Holding his food tray, Nick spotted Izi sitting alone at a corner table.  Moving through the busy lunch hour, he slid into the chair across from the Andorian security officer.  He moved a PADD off the tray and set it on the table.

Izi glared at him.

“What’s the matter, Izi?  You don’t like someone sitting uninvited at your table?” said Nick.

“What do you want?”  Izi’s antennae leaned forward.

“Fair is fair.  You do it to us,” said Nick, chuckling.

“Hmph,” scoffed Izi.

“Anyway, I’ll get right to it.  Ever since you got back from Ferenginar and Hok left, you’ve been grumpy.  At least more than usual.”  Nick took a bite of the casserole he ordered.

“I’m not a grumpy person and you know it,” scoffed Izi.

“Yeah, I’m just messing with you, but you really have been different the last few days.”

“So again, what do you want?” said Izi.

“You and I have accumulated a lot of leave time,” said Nick.  “I talked with the XO and suggested we could both take some now.”

“You talked to Commander Allen without checking with me first?”  Izi scowled.

“I guess I’m not explaining it right,” said Nick, taking another bite of food.  “I was talking with the commander about some diagnostics we did in engineering and the topic of leave time came up.”

“Just came up.  Imagine that,” said Izi.

Nick smiled.  “Have you heard of Delvis IV?”

“No.  What is it,” said Izi.

“It’s a low-tech, back-to-nature world.  People go there to live the old ways or to test themselves.  A real Klingony planet.”

“I grew up on an ice world.  Why would I want to go to a place like that?”

“They’re having a huge martial arts tournament,” said Nick.

“Oh?”

Nick could see that piqued Izi’s interest.  “We’re going to rendezvous with a freighter taking supplies to a nearby system.  We can charter them to take us to Delvis while the Eagle does more humanitarian aid.  It’s a chance to get away and do something other than being a delivery service.”

“It does sound like something I’d be interested in doing,” said Izi, “but you don’t seem the type to rough it for awhile.”

It was Nick’s turn to scowl.  “You might be surprised what I can do.”

“I suppose I would,” said Izi.  “Tell me more.”

“Delvis is in Federation space, but it’s not a member or a protectorate,” said Nick.  “The Fed leaves them alone as long as they abide by some rules.”

“Like what?” said Izi.

“The main one is no killing each other in their tests or tournaments.”  Nick slid his PADD across the table.  “It’s all here.  Read it and let me know.  Commander Allen already approved us going, if you want.”

Izi looked at the PADD.  “I don’t like that you did this without asking me, but getting the chance to pummel a few opponents is appealing.  All right, I’ll let you know.”

“Excellent!” said Nick.  “This is going to be fun.”

“You!  What is your name?”

Nick and Izi had arrived at Delvis IV, having hitched a ride on a freighter working in the sector.  It was easy to see the place was definitely a back-to-nature lifestyle.  The only technology was a subspace comm system powered by a solar generator.  There were no transporters and any ships landing had to find a clearing somewhere.  It had one main settlement in the temperate zone of the planet.  There was an arena with wooden bleachers, a pavilion, a few merchant buildings, and log cabins on dirt paths.  A large forest surrounded the settlement that contained more cabins.  A stream flowed through the trees.  Only the animals and fauna of nature were native to the world.  Being an engineer, Nick appreciated the work that was done to build the place.

Focusing his attention on the gruff Klingon sitting at the table waiting for an answer, Nick got the feeling he was being sized up.

“My name is Nick.  I need a cabin for two.”

“Are you entering the tournament?”

“No.”

“That is fortunate for you.”  The Klingon chuckled.  “That will be one strip of latinum for each day you’re here.”  He reached into a box on the ground and tossed a small, rusty, metal cylinder onto the table.  “Cabin 17.”

Nick looked at the object.  It was the first time he had seen a real key used in an actual padlock.  “Where is cabin 17?”

“I’m sure you’ll find it if you look hard enough,” said the Klingon.  “Next!”

Sighing, Nick grabbed the key, putting it in the pocket of his civilian clothes.  Looking for Izi, he saw her talking to a small group of women.

She’s already checking out the competition, thought Nick.  Shrugging, he decided to search for their cabin.  He could find Izi later.

30 Minutes Later

Nick was looking at a log cabin that appeared to have been built before the founding of the Federation.  The rundown wood building had a door, with a window on each side.  Three steps led up to a porch that ran across the front of the building.  It was located at the end of a cul-de-sac, so there was some privacy.  He could hear chirping birds and the bubbling of the stream behind the cabin.

Maybe Izi was right about roughing it.  Sighing, he moved up the steps.  Unlocking the door and opening it, Nick was struck by a stench so bad, words couldn’t describe it.  He ran off the porch gagging, his eyes burning.  Overcoming the feeling of throwing up everything he had ever eaten, he looked back at the cabin.  Muttering under his breath, he pulled his shirt over his nose and trekked back onto the porch.  Pausing, he stepped inside.

The cabin had one, large, common area.  In the middle was a wooden table and two, rickety, wood chairs.  To the right was a fireplace and a small stack of wood.  A metal cooking pot lay on the floor.  Along the opposite wall were two musty cots and two windows.  Looking at a small closed off section to the left, he saw a hole in the ground, a bucket of lime, and a small trowel.  He quickly opened all the windows, allowing a soft breeze to blow inside.  A spider was spinning a web in the corner of the ceiling near the fireplace.

Moving back outside, Nick wondered what temporary insanity overcame him to suggest he and Izi come to this place.

Sitting on the porch of the rented cabin, Nick saw someone walking towards him on the dirt path.  As the person got closer, he could see that it was Iziraa.

“Nice place you picked,” said Izi as she studied the disrepair of their Delvis home.

“You know what they say about real estate,” said Nick.  “Location, location, location.”

“Well there is that.”  Izi set her duffel on the ground and sat next to Nick.

“How did you find the place?” said Nick.

“The nice Klingon at the registration table gave me directions.”

Nick stared in disbelief.  He shook his head.

“Why are you sitting out here?” said Izi.

Nick harrumphed.  “It smells like something died in there.  I think all my nose hairs are burned away.”

Izi opened her duffel and rummaged inside, removing a canister about the size of a PADD.  “Here.”

Nick studied the item.  “A concentrated deodorizer?  Where did you get that?”

“It turns out there’s a Ferengi here that runs a general store.  He noticed I was new, so he approached me.  He said the cabins stink and offered to sell me the deodorizer.  The women I was talking to all confirmed we would need it.”

“How much did he take you for?”

“You forget I have experience dealing with Ferengi.  I got it at an excellent price.”

Nick remembered Izi was posted to Starbase Bravo before transferring to the Eagle.  The Ferengi there, he couldn’t remember his name, supplied her with candy corns, Izi’s favorite snack.

