Connected Hearts

Shara had just finished up her tour for the day. She left her post to the next very capable Security officer and left for the evening. During the last several days, she’d hardly been able to concentrate. There had been so much to deal with and so quickly . . . When Karissa had been locked into the telepathic link with Rahel; just that had been enough to expand her world. She had found out that she had another sister . . . Yet it was possible that she could have lost both of them.

Then there was the mysterious arrival of Lieutenant Zack Dare. Explaining to her that she was inferior to her sisters and yet, he helped her recover memories about her parents . . . about the love they had had for her . . . Memories that she desperately needed. He had then saved her sisters, but it had been at the cost of his own life, and she had never truly known who he was . . .

And now, she had more family than she had ever thought possible . . . Two sisters, two brothers, two fathers, two mothers and a niece and a nephew . . . Plus her sisters’ significant others. In some respects she felt lost . . . having never had a real family. Before she and Karissa had been thrown together, all she’d ever known was her Uncle’s cruelty . . . and as it turned out, he probably wasn’t even her uncle. She had just been one of his creations . . . When she’d first found out, there was more of a sense of relief not to have been related to him. But here she was; so use to her solitary existence . . . then she discovered she had a sister, then her sister’s family. But now there were more than she could count.

She did enjoy being near them. There was a warmth that they all exuded, but it was a warmth she was not all that familiar with. Between feeling less than and a sense of loss she couldn’t explain, she wasn’t sure just how much she felt like part of the family. Was she capable of feeling more for others than she already had? But she knew part of herself was still adapting to the new. She loved Rahel’s parents and brother. They were warm and kind, welcoming her into their family, much the way Karissa’s family had. She just needed time . . . It was something she’d heard before from Karissa and something she had told Karissa before . . . It was something all the girls were use to hearing. Apparently patience wasn’t a total virtue when it came to their lives.

She had walked a long time . . . She had bypassed the Serenity tower she lived it and had continued onto Sunset Beach. There, in the limited lighting, she found herself a rock just under one of the few lights and stared out at the dark water . . . There was a crisp breeze in the air that whipped her hair behind her. It was cool, but it didn’t seem to bother her so much . . . She wanted to calm down. Allow her mind to stop twisting and turning . . . and to allow the loss of a young man she didn’t know and yet knew well sink in and come to terms with it . . .

And as much as she wanted to be with someone, she needed time away from her new found family. Her sisters had their own issues to deal with . . . some of them similar to hers. They would all just have to find their own ways of coping . . .

Tyvek had ended his shift leaving one of the ensigns' in charge. Being half Vulcan, he was able to ignore his emotions good enough. Even the emotion of 'annoyance'.

Driving past Sunset Beach, he began to feel a great bit of emotion take over his mind. So much so that he had to stop his bike.

Looking off in the distance, he immediately knew the source of the feeling.

He had found Shara.

At first he did not wish to disturb her. She hadn't made any efforts to contact him, not since October at the party.

He had hoped she would accompany him to find his father, but again she disappeared.

So why should he try again?

He remembered a story his mother had told him. When she and his father first got together on board the Vengeance. It had not been easy for them either.

Saitek, the eager Vulcan First Officer. And Maria, the intimate human female. Reminded him of Shara and himself and their relationship.

Parking the bike he walked over to her.

“Pardon me, is this rock taken?" he asked.

Shara knew that voice and smiled softly as she turned to face him. “Hi . . .” she said gently. She was very glad to see him and she could feel their connection once again. It was a good feeling. Something that was clear . . . something she desperately needed at the moment. Though they hadn’t really had time together in so long, she’d missed him. Without saying anything else, she leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here . . .”

Tyvek put his arms all around her and slid to her side, gently placing his lips on hers.

Stopping he could sense the emotional pain in her heart.

Not because of him, but because of.... another man.

“What has happened?" Begged her alien lover.

