Chapter Ten: Nothing I've Ever Known

Charlie tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyes narrowed in fury while she waited for the turbolift to bring her to the bridge. The minute Kirk's transmission ended, she sprinted out of the medbay, much to McCoy's confusion, and caught the first lift she came across towards the bridge. She couldn't decide whether she was livid or betrayed by the change in the ship's mission, but the anger was winning out. The doors hissed opened, pulling her from her thoughts and she made to step off only to pause when she remembered protocol.

"Permission to come on the bridge," she announced, her hands wringing behind her back as she waited. She saw Jim's chair spin towards her, Spock standing to his left when both their attention turned in her direction.

"Permission granted, Ensign Noland," Jim said as she strode around the communication station and down to his chair. "What can I do for you?"

"Can I speak with you privately, Captain? In your ready room?" While her voice was pleasant, there was steel in her eyes and her breathing was rapid and shallow. Jim stared at her a moment, his brow lifted in confusion before he nodded and rose from the chair.

"You have to conn, Spock," he said as he marched over to his office with Charlie on his heels.

The minute the doors closed, she stopped and asked, "Permission to speak candidly."

"Granted," he answered, his brows drawn in perplexity as he spun around to face her, leaning his hip against his desk as his arms folded in front of his wide chest. "When we're in private, you don't have to be all formal, Charlie."

"Okay, well that's good to know. So then, are you out of your mind?!" she growled. "Why in god's name are you bringing that monster onto this ship?"

"And the yellow looks good on you by the way," he added dryly.

"Don't change the subject."

He sighed, rubbing between his eyes. "Because everyone, no matter who they are deserve the service of a fair trial."

"But him," she continued. "That tyrant killed Pike! Without even a hint of remorse or reflection—"

"Federation law clearly states 'innocent until proven guilty,'" Jim snapped his frustration swelling. "It's a mandate from your time too."

"I'm well aware of the US Constitution thank you very much," she barked. "But Jim—"

"No, Charlie," he interrupted, stepping up and grasping her shoulders in a firm hold, his fingers digging into her skin. "I know how you feel. I want nothing more to pay the same respect that Harrison showed Pike, but that would be lowering ourselves to his level. We are Starfleet officers; we are above petty revenge. We're going to bring him back and make him pay through the same legal processes as all other criminals in the Federation. We will not do what the Klingons would."

Charlie sucked her lip between her teeth, contemplating the comparison Jim made. She ran a frustrated hand across her forehead before she puffed out a defeated breath and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, you're right," she acknowledged in a long, drawn out sigh. "I really hate to admit it, but you are right. I'm sorry. It's an old excuse, but I don't know how to handle this. The way I feel right now scares me, and you know better than most I'm not the best person when it comes to this feeling stuff."

"I know," he said, his hold on her shoulders loosening and his thumb stroking her bare arm. "But trust me. It's like you told me earlier. To go against our laws even for the right reasons is ethically wrong."

"It's not entirely fair when you use my own words against me," she grumbled.

"Welcome to my world and I wasn't lying. I like the yellow," he smirked as he stepped away from her, his arms dropping to his sides.

Charlie rolled her eyes to the ceiling and shook her head.

"I wonder why," she muttered, although a grin tugged at her lips. "By the way, where's Chekov? I didn't see him out there. I was going to see if he wanted help at the weapons station, if that's alright with you. It's what I was best at back in San Francisco."

"Chekov no longer manages that station," Jim said, his posture stiffening. "He's my new Chief of Engineering."

"New Chief? Where's Scotty?"

"He quit."

Charlie's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. "He quit! Why?"

"He wouldn't sign for the torpedoes, even after I ordered him to. He hasn't been happy with the way Starfleet has been moving the last few months, and decided the classified spects were the last straw."

"Get him back!" she ordered. "This ship can't function without Scotty. He knows it inside and out, better than anyone."

"I won't," Jim averred, shaking his head, his legs spread in a wide stance with his hands on his hips. "He chose not to be on this ship and follow my orders. I don't care how good he is, I need people who will listen to me."

"And if we run into a problem? I know Chekov is good, but he's still just a kid. He hasn't even been tested in the demands of engineering."

"Did you come on this ship to question every decision I make?" Jim accused, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"What? No! Of course not," Charlie denied. "It's just –"

"Just what?" he fumed. "Listen, I want Scotty onboard, but I'm not going to stop him if he doesn't want to be here. I need everyone to be a hundred percent committed to this mission. You included."

