[I-OM] JP by Lt DeVeau and Doctor Saveron: Take me, take me now! - Part 2

[Amanda Nordstrom]

((Officers’ Mess, USS Invicta))


DeVeau: I’d like to hear more about your thoughts on Surak’s teachings.


::The Vulcan nodded, pushed his empty soup bowl aside and laced his long
fingers together before him.::


Saveron: Understand first that the way that is taught at the Temple of
Gol is only one interpretation. Golic culture is widespread and the
predominant amongst space-faring Vulcans.


::Alora already knew that it wasn’t Saveron’s culture.::


DeVeau: Indeed. Every other Vulcan I’ve known has ascribed to it as far
as I know.


::Even her first Vulcan language teacher, from whom she’d learned the
most in regards to their culture.::


Saveron: When Surak first expounded his teachings some Vulcans were
already beginning to turn from our old ways, seeking some way to stay
our imminent self-destruction. Surak taught perhaps the simplest method;
the suppression of emotive impulses in favour of logic, that the latter
should dictate our actions rather than the former. He also taught
complete pacifism. You will note however that even now his teachings do
not permeate all aspects of our culture.


::Many still practiced martial arts, and there were some rituals that
logic could not touch.::


DeVeau: Such as the Suus Mahna? That’s not really a pacifistic past time.


Saveron: Affirmative. Yet self-defence was important, especially when
one’s people control an important resource such as the An’ahyaes Valley.
::As his did.:: A disciple of Surak’s who was a particular proponent of
pacifism once wrote a letter chiding a leader of the Nel Gathic peoples
for their continuing training in martial forms; he accused us of
warmongering. The response is well known. ‘We do not seek war; but he
that would bring war to us, let him beware.’


DeVeau: Interesting.


::Alora’s finger tapped against her cheek.::


DeVeau: You know, that’s kind of like Aikido. It’s not meant to be used
to causea fight, just to protect one in a fight. That’s one of the
reasons why I like it. Of course, it doesn’t really do much when
someone’s got a phaser pointed at you - unless they’re within reach anyway.


::She shrugged, then canted her head as if to get another view of the
man across from her.::

DeVeau: What other sort of aspects do the teachings not ‘permeate’?


Saveron: Ancient rituals predominantly. Those that govern situations
inherent in our most basic biology and culture, where logic has no part.


::It wasn’t the kind of thing his people often talked about, and Golic
Vulcans were particularly cagey, never liking to admit that they were
anything but logical. Saveron never saw any logic in denying his own
nature and that of his people, and his own Nel Gathic culture was more
open about such things.::


DeVeau: What rituals? What sort of situations?


Saveron: The bonding of mates, intimacies, the right to challenge.


::Which brought the conversation full circle. They were back on sex again.::


DeVeau: Intimacies? Bonding of mates? Right to challenge?


::Alora shook her head. Those were all things no Vulcan had ever thought
to discuss with her and she certainly wasn’t going to bring up the
subject. To be honest, thoughts on such things hadn’t really crossed her
mind, but since Saveron had brought it back up, she might as well ask.::


DeVeau: Would you elaborate, please?


::Saveron paused for a moment and glanced about them at the rapidly
growing crowd.::


Saveron: Affirmative. ::He said at last.:: But not here and now. Ask me
at a different time.


::There were things he would discuss with a friend that he still
preferred not to voice to idle ears. He sought to change the subject.::


Saveron: Will you tell me what it means to be a ‘Christian’?


::Religion in many forms was prevalent in the Federation, but not
something with which he personally had any experience.::


DeVeau: Okay.


::That stirred Alora’s curiosity even further, but she didn’t push.
She’d respect his wishes to discuss the subject later. To his question,
it was her turn to push aside her tray. She’d been eating in between
bits of conversation, particularly during his long statements and
explanations and while the steak wasn’t completely gone, she’d had her
fill. Now she could focus simply on conversing with her friend.::


DeVeau: Christians believe in one God who manifests himself in three
ways. There’s the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son was born
as a man on earth to live a perfect life so he could die on the cross
because after God created man, man sinned and all mankind was
subsequently sinful because of it. The Holy Spirit is the manifestation
of God who works within man, changes hearts and helps with understanding
of the scriptures.


::Alora brought her hands together, her fingertips of one hand touching
the counterparts of the other as she gazed over at the Vulcan from the
steeple they created.::


DeVeau: That’s the simple version. The reallysimple version.


Saveron: Thank you. ::He said politely.:: You have however touched on
numerous concepts with which I am not familiar.


DeVeau: Which ones specifically?


