[ussbansheec] Ashes & Ankhs
- From: Andy Maluhia <CaptainAndy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 07:21:14 -0400
_ Ashes & Ankhs_
by T'Aaya, Senek Menkara, Aylin t'Sen, & Lady T'Shael with Caroline Fraser
The Vulcan woman who stepped off the civilian transport was quite lovely
but the look in her eyes was as cold as the planet was hot. If she were
Human, she could have been said to be angry as hell. He'd simply left
planet without word weeks before. His mother refused to answer as to
his whereabouts but she'd found him, traced him to DSVP. How dare he
walk out of the house...
Aylin smiled brightly, hanging another bright picture on the wall of
their cabin. She was almost dancing as she span around to stare at how
lovely the place was becoming. Okay so they weren't staying but it felt
good to decorate a roomier place than the pit she'd lived in for the
last five years. "It's Air," she told Senek. "One of the
representations from home. Pretty, na?"
"Beautiful," he said as he stepped back to admire the picture. He
grinned, listening to the bells tinkle on her skirt. "Is it your
Element then?"
"Yes, and Water," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist to kiss
him lightly. "I've yet to decide what you are, except Fire for creation."
It was easy enough to find his whereabouts from the station's computer
system. Visiting officers' quarters were easy enough to find from
there. She had her plan in mind, as was only logical. She would remind
him of their bond and demand he return home. He had to.
Senek smiled for her as he peered down at her. "Does it help to know my
date of birth by the Earth calendar? Father was always amused at it:
October 31st, an old holiday known as Halloween."
"Oh I know all about Halloween. All Hallow's Eve," she laughed
brightly. "It fits, you know. But no, it doesn't help. Or perhaps it
does. Maybe you're one of the rare ones who embodies each Element."
"Ah, yes, I forget that you would know that, my witch turned gypsy. I
like to think he would have liked you, Aylin. You have no pretenses,"
he said softly. "In fact--" The chiming of the door cut him off from
saying anything else. "Excuse me, my love, it seems we have company."
~~In fact?~~ She smiled as she moved to brew tea. Mint for Senek,
something earthy for herself and... Aylin stopped in her tracks.
"Don't open the door."
He stopped just short of disengaging the manual lock and looked back
over his shoulder at her. "Why not?" he asked, his mental defenses
changing.
Aylin opened her mouth to explain then sighed and flushed bright
emerald. "It doesn't matter." How does one explain that he shouldn't
open the door simply because the visitor was in no mood for tea? "Just
one of my silly moments. I'll make us some English Breakfast tea."
"Wait one moment, love," he said as he disengaged he lock. He
immediately wished he'd heeded her advice when he took in who was
standing there. T'Aaya was just a lovely as ever but, in an illogical
moment, fancied he could feel the cold emanating from her. "What do you
want?"
"I wait for my bondmate to come home as he should but he has yet to come
to his senses so I come to him," she said coldly.
There was a tinkle of china behind them and some choice words muttered
in Rihan. As Aylin bent to collect the broken teapot, she forced a
smile and said airily, "Glad it's not one of mine, I'd be quite
devastated. I'll just go and make us some more."
T'Aaya's dark eyes peered around Senek, catching sight of the oddly
dressed woman, then she glared up at him. "So convenient that you came
here, husband. Perhaps you had this one waiting."
"I owe thee no explanation, T'Aaya, and I can only attribute your
presence here to the likely possibility that you received my writ. If
you have not come with it signed then get out until it is so done. I
weary of your weight about my neck," Senek told her, completely cold and
logical, so very unlike his tone a few moments earlier.
~~Be polite, e'lev. I turn no one away from my door~~ "Perhaps first
meal if you are hungry, lhhei?" she offered, trying to keep her smile in
place despite the waves of malice pouring toward her.
"I see the intruder has better manners than you, Senek," T'Aaya
commented as she brushed past him.
Senek bit back the torrent of Arabic obscenities he wanted to hurl at
his uninvited guest. ~~As you wish, my lovely one, but I reserve the
right to call Security any time soon~~ "Behave yourself, T'Aaya. I
will not tolerate a repeat performance of the last time I saw you."
