The Objects of Power

by Cheryl and David Petterson

From an original draft and conception by Cheryl Petterson and Susan Sizemore

Return to Valjiir Stories

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PART TWELVE

As the entourage materialized on the transporter platform, Kirk growled, “Mr. Sulu, Mr. Spock, I’d like a word with you in my office.” He stepped to the console and called the Bridge. “Break orbit, Mr. Scott,” he said, and clicked off the intercom before the “aye, sir,” reached him. He turned to Marlena just as she spoke.

“Jim, can't it wait?” she said in her best, manipulative Captain’s Woman tone. It was something of a code between them. If she ever had something important to tell him in public, she became the fawning seductress.

Kirk’s frown deepened. “Take my pets back to their quarters first,” he returned, then strode out of the transporter room, ignoring the salutes.

Spock raised an implicating eyebrow at Sulu, who gazed back confidently, then they, too, exited.

Marlena sighed at the quickly dulling desolation that filled the grey and violet eyes of the ‘pets.’ “Come on, you poor, lost children,” she murmured, her sympathetic voice so quiet that she doubted anyone heard, and led them from the transporter room.

It had been her intent to see them safely to their cabin, and go straight to Kirk’s office. Jilla’s soft voice surprised her. “Ma’am, wait. Please.”

She turned, her face properly haughty. “What is it, Ensign?”

The Indiian moved to the dresser, reaching for something in the jewelry box there. A choked off gasp/question came from Ruth, and her already huge eyes went wider.

“Sulu…” Jilla began, then shuddered; whether from fear or pleasure, Marlena couldn’t tell. She held out her hand. In it was the crystal dagger necklace she had been wearing when she had first beamed aboard. “Give this to him, please. Tell him I give it. It’s a transmitter. Please, tell him. He needs to have it.”

“I’ll do that, Ensign,” Marlena returned. A flicker of something like pride passed through the Indiian’s grey eyes before they again became dulled. As she walked out of the door, Marlena heard both women break into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three men waited in silence until Marlena came into the room. Kirk paced, Spock was as still as a statue. Sulu leaned casually against Kirk’s desk, arms folded, some secret smile playing around his lips. Marlena entered, then stopped, looking at each of them. Kirk’s smoldering anger was a tangible presence hanging over everything. Spock met Marlena’s gaze with wary thoughtfulness. Sulu remained outwardly oblivious. Marlena took a deep breath, then stepped up to Sulu.

“Costain said to give this to you,” she told him, and handed him the necklace. “She says it’s a transmitter and that you need to have it.” His smile became open and she kept her face carefully neutral as she took a chair by the desk. Kirk stopped his pacing, facing them all.

Well?” Kirk growled.

“Our engineer knows a transmitter when she sees one?” Sulu responded, then laughed at the renewed anger sweeping over Kirk’s face. Marlena glanced at the deck. Spock’s eyebrow rose.

“Indeed,” he said. “Why, then, did she not turn it over to you before this?”

“Probably because she didn't know what it was before this,” Sulu returned, still smiling. He waited a few more seconds, then shrugged, as if he knew the joke was wearing thin. “Ruth and Jilla aren’t Imperial,” he said mildly. He nodded to the swift exchange of glances between the others. “I see you already know. They are definitely from the Federation; they are very well aware of how they got here. Our last visitors apparently gave a detailed account of what happened to them. They are both just out of their version of the Academy. Ruth was brought up on a ship, Jilla was an ambassador’s daughter. They’re idealistic, trusting, compassionate - in spite of being highly intelligent - and resilient. Not at all cunning, not very accomplished actresses...” Sulu grinned. “...as we’ve already seen. Jilla is an engineer, and, for the record, Ruth is a science officer.” He turned his grin to Spock. “She believes herself to be better with computers than you.”

Spock nodded. “She admitted it was she who sabotaged the transmitters,” he said.

“So she did,” Sulu rejoined. “And, no offense, Spock, but I don’t doubt she has any knowledge she says she has.”

“None taken,” Spock murmured.

“She's also had a rather bad ‘crush’ on her universe’s version of you since she was sixteen.”

