Chapter 2: Elasian Tears

Jim contemplated to cancel dinner, but decided to go. He didn't want to give Elaan more cause to complain. He thought her capable to cause a diplomatic incident. The woman was a ticking bomb.

He was walking to the guest suite when Ambassador Petri cam hastening after him.

"Captain, I wish to contact my government. I cannot fulfill my mission. It would be an insult to our ruler to bring this incorrigible monster as a bride!"

Jim sighed. "Ambassador, this is supposed to be a peaceful mission."

"There cannot be peace between us. We have deluded ourselves. Captain, when I am near that woman, I do not want peace. I want to kill her."

"It's not required that you like each other. Just do your job."

"Job? The job is impossible. We cannot make peace with people we detest." He threw his hands up in the air. "The Dohlman won't listen to me."

"Use a different approach", Jim suggested.

"How about you do it?"

Jim blinked. "Excuse me?"

"She won't listen to me. But she does seem to have some kind of interest in you. Maybe she'll listen to you, Captain."

"Ambassador…" Jim started, wanting to protest.

"Please."

The captain sighed again. "I'll talk to her at dinner. But I won't make any promises."

Petri nodded happily. "Thank you!" He left as quickly as he'd come.

Jim continued his way, hoping dinner would be bearable.

Petri met Leah by chance on his way.

"Ah, Doctor, are you off duty?"

"Yes. And your lessons are done for today?"

"Done for good, I suppose. I hope Captain Kirk is able to talk some sense into Elaan."

Leah felt that pinch in her stomach again. Right, Jim was now at dinner with the princess. "Ambassador… there is something I don't understand. How is it possible that Elasian woman are that… vicious, but men are highly attracted to her? It is said to be like magic – which sounds ridiculous and like an exaggeration."

Petri chuckled. "No magic. It's biochemical. A man whose flesh is once touched by the tears of a woman of Elas has his heart enslaved forever."

Leah blinked surprised. "I see." That information made her worry and a little calmer at the same time. It was dangerous having a woman with such powers on the ship. On the other hand – Elaan was yelling and showing arrogance, but that was far away from tears. So… she hoped everything was alright. Jim Kirk might have had caused some women to cry over him, but certainly not a woman with a temper like Elaan. If dinner would result in a one-night-stand or if Jim rejected her advances – Elaan would certainly not be crying… It would be more like more broken objects in the room.

Right?

Leah sighed. "Has the Dohlman used that on men before?" she carefully asked.

"I don't know her any better than you, Doctor. I know about the power of the tears, but not how or when they are set to use."

Leah slowly nodded.

"Would you be so kind as to point me to your mess hall?"

"I'm on the way there myself. I can walk you there."

"Thank you."

The moment they entered Leah noticed the Christmas song that was playing in the background. She instantly wished she would have gone to her quarters. If it wasn't for Ambassador Petri she would turn around right now and go there.

I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick

I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you

Seeing how Elaan was eating Jim was more than just appalled. She ripped the poultry apart with her hands and ate noisily. Apparently she didn't know how to use knives and forks. Or she simply didn't want to.

"I despise the Troyians. Any contact with them makes me feel soiled."

"It's been my experience that the prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other." He demonstratively used his fork and knife, hoping she would pick up on that.

"It is not in my experience."

"Well, we're still faced with the same problem."

"Problem?"

"Yes, the problem of your indoctrination to Troyian customs and manners."

Elaan looked at him as arrogant as ever. "And how do we solve the problem?"

"By giving you a new teacher. Me."

She gave him an amused glance. "And what can you teach me?"

He took her fork and knife from the table and handed them to her. "Table manners for one thing."

She took them reluctantly.

"This is a knife. It cuts the food. And you use a fork to eat the pieces. Not your fingers."

The Dohlman glared at him. "I eat like this all my life!"

"Like it or not, you're going to learn what you've been ordered to learn", he replied in a firm voice.

She put everything down. "You will return me to Elas immediately."

"That's impossible."

"Everything I order is possible."

Jim sighed. "That's the first problem we're going to work on. Then we'll get you ready to go to Troyius."

She shook her head and threw a glass against a wall. "I will not go to Troyius, I will not be mated to a Troyian and I will not be given to a green pig as a bribe to stop a war!"

"You enjoy the privileges and prerogatives of being a Dohlman. Then be worthy of them. If you don't want the obligations that go along with the title, then give it up."

Her jaw dropped. "Nobody speaks to me that way."

"That's another one of your problems. Nobody's told you that you're an uncivilized savage, a vicious child in a woman's body."

Elaan didn't answer. She just slapped him.

The captain hesitated for a moment and slapped her right back. It was a risk, but he had to take it. "That's no way to treat someone who's telling you the truth." He got up and walked to the door.

"You will stay!" she demanded.

He kept walking.

"Stop! We will finish this dinner!" Now Elaan was almost shrieking needy. "And you will spend the rest of the evening with me!"

