CH 38 DECK A… CHILDRENS CLOTHING AND THE BRIDGE

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DECK E SICK BAY HALLWAY

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Kate knows she looks ridiculous fighting as Jack drags her down the hall but she has to get to the Bridge. Even if Kate ignores the possibility that Admiral Brene knows Zala Tsu is a Sith, he still is not a friend to the Jedi. Hugo Brene's opinion that the Jedi are power hungry elitists is well known in the military. Any time he finds a chance to discredit them is a good day in his book. This mission is all he needs to cause a scandal in the New Republic, especially when he tells everyone that the group was Sith. With Luke's father being Vader and Kate related to the legendary Darth Revan, the anti-Jedi sentiment could devastate the Jedi Order. No matter what happens to her, Kate can't let this happen. The problem is Jim is going to bluff and tell them the Holocron is destroyed; this will cause Brene to attack and make up any story to justify his methods. She has to make Jack listen to her. "Why did you do that? You don't know who you are dealing with," Kate tugs at her arm furiously while dragging her feet. "I was in the middle of helping them."

"Noooo you were in the middle of thinking you were helping them," Jack stops in the hall. He could drag Kate all the way to Sick Bay but his motto has always been to fight stronger and not harder. Leveling a paternal gaze at Kate, he explains to her exactly how this situation is going to work. "Kate, you don't have enough body mass to say no. You're 80 pounds wet. Now you can walk with me to Sick Bay or I can carry you. Either way, you are going to Sick Bay. Make your choice." Kate releases all the tension in her arm and stops struggling. If Jack were not so stubborn this would go so much easier. She looks up at him adopting a pose of defeat, yet he can see by the look in her eye, they won't get two feet before she tries to run. "Why do you insist on doing everything the hard way," Jack admonishes Kate before flipping her over his shoulder. He doesn't have time to dick with her. They are at Red Alert. He has a job and it is not being Kate's personal babysitter. His action was so fluid, Kate was only half expecting it.

"If I could Force shove your ass you would see that size matters not," she screams quoting the famous Jedi master. "Put me down. You are going to get us all killed. I fucking hate you!"

With the way she is struggling, Jack is having a hard time keeping her where she needs to be. Battle armor was not designed to transport of 12-year-old like an overwrought toddler. "Oh I fucking love you Yoyo," Jack gives her a sharp crack on her ass to settle her.

The burning sensation spreading across her butt makes her instinctively cover it with her one hand. "Hey that hurt," she wails not struggling to get down.

"Good, I meant it to. Just a little lesson that I don't negotiate like your dad tends to do. Now watch your mouth or I will do it again all the way to Sick Bay if necessary," Jack informs her.

"You wouldn't…ouch," Kate squeals feeling another smack burn across her butt silencing her immediately.

"Don't test me Katherine and don't finish that thought unless you are ready for the consequences because…oh yeah…I would dare," Jack says testily. Kate rubs the spot on her butt as she bounces on his shoulder. At least the humiliation of being transported like a sack of potatoes and getting a spanking is hidden due to the Red Alert. Most of the crew that has passed them is too busy getting to their posts than to notice her predicament.

"Jack I need to get to the bridge," Kate abruptly changes her tone. As they turn the corner, she knows she has about ten feet before arriving in Sick Bay. "You can't keep me out of this. I am the only one with knowledge to help. I know Admiral Brene and he will exploit your weaknesses. You have a sense of mercy. The Intrepid won't. You have a conscious. Admiral Brene doesn't."

"You have such little faith in us," Jack snaps shutting her up. "Protocol dictates we go to Sick Bay and if you try to leave, you will wish your ass had battle armor."

Kate's cheeks turn the color of her ass as several crewmembers snicker overhearing his lecture to her. "Jack you are really starting to piss me off. This is not a game or," she tries to be diplomatic realizing the Red Alert is not hiding her situation as smoothly as she thought.

"Really then I'm doing my job right. My CO once told me if you don't piss off one person a day you didn't do your job," Jack says in his typical smart ass, sarcastic tone entering Sick Bay.

"Well, then you are doing a bang up job today. This is a real crisis and you have part of the A team going," Kate avoids all eye contact with the medical staff as she pleads her case to Jack. She could be blind and still know the room has stopped seeing her and Jack enter.

"Kate… shut the hell up," Jack says icily unceremoniously dropping her in a chair. Surprisingly John's joke about not being able to sit for dinner is far less funny in reality. The impact of her butt on the seat makes her fly up not out of indignation but because it stung like shit. "Bones you got her," Jack yells out at the dark haired doctor approaches them scowling.

