Hi, dear Readers,

Sorry for the delay, but one of you were so nice to offer her service as a beta-reader and did a very good job in smoothing my sometime rough choice of words and to correct errors. Thank you so much, Rhiannon, I owe you.

The next thank-you is for you, dear readers and those, who leave reviews and favs'. I am really happy that you are so taken with the story, and who wants to see Khan in action is going to love the new chapter. Jeep, the tiger shows his claws, so to say, and some guys have to learn that you shouldn't mess with him. You are also going to learn more about his earlier life back in the 20th century. And adding to this you will meet another high-ranking Starfleet officer, who had his several appearances in TOS and can be count to Jim's friends.

Enjoy

Yours Starflight

Chapter 7 – An unexpected offer

Three weeks later…

"Captain's Log, Stardate 2060,242 (Note of the author: "242" = 242nd day of the year), 20th day of the war. After the Lexington, the Hood II and the Enterprise reached the Japori System, we found several Klingon vessels ready to attack the colony on Japori II. The battle was short but fierce, and if the Klingons had sent D7-battlecruisers instead of four Birds-of-Prey, the outcome of the fight could have been quite the opposite in favor of the Klingons. We destroyed three enemy ships, and the fourth escaped in the direction of the former Neutral Zone, but the price was high. We lost twelve crew members and, as Doctor McCoy told me, our med bay is overcrowded. The Lexington and the Hood II suffered even greater loss, and the Hood II was severely damaged. I already offered to transport some of our engineers to Captain Dodge to help with the repairs. Captain's Log out."

Jim Kirk leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. The air didn't smell so bad anymore; the climatic systems cleaned it of smoke from the burned up science-station. The young captain thanked the Lord that Spock had been next to Pavel Chekov's navigation station as one of the Klingon torpedoes' hits overloaded an energy-circle of the long distance sensors, which backfired into the science station. If the Vulcan had sat at his usual place, he would have been badly injured.

Around him, his officers were busy checking their stations, repairing small damages or reviewing the reports coming from other departments. Lt. Uhura had a small cut at her temple that made her more angry than hurt, Hikaru Sulu grumbled under his breath while running tests on his console and Spock lay beneath his station, cataloguing the damage. Jim could have sworn the Vulcan word that suddenly escaped his friend was a curse. And as he heard a suppressed amused snort from Uhura – who spoke the complicated language of her boyfriend very well – he was certain that his first officer had given into his human side one time more.

"Scott ter bridge!" The exaggerated Scottish accent of the chief engineer told Kirk enough; Montgomery Scott was under much stress.

Activating the intercom at the right armrest of his chair he replied: "Kirk here. Report, Scotty!"

"That is the most blasted shit in a long time, Cap'n! Two of the warp-inductors are a complete mess, section 1 till 3 are lookin' like Nessie tumbled through them, and the batteries of the auxiliary energy are as good as done for. Keenser is in the med bay because this oyster on two legs was determined to shove me out of the way as an overload valve went up!" His voice during the last statement showed how he worried about his little friend from the planet Royla, who was always the well-known bastion of calm for the short-tempered Scottish engineer.

"Is he stable?" Kirk asked, hoping that Keenser would make it. He liked the short, silent alien crew-member, who seemed to read anyone around him and had a warm, kind heart.

"Aye, McCoy says so, but I'm still worried." The Scottish man grumbled something before he continued, "But I canna say the same for the engines! They're in no good condition!"

Jim groaned quietly. "So we should avoid another battle for several days, Mr. Scott?"

"Days?" Scotty's high-pitched outburst made the captain wince. "Weeks, Jim! Weeks! Mark my words!"

Kirk saw Chekov rolling his eyes and winked at the Russian before he answered: "Scotty, I know you. You are the only engineer in whole Starfleet who can work magic. I am certain that the Enterprise's engines will be up to snuff within two or three days."

A loud moan sounded through the intercom, followed by a "Give me three or four days, Jim, then we can speak of a miracle again."

"There is my Scottish Merlin!" Jim all but grinned. "From 'weeks' to 'three or four days' within a minute! I knew I could count on you!"

A tirade of Gaelic rushed through the intercom, ending with a "… and donna trick me again, Cap'n! Scotty out!", then the intern link went silent. From here and there Jim heard several chuckles and caught amused glances before his officers turned their attentions back to work. Kirk pursed satisfied his lips. He had killed two birds with one stone; he knew that Scott would put all his Scottish honor in abiding by those 'three or four days' and he had lightened up the mood a little bit – something they all need after the battle.

His gaze found the large screen that showed Japori II and its sun. He grimaced as he saw the remains of the three bird-of-preys drifting through the space.

What madness!

No one had wanted this war – no one except for several diehard men on both sides, whose greed for power and might had overpowered any sanity they may have had. The tension between the Federation and the Klingon Empire had always been thick, but besides a few quarrels, peace had remained; no thanks to the Organians. But now the ghost-like species was quiet. Jim had a bad feeling that the Organians would show up at the least opportune moment.

'And in the meantime thousands will die. War – it is and will ever be the biggest crime of all!'

The young captain rubbed his neck and the mixed cold and heat of adrenaline that still travelled through his veins was chased away by a warm sensation. Gently he touched the spot where a certain, singular mark had been. He had no clue why he still could feel this 'mark'; he assumed his imagination exaggerated the tryst, but an inner voice insisted that this wasn't the case. The real reason was bigger and far more complicated.

Hell, it wasn't the first mark he had gotten. Honestly, he'd received several of them by his female bed-fellows. But this was the first one that didn't go away, even if it was invisible for the eye now. This bite was a mark of claim he felt beneath the healed skin. Whatever Khan had done, he had made certain that Jim would have a reminder of him – as if this was necessary.

