Ch 5: Happy Anniversary!
Sleep didn't come easy for the young couple, or for half of the ship for that matter. Those that weren't on night duty lay awake in their beds or chatted excitedly with friends in various parts of the ship. It was as if the next day was Christmas and the entire crew was comprised of young children waiting for Santa Claus. Kirk and Spock in particular lay in Kirk's bed cuddling, eyes wide open.
The clock on Kirk's dresser changed from 23:59 PM to 0:00 AM. Wearing a smile on his face, Kirk looked down at Spock's face and said, "Happy anniversary, Spock."
Spock shifted his head on Kirk's chest and smiled softly. "Happy anniversary, Jim. Now that we have remained awake long enough to see the changing of the day, it might be wise if we went to sleep now. Spending most of the day fatigued due to lack of sleep would not make for an enjoyable celebration."
"Yeah, I know," Kirk replied. "But I can't help it! I'm really excited about arriving at Kalthoria tomorrow morning! I can't wait to see what the hotel looks like! Astinder told me there's a giant fountain in the front that shoots water a hundred feet up into the air! She also said that the floors are made of marble and that every room has velvet curtains over the window! Are you even the slightest bit excited?"
Closing his eyes, Spock gave a chuckle. "Of course I am excited; I cannot help but be excited because of the link we share. I am in fact so excited that sleeping will be extremely difficult unless you calm yourself down enough to allow me to sleep."
"I'm trying, I'm trying! I keep closing my eyes but they keep popping back open!"
"If you need assistance, I could always call Doctor McCoy and request a mild sedative…"
"You'll do no such thing!" Kirk said. "The last thing I want is Bones stabbing me in the neck with another one of his hypo sprays! With my luck he'll mix it up with one of his weird vaccines and I'll spend our anniversary salivating uncontrollably or something…"
"I could always perform a Vulcan nerve pinch to put you to sleep. That will guarantee that your body and mind will relax enough to allow me to sleep as well."
Kirk looked down at Spock, giving him a disapproving look. "Thanks but no thanks. Last time you did that I woke up on Delta Vega."
Looking back at Kirk with an innocent look on his face, Spock said, "I was merely trying to be humorous Jim."
"Yeah, well you suck at it," Kirk said, scowling. "You should work a little bit more on your jokes."
Spock took a moment to think. Coming up with a potentially suitable idea, he asked, "Would it be acceptable for me to sing you to sleep?"
Kirk looked down at Spock and saw his cheeks turn a light green. He couldn't help but smile at the sweet look on his face. Though he could probably think of a few other ways he could be put to sleep (half of them rather inappropriate), the idea of Spock singing him to sleep was so touching, he found himself desiring it. He gave Spock a nod and shifted further down his body so that their positions were switched. Spock also shifted his body further toward the head of the bed so that Kirk's head was resting against his chest. Kirk nuzzled Spock as he placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat against his ribs.
Stroking Kirk's hair gently with one hand and touching Kirk's fingers with his other, Spock began to sing the song his mother sang for him when he was a boy. The combination of the vibration of the notes that resounded in Spock's chest, the stroking of his hair, and the warm flow of love coming through Spock's fingers soothed the excited Kirk. It only took a minute of Spock singing in his deep velvety voice to put Kirk to sleep. The soft sound of air passing through Kirk's parted lips put a smile on Spock's face. Wrapping his arms around the sleeping man, Spock fell asleep as well.
Morning came all too slowly for the excited crew of the Enterprise. Those that managed to sleep at all woke up extra early. Everyone was zipping around, trying to finish last minute tasks before they arrived. People everywhere were getting bumped and banged as the corridors filled with people. On the bridge Sulu drummed his fingers excitedly on the helm, his bag sitting next to him. Chekov also had his luggage by his side, more than ready to zip off to the transporter room as soon as they arrived at Kalthoria. They were almost there, so it was only a matter of minutes before they'd dock at the planet's docking station and begin making their way down to the planet's surface.
When they dropped out of warp, Sulu and Chekov immediately brought their hands to their usual positions on the console and began the docking procedures. Slowly the ship turned, its rear pointing straight into the dock. With the precision of a seasoned pilot, Sulu led the ship straight backwards into the dock, stopping at just the right distance from the back wall. After making a few more adjustments and pressing a few more buttons, Sulu and Chekov grabbed their bags and flew toward the elevator behind them. Only a few of the crew members on the bridge managed to get in the elevator before them, the rest crashing in after them. The officer closest to the controls pushed the button for the docking bay.
