"Protege"
by Rebecca Schultz


Ensign Samantha Wildman was bent over a malfunctioning console in sickbay when suddenly she overheard someone singing.

O soave fanciulla, o dolce viso di mite circonfuso alba lunar...

Looking up from the console she was repairing, she saw that it was The Doctor. She'd never heard him sing before, but she thought the tune sounded awfully familiar. He however, didn't seem to notice that she could hear him singing, and carried on with his work. When she finished, she went into his office. He was sitting behind his desk humming.

"La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini?" Samantha asked him.

The Doctor stopped humming. "What?" he asked.

"That song you were singing. It was O soave fanciulla from La Boheme...I think?" she guessed, unsure.

"Oh, yes, it was actually," The Doctor said. Do you study opera?" he asked, fascinated that she had recognized what he'd been singing.

Wildman nodded. "I did for awhile when I was younger. I studied opera at Juilliard for four years. My parents however, insisted that I join Star Fleet, so I did," she said, working on a padd.

"I had no idea!" The Doctor said, surprised. Just then, he got a brilliant idea. "How well do you know the part of Mimi?" he asked.

Samantha laughed half heartedly. "I studied it a bit, but that was a very long time ago," she said.

Samantha suddenly realized what he was asking her. She looked at him, and the look on his face confirmed exactly what she thought he was asking her. "Oh no! Doctor, I couldn't..." she gasped in shock at the mere idea of rekindling her singing days.

The Doctor however begged her earnestly. "I've been having a terrible time trying to find a holographic partner for Mimi's part."

Finally, she acquiesced to his begging. "I suppose I could give it a try," she said shrugging.

"2100 hours then, holodeck 2," The Doctor said.

"I'll be there," she said, and left.

****

At 2100 hours, Samantha arrived at holodeck 2. As she entered, she was amazed at the sight that greeted her. It was vaguely familiar, and yet was nothing at all like she had ever seen. The room was dark, lit only by a few dozen candles, and a dimmed chandelier. The Doctor greeted her.

"Isn't this Tom's Chez Sandrine program?" Samantha asked.

The Doctor nodded. "With a few minor modifications," he explained.

They spent some time going over the first act scene they'd be practicing, and then took their places. Luckily beforehand, Samantha had familiarized herself with the piece of music she'd be performing alongside him, and so was at least somewhat prepared. Practicing it in her quarters however, had been somewhat of a challenge. Besides the acoustics being just absolutely terrible, the ensign in the quarters adjacent to hers, she had discovered was most definitely not a fan of opera!

"I have to warn you, Doctor. I haven't done this in quite awhile. I may be a little off key," Samantha warned.

"That's quite alright," he assured her. "Computer, begin playback O soave fanciulla."

The music started. Samantha stood at the bottom of the fancy wooden staircase waiting for her entrance, and at the same time admiring the scenery around her. Just then The Doctor began.

"O soave fanciulla, o dolce viso di mite circonfuso alba lunar...
in te, vivo ravviso il sogno ch'io vorrei sempre sognar!
Fremon già nell'anima le dolcezze estreme, nel bacio freme amor!"

And then she joined him.

"...Fremon già nell'anima...
Ah! tu sol comandi, amor!..." she sang.

The Doctor's mouth dropped open. Never before had he heard the part of Mimi sung so beautifully. Samantha's voice was simply astonishing.

"Oh! come dolci scendono le sue lusinghe al core... tu sol comandi, amore!..."

As the music continued, The Doctor was so taken by Samantha's voice that he subsequently forgot not only the words he was supposed to sing, he forgot to sing! Samantha looked at him as the music played on unaccompanied.

"Doctor?" she asked.

"Uh...Computer, pause playback," he ordered.

The music stopped. Samantha winced.

"I sounded a little flat," Samantha observed, thinking that was the reason he'd stopped.

