Have You Met My Bodyguard

Title: Have You Met My Bodyguard?

Rating: R

Summary: Newly married, Amanda and Sarek find themselves in a most peculiar dilemma involving an over-protective sehlat.

Star Trek and the Star Trek characters of Sarek, Amanda, and Ee-Chiya are owned by Paramount and Viacom.

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        Amanda peered out of the closet and was once again confronted with a problem...a large, hairy problem that growled when the door opened. Startled by the implied threat, she considered closing the door again, but her husband, only meters away, shook his head.

        "No, do not allow him to think he has cornered you. Leave the door open."

        "That's easy for you to say! He's not snarling at you!"

        "Kroykah, Ee-chiya! At once! Leave the rest quarters. Go. Now."

        But the animal remained and sat down directly in front of Amanda, blocking her exit from the closet.

        Amanda had no reason to believe that there was a situation brewing. In fact, it appeared that the sehlat had taken well to her presence in the house. True, it had been less than a week, and that first meeting had shaken her. When Sarek mentioned that he had a pet, his rather vague description of the animal gave her the impression of a large sheepdog...maybe a bear-sized animal. But not this. Not this huge, feral beast that had taken a distinct dislike to her.

        She had hidden her concerns upon that first meeting and enjoyed watching Sarek with Ee-chiya. The sehlat brought out the little boy in him as he stroked the pet's long fur and talked gently to him. Amanda had fed and watered the sehlat without any problems...until this morning. For the first time ever, the animal had growled at her as she walked through the living quarters. It had taken her aback, and at first she had given him the benefit of the doubt and thought the creature had heard something outside. She made it a point to avoid him for most of the rest of the day, but as she approached Ee-chiya with a treat as evening approached, he growled again. She decided that perhaps the animal was tired, so she went to the bedroom. Sarek was already there and as Amanda crossed the room to the closet, Ee-Chiya had suddenly come barreling in at full speed and with a strange series of howls and snaps, frightened her into the closet. The last thing she saw before closing the door was Sarek's shocked face. Something had definitely caused the animal to change its mind about her. But what? What had happened?

        "Sarek, perhaps you could try to entice him with a treat. He seems to like the soft kreyla that I made...at least it won't go to waste."

        Amanda wrinkled her nose and shook her head, embarrassed by the cooking fiasco. She had really tried to make the biscuits the way she thought they should be made...but she didn't know that the bread was actually supposed to be hard as a rock. That was the tradition texture for that particular recipe. So in attempting to "lighten" the dough, she made the concoction completely inedible. It had only been appreciated by Ee-chiya, who gladly gobbled up the soft mess. At least he did yesterday.

        "Perhaps you are correct. I shall return momentarily."

        Amanda's smile grew as she watched her husband leave the room. He had been taken off-guard by his pet's actions, and so far, nothing would cause the beast to leave the room. It was comical, and yet it still terrified her to some degree. This wasn't a dog or cat...or any animal she was used to. There had to be some justification for the change in behavior from yesterday until today. There had to be something...

        "Ee-Chiya, come. Look, a treat for you. Come."

        Sarek's soft baritone voice caused to sehlat to look up and over its shoulder at his master. The bowl filled with the biscuits was lowered and Sarek held it so that the animal could see what was there. But still, Ee-chiya refused to move. He plopped back down at the closet door and glared at Amanda. She frowned back.

        "Ee-Chiya, I wish I knew what I've done to you. I truly can't think of a thing."

        " My wife, is there the possibility that you may have accidentally startled him? His actions are not logical."

        "No. I'm certain that I did nothing to cause him alarm. He is an animal, Sarek. I doubt that his brand of logic is like ours."

        Sarek looked over the animal at his grinning wife. How she could find the situation humorous was beyond him.

        "I have no doubt that his logic is quite his own. Perhaps if we tried to understand his actions..."

        "You mean, think like a sehlat."

        "You are amused."

        "Yes. Yes, I am. If you had told me last week that I would one day be trapped in a closet by an aggravated sehlat, I wouldn't have believed you. Now the question is, how do we convince Ee-Chiya to let me out?"

        They considered the question for a time. Sarek moved closer to the closet, but Ee-Chiya grumbled softly at him and also moved in toward the door. Amanda continued to smile. It was, without a doubt, the most outlandish situation she had ever been in.

        "Perhaps we should discuss what I said earlier. What would cause Ee-Chiya to change his opinion of me? I haven't raised my voice to him or changed his routine in any way. What happened between last night and tonight?"

        Sarek watched the sehlat carefully as he moved from the right side of the door to the left. The animal matched his moves and turned his body to block the door more efficiently.

        "Sarek, why do Vulcans have sehlats?"

        "I received Ee-Chiya when I was a boy. Sehlats have always been the traditional gift to family members upon the birth of a child, unless a sehlat is already in residence. They act as protectors of the family. They are gentle animals unless a family member is threatened; then, they can become quite vicious in their defense. That is why I cannot understand Ee-Chiya's sudden actions against you. You have not threatened me in any way, have you, my wife?"

        Amanda shook her head, her eyes still twinkling at the insanity of their problem.

        "No, Sarek. There is no way that I could..." Her voice trailed off at a sudden thought.

        "Amanda?"

