'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 7
Marla stood hesitantly by the door. Khan was sitting upright on his bed, head tilted to the side and looking in her direction after he had glanced up from the screen he had obviously been reading before she entered the room. He smiled slightly at her, a gentle smile that she thought meant he was pleased to see her. He didn’t speak or greet her so she greeted him instead.
“Mr. Khan.”
He waved a hand in the air and tilted his head slightly and she remembered the repeat of this conversation earlier, so she amended his title.
“Khan. I wonder if your reading has helped you to remember more of your name?”
“Khan Noonien Singh,” he told her.
“You remember?” she asked excitedly. The name didn’t match up to Dr. Saur’s but it did match up to the name, Khan Noonien Singh, that she had found information on earlier. She was still intrigued by the information on Dr. Saur, and she resolved that it would be a line of enquiry she would follow up on later with Khan. She stepped closer to the bed and he pushed the computer away and back into its resting position, before patting a space next to him.
She perched delicately on the edge, mindful of making sure her skirt was pulled down.
“I do,” he told her.
“Do you remember everything?” she asked, trying to stop the eagerness from showing in her tone.
“Do you?” he asked back, a slight smile on his face. “Do you remember the name of your pet dog, your first day at school or your first kiss?”
Marla tried to hide her blush at the memory of her first kiss. “I didn’t have a pet dog and the others, well I understand what you mean. We don’t remember every little detail of our lives, but do you remember most of yours?”
“I remember some, but other parts...” He shrugged. “I would have thought you had a pet dog, or maybe it was a cat?”
“No,” Marla said.
“You seem a very caring woman, I would have thought you had a pet as a child,” Khan said while he leaned forward slightly.
“Did you?” Marla counteracted, leaning a little back. He wasn’t looming over her, but it had been a while since someone had been in her personal space as Khan now was.
“I did, and they brought me much joy. I am sad that you did not have an animal as a pet.” Khan reached forward and patted her hand gently as he spoke.
Marla glanced down at their two hands, hers resting on the edge of the bed, so pale in contrast to a man with Asian ancestry who had spent 200 years without access to natural light. Questions arose in her mind about the systems on the ship and the thought that had gone into the design of it in order to hold bodies in stasis for such a prolonged period.
She didn’t move her hand, not exactly comfortable with the touching, but okay with it for the moment. She asked Khan about the ship again, and they started comparing space travel in the 20th and the 23rd Century. Khan didn’t remember everything and he was still a little vague about why he and the people were on the ship. Marla was pleased to see how much care and consideration he had for the rest of his group. He asked her to keep him updated about their condition and she took pains to let him know that they were receiving the best possible care.
When she finally left him so that he could get more rest, she was excited about the information she had gleaned from him and was eager to return to her quarters to start writing up her notes. Food could wait.
oOo
Bones knew that he could have sent the report to Jim, but he wanted to see for himself, Jim’s reaction to it and not rely on some half-assed pithy explanation from Spock. The Bridge was filled with its normal bustle of efficiency, he noted, as he walked through the doors. Spock looked over from his station, so Bones gave him a nod before continuing on his path to see Jim.
“Bones, is it getting to be all work and no play down in Sickbay again?” Jim asked as Bones approached until the PADD held in Bones’ hand came into Jim’s line of sight. “That for me, Doctor?” he asked.
“Yes, latest report from Medical on Khan Noonien Singh,” Bones stated.
Jim had held out his hand for the PADD but at the mention of a full name he looked up at Bones in surprise.
“You can thank Lt. McGivers for that piece of information. Our patient has started to remember more of his past. Still has lapses though,” Bones explained. He wanted to add an ‘apparently’ on the end of that sentence but this was an official report and he needed to keep to the facts.
Jim had taken the PADD while Bones spoke and opened up the report.
“Are these findings correct?” he asked, frowning as he looked up at Bones again.
“Checked them myself. Our patient has exhibited strength and endurance well in excess of normal human abilities. He has been exercising in his room on his own, and we have been able to monitor his vitals while he does so.”
Jim nodded as he listened to Bones’ report. He was reading the information again.
“I’ll need this report sent to all the senior officers. Briefing at 1340. Thanks Bones.”
“See you at lunch?” Bones asked.
“Nah, I’ll have some in my office instead. Got a bit to consider now.”
“Sure,” Bones agreed, leaving Jim to study the report in more detail.
oOo
“Sickbay to Captain Kirk,” Bones said into the comm unit a few hours after he had taken the report up to Jim on the Bridge. He had a request he needed to ask about.
“Jim here,” Jim replied.
“Our patient, Mr. Singh, has requested to be allowed to walk around the ship,” Bones explained the request he had just received.
