Author's Note: No news, no updates, just a warm hello from me to all you beautiful and lovely readers out there!
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek! All rights belong to JJ Abrams (movie references) and Gene Roddenberry (TOS references). Again, if there's any grammatical errors or mistakes you find I do apologize and I hope you can forgive me! Happy reading everyone!
Jim and Leonard led Spock over to one of the couches as Jaylah brought forward what Leonard could only guess were medical supplies, but they were only what he had seen in museums and in his history books as he displayed them all out in front of him. Leonard started to look over each one, recognizing and separating some that looked like it was still in working condition. As Leonard attempted to tinker with a few of the other equipment Jim went over to cater to Spock with Scotty handing over a cushion for his head.
"All right. Lie down. Come on." Jim grabbed for Spock's hand to carefully lower the injured Vulcan down onto the couch. "There you go." When Spock was in a comfortable position Leonard watched as Jim leaned closer to their First Officer. "How are we gonna get out of this one, Spock? We've got no ship, no crew. Not the best odds."
"We will do what we have always done, Jim." Spock assured though his voice quivered from the pain. Spock had addressed the Captain by his first name, an unusual action when it came to Spock. "We will find hope in the impossible."
"Let's get you patched up first, okay?" Jim nodded as he turned back to Leonard before Spock grabbed for Jim's arm to prevent him from leaving, bringing the Captain's attention back on him.
"No, Captain." Spock shook his head. "You must focus your efforts on helping the crew."
"Well, that's why I need you around, Spock." Jim said, not catching the glance that his CMO and First Officer shared as Jim turned back to look at Leonard in hopes for some good news, to see if he found anything that could help with Spock's wound.
"These things are from the dark ages." Leonard said as he shrugged his shoulders just as Spock let out a sharp exhale in pain.
"Bones." Jim motioned for Leonard to simply continue his work, anything that could help lessen Spock's pain he would take.
"I'm pretty sure this is a protoplaser." Leonard guessed as Spock started to cough. "Should stop the internal hemorrhaging." Leonard lifted Spock's shirt and held the device up to his wound. "At least that's my hope."
"The miserable have no other medicine. But only hope." Spock quoted as Jim and Leonard shared a look.
"Death's door and he's quoting Shakespeare." Leonard commented as he went back to holding the device to Spock's wound. "Jim, who else have you found."
"I was with Chekov when we landed on Altamid. Jaylah had come across Scotty and Khan." Jim listed off those who were on this ship with them.
"Thank god he survived." Leonard commented, a bit sarcastically, but relieved nonetheless.
"No sign of Ally…" Jim looked to Leonard before glancing down to Spock. "or Nyota."
"And Carol?" Leonard asked, still keeping his eyes on his work but not before seeing from the corner of his eyes Jim shake his head. "Then we can only hope that they're together. Keeping each other sane and safe."
"We need to find them…" Jim whispered as he went to sit on the ground, patiently waiting for a positive reassurance from Leonard to say that he got Spock's hemorrhaging under control.
"And we will find them," Khan, having heard the news from Scotty that it was Spock and Leonard who were on the other end of the frequency that they had picked up, quickly made his way to the mess hall. He had been watching Leonard work, saw the exchange that went on between the superior officers before deciding to intervene. Pushing himself off the side of the entrance as he came to join them by the couch. "even if we have to burn this whole planet to the ground."
"There." Leonard said as he looked down at his chopped up work after using such prehistoric equipment, though Leonard will admit, for such an old and fossilized equipment? It got the job done. "That should hold until we can get you to a proper medical station with equipment that I'm more accustomed to. You just need to make sure you rest, take it easy, and not overdo it like you had been."
Spock was about to argue, until Jim cut in and urged his First Officer to rest up. Promising that they would include him in their discussion once he had gotten a few moments to rest, only then would he share with his First Officer what they had discovered.
Leonard had gotten up from his kneeling position, his knees and back cracking as he let out a groan. The rocky transportation wasn't helping diminish that feeling either. Leonard had dusted off his hands before turning to where the augment was standing.
"Well, it's good to see that you made it off the ship." Leonard chuckled, lifting his hand up and patting Khan on the arm. The augment simply stared back at the Doctor, but Leonard could see how Khan's body was coiled and tense the second his hand came into contact with Khan's arm. Ever composed, yet inside Khan was a big ball of emotions just as he was due to Allyson being one of the few who was still missing. "I'd hate to see the look of devastation on Ally's face if you hadn't survived."
