Disclaimer: Star Trek and all associated characters are not mine.

Thanks to my beta spocklikescats.

Please make sure to read the author notes from the prologue and chapter 2.

Chapter 3

"I don't like it."

Uhura looked up from her inventory list, to the man with long silver-streaked black hair, standing before her. She was not surprised that Elliot Bashir was unhappy with their plans for tonight. He had not voiced his opinion at the meeting that just ended, but she was skilled at reading body language. "What is it you dislike?"

"We don't know this new guy. Our actions tonight could lead to serious reprisals."

He was correct. Sohlan's replacement might turn out to be the most vicious of the Vulcan leadership in this system. Uhura had raised the same concerns with Mayweather and Kirk before the group meeting. In the end, she decided to go ahead with their plan. "We need a diversion large enough to clear the final leg of our path."

Bashir's single black eye glanced away from her, focusing on the couple sitting quietly at the other end of the room. "Is it worth it for the rest of us?"

Had he been anyone else, Uhura would have reprimanded him immediately. Kirk, and what Mara intended to do once she left Deneva, were worth the destruction of their intended target. Prior to the war, Bashir owned a hydroponic farm on Mars. He grew many exotic plants that required careful, patient care. A trait suited to his personality. He had lost that farm and his wife when the dome above it collapsed. He lost his left eye, pushing Uhura out of harm's way a year ago. "Those two have to get off Deneva tonight. The place is crawling with patrols. We don't know how long it's going to last," she said. "It could be the new norm."

"So we've gotta do this thing. My other question is, why involve Lu?"

Lu, she suspected, was the main reason for Bashir voicing his apprehension. Chen Lu was an orphan who lived with her. The girl was also eager to have more of an active role in resistance matters. Uhura touched his arm, and spoke the words she had spent the past few hours repeating silently, "She needs real world experience. We can't keep her sheltered forever."

He sighed and slipped into his jacket. "Sixteen is no age to be doing the things we do."

"I'm sure at that age you thought you knew everything. I certainly considered myself an adult." She smiled faintly at an errant memory. "I hated that the adults around me couldn't see it."

"We grew up in safer times, Uhura. She doesn't have that luxury."

"I know, Elliot. That's why we all keep an eye on her."

Bashir checked his sidearm and left to meet the team he would be leading tonight. Uhura returned to her list and hoped that his concerns were unfounded.

Air that was considerably warmer than last night's whispered among ancient foliage, and the small edgy group, trekking north. A temperature more suited to this season and area on Deneva. Mara inhaled, attempting to soak up as much of the mild warmth as she could. The Paraagan Matriarchy had offered the UE their frigid moon, Abiri, as a temporary home. The only structure on Abiri before Humanity moved in was a research post. Even for the Paraagans, used to cold temperatures, Abiri bordered close on inhospitable.

They departed Maxwell's via ground car an hour after Uhura's people left on assignment. Their hike along the meandering forest footpath had begun twenty minutes ago. Clearly visible under the light of a half moon, Jim walked ahead of her with light measured steps. He had barely said two words to her since they started out. She was unsure of how to handle him, and whether she wanted another chance at their marriage. Her problem was that she still loved him, but sometimes, love and desire were not enough. At her back was Adam Rutten, a computer genius who swore to her that he belonged in the mid-twentieth century. When Mara initially met him, his blasé attitude made her question his commitment. All flightiness had disappeared from him the minute they exited the car. Beside her was Uhura, whose silent feet moved fluidly over the compact dirt.

Mara did not feel safe out in the open. She felt exposed and the device on her wrist did little to alleviate her disquiet. Given the number of troops that patrolled the main streets, she was surprised their drive had been uninterrupted. She scrutinised the path they walked and realised it looked familiar, not because she had walked it last night, but because they were walking in wide circles. She was about to ask Uhura for an explanation, when she heard what they had been waiting for. It was an explosion that echoed faintly in the night. A welcomed sound that was a few minutes later than scheduled.

Jim raised a hand and silently signalled to hold positions. They stopped walking, holding to the darkened edges of the woods. Long anxious minutes passed, and then Mara noticed Uhura cock her head to the left and frown. Less than a minute later, the rest of them heard the light crunch of boots on twigs. Holding still, they pressed further into the dark and watched six soldiers with disruptor rifles hurried past them. Eventually, the steps faded and a hovercraft lifted off and flew over their location.