“A lot,” Shara replied softly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around . . . haven’t contacted you.” Tears misted her eyes. “There’s just been a lot to deal with . . . especially since Christmas. I . . . almost lost my sisters . . . Karissa found her twin sister and they ended up in a telepathic link that couldn’t be broken . . .” She wiped at a stray tear. “Then this guy showed up. A Lieutenant Zack Dare. I’d never met him before, but he seemed to know me . . . and in some way I knew him. It was weird.” She paused. “He told me I was inferior to Karissa and Rahel. I wasn’t made like they were, I guess. But . . . he was able to bring out memories of my parents. They loved me, Tyvek. They really did . . . and I remember them now. They were killed because they wanted to keep me . . .” She wiped at another stray tear. “Anyway, he saved Karissa and Rahel. He broke their link . . . but . . . he died because of it . . . and . . . I feel like I’ve lost family. I’ve never felt like this before . . . Between almost losing Karissa and then him . . .” She shook her head. “And now, I have all this family . . . and I don’t know how to feel? All I can feel is pain and I’m not sure if I belong. I don’t know how to be part of a family . . .” she said softly. “It just . . . it hurts so much and I don’t know why . . .”

Her emotions were stronger than they had ever been in her life. Since meeting Karissa she had finally allowed herself to feel more than just anger. But it came with a price . . . This was the price. She leaned into Tyvek.

“Am I just crazy to feel this way?” she asked. “Lost . . .”

Tyvek raised his eyebrow and replied.

“I am not a doctor but I am quite sure that if you are able to ask if ‘you’re crazy’, that is a good sign that you are not."

Tyvek was then surprised to hear her make a small laugh.

“I was not trying to be funny. And as far as being lost, you have never been more found in your life. There are many beings out there that will search their entire life just to belong some where or to someone else. You now belong with two sisters you had no idea existed, plus their families. And you also have me.”

Shara smiled, caressed his face tenderly and kissed him. “Thank you . . .” she said, kissing him again. He was right . . . She had family. She just needed to allow herself to open up to them . . . and most importantly, she had him . . . and he had her heart.

Tyvek then arose and stood beside her.

“Please stand up. I want to take you somewhere." he gestured toward his cycle.

The two star-crossed lovers hovered down to a small beach shack that had not seen life in several weeks.

It was becoming quite clear that Tyvek had something up his sleeve, so to speak as he led her into the dark living room of the shack.

“There is something I would like to ask you?" Tyvek stated as he bowed down to one knee lifting one of the old boards to pick up a black device of sorts.

Shara was speechless.

“What . . . what do you want to ask?” she replied with soft smile playing across her lips as she continued to look at what he held.

Tyvek continued to hold the box, which resembled an old Star Fleet communicator.

“You have been through a great turmoil. I do not wish to add to your problems but I need your help." he stated.

“What kind of help?" she asked.

“I need to know if I can trust you first. I need to know that you are as loyal to me as I feel that I am to you." added the Vulcan.

“Tyvek, we’re already mentally joined. You know my thoughts as I know yours. What is it?" She demanded gently.

Tyvek paused.

“My father, Saitek is alive. In fact, his ship is currently undisclosed waiting for my report. He feels that Governor Adama is part of a secret society planning to over throw the Federation; more or less a Section 31 coup. I am not so convinced but out of respect for him I must try and keep his location secret until I can learn the truth. As a Security officer you can help me to learn the truth; if you are willing.

If you are not then I can only hope that you will at least keep this secret until the truth is discovered." Tyvek admitted.

She was silent after he had finished speaking.

“This is a specially modified communicator I have designed; undetectable by current monitoring systems. It allows me to contact his ship. I hid it here and was on my way to contact him when I ... felt you nearby. It is not illogical of me to tell you that I have missed you. It is however, too soon to propose to you with all that has recently occurred. I do hope that I can trust you to keep my secret a little while longer," begged the Vulcan lover.

“Of course, I’ll keep it,” she said as she tenderly caressed his face “And I’ll do what I can to help . . . What do you need me to do?”

She trusted him . . . With their bond and her natural abilities; she knew he was only after the truth. And she figured that if nothing else, the truth was what needed to come out . . . One way or another.

Tyvek felt very confident that Shara was on his side. For a non Vulcan she was very logical. He could feel her devotion as well. And there was also the aesthetically pleasing features she possessed, making him consider that mother would have been proud.

As the night began to creep into the shack Tyvek decided he needed to take his beloved home. And so they walked hand in hand back to the hover bike.

Placing his helmet on her he started up the device and sped back to the base with her arms around his waist.

Through the gate they arrived at the parking lot and bid each other good night with a militarily passionate kiss.