"Preparations"
Lt. Saavar - Science Officer
Location: Vulcan; USS Takashima
Stardate 57906.02, 18h15
***
The wind chime tinkled in high tones with the slight breeze. To Saavar whose
concentration and meditation centered upon the lingering discordant notes,
it was a pleasant sound. Yes - pleasant. He allowed the evoked emotional
response to surface through his mind and examined it like a diamond with
facets that sparkled as he turned it to and fro. The Vulcan officer decided
that the response was simply a reaction to the chime's harmonics. No
discernable pattern could be found in the clear notes. Saavar's heightened
Vulcan hearing could discern the tremor of vibration in the metal, and
attempted to follow the duration of each note as it interacted with others.
The exercise assisted the Vulcan communications officer to focus on tonal
changes in harmonic vibration - it sharpened the mental reflexes for
linguistic studies - Saavar's chosen field.
Saavar sat in meditation pose - legs crossed in a lotus position beneath his
coarse robe, hands resting lightly on his knees. His grey eyes were closed
to the world, although his other senses were keenly aware of his
surroundings. Perched upon a rock ledge overlooking a small pool of clear
water, he remained motionless - only strands of his light brown hair moved
in the breeze. Vulcan's hot sun had moved across the sky as he sat in the
small garden of his home. Now its rays were touching the horizon as night
fell. The wind was cooler and brought a fragrance of trenu - the spiny,
white flowering plant that found purchase in the rocks around him. Bodily
discomfort was subjugated to his will - each distraction examined and erased
by a slight effort of concentration. Saavar's mind was free to focus on the
one task he had set - the chimes that dangled from a slender pyramid at his
feet.
It was time. He sighed with a slight exhalation. Opening his pale eyes he
stood gracefully and said a silent farewell to his home. He turned to see T'Sirra standing quietly a few meters away. She regarded him with a frank
expression. As his wife, T'Sirra was dutiful - she supported his decision to
remain with Starfleet and properly nurtured their son Siraak. The boy was
six and just beginning his s'at training. Saavar felt a pang of regret that
he missed most of Siraak's self-exploration - beginning the path that led to
manhood and acceptance within the Vulcan culture.
Saavar met T'Sirra's black eyes and an unspoken moment stretched between
them. She was dark skinned and wore her coal-black hair in a long braid over
her shoulder. Her face was expressive - for a Vulcan. She was dressed in a
traditional carrat, hands buried in the deep sleeves and hood drawn up to
cover her head. T'Sirra remained still as he walked over to her. He smiled
to show his affection and she in turn offered her acknowledgement of their
blood bond. She held her hand up in the Vulcan manner and he slowly matched
it with his own - all the while staring intently into his mate's eyes.
There
was still a year until Ponn Farr. Siraak would be gripped by the blood
fever, or Plak-tow at the same time and his son would need his father to
guide him through it. It would be an important time. T'Sirra was responsible
for arranging a suitable wife for the boy and they would bond. So far she
had been unsuccessful. It seemed that Saavar's choice of Starfleet service
was a hindrance to his son's acceptance. It wasn't that Starfleet was
unacceptable - far from it. Saavar was seen to be still too young to make
such a 'rash' choice. He should still be deeply concerned with his own
intellectual development and learning. It was almost unseemly for a Vulcan
to rush into anything before passing through adolescence. Saavar was still
very young. Only twenty-seven years of age - barely out of his teens.
"Live long and prosper, husband," T'Sirra whispered. Saavar's fingers brushed
hers and their minds touched for the briefest instant. Live long and prosper,
T'Sirra, his mind answered. The touch was all they both needed - poignant and
at the same time tinged with sadness and resignation.
Saavar touched his comm-badge. "Saavar to Takashima. One to beam up." He
stared into his wife's eyes as the transporter took him away. He was
standing in transporter room three a moment later.
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant," the transporter technician smiled. "We beamed
your things directly to your quarters."
Saavar nodded. "Thank you, crewman." He stepped off the pad and exited the
transporter room still wrapped in his thoughts. The telepathic link Saavar
held with T'Sirra was still strong - and it would remain so on his voyages
with the USS Takashima. Within moments he was again in his spartan quarters.
***One month later***
The Captain's summons caught Saavar in the middle of a stimulating
conversation about Trill customs. The crowd in the ship's commissary was
light and the mid-break for Alpha Shift was a good opportunity to explore
the personal aspects of Saavar's fellow crewmembers. The female Trill
Operations Officer sat back as the comm-badge chirped and Captain John
Lucient's voice spoke. "Lieutenant Saavar, please meet me in my Ready Room."
