Out Of Space And Time

An Old-Fashioned 26th Century Courtship

One evening they received a live stream request. Tara press Accept and, within seconds, her brother was onscreen.

”It's so great to see you again.“, she said.

”It's great to see you again too! How's everybody doing?“, he asked.

”Everybody's doing fine, Alkhor. We're all excited and getting ready to move. I heard you're going to be able to come here and help us in a few weeks.“, Tara said.

”Yes. I managed to convince the Commander to give me three weeks off.“

Tara and her mother noticed him looking around a bit, as if he was trying to find somebody.

They'd shown him a picture of Agnes weeks ago, and he'd seemed extremely interested at that time. He'd been smitten as hard as Agnes had been when she saw his picture.

”Are you looking for someone?“, Tara asked knowingly, smiling ever-so-slightly.

”Well, I was kind of hoping to meet your house guest. Is she around? Every time we stream, she's never around.“, he replied, blushing ever-so-slightly.

”She's outside, going for a little walk in the yard. I'll send MJ out to go get her.“, Tara said.

”MJ, please go tell Agnes that there's someone who would like to meet her.“, she said to her son.

He went outside and, two minutes later, they walked into the house.

”Agnes dear, we have someone who'd like to meet you.“, Mrs. Tepesch said.

Agnes walked over to the Gathering Room.

She was wearing her favorite blue floral print dress with the new royal blue petticoat she'd made, and the new cap she'd made and decorated with a ribbon that very closely matched the blue in her dress.

The dress had sleeves that ended just above her elbows, as well as lace on the sleeve bottoms that extended the sleeves to just below her elbows.

She also wore her new straw Autumn bonnet. The bonnet had a matching blue ribbon which she tied loosely under her chin.

She had her favorite wool shawl on as well, since it was abit nippy outside.

Mrs. Tepesch said, smiling,

”Agnes, I'd like you to meet my son Alkhor. Alkhor, I'd like you to meet Agnes Breckinridge.“

”T...Tis indeed an exceeding honor and pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tepesch.“, Agnes said, curtsying deeply and blushing.

”It's a p...pleasure to meet you too, Miss Breckinridge.“, he replied, smiling very broadly, obviously besotted with her. Both were smitten so hard that they'd stumbled over their words at the sight of each other.

Taking an etiquette cue from her, since very rarely did a lady curtsy in the 26th century, Alkhor bowed formally to her, the antiquated kind of bow usually only given to a visiting Ambassador or Head of State.

”Miss Breckinridge, how do you like living in this century?“, he asked.

”Indeed Mr. Tepesch, 'tis nice, but often confusing. This area does not look like my Worcester. Flying frightens me. However, I am getting better at it. Indeed, I am not screaming as much as I was my first few days here.

“The family is wonderful. I truly enjoy living here, and am exceeding grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Steele, and Mrs. Tepesch, for allowing me to live here. They are very kind and oh so affable!”, Agnes replied.

He loved her accent and the way she pronounced their names, including his.

”Agnes, if I may call you that, do you have a small-screen?“

”No, Mr. Tepesch. Indeed I do not. I am not even sure I would know how to use one. Since arriving in your century, I have learned how to use a large-screen as part of my employment, but not a small-screen.“, Agnes replied.

”Agnes, if you had a small-screen and someone taught you how to use it, would you be willing to correspond with me over the next six weeks until I get there?

“I'd love to learn more about you and your time. I'm a historian, very intrigued by your time travel, and what things were like during your time.“

”I suppose I would be willing to use a small-screen if someone were to help me. Yes, indeed I would be exceeding willing to do that.“, she replied, smiling demurely.

”Great! Mom, can you do me a favor and order a small screen for Agnes? I'll pay you back. Set her up with her own stream link. Then give her my links and she can message me.

“Or, if she's more comfortable, you can give me her link and I'll message her first. Which would you prefer, Agnes?”

”Indeed I am not exactly sure which is the best way to do this, Mr. Tepesch. I would probably feel better if you were to message me first. I would not want you to think of me as being too forward if I were to write you first.“

”That sounds wonderful! I'd love to correspond with you! Maybe we can even live stream, like this, just the two of us.“

”Mr. Tepesch, that is exceeding agreeable to me. I shall be pleased to grant you an interview via live stream before your arrival, as long as 'tis agreeable to my hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Steele, and Mrs.Tepesch.

”I'm sure they'll be perfectly fine with everything. I'm looking forward to meeting you in person in six weeks, when I arrive.“, he replied, smiling ever-so-slightly.

”Indeed, Mr. Tepesch, I look forward to it as well. Pray, how long will you be staying?“, Agnes asked.

