StarTrek: To Trying New Things
To Trying New Things
They had received an automated invitation from Starfleet academy to partake in the celebration of the graduation of their son as well as another several hundred cadets cum officers for the United Federation of Planets.
Spock’s own correspondence was far less welcoming. Simply he stated the fact a ceremony was to be held in which the family and friends of current graduates were able to witness a rite of passage from one standing in society to another. He also expressed they were not expected to attend.
Sarek of course knew of the contents of the messages his son sent to his wife on a regular basis, she practically made sure he was always in the room while she listened to them. For them to be a “happy family” was something she longed for, hoped for illogically; the reconciliation of something that had never really been there between he and Spock. A bond between father and son can only go so far before it is strained by the need for the son to become his own free governing spirit, a man. Amanda didn’t understand this concept and insisted there was always more wisdom to be imparted, more knowledge to be learnt.
In any case she insisted they attend the ceremony.
Sarek had politely declined her wish for him to accompany her, instead referring to the requisition of his person on another continent of Earth at the time Starfleet had indicated. When she had insisted he be there for moral support, that his son’s needs could potentially be greater than his duties for one day, he had slowly raised one pointed eyebrow at her. He then proceeded to ask if she had honestly implied that a treaty the federation, Vulcan, Terra and a plethora of other planets in the Alpha Quadrant that allowed them trading access between Rygil IV and the Kyshiri nebula, which had just now been acquired after twenty years of bargaining with the prickly Rygerian people was truly less important than Spock becoming an ensign. She had twisted her face into a frown, crossed her arms and noted that he was to be a Lieutenant with all the extra work he had performed, and hours he had served.
Sarek nearly smiled at his wife. She was pouting and it was something he had always found rather charming about humans. He had taken a hold of her upper arms then and squeezed gently when she looked up at him. It was a reassurance of sorts, one of the only kinds he could give her that she would understand and she blinked once before expelling a breath and nodding silently. She murmured that she would notify Spock to her solitary attendance to the event, and explain that Sarek was busy.
§§§
Honestly, Sarek had expected the fine negotiations of the treaty to last longer. Instead he had found himself quickly signing his declaration of witness to the iron clad agreement put together after twenty years of bickering between nations.
When he was finally released of his duties he came to the rather sudden realization that he could attend the event to which he had so dutifully denied his eligibility to go to. Without any other obligations, nor members of his kind to remind him of such shame his son had brought to his family in order to attend this schooling, Sarek headed for the nearest intercontinental shuttle.
Upon his arrival in San Francisco, and the Starfleet base specifically, he found himself just in time for the beginning of the events to take place. He strode quickly to the hall which had been acquired for the event and just managed to reach the entrance as an older officer dressed in the black of an instructor -a captain- began to seal the doors.
“ You just made it,” he smiled welcomingly at Sarek despite their having never been acquainted. Sarek thought nothing of this; after so long among Humans their polite anonymous kindness was something familiar, comforting even.
He entered the large brimming hall, quickly tucking himself into place off to one side of the doors where he could observe unobtrusively. Below him stretched a plethora of sitting people, the top three quarters of the hall filled with civilians and the remaining seats left for the red uniformed sea of graduating cadets.
A speech was being made far off by the head of the academy, but Sarek paid no heed to it, instead searching the rows of red for one alone- Spock stood out, his hair shining almost unnaturally next to that of his peers.
“ You must be Ambassador Sarek,” the captain said in a low voice now standing next to him. He was slightly shorter than Sarek, but not by much, typical for a human male. When Sarek turned to the captain with a tiny nod and what he understood to be a questioning look on his face the captain’s eyes flickered out to the crowd.
“ Spock is our only current graduate with a Vulcan heritage,” His mouth twisted up into a sly smile that Sarek found oddly intriguing.
“ I apologize, but I have no reference for your identity, Captain-” Sarek addressed the man in a similar low toned manner intended to avoid the disruption of the proceedings below.
“ Pike,” He nodded crossing his arms, clearly understanding protocol with alien relations or at least Vulcan, “ Christopher Pike. I instructed Spock in a number of classes. He’s very astute, a very funny young man-Vulcan. You should be proud if you can -you know- do that,” He lifted one eyebrow minutely and surveyed the crowd, “ Is pride an emotion?”
