Distant Shores - Marco Palmieri [118]
After a pause, he went on. “The ironic thing, of course, is that Kes broke up with me a year later, and then she went off to… well, greater things. So we had even less time than I thought. But because of what she said to me that day, the rest of the time we did have together was very full. And when she left-both times-I was sad, of course, but I was… satisfied. I thought more about what I’d gained than what I’d lost. So I had no regrets.”
Harry sat quietly, absorbing Neelix’s words. Then he stood. “Excuse me, Neelix. There’s someone I need to talk to.”
Harry found Marika climbing down out of a Jefferies tube on deck twelve, tool kit in hand. She stood expectantly, waiting for him to speak. “I’ve been thinking,” he began, “about what you said. About making the most of the time you have. And I’ve decided-that is, I’d be willing… Oh, hell.” He pulled her against him and kissed her. Neither of them heard the toolkit hit the floor.
“You’re learning,” she finally gasped when they came up for air.
“If we’ve only got a few weeks, then let’s make it the best few weeks of our lives,” Harry said. “I want to know you, Karah. I want to know everything about you, share everything I can with you. So that… so I can remember you.”
Marika grinned. “I can’t wait. Unfortunately, I’m on duty. But once my shift ends…” She returned the kiss, with interest. “I’ll give you plenty to remember.”
The next few days were a whirlwind. Harry and Marika spent every free moment together, coordinating their shifts to maximize their time. Their physical passion for each other warred for time with their eagerness to learn about each other, to share all they could. They talked for hours, exchanging their life stories in detail. Harry learned what it had been like to grow up lean and hungry in the midst of desperation, while Marika learned what it had been like to grow up nurtured and protected in the midst of paradise. They compared notes on their Academy professors and their Starfleet adventures. They offered each other tips on engineering and ship’s systems. They argued passionately over politics and philosophy, and had great fun making up afterwards. They burned up every holodeck ration they could beg, borrow, or trade for, seeking to share every experience they could think of. Behind closed doors, she showed him techniques he’d never considered and he showed her a sensitivity she’d never known. After less than a week, Harry was feeling drained and exhausted; yet he was determined to keep going, to make the most of every day.
Fortunately, one experience Marika sought to sample was sunbathing on the beaches of Bajor’s Rennekal Archipelago, her ancestral home. It was a chance to let her experience her heritage while taking some time to relax and recover-although Harry realized he wouldn’t be relaxing much once he saw what the traditional Rennekal idea of a bathing suit was. Or wasn’t.
However, Marika was content to swim, sunbathe, and talk for the moment. Her narrative had gotten through the Academy years, and as Harry rubbed tanning lotion onto her bare back she recounted how her family had received her upon her return to the refugee camps. It was an effort for Harry to keep her back muscles relaxed, but he wasn’t complaining. “… So finally I just stood up to my big brother and told him calmly, ‘No, Sinadah. I don’t have to prove anything to you. I don’t have to earn the right to be treated as an adult. Because you don’t have any authority to decide that. I am an adult, and your opinion has no bearing on the matter.’ “
“And did it work?”
“No,” she laughed. “He kept on treating me like a child. But I stopped letting it get to me. I just felt sorry for him, because he hadn’t grown.”
“Hmm. Maybe I was lucky being an only child after