The challenge part 7

“Captain’s log ,all of the races i have encountered ,the race i least understand are vulcans. A race wholy devoted to logic and reason. There is much rituels as well.  They don’t quite fir into the box we expect. ”
” i find the concept of a fight to the death ilogical for several reasons. Apearently this combat had not been used for cencurias.it did remain on the book as it were. Of course someone like lt. Mathews would find it. He would see a solution where orthers would find an obsticle! ”
Private chamber
“Alright! Don’t play fair. This is a strugal for servival. There are no rulls. Endure!”sarek said.
“Ok “he said. “Remember your traning. Oh he will be overconfident use that to your advantage. Don’t trust him . He may offer to help,don’t accept. He is your enemy. He will be acting on instinct only. ” Sarek said.
“However this turns out,thank you!”tim said. “Of course. Its seams a bit counterproductive but live long and prosper! “Sarek said. “I will try!” He said.
Outside Vulcan shrine
“Do you aprove of all this addy?” Liz asked. ” rather i do or not is not the isure. I think tim had to do this. He would always wounder. “Adison said.
” Its kinda romantic ! “Yeoman said. ” romance written by Shakespeare perhaps ! “Gioto said. “Love meats kobiosho meru. He probably won’t win. He dies either sotril maries tisic any ways or she stays a defecto widow. “Ryian said.
“Life does not always makes sense . Sometimes it does not turn out the way we think it should. “Addison said.
“How are you going to write this in your report to star fleet?”dr. Pipper asked. “I have no idea!”addison said.
“Can you ever trust sotril. She could stop all this?”gioto asked.”i am not sure. We will cross that energy barier when we get there i supose!” Adison reaplied.
T’pau the planitary high priest was excorted on a cart folowed by several prelates. It stoped in the center of the shrine
“The union of tironek tisic and soriana sotril has been chalanged by tim mathews. While no non Vulcan has ever challenge a mating,it is aceptible under our laws and tradition.  Your challenge has been acepted.there will be no interference !”she said.
Tim was given a large cerimonial weapon. It resembled a large batering ram. Tisic had one as well. T’pau motioned for the fighting to begin.
Tim got the first swipe in. He struck tisik’s midsection. Tisic seamed angery. He went for tim’s head. Tim ducked and tried to strike him.
Tisic used his weapon to deflect it. Tim tried to thrust his weapon against tisic and disarm the Vulcan. Tisic let out a loud grunt and pushed tim with his all of his might.
Tim was pushed out of the way.he was propelled to a wall like structure. His weapon also fell on him. He was bleading in several spots. Tisic was stil perfecty intact.
Sotril watched the event but did not react. She was stone faced the whole time. She showed no emotion. She just wached in a stoic manner.
There was a time she experimented with emotion. Tim came home and caught her laughing. “Did i just cross into an alternative universe ?”tim asked.”look i really don’t want to talk about it!” She said.
“Ok ! I am fine with that! Its me! You don’t have to explain anything. “He said. “Thank you. I don’t know. I am sure i am cut out for this logic thing. I don’t know!”she said. He huged her. “Whatever you decide i am with you 120 percent! “Tim said. “I know that!” She said.
Today that side of her was gone.now she was all logic,all reason. That was what she wanted.
Tisic took his weapon and ran for tim. Tim picked up his weapon and tried to deflect the blow. Tisic and tim went though a series of clashe’s.
Tisic threw tim’s weapon far away from him. Tim’s first instinct was to try to retreve the weapon. He decided instead to ram tisic.
He try to power drive the Vulcan. He shoved him to the ground. Tisic using his weapon tore a part of his uniform. Tisic threw tim back.
Tisic was about to try to crush tim’s head. Tim pushed the weapon. The two struggled for control of the weapon. Tisic gained the uper hand and threw him on to the ground.
Tim retreted as he atempted a swipe. He tried to get to his weapon. Tisic anticipated that and tried to stop him.
In the past they had not been enemies. They were not friends but neither wished the orther ill. That had all changed.
“Are you and sotril an item?”tim asked. “No i have tried on several ocasions. She has rebufed all of my entreties. “He said. “You have known her on a long time?”tim asked. “Yes i have. We pratically grew up together !”he said.
Tisic seamed to have the uper hand. He did most of the whole event. This did not detour tim. He would not go quietly into the night. He would fight on.
Tisic showed no sign of getting weary. In fact it seemed like he was getting stronger. Tim was getting tired. He was getting weaker.
Tisic hit tim’s leg. He fell over. His pants were torn. There was a large gash. Blood went every where. He was hit again. This time blood could be sean near his stomich.
Addison looked at sotril. Stil stoic. How could this not afect her. Her x husband and future husband were fighting it out . Addison could understand how this could not afect her.
He was in pain. He fought the pain. He tried to sumon every strengh he had. He kicked tisic in the knees. It did not phase him.
Tisic tried to crush his head.he almost succeded. He rolled over and roled away. Tisic picked him up like he was a rag dole and flung him into the stand. Onlookers had to avoid being crushed by the projectile. Tisic went over and picked him up and threw him again.
