A/N. YEAH, STID is finally out on movie! Enjoy this chapter and remember to review if you want more!


Sticks and Stones

Chapter 8


Her heart leapt to her throat when all the air left her lungs as she was thrown out of the Enterprise with a force that could not be reckoned with. The stars fluttered past her at a speed that made her vision hazy. Her heart fluttered like the wing beat of a song bird as the silence in the vacuum was suffocating, her mind raced faster than her movements as she narrowly avoiding the debris field in her path.

"Captain there is debris directly ahead." A monotone voice chimed over the comm, the distinctively Vulcan voice which belonged to Spock.

"Copy that"

Kirk used the thrusters to manoeuvre away from the debris, scarcely avoiding hitting the object, but resulting in him being way off course.

"Got it, I'm moving my way back" Kirk spoke as he managed to avoid the metal, using his thrusters to try to get back onto course with no avail.

"Dammit." Kirk cussed.

"Captain, we can't seem to hear you. Working on getting the signal back, stand by." Uhura spoke.

"Captain, are you alright?" Espera questioned, sparing a quick glance at Kirk figure which was far away from her, too far.

"My helmet was hit..."

"Imminent collision detected. Khan use evasive actions, debris directly ahead" Spock announced as the Lieutenant was about to reply to Kirk.

"I see it."

"Khan?" She asked, voice tight as Khan suddenly went out of sight. "Khan are you alright?" she requested, but yet again received no answer.

"Men." She whispered as she used the thruster in her right hand to get closer to the last area she saw Khan.

"Was Khan hit?" Kirk requested.

"We're trying to find him now."

"I'm going to find him." Espera announced as she directed herself closer.


"Khan?" She asked, looking around at the rushing void surrounding her. "Answer me, Khan." She demanded into the comm, searching for any sign of the Augment who she trusted just as far as she could throw him. No use him going off on a tangent now, the moment when we need him most.

"Here." Her neck snapped to the left as she found Khan placed beside her, his suit was intact and he seemed to be alright, well, there was no sign of any physical damage per usual.

"Kirk needs help." She announced, using her thrusters to get back to him.

"Espera, to your left."

"Wha-?"

Quickly, she looked, but it was too late. A large chunk of debris had connected with her left arm, knocking her straight into Khan. Her back collided with his chest and flung them back a few feet. They were about to crash into another large metal debris. To avoid it, she kicked Khan in the stomach, pushing him out of the range of the debris as she used her thrusters to avoid hitting it.

"Sorry." She said when he came back into view.

"Are you alright?" He spoke, voice betraying no emotion.

"Nothing life threatening." The Vulcan clenched her jaw, trying desperately to stay on course. "Go help Kirk, I'll be with you momentarily." The pain in her arm amplified after the initial shock, she gritted her teeth together and tried to use the meditation techniques her father taught her. Block out the pain and carry on...


"Spock, my display is dead. I'm flying blind."

"Commander, he's not going to make it." Sulu announced over the comm.

"My display is still functioning." Khan suddenly announced, flying in from nowhere. Espera trailed behind him, placing herself behind, but between the two. Khan spared a quick glance at her before his determined look was focused back on Kirk and he finished speaking. "and follow me."

"Scotty, were getting close, we need a welcome. Do you copy?" Kirk spoke as they neared the Vengeance, looking at the small opening which they were meant to go through.

"Do you copy? scotty?" Kirk yelled, panic rising within his voice when he received no answer.

9, 8

"Scotty!?"

7, 6

"Mr Scott, where are you?"

5, 4

"Do you copy, scotty, please?"

3, 2

"Mr Scott, open the door." Spock ordered after counting down to the last numeral.

She heard the wind rushing past her ears as they entered the ship, he her beating out of her rib cage as the rising pain in her arm was momentarily forgotten. Adrenalin pumped through her veins as they narrowly entered the hanger. Her relief was short lived when her body collided with another.

She crashed against the floor, sliding and rolling along the metal, her legs entwined with another's. They rolled and rolled, her vision swirled as her hands clung to the figures. I'm going to regret this in the morning... She silently thought as bruises were bound to form all over her body from the force of hitting the floor. They began just sliding as they finally slowed down; she braced herself for an impact as they were bound to hit the control panel if they didn't stop soon...

"Welcome aboard." Scotty spoke, his breathing ragged as he sat, planted his backside on the cold, metal floor .

Oh. She thought, surprised. We're alive…

Though, one thing puzzled her; she didn't remember the floor of any Star Ship being so soft and warm. She brought herself up onto her palms, looking below her with shock.

"Sorry." She squeaked, quickly rolling off of Khan, detangling their legs as he sat up onto his elbows.

"It's good to see you, Scotty." Kirk smirked as he drew himself into a sitting position.

"Who's that?" The Scotsman questions, nodding towards Khan.

"Khan, scotty. Scotty, Khan." Kirk stretched his back, groaning in pain. She flopped back down onto the floor in relief of being alive and unharmed, well, mostly unharmed. She looked down at her arm, the pain still lurking beneath the surface, even when she detached her mind from it.

