Luna was in a state of shock. After finally gathering the courage to run away with the man she loved...he turned her down. She was trying to work out where it all went wrong, but it was too painful.
Khan could be heard talking in the background, but his speech was blurred in her ears. Luna focussed on trying to move instead. The nerves in her spine were slowly knitting themselves back together and she had already gained back the luxury of wiggling her toes but even that was a struggle.
More tears of betrayal and frustration burned the back of her throat. Luna resorted to gripping her forearm for comfort, feeling the rough letters of Jenwyn's name through the sleeve of her jumpsuit. It was all too much.
Sudden movement drew Luna's attention to the side as Khan came to stand at the console. "I see all seventy-two torpedoes are still in their tubes. If they are not mine, Commander, I will know it."
"Vulcans do not lie," Spock's voice said over the comm. "The torpedoes are yours."
Luna grunted, trying to prop herself up but her body was still mending itself. She watched Khan's shoulders relax as the screen showed the torpedoes materialising in the lower cargo hangar.
"Thank you, Mister Spock," he breathed.
After all those months in the IO Facility, he finally had what he wanted.
"I have fulfilled your terms. Now, fulfil mine."
Khan turned and settled into the Captain's chair. He glanced at Luna briefly but didn't spare his gaze long. "Well, Kirk, it seems apt to return you to your crew..."
Luna panicked upon seeing golden rings of light encase her body. Why was he sending her to the Enterprise too? A spark of sensation ran through her legs and she managed to bend them at the knee ever so slightly. Her surroundings blurred as the transportation took place but she caught the tail end of Khan's words.
"...after all, no ship should go down without her Captain."
"No," Luna said aloud. "Khan, don't!"
Too late.
The combination of bright light and stark white walls made the Sanguine squint as she materialised on the Enterprise. Kirk, Scotty and Carol weren't far away, all still recovering from their injuries. It took Luna a moment to realise where they were, but the large panel of glass confining them to the small room was all too familiar. The Brig.
Scotty caught on too and ran up to the glass, slamming his foot against it. "Let us out of here now!"
There was a horrendous bang and the entire ship shuddered and rocked to the side, knocking everyone to the floor. Luna cried out and dragged herself into the corner with gritted teeth. As she did so, a dull ache formed in the small of her back. At least the feeling in her legs was returning.
Nearby, Carol started to hyperventilate and covered her mouth to muffle her cries. Kirk was at her side in seconds. He helped her sit up and slung one of her arms around his neck.
"You're gonna be fine, Carol, I promise," he said. "But we've gotta get you to Medbay, okay?"
Luna took a deep breath and used the wall to pull herself up. The pain made her whimper but she pushed through, taking a moment to exercise her knee joints. She nearly lost her balance when the ship was assaulted again. Maybe this was the end.
"Lass? Did you hear me?"
Luna flinched when she noticed Scotty at her side. The glass wall had been retracted. Both Carol and Kirk were already out, limping towards the exit of the Brig.
"Do you need help walking?" The engineer asked again, gesturing to her arm.
"Please," she whispered.
They caught up with the other two and hobbled down the hallways, heading for the Medbay. With every step, Luna could feel her spine getting stronger. Poor Carol struggled to keep up with Kirk's pace.
Alarms and warning beacons blared from overhead lights. Countless members of personnel were dashing about between corridors. Some were cool and collected. Others cried and screamed.
The sense of panic in the air seemed to double when an announcement came through from the Bridge.
"Crew of the Enterprise, prepare for imminent proximity detonation."
"What's he talking about?" Scotty cried. "What detonation?!"
"The torpedoes," Kirk said, glancing back. "He armed the damn torpedoes!"
Luna's stomach lurched. Khan may have torn her world apart, but the thought of his family dying made her feel sick.
The ship jerked again. Not from the Vengeance's phaser canons. From the power of the photon torpedoes. Even though most of the fuel containers had been removed to make room for the cryotubes, they would still pack quite a punch.
Luna felt her lower lip tremble but held back the sobs. She knew how Khan would feel. She knew what it was like to lose the people you loved. To be utterly powerless as they perished right in front of you. She blocked the thoughts out as they rounded another corner and rushed through the sliding doors of the Medbay.
