Acts of Redemption: Star Trek Into Darkness AU (Lots of Khan!)

THE TERRORIST: Part 1

"Admiral, you are back from your trip early." I stood at the front door with my backpack slung over my shoulder, ready to go to work at the hospital. "No one told me you were home."

He smiled, and somehow something felt wrong about it. "I got home late last night. There was...an emergency breach at one of our facilities a few days ago. "

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. You look...dressed up to day."

"Oh, I am going to see a family member I haven't seen in a while. So I thought I would dress for the occasion. You know, put a little extra make-up on..."

"I see."

"Yes...was there something you wanted to say to me?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you are well, and enjoying your time here."

"Yes. I am good."

"Glad to hear."

"Dad!" Carol ran down the stairs. "I didn't know you were home."

"Carol darling, how have you been?" He embraced her.

"I have been trying to reach you." She frowned. "There is something I have been meaning to ask you about one of your new projects. Its the one regarding the torpedoes."

The admiral glanced over his shoulder at me. His features riged and cold. "Carol, let's talk about this in my office." He lead her up the stairs.

***

I walked towards Lucille Harewood's room, there was a loud beeping coming from one of her monitors.

"What's happening? Her heart rate is elevated."

Thomas Harewood was standing there, his face wet from recently shed tears. "It worked."

"She is recovering!" I looked to at her IV bag, there was a faint pink liquid in it. "What did you give her?"

"She is better. She is going to live." He started to laugh through his tears. It was pure joy, and it was heart rendering.

"How? Mr.Harewood, you need to listen to me, how did Lucille recover?" I placed my hands on his shoulders. "I checked her only an hour ago. You and I both know that she wasn't doing well. Now her cells are regenerating and she is healing. Whatever you gave her...it could be the cure for this disease."

"I...I cannot tell you."

"What do you mean? You have to tell me. Don't you realize how serious this is? This could save millions of lives!"

He shook his head and walked over to the window, looking out at the city. "I don't know where the cure came from. It was given to me at a cost...a very high cost that I have yet to pay. One that will I will never be able to pay for again."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He walked over to his daughter and kissed her on the head. "Forgive me Lucille. Know that I love you," he whispered.

"Where are you going?"

"Work. I have to go to work." He was heading towards that door, and then turned to glance back at me. "Please, take care of her." He left.

I wanted to follow him but Lucille's monitors were beeping, and she was starting to wake from her coma.

***

"This is a life sized replica of a warp core..." The tour guide's voice faded out. I did a double take across the museum. It was Thomas Harewood, standing by a model of the first ever spaceship designed with warp capabilities.

"I have to use the washroom," I whispered to Zara, the other nurse watching the children on their day trip to the Starfleet museum.

"Ok," she whispered back.

I walked across the room and grabbed Thomas Harwood by the shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes widened. "Lucille...she was so excited to here about this museum opening. I told her I would take her to see it."

"She will see it. She is recovering."

"She won't see it with me. Not like I promised." He played with a ring in his fingers. He seemed to be in a daze.

"What are you talking about?"

He glanced over my shoulder ; I could see the blood run from his face. "What are you all doing here? Why are the children from the hospital here?"

"Those are the children near recovery. We take them out on day trips when they feel well enough. They wanted to see the museum. Soon Lucille will be well enough to go with them."

"No. You have to leave. Now! All of you must go."

"No. Not until you tell me why you look so terrified. Tell me what is going on. Now."

"I can't."

"Then I am not leaving with the children."

"They will die if I don't leave."

"What?"

"You just have to leave."

"No. You have to trust me. Whatever trouble you are in I can help you out of."

"Look...I made a deal with a man. He gave me a serum of some sort to heal my daughter and in return I have to do something for him."

"What?"

"I work at the...Kelvin Memorial Archive next door. When I get there I have to..." He held up the ring between his index finger and thumb. "I have to put this ring into a glass of water. It will explode once it dissolves."

"Why would anyone do such a horrible thing?"

"I have to dissolve the ring in less than a half an hour. I will be dead soon and never see my little girl again."

"Yes, and everyone here is going to die, and their family's will be grieving them."

"I have to do it or he may harm my family."

"Ok. Let me think."A thousand thoughts ran threw my mind. "Fine. You are going to do what he says. I have a plan."