Hi, my dear readers.

Yes, again it lasted a little bit longer until you're able to read now the next chapter, and for this I'm sorry, but – as you certainly know – very often time is something you need desperately but it slips through your fingers. But I think you're going to love the next chapter.

Have fun

Love

Yours Starflight

Chapter 55 –Two lovebirds revealed

Aboard the Enterprise no one could know that their sister ship was in deep trouble. But even without this knowledge, the night was abruptly interrupted for Kirk and Khan around the same time Wesley beamed aboard the Klingon flag ship. Jim was convinced that he hadn't been in dreamland for more than an hour when the terminal at his desk sprang alive and the hailing signal sounded, "Bridge to Captain Kirk."

"Good God, what now?" the young man groaned, sitting up and ordering the light to fifty percent. The chronometer on his nightstand told him that he had managed to sleep two hours. Great! He'd appear on the bridge the next morning with smaller, more bloodshot eyes than a Rigelian mouse.

Beside him Khan was wide awake within seconds and lifted his head. "If the bridge calls you at this time it must be urgent," he simply said and Jim rolled his eyes.

"No shit, Sherlock; I'd never have realized that without you." He received a short mockingly grin from his mate as he slipped out of bed and padded to his desk. Not activating the screen, he answered the call, "Kirk here."

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Captain, but I've High Minister Selek of New Vulcan on the line for you. He says it's very important." The ensign's voice couldn't hide the curiosity the man obviously felt.

"Thanks, Ensign, please patch him through," Jim said and activated the screen, forgetting the fact he'd slept without a shirt.

The screen brightened and showed the aged face of the Vulcan whose younger self was his first officer and dear friend. One icy brow was lifted, as 'Selek' took in Jim's appearance before saying, "I am sorry to wake you in the middle of the night, Jim, but I promised to inform you as soon as I had spoken to the Vulcan High Council."

In the bed, Khan went rigid. The voice he heard had spoken slowly and was laced with the roughness of age, yet his keen hearing recognized the almost-familiar baritone nonetheless. Disbelieving, he sat up. With large eyes, he stared at his soul-mate, who sat at the desk and talked with the so-called Vulcan 'high minister'. With one smooth movement, Khan was out of the bed.

"No problem, old friend," Kirk answered at that moment. "You certainly know from experience that commanding officers call themselves lucky if they get a full night of fitful sleep."

"Indeed, I remember those nights well," Old Spock answered. His dark eyes were warm. "Yet I know that humans require sleep on a regular basis, but given the current situation, I did not consider the time before contacting you. I have spoken with the Council members and…" His gaze wandered to something behind Jim, and his face became utterly neutral. "Good evening, Mr. Singh."

Kirk turned around and saw his beloved standing behind him – eyes wide, mouth open, face slack in shock.

Khan stared at the Vulcan on the screen. The hair was grey and white, time had etched deep wrinkles into his features, and his voice was laced with age, yet the Augment had no doubt at whom he was looking. "Mr. Spock…" he whispered.

'Selek' took a deep long breath and nodded slowly. "Indeed, Mr. Singh," he affirmed. "I am Spock."

Khan suddenly had the very human wish to sit down while he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. "How… How is this possible?" As he got no answer – the Vulcan on the screen only cocked his head – Khan's brilliant mind went through all possible answers before he murmured, "Time travel."

"Yes – but not intended. It occurred as a result of a worm hole," Jim answered quietly, looking up at his lover. He knew that he had to tell him the truth now. "Spock is stranded here – well, his older self is."

Nien forced himself to tear his gaze away from the screen and directed it straight at Kirk. "Selek – an old friend," he almost accused, and Jim smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah," he said softly.

Khan snorted. "I suppose he really is an 'old friend'."

Jim sighed, feeling a tiny wave of irritation coming from his beloved. "Sorry that I couldn't tell you about him sooner. It's complicated and… Well, Spock and other Vulcan Elders decided that it would be for the best to hide his true identity. Too many questions, too much risk that someone gets the stupid idea to use his knowledge of the future."

The former dictator nodded, yet he still needed a moment to come to terms with that news.

The High Minister watched the two humans carefully. He had been patched through to Jim's quarters in the middle of the night, and Kirk sat at his desk bare-chested. Khan was clad only in pants. Sleeping pants Spock took in the way the two stood close together, how Jim glanced at the Augment with gentleness and trust, and how Khan looked back at him, before the super-human's face grew soft in a way Spock had never seen it before.

The Augment was different from the enhanced man he had met those many decades ago. Despite the short hair, there were other changes – not least in his behavior. Fascinated, 'Selek' watched how Khan placed a hand gently on Kirk's shoulder, squeezing it in silent understanding, before Jim covered those long pale fingers with his own.

Spock couldn't hide a frown as he took in the obvious familiarity between the two, their proximity to one another, and the way they'd locked eyes with each other. Both were half-naked, clad only in sleeping pants (at least Khan was). Plus, the super-human was in Jim's quarters, at night! Should it be that…?

Impossible! Jim had only had eyes for women – well, his Jim had, even if none of his love affairs had lasted long enough to be considered a true relationship. Maybe his Jim had missed something this Jim had got a taste of with Khan? Spock felt an all-too-human surge of curiosity, which he decided to indulge.

"Jim." He addressed the young captain carefully. "Is there something you want to tell me?" He met those sky blue eyes again, full of an innocence he knew the owner did not possess; Spock knew him well enough to easily see through the façade. "Forgive me, but is there something you forgot to mention when you told me about Mr. Singh and your…'friendship'?"

This time Jim wasn't able to control his reaction and blushed fiercely red, while Khan bent slightly forwards and placed himself the tiniest bit in front of Kirk; protective instincts kicking in.

Spock didn't need more proof than those reactions. The rare display of surprise spread almost unguarded over his aged face. "You two are…lovers." he simply stated, and as Jim's cheeks burnt and the Augment lifted both brows in a challenging manner, the old Vulcan sighed. "This is why I constantly ask myself how many things have changed because of my failure in the future."

Jim gulped. He felt caught – just like a schoolboy when his teacher found him playing with a PADD instead of following the lesson. "Spock," he began almost shyly. "I… I didn't want you to find out about us like this."

Promptly a stern Vulcan brow was lifted. "So you did intend to inform me about this relationship at all?"

Kirk's eyes became large. "Of course I would have told you…sooner or later. I simply didn't want you to believe I had asked for your support only because Nien and I…well…"

"Share a bed?" Spock helped him out wryly.

"You would have thought I was just being emotional and…"

"And what is new about that fact, Jim?" 'Selek' deadpanned. "'A man full of emotions' I once said. You have almost always followed your heart, Jim, and that made you the man you were – what makes you the man you are. You do what you think is right – and the determination to protect others is a large part of you. Yet I confess that I'm surprised to find you and Mr. Singh being a couple."

"Because we're both men?" Kirk asked baffled, which earned him an almost exasperated glare.

"No, because you two were ought to be mortal enemies."

Jim shrugged. "Well, we didn't get off to a very good start, but what is the saying? 'It's a thin line between love and hate.'"

