Sorry I took a while to publish this chapter. I had to read up a little more on the Khan's history according to the Star Trek universe, my plan is to weave it all together some how. Thankfully I managed to push through the hard bits, hopefully there wont be anymore obstacles ^^.

alltheteainchina: Haha, thank you so much! I blushed from your passionate response. I am happy you enjoyed that chapter, there will be more to come ;). This one is a little eventful, sorry about that. The next one will have more smut ;).

Sassiebone: Thanks? ^^

casper6six6: ^^

AvalonTheLadyKiller: Thank you, hopefully you will think the chapters to come are interesting :).

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April 27th 1993

"There is something...different about you." Orlando mused that morning, looming over Khan's desk as he was reading the newspaper.

"How so?" Khan asked in vague interest not bothering to look up.

"I don't know." Orlando rubbed his chin thoughtfully "It's hard to pinpoint the exact glimpse of your change."

Khan rolled his eyes and folded the lengthy sheet of paper and placed it neatly on his desk. He raised his gaze to meet Orlando's inquisitive stare in an authoritative look.

"Yes well," He leaned back into his chair, his gaze still fixated on the man "When you take the time away from mulling over unnecessary imaginary details. Do your job and get in contact with Stav—"

A familiar head of auburn curls attached to the lithe body of Zahara emerged from within the balcony. He watched from across his seat, past the foyer and into his room. She shut the French doors behind her and crossed the span of his room. She was dressed in her usual black harem pants and white sleeveless top. He watched the gentle sashay of her hips. The way the sunlight highlighted the bronze shade of her shoulder blades until she disappeared into the bathroom. The door shut behind her.

"—vos. Things are oddly quiet. Do you not sense the stillness?" He continued on as if there wasn't a momentary pause in his speech. Khan looked to find Orlando watching him, his gaze was narrowed and an ominous smile curved at his lips.

"Oh I am sensing something. Stillness wouldn't exactly be the word I'd use." He added. Khan did not hear the teasing tone in his voice.

His serious gaze locked on the blonde man as he leaned back into his seat. He winced slightly at the strange sting he felt on his back. His dusky brows furrowed in concern, pain was never a feeling he experienced so easily. Ignoring the sore sensation he diverted his mind back to the topic at hand.

"What do you sense?" Khan demanded. Orlando sighed and rolled his sea-blue orbs in an exasperated manner.

"Khan, I am not referring to the Augment Alliance, I am referring to you." He stated strictly. Khan's dusky brows furrowed in confusion, Orlando's gaze glittered mirthfully.

"So how was she?" He asked.

"Who?"

"Your little pet of course, the wild flower."

Oh. Khan relaxed into his seat, his stare hardened, all expression leaving his face.

"Adequate."

"Adequate?" Orlando echoed, his eyebrows lifting.

"Yes." Khan stated with a firm nod of his head.

"Really?" The fair-haired man voiced disbelievingly "I figured the hell cat would bring more fire. Enough to excite even King Khan. She certainly did manage that feat didn't she?"

Khan didn't even know why the man bothered to ask. It wasn't like he was trying to disguise his intentions towards the feline-esque female.

"Why do you care so much about who stirs my...excitement?" The darker man demanded weaving his fingers together, his arms across his lap, elbows posed on top of the arm rests.

"It's just amusing, is all." Orlando said with an effortless heave of his shoulders "I highly encourage this."

"Do you?"

"Oh yes, your complete disregard for Susan's presence has certainly made her more inclined to seek my gracious company."

Khan smiled at the cad like implication of the young man's words. "Gracious is hardly a word I would use."

"Adequate is word you regret using." Orlando bit back lightheartedly.

"Indeed."

She had emerged from the bathroom, dressed in her red suit once more. The ends of her curls were damp and darker than the rest of her hair making her hair seem denser. Khan made sure to watch her discreetly this time, not lingering longer than deemed appropriate.

He quickly fixed his attention back onto Orlando.

"It was different." He added clandestinely.

"No doubt." Orlando concluded just as she approached them. Sensing her presence, Orlando craned around to face her.

"Ah Zahara."

Her golden gaze narrowed in on the tall male.

"Why do you say my name in such a tone?" She demanded briskly. Her frankness never seized to amuse Khan. He didn't even attempt to hide his taunting smile directed at Orlando.

"Sharp as a cat, never expected anything less." The blonde commented with a lift of his defined jaw.

"Obviously considering my genetics." Zahara retorted sharply.

"I was being witt—nevermind." Orlando gave a mildly infuriated glance at the grinning Khan's direction before settling his eyes back on her.

"I was wondering if you would assist me in gathering some information for our fearless leader here."

"Information?" She echoed.

"Yes, we need to hunt down a certain scientist and put the fear of Allah into him." He paused to smile, amused by his own play on words. "And then leave behind the withering, drooling mess of what's left of him."

Khan looked to Zahara. He could see the way her mind was drawing conclusions behind her quivering eyes.

"Who did you find, Doctor Brighton?" She demanded eagerly.