Sarek paused, trying to interpret this particular human, Christopher Pike. He was at ease in a way no other immediate acquaintances usually were, whether they be human or Vulcan. It was refreshing and inappropriate. The last person he had ever met to be so comfortable in his presence was Amanda. Sarek looked out over the crowd, but his wife was not as easily picked out in this group as she usually was on Vulcan.
If Sarek did not know better he would have cited Captain Pike’s behavior, his words, teasing in nature…but they barely knew one another and clearly teasing a Vulcan -although something humans found endless amusement in- was something that as a captain he would naturally be adverse to in the name of diplomacy.
“Pride is something undesirable in excessive quantities for any being, emotion or not,” He replied carefully watching along with Pike as the first group of cadets were led to the front to have their new decorated names called, and pinned with the Starfleet insignia complete with ribbon that was coloured to their specified field of work.
The excessive handshaking going on in the procession was almost enough to make an ordinary Vulcan’s lip to curl with distaste, but it certainly was not as much as he had been subjected to in his career. Luckily Humans and their customs never ceased to be fascinating to him and his relative good nature served him well in his work.
“ I suppose so,” Pike murmured rocking back on his heels, “ In any case, Spock is a good kid,” he said with a finality that spoke of his own surrogate pride for Sarek’s son as he dropped back onto the flat of his feet, “ I met your wife, Amanda earlier,” He continued finally looking at Sarek again a small secretive smile on his face, “ Charming woman,” He didn’t turn back to the ceremony this time, instead keeping his gaze firm and open on the ambassador.
Sarek wondered what Captain Pike wished to gain from the exchange he was determined to engage in. It seemed he had a goal, but Sarek failed to see what it logically could be. In lieu of outright asking - as humans deemed this rather impolite and abrupt- he decided to respond and continue the conversation to see where it led.
“ She is unique in her humanity. I have seldom met many individuals in all my dealings who are quite like her.” Pike hummed in agreement lifting one hand to scratch his chin, “ She is as some would say, ‘stubborn as an Ox’,” he recalled fondly the saying Amanda herself had taught him. It seemed to amuse Pike a great deal as he broke out in a large grin.
“ I didn’t know Vulcans could use similes,” he looked away finally to the proceedings where Spock was now approaching the point in which his name would be called.
Sarek watched his son then as he walked and shook hands with the humans who congratulated him warmly, with something like pride warming his chest, “ There are many things Vulcans can do that Humans do not know about,” he murmured then thinking only of how Spock had proven himself to be so much stronger, wiser, and adaptable to so many situations that usually his people struggled with.
“ Really…” Pike’s register had dropped an octave, and Sarek detected it had nothing to do with a desire to not interrupt the proceedings this time. In fact, as he inspected the Captain’s face he saw his statement had triggered a deep intrigue, and Sarek began to suspect that what he had said had unintentionally meant something of an ulterior meaning to the Human beside him.
He nodded once, without breaking eye contact, humans created bonds of trust through eye contact and it was imperative that if what he’d said was in some way offensive he maintained an honest standpoint.
“ Your wife wasn’t expecting you here,” Pike said suddenly, rather confusingly. Humans had the annoying tendency to jump from one topic to another in a process that seemed highly illogical when not properly explained. Sarek, after many years of work with and marriage to humans, was still no closer to understanding it, only having worked up the patience to accept the phenomena when it bombarded him.
“ She is not. I did not expect to have been able to attend due to matters of business,” he inclined his head slightly again confirming the Captain’s statement. The rest of the proceedings below no longer interested him now that Spock was sitting again with his Lieutenant ranking and blue Life Sciences assignment.
“ So she won’t miss you then if I invite you for a…celebratory drink?” he asked his eyes slender in shape, predatory, almost. Sarek couldn’t deny his confusion at the Captain’s motives, but decided that it was merely a gesture of kindness bestowed on the bond of paternal likeness for his son. In short he agreed he would not be missed and soon found himself strolling with Captain Pike on the lush grounds of the campus towards what Pike assured him was a quiet little place he liked to frequent for a glass of Whiskey.
They conversed about the campus and Starfleet while walking, Pike had a warm yet commanding personality, much like Amanda, Sarek realized as he found himself enjoying the company very much. He contemplated the potential friendship that could be made with Captain Pike, Christopher, and decided it could be very beneficial to have more human companionship outside of a working scenario.
