Chapter Seven: Enemy of My Enemy

Suddenly there was a comm for Jim, "Proximity alert, sir! There's a ship at warp heading right for us."

"Klingons?" Jim questioned.

"At warp?" Khan replied, "No, Kirk. We both know who it is."

He was commed back from Sulu, "I don't think so. It's not coming at us from Kronos."

"Lieutenant," Jim said turning to the security office, "move Khan to med bay. Post 6 security officers on him."

"Yes, Captain," the Lieutenant replied.

Jim ran off to the bridge, Sadie and Spock right behind him, as Jim ran onto the bridge it was announced, "Captain on the bridge!"

"ETA of the incoming ship?" Jim asked going to his chair and sitting down.

"3 seconds, sir," Sulu replied.

"Shields," Jim ordered. Sadie stood by her brother's chair waiting for Marcus to show his face, it wouldn't be long, Carol should be up there they would have a chance then. That and if he found out Khan was still alive Sadie would pay, she was terrified for all their safeties.

"Aye, Captain."

Shields went up, a second later Uhura spoke, "They're hailing us, sir."

"On screen," Jim ordered, "Broadcast shipwide, for the record."

No one could say Jim was stupid, he knew how to make sure there would be a record when needed.

Then there was Admiral Marcus on the screen, "Captain Kirk."

Jim was surprised to see the Admiral, Sadie's heart sank into her stomach though, "Admiral Marcus. I wasn't expecting you. That's a hell of a ship you got there."

"And I wasn't expecting to get word that you'd taken Harrison into custody in violation of your orders."

"Well, we... We had to improvise when our warp core

unexpectedly malfunctioned. But you already knew that,

didn't you, sir?"

"I don't take your meaning," Marcus frowned.

Well, that's why you're here, isn't it? To assist with our repairs? Why else would the head of Starfleet personally come to the edge of the Neutral Zone?" Sadie bit the inside of her cheek, Jim knew something was off; he was beginning to trust Khan.

"Captain, they're scanning our ship," Sulu spoke up.

"Is there something I can help you find, sir?" Jim asked.

"Where is your prisoner, Kirk?"

"Per Starfleet regulation, I'm planning on returning Khan to Earth to stand trial."

"Well, shit." Marcus said scratching his forehead, "You talked to him. This is exactly what I was hoping to spare you from. I took a tactical risk and I woke that bastard up, believing that his superior intelligence could help us protect ourselves from whatever came at us next. But I made a mistake. And now the blood of everybody he's killed is on my hands. So I'm asking you, give him to me so that I can end what I started."

Sadie's heart was pounding, Marcus did want Khan dead to cover all his tracks now that the ship he wanted was done. "And what exactly would you like me to do with the rest of his crew, sir?" Jim asked. "Fire them at the Klingons? End 72 lives? Start a war in the process?"

"He put those people in those torpedoes. And I simply didn't want to burden you with knowing what was inside of them. You saw what this man can do all by himself. Can you imagine what would happen if we woke up the rest of his crew? What else did he tell you? That he's a peacekeeper?

He's playing you, son, don't you see that? Khan and his crew were condemned to death as war criminals. And now it is our duty to carry out that sentence before anybody else dies because of him. Now, I'm going to ask you again! One last time, son. Lower your shields. Tell me where he is."

"He's in engineering, sir. But I'll have him moved to the transporter room right away," Jim lied making Sadie relax slightly, he trusted her and Khan, he was going to do the right thing.

"I'II take it from here," Marcus said before turning off the connection.

"Do not drop those shields, Mr. Sulu," Jim ordered.

"Aye, Captain." Sulu nodded.

"Captain, given your awareness of Khan's true location in the med bay, may I know the details of your plan?" Spock asked.

"I told Marcus we were bringing a fugitive back to Earth. That's what we're going to do," Jim said before comming down to Chekov, "Mr. Chekov, can we warp?"

"Sir, if we go to warp, we run the risk of seriously damaging the core!" Chekov replied.

"Can we do it?"

"Technically, yes, but I would not advise it, Captain."

"Noted. Mr. Sulu, set course for Earth."

"Yes, sir." Sulu nodded setting the course.

"Punch it," Jim ordered.

They then headed off into warp, but Sadie knew it wouldn't end well. After a minute Jim turned to Nyota, "Lieutenant Uhura, contact Starfleet. Tell them we were pursued into the Neutral Zone by an unmarked Federation ship."

Nyota frowned, "Comms are down, sir."

Suddenly Carol came onto the bridge, "Permission to come on the bridge."

"Dr. Marcus," Jim said noticing her.

"He's gonna catch up with us, and when he does, the only thing that's gonna stop him destroying this ship is me, so you have to let me talk to him."

Jim frowned, "Carol, we're at warp. He can't catch up with us."

"Yes, he can," Sadie said, "Khan designed that ship, I don't know a lot about it though. I do know he's been developing a ship that has advanced warp capabilities..."

"Captain!" Sulu said confused, "I'm getting a reading I don't understand."

Suddenly the ship was shot out of warp throwing everyone to the side, Jim looked around, "Where are we?"

"We're 237,000 kilometers from Earth," Sulu replied.

"Damage report!" Jim ordered.

Staff began to tell what was going on with the ship, "Weapons are way down."

"Shields are dropping."

"We're defenseless, sir."