His head started to bleed. “This is a slaughter!”liz commted. “Tge fact that we are watching it unfold is disturbing !” Dr. Pipper said.
Addison got up and went over to sotril. Sotril watched the duel if you could call it that.
Tisic kicked tim even though he was on the ground. Tim tried to get up but he interfeared with every atempt.
“Sotril! Stop this! This is wrong! Tim is in love with you. Do you need any more evidence ? Are you wiling to let him die due to your indisisiveness?” Addison asked.
“He chose this ! I did not ask him to do this! “Sotril said. “Sotril you do this you will always regret it. I will never forgive you! Star fleet should question your ability to function as a star fleet officer!” She said.
Tim was in trouble. He was out of breath,tired. Tisic was about to crush him. He was out of options. This was it.
He tried to dodge it. His legs gave out. Tisic seamed to be enjoying what he was about to do.
The weapon was about to hit him. “Sotril!”Addison said. She remembered something. “This may be irational,ilogical but i am madly deeply in love with you soryana!”tim said.
She watched as tisic was about to crush him. “Wait!” Sotril said. T’pau urged the proceding to be haulted.
” I wish to consult with tisic!”she said. T’pau premited it. She went over to him. ” Tisic!  I can’t do this ! ” She said.
“I understand ! I gues i always knew that you and i were not ment to be together !” He said. “I gues not!” She said.
“I will bow out ! It is unprecidented but i don’t think that even t’pau will refuSe the request of the prefect’s son!” Tisic said.
Tisic went to speak to t’pau. They spoke privately. While sotril went over to tim. ” I’m sory for this ! I don’t know what i was thinking. ” She said.
“I love you sotril!”he said though the pain. “I know i have  known for a while! I never should have doubted it!”she said. Piper and nurse christine chepel went over to tim.
” Is the weding between you and tisic off?” He asked. “Yea he is withdrawing? ” she said. He was in pain. “Will you mar!”he started to pass out.
She took his hand and placed it in hers. “Yes i will mary you!”sotril asked.
” Captain’s log t’pau has alowed tisic to withdraw. Apearently a young priestess named t’pring has had an interest in tisic and they have bonded. ”
“While once tim mathews regained consciousness,t’pau conducted a Vulcan mariege cerimony in sickbay. While the enterprise is perparing to leave orbit and go on our next mission .”
Bridge
“This was full of suprises!” Addison said. ” our mission seam to go that way!” Dassale said. “Indeed! Ryian set course !”she said.
The enterprise went to warp.
The end

The challenge part six

Vulcan
Tim made sure he was there ahead of time.  He did not see the ambassador. He went in. There he saw a large rygelion man.
The rygelion struck
him with a large energy waund. He was in pain. He struck the man. The man kept coming at him. He tried to block the waund. He ussed all his might to grab the waund.
He would not acept no for an answer. He started to gain the uper hand. The man tried to regain it. He kicked him in the knee then kicked his orther knee. He grabed the wound and struck the man in the eye. The man passed out.
“Good work! You let your instincts kick in. Your responce time has improved considerably. Tisic is known for being alert! You have to have parts of your working at one hundred percent. One mistake and it will be over!” Sarek said.
“If he is undeegoing pon far,won’t he be weakond?”he asked.”only his ablity to reason. He will be able to fight!”sarek told him.
“What Was that rygelion?” He asked.”oh it is a robot with a holow matrix. It was a gift on my visit to argelious. ” the ambassador said.
  Tim did it all. He was chased by a gigentic holo monstir He engaged sarek in hand in hand to hand  combat. He thought with swords. He wrestled with the ambassador.
He was worn out. “Tired?”sarek said. “A little!”tim said. “Are you going to go though with it?’sarek asked. “I am not ready am i!”tim asked. “No your not! “Sarek said.
“I wish i could walk away. Mayby the logical thing to do is to let it go! The truth is i don’t think she is doing the logical thing! I have no idea why she is marying him. I will always wounder what if? Could i have won? I will always know i was a coward. Maybe i will get back on tract but maybe not. I won’t be me any more. They say one choice efects every thing. One walk down a coridor. I feel like this is a turning point!”he said.
“They say until you have something worth dying for,you have really lived! How far are you wiling to go? The fact is this will probably lead to nothing. Mostlikly you will lose,be killed and tisic will mary sotril any ways. “He said. “This is starting to sound like the kobioshi meru! “Tim said. “There are far more no win situation then we are aware of son!” He said.
“I am going though with it! Win or lose,live or die,i am all in!”tim said. “I knew you would be! For what its worth i suport you in this! “Sarek said. “Thank you sir!”tim said.
Uss enterprise
Coridor
“Captain it is hardly necessary for me to attend! Vulcan has there own security besides Vulcan is one of the saftest planets in the galaxy ! ” gioto said.
“Commander you are a member of senior staf. You are a department head. You need to be there!”she said.
“You just want to torture me! “Gioto said. “Yes i do. Just wait till my kids birthday? “Adison said. “you canot require me to go to kids birthday?”gioto said.
The senior staf entered the transporter room. “Ready when you are captain!”takigawa said. They got on the pad. Adison gave the go ahead to energize.
