screenshots of Star Trek Voyager, USS Voyager, Ex Post Facto, Tom Paris, Lt. Tom Paris, Lt Tom Paris, Thomas Eugene Paris, Lt Paris, Lt. Paris, Kathryn Janeway, Captain Janeway. Starfleet, Star Trek, Banean, Baneans, Lidell Ren, Tolen Ren, Numiri, Robin McKee as Lidell Ren, Ray Reinhardt as Tolen Ren, Aaron Lustig as Banean doctor, Francis Guinan as Minister Kray (name appeared in the script only), Henry Brown as Numiri captain, in the Star Trek Voyager story EX POST FACTO. This is Star Trek, Star Trek Voyager.

	The Banean city, during the day.
	Tuvok arrives at the Ren home. Tuvok: "Mrs Ren?" Lidell: "Yes." Tuvok: "I'm Lieutenant Tuvok of the starship Voyager. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?" Lidell: "Are you a friend of Tom's?" Tuvok: "I am the Starfleet chief of security investigating his alleged participation in your husband's murder." Lidell tells Neeka off who is unsettled and hostile towards Tuvok: "Stop it, Neeka." To Tuvok: "She just doesn't like strangers."
	Tuvok: "Based on your testimony I assume that this is where the murder occurred." Lidell: "Yes, right there. I had to have a professional cleaning crew come in to remove the bloodstain."

Tuvok: "You chose to remain in the house after an act of such violence occurred?"
Lidell: "This has been my home for over 10 years, Mr Tuvok. Do you really find that so hard to believe?"
Tuvok: "I am a Vulcan, Mrs Ren. By nature we are a dispassionate people. It is rare to encounter someone as dispassionate as we are."

Lidell: "Dispassionate? Is that how I seem to you? I think you'd get an argument from Tom Paris."

	She goes on to ask: "Can I get you a drink?" Tuvok: "Thank you, no." Lidell: "Mind if I have one?" Tuvok: "Please. You testified at the trial that you and your husband had an argument the afternoon before he was killed." Lidell: "I never said there was an argument, Lieutenant. Have you ever had to end a marriage?" Tuvok: "No."
	Lidell: "Are you married?" Tuvok: "My wife and I have been married for 67 years." Lidell: "I am sure she's a fine dispassionate woman. I hope you never have to find out for yourself, but I can tell you, ending a marriage, it's a quiet thing. The arguments are long over and there's really nothing much left to say at all." Tuvok: "May I ask why you decided at this time to end your marriage to Professor Ren?"
	Lidell: "Because I was attracted to another man. I didn't want to deceive my husband." Tuvok: "That other man was Lieutenant Paris. Lieutenant Paris would've been departing this planet in a few days and yet you left your husband of 10 years for him." Lidell: "Maybe Tom gave me the push I needed. I already knew in my heart that it was time to start over." Tuvok: "Exactly when did you see Mr Paris on the day of the murder?" Lidell: "I went to see him at the Engineering Institute after I talked with my husband. Once I was free I knew he wanted to be with me." Tuvok: "How did you know?" Lidell: "A woman knows, Lieutenant. He left his friend Harry to finish the technical research and walk me home. We were caught in a cloudburst on the way."

Paris and Lidell enter the atrium. They are soaked through and giggling about it. Lidell: "I'm completely soaked!" Paris: "There must be a centimetre of water in my boots." He cannot get his boots off easily. Lidell: "Here let me help you." They end up kissing passionately but suddenly Paris pulls away. "We shouldn't." Lidell: "It's ok. He knows it's over." Paris: "You're still a married woman." Lidell: "I haven't been married for years! He's been a friend, a companion. He hasn't treated me like a woman since, it must've been the day of the eclipse four years ago." Paris: "Eclipse?" Lidell: "He was very excited by the eclipse. Don't ask me why." Paris: "Our timing's just a little off." Lidell: "You'll be gone in a few days. This is the only time we've got. I will make you something to warm you up. I love to drink marob root tea on rainy afternoons."

Lidell: "I made some tea. We talked for a while. Then we went out to the atrium to watch the storm, and the rest you know."