Elevator rides were normally somewhat slow; there was never a need for the elevator to go faster than it did. To everyone's delight, the elevator went significantly faster that morning. No one seemed to care that the reason it was moving faster was because far more than the recommended capacity was inside of it. Fortunately, there was a safety in the elevator's design that allowed a certain amount of weight over the recommended capacity, so there was no danger of the elevator breaking and plummeting to the bottom floor. The safety also disallowed the addition of any new passengers until its current load was emptied, much to the frustration of crew members on different floors that had yet to descend to the bottom of the ship.
When they all reached the docking bay, they raced out of the elevator and flew down the docking tubes. When they reached the end, they began crowding the opening leading to the station. Unfortunately the Kalthoria station crew wasn't as attentive to their jobs as Starfleet was and took their time with getting the doors open. By the time they had opened the doors leading to the Enterprise's docking bay almost half of the ship's crew had accumulated and entered the station in droves. The sensitive noses of the Sirian officers were overloaded with the scents of dozens of men and women of varying races. Some of the younger officers held their noses to block some of the scents that bombarded their nasal passages, their ears tucked behind their head and their tail between their legs. Normally Starfleet officers entered the station in an orderly manner, so there was enough time for the Sirian's to prepare for the different aromas of each individual person. As always, the crew of the Enterprise proved to be a special case.
The last of the crew to exit the ship were a somewhat frazzled looking Kirk and Spock. They had stayed behind to make sure everyone exiting the ship had everything they needed before leaving. Once they were beamed to the planet's surface, there would be no returning until the end of their shore leave, and nothing ruined a trip like forgetting something you needed or wanted to bring.
The crew chattered loudly as they waited for their turn to be beamed down to the planet's surface, creating a din that threatened to make the Sirian officers' ears bleed. They were very happy that the arrival was always much more hectic than the departure, so this would be the last time they'd have to deal with the boisterous group on this level. The crew was beamed down in groups of six; the process was grueling at best, but the large group was slowly whittled away until Kirk and Spock brought up the rear, marking the last of the crew to the relief of the station's officers.
Save for Astinder and a couple other Sirian crew members, no one was prepared for the sight before them. They had beamed directly in front of the Nayvolo Hotel, a massive white stone building which stood 20 stories high and surrounded them in an enormous semi-circle. Each of the massive windows housed a cast iron balcony with a glass canopy that arched over it. Just as Astinder has promised, a giant fountain shot water high up into the air, spraying the awe-stricken crew members beneath it with mist.
Staravinius Nayvolo walked out of his hotel with his arms wide spread and a huge smile on his face. His grey-colored fir was complimented by his short-sleeved purple robe, which was trimmed with shiny silver embroidery. On his feet were dark gray sandals; on his fingers glittered many jeweled rings. Somehow Kirk and Spock had managed to be beamed at the very front of the group and thus were the first to be greeted.
"Ah, Captain Kirk! It is so wonderful to see that you and your crew have safely arrived! The missus and I have been looking forward to your arrival!" Staravinius grasped Kirk's hand tightly in his furry hand and pumped it enthusiastically. Kirk tried to smile, but his body was being shaken so much the best he could do was to have his mouth hang awkwardly open.
Before he could even say a word, an excited "Papa! Papa!" came from the back of the crowd. Pushing her way to the front of the mass of crew members, Astinder rushed forward and was caught in a loving embrace from her father. "Tindy!" he said, the smile on his face even bigger now. "Oh Dearest, it's so good to see you! Your mother will be so happy to see you!"
Somewhere in the crowd came a couple of amused giggles. The culprits turned out to be Eliza and a red-headed science officer. Hearing her friends laugh at her, Astinder's ears pressed flat against her head in embarrassment. She released her father and ducked her head down. Unaffected by the girls' laughter, he lifted his daughter's head and said, "Do not be embarrassed to show affection to your father, no matter who is watching Dearest." He tapped her gently on the nose, eliciting another smile and gaining another hug before she returned to the group.
