Chapter 2 – Magnetic, Electric.
She sat sketching behind her desk though she lacked her usual passion. She barely even heard the audio she was playing from the speakers at her little office space regaling her with the exploits of Alexander the Great. It was little wonder the foot solider had to repeat her name five times before she finally heard it.
"Lieutenant McGivers, follow me." He commanded. The red haired woman shot him an irritated look as she closed her works before following him to that elevator. She wondered for a moment if she was about to be teased with something she would want to be a part of again. If so she highly considered applying to work on starships once more to avoid future disappointment. It was draining and a larger annoyance than the usual interruptions she received.
Dutifully she placed her impassive face on as the large screen blinked to life showing Admiral Marcus once again. His gaze was no less stern than it always was.
"Lieutenant, I have a job for you. This man is coming to work in the archive below." The military like official began explaining as an image showed on his screen. The man's skin was pale and he held a face with strong angles, high cheekbones and sharp eyes a marvellous shade of the palest blue she had ever seen with a hint of green. His dark hair was mostly kept slicked back though a clump on the right hand side of his face had slipped forward. "His name is John Harrison. I've given you security clearance to go where he goes." The Admiral continued attracting Marla's attention from analysing this person and back to the older man. She barely stopped herself from questioning him but her face was full of these unspoken queries. Marla was hardly a person they would want learning all their deepest, darkest secrets.
"The things he will be working on will be beyond your comprehension, I have no concerns there. What I want from you is to observe the man. At the end of each day you will report to Lieutenant Sulu to discuss anything you notice regarding John's behaviour. Specifically anything you find familiar." The Admiral finished explaining though it did nothing to answer the questions McGivers had poised on her lips and only fuelled further confusion. But before she could get herself into trouble for insubordination he cast a look that made her return to attention.
"Understood Admiral." She replied glancing back to the image of the man called John Harrison. For the life of her she could neither comprehend the reasons why she was given this task nor stop herself from drowning her curiosity in the irritation that her work would be interrupted with the task of observing someone she did not know to recognise anything.
She was mulling over these thoughts outside the Archives when she spotted him exiting a transport donned in the blue chest version of the grey Starfleet uniform with a small escort that almost made her feel like he was a criminal. From what little of his file she was permitted to read she knew this was not the case however. The red haired woman approached him, saluting the man as he gave her a curious glance as if to ask why she was interrupting him.
"Sir. I am Lieutenant McGivers. I have been instructed to escort you and assist you in any way I can for the duration of your stay in London." She explained. A flicker of something crossed his face; perhaps bitter amusement. Marla found herself taken aback. He had a presence. Something about him that was magnetic. An electric air that made him feel superior to everyone she had ever known. It was alarmingly exciting and she found she had to internally remind herself that no man of the twenty-third century was worth her time and yet without anything more than a glance, he threatened to be.
"Of course." He responded in a deep voice that sent chills down her spine. It was a voice that promised danger but in a way that made it seem acceptable and exhilarating. Not only that but it was the kind that every late night male radio host wished he had because it made women melt like butter. She almost forgot what she was doing until he bowed his head in a gesture of 'ladies first' as his military escort dropped away. He cast a seemingly casual glance back to them as he followed the red head toward the Archives. Marla found herself forgetting her irritation in favour of fascination towards this man called John Harrison. She had never met anyone like him. The energy around him exuded greatness. That in itself was electrifying.
He had expected it of course. Marcus may have been a fool but he was not without sensible caution. But of all the people from Starfleet, the girl the Admiral had chosen was incomprehensible. Or at least the surface of her was. Khan had analysed her from the minute she approached him. Small, fragile and her sense of duty almost inexistent. She was beautiful, yes though she clearly put no effort into her appearance. Her long fiery hair was styled in a fashion more suited to comfort than framing her face and was probably only tied up at all to keep it out of the way. She held herself in a manner that screamed youthful naivety and hardly seemed to recall she was part of an elite organisation. She was the most insignificant person the Admiral could have chosen to watch him and this was only emphasized when Khan looked over her files as he worked. The only possible explanation for recruiting a Historian into monitoring him was in the hopes that she would somehow recognise it was him and betray the fact his memories had returned.
If that was Admiral Marcus' angle then Khan had a few choice words about his intellect and some repressed scornful laughter. Regardless of the ridiculous notion, she was also terrible at observation. At first she had watched him like he was some exotic beast supplied for her entertainment. Even then she had not really seen him or anything he was doing. She could not even comprehend his new blueprints for the missiles, designing them so he could smuggle the seventy-two crew members to safety that he had found recorded in the archives with a bit of digging and covering his tracks.
