DISCLAIMER; Don't own it.

NOTE; OK, sorry about the grammar and stuff.....if you click my name and read my bio, you'll see why. I'll try and fit in why Hoshi can't speak French this chapter, and, OK, the re-routing power thing may have been a bad idea, but I'm not up to scratch on my space craft mechanics, and it's the only thing I could come up with. I'll try and come up with some reason for Malcolm not being able to do that too. Sorry it's been a while since I updated, I had to fly back to Yaroslavl to see my Grandparents, and sorry about all the mistakes. I don't pay much attention to detail. Just ignore them, if you can, 'cus there's gonna be a lot more!! (Haha!) Anyway, on to the story...............

OHHH!! One more thing. Dave - Harashaw, spaseaba. Kak de la?

NOSTARCASSA - Chapter Three

Malcolm sat on the floor of the shuttle pod next to his unconscious friend. After his disagreement with Hoshi, he'd gone back inside the shuttle to check on Trip, only to find he had passed out. Hoshi had gone for a walk.

And so Malcolm was alone, with nothing to do. He'd found a discarded manual that he assumed Hoshi had been reading, and picked it up. By the fourth page he'd gotten bored and thrown it on the floor.

He went to the storage unit to see if he could find a different one to could read. "You'd think they could give you a jigsaw or something," he said to himself, shutting the locker door after his unsuccessful search.

"You should mention that to the captain when we get back."

Malcolm turned to see Hoshi standing in the doorway. "You're back." He said, moving to sit in a chair.

"Yeah," she said, looking uncomfortable. "Look Malcolm," she moved to sit in the chair next to him. "I'm sorry." She looked to see if he was listening to her before continuing. "About earlier. You were right, I was wrong. It's miles to anywhere. With just us three, and Trip like he is, well....." She looked over at Trip. "He OK?" She asked.

"No better, no worse." Malcolm said before turning his attention back to Hoshi. "And....it's OK about earlier." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Thanks, it's just......I panic."

"What do you mean?"

"I panic. I panicked on the bridge, I panicked after we crashed." She shook her head and sighed.

"The bridge?" Malcolm asked. Hoshi looked at him and nodded. "When have you ever panicked on the bridge?"

"When they....."

"When who?" Malcolm interrupted.

"The Cassians." Hoshi said, "When the Cassians first contacted the Enterprise, I panicked." She looked at Trip, then back at Malcolm. "It was French. I can talk French. I mean, I learnt it in high school for God's sake." She looked at her hands. "I can speak it, and I just, panicked." She said, still looking at her hands.

"It happens," Malcolm said, "You hadn't spoken it for a while, you were out of practice. You just, well, panicked." He took one of her hands. "It happens to us all." She looked at him and frowned. He let go of her hand and began to explain. "When the shuttle's engine's shut down, I should have been able to help." He sighed and sat back in the chair. "Anyone could of done it. I, I panicked, Hoshi. I just didn't know what to do." He looked at her to find she was still frowning. "It happens to all of us."

"It never happens to Captain Archer." She said. She turned to look at Trip. "And it never happens to Trip."

"Oh it does," Malcolm said, smiling slightly. "They're just better at hiding it."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sarah,"

"It's OK, Trip, it's me. It's Hoshi."

Trip muttered something about being sorry, and returned to his sleep. It had been two days since the crash and Trip had been slowly getting worse. While Malcolm searched for food and water to make up the rapidly diminishing rations, Hoshi stayed in the shuttle and cared for Trip.

"Who's Sarah?" Malcolm asked form the back of the shuttle. He had not long returned for his excursion and was placing the food he had gathered into the rations box.

"I have no idea." Hoshi said, frowning. "He's not exactly lucid," she said, turning to face Malcolm. "His fever's still high." she stood, walked over to Malcolm and crouched down next to him. "I think his side or his leg could be infected."

Malcolm said nothing.

"It's been two day's," Hoshi continued. "He's getting worse, I think, maybe, we should........"

"Should what?" Malcolm interrupted. "Go find help? Leave him? Drag him with us?" He stood and walked to pilot controls, resting his hands on the panel.

"No," Hoshi said, standing and turning to face him. "It's just that," She paused, not sure of how to finish the sentence. "Unless we get help soon, Trip's gonna..." She took a deep breath, "Trip's gonna die."

