A/N. Thank you for the follows and favourites, as always I'll reply to everyone who reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Sticks and Stones
Chapter 4
Her feet tapped against the metal floor in regular intervals, passing countless officers as she approached her destination. She nodded to the two other male security officers in acknowledgement as she stepped into the shuttle, taking her place on one seat in a row of three opposite another row of seats, just behind the three main control desks. She watched as the Captain, Commander Spock and Lieutenant Uhura sat down in seats in front of her, taking their positions in order to control the shuttle.
Their fingers tapped lightly against countless switches, controlling the shuttle with the simplest of instructions and the lightest of touches, as the ship slowly rose and exited the USS Enterprise through the metallic doors which opened before them.
The air was thick with tension and awkwardness as they entered the atmosphere of Qo'noS, unspoken questions lingered between the other Vulcan and the Linguist. Espera swallowed thickly when she could feel the human's annoyance at the male Vulcan, though Espera wouldn't dare ask why in case the withheld anger would be redirected at her.
Her lips parted and her pulse quickened as she stared at the barren desert that was once known as Qo'noS, the dusty, windswept plains came into view once again as they passed through the cloud layer, the sky darkening as ruins of a once powerful city beckoned them for a closer look. Metal stuck out from the ground, most likely once part of a structure of sorts, though now reduced to nothing more than scrap in the middle of a barren graveyard. Know Qo'noS was nothing more than just a pile of scraps covered with rust and dirt from years of being vulnerable to the inevitable hands of time.
"Captain, I am detecting a single life form in the Ketha province. Given the information provided by Mr Scott, this is most likely John Harrison," Spock informed them, bringing Espera out of her thoughts. She looked towards the ground, imagining Harrison looking up towards them with a knowing smirk plastered on his face.
She fingered the Phaser in the holster on her hip as she looked down at the surface, waiting to finally face the coward of a man who killed Admiral Pike.
"Mr Sulu, I think we found our man. Let him know we mean business," Kirk spoke the order into his comm, once which Sulu thankfully complied.
Sulu's voice was stone cold as it addressed Harrison, proud and indefinitely suitable for a captain of a Star Ship. Espera was undoubtedly impressed at the malice and calmness that dripped from his lips and etched his words, the cool prick of his voice with each syllable almost made her believe that he was Captain of the Enterprise. Almost.
"We will arrive at Harrison's location in three minutes, Captain," Spock announced, sparing a quick glimpse at the Captain.
She shifted in her seat, observing the anticipation on the faces of the two security officers opposite her with though. Human emotions, how fascinating.
"It is unlikely that he will come willingly. I calculate the odds of him attempting to kill us at 91.6%." The Vulcan droned on, a calculation which had already formed in her head as well, but she chose to not voice it for it may reduce the Captains spirit.
"It's a good thing you don't care about dying," Uhura mumbled and everyone froze as the words left her lips. She could hear the intake of breath from the Vulcan and feel the irritation flow from Uhura in waves.
Espera swallowed thickly as the human feeling of irritation and discomfort in the air become unbearable.
"Nyota, you mistake my choice not to feel, as a reflection of my not caring," The Vulcan spoke with a thread of emotion that surprised her, she turned to look at him as Nyota sat, awaiting an explanation. "Well, I assure you, the truth is precisely the opposite."
His words died in the air as the silence followed, though now it was filled with confusion and… forgiveness.
She choice to let her mind drift off as the silence ensured; only allowing herself to focus on the mission and not of the emotional baggage that followed Spock's words. Emotions were a weakness, one that she would not succumb to. Or so she thought…
She was thrown from her seat as an unexpected jolt shook the ship like a ragdoll, her palms reducing the impact of her fall as she looked up in confusion to those around her.
"What the hell was that?" Kirk barked, looking at the controls for answers.
"We are being pursued by a D4 Class Klingon vessel," Spock answered, hand flailing around the keys on his desk. His voice conveying the urgency of the situation, both making Espera and the other two male Security Officers feel agitated.
"I thought this region was abandoned?" Kirk questioned, voice strained as he narrowly avoided another hit to the ship.
"It must be a random patrol," Uhura concluded. "We've lost contact with the Enterprise. They must have hit our communications." She spoke, panic laced in her voice, but her outer persona calm and collected like a true Starfleet officer.