"I am," she emphasized, narrowing her gaze and a muscle twitching in her jaw. "But the team is only as good as its weakest member. Are you sure Chekov is ready?"

"He's going to have to be."

Charlie sighed, mulling over another way to approach the irritated captain. "Look, I know you're grieving, but think. This might not be the most log—"

"I swear, if you say 'logical choice' I'll assign you to monitoring frequencies from the gamma quadrant."

Charlie snapped her mouth closed and glared into his cerulean blue eyes.

"You are being obscenely stubborn today."

"Yeah, well, get used to it," he growled, brushing past her and stomping out of the ready room.

Charlie stood stunned a moment, blinking into the now empty room in surprise. Pursing her lips in frustration and pulling her shoulders taunt, she returned to the bridge and stomped up the steps where Uhura stood, not looking in Jim's direction. She noticed McCoy around the other side of the bridge with his brows raised toward the ceiling. Catching his eye, she shook her head and took a position next to the communications officer, wanting nothing to do with anyone of the male sex. Charlie tried to keep the grinding of her teeth quiet and her facial features relaxed while she stared at the whirling blue particles outside the ship. She knew how adept Uhura was at picking up signals no one else could see, but her attempts were in vain.

"Problem?" Uhura mumbled to her, a knowing look in her hard, dark gaze.

"Kirk," Charlie revealed after a moment. "You?"

She hesitated a moment. "Spock," Uhura admitted.

"Why are men so stubborn?" Charlie sighed.

"And ignorant," Uhura added.

"And pigheaded."

"Unfeeling."

"Thick."

"Inconsiderate."

"Know-it-alls," they both finished, sending an amused smirk to each other.

"Hoes before bros?" Charlie asked, holding her hand out to shake.

"What?" Uhura questioned, her eyes widened in surprise.

"It's an expression from my time. It kind of means always keep your friends first and your man second. Friends are the ones you need when your man is being stupid, and with the guys we have we need all the help we can get."

Uhura deliberated for a moment before she smirked and grasped Charlie's outstretched hand. "Hoes before bros," she agreed.

Suddenly everyone lurched forward with a scream as the ship came to a violent and abrupt stop. Charlie and Uhura were thrown off their feet, both barely able to catch themselves on the rail that circled the upper deck of the bridge. The abrupt stop had tossed the captain from his chair, and while Charlie took stock of her new bruises, she saw him rise to his feet and hurry to the front station while Sulu searched for a reason behind the unintended termination of their flight.

"Engineering manually dropped us out of warp, sir," Sulu said.

"Well that was rude," Charlie muttered, straightening her dress.

Jim snapped on the call button for engineering. "Mr. Chekov, did you break my ship?"

"Sorry, sir, I don't know what happened!" the young engineer's frantic voice was heard through the bridge's speaker. "The core overheated, I had to actiwate the emergency stop. It must be a coolant leak, I need time to find it. Sorry, Keptin."

Charlie and Uhura shared startled glances as Jim's soft "Dammit" rang through the bridge.

"Mr. Sulu, time our destination," he asked as Charlie and Uhura assessed each other for injuries.

"Are you okay?" Charlie inquired as she rubbed her elbow, which had slammed against the large, translucent panel in front of her.

"Yes, I think I'm fine," Uhura answered, brushing off her dress and turning toward the conversation between the captain and Sulu.

"Twenty minutes, Sir," Sulu said. "But that's twenty minutes in enemy space we weren't counting on."

"Alright, we better hop to it," Kirk sighed, turning to address the crew behind him.

"Where's Spock?" he questioned Uhura when he noticed the absent Vulcan.

"Here, Captain," Spock announced as he rushed from the turbolift, sidestepping around Charlie and Uhura.

"You're coming with me to Qo'nos," Jim ordered, directing his attention to Uhura. "Lieutenant, how's your Klingon?"

"It's rusty, but it's good," she replied.

"Good, you're coming too." He glanced between the pair, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "This isn't going to be a problem, is it? You two working together?"

"Absolutely not," Uhura asserted, sending a pointed glance at Spock before spinning on her heel and stomping away. She sent Charlie an acknowledging nod as she strolled by, whispering, "Hoes before bros."

Charlie smirked which widened when Spock answered, "Unclear." He followed the same path as Uhura, his brow raised in puzzlement from the amusement Charlie exhibited. Once the Vulcan passed, Charlie scrambled down the stairs, following McCoy to the captain.

