Here's chapter 2! Hope you enjoy it.


Sitting in the mercifully empty mess hall after a long day's work, Malcolm sipped his tea and thought of that morning. So engrossed was he in his reflection that he didn't notice the quiet approach of Commander Tucker.

"May I join you?" asked Trip. Upon receiving no reply, he leaned closer and noticed the far away look in Malcolm's eyes.

"Hello, calling Lieutenant Reed," he said, waving a hand in front of Malcolm's face.

Malcolm returned to the present with a jerk.

"Commander. Would you like to join me?" he gestured to the seat opposite him.

"What's up?" asked Trip, as he sat down.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with our new Doctor, would it?" asked Trip with a grin. "How do you know her anyway?"

"We met at the Academy," replied Malcolm, hoping that would be enough to satisfy his friend. He should have known better.

"Did she patch you up after a training session or something?"

"I don't really want to discuss it, thank you Trip."

"Why not?" asked Trip with a frown. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything! It's just…never mind," replied Malcolm, rising to leave.

"Now wait a minute!" called Trip, also rising. "There's something up and I wanna know what it is."

"Just drop it, Trip. Please."

"No. What's going on with you two? Just this morning you were overjoyed when she came aboard, and now you're looking like someone's just died. Why the sudden change?"

Realising that he wasn't going to get away with out at least some explanation, Malcolm returned to his seat.

After a moment, he said, "It's just, seeing he after all these years; it's made me realise how much I've missed."

"What d'you mean?" asked Trip, resuming his seat across from Malcolm.

"Well, all these feelings have come rushing back and I don't know what to do with them," sighed Malcolm.

Comprehension dawned of Trips face.

"You like her, don't you?" He asked with a grin. This slowly turned into a frown as Malcolm didn't return the smile. "Does she know?"

Malcolm shook his head.

"I never told her," he said quietly.

"Well, she's a great girl. Very pretty. I'd tell her if I were you. Get it over with."

"I can't. We're colleagues. We have to work closely together. We can't have that between us."

"Have you even considered that fact that she just might like you too?"

"She doesn't."

With this final statement, Malcolm rose and left the room before Trip could get another word in.


A week later, Archer met his senior staff in the Situation Room. Six light-years away, T'Pol had found an uninhabited M-class planet with unusual readings coming from the northern hemisphere.

"I think we should go and take a look, where's the harm?" put in Trip.

"I agree, I could do with a bit of shore leave," concurred Hoshi, though she was mildly disappointed that there were no aliens to talk to.

"What do you think Malcolm?" asked Archer.

"Personally sir, I still have quite a bit of work to do in the Armoury, but I don't perceive any immediate danger in sending a team to explore," consented the Tactical officer.

"Alright then. Malcolm, Hoshi and I will go down and explore the surface, see if we can find anything interesting."

"Sir, if I may, perhaps Lieutenant Handel might like to join us? This is her first time outside the solar system," suggested Malcolm, somewhat quietly.

"Good idea, Malcolm. Why don't you ask her if she would like to join us?" Archer nodded. "Dismissed."

Malcolm, knowing that Trip was trying to catch his eye, turned and hurried into the Turbolift, heading for Sickbay.


As she headed towards the launch bay, Laura wondered what it would be like, setting foot on a completely alien planet for the first time. When Malcolm had arrived in Sickbay and told her that Captain Archer had added her to the Away Team she had been thrilled, though a little surprised that the captain should want to take a medical officer on a mission to an uninhabited planet.

She, however, was not one to question the captain's orders and had agreed at once, telling Malcolm that she would meet him in the launch bay in 20 minutes.

As her training had taught her, Laura had packed her away kit with all the basics, plus a few extras, just in case. 'You never know what could happen, even on an uninhabited planet,' she thought to herself.

Arriving at the launch bay, Laura triggered the door release and stepped inside. Malcolm was there waiting for her, as always the first to arrive. Moments later they were joined by Hoshi and the captain, having both come from the bridge.

"All here?" asked Archer cheerily. He was looking forward to this as much as anyone else.

"Yes sir," replied Malcolm.

"Lets head off them, shall we?" said Archer.

Malcolm led the way over to the shuttlepod, closely followed by Hoshi, Laura and the captain.

Malcolm took the pilot's seat as the captain closed the hatch and took a seat beside him. Hoshi and Laura seated themselves on the benches at the back.

"Are you looking forward to this?" asked Hoshi, looking across to Laura.

"Defiantly, I've never been outside the solar system before, let alone set foot on any planets!" replied Laura, grinning.

Hoshi returned the smile. "I wondered what we'll find down there. There's got to be something giving out those strange readings."

"I just hope it's nothing threatening."

Hoshiglanced towards Malcolm, as it sounded like the sort of thing he would say, but he was concentrating wholly on flying the shuttle. Turning her gaze back to Laura she noticed the quizzical look on her face.

"Is something wrong, Ensign?" she asked.

Hoshi shook her head. "No. Nothing. Oh, you can call me Hoshi if you like." She smiled again.

"Captain, I can see a clearing in the forest up ahead, shall I land there?" asked Malcolm.

"Looks good to me, Malcolm. Here we go, Ladies," replied Archer.


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