Most of the time Bones tends to look grumpy, but right now he looks down right pissed. Kate is not taking a chance McCoy subscribes to the same parent discipline regime Jack does. She drops all her attitude and lets her real emotion come out. "Jack I can't stay here," she clings to his arm like a small child, planting her feet and attempting to stop. The commotion brings the other kids out from McCoy's office. Ronin openly snickers at the sight of Kate sliding across the floor behind his father as if waterskiing. John, on the other hand, has a more pragmatic approach. He prays she will stop because he knows from the look on his Dad's face this is not going to end well for her.

"You know Jo did that on my leg...when she was three Kate," Bones glares at her handing off a PADD.

"Yeah and it was probably cute," Jack whips Kate around between him and Bones, "if she wasn't twelve."

Kate immediately let's go and gets herself under control. Of all the staff Kate has dealt with, Bones seems the most sympathetic to her. If she can convince Bones to help her, she won't need Jack. "Will you talk some sense into him, McCoy," she looks desperately into the doctor's eyes. "I am trying to help Kirk save lives not,"

"This kid needs a reality check," Jack states glancing at Bones. He cocks an eyebrow at Kate before sharply responding into his shirt comm, "We got the last puppy in the kennel. Watch her Bones. The Yorkie's bark is worse than the bite. Jim authorized beating her with a rolled up newspaper if needed but I doubt I need to tell you that," Jack says over his shoulder walking out.

"What the hell is a Yorkie," Kate says to John noticing him and the other kids staring at her from the door to McCoy's office. The sound of a pneumatic hiss pulls Kate's attention off John and to the exit. "Hey, don't walk away from me," Kate says walking face first into the glass door with a thunk. She rubs her nose and squints from the pain.

"Command access card," Jack holds up a white credit card sized object. "You should get one," Jack taps it several times on the glass before smirking and walking away. The tension of the current situation prevents the laughter that Kate knows should be reverberating throughout Sick Bay. There is only one person that can help her now and she spies him standing in a doorframe.

Kate turns to John and drags him to a corner. "Okay so how do we get out of here Captain," she says to him rubbing her hands together. "I know you have some surreptitious route to hyperspace the coop. I need to get to the bridge before Kirk does something stupid and gets us all killed."

John lets out a small chuckle shaking his head. He resists the urge to inform Kate that her Dad is a bad ass and doesn't lose. She will come to realize it in time. "We don't. This is our station for red alerts because it is secure and there is no way out."

"Oooookaaaaay," she draws out the word looking around them. "Now that you have stated we can't tell me how we are going to do it."

"Are you deaf too," Ronin says overhearing her. "I thought you were just dumb and blonde," he smirks. Kate lunges at Ronin ready to take a swing at him. She knows he was only joking but this is not a time for humor. At any moment, Brene will begin his assault and Kate needs to be on the bridge and not trade witty banter.

John stops her wrapping a hand around her waist. "Now now Sparkles we are all on the same team and Ronin be nice. She is a smart ass blonde. Come on Rocky," John says taking Kate's hand and half pulling her into McCoy's office. "Let's go play Uno before you go and do something stupid that gets us all grounded. Kate walks into McCoy's office seeing all the kids making themselves comfortable. Jo and Erika are idly shuffling a deck of brightly colored cards chatting while Ronin and Cameron are on the couch drinking a soda. Panic fills her chest at the thought of being trapped in this room and being blown to smithereens. "You two going to gossip or play Uno," John says leading Kate to a chair across from the couch. He pulls the other standard issue chair next to hers. The fact Kate isn't bitching tells him one thing: she is scared. One look at her face makes him realize he was wrong. She is terrified. He moves his foot next to hers as a sign of support. He remembers his first red alert. It was just before 6 AM. At first, he thought it was his alarm going off, but the appearance of his father at his bedroom door informed him otherwise. For the next hour, he sat with Erika, Ronin, Cameron, and Jo in silence. None of the other kids knew what to do either. It was the longest hour of his life. Since then, they have learned to make the most of it creating a party-like atmosphere with snacks and games. It doesn't take away any of the nervousness they feel but allows each kid to mask their fears. "Okay, so this game is super easy," John takes the cards shuffling them. Kate looks anxiously at the door as John explains the rules of the game.

"It is not that bad Kate," Jo smiles warmly recognizing that their efforts to act naturally are not calming Kate. Her comment focuses John's attention from the cards to Kate's face. The flush to her cheeks from fighting with his father is gone. Instead, a sickly white replaces it. Before he can speak, Jo takes over. "You have nothing to worry about. This could just be a drill for all we know. If you don't want to play a game then how about you tell us a story about your home," Jo opens a soda as Cam brings one for Kate.