Sarek didn’t know exactly how Pike managed to keep him sufficiently distracted enough as to lead him right up to the door of what was clearly a residential dwelling, but when he realized where they were he would have frowned in his confusion in being intentionally mislead.
“ I told you it was little, and I came here often,” Pike offered with a shrug and a slowly growing smile, “ Come on, no harm, no foul, one drink,” he held the door open for Sarek to precede him into the home and quickly followed him so closely he felt the captain’s movements brush his heavy cloak.
“ Make yourself comfortable,” Pike motioned to a small tidy lounging area while he ducked into another doorway that appeared to lead to an area with food preparation facilities.
Sarek assessed the squishy seats provided and determined the most comfortable he would become in this room was to maintain his position standing. So he stood, situated in the almost center of the room if it weren’t for an unfortunately placed low table adorned with a single figurine shaped like a smiling human woman. She wore distastefully little and what was there appeared to be made of flora. When his leg brushed the table, the woman’s top half bobbed separately from her bottom and base, which stayed motionless. It was a fascinating device and Sarek watched it with relish in an attempt to divine its purpose.
“ You like her?” Pike was back and holding a glass of a brown liquid and ice out to him. As he took the offering Pike pressed the glass into his hands, their fingers sliding against each other deftly, sparking a warm connection of emotion. The look in Pike’s eye became much clearer now, it was one he had seen before in his wife’s eyes, but Sarek had never expected to find it in such an unlikely host.
“ It is an intriguing device. What is its purpose?” he asked attempting to ignore the feelings seeping up his arm, waking in his chest. They were irrelevant to the situation and would only make trouble he reminded himself as he always did, the words familiar and reassuring in his mind.
“ It’s a hula girl. A Cadet gave her to me as a gift this year after his family went on holiday to the Hawaiian islands. On the islands there are woman who can dance with their hips and keep their upper bodies motionless. This is an imitation of that, it doesn’t have a purpose other than to be entertaining, really,” Pike picked up the figure and shook it gently chuckling as it swayed in a manner that looked nothing like what the human body was capable due to the limitations of the spinal column.
“ I see. Do you find entertainment in it?” Sarek asked carefully, moments such as this where Humans were available for questioning about their illogical notions and ability to prevent their emotions from over coming their rational minds most of the time were rare to observe without provoking an offensive and disruptive response. Pike looked away from the girl, his eyes landing firmly onto Sarek’s face, losing much of their mirth but gaining a glint that the Vulcan was unsure how to, or maybe just unwilling to categorize.
“ Yes, some.” He set it down on a smaller table next to a large leather chair, “ But women have never held my attention for very long,” he said softly. The comment was irrelevant, causing Sarek to reassess the situation critically to find a more logical procession of where it was leading. The warmth from Pikes fingers was still tingling in the back of his mind, but he pushed it down in favor of more rational explanations to the direction the conversation was heading.
It appeared Captain Pike was somewhat regretful about never marrying, instead pledging himself to the life of a starship captain. His previous comments about Amanda and the emotions felt by his touch fit into place together well enough to be sought out as a sound reason behind Pike’s words. Sarek felt a subdued joy in his unparalleled progress in his friendship with Pike, the human was confiding in him.
“But let me ask you a question Ambassador,” Pike angled his body towards Sarek and leaned forward. Sarek stilled, and waited for the inquiry to be delivered, his mind calm for a moment in expectation, “ For someone who knows so much about Humans, you don’t know very much about seduction do you?”
The question was odd, phrased in what would be a human rhetorical -illogical as they were- but Pike was looking at him, assessing him, waiting for his answer. Sarek, however did not know quite how to proceed. The warmth in his touch the look in his eyes…
“ I do not understand the basis upon which you ask your query. Please clarify.” He said firmly, he was not going to fall into whatever trap or game that Pike appeared to be playing. There was no shame in asking for more information.
“ You haven’t been pursued by many humans other than your wife have you? Certainly never a man-” Sarek bristled internally, a man, this man making a sexual overture toward him? Towards what logical purpose would it serve? Pike chuckled then having obviously seen some disbelieve in Sarek’s face, his companion was turning out to be rather intuitive and manipulative after all.
“ No, never a man. Never even thought about it hmm?” He drank from his glass and sighed, “ It’s a shame, you have no idea what you’re missing if you haven’t tried it.” He gestured then to the full glass that Sarek still held, “ It’s impolite to refuse a drink,” he raised that one eyebrow again, and Sarek began to see why his wife huffed so much about it when he and subsequently when Spock responded to her similarly, “ Especially one offered in toast,” he held his own glass out.