“Are you okay with this?” Jim asked.
Bones sighed as he considered his options before answering that question. His immediate answer would be no, but medically speaking there was no real reason to keep Khan cooped up in the room. His biological systems were functioning well, very well in fact, but there was something intangible that had Bones hesitating.
“Medically speaking there is no need to keep him confined in the room, and I understand that he might go a little ‘stir crazy’ being kept in there alone,” Bones said, answering, but not answering.
“I will approve on one condition,” Jim said.
“Yes?”
“He must have a security detail with him at all times. I will get Burly to liaise with you and I give you the honor of breaking that news to our patient.” Bones was sure he could hear the smirk in Jim’s voice.
“Gee, thanks Captain,” he replied, letting his sarcastic tone out in full force.
“Kirk out,” Jim said as he disconnected the call.
“Great,” Bones complained to his empty office before he stood up from his chair, ready to return to Khan’s room and give him the ‘good news.’
oOo
Jim rested his chin on his hand as he listened to the debate raging amongst his senior officers.
“Superior ability breeds superior ambition,” Spock intoned as he sat up straight in his chair, chin raised slightly almost as if he was daring Bones to respond.
“I always thought you Vulcans considered yourselves a superior species, does that mean we should be watching our backs too?” Bones asked, narrowing his eyes.
“We were not the scientists who attempted selective breeding. Your scientists did not foresee the problems. They were blinded by their own ambitions.”
Bones had opened his mouth to speak again, but Jim smiled slightly when Uhura interrupted their argument with her own question.
“Are we certain that he is an Augment?” she asked.
“The medical information tells me if he isn’t, then he is one very unique individual,” Bones told her.
“What about the others on the ship? If he is an Augment, then it is likely that they are as well,” Jim said.
“Bit hard to do the right tests with them still in stasis and I don’t want to bring them out yet. Not until we get more information on their support systems. Nearly went wrong the last time,” Bones responded.
Scotty leaned forward on the table before speaking, “I have a few of my engineers working on those systems. The ship is remarkably clean and free of dust particles in the main areas, but I still think some may have gotten into the stasis tubing. No amount of cleaning over 200 years can get everything. Which is why this Khan had problems when he awoke.”
“So it’s definitely likely he was an Augment?” Uhura asked again.
“I think it’s very safe to assume so. Spock, what information do we have about the Augments and their role in the war?” Jim sat back in his chair. He knew that his staff needed to vent a little about the situation, hence why he had been happy to allow Bones and Spock to have a little back and forth.
“In 1993, a group of Augments seized power simultaneously in over forty nations. When the infighting and the war ended, the remaining governments purged many of the records. From my initial view of the records of the time, it appears that up to eighty names of suspected Augments disappeared completely from the records.”
“That fact is missing from the history texts,” Jim observed.
“Would you reveal to war-weary populations that some eighty Napoleons might still be alive?” Spock asked with an arch of his eyebrow.
“True, that could have caused even more panic at the time. Is one of the missing names Khan Noonien Singh?” Jim asked.
“I would like time to prepare a more detailed report, Captain,” Spock said.
“Alright, I propose that we maintain the security detail on Khan, but on a down-low basis as much as possible.” Jim looked in Burly’s direction and when he received a nod from Burly letting him know that his order was understood, he continued, “Tell him that it is for his own safety, to provide assistance when he requires--”
“Will he believe that?” Bones interrupted.
“Probably not, but that is what we will tell him. Scotty, I will forward the new information I have received from McGivers about the DY-100 class. I want a report on the life support system and Bones, get me any information you can glean from your medical staff about the people still in stasis.” Jim held up a hand. “I know you have limited information to work with, but get me what you can.”
Jim waited until Bones had nodded his acquiescence before continuing his orders. “Burly, let your staff know my decision, I want them alert around Khan, but give him a little leeway so that he doesn’t fully suspect, if possible.”
When all his staff had either nodded or replied with an “Aye captain,” he dismissed them to return to their stations.
oOo
The words were almost taking a life of their own as Marla dictated her notes. She almost couldn’t speak quick enough to keep up with her thoughts and recollections. Her chat with Khan had been most productive and as she kept speaking, she glanced around her small room.
Sharing with others had been a trial for her at the Academy. She liked her solitude and peace. At the Starbase, she was pleased that she had her own room assigned in the Starfleet personnel area and again here on the Enterprise. She couldn’t believe her luck to have her own space. She had taken the time to put up her paintings. Unlike historical military environments, where all spaces were uniform and stark, Starfleet had learned from past mistakes. Personnel were encouraged to personalize their own spaces. It was felt to be more beneficial to the working environment and the long spans of times between physically being able to see family and friends. It was tempered by movement between assignments, as you could only take items with you that could be easily transported. She remembered that there had been some eyebrows raised at the shape of the holders for her canvases, when she arrived on board only a few months ago.
