...Her eyes widened, mouth hanging agape. Then he was gone, becoming smaller and smaller as the rain finally won its battle against her struggling body, and wrenched her with glee into the darkness.

Uhura had always been under the presumption that when she died, all of her happiest and warmest memories would fill her mind. The endorphins those memories produced would make her numb to the fact that she was dying.

As she rolled, her hip violently scrapped against of the edge of a partially exposed boulder, gauging a raw cut into her skin and sending a line of pure fire through her body. She did not see any memories, she did not see the faces of her family.

Her Mama, her Papa. Not even her sister Makena, or her brother Kamau and his three beautiful children. She felt cheated.

Her mind was filled with panic. Sheer and unadulterated panic. She tried desperately to make herself focus. To analyse and assess the situation with the calmness she had always prided herself on. She forced her body to move, scissoring her legs as an attempt to slow her down...anything to stop her high speed decent towards her death.

She knew that at the bottom of this hill was a sudden cliff. The slope did not continue its decent until it reached level ground, a sudden drop off that was approximately eleven feet high. The cut into the side of the hill was another precautionary measure the Town's Authority had taken to ensure that no storm water would reach the important businesses situated directly below.

When she fell off that, she would die.

A very shameful scream ripped from her throat, her eyes squeezing shut as hot tears spilt from her tightly clenched eyes. Gouging her fingers into the muddy and saturated earth, Uhura forced the muscles in her arms to clench as tightly as possible, trying the pull herself upwards even as she was dragged physically downwards.

The earth broke away between her fingers, coating her hands with thick mud and water. Then she was spinning, her body rolling until she was flopped onto her back. Letting out a loud, angry scream, Uhura lifted up her knees and planted her heal as firmly as she could into the soil, causing a miniature landslide of mud and water to surge over her feet.

She slowed down slightly.

Encouraged, she put every ounce of strength she had into her knees. Pushing against the pull of gravity as hard as possible.

Another hidden boulder collided with her left foot, and the jarring impact sending her spinning horizontally until she was forcefully rolled onto her stomach. A strangled gasping scream tore from her throat, her hands grasping through the air uselessly as she tried to grip hold of the now exposed edge of the boulder. Her finger tips missed the dark rock by millimetres.

Her feet dropped over the edge. Uhura growled in frustration, digging her elbows into the edge of the hillside as hard as possible. For a moment she hung there, her legs dropping over the sheer edge, muddied water washing up and around her elbows, threatening to drown her as it beat upon her face.

And then the corroded edge gave way beneath her weight, and she plummeted over the edge.

A long, defeated scream emerged from her mouth as a drawn out whimper.

And then her body jerked violently.

The full weight of her 51 kilogramme frame bounced against her shoulder joint. A sound very similar to a hiccup burst from her throat, followed by a harsh intake of breath.

It took her a moment to realise she wasn't dead.

As soon as that thought registered in her mind, Uhura's head shot up. Her wide eyes locking onto the the object which had saved her from her fatal plummet. She expected to see her fingers gripped tightly around the edge of a rock or a branch.

Instead, as her eyes slowly followed the line of her arm upwards to her wrist, she focused upon a large pale hand curled around her skin.

Her mind had numbed to a shocked detachment, as such her eyes centred almost lazily upon that pale hand. She traced the long fingers to a wrist, then up a darkly clothed arm, to a shoulder, then a neck.

Finally she settled upon a face.

Her mouth dropped open, eyes widening with disbelief.

"Spock!"

In the darkness, his pale skin shone an almost ethereal white. The wind whipped his hair around him, battering against his grey regulation uniform. His face was the same as she had seen earlier, stoic and calm. He was looking at her as though he had simply met her by coincidence, his eyes showing none of the emotions that were usually present in such situations. Yet Uhura was sure that he must be feeling the panic that was racing through her. The desperateness.

Despite the fact she was hanging over a one hundred and thirty two inch drop, her body beaten and bruised and her emotions more jagged and erratic than she had ever felt in her twenty four years of life, there was a part of her mind that she had trained to examine and determine every aspect of alien behaviour. As it was, that aspect of her brain was forcing every article she had ever read on Vulcan mannerisms to the front of her thoughts. The skin of his hand was touching hers...and through his sensory telepathy, every emotion she was feeling would be transferring from her skin directly into his mind.

It made her terror shameful.

