“I love you.”

Jim fired his phaser. “What?”

“I am in love with you.”

Jim ducked down as a disruptor was fired in his direction. He returned fire.

“Okay, well, this really isn’t the time, Mr. Spock.”

Spock fired from across the corridor. “Agreed. But it is never the time.”

“When we return—”

“The odds are not in our favor that we will return to the Enterprise, certainly not intact, therefore, it stands to reason, logical even, that should I not be the one who returns intact or otherwise—”

“You’re giving me a bitch of a headache, Spock.”

“Acknowledged. And speaking of acknowledgement.”

Jim spared him a glance before looking back at the enemy. “What?”

“Do you, perhaps, return my regard or not?”

“Really? We’re going to do this now?”

“Jim.”

“Fine. Yes. Yes. My regard is the same. Can we concentrate on—”

“Spock to Enterprise. Two to beam up.”

“Wait. Seriously? You had them on standby all this time?”

“Affirmative.”