The Neutral Zone, London
Thursday 10th February 1994
Understandably a little shellshocked and immeasurably grateful to these people, whom she had not known for very long, but who had proved their friendship, Chrissie considered the plan they had put before her. It was crazy… ridiculous… she was being unbelievably reckless, not only with her own life but that of her children, to even think about it. Neither Grapok nor Grenn knew the full story, that the withdrawal was a hoax. As far as they knew, the worst that could happen was Chrissie and Krang having a massive row – and since there was, in their minds, only one way for a fight between lovers to end, that idea was not particularly worrying. That Krang might die, leaving Chrissie and her children alone on an alien planet with no-one to support her and no way of returning home, was inconceivable to them. Nor could she enlighten them.
Going to Qo'noS would be a massive risk. Even if they were able to find a way to be together, there were no guarantees they would be able to make things work. She was not naïve enough to think that a few weeks of happiness negated the massive cultural differences between them or the fact that in reality, they barely knew each other.
And if he died? If that stubborn Klingon refused to see reason and insisted on facing the authorities? Without his protection, would she be able to make a life for herself and her children amongst the Klingons?
Stay or go? She had to go somewhere; on that, at least, there was no decision to be made. To abort the baby she carried, even if right now it was little more than a bundle of cells, went against everything she believed in and she dismissed that option immediately. Whatever happened, she would have to leave her home, and she took a moment to ponder on just how quickly the old farmhouse deep in the French countryside had come to feel like home. It was a place full of happy memories and it would be hard to leave it behind. But leave it she must – either to follow Krang without his knowledge, or to ask Captain Kirk for sanctuary. It did not occur to her to simply tell Krang about the baby – she knew him well enough to know what he would say and do, and she did not want to go with the Enterprise, even if it was the safe, logical option.
Krang was Klingon. He was strong, brave and honourable. He had not chosen the safe, easy option and nor would she. Just like that, her mind was made up. She would follow him to Qo'noS.
Somewhere in London
Thursday 10th February 1994
The Jamaican listened carefully to what his American subordinate was telling him. Not that she knew it – and as far as he was concerned, she did not need to know – but he was also the leader of the resistance in Europe and all cells on the continent reported to him through a complicated chain that protected the anonymity of all involved. After Jamal's brutal death at the hands of the invaders, he'd stepped in personally to lead the London cell. Unlike the man he'd replaced, he understood the virtues of patience and good planning and he'd put a temporary moratorium on the activities of the group until they – both group and activities – could be properly evaluated. When fighting against an enemy as technologically advanced as the Klingons, they could not afford to act hastily, throwing away lives to no good effect. That had not been a popular move, but this was a long-term game. Winning a battle was useless if it lost them the war.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," he said eventually. "You've done well." It was true enough; she'd given him some good information, even if she had come very close to blowing the mission – and it did not escape him that if she'd played it with a little more cunning instead of erupting in righteous indignation, they might have been able to gather a lot more information.
He'd been present in the restaurant the night of the meeting and had seen first-hand just how volatile she'd become… And how that damned Klingon had identified him as resistance, he would never know. His blood had run cold as he'd listened to that threat, delivered in a low, calm voice, knowing with absolute certainty that if he made even the slightest wrong move, his life would come to an abrupt end.
Not that he would. Any animosity the resistance held towards the woman known as Christa Martinez had been negated by her part in bringing the Klingon leader to the negotiating table. Whatever his personal thoughts about the relationship between her and the Klingon, he was not arrogant enough to think this could have happened without her influence. As far as he was concerned, she was forgiven.
Aware that Sarah was standing waiting patiently for instructions, he turned his thoughts back to the matter at hand. So… the Klingon chef had fallen in love and wanted to stay behind. He wanted to refuse outright, but in truth, he could see no reason to do so. Maybe it had been inadvertent, but the man had given good service to the resistance, providing a place where humans and Klingons could mix, one that, had proved the perfect location for the discussions that had led to the aliens agreeing to withdraw.
