Miss me? Ehehehehe. So, I'm not dead I'm just a really busy and really apologetic author who is deeply sorry from the bottom of her 3 sizes too small heart that she has not updated since Smaug took over the Lonely Mountain many moons ago. But, I finally got the chance to sit down and pump out this chapter this weekend! It's not much, but it's something. I hope you guys enjoy!
P.S. I do not own Star Trek.
P.S.S. To those of you who read my Avengers fic, Hell Hath No Fury, I should be updating that one as well in a few days (hopefully).
Once they had beamed onto the Enterprise, Harrison was immediately surrounded by a small contingent of armed security officers before being led towards the brig. And that's where Ana found herself, trailing behind Harrison and his babysitters.
"Captain Sullivan." Ana turned her head to look at the Vulcan walking next to her, hands behind his back.
"Yes, Spock?"
"You have yet to inform us of the nature of your presence on Kronos." He stated succinctly.
"Seriously, Ana." Jim backed him up. "How, and more importantly, why are you here?"
"I promise I'll tell you the whole story." She turned to glare at the back of Harrison's head. "Let's just get that bastard locked up first."
The two officers stared at her for a moment before Jim conceded.
"Fine." He pulled his communicator out of his pocket and flipped it open. "McCoy, report to the brig in ten. Bring your kit."
"Dammit, Jim." A disgruntled voice responded. "I don't make house calls."
"Now you do." Jim responded. "Brig. Ten minutes." He closed his communicator with a snap, effectively cutting off any more protests from the surely CMO. "Why don't you show Captain Sullivan to some guest quarters so she can change." Jim said as he looked to his first officer. He then turned to Uhura and ordered her to send a transmission to Starfleet command letting them know that they had Harrison in custody, before turning to face Ana once more. "Get changed and meet us in the brig ASAP."
"Is that an order, Jim?" Ana responded as she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes in mock irritation.
"Well, you are on my ship after all." He smiled tiredly at her before turning to walk away. "Oh, and Ana?" Jim said as he stopped once more and turned to face her. "Thanks for the backup down on Kronos. You saved our asses." Ana smiled at him.
"Well, I couldn't very well let those Klingon's kill you." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "You were my ride home."
"You could have just said you're welcome." Jim muttered.
"Now, where would the fun be in that?" She winked at him as he smiled tiredly at her before turning on his heel and making his way briskly in the direction of what Ana assumed were his quarters. Ana kept her eyes on Jim until he was out of her line of sight before turning to face Spock once more and raised an eyebrow in an expression of surprise as well as a slight amount of approval at what she saw.
"Should I give you two a moment alone?" She questioned with mock seriousness and smirked when the first officer and the communications officer jumped apart. While Uhura had the look of a guilty schoolgirl about her, Spock remained stoic as ever.
"I'll just-you know-report to the bridge now." Uhura mumbled as she briskly made her way to the nearest turbolift, throwing a brief smile over her shoulder at the Vulcan now standing next to Ana.
"I apologize, Captain." Spock said as he turned to face Ana. "My severe lapse in conduct was due to..." But Ana cut him off with a wave of her hand and a knowing smile.
"Say no more, Commander. Fortunately, it's none of my concern who you choose to snog after a successfully completed mission."
"Snog?" Spock brows furrowed slightly with his obvious confusion at her vocabulary. "Is that a Romulan phrase? I have no recollection of ever seeing that particular word in the Starfleet database." Ana couldn't keep the smile from her face.
"Oh no, not Romulan. It's very much an English term." Spock tilted his head questioningly before he wisely changed the subject.
"Perhaps I should show you to your quarters now."
"Lead on, Commander."
Ana tugged on the rather short hemline of the yellow command uniform she had been given to replace her singed and dirty outfit she had worn to pursue Harrison. She had just exited her "quarters" and was now walking briskly in the direction of the brig. After a few wrong turns through the gleaming halls of the Enterprise, she finally located the brig. She was about to enter the security code she had been given into the keypad next to the door when it slid open with a swish, bringing her face to face with a scowling man in a blue medical shirt.
"You must be Doctor McCoy." Ana said as she extended her hand towards the man in question and smiled politely. He eyed her with an expression of shock and awe.
"I must be dreaming." He said quietly. "Vulcan's don't smile…or shake hands for that matter." It was at that moment that Ana realized that she had forgotten to cover her ears up again after she had cleaned up and changed. She opened her mouth to correct his assumption, but was interrupted by a voice coming from behind the good doctor.
"There you are, Ana." She leaned to the side slightly to see around the frowning doctor and spotted Jim and Spock standing on the other side of the brig. Jim then turned his attention to McCoy, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Bones, why don't you step aside and let the good captain inside." Dr. McCoy's head shot back to face Ana and his eyes widened with surprise.
"You're Captain Sullivan?" He muttered as he stared at her more intently.
