Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed my fic. Please tell me what you think of this chapter as well.
# # #
Despite the difference in sizes between the Enterprise and the Vengeance, the living quarters on the latter were considerably smaller and spartan-looking. The miniature en suite bathroom only had the sonic option for the showers. Every military ration in existence was programmed in the replicator. Carol hated those as much as the next person, but after barely getting any sleep and all the stress both her mind and body had endured since Kati's and Pike's abduction, she figured she could use the the boost of the minerals and vitamins in them, vile-tasting as they were.
She washed the rations she had managed to stomach with some silicone-tasting synthesized coffee and regretting not having the option of splashing cold water on her face, she grabbed the PADD Khan had deigned to grant her and made a dash for the bridge. As expected, their access to both the pad and the ship's computers was severely restricted by piled upon pile of security protocols, the subroutines of which had nothing in common with those used by Starfleet and had obviously been structured by the Augments.
The Enterprise officers' arrival to the Vengeance's bridge was terse, increasing the trepidation Carol already felt. Their uneasiness was in no way improved the utter calm of Khan's demeanor. At first, he gave no indication of noticing them, too busy pressing on the data slate encased in the right arm of the command chair he occupied, a slight frown marring his features. The sight of him actually managed to settle Carol's nerves a bit, since she recognized that look from the two years they had spent working together on various projects. Though all he let them see was concentration, she could easily understand how someone who didn't know him at all would misconstrue that as a haughty form of ignoring them.
When nobody spoke for a few tense seconds, Khan lifted his head. He leaned back in his chair like on a throne, using his slightly elevated position to gaze down at them imperiously.
"I thought I included the position of the bridge stations in the information package on your pads. Do you need additional help finding them?" Khan asked in his best sarcastic voice.
Now that he put it that way, they all looked stupid just standing there, but in truth, they had been anticipating a briefing of some sorts on the eve of such a delicate endeavor.
"Well, this is an auspicious beginning," McCoy grumbled.
Khan didn't even glance in his direction, when he replied. "The medical bay is three decks bellow us, Doctor."
McCoy didn't budge instead looking at Kirk expectantly. The captain of the Enterprise nodded. "It's alright, Bones. Do what he says."
"The hell it's alright," McCoy retorted but went.
It was as if a spell had been broken. Sulu and a visibly nervous Chekov scampered to the navigation station. Uhura moved to communications with a defiant glare aimed at Khan, who paid her no heed. Carol herself strolled to defense and weapons and so did Spock with the command intelligence station.
"Do you want me here on the bridge or in Engineering?" Scotty asked in a tone bordering on insubordination, eying his would-be console critically.
Kirk shot him a pleading look, but the Chief only mouthed a "what?" in response.
Khan ignored that one. "Engineering, Mr. Scott," he commanded curtly, his eyes fixed on Kirk, though he did wait for Scotty to leave before talking again. "You said you know where the Orions took Kati and your admiral," he told Jim in a casual, dry voice best used to discuss the weather. "Where are we going, Captain?"
Jim handed Sulu a data tape. "The Orion interceptor was tracked to the Romulan Neutral Zone. That's... ."
"... a light-year area of space between the Federation and a galactic power known as the Romulan Empire established in 2161 after the Earth-Romulan War," Khan interrupted in a thick monotone. "Neither side can enter it without prior approval from the other or it would be considered an act of war, hence why Starfleet could not officially send you there, not even for the sake of the head of Strategic Operations Center." He drew his lower lip into his mouth, making a non-committal noise in the back of his throat, as the entire bridge was staring at him in wonderment. "The starbase on our planet had a complete database on the state of the explored galaxy and I have an eidetic memory. This is how I know that we do not have time to waste exploring the Zone, if we are to mount a successful rescue. Tell me you have more exact coordinates than that."
"The sensors of the outposts on our side of the border managed to track them to the 872 Trianguli star system," Spock said serenely. "Its fifth planet used to house a Romulan colony, but it is now abandoned and therefore, would present a logical option for a base pertaining to the Orion Syndicate."
No sooner had he finished speaking, that Khan stood and stalked to type a few commands on the extensive console sprawled in front of the captain's chair. Carol sat higher in her chair catching a glimpse of the star map the Augment was studying. "The fastest way there is through Klingon space."
"The Empire guaranteed us safe passage, no questions asked, if we stick to the route they set for us," Kirk explained. "I just gave Mister Sulu the course for it."
Khan's fingers flew over the screen before him. "Engineering, are we ready to go to warp?"
"With this core, any day," came Scotty's disembodied and wryly impressed voice.
Still half-bent over the console, Khan lifted his eyes to Sulu, who was warily gazing over his shoulder at their unlikely captain. "Warp 10." Sulu's eyes widened comically, most likely just at the very idea of the speed this ship could reach. "Now," Khan added in that cool, detached command voice he sometimes employed.