The team beamed off of the ship and on to the planet. The family esate was a buz with activity. “Hey addy is that t’pau?”ryan said. “It is indeed. This is the weding of the prefect’s son. It stood to reason that someone like t’pau would be hear! ” Addison said.
“May i have your attention. Our society has embraced reason over emotion,logic over feeling. We look at life from the lense of biology,science. Coming together is a necesity. It is not logical to be apart. For that and the continuation of our race,we mary. ”
“Today! Two of our citizens chose to undergo the jouney of life together. Tisic and sotril. “T’pau said.
The two stood together near the priestes. Sarek nodded to tim to procede. “I challenge this procesion!” Tim said.
Everyone was stuned by this move. Everyone except for the captain and the ambassador.
“Silence! Step froward!”t’pau said. Tim came froward. ” i am tim son of loyd. I challenge this mariege. I challenge tisic for the right to mary sotril! ” tim said.
“Tim! Don’t do this!” Sotril said.”the challenge has been made. Do you atend to go though with this? Once a challenge has been formilized,it cannot be retracted!”t’pau said. ” i wish to procede !”tim declared. ” Very well! Tisic do you accept this challenge ?” T’pau asked. “I do! I will not hesitate to kill you!”tisic said.
“Very well! We will ajurne ans reconvine in five houers. At that time combat will occur! ” t’pau declared.
The two were seperated into private room on the oposite end of the neighborhood. Tim prepared as best as could for the inevitable conflict that was about to occur.
  He remembered a time of him and sotril. “I feel like our two words are so different ! “Tim said. “We are but we will work it all out!”he said as he put his arm around her. “I am certain that we will! ” she said.
The door opened,it was sotril. “I would speak to you! ” she said. “Off course! “He said. “Look Vulcan law and tradition says that a challenge is irevocible but i think they would make an exception in this case! You are in good shape but you will never defeat him. He will kill you!” Sotril said.
” What diferfence does it make soryana? I have been dead sence i saw that letter in my qurters. You never even said goodbye. “Tim said.
“Our relationship was not logical! It could not endure. “She said. “There is not true! It was not superficial. It was not musy. There was substence to it!”tim said. “Please ! Withdrew the challenge. It will cause a temporary rift between humans and Vulcan but everyone will get over it! “Sotril said.
“I can’t do it soryana! It is just not in me! I won’t just walk away’ “tim said. ” I can’t change your mind?”she asked. “No! You can’t?” He said.
“I never wanted this to happen ! I did not meen to hurt you! “She said. “I know !”he said. “I wish you well!” She said. She walked out.
End of part six

The challenge part five

Vulcan
“I am surprised you agreed to help a human challenge a mariege of a noble familly marying the son of a prefect. It is a logical union? It is not?”amanda said.
“On paper perhaps. Tisic is an hourerable man. It does seam to be a resonible union!” Sarek asked. “Then why help a human challenge it? “She asked.
“Well sotril is a dynamic person and tisic is a bit of a dulered! Even in a Vulcan mariege there has to be some glue that holds it together. I am not sure there is between those two!” Sarek declared. “Why sarek i think i am rubing off on you!”amanda said. “I don’t think so. I think i have come to a well resoned conclusion. I doubt surek himself would aprove of this union! “He said. “Surek would think of him as a dulered?” Amanda asked. “He might not use that terminology but yes i believe he would !” Sarek said. “Of course!”she said trying not to laugh.
Uss enterprise
Brefing room
“Thank you so much captain!”tim said. “Look tim! This was the easiest part. You are going to have to do a lot of work! The traning will be beyond any traning you have ever done!”Addison told him. “I know that Addison ! I am prepared well as prepared as i can be! ” he said.
“Well i wish you luck! I am rooting for you for all its worth! Some things are worth puting it all on the line for! “She said. “I really believe this is one of those events! “He told her. She believed that was true. She just hoped that this will suckeed.
She was concerned that this would get him killed but she was hopefull. Maybe he would bow out or tisic would bow out. There would be time for all that to short itself out later.
Tim went to sleep early.he had the computor wake him up at 03:30. He got right out of bed. He showered and then had cofee and a light breakfast.
He went to the transporter room. ” Chief your already on duty?” He asked. “I like to get an early start. I like to do some diegnostic test and things that are difficult to do during the day!”takigawa said. “I see! One to beam to the serface!”tim said.
“You sure about this?”tagigawa asked. “No! I feel i have to do this! Good idea or not!” He said. “I understand !”the operator said.he went to the pad. “Good luck! Energizing now!” He said.the chief activated the controls.the lt was beamed off the ship and on to the home of ambassador and amanda sarek.
  “Lt mathews?”sarek asked.”ambassador sarek!” Mathews said. “You are atempting to do something that at best is difficult,at worst imposible. You have little hope of servival,your only chance is to do exactly what i tell thee!”sarek said.
“I am prepared to do just that ambassador !” Tim told the ambassador.
“Tisik is a grand master of six disiplines. He has a black belt in several human martial arts as well. He is going though the early stages of pon far!” Sarek said.
” I was not aware of that!” Tim said. “You are aware of pon far?’sarek asked . “Sotril explaned to me!”he said.
