Chapter Text
“Enterprise to Kirk.” LeFevre’s spoke with force and urgency. Damn the warnings about interrupting the negotiations, if that wasn’t a sign that things had gone sideways down there, then nothing was. Still, he was met with only silence. “I need to speak with Admiral Kirk…immediately.” Still no response.
LeFevre felt trapped in, none of the choices in front of him felt right, and he was in the dark. “Number One, I’d like to discuss the situation in my ready room. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time, either.”
“Of course, Captain.”
When they met in the ready room, Captain LeFevre immediately sank into a chair. His head was spinning, and he needed to do everything he could to try to feel grounded again.
“Kat…” LeFevre wasn’t usually the sort of captain to drop formalities, but this time it helped to ease some of the tension. “I’m not going to lie, I’m completely at as loss as to what to do.” He braced himself for another dose on unwavering optimism. Sometimes Commander Dalton’s perpetually positive outlook was comforting, but in a bleak situation it was hard to hear that everything was going to be alright. “Something happened down there, and I have every reason to believe that Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are either in danger or have already been harmed. I should sent down my own landing party, but every time someone touches down on that planet something terrible happens.”
“Captain, with all due respect, we don’t know that anything terrible happened to the landing party from the Portland,” Dalton answered
“They were held hostage, Kat, if just for a short while. Even if they made it back to the ship unharmed, that still counts as something terrible.”
“You’re right, Captain,” she agreed with a a solemn nod. “I think we should contact the Portland. They should know about those recent developments, and more communication with Captain Albrecht might help to dissuade any suspicion you might have.” Or confirm them.
“My thoughts exactly. Back to the bridge.”
Once he was back in the captain’s chair, LeFevre was ready to spring into action. “Hail the Portland. Captain Albrecht needs to know that the away team may be compromised.”
The bridge of the Portland appeared on screen, but the executive officer was sitting in the captain’s chair.
“I need Captain Albrecht on the bridge.” LeFevre began. “I’m afraid that something may have happened to the landing party, and I’d like to discuss it with everyone present.”
“The captain is in her ready room discussing an urgent matter.” Commander Conroy answered.
LeFevre didn’t have a good enough sense of Conroy’s character to judge if anything seemed off about him, but he didn’t like the answer regardless. What could possibly be more urgent? “Commander, I need to speak with her now,” he pressed.
“Understood.” Conroy flipped open his communicator. “Conroy to Albrecht. Your presence is required on the bridge. Captain LeFevre has an update about the landing party that he says is urgent.”
Silence. A pause long enough to make LeFevre worry before Albrecht’s voice could be heard. “On my way.”
LeFevre’s bad feeling was getting worse and turning into a sense of heaviness that grew and grew every moment until Captain Albrecht appeared on the bridge. He could help but study her closely, looking for any other signs of anything out of the ordinary. “Captain,” he began. I received some very alarming communications regarding the away team.”
“Troubling in what way?” Albrecht was still calm and steady, that alone was cause for concern for LeFevre.
“I tried to reach Admiral Kirk, but someone else answered…I don’t know who, presumably one of Khan’s men. He refused to let me speak to the Admiral and ignored any further attempts to communicate.
Captain Albrecht nodded. “I understand why that would seem troubling.”
“Is that…all you have to say?” LeFevre’s heart began to race. That wasn’t like Albrecht to have such a flat reaction.
“The situation down there is a delicate one, Captain.” Albrecht explained, flat as unbothered as ever. “I think it would be best not to be a disruption, and to wait until we have further communication from Admiral Kirk.”
“Understood.” LeFevre hid his real feelings and intentions. Technically he still had no more evidence than a little bit of unusual behavior, but he knew in his heart that something was wrong on the Portland, and he didn’t what to let on that he knew. “End transmission.”
“She doesn’t control me, and she doesn’t control my ship.” No more sitting by waiting, he needed to take action himself. “I’m going to prepare an away team. I need the toughest, strongest, smartest people on board this ship.
Maya had gone so suddenly from taking control to being shoved into the corner. She had no idea where the other two augments had gone or what their purpose was, and she tried to remind herself that she should at least be grateful that Arjun let her stay close to his side.
The two of them waited in silence in Albrecht’s ready room. Arjun had been nearly ready to set his plan in motion before the captain had been called to the bridge and he allowed her to go. The moments that passed before her return dragged on at a glacial pace.
When Albrecht returned, Arjun leaned back in his seat and let a sly smile creep onto mind face. After the door closed behind the captain, he spoke. “As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted, you will shut off life support systems, beginning with the lowest decks. Any members of your crew who swear allegiance and willingness to submit to my father may be spared.”
Albrecht responded with only a simple, silent nod before she rose from her seat and went to work on the computer console. Arjun stood up as well and followed close behind her.
All Maya could was sit still and seethe, afraid that if she moved a muscle or let herself think the wrong thing that she might burst with rage. Her brother’s back was turned to her, he was distracted, and she still had a phaser by her side. She tried to bury the thought, it would cause more problems than it would solve, but she would never have another chance like this.
After taking a deep breath, Maya drew her phaser and set it to kill. Her hands were shaking, so she took another steadying breath before she fired her weapon. After a burst of energy, she watched as her brother fell lifeless to the floor, and what she felt was…freedom. Damn whatever consequences may come, the person who had caused the most pain in her life was gone, she would enjoy it while she could.
“I’m in charge now.” Every inch of her body buzzed with frenetic energy. “Same orders, for now at least.