Three Days Later

Liberty Base Security Compound

The sound of the entrance door opening didn't faze Hendorff, as he had been working at the base for weeks and Security personnel were always coming and going, "Yes?" he asked, not looking up.

"I want to talk to Khan," Jim's tired voice spoke, prompting Hendorff to look up and gape at Jim, who was supposed to be recovering from his ordeal, standing there in civvies with his cane in front of him.

Hendorff sighed, "Kirk, I don't know how you got from the apartments to here, but Marcus and Pike would have a right fit if I let you see Khan," he replied calmly. "You should be in bed resting."

Unable to see where Hendorff was because his sight had slowly worsened back to where he could only see black and white, Jim sighed, "Call your higher-ups then," he replied. "I'm not leaving…"

Anxiety filled Jim and he broke into a coughing fit, his lungs still raw and his throat sore from the overdose of laughing gas, "Khan told me at his place that he could heal me and restore my sight," he said in a shaky voice. "They haven't done my brain therapy in three days because they're scared it will interact with the meds I'm on for healing, but the meds are making me lose my sight even faster."

Hendorff frowned and sighed in resignation, knowing that Jim would try to break down the Brig door until he exhausted himself if he wasn't allowed in, "Okay," he said softly. "But I go with you."

Jim sighed, but didn't argue as he felt Hendorff take his arm and navigate him into the cell block, shivering when he felt the cold air brush across his arm, "James Kirk," Khan spoke coldly.

"You…you said at your lab that you had medicines and surgical ability to help me feel better and help me see again," Jim spoke anxiously. "They took my brain therapy away and put me on meds to help me breathe, but my vision's getting worse and soon it will be completely gone. I need your help."

Khan's eyebrows raised and he slowly got up and walked over to the forcefield, "I heard talk of the Enterprise being mothballed and us having to stay here," Jim breathed in an anxious voice, struggling not to cough as his anxiety rose. "I'm just being told to stay in bed, take medicine, and read my Braille books and I'm not allowed to do anything on the base. Pike's trying to help, but it's not working."

"I would help if I was allowed," Khan replied calmly. "I have no desire to cause harm to any torture survivors, but Starfleet sees me as a dangerous criminal because of my super strength and abilities."

Jim nodded, "Spock tried to kill himself because he was guilty over leaving me behind on the Narada and Captain Pike's facing demotion because he won't stop trying to get Starfleet to find me something to do," he breathed anxiously. "Marcus came to see me this morning and said that the city has some wonderful civilian programs for blind people and that I should consider involving myself in them."

Hendorff's eyes widened in surprise, as he had heard his mother and Admiral Marcus talking about the situation they were now facing because the base simply wasn't equipped to support a ship's crew for long-term along with the survivors of the attack and civilians. It was proving impossible for Starfleet to maintain their level of resources with everyone they had on the base. Admiral Marcus had also met with Captain Pike about the possibility of sending the Vulcans to a colony in the Middle East where they would be able to live comfortably while the Enterprise crew be split up and sent to different outposts.

Captain Pike had been furious, his argument being that the Enterprise crew had been through a great deal since the Narada and relied on each other for support. Admiral Marcus had appreciated the argument, but stated that able-bodied officers would be needed to help the surviving world's population rebuild what had been lost and that the base couldn't handle so many long-term.

After hours of argument, Captain Pike had reluctantly agreed to tell the crew and allow them the choice of where they wanted to go and who they wanted to go with. The crew had been gathered last night and under Admiral Marcus's supervision, they had been told the situation and had been given time to decide where they wanted to go. Captain Pike had asked about Jim at Jim's request and had been told that New York had some terrific civilian programs for the blind and Jim should investigate them.

Now, while Captain Pike remained assigned to Liberty Base Command because traipsing the broken world in a wheelchair wasn't feasible, Jim had found himself alone and helpless. While his crew and friends had slept with much on their mind, Jim had left letters in Leonard and Arianne's quarters before dressing in civvies, gathering his things, and coming here to see if there was another option.

"Nero left me to have free reign," Khan spoke quietly. "I will not be returning to space."

Jim nodded, sighing, "You either help me, or I march out of here and throw myself in front of a hovercar," he replied, deeply resigned. "I've been thinking about it since Spock hurt himself."

Hendorff's eyes went wide and he marched over to the cell, swearing as he deactivated the forcefield, "Take Kirk and help him," he said in an anxious voice. "I'll deal with the consequences of it."

Unable to hold back coughs anymore, Jim threw up and he collapsed to the floor, "You will excuse me if I do make haste," Khan said as he bolted from the cell and went over to where Jim lay, dry heaving.

Swallowing hard, Hendorff watched as Khan took Jim's wrist, pressed a button on his watch, and dematerialized from the cell. He knew that he would be in deep trouble over what he had done.

Liberty Base Command Building

The office was crowded as Commander Hendorff, Captain Pike, Leonard, Arianne, Scotty, Pavel, Hikaru, a deeply shaken Spock, Sam, Carol, Hannity, Nyota, and Hawkins all crowded into Admiral Marcus's office while two guards stood with a handcuffed Hendorff in the corner of the room, "…Kirk wasn't ever going to get better," Admiral Marcus said in a heavy voice. "His vision was never going to come back…"

"So you ordered me to drug my brother with medicine you knew would damage his lungs til he died?!" Sam shouted in an angry voice. "The world is broken, yes, but it doesn't mean you can kill people."

