AN: Enjoy Chapter Ten, folks!
The journey to the valley had no major incidents. It seemed that luck was again on their side, as they waded through the jungle. They didn't encounter the known and possibly unknown predators. They had all begun to use less of the food in their bags, for now, to make it last a bit longer, and to avoid eating any of the surrounding plants. There had been several types of berries that looked plump and ripe, but, of course, to try and sample one just yet would be fatal.
"We need to collect these at some point," Marla pointed out. "A tricorder could scan them all for toxins that could kill or make someone sick."
"Well put, Marla," Khan had said.
He had been using her first name around Weiss and Ling, and Marla knew that it baffled the two Augments, but she couldn't help but feel pride whenever he said it. Or whenever he praised her. While walking, their formation had returned to the order of Khan at point, Marla and Ling behind, and Weiss at the rear, but whenever they stopped for the night, Marla would look over at Khan. She watched his angular face, seeking his eyes. Sometimes she found them, and when their eyes met, his lips would quirk up slightly. Subtle and a bit mischievous; as if they had a secret.
In a way, they did have a secret. That time, brief as it was, alone together, was a secret just for them. Marla felt she knew more about him. Not just bland facts, but a bit in to the actual man himself. And he knew more about her, too. She certainly didn't feel like a hostage or a prisoner, anymore. She felt as if he actually enjoyed her company. She enjoyed his. Oh so very much.
At night, her thoughts were about his touch. How he had held her hand, as if her bones were made of glass, and the gentler strokes or brief passes of his hand to her back, or her shoulder, or her arm. From that first to the brief encounters that had followed, she felt warmth pooling in her stomach, and her skin would break in to goose bumps. It made her wonder how it would feel to have him cup her cheek. How would it feel to have his palm on her hip, or her thigh? What would she do if he did that? What would she let herself do? And she yearned to return those touches! She wanted to glide her fingertips over the back of his wide, long-fingered hand; wrap her fingers around his bicep, or press her palm against the center of his chest.
Those thoughts and many others, though, were slightly marred by one little voice in the back of her mind that kept telling her she was jumping to conclusions. The voice of doubt and of suspicion was still firm and prevalent, reminding her that he could also be capable of crushing her skull in his hands. Literally! He'd done it! It was documented. It reminded her that he had choked her.
Yes, he apologized for that-
Had he?
-She still trusted him. Still felt safest with Khan nearby. He would protect her.
A tail. A segmented scorpion's tail. The stinger's tip was glistening and dripping with the combination of its venom and her blood…
That memory came now and then. Memories of half-forgotten nightmares from when she had been alone in the escape shuttle. Nightmares about the very man leading her on through the jungle. Her doubt was a bitch to remind her of those dreams.
She ignored them. She wouldn't let herself question things. She had felt a connection be made with the Sikh Augment, and she wasn't going to let old fears and a rough start-
HA!
-Make her forget about that. They had something here. A friendship, maybe? The beginnings of one? She could hope. Until it was evident, she at least was firm in the knowledge that she could trust him and put her faith in him to protect her.
Not so much for the others, though. She supposed she could trust them, to an extent. Ling followed Khan's orders dutifully, even if she was still just as much of a bully. And Weiss, while silent, and still always giving her a look (when he did look) as if she were a bug that was going to be squashed at some point, wasn't going to outright do anything unless told to. So, from that standpoint, she was still quite safe.
The final day of their journey, they could see the end of the thick jungle. Between the large trees she could see glimpses of the expanse of the valley. The group's pace picked up with every step. She could see their goal just before them. When they broke through, finally stepping out fully in to the light of the sun, without the oppression of the jungle around them, she felt as if she were breathing in real, fresh air for the first time. She looked out around them, and saw the rolling landscape. Not all of it was as green as the region they had just left; they still had a massive fertile land. And practically untouched, save for one away-team years ago that had come here to classify and catalog the planet. They were the first to truly venture in to this new and unknown land.
It was a real frontier.
They followed the formation of the land, moving downward at a growing gradual slope, until they were deep within the valley itself. The first nine pods were grouped together, all close and perfectly in-tact. Not a scratch on their outer shells.
"Open them," Khan commanded Ling and Weiss. "Then wake everyone inside. Tell them to wait for me. Marla and I shall locate the others."
"Sir," Ling said, "What if you encounter any other animals? Like the Tiger?"
"I assure you, Ling, that between myself and the Lieutenant, we will be able to face any danger that presents itself." He started toward the east. "Come, Marla."
Marla nodded, and called, "Yes, Sir," as she hurried to keep up with his pace.
While they walked through the valley together, Marla looked up at the tall, dark-haired Augment. She bit on her lip, and then asked, "What happens now? After you wake them all up?"
They rose up a short incline and then down again.
"We will begin the 'great work'," he told her.
