Updated – August 10, 1998
NEW BEGINNINGS
Chapter 2 - Part E
Watching Meg recross her legs and sigh loudly, Dunnedy was beginning to see it wasn’t the wait that was unbearable. Her little pattern was growing steadily more annoying. Three times a minute she repeated these acts, since John, Stewart, and Meg’s husband, Harry Fine, had left them. A minute!
She had had enough. Seeing the cycle was about to start again, she grabbed her friend’s leg. “Meg, would you please stop that?”
Looking at her and fidgeting a bit, Takamira asked, “Stop what?”
Rolling her eyes, Dunnedy stood up. “I thought John was bad. At least he’s quiet.”
Joining Kara Dunnedy, she started in saying, “Kara, it’s not fair. Were worried about her to. It’s a bit sexist if you ask me.”
Turning and giving her friend an odd look, she replied, “Two top of the line doctors, trying to help Moore, one your husband, and a brilliant scientist, who’s also her fiancé. That sounds about right. Besides, John’s only in there because he forced his way in.”
Frowning, Takamira conceded. “Alright. But I just hate being out of the loop. That’s one nice thing about starship duty, Kara. A small loop, a small town feel.”
Smiling, Dunnedy walked up to her friend. “Don’t worry, they’ll let us in on it when they’re done in there.”
Walking back to the couch she’d left a minute before, Takamira grumbled to herself.
Smiling some more as she joined her friend, Dunnedy inquired, “So, seeing as you are already reminiscing about starship life, are you considering accepting my offer?”
Giving Dunnedy a sympathetic look, she got Dunnedy to sit beside her.
“Kara, I had a brief chance to talk with Harry, so I guess I can give you an answer.”
Pursing her lips, Dunnedy examined Takamira. “This doesn’t sound good.”
Looking up and back, Takamira lightly said, “It depends on your perspective.” Sitting up a bit, she took Dunnedy’s hands, before continuing. Smiling, she says, “Harry and I have decided that it is time to start a family.”
Dunnedy’s eyes widened in surprise as she remarked. “Oh!”
“It seems right. We’re finishing a tour and you and the fleet are off on your crusade. I’ve already seen one war; I’m in no rush to experience another. It seemed like a good time to step back and take a different path. A little more docile life, true, but I miss Harry, my family, Mars, and I want to stop putting this part of my life on hold.”
Watching her friend talk, Dunnedy sat a little dumbfounded. Finally speaking, she said, “I understand.”
Curious, Takamira asked, “Do you?”
Nodding, Dunnedy replied, “Sure. It’s a good idea to act now, or you end up realizing at forty, fifty, or beyond that it’s too late and time’s run out.”
Gripping her friend’s hands tighter, Takamira supportively said, “Hey, I still have hope for you.”
Sitting back, Dunnedy groaned. “Meg, don’t even go there.”
“Excuse me.” The two women were caught off guard, by a solemn feminine voice behind them. Looking back, they saw T’rana Stewart slowly and quietly approaching. Sitting back on the couch, Takamira nodded to T’rana as she reached them.
T’rana, in her normally impassive voice continued, “I do not mean to intrude.”
Dunnedy smiled at her former Chief Engineer, saying, “It’s alright. We were just conversing.”
T’rana nodded in understanding.
Piping in, Takamira glibly said, “Care to join me. I’ve founded a club for wives who are shut out of everything by their doctor husbands when things get interesting.”
Raising an eyebrow, the Vulcan viewed her for a moment.
Cutting in, Dunnedy said, “Ignore her. She’s worried and impatient.”
Understanding, T’rana asked, “So there is no word yet?”
Dunnedy answered, “No. The doctors and John are going over what they know right now.”
“The information my husband received seemed extremely useful. I am sure it will shed light on the Commander’s ailment.”
Leaning forward, Takamira eyed T’rana. “It sounds like you have information.”
Sitting down between the women, she replied, “I am not a doctor, so I would not presume to explain it all.”
Sitting back again, Takamira sarcastically replied, “Back to waiting.”
Sitting straight and alert, T’rana apologized. “I am sorry I cannot be of more help.”
Sitting back as well, Dunnedy said, “It’s alright. We can all wait a bit longer.”
Hearing footsteps, the three women looked down the hallway.
At the end of the hallway the spotted another Vulcan women. This one was shorter and older looking, holding an infant in her arms.
Both Dunnedy and Takamira wondered who this was.
Seeing her guardian approach, T’rana explained, “That is T’Vrane, my family guardian.”
Megan Takamira shot T’rana a quizzical glance. “Guardian?”
T’rana slowly nodded, saying, “Yes, my family believed that I would need additional help taking care of T’Stewart, as we prepare for my husband’s departure.”
Slowly shaking her head, Dunnedy remarked, “That’s a bit too much familial support for my taste.”
Megan Takamira had to agree. She loved her family, but her child would be hers, and Harry’s, not the Takamira’s.
Surprising the two ladies, T’rana clearly affirmed their opinion. “Indeed.”
The two women noted T’rana’s unrivaled reply.
Reaching the set of women, the conversing about T’Vrane stopped.
T’Vrane was shorter then many Vulcans, and was quiet a bit older than T’rana. Still, with Vulcans, it can be difficult to separate a fifty-year-old from a hundred-and-seven-year-old. The compact dark-eyed wrinkled figure stood competently before them, holding the infant child close to her chest.