He remembered them being at his perents home on earth. They were holding hands as they walked in sotril’s favorite spot of the property.
“Men go though pon far every seven years. They experience a rush of emotion. While men can conceve aside from pon far,they are super futil. Many chose to time wedings with pon far!” She said. “I see! Women don’t go though pon far?” He asked. “Not usually ! It can occur! “She said. “I see! “He said. “You might be in the clear!”she told him. “I gues this will be an adventure !” He said. “We Vulcans are non emotional but not boring!” She told him.
“Tisic filter wil be gone as will his self regulation. His impulse ,hus instinct will kick in. He will be brute force. He won’t hesitate to kill you ! He will make a Klingon look like a trible! ” sarek said.
“What do i do?”he said. “Follow me!”he instructed him. He folowed the ambassador. They went to a court yard.
He put a blind fold on him. “Thet say when a teren loses eye sight other sences quick in. I want you to focus. Listen. Get a sense of your seroundings! Know there is of this place. To defeat tisic you must find an advantage or create one! “He said.
Uss enterprise bridge
“Are we going to do a bridal shower for the commander?” Yeoman smith asked. ” I don’t think so. It is not the Vulcan thing. I am not sure how this is all going to play out! Andrea!”Addison asked. “What do you meen?” She asked. “Never mind !”Addison said. “Your not really on bored with this are you addy?”daner asked. “Its really not my place . Sotril is a big girl. She can make her own decisions!”addy said. “You have an opinion on it?” Liz asked. “Yea i do!”she said. “Care to share with the class?”kyile asked. “Not really !” She said.
Home of tired and voshan
“It has been far too long!” Sotril morther said. “I know. I have been buisy. Being on a deep space mission makes returning to ones homeworld problimetic. “She said.
“Are you doing alright?” Her farther said. “I am. My past dificulties were just that. I don’t know what happened. I have corected it!” She said.
“Sotril! You have never brought us shame. Quite the contary. You have always done well for the family !” The farther said. “I thank you for that! I know thou are syincere. I value the words and the syincerity behind it. “She said.
“Are you sure that marying tisic is the best “her morther asked. “It is a most logical pairing !”she declared. ” Is it?”her brother asked. “What do you mean?”sotril asked.
“There is a difference between logical and convenient !”her sister said. ” there is more to consider then philisophical simularities. Are you compatible ?”her morther asked. “I am a Vulcan ! I need not consider such things!” Sotril said.
“What of surek? He decided to mary a former mage alied with the tyrent zackel over one of his principle lt!” Her farther comented.
“You and tim had something ! “Her morther said. “Please this is an old debate!” Sotril said. “We believe that it was a mistake for the anulment!” Her farther said.
“You disagreed with it at the time! ” she said. “We were mistaken !” Her morther said.”have you heard from him?” Her sister asked. “He is on the enterprise. We have bearly spoken!” She said. “Does he know ?” Her morther asked. “He must by now!” Sotril said. “You have not spoken to him about this ?”her farther asked. “I did not feel the need!” She said.
She recaled an event from her past. She and tim were in the courtyard. “You ok? “Tim asked.”I’m cold! Your planet is too cold!”she said. He took off his jacket and put it on her. “You don’t have to do that!”She said.”its fine!”he said. ” You know your never getting this jacket back?”she said. “Yea i figured. Some things never change!”he said. She woundered what was tim doing right now.
Tim spent houers under a blind fold. He could not believe how his hearing intensified. He heard birds and cretures far away as if they were right next to him. At first he found being blind disoriented. Later he had gotten used to it. It became part of who he was.
“Ok now the difficult part! I am giving you a sword. It is from jeremy greyson!”he said. “The pacifist ?” He asked. “He was hardly a pacifist . He did believe that war was not always the answer. He believed that war should not be contiplated as a first resort. “Sarek said.
“I see! How did you come by sutch an artifact ?”tim asked.
“I maried a disendent of greyson!” He said. “Oh! That makes sense! “He said.
“I want you to fight me?” Sarek said. “Alright ! I asume you too have a sword?” Tim asked. “I would not assume anything.”he said.
Tim took his sword. He tried to wield it. Sarek came at him with his sword. He tried to predict where he thought sarek’s sword was and counter him.
Tim was doing better then he expected. He was definitely holding his own. He tried to focus. He had been able to counter sarek. Sarek took advetage of tim’s oversight and took out his sword.
“You are doing well?” Sarek said.”stil not enough to beat tisic?”tim said. “Take off your blind fold!”he told him. It felt weird at first. He had forgotten what it was like to see. He almost fainted. “Give your eyies a chance to ajust!”he said.
“Should i just walk away. Mayby i am not cut out for this! Tisic is a good man. Sotril and him must have something. ” Tim said.
“Tisic is safe. He is familer. Safe is not always corect. The ilusion of safty can cloud one’s judgement. Spontanaety does not have to eaquil danger. Tisic is a fine man. Is he corect for sotril? Is sotril thinking this though?” Sarek said.
“If i die,she may stil chose to mary tisic?”he said. “How important is this to you? It is all on the line? How far are you wiling to go? “Sarek asked. “I want to fight you again without the blind fold!”he said. “Very well!”sarek said.
