Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of its characters, only my OC - Rachel Reed.
A/N: I've gotten a few pm requests about what the background story is for Khan and Rachel Reed (from Broken Remnants). This is their background story that is set before Star Trek Into Darkness. This story is a companion piece set between The Ripple Effect and Broken Remnants.
A Shot in the Dark - Perhaps instead of shaking his hand, she should have shot herself . . . it would have been so much easier than everything that followed.
Chapter 1 - Déjà vu.
A Shot in the Dark
Chapter 1
Commander Rachel Reed came into the room slowly and nodded to Admiral Alexander Marcus as he stood watching the man behind the mirrored panel.
Marcus glanced at her casually, "Good morning, Doctor Reed." At least she was wearing her grey Starfleet uniform today and she had her black hair put up - a stark contrast to the last time he'd seen her a year ago.
She gave him a small smile, then focused her attention on the man sitting on the biobed with his ramrod straight back. His black shirt and pants matching his hair, covering most of his pale skin. She swallowed and closed her eyes as memories threatened to overwhelm her.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Marcus watched her closely. She looked different. She'd worked on this project over a year ago and she'd seemed much more sure of herself then.
"I'll be fine, Sir." she turned to him and nodded confidently - because that's what he expected.
Admiral Marcus stepped into her personal space, "Good, because if you screw this up like last time - I'll kill you myself."
Rachel Reed knew he'd do it too.
Marcus stepped back, "Get to work, Doc. I expect him to be transitioned and working Monday."
"He'll be ready on Monday." she acknowledged.
Marcus left.
Rachel Reed's gaze turned back to the man in the other room. She took a deep breath and made herself a promise. This time, she wouldn't fall in love with him.
She went to the door and had it open. She pulled her shoulders back and walked in the room confidently. "Good morning, Commander Harrison. I'm Commander Reed."
He looked over her body slowly, then finally his blue gaze fell upon her face and her very green eyes. "Good morning."
Rachel tried not to let his baritone voice sway her. Instead, she gave him a small smile. "I've been assigned a variety of duties to see that you acclimatize to Starfleet. If you'll come with me, please." She indicated for him to walk with her.
Harrison got off the table and walked with her down the hall. He quickly assessed each section of the building they went through.
She opened up a door and went through. "This is your office. You will be completing your designs here. Once the designs are approved, they will be built upstairs." She waved slightly to the various computers, equipment and PADDS available to him.
She quickly turned and headed down the corridors, past the medical room he'd been in. She had another door open and took a few steps in. "This is your quarters. Living room, bedroom, bath. Not the best accommodations, but it's certainly not the worst." She turned to take him to the cafeteria and found him standing incredibly close. She looked up at him slowly.
"You are not an assistant." he stated.
Rachel couldn't help but smile, "No, but I have been assigned to assist you while you are here." she explained.
He tilted his head slightly, assessing her. "What kind of doctor are you?" he questioned.
"A Social Psychologist."
He nodded, mulling over this information. "What do you usually do in Starfleet - when you're not acclimatizing me?"
"I assist Captains and their Department Heads select the most appropriated crew members for their missions." Rachel explained.
He stepped closer, "So why are you here?" He watched as she swallowed hard, but her gaze didn't leave his.
"I'm here to make sure you make the right decisions."
His eyes narrowed, "You? Do you know who I am?" he sneered.
"Yes."
"Then say my name." he demanded.
She frowned and looked away, "I can not. These rooms are monitored. Saying your real name will initiate a lock down." She looked back up at him. "You are Commander John Harrison."
Khan watched this woman before him skeptically. Why had she just told him of two security protocols? She was a doctor, she wasn't stupid. And despite the fact she knew who he was, she was not afraid, or intimidated by him. He reached over and held her upper arm firmly, "How are you supposed to make sure I make the right decisions?"
"By reminding you that Admiral Marcus has what you hold most dear." Rachel hated to say it. Hated to see the way it punched him in the gut.
Khan quickly dropped his hand and stepped back. He closed his eyes as his jaw twitched and his fists clenched. His anger at Marcus threatened to overwhelm him. His hatred for the man that would use his family as leverage against him - just so he'd design weapons for his Starfleet and make it more militaristic. He forced himself to calm down. He would deal with Marcus later. His eyes flew open as he felt a hand on his chest. She was touching him, and she had a look on her face that he couldn't understand.
Rachel had instinctively reached out and touched his chest to calm him down. His eyes flew open and he watched her intently. She quickly dropped her hand, then stepped around him. She cleared her throat, "If you'll follow me, I'll take you upstairs." She headed out the door.
Khan walked beside her all the way down to the other end of the corridor, past the medical facilities and his office again. He wondered if she had a reason for taking him back and forth the hall. It would have been more efficient to start in his quarters and worked their way here, to the stairs. They walked up the flight of stairs and were in another corridor. She led him past a few offices, then took him into the large cafeteria. There was seating for over one hundred, and there were two lines set up to serve food. There was also a rather large salad bar, and another area to the side that held a vast array of items to drink.
"Would you like something to eat now, or after I give you a tour of the assembly room?" she questioned.
Khan noted the room was rather full at the moment. "After the tour."
She nodded and headed back out and down the corridor further. They walked into the massive work space dedicated for the assembly of weapons. All in all, it was about three football fields in length. She indicated the various projects that were currently being produced as they walked around.
"Commander Reed!" a voice called out.
Rachel Reed immediately recognized the man's voice. She turned to face him. "Good morning, Commander Cartwright." The ebony skinned man was dressed in his grey uniform as well today.