"My name is t'Sen," Aylin said evenly, refusing to allow the woman her
first name. "Not intruder. How do you take your tea?"
T'Aaya eyed the other woman. She was younger, but not by much, and,
more interestingly, obviously Romulan. And quite aesthetically pleasing
if one were clinically honest about such. "At home. With my bondmate,"
she said coldly as she stared at Aylin.
"Then I would recommend that you change your habits," Aylin said
breezily with a smile so sweet it could sweeten a whole lemon grove.
"Milk? I would definitely go for sugar, lhhei, you're in need of the
up-lifting properties."
"Plain for me, e'lev," Senek said simply, still staring at T'Aaya with
daggers in his eyes.
T'Aaya heard the foreign term and knew what it meant. Both the man and
his parents were students of languages after all. He'd even turned
their child into one, making her seek those speakers out. One cold brow
finally raised. "An affair, Senek? Have you fallen prey to the
weakness of your Human side?"
"Not an affair, T'Aaya," he stated plainly.
"Here," Aylin shoved a steaming hot mug at T'Aaya, "drink that." ~~Rude
baggage, maybe it'll shut her up~~ "And why should he not, anyway?
Such coldness to come home to, why not seek out warmth?"
"Romulan," T'Aaya said as if it were a particularly sour word,
dismissing him for the moment. "Have your people stooped to stealing
our men?"
~~Oh for the love of...~~~ He reigned in his temper but Senek was
getting rather irritated. "You do yourself no honor speaking that way,
T'Aaya. Go home and answer the writ."
"Now why would I steal him when he came to me willingly?" Aylin smirked,
her eyes dancing with deep dislike.
"You are weak, Senek, from grief over our daughter. Come home and the
Healers will see to you," T'Aaya said in a wheedling tone.
"No, I do not grieve for her because she is not dead. Unlike you, I
have not given up on her," Senek said steadily. ~~I felt it myself but
I believe what you said, Aylin~~
"Cold harpy," Aylin hissed. "You give up what the Elements gave you."
"Go home, T'Aaya. Answer the writ. If you will not, I will contact the
Healers at T'LingShar and see to it that the bond is broken by them. I
do not need yours. I have hers," Senek said as he held his two fingers
out to Aylin.
With deliberate confidence, Aylin placed her fingers on Senek's and gave
the woman a sweet smile. "May your words turn to ashes in your mouth."
For a moment, T'Aaya's face flushed bright green in fury. She reached
out to slap Aylin but Senek stopped the blow easily. "You have gone
absolutely mad," he hissed.
Aylin blinked then glared at the woman. She took Senek's hand away from
the woman. "Let her, if she wants to. Men do not respond in kind.
There is no rule for women."
"Perhaps not but there is the rule of law. I would not have you an
unwilling guest in Gabriel's brig. Please call Security. They can deal
with her," Senek said with an outward calm even though he was positively
fuming.
"You're too good," Aylin said softly, her eyes hard and on T'Aaya, but
her words for him. "If this were ch'Rihan, I'd kill you for even
breathing the same air as someone as sweet as this man."
"Wani ra yana ro aisha, Aylin. You, T'Aaya..." He made a noise of
disgust. "Only the fact that you are our daughter's mothers keeps me
from tal'shaya."
~~Tal'shaya?~~ Aylin didn't move though, she kept her dark eyes on the
intruder.
~~An old ritual that snaps the neck and causes instant death. It was
used rather than the lirpa thousands of years ago. Please. call
Security before I lose my temper~~
"Coward," T'Aaya hissed.
"That would require the display of emotion and that is what /you/ have
been doing," Senek pointed out.
Aylin nodded once and moved away to a terminal. She tapped in the codes
to Civilian Security that she knew too well.
Caroline's honest face filled the screen and she smiled at her long time
friend. "Neighbours causing problems again, Aylin?"
"Um... no, could you send a detachment to my location? There's an
intruder in one of the officer's rooms."
Without waiting to ask why her friend was there, Caroline nodded and
patched through an order. "Give us five, okay?"
Senek let out a slow breath but he nodded in response to the question.
