Chapter Text
“Open a channel to Starfleet command.” Captain Albrecht spoke with urgency, yet she remained calm and easy. The recent communication from Ceti Alpha V was concerning and confusing to say the least. Still, nothing had gone wrong just yet.
“Channel open, Captain,” the communication officer replied, and a moment later the image of Admiral James T. Kirk’s face appeared in the view screen.
”Admiral, this is Captain Albrecht from the USS Portland. We are en route to rescue the crew of the Toyotomi, and we just received an alarming transmission. My understanding is that they crash landed on an uninhabited planet, but a man who claims to have lived there for twenty five years has climbed about the wreckage and taken hostages.
”Well, that certainly is alarming. Tell me the location of the Toyotomi. I don’t have the location of every colony and outpost, but I can check our records.”
”Ceti Alpha V, Sir.”
The color drained from Kirk’s face. He fell silent and looked down as he took a long, deep breath.
”Sir?”
”Tell me about the transmission. Who sent it?” Kirk still looked away as he spoke, and his voice shook as though he was trying to hold back both rage and panic.
”It was a man named Khan. He took the survivors hostage, and he said he won’t release them unless he speaks to you.”
Kirk looked up, his tone low and grave when he spoke again. “I won’t lie, I’m tempted to order you to abandon the rescue mission.”
”Admiral! You can’t be serious, these are civilian lives at stake.” Captain Albrecht’s eyes were wide with shock.
”I only want for you to understand the gravity of the situation, Captain. Khan is arguably the most dangerous man in the galaxy. If hr says he’s going to do something, you can damn well bet he’s going to do it. And that means if he says he’s going to kill every hostage if he doesn’t speak to me directly, then if he sees a landing party that doesn’t include me, the lives of those hostages as well as your crew will be in even more danger. I’m sending over more information for you to review privately, then maybe you’ll understand why this whole situation is so deeply disturbing.”
“Understood admiral. No choice feels like the right one here, but I can’t turn my back on those civilians.”
”I don’t know about you, Captain, but I’ve never believed in no-win scenarios. I’ll leave for Ceti Alpha V as soon as possible. I only hope it won’t be too late. End transmission.”
After the screen went dark, Kirk leaned back in his seat and took a moment to gather his thoughts. If he was going to face Khan again he would need Bones and Spock by his side.