Thanks to captainkodak1, JMAN2.0, Ultimate Naco Topping, JPMod, Parereu, Zaratan, CajunBear73, daywalkr82, campy, vanillalillies, mattb3671, surforst, drakwolfstoppable, whitem, Emerald Dark Knight, calamite, Ezbok58a, Skyagent, Classic Cowboy, kemiztri, Theta-Alpha-One, WhiteLadyoftheRing, Markv1.0, Darkcloud1, Commander Argus, TAZER ZERO, conan98002, Louis Mielke, MichaelCross, Wanderer3, momike, strength-91-possibility-none, Sariah Sariah, Taechunsa, Ace Ian Combat, TexasDad, Cabriel, jasminevr, happyendingsmaybe, Visigoth29527, IncrediRader8, teddybear-514, and nmorgendorffer for reviewing.
Thanks to everyone else for reading.
A special thank you, as always, to campy for his invaluable beta and proofing work; he seems to have had his fill of targ, so I've dispatched him some Saurian brandy.
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KP belongs to Disney, TNG to Paramount.
I.
Shego piloted the small green and black spacecraft towards Drakken's World, the home to her employer's lair. The 24th century offered plenty of options to people who wanted to rule their own planet, as long as they weren't choosy. Drew Lipsky was able to find a totally uninhabitable D-class world where he was able to construct a bio-dome, and voila, declare himself ruler. He had bigger ambitions for the future, starting with finding a planet with some actual inhabitants to rule, but knew he had to start somewhere. One had to walk before one ran, after all.
Shego found her current working arrangements with Drakken quite satisfactory. She had long felt he had absolutely no chance of realizing his whack plans for galactic conquest; he was simply too incompetent to succeed. But he paid her well and gave her the tools which enabled her to pursue her own business interests. And, for the first time, she began to wonder whether Drakken had actually invented something that might help him achieve his goals (that said invention didn't involve cloning or mind control was remarkable enough).
Lipsky hadn't told her what he was up to, but Shego was smart, very smart, and had already deduced what he was attempting, though she wondered how he planned to generate the truly awesome amounts of energy necessary to open and maintain a stable wormhole. What he planned to fly through it was also something that puzzled her. They had two spaceships between the two of them and neither craft would pose much threat to any self-respecting planetary defense system.
Shego, however, did recognize that the Romulans, Cardassians, rogue Klingons, as well as Orionisi pirates, would have lots of ships to fly through an artificial wormhole – and they'd all pay a fortune for such a device, though they might just as easily kill for it, too. Shego wondered whether Drakken had given any thought to how he might implement his plan. She smiled sardonically, realizing that while her boss may have for once figured out how to invent a real doomsday weapon, he really had no idea of how to make use of it.
Shego contemplated the other conundrum before her: Kim Possible and her dopey companion. Bunt had been dealt with easily enough; she'd returned to his warehouse, confirmed that he was still alive and made it clear to him that he was to blame the incident on the young Starfleet officer. With any luck, the T'klarians would have already apprehended Possible or, at the least, begun making inquiries of Starfleet. Playing it safe, Shego had made sure to tip off the authorities to the presence of a possibly rogue Starfleet officer and thoughtfully provided them with an image of Kim Possible. But Shego hadn't survived and prospered by not considering every variable. She knew she had to account for all possibilities. She had been uncharacteristically careless once, which was why she now had a Starfleet security officer looking for her.
Shego knew she'd have to deal with Kim Possible. She could find the young officer and her friend and kill them, but that wasn't her style. She'd just as soon put them on an Orion trading block. A pretty young human woman and a chef? They'd bring a nice price in cold, hard latinum. And Shego liked latinum. A lot. It had already paid for that condo on Risa, after all …
II.
Beverly Crusher looked up as Jean-Luc Picard walked into her office.
"Report, Doctor?" the captain asked in his usual clipped manner.
"I've been able to map the virus and develop a treatment. Ensign Possible will make a full recovery," she replied.
"How long?"
"Within hours, actually. I'm just about ready to begin the course of therapy. She's a very lucky young woman, Jean-Luc. Her respiratory system was on the verge of shutting down. If Ron hadn't contacted us when he did, we wouldn't have arrived in time to save her. I was lucky to get her into stasis before any irreversible damage had occurred."
"And what of Mr. Stoppable?" This time the captain was unable to mask the note of concern in his voice.
"Well, the virus is not an issue; he was just beginning to show signs of it when they were rescued and we've been able to treat it. That, of course, isn't the problem," Beverly said with a sigh. "Ron's left thigh was mauled; there was extensive tissue and muscle, though no neurological, damage. He'll have full use of his leg but he'll carry some nasty scars there. Unfortunately, Jean-Luc, those won't be the only scars he'll carry. The lacerations to the left side of his face were severe, easily the worst I've seen in my medical career. There's only so much we can do. He has a rare immunological disorder which precludes a face transplant, implants and cloning. If he chooses, he can opt for full reconstructive surgery, but that will be a long and painful process, and even then he won't look like he did before the attack. And there's nothing that can be done about the eye. The optic nerves were too badly damaged, so we couldn't even use a mechanical implant. And that disorder I mentioned precludes something like Geordi's visor."
