Trials 04 Shadow's Trial

by Terri Zavaleta

  superior ones!" He knew the helmsman well enough to know he wouldn't

  take offense at the wisecrack. He was right. Tom snickered his

  appreciation of the witticism, but didn't reply to it.

  Harry Kim hovered on a level with Malista, fascinated by her impish

  smile as she listened to the exchange. She didn't seem upset that

  Harry had reprimanded her for climbing the tree. In fact, it seemed to

  please her. She also appeared to enjoy the mock arguing with both Tom

  and Harry. She darted a quick glance at Harry to gauge his reaction,

  as if she wanted to find out if he was seriously angry with her

  defiance of his request for her to climb down.

  He had the feeling that if he frowned at all, she would immediately

  give in and let him take her to the ground to don her anti-grav boots.

  But he also had the feeling it would be like caging a wild bird just

  as it was about to take flight. He took it as a good sign that she

  hadn't immediately yielded to his opinion. Maybe she was beginning to

  trust in him enough to disagree with him.

  Of course, she'd had Tom's permission to climb, so maybe she was just

  trying to make them both happy. Now there was an idea that seemed

  doomed to failure! Harry gave her a reluctant grin, snatched another

  kiss, and set to work. Sometimes a guy couldn't win. And when he

  couldn't, it was smarter to give in. For the time being. Besides,

  Malista was more relaxed than she'd been in days and seemed to be

  having fun.

  He didn't want to think about it right now. He wasn't going to risk

  upsetting her again. He still hadn't figured out for sure what had

  upset her the last time. Nevertheless, he made sure he stayed close

  enough to grab her if she lost her balance.

  "Two," said Tom. Another piece of fruit plopped into his sack. He

  yawned again.

  "Don't strain yourself, Paris," Kim taunted. His friend sniffed and

  ignored him. Malista chuckled under her breath, eyes darting from one

  man to the other as she waited for the next volley.

  ************************

  Mikel Hudson didn't have to go looking for Ethan Simms to ask him

  about Malista Shadow. Ethan came looking for Mikel. And found him

  sitting at the desk in his quarters downloading a novel from the

  ship's database.

  After he'd finished his temporary assignment as a fruit picker, Hudson

  had been invited to join Paris, Kim, and Shadow for an impromptu

  picnic in the shade of the fruit trees beside the lake. He'd spent

  time socially with Paris and Kim before so he was familiar with their

  humor and easy manner, but he'd been caught offguard by the change in

  Malista Shadow.

  When he'd known her in Security during their duty shifts, he would

  have described her as cold, distant, and professional. Behind her

  back, she'd often been referred to as The Ice Princess. She didn't

  make small talk. In fact, he could hardly remember hearing her say

  more than two unnecessary words.

  After Ethan Simms had befriended her, as much as she'd let him, the

  coldness had eased up a little. At least to the point where she

  appeared to acknowledge Hudson's right to exist on the same ship by

  giving him a civil smile whenever she saw him. But usually only if she

  saw him with Simms. He had concluded that she didn't want or need

  friends so he'd been polite, but made no overtures to deepen the

  relationship or get to know her better.

  Seeing her with Paris and Kim, had been a revelation. She fit right

  into their comfortable companionship, her sense of humor surging to

  the forefront as she used her agile wits to defend herself and Harry

  Kim from Paris' playful barbs. And when Harry Kim had evidently

  experienced a slip of the tongue and called her 'Cookie', she'd

  giggled! She'd actually giggled. And then giggled again when Kim

  refused to explain the reference to Paris who'd pouted for at least

  five minutes, claiming the pair were ganging up on him and spouting a

  playful diatribe on the subject of disloyal sisters and traitorous

  best friends.

  Until that precise moment, Hudson had never really noticed that The

  Ice Princess was remarkably pretty. Beautiful, in fact---when she

  forgot herself and that others were watching her. And she certainly

  knew her way around a replicator! The lunch had been plentiful and

  astoundingly tasty. Paris had frequently bragged on her cooking skills

  to anyone who would listen. It was wonderful to find out from first

  hand experience that he hadn't exaggerated.

  Commander Chakotay had wandered by and was promptly challenged to a

  tree climbing contest by Tom Paris. When Paris revealed that he had no

  intention of climbing himself, that he wanted Shadow to act as his

  proxy and race Chakotay up the tree, Ensign Kim objected loudly. The

  contest was called off forthwith.

  Malista protested that she thought she could win. Harry Kim frowned

  his disapproval---and that immediately settled the issue as far as she

  was concerned. It also provided Paris with fodder for facetiously

  badgering Shadow about her browbeaten status and ribbing Kim about his

  secretly domineering nature. Shadow entered into the argument in

  defense of Kim. Paris eventually retired from the lists, smiling

  smugly at both of them. Hudson had a feeling there was a subtext to

  that whole topic of conversation, but he didn't have the key to decode

  it so he'd decided not to worry about it.