He glanced up from said plans to observe her for the purpose of possible manipulation. He loathed admitting it but he needed allies and being a man from the past he couldn't just call up old friends. She was to be someone he would have constant contact with so why not gauge if she could suit his purposes.
Currently Lieutenant McGivers was sketching away on her PADD. Ignoring the temptation to taunt Admiral Marcus for the bad move of employing the woman, Khan feigned the necessity of an item on the table McGivers had casually seated herself upon completely ignorant of her duty. He glanced to the PADD as he did so almost casually in the hopes of identifying something he might use to plant worship in her. The only indication that she had noticed him was a slight shift in her weight when he had reached for a tool behind her. Khan's head tilted in curiosity when he recognised the subject she was working on and he found himself analysing the woman once more as he gave her another once over. There was more to her than met the eye it would seem.
"That is Richard the Lionheart is it not?" He asked waking her from her reverie. She glanced toward him in alarm, closing the image and bringing her PADD to her lap as if Admiral Marcus himself had caught her neglecting her duties.
"Yes, sir. Sorry sir." She quickly replied. It was easy to see that her obligations to do what was required of her were a source of irritation however. This one wore her heart on her sleeve. That would make it so much easier to manipulate her.
"Can I see?" He requested with the intention of winning her favour though he could not deny he was also curious. She hesitated a moment before opening the image again and handing her PADD over to him. The artwork was divine, a lot of care and skill put into it. She definitely had talent. "This is magnificently done. Though I prefer more traditional methods myself." He commented. The woman blushed slightly staring intently at her work and avoiding any glimpse of his face clearly embarrassed by the praise.
"I prefer traditional as well but it's a lot harder to bring my paints and canvas' to work so I have to leave them at home." She responded. Khan found his head tilting in slight curiosity and amusement. The woman he had thought entirely plain was turning out to be very interesting indeed.
Over the next few weeks Marla found herself taking to John Harrison. It was an odd feeling as the only time she had had more than a casual interest in a man was when it came to her romanticised leaders of the past. But John was something else. When she spoke to Lieutenant Sulu she commented on his hardworking attitude, the fact she would have to physically bring food to him to get him to eat some days. He was committed to his work as if it kept him alive. The thing she wouldn't mention however was how charismatic he could be when he did take a break. He would talk to her and make her feel like the most important person in the world once his attention was taken away from his occupation. She always got a thrill when she managed to convince him to stop a moment to eat. At first he'd be reluctant and even appear irritated but eventually he would give in and present her with his fond, tiny smile that made her feel like a high school girl.
He had convinced her to bring in one of her easels and some canvases. At first she had continued her work on Richard the Lionheart but one day when she was considering what to do she had spotted Harrison lifting equipment. Before she knew what she was doing she had begun painting his portrait. She had tried to hide it from him of course but he was excruciatingly observant to her embarrassment. When he had inspected it the expression on his face had been some bizarre mix of amusement and disgust. Marla had destroyed the painting after that.
Currently she was watching him work on some large weapon that seemed ludicrous. It was far too large and encumbering for anyone to efficiently use. It required two men to lift it and so far no pair of men could even handle the strength of one shot fired from the thing.
Marla noticed herself yawning and glanced at the time on her PADD. It was 11:35. Usually she disappeared home after reporting to Sulu but tonight was one of the nights she had returned to watch Harrison. He was a magnificent man and she admitted it to herself only because it was evident others thought him as such as well. She caught more than one assistant or even completely irrelevant person staring at him in wonder. It was comforting that she wasn't the only person bewitched by the magnetic energy he exuded.
Marla's thoughts were interrupted by another yawn as she considered how late it was. She was beginning to wonder if Harrison really ever slept.
"You don't need to remain here you know." He informed her almost as if he was reading her mind. The fact that he was obviously aware she had been staring startled the red head from her drowsy state as she sat up straighter and tried to ignore the blush creeping up her neck and onto her face from being caught. John glanced towards her silently with a gaze that sent shivers down her spine. While aware of his alluring presence and deliberately resistant to it she still found herself caught by his charm when she let her guard down. She took a deep breath as if that would quell the butterflies in her stomach.
"Why do you wear your hair in such an uncomplimentary fashion?" John enquired after a long moment of silence. Marla tilted her head almost as if she had been slapped. She could hardly process the words that had just been directed at her. From anyone else she would understand. Most people were obsessed with appearances. That was unfortunately a human trait that had been going on for years however it was also one that seemed out of place on a man such as John.