Left a tad unsure of what had just taken place, Sarek held his own glass out enough so it touched Pike’s with a clink.
“ To trying new things,” Pike gave him a sly grin, “ If it wasn’t for that, neither you nor I would be here,” he said before lifting his glass slightly and then pulling it to his lips to down the rest of his drink. Sarek out of pure politeness copied his actions and took a mouthful of the alcohol, swallowing roughly, the taste bright and unappealing.
Pike smiled at him in a friendly slightly regretful manner and set his drink down, motioning that Sarek could do the same, he then lead the way back to the exit of the dwelling.
“ Well, It’s been nice talking to you Ambassador,” Pike tilted his head to the side, “ Even if things didn’t exactly go as expected,” his slow moving smile was back and then he held a hand out to Sarek.
Eyeing the man seriously, Sarek searched his face to find if Pike was still somehow angling for a homoerotic encounter with him, but there was nothing other than what was clearly just a friendly gesture of departure. So he reached out, his cloak drawing back enough that his entire palm was revealed and clasped the other mans hand.
The heat was still there, still just as intense as before, a passion that was contained, controlled, mature just as its creator was. Pike held his grasp firmly, his skin cool, his eyes steady, “ Indulging in alcohol is a rather illogical and fruitless pursuit for a Vulcan, Ambassador, but would you really have known that without the experience?” he asked pointedly, a challenge unspoken in his eyes. Sarek pulled away then, quite finished with this encounter with Humanity, Pike was something out of his grasp, seemingly innocent but dangerous and tempting.
He suddenly very desperately needed to be in the cooler air outside, and bid his goodbye with a formal nod rather than a Vulcan salute in his haste to leave. The ceremony was long over now, as he walked back towards the campus and where he could find transport to the Vulcan Embassy, and people dotted the lawns haphazardly, talking, singing, laughing.
It was all without purpose, it was human, it was…Sarek did not know what it was.
But it was warm in his fingertips and on his lips.
fin.
The epilogue was utterly fail sorry man, if you want know know what happens in it just...ask yeah.
They had received an automated invitation from Starfleet academy to partake in the celebration of the graduation of their son as well as another several hundred cadets cum officers for the United Federation of Planets.
Spock’s own correspondence was far less welcoming. Simply he stated the fact a ceremony was to be held in which the family and friends of current graduates were able to witness a rite of passage from one standing in society to another. He also expressed they were not expected to attend.
Sarek of course knew of the contents of the messages his son sent to his wife on a regular basis, she practically made sure he was always in the room while she listened to them. For them to be a “happy family” was something she longed for, hoped for illogically; the reconciliation of something that had never really been there between he and Spock. A bond between father and son can only go so far before it is strained by the need for the son to become his own free governing spirit, a man. Amanda didn’t understand this concept and insisted there was always more wisdom to be imparted, more knowledge to be learnt.
In any case she insisted they attend the ceremony.
Sarek had politely declined her wish for him to accompany her, instead referring to the requisition of his person on another continent of Earth at the time Starfleet had indicated. When she had insisted he be there for moral support, that his son’s needs could potentially be greater than his duties for one day, he had slowly raised one pointed eyebrow at her. He then proceeded to ask if she had honestly implied that a treaty the federation, Vulcan, Terra and a plethora of other planets in the Alpha Quadrant that allowed them trading access between Rygil IV and the Kyshiri nebula, which had just now been acquired after twenty years of bargaining with the prickly Rygerian people was truly less important than Spock becoming an ensign. She had twisted her face into a frown, crossed her arms and noted that he was to be a Lieutenant with all the extra work he had performed, and hours he had served.
Sarek nearly smiled at his wife. She was pouting and it was something he had always found rather charming about humans. He had taken a hold of her upper arms then and squeezed gently when she looked up at him. It was a reassurance of sorts, one of the only kinds he could give her that she would understand and she blinked once before expelling a breath and nodding silently. She murmured that she would notify Spock to her solitary attendance to the event, and explain that Sarek was busy.
§§§
Honestly, Sarek had expected the fine negotiations of the treaty to last longer. Instead he had found himself quickly signing his declaration of witness to the iron clad agreement put together after twenty years of bickering between nations.
