Chapter Text
The Rites of T’een Ani
She’d lost her first career to search for Roger and her second climb up the career ladder had been cut short by Kirk reappointing McCoy as CMO of the Enterprise. Bruised again and picking herself up she had taken Fleet’s offer of command school as a consolation prize. Six months of command school hadn't really been difficult. Learning the rules and regulations was all it was. Sitting in her office a Fleet Medical headquarters she received an order packet.
She was to be assigned to Emergency Operations beginning in five days. She would be part of a team that she selected to work together with a Vulcan ops team on developing the procedures, rules and structure of Federation wide Emergency Ops. Quite an honor! Going out into space again did not cheer her and she read through more of the particulars and came upon Ambassdor Sarek’s name. Sarek! Sarek was leading the team?! There was always an emergency somewhere and they would all be travelling on the USS Clara Barton to a few hotspots. Chapel knew hotspots well. They had caused her Dark Night of the Soul years ago.
Sighing, she disciplined herself internally to acceptance. Orders were orders. Sarek and the Vulcans should be interesting. The time frame was fluid, no idea when she would be back. She always let her family know her schedule and she was glad she could squeeze Christmas in before they left.
Chapel began clearing out her files and correspondence and tidying her office in anticipation of a long deployment. At 3 or so in the afternoon a priority message came through, and she opened it immediately. Efficient as ever it was from Sarek. Naturally he wanted to meet with her ASAP. Admitting that she was more than a little daunted, the message stayed unanswered for an hour while she toiled and worked off her anxiety. Resigned then, she quickly sent an answer in the politest language at her command. Vulcans loved formality. She had refused to think about Vulcans for a long time now.
Sarek did not arrive until about 5 or so. She had cut her hair very short with spikey bangs after leaving Enterprise, in a fit of rebellion. She had changed her makeup, recolored her hair a mistier gentler blonde and made her eyes bolder and more challenging. She called it her “Ice Queen” look. A new assignment and a new rank called for a new hairdo. Sarek arrived as grave as she had ever remembered him and greeted her formally.
“Dr. Chapel. I trust my visit finds you well.”
Trying to stand formally but relaxed she did not smile but her eyes did. “I am well Ambassador. Much better than I have been. I am gratified Doctor McCoy’s work has kept you in such fine health.”
“Dr. McCoy is a fine surgeon. I do remember you from that time.”
“Yes.” the smile in her eyes deepened. “I was your Cardiac Care nurse.” He didn’t reply so she said. “How is Amanda?”
He paused. “Her mother is worrying her. She’s nearly ninety now.”
“I’m so sorry. I’ll be having to deal with that myself before too many decades go by.” She indicated a seat. “Please. Sit.”
He sat on a supremely modern type of sofa that curved around a corner of the room. Chapel sat two seat cushions away.
He steepled his fingers like someone she remembered and said “I apologize for the haste with which we are leaving. A large volcanic caldera is threatening to explode on Beltane IX. Volcanic eruptions are already beginning in more remote regions on the central plain. According to their geologists the caldera when it erupts will deposit tens of feet of hot volcanic ash for millions of square kilometers, ending large cities and killing tens of millions. A super volcano I believe you call it.”
“Yellowstone.” She breathed.
“Yes. Very like it. There are already refugees who need to be moved and the local government is handling that, but we could have millions of casualties and we need the transporter capacity of a starship. We also need their engineers and geologists to analyze how to relieve the pressure of the caldera with as little damage as possible.”
“Do have a White Paper on the situation?”
He nodded. “I do. I will have it for you when we embark.” He looked disturbed. “We will rendezvous with the USS Sturges and then with its superior speed we will arrive at the planet and meet the Barton with the Gallico.”
They talked technical details for about an hour when she realized she was hungry. She suggested dinner and he rose and mentioned a quiet restaurant on the edge of San Francisco. She approved. The last thing she needed was gossip starting over her dining with the married ambassador.
The place was indeed quiet and dark. It was French and the food was heavenly. She usually did not allow herself to indulge in eating as entertainment which was why she was still slender as a girl. It was not a relaxing conversation, but she felt herself warming to Sarek. He was not at all intimidating and he had the silent gravity, that mystery that had always intrigued her about Vulcans.
After most of the business discussion was finished Sarek began to ask questions.
“I chose you for this assignment I want you to know. Starfleet did recommend several people. I am aware that you knew my son.”
Chapel cursed the blush she felt in her cheeks as he closely observed her. She refused to stammer. “I’ve known your son almost twenty years now. I met him when I was 25 years old.”
“He gave you a very high recommendation. That means something to me.” The waiter took the plates away and they lingered over the wine. Chapel could not keep the irony out of her face. High recommendation, eh? Well, a good way to get rid of an old girlfriend when she was past her sell by date. Janice acquaintance with Spock’s yeoman had clued her in to the closeness between him and Saavik, the current “It” girl to be the new First Officer.
Sarek pretended not to notice. “Have you chosen your team?”
“Yes. It will be myself and three others. I will send you the particulars on them when I get back from Christmas with my parents.”
“That will be adequate.” Sarek approved of her devotion to her family. The solemn feast of Christmas he could not have failed to notice in all his decades interacting with humans. “You will be ready then?”
“In three days we embark. I will be ready.”
“Excellent. Your father I understand runs a commercial company that makes privately owned warp capable vessels.”
“My father is an unstoppable force. It is very difficult to travel in deep space relying solely on Starfleet. It’s a huge undertaking. He hires a lot of retired Starfleet engineers.”
Sarek had learned a lot about how to interact with humans. He got her talking about herself until she relaxed. He was not unaware of how aesthetically pleasing she was. He let her talk while he absently admired her soft childlike face and wide set blue eyes. The dinner ended amicably, and they set the date for departure. He had much to discuss with his staff and preparations, but they could wait until tomorrow.