If any of his friends knew how often his dreams were infiltrated by the super-human, displaying them both in passionate games rolling through the sheets as if replaying a film in his head, he certainly would be deemed 'insane'. Sweet Lord, Bones would examine his mental condition that Jim now doubted from time to time. And this not only because he had erotic dreams of his– nemesis? Lover? He caught himself over and over again worrying about the Augment; he often asked himself where Khan was and how he was doing. Right, his only concern should be what Khan was doing. But an inner voice told Kirk that the universe needn't fear another outburst of violence from the enhanced man. The Klingons were doing a far better job in this department.

Jim sighed as once again the marble-white face and jade-colored eyes, shadowed by tousled mahogany hair popped into his head. But before his thoughts could wander further to the cause of this invisible but undeniable 'mark' on his neck and new forbidden longing in his being… Uhura's voice jolted him from his reverie. "Captain? A transmission from the Lexington. Commodore Wesley to speak with you."

"On screen, Lieutenant!" Jim ordered, glad for the distraction, and watched as the face and upper body of Commodore Robert Wesley replaced the backdrop of stars. He was a man in his mid-fifties with clear, straight features, dark, honest eyes, and silver-grey hair. Like all Starfleet members in space he wore the black uniform with the colored shirt, Command Gold. Instead of three gold stripes his sleeves displayed the thick gold band and the Starfleet-emblem enveloped by the sun.

His voice was a pleasant deeper tenor, but just right now it sounded tight; betraying the commodore's tension. "Hello Jim!" he greeted casually, a quick smile tugged at his lips. Robert – or Bob, as his friends called him – quickly grew fond of the young, promising captain of the Enterprise, who made a name for himself among the rank and file of Starfleet Admiralty based on his daring do's including the rescue of the Earth and Captain Christopher Pike during the battles with the Romulan Nero as well as the exposure of the shadow department Section 31 had become – and many more adventures that will fill books and training manuals for years to come.

They first met shortly after Kirk had taken the command of the Enterprise. He was impressed by the quick mind, the bright intelligence, and his fierce loyalty towards Starfleet and his crew. Jim's methods to problem-solve often took him by surprise. It was no miracle that the admiralty went grey at the one or other occasions, and Wesley had to admit, he inwardly had applauded Jim. Bob was a man of action, and his understanding of the desk jockeys in the headquarters was limited.

Soon the men were on a first name basis, despite their rank and age. Each fell comfortably into their respective roles as leaders – Bob of the squadron and Jim of the Enterprise...

Mirroring the quick smile, Kirk nodded towards the commodore. "Hi Bob! How can I help you?"

Wesley took a deep breath. "I contacted the leader of the colony on Japori II, Consul Alan Gordon. He requested that I extend his gratitude to you and Kenneth Dodge. But, as it seems, the Klingons aren't their only problem. There have been several assaults by the Orion Syndicate within the last week. The Orions captured two vessels with colonists who wanted to return to Earth and brought them to the Borderland-area – without a doubt for the slave trade, maybe straight to the Klingons. Our 'dear' neighbors are in need of workers in their delicium mines and steelworks and the fate of the kidnapped colonists is quite clear, a life of slavery until death."

Jim pressed his lips shut. Damn Orions!

Their region was adjoined to the Klingon Empire and reached almost to the Regula system in Federation space. It comprised of pirates, smugglers, slavers, drug-dealers and any other criminal elements imaginable, the whole 'realm' was a crucible of the scum of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants dominated by the green-skinned Orions. Neither Jim Kirk nor his officers were surprised that the Orions used the war to expand their 'businesses'. Their attacks at the Japori System were almost logical. Together with the already seized Starbase 234, the Federation property operating Starbase 84, and between the stars Veytan and Acmar, the Orions were slowly building a kind of enclave between Borderland and the Klingon and Romulan Empires. Jim knew that Starfleet Command refused to believe that it was only a matter of time before this part of the Federation would be seized by the enemy, but Kirk was far too realistic to deny this possibility.

"Did Consul Gordon ask for help?"

Wesley nodded. "Yes. But the pirates, who captured the ships were heading towards the Klingons. Unfortunately, the kidnapping happened five days ago there is no hope to rescue the poor devils now. I already contacted Starfleet Command, and I got the order to stay here with you and Kenneth for the next few days to intercept the Orions as soon as they return. Consul Gordon told me that the same three ships were responsible for the assaults and, as Barnett made it clear, it is now up to us to stop them. Their brand of terror ends in this quadrant."

Jim heard a low noise from the science station and exchanged a glance with Spock, who rose from the floor – looking like he had dug in charcoal. "So, we not only have to fight off Klingons, but also pirates and slavers?" Kirk asked and shook his head, as Bob replied:

"You know how the whole thing works, Jim. Wherever a war breaks out, the unscrupulous profit from blood of innocent people. I suggest that we split off and form a triangle within the Jarobi System. Regardless of the Orions direction, we can stop them, and the others will be there in no time."

"Good idea, Bob – but please don't tell my engineer about it. If he hears that we could get into a fight within the next few days, I will need a scraper to get him off of the ceiling. He's going to go off like a rocket."

Wesley laughed quietly. "Well, that makes two 'rockets' we have to bring down then. My engineer is no better than yours." He turned serious again. "As soon as the Hood can maneuver properly I'll inform you so that we can split off."

Jim made an affirming gesture. "Right. Keep me updated!"

"No problem. Lexington out!" The picture on the screen switched back to the view of the planet and the stars; Kirk sighed loudly. "First these damn Klingons and now Orions. I hate it." he grumbled and caught the understanding glance of Sulu.

"What do you think, sir? Will we face them again?" he asked. Jim shrugged.

"We certainly will. I already assumed that they would show up sooner or later. Benefitting from the opportunity the war gives them to make more profit with their criminal deals." He grimaced.

"As if the whole situation isn't unbearable for the civilians enough, now they have to fear the Klingons and Orion pirates. Someone should stop the slavers!" Uhura cut in. Kirk nodded.

