Our polar bear suit has the exact same hole in it by the way. And I jump in it so often, there are practically no bottoms to the feet.

Chapter Three In which the Romulans notice there new employee is ….odd

The replicator beeped, interrupting McCoy's sentence. Getting up, he retrieved the tray from the machine. He say back down next to his friend, and using ample glue started to apply white fur to the empty patches on Jim's back, arms, and legs. "What I was saying, how are you handling this ...emotionally?"

Kirk was positive it would be considered inappropriate to punch his senior medical officer. In a quick evaluation the scenario with the security officers had not played well. Roger's long lost cousin even came to join the fray, although now he was now in ICU. This had made Roger enraged, and filled with vengeance. Kirk hoped his thirst was filled, after the hell he had been through last night.

His right eye hurt, and he assumed it was quickly becoming a black eye. The damn head had hit him in the face when he had tripped. The redshirts had taken advantage of the fallen bear. The fur, he quickly learned, does not absorb punches. Fighting back was hard because the feet were heavy; kicking them was out of the question. His arms had been pinned. Swearing, and verbal assault were completely out of the question.

Emotionally? Emotions sucked! He mumbled, "I'm fine."

"That's good to hear. I don't know what would have happened if-well, if they hadn't stopped them."

McCoy grunted, pulling his thumb and index fingers apart. Kirk knew he was right. He would have been dead if not for the alien entity that had been floating by. Something that, as was latter found, fed on red, violence, and heat. In short, an attacking red shirt. It left the ship peacefully and satisfied, four unconscious security guards were the only evidance it had ever been there.

"So, have you told the rest of the ship yet, Jim?"

"Look," Kirk tried to gesture with one paw. Suddenly Roger sat up in his medical bed panting and screaming, "OH GOD! I just had a nightmare that one of those damn polar bear people were attacking!"

He scanned the room and made eye contact with the Captain. Fainting, his life monitor went dead. "As I was saying," Kirk went on, "Wait can you shut that off?"

McCoy went over and tried to shake Roger, to save his life, but the man was not responding. Shrugging he turned off the heart monitor. "I really think you need to inform the crew." He started putting away the scraps and glue.

Inspecting his arms as he stood up, Jim said, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be on the bridge." His shoulders dropped and he waddled out.

At the bridge he made the announcement. Reactions of laughter and dismay were expected. On another note a bunch of the female yeoman showed up on the bridge after thirty minutes with cameras (which they handed to Spock immediately) asking if it was okay to have there picture taken with the ("cuddly wuddly") polar bear. Each one of them squealed saying (among other things), "Ohhhh! He's so cute!"

Kirk decided, after the fifteenth hug, the job might not be so bad.

-o-o-

Midway through the voyage an unstable peace was formed with the security division. They shook on it, however it was an awkward handshake since Roger's second in command (Jack) had his good hand in a sling. When orbit was finally announced, Kirk sighed with relief. He had mastered many ticks with the suit. Peeing however was still a difficult issue. However he was found a small hole in-between the suites' legs, and found that suitable.

In the transportation room a small going off ceremony was being performed. The security divison offered Kirk their lucky swim trunks. Jack winked, "We've all worn them once. With girls. Yeah, with girls," The other red shirts snickered. Jack continued, "How else would we have lost our…"

"That's great. Really, thanks so much," Kirk cut him off and took them gingerly. It was a mixture of designs patterned on it, cowboys, Disney princess, and squeaky yellow ducks. The thing belonged in a museum (Quite literally an antique, it had been ten years since the assassination had been called on Mr. Disney, and his company had gone down when he had come back in the android body five years later. The older the princess the rarer.), but he stuffed it in his bag anyway. The bag had only a toothbrush and other essentials, but really he couldn't change his clothes or his underwear in the suit (it made packing light).

The doctor was there with Spock as well.

"Good luck, Jim," McCoy hugged him. Without Jim's consent he also took the moment to slip a video camera on him. There was a pool on the ship when Jim would crack, unofficially of course.

"You've got to find the weapon Jim do not forget about that," Spock said from behind the controls. He had accidentally taken a picture of himself using the yeoman's camera. However that was only because he had the lenses facing himself instead of Kirk. The picture showed his eyes squeezed shut because of the flash. He had spoken little since, clearly humiliated. At least he was saying goodbye.

"I still say this is a stupid idea," Kirk said from the platform. He disappeared and reapeared in front of a yellow building. He ignored the name, all he cared was that it was hiring. In his ear the comm. link activated, "we'll be back in a week to check in. take care." Sucking in fresh air he stepped inside.

The look on the romulan Ra'eb's face was priceless by anyone's standards. His store was practically dead, but very clean looking (he was bored). Ra'lop was reading a dirty magazine over by the coats. Ra'eb was leaning his elbows into the cash register's buttons. The error noise the machine made kept him awake. A crowd of people came in, more than ever came in a month. In the lead by a polar bear. A creature that he had never heard of, and of all things it came up to him and spoke.

"I'd like to apply. Hello? Dammit! Get your elbow of the register! I'd like to apply! Dammit!" The bear hit the counter with a fist and swore. Re'eb's face held that look for a good three minutes, with a slack jaw and bulging eyes, eyebrows raised, priceless was exactly the word to describe him. Finally with a trembling hand he gave the bear the form and a pen. "Did…did…did...you bring in this crowd," he asked.

It shrugged. Then after a couple more minutes handed back the paper. Already there was a line of people waiting to be wrung up. It was record sales that day, his boss, J'son, smiled and said, "Hire it."

o-o-o

"I don't like the new guy," the Ra'lop said setting down his cup of coffee on the table.

His friend, Ra'eb, was also leaning against the water cooler in the break room. Ra'eb walked over to the table and sat down. His wild gestures easily displayed his aggravation. "He…he just smiles! And smiles! Sometimes he dances! But that smile! Ra'lop, I'm worried."

Ra'lop walked across the five foot room and back rubbing his temple. "I know, I know. I'm worried to."

Idly he started to look through the time cards glancing where people had punched out. He replaced them, but slammed his fist on the clock. "I…I think he's getting paid more than us."

Ra'eb buried his head in his hand sobbing quietly. "And he never talks. He just smiles!"

Ra'lop was worried. How long would the stranger be working? He didn't know, but this was day one, and already his friend was having a breakdown. Picking up a sack of feed in the corner he went to feed it. It was the reason they had this store, not for the store but to cover it's stay on the planet. Soon though it would be free to fulfill it's purpose!

O-o-o-o-o-O

Eight credits an hour. He had to wonder if it was worth it. The enemy always seemed to stop their discussions at the water cooler when he entered. This weapon had better be worth it.

A deep frown was on Kirk's face. It had been there for most of the afternoon. No one saw it of course, that stupid grin was part of the absurd outfit he wore. His legs hurt. He had just jumped, doing a spin in air, for several women; the effort was worth it though when they had hugged them hard. That made him smile a bit until the little girl ran up and tugged his tail.

He hated store liabilities. His Romulan boss told him he was not allowed to maul anyone- not even boyfriends.

But still--- they hadn't noticed.

To be continued.