Talks and Torpedoes
Kirk cast a subtle glance at Victoria feeling her tense beside him at Harrison's words. He knew where her mind had gone, to how it wasn't THEM that would lead to death but Harrison himself, the man had killed her father! He didn't want this, he didn't want her to be put in front of the man and have him say something like that. He'd hoped that taking her to Kronos to be a part of the extraction, to be one of the ones to help capture him and bring him in for trial would help her cope.
Even though he knew that was the LAST thing she wanted, to see Harrison get a trial instead of have his head on a chopping block so to speak. He could see it in her expression, in her stance, in every move she made how angry and upset and disappointed she was in his decision to bring Harrison in instead of firing those torpedoes at him. He knew her though, when she was angry she didn't think, he didn't either but that was how he knew what to do to get her to stop even if she still continued to refuse to think about the consequences of her actions.
When she was angry, she acted, she rushed into things and attacked. Oh she was more skilled than he was in planning her attacks though, she thought things through enough where she had a better chance of not ending up with a nose full of napkins like he did, but it didn't take away from the fact that she was less controlled when she was angry. She wanted Harrison dead, he did too, but…he didn't want to see either of them become Harrison in the process, something she seemed to be failing to realize.
Just taking her there and setting her before the man while in his cell had probably been a mistake, he could admit it. He should have taken her to Kronos to capture him, and then ordered (not that she'd have listened) her to stay on the Bridge and not confront Harrison herself. He'd probably have had to resort to Spock doing his neck pinchy thingy, some sort of Vulcan Nerve Pinch, to keep her away from Harrison, but he'd have done it to protect her.
"Captain, Liaison," Spock called, his voice cutting through their thoughts, "I believe he will only attempt to manipulate you," he warned, coming to their sides, glancing between the two of them, "I would not recommending engaging the prisoner further."
"Give me a minute," Kirk shook his head, before looking at Victoria, "Take her to the Bridge," he ordered Spock. He had…a clearer head at the moment, he could deal with Harrison and he didn't want her to be around the man longer than necessary. Harrison struck him as a manipulator, he did NOT want the man to sense how badly Victoria wanted to end him and try to use that against her. He was sure Harrison already knew though. Her expression, her look, her own small attack on the man…and admittedly, his own words about him being his 'father-in-law' and how he acted around Victoria would be enough to clue anyone in to the fact that Pike had been Victoria's father.
He refused to let Harrison use Pike against her.
"James," Victoria turned to him, shooting him such a glare that he actually flinched at it.
He really hated that, when she was mad at him, he hated it even when they hadn't even been friends. There was always something about seeing her angry or disappointed in him, seeing that emotion flickering in her eyes, that did him in. He could guess that, even then, even when he hadn't known who her father was, he'd subconsciously made the association. She had Pike's eyes, looking at her eyes and seeing them look at him like that made him feel like Pike was looking at him the same way.
"Trust me," he took her injured hand gently, "Please, Victoria," he pressed a gentle kiss to her bruised knuckles, "Just…trust me."
Victoria stared him down for a long moment, before she pulled her hand away and stormed out of the room. Kirk sighed as he watched her go, he knew she didn't agree with this, he knew that, in such a delicate situation, with them nearly about to start a war, with them stranded in Klingon space, that she couldn't defy him or argue with him as openly as she would have. She would have argued and shouted and fought with him about his decision if their straights hadn't been so dire. The crew needed a strong captain, the crew needed to see EVERYONE working together with him, so she bit her tongue.
He knew though, that the second they were alone, he'd get hell for it all, especially this, sending her away.
"Spock," he looked at the Vulcan.
Spock gave him a nod of understanding and headed out after Victoria, leaving Kirk to face Harrison alone despite his own misgivings about the man.
Kirk waited till they were out of the room before he turned and strode back over to Harrison's cell, glaring at the man, "Let me explain what's happening here," he hissed, "You are a criminal. I watched you murder innocent men and women. You forced my wife to watch her own father die," he nearly spat, not even realizing what he'd called Victoria though Harrison's eyes widened minutely at that tidbit of information, aware that Kirk had referenced a 'father-in-law' but as far as he knew the man was not married, and now…to hear him call the girl, Victoria, he assumed, his wife…it either meant she was truly that important to him or that they had secretly wed and kept it from the Fleet, either way…that was valuable information indeed, "I was authorized to end you. And the only reason why you are still alive…is because I am allowing it. I will NOT let you turn her into a murderer like you," he sneered at Harrison, "So shut your mouth."
It was…odd, hearing himself talking like that, it was alarming really. He was a naturally kind man, for the most part. The worst insult he'd ever been able to come up with was things like 'Cupcake' and 'Pointy' for which he was sure 12 year olds could come up with worse titles. But it never appealed to him, being cruel to someone else. His life had been hard, it had been difficult and he had more than his fair share of people being absolute miseries to him, he didn't want to spread that or become that. And now, for him to call Harrison that, to talk about ending him, holding his life in his hands, and just…feeling so angry…it was truly disturbing to hear himself speaking like this.
But that was just it, he WAS angry, he was fuming and murderous and truly the only thing keeping him from filling Harrison's cell with some sort of poisonous gas was the thought that he would become just like the man who had killed Victoria's father if he did…that Victoria would become just like her father's murderer if SHE killed the man. He cared about them and what they had too much to let Harrison corrupt them. At times, when things got hard or hopeless or seemed completely miserable…he honestly felt like Victoria was the only good thing in his life, the only good thing to happen to him despite being made captain of the Enterprise, because it WAS hard to be captain, harder than he thought it would be. He'd stress over every member of the crew, worry about his plans going south and getting them all killed (it was why he planned them out so thoroughly), he'd obsess over every piece of the ship that broke, making sure they were well stocked in supplies and so many other things that, by the end of the day, he was either dead tired or wondering why he'd wanted to be captain so much.
And there would be Victoria. She'd curl up beside him when he was tired, just letting him sleep, expecting nothing more than for him to put an arm around her. She'd massage his shoulders and neck when he was overly stressed, sometimes even his back, without a single thought of him returning the favor (though he did LOVE returning the favor). She'd reassure him and remind him of all the good he'd done in being captain, all the things he could yet still do with his position. She never let him give up or give in, and he was going to do the same for her, he was NOT going to let the darkness and the anger and the hatred for Harrison consume her.
"Captain," Harrison started to smirk, pulling Kirk's attention back to him, "Are you're going to punch me again over and over, till your arm weakens? Clearly you want to. And if your woman is so important to you," he nearly grinned at seeing Kirk's hands clench into fists at the mention of Victoria, "You would see she wishes to see me dead. You claim to 'allow me to live' to protect her?" he scoffed, "I have no qualms with killing you or any member of your crew to see my mission through. You do NOT hold my life in your hands, nor do you control my freedom. I surrendered to you," he continued even as Kirk opened his mouth to argue, "Because, despite your attempt to convince me otherwise, you seems to have a conscience, Mr. Kirk. If you did not, then it would be impossible for me to convince you of the truth."
"And what truth is that?" he spat.
"2-3, 1-7, 4-6, 1-1," Harrison recited, "Coordinates not far from Earth. If you want to know why I did what I did…go and take a look."
"Give me one reason why I should listen you."
"I can give you 72," Harrison smiled, knowing he'd caught Kirk's attention, "And they are onboard your ship, Captain. They have been, all long. I suggest you open one up."
Kirk gave him one more hard look before he turned and strode out of the room, pulling out his comm. as soon as he was in the hall and out of Harrison's sight. He held it up, waiting till the person he was trying to contact answered, "Scotty, its Kirk."
"Oh, well now," the Scotsman responded loudly, "If it isn't Captain James Tiberius Perfect Hair. Did you hear that?" he hissed at someone else, making Kirk eye the communicator, "I called him Perfect Hair. Though I think my Engineering Enchantress has much finer hair than…"
"Where are you?" Kirk cut in, even though he tried not to let on how irritating it was to hear Scotty (or anyone) call Victoria some sort of pet name like that, he knew it was glaringly obvious. Scotty was, thankfully, the only member of the crew who seemed to do that, give her some sort of name. He and Victoria…they weren't exactly one for lovey-doveyness. Pet names like pumpkin and sweetie and sugar just…weren't them. They actually much rather preferred calling each other Victoria and James, even though it had originally irritated them beyond all belief, because…it was THEM. It was something THEY did that no one else, besides their parents (and even then it was said in a different context), called them. It was special to them in a way stupid pet names weren't.
But that didn't mean he didn't want to punch Scotty in the face every time he called Victoria one.
He knew the man only did it to get to him.
He was succeeding.
"Where are you?" Scotty countered.
"Are you drunk?"
"What I do in my private time is my business, Jimbo."
Kirk rolled his eyes at that, yup, Scotty was drunk. The man only used 'pet names' for HIM when he was not exactly sober, "I need you to help me out with something."
"Something my Go…"
"If you don't use her name, Scotty, I will strangle you through the comm.."
"Something Victoria cannae help you with?" Scotty corrected fluidly.
He sighed, "It involves Harrison."
Scotty was silent for only a minute, "What do you need me to do?"
Kirk had to smile at that, at knowing that despite Victoria being half the reason (or most of the reason) that he'd left the Enterprise, Scotty still cared about her and didn't blame her for her treatment of him, "I need you to take these coordinates down 2-3, 1-7, 4-6, 1-1…are you writing?"
"What, you don't think I can remember 4 numbers?" Scotty scoffed, "You have little faith."
Kirk nodded, waiting for it…
"What was the third one?"
He let out a small laugh at that, "46. Don't know exactly what you are looking for," he added, "But...I have feeling you'll know it when you see it," he glanced around a moment, before sighing, "You may have been right about those torpedoes."
"I will consider that an apology, and I will consider that apology."
"You are the one who quit," he reminded the man.
"Victoria sort of forced my hand…"
"I'm sorry about that," Kirk offered, "I know she would be too but…"
"But she's upset," Scotty cut in, "I get it Jim. She just saw her da die, and then, to be given the chance to stop his killer…" he could tell Scotty was shaking his head, "I know that sort of desperation. You want to do anything you can. But Jim…revenge…DON'T let her see it through. That sort of hate…it changes you and I don't want to see my fan…"
"Scotty," he cut in again, rolling his eyes.
Scotty sighed, "I don't want to see Victoria end up like that. 'Cos that isn't her Jim."
"I know," Kirk let out a breath, "I know. Good luck with your mission Mr. Scott."
"Good luck with your crew, Captain," Scotty countered as the call ended.
Kirk stood in the hall for a moment longer, running a hand through his hair and down his face, hoping that Scotty's faith in him wasn't misplaced. Spock had helped snap HIM out of his thoughts on revenge, made him realize how close he was coming to BECOMING Harrison…though he felt the pull towards violent homicide more and more with each second he was forced to be around the man…and he just hoped that HE would be enough to snap Victoria out of it too.
~8~
Kirk reached out and grabbed the hand that was flying towards his face, this time not in a punch but a slap, though he made sure to do so gently, winding his fingers around the wrist of his attacker so as not to hurt their already bruised hand, "Tory wait…" he began, pleading with her NOT to hit him.
He'd gone to the Bridge to find Victoria waiting for him just outside it and he knew the confrontation was imminent. He was honestly surprised she'd lasted so long, especially given the nature of what she was going to go off about. He'd gone up to her, ready to argue his case and she'd spun around and tried to slap him.
"Let go of me James!" she tried to pull her hand away, Kirk having the foresight to grab her other wrist and keep her from slapping him with her other hand too.
