Pride and Logic Chapter 10

Nyota stood before her closet contemplating what to wear for yet another ball. Instead of an exclusive Academy formal, this ball was a Starfleet affair, a grand ball put on to honor the newly crowned queen of Sydothia. Nyota was extremely excited about the evening’s ball as it would give her an opportunity to interact with dignitaries and representatives from nearly all of the Federation member planets. She was also anxious to see Sybok again. Since meeting him two weeks prior, Nyota had only seen Sybok twice more. They danced together at Sulu’s birthday party last Sunday and she had run into him during her walk home from her first practice session with Commander Spock a few days ago.

Mail Order Bride Part 3

Ambassador Sarek, respected Vulcan, sat on the terrace of Terra’s Vulcan Embassy.

He was remembering his Human wife, who had died so shockingly, and so young. They had looked forward to another forty or fifty years together, but Nero had destroyed Sarek’s planet and Amanda had died.Sarek sighed. It was now nearly five years since that terrible day. He had supervised the early marriage-matching efforts, computer-matching compatible Vulcan males and females, but would not participate in the repopulation effort personally. He was personally disgusted by the idea of making a “biological” donation as his son had done, and put off by the idea of marriage with a Vulcan woman. So, he had applied to the Vulcan Bridal Exchange program, known among the Humans as the “Mail-Order Bride” program.

Mary sat on her bed surrounded by Elizabeth, Georgiana and Beatrice, who were busily fretting over her, true to Darcy’s word. Mary was relieved to be back at Pemberley surrounded by friends, but she was anxious about relating the story of what sent her running into the woods to her friends. She had managed to keep the tale from Derek during the ride back to Pemberley. He had been so relieved to see find her unharmed, that he had not persisted in his questioning. However, after much gentle and earnest pleading by Elizabeth, Mary was persuaded to tell them what happened. The ladies responded with equal measures of shock and anger.

Chapter 2

Dawn followed the Starfleet officer through the spartanly decorated halls of the Vulcan embassy. As they walked, they passed by several Vulcans whom all greeted her with serene nods of the head. Dawn was too nervous to offer more than a stilted bow of her own head, her anxiety giving her a Vulcan-like emotional detachment.

Dawn said farewell to the last of her party guests. It was well after one in the morning and she was completely foxed. She plopped down on the sofa in her room with a great sigh, kicking off her high-heeled shoes as she surveyed her apartment. The place was a mess. Streamers, confetti, half-empty bottles of Andorian wine and plates dirty with the remnants of actual hand made dark chocolate raspberry cake littered the room. However, as it was her birthday…well, the morning after her birthday, Dawn made no move to tidy the room. 

Dawn McKenzie sighed before closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the sofa behind her. She was now thirty years old. She had a successful career as a civilian professor at Starfleet Academy, a group of loyal friends, a family that loved her, an adorable cat named Candy and a modest condo overlooking the bay to call home. Her life was good. However, despite all this, Dawn could not help but feel a little empty. She was lonely. She was thirty years old and she had never had a real relationship. She had dated a few men, but those dates had never turned into relationships. They had all failed to excite her. They were too interested on their careers or advancement within Starfleet. When she dated outside of Starfleet, she had not met anyone that could challenge her mind, which for Dawn was the key to exciting her libido. She was thirty years old and if she did not lower her standards or take drastic action, she felt doomed to spend the rest of her life alone. 

Uhura laughed gaily as Sybok walked her back to the booth where their friends awaited them. She had only intended to dance once with Sybok, but he had somehow persuaded her to dance through five more songs. By the time she returned to the booth, Kirk was slumped over the table in a drunken stupor.

“I think that you should wear this outfit. It would show off your bottom rather nicely,” Gaila chirped happily as she laid out yet another outfit on Nyota’s bed.

“For the last time, Gaila, I am not going on a date. It is just drinks with Len and the boys,” Nyota sighed as she picked up the offending outfit to hand it back to her roommate.

Pride and Logic Chapter 7

After their return from Theta Sigma, Gaila and Nyota had but a short break before the start of the Winter Quarter. Both girls spent the brief week with Nyota’s family in Kenya enjoying home cooked meals and the warmth of the African sun before being thrown once again into their graduate studies. While Nyota was always excited to begin a new term, she viewed her new class schedule with some trepidation. Commander Spock’s Advanced Vulcan Language and Culture seminar was on Thursday nights. Nyota’s time on Theta Sigma had served to temper her dislike of Commander Spock, but she still had trouble sketching his character. He could be proud and aloof yet also be witty and even warm in his interactions with his friends and herself. Spock’s pale olive feet against the cool dark floors and his long fingers gracefully moving across the lyre as he was absorbed in his music still haunted her.

