Chapter 1

The Myriad had arrived back to D'tula three weeks ago, they gave the Truth Sayers another ultimatum.

Malaya shook her head, raised her hand and another orange drink slid along the bar counter. She sighed and touched her stomach. She was about four weeks pregnant, of course, she really didn't know who the father was. In the aftermath of the Council meeting, Spock and the rest of her friends (thought she didn't know if she could still call them that) left, She tried to kill the quilt and depression that threatened to consume her with sex. She did have it narrowed down to three: Spock, a Klingon she had met, and her ex-husband. And though she would never admit it to anyone, she hoped it was Spock's child. To have a person that reminded her of her lost love, it filled her with a sense of happiness.

She shook her head and sipped her drink.

"Hey, beautiful." A voice slurred next to her. She turned her head.

"Get bent." She frowned, returning to nurse her drink. The Klingon beside her laughed.

"That wasn't very nice. Aren't you people suppose to be polite?" He spoke, blowing his breath into her face.

"I said, get bent. As in, leave asshole." She didn't even look up from her drink. The Klingon growled.

"What gives you the right to talk that way to me, a man?" She stayed quiet. "I asked you a question, woman." He grabbed her arm. She smashed her glass into his face and cracked his head against the counter.

"Don't touch me." She threw her money on the counter and left.
~

Kirk had kept his promise and the Enterprise stopped at Star base 18 for shore leave. While there they had acquired a few more crew members. Two medical, three science, two security and one communications. Lucky for Spock, he didn't need to show the 'newbies', as Jim referred to them, around. In fact, if someone were to look into his actions, one could say that he was avoiding them.

Kirk had ordered Spock to take his shore leave, it's for the best, he told him. They knew Spock felt personally responsible for Malaya's actions. He had confided in McCoy and Jim that he should have kept a better eye on her computer access.

"Spock, you can't blame yourself." Jim said quietly. "I gave her full access to the ships backs, it is mostly my fault."

It didn't help. Spock was reminded of her betrayal every time he opened his eyes.

"Commander Spock?" He snapped out of his thoughts. It was one of the new science officers.

"Ensign." She looked nervous, but it was expected. She was young, just out of the academy. "What can I help you with?" He turned in his chair as he waited for her answer.

"I was looking over some of the scanners and came across a piece of information that I couldn't understand. I was wondering if you could take a look at it?"

"Of course." He stood and followed her to her computer. He sat and looked at the scrolling jumble of symbols. "Call Lt. Uhura." He ordered. The ensign quickly went to the comm system.

Minutes later, Uhura walked through the doors and to her normal station.

"What is it, Commander?" She asked sleepily.

"Do you recognize this language?" She leaned forward to take a closer look.

"Oh!" She gasped. "It's a distress call from Ambassador R'gue." Spock stood to allow Uhura a better vantage point. She was silent for almost a full minute. "D'tula has declared war on them."

"Captain, please report to the bridge. It is of utmost importance."
~

A short man with a familiar scar on his face was tied to a post, weeping. Bodies of his fellow politicians lay at his feet, mutilated. Head and limbs were all detached from the trunk of the owner, the ground was thick with their blood.

Malaya took her staff and tapped it against a tree to knock some of the 'mud' off of it.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had joined us. And now because of your actions, the Federation is involved." Her stomach clenched. "Why did you send out the distress message?" She sat on her haunches and tilted her head as she waited for an answer.

R'gue raised his head from his chest. His lip was split, he was missing quite a few teeth and fingers, and his eye was swollen and bleeding. He inhaled and spat in Malaya's face. "Insolent scut!" She hissed, smacking him across his face. "You will pay for that." She stood. "Keep him alive and inform me of when the Federation arrives." She turned to the sobbing man. "You will die before you r precious Federation."

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! I was trying to get this up last night but either my old ass computer doesn't like me of FF doesn't like me either...but anyway I hope your Thanksgiving is full of turkey and all the family happiness it should.