Trials 02 Harry's Trial Page 8

  her? Ask her if she wants a performance evaluation of her "lesson"?*

  **I don't want to hurt her feelings.**

  * Do you want to ask her out? Maybe continue her lessons?*

  **I can't. It wouldn't work out.**

  * Why not? *

  **Tom would kill me if I hurt her.**

  * So, don't hurt her. *

  **Easier said than done.**

  * Do you really find her attractive or were you just being kind? *

  **Yes, she's attractive. But it wouldn't work.**

  * Why not? *

  **She probably thinks I'm too short for her.**

  * Does she? Or do you think she's too tall? *

  **I don't know.**

  * She wasn't too tall last night. *

  **Last night, we were sitting down.**

  * Yeah! And lying down! *

  **Shut up! I've got to stop thinking about her. There's no point.

  She's not even speaking to me now.**

  * You'll see her in class in about an hour. She's your workout

  partner. She'll have to talk to you, right? *

  "Right."

  "Did you say something, Mr. Kim?" Chakotay was looking at him

  quizzically. So was Captain Janeway. And Tuvok. And Tom.

  "No---no, I was just---" the ensign stammered. He could feel the

  blush staining his cheeks and throat. He stopped himself before he

  made some stupid excuse. He wanted to hit something. Maybe his head?

  Against the bulkhead? Repeatedly?!

  "I'm here to relieve you," said a voice at his side. Harry

  turned. He hadn't even noticed Marsden's arrival. Harry turned over

  the Ops station and escaped from the bridge as quickly as possible.

  Chakotay directed a questioning eyebrow at Tom who was

  snickering behind his hand as he turned over the conn to his own

  relief man. "Lieutenant Paris, could I have a few moments of your time?"

  "In my ready room," the captain added emphatically.

  ***********************

  Since they were now officially off-duty, the captain served cups

  of raktajino to Chakotay and Paris as she prepared to find out what

  was going on with Harry and Malista. She'd noticed that a certain amount

  of tension was present among other crewmembers as well. She wanted

  to get to the root of the matter. "Now, Mr. Paris," she said as she settled

  into her chair, "what is going on? Or should I say what went on last night?"

  The amusement that had been darting in and out of the

  lieutenant's bright eyes all during his shift, now lit his whole

  face. "Well, Captain," he said, struggling to keep the laughter in

  check, "it seems that Ensign Kim has managed to---" He couldn't help

  chuckling and once he started, he couldn't seem to stop. His face

  turned red, and he tried to check himself, but he couldn't seem to

  get the words out.

  His spontaneous laughter was contagious. Chakotay and Janeway

  found themselves smiling, then laughing with him.

  Tom! What?! Half the women in the ship are acting as if they'd

  enjoy lynching Harry. What in the world did he do?" Janeway choked

  out between giggles.

  His eyes tearing, his face flushed, Tom took a deep breath and

  tried to hold it. "Just a second---Hoo, hoo! Ahem!" He cleared his

  throat and tried to get a grip on his sense of humor, but laughter

  continued to ripple through his voice. "Well, it seems that---Mr.

  Kim---I didn't think he had it in him---H-H-Harry has managed ---

  single-handedly at that---to start---a battle of the sexes." He

  spluttered with laughter, losing control once more as he pictured

  Harry's expression during their lunch break--- when every woman in

  the mess hall snubbed him. Then the men had begun following suit.

  They were bearing the brunt of the women's anger with Ensign Kim and

  to say they weren't happy about it---was an understatement.

  Tears were running down Janeway's cheeks. Poor Harry had looked

  so bewildered and guilty and depressed.

  Chakotay had given up and rested his head on his forearm on the

  desk as he guffawed. He looked up for a moment at Tom's last remark.

  "Started a battle of the sexes? I never knew it had ended!" For some reason

  that struck him as hilarious and he collapsed again, his breath coming in

  huffs and pants.

  Fifteen minutes later, having laughed themselves into

  exhaustion, tears, and sore stomach muscles, the three of them took

  deep, cleansing breaths and steadfastly refused to look at each other.

  Every time they did, they started laughing again. A contributing factor

  may have been because it had been a long time since there had been

  anything to laugh about---or because they were tired after a long day---

  and even longer weeks of hard work.

  Janeway wiped her eyes with a tissue and passed one to Chakotay.

  "Tom. Details?" She cleared her throat a few times.

  "Actually, I don't have details on exactly *what* Harry did.

  Harry's not talking and Malista didn't get specific." Another chuckle

  interrupted. Tom pinched his own legs, hoping the pain could sober

  him. "It seems whatever he did, he really---really ticked Malista

  off." He hit his leg with his fist a few times. "Hoo. Hoo. Hmph. I

  may have helped in ticking her off---I ordered her to Sickbay. She

  wasn't happy with me. But after she left Sickbay, she went to

  Sandrine's. She and Jenny Delaney started an anti-man rally of their

  own. You know---they were both ticked off, they were both drinking---

  and it wasn't synthehol. I left and sent B'Elanna to monitor the

  situation since I didn't want to have my head handed to me---Any man

  that wandered into range was just asking for it. Anyway the two of

  them were egging each other on and complaining about how rotten men

  are," Tom said, breathlessly.