Utterly confused, she waited and they climbed up the slope of a bigger hill. When they crested the top, they looked down. A very low dip in to the valley revealed the remaining five shuttles that had been out of her sight. She started to go forward, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Stay here," Khan said to her. "I will wake them and lead them back. I will be able to see you if any animals appear or attack."
"Okay," she replied, and watched him head down. She waited, patiently, and quietly, as she watched him open the first shuttle and disappear inside. When he came back out, he ran to the next. After an hour, every escape shuttle had emptied, and several Augments surrounded their leader. He seemed to be giving them some short instructions. Perhaps telling them that he would explain everything soon. Whatever he had said, once he started back for the hill, they followed.
Marla smiled when he returned, but he simply said, "Follow." She obeyed, unsure, now, with the other Augments awake. She looked over her shoulder. So many diverse people, and yet all shared in the fact that they had been created to endure injury, fatigue, and other conditions that ordinary humans could not, or did with great difficulty. They were all designed to be better than the rest of the human race.
Soon they reconvened with Ling and Weiss. As the two Commanders met with them, Khan turned to Marla.
"Stand beside Suzette," he told her. "Don't talk. And do not move until I tell you to." Marla wondered why he would ask, but she didn't question him. Instead she fell back in step just behind Ling, who paused when Khan bent down to whisper in the Augment's woman's ear, and then followed as he led the three of them up a short incline. He stopped mid-way, and it was obvious he needed the vantage point in order to look out over the assembled mass of seventy. His eyes swept over them all, then he spoke. He raised his voice enough to let the natural curve and shape of the land amplify him for all to hear.
"My people. My faithful followers. My dear, dear family. I know that it seems as if only yesterday, we last stood together before we went in to our artificial slumber. I also know that you stand here now, in this alien land, with many questions on your minds. I shall answer them for you.
"You will find it difficult to believe, but three hundred years have passed since we went in to cryogenic stasis. The world we knew is gone. It has been replaced with a world of far superior technology- the vessels you all found yourselves in upon waking are the proof of this. They are escape shuttles that came from a mighty Star Ship that our own beloved Botany Bay could never compare to in terms of its power and capabilities.
"It was in this time, my dear friends, that I was awoken by the new governing body of the universe: The United Federation of Planets. Their elite military force, The Starfleet, took me from my rest with you, and asked for my assistance. They knew of my superior strength and intelligence, and they lured me in with promises of a world that was at peace- of many worlds at peace with each other. But this was not so, my people, this was a lie."
Marla looked at Khan, and opened her mouth. He still resented the Federation! He was going to paint them all as war-mongering savages! What would that mean for her? She was about to speak, but she heard Suzette whisper, "Don't say anything, or I will shoot you."
She clamped her mouth shut and felt her body erupt in cold shivers. Was that what he'd whispered to Ling? Request her to shoot Marla if she interrupted his speech?
So much for trust.
Meanwhile, Khan continued speaking to the crowd. "They used the technology I helped them create to clandestinely orchestrate a war with an alien race, far away. A race that was just as savage and brutal, but who, unlike the Federation, value honor. Being a man of honor, myself, I could not let this happen. I attempted to undermine these men, hungry for a war, hungry for blood, and I nearly succeeded. But alas. They used you, my beloved crew and subjects, against me, and I was beaten down in battle. They placed me back in to stasis, as if to put me away- to put us away- like a memory to be forgotten. Garbage to be discarded.
"That was not the end, of course," he added, taking one step towards the crowd. "To simply let us sleep? To let us continue our dreams for a better life? That was not enough. They took us again, in to space, with the intent to be rid of us forever. Using again their lies of 'war' and 'hostile enemies', they sacrificed their own people to try and murder us all!"
This caused not only angry shouts and shocked gasps from the crowd of Augments. It made Marla feel sick. What the hell was he saying?! She'd told him it was a Bird of Prey- she had seen the thing herself! He was making them think it was an orchestrated lie!
"However," Khan said, "Providence graced us. We were sent help from the very enemy who sought to destroy us." He turned, and looked at Marla. She returned his gaze, feeling hurt and betrayed, but his expression was… soft. And welcome. Beseeching, maybe? He stretched out his long arm, and held his hand open to her. What was he doing?
"Come forward, my dear," he said, his voice soft like kid-leather. "It is all right."
She shouldn't. He was telling them lies. She should step up and contradict every word he said.
Tell them the truth!
She never follows her own advice.
Marla walked toward the outstretched hand. The hand that had touched her so gently just days ago. Caught her when she fell. Sought her now.
"This woman," said Khan, as the petite woman walked up to him. "Lieutenant Marla McGivers, felt compassion for us. In the darkest hour, she rescued us. She saved us all from certain death. She transported us in to the vessels behind you, and she brought us here. She is our savior."