"Shame, I thought I'd finally get Allyson to myself for once." Khan commented, though Leonard didn't take it seriously, it was just a friendly exchange between the two men as Leonard had learned through the years, and it only solidified his assumption that there was no harm behind his words when Khan smirked. These two men were concerned and just wanted to see their Mate returned to them safely. "The same goes for you McCoy, I had been concerned about someone of your…stature not making it past the first onslaught from our enemy."
"For your information, I was doing just fine. We even commandeered one of their ships." Leonard glared at Khan.
"And where is it now?" Khan asked as Leonard huffed.
"...I crashed it." Leonard mumbled as Khan chuckled.
"You? Flying a ship?" Khan turned to walk away as Leonard fumed, following the man back where he came from. "No wonder it crashed."
"Smartass."
"We should wait until we're absolutely sure." Scotty argued.
When Spock had been well rested, cleared to move around by Leonard that his wounds would not cause a hindrance…for now, the group had reconvened back on the bridge of the Franklin. They were trying to come up with a plan to rescue and bring back the stranded crew. They had the coordinates to do so, but the problem was that they couldn't come to a compromise on a full proof plan. Half wanted to get the crew back immediately while the other knew that there were problems that could arise if they just went to the coordinates without a plan.
"No, we have to get the crew back now." Jim argued. "Chekov has the coordinates that can lead us to Krall's base, so we go!"
"With respect, sir, how do we know that Krall was at the base when she called him?" Scotty pointed out. "Even if he was, we don't know that the crew is even with him."
"Or if they're even still alive." Leonard argued as he anxiously bit the nail on his thumb. "Or how many are still alive…"
"You two said that Ally's not dead," Jim argued. "I haven't felt anything to what you had explained three years ago and neither has Spock. If those three are fine, we can assume that the crew is alive as well. Ally would've made sure of it."
"Yes, but we don't know for sure if there's more of our crew with them." Khan stated from where he stood. "That's not how Marks work, Kirk. They're not tracking devices, it's based on feelings. We can't use them to coincide with the coordinates to confirm that Ally is indeed there."
"We know Ally's alive, that's all." Leonard argued. "But that's not enough proof to go storming head first into Krall's base."
"Mister Chekov, can you reconfigure the search parameters in order to compensate for this formula?" Spock asked as he went over to the console that first picked up their own communicator transmission.
"Aye, Commander," Chekov cleared his throat as he went over to check what exactly Spock had in mind. "but what is this formula?"
"It is Vokaya, Mister Chekov." Spock answered. "A mineral unique to Vulcan which emits low-level radiation."
"We will have to filter out all other energy emissions." Khan responded, typing into the screen just behind the two men as Chekov went over to repeat the formula he had seen Spock type out to Khan.
"Spock, what the hell would a Vulcan mineral be doing way out here?" Leonard asked.
"Where are you going with this?" Jim was skeptical, not following what Spock had in mind, and he had to agree that Leonard had a point. What was a Vulcan mineral doing on Altamid?
"Lieutenant Uhura wears a Vokaya amulet which I presented to her as a token of my affection and respect." Spock stated as Leonard looked at Spock in disbelief at what he was hearing.
"You gave your girlfriend radioactive jewelry?" Leonard simplified what Spock had said, staring at the Vulcan in disbelief.
"The emission is harmless, Doctor." Spock stated. "But its unique signature makes it very easy to identify."
"…you gave your girlfriend a tracking device…" Leonard nodded his head with his brows furrowed, trying to wrap his head around what he was hearing causing everyone to turn and look at Spock for his reaction. The Vulcan, for a second, was stumped over what Leonard had pointed out.
Spock had opened his mouth, at a loss for words, before replying to Leonard. "That was not my intention."
"I'm glad he doesn't respect me." Leonard mumbled, a slight smile tugging at his lips, as he turned away to share a look with Jim who also seemed to be hiding his smile at the predicament Spock had walked into along with Leonard's banter and tease.
"It does come in handy in times like these." Khan commented as he continued to monitor the screens, waiting patiently for the results. "Maybe Allyson should consider the same."
"She'd chew your head off." Leonard whispered. "If I see a necklace on her neck, I will tell her you gave her a tracking device."