This statement seemed to shock 'Selek' even more. "Love, Jim?"

Kirk took a deep breath and laced his fingers with Nien's again. "Yes, love," he stated quietly but firmly.

The older Spock watched them for a moment longer, before nodding slowly. "I understand – and that tells me that I have made the right decision in these last hours." His eyes moved up and fixed to those of the Augment. "I called to inform you that the Vulcan High Council has given permission for you and your people to come to New Vulcan. Even given Terran history, there is no doubt about the fact that your race is at risk of genocide in the current political climate, and so we offer you temporary refuge. We will, however, demand statements from you before we can grant your people true permanent asylum."

Carefully Khan cocked his head. "But we would be safe on New Vulcan during that time?"

"Yes, the moment you reach New Vulcan, no harm will befall you or your people, nor will we allow Starfleet or any other authority to take you or your crew captive. You will be protected until such time the Council has ruled on your requirements for asylum. There is a chance that they may decide that your people can stay but that you would need to answer to Federation authorities for any outstanding crimes. Yet, regarding yourself, the Council will first hear you out – after all, you were first a victim before becoming a criminal. It is not in Vulcan nature to pre-judge, so you will have an opportunity to recount these activities as you see fit. Is this acceptable?"

Khan felt a strong wave of relief wash over him. His people would be safe – for now. Neither Section 31 nor anyone else would be a threat to them so long as they remained on New Vulcan. He didn't care what happened to him. If the Vulcans decided that he – as a wanted man – should leave, he would. As long as his family were safe, he would face the music. "That is indeed acceptable, Mr. Spock. Thank you," he said, gratitude plainly reflected in his eyes.

Jim moistened his lips. "Spock, Nien is ready to face a real court, but this will only be possible if –"

"If Section 31 is eliminated once and for all, yes." 'Selek' interrupted him. "I updated the Council on what was happening at the moment, but not all of it. I will need more proof before I can alert our Council and the Federation. Yet, regarding Mr. Singh – as long as the possibility remains that he will not be treated correctly and continues to be stripped of his human rights despite the fact that he is a human, we would insist he leaves the colony, so long as he obeys the law of the land. Life is sacred to us. We will not send someone to his death – or worse – because an illegal organization demands it."

"Thanks, Spock," Jim breathed, happy and relieved.

The old Vulcan nodded again, before suddenly bending forwards and fixing the Augment with an intense glance that was both calm, yet hard. "I will ask, demand, one thing of you, Mr. Singh. After your arrival we will talk. I met you in alternative timeline and found you to be a man who would do whatever necessary to reach his goal without any scruples. Jim says that he loves you and your actions show me that you have feelings for him in return. Yet I would like complete reassurance that your intentions towards him are trustworthy and honorable."

Khan's eyes widened, while Jim groaned. "Good God, Spock, what are you, my father?" He pointed at Nien. "Should he ask you for my hand in marriage?" It was meant as a joke, but Spock being Spock took it seriously.

"Does he want to marry you?"

Jim almost choked while the Augment glared at the old Vulcan challengingly. "Sir," he began facetiously. "I would have informed you sooner had I known about you and your obvious protectiveness of Jim that appears to supersede even that of your younger self. You are too late, Mr. Spock; Jim and I are already mated."

"'Mated'?" the High Minister echoed. "Please explain."

A loud groan escaped Kirk, before he shot the super-human a glare. "Thank you very much, Nien. I really wanted to tell him this in person and not via subspace!"

"I thought it better to reveal everything so that your soul-'father' doesn't think we've held back anything this serious on purpose." He shot 'Selek' a glance, who simply ignored it, but asked,

"What do you mean by 'mated'? I presume you refer to more than just…bedroom activities."

Jim would have chuckled at the tight face the old Vulcan made, but he was anything but amused. Sighing, he rubbed his neck. "Spock, what Nien means by being mated is that our souls are linked, as is usual between his people when they bond. And before you ask, no, Nien hasn't and doesn't influence me in any way; I'm all myself – just ask Spock – ungh, the other Spock, I mean." He began to smile his boyish grin. "And if you like, you can check my mind when we arrive at New Vulcan, too. I won't complain."

'Selek' fixed him with one of those glances that probably made cadets run. "This I will do, Jim, be certain of it." His gaze found Khan's. "Will you allow me to do the same with you?"

The former dictator tensed. The memories of the mind-meld the younger Spock had tried to force upon him during their struggle in San Francisco were still fresh, and anything but pleasant. Yet he knew that this was one of those choices he couldn't avoid. He not only needed the old Vulcan to trust him in order to make things easier concerning asylum, but also knew that 'Selek' meant a lot to Jim. Maybe the High Minister was now the second father to Jim since Admiral Pike's death. Even if the prospect of a mind-meld made the Augment shudder, there could be no way around it. "If you wish," he said coolly.

Jim shook his head, grimacing at the High Minister. "See, you are a bigger mother-hen than my Spock."

'Selek' moved his attention away from the super-human to the young captain. "He will learn to 'mother-hen' you even more and due to these reckless adventures you constantly throw yourself into," he stated dryly.

"Yeah, I got it. I should be more careful – but tell that to universe or fate or whatever for all the situations I seem to find myself in. You of all people should know I can't just stand by and watch disaster unfold." He smirked. "And, by the way, Nien has also signed up for the job of a body guard, so don't worry."

This time both grey brows were lifted. "I do hope you speak of Mr. Singh's abilities to protect you from harm, rather than his 'guarding' your body in…" He fell silent but his gaze shifted to what little he could see of the room behind the two men.

Perplexed, Kirk stared at him while Khan couldn't help himself: he had to laugh. "And there's the proof of what I've always suspected." He looked first at Spock and then to Jim. "He does have a sense of humor."

'Selek' nodded slowly at the Augment through the view screen. "Sometimes humor is the better part of courage, as an old friend once told me." His gaze switched shortly to Jim and then back again. "It is settled. Your people shall find refuge here. After a fair Federation hearing, we will decide about official asylum." He took another deep breath and turned his attention back to Kirk.

"Jim, I've already begun to investigate Command's database and have set up a program that will delete any evidence I was there during such research. But it needs time to be installed in Headquarters' main computer. If the process continues at the current speed, I shall be able to search their databanks for the required records and files in 7.83 standard hours. Given your current situation, and seeing the risk you will be taking when you arrive at Gamma 12, I suggest that you send me Styles' report and the data concerning the spy's PADD which Lieutenant Uhura was able to obtain. Should your mission at Gamma 12 fail, at least I will have all the data you have already collected and can use it and any I gather to inform the Council – and to aid you and Mr. Singh."

"You're offering to be our back-up?" Khan asked, and 'Selek' nodded.

"Of course. Intelligence is usually an underhanded game, and Section 31 will, as you say, play all its cards. Keeping proof against its methods in a secure place will be important for our success, and indeed, survival."

Jim smiled at him. "Thank you, Spock. Your help is priceless."

For a moment the old Vulcan's expression became gentle. "You are welcome, Jim. Please send me all data you have via this link. It is secure." He cocked his head. "And then I would suggest that you two gentlemen return to sleep. I have come to understand that humans can increase their potential after a good night's sleep."

