Uhura smiled as she ran her hand across Spock's pale face, trailing her long fingers over his pointed ears. Spock grabbed her hand. His dark eyes locked on hers as he laid a gentle kiss on the back of the hand.

"Nyota." he breathed, his voice running over her name like water slipping over stone, "I was hoping to present you with something."

He pulled away from her and stood, heading across the room to a storage compartment. Uhura settled back on the bed, pulling the dark grey sheets around her as she watched him. Spock returned a moment later, holding a small metal case. Traditional Vulcan designs were etched into the gleaming surface. He was silent as he sat on the edge of the bed, setting the case gently in her hands.

She carefully opened it, her smile fading and her breath catching in her throat.

"Oh Spock! It's beautiful."

Spock took the amulet from the case. "It belonged to my mother." He told Uhura as he wrapped his arms around her, fastening the pendant behind her neck. "It is the only object of her's which I possess. It is very special to me. As are you." His voice faded as he looked at the blue gem resting against her dark skin.

Uhura ran her fingers over the amulet, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I love you."

"And I, you."  

***

Spock could still feel her fingers intertwining with his, the feeling of her warm breath against his cheek, the warmth of her lips pressed against his. He felt an aching in his gut, a longing to be reunited with her again. He stared at his console, finding himself irrationally incapable of focusing on the readouts and lines of data.

"We're approaching the planet." Sulu announced as the darkness of space began to give way to a large planet. The scanners had picked up the faint gravitational signatures radiating through space. It had taken a great deal of time, but they had finally broken through the endless asteroid field and were now staring at the large planet that filled the display window.

"Readings indicate that it is a class K planet." Spock informed the captain. "Atmosphere comprised primarily of Nitrogen, methane, yurium and neon. Average surface temperature minus one hundred and six point six degrees Celsius."

"Are there any life forms down there?"

Spock quickly calibrated the scans and analyzed the data. "There appears to be nothing living above the surface, however there are several structures that are not natural formations, an indication of current or past occupation by some form of intelligent life form."

"Structures?"

"It is entirely possible that the civilization moved below ground into artificially constructed bio domes. The structures are distributed in a pattern consistent with other civilizations that have done the same."

Kirk leaned against his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "So there could be an entire world down there below the surface?"

"Unclear on whether or not it is still inhabited, however there is a distinct possibility."

Bones almost shuddered at the thought. "Couldn't imagine living in some cramped underground place where not even the air's real. Being down there would be worse than flying."

"Thank you Mr. Spock." Kirk stood. "Mr. Chekov, Bones, you're coming with me down to the planet. Spock you're in charge of things up here." Kirk ordered as he headed towards the lift. "We're taking a shuttle so, if things go south, we're not completely stranded down there."

"Wait, I'm doing what?!" Bones demanded.

Spock stepped in front of Kirk, stopping him from entering the lift. "Captain, I request to accompany you upon the surface."

"Request denied."

"Captain, if there is any likelihood that Lieutenant Uhura would be upon the planet, it is very important that I am there as well."

Kirk set a hand on his friends shoulder. "I need you up here. Besides you're still healing up."

"Captain if it is my injury that is preventing let me assure you that—"

"It's not that. I just need you up here in case anything happens."

"Captain, I must insist—"

"It'll be fine." Kirk grinned, "We won't be gone that long anyway!" Kirk slapped him on the arm before heading into the turbolift with Chekov and Bones. The doctor had his arms crossed and was mumbling angrily.

"How long is it gonna take you to realize that I'm a doctor, not a goddamn—"

The doors slid shut, cutting him off. Spock turned and headed to the captain's chair.

He folded his hands together, resting them against his chin as he watched the shadowed planet in front of them. Parts of the asteroid field bled into its orbit, a ribbon of large chunks of rock coiling around part of the planet like a snake. The rim of the already set sun shone like a halo around the dark planet of ice.