Just as the computer was close to pinpointing the Vokaya mineral, Leonard and Khan felt a surge of emotion bubble over. A sense of determination, outrage, a murderous intent seizing their body before a blanket of protectiveness enveloped them from head to toe. Khan had turned to look to Leonard just as the doctor did, the two men staring at each other and without any exchange of words they knew they were feeling the exact same thing. Before any could voice their concern soon after a singular thought crossed their mind. So loud that Leonard almost reached up to hold his hands over his ears at how loud it sounded, as if someone had screamed it close to his eardrums.
'Don't you dare touch them!'
Instead of looking at the screen when the computer behind Khan pinged to life, the attention of everyone gathered on the bridge turned to look at Leonard and Khan who were taken to the ground by an unknown force. Both men felt like they were being suffocated, their bodies were paralyzed by something that was beyond their control as they felt an intense burn originating from the back of their necks.
"Bones!" Jim called out in alarm as he went over to his friend who had painfully rolled himself onto his back. Leonard's vision was going in and out of focus as the veins on his neck protruded, attempting to even out his breathing.
"Mister Khan!" Chekov was able to catch Khan as the augment had attempted to get back to his feet and with the help of Chekov he was able to lean against the console for support.
"What is happening to them?" Jaylah asked in a panic after having witnessed the two men writhing in pain on the ground.
Momentarily, the pain had subsided, giving Khan enough time to get back to his feet. "I'm going to kill that man!" Khan was able to get out before letting out a loud groan as another wave of electricity coursed through his body. The augment slammed his fist against the wall beside the monitor creating an indent into the metal. He tried to ride out the pain as the intensity increased for the both of them.
When suddenly, the pain had stopped. Instantly the two men were released from the spell that captured their body as exhaustion replaced the pain.
"Easy, Bones. Easy." Jim advised as Leonard forced his body to move, turning over and kneeling to catch his breath before attempting to get back to his feet. Leonard though was unable to stand, as his legs wobbled causing him to collapse under his weight, thankfully Jim was there to catch him.
"That was Ally," Leonard gasped as Jim eased him back to sit and rest. "whatever that was…it had to have come from Ally. I'm sure of it."
"Is she…?" Jim asked as Leonard shook his head, glaring at the ground in front of him as he recalled the pain he had just gone through.
"She's alive." Khan responded, growling as he took deep even breathes. "Krall. He did something to her."
"What was that?" Jaylah had leaned over to ask Scotty. "Who is this 'Ally'?"
"Ally, our Second in Command." Scotty was concerned after witnessing such an ordeal. "They must've done something to her." "How did-"
After the sudden scare, they were able to finally hear the notification coming from the computer Khan was working on as all attention then turned to what the screen had picked up on.
"Huh." Chekov read the screen, being slightly weary of the augment who continued to glare at the screen they were waiting on. "I am detecting a wery trace amount of Wokaya."
"Does the location match the coordinates you acquired from Kalara, Mister Chekov?" Spock asked as Jim assisted Leonard to his feet as they came closer to the screen.
"It is a match, sir." Chekov confirmed.
Steadily, Khan had regained his composure, glaring at the screen as it showed where the radiation was coming from, pulsating around a singular location. 'Hold on just a little longer Allyson. We're coming for you…'
"Its presence suggests that Lieutenant Uhura and thereby the rest of the crew are being held at Krall's base of operation." Spock concluded as he turned to Jim.
"Can you beam them out?" Jim asked either Scotty or Chekov.
"No, sir. There is some geological interference that is blocking the transporter signal." Chekov delivered the bad news.
"Well, I guess we're gonna have to go in and break them out the old fashioned way." Jim whispered to Leonard who leaned against the console to momentarily catch his breath. Leonard wasn't like Khan, that wave of electricity was too intense to quickly bounce back from.
"You cannot go to this place." Jaylah interjected her opinion while the men were planning their next course of action. When the group turned to look at the woman, Jim had taken note that Jaylah looked uncomfortable as her arms were protectively wrapped around her. "Everyone who goes there, he kills."
Jim stepped away from Leonard, advancing onto Jaylah and a bit in disbelief himself that they had been searching, planning on how to find Krall and his men…locating where his crew, his Mate, was located. Only for Jaylah to have known all along where he was camped out at?
"You've…you've been there? You've seen it?" Jim asked.
"Well, why didn't you say something, lassie?" Scotty asked Jaylah.
"Because I know you will ask me to take you there." Jaylah's voice quivered, choked as she swallowed the lump in her throat to clear up her airway. "If your friends are there, then they will die, just like my family. And I will not go back to that death place!"