Decision made, he nodded. "Yes, I see no reason why not. Pass the message that we will allow it. I'd suggest, though, that he have some sort of cosmetic surgery to try to make him look at least a bit more human. Your doctor boyfriend has plenty of experience, he should be able to do it easily enough." Ignoring the muttered "not my doctor…" he continued, "He'll need some ID as well. I'll get the documentation guys onto that."
She gave a stiff nod. "Understood."
"Good, then you're dismissed." He watched her go with a troubled expression on his face. She was taking everything far too personally, which was a shame because she'd be a damned good operative if only she'd learn to be more objective.
Unlike the rest of the team, he knew the full story – the time travel, the humans from the future, the Vulcans… Even with Sarah as a go-between, he could not have negotiated on behalf of his planet without that information. He'd been a senior intelligence agent in the time before the invasion, and he understood the importance of confidentiality, especially when it came to the future. He had plenty more to worry about. Experience told him that the departure of the Klingons was not going to solve all the problems facing his world. The potential threat that had been Khan Noonien Singh had been diverted, channelled into fighting the invaders, but he believed that the power vacuum created by said departure, would give Khan the perfect opportunity to resume his attempted conquest. Well, if it came to that, the resistance would be ready and waiting.
As for Sarah, he knew that she was planning to go with the Enterprise – and a part of him took the time to acknowledge how envious that made him feel – but in doing so, he could not help feeling that she was running away. He could only hope that she found the peace she was looking for.
Loire Valley, France
Thursday 10th February 1994
The discussion, when Krang finally caught up with Chrissie late that afternoon, had been a difficult, albeit surprisingly civilised one. She'd just got the children settled at the kitchen table with paper and colouring pencils, as well as some healthy snacks, and they were happily drawing pictures related to their classes in school that day, when she heard the front door slam open and heavy footsteps coming down the corridor. He was moving faster than usual and when he appeared, she noted that he had not bothered to stop and remove his cloak. She liked the way he looked in it. The heavy, fur-lined fabric fell in graceful folds from his shoulders almost to his feet, swaying with his movements and giving him the appearance of an elegant, 'olde-worlde' gentleman. Not that he would be overjoyed by that description, but still, it was true. It was also true that she found it extremely sexy – and that knowledge, she thought, he would appreciate all too well. She shook herself mentally; this was not the time for her thoughts to be going down that route.
Within seconds of his arrival, both children had abandoned their place at the table and launched themselves across the room and into his arms, shrieking a loud welcome. Lowering himself to his knees to better reach, he wrapped his arms around them in a fierce hug before looking up and meeting her eyes.
Chrissie's breath caught at the intensity of his gaze. He knew. She could see it in those dark eyes that had always reminded her of a hawk. She supposed it was inevitable that someone would tell him, and momentarily she wondered who it had been. Probably Kolana or Marla, no doubt thinking they were being helpful, although it was likely that half the Klingon army knew by now if the way they gossiped was anything to go by. He could have heard it from anyone, including – if the staff in the Pharmacie had told anyone about her purchase – the residents of the village. That last would have been a breach of privacy, but since Krang was more or less a celebrity in the community, it was very possible.
When he finally spoke, the words were not what she had expected to hear. "I came home earlier, looking for you."
There was just the faintest hint of accusation in the statement. He'd not been best pleased when he'd arrived home earlier in the day, to find the house empty. She'd said nothing that morning about going out. She didn't say much about anything just lately, he thought. Not that she needed to justify herself to him, or ask his permission, but he would have liked to hear about the pregnancy from her, not from one of his colleagues. That pretty much everyone else had known before him hurt. He could have called Grenn, of course, to ask where she was, but he'd decided that it was not his place to be checking up on her all the time. It had been with great reluctance that he'd gone back to his work. There was too much to be done for him to be wasting time sitting around waiting for her to return.