This time Kirk had to laugh, while Khan grimaced. "Yes, Dad," Jim joked, and he could have sworn that the lips of 'Selek' curved up ever so slightly.

"Good night, Jim, Mr. Singh," he said simply.

"Good night, old friend," Jim replied, followed by Khan's "Good night, High Minister."

Then Kirk began to gather all the data he had acquired from the database, including Styles' reports and readied it for transmission to New Vulcan. But even with Spock Prime's support, he remained nervous, knowing that everything depended on the successful end of the tomorrow's mission.

Nien assisted him, pointing out details they had discussed in the last two days had slipped the captain's mind already. Augments, it seemed, had the same eidetic memory as Vulcans. Then they transmitted everything to 'Selek''s private terminal.

Afterwards, both men returned to bed, but even lying in each other's arms they wasn't enough to enable them to relax enough to rest. Khan was especially tense and Jim didn't need to prod their bond to feel his mate's confusion and worry, which obviously wasn't just connected to the upcoming recovery of the other super-humans.

"What's up?" Jim finally asked, as the minutes ticked by and after they had both spent some time staring into the darkness.

The former dictator hesitated a moment before he murmured, "I'm…confused about the older version of Mr. Spock. He said he 'knew' me only as an enemy, but I'm positive that I've never met 'Selek' before. He comes from the future, so he only can be referring to the incidents which occurred last year. I'm not your enemy anymore but your soul-mate, yet he was utterly surprised about this fact, and even wants to mind-meld with me to learn if I still harbor any 'ill-will' towards you like 'I' did in his timeline. This makes no sense, unless there's a possibility that we're living in another present, another timeline, in which many things have changed – such as us changing from 'mortal enemies' into lovers."

Jim sighed. Nien and his brilliant mind! On the other hand, Kirk was almost proud of how easily his beloved had come to the right conclusions. And Khan had a right to know the truth – after all, he had to place his trust, and therefore the life of his crew, in Spock Prime's hands.

"Spock – the older one – comes from the future, more than a century ahead. A supernova destroyed Romulus before Spock could take action to prevent it. He was on his way to Romulus with a new scientific means to prevent the catastrophe, but he arrived too late. A Romulan miner who survived the catastrophe, held Spock responsible for the loss of Romulus, and hunted him – seeking revenge. But both were pulled into a worm-whole that the supernova had become. The Romulan ship was pulled through first and was spat out the other end around our time."

Khan frowned, his mind already connecting everything he had learned during his unwilling stay with Section 31. "Nero!"

Jim took a deep breath. "Yeah, Nero. He arrived here in the year 2233 – on the exact day I was born, and exactly at the point where the USS Kelvin was on patrol. The captain of the Kelvin scanned the ship and made some very interesting technical discoveries which the evacuees of the ship took away with them, after the Romulan vessel attacked the Kelvin. During this attack, the captain and his senior officers were killed, and my father remained aboard to keep the Romulans busy while the crew escaped. During all this, I was born. My father steered the Kelvin into the Romulan vessel, saving the crew – among them my mom, me, and Keenser. Mom told me later that she was able to tell Dad about me just a minute before he died." He moistened his lips. "When I was growing up, I think I was the only child on Earth who hated his own birthday." He felt Khan pulling him closer and snuggled up to the warm inviting body beside him.

"Spock was pulled into the worm-hole a little later than Nero had been, and arrived years later."

"Twenty-two fifty-seven." The former dictator nodded slowly. "And Nero's arrival had already changed everything, as he had destroyed the Kelvin, and killed your father in the process." This time it was Kirk who nodded. "Which left you without him, and gave Starfleet a hint of the future technology, which, as you know, changed even more of this time line."

"Exactly," Kirk sighed. "Nero hid all those years until Spock arrived, took him captive, marooned him on Delta Vega, which was near enough to Vulcan for a front-row seat to its destruction, and forcing Spock to watch. Nero wanted him to suffer the same way he had – with the big difference that the supernova had been a natural disaster, while the destruction of Vulcan was an act of war and unspeakable cruelty. Only around ten thousand Vulcans survived, and a few more already living in the outer colonies." Jim shook his head. "During our hunt for Nero, Spock and I had a fight that ended with me being marooned on Delta Vega for mutiny. He'd become acting-captain of the Enterprise after Nero took Pike captive."

"What?" Khan stiffened, and Kirk couldn't suppress a smirk.

"Yeah, one thing you and I both learned the hard way about dealing with Spock: never piss him off. Believe me, I know a thing or two about it. After I returned to the Enterprise with Spock Prime's help, I…emotionally compromised him – a fancy way of saying I pissed him off – and found myself half chocked to death because he lost it. Can't blame him for it, I really did say some nasty things I deeply regret, but his older self gave me instructions to do it, and to take over command. 'Selek' was convinced that we only stood a chance against Nero if I were captain of the Enterprise. And when 'my' Spock and I worked together. We did, and we're a damn good team – still are."

He rubbed his thinly-stubbled cheek on Khan's bare shoulder. "On Delta Vega, Spock Prime saved me from a very big, scary lobster-monster that wanted me for a snack. He recognized me, mind-melded with me, and I learned a lot about the other timeline – and got the proof that the old Vulcan hadn't lost his mind, but spoke the truth when he told me who he was and where he came from." He glanced up into the darkness, feeling Nien's breath dancing over his face. "By the way, you can thank him for being able to hop from Earth to Qo'noS using transwarp beaming. Scotty and Keenser had been stationed at the outpost on Delta Vega. Scotty had been experimenting with the device – which is what I think landed him there in the first place. Spock gave him the final formula for it so he could beam Scotty and me back to the Enterprise. Keenser followed later."

"And this 'Old Spock' became Selek." Khan nodded slowly. Then he took a deep breath. "I wonder what happened to us both in his time-line – how we met and why I remained your enemy, despite my attraction and my desire for you. I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you."

Jim lifted his head and pressed a kiss to the warm shoulder beneath him. "I don't know – and I'm not sure I want to know. Sometimes knowledge isn't…" He stopped. "Am I making sense at all?"

He heard the soft chuckle from his soul-mate. "Yes and no – like always when you're tired." Nien's warm hand cupped Kirk's cheek and pressed his head back to his shoulder. "Try to sleep, Pyāra. There's still four hours left until you need to be duty and you need to rest."

"You're telling me I need my beauty sleep?" Jim grumbled, and the former dictator sighed.

"You are always handsome – even tired, grumpy, and full of sarcasm," he teased.

"Look, who's talking," Jim mumbled, then snuggled even closer and closed his eyes. Sleep found him more easily now, but Khan remained awake the rest of the night thinking of what he'd learned about the alternate time-line, and ignoring the unpleasant prospect of the mind-meld 'Selek' had demanded of him. He wasn't worried about failing this test; his love for Jim was true and shone brightly like nothing else in his mind. Yet he'd already had experience with this kind of Vulcan telepathy and wasn't excited to face it again. But if this was the price he had to pay to gain his family's safety and to convince the old Vulcan that he was no threat to Jim and to the Enterprise, he was willing to pay it.

