When Jim returned to the planet, he was feeling much better and was dressed in his dress uniform since he thought he better look professional. He was beamed back down to the planet, and Spock was waiting for him. "Captain, you are looking much better," he said.

"Thank you, Spock," Jim replied. "Anything that needs my attention right now?"

"Crews are still removing debris."

"They couldn't have taken Admiral Carson's body from the planet, could they?"

"I am not certain when they would have done so, Captain."

Jim frowned. "I want everyone paying attention while the cleanup is going on. I want his body found if it's here."

"Yes, Captain."

Jim looked at the ruined government building that was now being torn down the rest of the way. He supposed things could have been a lot worse. Solan met him as he was on his way to the bunker. "Captain," he said and showed Jim a piece of a device that he had in his hand, which was now a tangle of wires and metal. "Someone set off a bomb in that government building."

Jim looked at the mess. "Klingons?"

"It doesn't look like they could have done this, although they did blast out the lower level. This had to be up there on the floor where the admiral was."

"Then why wasn't his body found?"

"I'm gonna tell you, Captain. I believe he was taken out of there and the bomb was set off to cover it up. After all, the two ambassadors were taken out."

"But they didn't know where the admiral was."

"They thought he was dead, but he might not have been."

"You think he was taken off this planet."

"If he wasn't, where is his body? I'm sure they didn't take it and bury it. No one just disappears without a trace."

"Why would the Klingons want to kidnap him?"

"Ransom? A bargaining chip? To obtain secrets from him? He is the head of Starfleet, and there are Klingons who don't want a treaty."

Jim stared at Solan a moment. "So you think this may be just getting started."

"I don't know, but I sure wouldn't let my guard down yet."

Jim nodded. He grabbed his communicator. "Spock."

"Yes Captain," Spock answered.

"I want you to go back to the Enterprise. Keep the ship on alert."

"Is there a problem, Captain?"

"I'm not sure yet, Spock, but I don't want us to be caught off guard."

"I will be on the Enterprise."

Jim put his communicator away. "Solan, you keep me informed about anything else you find," he said.

"Yes sir," Solan replied.

Jim went to the bunker and found that Carol was there, along with Ensign McCoy who was now monitoring the communications array. "Are you picking up any transmissions in the area?" Jim asked.

"No sir," McCoy answered. "It's very…silent."

"Keep monitoring, and let me know if you get anything."

Jim was not sure what he should do so he sat down to watch the monitors that showed him what was going on around the city. Carol watched with him. "What do you think you'll see?" she asked.

"Maybe nothing," Jim replied. "There's just something that's not right around here. The admiral's body is missing, and there are some unanswered questions."

Carol sat down beside him. "Like what?"

"A bomb was found in the rubble. There's no way the Klingons could have set that bomb off up there."

"In the upper floor?"

"Unless they did it after they went in, but they seemed to be intending to occupy that building when we arrived. It just doesn't make sense."

"Are you suggesting that someone else was in league with the Klingons? Such as…a traitor?"

"If there's one thing I've learned during my time in space, it's that anything is possible."

"Solan found the device. He's quite a good detective."

"So I've noticed."

"He seems to like to flirt with you too."

"Are you jealous?"

"Yeah."

Carol laughed. "You admit it."

"Might as well."

"I think he likes to impress you as well," Carol said. "And you're going to make him part of the crew?"

"Probably," Jim replied. "Like I said, he's quite a good detective. Almost as good as the logical Vulcan. But I think Solan just likes it."

"Obviously. He likes danger and adventure as much as you do. He'd follow you anywhere."

Jim frowned and Carol looked to see what he was looking at on the screen. There was a Klingon behind a building at the edge of the city. "Keep watching this," Jim said as he got up. "Let me know where he goes."

Jim hurried out of the bunker and grabbed his communicator. "Solan!"

"Yeah," Solan answered.

Jim had the fleeting thought that he would have to teach Solan how to properly answer a communicator if he joined his crew. "There's a Klingon out at the edge of town," he said. "Come on!"

"I'm on my way!"

Solan met Jim not far from the bunker and they headed out to find that Klingon. They slowed down as they got out further into the city. "Carol, has he moved?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Carol answered. "He's attempting to enter a building…the archives library."

"That's odd. Is he breaking in?"

"I believe so. The back door."

Jim had to wonder why that Klingon would be breaking into that building…and he intended to find out. "You go in the front, and I'll go around back," he said to Solan.

"Right," Solan replied.

