Trials 02 Harry's Trial Page 4

We didn't, at that time, know the extent of her emotional damage."

  The first officer studied Paris' face carefully as he added, "She

  said she responded to you---because you were lonely."

  A spark of surprised recognition flashed into those bright blue

  eyes before it was quickly hidden behind the customary cool, derisive

  mask. "Yeah, right!"

  In the past, Chakotay would have accepted the pilot's response

  at face value and irritably written him off as a smart-mouthed

  lightweight. He wasn't prepared to do that any more. "Paris---Tom,

  she meant it. Other people have tried to be friendly --- at least I

  know they did on the Maquis ship, B'Elanna among them,---but she

  never responded to them. She thought you needed her. And you

  evidently thought she needed you."

  Paris dropped the smirk. "Yeah. Right." This time there was no

  hint of sarcasm, just an acknowledgment of accuracy. "B'Elanna

  mentioned that Malista needs to feel needed. I think we connected

  because we could help each other. And she's really smart! She reads a

  lot of classics and poetry and---" he paused, embarrassed as his

  sudden enthusiasm betrayed his feelings.

  Chakotay was smiling, but it wasn't a patronizing smile---not

  this time. "She said the same thing about you. I didn't know you read

  poetry or the classics."

  Tom raised an eyebrow. "You never asked," he said simply. "You

  think I'm some kind of moron aside from piloting?" he asked, not

  really expecting an answer.

  "No, I thought you were careless and arrogant. I know now there

  were a lot of questions I never asked. I just assumed. I'm sorry,

  Tom. I don't think I've been fair to you. Circumstances--- "

  Tom couldn't believe this conversation. He'd never expected

  Chakotay to come right out and apologize to him. He would have

  settled for polite tolerance from the first officer---a step toward

  an offer of friendship hadn't been expected. He took the olive branch

  as he cut off Chakotay's attempt to explain.

  "Circumstances led to misunderstandings, Chakotay. Don't worry

  about it. The past is the past. It can't be changed, but we can move

  on from here and change the future. I learned that in Delta Quadrant

  101, as taught by Professor Kathryn Janeway."

  The two men smiled at each other with mutual understanding.

  "So what I should do about Malista?" Tom asked.

  "Be her friend, but don't become her keeper. She needs to learn

  to take care of herself. She may make some mistakes, but she'll learn

  from them. It's the tough part of caring about someone---letting them

  learn some things the hard way. But that's another reason she let you

  get close---you let her make the decision. You didn't make it for

  her. She wants to be independent. She's struggling to become

  independent and adult in making her own decisions."

  "Okay. But if there's anything she needs--- " Paris said.

  "I'll keep you informed, Tom."

  "Thanks, Chakotay. I'll keep you informed, too. You want to

  shoot a game of pool?"

  "Why not? It's better than going to the mess hall and facing

  another of Neelix's meals."

  ***********************

  At the senior staff meeting the next morning, Captain Janeway

  looked up from the report to regard her chief engineer's frustrated

  frown. "Have you found the cause of the problem?"

  Torres tossed her padd on the table. "Nothing. We continue to

  lose an average of five power couplings a day. They short out just

  like the one in the nav console that burned Tom's hand four weeks

  ago. There's just no reason. We haven't found any power surges."

  "Are the parts themselves defective?" Harry asked.

  "We scanned them. After they were damaged," Torres added

  thoughtfully. "Maybe if we scan the ones that haven't shorted, we

  could find a common flaw. I have teams working on this around the

  clock. When the power coupling blows, it takes several systems in its

  immediate circuit path with it. If it should happen in a crucial

  system at a critical time---I don't want to think about it," B'Elanna

  said, picking up the data padd once more.

  "We've run out of the original stock of spare parts, haven't

  we?" Chakotay asked.

  "Yes. So?" Torres didn't follow his line of thought.

  "So if we're now using replicated replacements, maybe there's a

  problem with the replication process," the first officer said.

  "That's possible," the captain said, nodding her agreement.

  "B'Elanna, look into that as well. Any other suggestions?"

  Paris spoke up. "I think we ought to check out the healthy power

  couplings on the strategic systems on the bridge, just as a

  precaution."

  It was a good idea. Janeway nodded. "B'Elanna, can you send a

  repair team to the bridge?"

  "Yes, Captain. Right away. I'll also have a team inspect the

  critical sections of Engineering." Torres jumped to her feet, ready

  to sail back into battle with the recalcitrant power couplings.

  The captain raised an amused eyebrow. "In that case, dismissed."

  ***********************

  "Captain," Tuvok said. "The long range sensors show an M class

  planet with inordinate quantities of tropical and semi-tropical vegetation."

  "You mean like a jungle?" Lt. Paris said, swiveling to face the

  Security station.

  "I believe that is what I said," Tuvok intoned.

  Paris rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his

  board. Under his breath, he muttered, "Freakosaurus to the max."