"Aye, but if you escaped, then you can show us the way in and the way out." Scotty reasoned before Jaylah turned her body to face Scotty, fear evident in her eyes as she began to recall the fateful day of her escape.
"No! This is not the deal we made, Montgomery Scotty." Jaylah argued before turning back to Jim. "If you choose to do this, you are on your own."
"Wa-" Scotty reached out for Jaylah as she stormed away in anger. "Wait."
"Let her go." Jim called out to Scotty, it was a lost cause to ask for help from Jaylah...or so Jim thought, before Scotty turned back to Jim pleadingly.
"She's lost people, too, Captain." Scotty pointed out as he followed Jaylah closely behind.
Jim turned to look at Bones, then to Spock, before nodding his head as the three started to converse. There was nothing more they could do but simply plan a way to infiltrate the base without holding on to the hope that Jaylah would offer them her assistance. It's best to have multiple plans instead of placing all their hope on just one individual who seemed hell bent on not helping them sneak in.
After a few minutes of the men talking, without anyone noticing, Khan had slipped away and quietly went in the direction that Jaylah and Scotty scuttled off to.
In one of the rooms, back where they had previously been tinkering on the machinery of the ship's interior, Scotty had followed Jaylah closely, insistent on speaking to the woman to ask for help. Jim may not see it, but this woman was their only hope getting their crew…their friends out of that death trap alive.
While Jaylah was making herself busy with her attention on her weapon, Scotty had pulled up beside the woman and even if she wouldn't speak to him he needed to say what was on his mind.
"Look, that's our friends out there, lassie. Alright? We cannae just leave them behind." Scotty said as Jaylah continued to give her weapon a checkover. "Now, we-we could really use your help. We-" Scotty started to stammer, losing hope every second as he watched Jaylah continue to ignore him. "We just need you to be brave, is all."
"When we were in that place," Jaylah started to speak, not sparing Scotty a glance as she thought back to her younger days. "Krall would come and take someone. There were screams. I can still hear them." Jaylah's voice broke, remembering the screams of her family, her friends…the horrors they were exposed to and the fear of not knowing if the next day was going to be their last. "And we would not see that person again. We did not know who would be next."
Khan had been staying in the shadows, when he had first arrived he was hell bent on forcing the woman to cooperate just so he could get Allyson back, but instead he began to listen to the conversation between the two engineers. As much as he wanted to just barge his way in and interrupt the two, he left the job of convincing the woman in Scotty's capable hands…he was more of a people person then Khan was.
Khan's advanced hearing picked up the sound of a second pair of footsteps quietly coming up from behind him. He knew it was Kirk who had joined him at his side as Khan motioned for the man to remain silent to allow Scotty to talk to the woman they've only known a few hours longer than Kirk had.
"My father planned an escape. But we were seen by the one they call Manas. My father fought him so I could get out." Jaylah's voice wavered, sounding on the verge of tears once more as she told Scotty all that transpired that fateful day that she escaped. "He was brave and Manas killed him." Scotty placed his hand over his mouth, it's what people tended to do when they weren't comfortable with what they were hearing coming out from the mouth of the person they were talking to. "What you want is impossible."
"Look, maybe it's not. Alright." Scotty steels himself as he leaned closer to Jaylah, leaning onto the large piece of equipment that had scattered parts all over the surface, to whisper to Jaylah. "My wee granny used to say, 'Ya canna break a stick in a bundle'." Jaylah scoffed at the phrase as she did not quite understand what he was getting at, but that did not deter Scotty from the point he was trying to make. "But you're part of something bigger now, lassie. Alright? Dinnae give up on that. 'Cause we'll sure as hell never give up on you. That is what being part of a crew is all about."
"Is that what you believe in, James T.?" Jaylah called, having sensed his presence the second he had gotten close to hear their conversation.
"All I know is that we stand a better chance with you." Jim stated.
Jaylah turned to look back at Scotty, her resolve on not helping them vanishing as she took Scotty's words to heart. Jaylah reached across the makeshift table in front of her and gathered a few things before making her way back to the bridge to join back with the others, brushing past Jim and Khan on her way back.
"Khan," Scotty jumped when Khan had emerged from his hiding spot. "were you just going to stand in the shadow when you followed us?"
"I would've used force, if necessary, if Jaylah hadn't agreed to willingly help us." Khan honestly stated as he looked down at Scotty. "Jaylah, in the short time we've known her is a brilliant engineer and a great fighter, yet her fear was holding her back from being something more. Though she is quite clever and has been a most gracious host, I would not put her feelings above the safety of Allyson." Khan turned his back on Scotty and started making his way back to the bridge. "At least the outcome leaned in our favor."
"You would threaten me to save this 'Ally'." Jaylah had stepped out from a room to the side, having taken a slight detour to gather more things to assist in their planning, and stared up at Khan as they met in the hallway. "Who is she?"
"My Mate." Khan stated as he maneuvered his body around Jaylah. "If I had known you knew the location of where she was being held. I would've forced you by any means necessary to take us there."
"He would've killed you." Jaylah glared at the back of Khan's head causing the augment to scoff at such a statement.
"I'd like to see him try. I would've forced my way in, leaving destruction in my wake, if they stood in my way to get to my Mate." Khan proclaimed as he walked onto the bridge, noting that Jaylah had shoved against him and walked further past him back to the mess hall.
That conversation ended there as Jaylah went about placing the things she had gathered onto the table in the mess hall. And while she worked, she had chanced a glance back at Khan who was staring off to the side in thought, clearly bothered and irritable. Though he didn't show it as usual, Khan was incredibly worried about Allyson, and judging by the way he steadily tapped his finger on his arm he was anxious to get her back. Jaylah understood the fury of a Mate, her father and mother were a Mated pair…and she saw what it did to her father when her mother had died. Though she didn't want to go back there, she had to trust these people she barely knows, trust that what Scotty said to be true.
"The digging machines uncovered a tunnel that goes into the crater." Jaylah explained as she placed half of a cylinder, the last piece to make the picture clear, on her map that she had created to show the large expanse that led up to Krall's base. "That's how I got out."
"So that'll be our way in." Jim circled the table that everyone was now crowded around, all staring intently down at the map as they listened to Jim as he laid out their plan. "An away team will beam to the other side of the tunnel, follow it to Krall's base, get inside the building and break out the crew."
"Uh, Captain, we cannot lock onto anyone inside the crater in order to beam them out." Chekov reminded Jim before Scotty intervened.
"Oh, I could rig up pulse beacons as pattern enhancers. That'd get the signal out of the crater." Scotty gave the solution to the main problem.
"All right." Chekov nodded.
"How many people can the Franklin transport at a time?" Jim asked.
"With some modification, 20 people max." Khan was the one to respond instead of Scotty, the augment having been staring intently down at the map displayed in front of them as Scotty nodded his head in agreement.
"But we cannae know for sure how long it would hold out." Scotty finished.
"Bones, Mister Chekov, Jaylah, you're with me on the away team." Jim assigned each person their roles. "Mister Scott and Khan, you two will modify the transporter and then do everything you can to get this ship operational."
"Captain, Mister Chekov's technical acumen makes him more valuable aboard the Franklin with Mister Scott and Khan." Spock, to Jim's surprise, was the one to argue against his orders. Jim was actually prepared to butt heads with Khan when Jim said that he wouldn't be part of the away team to retrieve Allyson. "It is thereby logical that I would replace him."
"Why is that logical, Spock?" Jim shook his head. "You just got back on your feet."
"Lieutenant Uhura is in that facility, Jim." Spock gave his only reason for wanting to go there, and though it was logical that as a Mate he would want to be there to rescue her himself, Jim had to voice his concern.
"Ally's down there as well," Jim pointed out, nodding to where Khan was standing as steel blue eyes turned up to stare back at Jim the second he heard his Mates name along with feeling a pair of eyes on him. "yet Khan hasn't voiced against my decision."
"That's because I'm not the only Mate Allyson has." Khan turned his eyes to the man that stood between Spock and Jim. "I trust the good Doctor to bring her back unharmed."
"You're still injured, Spock-" "I'll keep an eye on him." Leonard cut Jim off as the man turned to look at his friend and Captain, only for Jim to let out a sigh. "Understood."
"But his soldiers are everywhere." Jaylah pointed out another problem. "We won't pass unseen."
"What we require is a diversion." Spock stated as Jim looked to be in thought before a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I think I have an idea." Jim went over to Jaylah's side, the two conversing together while Khan walked leisurely over to Leonard.
