Spock stood on the balcony of his temporary residence staring out over the water, allowing the immense heat to bring him a comfort that eluded him on the more temperate atmosphere of the ship.  His keen ears picked up on the splashing of the form below and he tightened the hold of his hands behind his back.  If he didn’t know better, he would assume a natural affinity between the being and the water rather than learned prowess; nevertheless, he couldn’t describe the movements as anything less than graceful.

He took a deep breath and shifted his gaze to the horizon.  Two large silver orbs peaked through gaps in the mountain range.  His brows furrowed and he tilted his head, as if the slight change in perspective would solve a curious intrigue he now experienced.  It was simply the reflection of the planet’s two suns against its two personal satellites, and yet…

His brows drew closer together when he returned his attention to the water.  There were two forms now, from which two rippling sounds rose over the waves—one bright and tinkling, the other deep and robust.  Spock stood exceedingly still and watched them for a full standard minute before he moved away from the balcony, his hands ever more tightly clasped behind his back.

Uhura dove under the water, relishing the cool liquid upon her blazing skin.  Technically she was on assignment to aid in the repairs of the planet’s weather control system, but after months of being cooped up on the Enterprise, she’d take the brief reprieve.

She giggled as a hand grasped her left ankle, tugging her back toward the guest upon her respite.  Not that she minded.  He bore a resemblance to a lover she’d had while at the Academy—another from the United States of Africa with skin the color of ink and eyes the color of the Earth’s sun.  He’d been her first—patient and knowledgeable—a few years ahead of her who’d ultimately been assigned to a deep-space mission.  If not for his marking labeling him as a native, Uhura would’ve thought her current compatriot was her paramour from her cadet years.

“Come with me,” he whispered against her cheek, their bodies pressed so tightly against each other she thought she’d nova from the heat.  As much as she wanted to say yes, she didn’t know if she’d be able to withstand the fire they’d surely generate.

“I cannot…”

And while the heat was a perfect scapegoat, it was not the only reason she couldn’t accept the offer, and he’d been standing on their balcony looking at them.  She’d refused to meet his gaze, afraid he’d be able to detect the wistfulness she’d been good at hiding while on the ship, but something about this planet made carefully constructed barriers no more hardy than a candle’s flame in a hurricane.

The man’s face fell, but he nodded.  “I forget you are not quite like us.”

She pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.  “I am sorry.”

He raised a shoulder, yet grinned wryly.  “Hopefully, the system will be repaired soon.  Even I could do with a breeze!”

Uhura laughed once more, splashing water at her playmate as they continued to frolic in the lagoon.

Much progress had been made that morning, a fact Spock found satisfactory.  Uhura was a competent liaison, effectively bridging the communications barrier between him and the natives as she was the only one who could speak both languages with enough proficiency.  Spock thought the repairs would be sufficient until Starfleet could send a new system in twenty point seven standard days, but he’d convinced the captain that he and Uhura should stay a complete standard day just in case there were setbacks.

In the twelve exact hours since ending the emergency repairs, the system had been adequately operational.  Given the weather control system’s readings being fed into his padd, he saw no reason for the next twelve hours to be any different.

“I’m almost sad to go…”

Spock glanced up from the padd and then looked down at the readings abruptly, sure there had been a glitch considering the amount of heat he’d just sensed.  Yet they were just as stable as they had been five point three seconds ago, so he gazed up once more.  Unable to do anything else, he let his eyes study the sight before him, amazed so many curves could fit on such a petite woman.

Uhura’s back was to him as she tied the ends of a floral-print sarong over very feminine hips and he tightened his hands on the padd and stylus so he wouldn’t go and help her—an illogical notion as she was more than capable of completing the task herself.

Instead, Spock cleared his throat and returned his attention to the padd, disconcerted he didn’t immediately understand what anything meant.  “Are you still overly warm, Miss Uhura?”

She chuckled and sighed.  “No, Mr. Spock, just warm.  How are you?  I don’t need to get a jacket for you, do I?”

The muscles around his mouth relaxed in automatic reaction, but he tilted his head down further so she wouldn’t notice.  “No, I am well, Miss Uhura, thank you.”

“Are you hungry at least?”

He paused and chanced a look at her.  She was not wearing anything inappropriate; in fact, she would be considered demurely dressed by the natives.  However, the sight of her in the strapless one-piece, deep orange swimsuit had him checking the padd once more, thoroughly convinced the weather control system was in flux despite the stable readings he saw.

“I am…”  There was an audible rumble and he sighed.  “Appropriately famished, if my stomach’s input is any indication.”

Uhura laughed and tilted her head to the door.  “Would you like to get something to eat?”

He arched an eyebrow at her.  He’d overheard her and her partner from last night discussing very interesting dining options that afternoon.  “Will it require swimming?”

She laughed again and shook her head.  “I don’t think I have the energy to swim!  Maybe after dinner…?”

The corners of his mouth upturned before he could do otherwise and he allowed her to see this time.  “We shall see, Miss Uhura.”

