Star Trek into Obscurity

Chapter Four

Authors Note: Hey guys thanks for the reviews. Love the energy you guys feel for the story! Sorry for the long wait. I was getting pretty fed up with things and needed a break.

I also want to make the Bridge crew scene in this story, 'cause we gotta love them too: Sulu, Science Officer 0718 aka GATT, Lieutenant Madeline, Officer Darwin, Officer Jodi, and Cupcake.

Enjoy.

The situation between Tanya and Khan will not be angst throughout the whole story. They are just at a crossroad in the relationship. But there will be ' love' soon. Trust me I don't like the deep depression of it. And when I mean soon I mean the next chapter. :3

Disclaimer: I do not profit nor own JJ Abram's Star Trek or Star Trek into Darkness. I wish I did though. I wish I did. But I don't. Sadly. I don't. I do not own Nyan Cat either.


Eight days later:

It was the first time I saw him again since the seventeenth. I was in the lobby area of the engineering facility, getting myself checked in. I was looking at a magazine to pass the time while waiting in line since there were a lot more employees than usual. The company hired more people to begin production of the weapons he designed, all within a few days. I tried to get here earlier but that didn't do anything to avoid the wait. For a brief moment to relieve my eyes, I looked away from the magazine. There was a gap in the line for me to move up; I did, inch by inch. Then I glanced past people when something caught my attention. It was him. He was sitting alone on a bench in the reception section with a newspaper in his hands, staring at me. He was cross legged in a professional manner with a well poise posture, staring at me. I looked away. A bit shocked by meeting eye to eye. I looked back in the same area to see him again but he was gone.

My eye wandered around to find the mysterious man when I caught him just to the left of me. I gasped nearly shrieking, "Jesus you scared me."

Khan kept a smooth and alerted face, "I had no intentions to do so. I thought you would have seen me walk towards you but you didn't."

I smirked tuning my head away looking at the people before us. I was still horribly disturbed by him and I didn't want anything to do with him. He murdered my colleagues and put a friend in the hospital and now he wishes to approach me? This was unacceptable. And his persistent boring glares into my unfocused eye made it even worse. In return I spoke up, "It seems you got a lot of people working for the cause now."

He breathed, "Indeed. The project as promised is running smoothly."

"Four weapons instead of three?" I inquired from the rumors I heard. Because I was only allowed limited information on the weapons, I still wanted find out more through him.

We moved up in the line again when he replied, "I had ample amount of time left over, Nurse Campbell. But you and I both know there is no war here."

I disagreed, "From where were going there will be Kh-"

He cut me off and slyly put on a fake smile, "Harrison. John Harrison, Nurse Campbell. It is a pleasure to be of acquaintance to you."

It was discussing. He seemed to put everything that has happened on the side and forget about what happened eight days ago in the med lab. I scanned him from head to toe, from his clean slick back jet black hair, to his Starfleet issued uniform, a clean well pressed red engineering shirt black trousers and boots. Back to his superior posture and pale face, which his grin was displayed frivolously on his angular face, full of joy, but his eye were still cold and killer. I tried to hide the fact that he was attractive. A handsome monster he was. It made my heart tender for something more.

I would allow him in my life except for one thing. "You don't deserve to live nor have a name." I snarled, "It's a blessing the Admiral let you live let alone let you walk a free man. Having your own place, your own money. So tell me Mr. Harrison, what is it that he has you coming back to section 31? Admiral Marcus is a devil at making deals."

He grazed around keeping an eye out on suspecting ear. He kept that phony smile on his face, whispering, "My people."

I could see the hurt in his eyes and from there without the need of words, our thoughts exchanged through our emotions.

"He's using you." I stared at him. He confirmed with a blink of his aqua eyes. That's when I saw it. The fresh sentimental hurt in them. I did his best to hide it but he granted me a look see. I bit my lip. Instead of worrying about Khan and his deviousness, now I have to worry about Marcus again. He has gone too far, sacrificing me and the other colleagues to Khan, and now he has his people held as hostages. It was cruel, but Khan deserved it for all of the death he has caused here and in his past life. I couldn't argue about that.

But I feel for him. I loathed admitting it but I did.

Khan rasping continued, "He has my people, my family hostage." The line moved again and so did we. His voice was heavy with sorrow, "The only reason that keeps me from doing so is my people. Marcus has kept them hostage in their cryo-banks. If I don't obey their commands they are as good as dead. If I walk away with what you believe is the freedom I have, they are as good as dead, Ms. Campbell."