  Chakotay had departed to check on the other food gathering teams,

  shaking his head over the pilot's scandalous suggestions for sporting

  events other than tree climbing that could be incorporated into the

  harvesting activities. The berry toss, the tuber dive, the tree vault,

  a seed expectoration contest....they all sounded messy and a few of

  them rather dangerous to Ensign Kim, although Shadow encouraged Paris

  to reveal his wildest flights of fancy and occasionally topped them

  with one of her own.

  Hudson had sporadically entered into the repartee, but mostly he sat

  back and enjoyed listening to the other three. Eventually, the

  conversation had turned to literature, not surprisingly considering it

  was an avid avocation for both Paris and Shadow. They were remarkably

  well read and the two of them, joined by Kim had dived into a detailed

  discussion---or debate---about a story called "A Tale of Two Cities"

  by someone named Dickens and the concept of self-sacrifice as opposed

  to enlightened self-interest and the greater good.

  Hudson had found himself pondering which point of view he would take

  and their conversation about the novel had inspired Mikel to read it.

  That was what he was downloading when his partner walked into his

  quarters.

  "Hi, Ethe, what's up?"

  His friend looked faintly anxious, which was unusual enough to capture

  Hudson's full attention. Simms hadn't worn that expression since he'd

  finally confessed to writing anonymous love letters to Janine Lamont.

  Mikel paused the computer and sat up straight. "What's the matter?"

  "Uh, Mik, I sort of have this problem..."


  "Sit down. Tell me about it."

  Simms sat---but not still. He moved restlessly, seeming at a loss for

  words.

  "What's the matter, Ethe?" Hudson leaned toward his friend, trying to

  read his expression.

  "I'm trying to think how to say it."

  Hudson pushed the annoying curl of brown hair off his forehead with a

  sigh of exasperation. "Just say it. Always works for me."

  Simms sighed. "It's not my story to tell. Someone told me about a

  problem, a friend of mine is having and I'm not sure how much I'm

  supposed to tell anyone else. It's sort of a privacy issue." He raked

  his fingers through his own auburn curls. "How do I decide how much to

  tell?"

  "I assume you want to tell me?"

  His friend nodded.

  "Then tell me anything. I can keep a secret. Discretion is my middle

  name. Mikel Discretion Hudson. Who's got a problem?"

  "Malista Shadow."

  Hudson raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Now there's a coincidence,

  Ethe. I was thinking about her today and wondering what's going on

  with her. I planned to ask you about it."

  "The food gathering parties?"

  "Yeah. I was working in the same group with her, Kim, and Paris. We

  had a picnic lunch together afterwards."

  Simms brow puckered. "Did she say anything?"

  "Anything like what? About what?" Hudson queried. "After she got used

  to my being there, she seemed fine. But there was

  something---something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Something

  lurking in the back of her eyes."

  Simms nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. A haunted look. That's

  how I felt when we were working Gamma shift and I ran into her in the

  shuttlebay. Except now I know why she was so---antsy. Someone's been

  harassing her."

  "Harassing her? How?" Hudson was mildly surprised. It wasn't a common

  problem on starships, but then Voyager wasn't exactly the usual

  starship either. "We are talking about sexual harassment here, right?

  You don't mean Kim---"

  "No!" his friend denied hastily. "Somebody has been making suggestive

  remarks, sending her messages on her terminal, maybe even getting

  physical. Physically threatening."

  "Has she reported it?"

  "No."

  "Why not?" Hudson demanded.

  "I'm not sure. Diane wasn't sure who was doing it. Gerron got Malista

  to tell him about the computer messages, but she didn't let him see

  them. She's just been deleting them as they came in. Diane is sure

  it's Starfleet personnel that are picking on her. The Maquis are upset

  about it. They've been keeping an eye on Malista, but they haven't

  been able to pinpoint the source of the trouble." Simms seemed

  seriously disturbed at the idea. "Gerron told Diane that Malista gets

  real jumpy around the Starfleet men. Almost all of them."

  Hudson nodded. "I noticed that. When I approached her today, she acted

  like I was going to hit her---or insult her."

  "Maybe because someone else has?"

  "But not me! And not *all* the Starfleet guys! Why would she expect it

  from the 'Fleeters?" Mikel asked somewhat indignantly.

