Chapter One

"This place is wonderful," said Jim Kirk. Strolling casually, he stretched his arms above his head and linked them together behind his head. He tilted his head back, shooting a smile to his first officer. "This is great, Spock. I'm so glad to finally get some quality time with my favorite first officer."

"I am your only first officer." Spock gazed at him sharply, brown eyes nearly slicing Jim in half in their intensity.

"Ah...Of course." Jim said. He stopped. So did Spock. Furtively, he glanced back the way they'd just come. "So, Spock, what is the likelihood of our being found by our...colleagues?"

"All things considered, slim to none."

Yes! Jim thought. He reached up to touch the Vulcan's chest, his hand practically shaking in anticipation, but at the last moment, Spock turned away. Jim let out a half-sigh, half-angry exhalation, turning away and crossing his arms over his chest as if nothing at all had just happened.

Spock seemed absorbed with something else now, namely, the tricorder he held in his hands. Was he oblivious, or did he just want to keep it professional? Jim didn't know.

"Quite strange," he commented, gazing up at the branches of a reaching, green leaved tree. "This is not the kind of readings we got from the ship's instruments."

"Yeah, I know." said Jim quickly. "They're completely opposite. Now, Spock, there's been something I've been meaning to..."

"Jim!"

His head whipped up. Much to his dismay, Uhura was approaching.

"Spock," he grumbled, "I thought you said the chances were slim to none!"

"I did," Spock said. "That only applies to a single given moment, however."

"But still, you..."

"Jim!"

"Dang it," he muttered to himself, then turned fully to face his communications officer. He didn't try to keep the dread out of his voice.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"You'd better get over here."

Jim sighed. What the heck was it now? Why did the woman have to be so ambiguous? She turned, he long ponytail swishing behind her. Jim followed. "Stay here, Spock," he shouted over his shoulder. "That's an order!"

When Uhura had led him back to the tree covered area at which they had beamed down, she pointed frantically to a spot on the dark ground, illuminated by the sun slating through the leaves overhead.

"So?"

"It's a rabbit track!"

"And?"

Uhura sighed hugely in frustration. "The readings showed there was no animal life!"

"Yeah, and they also showed no vegetation," Jim said. He brought a hand to her shoulder and patted it. "You can calm down now, Lieutenant."

Uhura's cheeks puffed up in anger. She glared at him steadily, but he couldn't have cared less.

"Besides," he said, "If you weren't so focused on a stupid footprint, you wouldn't have lost the rest of the landing crew. Where are they, anyway?"

"I don't know," he snapped. "Am I their keeper?"

"If I order you to be, you are."

Finally she conceded. "Permission to call and find out?"

"Granted."

She whipped out her communicator and spun around quirkily. "Uhura to Dr. McCoy. Come in please."

As she continued talking, Jim ambled around the area. It was beautiful. What could ever be wrong with the place? This entire planet semmed like a snapshot from a garden paradise. The only things that would make this more like a backyard garden were wind chimes.

"Alright," he heard Uhura say, "Uhura out."

"Well? Report!" Jim smiled in amusement as Uhura sent him another death glare, this one even more withering than the first. She didn't move any closer, although they were nearly five feet apart.

"They're about five hundred yards southeast of where we are now."

A breeze blew through the leaves, slipping through the branches and lightly tousling Jim's dirty blonde hair. Trailing through the trees, it left a soft echo like tinkling bells.

"Well," he breathed, "I guess we ought to find them."