Surefoot 51: Kith and Kin

"Yes," Pedalk agreed. "We should not tarry."

"Yes." But T'Varik maintained a leisurely pace as she returned to the wardrobe, retrieved what turned out to be a case for the telescope, and proceeded to slowly dismantle the object and place the components in the appropriate places.

C'Rash drew up to her. "Uh, you want me to pick up anything else in here?"

"Not here. Father maintained a collection of commendations from his service in Starfleet; I wish to obtain my allocation-"

Pedalk looked to her. "They are no longer in the household; Xanax took them."

T'Varik turned to him, her face tight. "Explain."

Her brother reacted to her, stepping back. "There is a private collector in ShiKahr who has expressed an interest in Father's commendations, and so he-"

"Xanax has no right to make such a decision without my approval!" She snapped the telescope case shut. Unnecessarily loudly.

C'Rash reached out and set a reassuring hand on her lover's shoulder, noting gently, "I'm sure that is something you can discuss with him in a calm, civilised manner. Yes?"

T'Varik made a visible show of composing herself. "Yes." She lifted up the telescope case. "Let us repair to Father's study."

As the trio departed the room, Pedalk drew closer to C'Rash. "Would you care to hear an excerpt from one of the more passionate scenes from my latest novel, Twilight Passions of the Kivas Merchant Part 3?"

"No thank you," T'Varik replied quickly.

"I do," C'Rash countered.

Pedalk ignored his sister as he proceeded. "'Sandalak was aware that T'Soni was making a mewling sound like an indigenous predator in estrus, as he put his lips to the tightened hub of her right mammary gland and sucked for the requisite 16.893 seconds. Her mouth was at his ear, her tongue travelling along its grooves in the manner of a Ventakian serpent plant excreting waste products, and there was a taste of something on his tongue reminiscent of calcium hexametaphosphate, as his masculine protuberance demanded sanctuary within her cervical Sha Ka Ree...'"

*

The room purported to be the study was a large enclosure, with angular walls and acute corners, and a view overlooking the Basin outside. But C'Rash was drawn to the painting over the cold hearth, that of an Excelsior-class starship, designated USS- "Berlin? Was that your father's ship?"

She had asked it of T'Varik, but her lover was silently transfixed on the two Vulcan males awaiting them in the room: a middle-aged, lithe figure in a silver and black robe embroidered with script, and a taller, older, sterner-looking male with an aquiline nose and slate-grey hair, who was now busy engaging in a staring contest with T'Varik, before he finally noted, "It is indecorous to not show proper deference to one's superiors."

"I agree," T'Varik responded unblinkingly. "Should I encounter any, I will be prepared to offer such deference."

He raised an eyebrow. "I am your elder brother, and thus the head of this family. And I am far more successful than you can ever hope to be. Those are sufficient grounds to display deference."

"Um..." C'Rash started, turning to them.

The Caitian was ignored, as T'Varik raised her chin to him. "Your status as elder brother is an accident of birth, and your self-appointed status as head of this family is not guaranteed. And your definition of success differs radically from mine."

He reined up. "Clearly so. I have made comparative studies; your salary as a Starfleet officer is only a paltry 35.4% that of my average annual earnings."

"Then I shall have to content myself with enjoying the meagre non-fiscal perquisites of my career, such as ensuring the safety and security of the Federation and its citizens, and furthering the boundaries of knowledge, diplomacy and trade."

"Hello?" C'Rash ventured.

Xanax drew closer to T'Varik, his expression steely. "I see your self-righteous attitude remains as acute as ever."

"I agree." Nivor contributed, drawing beside Xanax to help stare down their younger sister. "Having studied the subject as part of my job, it is obvious that Starfleet's importance has always been greatly exaggerated, first by Father, and now by yourself, his mewling lackey."

T'Varik's glare focused. "As much as I value the opinion of the Assistant Chair of the District's Parks and Recreation Committee with regards to Galactic History, I must agree to disagree."

Now C'Rash literally walked between the siblings and strode up to the only Vulcan whose identity wasn't yet confirmed. "Hi, I'm Lt Shall, Commander T'Varik's fiancée. You must be the family lawyer, as, ironically, you're the only one here not making any sort of argument."

Standing near a table with plates of food, Pedalk looked up and pointed out, "I am not involved. As an artist I must exist outside of the sphere of petty squabbles."

"You also exist outside of the sphere of literary competency," Xanax noted sourly.

