K'hat'n'dlawa

Adjustments

Amanda was led through the tall double doors into an expansive entry hall- the floor and walls were made of light-gray stone, and the chamber was devoid of any ornament or decoration, other than a line of smooth, rounded pillars on each side that held up the vaulted ceiling, lost in shadows high above. Pneumatic doors led from the entrance hall into a series of rooms beyond, and T'Shan led her toward one in particular.

She now found herself in a gathering room- or, as she would rather call it, a living room. Chairs and divans were situated neatly around the chamber, and there was a wall of glass windows that afforded a view of the red desert that stretched clear toward the horizon.

She had half-expected Sarek to be waiting for her there...but he was not. He was likely at the Terran embassy attending to his affairs, and she knew that was more important, but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Maybe when she did see him again, they would be alone- which would be preferable.

T'Shan took her through the living room and to yet another door- this one led to a corridor. At the end was a flight of stairs that led to the upper levels. As they ascended, she quickly discovered that the intersecting corridors were like a maze- and considering the sheer enormity of the mansion, it was going to take a lot of memorization to find her way around. With every step, and each revealed hallway, her stomach sank further.

"This is your bedchamber." T'Shan said, stopping abruptly in the middle of the hall beside a door. "There is an intercom unit inside. When you require something, use it to ask for assistance. You are to take this time to place your belongings. The evening meal is served at dusk- someone will come for you at that time."

Amanda watched as the Vulcan man who had followed them entered her quarters and set her luggage down before leaving. She then looked back at T'Shan- she wanted to ask her when Sarek would be home, but something about the woman's appearance swerved her. She appeared to be the same age as Sarek, but perhaps she was older- and her eyebrows were more severely arched, giving her a more austere presence. For this reason, she had usually avoided her when at Sarek's house on Earth.

T'Shan's eyes were leveled on Amanda's, almost as if daring her to ask a question, although she knew that wasn't the case.

"Thank you." Amanda said. T'Shan tilted her head.

"I am unsure as to the expected response, but I believe it is 'you are welcome'."

"It is." Amanda said, and smiled. T'Shan stared at her, as if she had never seen a smile before- and Amanda was sure that she hadn't seen many.

T'Shan turned and left her alone in front of her chamber, and she watched until the Vulcan woman was gone before going inside.

There was a bed, as well as a comm-unit and a computer console. The walls were bare- but that was no matter, she could hang pictures there. There was a doorway that led into a spacious bathroom, and a pair of double doors that led onto a small balcony- a pleasant surprise, although she wasn't sure how often she would go out there, considering the oppressive heat that seemed to insulate the entire planet like a blanket. The last door led to a storage space for her clothing, and that was where Amanda turned to first to begin her unpacking.

She quickly located the electronic panel beside the closet that changed the temperature settings for the room, and gratefully turned it down to a tolerable level. She enjoyed the blast of cool air as it surrounded her while she worked to put away the few clothes she had brought with her. Sarek had told her that it would be necessary for her to wear Vulcan apparel while in company of guests or in public, but at any other time she was welcome to wear whatever she wanted. As a result, she hadn't brought many Terran items of clothing- and she discovered that there was already a full Vulcan wardrobe awaiting her. Of course, he would have known her measurements, and a week had been sufficient time for a Vulcan seamstress...