Chapter 14

Nova was holding Sara's hand as she finally opened her eyes, feeling her sister's presence. The Doctor's still so distant from her. Memories came back to Sara in a flurry when she glanced at the medbay to see two other augments who were working at various pieces of equipment and discreetly observing her.

"I did something stupid, didn't I?" Sara asked Nova softly who looked at her sister with a rush of tears in her eyes.

"Good thing you happen to be self-healing and Khan's blood helped or I would be angrier than I already am." Nova looked at Sara who was grimacing. "Oh, not at you sweetie. It's just with Khan, I feel like I'm talking at times to a wall…"

Sara could feel Nova's sense of principled anger as well as her mind dancing on the A.I. that TARDIS housed. "Like a strange variation of Skynet?" Sara guessed.

Nova cracked a smile. "I guess so."

Another augment walked in, pausing to pick up a piece of medical equipment as he neared Sara, who cringed briefly. "We haven't met." He started. "My name is Otto. I'm the Chief Medical Officer and fourth in command."

"Fourth in command." Sara repeated dully. "When do you earn a promotion?"

"It is the order in which our family operates. Rodriguez is third. Joaquin is second." He explained. "Khan has designated you to be on suicide watch until such time he sees that you are mentally stable and no longer a harm to yourself." He ran a scan and briefly nodded. "The aspirin appears to have cleared your system. I will take a blood sample to confirm."

"No, you won't." Sara said, feeling a low sense of fury.

"It is required." Otto answered.

"My sister told you no." Nova came to her defense. "Is this how you repay someone who helped save members of your crew?"

"I merely need to take one to ensure her wellbeing and have it on profile." He looked at Nova. "One from you is also necessary." Otto was strictly thinking about medical efficiency and his orders. He was told how important these two girls had been. Of course, Joaquin and three of his crewmembers were a living testament. Scans had been conducted when the girls first came onboard willingly. Several augments were now in the midst of studying this, especially their bond to find a way for their leader to take over the role as the 'father' figure the two needed. They were far too valuable to simply be released.

Sara in the interim had gotten up in panic, dizzied by the use of sedatives lingering in her system. She barely dodged the other augment as she ran to the door only to nearly run headlong into Khan who had been summoned the moment Sara had awoken.

He looked at her appraisingly and glanced at Nova. "I believe we all need to talk."

"I still require samples of their blood to have on file." Otto told him.

"No." Sara told him. "You have no right to ask this of us."

"You and Nova are under my protection and part of my family. Therefore my responsibility. In that way-"

"Oh, in that way, you can justify it?" She looked back at her sister. "Taking us from our father? Then this?" Her mind was going so fast, she hardly knew what she was saying. All the emotions bubbling through to the surface. "Is this how it starts?" Sara asked simply. "Taking our blood. You were experimented on by Marcus so in turn you experiment on us?" She posed. "Is that how it will be?" She simply stared at him. "You should be better than that. Better than Marcus." Sara looked at him brokenly. "I wanted you to be good." Tears came to her eyes. She didn't know what anyone really was in their true nature anymore and that terrified her at the prospect here. That teeming conflict inside her.

It's my fault. She thought listlessly to Nova. He saw me heal you….the thoughts I had about Marcus….did we do this to him? She wasn't sure what else it could be that would cause someone to try to keep her away from her family.

Nova's eyes widened and she shook her head violently. "No! This is not your fault. He is not your fault." She encased her sister in a loving hug and kissed her forehead. "Focus on me, sweetie. Don't think about him. Focus on me. Remember when we first met? Hmmm? Remember?" she felt Sara nod. "How you met Skynet? He was so silly then." She heard the brunette laugh against her chest. "There you go. See? We made Skynet so much better. He's a good person now. A good son." She made Sara look into her eyes. "This is not your fault, sweetie. It's not. Okay?" Sara nodded again. "Good girl. Why don't you go back to sleep, okay? Get some real rest instead of that sedative crap. I'll watch over you. I won't let anything happen."

She tucked Sara into a medical bed, basically ignoring all the augments in the room until Sara was asleep for real. Then her periwinkle eyes, cold as ice, looked up into their own. "If you touch one hair on her head, I will make you have nightmares for the rest of your existence."

Khan raised his eyebrows at the threat. It was a decent one, and she looked fully capable of dealing it out. "We do need a blood sample for your baseline."

Nova gave a smile, but it wasn't a nice smile by any stretch of the imagination. "You can take a blood sample…when you force it. Which means you would have to touch me." She grinned. "You want a repeat of what I did to Marcus? Or Kati? Because I can. You should be quite proud of yourself, Khan. You have made me into a new person. I never thought I would do these kinds of things…but Lord have you taught me what I am willing to do for my family. Including my own mental stability because God knows that I do not need your sexual exploits in my head."

Now Khan's eyebrows had reached his hairline. She had gotten more from his mind than he had thought. One touch had done that. What was this small girl capable of? He needed her on his side. "What will it take to have you trust me?" Needed her in his family.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "Nothing you would do."

"Try me."

"Set us free back on Earth. Let us go back to our own home with the Doctor in the TARDIS. Back to our own universe and dimension. You leave us alone."

"You are correct. I am not willing to do such. Sara has proven that she needs care. More than you can give her, after the aspirin incident. While you seem to be doing adequately, I have indeed noticed a change in your behavior I find disturbing. You both do seem to need this paternal telepathic bond. If you would just accept me, then—"

Nova threw up her hands in exasperation. "This again? Is your hearing broken? We are not going to consent to you being our father. It isn't going to happen. Give UP!" she yelled.

Khan tilted his head to the side. That was the second time she had mentioned consent. "Is consent needed?" he asked softly. No matter what her answer or reaction, it would tell him the truth.

Nova blinked at the odd change of subject until the question registered. She gave him a twisted smile. "Yes, Khan. You need consent. You are never going to get it."

Joaquin said from the doorway, "There are other ways." It was the second time that he had said that phrase. She really didn't like it.

"Good luck finding one. We are Time Lords. Any drug you can think of will not give you the result you are looking for, if you were thinking of that route. Mind-control doesn't work on telepaths. And Stockholm Syndrome would take too long." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Now, go away. All of you. I am sick and tired of saying the same thing over and over again." She settled into a chair beside Sara's bed and leaned back.

Khan just watched her, intrigued and inspired. With her knowledge of augments through him, and his lack of knowledge of Time Lords, she could well be right in her assumptions. He stepped out of the room, gesturing for all of the augments save for Otto to join him. When the door closed, he looked at Joaquin, "Get more people on researching that bond they share. They will never trust me without it."

His second in command bowed slightly at the neck and went to do his bidding.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

There are other ways. Joaquin mused, feeling confident. He had been conducting a great deal of research on the matter since Sara and Nova were onboard. Nova as a telepath might feel confident that their barrier could not be crossed but she was not the only telepathic species he had come across. He knew about Vulcans. Had been studying their techniques and relaying what he learned to Khan. Also he determined a high level of activity in the right posterior cortical and hippocampal regions.

He studied Sara's blood that they had drawn while she had been unconscious. Amazing. He thought, watching the additional particles in her cells fluctuate. Renewing themselves. Infinite lifespan given no unforeseen circumstances. His own medical scanner jostled near his arm as he took a reading of himself although his eyes widened regardless of the small error. Some of her energy was in him. Asserting itself among his cells. Renewing them. He drew a breath inwardly. This meant…he came to a ready conclusion with the data presented before him. Any human or augment she fully healed in the way she did him would mimic her potential life span and not progressively age. He pulled up Nova's reading. Yes, she had it too. Of course, Sara had told Khan herself that she healed Nova as best she could. Best she could…Joaquin shook his head with a small hint of a smile. She might be emotional and volatile but deep down, he rather enjoyed it. It was far more entertaining to see a woman with that kind of spirit. Once she was better, perhaps….

But now wasn't the time. Khan needed this information and he was determined to be the paternal figure these girls needed. Khan had just entered the room where Joaquin had put together data.

