Brystal and Spock were silent towards each other for a few moments. Neither of them knew exactly what to say. Especially not over Jim's display of affection.

Spock seemed uneasy about the situation and concerned about how the captains relationship would turn with his second officer. He'd never seen a thing like this happen between them, but Brystal had seen it happen between Spock and Uhara. 

Brystal still had a hint of blush in her cheeks from what had happened. She was a bit more fidgety and nervous than ever. Which was bad for her supposedly calmness and not anxious side.

Her mind couldn't focus on anything. The slight touch of Jim's lips on hers played and played again in her mind. Something good, but mostly distracting.

The floors passed by them as the turbolift shot up. Crickets could probably the only thing heard between them.

"Commander," Spock broke the silence, "I have some slight confusion on the matter between you and the captain."

"For your information, Mr. Spock, it was just a simple implication," Brystal managed to say. Though she knew quite well it was much more than a simple implication.

"By the intuitive nature you two had to even-"

"I don't need this to be such a big deal. We have more troubling matters up ahead and should focus on them. Though I wish J-the captain had allowed me to go instead.......even if I don't trust Khan......I know he trusts me," Brystal cut Spock off.

"Trusts?" Spock inquired as the turbolift door opened. Brystal felt uneasy about stating the truth in front of Spock, especially with the doors opening.

"I'll tell you later," Brystal simply said.

"Sir!" Adeline came rushing to Callius, new information laid in her hands. Callius turned away from the group of Admirals, who were currently bantering with him, solicitously. He looked to see the scientist panting in and out.

Her dark hair had fallen over her face as she tried to catch her breath. She held up the datapad towards Callius, who gladly took it. His bodyguard, Issac, looked at his older sister before looking at the datapad.

Issac Merlin was completely different compared to his older sister. He was taller and black haired, while she was shorter and dark brown haired. And the fact he seemed to look a bit older than her.

"Marcus has stranded the Enterprise with no capabilities of escape. The transporter and engines have been damaged severely," Adeline told them.

"Any news from Commander Pike?" Callius inquired.

"None-"

"Yes!" Cauis responded, who had been trying to catch up with Adeline. The admirals looked up at the Cauis noticing him also holding a datapad. 

"Which one is it yes or no?" Callius asked again.

"Yes/ No!" Cauis and Adeline simultaneously spoke. They looked at e ah other, completely looking oblivious. They had no idea who was telling the truth.

"What do you mean no?" Cauis questioned Adeline.

"What do you mean by yes?" Adeline inquired back.

"Guys!" Issac broke into the conversation. He'd seen these two fight multiple times over useless items and theories too many times. He was usually the one to break them out of their little bickering.

"What do you both mean?" Issac questioned them.

"I haven't gotten any contact from her in the past hour. All I know is Marcus has stranded them and left them defenseless," Adeline answered.

"I keep getting these tapping sounds coming through from Brystal-" Cauis began.

"She's speaking Morse Code?" Admiral Hale inquired.

"Exactly!" Cauis replied.

"What did she say?"  Callius questioned Cauis.

"I got this much: We have a plan. A shitty plan that Jim came up with. We're sending two people out there to get onboard that ship," Cauis told them.

"But I made sure Scotty was on that ship," Adeline added in, "I got a tracker in his shuttle to see where he was going and he's in Marcus's ship. I could try and make the energy power go back in, but what's the percentage of that happening?" She casually tapped the glasses on her datapad.

"22.8%," Her glasses answered.

"There. It's basically impossible," Cauis added.

"Then we can only hope that this plan doesn't turn to shit," Issac spoke up.

"Commander, I have that transmission as requested," Uhara spoke up from her station. Brystal stood beside Spock, who sat perfectly still in the chair. She was glad that Jim hadn't insisted on her being in charge.

Spock nodded, ushering Uhara to put the communication in the screen. Brystal's eyebrows furrowed, staring at the first officer. Her mind began wondering why he needed a transmission this badly, though he made no effort to answer her question.

The screen turned from a black hole of space to a man. He seemed familiar to Brystal, though she had no account of meeting him. But as she studied him more, her eyes widened a bit. It couldn't be any coincidence that he looked a bit like Spock.

"Mister Spock," The Vulcan from the screen spoke up.

