Author's Note - This is my first attempt at fan fiction. I am by no means a Trekkie but this story has been banging around inside my head since I saw the movie. If I have made any errors, please let me know. This is set after Into Darkness. I hope you like it and please, Please, PLEASE review! I welcome all comments and suggestions.
Thanks so much!
Gayle
Chapter 1
The shadows lengthened as the sun set behind the gleaming towers of London. It had been two very long years for the citizens, putting their lives back together after the bombing, and of course the rebuilding of Starfleet Headquarters after the wanton death and destruction caused by John Harrison. After Captain Kirk's report about the events surrounding the crashing of the U.S.S. Vengeance and Admiral Marcus's involvement, Starfleet began a massive investigation and, finding that no less than seven other admirals were complicit in Marcus's actions, a purge of all "negative elements."
Admiral Felicia Coulter barely escaped the purge. She had managed to convince the investigatory committee that she had been a hapless victim in all this. That she had been used by Marcus and his cronies. That she would never have willfully betrayed the Federation and its ideals…Barely. Some of the committee members hadn't believed her but there was no real evidence against her. She was much too clever to let the dirt touch her in any way. It had been her idea to wake Khan Noonien Singh. Her idea to force him to build the weapons they wanted. She had planned on killing him and his precious crew just as soon as he finished the Vengeance. But she had underestimated him. She had not counted on his insane strength or his steadfast loyalty. This was not a mistake she would make again. She had another plan, another victim and a much better way of controlling her.
Striya ran as fast as she could. She had to escape! She was all that was left. The others…She forced the thought from her mind. She could not think about the others now. She burst from the alley onto the darkened streets of London. She rushed toward a crowd gathered on the far side of the street. She darted between hover cars, ignoring the blaring horns, and sliding under one as she strove to lose herself in the mass of Earth's humanity. She picked herself up and ran, willing the crowd to part. She heard the "Ptew" of phasers as she slipped into the minuscule fissure in the crowd she had managed to create. She knew they were set to stun, the admiral wouldn't risk killing her, especially now that she was the only one left. She exited the crowd and slipped into another alley. She ran the length of it, desperately searching for someplace to hide. She could hide easily, even in plain sight, if it weren't for the Device.
A burst of intense pain brought her to her knees. They had caught up to her. The deceptively small cerebral implant severely weakened her powers. The Device allowed them to deliver a massive electric shock directly to the pain center of her fragile brain. Stars exploded behind her eyes and her ears rang as the Device activated again. The little amber light flashed gently as the Device betrayed her location. She had managed to shut it off before, using her mind, but it had left her so very weak. She didn't think she could do it again. Her head snapped back as she writhed in agony. The man stood over her, his thick finger holding down the button, his wolfish grin grotesque in the dim, flashing light. Striya lay on the cold cement begging him to stop. Finally he did. She pressed her hands flat to the ground and tried to push herself up. He reached for her, grabbing her hair and lifting her to her feet as the earth collapsed beneath them.