Apart from the restless buzz of medical machinery and the careful movements of feet and uniform shuffling their way through the halls, a great and eerie silence had overwhelmed the usually frantic and busy medical bay, and they had every reason to be so.
Two, to be more specific.
First, it was due to the gripping anxiousness that plagued the rest of the crew as their Captain was summoned by the reports of an incoming ship requesting his audience. They knew from past experiences that situations like these have always marked an imminent danger for the Enterprise.
But to heighten the tension that charged like a strong current of icy electricity through the stale artificial air, Bones McCoy and the rest of his team have found themselves sharing a room filled with sharp and potentially dangerous tools with a man who had just defeated an entire force of Klingons single handedly. Not to mention that he was out of his bounds and occupying one of the examination tables with a statuesque like form.
He did not move, he never made a sound.
but it was his glare that had willed whoever met his eyes frozen in their place.
To others, it was a look of such strangeness that stimulated their sudden fear of the man, but for Khan, it had already become a normality for him to be received as an untrustworthy monster, ready to kill at any moment.
But he no longer cared. After everything he has done, Khan had found manipulation to be his best strategy. He used other's trepidation for his benefit, and it couldn't get as simple as that.
His icy stare swiveled to meet the one man closest to him: The doctor of the Enterprise, Leonard McCoy, obviously struggling to hold up his composed facade.
'The doctor…' Khan thought, and as he did, his eyes began to soften at the words, even if it was just for a short fraction.
'The doctor…
Doctor...John-'
Up ahead, an interrupting screech had pulled the reminiscing Augment out of his vulnerable state, and back to his threatening demeanor. Within a second after the noise, the voice of Captain Kirk was finally heard throughout the halls.
This was it.
This is what determines whose side Kirk leaned most on, but as the voice of the great Admiral echoed back, causing a great surprise to the crew, Khan couldn't help but reward himself with a sly smirk.
He knew that the moment Kirk found out that Marcus was the captain of the unknown ship that hoevers above them, everything began to fall back into his control.
For Kirk, it was not until the Admiral's face presented itself upon his screen did he consider Khan's persuasion.
But it was not until Marcus questioned Khan's whereabouts did Kirk finally realize the truth laced in the Augment's words and lost the trust he had towards his superior.
It was he that had led them to Kronos.
He was the one responsible for the ship's malfunction,
and he who had brought doom to them all.
Kirk tried his hardest not to sneer at the Admiral's reasonings, but he also had to remind himself of what Khan had done - whom he had killed.
He mustn't place his loyalty where they don't belong. No, not anymore.
"Give him to me, so I can end what I have started." Marcus demanded after his attempts at persuasion.
Situated in the medical bay, McCoy glanced at the subject of the negotiation. Expecting to see the slightest emotion of anxiety or nervousness pertaining to Kirk's decision, Bones almost took a step back when he had caught sight of the Augment's chilling features. Intensified and frightening, little did the doctor expect the face of amusement that had appeared on Khan's face.
His eyes were bright but menacing, his smile relieve yet mad.
Contradiction by contradiction, they clashed unnaturally on the Augment's usually sunken characteristics.
Bones couldn't help but feel an irritating itch spreading on the back of his neck, the same itch he felt when he agreed to participate in opening the damn torpedo.
The halls once again blared with the Admiral's gruff voice, now seething with determination and annoyance. "Tell me where he is."
Bones felt his muscles shift defensively, his body turning slightly towards the composed man behind him as if he was preparing to bring him down. He didn't know why he did it, but if Khan's location was to be revealed to his hunter, he expected the worst in the Augment who would then try to escape the ship.
Or so he thought.
All of a sudden, Kirk's voice returned with a surprising response: "He's…in engineering, sir….But I'll have him moved to the transporter room right away."
"I'll take it from here."
As the transmission dropped, Bone's head whipped back to meet Khan's who returned the expression by giving him the look of sneering pride.
"What have you-"
"I've done nothing my dear doctor. All I suggest is you to put a bit of faith in my advice."
Bone's brows furrowed as he returned to his stance.
"I would never dare to trust you." he spoke lowly.
