TRICKSTER

RATED NC17

Based on Spiritfolk

The holodeck echoed the closing of the massive doors as Janeway, in uniform, stepped to the center of the room. She had saved several hours of holodeck time and intended to use it to the fullest.

‘Computer, activate Fairhaven,’ she ordered, eagerly anticipating Tom Paris’ refurbished program.

‘Program complete,’ replied the computer’s feminine voice.

No…she didn’t want the entire program. ‘Computer, belay that. Same program, specify parameters: Sullivan’s Bar, single character: Michael Sullivan only.’

The town morphed into the interior of the bar, complete with tables, chairs and game of rings set ready. The rugged form of the Irishman materialized immediately after. His face lit in a smile of pleasure the moment he saw her.

‘Hello again, Michael,’ she smiled back.

‘Ah! My Katie. Or shall I be callin’ you Kathryn? Which would y’be preferrin’ now, especially since you’re wearin’ your Captain’s clothes?’

It was a pleasure having an almost sentient hologram that for once knew who she was instead of her playing to the program like an actress on a stage. Tom had restored and reprogrammed Fairhaven and added just a few refinements. She liked the refinements.

How I’ve missed hearing that Irish lilt! She grinned at him. ‘It’s the uniform we wear on board ship.’

He sighed and glanced over her slight frame with a critical eye. ‘Doesn’t do for you what the dress does, I fear… So, what’ll I be callin’ ye?’

‘A close friend advised me to be truthful with you, Michael. So…in truth, I come in here to escape Kathryn once in a while. Let’s make it Katie. And I promise I won’t hide behind O’Clare any more.’

‘Done.’

She perched on a barstool. ‘How about a lager and a game of rings?’

He closed his big hands over hers. ‘Later, shall we? Ah, it’s been long since you last visited – or has it? I’ve missed your smile. Tell me how long it’s been.’

‘You said that the last time.’

‘I did? Which part?’

‘About missing my smile. I missed yours as well.’

‘So how long have ye done without Fairhaven?’

‘Not long. About a month.’

‘Longer than I’d expect ye to hold out…seems to me ‘twas yesterday I last saw you. Has the hologrid been behavin’ itself now?’

‘You remember such detail…I had thought Tom and Harry had…’

‘Oh, they came in and fiddled with the, what is it, the holomatrix, to be sure, but were followin’ your orders to leave Fairhaven pretty much as t’was. All of us here are aware now. We don’t actually understand it all, but perhaps someday we will. It’s enough that I’m aware of you, Katie. I’m aware of how long it’s been, to me anyway, since I last saw you. I’m aware of how much I miss you when you’re not here. And I’m aware of my feelin’s for you.’

‘Michael…’ She tried to pull her hands from his, but he held them firmly.

‘Ah! I see hesitation in your eyes. I know y’care because you’ve told me – but perhaps there’s someone in your world takes your eye?’

‘No – there’s no one.’

‘Are ye being truthful with me now, Katie? Not your usual evasive self?’

‘Truthful, Michael.’

‘Then what about the big man, the one off the sailin’ vessel, that I saw sittin’ there in the other chair beside you? In that room full of machines?’

‘On the bridge? He’s my…my First Officer.’

‘Ah…ye hesitate when ye speak of ‘im… Is he the ‘close friend?’

‘Yes, he is… we’ve become very good friends.’

‘Your First Officer. A man who works under ye, then…’ he grinned.

‘In a manner of speaking,’ she said, grinning back in spite of herself. ‘What about him?’

Michael released her hands and stepped out from behind the bar. ‘When first I came t’visit that time – in a state of shock, I was,’ he said, slowly walking toward her. ‘Still I noticed something. He had a special glint in his eye for you – and a baleful glare for me.’

‘He was simply concerned about a hologram – about you – becoming sentient and coming into our world. It just isn’t done. It’s hard to explain… it has happened before, but…’

‘Be that as it may, I can see it. He cares for you,’ he interrupted.

‘He and I have agreed to keep our relationship professional, Michael. That’s the way it must be for two people who work together; especially those of the opposite sex. We’re friends… very close friends. That’s all.’

‘And what are we, Katie, you and I? You’re not going to hand me that line, now are ye?’ Michael had moved ever closer and boldly tangled his hands in her hair. He bent and kissed her softly at the corner of her mouth. ‘Because I couldna’ stand it, Katie. I’ve grown t’love ye too much,’ he murmured, kissing her again, just as softly.

