The Most Obvious Thing
'What's your question Khan?'
'My question is simply this: What is your plan, Captain?' Khan was whispering but the power in his voice allowed his voice to carry effortlessly through the glass wall.
'What plan?'
'To tackle your problem of course.'
'What problem?'
'I am of course referring to something more troublesome than what course of action you plan on taking with myself and the festered Waskren here.' Kirk's face remained tensely blank, his blue eyes blazing as he returned Khan's hatred-fuelled gaze. 'You have no idea, do you?' Khan's lips stretched into a smirk as he closed his eyes. 'Dear me Captain. What an unfortunate end for you and your crew due to your comic blindness.' He opened his eyes and stepped closer to the glass. 'Come Kirk, you must know what is coming.'
'What problem?' The Captain repeated in a dangerously quiet voice.
'Her client of course.' Svetlanka's head rose slightly at Khan's words. 'He will be dropping by shortly to pick up this filthy Magpie and judging by the class of clientele which Kranst commands, we can be certain of his lack of mercy.'
'There has been no sighting of another ship within our radius, Captain.' Spock replied promptly to Kirk's questioning look. The Captain rolled his fingers into fists then released them.
'What's your game, Khan?'
'My game? Captain, you should know I don't have one seeing as you are, after all, the one who awoke me from my two year slumber.'
'What?' Svetlanka asked quietly, elegantly jumping to her feet. 'Why would you wake such a demon?'
'Stand down Lady Kranst.' Kirk said through gritted teeth.
'Did you have your head in the sand during the last time a superhuman was awakened from hibernation, this superhuman to be exact?'
'Lady Kranst –'
'Then let me refresh your memory Captain! Does the mass bombing of the Starfleet archives sound familiar? Or how about the shooting of a Captains meeting killing no less than a dozen captains and first officers?' Kirk visibly flinched at these words. 'And I thought you of all people would remember how this man sat in a zooped up Starfleet ship with the intention of vaporising everyone on your ship. When that option was taken away from him he set a crash-course for Starfleet headquarters!'
'You sound impressed.' Khan drawled. Svetlanka's gaze snapped from the incensed Captain's and fixed lividly on the superhuman's.
'Once again, you mistake disgust for flattery.' Svetlanka spat as she stepped towards him, having no problem getting in Khan's hostile little face.
'Do I?' His voice was dangerously soft.
'ENOUGH!' Kirk roared, forcing the end of another heated glaring contest. 'Lady Kranst, you are undergoing thorough questioning and I am still waiting for my answer. Details of your abilities. Now.' He snarled when he saw Svetlanka was seconds away from interrupting. She exhaled sharply before walking towards the sheet of glass.
'What would you like to know Captain?' She asked in a quiet, polite voice.
'Everything.'
'Alright, one crash-course on the abilities of the Waskrens coming up.' She stretched for a moment before continuing. 'We can perceive emotions of any person we come into contact with although only a select few, myself included, have the ability to see auras.'
'Auras?' Kirk asked; his stance relaxing at the introduction of interesting information.
'For most Waskrens, when understanding what someone else is experiencing, we too feel it. However, those of us who see auras, we do not need to undergo the same emotions when we can see them.'
'See emotions?' Spock's voice would have been sarcastic had he the ability to wield such a technique.
'Colours.' She said thoughtfully, her head tipping to the side as she gazed at the Captain. 'Each colour represents a different emotion and the intensity of the shade conveys the degree to which that feeling is being experienced. The more vivid the shade, the more potent the emotion.'
'So what, light red means angry and livid red means furious?' Kirk asked with a quirked brow.
'You would think that, being human and all.' Svetlanka said with an indulgent smile. 'No Kirk, red is not for anger. Nor is it represented by any colour in your spectrum of light.'
'Wait, you're saying they're other… colours.' Kirk said in disbelief.
'The way you petty humans see the galaxy isn't the only way of viewing your surroundings, Captain.' Khan hissed, leaning against the far wall and watching the conversation with unmasked dislike.
'The premise isn't unreasonable Captain, the differences in genetic make-up dictate the way in which we view the universe. To think that the extent of colours is confined to what we perceive them to be is an illogical and unscientific approach.' Spock added.
'So you can see people's auras… you can see my aura.' He added, trying his best to hide his discomfort.
'Yes Captain, I see yours and your first officer's. And the reason why my irises flash red when I looked at the foul specimen lounging behind me is to help me perceive his aura without having my eyes gouged out. You must understand that such an aura is quite… unpleasant to perceive.' She said quietly. 'It took a good five years for those of us who perceive auras to produce this technique –'
'Hang on. You just put your heads together and learnt how to perceive an aura?' Kirk asked incredulously.
'No Captain, we did not learn, we evolved.'
'Evolved.' He said with a stony expression.
'We live for at least ten times the length of a normal human being Captain, we don't wait to pass our genetics onto our offspring and hope they evolve along the way. We make sure the evolution has taken place beforehand. It is what has allowed us to survive as a race for thousands of years.'
'Yes, evolution played such a vital role in saving your race during the Eugenics war.' Khan said coldly, provoking a deep-rooted anger to stir once again in Svetlanka's stomach.
'If he continues making such detrimental comments about my race, I will hit him over and over until nothing but bloody pulp spatters this frightfully clean cell of yours.' Svetlanka's voice didn't rise yet a shiver chased the length of Kirk's spine at her words. He didn't doubt her belief in executing such a violent action.
'I'd prefer if you didn't decapitate Khan for the moment. I unfortunately have a task I need to complete which relies on his being alive to succeed.' Kirk said.
'When you're done with him, send him my way. It would be a pleasure to rid the galaxy of one more spineless superhuman.' Khan merely smiled indulgently at Svetlanka. 'What has you so happy?' She asked suspiciously.
'You. Thinking you can beat me.'
'I don't think, I know.' She said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.
'Your nonchalance and arrogance will defeat you long before I clasp my hands around your throat. And after I have killed you and your lifeless corpse falls to the ground, do you think I will leave your body in peace? Do you believe me to possess such kindness?'
'I would expect no mercy from a savage.' Svetlanka replied lightly, glancing back to the Captain's darkened face. 'Would you like to hear more of my abilities, Captain Kirk?'
'Let me know what I've missed. Judging from the fact you drew blood from Khan after one hit; superior strength is obviously on the cards. With superior strength comes extraordinary agility I presume?' Svetlanka nodded. 'And it also seems that you have immortality going for you too.'
'I have no reason to die for a couple of centuries.' She replied with a shrug.
'And your client… is he coming to pick you up?' Kirk asked.
'No. He is not.'
'How can I trust you on that?'
'Simple, he will not collect me until I have gained what it is that he commanded me to steal.'
'Which is?'
'I have absolutely no idea. I was certain it was the pulmonary vector but now I am sure it was something else entirely. In fact, I do believe I'm on the wrong ship completely.'
'You're not quite the thief your reputation depicts you to be.' Kirk said, cracking a true smile for the first time since he came into this prison cell.
'In my defence, it is difficult to steal an object which I do not know the identity or the location of.' Svetlanka said with half a smile.
'Would your race not be ashamed to know of what their sole heir has turned to as a source of income?'
'Ashamed? No Captain, I would be coveted with countless titles, honours and feasts for commanding the title of "The Thief Among Thieves" for you see, thievery is a source of highest respect among us Waskrens.'
'I don't think Humans or Vulcans would share the same opinion.' Kirk said with a slight frown, looking to Spock who nodded his assent.
'Oh, you misinterpret my meaning of "robbery" let me correct you. Thievery for you would be the forceful taking of an object without justifiable means, yes?'
'Correct.' Kirk said with a nod.
'For the correct cause, thievery is the source of highest honour on Dorzu.'
'And what would a correct cause entail exactly?' Kirk asked.
'Don't fall for the sentimental nonsense Captain. Waskrens use the justification of "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor" to uphold this barbaric tradition of theirs.' Khan said silkily.
'So you'd carry out raids in order to gain the respect of your peers and spread out the wealth in your own forceful way? Sounds quite… Medieval.' Kirk said.
