A/N:

Rewritten.

.bdobd.

The sound that Jim made when he remembered that he had wanted to call Leighton was caught on the security cameras and saved by the security team for use as valuable blackmail material. The captain insisted that it was a wild tribble who'd made the high-pitched squeak, but he didn't convince anyone – though they gave him points for trying.

Jim gave Spock the conn and ran back to his quarters, calling up Tom's old comm number.

The face that appeared on the holoscreen was that of a man who'd clearly put his best years behind him. The Kodos Genocide had prematurely lined the brunette's face – or 'weathered' it, as he preferred – and the eyepatch that covered the left half of his face didn't really help his profile. He'd had used this to his advantage in his last successful campaign, 'given all for his government,' or some similar BS.

Jim had tried to call him on this, but Leighton had shrugged and pointed out that if anyone was going to use his face for or against him, it was going to be him, damnit. It wouldn't do to have his opponent using the patch in commercials that made sly connections between most politicians and demons, but not exactly the politician that looks sort of demonic, you understand, because that would be uncouth, but sort of a lot of them.

There were very many and very few ways to respond to this. Jim hadn't, and they had continued discussing the benefits of eucalyptus in peace.

Leighton's good eye widened. "Kirk? Jim Kirk? Is that you?"

The blond laughed. "No Tom, it's Gav. Of course it's me, you idiot; who'd you think I was?"

"One of those damned reporters." He sounded rueful. "They've been hounding me ever since Tishri lost."

"Yeah, I heard. I can't believe she's out; she's been there for years."

Tom seemed taken aback. He'd clearly meant this to as a big revelation, and had to work quickly to recover from being seriously out-cooled. "Um, yeah… How'd you, um, know?"

"Spock. He's a gossip."

"Is he really?" Tom grinned happily. "That's hilarious."

"You have no idea," Jim beamed. "So," he leaned forward, "what's all this about Starbase XI?"

Tom's lips twitched. "No small talk for the captain now, huh?"

Jim spluttered indignantly. "I gave you plenty of cannon fodder! Now spill."

Tom snorted. "First of all, how the hell do you know about the base chair? It hasn't been announced!"

"Mom."

"Christ." Tom shook his head, "I should've known. It's not that big a deal, really, Barnett and I are going to be the First and Second chair of the-"

"BARNETT?" Kirk planted his hands flat on his desk. "Commodore Barnett? That Barnett?"

The older man blinked, "Well yeah, he's the First chair."

"What the fuck?"

Leighton blinked. "What's with that voice? It's not that bad. It's a job –,"

Kirk wasn't finished. "What the fucking hell is that idiot thinking? The Admiralty's nearly dead from exhaustion, the Reconstruction's going slowly, and the fucking Commodore is going off to play head secretary for a fucking Starbase? I can't believe-"

"For god's sakes, it's not that big a deal-!"

"It's a huge deal-!"

"He had his reasons, just like I had mine."

Kirk was still seething. "Who's Third chair?" he ground out.

"No one yet, but I'll bet it's not Arya."

"Who?"

"Arya, she was Tishri's campaign manager."

Jim raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "Yeah, well she's not very good at her job, now is she?"

"Well, yeah. But usually she's pretty good. She knows the Fed regs backwards, for Christ's sakes, but she can't seem to get elected. It looks like she can campaign for anyone but herself."

Jim winced sympathetically. "Ouch. That must bite."

"Yeah, no kidding."

A woman's voice came from Leighton's end. "Sir, you have a call on the public line."

Tom looked back at the sound, "Thanks, I'll take it in a sec, "and turned back to Kirk. "Sorry Jim, gotta go."

"'S fine. Nice talking to you."

"You too. See ya later."

"Bye. Good luck, by the way."

Tom grinned. "Thanks, Jim. Leighton out."

"Kirk out."

The screen went blue, then disappeared. Jim stood, stretched, and left his quarters. He really should be on the bridge.

.bdobd.

The next day, the Enterprise was ordered to attend a diplomatic function on Planet 41 Beta, which was almost embarrassingly unusual. The flagship was, under most circumstances, the most often assigned to these sorts of things.

