Ch 9 Confrontations

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SICK BAY

Kate needs to make her move now. The Holocron has to be in the security office. It will be tough getting from Sick Bay, to security, to the brig without being detected but she can do it. She must. Kate glances at the time. Shifts on the ship seem to be in six-hour rotations. If she can make her move as soon as the shift changes, no one she has to deal with will be missed as quickly. Kate takes a last glance at the layout of the ship. She may not be able to read but thankfully, Star Fleet is all about color-coding. Kate waits to see McCoy enter Sick Bay for his shift. Anxiously she watches Dr. Reed update him on the morning injuries. Just as she hoped, McCoy makes his way to her bedside.

"Feeling better kiddo? You look better," Bones compliments putting his hands on his hips.

"I guess," Kate shrugs. She needs Bones to believe every work she is saying to him. "I just feel…strange," Kate outs on her most sad, confused face.

"How so darlin'? Is it your stomach or head," Bones pulls a tricorder from a nearby table.

"More like numb," Kate tries to describe feeling exhausted. "I feel like it takes so much effort to move my arms and legs. I can't keep a thought. The lights seem so bright. They are making my eyes tired and I feel like I am getting a headache. I know the last twenty four hours have been busy but I feel,"

"Exhausted," Bones supplies the word Kate is looking for.

"No I have survived on less sleep," Kate allows just a hint of confrontation to her voice. She cannot let Bones think she is too eager.

"And at twelve you need more than three hours sleep," Bones reprimands her sternly.

"If I could fall asleep don't you think I would but I can't relax," Kate snaps leading him down the path she wants. Bones walks over to a cabinet loading a hypo. "What are you doing?" Kate does not have to act nervous. If this doesn't work out as she has planned, Kate will be unconscious when they reach their Star Base 11.

"First off I don't see the need to sedate children. If you can't sleep then go to bed earlier. Staring at a ceiling in a pitch black room simulates any sedative without the chemicals," Bones gives her a scowl. Kate starts to debate about how warm and fuzzy Bones is for a father. "However the trick is staying asleep and that is your problem. Currently there is no treatment for nightmares except time and love. When you feel safe you will sleep well," Bones draws a dose of Morphazine into the hypo.

"What are you giving me," Kate's eyes are wide, her pulse racing. "This is crazy. This is crazy," Kate says to herself repeatedly in her mind.

"It is called Morphazine. It keeps you in a state of Non-REM sleep so your body can repair itself," Bones explains walking over to her.

Kate holds her hand up to stop him from injecting her. "How long will I be that way?" Kate needs to know the how long the drug will last. Bones is at least twice her body weight so it should only last half as long.

"Darlin' it is okay," he cups her chin with his hand. "No one is ever going to hurt you again. You are safe here. I know you don't believe it now but you will. One day you will find you can sleep and smile and laugh." Part of Kate wants to give up her plan. To take the hypo and be a part of that world; but that world does not contain her family. Her only way to them is getting the Holocron.

"I'm sorry," Kate whispers as Bones brushes the hair from her neck. Before Bones can reply Kate brings a fist up sharply to his nose. The crunch and stream of expletives coming from McCoy lets Kate know she broke it. She grabs the hypo he drops on the bed stabbing him with the hypo making sure to save some. The last thing he hears is the quiet "shhhh" of the hypo injecting him.

Kate tries to stop his body from impacting the floor. The noise of his cursing brings the two red shirted guards into Sick Bay. "Help me please," Kate begs lowering Bones as slowly as she can to the floor.

"Dr. McCoy," Michaels drops to one knee checking for a pulse.

"What happened Kate," Paulson asks with his hand on his phaser.

Kate does not respond but falls off the Med Bed onto Michaels and Bones injecting Michaels with another portion of the hypo serum. Michaels instantly falls forward pinning her under his body. Kate reaches out stabbing Paulson in the leg with the remaining dose of the hypo. Paulson tries to catch himself grabbing for the bed. For a moment, Kate thinks there was not enough left but two seconds later Paulson's legs give out and he slumps to the floor. "Damn McCoy how powerful was that sedative," Kate wiggles out from under their bodies. By her mental calculations, there is 600 lbs of unconscious Star Fleet officers in Sick Bay. Assuming McCoy's dose was based on 80 lbs, for eight hours of sleep, Kate figures she has maybe an hour tops before they wake up. Kate grabs the PADD dropping her comm on the bed. Kate takes a deep, calming breath shoving a phaser in the back of her pants as she heads out the door for the security office.

