The Vulcan Changeling Project

At Any Cost

Sarek drew a deep breath in order to calm the rapid increase in his heart rate. “What does all this have to do with the Enterprise?” He asked cautiously.

T’Pau glanced over at the Romulan Commander and then turned stiffly towards Sarek and said, “Your son, Spock purchased a young woman at a slave auction on Babylon 2. She turned out to be the woman we are discussing at this very moment.” T’Pau’s eyes narrowed for a moment and then she said, “Is it possible that Spock is part of the VRB?”

Sarek arched an eyebrow and calmly replied, “With all due respect T’Pau my son is devoted to Starfleet and I find it difficult to fathom that he would join an illogical cause such as the one the VRB represents.”

T’Pau pursed her lips as she clasped her hands together behind her back, “I hope you are correct in the assessment of your son’s character. In any case the renegade Romulan Bird of Prey is on a collision course with the Enterprise and must be stopped at any cost.”

Sarek willed himself not to think of his son as he spoke aloud, “If the Romulan ship violates the neutral zone to pursue the Enterprise, it could mean inner-stellar war.”

The Romulan’s eyes were moist as he looked into Sarek’s wide inquisitive gaze, “As T’Pau has stated the VRB’s objective is to take the woman from the Enterprise by force, and then they will destroy the Enterprise and every living thing aboard her. The Romulan Empire has not approved this course of action and is in agreement that the VRB must be eructated. We must stop them is everyone agreed?”

Each bowed their head in assent and then T’Pau spread out her fingers and said,”Let us speak the words of honor and agreement.”

The words were spoken in Vulcan and then in Romulan and other than a few harsh syllables the languages sounded very much the same. After the oath was spoken, the figures filled out of the cave one by one into the torrid heat of pre-dawn Vulcan.

Uhura laughed, as she turned towards Muriah and spoke, “Muriah, you never cease to amaze me.”  

Muriah smiled back, “Is that a compliment?”

Uhurah nodded as she laid a hand on Muriah’s arm, “Yes, Muriah it is a compliment. Now let’s take it from the top. Spock, Muriah, are you ready?”

Spock and Muriah nodded in assent as they positioned their harps and as they played Uhura marveled at how quickly Muriah had mastered the Vulcan harp, for it was not an easy instrument. Spock had instructed Uhura on how to play the instrument and she could still remember the way Spock’s dry fingers touched her own, as he softly corrected their positioning. She also remembered the day Spock bought her a Vulcan harp, the way his eyes shifted away as she thanked him, for in her enthusiasm she had abandoned Vulcan protocol and threw her arms around his neck and Uhura could still remember the way Spock’s hands encircled her waist, then their descent to their final resting place, the small of her back, they trembled for a moment and then Spock jerked his hands so quickly away that it felt as if Uhura had imagined the whole scenario.

Suddenly, Uhura noticed that Spock and Muriah had stopped playing and were looking at her, for she had missed her cue. “I’m sorry I missed my cue,” Uhura said nervously as she glanced over at Spock. She fully expected his brows to be wrinkled in disapproval at her mistake and was surprised when his placid features had no expression at all, only his eyes showed any sign of life as he continued to stare at Uhura. “If he were human I would swear that he was….,” Uhura’s thought was cut off by a buzzing and whatever speculations she might have had were drowned out by the incessant ringing of her door chime.