"Oh." She looked down momentarily, studying the tea towel in her hands. She was holding it between them almost as though it were a shield, she realised uncomfortably - like a flimsy cloth for drying dishes would be any protection! With some effort, she unclenched her fingers from its folds and put it aside. "I went to see Maggie and Grapok. Did you know, they're engaged?"
He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yes, I knew. He came to see me yesterday… well, Koreth, actually, but I was in his office at the time. He has asked and been granted permission to remain on Earth."
Not waiting for a reply, he moved over to the kitchen table and proceeded to admire the children's artwork before dismissing them upstairs to wash and get ready for dinner. As soon as they had gone, he turned his attention back to Chrissie. "Is it true?"
"That I'm pregnant?" Never taking her eyes off him, Chrissie nodded. "Yes, it's true." She watched him very carefully, attempting to read the complicated mix of emotions flitting across his face, to gauge how he felt about the situation. She saw disbelief, then concern and even a touch of fear and her heart sank. But then she realised he was smiling. "You're pleased? You don't mind?"
Swiftly crossing the room, he pulled her into a hug, arms folding around her, almost smothering her in the folds of the cloak. She tensed momentarily but then relaxed, leaning against him and inhaling that faint, masculine scent that was so uniquely him.
"Of course, I am pleased," he told her sincerely. "It gives me great comfort to know that you carry my child."
She looked up at him hopefully. "Does it change anything?"
That was a good question, to which there was no satisfactory answer. Yes, it did, but not in the way he knew she hoped. She could not come with him, but nor could she remain on Earth. Her only option – or at least, the only one if she wanted to keep the baby – to go with Enterprise. Doctor McCoy would have the necessary expertise and equipment to bring both mother and child safely through the pregnancy.
"No," he told her regretting that he must dash the hope in her eyes. "You already know why you cannot come with me."
He'd expected her to cry, but to her credit, she listened quietly as he explained her choices, and then nodded again. His own relief was palpable when she told him very fiercely that she would not consider a termination and how dared he even suggest it! He relaxed just a little, knowing that whatever happened, she would keep his child safe.
Afterwards, when he'd had time to reflect, he would realise that it had all gone just a little too well, that her calm acceptance had been little more than an illusion. She'd pulled away from him, saying that Toni and Fina would be back in a minute, and she needed to finish getting dinner ready. Picking up the children's colouring pencils and their pictures, she'd stopped for a moment to look at them. An indefinable expression crossed her face as she studied the images, both of which contained distinctly Klingon elements.
"They are good pictures," he offered, slightly awkwardly, not quite sure how to interpret that look.
"They are," she agreed, looking down at the artwork again. For his age, Toni was quite a good artist and he'd drawn a quite credible representation of the house, adding in some details of the garden as it might look in high summer, and parked on the grass, not a car but a black, Klingon shuttle. Fina's picture was a little less accomplished, but the figure she'd drawn, with its long hair and black clothing, was clearly meant to be Krang. "Maybe you'd like to keep them? I think they were drawn for you."
"I'd like that," he said, touched by the offer. Yes, he'd like that very much.
As they'd been talking, she'd continued with her clearing up, and again, afterwards, he would realise that she had quite deliberately moved so that the kitchen table was between them. Her next words, seeming to come completely out of the blue, snapped him back to reality as abruptly as if she'd put a knife through his heart.
"I do not want you," she told him bluntly, "to say goodbye to the children, or even to tell them you are leaving."
Author's notes: Yes, Chrissie is being reckless, and in many ways, is being both selfish and naive. She isn't perfect and she's in love.
sorry this chapter has taken so long, I did promise I won't abandon this story, but life has been insanely busy. I've just handed in my first two assignments for my degree. One was fairly easy, the other took a bit more thinking. Now nervously waiting for results to come back.
Big thank you to the usual suspects - Solasnagreine, JDC0 and RobertBruceScott, and to my lovely Beta, Linny, who has been so helpful.