He was quick to respond, "Yes, sir, I will be there shortly." Saavar turned
to his lunch companion and said, "If you will excuse me, ensign. I would be
pleased to resume our discussion at a later time?"
"That would be nice, sir." Ensign Naxx smiled at Saavar as he stood and left
the table.
As the Vulcan officer walked out of the mess hall the Trill's
eyes followed him. He was unusual for a Vulcan - more open and rather easy
to talk to. Jira Naxx was un-joined and the Science Officer had been
interested in her personal perspective of life as a Trill aboard a
Federation starship. She found herself looking forward to their next
meeting, although she knew that he wasn't interested in her in that way.
Lieutenant Saavar had a reputation on the Takashima for being a very
competent officer and a very likeable one too. Naxx thought he was cute...for
a Vulcan.
***
"At ease, Lieutenant." The Captain turned from his inspection of the viewport as Saavar reported as ordered.
The captain of the USS Takashima was a
veteran of the Dominion conflict and a survivor of the ill-fated Yorinoko -
his first command that had been unsalvageable after the battle of Wolf 359.
As a consequence he was a serious man - some said he was still haunted by
the loss of so much of his command at 359. He certainly took the fight to
the Dominion, and the Takashima had earned its reputation. Saavar was
serving on a line vessel and he had expressed a desire to move on - perhaps
to a science ship. The captain smiled at the young Vulcan. He could hardly
blame him for a desire to explore the galaxy - hell at his age John Lucient
had wanted the same thing! The Takashima's current mission was patrolling
the Romulan border zone - hardly exciting enough for the science department
on the Galaxy Class vessel.
"Starfleet Command has approved my
recommendation for transfer." Lucient sat in his high-backed chair and waved
the science officer to the chair opposite.
Saavar nodded and sat also. He'd expected a longer process for his transfer
request and he correctly surmised that his captain might have influenced
Starfleet Command's acceptance in his favor. Captain Lucient was a strong
advocate for 'his' people. He was a hard man - but fair by the standards of
his crew and Saavar could appreciate both the logical command decisions that
elevated crew morale and the Human emotional drive to promote a sense of
ownership for the careers of his crew. Saavar held a great deal of respect
for his captain. He had not made a single illogical command decision that
Saavar was aware of. He had a very ordered mind - most unusual for a Human
who was at the mercy of uncontrolled emotional 'clutter'. Saavar waited for
the captain to continue.
"You'll be leaving for Starbase 61 on the Finlay. I have to pick up some
crew transfers so you'll be on your way in three hours." He shrugged
apologetically - a Human reflex that was not lost on Saavar. "I'm sorry that
I cannot give you more time to say your good-byes. Lieutenant Commander
Eagan is sorry to see you go - and I must say Saavar, that you've been an
asset to the science department." He gave the science officer a grin and
added, "But I'm sure you'll be eager to join your new ship. She's at Risa -
and on a shore leave tour." He passed over the small padd that held Saavar's
orders.
As Saavar reached for the hand-held data device, Lucient leaned back and
steepled his fingers. "The USS Sulu," he mused. "Intrepid. She's a hell of a
lot smaller than the Takashima, but she's also newer - so her science
department should suit your requirements."
"Yes, sir." Saavar smiled to show that Lucient's innuendo was understood. As
the Human saying went...'size didn't matter'. He chose a suitable response.
"Good things come in small packages, sir."
Lucient laughed. "Well, Lieutenant - I'd better allow you to get organized." He
stood and extended his hand in the Vulcan manner - palm up and fingers
correctly spread. "Live long and prosper, Saavar."
"Thank you, captain." Saavar returned the gesture and the traditional
farewell. "It has been a pleasure to serve with you, sir. I appreciate your
assistance with my transfer request."
"A pleasure, Mister Saavar." He nodded in dismissal. As Saavar left the Ready
Room the captain of the Takashima turned back to his crew readiness reports.
Three months of patrolling a safe sector of space was enough to drive anyone
to distraction, but the Lieutenant had served well, and when a good officer
had made up their mind to move on - it was no good to try to hold them.
Eventually they became bitter - or distracted. Allowing the Vulcan to pursue
his career elsewhere served to promote another officer into greater
responsibilities - a positive morale factor that relieved the boredom of
those that shuffled upward.
A Galaxy Class ship was a family ship - they
were all his sons and daughters - and he was proud of every damned one of
them! Matt Salinger was getting a good officer - Lucient made sure his crew
was on par with the best in the fleet. He tried hard to leave his personal
mark on every one of them. They were all special. He remembered so many that
would never explore the universe in the way that Saavar would. The blood of
his fellow officers had bought his freedom - and captain John Lucient would
make sure that they lived to take on their dreams.