The stasis grenade thrown by Osiris, with its physics-defying effect, instantly resolved the hostage crisis.
A pale blue energy field, like an invisible amber, firmly fixed the Klingon Soldier and the vulcan child outside of time.
Without further orders, Valerie and Jackie quickly moved forward.
They carefully avoided the edge of the stasis field; Valerie skillfully pried open the Klingon Soldier's rigid arm, while Jackie carefully held the small vulcan child, who had been held hostage, in his arms.
The child's body was light, its touch no different from a normal vulcan child, but the faint energy pulsations subtly flowing beneath his skin made Jackie feel as if he was carrying a precise energy container.
Maine and Dorio, meanwhile, roughly disarmed the klingon Commander, who had been subdued by Morris, and the other incapacitated soldiers, binding them securely with high-strength synthetic fiber rope.
"How is the child?" Kirk stepped forward quickly, looking concernedly at the vulcan child, whom Jackie had laid flat on a smooth rock.
The stasis field's effect had vanished as the device's energy depleted; the child had regained his breathing and faint vital signs, but remained unconscious.
Carol immediately knelt down and performed an examination with a portable medical scanner.
"Vital signs are stable; he's just frightened and mildly suffocated, temporarily unconscious," she reported, but then her brows furrowed, "Wait... his physiological signals... are very strange. Cell activity is extremely high, and his metabolic rate is far beyond that of a normal vulcan child, even continuously accelerating..."
Osiris' massive body approached, a slender probe arm extending from his wrist, its tip's sensor emitting an almost inaudible hum as it scanned the child's body at close range.
"It's not merely physiological acceleration," his synthetic voice stated, with an analytical calmness, "His body tissue has entered a deep resonance with the 'Genesis' energy in the surrounding environment.
The energy is catalyzing his growth process in a way that defies natural laws."
Doctor McCoy also walked over, his face pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
The closer he got to this child, the more restless Spock's Katra within him became; an indescribable pull almost made him lose his footing.
He endured the discomfort, took out his medical tricorder, and scanned; the data corroborated Carol's and Osiris' findings.
"James..." McCoy's voice was somewhat hoarse as he pointed to the complex brainwave patterns on the tricorder screen, "Look here... his brain... it's almost blank.
There's no formed memory data, no ripples from higher thought activity, only primitive brainwaves maintaining basic life functions.
This... this doesn't look like a brain with normal consciousness."
Kirk's heart sank. A blank brain?
Osiris' optical lens moved from the child to McCoy, then back to the unconscious child, a steady scarlet light flickering once.
"The logical chain points to a high-probability conclusion," his synthetic voice stated evenly, "Mr. Spock's remains were exposed to the core area where the 'Genesis Device' detonated. That energy, which reshapes matter and life forms, contained the laws of creation even in its destruction.
It may have reversed the biological clock of the remains and, using it as a template, initiated some kind of... 'reset' program."
He paused briefly, allowing everyone to digest the information.
"This individual possesses Mr. Spock's complete biological characteristics; he is a young Spock, reshaped by the 'Genesis' power.
However, his consciousness, memories, soul—or rather, his personality data as 'Spock'—have not returned with the reversal of his body.
This body is currently a pure, uninitialized biological vessel."
"A hollow shell..." Carol murmured.
At this moment, Kirk's eyes erupted with an incredulous light.
A hollow shell? No! This isn't a hollow shell, this is hope!
Spock's Katra, his soul, isn't it in "Bones" McCoy's body?!
"His body is... growing?" Kirk keenly grasped the key point, looking at Osiris and Carol.
"Yes, and at an extremely rapid rate," Carol said, pointing to the constantly fluctuating data on the scanner, "Influenced by the continuous resonance with the residual energy of Genesis, his cell division and differentiation processes are extremely accelerated. At this rate..."
She quickly calculated, "He might develop to the physiological state of an adult Vulcan within twenty-four to forty-eight standard hours."
Osiris added, his tone cautionary: "However, this accelerated growth is based on resonance with unstable planetary energy, which is unsustainable and even harmful.
If exposed to this environment for an extended period, when the planet's energy field fluctuates violently or decays due to excessive consumption or reaching a new equilibrium point, his body is highly likely to rapidly collapse from loss of energy support, manifesting as extreme aging and disintegration.
He must be taken away from Genesis as soon as possible after he completes his growth and his condition is relatively stable, to sever this dangerous resonant connection."
Kirk's thoughts instantly cleared: Wait for this "young" Spock's body to naturally grow to adulthood, then take him and the Enterprise away from Genesis, head to the Vulcan homeworld, and through an ancient ritual, return the Katra from McCoy's body to this renewed vessel!
This was far more realistic than searching for a cold corpse and praying for a miracle! Spock truly had hope of returning!
"We'll set up a temporary camp right here!" Kirk decided instantly, his voice slightly raised with excitement but quickly regaining his Commander's composure, "Maine, strengthen security, and guard the prisoners well.
Carol, Magos Osiris, continue to monitor his vital signs and growth data. McCoy... you hold on."
McCoy wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded, his gaze complex as he looked at the young, quiet, yet incredibly familiar face on the rock.
The Katra of Spock within him no longer conveyed mere restlessness; it seemed to also carry a subtle, inexpressible hint of anticipation.
Osiris' mechanical body turned to the rugged horizon, his sensors comprehensively scanning the surrounding environment.
"I recommend establishing the camp beneath the rock ledge seven hundred meters to the northwest; this terrain is favorable for defense, and its geological structure is relatively stable, less affected by energy turbulence," he provided the optimal solution based on data analysis.
"We'll do as the Osiris says," Kirk agreed, "We're moving. Quickly!"
Everyone quickly sprang into action. Maine's team was responsible for security and transporting supplies, while Jackie carefully carried Spock, still unconscious but whose body was already subtly growing under the energy's influence, towards the temporary camp location.