She was melting. Amazed that a photonic, computerized hologram could evoke such feeling in her, she murmured, ‘I… feel the same way, Michael.’

Smiling tenderly, he lifted her off the barstool, enfolded her in his arms and held her head against his chest for a long while.

‘Then I think it’s time we did somethin’ about it. Can I be askin’ a favor of ye, darlin’?’

‘Of course.’

‘The wee gadget – cana’ be borrowin’ it again some time?’

‘What wee gadget?’

‘The little machine we took off the priest.’

‘Oh,’ she laughed. ‘that’s our Doctor. He was portraying a priest for the program. He wears a holoemitter to allow him to travel about the ship, as you did.’

‘Aye, an’ it could be allowin’ me to spend some time with ye, Katie. In your world, for a change. There are still so many things I don’t know about ye, that I’d like t’learn.’

‘I’ll think about it. All right? Besides, I’d rather be in here with you. I need to get away from my world now and then.’

‘Fair enough,’ he said, setting her on her feet. ‘In the meantime, you already know that my door’s always open for you. Now you best be returnin’ to y’work.’ He lifted her hand and kissed it.

Kathryn gazed at him lovingly a moment, then whispered, ‘Computer. Until the next time… end program.’

~ ~ ~

Another week passed before Kathryn had the courage to re-enter Fairhaven. She knew what awaited her, what Michael was thinking, what he wanted, and though she anticipated it with great pleasure, she felt as nervous as a schoolgirl. Never before had she had such an experience with a hologram, of all things… and now a sentient one, at that.

She inserted a subroutine into the program and added an automatic privacy lock. Michael Sullivan was there, waiting for her. Instead of her uniform, she had created a soft, feminine dress, cut low and frilly, and her hair was soft upon her shoulders. They had agreed to meet at Castle O’Dell where Michael had planned a surprise for her.

He was standing in the dimly lit doorway when she entered, with a champagne glass in each hand. His white shirt with its wide sleeves was open at the neck, revealing a broad chest lightly covered with hair.

‘Welcome, Katie.’ His eyes swept over her, twinkling in admiration.

‘Is this better than the uniform?’

‘Y’look ravishing.’

She looked past his shoulder into the room. A bucket of ice cradling a champagne bottle stood beside an enormous bed on which rested a spray of roses. He saw the look in her eyes and put a gentle hand to her cheek.

‘Are y’nervous, darlin’?’

‘It’s just… that it’s been a long time, Michael.’

‘The famine’s over, Darlin,’ he whispered at he took her in his arms.

~ ~ ~

Tuvok cast a disapproving eyebrow at Chakotay as he entered the bridge. Once again the Captain had delegated her shift to her First Officer. It was getting to be an ongoing habit, one which the Vulcan did not approve, for he knew where the Captain was. He had not set foot in Fairhaven since its creation but had assiduously logged the hours of every crewmember who did, intending to take the matter up with the Captain. If she herself would only come out of Fairhaven… True, boredom threatened them all - months traveling through empty space where no excitement whatsoever was the order of the day – still, he saw no reason to disrupt normal, official routine.

He approached Chakotay’s chair. ‘Commander, may I have a word with you?’

~ ~ ~

Chakotay emerged from the ready room a few minutes later, half-annoyed, half-amused at the Vulcan’s complaints and insinuations. Why did the man have to be so damned Starfleet, so by-the-book?! Chakotay didn’t mind taking the Captain’s shift; she had certainly given him leave often enough. Why not let Janeway enjoy herself? Tuvok was concerned that she had disengaged her comm badge. All of them did that while in Fairhaven. Now Tuvok was determined to call the Captain out of the program and speak to her personally. Chakotay talked him out of it, offering to go and speak to her himself. His humor and gentle tolerance would go over far better than Tuvok’s stern admonitions.

~ ~ ~

The entire program of Fairhaven was up and running, but no characters were about. As suspected, there was no response from Janeway’s comm badge, and Chakotay got no response from the computer when he attempted to locate the Captain. Worried, his first stop was Sullivan’s Bar, which echoed his footsteps. The establishment was vacant but for two half-empty glasses and a towel thrown down on the bar as if the occupants had just left. He came back out into the sunlit street of the main program and called up a couple of regular characters. He asked Maggie O’Halloran about the Captain’s whereabouts. Maggie silently pointed up to Castle O’Dell. Her matrix flickered then vanished. Despite the refurbishment, the program was depolarizing. Up the street, the foolish Seamus drew nearer but before he could panhandle a single shilling he, too, vanished. One by one the town buildings were blinking out of sight. Chakotay made a mental note to tell Tom and Harry of the malfunction then headed up the seaside hill to Castle O’Dell, which was soon the only structure remaining.

