Cantrell: The Early Years

Christmas on Vulcan, A Cantrell: The Early Years, Part One Update

Reaching home again it was time to celebrate. "Let the festivities begin,” Joseph chortled, throwing open the front door. He loved this holiday and was determined to make the most of it despite the alien environment they found themselves in. He could tell Louise wasn’t overly thrilled to be here. He was determined to bring the smile back to her face, nonetheless. Gazing up at the sky, cloud over and rain, at least. Just a few drops, doesn’t need to be a downpour or anything. He’d wish for snow, but they weren’t at a high enough altitude for that.

“Shall we see what Christmas treasures await you?” The couple barely had time to pass out a gift or two, one to each boy, when a knock at the door, surprised them.  “Well, now, who do you suppose that is?” Louise scooped up Erik, who clung to the small, cloth camping buddy toy, only to drop in as his mother opened the door.  “Oh, Father Winter,” she said, seeing the warmly cloaked man walking down their front walkway. “It’s Father Winter.” she said over her shoulder to Joseph.  She immediately left the house, Erik on her hip.

Father Winter, who was on his way to another house, quickly turned around when she hailed him. He gave her a bright smile, as she approached him, babe in arms.
“Father Winter, I would like you to meet our newest family member. This is Erik, Erik this is Father Winter. You know who he is. We read about him in your new Christmas book.

“Aye, he’s a fine boy.  A fine boy, indeed. Be ready for this one,” Clement said, with a wink. “He’s one special little human.” Louise furrowed her brow at this. Of course, his parents thought him special. Aren’t all kids special, each in their own way? She silently pondered. Louise would often reflect on Father Winter’s words as Erik grew. Erik. On the other hand,  was unsure of this stranger and didn’t take too well to being held by someone he didn’t know.

“Oh, my, please don’t take offense,” Louise said, as she gently took the infant from the man’s arms. “He gets a tad cranky when he’s overtired. Erik, what a fuss you’re making.” Turning to go back inside, she tossed over her shoulder, “Won’t you, please,  come in?”

Moments later, Father Winter was busy delivering packages to this little human family. Placing them in a nice array at the bottom of the tree.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

After Father Winter left their house to continue his rounds, Joseph took Aaron out back to show him the new toddler gym.  The boy was elated and took to it immediately. He clapped his small hands, giggled and crawled up a tube before Joseph could even snap a photo.

All-in-all Christmas had been a success.

A week later, amidst their tree the couple was ready to ring in the Terran New Year with toasts, kisses and joy. The Vulcans, if they even celebrated such an event, which Louise doubted, had some time to go before they would flip their calendars to a new year.
*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Louise had many questions. Very few Vulcans were employed by the company she worked for; not that Vulcans didn’t produce some wondrous works of Art; but on the whole as a Society, much like music, they found it too emotionally based. And yet they did appreciate music and Art, on the whole.  It left her wondering. Just who are these people and why am I here?

Come New Year’s Eve she decided to query her husband on the matter. “Joseph, tell me something,” she said after dinner. Having finished cleaning up the mess of the evening meal, she took her glass of imported Von Haute Estate Meloire and sat in a chair in the living room. “I’ve been doing some reading and some observing.  Why is it, do you suppose that there’s such a distinct difference between human children who are only a month or two apart in age, but can bear such a striking difference in their development yet none for Vulcan children?”

“The disparity in age, that’s why,” he said, he set his grading book aside, for now.
“Come again?” He took a seat on the end of the sofa, nearest the chair where his wife sat
“Easiest way I can explain it, is that for every two point five standard human years in age a Vulcan only ages one year.”
“Oh, how curious,” she said.
“Note, I said Human years. They are actually much younger in Vulcan years. It’s a two point five to one, ratio, my dear.”

Louise took a slow, contemplative sip of her Meloire. “Really? As in a seven-year-old Vulcan is actually only three in their development? How on Earth, er Vulcan, do they betroth babies the way they do?”
“It’s a Clannish Thing. A leftover from their Beginnings. It’s all about Power.”
“So sophisticated on the one side and yet so . . . Backwards. What a conundrum.”
“Yes.”
“And why do so many very talented people all but shun the practice of Art?”

Joseph just gazed at her and said, “To understand that, you must come to understand their history. The emotions of a Vulcan actually surpass those of any human in depth and scope.”
“Are you saying their feelings are stronger?”

“To the point that they very nearly destroyed themselves, yes. Wars, murders, mayhem. They nearly brought this Great Society to an end. Seriously, they faced total annihilation at their own hands.”
“So, you’re saying they had no choice other than to scale it back.”

“More than that, even. It took Surak and his teachings to turn things around. They adopted Logic as their guide; suppressing their emotions to a point that it became, inappropriate to display outward signs of emotion in public, for at least a human millennium.”
“So, that’s why he's so revered and why it’s so rare to see a Vulcan laugh, cry or . . . hence the word Compound instead of neighborhood.”

“Now you understand. Not every Vulcan has adapted to the suppression of their emotions, though, but enough have to make things work.” Louise took a thoughtful sip of her juice and then gazed over at her husband. “ I can’t believe you were once involved with one years ago.”

“She used me,” he quickly said, looking away. 
“You said she was curious about humans.”
“Yes, and she used a mindmeld on me to get into my head. Had she locked our minds together, as was her plan . . .” his voice trailed off.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to open an old wound." Joseph waived her off.
“I was a young Marine. Auld Lang Syne,” he said, standing up. “Look, it’s almost the New Year.” Glancing at the television on in the background. He took the bottle of fizzy juice from the fridge and popped the cork, then quickly poured two glasses. Toasting each other they drank to each others’ health and sealed it with a kiss at the stroke of midnight. 2260 had begun.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Juggling her daily job tasks along with soon-to-be three children, the eldest one quite rambunctious, Louise realized she already had her hands very full. She was torn; knowing they needed a larger abode, and at the same time, she needed some help. Beyond what Joseph did, which was quite a bit, when he wasn’t at work. She also realized that Nannies didn’t come cheap.

Erik, not quite crawling, was well able to scoot about their small home.  He was also a bit of a terror, his interested mind getting him into not a little bit of trouble.

Finally, he was able to pull himself onto his feet, too. Even though the seasons were longer here on Vulcan, her children grew at the rate expected of humans. Which relieved the new mother immensely. 

Thankfully, Aaron was more than happy to play out in the backyard on the toddler gym Father Winter had brought him for Christmas. With Erik in the back carrier, she could paint while aslo keeping an eye on Aaron. When the third baby came along, she was uncertain just how she would manage, but for now, it worked.

Thanks for reading. All for now. :)