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Captain's Log. Stardate 865321.5. Captain Kirk commanding USS Constellation. We have been ordered to Kiori on a diplomatic mission. Kior is a recent Federation member world that still maintains a strong military. Having been on deep space patrol for the last six months, I imagine that the crew is anticipating the opportunity for some shore leave...

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Kirk stepped onto the bridge, the turbolift door hissing shut behind him, unconsciously straightening his tunic. Brown-haired with blue eyes, he had a youthful face that made him seem younger than he actually was. With a smile, he glanced around at the bridge crew as he made his way to the command chair. At the front of the bridge sat Sulu and Chekov, both of them dressed in the same yellow tunic that Kirk wore. Once again, Kirk was struck by the differences between them. Of Asian descent with black hair, Sulu's dark, piercing eyes leant him a serious air. In contrast, Chekov was the only member of the crew who looked younger than Kirk, with good reason. At 16 years old, he was one of the youngest graduates of Starfleet Academy, his boyish enthusiasm only enhanced by his curly brown hair and green eyes. At the back of the bridge sat Uhura at the communications console, her severe ponytail, dark skin and strong cheekbones giving her a fierce beauty. Unlike Sulu and Chekov, she wore the red tunic that denoted her technical expertise. Finally, Kirk turned his attention to the two figures at the centre of the bridge. One was a dour, grim face man with the faint trace of a beard, his medical tricorder attached to his belt. As for the other...

'Morning, Bones,' Kirk said, cheerfully addressing his old friend, whose frown deepened.

'You're awfully cheerful considering what we're flying into...'

'It's a diplomatic mission, Bones, not an ambush...'

'Exactly. I hate diplomatic missions. You've got to spend time sucking up to people, knowing that one wrong word can cause an intergalactic incident that takes years to sort out. I'm a Doctor, not an ambassador...'

'You are today,' Kirk said, clapping him on the shoulder and turning to the figure seated in the command chair. Dressed in the same blue tunic as Bones, he looked human until you saw the pointed ears and slanted eyebrows of his Vulcan heritage.

'Spock,' Kirk said, his first Officer coming to his feet, relinquishing the command chair.

'Captain.'

'Anything to report, Spock?'

'No, sir. Dr McCoy has just been appraising me of...the potential problems that can occur during diplomatic missions...'

Kirk glanced up at Bones, who shrugged.

'Entering Reneiru System, Captain,' Sulu said.

'Thank you, Mr Sulu. What've we got?

'Pretty much what we expected, Captain. I'm detecting around 30 vessels, as well as several satellites in orbit of Kior itself.'

'Thank you. Uhura?'

'There's a lot of traffic, Captain,' she said, pressing her hand to her earpiece. 'Most of it military chatter from the sound of it...'

'Keptin,' Chekov said. 'I am detecting two vessels on an intercept course...'

'Probably the welcoming committee. What can you tell me, Chekov?'

'Both vessels appear to be military, sir. Sensors are registering a faint nuclear signature...'

'Nuclear?'

'Aye, sir. Kior vessels are powered by nuclear fission. I'm also detecting heavy armour plating, rail cannons and rocket batteries...'

'They're powerful, too,' Sulu added. 'According to my calculations, they could actually outpace our Impulse drives once they get up to flank speed.

'We're being hailed, Captain.'

'Thank you Uhura,' Kirk said, standing up. 'On screen.'

Uhura tapped a sequence into her console and an image of a stern faced figure appeared on the viewscreen. He was tall with dark hair and a faint red tint to his skin, dressed in a khaki military uniform, a short row of dots running down his forehead to the bridge of his nose.

'This is Captain Kirk, commander of the Federation starship Constellation. On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, we...'

'I am Colonel Gutamaris of the Kiori vessel Corox. State your intentions.'

I was just about to... Kirk thought, keeping his expression calm with an effort. Out loud, he said

'Acknowledged. Corox. We are here on behalf of the United Federation of Planets to...'

'We will escort you into planetary orbit. You will follow us. Corox, out.'

'Cheerful bunch,' Bones muttered and Kirk grinned.

'Follow them in, Sulu. Slow and steady.'

