Hayes took a deep breath and a brief pause at the food dispenser before approaching Malcolm. He didn't have much of an appetite.

Money.

He'd need time to process Money's revelations. He'd taken her aside almost immediately after the Tactical Alert with the intention of telling her to pull herself together. He'd not had a clue about her and Hawkins. Nothing had been apparent to him but the sense of unity and unwavering loyalty to one another that was the beating heart of his team. He wasn't losing touch with his team, was he?, he thought to himself. No. No way. If they, as she had gone to great pains to point out, had behaved nothing less than professional and according to his standards, why would he? Mmmm. His standards... During her confession, he could sense another layer to her revelations. He suspected that she had her own strong suspicions about his personal evolving relationship with Lieutenant Reed. Why wouldn't she if she already experienced the same herself? MACOs see everything. It's why they are the best at what they do.

He headed towards Malcolm who was obviously reviewing the readouts from the latest encounter. "Nothing serious then?"

"Mmmm?" said Malcolm distractedly. "Oh, Major. Please, take a seat."

He had been waiting for Hayes in the Mess as agreed. "No. Nothing serious. The Sub-Commander picked up a signal of Romulan origin. It turned out to be a communication beacon. No doubt simply gone astray from its original location due to some spatial anomaly or other."

"Must have brought back a few memories…" Malcolm looked at him questioningly. "From your encounter with the minefield…"

"You read that report?," Malcolm asked.

"I read all your reports from the NX-01's missions prior to the Delphic Expanse, Lieutenant. Would be duty negligent if I didn't now, wouldn't it?"

Malcolm resisted the strong urge to lean over to him as he sipped his water. Sometimes more than others, he had to work a little harder to keep himself in check. He found that if he reflected Matthew's own self-disciplinary approach to these one-to-one situations which they more frequently permitted themselves since finding the common ground on which they tread, he could handle it deftly enough. Professional and composed - not some lovestruck teenager - he may be, but the pull of Matthew Hayes could be somewhat overwhelming on occasion, even for a man of his measure and usual degree of self-control. Meara Shaw, he mused to himself, you inspire me equally cursed and blessed…

"So," Malcolm began, sitting forward to rest his forearms on the table. "You wanted to discuss how we could better improve MACO/Starfleet relations?" Matthew looked up from his food to see that familiar sparkle in his eye that was becoming a trademark innuendo signal. He managed to catch himself in time before returning any hint of recognition, just as he noticed Money, Mackenzie and Chang enter the Mess. Money gave him a brief, blank nod of acknowledgement, her features not betraying any knowledge of what had almost passed between them one way or another.

Hayes applied his most neutral expression and tone of conversation. "Yes, Lieutenant. That's the plan. If you can spare the time right now?"

Instantly sensing the change in tempo in the conversation, Malcolm fell into his rhythm, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms, hardly missing a beat. "Of course. This is a long mission. We didn't exactly start as we meant to go on, so there is plenty of room for improvement."


The MACOs took a table in the far corner of the room. Money positioned herself so she could watch the commanding officers from the corner of her eye. Something was different, she thought to herself, but she guessed time in the Expanse changed more than just a person's perception of space. She knew it had certainly changed hers. She turned her attention back to Mackenzie and Chang. They were excitedly discussing the weapons upgrades that had been added to the Armoury during Enterprise's time in space dock. She gave a small smile. At least there are some constants in the Universe, she considered.


The Mess was largely deserted by the time the Lieutenant and the Major had come to an initial agreement of sorts on how best to evolve MACO/Starfleet integration while retaining an uncompromised integrity in the command structure of both.

"It's all too easy to blur the lines," Hayes said. Reed nodded in agreement. The statement hung in the air for a moment, neither man acknowledging its further implications.

Malcolm stood. "Well if that's all, Major…" Hayes followed suit. "Not quite, Lieutenant, though I would prefer to carry on this conversation in private later?"

Malcolm noted his face had remained neutral throughout their discussion. And now. For some reason, the most recent scar beneath his ribs, his trophy of their first diplomatic mission to Qo'nos, tingled slightly. "Certainly, Major. I'll comm you when I'm free. Now, I really must get back to the Bridge."

"Yes, Sir."

As Hayes watched him leave the Mess, he felt his heart pounding. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but he had a feeling - a clear and present hope based on how far they had come - it would be a mutual understanding. He cast his mind back to Meara Shaw. Damn you, Ambassador, he thought to himself. You've made life so much better, and that much more complicated.