=/\= Sas-a-Shar (The Forge), T'Karath Sanctuary =/\=
9th Day in the month of T'lakht, YS 9022
"Ah him," Brent said with a slight frown creasing his features. Itsak, or however you pronounced that name. He let out a sigh, rubbing where she had scratched him there. Apparently itching was a result of being scratched by a Vulcan in a dream. Who knew. He looked down at Sakarra, feeling concern for her and how she was handling all of this... He hoped that she would be able to make her way out of it. He wanted to help as much as he could, but... A great feeling of inadequacy overwhelmed him whenever she discussed such things. "What was it about him that made you cry out like that and scratch me," he asked quietly. "I showed you, and told you how he met his end... Is it because you still believe that you should hurt him more for what he has done?"
"No, my love. No."
Ah, how did you explain what even she herself could barely name?
And then she almost laughed again when a wave of tenderness welled up from deep inside, engulfed her, drove the shadows away like darkness flees before Nevasa's light. Here he was, having trekked after his love through the Forge itself, barely escaped the deadly Sandfire only to end up stuck in an underground chamber with a Vulcan and a Sehlat, and as if that were not enough, had been assaulted for his troubles. And still there was nothing but concern for her, a deeply rooted desire to see her well, to hold her safe, and nothing else mattered in the determined, impossible male's mind.
Inadequate indeed.
Long-lived as they are, many Vulcans spend their lifetimes without ever experiencing one of those rare, fleeting moments of utter clarity, when pieces seem to fall into place without apparent reason, and for a heartbeat that is eternity, you understand.
"No, my love." Soft, tender, melodious, her voice floated through the still, dusty air and the unsettled Sehlat stopped his plaintive rumbling to twitch his ears.
"I wanted to, that is true. And I would have. You saved me from having to live with that burden. But no. It's what he … forced me to see about myself that hurts, and that made me afraid. And it may hurt for a while longer, I do not know."
Neither guileless nor innocent her beloved still had that streak of raw nobility, simple, straight and true that made her heart ache when she saw her face reflected in his deep ocean blue gaze. Her face … and so much more. All that he felt for her, a well of wordless emotion, all that she was to him. If the other one had forced her to face the dark mirror, Brent lovingly showed her the bright.
Inadequate. Sand and Seas, how he ever could think such a thing was beyond her.
"But it is nothing I can't bear. As long as you are here, I can bear it." Giving his chest an eloquent look Sakarra quirked a brow, and then sniffed the air which thankfully now smelled more of water than of blood. "And knowing you, you will promptly deny that my … behavior may be troublesome. Say, is it me or does that water smell of lithium?"
He listened to what she had said. He was about to say something in response when she interrupted him and told him that she could bear it as long as he was here. That made him smile. Brent wasn't sure just exactly what he had done, but whatever it was, he was sure that he should try to do it again sometime soon. Once she mentioned the lithium in the air he looked at her inquisitively for a moment before he chuckled.
"Why yes my dear, and if you give me a few more moments I will tell you how many of its electrons are in the excited state," he replied gently patting her back. What he really wanted to do was give her rear end a little smack for that question. Does it taste like Lithium. What the hell does Lithium taste like? "I can taste something metallic in the air, and there is definitely moisture in the air, at least a noticeable difference to the desert above. What does it mean if it is indeed Lithium?"
"It means," Sakarra's stern gaze was unfortunately ruined by the fact that her Companion could well sense the chuckle bubbling inside her, though anyone else would have been hard pressed to detect even a hint of it "that we are likely sitting on top of an active lava flow right now. Which would also explain the rather pitiful state of the furniture in here, the warmth, and the cracks in solid rock walls. Some time in between this sanctuary being abandoned and now, there must have been a substantial earthquake."
Frying pan and fire. That was the phrase. Though she could not sense any imminent danger, no pressure alarmingly exceeding that which was to be expected this deep underground. Still, her curiosity was sparked and unfortunately her sudden alertness also meant her body now found it prudent to remind her of another important matter. Food.
To put it mildly, she was starving.
And as curious about what had happened to the old well as a little feline who has just glimpsed its first ball of wool.
Thirsty, too.
And with a suddenness that made her heart skip several beats - very, very aware of how close she was cradled in her beloved's arms.
One at a time.
"Brent? Would you consider it inappropriate if I asked you to kiss me now?"
Vulcans have their priorities.
"Oh good. I haven't had to run for my life in several hours," Brent said very unamused at the idea of being on top of a lava flow. Hopefully it was the kind that was slow moving so he could do it easily. Whatever that mineral that made lava as thick. Yeah he hoped there was a lot of that. He was just about to speak up again to tell Sakarra his thoughts about lava and how much he disliked it, when she asked him to kiss her. He slowly began to play back through what she had just been thinking and he smiled. "I think that can be arranged yes."
"Oh, good." Was about all Sakarra managed before there was no speaking for a long, wonderful while.
With his arms around her Brent kissed the woman he loved with all of the pent up love and passion he had felt for her in the past week. It was quite possibly the best kiss he had ever had. So soothing, relaxing. It was like a reminder that everything he had gone through, everything he had done... It was alright, things had turned out ok in the end. He held his love in the embrace for sometime, refusing to let go or to stop feeling this bit of passion. Ah but then he heard the faint sound of a rumble, and it was not from the cave itself. Nor was it from that massive tiger like thing she hauled around with her. Brent was not that hungry yet... And so that left only one other person. He broke the kiss with a chuckle, before one of his hands withdrew the two rations from inside his cloth jacket. "Well, I'm guessing that means its dinner time hmm?" he said with a wink at Sakarra. "Half and half my love? Ration yours how you see fit hm? I'll have half of mine now and half of it later," he said offering one to her and keeping the other for himself.
It was a kiss to drown in. A kiss … no, not to die for. To live for, so you could have it again, and again, untold times, for all tomorrows. And Sakarra would have been quite content to bask in this unabashed outpour of love for all eternity, too.
As it happened, being alive and remembering it at last had … side effects.
Some of these days she would have to address her biofeedback control. Right now however, she was about as ashamed of appearing mortal and fallible by actually letting someone hear her stomach growl as a Sehlat was ashamed of knocking over a tree. It happened. And her beloved after all was far from being 'someone'.
Catching her breath and resisting the urge to purr and curl up in Brent's lap before making him continue what he started, Sakarra graciously accepted the offered food – or cardboard, as it were – and gave her beloved one of the rare, bright smiles reserved for him alone. Of course he was acting logically under the circumstances, but it only made the gesture more … touching. To her at least, and well he knew what sharing food like this meant to one of her kind.
Cheese and … what?
Tearing open the package, the Vulcan gave the yellowish substance a puzzled look but her nose did not alert her to anything harmful or indigestible. Merely an interesting culinary experience.
"Brent? What is …" she glanced at the silvery foil again and still the Federation standard letters were not quite making sense "What is a Mac?"
=/\= To be continued … =/\=
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Executive Officer
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS Charon