"Yeah – and this 'someone' is Starfleet." He pinched his nose. "There is simply no one else able to combat them."

Pavel glanced over his shoulders. "Ze news are telling that there are several groups along ze Neutral Zone and Borderland fighting off the Orions, too, Keptin," he said with his thick Russian accent and Jim snorted.

"Yeah, I heard of them, but they are unorganized and acting without any strategy. It is only a matter of time before they fall prey to the Orions and become slaves themselves, or end up dead somewhere in Borderland." His lips had pinched in a thin line for a moment before he added: "And credits to doughnuts that the Klingons are behind the increased activities of the Orion Syndicate. They get slaves for their mines and Starfleet has not one, but two opponents to fight." He grimaced. "I really, really hate it!"

ST***ST***ST

The small outpost near the Risa System was little more than a grid square of the Official Interstellar Chart (OIC) away near Borderland and a way station filled with the species of the universe. Humans, Deltans, Caitians and even two Vulcans and several Andorians were present, as well as non-humanoid species. The air was filled with their voices and languages, heavy with the smell of food and drinks, and the atmosphere was tense. They all were here for only one reason. Each waited for departing space-crafts to take them home – or far away from home as the case may be.

The civil outpost 18-243 was nothing more than a small space-dock in the orbit of an inhospitable little planet, but now – during the war – it had become a place for those who missed the liners that could take them home or at the very least away from the dangers at home. The prices were cheap, and the rides were unreported if discreet or hidden were a requirement for the passengers. Many here had their reasons to avoid an official spaceport or the security officials. Some were illegal refugees and others smugglers of some or no repute at all.

At the edge of the far too crowded waiting and departure area, a lonely figure sat at a table and sipped at a cup of tea – if the dark fluid that swam in the mug could be called 'tea' at all. But he kept his complaints to himself. It was better than the most of the other drinks he'd forced down recently, but alien to his palate nonetheless.

From within the shadow of his hood, Khan eyed his surroundings aware of every move the others made. Ten days ago he had reached with Nando Rigel II with little trouble and visited the young Italian's sister. She was more than glad that her brother showed up. Within a few hours Nando, with Khan's help, persuaded her and her husband to accompany them back to Earth.

That had been the right time for the super-human to extract himself from the happy little family, who reminded him painfully of his own dear ones. Their whereabouts could be anywhere in this endless galaxy. Pretending that he received a transmission from an old friend in the Risa system, 'Evan' bid his farewell and left Nando and the others, taking a cargo-ship in the direction of Risa.

Why Risa? During his travels with Nando to the Rigel system, he carefully followed the news that ran on every official screen in the craft. And so he learned that Starfleet was highly active around this system – to prevent the Klingons and Orion pirates from attacking and enslaving helpless populations, but Khan knew better than to believe the public voice of Starfleet. He learned how Starfleet worked, and even if Section 31 was officially 'dead' he didn't doubt of the practices secrecy and cover-up remained.

Starfleet wanted to hide something within the Risa system and maybe – maybe – it had to do with his crew. It was a long shot, but he much start the search somewhere.

After an awful voyage on the cargo-ship where he had to fight for his self-control on several occasions, he was more or less stranded on this outpost, waiting for one of not official space crafts to take him to Risa. To his dismay his republic credits were running out because the hosts of the space-dock charged excessive prices and the ticket he would have to buy nearly extortion.

He sipped at his tea again. This was an Assam? Never in million years! His gaze wandered over the humans and aliens once again amazed at their incredible differences. During his 'encounter' with Section 31 he had met Andorians and twice a Vulcan admiral in dealings with Marcus. Khan was certain that the man hadn't the known Marcus' true face, but otherwise he had only worked with humans or people with earthly heritage. Still he learned a lot about the extraterrestrial life forms inhabiting the Federation.

But it was altogether a different thing to read something and peruse pictures, than to meet the real people, aliens, not even humanoid that reminded him of insects or creatures from the old science-fiction-movies back in the 20th century. The difference was that these were real. Khan's incredible mind and intelligence were quite capable of coping with the situation, still a part of him – his instincts – made him wary and ate at him. He gathered as much knowledge about this century as possible in the one year he spent as a tool of Marcus, but he still was not raised in this time, and that made it difficult to live here in this now.

His attention fixed on a couple with two children who bypassed his table. His keen hearing caught the long unheard, but still well-known words of Hindi. He looked up and took a sharp breath when his eyes found the young woman who lifted a small boy into her arms. She wore a simple top and trousers with a knee-long jacket and long boots. Her black hair was pinned-up as is now the fashion, and still she seemed to be familiar. She turned around towards the young man at her side, and Khan could see her face clearly now; his jaw nearly dropped.

She was the mirror image of a service-maid from his palace back in New Delhi in the 20th century. Her name was Sushila, and she had served in his close entourage. Being an inferior, simple human he overlooked her before recognizing that she could be trusted – like many other attendants. The times in India had been hard, and the gap between rich and poor, superior and inferior had been like an abyss; therefore, many people were glad to escape poverty and misery by working for him and the other Augments.

Khan Noonien Singh had never abused the hardship of the people within his realm. There had been several Augments who wanted to subdue Earth to their liking, but his intentions were different. Still it didn't save him or those who thought like him from their ultimate exile.

As the Eugenics Wars broke out in the late 20th century, it didn't matter that he worked to improve the conditions of his famine ravaged territory of Asia. In the eyes of those who 'constructed' him and his kind - those who feared them now - the Augments were cold, unfeeling, inhuman monsters. Yes, he had shown strict leadership principles, steering his realm with a firm hand. But he abstained from cruelty for the sake of it, knowing perfectly well that people were far more trustworthy living in order rather than fear. Yet he had not hesitated to take brutal measures against those who meant him and the others ill – enemies that had finally overtaken the Augments.