"No! No! That was...very lovely!" The Doctor said, a bit beside himself. "I had no idea that you had such talent! You'd be perfect for the part of Mimi!"

Wildman blushed.

"In fact..." he said, but suddenly stopped, as if in thought. Samantha looked at him curiously.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Computer," he said. "Begin program Puccini Alpha One."

Seconds later, Chez Sandrine's was replaced by an 1800's era looking theatre, complete with a fully dressed stage. Samantha immediately spotted a middle aged man giving directions to half a dozen actors onstage. She was about to ask The Doctor where they were, but before she could, he was guiding her over to the man.

"Signor Giacomo Puccini, may I present Signora Samantha Wildman," The Doctor introduced them.

Samantha had to fight hard not to let her mouth drop open. She could hardly believe that she was standing here face to face with such a notable composer as Giacomo Puccini! Of course she knew this was only a holographic representation of the great composer, but still...to actually be face to face with someone whose work she had studied and admired was almost too much for her to take in all at once. The man's eyes met hers, and held them in gentle captivation. Giacomo was a tall man with short wavy hair as dark as night, and a neatly trimmed moustache. Samantha had certainly seen photographs of him while a student at Juilliard, but to actually meet his likeness was almost overwhelming to her.

"Signora," Puccini greeted her, taking her hand in his and kissing it tenderly.

She blushed a bit, despite herself. "Signor," she said softly, curtseying deeply to him.

Giacomo turned his attention back to the stage, and as she watched the bustling activity around her, Samantha vaguely became aware that she was staring at Giacomo's hands as he conducted. They were strong and powerful, and it was almost overwhelming to her to be in the presence of such a master.

****

That evening in her quarters, her interest in music rekindled by the events earlier, Samantha found herself singing O Soave Fanciulla while working at her computer monitor. Naomi, hearing the singing came into the room from hers.

"Mom, what are you singing?" she asked.

Not hearing her daughter come in, Samantha was a bit startled. "Oh, it's nothing honey. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"It was pretty. What was it?" Naomi asked.

"O Soave Fanciulla. It's a type of music on Earth called an opera," she explained.

"Who wrote it?" Naomi asked.

"A composer named Giacomo Puccini," she answered. "I studied a lot of his music when I was younger."

Suddenly noticing how late it was, Samantha hurried her daughter off to bed.

****

The next afternoon was an uncharacteristically quiet one, and Samantha found herself sitting in the science lab with nothing to do, and two hours left before her duty shift was over. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to take off a little early from her shift, she left one of her staff in charge, and departed. Naomi was busy helping Seven in Astrometrics, and wouldn't be done for another hour, and so Samantha decided to visit Giacomo Puccini's theatre again.

Outside of holodeck two, Samantha instructed the computer to activate the program, but was surprised when the computer responded that the program was already in use. Figuring that The Doctor must be running it, Samantha entered. She found the cast preparing to rehearse a third act scene from La Boheme. Signora Lucilla, whom Wildman had been studying in the role of Mimi, was issuing orders in every direction while Giacomo just looked on, seemingly having given up trying to direct this production himself. The Doctor, dressed as Rodolfo, was looking thoroughly annoyed with the diva. Finally, he'd had enough.

"Signora, you are becoming a nuisance!" The Doctor complained.

He went to the holodeck control console, and tapped in a few commands.

Looking shocked at The Doctor, Lucilla began ranting and raving. Suddenly, one of the set walls fell over. Nearly everyone jumped in fright at the wall coming down. Lucilla shrieked and looked as if she might have a heart attack right there. Samantha gave The Doctor a puzzled look, but alas she could not help laughing. At the same moment, Lucilla was in a flustered tirade.

"Signor, I simply cannot work in this environment with these things happening!" she exclaimed to Giacomo in her heavy Italian accent.

Lucilla was actually starting to turn red, and Samantha kept her distance from the ranting woman, trying not to laugh. Women from this era were certainly...vocal, to put it mildly. As Signora Lucilla stomped back to her place, she nearly ran right into Naomi.