"But it seems to me that your Captain does."
Another few moments of silence radiated between the two before Bones had the nerve to lean in closely to whisper into Khan's face.
"I trust him. Never you."
Returning to gather his medical supplies, a slight boost by the ship returning to warp had caused the doctor to stumble before realizing what Kirk had decided to do: Escape.
Ignoring their recent standoff against one another, Bones shifted back into his role as a doctor and began to check on the Augment with much more ease.
"Well at least we're moving again." he mumbled as the rest of the crew returned to their duties. Relief was evident in their faces, all accept Khan's.
He knew the capabilities of the ship Marcus had arrived in.
He knew of its power.
After all, he designed it.
The USS Vengeance.
The mere Constitution-class ship was no match for the intellect Khan had contributed into creating the grand vessel.
Warp was useless.
"If you think you are safe at warp," he spoke as Bones and Carol examined him with the traces of worry now gone from their expressions, "you're wrong."
Confusion filled Bones, but Khan's attention flickered to the Admiral's daughter who he knew would understand what he meant. Confirmation was granted to him by the action of Carol's darkening face and form disappearing from the bay and into the labyrinth halls.
It did not take long until the first shot was felt throughout the whole Enterprise and chaos and destruction began once more.
Amidst the disorder and panic that aroused the crew, Khan did nothing but submerge himself into the depths of his own mind, focusing back into the checkerboard that represented the battlefield he and Marcus had created together.
The clock began to tick.
Pawns began to disappear.
Khan had to think ahead if he sought his own victory in this battle.
This time, however, victory was not far from his reach.
Marcus had just lost trust of his Queen in favor for Khan and his King lay open and vulnerable for capture.
"Checkmate."
And as if on cue, it was the presence of Kirk that had returned him to the sombering reality.
The two faced each other once more, now without a glass prison to verify the two sides.
They were now on the same position; both beyond the glass walls.
"Tell me everything you know about that ship." demanded Kirk.
Khan did not hesitate to boast his creation.
"Dreadnought class. Two times the size, three times the speed and advanced weaponry modified for a minimal crew. Unlike most federation vessels, it's built solely for combat."
A growing smirk played at the corner of Khan's lips, but Kirk showed no sign of impressment. Piercing blue eyes gazed back at Khan's with much determination and bravery. Khan broke out of his pride and his vision of the captain wavered for the slightest of second.
During that time, he did not saw the face of Captain James Kirk.
No, he saw someone else.
Someone dear to him.
The someone who this game was created for.
The person who he had failed to save.
But before he could utter his name under his cold and trembling breath, the image of him faltered and disappeared when Kirk spoke against the Augment.
"I will do everything in my power to make you answer for what you have done." Kirk threatened.
But Khan was unfazed.
He knew that that wasn't Kirk's priority. He needed his intellect now much as Marcus wanted to exploit his savagery.
Like his strategy, Khan will follow in order to get what he wants: The return of his crew and Marcus's head in his hands.
"But right now I need your help."
"In exchange for what?"
Fingers twitched with anticipation.
"You said you'd do anything for your crew."
His mind losing every bit of patience he had retained.
"I can guarantee you their safety-"
"Captain," Khan spoke with allation leaking in his deep voice. "You can't even guarantee the safety of your own crew."
In a different situation, Kirk would have retorted back with his confidence over his rank. Now, he couldn't even deny the words of an enemy.
Kirk understood the dangers he had brought with his decisions. He was foolish and he knew it painfully. His eyes twitched as he took another step forward towards the Augment.
"You coming with me or not?"
As the two headed out of the medical bay, Kirk glanced his way towards the awaiting Bones. Before Khan could notice the absence of the Captain behind him, Kirk gave the doctor a quick and sure nod and left without another word. The simple action itself was enough for McCoy understand his orders.
Beyond The Checkerboard Part 1
-End-
A/N This segment is by far my favorite part, and I hope it will be yours too. I had to split it to two chapters because of length, but don't fret, I'll try my very best to update it very soon ^^ End of Part 2 is upon us! :D
Reviews are helpful and welcomed (and very much appreciated!) :3