"At ease, cadet," he said. "I'm sorry if I scared you, I just needed to speak to you again."

"About what, sir?" I asked, grabbing the wood railing of the deck before I could topple over.

He looked up at me from the ground. "For Pete's sake woman, stay away from John Harrison," he said. "It's for your own safety and if you want to continue your studies at this academy without further injury, I would advise that you stay away from him."

"Permission to speak freely," I said after a moment.

"Granted."

"If this John Harrison is a threat, why has he not been investigated and further disciplined according to Starfleet regulation? I would be happy to assist in such investigations if you are finding yourself in need of, for lack of a better term, superior-minded individuals as me."

"That's above your pay-grade, cadet," he said.

"I'm sorry, I am not sure I understand. I am not being paid to attend this academy; quite the opposite."

"I mean, that information is classified. Mr. Harrison is going to continue at this installation until he is transferred but until then, stay away from him."

"May I ask what sort of threat he poses to me?"

"If you're smart, you'll stay out of it."

"Yes, sir," I said. What on earth had John Harrison done to deserve this sort of warning from the admiral? I was determined to find out even though doing so would require me directly disobeying my orders. It came down to the fact that there was something in John Harrison to fear and I would not be caught off guard by whatever he may be inclined to do.

"I'll see myself out," he said and left briskly, slamming the door behind him.

I tried to put my thoughts to rest. It was high time that I showered and got back to my regular life. I would get no investigating done if all I did was sit in my room fearing the 'what ifs' that always came about. I could theorize myself all the way around a given problem but if I didn't get up and do something, I would never get down to the resolution.

I showered quickly and changed quickly into my second uniform and spare pair of shoes. I went to grab my bag with all of my books but realized I wouldn't be able to utilize them that day. I grabbed instead my military-grade tablet and grudgingly hopped back to the campus. I knew I could just as easily carry my tablet everyday but it was so much mote fulfilling to write with pen and ink on actual paper and rifle through actual pages than to type and swipe on one of these gadgets. It wasn't as though I was unintelligent when it came to technology; I just preferred a more old fashioned approach to learning. In fact, I seemed to be that way about a lot of things.

I shuffled back to campus in the growing heat and headed firstly for the main building where I would collect my missing assignments for my Advanced Syntax and Communications class. I was, of course, saving the class that I knew Lieutenant Harrison to be in for last.

Several people stared at me as I hopped through the foyer and down the main hallway to get to the lecture hall where ASC was held. It only made me concentrate more on healing my leg as it didn't please me to be watched in any situation.

I opened the door and realized quickly that my regular route would far from assist my current situation. This was a rarely used stairwell that I usually took to avoid contact with people on my way to class. I decided though that it was in my best interest to continue onward. If I were to go back out, I would be faced with either a public display of trying to get up stairs or an interaction with somebody in order to get access to the elevator. Perhaps it was very much in my interest that I take these stairs.

"Peleia?"

Or perhaps not.

"Peleia, are you okay? I haven't seen you since the accident; I was beginning to think you weren't coming back," Harrison said as he trotted down the stairs from a flight up.

"Lieutenant, I did not expect to see you here," I said.

"That's hardly important," he said, putting each of his hands on my shoulders. "Are you doing well?"

"Healthier than previously, sir," I replied, standing a bit straighter and trying not to rely on my crutches to keep my balance. "I believe it probably had a great deal to do with the blood transfusion that they performed," I said, attempting to elicit some sort of readable response from Harrison.

"Blood transfusion? I thought the only other Vulcan in Starfleet was Lieutenant Spock?" he asked. I could sense almost nothing from him and was not sure whether he was lying or telling the truth.

"It would seem I have been transfused with blood other than that of another Vulcan, but it is a feat I thought not possible. It is my opinion that I was transfused with neither Vulcan nor human blood, but perhaps that of a genetically modified human or different species entirely," I said matter-of-factly.

"Can't you just ask the doctors?" John asked.

My tongue caught in my throat for a moment but I recovered quickly. "I have noted that my doctor has no record of me receiving a blood transfusion, but I have reasonable evidence to believe that I received such a transfer."