"Mister Spock," Spock answered, almost causing slight confusion in Brystal's head, "I will be brief. In your travels, did you ever encounter a man named Khan?"

A pall seemed to fall over Spock Prime as soon as Spock mentioned the name. His eyes told stories that Brystal couldn't even begin. All she saw on the elder Vulcans face was pure sorrow.

Brystal could remembered how her older counterpart had looked at her. The sadness and pain the woman had been through. She couldn't help, but feel a slight understanding to this man's pain.

"As you know, I have made a vow never to give you information that could alter your destiny. Your path is yours to walk and yours alone," Spock Prime told Spock, "That being said....Khan Nooien Singh is the most dangerous adversary the Enterprise ever faced. He is brilliant, ruthless, and he will not hesitate to kill anyone of you.......other than the exception of Ms. Pike."

"I understand completely, sir," Brystal answered, "I know what Khan would and would not do to me."

She knew he was right, also knowing that not many knew what he meant by the exception of her. Tears of her knowledge were burning at her eyes, but she immediately pushed the thought of crying back. She had done enough of that recently.

"Did you defeat him?" Spock questioned Spock Prime.

Spock Prime hesitated. Like a heartstring and been practically pulled from his heart. Brystal had felt that emotions before and knew exactly what was going through his mind. Death.

"At great cost, yes...."  Spock Prime answered.

As Spock Prime disappeared off the screen, Brystal's mind began to race. Had Brystal Prime been in contact with Spock Prime? Why had Brystal a prime not made her appearance more often?

Spock turned towards Brystal, his mouth opened slightly before immediately closing. Seemingly, like his  question had already been answered before him. He got up from his seat looking at both Brystal and Leonard.

"Doctor, can you activate the torpedo again or not?" Spock asked him.

Leonard rolled his eyes, obviously even annoyed about the mention of the torpedos, but he decided to reply in an exasperated voice, "Again, why the hell would we want to do that?" 

His eyes flickered over to Olivia, knowing that he couldn't do something that dangerous again. He almost gave her a heart attack when the torpedo closed around his hand. Olivia may have a way of showing how angry she was when really it usually showed how much she cared.

"He has a point, commander. I'd think it be much safer if we did have Ms. Marcus onboard," Brystal spoke up.

"I second that," Olivia raised her hand.

"Can you or can you not?" Spock questioned McCoy, ignoring her reasoning, "There's a high chance of Khan betraying us once again."

Brystal visibly rolled her eyes at his calculation. A high chance was more of of an obvious chance. Though she knew Spock wasn't dumb like that and probably just had no other words he could think.

What would happen though if Khan did betray them again? It was most likely that he'd use Brystal again, but what would he use her to do? Let him go?

"Khan only trusts me. Jim didn't heed my warning, but if Khan does something.....I'll try to stop him," Brystal told Spock.

"Commander-" Spock began.

"Please.....trust me on this," Brystal practically begged him, "Do you trust me, Mr. Spock?"

"I'm going to make this simple."

Khan's voice had sent the knot back into her stomach, making her heart drop. Her eyes flickered over  at the viewscreen, only to her horror to see Khan holding a gun. The entire bridge went silent, even a pin drop could break the silence. 

Marcus must've been killed with the look of shock and horror that still lingered on Carol's face in the background. Though this seemed inevitable and was going to happen anyway. 

Brystal's fists clenched and unclenched in an undeniable anger towards Khan, but she didn't explicitly show it on her face. She need to keep her ground and act like she was in control of herself. Just like Callius had taught her.

"Jim!"

"Captain!"

Brystal and Spock both broke the silence, calling out to their friend simultaneously. Her new sole priority was on the screen.

"Your crew for my crew," Khan spoke again, "Or your beloved captain won't make it back to the ship in one piece." His threat immediately flashed a look of anger in her eyes. Clearly, she was more emotional than her commander, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried for Jim's life.

Brystal knew he wouldn't be true to his word, even if she only knew him a bit more than anybody on the Enterprise. The fact was obvious especially with the point of her parents both being killed by the criminal. Now she was witnessing the man threatening to kill her friend......or was he more than that?

"Put him down, Khan," Brystal spoke through gritted teeth, "I should've known you would've betrayed us."

