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“You can’t just go around killing people!” The lieutenant stood in her way, blocking her access to the weapons room. He was a good head taller than her but he knew by now Margaret Hooper was no one to be trifled with, despite her short stature. She was, for all intents and purposes, more than human, more than humans could ever hope to be…
Perhaps more than they ever should have been.
But she was awake and there were five dozen other Augments like her in cryostasis because Marcus was a bastard. Oh, when he had joined Starfleet he had been proud to be known as Lieutenant John Harrison, but in the last few months he had seen the darker side of Starfleet and he hated it. He knew Margaret wasn’t in the right, not in the past when she had led the five dozen people into battle and then been banished into space, never to return to Earth.
But she wasn’t in the wrong, either, to want to seek revenge for her family, for those in her care. This was just not the way to do it.
“Move, or I will make you move,” she said, her voice deadly calm as she looked up at him. He had seen warmth in her brown eyes before but now there was a coldness and a ferocity that should have scared him. Should have, but didn’t.
Because you know deep down she’s more in the right than Marcus is, his inner voice told him. And it was true; the ships and weaponry being designed by all of them were not what Starfleet was intended for, and even if the Klingons and the Romulans were a threat, killing them all wasn’t going to solve anything.
“Would you trust me for a moment?” he asked her, and surprisingly, she hesitated. “Look. I know that the cryo-pods of your compatriots are in the missiles. He wants to load them to a Starfleet ship, but he needs a reason. And if you go about setting yourself up as a terrorist with a grudge against Starfleet, you’ll give him that reason he so desperately wants but you’ll lose all control in the process.”
“Not if my plan works,” she said defiantly, but she was at least listening.
“And what is your plan? Manipulate Harewood? Blow up the Kelvin Archives? Kill more people? You won’t get far with bloodshed, Molly.”
She almost seemed to wince at the affectionate nickname he had shared with her. He was the only one allowed to use it, and only when they were alone. Only when she was kissing him until his head spun and his other body parts decided other things would be more favourable, especially if it ended with him flat on his back and her on top and little to no clothing.
He loved her, to boot, which made this all even more of a headache. How do you tell a former mass murderer not to go on a rampage because you don’t want to lose them forever? Because that was the only way it would play out. He would lose her forever if she went through with this plan, either to a horrendous death, banishment, Marcus doing something despicable...and he didn’t want to lose her.
“Then what do you suggest I do? Leave them to rot while I have some Earthside fling with you?” Now it was his turn to wince.
“No, just...wait. A little longer. The timing will be better if you think about other ways to get them on board a Starfleet vessel and then get yourself a way to commandeer it. Or get them on the Vengeance and run. You know Marcus would never catch you and it can be piloted by a skeleton crew of two if need be.”
“And you would be my first officer?” she asked, more curious than angry.
He nodded. “Just...give it time. Give it time to make a better plan with less bloodshed and then we can see a future where you all live and nothing bad happens.”
It wasn’t often that she softened around him, but she did, slumping her shoulders just slightly. “I heard that idiot Captain Kirk got demoted,” she said thoughtfully. “Perhaps we can put that into play instead...”
He relaxed then. Yes, perhaps they could, and this could all have somewhat of a happier ending after all. He reached over and flipped the collar of her coat up. “Then tell Harewood you’ll save his daughter with no cost to him. That may be a step in the right direction.”
She nodded and then, surprisingly, offered him her hand. He took it and they made their way towards the exit. It was a small change, but one he hoped had better repercussions in the future. Molly was smart, smarter than almost everyone else he knew. She would listen to reason within reason, so long as it could provide a satisfactory outcome. And if he had to disobey Starfleet to help that outcome come about...well, so be it.