"Let's wait a few more minutes," Jim said, as his eyes searched the perimeter.

Inching closer to the wide tree trunk behind her, Mara looked at him. "Is that wise?"

"Trouble might still be in the area," Rutten replied, removing a small tricorder from a belt clip. His scans of their immediate area came back negative.

After a few more tension-filled minutes ticked by, Jim signalled for them to continue. Another half hour of walking yielded fewer trees and more charred land. They were getting closer to where the cloaked ship was located.

Mara and group stopped once more when they were within sight of the clearing. Eyes and tricorder scanned the area in an exercise of caution.

"Guys, I—" Rutten's words died on his lips, as he fell face first at Mara's feet. The Vulcans were here.

Kirk felt a wave of panic sweep through his veins, as three soldiers emerged from behind them, weapons glinting maliciously in the watery moonlight. All he could think about was his last chance at putting his life back together. He looked at Rutten and then the Vulcans. That young man deserved a better death than the shot in his back.

"Do not move, Humans."

Within a split second, Kirk dropped to the ground and rolled, pulling Mara with him in a harsh thump. Their only protection was a giant tree stump. He and Mara drew their phasers, as twin shots sailed over their heads.

He caught Mara's angry gaze. She always ran either hot or cold. The burning fire in her eyes told him she was hot with rage. "On three," he whispered and she nodded.

At two, Kirk heard phaser fire and quick footsteps heading away from them. He and Mara raised mere centimetres above the stump, sighted one of the Vulcans and fired together. Under the barrage of two weapons on kill setting, the soldier fell dead to his side. One of his comrades crouched next to a tree and returned fire, scorching the ground next to them. Kirk and Mara ducked once more behind their fragile protection.

"He has the advantage from his position."

Kirk glanced at Mara and tightened the grip on his phaser. "Since when has that meant anything?"

Once more, they returned fire at the enemy. Shots went back and forth, splintering the tree stump. Chips of bark flew about their bodies, forcing them further down to the ground.

At this point, the Vulcan made a mistake. He stepped into the open with no protection. Kirk aimed and shot him in the chest. Mara went for the face. He glanced at her in surprise. She only shrugged and climbed to her feet. He also stood and looked around. There was no sign of Uhura and the third soldier. No sooner had they collected themselves, than Kirk heard a rustle. He raised his phaser and froze.

The remaining Vulcan, a tall muscular male had his weapon trained on Uhura, as she walked in front of him. He jabbed her in the back with his disruptor and barked, "Not another step." He then looked at Kirk and Mara. "Drop your weapons and kick them away."

Both Kirk and Mara hesitated, which caused Uhura's captor to kick below her right knee, forcing her to kneel. With slow careful movements, they did as ordered. Kirk caught Uhura's gaze. They were cold and empty. He had seen them like that before; the night Tania Barrows died. He raised his eyes to the soldier. "What now? You gonna torture us? I hate to break it to you, but I've already been down this road."

Kirk did not know whether it was a trick of the light or if the man really was smirking at him. It troubled him, as much as seeing their constant impassivity.

"Only one of you is required." The enemy raised his disruptor and... fired away from them in a wide arch. A loud groan issued from his lips, as he too fell to his knees.

Kirk was confused for a brief moment, and then he smiled. Uhura had reached the dagger at her side and used it. In two quick moves, she had reached back and sliced at her captor's right ankle, cutting through boot and flesh. Then twisted sideways and stabbed upward. He felt a light touch of nausea, when she yanked her bloody blade from the Vulcan's genitals. She scrambled away and climbed to her feet while her former captor tumbled completely to the ground.

"We can't leave him like this, he could survive and identify us," Mara said, reaching for the second phaser hidden beneath her jacket.

Kirk beat her to it and delivered the killing shot.

The three of them walked over to where Adam Rutten's body had fallen. Kirk watched as Uhura stooped over Rutten and closed his sightless dark-blue eyes. Her fingers lingered on his face, brushing back curly blond hair. Rutten had designed many of the gadgets used by the resistance. He was also a brilliant individual who projected a cavalier attitude to hide how much he cared.