"Are you really that sure?"

"91.6% positive," I said.

"I think perhaps you just need a little more rest. Let me walk you back to your apartment and you can get your assignments later."

"Lieutenant, what makes you think I am retrieving assignments? After all, you have found me in an out of the way stairwell headed either up or down, you would not know. I am only a fourth degree cadet, so why would I be headed to any advanced classes upstairs in this building or any cryo-storage banks below? You assume I am getting assignments when in reality, you should have no idea what I am doing or where I am going."

Harrison stood with his mouth a bit ajar for a moment. "You really need more rest. I'll pick up your assignments for you and deliver them to your apartment."

"How, if I may be so bold as to ask, were you aware of my housing arrangements? And when did you take it as your responsibility to care for me? I am perfectly well and able to care for myself; I am independent."

"Not right now you aren't," he said. "Let's go, you're beginning to scare me."

I needed to touch him; right then or I wouldn't get another good chance. I needed to act upon his assumption of weakness in me and find a way to touch his skin.

I acted quickly and pushed one of my crutches so that it slipped down the stairs to my left. I acted as if to fall but Harrison was right beside me the entire time. He reached out and grabbed me around the waist while my arms wound around his neck. I had more than enough skin contact then to find out at least what he was feeling.

I reached out to his mind quickly but was not greeted with the usual mingling and melding of thoughts and ideas, but rather a burning sensation coupled with blinding light. I swear I heard some sort of pop, but I didn't stay long enough to investigate. I opened my eyes what felt like only a moment later, but it was clear that it had been somewhat longer than that.

I was lying on the stairs looking up at Harrison. He had a murderous look on his face, but it disappeared within a moment.

"Never do that again," he said calmly.

"I apologize, sir," I said. "Perhaps I am in need of more sufficient rest to control my instincts," I said, agreeing with him as previously and attempting to cover up my failed attempt at gaining information. If one thing was true, it was that John Harrison was not human, nor was he any species I knew of.

Harrison's expression softened a bit more and he took my hand. I resisted the temptation to reach back into his mind as he pulled me to my feet (foot). He handed me my crutches and opened the door to the hallway.

"I'm walking you to your apartment," he said decisively and I knew I was not going to get out of it with more accusations.

I wished so badly that I had some sort of protection with me; a knife, a pen, a book even. This is why I always carry my books with me, I thought and yearned for the day that I would have strength enough to carry my books with me again.

I followed Harrison out the door. Despite being told to avoid him, I was determined to find out more about him, and besides, he had given me orders to return to my apartment. I was not disobeying or lying; this was a choice.

I hobbled along beside Harrison who looked at me continuously for longer than a normal person might.

"May I ask what about my appearance has you so intrigued?" I asked.

I glanced over at John and did a double take when I saw a smile growing on his face.

"Because I didn't think it would work," he said.

"You thought what would not work?"

"Their efforts," he said, "everything they did to bring you back. They were about ready to pull the plug yesterday but..." he stopped short.

"But what, sir?"

"But I implored them to wait until the morning. It took a generous amount of reminding the doctor of the anatomy of Vulcans and convincing on behalf of your parents, but they agreed," he said.

"You do realize that I would have stayed alive with or without the human medicine?" I asked. All Vulcans, when seriously injured, had the ability to shut themselves off from the world and go into a sort of trance in order to concentrate all of their efforts on healing. In this state, it was impossible for a human to tell if the Vulcan was alive or not although a simple telepathic connection from another Vulcan would have cleared that up quickly.

Harrison looked at me skeptically.

"Do you mean to say that you are not familiar with Vulcan anatomy, lieutenant?" I asked.

"No, I merely doubt that four days would have been long enough, even for a Vulcan, to heal yourself."

"It is true that I healed remarkably fast," I said, "but not without aid."

Harrison's energy output switched from normal to panicked but it only lasted a moment.

"I thought you said you could survive without the human medicine," he said.

"I did. I am referring to another type of medicine I believe to have been used on me that is far from human although it may look it on the outside."

Harrison swallowed but I couldn't tell if I was now more aware of his bodily functions or if it was an actual sign of anxiety.

