As the two men escorted the group to Boss Oxmyx, a car raced down the street. Everyone hid behind what they could, garbage, mailboxes, doors, anything to try and stop the rounds being fired by the men in the car. Spock pulled T'Lora into his arms protectively as the man in the blue suit fell to the ground, leaving the other one to shoot at the car.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"Krako's getting more gall all the time", the man answered.
"Is this how you greet all your guests?" Kirk asked.
"It happens, pal."
"That man's dead back there", McCoy said looking at the casualties.
"Yeah, well ain't playing for peanuts. What's the matter, you guys never saw a hit before?"
"Does it matter so little to you that your friend is dead?" T'Lora asked.
"I never said he was my friend now, did I, toots? Now get moving."
The group looked around as everyone up and down the street, gathered around the dead body. T'Lora looked at Spock and held his hand. There was something seriously wrong with this planet and they were either going to find out and fix it, or wind up dead.
"This is the contamination you're looking for, Jim", McCoy mumbled.
"Yes, but the Horizon crew wasn't composed of cold-blooded killers", Kirk answered. "They didn't report this culture in this state, either. What happened?"
The group stopped as a couple of women wearing a short, revealing dress confronted their escort about the way Boss Oxmyx was running the town. They received no help, being told to go away.
"Is this the way your citizens do business, their right of petition?" Kirk asked.
"They pay their percentages and the boss takes care of them", the man said taking them down the street.
They walked through the town until they reached a large building.
"Here we are. No funny stuff."
Everyone looked at each other before walking up the stairs. The man pushed a button on the intercom, calling Boss Oxmyx.
"Yeah?"
"Got them, Boss", he said. "No sweat."
"All right. Bring them in."
The escort pushed them toward the door with his gun.
"Get moving", he said.
He pushed the door open, letting the group get their first look at Boss Oxmyx, an elderly man win a dark suit. He stood in front of a pool table, holding a cue.
"Which one of you is the captain?" he asked.
"Depends", Kirk said giving him the answer.
"Make yourself a drink, Captain", Oxmyx said. "It's good stuff. I distill it myself."
"No, thank you. You're Mr. Oxmyx."
"That's me, pal", he answered shooting another ball across the table.
"This is my first officer, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Nurse T'Lora.
"Doctor, huh? And nurse? Put that chopper down, Kalo. These guys are our guests."
Kalo crossed his arms as he lowered the gun away from everyone. Oxmyx tossed a cue to Kirk with a smile.
"Pick up a cue, Captain. Go ahead. I apologize for the boys. You can't be too careful around here these days."
"Yes, judging from what we've seen so far, I agree", McCoy nodded.
"They call you the boss, Mr. Oxmyx", Kirk said watching Oxmyx play. "The boss of what?"
"The boss of my territory", he answered. "I got the biggest in the world. You know, there's one thing wrong with having the biggest. There's always some punk trying to cut you out. That's why you can't be too careful."
"You're the government here?" he asked raising his eyebrows.
"What government? Look, I told you. I got the territory and I run it. That's all."
"You can't be the only boss on this planet", T'Lora said. "Aren't there more of you? Other bosses on other parts of the planet? Other territories?"
"Yeah, sure", Oxmyx said as he hit the wrong balls on the pool table. "Maybe a dozen or so, not counting the small fry, but then they get burned anyway soon as I get around to it."
"Does that include, if I may ask, a gentleman called Krako?" Spock asked noticing a book in the back corner of the room.
"How do you know about Krako?" Oxmyx asked pulling his glasses off.
"He hit us, boss", Kalo answered.
"Okay. You hit him back, you hear? Hard."
"I'll take care of it", he nodded raising his gun.