"Yes," Khan answered, grabbing her quick attention. "He is taking refuge in an underground facility in Umm Al Quain. We believe he is housing more of your kind."

"Not for long." She murmured in a soliloquy. He knew what she was thinking. Her suppressed rage and irate thoughts were obvious in the way she fisted her hands at her sides.

Khan calmly looked to Orlando who was evaluating her emotions just as he had.

"Orlando." He addressed him, grabbing the fair man's attention "Would you give us a minute?"

"Certainly." He nodded curtly, he turned to leave but paused to add "I asked Susan to join us; she is particularly well versed at interrogations."

Khan nodded in acceptance and stood in his black leather shoes. Orlando exited and Khan rounded the table to stand in his friend's place.

"Gathering information?" She questioned, her incensed stare focused on him.

"Zahara—"

"I was given the impression of merciless death to these people." She cut in coldly.

"Simply killing them is not practical. This man could have the answers to questions you seek about your sister." Khan reminded. His words further antagonized her, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Either way, we need to extract all the information we can from him before we do anything else." He added rationally. She stood fuming for a moment but then slowly, her features began to soften, but the brooding look still remained.

"Who is going to extract information from him?" She asked her voice considerably less infuriated.

"You are." His quick response surprised her "Can you complete the task without killing him?"

Her gaze hardened in contempt, he understood that it was a difficult question to answer. Considering her whole drive out of servitude was built on the chance that she would get to kill them.

"What will happen with him once the questioning is over?" She inquired reluctantly after a long moment. Khan opened his mouth with the intention of answering, but someone else spoke over him.

"That is for me to decide, after all I'll be taking charge of this expedition."

He turned to find Susan standing at the threshold of his study. She was dressed in her uniform with her hair combed back tightly into a high platinum pony tail.

"Susan." He acknowledged.

"Khan." She responded through gritted teeth. He wasn't unaccustomed to such a response from her, their last conversation was far from pleasant. Susan can hold a grudge, its one of her biggest weaknesses. Her cold gaze drifted from him and fixated on Zahara, then she began to approach her like a tiger would through a field of straw.

"Orlando informed me of the unwanted addition to the team."

The Wahashi's posture instantly stiffened at Susan intentional choice of words. There was a moment of charged tension between the two females. Then suddenly, Susan smiled wickedly down at Zahara.

"No need to be so tense, I am only teasing."

"That's a lie." The Wahashi disagreed. Khan glanced at the feline and couldn't help but be amused by her firey spirit. Susan had always wanted submission and Zahara was the last one to grant her that. He began too wonder how they would behave on the mission together, he was suddenly envious that Orlando would be the sole witness.

"Differences aside, I look forward to seeing how you work, out in the field. Orlando has spoken very highly of you." The tall woman continued on as if the Wahashi's intense glare wasn't attempting to borrow a hole in her. "It's best that you start packing, we will be departing shortly."

Khan immediately shared the annoyance and stun Zahara was experiencing at Susan's poorly masked order.

"First brief, then you can dismiss yourself to pack." He disclosed with brutal command.

Orlando entered seconds later, oblivious to the thick tension with the room as he munched on a piece of date cake.

"We plan to confront the man tonight night." He announced having caught the last words Khan had uttered when he entered the study. "According to her assistant who was the dullest flirt I've ever had the displeasure, Mr. Brighton is residing in a hotel room in Ajman, apparently the quarters provided by the company do not satisfy his tastes."

"That's a fine stroke of luck." Khan couldn't help but notice. Circumstances seem to be weaving in their favour.

"If all goes as planned we will be returning late in the night." Susan added with a confident nod.

"Good, Joaquin is close to unraveling the contents of the drive, we should know more soon." Khan uttered directing his attention to Zahara. Her eyes widened in a hopeful manner.

"Wonderful the sooner we are done the sooner we can stop tip toeing around." Susan grumbled irately.

"Have to agree with Susan there" Orlando chatted while chewing on a cheek full of cake "Compared to this country the humid weather of India is a blessing."

"Patience my friends, we will be done soon enough. I have a feeling that the Sheikh is growing frustrated with how comfortable we are here." Despite the words that slipped his lips, his attention was focused on Zahara. She had that familiar far off look in her golden eyes. She seemed lost and overwhelmed, not at all like the observant creature he was used to. He didn't like it, he was annoyed by it, but at the same time it felt wrong to address. As if it wasn't his right to.

His mind seemed to chant come back, come back to me. Repeatedly in his head, his fingers twitched desperate to touch her.

"Maybe some of us are too comfortable." Susan remarked her accusatory gaze focused on the Augment leader. Her carelessly wicked comment made him bristle. He had a spiteful retort ready at the tip of his tongue when Suzette's sudden arrival grabbed his attention.

Her face was horror stricken, her usual soft gaze was wide in panic.

"Captain, we have a problem." She exclaimed staring straight at him from under the door frame.

"What is it?" He insisted in a swift alertness. Suzette gulped heavily, her blue eyes quivering in distress.

"Vasily has conquered Serbia, our entire battalion has been assassinated."