A/N: So I redid the summary after I posted this so the summary in the first chapter is now irrelevant. Here is the true summary:

There are rumors amongst the Federation about the mother of the nine Tarsus survivors... however when the warp core malfunctions in orbit of the planet instead of in orbit of Qo'nos the Enterprise and her crew find themselves seeing a new side of their captain...and a certain augment finds true love. KHIRK.. TARSUS WARNINGS

Get it? Got it? Excellent! On to chapter Two.

CHAPTER TWO

Their warp core was malfunctioning.

Somehow this fact didn't really surprise Kirk, especially since Khan had warned them ahead of time that his torpedoes would interfere with the radiation like the admiral had wanted. The malfunction had been imminent and really only proved that the augment had spoken the truth. Fortunately, Marcus had underestimated the Enterprise's resiliency and they had been able to get out of Klingon space with no problems.

Beside him, Spock frowned aware that his captain was close to believing Khan's story. Over the time that he had known James Tiberius Kirk he had come to realize that the younger man was a firm believer in second chances. This being said he knew that if Khan's story was true (and there was a high probability that it was) the younger male would more than likely try to help him prove himself probably getting hurt in the process and he didn't want to see that happen. With an almost un-Vulcan sigh, the first officer turned to his young friend, who had stood and was about to leave the bridge (probably to go see Khan).

"Captain, perhaps it would be logical to find out our current location before you go to speak with Khan."

Jim blinked, turning to his friend with a bright grin. "Already on it, ." He chirped turning to Sulu who chuckled at his antics.

"We appear to be...oh."

The smile on Sulu's face fell, his dark eyes wide with shock as he started at his screen. The captain frowned, immediately noticing the change in demeanor.

It was a testament to how well he knew his crew. None of them were able to hide anything from him, as he was so well in tuned to each of their moods. As such he could yell that their location was deeply troubling to his helmsman.

"Su- Hikaru, are you alright? What wrong?" He asked and the helmsman shivered.

"We...we're trapped in orbit of the planet Tarsus IV, sir."

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"We...we're trapped in orbit of the planet Tarsus IV, sir."

At Sulu's words Jim felt his insides turn to lead and he struggled to keep his mask long enough to escape the bridge. Sulu looked up at him and he gave him a reassuring smile, calming the younger man.

" you have the conn. I'm-"

"Captain incoming transmission."

"Patch it through to my ready room. I'll take it there." This said the blond man left the bridge swiftly. As he entered his ready room he found himself unsurprised to find that the call was from Admiral Marcus.

The man scowled at him once the door closed.

"What the hell are you doing, Kirk?

"Sir?" He questioned as if he were unaware of the elder man's meaning and the scowl darkened.

"Khan, Kirk! When I sent you after him I expected you to follow orders! I did not expect to be told that he was aboard your ship!"

Inwardly the young captain allowed himself a grim smirk knowing had Spock not calmed him on Qo'nos he would've done exactly as Marcus expected. As it were he hadn't and he knew by the look in Marcus' eyes that his crew was in danger.

Careful not to draw too much attention to himself, he picked up the PADD on his desk, as if reading through the current logs and sent an encoded message ordering everyone to evacuate the ship. As an afterthought he sent a message ordering that the torpedoes holding Khan's family to be named of the ship as well. Receiving an affirmative he gave a mental sigh of relief and placed the PADD down. All this took less than a minute making it seem like he had been thinking carefully of a response.

"I was bringing Khan in for a trial, Admiral. As per Starfleet regulation. However our warp core seems to have malfunctioned and our engineers are having a hard time fixing it."

Marcus suddenly allowed his expression to soften but his eyes were cold reminding Jim do much of that man.

"Turn him over to me. I'll make sure he's returned to earth safely. This way you can focus on fixing your ship."

"But isn't that why you're here, sir? Responding to the distress call?" He purred with a dark smile and Marcus froze realizing he was caught.

"Well, shit! You talked to him."

Kirk nodded, tilting his head. A small off smile played on his lips sending trills of terror down Marcus' spine but the man was careful not to show it.

"Damn it, Kirk! Why can't you just follow orders! Here's the deal, transport Khan and those torpedoes to my ship or I'll blow up your ship, killing you and your crew."

That little smile on Kirk's lips fell, blue eyes icing over.

"Leave my crew out of this!" He growled and the admiral smirked smugly.

"I'll take that as a no. Oh well. If it's any consolation I wasn't gonna spare them anyways."

The blonde's face went blank and he stood.

"Just one thing, sir."

"What?"

"Did you really blackmail Khan and have him build illegal weapons?"

"What the hell do you want to know that for?"

"I want to die knowing the truth."

Marcus stared at him and for a moment regret flashed in the admiral's eyes.

