The Two Big Ones
Chapter nine - Honeymoon Continued
Dinard, Bretagne, Earth
June 2263
Spock
When Nyota began to stir, he awoke again. His head felt clearer now. He opened his eyes and looked at his adun'a, stretching her body at his side. He was about to reach out and caress her when her stomach rumbled loudly. Well, then, he would wait. She obviously needed nourishment.
She turned in his direction and saw that his eyes were open. She snuggled up close and gave him a light kiss. "Good morning, ashayam."
"Good morning, k'diwa. I believe you are ready for breakfast." His tone was light and his lips curved up slightly.
"Um, yes, I think so. Do you think they will bring it soon?"
"It is on the table. The hotelkeeper brought the tray up 3.2 hours ago."
She sat straight up. "Oh, my goodness! How late have we slept? We have things we need to do today."
He pulled her back down against him. "It is only 1015. We have plenty of time. We shall eat our breakfast and try that strange shower again and then pack our belongings and head for Dinard. There is certainly sufficient time. Do not become distressed."
She smiled at him. "Okay, if you say so, then I believe it. But the very first thing I need to do is pee." And with that she was out of the bed and crossing the room to the bathroom while he watched her lovely round bottom swaying bare in front of him. Such a wonderful sight.
He sat up and tossed the duvet back, stepping around the end of the bed to retrieve the pile of clothing from the floor and move it over in front of the closet, ready to be packed. He pulled her short robe out of the closet and handed it to her as she came out of the bathroom, although he would just as soon have left her bare. But she would wish to open the drapes and let the sunshine in, and he did not wish anyone to be able to see into their room and watch her.
After they had finished their breakfast, minus the tea as the water was stone cold by now, they once again braved the shower. They stood looking at it. He cocked his head. Perhaps...he reached out and twisted and the shower head came off the bracket on the end of a hose. "Go and stand against the wall. I will hold this just inside the stall, facing the wall. Set the temperature as you desire, but do not set the water pressure very high."
She did as he suggested. When she said the temperature was right, he very carefully moved the shower head so that the water fell on her body. Up and down he moved it, wetting her whole body. So far, so good. Now she applied the shampoo to her hair. He missed being able to do that himself, but if he put the shower head back in the bracket, the water would go everywhere. He stepped closer to her and began to rinse the suds from her hair. Water fell on his feet. "Nyota, move closer to the wall."
She took a step and when her toes hit the wall, she stopped. She bent again, not so far this time, and he held the shower head almost against her hair as he rinsed. She tilted her head to the side and wrung the water out, then straightened. "We didn't make too much mess, did we?"
"No, this works better."
"Okay." She took the shower gel and rubbed it all over her body while he watched. Watching was interesting, but not half as much fun as doing it himself. He played the water over her, rinsing her off. She reached over and shut the water off and reached for a towel. He wrapped her hair up in another. When she was mostly dry, she tucked the end of the towel in so that it wrapped around her, and reached for the shower head. "Your turn."
He stepped into the stall and moved back until he was practically touching the wall. She moved forward until she was over the edge of the stall and then he turned the water back on. He adjusted it slightly hotter than she had had it and she moved it up and down, wetting him. It did not take long before he was turning the water off and she was handing him a towel. This had not been the most satisfying shower, but they were at least clean, and there was much less water on the floor.
***
They walked out of the small hotel, duffels over their shoulders, with the hotelkeeper waving to them from the doorway. They headed back across the city to the causeway leading to the transit station. Once there, they transported to Dinard. They went down the steep hill to the riverfront, Spock hovering close to Nyota, cautious in case she lost her footing on the slick cobblestones. They found the rental office with no trouble and went in. In only a few minutes they were back outside, the agent pointing out the canal boat that was to be their home for the next two weeks. They walked down the wide path along the river's edge until they came to 'their' boat. Spock stepped over the wide, padded gunnel onto the bench around the back of the boat, then down onto the floor. He held his hand up to steady Nyota as she climbed in. Then he took the wand the rental agent had given them and opened up the door.
They stood at the end of a narrow hall that ran along one side of the boat. Along the other side, there were rooms opening up. The small first room was obviously a bedroom, containing bunkbeds. The next room was the bathroom. They looked about curiously. The floor was covered with crisscrossed wooden slats, with a drain in the floor in the center of the room. He craned his neck and looked around. "I believe the entire room is the shower."
She looked about as well. "I think you're right. Look, there is a sliding cover over the toilet paper. To keep it dry, I guess. Mustn't forget that!"
