Chapter 2

"I think I'll try a game," Tom said as the woman approached Harry.

"Greetings.  My name is Shyla.  Welcome to Plona Mr."

"Kim.  Harry."

"Which one should I call you?"

"Pardon?"

"You gave me two names."

"Oh.  Sorry.  My friends call me Harry."

"Well, Harry.  What do you think of Plona?"

"It seems like a great place for a vacation."

"But not to live?"

"Well.  I mean.  I just got here, so I don't.  Um."

Shyla laughed.  "I'm sorry.  My brother says I come on too strong to strangers.  Especially male strangers."

Harry blushed as Shyla ran her hand over his arm.  "Uh, that's ok.  Would you like a drink?"

"That would be great.  You can tell me about your planet."

Harry let Shyla lead the way to an empty table.  He stepped up to pull out her chair and bumped into a passing alien with a tray.  The tray and all its contents went crashing to the floor.    "I'm so sorry."  Harry bent to help the alien with the mess.

"Happens all the time.  Unfortunately."  The alien roughly pushed Harry's hands out of the way.  "Next time watch where you're going."

Shyla squatted and said, "We can have a drink later.  Let's go for a walk on the beach instead."

"Ok," Harry said gratefully.

*** The members of Voyager's senior staff looked at Janeway curiously.  Tom started to say he hoped she had a damn good reason for interrupting their shore leave, but seeing the serious set to her jaw changed his mind.

"I'm sorry to have to interrupt your much deserved vacation.  But, I've discovered something that needs to be brought to your attention.   Has anyone heard anything about the Great Earthquake?"

"Tom and I encountered a nasty scene outside a relaxation hall," B'Elanna spoke first.  "Someone was warning the crowds about it.  A guard tried to arrest him, and when he resisted, the guard shot him."

"Mr. Neelix and I witnessed a similar incident," Tuvok said.

"It was gruesome," Neelix added.  "The guards left one woman in a pool of her own blood."

"Anyone else?"

"What about you, Harry?" Tom asked with a grin.  "Hear anything about earthquakes, or was it just fireworks?"

"Shut up," Harry mumbled.

Janeway quickly brought the meeting back into focus.  "What I heard is that it occurs every five hundred years on Plona and its birthday is in five days."

"Five days!" Chakotay exclaimed.  "Consolat Trag didn't mention anything about an earthquake in our contacts."

"My tour guide, Loyden was reluctant to talk about it.  All he would say is that Plona's top engineers have developed a way to contain and minimize the damage and these protestors are stirring up unnecessary fear.  I want each of you to enjoy your evening but try to find out what you can about this earthquake.  We'll meet again at 0900 tomorrow.  Dismissed."  Janeway stood with her officers and added, "Ensign Kim, a word please."

Harry walked around the table and stood in front of his captain.

"Are your enjoying yourself, Harry?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Is there someone you're enjoying your time with?"

Harry blushed and looked at his feet.  I am going to kill Tom.

"It's ok, Harry."  She struggled not to smile.  "Just be careful this time."

"I will, ma'am."

"And go easy on Tom."  This time, she didn't bother concealing her smile.

*** On one of the many beaches, Harry and Shyla sipped silverroot spritzer from a large glass with two straws.  Shyla had touted this to be a Plona favorite.  It was cool and refreshing with a hint of a fruit Harry didn't recognize. 

"This is delicious."

"Silverroot is my favorite fruit."

Harry leaned back on the plush fuchsia couch and sighed.  It had been a long time since he was this comfortable.   He wondered why he felt so comfortable with Shyla.  She's so much the opposite of me.  She's not shy.  She's a little forward.  But, none of that bothers me.  She's so easy to talk to and be with.

"Deep thoughts?"

"Uh, I was just thinking about how this reminds me of home."

"I thought you said your planet only has one moon."

"It does.  This couch reminds me of my bed at home.  It's so soft you just sink in.  I hated getting up some mornings." 