"What is this now! What is this impudent child doing here? And what are those things growing out of her head?" Lucilla looked about ready to faint from stress.

Naomi froze, not knowing what to do or where to go. Samantha, suddenly noticing Naomi there, came to her rescue fairly quickly. Naomi however looked absolutely frightened of Lucilla.

"Mom, why is that lady acting that way?" Naomi asked quietly.

"A piece of the set fell down and scared her, so she got mad," Samantha whispered, still trying not to laugh.

"I cannot take this stress any longer, Signor Puccini, I quit!" Lucilla shrieked.

"I really wish you would!" The Doctor said, exasperated.

"Well, I...!" Lucilla stopped herself in mid-sentence, gave The Doctor the nastiest look she could contort her face into, and stomped off in a huff.

"What an extremely rude and irritating woman!" The Doctor gasped, shaking his head in exasperation. "I don't recall her being a part of this program."

Wildman was laughing too hard to say anything, but finally managed to compose herself. "I'm afraid that I'm responsible for that, Doctor. I was studying Mimi's part, and I asked the computer to recreate a character to sing the part for me so I could learn it," she explained.

A few feet away, Giacomo was in a panic, trying to figure out what he was going to do now that he was lacking a Mimi. The Doctor calmly called the composer's attention to Ensign Wildman.

"Signor Puccini, I believe you remember Signora Wildman?" he asked.

Giacomo greeted her.

"Since you now seem to have an opening, she would like to audition for you," The Doctor said.

Samantha nearly choked. Sing for Giacomo Puccini! She couldn't! Before she could object however, Giacomo was signaling for the music to begin. Samantha tentatively stepped forward. The cast quieted, and then The Doctor sang.

"O soave fanciulla, o dolce viso di mite circonfuso alba lunar...
in te, vivo ravviso il sogno ch'io vorrei sempre sognar!
Fremon già nell'anima le dolcezze estreme, nel bacio freme amor!"

Right on cue, Samantha joined in.

"...Fremon già nell'anima...
Ah! tu sol comandi, amor!
Oh! come dolci scendono le sue lusinghe al core
tu sol comandi, amore!..."

When they had finished, there was stunned silence. Giacomo stood there, his mouth helplessly hanging open. Naomi, having gone into hiding when Lucilla's tirade had begun, had poked her head out from behind a curtain when she'd heard the lovely soprano voice, and was even more shocked than Giacomo was. Naomi could hardly believe that her mother could sing like that!

"Mom, where did you learn to sing like that?" Naomi asked, excitedly.

Samantha laughed. "I studied music when I was younger," she explained.

Giacomo was finally able to overcome his shock and speak. "My dear," he said. "That was most lovely! You must play the part of Mimi! You will be wonderful!"

Samantha blushed a little, but nodded. The Doctor smiled. He'd finally found a partner.

****

That evening during dinner in the Mess Hall, Samantha was listening to Naomi chatter about her "duty shift" in Astrometrics. Just then she heard Neelix ask for the room's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I...may I have your attention," Neelix requested.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked at Neelix.

"I am very pleased to announce that in two weeks we will all be treated to a very entertaining event! A form of recreation known as an opera featuring our very own Doctor and Ensign Wildman! They will be performing La Boheme in the leading roles of Rodolfo and Mimi! I hope you'll all attend!" he announced excitedly.

Samantha turned a bright red when several people turned to look at her. Oh was she ever going to get Neelix for this one!

****

By the next afternoon, word about Ensign Wildman's apparent singing talent had spread through over half the ship. Even the captain had heard about it apparently. On her way to the science lab, Wildman just happened to run into Janeway in the turbolift.

"Captain," the ensign greeted her as if it were unusual for her to run into the captain in the turbolift of all places.

Indeed it was. Samantha's duties rarely took her anywhere but the science lab or engineering. The captain smiled and nodded.