  "Jenny Delaney and Malista Shadow?" Janeway asked. The mind

  boggled at such a combination. Talk about opposites!

  "They had a common enemy," Chakotay remarked, then snorted a

  laugh as the captain raised an eyebrow at him. He quickly looked

  away before he lost control again and brought his drink to his lips as

  a distraction.

  "Oh, that's not all! Diane Russell showed up, furious at Dalby

  for standing her up or something. So she joined the party. By the

  time B'Elanna got there, twenty different women had taken over

  Sandrine's, chased all the men out, and were talking wildly about

  appropriate punishments for the assorted men in their lives who'd

  committed all kinds of infractions---from forgetting birthdays to

  cheating on them with other women," Tom commented. "Malista told the

  whole group that Harry, and I quote, 'led her on, then dumped her and

  ignored her'."

  "Harry? Harry *Kim*?" Janeway repeated. She couldn't believe it

  of the young ensign. Harry Kim, a heart-breaking playboy? But he was

  so---cute! She bit her lip---hard---to stop a giggle from escaping at

  the image her mind conjured---Harry Kim dressed as Don Juan with

  a rose clenched in his teeth and a sneer on his lips. She nearly smothered

  as she held her breath, trying to stop herself from losing control.

  A rippling giggle underscored Tom's words as he added, "I think

  it was the 'ignored' part that got him in hot water."
He covered his

  eyes with one hand and pounded his leg with the other, as his amusement

  once again got the better of him.

  Chakotay who'd just taken another sip of raktajino, laughed

  explosively and choked on his drink. He managed---barely---to cover his

  mouth with a tissue in both hands to make sure he didn't spray the room. He

  coughed to clear his throat. Paris grinned at him sympathetically

  while Janeway pounded on his back. He waved her away and wiped more

  tears from his cheeks.

  Janeway reseated herself, her breathing unsteady. Her face was

  serious though her eyes still twinkled. "So how did this escalate?

  Malista was angry at Harry. Jenny was upset---why was Jenny upset?"

  She used her index fingers to brush away her tears, struggling

  valiantly to regain her composure.

  Chakotay could answer that one. "Freddie Bristow. He canceled

  their date at the last minute and she found out he'd made two dates

  for the same night." He was gasping as he tried not to succumb to laughter

  again. "The other date---was with---her sister, Megan."

  Tom's mouth dropped open in awe. That wasn't funny. That was

  suicidal. Bristow must have a death wish. First, he went after

  B'Elanna. Then he went after both Delaneys---at the same time!

  "Commander, you have talk to that boy before he gets himself killed!"

  Janeway agreed, but didn't say so. It wouldn't be diplomatic.

  "So Malista and Jenny became a rallying point for every woman who was

  upset with a man?" Ohh, she wish she'd been there. Of course, if she had, the whole

  thing might have fizzled before it got started and then---

  Paris nodded with a rueful smile. "B'Elanna said the others

  seemed to feel better after---venting their anger, but every woman

  there got mad on Malista's behalf. They're aware of her background

  and they know---I think Sue or B'Elanna had told them to be on the

  lookout to help her if she needed it. So they all knew that she was

  inexperienced. And I think---hoo, hoo---" Tom wheezed with laughter

  again, "I think they all felt betrayed, because every one of them---

  they would have---they all trusted Harry! And they felt he betrayed

  their trust---as well as Malista's."

  "That cad!" Chakotay hissed, before bursting into roars of

  laughter once more, falling out of his chair to the floor. It was

  infectious. His roars set Tom off again.

  Janeway gave in and giggled at the thought of Harry wearing a

  black hat and cape, skulking along like the villain in a melodrama

  and twirling a mustache.

  She held her aching sides with one arm and swatted at Chakotay's

  shoulder with the other. "Stop it. Stop it! Ow! Ow, it hurts. Stop

  making me laugh." After a few seconds, she managed to say, "So what

  do we do about this?" She began to tuck stray wisps of her hair back

  into place.

  Chakotay pounded on his chest and coughed a few times. He

  dragged himself back into his seat and tried to get back to business

  as he mopped his face with a tissue. "Captain, I think we need to

  stay out of this. The other women will cool off---eventually. I don't

  think they'll really inflict bodily harm on Mr. Kim. He'll

  survive. He may even learn something from this experience. One good

  thing, I do think this shows Malista is making progress."

  "She certainly made some friends. They had more than one common

  enemy," Tom chortled. "They all had the---mother of all hangovers

  this morning!"

  "That will teach them to stick to synthehol," the captain

  remarked unsympathetically.

  "They probably blame Harry for their hangovers, too," Chakotay

  gasped, stifling a chuckle.

  "Well, Tom," Janeway said, "Can we count on you to keep us

  informed? We'll let Malista and Harry resolve their problem

  themselves."

