Footsteps in the Desert: Chapter 3
Title: Footsteps in the Desert: Chapter 3
Author: poetics124/Poetics124
Rating: R
Pairing: Spock, later S/U
Summary: Spock's journey from a confused young adult to a Federation hero was a long one. Being in love was somewhat more complicated.
Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount
*****
2258
The photon torpedoes were headed straight for him. Even if he avoided one, he found it improbable that he would avoid another. But he had to try. He had to stop this.
Spock was Earth’s only hope.
2250
“You look like the wolf man.”
Spock raised his eyebrow at his mother’s comment. “Wolf man?”
Amanda ran her fingers through his hair as she examined him. “On Earth, we have a myth of the wolf man. Very hairy person.”
“Fascinating.” Spock was sitting on floor while his mother took out her scissors and began to cut his hair. She was the only person he allowed to touch him this way and the only person he let touch his hair. Not that many on Vulcan touched anyway, but Spock, even on the verge of manhood, appreciated her care for him and affection. He would never admit it to her and was embarrassed by such emotion, but it did not stop him from sitting down and letting her cut his hair much like she did when he was a child.
His hair had grown exceptionally long. It was longer than it had ever been in his life and he wore facial hair for the first time. Undergoing the Rite of Tal’oth and learning how to survive with just his blade for six months had taught him discipline and an oneness with his katra he had never known before. Walking the path of Surak, surviving on his logic, finding water on seemingly barren land, had made him wiser.
He had defeated a sa-te kru cat with just his bare hands and a well placed nerve pinch. He had brought down the cat as well as his own nature and emotion. He was ready to lead a life of logic.
He did not know how to tell his mother he wished to purge himself of all emotion.
“So much hair. Your grandfather had hair like yours.”
“As you have told me on many occasions.”
Amanda continued to snip at his hair and he sat patiently, unmoving. They both took in the silence and breathed in the serenity.
“Mother…”
“Yes, Spock.”
“I am applying to Starfleet Academy.”
She stopped cutting and planted her hands on her lap. Spock turned his body to look at her.
“Starfleet? But you….”
“I have applied to the Vulcan Science Academy. It is still my first choice.”
“I thought it was your only choice, Spock.”
“Before the Tal’oth I believed it was as well.”
“What changed?”
Spock considered his mother for a moment. She looked so much older, even for the short time he had been in his Tal’oth. How much had she seen and experienced while he had been gone? How many nights had she spent awake worried for him?
“I found that Starfleet has many opportunities for me that may not be available on Vulcan or in the Science Academy. It will enable me to expand my expertise on different technologies that even Vulcan could be unaware of.”
“What about your father?”
“I shall tell him in my own time.” Spock examined her face again. “I thought you would be pleased by my decision to consider Starfleet.”
She gave him a small smile. “I will always be pleased with you. I…I just want you close to me.”
“I see.”
Amanda put his face in her hands. “I want you to do what is right for you, Spock. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Spock gave a short nod and Amanda’s smile widened.
“Now let’s get you cleaned up. You’re stinking up the whole house.”
*****
“T’Pren.”
“Spock, you have returned from your Tal’oth.”
“Indeed I have.”
The market was bustling with people, a surprising chaos in the heart of Shi’Khar, a place renowned for its peaceful streets and quiet scenery.
“It is an honor to see you again, son of Sarek. Your presence was missed at the Atheneum.”
Spock thought of his classmates and doubted her statement. He gazed into her amber eyes and found that she was more beautiful than he remembered. She had matured somehow and a small part of him wished that he could have seen her beauty grow into maturation.
But those were the thoughts of another Spock. A Spock that could not think those things any longer.
“I have heard you are now Savon’s wife.”
“Indeed. He is a good husband and supporter.”
“Fascinating.”
“He should be with me at any moment.”
Spock spotted Savon before she did and Savon spotted him. For a moment he could see a flash of anger in the other man’s eyes before Savon quickened his pace.
“T’Pren. You are taking too long. We shall leave.”
“I was just greeting Spock.”
“We shall return home immediately.”
T’Pren nodded her head and looked towards Spock. “Peace be with you, Spock.”
“Live long and prosper.”
Savon grabbed her arm and walked with her through the market.
*****
“Mother.”
“I will convince him to come see you at Starfleet. He cannot abandon his son forever.”
Spock did not reply, knowing logically the fallacy of that statement. He could not tell his mother the look on his father’s face as he rejected his entry to the Vulcan Science Academy. How Sarek had walked past him as he tried to explain his position and why Starfleet was the better option. How he had avoided him when he had come to collect his things from his own home.
“Mother, do not worry about this.”
“You make sure that you wrap yourself up tight. It can be a lot colder on Earth than it is here.”
“Mother, I have been to Earth before...”
“And don’t get too disorientated by all the emotion. They are human, they can’t help it.”
“Mother…I will be fine.”
His mother’s eyes watered and she wiped them away so he wouldn’t see them. Spock felt discomforted by her emotion but at the same time relieved that this would stay the same even though he was leaving.
“And I will take care of that hard-headed father of yours.”
Spock looked towards the transport that was going to take him to Earth to see that the pilot was ready to go.
“Mother. I wish for you to take care of yourself as I will no longer be able to….”
“I’ve always taken care of myself. And I’ll take care of your father too.”
“Mother…”
“He loves you, Spock. No matter how angry he seems he will never stop loving you.”
Spock wished to tell her that love was illogical but stopped himself. “Live long and prosper, Mother.”
Amanda reached out and hugged him much like she had when he had returned from his first kahs-wan. Spock closed his eyes but his hands never left his sides.