“Indeed?” Spock tilted his head, obviously intrigued. Sulu nodded, his grin widening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kirk’s face relaxed. Sulu was still with them. The last thing he needed was that clever bastard working against him. And there was more reason for his relief. Now he didn’t have to muster the trust to tell Sulu what they had discovered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marlena saw the relief, both in Jim’s eyes and in Spock’s. But in Spock, wary regard was also growing. She didn’t want to think of what would have happened if Sulu had not volunteered his information. The implications were simply too frightening. And she couldn’t help but feel a little more distaste for Sulu than usual. After what he’d made of Valley and Costain, it was discomforting to remember it had been she who had urged Jim to use his Security Chief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most intelligent, Sulu, Spock thought. Tell Kirk what he wants to know before he asks. I have underestimated you for a very long time. I won’t again, I promise you. “And how do you come by all these interesting details?” he asked casually, but intensely interested in the specifics of Sulu’s methods. Know the man through what he does.

Sulu glanced at Kirk, then at Spock, then let his eyes come to rest on Marlena. “Do you really want to know?” he asked frankly.

Marlena involuntarily shook her head, her face going the slightest bit pale. The gesture obviously annoyed Kirk, for, though his voice was light, his eyes glinted with mild viciousness. “It might be amusing,” he said.

Sulu shrugged noncommittally. “Decant someone from the Soundroom and they answer you just to keep you from shouting in their ears. Ask someone a question under a tamer, or a hallucinogen, and they won’t even remember answering. Hungry souls will do just about anything for food.”

“Then they are unaware that we know their origins?” Spock asked.

“Completely,” Sulu replied.

“What about the transmitter?”

“What about it?”

“Why did Miss Costain give it to you now?”

“I think I can answer that,” Marlena put in. She turned to Kirk. “Jim, when I was in the powder room with them, someone approached Costain, speaking Indiian. She asked what was going on, why they ran, and said ‘Tay Roshé’ would pull her out if it was too rough.”

“And Costain’s response?” Kirk wanted to know.

“She told the woman to go away and leave her alone.”

“Then returned to the ship and gave you the transmitter,” Spock mused. He again glanced at Sulu. “Very thorough. But how, then, can you be certain she does not know we know her origin?”

“She thinks she’s giving us the Senator’s daughter,” Sulu returned. “It makes sense that she wouldn’t have before. She didn’t know she was a plant. The contact told her. But if Senator Costain tries to contact her… well, she can’t answer his questions, can she?” Sulu was grinning again.

Spock frowned. “Have you destroyed their usefulness?”

“Depends on how you want to use them, doesn’t it?” Kirk chuckled, and Marlena sighed. “They’re cooperative,” Sulu went on, “obedient, just what was wanted...”

“And possibly useless as tools,” Spock broke in.

“I can get them to do anything you want them to do, Spock,” Sulu promised evenly.

Spock raised an eyebrow in concession. Had Sulu answered the challenge brashly, there would have been room for doubt, but he was beginning to understand that when Sulu was quietly confident, there was no questioning possible.

“Thank you, Sulu,” Kirk said, obviously dismissing the subject. “There is, however, something else I’d like to discuss with you.” His voice had the hard, stern tone of official displeasure.

Sulu nodded. “Hasim, Courtland, the Don,” he said, and Spock once again congratulated his tactics. There was a moment of silence before Sulu continued. “We’re old friends. When I was younger, my family had dealings with the Imperial Court.” Spock wondered why he didn’t keep the amusement out of his eyes or voice when he added, “We played together as children.”

Kirk was in no mood for indulging nostalgia. “This situation isn’t amusing,” he snarled at Sulu. “I want facts, not fond memories.”

Sulu gazed at him obliquely. “I thought you were interested in an explanation for my sending regards, Jim,” he said dryly.

“Sulu,” Marlena put in quickly, recognizing, as Spock had, the danger in his tone, and knowing, as well as Spock did, that Kirk wouldn’t take it from anyone. “We need all the information we can get.”

“Our dealings with DelMonde are of critical importance,” Spock added to further defuse the situation. “If you have any data which could be of assistance...”