"May I see him?"
"Yes, if you'd like, though he's asleep now and I'm not ready to wake him."
"That's all right; I'd still like to go in."
Beverly rose from her chair and led Picard into the recovery area, where Ron lay in a biobed. From his right side, Ron looked no different than he had before he and Kim had departed Enterprise. The left side of Ron's face, however, looked like it belonged to a different person. Even with the bandage wrapped around the place where Ron's eye had been, Picard could see the three long, livid gashes running from Ron's scalp down across his sunken cheek, almost to his mouth.
Picard was joined by Beverly. They both stood silently by Ron's side.
"Did you know he was still gripping a bat'leth when they found him?" Picard asked. "Will said he was lying on top of Ensign Possible, shielding her body. He was barely alive. But he was still semi-conscious. And the only thing he wanted to know of Will was whether Kim was safe."
"He's a very brave young man," Beverly observed.
"Yes, he is, Doctor," Picard said, regretting the unflattering thoughts he'd had about Ron when they first met. "I just wish we never had the opportunity to learn how brave he truly is."
III.
Beverly Crusher pressed the hypospray against the patient's neck. Kim Possible stirred and her eyes fluttered open.
The young officer looked up, confused to see Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer. "W-what? Where am I?" Kim stammered.
"You're in Sickbay on Enterprise, Kim. You were hit by a very aggressive virus, but you'll make a full recovery. You should be up and out of here shortly."
Kim relaxed, remembering how ill she'd felt. She'd had awful nightmares. Suddenly she tensed up. "Ron. Where is he? How is he?"
"He's here, Kim, but you need to know …"
A few minutes later, Beverly Crusher had finished telling Kim about what Will and Worf had found on the moon's surface and what they'd pieced together of events. Kim lay in the bed, stunned. Oh my God, what have I done? This is my fault, Ron. This is so my fault, Kim thought. I should never have let you come …
IV.
Guinan put down the glasses she was cleaning, turned to her assistant and said, "Excuse me. There's something I need to do. I'll be back in a little while." The enigmatic bartender then turned and left Ten Forward.
V.
"Guinan?" Beverly Crusher inquired as the El-Aurian entered her office.
"Hello, Doctor. I'd like to talk to Kim for a few minutes."
"I don't know, Guinan. She just woke up and she's …"
"… shocked by the news about Stoppable?"
"Word gets around fast."
Guinan smiled cryptically. "Yes, it does. Possible needs to talk to someone, Doctor, and that person isn't Counselor Troi. She does, however, have a history of, as she'd put it, 'spilling' to me."
The doctor thought about the matter for a moment, then nodded. "Okay …"
"And where's Stoppable?"
"Recovery, but …"
"He's my friend," she said with resolve; Beverly Crusher knew what that meant. She found herself nodding again.
Guinan first went in to see Ron, who was still sedated. "Quiet and still. This is not your normal state, Stoppable. Nor is that blank expression. We'll have to change that." Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "When you get up, we've got to have a couple of drinks. I've got some Romulan Ale that I think you'll like." She then left Recovery and went into the general ward, where she found Kim.
"Guinan?" Kim said in surprise; she hadn't expected a visitor so soon.
"How are you doing?" the bartender asked.
"Fine, I guess, Doctor Crusher said she was able to cure the …" Kim said, trying to sound as if nothing big had happened.
"No, Kim. How are you doing?" Guinan asked, emphasizing the last word of her question.
Kim looked at Guinan; her eyes reflected her anguish. "Terrible."
"You feel responsible," Guinan stated.
"Well, duh," Kim snapped.
"You were supposed to protect him."
"Well, duh again. Supposedly, I'm a highly trained Starfleet security officer. Ron's a chef."
"Mmm hmmm. You've had to protect him, help him out before, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"Why'd you let him go with you in the first place?"
"He said he knew Ferengi …"
"No, the first time you two went on a rescue mission. Why'd you let him go?"
Kim sighed. "I so wanted to join the Martian Red Cross Mountain Rescue Corps. But since I was under eighteen, they said I needed a partner. When I showed up for school the next day I was tweaked; Ron wanted to know why and I told him. He immediately volunteered, actually insisted on being my partner even though I knew he was terrified of heights. But I so wanted to do it, so I agreed. It was really sweet of him."
"Heart-warming. Who'd have guessed he was such a romantic even when he was a teenager?"
"Not me. Though I wish I had," Kim replied softly.
She smiled at Kim. "So, you always protected him? He was always a burden, in the way?"
"He was never a 'burden.' But, yeah, he did get in the way. Yet when it really counted, Ron was always there."
"Like Olympus Mons?"
"Yes, Olympus Mons. How did you know?" Kim asked; Guinan just looked at Kim serenely. "Ron was a hero that day," Kim said.
"Funny. No mention of that in the newsnet stories," Guinan observed.
"No," Kim acknowledged, looking away, filled with shame; she'd enjoyed being the center of attention and Ron had seemed willing enough to let her be the public face of the rescue effort. She couldn't have done what she'd done if he hadn't been there; in retrospect, she wasn't even sure she would have survived had he not been present. She wondered now how much it might have meant to him if she'd shared the spotlight. She vowed that in the future, Ron would get his share of the credit, beginning with the action on Ras T'klar.
