Star Trek: From Ashes and Darkness

Chapter 12: Sleeping Dogs Lie

"You know, Khan," Asha sighed as she followed Khan as he moved swiftly down the passageway that led into a terminal chamber, "Kirk's probably suspicious enough of us without you going off on your own right now."

"I'm not on my own – I have you." He returned as he stopped before a terminal and began to type quickly, while she gave him a deadpan look.

"Yes, because that makes it all better." She said sarcastically, and Khan shrugged as he answered almost teasingly: "It does for me."

"Khan."

He sighed, turning to face her properly as she looked at him sternly.

"We don't have to antagonize these men." She said softly, and he answered sharply: "Kirk would see me rot in jail for what I did, and we don't even have a guarantee our crew will be returned safely to us."

"I don't think Kirk is a coward enough to go back on his word." Asha countered, but Khan bit back: "I don't mean him – I mean Starfleet."

Asha frowned, as Khan continued in a low voice: "Marcus is currently head of Starfleet, and while I am aware he is just one man," Khan added, cutting off Asha's argument before she could even open her mouth, "he didn't become head on his own. Clearly, there must be others, similar to him, and I am not taking that risk. Not with our crew, and not with you."

"But that doesn't mean you have to kill them." Asha said softly.

Khan pursed his lips, while Asha continued: "We could just leave – if we can gain the Vengeance and bargain a deal-"

"It's too risky." Khan shook his head, but Asha pleaded: "This isn't like the Chrysalis Project or the Eugenics War. These people are innocent."

"Innocents die in a war." Khan countered. "The thirty million who died during the Eugenics War weren't all soldiers; it is simply a necessary sacrifice, sometimes."

"Not 'necessary' – unpreventable." Asha corrected. "And this isn't war, Khan, not yet – and if we act smartly, it won't ever have to be."

"We'd be negotiating with humans; they will not be reasoned with." Khan argued, and Asha retorted: "Not all humans are bad; they can be good too."

"You always had a weak spot for them." Khan said cynically, but Asha reminded him quietly: "My parents were human – I was human, once."

Khan's jaw locked angrily, but she continued: "And Maltuvis was an Augment, but you and Kati and Otto and the rest of our crew aren't like him."

Khan glowered at her, looking distinctly unhappy, but she continued to gaze up at him beseechingly as she said softly: "Not all humans are bad, just as not all Augments are good. And Khan," she implored, "I don't want us to have to face another war, least of all one we start. That wasn't what we left Earth for."

"I know." Khan exhaled sharply. "And I do remember my promise."

Giving her another long look, he finally said, albeit grudgingly: "I'll let things run their course first – but my end of the promise holds too. If there is even the slightest danger to our crew, or you, I will not hold back."

"Then I guess I'll have to hope I can be as persuasive with Kirk." Asha answered with a small smile, and Khan muttered something very unflattering to Jim.

Asha laughed slightly, before she placed her hands on Khan's shoulders and leaned up on her toes towards him. He leaned down in response, meeting her halfway and wrapping his arms around her waist as she kissed him softly.