Hello everyone, its been a while since I've posted and I apologize. Work and school just leave enough time in the day to write to my heart's content.
Just a warning to everyone now it is probably going to be a while before I can post again, but this story will be finished I promise.
Well here is the next chapter ... please let me know what you think.
Charlie glared out the front of the shuttle at the three enemy ships, trying to figure out an escape plan that actually had a decent chance of getting them out alive.
The lead Klingon patrol ship was broadcasting their demands and Uhura translated for those who didn't know more than a basic knowledge of few swear words in the harsh language.
"They're ordering us to land. Captain, they're gonna want to know why we're here and they're going to torture us, question us, and kill us."
"Hopefully not in that order," Charlie mutter under her breath as she checked the sensors still hoping to find a bolt hole or path of escape that didn't involve them being blown out of the sky.
Uhura must have heard her because she shot Charlie a look that clearly said 'shut up you're not helping.'
"So we come out shooting."
Charlie had to admire Kirk's confidence at even suggesting that they stood a chance, not that she hadn't considered that exact same plan herself. She just wasn't that desperate or suicidal for that matter and it seemed neither was Uhura, as the young Lieutenant released her safety harness and moved to speak to Kirk directly.
"We're out numbered…. out gunned…there's no way we survive if we attack first. You brought me here because I speak Klingon, then let me speak Klingon."
Kirk looked like he wanted to object and just go with his plan of fighting their way out, so Charlie decided to put the final nail into that coffin.
"Sensors indicate we're surrounded by three heavy patrol ships and are picking up a large infantry shuttle 10 minutes out. Hate to say it Captain but Uhura's right, we die if we shoot first, but words might buy us time and a way out of this mess. Or would you like them to find the crippled Enterprise which just threatened to blow up their planet?"
Kirk grimaced and landed the shuttle. Charlie considered it a small victory to have Kirk follow their suggestion; she knew his first reaction when cornered would be to fight tooth and nail until he could escape or he died. He would willing risk his life on a slim chance the suicidal escape plan might work, but he wouldn't risk the lives of his crew or the Enterprise and that in Charlie's opinion was a sign of a good Captain.
Uhura had a look of relief and slight disbelief that Kirk had actually listened to her as she made her way to the door separating her from the Klingon horde, who seemed more than willing to live up to their reputation. Charlie moved to follow her but paused that the raised eyebrow she got from Spock. It seemed to be his way of expressing his disbelief and curiosity as to why Kirk had given in without much of a fight. Charlie looked from Spock to Kirk and back before simply shrugging and following Uhura to the back of the shuttle.
Charlie leaned against the wall near the door as she eyed the now nervous looking Lieutenant. Charlie felt compelled to ask, "When was the last time you actually spoke Klingon?"
Uhura seemed to steel herself before answering, "Speaking it… my senior xeno- linguistics class…. hearing it, during the Nero incident and just now."
Charlie blinked at Uhura's honest but blunt answer and let what she had said sink in. She must not have masked her disbelief and slight panic well enough because the young language expert rushed to reassure her.
"I've studied the language and culture extensively and was at the top of my class. I am confident that I will be able to secure our release and their help in apprehending Harrison."
Charlie favored Uhura with a raised eyebrow of her own. It seemed Kirk's almost reckless confidence had already begun to rub off on his crew.
"Okay, Lieutenant just how do you plan on managing that?"
Uhura seemed to think before she answered, "Honor and the fact that Harrison has none. That we only want to capture Harrison and we are no danger to them or the Empire."
Charlie was almost impressed that the first thing Uhura focused on was the element of honor within the Klingon culture and how she could use it to gain their release and help with capturing Harrison. Key being almost impressed, the second part of Uhura's argument would present several problems if she didn't handle it the right way.
"Just stick with the honor because most warrior races or anyone for that matter doesn't want to be told that they are in danger and you, an inferior being, are the only one who can help."
Uhura seemed to think over what Charlie had said and nodded her understanding before she flashed Charlie a now confident smile and boldly exited the shuttle and walked to meet the Klingon force.