Khan would never forget the day war finally reached his home. They came at night. At first, everything seemed to have calmed down for several days. Then the fires of war struck with intangible ferocity against him and his household. The soldiers all but slaughtered the most servants, calling them traitors of the human race. They massacred everyone perceived as loyal to his rule. The actions taken by the opposition during the coup was a war crime. Still no histories spoke of it. As always the winner writes the histories, and the readers read only half-truths.

Sushila had been one of the last victims trying to protect him and Tarun – another Indic Augment who didn't make it aboard the Botany Bay. He had wanted to show her a secret passage out of the palace so that she and the other servants could flee. He always stood true to those loyal to him, but even his brilliant mind couldn't foresee the strong determination the girl possessed to serve 'her' Khan till the last breath. The moment a dozen soldiers stormed the backyard where he and the others fought on, she threw herself in front of him and the bullets meant for him hit her in the chest. She was dead before he could catch her, and while he was pulled away by Tarun – who realized that they didn't stand a chance anymore – he watched, horrified how several so-called soldiers all but butchered the dead body of the young woman.

So much hate, so much blood, so much cruelty – and all this only because they feared their creations.

Khan had never been able to understand it.

True, there had been Augments who used their superior strengths and minds to rule their continents with an iron fist, but the most of them had taken their purposes very seriously: To bring peace in a time where there was none to be had. In the end, it didn't make any difference and only Khan and those he had come to call his family survived by fleeing Earth aboard a spaceship he and his own built in a matter of prudence. They had fought with all their might and abilities, even displaying mercy at first. Only to be thanked with manhunts and death. The cryotube was the last ditch effort made to remain alive and escape the planet – only to wake up in a new world full of aliens. But some human evils never change. Those hungry for power and harboring fear and hatred for anything different, like Marcus and Section 31 proved.

Laughter brought him back to present and his gaze wandered one more time to the strange young woman whose features resembled that of Sushila. The same nose, the same eyes, the same cock to her head… Khan was sure that this strange woman was a descendant of his former service-maid, maybe a granddaughter of Sushila's sister with many, many 'great' in front of the word granddaughter.

Odd that here, on this forlorn outpost several hundred light-years away from Earth and three hundred years after this fateful night, he met an offspring of a member of his former household. He didn't believe in Kismet – he never had – still a small part of him felt a breeze of fate breathing upon him.

"That is an offence, chipmunk, do you hear me!"

The voice drowned out even the other noises and sounded strangely high-pitched with a hint of… squealing. Not the squeal of a boy in puberty, rather like that of a…

"Dare to compare me to a Terran pig again and I'll beat you into the next week!"

Khan pursed his lips. Well, if the appearance of the guy was only a little bit akin to his squealing, then it had to be a pig.

"You oink; you have hooves and a snout and you like to bath in mud, Galven, so yes, I do compare you to a…" The other man was interrupted when 'Galven' attacked him.

In seconds, the quarrel began. People darted left and right to get out of the way of the two fighters; chairs tumbled, and shouts rang through the air.

Khan rose and his eyes searched for the small Indic family. He found them near a wall where the young man had placed himself in front of his wife and his children.

"I'll have your sorry excuse for a nose that makes your face even uglier than it already is, Ritek!" This outburst accompanied oinking sounds that took away any threat.

"Do you have a corkscrew tail? Just let me have a look and… Ouch, that was unfair!"

As much as the turmoil belied, Khan realized quickly that this 'fight' wasn't serious. It seemed to be more belligerent bickering with a tendency toward violence, but it wasn't completely hostile.

Curious, the Augment headed towards the scuffle. And then his eyes widened. Sure, he had heard of Tellarits and had even read about their 'pig-like appearance', but somehow he had never seen one – not even on a holophoto – and for a moment he didn't trust his eyes. His thoughts from several moments ago concerning the squealing voice compared with the presumable looks of the alien the other man offended was plain. There was a pig on two hooved legs clad in overalls. He threatened a man – whose very pale face showed streak of dark and yellow lines and whose nose was plain and straight – with a hand that had three hoof-like fingers. The Tellarit's snout above the thick beard moved slightly while the small eyes glistened before he ran straight to his opponent and knocked him down with his stout, strong body then sat down on him like a jockey on his horse.

"Get off me, you hog!" the man – a Rigelian – gasped. "Hell, you're heavy like…"

"Don't say it, Ritek, or…"

"Oh no – not again!" an outraged snarl cut the Tellarit off. "By the lights of Rea and Sura, can you two not be in one room without fighting?" A young woman in tight dark overalls with a long bag on her back shoved herself through the crowd, stemming her fists into her slender waist and clearly indignant. Her wild dark-red hair hung loose around her shoulders. Her eyes were an unholy green-gold with the elongated pupils of a cat. Her teeth were pointed. A long elegant tail whipped around her hips – giving her away as a female Caitian; catlike humanoids whose males were furred while the females sometimes lacked it or shaved it.

Galven looked up to her. "He can't stop calling me a pig!" he oinked angrily, while Ritek moaned, "Just look at the next mirror and you can't deny the similarities. And now get. Off. Me!"

Khan couldn't help himself. He had to chuckle. 'I don't believe it. A speaking pussy-cat tries to step between a walking, talking pig and a colored man who looks like he was in the way of some dropped paint buckets. In which world have I woken up?'

'In a very interesting one!' he thought he heard Joaquin's cheerful answer and felt a soft stab of nostalgia as the olive-skinned face and the sparkling dark eyes of the young Israeli popped into his mind. Joaquin was like a little brother to him and to know that he was somewhere caught in frozen sleep in his cryotube made Khan cringe inwardly. He missed the twenty-year-old oversized boy with his sunny smiles and high-spirits the most. Nando had reminded him of Joaquin from time to time – certainly the reason he bothered at all to persuade Maria and her husband to return with Nando to Earth.

He sighed inwardly. Sentiments were for the weak; still he wasn't free of those emotions, even if he wished it so. It would make things easier. 'But certainly less interesting, big bro!' Joaquin's voice teased him in his mind.

