Lost love and memories "
By: Craig Witmore, Engineer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58205.15 2030

It was dark when Craig Witmore entered his quarters. From his port window he noticed Rura Penthe, the ice planet. People who were sent there were forgotten. Disappering in oblivion. He suddenly felt sad, and a thought of his beloved popped up in his mind.

This was certainly strange. Enjoyable. He hadnt thought of her for years. How many? An entire age, perhaps. And such beautiful memories to have set aside. There was a poem she liked. Which was it? She liked long poems and epics. She had such patience........ who reads epics? She read them aloud sometimes, all in one sitting. And so well for an untrained voice. Or have the years made it sound better? Craig did not know. Suddenly a poem came to mind.

Absence, like dainty clouds, On glorious bright, Natures weak senses shrowds, from harming light Absence maintains the treasure of pleasure unto pleasure Sparing with praise; Absence doth nurse the fire, Which starves and feeds desire With sweet delays.

Craig heard it read before. And hadnt thought of it since. Listened to and forgotten; his memory caught up with the girl and her voice and not the poem, yet how he remembered and re-experience every word every syllable, every nuance. The meanings of the words together, their meanings separately, even the music of the letters. The whole poem.

He had paid little attention in the classes he signed up for especially since he only signed up for it so he could walk Laura there every other day.

Old experiences that he thought had faded came charging back in full light. Craig walked over to the window and looked outside. So many stars, so many races, would she be out there?

Dead relatives, missing comrades, absent friends, friends who also died, one after an other they came to visit him in his silent place here and he re-experienced them, from pleasure to pain, and he felt him self cry.

Turning from the window Craig walked towards his sleeping area, silently he removed his cloths and lay down on the bed, covering himself with fresh crisp, cold sheets. Finally he fell asleep dreaming of the past, of Laura his sweet.