Admiral Marcus scoffed, "Admiral Archer and his rescue teams are bringing evacuees in all the time and many are able-bodied who can help rebuild the world," he replied in a dark tone. "Starfleet as it is now doesn't have the resources to help those who aren't able bodied. As it is, Commander Hendorff will be returning to London and Captain Pike will be taking up her position as Chief of Security here simply because Commander Hendorff can find resources in London that will help her life be easier."

"So you're letting Jim go off with an Augument and you don't care?" Leonard growled angrily.

Admiral Marcus sighed as Leonard reached into his pocket and pulled out the letters he had found in the apartment when he and Arianne had woken, "Jim says he wishes us all the best in our new assignments," Leonard snapped angrily. "I've also been told that we're going to be assigned to a city because my fiancé's having a baby and Starfleet's encouraging repopulation efforts."

"I'm going to the Middle East with Spock," Nyota spoke shakily. "We formed a bond last night."

Admiral Marcus looked amused, "I see you've been embracing this, Lieutenant," he replied.

"Nyota…is not embracing anything," Spock replied in a tired voice. "We do not have a choice."

Arianne sighed tiredly as she silently reached into her pocket and extracted a PADD that she had worked on the day before, "Here," she spoke tiredly, offering it to Admiral Marcus. "I had an education before I joined Starfleet and I'm just a measly Lieutenant who must be a Romulan spy because Nero tried to seduce me on the Narada before sending me to Delta Vega. I've been in touch with people in London and I've accepted a position as a counselor at the Royal Hospital for three weeks from now."

Leonard gave her a look, nodded, and stood up to stretch his tired legs, "As much fun as this natural selection session is, I have work to do," he replied in an irritated voice. "I'm a doctor and…"

A whirring sound suddenly filled the room and Leonard suddenly dematerialized with his medkit in hand, "SECURITY!" Admiral Marcus boomed as he hit the alert button. "Security to Command!"

Atlamid Hospital – Botany Bay Island - Rural China

Leonard materialized on a pad only to find himself in a peaceful looking atrium that was decorated with Asian artefacts and simple, but comfortable looking furniture, "Doctor McCoy of Starfleet?" a voice asked as a man wearing martial arts robes came into the atrium. "Please…McCoy…follow me."

"Where am I?" Leonard asked as he stepped off of the pad. "Why was I beamed here?"

The man raised an eyebrow, "I assure you that you are safe," he replied. "Please follow me."

Swallowing hard, Leonard followed the man down the hallway and his eyes widened as they went into a large surgical room. Wearing nothing but a blue gown, Jim was lying unconscious on an operating table having his thin, terribly abused body being tended to nurses who worked at various machines holding his body to the table while Khan worked at a machine that was holding Jim's head to the table.

"Doctor Singh," the man said calmly. "Doctor Leonard McCoy has arrived safely."

Khan nodded, "Come over here, Doctor McCoy," he instructed, not looking up from his work.

Leonard silently walked over to the table, "Starfleet Officer Hendorff released me as Mister Kirk collapsed with breathing difficulties," Khan spoke quietly. "Poisoned by Starfleet medicine."

"What?!" Leonard replied in a shocked voice. "I haven't been overseeing Jim's treatment!"

Khan sighed, "I do know this," he replied calmly. "Doctor Samuel Kirk has been overseeing it."

Leonard swore, "Mister Kirk will be quite comfortable and be given the status of torture survivor and liberated prisoner of war on this island when he wakes," Khan spoke calmly. "I have arranged it and I have also arranged for you serve as his recovery caregiver simply because he trusts you."

"I have a fiancé' and a baby on the way," Leonard replied anxiously. "I can't just…"

Khan nodded, "I am aware," he replied tonelessly. "My connections in London will brief Lieutenant Pike to the situation when she arrives there. This island is quite peaceful and safe from Starfleet's reach."

A faint gasp filled the air and Leonard frowned as Jim opened his eyes, "Where am I?" he whimpered.

"Do not fret, Mister Kirk," Khan replied as he motioned for his nurses to prepare pain medicine that would allow Jim to sleep painlessly through the procedures. "You are quite safe from Starfleet."

Jim gasped and whimpered, "My chest," he gasped. "I can't…I can't see what's happening!"

"Jim, you're okay," Leonard spoke in a calm voice, touching Jim's hand. "I wouldn't lie to you."

Jim froze, "Bones, where are we?!" he asked anxiously. "Sam…Sam said he had orders…"

A nurse brought a hypospray over to Khan and he looked at Leonard, "I'm sorry I have to do this, Jim, but you need to calm down," Leonard said as he took the hypo and moved up to Jim's neck.

Jim whimpered as the hypospray was delivered, but silently allowed himself to drift off.

Liberty Base – New York

The meeting had quickly ended and Arianne had been escorted back to the apartment she and Leonard had shared for mandatory resting. She had been ordered to rest, eat, and pack for London, but her resignation had been refused. Spock and Nyota had come with her against orders to help her.

"I do have a plan that would bring us to safety," Spock spoke as he sat on the couch with Arianne.

Swallowing hard, Arianne remained silent as Nyota joined them on the couch to listen, "I'm listening, Spock," Arianne said in an anxious voice. "I feel like our Enterprise family is being torn apart."

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