From: Sarah Albertini-Bond (serendipity77_at_gmail.com)
Date: Fri Sep 21 2007 - 03:20:58 PDT
The Eshikh Tam-tor-a
A FRPG Novella
By Joy Phillips & Sarah Albertini-Bond
Chapter 1 – The Dance
=/\=
Location: USS STONEHENGE
Scene: Holodeck 2
Landwyn Orla walked into Holodeck expecting to find some kind of
fighting program. After all the computer told him that Izshlana was
here and typically those were the type of programs that she ran.
What he wasn't expecting to find was the Vulcan Eshikh Tam-tor-a being
performed.
Standing transfixed in place for a moment Landwyn looked around. The
Eshikh Tam-tor-a (or "Desert Dance" literally translated) was part of
the ancient Vulcan tradition. Originally when Surak's teachings of
logic took hold of Vulcans, most cultural events went by the wayside
as they often were very hedonistic and didn't fit in with logic.
However the Eshikh Tam-tor-a remained throughout the centuries – being
taught from generation to generation, sometimes in secret. However,
since there were so many Vulcans (or part-Vulcans) who didn't quite
adhere to the strict logical point of view, the Eshikh Tam-tor-a was
becoming mainstream once more.
As fitting with something called a "desert dance" this took place in a
large tent and there were rugs and cushions on the floor and the sun
seem to beat down through the canvas that was around them. There was
wooden circular area in the middle of the tent where various women
came out and danced to the beat of the drums and flutes that were
being performed off to the side.
Suddenly someone in the crowd yanked down Landwyn; turning around he
wasn't quite that surprised to see Ardy there. The older man put his
finger up to his lips to indicate silence and Landwyn nodded as he
watched the women come and go from the dance area.
What he hadn't been expecting to see was Izzy come out with the women
dancing. She had on a long skirt that was designed of overlaying
layers of silk scarves and beaded tops that bared their midriffs.
Izzy's costume was a beautiful blue-green with tiny silver metal disks
sewn on to it so that the made a tiny "clanging" sound when she moved.
Landwyn also noticed that she had small cymbals attached to her
fingers so that when she moved it also "clanged". The music was
decided more up-tempo as Izzy shimmied and swung her body to the beat
of the music easily rolling her body to move in beat with the sensuous
music. She easily flung herself into the air to complete the leaps
that seemingly melted into the hip shakes that were needed for the
music. The holographic dancers behind her moved along in unison with
the Alterian.
Before now he thought of the Eshikh Tam-tor-a to be a boring ancient
dance, although Landwyn was now considering revising his opinion of
that.
Suddenly the music slowed down and Izzy gracefully ceded the stage to
Phia and her dancers. Phia's costume was similar to Izzy's except the
colors looked to be of a gold and crimson shimmer. Unlike Izshlana,
Phia had no cymbals in her hand but rather had long scarves that she
carried by the tips of her fingers. Phia's dance was more sinuous and
sensual as she slowly danced around, using the scarves to at times
conceal her and at other times to draw attention to her dance. At one
point Phia bent her back backwards as she continued to shake her hips
in beat with the hypnotic drumbeat.
Suddenly the music changed again and became even faster than when Izzy
danced. Phia made the shift from slow and sensual to frenetic and
Izzy joined Phia. Suddenly both of them danced around the floor, as a
metal drum was the only sound being played. In a move that he thought
physical impossible, the women were able to move their torsos in one
direction while shaking their hips in another. The entire time Izzy's
costume made a pleasant clanging sound while Phia's scarves added a
certain dramatic flair. The dance itself now took on a life of its
own as the seemingly different dances now seemed to spur the other on.
Finally the music stopped and the women smiled at each other and bowed
towards each other.
Landwyn began to applaud and Ardy stuck his fingers in his mouth and
let out an ear-piercing whistle, which earned him a glare from Phia as
she put her hands on her hips. "They don't do that on VULCAN."
Ardy grinned. "They should."
Izzy grinned and went running over to the men. "When did you get
here?" she asked while she flopped down on a nearby cushion.
"Ardy was here first," Landwyn admitted. "I got in just before the show began."
"I wasn't here much before you," Ardy admitted. "I was curious to see
where Phia was and I saw the holodeck was open so I figured it was
safe for me to walk in." Pulling Phia closer to him he asked, "How
long have you two been up to this?"
"I'm all sweaty," Phia pointed out as she tried to shift away from Ardy.
"It's the good kind of sweaty," he grinned as he tugged her close back.
Phia gave him a look again but a smile tugged up at the corner of her
lips. "We've been doing this for weeks now, whenever we have a
chance. It was Izshlana's idea."
Izzy grinned as she grabbed a drink from a nearby server. "I like
sharing Alterian things with Fe, that I thought she'd want to share
something with me."
"Bolian cooking didn't work out so we had to move onto something
else," Phia commented dryly.
"For some reason throwing everything into a pan and frying it all up
doesn't work for everything," Izzy muttered. Brightening up she said,
"But then Fe had a dream about this and so we decided to try it."
"I had learned to dance like this when I was a teenager visiting my
father's family on VULCAN," Phia explained. "Honestly I hadn't
thought about it nor danced like this until that little debacle with
the cooking."
"It wasn't a debacle," Izzy protested.
"I had to get out the fire extinguisher—"
"So what?" Izzy protested.
Phia gave her friend a look. "And use it on you."
Izzy shrugged. "But see if I hadn't set myself on fire then we
couldn't be doing the Eshikh Tam-tor-a and this is way more fun."
Landwyn looked over at Phia. "Your family taught you this?"
Phia shrugged. "My father's family has always been
somewhat…eccentric. They were always part of the houses that carried
on the tradition." When everyone else looked at her strangely the CNS
shrugged her shoulders defensively. "What?"
"It's a little hard to believe your family are eccentric," Landwyn pointed out.
Phia gave a wry smile at that. "My father was considered the black
sheep of the family – for years he followed the teachings of Surak and
subliminated his emotions."
"And did it work?" Ardy asked.
The Bolian/Vulcan shook her head. "He said it lasted until he met my
mother and he said that logic had no place in love and family. When I
said I wanted to follow Surak he said I could but that I'd have
problems, that it's not our fate to be logical but to learn to balance
the two or else there would be too many people in the universe we'd
never love. I never was successful at following Surak, so I suppose
he may have had a point."
"Awww…" Izzy sighed. "He sounds like a romantic."
"I suppose in his own way he was. But yes, his family, who we
visited, was considered to be quite peculiar, by VULCAN standards at
any rate," Phia explained. "I remember visiting them and hoping for
some cool rational logic and instead was taught the Eshikh Tam-tor-a.
Originally it was a great secret but after awhile it seemed as if
everyone in their town knew about it but didn't speak of it."
"It's becoming more and more accepted though," Ardy pointed out. "In
fact I had heard that some people were trying to put together a
festival to celebrate this."
"Yeah but the government hasn't decided if it will let it go through.
Even if they do there will be many protestors," Landwyn pointed out.
"Not to mention it's in the middle of the typhoon season. It's just
asking for something to happen."
There was silence amongst the two couples before Izzy finally asked.
"So when do we go?"
=[/\]=
Scene: Shuttlebay
The four friends where packing a shuttle craft they each had a duffle
bag each, Phia had two one for her shoes, and on top of that they had
camping equipment that were currently being loaded.
"I still don't think this is a good idea." Ardy muttered.
"Why not?" Landwyn asked seriously, "or do you just not want to meet
the in-laws?" Landwyn teased his friend quietly. "It's simple, we go
see Phia's family they take us to the festival."
"Do not say it." Ardy hissed through his teeth.
"What could go wrong?" Izzy asked cheerfully.
Rolling her eyes Phia smacked her across the back of the head. "he
said not to say it." She muttered at her friend.
"Oh, that's what I wasn't meant to say?"
Ardy glared at Landwyn who simply shrugged his shoulders and grinned
back at the older man.
"Why don't we go and see your family?" Izzy asked dropping from the
shuttlecraft and wrapping her arms around her boyfriend.
Landwyn shook his head, "I've never met them," he answered honestly.
"They never approved of mothers marriage. Meg wanted to go and see
them when she left school but they never answered her letters. So
seeing my family isn't going to be on the itinerary."
"That's sad." Izzy answered.
"Alright," Phia interrupted, "If we have everything then lets get
going." She ordered, "we're expected and I'd rather not keep them
waiting."
Izzy grinned and skipped into the shuttlecraft after her blue friend
leaving the boys to double check what they had and secure it before
heading into the shuttle.
Phia and Iz where at the controls when the men strapped themselves in.
"Bridge this is the Fluffy
Bunny requesting permission to launch."
