White Wasteland

The white plain reached far beyond the horizon. Blizzards raged over the barren, white reaches. Three lone figures stomped aimlessly through the desolate chaos.

They were hard-pressed for time. Jim and the Enterprise were on their way to Mintaka IV, to supply the colony with urgently needed supplies. Bones, Spock and Christine had been beamed down to the planet Soltrak, for a routine research mission, but due to a transporter malfunction, they had materialized in this barren wasteland instead of the tropic jungle. Now they trudged through the cold, to reach the far end of the wasteland, only slightly protected with thermal blankets.

Spock turned around. The biting wind swept his hair into his face. Leonard McCoy and Christine Chapel were getting on only slowly while holding on to each other.

"We need shelter!" McCoy was the only one protected with a fur that they originally planned for crafting a sleeping place in the jungle with. He was more or less fully supporting Christine, who stumbled now and then.

At last, they reached a small, dark gap in the face of the rock they were following. They scrambled inside and found that it was pleasantly warm.

"Alright, we're gonna go find some herbs or some other thing to eat.", Christine said resolutely after a time. She was feeling better and all of them were fairly hungry.

"Spock!"

Spock waited for Christine and pulled her along.

"Careful Spock, we don't want to fall through the snow cover somewhere." Spock pulled on. When they saw a group of trees in the distance, they walked faster.

"Are we going to find our way back?", Chris asked worriedly.

"Certainly, Miss Chapel. We just have to stay on the right of this hill. We are on the right, and safe, way."

At that moment, the ground collapsed beneath them.

"Spock!"

But she was falling as well and plunged into the deep, with a shocked shriek.

"Lie still, Christine!" Spock's voice, next to her ear.

"Spock?", she asked disoriented.

"I'm here", he said from behind her. They were lying in a deep hole in the ground, on the cold stone. The wind wasn't bothering them anymore, but it was ice-cold and cramped. Christine had landed next to Spock, who held her now with one arm. Her left leg was bent in an unnatural position and the hole was too small to stretch.

Spock pulled her backwards and propped her up until he was leaning against the wall, holding her with one hand.

"Are you hurt?", she asked.

"My hip hurts. Could be broken." There was no time for pretending he was ok now.

The communicator beeped.

"McCoy here. Where did the two of you go off to? Here's a rescue party. With a shuttle."

"We seem to have fallen into a rock crevice. Some 600 meters east of your position. We are hurt."

"Alright, stay put. We'll be there shortly with the shuttle. McCoy out."

Spock sighed. At least Leonard was safe. Christine sighted as well, yawning.

"You mustn't sleep!", Spock said, with a worried gleam in his eyes. He too was tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. Just a little moment…"Ouch!"

"Now, who's sleeping?", Christine mocked him. He only raised his eyebrow as an answer and shuffled closer to Christine, laying his cheek on her head.

Christine looked amused and surprised at the same time when she gently remarked: "You're not as cuddly as this, normally."

"No, I'm not…", he said slowly. "We have to keep warm. I don't know when the rescue will arrive. And…There's no use in keeping a distance anyway. Just because…"

"It's all right, I understand." She pressed against his shoulder. He was weak. She could feel it. His mental barriers were not as erect as normally. She could feel his tiredness through their clothes and a gentle warmth radiated from him. A similar warmth filled her but coming from herself.

"I like you.", she said.

"Yes. I like you too.", came his exhausted answer after a minute pause.

"Yes."

She knew he didn't love her the way she had wished. But she had come to love him differently. And he understood. He rubbed her shoulder. She shivered. He coughed suddenly. Christine pulled out a medical scanner and hovered it over him.

"Hm…splintered hip, pneumonia."

She put the scanner away. "I'm so damn cold."

From far away came the calls of the search party.

"Here!"

After a time, several ropes with harnesses were let down and McCoy strapped Spock to him, while a Lieutenant of the rescue team gathered Christine in his arms, after administering a strong dose of painkillers, after a look at her leg.

Leonard held Spock tightly to him while they were slowly pulled upwards.

"Stay awake as long as you can, Spock. I know your hip hurts. We're going to fix you."

Spock groaned softly, laying his head on McCoy's shoulder.

"It's all right, Spock.", McCoy said gently. He could now see the rim of the crevice shortly above them.

Spock smiled at him. "Leonard…", he whispered and lost consciousness.

It was bright. Bright and warm. The first thing Spock saw upon waking was Bones. The pain had nearly gone, but he knew instantly that he would have to stay in sickbay for a while. On his left side lay Christine and looked at him warmly.

"Thank god you're awake. You gave me quite a fright when you were hanging there so lifeless!" "Hey, Spock."

That was Jim, smiling at Spock. Gentle warmth flooded Spock.

"Go to sleep, Spock.", Leonard said, while Jim, still smiling, padded his friend's shoulder reassuringly. Spock smiled softly back at Jim, turned to Christine and closed his eyes. As he started to snore softly and peacefully, she also closed her eyes. Something had changed.