"Doctor, you know that there is no way that we can rehabilitate, Mr. Singh," Spock stated tonelessly. "It would require DNA reconfiguration to change his behaviour and drives, and at present, such technology is in its infancy."
Doctor Killen nodded slowly, "Yes, Mr. Spock, I am aware of that."
"I am perplexed as to why Starfleet does not share our view, Doctor."
Dr. Killen was silent for a while, before replying, "That's the thing, Mr. Spock, they do share our view."
It was Spock's turn to be silent, until he replied, "Then why is he not being placed in cryogenic stasis once more, Doctor?"
Dr. Killen sighed, "It seems that Starfleet Superiors desire that we… study Mr. Singh."
"That is highly illogical, Doctor. To a degree, Admiral Marcus already undertook such a feat."
"They are aware of that, Mr. Spock, but they have found that the Admiral's findings were incomplete and crude at best. He collected data on Mr. Singh in order to find a way in which to neutralise him, and exploit him for deranged military purposes. Starfleet wishes to study Mr. Singh so that they may better understand him, and be ready in case it ever occurs that we must wake, or find we can not avoid waking, his fellow Augments."
Spock raised his eyebrow, "I see, Doctor."
Dr. Killen slowly nodded, "Are you making progress with the subject, Mr. Spock?"
Spock stiffened slightly, "Unfortunately not, Doctor. I have managed to probe no deeper than his superficial vanity, and his apparent fixation with his fellow Augments, who he refers to as his family."
Dr. Killen frowned, "That is most unfortunate, Mr. Spock. I am not surprised, however. Mr. Singh is a seething mass of contradictions, which have been heightened. A most complex case study indeed."
Spock was silent for a while before he stated, "Doctor there is one option which I would like to utilise."
"Which is that, Mr. Spock?"
"I would like to endeavour to mind meld with Mr. Singh in order to access his memories, and discover what he truly thinks."
Dr. Killen looked horrified, "Mr. Spock! I could never ask such a thing of you! Especially with a man as unstable and dangerous as Mr. Singh!"
Spock's expression became slightly haughty, "That is most caring of you, Doctor, but I find that I am quite capable of controlling Mr. Singh in such an instance."
Dr. Killen looked pained, but finally replied, "Alright, Mr. Spock, but on the condition that you allow me to post extra security personal on Mr. Singh's room's door."
Spock thought about how easily Khan could overpower humans, but he did not voice this opinion. He nodded in agreement instead.
"I am going to hypnotise you, Mr. Singh," Spock said, fixing Khan with an expression that brooked no argument.
Khan raised an eyebrow, "And why would I let you put me in such a vulnerable position, Mr. Spock?"
Spock remained impassive, "I do not seek to harm you. I am doing this in order to better understand you."
Khan stared at him for a long time, his sharply defined face completely expressionless, except for the faint gleam in his pale eyes.
"Very well," he finally replied.
Spock nodded, "I would like you to close your eyes and take deep breaths."
Khan obliged, his hands relaxing their grip on the arms of his chair.
"Imagine a place of happiness," Spock said, his voice low and soothing. "A place where you feel safe and secure. Let your body completely relax, starting with your feet, then your legs, then your stomach, then your shoulders and arms. Finally, let your neck and jaw relax."
Khan's head gently fell back as he relaxed into the chair.
"Your entire body is completely relaxed now," Spock continued, his voice hypnotic. "Each word that I say is taking you deeper into a state of complete relaxation. Each word that I say makes you want to open your mind to me more and more. Your mind is completely open to me now."
Spock quietly rose from his chair and stood next to Khan, "Is your mind completely open to me now?"
"Yes," Khan softly replied.
"I am going to mind meld with you now. You will stay calm and relaxed as I enter your mind. You will trust me and not resist me."
"Yes," Khan repeated.
Spock took a steadying breath and placed his fingers on Khan's temple and next to his nose. His mind gently entered Khan's, like a brook flowing into a raging river. Spock was assaulted with an array of memories, bursting with colour and sound. Finally the kaleidoscope stilled, and a memory clearly appeared to him.
Khan was a child of about ten. He and other augmented children were in a large gymnasium, which Spock recognised from pictures he had seen of twentieth century Earth health institutions. Khan was running on a track, clearly competing against the other children. He was far ahead, his pitch-black hair flying back from his determined child's face. When he reached the finish line, he stood completely still and looked challengingly at the human scientists who stood to one side.
One of them turned to the other and whispered, "He's the best."
The other nodded and replied, "I agree."
Khan titled his head haughtily at this exchange, clearly using his superior hearing.