Uss enterprise
Addison had a reception for sotril and tisic. Tim felt very out of place. “I would like to perpose a toast to sotril and tisic. May your weding be long and prosperous. The hunie moon will be short. I need my exo back!” Addison said.
Tim remembered a similar reception. “I can’t believe it. Tim and sotril are finally getting maried. I thought they were already maried. I figured they found some justice of the peace and just did not tell anyone !” His best man said.
Tim could not handle this any more. He leaned over to commander gioto. “I need some air!” Tim said. Tim got out and left the mess hall. The door closed.
He tried to make a qiet exit. He tried not to be noticed. He had been noticed. Sotril noticed. She tried not to think about it. She tried to cary on.
End of part five

The challenge part four

“Ok ! Let me get this straight you want to challenge a vulcan who has the eqivolent of multiple black belts in vulcan martial arts. A man who was moroned on a gasious planet with bairly enough oxygen and servived! “Adison said.
“I understand vulcan law premits a challenge for any reason including from a non vulcan. Tisek cannot refuse me! “Tim said.
“I am aware of vulcan laws and customs tim. Look if your ready to settle down,there are easier ways them challenging a vulcan ! Its a big universe ! There are plenty of electron in the universe!”she said.
“This is not a whim ! I did not wake up and decide to go pick a fight with a random groom! There is more to this!” Tim said. “Alright perhaps we should start from the beginning !” Addison said.
” i met sotril at the academy. A bunch of us were touring the plans of abraham in old qubec. I did not know most of the people on the trip. ”
” There was a battle hear?”sotril asked. Tim had no idea who she was. ” Yes! This area was controled by the french. Back then they usually did not engage in warfare at night. The french got very drunk. Thr british in long red over coats,don’t ask!,scalled the clifs and suprised everyone. This all but gurentied british dominence over most of north america. This ended french expansion in north america. It created a french province in an otherwise english nation ! ” he said.
” why would one be drinking and paryting in the middle of an unresolved conflict. It is ilogical!”sotril said. “I agree! To us it seams like a no braner. It is easier to coment hundreds of years later! “He said.
“You like history !”she asked . “Very much so!  Its fasinating. I an not as versed on vulcan history . I know a little hear and there.  “He said.
” I find a lot of humans clasify vulcan history as pree surek,post surek,human first contact,federation. ” She said. “I wish i could refute that but your probably right. I believe profesor gill is working on writing a vulcan historical primer for non vulcans. I am sure that his will be more informitive!”he said.
“Profesor gill is always very thorough with history . I am sure it wil be an excellent work! ” she said.
“I’m tim by the way! “He said. “Sotril! She said. “It is good to meat you!” He said.
“I considered it a chance encounter. It is a big campus. I never expected to see her again. We kept poping into eachother. Library ,sporting events, courtyard, we just kept running into eachorther. ” Tim said.
“May i speak to you?”she asked.” Of course! “He said. “I understand the sadie hawkins dance the women ask the man to be his date?” She asked. “It is a bit of a relic of a bi gone era. For some reason it has become part of academy tradition. ” He said.
” Will you be my date?”she asked . “Really ? Your really asking me. This is not some pratical joke! You were not put up to this by an uper classman?”he asked . “I am really asking you!”she said.
“She is always serious looking.at that moment i had never seen her so serious. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she ment it! I said yes. ”
“This one is a slow dence! Do you want to sit this one out?”he asked. “Are you tired? Do you need a break?” She asked. ” No!”he said. He took a hold of her. She was softer then he expected. He expected an non logical species to be cold,she was not. Bioligically they were not too different except that several organ like a heart is in a different place.
“I figured it was a one time event. I figured a long term relationship was out of the question. ”
“Then there was tisic. There was always tisek. Apearently they grew up together . They were neighbors. They frequented the same social circles. There was nothing between them. At least not as sotril saw it. Neither one was bethothed to anyone . Tisek hoped to presude her to mate with him. Had i not come into the picture ,they may have been maried long ago. She probably would have relented. I came into the picture ! I gues i upset his apple cart! ” he said.
”  our relationship was ill defined for a long time. At some point we decided we decided we were a couple !” She said.
” Look i don’t know how to ask this but are we a couple ? Is this a friendship,more? I have no idea!” He said. ” I am agreible to us being a couple as humans define it!”she said.
“Graduation i decided to pop the question. We had both been asigned to uss. Nimitz. I tried not to give her any hints. I wanted it to be a complete surprise. ”
He tried to find her. He was beraged with every one and his grandmother literily. He finally came to her.
” Sotril can i talk to you?”he asked. “Of course! ” she said. They went to a sicluded area if the courtyard. ” Sotril ? We are at a turning point in our relationship! “He said.
“Yes i have noticed that as well!”she said. “Sotril !”he was sweting. He was nervous. He took out a box with a ring. He got on his knes. He had not planed that part. “Sotril will you marry me?” He asked.
“Yes i will !”she said. “Really ? Your sure? “He asked . “Yes i am sure! ” She said. He put the ring on her finger.