"No, just…just listen…Victoria!" he shouted as she pulled away, "Just…hear me out."
"We HAD him," she shook her head, not giving him the opportunity, "We had Harrison right there James. We could have launched the torpedoes and it would all be over," he swallowed hard, seeing tears in her eyes, "But now he's on the ship, he's HERE. He was right in front of me and you STILL didn't do anything! He's still alive while my father's dead!"
"I know," he swallowed, seeing her break down.
"It's not fair," she breathed, her voice breaking as she started to cry.
He moved over to her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly, feeling her curl her good hand into the fabric of his shirt, clinging to him as he rubbed her back, "I know it's not."
"Why didn't you stop him?" she whispered, sniffling, "He'd be dead and…"
"And we'd have killed him," He cut in gently, "We'd have murdered him, attacked him and murdered him just like he did Pike," he closed his eyes feeling her wince at that, "I'm sorry Tor…but I couldn't let him do that to us. I just…" he pulled away a little to look at her, his hand touching her cheek, cupping it as he wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb, "You mean too much to me to let that happen."
"I just want it to be over," she admitted, she just…she wanted Harrison gone. She didn't want the man there of all places. The ship, the Enterprise, was the first ship she and her father had been able to serve on together for even a short time. The Enterprise was the start of it all…and she felt like having Harrison there was just tainting all of it. The man who murdered her father was sitting there in the very ship he'd last served on, and it felt so wrong.
"It will be," Kirk promised, "Soon, but…we have to do this the right way," he looked into her eyes, "We have to do this the way Pike would have wanted it done."
"By the book," they both said at the same time.
Victoria leaned in, resting her forehead to his chest as she took a breath, trying to calm herself, trying to stop the tears, "I hate him."
"I do to," he nodded, moving his hand from her back to stroke her hair slowly, "He WILL pay for what he did, he WILL. I just…I want Pike to be proud of us. You know he won't stop watching us even now."
She smiled at that, her father was always very overprotective of her, "I just hope he won't see everything," she nudged him playfully, feeling…just a little better now for having gotten that out of her system, for hearing his reasons behind the decision to bring Harrison in instead of killing him outright. He was right, her father would have been so disappointed in them if they'd attacked the man in anger, if they'd killed him. He was right too, they'd be no better than Harrison if they took him out the same way that he'd taken her father from her.
She took a breath and looked up at him, reaching up her good hand to touch his face as well, "Thank you," she murmured, her thumb tracing just below a cut on his cheek from the Klingon attack.
"You're welcome," he winked at her.
She looked at him a long while, everything that had happened with her father and the funeral and someone as dangerous as Harrison being there…it made her realize something. Life was truly far too short and…why should she wait for Kirk to say how he felt about her first? She felt how she felt and…he deserved to know. He deserved to know how much she cared about him, appreciated him, and…loved him. She didn't trust Harrison at all, not to not harm any of them and not to even be able to be restrained in his cell, and…she just…she wanted him to know. She didn't want it to be one of those cliché moments where they were in the heat of battle or one of them was injured and dying to tell him what she felt for him…she wanted him to know without any sort of threat behind it.
"James…" she began slowly, "I…I just wanted you to know that…I…"
"Are you out of your corn-fed mind?!"
She let her head drop forward onto Kirk's chest again, hearing Bones striding out of the Bridge where she knew he and Spock had been watching the entire conversation with Harrison on the viewscreen. She'd been able to hear it, muffled through the door, it was another reason she had been angrier before. They were all aware, especially when they'd heard Kirk give the order to engineering to pull one of the torpedoes, that he was going to do as Harrison suggested and crack one open. Clearly Bones had just realized Kirk was standing out there and felt the need to express his disagreement…he had the worst timing ever.
