Trip took Buffy to the crew mess and they stood in line to get their meals, arms touching slightly. They sat down at an empty table and talked quietly, absorbed in one another.

             Neither of them was aware of the smiles or smirks from various crewmembers, nor would they care if they had. Trip was telling a story about Malcolm, Travis and the pointy-eared snowman when Travis came up, "Can I sit with you?" He asked a little hesitantly, not wanting to intrude.

            Buffy waved a hand, "Go ahead Trav, he was just telling me about your adventures with the snowman."

            Travis sat and rolled his eyes with a groan, "Did you tell her about the Vulcan's peeking over our shoulders and the Captain chewing us out?" He asked and Buffy laughed delightedly. "The Vulcan's saw it? Boy I bet they didn't know what to think." Buffy giggled again and Trip chuckled.

            Malcolm came in and stood for a second, watching the group and smiling slightly. Buffy had integrated seamlessly into the crew and was making a real contribution. Hoshi came in and bumped him slightly, "Let's go sit with them." She pointed at the table he had been watching and he looked at her in surprise, "Wouldn't that be too intrusive?" surprise coloring his voice. "Nah, Travis is already there." She replied.

            They grabbed their trays of food and walked over. Trip looked up and smiled, "Hey Mal, Hoshi c'mon over and take a load off." He grinned and moved closer to Buffy who shook her head at him, "Oh like that wasn't obvious." She said. "And your point?" He replied laughingly.

            The five of them chatted and finished their meals. Malcolm had a thought and looked at Buffy who was seated beside him, "Buffy I need you tomorrow." He forked up some more pudding and she looked at him in surprise.

            "Gee Malcolm, I'm involved with Trip now, but it's a lovely offer." She said straight faced.

            There was silence and Malcolm sputtered and turned red. Trip threw his head back and roared with laughter. Buffy shook her head with a wicked smile as Hoshi and Travis laughed as well.

            Buffy took pity on Malcolm and smiled, "I couldn't resist Mal, I'm sorry." Malcolm shook his head and grinned, "Weapons familiarization class, you brat." He pointed at Trip who was out of control, "Please stop, Commander." He warned and Trip smiled widely.

            "What time do you want me? Um there, what time do you want me there." she asked, kicking Trip lightly as he snickered at the double entendre.

            "0900 if you could?" He replied and Buffy nodded, "I'll be there. I'm not teaching tomorrow."  She jumped as the com went off.

            "Commander Tucker to Engineering." Trip jumped up and went to the com box on the wall. "Be right there." He walked back and kissed Buffy, "See ya' tomorrow darlin'?" he asked and she nodded, and with a quick wave he was gone.

            Buffy sighed as he walked away and the others smiled.

            The next day Malcolm was properly impressed at Buffy's skill. "You've never used one of these weapons before?" he asked in disbelief.

            Buffy sighed, "It's part of my Slayerness, instant weapons comprehension." The weapons were lying in front of her and she ran a finger over them, missing Giles greatly. "Are you alright?" Malcolm asked, seeing the sadness that settled on her face.

            She looked up at him, "You remind me of my watcher, Giles was from England too. He trained me, mother henned me, and taught me. I miss him." She said softly and Malcolm nodded. "If you need to talk..?" he left it open ended and Buffy smiled, "Thank Mal. That means a lot."

"Lt. Reed to the bridge, Commander Tucker to the bridge." The com system blared and Malcolm smiled wryly, "Help me put the weapons back in the weapons locker?" he asked and Buffy nodded. Malcolm answered the hail, "I'll be right there, Reed out." They quickly stowed the weapons and she followed him to the bridge. He looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. "So, I'm nosy." Malcolm smiled and they entered the bridge together.

On the bridge there was quiet activity and mild tension. On the screen there was a bruised and battered man, "We have lost all electrical systems and our engineer is injured." He stated and the Captain nodded, "I'm sorry to hear that. We have an engineer, do you need a doctor?" he asked politely.

Buffy half listened to the answer, alarm bells starting to ring, "How come his communications are working if he has no electrical systems?" she whispered to Malcolm who looked at her in surprise. "Excellent question." He turned.

"Excuse me Sir, Ms. Summers has a question." He said and Trip's head came up and he swung around, surprised to see Buffy on the bridge. Buffy smiled but kept her attention on the Captain. The Captain looked at her and turned to the man on the screen, "Just a moment Captain Franklin." He nodded at Hoshi who shut down the com.

"How is he able to contact us if he's lost all electrical systems? Aren't com systems electrical? Plus, how many crew on board?" she asked and Trip and the Captain nodded.

"There are 5 crew and usually that would be true but in some of the older ships there are several electrical systems, he probably meant that his main ones were out." He looked at the Captain, "I can probably help him, though I'll need Ensign Lang to go with me." Trip stated. The Captain then looked at Hoshi.

Hoshi turned and the screen came back on, "Well Captain, my engineer thinks he can help. He and his assistant will take a shuttle over there momentarily." Trip nodded and left the bridge, a gentle touch as he walked by for Buffy.

Buffy looked at Malcolm in surprise, "You're sending them without security?" she queried. Malcolm shrugged, "It's an engineering problem." Buffy grabbed his arm, "There's something else going on, how did he get all banged up? Where is the rest of the crew, why we didn't see them? We should send a security escort too." She said but the Captain laughed, "They won't be able to help Commander Tucker. He'll be fine Buffy, it's only a small cargo crew." He said.