“Do you want to come inside and check out the place?” said Nick.

“Are you kidding?  Not until you use this.”  Izi pushed the canister into Nick’s hand.

“I don’t blame you.”

The two fell silent for a few moments.

“So what’s our agenda?  When do you contestants start pummeling each other?” said Nick.

“The opening rounds begin tomorrow at noon.”  Izi’s antennae bounced cheerfully.  “Tonight at dusk there’s going to be a bonfire in the clearing behind the arena.  Everyone will be there.  It will give me the chance to see any potential opponents.”

“That sounds interesting,” said Nick.  “I suppose real alcohol will be in abundance.”

“Of course,” said Izi.  “One of the women said they’re barbecuing a grax beast.  I’m looking forward to it.”

“A grax beast?”

“Yes, it’s a predator animal that hunts in the deep woods.  It’s very ferocious and clever.  It’s said to be quite a feat to bring one down using primitive weapons.”

Nick could see Izi was getting excited about being there on Delvis.  At least one of them was.

“The fun part hasn’t happened yet, but I’m glad we’re here.  Thanks for pushing me into taking the time off.”  Izi patted Nick on the knee.

“It is nice to experience nature instead of the insides of a starship,” said Nick.

The two became quiet again, each lost in their thoughts.  Izi was excited, but Nick wanted to take the first transport out.  With a sigh he got up.  Pulling his shirt over his nose again, he went into the cabin to set off the deodorizer.  Seeing the musty cots, he hoped the Ferengi sold something to clean them.

The Delvis sun was setting and dusk had arrived.  A large stack of wood in the clearing behind the combat arena was now a strong bonfire.  Torches ringed the area adding more light.  An animal about the size of an Earth bison was cooking on a spit over another flame.  Nick never had real meat, and though the odor was tempting, he wondered if he would be able to eat some.

There were normally about a hundred people living full time on the planet, but with the dawning of the tournament, that number easily doubled.  It surprised Nick such a place attracted even that many to come and test themselves.

Looking at the people there, Nick saw a diverse mix of races represented.  He expected to see Humans and Klingons, but there were Cardassians, a few Andorians, Bolians, Romulans, and even a Nausican.  A well-rounded group.  What surprised him most was the number of women in something that was more geared towards men, maybe a quarter of the total.

Though Nick didn’t like the living conditions, he had to admit he was eager to see how things would play out in the days ahead.

Keeping an eye on Izi, he saw her talking with two Andorian men.  It was good she was connecting with her own people, but from what Nick could see, things appeared to be more flirtatious than anything else.  Izi could take care of herself, but the situation warranted more attention.

“Hello there, newcomer.  What brings you to Delvis?”

“Huh?”  Nick was so focused on Izi, he didn’t see the woman that was now standing next to him.  She was Human, maybe in her mid twenties.  In the light of the fires, he could see long, brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a gorgeous face lit by a smile that made Nick flutter.  “I’m on vacation.”  Nick didn’t know why he was feeling nervous.

The woman giggled.  It was musical!

“Now why would anyone want to take a vacation here?”

Working to compose himself, Nick motioned to Izi.  “I’m here with that pretty Andorian over there.”

“Ah.  I see,” said the woman.

Sensing disappointment in her voice, Nick quickly moved to the cover story he and Izi were using.  “Oh, it isn’t anything like that.  We work together.  A private security company.  Izi there is one of our best agents.  She’s here for the tournament.  I’m here to keep her out of trouble.  I’m the guy that keeps the equipment running and in top shape.  I’m Nick, by the way.”

“Mara.”  She offered her hand.

“Are you on vacation, too?” said Nick after the introductions.

“As strange as it sounds, I live here full time,” said Mara.

Nick was surprised.  “Why would you do that, if I’m not prying?”

Mara took a few seconds to reply.  “It’s a long story.”

Sensing that was as far as that would go, Nick went in another direction.  “Do you participate in the tournament?”

“I do, though I’ve never won my division, but I keep trying.”

Nick wasn’t sure what to say next, so he focused on the raucous bravado around them.  “This is quite an enthusiastic crowd.  With all the drinking and bragging, how do you keep the fighting from starting now?”

“There are strict rules against that.  Tournament officials enforce the rules.  Breaking them could lead to disqualification or even being banned from this place.  Things happen, but not often.”

Nick was impressed.  What seemed like chaos was actually quite an ordered society.  That lifestyle wasn’t for him, but he could see the attraction.  Before saying anything else, he could see Mara looking at someone approaching.  Her shoulders slumped and she was shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“What’s going on, Mara?  Who’s your new friend?”

“Please don’t do this, Trevor,” said Mara.

Trevor was a Human man, several inches taller than the six-foot Nick.  He was younger, muscular, and looked like he could bring down a grax beast himself.  His hard glare told Nick this wasn’t a man to be messed with.

“How many times have I told you to stay away from other men?”  Trevor spoke to Mara, but he continued his stare at Nick.

“You don’t own me,” said Mara.

“There’s nothing happening here, Trevor,” said Nick.  “This is my first time here and Mara was welcoming me.  Once the tournament ends, I’m gone.”  Nick knew diffusing a potentially bad situation was the best thing to do.

It seemed Trevor didn’t like being countered, as he moved closer to Nick. 

“Trevor please,” pleaded Mara.

“I see you haven’t changed.  You’re still a buffoon.  A Cardassian man had joined the group.  Things were getting tense.

“Back off, Ekem.  This isn’t your concern.”  Trevor snarled.

“Though I would like nothing more than to see you thrown off Delvis, I respect the honor and integrity of the tournament.  You shame this place,” said Ekem.

Trevor growled and grabbed the Cardassian around the collar.  The two men struggled while Mara yelled for them to stop.

Nick stepped back, not wanting to get in the middle.

“Stop this foolishness or you’re both disqualified!”

It was the large Klingon from the registration table.  Clearly he was to be feared and respected, as the tussle ended as quickly as it began.

“If I see you anywhere near each other tonight, you’ll be grax beast prey by tomorrow.”

Trevor scowled, but said nothing.  Ekem made a curt bow and walked away.

“Thank you, Kurtox,” said Mara.

The Klingon nodded, harrumphed at Nick, and disappeared into the crowd of revelers.

“You need to pick better friends,” said Nick.

Mara chuckled.

“What’s Trevor’s problem?”

At first, Mara didn’t want to say, but seemed to reconsider.  “We had a short affair earlier this year.  I broke it off, but he couldn’t handle that.  He still thinks I belong to him.”

“He needs to grow up,” said Nick.

“If he thinks you and I are together, there’s no telling what he’ll do.  He’s dangerous, so watch your back,” said Mara.

Nick frowned.  That was all he needed.

