Once I made my presence known on the bridge Spock gave me a cordial enough welcome with a polite observation that I'd returned and that I was needed for the present situation—I hadn't expect hugs and kisses anyway. Uhura looked relieved that I was back and I patted her shoulder as I passed by her station.
I remember when I'd first arrived I'd found her distant and rather annoying but now that things between her and Spock had cooled—not frozen but cooled—and she wasn't as keen on hating every other female Spock happened to talk to, I found Uhura to be relatively pleasant. Or at least I hoped I would if the emergencies would stop occurring around here and we could settle back into a relatively normal routine again.
"Ensign Dehner is on her way here." Spock interrupted my wandering thoughts as he turned away from his station and faced me again.
I frowned, "She's an ensign?" That wasn't the same, but I supposed that should've been expected considering this time line liked to make itself different in near every way. "Was she exposed to the power fluctuation near the barrier?"
"No," Spock shook his head, "she reported that she was unaffected by the power fluctuation and has not suffered any side effects such as what Gary Mitchell did after we retreated from the barrier."
"Damn." I nibbled on my lower lip as we waited for the girl to get here. If she hadn't been exposed then that meant she had the latent abilities but needed the boost to acquire them. I knew that my plan was not going to be liked by anyone but if we wanted to have any sort of edge on Mitchell it'd have to be done. As it was, I was surprised Mitchell hadn't come back to the Enterprise via his neat new tricks. Perhaps Kirk was entertaining him enough for the time being; though I knew that wouldn't last for much longer-Kirk would soon be a squashed bug to Mitchell undoubtedly. The turbo lift opened and a tall, lanky blonde stepped through. I remembered she'd been pretty from the episode but I'd forgotten how much so. "Ensign Dehner?"
She nodded, "Reporting to the bridge as ordered." Her voice was husky and even I found it alluring as a female. How was she not in the line of fire from Kirk? Surely rank wasn't stopping him!
"Spock," I turned towards him after I waved Dehner closer, "I'm afraid we're going to have to take a risk."
Spock raised an eyebrow, "I could point out the obvious fact that this would not be a new occurrence given your past leadership tendencies."
"You could, but you don't need to." I finished for him with a smile. "Elizabeth Dehner's ESP scores are much higher than anyone else in the crew, aside from Gary Mitchell. We already know what the power fluctuation from the barrier did to him. A similar exposure would render Ensign Dehner with the same capabilities."
"Are you suggesting we purposefully return to the barrier in order to subject this woman to the same power fluctuation so that she can also turn into an all powerful being such as Gary Mitchell?" Khan sounded more amused than shocked and I appreciated his sense of irony, though he hadn't come out and stated it in such a way.
I smiled, "Yes?" Khan seemed relatively impressed by heartlessness and were he given to physical demonstrations he'd most likely have patted my shoulder in support.
Dehner looked keenly uncomfortable and I realized she'd no idea about her ESP scores, no idea on who or what Gary Mitchell was and had become-other than that he'd had the ability to hold the entire crew hostage-and most likely the idea of being exposed to anything dangerous so that she could evolve into something else sounded downright horrid. I looked to Spock to make the final decision; Dehner's fears could be dealt with in due time.
Yes, I knew I was asking for Dehner to sacrifice her humanity for the sake of the crew-and perhaps she wanted to remain human-but hadn't I had to do the same thing? I was still just as egotistical, illogical, and faulty as any other human, but I had the added bonus of being able to screw up monumentally in the process with my powers. The powers Mitchell and Dehner had in the other timeline had rendered their humanity near non-existent though, and that fact did tickle at my conscience but right now I can't be bothered with it.
"Ensign Dehner do you understand what it is we are asking of you?" Spock's voice was steady.
She shook her head, "I'm afraid not sir."
"Due to your ESP readings, we are making an estimated assumption that after exposure to a power fluctuation from the galactic barrier you will develop telepathic, telekinetic, clairvoyant, and clairsentience abilities. You will be able to control and manipulate all forms of matter." From the way Spock was selling it, I'd even be tempted to say hell yeah to the idea, but I knew better the downside of such abilities. "In the process, from what we've observed with your crew mate Gary Mitchell, there will also be the side effects of apathy and a heightened sense of superiority to your fellow crew members. After careful refkection we believe the more violent and megalomatic tendencies of Gary Mitchell are closely linked to his more intricate personality traits and past behavior patterns. As you have a different personality and behavioral patterns, and since you would be entering this with full knowledge of the outcome, we areassuming that you would be able to retain your more humane side where Gary Mitchell has felt not the inclination to do so."
