Star Trek Into Darkness Page 0,51

a halt. Steadying his breathing, he turned to his two companions. Spock was watching him closely, McCoy curiously.

“Give me a minute, Mr. Spock.”

The first officer started to raise a hand. “Captain, I would not recommend engaging the prisoner further in . . .”

“Give us a minute.”

Spock hesitated, started to say something else, then left without further comment. Only when he was sure his companions had departed did Kirk pivot and stride back to the containment cell. Harrison was waiting for him, standing close to the transparent barrier between them. The only physical barrier. Meeting the other man’s gaze, Kirk considered unleashing the rage he felt, giving in to the urge to lay into the prisoner with feelings held just below the surface. But he doubted it would do him any good or Harrison any harm. Besides, he had already vented his emotions physically, and that had been shown to have little effect on the prisoner either.

There had to be some way to get to him, Kirk thought tightly. Perhaps through what was obvious and inescapable. Spock would have approved. There had to be something capable of wiping that smirk off Harrison’s face. Unless, of course, Harrison was completely mad and therefore unaffected by the sane world around him.

No, Kirk told himself. Harrison might be psychopathic, but he was not insane. Not in the clinical sense, at least. His crimes had involved too much planning, too much careful preparation. A crazy man might have sought refuge on Qo’noS, but he would not have survived there, not even for a short time. Something else drove the man on the other side of the containment barrier. Something besides madness.

Just possibly, if he proceeded carefully and calmly, Kirk felt he might be able to identify it. Barely keeping his anger under control, he addressed the cell’s occupant.

“Let me explain what’s happening here, in terms you can’t possibly misconstrue. You’re a criminal. I watched you murder innocent men and women, people who were doing nothing but going about their daily jobs. People with families. None of that mattered to you. I was authorized to end you, and the only reason you’re still alive is because I am allowing it. If I had chosen to do so, I could have had Dr. McCoy slip a full measure of something suitably toxic into his extractor. He could have pulled your blood, concurrently fatally dosed you, and I’d be signing off on the orders for the disposal of your carcass instead of having this face-to-face right now. Think about that for a moment. So until I decide what to do with you, I recommend you shut . . . your . . . mouth.”

Digesting this, Harrison studied Kirk quietly for a moment before replying. “Oh, Captain, are you going to punch me again? Over and over until your arms weaken and you can’t raise them high enough to hit me anymore? Clearly you want to. You so desperately want to. So tell me—there is one thing I am very curious about. Why did you ‘allow’ me to live? Why do you continue to do so?”

It was a valid question, Kirk knew.

“We all make mistakes.”

“No.” Harrison looked away, thoughtful.

“Why did you surrender to me? You could have killed me. For that matter, you could have let the Klingons kill me and my companions and maintained your refuge on Qo’noS. At least, you could have until Mr. Sulu unleashed the waiting volley of torpedoes.”

That observation generated an unexpected smile that did not last long, as Harrison grew serious once again. “I surrendered to you because, despite your attempt to convince me otherwise, you seem to have a conscience, Mr. Kirk.” His tone became almost familiar. “If you did not, then it would be impossible for me to convince you of the truth. And it is imperative that I convince you of the truth.”

Kirk hesitated. This was not the reaction he was expecting, this confession hinting at something akin to camaraderie. It simultaneously repulsed and intrigued him.

“What ‘truth’? What are you babbling about?”

“23174611. Coordinates not far, spatially speaking, from Earth. If you want to know why I did what I did, if you can find room in your head and heart for more than just a primitive, animalistic desire for revenge, go and take a look.” He smirked. “Such a search would not be out of keeping with your overall mission statement. There would be no repercussions from Starfleet.”

Clever. The man facing him on the other side of the barrier was