"I should kick you." Monty chuckled as he hugged her, "Now ye know how I feel, lass. Wanna see what we found?" Jim nodded, "Yea." She walked with him to stand next to the deactivated torpedo containing a man. "I…" Bones chuckled, "Never thought I'd see ya speechless, kid." Jim took a breath, "Shut up, Bones. You scared the shit outta me, today. Now, fill me in on this man in a torpedo."
"It's quite clever, actually. This fuel container's been removed from the torpedo and retrofitted to hide this cryo-tube," Carol told her. Jim looked at the sleeping man inside, "Is he alive?" Bones nodded, "He's alive but if we try to revive him without the proper sequencing, it could kill him. This technology is beyond on me." Spock looked at Bones, "How advanced, Doctor?"
"It's not advanced. This cryo-tube is ancient," Carol sighed. Bones glanced at Carol before he looked at Jim, "We haven't needed to freeze anyone since we developed warp capability. Which explains the most interesting thing about our friend here. He's a little over a century old." Jim didn't find that as odd as she should have.
"Did you ever run Harrison's blood?" He nodded, "Yea, I got the results right here." Bones picked up a PADD, "His DNA is like something I've never seen before. I compared it to mine and he's… he's something else. Human but not quite. I injected his platelets into the deceased tissue of that dead tribble over there since his cells regenerate like nothing I've ever seen. Might bring the little thing back if my theory's right." She held out her hand and Bones handed her the PADD. Jim looked at the results, "I know what he is."
"Why is there a man in that torpedo?" Harrison looked at her with cool, calculating eyes, "There are men and women in all those torpedoes, Captain. I put them there." Jim and Spock looked at each other. Jim turned her attention back to their prisoner, "Who the hell are you?" He smirked, "A remnant of a time long past, genetically engineered to be superior, to lead others to peace in a world at war."
"You know, something occurred to me, so I looked up John Harrison. I'm guessing you know that your file is fake." He nodded, "The information in my file was a fiction created by your Admiral Marcus to help him advance his cause." Jim smiled, "Can't go around tellin' people you're an augment since it's all kinds of illegal." Harrison looked up at her with a smile, "Oh, he underestimated you."
"Most people tend to. Like how someone wants the whole Federation to believe that Jonathan Archer just up and died. I'm guessing Marcus ordered you to kill him." Spock looked at her, "Captain?" Harrison nodded, "It wasn't me but I'm not surprised, if Marcus is to succeed, Archer needed to be eliminated."
Jim pushed down the slowly simmering rage. Archer and the NX-01 encountered a group of augments in 2154. He would've known what Harrison and his friends were if they met and he would've tried to figure out how Harrison was brought into Starfleet. She also figured that Archer was the only thing in Marcus' way.
"Why?" Spock asked. Harrison looked at the half-Vulcan, "Alexander Marcus needed to respond to an uncivilized threat in a civilized time, but for that he needed a warrior's mind, my mind, to design weapons and warships." Spock looked at him, "You are suggesting the admiral violated every regulation he vowed to uphold simply because he wanted to exploit your intellect." Jim shook her head, "No, not his intellect. Augments are notoriously savage warriors. That's what Marcus wanted."
"Intellect alone is useless in a fight, Mister Spock. You...you can't even break a rule, how would you be excepted to break bone? Marcus used me to design weapons, to help him realize his vision of a militarized Starfleet." Harrison looked at her, "He sent you to use those weapons, to fire my torpedoes on an unsuspecting planet. The Klingon homeworld. Marcus would finally have the war, he talked about the war, he always wanted."
"So why did you shoot up a room of unarmed Starfleet officers? You killed them in cold blood." He glared at her, "Marcus took my people from me! He used my friends to control me. I tried to smuggle them to safety by concealing them in the very weapons I had designed. When I was discovered, I had no choice but to escape alone. I had every reason to suspect that Marcus had killed every single one of the people I hold most dear. So I responded in kind. My crew is my family, Kirk. Is there anything you would not do for your family?"
Fuck. Jim really didn't want to sympathize with him but she couldn't help feel bad –if only a little- for the man locked in her brig. She sighed, "You hid on Qo'noS because it's the last place that anyone would look for you but my team found the portable beaming device," she paused, "Marcus is gonna kill us, isn't he?" Harrison nodded, "You should already be dead, Captain."
Before she could say anything, Sulu commed from the bridge, "Proximity alert, ma'am. There's a ship at warp heading right for us." She knew it was Marcus coming to find out why she ignored his orders. Jim looked at Harrison, then she turned to Kai, "LT, get him to medical, post six security officers on him." The Orion officer nodded as Jim and Spock raced to the bridge.
Marcus has lost his damn mind.
Jim knew they were close to Earth but not close enough. The big ship knocked them out of warp and started firing on them when Jim refused to turn Harrison over to Marcus. Carol tried to talk some sense into her father but it didn't work and he beamed the weapons expert off the ship. When Marcus ordered them destroyed, Jim's heart sank.
"Sir, my crew was just... was just following my orders. I take... I take full responsibility for my actions, but they were mine, and they were mine alone. If I transmit Harrison's location to you now, all that I ask is that you spare them." She paused, "Please, sir. I'll do anything you want. Just let them live." He looked at her through the screen, "That's a hell of an apology, Kirk. But if it's any conciliation, I was never gonna spare your crew." Marcus cut the communication, ordering his men to fire while he did. Jim could hear her heart beating in her ears as she looked at the men and women on her bridge, "I'm sorry."
Everything she's been through. All the fighting and the bullshit comes down to dying at the hands of one of their own. Jim could understand why he wanted to start a war –and even how he used Harrison- but this… this was not the way to do any of that. She closed her eyes expecting the Enterprise to be attacked and wishing she was in Enginneering with Monty. Then, Sulu spoke up, "Their weapons are powered down, ma'am."