”I'll be there for 3 weeks. I'll arrive by shuttle. Someone will bring me since I'm not a pilot. I'll help all of you to get packed and ready to move. A pilot will return in a shuttle, and we'll go to the space station.

“I hope you'll allow me to escort you to both the shuttle and the space station.”

“Yes, that will be most exceeding agreeable. Mr. Tepesch, 'tis Autumn now. Do you like Autumn in New England?”, Agnes asked, smiling and blushing.

“I'm not sure. I've never been there during Autumn.”

“Oh, 'tis exceeding beautiful with the leaves changing colors!”, she exclaimed.

“It sounds wonderful, Agnes! If you wouldn't mind, it'd be my honor to escort you on a pleasant stroll around the yard and, perhaps, even around the block!“, he said.

”Mr. Tepesch, you have been nothing but gracious, exceeding honorable and courteous to me so yes, I should love to go for a pleasant stroll with you, as you have so politely entreated me.", she replied.

Alkhor smiled, slightly amused yet touched by her formal description of his behavior and invitation.

”Thank you ever so much for the invitation, Mr. Tepesch.“, she said, blushing.

”Alkhor.“, he said.

“Pray, excuse me, Mr. Tepesch?”, she asked.

“My name is Alkhor. Feel free to call me by my name.”, he said.

“Pray forgive me Mr. Tepesch, but 'tis far too informal. 'Tis inappropriate for me to call you by so informal a name.", she said.

Alkhor smiled at her overly-formal, antiquated reasoning.

"Alright.”, he replied, smiling. “You can call me Mr. Tepesch...for now. What name would you prefer I call you?"

"Mr. Tepesch, you may call me Miss Breckinridge or, if you would prefer, since everything is so informal in this century, you may call me Agnes.", she said.

"I think I'd like to call you Agnes.”, he replied, smiling.

Tara, Marty, and Mrs. Tepesch had been quietly listening to, and watching, the exchange between the two. They smiled knowingly, realizing what was happening in front of them.

It was extremely obvious that the two had fallen head over heels in love with each other right before their very eyes.

It was obvious to them that Alkhor had decided before the stream that he was going to try to court Agnes, and that she was very politely agreeing to the courtship.

They noticed he was speaking more formally than he usually did, knowing that Alkhor obviously wanted Agnes to be very comfortable around him.

Being a historian and sociologist, he had knowledge of ancient human courtship rituals. It was quite obvious to his mother, sister, and brother-in-law that Alkhor was thoroughly enjoying his conversation with her!

They corresponded twice daily for the next six weeks. One evening he sent her a live stream request, which she accepted.

During the live stream, he gave her a tour of the space station, including his cabin.

Other times, he sent video streams and messages with pictures of what he was having for dinner at various restaurants on the station. She sent him pictures of the trees with their leaves turning, plus some of the pies and meals she was cooking.

Alkhor told her that he very highly recommended the Venutian restaurant. The bar and gaming restaurant was his second favorite. Agnes was quite intrigued with the station, and asked him endless questions about it.

She was excited yet nervous about the move to the station. Agnes was simply unable to comprehend exactly what she and the family would be living on.

Alkhor explained it all to her but, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't comprehend flying through space and living on something floating there with nothing solid underneath it to support it.

He showed her pictures, both from the outside and inside, to help her understand.

The inside seemed very interesting to Agnes, especially during their live stream, despite her fear of the strange-looking aliens on board.

The pictures of the station from the outside, however, both intrigued and utterly terrified her.

“Pray, with it spinning like that, will we not all be rendered dizzy and lightheaded? Will we not be tossed to and fro?

"Pray, where does the station go if there is nothing to catch it should it founder?

”What will happen to us, and everyone aboard, Mr. Tepesch, if there is a landslide or a blizzard, as so often happens in Winter?

“What keeps it up there in space if there is no ground underneath it to support it? That does not seem safe, Mr. Tepesch!

"Mr. Tepesch, how will anyone know where to find us to rescue us should the station founder? Even if it does not founder, how will people know how to find us to visit or to send mail to us? A stage cannot travel in space to deliver our mail to us!

”Pray, how will we know how to find our way back when we go visit the family's planet? How will we know if 'tis day or night there? Indeed, we shall be so far from Earth's Sun!", she asked him over several days.

Alkhor answered her questions as patiently as possible, albeit with more than a chuckle or two at her questions, especially regarding the stage traveling through space to deliver their mail.

She told him things about her century. He was absolutely thrilled to hear firsthand stories, rather than having to learn about it in books or video documentaries.

He was shocked to find that very often a gentleman would write a lady and propose in the first letter.

“Talk about rushing things!”, Alkhor exclaimed.