These were not most circumstances.

While the crew of the Enterprise was generally and correctly considered awesomeness cubed, it was common knowledge (inside the Fleet, at least) that they weren't exactly Public Relation's favorite group. They were pretty, yes, but the Captain had an odd talent for arriving either pissed or bruised to a photo shoot; the First Officer gave one word answers to all questions; the Chief Medical Officer was just weird; and the Chief Engineer spoke with such an accent that no one could truly understand him.

So, yeah, they hadn't gone to many functions.

And if things continued to go the way they were going, they wouldn't be assigned to any more.

'Not like that's our fault,' Jim thought sourly, 'We weren't told a fucking thing.'

The Zedakitans, who were hosting the gala, were understandably concerned with the seemingly petty squabbles of one Starbase XI. Since Jim had been expressly ordered to come alone – the brass had apparently thought that he'd get into less trouble all by his lonesome – he couldn't just turn and ask Spock for help. Which led to a great many identical conversations:

ZEDAKITE 1: Excuse me, good Captain. Do you know of the opinions of Starbase XI's head administrative board, in regards to our admittance?

JIM: You know, I don't actually. I'm sorry.

ZEDAKITE 1: Oh, all right. (ZEDAKITE 1 goes and reports to GROUP OF ZEDAKITES, who now think JIM is an idiot.)

This happened at least fourtimes before the hosts realized that this was going nowhere fast and decided to just go ahead and give him the tour of their shuttle hangers, something which had been scheduled for the day afterwards. Cargo ship, cargo ship, warship, warship, warship, transport shuttle, transport shuttle – snoozeville.

All of this combined made for a very angry Kirk at the end of the day, one who was asking for Spock even before he'd fully rematerialized in the transporter.

.bdobd.

Commander Spock had been working inside of the Science Labs for less than an hour when an irate Captain Kirk could be heard storming down the hall. The blonde man opened the lab doors and glowered darkly inside.

"Does anyone know where the Commander is?" he growled.

The Vulcan in question was wearing heavy goggles and protective clothing, the probable reason for the captain's apparent confusion. Spock was hand-feeding what appeared to be a blue geranium. "I am present, Captain."

"Get out here, I need help." The geranium's petals opened to reveal sharp, pointed teeth. It stretched upwards to grab the food pellet out of the Vulcan's hand and started chewing noisily. Spock motioned for Lieutenant Martan to approach and handed her the small tin of plant food.

"This requires four more servings of peridoxide. See to it." He pulled off his protective gear and walked over to Jim. "You require my presence."

Kirk, who seemed distracted by the look of utter horror on the Lieutenant's face, didn't respond. The lab technicians did not have enough practical experience with carnivorous plants. It was only logical to give them the opportunity to learn.

"Captain?" Spock prompted.

Kirk started. "Sorry. Yeah. I need to know everything you know about Starbase XI's administrative board. The Zedakitians are asking questions and I don't know a damned thing."

Spock considered for a moment. "As their opinions are considered classified information, it would seem unwise to have this discussion in the hallway."

"That's fine. Where do you want to go?"

"Would my quarters be an acceptable location? Conference and recreational facilities are under constant surveillance."

Kirk seemed ready to comment on something, then shrugged. "Sounds good to me." The pair boarded the nearest lift. It stopped at Deck C and they exited, heading towards the commander's quarters. Spock punched entered the 'open' sequence into the keypad, and stood aside to let the captain enter.

"Wow." The human seemed surprised. "I didn't expect so much decoration," he said, and softly touched the red fabric that draped the walls. "What is all this stuff?"

"Part of my Vulcan heritage. They are the only remaining artifacts of their kind. Few Vulcans found reason to transport such things off planet."

Kirk winced. The Terran term for his expression was, according to Lieutenant Uhura, 'kicking oneself'. "Right. Makes sense."

"Captain –,"

"Jim, remember?"

"Jim. What specific information on the Starbase's board do you require?"

"Its composition and political views. Stuff the Zedakitians will want to know about."

