how---until a frowning Harry Kim slid his arm around her waist and
turned her to face him. "What are you doing?"
"Following directions," she said innocently. "Jenny said all I had to
do was smile at George. So I did."
"I'd rather you kept your smiles for me," Kim grumbled unhappily, only
half joking.
"You're the reason I *can* smile," she whispered, her green eyes
studying his face as if to memorize each feature.
Harry started to lean in for a kiss, but stopped when Tom cleared his
throat. "We need to talk about these Public Displays of Affection, Mr.
Kim. PDA's are non-regulation," he complained with brotherly
disapproval. "And that's my sister you're mauling."
"Mauling?" Malista exclaimed. She made a face at Tom. "Don't
exaggerate. And mind your own business."
"You're a fine one to talk, Mr. Paris!" Kim retorted, his eyes going
to Tom's arm which was around B'Elanna's waist, his hand
absent-mindedly caressing the curve of her hip.
"I think you're both in need of help," Torres commented, catching
Tom's hand with her own and placing it on the table. "Mental help."
Malista gazed idly around the holodeck. Commander Chakotay entered
Sandrine's and crossed her line of sight as he went to the bar to get
a drink.
"Oberon," Malista Shadow announced with a satisfied smile, directing
the remark to Paris with the waggle of one eyebrow.
"Oberon?" Harry Kim said disconcertedly. His inquiring look at
B'Elanna Torres showed she was just as perplexed.
Tom Paris, on the other hand, was frowning. He followed Malista's look
and ran a skeptical eye over the first officer. "Oberon? Naw, I don't
see it. He's three feet too tall, for one thing."
"I'm not talking about a physical resemblance, although," Malista
paused, "maybe the part about the angelic face is on target."
Tom rolled his eyes dramatically. "I think you've got angels on the
brain, Sis. You're seeing them everywhere. First me, then Harry---now
Chakotay?" he added dubiously. "Angelic? With a *tattoo*?" He
exaggeratedly shuddered his distaste for the idea.
"What are you two talking about?" Torres demanded.
"Sorry, B'Elanna. It's just a game Tom and I were playing when we
first met. We were trying to match each crewmember up with a literary
figure. We didn't make it through the whole list yet," Shadow
explained.
Harry grinned. "Yeah, I'm Gawaine." He squeezed Malista's hand.
Torres tilted her head to one side curiously. "I take it that's a
compliment? Who's Gawaine?"
"King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table," Harry replied.
He'd had to do a database search to refresh his memory, but he didn't
plan to admit to that.
"And who am I?" the half-Klingon inquired pointedly.
As he recalled the answer to her question, Tom's eyes widened and he
stared at Malista, stalling for time. "Sis? Did we think of one for
B'Ella?" He shook his head subtly.
"Actually, you thought of two," she remarked with mock innocence,
batting her long black eyelashes at him.
Tom narrowed his eyes at her lack of cooperation. "Oh, yeah? I don't
remember---and you'd better not either!"
She lifted her chin at him mutinously. "Why not?"
"Because if you do---I'll tell Harry---the *truth* !" he threatened in
an ominous whisper.
Harry and B'Elanna exchanged patient looks. They had no idea what Tom
was talking about---but that had never stopped him before, or even
slowed him down that they'd noticed.
Malista tried to look properly horrified. "The truth? Oh, Tom, you
wouldn't?!"
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Tom chuckled evilly, rubbing his hands together, and
twirling an imaginary mustache. "Harry, you wouldn't believe the names
this woman was calling you---just yesterday!"
grin. "You are such a liar!" she accused. "Don't listen to him, Harry!
He's the one who was calling you names!"
Tom looked indignant. "I did not! She was so mad at you she even
started going through the alphabet! A for Aldebaran Serpent---OW!" He
jumped as Torres elbowed his ribs---again. "B'Elanna! Ribs are bones!
Bones crack and break, you know?" he whined.
"Big baby," she sniffed. "Stop changing the subject and answer the
question. Who did you come up with for me? Or should I ask?" The last
question was directed at Shadow. "The Dragon Lady of K'ruth BoTaz?"
"Didn't think of that one." Tom pretended to be considering the
legendary witch-like character of Klingon folklore.
Malista smiled gently. "Well, when he was mad at you---"
"Malista!" Tom protested. He reflexively snapped his arms down to
protect his ribs and flinched away as Torres turned a threatening
scowl towards him.
"I guess that one didn't count," Shadow concluded, sharing a smile
with Harry as she relented. "We finally decided that since Tom is
Harlequin, you must be Columbine."