Kirk took the opportunity to say, "We thank you very much for allowing us to stay in your hotel. I can assure you that Starfleet will compensate you for our visit."
"Tut, tut!" Staravinius said, wagging his finger at the Captain. "The friends of our daughter are friends of ours! You will stay here free of cost!" Ignoring the Captain's incredulous look and the cheers of the crew, he put an arm around Kirk and said, "Come in, please come in! The rooms are ready and waiting to be filled with warm bodies!"
The translucent glass doors in front of them slid open to reveal a stunning lobby. A long mahogany colored desk housed several computers, each with a well dressed Sirian behind it. Their boots clicked against the marble floor as they walked up to the desk. Glass panels lining the wide path to the desk revealed water rushing behind them, leading to the fountain outside. The ceiling above them sparkled and shined with many round, luminous bulbs. The walls were a stark white with a light grey leaf print over it. To either side of the check in desk, ivory staircases lined with red velvet carpeting led to the second floor, where the crew saw a lounging area, a dining area, and elevators leading to the floors above.
It was fortunate that the hotel was immaculately clean and bug free, because had there been any flying insects, they would have had over 400 mouths to fly into. Even Spock stared in awe at the fantastic sight before them. Staravinius bemused the awe-stricken group and said to his employees, "Please give our guests their room keys gentlemen. I'm afraid they're a little too distracted to request them on their own."
Chuckling, the receptionists looked the crew members up one by one and began calling their names as they pulled out their room keys. Slowly the crew made their way upstairs and entered the elevators. Many found themselves intrigued by the bar, but every one of them chose to check their room out before partaking of any local beverages.
Even the elevator ride was amazing. The luminous orbs on the ceiling were also on the roof of the elevators. The walls were made of a reflective metal; the elevators closest to the back wall had a transparent wall that allowed those inside to enjoy the incredible view outside. The massive hotel had blocked the view of the ocean behind it, which the crew now marveled at as they ascended. Blue green waves crashed on clean white sand dotted with various tourists; in the distance, boats sailed on the rocky waters.
Kirk and Spock stood side by side in the elevator closest to the back wall and managed to enjoy the sight of the beach as eighteen other bodies crushed against them. Through their mind link, they spoke:
Wow, this place is even more beautiful than I thought.
You picked an excellent place for our anniversary Jim.
Kirk laughed outwardly. As much as I'd like to take full credit for it, I have to thank Nurse Chapel for telling me about it. If she hadn't mentioned it, we'd never even be here.
Spock extended his index and middle fingers toward Kirk's hand and caressed his fingers. Kirk felt the flow of love from Spock's fingers and met them with his own. His eyes were still staring outside of the elevator, but he was still able to see the smile on Spock's face. Perhaps I will also give her my thanks.
People disappeared from the elevator as it reached their designated floors. Soon only Kirk and Spock stood on the elevator, patiently waiting for their floor, which turned out to be the top most. The elevator slowed to a stop and opened to reveal a wide hallway with red and gold carpet. The cream colored walls stretched on, interrupted sporadically by hotel rooms. From what they saw of the other floors, there were a significantly greater number of doors than on this one.
When they exited the elevator, they saw their room number directly across from them. Kirk pulled the room key out of his pocket and placed it into the key slot. Lights at the top of the slot quickly flickered red, yellow, and then green. When the validity of the key was verified, all of the lights flashed green in unison. A panel at the very top of the doorway glowed blue and then panned a message across it. A soothing mechanical woman's voice spoke the words that were displayed on the panel: Welcome to the Nayvolo Hotel's presidential suite Captain Kirk and Commander Spock.
The door slid open and revealed a room that made even Kirk's quarters back on the Enterprise look like a closet in comparison. The space before them had the feel of a small house rather than a hotel room. To the right of the room was a living space that led into a massive bedroom with a queen sized bed and a bathroom with large, luxurious bathtub. Straight ahead of them was a spacious kitchen better suited for entertaining a large group rather than cooking food for two men. To the left was a dining space with a beautiful wood table and matching dining chairs.
