TITLE: A Drunken Salute

AUTHOR: Erin Chase

SUMMARY: Reed and Trip get into a bar room brawl.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters from Enterprise or anything.

NOTES: Wow, I actually finished a fic and it isn't that long! Yey! Most of my fics are about Reed or Trip cuz they're my favourites. I don't do slash fic, oh, and I'm not too good at technobabble but everything else is okay I hope! Oh, and I apologise for the rather lame title :)

FEEDBACK: Always a pleasure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Right there." Trip frowned. Archer looked into the complicated looking machine, not entirely sure at what he was looking for. "It's completely burnt out and that was the last one."

"Oh. And it's important?" Archer quizzed. Trip looked at him. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone on the ship knew all there was to know about engineering.

"Yeah it's pretty important. I mean, we could leave the station but I don't think we'd get very far without exploding." He told Archer. The Enterprise was currently docked at Ta Tem, a space station inhabited by mostly humans but there were some alien species there too.

"How can you get hold of another one?"

"I s'pose we could order one from Starfleet but that would take close to two days to arrive."

"What choice do we have?" Archer sighed. They had already been docked at the station for three days and learnt all they needed to. Another two days could be spent exploring new planets.

"Well sir we are docked at a space station that's main attraction is the trade business." He put forward.

"You think someone there would have one of these......things?"

"I don't see why not." Trip couldn't help but feel excited inside. He hadn't been to the station yet because of all the repairs he'd been doing around the ship. He couldn't wait to get over there.

Archer knew that his friends reasons weren't completely engine related but nevertheless it was a good excuse. "Alright Trip you can go. But find the.....whatever it is.....first."

"Yes Sir." He smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Malcolm Reed lay awake in his quarters. Insomnia had gripped him for the last three nights, it was totally inexplicable. He couldn't find any reason for it, though perhaps that was what was keeping him awake.....

He couldn't talk to anyone about it. Maybe he could see Dr Phlox though, and get some kind of sleeping pills.

Leaping out of bed with a sudden rush of energy, he decided to go and see Dr Phlox right away. He glanced in the mirror and scowled at the dark bags under his eyes. Turning around as if to escape the unpleasing image in the reflection, he tripped over a table leg.

"Bugger!" He exclaimed as he began hopping around like a madman. Reed widened his eyes as he lost his footing and fell to the floor with a thud, hitting the corner of his head on the same cursed table.

After landing with a thud he let out a sigh. He reached his hand to his head and it was met with warm blood and a twang of pain. "Ffff....." he managed to breath as he slipped into unconsciousness. At least it was some form of sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later on in sickbay Malcolm was getting his head looked at by Dr Phlox. "There. You should be fine. Ready to get back to work in no time." Phlox said cheerfully.

"Wonderful." Reed replied in a less than enthusiastic tone.

"Something else the matter Mr Reed?"

He was about to tell the Doc about his insomnia when there was a ship-wide announcement. Something about leaving as soon as the ship was repaired, and that the crew were welcome to board the station until then.

"Maybe you should go and look around the station to relax." Phlox suggested, noticing the dark rings under his patient's eyes.

"Maybe I should." Reed smiled weakly and decided that that was exactly what he'd do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stepping onto the station for the first time, the thing that struck Trip first was the smell. It was similar to that of the engine room but it was much more homely. ~Travis must be loving this.~ He thought, knowing that Mayweather was already around there somewhere.

Scanning the area he noticed a bar at the far side of the large room that was filled with people, and aliens. Recognising an Enterprise uniform, Trip made his way over.

Reed was sat slumped over the bar with his eyes closed. "Malcolm." Tucker called in a surprised tone when he saw who it was and what state he was in. His friend didn't respond.

"Lieutenant Reed!" He repeated. Reed abruptly sat upright.

"Trip!" He blurted. "Oh, sorry I mean Commander Trip Sir."

"You're drunk?" Tucker said in utter disbelief. This was a side of Reed he never expected to see. "Do you have any idea what this could do to your career?!"

"I don't care but it bloody tastes nice. Want some?" He stuttered, holding up a long green glass.

Trip exhaled and looked around the room, checking to see if anyone else from the ship was watching. He knew that it was his duty as an officer to report this to the Captain but how could he do that to a fellow crew-mate? A friend?

"Damn it Reed do you know what position you've put me in? Just what the hell is this stuff anyway?" He snatched the glass from his hand and held it to his nose. It smelt revolting. Looking at the clutter of similar glasses on the bar he figured that there was no use in talking to his companion in this state.