Izshlana sniggered behind her hand and Phia glared at her and then at
her boyfriend. "Why the Fluffy Bunny?"
"Rammy named it." He answered with an unapologetic shrug.
[[FB you have permission to launch.]] Peters voice came over the comm.
Link as the shuttle bay began to depressurise and the doors opened
[[Have a nice holiday.]] he offered as Phia deftly controlled the
shuttle off the ground and launched the four into space.
Chapter 2 – Welcome Home
=/\=
Location: VULCAN
Scene: Customs Port -> Druhardu compound
"State the nature of your visit," the officer stated in a calm cool voice.
"We're here for the fes—" Izzy began cheerfully.
Landwyn wrapped his hand around Izzy's mouth as Phia stepped forward.
"We're to see visit family."
The officer's tone didn't change but the disbelief was clear. "All of
you are from the same familial unit?"
Phia inclined her head towards the male. "No, we are here to see my house."
"House name," he said.
"The House of Druhardu," Phia said.
"Ko-niht Phia!" A tall Vulcan woman with long black hair made her
way through the crowd. As she got closer they could see she was
wearing a long red dress that had a beaded belt tied around her
middle. "Kor, she is of my house. They are here on house business.
You cannot interfere with this."
"Your house causes problems," the officer named Kor said.
The woman gave him a look. "I will get the pid-kom of the Druhardu
and have you speak with her about that."
Kor clearly thought better of that. Placing his thumb on each of
their passports he said, "Thank you for visiting VULCAN."
The tall woman, who was clearly related to Phia, led the four out of
the immediate customs area and then stopped. "Pi'haya," Phia said
quietly, "thank you for coming to get us."
The older woman wrapped Phia in a hug. "You've come ko-niht. You are
pi'maat," she whispered. "It's been many years, of course I would
make sure that you were fine." Pulling back she kept Phia at an arm's
length and appeared to study her. "You need to eat more."
Phia rolled her eyes at that. Turning to her friends she explained,
"This is my ko-niht, Pi'haya."
"Who?" Izzy asked.
Pi'haya smiled kindly at the shorter Alterian. "Ah yes, you must be
my ko-niht's friend. My apologies for being rude. Phia and I are
ko-niht or cousins and we are of the same pi'maat, or family."
Phia made the necessary introductions, introducing Pi'haya to her
three friends. Pi'haya was, as Phia had explained the three earlier,
much more warm than a typical Vulcan but still had the cool outer
reserve. "Phia mentioned she had 6 female ko-nihts," Ardy said. "That
there are only females in your generation."
Pi'haya nodded with a smile. "She is correct. There are seven of us
in our generation – myself and my three sisters, one cousin who is an
only child, and then Phia and her sister." Looking at Phia she said,
"Tashi could not come?"
"Medical school does not allow for time off for festivals," Phia said.
Pi'haya nodded. "Understood." Turning to the others she explained,
"I am the eldest of ko-nihts then if that helps you figure out things.
Our parents were brother and sister."
"Her mother is the pid-kom, or matriarch, of the family." Phia
explained. "When it is our generation that is next then Pi'haya will
take her place."
Pi'haya lead them through the maze of the government building towards
where her own shuttle was parked. "That will not be for many years as
mother is quite healthy. Rilo, my mother, is the head of our family
as the eldest of her generation. Phia's father was the youngest of
that generation."
"Rilo is a skilled healer and physician," Phia explained. Giving
Pi'haya a look she said, "I imagine Kor did not want to lose her
services which is why he let us through."
Pi'haya smiled at that. "Mother would be quite pleased to know her
services are held in that high of regard." She looked at Phia and
touched her arm. "Virik would be pleased you are here, little one.
Mother will tell you that later but I thought the same thing."
Phia shrugged at that but was clearly pleased with that validation.
"Have you told the others we were coming?"
Pi'haya nodded. "As soon as your message came and they're all looking
forward to seeing you and meeting your…perhaps now I should explain
one thing before we go."
"And here we go," Ardy sighed.
"I had to tell them you were telik with the intention of a kun-ut.
Well you and Xav'ion and Landwyn and Izshlana," Pi'haya said. When
Phia gave her a look Pi'haya returned the look just as easily.
"Ko-niht do not give me such a stare, I'm the one who taught you how
to do that. And you've been away from VULCAN for too long if you
think that everything changes."
Suddenly, at least to Izzy's ears, Landwyn, Ardy, Phia and Pi'haya all
began speaking quickly in Vulcan, clearly quite agitated. "Hello!"
Izzy said waving her hands. "What's going on?"
"My ko-niht has told my family, and indeed everyone involved in the
Eshikh Tam-tor-a," Phia spat, "that you and Landwyn, as well as Ardy
and I, are mated with the intention of being married."
Seeing Izshlana's stunned expression Pi'haya tried to be kind. "I am
sorry if this seems strange to you—"
"It's strange to all of us," Landwyn muttered.
Pi'haya continued on seamlessly. "But this is necessary. You have to
understand that there is still an uproar over the Eshikh Tam-tor-a as
it is. The protests have become quite…vitriolic. You will be safe
once you come closer to where we all live and when you go camping in
the mountains behind our village. But it was just too much to expect
everyone would be pleased with your traveling and…residing in such
close quarters without some kind of bonding. As it was Mother was
quite upset that Phia wasn't kun-ut already with Xav'ion. And she is
one of the more liberal people of the community so that should give
you an idea of what the others would say."
"Fantastic," Ardy muttered. When he heard Landwyn snickering he asked, "What?"
"They haven't met you yet and already the in-laws don't already like
you," the Vulcan/Betazoid grinned.
Pi'haya looked alarmed. "No, no, it's not that. I think it was more
of a disappointment over the situation." Touching Ardy's arm she
tried to get his attention, "Mother will approve of you, I'm sure. It
was just more of a shock was all."
"Thank you, Pi'haya," Ardy nodded.
"Will it be a problem that I'm not Vulcan?" Izzy asked quietly.
Pi'haya smiled at that as she opened the latch of her own shuttle.
"After everything else that's going on, I doubt that will be a
concern."
"And can I dance at the Eshikh Tam-tor-a?" Izzy asked.
"Of course," Pi'haya nodded.
"I'm good," Izzy grinned.
Pi'haya seemed pleased. "Wonderful. Pull out the same way you came
in and circle around. I'll be waiting for you and will lead the way
back towards where you can rest. My shuttle is the BRUN."
This time Ardy decided to pilot after the others got back to the
FLUFFY BUNNY. Following Pi'haya's directions they circled around the
building until they found the BRUN and began to follow that shuttle
into the sky.
"It doesn't seem that big of a deal so far," Izzy commented.
Landwyn looked out one of the windows and pointed down. They were
still low enough to be able to make out the ground. "Look, Iz," he
said quietly.
Izzy looked out the side and saw a large mass of Vulcans with candles
and signs outside the Government Center. "That doesn't look good,"
she whispered.
Phia leaned over to turn on the communications device and fiddled with
it until she got the news channel. [[…and in other news, protests
continued on today for the third day in a row. Protestors arrived in
the Government circle to explain their reasons for being against such
an emotional outpouring that is expected to happen with the festivals
that some are planning. Other protestors have started making their
way to the Takov-Suk'kunel Province to protest the Eshikh Tam-tor-a
that will be taking place. Calls have already been made to boycott
the festival any other services offered by the families who are
organizing it…]]
"But this is a Vulcan protest," Izzy pointed out. "How crazy can it be?"
Ardy smiled at that. "Izzy the reason why logical thought became so
popular is that Vulcans used to be quite violent."
Phia looked out the window. "It's not logical to protest."
"It's not logical to want a Eshikh Tam-tor-a," Ardy replied.
"All of this is not logical," Landwyn pointed out.
"I never thought I'd say this but I might fit in on VULCAN," Izzy grinned.
The two shuttles followed each other until they arrived at the
community where Phia's family resided and found somewhere to quietly
land. Izshlana opened the shuttle doors and dropped out onto the sand
to face Rilo. The Vulcan matriarch gave the obviously enthusiastic
young lady half a smile as Izzy took in the buildings around her with
wide eyes.
Phia and Ardy followed out of the shuttle to find them both being
embraced by the tall woman. Although Phia's aunty she gave the half
Bolian a tight hug. "It is good to see you ko-bath."
"And you, ko-kuk."
Izzy watched this and then glanced into the shuttlebay she ended up
having to drag Landwyn by the arm. "What's up?" she hissed at him as
one of Phia's cousins greeted them.
"This was such a bad idea." He muttered.
"You must all be tired." Rilo spoke to the group. "We've prepared
some rooms for you to stay in tonight the festival doesn't start for
another day."