Silence echoed throughout the ship. Khan and Brystal's eyes were set onto a hard stare of anger. Their eyes were met with pure hatred that nobody knew how to break them away.

"Brystal, don't-" Jim began only to be hit on the head by Khan with the handle of the gun. Brystal's eyes lit up in horror which Spock caught on. Khan let Jim fumble down to the ground as he returned to look at Brsytal.

"Miss Pike, Mr. Spock give me back my crew," Khan demanded again.

"Give us our crew back first," Brystal spat back before muttering, "Fucking bastard."

"I don't think it'll work that way as much I appreciate your remarks," Spock told her, "What do you plan to do when you get your crew back?"

"Continue the work we were doing before we were banished," Khan replied. 

"Which, as I understand it, involves the mass genocide of any you deem unworthy?" 

"Shall I destroy you, Mr. Spock? Or will you give me what I want?"

"Our transporters have no capabilities," Brystal tried to stall Khan, wanting to give the Enterprise some time, "Partly to blame for the wrinkled old asshole of a liar."

Khan spoke, unaffected by what she had told him, "Fortunately, men are fully functional. Lower your shields."

Spock and Brystal shared a look, both seeing the hint of worry in their eyes. They knew to well that Khan could destroy them within a second with the weapons onboard the ship. But would he .....after Spock Prime explicitly made it obvious that Brystal was an exception?

"Even if we do so, we have no guarantee of you not destroying the Enterprise," Spock spoke up.

"Minus the exception of me," Brystal added. She could've ranted and raved about all the reasons he would hold her as an exception. The fact of her mother being part of his crew at one point, him seeming to trust her more, and how he had told her the truth.

"Let's play this out logically then, Mr. Spock and Miss Pike. Firstly, I will kill your captain to demonstrate our resolve, then if yours holds, I will have no chance to kill you and your crew."

"You're willing to kill your own crew?" Brystal inquired. Her brain seemingly wanting to question him even more with her eyebrows furrowing.

"No. Your men require oxygen to survive. Mine do not. I will target your life support systems first and, after everyone on board your ship suffocates, I will walk over your dead shriveled corpses. To retrieve what is rightfully mine," Khan spoke with almost a smirk, "Shall we begin?"

"This plan is shit," Olivia told Brystal. Olivia had her chair around all the way so she could face her friend. The firing had barely begun and both knowing well enough that anything could happen.

Life's were on the line. Both of them knew that well enough, but only they could worry what would Khan do to Brystal. And if he really needed and would take her onto that blasted ship.

"Not my fault," Brystal commented before looking over at Spock, "We need to evacuate everyone from engineering that could get easily harmed. We can't afford to lose any more good men and women today."

Spock noted that before gesturing to Chekov to put on red alert for the whole ship. Kirk, Carol, and Scotty had been transported back safely on. The ship swerved a bit as the firing from Khan's ship began.

Spock gave her a datapad for her to keep track of all of the people who should leave engineering. A few more hits almost sent the datapad out of her hands as if it were slippery soap. The pictures would go green as soon as the ship detected them to be safely in their quarters.

The room darkened around her. Her heart thumping and allowing fear to we've it's way back into her heart. The ship couldn't take this much more damage.

"Can your grumpy lumberjack boyfriend pick up the pace?" Brystal asked Olivia, teasingly.

"Very funny," Olivia rolled her eyes before turning back to her console. Brystal turned only to see a red button flashing on the captains chair, signaling that Leonard was done.

"On your word, commander," Brystal spoke to Spock, waiting for him to order the torpedos onto the ship. She watched as a slight smile almost danced on Spock's lips. 

"Now."

"Sir! There's still one person in engineering!" Sulu turned to them. Brystal's eyes widened, and just then realization ran up her spine.

She looked at the datapad of all the people who needed to be evacuated. All highlighted in green for ones who had gotten out as instructed. Her fingers stopped swiping when she saw her friends face.

"Cal!" She exclaimed before running into the turbolift, chucking the datapad to the floor in a rush.

Brystal had made it half way down the engineering stairwell just to only be almost thrown off the railing. Her fingers digging into the white metal as she tried to steady her body. Her heart frantically bumping against her chest, making her feel almost more frightened than she ever was.