Unable to resist the urge Takamira popped up to get a closer look at the child.
Quickly, T’Vrane faced her with an unyielding and determined glare which froze the human in her tracks.
Displeased with T’Vrane’s action, T’rana rose to stand beside Takamira. Looking at the human for a moment, she apologized, “My apologies, T’Vrane can be somewhat strict in her attention to my son.” Looking at T’Vrane she stepped extremely close to the guardian. Speaking in Vulcan, the two Vulcan’s entered into what almost appeared to be an argument, by Vulcan standards.
Megan Takamira wished she’d studied the Vulcan language a bit more. From what she did know, it was clearly a familial dialect, created for exclusive use in one’s family.
Still, two Vulcans conflicting was a rare and interesting sight for the two human women to witness. Being Vulcan the conflict ended fast. Nodding to T’rana, T’Vrane handed T’Stewart to his mother. Bowing slightly to T’rana, she left the trio of women to be.
Returning to the couch, T’rana quietly sat, carefully observing her son. Looking at Takamira, still standing, she said, “Would you care to meet our son?”
Eager, the two women joined her. Looking at the child, the two women had to smile. He did look a lot like his father, Andrew Stewart. Same hair, eyes, and smile.
It did seem odd to see a smiling Vulcan, but it also seemed a bit odd to see a Vulcan child, they were usually so secluded until puberty.
After allowing the two to look at him, make faces, and do all the “sadly emotional” thing humans do, she decided to speak and share a confidence with them. “I must apologize again for T’Vrane, she does far too much in service to my child and me.”
Still enamored with the small boy, Dunnedy smiled and said, “It’s alright, she’s just doing her job.”
“True. The matter is though, does that job need to be done, or is it more a matter of control?”
The women were a bit surprised by T’rana’s openness. Takamira, ever the busy body, was first to ask, “What’s that?”
Thinking for a moment, she continued, “I have long been told that it is improper to discuss family and Vulcan matters with outsiders. I have learned that this is not always the case though.”
Dunnedy waited quietly.
Takamira decided to ask the plainly obvious question, “Is something happening that you’d like to talk about?”
T’rana took a moment to look at her son and place her hand through his hair before looking up and beginning to talk. “Yes.” She sighed, almost humanly. “Vulcans value control, but that does not mean it is limited to personal control. We like to keep social control as well. That is much of the reason that the shedding of emotions has been some uniform and complete. It does work, we are at peace, advanced, and are content with our place.”
Scrunching her nose slightly, Takamira remarked unconvincingly, “That sure balances out well for everyone.”
Impassively, T’rana replied, “It does. I have accepted the costs and benefits my entire life. I do continue to accept them for myself. Even if my ability to interact with humans and other humanoids is limited and difficult, I need and value my way of viewing reality. My problem comes from my son’s future. Namely, which path he will follow. I have spoken to Andrew often and we both agree he should be able to choose his own way and be allowed a large measure of freedom in his search.”
Nodding in understanding, Dunnedy remarked, “That’s a rather supportive and open attitude. It couldn’t have been an easy decision for either of you.”
Pursing her lips, T’rana said, “Yes, it is not easy. But I can see that if I truly seek my child’s best interest, I need to let go of my own agenda’s.”
Cutting in, Takamira said, “But your family doesn’t necessarily follow your string of logic, does it?”
“No.”
Takamira, putting the big picture together, said, “That’s why Ms. Happy is with you really, to keep you and T’Stewart in your places. I can’t imagine someone like Andrew enjoying that.”
“My husband is quite human. He would prefer his son to laugh and love, like all Terrans. But out of respect for me, and love, he’s let my family keep him at arms length, and take a great deal of control of raising our child.”
Takamira and Dunnedy were surprised at what Stewart had been willing to allow and were about to react when T’rana continued. “I agree with your and his sentiment. I have already stated what I know my husband and I would prefer.”
Takamira asked the next logical question, “Then why let them…”
Cutting in, T’rana calmly said, “Because my family feels it is best, and I act to support my family.”
Takamira quipped, “It’s always hard to fight your parents.”
T’rana only raised an eyebrow, not caring to respond.
Standing, Takamira spoke again. “I know what I’ll tell my parents if they get like that.”
“What? And what are we talking about?”
Looking behind the trio they found a surprise guest. Colonel Thomas Lark had quietly approached the women, trying not to interrupt the conversation. Now he was standing beside the large window that showed the unconscious Katherine Moore. Having seen enough of his comatose friend, he finally took note of the conversation.
With the unexpected newcomer, T’rana shut down, focusing on her son attempting to act as if the conversation had not occurred.
Takamira and Dunnedy didn’t care to betray any confidences so, as usual, Takamira chimed in. “Why colonel, you shouldn’t go sneaking up on people.”
“Sorry, I didn’t want to intrude, but I had to see Katherine.”
Smiling, Takamira said, “Yeah, well, I guess you can be forgiven.”
A silence fell over the hall, everyone caught in the difficulties of the moment.
Takamira looked back and forth between Dunnedy and Lark, giving Dunnedy an enthusiastic look.
Dunnedy quietly, but fervently shook her head. Not now.
Finally, looking at his friend in the other room, Lark spoke up. Quiet and unsure, he asked, “Kara, you want to take a walk?”
Making a face, Dunnedy was surprised, slightly, when she replied in the same tone as Lark, saying, “Alright.”
*****
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