Revelation

By JadziaKathryn

Rating: PG

Genres: angst drama family general

Keywords: Koss

This story has been read by 1508 people.
This story has been read 2833 times.


Summary: What motivated Koss to marry T'Pol?

A/N: I've read other Koss fics, but somehow they never quite satisfied me. So I wrote my own version.

Disclaimer: No money is being made from this; T'Kala is an original character but it's Paramount's universe.



T'Kala heard the footsteps as clearly as she would have two hundred years ago. Her youngest daughter covered the distance to the garden with sure, even steps - the kind of gait no longer possible for T'Kara.

"Mother, Koss is here."

Koss: the most sensitive of her descendents. "Send him here." She would attempt to understand his actions. His father's motives were obvious. Ikal wished to humiliate T'Pol as she had humiliated him. He would use the pretense of tradition, but Ikal was a prideful man. Koss was much more difficult to understand.

His footsteps were tentative. "You wished to see me, Second Foremother."

"Come." He walked between the rows of plomeek and hirat, stopping in front of her. "Sit." His robes rustled, and from the sounds T'Kala deduced that he was wearing formal robes in deference. Koss was a considerate child. Most of her descendents ceased to wear their formal robes once her vision deteriorated to the point they deemed it impossible she would notice. T'Kala allowed them to believe she could not discern the difference. She had learned over the years that the clothing of her kin was inconsequential in the vast tapestry of the universe.

She turned her head to face Koss. "Your father told me you are to marry T'Pol tomorrow."

"Yes." There was no trace of emotion in his voice, but T'Kala knew better. Koss was the most sensitive of her descendents, but he was also the most adept at burying his emotions. Ikal had seen to that.

"Why?"

A sharp breath indicated that he had not expected the question. "She is my intended."

"She was your intended," corrected T'Kala in a gentle tone. "Your obligation to her was finished the moment she broke your betrothal."

If her vision permitted, she likely would have seen Koss stiffen. "This is our way."

"I know what your father says, Koss. I asked why you are marrying T'Pol, not why your father wishes you to."

He shifted slightly, and that lapse was progress. "Is it not enough that my father wishes it?"

"No."

Koss did not reply immediately, and T'Kala did not rush him. Her silence would speak more eloquently than words could, and Koss did not respond well to undue haste. Instead she noted the scent of the hirat blooms that the wind brought to her and deduced that the hirat was thriving. She waited as Koss took several meditative breaths before replying, "T'Les is a Syrrannite."

Ikal had not seen fit to inform her of that. When pressed, he admitted to the shameful tactic of forcing T'Pol into marriage by promising to restore T'Les's career, but Koss's revelation added another layer of complexity. T'Kala thought the High Command had given itself over to irrational fear of Syrrannites, and that made the High Command suspect in her view. But she had not summoned Koss to discuss politics. "Elaborate."

She heard Koss move his head slightly, unable to look directly at her although she could not see him. "As a member of my family, T'Pol will be protected when T'Les is discovered."

That was true, but T'Kala did not see why it necessitated the marriage. "T'Pol chose to remain aboard the human ship. Every choice has a consequence. She is no longer entitled to your protection. That is now the duty of her humans."

"They cannot shield her from this," replied Koss immediately, clearly without understanding T'Kala's meaning. "If T'Pol is without a kinship connection to a family of good standing, her future prospects will be greatly diminished." Despite an obvious attempt to conceal the fact, it was clear from his wavering voice that T'Pol's future prospects concerned Koss considerably.

That was the fact that elucidated all others. In two hundred and nineteen years, T'Kala had experienced few moments where all the facts coalesced into explanation so quickly. Ikal was repairing his wounded pride, but Koss agreed to the dishonorable methods because of his affection for T'Pol. In fact, Ikal had shared what must be classified information to manipulate his son for that purpose. T'Kala suppressed the illogical wish that her son had not named his eldest after her. Ikal was kin, but he was a disagreeable and dishonorable man. Koss was altogether unlike his father. He would bind himself to a woman who had broken their childhood bond to stay among humans, a woman who still did not wish to marry him and who brought a human male to her mother's home, a woman who refused to spend the first year of marriage with him and with whom it was unlikely he would ever have a truly agreeable life, because his affection drove him to protect her. He was a remarkable child.

