"Sir, with all due respect, what are ya doing here?"

"Getting the tour." Archer replied as they walked down a dimly lit corridor on the Endeavour.

Malcolm had mumbled something about getting a look at the armoury and had slipped away. Ensign James had followed a few minutes later, saying Malcolm might find the temptation to blow something up hard to fight without someone watching over him.

"You know what I mean sir, shouldn't you be trying to put us all in the brig, or at the very least doing your best to ignore us?"

"And shouldn't you have stopped calling me sir?"

Trip stopped and learnt against the wall. Crossing his arms he gave Archer a look that clearly said "Seriously."

"I just, guess I'm hoping it'll all disappear, that it's a dream or something."

"You're not the only one." Trip mumbled.

"So you're just as unhappy with all this as me."

"Nah, I wouldn't say that, it's just . . . I don't know Cap'n. I mean it's great to be back here, and see everyone 'n' all but Enterprise is my home now you know?" he said unhappily "Oh and to be honest sir, I'm slightly worried about what you're gonna' do without me." He smirked.

"Well yeah, there is that . . ." Archer played along.

"Knowing Hess she'll probably paint the engine fluorescent pink or somethin'." Trip said..

"She's not that bad is she?"

"No sir." he smiled.

The comm. sounded. "Security to the Captain." Trip pressed the button on the wall next to him.

"Tucker."

"Sir, we may have a problem."

"So is the armoury up to scratch?" Jennifer asked.

"I guess." Malcolm replied with a smile. "It didn't take much damage then?"

"No apparently not." She replied.

Malcolm fiddled with the cuff of his uniform in the uncomfortable silence that followed. "So." They both said finally.

"Want ta' go get something to eat?" Jennifer asked.

"Erm," Not really, but then again "Yeah sure."

"Great." She said. "Although, I don't know if they'll be much there."

"I'm sure they'll be something."

"K, lets pick up the pace, if we stay in one place too long we'll get roped into doing something." She said linking her arm through his and gently pulling him into a faster pace. He laughed.

"You're probably right."

Trip stood outside the brig. The busted open brig, where two of his security officers had just been taken from to the infirmary.

"Sorry sir, we don't know how they escaped." The young crewman said regretfully.

"Well Crewman" Trip began, his voice filled with frustration. "I should imagine you missed something when you searched them, and then I would guess they used that something to BLOW A DAMN HOLE IN THE HOLDING CELL!" he yelled. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry Jason I'm a little stressed out at the moment."

"Yes sir."

"Right, we need to get some search parties together, and some engineers down here." Trip said looking towards the mess in the brig through the open door.

"There's an engineering team on its way now sir."

"Great. OK, you Greg and Em with me, and Rose and Chris with Jen."

"Yes sir, I'll contact them now." He said and moved back inside the brig and over to an intact console.

Trip turned to Archer who'd been standing quietly to the side of him. "Sorry sir looks like the rest of the tour is going to have to wait."

"No problem, do you mind if I ask what exactly is going on?" he asked.

"Well, you know the distress call Enterprise picked up a few days ago." He nodded. "Well that ship belonged to the aliens we traded with" he paused at the look on Archers face "fine, shot and stole from. Jen and I sent a message to the Endeavour and they took them in so you guys wouldn't find them."

Archer nodded, then comprehension dawned and he looked Trip square in the face. "An encrypted message?"

"Yeah."

"For crying out loud! I can't believe you'd do that to your own ship! If we ever get out of here you get whoever designed that thing over there to get rid of it."

"Yes sir, it'll be top of my list of things to do." He said quickly.

"Your, you? YOU KNEW HOW TO FIX IT ALL ALONG?" Archer yelled.

"Yes sir, and I'm sorry, I was planning to slowly filter it out of the system, but I never got the chance did I?" Archer opened his mouth to continue but Trip cut him off. "Look sir, I'd love to continue this conversation, but I've got a search party to lead. If I were you I'd get back to Enterprise and tighten security, they've probably seen us working together, if they could blow a hole that big in there, then I'm sure they're capable of a lot more." And with that he strode off purposefully down the corridor.

Malcolm stood aside as Trip gave orders to the two search parties, he certainly was in full captain mode. Trip gave the order to move out and turned round to follow when Malcolm called out to him.

"Trip wait!"

"Yeah Malcolm." He said distractedly.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Sure that'd be great." Trip smiled at him. "You can go with Jen's team, she has one man less than me anyway."

"Great, see you later then." He said and began walking in the direction Jennifer and her team had gone. "Last one to catch an alien is a rotten egg." He yelled over his shoulder.

Ok people I need some reviews please, I like reviews, they boost my moral, and increase my creativity. So review please, or I'll make the planet explode and everyone will die! Actually that's not a bad idea . . .