Tuvok: "Did you leave the room at any time during the fight between your husband and Lieutenant Paris?"
Lidell: "I saw Tom murder my husband, Mr Tuvok. I tried to stop him. I couldn't."
Chakotay, via comms: "Voyager to Tuvok."
Tuvok: "This is Lieutenant Tuvok."
Chakotay, via comms: "Mr Paris has regained consciousness. I thought you'd want to know."
Tuvok: "Thank you. I will be returning shortly. Tuvok out." To Lidell, "Thank you for your help, Mrs Ren."
He heads for the door in order to leave.

Lidell: "Lieutenant," he turns in the doorway, "when you see Tom, would you tell him that I forgive him." He nods and leaves.

	Back aboard USS Voyager, which is still in orbit around the Banean homeworld,....
	Sickbay. Paris: "Everything she told you is true. Except I don't remember going into the atrium or anything else after that." Tuvok: "The last thing you remember is?" Paris: "Sitting with her, drinking tea, talking about the central effects of eclipses. After that I must've fallen asleep. When I woke up I was in a cell." The Doctor looks at the autonomic response analysis read-outs and informs Tuvok: "He's telling you the truth."
	Tuvok to the Doctor: "Was there any evidence of a sedative in his system when he returned here?" Doctor: "The Banean medical authorities checked him. They didn't find any drugs in his blood, plus narcotics would've gone from his system by the time he got to me." The ship is suddenly jolted. The comms. signal sounds. comms. signal "Chakotay to Tuvok. You're needed on the Bridge. We're under attack by Numiri patrols." Tuvok: "On my way, Commander."

Two Numiri patrol ships attack USS Voyager.

Numiri ships attack Voyager. (pop-up window)

Bridge. Janeway: "Evasive pattern beta-one-four-zero, dual attack mode." Chakotay, who is at the helm, answers: "Evasive pattern confirmed." Kim: "They're attempting to lock a tractor beam on us." Neelix: "That is a standard tactic for the Numiri when they intend to board your vessel. Well, at least now you know I was telling you the truth about them, Captain, although I take no pleasure in being right, mind you." Janeway: "Why now? Why an unprovoked attack? What are they after?" Neelix: "The Numiri have never needed an excuse to attack anyone."

Kim: "Shields at 90% and holding." Janeway: "Commander, prepare to initiate attack maneuver kappa-zero-one-zero." Chakotay: "Captain, if you don't mind, there's a Maquis trick we sometimes use to get out of situations like this." Janeway: "Be my guest."

	Chakotay: "B'Elanna, remember Teluridian IV, the Starfleet runabouts?"
	Torres: "I'm with you. Blowing out the dorsal phase emitters. Torres to Engineering." Engineering, via comms: "Go ahead." Torres, via comms: "Vent a couple of LN2 exhaust conduits along the dorsal emitters. Make it look like we're in serious trouble." Engineering, via comms: "Understood." Chakotay: "Cut all engines." Torres: "Engines offline." Chakotay: "Tuvok, lock phasers on their navigational deflectors." Tuvok: "Acknowledged. The Numiri ships are closing, 4,000 kilometres."
	Janeway: "Not to belittle Maquis tactics, Commander, but this a very old trick." Chakotay: "It worked against those Starfleet runabouts." Janeway: "You're lucky I wasn't commanding one of them." Tuvok: "2,000 kilometres." Chakotay: "Besides, out here in the Delta Quadrant every trick is new again."
	Tuvok: "1,500 kilometres." Kim: "They're sending out tractor beams again." Chakotay: "That's our cue. Fire phasers. Engage impulse engines."
	Voyager fires at the patrol ships, damaging them, and then moves away at speed. Tuvok: "Both Numiri vessels are disabled, Captain."
	Janeway: "That's one trick you won't be able to use again when we get back." Chakotay grins. "I have more." Janeway: "Cancel red alert. Take us into high orbit."

Thanks to Free Buttons for the rulers from the set Cosmic Gel. Thanks to Mardiweb for the button blank.