Samantha Wildman sat on a pile of rocks, overlooking a stream. She watching as her daughter, Naomi, played in the water. She reminded Samantha so much of her father.
And my ex-husband, she thought sadly. Ktarian law held that if a husband and wife were seperated for more then five years, thier marriage was dissolved. At first after the five years she held out, hoping that by some miracle, they might get home. But it had now been nearly seven months since the official dissolution, and Samantha knew that when Ktarians were divorced, they did not take much time to remarry. By now Greskrendtregk almost surely had a new wife, perhaps even with a new child on the way.
"Enjoying yourself?" came a voice.
Samantha looked up. It was Joeseph Carey. The two had become friends of late, since now they had both lost thier spouses. Over two years ago Voyager had contacted home through an alien communications array, and learned that his wife had remarried. Now when Voyager had offered part of it's crew shoreleave, Samantha had been pleased to learn Joespeh and she had taken the same timeslot.
"Somewhat," she replied as he sat down next to her.
"There's rain on the way," he said.
"Naomi told me that already," said Samantha. They both gazed at the young girl. "Ktarians are extra-sensative to an approaching shower."
"She's really grown now, isn't she? She looks and acts as an eight year old."
"When by years she's only half that age. And full-blooded Ktarians grow even faster." Suddenly a wind began to blow. They looked up. It had swiftly clouded over.
"According to our readings it'll be a thunderstorm." said Joeseph. "Maybe we should get back to the city. If we hurry we can get there before the downpour." As if on cue, they heard the sound of a thunderbolt.
"Actually I came out here because of the coming thunderstorm." was Samantha's reply.
"Why would you want to come here for a thunderstorm?" asked Joeseph in surprise.
"You've never heard of Ktarian Raindance?" inquired Samantha.
"No, I haven't."
"Ktarians grow more active in the rain. When it rains on Ktaria VII, Ktarians will often come out and dance. I wanted Naomi to get the chance to try the dance." They heard an even louder clap of thunder, and lightening had become visible as well.
"But in a lightening and thunder storm?" pointed out Joeseph.
"A Raindance is always better when there's lightening and thunder."
"You'll stand out here and get soaked," Joespeh warned her.
"I'll dance as well. I quite enjoy it." They heard another clap of thunder, and several drops splattered them. "Dance with us?"
"Well," sighed Joeseph, "since it's too late to go back to the city..."
"Wonderful!" yelled Samantha, and she yanked Joeseph up just as the rain came pouring down on them.
They whirled around each other, and Joeseph was reminded very much of an Earth square dance. He could not see Samantha, but he could hear her shout and laugh, and he could hear Naomi as she danced on her own. It didn't take him long to realize that half the dance was in shouting, and he started shouting back.
Round and round they dance, their feet skimming the ground, their arms flying through the falling rain, their voices traveling over the sound of the rain and over the thunder to each other. Pretty soon they were both out of breath, but still they danced, whirling into the stream, over the rocks, and across the fields.
And then, as the rain started to abate and the thunder started to lessen, some instinct pulled them to each other, and the sun came out to see them wrapped up in a wild kiss.
When the seperated, the rain had stopped entirely, and they looked at each other in awe. They were about to kiss again when they heard Naomi say, "I'm cold."
Then they realized they were cold too. The water had soaked through the civilian clothes they were wearing, and they were both wet to the bone.
"Now will you come back to the city?" inquired Joeseph as Samantha picked her daughter up.
"Yes." she replied. "Come on."
"My God!" exclaimed Tom Paris when Joeseph Carey and Samantha Wildman came in. "Did you two go dancing in the rain or something?"
"Actually, yes, we did just that," replied Carey. "Have a towel?"
"You'll be able to dry yourself off in the back." Tom told them.
He watched as the three people headed for the back. And for the first time he noticed how close they walked, and how they smiled at each other. And just before she went inside, he saw Wildman lean over and give Carey a tiny kiss.
There had been an old rumor that they were dating. Now it looked like he had confirmation of it.
Though he suppose there was still the question of how long.