Thanks everyone for following this story and reading it. I'm glad you guys like it. This chapter, I think, is much better than the last; I really enjoyed writing it, anyway. :)

Chapter 11

Khan awakes to a sound. His head snaps up and he looks around quickly in an attempt to find the disturbance. Meira is leaning on his desk, her arm used as a pillow. A few pigeons coo at him form the roof. Other than that, nothing. He frowns.

There!

There it is again: a low, quiet hum, barely louder than a breath of air. Slowly, he stands up and walks cautiously towards the door. The hum grows louder and then he's enveloped by a bright golden light. Snarling, he leaps back in an attempt to escape from the lights transporting him away, but he moves too late. He has just enough time to see the doors kick in a armed officers swarm into the warehouse before he is ripped away and hurled into the brig of the USS Enterprise.

He roars and punches the clear barrier as hard as he can in a fit of rage but the barrier holds and remains unmarred.

"Khan." An emotionless voice states calmly.

Blue eyes drill into uncaring black: "Mr. Spock," The Augment growls, seething. "What is the meaning of this? Surely your Star Fleet doesn't condemn kidnapping?" He spits the words out as if they were fire.

"You are to serve on the USS Enterprise as per the terms of your parole. Had you been in you designated area, there would have been no need for the 'kidnapping' as you so delicate put it. When you calm down, the Captain will speak to you in his quarters." Spock goes to walk away.

"And what of my companion? The woman who was with me?" Khan asks as his frustration rises still higher.

"Your companion is a threat to society," Spock pauses mid-step but doesn't turn around. "She will be tried in court for her crimes and a judge will decide her punishment should she be proven guilty." Spock glances at Khan curiously over his shoulder. "And what is she to you? I would not have thought you to be capable of growing emotional attachments to humans."

"I was merely curious," Khan forces his face to remain neutral lest his expression betray the fear twisting painfully in his chest. "She's merely one of my slaves."

"If she cooperates, she will not be harmed." Spock says steadily and Khan knew that that wasn't an option—not for Meira. If they were going to apprehend her, they would probably have to kill her first. "It would better for her if you do not mention your attachment to her to anyone else," Spock informs him quietly. "The people who desire to harm you could easily do so through her."

"I am not attached to her!" Khan snaps quickly.

"Of course." Spock does not look convinced. "I will send the doctor by in an approximately three hours to check you for any injuries that you may sustain when you go into a rage upon me taking my leave. Good day, Mr. Singh."

And then he's gone.

And rage, Khan does.

He punches the walls until his hands are bloody and kicks at the barrier until he can hardly stand. Roaring, he rips the metal cot from the wall and hurls it at the clear barrier, which still refuses to crack, let alone shatter.

When Bones arrives, the cot is completely warped and twisted beyond repair, deep dents cover the heavy metal walls, and Khan's hands are covered in blood.

"Good, God man! Have you ever considered taking medication for that?" He gestures to the room and Khan shrugs wearily.

"No." The Augment says simply.

"You, my friend, have more problems than a crazy cat lady at a dog convention." Bones rolls his eyes and Khan sighs as the grumpy doctor stomps into his cell uninvited. Bones scolds him while he cleans and bandages Khan's hands but makes sure to treat the wounds gently.

"Well," The doctor sighs and looks Khan when he finishes. "At least you didn't kill anyone this time."

"Or at least, not yet." Khan responds coolly and Bones narrows his eyes at Khan, who smirks with amusement.

"That's not funny," Bones glares.

"There is a distinct possibility, Doctor, that it was not meant to be." Khan goads carefully.

"I don't like you." Bones stalks out of the cell and stomps down the hallway. Khan watches him leave with flaming blue eyes and then sighs, glaring down at his feet. Everything was just falling into place…

…And now it was all ruined.

He would forever remain the slave of Star Fleet and never again see his family—or Meira—again. It was over; why else would they have assigned him to this ship out of all others? The crew would most certainly want his blood after he had killed hundreds of them in his attempt to double cross Kirk and kill Marcus. Their kindness in sending him a doctor was a mere formality before shooting him out of an airlock and into the cold, uncaring vastness of space whereupon he would freeze, die, and explode.

