I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations

Khan and Essex left the main path in the light of the high moon. Only a trained eye, would have seen the ruffled foliage, leading to a man-made path in the night. Khan knew this was there Safiya, and possibly Ren, had left the main road.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Essex breathed, unsure of this new dark world around him.

"Of course. There are no other things here that can break the foliage so high." He observed a branch near his shoulder that had indeed in snapped back, hanging limply from a few strands of wick. It would be difficult to keep up with the path. "Keep your eyes up and follow me." He commanded. Essex nodded in understanding as Khan kept his gaze on the ground. Wherever this little goat path led them, he followed, taking care to take note of any side paths that led off of it.

"Shit!" Essex snapped, catching Khans attention.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I just got, struck by something, a bird I think. It's gone now, it just startled me." He explained, rubbing the side of his head, embarrassed that he had been so easily startled in the presence of this commander.

"Gather your nerve, and keep up." Khan gritted, as he continued on the path. As the moon fell lower in the sky, they came to a stop. Before them, Khan looked at a field of tall grass. He growled angrily. "We'll have to stop for now." He glared.

"Can we not find the way through the fields?" Essex raised a brow.

"It is not so much finding our way, but what else may lurk in the grass. I'll climb the tree over there, and see if I can see how far this grassland spans." Khan sighed. He would, of course, have to wait until the light of morning to get a good look at the broken stalks, and the fine path still visible through the tops of the grass.

Essex sat quietly at the base of the wide trunk of the deciduous tree, crossing his ankles, and resting his head back. Khan sat on the fork of a wide branch, perched silently like a bird of prey. In his ears, Rens words resonated, as they had the day before when he first spoke them. That was all he could think of as he waited for the break of day. The air was cool, his breath coming out like wisps of smoke from a smoldering fire.

It was hours before the skies began to lighten. In the west, the sun began to rise, a faint greenish yellow band on the horizon, creeping over a range of mountains. When the first beams of bright orange sunlight hit the tree Khan sat in, was when he was finally able to make out a slim trail. The green grass swayed in the light breeze, but no other movement was detected. It went on for miles it seemed, but they were fortunate to be near to one side of the tallest grasses. To the north before them, the plain went as far as he could see. To the west, the way they were headed that previous evening, only about a couple of miles of grasslands lay before them before it appeared to shorten among rolling hills and short bushes. The path seemed to go into the field about a quarter mile before turning right towards the grassy knolls.

"Essex, wake yourself. I've found our way." Khan landed beside the resting man, though to Khan he was still a bit of a boy in many ways. Essex woke with a start, shaking his head, scrambling to his feet. They both took a few moments to stretch, and eat a small bit of jerky they had brought with them, and continued. Khan of course, leading the way. The thing that concerned him most, was how to track her through the hills. There would be no broken foliage to follow, or trampled grass to easily follow. Essex was able to pick on this concern, but spoke nothing of it, for fear that questioning Khans tracking abilities would end in him being beaten down.

Safiya trekked up through a narrow stony pass. From where she was, she could see the forest below her, and beyond that, the expansive grasslands. She sighed, enjoying the view. If she had a camera of any sort on her, she would definitely have captured the image. On the other side of the pass, she would be met by more trees, a river, and then she would come across a canyon. It was in that canyon, where her prize awaited her.

She let her hair down, shaking it out, her strands thanking her for releasing the tight grip the ponytail had held on them. Readjusting the strap of her medium pack across her chest, she moved on. Though the path was a bit difficult in some places, it was the only way through without having to go around for miles. Some small rocks crunched under her foot as she walked forward. The world around her was silent, as the musical birds were all below her. The only thing she had, was the drive to be away from Khan.