Dehner, bless her heart, took in all the information with a brave face, though I saw the edge of her eye twitch towards the end of Spock's explanation. She was silent for some time, mulling over her options-also her past hopes and dreams as a human female no doubt. Sulu spoke up from his station seconds later.
"Sir, I've lost the captain's signal." He turned to look at Spock, "What are your orders?"
We didn't have time to waste. Whatever fears Dehner had would only spell out the death of Kirk and inevitably the deaths of everyone else. I growled and surged forward, grabbing the taller woman by the shoulders, turning to face only me.
"I wasn't really given the choice either, Elizabeth. I was backed into a corner and told because of my ancestry and because of necessity I had to acquire unique abilities that would forever mark me as different from the rest of humanity. I don't even know if I can be considered human anymore. My son's cursed or blessed with a similar burden and I don't know what the hell I'm doing half the time so how am I supposed to be a responsible role model for him eh?" I let go of her shoulders when I noticed her wincing; apparently I'd been squeezing too hard. "Kirk is down there, maybe dead maybe not, and we are here...possibly sitting ducks at the hands of a man who considers himself a god. The question I'm asking you is this: are your dreams of life as a human female really that much better than the current and future lives of your crew mates?"
She flinched as if I'd slapped her once I finished. My guilt trip done, I turned to Spock. "I'm going down there to see if I can help Kirk. You guys figure out something. Before you resort to world destruction, however, please let me know so I can get Kirk, or what's left of him, out of there if I can."
Spock nodded and turned his attention to Dehner. I patted her shoulder, truly sorry that she was basically being strong armed into giving up her humanity, as I marched past to the turbo lift. Khan slipped inside before the door closed. I looked at him with my eyebrows raised, the question unvoiced. He shrugged.
"Are you still intending to fulfill your end of our original bargain?"
It took me a moment before I even remembered what I'd promised him. My hesitation had him inching closer, standing to his full height and attempting to crowd me against the side of the lift. I pushed my hands against his chest before he could get too close.
"Yes, yes. I never back out of a promise. Help me get Mitchell taken care of and the Enterprise back on it's way and I'll transport you and your people to another quadrant."
He gave me a curt nod before he preceded me out of the lift and into the transporter room. Chekhov beamed Khan back aboard the Andorian freighter while he set me down on Delta Vega not far from where Sulu had last tracked Kirk. I was greeted with blast of hot air that picked me up, flipped me around, and slammed me hard against the side of a rock face. I felt bones breaking from the impact and I screamed out as the pain robbed me of analytical skills. A deep, rumbling laugh stopped my screams and I opened my eyes and looked through my tears to see Gary Mitchell sitting on a throne of swords and daggers, his hands stretched out towards me.
"So good of you to come." His lips curled up into a menacing grin. "Maybe you'll prove more entertaining than Kirk." His eyes wandered off to the side and while I could still not move my body, the shock of the attack had apparently scattered my brain enough so that I couldn't yet access my powers, I could move my eyes.
I sucked in a gasp when I saw Kirk then, nailed, naked, and hanging from a wooden crucifix, blood seeping from numerous gashes in his torso. Anger boiled inside me at the sight of my friend dying, his chest still shuddered with ragged breaths so I was reassured of his status. I turned my eyes back to Mitchell.
"I studied ancient cultures, you see, and I always found the subject of corporal punishment fascinating. How best should a government punish its citizens for breaking a law that will ensure complete obedience from all the rest? Do you like my answer? The Romans well understood how best to break a man in mind and body. It will not be much longer before whatever will power Kirk had sustaining him gives out and his body fails him as a result." Mitchell leaned back against his throne. "I wonder how long it'll take Spock to die in such a way. Soon we shall find out shan't we?"
As he chucked at his own sick amusement in the situation I closed my eyes and concentrated. I first wrapped my mental energy around my wounds, sealing up the internal bleeding and mending the broken bones. Next I refocused on the most bizarre thing I could think of, some form of attack Mitchell would not expect and that would distract him at least for long enough to get Kirk off that torture device. I smiled when a thought suddenly came to mind and I opened my eyes and I felt the first vibrations.