"Guilty." She said with a nod, a small smile playing across her lips.
"I've never met a Romulan before…in person at least."
"Well, technically I'm only half-Romulan." She stage whispered.
"If you're done interrogating Captain Sullivan, Bones, I would really like to get down to business." The doctor shot an annoyed expression at Jim over his shoulder before stepping aside to let Ana pass.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Doctor." She said as she sauntered past him.
"Likewise, Captain." He replied, a charming southern drawl lacing his speech now that his guard was down. "And please, call me Bones."
"As you wish," she lowered her voice to a husky purr, "Bones." She winked at him before the doors to the brig slid closed, leaving a bewildered yet smiling McCoy in the brightly lit hallway.
"I would appreciate if you would resist the urge to seduce my CMO while you're on board." Jim said with mock seriousness.
"Just a bit of fun." She said with a wink. "So, has he said anything?" She asked as she motioned towards the stoic figure dressed all in black standing rigidly behind the Vulcan glass barrier of his cell.
"He knows about our warp core troubles." Spock stated clearly.
"How?" Ana questioned.
"That's what we're trying to find out." Jim stated as he crossed his arms over his chest while shooting a glare at Harrison. "That bastard attacked the archives in London and the entire High Command in San Francisco and I want to know why." His voice shook with barely suppressed anger.
"Jim, I know the Admiral's death has been hard on you, but you can't let your emotions cloud your judgement." Ana murmured as she rested a comforting hand on his arm.
"Captain Sullivan is correct, Captain." Spock stated as he nodded slightly in agreement. It was at that moment that Harrison chose to speak.
"Ignore me and you will get everyone on this ship killed." He stated coldly.
"What is he talking about, Jim?" Ana asked, but her question fell on deaf ears as Jim stiffened with rage.
"I believe Harrison is attempting to manipulate the Captain." Spock stated quietly. "I would not recommend engaging the prisoner further—" But Jim cut him off.
"Give me a minute." Both Spock and Ana turned to leave. "Not you Ana. I want you here." Ana turned to face him once more and nodded. Jim stared hard at her for a moment before turning and striding towards Harrison's cell. Ana stood her ground as she eyed both men warily. This was not going to end well.
"Let me explain what's happening here." Jim stated, fists clenched at his sides. "You are a criminal. I watched you murder innocent men and women. I was authorized to end you and the only reason you are still alive is because I am allowing it. So shut. You're. Mouth." Kirk glared at Harrison through the glass.
"Oh, Captain, are you going to punch me again over and over until your arm weakens, or perhaps you can set your vicious little Romulan captain on me once more," he turned his blue eyed gaze on Ana for a moment before returning it to Kirk once more, "clearly you want to, so tell me why did you allow me to live?"
"We all make mistakes." Jim responded, his tone less than convincing.
"No." Harrison shook his head slightly and momentarily looked away. "I surrendered to you because, despite your attempt to convince me otherwise, you seem to have a conscience Mr. Kirk. As do you, Captain Sullivan." He shot a glance at her once more. "If you did not then it would be impossible for me to convince you both of the truth: 23 17 46 11. Coordinates not far from earth. If you want to know why I did what I did, go and take a look." He stated, his voice lowered in a dramatic whisper.
"Give us one reason why we should listen to you." Kirk demanded.
"I can give you seventy-two." Harrison stated simply. "And they're on board your ship, Captain. They have been all along." Jim stared at Harrison intently for a moment longer as if trying to find a hidden meaning in his words. Finding none, he turned and strode towards the exit of the brig, without even sparing Ana a second look. She stared after the disgruntled captain for a moment before Harrison's voice drew her attention.
"Perhaps you will be more logical then your human companions, Rhiana." He remarked.
"That's Captain Sullivan to you." She responded as she strode forward to stand directly in front of him, only the glass of his cell separating them.
"Why do you suppress your true nature, Captain." He took yet another step towards the glass barrier so he was only an inch or so away, his breath slightly fogging the surface as he spoke. "You have a name fit for a Romulan empress, yet you act like you are no better then the human scum that you surround yourself with."
"Its called loyalty, Harrison, but I wouldn't expect a man like you to understand such a noble concept." She responded, her eyes narrowed as her cheeks turned slightly green with anger.
"Oh, I assure you, Captain, I am extremely loyal to those I deem worthy, almost to a fault." He looked away momentarily as if he was experiencing a painful memory, much to Ana's confusion. "But I wonder," he lifted his gaze to rest once more on her face, "would this so called loyalty of yours remain intact if you discovered that the very organization that you have pledged your loyalty to was the same one that was responsible for your parents unfortunate demise?"
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" she whispered. "My parents were killed by Romulan assassins while negotiating a cease fire between the Federation and the Romulan Empire."
"You will come to understand." He moved to sit on the bench in his cell. "In time."
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