He couldn't know that the price would be far higher – for himself and others…

ST***ST***ST

At the same time Jim and Khan were speaking with the older vision of Spock, Bob Wesley was beamed aboard the J'Ethl. Everything was a little bit larger than human standard, he noticed. The light was dimmer and contained a red-orange hue, and the smell… Well, Bob knew that the smell from the Klingons' perspiration made many humans uncomfortable, and being aboard one of their ships increased the smell many times.

Yet this wasn't all that made the commodore wary. Four Klingon guards stood at the transporter console and aimed disruptors at him – a very unpleasant welcome. But Bob knew how to deal with this race. Placing his fists at his waist, he cocked his head. "Very impressive – four Klingon disruptors against one unarmed human. You fear us more than I thought," he mocked, which earned him scowls – and a snide remark from the door,

"This is our way to honor your arrival, Commodore. The danger an enemy represents, dictates the number of necessary guards!" Kor left the shadows and stepped into the light.

Wesley lifted his right fist and hit it against his own chest. "N'unqneH, Lord Kor, qaleghqa'neS," he said, and his throat hurt after uttering the harsh Klingon words. Saying 'Hello, I'm honored to see you again.' is really much easier to voice than speaking this ridiculous language,' he thought.

Kor pursed his lips and returned the gesture with the words, "Yl'el (welcome), Commodore." He was obviously pleased. "It seems you haven't forgotten simple civility. After your accusation moments ago, I thought the war has clouded your mind."

"We're both warriors, and as such, we follow not only the basic rules of etiquette, but also of honor," Bob replied, leaving the transporter pad. "Accusations only exist to be investigated. I shall act afterwards as honor demands."

The fleet commander nodded. "Truly spoken, yet I demand explanations, Wesley – many explanations!" The dark eyes of the Klingon were hard as granite.

"As I require explanations from you," Wesley answered, before his gaze became very intense. "Perhaps we should speak somewhere more private?" he suggested, his tone strong.

"'Private'?" Kor echoed, confused.

"Under only four eyes, so to speak," Bob said. "Just you and I; what I have to tell you is for your ears only."

"Do you try to trick us, Human?" one of the guards spat, whose insignia indicated he was a higher-ranking officer – maybe Kor's first officer as far as Bob could tell. "Do you think we would leave you alone with Lord Kor so that you could have the chance –"

"I don't think Lord Kor needs any help in dealing with an unarmed human," Bob interrupted him icily. "Your suggestion is an offence of your superior's skills!"

He saw the Klingon officer tense and returned his gaze to the fleet commander, who looked almost amused. "You know us very well, Wesley," he commented under his breath, before he turned to one of the younger guards. "Examine him, and then accompany us to my quarters."

Bob spread his arms and let the young Klingon fulfill his duty, not putting up any resistance. Of course the guard found the data chip and as he showed to Kor, Wesley explained calmly, "You wanted records – they are on this chip. Yet I would prefer that we look at them together. Maybe we can both learn about the truth then."

Kor eyed the data chip and nodded finally. "I agree." He made a gesture and the guard gave back the little chip to Bob. "Follow me," the fleet commander ordered, and left the transporter room; Wesley and the young guard were on his heels.

They went down a hallway, rode a lift for two decks, and stepped out only seconds later into a large but spartan quarters. Kor gave the younger man an order, and the guard remained outside; the fleet commander and Wesley were alone.

Kor rounded on him and stopped in front of him, his eyes scanned the commodore's face. "Why do I have the feeling that you are just exactly where you want to be from the beginning?" he asked, and Bob allowed himself a half-smile.

"Because you are right. I have to speak with you – alone, without your crew or mine overhearing." He caught the Klingon's confused frown and gestured towards the wall. "Is this room bug-proofed?"

"Do I look like a beginner?" Kor grumbled and Bob shook his head.

"No, but treachery often comes in the form those we thought we could trust."

"Treachery – in the noble Federation?" Kor mocked, and Wesley took a deep breath – something he regretted a moment later. Klingons' odor was really anything but pleasant for human noses! Yet this was the least of his concerns at the moment. He had reached a crossroads that could mean life or death, victory or defeat – not only for himself and his crew, but for the whole Federation too. And yet he had no other choice than to seek out support from the supposed enemy – an enemy who were more honorable it seemed than the own commanding staff.

Shortly, Bob pressed his lips in a thin line, then he straightened his shoulders. He had already made his decision and there was no going back now. After this talk, he would be on his way to rescue the rest of the delegation which would save Starfleet and the Federation in the end, or the Klingons would take the chance to forget their honor and overrun a weakened UFP – and the outcome depended solely on the man in front of him. If he was wrong about Kor, then everything would be lost – if he was right about this particular Klingon, there would be another chance for peace.

"What I'm telling you now is more than…dangerous," he said slowly. "Command may regard me as a traitor afterwards, and in that case I am going to face death penalty – or I could save my planet and maybe yours, too."

That caught Kor's attention utterly. Frowning, he observed his guest but saw nothing else than plain earnestness in the human's face. He made an inviting gesture towards his desk. "Sit," he said, and took his own chair on the other side, folding his strong hands on the desk's surface.

Bob sat down too, and for a long moment he tried to find the right words. How to begin? How much did he have to reveal to win Kor over and to make him understand that not only the Federation, but also the Klingon Empire was at stake? How to open a talk that could mean the downfall of his home but also could turn out to be the Federation's rescue?

"I accused you of being responsible for the attack on the Excalibur in one way or another, and therefore the deaths of our delegation, including some important admirals." He fixed his gaze on Kor. "I know now that these accusations are wrong. Yes, Klingon vessels attacked, yet they have to be renegades, because no Empire-loyal Klingon, let alone the descendant of the last Klingon emperor, would accept orders from a Starfleet officer."

The frown on Kor's smooth forehead deepened even more. "Explain!" he ordered curtly, and Wesley took another deep breath.

"There are…officers and other Starfleet members who don't agree with the way of peace – or even with the reason for Starfleet's original foundation: to explore space and to protect our borders, but not to be aggressors. Those people see in everyone, even in the own allies, potential enemies, and even don't trust their own shadows, so to speak."

"Sounds a lot like how we think – or the Romulans," Kor commented wryly, and Wesley grimaced.

"Yeah, but I don't think that neither the Imperial Klingon Fleet nor the Romulans would tolerate any of their officers founding their own little club, using resources for their own war games, and infiltrate their own fleet, Intelligence, and even their own government to prepare a coup."

The frown on Kor's forehead deepened. "A coup?" he asked, not trusting his ears. "Within the Federation?"

Bob nodded. "Yes – not a violent one; a so-called 'soft revolution'. It would mean they could create new terms which would force the government to change politics to their liking. For this reason, they staged the attack on the Excalibur, hiring outlaws to do it – maybe even Klingon renegades who disagree with their own Council's decision concerning the peace talks. This would also explain why one of the attackers painted your ship's name on the hull of his own spacecraft and pretended to be you during an audio transmission."

