Chapter Text
That wonderful sense of freedom and release faded nearly as quickly as it had come on. Tension creeped up Maya’s spine as she watched Albrecht input codes into the computer console. With each passing moment she became increasingly aware that she had no idea what she was doing and truly had never had the chance to be in charge of anything. Even more troubling was the fact her brothers dear friends were on board somewhere and she was going to have to answer for his death.
“Go back to the bridge,” Maya ordered. “Let them think the life support failure is accidental at first.”
Without another word, Captain Albrecht left to return to the bridge. As soon as she was gone, Maya rushed to the computer console to do some investigating. If the ship’s sensors were sensitive enough to detect augmented DNA on the planet, then there were probably able to find the location of those two augments.
“Captain, you’ve returned just in time. Life support in the lower decks is offline, and I can’t determine the reason.”
“Then do everything in your power to bring them back online.” Albrecht was flat and dull, so unusual for a woman who was known to be quick to move to passion.
“I can’t, it’s been locked out manually.”
Albrecht seemed to ignore that information. “Keep trying to find a workaround, and hail the Toyotomi.”
“Captain, don’t you think the life support failure is a more pressing issue?”
“This is equally as pressing. Hail the Toyotomi.”
The bridge of the Toyotomi appeared on the screen. Khan was alone and seemed to have been expecting their communication.
“Captain Albrecht.” Khan was practically purring, clearly pleased with himself and how everything was unfolding. “Your communication came later than I expected. I hoped. You have my permission to explain the situation.”
“My allegiance lies with Khan.” Albrecht was still flat and steady, unaffected by the gasps and looks of shock and horror from her crew. “And yours will too. I shut down the life support, and I am prepared to sacrifice the crew to ensure compliance.”
“Captain!” The science officer was the first to speak up. “What the hell is going on?”
Albrecht drew her phaser and aimed it at the science officer. “Stand down.” For the first time since the Ceti eel had infected her mind, Albrecht spoke with presence and boldness. “I am also prepared to use lethal force if necessary.” Not another word from the bridge. “Send out a ship-wide announcement, the Portland is now operating under the authority of Khan Noonien Singh. Life support will be restored only when full cooperation has been secured. Three of Khan’s best men are onboard, and more will be arriving shortly.”
While working at the computer console, the first information Maya found was not the information she was looking for. A look at the lifesign readings aboard the ship told her just how many people it took to run a ship of this size, something she hadn’t considered when the Toyotomi had been so much smaller. Nearly two hundred individuals, more than had ever lived on her home planet, and they were all likely to be dead in a few minutes. She couldn’t stomach it, thinking about the one dead body she shared the room with and imagining that multiplied by two hundred. It seemed unnecessary, when they had control of the ship already. Well, if she was already going to be damned on both sides…
Maya tried to use the computer console to bring life support back online, but was unable. She needed voice authorization from the captain, and didn’t have enough time to figure out a bypass. Maybe this was for the best. Frail body, weak mind, she couldn’t allow herself to have a fragile heart too. Maya abandoned the idea and instead went back to work to locate those two augments. They were moving through the ship and…damn…seemed to be heading her way.
She took a deep breath, trying to quickly piece together a cover story, but nothing that came to mind would hold up under any scrutiny. Somehow time felt like it both slowed down and sped up at the same time until the door slid open to reveal the two augments on the other side. Maya’s heart jumped. Whatever flimsy excuse she had in mind, she would have to make it work.
They entered the room with a commanding presence, but that soon shattered away when they noticed Arjun’s lifeless body. “What happened here?” One demanded.
“Security personnel.” Maya’s terse answer came out quick and panicked, revealing not only revealing her lie but also her desperation.
“Is that so?” He continued as he stepped closer. “And they had no interest in you?”
“I’ve already been on board this ship for hours earning their trust. They think I’m on their side.” Maya had regained some calm and confidence trying to think fast to get out of this mess. She had a phaser, but might not be fast enough to take out both of them and didn’t want to have to explain two more deaths.
“And yet there is no sign of this security officer.” Now the other augment spoke as he crouched down near the dead body. “No sign of a struggle, he was shot in the back…Maya, you’re a terrible liar.”
“Whatever it is you may be thinking…” she knew exactly what they were thinking, but she wasn’t ready to admit any wrongdoing. “It would be in your best interest not to hurt me. I am the last of my line now. My father will not react well to losing his legacy.”
“Is that so?” The first augment was speaking again and slowly stepping closer to Maya to back her into a corner. He towered over her, tall and broad even for an augment. “Because my understanding was that you were never meant to be part of that legacy, that you are too…” a look of disgust appeared on his face. “Contaminated, imperfect to be Khan’s successor. Meanwhile your replacement lies dead on the ground.”
“That isn’t true!” Maya was threatened and shouting, even though she knew in her heart that every word was true. She reached for her phaser, but wasn’t fast enough. The tall augment was close enough to grab her, and as Maya tried to break free another surge of pain hit her left shoulder, much stronger than the last time. The Vulcan doctor had warned that the new tissue would be delicate and vulnerable to re-injury, too bad she had only lasted a few hours.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I do want you to answer for what you’ve done.” He held Maya still as he turned to speak to his friend. “I’m taking her back down to the planet. See to it that the crew cooperates, if they haven’t all suffocated by now.”
“Captain Albrecht,”. It was the science officer again, desperate panic in her voice. “If life support isn’t restored now…”
“Only if I have your complete and unyielding cooperation and a promise of loyalty to Khan Noonien Singh.” Albrecht was cold and harsh, unmoved by the fact that she could very well be the cause of so much death.
“You do,” the science officer’s voice was soft, defeated.
Albrecht looked out to address the entire bridge crew. “And everyone else?”
There was a heavy moment of silence before a young man, an ensign, spoke up. “Captain, you can’t do this….”
Albrecht didn't let him finish before she drew her phaser and fired, killing him instantly. “Are there any other objections?” Silence. “Very good. Computer, restore life support to the lower decks. And we’ll need to hail the Toyotomi again, I have a few updates.”