He stood next to Uhura in a moment of silence then reminded her, "We have to remove the body."

Uhura looked up at him and rose swiftly. "You and Mara should go now. I'll deal with the Adam."

"We can spare a few minutes, Uhura."

"No. Go while it's safe."

Mara nodded at Uhura and walked away. Kirk watched as she signalled her ship to activate main access. He looked once more at Nyota Uhura, the slightly psychotic neat freak. She had been his communications officer, friend and leader. She performed in each capacity with dignity, loyalty and biting wit. "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you too, Captain Kirk," she said, the ship behind them coming to life.

He took one last look at the place he had called home for the past six months. In a strange way, he was going to miss it and the people. He turned around and walked to the visible opening of Mara's ship and his future. Within minutes, he was off Deneva and among the stars.

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The Humans never noticed the tall figure hidden within the deep night shadows. He saw their arrival, waited for the right moment and gave the order to attack. He wondered what she of the sable eyes would do, if he deliberately made his presence known. His lips twitched ever so slightly, as the answer came unbidden to him. She would aim her weapon at him and snap off a shot. Tonight was not the first time he had watched her in action. It was also not the first time he thought her to be a magnificent female.

He leaned against a flaking tree trunk and thought of his teenage years. At seventeen, with a blade and the clothes on his back, he had entered the Vulcan's Forge to partake in the Rite of Tal'oth. Similar to the kahs-wan ten-day ritual, Tal'oth tested every skill and assumption. For four months, the punishing Forge stripped him bare, the heart of his soul opening to his introspective eyes. Two nights before the end of the ritual, weak and doubting himself, he braced his back against a stray boulder, and willed his scattered mind into meditation. Cohesion came to him, as he sunk through the many levels of awareness, going deeper than he had ever gone. Deeper still and he soon found his mind expanding. His katra seeming to blend with his surroundings, and he knew perfect harmony. It spread out, touching, melding with the entire Forge, reaching up to the stars above. When he thought to push forward, to see how much of the universe he could hold, he found himself falling back to the desert sands. Upon landing, his mind and katra shrunk back into his body in a heady rush. Moving sluggishly, he had sat up from his prone position and found that he was not alone. A naked Human woman with shoulder length curly hair, brown skin and a secretive smile walked towards him. As she drew closer, he noticed her eyes were sable-brown and that they shifted from gentle warmth to ferocious cold. She was the most pleasingly perfect female had ever seen.

Transfixed, he had watched her come closer. In one hand, she held a globe of planet Earth and in the other, Vulcan. He remembered holding his breath, wanting her to come closer, yet fearing what would happen if she did. Fearing that, if she came within a centimetre of where he sat rooted, he would give in to his every instinct and touch his lips to her smooth skin. When it had looked as if he would have his wish, the spell collapsed like a shattered mirror. He had never felt more alone than he did at that moment.

He had sat, staring ahead, marvelling at the new purpose coursing through his body. To have a vision was a rare thing for a Vulcan going through the Tal'oth. After his return home, he discussed his experience with his parents who mentioned it to T'Pau, their clan leader. Fascinated, she travelled to meet with him. It was the only time he would ever witness a flash of emotion on her sharp features.

"Your vision, Spock, may have been the universe's way of showing you your true self, neither Vulcan nor Human." T'Pau's calculating black eyes had bored into his and then, she continued, "Or perhaps there is something more."

She had left it at that and he went on with his life. He entered the Vulcan Science Academy later that year, intent on becoming a scientist. Life and purpose would conspire to change his path. Now, he stood, watching Nyota Uhura hastily cover her fallen comrade with pieces of rocks. Finished with her task, she got up and dusted her knees then looked right at his location. He froze in place, his hand slipping to the disruptor at his side. He was ready in case she shot at him. He relaxed a fraction when he realised she had not seen him. He felt an infinitesimal flash of regret that her gaze missed him. Not rational, he knew, but the sable-eyed woman with the long braid did not inspire logic in him. Instead, she made him want to lose his hard-won control.

She gazed back at the death mound, adjusted two phasers to maximum yield and fired. He saw the rocks heat and melt. After some time, they disintegrated along with the body underneath. She stashed her weapons away, spun around, and took off in the opposite direction. He remained where he stood until she disappeared.

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