Hey Guys! Thanks so much for all your support and I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! :-) I generally ship Uhura/Spock but just thought this pairing was so irresistible and fun to write about! Thank you again and enjoy the chapter! :-) (note: I don't own anything and Star Trek into darkness isn't mine, obviously, just use stuff for reference)
The Enterprise had been sat in dead space for two days now. Engineering crew had been working tirelessly to make necessary repairs and fixtures to give them a fighting chance against Admiral Marcus.
The USS Vengeance was watching them from across the galaxy, locked on to their position and awaiting their next move, hidden within the blackness of space.
The crew were assembled on the bridge 'bright and early' as the Captain had asked of them yesterday.
Uhura stifled a yawn as she sat at her station, facing into the room. She observed everyone as the last few people entered the bridge. Worry was the general appearance. Anxious eyes watched Kirk as he paced about his chair, contemplative expression on his face and sighing to himself.
Spock stood, observing Kirk and intermittently watching Khan, who was standing at an angle to the bridge and the view-screen, looking out into space.
Spock had barely looked at her this morning. She couldn't blame him, all she could remember was shouting and the look of disdain in his expression.
An electric-like pulse ran down her spine as she recalled the presence of Khan last night, his words, her audacity. He suddenly looked over to her from across the room, a hint of something in his eyes, almost as if he had felt it too. Her attention was drawn away from him when the Captain spoke out.
"Tell me everything you know about that ship." Kirk addressed the temporarily allied-criminal. Khan slowly turned his head, taking his eyes off Uhura so he was facing the Captain.
"It's a Dreadnought-Class," he began, his resonate voice filling the room, "Twice as big, three times as fast and far more heavily armed." He stated "A real warship and resourcefully designed. The entire craft can be operated by one man if needs be."
"Well that's just great," Doctor McCoy pitched, sarcastically, "Y'know Jim, you really have a talent for knowing how to piss off the guy with the super-sized, super-tech spaceship." He rolled his eyes.
"Captain, if what Khan says is correct, then an attack on that ship would serve no purpose other than to cause us inevitable retaliation damage." Spock added, logically.
Kirk looked about the faces of his crew for a moment, processing all their comments.
Uhura thought as she stood up and stepped toward the deck.
"Sir," She began, "If we can't attack from the outside, maybe it would be possible to get aboard their ship somehow, stop them from within?" All attention was on her.
"Good," Khan complimented her, his eyes heated, "Finally someone providing a useful contribution." He stressed as he eyed Spock and McCoy. Uhura had to stop herself from almost blushing.
"Well it would be good, except we don't have enough power for transporter abilities." Kirk reminded them, "And I don't see any other way in." He shook his head and silence fell again. Spock looked at Uhura analytically.
"Everyone dismissed for now," the Captain disbanded them, "Except Spock and Mr. Chekov; you guys come with me to engineering."
The bridge emptied quickly of most of the personnel, everyone returning to their stations for work. Uhura sat at her computer, analysing the frequencies and checking all readings were nominal and that no one was trying to contact them.
At the moment, her job was fairly quiet. She set the switches at stationary and sat back in her chair. She could feel Khan staring at her but she was uncertain of his whereabouts. Rising to her feet, she removed her earpiece and confidently walked to the turbo-lift without looking back on the bridge.
Surely enough, Khan followed her, effortlessly moving across the deck and entering the lift, just as the doors slid shut behind him.
"I saw him watching you." Khan purred as the lift transported them through the ship. "Have you acted on what I suggested?" He said forwardly. Uhura stared ahead, irritated at his prying.
"Why do you do this?" She sprang the question on him as it dawned on her, "All you've done is try and manipulate me." She turned to face him, standing as tall as she could, "What do you want from me?" She sneered at him.
His head was turned, looking down at her and slowly, without breaking his watchful gaze, he moved to face her squarely. His trademark smirk graced his lips and Uhura was beginning to despise it.
"I want you to utilise all that intelligence you have," His low tones rumbled, "A woman as smart as yourself is capable of being so much more than a Lieutenant," His gaze intensified, "You deserve recognition for your efforts, you deserve to broaden your horizons."
She eyed him carefully, unsure of the reasoning behind all of this.
"You deserve someone who will value you." He breathed, inching forward, "In every way." His dusky voice ran through her.
Uhura searched his face, waiting for the smirk to appear and trying to figure out if he was serious.
The turbo-lift doors opened and she immediately broke their stare and walked away, leaving him standing there and her thinking of everything he had just said, and all the things he hadn't said.