Hoshi and Malcolm walked into Sickbay to find the entire senior staff and Phlox. Phlox was scanning Travis when he turned around to greet his latest arrivals. Hoshi and Malcolm didn't see Trip's and Jon's glances.

            "Ahh, Ensign, Lieutenant. Good. I have already scanned the rest of crew whom might have become infected. It appears that they are free from this pathogen. I am sorry that I did not find this sooner."

            "It's alright Phlox," Hoshi assured him with a smile.

            "Now Ensign, you will need to be quarantined. I do not think that you need to be in decontamination, since it was ineffective in removing this pathogen in the first place. The captain has agreed to confine you to a cargo bay."

            "What about my quarters?" Hoshi asked, unhappy about having to be stuck in the cargo bay.

            "They will need to be decontaminated. Now, If you would kindly step into the decontamination room until the cargo bay has been set up…"  He led Hoshi into the blue room and shut the door behind her.

            "And now for you Lieutenant. Have you had any recent physical contact with Ms. Sato?"

            "We were about to have target practice, and, she, she fell. I naturally caught her," Malcolm said as nonchalantly as he could. But his cheeks were beginning to tinge. A fact not unnoticed by the charming engineer.

            "Ahh. Don't worry, Lieutenant. There is no reason to be nervous about this…"

            "I'm not nervous," Malcolm coolly replied.

            "But your breathing and heart rate have both increased. Let me see here."  Phlox scanned his patient as Malcolm tried to lower his heart rate. Think about Aunt Grenadine's kisses. Think about… His thoughts were interrupted by Phlox.

            "I regret to inform you that you have also contracted the pathogen," Phlox calmly informed Malcolm. "I am afraid that you will also need to be quarantined." Phlox turned around to face the captain.

            "Captain, although the Lieutenant's quarters aren't infected, I suggest that he should also be quarantined with Ensign Sato, in order to reduce the areas were this pathogen may be."

            "Do whatever you need to do," Archer nodded. He saw his armoury officer walk, untold, to the decon room and let himself in. When the door hissed closed, Trip couldn't help but chuckle.

            "Aww, Captain. I can't believe we are actually doing this!" Trip told his friend, who was stifling a laugh.

            Travis looked at the two quizzingly, but without any answer in response. But he was beginning to understand what was happening in the backgrounds. As tempting as the prospect of match making, he had to get a message to Hoshi and Malcolm. Already, a plan was forming in his head. Excusing himself, he left the sickbay and hurried to his room.

            "It seems that I have also become infected," Malcolm said as he sat down next to Hoshi.

            "I'm sorry," she softly said, not lifting her eyes from the floor.

            "It's not your fault." Malcolm lifted her chin and turned her face so that she could see the sincerity in his eyes.

            "So what's wrong Malcolm? This has to be as safe as the armoury."

            Malcolm looked over at the door before beginning. "There is something happening on this ship. I know it. But I happened to overhear…"

            "Shh…" Hoshi silenced him, pointing to the door. Sure enough, Phlox's voice was heard on the other side.

            "Are you both alright in there?" he jovially asked, as if nothing was wrong. A bit too jovial, Malcolm thought.

            "Quite," replied Malcolm. "When will we get out of here?"

            "You will be moved to your quarantine within an hour. I doubt very much that you will have to remain isolated for much more than half a week."

            "Half a week!" Hoshi cried out, feeling the cabin fever setting in.

            "I have no doubts that you will be idle during this time, since you will both have temporary stations set up, or so Commander Tucker has informed me."

            Both Malcolm and Hoshi were shocked at the duration of the imprisonment. But Malcolm was also relived, since it meant that that the Captain and Trip could not set Hoshi up with anyone.

            Phlox left them alone and Hoshi signalled that it was alright to continue speaking.

            "It doesn't matter now," Malcolm stated and closed his eyes.

            "Humour me."

            "Well, the captain, Jon, and Trip, were going to set you and someone else up. Just thought I'd warn you."

            Hoshi was taken aback. They wanted to do what? She was not sure if she was supposed to be flattered, angry or confused.

            They sat in silence, Hoshi muddled and Malcolm relaxing. And so they remained until they were moved to the cargo bay.

            Phlox and several other crewmen arrived dressed in their EVA suits, shocking the occupants of decon.

            "Do you really think that those are necessary?" asked Malcolm, indicating their bulky suits which looked ridiculous in the small sickbay.

            "We cannot risk further contamination.  We will need you two to don these as well." Two crewmen came forth, each carrying an EVA suit. Phlox motioned for them to dress, which they obediently did.

            Finally, Hoshi asked the question to Phlox which they had both been wondering.

            "How dangerous is this thing?" she asked Phlox. Phlox looked at her for a moment, as if she had asked a ridiculous question. Hoshi even thought she heard him chuckle softly.

            "I have already devised a cure. But I am afraid that your time in quarantine will be no shorter for that. You will still need to spend a half week in quarantine. I believe that Mr. Tucker has in fact moved several of your belongings to your new home."

            They all exited the sickbay and walked towards the cargo bay, not meeting a single person on this normally busy route. A fact which did not escape the astute Mr. Reed.

"Where is everyone?" he asked the crewman escorting him. Malcolm searched his head: the man's name was Henson, Alfred Henson. Even on a small ship, not everyone knew each other.

            "We have evacuated this area of the ship, sir. A clean-up team is following us, making sure that no-one else gets contaminated, sir." Alfred Henson was one of the few other British crew members on the ship.

Sometimes Malcolm wished that they all met. But invariably, when he had seen the other British crewmembers meet, arguments over football, what Trip called soccer, erupted. Or it would be about the sovereignty of Scotland or Wales. Or Northern Ireland. Even 200 years later, Britain was divided.

            Malcolm answered Alfred's comment with a nod. They continued to clunk down the halls.

            They arrived at the large doors of the cargo bay doors.

            "Welcome home," the other crewman said to Hoshi, who sighed deeply at the announcement. She did not look pleased from Malcolm's viewpoint. In fact, she seemed rather displeased at the idea of being stuck in the cargo bay for half a week. With me, Malcolm solemnly added.

            The doors opened to reveal Trip standing in his EVA suit.

            "Welcome to Chez Trip; a little place I like to call your new home." Trip grinned as he stood in the middle of the grey room. Two beds were visible. A small sectioned had been corned off, to create a small bathroom. There were simple screens in another corner, presumably to give the occupants some privacy.

            Malcolm and Hoshi were left alone in the silent space.

            Three days and three nights began.

Hoshi locked into a room with a really hot Brit!

OMG!