• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Thelin tried to compose a reply that would express his understanding of Sarek’s sorrow while remaining respectful to Vulcan mores of logic and emotional restraint. But before he could solve the conundrum, the door slid open and a pretty, young Andorian girl-a zhen-entered, and immediately approached him.

“Hello, Thelin,” she said quickly and with a bit of nervousness. “I’m very sorry…I know you’re with the ambassador and all, but you have a call from Thali, and…well, she says it’s really important.”

Mortified, Thelin sheepishly looked over at Sarek before responding to the young girl. “Zheva, I’m terribly busy here. Was this some kind of emergency?”

Zheva’s antennae turned inward, expressing her uncertainty, and she opened her mouth to reply, but Sarek silenced her with a wave of his hand before turning to Thelin. “It’s all right. Go and attend to your affairs. I will remain here and try to learn more about your team’s timely discovery.”

Thelin remained unsure what to do. He had not heard from Thali in some time, which was unusual and had caused him some concern as of late. After all, they had been betrothed for a few years now. But they were not yet legally permitted to marry. Such decisions required the approval of the Eveste Elders-an enclave whose sole purpose was to determine which Andorian quads were most suitable for reproduction. Given the complexity of Andorian sexuality, requiring marriages in groups of four, public concern about the declining Andorian population had grown in recent years, and thus the Council had enacted a complex set of laws and regulations regarding the arrangement of the shelthreth marriage bonds.

Having known each other since early childhood, Thelin had followed the somewhat tragic circumstances that led to the dissolution of Thali’s own marriage bond, involving the untimely death of one member and the emotional breakdown of another, before the shelthreth had produced any offspring. Which was why, following his five-year stint aboard the Enterprise, Thelin had been honored by Thali’s request that he return to Andor to join her, and to petition the Elders to approve a new arrangement. Owing to the circumstances of his youth, he had never been bonded himself. Nevertheless, he felt rather strongly his social and familial responsibility to produce children…even though it had meant giving up an assured promotion to a captaincy. If Thali had to speak with him regarding a matter of some urgency, he felt obligated to listen. “Thank you for your understanding, Ambassador,” he said with a slight bow to Sarek. “I shall try to rejoin you as quickly as possible.”

Thelin turned and quickly exited the lab with Zheva closely following him. “Would you please send the transmission to my office, Zheva?” he said.

“Of course,” Zheva replied. They both reached the T at the end of the corridor and went separate ways. Thelin passed a couple of offices before turning in to one that bore his name on a plaque, and the door promptly slid aside to permit his entry.

“Lights,” he commanded, and the illumination flooded the small room, revealing the sparse decor of his office at the Institute. A few shelves hung from the far wall with odd knickknacks, a holo-image of his zhavey, and a few padds loaded with science manuals and research documents, hastily placed for future reference. But the rest of the walls were mostly barren.

Thelin promptly seated himself at his desk and pulled the display monitor close to him. “Computer, incoming transmissions,” he said.

“One active communication,” the computer responded. “Thali sh’Dani currently on hold.”

“Answer,” Thelin said, and the screen flickered to life, revealing a middle-aged Andorian shen, her deep-blue skin much darker than Thelin’s own pale complexion, her thick white hair coiffed in a full-bodied style adorned with a few small braids hanging down the sides and across her face-a face which bore a deeply troubled expression.

“My sh’za!” Thelin said. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you this week. Is everything