~~I can hold this indefinitely.~~
The connection closed, Aylin returned to her place at his side. "She'll
be here in less, if I know her."
"You would do well, T'Aaya, to do as I asked. Go home. When, and /not/
if, T'Cerys returns, I will make sure she knows where you are," Senek
said neutrally.
The chime rang out, sooner even than Aylin had expected so she flowed to
it and smiled briefly at the Human in the doorway. "Could you help us,
Caroline?"
"Of course." The tall, dark haired woman approached the Vulcan female,
clearly the source of the problem. "Ma'am, I need you to step outside
with me."
"Take that Romulan whore. She is the one who stole my husband," T'Aaya
spat.
Senek briefly tightened his grip on her arm, flirting with the idea of
actually breaking it. "You would do well to cuff her, ma'am."
Caroline nodded once, extracting her cuffs from her belt and sliding
them on the Vulcan woman. "I know for a fact that the lady you're
speaking of is no whore, ma'am. To say such things is a breach of the
law, since it's slander."
"And has such /emotional /connotations," Senek added acidly. "She is no
whore, T'Aaya. She is she who is my wife."
"You shame all that is Vulcan," T'Aaya spat.
"No, you do," Senek said mildly, relief flooding through him.
"Please, ma'am," Caroline said evenly once the cuffs were in place.
"Come quietly."
"You will regret this, Senek," she said as she finally allowed herself
to be moved toward the exit.
Once Caroline pushed the woman into the waiting hands of her officers,
she headed back inside. "I'm sorry about that, sir. She'll be taken to
our cells and held for questioning."
Aylin moved up behind Senek and curled her arms around his waist.
~~Caroline is one of my friends, do not fear to be yourself in front of
her~~
~~You might be sorry about that~~ he said with just enough of a mental
smirk. "Send her home to T'LingShar and tell them to lock her up until
she comes to her senses."
Caroline nodded then smiled brightly. "You look comfortable like that,
Aylin."
"I would have you meet he who is my e'lev. Senek Menkara, this is
Caroline Fraser."
"Miss Fraser," he said with an incline of his head. "This is not the
usual comportment one should expect of Starfleet officers. My apologies
for causing you extra work," he said easily.
"Believe it or not, we're not that busy right now," Caroline shrugged.
"Saying that, I need to get your prisoner processed. Don't hesitate to
contact me if you need anything further."
"Do me a favor if it is at all possible?" he asked. "Don't let Captain
Wagner know about this. That man's got enough to deal with without
worrying that his fiancee's uncle is being stalked by a mad woman."
"Not a problem, sir. We're the civilian sector, we don't directly
answer to Captain Wagner," Caroline explained before disappearing out
the door.
~~And now you can relax, e'lev~~ Aylin slipped around him and touched
his face. "I can feel the stress coming off of you in waves."
"I'm sorry, Aylin." He wrapped his arms around her, taking comfort in
her touch. ~~She vexes me in many ways.~~
~~And I did not help~~ She sighed as she rubbed his back in long, soft
lines. "She won't hurt you anymore, e'lev."
"Are you kidding?" he asked aloud. He grinned at her. "You were
wonderful. I wouldn't expect you to be anything less than yourself and
that was fine." ~~She is T'Cerys' mother, though. I hope the woman
gets help before our daughter comes home.~~
~~And if she does? If he returns to being as she was when she loved you?~~
~~The damage is done and it will not be undone. She is not insane
clinically just disturbingly illogical. You will not lose me, Aylin, of
that you can be sure.~~
Aylin let herself relax slowly as she looked up into his dark eyes and
smiled. "I'jol'au."
"As I love thee," he said, smiling back at her. He took on a thoughtful
look and caressed her face. "I would like for you to meet my mother,
even if it is just by comm for now. I would have suggested this earlier
but I knew she was away attending a concert series in Shi'Kar."
"Can we call her now or is she still busy?" ~~I admit to a little
trepidation at meeting the woman who will be my v-Ri'nanov~~
"She should be home. After these many years, Mother has her day down to
a science. Come," he said as he sat in front of the comm, "join me and
Mother does not bite."
