Darkness Unleashed

Chapter 6

A sudden knock at her door startled Charlotte out of her unsuccessful attempts at coercing her curls into a bun; wringing a half-hearted groan of resignation from her lips as she settled for a simple ponytail and strode over to the door. Pulling it open, she stepped back to allow the woman outside in; shutting the door behind her as the woman spoke.

"Charlotte, you're sure you know what you're doing?"

"What do you mean, Carol?"

"I mean are you sure you can do this?" Admiral Marcus' daughter replied; taking a seat on the edge of Charlotte's bed, and watching as the young woman pulled on dark leather boots in preparation for her journey to Kronos "I know what my father wants you to do, but…"

"Carol I'm perfectly capable of taking a life."

"I know that, Charlotte. But are you sure you want to go against Jim in this? You know he's still put out with you for keeping my identity a secret."

"He'll get over it" Charlotte replied; her voice carrying an uncharacteristic edge that caused the blonde to flinch "Harrison doesn't…he doesn't deserve a trial."

"No" Carol said; standing and walking over to grab Charlotte's wrist as she made for the door "But he isn't going to go down without a fight. I just want you to be careful."

"Always am."

Before Carol could say anything further, Charlotte's fingers had closed around the doorknob; pulling it open once again as she stepped out into the corridor beyond. Sparing one last glance at the interior of her quarters; Pike's daughter offered her friend a short nod, before turning and walking towards the bridge.

It was now or never.

…..

From her spot between Spock, and Kirk; Charlotte allowed herself to slip into auto-pilot, absently watching the scenery of Kronos as their vessel drew nearer. The place was desolate…dark ruins jutting out towards them like deadened fingers; just waiting to pull them into a trap. What was once certainly a great city was now demolished. A perfect hiding place, she supposed, for a man fleeing from justice.

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte closed her eyes; beginning the process of steeling herself for what she was about to do. Jim had made it clear that they would be taking Harrison in to stand trial for his crimes. That they wouldn't use force unless absolutely necessary. But something in her itched to find some excuse to make the fugitive fight them. If he resisted, there could be no doubt that they would be forced to take him down.

Oh how she hoped he would.

"Captain, I am detecting a single life form in the Ketha province" Spock intoned; jarring Charlotte from her dark musings as he went on "Given the information provided by Mr. Scott, this is most likely John Harrison."

"Gotcha" Charlotte breathed, more to herself than anyone else as she snapped her eyes open and fixed them on Kronos through the window of their craft "Just try and run."

"Alright, Mr. Sulu; I think we have our man" Jim spoke up then; adjusting the direction of their vessel so that it aimed straight for the Klingon homeworld, and throwing Charlotte a quizzical look as he went on "Let him know we mean business."

As Sulu's voice rang out through their comms, and the atmosphere of Kronos; Charlotte's hands clenched slightly on the arms of the chair she occupied, knuckles turning white as they continued flying towards their destination. Sulu was offering the pre-planned opportunity to surrender. Detailing exactly what stood to happen, should Harrison refuse.

She just hoped that she got to him before the damned torpedoes did.

Her face must have shown something of her resolve in that moment; because as soon as she had uttered the thought in her mind, she felt Jim's hand on her arm, dragging her back to the present once more as he said: