Unexpected Visitor

Posted on Thursday, 6 May 2021 - 8:43pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: Star Base 21 | Vacation Holo Suite
Timeline: 2394

ON:

As dreams went, it was a wonderful one. Right up until a loud knock seemed to shatter the illusion and lull her back to the reality of the luxurious and way too comfortable bed, with the soft sheets tangled around her legs while her mass of curly red hair spilled over the pillow. Another knock produced an unintelligible groan of complaint as Alex Kingsley gave up any hope of falling back asleep and instead rolled over onto her back and spent the next few seconds trying to properly wake up.

Glancing to her right she saw the ocean and the small stretch of beach beyond the windows, all of which had been put into 'night mode' to mute the sunlight.

Much closer to home she saw a small hand written note on the pillow beside her, and a single red rose.

She sat up gingerly, her muscles full of complaints but in a good way as she pried the note free and read the elegant script of her husband's handwriting:

My Alexandra,
Although I would like nothing more then to be with you when you awake I have realized that we lack clothing. After...repurposing what should not be repurposed I have stolen away to find clothing. I shall return to your arms in but a breath. Until then a rose for the woman who is fairest within this galaxy.


Another knock and she was struck with the realization that perhaps, no matter how unlikely, it was Soral and he had locked himself out. They had set up the programme to keep the door locked, like in a real hotel so that if anyone did happen to try and crash their few days of alone time, they wouldn't walk in on something they shouldn't. And sure enough, she could see both of the key cards on the bedside table.

"Two seconds!" she called out as she stood, taking the satin bedsheet with her, wrapping it around her a few times as she walked, she held it in place with one hand as she opened the door with her free hand.. "Did you for - oh! It's you."

T'Paris raised an eyebrow. "Indeed." She looked around Alex. "You are alone?"

"Why are you here?" Alex countered the woman's question with one of her own.

"I overhead your husband talking to a Vulcan Doctor the other day and came to see if you were really that selfish."

Her eyes narrowed, her temper threatening to flare. "Interfering where you don't belong again?" she challenged. "Sounds like you are being a little, oh, I don't know, stalker-ish."

"I was merely in the observation lounge awaiting my discharge papers so that I could return to Vulcan. But if you are content with condemning your husband to death then so be it." She turned to go.

Damn her.... "Wait! What do you mean?"

As she spoke she stepped back and, reluctantly, opened the door wider to allow the other woman to enter.

T'Paris stopped and then turned. She observed the woman for a moment and then walked in. "I shall explain." She motioned to a seat. "May I?"

"Sure," Alex nodded closing the door while being careful to keep a firm hold of the sheet that she held against her. Hopefully Soral would be back soon. "Help yourself to anything you want to eat or drink."

"No. I am more concerned about Soral not dying. I understand that he loves you and you him however...this is his life and to deny him what other Vulcan wives would not is cruel."

“Meaning…?” She prompted with no attempt to hide her annoyance. The woman seemed to take delight in highlighting her failings as a wife, this seemed no different. But Soral had admitted to speaking to Selin. She hadn’t pried, hadn’t wanted to. But T’Paris on the other hand…

"Have you ever wondered how Vulcans were able to travel long distances and be away from their mates sometimes for ten twenty years? On Vulcan we have a surrogate practice. Special medical...ways of taming the blood fire. Doctor Selin suggested he use one of these therapists as it would save his life and he refused. Wives, and husbands on Vulcan do not stand for infidelity but at times like this when a life is in trouble sometimes only Vulcan pheromones' can tame the fire and it is accepted not as an infidelity but a therapy."

Alex stood in stunned silence as, in her mind, she replayed the conversation over again. And then once more for good measure. “So Soral’s ex suggested he sleep with a Vulcan, because technically it is okay as it’s therapy?” She summarised, sounding remarkably calm. “But he said no so you came here to… what? Ask permission?”

"I came to inform you. I know about the broken bond he spoke to her of that too. He is willing to die rather then do what needs to be done to save his life. I thought you would have more logic then he. Do you understand that if you are not well enough he will die? A Vulcan wife would understand."

“Well, a Vulcan I am not,” she said with a bitter laugh.

"No...and because of your closed mind your husband will die."

Before anything else could be said the door opened. "Alexandra I have our clothing and a few other things..." His words died when he saw T'Paris. His body tensed. "What are you doing here?"

“Telling me about your conversation with Dr Selin,” Alex told him. “And deciding my inadequate non-Vulcan wife status - oh and my closed mindedness was condemning you to death.”

She said the words so calmly before she about turned and all but ran into the bedroom kicking the door closed before she threw herself on the bed. T’Paris had a way of cutting her deep without any need for weapons.

Soral promptly kicked T'Paris out showing remarkable reserve. He hurried into the bedroom after Alex. "Alexandra...?" He walked over to the bed and sat down. "What did she say? I told you I spoke with Selin."

“You did,” she nodded, “but according to T’Paris there was more to it than just talking about stasis. That you could… be with another Vulcan. Something about Vulcan females having pheromones or something… And that you said no, because of me. But that it could help you. Maybe help save your life.”

He sighed. "Yes, there is what we call mate surrogacy. Vulcan mating rituals involve the use of pheromones' but as evident with Ambassador Sarek there need not be that. I would never enter the bed of another woman, it matters not. I would rather die faithful to you then spend a moment with another woman."

There were tears in her eyes as she rested a hand on the side of his face, her voice a whisper. “I know. But Soral, the monk said weeks. Maybe months. If you won’t try to bond with me until I’m healed…” she rested her forehead against his. “I couldn’t bear it. But this is your life. I can’t just wait for you to die while sitting on a moral high ground. Soral, if I was Vulcan we wouldn’t even need this discussion… And what… What if this gives us that chance of bonding again?”

She couldn’t even be sure she was actually using coherent sentences anymore, she couldn’t even see for the floods of tears. Once again she was faced with the cold hard realisation that she, by reason of her biology, could not be the wife he needed.

He kissed her with devastating gentleness. "I know but I will not do it. I cannot. Being with another woman would kill me faster. You are the only one I wish to be with or touch or hold. You are everything I need Alexandra. We will bond, I will survive and cryo-stasis is an option a good one now that we know months only at the worst."

She threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Hearing him say it was exactly what she needed. “You are certain?” She managed.

"Yes. Absolutely. As I told Selin that is not an option. I will not entertain it. You are the only one for me." He held her. "As for T'Paris I will ensure she hears it from me. She had no right."

“No. Don’t waste any more time on her,” Alex said as she shook her head, wiping away the tears. She saw the rose and decided to try and lighten the mood. “I got your note, and the rose,” she said as she peered up at him. “But what did you mean… repurposed?”

He blushed... "I could not find my underwear...I had to make do with the ones I could find."

She frowned, “so you had to wear your clothes again for like ten minutes? Why are you embarrassed by that?”

His eyes narrowed. "Let's not get into the details."

“Soral, you promised no secrets and I am literally wearing a sheet right now,” she pointed out.

"Yes...and I had to repurpose your underwear." He stood, "Now if you will excuse me, bath and then change and we will go for lunch."

She stared after him in disbelief as he walked away, looking ill at ease. She managed to hold it in until the bathroom door closed at which point she fell back on the bed, her tears forgotten among amid a laugh that echoed off the walls.

OFF: