A/N: Alright, so this tidbit has been bouncing around my brain for a little while now, so I figured, why not? Hopefully it isn't to atrocious.


The missiles were safely on board Khan's ship, much to Spock's relief. The standing Captain had no way of knowing that in just minutes he would have to watch, helplessly, as his friend (I daresay his best friend) died painfully.

All he knew in that moment was the criminal "John Harrison" was a clear threat about to be eliminated as no other path was logical and logic over-rode moral for the moment.

Spock nodded to himself, this had nothing to do with the lost crew or Christopher Pike of course. Still Sulu thought he saw the curve of an almost-sadistic smile touch the Vulcan's lips when the missile explosions rocked Khan's ship and knocked out his com. Neither he nor Spock could've guessed what Khan, in all his savage glory, felt at that moment.

When the weapons safely sheltering his cryogenic crew appeared on the screen, safe on his ship, the being known as Khan felt a powerful relief devoid of the usually smugness of victory. His family was finally, finally safe.

He was free now to kill the inferior beings aboard the Starship Enterprise, although he had enjoyed them during his captivity, for they were too weak, too pathetic, too...sentimental to be allowed to continue existing. He coded the command to lock photon torpedoes on the damaged ship into the computer, his fingers just a hairs-breath from the confirmation key when the first of the explosions happened.

Fear. Overwhelming and all-consuming fear washed through Khan, fear for his crew, his family, never for himself he knew this wouldn't kill him but they...they were dying with each rocking explosion, dying because he couldn't hide them. The fear receded quickly, pulling with it his grief before it had a chance to really affect him.

"No" He half-screamed, rage taking over as the savagery that was practically in his DNA took over. Khan pulled himself to the command console, ignoring the chunks of the ship falling around him and through the blur of anger and the horrid empty feeling that was gnawing at his chest .

"Star Fleet Headquarters" He growled, the rage, guilt, and pain over his loss drove his command and when the confirmationaskance came through he felt a rush of avenging rage, let it spill through his lips in one single word: confirm.

He only barely registered that he might not quite make it to the destination, but that didn't matter, the only thing that mattered anymore was wiping as many of the vile humans out as he could.

Theytookmycrewtheytookmycrewtheytookmycrewtheytook mycrewtheytookmycrewtheytookmycrewtheytookmy.

Khan's mind became that singular mantra as he stood against the impact and escaped the wreckage, he had to live now, to destroy this planet, to be the death of those who had caused the crater where his crew once existed.

He never learned of Spock's humanity, never learned that the tube they shoved him back into was lined up between two of his dear friends.