"Your wife does," she smirked as she settled herself at his side.
He didn't waste words on the matter but his thoughts were fairly rude.
The smirk was still on his face as he tapped in a comm code that hadn't
changed in over seventy years. Soon enough the face of a tall, thin,
and rather plain looking Vulcan woman appeared on screen. She was well
over a hundred years old but her eyes were as sharp as ever.
"Senek-kam, I thought you might call today. I am pleased," T'Shael
said, a smile lighting only her eyes.
"I had good reason, Mother," he replied. "I want you to meet someone."
Taking a small breath, Aylin poked her face around the corner of the
screen and offered the woman a respectful bow of her head. "Jolan'tru,
lhhei. I am most honoured to meet thee."
Senek watched his mother's brow raise. He'd finally managed to surprise
her but that was obviously all the facial reaction he was going to get.
"Mother, I would have you meet Aylin t'Sen, she who is bondmate and wife
to me. Aylin, my mother, the Lady T'Shael."
T'Shael stared at the younger woman, taking in everything from the body
language, which said she clearly adored her son, to the rather unusual
number of piercings in her ears. And her /lip/ as well? "I bid you
welcome to our family, Aylin, and I hope that my son has made a wise
choice."
~~She must have had a visit from you know who~~
It took all of her self control not to sigh but Aylin managed to keep a
smile on her face. "As do I. I will do all in my power to honour my
hru'fir and his House." ~~She must disapprove already then~~
Carefully, she took Senek's hand and placed it in her lap so she could
hold onto it.
"That would be a vast improvement over the other's behavior as of late.
She has been here, Senek, seeking you out," T'Shael reported primly. "I
did not tell her where you were."
Mother was definitely annoyed. He could tell. "My apologies for her
disturbing you," he told her, "but she found me anyway. She made to
strike Aylin this time and not me."
"That woman is not logical," T'Shael opined, saying so as if it were a
truly great insult. She cast her eyes on Aylin then. "Are you harmed,
child?"
"Na, lhhei," Aylin smiled, her cheeks tingling in green. "Senek was
faster than she."
T'Shael hmmphed and fixed those dark eyes on Aylin. "I trust that my
son has been honest with you so that you know what life will be like.
Are you able to accept all that is and all that will be?"
"I am and happy to," Aylin responded softly, giving Senek's hand a
squeeze before smiling brightly. "He is my other half."
"Senek?" T'Shael asked.
He understood the unasked question easily. "Yes, Mother, I'm happy,
more so than I've been in the past thirteen years."
"Your father would be pleased, Senek-kam," T'Shael said in a softer
tone. "I cannot say that your daughter will not be surprised, though."
~~Should I stay away when she returns? Give her time to adjust?~~ "I
would not cause harm to your family, e'lev," she told him, watching both
him and his mother.
"You will not cause harm, Aylin," T'Shael stated, using her name for the
first time. "T'Cerys is a sensible, logical young woman and she is not
blind. I should think she would have known her father was unhappy."
~~I am apparently rather transparent~~ He answered the rest aloud
though. "You will not stay away, Aylin. If you do that would make
things much worse."
"Why is that? To ease things, I would not force my presence on anyone,"
she said in a slightly huffed voice.
"I know my daughter, e'lev," Senek explained with an almost smile. "She
is intensely curious and, if you were not there, she would get it out of
me and go looking for you. She is /rather/ curious."
"As am I," she teased. "I could never stay away forever."
"Mother, I intend to bring her home with me once T'Cerys returns," Senek
said. It wasn't quite a challenge but he wasn't sure how his mother
would react. Even if it was illogical, there was still the
consideration of the family legacy.
"To this one one would hope," his mother said casually. "I find it
rather quiet by myself."
~~And this from the woman who once sought the highest level of logic~~
~~I like her~~ Aylin felt herself grin but she tried her best to tone
it down. "May I ask something, lhhei?"
"You may but know that it may not be answered," T'Shael said simply.
"If I am to live with you, and knowing of your people's disapproval of
emotion, how much love may I show for my husband when we are at home?"
