Star Trek: From Ashes and Darkness

Chapter 7: Attacked

Year 1995

"Khan, she's back." Kati called as she walked into the base's top level.

Khan looked up from where he'd been bending over his desk in the private office at the end of the floor. He had been planning their next move with Otto, but he straightened as the familiar redhead entered the building behind his 'sister'.

Asha smiled briefly in greeting at the room's other occupants as she followed Kati to the other side of the floor. Khan met her by the door to his office, reaching out to hug her, an embrace she returned with a satisfied sigh.

"How are you?" She questioned as she broke away, nodding at Otto as well as he nodded back once in greeting.

"Still going strong." Khan answered, gesturing at the map on his desk as he led them back inside. "We've held onto Eastern Asia still, and with our new friends in Russia, the rest of the Middle East Augment forces should fall quickly. Our strongholds in Australia and East Africa are also still standing, and we've yet to sustain any real damage even after all this time."

"That's good." Asha said, a slightly rueful smile on her face as she glanced up at Khan. "But I meant, how are you?"

Kati coughed, hiding a chuckle, while Khan swiveled amused blue eyes on the slight woman beside him.

"I am fine, as always." He replied lightly, before adding in a lower voice: "Though I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Asha smiled softly. "It's been a long four months."

"Where's Blasko?" Otto asked, bringing them back to the subject of Asha's return as he looked around for her partner, Dmitri Blasko.

Khan's posture also shifted just slightly as he both figuratively and literally switched into leader mode, while Asha answered: "He's in medical, getting an examination – he was in an accident in Italy two days before we left Europe, and we wanted to make sure his bones had reconnected correctly."

"Accident?" Kati asked while Otto nodded and shut the office door, and Khan explained briefly: "There was a bomb, possibly set up by the South American Augments – they've been terrorizing Europe in addition to North America recently, trying to get an edge to push an advantage."

"That doesn't sound good. And I wasn't told?" Kati muttered, frowning and glancing at Otto, who answered: "No, it isn't – and I was going to debrief you on it later this afternoon, after you'd rested from your mission in Pakistan. We only got the news after Asha called in to report Blasko's status and what had happened."

Kati nodded once, while Khan turned back to Asha and asked: "And London?"

"London's decided – they're siding with us." Asha informed them, breaking the tension just slightly as she reported on her mission.

Kati smiled briefly in relief, but Khan remained impassive, waiting.

"But, France and Germany are holding out." Asha confirmed his suspicions with a grim nod. "Maltuvis's domain is clearly getting restless – I heard the French President speaking worriedly about the pressure Maltuvis has been exerting on them; he's also been expanding his influence in West and Northern Africa."

"I still can't believe that murkh* is the one controlling Central**." Kati muttered, her Hindi accent appearing briefly amidst her strong British one.

"He was one of the best in the facilities, even if he was not the most level-headed or best fighter." Otto reminded her calmly, the voice of logic to Kati's passion.

"And I'd say he's probably feeling threatened by our continued advances around his area." Asha agreed. "With London, and if we were to win France and Germany, we surround his territories and close him off – he has to recognize that it would make him an easy target."