"…what?" She enquired blinking rapidly as if that would somehow bring her clarity. She tensed when Harrison abandoned his work to approach her, stepping close and looking down at Marla in an intimidating and intoxicating way. "It's comfortable." She answered when it was clear he was not going to explain himself. He reached behind her head and she found her breath sticking in her throat as he removed pins from her hair. He left it in a ponytail but let strands of red curls drop down to dangle around her shoulders, letting her fringe frame her face instead of being pulled back and out of the way.
"There. Soft, natural, simple." He commented dusting fingers across her neck. She shifted back or as far back as her seat on the table would allow her without physically climbing across it, painfully aware of his touch. She tried to grasp at her thoughts but they flitted away drowned by the rough texture of his voice, words dissociated from their topic and now without meaning. She had to respond, react and show that she wasn't there to impress him. She had to say something though for the life of her she could not think of what.
"Would you like to go out and get something to eat?" She offered in a mad scramble. She openly frowned at her own suggestion wondering what on Earth caused her to propose such a thing but she forgot to scold herself for it when Harrison laughed. He rarely did that and usually when he did it was a bitter sound. This one was more amused though equally as deep and grating. But still, the lighter quality to it was beautiful and enrapturing. A little voice in her head told her to make him do it again.
"Perhaps I should get out of here if only for a moment." He responded finally. He moved away from her to grab his coat which relaxed Marla and also made her realise just how tense she had become. There was something about John Harrison that made her feel like he could and would kill her on a whim. The only thing more concerning than that was just how alluring this threatening aura seemed to be.
If he was fortunate the midnight stroll would merely be seen as John Harrison taking interest in a beautiful woman but Khan couldn't help but consider that it might also set alarm bells off with Marcus. Better yet, there was no way his agents could monitor John without being obvious and if Alex were to be the trigger for Khan's memories returning, well that would be a poor move. The Admiral was not fond of making poor moves.
Khan was taking the unmonitored opportunity to analyse London and spy out places he could disappear to if need be. He could always use the red haired woman who was escorting him but that would be somewhat obvious. She would have to be an option for patience though a good one. For all her ignorance she proved to be quite capable and useful and she would be more so when he revealed himself to her. That was entirely the plan of winning her favour. No one would expect her to aid him, such a good little mouse she was. His intention was to change that.
"Here. It's not expensive cuisine. Not sure if it's up your alley but it tastes good." She explained entering what Khan might call a fish and chip shop if the marine creatures inside had been native to Earth. From the rowdy music next door and the clearly intoxicated clients of the small business it was evidently a place lacking standards.
"Hello Marla. It's been a while. You've never brought a friend before!" A green skinned alien bellowed over his clientele to the red head giving a look to Harrison that may have been a warning to anyone else. He would never know how ludicrous the idea of threatening Khan would be.
"The usual times two Bobba." Marla exchanged with a pleasant smile. It reminded him that she was quite a beautiful woman even if insignificant. Khan was a logical man, rational and ambitious but he was not without basic wants. Ruling an empire was more satisfying but a good night with an attractive woman was an acceptable alternative at times and if need be, he could use her for that as well. From the looks she shot him when she thought he wasn't watching she would be by all means, willing.
With the meal came a blue drink that was quite to his liking and clearly alcoholic. The night drew on as they discussed various unimportant things and work. For all intents and purposes they were having a pleasant dinner as colleagues and friends. Khan could not deny he liked her company though it was a shallow kind of like that he could easily abandon when his crew were safe from harm.
More time drew on and more blue liquid was ordered. McGivers was not one to hold her liquor and after only her third glass she was a lot more open. She explained in detail that the twenty-third century lacked the colour and passion of older times, illuminating her reason for being a Historian.
"Do you know why they assigned me to…assist you?" She finally asked after staring at him for a good number of minutes as if she could find the answer written on his face. Clearly it was something that had been troubling her. She was right to be bothered by it too. An unimportant employee hired to watch the best of the best. Without knowledge of who he truly was it seemed like a ludicrous and pointless request. Even then, it was ridiculous.
"I haven't the faintest." He responded easily. He had his theories of course and the more he knew about her love for bold men of the past the closer he came to a cemented conclusion.
A few hours later and Marla was ready to leave. She stood swaying slightly with a mixture of inebriation and tiredness to pay her old friend for the food when one of the intoxicated men who had just returned from smoking outside stumbled in. The short dress uniform of Starfleet caught his eye and he let his hands wander. While Khan had little concern for the trivial complications of day to day life he was dissatisfied with the vulgar display of human nature. Something he had always sought to control and change. Humanity needed leadership.