'If by Medieval you mean we had a planet which was perfectly in harmony for thousands of years then yes. Our traditions practically oozed with Medieval panache.' Svetlanka said with a smile.
'You claimed you were of the noble house of Kranst. It is beyond my knowledge how a planet can live in harmony while having different classes.' Spock's voice was perfectly level as he delivered these words.
'All houses where I come from are noble. There are none beneath or above.'
'Then how did you govern your planet?' Spock demanded.
'Everyone had an equal say.' Svetlanka said with a shrug. 'You are not of my race, you are half-human and half-Vulcan therefore it is something which might lie beyond your understanding.' Before Spock could interrupt, a persistent beeping drew everyone's attention to Kirk's mobile. He flipped it open and conducted a hurried conversation, snapping the phone violently shut, swearing beneath his breath.
'Captain, what is it –'
'Power issues, I swear if Scottie doesn't get his act together–' He made a slashing motion in the air before storming out of the chamber. Spock took one more glance at the powerful prisoners before hurrying after his Captain, the doors sliding shut behind him. Svetlanka turned and leant against the glass, observing her tall companion keenly after the Captain's abrupt exit.
'We should figure out an arrangement.'
'What sort of arrangement Khan?'
'One where we can sleep without having to worry about the other killing us while we slumber.'
'What do you need sleep for? You've been snoozing for the past three centuries.'
'It is one of the few defects which I share with the feeble human race.'
'Stop that.'
'Stop…what?'
'Pretending you're better than them.' Svetlanka's eyes were in danger of never reverting to their usual vibrant green.
'But I am.'
'Thinking you are doesn't make it so, Khan.' Svetlanka's voice was brittle. 'And why is such an arrangement necessary with our sleeping arrangements? Surely a guard will stop us from slitting the others throat?'
'There are no guards in here, only the ones left outside of the door Spock and Kirk just left through.' Khan delicately folded his arms, the imposing muscles of his biceps flexing in a menacing manner.
'Do you fear what I might do to you while you slumber?'
'What could you possibly do to me which might be a cause of fear?' He asked sarcastically.
'You'd have to be asleep before I could possibly show you. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise now would I?'
'You have nothing to threaten me with.'
'And your sleeping arrangements bore me even though I won't be around long enough to take part in them.'
'You think they'll let you go? You are very naive.'
'They don't have much of a say in the matter. Now, before I perform an extraordinary feat, there's one thing we need to get out of the way first.'
'And that is…?' Svetlanka crossed the length of the cell and stood before Khan's guarded eyes.
'Hit me.' She said bluntly.
'You want me to hit you.'
'Yes.'
'And then after I do, this will escalate into a boring fight which I will inevitably win. Am I correct?'
'You couldn't be more wrong Khan. I can't kill you, not in here. Unfortunately you're my cell buddy. I have use for you which outweighs outright killing you.'
'And you believe the satisfaction I shall draw from hitting you will satisfy my natural urge to strangle the life from your body. At least in your opinion it will sate my barbaric nature long enough to help you.' Khan's voice was smouldering with aggression.
'Uh Oh. Looks like sleeping-beauty is cranky and needs to nap for another century or so.' Svetlanka took yet another step forward. 'Stop being the spineless superhuman you are and hit me.'
'No.' Khan's breath tickled her face, they were that close.
'Then will you help me?'
'Why must you leave this cell?'
'Because unlike you, I have places to be, people to meet. Not everyone I know is lying in a freezer, their cognitive processes are up and running.'
'Though not to a tenth of what my family can achieve.'
'I like them better.'
'I'm sure you would, they would be closer to your level of intelligence than the category which I belong to.'
'Oh that's nice; you think they're smarter than you too. I never knew you possessed such humility Khan, sleeping seems to have mellowed you out.' She stepped away from the superhuman and allowed a smirk to stretch across her face as she faced the glass, one which Khan could not see. She had found what she'd been looking for; it was still in his eyes after all of these years.
'Would you mind not pressing your fingers into my head in an attempt to crush my cranium as I open this door?' Svetlanka asked as she knelt beside the great sheet of glass.