Kate has never hated this group of kids more as they adjust their bodies to look at her. She knows they have no desire to hear how much she hates this place but is willing to do whatever it takes to make her calm down and get through this. Their blind acceptance of her into their group makes her want to lash out. As shitty as she has treated everyone on this crew they should hate her, yet every action seems to make them want to bond with her more. She has one sure-fire way to get them to see reality. Grabbing the soda from Cameron, Kate begins. "Once upon a time, there was a big and powerful ship called a Star Destroyer. One day it found this little tiny ship less than a tenth of its size. It attacked and destroyed it. The end," Kate blurts out chugging her soda feeling like the biggest asshole in the universe. She knows damn well this isn't a drill. With her callous and cruel statement, Kate stole every ounce of security they felt. She averts her eyes ready for the backlash but clings to the belief that if she were in their position, she would want to know the truth.

"Well that was uplifting and positive," John gives Kate a half smirk patting her leg. "Cameron you're dealing." As her eyes flash to him, John realizes she did not expect this response. It is obvious Kate is going to fight them. The only thing he can do is act like it doesn't bother him.

Eager to avoid another fight between Kate and John, Erika tries to mediate. "At least we won't see it coming," she jokes picking up her cards and arranging them.

Their flippant acceptance of their imminent death takes Kate's frustration soar to new heights. She has to make them see how hopeless this situation is. "I don't think you understand. See you all are about to find out what life is like at the atomic level if we don't get me out of here," Kate says earnestly.

"I have always wanted to see an atom up close and personal," Cameron flops into the couch behind Jo straddling her. "I can see your cards," he tickles her sides making her squirm on the floor between his knees. "So hit us with another story Kate only this time make it longer," Cameron says leaning back arranging his cards.

"How about an alternate ending to that downer of a story," Ronin crushes the can and makes a basket with it in the trashcan. "Captain Kirk sends a few proton torpedoes up the Star Destroyer's ass and boom." Kate looks at Ronin speechless. He holds up a hand cutting her off before she can continue. "We are not defenseless here sweetheart. The Enterprise is powerful. Let their Captain come after the big dog. We have Mr. Jim." Ronin lets out a series barks who is promptly joined by Cameron and John who high fives him.