"McCoy." Khan reached out to stop Leonard from following Jim in order to listen and go over the away teams plan of infiltration. "As much as I want to be a part of the away team, I have no other choice but to remain here to assist Mister Scott to get this ship to fly."
"Did you stop me to ask to trade places with me on the away team?" Leonard quirked his brow at the augment who only shook his head.
"You could not offer any help on this ship if you stay behind." Khan stated
"I think you just insulted me." Leonard grumbled as Khan simply stared back at the man.
"Repairs would go much faster if I remained here, Kirk made the right choice in allowing Chekov to remain on the Franklin to assist us. Our three minds can get this contraption to fly, or attempt to fly." Khan and Leonard held eye contact as Khan's lips pulled into a thin line as he thought over his words. "Leonard, you make sure you bring Allyson back. Kill any of those bastards that stand in your way." Khan tilted his head when Leonard failed to respond. "You will deliver my message for me, won't you?"
"They'll hear it loud and clear." Leonard huffed as he reached out to slap Khan on the shoulder, a proud smile plastered on his face. "We're on a first name basis now, are we? Ally would be so proud with how far we've come."
"A slip of the tongue I assure you." Khan turned his back to Leonard and went back over to where Scotty was already starting on figuring out how to modify the transporter before throwing one last thing over his shoulders. "Don't go dying either, McCoy."
"Never knew you cared for my well being as well." Leonard teased only for Khan to send one last deathly glare in Leonard's direction.
The second that Jaylah safely got into position, with the help of Jim's distraction, inside one of the tunnels she had activated her pulse beacon. From behind her Spock and Leonard had materialized with their weapons primed and ready for anything that awaited them.
"This way." Jaylah urged the two officers as she stealthily kept to the shadow that the base provided, being careful to avoid any of Krall's men as Jim continued to distract them using the smoke like substance that Jaylah had used in her traps. The substance hardened and created an impenetrable wall to protect them from the oncoming return fire coming from the worker drones.
Jaylah had urged Leonard and Spock to stick close to her as more drones came down the ramp from inside one of the bases to provide reinforcements against Jim and his attacks.
"Gotta admit, that's a hell of a distraction." Leonard mumbled before Jaylah pointed to Leonard's left.
"Your friends are over there." Jaylah said as she got up from her spot and went over to assist Jim.
When Jaylah had left the two, Leonard motioned for Spock to follow. "Come on."
They followed the direction Jaylah had pointed toward, making sure to keep low to the ground as the two men made their way to where their crew was located. Leonard, true to his word, kept a close eye on Spock, making sure to take it slow when he noticed the Vulcan would slightly double over in pain before picking up pace when Spock had recovered.
"Commander Spock! Doctor McCoy!" It was Sulu who was the first to notice them and immediately the two men picked up their pace as they raced toward where they saw Sulu and the crew encased in one area.
"Stand back." Leonard advised the crew who was just as eager to escape as they were in rescuing them. While Spock turned back around to keep on the lookout for any enemy that planned to sneak up on them, Leonard had pointed his phaser at the clamps that kept the gate shut. A single, calculated, fire caused the clamps to release one at a time before the door swung wide open. With the crew successfully free, Sulu had gone up to Leonard and Spock.
"Uhura and DeLuca, they took them." Sulu informed the two men, knowing full well that as the two women were their Mates they would want to know their whereabouts.
"Get the remainder of the crew to safety." Spock addressed both Sulu and Leonard, though hearing that Ally wasn't amongst them Leonard had slightly panicked. "Spock-" "I'll make sure to retrieve both Commander DeLuca and Lieutenant Uhura." "Spock-" "Doctor McCoy," Spock's hard stare silenced the worried Doctor from complaining. "I will make sure that Allyson makes it back to the Franklin."
It was a silent promise, Leonard knew Spock would indeed bring back Allyson alive along with Nyota, so Leonard put all his trust and faith in Spock as he watched the Vulcan leave. Leonard looked back to the crew and nodded, he needed to get them all safely back to the safety of the Franklin. "Come on, let's go! Move!"
"Stay in the circle." Sulu said as Leonard handed him one of the pulse beacons as he went over to survey the area, ushering the crew over to one of the circular platforms as everyone was on high alert and in fear of any oncoming attacks. "Come on! Hurry!" When the max amount of people were gathered, Sulu had then transferred over the device to one of the last crewmen to complete the max amount of people to be transported. They had pressed a button to send a signal back to the engineers that were monitoring the console back on the Franklin.