"You're not actually going to listen this guy!" Bones continued, walking backwards as Kirk headed into the Bridge after having looked at her questioningly for what she was going to say and having her shake her head that she'd tell him later, "He killed Pike," Bones faltered on that word, almost forgetting who was standing right beside Kirk, though the man was glad that Victoria had her hand around Kirk's hand instead of around the Captain's neck like he'd feared (and had a bet going) she'd do, "He almost killed you and Vick and Spock, and now think it's a good idea to pop open a torpedo because he dared you to do it?"
"Why did he save our lives, Bones?" Kirk countered.
"The doctor does has a point, Captain," Spock turned to them, watching curiously as Kirk absently moved Victoria to sit in the captain's chair with him resting on the armrest of it instead.
"Don't agree with me, Spock," Bones grimaced, "It makes me very uncomfortable."
"Perhaps you too should learn governing yours emotions, doctor. In this situation, logic dictates..."
"Logic! My god. There's a maniac trying to make us blow up our own damn ship, and you're talking about..."
"Look," Victoria cut in, "Even…even I can admit there has to be something behind why he surrendered so easily," she sighed, rubbing her head, "He wants to be closer to the torpedoes for some reason, we need to know WHY."
"So," Kirk nodded, "If we're going to open a torpedo the question is how?"
"But Jim," Bones shook his head, "Without Mr. Scott on board who exactly is qualified to just pop-open a four ton stick of dynamite?" he knew as well as Kirk did that Victoria was more for the building of things and fixing them than disarming an active weapon. One wrong move and the torpedo would go off.
"Carol," Victoria suggested, "She was looking at the torpedoes anyway…"
"Yes," Spock nodded, "The Admiral's Daughter IS a weapons specialist," Victoria let out a breath at that, she should have known Spock would go snooping with Carol on the ship, being another science officer, she'd seen Spock feel a little threatened, of course the Vulcan would do digging on her, she just…hadn't expected him to discover her parentage so soon, "Perhaps she could be of some use."
"Carol's which Admiral's daughter?" Kirk frowned.
"Marcus's," Victoria explained, shrugging as Kirk looked at her, "We grew up together, her father is Admiral Marcus. He didn't assign her to the ship, she snuck on…I'm guessing because of the torpedoes."
"And YOU," Kirk added, knowing that Carol's concern for Victoria was genuine, even if she was here for the torpedoes, she was also there for her friend in her time of need. He sighed and looked at them, "Victoria, check with engineering for our progress, I'll go see Dr. Marcus about the torpedoes."
Victoria nodded and got up to follow him out, heading towards engineering to check up on Chekov.
~8~
"Are the torpedoes in the weapons-bay?" Carol asked as she followed Kirk through the halls, having been called out of one of the science labs with the request of helping them disarm one of the torpedoes to crack it open…something she had, admittedly, been dying to do since she'd first learned about them.
"Loaded and ready fire," Kirk sighed, glancing at her, "What are they?"
"I don't know," she remarked, "That's another reason why I forged my transfer onto your ship to find out why…"
"The first reason being Victoria?" he guessed.
She smiled at that, "She hates it when people call her that."
"I'm not people," he smirked.
"No," she agreed, "You're not," not to Victoria at least, he was…a bit too cocky for her tastes, she'd heard tale upon tale from other women about the nature of one James T. Kirk, stories that didn't seem to fit the man he was around Victoria, which…made sense, he didn't appear to let anyone call him James except her, "I do apologize though," she added, "If I caused you any problems I am sorry. I'm sure Vicky told you, but…I'm Carol Marcus."
"She did," he nodded, "But it's nice to meet you, Carol Marcus. Now, the torpedoes…"
Carol shook her head at that, seeing him getting right back to point, another thing that was unlike the stories she'd heard, "Torpedoes," she gave him a nod in return, "My father gave me access to every program he oversaw. When I heard he was developing these prototype torpedoes I went to confront him about it, he wouldn't even see me. That's when I discovered the torpedoes had disappeared from all official records."
"And then he gave them to me."