“I should go be with my friends.  Be careful, Nick.”

As Mara faded into the group, Nick knew things just got more interesting.

After Mara, Kurtox, Trevor, and Ekem walked away, Nick was left standing alone.  He wasn’t fighting in the tournament, so drinking and bragging didn’t interest him.  He wasn’t really looking to make friends.  He was there because he knew Izi needed time off and he wanted to help.  He supposed finding a place where he could watch her back was his only option.

Someone waved.

Looking through the torchlight, Nick saw a Ferengi.  Izi mentioned buying the deodorizer off him, so Nick supposed he was about to get a sales pitch.  He waved back.

“Hello.  You must be Izi’s friend.  My name is Tork and I’m at your service.”  The Ferengi bowed slightly.

“Nick.”

“Well, Nick, since you’re new here, I’d be glad to provide you with everything you’ll need to be as comfortable as possible.”

“I don’t think comfortable is something I’ll ever be here.”

“Well, it is designed for roughing it, after all,” said Tork.  “We can start with light.  It gets very dark here at night.  I have several models of lanterns for your consideration.”

Nick hadn’t thought of that.  “You’re right about me needing things.  How about if we go to your store once things settle down here.  I can see everything you have.”

Tork smiled.  “Excellent, but they usually go well into the night at one of these.”

“I’ll make sure we go to your store,” said Nick.  “In the meantime, is there anything I should know?”

“Well…”  Tork’s voice trailed off.  “Rule of Acquisition 74 states that knowledge is profit.”

“Seriously?  I’m probably going to buy out your inventory and you’re worried about giving some free advice?”

“You’re right of course,” said Tork.  “I saw your disagreement with Trevor.  He’s dangerous, so you should stay as far away from him as you can.”

“What about the tournament rules?” said Nick.

“Oh, he’ll follow them to the point of not getting caught breaking them.”

“I’m just here for Izi.  I’m not looking for anything else.”

“Hopefully you’ll be fine then,” said Tork.  “Speaking about Izi, the combat pairings for the first round are out and betting lines are open.  Care to make a wager or three?”

Nick shouldn’t have been surprised there would be gambling on the matches.  “What’s the line on Izi?”

“She’s paired with a Bolian, Qiri Zass.  This is her fourth time here and the previous three she made it to the final round, though she never won.  A Klingon named Kloka won the last five.  The Izi line is she’ll be knocked out in round two.”

Nick scoffed.  “Izi is tougher than she looks.”

“I’m sure she is, but so is everyone else,” said Tork.  “Well, except for Kloka.  She looks like she could tear off your lobes.”  He shuddered.

A voice boomed from near the fire.  “Tork, you overgrown lizard, get over here.  We need more wine!”

“Duty calls.  My store is open at your convenience.”  Tork scurried away.

Nick sighed.  Day one and he was ready to go back to the Eagle.

At the rented cabin, Nick sat on the porch.  Next to him was a battery operated lantern he purchased from Tork, the Ferengi businessman.  It was past midnight, though he didn’t know exactly what time it was.  Hearing a shuffling sound, he looked up the dirt road.  Other than the lantern, the only light was the half-moon in the sky, but watching carefully, he eventually saw that it was Izi.  When she reached the cabin, she sat next to him, a broad smile on her face.

“You made Tork’s week.”  Izi nodded toward the lantern.

“”Yeah.  I bought so much, I thought his lobes would spin.”  Nick chuckled.   “I was wondering when you would come home.  How were you able to make it so easily through the darkness?”

Izi pointed to her antennae.  “Superior senses.”

Nick nodded.  “We should turn in for the night.  You have your first match tomorrow,” said Nick.

“Yeah, Qiri Zass.  We met.  They’re billing us as ‘The Battle of the Blue Ladies’.

“Tork told me the betting line is she’ll KO you in the second round.”  Normally, a statement like that would have inflamed Izi, but she just sat there, the smile still on her face.  Her demeanor reminded him of someone that just had….  Realizing where that thought was going, Nick sighed.

“Well, good night.”  Izi slapped Nick on the knee.  She got up and almost pranced to the door.

Glad Izi was enjoying herself, Nick decided to stay outside until she fell asleep.

It was the morning of the opening matches of the big tournament and everything was a flurry of activity.  With as much drinking, eating, and celebrating that was done at the bonfire last night, Nick was surprised at how alert and ready everyone was.  He was impressed.  Mara was off by herself, so Nick decided to chat with her again.

“Hey, Nick.  How are you doing?”

“Better.”  Nick left it at that, not feeling the need to tell her about all the work he did last night to clean the cabin.

“Good.”  Mara smiled.  “Everyone is talking about Izi.  We’ve had Andorians before, but no one like her.”

When Nick was sure Izi would be okay, he left the bonfire early.  He was afraid to ask what she did.

“It usually takes only one bite of the grax beast liver to make someone throw up, but she had three and held it down.  I heard from Tork the betting has been shifting in her favor.  Your friend could advance far in the tournament.”

Before Nick could respond, the loud blare of a horn spread through the area.

“That means the first match is beginning in fifteen minutes,” said Mara.  “We should go into the arena now if we want good seats.  Kloka is fighting first, so Izi will have the chance to scout her.”

Speaking of Izi, Nick didn’t know where she was.  When he got up in the morning, she was already gone.

“I saw her with one of the Andorian men she met last night,” said Mara.

Nick frowned.  The last thing Izi needed was a distraction.  “I guess I’ll go inside and find a seat.”

“I don’t fight until later this afternoon, so I’ll sit with you,” said Mara.

Gesturing for Mara to lead the way, Nick couldn’t help smiling.

After a long morning of matches and a short break at noon, it was time for Izi to face off with the Bolian, Qiri Zass.  Getting ready in the prep room, each fighter was allowed one attendant to help them.  Nick wasn’t so unaware as to think fights weren’t painful or potentially dangerous, but witnessing them for the first time had shown him how brutal they could be.

“You okay, Nick?”  Izi’s antennae were moving in slow circles.

Nick frowned.  “I’m regretting that I suggested we come here.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to be forced to explain to Captain Kirby why one of his officers came back from leave all beat up.”

Izi chuckled.  “Who says that will happen?”

Nick stared in disbelief.  “Did you watch the same fights I saw?  Did you see Kloka?  Full contact fighting is madness.”

“Klingons.  The bigger they are, the harder they fall.  Besides, you’re overreacting.  A good smack in the mouth can get the blood flowing.”

“Yeah, down your chin and onto the ground.”

Izi laughed.  “I’ll be fine.”

At that point, one of the tournament officials entered.  “You’re up now.  Good luck.”  He looked at Nick.  “There’s a seat for you in the attendant section.”

“Thank you.”  When the official was gone, Nick sighed.  “Yeah, Izi, good luck.”

