CHAPTER 9

Violet was in the center of the foursome when they went to the mess hall for dinner. Hoshi led the way and Malcolm brought up the rear. Trip walked next to Violet, putting a gentlemanly hand on her elbow when they would turn a corner.

An added bonus of Trip knowing Violet's secret, Hoshi realized, was that they should be able to sit by themselves at dinner since no more than four could be seated comfortably at a table. That ought to take care of Travis and any other curious crewmembers for this meal. Travis, for example, might come over and say a few words, but there was no way any of them would invite him to pull a chair up and join them.

Before leaving the cabin, Malcolm had told them about Chef planning to unveil his latest "creation" in Violet's honor. The whole way to the mess hall, Trip kept coming up with silly plans to head off the voluble galley tyrant. Hoshi hadn't offered any advice on how to deal with it; she was banking on Violet taking care of it in her own inimitable way -- such as dumping whatever Chef's offering was on the floor. Accidentally, of course.

There was one benefit to Trip knowing about Violet's secret identity that Hoshi hadn't foreseen. The charming Southerner seemed to put the poor woman at ease. She seemed less nervous and -- wonder of wonders -- more coordinated. She didn't stumble or bump into anyone on the way to the mess hall.

Violet was hanging on Trip's every word as he proposed one outrageous idea after another to throw Chef off her track. Hoshi just hoped she didn't have an infatuated Violet on her hands later as a consequence of her exposure to Trip.

After going through the serving line, they moved en masse to a table, with Trip still talking up a storm. It hit Hoshi that Violet may have finally found her match in Trip, not that the shy woman spoke much in public. But if Violet and Trip were ever alone, Hoshi wouldn't be surprised if Violet could out-talk the gregarious engineer.

Hoshi gave the mess hall occupants the once-over as her group sat down. She didn't see Chef, but that wasn't unusual. He rarely put in an appearance in the mess hall dining area. He was usually back in the kitchen area, directing operations with the authority of a military general.

It wasn't until they were finishing their meals that Chef popped through the galley's swinging doors. Behind him came one of his staff pushing a cart on which there was an enormous clear-glass bowl filled with some kind of white, red and pink concoction. Chef marched directly to their table, the crewman pushing the cart following dutifully behind.

"Ensign," he addressed Violet with a bow when he reached their table. "I am so happy you are here. I have spent all day laboring over this creation for you."

Violet quickly lowered her eyes, her face taking on a hue similar to whatever it was in the bowl.

Trip, who was eyeing the offering on the cart, asked, "Surely you don't expect her to eat that whole thing by herself?"

Chef favored Trip with a glare. "Of course not, you cretin. Ahem. The honor of the first serving, however, will go to the Ensign."

Sneaking a glance at the dessert, Violet stammered, "Wh...what exactly is...th...that?"

"You have the allergy to the chocolate, so I have made a variation of one of my best desserts," Chef said, spreading his arms wide. "'Death by Chocolate' is a favorite among the crew, so I substituted the strawberries for the chocolate. There is the pieces of strawberry cake, topped by the sliced strawberries, which is in turn topped by the strawberry mousse. Then the process is repeated, layer by layer, until the piece de resistance on the top -- one sugar-glazed, perfect strawberry. I call this 'Drowning in Strawberries.'"

"I eat any of that and I'm going to have to drown myself in a diet," Hoshi muttered, eliciting a nervous giggle from Violet.

Chef picked up a small bowl from a stack on a lower shelf on the cart and spooned some of the dessert, including the whole glazed strawberry, into it. He placed it before Violet, leaning in to murmur, "It is the least I can do for you after hearing that you are the valiant one who stunned our annoying Monsieur Reed."

Chef's comment was deliberately loud enough for the others to hear. Malcolm clamped his lips together in a tight line, Hoshi bit her lip to keep from laughing, and Trip guffawed. Violet, smiling shyly, picked up a spoon and dipped it into the dessert before her, and slowly placed the spoon in her mouth.

Chef watched closely as she tasted the dessert. "Well?" he asked. "What do you think?"

Violet swallowed, reached for her napkin, and patted her lips with it. Looking up at Chef, who was towering expectantly over her, she placed her hands on her lap and said, "I have died and gone to heaven."

