Chapter 4
Nyota wasn't sure if she should interact with Spock or not but he was in pretty bad shape. His hair was long and matted. He looked like he hadn't showered for ages. Most importantly, he smelled. It wasn't the smell of sweat that humans generated. It was a dank musky odor. Vulcan was a dry arid planet. In contrast, P'Jem was an M-Class planet. There were lakes, trees and mountains. It was quite picturesque. The monks lived in a beautiful monastery, but the novitiates lived in caves underground until they completed the Fullara Ritual.
She stopped by engineering and picked up the largest engineering suit she could get. Then she made her way to Spock's quarter and rang the chime. No one answered.
Nyota opened her communicator and called his cabin. There was still no answer. Nyota sighed and called again. This time she left a message. Then she turned to go. As she walked away, she heard Spock call her name.
"Nyota," his voice was barely more than a whisper.
She turned around and smiled at Spock. She held up the suit and said, "I came to give you a hand."
Spock backed into the room. Despite the size of the cabin, the smell was stifling.
"I thought you might need something to wear while you refresh your robe and shower," she said.
"I have done so," Spock replied.
"You have done so what?" she asked with a grin.
"I have showered, and I have refreshed my robe," Spock said.
Nyota shook her head. "It can't be, When was the last time you bathed?" she asked.
"I just showered," he replied.
"No, I mean a bath with soap and water." She said.
Spock shook his head, "Novitiates are not allowed such luxuries." Spock said.
Nyota sucked her teeth. The monks were dressed in finery and Spock hadn't bathed in years.
"Ok, we are going to see Dr. McCoy, but first we have to go by my quarters." She said.
Nyota contacted McCoy from the corridor. Then she stopped by her quarters and picked up soap, oils, a wide-tooth comb, and a hair brush. The items were spilling out of her arms when they arrived at the sickbay.
"Did you set it up?" she asked.
"I did, but it is kind of small. It was made for children." He said.
McCoy led them to the sonic shower which was much larger to sanitize crew members exposed to toxins. There was a tub that was four feet long, but it was deep. Steam rose from the tub.
"It might be too hot, Spock. Take it easy," McCoy said.
Spock placed his finger in the tub. Then he dropped the rob and undergarments. McCoy grimaced. Then Spock climbed in. Steam rose up around him.
"Gloves," Nyota said.
McCoy grinned and gave her the gloves.
"Sponge," Nyota said.
She held out her hand. McCoy gave her the sponge. He didn't mind playing the role of the nurse. This was one task he didn't want to take on. Nyota scrubbed Spock's back and his legs. She and McCoy turned their backs while Spock stood up to wash his privates.
"Don't sit down!" Nyota commanded. "Just wrap up."
McCoy handed Spock a towel. He wrapped it around his body, but it couldn't fully cover his girth.
"I am going to empty the tub and refill it. He needs to rinse off this dead skin," she said.
"That is pretty expensive," McCoy said.
"Well, I have saved a few bucks on lunch. I will pay for it. He can't go around with dead skin hanging off of him." She said.
She scoured the tub and rinsed it. While it was refilling she said, do you have a loofah or brush I can use?" she asked.
"Only the one I use for cleaning," he replied.
Nyota went over to the pile she brought from her cabin. She looked at her hairbrush.
"This is boar bristle. It will clean off the dead skin," she said to Spock.
She began by brushing his back. The fat jiggled as she brushed his skin. She continued down his backside and legs. Then she went around the front. Spock had always been hairy, but she did not realize how much he maintained his hair previously His chest was now like a bear. She squinted and scrubbed his chest. He was practically a C cup. Then she wiped her forehead with her arm and brushed his legs.
"The rest I will leave to you." She said.
Nyota turned again and he stepped back into the water. This time she washed his hair, but it was matted and there were locks.
"Do you have scissors or a trimmer?" she asked.
"Scissors yes, trimmers, no." he said.
Spock's hair was filthy and he wasn't going to contaminate his trimmers. Nyota cut off clumps of matted hair. He would need to see a barber for a buzz cut, but she got enough off to wash his scalp. The dead skin floated to the top of the tub, and Nyota sighed. He would need another bath. An hour later, he had completed his third bath and Nyota had exhausted all the credits she had saved to pay for the excess water usage.
Spock was wrapped in a towel in the shower. McCoy cleaned the tub and put it away. Then Spock took a sonic shower. McCoy asked him to stay in the bay for disinfecting. Nyota's brush and comb were sitting on the floor for disinfecting as well. Then Spock put on the engineering suit. After all of that work, Nyota was exhausted.
"I am so sorry McCoy. I didn't realize it would take two hours," she said.
"No worries," McCoy said patting Spock on the back.
"He needed help. You are a good friend, Uhura." He said.
"The only way to clean those robes and garments is with an old fashion washer." She said. Her great-grandmother used to have one back on Earth. It was a late twenty-first-century model.
"Well, we will be on Starbase 12 tomorrow. He is clean enough to see a barber," McCoy said.
"Well, thank you!" Nyota said.
She kissed McCoy on the cheek. Spock's eyes darkened in response. Nyota walked Spock back to his quarters. He was very quiet all the way.
"Does this look familiar?" she asked.
"It resembles the Enterprise, but the interior is different," Spock said.
"It has been refitted, but the bones are the same," she said.
"Nyota, I remember that it is customary to say thank you when a friend offers help," Spock said.
"You are quite welcome. I am your friend. Always remember that." She said as she squeezed his hand. It made her a little sad. She had at one time wanted more, but his family did not approve of Spock dating a human.
Nyota walked down the corridor to her quarters. Spock held his hand up and looked at it. Then he went back into his room and placed his hand over his heart.
If there was anything that Nyota realized as she took a shower that evening, it was she was also overweight. Yes, Spock was about seventy pounds heavier, but she was thirty pounds heavier. Plus, Nyota was shorter. She needed to lose weight as much as he did. Nyota decided at that moment that Spock needed a friend, not a lover. She was going to do her best to help him get back in shape, inside and out.