Once Chekov and Khan received the coordinates for where the crew would be located they were able to start transporting crewmen in groups of twenty max back to the Franklin. With Leonard coordinating carefully on his end, allowing a ten minute gap to allow the machine to recharge before he would get the confirmation from Scotty to begin preparing another group to escape.
Spock was carefully sneaking around the area of the base, heading toward the location that Sulu had implied that Nyota and Allyson were taken only to be overpowered by a couple of Krall's worker drones. If Spock had been functioning at a hundred percent, he would've been able to take down a couple men with ease, but with the wound in his side he was at a disadvantage. A few shots were fired before he was hit in the area where his wound was located causing him to take a tumble to the ground.
Spock knew he was in trouble, now more so than ever, and was prepared for the next shot to be the one to end him…until a body came ramming shoulder first into the worker drone that stood above him, successfully disarming them. As the newcomer went to retrieve the weapon, the soldier attempted to recover before something was smashed on the back of its head bringing the drone down to the ground.
The newcomer aimed the weapon down at Spock before the two recognized each other.
"Spock." Nyota smiled as she went over to help the fallen Vulcan to his feet as Allyson turned her attention away to allow the two Mates, who were on a break, some 'private' moments. "What are you doing here?"
"Clearly, I am here to rescue you." Spock said as Allyson heard the hint of strain in his voice and the way he had nestled his injured side.
"You're injured." Allyson noted before Spock shook his head. "It's not important right now." "What's the plan of escaping this place?" Allyson then asked Spock as she turned to look at the Vulcan.
"Back to where the crew was being held captive, Mister Scott is beaming back groups to the ship." Spock said as he led the small group forward with Nyota's support.
"We have a ship?" Allyson asked as they took off into a sprint.
"Found a ship…" Spock mumbled.
"Is everyone okay?" Allyson quizzed the Vulcan as they ducked behind one of the large boulders for momentary cover just as a shot was fired.
"Doctor McCoy and Khan are waiting eagerly for you to return to them." Spock replied knowing that even though Allyson was concerned for the crew as a whole, the reassurance that those two men were safe was what would've calmed her down.
Back with the rescue attempt, Leonard had managed to beam back almost all the crewmen that were being held captive, all that was left was himself and the last group standing around in the cover of the building. Leonard was waiting patiently to hear back from Scotty as well as for Spock and their Mates to return.
"McCoy," Khan's voice came through from Leonard's communicator. "Where is Allyson."
"She was taken by Krall with Lieutenant Uhura." Leonard responded.
"…care to repeat that, McCoy?" Khan's voice growled through his end.
"Spock had gone to get them, he's bringing them back, Khan!" Leonard attempted to ease the augment on the other end before he heard the sudden shuffle of fabric.
"Doctor! Ten seconds until the transporter's recharged." Scotty's voice came through after having successfully pushed Khan out of the way.
"Wait for my signal." Leonard responded. "Doctor!" "Dammit, man, we're not leaving without them!"
The sound of phasers going off was getting closer to where their group was waiting from what Leonard could hear as he strained to see through one of the building structures. The first face to show up over the rocks was Nyota, then Spock, and pulling up behind them while simultaneously returning the fire from the drones was Allyson…and Leonard couldn't help the smile that reached his face as he urged the remaining crew to move.
"Come on. Let's go. Move!" Leonard urgently started ushering the crew onto the platform as Spock, Nyota and Allyson met them halfway. "Move! Come on!"
"Leonard!" Allyson happily called out to the man the moment she saw his figure, firing back at the enemy behind her before jumping at Leonard, wrapping her arms around his neck as he caught her around the waist while his other hand holding the phaser fired at one of the soldiers that had taken aim right at his Mate. Leonard briefly placed a kiss to her cheek as his grip around her waist tightened. "Thank god you made it off the ship. When I got no readings that you were on the ship from my station I had thought the worst. Our bond was the only comfort I had that you were safe."
"Can't get rid of us that easily." Leonard chuckled as he continued to fire at any who dared to step close to the platform. "Khan wants you back on the ship immediately...damn near bit my head off when he demanded where you were. Gotta say, he was prepared to go to war after the little incident back on the ship."
"I can imagine." Allyson smiled as she saw some of Krall's drones sneaking up from behind them, she took the weapon she had stolen and shot without blinking an eye before looking back at Leonard. "What incident?"
"It's a long story…we'll tell you back on the Franklin." Leonard said as the group started to huddle closer together.
"The Franklin?" Allyson questioned as she slightly pulled away to look up to Leonard who shook his head though still with a smile on his face as he responded to her question. "Another long story."
From over the hill, Jim came flying over their heads as a brown mist came from the exhaust pipe of his ride. As he circled around the group the mist solidified and created a protective wall, separating them from their enemies' fire. While their eyes watched Jim circle the platform they were standing on their bodies started to dematerialize.
In a blink of an eye, Allyson had gone from standing in the center of Krall's base to what looked like a ship's transporter room. Their group was one of the last as they were quickly ushered off the platform to make room for the next beam up.
"Ally! Nyota!" Carol, who had been anxiously waiting for their return when Krall had taken them away, had stayed behind after being part of the first group to escape from Krall's base. She wanted to make sure with her own eyes that her friends had made it back alive.
Allyson had momentarily separated herself from Leonard as the three women gathered to embrace each other with tears prickling the corner of their eyes, they were happy to be alive and together once more.
"Where's Jim?" Carol asked as she took a glance around to the final group that arrived who were now in the process of moving out of the transporter room leaving just the three engineers, the three women, Leonard and Spock in the room waiting for the return of their captain.
"We're ready for you next, Captain. Just turn on your beacon." Scotty had called back to Jim.
"Scotty, do you have everybody?" Jim's voice came through as Scotty leaned forward onto the console.
"Aye, sir. Everyone except you and Jaylah." Scotty responded. "Hit the beacon and we'll grab you."
"Who's Jaylah?" Allyson asked as she came to stand beside Scotty.
"Captain, your beacon!" Scotty started to urge Jim and when they got no response Allyson turned to Scotty.
"What's going on, why isn't he responding?" Allyson asked as she attempted to get back into contact with their captain.
"I don't know, something must've happened." Scotty looked frustrated as he turned to Chekov. "Laddie, keep a close watch for those coordinates. Be ready for whatever that mad bastard's attempting to do."
It only took them a second to wait before their console started to flash, delivering them Jim's coordinates.
"There it is!" Chekov exclaimed as Scotty instantly reacted. "Energize."
Inside the transporter room Jim and Jaylah had materialized mid air before landing hard face down on the platform, the two groaning in pain on impact.
"Okay…" Jim gasped as Allyson and Leonard went over to assist them back to their feet, Leonard going over to Jim while Allyson went over to Jaylah. "let's never do that again."
"I agree, James T." Jaylah gasped as Allyson started brushing her down.
"Are you okay?" Allyson asked both Jim and Jaylah.
"Yeah, we're okay. Good to have you back Ally, was beginning to feel quite empty without my Second by my side." Jim smiled, quickly catching Carol who ran over to give Jim a quick hug before suddenly realizing he forgot something. "Ah! Ally. Jaylah. Jaylah. Ally."
"Hello." The two women voiced at the same time before Jaylah seemed to size up Allyson from the tip of her head down to her boots. "So, you are the one that Khan threatened harm to my life if I did not help."
"Excuse me?" Allyson asked in concern before turning at the exact moment Khan had called out her name. The brown haired woman glared at the augment as he strode up to her, ready to have a serious talk with the man for threatening another person's life. "Khan-"
Khan, in desperation, took a hold of Allyon's face the second he was close enough and crashed his lips onto hers, catching the woman by surprise. The passion, the desperation, how worried he was for her safety all flowing through from their bond. As well as the sudden public display of affection in the presence of their crew was alarming, but it was a warm welcome that just when Allyson was about to respond Khan had pulled away and bumped his forehead against hers.
"Hello to you too…Khan." Allyson was breathless, momentarily forgetting that she was going to scold Khan for threatening Jaylah as she stared back at Khan who had his eyes closed. Khan didn't care about anyone or anything that was going on around him. He was just relieved that Allyson was back and by his side, their side, once more.
Am I doing a good job? I hope I am...anyway! The boys...are now reunited with their Mate! I thought that that scene with Leonard and Khan now physically feeling what Allyson had felt in the previous chapter would show that even if I don't touch on their Marks often that their bond is getting stronger everyday. Or...that was my intention at least.
If you are enjoying yourself and my story: review, follow, and favorite! But it's not mandatory =) just knowing that you gave my story a chance, and decided to read my creation makes me incredibly happy! I hope everyone is continuing to stay safe out there wherever you may be in the world!
-SO