"Hello." Mr Scott nodded at Khan.

"Greetings, Mister Scott." She waved at him, taking off her helmet.

"Espera! Looking good in blue."

"Cheers." She spoke, wiping her hair from her sweaty forehead.

"They'll know were here. I know the best way to the bridge." Khan announced, looking around whilst kneeling, not even bothering with pleasantries.


"It's locked to stun." Kirk spoke as he handed Khan the gun. She looked towards her weapon, fingering the stun setting before setting it back on the desk before her.

"There's won't be."

"Let's hope they don't get the chance to fire them." She stated, picking up the phaser and standing awkwardly, letting her arm dangle lifelessly at her side.

"Just try not to get shot." Kirk settled as they left the room to get to the bridge.

She pushed herself off the wall she was leaning on, hissing at the sudden pain in her limb.

"You alright?" Scotty questioned, hands reaching to help her.

"I'm fine." She stated, pushing the help away. "But… thank you."

They glided through corridor after corridor, she lost count on how many corners they had turned. She paced faster and faster, desperately trying to keep up with the strides Khan was setting. The blood from her broken limb was dousing her tight black Starfleet top with green. There was small droplets of green liquid in her wake as she blindly followed Khan, biting her lip to keep herself upright.

"They're going to have full power… and we're walking?" Scotty protested as they turned yet another corner.

"The turbolifts are easily tracked and Marcus would have use in a cage." Khan countered. "This path runs adjacent to the engine room. They know they won't be able to use their weapons here without destabilising the warp core which gives us the advantage."

"Where'd you find this guy?" Scotty queried, shocked.

"It's a long story…"

They ran off again and she was left to trail behind like some runt of the litter, clutching her broken limp as she ran after them.

"I don't mean to temp fate here, but where is everyone? Scotty asked after a moment of silence.

"The ship is designed to be flown by a minimal crew, one if necessary," Khan replied, voice dull and grim.

"One! bu-" Scotty words were cut off abruptly as a uniformed officer flung himself onto Khan, though the Augment was not surprised. Khan caught his arm, throwing him against the wall before other officers swarmed around them like hungry tigers on the prowl.

I don't have time for this… She thought as she was surrounded by three officers, she delivered a fatal blow to the neck of the mans in front of her, quickly flinging him at the man to her side before grabbing the soft tissue between the neck and shoulder of the man behind her, rendering him unconscious.

She punched Kirk's assailant in the throat with a quick flick of her unharmed wrist. He gargled down a choke before his eyes went back into his skull as he fell to the floor with a thud. She ducked past Kirk and Scott when another two uniformed officers charged at them, using their strength to their advantage as they pushed Kirk into a corner and Scotty to the floor. Brawn before brains.

Her body collided with a wall when one man shoved her against it, quickly, she jabbed him in the stomach with her knee, turning them around and shoving him headfirst against the wall. He fell to the floor as his body went slack. The Lieutenant turned to look back towards the Captain, worrying about his safety and the safety of the engineer.

"You alright?" Kirk questioned, helping Mr Scott back to his feet.

"Where's Khan?" Espera questioned, looking around at the sea of bodies surrounding them. "We need to find him… You two go that way and I'll go the other." She requested, pointing in two different directions. "Head for the bridge."

"Captain?" Scotty spoke.

"Do what she says." Kirk answered. "Scotty, Espera. As soon as we get to the bridge, drop him."

"Khan? I thought he was helping us?" Mr Scott protested.

"I'm pretty sure we're helping him." Kirk stated.

She nodded towards the Captain, taking her phaser in hand and followed the maze of corners and corridors, soon finding the Captain and the Scotsman nowhere to be seen when she reluctantly looked behind. She could only hope that they will somehow stopped the Vengeance from killing all the innocent lives on board the Enterprise before it was too late.


"How hard can it be to find a Bridge?" She questioned into the air, sitting down to regain her composure after the past minutes being spent mindlessly sprinting round corridor after corridor. "It feels like the first time I came to earth, they need a big sign which say 'Bridge' in bold letters."

She quickly flung herself into a corner when she saw a uniformed officer walk round towards her, though he did not notice her presence in the shadows of the ship. He was a lot slimmer than most of the other officers they had seen and had a meek, insecure look to him. So she decided to use that to her advantage when she saw that he was an Ensign.

"Ensign." She addressed him sternly and he flinched at the sound of her voice. "How do I find the bridge?" She demanded in the most authoritative voice she could muster.

"Go straight on and it's the first door to the left, ma'am."

"Thank you."

"…Wait. Who are you?" He questioned, noticing her different uniform. Suddenly becoming increasingly worried at the blood stains on her top, he drew his phaser from its holster.

She quickly grabbed at the junction between his neck and shoulder, putting pressure on it until his legs collapsed before him and his phaser fell from his hands. The Vulcan looked around for any other officers, but found none. She stepped over his body, walking straight on down the hallway without a second thought.


A/N. I wasn't going to end it there, since I was going to write a bit more, but I felt bad that I hadn't updated in so long. So here you go, sorry for the wait. Review, my pretties, for more!