Portia reached her brother’s side before Kirk did, but there was nothing sororal in her as she confronted Horatio. “Why?! To kill your own comrades! Frame your sister! You knew, didn’t you?”

Horatio gave her a faint smile that seemed absolving, as backward as that was. “You… always said I was nosy. But… didn’t… matter. Only… defending Arcturus. Our sacred purpose.”

“We can be more than that! More than what they made us!”

His gaze became pitying. “Most beings… go their whole lives… not knowing their purpose. We are blessed to know from birth. We exist… to protect Arcturus. From ourselves if necessary.”

Kirk knelt before him. “Horatio. How does any of this protect Arcturus?”

“Our mission… our purpose must remain pure. To fight for our world and no other. Rakatheema threatened that. Wanted us to fight for others.” He refocused on Portia. “You threatened that. Wanted to fight for yourselves.” He sighed. “I am sorry, sister… but it seemed an elegant strategy. To remove both threats in one act. It was… blessed fortune… that my DNA could be so easily mistaken for yours.

“I gave him a chance. Went to him… tried to convince him. Wouldn’t bend. Insisted… dogma had to adapt to change. I… disagreed.”

He let out a shuddering sigh. “Thought my plan… so elegant. But no plan… survives contact with the enemy.” A faint laugh. “Should’ve known… not to go against you… sister. You are… a superior enemy.

“Once framing you failed… only one option left. Ensure we would not be exploited… for unholy purpose.”

McCoy looked up at Kirk and shook his head, wearing an expression Kirk had seen far too often over the years. There was nothing he could do to save Horatio.

But the cadet—the murderer—smiled beatifically. “They all understood. All… good soldiers. We were created… to die for the good of Arcturus. We… succeeded in our mission. I gave them that. Please, sister… comrade… make sure the rest of us… die too. All of us. For… Arcturus.”

Portia’s face was stony as she gently took Horatio’s head in her hands and lowered him onto her lap, paralleling Kayros with Benedick. Kirk peered past the heavy folds of skin into her piercing eyes, trying to understand what was going on behind them.

With a heavy sigh, Portia looked down at the brother she had grown up with but never known. “Good night, sweet prince,” she said…

… then snapped his neck.

Her face remained just as stony as the security guards led her away moments later. Kirk doubted he would ever know whether she had acted out of mercy or revenge.

Epilogue

Starfleet Academy