Sulu opened his mouth but no words were forthcoming. Carol thought he had bit back the "yes, Sir" at the very last moment. Instead, the navigator just nodded and the ship started to maneuver to warp. Khan straightened up and stalked to the defense console. "Kirk, you have the bridge," he threw over his shoulder before glancing at Carol herself. "I need to speak to you."
"Alright," she said not seeing any reason to refuse.
Khan had already started for the turbo lift, even before the word was out of her mouth. As she made to follow him, she caught Nyota's eye: the other woman looked at her with equal parts concern and encouragement. Carol nodded her thanks and hurried after Khan.
# # #
"Weapons bay," he ordered the second the elevator doors closed behind them.
He turned to her then, wearing his approachable expression. To a casual observer, there wasn't much of a difference, but Carol had had two years to learn to learn the subtle changes in his demeanor. She had also had the chance to observe him interact with his people and notice the genuine warmth in his eyes, when he did. He wasn't quite there now, but he also did not display any of the disdain or sardonic aloofness he employed in relation with her colleagues from the Enterprise.
"Carol," he began in an almost deferential voice. "While I am aware that given our history, this might be unacceptable to you, I would like to request that we set the past aside and that we start anew as polite acquaintances."
Of all the things she had awaited from him when they finally got a moment alone, that sentence had not been it. The second surprise came from his earnest and gracious tone. He had been tender, kind and cajoling with her in the past, but never before had he sounded so respectful. She recovered from her bewilderment fast, however, and in order to make up for it, her next words came out more biting than she had intended.
"As you've already told Kirk, you're the captain of this ship and I have never been anything but courteous to my superior officers."
His reaction astonished her even more than his previous statement. He looked down, seemingly chastened, briefly squeezing his eyes shut, the lines on his face deepening as he did. "I am sorry, Carol," he said gently, his gaze flying to her face. His eyes were almost beseeching. "I didn't mean to imply you are unprofessional. Besides, I do not out rank you... on this ship or any other."
His statement floored her. She had never before seen him uncertain or wavering. Not even in relationship with his people. Not even when he spoke to one of them as a friend or family member. He always knew what to say and what advice to give. He was never anything but perfectly confident and self-assured. She could not for the life of her fathom what had thrown him off balance like that. It was frightening to even consider what could do this to Khan!
His apology was also odd. It wasn't that it had sounded insincere, on the contrary. But he had only once before apologized and even then it had seemed to take a great toll on him and he had confessed as well to it being the first time to ever utter the word sorry. Now it had come off almost naturally, which made the occurrence all the more staggering.
The turbo lift doors were already open. She had no idea for how long they had been.
"Please," he said softly, gesturing towards the entrance to the weapons bay.
She went mutely, feeling as though she was advancing under water. "Lights 100%," she muttered.
The vaguely blue-tinged darkness of the bay dissolved into a sparkling white light inundating the vast space. What the Vengeance lacked in room for living quarters, she more than made up in terms of the dimensions of the weapons area. There was a sea of long-range torpedoes and attack drones spreading in front of her in the immense hanger. Numerous lateral doors led to storage compartments for a large diversity of hand-held phasers, rifles and experimental weaponry of various dimensions and functionalities.
This was just the tip of the iceberg: the Vengeance also had elaborate phaser arrays and saucer mounted torpedo cannons. Additionally, protective armor plates could slid into place and cover the sensitive parts of the vessel, in case of an attack.
"Let me guess," she said, unable to tear her gaze from the abundance of weapons before her, filled with both the excitement her job usually entailed and dark fascination. "You want me to update the internal guidance systems of the medium and long range torpedoes with mapping coordinates for the Romulan Neutral Zone."
"Not only that," he replied, his voice coming off more even than in the elevator. "I want you to verify which weapons I can safely fire in that area while attracting minimal attention to the Vengeance's position. I have no desire to fight a battle on two or more fronts."
She nodded and turned her head to look at him again. Whatever had caused his earlier slip was gone, his face schooled into a mask of laser-focused command. "Sun Tzu said that if you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. I know very little about the enemy and I have a crew with a history of shooting in the back," he remarked conversationally, though a bitter note had slipped into his tone. "In the interest of returning us all alive, I intend to fight as little as possible."
She smiled a little, incapable of preventing herself from it. Despite her profession of choice and her father's rather militaristic conceptions, she had always viewed Sun Tzu's TheArt of War as more of a cultural monument rather than a practical hand-book. It was only in her interactions with Khan that the manual had come alive and she had started to appreciate the tactical genius behind it. This all felt so familiar, hearkening back to the long hours spent working together while she had been on Ceti Alpha V with him and the rest of the Augments.
"He also said that the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting," she asserted.
He gave her a small smile of recognition. "When possible," he assured."Let me know what you discover."
"Khan," she called after him. "If Kati hadn't come to warn me... ."
He shook his head firmly. "Otto told me what happened. You have nothing to blame yourself for. The two of them came to your aid out of the friendship you share."
Warmth blossom in her chest, quickening her pulse. "We'll get her back," she said firmly.
He smiled again. "Yes, we will."
TBC