It seemed solid enough; no evidence of depolarization was yet present. The massive door swung open at his touch, but was followed by an unintelligible burst of static from the computer. xprivxcyxxxlocxxxenxgxgedx

‘Computer, repeat!’

xprixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

‘Computer, locate Captain Janeway!’

There was no response. He had to find her and get her out of there.

He stepped inside; everything instantly went dark. Carefully, he made his way forward toward what looked a dim light just ahead. He was about to call out her name when he saw the program she was running. The light just barely revealed a circular room adorned only by a massive bed, on which Kathryn lay entangled with Michael Sullivan. The privacy lock malfunctioned! he thought in agony, and ducked back into the shadows. Embarrassed, he nevertheless watched Michael minister to Kathryn’s most intimate needs. Her hands were entangled in the pillows above her head; Michael’s arms encircled her thighs; his rough hands rested on her belly, caressing her.

Chakotay could only stare. This completely uninhibited woman bore no resemblance to the strait-laced Captain he knew so well, but then of course, he had never been given the opportunity to know her in this most intimate way. He watched from the black shadows, almost hungrily, as Michael’s techniques triggered a spasm that gripped Kathryn’s entire body; and characteristically, she stifled the moan that escaped her lips.

‘Don’t be doin’ that now, darlin,’ he heard Michael say. ‘If what I’m doin’ pleases you, ye mustn’t try to quiet it. You must be lettin’ me know it, so I can be givin’ you more. No one can hear ye but me. Do ye like it now?’

‘Oh yes…’ she breathed.

He lowered his head again and brought one hand up to knead her breast. She voiced her pleasure without inhibition.

Now Michael moved upward, trailing his tongue as he went, the other lifting her knee. Skillfully, he entered her smoothly and slowly. He hovered above her, lovingly watching her reactions.

Stunned, Chakotay turned away, backing out as stealthily as he had come. He could hear both their voices joined in unison all the way to the holodeck door. He would never have intruded if he had known, but the privacy locks were gone. Fear for her safety in a malfunctioning program was overridden by his embarrassment. His groin throbbed and he felt a decided jealousy and envy for Michael Sullivan, but stronger than that was his shame at himself for his voyeurism. He felt anger, too, for a woman as intelligent as Kathryn Janeway to have to resort to photons and forcefields for release. He had been with her all these years, possibly the only mate on the ship for her, and she preferred a hologram? At the door, he checked the controls for Fairhaven and found that Michael’s character had been leaching photons and energy from the entire program. Janeway’s 300 deciwatt hologram was able to enhance his own performance!

Outside in the corridor, Chakotay wiped his face. It wouldn’t do to return to the bridge in this condition – his discomfort was too great to overcome by any means except one. He went to the holodeck across the hall, hurriedly tapping in commands.

Program complete.

‘Computer, are there any malfunctions in this program?’

Negative.

‘Good – privacy lock engaged.’

Enter when ready.

‘Double check privacy lock!’

Affirmative. Privacy lock is engaged – enter when ready.

You bet I will, he thought, and stepped into his own haven: an overcast day, a soft breeze with the hint of rain and an endless field thick with soft grasses. A dark-haired girl of his own tribe, standing there nude, programmed with love in her eyes and a willing heart that beat just for him. He shed his clothes immediately. He didn’t have to tell her what he wanted. Keypads had done that for him, and it was all so unreal until she laid her hands on his chest and caressed him. Then the feeling was just as real as if it were someone who was alive and who loved him for himself, and he felt less critical of Kathryn. As programmed, she took the initiative, tiptoed to kiss him, her small hand cupping him until he enlarged past the boundary of her palm. She pressed gently on his shoulder to lower him to the ground. No need to worry about a hologram’s pleasure… although if his need to have her breasts in his hands pleased her, all the better, but she showed no sign. She smiled at him, took his hands from her breasts and lowered her mouth to him. He gritted his teeth, the habit strong upon him to hold back, then he remembered that this being didn’t care whether or not he could perform for her. He relaxed and allowed her to bring him to the brink. He hesitated, then swore mightily, lifted her and settled her hips where her mouth had been. He plunged into the soft depths just in time, for his release was instant and earth-shattering. His face contorted with the spasms, hers retained its soft and dreamy pleasantness.