=======

When Izi and Qiri Zass were introduced, Nick was surprised to see Izi had gotten quite a following.  Maybe he should have been there to see her eat the grax beast liver.  When the referee gave the signal to begin, Nick found himself holding his breath.

The two women gave each other a fist bump, took their fighting stances, and began dancing around each other in a rapid circle.  Zass was first to strike with a kick that missed.  Izi followed with a body kick that struck Zass in the side.  The Bolian easily shook it off, following quickly with a punch that caused Izi to stumble.

The crowd roared its approval.  Nick had to force himself to breathe.

The bout escalated, with both contestants landing kicks and punches.  Nick wanted to leap out of his seat and stop the match.  He seriously thought about it, when Izi ducked a swing from Zass, rushing inside and wrapping her arms around the Bolian.  A struggle for balance ended with Zass falling and Izi on top of her.  What happened next stunned him.

Izi began pummeling Zass in the face.  Left, right, left, right, like pistons powering an old-style engine.  The crowd roared again.

Feeling sick to his stomach that Izi could be so fierce, Nick still couldn’t look away.  The feral atmosphere captivated him.  He didn’t know how much time passed, but seeing a bloodied Zass that was on the verge of passing out, the referee stopped the fight, declaring Izi the winner.

With arms raised and antennae bouncing, Izi exulted in the approval of the crowd.

=======

Standing outside the arena, Nick didn’t want to watch any more matches.  He understood Izi’s nature, but he still didn’t like what he saw.  He wanted to go home to the Eagle.

The first day of tournament matches ended, which was followed by more feasting, drinking, and celebrating.  Tork was busy dealing with bet payouts.  Match winners were talking and bragging about their victories.  Nick was still soured over the violence, but he had to admit the atmosphere was upbeat.  He wanted to talk with Izi again, but she was back with her Andorian friends.  Nick wasn’t going to join the festivities, so he decided to go back to his rented cabin.

“You’re leaving so soon?”

Nick stopped and smiled when he heard the bright voice of Mara behind him.  He would never tire of hearing it.  He turned to face her.  “I figured I’d spend a quiet evening looking at the stars.”

“And miss all this?”  Mara made a sweeping motion with her arm.

“I guess I’m just not the party type.”

“Well if that’s the case, maybe you could walk me back to my cabin.”

Nick had to force himself to not drop his jaw at what it seemed Mara was actually saying.  “Um, sure.  Okay.  I could do that.”

Mara giggled.  “It’s this way.”

=======

Mara’s cabin was on a short side path that branched off the main one that went through the middle of the settlement.  It was somewhat isolated by scattered trees.  A nice and quiet place to stay.

“So tell me more about the security business you and Izi work for,” said Mara.

“There isn’t really much to say.  We get hired to do jobs and we do them.”  Nick was nervous, so Mara’s question helped settle him.

“Tell me about one.”

Nick and Izi didn’t go that far in creating their cover story, so he had to make up something.  “Well, there was this one time a rich businessman was having a birthday party for his daughter…”

Before Nick could finish his made up story, he heard the sounds of someone approaching quickly from behind them.

Mara cried out.  “Trevor, no!”

As Nick was turning, a hammer-blow punch sent him sprawling to the ground.  Stunned, he could taste blood in his mouth.

“What are you doing, you jerk!”  Mara was livid.

“I told you to stay away from her,” said Trevor as he pointed at Nick.  “I won’t warn you again.”

“We’re not together anymore!  You don’t own me!” said Mara.

Mara’s anger grew and her voice was so loud, several people passing near the side path stopped to watch.

While Nick’s head was clearing, all he could do was listen to the two argue.  Words grew heated until Mara issued a warning.

“I swear, Trevor, if you don’t stay away from me, I’ll cut your throat.”

Trevor scoffed and glared at Nick.  “You’ve been told.”  He gave Mara a hard look and strode back up the path.

The group of people watching had grown and they cleared aside to let Trevor pass.

While Mara composed herself, Nick was able to stand.  She looked at him, a horrified expression on her face.

“Nick, I’m so sorry.”

Nick was a mix of emotions, from anger to humiliation.  He wanted to leave even more.

Waking from a restless sleep, Nick sighed and rolled his eyes when he saw Izi wasn’t there again.  Going to the side room with the hole in the floor, Nick was glad he was able to buy toilet paper from Tork’s store.  After that, he ate a simple breakfast of bread from the settlement bakery, followed by a quick wash up from the chilled water in the stream behind the cabin.  It was time to head to the arena for the next round of matches.

Walking along the path leading away from the cul-de-sac, Nick thought about his encounter with Trevor last night.  Mara wanted to take him to her cabin to treat his bleeding, but he refused, going back to his cabin.  He wasn’t sure if it was his injured pride or a fear of Trevor.  It was probably both.

On the main path, Nick noticed there was some sort of commotion ahead.  A small crowd had gathered, with more people joining as he moved closer.  One of Trevor’s friends, though Nick looked at him as more of a lackey, was demanding something be done.  When Nick arrived, he was stunned at what he saw.  Along a wooded, dirt road that led to more cabins, a body was lying on the ground, blood on the stomach, an ugly, jagged gash in the throat.

It was Trevor.

Nick couldn’t believe it.  He knew Trevor was a blowhard, but the Delvis settlement had laws and a record of respect and almost no crime.  How did this happen?

The outrage and speculation from the crowd silenced as Kurtox, the Klingon leader of the settlement, pushed his way through the throng.  Studying the body, he grunted.  “I don’t suppose the coward that did this would care to confess?”

It was amazing how quiet it became.

At this time, another ruckus could be heard.  Turning as one, everyone saw two men dragging Mara.  People stepped aside, clearing a path.  Pushing Mara to the center, her eyes widened and she gasped when she saw the grisly sight.

“Trevor!”

“Don’t give us your fake grief, Mara.  Everyone knows you hated Trevor.”  It was Gus, Trevor’s lackey friend.

“Mara?” said Kurtox.

Mara looked at the Klingon leader, a bewildered expression on her face.  “Kurtox, you know me better than that.”

Kurtox grunted again.

“You threatened to cut Trevor’s throat if he didn’t leave you alone.  Dozens of people heard you.”

Nick’s stomach churned.  Mara did say that after his confrontation with Trevor.  He didn’t want it to be true, but he actually didn’t know her, having met only two days ago.

“Is this true, Mara?” said Kurtox.

Mara’s face went ashen, but she didn’t answer.

“Mara?” said Kurtox in a firmer tone.

“Don’t say anything!”

Another person had arrived.  It was Izi.  “She doesn’t have to say anything.  Under Federation law, Mara has the right to remain silent and consult legal representation.”

The onlookers, led by Gus, grumbled in dissent.

“We’re not part of the Federation,’ said Kurtox.