"I Know that, Hoshi." Malcolm said, sitting in the pilots seat. "But by leaving him, we're not helping. And by taking him, we're not helping." He turned the seat to face her. "It's catch twenty-two. You have to leave to help, but if you leave, you kill him."

"Would you two.....please stop being, so morbid?"

"Trip," Hoshi knelt beside him. "You heard that?" slightly dismayed he had over heard their conversation.

Trip nodded, before letting out a harsh cough. Hoshi gently brushed back the hair that had fallen down on Trip's forehead. "Sorry," He said weakly.

"Shhhh." Hoshi said, still brushing back the loose pieces of sweat-soaked hair. "It's OK."

"No," Trip continued, barely a whisper. "I called you Sarah." He coughed again. "Sorry."

"It's OK," She repeated.

Malcolm walked over to ration's box and took out a bottle of water. He handed it to Hoshi. She took the bottle and aided Trip in drinking. "Who is she?" Malcolm asked. "If you don't mind me asking." He added after seeing the look on Hoshi's face.

"She was," Trip stopped and closed his eyes. He hadn't told anyone, except Jon. He continued without opening his eyes. "She was my wife."

"Wife?" Hoshi asked, taken aback. She hadn't been expecting that. Maybe a girlfriend, or a cousin. But a wife? Trip?

"Was your wife?" Malcolm asked, "What happened?"

"She died." Trip answered, turning his head slightly in the direction of Malcolm and Hoshi. " I was workin' down in Florida," He paused to catch his breath, coughing slightly as he inhaled. "My pa was drivin' her t' see me. They had an accident." He closed his eyes, remembering when he'd gotten the news. "They were hit by two other guys. Everyone was killed."

"God, Trip....I," I what, Hoshi thought. I'm sorry, that's gonna do a lot of good now.

An eerie silence settled upon the small craft.

"I was married once." Malcolm, who was still standing, said.

"Yeah?" Trip asked faintly, looking up at him. Hoshi also turned to face him.

"Yeah," Malcolm said, smiling to himself. "Her name's Emma. But, alas," he said, sitting down. "She left me when I decided to join Starfleet." He looked at Trip, then Hoshi. "She's remarried now, to a languages teacher, called Charlie." He smiled again. "Quite ironic, really."

"Well," Hoshi said, looking frantically from Trip to Malcolm. "How come you never told me that?" She paused and thought for a second. "How come you never told anybody that, come to think of it."

"It's not something you often include when you introduce yourself." Malcolm said. "'Hi, I'm Malcolm Reed. My wife left me for another man.' It doesn't work, see?"

"You know what I meant, Malcolm," Hoshi retorted.

"I told the Cap'n," Trip said, "can't say I kept it t' myself, so......." He was cut short by a violent cough. "God," he said, once the coughing fit had subsided, "I wish they'd either hurry it up and find us, or I'd hurry up an' die."

Hoshi and Malcolm, not sure of how to respond to Trips comment, sat in silence.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Did you hear that?" Malcolm sat up from his makeshift bed and looked towards Hoshi, who was asleep on the bench at the back of the shuttle. He stood, walked over to her, and crouched down next to the sleeping figure. "Hoshi?"

"Hmmmm.....what?" Hoshi said, opening her eyes slightly.

"Did you hear that?" Malcolm asked again.

"Hear what?" She asked, "I don't hear anything."

"There it is again," He said, turning his head to face the door. "Listen,"

Malcolm and Hoshi sat and listened.

"There!" Malcolm said, after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I heard it," Hoshi said, sitting up. "It was, it was shouting."

"Yes it was, meaning?"

"Someone's looking for us?"

Malcolm nodded his head, "Yes. And if they don't find us, we'll find them." He said standing.

"Find them?" Hoshi asked.

Malcolm nodded again and started towards the door. "Find them." He repeated, before exiting the shuttle.

"Wait! Malcolm!" She called after him. It was too late he was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Where is he, Hoshi thought to herself. He'd been gone for half an hour by her reckoning. What if he's hurt? She thought. It's dark, and we don't even know if they're looking for us.

The shuttle door opening disturbed her thoughts. "Malcolm?" She asked. It was dark inside the shuttle pod and she could barley make out the figure standing before her.

