Title: After the Rescue

Part: NEW 57/73

Author: Karmen Ghia, karmen_ghia@yahoo.com

Series: TOS

Romance Code: S/Mc and then some.

Rating: NC-17

Appendices: http://members.tripod.com/karmen_ghia/atrappendices.html

Legend: * * * separates events in time; ~ separates events that are more or less simultaneous.

See part one for disclaimers, etc.

Maja returned to the patio in a better frame of mind now that he had something to look forward to. Sarek, tired of waiting, had finally called to ascertain when, if ever, Maja was returning to him. The Vulcan's timing could not have been better.

Amanda and MajaKhat, however, could have chosen a better moment to arrive.

"Your children are running amok in the streets of Shirkar, Master Ghet." MajaKhat informed his fellow master.

"If only such a thing were possible in this town, Klingon," Maja drawled. "I'm on vacation. If you can tear yourself away from the Shirkar A-list social scene for five minutes you might look in on 'our' Commune and see what 'our' children are up to."

"Do you really think I have not?"

"Since I've been in town, I've only seen the back of your head getting into hoverlimos."

"Good afternoon," Sarek said serenely to the party at large. His initial impression of the scene had reminded him of the last days of the last Imfzinian war.

"Ah, there you are!" Maja smiled at him.

"I am not late, am I?"

"You're never late, Sarek." Maja looked behind him. "Did you bring Ling?"

"No, I brought myself. Stez is too busy scraping what's left of our fortune off the floor." Ling was not in the greatest mood. She'd had three arguments thus far today and it wasn't even lunch time. "I need to talk to you. Hullo, everyone." She waved.

"Let's see if T'Pala has enough food to feed all of us." Maja swung round on Ling. "Give me a nano, little sister and I'll be right with you. You can eat with us, yes?"

"Yes, why not? I've no money to manage so my day is very unstructured."

Maja frowned at her and bolted into the kitchen, where he assured T'Pala that everyone loved grains and not to worry about how few vegetables there were to go around. He returned to find everyone seated in the dining room and chatting amicably.

"What do you want, Ling?" Maja said quietly.

"You're going to be subpoenaed to testify in Hobie's trial."

"For whom?"

"The prosecution. Jir's trying to get it undone but he asked me to warn you."

"Can't I avoid it?"

"No."

"I thought brothers could not testify against each other in the Federation," MajaKhat said.

"Ling and I aren't related to Hobie or Jir by blood," Maja told him. "That's all that matters in the Federation courts."

"Jir is trying to get you diplomatic immunity because of your position in the Empire." Ling said.

"D'you think, Sarek?" Maja asked him.

"I am not a judge, Maja, but I doubt it. You are still a Federation citizen." Sarek, thinking of his own subpoena, was sympathetic.

"Oh, well. Are you subpoenaed, Ling?"

"Not yet." Ling nibbled on some crackers T'Pala set near her. "There is another matter."

"Yessss?"

"We're flat fucking broke and the Sas want to throw the party of the century for Hobie's 'liberation' as they are calling it."

"Ever the optimists, those Sas." Maja glanced across the table at McCoy talking quietly to Amanda.

"Qhoshi told them no but they were unimpressed. I told them no and they remain unimpressed. I want you to go straighten them out."

Maja laughed. "They don't listen to me anymore than you, Ling. Have Jir try, he's SaBrzia's favorite." Maja sipped some tea. "Or better yet, let's see if the Commune can't raise some money for it, hey?"

"You mean sell one of the children?" MajaKhat inquired.

"Or their representation," Maja said meaningfully.

Master Khat thought about this for a moment. "Oh no, Gozine, no no no. I will not sell a one of those paintings."

"Fine! I'll sell mine. And the next time you look at one of the Sas sheltering you and the Commune at their own expense and out of their own generous natures that took in four homeless orphan boys so long ago, I hope you feel like the parasite you are, Prince Khat."

The table had fallen silent as Maja's voice rose toward the end of his impassioned speech so there was an awkward moment of silence before MajaKhat answered: "Is zat so?" he snarled.

Maja Talljet did not grace that reply with an answer.

"Do you need money, Maja?" Sarek asked.

"Not yet." Maja turned his attention to the dishes being set before him. "I need food." And began to eat.

"Oh, by the way, Gozine," MajaKhat said. "While you were out, an invitation to a reception for St. Kvivnaz Day came for the Commune. There was a separate one addressed to Hraja with a note from Major KzinivDhalk, urging him to attend."