"Yes." He replied then cut transmission, never seeing Jim pick up his PADD from the table and leave the room.

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Something was happening.

Khan frowned watching Kirk's personnel head in the direction of the ship's transporter room in an orderly but urgent fashion. Everyone was headed in that direction no matter their rank which could only mean one thing.

The ship was being evacuated. But why?

Before he could voice his question, the doctor from before entered his cell wearing a scowl that looked entirely too comfortable on his face. In his hand was a pair of handcuffs and a hypospray.

Grumbling the man jabbed the instrument into his arm roughly and slapped the handcuffs on him.

"That'll help you control your strength until Jim tells us what going on. Come on."

Khan raised an eyebrow not bothering to tell the man that he was immune to most drugs.

"And where, pray tell, are we going, doctor?"

The doctor, McCoy, he believed, shot him a glare.

"Aren't you supposed to be a genius? We're all going in one direction which means the ship is being evacuated, obviously." He snapped leading Khan to the transporter room. Once inside he was heralded over to a large group of officers who nodded at them and turned on the device beaming them off the ship.

They reappeared in a lush green clearing where the rest of the Enterprise was waiting, most of them pale and gazing around them.

"This- this is Tarsus IV?"

One questioned incredulously and Khan frowned finding their reactions curious. The planet they had landed on was beautiful.

Tall healthy trees surrounded them thin vines curling up their trunks creating swirls and patterns. The grass was short and lush, the sky a warm murky burgundy. Animals were all around them, the birds realizing there soft calls to fill the sweet smelling air. It looked like paradise.

So why were all of these people gazing around with a sort of horrified fascination?

The sound of a transporter sounded and everyone turned towards it, only to gape. All 72 torpedoes sat behind them along with who sent Khan a cold look.

"The captain ordered that your torpedoes be evacuated as well." He offered impressively and tears welled in the augment's eyes at those words. Kirk was very different from anyone he had ever met. To save the crew of his enemy as well as his own, the man was more honorable than anyone he'd ever met.

Falling to his knees beside the nearest torpedo the criminal allowed the tears to fall, uncaring of his audience. His family was safe.

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Spock frowned as he watched Khan weep beside one of the torpedoes holding his crew.

The emotion the augment was showing was much too real for him to be lying meaning that at least that past of his story was true. Soft almost inaudible sounds left the broken man, whose shoulders shook with each sob, his head resting against the metal.

Bones moved to his side, drawing his attention away from the criminal.

"Did you see Jim when you were evacuating?"

"No. After issuing orders to evacuate, the captain cut all communication. However he did order us to keep a special eye on Lieutenant Riley."

McCoy frowned and glanced in the direction of said lieutenant only to find him sitting at the base of a tree trembling, wide green eyes glazed. He cursed quietly and gestured for Spock to look in the kid's direction. Before they could speak the sound of a transport being used sounded, followed by a large BOOM. Everyone turned on the direction of the sound to find Captain Kirk standing there starting at the sky with a devastated expression.

"Jim?"

"Captain?"

"JT?" It was the last that drew the blond man's attention from the sky and to the people around him. He gazed at them all for moment then walked over to the trembling lieutenant, who had spoken.

"Are you alright, Kev?"

A whimper left the youth who shook his head and threw himself into the older man's arms sobbing.

"Why? Why did you bring us here?" He cried and the elder swallowed looking at the rest of his crew.

"The-The Enterprise was-was destroyed." He announced.

Everyone, including Khan stared at him stunned by the news and Riley froze in his arms gazing up at him wide eyed. He knew how much Jim loved that ship, everyone in the Starfleet knew how much Kirk loved his ship. It was his baby. For him to allow it to be destroyed meant that whoever had destroyed it had threatened his crew. It explained the sudden evacuation.

"Oh, JT." He breathed sympathetically and his friend gave a small grim smile.

"Did-what? Why would you do that?" Khan questioned.

Kirk didn't respond, only pulled Riley closer.

"The new colony is a few miles from here. Wake the other augments or hide them. We can't take the torpedoes with us."

"Are you insane? Captain -"

Jim are you nuts! Have you forgotten that these guys are criminals?!" McCoy yelled at his friend who rested his head on top of Riley's, stroking the kid's hair soothingly. Those starlit blue eyes slid to him slowly, a primal glint lurking in their depths.

"Khan is innocent. Release his crew." He ordered softly, but his voice held a hint of steel. Spock frowned at him.

"Captain, I do not believe that it's wise."

"I didn't ask for your opinion . I have you an order. Khan, you have my permission to awaken you family. If they harm mine they will die. Everyone else, start forming groups of five. We leave at nightfall."

TBC...

Edited 1/8/15

1920 words