Though there were lamps and such strategically placed throughout the room and a crystal chandelier over the dining table, but not a single one of them emitted light. All light came from the large glass wall facing the beach that doubled as a window. Kirk dropped his bag and rushed over to look at the view of the beach. A door slid open as he approached the area that led to the balcony. He was greeted by warm salty air that wrapped around him like a blanket. Gripping onto the cast iron railing, he stared in awe at the sight before him. When he felt Spock's hand gently touch the small of his back, he jumped and blushed sheepishly. Spock gave a knowing smirk and took in the view with his life mate.
The beach and ocean were beautiful enough, but when he looked at Kirk's face, he found the sight more breathtaking than the landscape before him. Kirk's eyes were a deeper blue than the ocean itself, the sun itself shone from his smile, and his hair was a richer sandy color than the white sands below. The kiss he placed on Kirk's tanned cheek snapped Kirk out of his trance. The blue eyes that had stared out of the window shifted their gaze to meet with Spock's and the sunshine smile illuminated his face.
Snapping himself of his own trance, Spock said, "I understand your amazement with the view, but perhaps we should begin making our plans for the day. While I am not averted to spending some time peacefully lounging about, we will have an entire week to enjoy the scenery."
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Kirk said, grinning awkwardly. "Sorry, it's just been a really long time since I've been able to just take the time to just stare in wonder."
Kirk and Spock walked back inside the hotel room and grabbed their bags. Ever the curious one, Kirk opted against going straight to the bedroom with his bag and instead examined the large black flat panel that was mounted on the crème colored living room wall. As if the panel sensed his interest, it sprang to life, showing a raven furred Sirian woman. She wore a white business suit and stood with her hands clasped in front of her. Smiling, she said, "Welcome to the Nayvolo Hotel, Captain Kirk and Commander Spock. I understand that this is your first time visiting Ninolgog City. I am Ceridian and I will be your guide for the duration of your stay here. Since you are celebrating your anniversary today, may I suggest some attractions that would make for an enjoyable day together?"
Kirk and Spock stared at each other, amazed at Ceridian's artificial intelligence. It seems like technology on Kalthoria was incredibly advanced, even if it was solely for entertainment purposes. Making eye contact with the woman, Spock said, "Yes, we would like it very much if you could look for something that both of us could enjoy together."
Ceridian nodded. "One moment please." She closed her eyes briefly then said, "The Milanato Orchestra Group is playing at the Senaria Concert Hall in an hour and a half. Would you like me to make reservations for two?"
Before Kirk could say anything, Spock said, "Yes, if you would please." Kirk stared at Spock with his mouth open as Ceridian said, "Excellent. If you would draw your attention to the coffee table, you will see that there is a bracelet that one of you can wear. The directions to the concert hall, as well as attractions along the way and around it, can be viewed there."
On cue, the panel on the bracelet glowed brightly to catch their attention. Spock picked up the bracelet and placed it on his wrist. "If you have any questions, just call for me while you are wearing that. Enjoy!" Just as quickly as she had appeared on the panel, she disappeared.
Kirk crossed his arms irritably and asked, "Okay, two things. One, why the hell do you get to wear the bracelet? And two, how do you know that I'm going to enjoy this concert? I'm not exactly big on classical music and you didn't even bother to see if I was interested."
"To answer your first question," Spock began. "As a Vulcan science officer, I am much more attuned to the usage of foreign technology and will be the quicker of us two to learn how to use it. To answer your second question," he gave a smirk, "call it 'a gut feeling'." Smiling at Kirk, who was rolling his eyes, he said, "It would be advisable if we changed into something different for the concert. I am glad that I also chose a more formal outfit out of the clothes I borrowed from Mr. Sulu."
"What's wrong with our Starfleet uniforms?" Kirk asked, somewhat annoyed. "You don't think these are formal enough for some fancy concert?"
Spock leaned forward and kissed Kirk softly on the lips. The annoyed look on Kirk's face faded somewhat, but still lingered. "This is our first official outing as a couple; in addition, it is our first year anniversary as betrothed, and we are on vacation. Surely you don't want to spend it wearing the same uniform we wear on a daily basis?"
Sighing in defeat, Kirk picked up his bag and said, "Fine, but if this concert isn't the best damn thing I've ever experienced, I'm going to box those sensitive Vulcan ears of yours." Giving a light chuckle, Spock followed Kirk into the bedroom to unpack their clothes and get dressed.