Chef's mouth dropped open. Then he let out a whoop of triumph. "That is the best compliment I have ever received!"

He reached to grab Violet's hand, intending perhaps to kiss it, but Malcolm intercepted him. His fingers wrapped tightly around Chef's wrist, Malcolm said in a low voice, "The 'annoying Monsieur Reed' is telling you not to do that -- not if you want to keep that hand."

Chef was one of the few people not intimidated by the armory officer. With a sneer, he slowly peeled each of Malcolm's fingers from his wrist. Drawing himself up to his full height, he peered down his nose at Malcolm.

"I know you have a protective streak," he said haughtily, "and I will be the first to admit that there is something about the Ensign Smith that brings out the...desire...to be protective, but surely you have not already staked the claim?"

Trip and Hoshi immediately understood Chef's implication, as did Violet, who flushed brighter than the strawberries in the dessert. It took Malcolm a few more seconds to puzzle out Chef's words, and when he did, he shot up out of his chair to stand face to face with the man. "I'm just trying to get you to leave her alone!" he said through gritted teeth, poking Chef on the chest with his forefinger and forcing the man to take a step backward.

A gasp from Violet brought the confrontation to a standstill. Hoshi looked over to see Violet hiding her face in her hands. Trip slid closer to Violet, ready to pull her out of the way if a more violent confrontation should erupt.

"There!" Chef said, pointing at Violet but still talking to Malcolm. "See what you have done? You have upset her. How like you to ruin my moment!"

Having gotten in the last word, Chef turned on his heel to make a dramatic exit, but tripped on one of Violet's feet where it was sticking out in the aisle between tables. Hoshi made a futile grab for Chef but missed, and down he went, face first, in the big bowl on the cart.

Worried how this latest mishap would affect Violet, Hoshi looked from Chef who was getting back to his feet and wiping pink-colored mousse from his face, to Violet, who was peeking between her fingers. Hoshi did a double-take.

Mild-mannered, easily frightened Violet was laughing! Yes, there were tears streaming down Violet's face, but they were the kind you get from laughing too hard.

Hoshi felt a grin form on her own face. She shot a glance at Malcolm, who was watching Chef with a smirk. Finally, she looked at Trip who, apparently still under the impression that Violet was upset, was patting her shoulder.

"There, there," Trip said. "It's not every night we get entertainment after dinner."

Hoshi felt a bubble of laughter work its way up her chest and out her mouth. Before she knew it, she was laughing out loud. Violet wiped her eyes, looked up at Chef, and began laughing again. In a huff, Chef took one more swipe at the mousse on his face and shook it off his hand before stalking off.

"That was your best accident so far," Hoshi said to Violet as Malcolm sat back down.

"Who says it was an accident?" Malcolm put in smugly. "I saw there was a convenient obstacle for Chef to fall over and aimed him in that direction. The finale with his face in the dessert was just, pardon the pun, frosting on the cake."

As the others laughed again, Malcolm remarked, "That ought to make Chef keep his distance for a while."

Malcolm and Trip escorted Hoshi and Violet back to their cabin after dinner but said goodbye at the door. Once inside the cabin, Violet headed for her bunk, sat down, and picked up her pillow. This time, however, she had a wistful look on her face as she stared off into space.

She's got it bad, Hoshi thought in amusement. Trip had that effect on a lot of women, and Violet was no exception. But maybe it would shut Violet up, giving her something to think about instead launching into one of her stream-of-consciousness ramblings that drove Hoshi crazy.

And it also seemed to have taken Violet's mind off her situation for the moment. When they'd discussed the mysterious reading that had shown up on Enterprise's sensors, Violet had gone quiet, her anxious expression giving away her thoughts. The woman was scared.

First thing in the morning, Hoshi would have to inform the captain that Trip had joined their small circle protecting Violet. Jon couldn't possibly be mad. That Trip had figured out most of the situation on his own had been an accident.

An accident? There was that word again!

As she started to get ready for a long evening cooped up with Violet, she wondered what type of accident was going to befall Trip because of his acquaintance with the klutzy witness.