Chapter 11

The weather had brightened overnight and the sun was blaring down through the windows into our room in the consulate. Father had just finished his toast , (mother insisted we all ate Earthen foods for our stay, deeming it a learning experience both I and Father complied.) he was wearing his most formal robes, high collard with the folded lapels lined with thin stripes of gold. He was to attend the meeting concerning the matters of starfleet's libraries. I did not know much about it all to be quite honest Mother and Father had kept me out of their conversations on the matter, Father was to be at hi meeting in 7 and a half minutes so he left the table slipped on his over coat and headed out of the room to his meeting leaving me and mother to finish our breakfasts.

Mother sat opposite to me on the table, "Spock now that your Dad's left we can get onto our itinerary for the day. I'm glad it's brightened up actually because I know that you would't have liked to have walked around in the rain all day. I thought why dont I take you round the Golden Gate Park, I think it's plant-life will amaze you."

Mother beamed at me and I suppressed a smile.

"That sounds like a good plan for the day, I have wondered what kinds of plant-life grows in such a built up city like this."

Mother laughed slightly " you'll be surprised ."

"Why are there lots of plants?" I asked wondering what kinds of plants I may see, on Vulcan it was rare for much plant-life to grow due to the planets harsh conditions. However Earth has a perfect atmosphere for growth, I had already seen a 'Tree' and 'grass' at my cousins house however I wished to know how much more could grow in such a concreted area.

"Yes." Mother answered.

"But, how plants need soil to grow and from this window all I can see is permacrete, and tarmacked roads, Do the plants burst through like ravaged beasts?" I asked incredulous.

"No, " Mother laughed, " a section of the city has been left untouched allowing for the park to exist and the plants are certainly not ravaging beasts Spock."

I had suspected that some of the city may have been reserved for growth, however I just could not see where such a space would be seen as the city was so densely packed by people, cars, hover rails and the other aspects of human activity. It would seem that my suspicion was correct. I was looking forward to seeing the plant-life, I had read that Earth had over eight million different plant species so it would be fascinating to witness some of these first hand, I always find that gathering information straight from it's source is more satisfying than simply gaining information from a PADD. I finished my toast and slipped off of the stool, Mother had laid out my clothes for the day in my room so I hanged into them, I came out after six point three minutes and was ready to leave Mother had dressed also and Kevish was sat on the settee. I glanced to Mother, and she smiled at me in reassurance.

"Kevish," Mother spoke to him, Kevish stood from the settee and placed his hands behind his back, " I am just going to get Spock's hat and coat and then we'll be off."

Kevish nodded and moved over to the door and started to put on his own coat, at and scarf. His hat covered his ears an his eyebrows had been shaven and drawn on with makeup, from where I was stood he could've passed as a human. I walked over to mother and she passed me my coat which I zipped up right to the top. knew that even though the sun was out, it did not mean the temperature had increased Earth in summer would still feel cold to me, never mind this autumn season. I pulled my hat right over my ears and found the fleecy gloves in my coat pockets, slipping those on as well. Mother in contrast put on a light jacket and thin scarf, she did however don some large knee high boots which I had never seen her wear before. She laughed at my raised eyebrow "Come on, we'll get stuck in traffic"

Kevish followed us out of the room and into the lift pressing ground floor the lift started to move, "T'sai Sch'nn T'gai T'Amanda, I have arranged a transport for us to the park, it is a small flitter that I can drive." Kevish said his voice quiet and calm.

"Thankyou Kevish" Mother replied, "And please call me Amanda there are no need for such formalities."

Kevish nodded, "You are welcome Amanda." Mother smiled and the lift doors opened to the lobby, we passed through the lobby and the flitter was by the gates of the consulate, a few limousines were parked up beside the gates aswell, they were for the dignitaries who were attending My Father' meeting, passing by the elongated vehicles we reached our flitter. Mother opened the door for me and he got in beside me. Kevish pulled away from the curb and I saw something odd.

I knew Earth was built on emotions and freedom of speech. However I did not expect to see people huddled together on the roundabout outside the consulate driveway, holding placards stating 'Vulcans, vile, vulgar vultures preying on us!' One of the men wore a mock robe whilst other bowed around him. I could not hear what they were shouting, but I can only imagine that it was not pleasant.

"Mother, What is all this about?" I asked disgusted by the xenophobia in front of the consulate.

She cleared her throat, but before she could speak Kevish answered, "It is an illogical protest by the radicalists who claim that Vulcan is hiding things from the galactic fleet. It is why I am in our Father's place, and why I am acting as a chaperone through the city. They are pathetic." Kevish stated rather coolly, I looked at mother who simply looked back at me in agreement with Kevish.

"Your Father is in the consulate this morning discussing terms with Starfleet on how to deal with the protests" Mother spoke and Kevish looked at me through the mirror, "Yes." he started " and joining them in this meeting I the protestor's leader he's called himself 'Surek' a feeble attempt at mocking our logical one, Surak. I expect that he and his blind followers shall be placed under arrest but that outcome must be decided after the talks of the meeting." Kevish almost snorted, clearly the protests had affected him.

"Anyway." Mother broke the silence as we passed a group of people burning a dummy of Admiral Hoss, the leader of the Starfleet databases. "We're not too far from the park so you won't have to wait long until you see all the different plants Spock." She smiled and Kevish reassigned his eyes to the road ahead.

