Disclaimer Star Trek belongs to Gene Roddenberry. The new universe belongs to J.J. Abrams and Paramount.

A/N So now the Khan rumor is being denied by Simon Pegg. I don't really know what to believe at the moment, but I still want to continue my story, regardless of what happens with ST:XII. I'd like to thank all of the people who reviewed and put my fic on their favs and alerts. Your support really means a lot!

Edit: Simon Pegg is a LIAR!

A/N2: Oh, and this entire chapter is a huge spoiler for the Wrath of Khan. I'd hate to spoil that movie for it is absolutely fantastic.

.~.

Ch. 2: Universal Differences

.~.

U.S.S. Enterprise, Sickbay

McCoy frowned at the mystery man. "You don't remember who you are? What about travelling on the Botany Bay? Do you remember that at all?"

The man shook his head. "I have no recollection of my past life. He regarded McCoy warily. "Doctor, I must ask, what is the year?"

"2259 by Earth reckoning," McCoy replied.

"2259? The man sounded incredulous.

"Yes. You were asleep for quite a long time quite possibly for two centuries. No doubt this comes as quite a shock to you."

"That is an understatement," the man said wryly. "Are there others, like me?"

"Yes," McCoy answered simply.

"Perhaps they might help me remember."

"Perhaps. We haven't revived them yet, but they are in no immediate danger," the doctor assured him.

"Why not?"

"That's the captain's decision."

"Then I wish to speak with your captain." The dark haired man held McCoy's gaze.

"I'm sure that Captain Kirk is anxious to meet you as well, but he doesn't finish Alpha shift for three more hours."

"You should tell your captain to check my ship's logs there might be a manifest that could help me figure out who I was… who I am."

"I'm sure he's already on it, but I'll tell him," McCoy promised. "Are you thirsty or hungry, by any chance?"

"Thirsty," the man admitted.

"I'll be right back with a glass of water." The doctor returned with the glass momentarily, and handed it to his patient. The mystery man started to gulp it down.

"Woah, slowly!" McCoy interjected. "Just sip it. We don't want to overwhelm your system."

The man nodded, and took fewer gulps. "What about food?"

"We'll see how well your system does with water. If your stomach can keep that down, I'll replicate you some broth."

The man frowned. "Replicate? That word is unfamiliar to me used in that context."

McCoy sighed. "A replicator is a machine that can make food or beverages. I don't know exactly how it works; I just know that it does. When you meet our chief engineer, Mister Scott, he could tell you in more detail."

"Excuse me, Dr. McCoy," a cool, female voice interrupted. "I need you to sign off on this." It was one of his nurses. She held out a PADD, while the doctor swore under his breath. He immediately turned to catch his patient's reaction.

"What… are you?" The mystery man began to tremble in fear as he regarded the Andorian.

"Nurse Imaru, I told everyone I was not to be disturbed!" McCoy barked.

"I-I'm sorry, sir." She quickly fled the scene, ignorant of the trouble she'd caused.

"Doctor, I demand an explanation," the man said through gritted teeth. McCoy noticed that his fear had quickly turned into annoyance.

"There's no other way to say it - I'm afraid we humans aren't the only ones in the universe."

The man's eyes were wide. "Are there other aliens like her?"

McCoy nodded. He saw no since in denying it, since the man had seen his first Andorian. "Yes, many different species."

"This universe is strange to me," said the man, shaking his head in disbelief. "I think I'm feeling tired. Yes, I just want to sleep for awhile. Maybe when I wake up, I'll remember who I am."

"Look, I'm really sorry she barged in like that." McCoy tried to smooth things over. "It really wasn't how I wanted you to find out about aliens. If it's any consolation, most of them are friendly."

"Most of them?" The man shook his head. "Don't tell me; I don't want to know. I'd like a sedative, please."

"Very well." Taking pity on the man, McCoy administered a hypo that would knock out his patient for at least a few hours. He watched as the man's eyes fluttered and closed. Then he went into his office and contacted the captain.

"Jim, I found out there's something about this patient that we didn't expect…"

.~.

After Kirk finished speaking with Bones, he called Spock to meet him in his quarters. The Vulcan arrived a few minutes later, prompt as usual.