Shyla set the glass on a nearby table, curled up beside Harry and rested her head on his shoulder.  He eased his arm around her so smoothly that nothing went wrong.  He didn't bump her or mess up their cozy position.  He smiled and lowered his head to hers.  They stayed that way for at least an hour before Shyla started to shiver.  "Sometimes, I think my skin will fry before nightfall.  Then, nightfall comes, and it's too cold," she said snuggling impossibly closer.

Now that she was practically in his lap, Harry began to feel a little uncomfortable and shy.  "Maybe if we take a walk, it will warm us up."

They unwrapped themselves from one another, and Harry offered her his jacket.   They headed down the beach. 

"I like the way your people mix history with modern," Harry said after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"Everywhere I look, I see older buildings alongside newer buildings."

"A lot of that is due to the Great Earthquake."

"The Great Earthquake?"

"It happens every five hundred years.  The epicenter is in the mountain region, but downtown Plon sustains damage as well.  Some of the older buildings are sturdy enough to withstand the earthquake.  Some aren't.  That's why downtown has a mix of older and newer buildings.  As for this area, sometimes there has been more damage here than downtown."

"My friend, Neeliz said he heard some people warning that the Great Earthquake will come in five days.  If that's true, there doesn't seem to be any preparation."

"It's four days away by now.  Those protestors will be harder to control the closer we get.  There's no preparation going on because we top engineers have developed a containment system that will minimize the damage."

"We?"

Shyla smiled.  "I'm the third in command."

The next morning, Ensign Kim couldn't get their date out of his mind.  He remembered every detail from the way Shyla's hair felt between his fingers to the way her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.  He remembered the warmth of her lips so vividly that he could still feel them. 

"Tuvok to Ensign Kim," came over his comm. badge.  "Ensign Kim, please respond."  How long has he been calling me? Harry wondered.

"Kim here."  When the link remained silent, Harry asked, "What can I do for you, sir?"

Tuvok sighed.  "You were supposed to provide a status report at twelve hundred hours.  It is now twelve hundred and five."

Harry slapped his forehead.  "I'm sorry, sir.  I guess I was daydreaming."

"The status report, Ensign."

"Uh, yes sir.  Sensors show no change since ten hundred hours."

"Thank you, Ensign.  I will relieve you at two hundred hours."

"Try to enjoy yourself, Tuvok."

"I'm sure Mr. Neelix will have plenty suggestions on how to do so."

Harry returned to his daydream.  Tuvok is such a workaholic.  The sensors will beep if they detect anything, and I would contact him immediately.  I can't wait to see Shyla again.  Too bad she has to work all day.  They had agreed to meet for dinner at Shyla's favorite restaurant.  Harry tried to think of something to do between the end of his shift at security and nineteen hundred hours. 

*** "Isn't this nice?"  Neelix sucked in the fresh air.  He and Tuvok sat at a table in the cafĂ© Janeway had recommended from her lunch with Loyden.  "The breeze is wonderful.  The beach is wide and open."

"The holodeck can provide breezes and wide, open beaches."

"It's not the same."

Tuvok raised an eyebrow.

"The holodeck creates the illusion of vastness quite well.  But, it's only an illusion.  The holodeck is still a closed room in a closed starship.  This is real and very refreshing."

"This planet is closed in by its atmosphere."

Neelix laughed.  "Always have to have the last word, eh?  How do you feel about getting time off from work?  Even Vulcans need fun."

"Vulcan 'fun' serves a secondary purpose.  Engaging in leisure activities helps prevent emotions from becoming stronger than one can handle."

"Didn't you ever do something just for the fun of it?  Or, just to do something different?  Not everything has to have a secondary purpose.  Or even a primary purpose."

Before Tuvok could answer, if he was even going to, two waitresses set two huge trays on the table.

"Dig in, Mr. Vulcan," Neelix said as he reached for a sample of Plon seafood.

            "Vulcans do not 'dig in'."  When Neelix rolled his eyes, Tuvok added, "Perhaps this once."