Guinan sensed what she was thinking. "So what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know that I can even look at him," Kim said with a pained voice.
"Why? The injury? Because he's not a hottie?" a mildly surprised Guinan asked, goading Kim.
"No!" Kim protested indignantly; the look on her face satisfied Guinan that Kim was sincere. "I just feel horrible about what happened. It's so my fault."
"He volunteered to go."
"And I should have said no. But I wanted to find Shego."
"Shego," Guinan said knowingly. "Interesting."
"You know Shego?" Kim asked, surprised.
"I know of her. But we can talk about her later. Let's focus on important things right now. So, you wanted to find Shego and you let that override your judgment. You weren't going to bring Ron along, but then did. Is that it?"
"Well, not exactly. I said no. But he insisted on coming, said he had more experience dealing with Ferengi, that he'd backed me up before on Mars."
"So he knew he was taking a risk."
Kim glared at Guinan. "Don't go there. I am so not in the mood to hear you say Ron asked for this."
"I wasn't going to say that, Kim. You really shouldn't jump to conclusions. What I was going to say was that Ron was willing to take a risk for you, just like he did on Olympus Mons." Guinan looked at Kim intently. "He loves you, Kim. And I'm not talking about teen love or a crush, either."
"I know."
"Do you love him?"
"Yes," she said softly.
"Then honor that. Honor what Ron did for you. What he needs right now is for you to be there for him. Don't let your feelings of guilt get between the two of you. He's going to have a tough road to travel from here; his life will never be the same."
"He won't be traveling it alone, Guinan. I'm going to be there with him, no matter what," Kim stated with determination.
Guinan grinned. "Atta girl. That's the Possible I know." The El-Aurian turned to leave. Then, at the door, she looked back at Kim. "We'll talk about Shego later."
VI.
Beverly agreed that it would be a good idea for Kim to see Ron before he was awakened. Kim now stood at the entrance to the recovery bay, able to see his good side. She took a deep breath and entered the room.
Kim approached him slowly, as if worried she would startle him out of his drug-induced sleep. For a few moments, she was able to deny what she had been told had actually happened. But then she came around the bed, and there was no hiding from what happened. She gasped and found herself raising her hands to cover her mouth. Part of her wanted to run, driven by horror and guilt, another part of her wanted to retch, but she knew she had to confront this.
She stood by Ron's side, looking down at his ravaged features, no longer hidden by bandages. He was in much better shape than when he'd been brought aboard Enterprise, though Kim didn't know that. The three livid gashes across the left side of his face were startling. But even more so was the hollow place where an eye had once been. Kim had insisted on seeing him without dressings or cover; she knew she would see him like that in the future and she wanted to be prepared.
Ron lay motionless and without sound, which Kim found to be most strange. Over the years they had slept in the same room many times, whether for a childhood sleepover, a family trip, a college visit, or most recently, the transformation of their relationship. Ron was a restless sleeper, a snorer who often talked in his sleep, mumbling in fear about monkeys or happiness about Tex-Mex. Kim couldn't help but smile as she recalled how just the other night he'd been mumbling about her in very flattering, if naughty, terms.
Tentatively, she reached up and touched his disfigured face. She thought of how much joy it had reflected over the years. The innocent delight when they first met and she asked him if he'd be her friend. The goofy pleasure when he became the high school mascot. The satisfied grin when he was hired by Mistral. The proud smile in her Academy graduation picture. And the sheer pleasure the other night, when they finally became lovers.
She stood quietly, slowly succumbing to the unfairness of it all. The tears began slowly, then built in intensity, until Kim found herself convulsed with sobbing; it was such an unusual experience for her to be crying. She almost never cried, and if she'd taken the time to reflect on it, she'd have realized that the times she did usually involved Ron.
Beverly heard the weeping from her office and after it had gone on for a long while, became concerned and decided to investigate. But when she came to the entrance to the recovery area, the sobbing had become muffled. And she saw that Kim was leaning over, tenderly kissing Ron's wound.
She didn't hear Kim whisper "I love you so much, Ron."
Kim wouldn't deny feeling responsible for what had happened. If it had not been for her, Ron would not be in Sickbay. But she also knew that Guinan was right. She would honor what Ron did and respect his decision to help her. He wasn't a child who couldn't take a risk; he was a grown man who rolled the dice on her behalf, acting out of friendship and love. He had offered her a tremendous gift and she would treasure it and hope she would prove worthy of it.
VII.
Beverly and Deanna had conferred. Though they knew there was no way they could predict how Ron would react once he was revived, they were sure that Kim needed to be there. Beverly had sent her back to her quarters with instructions to freshen up. "He needs to see you looking healthy and beautiful. If he sees you're well, that should help ease some of his shock."
Kim now stood by Ron's bedside holding his hand as Beverly pressed the hypospray against his neck.
The first thing Ron saw was Kim.
"KP!" he exclaimed in a weak voice. "You're okay!"
