Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four

The Test, part two, a Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four, Update

Brianna saw Solkar, strikingly handsome in his youth. Tall, lean with deep brown eyes that bedazzled all who gazed into them. She was aware, too, of feelings that were not her own but rather those of his young bride trembling as she drew near the marriage cup, swept up in the power of that gaze. Brianna  sensed the strength of T’Pau’s love for him. She shook her head slightly, afraid of being absorbed by such an unfamiliar memory and the feelings it evoked in her. 

She wondered why T’Pau had led her here until Brianna’s own mind momentarily flitted back to the soul she had ‘bumped’ into such a short time ago. Reminded of it suddenly, and finding herself similarly mesmerized by him, she forced herself to back away from it, move on, sifting through the layers for another, safer strand to follow. 

Too late.

Already, T’Pau knew of her encounter. And just how profoundly affected Brianna Cantrell was by his touch. She was aware, too, that the High Councilor was conducting her own search, carefully picking through her mind to gain the confirmation she sought. 

Brianna was at once humiliated and angered, not ready to share such a private moment with anyone, let alone the High Councilor, who was until this moment a complete stranger. Yet, T’Pau had done nothing wrong. Brianna Cantrell had, quite inadvertently, led her there herself. She had simply been unable to resist the probing, thrown off her guard with the memories of Solkar — as if compelled to share a similar moment in return. 

Retaliation was swift as the girl focused on a particularly vivid memory. She played with a sehlet, a dangerous game of tease. The huge, bear-like creature reared back, suddenly raking a powerfully sharp paw across her face ... T’Pau found the memory distressing, the child’s trauma intense with fright. She backed away from the emotion, vaguely aware it was not her own, realizing the mind-link had been complete. 

And broke it. 

Brianna Cantrell lowered her hand and opened her eyes. Abruptly, T’Pau pushed back the fringe of Brianna Cantrell’s headdress to examine the half-moon scar in the upper left-hand corner of the girl’s forehead — a lasting reminder of the formidability of sehlets. 

A hush fell over the room as T’Pau rose to her feet and moved to the rear of the dais, her back turned to the Council, deferring to the High Priestess as she spoke in undertones. Abruptly, T’Lar turned to glance back at Brianna, her head tilted in contemplation, her slanted eyebrow raised nearly to the edge of her headdress. She then spoke a few words in a mutter, her hands raised above her head in supplication. Somewhere in the distance a deep gong resounded.

Brianna Cantrell felt weary to the bone, completely drained. T’Pau had largely resisted the mindmeld, perhaps to prove Brianna’s ability. Or perhaps, she thought suspiciously, to see her publicly humiliated by her failure. Maybe that was why T’Pau had chosen that particular memory, hoping the girl would withdraw rather than let it be known she had so shamefully broken the Discipline. But Brianna Cantrell hadn’t backed down and well, the sky didn’t fall, either. Surprisingly. Fascinating, she thought, at once crinkling her delicate brow at her rather curious choice of expression, knowing it wasn’t quite her own…

Besides, T'Pau’s motives no longer mattered, she decided, so long as they understood one another. Brianna  surreptitiously watched the aged High Councilor as the ritualistic chanting resonated throughout the temple; T’Lar chanting loudly in a commanding voice, receiving a corresponding response from the maidens, interspersed with the clang of the giant gong. T’Pau seemed equally weary, as if her age had suddenly caught up to her and at that moment Brianna knew that she and the High Councilor did indeed understand one another, recognizing the same stubborn persistence in the old woman during the mind-probe. 

The girl resisted a smile as T’Pau turned back to her. “It is done!” she proclaimed. “T’Bree, thee hast proven thyself a Vulcan in every sense. Thee hast earned the privilege to wear the symbol of IDIC — with honor.” T’Pau stepped aside as T’Lar held open the Latinum chain. Dangling from its center was a round medallion, pierced by a triangle, a sparkling rare blue gemstone set at the tip of the triangle. Brianna lowered her head allowing the Priestess to place it around her neck. It was surprisingly heavy, or maybe she was just acutely aware of it, resisting the urge to reach up and fondle the medallion, even so. Brianna was never more proud than at that moment, tears once again threatening to break through her practiced shield of reserve.

The High Councilor then raised her hand once again in the Vulcan greeting. “Live long and prosper, T'Bree.”

“Peace and long life, T’Pau,” Brianna murmured, bowing her head in respect for the woman’s high office.

Author’s Note: This was taken, with a few alterations, from chapter seven of my published Star Trek fanfiction mini-series Night Whispers Volume One The Incident. Thank you.