When he was finally released of his duties he came to the rather sudden realization that he could attend the event to which he had so dutifully denied his eligibility to go to. Without any other obligations, nor members of his kind to remind him of such shame his son had brought to his family in order to attend this schooling, Sarek headed for the nearest intercontinental shuttle.
Upon his arrival in San Francisco, and the Starfleet base specifically, he found himself just in time for the beginning of the events to take place. He strode quickly to the hall which had been acquired for the event and just managed to reach the entrance as an older officer dressed in the black of an instructor -a captain- began to seal the doors.
“ You just made it,” he smiled welcomingly at Sarek despite their having never been acquainted. Sarek thought nothing of this; after so long among Humans their polite anonymous kindness was something familiar, comforting even.
He entered the large brimming hall, quickly tucking himself into place off to one side of the doors where he could observe unobtrusively. Below him stretched a plethora of sitting people, the top three quarters of the hall filled with civilians and the remaining seats left for the red uniformed sea of graduating cadets.
A speech was being made far off by the head of the academy, but Sarek paid no heed to it, instead searching the rows of red for one alone- Spock stood out, his hair shining almost unnaturally next to that of his peers.
“ You must be Ambassador Sarek,” the captain said in a low voice now standing next to him. He was slightly shorter than Sarek, but not by much, typical for a human male. When Sarek turned to the captain with a tiny nod and what he understood to be a questioning look on his face the captain’s eyes flickered out to the crowd.
“ Spock is our only current graduate with a Vulcan heritage,” His mouth twisted up into a sly smile that Sarek found oddly intriguing.
“ I apologize, but I have no reference for your identity, Captain-” Sarek addressed the man in a similar low toned manner intended to avoid the disruption of the proceedings below.
“ Pike,” He nodded crossing his arms, clearly understanding protocol with alien relations or at least Vulcan, “ Christopher Pike. I instructed Spock in a number of classes. He’s very astute, a very funny young man-Vulcan. You should be proud if you can -you know- do that,” He lifted one eyebrow minutely and surveyed the crowd, “ Is pride an emotion?”
Sarek paused, trying to interpret this particular human, Christopher Pike. He was at ease in a way no other immediate acquaintances usually were, whether they be human or Vulcan. It was refreshing and inappropriate. The last person he had ever met to be so comfortable in his presence was Amanda. Sarek looked out over the crowd, but his wife was not as easily picked out in this group as she usually was on Vulcan.
If Sarek did not know better he would have cited Captain Pike’s behavior, his words, teasing in nature…but they barely knew one another and clearly teasing a Vulcan -although something humans found endless amusement in- was something that as a captain he would naturally be adverse to in the name of diplomacy.
“Pride is something undesirable in excessive quantities for any being, emotion or not,” He replied carefully watching along with Pike as the first group of cadets were led to the front to have their new decorated names called, and pinned with the Starfleet insignia complete with ribbon that was coloured to their specified field of work.
The excessive handshaking going on in the procession was almost enough to make an ordinary Vulcan’s lip to curl with distaste, but it certainly was not as much as he had been subjected to in his career. Luckily Humans and their customs never ceased to be fascinating to him and his relative good nature served him well in his work.
“ I suppose so,” Pike murmured rocking back on his heels, “ In any case, Spock is a good kid,” he said with a finality that spoke of his own surrogate pride for Sarek’s son as he dropped back onto the flat of his feet, “ I met your wife, Amanda earlier,” He continued finally looking at Sarek again a small secretive smile on his face, “ Charming woman,” He didn’t turn back to the ceremony this time, instead keeping his gaze firm and open on the ambassador.
Sarek wondered what Captain Pike wished to gain from the exchange he was determined to engage in. It seemed he had a goal, but Sarek failed to see what it logically could be. In lieu of outright asking - as humans deemed this rather impolite and abrupt- he decided to respond and continue the conversation to see where it led.
“ She is unique in her humanity. I have seldom met many individuals in all my dealings who are quite like her.” Pike hummed in agreement lifting one hand to scratch his chin, “ She is as some would say, ‘stubborn as an Ox’,” he recalled fondly the saying Amanda herself had taught him. It seemed to amuse Pike a great deal as he broke out in a large grin.
“ I didn’t know Vulcans could use similes,” he looked away finally to the proceedings where Spock was now approaching the point in which his name would be called.
