Something New, Something Old

Posted on Sun Aug 2nd, 2026 @ 5:54am by Ensign T'Shai & Captain T’Kal & Ensign Blaine McCray

1,447 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: ARYL 1X06: For Peaceful Purposes
Location: Main Shuttlebay

The shuttle dropped out of warp and immediately sent a message to Ark Royal in text, which was as simple as it could be imagined as it read, "Captain T'Kal, please meet me in the main shuttlebay. Bring Ensign Blaine McCray with you. Provisional Ensign T'Shai, Vulcan Science Academy,"

The Captain had the communications stations send a simple acknowledgement and gestured for her helmsman to stand and follow.

Blaine's left eyebrow climbed for his hairline as he read the name T'Shai on the summons. The name was familiar. Why, though, he could not place as he stood and turned the helm over to Ensign O'Donnell, his relief helm. "I'll be back as soon as I know what this is about. Shouldn't be long," he said as he turned and headed to the lift to join Captain T'Kal. "Ready when you are, Captain," he said respectfully.

“Then we shall proceed.” In the turbolift, she held the handle and ordered it to the shuttlebay.

As the shuttle landed, it turned in place to let the hatch opening face the rear of the shuttlebay, then opened with the deliberate slowness that the Vulcans were known for in their engineering, the ramp extending with the same glacial slowness. From the shuttle emerged a Vulcan woman, dressed in the robes of a student at the Vulcan Science Academy, white with the piping color of the sciences, hair done up in a severe bun, taking small steps as she descended deliberately, eyes canted downwards slightly as she approached T'Kal.

As she reached in front of the Captain, she finally looked up at her, "Captain T'Kal, I apologize for my tardiness in reporting to my assignment. I was required to spend an additional two days defending my dissertation to the committee before they were satisfied to release me to begin my journey."

“I understand, and accept your explanation,” T’Kal said, watching the Ensign-on-exchange closely. Interesting... “Welcome aboard.”

Blaine watched the Vulcan scientist stride toward them. Confusion was in his eyes as he cocked his head as he watched her. There was something extremely familiar about her. She appeared to be roughly his age, had they grown up together during his visits to his family? He definitely knew her, his mind knew her. He could feel that, but his brain would not tell him why he knew her or where he knew her from.

The Vulcan Provisional Ensign's eyes moved from T'Kal to Blaine and met his own. They were green, a rare color on Vulcan, something that she'd remarked on many years ago. "And I thank you, Captain T'Kal, for bringing along my betrothed." Her eyes shifted back to the Captain and she inclined her head fractionally before moving past the Captain, her eyes returning to his as she moved deliberately towards him, reaching out with her hands towards him, the corners of her mouth turning upward in an uncharacteristic smile.

As their eyes locked, he was transported back in time sixteen years, standing in front of a Vulcan priestess with T’Shai, her parents and his grandparents, speaking the words of betrothal. Just as fast, he was back in the present, clasping her hands, feeling the warmth of her touch, and staring into her smiling face. She was smiling? She was much freer with touch than any other Vulcan he had met. “T’hy’la.” The word fell from his lips in a whisper, but he was sure that both T’Shai and Captain T’Kal heard.

T’Kal could not help but raise an eyebrow at that word.

“Heh ni etek ma afer-tor tik vath wuh'wak weht, T’hy’la.” (And so we have found each other once more), T’Shai said to him, before leaning in to press her lips gently to his in a chaste kiss, withdrawing again to a precise fifty centimeters again, her tone of voice truly Vulcan in nature, the hint of the smile still there. “It has been a long time, Blaine, sixteen years, two months and eighteen days, roughly.”

“Sixteen years, two months, eighteen days, and fourteen hours,” Blaine agreed, not sure how the math had come to him that fast. “I had not known of your posting here. I’m sorry I wasn’t expecting you,” he swallowed nervously.

“My posting came abruptly to myself, as well.” T’Shai admitted, never breaking her gaze on his eyes, except to look him up and down once rapidly, “I was to be assigned to the science vessel Amerand, until my instructors received my graduation assignment. They stated that ‘it would be inappropriate to risk infecting Amerand’s crew with my heretical insights’, that is a direct quote, then informed me I would be sent to T’Kal in an attempt to rehabilitate me. I did my due diligence and was pleased to see your name assigned to Ark Royal as well. How has life treated you?”

“Oh, there’s a lot to unpack there,” Blaine said, letting everything she had said soak in. It made for fertile soil for several questions. “Life has treated me well. I was on the rodeo team at the Academy, now, I’m flyin’ what I think is the finest ship in the fleet… an’ now you’re here. I’m sorry the VSA thought you had ‘heretical insights.’ I’m sure your dissertation was very well thought out.”

“‘How Human Emotion Has Driven Federation Technological Advancement Since The Founding And The Scientific Discoveries That Otherwise Would Not Have Been’” T’Shai said with a straight face, her smile vanished from her face as she returned to her full Vulcan nature, “The rashness of humans and their ‘by the seat of their pants’ nature has advanced scientific discovery and technology in general by over five hundred years in the span of a century. The theory had merit, I only proved it.”

Blaine cocked his head and his eyebrow raised again as he thought about the title of her dissertation and how controversial the topic might be at the Science Academy. He also marveled at how fast she could go from showing emotion to hiding it. ‘Is this what I do to people?’ he wondered, casting a glance at the Captain to gauge her reaction. He took in her title and subtitle, and found himself deeply intrigued by her insights. ‘Maybe our families knew what they were doin’ when they made this match,’ he thought, finding himself much more comfortable with her than he had envisioned. “I would love to read it, if that’s allowed.”

“Once the Arbiters have passed their judgement on the veracity and accuracy of my work, then I would be pleased to share it with you, T’hy’la.” She inclined her head to him, then turned her head so that T’Kal could hear her as well as Blaine, “Thus the question comes: Am I to quarter on my own, or am I to quarter with you, my betrothed, as is custom?” If someone weren’t careful, they may think there was some trepidation in her voice. But surely there wasn’t.

Blaine shouldered her duffel and found himself blushing a bit at her question, his ears taking on a green tint that grew darker the more he was sure T’Shai was watching. He knew, by tradition, she was to quarter with him, and his were just big enough to accommodate them both. Though, he wondered what Captain T’Kal would say. “My quarters are big enough to accommodate both of us comfortably.”

With her hands freed now, T’Shai clasped them behind herself as Blaine took her duffel bag, “So long as the Captain does not object, I would be honored to be with you.” She cast a glance over at T’Kal.

“I have no objection, as long as it does not interfere with either of your duties,” T’Kal answered, having watched their exchange curiously. “Mister McCray, inform Chief Summers of the change in arrangements within the hour, so she can have the quarters re-assigned. Now if you will excuse me.” She politely bowed her head and departed, leaving the two alone on the flight deck.

“Of course, Captain,” Blaine replied with a nod. “Thank you.”

T'Shai inclined her head in the Vulcan fashion at the Captain as she departed, "Then perhaps you should guide us, T'hy'la, as I am not aware of the layout of the Constitution-class, yet." She reached out with one hand to his, "So that I don't get lost."

Blaine smiled as he took T’Shai’s hand, instinctively twining their fingers together. “We can’t have you getting lost after I just found you.”

 

RSS Feed