☆☆☆
Samsa tightened the tourniquet fastened around her upper arm and began to extract another vial of blood. Since Khan fired on the Enterprise, so many people had sustained injuries across the ship. Using her blood was the only way to ensure the Medbay didn't become overwhelmed.
She sped over to where Leonard was stood hovering a tricorder over a wincing crewman with a nasty wound on his temple. "Here-" Samsa gathered the blood into a syringe and passed it over. "-this will sort out that head of yours."
"Thank you, Doctor Gillian," he said, slurring his words.
Samsa frowned and tilted the man's head back gently, looking into his eyes. They appeared dazed and unfocussed. She knew the signs straight away.
"Concussion." Bones nodded. He injected the blood into the Ensign's arm. "You'll need to rest up now. No wandering through the halls with everything that's going on."
"Sure thing, Doc."
"At least the firing's stopped now." Samsa took hold of his hand and squeezed assuringly. "You'll be able to rest easy."
The man managed a smile before his eyes fluttered shut.
"Thanks for helping out, Blondie, I know it's not your job," Leonard said as they moved to the end of the bed. He gestured to the needle and tube still taped into her vein. "You feeling alright with that?"
"I've not lost much, don't worry."
"Bones!"
That voice made Samsa's heart soar. She whipped around and saw Jim trying his best to support a wounded Carol as she cried out in pain.
"Nurse!" Leonard shouted, widening his eyes at the newcomers.
Nurse Jeong hurried forwards to help, with Nyota not far behind. They supported Carol between them and guided her to a separate room. She looked to be suffering from a broken leg - something Sanguine blood was unfortunately unable to fix.
Samsa immediately pulled Jim into a gentle hug, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. "Thank the Founders, you're back," she whispered.
"I couldn't miss our pyjama date, Dollface." He pulled away and cupped her face in his hands, a smile forming on his lips. "Besides, there's someone who wants to see you."
Samsa frowned and went to ask 'who' when her eyes wandered beyond his shoulder. The sight made her throat thicken with tears. She moved past Jim to stand in front of her sister, choking back a sob. Luna was crying too. They fell into a tight embrace.
For a moment, it felt as if they never parted all those months ago. They were still standing in the shipyard saying their final goodbyes. Samsa held her sister just as tightly as she had then. Poor Luna trembled against her and buried her head into the crook of Samsa's neck. The blonde dreaded to think about what her sister had been through.
When they eventually pulled apart, Samsa took the time to check her over. She was covered in crimson stains, splattered all over her neck and the front of her jumpsuit. There was a mark on her face - blood dried in the shape of a handprint - that had started to run with her tears.
"None of it's mine," Luna croaked. "Khan, he...I-I couldn't..."
"We can talk about all that later, Lu. Right now, I'm just so happy to see you again." Samsa's voice broke towards the end of her words. "Are you hurt?"
Luna shook her head dismissively. "Khan's crew...they're dead, aren't they."
"Spock's cold, but he's not that cold," Leonard said from behind. "I've got Khan's crew. Seventy-two human popsicles safe and sound in their cryotubes."
Samsa stepped aside as Luna moved forward to gaze at the tubes scattered throughout the Medbay. A small smile grew on her face and her eyes fluttered shut. She looked relieved.
"Son of a bitch," Jim chimed, clearly impressed by his acting Captain's strategy.
The Medbay plunged into sudden darkness, making several people scream. Flashes of emergency backup lights provided some illumination but the sound of the engines failing created panic.
"That's the central power grid!" Scotty cried.
Samsa struggled to keep her balance as the ship tilted. She felt Luna take hold of her hand and was grateful for the extra support.
"Engage emergency lockdown procedures!" Leonard ordered. He ran off into the shadow to help anyone in the immediate vicinity.
"We should've switched to auxiliary power by now," Jim said, widening his eyes. "Something must be wrong." He made to leave but was stopped when Luna caught his arm.
"Whatever you have to do, please let me help. I'm the reason you're all in this mess." Her voice wobbled as she spoke.
Jim seemed hesitant. "What about your back-"
"Please," Luna said again.