"You're much cleverer than your reputation suggest, Captain Kirk," she teased him, "Though you'd have to be to keep up with Vicky," she knew her friend wasn't THAT clever, according to her Kirk had a genius-level intellect, and she knew Victoria was rather fond of smart blokes.
"I have reputation?" Kirk blinked, almost surprised by that…almost. He knew he'd had one in the Academy and in Iowa, he'd hoped to make a better one as a Captain, but…it felt like so long ago that he'd been the sort of man to have some sort of reputation that he'd almost forgotten about it.
"Yes you do, I'm also a friend of Christine Chapels."
"Christine, yes," he nodded slowly, clearing his throat to cover that he was drawing a complete blank as to who she was, "How is she?"
"She transferred to the outer frontier to be a nurse, she's much happier now."
"That's good," he led her to a shuttle for her to examine if it would be up to par to tote a torpedo.
"You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?" Carol smirked.
"To be honest, I really only remember a few names."
"Victoria being one of them?" she felt like she had to ask that, all the stories she'd heard…seeing Kirk so different, she honestly wasn't sure if it was some sort of ruse or ploy to get closer to her friend. He really wasn't acting at all like she'd thought he would.
"That's the name I'll never forget," he quipped, smiling, making her smile again.
She nodded, pleased with that answer, "Is this Shuttle prepped to fly?"
"Of course it is," he glanced at her, turning it on.
"Would you please turn around," she requested.
He blinked, confused, "Why?"
"Just turn around," she gave him a look till he did so, turning his back on her, listening to her even as he stood there, "It's too dangerous to try and open one of these a torpedoes on the Enterprise. But there is a nearby planetoid, I can open up one up there. But I will need some help..." she stopped suddenly when he turned around to see her standing there in her knickers, having been trying to change into one of the suits they'd need to walk on the planet with, "Oh my god," she stared at him, shocked.
"What?" he shook his head.
But Carol continued to stare…till she realized what she as doing, "Sorry it's just…you're looking in my eyes," she told him. There she was, standing in her skivvies…and he was actually looking in her eyes and not at her chest.
Kirk just shrugged at that, as though he hadn't even realized he'd done it, before turning around to give her privacy again.
Carol stood there a moment longer, staring at his back, before she started to smile. She was truly hoping that the reason he hadn't looked elsewhere was because of Victoria. With the way she'd heard he treated women…she got the impression he was a two woman man, that there were only two women in his life. The woman he loved (she was so hoping that would be Victoria) and everyone else.
She smiled at that and nodded to herself, turning to get ready once more, Kirk not even tempted to look back at her again.
~8~
"Captain on the bridge!" Sulu called as Kirk stepped back on the Bridge, heading for his chair, seeing Victoria was back at her Liaison post, giving her a small nod as he sat.
"Mr. Sulu," he turned to the man, "Doctors Marcus and McCoy landed on the planetoid, yet?"
"Yes, sir. They're moving the torpedo into the position now."
"Good, any activity from the Klingons?"
"Not yet, but…if we're stuck here much longer they will find us."
Kirk nodded at that, expecting that answer, and glanced at Uhura, "Lieutenant Uhura, did you let Starfleet know that we have Harrison in custody?"
"Yes, sir," she reported, "No response yet."
Victoria turned, hearing a transmission coming in, "Engineering to Bridge. Hello, Wictoria, can you hear me?"
"I can hear you Chekov," she called back, "What's the status? Did you find the leak?"
"Exactly where you suspected it would be," Chekov replied, "But the damage is substantial. We are working on it."
"And we still don't know what caused it?" she frowned, she'd been going through the readings and reports from just before they'd fallen out of warp, but there was no sign of anything wrong. Whatever it was…it had been planned out very carefully.
"No, but I accept full responsibility."
"Don't," she shook her head even if he couldn't see her, "It wasn't your fault Chekov. Keep me posted."
"Aye," the boy agreed.