Khan noticed that she did not smile at the man, which she did even for the lowly crewmen they had passed in the corridor. She did not approach the man.
Cartwright's dark eyes went to the man beside her. "I'm Commander Cartwright, I'm in charge of the day to day programs we have running in this facility. It's good to have you working with us here, Commander Harrison. I take it Commander Reed has shown you around?"
Khan nodded, "Yes, Commander Reed has been an informative tour guide." he said dryly.
Cartwright chuckled, "Whatever you need for a project, she can get it for you. I'll come by your office on Monday, that way you'll have time this weekend to get yourself caught up to speed." He glanced at Reed once more, then left.
Rachel Reed relaxed slightly when Cartwright disappeared. When she turned, she found Khan once again watching her. She rolled her shoulders, "Food?" she suggested.
He nodded.
They walked back down to the cafeteria and got into one of the serving lines.
"An egg white omelet with mushrooms, bacon, and cheddar cheese, please." she requested.
"And for you, Sir?" the cook questioned.
"The same."
The cook quickly got to work on their meals and handed it to them a few minutes later. They slid their trays down the line and Rachel picked up a bowl of fruit and put it on her tray, then headed to the end. The matronly woman smiled at the two and put in Rachel's order. Rachel placed her hand on the panel and it beeped. Rachel stepped aside and watched as the woman rung his order, then he placed his hand on the panel.
Rachel smiled as he seemed intrigued with the panel. She led him over to the beverage bar as she ordered her coffee from the machine, then put in the cream and sugar. He only took a glass of water. She walked them to a table against the wall and sat down on the bench. She smiled to herself as he sat on the bench beside her so that his back was to the wall as well. "The food is actually pretty good." she assured him as he looked over the omelet.
Khan began to eat slowly, then drank a sip of water. He dabbed his lips, then placed the napkin back in his lap. "How long have you been here, Commander?" he questioned as she set her coffee cup down.
"As long as you have, Commander." Rachel focused on her food and started to eat.
Khan continued to eat, as he thought back to his past few days since he was awakened by Admiral Marcus. He had been held in that medical room until Marcus had deemed him ready to be around others. Khan winced inwardly. It had only taken him two days to be broken by the Admiral. The first day, he'd killed five people - and Marcus had ten of his crew killed in return. The next day, Khan had broken a medical technician's arm - and Marcus had six of his crew killed. Khan had learned his lesson. He could not afford to lose anymore of his family - there were only 72 left. Marcus had said he would have their sentences commuted, and take them to a remote planet where they could live out their lives - once Khan designed the needed weapons and upgraded a ship that was being constructed. Khan seriously doubted that Marcus would do as he promised, but Khan would bide his time and find a way to free his family.
"You are very contemplative, Commander." the woman beside him spoke softly.
Why did her voice sound soothing to him? He looked up and studied her again. And why was she not afraid of him? He could easily choke the life out of her, or snap her neck - but she didn't seem to care about the destructive power he had within him. "Just thinking about all that caffeine you have consumed, makes my stomach turn." he said the first thing that came to mind.
Her smile widened at his comment, then she caught herself and looked away. He'd said that to her before - when he'd been awakened over two years ago. He didn't remember that he'd already designed the advanced ship they were building near Jupiter. That's where they had stayed then - on that station. Admiral Marcus had found a drug that wiped his memories and put Khan back into the cryotube for another year, until the ship was almost completed. She had been assigned to Khan then. She'd been different. She'd harbored a hatred for the ship that had killed her father on the U.S.S. Kelvin - and Marcus knew it. When the Section had discovered the Botany Bay over three years ago, Marcus had enticed her with the ability to study Khan. The Eugenics Wars had been the focus of her dissertation. She'd been very manipulative of Khan back then, and everyone else for that matter. But most especially Khan. She had slowly started to see him as the man that was being manipulated, who's family was being used as leverage against him. She'd slowly started to change - he had helped her change. She couldn't slip up this time. She suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore. She glanced at his plate and noted he had finished. "Ready?" she questioned as she stood up and picked her tray up.
He followed her to drop off the tray of dishes, then they headed back to the stairs.
She stopped at the landing and looked at him carefully. "You may not go up to any other floor, unless I go with you. It is three flights up to the next floor and there is security." She waited for him to acknowledge her warning.
Khan nodded, then followed her down the stairs.
"No one is authorized to come down to our floor, except Admiral Marcus and Commander Cartwright." she explained. She opened a door she hadn't previously, "This is our gym - not flashy, but it has the requisite equipment." she shrugged.
Khan blocked her way as she turned to leave, "Our floor, our gym?"
"My quarters are across the hall from yours. I will be here until you complete your projects, Commander." She wouldn't look up at him, instead she walked over to one of the treadmills. "I usually run in the evenings, if you ever need to find me."
Khan wondered if she was being kept here as well. "Do you get to leave?"
"No. Everything I need will be provided to me here - it's a perk that comes with the job." She gave him a small smile. "Now, why don't I get you familiar with the PADDs in your quarters, so you can start to review all of those projects?" She walked past him and led him back to his quarters. She quickly went to his desk and picked up four PADDS and brought them over to him. She went over how the PADDs functioned, and how to call up various information.
Khan sat down on one of the plush black chairs in his living room and began to read.
Rachel walked over to the door, "Commander, I know you don't need to eat as much as a normal human, but I insist that you take those breaks. I will come back at 1200, so we can get lunch. If you need me, or have any questions - I'm right across the hall."
Khan watched as she left. He wondered what she'd done wrong to get stuck here with him.
XXXXX
TBC. (Should I continue this background story, or leave it be?)
Reviews are greatly appreciated.