"Have you made any discoveries?" Khan asked him and Joaquin nodded.

"There are two options to adjust your mind for telepathic contact so that entering the bond may prove feasible." Joaquin stipulated. "But there is something you should know about Sara."

"Go ahead." Khan permitted and his eyes widened briefly as Joaquin went over the results.

"She has the potential to lengthen all our lifespans." He mused and Joaquin concurred.

"They would be linked to Sara as long as she is alive. Nova, myself and two others have already been linked to her through this affect." Joaquin explained and Khan smiled.

"How auspicious." Khan noted. "But her mental health deteriorates. I am concerned Nova will follow the same pattern." He paused. "I need to be instituted as the father in that bond sooner than later."

"We have samplings of negative energy from the Galactic Barrier, which can activate your telepathic ability. We have also isolated the particles in Sara's blood stream, which could provide the same."

"And if neither consent?" Khan would prefer their agreement but he couldn't allow continual deterioration that might result in either of their deaths. That was unacceptable. They were both too unique and had so much to offer. His thoughts went to Nova and what she was able to garner from his mind.

"A telepathic bond connects the two. If you are able to enter the mind of one into their psychic core, it could constitute a transfer of the whole." Joaquin paused. "I would not suggest performing this on Nova, considering her ability as a telepath. She would form barriers to prevent such an intrusion into her own mind." He inhaled deeply. "That leaves Sara who you stated before has not had telepathic training so far despite her probable potential. She would have no defenses for the task."

"Proceed with the adjustment. I'll use the particles you extracted from Sara's blood work." Khan told him. "I will proceed to ask them again for their compliance in transferring the bond to me of their own accord." He nodded. "It's what I would prefer."

"You must do what is necessary for family in the end." Joaquin told him and Khan looked at the man to whom he called a brother.

"Indeed; we all do."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara finally woke up to see Nova lightly dozing in a chair next to her bed just holding her hand. She grimaced. Nova looked really uncomfortable from that prolonged posture. "Nova," Sara whispered. "Nova…"

Nova's eyes flew open to meet Sara's. "What happened?" She glanced around the room to see if anyone dared approach them. "Who…?"

"No one. It's just, you look pretty uncomfortable and there's a bed right next to mine if you still want to stay here." She paused. "How long was I asleep?"

"Oh," Nova rubbed her neck. "A good six hours maybe, including the hour I dozed off." She struggled to offer her sister a smile and Sara just squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry. It just hurts not having him here." Sara told Nova. "I dreamt about him. About Kyle. About Skynet. We were all having breakfast together….I was arguing with you about drinking chamomile tea in the morning. Tried to convince you to drink something else. It didn't work."

"You know me too well." Nova swallowed as tears also came to her eyes. She missed them so much now but she knew the Doctor would never stop looking for them. One day she would see them again. He would come for them. He just had too. She only hoped Kyle and Skynet were in one piece when they did.

"What you saw about Khan….about his family….he killed Marcus but…." Sara hesitated. "Marcus was insane. A psychopath to do everything he did, right?" She inhaled deeply. "I mean, I thought…you know what I thought to do to him…"

"But you didn't." Nova said to her.

"Sure. Not to him. To people who didn't deserve it." Sara muttered bitterly. "John Connor and trillions of others didn't deserve it."

"I know they didn't but we made a choice. We made it together and Sara, John Connor agreed. He helped us. He was willing to give everything to stop the war." She suddenly realized why Sara had been so desperate to intercede and wanted to save Khan. Khan and his people. She thought. John Connor and the resistance. The allusion was clear. Sara was grieving John Connor's sacrifice and made the act of psychological transference in her mind since Khan shared certain qualities. Nova grimaced thinking over the memories she had picked up from touching Khan. In a sense, he managed to prevent a war from becoming even worse. He even ruled Asia and India with a certain firm benevolence. But wars had casualties and she knew Khan had committed acts of violence and aggression. A good man as Sara had pleaded with him to be, he was not. What could she tell her sister? She didn't want to lie to her and at this point considering what Khan had done and Sara's attempt, she wasn't going to attempt to contrive a form of deceit.