Spock sat on his bed and motioned for Jim to take his desk chair. "The First chair of the administrative boards is held by Commodore Barnett, who publicly supports admittance. The Second chair is held by former governor Thomas Leighton, who has made no recorded statements on admittance."

"He supports it." Jim had leaned back into the chair, again looking as though he owned it, a trait apparently unique to him. "Unless he's done a total 180 from the time that I knew him, he'll want them in the Federation."

"Interesting. The Third chair is unfilled."

"That's odd. Anyone know why?"

"I have heard no speculation based on significant facts." Spock hesitated before continuing. "Most of the speculation has been centered on the apparent paranoia of the commodore."

Jim leaned forward. "What?"

"Anonymous reports tell of a growing conviction of the commodore's that accuses former governor Leighton and former councilwoman Tishri of working to usurp him."

Jim's eyebrows flew up. "What was the catalyst?"

"No theories fit the Commodore's established behavior patterns." He paused. "These events seem to be a definite outlier."

"People act weird when they're stressed." The human flopped backward into his chair. "Are Leighton and Tishri plotting against him?"

Spock blinked. It was not a question he had been expecting. "I have... heard nothing to support the commodore's suspicions."

"Hmm." Jim looked contemplative, and Spock could see him readying for departure. Suddenly, he did not want him to leave.

"Would you like to play a game of chess?" he asked, his eyes lighting on the board his Prime counterpart had sent two weeks after the Enterprise's second launch. Jim grinned broadly.

"You know I'm going to win this time, right?"

Spock followed his gaze. "The odds of you succeeding are extremely low."

Jim grinned. "You're on."

.bdobd.

Former Senior Andorian Federation Councilperson Tishri had decided ten minutes ago that she'd really rather not be having this conversation. Unfortunately, the Second Administrative Chair of Starbase XI wasn't picking up on that. Thomas Leighton was a fantastic host, but was almost useless when it came to things like, oh, paperwork. This, Tishri had only learned after recommending him for the Second chair, and was why Barnett was getting so pissy.

The Andorian set her cheek in her hand. "Look. Leighton. It'll be fine. Really. Barnett's just annoyed that you keep filling out the wrong forms."

Leighton flushed, "First of all, the form thing isn't my fault," Tishri resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "and secondly, how does any sane man go from bad paperwork to a plot tooverthrow the government?"

"What makes you think he's sane?" Tishri drawled. "The Reconstruction's going slowly. The Admiralty's pissed. And now he has to do the paperwork of the First and Second chairs of a Starbase. He's not sane. Not right now, at least."

Leighton took a moment to consider this. "Okay... How do I calm him down?"

Tishri's antennae were drooping. Gods, but she was tired. "Look, I'll call him tomorrow, ok? But –,"

"Really!" The Andorian blinked at the sudden show of ellubient enthusiasm. "Thanks, you're the best!"

She waved carelessly, dearly wanting to tell him to shut up. Her years of political work got in the way. "I know, I know. You owe me. Tishri out."

"Thanks again! Leighton –,"

She cut the connection before he could finish. Pushing her palms flat on the desk, the politician stood slowly, waiting for her joints to get used to their new positions. 'I'm too old for this,' she thought mournfully.

It really was too bad she got bored so easily. Retirement had sounded heavenly after the election, but she just could not keep herself away from her old job. The happy legions and the rightfully outraged, the hidden meanings and the closed doors, the energy behind it all, the –

wheep wheep

The look Tishri threw the comm unit was filled with murderous intent. 'One more call,' she thought, 'One more, and then I'm throwing you out the gods-damned window.'

Stalking stiffly over to her desk, the Andorian stabbed the 'Answer' key. "It better be really important."

Barnett gave her an odd look. "You feeling alright?"

Tishri forced her face to clear. She could do this. This was easy. With a sigh made to draw the perfect amount of pity from the recipient, she flopped back – 'Ow, shit.' –into her chair. "I'm feeling old, that's all."

The commodore gave a sympathetic wince. "I understand completely. What with the Reconstruction, the planet, the Base – "

She pounced, a bit too early for etiquette's sake, but that made it all the more convincing. "Yes, the Base. What's this I've been hearing about you and Leighton having hissy fits? I didn't recommend you two because of your collaborative skills at getting into catfights. I thought you knew that."