"Is that Klingon extra stupid or extra wily? He must know about KmordriYhet, they're related by marriage."

"How do you know that?" Ling asked.

"When the major began to show an unhealthy interest in Hraja, I made a few inquiries. He's rich, got good prospects, seemed very affable to me, speaks better Vulcan than most Vulcans. Too bad he's from a weak, minor clan and related to that beast Kmordri." Maja started on his soup, which was thin.

"You can't have been considering handing my son over to him or to anyone, Gozine," MajaKhat asked in a shocked voice.

Maja looked up surprised. "Well, no not really," he lied. 'Only if it would form a useful alliance somewhere,' he added mentally.

MajaKhat dropped the subject before he was forced to hear some twisted Gozineian rationalization. He looked across the table: "Spock," he nodded. "Seems like a very long time since we met on Rovirin."

"Much has transpired in the past ten months," Spock said blandly.

"Yes," McCoy put in, trying to jump start the conversation. "Much."

"Is this your first visit to Shirkar, Captain?" Amanda came to the rescue.

"Yes, it is."

"But not to Vulcan," Maja stated.

"No, not to Vulcan. But the first time in Shirkar," Kirk clarified. "It's a lovely city. Amazing fountains."

"And soon to be another." Sarek turned to Maja. "I saw your sons' fountain design. I hope they win."

"Did you hear Farro's Vulcan fountain philosophy?"

"Yes. Most interesting."

The Majas chuckled, remembering Farro pontificating over dinner one evening.

"Grace Blyton is in town. I met her at a reception a few days ago," Amanda continued. "She'll be pleased to see you."

"There's quite a bit of Star Fleet here for the trial," Kirk said. "Admiral Jessup and his staff, Commodore Wolfe and her flagship, Commodore Yakolev and his flagship..."

"It's a convention," Ling put in.

"It's a warparty," Maja observed.

"Is that the same Yakolev as was on Rovirin?" MajaKhat asked.

They looked at Kirk: "Yes, it is," he answered.

"Ambassador Sdiz is also in Shirkar," Sarek said. "I saw him at the Interplanetary Ministry. He asked about you Talljets."

"I bet. You know he's still after Jir," Ling said.

"And will be until Stonet returns from the dead," Maja said bitterly.

"The Kolinahr are not the dead, Maja," Spock said.

"They are dead to those they leave behind, Spock," Maja said quietly.

"What are we talking about?" MajaKhat asked, annoyed.

"Jir's lover, Stonet, left him for Gol, what? Sixteen, eighteen years ago and Jir never really got over it. Sdiz knows this and has been trying to get into Jir ever since," Ling said. "Although Jir's jumped everything that moved trying to forget Stonet, to his credit, he's resisted the Sdiz."

"Can't be easy to forget Stonet when he sees his brother everyday," Maja said.

"Who is?" MajaKhat asked.

"Storen, Jir's law partner."

"Do any of you Talljets ever have happy romances?" MajaKhat asked.

"Sometimes." Maja and Ling smiled at each other. "So, Kirk," Maja said. "Do you have some time to kill in Shirkar or does StaFlet have you swabbing the decks round the clock or something?"

"Yes, Master Ghet, I have some free time while I'm here."

"And you, Doctor?"

"The same."

"Well then, Spock, why don't you take Kirk to see your farm and I'll take McCoy to meet the Commune," Maja suggested, wanting to get a better idea of the man who'd won Spock's heart.

Spock: "I don't think...."

Kirk: "I never knew you had a farm."

Maja: "It's a wonderful farm."

Spock: "Hardly wonderful, Maja."

Sarek: "It is very productive. More than ever since Spock took over its management."

Ling: "What are you growing out there, Spock?"

Spock: "Vegetable proteins."

Ling: "Hydroponics or underground?"

Spock: "Both."

Ling: "Where are you getting your water?"

Spock: "From the neighboring farm."

Amanda: "From T'Pring's farm?"

Spock: "From her father's farm manager, Mother."

Ling: "Who cut the deal for it?"

Spock: "My farm manager."

Maja stood. "Well, this is fascinating but I've got to go to the Commune. I hear my children are running amok in the streets of Shirkar."

"I, too, have things to attend to this afternoon." Sarek rose. "You will excuse me. Maja, a word with you."

Ling smiled at McCoy: "Well, Doctor? To the farm or to the Commune?"

"What a difficult decision, Ling."

Ling looked at MajaKhat, who said: "I guess you'll be welcome in the Commune later, if you like. Captain Kirk and Spock as well."

