Mestral's Adventures

Chapter 1

Rating: This chapter is PG, but the whole story is rated R (because we will probalby need it.) >:-)

Summary: This story is the response to a challenge from Distracted.:

"I have a challenge. Should you choose to accept it, Silverbullet, I would very much like to read a Mestral story. Write something slice of life about Mestral after T'Mir and the gang left him on Earth. You can pick any time period you want from the 1950's when he arrived to present day since Vulcans live so long, and tell the tale of anything you think that Mestral might have experienced while on Earth. It can be short, long, or in between. It can be romantic or sad or smutty or just the tale of him learning how to play pool, shoot a rifle, or ride a horse. Tell the story from his point of view. You decide."

Author's note: This is just the beginning. The real adventure starts in chapter 2. JustTrip’n will be editing all of the chapters with profound thanks from the author, who is lost without his beta.

justTrip'n's note: "Carbon Creek" is near Pittsburgh! :D

Mestral's Adventures

"All of them or just one?” T’Mir asked pointedly. Mestral had provoked her by stating he wanted to stay on Earth to study Humans.

“We were fortunate to meet Maggie, “ Mestral defended. “She employed you right away, then called the mine superintendent to get me an interview for a job;  she got Stron hired on as an apprentice plumber. She vouched for us and guaranteed payment if we defaulted so we could buy clothing, footwear, and food on credit. She found us this dwelling. It took her a lot of talking to get the landlady to rent to us.”

“I was not aware there was any hesitation to rent to us. “

 “Your fabrications when we first arrived did not help our case with the landlady," said Mestral.

"Fabrications?" asked T-Mir.

"Yes, when Maggie first asked if we were married, you said no, we were just business partners," replied Mestral

"What should I have said?" T-Mir snapped.

"That you were married to me and that Stron was your brother, or that you were married to Stron and I was your brother. That way there would have been no gossip in town about us all living in one apartment. This is a small town. While sex is important to these humans, they pretend it doesn't exist and frown on unmarried people living in the same quarters."

"I heard some of those rumors but disregarded them," said T-Mir.

"The men in the mine asked me which one of us—me or Stron—was having Sex with you—or whether both of us were. I told them that I was and that I didn't want anyone else bothering you. I am a large man even for humans and strong so I guess they took what I said seriously," said Mestral.

"That explains why, as Jack said, men stopped making passes at me and trying to paw me," said T-Mir. "It is a good thing. I thought I might have to hurt one of them to stop the others.”

"That would have been wonderful: you picking up a two hundred pound man off his seat and hitting him."

T-Mir grew silent for a bit and then said.

"You must leave with us. If you stay, you may contaminate the culture and the species."

Mestral walked to Stron’s tool box. He pulled the weapon that Stron had used on occasion to mend some metal part.

"What if the boy who calls you Moe had got into your tool box while you were under the sink? Perhaps pushing the stud and setting it off, while aiming it at you, as boys do. Imagine it: green blood all over, you still alive, and a Doctor is brought to tend you. Once he sees that blood and looks inside at your organs, he’ll know you are not of this planet. The town people will know. We are all together so we would all be exposed as non-Humans. That would contaminate this planet completely. And they would have your weapon. Imagine what they could do with that?" said Mestral.

He turned to T-Mir, “I saw you get on that train. I wondered where you were going and why. So I went to the crash site. I searched and found something missing. You took it into Pittsburgh to sell. Did you turn it over to the purchaser or just show it to him?” said Mestral.

"No, I gave him a crude copy of the technology made with substances found on this planet, " said T-Mir.

"Nevertheless, the technology will contaminate this planet. If I go back and report this, what will happen to the both of you? If I stay on Earth no one will ever know.”

"You used a weapon to save those miners," retorted T-Mir.

"You were Commander. I did it with your permission and help," said Mestral.

"All right, you can stay on Earth. I will tell them you died in the crash and we cremated you with the Captain. Agreed Stron?"

"Agreed, it is better for all of us," said Stron.