"Jim, you're not actually going down there, are you?" McCoy asked. "You don't rob a bank when the getaway car has a flat tire."

Jim hit the button on the arm of his chair, "I'm sure engineering will have us all patched up by the time we get back. Isn't that right, Mr. Chekov?"

"Yes, Keptin," the unsure engineering chief answered. Jim smirked at the Doctor with satisfaction. "I'll do my best, Sir."

Charlie could feel the glare from McCoy where she stood as Jim turned to address his pilot. "Mr. Sulu, you have the conn. Once we're en route, I want you to transmit a target comm burst to Harrison's location. You tell him you have a bunch of real big torpedoes pointed at his head and if he doesn't play nice, you're not afraid to use them."

She watched the hesitation rise in Sulu, his eyes flickering to the chair. Jim noticed the movement as well and probed, "Is that a problem?"

"No, Sir," Sulu answered, his dark stare unable to shift from the chair. "I've just never sat in the chair before."

"You're gonna do fine," Kirk assured, turning to head toward the shuttle bay, his gaze flashing to Charlie's who stood to the side. Her hands remained clashed in front of her and she tilted her chin up just enough to stare straight at him.

"You have a problem too?" he asked, the barest hint of threat underlining his voice.

"No, Captain," she complied, glancing away from his probing stare. "I know there's no stopping you once you get an idea in your head."

"Oh, good then," Jim murmured, surprised.

"I would request to join the away team, however."

"No, I want you here with Bones and Sulu," Jim denied, stepping closer and dipping his head down to mutter in her ear. "We stopped earlier than I wanted. Someone may come looking where we don't want them to. They might need your help and I know you'll take care of the ship for me. It was your battle strategy after all."

Charlie mulled that over, her eyes flicking to his in astonishment. It was as close to an apology as she was going to get.

"Yes, Sir."

He nodded in appreciation and opened his mouth as if to say something else. At her raised brow, he shook his head and continued toward the turbolift while McCoy ran after trying unsuccessfully to dissuade the stubborn man.

"Mr. Sulu, make sure that K'normian ship is ready to fly," Jim ordered as he left.

Charlie glanced over her shoulder as he disappeared and then headed down the stairs as Sulu plopped himself down on the chair, his spine straightening and his face hardening into one of a captain. Activating the call button on the armrest, he spoke, "Acting Captain Sulu to Shuttle Bay 2. Please have the trade ship we confiscated during the Mudd incident last month fueled and flight ready. Captain Kirk is en route to you now."

"Mudd incident?" Charlie asked bemused as she glanced down.

"You don't want to know," Sulu answered with a visible shiver.

Surprised by his reaction she said, "Knowing Jim, probably not. Tell me later though."

"Captain, the K'normian ship has left the shuttle bay," Lieutenant Darwin at the navigator's station informed.

"Alright, inform me when Captain Kirk is within Klingon space."

"Aye, Sir."

"You ready for this?" Charlie said as she stared down at the acting captain. Having never been in the position of acting captain, she was worried about how well Sulu would respond to the pressure of the rank.

"I was born ready," Sulu declared as Charlie snorted. "I've always wanted to say that," he added sheepishly.

She grinned and glanced up when McCoy shuffled down the stairs, grumbling to himself with his body tense and angry.

"Don't worry, Doctor," Charlie reassured. "Jim's got this."

"It's not him I'm worried about," McCoy attested as he shuffled his feet.

"They've entered Klingon Space, Captain," Darwin said just as Jim's voice came over the intercom.

"Mr. Sulu, I think we found our man. You let him know you mean business."

"Aye, Captain," Sulu answered, shifting in the chair and sitting even taller than before. Activating the call beacon, Sulu commanded, "Attention, John Harrison. This is Captain Hikaru Sulu of the U.S.S. Enterprise. A shuttle of highly trained officers is on its way to your location. If you do not surrender to them immediately, I will unleash an entire payload of advanced long-range torpedoes currently locked onto your location. You have two minutes to confirm your compliance. Refusal to do so will result in your obliteration. If you test me, you will fail."

Both McCoy and Charlie flicked their startled gazes to the man occupying the captain's chair.

"Mr. Sulu," McCoy said, gaining the man's attention. "Remind me never to piss you off."

"Yeah, I'm watching my back next fencing match," Charlie agreed.

"Lock onto the shuttle," Sulu ordered with a suppressed grin lifting his lips. "I want their location known at all times in case we need to beam them back."

"Aye, Sir," a chorus rang out.