Buffy shook her head, "I hope I'm wrong but I'm usually not." She stated firmly and Malcolm smiled, "The Enterprise has better firepower and is faster." He said in what he thought was a comforting way. He was wrong, Buffy was antsy, feeling like she should be doing something.

Trip flew over in the shuttlepod and he and Ensign Lang had fixed all but one of the systems when suddenly it became apparent what had happened to the ship's engineer. There was blood all over the last panel and Trip shot a look at the Ensign. "Somethin's up."

"We had a mutiny and I won." The man that they thought was the Captain replied, "I need an engineer and you just volunteered." A phase rifle was in his hands and pointed at them. Trip surreptitiously activated his communicator in time for the Enterprise bridge to hear him yell 'No!' as Ensign Lang threw himself at the man, and they heard the sharp whine of the phase rifle.

"Damn it, ya didn't have to shoot him." Trip's voice came clearly. They also could hear the moans of the wounded man. Then they heard the muffled voice of the other man, "He shouldn't have tried anything. I hope you enjoy your stay. We're leaving shortly." The com cut off. Trip looked down at the closed communicator on the floor and palmed it, sliding it back in his pocket.

Buffy threw a look at Malcolm and the Captain who both winced. "Lt. Sato, contact the Regulus." He said.

"They're not responding Sir." She said regretfully and the Captain turned to Malcolm, "Knock out their engines Lt." And Malcolm smiled, "With pleasure Sir."

There was a flash and the other ship rocked violently. "Engines disabled Sir." Malcolm said in quiet satisfaction. Buffy was tense and Hoshi looked up, "Sir, they're hailing us."

"Put them through." The Captain stated.

"What was that for?" the man they thought was the Captain asked.  Captain Archer shook his head, "You can't keep our engineers. Release them at once." The other man paled, "How…How did you find out?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm sending a shuttle with a fully armed Security team over to retrieve my people. We can notify the closest salvage ship or I suggest you limp to a station and get yourself fixed." The Captain turned and Malcolm and Buffy were already gone.

Malcolm, Buffy, 2 security members and one of Phlox's medics docked with the Regulus and when the door opened Trip was there, the wounded Ensign beside him and an unknown crew member from the disabled ship.

"What happened?" Buffy demanded as she jumped out to check out the men, her weapon out in case of more surprises.

Trip sighed and ran a shaky hand through his hair as the medic stabilized Ensign Lang. "There was a mutiny, and the ship's engineer was killed. We didn't figure it out until we saw blood all over the last access panel. When the Enterprise fired there was a reverse mutiny." He said and the crewmember beside him smiled wryly, "I'm Octavio, ship's supply officer. The Captain is unconscious and our doctor is working on him. Our Engineer is dead and you met Franklin, our cook with delusions of grandeur. We're sorry about what happened." He said quietly, his eyes on Buffy as she stood there alertly.

Buffy turned slightly to check on the medic and the injured Ensign when she heard a phase rifle being powered up close by. She jerked Trip and the Supply officer down and fired on the man who jumped around the corner.  He dropped to the deck, his weapon clattering from his hands. She glanced at the men and walked to the fallen man, taking his rifle. Malcolm tossed her some restraints and she secured the stunned man.

"Good luck Octavio. I'm sure the Captain will send a distress signal to the nearest salvage ship. Is there anything else that you need?" He shook his head no. She looked at Malcolm, "Let's blow this popsicle stand." She stated emphatically. He nodded and their crew separated between the two shuttles and headed back to the Enterprise.

Trip sat quietly, piloting the first shuttle expertly. Buffy was silent as she wondered how to approach the Captain and Malcolm on always having a security officer along on the off chance of something happening.

Trip glanced at her, "Are ya mad at me?" He asked quietly and Buffy looked at him in surprise. "No! I'm really mad at myself. I sensed something not right and I should have pushed the Captain to send a security officer with you. I hate it when I'm right." She shook her head and saw the relief in his eyes, "I'm sorry Trip. I was brooding about the best way to tell the Captain 'ha ha I was right'. She said sincerely.

The petty officer behind her snorted in laughter, "Oh yeah, that'll go over well." He said and watched Buffy laugh too. Trip started docking procedures, "I'm sure Malcolm and the Captain will agree with you, don't sweat it." He concentrated and they barely felt the bump as they landed in the launch bay. "Shuttlepod one arrived." He reported, and after the launch bay repressurized, they saw the Captain stride in.

The shuttle door swung open and the Captain winced as he saw Buffy inside with Trip, "I know, you were right. Trip, are you alright?" He asked as Trip crawled out of the shuttle. "I'm fine Jon." He smiled at his friend and helped Buffy, then the security officer out and closed up the shuttle.

"How's my Ensign?" He asked and the Captain sighed, "Phlox said he has moderate plasma burns but with dermal regeneration should be alright." Trip closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, "The young idiot thought he was going to take out the guy. He caught it in the side." Buffy glanced at him, "He stayed low enough and only caught it in the side? I'd say he did pretty well. He's alive." She replied simply and the men nodded.