Before Harrison could even consider if he should care to defend his companion, Marla struck the drunkard. She managed the blow easily enough but that just caught the attention of the other men accompanying her lecherous admirer. Trying not to growl his irritation at something so tedious, Khan stood up, stepping between the group and the woman who was disgustingly pathetic at times. He could not abide weakness.
"Thank you." She muttered when he had sent the men on their way, breaking one arm, fracturing a rib and only having to glance at the last one to make the three of them flee the building. She had the decency to look ashamed as she attempted to stumble past him.
"They assign you to watch me but you can't even handle a small group of intoxicated civilians. I'd almost think Alex was trying to insult me." Khan spat a bit louder than he intended not that he had planned to say it out loud at all. The foreign sound of his own voice startled him and he frowned. Apparently he had had more to drink than he thought. He had never been inebriated before. Perhaps his engineered genetics still had to adapt to alien substances though no doubt after tonight they would have perfected his tolerance.
Marla made a disgusted noise clearly offended as she shot the older man a scathing look. She stalked out of the business quickly. A grunt from the owner made the black haired man cast a look over his shoulder that suggested he couldn't care less if he had upset the girl and yet when he heard her cry out he still found himself running for the door.
When he had made it outside he found that another patron of the neighbouring club had either taken a liking or an offence to the hopeless woman. Either way she was now on the ground. Whoever it was got a swift punch to the face before Khan scooped her up bridal style and followed her directions to her home after briefly commanding she give them to him. She tried to resist, ignore him, even scramble out of his grip but Khan had always been a dominant man and her stubbornness was childish and frail. This innocence was why he needed to protect her and get her home safely. Any interest or necessity for her future assistance aside, it would not do well to have her turn up dead or worse the morning after he was seen leaving with her. He would prefer to avoid any suspicion.
Arriving at her apartment he deemed it far lovelier than the meal he had just been treated to and he quickly decided that her pay cheques went more towards her hobbies than anything else. White clean walls in the small, modern apartment, a glass bookshelf to his right hiding a modern bedroom, a spacious kitchenette to his left and then her small lounge room before him littered with bookshelves, statues and canvases. True to their exchange the first day they met, she had paintings around the room of brilliant men all in her familiar and marvellous style. Her brush work was exquisite.
He placed her down gently forgetting his earlier disgust at her fragile existence and she limped sadly to a coffee table where she dropped her things before she noticed he had stopped in front of one particular work.
He was bathed in a sea of red, the face he remembered but not the face he had. His awe and nostalgia was bitter and a fresh wave of hatred for Marcus washed over him. What had he done to remove the face that was his? To hide him under this alias of 'John Harrison'? After a moment Khan noticed she was watching him and he decided he needed to compose the fury that was clearly writing itself all over his face.
"Do you know him?" Khan asked wondering just what this Historian knew about him. Marla stepped up beside the tormented man looking at the painting with a fondness that felt abnormal. For a brief second he was lost as he watched her taking a moment to rationalise that he no longer held the same visage and that was why she did not look at him the same way. What would she say if she knew John Harrison was this very man she seemed to admire?
"Khan Noonien Singh. He falls into my 'great men of the past' addiction." She explained with a voice that said all it needed to of her feelings towards the man. Manipulating her would be much easier than he had initially thought. "I thought they'd found him, once…maybe it was just wishful thinking." Khan looked her over, analysing the admiration on her face. It was just that she had romanticised these figures, idolised them as heroes and gods. She was living in a past that wasn't hers. She admired them and aspired to be someone worthy of them.
"How is your ankle?" Khan enquired after a moment. Marla looked away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks to match her hair. His disgust was gone replaced with sincere concern. He loathed her lack of strength but she frequently surprised him with her ability to work past her faults. Fragile as she was, even now she was showing him a brave face that advertised her potential. It was attractive.
"It will heal." She answered obviously not wanting to thank him for the offence he had caused her. Khan was not the kind to apologise so instead he left her with a polite goodbye and a promise to inform Sulu that she would not be in for a few days. Meanwhile he would brood on the face he had lost and hope that that would be all he would lose in this new world.
((A/N: Sorry about the late update. My internet went down pretty much the day I was intending to post this chapter. But here it is. I hope it is all right though I feel I have not quite captured Khan and Marla well enough. Perhaps a bit inconsistent and the building of their relationship a bit too fast paced. But my readers will let me know. Thanks for the faves, follows and review. bedb: Haha. Yeah, I don't feel I need to cure myself of this. Anyway, as always. Constructive criticism is cherished.))