"Sir, we have a bulkhead breach."

"Where's the damage?" Jim asked.

"Major hull damage, Captain."

Suddenly Marcus began shooting at them and Jim yelled out, "Evasive maneuvers! Get us to Earth! Right now!"

Finally Carol spoke up, "Captain! Stop! Everybody on this ship is going to die if you don't let me speak to him."

Jim nodded sighing, "Uhura, hail him."

Marcus was brought up on the screen and Carol began talking to her father, "Sir. It's me. It's Carol."

Immediately the shooting stopped, now they had a chance. Marcus frowned, "What are you doing on that ship?"

"I heard what you said. That you made a mistake and now you're doing everything you can to fix it. But, Dad, I don't believe that the man who raised me is capable of destroying a ship full of innocent people. And, if I'm wrong about that,

then you're gonna have to do it with me on board," Carol said making Sadie smile, despite everything here was a girl who believed in her father.

"Actually, Carol, I won't." Marcus said, but the way he said it made Sadie freeze.

Carol gasped as transporter beams started to surround her, she looked at Jim, "Jim..."

"Can we intercept the transport signal?" Jim asked.

"No, sir," he was told.

"Carol!" Jim yelled out as Carol screamed trying to run from the beam but was unable and was soon transported away.

"Captain Kirk, without authorization and in league with the fugitive John Harrison, you went rogue in enemy territory, leaving me no choice but to hunt you down and destroy you," Marcus said before ordering his crew, "Lock phasers."

Jim couldn't let his crew die so he tried to stop Marcus, "Wait, sir, wait, wait, wait!"

"I'll make this quick," Marcus said, "Target all aft torpedoes on the Enterprise bridge."

"Sir, my crew was just following my orders. I take full responsibility for my actions. But they were mine and they were mine alone. If I transmit Khan's location to you now, all that I ask is that you spare them. Please, sir. I'll do anything you want. Just let them live," Jim was not below begging for the lives of his family, if they could be saved he'd die a happy man.

Marcus shook his head, "That's a hell of an apology. But if it's any consolation, I was never going to spare your crew. Fire when..."

The transmission was ended, Sadie closed her eyes to try and stop the tears, she opened them when Jim spoke to the crew, "I'm sorry."

A few seconds later Sulu spoke up, "Their weapons have powered down. Sir."

Then over the comms came a very familiar voice, "Enterprise! Can you hear me?"

"Scotty!" Jim and Sadie both spoke smiling widely.

"Guess what I found behind Jupiter."

"You're on that ship!"

"I snuck on. And seeing as I've just committed an act of treason against a Starfleet Admiral, I'd really like to get off this bloody ship. Now beam me out!"

"You're a miracle worker. We're a little low on power right now. Just stand by. Stand by."

"What do you mean, "low on power"? What happened to the Enterprise?" Scotty asked the frown obvious in his voice, suddenly he said, "Call you back." And the call ended.

"Scotty!" Jim said, he then turned to Spock, "Spock. Our ship, how is she?"

"Our options are limited, Captain. We cannot fire and we cannot flee."

Sadie then spoke up, "There is one option."

Jim nodded knowing what his sister was thinking, "Uhura, when you get Scotty back, patch him through."

"Yes sir," Nyota nodded.

"Mr. Spock, you have the comm," Jim said taking his sisters hand and walking away, they needed to be together for this.

They got into the lift with Spock following them, "Captain, I strongly object."

"To what? I haven't said anything yet."

"Since we cannot take the ship from the outside, the only way we can take it is from within. And as a large boarding party would be detected, it is optimal for you to take as few members of the crew as possible," they exited the lift and Spock kept talking, "You will meet resistance, requiring personnel with advanced combat abilities and innate knowledge of that ship. This indicates that you plan to align with Khan, the very man we were sent here to destroy."

Sadie stood back letting them have at it, "I'm not aligning with him, I'm using him. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'"

"An Arabic proverb attributed to a prince who was betrayed and decapitated by his own subjects."

Jim smiled, "Still, it's a hell of a quote."

"I will go with you, Captain."

"No, I need you on the bridge."

Spock put his hand on Jim's shoulder stopping him, Sadie pulled up behind them, "I cannot allow you to do this. It is my function aboard this ship to advise you on making the wisest decisions possible, something I firmly believe you are incapable of doing in this moment."

"You're right!" Jim said snapping slightly, "What I'm about to do, it doesn't make any sense, it's not logical. It is a gut feeling. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I only know what I can do. The Enterprise and her crew need someone in that chair that knows what he's doing. And it's not me. It's you, Spock."

Jim then turned walking off; Sadie came around in front of Spock, "I'll take care of him I promise. If I have my way it'll be just me and Khan on that ship to get Scotty."

Spock placed a hand on Sadie's face, "I worry about you as well, and Doctor McCoy and James would be devastated to lose you. I as well."

Sadie kissed Spock's cheek, "I'll be back I promise." She then turned going after Jim.

A/N:

Hey guys! So sorry it took so long to update, had a lot of trouble working on it not much motivation :( I'm trying my hardest to finish it though I promise as we're almost there. I think the lack of motivation was the loss of a close family member and I really don't want to see the story end and I'm not sure if you all would like side stories or not so I'm not sure if I'll end up doing them.

I will work my hardest to get this finished though!
Savannah