Kate almost makes it to the security office before she is stopped. "What are you doing out of Sick Bay," a red shirted officer asks Kate startling her. Kate forces her way out of the turbo between the two men.

"Jack told me I had exactly four minutes to show up in the security office or he was calling general quarters. It is this way right," Kate talks while walking. One of the red shirts nods his head. Kate walks quickly to the room. "This is it right?" She can tell they are waiting to see if she enters it. Kate palms the lock on the door saying loudly, "See I told you I could make it in less than four minutes." The two red shirts watch her disappear into the office.

"Should we report this to O'Neill? Paulson and Michaels were assigned to watch her," the red shirt says.

"Colonel O'Neill is in a staff meeting with the Captain. Dawson is in the security office with her. He will take care of any issue but we can swing by Sick Bay on our patrol," the other red shirt offers.

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SECURITY OFFICE

Dawson's head snaps to the door hearing Kate's voice. His eyes grow large the minute he sees her holding a phaser. "I need everyone to get their hands up," Kate orders the three men she sees in the room.

Dawson does not doubt Kate's resolve. Moving his hands slowly behind his head, Dawson reclines in his seat. "Do as the lady says," Dawson orders Franklin and Peters sitting at their desks. They slowly raise their hands standing at their desks. "Now what else do you need Miss Kirk. We are a captive audience so captivate us with this brilliant plan of yours." Dawson leans forward quickly in his seat startling Kate. The move may have gotten him stunned but he had to test her willingness to shoot. "You do have a plan don't you honey," Dawson clasps his hands in front of him on the desk. Kate's hand remains steady but Dawson sees she is nervous. "I mean I figure you somehow locked up McCoy and company but," Dawson checks his watch for show, "time is ticking. The Enterprise is filled with klutzes and hypochondriacs. I give you five more minutes before some stumbles in there looking for a hypo." Kate's eyes flicker to each man.

Kate licks her lips. Dawson is playing her but he is right. She is running short on time. "Well it's not a brilliant plan but a sound one," Kate stuns Peters and Franklin before turning the weapon on Dawson.

"Whoa whoa whoa I have a heart condition," Dawson lies. It is enough to stop Kate from firing on him. "If you stun me it could send me into cardiac arrest."

Kate knows Dawson is lying but she cannot take the chance he isn't. She is not out to kill anyone in this rescue. "Then what do I do with you. We both know you are going to comm the Captain the second you get a chance. I just need a head start. I don't want to hurt anyone," Kate admits. "You have a holding cell in here?" Kate tries to come up with a plan.

"No but a closet that doesn't have a window," Dawson says in a chipper tone getting a small smile from Kate.

"That is sound ship design. Take off your comm?" Kate orders firmly.

"You can't it is attached to the shirt," Dawson states frustrated.

"Then lose the shirt or risk a heart attack," Kate plays hardball. Dawson knows she will shoot.

"Dammit Katherine," Dawson makes sure Kate sees he avoids activating the comm as he takes the shirt off. He drops the red shirt on the desk. Kate looks desperate to Dawson. Maybe he can talk her down. "Shall I show you said closet," Dawson gestures toward the back of the room taking a small step. Kate nods. "Just a word of warning," Dawson says opening the closet door. "Jack and Kirk are going to kill you. I would make it to wherever the hell you think you are going before they find you." Dawson can see Kate is unsure of her plan of action. "Kate you are a good kid in a fucked up situation. Everyone sees that. You know the Jedi are dicks right? Why you are siding with them is beyond me. Think about what you are doing." Dawson hopes she sees reason but the door slides shut.

"Why do they always want to do it the hard way," Dawson murmurs. Dawson uses a box of department bowling trophies to reach the air vent in the center of the closet. He pulls down sharply dislodging the grate. "Jesus I need to do more pull ups," Dawson grunts hoisting himself up and into the shaft. It is a tight fit but doable. Dawson begins to belly crawl through the shaft. He has to make it out before Kate. If she gets weapons to the persons of interest in the Brig, it could be a blood bath.