“It was great! Best six mouths of my life! Then she had a crises of faith in surek. She began to explore emotion. When she came to her sences,she asociated her brief flutation with emotion with me.  I asured her nothing needed to change. I never expected her not to be logical . I fell in love with her! That included her logical side. I felt our diferences made us stronger. It made me a better officer. It forced me to look beyond the superficial or the serface. I can credet Vulcan philosphy with saving my neck on more then half a dozen ocasions. She just could not see it. One night i came home from my duty shift and all of her stuf was gone. She asked me for an anulment. She transferred to another ship. I never saw her  again until now! Look nothing has changed. Not for me! I thought i moved on. I figured she maried tisek years ago. I can’t just let this go!” He said.
“Have you tried to talk to her?” Addison asked. ” i tried. It did not go anywhere . Smal talk mostly ! “Tim said.
“Maybe you should take this as a sign to move on. You can find someone else!” Addison said.
“I am not some raw cadet ! This is not a crush. It is not going to go away!” He said.
“You don’t stand a chance,not against tisek! Not even with the help of a championship. It would be a fight to the death. There has not been a challenge like this in cencuries. It is not worth it. You are a decorated officer with a bright future ahead of you. He will kill you because cultural codes demand it. ” Addison said.
” would you be wiling to settle for someone orther then ryian? “‘He asked. ” good point! Are you sure. You will either have to take a life or have it taken from you. Are you really prepared for that?” She asked.
” Yes i am !” He said. “I will talk to the ambassador but i can’t promise anything ! She said.
Home of ambassador sarek.
“Fasinating! Do you think this request was made with sound mind and judgement?” The ambassador asked. ” Not totally but i think he has thought it though. He has been though advanced combat training . He has been in several difficult situations. I stil don’t see him defeating tisik in combat!”Addison said.
“Tisik is an hournerable man. I have a great respect for him. I have eaquil respect for sotril. I suspect lt. Mathews will go ahead with the challenge regardless of my help or lack. With my help he may have a chance. “Sarek said.
“I would feel better if you did train him!”she said. “Tell him to meat me in my court yars at 0500 sharp!” He said. “You got it!”she said.

The challenge part three

Uss enterprise
Sotril gave the two a tour of the ship. “This is engineering ! This is lt. Commander nils pitcarin chief enginer!”sotril said.
“You served on the welington?” Tisek asked. ” I try to forget my time on that s”hip! It was a death trap!”he said. “My cousign storel was a jr enginer. He discribed his time there as beyond arduous!” Tisek said.
“Sounds like him. We become prety good friends . At first i thought he was a little more personible then a recilimation system and he thought i made a Klingon look tame! We made peace evenualy!” The chief said.
“He is chief enginer now on the Lexington !” Storel said. “Glad to hear it!”he said. “We should probably get going. Thank you chief”sotril said.
Qurters of Addison
Addison was waring a civilian isue black sleveless dress. ” She ever mention she was engaged or even was involved ?”Addison asked. “Never! She keeps to herself !”liz said. “I know but every one knows i am maried with two kids. Its part of who i am. I can’t believe in the time i known her,nothing !” Addison said. “She is tight liped even for a vulcan. I just don’t get it!” Addison said. “We all navigate life differently!” Liz said.
“Do i look ok?”ryian said. “You look great but i might be biased. “Addison said. “I hope it is not too hot on Vulcan. First time i almost passed out!”ryian said. “Should be interesting !”liz said.”yes indeed!”she said.
Planet Vulcan
Villege of shikahr
Addison had hanah in a baby carier. Ryian held little sarek’s hand. Ryian rang the bell. Sarek and amanda were wating for hin. She made the Vulcan silute. Many non Vulcans found it difficult to do but Addison was determined to learn.
“Peace and long life ambassador !” Addison said. “Live long and prosper Addison ! It is highly agreable to see you again ! ” sarek said. “Its great to see you too. It has been too long!”amanda said.
“Greating uncle sarek!” His nameshake said. Sarek picked him up. “Seing him brings back memories of my two boys. “Sarek said. “Two?” Addison said.
” Yes i have another son beside spock. He folwed a path orther then one if surek. He was banished from Vulcan never to return. I am not sure why i think of him now! “Sarek said. “I can’t imagine spock as a child . I asumed he was born an adult!”Addison said. “It seemed that way to me!”amanda said.
Dinner
“So the whole federation is a talking about the fact that romulpns share a resembolence to Vulcans!” Sarek said. “It has created quite a stir!”amanda said. “I figured. I was griled by a hundred admirals and the entire federation bureacracy! “She said.”the federation council has hevily debated it. There are legends of mass exodas from our world folowing surek’s reforms! I suspect the romulons are desendents of one of those groups. There manorism fit. “Sarek said.
“Do you think some day we will be able to develop an understanding between our two peoples?” Addison asked. “Perhaps . In time. Right now they seam interested in conquest ,expansion. I am not sure we have a clear enough picture of them! We have only seen one side of them. We have only seen there military ,surely there are other facets to there society !” He said.