“But you operate under Federation jurisdiction.”  Izi pulled something from her pocket, her Starfleet ID, holding it high for everyone to see.  “I’m Lieutenant Iziraa from the Starfleet vessel, USS Eagle.”  She pointed to Nick.  “He’s Lieutenant Nick Saunders.  We’re officially taking over this investigation.”

Nick didn’t see that coming, though he should have.  In fact, he should have stepped up before Izi arrived.

The gathered onlookers grumbled even more.

“Silence!” roared Kurtox.

Nick could hear only the chirping of the Delvis equivalent of crickets.

“According to our agreement with the Federation, you have that right,” said Kurtox.  “But if you find the guilty person, their punishment is according to our laws.”

Nick shuddered at the thought of what that could be.

“Agreed,” said Izi.

Nick didn’t think Izi would accept Kurtox’s terms, but he didn’t know what agreement was in place with the Federation.

“The first thing we need to do is clear this area, as it’s a crime scene, though no one leaves.  We’ll need to take statements,” said Izi.

No one moved.

“You heard the Lieutenant.  Move!” said Kurtox.

Despite the grim situation, Nick couldn’t help but marvel at the authority and respect Kurtox commanded.

While the crowd was dispersing, Izi walked over to Nick.  “Are you ready for this, Lieutenant?”

Nick nodded.  “Yes.

“I’m going to examine the scene.  I want you to find someone that will let you use their comm system to contact the Eagle.  Tell the captain what happened.”

“Okay.”  As Nick started for the main settlement, he saw Mara looking at him.  He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw relief in her eyes.  Was it possible she had committed this crime?  Only time would tell.

Izi was studying the ground around Trevor’s body.  Though the scene was compromised by all the people that walked around the area, she was able to discern one piece of evidence.  There was no struggle.  Trevor had been taken out so quickly, he either didn’t feel threatened or the attacker had ambushed him so efficiently, he had no chance to defend himself.  In one sense, she could respect how it was done.  After taking statements, it was time to talk to Mara.

“I will be here with you,” said Kurtox.

“Of course,” said Izi.  She studied Mara first, her most intimidating expression on her face.  Her antennae were leaning forward.  “Do you understand that you have the right to not answer my questions?”

“I don’t have anything to hide,” said Mara.  “I didn’t kill Trevor.”

“Tell me what happened, starting with when you threatened to cut Trevor’s throat.”  The scowl on Mara’s face showed Izi she had pressed the right button.

“I wanted Nick to come inside my cabin so I could tend to him.  Trevor hitting him drew blood.  He said no and left, so I went in alone.  I cleaned up after my match and went to bed.”

Trevor hit Nick?  Why didn’t he tell her that?  Though Izi knew he didn’t do the crime, in an unbiased investigation, he was a suspect.  “What happened the next morning?”

“I washed some clothes in the stream and I went into town to buy bread and cookies at the bakery.  I came back home to prepare my mind for my next fight.”  Mara paused.  “People saw me.  I didn’t do this.”

Izi nodded.  “All right.  You can go.”

Mara was surprised.  Studying Izi for a few seconds, she looked at Kurtox, shrugged, and sauntered off.

“That’s it?” said Kurtox.  “That’s all you’re going to ask?”

“For now,” said Izi.  “I’m going to talk to the baker to confirm her alibi.”

“Of course she was there.”  Kurtox was visibly irritated.  “What will that prove?”

“I need to establish a time line,” said Izi.  “Trust me.”

Kurtox sighed.  “Fine.  Did you learn anything from studying the ground?”

“There’s no sign of a struggle.  Despite all the people that were here, if Trevor was resisting his attacker, there should be marks in the dirt.  There’s nothing.  A stab to the softer tissue in the stomach disabled him and the throat cut finished him.”

Kurtox grunted.  “So Mara could have done this?”

“Yes, but it’s too early to know that for certain.”  Izi studied the scene one last time.  “You’re required to have a doctor here.  Please have someone get him.”

Kurtox laughed.

“What’s so funny?” said Izi.

“At this hour, he’ll be sleeping one off, most likely with one of his girlfriends.”

Izi frowned.  “Please find him.”

Kurtox nodded, laughing again.  “Keep me updated.”  He began walking away.

So much for shore leave, thought Izi.

=======

“I said, stand up!”  Kurtox jostled the settlement doctor, a Human man about sixty.  He was obviously hungover.

If it wasn’t necessary to have an official examination and pronouncement, Izi wouldn’t have bothered with him.

“I need you to do your job, Doctor,” said Izi.

“He’s dead.  Can I go now, Kurtox?”

Izi sighed.  She supposed that would have to be enough.  “Do you have a medical tricorder?”

“Yes.”

Izi waited for him to tell her where it was, but it seemed that wasn’t going to happen.  “Where is it?”

“In my office,” said the doctor.

“I’ll get it,” said Kurtox.

Izi wondered what series of unfortunate events brought him to Delvis.  “Do you have a place to keep the body?”

“In the doctor’s office is a stasis pod, though we’ve never needed to use it,” said Kurtox.  “I don’t know if it actually works.”

“What do you do if someone dies?”

“We have a gravesite to the south.  We do our best to honor all funeral customs.”

Izi nodded.

“Can I please go now?  I have a headache,” said the doctor.

“Let’s go, Doctor.  Show me where the tricorder is,” said Kurtox.  As they were leaving, he looked back at Izi.  “The Federation makes us have a doctor.  They didn’t say it had to be a good one.  He patches our injuries, which is all we really need.”

After Kurtox and the Doc left, Izi went back to studying the scene.  She hoped to see something she previously missed, but found she was distracted in thinking Nick was a suspect.  Maybe the engineer was right.  Perhaps coming to Delvis was a bad idea after all. 

Nick returned to the scene of the crime to find Izi sitting on the ground, the body gone, and a tricorder in her hand.  Surprised, he stopped and watched her, wondering what she was doing.  “Where did you get that?” he said, motioning to the tricorder.

“Why didn’t you tell me Trevor attacked you?” said Izi ignoring the question.

Nick was surprised Izi led with that.  “I was walking with Mara and he confronted us again.  Why does it matter?”

Based on the expression on Izi’s face, it seemed Nick asked something dumb.

“Why does it matter?  It makes you a suspect.  You now have a motive for killing him.”  Izi’s antennae quivered slightly.

“Me a suspect?  That’s ridiculous,” said Nick.  Had Izi been punched harder in her match than he thought?

“I know that and you know it, but the people here don’t.  Some of them have already suggested you because they know Mara and claim she would never do something like this.  As a Starfleet officer, I have no choice but to investigate you.”

“Then investigate me and be done with it.”  Nick was not happy.  

“Tell me what you did after Trevor hit you.”