"You wished to see me, Captain?" Spock stood a few feet away from Jim, his hands firmly clasped behind his back.

Jim decided to dispense with the pleasantries and got straight to the point. He knew Spock wouldn't appreciate small talk, anyway. "Bones just told me that the man we revived doesn't remember who he is."

"The man could be lying," said Spock.

"Maybe," Kirk considered. "And maybe not. Let's see about a second opinion." He punched a few keys on his computer, and pulled up an incoming video transmission onto his viewscreen. A picture of a familiar elderly Vulcan filled the screen.

"Ambassador! It's good to see you again." Kirk smiled happily, genuinely pleased to be speaking with the elder version of his first officer.

"Likewise, Jim. Spock," he nodded at his other self.

"Elder," Spock said coolly. Logically, he understood why Jim was consulting his counterpart, but the way that the elder Spock looked at the captain, allowing such blatant emotion to show, was off-putting.

"So you have found the Botany Bay, I presume?" Elder Spock was ready to get down to business.

"Yes," Kirk answered.

"Did you leave it alone, like I asked you to?"

"No. I couldn't." Kirk smiled tightly. "Spock wouldn't let me."

The ambassador raised an eyebrow. "Did you inform him of my instructions?"

"I sure did. It didn't help one bit."

"I see." The elder Spock steepled his fingers.

"It was only logical that we follow Starfleet protocol," Spock defended his position.

"Only logical," the ambassador echoed, his sad eyes resting on Kirk. "Did you beam anyone on board?"

"Yes, just one person, and that was just because his sleeping unit malfunctioned," Kirk explained. "Doctor McCoy had to beam him to Sickbay to save his life."

"Was it the ship's captain?" The ambassador asked, looking like he was afraid to know the answer.

"We believe so," said Spock.

The ambassador closed his eyes tightly and then reopened them. "Then you may have already set events in motion that can only end badly."

"Explain," Spock demanded.

"The first time we encountered the captain of the Botany Bay, we gave him access to any part of the ship, as well as the computers." The ambassador's voice turned bitter. "Khan decided to repay us by using his followers to take over the ship. Luckily, his mutinous plan did not succeed."

"His name is Khan?" Jim asked. "Khan what?"

"Khan Noonien Singh," Elder Spock said, his inflection implying that the man's mere name was distasteful. "He was one of the genetic supermen who became a dictator during the Eugenics Wars."

"Well fuck me," Jim groaned. "Good thing Bones has him sedated or else I'd be having a panic attack right about now."

"I am glad to hear that he is sedated," said the ambassador, visibly relaxing.

"So what happened after your captain got his ship back?" Jim asked. "Was Khan tried for his crime? Is that why he wanted revenge on Kirk?"

"Not exactly." The ambassador looked grave. "My captain gave Khan the chance to start over, on a planet named Ceti Alpha V. It was an M-class planet with conditions similar to that of Earth."

"Sounds like he got off easy," Kirk remarked.

"I thought my captain too generous. Unfortunately, he did not share my opinion. Ten years later, Khan blamed my captain for the death of his wife, one Marla McGivers."

"McGivers? Kirk looked confused. "The lieutenant from engineering? Why would she have gone with him?"

"She fell in love with him," said the ambassador, sounding bitter. "Either that, or he seduced her."

"Oh, this keeps getting better and better." Kirk gritted his teeth. He forced himself to take a deep breath. "Okay. When we're done, Lt. McGivers and I are going to have a little talk. We'll just nip that thing in the bud."

"Good," said the ambassador, sounding relieved.

"I still don't get why Khan blamed Kirk for her death, though," Jim wondered.

The ambassador nodded. "Jim and I were not aware that six months after we beamed Khan and his crew to their new home, an atmospheric change occurred that turned the once habitable planet into a desert wasteland. Apparently McGivers was killed by one of the desert dwellers."

"Khan's reasoning was not logical," Spock pointed out. "He should not have blamed your captain for that."

"No, but by that point, Khan was way past the point of logic, or even common sense." The ambassador's eyes filled with sadness. "He was blinded by his grief, which he fueled into an all encompassing need for revenge against the man who left him on that planet."

"And how did he do that, exactly?" Jim wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he had to ask.