He nodded, his lips quirked. They pulled their heads out of the bathroom and continued down the hall. The next room was another bedroom, with one with a double bed. It would be cozy. They sat their duffels down on the bed. They would unpack later. On down the corridor. The next room did not have a wall across it, as it was the kitchen. All the appliances were built into the cabinets against the wall. They opened the cabinets, checking the contents - pots, pans, dishes, glasses, bowls. In one drawer they found tableware, in another dishtowels and hot pads. There was even a selection of condiments - salt, pepper, a few spices, mustard. They opened the small stasis unit to check the size of the interior.
On down the corridor now and into the last room, which was the bridge. There was the pilots' chair, with instruments arranged in front of it. Another large swivel chair on the other side, facing now out the large front window. There were large windows on each side as well. Vision was almost unobstructed all around the front of the boat. There was a table with a padded bench built into the wall on two sides, and small free-standing benches pushed in under the other two sides. And on the table, a selection of brochures - explaining how everything on the boat worked, how to empty the sewage tanks, how to refill the drinking water tank, how to refuel. There was a map of the canal system, showing where all the locks were, and all the small towns with overnight tie-up facilities. There was a symbol chart, showing which ones had fuel, sewage drains, other facilities. Spock took several of the brochures and carefully carried them back into the bedroom, tucking them into the side pocket of his duffel so that they did not get misplaced.
When they had finished looking about, they walked back down the length of the boat and out onto the rear deck. Spock relocked the door and jumped back up onto the dock, extending his hand down for Nyota. They set off, back up the steep hill to the town above, to sightsee for a few hours.
***
Dinard had been in existence for over a thousand years, and it turned out that there were still buildings standing, still in use, that were that old. Nyota was in awe. They stood outside one shop, with round pillars beside the door. The door was very short, it barely came up to the top of Nyota's shoulder. She hesitantly touched the pillars, wonderingly. "Over a thousand years old? I didn't know there were any buildings still in use on Earth that were that old."
Spock pointed down beside the door, where the foundation block was with the date chiseled in it in Roman characters. He squatted down to examine it more closely. "This appears to be genuine. It is remarkable." He straightened up and approached the door. "I wish to go inside. Will you come?"
She nodded and followed him. Inside it was dim and dark, reminding her of a cave. They talked softly to each other, pointing to specific parts of the architecture, until the shopkeeper came up and asked them if they were interested in the building. When they answered enthusiastically, he began to explain things to them. It was over an hour before they left, thanking him for his attention.
They wondered on down the streets, going from one period of architecture to another. Some of the buildings leaned against each other, presenting wavering lines that seemed as though they must surely collapse. Others were built of stone, and had withstood the ravages of time much better. It was an absolutely fascinating day.
When they noticed that some of the shopkeepers were beginning to bring in the merchandise that was setting out on the sidewalks, they hastily began to purchase the supplies they would need for the next few days. Cheeses, bread for tomorrow, a jar of small pickles, a bottle of wine, a bag of mixed greens for salad, some fruit and vegetables. And then once again they walked carefully down that steep cobblestoned hill to the river bank and made their way back to their boat.
They put the food away and unpacked their duffles, putting what they had not unpacked in the room containing the bunkbeds. There was one more task for tomorrow, before they set off down the river, and that was to get their laundry done. Nyota separated out everything that needed cleaning and bundled it up, ready to go. The rental agent had shown them where the laundry was, only a short way down the path.
And then they were in the kitchen, working side by side, preparing their simple supper, which they carried to the table on the bridge. They sat on the padded benches, watching the river, while they ate. There was some sort of activity going on on the other side of the river, many people gathered there, but they could not tell what it was.
Spock poured out two glasses of wine and they went out to sit on the padded benches at the back of the boat in the still twilight. Nyota leaned against him and they sat and talked, until she suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, look!" She pointed off across the river, where there were several fires burning now, visible in the quickly deepening dark. Above one of the fires was a hulking shape, illuminated from below by the fire. He watched, trying to figure out what it was, but he could come up with nothing that made any sense.
"What are they doing, Nyota?"
"It's hot air balloons! They're filling the balloons, that's what the fires are for."
He looked again, and now he could see. Yes, there were several of the large shapes now, drooping down to the ground, only partially inflated. The light from the fires shown through the silk, making it glow in vibrant colors. They sat and slowly drank their wine, watching the light show on the other bank of the river. And then they went inside and latched the door, and investigated the bed. Much, much later, they lay quietly as the gentle rocking of the water lulled them to sleep.