Chapter 1 – The Xyrillians
Selek couldn’t see anything, but the sound of two voices nearby made him feel like a child hiding in a dark closet, eavesdropping on a private conversation.
Go ahead and look, you’re the one with a human ancestor. Careful, it’s your first Vulcan.
Another replied after a few moments.
Lots of great stuff here. Military and survival training, a real sword master. He’s the type who knows when to keep his mouth shut.
Don’t get too distracted. What else?
There was another pause before the voice continued.
Some fun details. He likes spicy noodles. His favorite band is The Smiths. Typical Vulcan, likes males as much as much females. Prefers melee to ranged fighting but he’s a decent archer. Interesting times at the Military Academy. The stars in the desert are something else. But…oh? Wait…
Selek didn’t feel it, but he heard something like a metallic thud, and had the distinct impression that someone had just walked into a lamp post wall mid-sentence.
The first voice replied with a laugh.
I warnedtold you, Vulcans can do that. What did you see?
He fought the Kal If Fe recently. Some of the scars are permanent. I can see his mate, but…She’s wearing some kind of bag? Ow, it smacked me hard!
He’ll never let you in there. They teach them how to block almost everything in childhood. Vulcans are composed until it comes to mating, then they literally go insane. Come on, we don’t have much time.
The darkness shuddered and broke, dissolving like a thousand insects disturbed by a sudden light.
It’s not exactly a dream, the second voice said, it’s a memory. You can’t get hurt. Don’t be afraid.
Selek opened his eyes. He thought he was back on the ship for a moment.
He was standing in a corridor, behind a door with a large window, and had a clear view of the room inside. It was not filled with his Vulcan crew, but lined with humans, and they were wearing a vaguely familiar uniform.
A row of cadets was standing at attention to his left. His eyes ran down the line and stopped at the end. The last cadet in line was looking at the window, towards him.
Except that they didn’t seem to be a cadet. Selek didn’t expect every ensign on the Enterprise to be human, but this was a Xyrillian, and although this race was known to humans they weren’t serving on each other’s ships. Those kinds of partnerships were still at least decades away.
Plus, she seemed to be wearing a Xyrillian uniform, and with the symbols that denoted her as Captain of her own ship. He guessed from her size that her sex was female.
What was she doing here?
What was he doing here?
Where was here?
She smiled and waved.
Selek jumped a bit. It was not a mistake or coincidence. She was looking straight at him.
Then she discreetly pointed to the person who was speaking to the troops and walking towards the door he was standing behind.
There was a hiss, the door opened suddenly, and Selek caught his breath. A younger version of Sub-Commander T’Pol strode through the door and down the hallway. A line of cadets followed and the one that had spoken to him was the last to leave.
“Selek!” The XyrillianShe smiled at him as they strode by. “Welcome to the Enterprise!”
SAnd she gestured for him to follow.
[KA1]A “rupture” – Mack and Athyelle are going to have their own adventure. They aren’t needed here and we’d rather hear about T’Nedara and Selek