"Enterprise, can you hear me?" The voice over the bridge's comm system was the most beautiful thing she's ever heard, "Mom!" The other woman chuckled, "Guess what I found behind Jupiter?" Jim didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, "You're on that ship!" Winona whispered, "You were right, something's up and now we know what. I'd really like to get outta here, can you beam me over?"
"You're miracle worker! We're... we're a little low on power right now! Just standby! Standby!" Winona chuckled, "Tell Monty to move his ass." She paused, "Oh, shit. I'll call you back." Jim looked at her first officer, "Spock, our ship, how is she?" He stepped closer to her, "Our options are limited, Captain. We cannot fire and we cannot flee."
"There is one option. Uhura, when you get Commander Davis back, patch her through to me." The communications officer nodded, "Yes, ma'am." Jim glanced at Spock, "You have the con, Commander." Jim left the bridge, she didn't realize that Spock was hot on her tail. "Captain, I strongly object." She chuckled, "To What? I haven't said anything."
"Since we cannot take the ship from the outside, the only way we can take it is from within, and as a large boarding party would be detected, it is optimum for you take as fewer members of the crew as possible. You will meet resistance that requires personnel with advanced combat abilities and innate knowledge of that ship. This indicates that you plan to align with Harrison, the very man we were sent here to destroy." He had her there. Jim nodded, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"An Arabic proverb attributed to a prince who was betrayed and decapitated by his own subjects." Jim shrugged, "Can't win 'em all." Spock sighed, "I will go with you, Captain." She shook her head, "I need you here." Spock grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop, "I cannot allow you to do this. It is my function aboard this ship to advise you on making the wisest decisions possible, something I firmly believe you are incapable of doing in this moment."
"You're right! What I'm about to do, it doesn't make any sense, it's not logical, it is a gut feeling!" Jim took a breath, "I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I only know what I can do."
Her mother thought the idea was crazy but agreed to help from her end. Harrison seemed to think that working with her was the lesser of two evils since Marcus was ready to kill all of them and Jim just wanted to stop more people from dying. She was curious about where Marcus found six dozen augments. Maybe she'll ask later.
If she thought Spock was mad at her, Bones and Monty were outright pissed. Bones attempted to talk her out of it when she went to medical to get Harrison. Monty stared at her as she suited up, "If ye die on me, lass, I'm gonna kick yer skinny arse." Jim looked at him, "You're not gonna try to talk me outta this?" Monty chuckled, "Ha, I know better. Once ye set yer mind ta somethin', there's no talkin' ya out of it. Besides, Commander Davis is over there and I know that ye would cut off yer limbs before you left her anywhere. Just be careful."
"Welcome aboard." Jim groaned as she looked at her mother, "It's good to see you, Commander." Winona nodded, "You too, Captain. Who is this?" Jim chuckled, "Harrison, Davis. Davis, Harrison." Her mother looked at the man with cautious eyes; and people think she gets that from her father. Harrison looked around, "They'll know we're here. I know the best way to the bridge."
They pulled off their suits, grabbed their phasers and made their way through the massive ship. "They're gonna have full power and we're walking, Jim." She nodded, "The turbolifts are easily tracked and Marcus would have us in a cage. I'm assuming that we're taking this path near the main engine so that they won't be able to use their weapons here without destabilizing the warp core, which gives us the advantage."
"God, you sound like Chris," Winona chuckled. Jim smirked, "I'm taking that as a compliment." The trio lapsed back into silenced as they continued to trek through the large Engineering area. Scotty would be in heaven in this place. She could practically see him taking things apart to see how they worked and figuring out how to add them to the Enterprise. Her mother would be right next to him. Maybe when they stop Marcus the brass will let them take a look. What struck Jim was how empty the place was. "Not to tempt fate here, but where is everybody?"
"The ship is designed to be controlled by minimal crew, one if necessary," Harrison answered. Before Jim or Winona could say anything, a guard, attacked them. Harrison dropped the guy like a rock as more of his friends showed up. Jim and Winona joined the fight and the younger woman smirked at the fact that some of these men got their ass kicked by her mother. "You alright?" Winona nodded, "Yeah." Harrison looked at them, "This way."
They got to the bridge faster than she thought they would. Jim could hear the officers reporting to Marcus. "Power coming online, sir." The admiral sounded more like a jerk in person, "Re-target the Enterprise, now." She shared a look with her mother before the three of them rounded the corner, shooting.
Jim glanced at Carol as she hit one of Marcus' people in the face. Jim stood in front of the command chair, "Admiral Marcus, you're under arrest." He glared at her, "You're not actually gonna do this, are you?" Jim looked in his eyes, "Admiral, get out of the chair."
"You better stop and think about what you're doing, Kirk. You teamed up with a terrorist. You had better think about what you did on Qo'noS. You made an incursion onto an enemy planet and you killed a Klingon patrol. Even if you got away without a trace, war is coming! And who is gonna lead us? You! if I'm not in charge, our entire way of life is decimated! So you want me off this ship, you better kill me." Jim sighed, "I'm not gonna kill you, sir. But I could stun your ass and drag you out of that chair. I'd rather not do that in front of your daughter." She looked over at Carol, "You alright, doc?" Carol nodded, "Yes, Captain."
Harrison picked that moment to switch sides. Jim barely registered her mother calling her name before she got tossed across the room. The next thing she knew, her mother dropped next to her, blood dripping from her head. Jim was fading but she heard Harrison talk to Marcus, "You should've left us alone!" She didn't have to see it to know that the admiral was just killed by Harrison's bare hands.