"Yes, I am, Ron. Thanks to you," she replied with a tender smile while squeezing his hand.
Once he knew Kim was well, Ron was able to begin focusing on other things. Like the fact that he couldn't see with his left eye. In fact, he felt nothing on the left side of his face. Suddenly and with great force, it all came back to him. The last moments when the wolf-creature attacked flooded his memory. He closed his good eye and groaned. "How bad is it?"
Beverly had decided that forthright honesty would be the best approach. "Your face is scarred and you lost the eye. There was nothing we could do." She then began to explain his options. "I'm sorry, Ron."
"S'kay. Kim's okay. That's all that matters."
Kim squeezed his hand again. He looks like this because of me. I am not going to cry again. I am so not going to cry again.
"You got a mirror, Doc?"
"Are you sure, Ron?" Kim asked nervously.
"Yeah, I'm sure, KP," he answered.
Beverly retrieved a mirror and held it up for Ron. He squeezed Kim's hand so tight that she gasped; he immediately relaxed his grip. After a moment, he swore under his breath.
Kim turned to Beverly and Deanna. "May I have a moment alone with Ron?"
"Of course," Beverly said, before she and Deanna left the room.
"Ron …"
He looked at his girlfriend. "I'm glad you're safe, Kim. It, it was worth it." Then he turned away from her.
"Ron … please, look at me."
"Why? I'm so friggin' ugly. Not that I had a lot to work with before."
"Are you saying I have bad taste in men?" she said lightly, hoping to boost his spirits.
"Not now, Kim," he snapped.
"I'm sorry," she said, sounding hurt, which caught his attention.
"Hey, didn't mean to take your head off there, KP," a suddenly chastened Ron replied. "No, you don't have bad taste in men – at least since you kissed that drunk in the bathroom. That was really badical," he said wistfully, before falling silent. "Kim, I, I'd understand if you decided you wanted to call things off. You know, my face and all. I can't imagine what it must be like looking at me …"
Kim knew she had just been presented with the greatest challenge of her life. There was no doubt: looking at Ron was difficult. He'd been horribly disfigured. But to turn away from him now would not only be a mockery of what they'd said and done the other night, an insult to their nearly two decades of friendship, a denial of what she felt for him, but a rejection of a dedication and love she had never even imagined possible. She had had time to think about what Ron had done for her down on that moon. So, while looking at Ron might be difficult, it was also the easiest thing in the universe for Kim to do.
She cut off his words with her lips, pressing them against his. Kim lingered, then pulled away. "Let's get something straight, right now, Ron Stoppable. You. Me. Together. You want to break up with me, we'll talk, though you'll have some 'splainin' to do. But if you think I'm going to give up on us because of what happened to you, then you'd better think again, not to mention be ready to apologize; I don't think I was ever that shallow."
"Kim, it's not that, it's just that … Look at me!" he said plaintively.
With large emerald eyes she did just that. She brought her hand to the right side of his face and tenderly brushed his cheek.
"Okay, I'm looking. I still see a beautiful brown eye. Great, if kind of goofy, smile. Those two ears that turn me on …"
"Really?" he asked incredulously.
"… Oh yes," she said with a salacious, if slightly embarrassed, grin. "Mop of blonde hair. Still have three freckles," she said, tracing her fingers lightly across his cheek before she looked around to see they were alone; when she was sure they were, she moved her hand down the blanket, then smiled. "And this all seems to still be in order …" she purred as she felt him react. "You know, Ron, saving a girl's life from ravenous beasts using only a bat'leth? Very, very sexy."
"Yeah?"
"Oh yes. I'm looking forward to properly thanking you," she said in a sultry voice.
"I'm all about you properly thanking me!'" Ron responded, smiling for the first time since being revived.
Kim grinned with affection. "Good." Then she turned serious. "Ron, don't think for a minute that I don't know how serious this sitch is. I know this will be rough for you. But you remember the conversation we had the other night, about how we felt about each other, about the future, our future?"
He nodded.
"You remember those t-shirts you got for us when I was training for the Titan Games?"
"The Team Possible ones?" he replied.
"Yes. And remember what they said on the back? 'We can do anything.'" She paused. "We can, Ron. Together."
Ron lay there looking at his best friend/girlfriend for a while.
"So what I did. It really was … sexy?" he asked tentatively. Ron so wanted to believe Kim wouldn't abandon him, that she could still love him, despite his appearance.
"Oh yes," she said seductively before giving him another kiss. "I think you're very sexy. And you don't even have to use a bat'leth for me to think that."
"Kim," he said with sudden urgency. "The bat'leth. Where is it?"
"Umm, it's in your quarters," she replied, surprised by Ron's seemingly random question. "Mr. Worf brought it back. Why?"
"KP, I know this is gonna sound crazy. You remember the old Klingon I told you about?"
"Yes."
"I think what he told me may be true …"
VIII.
And it was.
The old Klingon Ron had met was a Dahar master named Kor. Four years in the future, with the assistance of Worf and Jadzia Dax, he would set out on a quest to find the legendary Sword of Kahless. Their search took them to the Gamma Quadrant, where they found the lost weapon. But fearing the potentially explosive impact its discovery might have on Klingon society, the trio chose to leave the Sword behind.