Phia nodded at this. "Thank you ko-kuk."
Pi'haya caught Phia's arm and led the two of them towards a house
nestled into the hills. She beckoned for Izzy and Landy to follow and
the two did.
"Why was it a bad idea?" Izzy asked once they where moving towards the house.
Landwyn sighed and shook his head and reached down to take Izzy's
hand. They walked in silence while in front of them Phia and Pi'haya
were happily chatting in Vulcan. Ardy joined in from time to time,
while Izzy hopped from one foot to another. "I swear I'm going to
start speaking Alterian if you don't stop speaking Vulcan." She
muttered.
Landwyn finally laughed at that and squeezed her hand. "They're
catching up, one of Phia's cousins have recently been married."
"The festival is taking place in the desert." Pi'haya said switching
to federation standard with a smile at the smaller woman, "so far only
a handful of people know the exact location, but we're going to have
to release the details tonight."
"Well we can help with the security." Izzy offered cheerfully as
entering the house they where hit by the cooler air. She looked along
the corridors at family portraits and noticed a few of Phia with her
family.
Landwyn and Ardy glared at Izzy. "What?" she asked honestly.
"This is supposed to be your holiday." Pi'haya reminded the younger
woman, "and we have security in hand. However, when we get to the
festival grounds you may have to look after yourselves." Phia's cousin
told them.
"That's fine." Landwyn said eagerly.
Ardy glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at his half
Vulcan friend who shrugged.
"You can use this room for tonight, Phia you and Xav'ion can use the
next." She pointed to two doors, Phia offered Izzy an apologetic look
but the small woman darted into the room unconcerned.
"The evening meal will be in two hours, feel free to come down."
Landwyn bent slightly in a bow before he took a deep breath and headed
into the room.
Pi'haya left them then heading back down the corridor.
"So this is your home?" Ardy asked as Phia led him into their room and
deposited bags on a chair.
She looked around the room with a small smile. "Rilo has given us her
best guest rooms."
"It's been a long time since she saw you." Ardy said, he wrapped his
arms around Phia. "So my katelau we have two hours to waste, what
shall we do?"
In the next room Izzy had gasped at the large bed and was currently
bouncing up and down on it. "This bed is *huge*" she gushed.
Landwyn rolled his eyes at that. "Stop bouncing on it." He answered
She pouted but stood still leaning against one of the bedposts.
"What's wrong? If you didn't want to come you could have said no."
Landwyn stared at her and then stepped forwards he stepped up onto the
edge of the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "I wanted to come,"
he told her as he leaned against the bed post and pulled her against
him.
"OK, but you've been in a bad mood since we met Pi'haya." She pointed
out, "Is it because we have to share a room?"
Landwyn burst out laughing and kissed Izzy on the forehead, "No, it's
not that, it's not even because I'll be sleeping on the sofa." He
reassured her, "You remember that video Phia played."
Izshlana nodded and stayed silent.
"Well the blonde behind the reporter leading the chanting, I think
that was my cousin." He told her quietly.
"You have cousins?" Izzy asked cheerfully.
Landwyn smiled sadly. "Yes, a few, mother had siblings too and she had
pictures from before she met father, and that looks like one of my
cousins."
"Oh, but he was protesting against the festival." Izshlana suddenly
said sadly. "That's not good."
"No." Landwyn shook his head and pulled her tight against him, "and
now I'm worried about what they might do if they find one of their
family is going to the Eshikh Tam-tor-a."
"They've never spoken to you Landwyn." She pointed out, "How would they know?"
Landwyn breathed out at that and smiled. "You're right, it'll be fine."
"But you're worried." She said softly.
He nodded, "My mother's family are not the most logical family." He
said after a moment, "But whereas most Vulcans have seen this as a way
for betterment or improving their good sides." He paused and shook his
head. "They are much more like the Vulcans of old."
Izzy stared up at him, "Violent?" when he nodded she asked. "What did they do?"
He shook his head, "It's a long story, and it's over with, they
haven't made contact in nearly thirty years." He brushed her hair back
from her face. "So do you want to try out the shower first or shall
I?"
She grinned and bounced on the bed. "Race ya." She declared almost
flipping off the bed and bounding into the bathroom.
Landwyn smiled and shook his head as the door locked and then
collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes.
Sometime later in the next room, Phia lay easily in Ardy's arms. "So
do you think she's finally stopped jumping up and down on the bed?"
Xav'ion chuckled at that as he tightly hugged Phia. "Probably but
she'll do it again."
=/\=
"And then Phia stole drugs for me—"
Landwyn looked up from where he was drinking a mocha while sitting at
a long table and saw Phia and Ardy come into the room. Seeing Phia's
shocked face at the story Izzy was relating to her aunt the
Betazoid/Vulcan chuckled softly into his drink.
Rilo raised an eyebrow and looked around from where she was chopping
vegetables for the stew to see her niece walk in the room. "Ko-bath
Phia?"
Phia swallowed hard at that. "Ko-kuk Rilo," she nodded.
Izzy continued on cheerfully. "But I needed the drugs and she got
them for me so quickly. Ardy helped her."
Xav'ion closed his eyes and groaned softly – there went another
attempt at trying to impress Phia's family. "I didn't know I was
helping."
Rilo took that in stride studying her niece and her "intended". "So
my ko-bath tricked you?"
Realizing that the matriarch was still not pleased with this Ardy
sighed and felt the need to defend Phia all the while Landwyn tried to
stifle his laughs. "I would have helped—ow!"
The exclamation was a result of a swift kick to the shin that Phia
landed on Ardy. "Ko-kuk, the dishonor is my responsibility and mine
alone," Phia announced with her chin raised in defiance. "I tricked
Xav'ion into helping ferry the drugs but it was I alone who procured
the contraband."
"And you still intend to go through with the kun-ut?" Rilo asked with
a look at Xav'ion. She stopped her vegetable chopping and wiped her
hands on a dishtowel. "You are more established than my ko-bath and
clearly you could have your choice of mates." Giving a look towards
Phia she said, "Perhaps even one who does not traffic in illegal
drugs."
Xav'ion said quietly while trying side-step the word "marriage", "I
wouldn't dishonor Phia by leaving her when she was only helping a
friend."
Rilo shook her head. "I can't decide which one of you is more foolish
– her for breaking the law or you for staying with her when she's
dishonored you too," she sighed before going into the next room to set
up for dinner.
"Had to tell that story?" Phia asked with a growl at Izshlana.
Izzy smiled. "It's one of the bestest – it's why we're such good friends."
"They're never gonna like me," Ardy muttered.
"Pi'haya likes you," Phia said. "And so will my other cousins and
their families."
"See that Ardy – it's just the matriarch and probably Phia's other
aunts and uncles who won't like you," Izzy offered up cheerfully.
"Can one of you come help with setting up?" Rilo called from another room.
Phia walked inside as Izzy easily followed. Ardy went to follow but
first he stopped to slap Landwyn upside the head. "Hey! What was
that for?" Landwyn asked while rubbing his head.
"For being the peanut gallery and laughing the whole time," Ardy
muttered as he went into the next room.
Dinner was a loud and open time – most of the family was able to make
it to Rilo's house and clearly were quite curious about Phia and her
friends. They thought nothing of asking personal questions and
expecting an honest and open answer in return. It was easy to see
where Phia's blunt honesty came from, as it seemed to be a familial
trait that everyone in the House of Druhardu shared.
Izzy was clearly in her element, telling stories to Phia's family
about the four friends' lives on the STONEHENGE. The Vulcans were
not quite used to the Alterian's rapid talking but they did their best
to keep up and clearly enjoyed learning so much about their family
member and her life.
Pi'haya smiled at that. "Thank you, Izshlana. You've done a far
better job at filling us in much more quickly than our ko-niht would
have."
Izzy beamed at that. "You're welcome."
Rilo who was sitting at the head of the table tapped her fork against
the crystal glass to get everyone's attention. "For the first time in
many years most of our family is reunited," she said with a nod to
Phia, "with the return of one of my beloved brother, Virik's,
daughter. While his other daughter couldn't join us, we are glad for
the one who has returned. In her sister's place she has brought her
telik, Xav'ion, her t'hai'la—"
"That's close friend," Landwyn whispered as he translated for Izzy.
"Izshlana and her telik, Landwyn." Rilo suddenly realized something
and stopped her speech. "Landwyn Orla, you are clearly of Vulcan
heritage. Tell me what house do you descend from."
"They're not from around here," he said trying to side step the question.
Duyad, one of Pi'haya's sisters, leaned over and said, "Many of us
have moved away from this area. Perhaps we know them and if so we can
invite them to the festival."
"My mother's family is from the House of Keshta," he said quietly
after a prolonged silence.