Love and Prejudice Chapter 15

The next day saw the house party in full swing. Various activities were planned to amuse the party throughout the day. The men were scheduled to indulge in a fox hunt with the ladies riding out to observe the proceedings. Darcy, Fitzwilliam, the Viscount and Mr. Peterson were to join a few gentlemen from neighboring estates.

Love and Prejudice: Chapter 14

Mr. Darcy led Mr. Brambles to his private study. Darcy could not help but to be curious as to the nature of the business that Mr. Brambles wanted to discuss. He realized that it must have been of some import or urgency for Mr. Brambles to request an audience so soon after his arrival from town.

Georgiana sat at her dressing table, absently staring into the mirror before her. She was looking forward to the house party and the arrival of their final houseguests. Relatives of Mary’s father were due to arrive that afternoon. Georgiana was thankful that Mary would have more houseguests that would be supportive of her. She still found herself blushing as she thought about the treatment of Mary at the hands of her cousins.

 Chapter 12

Mary sat in the east drawing room trying her best to attend to the novel in her hand. During the two hour period in which she was engaged in the activity, she had only managed to read one paragraph. Sighing in frustration, Mary cast the book aside deciding to give up the pretense of reading to take a turn about the room. Elizabeth, Darcy, Georgiana and Fitzwilliam were all assembled in the room as the first of their guests were due to arrive at any moment. Noticing Mary’s movement, Fitzwilliam decided to follow her example and set aside the newspaper he had been attending to join her in her circuit about the room.

Chapter 11

Mary sat in the dimly lit solarium watching Colonel Fitzwilliam’s figure retreat from the room. Once he had gone, Mary let out a deep sigh. Opening the velvet box, Mary took out the pearl earrings and examined them in the candlelight. They were indeed a beautiful pair of earrings that would complement her warm brown skin nicely. However, they were not the gift that she had been expecting.

Chapter 10

Her tears spent, Georgiana lay upon her bed staring uncomprehendingly at the lace canopy. Georgina wished that she could undo what she had witnessed in the hall that mid-morning. However, the image of her friend slinking away from her cousin Richard’s bedchamber in naught but her chemise proved too potent to be imagined away.

Chapter 9

The morning of Christmas Eve found the house in much better spirits then the night before. Preparations for the Servant’s Ball resumed and Georgiana and Mary made visits to Pemberley’s tenants on behalf of the Mistress of Pemberley, providing generous baskets of sweet stuffs, preserves and warm linens to each family. They were received warmly at each house they visited and many offerings of kind words were given for the welfare of both Master William and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

During the day, the family took turns sitting with Fitzwilliam, watching for any changes in his condition. He woke briefly in the late afternoon and was able to partake of some broth before falling back into a deep sleep. Dr. Roberts was encouraged by this development and the family felt more at ease regarding their plans to attend the Servant’s Ball.

Love and Prejudice Chapter 8:

One would hardly recognize Pemberley as the same estate of that morning. All of the busy preparations for Christmas Eve had seemingly ground to a halt as the entire household waited for news of the state of young master William. The dining room and drawing rooms were quiet and dark, bereft of their usual chatter and activity. Elizabeth, Darcy and Georgiana all maintained a constant vigil in William’s room, watching the sleeping boy fretfully.

Love and Prejudice Chapter 7

Overnight Pemberley was transformed from a quiet estate into a storm of frenzied yet orderly activity. With little more than two weeks before Elizabeth’s grand Twelfth Night celebration, hardly anyone in the house was permitted to do anything other than prepare for the festivities. The guest list needed to be compiled, invitations sent out, menus planned, guest rooms prepared, seating arrangements calculated on top of countless other tasks.

Chapter 6

“You could never drive me away unless it was your most earnest wish,” Richard replied breathily as he caressed Mary’s cheek with one hand.

Mary sighed with contentment, her eyes closing as she leaned into his touch. Upon opening her eyes, she was surprised by the intensity of Richard’s gaze. His blue eyes were fixed upon her with a look of complete ardor. Mary grew alarmed, but did not make to protest as Richard slowly bent his head to capture her lips in a gentle kiss.