They’d found an Earth–South Asian eatery slightly off the beaten path of the heavy tourist area, which satisfied her hunger for meat and his desire for vegetarian fare quite nicely. Dinner had been absolutely lovely, even if Spock had spent much of it discussing the techniques the workers had used to get the system operational “five point seven” hours sooner than he’d hypothesized.  Uhura suspected he didn’t know he had a tendency to think aloud when there were others around him, and since she was usually the “other” around, she’d always hear the overflow of brilliance his brain couldn’t contain as he worked out a puzzle.

They were now walking along the lagoon’s beach on their way back to their villa.  Uhura stole glances at her companion who walked as if in the corridors of the ship while on duty, his hands behind his back and his posture ramrod straight.  They only had one night here before it was back to the Enterprise.  Couldn’t he relax just a little bit?

“Mr. Spock?”

“Lieutenant.”

She bit her lower lip and stopped walking.  He continued a few more steps then stopped as well, turning toward her with a raised eyebrow.  “Is something the matter?”

Uhura didn’t answer right away.  Instead, she closed her eyes and tilted her face up, smiling slightly as a breeze brushed her features.  “No.”

She didn’t open her eyes as she felt him approach, but she couldn’t help but jump when his hand, surprisingly soft, gently gripped her chin.  Neither spoke, his liquid brown eyes cataloguing everything he saw, and then he looked up at the sky.

“Mr. Spock?”

He raised an eyebrow, his attention still primarily to the heavens.  “Will you ask me a question this time, Miss Uhura?”

She couldn’t quite suppress the grin that had overtaken her mouth.  “I have so many.”

“Then begin with the one you most want answered.”

“I want to, but I’m not sure it’ll be the one most likely answered.”

He returned his eyes to her and tilted her chin one way, then the other.  “Fascinating.”

“Sir?”

He dropped his hand from her face and tucked both at the small of his back.  “I think I am beginning to understand human preoccupation with the moon, Miss Uhura.  But as I ponder it further, ask your question.  I promise to answer it to the best of my ability.”

She stared at him for a long moment, then looked at the sky also.  She searched the heavens until she found the two moons of this planet, and they seemed to pull a memory from deep within her mind.

She smiled then, still looking at the moons as she asked, “Why don’t you tell me I’m an attractive young lady?”

Spock grinned slightly and inclined his head.  Uhura laughed and stepped away, finally returning her attention to him.  “I can’t believe you remember that!”

“Having ordered thoughts facilitates a stronger grasp of memory, Miss Uhura.”

“Well, I thought we established I’m an illogical woman—had a space probe verify that and everything!”  Uhura laughed again, shaking her head.

Spock let his grin slide from his face and he stood straight.  “Yes, however, I did not appreciate that brand of experimentation.  It was far too—”

“Thorough?”

“Unsettling,” he finished, gazing at her.  “Your illogic is actually quite refreshing, which is odd, for Dr. McCoy’s and even the captain’s can be most…exasperating at times.”

Uhura arched an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.  “I believe they say the same about your unerring logic, Commander.”

He nodded, the slight grin returning.  “Indeed.”

They began walking again, though this time they were close enough that her bare arm would brush against the long sleeve of the black shirt he usually wore underneath his tunic.  They continued on in silence for two point three meters until he noticed her shiver against the breeze.

“You are chilled,” he noted.

“I’m…I didn’t realize it could get this cold at night.  Should it?”

“When we return to the villa we shall check the system’s readings,” Spock promised.  “In the meantime, come closer.  The heat from my body should warm you well enough until we reach our destination.”

Nodding, Uhura slid her arm through the bend of his and pressed her body close.  Spock closed his eyes and swallowed thickly.

“Wow, you’re burning up!  If I didn’t know you were Vulcan, I’d demand an immediate beam up and send you to sickbay!”

“Though I outrank you?”

Uhura snorted.  “You think I’d care about ranks if you were ill?”

“No.”

She smiled up at him.  “You know me better than I thought.”

“You are an endless enigma, Miss Uhura.”

“Mr. Spock, I do believe that is the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

He sighed and rolled his eyes even as she proved his internal point.  Curious she didn’t drag him into a war of wits with her teasing as McCoy and Kirk could.  No wonder she’d “unsettled” Nomad as well.

They continued the rest of the walk quietly, though at some point Uhura rested her head against his bicep.  Spock gripped his wrists so he wouldn’t wrap an arm around her shoulders, far too pleased with the position than he thought he had a right to be.  When they reached the villa, the native from last night, wearing what Spock supposed the man thought were swim briefs, was at the bottom of the steps, his expression lightening at first, then falling back once his brain registered what he saw.

“I…”

“Luxela…” Uhura began, standing straighter, and would’ve removed her arm had Spock not tensed his.

“Is our presence needed at the system?” he asked, moving forward slightly as if to shield Uhura.

The man shook his head and started down the path.  “I apologize.”

Spock stared the man down until he was out of sight, and didn’t relax until he could no longer hear footsteps.  However when he turned back to Uhura, her dark-brown eyes clearly conveyed her annoyance before she yanked her arm from his and practically stomped into the villa.