Kor visibly paled beneath his dark skin. "You are saying –"

"You've traitors in your own ranks, Kor – just as I have. The records the Excalibur made from the attack show three Klingon Birds-of-Prey, and one of them wore your ship's name – bright and plain to see for the cameras. I admit, I was tricked at the beginning after I received the records, but thank the Lord there's another captain within my ranks who had the 'pleasure' of meeting you several weeks ago, and he realized the tiny differences between your ship and the attacking vessel."

"Kirk," the Klingon lord assumed, and Wesley nodded.

"Aye, Jim Kirk recognized the details which were incorrect, not only concerning the attacking ships, but also the discrepancies in the records of the Excalibur's log." He bent forwards. "Our delegation was evacuated in a break in battle for one reason only – to get the higher ranks off the ship and kill them, because they were about to discover the conspiracy, and would have taken action within the next days. And that the diplomats were among the victims played straight into the conspirators' hands. They'd kill two birds with one stone, literally. Their elimination of the admirals and the deaths of the diplomats brought uproar to the Federation. Everyone assumes the Klingons are responsible for the incident, and that will force the president and the Council to act, which is exactly what the conspirators want."

Blinking in outrage and confusion, the fleet commander demanded, "And you've proof of this?"

Wesley sighed. "I don't think the proof I have currently is enough to convict the Council, but I'm working on changing that." He gestured to the data disk. "The first of the evidence is in those records."

Kor picked up the item and put it into the slot of an external terminal which was connected to his own. As the Klingon caught the confused expression of the human, he grumbled. "Your computers are not compatible with ours, so I need a medium in which to reformat it."

Bob couldn't help himself; he smirked. "Clever!"

Switching on the terminal, Kor waved Wesley around the desk to join him. In the next minutes they watched the two reports. Kor stopped them here and there to ask questions Bob answered willingly. After a quarter of an hour, the fleet commander leant back in his chair and Wesley took his own seat. Fixing his gaze on the commodore, Kor finally said, "You have a big problem in Starfleet."

"You can say that again," Wesley grimaced. "If everything goes as the conspirators would want them to, the alpha and beta quadrants will be wallowing in blood for years to come."

"War is no crime to us Klingons; it's a chance to protect our borders and increase our territory," Kor mused, and the commodore cocked his head.

"But to be provoked into war with false motives only to be a pawn in someone else's power-play is a violation of any true warrior's honor."

The Klingon bared his teeth thoughtfully. "You are right. We are not pieces in your traitors' chess game. Yet here we are. I to find the imposter who pretended to be me while committing crimes against the Empire, and you…to investigate in the same direction?" The sentence ended in a question, while Kor's eyes bore into those of Wesley.

Bob sighed. "Yes and no." He watched his 'host' frowning and knew that he couldn't delay the real reason for his presence any longer. "I have every reason to believe that some of the members of the delegation survived the attack and the subsequent crash of their shuttle. And I'm here to recover them."

Kor nodded slowly. "Without Starfleet Command's permission, or even its knowledge, because otherwise the conspirators would try to stop you –"

"– or would send assassins to finish the job the hired killer didn't," Wesley affirmed.

Again the Klingon watched him warily before he cocked his head. "And you know of the survivors how?" he asked.

"We've ears even here," Bob replied carefully, but Kor interrupted him.

"To use Terran slang: bullshit! If Starfleet Command had spies here they would have known about the survivors and would have tried to kill them in secret, just as you already assumed. Therefore, you have 'ears' here, Bob Wesley, not Starfleet Command, and you were on your way to meet with your so-called 'ears', maybe to get support. So I ask again: who told you about the survivors?"

For several seconds the Commodore didn't answer, then realized that he to tell Kor the truth if he wanted him on side. If he succeeded, Kor would learn about The Shadow sooner or later. Better to lay all the cards on the table; Klingons hated being left in the dark. They felt betrayed very easily.

"The Shadow intercepted –"

Kor bared his teeth. "This handful of civilians who give us so much trouble here and there?" As Wesley made an affirming gesture, the Klingon growled before scoffing, "Why am I not surprised? These troublemakers show up whenever you don't count on them to." He made a noise deep in his throat that sounded almost like a human sigh before he continued, "And this gang of outlaws discovered that some of the members of the delegation survived?"

"Yes. One of the two shuttles with the evacuees wasn't destroyed but –"

" – but crashed on Yaska. I know. I found the remains of it – with several dead bodies." As he caught Wesley's surprised gaze, he grumbled. "It was my duty to investigate the incident, as you already pointed out."

"Let me guess, you found blood traces of races whose bodies weren't in the shuttle."

Kor nodded hesitantly. "Yes – human, Vulcan, Andorian, Tellarit…" He pursed his lips. "So, you think they were taken captive?"

"Yes. The Shadow intercepted transmissions between the slavers who kidnapped our people and the Romulans," he said, and Kor went rigid.

"Romulans?"

"Yes," Wesley growled. "The Shadow overheard the discussion between the slavers and the Romulans in which they offered our surviving admirals and two Vulcans to the Romulans. They also spoke of other 'new and interesting slaves' who will be sold at a market whose location is still unknown – certainly the other survivors from our delegation."

Kor's sharp teeth bit into his bottom lip while his mind was already busy with planning his next action. He had forbidden slavery in the Borderland, yet the Orions didn't obey him. This demanded his attention, even if the 'goods' were damned Starfleet admirals! Then his thoughts returned to his guest, and for the first time he realized how tense yet incredibly calm Bob Wesley was. The commodore was on a hostile ship, telling the enemy about a conspiracy within his own fleet – and was as casual as if he were speaking with a close friend.

And then it hit Kor – Wesley was indeed exactly where he wanted to be – here, on Kor's ship, because…

"You are here because you want my support," he stated, astonished.

Bob allowed himself a small smile. "To tell you the truth, I was almost relieved when I recognized your ship. We both have the same goal – to identify and get the imposter who pretended to be you, and who attacked our ship. I have information that can help you, and –"

"And in my company you could move freely through the Borderland which would be impossible, even with this new technique you're using, because sensors may not locate you, but you would be visible – that's how we saw and surrounded the Excalibur." He bent forwards. "Speaking of that technique, how –"

"Kor, I will not tell you anything about that, just as you'd certainly not want to explain how it is that our sensors didn't catch the ion trails of your drives before your ships rematerialized – a phenomena that Kirk witnessed too, by the way, when your two commanders assaulted the Enterprise." He also bent forwards, fixing his eyes on the fleet-commodore. "Let me make a suggestion. We both don't talk about the technical enhancements our science and engineering departments have obviously made, and rather concentrate on finding the pirates who acted in your name, and on recovering our survivors."

"We two – together?" Kor pressed and Wesley nodded sternly.

"It's logical, don't you agree? We are still under a ceasefire and more-or-less in neutral territory. We both have the same goal; we are both bound by oaths and duty to prevent harm befalling our homes. So why not support each other?"

The fleet commander took a deep breath. "You are aware that with the information you just gave me, I could inform our fleet and the Federation would be ours within a few days?"