“I told you, we knew each other,” Sulu replied, his voice no less dry.

“Do you know him?” Kirk growled, his implication clear.

“I’ll prepare a report, sir,” Sulu told him formally.

Spock shook his head. Why was this issue a sensitive one for Sulu? Perhaps he could find out. “Sulu,” he said carefully, “if you have so much information that you must prepare a report, one would assume you know the Don quite well indeed. If that is the case, why are you not in his retinue?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sulu had kept his face carefully blank. He knew no one in the room would understand, and had no desire to enlighten any of them. Spock was seeing a little more clearly than Kirk, which wasn’t terribly surprising. Still, he wasn’t about to give anything away - at least not anything useful. Spock’s question intrigued him. That the Vulcan had made the leap from ‘knowing the Don’ to ‘why aren’t you working for him?’ was impressive. He knew with certainty that he hadn’t dropped any more clues than he had wanted to, therefore, Spock was becoming very observant. He’d have to watch that. But, back to the question. Why aren’t I working for the Don? He never offered, and I never refused... but then I never offered, and he never refused. He allowed a slow, icy smile to come over his features, and he stared directly at Kirk. “Because,” he answered, “I’d really hate to have to kill him.” He pushed away from the desk. “You’ll have that report in the morning, Jim. Goodnight, Marlena, Spock.”

Sauntering to the door, he heard the tense, hissing intake of breath from Marlena, caught a flicker of movement from Spock, and gave bemused thanks to the Vulcan for preventing Kirk’s rash, but predictable attack. Watch it, Jim. You can’t afford to risk me now.

The door cut off his ebullient laughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That arrogant, egotistical...!” Kirk fumed, wrenching his arm from Spock’s restraining hold. Marlena was directly in front of him, urgently soothing.

“Jim, it doesn’t matter, it isn’t important,” she said hurriedly. “We’ll get the information we need, it makes no difference how we get it.”

“He was threatening me, me!” Kirk spat. “I’ll have that little fuck’s hide...”

“Captain, this is unnecessary,” Spock put in. “Marlena is right. Allow him his presumption, it means nothing.” Spock was quite certain that, on the contrary, it meant a great deal, but his immediate objective was stopping Kirk’s potentially lethal rage.

“Tartarus it doesn’t,” Kirk snarled. “Who the fuck does that preening cocksucker think he is? Taking my pets and making them his?” His voice took on scathing imitation. “‘How’s the Don, Mouli?’ right in front of me? ‘We played together as children?’ What kind of crap is that?”

“He’s playing games, he can’t help it, you know that!” Marlena rejoined. “Please, Jim, you’re better than that, please!”

“Captain, we will know all he knows soon enough,” Spock continued. “We have our own sources of information. There is no need to rely on him.” He took a deep breath, daring to place his hand on Kirk’s shoulder. “Jim, he is a useful tool. One does not destroy a useful tool because it causes unthinking injury.”

Kirk shook his hand away, but he was visibly calmer. “He takes a lot of chances,” he growled.

“But we don’t have to call his bluff,” Marlena reminded gently. Spock watched as Jim stared down into Marlena’s eyes, grasping her jaw, pulling her into a fierce kiss.

“For you,” he murmured harshly. She returned his kiss, then smiled. Kirk glanced at Spock, nodding gruffly. Spock bowed his head in acknowledgment. He tried not to be aware of the silent question that passed between Kirk and Marlena, but was glad nonetheless when Kirk said, “Then you fend for yourself, Marlena. I’m going to be very busy.”

“Yes, Jim,” she demurred.

Kirk turned to him. “I have to check the Bridge. You can take Valley, I need something genuine.”

“Yes, sir,” Spock returned. “I will be most interested in having a conversation with our new science officer.”

“Do that.” Kirk turned to the door of the office. “Dismissed.”

The door opened and closed, and Marlena let out a shaking sigh of relief. “I almost didn’t think we’d be able to pull that off,” she told Spock.

Spock nodded. “We deserve much in the way of congratulations.”

She smiled, a little sadly. “More than we’re going to get.”

“No doubt. Goodnight, Marlena.”