I tugged at the hem of my nurse's dress, debating about what I was about to say, and without a minute further, I blurted out, "Serves you right. You reap what you sew. If you were really thinking about the safety of your people, you would go about it diplomatically."

He glared at me unfazed by my words, "Hilarious, which is? As you referred previously Admiral Marcus is a devil at making deals, my dear. Surly a man like him and a man like me- it takes two to tango."

It was my turn to be checked out. I noticed that Mr. Frederick wasn't working his normal stations so I went in and out with a breeze, hoping to get rid of Khan but I thought wrong. The augment caught up to me just in time. Damn it.

"Don't you have another sector to go to?" I asked.

He grinned again, taking notice of my discomfort, "Fortunately we are on the same floor."

"Great," I huffed. "As I was saying, you forget that you snapped and killed two men and left the other two severely injured. One of the two men was my friend, while another ten men dead and twenty eight injured-"

Khan objected raising an eyebrow at me, "The twenty eight should be lucky that they are alive-"

"That's not the point, Harrison." I sneered at him, "You are cold. We all know that. What made you this way? If you didn't murder those people and just cooperated peacefully, you and your people could have been awaken to live peacefully in society once more. But because of your actions, you can't. You failed."

He looked away from me and blinked. About time for some reaction, but this time he didn't come back for a while. We walked throughout the hallway with the empty silence as our backdrop. Then suddenly he stopped walking. I heard him sigh, twisting his head in and awkward angle with a snarling expression on his face, a mixture of agitation and angst. Then the tension was released from his face.

Khan deeply expressed, "I see . . . now enlighten by you knowledge Ms. Campbell," His words rapidly breathed against his lips, full of desire, "- but you. You my beautiful dear, you can't even free your own self. Marcus set us both up. Your internship here at Section 31. You can't even transfer back to the USS Enterprise without Marcus hailing your every move. You will be sentenced to life in prison if you don't abide by his rules. His golden rules. Surly he had also set you up again reassigning you to the medical team to awaken me, knowing it would be a dangerously daunting task. Risking your life like a sacrificial lamb, tsk, tsk, tsk, what a waste of beauty and talent. But why not have another doctor to do it? Why you? I am afraid my dear, that we are both trapped in this voyage. Why not make the most of it."

"How did you-", I stopped myself from finishing when the elevator doors opened. I straightened up my professional posture as a couple of male commanders walked out. I didn't know them but they greeted us bidding good morning, I replied back in the same courtesy, but Khan stood in silence. I noticed one of the commander's couldn't keep his eyes in his proper place. My gaze for him tuned sour and shied away.

"Commander Anderson, I believe her eyes are on her face, not anywhere near her chest. Respect a lady in her presence you filthy ingrate." Khan threatened.

The commander looked down and apologized, "Sorry, Commander Harrison."

My lips tightened to his shivery. He stared the commander down till he left his sight before walking right into the elevator with the door closing behind him.

"Thank you." I thanked.

He nodded, "I maybe a murderer but can't withstand men who disgrace themselves with bad manners." Khan reached for the elevator panel and tapped the sub floor button.

"Funny and I thought you weren't the sentimental type." I joked with him but he just flinched the corner of his mouth. I got back to the conversation, "As I was saying, how did you know about that?"

He sighed again, almost restless, "Oh come now? Don't be so gullible, a week and a day later I know this place inside out just as well as I know Marcus. Beside if we were to ally, we need to get to know each other a bit more."

Then he caught my attention even more, "Ally?" I gulped, "Uh uh. No! You are on your own."

I took a step closer to me and reached for my face. Scared, I froze still and closed my eyes thinking I must have ticked him off and he had enough of me. But to my surprise his pale hands were warm and soft. He was so close I could smell his masculine sent even though it was gentle, I inhaled a soft scent of forest and wildflowers, but it was very faint. For that moment I wasn't afraid again.

My eye reopened to his aqua one, dazzled and gently staring into me. He rubbed my cheek and whispered, "I will never be alone in this, and you know it. Don't you want revenge in this? You know Marcus deserves it."

I thought of it, taking revenge on Marcus to get justice for what he was doing here. Giving Starfleet a bad name for what its worth, but I didn't have the guts to do it. I want that brazen.