  "Maybe because some of them have done something? Or because she's

  Maquis?" Ethan conjectured. At Hudson's questioning look, he

  continued. "She may think no one would take her claim of harassment

  seriously. In the last few weeks, there have been some stories

  floating around---you know, about the Maquis women. Their sexual

  appetites." Ethan flushed to the roots of his dark auburn hair.

  Hudson suppressed a smile. "There are always those kinds of stories.

  But do you mean that someone has been talking about Malista

  specifically? I don't believe it could be true. She doesn't have a

  roving eye. And if she's supposed to be some kind of sex fiend, what

  about the last three years? Or did whoever started this talk claim to

  have an explanation for why she just turned into one?"

  If anything, the younger man's flush deepened. "I heard some of the

  talk, Mik. It's really nasty. There's a malicious edge to it---not

  like the usual idle talk. They say she and Dishon were---you know.

  That he kept her fully occupied. Dominated her. And when he died---she

  went looking for a new owner. Someone who could advance her career.

  Somebody has been spreading the story that Malista went after Tom

  Paris to try to get on the captain's good side. And when that didn't

  work because of Torres, she made a play for Harry Kim. That she'd do

  anything to get in good with the Senior Officers."

  "Come on! Wouldn't she go after Chakotay instead of Paris? He's the

  top male officer. Naw. I don't buy it. I don't think she has that much

  guile or ambition." Hudson snorted.

  "I didn't say I believed it," Simms protested. "I said that's what

  someone has been feeding the rumor mill."

  "Somebody with a grudge against Malista?" Hudson said, rubbing his

  chin thoughtfully.

  "George Natwick?" Ethan guessed, then answered his own question. "Naw,

  I don't think so. It's not George's style. If he was going to bother

  to insult you, he'd do it to your face, not start rumors behind your

  back."

  "Someone using Malista to hurt someone else?" Hudson hypothesized.

  "Like Harry Kim?"

  "Or, more likely, Tom Paris. There are more people who still don't

  like him. The morons. Some people would require brain surgery to

  change their minds about anything." Hudson turned back to his computer

  terminal and canceled the download. "Let's see if we can narrow down

  our field of suspects. You said you suspected something was going on

  when we were working Gamma shift and you saw her in the shuttlebay.

  Now, who was around during Gamma shift the week Shadow began looking

  frazzled?"

  A list of names of those on duty during that time period began to

  scroll down the screen. Mikel hit the pause button and pointed to a

  particular name. "Hmm. I spy---something suspicious. He and Dishon had

  a bit of a problem as I recall. Didn't they both wind up with a loss

  of privileges and doing extra duty? What do you think, Ethan?"

  "Do we need to tell Lieutenant Tuvok about this, Mik?"

  Hudson shook his head. "Right now, we only have a theory. Let's get

  some proof---or at least a few more facts to go on. Someone other than

  Malista is bound to know something---facts beyond the rumors. So keep

  your ears open. Not that I need to tell you that. Why does everyone

  tell you everything?"

  "Because I listen?" Ethan speculated modestly.

  "Naw," Hudson drawled. "It's that boyish charm---or those kelly green

  eyes. You look trustworthy."

  Ethan punched his friend's shoulder. "Aw, c'mon!"

  ************************

  Torres did not understand why Voyager's systems seemed to be involved

  in a conspiracy to complicate her scheduling of Engineering duties.

  She tried to explain her conspiracy theory to Tom Paris during their

  shared lunch break.

  His first response was that if she insisted on anthropomorphizing the

  ship, as he himself was known to do, then this display of temperament

&nb
sp; on Voyager's part provided conclusive and positive proof of his theory

  that the ship was, in fact, feminine in gender and disposition.

  After he'd finished whining about the bruise beginning to form on his

  upper arm, he'd apologized and listened more respectfully as she told

  her tale of woe. He even sympathized with her and offered her a back

  rub, but she wisely suspected him of ulterior motives and turned him

  down---for the time being. Then she returned to duty.

  The power coupling problem had been diagnosed and corrected---over a

  period of weeks---which had thrown a hydrospanner into the scheduling

  for all other repair and maintenance priorities. No sooner had that

  crisis been resolved than the environmental control systems in various

  sections of the ship decided to randomly develop glitches. The

  hydroponics bay wasn't humid enough. The messhall was too hot. Now the

  Science labs were reporting fluctuating temperatures that interfered

  with accurate results in the experiments being conducted there.

  Torres ran her eye down the list of repair requests and summoned her

  repair crews. Malista Shadow was assigned to the Biology Department.

  Torres thought she caught a flash of discomfort when she made the

  assignment so she kept Malista behind when she dismissed the other

  crews. "Malista, is something wrong?"

  Her stoic mask firmly in place, Shadow looked B'Elanna right in the

  face and lied through clenched teeth. "No, ma'am."