Izi actually suspected him!

“Mara asked me into her cabin.  I was bleeding slightly, so she wanted to give first aid.  I said no and went back to our cabin, though *our* might not be the right word since you’re never there.

“Why didn’t you stay with Mara?”  Izi ignored his last comment.

“I was embarrassed, okay?  Some guy almost knocked me out in front of Mara and I was embarrassed.”  Nick expected some level of understanding from Izi, but that clearly wasn’t happening.

“Tell me what you did this morning,” said Izi.

“This is unbelievable!  Do you think I would throw away my career and the rest of my life over some loudmouth and a woman I just met?”  Nick was angry now.

“Tell me what you did this morning.”

She wasn’t going to let this go.

“I woke up, ate some bread, and washed up in the stream behind the cabin.  I started walking into town and saw the crowd around the body.  That’s it.  Does that help you find the actual killer?”

“If you don’t stop the attitude, Trevor won’t be the only one that smacked you in the mouth,” said Izi.

Nick wanted to dare her to try, but at that point, she probably would.

“What took you so long to get back here?” said Izi.

“It took time to raise the Eagle,” said Nick.  “I explained everything to the captain.  They’re on an important delivery run, but as soon as they complete it, they’re coming here.”

“You need to stay away from Mara.”

Nick wanted to protest just to disagree with Izi for treating him the way she was, but he knew she was right.  Both had motives and a reasonable case could be made that they did it together.  “I will,” he said.

“Good.  I’m going into town.  Try not to be in the middle of another incident,” said Izi.

“What are you going to do?” said Nick.

“I can’t tell you.”

Nick sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Go watch the matches for today.” said Izi.

“They’re not canceling the tournament?” said Nick in disbelief.

“Why would they?”

All Nick could do was shake his head.  “Fine.  I’ll go.”  Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed off.

When Nick was out of sight, Izi got up and brushed the dust and dirt from her clothes.  The tricorder wasn’t designed for security investigations, but based on the readings of the area, she was beginning to understand what happened, though she still didn’t know who might be the killer.  To be thorough, she had to cover every base.

=======

Izi stepped into the settlement bakery, a bell ringing over the hinged door.  The pleasant aroma of fresh bread filled the air outside.

A man stepped out from the kitchen and stopped behind the counter.  There was a glass display of various types of bread, muffins, biscuits, and cookies.  “May I help you?”  He was rotund, balding, and wearing a white apron over his clothes, which were sprinkled with flour.

“I’m Lieutenant Iziraa from Starfleet and…”

The man interrupted.  “I know who you are and what you want.  Mara was here.  She bought her usual order of bread and cookies.  My wife saw her as well, but she’s busy in the back right now.”

“What time was that?” said Izi.

“About an hour after sunrise.  My wife and I open the store two hours before dawn.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“Yes, Mara comes in every morning,” said the baker.  “She’s a nice lady.  She would never do what you’re suspecting.”

“I’m obligated to investigate.  Thank you for answering my questions.”  Izi turned to leave.

“We have a wide selection of goods here,” said the baker.

Izi understood the implication.  Sighing, she studied the display.  “I’ll take two of those muffins there.”

“Nice choice.  I’ll wrap them for you to go.”

“Thank you.”

=======

Standing outside the bakery, nibbling on one of the muffins, Izi knew what she had to do next.  It would be questionable legally, but she didn’t really have a choice.  She would wait until round two of the tournament began.  Disappointed that she had to drop out, Izi sighed and headed for the arena, not knowing a solitary figure hiding in the shadows was watching her.

Izi was standing outside Mara’s cabin with Kurtox.  Most of the settlement population was at the arena for the next round of fights.  Izi was scheduled for a morning match, but because of the murder, she had to drop out of the competition to conduct an official investigation.  She was disappointed of course, but answering the obligations of her duty meant more to her.  Besides, there would always be other tournaments.

Since Mara was the prime suspect, Izi decided to search her cabin.  Not wanting to take the chance that Mara wouldn’t give permission for that, Izi had Nick reach out to Captain Kirby again.  She saw him coming now.

“We got the warrant.  You can legally search Mara’s cabin,” said Nick.

The tone in the engineer’s voice gave Izi the sense he wasn’t happy about it.  She actually didn’t care.  “You can open it now.”

Kurtox grunted and moved to the door.

“Mara should be here,” said Nick.  “It doesn’t feel right doing this behind her back.”

“Maybe, but this is how we’re doing it,” said Izi.

“It’s open,” said Kurtox.  He waited for Izi to enter first.

The interior was simple and basic, but it was also decorated to the taste of a woman.

While Izi searched, Kurtox addressed Nick.  “You’re not happy about this.”

Nick paused.  “I understand this needs to be done, but it just doesn’t seem right.”

“You have feelings for her.”

Nick was surprised a Klingon would say something like that.

“In here.  I found something.”  Izi called out from the bedroom.  There was something wrapped in a white cloth that had a small red stain on it.

“Open it,” said Kurtox.

Izi slowly unwrapped the cloth.  Inside was a bloody Klingon d’k tahg dagger.  Izi looked at Kurtox whose shoulders were slumped, a sorrowful expression on his face.

“When someone chooses to live here permanently, they must prove themselves worthy by conquering a series of three tests,” said Kurtox.  “Mara performed with so much honor, I gave her that dagger.”

The room fell silent.

“This still doesn’t prove Mara did it,” said Nick.

“We have enough to take her into custody, but we’ll need to test the DNA,” said Izi.

“Then let’s get to it.”  Kurtox quickly left, clearly angry and disappointed.

=======

Izi, Nick, Kurtox, and Doctor Hinton were in the medical office.  Mara was sitting in a chair, the bloody knife on a table.  Mara’s face was as white as a cloud.

“The blood is a DNA match to Trevor,” said Hinton.  “This is the murder weapon.”

“Are there fingerprints on it?” said Izi.

“Yes, but they’re smudged, as though someone tried to rub them away,” said Hinton.

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Izi.

“Mara, you dishonor me and all that have ever lived here,” said Kurtox.

“I swear I didn’t do it,” said Mara, tears streaming down her face.  “I didn’t do it.”

“The evidence disagrees with you,” said Kurtox.  He looked at Izi.  “As we agreed, she’ll be punished according to our laws.”

“Now hold on a minute,” protested Nick.  “This could all be explained.  Someone could have broken into Mara’s cabin and taken the dagger.”

“Someone broke in, and there was no evidence of that, took the weapon, killed Trevor, snuck back in and left it here, all without being seen?” said Izi.  “Technically possible, but highly unlikely.”

“What about a trial?” said Nick.  “We don’t have the legal right to pass sentence without a trial first.”

“He is right about that,” said Izi.  “Our ship will be here tomorrow.  Is there somewhere we can hold Mara until then?”

