PART 5:
Outside the compound. Trip and Reed began working at the drill site, having already set up one drill. They began looking over the site to see where to set up the others.
"How many drills did we bring with us?" Reed asked.
"Five."
"Five," Reed repeated, still trying to figure out where to put the next one. "How big of a site do we have to work with?"
"About a hundred meters," Trip answered.
"Why don't we put them twenty meters apart from each other," Reed suggested.
"That should work," Trip said. "We should be able to cover the whole site."
"Well if we keep on this pace we're going," Reed said. "We'll be done by lunchtime."
"That's how I planned it," Trip smiled as he picked up a case holding one of the drills.
"Why does something tell me you have a lunch date with someone important. And it's not the Captain I'm talking about."
Trip grinned and walked over to the next drilling site.
"So I'm right," Reed said picking up the tool box and walking over to Trip. "You're having lunch with Liana."
Trip placed the case on the ground, kneeling next to it he opened it. "Taking her on a picnic."
"I see."
Trip looked up at Reed. "What's that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing."
Trip stood. "You have a problem with this."
"No, no problem at all," Reed said surprised at Trip's reaction.
"Sorry, with T'Pol on my back about this," Trip explained. "I thought maybe ya agreed with her."
"What you do on your own time is your business," Reed said. "You want to continue your friendship with Liana, by all means go ahead."
"Why don't ya tell me what ya really want to say."
"Promise me you won't get mad?"
"That all depends on what ya have to say."
"Well that's reassuring," Reed said dryly."
"No seriously say what's on your mind," Trip replied. "I promise I won't get mad."
Reed stood there for a few moments studying Trip. He couldn't tell if he was being serious or not about getting mad.
Oh what the hell, he thought. Wouldn't be the first time Trip was mad at me.
"Like I said before," Reed started. "You want to continue your friendship with Liana go ahead."
"But."
"But we're only here for five days at the least."
"And that's suppose to mean?" Trip asked.
"I just don't want to see you fall in love with her," Reed explained. "And then be hurt."
"I think we both know what's at stake here," Trip said. "We're probably just going to continue being friends."
Reed just nodded his head. He wasn't sure he believed Trip on being just friends with Liana. He'd seen the way the two of them looked at each other.
"Come on," Trip said kneeling back down beside the drill. "Let's get these drills set up."
Reed kneeled down beside Trip and started helping assemble the next drill.
End of Part 5