Tension gripped Spock's side; his heart pounded. Spock controlled his features, keeping his face clear of emotion. Nyota felt alarm, fear, and confusion spike through him, and quietly stepped closer; she discreetly pressed the back of her hand along his to maximize the skin contact, and felt his tension ease slightly. When he spoke, his voice was clear and steady.

"Father, you cannot possibly be a murder suspect. A man in your position would not commit such a violent act at a crowded public gathering." He turned and looked sternly at the Vulcan security officers. "In addition, there is no reasonable motive. Although Gav may have argued with my father, there is no history of deep animosity between them. Who made this accusation?"

Hastening to smooth things over, the Chief security officer replied, "No specific accusation has been made, Osu Spock. However, preliminary assessments of Gav's injuries suggest that he was beaten by someone experienced in a martial art; perhaps Suss Mahn, perhaps some other, non-Vulcan culture's fighting technique. You and your father are both known to be practitioners of Suss Mahn. Witnesses observed Osu Sarek and Osu Gav engaged in verbal conflict. You were also seen arguing with Gav."

"Where was Spock, when all of this was happening?" someone in the crowd murmured.

"Quiet, please. I shall ask the questions here. Sanoi, OsuSpock, where were you during this past hour?"

"I was...walking outside with my bondmate."

"Indeed. May we interview your bondmate?"

Nyota spoke up. "I was with my adun Spock the entire time. We never saw Gav outside the building," she said. "Osu Sarek is dedicated to peaceful resolutions, as is his son; he would never do something like this!"

Nothing about the Chief's flat expression changed. "Procedures require that we make at least preliminary inquiries of each person here, as most of them are potential witnesses. No one is allowed to leave until each guest has answered our questions."

Loud groans of complaint filled the warm air of the room. Raising his voice, the Chief lifted a hand to request silence.
"I understand that this inconveniences many, but it is necessary! A guest on New Vulcan was almost murdered here tonight. Sanoi, please be patient. Officers, please begin." The security officers separated people into small groups and began questioning them.

"We shall be here for hours," someone whined. "My shoes feel too tight after all of this standing and socializing, yet we cannot leave."

Nyota was displeased to be separated from Spock, who was taken to one side of the room with Sarek and other Vulcan diplomats. However, the Enterprise crew was part of her group, and the men surrounded her in a half circle, perhaps unconsciously. A lone Andorian delegate, Thelev, stood with them.

Nervously, Nyota glanced around the room, made eye contact with T'voria, and gave her a helpless half-smile, which T'voria responded to by raising both eyebrows in an unusually expressive public gesture.

Nyota's witness interview ended quickly. She explained that she had gone outside for some fresh air and that Spock had joined her; they sat down inside the transport vehicle to speak in private. She omitted the details of what had happened there, adding only that they had discussed leaving the party early and were beginning to walk back inside to say goodbye to Sarek when they learned of the attack. The Vulcan interviewing her seemed empathetic and did not press her for more.

Now she stood next to Thelev, the Andorian, while Vulcan security interviewed Sulu, Scotty, and McCoy; Jim had already told them what little he'd observed. Awkward silence stretched between the Andorian and Nyota. Most Andorians were considered hostile to humans, suspicious of other alien societies, and reputedly much more unwelcoming of outsiders than Vulcans were. However, Thelev had made the effort to travel all the way to New Vulcan, and she didn't wish to seem as though she were ignoring the delegate.

"How terrible it is that the delegate Gav was attacked," Nyota said conversationally and a bit shyly in Andorian. One of the two blue-skinned antennae on Thelev's head turned towards her as she spoke; Nyota pretended not to notice. "The attack is quite shocking. I do hope that no one else was injured, and that Security finds the attacker."

"Hmm. The riddle is perhaps half solved. It was said that a Vulcan fighting technique was used," Thelev replied a bit gruffly.

Further conflict was hardly needed tonight, but Nyota felt compelled to reply, "Oh? I believe I heard the Chief of Security say that some other form of martial art may have been used."

"Human hearing is perhaps imprecise...although you speak Andorian," Thelev said a bit grudgingly. He leaned slightly forward, examining Nyota. "You are not a pink skin, but all human?"

