Marooned - Christie Golden [56]
"You're a fine little guide," Neelix told it. It paused, fixed him with those beautiful eyes, and chirped happily. It then spread its wings and floated gracefully to the earth, where it began to lap eagerly at a small pool of surprisingly clear water. Following its example-it had already proven itself trustworthy with the berry-Neelix knelt and cupped up some of the precious liquid. He drank, parched from the journey, and water had never tasted so sweet.
Now the furball was off rooting around at the bottom of a bush, pausing to look back at him and chirp loudly. Neelix scrambled over to the bush, helping the creature dig. Sure enough, fat tubers extended deep into the soil, and he remembered that this was one thing that Grrua had definitely said was good to eat. He pulled them up excitedly, and grinned at his new companion. Breaking one root off., he tossed it to the creature. The furball caught it and began to nibble daintily. More exploration yielded an entire bush of the delightful blue berries. Neelix sat and munched happily, sharing the repast with Furball, who at one point clambered over to perch on Neelix's shoulder. The soft, fluffy tail tickled Neelix's neck, but he didn't mind as he popped another of the oddly crunchy, but delicious, berries, into his mouth.
The two odd friends sat in what passed for sunlight on Mishkara.
They feasted on dried leaves, brackish water, and beetles.
COOL MIST BRUSHED KES'S FACE AS SHE ENURED THE special room that Aren Yashar had prepared just for her. From somewhere came the splashing sound of running water. A redolent synthesis of fragrances teased her nostrils, and she closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the heady aroma. For an instant, she could forget. "Does it please you, my little bird?"
Kes opened her eyes, returning to her reality. The light was warm and bright, as close an approximation of true sun's light as she had ever experienced, and the plants were thriving. Aboard Voyager, the plants had been arranged in neat, organized rows. They had been labeled, charted, studied, monitoreel Cuttings had been taken, replanted, fruit and roots and leaves harvested for foodstuffs. Here, the plants had been allowed to run riot. A few Kes recognized, but most were unknown to her. Their freedom to grow as they would, without pruning or apparently even observation, almost made her heart hurt.
If only I were as free as these plants.
"Kes?" Aren's voice was concerned. "Don't you like them?"
She couldn't lie, even if she had wanted to. "Yes, I like them very much, Aren. They're beautiful." Her voice was thick as the words crawled past the lump in her throat.
"Ah, but there is so much more. Come," and he placed his hand lightly on her back, propelling her forward, navigating her through the verdant growth. Kes went, where he led, partly because there was, as she had discovered, little point in fighting, and partly because she was curious. Aren stepped around some mushrooms growing on the "forest floor," pushed aside some shiny green fronds.
Before them was a small pool-artificial, of course, as everything save the plants themselves were-but inviting nonetheless. Grass grew beside it, and a waterfall came out of a false cliff wall to feed it. Steam rose as Kes watched.
"You have not bathed since you came here, Kes. I thought you might enjoy a pleasant place in which to cleanse yourself" She turned to look at him, surprise plain on her face, and he added, "Oh, not now. You'll have privacy if you like, of course. I merely wanted to let you know where it was, for later."
He seemed suddenly embarrassed, and his face flushed a little. Kes turned away, and buried her face in the nearest blossom. Her own cheeks felt hot.
"So I found you on the station," Aren whispered,