…

"Are you calm enough to speak to the Captain?" Khan blinks and is surprised to see Spock standing calmly in front of his cell. "Or should I return in a few more hours?"

"I am calm." Khan grits out.

Spock analyzes him coolly for a minute before nodding once: "Follow me."

And just like that, he's free. The barrier vanishes completely allowing him free access to the ship…but no, it would not be that easy. Knowing the Vulcan, he would have already planned for an escape attempt and covered his bases thoroughly. Khan eyes Spock and steps smoothly out and the barrier quickly forms again behind him.

"Shall we begin?" Khan growls and Spock turns away from him and walks away.

…

I run through the allies and resist the urge to scream.

Where did Khan go? Why were these people trying to kill me? Who were they? What was going on?

They yell something after me but I don't dare to slow my pace. If I pause, if I hesitate, I'll die. I just know it. These people are foes, not friends. Any mistake, no matter how small, could have dire consequences. I know where they are holding Adva. Maybe, if I can get there before they can get me, everything would be okay. It had to be. All I have to do is run, and breath, and live.

A phaser blast whisks past my right ear and I tense.

"FREEZE!" A man shouts loudly but I veer away from him and try to go right…but there's another one. I turn quickly but everywhere I turn, there is another person ready to grab me. My heart pounds in my ears and terror races wildly through my body.

I'm surrounded.

There is nowhere to run.

Panting, I slow to a stop they begin to close in. When one goes to grab me, I break his nose and all hell breaks loose. There's screaming, and fighting, and pain. My vision floods with red and from there on out, I'm unaware of my actions. Later, I'll be told that they had to shoot my ten times with phasers set on KILL in order to bring me down…and still I had fought.

When I woke up, I don't know how many hours later, I was in a small 3x4 cage. My fingers curl carefully over the bars and I try to kick the wire door open but it doesn't work. Someone out in the darkness cackles crazily but no matter how hard I fight, I can't escape.

"Prisoner number 0055." A security officer wearing a painfully bright red shirt stops in front of my cage and he smirks down coldly at me.

"Your trial begins tomorrow at 0400 hours." He states smuggle and then he kicks my cage, rolling it—and me—onto our sides. I land hard on my arm and yelp in pain. A needle is pushed into my shoulder sharply and my vision begins to fade.

"You better…" His words begin to fade.

"Get…" A ringing fills my ears and I struggle to keep my eyes open, but my eyelids are getting so heavy…and I'm so tired….

"Some…" The darkness is pulling me away and the harder I fight, the faster I fall into it.

"…Sleep."

…

"So, Khan, your duties are relatively simple. You'll work in Scientific Research with Spock from 0600 to 1700 hours conducting experiments and documenting the results. Occasionally, you will assist us on missions in which we will explore other worlds, some of which can could be incredible dangerous. You dorm will be sparsely furnished and you will be given the bare minimum to furnish it with… you can blame this on how you…redecorated your cell earlier. If you don't want to eat in the Cafeteria with everyone else, there is a replicater in your room. So, any questions?" Kirk asks and Khan stares at him for a minute or two while he thinks.

"The woman who was with me, when will I learn of her fate?"

"Her trial is to take place tomorrow, I think; so, probably sometime this week." Kirk shrugs. "Anything else?"

"No."

"Good, I'll have Chekov show you your room."

…

His room consist of a small bed, a replicater, a mini fridge, a bedside table, and bathroom. Nothing more. Nothing less. Well, he's certainly lived in worse. He would take this over Section 31 any day and twice on Sundays.

It was safe.

It was…practical…but lonely.

He missed the comradery he had shared with his loved ones…and he even missed Meira's hostility. She had been cold but predictable—mostly. He had no idea to expect of Kirk's people. He wanted to assume they'd treat him cruelly but no one had yet tried to harm him.

Well, all good things come to those who wait, right?