Between a Rock And Another Big Rock

by Didi

The crew goes hunting underground for Xindis. Completed!

16. Breath of Relief

Between A Rock and… Another Big Rock

By Didi

Disclaimer: Okay, here we go, last one. I do not own any of the recognized characters, places or things in this story. This is purely pleasure writing and no profit shall be made from it. Any copyright infringement I may be committing is unintentional and without malice. There, I've cover all the bases I can think of for now. On with the story….

Rating: PG 13 for now.

Story Summary: The crew goes hunting underground.

Timeline: Set before the episode "Azati Prime" in Season 3.

Author's Note: Done, done, I'm finally done. (sigh) I'm going to miss the MACO's, I was beginning to really love writing them.

Spoiler: Everything up through "The Hatchery." (I'm being nicely cautious here.)

Key: "Spoken" "Thoughts"

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Chapter Sixteen – Breath of Relief

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"We should be coming up to another junction soon," Hoshi said loudly before coughing to dislodge the dirt that drifted into her throat. Hell, everything about her was covered in dirt at the moment.

"You sure?" Jason Romero asked as he shifted his rifle every few meters they crawled. The small space they had begun with grew less comfortable as they moved along what had once been a nicely established tunnel. "Man, that blast really brought down the house."

Hoshi swallowed back her fears and concentrated on the Corporal's words; it was the only way she was going to get through this little experience. "We knew they had picked a location that we didn't have to fear destroying. I didn't take into account how new these tunnels are and that there's still an active volcano below and around us. The stability of this place was questionable. I guess we used a little too much explosive."

"Hey, it's not your job to think of these things," Romero pointed out as he crawled a little faster. He could well imagine how the enclosed space must be affecting the jittery ensign. He wasn't claustrophobic and even he was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "How much further?"

Pausing a moment, Hoshi glanced down at her map. "We actually should be…"

"Aaah…"

Hoshi looked up just in time to avoid being kicked by Romero's fraying legs as the rest of him slid down what looked like a sudden drop off. Stunned stupid, she could only stay there on her hands and knees staring at the darkness until she heard a painful thump. Wincing, she moved a little closer and called down, "Corporal? Corporal Romero, are you alright?"

Jason gave a muffled groan and untangled himself. His shoulder ached from where he had fallen and his rifle had jabbed him in the wrong place. "I'm alright."

"You sure?" Hoshi asked as she moved a little closer to the hole then nearly lost her balance. It was difficult to see in the darkness and she could now understand why the Corporal had fallen the way he did.

Jason shook his head to dislodge the gravel and sand Hoshi had accidentally rained upon him. "I think the rest of this tunnel is clear."

"Good," Hoshi checked her map again. "Look further down; do you see a junction with four openings kind of…like the prongs of a fork?"

Despite the dirt, the aches and the uncomfortable darkness, Jason found himself chuckling. Taking several tentative steps, he swung his scope light back and forth, catching uneven ground and dusty walls. The strong scent of sea water did not bode well. "Hoshi?"

"Yes?" she answered with trepidation, wishing Corporal Romero wasn't all alone. "Did you find something?"

"How far from open water are we?"

Hoshi glanced down at her map. "Six hundred kilometers give or take. Why?"

"I smell salt water," Jason replied carefully making his way through the unfamiliar terrain. "I don't think we're that far out."

Nodding to herself, Hoshi silently concurred but said nothing of the sort. If the lava from the volcano had been eating away at the structure of the labyrinth, it wouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility for them to be closer to the edge of the subterranean structure than they thought. Not an encouraging thought. "Have you found the fork yet?"

Romero's eyes had finally adjusted to the limited light after the trying fall when he found the markers. "I found it."

"Give me a description," Hoshi hollered as the corporal's voice became fainter in the distance.

"Four openings at ten, twelve, two and four."

"That's it!" Banging her head in her excitement on the low hanging ceiling of the tunnel, Hoshi had to pause a moment and wait for the dirt to settle around her once more before scooting around in her limited space. "Stay here, I'll get the others."

"Wait," Romero called back as he made his way back to the sloping entrance. "I'll go."

