Captain's Log: Stardate 2261.11 We were unprepared for the events that would unfold. As captain, I tried to maintain a sense of calm and decorum, yet I found myself emotionally compromised. We all were.

6 hours earlier….

Kirk and Uhura made their way to the docking bay. With a brief glance at Kirk, Uhura made her way onto the shuttle. She wasn't surprised the captain had decided to take a shuttle, rather than simply beam down. With the uncertain and changing terrain on Kronos, it was always a risk when beaming. Not to mention there wasn't a clear line of site.

Once seated, Uhura began to buckler herself in while Kirk took his place at the controls.

"I'm getting a strange since of Déjà vu." He commented while checking the gauges. "But I gather you are as well."

"Let's just say, I want this peace treaty to be signed, sealed, and delivered as soon as possible."

"Big plans?' He inquired with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"Wouldn't you like to know." At this, he chuckled.

"Kirk to Enterprise" Over the com, it was Spock who answered.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Mr. Spock, while I don't anticipate any problems, be on standby."

"Yes, sir." Once the com went quiet, the only sound in the shuttle was the light hum of the engine, and their breathing.

Spock looked back Uhura, "Ready?" With her nod, he lifted from the floor and began the long trip to Kronos.

The ride itself was uneventful, with Kirk and Uhura not ones for making small talk. It was near the end of the trip that Kirk asked a question that she wasn't truly prepared for.

"So, your happy he stayed?

"I'm sorry, sir?

"Spock. Are you happy he stayed?"

"I am very pleased, but I know that it was he own decision. I told him I didn't want him to stay for me and because I…" She paused before she could finish her though. It wouldn't do anyone any good if the news got out before she had even spoken to Spock.

"Because what, Lieutenant?" Kirk leaned closer to her, his eyes squinting as if he was trying to detect something that wasn't quite visible yet.

"Because I wanted him to. That's all. He had to make the decision for himself. Although, I'm sure his decision to stay also mad you happy."

"That's true, we have come a long way in our friendship over the years. I find that we have landed between fondness and mutual respect. Not that he'd admit to that of course."

"Of course," Uhura chuckled at this. Kirk knew Spock very well indeed.

As she had been doing for the entire trip, Uhura continued to try and establish a c communication connection with Kronos. However, there was very little chatter over the com. It was as if the planet was uninhabited, but there had been signs of life.

"Sir, I am still not picking up a transmission of any kind."
"They are probably waiting to see what we do. The federation has warned them of our trip, so the Klingons know we are coming."

Unlike the threat of the last time, Kirk was able to safely and swiftly land the shuttle near an inclined, rocky surface. It always marveled Uhura how different Kronos was from Earth. Where Earth was bright with clear air, Kronos was dark, with a muggy atmosphere. The blowing sand always made it difficult to breathe.

Once they can to a complete stop, Kirk shut down the engine. Both unbuckled their seatbelts. As with any peace meeting, both had to leave their phasers in the ship, however both were set to stun in the event of an emergency.

As they exited the craft, they were stunned to see no welcome party waiting. There was nothing but desolate landscape as far as they could see. As they made their way further along the planet, Kirk relayed a message to the bridge.

"Kirk to the Enterprise. We have successfully landed on Kronos, however…." He stopped mid-sentence as a group of five Klingons made their way over a nearby ridge. As they got closer, Kirk could see no weapons of any kind. Kirk motioned for Uhura.

"Lieutenant, this is where you come into play. Do not leave my side for anything."

"Yes, sir." Uhura took a steadying breath. It had been years since she had spoken Klingon. Hopefully it was like riding a bike. She walked up to the Klingons as they calmly removed their helmets. As always, it was hard not to stare. "My name is Nyota Uhura, Communications officer with the USS Enterprise. We have been sent from the Federation of Planets to conduct a meeting with you in hopes of forming a peace treaty."

"I am Troct, leader of this band of Klingons. I know what the Federation wants, but how am I to trust them?" He stood a good 5 feet in front of Uhura now, his four goons on either side of him.

"The Federation has designed this peace treaty, ensuring that they will not fight against the Klingon race, and in turn offer protection on the edge of the neutral zone." She held up said treaty.

"The Federation wants to protect us? We are Klingons, you should be asking us to protect you." He and his goons laughed at this joke, while Uhura smile politely. Uhura noticed that the Klingon directly to the left of Troct had not laughed at this, nor had he taken his eyes off of Uhura. Through his mask, Uhura couldn't make our his

"Well, then, maybe the treaty should read that we would protect those who are truly in need" With this, the leader gave a curious grunt.

"I present this for your inspection. It has been written in Klingon for your understanding."

As she raised her right hand, the treaty held firmly, Troct also reach forward to take it. Before either party could receive the paper, the Klingon closest to Troct who had yet to remove his helmet, drew a hidden phaser from behind his back.

"Death to the Federation!" He screamed as he ripped his helmet off. Troct's face was a mirror of the rest of the Klingons. Before they could react, the assailant shot his four companions, which gave Kirk enough time to reach forward and grab Uhura's left hand. She he jerked, the treaty fell lifelessly to the dirt floor.

As they were running, toward the direction of the shuttle, phaser shots were going off all around them. Uhura and Kirk dodged as many as they could, until Kirk felt a sting in the arm holding Uhura's hand. He briefly let go, only to grab it again.

"Kirk to Enterprise, Scotty, get us the hell out of here."
"Captain, cannea you no make it to the shuttle?" Scotty asked worriedly.

"Scotty, we are being chased and shot at by a rogue Klingon. The shuttle is too far away for us to outrun him on foot. We need you to beam us out now!" Kirk screamed into the communicator, breath wheezing in and out.

"Captain, in order for me to safely beam you both, you cannae be moving. Not even a wee bit The connection is verra weak."

Kirk and Uhura shared shocked looks. They slowed down until they came upon an embankment. They didn't hear anymore shooting their way, and they no longer heard the crunching of earth beneath running feet.

"Captain, do you….. think we….. lost him?" Uhura asked out of breath and panting profusely.

"We're not out of the woods yet, Lieutenant. Scotty, we need you to beam us up now!"

"Doona move, Captain, I have onto your signals." As Kirk and Uhura felt the familiar tingle of the beaming, they were shocked to hear a rustle directly behind them.

"Gotcha." The dreaded voice said right before he fired his phaser directly into Uhura's back. Out of the corner of his eye, Kirk saw Uhura slam into the rock facing from the blow of the phaser, the left side of her face made a sickening thud as it made contact with the surface in front of her. Kirk didn't have time to retaliate as he felt his body fade.

"Uhura!" Kirk reached out his arm as if to grab her, but he was too late. In the spot where Uhura had been, was now the beaming pad of the Enterprise.

Kirk raised his eyes and found himself staring directly into 3 pairs of eyes. Scotty and McCoy each held a look of fear and concern, while one tried his best to fight the emotion Kirk saw there.

Spock looked into the shocked, dirty face of the captain in front of him. Spock knew this stance. It was the same one he had when trying to rescue his mother on the day Vulcan was destroyed. Those same feelings of fear, hurt, frustration, and anger began to surface within,

"Captain, where is Lieutenant Uhura?" Spock's voice hitched as he said her name. He looked into the eyes of his friend and captain, and found his question answered without even being told.

"He got her…"