"Who?" Torres attention shot back to Malista.
"On Earth, in the theater, there are certain traditional characters.
Harlequin was a comedic character that wore multi-colored
tights---lots of bright colors. Columbine was the dancer that was
Harlequin's sweetheart," Malista explained. "And you move very
gracefully---like a dancer."
B'Elanna nodded, unsure how to respond. She didn't deal with
compliments well, but Tom had persuaded her that it was rude to argue
when she was given one. She seemed to be considering the idea. After a
moment, she said, "Okay. I'll accept that for now. Tom is a clown.
That sounds about right." A hint of mischief danced in her brown eyes.
"I'm a dancer. Harry is a knight in shining armor. What about you,
Malista?"
"Hey, that's right, Sis!" Paris exclaimed. "We never got one for you!"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought I was Madame DeFarge." She
made knitting motions with her hands. "Guillotine!" she cackled,
sounding like an old crone.
Tom sent her a disapproving frown. "That was a joke. Hmm. I'll have to
give this one some thought. What do you think, Harry? What literary
figure does Malista remind you of?"
"Aphrodite?" he offered, covering Malista's hand with his own as he
gazed at her face with a gentle smile. "She's Greek---and beautiful,"
Harry elaborated.
She could feel herself blushing furiously. "Harry!"
Kim appreciated her modesty, especially since Malista snuggled up
against him to hide her burning face in his neck. She was making a
habit of that. One that he actively approved of. He kissed her cheek
since it was within reach. He loved those high cheekbones.
"Naw," Tom drawled disparagingly. "Malista's got arms."
Harry and B'Elanna traded puzzled frowns. Shadow sat up and grimaced
at him, sighing with exasperation. "Tom, that's Venus---the Venus de
Milo," she elaborated to Harry, who nodded. Given that hint, he
recognized the reference.
"Everyone knows that Venus and Aphrodite are the same person," Paris
objected.
"Oh, come on! You couldn't tell that to the Romans and Greeks! Forget
that. I don't want to argue," Malista demurred, eager to turn the
conversation away from herself. "But just think about this one---if
Chakotay is Oberon---does that mean Captain Janeway is Titania?" she
inquired just a trace too innocently and bit her lip to contain her
smile.
Tom, who had just sipped his syntheholic beer, choked and spluttered
into his mug. He rapidly set the drink down and coughed to clear his
throat. B'Elanna 'helpfully' slapped him between the shoulders, almost
laying him out across the table in the process. He shot a reproachful
look her way.
"What's so funny?" Shadow asked artlessly. "It seems reasonable to
me."
"I was just thinking," Tom panted, "of Midsummer Night's Dream. If
Janeway is Titania---How about Neelix as---"
"Bottom," Shadow supplied in unison with Tom, then dissolved in
giggles. She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and
hiding her face in her hands as she tried to regain control---and get
that image out of her mind.
Harry placed a hand on her back and patted it gently. He missed the
allusion, but beamed a smile at her. It was a relief to be with her
and to see her happy again.
"He already has the mane," Tom spluttered, holding his ribs as he
wheezed.
"Oh!" gasped Malista. "Don't tell Neelix! You'd hurt his feelings!"
"And with those ears---Tuvok as Robin Goodfellow!" They met each
other's eyes and shook with laughter again.
Torres was shaking her head. Paris could get so silly sometimes---and
now he had a partner in silliness. She didn't know what the two of
them were going on about, but she was glad Tom was having fun. The
last two weeks had been stressful for all four of them and strained
their friendship with Harry almost to the breaking point.
Harry and B'Elanna waited patiently until the other two recaptured
their control. It took a few minutes. But they now had an inkling of
how Tom had felt when the two of them had frequently gone off on
conversational tangents about engineering problems---leaving Tom to
sit on the sidelines until he could rejoin the discussion when it
returned to less esoteric subjects.
Malista finally straightened, wiping tears from her cheeks with her
index fingers. "Well," she said, "at least Titania is better than your
*first* suggestion for Captain Janeway."
"What did he say?" Harry asked curiously.
"Medusa!" Malista announced scathingly.
"Now that's an interesting comparison, Mr. Paris," said Kathryn
Janeway dryly. She had approached unnoticed and was standing two feet
behind Harry and Malista, hands on her hips. "Would you like to
explain the similarity?"
Tom Paris could have kept it under control---maybe---if not for the
look of absolute horror on Malista's face. Shadow didn't know the
captain well and didn't recognize the teasing note in her voice. She
was afraid she'd just gotten herself and her 'big brother' into deep,
deep---trouble.