Most perplexing.

Uhura didn’t know with whom she was more annoyed—Spock or herself.  She’d made plans for a moonlight swim, possibly more, with Luxela, but she’d stayed out with Spock much longer than she thought she would.  But that still didn’t explain—

“Why did you chase him off like that?” she asked after Spock entered and shut the door behind him.

He raised both eyebrows and clasped his hands before him this time.  “I merely asked him a question, Lieutenant.  I hardly ran after him with a phaser to shoo him away.”

The image that suddenly traipsed into her head shuffled out the remaining echoes of her irritation and she suddenly chuckled.

“A phaser, huh?”

Spock shrugged elegantly.  “It would have been set to stun.”

Still chuckling, Uhura went to the couch and picked up Mr. Spock’s padd, checking the readings.  “Everything looks okay, sir.”

He sat beside her and crowded into her personal space to see the screen.  A shiver ran through her when she sensed his focus had shifted from the padd to her.

“I realize I never answered your question,” he said quietly.

“My question?” she asked dumbly.

He nodded.  “Why do I not tell you that you are an attractive young lady.”

She laughed nervously and waved her hand.  “That was rhetorical, you don’t have to—”

“I insist.”

She snapped her mouth shut.

“At the time, I was not supposed to acknowledge such a fact because I was intended for another.  Since that is no longer the case, I have not because there was no logical reason for me to do so.”

He spoke as if he were presenting a theory to the captain about how to get out of a precarious situation.  She wanted to laugh at the seriousness with which he approached the query, but it was so quintessential Spock that Uhura couldn’t help but be charmed.

She leaned against the back of the couch, the padd now in her lap. “And now?”

“This past assignment has given me further insight to you that I probably would not have procured while on the ship.”

“Oh?”

He nodded again.  “Nyota, you are an attractive young lady.”

She smiled, internally rippling at his use of her given name.  “Thank you.”

Spock arched an eyebrow.  “I do not think you understand.  You attract indiscriminately, which can be dangerous.”

Now she frowned. “I can’t help who I attract.”

“That may be, but if you had proper safeguards, it would prevent unsavory characters from approaching you.”

Uhura gave him an odd look.  “Unsavory?”

“Yes.  That man, Luxela, would not have appreciated anything beyond your physical offerings.”

“That’s all I was offering!” Uhura exclaimed, indignant once again that particular pressure wouldn’t be relieved!

“However, it is illogical not to offer all you possess, especially to one incapable of fully accepting it.”

Uhura glared at the padd, her nostrils flaring.  “Oh, and you think you could?”

“Perhaps not, but I would certainly welcome the attempt.”

When she snapped her head to him, Spock took the opportunity to touch her jaw with his knuckles.  She only blinked at him, and he shrugged minutely.

“This is not as sudden as it may seem.  I have given much thought to it over the course of our time together, especially after the dissipation of my bond.  The more I have gotten to know you, the more I realize I have much left to discover.”

She was still gaping at him.  “Mr. Spock!”

He raised his eyebrows and looked before him toward the opposite wall where there was a painting of the outside lagoon.  “I wish to amend a statement I made.”  He paused for an answer, but after one point seventeen minutes of silence, realized one wasn’t forthcoming.  “My stating you are an attractive young lady lends itself to the assumption that is all I think you are.  This is not the case.  You are, indeed, an illogical woman, but not a silly one, prone to flights of fancy.  If you were, you would not be the chief communications officer of the Starfleet’s most renowned ship.  Moreover, you provide a challenge I am uncertain I would ever want to conquer.”

Spock felt Uhura gaze at him for a minutely uncomfortable forty-eight point seven seconds, then her fingers thread through his.

He turned to her, surprised, though he shouldn’t be, at her boldness.

“Mr. Spock.”

“Yes, Nyota?”

“Are all Vulcans this adept with words?”

He thought carefully.  “I am uncertain, although my father undoubtedly proved prolific with them enough to be an ambassador.”

“And woo your Human mother,” Uhura added, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

“It would seem that way,” he responded, leaning his head down until their foreheads touched.  “She was a teacher.”

“No wonder you like to learn…”

He pulled back slightly so he could lift their joined hands and he kissed each of her knuckles.  “There is little I would desire to learn about more than you.”

Uhura grinned and looked at their hands innocently.  “Would you like your first lesson now?”

He felt a surge of heat again, although this time he didn’t bother to check the padd, knowing and accepting it was all because of the woman before him.

“I would not be adverse to such a commencement.”

She stood, never taking her hand from his.  Intriguing him by going to the front door instead of the bedrooms, he raised an eyebrow.

“May I inquire about our destination?”

She led him outside and down the steps once more.  “To the beach.  My human curiosity wants to know how a Vulcan would go about wooing an attractive Human woman during a lazy evening under a double full moon when his planet of origin has none.”

Spock stopped her and traced the shafts of moonlight upon her forehead, nose, and lips with his middle and index fingers.  “Most illogically, of course.”

Hugging him, Uhura laughed with delight.