The BLTS Archive- Tears in The Rain
Five: Memories of Green
by Laura Jacquez Valentine (jacquez@dementia.org)

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Disclaimer: Star Trek and associated characters belong to
Paramount/Viacom.  The title for this story comes from the soundtrack
of _Blade Runner_.  That movie was also the inspiration for the series
name, "Tears In Rain".

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My mother and father would be on this ship again--and how different
the situation!  And...my wife would be with them.  I knew I had to
explain the situation to Jim.  He would not react well to her presence
in any case, but what he might do, unwarned...

I found him in his quarters the night before we reached Vulcan.  "I
must speak to you, Jim, on a personal matter."

He frowned.  "Is something wrong?"

"Not with me.  But...I need to talk to you about tomorrow."

"About your parents?"

"No.  About one who will travel with them."

I have rarely seen him look so puzzled.  "Who?"

"T'Pring."

His face froze.  "What the hell--"

"Jim.  Please.  Listen to me."

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes dark.  "I'm listening."

"T'Pring and I were childhood friends.  We were very close.  Shortly
before what was to be our wedding, I...did something I should not have
done.  What is worse, I failed to explain my actions to her.  What she
did, she did because of a betrayal of the worst kind, and she was well
within her rights to do so.  I did not expect her to do it, but I took
no action that would have prevented her."

He spoke through clenched teeth.  "What could you have done?"

I shrugged.  "If I had contacted her, either through our linked minds
or through conventional means, if I had simply explained--but I did
not. She took that...cutting off of contact as a sign that I did not
want or need her as wife or as friend."  I bowed my head.  "I am
ashamed, Jim. My arrogance and presumption nearly resulted in your
death."

I could feel the anger rolling from him in waves, waves that felt like
the plak tow, clouding my vision with green.  I knew if I unclenched
my hands that they would be shaking.

He stood and began to pace the room.  "So why is she coming here,
Spock?"

"She is my wife, Jim.  She wished to come.  She wanted to see you
again, and make sure that you were...not permanently damaged."

"Your wife?"  He spun and glared at me.  "You said--"

"I did not marry her then, Jim.  The emergency leave I took a year
ago--I married her during that leave."

"Why?"  He had folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes.
The anger flowed over me, memory-laden anger, rich with blood and
madness.

"That, I cannot tell you."

"Is it something no outworlder may know?  Some obscure Vulcan secret?"

"No.  It is...a private matter between my wife and I.  Surely, even
humans have such things."  My voice was trembling, and I reminded
myself that this was for her, and that it was for him, and so that
there would be no surprises.  I met his eyes, and saw the softening of
his gaze on me.

"Yes, humans have such things, Spock.  All right, she can come aboard.
I'll even be polite."

I stood and offered him my hand, remembering it was the touch of his
hand on mine that began this matter, determined that another such
touch would end it.

He shook it, surprised--and pleased, through his anger.

The memories of blood, green behind my eyes, faded as he smiled at me.

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The End