Bob had expected such words and was ready for them. "Yes, but I'm also aware of the fact that I'm speaking to a true warrior, a warrior with honor, otherwise I would have never told you anything of this, Kor. And, by the way, if the Empire wanted to overrun the Federation, the major strike would be already in process. Our president demanded explanations for the deaths of our diplomats and admirals, therefore the Klingon High Council knows that Starfleet is weakened because of the losses of her most important staff officers, yet your people stand true to their word and are even trying to discover what really happened." He cocked his head again. "I don't want to say it, but your Council has more honor than I gave it credit for – an honor the conspirators should take as an example but they won't."

Kor stared at him, before he threw his head back and began to laugh. "I know what you're doing, Wesley. You're trying to compliment me, yet your words contain an almost uncomfortable truth. We've both been thrown into the same mess because of our oaths and honor, yet we are still on opposite sides. But that still didn't keep you from asking me for support." He laid both strong hands on the desktop, looking for all the world like the cat that had got the cream. "Tell me, Bob Wesley, why should I care what is happening within Starfleet? Why should I care if the Federation is on the way to destroy herself? Why should I waste my time to save a few of her officers and diplomats? Because we were played? If anything, we could take the opportunity to get revenge for it now."

"And yet you won't because you've been personally compromised by the traitors and by the imposter who's trying to destroy your credibility and name in the Council." Bob laid his hands on the desktop, too. "We need each other to avert further danger to our homes and our families – something we vowed to do."

The Klingon lord examined the human in front of him before he slowly replied, "I've learned that humans use so-called 'white lies' to trick opponents to gain advantages. I have also faced a behavior you Terrans call 'bluffing' before, yet my gut tells me that you're speaking the truth – that you're convinced of this all."

Bob nodded sternly. "I am," he said firmly, before he gestured towards the data disk. "These reports tell another story than what's seen at first glance. And there is more evidence. Spies on our ships, cra –"

"Spies? Is this why you wrangled your way onto my ship by offending me first-hand?" Kor demanded and as Wesley smiled sheepishly and murmured a "sorry about that." The Klingon began to laugh again. "You trust me more than your own people?"

"I do trust most of my crew and my senior officers, mind you, but I can't be certain that the conspirators didn't place anyone on my ship before this whole mess even began."

The fleet commander leant back again and took a deep breath, nodding slowly in understanding. "To take care is not the way of the coward but that of a wise man," he said. "And I'm almost willing to believe you."

"Almost?" Bob echoed. "The records…"

"Could be faked," Kor interrupted him, but as he saw the real anger in the human's dark eyes, he lifted a calming hand – a gesture he had seen many times during the conferences on Organia. "I'm not accusing you that you try to lure me into a trap. Yet I need a proof that I can really believe, even trust you."

Wesley groaned. "If you ask me now about fleet activities, new engineering protocols, or…"

"No, nothing like that, Wesley. I would not demand you betray your own oath as proof of your honesty. That would be highly conterproductive." He glanced hard at the commodore. "Tell me about the Augment."

That caught Bob by surprise. "'Augment'?" he echoed, before his mind began to reel. He couldn't tell Kor about Khan. That would be too dangerous. "There are no Augments, as you certainly know, and –"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Kor interrupted him. "If you want me to believe anything of this conspiracy you're telling me about, then you should stick to the truth! The Qli-jagh, the dark warrior, who was on Qo'noS last year is no normal human and no Vulcan either! He slipped unnoticed into my headquarters on Turkana to recover Kirk, instantly killed seven Klingon warriors, ran through the jungle like a tarte, hurled a Klingon warrior through the air like he weighed no more than a feather, seems to know the enemy's next move before it even begins, and reacts quicker than the eye is able to follow. This man is an Augment!" He brought his index finger directly under Bob's nose. "Don't deny it. This man is genetically enhanced and after all I've just learned about these conspirators in Starfleet, the Qli-jagh is certainly one of many, many enhanced warriors they breed to fight against us and to –"

"You're wrong," the commodore interrupted him. "This man wasn't bred from this shadow department the conspirators founded."

"Of course not," Kor snapped. "This shadow department, if I recall your tale correctly, has existed for only a short period of time, yet this man is an adult. Unless the Federation found a way to speed up human maturation, he must have been bred about three of your decades ago." Enraged he glared at Wesley. "So much to the Federation's assurances that there would never be another Augment program and –"

"We haven't experimented with human genetic enhancement for more than two hundred and sixty years, Kor. The incident in the last century –"

"– was maybe the first stage of new tests?" The fleet commander bent forwards. "And the Qli-jagh is the perfect outcome of it!"

Wesley groaned. Was he really going to be forced to tell Kor about Khan and his history? As it seemed, there was no other way to gain the fleet commander's trust, and therefore his support to prevent the whole mess becoming an interstellar catastrophe.

"The dark warrior, as you call him, is no product of new genetic experiments – not from the last century and certainly not from this one."

"So, where does he come from?" Kor probed and Wesley sighed, sounding suddenly very tired. God, would he really have to reveal Khan's true heritage? One look into those dark, piercing eyes in which the sparks of real anger shimmered, and he knew he didn't have another choice.

"The 'dark warrior', is indeed…enhanced."

Kor snorted, which meant nothing more than 'told you so'.

"He was the perfect outcome of those tests – three centuries ago on my planet," Bob gritted out, cursing inwardly before taking a deep breath. "In the middle of the 20th century scientists experimented with genetics, trying to contain illness. Then they got the idea to breed super-humans; people with extremely high intelligence, quicker, stronger… They could bring peace to our planet which was about to be torn into pieces. Not literary, mind you, but within the continents. Two world wars had shaken up all countries, the aftermaths of which displaced many people."

"I know a little bit of Earther history. There were three wars within one century, as I recall," Kor thought aloud and Wesley nodded curtly.

"Yes, two world wars and later the Eugenics Wars, which I'll come to now. The super-humans were supposed to put an end to all the crises – and they did, but differently than planned. Many of them tried to gain supreme power – some of them succeeded. And a few of them kept the peace within their borders, and did what they were created to do. But there were other Augments, and their reigns were not so peaceful. Some of them even killed normal humans because they regarded them as inferior – animals which had to be eliminated. The human race rebelled, and thus came the Eugenic Wars. And as a result, it quickly didn't matter to many humans who those Augments were who had their welfare at heart and those who tried to destroy them. They attacked all Augments and their loyal fellows, killing everyone in the process. It was pure butchery."

Kor listened intensely. "I've heard about this third war, too. Though fewer in number, you humans put us Klingons almost to shame with your cruelness in the wars during those decades," he grumbled. "But what has this to do with the Qli-jagh? Those Augments were created three of your centuries ago and –"

"And he is one of them," Bob let the cat out of the bag. He saw Kor's eyes widen and explained, "He fled, together with his family in a crude sleeper ship, using tubes with a kind of stasis field that kept them alive. I think he'd anticipated that the computer would wake them a few decades later, but something went wrong. Three centuries later, a Starfleet ship found his vessel by accident. The highest-ranking officer aboard realized who these people were and woke their leader." He pressed his lips into a short line. "Learning that he faced one of the Augments with a more peaceful past, he decided to use the super-human's intelligence for his own purposes, and forced him into service. That…went very wrong, too."

