Chapter Text
Something wasn’t right. LeFevre had just spoken with Captain Albrecht, who seemed entirely unfazed by her recent experience. Not that he doubted her resilience, but in the few interactions they had she proved to have a tender heart and be easily swayed to strong emotions. She didn’t seem to be the sort of person to come straight out of being held hostage and come right back as if nothing happened with no signs of distress.
Being in the dark about the negotiations down on the planet made him anxious too. Some time had passed since he last spoke to Admiral Kirk, enough to make him wonder if he should begin to worry, but not yet enough to make it seem worth the risk of interrupting a delicate situation again. The waiting was dragging him down.
“Number one, I need to speak with you in my ready room.” Maybe at least talking through the situation and hearing another perspective would help.
“Of course, Captain.” They both stood and turned to go.
The executive officer, Katherine Dalton, was a short woman with a round face and curly dark hair who had an enduring sense of optimism that LeFevre couldn’t help but admire.
LeFevre didn’t plan on staying around long enough to get comfortable, but while he didn’t bother to take a seat he did place both hands on the desk and leaned forward. “Look, I don’t know what kind of a hunch I have or even what I should do with it, all I know is that I have a bad feeling about…all of this. Did anything seem strange about Captain Albrecht to you?” He asked.
“How so? I didn’t notice anything unusual.” Dalton’s demeanor was still bright, such a contrast to the way LeFevre plainly wore all of the stress and tension he felt.
“It’s just…” How to speak his mind without sounding overly paranoid, or like he doubted Albrecht’s character or capabilities. “I don’t know what happened down there, but I’m sure it was terrifying, yet Captain Albrecht was the calmest I’ve ever seen her.”
“Captain, I’m not sure if that alone is cause for alarm. People process trauma differently, some people block things out.” Dalton spoke with gentle empathy.
“It didn’t seem like her, but I don’t know. I’ve only spoken to her a few times.” LeFevre shook his head.
“You don’t think the Portland could be compromised, do you?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t have anything to go on other than this feeling that things seem off.”
“Maybe more communication with the Portland?” Dalton suggested. “Checking in with Captain Albrecht often, might put your mind at ease, and also help insure that our two ships are working in harmony.”
“Or give us more evidence if something is amiss,” LeFevre added. “At any rate, that’s exactly what I have in mind. I’m also going to check in with the landing party soon. It’s been a while. I hate to interrupt, but it didn’t seem to be a problem the last time I checked in.”
“Enterprise to away team, status update.”
“Negotiations are underway.” An unfamiliar voice answered. “I advise against future interruption.”
“Wait…who is this?” Captain LeFevre demanded. “Why isn’t Admiral Kirk speaking?” The communicator cut out, and Captain LeFevre hung his head in defeat. His only hope is that he would be wrong about Captain Albrecht.
Kirk had never felt so exhausted. It was more than just the lack of sleep, but his very soul was weary. He couldn’t even stay on his feet any longer and collapsed in the corner of their cell with his head in his hands.
“Spock…Spock. I could have saved her. I could have at least tried to something instead of sitting back and watching.” Kirk’s voice was weak and distant, a moment of vulnerability he would only dare show his two best friends.
“Jim…” Spock’s voice was soft and gentle as he tried to comfort his friend, a contrast to the usual cold logic. He knelt on the floor next to Kirk and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Such a brazen course of action would have had an extremely low outcome of success, but an extremely high chance of escalating the situation as to put even more lives at risk.”
“I don’t think that ‘needs of the many’ speech is going to be much comfort to that woman’s family,” McCoy added as he shook his head. “Or the family of that other man who Khan murdered.”
“Nor do I expect it to,” Spock agreed.
Kirk forced himself to get back on his feet even though his body felt like it was made of lead. He didn’t like this feeling, so weak, helpless, and unable to take action. What he liked even less having to show it. He was glad to have picked himself up and put on a grave face when he did. Only moments later, an augment showed up to greet them.