Kate hears Dawson rattling around in the closet but runs to the back of the office. The schematics of the room showed the weapons locker back there. Kate blasts open the door not taking the time to hotwire the controls. Kate sees a light saber lying on the table. She calls it to her igniting it with a flick of her thumb. Kate goes to the first sealed cabinet slicing open the door. Rows and rows of phasers line the wall. She moves to the next cabinet finding the contents are the same. Kate continues around the room finding only rifles, pistols, and what she assumes passes for dentonators in each cabinet. In the last one, she finds the other three light sabers, comlinks, and her blaster. Kate's heart drops. She opens up to the Force but feels nothing but fuzzy warmth tinged with cold edges.

"You have to be here," Kate says to herself looking around wildly. She tries to control the panic rising in her chest. She has missed something. "The Holocron is a weapon. Kriff," she yells realizing her mistake. It is not here. Kate has tipped her hand. In her blind faith that the Holocron would be in the weapons area she had acted too early. Her only chance now is to free the Jedi and get off the ship. Kirk will kill her or at least imprison her for years. Kate needs to free the Jedi and go home. If they found the Enterprise once, they can do it again. Kate will return with Han and Luke. They will explain everything to Kirk. Kate stuffs the blaster down the back of her pants and a comlink in her pocket. She stuffs the four light sabers in a bag heading out. Kate tries to appear casual exiting the security office. For such a small ship, there is not a lot of traffic in the halls. She makes it to the turbo without running into any crew. "Come on, come on, come on," Kate chants waiting for the turbo to arrive.

READY ROOM

Jim glances anxiously at the clock. It is almost noon. He promised Kate a tour of the ship and lunch. Kate seems to want to know about them so maybe this activity will thaw her icy exterior. As much as he has enjoyed his life with no strings, Jim has been jealous of Bones over the years. Jim enjoyed the times he spent with McCoy and Joanna going to the zoo, school chorus concerts, and the occasional field trip. Now he has a chance for a life like that. The current situation with Kate is not ideal but will improve over time. Part of Jim wishes he could fast-forward six months when things will hopefully be better.

"Jim, you'd better sound General Quarters and get down here. It seems our little guest is quite a Houdini" Bones' voice breaks Jim form his daydream.

"Say again Bones," Jim raises a hand stopping Spock from summarizing the latest communique on the Klingons from Star Fleet.

"I said your kid flew the coop, took off, high-tailed it," Bones rants. Jim notices he sounds like McCoy is getting a cold.

"Damn it. She was not supposed to leave Sick Bay" Jim fumes. "Sulu sound general quarters. Spock you have the conn. Jack you are with me," Kirk orders on the way out.

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JOHN AND KATE IN TURBO

"Please check your comm. An important message for the Captain has been issued to all crewmembers," Sulu's voice comes over John's comm unit. Kate tries to keep her breathing even. She knows the message has to be about her. John activates it. "This is a silent general quarters. Kate Kirk is missing from Sick Bay. Please report any sign of her to security immediately. For those that do not know her she is 4'8" tall, 80 lbs with blonde hair. She may or may not be wearing a Star Fleet uniform."

"I'd say you are going to be damn easy to spot in those civvies," John jokes after hearing the message. Kate waits to see his next move. Surprising her John leans against the wall. "Okay so a typical General Quarters mean we go someplace safe. It is always the Sick Bay but that must have been utterly destroyed for you to be here and not there." John's response makes Kate giggle. "So what are the odds you are supposed to be out of the infirmary?"

"What are the odds you are going to get off the turbo and pretend you didn't see me," Kate asks trying to look sweet.

"Slim to none and slim just left the building," John lays out where his loyalties lie. Kate cannot fault him. In his place, she would do the same thing.

"I am really sorry about this," Kate looks sadly at the ground before landing a surprise left hook to John's jaw.

John never saw the hit coming. He head snaps to the side. "Damn you don't hit like a girl," John taunts taking a defensive stance. He is surprised how hard she can hit. He will probably have a bruise by morning.

"You so could have been my next mistake back home," Kate grins before going on the attack. She throws a right jab, which John blocks and tries to pull her into a basket hold. She elbows him in the gut and goes straight for his inner thigh with her right knee. It won't' take him down like a groin shot but, John was nice to her. If she can Kate would like to avoid seriously hurting him for the time being. The door opens unexpectedly and Kate tries to get out.

"Where do you think you're going," John grabs her by the back of the shirt pulling her back in the turbo. John does not know what Kate is up to but if the Captain is sending out a general quarters for her it cannot be good.

