Isabella sinks to the floor and hugs her knees and shakes.

"This backfired," murmurs one of the elder Vulcans to another, "V'Ler could wind up dead instead of married, I told the High Council -"

"There's nothing for it now, and if he lives it will break the fever, at least," the other mutters. They probably don't intend to be overheard, but no one counts on Lalita's ears.

V'Ler, the young man in the corner, is now visibly sizing up the challenger.