I've revised this story, mostly the early movie-based chapters. Thank you to the people who took the time to message me constructive criticism, advice and well-wishes and to those who reviewed it when I originally posted it.

AN: This story is a sequel to winds against a star and has OCs – so I'd recommend reading that first. Although this is directly based upon the movie, it's quite AU.

Vulcan: Translations at the bottom for this chapter, most will be in-text however.

WARNINGS: Violence, a tiny bit of swearing and adult content.

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Prologue

Sarek

A part of him wanted to find the human woman standing before him lacking, but S'chn T'gai Sarek, son of Skonn, son of Solkar, of House Solkar, of the Clan of Surak detected no deficiency.

She was fluent in Vuhlkansu, her accent commendable for a human, she had displayed an appropriate level of familiarity with V'tosh diplomatic etiquette and T'Khasi itself. He had reviewed her diplomatic records and could only conclude that her choice as the new Terran Ambassador to Vulcan was indeed, quite logical.

He recalled her as a young woman serving the former Ambassador Shaefer. She had been his aide, or 'intern' as the Terran term went. However that had been around the time he had first met Amanda Grayson. (Which was 32 years, 8 months, 12 days, 4 hours and approximately 18 minutes ago by standard reckoning). He had paid little heed to other females in his vicinity during that time and as a mere aide she had been unimportant to his work. His memories of those past meetings with her, whilst eidetic, were focused upon Ambassador Shaefer.

She had greeted him warmly but with a reserve that spoke of long acquaintance with V'tosh. They exchanged the customary gifts, from him a fine V'tosh robe, from her a painted silk wall hanging. Both items were handmade. She commented admiringly of the robe and he in return observed that the scene depicted on the wall hanging was aesthetically pleasing.

Pleasantries of both T'Khasi and Earth thus observed, they conducted their first meeting without further interruption. Ambassador Uhura had been well briefed by former Ambassador Shaefer before his retirement and Sarek was not required to elaborate or explain any of the current levels of diplomatic interaction occurring between their two planets. The meeting was satisfactory. His schedule was not affected by an over-long introductory interview.

She made no mention of any personal matters and Sarek was actually hoping that such conversation could be avoided entirely until she bade him wait a moment as he made his farewells.

He was aware of his assistants' absolute attention. It was known that that his son had bonded to the Ambassador's daughter. The Ambassador's human daughter. An inappropriate reference to this personal connection was to be expected from what Sarek had learnt of his wife's race over several decades. He kept his face utterly still of course, prepared to show no reaction to the Ambassador's incoming miss-step in V'tosh etiquette.

The human Ambassador retrieved a box - a gift box in the terran style tied with a ribbon.

'A small gift for your wife – something from our homeworld - honoured Ambassador Sarek.' Ambassador Uhura explained in Vuhlkansu.

To Sarek's gratification she did not elaborate further or refer directly to a personal association and rather than passing the item to him, she offered it to his most junior assistant. Her adherence to correct protocol was a pleasing surprise. Most Terrans would observe the basics but inevitably slip into more casual human customs.

She did not wait for an expression of gratitude for her gift, simply raised her hand into the ta'al and inclined her head slightly in parting. 'Peace and long life Ambassador.'

Sarek echoed the sentiment and left the Terran Embassy. He was pleased that the new Ambassador appeared well suited to her position and would not be an immediate cause of further intrigue and scandal to his family. It was a small reprieve, though a welcome one.

Amanda's reaction to the gifts was unexpected. She had the wall hanging taken into the library at once. One of the walls was bare, hooks already in place to hang it. It took two of the house servants less than a standard minute to mount the hanging. The colours of it matched the décor of the room.

'Oh it's perfect! Tamu has wonderful taste.' Amanda exclaimed in pleasure.

The hanging did indeed suit the décor of the room. Suspiciously so. 'You discussed this with Ambassador Uhura?' Sarek asked letting disbelief and disapproval tone his words slightly.

His wife gave a little shrug. One of several human gestures that had stuck with her despite decades living on T'Khasi. 'It may have come up once or twice in conversation.' she replied airily.

Sarek let himself frown to emphasise his displeasure for his human wife. 'You selected the customary gift I would receive as Ambassador?'

Amanda gave him a smile. 'No. I merely mentioned that you had previously admired hangings such as this as superior examples of Terran craft.' She paused. 'Just as when you subtly asked my opinion on your gift for the Ambassador I mentioned how she had admired Spock's robes.' She gave him an arch look. 'Would you have preferred another vase?'

Sarek was forced to admit that he had indeed sort her counsel with regards to Ambassador Uhura's gift and that the hanging was preferable to a vase. He did not vocalise the thoughts however. Amanda could, of course, feel his general mood on the subject through their bond.

She gave him a type of smile he had long ago identified as 'smug'.

A servant bought forth the second gift, the box especially for his wife. Judging from her reaction this was not a further arrangement between the two human women. Amanda carefully undid the ribbon and made an appreciative gasp when the content was revealed. Sarek joined her at the table to see what the box contained.

He raised an eyebrow.

It was a bottle of terran wine. His wife's reaction seemed at odds with such a commonplace item.

'Château d'Yquem Sauternes!' Amanda exclaimed in transparent pleasure. She picked up the glass bottle full of a deep golden coloured wine and inspected it. 'I haven't had this since my 21st birthday.' she remarked. 'My father bought a bottle to have with my cake.' She smiled at what Sarek assumed were pleasant memories of family. 'I'll have to save it for a special occasion.'