"Hey, give that back.! It's mine!" Reed yelled and made a pathetic attempt to reach for his drink. Instead, Trip held it out of his reach which, unexpectedly, led to Trip being punched in the jaw. He fell back into a table of rather large customers.

The next thing he knew he, people were shouting, glass was being smashed and there was chaos all around him. In a blur, something hit Tucker's head, hard. Then in a second he was getting kicked in the stomach repeatedly. He tried to get up but couldn't. Then one of his attackers was assaulted from behind.

It wasn't long before everyone that Trip could see was yelling and throwing things. The entire place was in uproar. Searching the vicinity for Reed, he spotted his located his friend not far from where he was.

Turned out he wasn't doing too well either. After lunging at a total stranger he was knocked out by a flying bottle shattering over his head.

Eventually the security forces arrived along with a security team from Enterprise, which made things considerably bad, for Reed anyway. Tucker managed to get to his feet and took a phase pistol from one of the crew who had one to spare.

Soon everything was under control and most of the perpetrators were taken to the brig of the station.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the sickbay once more, Reed was feeling like hell. The Doctor was over at the station helping them treat some of the inhabitants, on Captain's order. From what Trip had heard, the Captain was pissed and he was on his way.

Tucker was sitting on the opposite side of the room. His lip was swollen and bleeding and there was a brightly coloured bruise on the left side of his face. His chest hurt everytime time he exhaled - probably some broken ribs. He thought.

Reed looked equally bad but felt much worse. A black eye outshined the dark circles he sported earlier by far. The cut on by his eyebrow from earlier was joined by several more including a long one stretching across his face, going over the ridge of his nose.

He was a total mess. He had gotten drunk, punched his superior officer and instigated a

brawl. His career was over for sure. It would probably do no good but he tried to apologise to Trip.

"Sir, I - " He began but was interrupted..

"Don't bother Reed, alright?" Tucker said angrily. At that point Archer entered. The room was silent while he paced up and down the room a number of times.

"I've heard from several different sources, including the Administrator of the entire station who was quietly enjoying a drink with his senior officers, that two Starfleet officers were the cause of this riot." He said, not looking at either of them. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall in between the two.

"Now, I assured him that this wasn't possible. I mean, the only two officers at the scene were my chief engineer and my tactical officer. The Administrator thought I was insulting him by suggesting he was lying. So I promised him that I would make it my duty to go and find out just what happened"

"I'm not going to assume anything until I've heard what you two have to say. Commander Tucker, would you care to first? Maybe you could start by telling me why you were at the bar when you should have been looking for the part that you needed to fix my ship?"

Trip breathed in and started talking. "Cap'n I can explain everything......." Probably not the best way to start. Nonetheless, Archer said nothing and waited. "I was really excited to finally get over to the station, that's no secret. When I got there I bumped into Lieutenant Reed who informed me that the best person to talk to about acquiring anything was the barkeeper. So we went to the bar."

Malcolm was staring at the man sitting across from him, unable to believe that Trip was covering for him.

"And?" Archer pressed.

Tucker continued with his story. "We tried to talk to the guy at the bar but it was real crowded. Everyone was pushing to get served and.....and I lost my balance. I fell backward into a table. I guess that's where it all got kinda out of hand."

"Is that what happened Reed?" Archer turned to the Lieutenant.

"Yes Sir. Exactly what happened." He said.

"Alright. If this whole thing was an accident, I'm glad to say I won't have to report this to Starfleet. Stay here, both of you. The Doctor will be here soon, he'll get you cleaned up." With that, Archer left satisfied and relieved with what Trip had told him.

"Thank-you Sir." Reed said.

"Don't thank me." Trip replied angrily. "You know it's a funny thing but I don't like lying to my friends, especially not my Captain! And I don't take to kindly to getting punched and kicked till my ribs are broken Reed!" He finished, standing up and pacing.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am Commander...."

"Look," Trip started again, this time calmer. "Don't think I haven't noticed your behaviour lately. You've been late for your duties, you're slow, you're walkin around like you haven't slept in days, what's wrong with you lately?"

"I don't know." Reed said quietly.

"Okay let's put it this way. You owe me big time. You were a complete idiot and I covered your ass when I should of reported you. But I'm your friend. So whatever it is that screwing up your life? Deal with it. If you do that, I'll consider us even."

"Thank-you." Reed returned. "Sir."

END