by Lair Kellyn
80808.23
Awhile after Time and Space
-=Commander Salvek's Suite, Inn at Lake Cataria, Betazed=-
80808.23
Awhile after Time and Space
-=Commander Salvek's Suite, Inn at Lake Cataria, Betazed=-
Wait here for instructions.
Four simple words only, written upon a note left for him while he slept.
That note was accompanied by a map, and those four words were distressing to Salvek, if not outright unnerving.
It took a lot to unnerve Salvek of Vulcan, but somehow, anything that fell under the heading of 'surprise' and was planned by his wife could do the job like nothing else.
This puzzled the man, who had been counted upon time and again to put out one fire after another during the reign of Zanh Liis as Captain.
He had done so not only as Executive Officer of the latest ship in the line of Starfleet's newest technologies, but also aboard what had been the Federation flagship, in the past.
Salvek was a man who had no compunction about marching into battle.
He was accustomed to raising a child; surely one of the most hazardous undertakings that he had ever attempted.
A myriad of situations that would paralyze even the bravest of men with fear and give the most capable Vulcan students of Logic pause, did not faze him.
The idea that Lair Kellyn was up to something terrified him.
Especially knowing that Dabin Reece was in the vicinity when she was likely in the planning stages of...whatever she had been planning.
Knowing that their anniversary was coming up, he had thought to try to plan something for her himself in the way of a small unexpected event. But then all hell had broken loose on the Sera. Then they were aboard the Alchemy and on the way to temporarily ordered exile on Betazed. Even if only temporary, this so-called shore leave was still exile.
He had thought that when their planned care provider for the day for Arie fell through that perhaps he would be spared what he feared she was planning. Surely, some form of large social gathering.
It was not that Salvek disliked...okay, so it was that he disliked large social events. His station called upon him to frequent them but he did not enjoy them, even in the sense of the word that many Vulcans did 'enjoy' the company of others.
Salvek was an intensely private man, even for a Vulcan. As such, he would much rather spend a quiet evening meditating or communicating with his mate alone than in the company of many others. No matter what event was being celebrated, no matter how 'festive' the atmosphere.
At the end of the day he simply wanted, more than anything, to be with his family.
He knew that while most of the time his wife was perfectly happy to read, study schematics or otherwise engage in 'recreational' forms of their research work while he meditated and would sometimes even join him in the exercise, she did love to celebrate when times were happy.
There had been so many sad times, she said, the happy ones can't simply slip past unnoticed.
Salvek donned a simple pair of dark pants and casual shirt for the day. He slipped on a pair of sandals and headed off in the direction her map indicated he should.
As he came closer to what he believed to be her intended destination, his footsteps slowed.
He sighed, preparing himself.
He heard a large group of people talking, laughing. Champagne corks were popping, and he slowly peered around a large column on the porch upon which he found himself, overlooking an elegant white pavilion just in the distance.
Surely, she had planned some kind of ceremony to renew their vows, or at least a cake and champagne celebration in order to mark the occasion.
Suddenly, Salvek looked down at his toes as they peeked out from the sandals on his feet.
He felt severely under dressed.
Resigning himself to this fate, he thrust his shoulders back, cleared his mind of all possible emotion, and ventured forward, into the pavilion.
It was upon his entrance into the venue that he discovered he didn't know a soul present.
Confused, he tilted his head to the side, and consulted the map again. He saw where her hand drawn directory trailed off at the bottom of the page into a line of squiggles, and it was then he realized that she meant for him to unfold the piece of commemorative hotel stationery upon which it was written.
Salvek silently backed out of what a small sign declared to be the "Trask/Lental Bonding Celebration" and escaped unnoticed. He followed Kellyn's map around the side of the building, where he came to a stand of hover-vehicles for hire.
As soon as he approached, a man stepped up to him. *Commander Salvek?*
Salvek nodded.
*Please, come with me. Your wife is expecting you. Happy Anniversary.*
Salvek climbed into the back seat of the vehicle and as it departed the Inn, he couldn't help but wonder once again what his wife was up to.
As the transport took him on a path through the clouds hovering above the streets leading away from Lake Cataria, Salvek thought back over all that he and Kellyn had been through during their eleven years of marriage. So much, he could not even categorize it all in his head efficiently in the time it took him to arrive at his destination.
The transport gently settled down to ground level, and Salvek realized suddenly what he was looking at; Janaran Falls.
The Falls were a famous sight on this planet, but more than that, he knew she had chosen to bring him here because they were a sight that would remind him of another like it on another world.
One with great significance to him, and Kellyn both.
*Have a wonderful time,* the transport driver thought to Salvek, who merely nodded and began walking forward. He had no further instructions as to how to find her, but knowing her as he did, that task did not take him long.
He followed a winding path around the location most crowded with camera toting tourists, and asked the first guide he saw if there were any private viewing areas of the Falls. She informed him of their location relative to his current position but also of the fact that she was sorry, but there were only a handful, and they had all been reserved for the day. Salvek thanked her and continued on, again knowing Kellyn well enough to know...
Sure enough, he rounded the last corner and the most quiet, peaceful corner of the private observation area had been cordoned off. There was a beautiful table set for two, and standing beside that table was Lair Kellyn.
She was wearing a simple, pale organza dress, and sandals with straps that laced up her ankles. Her hair was free, and blew gently away from her face in the sweeping breeze of the Falls.
The smile on her face, at first nervous as she awaited his reaction was replaced by a genuine grin as he stepped closer to her, his lips parted in wonder.
She had done it, she had managed to surprise him.
"I know it's not Niagara," she said softly, shuffling her feet a little as she referred to the location where, twelve years previously, they had a tiny window of time in which to take a honeymoon which ended up pre-dating their wedding by months. They'd gone into battle directly after that trip, and so the wedding had to wait.
"I had planned something entirely different, you know," she continued, as Salvek approached in measured steps. "I had a whole vow renewal ceremony ready to go. I even found the Professor of Vulcan Studies at the University of Betazed and she was willing to officiate."
"What changed your mind?"
"Partly because I know you hate a fuss." She smiled at him affectionately. "The main reason though, is because you renew your vows to me every day, Salvek. Your love, your devotion, and the way that you treat me and Arie, those things speak for themselves."
She stepped closer. "I know we didn't have a traditional Vulcan wedding to begin with and if you still want the renewal, I can get a hold of T'Vlier, she said that her schedule was clear most of today..."
Salvek answered her by holding his hand up in the air, and drawing his fingers slowly apart in the traditional way. Kellyn gently pressed her hand against his, and Salvek ran his index and middle fingers slowly over hers. Kellyn shuddered and closed her eyes for a long moment before looking up at him expectantly.
"You have just shown me, my wife, that you know me better than I even know myself," Salvek said softly. "For you know better than any other just how to reach me." He leaned forward and kissed her slowly, and when they parted, he glanced over at the table. It was set with fine china dishes and crystal stemware, but no food was upon it. He looked at her curiously.
"Oh, they're waiting for me to think that we're ready for brunch." Kellyn laughed. "I could get used to this telepathy thing, I tell you it's very convenient. They know when they can interrupt," she wrapped her arms around him and led him toward the table, "...and when they cannot."
Within moments they were seated before an elaborate selection of Salvek's favorite foods. She had taken great care to make this a memory that he would not soon forget.
"After we dine, what then?" He asked.
"Then, whatever you want. We can go anywhere, do anything. See the whole view of the Falls, or take a walk on a beach somewhere, honestly, I don't care." She reached across the table and grasped his fingers. "Anything, just so long as I'm with you. This day, my husband, is yours."
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Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineering Research and Development
USS Serendipity/Alchemy
Wife of Salvek since Stardate 70711 (that's 1997, people!)
NRPG: Happy Anniversary, Salvek. Who knew when it all began in Engineering all those years ago that we'd still be doing this all these years later. I still have the original Niagara and wedding posts in hard copy, somewhere...
Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineering Research and Development
USS Serendipity/Alchemy
Wife of Salvek since Stardate 70711 (that's 1997, people!)
NRPG: Happy Anniversary, Salvek. Who knew when it all began in Engineering all those years ago that we'd still be doing this all these years later. I still have the original Niagara and wedding posts in hard copy, somewhere...
Where has the time gone?
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