Star Trek: "The Mudd Collective…"

Summary: After using illegally…(Sir, knowledge should be free to all!)…Acquired genetic tech to reverse his aging, Harry Mudd sets his sights on bringing… "Mudd"…To the Galaxy through the Federation's deadliest foe. That'll show James T. Kirk. And that Burnham. And he don't like that Picard chap much either, at that, even if he hasn't met him.

2383…Just a bit into the Delta Quadrant, beyond Federation well-charted space…

Part VII…

"Are we agreed, Jamie-boy?" Mudd, just a tad nervous.

"Mudd…" the holographic Kirk eyed him incredulously. "You could just rewrite the program."

"But that might lack that sincerity that comes from independent cooperation… Which Callia, given her experience, might pick up on. Besides, I'm not asking for so much, now am I?" Winning smile. "And you get the holographic emitter, when alls done. Eh? Freedom to roam the Galaxy again, at will…Annoying people with your heroics and such, living up to your namesake. They'll probably fall over themselves to give you a new command when they see you back in the near flesh. Just the very minor restriction of never identifying me or giving my data to the authorities or acting against me yourself. C'mon, Kirk. It's a fair deal, even you must admit." Mudd eyed the hologram. "Review the specs on the emitter if you like. Voyager's holographic doctor is happily enjoying a brilliant career as we speak."

"Harry, I doubt very much Starfleet will offer me a command."

"Where there's life, out there among the stars again, there's hope." Mudd shrugged. "Hell, buy a ship…You'll have adoring fans throwing credits at you even if you don't write your memoirs."

"All right." Kirk sighed. "But no more than what we agreed."

"Done!" Mudd beamed. "Always a pleasure doing business with you, Kirk."

"Uh-huh. I seem to remember otherwise."

"Now, now…Water under the bridge." Mudd noted, turning as a wall communications relay buzzed.

"Captain Mudd here."

"Ms. Callia has arrived and requested entrance to the holodeck." A Stella II's voice replied.

"Granted and welcome. All right, Kirk. Lets make the lady feel welcome and in the company of old friends. After all, given our merry escapades together…"

"All this for a girl? And Galactic conquest? Harry, I will say you are always full of surprises." Kirk noted. As Mudd waved for silence, Callia appearing at the opening doors of Holodeck I.

"Callia, my dear!" Harry beamed. "Welcome to Holodeck I. And let me introduce you to a dear old friend…"

Kirk eyeing Mudd sidelong.

…

"Captain James Kirk, Miss." Kirk, graciously.

"So, you're Harry's friend, James Kirk?" Callia stared. "I think I remember you…From…"

"No, no…Callia, my dear. No need to rake up painful memories from a horrible past." Mudd, solicitously. Kirk eyeing him.

"In holographic simulated form, Miss." Kirk shrugged. "Afraid my human true self died, sometime ago, in a space accident."

"As always, saving his crew, that's my friend Jamie." Mudd, expansively.

"Why you make me sound almost as brave as you, Harry." Kirk smiled.

"Oh, I doubt ihat…" Callia, insistent.

"Now, now …As a private captain and explorer/entrepreneur, I generally leave the heroics to James and his comrades in Starfleet." Harry noted. "It was just circumstance that allowed me take a few desperate risks."

"I'm sure had you been in their Starfleet you'd have made a great Captain, Harry." Callia beamed.

"He would have been one whose career would have fascinated us all." Kirk smiled.

…

"Well, this has been delightful…" Mudd noted. "And James, I assure you the emitter technology will soon be perfected and you'll be able to join us in the outer universe. Hopefully in time for your amazing tactical skills to assist at the climax."

"I look forward to it, Harry." Kirk, a bit sardonically. "Miss…It's been a pleasure." Sincere smile at Callia. "I'll hope to see you again here or perhaps out there if all works out. And Harry's right. You've nothing to blame yourself for." Firm smile.

"Thank you, Captain." Callia nodded, smiling wanly.

"Jim. And you're very welcome. Make sure my friend here takes good care of you."

"And so he will." Mudd, nodding. "Hopefully our next dinner together will be off holodeck but I will check in to consult in a day or two. Good night, James. Callia?"

"Good night, Jim." Callia smiled.

All right, quite enough…Mudd eyed Kirk.

Still the boy kept our agreement and spoke of us as friends, he noted to himself as he and Callia emerged from the holodeck.

"That's amazing…" Callia noted. "A whole world created from energy. I remember…Well…"

"Oh, my dear…" Harry, solemnly.

