Trials 03 Torres' Trial

by Terri Zavaleta

  perfectly reasonable explanation."

  "I don't know," the ensign said glumly.

  "Come on! I think you've got hold of the wrong end of the

  stick. Malista adores you! And well she should, you adorable little

  man," Paris teased, pinching at his friend's cheek.

  Harry slapped his hand away. "Try not to be an idiot! And don't

  call me little!"

  ***********************

  Sandrine's was fairly crowded. Luckily, B'Elanna and Malista had

  managed to snag a table and were waiting for Tom and Harry. Sue

  Nicoletti and Jenny Delaney were hovering nearby, talking to them.

  Just as Harry came up beside Malista, the four women burst into

  laughter.

  "What's so funny?" Tom asked, bending to kiss Torres' cheek in

  greeting. It had quickly become a habit. Though Torres wasn't fond

  of public displays of affection, she tolerated them.

  "Freddie Bristow," Torres said, clasping his hand as he seated

  himself and pulled his chair closer to her side.

  Tom exchanged fulminating glances with Harry. "So what has he

  been up to this time?"

  "His usual single-minded pursuit of women," Sue said

  disgustedly.

  "He made a pass at me this afternoon," Malista said, shaking her

  head disbelievingly. "At the resort. He deleted the holographic pool

  boy and took his place."

  Jenny looked thoughtful. "You know, I think we should circulate

  a petition to have that boy neutered."

  The women burst into shrieks of laughter at that idea. The men

  didn't think it was funny at all and frowned.

  Harry reached for Malista's hand. "Are you okay?" He felt

  incredibly stupid and incredibly guilty for doubting her---whether

  she knew about it or not.

  She smiled at him. "Yes. My name must have come up on his list.

  I assume he's working his way down the crew manifest. He just had to

  try, I guess."

  Kim smiled wistfully. "He'd have to be crazy not to try. You're

  beautiful." He stroked her cheek with his fingertips.

  Malista blushed and captured his hand in her own. Jenny and Sue

  glanced at each other. "Why do I suddenly feel de trop?" Sue asked

  rhetorically. "Come on, Jenny! Let's leave this foursome to their

  dinner."

  "Okay. If we can't have him neutered, then how else can we get

  even with him?" Jenny asked as they strolled away. She still bore a

  grudge against Bristow for trying to date her and her twin at the

  same time. How he'd hoped to keep each sister from finding out that

  he was dating the other was a mystery no one had solved. Especially

  since he'd arranged the two dates consecutively on the same night.

  "Lord, I hope Sue can rein in Jenny's imagination," Paris said

  fervently.

  Harry squeezed Malista's hand. "Do you want to help them plot

  revenge?"

  "No, I don't think so," she said, grinning at Harry. "He's

  harmless. Freddie is merely convinced that he's God's personal gift

  to women everywhere."

  "What a fool!" Tom commented lazily. "Everyone knows that's me!

  The line forms to the right, ladies!" He waved his arm in a wide

  gesture. The patrons of Sandrine's ignored him.

  Torres thumped his shoulder. "Knock it off, Paris!" She was

  grinning.

  "Well," he replied, "you certainly look a little calmer today. I

  heard the captain told you to take some time off to rest. You must

  have gotten in some good quality time."

  To his surprise, B'Elanna's eyes danced with laughter as she

  traded looks with Malista who was also smothering a smile.

  "What? What did you do with your time off?" Paris demanded.

  The ladies shook their heads and didn't answer.

  "Harry, I sense a conspiracy!" he announced melodramatically.

  Harry was enjoying watching Malista smile, but wondered why she

  didn't want to tell him what she'd been doing. Did she have something

  to hide?

  "How are you feeling?" he asked, ignoring Paris' antics. "Still sore

  from the accident?"

  She shrugged. "A little. That's why I went to the resort---to

  bake the soreness from my muscles in the sunshine---even holographic

  sunshine."

  "Then Freddie showed up and ruined it."

  She seemed surprised at Harry's rancor toward Bristow. "It was

  nothing, Harry. I wish you could have come to the resort though." She

  leaned closer and whispered, "I'm sure your hands would have warmed

  the oil much better than the hologram's." She flicked his earlobe

  with her tongue and suppressed a giggle when he flinched and caught

  his breath.

  He sat back in his chair and stared at her. He wondered why she

  was being so---affectionate. Was she trying to keep him from asking

  questions? "You're in a good mood tonight."

  She was beginning to relax enough to tease Harry. She smiled

  flirtatiously at him. "You think I'm in a good mood now, just wait

  until---"

  "Stop! My innocent ears can't handle this!" Paris exclaimed.

  "Now are we going to eat dinner, or what?"

  "Are you going to stop clowning or what?" Torres muttered under

  her breath, suddenly tired of his nonsense.

  The smile dropped away as Tom's eyes darted anxiously towards

  her. "Sorry, B'Elanna. I didn't mean to---" He stopped, because he

  wasn't sure what he'd done to provoke her.