Jim went into the alley between the library and the next building and moved to the back corner. He peeped around the corner of the building and could see the Klingon as he kicked the back door open. When he went into the building, Jim moved around the corner and hurried to the door. To his surprise, the Klingon was waiting for him when he moved through the door. He grabbed Jim by the arm that was holding his blaster and jerked him forward. He backhanded Jim with his other hand, but then Jim plunged a knife into the Klingon's side. The Klingon did not let go of Jim's wrist, and he grabbed him by the throat with his other hand and shoved him into the wall. He then twisted his arm. Jim would have yelled but he could not. He thought the Klingon would break his arm off at the elbow.

Just then, Solan came in. "Hold it!" he yelled and aimed his blaster.

Jim wanted to tell him not to kill the Klingon but he could not say anything. The Klingon glared at Solan as he squeezed Jim's throat tighter. Jim was seeing gray spots now and he could not breathe at all.

Solan fired at the Klingon twice to stun him. He finally fell, and Jim fell too. He gasped for air as he was on his hands and knees on the floor. Solan squatted beside him as he kept his blaster aimed at the Klingon. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Jim considered that a moment. "No," he said. "But I guess I'll live. How did he know I was coming?"

"I don't know."

Solan helped Jim up. He leaned on his knees and looked at the Klingon who was lying on the floor. "I assume you stunned him?" Jim asked.

"Yeah," Solan said. "I figured you wanted him alive."

"I did. I don't know how much luck we'll have at getting any information out of him, but it can't hurt to try."

Jim rubbed his elbow. "I thought he was going to break my arm," he said. "Not sure he didn't fracture it."

"I thought he was gonna choke you to death." Solan put his blaster away. "So what are we going to do? Carry his carcass back?"

"No. Call security to come and get him."

"Good idea."

Soon, security officers arrived and put the Klingon into a transport after they took all his weapons. They took him back into the city to the prison. Jim went to the hospital and let them check his arm. It was not broken but his elbow was badly sprained. They wrapped it up and then he went to the prison to see that Klingon.

When Jim walked in, the Klingon was pacing in the prison cell. He glared at Jim and yelled something at him in Klingon. "Don't bother speaking Klingon!" Jim said. "I know you understand our language!"

The Klingon just glared at him a moment longer and then said, "I am Klaa."

"Why were you breaking into that building?"

Klaa did not say a word. "You're not taking over this world," Jim declared. "What did the Klingons do with Admiral Carson?"

"You will never see him again."

"Where is he?"

"You cannot threaten me, puny one."

Jim moved closer to the prison cell. "We have ways of making you talk, just like the Klingons have ways of getting what they want," he said.

"You cannot make a Klingon talk. I will die first."

"We'll see about that."

"They will capture you as soon as they get the chance…Captain Kirk."

Jim frowned. "They won't get the chance," he said, trying not to show any fear, but he did not like the idea that the Klingons were after him.

"You are afraid!" Klaa took a deep breath. "I can smell fear!"

"You better be afraid."

With that, Jim turned and left the prison block. He was not certain what they should do next. However, he knew it would be very hard to make that Klingon talk. He went to the bunker and over to Bones. "Bones, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"My feet hurt," Bones replied.

"We've captured a Klingon."

"I heard about that." Bones scowled. "What's wrong with your voice?"

"He choked me. Listen, I…"

"Jim, are you alright?"

"I went to the hospital, Bones. I want to make this Klingon talk and…"

"What are you getting at?"

Jim looked at Bones. "You know what I'm getting at."

"Jim, I'm not in any condition to…"

"You won't have to do anything. You'll just be there as the doctor."

"I can't stand up."

"Bones. You won't have to."

"Do you really think we can scare a Klingon into telling us what we want to know?"

"I don't know." Jim thought a moment. "If he thought he was going to be humiliated."

"Humiliated? How do you humiliate a Klingon?"

"They're very prideful, Bones."

"Yeah, but I don't think that will work. Truth serum?"

Jim smiled. "Or we could make him think we have truth serum."

"I can make a truth serum."

Jim looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I've been around a long time, Jim."

"You can make one that will work on a Klingon?"

"It'll work on anyone."

"What do you need?"

"A lab."

Jim smiled slightly. "You're full of surprises, Bones."

Bones was soon in the lab sitting in a repulsor chair. He wished he could walk around but it was impossible. Carol was there to help him by getting everything he needed. "If I get these just right, that Klingon will have no choice but to tell us everything we want to know, even down to his darkest secret," Bones said as he was pouring something into a beaker.

"What if he doesn't know where the admiral is?" Carol asked.