"Deck four," Wildman told the computer.

"I hear you'll be performing in an opera with The Doctor," Janeway said.

Wildman laughed a bit nervously. "He...talked me into it," she said.

"I had no idea you studied music."

"It was quite some time ago that I did, but I'm afraid that I'm not very good," Samantha admitted.

Janeway smiled again.

"I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. I'm looking forward to it," the captain said as the turbolift stopped at the bridge.

****

.After her duty shift, she again returned to holodeck two. The Doctor was already there.

"Ah! Signora Wildman!" Giacomo greeted her. "Shall we begin with 'O Soave Fanciulla'," he directed.

After they'd rehearsed it twice, The Doctor was suddenly called back to sickbay. Neelix's cooking had apparently taken a sudden turn for the worst, or at least his latest culinary experiment had. Samantha was relieved that she had used one of her replicator rations for lunch. Not that occasionally she didn't appreciate Neelix's cooking. She had to admit that he did make a rather mean dish of keltyahk, a favorite Ktarian confection of hers.

She remembered the first time he had ever made it for her. It was in celebration of the first birthday she'd had on board. Unfortunately in his first attempt at making keltyahk, Neelix ended up practically steamrollering huge glops of it into his kitchen ceiling when an unexpected power overload exploded his oven. Eventually however, he did manage to make a pretty edible concoction out of it. It reminded Samantha so much of home, and of her husband. Greskrendtregk made the best keltyahk she'd ever tasted.

"Duty calls," The Doctor shrugged, and then left, leaving Samantha alone with Giacomo.

Suddenly, she felt a little awkward being there alone with him. She tried to shake the feeling. After all, he was just a hologram. She shouldn't be feeling this way.

"Once more, my dear?" he asked.

She nodded.

He signaled for the music of O Soave Fanciulla to begin.

Hearing Giacomo sing, Samantha felt a tingle in her spine. Then suddenly he was there beside her. Samantha began to sing. Everything around them seemed to stop, as the music played on. When by chance her eyes met his, she suddenly felt her cheeks flush. When they had finished their love duet, Samantha realized that she was blushing, and quite badly too. Why was she blushing, she wondered. What had just happened?

"My dear?" Giacomo asked, noticing her discomfort. "Why this face? You were wonderful!" he said.

Samantha looked away. "I guess I'm just not used to performing."

Just then the comm system came to life.

"Mom, can you come and read me a story before bed?" Naomi asked.

Samantha was surprised. Was it that late already? A quick check of the time revealed that it was already 2130.

"I'll be right there, Naomi," she said, still feeling the heat in her cheeks.

She turned to Giacomo. "The hour is late, Signore. I must go until tomorrow," she told him.

He nodded. "Until tomorrow then."

"Computer, end program and save."

****

Samantha pressed her hands to her cheeks. Her face was hot. Trying to put what had just happened out of her mind, she did her best to compose herself before heading to her quarters. When she got home, Samantha found Naomi already in bed. She was grateful that Naomi had the lights dimmed. Maybe the child wouldn't notice her mother's flushed cheeks.

"What should we read tonight, Naomi?" she asked, trying her best to sound placid.

"This one," Naomi said as she handed her mother a padd.

Samantha read the title. Flotter and Rain Cloud. Oh, no! Anything but this one! Samantha was very familiar with this chapter. Flotter and Rain Cloud fall in love. Samantha knew however that there was no way she would get out of reading this one. It was Naomi's favorite. Nodding, Samantha took the padd, and began reading.

"Once upon a time in the Forest of Forever, Flotter met a beautiful white creature named Rain Cloud..."

Samantha read until Naomi was asleep, or at least she thought Naomi was asleep. As she got up to put the padd away, Naomi opened her eyes.

"Mom, were you crying?" Naomi asked, sleepily.

Samantha was uncomfortably silent for a moment. "No," she said.

