= IX =
Nodding at the security guards on her way into the facility, Mira smiled making her way down the corridors with her PADD in hand, she had decided that today she was going to grab some coffee and sit at a café. She was finally off her sick leave and was happy to be able to get back to work and go outside. Though it would be a lie if she didn't admit she was a little scared of something -another explosion happening for example- but because of her Father who she had informed of the situation and had jumped down Marcus's throat, had ensured her a perfect, state of the art, the newest gadgets and anything well she could ever want or need in her new and safe lab. Of course that meant she wouldn't be across from Khan anymore and so Marcus had put her on a timeline while in her lab.
Mira could spend six hours in there and that was all, all her free time was to be devoted to watching after Khan and to Marcus's ever growing insistence and Mira's displeasure seducing him. Mira stopped as she looked at her old lab, a frown etching over her lips, it still hadn't been repaired -that was to be expected- but everything had been removed and it was completely locked down. Quickly shaking the wayward thoughts off, Mira's smiled reappeared as she thought about anything and everything else and continued on her way.
When she had arrived at her new lab Mira was needless to say jumping up and down on the balls of her feet, she felt like a little girl on Christmas day, she had known that she was getting the newest tech but she hadn't imagined it quite like this, no this was extraordinary. Mira was pretty certain a lot of this technology hadn't even been released to the general Star Fleet populace and also noted that some of it was meant for Star Ships.
Mira did a quick scan of the room before she noticed the PADD on her desk and picked it up, her smile growing larger as she read it, now thanks to her father, her researched scope was set to everything and anything she wanted, not just her current scope; which was poisons, she could do whatever she wanted to do so long as she kept it within the six hours she was allowed in here before her other duties required her attention. Mira put the PADD back down on the table and began to walk around the room; it was twice as big as her last one and so much more spacious despite double the equipment.
Mira in Mira like fashion went to each new machine and checked them out, doing a simple diagnostic before going to the next and then the next and so much like her fashion that Mira hadn't even noticed Khan standing in the doorway watching her in genuine amusement. "You look like someone has handed you the key to the universe" Khan said in his usual baritone, which caused Mira to scream in surprise and whirl around to look at him. "Dear god, ever think of knocking?" Mira said as she held a hand to her heart and took a deep breath, Khan smiled at her before pushing off the door frame and entering her lab, giving it a once over before turning his gaze onto her "It seems Marcus decided to spoil you" Khan commented dryly and Mira just gave him a blank stare before she pointed to the PADD on her desk, openly inviting him to read it "My father didn't leave him much choice when he was informed of what happened to my old one" Khan just nodded his head at her, going to the PADD on her desk and picked up, "Mira, hope you like the new gadgets.
Marcus was not happy when I jumped down his back about what had happened and complained immensely as he paid for this replacement. Try to be a little nicer to him. Admiral J Sullivan" Khan read out loud, Mira nodded to herself as she went back to examining the equipment before her.
The part about Marcus complaining had caused her some joy but she had ignored the request to be kinder to him. Khan put the PADD back down as he appraised Mira for a moment. "You are not fond of Admiral Marcus?" Khan asked, curious as to what her answer was going to be and Mira simply shook her head. "I've known him since I was a kid but I don't know, I just never liked him. Something was always off. Guess now I know why, the man has no conscious" Mira mumbled out not wanting to think about the man.
"If you don't like him, why work for him?" Khan inquired and Mira shook her head, spinning on her heel to get a good look at him before she spoke "I don't work for him, I work for Star Fleet. To my dismay he just happens to now lead it. I only joined because my Dad was a member and a high ranking officer at the time. Suppose I could have just been a normal Doctor but eh." Mira said as she shrugged her shoulders.
Khan nodded his head, looking deep in thought as he chose his next words carefully. "Would you introduce us?" Khan asked honest curiousness evident on his face but Mira laughed and then snorted as she raised an eyebrow at him "You want to meet my Dad?" she questioned in return and Khan simply nodded his head as he stared at her, his answer made her snort again "Hell no" Mira said before turning around to continue her glorious staring of her new equipment. "Why?" Mira could tell he was annoyed with her response but he also sounded genuinely interested to know why she wouldn't. Mira spun back around and gave Khan a good long look before sighing, dropping her shoulders as she did "Because I don't introduce people to my Father…. He's the most precious person to me and his opinion matters a lot. It took me six years to even introduce him to Charles" Mira told him in all honesty and Khan raised a brow.