In the meantime, the Caitian-woman had offered the Tellarit her hand – with alarming long and sharp-looking nails – and pulled him on his short, strong legs before she addressed the man: "Stop calling him names, Ritek! And you, Galven, should remember that we have the same…"

She didn't get any further. Screams sounded from another part of the waiting-area and then phasers buzzed while the alert-sirens started to dim. In only a moment, all hell broke loose and the shouts of "Orions!" echoed through the air.

In the blink of an eye, the two stood side-by-side and withdrew their hidden phasers while the Caitian conjured a rifle from her luggage. "Now count the costs!" she hissed. "Because you two have nothing better to do than to argue, we missed our chance!" Without waiting for the men, she tensed her muscles and sprang over the heads of the fleeing people as if thrown by a catapult. She opened the fire on the approaching pirates. Galven and Ritek followed her quickly - and the departure area erupted into chaos.

Khan's hand quickly found the phaser he took from Kirk's flat and set it to 'stun', knowing perfectly well that he couldn't risk the attention of the officials if he killed someone – even if his instincts told him to take no risks with the intruders. He heard enough about the Orions and their so-called 'syndicate' during the last two weeks and realized the danger all were in, including himself.

And then he saw them, Orions, together with species unfamiliar to him. Orions, taller than humans, with green skin and strong limbs swarmed over the voyagers like an affliction, overpowering the few security officials little effort. He hadn't thought that he would end up in an assault of those pirates and slavers who spread terror through the inhabited planets near the Klingon Empire as the Klingons did. But here he was facing a raid of this scum.

And if he were killed or taken captive – as a slave! – he wouldn't have any chance to save his family at all.

No. Defeat was unacceptable!

Looking for the next emergency exit his glance graced the Indic family, who tried to flee – and ran straight into the path of the Orions and their allies.

A strong feeling of déjà-vu rose up in Khan like bile in his throat. He saw the terrified expression on the young woman's face when she shoved her children behind herself, protecting them with her body – just like Sushila had shielded him all those hundreds of years ago. Her eyes found his only in the fraction of a second before an Orion grabbed her brutally and tried to tear her away from her husband and her children.

And hot, white fury awoke in the Augment.

He had failed Sushila back in those days – her and the other servants and attendants of his household; they didn't make it to safety and paid dearly for their loyalty to Khan.

He had failed the citizenry of his palace, in the villages under his protection, and his land begging for his help when the so-called 'normal humans' usurped his throne and the other thrones of the other Augments, forcing their exile or certain death.

He had failed his family to rescue from Section 31.

He would not allow himself another failure.

In a split of a moment he switched into fighting-modus. Adrenalin pumped through his veins. His instincts took over and his mind analyzed the whole situation a second. He acted.

Shoving some people out of his way he reached the Indic family, pulled the Orion around who had seized the horrified young woman, and his fist – that still held the phaser – crushed the man's jaw. With a howl and spitting blood, the Orion let go off her when three other Orions descended upon the Augment.

They didn't stand a chance. Kicking, punching and using at last his weapon he took them down in no time, he then stunned two other pirates closing in on a group of older folks. Only then did he turn his attention back to the couple and two children, who looked on with large eyes.

"Chaal!" he shouted, using the Hindi-word for 'run' and adding a "Sheeghra!" which meant 'quick'.

The young man overcame his surprise at the stranger who spoke the old native-tongue of his home-country. He responded with a shocked "Nam!" (thank-you) and shooed his wife and children toward the emergency exit where a cluster of people already tried to escape – just what the Orions were waiting for. A dozen of them headed towards the fleeing people, readying their weapons to stun them and take them hostage.

Khan let his drive his actions. With the wild drive of the warrior he was, he ran to shield those who ran through the emergency exit. He saw despite the red haze before his eyes that the Indic family made it to safety, catching a grateful glance of the young woman before she, her husband and her children were flooded away by the crowd towards the docked freighters and smaller space crafts.

He felt a breeze beside his cheek and ducked at the very last moment as a Klingon Ba'leth speeded above his head. Had he moved a split second later, he would have been dead where he stood.

Growling angrily at his distraction, he hit the attacker in the belly with his left hand, while his leg shot out and broke the man's knee. The aggressor screamed in pain, but it was short-lived as the next blow – aimed for his opponent's neck – sealed the man's fate. Three other attackers – one Orion, one human, and a being he couldn't place – surrounded him and leapt at him, realizing that he was the greatest threat of all. Reacting with the speed and the savagery of a tiger, the Augment lashed out and stunned one of them then killed the other two without hesitation. Even his wish to divert attention away from himself disappeared; he ignored the fact that his hood had slipped down and revealed his fresh shaved face after he had gotten rid of the loathed beard only hours ago.

He heard the cries for help from several young people to his right, picked up the Ba'leth and acted again without hesitation. It only lasted a minute and the teenagers made their escape while the attacker suffered further loss.

And Khan wasn't the only one who fought against the pirates with all his might.

The Tellarit, who went by the name Galven, summoned a handful of allies around him as the Regulian Ritek and the catlike-woman did, and they all threw themselves against the attackers along with members of the space-dock's staff. But the fleeing people made it almost impossible to fight the pirates properly who began to overtake them. Additionally, those who put up a resistance didn't act as a united front as individuals, a weakness in their armor and a tact that would lead to catastrophe if left unchecked.

"Move your ass, chipmunk, or the Orions will bring you down!" the Tellarit yelled. Ritek answered, "Be careful, hognose, or you became their escalope!"

Khan rolled his eyes. This rivalry wasn't helping to gain the upper hand over the attackers. The two groups didn't work together but tried to outdo one another. It was only a question of time before the Orions would overrun them – and then, this was clear, Khan would be captured as well; losing any possibility to see his family ever again – or James. He cringed at the thought.