Uss enterprise
The prefect decided to return home. Tisek had wanted to be alone with his betrothed. He wanted to catch up with her. ” Sotril how has thou faired sense i last saw you!”he asked . “I am doing well! I am in good health and contribiting to the ship in a productive mannor!”she said. “I have never doubted that. You excel in whatever you do. You would have it no orther way. I find that admirible. ” She said. “I understand you are are going to chair the archeology and anthopology department at the Vulcan science academy ?” She asked. “Yes profesor tikarm has been apointed to the upper house and wants to devote his time to that. It is a great hournor. I was not expecting the offer. I stil am planing to go on an expedition on tranimede. I might take some of my students !”he said.
“I wondered about that ! You have wanted to go there for some time! It would be a shame to have to abandon that!”she said. “Indeed. I almost turned down the apointment but the elders were wiling to let me go. This is considerable interest in the expedition. “He said.
“I too have interest in the expedition! “She said. “I find it quite agreible that you consented to our mating sotril. I was beginning to think that you would never say yes. “She said.
“I never rush into anything ! “”She said. ” I know that. I apreciate that about you. I too try to chose my path carefully !” He said. “I know that. I admire you for that!”she said. ” You are making the corect decision by uniting with me ! “He said. “Of course!” She said.
  Later on little sarek was playing on the floor. Sarek and Addison were talking. “I heard about the incident with miss cransaw! ” sarek said. “It was not how i planed it to go!”she said. ” it must have been taxing on you!” He said. “I am fine ambassador ! I have moved on!” She asured him. “I don’t believe you on this. I know thee well enough to know that’s not true!” He said. “I am suprised to hear this from you!” She said. “I have to say it because no one else will. I outrank thee. I have nothing to lose by pointing it out!” He said.” True!  Ok yes it took its toll on me. I am not totally out of it! “She said.
“Though i have mastered control of emotion far better then many of my contemporaries ,i would have difficult time with this were it me. I can’t imagine someone who does express emotion to deal with this!” He said. “Its not easy!” She said.
” How are you doing with what happened?”amanda asked. “Oficialy I’m taking it in stride. Unoficialy i am a total wreck. The worse part of it ,when we thought they had been killed,addy did not want to talk to me.she feard i would be mad at her for her decision. The truth is i don’t know that i would have made a different chioce. There was no right answer. I was not interested in blame. I feard things would never be the same between us. We needed eachother but i don’t know if we could do it! “He said.
“You two are perfect for eachorther! Don’t doubt that. “Amanda said. “I won’t!”he said.
Enterprise
“You have been hear the whole time ?”reily asked. “I am doing some reserch!” Tim said. “Did you find what your looking for?” Keven asked. “I think i did!” He said.
  After reterning to the enterprise,Addison went to the bridge to check on things. ” Addison may i talk to for a minute ?”he asked. “Sure! Lets go to the brefing room!”she sugested.
They went to the confrence room.”i understand you know ambassador sarek?”tim said. “I do!”she said. “I understand he is traned in Vulcan martial arts. “He said. “He is one of the most skilled why?”she said. “I was hoping he would train me! “Tim said. “Train you? “She asked. ” i intend to challenge tisek for the right to marry sotril!”tim said.
End of part 3

The challenge part two

“Captain’s log,usually an anouncement of mariege is a joyous proclimation. Although vulcans supress all emotion,usually they can come to the conclusion that sutch an arangement is agreible and logical. With my first officer i don’t sense that. Something is off. I am just not sure what it is !”
” your getting maried?”addison asked. “Yes!  Tisek has been trying to get me to constent to a  bethothal for some time! I have finally relented!”she said.
“You never mentioned that you were engaged!”adison commented. “It is a private matter captain. Sense vulcan exercize non emotion we usually keep things low key!”sotril said.
“I have spent a lot of time with your people. I have a lot of friends who are vulcans. I aficiated a vulcan weding while in command of the athena. I have observed that while there is not emotion,there is a conection. Is there not between you and tisek?”she asked.
“Iam highly suportive of this notion. You have no cause to be concerned!”sotril said.
“Ok! I trust you! I am stil going to be concerned. It is in my nature! Alright! Congradulations!”she said. “Thank you!”she said. She left the room. The door closed behind her.
Rec room
“You hear that we are on a new mission tim!” Lt. Keven reilly said. “Are we colecting gasious enomilies or potroling the nutral zone!”lt. Tim mathews asked. “You have not heard ?”reily said.
“No i have not! What is it?”mathews asked. “It seams our first officer is getting maried!”reily said. ” She is! To who let me gues noble tisek! “He said.
“Woa! You seam to have inside information ! You holding out on me timmy! “Reily asked. ” She said yes to him! Look i don’t want to talk about it!”he got up and picked up his food tray. ” Where are you going? You stil have food left!”reily said. “I’m suddenly not very hungery! ” mathews said.
“Timmy you ok?” Reily asked. “I’m fine kev!” Mathews said. He got up and took his food into the recycling unit. Then he left the rec room. The door closed.
He went straight to his qurters. He sat on his bed. He went over to one of the draws and opened it. He pulled out a picture. He was not sure why he kept it. There was him and sotril. He had his arm around her. He was beaming. She was stoic of course. The event seamed like yesterday.