But she wanted to.

"It's okay to cry, Mom. I know that story reminds you of Dad. You miss him," Naomi said understandingly.

Samantha didn't know what to say. Naomi was a very perceptive child. Sometimes too perceptive.

"Sleep, Naomi. It's late," she urged her daughter.

Naomi laid back down, and let her mother tuck her in.

****

The next day, Samantha decided that she should stay away from the holodeck for a good while. She'd just explain things to The Doctor somehow. Samantha however, couldn't keep her mind on her work. Her thoughts inevitably wandered to Giacomo. Despite the fact that she'd told herself over and over again that this man was a hologram and nothing more, she still couldn't stop his name from engraving itself in the core of her every thought.

Something...something more powerful than her will to resist it took ahold of her, and Samantha found herself back in holodeck two in Giacomo's theatre after her duty shift.

"Samantha," he greeted her warmly, taking her hand in his, and kissing it gently.

Wildman noticed that no one else was there. She was alone with him.

"The others, Signor?" she asked. He shook his head. "No, just you for today."

Oh, no!

Before Samantha had time to back out, Giacomo signaled for their music to begin. As he started to sing, Samantha felt a tingle invade her body. His gentle voice lulled her into a peace she hadn't felt since...

Since...

She didn't know when. It had been so long. Then he suddenly had her in his arms. Their eyes met. His singing stopped.

"Giacomo," she said softly.

Drawing his lips closer to hers, Giacomo gently kissed her lightly on the mouth. A wave of warmth washed over her. Giving in to the years of longing to be touched this way again, Samantha allowed herself to become lost in the sensation.

For several seconds they remained entwined in each other's arms, the outside world seeming so far away to them. In these moments, Samantha almost forgot that she was a lifetime away from her beloved husband, and in the arms of a hologram on Voyagers holodeck, thousands of light years from the place she called home. When Samantha finally came back to reality, she realized where she was, and what she was doing. She could never love this man as she loved her Greskrendtregk. This man wasn't real. Yet it had been so long since she had been held this way. She wanted this, but she knew that even if she could have it, it would never last.

"Signor, I..." Samantha paused and pulled away slightly.

She didn't know how to tell him what she had to say. A part of her knew it would be so easy to delete him from the program, and just forget she'd ever met him, but how could she delete him from her memories, from her thoughts. She knew she couldn't do that. Giacomo touched her arm gently pulling her back to him.

"Samantha, what is it?" he asked softly. "Tell me."

"I can't do this," she said softly.

"Of course you can," he assured her. You are perfect for the part."

She shook her head. "No, it's not that. It's just that I...I must go," she finally said.

She turned to leave, but felt his hand on her arm. "Ioto amo, Mimi," he whispered.

She closed her eyes, feeling tears swell to the breaking point. No! She couldn't do this!

"Computer, end program!" she ordered, and then fled the holodeck.

****

Entering her quarters, tears streaming down her face, she didn't even notice that Naomi was there, and had seen her come in crying. Samantha sat on the edge of her bed, and wiped tears from her cheeks. A lump hanging defiantly in her throat had become unbearingly sore, but could hardly compare to the pain of her heart imploding from the sorrow that was squeezing it like a fist. Naomi carefully tiptoed into her mother's room. Samantha, seeing her daughter come in, wiped her face with her hand.

"Naomi, I thought you were with Seven. I'm sorry," she apologized.

"I got done early," Naomi said, sitting on her mother's bed. "Why are you sad, Mom?"

Samantha desperately tried to get her sobbing under control, but it was not to be. Naomi tried her best to comfort her mother.

"You love him, don't you, Mom," Naomi said matter-of-factly.

"Who?" her mother asked, absentmindedly.

"Gu...aca...mole," Naomi answered, trying her best to pronounce his name right.

Samantha burst out laughing so hard that more tears began streaming down her face. It took her a good few seconds to compose herself.