'If you are fond of this terran wine adun'a, simply purchase more of it.' It was illogical and a waste of resources and energy to import such an item across 15 Lightyears of space, but Sarek had, over the decades, developed a distinct blind spot where his wife's happiness was involved.

'Oh no Sarek I couldn't. That would be such a waste.' Her reasonable answer both pleased and disappointed him, the idea of providing her something which would bring her pleasure conflicting with the illogical nature of the item in question.

'Tamu's mother is French you know.' Amanda remarked conversationally in reference to the wine. Sarek knew she was using the Ambassador's personal name on purpose. He was uncertain if she was attempting to unsettle him or acclimatise him. Both most likely.

'I was unaware.' he replied evenly.

'Well that's the sort of thing you ought to be aware of Sarek.' his wife admonished him gently.

'I have reviewed the Ambassador's Diplomatic dossier. I see no reason I would require personal information beyond that which was provided.'

Amanda sighed. 'I have invited her to lunch on stardate 2258.12.' At Sarek's silence she continued. 'I have not specified if you will be present, since I was uncertain as to your… commitments.' Sarek offered no enlightenment as to that uncertainty. 'Captain Uhura will be accompanying her.'

Sarek inhaled sharply at the mention of the Ambassador's husband. His name was Zuberi. He noted his wife did not refer to him by it - she was obviously not as familiar with him as she was with his wife. He was a career Starfleet Officer. As it had always been for the last 9.7 years, talk of Starfleet tested his emotional control. Had his son accepted his place at Shi'Oren t'Ek'Tallar T'Khasi (The Vulcan Science Academy) as had been expected of him he would not find himself in his current unenviable position.

His marriage to Amanda had been considered harmless eccentricity at best, distasteful and illogical at worst.

Their son had been held to standards even the most gifted V'tosh child would have found challenging. Spock had proven to be a prodigiously intelligent and gifted child however. Save for the depth of his emotional attachment to his human mother, he had been an exceedingly satisfactory example of V'tosh youth. If he had allowed himself to feel such an emotion, Sarek would have been proud of his son's youthful achievements. He had hoped that through his continued success Spock would have provided irrefutable logical proof to those V'tosh who still considered humans and the other races of the Federation to be lesser, primitive beings, that despite their differences, this was not so.

Instead Spock had seemingly proved them right.

His schooling and aptitude tests had demonstrated genius. For all his occasional bouts of human emotion, Spock was easily one of the greatest minds of his generation. The Science Academy Council had been forced to accept him, despite the fact that some considered it inappropriate owing to his partially human genetics. No non-Vulcan had ever been granted admission before. Spock would have been the first. Perhaps set a precedent amidst the insular V'tosh. Instead he had rejected his admission in a fit of pique over a dismissive reference to Amanda made by one of the Councillors. He had taken insult were none had been intended. Reacted emotionally, in impulsive anger, and abandoned his home world to live amongst humans.

Chosen Starfleet over the Science Academy.

Chosen Earth over T'Khasi.

Emotion over logic.

Sarek could have accepted Spock choosing a human path had he made that decision logically, but he had not. He had been raised V'tosh. He was V'tosh. Despite this he had allowed his base emotions, anger, pride and bitterness to control him. He had chosen Starfleet in a childish emotional fit of spite. Sarek could not condone such behaviour.

And now he had bonded to a human. Off-planet. Without the permission of his parents or Maat Pid-kom (Clan Matriarch).

The first Sarek had heard of it had been when the healer T'Sul had validated full kal'i'farr before the High Council. As the son of a S'haile Spock was a person of interest on T'Khasi. The fact that he was half human also made him a novelty to many. As such his marriage had been a subject of interest amidst the High Council and quickly spread through the High Clans.

There had been much speculation, much of it distasteful. Although he made no effort to follow the rumours, Sarek was aware of theories that the human girl had been impregnated (which would require gene manipulation and was entirely illogical) or that Spock had been forced to take a human wife in the midst of his time because T'Pau could find no V'tosh woman that would have him.

The one positive about the situation was that it was known that he had sent T'Sul to Spock. It had therefore been assumed that Sarek had been aware of his son's intentions. That was far preferable than being thought to have been unaware. Except were his mother was concerned.

T'Pau was not pleased.

She would not speak of it. Refused to mention Spock by name. Sarek knew the only news she wished to hear with regards to her grandson was that he had broken his bond to 'the human female' as she put it. Until that statement was fact she would not discuss him at all. Her displeasure was common knowledge on T'Khasi. The discord in their Clan was a source of scandal and embarrassment.

Spock had left Sarek in an untenable position. It was his duty to his mother as pid-kom to attempt to convince his son to sever his connection to the Uhura girl, however her mother was the Terran Ambassador to Vulcan and he had another duty, that of his diplomatic position.

To act as T'Pau required would be detrimental to his work and could have diplomatic repercussions between the two most powerful planets in the federation. He could not allow his personal conflicts to affect his work thus. Not to mention the discord acting in such a manner would create in his own marriage. Amanda had made her opinion on the matter clear.

For the moment an uneasy status quo was the best he could make of his situation. He would behave in a manner that ensured the ongoing stability of diplomatic relations between Terra and T'Khasi, but he would not give his implicit approval to his son's ill-advised marriage.

He would either have to find a way for the marriage to be dissolved amicably, or somehow obtain T'Pau's approval.

Neither seemed likely.

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Adun'a - wife

Kal'i'farr - Marriage

Maat - Clan

Pid-kom - Matriarch

S'haile - Lord

T'Khasi – Vulcan, the planet.

Vuhlkansu – Vulcan language

V'tosh – Vulcans, a term referring to the species.