I don't own Star Trek, more's the pity. Only my original character and plot line.
For this fic, 'Sara' is pronounced in the British way – not to be pronounced like 'Sarah'. I know in the States they are pronounced the same, but I'm going with the Brit way for this story.
Also, T for language. If I continue, the rating may go up.
Loss
Ch 1 - Awakening
Admittedly, Sara realized going to this god-forsaken place was not a good idea. If she was caught, she knew she'd face charges. A foreign girl alone in an unknown land would not have the sympathy of the court. At the very least, she'd be locked up for years. At the worst, she'd be dead. But lately, she just hadn't cared. In fact, that had been her attitude about many things for a while now. Skirting the inside perimeter of the warehouse, she looked up scanning for the security cameras rather than looking at the floor.
And that was her mistake.
Tripping over a large metal object, Sara was stunned for a moment before picking herself up and limping slightly moving back over to examine it. It was a large tube – almost two meters long. The technology intrigued her. On the one hand, it looked like nothing she'd ever seen before – so it was advanced. Yet, at the same time, the pod looked old - like it had seen better years.
Then it happened. Lights came on from the inside making the pod start to glow a warm orange color. Maybe she had triggered something when she had bumped it. The coolness of the pod was soon replaced by a slow and steady heat. Through the top of the tube, she could just make out what was in there – a man who seemed to be waking up.
The lid slid back partially, and the man inside started to open his eyes.
Not knowing what to be more frightened of – being discovered or dealing with a freshly melted man – Sara stepped back. Then warning lights started to flash red. Somehow the system was failing. Sara started pushing random buttons in the hope of opening it up more. With a whirring noise, the pod opened down to his waist.
Leaning down, Sara could tell he wasn't breathing. She opened his mouth and breathed air into his cold pliant lips before starting chest compressions. Soon she lost count of how many reps she had done on him. As the woman pumped his chest, her eyes moved around the warehouse looking for signs of discovery. She didn't want to leave him; but if he was unresponsive and she was in imminent danger of being caught, she'd have to abandon him. She'd have no choice.
Sara moved her eyes back down to the man. She had felt something twitch. With a surprising speed, he caught her right wrist with an incredibly strong grip. Her eyes found his face and were drawn into his hypnotically pale eyes. Sara saw a multitude of emotions - confusion, anger, fear, rage – radiating from him.
"Where am I?" he harsh voice rasped.
"Warehouse. West Tennessee. It's 2013. And you're not out of danger. Can you walk?"
His eyes narrowed – gauging her answers to him before responding, "Yes."
"Then, if you let go of me, I'll get us out of here. Unless you want whoever was keeping you a popsicle to catch you again."
He released her wrist and pulled his lithe body out of the pod in one continuous movement. "Lead on. What weapons do we have?"
"None."
He looked at her with unspoken exasperation and disapproval. No one worth anything would come into an enemy location unarmed. He even rolled his eyes. But as he walked a few steps, he legs gave out from under him. Instead of hitting the ground, he found her arm wrapped around his waist holding him up. He looked over to her in shock. Her dark brown eyes were simmering in her own anger.
"Looks like you're not 100% yet, buddy. And, don't get me wrong. I have every intention of getting you out of here. But one more eye roll and I drop your ass. I'm sure your pissed off about being frozen and not having weapons, but I'm doing the best I can."
"I'm just not use to bumblers."
"Well, if it weren't for my bumbling, you'd still be on ice. So. Are we good? Or do you want to keep arguing till the guards find us?"
"I'm good."
"This way then."
Sara led him out of the warehouse, into the woods, and to an old blue Ford pick-up parked about a half-mile away. She opened the passenger door and helped him slide onto the seat before closing the door securely. Then she raced to her side and hopped in starting the truck and pulling out as quietly as she could.
Her eyes flickered from the road to the man beside her. His energy level had only plummeted on their way to the truck, and she was concerned about him.
"There's water in bag at your side."
The man fumbled in the bag before drawing the bottle to his lips. He drank hungrily from it before looking around as she drove.
"Thank you."
"No worries. What's your name? I'm Sara, by the way."
"I'm … John." He paused for a moment. "What's the plan?"
"Let's get you back to where I'm staying. You can get food and rest there. That's the safest thing. Lay low for a week or so. "
"What about this truck? They will follow us."
"I've got everything under control. They won't find us."
"You're very sure of yourself."
"Yes. I am."
