1 – Good, Better, Best
Sarek of Vulcan was used to strange and unfamiliar weather conditions. He was not, however, used to them occurring in combination with the horribly rocking movements of a Terran boat.
The blue waters of San Francisco Bay seemed to be in control of the helpless, small vessel, clashing against it mercilessly – or at least, that was Sarek's impression of what was going on. The worst part was that Amanda seemed to enjoy this pseudo-recreational activity.
As though she had heard his thoughts, she appeared at the top of the stairs leading down to the cabin he had refused to leave.
"Come one, you're missing the best part!", she shouted down to him, swaying a little as another wave hit the bow. It was dim in the cabin, and he could only see her silhouette against Terra's bright sky.
"The word best would imply something good to be increased in value," he told her.
Shaking her head about her husband, she climbed down into the cabin, standing before him with her arms crossed. The persistent wind had reduced her brown hair to a jumbled mess of damp strands, and on the pale skin of her arms and décolleté seawater began to evaporate, leaving white salt crystals.
"Sitting inside like that will only make you more seasick," Amanda pointed out.
"I would prefer to endure nausea over this combination of humidity, salt and cold wind."
"Oh, you're such a big baby, you know that? Come on now, I can keep you warm."
Without waiting for further consent, she grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards the stairs.
He suppressed a very un-Vulcan urge to sigh and followed her.
The deck was exactly the way Sarek had assumed it would be – wet and salty, with the ferocious waves sending rains of ice-cold seawater needles at them at irregular intervals.
"The best part indeed," he commented dryly, trying not to shiver.
"Actually, let's stick with 'better'," she said. Then she put her arms around him in a gesture of physical affection he rarely permitted in public. She had positioned herself in the exact position that allowed her body to shield his from both wind and water.
Her body temperature, as always, was approximately four degrees Celsius warmer than his, and he welcomed the heat radiating from her skin.
"Now comes the best part."