Espera was flung back into her seat when the shuttle dodged another hit, her back hitting the wall fiercely. With that incident, she decided to put her seatbelt on as she had an itching thought that the Captain was going to travel into the ruins of the city.
"This ship has no offensive capabilities!" Spock remarked and she cringed inside at the news. As much as the shuttle tried to evade the Klingon ship, it was useless; they just could shake them.
"They're closing fast! Bearing 2.8.5!" Uhura commented from her station. All Espera could do was watch the events unfold around her, not intervening as she was tied to her chair as was the other officers opposite her.
"There, there! We can lose them there!" Kirk exclaimed as he spotted a small gap between two large structures.
"You're suggesting we utilise the passage between the approaching structures? This ship will not fit!" Spock retorted, voice slightly higher in pitch as he exclaimed at the Captain.
"We'll fit," Kirk protested, flying full speed towards the gap.
"We will not fit!" Spock insisted. She dug her nails into the cushion of the seats next to her, awaiting the impact of the ship against the hard building.
"We'll fit, we'll fit!"
The shuttle rotated sideways, metal scraping against metal as the ship bounced between the two structures. They quickly emerged out of the other side of the building, relief filled the air as adrenalin coursed through their veins.
"Told you we'd fit," Kirk breathed, trying to regain his composure.
"I'm not sure that qualifies,"
A small smile tinged her lips at the Vulcans remark, her hands withdrawing from the course material.
"Any sign of them?" Kirk asked Uhura.
"No. Which worries me," Uhura confessed, looking at her scanners for any sign of the Klingons.
"We lost them!" Kirk smiled, victory in his voice at his ingenuity.
"Or they're jamming our scanners," Espera piped up from the back, making Kirk turn to look in her direction, smile slowly receding from his lips at the news. The Captain opened his mouth to say something, but before he had the chance, the shuttle was surrounded by three D4 Class Klingon ships as light filled the cockpit.
"Sorry, Captain." She spoke as the relief in the air was soon replaced with dread, Kirk smiled grudgingly, accepting her apology without much thought.
Noise suddenly blared through the comm's, one which consisted of the Klingon native tongue. Harsh words and snarls filled the stale silence as Uhura translated the barks of noise.
"They're ordering us to land. Captain, they're going to want to know why we're here. They're going to torture us, question us and they're going to kill us..."
They weighed out their options; the ship wouldn't stand a fighting chance against the Klingon vessels, but they didn't want to go down without a fight. So, they were left without a choice.
"Then we come out shooting." Kirk proclaimed, words trying to convey hope. Uhura frowned, unclipping herself from her chair and strode over to the Captain, resolve covering her features.
"We're outnumbered, outgunned." She scored. "There's no way we'll survive if we attack first. You brought me here because I speak Klingon, then let me speak Klingon." She addressed him firmly, head held high and voice determined.
The Captain looked at her questionably before reluctantly nodding in confirmation. They proceeded to land as Uhura took her place behind the doors as they opened. Beyond them revealed a barren landscape filled with nothing but dust and metal ruins of a once strong city. The shuttle was surrounded, leaving it no way to escape and no way to protect Uhura in necessary. And, knowing the Klingons, it would most likely be.
If Uhura were to show any sign of weakness, any sign of emotion, it would mean death. Most likely resulting in war between the Federation and the Klingons, and the death of everyone on board the shuttle.
Spock spared a longing glace at Uhura before she marched forward once the ship had hit the ground, placing on a stone-cold mask to hide her nervousness and her racing heartbeat beneath her skin.
Kirk handed out phasers as they watched the brave Lieutenant conversing with the group of Klingons, ready to fire if necessary. Though they knew that they stood no chance against all of the Klingon vessels, but as kirk said, they would come out fighting until the end.
They watched the Lieutenants lips moving, forming foreign words as she spoke in the Klingon native language to a commanding Klingon officer before her. His face was unmasked, his features showing as he took off his cover, but his eyes held fury beneath his dark pupils.
Espera held her phaser directed at him as he stepped closer to Uhura.
The Klingon's hand reached up and snatched Uhura's face between his fingers, straining the fragile skin with his tight grip. Fear etched Uhura eyes as the Klingon's grip tightened, his other hand reaching into his boot to grab a pocket knife. Before he could attack, bright light and Phaser fire filled the air; a symphony of screams and gun fire breaking the silence in a matter of seconds.
That's when all hell broke loose.
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