"How a about dinner and drinks at Cosmos. A date." Khan offered me with a smile.

"A date?" I echoed, trying not to sound meek.

The augmented man confirmed, "Eight pm tomorrow night. I will be working overtime tonight in order to get a few preparations from the projects I am currently working on out of the way."

I shook my head in disbelief, "You are strange man Mr. Harrison."

"Maybe you will get to know me. The real me."

His blue eyes grazed me for an answer. Yes was the only exception was written all over this face, but I begged to differ, "But I have to-"

"Good then. It's a date then." He ignored me with a brighter smile, nearing his back to the elevator door, " I will pick you up be ready at eight pm tomorrow."

Just as I was about to object, the elevator doors slid open, Khan elegantly strode out backwards before turning and walking down the hall in a hurried professional manner.

Once again I was left mystified by his presence, curious and stupefied, and I hated myself for it. I walked out of the elevator shanking my head thinking aloud, "But you don't know where I live? Well shit, he can just hack the database or do whatever the hell he does to find that! Is there any privacy in the world anymore?"


I fumbled around with my bun, toying with the curly waves trying to keep them in place. Out drinks had arrived and Khan thanked the waiter. I sipped on it in relief. Within the fifteen minutes of us being here at the restaurant he seemed normal. More analytical than the average human which made be a bit nervous but I knew in his eye he could tell.

"Ms. Campbell, I believe you are becoming too close to comfort for me." His deep voice called to me. I looked up from my drink seeing him invested in his. I wasn't in front of a demented warlord anymore. He was just as normal as another man out on a date. He tried his best to portray himself that way, taking another sip and clearing his throat to pass the time for me to answer back. Being polite and kind with his Ms. Campbell this Ms. Campbell that, asking me of my feelings about my day. The typical answers I would give anyone who asked, even if it was a fib, but this time I was mostly honest. Except-

"You are nervous Tanya." His lips parted into a kind whisper. I looked up to him and sat my tea down.

I advised, "You are not too bad as your record says."

"Oh but you have yet to see the real me."

I shivered at the thought of the day when he was reawaken. The real monster still laid behind the gentlemen. I still wasn't buying it. "I'm not fond of the idea that you were trying to exterminate my people because you thought that we we're less superior to you. But you are wrong."

"At what?" He demanded.

"Everything." I jeered, "You are no better than me and no more than a homeless man in London. You made the mistake to think that humans are ignorant and incapable of being more. Look around you. Starfleet one of the grandest organizations that was created by us. Three hundred years ago technology prevented us from venturing far out into space and now, Earth is now one of the leading galactic federations in the cosmos. Helping people- beings wide and far and spreading the diplomatic structure is what we do."

The food had arrived, sushi. We both thanked the waiter and returned back to our conversation.

Khan slyly scowled, "You speak highly of your work as is it was your family."

"My crew is my family, Mr. Harrison, is it the same to you?" I inferred, knowing about his past. His demeanor changed when I asked about them, less tense and more sensual.

"It is." He raised an eyebrow, "But what you as a human has failed to understand is your hope for your beloved cause. Your people are arrogant creatures, slowly trying its very best to concur every edge of land and space where ever it may lie: creating beings like me to enslave over all of the work while they stand back taking all of the credit."

I shook my head, "I don't believe so, back then it may have been like that but now things have changed."

Just as his eye's narrowed I continued, "But I see now that there are people in the company who have different intentions for the worse. But that doesn't mean you have to be on the same death trail you we're on in the Eugenics war. Times have changed. You and your people can change for the better and start anew. Be thankful that you and they are alive after floating in deep space-"

Khan arrogantly turned his head, "My people can withstand and survive without oxygen and atmospheric pressures."

I snorted a laugh, "Nice fun fact but that's not the point. You could have died in other ways though. But what is important right now for you and your people is to make right of all of the rights you all have made in the past. Make a difference. Show the good you have within yourself. The Admirals and Commanders still think you are the same monster you were three hundred years ago. Prove the so called inferior beings wrong. If you say you are superior as you think you are, you would continue down a path of desolation and shame. If you do, you will have no values, no heart, and no honor of what a warrior and a leader should have. And you will truly stay the cold monster people have always whispered you to be."