"Then we're gonna have a load of truth serum. Maybe I'll give some to Jim."

"Why?"

"Just to see what goes on in that brain of his. Or better yet, maybe I'll give some to Spock. That would be very interesting."

"The three of you must argue a lot when you're on away missions."

"Sometimes. We're very different."

"You certainly are."

After a while, Bones had the truth serum ready. Jim came to the bunker. "You ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Bones said. "You're sure he can't get loose?"

"Positive."

They headed for the prison where Klaa had been strapped down to a table. "You ready to talk yet?" Jim asked.

Klaa just glared at him. "I didn't think so," Jim said. "I brought my ship's doctor. He's an expert at all sorts of things…including truth serum. Although, I hope he got those chemicals right. They don't call him Bones for nothing."

Klaa looked at Bones. "I just accidentally inherited that nickname because I kinda got those chemicals mixed up when I was working on this vaccine for Melvarian mud fleas." Bones glanced at Jim. "I got the hydrochloric acid mixed in with the hydrofluoric acid, and well, it wasn't a pretty sight. Burned the hide right off his bones, and he was nothing but bones by the time that stuff was done. Let me tell you, I was just lucky they believed it was an accident. But I'm sure they won't care if I burn your hide off. I'd probably get a medal."

Jim turned around to keep from laughing. He walked over to Klaa. "You could just tell us," he said. "Are you going to make me have to risk your life and make you go through that horrible death?"

Klaa watched as Bones was getting the IV ready. "You are trying to scare me," he said. "You would not deliberately kill me."

"I never said it would be deliberate." Jim looked at Bones. "I don't think he believed your story."

"Most people don't," Bones replied in his usual sardonic way. He looked at the large needle full of the truth serum he had created. He primed the needle, making sure to let some run out the end for effect. "Wouldn't want to get any of that on me. I'm glad it's going in your arm."

Klaa watched as Bones prepared to put the serum into the IV. "You're not really going to let him give me that, are you?" he asked as he looked at Jim.

"At least you'll be dying with honor if it doesn't work," Jim said. "Right?"

Bones did not even look at Jim as he inserted the needle into the IV. He made sure to put an extra ingredient that would burn as it went in, although it would not hurt Klaa. He watched him as he pressed the serum into the IV, and he could see the discomfort on Klaa's face as he felt it burning.

"That is burning!" Klaa said. "You are deliberately trying to kill me!"

"I wouldn't call it deliberate," Jim said as he sat on a stool. "I'm the captain so I decide whether it was deliberate or not."

Bones hoped this did not get much worse or he thought he would not be able to keep a straight face. He watched as Klaa began to be dazed. Even he could not resist the serum that he had cooked up.

"Is he ready?" Jim asked.

"Almost," Bones replied. "Another minute."

Soon, Bones nodded at Jim, and he sat down beside the bed. "Klaa," Jim said. "You hear me?"

"Yes," Klaa answered.

"You're feeling really relaxed?"

"Yes."

"Are you a Klingon?"

"Yes."

"Ask him about the library," Bones suggested.

"Did you break into the library here?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Klaa replied.

"Why did you do that?"

They waited for him to answer but they could see he was trying to resist telling them. "You have to tell me," Jim said. "Why did you break in there? You were looking for something?"

"No."

"Then why were you going in there?"

"I will not answer!"

"Yes you will. You have to."

"NO!"

"Jim, his vitals are going crazy," Bones said.

Jim looked at him. "I want to know why he went in there," he said.

"I don't think he's going to tell you."

"It thought that stuff was supposed to work."

"I did too, but I guess Klingons are different. After all, their organs are not exactly set up like ours."

"Can you give him a little more?"

"I'm afraid it might actually kill him, Jim."

Jim blew out a breath. "Well, I guess we'll just have to go to that library and try and figure out why he went in there," he said. "Sedate him, and they can take him back to his cell and sleep it off."

"He'll be fine," Bones said.

Jim looked at the security guards. "Put him back in his cell, and then make sure Doctor McCoy gets back to the bunker," he said.

"I'll go with you," Bones said. "I'm tired of lying in there."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I can sit in this chair and follow you."

"Fine."

Jim and Bones left the prison. Jim took out his communicator. "Solan, have you found anything else?" he asked.

"Not a thing," Solan answered.

"Meet me at the library. We're going to try and find out what Klaa was looking for."

"I'll be there."

Jim hoped maybe it would not be hard to figure out what Klaa was looking for, but he could not think of anything that would be important to the Klingons. However, there had to be something.