Sarek watched his son then as he walked and shook hands with the humans who congratulated him warmly, with something like pride warming his chest, “ There are many things Vulcans can do that Humans do not know about,” he murmured then thinking only of how Spock had proven himself to be so much stronger, wiser, and adaptable to so many situations that usually his people struggled with.
“ Really…” Pike’s register had dropped an octave, and Sarek detected it had nothing to do with a desire to not interrupt the proceedings this time. In fact, as he inspected the Captain’s face he saw his statement had triggered a deep intrigue, and Sarek began to suspect that what he had said had unintentionally meant something of an ulterior meaning to the Human beside him.
He nodded once, without breaking eye contact, humans created bonds of trust through eye contact and it was imperative that if what he’d said was in some way offensive he maintained an honest standpoint.
“ Your wife wasn’t expecting you here,” Pike said suddenly, rather confusingly. Humans had the annoying tendency to jump from one topic to another in a process that seemed highly illogical when not properly explained. Sarek, after many years of work with and marriage to humans, was still no closer to understanding it, only having worked up the patience to accept the phenomena when it bombarded him.
“ She is not. I did not expect to have been able to attend due to matters of business,” he inclined his head slightly again confirming the Captain’s statement. The rest of the proceedings below no longer interested him now that Spock was sitting again with his Lieutenant ranking and blue Life Sciences assignment.
“ So she won’t miss you then if I invite you for a…celebratory drink?” he asked his eyes slender in shape, predatory, almost. Sarek couldn’t deny his confusion at the Captain’s motives, but decided that it was merely a gesture of kindness bestowed on the bond of paternal likeness for his son. In short he agreed he would not be missed and soon found himself strolling with Captain Pike on the lush grounds of the campus towards what Pike assured him was a quiet little place he liked to frequent for a glass of Whiskey.
They conversed about the campus and Starfleet while walking, Pike had a warm yet commanding personality, much like Amanda, Sarek realized as he found himself enjoying the company very much. He contemplated the potential friendship that could be made with Captain Pike, Christopher, and decided it could be very beneficial to have more human companionship outside of a working scenario.
Sarek didn’t know exactly how Pike managed to keep him sufficiently distracted enough as to lead him right up to the door of what was clearly a residential dwelling, but when he realized where they were he would have frowned in his confusion in being intentionally mislead.
“ I told you it was little, and I came here often,” Pike offered with a shrug and a slowly growing smile, “ Come on, no harm, no foul, one drink,” he held the door open for Sarek to precede him into the home and quickly followed him so closely he felt the captain’s movements brush his heavy cloak.
“ Make yourself comfortable,” Pike motioned to a small tidy lounging area while he ducked into another doorway that appeared to lead to an area with food preparation facilities.
Sarek assessed the squishy seats provided and determined the most comfortable he would become in this room was to maintain his position standing. So he stood, situated in the almost center of the room if it weren’t for an unfortunately placed low table adorned with a single figurine shaped like a smiling human woman. She wore distastefully little and what was there appeared to be made of flora. When his leg brushed the table, the woman’s top half bobbed separately from her bottom and base, which stayed motionless. It was a fascinating device and Sarek watched it with relish in an attempt to divine its purpose.
“ You like her?” Pike was back and holding a glass of a brown liquid and ice out to him. As he took the offering Pike pressed the glass into his hands, their fingers sliding against each other deftly, sparking a warm connection of emotion. The look in Pike’s eye became much clearer now, it was one he had seen before in his wife’s eyes, but Sarek had never expected to find it in such an unlikely host.
“ It is an intriguing device. What is its purpose?” he asked attempting to ignore the feelings seeping up his arm, waking in his chest. They were irrelevant to the situation and would only make trouble he reminded himself as he always did, the words familiar and reassuring in his mind.
“ It’s a hula girl. A Cadet gave her to me as a gift this year after his family went on holiday to the Hawaiian islands. On the islands there are woman who can dance with their hips and keep their upper bodies motionless. This is an imitation of that, it doesn’t have a purpose other than to be entertaining, really,” Pike picked up the figure and shook it gently chuckling as it swayed in a manner that looked nothing like what the human body was capable due to the limitations of the spinal column.