Kor crossed his long arms in front of his broad chest. "Let me guess: The whole mess last year on Qo'noS is the outcome of that."

Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes," he breathed, before he moistened his lips. "This conspiracy I told you about had already been expanded last year by other staff officers. The Council and we all thought that we'd eliminated the problem, but now it turns out that several traitors remained undiscovered and free. This has been a new attempt to continue where last year the others failed."

Kor snorted. "I'm not surprised. Such a conspiracy that you spoke of would need to be planned carefully and needs time – years even." He bared his teeth again. "And the Qli-jagh became a part of the conspirators' plan?"

Again the commodore couldn't do anything else than nod. "Yeah, but not of his own free will. When he realized what the officer in charge was up to, he denied support, but was forced to obey as said officer threatened his family – even killed some of them. Finally, the Augment-leader was able to flee and hide. Nonetheless, the officer continued with his plans. He…wanted war between the Empire and us, and he did everything he could to initiate it."

Kor's face betrayed his bafflement. "He wanted war? Why? You humans avoid war at any cost."

Again Wesley sighed. "He wanted to establish his supremacy and that of his fellows by being needed during a time of war. He had the point of view that the Federation had to discard her history of peace because the 'bad neighbor' – the Klingon Empire – would attack sooner or later. To prove himself to be right, he planned to strike first to provoke you. But his involvement should never become public knowledge or even come to the knowledge of the Council. Like this, your expected counter-offensive would have made it look as though you had begun the battle and war would have resulted."

He watched Kor scowl, while fury glistened in the Klingon's eyes – something Bob could understand too. "What a…devious, cowardly trick!" he hissed, and Wesley made an affirming gesture.

"I agree. But it never came to that in the end. One of his agents went rogue and fled to Qo'noS. This was the chance for him to go ahead with his plan. He sent the Enterprise to your planet to –"

"– to catch a criminal who was a threat to us, as Kirk pointed out during his stay on Turkana," Kor growled. "The outcome of which is well known: three ship's crews dead –"

"– instead of an open attack against Qo'noS, as Kirk was ordered to carry out," Bob cut in, rendering Kor speechless before the Klingon's face flushed red with rage.

"Kirk was ordered –"

"To kill the criminal by firing torpedoes at the abandoned area of your homeworld where the fugitive was hiding. Kirk didn't obey this order as he became aware what he was really ought to do – attack an unsuspecting planet – not with one, but with over seventy torpedoes."

Kor paled. "More than seventy torpedoes? It… It would have torn Qo'noS apart!" he gasped, eyes widening in shock.

Wesley nodded slowly. "Yes, a planetary catastrophe would have occurred. And there would have been no doubt who had attacked you, because the conspirators had sabotaged the Enterprise's warp core which stranded her in Klingon territory. You would have every right to regard this as an act of war, and no doubt would have attacked the Federation, exactly as the conspirators had intended. The traitors would have made it look as though everything were Kirk's fault – a young captain who'd broken under the pressure of command, and because the criminal had killed his mentor before he'd fled. Yet war would have broken out. And the conspirators would have appeared as the saviors of the Federation; prepared for everything already. The head of them would have been lauded as the great hero in the end – an end that would have meant thousands, tens of thousands of dead Federation citizens – and Klingons, decimated planets, and a shift of the power balance in the Alpha and Beta quadrants."

Kor's hands were balled into fists, strong enough to turn his knuckles to a sick pale yellow. "We would have been nothing more than pieces in a chess game these traitors set up," he hissed, furious. "Is this the usual human way to battle?"

"No, as you certainly know by now," Bob said firmly, though gently. "These people are scum, not worth the paper their names are written on. Yet they did and do again have their collective finger poised on the proverbial trigger, and they'll play anyone – our admiralty, and captains, the Federation Council, your council, you, me… Just as they tried to do last year."

"But their attempt failed," the fleet commander reminded him harshly, and Wesley smiled without humor.

"Yes, because the young captain who'd been chosen to be their instrument of destruction listened to his conscience and tried to capture the criminal himself. He smuggled himself onto Qo'noS to arrest him. The man defended himself, then your squadron showed up and challenged Kirk to a battle."

"And then the Qli-jagh, who had come to hide, appeared to support Kirk – just as he has since then," Kor stated with another growl. "Kirk told me that said criminal and the dark warrior were two different people, yet the dark warrior is well-trained and skilled as an assassin – a perfect agent for such a shadow department. Maybe they are indeed one and the same person? You said he was forced into the traitors' service, but fled successfully. Maybe it was he who turned against his superiors because he didn't want to play their game any longer?"

Wesley knew that he had to be very careful now. Khan should never be connected to events last year – neither in public nor in secret. Even – especially – not here and now. Therefore, Bob knew he had to use the same white lie Jim had told him and which would confirm Kor's comments. "The dark warrior fled, true, but his escape and the agent's flight didn't happen at the same time. The agent turned rogue later and perhaps followed the Augment to team up with him, yet it never came to that," he said – using the fact that several days spanned Khan's attack against the London archive and his escape. "The Augment fled to Qo'noS, hoping that his tormentors wouldn't follow him. He hid on your homeworld in an abandoned area where he met later Jim Kirk, who was hunting the criminal. The Augment didn't know that Kirk and his companions belonged to Starfleet, because they wore civilian clothes and didn't use a Starfleet spacecraft. All he saw were a few young human people who were attacked by your squadron. Blood is thicker than water, so he intervened to their advantage. When he learned that they were indeed Starfleet personnel, he fled again and vanished."

Kor watched him, eyes glistening. "And he didn't know who he helped? And vanished?" He snorted. "Well, that covers what Kirk told me about this ominous stranger who came to his aid on Qo'noS, only to disappear and not be seen again until four weeks ago on Turkana. Yet there is one small, maybe unimportant detail I simply cannot grasp." Pure irony dripped from his voice before he almost snarled. "How, if this Augment and Kirk didn't know each other, and Kirk hadn't seen him since the bloodshed on Qo'noS, as he told me, was it possible for them to have become lovers in the meantime? Because that's the real reason the Augment has risked his neck ever since to recover Kirk and protect him with the fierceness of a warrigul-mother shielding her whelps!"

Bob stared at him thunderstruck. Had he understood Kor correctly? Lovers? Kirk and Khan were lovers? That was – crazy! Insane even! He cleared his throat and forced his vocal cords to work. "I beg your pardon?" he asked, tone obviously disbelieving.

Something close to curiosity began to shimmer in the Klingon's dark eyes. "They are lovers," he repeated, taking in the human's astonished face.

Wesley continued to look at him – utterly confused. "No," he finally said.

Kor lifted both brows. "Yes, they are."

"Never!" Bob shook his head. "Impossible!"

Kor felt amusement rising in him at the human's clear denial, and his lips curled into a smirk. "You didn't know what your 'boy' was up to?" he asked with a mocking tone in his voice.

