Vehemence

Chapter 18

***

"Were you able to distinguish what those are?" Kirk asked, glancing at Spock. "No. They seem to be the reason why the data about Zoch'n was blank. Explorers were never able to go there without being ambushed." Spock says.

"They weren't able to detect the enterprise when we went down at the opposite side of Zoch'n, Scotty can beam us down there then fly some shuttles over to the other continents." Jim says, planning with Spock, Bones, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, and security personnel from the engineering department,

"Bones, I need you to prepare the med bay, rooms, we're taking back all the humans stranded in that planet."

"What?" 

"You heard me."

***

Z'ochn

"Borra, sir, we may have found out why your father's crew were captured when they voyaged out the land. This was never an uninhabited planet, sir. We need to bring you back to Earth." Kirk explained. 

Borra looked at Kirk worriedly, "This was home..."

"I know, sir, but it was the wrong home."

They managed to convince everyone to be beamed back to the ship, leaving Kirk and his crew on the small village. "I want everyone to know that break is not within our choices. We need to keep going. All phasers are set to stun." He shouted, and everyone just nodded as a response.

"Spock, we're going to do the same thing we did with the Romulans so we can find Lany," Kirk says, turning his head a bit to look at Spock, "We'll try to hold everyone back so you can go find her."

Spock didn't say anything, he just gave Kirk a quick nod. "We are getting ourselves killed." Muttered Bones under his breath. "It's a rescue operation." Jim says, tilting his head a bit to the left. "Spock, I think Lany will be where the leader is. We'll try to catch up to you but if it takes too long, I know you can do it. Order him to shut down all weapons so Sulu can bring the enterprise over and Scott can easily beam everyone back up."

Spock just remained silent, nodding at everything Kirk is saying. "You okay?" Bones asked, "I suppose." He says and they all fell silent. Kirk sighed, "She'll be fine, Spock. Don't worry." 

***

They anxiously walked through the tall conifers, carefully and tightly holding their phasers. They started exchanging fires with the Z'ochns, successfully stunning a few of them. "Come on, we need to get closer." Jim says, sneaking closer to the fallen Z'ochns. "Go, Spock. I still have your back." He says, raising both his eyebrows at Spock. 

Spock cautiously walked to a Z'ochn, placing his hand on its face to look for Lany while Jim and the others stunned the other Z'ochns trying to get near Spock. "I know where they are." He says, standing up. "Go." Kirk nodded.

"No, we need to go. There are too many of them there, going alone is not the best idea." He said, "Go with him, Jim. There are a lot of red shirts here, we can manage." Bones said, looking at Jim before docking to avoid being shot, "Just hurry up." He added.

The two got on their way while the other followed them so they'd have their backs. They busted the metal door open, revealing more Z'ochns which they immediately shot. "Go find her, I'll clear the path." Jim panted and Spock nodded.

Spock ran through the dark hall, the sound of Jim's phaser becoming more and more muffled as he went farther inside. He opened another door and he immediately got thrown to the floor. He got tackled by the Z'ochn, causing his phaser to slide, his eyes followed his phaser to the foot of a large glass tube where he spots Lany, unconscious and connected to wires. He tried to squirm and hit the Z'ochn as hard as he can and immediately ran to the tube.

"STOP!" The Z'ochn shouted. Spock turned, astounded, asking how he knew English. "I learned. When we captured an enterprise like the one you brought, I learned." The Z'ochn said, getting up. "The captain of that enterprise you captured exactly 72 years ago, what did you do to him?"

The Z'ochn let out a chuckle, his deep voice echoed in the room. "Don't open that!" The Z'ochn shouted at Spock when he was about to break the tube open. He ignored him and was going to break the glass when the Z'ochn spoke again, "Do that and you'll kill her." The Z'ochn says, walking over to a computer. 

"SHUT IT DOWN." Spock ordered, anger bubbling up in his system. "I cannot. She is in the process of becoming one of my people," He says, "Once the process is complete, she's reborn. She will not remember anything in her life." 

Spock, outraged, immediately picked up his phaser and without thinking, he stunned the Z'ochn to which he realized he still had to shut off all weaponry. He placed his hand on the Zochn's face to try to find out how to work the system and after a few minutes, he was able to successfully shut down the system.

"Doctor McCoy." He called through his communicator.

"Spock, did you find Lany?" 

"I need you to listen very carefully, I need you to go back to the Enterprise, prepare med bay for a patient in an induced coma —"

"W-wait, induced — induced coma?  Why? What happened? Is Lany okay?"

"I will explain everything later, doctor. Tell Sulu to bring the enterprise to this side of the planet. I've successfully shut down their power."

Spock sat next to the tube, leaning his head back on the glass. 

"I was not even able to tell you how sorry I am." He whispered. 

"Spock, we're ready." Bones said through his communicator. "Beam me up in 5 seconds, that should be enough time to break this glass." Spock says, looking for something hard enough to break the glass open. Scott began counting down, Spock took a deep breath before looking at Lany, "You will be alright."

He broke the glass open, immediately catching Lany in his arms, "Now." He ordered and a few seconds later, he got to the enterprise. He immediately placed Lany on the hospital bed and two nurses pushed the bed to med bay while he followed with Bones.

"Spock, you cannot be here. I'll take care of Lany." Bones said, gently pushing Spock out. "Just try to save her." He said, not even trying to hide his nervousness anymore. "We will, Spock."