Barnett squirmed slightly. Ha! This was almost too easy. "Yeah, well. I've been hearing that you and him have been working together. Is that true?"

He'd recovered quickly. Maybe this could still be interesting. "Not true at all, I hardly ever talk to the man, " she declared. Not quite a lie. She hadn't said when she 'hardly ever talked' to him.

"Hmm." Barnett wasn't making eye contact. He felt guilty about accusing her, most likely. Suddenly, he sighed. "I'm sorry. I've just been under a lot of stress these days. I didn't mean to interrogate you."

If he thought that was interrogating, he'd never met the Andorian media. She frowned without thinking: it was kind of creepy knowing exactly how gullible the leader of the Admiralty was. She caught herself quickly and let him think it was a look of sympathy.

'Poor Barnett,' she thought dispassionately, 'you never had a chance.' When the commodore finally signed off – the man really could go on – Tishri repeated the ritual of standing. One hand, two, plant feet, square shoulders, push with the forearms, hold, hold, now stretch... there. Mobile.

She ran into Arya in the lobby and gave her a genuine smile. She was one of her favorite staffers. Arya seemed to appreciate the attention: the woman had an air about her that made many people's eyes wander, as though there were a few other things in the corner that were a tad more interesting than the really quite pleasant woman in front of them.

"Hey, Tishri. How're things?"

Tishri responded with a one shouldered shrug. Arya gave a conspiratorial wince. "That bad? Oi."

An exhausted nod. "Barnett and Leighton are bitching again. I swear, I've seen Tellaritian two year olds with better problem solving skills."

Arya winced again. "Have they tried, you know, talking? To each other?"

"Course not. That'd be so reasonable."

The lobby's revolving glass doors – lovely Terran invention, those things – deposited the two onto the quiet tunnels of the subterranean city of Shras. The pair strolled slowly towards the bart lines.

"How've you been holding up? You're on the Base too, right?" Arya nodded tiredly. After Tishri's failed reelection, Arya had become a lower-down on the Base XI's Board of Commerce, which reported to the board of Administrators. It was the only place for a non-athletic government worker: management didn't require you to be physically fit.

"I've been alright. It's just been frustrating, seeing the bickering and not being able to step in."

Tishri turned anxiously to look at Arya, 'She isn't...'

"I mean, I know more about administration than either of them! I know I could be better than Barnett."

The older woman's eyes had widened. Arya hadn't noticed yet. "I didn't see how they can think they're being efficient, I mean – "

"Arya." Tishri'd stopped dead and was staring at the younger politico. "You want the First chair, don't you?"

Arya halted and bowed her head, squirming. "Well, I wouldn't –,"

"This isn't a hard question. Yes or no."

Arya sighed. "Yes, I do."

"And you want me to get it for you."

"Yes."

The elder groaned softly. She knew that this would happen eventually. Arya was too smart not to want more, but was too young to wait for her lucky break. With the Reconstruction going the way it was, that break might not come for years, decades even.

And Arya had run some great campaigns. It was Tishri that had screwed up the last one; that wasn't Arya's fault. But if Tishri didn't help her now, she'd think it was because Tishri hadn't won her reelection.

Tishri rubbed at her forehead tiredly. "I'll start calling tomorrow. I can't promise you a First chair, but at least a Second or a Third." There was really no way to talk Arya out of this. Either she'd do amazing and the Base would jump-start her career, or she'd flop and she'd have to go through all of the normal, slow, boring jobs that everyone else did.

Arya beamed and bowed. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you so much, you won't regret this." She turned and continued towards the station, completely forgetting the exhausted woman standing on the sidewalk.

'Oh, honey. I already do.'

.bdobd.

Finally, finally, the Enterprise was relieved of the 41 Beta mission, and there was a long stretch between Base XI intrigue. More mission, more adventures. Three more deaths.

