Mistrust in All Things

Kirk sat brooding in McCoy's private office, still frustrated about his missing shipment and that Spock was not reachable. Noticing the silence, McCoy hands Jim a drink.

"Jim, you've checked everywhere on this ship! It has got to be on that planet!"

Jim sulkily accepts the drink. He can't believe that someone could get his dilithium off the ship, right under his nose. Someone has betrayed him, someone he hasn't found yet, and they've caught him in his own game. He couldn't figure out who had done it, or why. People will keep paying the price until the missing crystals are found! They are his ticket to High Command-he needs it all to follow through, and then there is Nyota. She would have ensured the successful negotiation of his bidding-Sulu and Boma ruined that. Something about it all has been nagging at him, making him wonder if all those incidents are related to his missing crystals. He threw his empty glass against the wall.

"F CK!"

Bones watched the glass shatter and looked at his miserable captain.

"Now I have to get you another glass. I'm giving you a plastic one so you don't keep destroying my good glasses."

Kirk grumbled in anger, "Not funny Bones, I've done everything possible to find my stuff. How can you hide a half-ton of crystals? ON MY SHIP!"

"JIM! Like I said before, do you really think it's on the ship? You looked up and down this ship in places I wouldn't have thought of, damn it Jim. You even looked in the coffins of dead people. You searched everywhere possible! I think they are somewhere back on Wrigly's planet, it's the only way they could pull it off!"

"I hear you Bones, but WHO?! I need to know who and why." Kirk slammed his fist hard on the table.

Kirk rubbed his temples, the pain in his fist a sting compared to the pain in his head. Someone had gotten the best of him, making him more irritable. Kirk took a deep breath,

"Let's go back to Wrigley's, I just don't know where to start looking."

"You need credits to put the word out for an overflow of crystals. Someone knows something on that planet. There are no secrets there."

Kirk hit the intercom for the bridge and Chekov responded.

"Bridge Chekov."

"Yes Captain?"

"Turn this ship around, we're headed back to Wrigley's, give me warp 8."

"Right away Captain."

Kirk punched the button off, and leaned back with his eyes closed.

"Jim, go get some rest, have some fun with your ladies. You need to relax a bit. This thing is getting to you and the crew. You don't want to lose them. Even if you are the best in the Empire, you need their loyalty."

"You're right." Kirk slowly stood up.

Bones went to his special stash of drugs, and gave him some pills, chuckling.

"Take these when you're with your women. It will take some of the stress off and these guys keep your stamina going."

"You saying I need a good f k?" Kirk laughed at the idea, taking the pills and swallowing them. "I'll take your advice."

Kirk sighed as he ran his hand through his dark blond hair and headed for the door. His guards followed him to his quarters and then he gave his last instructions to his guards.

"Get DeSalle to make sure Chekov is heading in the right direction. Inform me of any evidence no matter how small, let me be the judge."

"Yes Captain."

One of the guards left while the other took his position in front of the door. Kirk walked into his dimly lit room and saw his two women lounging on their chaise doing their nails. They smiled when they saw him and they both slowly got up.

"Hey Jim baby, you look tense, let us fix you a hot bath."

Marlena walked by, trailing her hand across his chest and smiling.

Janice put on soft music and pulled out fresh clothes for him. Then she approached Kirk and started taking off his clothes.

"Don't worry baby, we'll take care of you."

When all three were completely naked, they led Kirk to the steamy tub in the bathroom. Kirk stepped in and relaxed. when Janice and Marlena climbed in behind him to start massaging his shoulders and cleaning his body. Kirk moaned in appreciation during their ministration, it helped his body relax some, but his mind was still on his crystals. He couldn't let it go-someone is after him and they are using the shipment as bait or collateral, that he knows for sure. The water swished and he felt kisses going across his chest and waist followed by giggles and moaning. Kirk dozed off for 20 minutes, when he awoke he felt refreshed. He stood and let his women dry and moisturize him. Kirk looked at his women, who were dressed provocatively in matching teddies. He looked around and saw they had set a table with food.

"Come here Jim baby, eat, you must be hungry." Marlena said sultrily.

The three of them sat down and started eating.

"Jim baby, those missing crystals had you wound up," stated Janice as she put a piece of melon between Kirk's lips.

"It's driving me crazy. I can't figure it out, who is out to get me?"

Kirk was flustered again, his mind racing on who was plotting against him. His eyes darted left and right. Without Spock to bring reason, things were looking complicated. Maybe it was Spock, maybe someone close to him.

Janice commented, "I can hardly wait for this drama to end."

"Me too, I hate being suspected."

Kirk looked at Marlena sharply and stood. She stood up and stepped back, looking at Kirk. She saw Kirk a glint of madness in his eye before he lunged at her, grabbed her neck, and pushed her against the wall.

"Yes, yes, you know something don't you!"

Marlena struggled against him, clawing at his hand to release her, trying to speak. Janice leapt up and wrestled with his arm to try to get him to release Marlena.

"Jim, what are you doing!? Let her go!"

"You two are the closest to me, it has to be you!" Kirk snarled.

"Jim, let her go! You're killing HER!"

Janice beat at Kirk's arm, until he finally released Marlena. She crumpled to the ground, choking and coughing, with tears running down her face. Janice knelt down to comfort her, glaring up at her one-time lover and snarled.

"What is wrong with you?"

"I could replace you, both of you, at any time!" He stared at them, his face strained in his state of anger.

"What the F ck? She only asked because it's hard to do our jobs. They think we ratted them out! Then on top of that, you have us watched all the time! Why would we betray you, how could we even do that?"

Janice said the bold face lie with a straight face. He could kill them both if she didn't keep up the act.

Kirk was losing his mind. He needed to find answers, he also had to figure out when they'd get back to Wrigley's so he could start searching for the crystals. He looked at his women on the floor, and went to get dressed. He didn't know who to trust, he even doubted his women, he knew that they were loyal. His stolen stash was driving him nuts. He needed to find answers, NOW! He went to the intercom, stepping over the women to reach his desk.

"DeSalle!"

"DeSalle, here Captain."

"Any updates?"

"Nothing sir, it's like they were never here!"

"I want you and your security team to meet me at Spock's quarters."

"Yes sir, right away."

Then he paged McCoy,

"Bones!?"

"Yeah Jim!"

"Meet me at Spock's quarters, I've got to find my stuff. I need to be sure they are not there."

"Meet'cha there."

Kirk walked to the door and turned one last time to see Janice helping Marlena up from the floor. Janice glared at Jim as he left for Spock's quarters.

She carefully settled Marlena in a chair as she wiped her eyes in disbelief said in a quivering voice.

"He. he. he tried to kill me Jan. Jim tried to kill me."

Jancie held Marlena and knew that the little play they were in was over. There was no turning back.

"I know girl, those dilithium crystals have got him messed up real bad."

"What are we going to do? We are expendable now." Marlena realized that this was real, he could have killed her as she continued to rub her neck.

"At least we know where we stand, he was going to replace us once he moved up."

Marlena wiped her eyes again, and said with anger.

"I hate him!"

She got up and ran to the Tantalus field panel, she typed in the latest codes and it didn't budge.

"Damn, he changed them. I want to kill him!"

Janice reached for her, and hugged Marlena.

"Listen, we did the right thing. It's better this way. We get our share and stick with our plans. We'll find a better life than this."

Marlena nodded carefully in agreement, and the both hugged each other.

"We'll be our own bosses," said Janice.

Marlena looked at Janice, gave a subtle smile and pulled out her special communicator.

"Thanks, let's contact Nyota, and let her know that the Tantalus field codes have been changed.