Commander

Chapter 8: Pon Farr

"I won't be able to get out of it like S'chn-- I mean Spock-- did."

Rev was on her bed, legs crossed, looking at her lap. She was flushed a light green, obviously greatly embarrassed about speaking about her marriage. Kirk and Spock were in pulled up chairs, and McCoy was at the end of her bed.

"What do you mean?" Kirk asked. Rev looked up.

"I mean, Spock was lucky, yes, but he did get out of the marriage. I'm a woman, I have to chose. I will have to get married."

Kirk frowned.

"Can you divorce?"

Rev chuckled so humorlessly that it couldn't even be called an emotion.

"Yeah. After three months. And we will."

"We? You've already decided?"

Rev looked up, as if snapping out of a trance.

"Oh-- yes. My-- my husband, I grew up with him. He is three fourths human. Humans are rather... over-emotional creatures, and his human side is very prominent, yet he had to deal with growing up on Vulcan. Finding another Vulcan-Human hybrid is rare, outside of your family. We were the two kids with 'emotions,' even if they were, what you consider, feeble. That's why my parents chose him. He's a friend. And he knows about my situation, my position in Starfleet. So, we planned before I went away, we would get divorced as soon as possible after our marriage."

Rev stood up.

"I understand we'll be at Vulcan soon?"

Kirk nodded.

"Then I'd like to get ready."

After a moment, Rev's visitors stood and made to leave the room, but she stopped them for a moment.

"Please respect him. He's been a friend for a while now."

McCoy turned to Kirk.

"Why would we need to respect him? We just--"

"You'll attend, won't you? You are the only friends I have."

Kirk paused for a moment, before smiling suddenly and nodding.

"Why not? I'd like to see a ceremony that doesn't involve my death."

Rev nodded unemotionally and closed the door.

A few hours later, Rev stood on the bridge, wearing her black formal Starfleet uniform, a high-collared black top and a standard black skirt, staring at the main screen as they approached Vulcan.

"We're receiving a message--"

"Put it up."

A young man was broadcasted onto the screen. He had black hair that was combed in a non-Vulcan style, grey eyes, and was actually very attractive.

"Dvir," Rev said.

"Zhi'Rev," he responded.

Just like with Spock, this man and Rev exchanged odd unemotional words, and then he signed off. Rev turned to the people who would be accompanying her to the planet-- Kirk, McCoy, Spock, and Chekov-- and nodded towards the lift.

"Let's go."

On Vulcan, the ritual was short and easy. T'Pau was present once more, carried in on a platform, as their family was very high-status, but there was no fighting this time. This Dvir simply bowed once to Rev (he was smiling a bit the whole time), turned, and hit the gong. Easy as that. Rev exchanged "live long and prosper"s with T'Pau, and the party left. They left Dvir in the structure, with the crew of the ENTERPRISE watching him skeptically. Rev and Dvir were watching each other, unmoving. Then, a small smile crept up on both of them, and Dvir actually laughed, and hugged Rev suddenly. Spock was watching them with distaste, and Bones was watching in awe.

"They're like... human."

"I know," said Spock, uncomfortably. "Overemotional."

Kirk and McCoy exchanged an amused glance.

"It's nice to see you again, Dvir," Rev said when she pulled back. She was back to her mostly unemotional, but Dvir was still grinning like a human. In fact, you'd probably mistake him for one, if it weren't for the ears. He had minimally arched eyebrows. As he was three fourths human, it was pretty rare that he was born with pointy ears, and unlucky indeed that he had to live on Vulcan.

"You look very professional, Rev."

Rev bowed her head.

"I am a Starfleet officer. As I will continue to be."

"In three months, we'll get a divorce, as planned."

"I appreciate that."

Rev turned towards her crew mates.

"Dvir, you know S'chn. This is Doctor McCoy, Ensign Chekov, and Captain Kirk. Jim, Bones, Pavel, this is Dvir."

They shook hands. Kirk was narrowing his eyes at Dvir, but could see nothing suspicious about him, except the fact that he didn't even try to muffle his emotions.

"They pissed off my classmates," he told them. "My emotions. I figured, I am mostly human. Why try to hide who I am?"

Rev had shut her eyes, amusement written all over her face, and shook her head. Then, opening them, she turned to the Captain.

"I believe we have somewhere to be, Captain."

Kirk grinned at her.

"Yes, I believe we do."

Kirk contacted the ENTERPRISE while Rev turned to Dvir.

"Enlist in Starfleet, Dvir. You can be human in Starfleet, and you will not be stuck on this planet forever. You have excellent knowledge in engineering."

Dvir smirked at Rev.

"I might just do that, wife."

"Energize."

"Shut up--" Rev allowed a small grin onto her face as she saluted Dvir, before being pulled away onto the ENTERPRISE.