Violence engulfed the Empire nonetheless as Gowron dissolved the Khitomer Accords, ending the alliance with the Federation. Then, with the threat from the Dominion, the Klingons once again sided with the Federation. Yet divisions in the highest circles of the Empire festered until Gowron was killed and Martok took his place as Chancellor. A semblance of order returned to Klingon affairs.
Yet all was not well within the Empire. Toral, the surviving member of the Duras family, along with his allies, continued to lurk, plotting the seizure of power. By 2383, Toral, who had spent years searching for the Sword, found it, and, ready to strike, plunged the Empire into yet another civil war, leading to the deaths of millions.
Kor watched as events unfolded, feeling helpless to affect events, wishing that he and his compatriots had never abandoned the Sword all those years before; had they brought it back to the Alpha Quadrant, Toral would not have found it and staked his claim to leadership of the High Council. The old master locked himself in his cell and hoped to find solace in the study of obscure ancient texts.
It was during those studies that he learned of the possibility of the Chosen One being an Offworlder, a human from the House of S'Topabill, who was destined to claim the Sword back in 2368. When Kor made this discovery he concluded that he needed to make sure the sword found its way into that human's hands. And to make that happen he would have to travel back through time.
Kor dedicated the next five years to determining the exact identity of the potential Chosen One. He learned that the human had an unusually rare name, which would aid in determining his location. Kor was frustrated when he learned that his quarry, along with a woman who appeared to be his mate, had died on an unnamed moon in Federation space in 2368 after a visit to Ras T'klar. That wouldn't do; Kor resolved to change that.
Knowing who needed to receive the Sword and by what date, Kor spent another three years determining the best way to travel back into the past. Once that was accomplished, thanks to the fortuitous discovery of the Tempus Targia, he returned to the Gamma Quadrant in 2372, retrieved the Sword a day after he and his companions had set it free in space, then went to the Ras T'klar of 2368 and ensured that the Sword found its way into the hands of the human.
Kor did not consult Ron Stoppable; he didn't ask the human if he wanted to play a role in Klingon affairs. Kor did not care. The new timeline had to better than the old. And to ensure it was not changed back, he destroyed the Time Targ, stranding himself in the past. It was a small price to pay for the Empire.
IX.
Shego was now sure that Drakken had figured out a way to power his wormhole generator; he had been surprisingly smug when she returned, even after she told him of her little play date with Kim Possible. So far, he hadn't told her what the solution to the power problem was, though Shego knew he would since the odds of his inventing from scratch were very low when he could just have Shego steal it for him; it was just a matter of time before he talked.
She was sitting at her computer console, her feet propped up on the desk, reading a padd, when Drakken came to see her.
"Shego, the time for you to redeem your performance on Ras T'klar has arrived," he declared grandly.
She turned and glowered at him, her hands now aglow. "You want to try rephrasing that, Doc?"
Drew Lipsky looked at his dangerous assistant and decided that discretion would be the better part of valor, at least for the time being. Once he'd succeeded in effecting his scheme, he would be able to fire his lippy sidekick and be free of her insolence or, at the very least, command the respect his genius warranted. He coughed. "Um, the time for us to advance our plans has arrived?"
"Better," she said, turning back to her padd.
"Shego! Pay attention, please. This is very important!"
"Then stop yapping."
Lipsky growled in frustration. "I need to you to acquire something for me."
"Uh huh. Whaddya want? And more important, why do you want it?"
The evil scientist looked at his colleague through narrowed eyes. He knew she was highly intelligent. Once he told her what he wanted, he suspected she would deduce what he was up to anyway. He may as well enjoy gloating and ranting now, rather than deal with recriminations later.
"Okay, Shego. Here's what I want …"
Shego listened. Actually getting what Drakken wanted would be a challenge. But she liked challenges.
X.
Kim had been released from Sickbay; Ron was being kept for overnight observation. Dr. Crusher had been adamant that Kim leave and get some rest. So, Kim decided that if she couldn't be with Ron, she could at least spend some time in what she had come to consider his space. Though he'd only been on board ship for a week, Kim had come to see the VIP Quarters as Ron's room.
She entered the spacious cabin and looked around. Her eyes then rested on the bat'leth. She slowly approached the weapon. Gingerly, she picked it up. The blade was clean, gleaming. Perhaps Worf had polished it. But the handle. All the cracks had been – sealed. No, they've disappeared. This wood is smooth, like new, Kim thought.
Kim sat down, holding the bat'leth, trying to comprehend what Ron had told her: That he had somehow willed it to him, and it had responded to his summons, and thus saved their lives. She shook her head. It was improbable. But improbable wasn't the same as impossible. She was about to press her comm badge to contact Worf, who she hoped would be able to tell her more about the Blade of Kahless, when her badge beeped.
"Picard to Possible."
"Possible here, sir."
"Ensign, would you please join me in my ready room?"
"Yes, sir. I'm on my way."
Kim sighed, carefully laid the weapon down, and headed to the turbolift, wondering what other surprises fate had in store for her.
XI.