"What is that?" Mitchell didn't sound afraid, merely curious. " What pathetic attempt are you trying to make to save yourself?"
The ground shook more violently and this time there was a thunderous roar accompanying it. I looked up and my smile broadened. Mitchell turned on his throne and even from my distance I could see a look of confusion cross over his face. Most likely the poor man had never seen any of the old Japanese films. There was another roar, a crash, and then the throne was beneath a massive reptilian foot, Mitchell having leapt out of it at the last second. His focus no longer on me, and now on the attacking figure of none other than Godzilla, I dropped to the ground in a heap.
As I rolled over and crawled to my feet I heard Godzilla roar mightily as Gary began to attack it. Just for kicks and giggles, I closed my eyes again and again conjured up the randomest thing I could think of that would throw Mitchell off his groove. I was rewarded for my efforts when I heard a splash. I looked over and saw Gary swimming in a newly formed ocean, a giant shark circling ever closer. Gary Mitchell meets Jaws.
The distractions wouldn't last for long, once Gary remembered that he could think the attacking creatures away. I was banking on the fact that if I could momentarily forget I had powers then perhaps he could too. Hurrying over to Kirk's I "thought" him free and was at the foot of the crucifix just in time to break his fall. I didn't have the time to heal him, I was too distracted anyway.
"Kirk," I shook him gently, his body weight making me sink to the ground, "it's Brenna. Kirk?"
He moaned and croaked out a curse word before passing out again. Well at least he was still alive, for the time being. Before I could feel too much relief, however, I felt myself ripped away from Kirk and without warning submerged beneath the very body of water I'd created. As I flayed and clawed at the water, shooting out harpoons from my hands at the approaching pod of ravenous looking prehistoric sharks, I heard Gary's voice.
"Your parlor tricks are no match for me. There can be only one." The pressure from the water intensified as if I were being driven to the depths of the ocean. I felt my body begin to compress upon itself. "Now you shall die."
I closed my eyes and tried to think happy thoughts, or at least something other than what was currently happening. I opened my eyes just in time to see the mouth of one of the attacking sharks open. Then it disappeared, all of the sharks disappeared. The pressure was gone and I was free concentrate my way out of the water. When I "surfaced" I saw Gary shooting tendrils of energy at Dehner and she returning in kind. Back where I'd left him, Spock was now helping Kirk to his feet.
I rushed over as Spock opened his com badge, "Three to beam up."
We dematerialized even as Gary and Dehner continued their energy fight. Once we were on board again Spock contacted Scotty and we were at warp speed before I had time to blink.
"We're leaving Dehner?" I asked as Spock and I half-carried/half-dragged the unconscious Kirk between us.
"Ensign Dehner understood the the logical sacrifice that must have been chosen for the survival of this crew. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. This sacrifice will be noted in her personnel file; I will recommend that she receive the highest commendations that will be conveyed to her family."
Hearing Spock express our direct violation of the "no man left behind" code in such a cold yet calculated manner had my stomach churning. We were all to blame for Dehner's death-as the loss of her humanity was a type of death indeed-and we would all live because of it. Damn. Logic is a cold bedfellow. As we approached sickbay I felt an even stronger sense of nausea. Through that door was the man I loved-yes I loved Mac, I can admit that now-and no doubt he would hold Dehner's death against me. Hopefully, with time, he'd forgive me. If not...well...
The door swished open and we basically fell through, Kirk's legs having gotten tangled up in my own on the last corner. Spock was much more graceful-blast him-and caught himself against the wall, taking the brunt of Kirk's dead weight, while I fell in a heap on the floor.
"Get him on the biobed, quick." Mac's voice was firm and I felt him draw near. When I looked up I saw his hand dangling in front of my face. I gladly took it, a shiver of electricity running up my arm from the contact. He didn't pull me into his arms as I'd assumed he would, however. He gave me a quick run-over with his eyes before he turned and focused his attention on Kirk.
The tinge of disappointment I felt at his chilly reception warred with the fact that Kirk's life was in danger and the time and place for lovey dovey reunions was not now. I melted into the background before leaving altogether. I figured he'd find me when he was ready to talk. I felt the need for a bath and a drink and I knew that both awaited me in my quarters.