"Do you think Harrison will surrender?" Charlie voiced, apprehensive by the dangers posed by the mission. She had to remind herself that the actions taken by Jim and the others were part of the job description for Starfleet, and it now applied to her as well.

"He'd be a complete idiot not too," McCoy responded, crossing his arms as he too watched the screen with barely concealed distrust.

"Doesn't mean he won't put up a fight," she pointed out. "Look at the damage he caused at Starfleet. Someone like that is unpredictable."

"Well good thing for us, so is Captain Kirk," Sulu responded.

"I'm going down to the medbay," McCoy announced, unfolding his arms and turning towards the lift. "Lord knows what that kid'll do to Harrison when he catches up with him. Better get everything prepared in case of unpredictability. You coming, Ensign?"

"Ensign?" Sulu questioned, rotating his startled gaze to Charlie.

"What the outfit didn't give it away?" she scoffed.

"Just thought you were trying to fit in around here," Sulu shrugged.

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'm an acting ensign for this mission, per Captain Kirk's orders. I am here to contribute in any way I can. Pike was training me before. . ." The rest was left unsaid, Sulu nodding as he listened.

"Ensign Noland will stay on the bridge, Doctor McCoy," Sulu commanded, swinging toward him. "She's to assist me until the captain and Mr. Spock return."

Charlie grinned as she pulled her shoulders back, sending McCoy a satisfied wink. McCoy just rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head. Once the doors to the turbolift closed, Charlie turned toward the weapons station.

"Anything on the scanners?" she asked. "The Klingons might come looking for a fight if they know we're here."

"Nothing yet," the lieutenant said. "Some chatter a few light years away, but we're outside their range."

"Keep an eye on them," Sulu ordered. "I want to know the minute—" a warning flared on the view screen, cutting of Sulu's command as the information pertaining to the shuttle and its whereabouts dropped off. "What happened? Where's their signal?"

"It cut out," Hannity said as she fiddled with the controls. "I'm working to get them back."

"Shit," Charlie growled, stomping over towards an open console. "Looks like a D-4 class Klingon vessel was in the area before they cut out," she said, as her fingers clumsily flew across the screen, unused to the fast displays and torrents of information flying at her. "My guess is they found it too and went silent to avoid detection."

"Or they're being pursued and their scanners were jammed," Hannity added.

"Or that," Charlie reluctantly agreed.

"I thought the Ketha province was abandoned," Sulu said.

"Could be a random patrol or their heat signatures were detected," Hannity suggested.

"See what you can find in the province they were heading to, Ensign," Sulu snapped. "Maybe there's something there that can aid them."

"Aye, Sir."

Charlie paused with her hands above the screen, unsure where to begin. Drawing her lip between her teeth in concentration, Charlie shook the hesitant thoughts from her mind and quickly isolated a map of the Ketha province, using the scanners on the port side of the ship to detect the emission signatures of the K'normian ship. A beacon was highlighted as she increased the scanner's intensity and narrowed its field of view.

"I found them, Captain!" she declared, her heart pounding as she noticed the other emissions surrounding the ship. She threw the images from her console onto the view screen, letting those on the bridge analyze the readings on their own. "They appeared to have landed near an industrialized site, but there are three other ships with them. I think they're Klingon."

"I'm detecting phaser blasts, Captain," Darwin said, her fingers blurring by the speed of her movements. "Numerous ones."

"Klingons?" Sulu barked, sitting forward in the chair.

"Some. Most are from an unknown origin, but they seem to be targeted at the Klingons."

Charlie's brow wrinkled in confusion as she turned to stare at Sulu. "Could it be Harrison?"

"Why would he help them?" Sulu argued. "He fled to the Klingons for a reason."

"Should we transport them back?" She suggested, her knees beginning to shake as her stomach tightened into a ball of worry. "Captain, they could be in danger."

"Can you get a lock on their location?"

"Negative, Captain," Hannity answered. "There's too much interference between us and them, and the phaser fire isn't helping. If Mr. Scott was here, maybe, but . . ." she trailed off.

Sulu hesitated, his hand flexing as his fingers splayed out before clutching back into a fist. "Are the torpedoes still locked onto that location?" he asked.

"Aye, Sir."

Sulu's dark eyes flashed to Charlie. There was a hint of sympathy in their black depths, his lips tightening into a fine line. "Give them five more minutes, but if we don't read anything, fire on that location."

"What?" Charlie snapped as she stared incredulously at Sulu. "But they're still down there!"

"And they have five minutes to find Harrison. They could already be gone, Charlie. We can't let him get away, even if it means firing into Klingon space with the captain still down there."

She spun towards the view screen where the indicator of the ship was still highlighted in a bright, blinking orange. Her breathing became rapid and sharp, black spots dancing in front of her eyes as she hyperventilated. She couldn't lose Jim, not after Pike. It was too soon. He wasn't supposed to die like that, not yet. Her heart pounded like Thor's hammer against her ribcage and she wanted nothing more than to throw up. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the console, breathing through her nose in an attempt to calm down. They still had five minutes, she reasoned with herself. They had only been gone for thirty. She had to trust that Jim, Spock, and Uhura could get the job done. With a snap, her eyes opened and she stood tall. Trust. She had to trust them.

"Lieutenant Uhura to Bridge," a voiced echoed through the speakers, gaining everyone's attention. "We have Harrison in custody. We're on our way back to your location now."

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief, echoed by those around her, especially the man occupying the chair.

"We copy you Lieutenant," Sulu said. "I'll send an armed guard of security to rendezvous with you onboard. Sulu out." He slumped against the back of the chair with a sigh, his head collapsing to rest on cushion as he closed his eyes in relief. "Noland, go down and gather security, then bring them to rendezvous with the away team."

"Aye, Sir," Charlie nodded, jogging up the steps and into the turbolift. Within minutes she had gathered a team of six red shirts, armed to the brim with rifles and phasers, and were waiting in the cargo bay for the return of Jim and K'normian ship.

As they were standing, Charlie noticed Carol by a console bay, her tricorder in hand as she inputted details into its database. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde, the same sensations of familiarity and distrust from the shuttle unchanged. Excusing herself from the security detail, Charlie headed over to Carol.

"Hey," she said, causing Wallace to jump and spin around, her blue eyes wide in surprise.

"Oh, hello," she greeted in her lilting British. "Can I help you with something, Ensign…?"

"Noland," Charlie answered, sticking out her hand. "Charlotte Noland. I was wondering what you could tell me about those torpedoes we brought onboard."

"Ensign Noland," Carol spoke slowly, grasping her hand for one shake before dropping it. "I'm afraid that's classified."

"See, the said the same thing to our Chief Engineer, and he ended up quitting over it." Charlie clasped her hands behind her back as her dark stare bore into Carol's blue. She noted that both were the same the height and their builds were not much different from each other.

Carol's eyes broadened as she stuttered, "I-I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm afraid I know as much as you do."

"Well see you're a weapons specialist, so you know a bit more actually," Charlie smiled, although it didn't reach her eyes.

"You were onboard the shuttle?" Carol asked.

"That I was Dr. Wallace," she nodded. "And I want to know why Marcus sent you here. He doesn't do anything without a motive behind it, and it's been my experience that his motives tend to be questionable. What is in those missiles?"

A chime rang out, signaling the return of the ship carrying Harrison. Charlie knew she had to return to her post, but something still didn't sit right with her. Carol couldn't keep still, her gaze wandered to everything but Charlie's and she fiddled with the tricorder in her hand. Every instinct told her Carol was lying about something, but she couldn't put her finger on what that was.

"I'm afraid I don't know, Ensign Noland," Carol reiterated. "I am here to find out."

Charlie felt the rumble of the incoming ship's engines and knew she had to return. "Well when you find out, be sure to let the captain know. The last thing he needs is some errant weapon of mass destruction onboard his stranded ship in the Neutral Zone."

Without waiting for an answer, Charlie spun on her heel and headed back to where the group of security waited for her. With a nod, she led the group down the narrow corridor to the dock where the ship parked. Just as they reached the landing, the doors to the ship slid opened and out stepped Kirk, followed by a tall, dark-haired stranger in a trench coat and his hands in shackles. The security team immediately surrounded the prisoner as Jim moved aside, and with a quick word from him, had Harrison marching toward the brig.

Charlie stepped to the side as they passed, Harrison's bright, cerulean eyes catching hers where they lingered a moment before he shifted his gaze forward again. While the exchange only lasted an instant, Charlie felt like ice now pumped through her veins and she stood frozen in place, unable to think or breathe. As soon as the moment had come, it was gone, Charlie shaking her head to clear it while she scowled at the back of his head in confusion.

Spock and Uhura followed the group, each sending an acknowledging nod to Charlie while Jim lingered behind when he noticed her standing near the wall.