He took some time to reply but the look on his face made me feel at ease, as if he was affected by my words. Moments later he began eating, and so did I. We ate in silence for a good while.

A moment later his deep accented voice spoke up, articulating words from his lips, "You are strangely wise, Ms. Campbell."

I felt the heat of sincerity come from him. He grazed me with modesty when I replied, "Don't take it with a grain of salt. You will regret it."

He took another sip of his drink, "I will drink to that."

I chuckled again, "When you are civilized you are not so bad. No one is truly all bad. Even they have some good in them, even if it's just a little."

He took another bite of sushi and cleared his throat, "One thing I have noticed about you Tanya, do you mind that I call you by your birth name?"

I shook it off, "No I don't mind."

He took another bite of sushi, "One thing I have noticed it your ability to care for others. When I first met your eye, there was no fear in them. I haven't seen that quality in a human for a long time."

I could hear sensitivity in his voice I never heard before. It warmed my chest from the inside out. Maybe he wasn't the insidious danger I saw him. Maybe he does have a kind, more tender side to him than he would let on to anyone. My skepticism was still lingering but I felt the need to push it to the side, just for tonight. I smiled, "That is very gracious of you, don't think you are getting lucky tonight either, as Daft Punk would say."

His lips began to spread wider, "What do you know of them?"

"French techno-duo of the late ninety's early two-thousands." I replied, taking another nibble of sushi.

He scoffed, shrugging his shoulders, "They were passible."

My eyes narrowed at him playfully, "You liked them, admit it."

"I'm an admirer of Sade and Ludwig van Beethoven, Tanya."

"Classical was a given, I kind of guesses you liked it but jazz, I can see you tapping your feet to it."

We laughed and talked throughout the night.


Nurse Campbell whipped a tear crawling away from her eye, "Sooner or later, I thought he would change. He seemed to have a change of heart, very convincing. We fell in love like a normal couple in a romance movie would do. I could only love him when I put aside most of the horrible things he has done. Some were justifiable, some were not; but I still loved him for him. A few months later we would plan taking out Marcus, accept for one thing. I wanted him alive, but he wanted him dead." "I remember that night when I got of work we were arguing about it. I told him he would be an honorless man to do that."

The officers in the conference were strictly silent as they listened to the Nurse retold her history with Khan. Bones wore a tired tender look on his face, wanting to comfort his friend, but it was unprofessional to do such a thing in front of the others. Instead McCoy asked, "And what did he say?"

"Nothing." Campbell shrugged looking up from her lap, "He was still angry but he managed to push his attitude aside, kissed me on the forehead and walked out. He left me. From that day on something changed within him. I'm telling you he opened himself up to me, even though it was very slight, I know what kind of man he is- the good, the bad, and the ugly. I've seen it all within him. But days after our argument he was different."

Kirk inquired further, "Different how?"

She explained, "I don't know how to explain this, but it was almost like he reverted back to the way he was, the type of personally you all have witnessed when he boarded this ship. But worse way worse. He stopped all communications with me for a few months." She paused and cleared her throat, "Until I received this."

The nurse pulled out a small folded up letter and grimaced, "The day of the Kelvin Bombing, I was running late to work. Someone hand pulled my alarm clock out of the wall. I found this letter besides it."

She proceeds to read the cursive writing aloud, tracing the swift stokes of black on the paper with her thumb, "I says: You will live another day. I can't apologize enough to you for my actions, my dear, but there are objectives I need to accomplish, even if it means departing from you. Your breakfast is on the table. And P.S. there is only good and evil, no in-betweens, but you and I both know who we affiliate ourselves with, and I'm falling into darkness where ever it takes me. Khan."

Her gaze suddenly snapped up to everyone. Her voice hitched with a heart breaking crack, "I knew then what it meant; I just knew something was wrong. I rushed that morning trying to get to Section 31 to possibly warn Admiral Marcus of his erratic behavior, but I was too late. The facility exploded, and I was just yards away from it. I was close to death." The nurse nodded her head, confirming her words, "Khan made me late. He did it on purpose so he could save my life. So I could live another day."