  With superior Vulcan hearing, Tuvok was the only one who heard him,

  but he chose to ignore the comment as irrelevant.

  "All right, Tuvok. Send the coordinates to Mr. Paris' station.

  Tom, lay in a course. Warp five. Commander, would you prepare for

  more detailed scans?"

  Chakotay nodded and opened the console between their chairs. The

  repair team came onto the bridge. Susan Nicoletti started her

  maintenance check with Harry's station. Her partner headed for the

  helm controls and stood behind the pilot. "Excuse me, Lieutenant?"

  she said to Paris.

  "Malista! What are you doing here?"

  She frowned at him, holding up her tool kit. "Well, if the

  lieutenant at the conn position will kindly move his big feet, I'm

  here to check out the power couplings," she whispered, a smile

  lurking in her eyes.

  "Yes, ma'am!" Tom stood and moved his chair out of the way so

  she could get under the console. He caught Chakotay's nod of approval

  toward Malista. She did seem to be doing well.

  ***********************

  The scans showed the planet was fertile and would provide

  plentiful supplies. There was a scattered population of pre-warp

  technology. Tuvok theorized that fruits and vegetables could be

  harvested without making contact with the populace which would

  violate the Prime Directive. Ten away teams were dispatched to

  gather what they could over the next five hours. Tricorders were

  issued for scanning the edible materials and to enable the teams to

  avoid the local inhabitants.

  The away teams were
dropped off in several locations more than

  ten miles from the nearest population center. Chakotay, Neelix, Tom

  Paris, and Harry Kim were the senior officers assigned to supervise

  the away mission. "Remember, everyone in teams of two or three. Keep

  your eyes on the lifeform readings. The scans showed some large

  animals, possibly predators. So stay alert," Chakotay ordered as the

  teams scattered to cover a larger amount of territory.

  Malista Shadow had volunteered for the away team during her off

  duty time just to get off the ship for a while. She was assigned to

  Harry Kim's team and followed him and Ensign Powell as they headed

  through the trees to a clearing on the other side.

  "Mr. Kim," Malista said, as she came upon a cluster of bushes

  with white, cylindrical, berry-like growths about an inch long. "The

  tricorder says these are edible." She wasn't sure she was reading the

  tricorder accurately and wanted him to check her readings.

  Harry came closer, peering at the fruits intently. "That's

  strange." He plucked one off the bush and held it up to his own

  tricorder. He squashed the white blob between his fingers until they

  were stopped by a pit or seed in the center of the berry. He checked

  his readings again.

  "What's strange about them? Aren't they berries?" Malista asked.

  "They seem to be. Not poisonous. Should provide us with vitamin

  A," Kim said as he ran his own scan. He tasted the one he held.

  "Sweet. Soft texture. This is so weird."

  "What?" Malista asked again, puzzled by his disbelieving smile.

  "If I didn't know better, I'd think these were wild

  marshmallows!" He grinned at her.

  "What's a marshmallow?" she asked, smiling at him tentatively.

  This was the most time she'd spent with the ensign apart from the

  time in Sandrine's with Tom and B'Elanna. She was surprised she

  wasn't more uncomfortable with him.

  "That's hard to explain. A sweet food item manufactured mostly

  from air and sucrose. Tom introduced me to them. I think he got

  B'Elanna hooked on them. I wonder if these would be good for roasting

  on a campfire?" He grinned at Malista and indicated her sample bag.

  "Good eye, Crewman Shadow. See how many you can gather before we get

  the recall. Tom will love these. Powell seems to have found some

  tubers. I'll go check those out."

  ***********************

  Malista entered the holodeck with trepidation. She had consented

  to take Ensign Natwick's self-defense course, hoping it would help

  her deal with her fears. She was nervous, however, about

  participating in a large group activity. There were at least twenty

  people who'd signed up and they all seemed to be in the holodeck

  before her.

  She took a deep breath and prayed that she wouldn't have to talk

  to anyone. She was uncomfortable in the required uniform for this

  activity. The training uniforms were skin tight. Every rounded curve

  and slender line of her body was displayed. She could feel eyes

  staring at her---with disapproval, she was sure. She wanted to hide.

  She took a deep, cleansing breath as Chakotay had taught her to do,

  and moved into the room. She found a space against the wall and

  leaned against it, waiting for the class to begin.

  She covertly studied the others in the class. Mostly women.

  Diane Russell was here. What was the ship's librarian doing in a

  self-defense class? Well, what was she doing here herself? She didn't

  know anyone well enough to speak to. 'Well, of course not,' she

  thought. 'Who do I know? Captain Janeway? Chakotay? B'Elanna doesn't

  need to take this course. Tom is teaching a course. If I knew just

  one person, maybe this wouldn't be so bad.'

  As if in answer to her request, the door slid open and Ensign

  Harry Kim walked in. He glanced casually around the holodeck. He

  almost didn't recognize Malista Shadow. She looked really good in

  that tight jumpsuit. She had legs that went on forever. He wondered

  why he'd never noticed her shapely figure before, then recalled that

  most of her civilian clothes were loose and shapeless.

