Chapter 3

Kirk cleared his throat and straightened up trying to look official, an effect that was spoiled by a sudden heavy shower of dirt falling on the group causing them to move away from the rocky outcrop toward the centre of the room.

Kirk took a deep breath, "Dearly beloved," he remembered this bit, "We are gathered here today …"

"Because we have no frickin choice," muttered McCoy earning him a glare from everyone but Spock.

"To join this…"

"Hobgoblin," muttered McCoy, this time he was kicked in the shin by Kirk and Uhura's glare escalated from dangerous to lethal. McCoy raised his hands placating, "Alright don't get you knickers in a twist."

Uhura harrumphed and Kirk gave him a pained look as Hartley who still gripped the doctor, albeit in less of a death grip, giggled a bit hysterically into his chest.

"To join the man and this woman in marriage," Kirk paused and thought, "If any one knows any reason why these two should not be joined together in matrimony…"

"They can darn well keep it to themselves," snapped Uhura still glaring at McCoy.

Kirk sighed and the walls shuddered again.

Very quickly Kirk rattled off, "Do you Spock take this woman, Uhura, to have and to hold," his voice cracked slightly on the last word, "to love and to honour as long as you both shall live?"

"Which may not be very long," muttered McCoy this time earning himself a glare from everyone including Spock.

"I do," said Spock clearly while still glaring at MCoy.

"Do you Uhura take this man, Spock, to have and to hold to love and to honour as long as you both shall live?" continued Kirk.

Uhura's, "I do" resonated with such feeling that McCoy had the grace to colour slightly and looked down at Hartley's head. He seemed surprised to see her there and began to gently unlatch her.

"I now pronounce you Vulcan and wife," said Kirk you, "may kiss the bride."

"If you must," came sotto voice from McCoy.

Spock and Uhura faced each other and he learned forward and gently pressed his forehead to hers while raising two fingers in which Uhura touched with her matching fingers.

"That's a Vulcan kiss," McCoy whispered in Kirk's ear causing him to jump.

Spock looked up and Kirk wondered how a man covered with dust and scratches probably minutes from death could look so happy without having any discernable facial expression, but Spock managed it. But when Kirk looked at Uhura at Spock's side positively glowing he decided that would be enough to make anyone happy; it would do the trick for him. Kirk sighed softly it was cruel fate that had conspired to have him as the person that actually had to perform this marriage.

"If you will excuse us Captain, Doctor, Ensign," said Spock bowing slightly to each in turn , "there is something we have to do to seal the marriage." He took Uhura's arm and led her to the back of the small cave just behind the natural arch that spaned the middle of the room. Kirk turned in panic to McCoy.

"You don't things they are going to …you know, consummate?"

McCoy rolled his eyes, "Don't worry Jim, I think Spock is just being Vulcan," he nodded to Spock and Uhura. They were standing near the back wall of the cave. Spock had his back toward the Captain and the McCoy so they could not see Uhura clearly. Spock took her hands and placed them on his face, carefully positioning her fingers and then he replicated the action touching Uhura's face.

"What are they doing?" a small voice between the captain and the doctor asked.

Both men looked down to see Hartley blatantly goggling to the newly weds.

Kirk said, "I think I know. That's a mind meld isn't it?" he said turning to McCoy questioningly.

"You'd know better than me," McCoy replied, "I've never done it."

"You've melded," squeaked Hartley looking at Kirk.

Kirk frowned down at her exasperated, the invisible barrier between Captain and crew seemed to be faltering, time to remind her, "That Ensign Hartley is none of your concern," he said and her eyes widened and she stammered, "Yes sir, sorry sir," and took a step backwards.

McCoy just pursed his lips and shook his head at Kirk.

Kirk nodded to the couple, they could hear Spock's voice murmurings "My mind to your mind…"

"It different though, I mean with," a pause, "him, you know, it was all one way, this is different."

"I think it is the marriage bond," said McCoy, "and will from a permanent link between them. I always sort of thought they needed a Vulcan priest or something but I suppose Spock knows what he's doing."

Kirk pulled a face, "May be Vulcan kids learn this as part of sex education, you know, safe mind sex, that sort of thing."

He looked at McCoy to see him goggling at him, "Well," he said looking offended , "its not that ridiculous. Vulcans are very logical and it would be logical to teach youngsters about safe sex."

"Its not sex Jim it's a mental bond."

"I can see that," said Kirk, "but its sort of Vulcan mind sex or something isn't it? A marriage thing?" Both men frowned at each other uncomfortably and looked away from Spock and Uhura.

"What does it do?" piped up Hartley unexpectedly," Sir," she added remembering herself.

"As far as I know," whispered McCoy, "it links the couple mentally, they can feel each other."

"Touching, yet not touching; apart, yet never apart," said Kirk unexpectedly.

"Yes, something like that. And they can feel each other's emotions and I suppose talk to each other," continued the doctor.

"Even thought she's not Vulcan?" asked Hartley.

McCoy shrugged, "I suppose so, Spock's parents were bonded so it must be possible."

"So he can feel her and she feels him and he can feel her feeling him and she can feel him feeling her and they can both feel that when ever they want?" asked Hartley.

Kirk and McCoy frowned down at her as they tried to untangle that sentence.

Finally McCoy said, "Yes", but he sounded dubious.

"What must that feel like?" said Hartley dreamily.

And then both men noticed how Hartley was staring and turned to look at Spock and Uhura. They were kissing, human style, very very human style.

Kirk jobbed McCoy in the ribs, "Told you," he said grinning. His grin slowly faded as the intensity of the tableau before him registered. He could almost feel the barely restrained passion radiating from the couple like heat off desert sand.

"Well I'll be damned," whispered McCoy.

"A perpetual positive feedback loop," sighed Hartley, reminding both men she was from engineering.

Kirk gulped and a deafening crash caused the wall behind him to slowly collapse bringing the ceiling down with it. Kirk and McCoy bolted forward dragging Hartley and careened into Spock and Uhura as half the cave collapsed filling the small remaining space with choking dust.