"Why would you think they did something like that?" he asked.

"I am not blind," I said, slightly fed up with his act. I knew for certain now that he had something to do with it all... perhaps more even than I had anticipated originally.

Harrison jerked his gaze up to me and stopped walking.

"Tell me what is going on," I commanded, my voice softer than previously. "I know that you're a part of it and I want to know why."

Harrison opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it and sighed instead, leaning back from his aggressive stance above me.

"I report to the Excelsior in one hour but I will explain what I can once we are in a more private location," he said.

I felt my adrenaline levels spike from anticipation and surprise at not having to dig deeper than this and also from fear of what Harrison may actually be.

Without another word, he led me out of the building and toward the ranking officer's office building. We shared no words the entire way, only casually greeting those we walked past. I understood that he was taking me to his office because it would be very much out of the ordinary for a lieutenant to go off campus into a cadet's living quarters and stay there for a prolonged amount of time, but the opposite was true for a cadet being summoned to an officer's office.

We stepped into the isolated room and he closed the door. I mentally assessed my leg and found it to be in top shape. I practiced putting weight onto it for a moment before discarding my crutches and stepping further into the office.

Harrison stepped slightly in front of me without turning around. He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped silently to the window. I had no doubt that he was still attempting to gather his thoughts.

I stepped forward a bit, examining the office. There was hardly a single personal trinket to be found. There was no evidence of a family or of any past life before Starfleet. There were all the necessary ranking certificates in frames on the walls but they all seemed too new; there was something off about the entire room.

"You were right about the medicine," he said.

"I know," I replied.

"It was my blood that was used," he continued. "My blood has a certain... healing quality to it and you weren't going to survive if I hadn't done it," he said. He turned around to face me. "You were injured far beyond personal repair but you wouldn't come out of that trance long enough for those stupid humans to figure out how to fix you so I took matters into my own hands."

I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't sure how to react. I was grateful for his efforts but was confused by them as well.

"I do not understand why it was imperative for you to save my life. People die all the time; why was I different?"

"Because if you died, he would have won."

"Please clarify-"

"The admiral. Admiral Marcus wants you dead," he said quietly but rushing.

I went to reply but had no reply waiting. I closed my mouth and attempted to comprehend why Admiral Marcus wanted me dead. He hadn't even known me for that long; what kind of threat did I pose to him?

"He's the one that sent that car to hit you in the first place. I knew he was planning something; that's why I approached you five days ago. I was looking to protect you in any way that I could which is why-"

"Marcus ordered me to stay away from you."

"Exactly. I'm sure he would have put more effort into killing me if he hadn't figured out that I can't be killed."

Can't be killed? Was that even possible? Of all the knowledge I was privy to, I had never learned of a species that was actually indestructible. As far as I was concerned, Vulcans were the closest to that description because of our higher knowledge and healing ability but even Vulcans have to die eventually.

"How?"

Harrison took a moment to decide if I was worthy of this secret before divulging it. "I am a genetic experiment," he said. "I was designed to kill, not to be killed. I was part of an experiment to create a super soldier; one that felt nothing, no fear or remorse; one that would be the turning point of the war, but they got something wrong," he said, emotion building in his voice. "No matter how hard they tried, they weren't able to extract the natural human emotions from their genetic code. Thus I was created and upon realizing their mistake, I was sent to fend for myself and create life from the destruction they had made me for. I cannot be killed. I have no weakness. Marcus was using me to get what he wanted but he knew that I would attempt to escape. He knew that you were the one that was going to help me and he couldn't have that."

"What was Admiral Marcus using you for?"

This one seemed like a more sensitive secret but Harrison spoke up after a moment of contemplation. "He was using my superior intellect and animalistic tendencies to create a weapon that he would use to gain universal power. He knew I would use you to destroy his work before it finished."

"Why me?"

"You've said it yourself; your superior knowledge. I cannot trust a higher officer as Mr. Spock to understand my dilemma, but I know you are different. I know you will help me," he said.

"Why does your own superior knowledge require the presence of mine? What do I have that you do not?" I asked.

