Omicron Ceti VII Mission

The Enterprise is orbiting the planet Omicron Ceti VII, Kirk sitting in his command chair with a big smile on his face, licking his lips in anticipation of the prize waiting for him below. The purplish green planet had so much enriched in dilithium crystal and beryllium, Kirk is practically dancing in his seat.

The purplish green planet of Omicron Ceti VII shown on the Enterprise's viewscreen as the ship orbited the planet. Kirk sat in his command chair, licking his lips in anticipation of the prize that awaited below. Enriched dilithuium and beryllium. He knows the people are mild, like the Haulkins, just showing a little of what the Empire could do to them if they resisted would make them fall at his feet. Then, he could aim for a bigger target, Empire Fleet headquarters. This mission would guarantee his promotion or he would take out Komack, whichever came first, his place is next to the Emperor commanding his fleet.

Kirk already sent four shuttlecraft full of security guards and geologists to designated locations near the settlement. Led by Sulu and Scotty, all they had to do was wait for a signal from Kirk.

The landing party consisted of Kirk, Uhura, McCoy and geologist D'Amato. Uhura had already practiced her part to make sure negotiations would go smoothly. Most importantly, she was to make sure they were telling the truth.

Paplin had been successfully hiding his people from the Empire for decades, he knew how ruthless the Empire was, but the population had grown and keeping everyone hidden was a daily chore. It was fate that an ore ship was spotted leaving his planet, he was secretly selling the precious stone to smugglers. Now he's at the mercy of the most ruthless captain in the fleet, he had no choice but to cooperate or die.

Kirk wanted to find out if Paplin would tell the truth and test his theory.

"How long have you been mining dilithium?"

"We actually don't mine it, we consider them worthless stones laying around the ground," Paplin said with his head held high.

Kirk tilted his head and glared at Paplin before looking at Uhura with the translator in her hand.

"He's lying."

"I agree with Uhura captain," added McCoy.

Uhura used her keen hearing and the universal translator to monitor stresses in Paplin's voice, while McCoy used his tricorder to register Paplin's increasing pulse and elevated breathing.

Kirk slowly approached Paplin and gently placed his arm around his shoulder.

"I understand you care a lot about your people, I understand. I feel the same about my crew, we would do almost anything to save our people. You giving us the dilithium, that would save them."

"We don't have it, we never did. Please tell the Empire we don't have it."

Kirk gave a wicked chuckle before he sharply turned Paplin towards his crew by his shoulder.

"It is sad that you say that, you're telling me that my crew is not doing their job. That they are lying to me, and the mineral is not on this planet. It's not nice to say that Paplin, you have no heart for your people if you're keeping such information from me."

Kirk just shook his head, and pulled out his agonizer, placing it over Paplin's upper shoulder. He screamed and fell to the ground, writhing in pain, Kirk kicked him in the back while cursing. The others watched as the event unfolded. Kirk chuckled at the man's state, kneeling down to remove the device.

"Should you reconsider your answer now?" he smirked.

Paplin lay in a fetal position, breathing hard he had prepared himself for this. He knew the Empire would torture him for the dithilum, he told his people he would sacrifice his life to protect them and the mineral.

"I can not give what I don't have, captain!"

Kirk looked into his face and a sinister smile formed. "I understand and I'm sorry to have trouble you, do you forgive me?"

Paplin looked into his eyes and knew he was lying, it was another ploy, and he couldn't answer as fear crept into his mind.

Kirk stood up and walked to Uhura, "Contact Spock."

She flipped her communicator open and paged Commander Spock. Kirk spoke, "Mr. Spock, Paplin says there are no dilithium crystals down here, only scattered stones."

"Interesting Captain, Lt. D'Amato just indicated that a large seam of the crystal, with accompanying mining facilities, is 1.25 km from you."

"Can you verify that?"

"Yes Captain, Geologist D'Amato has the coordinates as we speak and will guide you to the exact location if you wish."

Kirk shook his head. "Tsk tsk, that my friend was not a good answer, now we don't have trust. If I don't have trust... then I have no use for you."

Kirk waved McCoy over, he opened up his medical kit and retrieved a hypo. He walked towards Kirk with a smile, McCoy could be diabolical. The drug of choice for today would dry poor Paplin up from the inside. Desiccating his internal organs causing them to shut down, then McCoy keep him alive just to see him squirm. He would often use people as guinea pigs, just to see the results. McCoy knelt down, ready to administer the shot, while the guards stood over him with their phasers pointed at Paplin. Paplin was willing to die for his people.

Kirk just smiled down at him, "That is just one of your mines, we need the others. You're smuggling cargo across the galaxy, so where is the rest?"

Paplin only closed his eyes and wondered how long he could hold out, but he had to save his people, they must remain safe. He held his head down and waited for doom to come. As long as his people were safe.