  Torres covered his hand with her own. "No, I'm sorry, Tom. I

  shouldn't have said that. You're having a good time. Supervising

  double shifts is beginning to wear on me."

  He was surprised she'd relented. But he appreciated it. He sent

  her one of his rare, genuine smiles, amusement flickering in the

  crystal blue depths. Smile Number Eight. He turned his hand under

  hers to grasp her fingers. "And what have you been up to? How are

  things down below in Engineering?"

  "Busy. I don't want to talk about it. How are things up above on

  the bridge?" Torres asked.

  "Harry found a source of deuterium in the next planetary

  system," Paris replied.

  "Do we have to talk about work?" Malista asked. "Let's do

  something different." For her, this was a bold move. She usually

  followed the lead of the others.

  "Like what?" Kim couldn't understand her sudden buoyant good

  spirits. Something had happened today. And if it wasn't Freddie

  Bristow, what could it have been? Maybe someone else had made a pass

  at her? Maybe she wasn't interested in Freddie because there was

  someone else? His imagination was running riot though it didn't show

  on his face.

  "Like---isn't it about time that Tom showed us how he can play

  that piano?" she suggested mischievously.

  Torres jumped in immediately. "Yes. I think so. Come on, Tom.

  Let's hear a song. This place is dying from lack of entertainment."

  Tom shook his head. "There are too many people here."

  "That's why they call it a performance, Tom," Harry commented.

  "Come on! Show us what you can do! Nobody else is paying attention."

  Tom gazed at his three companions. Harry and Malista were

  smiling encouragingly. B'Elanna regarded him seriously. Her brown

&
nbsp; eyes opened wide as she added her own argument. "Please? I'd like to

  hear you play."

  Tom inhaled and blew out a deep breath. If B'Elanna wanted it---

  "You guys don't know what you're asking for. You should lower your

  expectations right away. But---okay." The trio followed him to the

  piano.

  The crowd in Sandrine's noticed and quietly moved their chairs

  so they could watch what Paris was up to. As far as anyone present

  knew, the piano was just added as atmosphere. No one had ever played

  it.

  Paris made a great show of limbering up his fingers, then rested

  them lightly on the keys. "Any requests?"

  Harry shrugged. "I don't know your repertoire." He stood on

  Paris' right.

  Torres, standing on his left, placed a hand on his shoulder.

  "Play something you like. Anything."

  Malista stood next to Harry and offered Tom another encouraging

  smile as she leaned against the upright side of the piano. Kidding

  around, Tom performed a few dramatic riffs up and down the keys. His

  blue eyes widened and stared into B'Elanna's as he began to play. It

  was a beautiful piece of music. It sounded like a ballad---and it

  seemed familiar to Shadow and Torres. Still gazing at B'Elanna, Tom

  began to sing quietly in a lilting tenor voice.

  "I have dreamed thee too long,

  Never saw thee, or touched thee

  But know thee with all of my heart.

  Half a prayer, half a song,

  Thou hast always been with me,

  Though we have been always apart.

  Dulcinea, Dulcinea,

  I see heaven when I see thee, Dulcinea.

  And thy name is like a prayer an angel whispers.

  Dulcinea, Dulcinea.

  If I reach out to thee,

  Do not tremble and shrink from the touch

  Of my hand on thy hair,

  If my fingers but see,

  Thou art warm and alive and no phantom

  To fade in the air.

  Dulcinea, Dulcinea,

  I have sought thee, sung thee, dreamed thee,

  Dulcinea. Dulcinea.

  Now I've found thee

  And the world shall know thy glory,

  Dulcinea, Dulcinea."

  Tom hadn't meant to become the center of attention. His was a

  private performance. But a silence had fallen in Sandrine's and now

  the only sound was Tom's voice and his music. As he became aware of

  it, he broke off and changed tunes, segueing into another song,

  directing his eyes and his attention to the keyboard. His polite

  facade was firmly in place once more.

  Torres was having difficulty breathing. He knew she'd recognize

  the song from the play they'd seen in a holographic performance a few

  weeks ago. He had serenaded her. In public. The man who didn't like

  to show his feelings. He was putting them on display---for her. Of

  course, he was still hiding behind the music as if it were just a

  performance---but still! This was progress.

  "Oh, I know that one," Malista said with a happy grin. Her back

  was to the listening crowd. Unaware of their interest, she began to

  sing in a strikingly pure alto, gazing at Harry Kim.

  "The skies are green and glowing,

  Where my heart is, where my heart is,

  Where the scented lunar flower is growing.

  Somewhere beyond the sky, beyond Antares."

  Paris joined her, their voices blending as if they'd practiced

  for weeks.

  "I'll be back though it takes forever,

  Forever is just a day.

  Forever is just another journey.

  Tomorrow---a step along the way."

  "Then let the years go fading

  Where my heart is, where my heart is,

  My love eternally is waiting

  Somewhere beyond the sky, beyond Antares."

  As they finished singing, Tom smiled up at her approvingly.