The show of camaraderie is like a slap in the face. Jack said she need a dose of reality and she just got it. For the first time in her life, Kate realizes she is not on the good guys side. The crew of the Enterprise sees her and her way of life as the enemy. The thought that she is on the villain's side of this engagement makes her feel empty. She has to show them they are wrong. "But winning means," Kate's voice hitches not able to say the words. "You winning means I lose...everything," she says in a whisper. Looking around the room, Kate studies each of their faces hoping for anything reactions to prove her hypothesis wrong but each kid is looking at her like the always do. Jo is smiling warmly. Cameron is ready to refute her claims of superior tech. Ronin looks like he doesn't give a shit. Erika is silently waiting to make a judgment if she believes Kate or not. Her gaze settles on John with his expression full of concern. As their eyes meet, he gives her not a look of sympathy but one of strength and unconditional support. In this moment, Kate makes her decision. She has destroyed too many lives over the past month and a half. No matter what the outcome for her is, she will protect these kids. She will make them see she is not the villain. It will not be another incident like Dantooine. Luke always says truth depends on your point of view. If she is the enemy, she will play that role to save them. "I'm sorry," Kate whispers closing her eyes. She has only one option now. Reaching out to the Force, Kate feels it flood her. Tension, anxiety, fear, and frustration are the main emotions swirling about her like eddy's in a river. She focuses her attention on the kids in the room and concentrates on a single Force suggestion. "Go to sleep," Kate says opening her eyes. Amid the blaring klaxons and flashing red light in the corner of the room, each of the five kids slowly lay their heads down on the coffee table or seat backs and close their eyes. Kate doesn't dwell on the fact that she is able to use the Force. Whatever Kirk is using to block her tends to disappear when she is emotionally maxed out. The thought of imminent death proves she can find the Force if the situation is dire enough. As she stands to leave, a sickening feeling begins to burn through her body. Jedi rarely, if ever, use Force suggestions on other sentient beings for personal gain. The only time she knows of was when Luke used it to calm a riot as food supplies ran low in a refugee camp. She knows this classifies as an emergency but it still feels wrong. Kate feels the icy waves of fear from the dark side enveloping her. What if her actions make the kids sleep through the battle. Yes, it would be a peaceful way to die, but she would rather spend her last moments in the arms of her family instead of sleeping on a couch. She resists the urge to shake at least one of them awake. This is for the best. The Force led her to this action for a reason. Her current mission objective is to get to the bridge. If she can settle this peacefully, everyone will live. If she fails, they can yell at her in the afterlife. Exiting the room, Dr. McCoy's eyes instantly land on her. Kate can tell he is tuning out whatever information Nurse Chapel is telling him as he waits for her next move. Knowing she will never make it out the front door, Kate scans the room for her way out. There is always another way out if you are clever enough. Life with Ouris Dover's group had shown her that. Her eyes fall on a familiar sign she has learned to read. "Bathroom," Kate says and points to the door. Her answer appeases McCoy enough that he goes back to the conversation with Nurse Chapel; however, she catches a glimpse of McCoy in the shiny reflective surface of the isolation room window. He is still watching her as she enters the bathroom. "Door lock," Kate says taking in her surroundings. She has to make her move quickly. The room is a typical bathroom with a refresher, sink, mirror, and air intake vent. Dropping to the ground, Kate runs her fingers around the lip of the vent. Unfortunately, it is not like the one in her bedroom that is held on by some clips. This one is fastened securely with bolts. Kate pushes down the panic welling up in her chest. Opening up to the Force, she concentrates everything she has on the single thought of pulling the vent from the wall. When it doesn't move, she feels her body being consumed by sadness. If she had never left home, she could perform this simple task with more training. If she never stopped her training, she would not be sitting in an alien galaxy attempting to remove a bathroom grate. If she had not let Kirk get into her head, she would be on the Beacon of Light heading home. "Come on," Kate grunts as tears spring to her eyes. Rogan was right. She is worthless and pathetic. She had one chance to make something of herself and she gave it up for these strangers. Anger replaces the sadness in her and suddenly the grate flies free from the wall. A sharp corner of the vent impacts her head. Kate's hand flies to her forehead at her hairline. She can feel a small lump forming and her fingertips are covered in something sticky. Looking at them, she sees it is blood. "Fucking pathetic," Kate says wiping the blood on her pants as she forces her way into the vent. After her disastrous escape from Sick Bay the last time, Kate began studying the schematics of the Enterprise. It shocked her that the internal layout of the ship was available to the public because of something called the Freedom of Information Act. To her this was ridiculous. The people of this universe are far too trusting. Yes, the information was just schematics, but anyone clever enough could fill in the missing pieces to create a way in or out of the ship. Kate crawls three feet and comes to another panel with a grate. Thankfully, it is held on with just clips and she easily pops it off the wall. Just as she planned, Kate tumbles out into the corridor. On her feet in an instant, she sprints down the hall towards the turbo. Every second she is out of Sick Bay is one second less before they find her. At the doors to the turbo, Kate slows down her actions. The quickest way to be noticed is to act as if you don't belong somewhere. "Come on come on," Kate says to herself trying not to look anxious at the turbo door. She resists the urge to look behind her. If someone comes, she will just deal with them. After five of the longest seconds of her life, the doors to the turbo fly open. Diving into the turbo, her hand automatically reaches for the quick shut button as she states, "Bridge."

"Going somewhere Yorkie," Jack says to her right holding the straps to his double shoulder holster like it is a backpack. Kate stares at him taking a deep breath. "Command override O'Neill, Jack. Sick Bay," he states adjusting the direction of the turbo from where she wanted to be.

"Why the hell are you O'Neill's are always in the freakin' turbo," Kate thinks to herself. The difference is Jack is not an easy target like his son. Her eyes dart to the closed door of the turbo. In a second, it is going to open back on E-deck. Whether or not he has reinforcements on the other side of the door, Jack is perfectly capable of dragging her ass back to Sick Bay by himself. This can't happen at any cost. She has no doubt that either Jack or McCoy won't simply hypo her and call it a day.

"What no snappy comment for your tombstone," Jack says cocking his head slightly to the side. His voice may sound slightly playful with his characteristic slow drawl but this posture tells her Jack's muscles are taut and ready to react just like hers.

"God you scared the hell out of me," Kate grabs her chest leaning against the back wall with her shoulders smiling. She hopes he will read her lax posture and smile as innocent. She needs any edge she can get on Jack.