"Any news?" Kirk looked over t her as she turned in her chair.
"The leak's been found and is being dealt with," she told him, "But they don't know what created it in the first place just yet. I can go help them examine it after the torpedo's dealt with. Now that they've found it, I might be able to figure it out."
Kirk nodded at that when Sulu called out, "Shuttle is standing by, Captain."
"Bones," he turned back to the monitor, watching as two blinking lights landed on a small sphere, the planet, the view screen zooming in on their location, "Thanks for helping out. Dr. Marcus asked for steadiest hands on the ship."
"You know," Bones remarked, "When I dreamt about being stuck on a deserted planet with a gorgeous woman, there was no torpedo."
"Keep in mind Bones, Carol's my friend…OFF limits," Victoria warned.
"And you're MY friend and that didn't stop Kirk, did it Vick?" Bones muttered, even though Kirk technically knew Victoria before him.
Carol let out a little laugh, "She lets you call her Vicky?"
"Yeah?" Bones remarked.
"She's only ever let me do that," Carol mused, and Victoria could just imagine her glancing at Bones with a smile on her face.
"Well we're just two peas in a pod then," Bones laughed, Kirk shaking his head and glancing at Victoria, "So, how can these legendary hands help you Dr. Marcus?"
"Bones," Kirk grumbled, though he and Victoria had a strong feeling they knew where this was going to lead, Bones and Carol WERE both doctors, they had…quite a lot in common actually. Carol had had to put up with HER periodically, Bones had been saddled with Kirk for the entire Academy run and on the Enterprise.
You wouldn't find two people more exasperated with their best friends than them.
"To understand how powerful these weapons are we need to open the warhead," Carol got down to business, "To do that, we need to access the fuel compartment. Unfortunately for us, warheads on these weapons are live."
"Sweetheart, I once a performed a emergency c-section on a pregnant Gorn. Octuplets, let me tell you those little bastards bite. I think I can work some magic on your missile."
Kirk glanced at Victoria, hearing her let out a small laugh, recalling that moment at the club when a Gorn they'd spotted had gone into labor early…at least it erased the painful memory of it being the day Bones's wife left him…now it was just the day he'd gotten bitten multiple times while delivering Gornlings. He had to smile though seeing her laughing again, even if it was a small one.
He really HAD been worried about her, about her thoughts and drive to see Harrison ended.
"Dr. McCoy," Carol began to instruct, "There is a bundle of fiber optic-cables against the inner casing, you'll need to cut the 23rd wire down. Whatever you do, do not touch anything else. Do you understand?"
"Right," Bones sighed, "The thought never crossed my mind."
"Dr. McCoy, wait for my word. I'm rerouting detonation processor. Are you ready?"
"And raring."
"Good luck."
Everyone on the Bridge held their breath, waiting for Bones to cut the wire…only to hear a clamp noise sound and Bones cry out in pain.
"Sir, torpedo just armed itself!" Sulu reported.
Victoria gasped, seeing a reading flashing on her screen from where she was remotely monitoring the torpedo, "James..." she turned in her seat to look at him, actually scared, "30 second to detonation."
A/N: Aww, Victoria snapped out of it a little :) Yay! But...they're not out of danger yet with Khan onboard }:)
I'll have the poll up for the pairing name in about 2 hours so check my profile then if you're interested ;)
Some notes on reviews...
I feel so bad for her hand too lol :) It's sort of a running joke isn't it, she can take someone out with a punch...and always ends up hurting herself to do it, only this time the punch was for her father and not Kirk ;)
Oh Victoria is VERY against what Kirk was going do do with Khan :) I think it was more that, she's been on so many ships and likely seen mutinies happen that she knows that, in such a delicate and dangerous situation with the Klingons and Khan being there, that she knows she can't be as openly opposing of Kirk as she would be. They need a united front or the crew would crumble with strife on the Bridge and Khan would use it to his advantage to manipulate them :( But she definitely let him know what she thinks here ;)