"Then when you are picked up, you must have the ship use its tractor beam to bring the crashed ship up to the rescue ship and try to bring up any other Vulcan artifact that may have been thrown from the crash. We cannot afford to have any of the ship found," said Mestral. “We have been lucky. However, I understand that the Humans hunt the animals we first saw when we landed, and that there is a certain time of the year when this is permitted. That time is approaching and the forest around Carbon Creek will have hundreds of hunters walking through it. Some of them are bound to find the Ship. It must be removed. We should have been destroying as much of it as we could with our weapons. We must convince the rescue ship to take it, and everything  from it, along."

"Agreed," said T-Mir.

"I will watch from town. The rescue ship may use a scanner, and if they see three Vulcans, they will know I am alive and that you are lying. I doubt if they will scan a very large area. If I am among Humans they probably won't find me."

Mestral watched the ship depart taking T-Mir back to Vulcan. He was certain the two Vulcans that had been stranded on Earth would not betray him. He walked in to the Pine Tree Bar.

"I thought you left with the others," said Maggie.

"No, I plan to travel a bit before I go up North again," replied Mestral.

"Oh, where?" said Maggie.

"I’m not sure. I’ll just point my nose and follow it, I guess," said Mestral.

"What about your job at the mine?" asked Maggie.

"I’ll have to give it up. I have some money saved which should last a while. I can find employment elsewhere," said Mestral.

"What else can you do besides be a miner?" Maggie wondered.

“I can work with my hands. There’s always employment for those skilled in construction."

"I guess so, but it doesn't pay much. You will need money if you travel a lot." Maggie smiled saddly.

"Yes, but I can travel by bus. That won't cost as much as a train," said Mestral.

"When are you leaving?" asked Maggie.

"I have to give notice to the mine, decide where I will go first,  things like that," said Mestral.

"Write to us?" said Maggie.

"Sure thing. You all have been so good to us, to me."

Maggie seemed to want to say something but didn't.

Mestral was grateful. It would be awkward for him and for her to state their feelings for each other. He hadn't wanted to start anything intimate. It was mistake to let her kiss him in the car. This way was better. He just had to keep it from becoming more before he left. His tale to the men in the mine must have reached her but didn't seem to matter.

"I sure wish I knew who put all of the cash in the jar. My son is just thrilled. He can go to school this year and next year on it. I guess we can save up enough by then to pay his expenses for the rest of the time.”

"He is a fine boy. I am sure he will do well in school," said Mestral.

"That was a lot of money. Not many people around here have that kind of money to put in a College Fund Jar. No one saw any strangers around lately." Maggie smile.

Mestral knew who had put the money in the Jar. He had been given what cash the other two Vulcans had saved before they left. He needed it. Otherwise it too would have been in the Jar.

Three days later Mestral was ready to leave. He stoppped by the Pine Tree to say goodbye to Maggie and the few friends he had made while in Carbon Creek.

"I’ll drive you to the station," offered Maggie.

"Thanks, I could use a lift," replied Mestral.

When the arrived at the station, Maggie turned to Mestral. "Write. Let me know where you are. Maybe I can come visit you sometime."

"I will, as soon as I find somewhere that I want to stop long enough to have visitors," said Mestral. He knew he was lying, but it was better this way. After a few years, Magggie would forget him. Mestral got out of the car before Maggie could say or do anything else.

"Have to buy my ticket. The bus will be leaving in a bit," he said.

"Where is your first stop?" asked Maggie.

"Pittsburgh," replied Mestral.

"Guess I had better get back to the Pine Tree then. Goodbye, I am going to miss you and the others." Maggie put the car in gear, backed out and drove off.

Mestral watched her go. "I am going to miss you too," he said to himself. He walked into the station to the ticket window. "One to Pittsburgh." He received his ticket and went in to the waiting room. He bought a Pittsburgh Press. I have to look for some place to stay there, he thought. It will be at least a week while I can plan what I want to do and where I want to do it. He was not familiar with Human newspapers; he had watched mostly television and the newscasts. He started to read through each section discarding most quickly. He also read the advertisements. He would need new clothing, including a different hat. He couldn't wear the cap he had on. It was alright for Carbon Creek but would look out of place in a big city.

End of Chapter One