Stars were flying past his window, Captain Archer was staring at them blankly. There was something wrong with his ship, and his Chief Engineer didn't seem to care in the slightest.
The door chime sounded. "Come."
"Captain." Sub-Commander T'Pol was standing in front of him, her expression as usual blank and unreadable.
"T'Pol? Is there something I can do for you?"
"I just wanted to inquire as to whether you had noticed Commander Tucker's rude behaviour earlier?"
"Yes, I did."
"Then why didn't you confront him about it? You are his superior officer, he should not have spoken to you in that manner."
He sighed. "I know T'Pol, but I haven't exactly been polite to him recently."
"I have not observed you being rude to him on any occasion." She countered.
"No, but I haven't been polite either, he has every right to be, short, with me."
"Not in front of other members of the crew in a status meeting."
"T'Pol just leave it, okay? If it happens again I'll have a word with him." He turned and looked at the passing stars again. "Was there anything else?"
"No sir."
"Dismis-" the door chime sounded, interrupting him. "Come."
A slightly dishevelled looking Commander Tucker entered the ready room. The sleeves of his uniform were pushed up to his elbows, it was covered in spots of grease, and was unzipped half way down. His hair was also ruffled as if he'd been repeatedly running his hands through it., and the dark smudges underneath his eyes gave the impression he hadn't got a good nights sleep in a few days. He looked from the captain to T'Pol then back again.
"Dismissed T'Pol." She nodded and left.
"Something I can do for you Commander?"
"I, well," he spoke quietly and hesitantly "I just wanted to apologise."
"For what?"
"For yesterday, at the status meeting, I was well real rude, an' not real helpful at all. I, well I was tired, and, I just wanted to say I was sorry." He trailed off leaving a somewhat awkward silence.
He's sorry? Trip Tucker admitting he was wrong? He smiled at this thought.
"Apology accepted Trip."
Trip let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.
"So how are the repairs going?"
"Not so well." Trip said running his hand through his hair. "There's no problem fixing them, they're trivial, but by the time we've finished repairing one thing five more things have gone wrong." He sighed. "Are we still heading for that ship?"
"Why?"
"I just don't know what help we're gonna be with half our systems off- line." He said.
"Maybe you could try giving Hoshi and T'Pol a hand with the virus, encryption, or whatever the hell it is." Archer said gently, and hopefully.
"Sir, it really isn't my area, I-" he stopped at the look on the captains face, he didn't want to spoil things when they appeared to be getting on so well "but I guess I could give it a go." He sighed.
"Great, why don't you go and see them now." Archer said happily.
"Yes sir." Trip turned round and opened the door.
"Trip?"
"Yes sir?"
"Do you want to join me for dinner tonight?" Archer said hopefully.
"I'd love to sir." And with that he left his superior officer with a slight smile on his face echoing his own.
Review review review, even if its just, 'this is rubbish' or 'write something decent you idiot' although i'd appreciate more supportive things like 'keep up the good work' or 'cant wait for the next chapter' which by the way will contain some action, take that as you will as it could have multiple meanings