“Yes,” said Kurtox.

“Why would I kill Trevor and not get rid of the dagger?” said Mara.  “Why would I take that chance?”

“You kept it because it’s special to you and Kurtox,” said Izi.  “You figured this would blow over and go unsolved, but you didn’t expect there would be Starfleet officers here to run the investigation.”

“This is just wrong!” said Mara.

“Enough!” shouted Kurtox.  “We will wait for the Starfleet ship to arrive and I will speak with its captain.  Mara, stand up so I can take you to the trial hut.  You’ll be secured there and kept under guard.”

“But…”

Kurtox held up his hand.  Seeing it was no use saying anything more, Mara stopped trying to talk.

“Mara, you’re under arrest for murder in the first degree,” said Izi.  “You have the right to remain silent…” 

Izi sat on a bench outside the arena listening to the sounds of the tournament.  Based on the evidence, arresting Mara made sense, but there was something nagging in the back of her mind.  It was frustrating that she couldn’t figure out what that was.  She rolled her eyes when she saw Tork approaching.

“May I?” said the Ferengi, pointing to the bench.

Izi nodded.

“I can see something is bothering you.  Maybe I can help.  I’m pretty much in the middle of everything that happens here,’ said Tork.

“For a price,” said Izi.

“A man’s got to make a living.”

Izi thought for a moment.  “All right.  Tell me what you think about what happened.”

“There’s going to be latinum involved?”

Izi sighed.  “Federation credits at the very least.”

Tork tilted his head .  ”I can handle credits.”  He smiled.  “Since you arrested Mara, you obviously had enough evidence to do that, but I happen to know everyone you talked to about her said she could never do something like murder.”

“In my experiences, people are capable of doing things no one ever thought they could,” said Izi.

“In mine too,” said Tork.  “So why are you sitting out here looking like you made a mistake?”

Izi had experience with Ferengi, more than many in Starfleet, from Gren on Starbase Bravo, to Hok, and now Tork.  She learned how perceptive and inciteful they could be.  “All right.  I’ll tell you something in confidence, but if you break that trust, I’ll make sure Kurtox uses you as bait on the next grax beast hunt.”

Tork seemed shaken only for an instant, but quickly recovered.  “You have my word.”

“When we searched Mara’s cabin, I found the d’k tahg dagger Kurtox gave her wrapped in a cloth.  It had blood on the blade that was a DNA match to Trevor.”

“I see.”  Tork was visibly surprised.

“The part that bothers me is there were no fingerprints on the handle, as they were wiped off.”

“And you’re suspecting Mara was framed because there’s no reason she’d have wiped the handle if she didn’t do it,” said Tork.  “Of course, she could have done that to put doubt in your mind, making it appear she was framed.”

“You’re not helping,” said Izi.

“I’m just saying, your proof is circumstantial and any competent lawyer could get reasonable doubt from a jury.  You need more.”

“In these primitive conditions, how do I get more?”

“Hey, I’m not here to solve the case for you,” said Tork.  “Just know that Trevor had enemies here and as you said, people are capable of anything.”

“I understand, but that doesn’t help find which one did this, if it was a frame.”

Tork shook his head in disappointment.  “This must be your first criminal investigation.”

Izi scowled.

“Where did you find the dagger?”

“In Mara’s bedroom, wrapped in a cloth, and hidden under her bed.”

“Where was it normally?”

“What do you mean?” said Izi.

“Did Mara hide it or did she proudly display it?”

Something clicked in Izi’s mind and Tork must have discerned it.

“My work here is done.”  Tork smiled and stood up.  “I’ll send you my bill.”

Watching him walk away, Izi knew what she had to do next.

=======

“Kurtox said no one talks to Mara without direct permission from him.”

“Do you think he meant the Starfleet officer conducting an official investigation?”

The man was troubled.  “You don’t cross Kurtox.”

“Then I guess I have no choice but to arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

The man guarding Mara in the trial hut shifted his weight from one foot to the other.  “Fine, go ahead, but before you leave I’ll tell you how to notify my next of kin.”

Izi chuckled.  “You’ll be fine.  I can handle Kurtox.”  Izi opened the door and stepped inside.  It was dark and Mara was sitting on a small wooden chair, the only furnishing there.

“What do you want?” said Mara, bitterness in her voice.

“I need to clarify something,” said Izi.

“Why?  You’ve already made up your mind.”

“If that was true, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Mara crossed her arms over her chest.  “What?”

“The dagger from Kurtox, where do you keep it?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Do you display it or store it in a box?” said Izi.

“I display it, of course,” said Mara.  “It goes on a shelf in the living room.  I’m proud Kurtox honored me with it.  Why?”

“Who knows you have it?” said Izi.

“Everyone.  Kurtox gave it to me in a public ceremony.  Will you please tell me what’s going on?”

“When was the last time you saw it?”

Mara sighed.  “The morning the tournament started.  Whenever I’m in a competition or trial, I have a short ritual I do where I hold it and symbolically draw strength from it.”

“Thank you.”  Before Izi rushed out of the hut, she saw Mara toss her hands in the air in frustration.

Assuming Mara just told the truth, Izi was certain she knew who killed Trevor.  She just needed to check something so she could prove it.

It was the evening break and Nick was heading out of the arena with the rest of the spectators. There was a barbecue going, cooking one of the wild animals that lived in the woods. Still eating bread and rations, Nick was seriously considering sampling real meat for the first time.

Though the tournament was still taking place, talk of the investigation dominated conversations when it should have been about the matches and contestants. A group of six men, Gus, Ekem, and four others whose names he didn’t know, approached him.

“When is your Andorian friend going to find who killed my friend?” demanded Gus.

“Lieutenant Iziraa is working on it,” said Nick. “These things take time.”

Gus scoffed. “I think you did it and she’s covering for you.”

“Trevor was an idiot,” said Nick. “I wouldn’t waste my time stabbing him.”

Gus stepped closer to Nick, getting in his face. “You might want to take that back.”

“That’s enough. You don’t know who did what,” said Ekem. “Give our Starfleet friends a chance.”

“Stay out of this, Ekem,” said Gus.”

Okay,” said Ekem, taking a step back. “If you think the lieutenant had the skills to take down Trevor, you should be careful about messing with him or you might be next.”

The four other men laughed.

Gus scowled.

Nick smiled.

“It’s out of respect for our laws here that I don’t string you up from a tree,” said Gus.

The four men laughed again. “Come on. The food is ready,” said one of them. They walked away.

Nick, Ekem, and Gus stared at each other, but before any of them said anything, Izi ran over to them.

“Nick, I need you to come with me. I’m about to solve the case.” Izi’s antennae were bobbing with excitement.

Nick knew Izi would eventually do that, but not this quickly. “How?”

