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For the first 63 pods that were brought back to a reanimated state the reaction was of the same fruit. Groggy wakings, followed by confusion and eventually questioning those in the group. Some took longer than others, but then there was number 64. His eyes had immediately snapped open and he struggled to sit up.
"Sher-Sherlock." Years of unused vocal chords were evident in the dry crack of sound coming from his throat. He had motioned weakly at his throat and was given a glass of water and he quickly started talking his voice horse and pained but he trudged on. After a few minutes passed the doctor had started to piece together something that made him uneasy. He pulled up a picture on his computer which earned a confused look from the man in the tube until he saw what the doctor was trying to show him.
"Sherlock." He said again sounding sad. "Is," he swallowed painfully, "is he alive?"
When the doctor confirmed that he was the relief that washed over the other man was bone deep.
"Where is he? I need to see him?"
"Can you tell me your name?" The doctor rerouted the question.
"John. I'm John Watson."
The doctor nodded and wrote his name down. "Do you know when you were frozen?"
"Year 1942. What year is it now?"
"2259."
The man blanched when he was told. "Where is he?"
After trying and failing to persuade the man to leave it alone he became irate, demanding to see the man he knew as Sherlock. The doctor was about to order sedation when a voice spoke behind them. "Who is he to you?"
They both turned and the doctor sighed. "John, this is Captain James T Kirk of the Starship enterprise." Neither man said anything but there seemed to be a battle going on between their eyes. Finally John spoke.
"My world." His eyes were hard and his voice full of conviction. Another moment passed before Kirk spoke.
"Can you walk?"
"Yes sir."
"Come with me."
JNLK
"What has he done?"
Kirk gave a side glance at John whose gaze was fixed forward. "What makes you think he's done anything?"
"The captain of the ship walks me out of the medical bay minutes after waking up from a cryogenic state after I could identify and have a history of a man whose only picture I was shown was in custody of some sort. What has he done?"
"Excellent observations."
John snorted.
"He came to us by the name of Khan. After he thought that the destruction of the pods had occurred by the hand of one man he retaliated resulting in a man hunt and consequently deaths that we haven't finished tallying." He watched the man out of the corner of his eye and noticed as he stiffened slightly but remained composure. "You were a military man."
"Excellent observation." John parroted.
They walked the rest of the way to the holding bay and when they entered the room where Khan was being held he didn't moved to see who had entered.
"What do you want from me?" His voice was low and unguarded. The man had finally given up.
"I brought you something."
"Just let me be in peace."
"Sherlock." John spoke quietly and James saw the immediate shift in Khan, his body going rigid and his head snapping up, but he didn't move to turn around. John swallowed hard enough for it to be heard and then he moved forward until he was standing just a foot behind Khan. "Sherlock." He said again then stepped forward wrapping his arms around the man and pressing his face into the man's shoulder.
James watched Khan as his arms slowly moved wrapping them around the arms that held the middle.
"You have to be awake. I can't," he took a labored shuddering breath, "I can't have you taken from me again."
"I'm here." John said, then continued. "I'm sorry. They knew, and I couldn't do anything to stop them."
"It wasn't your fault."
John rubbed his head against his shoulder. "I know."
James felt like he was intruding.
"Look at me." John said, his voice pleading.
Slowly the man called Sherlock turned, his ice eyes taking hold of Johns face and his entire body sagged with something akin to relief. Johns arms lifted, cupping Sherlock's face between his palms and Sherlock began to speak. "They took you from me. Locked you away, asleep but it was as if you were dead. 'Do as we say and he can wake up' and I knew, John I knew they were lying but I had to try. Sentiment blocked my mind and I did everything they asked but they wouldn't wake you up. More and more they asked of me until finally I too was put to rest. I was woken by Alexander Marcus who wanted me to make them weapons and promised me the same and after I did as he asked he told me all the pods had been destroyed." Sherlock's head fell forward onto Johns forehead and Kirk could barely hear his words. "I was enraged and I killed them. A whole room full of them. But then, you were alive. They had put your sleeper cells into torpedoes to dispose of you but the Captain found out. And then they used the torpedoes and I knew you were gone. I didn't know they had gotten you out. So many people I killed and I do it again to have you here."
Johns arms wrapped up around his neck pulling him down into a fierce hug. "I'm sorry you were alone love, God I am so sorry. I'll fix it, I promise I'll fix this."
JNLK
"I met him after I was invalided during a war. I was an army doctor then. From the first moment I met him I knew that he was brilliant. He could look around the room and tell you everything about a person by just a look. It until years later that I learned he was one of the last of the rumored superhuman experiments. There were 67 in all left."
"But there are 72 people in there." Kirk leaned back in his desk chair and looked out of the glass window down onto the next bay where all the awoken cryo-sleepers.
"Just like me some people were used against their families. One by one each was taken to be 'put away' from society however it was a lie. They were using their intelligence to make weapons to begin a war. By the time we had figured out what was going on it was too late. They took me on my way home from the store and I don't know what happened after that." John followed Kirks gaze and after a moment he stood, nearly knocking his chair over in his haste. "Those people, there, the group of five," his finger knocked against the glass, "I need to speak to them, please."
Kirk saw the group and nodded turning to Spock. "Could you have that group escorted up stairs." Spock nodded and Kirk turned back to John. "Who are they?"
"My friends." John sat down and waited and Kirk left him to it. A few minutes had passed when the door opened and Spock walked back through followed by Lestrade, Mycroft, Anthea, Molly, and Sally.
"Jesus, John!" Lestrade spat upon seeing him and crossed the room to grab him in a hug. "We couldn't find you or Sherlock anywhere." He pulled back from the hug grabbed Johns shoulders. "Have you found him?"
John nodded yes.
Lestrade's face fell. "Bit not good?"
Johns lips pursed together. "Bit not good at all. He's down in lockup. I've been to see him."
"Jesus." Lestrade stepped back and Kirk stood.
"Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise."
A man who stood like a rod turned to John. "What has he done?" And to that John just shook his head.
Kirk learned the man, whose name was Mycroft was Sherlocks brother and Lestrade was his husband. The woman with an angry scowl was Mycrofts assistant and they both were super-humans along with the woman Sally whereas the other girl was a friend of the group.
"What will happen to him?" Molly asked quietly addressing Kirk.
"He is to be tried by Starfleet Headquarters for his crimes, no matter how noble they may have been in his mind."
He watched Johns hands curl into fists at his answer. He continued. "He may have life in prison but they are pushing for the death penalty." At that John stood and left the room, Spock moved to follow him.
"Let him go." Kirk held out his hand.
"May I go after him sir, please?" Lestrade asked. Kirk nodded and he quickly disappeared out the door.
"What then do you intend with the rest of us?" Mycroft asked leaning back in his chair.
"There have been no crimes on your part, as of now the goal is to bring you up to the speed of the current times and let you live amongst the rest of us."
He nodded. "Do understand Captain, that man loves my brother oh so very much. By sentencing him to death Johns life has also been sentenced as well. They are both of one soul."
Kirk nodded, and later would remember it and think it had been some sort of warning.
JNLK
Johns head swam in anger and grief, his chest constricting painfully. He stopped, gripping tight to a handrail over the deck and looked down into the room with the remaining members who joined him in his cryo-sleep. There were groups huddled together, families and friends greeting each other with tears and laughter and fierce embraces.
"John."
He turned to Lestrade not hiding the tears building in his eyes. "He went through so much." He spoke softly. "I can't bear," he cleared his throat, "I won't see him killed for me Greg, I won't."
"I know mate, I know. I'm not about to let that happen." His voice was low, conspiratorial.
"What are we going to do?"
Lestrades hand came up to clasp firmly on his bicep. "We'll come up with something. We may not have his brains but between the six of us we will save him. Alright?"
John nodded, a few stray tears rolling over his cheeks. "Alright."
"Good."
JNLK
For the two months until the trial John went to visit Sherlock everyday under the watchful eye of the Starfleet Captain. He always felt like he was intruding upon their time and he felt conflicted as he watched them knowing that the outcome was not to be in their favor.
"You are concerned."
"Yes." He answered Spock not taking his eyes from the screen. "The trial is today."
"I know sir. Had you forgotten?"
"No."
"Then why is there concern?" Spock canted his head to the side watching the screen as well. John and Khan, or Sherlock, had their hands clasped together and Johns head resting on his shoulder. They were talking to each other in hushed voices and Spock couldn't make out what it was that they were saying. "Are you concerned for John Watson sir?"
Kirk sighed. "Khan thought that by doing the things he was asked would give him the one that he loved. I am angry at the destruction he caused but I can't fault him for something I would have done myself."
"You wouldn't,"
"I have." Kirk turned to Spock. "When I ignored the prime directive to rescue you I risked myself to make sure that my friend was safe. And when I sacrificed myself in the radioactive chamber." He took a moment. "What wouldn't you have done to save your mother? Or if Uhura was endangered? Is there any length you wouldn't go to, to save her?"
Spocks eyebrows knit together in painful memories and thought. "There is nothing I wouldn't do."
Kirk turned back to the screen. "It needs to be done. His crimes must be accounted for. It doesnt mean I have to like them."
JNLK
Starfleet was packed and as expected the war criminal Khan was sentenced to death for his crimes. What wasn't expected was a small uprising.
The two guards who were moving Khan from the room were both stunned and dropped to the ground, Lestrade taking one and Sally taking another. John was in front of him holding a gun of the likes Starfleet had never seen.
Someone fired and the Photo Laser bounced of an invisible shield just over Johns heart.
"What is the meaning of this!" Admiral Lawrence stood up from the councils seat.
"If he is to be judged it is because of me!" John yelled. "The fault lies with me! All we've ever wanted was to be left alone and its power hungry people like Admiral Marcus who twist the arms of people by using their loved ones against them for their own gain and I will not have him die for me, I just won't!" He turned and saw that Sherlock was unbound and rubbing his wrists, he turned back to Starfleet. "A segment of those that woke with me have chosen to stay, to integrate into your culture and your lives. Do not fault them for what we are doing here today. The rest of us are leaving, we wish to live out lives in peace and ask you to leave us alone."
Another shot went off bouncing off the field once more. John raised his weapon. "Don't do that. Out technology out paces yours by eons and we do not wish to start a war, but understand if one starts we will finish it."
Kirk stepped forward and made eye contact with John.
"I'm sorry Captain. You are a good man and I hate to have lied to you, but I can't leave him. I will not see him die." And Kirk could only nod.
The room filled with smoke and one by one each of Starfleet fell to its effects. When they came to 39 of the cryo-sleep members were gone. For months after they were hunted by every available member of Starfleet, but they had vanished.
"Where do you think they have gone?" Spock asked.
Kirk looked out amongst the stars. "I don't know, but wherever they are, I just hope they are happy."
JNLK
Many galaxies away a colony was being built. An artificial world was being crafted that acted as natural as the first world itself. Sherlock looked to John, sending him a small smile as he opened the slot to the bee hive, letting the first of their swarm out to greet their new world.