The Unsavory Tragedy of Kiley Martin

Kiley drove to Star Fleet the following week for her next appointment with Khan. The Admiral wasn't happy when she said she would need at least ten sessions before she could give him a complete report. After a brief argument he agreed to her twice a week schedule and authorized and access card so he wouldn't have to escort her in.

Khan was standing near the bed facing the wall. His frame and posture conveyed his strength to her as she once again entered the sealed room. She knew without a doubt that he would be the most dominating presence in any room. The raw power radiated from him and any would be intimidated, she should have been intimidated. But she wasn't, she found his presence fascinating rather than frightening.

"You're back." He stated as she took her seat.

"I told you I would be."

"Always assume your opponent is lying."

"A good strategy," she reasoned pulling out her notebook. "But I am not your enemy."

He turned around, "Everyone is my enemy."

She cocked her head to the side, "Why is that?"

"I was awaken to a threat on my life and the life of my crew should I not follow every order your Admiral Marcus gave me," he said slowly turning his eyes to her. "Why should I believe anything else?"

She gave him a small frown, "I am sorry about that but you must understand where we are coming from."

He raised an eyebrow, "Must I?"

"You are something new," she tried to explain. "We know next to nothing about you and your people. You are pure strength and power but you are also smart. You could wipe out entire planets if you so choose."

"Are you saying you fear me, Kiley?"

A smile ghosted across her lips, "You told me you were a threat, Khan. Do you wish to redact that statement?"

"I am not a threat, I am THE threat," He cocked his head to the side. "The monster you warn your children about."

"I know."

"You say that and yet you freely come into a sealed room with no cameras and no help but for the two buffoons outside who could do nothing to save you."

She didn't even flinch, "I do."

"Why?"

She smiled again, "I am not afraid to die. Khan."

"Why?"

She gave him a look, "We're supposed to be talking about you."

"So you can give your report to the Admiral and he can continue to use my people to force me into coöperation," his eyes narrowed just slightly. "Why I should tell you anything?"

"You want to protect your people, yes?" she raised a challenging eyebrow, "Refusing to talk to me would only put them in more danger. The Admiral is not a man to trifle with-"

"Neither am I," he nearly growled, his hands balling into fists.

She stood up, setting her pen and paper on the chair as she took a few steps closer, "I know, Khan. But I also know that you would do anything for your crew, your people. They are all you care about, besides your mission and you would go to the end of the universe for them."

"They are my family," he said in a low tone as he blinked. "What would you do for your family, Kiley?"

She took another step forward; there were mere inches between them as she turned those piercing green eyes on him and answered, "Anything."

He said nothing, walking around her to take a seat on the side of the bed. She followed suit, returning to her chair with her pen and paper at hand. "Why don't you tell me about your family? Do you have a wife?"

He raised an eyebrow, "No."

"Any kind of family?" she asked with a slight frown.

"They were all killed," he said through narrow eyes. "By your people."

"Why did we do that?"

"It is in your nature to fear what you cannot control," he replied. "We are human but breed to be genetically superior, to be free of the usual human mental and physical limitations. I was a conqueror, controlling more than a quarter of earth before you began to exterminate us. Eighty five of my people escaped on a sleeper ship, the SS Botany Bay. But we could not last."

"What happened?"

"To save what remained of my kind I, and seventy-two others, were cryogenically frozen in suspended animation."

She almost didn't want to ask, "And the rest?"

"Died," he answered shortly. "A few hundred years ago if I'm not mistaken."

"I'm sorry."

He looked down at the floor, "As am I."

There was a moment of silence, she let it drag out. He needed to grieve, at least a little, for his people.

He cocked his head to the side, "Have you no more questions, Kiley?"

She gave him a small smile, "I have a thousand questions, Khan."

The corners of his mouth twitched, "Then shall we begin?"