I own nothing. I do not profit.

The Trunk

Sarek sat on the sofa in his office at the Vulcan Embassy on Terra. Workman had been busy shifting things around to make room for as many refugees as possible. There were approximately 150 who would be living at the Embassy until they made their way to the Vulcan colony. Storage areas were quickly being modified into living quarters. Amanda's trunk had been found in one such area, and brought to Sarek's office for safekeeping. Even though this was not logical, it would be months before he could bring himself to look in it.

*****************

Three years after her son Spock had left Vulcan for Starfleet Academy, Amanda felt certain that he would not be coming back. She dragged her grandmother's old trunk from the storage room of her Vulcan home, and filled it with her "valuables". These were items that she treasured, and that she hoped her son and his future wife would also appreciate. When she insisted that they take it with them on their next trip to Terra, Sarek was not pleased, but he humored her anyway.

Now, Sarek was thankful that he had done so. His beloved Amanda had died, along with billions of others in the Genocide. Save a few personal items left in their quarters, the contents of this wooden box were all that remained of his wife, all his son would have of his mother. Realizing he did not know the trunk's contents, Sarek took a deep breath and opened it.

He recognized the top item immediately, a black satin yarmulke. He had worn this on three occasions.

The first time was for their wedding ceremony on Terra, held in a synagogue need the Embassy. Next, he had worn it for Spock's bris, which occurred on Vulcan and was conducted by Amanda's uncle Joseph, with Amanda's parents in attendance. The third time was a sad occasion, the memorial for Amanda's parents, who were killed in a shuttle accident when Spock was ten years old.

Next were the scrolls written in Hebrew, one declaring their marriage, the other Spock's birth. Amanda had wanted her son to know and appreciate both of his heritages. Sarek had not always permitted this, had not allowed Spock a bar mitzvah. Now he regretted this deeply. Spock would have benefitted from that further connection to his mother and her people.

Many of the surviving Vulcans, the Elders in particular had made it very clear that only full-blooded Vulcans would be participating in the rebuilding of the race. "Impurities" at this early stage would mean that in ten generations nearly every Vulcan would have some Human DNA. Unthinkable! There would be no Vulcan bond-mate for Spock. Thankfully, his son did not see this as a problem. He was in love with a young Terran woman, Nyota Uhura. Sarek was certain they would be bonding soon.

Sarek was momentarily distracted by T'Rysa, Domestic Assistant to the Ambassadorial Residence for many years. She brought him meditation tea, in an effort to calm him. When Sarek and Amanda first married, T'Rysa had not been supportive of the new bride. Over the years, however they had become friends.

Sarek nodded his thanks and began his task anew. He found photo albums. Their wedding pictures, Spock's baby pictures, school pictures. One album contained Spock's Starfleet Academy class pictures, and photos of him in a blue Science Officer uniform and a gray instructor's uniform. The latter had been Amanda's favorite. She had said that their son was "devastating handsome, like his father." The album also contained copies of numerous professional journal articles Spock had authored or co-authored, as well as the notifications of the achievement of several advanced degrees.

Sarek remembered his anger at Spock's choosing Starfleet over the Vulcan Science Academy. Now Sarek was glad of that choice. His own life, thousands of Vulcan lives and billions of Terran lives were spared because of it. He would have to trust his son to make the right choices for his own future.

Now Sarek's fingers found a small blue, velvet-covered box. Sarek had given Amanda a heart-shaped emerald ring as an engagement symbol. It was his way of "marking her as his own", showing Human males that she was unavailable. Such things were not worn on Vulcan, so Amanda had put it away. Perhaps Spock would give it to his bond-mate.

The very last items were articles from Spock's infancy. Sarek recognized the blanket Spock had been wrapped in when he was finally able to come home from the hospital, as well as the clothing he had been dressed in. They had both lain awake all that first night, listening to their child breathe, watching him sleep. A small blue box held hair from their son's first haircut, tied with blue ribbon. Amanda had cried when Sarek cut Spock's hair. She would cry many more tears over her son.

*******************

The Enterprise was in Spacedock for a week. The crew had leave. Spock and Nyota would be joining him for dinner tonight, perhaps to make an announcement. He would give this trunk to his son, as a reminder of his mother's love for him.

Sarek would need no such reminders. Amanda's love would remain with him forever.

A/N

I am aware of what is thought to be proper Vulcan male anatomy. I also believe that the spirit of the law is more important than literal interpretation. A Rabbi would certainly be able to adapt a bris for a Jewish Vulcan. No flames on this, please.