"Does T'Pol know?"

His head snapped back to look at her, making a sound that indicated his aversion to the idea more vehemently than words. "She must not."

Was it possible that he had not considered the effect that would have? "Then you do not know if she would wish your protection."

She imagined the look of confusion that was doubtless on Koss's face. Once his control had faltered, his emotions were quite obvious. In that, he and T'Pol were a good match.

"That would not be logical."

T'Kala wondered if she had ever been as naïve as Koss. "No, but not all things are. Many things to which we would ascribe logic are in fact matters over which logic has little dominion." He knew that, of course, but perhaps he would acknowledge it once she stated it.

"Then we should strive for the triumph of logic."

T'Kala nodded, but allowed a part of herself the luxury of regretting what Ikal had done to his son. He had forced Koss to bury his sensitive nature and replace it with a mask of logic, forced the boy to be what he was not. She wondered when logic had become so rigid a concept.

"I will not keep you from your preparations any longer." There was nothing more she could say. Koss had chosen his path, and he was determined to undertake a marriage in which he could not be content because his wife was unwilling. "However, I suggest that you consider telling T'Pol about her mother's association."

He stood up while saying, "Perhaps, when she returns to Vulcan. Live long and prosper, Second Foremother."

T'Kala was not convinced, but simply formed the ta'al. "Peace and long life, Koss."

As his footsteps faded away, she concluded that, while Koss might have long life, he was most unlikely to have peace.

 


Comments:

evcake

A nice explanation of the difference between Koss' actions and the way he was played by Michael Burke. Very enjoyable.

Linda

I am glad that there are a few of us that see Koss as a sensitive and honorable man and this is a another tangent among the stories which show this extremely well!  Good story!  However, like the other stories which do not quite satisfy you, your story does not quite satisfy my personal view of Koss though it does show the depth of emotion which I thought the actor who played him was trying to convey.  

WarpGirl

For me motive goes a LONG way. Sure it might not negate the consequences of the action, but it does establish whether a person is... I don't want to say bad or good, so I'll say trying to do his or her best with the knowledge they have. I don't think Koss is in love with T'Pol but I think his motives were good. He proved to be a decent man when he let her go.

Asso

It's incredibile how people can be capable of finding some motivations in order to explain the  worst things.
Compliments, JadziaKathryn. I admire your successful attempt.

BnB

Well, I am pretty firmly not numbered among the admirers of Koss. But this story does offer a decent presentation of a potential motivation. Still no excuse for his behavior, even it it was the way he felt, but it  makes things more understandable.

 

Not that I believe being understandable makes much difference. I can understand WHY a dog bites me without approving of it, or enjoying the rabies shots.

 

Dinah

You've created a very interesting family here.  In many ways this story has all the makings of a tragedy:  a father who forces his son to be something he's not, a son who enters into a doomed marriage with a woman who does not want him, a fiance who is being blackmailed into marriage, and a second foremother who realizes that the marriage is a mistake, but is powerless to stop it.  I did get a feeling that Koss really did care for T'Pol.  Maybe the need to protect her was enough for him, but logically it doesn't provide much of a foundation for a successful union between two people -- even two Vulcans.

I enjoyed this look at Koss and his family.  He's always been a bit of an enigma.  Thank you for an excellent story.

Alelou

This is not exactly as I saw it, but it makes sense and is as good an explanation as any -- and rather kinder to poor Koss.  What a misery he brought on himself marrying T'Pol under those circumstances, especially if his feelings truly were involved.  Though I suppose they might have eventually made a go of it if he hadn't given up the attempt after T'Les died -- I had the feeling T'Pol was beginning to consider actually giving him a chance just when he let her go.  I enjoyed T'Kala's wise point of view, especially when she wonders when logic had become so rigid a concept. 

Elessar

Sorry for the confusion here.  This story had the wrong comments for a few hours, but the above is the first comment written for "Revelation".

anonymous

Cool Koss story, as much as Koss got on my nerves I really think that this is the only reason why he would have bothered with T'Pol, he really must have cared for her.  I like the idea that Koss might see T'Pol as a kind of kindred spirit, they both have difficulty suppressing their emotions and spend more time hiding them.

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