[[BACKPOST]]: The Long And Winding Road

Posted on 15 Jan 2013 @ 4:36am by

1,472 words; about a 7 minute read

Once again, pretend this is in Vulcan :) I don't have the time on this computer to do the translations, thanks! ~ phoebe

ON:

[[2387, VELIK SHI'OREN, MIRI'KAHR CITY, VULCAN]]

The man standing before him is old, and a little puffy with perhaps too much of an inclination for eating, or maybe a medical concern. It isn't a judgment, rather Liyar notes it makes him seem more approachable, friendly. When he speaks however he is just as foreboding as every other Vulcan Liyar has ever known. "He has been fighting yet again, S'haile. This cannot continue. His reports are far below average."

Liyar crosses his arms. The teacher is stout, and shorter than him. Good. He leans over a bit, towering above him. "He has been fighting because he is being provoked," he pointed out curtly.

"That is an unacceptable justification for violence, S'haile. He must learn the kya'shin as every Vulcan must learn it. His marks are suffering as a result of his inability to concentrate. He is continually distracted by the other students in the classroom." The instructor gestures to three other boys with varying degrees of injury, scratches, and one with a split lip.

Liyar gives them a cursory glance, like they are dust on his shoe. This teacher is smug, self-important, pompous and over-fluffed. The same Velik Shi'oren he attended, the same self-righteous, indignant instructors. "It is illogical to maintain that every student in your class follow one standard protocol of learning. It is also illogical to renounce one child's actions on the basis of an ideology of pacifism and fail to renounce the actions of three others who similarly lack comprehension of our values." That last bit is sharp, but Liyar doesn't care.

"Irrelevant. I have submitted the request to our pyllora. Raek will undergo additional testing to determine if his placement with us is acceptable."

"You would have me instruct my son to ignore when he is being mistreated." It isn't a question anymore. "Those children broke his wrist, and dislocated his shoulder." His eyes go flinty. "You fail to rectify their ignorance of our ways by refusing to acknowledge their equal, if not greater participation in a violent act against a single child much younger than they. It has been long established that Raek does not meet the qualifications to begin kya'shin training. He is not even pre-kahs-wan." Liyar's eyebrows draw together, expression stormy.

"Be that as it may," the teacher says, pursing his fat lips. "Such is life, S'haile. Raek can receive no greater treatment than any other child."

"You justify yourself by citing the avoidance of favoritism? Raek will fail or succeed on his own merits, he requires only the same respect that you afford every other student at this," he pauses, and condescendingly adds, "Institution. That is not the measure of any life I intend for my son. You will remove him from your class immediately and forward to me the reports regarding his educational aptitude. I will procure a suitable pyllora to examine him. You will be satisfied with this, or you will find your own life increasingly difficult." If this man wants favoritism, Liyar finds he is more than happy to sling his weight around. He rests his hand on Raek's uninjured shoulder. More than once, and especially now, he wishes that the drafts on his desk, the ones detailing the architectural designs for a new shi'oren complex, could be given to T'Maile. Yet, irrationally, he still finds himself unable to approach her about it. Staring at this insipid teacher, it intrudes in his mind again. Raek would not have this difficulty, if there was a place where he could go and receive an education acceptable to his style of learning. Liyar knows there are such places in Shi'kahr, knows Vulcan is considered one of the best educational hotspots in the Federation, perhaps even the Alpha quadrant, but Miri'kahr... he inhales and tightens his grip, locking eyes with the instructor. "Have I made myself understood, savensu."

The teacher shifts and nods reluctantly. "Affirmative, S'haile. Take your son and go home. He has been given one ten-day to meditate and reflect on his behavior. He will receive his instruction packets by aircar in the morning." One of the boys glares at Raek as the teacher and the three students begin to leave, but Liyar wills calm through, and Raek only tenses briefly before growling, stomping his tiny foot when they are alone.

"This is so -"

"Enough, Raek," Liyar starts sternly, kneeling down to face him. "Come here. You are bleeding." He swipes his thumb over a cut on Raek's forehead. "You cannot continue this. Violence is unacceptable and you will be disciplined accordingly. Do not mistake my behavior as lenience, Raekkam. I am highly disappointed with you." He allows the parental bond to open, and transferrs the feelings across. This is more than adequate to explain the depth of emotion. For a few seconds it remains open and Raek shifts, and presses his hands against his eyes.

"They were being mean to me! They mock me!" he growls, voice cracking. "They said you are crazy, because of what happened to Romulus, they pretend to faint and say that when I am Sealed, I will do a terrible job, because I am -"

Liyar sighs. "Of course they say these things. Raek. It is not logical, but they are children. They do not, cannot subscribe to the logic of social convention. They are jealous," he says with small exasperation as he leads Raek down the looming hallways, footsteps echoing in tandem. "They do not know how to adequately comprehend your status, or your presence. They feel as though they cannot treat you as a regular peer, but they resent this fact and so they aggress against you instead. You must weather it. You cannot belittle your status and your clan in this way. It is shameful and dishonorable."

Raek lets out a loud, angry sound, but stomps alongside his father with reluctant acceptance. "You are not going to shut off the bond, are you? Sivok says that his parents do that and he cannot feel them at all and it is empty and," he stutters, horrified, "Please do not go away!"

Liyar truly tries not to sigh again. This child tests his patience at the best of times, but he leans down and holds out his wrists in the el'ru'esta. "Sivok's parents behave inappropriately," he reassures. "Closing the parental bond for minor infractions is both illogical and damaging to a child's wellbeing. I do not condone this practice. Your discipline will be conventional. You are barred from participating in your usual recreational activities for the week of abstinence you have earned here. You will also undergo training with me daily in the beginning tenets of kheile'a." The martial art is meditative, and a softer version of the many Liyar undertook as a child, but it will, he thinks, help ground his son.

"No!" Raek whines. He's concerned only with the fact that he has been barred from using the computer and handling I-Rhe'khal, the sehlat that belongs to T'Nahr, the attendant. "No, no, no!" he stops dead center in the hallway and gets ready to let out a bellow of disapproval.

"You can walk on your own power, or I will carry you," Liyar warns patiently.

Stomp, stomp, stomp, is Raek's answer. They board the aircar home, and Liyar makes a mental note to ask T'Yron about the educational facilities in Shi'kahr. On top of this, he has to find a competent pyllora, one who cannot adhere to preconception. He knows T'Yron will not approve of Raek learning to fight, especially at such a young age, but it is better than this. He will be able to defend himself, and he will not hurt anyone in the process. It may even provide him with discipline, as it did for Liyar so many years ago.

OFF:

Liyar
Nevam
Raek

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