Two weeks later, USS Enterprise, in orbit around Earth.
"Come," Kirk said, to answer the chime that told him someone was at the door of his quarters.
He looked expectantly at the door. Spock looked at it with an air of calm certainty.
It was Daphne. Her smile was for both men, the passion that briefly lit her eyes was only for Spock.
"Am I interrupting?" she asked.
"No, not at all," Jim said as Spock got up to bring another chair to the desk for her. "What's on your mind?"
"You said we'd talk when you got back. That was two weeks ago," she answered, settling into the chair.
"So I did," Jim agreed.
"Should I go?" Spock asked.
"No," Jim said, "I don't think we're going to say anything you can't hear, or don't already know." He leaned back and regarded her closely. "So who won the chess match?"
When they looked askance at him, he prompted, "The one you started before we left for Vulcan, on the hangar deck."
Daphne smiled, "Spock."
"It was an excellent ploy though," Spock said, quickly. She shot a glance at him full of tolerance and humor.
"So," Jim said, drawing her attention back, "What did you want to talk about?"
Her eyes met his, full of hesitation and hope, "I was wondering," she began, softly, "if you would tell me about Sam…."
FINIS