Gritting his teeth – 'Cretins!' – He jumped in the middle of the two groups. Swinging the Ba'leth with his left hand and firing with the phaser in his right hand he roared, "Build a line! Drive them back to the main entrance! Shield the others!" Shooting two more Orions he realized that the Tellarit and the Regulian stared at him with big eyes frozen in their places. His dominant nature asserted itself. "NOW! Or you will all die!"

"DO WHAT HE SAYS!" the female Caitian snarled, fighting off another opponent. "This man at least has brains!"

"All hands beside me!" Galven squealed; referring to his allies. "Line up!"

"The others to me!" Ritek shouted at the members of his own group.

As soon as they operated collectively the situation began to change. The Orions weren't used to facing organized resistance; nevertheless they battled even as they lost their booty of captives.

Giving free rein to his wrath and instincts, Khan took down one enemy after the other, not cognizant of a deep gash on his left arm. It would heal within a day. He threw the Ba'leth at another pirate, bringing him down. Beside him, the others fought bravely, but not all made it out alive. Three of them lay dead on the floor and more were injured. And the fight wasn't over.

The super-human heard the shocked outcry of the Tellarit and saw that an Orion and a man with small eyes and the traditional Klingon beard had Galven on his back; the green-skinned pirate lifted a blade to kill him.

Like his previous actions over the last four weeks, Khan couldn't tell why he did what he did now. Maybe it was because this pig-like creature was his comrade-in-arms at the moment, maybe his quick mind already had acknowledged the need to ally with these people and to go underground with them. He shot down the Mongolian-looking man and tore the Orion away from the Tellarit before a deadly knife thrust could end Galven's life. He hurled the pirate through the room and knocked two more Orions off their feet with the living projectile then pulled Galven to his feet and placed himself in front of the stout alien.

Beside him, a furious hiss sounded, and another Orion lost his life; brought down by the Caitian woman who grinned at the Augment before she showed another attacker how sharp her nails really were.

Someone shouted orders and the pirates began their retreat. The two groups around Galven and Ritek pursued them, but eventually they had to let the remaining Orions go.

Khan took a deep breath and glanced around him. The large waiting room and departure area looked like a typhoon raged through them; it smelled of burning furniture, blood, and sweat and spilled drinks. The food stands were abandoned and ravaged; the fight destroyed the ticket-counters and the red lights of the alert-system flickered over the walls. Tracks of phaser blasts and blood were everywhere, but none of it counted.

Galven and Ritek breathed heavily and glanced at each other.

They had won!

They subdued a whole gang of Orion pirates and had forced the rest to flee!

What a victory – albeit an expensive one.

The few civil security officials were dead as well as a few of the staff-members and three of the resistance. Many were injured. Other travelers crowded together, tended each other, or waited for orders. Some of the staff came to the Tellarit and the Rigelian, thanking them for their help. A few people voiced their gratitude also to Khan, who brushed them off with short but not unkind words. Only after the remaining passengers and employees left they alone did the group of fighters turn their attention toward the stranger who came to their aid.

Galven glanced with big eyes at the pale Terran in the black and grey clothes, who stood among the group of insurgents he commanded. He watched as the Terran flicked off his phaser and hid it in his coat – a phaser that was clearly Starfleet standard.

Ritek stepped to Galven and the unknown human darting his eyes between them. "That was quite a fight you put up here, mate." he said slowly eying the stranger curiously. "You took half of them down by yourself."

Khan locked eyes with the Rigelian. That the people of the Rigel System were related to the Vulcans, as he had read, wasn't exactly obvious. They both had pointed ears that that is where the similarities ended. Ritek displayed behavior and emotions that are incompatible with Vulcan behavior. "They shouldn't have attacked; they would still be alive if they had not," the super-human stated coolly while warily watching the two aliens in front of him.

"Who is this?" another man asked.

"Where did you learn to fight like that? You are trained, that's clear." a Deltan mused.

"Hells bells, this guy can't be a simple human." another one grumbled, but before the Augment could answer to this, Galven cut in, "Shut up, everyone!" He looked up at Khan, who stood head and shoulders above him. "This man saved my life!" the Tellarit declared. Then he offered one hand with the three 'fingers'; knowing that this was a polite gesture among humans.

The former dictator hesitated a moment then he shook the mitt. "You are welcome," was all he said and Galven frowned. "You're hurt," he oinked and pointed at the bloody and torn sleeve at Khan's left arm, but the super-human shook his head.

"It looks nastier than it is. A small cut, nothing to worry about." He began to turn away, but Galven stopped him, "We could use someone like you, buddy!"

Khan halted with his movement. "I beg your pardon?" he replied.

The Tellarit fixed him with his light, little eyes. "You heard me," he answered casually. "You fight like you were born for it; you've a strong sense of justice, and you've no problems breaking bone – something the Orions deserve. And you led us to victory."

The last statement puzzled the Augment, before he turned his attention to the Caitian woman, who closed the distance between them.

"What Galven means is that you managed to unite those bunches of anarchists into a successful fighting group." She scowled at the Tellarit and the Rigelian, exposing her pointy teeth, before she continued: "If it weren't be for you, the Orions would have overpowered us and those of us who survived would face slavery now. Thanks to you. How do you say on Earth – the tables will be turned."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly!" a dark-skinned man spoke up, who was tending the wounds of some travelers. "We could use you, lad!"

Khan lifted a brow, his mind already pondering the possible outcomes of the anticipated offer. "Who do you mean 'we'? Who are you exactly?" He needed to know what he was getting himself into if he was to join this band of renegades.

"We are a group of men and women, who've decided to no longer stand by while those slavers attack small colonies, space-docks and vessels that cannot defend themselves," Galven explained.

"Yes, Starfleet is too busy battling the damn Klingons, so we take the whole mess into our hands. The Orion Syndicate is getting bolder as time goes on, using the war for their own gain. If someone doesn't stop them, they will expand their realm, which means more collateral damage." Ritek was deadly serious now.