"He stole a Federation ship, the Reliant. He lured my captain into meeting with him. The Enterprise was damaged in the battle, and though dying himself, Khan had managed to detonate a timed device that was to take out the ship. We never would have survived unless we went to warp, but the warp core was damaged. There was only one man on board who could withstand the radiation and make the repairs me. I did what I set out to do, but the cost was my own life."

Kirk's mouth fell open in shock and horror, but his first officer did not react to the news of his own death.

"However," the ambassador continued, "I was able to plant my katra in Dr. McCoy, and with the help of the Vulcan fal-tor-pan ritual, my body and katra were reunited and my life was restored."

"You allowed your katra to inhabit Doctor McCoy's mind?" Spock's eyebrows flew to the ceiling, and to Jim, he looked faintly nauseous.

"Hang on," said Jim, rounding on his First. "You find out that other you friggin' died saving the ship from this guy, and the only thing you're concerned about is that he shared his… essence with Bones?"

Spock blinked innocently at his captain. "I was attempting to make light of the situation."

"We really need to work on your timing." Jim sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He turned back to the ambassador. "I can't believe you died! That must have been awful."

"It was not a pleasant experience," the ambassador remarked. He tried not to think of that day, when he'd been separated from his bondmate by a cruel wall of glass. How he desperately wanted to hold Jim one last time. "Make no mistake, Jim, I was proud to give my life to save those on the Enterprise. That being said, do I regret causing my captain considerable mental distress during what he believed to be my final passing."

"Mental distress?" Spock narrowed his eyes at the ambassador. "I find that to be quite impossible."

"What, you don't think I would've been upset about your death?" Jim glanced at Spock, hurt.

Spock ignored him and quickly changed the subject. "Ambassador, the Khan of our universe has claimed not to have any memory of his past life."

"Interesting," said the elder Spock. "That was not the case in my universe. Still, I would not trust him under any circumstance. I suggest that you meld with him while he is sedated to ascertain his true intentions."

Spock looked scandalized. "Meld with a genetically altered human mind? I most certainly will not."

"Come on, Spock. It makes sense," Kirk tried to coax the Vulcan into complying. "If he remembers who he was, I need set certain precautions in place and inform Starfleet immediately. They might even want to try him for his past crimes. Although I'm not sure if there's a legal precedent for two hundred year old dictators. He laughed nervously. "But if he doesn't, I want to proceed in a different direction."

The ambassador looked at his younger doppelganger. "Young one, I must ask that you do this. For nothing else, for my peace of mind. If not, I may have to call every day to check in with your captain to make certain that Khan hasn't harmed anyone."

Spock not-glared at him. He didn't want the ambassador speaking with Kirk daily, and he knew that the ambassador knew that as well. He did not appreciate being manipulated, and this old Vulcan was a master manipulator.

"I will perform the meld, Captain."

"Great!" Jim enthused.

"Thank you for your insights on this matter, Ambassador." Spock held up the ta'al, and the elder did the same. "Live long and prosper."

"Peace and long life," the ambassador responded. He moved to cut the connection.

"Wait!" Jim called. Spock might be willing to dismiss the old man quite easily, but he wasn't. "Elder, are you alright?"

"No. As insightful as always, Jim." The ambassador shot a meaningful look at Spock, who looked away. "It is somewhat difficult to speak of these memories. For humans, they dull with time, but Vulcans remember them exactly as they occurred."

"I'm sorry," Jim said quietly. "I wish it didn't have to be that way."

"What is, is," said the ambassador. "My Jim carried considerable guilt over the entire incident. He believed that he had indirectly caused my death. I wish to spare you from that experience, my friend."

"Why did he think that?" Kirk wondered. "It wasn't his fault Khan was the one that attacked the Enterprise."

"There were two reasons," the ambassador explained. "He believed that he should not have given Khan the chance to start over. If he had turned him in to the authorities, the incident would not have happened. Also, when we rendezvoused with the Federation ship that Khan had stolen, my captain did not raise our shields."

"What the hell?" Jim stared incredulously at the ambassador. "I never would have done that, not in a million years! What was his deal?"