Charlie watched her go and couldn't help but voice her thoughts, "Yeah, this isn't going to end well."
Charlie didn't move from the shadow of the door way and continued to scan the environment trying to get the lay of the land. She could hear the other two patrol ships buzzing around the air like angry bees. She located the positions of the Klingon warriors and analyzed the best possible way to protect Uhura and escape when things headed south, because their luck just wasn't that good and by the look on the Klingon Commander's face he wasn't into whatever Uhura was going to say.
Charlie moved back to the cockpit and calibrated the external sensors to detect Human DNA. The sensors quickly identified Uhura and then thirty seconds later gave a quiet chime that there was a life form with human DNA moving quickly toward their location.
"Gotcha."
Now that Charlie knew that Khan would be making an appearance she turned back the find out how Uhura was managing negotiations.
"This isn't going to work."
Charlie snorted quietly surprised it had taken Kirk this long to voice his opinion. Everyone in the shuttle knew that the negotiations probably, most definitely wouldn't work. They were for buying time to think of another crazy and hopefully less suicidal plan.
"This is our only logical option and if you interrupt her now, you will not only incur the wrath of the Klingons but that of Lieutenant Uhura as well."
The men in the cockpit all shared a look of understanding and fearing the wrath of Uhura and none of them moved to stop the negotiations. Charlie just rolled her eyes and grinned, it seemed her crewmate had trained the males well.
Kirk moved to the hidden weapons compartment and removed the phasers, handing one to each of the crew. Charlie quick checked hers was set to kill and tucked it into the waist band of her pants.
By the time Kirk had finished passing out the phasers the Klingon Commander had removed his helmet and stepped closer Uhura.
From the shuttle they couldn't hear what was going on but Charlie saw the subtle shift in the Klingon just before he grabbed Uhura around the throat.
Charlie flew out the door as soon as the Klingon lifted Uhura off her feet. She pulled her phaser and aimed it at the warrior's head.
"Release her," Charlie spoke in standard knowing due to his position the Klingon commander would understand her.
The Klingon eyed her over Uhura's head, sensing the greater opponent in the smaller female that had just demanded the release of his prisoner. To Uhura's and everyone else's surprise the Commander grinned and answered in heavily accented Standard.
"Why? Why should I obey you human?"
Charlie didn't flinch at the predatory like smile he flashed at her but just gazed straight back at him. A shiver went down her spine and a grin slowly made its way onto her face.
"Release her and maybe you'll survive."
The Klingon commander let out a bark of laughter the quickly turned into full belly laughs. His hold on Uhura's neck eased enough for the trapped woman to take a deep breath of air.
"Survive? Survive, what little female? You?"
Charlie just continued to smile and replied, "Not me. Him!"
That's when all Hell broke loose around them; heavy weapons fire began raining down on them. Uhura drove the Commander's eight inch knife into his thigh as a distraction to allow her to get away. Charlie tossed her a phaser and tackled the enemy warrior to the ground. They rolled over and over again until they came to a stop with Charlie being pinned underneath her much larger and heavier opponent.
The Commander pinned Charlie's legs down and then wrapped one of his massive hands around her neck and slowly began to squeeze, cutting of her air supply. Charlie panicked slightly and struggled against the weight pinning her down. A gleam of victory entered the Commander's eyes as he reached down and slowly pulled the knife out of his leg. Charlie forced back the panic and as the bloody knife got closer to her neck, she positioned her leg between the Commander's legs and with as much force as she could must from her position, drove her knee into the universal male weakness.
The Commander gave a grunt and released his vice like grip, it was all Charlie needed. She quickly flipped them over and with lighting speed had her petite hands wrapped around the Klingon's thick neck and with a small flick of her wrists the Klingon stopped struggling, his neck broken.