Picard looked at the young officer sitting before him. She'd had a very eventful few days. She had uncovered critical leads in a vital case. She had clearly entered a serious romantic relationship with a close friend who subsequently had almost lost his life protecting her. She herself had almost died. And now she had just learned that Starfleet, for all intents and purposes, did not trust her to run the investigation alone.
"I'm sorry, Ensign. I want you to know that I filed a formal protest with Admiral Nechayev. She has at least agreed that you and the investigator from Galactic Justice will be operating as equals."
Kim was seething. This was her case. She ... no, she and Ron … had done the hard work, identified the suspect – and the threat! And now GJ was swanning in because some Starfleet brass hat wanted to cover her backside.
"Ensign, say it. Whatever is on your mind, say it now. Because I cannot afford – nor can you – for you to say to Admiral Nechayev what I suspect you are thinking."
Kim took a deep breath then gave vent to her anger. "This is so ferociously unfair! Where does she get off doing this? We do all the hard work and then GJ, which obviously couldn't crack this case before, comes onto the scene. Ron – Ron! – got the information from Bunt. Admiral Nechayev ought to be coming here to offer him a commission, not saddle us with some jerk from Galactic Justice!"
Picard couldn't help but smile. "I wholeheartedly agree," he said, earning a surprised expression from Kim. "But we do not live in a perfect world, Kim. I will need you to work with the GJ agent, show him every courtesy, offer him all possible assistance."
"Yes, sir," Kim replied professionally.
"If it is any consolation, Ensign, I am very impressed with the work you have done and have submitted a note to your file and to my log to that effect. I have also noted Mr. Stoppable's bravery and service."
"Thank you, sir," Kim answered, this time with a smile, as she got up to leave. "I appreciate that."
Despite Picard's conciliatory and supportive remarks, Kim was ferociously tweaked. She went directly to the holodeck, where she booted up Possible Training Program Four and proceeded to take on black-ops personnel from the Romulan Tal Shiar for the next hour and a half.
XII.
"Ogawa to Possible!"
"Possible here," Kim responded, half asleep.
"You're needed in Sickbay, now! Ron's …"
Kim, now awake, leapt out of her bunk, threw on her uniform, and raced to the turbolift. Moments later she was in Sickbay; Nurse Alyssa Ogawa was waiting to show her in.
"It's Ron. He woke up screaming. He was convinced that you were dead. I told him you were okay, but I thought it would be best if you came …"
"Thanks for alerting me," Kim replied.
Kim went in to Ron. She could see he was bathed in sweat, his face gripped with fear. "Ron, I'm here. I'm safe. It's okay!"
"KP! Oh man, I had the worst nightmare. The wolves attacked and got to you. And, and …" he couldn't say any more. He broke down. Kim stood by his side; as best she could, she cradled his head.
"It'll be okay, Ron. I'm here. I'm safe. You protected me. I'm safe," she said soothingly, stroking his forehead, no longer noticing as her fingers brushed the ridges of his scars. All Kim could focus on was the idea of Ron, her Ron, happy-go-lucky Ron, being gripped by primal fear. This is wrong. This is sick and wrong, she thought. Shego will pay for this.
Kim, holding her boyfriend, felt a tremendous sense of guilt for what happened to him. But she also believed that the person who was the ultimate cause of what had happened to them was Shego, and Kim was determined to hold her accountable. Had Shego not been stealing Federation technology, Kim and Ron would never have gone to Ras T'klar, and thus would never have found themselves on that God-forsaken moon with its viruses and predators.
Kim was determined to take down Shego. This was no longer a Starfleet or Federation matter; it was personal. Kim Possible had a score to settle.
XIII.
Beverly discharged Ron the next morning. He and Kim both agreed to meet with Deanna later in the day. Before they left Sickbay, Beverly fitted Ron with an eyepatch.
Kim was miffed. The only reason the patch was there was to spare other people discomfort. She had gotten over her own discomfort with surprising speed and now saw the damage as a badge of honor. As far as she was now concerned, people should look at Ron's face and be awed by what he had done. Ron, however, was putting on a brave face and joking about the whole thing and so she decided to be supportive and not give voice to her annoyance with her crewmates.
Ron looked at himself in a mirror, then turned to Beverly. "So, you got a parrot to go with this thing?"
Beverly looked confused.
"Oh, c'mon. Pirates. Don't tell me you don't know about pirates!"
Kim laughed, despite her earlier pique. She remembered how much Ron liked dressing as an old Earth pirate for Halloween (it had been a great improvement over his ballerina outfit).
Beverly smiled. "No, I do know about pirates. But I forgot about the parrot. I'll see what we can do for you!"
"Thanks!" Ron said brightly. He turned to Kim, then said, "You ready to go, matey?"
She laughed. "Anytime you are, you scurvy dog."
As they left Sickbay, Kim hooked her arm through Ron's. She felt a need to protect him, especially when some crew members, taken aback by his injuries, winced or turned away. People in the 24th century, for all their supposedly broad horizons, could be distinctly uncomfortable around the sick and lame, who were unwanted reminders of a darker, more primitive time. Kim couldn't help but notice the look of hurt on Ron's face; each of those reactions from her crewmates was like a slap across the face. By the time they reached his quarters, Ron was no longer able to maintain his cheerful façade. He felt hideous.