Pedalk remained defiant. "I would not expect a mere capitalist to appreciate the written word."

T'Varik stepped away from her siblings, approaching C'Rash and the other Vulcan, her face composed as she offered the latter the Vulcan salute. "Peace and Long Life to you. Please accept my apologies for your witnessing the unseemly display of emotion here."

The male mirrored the salute. "Live Long and Prosper, Commander T'Varik, Lt Shall. I am Advocate Isaath, and no apology is necessary. This is an occasion contributive towards intense familial emotional activity." He lowered his hand, and then raised his other, offering T'Varik a Vulcan PADD. "Here are the details of the purchase agreement, if you wish to examine them before signing."

"She does not," Xanax countered sharply. "She has already been sent the agreement by subspace transmission before her return to Vulcan. It is preposterous to delay matters further."

"Indeed," Nivor contributed. "She has already wasted enough of our time."

Isaath looked to them, frowning slightly. "It is a legal requirement that I witness all signatories be offered access to the terms of the documentation."

T'Varik accepted the PADD. "Thank you, Advocate. 'She' will peruse the agreement one final time, but will be as quick as 'she' can, not wishing to waste your time." She turned away from them all.

C'Rash considered following her, until Pedalk approached, carrying a platter. "Lieutenant, would you care to sample some of these canapés?"

She almost refused him, but her nose twitched appreciatively at their scents. "Thank you." She selected one, bracing herself for something vegetarian and bland... but was pleasantly surprised at the sharp, rich flavour. "Mmm, nice."

"Thank you; I was experimenting with a recipe of my own creation employing Terran red peppers and Vulcan breadmeal."

"You cook by hand?"

He nodded. "I supplement my income working at various restaurants within the city. My writing has unfortunately not yet provided the level of income it deserves-"

"Others would differ," Nivor butted in.

C'Rash tried another, making approving sounds. "These are really good!"

"Thank you again. Lieutenant, I would appreciate your feedback on the excerpt I had narrated to you earlier. Did you find it arousing?"

I could actually feel my cervix tilt away from you instinctively as you spoke, she thought to herself, but instead offered aloud, "I... should probably read the whole piece, to get a proper sense of context-"

"Pedalk," Xanax called over, the disdain on his face clear. "Do not fraternise with T'Varik's pet le-matya."

T'Varik's head shot up from the PADD. "What did you call her?"

C'Rash leaned in closer to Pedalk, asking in a stage whisper, "Is 'le-matya' Vulcan for 'sexy lady'?"

He shook his head, appearing an ashen version of his olive complexion. "A le-matya is an indigenous mountain cat. Quite savage."

"Oh." She shrugged. "Still accurate, though."

T'Varik strode up to her older brother, declaring, "If you insult my partner again, I promise you that you will regret it." Never breaking eye contact with Xanax, she handed Isaath back his PADD. "I officially acknowledge that I have read and accepted the terms of the sales agreement. I am prepared to sign-"

"And about time," Nivor muttered.

"-Once Xanax returns Father's medals."

All heads turned towards T'Varik, Xanax responding first. "What is the meaning of this?"

"The meaning should be explicit, even to the most obtuse. You have taken Father's Starfleet medals to sell. I want them, and will not consider signing the agreement until I have them."

Xanax glanced at Nivor before replying. "A preposterous demand. They are meaningless objects, with only monetary value."

"To the likes of you, perhaps. To me, they represent Father's decades of service, of loyalty and courage. They inspired me. They deserve more respect than you are obviously prepared to give them."

"I should have expected you would wish those fetishes of a fascist organisation," Nivor sneered. "But even I am surprised at how openly mercenary you are behaving."

T'Varik fixed her cold glare on her sister. "Having returned, I have observed that the family estate has considerably fewer possessions than since I last visited. The logical conclusion is that some or all of my siblings have been stripping it of furniture, appliances and decorations in my absence, to either use in your own residences, or to sell, or both.

None of this was done with my knowledge or approval, as required by the agreement I have just re-read. Advocate Isaath, can you please confirm I would have the right to cancel the proposed sale of the property pending a legal investigation into these allegations?"

The younger Vulcan male nodded. "The Civil Court would most likely uphold the repudiation of the impending sale pending an investigation."

T'Varik turned back to Xanax and Nivor. "Yes... should I choose to proceed. Or... in recompense, Xanax can simply give me the medals. All of them. Once they are in my hands, I will consider signing the agreement."