Kate manages to hit the emergency stop on her way back in. The doors close but the lift doesn't move. The stalled elevator will be a beacon for those looking for her. "I was trying to avoid hurting you. Ya know you are ruining the great thing we had going," Kate says sarcastically facing him in a fighting stance. Jack has trained his son well but Kate knows she is better. John has never had to fight for his life before. Kate has.

"So this is how you start all your relationships," John teases giving her a half smile.

"God you are so cute," Kate thinks to herself. She gives him a shy smile back. "Just the good ones," she shrugs her shoulders.

"I'll make sure I get health insurance then Sparkles," John lets his guard down slightly. John knows she can fight but she looks so innocent right now.

"Dammit John and I thought we could be friends," Kate rolls her eyes seeing him misjudge her abilities. She goes after him hard and fast throwing several punches and jabs. There is not enough room to kick and Kate is running out of time. She knows John is actively defending himself in a match in a clean fight. She plays the only card she has left. Kate intentionally leaves her left side open falling into one of his blocks. The blow hurts so she doesn't have to fake the moan and the fall to the ground. Kate begins to sob on the ground rocking slightly back and forth gripping her side.

John drops to her side gingerly taking her shoulders into his hand. Jack has taught John to defend himself but not to hit girls. He had not meant to hit her but she dropped her left and walked into his block. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he says softly.

"I am so scared," Kate cries lifting her tear streaked face to look into his eyes. "I just want to go home."

"I know. So would I," John's voice is so caring Kate almost regrets what she is about to do. "First things first, let's go okay. No one here is going to hurt you I promise," John offers her a hand up.

Kate takes his hand and lets him gently help her to her feet. John activates the turbo and places an arm around her shoulders to steady her. "John I am so sorry," she says barely above a whisper. As John turns to face her, Kate knees him in the groin then the face as he doubles over. In this position she kicks him in the stomach so he falls back hitting his head. John slumps down the wall. "I am so so sorry John," Kate's voice is sincere. "I hope you can forgive me and we can be friends." She hits the emergency stop opening the door to the level above the Brig. She punches the control panel shattering it but also cutting her hand. Kate makes it out the door before it traps John inside. She has disabled one of the turbos. That means the hall of the Brig will be a bottleneck. She will worry about that when the time comes.

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SICK BAY

"Two guesses where she'll try to go" Jack says following Jim into the turbo shaft. Jim knows Jack is right. "She is going to try and free them for whatever fucked up reason she has."

"Did you add additional guards," Jim asks as the turbo door close.

"Yes sir, inside and out," Jack responds getting a comm from Dawson as Jim receives one from Spock.

"Sir, we have ran a scan on her comm unit which places her in Sick Bay. Dr. McCoy has made it quite clear that Katherine is not there. We are scanning the ship for life signs not attached to a comm signal but it will take time," Spock informs the Captain of his current plan.

"Do what is takes. I need her found now not four hours from now," Jim remarks as the doors open on the correct deck.

Jack hates to add more shitty news about the situation but Jim needs to know. "Sir that was Dawson," Jack takes a breath before continuing. "Kate broke into the weapons storage." Jack seems Jim's face drop. "She only took those light sword things. No phasers… but stunned two of my men and threw Dawson in a closet. He climbed out through an air vent which is how I got this information." Jack is just as shocked as Jim is. Even he underestimated the resolve of Kate Kirk. Jack also understands Jim's silence. Although he is pissed, Kate fascinates him. After taking Kate over his knee like a three year old, Jack is going to figure out how she undermined his security protocols and pulled this off all from a med bed in Sick Bay.

Jim closes his eyes for several seconds processing what has occurred in the past ten minutes. "Go. I'll meet you there after I am done ripping Bones a new asshole." Jim remarks as the doors open on the correct deck.

"Sir, piece of advice? Never take your eyes off them especially at their age. John and Ronin are worse now than when they were toddlers. Firm grip. Firm grip." Jack offers making a fist with a tight smile as a sign of support before the doors snap shut.

"Why the hell does everyone think I can't control her?" Jim mutters as he walks into Sick Bay. "What the hell happened Leonard? Great job babysitting by the way. Remind me to call you the next time I need someone to watch her." Jim snaps his fingers and hits hit forehead with the palm of his hand. "Oh I forgot you get thrown off the babysitting list when you lose one," Jim adds sarcastically.