“ I see. Do you find entertainment in it?” Sarek asked carefully, moments such as this where Humans were available for questioning about their illogical notions and ability to prevent their emotions from over coming their rational minds most of the time were rare to observe without provoking an offensive and disruptive response. Pike looked away from the girl, his eyes landing firmly onto Sarek’s face, losing much of their mirth but gaining a glint that the Vulcan was unsure how to, or maybe just unwilling to categorize.
“ Yes, some.” He set it down on a smaller table next to a large leather chair, “ But women have never held my attention for very long,” he said softly. The comment was irrelevant, causing Sarek to reassess the situation critically to find a more logical procession of where it was leading. The warmth from Pikes fingers was still tingling in the back of his mind, but he pushed it down in favor of more rational explanations to the direction the conversation was heading.
It appeared Captain Pike was somewhat regretful about never marrying, instead pledging himself to the life of a starship captain. His previous comments about Amanda and the emotions felt by his touch fit into place together well enough to be sought out as a sound reason behind Pike’s words. Sarek felt a subdued joy in his unparalleled progress in his friendship with Pike, the human was confiding in him.
“But let me ask you a question Ambassador,” Pike angled his body towards Sarek and leaned forward. Sarek stilled, and waited for the inquiry to be delivered, his mind calm for a moment in expectation, “ For someone who knows so much about Humans, you don’t know very much about seduction do you?”
The question was odd, phrased in what would be a human rhetorical -illogical as they were- but Pike was looking at him, assessing him, waiting for his answer. Sarek, however did not know quite how to proceed. The warmth in his touch the look in his eyes…
“ I do not understand the basis upon which you ask your query. Please clarify.” He said firmly, he was not going to fall into whatever trap or game that Pike appeared to be playing. There was no shame in asking for more information.
“ You haven’t been pursued by many humans other than your wife have you? Certainly never a man-” Sarek bristled internally, a man, this man making a sexual overture toward him? Towards what logical purpose would it serve? Pike chuckled then having obviously seen some disbelieve in Sarek’s face, his companion was turning out to be rather intuitive and manipulative after all.
“ No, never a man. Never even thought about it hmm?” He drank from his glass and sighed, “ It’s a shame, you have no idea what you’re missing if you haven’t tried it.” He gestured then to the full glass that Sarek still held, “ It’s impolite to refuse a drink,” he raised that one eyebrow again, and Sarek began to see why his wife huffed so much about it when he and subsequently when Spock responded to her similarly, “ Especially one offered in toast,” he held his own glass out.
Left a tad unsure of what had just taken place, Sarek held his own glass out enough so it touched Pike’s with a clink.
“ To trying new things,” Pike gave him a sly grin, “ If it wasn’t for that, neither you nor I would be here,” he said before lifting his glass slightly and then pulling it to his lips to down the rest of his drink. Sarek out of pure politeness copied his actions and took a mouthful of the alcohol, swallowing roughly, the taste bright and unappealing.
Pike smiled at him in a friendly slightly regretful manner and set his drink down, motioning that Sarek could do the same, he then lead the way back to the exit of the dwelling.
“ Well, It’s been nice talking to you Ambassador,” Pike tilted his head to the side, “ Even if things didn’t exactly go as expected,” his slow moving smile was back and then he held a hand out to Sarek.
Eyeing the man seriously, Sarek searched his face to find if Pike was still somehow angling for a homoerotic encounter with him, but there was nothing other than what was clearly just a friendly gesture of departure. So he reached out, his cloak drawing back enough that his entire palm was revealed and clasped the other mans hand.
The heat was still there, still just as intense as before, a passion that was contained, controlled, mature just as its creator was. Pike held his grasp firmly, his skin cool, his eyes steady, “ Indulging in alcohol is a rather illogical and fruitless pursuit for a Vulcan, Ambassador, but would you really have known that without the experience?” he asked pointedly, a challenge unspoken in his eyes. Sarek pulled away then, quite finished with this encounter with Humanity, Pike was something out of his grasp, seemingly innocent but dangerous and tempting.
He suddenly very desperately needed to be in the cooler air outside, and bid his goodbye with a formal nod rather than a Vulcan salute in his haste to leave. The ceremony was long over now, as he walked back towards the campus and where he could find transport to the Vulcan Embassy, and people dotted the lawns haphazardly, talking, singing, laughing.
It was all without purpose, it was human, it was…Sarek did not know what it was.
But it was warm in his fingertips and on his lips.
fin.
The epilogue was utterly fail sorry man, if you want know know what happens in it just...ask yeah.