Nova paused in thought. "We did stop Marcus." She spoke in terms of logic. "I know what was in his mind Sara. We did stop a war between that Earth, several other planets and the Klingons. So many people would have died." She knew that was what Marcus wanted, would have killed others to achieve it including that poor innocent human crew he intended to use as an instigating source.

"I suppose so." Sara only answered despondently. The two girls suddenly froze as Khan entered with Joaquin, the medical crew not far away.

"We are still not giving you a blood sample." Nova said fiercely.

Khan looked undeterred by her expression. "You both expressed a need for family. That is what I'm offering. Considering your mental faculties and possible deterioration, I think and suggest it to be wise to consent to engage me as your father in your telepathic bond."

Sara looked at him aghast and then looked to her sister. "What the hell…?" She started at the same time Nova shook her head.

"We both have a father and he will not stop looking for us. He's our family." Nova once again repeated. "Do I need to spell it out or write it down to make it plainer? You will NEVER get our consent to bond with you. That's just not going to happen." Her voice was utterly cold.

Khan turned to look at Sara who was suddenly struck by what he was doing. "What? You think that if Nova says no, I'll say yes?" She asked. "Is this your way of repaying what we did? You told us you would help only until he came for us. What happened to that offer?" Sara demanded.

"Circumstances changed when I decided to make you members of my family and put you both under my protection."

"Then, we refuse." Sara refuted.

"Sara, you both are what you are." Joaquin inserted smoothly. "Our family. That cannot change regardless of your current disinclination. We will strengthen and-"

"I don't CARE!" the brunette shrieked. "We won't be members and so you can take your requests for consent, for our blood and shove it up your ass! You get that? Do you understand?"

A degree of silence fell over the room as a decision seemed to be made. Khan gestured and an unknown, as before unseen augment stepped forward with a gun and aimed it at Nova. Before either girl could react more than widening their eyes in surprise, he fired. A tranquilizer dart embedded itself in the telepath's arm.

Nova looked down at the red fluffy puffball and yanked it out. She blinked slowly in confusion before her legs folded out from under her and she collapsed. While it hadn't worked completely, she could still feel and see, everything was hazy and the world was odd. "What the hell?" she whispered. Any drugs they came across shouldn't have done this.

Khan's voice echoed in her ears, "We tailored this substance to your biology. The sample we took when you both were unconscious. I apologize for the subterfuge, but it is in your own best interests. Your mental health is just as important as your physical and emotional health. It is my responsibility to provide for you both…even if you don't wish it."

Nova shook her head, her mind so slow. She could barely think straight, much less anything else. "Noooo…don't…" That was the last thought in her mind before she was hit with a second dart and the world went black.

Sara immediately ran to her fallen friend, glaring at the augments. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shook her head as she put her arms around Nova. "There's no point! Don't you get that? Nova has barriers to protect her mind even when she is unconscious so you've gained nothing but just further pissing us both off, especially her!"

"Haven't I?" Khan asked as Sara was suddenly gripped by the two augments who worked the medical room and dragged away from Nova before she was restrained onto the medical bed. She flailed frantically as Khan approached her while Joaquin proceeded to where Nova had fallen, gently lifting her to place her on a medical bed beside Sara's.

"You're quite correct. Trying to enter Nova's mind might be a tiresome exercise with her defenses intact but Sara, as remarkable as your abilities are, you do not have those barriers. A simple task really. My mind has been adapted with a solution composed of your time energy particles and I have taken to practice prior to this necessary procedure." He spoke in matter of fact terms as Sara's eyes widened.

"No," She begged. She suddenly knew what he was going to do and to her this was a theft. They had consented to when the Doctor transferred the bond but the first time it was initialized they had not. She remembered how much better it felt when the Doctor, their Doctor had taken it. How they had felt no pain. She struggled hard as Khan started to press his hands over her temples, attempting to keep his voice soothing.

"Sara," He said calmly, just able to send soothing emotions into her mind. "Just relax. If you don't resist, the transition will be smoother."