The room became so quiet that a pin dropping would have sounded like a
loud clanging.
"I don't speak to them. I've never even met them," Landwyn explained quietly.
"What's wrong?" Izzy asked.
Pi'haya looked distressed. "The House Keshta has been the leading
family against the festival. They're the ones who've been the most
loud."
"They've been the most violent," Rilo countered. "Well this causes a problem."
Phia gave her aunt a look. "Landwyn has told you that he does not
speak to his family. Clearly it shouldn't be a problem."
"What will they do, ko-bath, when they find out he's here? That he's
with our House whose leading this festival? We are asking for
problems as that will only incite things further," Rilo countered.
The family descended into a long discussion about what to do, as
Landwyn looked more and more upset over this. Finally Pi'haya slammed
her fist down on the table getting everyone's attention. "We said
we'd hold the Eshikh Tam-tor-a and we have a responsibility to those
that are coming from far away to do that. We have a responsibility to
do that for ourselves. The festivals were not held for many years
because of fear, we cannot let fear stop us now, otherwise fear will
control everything we do."
Rilo gave her daughter an appraising look. "Well spoken, Pi'haya."
Looking down the table she said, "Let us continue with the festival
plans. We will just have to have some…contingency plans."
Izzy looked at Phia's aunt. "In case we have to move it?"
Phia saw her aunt's face and shook her head. "No, Iz, in case we have
to fight back."
Chapter 3 – Fighting Fire
=/\=
Location: VULCAN
Scene: Druhardu compound->Desert
"Landy?" Izzy whispered as she stepped through the doorway.
"Stubborn idiots," Landwyn sighed as he leaned against two large glass
doors that opened up to a wide desert expanse. He was alone in a room
that could be best described as a den – there were desks here, as well
numerous PADDS, old-fashioned books, and scrolls. Izzy recognized one
of the paintings on the wall as being from Phia and she saw some more
pictures that Rilo had put up of her family.
For now Izshlana ignored all that and walked across the dark room.
Dinner had ended on a strained note. Being a security officer, Izzy
had offered to help with security and given the way things were
progressing she figured that Phia's family could use all the help they
could get. This time they took her help and they worked through a
number of situations and potential scenarios. Landwyn and Ardy had
offered to help with the transportation of items and spent the next
few hours with some of the others loading up shuttles and hovercrafts
with items needed so they wouldn't waste time tomorrow.
Phia had spent the better part of the evening locked in this room with
Rilo and Pi'haya. Their voices were never raised but everyone knew it
wasn't pleasant conversations that were taking place.
Wrapping her arms around the Vulcan/Betazoid Izshlana rested her head
against his arm. "How are you?" she whispered.
"Maybe Phia is right and I should go," Landwyn said. "I'm making a
difficult situation worse."
"What? When did Phia say that?" Izzy asked, suddenly very confused.
Landwyn said nothing but opened up the patio doors. Off in the
distance Izzy saw Phia and Ardy talking rather animatedly. The winds
were beginning to pick up and help carry their voices.
"Gods damn it, Xav'ion, stop being such a damn stubborn fool and do
what I'm saying!"
"When you make sense I will! Phia, would you just listen to me?"
"What's there to listen to? We're going around in circles! Just pack
up the FB, and take Landwyn and Iz back to the ship. I'll meet you in
a few days."
"I'm not leaving without you," Ardy replied back, shoving his hands
into his hair. "You think Izzy is going to leave without you?"
"We're talking about Landwyn's safety here," Phia yelled back. "I'm
perfectly safe but if he stays here we can't vouch for his safety."
"Phia you saw the news, the protestors are getting more violent. You
are not safe here."
"Don't ask me to leave, don't make me choose," Phia replied, looking
furious and anguished at the same time. "I'm staying with my pi'maat
until the festival. I need to do this." Thumping a fist on his chest
she yelled, "And gods damn it you know why. So don't make me choose
you damn stubborn fool."
"I'm not the one making you choose," Ardy yelled grabbing Phia's
wrist. "You're the only one making this more difficult than it has to
be."
"Yes you are! You say you're staying when I ask you to take the
others and go. You know that means I'll leave then if that means
you'll all go. And then that will start another fight," the
Bolian/Vulcan yelled back. Wrenching her arm away she moved away from
Ardy and shook her head. "Don't bother me, I'm going for a walk.
When I come back you better be gone."
Landwyn stepped aside, and pulled Izzy with him, as Ardy came
storming back to the house, cursing freely in every language he knew.
Suddenly the older Security officer stopped in his tracks and sighed.
"Shit, sorry about that," he muttered. Rubbing his face as he looked
over his shoulder towards the open doors that he had just come
through, "She shouldn't go out by herself now, there was a storm
warning."
"I'll go after her," Izzy volunteered as Ardy began to walk back out.
When the Bajoran/Betazoid/Vulcan gave her a look she smiled. "You're
not ready to talk to her and she's not ready to talk to you."
"And she's ready to talk to you?" Ardy asked with a forced laugh.
Izzy smiled at that. "She has to talk to me, I give her a headache if
she just lets me talk."
With that Izshlana ran out of the house, trying to catch up with her
friend who was still a good distance off. She had sounded upbeat with
Landwyn and Ardy there, but truthfully Izzy was terribly confused at
the fight. She thought she could figure out why Phia wanted them to
go but it would have helped if Phia had phrased things better.
Oh who was she kidding – this was Phia. That was as an emotional
outpouring as she was ever going to get, Izzy smiled to herself.
Finally catching up to her friend Izzy yelled out, "Don't you know
better to walk out during a storm warning?"
Phia glared at her friend but kept up her walking.
Izzy glanced around the red atmosphere. It was mostly a dry desert
here with mountains off in the distance, in the direction that Phia
was headed to. However the wind was picking up and Izzy understood
why Ardy had gotten concerned. "Why don't you want me and Landy to
stay?" Izzy asked quietly. "Is it cause you don't think I'd do a good
job at the festival tomorrow? Or that Landy would protest us now?"
Phia growled a bit at that. "Don't be an idiot."
"Well then what is it?" Izzy asked. Looking around at the rapidly
unfamiliar rugged terrain she said, "And shouldn't we go back?"
"I'll keep fighting with that damn stubborn idiot," Phia muttered as
she climbed a hill. As Izzy followed her friend she heard the azure
woman mutter, "I just want to keep you all safe. Landwyn won't leave
without you, that's why I thought you should go."
"And you want us and Ardy safe," Izzy sighed. Sitting down next to
Phia who had plopped down on a small plateau on the hill. "Ardy's
right – I wouldn't leave without you. Landwyn won't leave without me.
And Ardy won't leave without you."
"So then I have to go," Phia sighed. "It is the only logical way out of this."
"None of this is logical! And maybe that's a good thing," Izzy argued
as she watched the sand below them kick up as the winds picked up.
"Logic has nothing to do with love. It has nothing to do with wanting
a festival or reuniting with your family."
"Logic has nothing to do with violent protests," Phia pointed out.
"When Vulcans protest usually it's more of a civil disobedience. This
type of protest is new to us."
Suddenly a large crack of fire burst close to the ground below them.
"Iz, do you remember what kind of storm warning there was?"
Izshlana shook her head as she noticed that the winds had picked up.
"No, I don't."
"This is a sandfire sandstorm," Phia muttered. Getting up she said,
"I don't know what to do but we have to find shelter."
"Can't we stay here and ride it out?" Izzy asked.
Fire cracked above them on the hill as Phia jumped off and pulled Izzy
down with her. "No, it's all around us. We have to take shelter
somewhere. The storm could last a few hours or days."
"Right," Izzy nodded. With that she began to run and pulled Phia
along with her. The winds picked up even further and for every step
that they took it seemed like the fire was right behind them.
"Iz, keep your head down, the sand is being picked up!" Phia yelled
over the winds. "And whatever you do don't look at the fire!"
"Why?" Izzy yelled. "That's just gonna make it harder for me to see
where I'm going."
"It's like looking at the sun, the fires will temporarily blind you.
And the sand will get in your eye and sting if that doesn't work,"
Phia shouted as she jumped from where a fire cracked near her.
Izshlana glared at her friend, Izzy was from a water-based planet, her
body had only seen sand on the beach, nice pleasant sand that didn't
suddenly catch fire or try to get into her eyes.
She staggered one way to try and get away from the firestorm but had
to half close her eyes to not be blinded.
She fell and gasped at the pain of hot sand through her trouser legs.
"Fe." Izzy yelled hopefully over the noise of the wind.
Phia grabbed her arm. "I got you. Close your eyes."
