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
Trials 02 Harry's Trial Page 8