Those words stung her chest. If he didn't love her why spare her life? For another purpose of plot? Did he need her for another scheme in his plans? Tamara felt indifferent. She just couldn't tell. She remembered that day like no other. She rushed out the house with her Starfleet issued nurse attire; the normal short skimpiness didn't worry her this time. The nurse grabbed her white brief case and ran with all if her might, avoiding bystanders who were on their way to work. Her bushel of curly locks swayed with the wind while she ran. Seconds of dread thrust into her feet, she was so close to the kelvin Archives she could see the grand building halfway down the crossway street. The sudden boom clattered with chiming shards of glass from above rained down like a fiery shadow that grew larger and larger from each passing second.

She stopped running. The heart stopping shrieks screams pierced through the daily ruckus, silencing anything unimportant in the moment. Gigantic scraps of metal fell, hitting and crushing anyone unlucky in its path. And if it wasn't those that killed them it was the blasts of fire or the dagger like shards of glass to slice right through their flesh. People stared awestricken and afraid, trying to comprehend the matter at hand. The nurse was paralyzed with fear, the same fear she felt when she first met John Harrison.

Those memories haunted Tanya's beautiful features. Kirk stood and grabbed her by shoulders soothing, "I'm not going to say it's alright Tanya. This never was alright what he did. But what I am going to say is that you are safe, and we are all thankful that you are alive."

She nodded and continued, "Thank you Jim. But I feel as if we are never safe as long as he has vengeance on his mind. I couldn't help but see the pain of betrayal Marcus had left on him. But what I can't stand is his unbinding strife to do anything, regardless if it kills any of us to save his people."

Tanya stopped and fiddled with the hem of her dress, "They are all he has left in this world. People who saved his life, friends, crew members-"

Spock stated, "And you."

The nurse became puzzled, "What?"

The Vulcan commander lifted his eyebrow and clearly recited, "You are his lover, Ms. Campbell; he must convey some emotional affiliations with you even after protecting you on multiple occasions."

Campbell shrugged, "Maybe. I just don't know anymore. You all would think after being in a year's relationship, you would know the person who you helped changed their mind, their heart for the better. But it's all an elaborate lie that person made to get what they want from you and move on. I can tell you that after all of this I am hurt and disgusted seeing that I had made an irrational decision to let him enter my life."

Kirk breathed, "If you didn't Tanya, we would have never known this information."

"Ms. Campbell is that all you have to exclaim?" Spock added.

Tanya nodded her head, "Yes. But if I find any other information, both of you will be the first to know."


Kirk stood on the bridge, relived to get out of the conferences room. The atmosphere was just too thick with emotions over the enemy; it even hurt Kirk knowing someone on another personal lever who was affected by Khan's devious schemes.

"Everyone." Kirk announced aloud. The bridge crew paused what they were doing to turn their attention to the captain. Satisfied he continued, "I would like to thank you all for your commendable work and undying resilience to keep the Enterprise and her people alive. For the next five years, I hope will be an adventurous and forgiving."

Some stared with blank empty expressions while others expressed slight glee. Kirk Raised an eyebrow, not wanting to bore them any further with long speeches, "-In other words," He huffed with a cocky boyish grin," let's get out of this damn space dock and venture ye yonder! Right Bones?" He said standing with his hand on his hip pointing towards the blackened star studded cosmos.

"A precise 'hell no' is what I say," Dr. McCoy grumbled under his breath. Kirk smiled and sat down in the chair. Bones sighed, "I wish I was on vacation leave than to be here right now. Space. A damnation of disease, death, chaos, augmented psychopaths on a Quentin Tarantino version of vengeance and pretty alien women who are either men, liars, or taken."

Kirk tried to contain his chuckle but ended up laughing, "Oh common' Bones Don't be like that."

Bones sighed, "I have given up Jim. Until that day when that sweet honeybun sweeps me off my feet I will be here alone with me bones."

Kirk grinned and grabbed his fried on the shoulder, "Damn, Maybe later in the voyage we can make a pit stop to Astra Delta, on Puricluse? I hear the women are crazy good in places where it needs to be."

Bones wasn't interested in those kinds of terms, flings with no strings attached. He had enough of those occasions and wanted to wait for something serious. The doctor grinned, "Thanks but no thanks. The hole stranded on a deserted planet with a gorgeous woman as gone sour too. Damn torpedoes. Damn Harrison- that creep." He thought, "Poor Tanya."

The captain "Thanks to Nurse Campbell, we won't have to worry about him anymore. There is no doubt with her testimony that the jurisdiction won't let him get away with anything."

