Affinity For a Species Has Its Limits

“Clipping Clue-Pons” POV CHALLENGE

Affinity for a Species Has Its Limits

By Linda

Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters and am not making any money off this story.
Genre: POV Challenge, angst
Summary: Ambassador Soval is having one of those days. Again.

The Vulcan ambassador to Earth snapped the sleeve of his meditation robe to the side so he could stab a long finger into the communicator activation button. Humans! Just when I think I can finally get through a Terran day without one of them irritating me, they find a new approach. I have made it clear that unless the planet is about to explode, no one, and I mean NO ONE, is to interrupt my meditation.

The human whose visage appeared on the screen had the sense to look extremely apologetic. “Good morning, sir.”

“What is it Ensign Stevens?”

“Sir, the admiral would like to speak to you privately at your earliest possible convenience.”

Soval gave the young human a penetrating glare. “Convenience is something I rarely find on your world, so kindly put the admiral through.”

On the screen, the admiral’s hair retained some of its youthful straw color, Soval noted, unlike Soval’s own achievement of completely silver coverage. Illogically, this gave Soval a feeling of being the dignified elder in their relationship. But the hundred-year difference in their ages did not add to the expectation of deference Soval liked to have. At an equivalent position in their life spans, Soval noted that a human seemed just as worldly-wise as a Vulcan, despite the Vulcan’s greater number of years. It was all part of that underlying fear and awe that Vulcans had for this upstart species.

“What is the latest emergency that needs my personal attention admiral?”

The admiral swallowed. “Sir, I regret to inform you that Dr. Sivik, currently a vice chancellor at Harvard University, has a son, Varon, who has…apparently…ah…run away from home with the intention of enlisting in Starfleet. Dr. Sivik was quite adamant that we inform you of this fact. The boy, as a resident alien, has reached his majority by Terran standards. Having passed his physical, the recruiter could find no reason to deny the boy enlistment on any grounds we can come up with. When I explained this to Dr. Sivik, sir, he turned a deeper color than I have ever seen, even on yourself. He insisted I personally inform you of his son’s action so you could extract the boy from Starfleet by some provision in the Terran/Vulcan alliance accords or some Vulcan statute prohibiting service by Vulcans in out-world military structures.

“Admiral, I do think I can be of some service here. The boy is eighteen years old, is he not?”

“Yes, just last week, according to his father.”

“Good,” quipped Soval, “Vulcans are considered to be children until they reach their thirtieth year. The boy will need his father’s permission to join Starfleet, which he obviously does not have. Where is the boy now?”

“On a bus going to our non-commissioned crew training center in Biloxi Mississippi.”

“When will the bus arrive in Biloxi?”

“18:00 today.”

Soval buzzed for his assistant while still speaking to the admiral: “I will have an aide from the embassy there to meet the bus. He will return the boy to his father in an embassy vehicle. Consider this incident closed, admiral. By the way, do you happen to know what motivated this illogical action?”

Admiral Jeffrey Holmes sighed. “Well, sir, it seems the boy has a great admiration for Commander T’Pol. He has been avidly following her career in the media.”

“Thank you, admiral, for your prompt attention to this matter. Good day to you.”

Soval paced his office in his meditation robe. Too restless to meditate, he ripped off the robe and threw it on a chair in a very un-Vulcan-like fashion. Perhaps a game of racquet ball with the newest and most junior member of his staff – the individual who had let the Starfleet call through - would settle his current level of agitation. These new employees needed to be properly intimidated so they would learn not to put such calls through during his meditation time, which he had sternly informed them, was precisely 7:46 to 8:16, and 17:16 to 17:46, every day. However, he knew he would be receiving more of these calls and would have to deal with them personally. Vulcans expected this level of service from their embassy.

Soval also knew he could not extract T’Pol from Starfleet like he could a hero-worshiping youth. Besides, the media would not be letting up on T’Pol as long as the Enterprise continued to fascinate the public with reports of the successes of each new mission. And then, T’Pol was committed to her Starfleet career for ethical reasons. If that was not enough, having served for several years with the same crew under extreme circumstances, there was a strong bond of mutual commitment. But above all, and this really got his green blood boiling, the last time he had talked with T’Pol alone, it had only taken a light brush of his hand against her forearm to detect a mating bond. WITH A HUMAN! So, no! What was the Human expression? Ah – ‘over his dead body’ was Soval going to let any more Vulcans get into Starfleet.

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

Heh. Cranky!Soval on display! Good job!

LOVE IT, Linda! I absolutely LOVE it. I'm curious now to find out what happens with the runaway. Can you continue this story on Soval's Annex maybe? Might be fun if the kid outwits his pursuers and stays in Starfleet. How would a Vulcan child respond to basic training, I wonder? Are Vulcan children more emotional than Vulcan adults? Methinks it's an intriguing idea for a story... especially if Ambassador Cranky learns a lesson in the process. What if the boy was BORN on Earth and therefore has dual citizenship? He would then be legally enlisted, and he might HAVE to remain unless there's a medical reason for him to be discharged. How long HAVE the Vulcans been on Earth at this point, anyway? : )

Hey Distracted, you have lots of intreging ideas to continue with these characters! I will have to see what I can do with them. Thanks!

Oh, the Vulcans have been on earth 100 years by Soval's time, if First Contact was mid 21st century. But that is not counting the Carbon Creek brood which has been around since mid 20th century - at least in my stories. Of course that is a mixed bunch. Then there are those Irish elves that everyone sees only when they are a little tipsy. But that is another story for sure, and those elves keep to themselves...mostly!

Linda,

Fabulous story!!!
Distracted,
Great ideas! Soval's Annex could use some action!

Gotta love cranky Soval! Haha, great story Linda.

Very amusing, Linda! I guess no one had better interrupt Soval's meditation again, huh, LOL! I'd be interested in the continuation of this with the runaway too. Lots of possiblities there. Thanks for the insight into cranky Soval. :)

Hee hee! Oh, Ambassador Cranky, what are we going to do with you? Great stuff, Linda! :)

I like it. I always knew Soval liked to beat up on his junior officers to blow off some steam. Well done. T

More please like how Soval deals with the kid lol!!