The memory blurred and faded into the rush of colour and sonic once more, until another memory came into focus. Khan was a young man of about twenty-eight or so, clad all in black, throwing his pale skin and strange translucent eyes into hectic relief. A beautiful young woman stood in front of him, her skin golden and her hair almost white blonde. She was clearly an augment, too.
"You cannot stay here with me," Khan said evenly, brushing her hair back over her ear.
She cupped his hand in her hair and turned her face into his palm, laying a soft kiss on the cool flesh.
"And why not?" she replied challengingly.
"You must rule your own territory, Teresa. The humans need to be led strictly in Europe."
Teresa nodded and released his hand, "I see. I thought that perhaps you loved me. I understand now that I was in error."
Khan frowned, "There is no room for love at this time, Teresa. We must cement our place before we allow such emotions to be shown. The humans must understand that we are invincible first."
Teresa stared at him for a moment before she turned away and left the room. The memory became unclear for a moment, as if it was being fast-forwarded, and then it came back into focus.
A young man entered Khan's office and stood at attention while Khan rose from his throne like seat.
"What is it?" he asked sharply.
The young man adopted a more relaxed stance, but his face was tense as he spoke, "I am very grieved to inform of this my Lord, but the esteemed ruler Teresa is dead. Her subjects rose against her and set her palace alight before they dragged her out into the street and… and…"
"And what?" Khan ground out.
The young man swallowed visibly, "Decapitated her."
Khan's face became contorted with rage before he screamed, "Get out! Get out!"
The young man fled as Khan snapped a chunk of wood out of his desk and hurled it at the door. He collapsed into his chair and sobbed loudly.
Spock made to withdraw from Khan's mind but then he caught a glimpse of something. He stilled as he saw a flash of himself in Khan's mind's eye, but he could not quite make out what he was doing. He focused in on the image and then he recoiled in shock.
He saw himself arched in pleasure beneath Khan, while Khan thrust into his willing body and plunged his hot, wet tongue into his mouth. He watched in morbid fascination as his own legs wrapped tighter around Khan's strong, slim waist, and his nail's dug into Khan's pale back, drawing thin lines of red blood. His entire body was flushed a slight green, while a dusky pink had coloured Khan's perfect skin. He heard himself cry out Khan's name in unguarded ecstasy-
He pulled out of Khan's mind and stood panting for a moment, his composure temporarily cracked. He could not believe what he had just seen. Khan had been fantasizing about him. He had seen Khan's overture in the bathroom for what it was: a ploy to secure an opportunity for escape, but he had not thought that Khan held any real sexual desire for him. Evidently he had been in error.
He regained his self-control and said, "At my count you will wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy."
Spock withdrew his hands from Khan's face, and walked over to the observation window which he had set to the frost setting, so that none of the human guards could gawp while he hypnotised Khan.
"Three, two, one," he finally said, and heard Khan awaken.
He turned around and his brow creased in puzzlement as he observed Khan's smug face.
"You saw yourself in my mind, didn't you, Spock?" Khan asked softly.
Vulcans could not lie, therefore Spock replied, "Yes."
He watched impassively as Khan rose from his seat and walked towards him, his stance predatory, like a great, sensual feline. He stopped centimetres away from Spock, and gripped Spock's waist before pulling his body flush against him. He was slightly taller than Khan, but their body's fitted together well.
"Through my skin, you can feel I want you," Khan whispered against his ear, cool breath washing over the side of his head and neck.
Spock closed his eyes and tried to summon up the hate that he felt for this man. He tried to think of his Captain, and best friend, dying in front of him behind the barrier of glass. He tried to capture the black rage that he had known when beating Khan so brutally and the sound of Nyota's scared, pleading voice. He thought of beautiful Nyota, his beautiful Nyota. His beautiful Nyota who had told him that she needed time with her people, away from the fractured world that was still healing after Jim's death and revival.
"I still love you," she whispered, as she lay beside him after they had made love.
"Only death can part us," he replied, cradling her against his chest.
"Yes," she breathed. "But I need time away. When I come back, everything will be better."
"But I would like you here."
"No, Spock, you need to confront your demon on your own. There's no room for me in that private process."
He turned his head towards Khan to tell him that this was illogical, and that Khan had developed an obsession with him. He meant to tell him that his desires were for the unobtainable, but Khan pressed his mouth against his own before he could speak. Khan's tongue licked the line where Spock's lips met and slid into Spock's mouth. He explored Spock's tender palette and cheeks, and then he gently sucked Spock's tongue into his mouth. Khan let out a moan as Spock responded, and pushed Spock towards his bed.