“Khan wants to speak to the admiral alone,” he said in a harsh voice.
“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Kirk answered with a sigh as he began to follow. Knots began to form in his stomach just thinking about what could happen. He was in no position to grant anything that Khan wanted, and had a terrible feeling this interaction would end with yet another dead civilian. “Here we go again.”
Already, the bridge of the Toyotomi was emptier than it was just a few minutes ago. Aside from himself, the only living people present were the augment who led him here and Khan himself. If he didn’t have first hand experience of the kind of raw strength these genetically engineered brutes had, he might have felt bold enough to lunge forward and attack the bastard himself.
“Well, Khan,” Kirk couldn’t help but taunt his enemy. It was the (relatively) safest way to satisfy the urges that made him want to go on the offensive. “I’m not sure what you’re hoping to accomplish. I’m still not willing to grant anything you’ve asked for.” There was no hostage presented like an animal to be slaughter, which did help Kirk to feel a litter bolder in how he spoke.
“That’s not why I wanted to speak to you, Admiral. I don’t think you understand the devastation your actions have caused.” Khan’s voice was heavy and firm, not rage but the determination to drive home a point.
“You want to rule some kind of massive galactic empire, and I’ve been an obstacle. I’d hardly call that devastating.” Kirk wanted to roll his eyes at his adversary’s dramatics, but resisted for the sake of keeping the discussion civil.
“Koichi Tanaka, Yukari Sato…” Khan’s tone had changed, now low and solemn. “Two more people dead because of your actions.”
“Both killed by your hand!”
Khan ignored him and only continued to list names. “Mikhail Lensky, Marla McGivers, Ezra Salinero, Joaquin Lanzo, Georgiana Necchi…”
It was only because Marla McGivers was included on the list that Kirk understood that Khan was listing people who had died on the surface of Ceti Alpha V.
“They chose to live on this planet, and they knew the risk!” Kirk was getting defensive, but something about the way Khan spoke got under his skin, made him feel responsible. He tried to bury the feeling, knowing that this was the reaction Khan wanted him to had.
“And another one dozen of the crew of the Botany Bay who you doctor failed to revive.” Still, Khan ignored everything that Kirk had to say. “Elias Barrett, Fergus Laughton, Kirin Al Bassam”
“They had been dead for years by the time we found them!” Kirk couldn’t help but raise his voice, doing the only thing he could to defend his character as his enemy tried to blame him for so much death.
“So I was told, but I also recall that your doctor was in no rush to give my people the assistance they required.” Khan took a few swift steps toward Kirk and learned closer. “All I want for the moment is for you to contemplate the blood that is already on your hands, and if your conscience can bear to have any more. We will speak again later, and I hope you will be ready to cooperate.”
Maya and Captain Albrecht stood by in the Portland’s transporter room, watching as the technician plugged in the information to beam aboard a group of three augments. He had openly spoke his mind about what he thought about those orders, but when both the captain and the first officer insisted that this was an essential step in negotiating the release of those hostages…well he felt as though his hands were tied.
Maya didn’t know who to expect to beam aboard, so when she saw that her half brother was among them she felt a wave of nausea. Of course he was going to be there. Arjun had no hesitation in taking command of the situation and letting everyone know that he was the one in charge.
“Captain, I need to speak with you in your ready room.” He spoke more to make a demand that a request. Captain Albrecht only gave a silent nod before she turned to lead the party away. Arjun did not so much as acknowledge his sister.
“Wait!” Maya called as she trailed behind. “I’m the reason why you were able to make it on this ship in the first place.”
Arjun turned abruptly. There was a fire in his eyes that made Maya regret saying anything at all, two years younger yet he always had power over her. “Minimal effort and minimal effect. Stay out of the way.”
Damned if she was going to sit back and let him steal her glory. The sharks were still circling around the prize marlin, only maybe she had been mistaken in who she thought they were.