Malcolm stared blankly at the ceiling of the tent he was staying in. By the time the captain, Jennifer and himself had finished going through the details of Jennifer's plan it had been too late to head back to the Enterprise camp. Trip had temporary quarters set up for them. Temporary was the word Malcolm thought as the wind blew against the flimsy side of the tent carrying the sounds of the night to his ears.

The trees rustled endlessly, the lake lapped at the shore in the distance, someone cursed . . . Malcolm sat bolt upright, glancing across he noted that the tents other occupants were still fast asleep, infact they were snoring. Well Hoshi and the Captain were anyway, T'Pol was, well she was breathing.

He swung his legs over the side of his bunk and crept closer to the entrance of the tent. Upon hearing rustling that was made by something more substantial than the wind he reached for his phase pistol (under his pillow) and raised it warily.

Carefully pulling back the tarpaulin he scanned the immediate area, his eyes already being accustom to the darkness from the tent. The clearing was empty, Malcolm frowned. He crept to the edge of the clearing and backed up against a tree scanning the area again, his frown deepened.

SNAP

Malcolm span round and came face to face with, "Jen," he breathed "you shouldn't sneak up on people like that, I might have shot you." She shrugged and stepped in front of him. She was so close he could feel the heat radiating off her.

"You can shoot me if you want, but I had other things in mind." She whispered. The darkness hid the smirk on her face but he knew it was there, and couldn't help himself from mirroring it.

"Jennifer!" Trip yelled as he ran across the camp towards her tent. "Jen!" he pulled the tarp back hurriedly and stopped abruptly when he entered.

"Argh." Jen moaned "It's not even six yet! Ever heard of sleeping in?" she irritably, but Trip wasn't listening.

"Mornin' Malcolm." Jennifer glanced over her shoulder at the slumbering Malcolm, who groaned, rolled over facing away from them and pulled the pillow over his head. Jennifer smirked.

"Was there something you wanted?" she asked him. He eyed her closely as she ruffled her hair and sat up. She was wearing a strappy black top and rather short shorts, it wasn't the first time he'd seen her in her night-wear, but that time she hadn't been lying next to his best friend . . . "Trip!" He snapped back to reality.

"Oh God, right! We got a message." He definitely had her attention now. "From the Resolution to be more specific, they're in the system and wondered if they could lend a hand, I told them not to enter orbit though and explained what happened." She looked at him for a second and then her face broke into a smile. Before he knew it she'd flung her arms around him.

"That's great." She exclaimed pulling back.

"Yeah I know. Wanna' get dressed and come down to help us with a plan?" he asked knowing full well the answer.

"I'll be two minutes." She said and began scrambling around the tent. Trip casually strode outside and waited.

Two minutes late he was still waiting. "Two minutes!" she called to him. Trip mumbled an almost incoherent 'Whatever' and went and leaned on the nearest tree.

Another two minutes later Trip spotted Captain Archer striding purposefully towards him. He stopped a foot in front of Trip. "Sir?"

"Trip." He said shortly in greeting. "You seen Malcolm? He's not in our tent." Trip shifted his weight on his feet.

"Erm, well, yeah, but I think he's asleep still." Archer raised an eyebrow and Trip cocked his head slightly in the direction of Jennifer's tent. Before he had time to put two and two together Jennifer came bounding out of the tent towards them. She had on a pair of loose fitting combat trousers and a plain sleeveless top. She was in the process of plaiting her hair.

"Aren't you gonna' get cold?" Trip asked her.

"Right, hang on." She told him and ran back to the tent. A few seconds later she returned with a jumper, this time Malcolm was following her. Archer shot Trip a glance as they came back towards them to which Trip shrugged.

"Ready." Jennifer breathed.

"Finally." Trip muttered. "C'mon then." He beckoned and they made their way to the command tent.

Trip was pacing up and down the command tent in front of Jennifer Archer and Malcolm. According to Trip he was waiting for something, although he didn't clarify what. Malcolm knew Jennifer knew, she looked almost as impatient as Trip did. Although he didn't know what they were sitting around waiting for, Malcolm too was getting a little restless. He began drumming his fingers on the side of his chair.

"Mal." Jen said irately giving him her trademark glare. He shrugged, and ceasing the tapping, leant back in his chair crossed his arm and put his head back and stared at the ceiling of the tent.

Ten minutes later and they were still sitting waiting, for what neither Malcolm or Archer knew. Despite many attempts to find out. Suddenly a screen at the back of the tent sprung to life emitting a beeping noise.

Jennifer stood up and smiled as Trip headed for the screen and begun pressing buttons. Suddenly the image of a woman, late thirties early forties, with straight blonde hair that was tied back neatly, filled the screen.

"Sir, Ma'am." She greeted Trip and Jennifer. "We've analysed the scans you gave us of that object, and the radiation you detected that was preventing you from restarting the engines."

"Radiation!" Archer exclaimed. "Is it dangerous?!" he demanded. The woman looked slightly unnerved, seemingly only just noticing the Captain's and Malcolm's uniforms. She sent a glance at Trip who nodded reassuringly.

"To our technology yes, but to people, no. We've not been able to detect any signs that it is damaging to the human physiology." She reassured the captain, who nodded thankfully. "We have not however been able to find a way to counteract it's effects."

"Meaning?" Jennifer asked.

"Meaning Ma'am that we cannot restart the Endeavour's engines with that radiation on the planet." She said, the tone of her voice didn't sound as disappointed as it should though.

"But?" Trip asked, also detecting the tone of her voice.

"The radiation is being emitted from the object you discovered."

"It is?" Trip asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"So all you need to do is blow it up." Malcolm added. The others turned to him with raised eyebrows, Jennifer was smirking. "What?! It's true, right?"

"Yes it is." The woman replied. "And you are? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, Startfleet." He added.

"Reed? Why do I recognise that name?" She inquired.

"Malcolm was among our numbers for about 3 months, a good few years back now." Jennifer told her. "But we seemed to have drifted off topic. So, blow it up."

"Yes, our thoughts exactly." The woman continued. "But our calculations indicated that the one device alone couldn't be emitting all the radiation, so we scanned for more. There are one hundred of them, all over the planet, we'll have to blow them all." She told them.

"So do it." Trip said sternly.

"Yes sir. But it would be better if you, all of you, were aboard your ships when we do, encase the combination of the explosions and the radiation, well aren't very pleasant."

"Understood Commander, begin with the ones near us, give us two hours to pack up."

"Yes sir. Resolution out." The screen went blank.

"Cap'n, Malcolm, you guys better get back and start getting people back onboard Enterprise."

"Right you are Trip." The Captain said. "I assume the Resolution is another ship."

"You can assume that if you want sir." Trip said evasively. "Look I've gotta' get things goin' ova' here. Jen go n' collect T'Pol n' Hoshi and transport them all back ta' Enterprise." He told her.

"Yes sir. C'mon, we got to move quickly." She told them, and headed out of the tent.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooh It's all coming together! All reviews appreciated, infact even if its just, 'Good chapter' I'd be happy, so please review! and more will be coming you're way soon.

(By the way, incase anyone wants to know, I did good on my exams, (A's in English Lit and Lang! GO ME!) So thanks for the well wishers before, you made alllllll the diference, really, someone out ther heard you and changed my grades for the better, so I am very grateful.)

Next update will be soon, I'm working on it as much as I can before I start college/6th form next week. So again I say REVIEW!