Chapter 1 – Star Date 2260
Your cruel device, your blood like ice.
One look could kill, my pain, your thrill.
I wanna love you, but I better not touch (don't touch),
I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you, but I want it too much (too much)
I wanna taste you, but your lips are venomous poison
She had only meant to be on Earth for a month at the most, however one year on and she was still Earthbound in a jungle of concrete, metal and uniformed automatons. The conflict that had erupted almost a year ago, with the terrorist John Harrison, only emphasised what she hated the most about being on Earth.
A knock on the door of the lab startled her from reading the peak lists from the XRD analysis. She looked up from the data pad in her hand and smiled at the sight of Commander Spock in the doorway. "Greetings, Doctor Wynn."
"Greetings, Commander Spock, is there something you needed?"
"I am here to inform you that you may return to Ceti Alpha V on the Enterprise when we depart for our voyage of exploration." His eyebrow rose as her face lit up. "This pleases you?"
"Yes," She said. "I've been ready to go home for almost a year."
"Are you not home now?"
"No, Earth is no longer home for me." She turned to the bench and began packing her satchel. "When do we depart?"
"Once Admiral Greaves has made his decision regarding Khan."
"Khan?" She asked, not being familiar with this name.
"The true name of the terrorist John Harrison." He answered in his clipped tone before turning and leaving the laboratory. She watched him leave, before releasing a contented sigh and resuming packing her belongings. As the last of her equipment was stowed in the satchel she took a last look around the lab and left for the docking bay.
The sound of heavy boots drew her attention as she waited for the transport to her ride home. At least a dozen armed guards marched towards the transport dock surrounding a tall man with dark hair, pale skin and a cold, calculating look in his eye. As they marched him past where she stood, he turned and eyed her, sizing her up and dissecting her with his gaze. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach, one she was unaccustomed to; a coiling, chilling fear and foreboding.
"Doctor?" She turned at the sound of her title and found Lieutenant Uhura looking at her with concern. "Are you alright?"
Calista raised her chin with a smile and looked at Uhura levelly. "I'm fine, simply anxious to return home." Uhura examined her for a few seconds longer before smiling and nodding, falling into step behind the guards escorting the prisoner. Calista shook her head and boarded the transport with the crew.
"What is to happen with that man?" She asked Doctor McCoy once aboard the ship.
"I don't know, no one does. The orders are sealed until Starfleet determines we are close enough to his destination to reveal them. Not even the Captain knows where he's going."
"Unusual precautions, aren't they? For a simple man?"
"He's no ordinary man, Doctor Wynn."
"I see, well the faster I get home the better then." She said as she felt the ship accelerate into warp speed. While in transit home, she spent her time in the lab of the starship, assisting with sample analysis and other duties. Only a few hours after their departure from earth, the Enterprise slowed to a stop and Calista rushed to the nearest porthole to see where they were. Through the thick, reinforced glass she could see the one place in the galaxy she felt truly comfortable. Ceti Alpha V – home.
Smiling, she pushed herself off the wall of the vessel and made her way to her quarters to retrieve the few belongings she had with her before moving to the hangar where her short range transport was housed. Rounding the corner, she came into view of the Captain, Commander Spock and a large number of guards surrounding the man called Khan.
"By order of Admiral Greaves, on behalf of the president of the United Federation of Planets, you, Khan Noonien Singh, are sentenced to exile on the planet Ceti Alpha V, never to return to Earth or any other planet in the United Federation of Planets. There you will remain alone until the end of your days." Calista could almost hear her heart crack. Alone on Ceti Alpha V. Her home.
"You," A dark, deep voice rumbled from the depths of his chest, anger and hate pouring from the sounds, as cold as liquid nitrogen. "You murdered my people. My Crew. My Family. I will abide on one condition..."
"You are in no position to make demands, Khan!" came the enraged response from Doctor McCoy. "You..."
"You, above all, Doctor, should realise you cannot best me."
"I know that you're a murderer..."
"What will it take?" Captain Kirk cut off the Doctor, eager to get this man off the ship as fast as possible.
"You murdered my family." Khan's whisper was chilling. "I wish to make a new one. I will abide by this decree on the condition you provide me with a companion to join me in exile."
"You will not have any member of my crew." Kirk stated firmly, his voice grave, only to have Khan smile back at him.
"Done." An evil smile crossed his face and once again he turned his glare upon Calista Wynn.
You're poison runnin through my veins
You're poison, I don't wanna break these chains.