Xanax's slate eyes narrowed like phaser beams. "They are at my apartment in Vulcana Regar. Sign the agreement, and I will send for them."

"I have made my terms clear. They are non-negotiable."

"Preposterous!"

"The sooner you comply, the sooner this disagreeable reunion can conclude." T'Varik turned and joined C'Rash and Pedalk, examining the contents of the tray in her younger brother's hand, and selecting one canapé. "This is... enjoyable. Piquant. My compliments, Pedalk."

He blinked. "Thank you, T'Varik. Perhaps now you'll be in a better mood to offer a more appreciative critique of my writing."

T'Varik stared at him. "I will need quite a few more canapés."

*

The huge red sun was rising higher in the sky, but the carpet of mist across the Basin proved tough to burn away easily. T'Varik and C'Rash walked along the upper slope, the latter finally breaking the silence. "Well... that was fun. I never expected to meet a dysfunctional Vulcan family."

"You are already well past the common misconception of Vulcans as unemotional. Now it has been demonstrated that, in the privacy of our homes and away from outsiders' eyes, we can be as diverse... and as defective... as any other race."

C'Rash didn't respond, except to smile.

"You find that humorous?"

C'Rash slipped an arm around hers. "I find it reassuring. Now when we go to the next Clan Gathering on Cait and Grandpa Mi'Tree corners you and gives you advice on rutting, I won't be as embarrassed. And your younger brother was kind of appealing."

"Unlike his writing."

"Is the rest of his work as bad as the bit he quoted?"

"The total collection might be considered a viable weapon in the war with the Dominion."

C'Rash chuckled- and then froze, turning towards the Basin, ears and tail twitching. "Do you hear that?"

T'Varik turned as well, listening and looking out into the haze above the mist, seeing out outcroppings of rock. "No. As I previously stated, there is an ecosystem of life adapted to the carbon dioxide-"

Then she heard the coughing.

C'Rash raced down the slope and into the Basin, kicking up the mist like it was water. T'Varik called after her, "The ground is uneven! Do not drop below the mist level and breathe any of it!" Then she followed, taking equally care, her experience growing up in the area giving her more confidence about what to expect - assuming no changes had occurred in her absence. She and her siblings had been thoroughly instructed all their lives against traversing the Basin, and there were plenty of warning signs along the perimeter. But occasionally, offworlder tourists would enter, fall into ditches or gulleys hidden by the mist, and succumb to the CO2.

She caught up with C'Rash, who squatted just long enough to scoop up a small figure and race back, T'Varik following, not stopping until they were out of the basin and halfway up the high slope towards her home. C'Rash set the figure, a Vulcan boy, about nine or ten years of age, into a recovery position, patting him as he continued coughing. "Take it easy, give yourself time to breathe." Then she twisted to face T'Varik. "That was stupid of you, risking yourself to follow! You should have remained here, monitored my progress safely in case something happened! Don't do that again!"

T'Varik almost reminded C'Rash of her rank... until she accepted that her lover, and the Chief of Security of their ship, was absolutely correct. "Acknowledged. My apologies."

C'Rash grunted, looking over the child. "Should we call Emergency Services?"

"N-No," the boy himself replied, sitting up, wiping his tear-stained eyes on the sleeve of his jacket, as he stared out at the Basin, as if silently condemning it for its assault on him. "I thank you for my rescue."

"What in the Seven Hells were you doing out there anyway?"

"Locating and studying Basin ecodiversity." He breathed in deeply, his coughing abating. Then he drew from his pocket a miniature PADD and began inputting text. "I managed to observe several insectoid carrion consume the flesh of a deceased six-legged reptile, before I tripped and fell. It was a most fascinating experience... both the activity of the animals, and suffocating."

T'Varik moved to his other side, silently examining the boy... and seeing something familiar about him. "You are very fortunate we happened to be nearby. The warning signs along the perimeter of the Basin are there for a reason; it is ill-advised to explore alone and ill-equipped."

The boy breathed in deeply, before replying, "'All journeys of discovery are not without risk'."

C'Rash looked up at T'Varik, who explained, "He is quoting Rinn'Goh, a famous early explorer of Vulcan's shallow sea system." She looked down at the boy. "I would remind you that Rinn'Goh was lost in his trademark brightly-hued submersible while mapping the floorbed of the Sea of Monsters."

"Sea of Monsters?" C'Rash echoed, looking intrigued. "You have a sea called that on Vulcan? Really?"