'Aye, sir,' Sulu said, glancing at Chekov. 'Give me a three second impulse burst. Inertia should do the rest...'

'Aye,' Chekov said, tapping at the controls and Kirk felt the faint humm through the deck as the engines fired.

Here we go...

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'Entering orbit, Keptin,' Chekov announced. 'Our escorts are moving away...'

'It's not like they're needed,' Bones said. 'Look at those weapon platforms. They've got more firepower than the fleet put together...'

'On the contrary, Doctor,' Spock said. 'Their technology is relatively primitive and...'

'It was a metaphor, Spock...' McCoy growled as Uhura turned away from her station.

'Receiving a transmission from the planet, Captain...'

'On screen,' Kirk said, the viewscreen flickering to life again to show a Kiori in a dark blue tunic with a silver emblem on the left breast of his jacket.

'This is Captain Kirk of the USS Constellation,' Kirk said, standing up.

'Captain Kirk, on behalf of my people, allow me to welcome you and your crew to Kiori. My name is Ambassador Macusendos. I am providing you with the co-ordinates of our transporter station...'

'Thank you, Ambassador,' Kirk said. 'With your permission, I and my First Officer will beam down immediately...?'

'Of course. I look forward to meeting you in person,' he said, closing down the link and the viewscreen went blank.

'You have the conn, Chekov,' Kirk said, heading towards the turbolift...

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'Ah, Captain Kirk. Welcome to Kiori...'

'Thank you, Ambassador,' Kirk said, shaking off the momentary disorientation that came with transporting and stepped off the Pad. 'May I present my First Officer, Commander Spock...'

'Welcome, Commander...'

'Ambassador...' Spock said, inclining his head towards him.

'Well. The President is waiting for you. If you'll follow me...'

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Kirk and Spock followed Macusendos through ornate, wood panelled corridors until they arrive at a set of double doors guarded by two soldiers in dress uniform, each with a rifle held at their sides. As they approached, the guards wordlessly stepped aside to open the doors and Kirk could feel their eyes on him as they stepped through. Inside, a curved wooden desk sat on a raised Dias beneath a circular skylight, a tall, broad-shouldered Kiori standing next to it. He was dressed in a finer version of the tunic that Macusendos was wearing, his being made of a deep red fabric tied with a black sash around the waist.

'President Teodisclas,' Macusendos said. 'May I present Captain Kirk and Commander Spock from the United Federation of Planets...'

'Ah. Welcome, Captain. Commander,' Teodisclas said, striding down the steps towards them. 'I regret that I have only a few minutes to give to you...'

'Time is one of the first casualities of command, Mr President,' Kirk said and Teodisclas smiled.

'Indeed. However, there will be a formal reception for you and your officers at 1900 hours. I'm afraid it will be heavy on pomp and circumstance, but these things do seem to go hand in hand with politics.

'We would be honoured, Mr President...'

'Excellent. Until later, Captain...

'Good day, Mr President...'

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'Captain on the bridge,' Sulu said as Kirk and Spock stepped off the turbolift, Chekov rising from the command chair.

'Anything to report, Mr Chekov?' Kirk asked.

'No, sir. Everything has been very quiet. Their military vessels have been running regular patrols throughout the system, but we've seen nothing to suggest it's anything other than routine.'

'Thank you, Chekov,' Kirk said, dropping into the captain's chair just as the turbolift doors hissed open and a short-haired man with a cheerful expression bounded into the bridge.

'Mr Scott,' Kirk said, turning towards his chief engineer. 'Perfect timing. President Teodisclas has invited us all to a formal ceremony this evening. I want all senior officers to report to Transporter Room 1 at 1830 in full dress uniform. Also, all available officers and enlisted personnel are expected to attend. Mr Sulu, you'll co-ordinate the shift roster...'

'Aye, sir...'

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Kirk tugged at his dress uniform collar as he stepped into the Transporter room where the rest of the senior officers were already waiting.

'Do you have the coordinates, Scotty?' Kirk asked.

'Aye, sir. All locked in an standing by.'

'Excellent. Well, let's not keep our host waiting...' Kirk said, leading the way onto the Transporter pad and nodding to the Transporter Chief. 'Energise.'

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.