“I love you, Spock. I will always love you.”
Author: poetics124/Poetics124
Rating: R
Pairing: Spock, later S/U
Summary: Spock's journey from a confused young adult to a Federation hero was a long one. Being in love was somewhat more complicated.
Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount
*****
2258
The photon torpedoes were headed straight for him. Even if he avoided one, he found it improbable that he would avoid another. But he had to try. He had to stop this.
Spock was Earth’s only hope.
2250
“You look like the wolf man.”
Spock raised his eyebrow at his mother’s comment. “Wolf man?”
Amanda ran her fingers through his hair as she examined him. “On Earth, we have a myth of the wolf man. Very hairy person.”
“Fascinating.” Spock was sitting on floor while his mother took out her scissors and began to cut his hair. She was the only person he allowed to touch him this way and the only person he let touch his hair. Not that many on Vulcan touched anyway, but Spock, even on the verge of manhood, appreciated her care for him and affection. He would never admit it to her and was embarrassed by such emotion, but it did not stop him from sitting down and letting her cut his hair much like she did when he was a child.
His hair had grown exceptionally long. It was longer than it had ever been in his life and he wore facial hair for the first time. Undergoing the Rite of Tal’oth and learning how to survive with just his blade for six months had taught him discipline and an oneness with his katra he had never known before. Walking the path of Surak, surviving on his logic, finding water on seemingly barren land, had made him wiser.
He had defeated a sa-te kru cat with just his bare hands and a well placed nerve pinch. He had brought down the cat as well as his own nature and emotion. He was ready to lead a life of logic.
He did not know how to tell his mother he wished to purge himself of all emotion.
“So much hair. Your grandfather had hair like yours.”
“As you have told me on many occasions.”
Amanda continued to snip at his hair and he sat patiently, unmoving. They both took in the silence and breathed in the serenity.
“Mother…”
“Yes, Spock.”
“I am applying to Starfleet Academy.”
She stopped cutting and planted her hands on her lap. Spock turned his body to look at her.
“Starfleet? But you….”
“I have applied to the Vulcan Science Academy. It is still my first choice.”
“I thought it was your only choice, Spock.”
“Before the Tal’oth I believed it was as well.”
“What changed?”
Spock considered his mother for a moment. She looked so much older, even for the short time he had been in his Tal’oth. How much had she seen and experienced while he had been gone? How many nights had she spent awake worried for him?
“I found that Starfleet has many opportunities for me that may not be available on Vulcan or in the Science Academy. It will enable me to expand my expertise on different technologies that even Vulcan could be unaware of.”
“What about your father?”
“I shall tell him in my own time.” Spock examined her face again. “I thought you would be pleased by my decision to consider Starfleet.”
She gave him a small smile. “I will always be pleased with you. I…I just want you close to me.”
“I see.”
Amanda put his face in her hands. “I want you to do what is right for you, Spock. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Spock gave a short nod and Amanda’s smile widened.
“Now let’s get you cleaned up. You’re stinking up the whole house.”
*****
“T’Pren.”
“Spock, you have returned from your Tal’oth.”
“Indeed I have.”
The market was bustling with people, a surprising chaos in the heart of Shi’Khar, a place renowned for its peaceful streets and quiet scenery.
“It is an honor to see you again, son of Sarek. Your presence was missed at the Atheneum.”
Spock thought of his classmates and doubted her statement. He gazed into her amber eyes and found that she was more beautiful than he remembered. She had matured somehow and a small part of him wished that he could have seen her beauty grow into maturation.
But those were the thoughts of another Spock. A Spock that could not think those things any longer.
“I have heard you are now Savon’s wife.”
“Indeed. He is a good husband and supporter.”
“Fascinating.”
“He should be with me at any moment.”
Spock spotted Savon before she did and Savon spotted him. For a moment he could see a flash of anger in the other man’s eyes before Savon quickened his pace.
“T’Pren. You are taking too long. We shall leave.”
“I was just greeting Spock.”
“We shall return home immediately.”
T’Pren nodded her head and looked towards Spock. “Peace be with you, Spock.”
“Live long and prosper.”
Savon grabbed her arm and walked with her through the market.
*****
“Mother.”
“I will convince him to come see you at Starfleet. He cannot abandon his son forever.”
Spock did not reply, knowing logically the fallacy of that statement. He could not tell his mother the look on his father’s face as he rejected his entry to the Vulcan Science Academy. How Sarek had walked past him as he tried to explain his position and why Starfleet was the better option. How he had avoided him when he had come to collect his things from his own home.
“Mother, do not worry about this.”
“You make sure that you wrap yourself up tight. It can be a lot colder on Earth than it is here.”
“Mother, I have been to Earth before...”
“And don’t get too disorientated by all the emotion. They are human, they can’t help it.”
“Mother…I will be fine.”
His mother’s eyes watered and she wiped them away so he wouldn’t see them. Spock felt discomforted by her emotion but at the same time relieved that this would stay the same even though he was leaving.
“And I will take care of that hard-headed father of yours.”
Spock looked towards the transport that was going to take him to Earth to see that the pilot was ready to go.
“Mother. I wish for you to take care of yourself as I will no longer be able to….”
“I’ve always taken care of myself. And I’ll take care of your father too.”
“Mother…”
“He loves you, Spock. No matter how angry he seems he will never stop loving you.”
Spock wished to tell her that love was illogical but stopped himself. “Live long and prosper, Mother.”
Amanda reached out and hugged him much like she had when he had returned from his first kahs-wan. Spock closed his eyes but his hands never left his sides.
“I love you, Spock. I will always love you.”