Bones winced inwardly. They both knew that wouldn't do any real justice, "Yeah but put is ass in cryo for the rest of eternity, Jim? Why don't they just execute him? And then maybe, just maybe, rehabilitate his people on a distant planet and possibly get therapy for them, or something."

Kirk was conflicted to admit it but the young doctor was right. The captain retorted, "I agree but the jury doesn't want any more death than there needs to be and besides that, what happens if there was a malfunction or someone crazy enough decides to re awaken all of the augments? They find out their leader is dead, have been in cryo for over three hundred years, and that humans are superior to them; batta-boom-batta bang- we got ourselves a world war four."

Bone's eyebrows creased, "Well I hope to God someone doesn't then." Then he casually asked, "Wait, speaking of war Jim, what about the Klingons and what happened on Kronos? Do you think they might start one?"

"So far we haven't heard from them. But I did hear around Starfleet headquarters in one of the meetings after the San Fran tragedy that the Klingons think it was a group of bounty hunter trying to track down a human criminal."

The doctor sighed in relief, "Fantastic, someone came up with a good enough cover up for any half twitted alien to believe, even humans."

Kirk smirked, "Yeah, I hope it sticks too."

"It'll fly, as long as people keep the gossip down to a minimum and keep their flaps shut it will. Now, it's time for me to check the fresh Prince for any bad bugs creeping in his system!"

Just as Bones whipped out his Tricorder, Kirk slid out of the captain's chair to retreat from the doctor. Bones rolled his eyes and grumbled as he tried to keep up with the commanded. Kirk commanded,"Status report N'du?"

Madeline, the dark earthy green skinned being turned her gaze from the screen to her captain, "All is well." Her soft yet electric mechanical voice chimed,"We will arrive to the Pleiades' Voga system in less than fifty-two minutes, and-"

A centric booming voice over powered hers, "Less than Forty minutes to be precise, Captain. Excuse me for intruding but there seems to be a small problem in sector eight. One of our engine lines in slowing, but Commander Scott has contacted me and says that the issue is being resolved."

Madeline shot a glance at the other science officer. The albino augmented man felt her gaze and without turning his head, he flicked his ice cold blue eyes in her direction. The young alien woman looked away with a slight fruitful smile. Kirk's voice "Any reason as to why that is happening, Gatt?"

The tall heavily built augment answered, "In the Commander's exact words," Gatt pulled up a recording of Scotty's conversation, "The ships engines are just getting' a taste of the new warp core, nothing major. Just tell em' she'll be purrin' like a brand nu' kitten- thanks to her new warpcore I'll have her fly'in like Nyan Cat lost in space!"

Kirk chuckled, "Sounds like him."

Madeline tried to hide her smile from Gatt. It was rare he showed his humorous of personality to anyone but this was close to it, even if it was slight.

Kirk sat down in his chair again and pulled up his comm, "Mr. Scott?"

The image of the spunky engineer came upon the screen, "Ey Captin!" He shouted through the comm.

Kirk asked, "Is the problem fixed?" Bones walked closer to his captain to complete the bio scans. He was relieved that Kirk finally stopped moving so he could finish the checkup.

"Ey sir, we are ready for departure!" Answered the red shirt officer.

Kirk agreed with that answer, "Thanks, Mr. Scott- Mr. Sulu take us out,"

The charming Asian officer turned to him and grinned, "Where to captain?"

"Anywhere beyond here." Kirk smiled. It is good to be back; he thought and leaned back further in the chair.

Sulu grabbed the chrome shift gear and steadily pushed it forward. The engine's thrusters gave off a slight hum a pleasant sound to their ear, and within seconds the grand ship shot out into space with its blue crystalized discharge trailing and chiming after its thrusters.

"Now since you sat down, I can finish this damn test!" Bones shot at him in annoyance. Just as the doctor was about to place the device on Kirk's face, Nyota called to him, "Captain, a representative from Star Fleet is hailing us sir," Uhura announced, "A investigator of crime and defense by the name of Timothy Ryker."

Kirk turned to her with a wary look on his face, "What do they want now? We just had discussions and interviews with him. I thought our involvement in the case is done."

Bones on the other hand cursed and rolled his eye, "Damn-it Jim! I'm a doctor not a puppy dog. Why must if follow you around like one when you can't stay still!"

Uhura tried to hide her smile and continued, "Apparently not, He said it is urgent."