"So you've gathered together to fight the pirates on your own," Khan summarized the statements, and the others nodded. "How?"

Galven scratched his snout. "What do you mean?"

"How will you proceed? Do you have plans, a strategy, weapons, space crafts?" The latter was important should he decide to accept the offer. Maybe there was a chance to 'borrow' a space craft later.

The members of each group looked at each other; it was the Tellarit who informed him: "We have two vessels – the Shadow and the Flash." Galven caught the baffled gaze of the stranger as the names of the two space crafts were mentioned, and he shrugged. "Jeff," he pointed over his shoulder to a young man, "came up with these names and because we have to use pseudonyms I thought it was a good idea." Some of the others chuckled, before he continued. "Plus, our weapons are pretty good."

"And we have a very well-working communication-system – especially for 'listening' to messages!" one man threw in; grinning broadly. "We can even intercept Starfleet-transmissions." Several others snickered, and Khan was suddenly very keen-eared; the odd names of the two vessels quickly forgotten.

The knowledge that Starfleet Command's orders could eventually lead him to the facility where his crew was being held as well as following James' voyages was a heady and dizzying realization.

He groaned inwardly. Kirk shouldn't be one of his most important interests still the young captain managed to occupy many of his thoughts. His sky-blue eyes, his soft manly features and his gentle voice haunted Khan in the long and dark nights since he left the officer's apartment more than four weeks ago. The things loneliness could do to a man.

"You are eavesdropping on Starfleet and the Orions so you know where the pirates will attack next." he continued, "And because your militia is anything but an official unit you want to avoid Starfleet."

Galven grunted, amused. "You got it, buddy." Khan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes; a talking pig alien using Terran slang – what a crazy universe! "We are doing those uniform-wearers job, still they are ungrateful. Complaining about some shitty laws no one out here in deep space feels obliged to follow." His clever eyes roamed the face of the stranger. "You have your own problems with them, haven't you?"

The super-human tensed. "Pray tell where this assumption comes from?"

Again the Tellarit oinked in laughter. "Boy, you're a trained fighter and have a Starfleet standard issue phaser, but you're not a member of the fleet. You hid, but helped stop this raid and now you know we can tap Starfleet's transmissions and are interested." He cocked his head. "Are you on the run?"

"No," Khan lied, "I had… personal reasons to leave Starfleet, so to speak."

"Deserted?" Ritek asked and chuckled, as he caught the hard glare of the human warrior. "Hey, I have no problem with that, lad!"

"Men like you are needed outside of the fleet, too," the Caitian woman rose to speak again and returned the stern stare of the stranger's eyes.

"Men like me?" he repeated and only her extreme sensible hearing caught the quiet but nevertheless dangerous growl in his voice. Unafraid she stepped beside him and fixed her gaze on him then reached out her hand only to find her wrist held in a steel-like grip. Instantly her tail wrapped around his arm and Khan gasped in surprised as she squeezed his muscles with astonishing strength.

She bent forward and almost purred, "I do recognize a predator when I see one. You are one with every fiber of your being, Pretty!" Her cat-like eyes blinked twice then she flashed a toothy grin at him and retreated. "Galven, make him a good offer!" she addressed the Tellarit. "With him we stand a chance against the whole Syndicate, believe me!"

Galven and Ritek, obviously sharing a moment of agreement, exchanged a look. Then the Tellarit spoke up, "Well, to say it plain, the pay is lousy; we are not fighting those bastards for profit. We're living on what the people give us…"

"Shall I ask the guys over there for a little donation?" the Regulian cut in, but closed his mouth as he received the glares and scowls of his companions.

"Never mind that git" Galven grumbled towards Khan, and continued, "What we can offer you is shelter, food, some ass kicking, travelling around in Federation space, and outwitting Starfleet. We're pulling our team together and…"

"By insulting each other?" Khan sneered, already pondering the advantages of taking the given offer and making sure that he and the others avoided capture by either Starfleet or the Orions. "Friends do not berate another one. You need to build trust if you want to survive your… adventures."

"My word!" the Caitian-woman cut in before she smirked, "I think you are the only one, who is capable of whipping up this lot of idiots into team! It's a miracle that we haven't already been killed."

Some of the others muttered quietly but didn't dare to object. As it stood, the female Caitian was highly respected notwithstanding her fighting skills and claws.

Khan pondered the words carefully. Of course he was 'capable' of marshalling and leading a militia – after all he had been the leader of nations in the 20th century. Still he knew that the older members of the 'resistance' may be intimidated by his presence so he had to make sure at first that no one felt so inadequate that they would be insubordinate later.

"What can you offer?" he addressed the Tellarit. Galven grunted before he replied, "I came up with the idea to shove some fists down the slavers greedy throats. Oh, and I am also the technician here." He grinned wryly at that then pointed at Ritek. "He's a big mouth but is skilled in communication and fluent in several languages, an advantage if you depend on information gained by eavesdropping. And Caviw," he nodded towards the Caitian, "is one of the best hackers in the universe!"

The cat-like woman smiled at the Augment. "If you want to know, if you're still pursued by the uniform-wearers," she wrinkled her nose in distaste at the thought of Starfleet, "I could check. It wouldn't be the first time I made a trip through their data."

Well, that was interesting! He was in desperate need for any access to Starfleet's database and here was his chance! The possibility of learning the whereabouts of his crew would increase drastically if he could view Starfleet's top secret files. But he had to be careful, very careful if he is to hide his true intentions from this group of wanna-be-heroes. They better never find out who and what he was. They must learn to trust him so that there wouldn't be any questions when he begins his own private expedition. This plan worked out very well with the fishermen and Nando and should again.

His gaze held the Caitian woman, and he lifted both brows. "Really? You're that good in hacking into systems? Starfleet has the highest security-standards and…"

Her claw-like nails touched his arm, and Caviw purred, "I am not 'that good' – I am better. Maybe you want to test me?"

