How to Steal a Billion Credits

Marlena and Janice went back to the planet with Kirk, who was all too happy to return to his wheeling and dealing. He left Scotty angry and in charge. He'd had plans on gambling, and was seeing red at the loss of credits. As far as he was concerned, this could all be laid at Uhura's feet.

Below decks Eve and Charlene, with a few of her team members, were drilling and soldering walls, moving equipment to make room for their new shipment. She only gave them limited instructions and information on the plan, so no one would give the other person away.

Mira was working in engineering and she too had found storage locations for the crystals they would be moving, they had established both decoy and real places. Everything was going to plan now that Kirk was off the ship, Mr. Spock was on medical leave and Mr. Scott had been so blinded by his anger at being in charge that he was getting drunk on Scotch at his station on the bridge.

Tina had her own concerns and had made up her mind on how to handle them. It had been almost two days since she had heard that Nyota was alive, but the Vulcans were keeping her in Mr. Spock's suites. Tina adjusted her uniform, double checked her phaser and knives and walked down the corridor to their suites. She stopped in front of two Vulcan guards and looked up into their intense eyes, stating firmly,

"I want to see my mistress."

Falor looked at Stonn in confusion and stared back at the young female from her request. Stonn spoke to her,

"No one is to enter Commander Spock's quarters. You must leave."

Tina stepped across to the opposite side of the corridor. With her hands on her knives, she looked and stated sternly,

"I will not be leaving, I too will stand guard."

The Vulcan guards stared and stood with Tina as accompaniment.

" I won't let you down again Nyota," she said to herself.

Secured in engineering Charlene, Eve and Mira prepared to move the dilithium.

Eve snickered and said, "Here are the coordinates to the crystals, I had one of the women mark it off. The guards didn't even notice."

They input the coordinates. "Great job, now for the moment of truth. After it's done we don't see each other at all," reminded Charlene.

They nodded their heads in agreement. Taking a deep breath, Mira and Charlene went to a small computer relay board and initiated their program. Once the program was complete the crystals that were in Kirk's control started to disappear to different hiding locations around the ship. Once it was done, smiles formed on their faces.

"By the time Kirk finds out, our alibis will be in place," said Eve.

"Let the chase begin ladies, be safe," said Mira.

Each woman gave a hug, knowing what was going to happen next. Charlene secretly transported them back to their locations.

Kirk, McCoy and his Vixens came back to the ship in a happy group two days later. He stepped down from the transporter pad in a good mood, chuckling at his guards' report that Spock had not emerged from his quarters.

"Spock must be doing a bang up job!" said McCoy clapping his hands.

Kirk went to the intercom and paged the bridge,

"Scotty, how did it go?"

"Everything is normal, Captain, everyone's aboard."

Kirk turned to his ladies, "Let's go ladies. I need to change and check on the latest reports from the Empire."

Marlena looked shocked at first, "Uhm, I thought we were going to another pleasure planet?"

"Oh yeah, we will. I need to take care of Spock first."

Two guards escorted Kirk and the Vixens to their quarters, one in front and the other carrying their duffle bags behind them. They entered their quarters, the women smiling after being taken care of by Kirk on the pleasure planet. Refreshing himself, he quickly changed clothes before heading out to check on his precious treasure.

Strolling down the corridor with a swagger in his step and a smile on his face, he was followed by his stern-faced personal guards. His crew saluted him as he headed for the lower decks. When he reached the storage areas the two guards that stood outside saluted him and stepped aside. Kirk used a special button on his belt to open the door and walked in to an unwelcome surprise.

"What the f$ck!? Where's my dilithium!?"

Kirk's face morphed into that of a crazy man.

"Get those two men in here!"

The two guards were dragged into the room and stood in front of Kirk as he snarled.

"Where's my f$ckin' crystals?"

The two men stood paralyzed in fear at his question, his personal guards drawing their phasers in response to his fury. Kirk reached for their agonizers and placed one on each of their shoulders, his guards grabbing their holstered phasers from their belts. The two men fell to the floor screaming in pain, while Kirk questioned them as they writhed in agony on the floor.

"Where?! Where .Are. They?!"

The veins in Kirk's neck were popping out in frustration, as he looked at the few crystals remaining in his possession, unable to believe someone on the ship had actually stolen from him. He balled his fist and hit the two men on the floor who were still screaming from the agonizers. Kirk took a deep breath and removed them, his guards taking aim.

"Talk, it better be a good answer."

The first guard, breathing heavily, held his still spasming shoulder,

"I swear Captain, no one has been in here. I pledge, no one approached us while we were on duty."

Kirk grabbed him by his collar and snarled,

"Then how are my crystals GONE?!"

Kirk punched him in the face. Looking up at his personal guard Jamal, he told him, "Sound red alert and get the Chief of Security down here now!"

"Captain, Chief of Security Sulu is dead, sir!"

Kirk growled, "Then send me DeSalle"

"Yes, sir!"

Jamal scrambled away from Kirk's wrath, the ship's klakson blaring as he initiated the red alert. Kirk started looking around at his storage, once full of crystals, it looked like more than half of them were gone. Who could have taken it? He felt that he was the butt of the biggest joke in the universe. Running his hand through his hair in anger, he ground his teeth. Someone is after him, his position, and they were interfering with his plans.

DeSalle came into the room and saluted, "Captain, sir!"

Kirk turned to address the burly man, " You are now Chief of Security."

Michael was pleased with the promotion, "Thank you, SIR!"

"Your first duty is to interrogate these two. They have something to do with the theft of my crystals. Find anyone, and I mean anyone connected, to espionage. I want updates every hour. Think you handle the job?"

"Yes, consider it done, sir!"

DeSalle saluted and ordered his men to drag the two security guards to interrogation. The door closed behind them and Kirk stood alone, trying to control his anger, his breathing was around the room again, he wondered how his treasure had disappeared from under him. Kirk left the storage area in a flurry with his personal guards in tow.

Heading straight to the intercom, he slammed his thumb down on the button, "BONES! GET THE HELL DOWN TO STORAGE!"

While Kirk was waiting for McCoy,He thought of the chain of events since the Enterprise was stationed at Wigley's. he considered the events that had led up to this moment; Uhura being attacked, Boma and Sulu dead. He wondered if there was a connection, did Uhura take it and they caught her? Or They took it and Uhura caught them? Kirk wanted to pull his hair out, his face twisted in anger.

McCoy came in panting, "What is it, JIM?"

"Someone stole my crystals. I have the two guards in the agonizers now."

"WHAT THE DEVIL? How are we going to find it?"

"I was reviewing the timeline, from the last time I saw them, to before we went back to the planet."

"Then we need to search the ship?"

Kirk gave McCoy a grave look. "Don't you think I know that? But first I need to think, who would do it?"

"Jim, it could be anybody. I don't understand, who would risk it?"

A nasty smirk formed on Kirk's face, "It had to be Scotty."

"WHAT!? He works with us, what's his motive?"

"He's mad I won't let him get his revenge for Uhura taking his finger. Well, I have something for him. You get squared away in sickbay, and I will keep you informed. I'm going to take care of business, I want my damn crystals back!"