madimpossibledreamer

I was trying last chapter to avoid the Augment on guard actually making a mistake, but then remembered that Khan wasn’t the only Augment to have an ego that was a problem and that it’d be a parallel to the poor Starfleet guard on duty in “Space Seed”.

( we need them to be who we are )

I suspect ‘grand poobah’ is the sort of phrase that probably has some vaguely racist origin, but given that this is Bones… (Also he’s kind of ticked for some reason…)
Into Darkness issues aside, the (slightly tweaked) line at the end is a really good one.

I’m going to try to have a chapter out every other week.

I kept trying to think of a way to finish this one, where they save Finnegan and the rest, but it’s plenty long already and it’s not actually necessary for the story, so posting this as is, instead.

( Bones isn't happy about this whole simulation thing )

         Bones is used to waking up from the dead by now. It’s routine. What’s less so is that for once, Jim’s letting his guilt show.
         “You were possessed,” he explains, which really does explain everything.

        “Jim—thank goodness; I woke up and I’m not sure…”  He trails off.  He knows that small frown of confusion; doesn’t see it much, sure, but.
        “Uhm, hi.  You okay?”
        His world tilts under him again.  “No—no, Jim, please, you know me, it’s Bones—”  Only desperation has him saying that stupid nickname, but he needs this.
        “Trust me, I’d remember a good looking guy like you.”
        The world moves, again, an earthquake in miniature, and he watches the panic filter into those blue eyes and registers that, suddenly, he’s being held carefully in familiar arms.  “Now, I’d like to say it’s every day that handsome fellows like you fall for me, but it really isn’t,” Jim jokes, but there’s a strain in his voice and concern in his eyes that’s pretty rare.  “What happened?  Are you okay?  Do I need to call someone?”