Kirk tried to ignore his medical friend but instead turned to him and slyly huffed, "Good boy Bones,"

Bones was about to argue when Kirk asked Uhura to put the man on screen.

Jim greeted, "Officer Ryker, what can I do for you today?"

"Captain Kirk, I'm sorry for the late notice but something has come up in the Harrison trial. Something you are not going to like. Harrison has been bugged."

Everyone in on the bridged abruptly paused and stared at the green eyed man on the screen.

Jim was shocked but not enough to make another rational decision- "Can we resume this conversation in the conference room, Officer Ryker?"

"Yes we may." The officer agreed. The comm. The bay window screen turned blank revealing the passing fabrics of space warping around them.

"Uhura, please send the communication feed to the conference room."

"Yes captain." She complied.

"Spock, Sulu, Bones-"

The two science officers and the command officer briefly looked at each other with uncertainty before their eyes landed right back to Jim.

"-come with me." He breathed.


Spock advanced closer in question, "Officer what do you possibly mean by bugged, Officer Ryker?"

All four of them at around the table waiting for the officer to comply. Sulu was well schooled while Kirk and Spock were usually unfazed by anything disastrous, but even now the Vulcan has a look of distress across his hansom features. This worried Bones even more. Now the doctor was on his nervous fritz again.

The green eyed pale skinned man on the screen nervously cleared the croaked in his beginning speech then slowly complied, "During his interrogation, Officer Willcose an agent from the CIA, and a Psychologist trained in analyzing intensive Psychiatric traumas, trained to interrogate terrorist, got Khan to crack. But just slightly. Willcose thought he had something and decided to take it all the way. Are you familiar with the spinal tap treatment?"

Bones jumped the chance to answer, "Yeah, where you take a Neuro-cynic phase, it was made for medical induced procedures, but rumor has it that was initially a weapon of torture. You would place it on the person's neck and spinal intersection to induce pain throughout the central nervous system. No one knows of its origin, weather Starfleet or the armed forces made it or not. Hell! No one even knows what the damn thing even looks like! "

"Well," The officer stated, "There is a newer model of that phaser out. He took it on a test drive on Harrison. Somehow the phaser's reactors targeted some-thing that was attached to Khan's spinal neurons and brainstem. And when I say it was vile, it was hell to watch. The augment went under a traumatic seizure then began to bleed out- nose, ear, mouth and eye- and through up the bug through his mouth before going into a coma but that's not all."

Kirk and Spock sat stiffly while Bones shifter uncomfortably to hear the next installment of news.

"We took the specimen to Starfleet's new biological recreational testing center where we found out some pretty damning news. That insect was no ordinary parasite, not like the one that Nero forced down the late Admiral Pike's mouth. This was a Black Mariah."

Kirk was a bit taken back by this name, rather than that the starship captain was lost. "Oh God." Bones gasped dramatically. It was news to his ears he had dreaded to hear.

Spock concluded, "This incriminating evidence explains a great deal of Khan's psychotic behavior."

Bones ignored the pointy eared bastard and argued at the officer, "You have got to be kidding me? Do you absolutely know what this means?!"

Still confused Kirk shouted, "Wait, wait, wait! Can someone tell this bone-head here what this thing is? I'm no xeno-biologist."

More intently focused, Bones explained to his friend, "You should know, Jim. The Black Mariah is a deadly parasite, only sold on the galactic black market. They are genetically enhanced neurologic parasite these babies have nothing- nothing on the Sentorian slug that was used on Pike."

Bones continued, "In the early twenty-second century, The Klingons wanted something more effective than just forcing their victims to tell the truth about war plans and weapons. Instead they took a cousin of the Sentorian slug, the Ma'licum, and enhanced them to attach to the victim's base of their spine and brain stem connecting to the head to control the victim from the inside out. Mentally, physically, and emotionally. These slugs come with a blank nero plan in which one person can sync a complete, I don't know how to say this, but a 'neuologic map' a plan of sorts for the victim to forcibly abide by. Once the slug has this 'plan' encoded in its cellular tissues, it can attach itself to the victim and control the victim only according to the plans."

Kirk irritably recited to the onscreen officer, "So you me to tell me that Khan, the genetically enhanced human was being controlled by this genetically enhanced-supper slug?"

Riker agreed, "That his actions were being controlled by the nuro-map of the slug and the slug only? Yes."