This time the young woman didn't answer as Phia's grip changed until
she was holding the smaller woman's hand and dragging her up they
staggered together up the mountain a little and into the cave where
they collapsed down against the back wall gasping for breath.
Outside the storm still raged and Izzy shook her head and tried to
drag sand out of her waist length hair. "Well that was fun."
Phia turned to look at her friend, only seeing her eyes twinkling as
the fire struck outside. "You're insane." She answered quietly. "And
this is not good." Phia muttered.
"What's not?" Izshlana asked her friend curiously as she proceeded to
take her boot off and dump a pile of sand onto the cave floor.
"We're in a desert." Phia pointed out and when her friend looked at
her in confusion she added, "deserts get cold at night, very cold."
The Vulcan/Bolian pointed out.
=[/\]=
Scene: Druhardu compound
Landwyn stared out the doors as the sand kicked up and the storm began
to rage. "They should have been back by now." He muttered, "Surely
Phia wouldn't have been stupid enough to stay out their in a fire
storm."
"She wasn't thinking," Ardy answered in an effort to defend his lover.
"She was angry."
"I shouldn't have let Izzy go after her." He said after a moment of
silence passed between the two men.
"You have as much of a chance of getting Izzy to do what you want as I
do Phia." Ardy pointed out quietly.
Rilo joined them at the doors and looked out at the storm that was
currently raging around the house. "They'll have found cover." She
told the two worried men. "They'll be fine."
"We should go and look for them." Landwyn declared.
"We can't send out a rescue party in this kind of storm." Rilo
answered, "Of course when the storm clears we will look for them."
Landwyn and Ardy exchanged a worried look at that. "Of course."
Landwyn answered in a depressed tone.
=/\=
Scene: Desert
"Tell me a story!"
Phia groaned at that. She was running out of food for Izzy eat – ever
since Izshlana had needed a continuous stream of food the CNS had
taken to carrying small amounts of food with her in her pockets. Well
maybe if she told Izshlana a story then it would distract the
Alterian. "A story?" she sighed. "Right what kind of story."
"A fun one," Izzy announced. When Phia gave her a look she said,
"Seven girls running around VULCAN surely you must have done
something!"
"Right there are seven of us. In age order that's: Pi'haya, Leitri,
Duyad, T'Pul, Zaipos, myself and then Tashi." Phia leaned against the
wall of the cave and closed her eyes. Smiling she said, "I could tell
you about the time we got stuck out in the storm. It was right before
Pi'haya's wedding to E'kan." Shaking her head Phia said, "For some
reason Leitri thought it would be wonderful if the seven of us did
some camping. I don't think that fit in with the pampering Pi'haya
had wanted but she went along with it. So the seven us packed up a
shuttle and went out to Vulcan's Forge…"
=/\=
Scene: Druhardu compound
Somewhere around 4 am Rilo made another sweep of the house. Most of
her family was asleep, having pulled out cots and sleeping bags, since
the storm was too bad for anyone to go back to their own homes.
She stood in the doorway of the den, where she saw the two men who had
fallen asleep waiting for their katelaus to return. It would have
been more comfortable for them to go back up to their guest rooms but
neither man had wanted that in case the storm had let up.
Since Rilo knew what it was like to wait up for a lover to return, she
hadn't argued too much. When they had fallen asleep she had come in
quietly, covered them each with a blanket and walked back out.
About ten minutes ago the fires had subsided and Rilo was now
considering waking up the men to go out with her to find Phia and
Izshlana. Before deciding to do that she figured she would take a
sweep of the outside of her house to make sure everything looked more
settled.
Standing out on the front patio, Rilo didn't shield her eyes from the
strong suns that were rising nor from the winds that were still going
strong. Thankfully the fires had gone out which meant it would be
safer for a search party to come.
"I want one of those!"
"Which one?"
"All of them!"
Rilo almost smiled at that. In the distance she saw her ko-bath Phia
giving what appeared to be a piggyback ride to her friend Izshlana.
While Rilo was a skilled healer, even she had never seen someone so
*purple* before, which concerned her.
Phia made it to the patio and dropped off Izshlana. "You can make it
from here," she sighed.
Izzy grinned at that. "Hello, Rilo," she smiled.
"We need food and warmth, Ko-kuk if it's not too much to ask," Phia
sighed as she staggered forward.
Rilo ushered the women inside and put them into the living room while
she went back to the kitchen. By the time she had prepared a tray
with mocha and food and brought it back to the living room, she was
pleased to see that Phia had started up a fire and Izshlana had
grabbed the blankets off the walls and threw them over her and her
friend.
"Here this should help," Rilo offered. Taking out a tricorder she
scanned Phia, who besides suffering from some minor frostnip but
otherwise was fine. She went to scan the Alterian but couldn't figure
out if the woman was fine. Since the Alterian was cheerfully eating
all the food on her plate, Rilo figured she could not be that bad off.
"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.
"A little cold but really starving," Izzy admitted as she stuffed her cheeks.
As Phia got up to go get something out of the room, Rilo took a seat
on a nearby chair. "How come my ko-bath was carrying you?"
"She lost a bet," Izzy grinned. Looking around to make sure that Phia
wasn't around she whispered, "I think she was worried about me so I
think she threw the bet but if I tell her that she'll yell. But I
would have been fine but I didn't want to argue."
Rilo had no doubt that was the case but nodded. "That is a fair
assumption to make. She is used to visiting VULCAN and is more used
to its harsh conditions than are you, our guest." She paused a moment
before saying, "And to be fair, my ko-bath might have inherited her
father's stubbornness when it comes to certain matters."
"Here," Phia said as she came back in the room. Handing over a
picture to Izzy, "That's the picture Rilo took of us when we came back
from camping."
Rilo looked over Izzy's shoulder at the picture and then looked up at
Phia. "Been telling that story again?"
Phia shrugged at that. "Izshlana had never heard of it."
"You added fire to your weapons to fight off the animals and then when
you came home you did it again to scare all your parents. I want to
do that," Izzy sighed in longing. "Let's see…you and Pi'haya added
fire to the blades of your swords, that must be your sister Tashi with
fire on her daggers, that's Leitri with the halberd, Duyad has the bow
and arrows, and oh…T'Pul and Zaipos have the double ball maces." The
Alterian went from a purple from hunger to a russet with envy. "I
want them all."
"Whoever said females were quiet never had seven of them in one
place," Rilo sighed.
"We should make breakfast now," Phia murmured after she sipped her own
mocha. "We are still guests."
Izzy sighed at that. That was another thing that Phia had told her
before coming – that guests in a Vulcan home were expected to raise
before the host and make breakfast for everyone. After the debacle
with Bolian cooking, the Alterian wasn't looking forward to this but
she didn't want to insult Phia's family. "Righty-oh, I can help."
"We can do it," Ardy announced from the doorway. Him and Landwyn were
standing there looking at Phia and Izzy wrapped up in blankets,
drinking mocha, and chatting with Rilo.
It might have been the best thing either one had seen in a while.
Rilo nodded at that. "Thank you," she nodded. "We won't need a big
breakfast as we'll need to leave for the festival as soon as we're
done."
The men nodded and went into the kitchen.
"I don't think Landwyn really cooks," Izzy whispered to Phia.
Phia smiled at that as she sat next to her friend in the double-seat.
"Ardy cooks, quite well actually," she admitted.
"Landy can set the table," Izzy nodded.
Chapter 4 – Fighting Family
=[/\]=
Scene: Festival Site
Landwyn was there to stay at the festival, having realised that he had
no way out he was falling back on what he knew, which right now was
his job.
"Where should we put these?" one of Phia's uncles asked quietly from
under a crate. Landwyn looked up and considered that before giving
directions.
The festival tent was large and in the centre of the area they had
dedicated for the festival, around it was an area for those who
planned on staying the night to pitch tents.
Izshlana was just inside the festival tent laying out some blankets
and cushions for people to sit on with one eye fixed firmly on her
boyfriend. Once he was alone she headed out to him, he was watching
the entrance where a group of Vulcans where stood calmly watching the
set up.
"Well they don't seem to have recognised you." She said softly
wrapping her arm around his waist.
He jumped a little at the unexpected arrival and shook his head, "no
that's because none of them are family." He answered and took a step
away from her.
Izzy paused at this. "Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" she asked
him as he moved away, she followed the taller man "Is that what it is,
I mean I guess they didn't like your mum marrying outside Vulcan so
I'm sure they won't like you having a completely alien girlfriend."
Landwyn froze at the thought and turned around, "Izzy." He caught her
shoulders and with one hand lifted her chin so she was looking up at
him, she glared at him defiantly. "You're right, I am worried about
you being seen with me, but it's not that."