"Tomorrow's lesson will be on courtesy. I wish you a good night, Your Glory."

The door closed behind him and the tip of a thrown knife stuck in it a moment later.

The next morning Jim saw Leah only briefly in the mess hall. She was already done with breakfast when he entered. It was odd, because she usually arrived the same time as he did and they ate together. Today however she seemed to be in a hurry.

Of course, he didn't see the doctor's sad expression when she left. She felt not like herself since Elaan had arrived and since those thoughts about Jim Kirk had started. He was constantly in her mind. And she felt a strong dislike for the Dohlman. She wanted to keep to herself for a while – hoping it would pass. Even though she somehow knew she was deluding herself.

After breakfast Jim went to the guest quarters. He wanted to give the lessons for Elaana try. He hoped she would be in a better mood than the evening before.

Well, she wasn't.

A flying vase greeted the captain and missed him only by a few inches. He wondered how many breakable items were left in the quarters by now.

"I said that I don't want your lessons", Elaan spat at him and raised her hand to give him a slap.

But Jim was fast enough to grab her hand.

"You dare touch a member of the royal family?!"

"Only in self-defense." He let go of her and stepped back a little. "Now, are you going to behave or not?"

"The penalty for what you are doing is death."

"We're not on Elas. We're on the Enterprise."

She made another attempt to get physical, but he was faster again.

Still, the Dohlman gave him a glare. "Captain, never do touch me again. At least not like this."

He exhaled sharply. "If I touch you again, Your Glory, it'll be to administer an ancient Earth custom called a spanking, a form of punishment administered to spoiled brats."

She studied him and something changed in her eyes. She suddenly went from attacking to seductive. "We also do have spanking. It can be very pleasurable in bed. That would be a kind of touching I would like you very much to do."

Jim blinked and his lips parted in shock. He tried not letting her see that she now caught him off guard.

"You may go now and return tonight", she purred.

The captain showed her a neutral expression, choosing to ignore her advances. "You forget, Your Glory, we haven't started your lesson in courtesy."

"You can teach me nothing, Captain."

He wondered if he was the right person to deal with her. Maybe a woman would be suited better? A very special woman. "I'll send Doctor McCoy if you don't accept me as your teacher. Either way, you're going to be properly prepared for Troyius." He went to a com panel. "Doctor McCoy, report to the quarters of the Dohlman of Elas please."

Now the other side of Elaan returned. Jim could practically see how she was assessing which one would be the best item to throw at him.

But Elaan saw him noticing and changed her strategy again. "Captain, maybe there is one thing you can teach me."

"Oh?"

"I don't know how to make people like me. I don't want everybody to hate me." She batted her eyelashes at him and showed a sad face. Even a tear ran over her cheek.

Jim sighed silently and almost wished her doing the throwing thing again instead. "Well, it's not that people hate you. It's just that people don't like to be treated as if they don't exist."

He went to a drawer and pulled a tissue out. He handed it to her.

The same moment the doors opened and Leah McCoy entered, accompanied by Spock and an ensign from Security. Apparently she'd been worried.

Jim's hand with the tissue was mid air. He turned to the door. "That was fast."

"We were already on our way, Captain", Spock replied.

Elaan stayed silent which surprised everyone. But she gave Leah McCoy a strange look and took the tissue from Jim who was looking again at her when he felt the touch. Elaan also took his hand, bringing it to her cheek, so it was touching the tears.

Jim startled and felt like touching electricity for a moment. He blinked and felt confused.

Leah gasped. "No…"

The captain turned to the doctor again. He started getting a little dizzy.

"Jim, you need to step back", Leah said as neutrally as she could. She didn't want to alarm him. She hoped it wasn't too late and that the contact with the tear was too brief or that one single tear couldn't have the effect she'd heard about. She felt her heart racing.

"Pardon me, Your Glory. There will be a short recess", Jim said to Elaan and tried to do what Leah asked.

But Elaan stepped closer, touching his upper arm. "Captain…" she whispered.

He still felt dizzy and didn't move. The Dohlman leant in and kissed him.

Leah gasped again and felt a wave of anger in her stomach. "Andrews."

The ensign nodded and walked to the captain and the Dohlman. "Captain, you need to leave this room for your own safety."

"Please, Jim", Leah added. "You're in danger. I'll explain later. Just go." She was in the mood to slap Elaan, but didn't know if the tears also could affect women.

Jim reluctantly did as asked.

Elaan gave Leah a smirk. "It is too late." She turned in her heels and walked into the adjoining bedroom.

"Shit…" Leah murmured.

"Doctor", Spock began. "Is this what you feared would happen and why we are here?"

"Yes… Dammit. I should have talked to Jim", she scolded herself. "This is my fault."

"No, Doctor", Spock said in an almost gentle voice. "You are not responsible. The Dohlman obviously has an agenda. We need to find the captain and bring him to Medbay."

Leah slowly nodded. She felt like her stomach twisting. She was afraid having lost Jim to the Elasian woman.