Charlie rolled off him and rubbed her abused neck. She spotted the knife that had been knocked away and picked it up. Her instincts were still running high on adrenaline and the thrill of combat; she quickly threw herself into the fray. Taking down three Klingon warriors in rapid succession, but her fourth and fifth target seemed to think double teaming her would allow them victory. Each one managed to get a hold of an appendage specifically an arm and leg, so Charlie dangled upside down in the air. She took her newly acquired knife and went to slash at their legs when she was unceremoniously dropped. Both Klingons fell down dead on either side of her due to phasers blasts. Charlie searched for her rescuer and her eyes landed on the one possibility in sight, Khan. Of course it was him, he was the only one with enough skill to hit two moving targets without hitting her.
"Show off," Charlie muttered under her breath as she flipped an opponent over her shoulder and kicked him in the head rendering him unconscious.
As suddenly as the mayhem had started it was over. Charlie picked up a Klingon phase weapon and began checking bodies, rendering those still conscious, unconscious with a kick or punch, removing any communication devices so there was no way to call for back up. She surveyed the smoldering wreckage of a patrol ship and the smoke holes left in the sides of the ruins and gave thanks to whatever greater power was listening that Khan was on their side of the battle.
Charlie rounded a corner and came across Kirk trying to beat the shit out of a surprisingly docile 'Harrison.'
"Captain," Uhura called out desperate for Kirk to stop.
When Kirk didn't stop, Charlie stepped forward, "Kirk, Enough."
Those two words seemed to cut through the haze Kirk was in and he stumbled back breathing heavily.
"Cuff him."
Charlie moved forward and kick out the back of 'Harrison's' knee's forcing him to kneel. She didn't hesitate and wrapped her arm around his neck, forcing him into a sleeper hold. He didn't struggle or even fight her as he slipped into unconsciousness. Charlie knew if he had there was no way she would have been able to control him.
She gently laid him on his side and took the security cuffs from a silent Vulcan Commander. Charlie made sure her prisoner was secure and unable to escape before she finally looked up to see both Uhura and Spock waiting for her to explain.
"I need help getting him back to the shuttle, he won't be out long."
Charlie made the request as she searched the man for any hidden weapons or technology. Finding four hidden knives and a phaser, she quickly hid them away on her person before she looked up expectantly to see which one was going to help her drag him back.
Uhura had been watching Charlie silently through the entire thing, "You knew."
"Knew what?"
"You knew the Klingons wouldn't help us and Harrison was coming."
Charlie rolled her eyes and replied, "There was a good possibility that they wouldn't, yes, but knowing Harrison was coming to help save our sorry asses, nope that one I claim ignorance."
Uhura went quite and from the look on her face didn't seem to believe what Charlie had told her. Charlie deciding she needed to take control of the situation, so they could get off Kronos before the Klingons noticed their missing patrol, started giving orders.
"Uhura, get back the shuttle and get it ready to take off as soon as we are on. I want to be off this rock before Harrison wakes or the Klingons realize one of their patrols is missing."
Uhura moved off to follow her orders and Charlie glanced around to see who was going to volunteer to help carry/drag 'Harrison' to the shuttle. With Kirk having stumbled off, Uhura firing up the shuttle, and the two meat head security officers nowhere to be seen, it only left Spock as the logical choice.
Charlie shrugged, "Grab an arm Commander."
Spock raised an eyebrow but did as requested. Together they hoisted the unconscious man between them and began carrying him to the shuttle.
"Damnit, I forgot how heavy you are Harrison." Charlie was sure if someone from the outside saw the scene before them they would have found it hysterical. A short woman half carrying/dragging a man about a foot taller and at least 100 pounds heavier with the help of any equally tall half Vulcan.
After several minutes and one stop to readjust Charlie's grip, the two Starfleet officers managed to haul their prisoner onto the shuttle. Charlie quickly secured Harrison in one of the seats, chaining his ankles and wrists to the floor.
Charlie sat back on her heels as she rolled her shoulders trying to relax her body as it came down from its battle high. Spock had left her to finish securing the prisoners and went to help with final preparations to take off. She was double checking 'Harrison's' bonds when she felt someone watching her. She calmly finished checking the last lock and slowly raised her eyes to find a pair of piercing blue eyes staring back at her only inches from her face.
Please Review!