"Giacomo Puccini," she corrected her daughter.

"Do you?" Naomi asked.

"Do I what?" Samantha asked, still trying to recover from her giggles a bit.

"Do you love Yak...amo?" she asked, pronouncing his name a little better this time.

Naomi may be just a child, but that child was very perceptive, and Samantha knew Naomi picked up on things quite easily. Samantha didn't know what to say. She couldn't lie and say no, and yet how was she going to explain to her child that she was in love with a hologram.

"Don't you love Dad anymore?" Naomi asked, worried.

"Of course I do. I could never stop loving your father...ever," Wildman assured her daughter. "Naomi, these things are...complicated. I know you're a little too young right now to understand how love works, but...Well, it's..." Samantha knew this wasn't going well.

"It's okay, Mom. I understand," Naomi assured her.

Samantha was relieved that at least one of them did.

****

The Doctor looked up as Samantha Wildman entered sick bay. She admittedly didn't look well to him.

"I'm sorry I missed our rehearsal last night," she apologized. "It was just a crazy shift in the science lab."

The Doctor however, didn't look convinced. "Are you having second thought about performing?" he asked.

Samantha was nervously pacing his office. It didn't take a trained physician to see that she was on the verge of a full blown panic attack.

"To be honest, yes," she admitted. "Doctor, I...I think I'm in love with him!"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

Samantha looked shocked. She couldn't believe she'd just said that out loud.

"Giacomo?" The Doctor asked.

"I didn't even realize it at first," Samantha told him. "It just...happened, and now... Now, I don't know how to feel. Part of me wanted him to hold me and never let go, and part of me wanted to get away as fast as I could," she confessed. "Am I betraying Greskredtregk's love for me by feeling this way about another man?" she asked helplessly not knowing what to do or how to feel.

The Doctor tried to be reassuring, but having so little experience with love himself, he didn't know what to tell her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I guess I didn't realize...I..."

Samantha looked at him understandingly. "This isn't your fault, Doctor. Being so far away from my husband, I should've admitted to myself a long time ago that there was always a possibility that I might find someone else, but...I'm so confused. How can I love two people at the same time? How do I choose between the man who brought love back into my life, and the one I promised to love for life?"

The Doctor looked helpless to provide her with the answers she so desperately was seeking. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked at him, and he saw that she was nearly crying. Suddenly, Samantha was in his arms sobbing.

Trying to comfort her, he held her for a long while. After a good cry, Samantha tried to compose herself. Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Tonight would be the last performance of La Boheme, and then she would never have to see Giacomo again. Besides, The Doctor would be there. All she had to do was perform her part, and then she could make an excuse to leave as soon as it was done. The fact that she had the early shift tomorrow helped in that regard.

****

"Good luck tonight," a passing crewman told her.

She nodded and smiled at him. Once he was gone, Samantha shook her head in disbelief, and laughed.

"Does the whole ship know about this?" she asked Neelix. He nodded.

"You've become quite a topic for conversation! Most of the crew has never been to an opera before. They're looking forward to it," Neelix said. Samantha wished she could say the same, but the very prospect scared her to death.

Just then The Doctor called Samantha over the comm system.

****

When she arrived in sickbay a few minutes later, she found The Doctor looking quite confused. Lieutenant Torres was working at a console. The captain, also there, was helping Torres at one of the consoles.

"Doctor?" Wildman asked, curious as to why she'd been summoned.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news," The Doctor said. "I seem to be suffering from a memory fragmentation. I've forgotten the words for La Boheme, along with a few other things apparently," he said apologetically.

Wildman looked at Torres outright panicked. "Can you fix him?" she asked.

Torres however, didn't look hopeful for a quick fix.

"It'll take me at least four hours to track down the problem," the engineer said.

The Doctor gave the ensign an apologetic look.

"Four hours! But our performance is in less than two!" Wildman gasped.