“Goodnight, Spock.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sulu was still sauntering as he reached his quarters, nodding amiably to Paget as he passed. “Been taking care of Janice for me, Jer?” he asked blithely.

“Like she was my own, Boss,” Paget returned, grinning.

“Did she entertain you with stories of my furious passion?” He watched the gleam of longing come into the chocolate brown eyes, but Paget kept his tone nonchalant.

“She usually does.”

“I’ll bet she disguises it all as complaints.”

Paget shrugged. “If it’s a disguise, she’s good at it.”

Sulu laughed. “But you wouldn’t be, would you, Jer?” he said, then let his voice drop to a sensual murmur. “That is, if you had anything to disguise.”

Paget licked his lips, his voice just as low. “No, sir, I don’t imagine I’d be any good at that at all.”

“Keep it that way,” Sulu said, then met Paget’s eyes, holding them until the TerAfrican had to look away. “Sweet dreams,” he whispered, then entered his cabin, chuckling as the door closed behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He slipped out of his tunic, stretching luxuriously, pleased and suddenly very tired. He hadn’t realized how hard he’d been working the last week. Get some rest, let your mind stop thinking for a while before you start worrying about what to tell Kirk. He crossed the room, easing his body contentedly into his bed, pausing only long enough to discard the rest of his clothing. He sighed, settling back comfortably.

“Jeremy?” came a voice from the bathroom.

Sulu grinned. “Wrong, Janice,” he replied, his voice velvet amusement.

She was out and crossing to the bed before he had even turned, but he was quick enough to see the panicked fear change to wanton delight. She gasped out his name hungrily, flinging herself into his arms. Oh, you’re good, honey, he thought, but I’m not in the mood. He carefully put her away from him.

“How nice you’re so glad to see me,” he said.

“I’m more than glad, Sulu,” she whispered seductively.

“All right,” he conceded, then stretched again, almost breaking into peals of laughter at her aroused reaction. He let her fingers play over him, then sat up, rearranging his pillow, smiling at her as he lay back down. She returned the smile eagerly, moving on top of him. He sighed deeply, peacefully. “‘Night, Janice,” he murmured.

“What?” she asked, a little sharply.

“I said, ‘night, Janice,’” he repeated.

“But... Sulu, I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too, hon.”

She raised her head, staring at him. “It’s been a week.”

He shrugged. “Business, you know,” he said, then smiled. “Sorry.”

“Sulu....” she stammered, at a loss for further words. Anger began to flash in her eyes.

His smile widened and he drawled, “What?”

She stiffened, then writhed anxiously against him. “Honey, I need you,” she murmured urgently.

“Not tonight.”

She kissed him fervently. “Please?” He shook his head. “I want you so badly, come on, baby, I’ll make it good for you.” Her hands caressed and explored him with practiced ease.

“Janice...”

“Sulu, please...”

“Don’t beg, babe, it’s unbecoming,” he said casually.

Her voice took on an edge. “Don’t you want me?”

“I’m tired.”

Too tired?” she asked. Her every movement was so enticing, and so well rehearsed, that Sulu smiled again.

“Apparently,” he replied. He could almost hear the vehement ‘damn you’ echoing in her mind, and the quick calculation for a change in tactics. Come on, I like torture, don’t I, Janice. Tempt me with that.

“Let me change your mind,” Janice whispered. She rolled over onto her back, raising her arms above her head. “Tie me,” she said softly, “and then do what you want.”

Sulu looked at her, considering. Her lips were parted, her eyes glistening, the nakedness of her body really quite attractive. “All right, Janice,” he growled, and she shivered as he reached up, fastening the cords about her wrists with harsh, deft sensualism. She moaned as he trailed his fingers over her breasts, down her stomach and thighs, parting her legs for him as he knelt to secure her ankles. Her eyes were wide with hope and hunger, and he gave her a quick, deep kiss. “Do what I want?” he asked. She shuddered, but nodded. He grinned, and turned his back to her. “Goodnight, Janice.”

“Sulu!” she shrieked helplessly.