Two of them she had painted while at the Academy and one on the Starbase. The Academy ones had meanings for her and she didn’t want to be parted from them. They were hurtful and she had to hide her feelings deep down when she looked at them, but she also didn’t want to lose that pain. She could understand Khan’s need to look more to the future when they talked. Looking back on the past must be painful for him, too.
To others, they would just see some great military leaders from the past, but she saw in them strength, determination, and a belief which, even when faced with internal doubts and fears along the way, they soldiered on because the end result was worth it.
She was here, on the prime listing for anyone in Starfleet, as a valued member of the crew and quietly going about her work in support of their mission. She loved the past, but had come to realize that sometimes the future was the better option.
oOo
“Ensign Tao will recover?” Spock asked as he stood next to Bones.
Bones looked over from the biobed screen where he had been monitoring the antibiotic agent responses in Tao’s system.
“Just a run of the mill airborne virus that has mutated slightly. Clever bastards that they are. We caught it early thanks to G’der reporting sick. Now what has really brought you down to visit Sickbay?” Bones asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned to face Spock.
Spock narrowed his eyes slightly, and Bones knew that early on in their acquaintance that he would have missed Spock narrowing his eyes, but not now, after five years of observing the Vulcan.
Bones just quirked an eyebrow and turned on his heel to walk toward his office. He listened as the door stayed open longer than usual after he walked through it, sure in his knowledge that Spock had followed. As he sat down in his chair, he didn’t bother to hide his smile when he saw Spock standing in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back.
“Thought you might prefer to talk in here,” Bones offered.
“Indeed,” Spock intoned in his almost emotionless voice. “I am aware, doctor, that you and I have had a difference of opinion on many occasions.”
Bones just nodded for him to continue.
“I would like to know further your thoughts regarding the patient, Khan Noonien Singh.”
“Didn’t I make it clear in the meeting?” Bones asked.
“You did not respond to Lt. Uhura’s question about whether or not he is a product of genetic engineering.”
“Jim answered that,” Bones responded.
“As the patient’s physician, you are better equipped to answer that question and I am requesting your answer,” Spock said, a little tilt to his head implying his impatience with the discussion.
“Spock, sometimes I wonder if you ate a dictionary as a child.” Bones tried not to laugh at the way that Spock tensed up at the words. “I’m from the South, we appreciate plain speaking and my god man why do you have to use twelve words when three will do?”
“I have discovered in our acquaintance that you can be as verbose and evasive as you are accusing me of in our acquaintance.”
“Fine. I think he is an Augment, but,” Bones held up a hand to stop Spock from speaking, “you should be aware with your love of facts that until I have conclusive proof I can’t say so. That’s one hell of a can of worms. Jim has looked at the evidence and that is what he believes. As our Captain, we follow his orders.”
Spock’s eyebrow headed quickly toward his hairline.
“Alright, we follow them when they ain’t completely stupid,” Bones conceded. “Which to be fair, there hasn’t been much this past year that I have disagreed with completely. I’m taking as many precautions as I can with my staff and you heard Jim’s orders. Burly has sent two of his men down to ‘assist’ Khan.”
“I noted that permission was granted to the patient and he is not currently located in Sickbay.”
“No, he asked to visit Lt. McGivers,” Bones explained, his jaw tightening as he remembered his reservations when he heard the request.
“You do not approve, Doctor?” Spock asked.
“No I don’t, but while he remains mostly polite and understanding of the restrictions, I have no cause to stop him. Without Lt. McGiver’s research and her discussions with him, we wouldn’t know as much as we do.”
“Mostly, Doctor?” Unerringly, Spock picked up on the one part that Bones didn’t want him to. “He has stepped over the line in respect to your staff?”
“Not with my staff as such, just a little familiar in ways that many of the female staff are not used to. It’s not overt and just a ‘feeling’ they get when they have attended to the room.” Bones explained. “Lt. McGivers hasn’t expressed any reservations, but I made sure that the Security detail knew they were to stay on duty outside her room in order to come to her aid if she felt uncomfortable at all.”
“Very well, Doctor. Thank you for your time,” Spock said as he nodded his head once before walking out of Bones’ office.
As the door closed behind Spock, Bones let out a slightly frustrated sigh that generally built up during any and all talks with Spock. “It’s like talking to a damn computer,” he complained out loud.
“Yes, Doctor Leonard H. McCoy?” the computer’s voice queried at his unintentional speech.
“Not you,” he complained back to the computer, before getting up and stalking back into the main area of the Sickbay.
oOo
Chapter 8 this way