Sara pulled into a gravel drive which twisted and turned through the woods. At the end was a surprisingly modern house compared to the other homes in the neighborhood. She helped John out of the truck and into the house. Placing him down in on the sofa in the living room, she moved silently into the kitchen.
She asked, "Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee – white – two sugars."
She nodded and went to work. The floor plan was open so John could watch her as she went about making their meal. Sara had the coffee ready soon and handed that to John first. The sound he made, "Ahhh," upon drinking the coffee told Sara she'd done it right. A few moments later, Sara placed a place of sandwiches down in front of him.
"Sorry. But this is quickest thing I can make right now," she said and made her way to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To get rid of the truck. I'll be back in 20 minutes. After you eat, there's plenty of clean linens if you want a bath. "
Twenty minutes later, Sara came back through the door – just as John emerged from the shower with one towel wrapped around his waist and another drying his dark hair which fell down into his eyes. The contrasting values of light and dark were captivating.
"How did you dispose of the truck? If you've just released it into a lake, they'll find it in less than a day."
"Don't be obtuse. I gave it to Mr. Jenkins down the road along with $500. He's always wanted to go visit his family in Denver. Now he can."
"So if the people who captured me discover we were in the truck..."
"They'll have a nice little diversion for them." Sara looked at John with a small smile.
"I'm almost impressed."
For the first time, John truly looked at Sara. The smile that lit up her face briefly was her only conventional pretty feature. Her dark hair was wild – almost unkempt. Her eyes were dark and hard. John imagined what they had seen to make them that way. Her frame leaned toward the plum rather than the slim.
She sat down on a tall chair at the kitchen island and gestured for John to sit opposite from her. He sat across from her without a word.
Sara took a deep breath and began, "Let's not lie to each other ... Khan. Or at least, don't feel like you have to lie to me. I know what I am not and, better yet, I know what you are."
He tilted his head slightly, "Enlighten me."
"I have no delusions concerning my appearance. I'm not pretty. "
"True."
"So you don't have to worry about any physical element to this situation."
"Good."
"Yes, it is."
"So. You are not pretty. And what am I?"
"Cruel - to anyone you deem inferior to yourself – which, in today's circumstances, is everybody."
"What are your intentions then?"
"My intentions are hardly relevant. We both know who's in charge here. But, I'll help you. If you let me, at least until you done with me."
"And what happens I'm 'done with you'?" His voice threatened to melt her from within, but she held her ground.
"Oh, you'll kill me. But when you do, don't jerk me around. You are many things, but patronizing is not one of them. When you kill me, all I ask is that you are honest. When the time comes, look me in the eye and say, 'Sara, it's been fun, but I'm going to kill you now.' If that's not too much to ask."
"If you know I will kill you, then why help me?"
"One. If I don't help you, you'll just kill me anyway. I don't want to die just yet. Two. You're not boring. I haven't been not bored in a long while."
"And what else. There is another reason. Oh, yes. You are damaged. You have lost something important to you."
"Brilliant deduction - of every member of the human race. Can we move on now?"
"You asked for honesty, Sara. If you want that for your death later, you will be honest with me now."
"Fine. Something was done to me; I can never have children. I know from your point of view that it's ridiculous to mourn one less member of a inferior race coming into the world. But I do. Now can we move on? Or do I get a chance to figure out how you are damaged?"
"I'm not damaged."
"Only a person who's been hurt like we have can understand what we feel. Let's see. You are a superior being who looks down on at ordinary people. The only thing you'd care about would be your own kind. Oh, you've lost your people. I don't know how, but you have. For that, I am sorry. No one should have to go through that."
Sara stood up and pointed down the hallway to the left. "There's a couple of bedrooms down that way. Get some rest. If you feel up to it tomorrow, we'll get started."
"On what?"
"On whatever you want."
Khan looked at Sara as she headed down the opposite hallway to her room.
"Sara," Khan called.
"Yes, Khan?" She looked behind to see him rise from his chair.
"It's been fun, but I'm going to kill you now."
He said it as darkly serious as his rich voice could make it, but then she saw the corners of his lips curve in amusement. He was just watching for her reaction. Would she cry? Beg for her life? Just as ordinary people had done before her.
Instead, she laughed.
"Good night to you too, you sick bastard." Sara grinned before turning back to reach her room.
Khan listened carefully but heard no lock being turned or pulled into place. His grin widened. Perhaps this Sara could be helpful and amusing to him. But whenever she ceased to be, he knew he'd have no qualms about killing her.
Thoughts? Should I continue this or let it be a one-shot?