It was a painful revelation she was forcing herself to make. That he perhaps had no love for her. She was a woman. One who would satisfy his carnal needs, but she needed more than just that. She wanted someone who loved her. Not someone who just kept her around for physical pleasure. Her tears began to well up once more, hating the thoughts she couldn't get from her mind. One side of her said that perhaps he did love her. He did, after all, tell her that he did. Why would he lie to her? But on the other hand, she wondered, was it perhaps just empty words? He was a man set to die. Perhaps that last ditch attempt to get her to save him by convincing her that he returned her feelings. The thought of the trickery broke her, but she had to convince herself that he in fact never loved her. That he had only been using her to achieve his own ends. 'It will be easier this way.' She convinced herself, as she kept driving forth.

At the top of the ridge, she looked back over her shoulder. With luck on her side, it would be the last time she would take that view. She never wanted to see it again, because she knew to where it led. Turning her back to her past, she looked ahead. A cut in the trees told her where the river ran, and somewhere beyond that, was the canyon, difficult to detect even at this altitude. With care, she started down the ridge. By that evening, she had arrived at the mouth of the canyon, a narrow path leading downwards, no doubt cut out by the crew whose ship was left intact at the bottom.

Small sticks of bushes stuck out from the rocks, growing in what little nourishment was provided in that land. They were sparse, but managed to survive in the minimal soil. She looked around, it looked the same way as when she was here days ago. At least that meant that no others had happened among here. Of course, she had no knowledge of any other humanoid indigenous species, so it was entirely possible, in her mind, that someone or something may have crossed through there.

She opened the door to the craft, which slid open in a gritty scraping sound. The craft was nowhere near the size of the Enterprise, or even the Bradbury 2, which she hoped was still in orbit around the planet somewhere. It was more likely that the ship had been spotted, and seized by some passing ship, or band of thugs. Which would be no great loss to her, as it cost her nothing but a few lies to obtain it. This vessel was large enough for perhaps a forty man crew. It wasn't elaborate or intricate, but it would get the job done, if she were able to restore it properly. But not tonight. Tonight, she made for what she perceived to be the captains quarters. The room was the largest, and more importantly, the bed was the largest. Being unoccupied, the linens were clean, and the pillows fluffed. It wasn't like her room at the temple, but it was better than sleeping outside under the trees on the hard ground, or in the trees on the hard wood. She found some clothes to change into, and crawled into bed, holding her pack tightly to her chest before nodding off to sleep.

Ren had been Safiyas trail. He knew by now that some search party was on their way to follow, so he made sure to leave small, but noticeable signs for them to follow. Snapping some branches, tromping down more grass than he needed to in order to leave a trail. He was not sure what was out there in those lands, and should he or Safiya not return, they would at least hopefully know where to look.

From atop the ridge, he just barely saw her slip into the ground, so it had seemed. But he knew he had seen her. No doubt it was her. Ren quickened his pace, taking less care to slip down towards the forest. The dimming light slowed him down through the trees until only moonlight filtered in through the leaves. He walked at a slow pace, staying on guard, making sure to break and snap what branches he could with little noise. The rushing river approaching gave him hope. No doubt it was midnight, and he was tired, but determined to find Safiya. Either she would continue to roam the wilds until she settled on her own, or she would return and face Khans anger with grace. It wouldn't surprise him if she did the former, though it was the latter he prayed for.

He stood at the rocky rivers edge. His boots were muddy from the wet sticky soil that he had to cross before he got to the smooth river rocks that lined the waters edge. No doubt, he imagined, that the river was shrunken at this time of the year. Ren looked up and down, his shadow cast in the bright moonlight, but he could make out no bridges. 'She must have swam.' He shook his head and waded into the river. It was difficult, even for him to cross, as the current tried to take him away from where he saw Safiya, but he finally managed it to the other bank.

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me." He let his head fall to the side. There, a small but useful raft was dragged up onto the shore, a vine rope tying it to a nearby deep rooted tree. Here, he was soaking wet, and she was probably good and well dry. He shook the water from his hair, and took a moment to recover before heading off away from the river. The wood on this side of the river was not as dense as the wood on the other side, for which he was thankful. It let more light filter down to the ground, lighting his way.