::Not that Alora really needed to ask because she was pretty sure she
knew the answer.::


Saveron: ‘Sin’ and ‘scriptures’ are words with which I am not familiar.
Also, what constitutes a ‘perfect life’? Are particular activities
encouraged or proscribed, to gain favour with this deity?


::That was a concept he was at least familiar with from his own people’s
ancient history.::


DeVeau: See, now we’re going into deeper levels here. Okay, see, God
created the Universe and all that was in it and he created man in His
own image. He gave man all of Earth and he could eat of anything except
the fruit of this one tree.


Saveron: And this particular tree was different?


DeVeau: Well, it was called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
And I guess it was because He gave man free will and allowed him to
exercise it in whether or not man obeyed God. But man didn’t obey God,
he disobeyed God. Disobedience of God’s commands is called sin.


Saveron: It has been my general observation of Terrans that, if
forbidden to do something, they will almost certainly attempt to do it.
One might suggest that, in presenting such temptation, God expected man
to fail.


DeVeau: He knew man would fail, yes, but He gave us the choice. I guess
we could have been robots, but I like having free will myself. Anyway,
since God was perfect, the only way man could be redeemed was if man
lived a perfect life. Otherwise, death was the payment. But since man
had sinned, no human could live a perfect life. It’s hard to teach
someone to be perfect when you’re not perfect yourself. So God sent a
part of Himself, his Son to live that perfect life and then die on the
cross so that man could be saved.


::Insights into other, alien cultures were always fascinating. Saveron
might not agree with religion himself, but he was true to the IDIC
principle and sought knowledge as a means of understanding.::


Saveron: Interesting. And what constitutes a ‘perfect life’?


DeVeau: One where a person lives in perfect obedience to God.


::It sounded simple, but of course, nothing was ever as simple as it
sounded. Still, their conversation brought up some interest of her own,
but in Saveron’s own culture rather than hers.::


DeVeau: You mentioned that Vulcans worshipped gods at one point, didn’t you?


Saveron: Affirmative. Vulcans had many gods. My own people considered
themselves the chosen of Ny’one and T’Priah, God and Goddess of
Fertility. To care for the land in a sustainable way was considered to
bring their favour in the form of a good harvest and many children. One
courted their favour with deeds, all related to the care of the land.


DeVeau: Interesting.


::Alora had honestly thought there would be a plethora of gods and, or,
goddesses, but just two? Well, even within Earth culture there was a
great diversity among what gods were worshipped - and how many of them
within various cultures. Why would Vulcans be any different? It was an
interesting insight into the ancient Vulcan culture and she wondered if
there were any parallels to cultures on Earth.::

DeVeau: Are there any books written about that which I could read? I’d
be interested in learning more.


Saveron: Certainly, there are ancient texts still extant, as well as
modern treatises from several different cultures. Ny’one and T’Priah are
part of a larger pantheon, and other members were more greatly revered
by other cultures.


::But to the agrarian Nel-Gathic peoples, the deities of fertility were
held supreme.::


Saveron: Are there any texts on Christianity available from which I
might learn further?


DeVeau: Oh there are tons.


::Alora would have to figure whichto recommend. There were horrible
books and some really great ones as well.::


DeVeau: I can even get you a copy of the Bible digitally sent if you
want. And I know a little something about other religions of you want to
explore them too.


Saveron: I would not object to that. The subject is interesting.


::He still wanted to find out what constituted obedience to God and a
perfect life. Perhaps the answer would be detailed there. It would be
difficult for a follower of that religion to live such if it were not
detailed.::


DeVeau: So, now, sex.


::That earned her The Eyebrow.::


Saveron: Have we not covered that subject? You claimed to lack the
Terran obsession.


::Which, whilst delivered dead-pan, was still clearly a tease.::


DeVeau: Well, you know, we’d gone back and forth, I figured we ought to
complete the circle.


::Alora’s grin was quite accepting of the monotonal poke at her.::


DeVeau: I don’t want you to think I don’t follow through or anything.


Saveron: One would make no such accusation. The subject is broad
however, you had a particular aspect in mind?


DeVeau: No, not really. Actually, I was just mentioning it since it was
the only other topic we’ve been discussing and you had mentioned us
Terrans are so obsessed with it.

Saveron: You considered that you have a species stereotype to uphold?


DeVeau: Pretty much yeah.


Saveron: I would never consider you stereotypical.


END

--------


Lt. Cmdr Saveron

Xenobiologist

USS Invicta


&


Lt Alora DeVeau

Chief Science Officer

USS Invicta