She turned to leave and he caught her and spun her back around, "I
said it's not that, how could you even think anyone I could be ashamed
of you. Alright you might not be Vulcan but you're better than any
Vulcan I've ever met." He told her seriously. "I love you. And yes,
I'm scared that some of my mothers family might see you with me, but
that's because of what they might do to you."
Izshlana stared up at the man she loved seriously. "I'm not." She
wrapped her arms around his waist. "I can look after myself." She told
him
=/\=
Scene: Keshta House
An older woman sat behind a Pa'pak stared at a monitor, currently it
was showing a live report of the so far peaceful festival taking
place. The matriarch of the house Keshta watched a young dark haired
Vulcan moving around in the background.
"Mother?"
She looked up at a younger man, Landwyns uncle Ali'dar looked almost
the spitting image of his nephew he was staring at her and she shook
her head, "Trust it to Alisanders children to bring shame on our
house." She muttered
Ali'dar came around to look at the images, "her son?" he asked
quietly. "And he's at the festival?"
"Worse, he looks to be helping with the organization." She answered.
=/\=
Scene: Festival Site
"We need a name to give the media and the government," Rilo said
quietly to Phia. "We can't tell them Landwyn's house's name.
Ardy had been behind Phia helping with securing the tent to make sure
the winds wouldn't pick it up. "Tell them he's of the House of Dare,"
the hybrid male said.
Rilo gave Phia a glance before looking at the man. "Your house?" she asked.
Ardy nodded. Wiping his hands on his pants he stood up and looked at
the matriarch of the House of Druhardu. "Yes, he's of my house. I've
contacted my house and I told them that I'm here and they said that if
the storms let up by Mt. Selaya they'd come. But they won't argue if
I say that someone is of our house."
Rilo's face showed no change in emotion as she considered that.
Inclining her head she said, "Then that is what I'll tell them."
Looking at the work that the two had done she said, "Thank you for all
your hard work. Perhaps you should rest before tonight's
festivities." With a knowing smile she walked away.
Phia looked up at Ardy. "You think that will help, ashau?"
"I don't know, katelau, but I hope it does," he sighed. Dropping down
to the ground to sit back on some pillows, he tugged Phia down with
him and wrapped his arms around her. Smiling a bit he kissed the top
of Phia's head. "You know you seem more relaxed here than I think
I've ever seen you. Public displays of affection, calling me sweet
terms of endearment, I'm beginning to feel spoiled."
"You seem to be enjoying calling me katelau," Phia pointed out tartly.
"And I heard you discussing our nuptials with my family earlier."
"They wanted to know when they were getting their invitations and I
had to explain that destination weddings took longer to plan but as
soon as we could we'd send them something," Ardy pointed out. "But
don't worry I did promise Rilo we'd be married for a bit before
starting a family. Although to be fair I don't want to be married for
too long because I'm not getting any younger and I don't want a huge
gap between my current kids and any I'd have with you." When Phia's
jaw hung open Ardy blinked his eyes. "What?"
"At what point were you going to tell me this? We've never
discussed…any of this!" Phia yelped. Wiggling a bit she said
uncomfortably trying to scoot back, "We're talking about a huge
commitment. Your children would need time to figure out if they could
handle this. I don't know if I could handle this –"
Ardy pulled Phia for a long deep kiss. Holding her face in his hands
he whispered, "My children need a stepmother and they adore you. And
yes, I want more children with you. I've already thought about how
they'd look like you and have my sense of humor." Tilting his head
towards her he continued on in a ragged breath, "I've loved two women
in my life. One I lost because she was looking for adventure. I'm
not about to lose you. Take as much time as you want to figure out
when you want more I'm a patient man. But I'm also stubborn and I'm
not going to lose you, and you better get used to that katelau."
With that Ardy kissed Phia once more and then got up to go help the
others, leaving Phia confused as she watched him walk away.
"Awww Phia you're gonna be a stepmommy someday!" Izzy clapped from
behind her friend.
Phia whirled around to see Izzy and Pi'haya behind her. From the
looks of things they had been carrying items but had stopped to watch
the little scene between Ardy and Phia. "How long have you been
there?" she growled.
Pi'haya smiled at that. "Long enough to hear what's going on,
ko-niht. The question is did you hear him? You'd be foolish to let
that go." Picking the items she had put down the Vulcan woman said,
"Izshlana let's go set up the stage."
Izzy was grinning but helped Pi'haya. As Phia watched them walk away
she heard her Alterian friend say, "Can we do a Eshikh Tam-tor-a at a
wedding? Cause I think that would be awesome."
=[/\]=
People started arriving soon after, the first year of the festival a
few Vulcans came displaying open acts of curiosity. The majority of
the attendees where known by Phia's family, either family friends or
supporters.
Izshlana Vort stood staring at the tall Vulcan's, almost all of the
attendees were Vulcans or Vulcan hybrids, people who'd chosen to
embrace their emotions and fly against the face of logic. But
generations of being Vulcan instilled them with a natural
gracefulness, they carried themselves with the tall haughty confidence
of Vulcans.
"You OK kiddo?"
Ardy stepped out of the tent behind Izzy and put a hand on her
shoulder she jumped and glanced up at her friend. "Good, you?"
"Fair to middling." He answered with a small smile. "Seriously, what's up?"
"I just feel suddenly small."
The six foot five man grinned down at the woman who was over a foot
shorter than him, "Izzy you've always been small."
She scowled up at him, "Well don't you know how to make a girl feel special."
He grinned at that and handed her a piece of chocolate. "Here."
"OK, chocolate means you're forgiven." She decided popping it into her mouth.
Ardy gave her a half bow and then glanced out in the direction Izzy
was looking, "How's he doing?"
"Gutted." Izzy answered, "As Xaverirn would say." She shook her head,
"He thinks he's brought something bad down on Phia's family, and he's
refusing to share the burden."
The two where stood near the entrance out of ear shot of the silent
protesting Vulcans. Landwyn was checking ID's in an effort to keep
those who had spoken out about the festival off the site.
"He shouldn't be out here." Izzy muttered, her worry evident as she
slowly turned a pale pink, "he's in the direct line of fire, and he's
the one some of those might personally want to hurt."
Ardy nodded, "have you tried telling him that?"
"Yeah, he just shrugs and walks away, he's being daft, and there's
plenty of other things he could be doing."
As they talked Landwyn seemed to look up and then turned and walked
towards them. "It's about to start." He said sadly, "They've just
shown up."
Izshlana looked around him at a group of Vulcans who had arrived. They
where talking to the other group who had already been there. "OK, I'll
take the gates then." She said cheerfully, she darted under his arm
before he could catch her to take up the post Landwyn had just
vacated.
The smell of food drifted across to them and Ardy smiled. "Why don't
you go grab something to eat, I'll help Izzy out."
The half Vulcan gave his friend a helpless look but then went to grab some food.
Izshlana and Xav'ion watched the crowd as it grew, a few more Vulcans
tried to get through the crowd and the two security officers helped
them, a small altercation took place which was quickly quashed by the
use of a sharp boot into a knee cap by the small woman.
Ardy watched as Izzy stepped away from the downed Vulcan fixing her
hair onto her head. He gave her a grin, "taking no prisoners today?"
"It could have been worse." She answered, "It could have been his groin."
=/\=
"Ko-bath, your friend is upset," Rilo said to her niece as she nodded
towards where Landwyn was sulking.
"And I'm supposed to do what with this information?" Phia asked as she
handed out programs inside.
"You're a counselor, act like it," Rilo ordered before going off to
check on some of the performers.
Phia sputtered at that before handing off the programs to one of her
cousin's kids and walking off. Along the way she made sure to bend
over and pick up something that would help her, or so
she thought. Finally she made her way over to the Security Officer,
and tapping him
on the shoulder she said, "What is your problem?"
Landwyn gave Phia a look. "What do you think it is?"
"I think it's you sulking and acting like a big baby. "Oh my family is
neurotic and mean and violent"," she mockingly whined. Snapping she
said, "You're here, you're with friends, and you're not like those
prehistoric twits you're related to. You have a woman who loves you
more than anything wanting to help you, a friend who's trying to adopt
you to protect you and--"
"And you," Landwyn snapped.
Phia whacked Landwyn upside the head with the pillow she was carrying.
"Yes, now stop sulking and be useful. That or purge your emotions in
some other way, I don't care. Just cut out this moody teenage "Oh the
world is out to get me" act. I'm told that went out of style eons
ago."
Landwyn stared at Phia until she smacked him again with the pillow.
"Right," he finally agreed and ducked a third attack by pillow. "What
was that one for?" he whined.
Phia shrugged, "Purely for the pleasure of making you duck," she
answered, the sounds of the people around the entrance began to get
louder making a few of the arrivals look uncomfortable, many of them
though where willing to aid the organization by running the protestors
off.