“I told you I was tired,” he said lightly. “What I want is to get some sleep.” He turned back to her, his eyes gleaming with relish. “Besides, Janice, I’m boring.”

He watched as the frustration turned to bitterness, then realization and resignation, then abruptly to sensual anticipation. You play me so well, don’t you? he mused. Go on, then, let’s take this all the way.

She made her eyes glitter coldly. “Did Valley wear you out or was it Costain?”

Beautiful! Brava, Janice, well done! “Actually, it was a combination of both,” he replied aloud, with a careless yawn.

Janice began struggling against the ropes. “Bastard!” she hissed, and Sulu reflected that it didn’t sound half as nice as when Ruth said it. “You son-of-a-bitch, what are you...!”

Sulu chuckled. “Of course,” he admitted. Her eyes reflected her confusion, and her helplessness. She was at a loss, she had nothing else to offer him. And she was angry that what she did have no longer worked. Puzzled, frightened, for once not of him, but of losing. And wanting desperately for it to be another game. He saw the outburst coming: worry, fear, honest anger. Go ahead, try it, you’ve tried everything else.

“Damnit, what’s wrong with you?!” she nearly screamed. Sulu turned to her, his face and voice concerned, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“What’s the matter, Janice? Losing your touch? Losing your hold? You can’t excite me, you can’t tempt me, you can’t even make me angry. Poor thing. I’m being so cruel to you, aren’t I? Isn’t that what you want? You’ve always played to keep me cruel.” He kissed her gently, devoid of passion. “Well, honey, I can do that.”

He got up, not bothering to throw on a robe, striding to the door. It opened and he beckoned to Paget. His bodyguard stepped into the cabin, his gaze sweeping furtively over Sulu’s naked body.

“Take her,” Sulu said, then grinned at her gasp. “The Booth. About an hour at, oh, say, minimum intensity." His smile widened. "Plus one.”

Janice rasped out involuntarily. “Why?!”

“You’ve been unfaithful, hon,” he replied offhandedly.

Paget paled, and Janice began stammering. “But... you never cared before!”

Sulu met Paget’s eyes reassuringly. “Who said I cared? An hour, Jer. See to it. Think of me.” He watched, smiling, as Paget untied Janice, then threw her a robe. He climbed back into his bed, relaxing completely, and closed his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jilla and Ruth waited quietly, patiently, in their cabin. Their weeping had been short-lived, Jilla’s pride at having given something important to her god easing the knowledge that she had given up all hope of ever returning home. Ruth’s tears, too, had ebbed with the despairing realization that she would not have been able to stay real if she had tried to stop Jilla. Now, all their thoughts were concentrated on Sulu’s words: Kirk and Spock are real. Make me proud. It was hard, and getting harder the longer he stayed away, but he expected them to be good, so they didn’t waste any effort on anything other than waiting.

They didn’t know how long they had waited, time no longer had any meaning. Each reveled silently in memories of Sulu's touch, his voice. He had helped them on Darius, he would not abandon them. It’s real, he said it was real, Ruth repeated to herself. Life and being, little one, echoed within Jilla’s mind.

They recognized the sound of the door, both turning to it with rising hope.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spock entered the cabin, not quite sure what he would find. What did soulless women do when their god was absent? They both looked at him, and he watched as the disquietingly hopeful expressions altered to ones of sensual attentiveness.

“Good evening, Jilla,” he said, addressing her simply because he had not, up till this point, ever engaged in conversation with Ruth Valley.

“Good evening, Commander,” Jilla murmured in return, and rose from the bed, moving without hesitation toward him. As always, the authenticity of her response captured him and he indulged himself with a full, erotic kiss before pulling away from her embrace. He found himself quite grateful that Sulu’s games had not destroyed this most pleasing attribute.

“The Captain wishes your company tonight,” he told her. There was genuine disappointment in her grey eyes, and Spock almost changed his mind. It was, however, important that he get to know Ruth as well as he knew the lovely woman before him.

“Now?” she asked softly.

Spock nodded. “The guard will take you.” He watched her glide, graceful and sensuous to the door, obedient as always. Again he had to quell the touch of envy and consternation. That Kirk could not fully appreciate her was not his affair. He turned his attention to the other occupant of the room.