He lay still a moment to catch his breath, with no urge to take her into his arms, to feel warmth that wasn’t really there, to know her love for him was superficial.

‘Computer, delete character,’ he panted, and she vanished.

Yes, his body had been satisfied…in a way. Still, he felt unfulfilled. Kathryn’s program had something his didn’t. Michael Sullivan appeared to actually want to please Kathryn out of love, not out of the programming. This girl was simply servicing him; Michael was making love to Kathryn, actually enhancing his performance to please her. He had somehow attained sentience, therefore he was as real to her as she wanted him to be. But why did it have to be like this? Wasn’t it better for a man and woman of flesh and blood to love each other than for them to rely on technology? No wonder that, to date, only one child had been born on Voyager! Apparently everyone was doing it!

What was it about holo-technology that allowed a man and woman to ignore each other in favor of it? What was so important about protocol and hierarchy aboard a starship that precluded the coupling of people who had lived together and known each other so intimately for so many years? What in hell did Michael Sullivan have that he didn’t?

He decided to do something about it.

~~~

The next time Fairhaven was down, using his command override, Chakotay placed the matrix containing Michael Sullivan in what amounted to a photonic lockdown. He checked the schedules for Kathryn’s next visit then entered her program, deleted the lighting and programmed a temporary computer file. Then he shed his uniform and sat on the bed to await her arrival.

He heard the door creak open. She was here. His heart pounded in anticipation.

‘Computer, lights,’ she commanded.

Unable to comply.

‘Computer, is Michael Sullivan here?’

Affirmative.

‘Michael?’

Chakotay rose and padded soundlessly to her side. Startled, unable to see, she gasped when he slipped an arm around her and led her to the bed.

‘Computer, voice activation for Michael Sullivan.’

Unable to comply.

What was wrong with the program? The big hands that held her shoulders felt different somehow, but she didn’t worry about it once his mouth was on hers. Her gown lasted all of three seconds before it was off and he was depositing her gently on the bed. For several seconds there was nothing then she felt strong hands stroke the insides of her legs, followed by big shoulders separating them. Her thighs rested on his biceps and his hands cupped her hips. Hot breath on her made her squirm in anticipation and she reached for him. She can’t touch my head; she’ll know. He grasped her wrists and dipped his head to her passion and his. He duplicated Michael’s technique, then segued into his own, which soon had Kathryn gasping for breath after each straining orgasm, and there were many. His mouth worked its way up and he turned onto his side, pulling her with him, to allow her breasts to fall close to his mouth. He lay contentedly, feeling their soft fullness fall across his cheek, bringing the taut nipple to his mouth again and again, causing her to arch her back against him. His need grew urgent, but he continued pressing his lips to her warmth, journeying higher to where her neck met her shoulder…she shuddered… ‘Michael, what…’and his mouth covered hers. His tongue dipped and whorled, still holding her hands prisoner, his knee brought her leg over his hip in perfect alignment. He softly entered her. His tongue in her mouth echoed his engorged organ as it dipped and pressed ever deeper, and he rolled to place her beneath him. His groans and hers met within their open mouths and she no longer questioned the feel of him, the smell of him, the size of him now filling her. Their breaths came faster, and her voice was hoarse from voicing her pleasure. After the final peak, her hands still in his, he and began the return journey, again pausing to relish the feel of her breasts against his face, her tight belly quivering under his tongue, and the damp curls tickling his nostrils. When she finally lay exhausted, he released her hands, took her in his arms and lay cradling her a while, stroking her back. She was soon asleep. He pulled the sheet over her, leaned to kiss her, stooped to pick up his uniform, and left.

~ ~ ~

Kathryn could never understand why Michael could not duplicate that performance in later sessions. Not wanting to embarrass him, she never mentioned it, but she always wondered what had happened. He was still as she had programmed him and he still satisfied her, but in a much less desperate, driven way. Something had definitely been different about him that night.

Must have a holomatrix malfunction, she thought, as she made her way to the bridge. She mustn’t make a habit of the holodeck. She was setting a bad example, after all.

The End