Finally Wesley realized that Kor wasn't pulling his leg and began to laugh. "Jim Kirk and Khan – lovers?" He tried to control himself, but couldn't stop the chuckles which escaped him. "Kor, you're very much mistaken. Kirk and another man sharing a bed?" Again he had to stifle a guffaw. "You really don't know much about Jim Kirk. He's Starfleet's biggest Casanova – a ladies' man, through and through. There isn't a woman safe from his flirting and charm attacks. I think he'd even bat his eyes at the Vice President, given half the chance. But take Khan to his bed? Never!"

Kor leant back and his strong fingers drummed on his arm rests – not in irritation but in a sort of triumph. And a moment later it was clear why. "And here, Wesley, you are mistaken. Kirk and…Khan is his name?" He watched the commodore sobering up and grinned wolfishly. "Nice to learn his true name finally." He cocked his head, enjoying the next words. "Those two are very close – lovers! I've got proof on visual recordings. And Koloth told me before he was called back to the Empire that the Qli-jagh – Khan – had only one goal on Aldebaran: to keep Kirk safe. He was always near him – too near – and stopped his fight when Kirk's life was at stake, telling Korax he'd let him go if he spared Kirk." He watched the dumfounded expression on Wesley's face and continued after a short dramatic pause, "Kirk is his weakness; he's even ready to sacrifice himself for him. And I'm almost certain that the dark warrior was also aboard the Enterprise when I came to your boy's aid in the Briar Patch. The way the Enterprise fought off our two renegades bore Khan's stamp."

'So much for keeping quiet about Khan's presence aboard Kirk's ship,' Wesley thought, frustrated. On the outside he remained casual. "They'd become friends; that much I knew, but to think that they're lovers is…"

"The truth!"

"Kor," Wesley began anew. "Kirk is, as I've already said, a Casano – well, someone who –"

"I know who this Casanova of yours was, and what it means to be called that, Wesley. After all, it was you who gave me some of that classical Terran literature files when we left Organia. I do understand that Kirk had been after every pretty female – maybe that's why he's found true love with a man in the end." He bent forwards. "I have proof. Here, look for yourself!" He activated his terminal and barked some orders before he turned the screen around, giving them both a chance to watch the scene unfold.

The record, Wesley noted, was taken from a bird's eye view and showed two figures running over a dark field. Strong spotlights caught their flight, voices demanded their surrender, wind and engine noise told of other space crafts' arrival. Kor zoomed the screen and half-anxious, half-curious Bob realized that he saw Jim's and Khan's attempt to escape their Klingon pursuers. Both stopped and looked around; Kirk was barely holding himself upright, the Augment strong and in utterly-protective mode – ready to battle to the last breathe anyone who would try to approach. With dread, Wesley watched Jim's shoulders sagging in defeat; the young captain clearly realized that there was no way out. And then it happened. Both men looked at each other before they closed the distance between themselves in wordless agreement. Khan pulled the younger man into an embrace – a gesture Kirk responded to instantly. The beginning of anguish showed upon the super-human's face as he leant his head against Jim's, and as his lips moved, it became obvious that Kirk tightened his arms around him. Both clung to each other like a lifeline – as if it were the last time, and that pained them both beyond imagination.

Kor stopped the recording and leant back, looking half-satisfied, half-amused. Shock was plainly written across his 'guest's' face. "You really didn't know," he mused, and Bob dumbly shook his head. "But you must agree now that they are not just simple allies – or friends," the Klingon pressed and met Wesley's gaze finally. For several moments they only looked at each other, then groaning, the commodore let himself fall against the backrest of the chair.

There was no denying it. That embrace had nothing to do with friendship. Jim and Khan were – indeed – lovers! It all made sense now – Kirk's incredible protective instincts regarding the Augment, his pain as Bob suggested that Khan should leave the Enterprise and hide until everything had settled; Khan's willingness to support and shield Kirk whenever necessary. Hell, it even explained why the super-human had been ready to die along with Jim. They were lovers – and given the latest incident and how far Kirk was ready to go for the Augment, it became clear that this was more than one of Jim's fleeting affairs. He was ready to sacrifice his career and his command for the Augment – and Khan was ready to face court, risking a life sentence, only to have a very small chance to live a life of freedom, maybe beside Jim.

God, this was exactly what Wesley did not right now – a big, heart-wrenching love story between his best captain and protégée, and a wanted man who had to be brought to trial, hoping for leniency after running amok a year ago.

Kor examined Wesley's reaction and his lips curled in even deeper amusement. "Sorry if I've added more problems to your already fully-laden shoulders!"

Bob glared at him. "I'd believe your sympathy was more sincere if you'd stop grinning!" he groused – and the Klingon laughed quietly.

"You said Kirk is a kind of son to you. You should give him a proper dressing down; maybe he'd behave afterwards."

"Too late for that. He's already grown up – well, at least on the outside," Bob grumbled. Oh, he would give Jim an earful as soon as he saw him again. Jesus, it wasn't as if he didn't approve of relationships of the same gender. He'd even thank the Lord that Jim Kirk, of all the playboys, finally found a match and settled down with her (or him, in this case). But this was the stupidest thing Kirk could have done – falling in love with a criminal. And, above all, not telling him about it. Did Jim really think something like this could stay hidden for long?

Kor cocked his head. "He's put you into a nasty position, your 'boy', hasn't he?"

"Not really," Wesley murmured. "It only changes some…private matters." He sighed and straightened his posture. "So, they're lovers – all right. Does this influence our topic at all?"

"No," Kor admitted, "it only affirms what I'd guessed, and that's always satisfying." He switched off the terminal. "And I expect you'll keep this affair a secret to protect your boy and his lover." He cocked his head. "You love to play dangerous games, don't you? Your presence aboard my ship proves it."

"I've no other choice," Bob said uncomfortably.

"No, you really have no other choice, seeing that you're desperate enough to ask me for support."

Wesley took another deep breath. "Do I have it?"

Kor pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Is there the tiniest chance that you may learn about this secret location where the slavery market will take place? Otherwise our cooperation would not make any sense."

This choice of words gave Bob new hope. "Yes, I have a plan – but its success will depend on your readiness to help."

Again the Klingon watched him for a longer time, then he made up his mind. "I know that this can lead to a lot of trouble – not only for you, but also for me and my inferiors, but danger is the spice of life." He straightened his shoulders. "Count me in – if only to proof to our councils that there are still honorable warriors left who do not need to play foul to gain victory."

Bob allowed himself to breathe through – and as he caught Kor's smirking expression he rolled his eyes. What had he gotten himself into…?

TBC…

Yes, this is a very good question: What had Bob gotten himself into? Well, at least in a lot of trouble, chaos and craziness. But the same goes for our boys.

In the next chapter the cooperation between Bob and Kor will start – with a few surprises. Spock Prime finds out something very interesting and, of course, can't stop himself from supporting Jim with everything possible. Then the Enterprise will reach Gamma 12, where Jim comes face to face with someone he knows from the Academy – trouble is inevitable.

I hope you loved the new installment and I'm very – very – curios what you think of this whole progress.

Love

Yours Starflight