Chapter 12- Sneaking Around and Finding the Bridge
Khan watched as Lydia snapped a clip on a phaser and passed them around. "All right. The charger's in place. Don't let it run out," Lydia warned as she handed one of the weapons to Rosen.
"Yes, Ma'am, Princess. Are you sure you really want to do this?" Rosen asked as Lydia handed a phaser to Mr. Scott.
"No. Are you?" Lydia asked as she handed a phaser to Kirk.
"Not really. I'm a scientist, not a weapons specialist," Rosen said as Lydia handed Khan a weapon.
"Do you even know how to shoot, Doctor?" Mr. Scott asked in his heavy Scottish brogue.
"A little. I used to go hunting in Washington State with my dad. Other than an animal, I've never killed anything in my life," Rosen said with a groan.
"Wonderful," Khan heard Lydia mutter under her breath as she checked her own weapon.
"Lydia, what is the setting on these since I've never killed a human before?" Rosen asked.
"They're locked to stun. I'm in no mood to repeat what happened on Kronos," Lydia said.
"Theirs won't be, my daughter," Khan said.
"Try not to get shot," Kirk said cryptically. Khan then took off at a run, the four others following him.
Lydia saw the muscles in her father's back tighten as they walked down the corridor. "They're going to have full power and we're walking?" Mr. Scott asked, slightly out of breath.
"Too dangerous to try using the lifts," Rosen said, holding Lydia's hand tightly.
"The boy's right. The turbolifts are easily tracked and Marcus would have us in a cage," Khan said. "This path runs adjacent to the engine room," Khan stopped in front of a console and pressed a few sequence buttons. "They know they won't be able to use their weapons here without destabilizing the warp core, which gives us the advantage," Khan said, walking away from the console.
"Where did you find this guy?" Mr. Scott asked incredulously.
"It's a long story," Kirk said as they ran down the corridor, following Lydia's father.
"I don't mean to tempt fate here, but where is everybody?" Mr. Scott asked.
"The ship is designed to be flown by minimal crew, one if necessary," Khan said.
"One? I-" Mr. Scott started to say as a man came out and Khan hit him in the stomach, tossed him against the wall, and hit him hard in the face.
"Back up! Back up!" Lydia shouted as more came out and Kirk, Scotty, Rosen, and Lydia followed Khan's example. Out of the corner of her eye, Lydia saw Khan look at her and go down the corridor after his fight.
"You and the kids all right?" Kirk asked, helping Mr. Scott up after knocking out the last one.
"Yeah. Where's Khan?" Mr. Scott asked, looking around.
"I saw Father go down the corridor," Lydia said, slightly winded.
"Where is he?" Mr. Scott asked as they entered a wide area with lockers and computers.
"Great," Kirk muttered as they went between a row of lockers.
"This way," Khan's voice said from behind them. They all turned quickly. Khan stood there, looking maddeningly calm.
"The minute we get to the bridge, drop him," Kirk ordered in a low voice.
"What, stun him? Khan? I thought he was helping us," Mr. Scott said, surprised.
"Knowing my father, I'm pretty sure we're helping him," Lydia said. Sure, she felt guilty turning on her father, but she had seen Khan kill with his bare hands 300 years ago, and she'd just as soon that he didn't. Lydia pulled out her phaser as they reached the upper levels, sirens blaring in her ears and the walls washed in red lights. The lights turned to a blueish-white and the ship powered up. Then they burst through the doors of the bridge, stunning the officers. Out of the corner of her eye, Lydia saw Carol hit one with her arm. Lydia then tightened her grip on her phaser and stunned Khan between his shoulder blades.
"Lydia?" Kirk asked, keeping his phaser trained on Marcus.
"My father will be more forgiving if he knew I was the one who dropped him," Lydia said, touching Khan's neck to feel a pulse.
"Smart girl. You and Scotty make sure he stays down," Kirk ordered.
"Excuse me," Mr. Scott said, moving past Carol.
"Yeah," Carol said in a subdued voice.
"Admiral Marcus, you are under arrest," Kirk said, turning his attention back to Marcus.
"You're not actually going to do this, are you?" Marcus asked skeptically.
"Admiral, get out of the chair," Kirk ordered.
"You better stop and think about what you're doing, Kirk. You and Khan's spawn better think about what you did on Kronos. You made an incursion onto an enemy planet with a dangerous 314-year-old girl! You killed a Klingon patrol. Even if you get away without a trace, war is coming. And who is going to lead us? You? If I'm not in charge, our entire way of life is decimated! So you want me off this ship, you and the girl better kill me," Marcus said. Lydia pointed her phaser right at Marcus's chest.
"Me and Lydia aren't going to kill you, Sir. But we could stun you and drag you out of that chair," Kirk said.
"But we'd rather not do that in front of your daughter," Lydia spoke up, looking at Carol briefly.
"You all right?" Kirk asked Carol.
"Yes, Captain. Jim! Lydia!" Carol screamed suddenly. Lydia turned in time to see Khan get up and knock Mr. Scott and Rosen down. He then tackled Kirk.
"No! Father!" Lydia screamed as he made his way to Marcus.
"Listen! Wait!" Carol protested as Khan tossed her aside and effectively shattered her leg. Carol screamed in pain.
"Father, don't do it!" Lydia screamed as Khan grabbed Marcus by the head.
"You...You should have let me sleep," Khan said hoarsely.
"Father, please don't!" Lydia screamed. A loud crack filled the air and Carol screamed in anguish. Kirk looked stunned as he came to.
