JP: Alieth & Saros of Chi-ree - The Poet and the Muse

[Karrod Niac]

Exploring the relationships that define a character are some of the most difficult sims to do well but Lieutenant @Alieth & Ensign Saja Jehe make this heartfelt and poignant moment between two characters come alive.  From the characterizations to the small details in their signatures, this little window on the private lives of those lovably logical Vulcans is a real delight.  

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[[Flat complex 26, first floor, Chi-ree, Xial, Vulcan]]

Alieth stared at the door for a while, so long that she could have melted it simply with the sheer power of her anger. Or so she would have liked. She clenched her fists at her sides, clenched her jaw and made up her mind.

Three determined steps allowed her to cross the tiny room until she reached the window. She deftly opened it without a single sound, with the efficiency of habit, and let the night air into the room. It brought the scent of rain and the small flowers that festooned the small garden at the entrance to the building.

The tiny vulcan bent down and took off her shoes and, with great care, swung one leg over the window sill. She groped her bare foot along the roof tiles, until she found the broken one and dodged it, leaning her weight on the one next to it. Only then did she pushed herself up with a little hop and leapt out of the window.

With her arms spread out at her sides, she strode quietly along the small roof until she reached the corner of the building. The bulk of the building blocked out the light of the city behind her and allowed a view of the night sky over the desert, studded with stars.

She sat there, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the roof. If she chose to, she could reach the ground and leave that place. It was barely a jump of four or five metres. Besides, she'd done it so many times, she knew she could do it without any real trouble. In fact, it was more than likely that the boots she kept hidden nearby were still in place. She could call for transport to the Thor and the next day...

Saros: I see some things never change, ko-fu.

The voice was - unsurprisingly - calm, and came from around the corner of the building, an older Vulcan male stepping out along the same roof that wrapped around their flat. He stood with utter disregard for the height, and semi-precarious nature of their vantage point, and as unsurprising as his calm, in his hands he cradled a cup of warm tea.

Alieth: Sa-mekh….

Saros: I sense you are troubled, ko-fu. There are many pressures on you, even here, even now. Especially now, no?

He did not smile, of course. And yet, something in the tone, calm and measured, was designed to set her at ease. The effectiveness of that, however, was debatable.

Alieth: Mother's fixation on pointing out the wrongdoings she perceives in my former actions do not help.

Saros: I would say simply that this is unfortunate. ::With care, he settled down next to her, allowing his own feet to hang off the edge.:: And your journey to meet with our pid-kom?

The young woman averted her eyes from the sky and glanced to the left, where the hills met the desert, there where the old manor houses stood, around the original oasis on which the city had been founded.

Alieth: Tomorrow…

Saros: So soon.

She nodded lightly.

Alieth: It is better to deal with this as soon as possible, Sern's katra is very weak at this moment but nonetheless it is having an impact on his vessel. If I cannot get some help for them soon...

Saros:  Then there is risk to both Sern’s katra, and the man within whom the spirit dwells. Measured speed in this case is only logical.

Alieth: Indeed. 

She looked away and turned to look at her father, his serene face more aged than the last time she had been home. The silence hung in the air for a while, full of unspoken things.

Alieth: How has all this been for you? Since the wedding, since... since Sern died.

For a long moment, the older Vulcan did not speak. His lips pursed slightly, as if he was carefully considering his words.

Saros: It has not been without difficulties, though life is rarely so kind as to be completely calm, no matter how much we may...wish it. ::There was not a smile, but a crinkling around the eyes that gave the impression there in.:: We as a people are fond of saying ‘it is agreeable to see you again’. But in honesty, it is a relief to see you again. It is regrettable that the circumstances are as dire as they are.

The frown that had been on Alieth's face visibly relaxed and her stern countenance somehow became more peaceful.

Alieth: Your absence from my life has been regrettable.

The young woman leaned to the side, and laid her head on her father's shoulder.

Alieth: Even if you still refuse to share your tea...

Saros:  I am old, child, not senile. ::He sipped the tea, slowly, arching an eyebrow as he did.::

They stayed there for a while, as the night grew darker and the stars brighter and somewhere in the mountains a Sehlat roared in defiance. Behind them, inside the house, their own pet Sehlat growled gravely, evidently insulted.

Alieth: I will endeavour to settle matters with Mother, if I can manage to get all this fixed. But I need the pid-kom's authorization to approach a suitable Healer, if I can get her consent.

Saros:  Settling matters will be...what is the humans are fond of saying? A...two way street. You are not the only one that must make the effort. Regardless...

Pausing to sip from his tea, Alieth’s father took a moment to let those words settle in before pressing forward to the other, somewhat more time sensitive matter before the pair.

Saros: Would it not simply be more efficient to ask pid-kom to perform the fal-tor-plak? She is not without some small talent in the matters herself. 

There was the slightest twitch at the corners of Saros’ mouth, as his ever present penchant for understatement once again shown forth.

Alieth: I suspect that if pid-kom were the one to pull his katra out of the Commander's brain, he would be permanently impaired. Humans are so fragile....

One greying eyebrow rose slightly on the old man's forehead.

Saros:  I begin to see wisdom beyond your years, ko-fu. ::He sipped the tea, savoring the flavor as he turned his gaze to the garden below.:: but your Commander has managed thus far. He is perhaps sturdier than one might expect. 