In the open, the moonlight was nearly as good as the sun, especially to his trained eyes. A dark chasm seemed to open up before him. A black chasm that was far too wide to cross over. So Ren sat at the edge. He waited for the dawn to come so he could better see what it was that he was up against. But Ren didn't have to wait for dawn, for as the moon crept silently across the sky, it eventually illuminated the chasm that hindered his progress. Far below him, the moonlight was reflected off of a large silver vessel. 'What's what she's looking for.' He realized. A narrow path shone right below him, as he jumped down fifty feet to the path below, and followed it ever downward to where he knew she was.

She slept with mixed difficulty. Sometimes she became restless, other times she slept soundly. Her dreams lulled her, and haunted her at once. The heavy footsteps that echoed in the hallway woke her. Perhaps it was just another part of another dream, but her gut told her to stop being silly. She crawled into the bathroom on soft feet, hoping to go unnoticed by whatever it was that had intruded on her. She slowed her breath, as the door to the room slid open. In the dark, it was hard to make out anything, but she did know that it was alone. Perhaps, with that much, she would either be able to sneak by, or defend herself. Or perhaps it was just go away. She shifted, her bag held close to her chest. The flap loosened, and out fell a small screwdriver, landing with a clank that was deafening in the silence. The heavy steps made their way quickly to the bathroom. Safiyas heart raced, as she knew she was cornered. There was no way to go from here, but to her fate.

She could hear the blood rushing in her ears, almost too loud to hear her name being called. It wasn't until a dim light flicked on, and there before her shivering body, stood Ren.

"Safiya, what is wrong with you?" He kneeled down, taking her hand, her shaking form letting out the largest sigh.

"I was unaware I was being tracked. I did not expect you. Who knows what wanders this world." Her voice quivered as she tried to recover, her adrenaline running off the charts. She had become to lax.

"You are well now. Do not worry." He helped her up, before picking up the culprit, and handing it to her. "Noisy things. What has you out here anyways?" He eyed her.

"I imagine it is no concern of yours." She blushed, not wanting to let him know what she planned. She pushed passed him into the main room.

"Are you attempting to leave?" He raised a brow.

"Would it matter if I did?" She turned her head over her shoulder, as she set her pack down on the bed, opening it to replace the screwdriver in its proper place.

"Yes. It would matter. To us." He moved towards her.

"No, I have nothing here, Ren. I'm better off elsewhere." She sighed.

"Khan is not the only one who loves you here." He spoke strongly, resting a hand on her cheek, turning her to face him. "There are others, who would hurt to see you depart." His eyes held hers, a unspoken plea in them.

"But I can not stay. Ren, I can not remain with him any longer." She choked up, finally verbalizing what she had been thinking. It was harder to hear than she though, and from her own lips to speak.

"And where would you go Safiya?!" Ren raised his voice sharply making her jump. It sounded louder in the enclosed room. "To the wilds? Try to make it on your own in a world you know NOTHING of?! Where?!" He demanded an answer.

"ANYWHERE REN! Anywhere! As long as it isn't with him! Can't you see? If I tell him it is better to be with another that he would love, then he would surely lock me away so I can tell no one where he is. So I may not reveal his secrets. I would spend eternity in a cryo tube and I can not let that be my fate!" She pounded her fist on the wall.

"And who would he go to? He chose you for a reason, Safiya." His voice settled again.

"He chose me when he needed me. I am of no use to him now, and so there is no reason for me to linger like the nuisance he sees me as. Do not try to change my mind, for it is set." She slumped to the floor, her elbows on her knees, her feet apart, her head held low.

"I will not attempt to change your mind. If this is what you wish, then I will not stop you. If I am right to assume, you are going to try to contact Star Fleet?" He looked around, his hands behind his back. She looked up to him, tears still in her eyes.

"Then I suppose I will help in what little way I can. I cannot guarantee we will be alone for much longer, who knows if or when Khan will send out someone to search for you, so we will have to work quickly." Ren gave a curt nod, leaving her to try to process what had just taken place.