'I wouldn't trust myself to make any promises. And what are you doing?'
'What does it look like roomie? I'm breaking out.'
'You can't. This is a cell room with a security system of my own invention. You cannot possibly open that door.'
'If you made it, did you leave a loophole of sorts, a back door if you will?' Svetlanka asked, shrugging some brown hair from her eyes.
'Why would I do that? The creation of a flawed invention belongs to the feeble race of humans, not of my own species.'
'I bet that makes you so proud now that you find yourself locked in your own cage.'
Enough with the politeness, I need to get out of this blasted cell before it's too late!
Svetlanka ran her fingers along the base of the glass door, trying her best to detect where the best place would be to push when the time was right. She eventually found the correct place, lay on her back and placed her feet against the weakest part of the glass. Khan watched her silently though made no movement to take advantage of her vulnerable position. After five minutes of this, Khan lost his patience.
'What are you waiting for?' He eventually snapped.
'The right moment.'
'To do what?'
'Break out, as I've told you already.'
'You think calling the guards to further restrain you is beneath me?' He snarled.
'I wouldn't say it's beneath you Khan, I would however, say it wasn't in your best interests. How do you expect to escape without my help?'
'Who said anything about escaping?'
'Oh sorry. I didn't realise you wanted to stay cocooned in this little cage doing Kirk's bidding for the rest of your days!'
'Don't you dare–' Khan's words were cut off by the lights dying due to the universal lack of power spreading like wildfire throughout the Enterprise. Svetlanka kicked with all of her strength and she felt the glass give way, but only slightly. The blasted superhuman had built this little cell far too well.
'Khan, if you don't help me, we'll never get out of here.' Svetlanka snarled. The power wouldn't be out for long, she'd only set the Pulmonary Vector to activate for sixty seconds after coming within twenty feet of the ship's primary reactor which Captain Kirk had kindly visited after leaving the cell block. For such a small contraption, it really did perform a plethora of tasks. This power cut did not need the key around the Captain's neck to complete; that was only necessary for the pulmonary vector's most sinister function.
'Why should I?' Khan growled; his voice sound twice as menacing in the dark.
'By all means if you believe we'll get along as flat mates until we're sentenced to death back on earth, fell free to relax and ignore me!' Svetlanka kicked the base of glass once more but knew her strength in the dwindling sixty seconds would not be enough. It was highly disconcerting to feel a superhuman lie next to her in the dark, his arm brushing accidently against hers sent a wave of heat rippling across her skin, a reaction which was similar to a human shivering from surprise. Together the two of them kicked the bottom of the glass sheet until after ten different combined efforts; the glass door juddered for a moment before spectacularly shattering into countless pieces. The Waskren and superhuman were able to shield their faces thanks to their superior hearing.
Svetlanka jumped to her feet just as the lights flickered back on. She could feel the ground vibrate once more, meaning the ship wasn't drifting through space anymore. 'What should be happening now that the door is shattered?' She snapped.
'An alarm should be going off… but it has failed.' Khan's face was rooted with confusion.
'Seems your cell wasn't as safe as you previously presumed. C'mon. We have to get out of here before they find out we're missing.' Svetlanka stepped towards the door and Khan snapped out of his disbelief, following his most hated enemy through the slanting doors, his eyes looking for any sign of life. The two emerged into the cell block and found the guards station empty; the complete block on power seemed to have thrown everything on the Enterprise into disarray.
'You planned that shortage so you could escape.' Khan said shrewdly. 'Now, you're trying to get off this ship, a task which is much more immense than breaking out of your cell. And you've also forgotten yourself.' Faster than the human eye could follow, Khan pinned Svetlanka to the nearest wall, one hand holding up her delicate frame by clasping around the soft skin of her throat. 'We are not allies and I see no reason why I shouldn't kill you right now.' His grip was tightening but Svetlanka was no green girl, her feet struck out in a powerful blow, connecting with Khan's chest. His hand dropped and together, the two of them lay gasping for breath on the ground.