Her throat made a small sound, a whimper that turned into a cry of pain as she was suddenly and abruptly torn from her thoughts and lifted up into the air.

Her limp body dangled from Spock's hand as easily as if she were one of the small dolls her nieces played with.

He continued to lift her until her hips became level with the sharp edge of the cliff. Then, carefully, he removed his free hand from the firm grip it had in the thick mud, balancing both his and her weight easily upon his braced knee.

Reaching forwards slowly, as if he were attempting not to frighten her with any sudden movements, he hooked that free hand under her armpit, pulling her up and over the edge until her feet touched the tilted ground.

Instantly, the small rushing stream pushed determinedly at her feet. Trying desperately to knock her over once more. Her hands took firm holds of Spock's shirt, pulling the fabric tight around his arms. His own hands raised to cup her elbows, holding her upright against the push of the shallow yet impossibly strong water.

"Can you walk?" Spock asked. His voice only slightly raised over the dull howling of the wind. Uhura raised her eyes to stare at him, her mouth hanging open. She couldn't talk. The intense adrenaline that had slammed through her body when she had first fell was fading quickly. Her legs shook, the burn upon her right thigh flaring and screaming in agony. Her hip stung. Even through the heavy rain pelted against her, she could feel the warm heat of blood seeping from that wound. Soaking into her clothes to stick to her skin beneath her ruined trousers.

It took every ounce of strength she had left within her to remain upright. She tried once more to speak, her eyes watering as she stared at him pathetically, trying to voice what she could not say out loud.

He seemed to understand. Perhaps it was that extrasensory link? He dipped slightly, his hands momentarily releasing her to slide behind her knees and across her back. Then she was lifted up into his arms and pulled tightly towards his chest.

It was only sheer exhaustion that allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck and across his shoulder. He glanced down at her briefly, before looking carefully upwards towards the thin beam of light that was the Kiembeni Country Hotel. His eyes quick and calculating.

He then lifted the arm that was laced around her back slightly higher, forcing her arms to wrap tighter around his neck.

"Hold on"

Uhura just nodded, burying her face into the warm exposed skin of his neck. She felt Spock crouch slightly, his knees bent and poised.

Then, with only the smallest of jolts, they were moving.

It seemed like only seconds, yet she knew that it would have taken him at least minute and a half to ascend the twenty nine meter hill, but Uhura felt she had barely blinked before the far to bright glow of the hotel loomed above her.

Spock did not place her back onto her feet as they reached level ground. Instead he moved carefully and swiftly through the large metal gates that surrounded the hotel, up the concrete pathway and through the opened doors into the painfully harsh lights that adorned the main hallway.

Uhura groaned and squeezed her eyes shut, flinching against the harsh red glow that seeped through her eyelids.

There was a loud gasp from somewhere behind her, followed closely by the rapid clicking of female heels rushing across solid flooring.

"Juu mbinguni! Is she all right!?" A high female voice gasped. Uhura felt Spock shift slightly as he glanced around the area.

"Where is Commander Pike?" He asked. A small cool hand suddenly pressed itself firmly against her hip, and Uhura groaned in pain.

"He chased after that young man. She's bleeding! You need to lay her down!" The voice exclaimed.

"She requires immediate medial attention" Spock stated. The faceless woman scoffed and increased the pressure against Uhura's hip, eliciting another agony filled moan from the woman's lips. The sound muffled against Spock's neck.

"You think? Half her hip is missing!" The woman gasped. Uhura heard her heels clicking as she moved to look hurriedly around the hotels main hall, all the while keeping that painful pressure against her hip bone.

Uhura knew she was close to loosing consciousness. Her ears rang, sounds becoming muffles and distant. She felt light. Dizzy. Her thoughts seeming out of place, as if she was trying to hear herself through several layers of ice or heavy clothing. It was a peculiar and uncomfortable sensation.

She could feel Spock moving, the far away clicking of the unknown woman's shoes echoing from a great distance as they moved.

Spock was talking, making demands, his voice rumbling slightly as he did so. It seemed each step he took forced a ricochet of pain through her body. Long slow drawn out pulses of pressure that homes in on every place she hurt. The pressure moved upwards towards her head, beating in synchronisation with her heart. Each pulse pressed against her consciousness, forcing her further and further into that blessed darkness that promised relief from pain.

Her body went limp.