He placed his arm across her shoulders and held her close to him, hand resting on her upper bicep. "In doing so, she has been exiled with us. She turned her back on her kind, those monsters, to help us build a new life. A life of peace, and prosperity. Upon this world, known as Ceti Alpha Five, we shall thrive. Set apart from the rest of the universe, we shall create, together, a civilization that will outshine all others."
The throng erupted in to cheers. Cheers for this declaration and for their leader.
"We will colonize this wilderness," Khan said, his voice rising and taking on a more joyous tone. "We shall name our empire New Chandigarh, and we will prosper! But I cannot do this alone," he told them.
"No, not alone. I will need all of you, my people, to help make this dream- our dream- a reality. All of your skills, your abilities, your strengths and greatest gifts, I will need them all to make this world truly our own. Will you help me, my friends? Will you build this paradise with me?"
Every man and woman cried out in answer. Yes! Yes, they would help! They would build New Chandigarh with their leader- Lord Khan, someone shouted- and they would make the dream come true.
Marla was in complete awe. He had delivered a grand and magnificent speech. She trembled, though, still afraid and still confused about why he had to give them so many lies and paint so many as devils to gain the crowd's sympathies.
With the approval and the cooperation of the masses with him, Khan gave out his first command as their Lord. "Wonderful, my subjects, wonderful. Now, first we must ready ourselves. This world, though new and ripe for our use, is still full of dangers. But we have weapons to use, waiting in the shuttles, as well as food, and other wonders. Suzette, Joaquin, lead them and help them recover everything. We will gather it all and then distribute our supplies as needed."
The Commanders nodded and left him to guide the other Augments to the shuttles to start taking everything inside that they could. While they were alone, for the moment, Marla turned to Khan.
"Why did you tell them the Federation destroyed our ship?" she asked him. "We were attacked by the Klingons. I saw their ship with my own eyes, Khan!"
He raised his hand, fingers poised over his lips. "Keep your voice down." He glance to the throng of people, but it seemed no one had heard her.
"Marla, during my time with Starfleet, they had many secrets that they did not want the public to know. Marcus was a devious and bloodthirsty man," he told her. He leaned in, his voice a soft growl in his throat. "He used ships salvaged from skirmishes with the Klingon Empire to create more advanced weaponry and war ships. He wasn't above repairing those space-crafts to use in subterfuge and to create false battles."
Marla felt a drop of cold sweat trickle down her neck. "You can't…Khan, what are you saying?"
"Think, Marla," his smoky voice whispered. "You weren't sent on your mission to protect the Earth or to give us any peace. Your ship and her crew were meant to be martyrs. They sacrificed the Eden, and murdered your friend."
Once the idea was in her head, she couldn't help but see how it could be possible. After all, they were in Neutral Space. And they had just left the last Station within light-years. That was so convenient, wasn't it? So easy to send a recovered Klingon ship and open fire on a ship that was on a peaceful mission. It had all been an elaborate set-up!
NO! The voice of doubt argued with her. Khan all but told them that the Federation- a government devoted to peace and sharing knowledge with all races and species- was full of nothing but hypocritical, war-crazed villains.
In his mind, wouldn't they be? She reminded herself of an old saying: History is written by the victors. The Native Americans once saw the European settlers as invaders who murdered their people and took their homeland. Didn't many wars start because both sides saw one another as either heretics who worshiped idols, or as brutal and wicked barbarians? It would be natural for Khan to see the Federation and Starfleet as intent on war and subduing planets under their control.
She looked down and shook her head, fighting the urge to cry. "I can't believe that," Marla said. "My parents devoted their lives to them. I did, too. Archie…"
Khan's long, pale fingers cupped her chin, holding it lightly, and he drew her face upward again.
"They betrayed you," he confirmed. His brows furrowed. His thumb rubbed slightly at her chin. "But you do not have to worry about them, my dear. Not ever again. You are better than any of them, Marla. You took pity on us- on me. Even knowing all of my transgressions and failures, you had mercy and you rescued me not once, but thrice, thus far; from your ship, from the crash, and from the tiger."
He was acknowledging that? He was proud of her for that? It made her heart hurt so much she thought it would stop entirely. Made the muscle go still in her chest.
"I need you, Marla," Khan said. "I need that loyalty, that compassion, and that clever mind- for you, my dear, are very, very clever. I need your help, as well, to make my new kingdom, and to ensure the survival of my people." His hand swept up, fingers trailing along her jaw and up her cheek, and he tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear. Stroked the skin behind it with a his fingertips.
"Will you help me, my dear? Say that you will help me."
How could she say 'no' to that?
AN: How indeed? I hope this chapter was good for you guys! I may need to take a break from here soon to work on a writing collab, but I promise! I will give you all chapter 11, and we'll see how Marla does among the rest of the Augments ^.^ Remember: All critique, suggestions, even fan-art, questions, and corrections are welcome!