        But suddenly, Amanda's eyes grew large and she began to laugh. Was it possible? The sehlat's instincts were to protect its master. Was he just doing his job?

        "What is so amusing?"

        "Think about it! What happened last night that hasn't happened since I've been here?"

        "I cannot think of anything out of the ordinary."

        Amanda shook her head slightly.

        "Then, my husband, your memory is poor."

        Before Sarek could reply, she retreated into the darkness of the closet. Sarek could not see what she was doing until she returned to the door frame with a long, cascading robe made of the finest silk. The dazzling sapphire color had first caught his eye in the store, and he had bought it for his wife as a gift. She slipped the robe on and turned a seductive eye on her puzzled husband.

        "Now, do you recall?"

        "Amanda, we have had sexual relations in this house prior to last night."

        "You mean, JUST like last night? Think about it."

        Sarek was still perplexed. Amanda obviously had figured out the problem with the sehlat. He reflected back on the following evening...

        After their evening meal, they had adjourned to the living quarters where Sarek played several musical pieces on the ka-athyra. He had learned to tune the instrument to please his wife, who had originally said that the sounds produced by the harp sounded like a catfight. She had teased him since by asking for 'something less discordant, please'. She had put on the robe that he had bought, and as he played, he found himself more distracted by her presence than he thought possible. She had closed her eyes as he played and had a slight smile on her lips that he found most disarming. The robe had slipped slightly from her shoulder and he realized she was not wearing anything underneath. He stopped playing. It took several seconds for her to notice, and she opened one drowsy eye toward him.

        "What's wrong? You haven't finished the song."

        "I am finished."

        "My...I have never heard such a condensed version of Vivaldi's Spring Allegro."

        They said nothing more, but in silent agreement moved to the Master bedroom. The robe was quickly discarded on the floor and they found their way to the bed with the desperation of young lovers. The mind-link was still a new thing that Amanda found quite marvelous. To actually have access to the mind of her lover! Actually, it felt more like a strange, sudden wind that would move through her thoughts at odd moments. Her thoughts, no doubt, were very bizarre to her husband...her t'hy'la. The nights they had together were not always so passionate, but that night...last night...had been filled with the wonder of complete fulfillment. The total lack of privacy afforded them in the past was a major hindrance to their desires. Amanda was determined that at some point they would enjoy some time of complete solidarity...complete isolation. That moment had come, and there was no stopping her. The idea that Vulcan's had some hang-ups about sex was a fallacy that she was doggedly going to prove false. Pon-Farr be damned. Her dear husband was not going to deprive her of the moment. And he didn't. Absolutely not. She had cried out and clasped him to her in the passion that was both Human and Vulcan, and he joined her in the union of joint pleasure with his cries of pleasure...

        "My husband...."

        Sarek opened his eyes to the present, and looked deep into his wife's eyes. "Yes, my t'hy'la?"

        "Your dear pet is only protecting you from me."

        "Pardon?"

        "Can a sehlat differentiate between the cries of pain and the cries of passion?"

        Sarek looked as his trapped wife with a dawning understanding. Of course Ee-chiya was acting in such a fashion. No doubt, the beast had heard him cry out the night before, and it had upset him. Amanda was some evil alien being that had injured him last night. The sehlat's hearing was more acute even than that of a Vulcan. What could the animal actually comprehend of their relationship?

        "He hates me because you cried out my name, and sounded hurt, my t'hy'la."

        Sarek looked at his bemused wife, still barricaded in the closet by his own pet. He could not deny the claim.

        "I understand. Let me see if I may rectify the state of affairs."

        "Tell your dear sehlat that unless he relents, he will never have a young mistress or mister to laud over."

        Sarek gave his wife a rather withered look. She now looked most pleased with her analysis of the situation, and most desirable... How was he to survive? He needed to speak in an indisputable manner to his life-long pet.

        "Ee-Chiya. You have always been a faithful companion and friend. You must now understand that I have another life-long companion. Your place has not changed. Amanda has not harmed me. Look. I am not harmed in any way. Now, you must leave. My wife and I...have much to do this evening."

        Amanda beamed as she listened.

        "Sarek, you say 'much to do'. Whatever do you mean?"

        "You are being intentionally cruel. You know what I mean."

        She said nothing else as she playfully watched the proceeding. Sarek moved cautiously toward the closet, and after a few half-hearted grumbles, the sehlat allowed his master to stroke his head.

        "You see, Ee-chiya. Nothing has changed. You are now the protector of two instead of one. Perhaps, some day, there will be even more for you to watch. That would please you, would it not? Come now..."

        Amanda feared that the sehlat wouldn't be taken in by the calm words of his master. But Sarek wasn't a diplomat for nothing. He continued to reassure the animal as it stood and turned toward the hallway. With a final grumble, Ee-Chiya left. Amanda's impulse was to quickly close the door behind him, but Sarek stopped her.

        "No. That will solve nothing. I will take him to the garden area. He seems to enjoy the shaded areas near the fence."

        Thankful to be out of the closet, Amanda stretched out on the soft covers of the bed.

        "Don't dawdle...you did say that we had much to do tonight."

        "Dawdle?"

        "Hurry back." Her husky voice was filled with desire.

        As Sarek ushered the now complacent animal down the hallway, he wondered if a Vulcan home improvement specialist would think it unusual if he inquired about soundproofing the Master bedroom...





The End