Malista threw a frantic, contrite look at Tom, her mind racing as she
tried to frame an acceptable apology. The pilot burst into helpless
laughter, waving a hand at Janeway to indicate she should join them.
Janeway walked around the table to stand next to Paris, shaking her
head as she raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. Kim jumped to his feet
with alacrity and pulled an empty chair over for her. She seated
herself between Paris and Kim and waited politely for Tom to be able
to speak again.
Torres grinned. She could tell the captain was in a playful mood and
ready to twist the knife. She and Tom were well-matched in wit and
humor and it was always amusing to watch them square off.
When Harry reseated himself, he gave his attention to reassuring
Malista with a smile that the captain wasn't really upset.
"Medusa?" the captain inquired softly and deliberately.
Tom sobered. "It was meant as a compliment, Captain," he said
earnestly. His most ingratiating smile---had no effect.
"Oh, I'm sure it was." Her expression was totally deadpan. She nodded
slowly, one hand reaching up to her red brown tresses. "I never
thought my hair was particularly snake-like, Mr. Paris. Or was the
reference to other aspects of my physical appearance?"
"No, ma'am!" Tom snapped formally. "The reference had to do with---The
Look---Captain Janeway, ma'am!" He was suddenly a caricature of the
model junior officer addressing his captain. The only thing Tom didn't
do was stand to attention.
"The Look?" she repeated, imitating his emphasis. "Elaborate,
Lieutenant." She raised one eloquent eyebrow. This was bound to be
good. Tom's blue eyes were sparkling.
"Captain," Malista began hesitantly, but stopped when Harry squeezed
her hand and Janeway shook her head slightly.
"He got himself into this, Crewman Shadow, let him dig his own way
out," the captain advised kindly.
Torres made digging motions behind Tom's back, indicating the hole was
getting deeper. Kim grinned. Shadow tried to hide her anxiety. She
was still somewhat in awe of the captain. She had only spoken to her
once before in an off duty situation. Now she had insulted her to her
face!
Paris ostentatiously ignored the other three, all his attention
centered on the captain. He gave her his most sincerely, honest
expression. He overdid it perfectly, with the ease of long practice.
"Captain, as you well know, The Look is a skill taught in Starfleet
Command Training to ensure instant obedience to every order. Or
another way to describe it---"
He almost lost his composure again as his sense of humor tried to
escape, but he choked it into submission, and continued in 'lecture'
mode. "The Look, when properly given---in the excellent and exemplary
manner in which *you* perform it---is capable of freezing a man in his
tracks---and causing his blood to run backwards in his veins! That is
what brought the Medusa reference to mind, Captain Janeway, ma'am!"
Janeway mouth twitched as she fought off a smile. "The Look---as you
call it---doesn't seem to have a noticeable effect on you,
Lieutenant," she said speculatively.
Paris nodded sagely. "Well, Captain, you could say I have built up a
certain tolerance for The Look---an immunity---due to my family
background. With all those Admirals and Captains running loose at
family reunions...."
"Running loose? That sounds disrespectful to me, Lieutenant," Janeway
commented.
"Sorry, Captain." The scapegrace grin was back. "The Medusa
thing---it's part of a game."
"Would someone like to explain the rules of the game to me?" she
asked.
"We're identifying the crew with literary figures," Tom explained.
"So I'm---Medusa?" Kathryn mused.
"Actually, Captain, we'd just decided you were Titania," Torres
interjected. "Whoever that is. And Neelix is Bottom." She was pleased,
but amazed when Jane
way laughed. Evidently the captain caught the
reference. Torres decided she needed to spend less time reading
technical manuals and more time on literature.
"We thought of it because Malista proposed Chakotay as Oberon," Harry
explained.
"Really?" Janeway asked, seeming intrigued by the notion. She sat
forward and gazed at Shadow curiously. "What made you think of that?"
Malista kept her gaze fixed on the table. "I-I was thinking
of---he---Oberon was supposed to have the gift of insight---into
men's thoughts. As a counselor, he sort of shows that he does and
he---"
"Has an 'angelic' face," Torres finished, with a smirk. All five of
them ostentatiously turned to stare with exaggerated interest at the
Commander who was standing at the bar conversing with Tuvok.
Chakotay noticed. He resisted the spontaneous urge to check the
condition of his uniform, and raised an eyebrow, tilting his head
inquiringly.
The captain waved a dismissive hand, so the first officer turned his
attention back to his conversation with the Vulcan. He made a mental
note to ask her later what was going on and why he was suddenly the
object of attention.