Refraining from rolling her eyes, Hoshi spoke into the darkness. "You're going to leave me here by myself when the enemy can show up at anytime from one of those tunnels?" If they thought she hadn't noticed the special care the MACOs had been taking with her safety, they were dead wrong. "And you'd have to climb up here and I'm not sure if those loose rocks could take your weight again."

Romero hesitated. On the one hand she was correct. There could be enemy troops still making their way down the various routes to the former location of the de-stabilizer. And the last thing he wanted was for Ensign Sato to be in the middle of a fire fight. On the other hand he knew that Hayes would not be happy were he to allow the ensign to move about on her own without protection. And he had no desire to attempt to scramble up a loose dirt slope he could just barely see. It was a tough call.

"Besides," Hoshi added. "We've been through these tunnels. There is no pitfall or danger. I'm going in a straight line back."

That did the trick. "Be careful."

"I will," Hoshi replied before moving off. It took her a good eight minutes to make her way back and before she could even call out, she felt two sets of hands reach out from the dark and pull her out at a speed that left her somewhat breathless. For a moment, she just stood there sandwiched between Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed slightly stunned.

"Well?" Sanchez asked impatiently.

"Where's Romero?" Hayes asked, glaring at the private. One would think after nearly a year under the major's command, James Sanchez would have curbed that impetuous tongue of things.

Hoshi wiped her hands hopelessly on her dirty pants. "The corporal is guarding the exit route we found. The tunnel between here and there is pretty bad; most of this section came down with the blast. We were actually pretty lucky not to have been completely buried in here." She gave Hayes a significant look. "You know how we talked about that wonderful little volcano below us? And what it's doing to the structural stability of these tunnels?"

Matt ground his teeth together for a moment. This mission had not gone right in any way he could have predicted. "How long do we have?"

The ensign gave him a frown as if she thought he was deliberately being obtuse. "It's anybody's guess at this point. But I say we don't tempt fate and haul ass."

Sanchez leaned slightly toward Kemper and whispered, "Is she allowed to speak to him like that?"

Kemper shrugged then immediately regretted the thoughtless movement as it pulled on his wound.

"I agree with Hoshi," Tucker piped.

Reed nodded his head. "How big is the tunnel?"

"Most of the way we can comfortably walk on our hands and knees. There is a section about ten feet long that you'll have to literally wiggle through." She eyed Major Hayes' wide shoulders and made a face. "You boys might have some trouble getting through but Romero made it okay so you should too."

"Jason's more slender than the rest of us," Kemper complained in a mutter and used to the wall to lever himself up. "How does he stay so skinny? We eat together, train together…"

"Sleep together?" Coates suggested with a grin as she helped him up.

Ethan glared at her.

Reed cleared his throat pointedly. "Let's leave the horse playing for another time, people. Ensign Sato, you'll lead the way. Major Hayes, you'll go after the ensign." Malcolm stopped the inevitable protest before it even had a chance to leave the major's mouth. "You're one of the injured, whether you agree or not. My first priority is to complete the mission and get everyone back to the ship. And Romero could use another pair of guns on the other side as quickly as possible." The tense silence was painful but Hayes said nothing. "DeMarco, Jamison and Sanchez, you're next. Boys, you will need to watch Jamison."

"I'll be fine sir," Jamison broke in as he stood, one ankle lifted from the ground. "We're crawling, not walking; nothing wrong with my hands and knees."

Tucker patted his man on the back and nodded. "Nevertheless, we should take precautions and make sure you have help available should you need it."

Jamison accepted the concerns with a grim nod.

Malcolm took a breath and wished for a cup of Earl Gray. "Commander Tucker, if you'll go next followed by Kemper and Coates. I'll go last."

There were silent agreements before Hoshi took a deep breath and prepared herself to be plunged back into the cramped space. She could honestly say that this has been one of her worse assignments to date; and that included the dead aliens on hooks incident. "Oh by the way, at the end of the tunnel there's a bit of a drop."

Hayes stopped her with a hand on her arm. "A drop?"

Shrugging her shoulders, "A drop," Hoshi repeated. "Corporal Romero literally dropped into the next section of the tunnels. But it's the way out so all is well."

"He left you alone?" Hayes asked carefully.

