"JIM!"

Nyota sprinted to catch his disappearing back, annoyed then furious that his pace never slowed.

"I need to speak with you, sir."

"Transporter Room One, Commander. Five minutes."

"Transporter...? Aye-aye captain."

Uhura beat him there and found the room empty. Sulu usually never scheduled the transporter crew off on alpha shift. The secretive behavior following Tom Leighton's death continued.

Kirk's unemotional greeting startled her.

"Yes, Commander?"

"Jim, what the hell is going on? Grayson says you've been dumping him -"

"Uhura, I never 'dump' him."

"Yes you have. Pavel's had him when he's supposed to be with you. What's going on?"

The young mother's dark eyes attacked him with their ferocity, the lioness protecting her only cub.

"Skip the lie you're thinking up and cut to the truth," she suggested, acerbically.

"I'm working on something classified."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"Part of keeping you both safe."

"Keeping us safe? What are you...? This is about the meat loaf incident. Jim, you're overreacting. You made a mistake, it's -"

"I'll have Chekov pick him up from now on. I have work to do."

He'd gone before she could get really angry.