McCoy looked at Kirk for the signal and Kirk slowly nodded 'yes'. McCoy was aiming for his arm, about to inject his newest drug.

"Captain, may I have a word with Paplin?"

Everyone turned to Uhura, as if she had crushed their favorite toy. Kirk gave her a snarl for interrupting his kill. Uhura stared them all down. Then Kirk thought about it and stepped back, waving at the others to give her room. McCoy looked disappointed before he ground his teeth and glared at Uhura.

She strutted across the ground and knelt next to Paplin, knowing her idea would be more acceptable than what Kirk was doing. She looked into his eyes and spoke to him in his language.

"Paplin, I see where you are coming don't like the Empire, many planets don't. This is the universe we live in, do you agree?"

Paplin slowly nodded his head.

"I want you to think of this solar system, this planet, the people on this planet. The ISS Enterprise is well known, well respected, and they get what they want. We are here on a mission, a mission for dilithium crystals, the mainstay of my Empire. They want it. I'm going to help you before McCoy gives you his cocktail potion that will make you wish for death."

Uhura got closer to his ear and almost whispered.

"I will ask the captain to let you live, you will need to live to bury the people that were killed by us, because you refused the Empire their rights. You will be left alone on this planet with all those bodies for you to bury By. Your. Self. So? What do you say and give us those mines."

Paplin thought of the idea, it scared him more. His people were all dead-dead in the deep caverns because of the stones that the Empire wanted. A race, extinct because of a mineral, could he live with himself if he was the only survivor of a massacre. Sweat dripped from his brow, his lips trembled at the thought. He was ready to sacrifice himself, but not his people.

"Okay, okay Kirk you win, you. Win."

Uhura stood up and walked back next to D'Amato who looked at her in shock. While Kirk and McCoy could only smile, then Paplin gave them the information. Mission Accomplished.

Kirk turned to Paplin and sneered at his guards. "Kill him for lying to me!"

Hours later, laid between two sleeping women, Kirk didn't know what to think or say, Uhura had pulled it off. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that Nyota would be a good woman to keep at his side. She would be his negotiator, communication officer, and lover. He imagined himself as admiral with Nyota hanging off his arm, both of them could reign together. How could he offer her that in such a way that she would agree to it?

Not realizing that Kirk wants to make her his, Nyota lay in her bed alone, with a winning smile on her face. Kirk pulled it off again, with a ton of dilithium crystal stored on the ship's dock. "It was a perfect plan, it will work, now when should we make our move?" Nyota thought.

Meanwhile, Spock was sitting in the dim light, thinking about the same thing that had been haunting him for the last three years. What was once a tiny flame has morphed into the size of a small campfire for Nyota Uhura. The mission is complete, Kirk has his precious gems, the Empire has an endless supply of conveniently accessible dilithium. Spock sat up when he heard his chimer and let Semek enter, who stood silent and waited.

"Semek, speak your peace."

Semek walked to Spock and stood before him,slowly looking into Spock's eyes, he saw the flames stirring. Semek knelt and bowed.

"S'haile, I hope that I have served you well."

"Semek, you have served me well, what are your thoughts?"

"S'haile Spock, I beg for forgiveness, I see the fire in your eyes. I am here to serve."

Spock sat quietly for a moment and processed his friend's words. "He knows"

"How long have you known?"

" Approximately one week Spock, I have come to ask you to release the request to extinguish Lt. Commander Scott. It will draw attention to your condition, which is a private matter."

"I see your logic, and I agree. It's just. That. It's hard to control."

"I am aware and I will protect your bondmate Spock, you have chosen her. When she becomes your wife, I will pledge to protect her as well, as will Healer Shath."

"Then we must prepare for my.."

Spock's voice trailed off, the thought of his 'Time' coming sooner than he had expected a discomfiting distraction. Each time a male approaches Nyota, to touch her, to breathe her in, his fire grows. Even being near her made the flames glow, it was expediting his loss of control. It took every ounce of his strength to sit in the command chair during the Omicron mission, flexing his hands to stay in control of his rising emotions. Should T'Pring sense the rising opportunity, if she sensed him begin to slip, what would she do? Would he take her during his full blown Pon-Farr? Then his fate would be sealed, trapped and doomed for eternity. But the beast is not interested in T'Pring, it didn't move or growl for her, it is only for Nyota that he shows his fiery eyes. He burned for her, he could only mate with her, Spock realized that. But how long can he maintain his composure? He looked at his long time friend and was grateful for him. Spock's eyes softened.

"I am grateful to Healer Shath and to you. Our families have endured much turmoil since the Empire rose. We will unite once more, old friend, your guidance has again saved me from illogical thoughts and decisions. Go, you need rest and sustenance."

Semek bowed to his longtime friend and left to get rest before another round of monitoring, and losing, Uhura. He too wondered how the women managed to be so elusive. Semek needed first to report to Shath about Spock's ongoing condition.