
Vulcan to Earth," he instructed the computer.
"Not possible," the computer replied nasally.
"You can't get there from here," Sarek told Eleyna, deadpan, and was rewarded with one of her
disapproving looks.
Although as human as Amanda, Eleyna did not share Sarek's wife's sense of humor-on the other hand,
even after more than a year of working closely with Sarek, perhaps she did not believe a Vulcan could
possibly be joking with her. On the third hand, it could be part of that "I am more Vulcan than Vulcans"
attitude that some humans put on when they studied here. Every so often Sarek wanted to tell Eleyna to
be herself-but then, he could never be sure that the strictly formal facade she wore was not herself, and
so he curbed the remark.
He sorted through Watson's program, highlighting the errors, and added marginal notes to explain where
his student had gone wrong. By the time he had finished, it was time for class. The temperature was
already rising. The classrooms were several degrees cooler than the outside air, but that was not enough
for many offworlders' comfort. Sarek looked out across a sea of perspiring, squirming humans,
punctuated with an occasional Andorian, Hemanite, or Lemnorian. The handful of Vulcans sat properly,
paying strict attention, taking notes, and still-after a month of the class-looking faintly disapproving when
the rest of the class laughed at Sarek's occasional jokes.
The two Tellarites, Sarek noted, were absent-undoubtedly holed up in their quarters with the
airconditioning on full.
Sarek finished his demonstration of the new assignment, and asked for questions. As usual, Mr. Watson's
immediate response showed that he had missed the point. Patiently, Sarek explained again, wondering
once more how Watson had passed the Academy entrance examinations. T'Sia, a Vulcan girl from one
of the colonies, then asked an insightful question, and the class came to life with interest-the discussion
continued until time was up.
Two humans, Mr. Zarn and Mr. Stevens, left with T'Sia, still debating. Sarek wondered if the young
woman had the slightest notion of her appeal to the human males. Although she appeared to be
full-grown, T'Sia would not reach sexual maturity for at least twenty more years. The young humans,
finding total lack of response or even comprehension, would soon lose interest. He had seen new
students go through this same process time and again.
Human women were more subtle-and far more likely to know or surmise the facts of Vulcan biology.
They didn't waste time on Vulcan students; those few looking for a real challenge focused their interest on
their male professors, But because male Vulcans who had attained sexual maturity were either bonded or
married, no such attempt had ever succeeded, to Sarek's knowledge.
Returning to his office, he found Eleyna working at the computer. For the first time, he wondered what
she did in her time off. Did she ever take time off? It was a rare occurrence for Sarek not to find her in
his office. Her dissertation was proceeding admirably-he could not fault her for her work or for her
assistance. Yet. he could not seem to get to know her. Many of his human students, both male and
female, had become friends, but Eleyna was an enigma.
Thinking of his human students playing their mating games, Sarek considered whether at Eleyna's age she
should not have a male consort. Matchmaking was routine in Vulcan society. Only last year, Sarek and
Amanda had helped find a suitable bondmate for his cousin's daughter. But humans did not operate that