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The disorientation of the Transporter effect faded and Kirk looked around at the Amphitheatre that they found themselves standing in. Crowds filled the stands and a military honour guard in full dress uniform lined the steps down to the centre of the Amphitheatre where President Teodisclas was waiting. Behind him, half a dozen military officers were waiting, their tunics thick with medals. Straightening his tunic, Kirk lead the way down the stairs towards the President.

'Mr President...'

'Captain Kirk. Commander Spock. I am honoured to formally welcome you to Kiori...'

'Thank you, Mr President. Allow me to present my Senior Officers. Dr McCoy, my Chief Medical Officer and Commander Scott, my Chief Engineer. Lieutenant Uhura, my Communications Officer, Ensign Sulu, my Helmsman and Ensign Chekov, my Navigator.'

'Welcome to you all,' Teodisclas said. 'I hope that this will be the start of a new era for Kiori...'

'I hope so, too, Mr President...'

######################

'Thank you, everyone,' Kirk said as he stepped off the transporter pad, crossing to the communications panel.

'Computer, activate shipwide broadcast.'

'Acknowledged,' the computer said and Kirk took out the small microphone, holding it up to his mouth.

'Attention all hands, this is Captain Kirk. We'll be in orbit of Kiori for the next few days. Normal shift rotations will apply, but leave is granted to visit the planet during off-duty hours. That is all. Kirk out.'

'Captain, we are here on a diplomatic mission...'

'I know, Spock. But, we've been in deep space for six months. The crew could use some shore leave. You have the bridge, Commander.'

'Aye, Captain...'

######################

'Sorry I'm late,' Chekov said, as he stepped into the transporter room. 'I was working on some subspace equations and I lost track of time...'

'Dinnae worry, laddie,' Scotty said. 'It's taken me a few minutes to patch into their transporter network and locate the proper receiving station...'

'Receiving station?'

'Apparently, you can only beam down in designated areas,' Uhura said. 'According to the officer we spoke to, it's a security measure...'

'Anyway, 'McCoy said. 'Now we're all here, can we go. I'm not getting any younger...'

'Right you are, Doctor,' Scotty said, winking to the others as he lead the onto the pad. 'I've given the co-ordinates to Ensign Johannes. He's pretty good, if I do say so myself...'

'What do you mean 'pretty good,' McCoy said as Scotty turned to Johannes.

'Energise, Ensign...'

'Aye, sir...'

######################

'Here we are,' Scotty said, sitting down at the table with five tall glasses full of a pale orange liquid that became yellow near the top. 'Five Burning Sunrises.'

'What's in it?' McCoy asked and Scotty shrugged.

'No idea,' he admitted, handing round the glasses and taking a sip from his own. 'Hmm...not bad...'

'Look at this,' Uhura said, tapping a sequence into the control panel on the table and a hologram of a long expanse of sand with pearlescent water appeared in front of them. "Visit Kiori's most beautiful beach. Relax in the luxury waterside resort, rent a private skimmer and visit the lagoons or leave the ground behind with one of our single person gliders...'

'How about this?' Chekov put in, reading from a tablet in his hand. 'The Night Market. It says they have live street performances and exotic delights that will open your eyes to a whole new world.'

'Sounds fishy to me,' McCoy muttered and Sulu rolled his eyes.

'I think we should take a look. We are here to learn about their culture, after all...'

'That's the spirit, laddie,' Scotty said, draining his glass. 'Drink up. The night's only just getting started...'

######################

'Checkmate,' Spock said and Kirk sat back, folding his arms across his chest.

'If you say so, Mr Spock...'

'The outcome is not in dispute, Captain. Logically, there was only one conclusion...'

'I could have beaten you, you know...?'

'I do not see how, Captain...'

'Like this,' Kirk said, picking up his Queen and placing it next to Spock's King, two levels down...

'That move is not in the rules, Captain...'

'I thought you know by now, Spock. I make my own rules...'

'This is not the Kobayashi Maru...'

'I know. And life isn't a game,' Kirk said, standing up. 'I'm going to turn in. Good night, Commander...'

'Good night, Captain...'

######################

'The Night Market should just be another couple of streets over,' Uhura said and McCoy snorted.

'Why couldn't we just have the monorail? We'd have been there in a few minutes...'

'We came here to see the city,' Sulu said. 'Personally, I don't mind stretching my legs for a bit...'

'What's that?' Chekov asked, pointing towards a small crowd that had gathered around a Kiori who was standing on a table, something like a megaphone held in one hand.

'President Teodisclas has betrayed us,' he shouted, the crowd murmuring in response. 'He has sacrificed our pride and independence by joining this "Federation"...'

'Sounds like a protest,' Scotty said, as the man continued.

'And has he asked the opinion of us, his people?'