"I am banned from the Sa mansion until further notice," Spock said.

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"Because of Maja."

"That's outrageous!"

"Mother, please..."

"I'll see what I can do to get it lifted, Spock." Ling rose as well. "Come along later, or call first."

~

Maja walked Sarek to his car. "Will I see you tonight?" the Vulcan asked.

"Yes, of course. Spock will be elsewhere, and..." Maja looked up at him. "And whatever that was was and isn't anymore."

Sarek smacked two fingers against Maja's lips. "That pleases me, 'tho it should not."

"Why?" Maja laughed.

"My son is a more logical choice for you."

"Damn logic; what has it ever done for us?"

Maja watched Sarek's face close.

"Maja, at Hobie's trial ..."

"Sarek, can you give me lift back to the center?" Ling called from the doorway.

"Yes." He stepped aside to let Ling get in the car. "Maja, we will talk later."

"If we can't find anything better to do with our mouths, yes." Maja made sure Amanda was watching before he leaned forward and pecked Sarek's lips.

"Madcap." Sarek got in the car. "Until tonight, then." He signaled his driver.

Maja swung back up the path and past the little group at the door. "Well, good-bye!" And went to pack up his paints and crayons. He picked out a stack of watercolors and drawings, signed them MT and also with his Klingon rune, gave them to T'Pala and asked her to order a taxi for him and thanked her for the superb meals.

"Are you two coming back to the Sas' with me?" he asked Amanda and MajaKhat. They nodded. "Will I see you later, Terrans? Spock?"

"If you have the ban lifted, yes. I would like to meet the rest of the Commune," Spock said.

"And I've never seen a Klingon Commune," Kirk said.

"Nor I," McCoy added.

"I'll do my best, Spock, even if I have to use logic on poor old SaBrzia." He waved at the approaching vehicle. "Ah, and we go." He nodded at the trio on the steps and was gone.

Spock stepped inside to settle the bill and soon was also gone from the widow T'Pala's lovely garden.

* * *

"Come now, Hobie," Strat complained. "Play me a shuffle."

Hobie obliged and listened carefully to Strat's solo and bettered it when his own came by.

"I am sorry you're in jail but I am not sorry you left Shirkar," Strat informed him.

Hobie leaned over his borrowed lyre: "Tell me again, dahlin', I love to hear it - it makes me feel soooo wonderful."

"I would not have enjoyed competing with you as a lyre player," Strat carefully enunciated across the security field of Hobie's cell. "I might have had to switch to the lute in self defense." He waited for Hobie to stop laughing. "I have missed Maja's singing. Does he still?"

"Of course." Hobie drank some juice. "But we don't get much chance. We are or were busy and dynamic people."

"No doubt, Hobie."

"Let us play some Immans." They did, for quite a while and to the great joy of Hobie's jailers. Strat was the most celebrated lyre player of his generation and Hobie was just a little bit better. For lovers of lyre music it was something of a dream concert.

"We should give a recital when you get out, Hobie." Strat suggested.

"We should," Hobie agreed. "My chops are way up. All I do in here is practice, read and argue with Jir."

"Argue about what?"

"He's out for blood."

"Whose?"

"Can't tell you."

"Hobie, you might not know this but you've got the hottest lawyers from the hottest law firm in the Federation working for you." Strat knew this because he'd had Talljet and Storen negotiate various contracts for him. He was surprised to find he'd only been charged a credit an hour for the work. Jir's response to his note of inquiry was that it was the 'family rate'. Strat followed Jir and Storen's careers because they were old friends and they were, according to the media, great legal minds. "You do want out of here, do you not?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Hobie pick up his lyre. "Play me a shuffle, Strat."

* * *

"This is quite good." Polmira was trying to figure out how to eat the sticky, gooey cake Strig had brought him. "What's it called?"

"Aahsav." The Vulcan youth watched with some interest as Polmira dug in with his long white fingers.

Polmira looked up with delighted eyes. He was enjoying the attention from Strig. They were seldom alone but today he'd managed to find a quiet corner where they could have some privacy. They were seated on the purple couch in Maja's old studio, although they didn't know it was Maja's old studio, they just knew it was remote and they were unlikely to be disturbed. Polmira had led a very sheltered life and was not sure why he did not want them to be disturbed, except that lately it was crucial that they were not disturbed.

Tien and Kalzat were usually camped here but Tien had been sent to finish T'Paga's portrait so he was out and Kalzat was with the Commune regilding the ceiling molding in the ballroom. Polmira might have been with them but he'd plead that he had homework that Strig was helping him with and escaped to this cozy spot.