Landwyn nodded, "I'll take Izzy some food." He decided helping himself
and gathering enough for both Izzy and Ardy, he headed to the entrance
listening as some of the protestors, led by his mothers family yelled
things about off worlders leading astray otherwise food and well
behaved Vulcans.
He handed the food out to his colleagues who where watching the
Vulcans. "This is going to get violent." Landwyn muttered to them.
Izzy smiled at that, "that's OK, I was getting bored anyway."
Landwyn paused with a fork midway to his mouth, his telepathic
abilities picked up an unprotected thought. He moved quickly,
grabbing Izzy around the waist he threw them both to the floor, the
projectile missed them by inches as Ardy dropped to the ground. "Your
family throws like girls." He muttered,
Izshlana was first to move, the three of them scuttled around the
entrance to the cover of a table that they tipped over.
"Well, this is great." Ardy muttered, "What are they throwing."
A rock about the size of a fist landed in front of them and grinning
Izzy answered, "Stones."
Landwyn glared at the two of them and watched as in the festival area
some of the attendees looked ready to fight.
"We need a plan before this gets out of hand," he decided.
"I've got one." Izzy answered, "stall this." She told the two of them
and then staying down to avoid the rocks scuttled in the direction of
their small shuttle.
Ardy and Landwyn looked at one another, "how do you stall a riot?"
Landwyn asked his friend.
Xav'ion took a deep breath and stood up, after a second his friend
followed him as the quarter Vulcan yelled. "Stop, stop. What happened
to the peaceful demonstration?" A rock hit him in the shoulder and he
dropped "that didn't work." He muttered.
Landwyn dropped a moment later, "that's my uncle."
"You sure?"
The slightly smaller man nodded, "yep." He answered, "I'll be right
back." As he said this a group of the festival attendees was walking
towards them. Ardy stood up to try and talk them out of doing
anything.
The leading Vulcan a man called Vayna was caught by a rock, suddenly
they had weapons in their hands. "Shi…" Ardy muttered as the two
groups of Vulcans clashed around him.
A pitched battle ensued, those attending the festival who had expected
trouble where armed with small knives, a Vulcan tried to run past him
and Ardy side stepped throwing his hip into the protestor and slamming
his elbow up into the Vulcan's face. Landwyns cousin dropped to the
floor like a stone as Ardy calmly ducked some kind of projectile. The
two groups fought viciously until a bright blue light enveloped them
all.
He glanced up to see the FB hovering, and when Ardy looked down
everyone in the battle was unconscious, Izzy reappeared after she'd
landed the shuttle and came running over along with some of Phia's
family. "Wide beam high level stun." She told her friend, as she
arrived at his side. "Where's Lanny?"
Xav'ion looked around at the mass of bodies. "Where's Phia?" he
muttered. The two of them looked at each other, Izzy threw her friend
a spare phaser and they separated.
She found Landwyn not far from the battle stunned and unconscious and
next to him the man he'd admitted to being his uncle was also
unconscious.
Izshlana sighed and checked for a pulse. Nodding when she was sure he
was still alive.
Ardy went inside the tent, looking around for Phia. Seeing Pi'haya
kneeling over a prone Phia, he went running over to where the women
were. Crouching down on the ground he asked, "Is she ok? Do I need
to get a medical transport?"
Pi'haya shook her head at that as she monitored Phia's pulse. "She
did good. She punched that one over there when he tried to throw
something at the children," the Vulcan woman said as she nodded her
head towards a Vulcan male who was knocked out cold not even a few
inches away from them, "and on his way down he grabbed her and she
banged her head. She'll be fine. Just cranky." Pausing for a moment
Phia's cousin said, "You know enough people have said she just needs a
good hit to the head so maybe this will help her."
Ardy nodded at that and smiled weakly at Pi'haya's teasing. "I can
watch her if there are others you need to check in on," he told the
doctor.
Pi'haya smiled. "Thank you, Xav'ion," she nodded. Patting his
shoulder she got up and moved towards where some of the others were.
After a few moments Phia's eyes fluttered opened and she groaned.
Ardy looked at her eyes and saw they were clear, just trying to focus.
"Hey," he said quietly. "How do you feel?"
Phia shut her eyes again and rubbed her head. "Like I hit my head,"
she muttered.
Pi'haya approached from the tent checking on the stunned Vulcans, Izzy
glanced up at Phia's cousin, "is she OK?"
"She's fine, how's Landwyn?" Pi'haya asked
"Alright, I think." She looked around at the majority of the combatees
some small skirmishes had happened elsewhere but the festival goers
seemed to have them in hand. "Which side is the government going to be
on, will they take the protestors away?" Izshlana asked standing up
and helping Pi'haya with some of the stunned revelers.
Pi'haya nodded, "They where the ones breaking the peace."
"Good." Izzy muttered as people around her began to wake up, taking a
perverse pleasure in doing so Izshlana shot Landwyns uncle with her
phaser restunning the Vulcan who had slowly started to wake up.
Landwyn raised an eyebrow at her as he groggily woke up, someone else
tried to kick him, but he caught the foot and twisted watching almost
dispassionately as his cousin hit the floor. Izzy helped Landwyn to
his feet as a low siren noise echoed from out of the desert.
"I put in a call for the police before I shot everyone, are you OK?"
Landwyn nodded and looked down at his uncle then he shook himself and
turned to Izzy, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her,
"I'm fine, are you?"
She nodded and reached up to touch his face where a black eye was
currently forming, "what were you trying to do?"
"Talk to him." He admitted and shook his head as government officials
came forwards to start taking statements, Rilo came forwards to meet
the police and explain what had happened. "He wouldn't listen."
Izzy looked at him and then hugged him tightly causing him to wince as
he felt a bruised rib, he smiled at the gesture and wrapped his arms
around her, "the police are gonna want to talk to you," he told her
quietly.
=/\=
Phia walked out of the tent a little bit later with Ardy by her side.
"I've been walking since I'm a year old, I think I've got the hang of
it by now," she muttered.
Ardy grinned at that. "I know, I just enjoy having the circulation in
my arm cut off," he winked as Phia's arm was tucked into his own.
"I just do that for your ego," she grumbled. "Gods know why, it's
bigger than the Delta Quadrant as is." Looking over she said, "Why is
Izzy talking to the police?"
"Not good," Ardy muttered.
With that the two walked over so that they were within earshot of Izzy
standing in the middle of some Vulcan police officers chatting away
happily. "--and so then this one time I shot off this *huge* blast at
these people and it was a pretty shiny happy yellow -- did I tell you
I can turn yellow? -- anyway that wasn't good cause it totally blinded
them but that's how I learned how to calibrate my shots..."
"I don't even want to know," Ardy muttered.
One of the officers, who seemed to be able to breakout of the hypnotic
trance that Izzy's tales caused looked over at the other two. "Are
one of you with the organizers?"
Phia nodded and extricated herself from Ardy's arm. "I am. I'm Phia,
my ko-bath Rilo is the head organizer."
Izzy pouted as the two other people talking pulled her captive
audience's attention away, "That was a good story."
"You think all your stories are good Izzy." Phia answered calmly
before turning to the Vulcan security official.
"Your…friend… here was just telling us how things got out of hand and
she calibrated the phasers on the…" he looked at his PADD. "the FLUFFY
BUNNY…" he said slowly with the haughty Vulcan look that conveyed to
all the person he was just talking to may have actually been insane...
"To do a wide sweeping stun."
Phia nodded, "I was unconscious at the time but I'm sure that's what happened."
"It was." Ardy agreed with a nod, "and the FLUFFY BUNNY is my ship, it
has a Bajoran registration to the Budega-Jornam shipping yards."
The security official noted that down. "And you are?"
"Xav'ion Budega-Jornam of the Dare house."
Again this was noted down, "So may we speak to Rilo?"
"She's helping with the injured." Izzy said cheerfully. "Obviously not
helping make them injured cos we did that well enough by ourselves,
well at least I did… I knocked them all out at once." She said
happily.
Landwyn nearby recognized the mouth running away with the brain
syndrome that he was contemplating naming Izzyitis and handed her a
bar of chocolate effectively shutting her up for the length of time it
would take her to unwrap and eat.
Ardy gave him a thankful look, "Rilo's a doctor." Phia explained,
"she's over there." She nodded to where her aunt was indeed helping
with the injured and offered to show the security officers over to
her.
The officers nodded and walked away rather quickly; all of them
keeping one eye on Izzy who was happily munching away on her candybar.
=/\=
Several minutes later Rilo walked over to where her niece and her
friends were. "Well the police are willing to not press charges
against Izshlana--"
"Hey!" Izzy exclaimed. "That was a very good stun and I was proud of that."