She then told him that Hamilton had proposed in his second letter.

“As a token of my affection for him, I sent him a lock of my hair. In return, he sent me a pencil drawing that his sister had done of him. He also sent me a necklace with a matching pair of earrings.

”I was wearing them the day he was to arrive to meet me. Our courtship took a little longer than if we lived near each other, since mail took so long to get anywhere.

“He lives...I mean lived, in Boston and I lived in Worcester. It would take 1-2 days to get a letter to him in the Winter. He would then write to me. It would then take 1-2 days to get back to me.

“Corresponding was not as instant or quick as 'tis now, Mr. Tepesch. Not at all!

”We met through his sister-in-law's friendship with my brother's wife, Polly. He was lonely and wanted a wife for not only companionship and affection, but also to bear him children.

“Polly told his sister-in-law about me, who then entreated him to speak to James about me. James and Polly told him that, although I was a scullery maid, I was of good character and breeding, and would make a very fine wife and mother. He said I would be able to bear very healthy children.

”Hamilton told James that he was interested, and James gave him my name and address.

”Hamilton wrote the most beautiful letter of introduction, Mr. Tepesch! Indeed, I was concerned that Hamilton would not be interested in me, despite glowing references from both James and Polly as to my morals, personality, wifely and childbearing abilities.

“After all, I was just a scullery maid. I cleaned the pots and pans in the kitchen, washed the floors, things like that. Hamilton now...Hamilton was a barrister. I believe you would call him a lawyer now.

”He was wealthy, highly educated, and drove a berouche. I was just a lowly scullery maid who worked in the kitchen.

“Occasionally I would help the cook with chopping vegetables and prepare meals together.

”But Hamilton told me he loved me. He said my personality shone through my letter to him just like the Sun! He did not care at all what I did for a living. He told me he wanted to marry me as soon as possible!

“We were going to build a happy life together in Boston! I would be Mrs. Hamilton Berkshire, Esq., the lady of the house, and no longer a mere scullery maid. He did not even care that I had no money for a dowry.

”James told him he would take care of that, since he was the head of the family now that our parents had passed.“, Agnes told him, the first time she'd opened up to Alkhor, or to anybody, in-depth about their courtship.

One night, Alkhor received a live stream request. He was in bed reading, clad only in sleep pants.

He accepted the stream request. Seconds later, to his immense surprise, Agnes appeared onscreen. She was still fully dressed, despite the late hour.

”Oh! Mr. Tepesch! Pray, do forgive me for intruding on you whilst you are in bed!“, she exclaimed, blushing deep red at seeing him shirtless.

”You're not intruding at all, Agnes! Here, let me put a shirt on. I hate wearing a shirt in bed! It's ok... I've got bottoms on!“, he replied, smiling and walking over to his dresser, coming closer to the large-screen.

Agnes inhaled quickly, blushing even deeper than before, at seeing his muscles and six-pack up close. A 6'7" bear of a man with long brown hair that came just below his shoulders, and a chestful of hair, Alkhor was a very muscular and EXTREMELY buff Cardistanian! His physique could take your breath away! It certainly took hers away!

After putting a shirt on, he asked,

”Why are you still fully dressed at this late hour?“

”Well, Mr. Tepesch, to be quite honest, 'tis very late out, and I was not sure when you would be accepting the request.

“I did not want you to see me in my nightgown. What if you were to accept the request and see me without my robe on? It would have been highly inappropriate.“

”Yes, yes. I see your point there.“

”Anyway, Mr. Tepesch, I hope you do not mind my requesting an interview via live stream. I am...well, I confess, today I just wanted to see you and hear your voice.“

Knowing the courage it took on Agnes' part to even consider sending him a request, much less actually sending him the request and telling him why she wanted to live stream him, Alkhor was thrilled and completely surprised. Seeing the surprised look on his face, she said,

“I assure you, Mr. Tepesch, I am not some common trollop attempting to flaunt my wares to my gentleman caller. Please do not think that way.“

”I never would have thought that way about you, Agnes! I'm glad you sent the stream request. I was just sitting here having an iced coffee and reading an interplanetary archaeology journal.

“I wanted to see you and hear your voice as well. So how was your day today?“

”Oh, 'tis very rainy and dreary here. The sight of you is all the pleasure it has afforded.“

”Well I'm so glad I could brighten things up for you, Agnes. You've certainly brightened up my evening. I'll be there in another week or so. I can't wait to meet you in person.“

”Indeed, I cannot wait to meet you in person either, Mr. Tepesch.“

They talked for a while longer, just laughing and chatting about all sorts of things. They then ended the stream with the assurance they'd speak to each other again very soon.