"This is wonderful," Polmira sighed, licking syrup off his fingers.

He shivered when Strig reached over and took his hand and started to lick the syrup off his fingers for him.

SaCriz pushed the door open and they froze.

"Oh, excuse me. I was just looking for my reader." He looked around the room. "Ah, there it is. Why Tien can't return things is a mystery." He mumbled on his way out, stopped and turned back. "Wait a moment, I remember this," he pointed at Polmira's fingers in Strig's mouth. "I remember this from Spock and Maja." He stepped back into the room. "I remember this leads to trouble." He sat down in a chair by the window. "So. I will just sit here and read for the rest of your visit, Prince Strig." And clicked on the reader.

Polmira pulled out his school bag and he and Strig spent the remainder of the afternoon going over Vulcan grammar and important dates in Vulcan history.

* * *

"They were what?" Maja had to have SaCriz repeat what he'd seen Polmira and Strig doing in Maja's old studio.

"I would have thought Strig would be more decorous," SaCriz observed.

"I wouldn't have thought he'd have that much fire," Maja mused. "But I've been wrong about that before."

"Maja, be serious."

"I am as serious as a meteorite shower." Maja strolled down the stairs and into the huge foyer, which was, now that the front door and the rest of the mansion were operational, almost devoid of furniture.

"Maja!" Svurek scowled at him. "How did you get in here?"

"I climbed over the back fence and onto the third storey balcony so I could get to SaBrzia faster," Maja said factually. "I had something serious to settle with him."

"Well, go round and come in properly."

"Why?"

"The front door works again," Svurek said with a gleam in his eye. "This is the way in and out now."

Maja looked over at SaCriz for guidance. The Vulcan's face was blanker than usual. 'Hochofedra,' he shrugged. 'If it makes the old boy happy, what's the harm?'

Ten minutes later Maja felt like he'd been verbally gutted. Svurek neatly laid out all of Maja's shortcomings before he let him back in.

"The old traditions are the best, Maja," SaCriz comforted. "One must really want to come in here to endure Svurek, and his father before him and his father before him and his father before him, and..."

"I see," Maja interposed. "It's incredible anyone would want to come in here at all."

"Spock's great great great grandfather endured much worse to visit SaKoza when I was a child."

Maja had recovered enough to smile at the old man. "I might have run that gauntlet to visit SaKoza myself." He walked back to Svurek. "Look, you, SaBrzia has lifted the Spock ban so let him and his Star Fleet pals in when they get here." Maja turned away and turned back. "And for god's sake, please, please, please, don't give them a hard time."

"It's my job, Maja."

"So, no one escapes?"

"I greet everyone that seeks to enter this place."

'Greet? Eviscerate, more like,' Maja thought. "Well could you make an exception?" He looked into Svurek's bright eyes, brighter than he'd ever remembered seeing them and realized that the answer was no.

Hearing three sets of footsteps on the walkway, Svurek turned like a hawk wheeling on a hare far below. He swung the door open on the first knock and stood blocking it with his frail body.

Spock hesitated but was reassured seeing Maja behind Svurek.

"I salute this house," Spock said, using the old greeting to, hopefully, impress the old Vulcan. "And beg admittance for myself and visitors to the Shirkar oasis." He was rewarded with a scowl from Svurek but a thumbs up from Maja and an encouraging nod from SaCriz.

"Ya do, huh?" Svurek snarled. "And what in here could possibly tempt a creature like you to want to come in here again, Spock? You've already ruined Maja. Unless you're planning to seduce and abandon his bastard children, I can't see what you want here."

A really horrible silence fell over the group. And then they all jumped.

"What goes on here?!?" Farro demanded from behind Kirk. "I want to come in and the back door is locked. Has a sign says 'please use front door'. Well, of course! Oh, hullo, Spock. Do you see this intricate wrought iron trellis around this recessed porch? I did that. It's magnificent. I'm very proud of it. And Hraja reset these stones and recarved these weird figures...."

"I believe they are symbols for the founding of the Shirkar oasis," Spock informed him, glad to have a reason to turn away from Svurek's disapproving eye.

"Whatever, they're very very," Farro drawled. "But isn't this a great door now?"

"Visually it is quite pleasing," Spock allowed as the youngster stepped past him.

"Okay, I'm home now," Farro announced to Svurek, who seemed, to Farro, to be blocking his entrance.