One brow slowly rose and the skin at the corner of the older woman's
mouth tightened as if she were almost going to smile. "My son needs to
speak to you more about his father I see," she said warmly. "Sashai was
thoroughly Human and I was well aware of that. You are Romulan and I am
also well aware of that. To be pretend to act otherwise is to do
yourself a disservice, child. Act as you are. I would find something
amiss otherwise."
Aylin's smile broadened to a grin as she leaned to her side and kissed
Senek's cheek. "Hann'yyo, lhhei." ~~Will you show love to me also? I
would know you feel it but I still like to see it sometimes~~
~~I am not ashamed of you, Aylin. I most certainly will~~ He caressed
her cheek then offered his mother a mischievous smile. "No, Mother, I
have no intention of piercing anything."
"Na? Such a pity," Aylin teased as she plucked at his earlobe.
"Something here and maybe one at each tip?" ~~Then something a little
lower...~~ "Perhaps a tattoo?"
The corner of his mouth twitched as he struggled to contain the laugh he
felt welling up. ~~There will be no piercing, e'lev.~~ "Perhaps that,
though. Maybe."
"Seriously?" She let out a bright laugh as she put her arms around his
neck and cuddled him. "I can convert you to that at least." She peered
at his mother and gave her a totally unapologetic smile. "Your son is a
fine looking man, but a beautiful tattoo is art of a natural and lovely
kind." ~~I doubt she'd appreciate mine~~
~~Perhaps as one woman to another she might.~~
"I am studied such as they have had on Earth," T'Shael offered. "Though
it is not the Way of the Vulcan, the Way also includes IDIC. My son is
a grown man and may do as he wishes without my permission, though may I
offer a suggestion, Senek?"
"What would that be, Mother?" he asked carefully.
"An ankh, child."
"Oh yes! It would suit so well." ~~I know a very talented artist~~
She flushed a little green as she shrugged. ~~Or so I am told~~
~~Do you now?~~ he teased. "I shall certainly think it over."
"I will convince you," she grinned then offered his mother a wink.
"Don't worry, lhhei, I will not cover him in them. Just one or two
subtly placed." ~~Of course, you know I have two, don't you?~~
~~I should think I might have noticed~~
Scooping her hair to the side, she showed him and then his mother the
small Imperial Eagle at the base of her neck. "The only thing from home
that I carry," she explained.
While she might never have had the procedure done to herself, T'Shael
could appreciate fine handiwork. She leaned forward as much as the
viewer would allow, to get a closer look. "It was well done," she
remarked. Perfectly deadpan, she said, "I take my son has seen the other?"
Shooting a teasing look at him, she nodded. "Would you like to see,
lhhei? Your son was rather appreciative of it when he first saw it."
"Indeed, I'm sure he was," T'Shael said. She wasn't blind to the fact
that, like his father used to, Senek was staring straight up at the
ceiling. "Perhaps, when you come home with him, you may show me. If
you did so now, I believe he might very well die of a most illogical
case of embarrassment."
"You learned that from Father," he retorted easily.
"Do you not think he looks so very lovely like this?" ~~My funny man,
so sweet~~ She giggled as she touched his face and made him look at
her. "I'jol'au, e'lev."
He raised two fingers as if to engage in the traditional Vulcan gesture
of affection but, instead, touched them just under her chin and kissed
her gently. He didn't see his mother's brief pleased smile but he did
see her face when he lifted his head. It had been too long since she
looked so happy. ~~She likes you, e'lev.~~
~~I like her very much. Almost as much as I like her son~~ "Hann'yyo,
lhhei," she said softly. "He is a wonderful man."
"Very much like his father," T'Shael agreed. "I leave him to your care."
Senek gave his mother a good natured glare. "Mother, it is not as if
I'm a child needing such."
"You are a man, Senek-kam," she retorted. "No matter that you are well
over fifty and a Starfleet officer, you are still a man."
"And men must be cared for," Aylin agreed. "It is a wonder they survive
on their own." She gave T'Shael a wink then kissed Senek firmly. "But
then I would not survive without you now either."
"Thee are well and truly my other half, Aylin," he said as he rested his
forehead against hers.
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