  He could tell by her demeanor that she was uncomfortable, so out

  of kindness, he made his way to her side. "Hi, Malista. I didn't

  expect to see you here. I signed up because I decided I need some

  exercise." He didn't have more time for conversation.

  Ensign George Natwick, the course instructor, blew a whistle to

  garner his students' attention. He was a big man, at least six feet,

  four inches tall with not an ounce of fat on his muscular body. The

  students all gathered in the center of the holodeck, standing on the

  mats that would hopefully cushion their falls.

  Malista lingered at the back of the crowd, as usual, trying to

  go unnoticed. Harry Kim's protective instincts kicked in and he

  stayed at her side.

  The first thing Natwick did was pair off the students so they

  could practice together. As he approached, his eyes lingered

  appreciatively on Malista. "Crewman Shadow? Kind of a waste of height

  hanging around with Kim, isn't it? Those of us over six feet should

  stick together."

  She looked away from him without replying and shrank behind

  Harry Kim. Her reaction seemed to amuse the man. With a sneer, he

  said, "Well, Ensign, how about we pair you two off? She's got about

  two inches in height on you, but you should have more upper body

  strength. Think it's a fair deal?" His eyes moved up and down, making

  an issue of Kim's shorter stature since Harry was almost five inches

  shorter than Natwick.

  Kim's eyes hardened. His grim expression was not familiar to

  most of the crew of Voyager, but it would have looked very familiar

  to Tom Paris, or the prisoners in the Akritarian prison. "You want to

  get on with the lesson, Natwick?"

  Natwick smiled contemptuously and moved on to the next pair.

  ***********************

  "So how was the self-defense class?" Tom asked casually, as he

  speared a piece of his fruit salad on his fork.

  Harry scowled down at his plate. "That Natwick is such a---

  jerk!"

  Tom smiled mockingly. "Tell me something I don't know. What

  particular jerk-like thing did he do now?"

  B'Elanna rushed in, snagged a salad and joined them breathlessly

  before Harry could reply. "What did I miss?"

  "Not much," Paris replied, smiling at her with genuine

  affection. It softened and transformed his face. Seeing B'Elanna had

  that affect on him lately. "Harry was just telling me about Natwick's

  latest jerk-like behavior."

  "Oh, him!" Torres said scornfully, her frown revealed her

  opinion of the big ensign. She took a bite of her salad and looked at

  Harry expectantly.

  "So what did he do to arouse your ire?" Paris inquired. The more

  reluctant Harry was to speak, the more determined the pilot became

  that he should.

  Harry frowned at his friends. "If you want to know the truth, I

  didn't like the way he was looking at Malista Shadow."

  The smile dropped from Tom's face. "How was he looking at her?"
/>
  "Down, boy," Torres said, patting his arm. "I can tell you that."

  "You weren't even there," Harry protested.

  "No, but I know our boy Natwick. He likes to undress women with

  his eyes," Torres said. "It's his way of getting a woman's attention."

  Paris glowered at her. "How do you know? Did he do that to you?"

  "Only once," the chief engineer responded tartly. "If he'd done

  it more than once, I'd have handed him his lung. Let's just say, we

  had a little talk."

  "I'll bet," the pilot said with an admiring smile. "Did you

  break his nose?"

  She looked at him indignantly. "Of course not. Captain Janeway

  told me I had to learn more diplomatic ways to resolve conflicts once

  I became Chief Engineer."

  "So you diplomatically threatened his life?" Paris teased.

  She looked at him superciliously. "As a matter of fact, yes. And

  told him to stay the hell out of Engineering unless he was there on

  business. For some reason, he avoids me now. Personally, I think he

  likes to test people's limits." She turned her attention back to

  Harry. "But the question is, how did Malista handle it?"

  "She didn't," Harry replied. "She didn't say anything. She just

  tried to disappear. She was sort of hiding behind me. He made us

  partners for the class and made a snotty remark about her being

  taller than me. I think that upset her, too."

  "Maybe I should pay a visit to our friend, Mr. Natwick," Tom

  said with a deceptively sweet smile. His blue eyes were ice cold

  flames of anger. He despised bullies and Natwick had a reputation for

  bullying his students. The only thing the man respected was strength.

  "Tom. This is what Chakotay meant when he said you shouldn't

  help her too much," B'Elanna commented. She took his hand in hers and

  stroked it rhythmically, trying to soothe him. "She has to learn to

  deal with this kind of thing herself. If you go after Natwick, you'll

  get yourself in trouble. He hasn't really done anything. If you like,

  I could have a woman to woman talk with her. Tell her how to handle

  sexual harassment or lewd remarks."

  "Nobody should be making lewd remarks," Paris said indignantly.

  "Especially not to my kid sister!"

  "And how are you going to stop them? Fight every man on the

  ship? That's what Niko Dishon tried---until he decided it was easier