'This…is….ridiculous.' Svetlanka wheezed. 'Neither of…us will…ever get off… this ship.' She pushed herself into a standing position as did Khan. The two watched each other warily for a moment before straightening and without another word, headed towards the elevator at the end of the corridor.
'HALT!' A voice roared to their left. Before Svetlanka could react, Khan had wrenched the gun from the guard's hand and whacked him brutally over the head with it. He flipped the weapon over in his hands before surveying their surroundings. After certifying they were alone, the barrel of the gun slowly aimed towards Svetlanka's chest who ignored Khan's actions and entered the elevator. Him having a gun was no different to having his bare hands, the instinct to kill was always present in Khan.
'Fourth floor I presume?' Khan asked as he followed her in.
'For once, you're not incorrect.' Soon they were rising and Khan made sure to dig the nozzle of his gun into Svetlanka's shoulder-blades, just to remind her who had the advantage in this situation. The lift doors slid open revealing a circular room the size of a large swimming pool with various panels connecting with platforms housing shuttle ships. All were unmanned due to the power shortage but soon this docking area would be swarming with Enterprise crew members and all hopes for the success of Svetlanka's mission would be lost.
'Pick a ship.' Khan ordered.
'Oh that's nice, making sure we travel together. Are you growing fond of me Khan?' Svetlanka crooned as she set a path towards the furthest docking platform.
'I know you have a fool proof plan to exit this ship, I want to make sure I am not left behind.'
'As if I would do that to you.' She entered one of the docking ships and quickly entered a series of commands onto the sizeable keyboard. The shuttle ship quickly hummed to life and Svetlanka hurriedly tapped in the coordinates of her destination.
'Where is that?' Khan asked; his eyes on the holographic screen in front of them.
'A place far away from here.' Svetlanka replied truthfully as she locked in the codes. She hurriedly stood up and faced Khan who in turn aimed the barrel of his gun at her face. It wasn't a stun gun either, if he pulled the trigger, Svetlanka would be lucky to have a head left. Having extended life did not under any circumstances make a Waskren invincible.
'So I guess, that's it. We're good to go.' She took another step forward so the gun was tapping gently against her forehead.
'What are you doing?' Khan made a show of disarming any safety mechanism on the weapon. Svetlanka only smiled at his confusion as she continued to stare into his eyes only this time, she kept the scarlet gleam from her irises. Lush green stared into tumultuous turquoise for a few moments longer. 'What's wrong with your eyes? They aren't red.' Khan's voice tried to remain still and calm but the slight tremor was all Svetlanka needed as confirmation of her earlier sighting. After all these centuries, it was still there.
'You're not going to shoot me Khan.' Svetlanka said smoothly, her hand rising up and gently pushing the gun from her face. At first there was some profound resistance but the gun was soon swiped away as Svetlanka strode forwards, encroaching Khan's personal space for the thousandth time in the past hour.
'And what makes you so sure of that?' Khan asked with a deep frown.
'I gave you a free chance to hit me earlier and you refused to take it.'
'And this means I have suddenly lost my desire to see you dead?'
'No Khan, not that alone. This however…'
Svetlanka was faster than a breath of air as she stood on tip toe and pressed her lips gently against his. She heard the gun drop from his hand in shock as two strong hands clamped down on her shoulders and pulled her from the delicate embrace.
'What do you think you're playing at?' Khan's voice inspired heat to chase up and down Svetlanka's body. She glanced at his lips, then back into his bewildered and guarded eyes.
'I'm only doing what you want, Khan.' She said silkily.
'I don't want you.'
'That's not what your rushing heart is saying; I can feel your pulse through the hands you so unwisely chose to clamp on my shoulders. Boom-boom. Boom-boom. Much too fast for a serene superhuman, but an aroused superhuman –' Her sentence was cut off when Khan lifted her clean off the floor and smashed her against the wall. 'You seem to like this position seeing as it's the second time in the past ten minutes you've put me here. Is this what you had in mind?' Her legs slunk around his waist but did not try to squeeze the life out of him; they merely hung comfortably enough to support her weight.