Ruth stood, her head down. There was fear in her, he could feel it. She had good reason to fear him, he knew, but it was the last thing he wanted from her now. He approached her, taking a seat on the bed. She quickly sat down next to him.

What were you? he found himself wondering. What skills and abilities do you possess? I know you are independent, intelligent, self-disciplined; everyone from your universe is. Are you still useful, or has Sulu’s taming of you destroyed it? Is what he has done irrevocable? Is there some way to restore what you were, while leaving your obedience intact? What do you know, science officer, and how can I use it?

He realized she was staring at him, her eyes searching his. A touch of confusion marred the violet beauty, and she finally whispered, “Tell me how to serve you.”

He reached out, touching the molten gold of her hair. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. His previous encounter with her had been singularly unsatisfying, but he could admit that was, for the most part, his own doing. Would her response have been as genuine as her Indiian friend’s had he given her the opportunity? He found the thought suddenly arousing, fire racing through him with a life of its own. He grasped her jaw, bringing her face to his. Her lips parted in a gasp that was far more desirous than fearful, and he kissed her deeply. An honest wave of need swept through her and she melted into his embrace. As it had with Jilla, his body reacted with fierce insistence. Slowly he lowered her to the bed, for the moment totally unmindful of his original purpose. She was still wearing the purple silk that had so complimented her feline elegance. His fingers outlined her breasts, enjoying the feel of her nipples coming erect through the material. He traced down her stomach, over her hips, across and between her thighs. His need intensified as the color of the silk darkened with moisture. She moaned, her knees coming up, forcing the material to slide up her thighs. The bared, golden flesh released his hunger, and he pulled her hips to him, opening only that of his own clothing which was necessary.

The sound of the door chime pierced through the room, bringing him out of the erotic trance with cold stridency.

“What is it?” he snapped vehemently.

Sepak’s voice held a note of apology. “Captain Kirk requests your presence on the Bridge, Commander. Immediately. Forgive the intrusion.”

It was with more than a little difficulty that Spock controlled the violent flood of annoyance. He moved away from Ruth, readjusting his clothing. “Acknowledged,” he said tersely to Sepak.

Ruth looked up at him, her voice breathless. “Spock...?” she rasped. He reached down, stroking her thigh.

“I will return,” he told her before striding angrily from the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Uhura was as surprised as the rest of the Bridge crew when the turbolift opened and the Captain stormed out. She sprang to her feet, saluting with everyone else. He looked around, nodded curtly, marched the few steps to his chair and threw himself into the seat. “Status,” he demanded of Mr. Scott, who had hastily stepped back as the Captain sat.

“At norm. On course for Sector Four,” the Engineer reported.

Uhura resumed her seat and watched Kirk furtively. Why would he choose the middle of second watch to make an appearance? Shouldn’t he be resting from the strenuous demands of a weeks’ leave? Something was bothering him, that much was clear. And he was obviously looking for someone to take it out on. She turned her complete attention to her communications duties. Whoever Kirk found to take his anger out on, it wasn’t going to be her.

She received a signal from her board, and her fingers moved skillfully, bringing in the voice of Headquarters: Admiral Mendez. A new assignment, she hoped, one that would be as profitable as Kelincar.

“Headquarters, Captain,” she said. Kirk glared at her and she controlled the shudder and went on. “A new assignment from Mendez.”

Kirk grunted, “Good,” then made a call to Spock as she acknowledged the message. Spock’s bodyguard, Sepak, answered the summons, and Uhura chuckled, knowing very well what that meant.

Minutes later, the turbolift opened, carrying the First Officer. Cold came off of him in waves, at complete odds with the fire in his black eyes. Interrupted, were you, sugar? she thought with vicious sweetness.

“Reporting, Captain...” he began.

Kirk ignored the Vulcan and growled, “Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

The assignment was a simple one. Caros, a Draco mining world, was in the beginning stages of a rebellion. The Enterprise was to stop it, fast, with no destruction of the mines. Uhura smiled openly. The profit possible from this operation was enormous. She saw the flash of angry dismay on Kirk’s face as he turned and barked his acknowledgment. Spock remained as cold as ever - or perhaps a touch colder. A thrill ran up her spine. Something was up. But what? Was it possible they weren’t pleased with this assignment? How could that be?