Kirk rubbed his aching forehead. He hated writing condolence letters. Parts of the inside of his head were engaged in an all-out war on the bits of his conciounce that weren't completely destroyed by the failure to recognize what was obviously a set up, it didn't matter what Fleet intelligence had said because we've seen this before, and –

wheep wheep

Desperate for a distraction, any distraction, Kirk stupidly answered the comm without checking to see who it was. His eyes widened when he saw the furious face on the holoscreen. "Tom? What the hell happened; you look pissed."

"I am pissed," Leighton growled. "If I see that goddamned Andorian again I'm going to – "

"Wait, slow down, I'm already confused. What happened?"

"Tishri." Leighton spat. "That blue-blooded traitor called me three days ago, said she had a new First chair, did she have my support? I said, 'No, I got Barnett on my side, it's cool.' 'Alright,' she says, that's it, 'Alright,' cool as a fucking ice cube, turns out she turned 'round'n called Barnett 'bout her new candidate for Second chair. And you know what? The fucking sod agrees! I get a call this morning about how I've just been moved to Third chair!"

Tom was breathing heavily, his face flushed. Jim was stunned, "Wait, does Barnett know about Tishri calling you about a new First?"

"Yes! And the fucker didn't fucking believe me! He said I only wanted that I was lying to get him demoted!"

Blink. "But didn't you want him demoted?"

"ARGH!" Tom grabbed two fistfuls of his hair. "That's not the point! I just got demoted to Third! Third chairs have NO POWER! I can't believe that – "

Jim knew where this was going and cut Leighton off. "Ok, ok, that all sucks, why'd you call me?"

Leighton turned calculating. "You know how you said a while back that you owed me a boon?"

Kirk stiffened. "Tom, I'm a captain now, I can't just leave my ship to go gallivanting around space –,"

"No no no! You can stay right there on the Enterprise and do everything from your desk!" Leighton seemed to have realized that he looked like a sort of hungry animal, and had switched to a false grin.

Jim eyed him warily. This wasn't going to end well whether he did what Leighton wanted him to or not. And he did owe him. Best to at least find out what he was refusing, anyway: "What do you want?"

The governor's grin widened. "I want the Admiralty to order Barnett back."

"What?"

"You heard me. And I know you want him back there too, you lost you fucking mind when I told you about him. Just tell them what you told me."

Kirk had started shaking his head long before Leighton'd finished speaking. "He's my senior officer, I can't do that."

Leighton snorted. "Yeah you can. Say you want what's best for the Fleet. They'll believe that."

The really hard part about it was that Barnett did belong back on Earth. But it'd be treason to report him for any other reason than that. "Look, Tom, I'd love to help, but – "

"You promised."

"I also promised to serve Starfleet. The Federation is bigger than you."

"I'll tell the media what you did during Kodos."

'Damn it.' Kirk faked disinterest with a raised eyebrow. "You did the exact same goddamned stuff. They'll figure that out, if you lead them to the records."

"Fuck, I don't care. At least I'll've been brave enough to come forward."

Kirk straightened his back and shook his head. "No. I will not betray a senior officer. That's final. Kirk out."

He had enough time to see Leighton's face twist into rage before the connection cut.

.bdobd.

Leighton called back a few days later, and he was practically humming. "I don't know what you said, " he beamed, "but it worked."

Kirk, who'd been expecting a list of all of the news agencies who'd just been contacted, was rather taken aback. "What?"

"Barnett was just ordered back to Earth. Practically a court martial."

Blond eyebrows flew up. "Why now?"

Leighton rolled his eyes. "Oh, come off it. Because you talked to them, of course."

Kirk was only getting more confused. "Tom, I didn't say a thing to anyone."

The cheerful man tapped the side of his nose. "Course you didn't."

"Wha – No, you don't understand. There is no possible way for any complaint to've been processed in less than a week. Even if I had said anything, nothing would've happened for months –,"

"Please. Pike loves you. He'd do something."

"He couldn't do a thing, he'd've had to call a meeting and introduce a motion and call a vote and get support and... " Kirk took another look at Leighton's still grinning face and trailed off. "You know what? Fuck it. I didn't say anything."

"Debt's paid, buddy. Thanks!"

"Whatever. Kirk out."

Leighton waved merrily. "Leighton out!"

.bdobd.