The Captain sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Alright," he said. "You're with me and Scotty."
Samsa squeezed her sister's hand, prompting the brunette to look back at her. "Be safe," she whispered, looking to the others as well. "All of you."
"You too, Dollface." Jim winked and made for the exit.
Scotty smiled and followed with Luna not far behind.
Watching them leave was difficult. Samsa couldn't help assuming the worst. If the ship was dead in space, it wouldn't be tilting so much. They must be caught in a Earth's gravity field.
"As Acting Captain, I order you to abandon this ship. I will remain behind and divert all power to life support and evacuation shuttle bays."
Spock's order sent fear coursing through Samsa's veins. Evacuation was the last resort in the direst of circumstances. There was a pause after the Vulcan spoke.
"I order you to abandon this ship!"
"All due respect, Commander," Sulu's voice said, determinedly. "But we're not going anywhere."
☆☆☆
"One day I've been off this ship," Scotty cried, as they clambered through the corridors. "One bloody day!"
Artificial gravity was practically non-existent at this point. Luna held her arms out to assist her balance and leant against the wall. This became pointless as they rounded another corner. The ship tipped on its side causing them all to slide down onto the crossing bridge.
Kirk and Scotty managed to grab hold of two bars opposite each other. Luna took the one below, gritting her teeth as their feet dangled over the vast space below them. A scream grew louder as a woman came hurtling past, failing to stall herself.
Luna reached out and caught her arm with a grunt of pain. "I've got you!" She called. "Don't look down, just look at me!"
A concoction of debris and broken wires cascaded past their heads. Cries for help echoed in the distance. It was horrifying to think how many would go unanswered.
"Attention, all decks," an automated announcement began. "Evacuation protocols initiated. Proceed to exit bays, and report to your assigned shuttle."
"There won't be time for evacuation if we don't get power to stabilise the damn ship!" Scotty cried.
"Can we restore it?!" Kirk shouted, as the ship creaked and tilted again.
"Only from Engineering," the Scotsman said. "We have to get back to the warp core."
Luna sighed in relief when the ship's movement allowed them to stand upright again.
The woman she'd saved took hold of her hand and squeezed gently. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
The Sanguine was lost for a response. She forced a smile and nodded before the woman hurried off down the corridor.
"Jim!"
Scotty's shout caught her attention. She turned and followed his gaze upward to see utter chaos. Several crew members were hanging from the bridges above, along with a large chunk of wall hanging from its splitting mechanisms.
"I'll get them, you go!" Luna said. "I can catch up."
Kirk nodded and sent her a swift smile. "Scotty, we've got to get the power back on! Come on!"
Once the two men continued rushing down the corridor, Luna looked up and assessed the best way to help. She rolled her shoulders, took a running jump and, after kicking off the wall, managed to grab a hold of the bridge above. She hauled herself up to see a crewman suspended from the balcony above.
"If you let go, I'll catch you!" Luna called.
"Let go?!"
She rolled her eyes, grabbed hold of the man's legs and tugged him down. He released a strangled yelp but Luna did as promised. Only then did she realise it was the Security Officer who supervised her the last time she was on board the Enterprise: Hendorff.
He seemed to recognise her too, as his eyes enlarged. "You," he snarled, retrieving a phaser and aiming it at her chest.
"Yeah, you're welcome," Luna quipped. "Now, do as your told and get to your evacuation station."
Hendorff shook his head and scoffed. "I don't take orders from you."
"Well, you can't take anyone's orders if you're dead. With the ship tipping like this, it's only a matter of time before you're trapped under debris or falling from a height. The people trying to evacuate will be scared." Luna paused, guilt gnawing at her insides. "Go and be with them."
"That actually made sense." Slowly but surely, Hendorff lowered his phaser. "Thanks for pulling me down. Don't go getting yourself into any trouble."
Luna scowled at him but smiled. Once he was out of sight, she continued helping people suspended from upper floors and ended up healing a few injuries with her blood. The ship's corridors were slowly starting to empty as the crew headed to the evacuation bays.
While on route to the Engineering decks, Luna was surprised to, quite literally, bump into a familiar young Russian. She stumbled backwards but remained standing, whereas poor Chekov was knocked to the floor.