"You are a new captain you are careful by nature." The ambassador sighed. "But my Jim, he'd been in the service for over twenty years. He'd gotten a bit too comfortable, too confident in his command ability. He thought he was above the precautionary regulation, and he made a very human mistake."

"Memo to self always raise shields, even when I'm the best captain in Starfleet." Jim grinned at them both, but his grin quickly faded when he saw the serious expressions on both Vulcans. "Hey, don't worry. We can work around this. The future isn't set in stone. We'll make certain this Khan guy won't have any access to engineering or certain computer systems so he won't get the chance to take over the ship. I'm not so sure he'd even want to now, since he doesn't even remember who he is."

"Khan has deceived many in the past," the ambassador reminded him. "He would not hesitate to kill again."

"Maybe if he remembered who he was," Kirk agreed. "But if he doesn't, I think we should give him a chance at a clean slate."

Both Spocks looked doubtful.

"No, hear me out," Kirk insisted. "Captain Pike took a chance on a screw-up repeat offender, and look where that got me?"

"That is the same optimistic attitude that my captain had, when he gave Khan and his followers a chance to build a new life on Ceti Alpha V. That decision came back to haunt him," the ambassador reminded him.

"I'm not going to make that same mistake!" Kirk vowed. "I'm going to have him and his people rehabilitated, not dropped off somewhere and abandoned. Look, I'm not going to give him any reason to hate me. I'll be the guy's best friend! I won't take any chances that he'll develop a grudge that will come back to bite me in the ass later on."

"It is just like you to try and change history," Elder Spock said, sounding a bit wistful.

"Let us not waste time debating this until I have performed the meld," Spock cut in.

"A logical suggestion," said the ambassador. "Then I will say farewell. I have taken up too much of your time already. I thank you for listening to an old man's story."

"Anytime," said Kirk, smiling brilliantly at the ambassador. "Until next time. Kirk out." The image winked off the viewscreen. "So can I watch you do the meld on Khan?" Kirk eagerly asked his First.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "If you wish."

"Great!" Kirk clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh, sorry." He winced. "I forgot about the no touch thing."

"Think nothing of it," said Spock, and meant it. "Would you like to contact the doctor, or shall I?"

.~.

Sickbay, minutes later

"You promise this Vulcan voodoo of yours isn't going to damage his mind?" McCoy had to inquire, concerned about the safety of his patient.

"As he is sedated, he will not feel a thing," said Spock. "A mind meld is a non-invasive procedure. I do not anticipate any complications. It should only take approximately thirty seconds to verify if he is telling the truth."

"It's safe enough, Bones," Kirk assured him. "Old Spock did it on me, and I'm fine."

Spock spun around. "I was not aware of this."

"It was a long time ago, when we met on Delta Vega." Kirk didn't meet his eyes. "He said it was a fast way to transmit information."

"Why did you not tell me after I signed on as your First Officer? Spock asked.

"Maybe because you marooned his ass on that God-forsaken hunk of ice," McCoy suggested, openly glaring at the Vulcan.

"Bones!" Kirk protested.

"That was a serious miscalculation on my part," Spock said softly.

"I forgave you for that a long time ago," Kirk reassured him. "If you want, we can talk more about that later. But for now, why don't you go ahead with the meld?"

Spock nodded, and approached the man. Khan, the genetically altered superman. Clearing his thoughts, the young Vulcan placed his fingers on the man's meld points, closed his eyes, and gently slipped into his mind.

"Well?" The doctor asked, after Spock reopened his eyes.

"He is telling the truth. He has no memory of his past life."

"I knew it," Kirk said with glee.

"However, his memory has not been completely erased," said Spock. "For example, he knows what a computer is."

"Do you think he could regain the memory of who he was?" McCoy asked.

"I do not believe so," the Vulcan replied. "Captain, I would like to return to my quarters. I am in need of meditation."

Kirk smiled at him. "Granted. Thanks for going beyond the call of duty."

"Of course." Spock then took his leave.

"I just don't get it, Bones," said the captain, shaking his head.

"Get what?"

"Why Spock was so upset about the meld I shared with the ambassador."

"Apparently mind melds are intimate gestures among the Vulcan people. Or so I've been told," said the doctor.

"It's almost like Spock was jealous of his older self. Why would he be jealous?" Kirk frowned. "Oh well." He shrugged. "I don't think I'll ever understand Vulcan behavior. See ya later, Bones.