  "Oh, you can count on me, Captain," Tom said as he staggered to

  his feet, cradling his aching ribs and stomach with his arms. "This

  is better than a French farce!"

  The relief bridge crew wondered what had gone on in the ready

  room that led three of the senior officers to stumble out of the

  meeting looking exhausted, rumpled, tearstained, and as sore as if

  they'd been beaten. They wondered, but they didn't comment. They

  wouldn't dare. Any theory that covered all the facts was a little too

  scary to contemplate.

  ***********************

  His plan to talk to Malista during their self-defense class

  wasn't a success. First of all, Natwick decided to use holographic

  partners this time. Secondly, she was avoiding him. Every time he

  tried to get close enough to say hello, another crewmember---another

  female crewmember--- would be there talking to her as if the

  conversation was of vital importance. In fact, every woman present

  was ignoring Harry Kim---ostentatiously ignoring him. After his third try, he

  tried to concentrate on the physical effort required for the lesson, though

  he couldn't help watching Malista out of the corner of his eye.

  She wasn't having a problem being aggressive this evening. She

  was wiping the mat with her holographic opponent. Harry winced in

  sympathy as the male hologram was slammed to the mat and nailed with

  a kick to the head. The way she felt about Harry right now, she'd

  probably do the same to him, if given the chance.

  Natwick blew his whistle. "Computer, remove holographic

  figures." As the characters disappeared, the coach signaled the

  students to surround the center mat and seat themselves. "Now

  we're gonna let you try these new moves on a live target. Do I have

  any volunteers?" No one spoke. "Thank you, Mr. Kim. It's so kind of

  you to volunteer."

  Kim hadn't volunteered, but he arose and stepped forward to the

  center of the mat. He should have expected something like this from

  Natwick. He knew he was in for it. He would be everyone's punching

  bag. Well, maybe he deserved it. He refused to look in Malista's

  direction. He didn't want to see her reaction. He hoped she wasn't

  smiling gleefully. He wondered if she had put Natwick up to this. He

  didn't want to think so.

  "Okay, Kim, take this weapon and prepare to attack your victim,"

  Natwick's eyes held a malevolent gleam as he handed the younger man a

  lightweight piece of pipe about fourteen inches long.

  Harry's jaw clenched. He didn't know how Natwick had heard about

  it, but this was an unabashed reminder of how he'd almost killed Tom

  Paris with a similar pipe while in the Akritarian prison. The thought

  sent a cold chill rippling through his body. He glared his dislike

  for his instructor, but hefted the pipe, grimly prepared to get this

  over with.

  Others had recognized the significance of the pipe, including

  Malista. The other students had been prepared to give Harry a few

  bruises, nothing serious, just a way to show their disapproval of his

  actions. But Natwick had gone too far.

  "Can I have a volunteer to demonstrate how to disarm an attacker

  with a pipe?" Natwick called out, his eyes traveling the circle of

  students. An unspoken message ran
around the circle like a ripple of

  electricity. No one volunteered. They all sat stolidly, watching

  Natwick with silent condemnation.

  Surprised by the lack of sound, Harry ran his gaze around the

  circle. While many of the students were angry at him, they didn't

  like Natwick or his bullying tactics. Harry was the lesser of two

  evils. The students refused to cooperate with their coach in

  punishing their fellow student. Even Malista. She had the best

  reason for wanting revenge.

  'I betrayed her trust,' Harry thought. 'I almost seduced her.

  She probably hates me.'

  Natwick didn't give up easily. "How about you, Chell? You want

  to try it."

  The Bolian smiled at him insincerely. "Oh, I am so sorry, Mr.

  Natwick. I think I pulled a muscle in my leg a few minutes ago."

  The coach snorted. He tried a few other names. Every one of them

  responded with the excuse of injuries to various body parts. Finally,

  the only student he hadn't asked--- "Shadow? How about you? You want

  a piece of this guy?" His eyes danced

  with malicious glee.

  Her face expressionless, Malista got to her feet. The other

  students reacted by looking at each other, puzzled by her cooperation.

  She moved to the center of the mat, facing Harry and snapped her

  body into the ready position. Natwick moved to her side. He didn't

  want to miss a second of this.

  Harry Kim stared at her. He wasn't sure he could do this---

  pretend to attack her. It awakened and stirred his feelings of

  guilt. She nodded at him and beckoned him towards her with the

  fingers of one hand. She was set, her face dispassionate.

  He inhaled, lifted the pipe and charged at her in a mock attack. She

  lunged to meet his rush, locking both hands around his wrist. She was

  following the response pattern perfectly. Then she suddenly deviated

  from the correct pattern.

  Instead of blocking the weapon, flipping Harry, or pinning his

  arm behind him, she pulled his arm, swinging it to the side with all

  the force of his momentum and her push behind it---and plunged it

  into Natwick's midsection.

  The air exploded out of his lungs in a loud rush as he doubled

  over and then fell back to hit the mat with a resounding thump. It

  was the first time any student had ever managed to dump Natwick on

  his butt. He lay on the mat, the wind knocked out of him, struggling