Sato frowned at him. "He didn't have a choice. He kind of 'dropped off' my visual."

Kemper and Sanchez looked startled. "You mean he fell into the drop?" Neither was sure whether they should be horrified or amused.

Hoshi nodded. "You can't see it until you're right on top of it. I'm surprised he didn't hurt himself," she said before climbing into the tunnel. "Stay close and don't wiggle too much, the dirt is pretty loose and you might bring the whole thing down if you move around too much."

DeMarco sighed and helped Jamison stand. "Oh, that's a comforting thought."

Jamison agreed as he hobbled over and watched Hayes' legs disappear into the darkness. "Especially coming from the claustrophobic one."

-&-&-&-

"Transporter room, get ready!"

Lt. Lingley's hand held steady on the controls.

"Approaching the planet," Mayweather called out over the ship's intercom as the rest of the crew felt a sudden acceleration, immediately sending everyone's stomach to their shoes.

"Six hundred kilometers," Lt. Durley announced tensely. "Five hundred."

"Prepare for transport," Lingley voiced thickly as her hands tightened on the controls.

"This is safe, right?" Tanner asked suddenly.

No one answered.

"Four hundred," Durley called out from the bridge. "Three."

"Transporter room," the captain warned again.

"Ready, sir," Lingley called out just to keep from getting irritated. "Damn it to hell!" She knew what she was doing and she certainly knew the severity of the mission.

Mayweather swung the ship around as Durley fired another round at the pursuing ship. "Lieutenant, you're not going to get that eight seconds you wanted."

"How long can you give me?" Jennifer hollered over the sudden muttering from the away team on the transporter platform.

"Five seconds, six tops," Mayweather yelled as the ship took a hit, rocking them so hard that the pilot nearly lost his seat. He spared a glare for Durley. "What happened to keeping them off our tail?"

Feeling irritated, embarrassed and add in a dash of real fear, "They're not exactly standing still for me to shoot at, Ensign," Durley shot back a little too harshly even in his own ears.

"Easy boys," Captain Archer said with a frown for both. The snipping at one another was difficult to handle at the moment. "Just do your best."

In the transporter room, the rest of the away team was listening to the exchange on the bridge. Lt. McKinsie shook her head at Lt. Lingley. "Don't do your best; do it right."

"No pressure, Jeannie," Jennifer replied as she grip the controls tighter. "I will not mess up. I will not mess up."

"Hey, not your life on the line here," Jean-Marie replied as she flashed her fellow travelers an encouraging look. "But we trust you."

"Yeah," Chang gripped his rifle a little tighter, partly to hide the fact that he was now wishing he were back on the shuttle with Ensign Mayweather, his stomach dropping acrobatics.

"Just drop us down and let us do the rest," Hawkins said quietly. He was the only one among them that didn't seem the least bit concerned with the uncertainty of the situation. Of course, he was the only one that had made his peace already. This was a dangerous mission to begin with, he was well aware of the dangers when he volunteered for this.

Tanner couldn't even voice his concerns. He was too afraid he'd start stammering excuses to get off the platform.

"Transporter room," Durley called out as he launched another volley for fire on the enemy, hitting their port side. All he needed was one clear shot at their tail end. "Two hundred kilometers."

"Get ready people," Lingley muttered as she watched her control readings.

"One-fifty," Durley hollered tensely.

"See you all planet-side," Jean Marie breathed as she continued to watch Lingley's face.

"One hundred."

"Transporter engaged," Jennifer said as her hands moved. "Good luck," she managed to call out as the away team disappeared from view.

Jean Marie McKinsie released the breath she hadn't even realize she was holding and nearly lost her grip on her phase rifle. The look on Jennifer Lingley's face just before she transported them down had not been reassuring and the commands being barked across the ship's comm. system certain didn't help any. She thanked the many saints that her mother made her pray to as a child that her molecules weren't scattered across the Delphic Expanse. "Everyone still in one piece?"

Ensign Tanner lost his lunch noisily in the nearest bush he could find.

"Most of us are," Dave Chang replied with a sympathetic smile as he took several shaky steps away and started his visual scans of the surrounding area. "Definitely preferred Mayweather's driving to that; and that's saying something. You okay, ensign?"

