Into Darkness and Beyond (Star Trek: Into Darkness Fanfiction - sequel to AKFAS)

Chapter 7

Kez was trying to pin her medical insignia onto her uniform, pricking her finger, when both she and Kirk rounded the corner. Not paying attention, Kez knocked into something solid.

"Sorry!" She blurted allowing Kirk to pull her backwards slightly.

Spock regarded both the officers with a levelled gaze, "Captain, officer Stibbons."

Kirk tensed up, "Not Captain anymore Spock, I'm the first officer." And with that proceeded to walk away.

Spock kept up though, "I sense that you remain displeased with me."

Kirk didn't look at him and Kez felt like she was in the way.

"Uh, I think maybe I should go." She said quickly.

"You're my babysitter, you stay here," Kirk said quickly.

Kez started off down the corridor, calling over her shoulder, "Uh, I'm abandoning my duties for a moment," then disappeared.

The low light of the conference room threw sharp shadows over all the faces who were seated around the table.

With the exception of Admiral Pike and Admiral Marcus, the assembly consisted of Captains and First Officers . . . and then the First Officers first officer – or babysitter . . . or nurse, Kez was unsure of her duty. Basically, Kez had been told to stay as quiet as Kirk, this wasn't really a place for a Chief of Nursing.

The personnel present just emphasised the obvious importance of the meeting.

Admiral Alexander Marcus began speaking not perusing in any kind of formal greeting or welcome.

"I am glad you were all able to attend under such short notice. I am sure that by now you have heard of the business in London. We believe the target was the Starfleet data archive and now it's a damn hole in the ground and we have forty-two men and women dead. An hour ago I received a message from a Starfleet officer who confessed to carrying out this attack but what intrigued me most was that he claimed to have been forced into it by this man,"

Suddenly the screen located between Kirk and Kez lit up and displayed a picture of a man.

"Commander John Harrison." Marcus continued, "And he was one of our own."

Kez swallowed as she thought back to how her own people had turned against her father becoming rebels, now it was happening within Starfleet too.

"He is the man responsible for this act of savagery. The reasons are unknown but as far as Starfleet is concerned he has just declared a one-man war on us."

"Super," Kez murmured so lowly that only Kirk heard her.

"Scared?" He asked back in barely a whisper.

Kez swallowed, "Not particularly."

Actually, as Kirk looked at the image, Harrison's appearance was ordinary and composed,  possibly looking younger than his actual age, both his face and posture fixed strongly.

A new picture came onto the screen and both Kirk and Kez leant forwards to see that the image showed Harrison getting into a Starfleet Jumpship.

"Five minutes after the explosion, Harrison commandeered this jumpship and escaped. We managed to pick him up on the scanners but then he entered orbit. We lost him."

Kez looked across the table when a Captain said, "Any idea where he's headed?"

Marcus shrugged, "No, the assumption is that he's not working alone, maybe on behalf of an enemy force. What they are planning though, is also unknown. With that in mind, under no circumstances are we to let this man escape the Federation or Federation Space. Those of you gathered here tonight represent the ships I am sending out to search for Harrison. In the name of those we've lost, you will run this bastard down. It's a manhunt and is of the highest importance to Starfleet at this moment."