"The early explorers had a predilection for florid, misleading names: the Sea of Holes, the Sea of Time, the Sea of Science, the Sea of Green. It is irrelevant at this stage." She focused on the boy. "What is your name? Where is your family? We need to summon them."

He looked to her. "I am Srithik. My mother is in the residence behind us. Her name is-"

"Nivor?" T'Varik finished, raising an eyebrow. As the boy nodded, she concluded, "I see the resemblance now. You are my nephew. I am your Aunt T'Varik. This is my companion, C'Rash."

The sable-furred felinoid smiled. "Howdy!" She looked across at T'Varik. "We're all Kith and Kin here today, it seems!"

"'Kith and Kin'?" Srithik repeated curiously.

"An archaic Terran term for friends and family," T'Varik explained.

Srithik looked to the other Vulcan with some undisguised awe. "You are the one who joined Starfleet, yes?"

"Indeed."

"I have considered joining Starfleet when I come of age," the boy informed them.

T'Varik nodded in acknowledgement. "You need to be aware that Starfleet does not encourage reckless behaviour-"

"It still happens, though," C'Rash noted, knowingly looking at her lover.

T'Varik ignored her. "Is your mother aware of your activities out here?"

The boy looked out at the Basin again, before adding more notes to his PADD. "Mother encourages me to spend as much time away from her as possible."

C'Rash's tail twitched. "Excuse me?"

Now Srithik regarded her again... and seemingly began taking notes on the Caitian's reactions now. "Yes, she explained to me some time ago that she conceived me for political purposes."

"She said what?"

"In order to help foster her image as a mother and family figure. My presence is needed by her only for public appearances."

"Seven Hells," C'Rash hissed. "What kussik tells her cub that crap?"

T'Varik waved off her lover's agitation. "What of your father?"

"Mother obtained suitable sperm from an anonymous donor. She has stated that, in her own experience, fathers are highly overrated."

T'Varik bristled. "I am... sorry to hear that, Nephew."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "It is not logical to apologise for circumstances of which you have had no direct or indirect involvement."

"Yeah, he's definitely related to you," C'Rash quipped.

T'Varik continued. "One can feel sorrow for such circumstances, regardless. As a race, we possess the capacity for empathy, even if we are otherwise strongly encouraged to suppress our emotions."

Srithik nodded at that. "You... are not what I expected, based on Mother's past description of you."

"Oh? And how has my sister described me?"

"Aggressive, arrogant, boastful, demanding, harsh, impatient, overcritical, selfish, self-centred, proud, glib, opinionated, constantly late, oversexed-"

"Thank you," T'Varik interjected, ignoring C'Rash's snickers. "I believe I get the gist of it."

Now something almost like amusement crossed his features. "I do not necessarily agree with her assessment, Aunt, about yourself, or indeed other subjects." He paused, and then added, "I would, however, respectfully request that she not be made aware of my desire to join Starfleet. My last attempt to broach the subject resulted in a 97-minute lecture from her."

T'Varik nodded. "I understand; a 97-minute lecture from my sister is 97 minutes too long. We will keep this between us. And I would be more than prepared to assist and guide you in any way towards joining Starfleet."

Srithik looked visibly surprised and appreciative. "Thank you. Mother has ambitions for me to enter the Vulcan Civil Service when I am of age. She believes it would contribute towards her own long-term political goals to have a child on such a prominent career path. I... I wish to honour my family, and taking such a role would of course be of service to our people, but..."

"But you have other dreams. Dreams of a life beyond what is around you. I have shared such dreams, and I learned that, as noble as it is to want to serve our family, or our people, we must ultimately make our own paths. Of course, this might just be me being glib, opinionated, arrogant-"

"Aggressive, boastful, demanding," C'Rash contributed helpfully. "Oversexed-"

"Thank you, I remember the rest." T'Varik turned to sit beside her nephew, pointing to various rock spires rising up above the receding mist. "We are approaching the time of maximum evaporation, which you can note by counting the bands of trillium in the rock spires as the mist dissipates. At such times, you will have the best opportunity to view the Basin wildlife safely, before they return to their burrows. The apex predator is the le-meeris, the six-legged reptile you witnessed being devoured earlier. Unlike most of the indigenous Basin lifeforms, the le-meeris can breathe in large amounts of the carbon dioxide, due to a collection of membranes along the lengths of their bodies..."