Chapter 9: Bar Talk and Officers

San Francisco Bar, Earth

The SF Bar was located only a few minutes away from Starfleet headquarters and the

Golden Gate bridge. Civilians and officers alike, of all species and all worlds, congregated

here for a quick drink, or two, or seven.

Leonard McCoy filed in slowly, attempting to blend in with the rest of the crowd. Some were

having discussions, some were playing holographic dogfighting games, and others were sitting

alone at their booths.

McCoy groaned when he spotted a group of humans nursing a few Tribbles while drinking.

You'd better have had them fixed, he thought, remembering all too well the trouble with these

creatures on station K-7.

Loud music blared in the background as he surveyed the place and found a table. He situated

himself into a round, circular booth.

Try ordering something non-alcoholic, he instructed himself.

A gorgeous drink servant walked up to his booth with a smile on her face and a revealing outfit.

"Long time, Doc," she addressed him.

McCoy piped up and looked at her. "Yeah…"

The servant picked up a previous users glass.

"Anybody been lookin' for me?" McCoy asked.

"I have, but what's the use? What'll it be?"

"Altair Water," he answered. Refreshing and non-alcoholic…

The servant chuckled. "That's not your usual poison."

McCoy glared at her, irritated. "To expect one to order poison in a bar is not logical," he replied sternly.

"Got it." The servant walked away.

There I go again, McCoy thought. You're starting to sound like Spock.

And I seem to be scaring even the civilians.

An obnoxious slurping noise interrupted him. McCoy looked to see an alien of unknown species downing his drink. An exotic, big-eared fellow with an endless grin to accompany his face.

The alien turned around to face McCoy and stood up, walking towards his booth.

"To you, our planet…welcome!" the mysterious being addressed McCoy as he sat himself down.

He pointed a finger at his chest. "I think that's my line, stranger."

"Oh, forgive. I here, am new, but you are known being McCoy from…Enterprise."

"…you have me at a disadvantage," McCoy said, wondering how this being knew who he was.

"My name, not important," the being said.

I'm surprised you're not short with green skin," McCoy thought, thinking back to an old Earth film he viewed long ago in the academy.

"You seek I. Message received. Available ship stands by."

This could be my ticket to Genesis!

"How much and how soon?" He asked.

"How soon is now. How much is…where?"

McCoy was getting excited. "Somewhere in the Mutara sector."

The being shook his head. "Oh, Mutara restricted, take permits many! Money, more!"

"There aren't going to be any damn permits! How can you get a permit to do a damn illegal thing?!

"Look, price you name, money I got!"

The being pointed a finger. "Place you name, money I name, otherwise bargain, no!"

You really are persistent. I'm a doctor, not a negotiator.

McCoy raised his voice. "All right, damn it! It's Genesis, the name of the place we're going is Genesis!"

The being winced. "GENESIS?!"

McCoy noticed a bunch of guests staring back in his direction.

"Yes, Genesis! How can you be deaf with ears like that?!"

"Genesis allowed, is not! Is planet forbidden!"

Before the being could make his exit, McCoy stood up and grabbed him by his jacket front.

"Look, my backwards friend, Genesis may be planet forbidden, but I'm damn well…"

A firm grip on his shoulder immediately cut him off. He sat back down and was face-to-face with yet another human.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but your voice is carrying. I don't think you want to be discussing this subject in public."

McCoy raised his voice higher. "I'll discuss what I like, and who in the hell are you?"

"Can I offer you a ride home, Doctor McCoy?" the man asked.

In any other situation, McCoy might have rolled his eyes. "Where's the logic in offering me a ride home, you idiot?! If I wanted a ride home, would I be trying to charter a space flight?"

The unknown being grunted in annoyance.

McCoy glared at the man. "How in the hell do you know who I am?"

In response, the man pulled out a device identifying him as a security officer.

Dammit! McCoy thought. Just what I need, to be in trouble with the Federation…

"Federation security, sir."

Perhaps I can make a run for it.

He stood up to take off, but before he could even exit his booth, the security officer gripped his jacket and pulled him back down to his seat.

McCoy tried another alternative; he raised his hand and gripped the officer's shoulder. He attempted to pinch the main nerve area to knock him cold in a laughable parody of a Vulcan neck pinch.

He tried several more times, to no avail. McCoy stared at the security officer and was certain he could see his mouth twitching from such a ridiculous stunt.

The officer pushed his hand away.

"You're gonna get a nice, long rest, doctor." He said. This time, there was more than a trace of sarcasm in his tone.

McCoy raised up his eyebrow. Where and when?

Outside of the bar, Chekov pulled out his communicator, "Keptain, I have found Dr. McCoy, but security got to him first." "They'll probably take him to the security center, head back to my apartment, we've have some planning to do." said Kirk from the other end of the communication. Chekov put the device away and discreetly walked away from the bar into the night.

Karzan

T'omake entered Maricus' quarters. Maricus was resting comfortably on his bunk. "Commander, I just wanted to inform you that we will be arriving in the Genesis system in the next few hours." T'omake told him.

"Is that all?"

"No, also, all ships functions are working at 100% capacity."

"Surely you didn't come here just to tell me that?"

"No." T'omake said as he sat down. "I really wanted to ask you…is this all worth it?"

"Absolutely; we had to watch Zeulas die in front of our eyes."

"I know. When we got there… Iunia was already dead." T'omake said as he looked down. The thoughts of his dead wife were still painful for him.

"I know. Titiana died shortly after we arrived."

"You know something, I miss Iunia's cooking."

"You always said she was one the greatest cooks."

"That she was. I also miss her company. What about, what do you miss about Titiana?"

Maricus stirred a little in his bunk. "I miss…"

"What?"

"I miss…her singing. Like when she was performing, before I married her. Who knows, maybe if I hadn't married her, she wouldn't have been on Zeulas. Did I kill her…"

"You can't blame yourself for what I happened."

"I spent far too long in space away from her though. We would have been married twenty years this year. Two thousand four hundred and sixteen days in our marriage I spent away from her."

"Our duty required it."

"Duty…duty…"

T'omake rose from his seat and walked away. He turned around at the door and told Maricus,"I'll inform you when we reach the system." Maricus said nothing; he just kept starring at the wall. T'omake exited the cabin.

Duty…duty…was that worth Titiana's life?