'STOP IT!' Khan roared, bashing her upper body against the side of the shuttle ship before letting go of her completely. He swiftly picked up the fallen gun, failing to hide a slight tremor in his hands as he aimed the barrel at the troublesome Waskren. 'I have no issue flying a shuttle ship with your blood smeared around the inside of this cabin.'
'You always arrived in style. It's nice to see that hasn't changed over the past few centuries, not to mention your feelings –'
'I have no ability to feel anything but hate for a disgusting, dirty, rotten – STAY OVER THERE!' He snarled as Svetlanka crossed the little ship fearlessly, stopping right in front of the barrel of the gun.
'Do it. Go on then…' She goaded, taking the barrel and pointing it towards her heart. 'Right here, it's what you're seeking after all isn't it? Centuries have not dulled your passions –'
'SILENCE!' Khan roared, spinning the weapon in his hand so that the butt came hurtling towards Svetlanka's head. She ducked and stepped forwards, grabbing the gun and flinging it into some far corner of the ship. She stood and stared fearlessly into his savage face as he breathed far too heavily for so little an exertion.
'You want to kill me with your hands don't you?' Svetlanka whispered, reaching forward and taking both of Khan's hands and placing his fingers delicately along her cranium. 'This was always the death I wished upon the Klingons. For each and every one of their horrible acts, a superhuman would come and turn their brain to mush with pressure from their fingers alone. Is it a thrilling death? Will it hurt much?' She felt Khan's fingertips begin to dig into the surface of her skull but she never broke eye contact with him. 'I think it must be; the endorphins alone are making it very worthwhile.' As the pressure increased, the barbaric look in Khan's eyes slowly seeped away. He was no longer the hateful superhuman all members of the Enterprise saw him to be, they would never be privy to this more human side of Khan.
The pressure from Khan's fingertips abruptly ceased. His hands slid from Svetlanka's cranium down to her jaw until with a sigh of defeat, he leant forward sharply and allowed his lips to crash against hers. Svetlanka returned the pressure with ease, her mind singing from the perfect way she'd read the superhuman. She had successfully enticed his dormant feelings, fanning the spark into a flame which allowed her to push Khan against the nearest wall and claw at his soft hair, his fringe falling into his eyes as their lips continued to lock. One of her hands slid to his neck where she could feel his erratic pulse pounding away beneath his skin as Khan's hands trailed down her back and flicked at the seam between her top and trousers, feeling the warm, untouched skin beneath. He moved once more so it was her against the wall, allowing the kiss to deepen for a moment before his position was usurped again as Svetlanka pulled the two of them away from the wall altogether. She could feel a smirk pushing against her lips between their hurried movements and after a few more seconds of this, she pulled away to catch breath. Both chests were heaving after the forbidden embrace, Khan's arms slowly releasing Svetlanka from the vice-like grip he commanded of her and Svetlanka's hands straying from his chest. They looked at each other for a long moment, trying to comprehend what had just happened.
'Well Khan, I guess there's only one thing left to say.' Svetlanka whispered.
'Which is?' He asked, his gaze lingering in her lips.
'Have a safe trip.' Khan's confused eyes flicked back to Svetlanka's but was confounded to find her leaping away from him, exiting the shuttle entirely and slamming her fist against the button which would eject the small ship from the Enterprise. Khan leapt forward, but was only met by a glass wall as the doors jammed into place. He hammered against the glass as Svetlanka's amused face loomed on the other side, her eyes singing with a private victory.
'I lied when I said I didn't know what my client wanted Khan. As soon as I saw you I knew it wasn't the Pulmonary Vector he desired. He had commissioned me to bring him you, for your blood.' Khan stopped hammering on the glass and hurriedly turned towards the coordinates locked into the ship's system. He hurriedly attempted half a dozen override commands but all met with failure.
'WHERE ARE YOU SENDING ME?!' He shouted, the barbaric gleam returning with a vengeance to his eyes.
'You'll soon see, Khan.' Svetlanka whispered as the shuttle ship exited the docking bay and abruptly shot away from the Enterprise ship.
The response to this story has been unbelievable so I hope you enjoyed the longest instalment yet (which was an amazingly fun thing to write!)
