T'Lora backed away from Spock. It was already awkward that she had kissed Spock. She didn't want to further embarrass herself in front of the captain. As much as she tried to restrain herself, she couldn't bear to see Spock lose control of his emotions and cry freely.

"Where have you been?" Kirk asked getting to the point. "What happened?"

"My mother", Spock cried. "I could never tell her I loved her."

T'Lora gently put her hand over Spock's trying to help him ease his emotional pain. Kirk looked at the two of them trying to make them see to reason. They had no time for this emotional drama.

"We've got four minutes, maybe five", he reminded them of the current situation.

"An Earth woman, living on a planet where love, emotion, is bad taste", Spock continued.

"We've got to risk a full-power start", Kirk said grabbing Spock's shoulders, pulling him to this feet. "The engines were shut off. No time to regenerate them. Do you hear me? We've got to risk a full-power start!"

T'Lora reached out to stop as Kirk roughly shook him by his shoulders, but Spock didn't seem to respond.

"I respected my father, our customs. I was ashamed of my Earth blood…"

Finally having enough, Kirk slapped him across the face.

"Captain!" T'Lora gasped as she grabbed Kirk's arm.

For a moment, it looked as if Spock had regained his logic, but before they knew it, he continued rambling.

"Jim, when I feel friendship for you, I'm ashamed."

Kirk pulled his arm away from T'Lora and slapped Spock back and forth across the face.

"You've got to hear me!" he yelled. "We need a formula. We've got to risk implosion!"

"Captain, stop it!" T'Lora yelled trying to pull him away.

Spock grabbed Kirk's arm before he could hit him again.

"I's never been done!" he said returning briefly to logic. "Understand, Jim. I've spent a whole lifetime learning to hide my feelings."

Kirk hit him again. It seemed hitting Spock was the only way for him to think logically. Spock glared and hit him back, sending him flying, onto the table, then to the floor.

"Stop it!" T'Lora yelled as she watched the captain get back up.

"We've got to risk implosion", Kirk repeated. "It's our only chance."

"It's never been done", Spock shook his head.

"Don't tell me that again, Science Officer!" he yelled. "It's a theory. It's possible. We may go up into the biggest ball of fire since the last sun in these parts exploded, but we've got to take that one in ten thousand chance!"

T'Lora looked at the two, scared. So it was time for Spock to do his duty, or let everyone on the ship die. They were interrupted as Uhura sounded over the intercom.

"Bridge to Captain. Engineer asked, did you find…?"

"Yes, I found Mister Spock!" Kirk yelled. "I'm talking to Mister Spock, do you understand?!"

Everyone was quiet as Kirk looked down at his hand. It was inevitable. He was infected now.

"Yes, sir. Three and a half minutes left."

"I've got it…the disease", Kirk said touching his hand. "Love…you're better off without it, and I'm better off without mine. This vessel, I give, she takes. She won't permit me my life. I've got to live hers."

"Jim…"

T'Lora looked at Spock and put her hand on his shoulder. He seemed to be acting completely normal now.

"Spock?" she said. "Are you feeling okay, now?"

"Nurse Hendricks", he mumbled. "Nurse, you should return to sick bay."

T'Lora shook her head as she turned to look at Spock who was looking at his hands.

"I have a beautiful yeoman", Kirk began rambling. "Have you noticed her, Mr. Spock? You're allowed to notice her. The captain's not permitted…"

"Jim, there is an intermix formula", Spock started.

"Now I know why it's called she", Kirk said looking at the ship, backing into the wall.

"It's never been tested", Spock said trying to get him to understand the risk of implosion. "It's a theoretical relationship between time and antimatter."

"Flesh woman to touch, to hold…" Kirk said not paying attention. "A beach to walk on….a few days, no braid on my shoulder…"