out an exasperated
breath when she realized that Felippe had just tricked her into
admitting that she did think there was something about the way Sarek
looked at her.

(16.10) Home-wrecker

"It's nothing like that, Monsieur," Amanda insisted, hard-put to keep
up with Felippe's long strides without having to break into a full
run.

"Now now, my dear. We should all do our parts in encouraging closer
ties between Terra and Vulcan." Felippe folded his fan with a
triumphant closing snap, opened it again, snap, open - Amanda was
sorely tempted to snatch it away.

The irrepressible H.O. was on a beeline towards Sarek. The rehearsals
were done for the day, and the musicians were packing up their
equipment.

Amanda considered grabbing the back of Felippe's shirt. "Monsieur,
please! There is really nothing between us of that sort! Nothing at
all!" There was no break in the Felipe's stride. Amanda had already
considered and rejected tackling & tripping the H.O. She had also
thought out a plan to pretend to trip, fall against Felipe and
(accidentally) tackling him to the floor.

Finally, she hissed, "Monsieur, he's a Vulcan! He has a wife!"

Fellipe slowly halted to a stop; Amanda breathed out a sigh of relief
only to have her hackles raised yet again when Fellipe blithely said,
"Is that what's stopping you?"

She gave him a sideways glare. For Amanda, the concept of marriage &
non-Terran institutions similar to it was something very sacred. Her
Peda had instilled in her a very high level of respect for marriages
and unions. The idea of two separate individuals sharing their lives
together had been firmly taught to her as something intrinsically
selfless and must be safeguarded.

Never mind that he was a lot older than she was, Amanda was about to
give Fellipe a lecture when he infuriated her into mute outrage by
smiling cheekily.

And then he said, "My dear, he may be a Vulcan, but I know for a fact
that he does not have a wife."

(17.5) All is fair in love and war

It was as though the wind was roaring in her ears. Amanda could see
how that particular expression came to be.

She couldn't hear what Felippe was saying to Sarek nor Sarek's reply.
She wasn't staring at anything in particular, yet, in her mind's eye,
she kept seeing him looking at her.

When they first met, their first lesson, the second, third... At the
end of every lesson, she had always found him looking at her.

A shudder ran through her, and instinctively, Amanda knew that she had
to find someplace private.

She couldn't even hear herself as she excused herself. She couldn't
hear her footsteps as she walked the length of the ballroom. She no
longer heard the wind roaring in her ears; there was only the sound of
her heart beating fast.

The only place in the Vulcan Embassy that she knew well was her
classroom. Amanda was glad and not at all surprised when she found
herself there.

As soon as she sat down in her chair, she was suddenly boneless tired.
She let herself fall back against her chair and closed her eyes. For a
long while, all she did was simply breath in and out deeply. Breathing
exercises were one of the first things taught by the Peda. For as long
as Amanda could remember, she always did deep breathing whenever she
became upset about something or over someone.

Like now... Amanda sighed and allowed her breathing to slow. She
opened her eyes, and for a long while, all she did was stare at the
ceiling.

... I am attracted to him. Amanda's eyes closed once again at that
realization. From the start, from their very first meeting, he had
intrigued her. ... It was probably at that moment, when I looked into
his eyes, that Guardian Coraline's training kicked in.

The Peda, with its extremely high, practically rigid, perspective of
the sanctity of unions, had via training and constant mentoring
instilled in their charges an uncomfortable almost allergic reaction
to the very idea of causing or even contributing to the dissolution of
an established union.

That is why... I couldn't see until now. I couldn't allow myself to
return his interest. I ignore; I overlook. I blinded myself.

Another shudder ran through Amanda, and she knew her body was making
its say. The Peda's training had gifted her with an insurmountable
shield against the mechanisms of desire and the allure of what was
forbidden, but it only manifested itself when she truly wanted to be
unaffected, mind, body, heart and soul.

Unfortunately, her mind appeared to be malfunctioning, her body
definitely had ulterior motives, her heart (always in cahoots with the
former) didn't mind at all, and her soul... seemed to be content to
just watch and wait, for now.

Actually, her mind was the biggest culprit. Amanda frowned. Damn
thing's been taking snapshots of Sarek.

May be continued.



Author's note: Well..., the mind is the center of reason, and the
guy's a Vulcan. (Can't help it. Just had to say it.) Sorry, Amanda.
(=^.^=)


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