  There was a collective sigh from those listening partially in

  appreciation of the smooth, sensual blending of their voices and

  partially because the song's lyrics were haunting for those who were

  so far from home. Some had left their loves waiting in the Alpha

  Quadrant, which was literally beyond Antares. There were a few

  sniffling sounds heard in the dim lighting of the bar.

  Malista jumped self-consciously as those present began to

  applaud. She shrank into Harry's welcoming arms. He was smiling. "You

  have a beautiful voice, Malista. Play something else, Tom." Good

  music always lightened his mood.

  "Do you want to sing anything special?" Paris asked.

  "No," Shadow denied. "I don't sing in public." She hid her hot

  face in Harry's neck, threading her fingers through his thick inky

  hair as she nestled against him, nuzzling his neck.

  Tom flashed her a grin. "Don't look now, Sis, but you just did."

  "I only sang that one because I knew it. And I forgot anyone

  else was here. I had a recording made by Nyota Uhura," Shadow

  explained.

  "I have that recording too. I have quite a few musical

  selections from the Uhura Museum of Musicology Collection," Paris

  said. "Let's see, how about something everyone can sing along with?"

  He ran his fingers up and down the keys while he thought about it. A

  movement near the doorway caught his eye. Lt. Tuvok had just entered

  Sandrine's. The Security Officer's presence inspired Paris. He

  began to play and everyone---except Tuvok---launched into the first

  of fifteen verses of "What Do You Do With A Grumpy Vulcan?".

  Tuvok eyed the entire proceedings with a disdainfully raised

  eyebrow---which just made the raucous verses even more amusing to the

  group of singers.

  At the conclusion, Paris stood and melodramatically took a bow.

  He extended a hand toward Shadow. She took the second curtain call

  with him. Then the foursome adjourned to the table and ordered

  dinner.

  ***********************

  Paris walked Torres to her cabin. They had their arms around

  each other. "Tom, what does Dulcinea mean?"

  Tom cleared his throat uneasily. "It comes from a Latin word and

  means 'sweet or delightful'." He suppressed a wince. He wasn't sure

  how she'd react.

  Torres keyed the code to her cabin door, and pulled Paris

  inside. As the door slid shut behind them she thrust him up against

  the wall and placed her hands on either side of him to keep him in

  place. She looked up into his face. "Thank you. No one ever sang a

  song just for me before. It was beautiful."

  She could read in his expression that he was tempted to make a

  joke, to lighten the atmosphere. Fortunately, he resisted temptation.

  "I'm glad you liked it. I wasn't sure---if you'd be embarrassed or---

  "

  She grabbed the nape of his neck and pulled his lips down to

  hers and devoured them with a kiss.

  When they paused for a moment to breathe, he gasped, "I guess

  you weren't embarrassed." She growled at him and nipped lightly at

  his neck. He tipped her chin up again to gaze into her chocolate

  eyes. "You are one beautiful lady."

  "I almost believe you mean that," Torres said, trying to escape

  his grasp.

  He refused to let her go, forcing her
to look him in the eyes

  once more. "I do mean it. B'Elanna, I don't understand how you can't

  see it." He ran his finger caressingly down the center of her

  forehead. "I love these bumps," he whispered.

  She eyed him skeptically, thinking he had to be joking. "What?"

  He tilted his head to study them at an angle. "Yeah. They kind

  of make a little road map, pointing the way down to your beautiful,"

  he nipped at her lower lip, "lovely, mouth. Not that I need a map."

  He created a trail with his lips, working his way from her chin to

  her hairline, speaking between kisses. "I can't believe how---lucky,

  how blessed I am to have met you---I have a hard time believing that

  this isn't all a dream. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up---and you and

  Voyager and Harry and Malista---will all be figments of my

  imagination and I'll still be in New Zealand." He closed his eyes and

  leaned his head back against the wall.

  She studied him for a moment. She was tempted to get him to talk

  about New Zealand---and how he'd gotten there, but she remembered

  what Malista had said to her on the holodeck---that before she pushed

  Tom into confiding in her, Torres had better be sure she could handle

  the truth---no matter what it might be.

  Heavy discussions could wait. But a distraction was definitely

  called for. She moved her arms up to encircle his neck. "This is

  real, Helmboy!" she insisted. "If you don't believe me---" She

  pressed her body against his---and bit his trapezium muscle.

  "OW!" Paris yelped, his eyes flying open. "Torres, the

  traditional way to convince someone they aren't dreaming is to pinch

  them---not chew them!"

  "Cry baby!" she accused with a grin. "I can do pinching too."

  One hand dropped toward his backside.

  He caught her wrists and pinned her hands lightly behind her

  back. "You're a dangerous woman," he complained insincerely. There it

  was! Smile Number Nine ---eyes sparkling, genuine, brilliant smile.

  This was the smile Torres wished to see all the time.

  She growled and snapped her teeth at him. "That's what you get

  for being such a temptation, hotshot. You look like dessert to me.

  Your skin looks like cream over strawberries---especially when you

  blush---Yeah! Like that!"

  Paris could feel his skin heating and knew he was turning pink.