'No!' The crowd roared in response, just as four dark grey APCs pulled up and around two dozen armoured and helmeted Kiori poured out, forming two ranks. One of them, wearing what Scotty recognised as a Sargeants insignia, stepped forward, his voice amplified by his helmet.

'By authority of the military police, this is an illegal assembly. Disperse immediately or you will be arrested under Section 42 of the Civil Order Legislation.'

At his words, one or two people at the edge of the crowd melted away, but the rest drew closer together.

'You are now in violation of Section 42 of the Civil Order Legislation,' the Sargeant barked. 'You will now be taken into custody.'

At his signal, the squad advanced towards the crowd and the Sargeant's voice boomed out again. 'On your knees. Now! Hands behind your heads!'

'You can go... argh!

His sentence was cut off as the sergeant drew his baton and slamming it into his stomach, knocking him to the ground.

'What the hell are you doing?' Uhura demanded and the sergeant glanced over his shoulder.

'My duty,' he said. 'Arrest them!'

Two military police grabbed the Kiori that he had knocked down and dragged him to his feet, handcuffing him as the others advanced. Panic broke out amongst the crowd, some trying to flee, some trying to fight and it all went to hell. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Uhura looked around, eyes widening at what she saw. A mother dragging her teenager daughter away through the crowd. A portly Kiori wrestling with an MP and getting forced to the ground with his arm twisted behind his back. A youth turning to run and getting a baton across the back. As he fell, the MP stepped over him, raising his baton and bringing it down again.

'Get off him!' Scotty yelled, charging forward and grabbing his arm. 'He's just a kid...'

'Back off,' the MP snapped, slamming his elbow into Scotty's stomach and he went backwards, hitting his head on the ground.

'Scotty,' Chekov said, racing to his side and checking his pulse. 'He's unconscious.'

'Get him up,' Sulu snapped. 'We need to get out of here...'

######################

'Report, Lieutenant Rossi,' Spock said as he stepped onto the bridge and a dark-skinned woman with her hair pulled back into a tight bun rose from the command chair.

'Commander Spock. Everything's quiet, sir,' she said and Spock nodded.

'Very good, Lieutenant,' Spock said. 'You are relieved.'

'Yes, sir,' Rossi said, heading for the turbolift as Spock sat in the command chair.

'Computer,' he said. 'Activate nighttime lighting levels...'

'Acknowledged...'

######################

With Sulu leading the way, and Chekov and McCoy carrying Scotty between them, they managed to escape from the riot. Fortunately, the military police were more interested in rounding up the rioters.

'I think we're clear,' Sulu said, glancing over his shoulder. 'How's Scotty?'

'I don't know,' Scotty snapped. 'I've been a little busy trying to escape from a mob...'

'Alright. Put him down here and we can check on him,' Sulu said. 'Chekov, you and Uhura keep watch...'

Together, Chekov and McCoy lay Scotty down, Bones pulling back one of his eyelids.

'I think he might have concussion,' he said. 'But, I'll need to get him up to Sickbay,'

'Sulu to Constellation,' Sulu said, pulling out his communicator. 'Medical emergency. Five to beam up...'

######################

'Commander Spock,' Ensign McAvoy said, from the communications station. 'We've just received an emergency message from Ensign Sulu requesting an emergency beam out. They have a medical emergency.'

'Signal Transporter Room 1 to lock onto their signal and energise,' Spock said, standing up and heading for the turbolift. 'Lieutenant Jesn, you have the conn...'

######################

Spock entered the transporter room just as the transporter effect faded, revealing Sulu, Uhura, Chekov and McCoy, the latter two supporting Scotty between them.

'Report, Mr Sulu...'

'We were caught in a riot, sir. A protest that turned violent. Commander Scott was injured trying to defend one of the Kiori...'

'He's got a concussion,' McCoy interrupted. 'I need to get him to Sickbay...'

Without waiting for an answer, he and Chekov headed for the door and Spock turned to the others.

'I want your reports submitted to me by morning.'

'Aye, sir...'

######################

'Scotty will be fine,' Bones said, as he and Chekov entered the Forward Lounge. 'He'll need some rest, but there's no permanent damage. What's going on here?'

'The Commander wants us to write our reports of the incident,' Uhura said and Bones snorted.

'Doesn't he know what time it is?'

'I couldn't sleep,' Uhura said, picking up a PADD from the table as Sulu returned with four steaming cups of coffee. 'Now, what time did we beam down...?'

######################

'Why didn't you tell me about this last night,' Kirk asked as he finished reading the report.

'Mr Scott's injuries were relatively mild, Captain. I saw no reason to disturb you...'

'They're my crew, Spock. I need to know when they're in trouble...' he began, just as the comm panel on the wall beeped.

'Bridge to Captain Kirk...'

'Kirk here. Go ahead...'

'We've received a distress call from a Kiori military transport...'

'We're on our way...'

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.