Ad Astra :: Star Trek Fanfiction Archive ^{Beam me up, Scotty.}

Chapter Text

Khan was trying to play mind games, that much was clear.  Well, you didn’t  need to have a genetically engineered brain to know how to say the right things to plant the right thoughts in a person’s mind.  It was a dirty way to fight, but the rules of engagement had already been thrown out.  Kirk’s window to act, however, was narrow.

He waited until the two augments led him away and he was well away from the bridge before he spoke, addressing both men.  “Why do you follow him?  And without question?”  No response, that was about what he expected.  “Seriously, I want to know.  Out of several dozen supermen, no one has stopped to wonder if he really is the best among you the way he claims?  Or is your unyielding loyalty simply born of tradition?”

More silence, this might be harder than he thought.  Kirk addressed the larger of the two directly.  “You know I bet you could take him in a fair fight.  You’re bigger and younger.  What’s your name?”

“Huy Nguyen.”

Finally, something!  “Huy Nguyen.”  Kirk repeated,  “Huy Nguyen the man who usurped Khan Noonien Singh…has a nice ring, doesn’t it.”

The other augment chuckled at the idea.  “You’d need brains too, and Huy’s head there is practically empty.”  For a moment Huy looked like he was about to attack his companion, but Kirk intervened.

“Gentlemen, there’s no need for any of that,”. Kirk pleaded.  “Why fight each other when you could work together and make the most of both your strengths?”  The two men gave each other a knowing look, just enough to give Kirk a glimmer of hope.

“So…what happened?” McCoy spoke solemnly yet with a sense of urgency.

“Nothing terrible, surprisingly.”  Kirk had a bit more confidence and grounding now.  “No more hostages have been killed.  Khan’s trying to break me down, to convince me that I’m solely responsible for the deaths of those two hostages and his companions who died trying to survive on this planet.  Maybe I’ve played a bigger part in it all that I thought.”

“Come on, Jim, you know he can’t actually believe that himself, he’s just trying to manipulate you.”

“Bones…sometimes people live with a distorted sense of the truth, but that’s not what matters now.”  Kirk almost sounded excited to explain the new development.  “I said some things that, with a bit of luck, could lead to some nasty infighting.”

McCoy smiled.  Not much they could do locked up, so anything in their favor felt like a little victory.  “A planet full of people with more ambition and ability than anyone has a right to, I’m surprised they haven’t spent the past quarter of a century vying for power and murdering one another.”

“Presumably because they are also intelligent enough to understand that internal conflict works against the shared goal of survival,” Spock added, another logical take.

“Well, the men I spoke to seemed more interested in asserting their dominance than anything.  We’ll wait and see where this goes.”

Captain LeFevre worked in his ready room, pouring over personnel files to to select the best, bravest, and strongest to send down to the planet. He already had his short list, but he had to make his choice with great care.  Two away teams had failed, he wouldn’t add a third.

“Bridge to Captain LeFevre. The Portland just hailed us.

“Tell Captain Albrecht she’s going to have to wait.” LeFevre replied.  He didn’t have time for this.

“It’s not Albrecht, it’s someone from their medical department.  She says it’s urgent.”

Medical?  That was unusual.  “I’ll speak to her in my ready room.”

A moment later the Portland’s sickbay appeared on screen, a Vulcan woman in frame.  “Captain LeFevre.  This is Doctor T’Ralia.  I have information regarding the Portland.”

“Make it quick, Doctor.  I don’t have much time.” LeFevre answered brusquely.

“Of course, Captain.  The Portland has been compromised.”

Just as he suspected.  He sighed heavily, things were looking bleak.  “Compromised in what way?  And how do you know?”

“I was part of Captain Albrecht’s away team when we were taken hostage.”

LeFevre nodded.  “Go on.”

“On the planet’s surface an augment infected each of us with a creature that enters the brain and affects the host’s free will.”

“Yet you seem to have recovered.”  LeFevre’s head was spinning trying to process this new information and all of its implications.  Compromised wasn’t a strong enough word, this made it sound like the Portland was under enemy control.

 “Aside from a headache and dizziness, yes captain.  I was not affected for long, it seemed that the creature did not find the Vulcan brain to be a favorable environment.  I have gone to great lengths, however to conceal the fact that I am of sound mind, and…” T’Ralia reached just of screen to pick up a sealed specimen jar with what appeared to be a large slug inside.  “…I saved it for further study.”

“So one of those is inside Albrecht’s head?”  LeFevre sounded shocked and looked disgusted.

“Yes, and first officer Conroy as well.  My goal is to find a way to kill the creature while leaving the host unharmed.”

“And you would need a covert way to administer the cure,” 

LeFevre pointed out.  “Well, you’ve got you work cut out for you, and I’ve got a lot to consider.  I’m sorry that I can’t share my plans, but I can’t risk having the wrong people on your end overhear.”

“Understood.  End transmission.”

Well, LeFevre had his mind made up on one thing, he sure as hell wasn’t going to be a part of that away team himself.  If the Portland was lost, she was liable to turn hostile, and if that happened he needed to be on board his ship.