Was this pussy cat flirting with him? He saw her tail twitching, caught the amused expressions of the others and felt for the first time the urge to send a prayer a higher power (not that he believed in such things), because this was certainly something he needed least of all. She was beautiful in her own way, but she was an alien and he couldn't… Well, he couldn't think of anyone else sharing his bed other than a certain boyish Starfleet captain.

Clearing his throat, he replied firmly, "I would like to test your computer abilities, Ma'am, so thank you for the offer."

Ritek chuckled then he stiffened and stared at one of the staff-members bent over a small console. "Why do I have the feeling that the guy over there is going to make trouble?"

The others followed his pointed finger and both Khan's and Cawiv's excellent hearing caught the words exchanged. "A Starfleet-patrol called. It seems they've received several SOS-signals from the departing space crafts with the fled travelers, and now they want to know what happened," the Caitian explained quickly, causing Galven to curse under his breath.

"Time to go!" the Tellarit grunted. "These fans of rules and regs will come to check on the outpost." He looked at Khan. "What's about you, buddy, are you in or out?"

There wasn't any option left for the Augment. If a Starfleet vessel arrived and the remaining people pointed out the fierceness and success with which he fought, he would certainly be recognized, earning him a sure death – though this would be a more merciful outcome rather than being handed back to the LSH.

His decision made he turned toward Galven and Ritek. "I'm in," he said. "Everything else can be talked over later when there is enough distance between us and Starfleet." He walked with long, elegant steps toward the exit. "We should hurry!"

Galven blinked. "He already gives orders." he snorted in amusement, as the others followed the new member as a unit would. "And they are obeying! Just have a look!" He waved at the rescued people "Until next time! Give the Starfleet boys my regards!" With that, he trotted away, sticking to the heels of his comrades.

Only as they beamed aboard their two vessels and Galven saw the stranger sitting at the helm of the ship, Shadow, the Tellarit realized that he even didn't know the mysterious Terran's name. Watching the new member of their group steering the space craft away from the outpost, checking the sensors for the approaching Starfleet ship, and handling the engines and the helm as if he were born to it, Galven walked to him and addressed him curtly, "Right, buddy, you're obviously a benefit to us. Care to share your name?"

Caviw, who was sitting at her station, and several others glanced curiously at the stranger, who set a course away from the outpost and followed the second spacecraft commanded by Ritek. After a minute Khan looked up and locked eyes with the Tellarit and translated his real name in another language that conformed to his pretended origin.

"My name is Hádgere Léo Drythen," he said. And as he caught the baffled faces of the little bridge crew, he explained: "It's an old English name. The first one means 'the year of the strong family or heritage', Léo means lion – a mighty predatory cat on Earth. The family-name is simple; it means 'king'."

The Caitian woman snickered. "Well, with regard to your fighting abilities and your ability to unite the forces of these renegades, you are a predator and king in one." She tried to say his name, except for the middle one she failed miserably. What came out of her mouth made the Augment almost chuckled. She finally sighed, "May I call you Léo? At least this I can get over my tongue without cutting it on my teeth."

The super-human lifted a brow. "It's easier for you; it reminds you of yourself, doesn't it?"

She grinned. "Yes!"

Galven grimaced and snorted before he said: "First names are used only among the most intimate of relationships in my culture – and in this of Ritek and the most others, too – I would prefer to call you Drythen if you don't mind."

Of course Khan didn't mind!

TBC…

I think that was a surprise, wasn't it? I hope you liked the details from Khan's past, which made him interference in the Orions' assault, which in turn leads to his decision to join the group of resistance. Of course he will going to use this 'alliance' for his own proposals (*grin*). Those of you who are wondering about the 'translation' of his name… Well, I did a lot of research to learn about the meaning of his Indic name that isn't an official name at all, but is composed of several names and meanings. Here is the riddle's solution:

Noon = an old Punjab-clan in the north of Pakistan and India; the clan's importance peeked in the 17th century, as it became involved in the foundation of the Sikh-Empire (Khan was a Sikh). The ruler of this new caste went by the name Ranjit Singh!

Nien = a component within names, meaning a much as 'year', but can also be understand as a description of 'sun', because in ancient time Indic people counted the years in sun-circles (this will become important for the story, concerning something in Jim's and Khan's relationship).

Therefore Khan's given name Noonien (combined) refers to this old, still important clan and its heritage at the 17th century, but can also be understood that the year, he was 'born' was the year of the strong-ones (maybe the name was given to him by the scientists, who were responsible for his life).

Singh = Name of the royal family of the Sikh-Empire. Until today only members of this clan and its relatives are bearing this name; Singh also means 'lion'.

Khan = well, we all know that it is an Indic / Asian title of a king / emperor and I simply used the old-English word for 'king': Drythen.

His two given names I came up with in old-English:

Hadgere = hád (family, I chose this short-vision because Noon refers to said family in and family is also the most important thing for Khan), gere (year)

Léo = lion

Drythen = king.

I hope the explanation is understandable. I did, as I wrote above, a lot of research and hopefully it is satisfying. I know that Roddenberry named Khan after an Asia friend he lost sight of during WW II and who went by the name Noonian, what isn't a 'real' name at all. Maybe Gene simply misunderstood his comrade because of the accent, maybe the name of this gentleman is spelled different. But regarding Khan his combined name really makes sense, given his roots and his whole character. After all, he is a kind of warrior-king, who ruled the Asia-part of Earth.

Enough with this epilogue (*laugh*). I hope you liked the new chapter – Bob Wesley, the glimpses of Khan's past, the fight and the outcome. And I can promise that there will be even more action in the next chapter, together with a 'satchel charge' Khan-cleverness, before our Augment realizes that it is necessary to break the silence and to send a message to no-one other than Jim.

Until the weekend,

Please leave some reviews / comments,

Yours Starflight