I turned towards mother, "Oh good, i checked some plant-life files out of curiosity when we were at home on Vulcan, will we see any venus fly traps?",

"Well, they don't grow wild in San Francisco, but i think maybe the botanical gardens may have some samples of them growing in a simulated environment." Mother replied her eyes wandering to the windows of the flitter as we slowed at some traffic lights. The protesters had thinned out now a most were rallying outside the consulate however some of them were moving towards the cars looking in through the windows. "Kevish." Mother stated, he simply nodded.

"I cannot move the flitter T'sai, I am gridlocked by the traffic." he said gravely.

Tap, Tap.

A single finger hit on the window by my head a woman whose eyes were painted, and her ears were covered in plasticine forming them into points looked in our flitter and pointed at me. A man came round the other side of the flitter and too his face was decorated in the same manner only his ears were blue not green. He tapped on the window and pointed at Mother

"Kevish!" mother said more urgently this time,

Kevish revved the flitter and turned side to side on the spot to try and push the onlookers back. They backed off for a matter of seconds before returning to our windows, another appeared in front of us this time and he hopped onto the bonnet. The traffic light turned green and Kevish revved the flitter forward over taking the people in front of us, we sped through the streets of the city, everything passed by in a blur and in a matter of minutes we were outside the park, the golden gate bridge was spanning over the strait beside the park and Mother asked," Are we okay to get out?"

He raised his hand and exited the vehicle. Scanning the area over with his eyes Kevish came back to the flitter and ratted on mother's window, "You are able to exit the vehicle."

We got out and mother Thanked him. "right then Spock to the botanical gardens!" she announced and we set off as a trio towards the gardens. She looked rather comfortable strolling through the park with Kevish at her side, however I could feel her unease, she was on alert. "Spock dear, hurry up i dont want you to lag behind." She called and I indeed ran up beside them.

"Mother, are we just gong to ignore what just happened?" I asked as we strolled along like nothing had just happened.

She turned to me and knelt beside me, "Spock, people have targeted us throughout our life. Your Father is an important man and because of that us two are a target. When you were an infant we were followed for three weeks round Andorrus whilst he was in meetings. We are not ignoring the fact we were just targeted, we are simply rising above them and acting normal. An irrational response is what they are hoping to gain, so come on, wev've almost reached the gardens." Mother got up and I knew not to respond but only to follow.

Fathers position as Vulcan Ambassador to Earth was sometimes more of a hindrance to everyday life than it was a gain.

We visited the gardens and there were indeed some venus fly traps, they are magnificent plants, without conscious thought they can trap and digest living insects and take out their nutrients. They are so complex, to be able to take nutrients from the sun, the ground and the living insects around it amazed me. Afterall they are only plants. We also saw the huge oak trees which covered the park crawling up into the skyscape above, their leaves shaded us from the sun to which I was not too pleased about as the shade was considerably cooler than in the sun. The park spanned on for hundreds of meters in a long rectangle through the city from the river to the mid-cityscape grass covered most of the area, but through there were small manmade bridge and we also passed a few parks, f which I noticed human children playing on the equipment provided. After over two hours of spanning the parkland we reached a singular tree that was not so much tall but more wide. It had a single fat branch reached out across a leafy patch of ground, hanging from the branch was a tire attached to the branch by a piece of yellow rope, it was a swing.

I admittedly enjoyed the swinging motion that playing on one of these contraptions caused, it made my stomach twist in a strange way which was almost humorous. Mother caught me staring at the tire as Kevish had wandered in front a little. "Can I go on it?" I asked.

Mother's smile beamed, "Yes of course you can" she walked over to the swing with me, "Kevish, come over here." He turned and raised an eyebrow watching me camber onto the tire.

He stood abashed, "Is that safe?"

"Yes, its been here for years." Mother answered, "come over here an help me push him."

"Push?" he asked.

"Just come here" she laughed. Kevish walked over timidly, curious of what the tire would do; Mother puled back the tire with me perched on it an let go sending me flying towards Kevish who dodged out f the way.

He stared wide eyed, "What are you doing?" Mother just laughed and said "Pus him back towards me when he comes towards you, It's called a swing, children use them for fun Kevish it will not harm you." Mother stated trying to keep the laughter out of her tone from the site of seeing Kevish dive out of the way of the swing for a second time.

She pushed me forward again towards him and my stomach lurched, the feeling was indeed funny, this time kevish caught the tire and pushed me back towards mother, between them both pushing I reached quite a height and at the point where I was horizontal to the branch which the tire was attached to Kevish stepped away with other and they watched me as the swing, went back and forth. My stomach was hurling over itself at each changing direction, I was struggling to keep a smile off of my face. Eventually the swing slowed to a gradual stop and I hopped off, finding my legs had turned to jelly and I felt strange. I walked haphazardly over to them and mother laughed once more, Kevish simply Raised his eyebrow. I walked beside mother, turning back towards the way we came from to the flitter I held my hand out to mother and touched the back of her hand lightly sharing my enjoyment with her. Despite me keeping y face cool I wanted her to know how much I had enjoyed this day.

Back in the flitter we prepared to go back and enter the consulate, Kevish suggested a new route home to try and avoid the protesters. Unfortunately it was a vain attempt as they had formed a ring around the consulate and so we were forced to drive through the hoards of insanity.

Authors note:

Hope you enjoyed this, thanks for reading, im building up to their big rally, i'm trying to low myself own though, i always jump in too soon with action so you're gonna have to hold out a while, (not too long though:) )

Thanks again for reading

Ellimongoose x