"I did not lose her. She escaped," Bones fires back angrily.

"You just commed me an hour ago saying she was so quiet you didn't even know she was here," Jim remarks snidely then stops abruptly as he notices that Bones with two black eyes treating John O'Neill with blood pouring form his nose. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Your daughter and I had fight," Bones and John say in unison.

"Kate?" Jim asks confused. "Kate did this to you?"

John assumes Jim is talking to him. "I found her in the turbo. We fought. I was winning until she tricked me. She does not hit like a girl," John confesses in a nasally voice. "I think she broke my nose."

"Yes she did," Dr. Adam Reed says taking over for McCoy.

"You wanna know what happened to me," Bones drags Jim out of John's earshot. "Apparently it's a Kirk family tradition to ignore sound medical advice and do whenever damn well suits them." Bones points specifically at his swollen nose and continues, "Except instead of sneaking' out like her father she uses a left elbow." Bones walks over to a mirror and continues the story. "She was complaining of exhaustion. She broke my nose when I was treating her." Bones yells placing a brace over the bridge of his nose. "Oh and hit me with a hypo of Morphazine. Luckily the dosage was off or I would still be out."

"She hit you then drugged you?" Kirk stares at him as if he cannot quite believe what he's hearing. "But she's like 12 or…." Bones cuts him off with a frosty glare.

"Your damn kid is like a Vulcan sehlat when all riled up. She was so quite with John's PADD all morning. I almost forgot she was here. I went over to check on her and she was complaining of general fatigue. Said she couldn't sleep because of the nightmares. I was giving her Morphazine so she could rest. She cold cocked me before I could give her a hypo." Bones finishes.

"And you didn't just grab her," Kirk's temper is rising with each passing second.

"She's fast!" he growls defensively. "I'm a doctor not a martial arts instructor…. and I couldn't focus for a second. It hurt like a motherfucker. Then she hit me with the hypo. I will expect you to address this issue with her later tonight. Reminder her not to knock adults on their ass when she doesn't get what she wants." Bones demands. "Oh, but the way the sleepover with Joanna is off the table," he adds trying put a little levity into the conversation. As mad as McCoy is, Kirk is visibly enrage. Bones is starting to regret purposefully setting Jim off on an unsuspecting Kate. "Poor kid," he thinks knowing that Kate clearly is not going to be ready the next time she sees her Dad.

"What I'll address is a good old fashioned spanking followed by a personal apology from her to you and everyone else when I find her," Kirk fumes pacing the room.

"Although I am all for the classic spanking, I'm not sure corporal punishment is the best way to establish your relationship with her Jim," Bones states putting his hands on his hips while trying to calm his friend down. Bones has no issues with spankings. Joanna is a prime example of how kids survive, as they have for centuries, given a few well-placed swats to correct behaviors.

"Ya know Bones, I am flying blind here but you said 'set clear expectations' didn't you," Jim says doing his best Bones imitation pointing a finger at his chest. "Knocking members of my crew on their ass during a temper tantrum will always have one repercussion regardless of her age. I'm going down to the Brig. I know that's where she'll end up," he says storming out.

As Kirk enters the turbo lift, a computerized voice says, "Please check your comm. An important message for the Captain has been issued to all crew members." Kirk taps the comm on his shirt hearing Sulu relay the message about Kate Kirk is missing from Sick Bay along with her vitals, and instructions to contact security.

"Thank god Alpha Crew is on the job," Kirk thinks glad Sulu made this call. Kate is smart but still a kid. In silent mode, she will probably think she has the advantage and slip up. "Kids are basically dumb right? That's why they always get caught," he reasons. It will also not alert the Jedi of the current situation. "Fuck you Lauren. What did you do to her?" Jim asks pacing the elevator. Jim feels like a caged animal in the turbo. "Jack any sign of her," Kirk comms from the turbo. Kirk's tension grows when he gets only silence. "O'Neill?" Kirk asks again but no reply. "Shit," Jim whispers looking at the scene before him as the turbo doors open. His stomach drops seeing Dawson, Jack, and ten others slumped to the floor outside the entrance to the Brig. "Bones. Medical emergency to the Brig," Kirk yells dropping to a knee beside his COS. He feels better feeling the strong steady rhythm of Jack's pulse. He takes a deep breath at the door to the Brig.