Alieth:I have asked Meimei to assist me, as she has experience in dealing with Clan leaders as well as her training as a counsellor can be beneficial in her capacity as an advisor.

Saros: An interesting choice, ko-fu.I am sure that she will only be an asset. How has she fared of late? I sense that you may know more of her well being than myself.::His mastery of understatement persisted.::

The question made her reach a hand to her shoulder and rub gently at the body decoration she had acquired thanks to her krei's friends.

Alieth: She has been behaving herself pretty well since the brig and the tattoos.

Saros: ...One would think that I have seen enough years in this world to not be surprised by such words. I understand them, individually, and yet, taken on as a whole, I sit here, surprised. I am not so old that my hearing has failed me, yet comprehension is ....::He reached up, grasping with one hand at the empty air.:: Just out of reach.

She was careful to suppress the greenish tone that gradually crept up to her ears. For the most part.

Alieth: Sa-mekh, you really do not want to hear about my participation in that whole incident...

Saros: A first. You perhaps show more wisdom than I. And yet, as your Father, I have an obligation to tread where weaker men may fear. A brig? Tattoos? Enlighten me, ko-fu.

Alieth: It all began with a heated debate about the merits and innumerable flaws of a Klingon scientist's research project. Perhaps there was a certain degree of intoxication in the whole affair, as living with humans leads to the exposure of substances, harmless for them, that produce some unexpected effects on Vulcan physiology.

Saros: I dread to ask which sucrose laden confection you came into contact with. I take it that given the nature of such events, completely unexpected, of course, things deteriorated?

Alieth: At one point there might have been a few punches involved. However, as you can expect, I merely fought in self-defence.

Saros: But of course. Only in defense of yourself and others. ::A pause.:: I take it you won?

A mischievous sparkle glinted in the young doctor's eyes.

Alieth: Sa-mekh, let me question your senility if you are unaware of the answer to that query...

In the distance, a lone cry split the night once more, adding an ominous tone to the conversation, though Saros paid it no real head. 

Saros: I suppose that is irrelevant. It does no harm to ask pid-kom to arrange access to a more specialized mind Healer to oversee the transfer of the katra. I do not foresee any great difficulty on that subject. 

She winced a bit.

Alieth:  Provided that she will not contemplate prosecution for the theft of her grandson's katra. Or that she refuses to let the Memorial Halls of the Clan be tarnished with traces of a human soul, or that even though everything unfolds under the most favourable conditions, it will be too late and some or neither of them could be saved.

She had many more reasons why everything could go horribly wrong, but something made her fall silent. Straightened up again, the brief moment of familiarity over, she looked at her father's face.

Saros: I did not say there would be no difficulties at all. ::He allowed a finger to unfurl from the earthenware mug, wagging ever so slightly.:: Much as come to pass since you last walked among these sands and warm winds, my child.

The young woman suppressed a snort, which didn't make any sound but made her nostrils twitch a bit.

Alieth: You always used to tell me that hardly anything changes on Vulcan.

Saros: This is true. And things have changed. In the grand scope of the History of Vulcan since the coming of Surak...both can be true at once. A fascinating mental exercise.

Again, that not quite smile graced his face, and his shoulders gave a shrug that would, to a non vulcan, be nigh on imperceptible.

Alieth: In this, you are correct. As you often do.

Saros: It is gratifying to hear you say that, ko-fu. Though I am far from…infallible. Something I might not have been aware of in my youth. 

Alieth: Are you suggesting that I should exercise moderation, sa-mekh?

A mischievous sparkle flashed in the young woman's eyes, but she hid it swiftly, her gaze again on the distant horizon.

Alieth: Or are you just about to regale me with a tale of your youth, old man? You know I have always cherished those.

Alieth was well aware that Saros could not exactly be labelled an old man. Though he had surpassed a hundred years of age during Alieth's childhood, he could hardly be considered middle-aged by the standards of their kind. Nevertheless, she would honour the new silver in his hair.

Saros: Perhaps I spoke too soon about the wisdom you have gained, my child. ::The eyebrow twitched up ever so slightly.:: The escapades of my own irascible youth might give you some insight, however. Very well.

At that the older - if hardly elder - Vulcan squared his shoulders, pulling in upon himself the look of someone searching through memories. 

Saros: Let us ruminate upon the merits of friendship and loyalty then, in the face of clan doctrion... 

The night grew darker, and the stars lighter, until the first rays of dawn forced them back to the reality of the coming day's events.

[[THE END]]

OOC:

sa-mekh → father

ko-fu → daughter

pid-kom → Matriarch, Female that leads a Clan

fal-tor-plak → ritual transfer of a katra from one keeper to another, or a katric ark

krei → cousin- female, a female relative descended from siblings of parents or earlier line of descent

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Saros of Chi-Ree

Chi-Ree Regional Tea Master

Father

T239712JS0

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&

 

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Alieth daughter of Saros

Chief Medical Officer

Wild Child

E239702A10  

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[Alieth]

Thank you so much for enjoy this! But i really want to point out that scenes like this grow and nurture in an awesome and cooperative writing partner and @Brutus
is an awesome one (and a hell of a good writer!) Thank you too, Bru