Her hands slipped from Spock's shoulders, dropping to fall limply to her side. Her head fell backwards, her thick matted hair falling from the ruined hood to dangle heavily towards the floor.

With only the smallest of sighs, Uhura fainted.


Even though he was not looking directly at her, Spock knew the exact second Uhura's consciousness disappeared.

The continuous and erratic sequence of thoughts and emotions that had transferred to him the moment he had gripped her hand with his own severed, a thin string that disappeared as though cut. The intensity of the sensory connection he had purposefully initiated had confused him.

He had not known why he had chosen to act upon instinct when he had first heard her cry for help. He had only intended to step out of the shelter given by the hotel in order to see if he could locate the young woman and offer her assistance. The weather had shown no change since the storm had reached its peak three hours before.

He had become concerned with Uhura's well being. He knew she would not choose to remain in the safety of what ever building she had returned to after the interview. It was a foolish choice, yet one he had expected her to make given her mental and physical evaluations. She would make a very beneficial addition to Star Fleet.

He had only once experienced concern. When he was a young child and his mother had fallen ill. At that time, his emotions had become negative and unstable. He recalled a feeling of general unease. A strange tugging in the vicinity of his heart that alerted him to a problem he could not solve. That feeling had disappeared when his mother's physical health had become acceptable a week later.

It was that same feeling of concern that had overtaken his thoughts when he had stepped into the rain. Uhura had been no where in sight.

The small road that lead to the entrance of the hotel had been consumed by an unusual rush of water, creating a small barrier between the hotel and the main road.

Although he would have no difficulty crossing the blockade, a human of Uhura's stature and weight would have some issues.

Spock recalled that tugging feeling of concern increasing when he had made that mental confirmation. He had moved purposefully towards the continuously flowing stream, his superior vision observing the ground carefully for a sign of disturbance.

As he moved closer to the vast and sudden line of darkness that portrayed the location of the long hill he had noticed earlier that day, Spock noticed several lines of solidified mud trailing down the road.

This was caused by the pressure expelled by small boosters. A vehicle of some sort had recently passed over this area of road.

Spock turned away from the unusual dents, confirming his observation with the fact that he knew Bado had arrived in his own vehicle. He had made a move to walk a little further towards the impromptu road block, when he had focused on the direction the vehicle's tracks were heading.

He had stepped close to the edge of the hill, staring at the flow of water carefully.

And the he had heard her scream.

Spock knew that his actions were irrational, yet he had not allowed himself the time to stand and deliberate his options. He had simply moved.

Using his left hand and right foot to balance himself, Spock had partially leapt over the invisible line that separated the road from the top of the hill, landing exactly six point four meters down the hill side.

The momentum his jump gave him sent him sliding easily down the sloping embankment, his right hand embedded firmly into the ground. He caught sight of Uhura the exact moment the earth gave way beneath her weight. He had heard the defeated whimper that had escaped from her lips, a sound that told him of her terror, even before his hand had snapped forwards to enclose firmly around her wrist.

Her terror was almost edible. Her emotions hit him forcefully, pounding into his mental state with such a ferocity that they had almost caused him to loose his balance.

It had been only by making slow and careful movements that he had been able to pull her safety, lifting her into his arms when she had nearly collapsed.

He had allowed physical contact with other. The repercussions of such were his to deal with.

He was admittedly relieved when that bond between her emotions and his mind was severed. It was a justified relief, for he was now able to concentrate and do what needed to be done in order to get her the medical attention she desperately needed.

The female receptionist seemed unhappy with him. She had placed her hand firmly over the seeping wound on Uhura's hip, applying the desired amount of pressure that would assist with stemming the bleeding. It was a logical move.

"Commander Spock! Are you even listening?" The woman snapped. Spock turned his head slightly to acknowledge her. Her name tag identified her as Miss Matumaini Mlezi.

"Miss Mlezi, how long ago did Commander Pike leave?" Spock asked. Mlezi scowled in annoyance.

"He followed you out the door. When you swan dived over the hill, that other young man legged it. Commander Pike chased after him. Now, will you please put her down so I can do something about this bleeding?!" She snapped. At some point she had moved to stand a little closer to him, the hand which was not pushed against Uhura's hip holding the unconscious girls head upright. Spock was surprised at her insight. By keeping the skull and spine aligned in such a way, it reduced the risk of further damage if there was a neck injury. He wondered if she was trained within the medical profession. It was considerable fortunate for Uhura if that was the case.

