CHAPTER FOUR

Reed paced the living quarters he was given. Larger than his own on his Enterprise, he had plenty of room to move around. His release from sickbay had at least relieved the feeling of being a trapped animal.

After a cursory inspection of the cabin and adjoining bathroom, he did a thorough search for surveillance devices. He found none, which surprised him. These people were either inept or naive. Granted, there were two guards outside his door, but there were other ways he could cause trouble that didn't involve leaving his cabin.

He turned his attention to the computer console on the desk. To his disappointment, he found he couldn't look at anything but a library of literary works. Access to everything else was denied. He leaned back in the chair at the desk and drummed his fingers on the desktop. He'd have to find something with which to amuse himself to keep from going stark raving bonkers. It would be a plus if he could find something he could use to his advantage. All manner of things, from information to weapons, could be useful. There might even be something here which could advance his position in his universe.

He got to his feet and went to the door. For the benefit of the guards, he smiled as he opened it. It was time to start learning his way around and getting an idea of the discipline of the crew on this ship. If these people were as gullible and trusting as they appeared to be, he ought to be able to find a few people who could be duped into helping him.

He was almost tempted to try cutting a deal with the captain of this ship. Archer had let him loose, after all. What a stupid thing to do! The Archer he knew would have put him in the agony booth to make sure he'd been telling the truth about being from another universe, and then most likely would have had him pushed out an airlock into open space. There had to be some reason Archer was captain here, though. Reed wasn't yet ready to push the man to find out if he had the same ruthless streak as his counterpart.

Maybe he'd run into that communications officer again. Not only could she be a font of information, but she could be a pleasant way for him to pass his time. It would be interesting to find out if she had some of the same talents as the captain's woman with whom he was acquainted.


"You know," Trip said, "it might help if we had him here."

T'Pol looked up from the data she'd been going over in the command center. "Major Reed?"

"Yeah," Trip said. "We know how our transporter operates. But there might be some differences in the set-up where he comes from. That could explain why he wound up here."

T'Pol considered what he said and nodded. "A difference in the conditions involving transporter technology in his universe could be, in part, responsible. It would be useful to know what differences, if any, there are. That is, provided Major Reed understands the process," she added.

Trip moved over to the comm panel, a grin lighting his face. "I've been wanting to do this ever since I found out his rank. It will irritate Malcolm something fierce." He keyed open the comm and said, "Major Reed. Report to the command center."

T'Pol merely arched an eyebrow and returned her attention to her work.


Malcolm had gone back to the armory after lunch and had found, much to his relief, that he was able to concentrate more fully on his duties. Talking to Hoshi had been good for him, if only to make him realize that his personal distaste of his counterpart wasn't coloring his opinion. There was at least one other person on board who had reservations about Reed, and her reasoning wasn't based on a gut feeling.

He'd just taken the cover off the controls of a torpedo when the comm panel sounded and Trip's voice came through. "Major Reed. Report to the command center."

"Major!" Malcolm exclaimed, dropping the cover which landed with a clang on the deck. The brief surge of anger faded as he realized they had to call the other man something. All the same, he thought, if the "major" was going to be in the command center, he ought to be there, too. No telling what mischief the man could get into there.

Calling over to one of his staff, he told the man where he'd be, and hurried out of the armory.


Hoshi looked up from the communications console when she heard the turbolift door open. A brawny MACO stepped out and gestured for someone behind him to exit. She watched as Major Reed, trailed by another MACO, sauntered out and gazed around the bridge. At a word from the first MACO, Reed followed him to the entrance of the command center, but not before his eyes met and held hers for several seconds.

It was a good thing she was sitting, otherwise her suddenly weak knees wouldn't have held her. Flustered, she tried to sort out what had just happened as the command center door closed after the trio.

Malcolm had never looked at her like that. Malcolm was courteous and respectful. He had come to be a good friend she could trust. He also could be intimidating when he was angry, but she knew he'd never lift a finger against her. On the contrary, he'd do everything he could to protect her from harm.

There was nothing courteous or respectful about the man who had just crossed the bridge. His eyes had been smoldering with repressed desire. Perhaps more than that. There was something primal about the way he'd looked at her. It had sent a shocked tingle through her, startling her by its intensity.

Malcolm was right. The man was dangerous. Not that she couldn't take care of herself. Quite the contrary. She was confident she could handle him. It might be interesting to see what happened, and it was only with the slightest bit of guilty pleasure that she realized she might actually enjoy such an encounter.


Malcolm hurried across the bridge from the turbolift on his way to the command center. Intent as he was on reaching his destination, he still registered Hoshi's bemused gaze. She was probably wondering why he was in such a rush. He didn't have time to stop and talk, however. Even if he did, he wasn't inclined to tell her why he was on the bridge when his scheduled duty shift was in the armory. It was one thing for her to understand his concern about Major Reed; it was another for her to think he was acting precipitately on his paranoia.

He stepped into the command center to find Reed standing next to T'Pol at one of the consoles. Trip was doing something at one of the other work stations while T'Pol explained the principles of the transporter to Reed. Malcolm must have given some sign of his misgivings, for Trip came over to stand beside him.

"They're comparing notes between our transporter system and what they use in his universe," Trip said quietly. "They might find a clue about what happened to send him here."

Malcolm swallowed and nodded. That made sense, but he wasn't thrilled about telling Reed how any of Enterprise's systems operated. While the information for the transporter wasn't classified, it somehow felt wrong to be telling him. Knowledge was power, and Reed struck him as someone who couldn't be trusted with any kind of knowledge.

T'Pol turned to Malcolm and said, "Perhaps a review of what you were doing before and during the transport, as well as what Major Reed was doing, will give us an indication of how his transfer to this universe took place."