"Charles is your lover?" Khan asked her and Mira laughed and cringed at the same time "God no, he's my work partner. We were cadets together and I don't know, closet thing to a best friend as I can get and no, before you say anything. Charles is perfectly gay. Pretty sure if he was here right now he'd be putting the moves on you and then some" Mira said with laughter in her tone and then full on laughing when she saw Khans contemplative face which caused him to glare at her slightly.
"I was thinking about what you said in terms of him being your only friend, not his possible advances on me. It would not be the first time though" Khan commented dryly at her and Mira shrugged but then frowned. "He's not my only friend…" She mumbled out, feeling a little hurt that Khan thought she couldn't make friends or something of the sort.
"I did not mean to insult, it's that you seem the type to be able to befriend anyone… I do not understand why you said what you did" Khan asked… sort of, phrasing the question oddly, if it was a question at all but Mira shrugged in response as she leaned forward, forearms coming to rest against the table in front of her. "I can make friends… I just choose not to; I don't know I don't like the drama that comes with having too many friends. Anyway off topic, why do you want to meet my Father?" Mira asked wanting the subject to change back to what it had been before, hell she was even willing to talk about the weather instead of her inherent lack of friends. Mira studied Khan as he mirrored her actions from earlier, shrugging his shoulders. "I wanted to meet the man who created you" Khan said like it was obvious which caused Mira to raise a brow 'Fat chance that's ever gonna happen' Mira thought bitterly. "No" was all she said and then tacked on to emphasizing her point.
"I have only ever introduced one person to my Father; I haven't even let him meet my exes. I am not letting him meet you, besides you would insult him in less then five seconds" Mira said and raised a brow to match Khan's look. "I would not..." he however didn't get to continue as Mira interrupted him.
"Yes you would, you've done it to everyone you've met so far." Mira was about to continue, telling Khan that her father was off limits, that he was the reason she had a lab at all now, that if Marcus had his way that she wouldn't have another lab period and would be stuck watching him all the time but was stopped by a knock on the door, a security officer entered and nodded to Khan "Doctor Sullivan, you have been asked to come to the Security offices, I am to escort you" He announced formally and Mira sighed sadly looking around at all the things she hadn't even gotten to look at again but silently promised them she would. Mira turned and nodded to the officer and followed him out, leaving Khan standing there in her new lab by himself. It hadn't taken long to get there but she had been told to wait outside as the officer went back to whatever he was doing before he was told to retrieve her.
Mira leaned against the wall, foot tapping and arms crossed; the last time she was here standing in the hallway still left her a little bitter and as the door beside her hissed open Mira pushed off the wall and was ready to rip into the CO like she had never done before but stopped short when she saw who was in front of her and a giant smile spread across her face. "Daddy" Mira nearly shouted as she unhooked her arms and pulled him into a hug, earning herself a chuckle and pat on the back from him.
Mira pulled back shortly after but kept the smile on her face "What are you doing here? I thought you were off world helping the Vulcans? Please tell me everything" she was ready to beg for details if need be and her father simply shook his head at her. "Always the same" he said smiling as he put a hand on her head and then stepped back and held her at arms length giving her a once over. "I figured you would have healed from the accident but I didn't think you would be completely scar free. Are you alright Mira, I was worried sick" her father said, worry and concern rolling off his words and Mira nodded "Of course, I'm fine, if I wasn't the good Doctors here wouldn't have let me out. They've given me a clean bill of health" she said with a smile and continued "Don't worry, they didn't find anything" Mira spoke in a whisper, calming his fear as his previous smiled returned "Definitely the same" her father joked, causing Mira to snort and roll her eyes "Of course, you wouldn't know what to do if I ever changed" and this time her father snorted, releasing her from his hold but extending his arm for her to take.
"I think I could hold my own" he jested as they began to walk towards nothing in particular as they talked, he told her about how New Vulcan was coming along, that they had made some very interesting discoveries and that his research was also coming along smoothly and then he moved the conversation as to why he was on planet "Marcus told me what he asked you to do, I honestly can't express how very proud I am of you sweetheart" he said sounding very much like a proud father and Mira looked at him with wide eyes and one hundred percent confusion, if he actually knew he would be yelling at Marcus and then her for not telling him in the first place and so Mira smiled wearily and nodded. "Thank you… but umm what exactly did Admiral Marcus tell you?" Mira asked unsure of herself and thankfully her father didn't see it at all.
"That you and Commander Harrison are helping to improve Star Fleet, to bring it into the next generation. Improving the warp cores, shields, sickbays and making it a better and safer environment, you and this Commander are the reason we will be able to go to places we could scarcely believe we could before. I couldn't be prouder" he spoke softly, truly and utterly proud of the bullshit Marcus had told him about her.