"No, no…This is a nice memory, I think. Before they made me a node Queen. Unimatrix Zero was a safe space but it was also like that holodeck, a wonderland you could manipulate as you liked." She noted. "I don't think we had holosuites on Vergilis…Though maybe one or two systems…Well, anyway. It was very impressive. But it must be a bit lonely for your friend."

"Well, I can on him constantly and he can call on his old friends at any time, though their programs are less detailed…I didn't have access to so much information on them. But James is a positive person, always has been. And of course, the emitter technology gives him hope of leaving the holodeck, perhaps soon. Deck five, please…" He informed the computer control of the turbolift. "Lets get you back to your quarters, dear girl, you must be tired."

"A bit but not so very much…It's really sweet of you to care so much about your old friend." She noted fondly. "Was it very hard for you? When he died?"

"Ah, well…" expansively. "James was always putting his life at risk. And we were far separated at the time. I was studying the Gavorians' Andrameda technology. He was christening a grand new ship. I did miss him, truly."

Truly…The Galaxy did seem a bit smaller, tasteless, and flatter without him, in spite of his annoying ways.

"And you labored to bring him back…Like you saved us all." Callia beamed.

"Well, I suppose…It's what I do." Mudd noted. Surreptitiously eyeing her.

"I did enjoy meeting your friend…" she noted.

"So do most women…" Harry sighed, frowning slightly and involuntarily.

She giggled…He staring…

"Why, Captain Mudd? Are you jealous of your friend?"

"Well, not jealous per se, of course…" Harry hemmed. "Though James is rather successful with the ladies…Or was…But I myself have…"

"You have…?" shrewd regard.

"Well, I…" He eyed her smile.

"Harry, I was a politician on Vergilis. A bit of a political star, really…And, young. I had lovers, though I don't remember them too well as yet. In fact, Vergilis Prime is kind of famed for being a 'love' capital…Or it was till they came." She winced. "Polyamourous groupings, open love, multiple gender couples, we had it all. My mother and father barely knew each other, though they did form a unity once I was conceived."

"They did? A…?"

"It's an open association for the good of the offspring. The parents share in raising the children but it's not exclusive."

"My, what an advanced society…" Harry noted.

"Well, some systems were like that, others had different ways. Frankly, I rather leaned toward monogamy myself. I liked the sharing couples like that did. Having a history together. You and Stella, you were monogamous…? It's clear you treasure her memory, after all."

"Well, yes…" he paused, gulping at the lovely face. "But our attachment was primarily spiritual."

"Really? She was quite beautiful if the Stella IIs are any indication. Spiritual?" staring.

Hmmn…

"Well, of course at times, when events permitted…" he stumbled.

"How about now?" she eyed him.

"Now?"

"I know she's gone, Harry but you have hundreds of copies of her running about this ship in young and older versions. And of course there's that wonderful holodeck of yours…"

He blinked at her coy look…

"My dear, are you implying…?"

"We have…Had…Sex robots on Vergilis." Grin. "Nowhere near as good as your androids but a lot of folks found them…Useful…When they didn't have a partner or a partner didn't feel like it." She eyed him, a bit wide-eyed with surprise. "Harry, you mean you don't…?" eloquent pause.

With the Stellas? He stared.

I mean when one has a holodeck capable of recreating any possible orgy of history or creating something new…

Though, on rare occasions…When one's a bit nostalgic or lonely.

"Perhaps once or twice…On our anniversary…"

"Honestly?" she stared. "Wait…It's not that you and Captain Kirk…"

"What?" he gasped, flabbergasted.

"It's just you have gone to a lot of trouble to preserve his memory…"

"For his tactical skill, his uh…Insight and keen observations. And of course our fond memories together…As friends. But as to…That? No, No, not at all." Anxiously. "James is just a friend."

Who if he can pick up this conversation via the ship's comm system must be laughing his fool head off…

Though I really must tell her about Spock some time. Perhaps the girl sensed some residual there from him?

"Really? Well…And there's no one else, Harry?" she asked, earnestly. "I mean no one not holographic or robotic? As in, living and breathing?"

"Uh…Sadly no, I've been alone in deep space. Though the Stella have been good companions to a point. And I have 'made use' of the holodeck. A healthy man does have…Needs."

"Good. Though I hate to think you've been alone all this time. Robots and holograms not really cutting it, in my book." Smile.

"Well, too much to do for long amorous pursuits."

'Even better…" smile.

"Indeed?"

"Harry, Nurse Stella assigned me quarters right next to sick bay today, given I've been improving. Over there, actually." She pointed. "I was wondering if you'd care to stay tonight."

"You…Were…?"

"I was." Fixed look.

…