“My office, now!” Kirk snapped at Spock. Uhura watched as Spock stiffened, then followed Kirk into the turbolift. Yes, something was definitely wrong.

She quickly used her ship-wide relays to spread the news of the new assignment. If this was something the triumvirate wanted to keep under wraps, she wasn’t about to oblige them. This could be the opening she had been waiting for.

Please, gods, she thought, let it be so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marlena walked quickly down the corridor, heading for the turbolift. The word of the new assignment was all over the ship, and she knew she would have to act quickly. Jim was already angry, something like this could push him over the edge.

On the way, she passed the Booth, saw Paget and Rand. Rand? Then what was Sulu doing? Why wasn’t he disciplining his woman? That wasn’t like him at all. He was being so dangerously incautious...

She only hoped Spock could keep Jim calm until she got there.

Both the Captain’s and the First Officer’s guards were standing outside Kirk’s office. They watched each other with wary animosity. She hesitated for a moment, steeling herself for the confrontation ahead. Get in there, she told herself. If you don’t, Jim will tear apart everything you’ve built. Spock will only take so much from him, and who else can stop them if they go at each other’s throats?

She ignored both guards and stepped into the office. The door opened to Kirk’s growl of “...right now, damnit, that’s an order!”

The door slid shut behind her. Sulu’s voice came from the intercom, insolently casual. “Right away, sir.” Kirk whirled and began shouting before she could speak, his tone thick with contemptuous fury.

“All right, you damned, pointy-eared, son-of-a-bitch, now what? We were so careful, so sure. Well, they know and what in Tartarus do we do now? It’s my head that’s on the line, mister! We either screw Draco or we screw the Empire and either way we screw ourselves!”

Spock’s eyes were icy, and he stared at Kirk with a cold, deadly fury, but his voice was carefully neutral. “We haven’t lost anything, yet.”

“Jim,” Marlena broke in urgently, knowing Spock would not accept another barrage of personal insults, “If we think this thing through, I’m sure we can...”

We?” Kirk thundered, turning on her. “You got me into this and you can damn well get me out!”

“There is an obvious solution, Kirk,” Spock said, his wintry tone an all-too-apparent threat. Kirk went white with rage and took one, blind step forward.

NO!” Marlena ordered sharply, desperation overwhelming her caution. “Stop it, both of you! You’re letting other things get involved; Sulu, the Federation women. Deal with this first, because if we don’t solve this, nothing else is going to matter!” She stared back and forth between them, feeling her courage drain out of her with the resolute anger in black and hazel eyes.

“She’s right, you know.”

Marlena pivoted to see Sulu leaning against the closed door. It frightened her to realize that she hadn’t even heard the door opening, and frightened her more when she saw that neither had Spock or Jim.

Spock turned his arctic gaze to Sulu and growled, “You find the results of your audacity most entertaining, don’t you, Sulu?”

“Because she’s right and we all know it?” Sulu replied, his voice a touch less casual. He folded his arms across his chest. “You want to stop this right here, that’s fine with me. I trust you enough not to turn Imperial evidence.” There wasn’t a hint of menace in his voice, but Marlena felt quite sure that both she and Spock had gotten his subtle warning. Sulu had enough knowledge to get both of them killed on the spot.

“We all trust one another, Sulu,” Marlena said. “Isn’t that the point of this whole thing?” She risked a glance at Spock, saw that while he was still angry, he had that anger under control. Kirk had become calmer as well, but worry and nagging fear were combining to keep his reactions sharp and scathing.

“Trust!” he snorted. “What fucking good is it doing me now? Trust, to Draco or the Empire to kill me. That’s a marvelous choice.” He grinned acidly at Spock. “Or you; you did suggest that, didn’t you, Spock?”

“Not precisely, Jim,” Spock replied with only a trace of annoyance. “And there have been other foolish things said here this evening.”