Her feet practically almost crumpling underneath her with the way the ship was moving. Falling and falling down at high speeds through space straight to earth. And if her calculations were correct they'd land somewhere outside of Starfleet base.

"Cal?!? Cal?!? Callum?!?" She shouted once again, hoping that he'd just scream back or run into her arms. Yet nothing came, even after her few shouts and screams of calling him.

She rushed down the stairs, gripping the stairs with all her might as the ship cranked to the left. Everything felt almost hopeless at this point. Her eyes practically wanting to well up with tears all over again.

"Cal!!!" She yelled again.

She began pumping her legs into a full pledged run. Gravity seeming to fail all around her as crates and all sorts of equipment began sliding across the floor. Almost making it like an obstacle course for herself.

"Bry?!?" A voice came from afar.

"Cal?!?" Brystal shouted, barely dodging a moving crate. He didn't sound too far away, slightly relieving her a bit, giving time for Hope to begin to weave it's way back into her.

She shoved a crate out of her way, avoiding all sorts of unplugged wires. Not caring a single bit if something bad happened to her.....she just needed Callum safe.

That's when her eyes met up to see a figure, desperately fixing vitals and keeping life support on.  Sparks shot out from the computers frame, falling down into the deep abyss of the engineering rooms hole. The curly haired man, quickly flicking off and on buttons.

"Cal!!!" Brystal yelled, a smile dared to cross her lips.

Callum turned to see Brystal, a wave of relief washing over the two. Eyes making contact as the lights flickered and flickered into series of dark blue. Callum's hands that had been gripping the computer, carefully left.

But just most of nowhere the ship took a large turn to the left, tipping them down onto that side. Callum's eyes lit up in horror as he began to slide back, unable to control the movement. Brsytal immediately darted toward him, grasping his hand just before his body almost tipped over.

Her strength didn't seem to be enough. The ship so continued to tilt, making it impossibly hard on her to keep him steady as much as her. Her legs locked in as her other hand let go, grabbing onto the pipe behind them.

Their bodies started lifting until Callum wasn't even close to any railing at all. His body was practically floating in the air, minus the fact he was holding on for dear life from Brystal's hand. He was genuinely terrified.

Brystal grunted, pouring all her strength into saving Cal. Her hands gripped tighter and tighter into the pipe. Just to the lint where metal started to scratch underneath her fingertips.

"Hold on!" Brystal told him, practically begging him to.

"I'm trying to!!" Cal shouted back.

She would've fired back at him right away, but instead she focused her mind on saving him. Something like Callius said once.........protect the ones you love that you call friends and family.

Her hands finally almost practically bent the metal pipe, Callum watched in amazement. He couldn't help, but stare in awe at her recklessly trying to save him. He knew he'd feel all guilty afterwards.

The ship finally tilted back to its normal position, almost literally flying the two across the room. Their bodies hitting the ground with a hard thud, sending them to both groan in pain. Both managing to somehow get up quickly from the floor, feeling like they might have just broken or snapped a bone in half.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Brystal started scolding him like a mother, "You almost gave me a heart attack! You know I can't lose you!"

"Someone had to keep the life support up," Callum stated, calmly.

"God!! Now you're staring to sound like a vulcan!" Brsytal complained. The two carefully placed themselves in a hallway, both laying back against the walls. Catching their briefs and hitting the emergency seatbelts.

She just wanted to curl up in a ball and hope it was some sort of nightmare she was having, but she knew that was impossible. 

"We're going to die aren't we?" Callum asked.

"What makes you think that? And if we do.......death will be quite an adventure," Brystal told him, softly.

Callum silently agreed just as his safety belt began to wrap around him, voluntarily he let his fear  die down. At least he'd have a friend by him. Who had decided to save him from his dumb self.

The force of gravity pushed them more up against the wall until something out of the ordinary happened.

The ship suddenly pulled up, causing Callum to gasp for air. Everything was eeemingoy back to normal.......which made Brsytal feel all worried.

As their seatbelt deactivated, she got up quickly, "I need to find Jim."

"Why?!? So you two can kiss again?!?" Callum asked her.

"Not now, Cal! And shut up! That was completely a simple implication," Brystal hollered back at him, knowing her words were untrue. She ran down the series of hallways, looking to only see Scotty standing next to Spock. 

She had no way of stopping what had just happened.