"By the Founders, Kid!" Luna reached down and pulled him up. "Did I hurt you?"
"Miss Gillian!" He exclaimed, still recovering from the tumble. "What are you doing here?"
"It's a long story. I'm trying to find the Captain and Mister Scott." She fell into step beside him as they continued running. "I thought you'd be stationed on the Bridge?"
"Ah, that's a long story too!" Chekov said.
Luna went to reply when the ship lurched again. With a lucky manoeuvre, she managed to stay upright by walking on the wall that was now beneath their feet. She ensured Chekov did the same, taking hold of his arm to steady him.
The corridor opened into a large hangar playing host to huge metals tanks. Luna gasped as one of these containers came loose and hurtled through the air, colliding with the metal walkway ahead. A consequent bundle of cries and yelps reached her ears.
That was when she saw them. Kirk and Scotty were hanging from the metals bars of the bridge.
"Over there!" She cried.
Chekov was off in a flash, his movements swift, yet agile as he avoided falling to his own demise. Luna followed close behind and felt her heart lurch when Scotty lost his grip. Luckily, Kirk caught him but they couldn't stay that way for long.
Just as the Captain was forced to let go...Chekov lunged forward and grabbed his arm.
"I've got you, Captain!" He cried.
Scotty laughed aloud in triumph while Kirk looked relieved.
Luna lay on her stomach to help keep hold of them as the Enterprise began to flip the other way. Once it did, she pulled Kirk over the railing, while Chekov assisted Scotty. Both men were panting after the ordeal but there was no time to rest.
"Even if we get the warp power online, we've still got to redirect the power!" Scotty said as they ran.
"He's right, Captain!" Chekov affirmed.
They came to a standstill at a small station in the centre of the Engine room. Even though it was part of the job, Luna was gobsmacked at how easily the three men could navigate a ship of this size.
"What are you talking about?!" Kirk frowned.
"Someone has to hit the manual override," Scotty explained. He turned to Chekov. "Err, Laddie, there's a switch. It's-"
"Behind the deflector dish!" The Russian finished for him. "I'll flip the switch!"
"I'll go with you!" Luna nodded.
"Let's go!"
With Kirk's shout, they all sprang into action. Chekov sprinted up a nearby flight of metal stairs, while Luna stayed close behind. When they reached the next floor, the ship started to tilt once again.
"Oh no." Chekov wobbled in an attempt to gain some balance. "Oh no, no, no!"
"Hang on, Kid!" Luna took hold of his hand as they ended up sliding down the deck. She tried to slow them down but it was no use.
Instead of correcting herself, the Enterprise flipped even more, encouraging Chekov to shout a string of Russian curses. Luna's stomach lurched as they endured the vertical slide for a further few seconds before it was finally over.
Chekov hopped to his feet and lead them to a smoky chamber holding dozens of (what Luna suspected were) deflector shields. He skidded to a halt on his knees in front of a large control hatch and had to press several buttons before gaining entry.
Luna joined Chekov in gripping the lever and heaved with all her might. It eventually flipped over, but nothing happened. The power remained off. The ship was still in peril.
"Core misaligned. Danger. Core misaligned."
"No, no, no!" Chekov cried, running his hands through his hair.
"What's happening? Why didn't it work?" Luna asked, frantically.
"If the housings of the core are misaligned, it means we can't re-direct the power." He sat back and dropped his head.
"Isn't there any way to fix the housings?"
"Not without entering the warp core chamber, but with that much radiation, it would kill you..." Chekov's voice trailed into a whisper. "It's...it's hopeless."
Luna felt her already splintered heart break even more. He looked so scared. She made her decision right there and then.
"No." She shook her head and stood up. "Not hopeless."
Chekov shouted after her, asking where she was going. This didn't stop Luna from sprinting back the way they came with every intention of clambering into the warp core chamber herself.
Hey readers, I really hope you enjoyed this part! We're nearing nearing the end of Into Darkness and I'm so excited to hear your thoughts! Out of curiosity, I would love to hear which one of my OCs is your favourite so far :D Much love to you all! ❤