"The desk. The reception desk. Put her on that. Its the only surface here that's wide enough to hold her"

Spock followed her orders wordlessly, substituting his own hand for her own behind Uhura's head when Mlezi twisted to sweep her arm swiftly over the top of the large desk. Knocking the several items that adorned the wooden surface onto the floor.

Then, Mlezi quickly bend to remove her heeled shoes, before elegantly boosting herself upon to the desk and swinging her legs over the other side, keeping that firm pressure on Uhura's hip the entire time.

"All right, now lay her flat, carefully! And watch her right thigh, she has a nasty burn"

Once more Spock followed her orders, laying Uhura down carefully, being mindful of where and how he placed her legs. It was barely seconds after he slid his hand from beneath Uhura's back that the hotel doors slid open, and a very wet and angry Christopher Pike charged in.

The older man instantly focused on the other Commander.

"Spock! Where in the hell did you go?! That little bastard just-" Pike paused his raving as caught site of Uhura.

"Uhura?"

Spock was very nearly pushed out of the way as Pike rushed past him, his hands instantly feeling for a pulse on Uhura's neck. His relief was visible when he found one. His postured then stiffened, and as Spock watched, Pike turned slowly towards him. His dark eyes showing an anger Spock had not once seen his commanding officer portray. Those eyes observed him. Taking in his dishevelled appearance.

"Explain" Was all he said.

"It is my deduction that before he arrived at the hotel, Mr Bado used his vehicle to psychically injure Miss Uhura. This resulted in her loosing her balance and descending the acclivity outside. She was unable to halt her decent, so I physically stopped her and bought her back to the hotel" Spock said calmly.

Pike stared at him for a long moment, before sighing in what seamed like defeat. His entire body appeared to decrease in size, the stress of the nights activities leaving his system.

"Damn...what a mess..." Pike swore softly. Spock agreed to his observation.

"Commander, where is Mr Bado?" Spock asked.

"The little shit took a swing at me then legged it. Remind me to never accompany you on these recruitment trips again. It's been one thing after another..."

"Your troubles are not over yet Commander" A voice said purposefully. The two men turned to face Mlezi, how had removed the large and considerable defiled coat Uhura had been wearing during their conversation. Pike stepped closer to the reception.

"Are you a Doctor?" He asked. Mlezi shook her head.

"No. But I have seven brothers and eleven nephews. I know enough first aid to help" She replied. Pike graced her with a small smile.

"Then I consider us fortunate that you are here Miss...?"

"Mlezi. Matumaini Mlezi. But for the sake of a quick conversation, you can call me Matu"

"Matu then. What's the assessment?"

Mlezi sighed, and brushed her fingers softly across Uhura's cheek.

"A second degree burn on her right thigh, which doesn't look like its infected but...that's probably because her trousers have been burnt directly onto her skin. A gash on her hip – that's going to need closing ASAP. I can't tell if she's broken anything, id have to strip her to do that. But it seems as though the burn on her leg is the worst of her injuries. She's lucky...considering" Finishing her commentary, Mlezi sighed. She raised her head to send Spock a thankful gaze.

"I'm sorry if I snapped at you earlier commander. You saved her life. I've known Nyota since I was six. I was just upset to see her in such a state and I took that out on you"

"No insult was taken Miss Mlezi" Spock replied, given the woman a slow nod in understanding. Her behaviour was understandable considering her connection to Uhura. Pike turned at gave him a wide smile.

"She's right. I'm defiantly going to report this to Star Fleet command. You went beyond the line of duty today Spock. Good man" Pike finished his sentence by clapping his hand rather firmly against Spock's shoulder.

"Now go get cleaned up. I'm going to call for an ambulance and get in touch with Uhura's parents. Can't have the hero of the hour presenting himself covered head to toe in mud"


AN: Well that was a long and uneventful piece of crap wasn't it? So many of you had high hopes for this chapter...for an awesome Spyota moment. And what do I deliver? Diddley squat!

I just wanted to get this finished. I'm going to my brothers tomorrow, so im obviously going to be away from the computer for a little while. I just needed to upload something. Ugh...I have failed you as a Lieutenant. I shall ask for a demotion immediately and sent myself of to a class M planet to suffer alone.