Scrutinizing her posture, Jack can tell Kate is not going to make this easy. He also sees how she has gotten past his security teams each time she escaped. Her expression and tone of her voice relay the image she is nothing but a 12-year-old kid; however, looks can be deceiving. The position she has taken is the most defensive possible in such a tight space. By resting her shoulders only on the wall, Kate has created a triangle with her body against the wall. With all her weight on the balls of her feet, she can go to either side or down to the floor when Jack reaches for her. The fact that the turbo is cylindrical without a corner to block her in also works to her advantage. Kate, however, has no idea just how pissed he is which will be her Achilles heel. "Kate, I haven't even begun to scare the hell out of you," Jack stares down at her. As he sees her process his comment he lunges forward attempting to grab her shirt by the shoulder. This is a parent move and not a typical offensive attack move, yet Kate drops and rolls to the right. He feels his fingertips brush the fabric of her shirt. Kate scrambles to the other side of the turbo as Jack rounds on her. "Knock your shit off," Jack growls looming over her. "Now get up," he reaches down.

Kate lets the Force consume her with the single thought in her head to stop Jack. She opens her eyes realizing that by now, Jack should have her either on her feet or over his shoulder but she hasn't moved. The bewildered expression on his face matches her. "So God help you, Katherine, I had better be having a stroke. If this is that Jedi hoodoo voodoo," Jack snarls twisting his upper body around trying to free his legs from the invisible quicksand that has his lower body frozen in place. He is mildly surprised that she hasn't tried this Force crap earlier, but he knew it was just a matter of time. Like all kids, Kate is just testing her boundaries. Jack just needs to make sure she understands her boundaries are about six inches. Kate using the Force is a can of worms that Jack will not let be open.

Kate shakes off her amazement that she is actually able to use the Force against Jack. Just like with Kirk in the brig, her Force freeze only half works. Pressing her back tightly against the wall, she slides up to a standing position. He may be frozen but, he still has use of his upper body. With Jim in the Brig this wasn't a problem, but in the turbo where space is at a premium, Jack can grab her if she is not careful. "Jack you need to calm down and listen to me," Kate tries to use a soothing tone as the sound of her own heartbeat fills her ears. "You are only Force frozen and not having a stroke."

The sound of her voice snaps Jack's attention from freeing himself to squarely on her. "No shit Sherlock," Jack snatches at her but she is just out of his grasp. The fact that his fingertips can brush the fabric of her shirt makes him madder than if she were ten feet away.

"Jack I need you to relax and hear me out," Kate says judging the best way to get around his body. She has to stop the turbo but unfortunately, Kate has Force frozen Jack between her and the controls to the turbo.

"The only thing I am going to listen to is you bawling as I bust your ass," Jack grunts struggling to grab a hold of any part of her. "Now let me go!"

Kate understands that there will be no reasoning with Jack right now until he cools off. Pulling off her sneakers, she lobs them at his head. As Jack bats them away from his face, she dives to the other side of the turbo hugging the wall, but Jack expected something like this. Snagging her foot, Jack's hand clamps down like a vise. She is only 80 pounds. He can haul her ass off the ground like a prize winning bass if needed. Startled to feel her body sliding back, Kate instinctively twists her foot allowing it to slide out of the sock. A familiar ding indicating their arrival on deck E breaks Kate shock at her narrow escape. She slaps the control pad rocketing them up again towards the bridge. If the situation was not so serious she would break out laughing. If anyone opened the turbo now, they would think Kate and Jack are practicing to be extras on a galactic version of the Walking Dead with Jack clawing at her. Hitting the button for the Bridge, Kate tries to be diplomatic again. "Jack I have valuable Intel that you need. I can stop this thing from escalating but I need to get to the,"

"Dawson, lock down turbo ten and send it to deck G," Jack cuts Kate off. He is done talking to her. She may have thought she has won, but all she has done is piss him off and trap herself. She can ride out this Red Alert in a brig cell.

"Why did you have to do that," Kate squeals in frustration as a blast rocks the Enterprise throwing her hard into his arms. Jack wraps his body around her as they fall back into the turbo wall. He takes the brunt of the impact protecting Kate the best he can.

"You okay," Jack asks immediately. Even with the body armor absorbing most of the impact; it still took him a second to recover as the wind is knocked out of him.

"Yes," Kate says looking into his eyes before focusing all her Force ability into refreezing Jack. She jerks back attempting to get up but jack has a fist full of her sweatshirt in a death grip. Straightening her arms and pulling back frees herself from the article of clothing and Jack's grasp. "I'm sorry," Kate says as the door slides open to the Bridge.

"Locking down ten," Dawson says over Jack's shirt comm as Kate disappears behind the closing doors. The instant the turbo begins to descend; Jack is freed from his Force paralysis. As bad, as this situation is he has learned something valuable. Kate has to see her enemy to use the Force on them. Jack paces the turbo like a caged animal. Once Dawson used the lockdown protocol, Jack was effectively trapped until he reached the brig. He takes several deep breaths trying to calm himself down. If Kate were still with him, Jack would be strangling her.