Disclaimer: This story and the characters I created belong to me. "Star Trek" belongs to The Powers That Be at Paramount…more's the pity.
Notes: This story was originally written August-October 2004…etc…etc.
The words that inspired this chapter? ADULT FADED TONS BRIS BATH
Feedback welcome!
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Kirk's sitting room in the Chief Minister's residence...
"Why should I have checked the wine then?" Kirk asked. "You didn't do anything to it. I know; I was watching you the whole time."
"Yes, but I hardly came back to the room empty-handed, did I?"
"All you brought back were the glasses..." Kirk's voice faded to silence as he digested that fact. "The glasses?"
K-tel nodded. "The glasses. Or, should I say, your glass?"
"The spots," Kirk said with sudden understanding. "They weren't from soap scum, were they?"
"Of course not," K-tel confirmed. "Your glass was given a nice bath in a solution of hekim - then the outside was wiped off while the inside was allowed to dry naturally. What's left on the glass is easily enough to dose up a normal healthy adult male once the wine or other liquid is added. A handy little delivery system, with no ill effects for the subject involved."
"No ill effects?!" Kirk exclaimed angrily. "Tell that to Ensign Jed-Ghar! That's what you did to him, isn't it? You dosed his glass!"
"We truly regret what happened to your crewman," K-tel said somberly, "but his death can hardly be considered our fault. I did say a normal and healthy male - but with that ipecac floating around in his system, which we were certainly unaware of, he could hardly have been considered either, could he?"
K-tel paused to add, "If it means anything, we weren't targeting him; we were always after you. You were supposed to get that glass; if the Doctor or Mr. Spock had gotten it, nothing would have happened to them. Ideally, nothing would have happened to your Ensign either - he was just unlucky. I'm sorry."
"Oh, I'm sure your obvious heartfelt apology will mean tons to his family when I relay the news!" Kirk snapped sarcastically. "You've caused an innocent man's death!"
"Yes, we made a mistake," K-tel replied calmly, "and we will each atone for it in our own way. But you, Captain - you are hardly an innocent man, and we've got your own atonement to consider."
"Atonement? I've done nothing wrong!" Kirk protested.
"I know some women who would say differently," K-tel smirked.
"Well, bring 'em on, then!" Kirk challenged. "What are you going to do, after all - kill me? That would look real good so soon after Ensign Jed-Ghar's death. I'll bet your tourist trade would dry up like a prune if that happened."
"I'm touched by your concern, Captain," K-tel said. "No, we don't plan to kill you - and as far as anyone else will know, nothing will have happened to you. Much as you might deserve it, we won't be castrating you either, or even blessing you with a bris...although, after we're through with you, you might wish that we had..."
TBC…