Rilo smothered a smile. "Indeed you should be. However, the
authorities take a different point of view on the matter. At any rate
they're willing not to press charges so long as for the duration of
her stay she does not have any access to any wide sweeping weapons."
"Aw come on," Izzy grumbled.
"I'll pilot the FLUFFY BUNNY to our campsite and off of VULCAN when we
go," Phia offered.
Landy tickled Izzy then, who yelped and wiggled as Ardy removed the
phasers that Izzy still had on her. "We're good," Ardy announced as
he took Izzy's phaser away from her.
"Don't drop him -- that's Mr. Tubby," Izzy protested as she tried to
jump up to where Ardy was holding the phaser above his head.
"Don't ask," Phia warned her aunt.
Rilo nodded. "Well then we should be able to go on with the festival
once the protestors are removed." Pausing for a moment she said, "I
was hoping I could ask you, Landwyn, for some help moving some of the
tables back."
Landwyn nodded and followed Rilo away from the others. "The table?"
"It does need moving," she admitted. Quietly she said, "I also wanted
to give you some privacy for what I was going to say. The police are
removing the protestors now...if you wanted to try to
speak to your family, this would be the time to do it."
Landwyn smiled and pointed to the black eye that was now his right
eye, it was bruised and puffy and he shook his head, "this and bruised
ribs is what I get for trying to speak to my family." He told her
quietly.
He helped her move the table. "I'm good here, and someone needs to
take Izzys mind off the loss of Mr. Tubby."
Rilo raised an eyebrow. "Mr Tubby?"
"She names all the weapons that she's used and kept, she has a sword
called Mr Pointy and a knife called Sir Stabalot in the FB too."
"She's allowed sharp weapons?" Rilo asked looking half afraid.
"She even knows how to use them." He answered her with a smile. "Thank
you for letting me stay."
Rilo nodded and touched his arm in a friendly gesture. "You're almost family."
"I think Phia would disagree." He answered.
He glanced over his shoulder to where Izzy was arguing with her
friends and alternating between sulking and whinging., "Well what else
was I meant to do?" she moaned loudly as Ardy walked away phaser in
hand.
"I wouldn't," Rilo said. When Landwyn looked at her the older Vulcan
shrugged. "You're the first people my ko-bath has seen fit to bring
here or even mention. I think that means you're
important to her."
"That's just cause of Izzy and Ardy," Landwyn smiled.
"If you say so," Rilo nodded as the Betazoid/Vulcan wandered back to
where his friends were.
"You could have acted like a Security Officer and only shot the people
who were being violent!" Phia yelled at Izzy. "Or waited until the
police came."
"Pish posh that's boring," Izzy grumbled. "It's more fun to shoot first."
"Izshlana!" Ardy warned in his best "dad" voice as he turned around.
"I got it, I got it," Izzy muttered as she pouted. Looking over at
Phia she asked, "So when do we dance?"
Chapter 5 – Homeward Bound
=/\=
Scene: Campsite
"That was the most wonderful festival ever!" Izzy grinned many hours
later as the four friends sat around a campfire.
Phia rolled her eyes at that as read a book. "Which part? The protests--"
"The mass stunning," Ardy muttered.
"Don't forget the police having to be talked into not pressing charges
against you," Landwyn pointed out as he passed a drink over to Izzy.
"It was all good," Izzy replied stubbornly. Smiling a bit she said,
"But the dancing and the food after all that other stuff was the most
fun."
Phia gave a half-smile over the book she was reading. "The dancing was
quite fun."
Izzy grinned at that. "So see it was worth it coming here. We got to
meet Phia's family, got to have fun at a festival--"
"Got really interesting reading materials," Ardy murmured as he read
over Phia's shoulder. Pointing to something on a page he said, "That
looks interesting."
Landwyn and Izzy exchanged looks. "You two have been reading that
ever since you picked it up from one of the vendors at the festival.
What is it?" Landwyn asked.
Izzy, seeing a chance to get back her friends from earlier, leaned
over and quickly grabbed the PADD out of Phia's hand. "The Art of
Vulcan Neuropressure," she read aloud. "An
introduction into an intense and beneficial massage therapy."
"Nice," Landwyn grinned as he grabbed the book from Izzy and began
flipping through it. Turning around the PADD in a couple of different
direction he wondered aloud, "Phia, was is it with you and books that
have odd pictures?"
Phia raised an eyebrow and Izzy glared at Landwyn, he smiled a little.
"Actually this looks familiar. I had a girlfriend in the academy who
was very good at neuropressure, she taught me a little."
"You had a girlfriend?" Izzy looked up pouting at Landwyn who stared
back at her, she grinned after a minute. "I'm joking. So what's the
book?"
She reached out to grab it and Landwyn threw it back across the
campfire to his friends. "I'll show you when you're older." He
answered her evasively.
Izzy pouted but relented a little as he rubbed a kink out of her
shoulder. "I'm older now." She decided after a few minutes.
Ardy burst out laughing from the other side of the campfire. "That's
such a Rammy thing to say." He declared.
"But I am older now than what I was a few minutes ago," Izzy
protested, half-serious, half-joking.
"Make it through the other book I lent you and then you may borrow
this," Phia replied as leaned back into Ardy who was holding her.
"Not fair," Izzy muttered as she turned a pale pink.
=/\=
Scene: Druhardu Compound
"Thank you for coming to VULCAN," Rilo said as she stood at the edge
of the family's home.
"Itaren du," Izzy said with a grin. Bouncing up and down on the balls
of her feet the Alterian asked, "Did I get it right? I've been
working on it."
The matriarch of the family gave a small smile. "Yes you did, and you
are welcome whenever you want to come back – with or without Phia."
Looking over at the Betazoid/Vulcan next to the alien woman she said,
"Both of you. We would happily welcome you back as members of our
family."
"Itaren du," Landwyn replied quietly with a nod of his head.
As Phia was hugging some of her cousins good-bye and promising to be
more dutiful in writing Ardy was talking to Pi'haya off to the side.
"You know something interesting came up before when I was talking to
your mother," he said conversationally.
Pi'haya raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh?"
"She was asking why Phia and I decided to become engaged so quickly –
that there plenty of time since we were both so young," he said
quietly with a gleam in his eye. "In fact she went on to say how if
she was a young woman now she would think of living with someone first
before getting married."
"Really, my mother said all that?" Pi'haya said with an air of
surprise. "Hmm…well she's not quite as young as she used to be. She
is almost 140 after all."
"Your mother is sharper than any of us here," Ardy pointed out.
Pi'haya smiled then as she looked off in the distance, not at her
mother, but at her blue cousin. "I love her, you know. I remember
when she was born, all of us making the trip to BOLARUS IX to meet
her. I got to hold her and she fell asleep in my arms. For a 20 year
old that's a lot," she smiled. "And I remember my Sa-kuk Virik – her
father – telling me that as the eldest of my generation I had to look
out for my baby cousin. I took that seriously – even when she got
older and thought she knew better, I always made sure I watched her to
keep track of her." The Vulcan woman then looked at the tall man next
to her. Patting his arm she said, "My apologies if what I did
bothered you but I was just trying to look out for my ko-niht."
Ardy chuckled at that. "I never said it bothered me."
Pi'haya beamed at that. "Well then when the time comes consider the
name Pi'haya for your daughter." First she embraced him, then she
stepped back and held up her hand and said, "Live long and prosper,
Xav'ion."
"Live long and prosper, Pi'haya," he smiled returning the gesture.
=/\=
Location: FLUFFY BUNNY
The trip back on the FLUFFY BUNNY was rather uneventful and the four
made good time. About an half an hour from E4, Landwyn decided to
check his messages to see if anything had happened while he was gone.
Most of it was not important (and a few more Orion "services"
advertisements that now had him on their mailing lists thanks to Izzy)
but one was from his youngest sister Certy. Opening it up he saw the
pretty image of the youngest Orlas pop up on screen. {{Landy! Mum
said you're off to VULCAN for some visit. Meg wants to know if you
managed to meet up with any of our relatives and if you had any more
success with that than she did--}}
"Define success," Landwyn muttered under his breath.
{{--oh and Dad wants to know if this means you'll come home for the
Hallowed Visions Festival next month. He said you're more than
welcome to bring Izzy and anyone else you'd want.}}
"Izzy," Landwyn warned as he eyed his girlfriend.
It was too late as the Alterian bolted up and ran to the front of the
FLUFFY BUNNY, "Landwyn's family invited us to a festival -- so when do
you all want to leave?"
From HyperNews_at_youth.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sun Feb 17 2008 - 03:10:33 PST