Chapter 2: Truths and Traps
Joachim turned out to be a gentle kind man that everyone liked at once. He was solemn and reserved though there was a haunted look to his eyes, eyes that had seen too much and endured too much in his young life. He was surprised to be asked to dine with the captain and took this honor humbly wishing his commander was the one here not him. Still Kahn had not waked and was still in a coma. Joachim was impressed with the food; it was the best earth dishes on a starship no less! He could not remember having eaten so well in a very long time, prison food was dull and was designed to dampen the spirits of the prisoner.
"Thank you sir for this honor." Joachim said sipping the deep red wine.
"It is not everyday we get to meet someone from history." Kirk said.
"I have read what the history records say of my people." Joachim said a flicker of sadness coming over his face. "I did not expect any different."
"Indeed, you believe the records are incorrect." Spock asked.
"Yea, well they are." Joachim said. "If I could go to the ship sirs there are records there."
"I am sorry but I cannot allow that." Kirk said. "You must understand the situation we are in."
"Yes sir, I think I do." Joachim said. "I understand why you must have a guard on me and why I am watched as I am."
"Where were you headed?" McCoy asked Joachim.
"The outer stars, forgive me, my commander he knows more of this." Joachim said. "He was the one trusted as it was a secret only he knew."
The meal went on and Joachim learned much of this era of time. Earth peoples had formed with other races a Federation of worlds that had two main enemies, the Romulans and Klingons. It seemed very few things changed though Joachim dared not say anything about that, he did not want to upset the captain here. He went back to the rooms he was staying in and settled in to read. He looked up as the door opened and Marta McGivers came into the room. She was all sweetness but a suspicion about her formed in Joachim's mind he brushed it away as he was being far too paranoid for his own good.
"Hello." He said getting up and gesturing to a seat. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to see you in person, reading about people like you then seeing you." McGivers said smiling at him.
"People from history can be different in person." Joachim said smiling back.
"I-I want to help you." She said. "I don't believe the captain is um right in how he is treating you."
"You?" Joachim, "you would help me."
"Yes." She said.
"In anything, you would help me in anything?" Joachim said his light eyes flashing.
"Yes, please I know you are powerful."
"Get me back to my ship." Joachim said.
"Yes Joachim." McGivers said smiling at him. "I live to serve."
She left his quarters, smiled at the guard who smiled back before she knocked him out, and drug him into Joachim's quarters. She led him out and down to the transporter room where she took out the transportation chief. She set the coordinates to the Botany Bay and stepped on the platform with Joachim. They beamed over to the other ship fairly quickly and Joachim headed for the main room he knew what he needed was located.
"Are you not going to wake your people?" McGivers said.
"Instructions are on the sides of the containers." Joachim said busy with the computer. "I will join you in a minute."
"We have to hurry, the captain will come soon." McGivers said.
Joachim found the files he was looking for and began to work feverishly on decoding the files and uploading them. Finally done he walked out to where he saw several of his trusted friends already awake and in far better shape than he had been. Soon they were dressed and ready to beam back to the Enterprise. Captain Kirk right about now would not know what would have hit him as right about now he was no longer in control of the prisoners.
"We cannot head back to the starship now, but we have leverage right here." Joachim said, "I have sent the truth to the starship."
"Is that wise?" A young woman who went by Qua asked, "they could betray us."
"I doubt it, not when they realize a few things, you see I have learned things you don't know already." Joachim said, "Colonel Green who overthrew Khan went on to kill millions of innocent people. It was not we the Augments who caused the eugenics wars, but those of Green's following, and then World War III."
"Which I was trying to stop." Khan said walking from where he had beamed over, "I see you have been busy, now what to do with the starship above hmm? They claim to be against what colonel Green did but despise me for what some of our people did." Khan said, "the Klingons hate the Federation for a few of our kind who escaped colonel Green and his forces to space and to Klingon space, they bred with the Klingons and created the face of the Klingon empire outside the empire." "
Our choice is simple, we can go with this captain Kirk or he will blast us, our choice." Joachim said
"To be slaves of this Federation!" Khan, "we should have taken them when we could, I should have if not for one thing."
"What is that sir?" Joachim asked.
"Yes, we should have taken them, my temper and arrogance would have doomed us all and that my dear is what you were hoping was it not?" Khan asked Marla almost kindly, "you are on my ship now and forgot to hide your tattoo, and did you not think that one of my people would not know what that meant? That colonel Green was part of my time too."
"I can see it, it is good I was awake first sir to see it." Joachim said, "and to warn you sir."
"I do not know what you mean sir." Marla said getting nervous, "I wish to serve."
"Do you? I doubt that, you wish me destroyed, I have the right to kill you." Khan said taking out a phaser, "no doubt you heard how much of a blood thirsty killer I am?"
"I doubt that, you attacked my men, you will stand trial for your actions." Kirk said walking up to McGivers, not amused in the slightest, "I thought we had seen the last of the colonel's people."
"The Augments are evil!" Marla said coldly, "They should all die."
McGivers was led away and Khan, though still not trusting of Kirk was more willing to work with him. They reached a truce of sorts, Kahn would allow his ship to be towed by the Enterprise to the nearest space station, and once there it would be decided what to do with him and his crew. There was the matter of the frozen embryos that were potential Augment children to deal with, at least those that had survived and other things as well. What would a man like Khan do in the 23rd century and was it wise to allow him to remain free?
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So I left McGivers as a bad guy, moons do not blow up on their own and I never did trust her. I see her as being able to play both sides and the reason that Khan hated Kirk so much, he believed that McGivers was sent with him to destroy him and his people. He is still a bit arrogant and will not always see eye-to-eye with Kirk but at least now he will listen.
Anyway, review please.