Khan's Pressure Point

Chapter Sixteen: Decision and Consequences

        Dad or Ridge?

If I was to choose my own father, I would be back again with my family, and maybe be able to go back to sleep with them. I could help people, or maybe even go back to fighting for my own crew.

But if I was to go with Ridge, I would finally have someone who will understand me. He doesn't judge me like dad, and we'll have a many lives to rule and control, leading them to a more better planned place without anyone to stop us. I can't forget the time when he was worried about me when I was beamed to this place. The way he hugged me, the way he let me cry into his shoulder. Maybe, just maybe.....

        My hopes swell up to Ridge. I remind myelf that it's the wrong decision to abandon the people of Earth, and many other planets of the universe. Abadoning my father, abandoning my friends, who are unaware of the danger they are in and resting innocently. Abandoning Jim.......

My eyes shoot open as I see Jim rising up towards Ridge, who notices him. My hesatation is replaced with determination.

Ridge is going to harm Jim, Spock, and Scotty.

        My body jolts up into action, and makes contact with Ridge's. He goes flying towards a tank, creating a dent where he hit his head. His legs let loose and I run over to him before his body falls to the ground, embracing him into my arms. My eyes glance down to his closed eyelids. I hear faint breaths from him, so I know he's alright. I stroke the side of his face with the back of my hand, tears pouring out of my eyes. The large droplets splatter onto his cheek, and his eyes flutter open. His bright eyes only write out confusion.

"Devlan," He croaks. "Did I do a wrong doing?"

The innocense in his voice stabs me like a knife. Just as I opened my mouth to reply, his hands wrapped around my throat. He skillfully sinks his fingers into my airpipe.

"DEVLAN!!"

I hear Scotty yell out from the distance, but I find it wierd to not hear dad's voice first. I look sideways and see a huge transparent creature, towering over him. The stunner that dad is shooting at hm doesn't seem to be very effective, and Jim is fighting the same kind of monster too.

I turn towards Ridge again, and reach out my arms to fight back, but a strange numbness rushes through my body, and my vision starts to blur. My arms slowly drop and my eyelids start closing. The tense in my muslces dafe away.

"Get OFF the lass!"

The hands around my neck loosen a little as Ridge's body stumbles sideways.

"Come on!"

Another hand grabs my wrist and pulls me away to the back of a control machine. I catch my breath and find Scotty looking at me straight in the eye. He touches the bruises of Ridge's fingers lightly and puts on a worried face.

"Is this going to be alright?"

He asks. I nod and point out the slowly regenerating wound. I get up and take Scotty' hand and pull him out. I glance around and take a step out to see Ridge glaring at me. My tracks freeze and I feel Scotty's grip tighten around my hand.

        It's not even a second before he takes out a metal bar, about the lengh of his hand and runs towards me. With a flick of his wrist, the metal bar extends and reveals a sharp point. He grabs the spear with both hands and reaches out. Just as the point was about to hit my chest, small white figures pounce onto Ridge and drop him to the ground.

Devlan run!

She's not hurt!

Protect her.

KILL HIM!

End it all!

        I hear famaliar voices in my head. The high pitched shouts echo through my head, and I notice some of them speak of my name. The telephatics! I realize their voices from the tube room which I was shown. They were on my side?

        The white creatures only stand near Rudge's head, motionless, while Ridge himself was screaming and shaking in pain. It's not a while until Ridge is motionless. The creatures turn their heads towards me and I hear a voice in my head, but this time more clearer.

Are you alright?

I nod quickly in response and open my mouth to ask why they were doing this. But the voice continued before I had time to speak again.

We knew what father was doing. We only did what we thought was right.

Oh, so they read minds. "Is it over?" I ask.

Not until we end all of what he did. The ship is now the target of all of the Starfleet's ships. It will soon be drowned in missiles, torpedoes, and lasers. Our family will burn in the flames, never to jeopardize the structure of the creation nature has made.

        My emotions invade my mind again. Tears are threating to pour out again. I couldn't stand the idea of having to leave the poor creatures to die.

"But...."

I try to speak up but Scotty pulls me to his chest and gently hugs me. I give in to the tears and they trail down my cheeks. My throat burns from holding it in, and my hands trembles slightly.

"What will happen to Ridge?"

He is uncouncious for now, but he will die watching the flames take over him.

I wince at the harsh words and dig myself deeper into Scotty's chest. My feelings calm down and I am able to focus a little bit. Then, I hear an unstable and weak breathing from my back. I turn back to see Ridge standing up and holding the spear high into the air.

NO.

I hear the creatures' voices in my head as I shove Scotty to the side and feel the spear dig deep into my chest, feeling the point ripping through my flesh and bone. My eyes are unmoving, staring a the floor in shock. The pain is shearing, and I hear exclaimations from Jim, Spock, Scotty, and dad.

        I fall to the ground as dad catched my shoulders.

"No, no, no, please Devlan. Don't do this to me."

Dad sounds frantic and lowers me onto my back to the cold, metal floor. He reaches his hand to the spear sticking out of my chest and pulls it out quickly. It's strange how I can't feel any pain, and how calm I can be when I know for sure that I'm sbout to die. The wound has gone right through my heart, damaging it severely. The function for it to pump the blood that will regenerate the broken flesh and bone will no longer run through my veins, and evantually, I will be gone.

Gone forever.