Uhura visits the sickbay and gets a shot.

Janice had been out of commission and holed up in sickbay for several days and Uhura was out of sorts herself. She visited Janice in the sickbay early one morning before her shift began when there would be little chance of the captain being there for a visit or anyone else snooping around.

"Janice sweety, how do you feel?" she asked when she approached her friend's bed.

"Like a maniac tried to kill me," Janice said bitterly.

Uhura climbed into the bed with her friend and hugged her close. "Shush honey I'm here now." She kissed Janices's forehead. "I'm just glad you're ok."

"Am I?" her friend asked.

"You are. You're alive. You survived. You won, which is more than those people Charlie disappeared can say. Charlie is dead by the way. Those Thasians the captain was chasing came and tried to take him back and the captain killed him. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Yes HE can."

"You mean the captain?"

Janice nodded.

Uhura sighed. Janice was in a precarious position. She was the captain's woman which meant she was damn near untouchable, but it also meant there was nowhere else she could go. No other man on the ship would offer her protection and solace. When you're at the top the only way to fall is down.

The only other person on the ship capable of being Kirk's rival was Spock and as much as she loved Janice, Uhura wanted that man for herself. But Janice was a smart girl, she'd figure something out and land on her feet.

"When do you get out of here?" Uhura asked instead.

"I'm ok, I just need some rest and time away. I'm safe here."

"Good. You take all the time you need. I heard Chapel runs a tight ship in the sickbay so not even Kirk can interfere with your recovery."

"Maybe," Janice said. "Not even Chapel can hold him off for long though. He tolerates her because the ship needs competent medical staff but if she crosses the line he'll get rid of her too."

"Janice honey, do you think Jim was trying to get rid of you?"

"No. I think he's a selfish son of a bitch." She wiped her eyes. "But he's my son of a bitch I suppose. Until one of us dies, anyway."

"Don't say that," Uhura scolded. "At least not about yourself. Fuck Jim Kirk all the way up the ass but not you, never you." She kissed her friend again and held her tight.

Doctor Chapel entered the sickbay then and saw the two entangled on the medical bed. She hated to interrupt a tender moment, but this was a hospital room, not a hotel.

"Ahem. Excuse me ladies but this is a medical facility and these beds are meant for patients' recovery, not recreation."

Uhura didn't take orders from anyone except the Captain and first officer but especially not some upstart nurse turned doctor. However, she was actually the woman Uhura came to see. Visiting Janice was just a bonus. So she kissed her friend one last time and climbed out of the bed.

"You get yourself together and get out of here quick. If you need to crash with me for a few days you're welcome to."

"Thanks, Ny. I might have to take you up on that. We'll see."

"Ok." Uhura turned away from Janice and approached Chapel.

"Doctor, may I speak to you privately?"

Christine looked Uhura up and down slowly. What was she up to? Was this about Janice? Were the two lovers? They certainly were cozy just now. If they were, Uhura must be out of her mind to fuck with the Captain's woman. Interesting.

"Alright, Lieutenant. In my office. If you will follow me?"

Uhura made herself at home in the seat opposite Christine's desk. She looked around the small yet cozy office with undisguised curiosity. There were medical artifacts, nicknacks, and photos placed on one shelf. She recognized the photos of the famous scientist and explorer Dr. Roger Korby. Uhura had done some research on Christine before this visit. She needed information from the woman and it was always good to know your opponent before engaging in battle.

There were a lot of rumors about the now Dr. Chapel. She was once a brilliant bio-research scientist in her own right but she had fallen out of favor with the science division of Starfleet and was bumped down to nurse. Now she was making her way back up the chain of command and had become a medical doctor in M'Benga's absence.

Armed with that information she questioned the doctor. "Doctor, what can you tell me about Vulcans?"

"Vulcans?" Christine was surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I need to know everything you know about the Vulcan people."

"And might I ask why?"

"You might, but you also might not get the answer."

"Lieutenant let's not play games here? What do you want? Better yet, what are you planning?"

"It's best not to ask questions doctor. For example, I don't ask what happened to Dr. M'benga and you don't ask me what I need the information for." Uhura smiled, showing her teeth.

"I am sure you are not sitting in my office threatening me Lieutenant."

"Doctor, I have no reason to threaten you. I only want information and I want to make it clear to you that we have a mutual interest in cooperation. I could do a rudimentary search of the Empire's records but we both know they are woefully inadequate to the task. I need intimate information, so to speak."

"Intimate?"

"Yes," Uhura said eagerly.

"So, it's Mr. Spock you're after?"

"Again don't ask questions you don't need to know the answer to."

"Why Mr. Spock? I won't help you hurt him if that's your intentions."

"I don't want to hurt him. Quite the contrary, I just want to please him."

"Please him? He's a Vulcan." Christine pointed out.

Uhura rolled her eyes. Why did everybody say that? "He's a man and I want him. And I need your help."

"I don't make it a habit to interfere in people's romantic affairs but-"

"Then don't start now," Uhura said.

Christine ignored that advice, "But why would I help you? What's in it for me?"

"I would be grateful and I would consider you a friend. If I'm successful with my campaign it could be quite lucrative for anyone who is my friend."

Christine studied Uhura for a long moment and then nodded her head. "I trust you won't disclose this information to anyone else?" Christine pressed and Uhura nodded in agreement.

"Despite being conquered by the Empire, there is not much that is known about Vulcan and her people. They are very private and they have ways of resisting the Empire's strongest interrogation techniques. Some believe they are powerful telepaths, others believe they have superhuman abilities. There is only one thing the Empire knows for sure about Vulcans and that is their one vulnerability which brought them under the Empire's thumb."

Uhura leaned forward eagerly. "And what is that?"

"Their mating rituals."

"Mating? How is that a vulnerability?"

"Vulcan males have a mating cycle that drives them into a mating frenzy about once every 5 to 7 standard years. During this frenzy, they lose their minds and all ability to use logic. They must mate or die trying." Christine explained.

"Their bodies burn with a fever that cannot be broken, they exist only to rut. A man in this state would do just about anything, including murder for a mate."

"So, the Empire took their women?" Uhura deduced.

"Indeed," Christine agreed.

Uhura was flabbergasted. "Well damn!" She said.

Christine went to a cabinet and took out a bottle of brandy. She poured two shots and passed one to Uhura.

Uhura took the drink and eyed it suspiciously while Christine threw back her shot and swallowed in one go and then slammed her glass down.

She looked at Uhura's full glass. "Trust is the foundation of a friendship Lieutenant. I've trusted you with information that could get us both killed. Now, what are you going to do?"

Uhura held the glass and contemplated its contents. Trust. She trusted no one, she couldn't afford to. But she realized in this life one had to take risks in order to get ahead. She had just learned something that would put Spock at her mercy and all she had to do was drink.

Trust. Everything hinged on this moment. Either way, this drink would seal her fate. Decided, she said, "To friendship!" and took her shot.