Samantha knew what this meant. She'd be performing opposite Giacomo Puccini tonight. A look of panic seized her face. The Doctor looked at her helplessly.

"I'm sorry, Ensign."

Janeway noticed that Samantha was looking a bit pale.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine without The Doctor tonight, Samantha," the captain tried to reassure her.

"Doctor, I can't do this without you," she pleaded desperately.

"You'll do just fine with...with...whoever he is," he assured Wildman, momentarily forgetting Giacomo's name.

"I'd better get to work on your matrix," Torres said, and left.

****

Hours later, Torres had had no luck in restoring The Doctor's damaged memory buffer, and so by now it was fairly certain to Samantha that her performance tonight would be opposite Giacomo. When it was time, she did her best to swallow her fear and trepidation, reminding herself that after tonight it was all over, and that she'd never have to see him again. Pacing in her dressing room, Samantha was nervous. She tried in desperation to calm herself, but only succeeded in making herself even more of a worse nervous wreck than she already was. How was she going to get through tonight? Just then there was a knock at the door. Samantha jumped at the sound.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened. It was Giacomo. She invited him in.

"For you, Mio caro," he said softly, handing her a single red rose. Beloved one he had called her. "My protege...You will be wonderful tonight," he told her.

He kissed her gently on her cheek, and left. She was alone again.

****

Naomi took her seat in between Neelix and Icheb, both of whom she had to admit looked absolutely handsome in their tuxedos. Icheb however seemed to be having some difficulties with his tie. He tugged at it trying to loosen it. Naomi spotted Seven seated next to Harry Kim a few rows behind her. The ex-drone was dressed in a flattering black formal dress. Naomi herself wore a stylish green velvet dress that her mother had replicated just the previous evening.

Following the orchestra's warm up, the announcer spoke. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he said. "In tonight's performance, the role of Rodolfo will be performed by Signor Giacomo Puccini, and the role of Mimi by Signora Samantha Wildman!"

In the audience, nearly all of Voyager's crew, including the entire senior staff, applauded. The lights dimmed, and the curtain rose. As act one's O Soave Fanciulla rang throughout the theatre, Samantha silently re-lived meeting Giacomo for the first time nearly a month ago.

During Mi chiamano Mimi, Samantha recalled how exciting it had been for her to perform this for the first time. Now however, the excitement had faded, and was replaced by sadness, and uncertainty. It was nearly the worst feeling she had ever had in her life.

Being torn away from the man she loved was the worst.

Finally came Oh Mimi, tu piu non torni, Rodolfo's farewell to Mimi in act four. For Giacomo it was his farewell to Samantha.

Oh Mimi, tu piu non torni...
Oh Mimi, you will never return...

Sinking to her knees, she let the gentle flow of music gently lull her into another dimension. Naomi watched sadly as her mother in the character of Mimi collapsed to the stage, dying. Giacomo's voice perforated through the music, and flooded through her emptiness as he sang to her, and then suddenly he was there with her, holding her in his arms. As the incantations of his good-bye to her rang out, not a sound uttered from the audience. Suddenly, she felt her essence, her very soul, depart from her. Travelling past the confines of the ship, past the boundaries of this distant quadrant, it went searching for the man she loved. Her true love...The man she called Greskrendtregk.

Oh Mimi, tu piu non torni...

Samantha took comfort in the warm embrace she felt around her, silently imagining that the man holding her was not this holographic Giacomo Puccini, but was instead the beloved man of her life, Greskrendtregk. As the final notes of the last orchestral score echoed in the air, Samantha was finally at peace with herself, and she knew that somewhere in this long journey, she would find a way to make it back home to be with her man again. I love you, my dear husband, she said silently.

The lights dimmed. The curtain came down, and La Boheme was over.


"O Soave Fanciulla", "Mi chiamano Mimi", and "Oh Mimi, tu piu non torni" from "La Boheme" composed by Giacomo Puccini.

Home