Kim wrapped her arms around Ron's neck. "They're jerks."
"Yeah, but they're right. I'm a one-eyed, scarred freak," he said self-pityingly.
Kim wasn't sure what to say. Finally, she made a decision. "You know, Ron. I kind of like the patch."
"What, you like freaks?" he asked acidly.
"No, and stop dissing my boyfriend. You don't want to mess with a girl who knows 16 kinds of kung fu." She gave him a slow, deep kiss.
"You seem to think kissing is the answer to a lot of things, KP," Ron said sourly.
"Maybe," she said impishly, refusing to give into his sullen mood. "Maybe I just like an excuse to kiss you. You know, sometimes girls like the bad boys. And that patch makes you look very, very bad."
Much as Ron wanted to feel bad for himself, he laughed, leered, then, much to Kim's delight, let out a low growl …
XIV.
Even if Ron hadn't woken up in the middle of the night screaming, Kim and Ron both knew that it was a good idea for them to see the ship's counselor since they were both being confronted by so many raw emotions. Knowing the visit was a good idea, however, didn't stop them from fidgeting as they sat on Troi's couch.
Deanna smiled placidly. "It's perfectly understandable to be uncomfortable about being here."
Kim and Ron both looked at Deanna sheepishly.
"People often feel uncomfortable the first time they come to see me," she said reassuringly. "It is as though stepping through that door means your mental health is being questioned. I want you to set that idea aside; it is perfectly normal to want some guidance in dealing with your emotions and feelings. The two of you have been subjected to a great deal of stress over the past few days: the change in your relationship, events on Ras T'klar, and the incident on the moon."
Kim reached for Ron's hand, then self-consciously withdrew it.
"Why did you just do that, Kim?" Deanna asked.
"Wha—" Kim stammered in reply.
"Why did you take your hand away from Ron's?"
"Well, we're here with you and …"
"Kim, Ron. Each of us has his or her own demons to confront. But we don't need to confront them alone. You two have each other to rely upon; that is a strength. Draw on it."
Kim, now more relaxed, responded by reaching for Ron's hand a second time; he squeezed hers in response.
"Ron, what was your first reaction when you learned about your injury?" Deanna asked.
Ron looked at his feet, now ashamed that he'd ever doubted Kim.
"I, I thought I'd lose Kim. How could someone so beautiful want to be with someone as ugly as me?" Kim leaned into Ron, sensing that his fears were reasserting themselves.
"Kim why did you want to enter into a romantic relationship with Ron?"
Kim looked at her boyfriend. "Because he completes me."
Ron looked at Kim wide-eyed. To hear anyone say that would have been stunning. But for Kim, the most accomplished person he knew …
"It took me a while to realize it, Ron, but you've always been right here beside me; I just never knew until you stepped off that transporter platform. It's been true for a long time."
"Wow," Ron whispered. "I don't know what to say, KP."
"You don't need to say anything, Ron," she replied, now holding his hand in both of hers.
Deanna let her two visitors enjoy the moment before speaking again.
"Kim, would I be correct in assuming you feel guilty about what happened to Ron?"
Kim tensed up as she was torn from her reverie. She didn't want a repeat of her conversation with Guinan.
Deanna continued. "That's a perfectly natural reaction. You were the mission commander and you were responsible for the safety of all personnel. You failed."
Ron was furious. "Hey! Don't you go blaming KP for what happened. I'm a big boy. I chose to go and I'd do it again."
Kim was stunned. "She's right, Ron. I did fail. I failed you."
"How, KP? How did you fail? Because you didn't know that we'd meet some crazy lady with glowing hands or land on a moon with weird viruses and whack-job animals that the computer didn't even know existed? Ooooh. Sorry your psychic powers weren't working. Ooops, my bad," Ron added, looking at Deanna – Kim had warned Ron about Troi's empathic abilities. The counselor shook her head, indicating that Ron had nothing to worry about. "Kim, you broke the case open and we got the information we needed, right?"
Kim nodded, still unsure.
"And with that information, Starfleet can be prepared and maybe save a lot of lives. You didn't fail me or anyone else. You were a hero. I think that's pretty cool."
"Ron, that's sweet, but …"
"Don't argue with a man who has a magic sword, KP," he interjected, now wearing his trademark goofy grin.
Deanna wondered about the magic sword remark, but sensed that Ron, while being jovial, was also being truthful. That intrigued her.
"I'll make you a deal, Kim. I'll stop being stupid and accept that you really still do want to be with me if you stop beating yourself up about what happened. And if we have any relapses, we can be patient or call up Counselor Troi here to remind us about our agreement."
"Are you sure you haven't been training to be a counselor, Ron?" Deanna asked with a smile.
"Nah. It's the Kim Factor. She brings out the best in me."
Kim smiled affectionately at Ron.
"I'll buy that," Deanna responded with a straight face. "And I bet there's a Ron Factor that brings out the best in her."
Kim smiled and looked at Ron, then asked, "So what happens next, Counselor?"
