Ghost of a Chance - Mark Garland [30]
"I... I do understand," Paris told her, taking her hand in his, gazing raptly at her. "Maybe too well." They seemed to have still more in common than Tassay and Chakotay, B'Elanna reflected, silently nodding as they both glanced toward her.
They turned to each other again, and she watched Paris for a moment, watched him doting on Mila. Then she turned instead to Chakotay, who seemed to be paying a great deal of attention to Tassay at the moment.
It's enough to make anybody sick, B'Elanna told herself, noticing she was not quite as hungry as she had been a moment ago.
"You seem upset," Jonal said to her, disturbing her speculations.
She looked at him. She was. "What makes you think so?"
"I can tell, that's all. Though it looks almost out of place on you."
No one had ever told her that before. "What do you mean by that?"
"You have many great responsibilities, I'm sure, but I am nearly as sure you have the means to meet them. You seem so... competent." His smile was soft, not the least acerbic, as she was sure hers would have been if she had been inclined to attempt one. She couldn't tell if he was being empathetic or diplomatic.
Either way, she wasn't much in the mood. She shrugged. "It can get a little rough sometimes. Goes with the territory, I guess."
"You are different than many of the others."
"I'm only half human," she said, purposely glaring at him, "if that's okay with you."
"I assure you, it is. And I understand your reaction, I think, though you seem to be among very good people here. I admire this Federation of yours. You see, on my homeworld I too am something of a--a mixed breed, or half-breed, you might say. Mila and Tassay are as well. But the dominant society there has not yet risen above the ignorance that so often complicates such things."
"I... didn't know," B'Elanna said, somewhat stunned by the gentle man's words. "But for me, I think it's probably a little more complicated than that." She thought of how many times people had told her they understood what it was like to be B'Elanna Torres, how ridiculous she always thought they were.
Though what she was doing right now was possibly worse. "Or maybe it isn't," she said. "Maybe I don't know."
"B'Elanna has had her share of successes as well as setbacks," Chakotay remarked.
"I'm sure we would all enjoy listening to you talk about them," Jonal told her. Mila and Tassay quickly agreed--Mila still holding Paris's hand while Tassay marveled at the tattoo over Chakotay's left eye.
"It's so nice to find beings who care about the lives of others the way you do," Kes said, smiling softly at the Drosary. "There is so much we can all learn from each other. So much I want to learn."
"The similarities do make the differences easier to understand," Neelix said, typically aiding Kes by any means available to him.
Neelix and Kes had seemed largely content simply to observe the conversation until now. B'Elanna wasn't sure she liked the change.
"Sometimes there are things about others that we can never understand," she told Kes before glancing at Jonal.
"I suppose that's true," Kes said, "but working with the doctor has made me realize just how precious all life is and how easily it can be lost. It's wonderful to find people who embrace that same basic ideal."
"Isn't she remarkable," Neelix said. It was not a question. He grinned broadly at Kes and kissed her cheek. The sentiment seemed to carry all around the table. It stopped at B'Elanna Torres's chair.
Something about the Drosary still bothered her.