“I assume we’re already on course for Caros,” Sulu suddenly put in. “Which means we don’t have a lot of time to discuss strategy. Which way do we go?”

“Neither, if we can help it,” Marlena murmured.

Kirk’s laughter was short and derisive. “You come up with a solution by the time we reach Caros,” he snapped, “or I’m executing every miner on that planet. And a few of my senior officers might get accidentally wasted during the action.” He turned abruptly, leaving the office with angry strides.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do we really need him?” Sulu asked, only half joking, as the door closed behind Kirk’s retreating form.

“Sulu, if you cannot add anything of substance to this conversation...” Spock began warningly.

“He’s got good reason to be upset,” Marlena cut in. “It is his head, not ours.”

“Wasn’t that the idea?” Sulu grinned. Marlena shot him a furious scowl. He ignored it and went on in the same, blithe manner. “He’s a figurehead, expendable, the first thing we throw to the wolves.” He gazed serenely at first Marlena, then Spock. “If memory serves, those were the terms of this conspiracy.”

“Not yet,” Spock replied sternly. “Unless we find a way out of the current situation, the wolves will still be howling at our door after Kirk is gone. It would serve no purpose to dispose of him, and he may very well prove useful at a later time. One does not ransom one’s future for an emotional indulgence.”

Sulu shrugged. “Well, then, Spock, what do you suggest?”

“I need time to consider the situation.”

“All right. You know where I am if you need me.” He grinned again, stepping toward the office door. “I’ve got a report to prepare, don’t I?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marlena slipped through the door behind Sulu, catching up with him as he reached his cabin. He was hiding something, and she needed to find out what.

“You know, Commander,” she began as she followed him inside, “I didn’t know you were suicidal.”

“Suicidal? Me?” Sulu gasped in an oddly attractive display of mock injury. She shrugged off the thought.

“You’ve been taking too many chances lately...”

“I never take chances, Marlena,” he told her. “I don’t believe in gambling.” He smiled, openly charming.

No, don’t get caught in it, she warned herself. He hasn’t got Rand to worry about tonight.

“No?” she said, keeping her voice slightly contemptuous. “You’ve been acting strangely since coming back from Darius. I’d call that taking chances.”

“Have I?” was the cool, almost teasing reply. Marlena found she had to fight a sudden wave of attraction. Why an I finding him so enticing? He’s a monster!

“Your presumptuous answers to Jim’s legitimate questions,” she said, turning what she hoped was casually away from him. “Your subtle threats, your treatment of your woman...”

“That last is none of your business,” Sulu murmured.

“Whatever happens on this ship is my business, mister!” she snapped, turning back to him.

Sulu’s eyebrows rose in bemusement, but his eyes went cold. “Yes, ma’am,” he drawled.

“Sulu...” Marlena sighed. “Something is making you act dangerously self-assured. Won’t you trust me enough to tell me what?”

“Maybe I’m too cocky for my own good,” he said blithely.

“All right,” she growled. “Let’s drop it and talk about specifics. What’s going on with Rand?”

Sulu grinned. “Nothing.”

“Explain it.”

“Explain what?”

“Just who are you thinking of replacing her with?”

“Replacing her? There’s an idea.”

“Sulu, drop it! You didn’t send her to the Booth because you wanted the excitement!”

Sulu refused to get angry. “Marlena,” he said patiently, “I was just too tired to beat anyone, especially Janice. And the slut wouldn’t leave me alone.” He shrugged.

“You’re tired of her,” Marlena stated.

“Probably.”

“Don’t be foolish enough to try and appropriate Valley or Costain before Caros is settled.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.”

Marlena stared at the cool, unreadable eyes and the half-grin. She shook her head, turning toward the door. She wasn’t going to get any straight answers tonight.

“Marlena.” She almost froze, feeling his gaze traveling over her. “Care to stay?”

She shivered, and forced the memories of the last night spent in his bed firmly away. Even if she wanted to, there was no time for it now. She had to think, and a night with Sulu was definitely not conducive to thinking. She was able to manage a semblance of sincerity when she declined, but her heart beat a little faster as she left his quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Go to Part Thirteen

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