"I'd like to meet with the two of you again in a few days, just to check in, if you don't mind. As I said earlier, you have been through quite a lot and processing all of that can be quite demanding."
Kim and Ron exchanged glances, then nodded at Deanna. They got up to leave.
"One last thing," the Betazoid woman said. "The bond the two of you have is very special. Remember to let it help you."
Kim looked at Ron, who once again grinned at her. Smiling, she said to Deanna, "I think we can do that."
XV.
After seeing Deanna, Ron insisted that Kim pursue her investigation before the GJ dork, as he called him, arrived. Kim had been impressed to find that Ron was even angrier about that development than she was. But he had pointed out that if the events on Ras T'klar and the moon were not to be pointless, she needed to own as much of the investigation as possible; she couldn't argue with his reasoning. And she had to admit that she wanted to know what Guinan had to say about Shego.
"Besides, KP," he said. "I think it's time to find out whether what I did with the Sword down there was just a fluke, or something else. And I want to talk to Worf; I bet he knows all sorts of badical stuff about it!"
They agreed that Ron would make her dinner that night; she was to be at his quarters at 1900 hours. Not caring that they were standing in the busy corridor outside Deanna's office, Kim and Ron shared an embrace and a kiss, before heading off in separate directions.
XVI.
Kim sat at the bar in Ten Forward, nursing her Rigelian Mango Smoothie. She was still smarting from the revelation that she'd be sharing responsibility for the case with GJ.
"So how do you know Shego?" she asked Guinan.
"Our paths crossed a number of years ago," the bartender replied. "She's bad news," Guinan added, never actually answering Kim's question.
Kim knew not to press. Guinan would tell her what she wanted to tell her and nothing more.
"First thing you should know, Possible, is that Shego's not Orionisi. She's human."
That surprised Kim.
Guinan smiled at the expression on the young officer's face. "You're not the only one to have that reaction. I heard that she was affected by some comet radiation a number of years ago. It gave her some unusual powers …"
Kim frowned at the memory of the plasma bolts.
"… and coincidentally allows Shego to look like she's from Orion. When she wants to, she can even play the part. Apparently she's found a way to mimic Orionisi pheromones, though seduction isn't her style. She prefers a combination of cunning and violence."
Kim cocked an eyebrow and laughed bitterly. "I can so see the violence part," she said, remembering the blast to Ron's chest and the destruction in the warehouse. "She likes to talk, doesn't she?" Kim added.
"Shego's definitely a lippy one. But she's shrewd, too. If she's talking to you during a fight, it's to distract you. Tell me what she said."
Kim did.
Guinan grimaced. "Well, it sounds like Shego's taken a dislike to you."
"The feeling's mutual. When I get my hands on her …"
Guinan could see the anger on Kim's face.
"Possible, listen very carefully to me. With what's happened to Ron, I can guess how you feel, but you cannot let your personal feelings get in the way and you can not let them control you."
"Why not? I so want to take her down," Kim spat back.
"Because you'll become consumed by the hate. Kim, you may not want GJ on the case, but you're stuck with 'em. Make use of the additional resources. You've done enough heavy lifting already; let someone else help. Sure, do your best to solve the case and bring Shego to justice. But don't forget to live the rest of your life. You want do something for Ron? Don't obsess over Shego; focus on loving him."
Kim sighed. Now that her natural Kimness was reasserting herself, she found the idea of pulling back difficult. She wanted to charge ahead. But she knew Guinan was making sound points.
And she was looking forward to her dinner with Ron later that evening.
After all, being with Ron was a lot more fun than worrying about Shego …
XVII.
A distinguished looking man with a high forehead, hair receding at the temples, slightly manic eyes and an impish grin walked into Mistral. The maitre d' greeted the familiar figure, who, on a somewhat regular basis, came for an early dinner. This gentleman always ordered one dish – lobster risotto with a saffron garnish, which he liked as prepared by the sous chef, Ron Stoppable. The patron also seemed to enjoy chatting with the young cook who, ever since the man on his first visit to the restaurant had asked to meet the fellow who had prepared his meal, had always come out to chat for a few moments. The maitre d' knew the diner would be disappointed when he learned that the chef who usually prepared his meal and provided a little conversation was away.
Unexpectedly, when the gentleman was told of Ron's absence, he told the maitre d' not to worry and asked to be seated at his usual table.
The maitre d' would have been surprised to learn that the gentleman he was seating thought eating to be a rather disgusting habit. It was only because he had accepted a dare from one of his compatriots a few months earlier that he discovered he actually liked risotto. However, upon further investigation, the man discovered that the only risotto he liked, anywhere in the entire universe, was the risotto prepared by Ron Stoppable, who happened to be in deep space at the moment. This might have posed a problem for most patrons. But this patron was not like most diners. Most of them weren't omnipotent beings.
Q snapped his fingers and Ron, who had just been getting ready to prepare Kim dinner on Enterprise, suddenly found himself back on Earth, inside a building at the corner of Jackson and Fillmore Streets in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, standing in the middle of the dining room of the restaurant where he worked.
Ron's vacation had just been cut short.
TBC …