T'Pol had already familiarized herself with his report, so this recitation must be for Reed's benefit, Malcolm realized. He gave a succinct accounting of the process, including the problem of locking on to the target while using the shield-enhanced particle stream. He dutifully recounted everything he could remember. When he finished, it was Reed's turn.

"I wasn't involved in the process itself, other than being the object being transported," Reed said dryly, "so I don't know if there were any unusual readings at the time. But our system is basically the same as yours -- without the shield enhancement, of course. Interesting idea, by the way."

"Were you transporting from your ship or to your ship?" T'Pol asked.

"I was on a planet and was transporting back to my ship," he replied.

As the questions and answers went back and forth, Malcolm had to admit his counterpart was knowledgeable outside his area of specialization in security and weapons. He understood the engineering principles behind the transporter process. Yet another thing they had in common besides their looks, he thought sourly.

"Were there any energy disturbances on the planet at the time you transported?" T'Pol asked.

Reed shrugged. "There was an electrical storm near where I was, but it was a localized event and not planetwide. I've transported through much worse many times. There's never been a problem before."

"Did anybody else transport back to the ship before you?" Trip asked.

"No," Reed replied. "I was the only one on the planet at the time."

Trip turned to T'Pol and said, "Maybe some kind of technology on the planet interfered with the process."

"There wasn't any technology on the planet," Reed said. "It was an uninhabited world."

Malcolm frowned and asked, "What were you doing there?"

Reed turned his gaze on him. "Hunting."

"So there was some form of animal life there," T'Pol said with an expression of distaste.

"No." Reed smirked. "A member of the crew facing disciplinary action had gone down to the planet without authorization. I was sent to track him down."

Malcolm had an idea what had happened, but before he could verbalize his suspicion, Trip said, "So, you went down to get him back. But you said you were the only person transporting back to the ship. Didn't you find him?"

"I found him. Like I told you -- I was hunting," Reed said. He glanced at Malcolm. "Lucky for you I put the phase rifle's setting back on stun when I was finished."


Hoshi was still at the communications console when the meeting in the command center broke up two hours later. Major Reed was the first person to step out onto the bridge. As he sauntered toward her, trailed by his escort, Hoshi wished there were more people around. She took a deep breath and braced herself as Reed walked around her console and stood facing her in front of it. His eyes did a thorough assessment of her before he spoke. "Hard at work, I see."

"I try," Hoshi said in what she hoped was a steady voice.

"I bet you're very good," he said, a sardonic smile lurking at the edges of his lips.

Hoshi looked at him askance. By his inflection, she knew he was talking about something other than her duties. Her unease started to give way to something more mischievous as she recognized the age-old challenge in what he was doing. She smiled and answered with a gleam in her eye. "You have no idea how good."

Reed laughed softly at that. He shifted his weight and put one hand on the rail in front of her console. "Would you be willing to show me?" he asked.

Hoshi's eyebrows shot up, and she had to bite her lip to keep from snickering. She found she was enjoying the exchange. "Well, I don't know," she prevaricated, averting her gaze as if she were giving his question serious consideration. She glanced back at him. "What's in it for me?"

His expression was answer enough, and she felt the same tingle shoot through her that had happened when he'd first locked eyes with her when he'd walked onto the bridge earlier. He was leaning in closer toward her when she heard the command center door open again. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Malcolm. The momentary distraction was enough to break the spell. She turned back to Reed. "Maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question."

Malcolm was bearing down on them, a displeased expression on his face, as Reed's gaze bored into hers. "Pity," Reed said quietly. But Hoshi thought he was amused all the same.

"Do you have a reason to be on the bridge?" Malcolm asked Reed pointedly as he came to stand beside Hoshi's console.

Reed glanced at him, then back at Hoshi. "Just this lovely lady," he said. He gave her an abbreviated bow and, with one last heated gaze at her, he turned and headed for the turbolift, followed by the two MACOs. Hoshi watched him the entire way until the door shut between them, cutting off her view. Mindful of Malcolm standing next to her, she held in the sigh that threatened to escape her.

"Hoshi..." Malcolm said.

She turned slightly in her seat so that she could look up at him. He was staring down at her with a curious expression. "Yes, Malcolm?" she asked, careful to keep her own expression blank. He'd already warned her once about their guest, and it wasn't like she was some silly little schoolgirl. While she appreciated his concern, she wished he would just butt out.

"Never mind," he said. Shaking his head, he walked away.

Hoshi made sure she hid her smile until he left the bridge.


Hoshi Sato appeared to be a tempting morsel in both his universe and this one, Reed thought as he and the two guards rode in the turbolift. This Hoshi, however, didn't have the hard edge of her counterpart. Still, he'd caught a hint of backbone behind that seemingly innocent demeanor. If there was a chance, he'd like to become better acquainted with the Hoshi of this universe.

The 'lift door opened, and his mind turned to the meeting in the command center as he stepped out. The exchange of information about transporter systems hadn't provided him with any useful data, although from the way that other Malcolm Reed had acted, you'd think state secrets were being given away. The transporter had been a good place to start. Too bad they hadn't covered any information concerning the shield enhancement of the particle stream. It might have some practical applications back in his universe. That is, if he was able to return.

He opened the door to his cabin and stepped in, letting the door slide shut between him and his ever-present escort. He shouldn't be waiting around to see if he could be sent back. He should start making plans on the assumption he couldn't. He was on his own in a hostile environment. With a grunt, he realized this place wasn't that much different from where he came from. He'd never trusted anyone there. He wasn't about to start trusting the people here.

He lay down on the bunk, hands behind his head, and considered the options available to him. It wasn't long before the image of the communications officer's face rose up in his mind.