The doctor watched as his friend waved and headed for the turbolift. "You're killing me, kid," McCoy sighed.

.~.

One hour later

Lt. McGivers was not supposed to be in Sickbay, but she wanted to check on how the man from the historical ship was doing. Maybe, if she was lucky, he would answer some of her questions. Like why the Eugenics Wars got started in the first place there were plenty of theories, but none had actually been completely proven.

Slipping past the nurse on duty, she approached the sleeping man and lightly tapped his pale arm.

The man groaned, and without opening his eyes said, "I was supposed to be sedated. You obviously didn't give me enough."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb your sleep," McGivers apologized.

Upon hearing her voice, the man's eyes snapped open. "That's quite alright," he said, locking his eyes with Marla's. He slowly sat up in bed. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes." She smiled at him. "Back at the academy, I studied the time period that you're from. I have to say, I have a lot of questions." She tried not to sound too eager. "It's not every day I get a chance to speak with a two hundred year old man. What's your name, anyway?"

"You really have beautiful hair, did you know that?" The man's voice was low, seductive.

"Uh, thanks?" McGivers blinked. Was this guy for real?

"It has been an awful long time since I've made love." The man's gaze was smoldering. "Would you like to be the first?"

Marla glared at him. "I don't know what women were like two hundred years ago, but that's not how you treat a girl in this time."

The man looked confused by her response. "Perhaps we could have dinner first?"

"Not gonna happen." With that, a thoroughly disappointed McGivers turned on her heel and left.

She was just returning to her quarters when she received at summons from Captain Kirk on her PADD. He must have found out about her unauthorized trip to Sickbay. Cursing her luck, she headed for his quarters.

.~.

Captain's Quarters

"Captain, you wished to see me?" A nervous McGivers approached Kirk. She had never seen the tight expression on his face before.

"Yes. Nurse Chapel told me that you just visited the man we picked up?"

McGivers blushed. She had gone the whole mission without any sort of demerit, but now her spotless record was ruined. Why hadn't she just waited? "I'm sorry, sir. I know I didn't have proper authorization, I was just really curious about his life."

Kirk looked slightly pained. How much damage had already been done? "Tell me, what did you think of him?"

McGivers bit her lip. She made up her mind not to sugarcoat her opinion. "To be frank, sir, I thought he was an ass."

"What?" Kirk stared at her in surprise. Of all the answers she could have given him, he wasn't expecting that one.

"He didn't want to talk about the time he was from. All he wanted was to get with me." She rolled her eyes.

"And you weren't interested?" Kirk pressed.

McGivers frowned. "No, sir. He was kinda creepy, to be honest. Almost like he expected me to fall into bed with him. And, not that it's any of your business, but I'm recently engaged to Ensign Palmer. We wanted you to perform the wedding, we just wanted to break the news to ours families first."

"Lieutenant, I can't tell you how happy I am for you both." Kirk grinned at her, enormously relieved that in this universe, McGivers had a bit more sense. "I'll be happy to officiate for your wedding."

"Thank you, sir." She smiled at him. "I'll let Ensign Palmer know."

Kirk searched his brain. He had to come up with some sort of punishment for breaking protocol, but all he really wanted to do was throw McGivers a party. Her rejection of Khan made things so much less complicated for him! "I'm going to assign you to assist Yeoman Rand during your free time for the next week. I think we can keep this off your record, as long as you promise not to make any such infraction in the future."

"I promise. I appreciate you not putting me on report, sir."

"You're welcome. Dismissed." Kirk watched her salute and leave. Half of him was still basking in the glory of having been asked to perform his first marriage ceremony. The other half of him knew he had to figure out just what to tell his heads of staff concerning the mystery man's identity.

Just then, his communicator beeped. He answered it.

"Chapel to Kirk."

"Go ahead."

"Our patient is asking to speak with you, Captain."

"I'm on my way," he informed her. His first impulse was to contact Spock so they could meet Khan together, but then he remembered that Spock's alien appearance would not put the man at ease. No matter, he'd handle this matter himself.

End Ch. 2

.~.

A/N: Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions for the plot. Thanks so much!