"Yeah," Malcolm replied. "Look, they're from the village. They've been looking for us for days." He stepped closer so Hoshi could see his face. "Here," he said, extending his hand. In it was a small earpiece.

Hoshi took the earpiece. "What is it?" she asked, looking at it.

"Put it in. it's a translator." Malcolm informed her. "We understand them, they understand us."

Hoshi did so. "So you found help?" She asked. "Where are they?"

"They're outside," He said, turning to look out the door as he did so. "They wanted me to give you the earpiece first."

He left the shuttle and returned a few seconds later with someone Hoshi assumed to be a Cassian. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but the new figure standing next to Malcolm looked almost human.

The figure was slightly taller than Malcolm, and thinner. The head seamed more oval, and was slightly pointed at the top.

"You must be Hoshi," the Cassian moved closer to Hoshi. "Greetings. I am Heureux." He bowed his head slightly. "My friends outside shall help you and your friend to the village," Heureux turned his head to look at Trip. "We shall take care of him. Do not worry." He bowed his head again and moved towards the door. "Please, come."

Hoshi looked at Malcolm, who nodded and walked after Heureux out of the shuttle. Hoshi followed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Archer to Engineering."

"Engineering." Came the reply.

"May I speak with Ensign Kelso, please?"

"Just a minute, Captain."

The comm link went silent.

"Ensign Kelso, sir."

"Ensign, you're needed on the bridge."

"Yes, Captain. Kelso out."

The comm link went dead. Archer stood from his chair and walked over to Hoshi's station. As Hoshi was absent, the station was being monitored by Lieutenant Greene, and, although she was a good communications officer, her translation skills were a little lacking. Hence the reason Kelso was needed. T'Pol had pointed out that the Universal Translator was perfectly capable of translating the Cassian dialect for them, but Archer had preferred to use the more personal approach.

The turbo lift doors opened and Ensign Kelso stepped onto the bridge.

"Open a channel," Archer told Greene before heading over to Kelso. "They're hailing us again," He informed the younger man, who silently nodded. "I know you're busy in engineering," Archer continued, "but, well...." he smiled at the Ensign and nodded his head.

"Yes, Sir," Kelso said, turning his attention to the now open communication's channel.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well?" Archer asked once Kelso had finished his conversation. "Have they found them?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Are they OK?"

"Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Hoshi are fine, Sir." Kelso said. "But Commander Tucker....." Come on Pete, Kelso thought, his the Captain, gotta tell him. Kelso looked to see the majority of the bridge crew eagerly awaiting the end of the sentence. He was surprise to see T'Pol looking as concerned as she did. "Commander Tucker's been hurt, Sir."

Archer sat down. "How badly?" He didn't really want to know. He had hoped they had had a safe crash landing, if such a thing existed.

"It sounded pretty bad, Sir. He's in their hospital. They're doing everything they can, but........" He trailed of. He knew they understood what he was trying to say without him saying it. "When Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Hoshi are rested, he said they'd be able to contact you and give you some more information."

"Thank you, Ensign. Dismissed."

Kelso left the bridge and Archer stood. "If anybody needs me, I'll be in my ready room. T'Pol?" he turned his attention to the Vulcan. "You have the bridge."

"Aye, Sir," She said, moving from her station to the Captain's chair. "And, Captain?" Archer turned to face her. "Commander Tucker shall recover."

"Thank you, T'Pol." He exited the bridge. In his ready room he sat in his chair and flicked on his computer. He needed to inform Starfleet of what was happening. He turned on the monitor and paused.

Comforting words form T'Pol? He thought. That couldn't be right. Was she worried? No, he thought, she hates him. But, she can't hate him if she has no emotions, so maybe she likes him, but, no. That wasn't it.

He logged on to the communications program.

Come on Trip, he thought, you've gotta be OK.







A/N. OK, it was a really weak ending, I know, and the whole 'panicking' thing was odd/crap. And don't grill me for Trip and Malcolm being married, I know they're not, but the whole Sarah thing is important for later on. Malcolm's isn't, I just thought I'd add a bit of Malcolm-y stuff.

And I watched "Silent Enemy" yesterday, so now I know Malcolm fav. Food is in fact...pineapple. DOH!! I also know my bridge scene's are doggy, but I HATE T'Pol, and, well, I only just like Archer, so it's hard to write them! Oh well. See ya, Jen.