“What are you doing ? “Sotril asked. ” I want to capture this!”he said. He took out an imaginer. “Why do you human incist on capturing every moment on a device. Your brain is capible of storing the memory! This is highly ilogical!” She said.
” I don’t need to capture every moment but this one is special !” Tim said. “Very well procede!”she said. He put his arm around her. He clicked the picture.
Once that was a precious memory. Now it was a bitter reminder. He decided to put the picture back in the draw. He closed it.
Uss enterprise
Bridge
“Now nearing the planet vulcan!”ryian said. ” Asume standered orbit!”addison ordered. “Standered orbit aye!”lt. Dassale said. “We are in standered orbit!” Ryian said. “Vulcan central welcomes us! ” lt. Palmer said. “Acknowledge the greating audry!”addison said.”you got it! ” palmer said.
“It is good to be back on vulcan! “Addison said. “I hear it is very hot on vulcan!”yeoman smith said. “It is very. After a while you get use to it your body ajust!” Ryian said. “Myine does. Not! “Dr. Pipper said.
“Ambassador sarek has requestes at his home tonight adison!”palmer said. “I figured. Tell them my family will be in attendence!” Addison said. “You got it!”palmer said.
” Commander the prefect and his son would like to come abored!”lt. Palmer said. “Of course! Commander with me! You have the bridge gioto! ” she said. “Aye sir!”the security commander said.
Transporter room
“Ready on your orders !”transporter chief takigawa said.” Enerzize chief! ” the captain said. The chief activated the control. On the pad the two emergined. Addison and sotril wore the green dress uniform.
“Welcome abored prefect! I am captain addison mccomic. You know commander sotril!” Addison said.
“It is agreible to see you again !”the prefect said. “And you prefect. I am hournored to have the privledge of joining your family . I do not take this union lighly but consider it a solum responsiblity!”sotril said.
“The hournor is ours. We are privledged to have you in our family. You brought much hournor to your family and to your people !”the prefect sargrin said.
“Hello sotril! Convincing her to mary me took some doing. Sotril never rushes into anything . I can apreciate that. It is a favorible thing that she has agreed to this union!”tisek said. “Yes. I wish you both all the best!” Addison said. They thanked her.
  Tim’s qurters
“Computor !”he said. The computor lit up and made noises.”working!” The computor said. “Show me vulcan metrimonial law!” He said. It was displayed.
End of part two.

“The challenge !”

” Captain’s log we have just completed the sucesfull escort of a colonial transports to the new colony of nova prime. The colony has begin to get settled in and shows signs of much progress. I believe it will be a fine adition to the galaxy and to the federation. I am looking foward to following its progress in the coming weeks years and beyond !”
The captain was in her office feeding her daughter. Her son was playing on the floor. “Lunch is served!”yeoman smith said. “Oh thank you. Please put in on the table. Let me gues dr. Pipper did the menu!”she said. “He did! He incisted that it meet its required dietary needs! “Smith said. “Of course it did! Why am i not suprised? “She said. Yeoman smith put it down. “Addy? I am curious about something !”She asked. “What ut it?” She asked. ” Why is your son named sarek?”she asked.
“OH! i was escorting ambasador sarek to an important negocition.the shartle had to evade the Klingons. I went into labor a few weeks early. He helped deliver my son. So to thank him,i named him sarek in his hournor!”adison said. “I see! Do you think he will folow in the ambasasor’s shoes?” She asked. “You never know!” Adison said. With that the yeaman left. The door closed behind them.
“Can you say ilogical”addy asked. “Iwaical”he said. She laughed. “Close enough!”she responded.
“Bridge to captain!” Lt. Palmer said. “Go ahead lt! “She said.” You have an incoming mesege from admiral komack. “The com officer said. “I will take it down hear audry!”she said. ” Transfering now!”palmer said. The com officer transfered the message to the monitor in her qurters.
“Hello admiral!”she said. “Hi adison good work on that colony! ” he said. “Thank you why do i have a feeling that that is not why you called. “She asked. “It was not. Are you ready for your next asignment?”he asked. “I figured it was coming'”she said. “Not sighseing in the ormond nebula'”the admiral said. “Very well! “She said.
“The son of the vulcan prefect is getting maried! I would like the enterprise to be in atendence!”the admiral said. “You do now the enterprise is a constitution class starship. One of the premer ships of the line?”he asked.”that is why the prefect himself requested the presence of the enterprise. This is deemed a very important mission by star fleet and the council!” The admiral said.
“Very well. Will ambassador sarek be there. I would love to see him and his wife?” She asked. “He will be. Most of the whose who of the federation and of vulcan will be there!”admiral komack said. ” i figured!” She said.
She had lt. Dasale ajust the course and head for vulcan. Dasale and ryan set the course and engaged it. The ship was off.
After a while the chime rang. “Come in!” Adison said. The door opened,it was commander sotril. ” come on in!”she said. “I understand we are heading to vulcan?”sotril asked. “Yes if you want to spend some time at home ,that is perfecly fine. I have no idea when we will be coming this way again !” Adison said.
“There is something i need to tell you! ” she said. ” Ok! “Adison said. “I am marying the son of the prefect!” She declared.
End of part one.