"Daddy I haven't…" but she stopped remembering Marcus's words, that he'd take her from him and so she smiled "I haven't done anything, it's all Commander Harrison's doing, he's brilliant, he has a mind like you wouldn't believe. I just make sure he eats and even then I have to shove it under his nose to do so" Mira joked, not giving herself any of the fake credit Marcus had, that way she wasn't entirely lying.
"Mira" her father said her name frowning slightly as he placed a hand on her cheek "Marcus told me everything, give yourself some credit. I'm sure the Commander would agree with me on that" her father said before he smiled at her again "He would" came Khans voice and Mira froze in place, eyes wide 'Oh no, no no no no no no no NO' Mira screamed in her head, she did not want Khan meeting her father, ever; never ever.
"You must be Commander Harrison then. I'm the other Doctor Sullivan" her father, the politest person she knew excused himself from her side so he could walk over to Khan and extend his hand. "A pleasure, your daughter has said very little about you I'm afraid" Khan much to her surprise took her father's hand and shook it and did not break it, he was exuding charm and another set of alarms went off inside Mira's head. "But I suppose she was focused on her work. She has been quite invaluable. I couldn't have asked for a better partner." Khan went on to say and despite her fathers' nods and laughter Mira simply wanted to scream and get him out of there "That sounds like Mira, she'll work twice as hard as anyone else but will never take the credit; too kind for her own good" her father went on "But please tell me more about your work" Khan about to speak was cut off by the same officer who had come to get her, now she understood as a command from her father.
"Sir I'm sorry. Admiral Marcus is on the comm for you" Mira's father nodded his head and looked to her and then Khan "I'm sorry, I'll only be a moment" and once her father was out of ear shot, Mira walked slowly to Khans side and kept the forced smile on her lips.
"What do you want?" Mira said through gritted teeth, facing forward but looking at Khan through the corner of her eye. "I am doing this for your benefit" Khan said, sounding vaguely hurt but Mira saw it for the fake emotion that it was, not like he was hiding it. "Right, how exactly does this benefit me?" Mira inquired, not getting his drift at all. Khan sighed as his shoulders dropped a little "You speak of your father in high regard and he was obviously worried about you.
Thus his visit. If he is pleased and made aware you are perfectly safe then you need not worry about him and I did want to meet him, I wanted to see the person who made you. You don't share any of his physical traits. You must look like your mother. Does she also work for Star Fleet? You have never mentioned her." Khan said, his curious nature leaking through but Mira had simply snapped at him "I don't have a mother" she hadn't meant to but Khan diving into her personal life was what she didn't want to happen and anything Mother related was rather touchy for Mira and so she sighed. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for…" She apologized and then let her head drop for a moment "I don't like talking about my mother" she spoke before lifting her head back up and taking a deep breath.
"So what do you want?" Mira said as she turned her head to fully look at him now and Khan simply held up a PADD to her "I require these but I did not need to be kind to your father to get them, what I did… what I am doing, this is for you" Khan told her, sincerity ringing from his words. Mira took the PADD from him looking down at it before returning back to his gaze that had moved to lock with hers and she was stuck, unsure of what she was seeing in his eyes and not sure what to do. Happy when she was pulled from his gaze when she heard her father "Sorry about that, Marcus worries too much, making sure I didn't interrupt you two for long".
Smiling at her father as he extended his arm to her, taking it gingerly. "How about you give me a tour and we'll talk?" her father offered and Mira nodded, looking up to Khan who smiled "Of course". It had been a long two hours, Khan and her father talked about so many things and by the end of it they had ended up on a first name basis but thankfully when they had finally arrived at her new lab Khan had excused himself and left them alone and she had slightly wished he hadn't when her father turned to her with that smile she knew all too well. "So you and John hmm?" her father inquired and instantly Mira was shaking her head no, "No definitely not, we're just… partners. I help him, that's all" Mira explained but that smile didn't disappear, in fact it had only grown.
"Didn't seem that way when you two were starring at each other in the hall" Mira again shook her head "I was thanking him, Commander Harrison isn't always kind, it's actually very rare" Mira told him and her father laughed. "I understand the type" he smiled as he walked around the lab, "Mira I'm not going to judge, whatever you do I'm proud. I always will be. Just make sure he's good for you, to you. It's the only thing I've ever asked" the concern and caring parent shining through and Mira nodded.
"Of course but I stand by what I said, I'm not with Harrison and never will be" and she earned herself another laugh that said If you say so. Mira gave up with a sigh before she smiled at her father, "Actually Daddy, I need a favour" she said sweetly and her father shook his head laughing a little "Oh dear, what is it now?" he said raising a brow. "I need you to take care of Puffin while I'm on this assignment".