"I'm not sure I can let you in here," Svurek snarled. "Do you always make this much noise?"

Maja gasped in horror and rushed forward to fling himself in front of his youngest cub. "Don't you even try it, you evil old Vulcan fossil!"

"What's the deal, Master?" Farro whispered.

"Ah. Svurek," SaCriz murmured. "Absolutely tip-top. I can't remember you in better form. I rather think by Spock's face that he is sincere about wanting to come in here and will behave himself this time. As for Farro, well, I'm sure he'll quiet down once he has something to eat, you know how boys are, and he lives here..."

"So do I and I didn't escape," Maja squawked.

"You are also older and more flawed than Farro," SaCriz observed. "You do, however, make fully as much noise as he does." He turned back to Svurek. "So. Bravo! You can let them in knowing you've done some of your best work here." SaCriz made as if to usher the little party on the step inside.

"I haven't greeted the Terrans yet," Svurek said.

"They're Terrans, Svurek, what is there to say?" SaCriz observed mildly.

"True enough, that." Svurek stepped back. "You have the protection and succor of this house as long as you are in it. Strength and fidelity."

"Abundance and wisdom," Spock said as he led them across the threshold. He surprised and impressed the old Vulcans by knowing the ancient greeting and response. T'Pau had explained it to him when he first began to visit Maja in this house. At that time, it had been useless information as this door and Svurek's acid tongue were not in use then.

Maja sent a rather subdued Farro to the Commune for revivification and turned to welcome his guests and introduce the Terrans to SaCriz. "Sorry, I think it's an old custom."

"Very old indeed, Maja." SaCriz told them as they strolled through the restored mansion. "It is from a time when it was not safe to allow any but a sworn ally into your home, near your women and children. That reminds me, Maja, I want you to have a very serious talk with Ling. We Sas sequester our women and that now includes Ling."

"SaGolia isn't sequestered." Maja pointed out.

"She was when she was younger."

"SaCriz, with all due respect to your weird Sa customs, I very much doubt Ling is going to allow herself to be sequestered. Especially now, with the recent currency crash. She says we're flat broke and stop spending money." Maja hoped to direct the conversation onto a safer groove.

"Nonsense. If you refer to the ball we plan for Hobie's liberation, we will borrow the money if necessary," SaCriz said firmly.

"You mean that, don't you?" Maja asked as he had asked whenever SaCriz scolded him for some indiscretion in the past.

"Yes. I do. You see." SaCriz gestured to the huge cavern of a ballroom they had just entered. It was a two storey room with high windows and a mezzanine. The walls and ceiling were painted with murals depicting the founding of the oasis: the first Sas vanquishing strange beasts for the water here. Later in the Sa history, the marriage of SaVren and SoSrita, which forged an alliance and peace ten thousand years before the birth of Surak. The couple were surrounded by priests of the ancient way dressed as animal totems. Further along, scenes from the tragedy of SaSkolta and SiLosknir were depicted. Among the other events in Sa history illustrated were the founding of the mansion, the founding of Shirkar, the prophetess SaDursa discovering the springs that would demarcate the old families' estates around the oasis, and lastly, the last pre-reform head of the Sa clan, SaMizram, leading the other clan leaders and warriors to battle with the Surakian forces.

Spock was fascinated. Some of these murals, he now realized, had illustrated his boyhood Vulcan history texts.

McCoy was impressed by the passion of the murals, their rich colors and sensuous composition.

Kirk estimated the room to be about the size of the shuttlebay on the Enterprise. He was wrong; the room was a little larger.

"Wow!" Maja yelped. "I never knew these were here!" He swung round at Spock. "We used to play in here, remember?" Spock nodded. "Do you remember these?"

"No."

"They were covered with moss at that time, Maja," SaCriz said. "The Commune has done us a great service in restoring them." He nodded to Kalzat, just coming down a ladder.

"Master." He inclined his head to Maja. "That's the last of the goldleaf."

'No wonder Ling is crazed about money,' Maja thought looking around at the vast expanses of gilded molding. "Well done, Kalzat. Do you know Spock, Kirk and McCoy?"

"No," the Klingon said flatly and walked away.

"He's tired," Maja explained. "Goldleafing is a hell."

"I met him on Rovirin, Maja," Spock said.

"He must be very tired if he forgot that, Spock," Maja said. "Well, anyway, come and eat with us and I'll introduce you to the rest of the Commune."

~

end of part 57

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Appendices: http://members.tripod.com/karmen_ghia/atrappendices.html