Really? You'd think that a diplomat would have had more exposure to different people. Nyota inhaled and exhaled. "Yes. All human, with brown skin. There are many like me on Earth, and elsewhere in the galaxy. Black skin, golden skin, brown skin, reddish skin, pink skin, skin like honey, skin like clouds, skin like flower petals, skin like tree leaves in autumn, skin like the dark night sky. Quite a nice variety." Unwilling to follow that conversational path any further, Nyota changed the subject. "I do hope that a resolution to this situation is swiftly found and that Gav recovers. The discussions should proceed if at all possible, so that we can all work for the greater good of the Federation."

"We shall see," rumbled Thelev.

Something about the Andorian's accent was unusual. Searching her memory, Nyota tried to place it.
"Do your diplomatic duties frequently call you away from Andoria's capital?" she asked. Her Andorian professor at Starfleet had explained that a lengthy residency in Andorian rural areas sometimes affected the flatter sounds of the language.

"Yes; much of our work is done off-planet now."

Curious, Nyota tried to keep the man talking, gathering enough of the sounds of his speech in her memory so that she could place his accent. The linguist part of her was distracted by his speech. Perhaps regional language variations on the planet of Andoria were more pronounced than she realized. She eventually stopped trying to engage him in conversation, lest she annoy the man with too many questions.

With a collective sigh, her crewmates turned back to her. "Glad that's over with. Have Spock and Sarek been released yet?" McCoy scanned the crowd.

Sulu spotted them. "Looks like they're in the clear." Father and son approached them from the other side of the room.

Sarek looked tired, and for the first time since Nyota had known him, frustrated.
"Gentlemen, ko-fu Nyota, I am being released for lack of evidence...for now. I hope that this disturbing situation will not bring our efforts to a halt. Coridia's application to join the Federation must still be considered, despite everything."

"Perhaps we can take you home immediately, Osu Sarek," she said gently. Her eyes met Spock's; he seemed slightly stunned, and only inclined his head in agreement. Locating T'voria and a few other people she knew in the crowd, she raised a hand in a farewell gesture.

Sulu and Scotty flanked Sarek as the Enterprise crew walked out of the Parliament Building, attempting to distract him with conversation about Starfleet. Some distance behind them, McCoy reviewed the evening with Nyota.

"Can't say that this is the most cheerful evening I've ever spent, but it's been mighty eventful. Are you doing all right, Ny? Folks ain't exactly in love with humans on this planet, are they?"

"Thanks for asking, Len. Things could be worse," Nyota shrugged. "Some have made me very welcome."

"Your Vulcan friend - T'voria, right? - she's nice," McCoy said to Nyota. "Do you know if she has a military background, or if she ever had any serious accidents with fire?"

"I don't think so. From what she's told me about herself, no to both questions," Nyota replied, suddenly curious. No military mementoes or holo images had been displayed in T'voria's home. "It didn't occur to me to ask her; our conversations are usually about other things. Why do you ask?"

"Her hypertrophic facial scar - I'm sorry, that must sound very rude. As a doctor, I notice such things when I meet someone. Never mind."

Jim spoke in a low voice to Spock "Listen, I've got your back. I'm going to do whatever's necessary to help your father. I'm a country boy; I'm used to getting out of scrapes. I know how to climb a barbed-wire fence, and I'll get you out of this mess if I can."

Jim's use of allegory was illogical, but Spock understood the Captain's kind intentions."Thank you, Jim. It is possible that my father will be cleared of all suspicion, but if not...I am open to listening to your 'country boy' ideas."

Sietla, Sarek's burly valet, walked ahead, retrieved Sarek's transport vehicle, and stood waiting next to it.

There's someone likely to know Vulcan martial arts, Jim thought, and glanced at Spock. "You ever run a complete background check on that big guy?"

"Affirmative. I have found no indication that Sietla has any disloyalty to New Vulcan or to my father as an individual."

"Right. We need to talk in the morning, Spock. I'll meet with the crew later tonight. Keep your communicator nearby."

...

McCoy gave a few quiet words of advice for stress reduction to Sarek before closing the door to the transport and stepping back. The Enterprise men watched the vehicle drive away with Sarek, Sietla, Spock, and Nyota inside, then turned and looked at each other.

"The game's afoot," Scotty said. "Shall we, chaps?"

"This is a small city. Somebody's gonna talk, sooner or later," replied Sulu. "Too bad we can't get Ny to translate some of the talking for us, but we'll figure it out. I'm carrying a universal translator."

Jim crossed his arms, a slightly cocky grin spreading across his face. "Keep it legal, guys, and remember the Prime Directive. Phasers?"