"Welcome back—Jesus Jim, what happened to you? You look like you got your ass handed to you," she exclaimed as by the lights of the hangar bay highlighted the fresh bruises and cuts on his face. She reached up to brush a strand of hair away from one on his forehead and he winced when her fingers barely brushed the skin.

"You should see the other guy," he tried to joke, but the humor didn't reach his eyes.

"Are you okay?" she probed as they turned to follow the brigade down the hallway.

"I'm fine," he brushed off, his strides long and quick as he hurried to catch the group.

"Mmhmm," Charlie hummed unconvinced as she raced to keep up. "So that's Harrison?" she nodded forward toward the taller dark head surrounded by redshirts. "He doesn't look that dangerous."

"I want you to stay away from him," Jim ordered.

Charlie lifted a brow, glancing at the captain with skepticism. "What makes you think I want anything to do with him?"

"Because I know you, I know how much Pike meant to you, but he's a monster, Charlie. He took out over twenty Klingons and three ships with barely a glance. I don't want him to ruin you too."

"How on earth could he ruin me?" she scoffed as she stopped, her arms crossing over her chest as she turned toward Jim. He sighed and ran a quick hand through his hair in exasperation.

"By getting into your head," he explained as he reached up and gripped the back of her skull, his fingers digging into her hair. "Don't let him do that."

"Thank you for the warning, Captain, but give me more credit than that."

"I am." He leaned forward and laid a kiss on her forehead.

"What was that for?" she asked, reaching up to grasp his warm hand in her cold one.

"Just something Uhura said when we went down to Qo'nos. There was a brief moment there when I thought we weren't coming back."

"If you had waited any longer, you weren't."

"Then it's a good thing we got him when we did," Jim remarked, releasing her hand and following the group again. Although it was sweet what he said, Charlie noted Jim was distracted, and his stare couldn't leave the back of Harrison's head. She was surprised he hadn't burned a hole through it. Whipping out his communicator, Jim commanded, "Bones, meet me in the brig."

"Be right there."

"Lieutenant!" Jim shouted, gaining the attention of Spock and Uhura, both turning around to face him. "Contact Starfleet, let them know we have Harrison in custody, and we'll be on our way once the warp core is repaired." Although he didn't look too convinced by the thought.

"Aye, Sir," she agreed as he nodded and spun to continue on his way.

"Jim," Charlie called as she ran to catch up with him, leaving the other pair alone for a moment. "Just . . . be careful, when you talk to him. Don't let him get in your head either."

Jim responded with a tight smile as he leaned down, leaving a gentle, warm kiss against her lips. "I promise," he said before heading to his quarters to change.

Charlie watched as he walked away, her heart berating the inside of her chest as both fire and ice burned through her veins. Backing up, she turned just as Spock and Uhura broke apart and headed in their own directions. She scurried forward and managed to catch the lift Uhura occupied, sliding in just as the doors hissed shut.

"Hey," she greeted, noticing the tension in Uhura's eyes.

"Hey," Uhura responded.

"You okay?"

Uhura sighed, rubbing a hand across her forehead. "Yeah, I think so. That wasn't the cleanest arrest, but at least we got him. I now understand what you mean about the Klingons."

"Nasty little buggers," Charlie scowled without the heat.

Uhura chuckled, "Yeah, I'll say."

"What happened to Jim?"

"When?"

"Down on that planet," Charlie emphasized. "He went down all cocky and sure of himself, and came back . . . different."

"It wasn't pretty, what Harrison did," Uhura remembered, her eyes wide and glassy and her hands shaking. "I've never seen anyone fight like that. It was precise, not even a hint of hesitation. He handled the weapons with such tactical force and expertise. No has ever scared me that way he did. Not even Nero."

Charlie glanced away, chewing her bottom lip as she deliberated in her head. "Did he say anything? Anything at all about why he attacked Starfleet?"

"No. He just asked how many torpedoes there were and then surrendered."

Charlie snapped her gaze to her friend's in astonishment as the doors of the lift hissed open. "The torpedoes?"

"Yeah," Uhura shrugged as she walked out. "I have no idea either. You coming?"

"Ah, no," she shook her head. "I've got something else to do. I'll meet up with you later."

The doors closed on Uhura's skeptical face while Charlie chewed the nail of her thump in concentration. She had a criminal to go see. Orders be damned.

Reviews are most appreciated. And yes, a certain somebody will be seen next chapter. Didn't want you to be waiting for too long