"To be relatively blunt, you are a touch telepath, are you not?"

"I am."

"There is information I require from the admiral that cannot be attained by any other means," he said.

I took a moment, being silent as I tried to filter my thoughts into logical remarks.

I was being asked by an officer that I just barely knew and had been warned against to help him in a ploy against his apparent subjugator, another higher officer than myself. I was a mere fourth degree cadet; what in the world was so special about me? Granted I had the qualifications to already be serving on a star ship, perhaps the Enterprise herself, but that was not going to happen until I had completed all four of my schooling years.

There was no way I was the only other Vulcan than Mr. Spock in the entire academy or in the service of Starfleet. There was absolutely nothing remarkable about me besides my tendencies to disobey my parents' wishes…

That was it: my tendency to disobey. If Harrison wanted this job done, he was going to need somebody who was willing to break the rules.

"You have chosen me because you know I will contravene," I said slowly and with realization.

Harrison, who had been facing the window again, turned around to look at me solemnly. "Yes," he said. "Because you are the only one intelligent enough to know that it is morally right to help me in this cause. I promise you, Marcus is going to raze innocent civilizations if you do not assist me in this," he said.

I took my own moment to look out the window. It was logical that any ill intentions for those with no say in the matter should be stopped immediately, but this was not merely a matter of battle merit. If Harrison was right - and I was thinking that he just may be - entire planets could be in danger from Marcus' bloodlust. I had no idea the actual weapon or what it could do, but I could safely assume that it would bring destruction and that was in no part an element to Starfleet's mission of exploration and peace.

Fear entered my heart and I had a moment of discouragement. Perhaps I could just walk away then and go back to regular life; I wouldn't have to worry about those that I didn't even know to begin with.

But I would have their lives on my conscience.

And not only that, but how did I know if Harrison would even let me go quietly? How did I know that my life would not become infinitely harder if I declined his supplication, or even, if it would continue on at all?

"Please," he pleaded and I had almost forgotten that I was not alone in the room.

I turned to look at Harrison. There was no way I could know his true intentions without seeing into his mind. I decided that would be a fair trade for what he was asking me to do.

"Allow me to join our minds," I said, stepping a bit toward him, "and please don't hurt me this time."

Harrison could see immediately that I would not help him unless he allowed me this one comfort of mind. I needed to see that he was telling the truth; that he wasn't going to turn on me as soon as I committed this act of treason.

"Okay," he consented and closed the gap between us. I could sense that he was in a hurry. I lifted my hand and positioned it carefully, placing my thumb on his chin, my forefinger in the crease beside his nose, and my middle finger on his temple. I looked him in the eyes and delved in. There was a bit of resistance for a moment, something I had never experienced before, but Harrison let me in after a moment. I didn't waste time looking at what the weapon was or any of the intellectual knowledge he held but journeyed immediately to his moral compass, for lack of a better term. Something seemed fuzzy for a moment and I wondered how Harrison had gained the power and intelligence to hide things from my telepathic gaze. It almost reminded me of a sort of habit referenced in a nearly thousand year old book series about magic and wizardry, but I digress.

I closed my eyes and focused more on the emotions stored in the recesses of Harrison's mind. I forgot entirely about my consciousness and inserted myself entirely into his. It was almost as if I could walk around and gather the information I wanted. His cause was just. That was obvious. He was being used and he felt a certain amount of sorrow and anger at having been taken from his previous life (which was fuzzy) so abruptly. There was evidence of a family that was lost and other things that I could see were paining him currently. I looked at his present emotions.

Anger; humiliation; yearning. He wanted nothing more than to save those who could not see their fate yet and to save himself and his family from all they had been forced into.

It seemed suddenly as if something had tapped me on my mental shoulder. I turned around to find an image of myself smiling back at me. It was almost glowing, and I felt a great amount of joy and hope towards it. It seemed as though I had completely joined with Harrison's emotions and was feeling them with him. I felt a sudden wave of respect and desire, followed immediately by panic; he had shown me too much. I felt a wall building up and knew I had overstayed my welcome.

I separated myself from his consciousness before I was hit with that wall again as earlier and opened my eyes immediately, looking up at Harrison. It was apparent that the people who had created him were very far from removing emotion from their experiments; perhaps they had even raised the bar a little bit. I was still actively feeling the emotions that Harrison had displayed but most strongly the desire. I was confused by where this emotion came from or why it felt so strongly as it did; it was not an emotion I was exactly familiar with.

I realized that I was holding fast to Harrison's wrist and let go immediately, taking my hand from his face as well and taking a bit of a step back but not losing eye contact.

"You have chosen me because you admire me?" I asked.

Harrison swallowed, looking vulnerable, then took a new stance and gained back his impregnable countenance. It was obvious that he did not want to answer my question because the answer was at least a partial yes. I decided to leave that question for another time.

"I will help you in whatever way I can," I said and he looked a bit softer, "but you have limited time to brief me on my assignment."

"Then it will have to wait. If I am correct, you will be called to the infirmary shortly at which time you will assist Mr. Spock in whatever ailment may be with him at this time and I will contact you when I can. I would urge you to use the utmost caution until this crisis is averted," he said.

"Wait, how do you know that?" I asked.

"Careful observation," he said. "It may benefit you to report to the infirmary at once, before they call you, so as to make tracking you a more difficult endeavor," he said.

"Yes, sir," I said and turned as if to leave. The emotions I had felt in Harrison's mind were still overwhelming me and I had the urge to stay right where I was with him. The emotions confused me entirely and I had to make a conscious effort to walk toward the door and calm my sporadic breathing.

Harrison grabbed my arm and I whipped around faster than I meant to, placing myself closer to him than was beneficial at that time. He was right above me, close enough to-

Stop.

"I'm sorry I let you see that," he said. "It should wear off in a few minutes."

I had to take a moment to breathe correctly again and try to get rid of the confused/rage/desire I was feeling. "I should hope so," I said as calmly as I could. I just wanted to reach up… he was so close! It wouldn't even matter in the long run; he wouldn't blame me for it. Nobody was watching. I could just…

Stop!

I clenched my jaw but it only seemed to make the craving worse. It only confused and enraged me more. There was a job to be done; why couldn't I have some common sense and just get this done quickly?

I was close enough now that I could smell his cologne, something that wouldn't normally have had an effect of me, but it pushed me that much farther toward the edge. I realized I had subconsciously stepped even farther into Harrison and that I had gripped his jacket rather securely. My body seemed to be acting on these emotions whether it had my consent or not.

Harrison's pupils dilated and I was almost positive mine had as well. My thoughts were void and illogical; it was immediately apparent why Vulcans refrained from showing and falling victim to their emotions, or in this case, another's emotions.

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep control much longer.

"You'll regret it later," he said softly, well aware of my intentions. "These aren't your emotions, remember," he said but it was obvious that he didn't really care if they were my emotions or not.

I slid my hand up his chest to his lapel and pulled him down to me. He didn't resist and closed the gap between us entirely and kissed me. His hands slipped down and around my waist leaving trails of goose bumps wherever they went. I didn't have a single moment of not knowing what I was doing; I let him take full advantage of me and found myself at peace not knowing. He pushed me back against the desk so I was trapped with no escape from his grasp. I opened my mouth and he let off the smallest bit as I breathed in the air from his lungs. My hands wound themselves into his hair and he grabbed at my back to pull me closer. His strength was much more apparent in this situation than any we had been in before. One of my hands rested on his neck and I could feel the muscles pulling and working there.

I felt a sudden mental tug and opened my eyes. I looked confusedly up at Harrison who stood as before with my hand on his face. We stood in the middle of the office, sharing nothing but mental proximity. His eyes opened after a second and I withdrew my hand immediately, having been wrenched away from what apparently was still Harrison's mind.

He looked at me peacefully for a moment before his expression turned to apprehension as mine had already.

"I'm-" he started but I was afraid to hear him say any words that may incriminate us both of the twisted fantasy I had just witnessed and been a part of.

"I'll attend to Mr. Spock as soon as possible," I cut him off. "Contact me when you have a plan," I finished quickly. "Good day, sir."