"Got 'em," Sulu replied. "Don't expect to use 'em, but I'm ready."

Len shook his head. "Damnation. Jim, if this little jaunt you have planned ain't a 'fact-finding' mission, I want to hear it now."

"Don't worry. We're only planning to walk the main streets of the capital and eavesdrop a little, maybe ask a few questions, make some observations. We aren't the only foreign visitors taking in the New Vulcan sights. "

Scotty patted McCoy's shoulder. "We won't get crawled into any trouble, Len. As the Captain said, we only mean to walk, look, and listen, and we'll see you back at the guesthouse in a couple of hours. Besides, I've got chocolate to deliver to that Vulcan musician; p'raps it'll improve his love life a wee bit."

...
Sponging away the stress and dust of New Vulcan with warm water in soothing herbal preparations had been somewhat helpful during Nyota's previous hours on New Vulcan, but tonight it did little for either her or Spock. He meditated; she prayed. Exhausted, they sprawled across the large bed. On this night they did not nestle cozily into spoons; instead, Spock sought comfort, his chin resting on Nyota's shoulder, his body stretched alongside hers while she embraced him. Calming thoughts flowed from her mind to his as their skin touched. Nyota wore a light, sleeveless gown; Spock lay nude beside her.

"Easy," she murmured. "Rest easy, sweetheart."

"I do not understand why I, and now my father, are suddenly made to feel like outsiders in a place we work to rebuild." There was bleakness in his voice.

"It isn't you or Sarek; someone has a problem, their problem, and they think it's easy to push their problem on you. They are mistaken. Don't try to solve this problem tonight. It will be waiting for you in the morning. Sleep, regain your strength." Nyota draped one leg over Spock's to increase the skin contact, and concentrated more on sharing a sense of steady calm with him.

"It is difficult to belong anywhere," he sighed.

"So I've noticed these past two days."

"I am always at home in our life together, tal-kam." He pressed his lips to her temple. "We will resolve this and have at least one pleasurable day here together, if it is in my power."

"Yes," she said, although she wondered if it were possible. "I trust you. Rest now."

Nyota felt Spock's heavy body relax into a kind of meditative slumber. The emotional stress of the past two days claimed her soon after. Nyota tumbled into unsettling dreams of unlocked doors, Vulcans, Tellarites, and Andorians mumbling at each other, and camels wandering through winding hallways.

Ten hours later

Sunlight poured into the large, airy shared parlor of the guesthouse where the Enterprise crew members were staying on New Vulcan. Leonard McCoy woke early for a solitary breakfast. Then he settled into the most comfortable chair he could find, letting the warmth of the sun seep into his body. He wanted to make the best of his uninterrupted quiet time to review his notes from conversations with Sarek, in addition to some current medical research on Vulcan cardiology.

Leonard was, as Spock might say, ninety-eight point nine percent certain that Sarek's symptoms were related to his heart. The appointment with Sarek was still some hours away, but he wanted to be prepared to help as best he could.

The front door opened and shut. McCoy turned around and saw Jim Kirk entering the room, still wearing in his Starfleet dress uniform jacket.

"Welcome back, stranger. Y'know, it's sunrise. Are you just getting in?"

"I was talking to someone," Jim said.

"I'll just bet you were. What's her name?"

Jim only smiled and shook his head in a 'no' gesture.

"All right, then what's his name?"

Jim smiled and shook his head 'no' again.

"Okay, what are their names?"

Laughing, Jim pulled off his jacket, lay back on the couch and kicked off his boots. "I wasn't that lucky last night. Believe it or not, I was gathering data on behalf of the Federation. I want this nasty business of the attack on Gav solved, dealt with, and to see justice done. So you already know that I went out on the town - such town as there is here on New Vulcan - with Scotty and Sulu. We found a sort of underground nightclub - dancing, drinking, lots of loud emotion. Not typical Vulcan stuff. We asked a few questions, had a few drinks. I left early to uh, talk privately with someone. I guess the guys are still asleep, huh?"

"Sulu's in the courtyard working out. I'm not sure about Scotty."

Sulu returned from the courtyard, wiping his face and neck with a towel. The air was already growing warm; a light veil of sweat covered his lean belly and his muscular arms and legs.

"Morning, guys. Bones, I guess Jim told you what we did last night?"

The next chapter details what the Enterprise men - including Jim - got up to the night before.