The captain snapped," We caught the guy red handed-he murdered Admiral Pike and Marcus, slaughtered thousands of others, did billions of dollars in destruction; nearly killed my crew and you mean to tell us that it wasn't his fault? It was the slug's fault?!"

Bones tried to sooth his friend's temper, "Calm down, Jim, he-"

"Calm isn't the half of it Bones! If Khan had no part taken in his action, who DID?" Kirk reasoned.

Officer Riker continued, "It's a pretty grim situation in which is utterly unbelievable, but you are right Captain Kirk. With the incriminating evidence to back this up, Khan was nothing more but an elaborate pawn in this. The question is who put the Black Mariah in him in the first place. Gentlemen, I'm sorry to announce this but we have yet to find the culprit behind these terrorist events."

The officer rubbed his chin and continued, "For twelve hours Khan was in coma, but when he awoke he asked for you, Commander Spock, and Dr. Campbell. He has something to tell you three but he won't reveal any more information to us without you three present."

Kirk rolled his eyes away than back to the officer's face with a slight grin, "So I'm guessing you want all three of us beamed down there for a little family reunion?"

The officer nodded, "You guessed correctly, Kirk."

Kirk reluctantly agreed, "Thank you Officer Ryker we will beam down on location within an hour. Kirk out."

The screen cleared into a blank window, displaying the streaks of them being at warp.

A few moments to reflect in silence was broken by Bone's southern accent, "Well that's just great. So far for having a peaceful five years in space when you have to hunt down another tyrant."

Kirk pulled up contact to the Bridge on his PADD and began walking out of the conference room and down the halls, "Uhura contact Starfleet and the CIA, tell them we will arrive soon via beam transportation in downtown San Francisco."

"Yes sir." She replied coyly. Kirk switched the PADD off and walked faster. The three men qickended their paste to be along side their captain.

"Sulu, you get the seat again. Let Officer N'du, Lieutenant Gatt, Darwin, and Jodi in on this information too."

Sulu replied with a little glee, "Yes, Sir."

"Bones, tell Tanya to get dresses in civilian attire and be ready to be beamed down to San Fran with us in forty minutes. Oh and Man the med bay till eighteen o' hundred. You will relive Sulu of captain's duties and take over the night shift. In the meanwhile, man the medbay."

The doctor punned, "Away she bows Captain, with a yo ho ho and a bottle of-"

Kirk cuts him off with a halting stop in their walk, "Alright, See you both in forty minutes-business attire in the transport room."

Sulu and Bones both replied, "Yes sir." And walked away to their duties. Just as Kirk was about to leave Spock to return to his quarters to prepare for the trip, the commander called out, "Captain."

"Yes Mr. Spock," Kirk answered

Spock advanced closer, "Given the evidence presented to us by Oficer Ryker, who do you speculate would have used Khan to get to Starfleet?"

Kirk sighed, "I have no clue. But they sure do want to cover their tracks."


Sulu was back on the bridge when he called Gatt, Madeline, Darwin and Jodi off to the side to speak to them about what happened. Both stood and listened intently to Sulu's words.

"Unbelievable." Madeline gasped, flinging her arm in the air with a swoosh in an extra terrestrial manner, native to her home language as a sign of anger.

The tall augmented science officer Gatt also agreed in his deeply grunge voice , "My feelings exactly."

"Madeline I need you to keep track of their vital. Keep a close eye on their location and if anything major comes up keep the airways open for immediate beam transport."

"Yes Sir." She cited and traveled back to her station.

"Gatt, double secure the ship's data banks and hard drive. I have a feeling we are going to be vulnerable in this."

"Yes sir." The augment science officer retreated back the same.

"Darwin and Jodi, my special ladies," Sulu addressed.

Darwin rolled her eyes in a playful annoyance while Jodi smirked.

"Once we get to Voga notify the Derma council of the Pleiadians of our arrival. By that time Uhura will contact Spock to notify the Captain of our arrival. Then we will wait upon further assistance."

Both women agreed, "Yes sir." And walked back to their stations. Sulu finally walked back to the captain's chair and sat down, relishing at the thought of being captain again rater than being acting captain.


Next time:

The trip to San Fran

Shocking revelations from Khan

Sulu and Jodi's confrontation

Madeline and Gatt get to know each other more.

Carol Marcus makes a comeback!