"Please…." Her voice trailed and broke as she started to cry. She could feel him already enter her mind and she couldn't rid herself of his presence. She just didn't know how. Memories surged into her mind. A seeming mixture. His. Hers. She saw everything. The eugenics war. Ruling the earth. The laws they instilled. How they were eventually overthrown and eighty four of them escaped in cryogenic stasis on the Botany Bay. Glimpses of Khan and Joaquin as children. An oath they took of brotherhood. Then she saw and experienced each moment of his experimentation. The agony he suffered. She started to scream in response to his pain.

Immediately, Khan realized what his memories were doing so instead he focused on his delight when he escaped Marcus and his custody upon seeing both Sara and Nova. Simple memories, he reflected to her. Enjoying a cup of tea as the three of them talked. Sara started to settle down by measure as he entered the core of her mind where the bond was kept. Before, he had seen memories of Sara's life flash before his eyes just as surely as she had seen his. Now as his mind grasped hold onto the golden cord that was representative of their bond, latching it to him gently, granting him paternity, did he see both their memories, feel their minds resonate against him. Since the man they called a father was too far distant or otherwise in another reality, this task, while working through Sara's mind as a receiver was simple to mitigate.

The procedure done, he felt pleased as he worked to gently extract himself from Sara's mind whom finally under the duress of the assault of the tidal wave of his memories had given way to unconsciousness. He ha no wish to damage her mind however so he carefully removed himself before he finally opened his eyes, removing his hands from her temples. The feeling was immeasurable. He now had two daughters through this telepathic adoption procedure but their minds he could feel with fervency and he now felt with even more keen interest to protect them from any possible threat that might come their way. He looked at them both with tenderness, brushing a strand of hair away from Sara's forehead in a fatherly gesture, seeing the tears that had dried on her cheeks, before pulling up the blanket to cover her.

It was regrettable that they didn't give him consent as he turned to Nova who lay there curled on the other bed, feeling her mind equally in his as both their memories flashed through him. He knew exactly what the first Doctor had done and it filled him with a bitter reproach, while he took to covering his other daughter with a blanket, taking a look at her drug induced relaxed features as he brushed a few strands of red hair that had gone astray behind her ear.

There was still work to be done. Perhaps he had succeeded in taking hold of the blood and the two might start to stabilize but he knew neither would be happy initially upon waking to realize what occurred. Sara might prove to be a challenge considering her volatile nature. Nova was more temperate given her natural inclination towards empathy.

A discussion would be warranted when they both awakened. He glanced at the readings equally, which connected Sara's lifespan to other members of his crew and to Nova herself. Yes, that discussion was also necessary. He was telepathically their father now and wouldn't any daughter wish to extend the life of their own father?

However, he would be certain that no reckless attempts at self-harm would be attempted again. He would always be able to sense it.

Nova slowly opened her eyes, blearily blinking into the light. "Doctor?" she asked, feeling that paternal bond deep in her mind thrum with sensation. It was comforting and helped her feel safe, secure. Somehow he had found them…

"I'm afraid not," Khan's voice came from almost right beside her.

She jerked back, staring at him with wide eyes…and realized that the bond in her mind was shining and so bright because the source was touching her. "Oh my God…what have you done?" she whispered in horror. The dots connecting, but creating a picture she didn't want.

"You stated, several times, that you and your sister needed a parental telepathic bond to help your minds acclimate. It is my job to provide for my people. Including you." He stated simply, staring at her with gentle eyes. If she didn't know any better, she would say they held care and consideration. However, she knew better.

"But we aren't yours! We've said it so many times…and yet…I can feel you…" a tear slipped down her face. "…how will the Doctor find us now? You don't know what you've done." Her shoulders slumped and she curled up on the bed, her fight gone in the face of his deed. It seemed hopeless. Their father would forget about them…Skynet and the TARDIS and Kyle…they would all forget…

"Oh little one, it will be alright. I will make it so." Khan's voice tried to sooth her, along with rubbing circles into her back. It only made her cry harder.