“I found traces of skin on the lock on Mara’s cabin. I’m going to the doctor’s office to scan the DNA. We’ll match it with everyone here and we’ll have our killer,” said Izi.

“Now wait a minute,” said Ekem. “How does a skin sample on a lock prove anything?”

“I found a witness that saw someone breaking into her cabin,” said Izi. “It was dark, so they didn’t see who it was.”

“What if we don’t want to give our DNA?” said Gus.

“Our captain is working on getting a judge to sign a court order compelling everyone here to cooperate,” said Izi.

Gus looked worried.

“Do you have something to hide, Gus?” said an amused Nick.

Gus hmphed and stormed off.

“So you really believe you solved this?” said Ekem.

“I do. Let’s go, Nick. We’re wasting time.” Izi strode in the direction of Doctor Hinton’s office.

Nick nodded to Ekem and followed Izi. Once this was resolved and the Eagle had arrived, Nick couldn’t get off the planet fast enough.

The entire population currently on Delvis, about two hundred people, were seated in the arena.  It was the day after Izi claimed to have solved Trevor’s murder and the USS Eagle had arrived.  The evidence gathered had been under guard all night by Izi, Kurtox, and his most trusted men, and everything was going to be revealed.  In the center of the combat grounds were Captain Matt Kirby and Lieutenant Commander Roger Allen.  Nick and Izi had returned to the ship, gotten cleaned up, and were back in uniform and standing with their crew mates.  For Nick, it didn’t come soon enough.

There was a nervous and curious buzz in the crowd.

Kirby raised a hand to silence the gathering and after introducing himself, held up a Starfleet PADD for all to see.

“This is evidence that irrefutably reveals the identity of the person that murdered Trevor Mayberry.  It was obtained by my security officer, Lieutenant Iziraa.  It was kept under guard all night and officially turned over to us when we arrived this morning, maintaining the chain of custody.  My science people examined the data and confirmed what Lieutenant Iziraa found.”

Another hum rippled through the crowd.

Kirby continued.  “We are here now because Delvis IV, though an independent world, is in Federation space and operates under certain Federation laws.  After speaking with Kurtox, the leader here, we came to an agreement that suits both parties.  If the guilty person comes forward and confesses, they will be arrested and tried in a Federation court of law.  If they do not and I am forced to read the evidence, my officers and I will leave Delvis and that person will be sentenced according to the laws here.”

There was yet another murmur from the people, but Nick sensed it was more awe and disbelief.  If he wasn’t already privy to this, he probably would have reacted the same way.

“The guilty person has thirty seconds,” said Kirby.  “After that, I’ll present the evidence and we’ll call our ship to beam us aboard.  We’ll leave you to enforce your laws.”

Nick didn’t know what the Delvis judgment for murder was and he didn’t want to know.  Counting down in his head, Nick was surprised when he reached thirty and no one came forward.

“Very well,” said Kirby, tapping the PADD.  “It was confirmed that the d’k tahg dagger owned by Mara Conway was the murder weapon, as blood on the blade was a DNA match to Trevor Mayberry.  Furthermore, skin samples taken from the lock on Ms. Conway’s cabin door matched cell residue remaining on the dagger handle.  The DNA was found in the Federation database, giving us the identity of the guilty person whose name I will say now.”

“Wait!  Please stop!  It was me.  I did it.  I killed Trevor.  Take me with you.  Don’t leave me here.”

Upon seeing the person confessing, outrage and anger quickly spread.  The person was grabbed, jostled, and punches and kicks were landing.  Kurtox, two of his men, Commander Allen, and Izi ran over to stop the crowd.  Dragging the person to the center of the arena, Kurtox threw them onto the ground.

Nick was shocked to see who it was.  Gus Simmons, Trevor’s friend.  The plan had worked.

The captain and XO had beamed back to the Eagle, taking Gus Simmons into custody. Nick and Izi were given time to remain on Delvis to say good-bye. Nick chuckled as he watched Izi with her Andorian friends. Tork was the first to see Nick.

“It was nice having you here, Nick, though I knew there was something different about you. I never figured you for Starfleet, though.”

“I’m a man of mysteries.”

“If you’re ever here again, you know where to find my store. Good customers are as rare as latinum. Treasure them.”

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll be seeing me again any time soon, or ever,” said Nick. “And speaking of your store, in my cabin are the leftovers I bought that I didn’t use. You can have them.”

“Really?” said Tork.

“They’re all yours.”

Tork raced off, saying something about getting to the items first before the Delvis scavengers did.

Chuckling as the Ferengi hurried away, Nick’s stomach started to flutter when he saw Mara.

“You look dashing in your uniform.”

Nick felt his cheeks getting warm. “I hope you understand why Izi and I kept that secret.”

“I do,” said Mara. “People would have thought you were sent here to spy on us to make sure we were following Federation laws. You weren’t really spies, were you?”

“No.  We had an interesting series of missions and Izi needed to get away for some shore leave. I’m the one that suggested coming here for the tournament.” Nick looked around. “Never again.” He sighed.

“Well I’m glad you did,” said Mara. “Even if it was only a few days.”

There was an awkward moment of silence.

“Are you going to be all right?” said Nick.

“Yes. Kurtox hasn’t stopped apologizing for thinking I killed Trevor, at least as much as a Klingon can apologize.” Mara chuckled. “I’m still trying to process why Gus did what he did. I mean, he and Trevor were friends, but looking back at it now, I can see why he felt like he was treated so badly, always being the butt of jokes and insults. I guess he just had enough.”

“I’m still unclear on why he framed you,” said Nick.

“Doctor Hinton told me it was another way to hurt Trevor.” Mara shrugged. “It’s over now. I’m just glad Lieutenant Iziraa found the skin tissue and a witness.”

“Um, that’s not what happened,” said Nick.

“What do you mean?” Mara’s eyes squinted in confusion.

“There was no skin residue or a witness. We made up the whole thing to draw out the killer.”

Mara stared in disbelief. “You mean to tell me, my life was hanging in the balance based on an elaborate trick?”

“I’m sorry, but there wasn’t anything else we could have done,” said Nick. “Evidence pointed to you, but there was enough doubt that we couldn’t risk ruining your life.”

“What would have happened if Gus didn’t fall for it?”

“He did, so let’s not think about that,” said Nick.

“It’s a good thing you’re dashing.”

Nick was about to say something, but his comm badge chirped.

“Eagle to Saunders. We’re ready to bring you home.”

“Acknowledged.” Nick looked at Mara. “I’ve got to…” His last words were interrupted by a long and passionate kiss.

“Be safe out there, Lieutenant Nick Saunders.”

As the transporter beam took him, Nick watched as Mara waved good-bye. It turned out there was something about Delvis IV he would always treasure.