"Urgh," Donald Tanner replied as he pulled his water bottle out and rinsed his mouth. He felt has if he's just stepped off the gravity contraption Mayweather talked him into trying once. Why he listens to that boy… His stomach did another roll. "How do you stand it?"

"Practice," Hawkins offered with a grin as he continued to scan the local scenery. The clearing appeared secure but one never knows when something ugly may pop up. "When you've been trained by Killens, you are well used to it. General Killens says the transporter was going to be the wave of the future and we better get used to it."

Tanner shuddered as he looked down at his map. "Give me a nice safe shuttle any day."

Chang laughed.

"And how safe is a shuttle when you've got enemy fire all around?" Hawkins asked sweetly over his shoulders.

"Guys, can you discuss your philosophies on transportation some other time? We kind of have a job to do here." McKinsie said quietly as her sharp eyes watched the area around them. She wasn't about to let the boys know that her stomach was just as much in knots as the young ensign's. Only her extra experience in the field saved her from disgrace. "Tanner?"

The young linguist fervently wished he hadn't been the only other person on the ship to spoke Jukinarian. "According to Hoshi's files, the cavern should be this way. Due west."

"That's East," Chang corrected quietly as the three MACO's flanked the young ensign out of pure instinct.

A red-faced Tanner cleared his throat and nodded. "Right, I knew that."

-&-&-&-

The only thing that saved Katie Coates from embarrassing herself by screaming like a girl was her headfirst crash into Kemper's rump. The drop had been exactly how Hoshi had described it, sudden and unexpected.

"Owww…." Kemper rolled away as fast as he could but the damage was done and he was in agony. Pressing one hand against his side, he abandoned his weapon and prayed for a quick death.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Katie scrambled to her feet and knelt by her comrade's side. "Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?" Kemper snapped irritably as he pulled himself away from the killer slide that nearly did him in. He did not want Lt. Reed landing on him.

Malcolm gave a little gasp of surprise as he landed on his feet. After the third shriek of surprise, horror, fear, indignation and pain, he had decided it would probably be wise to go down feet first…especially when he saw Sgt. Coates disappear in front of him. Good thing too. "Everyone all right?"

"Define that will' ya?" Trip muttered as he rubbed his painful arm. Like the rest of the group, he hadn't seen their exit route and landed rather badly. This whole mission has been one trip to the ground after another; if he wasn't black and blue under his uniform he'd be surprised.

Lt. Reed sighed and silently wondered if that was a question in actual need of an answer. Then he decided it was safer to cover his bases, "Still mobile."

"Then we're all okay," came the disgustingly cheerful reply.

Hayes was barely tolerating the banter now. "Gentlemen, if you please?"

Trip threw the wounded major a sympathetic and apologetic look before motioning to their guide for this merry ride, "Hoshi, where to next?"

"This way," Ensign Sato said giving Romero a little nudge with her elbow. She did not need to be told twice to be careful.

Romero was silent as he took his lead with Hoshi's instructions. Moving cautiously through the darkened tunnels, they were an hour in when Hoshi's ears picked up footsteps. Scrambling into the covers of their cloaks, Romero and Sanchez just barely kept from doing major damage to the local magistrate that had been rushing down to assess damage from what they thought to be a major cave- in. Hoshi spend the next half hour working on the fly, creating a simply elaborate story as to how they had escaped the nearly fatal encounter with Mother Nature's wrath.

"What the hell is she telling them?" Sanchez muttered under his breath as the rest of the away team stood to one side, weapons hidden but ready.

"Whatever it takes to get us the hell outta here," Coates hissed back so low that it was barely audible.

"If that guy takes one more step toward her…" Romero murmured softly.

"Easy does it, Corporal," Hayes commanded with a careful eye on the three men that had created a semi-circle around their linguist. "Let's let her handle this."

"What happened to 'watch her?'" Jason asked his commander with just the right hint of amusement then tightened his hand on his weapon just as Hoshi took a step closer to hear something one of the men was explaining. "She's taking an awful big risk in…"

Hoshi bowed her head in acknowledgement of something said and the three men return the show of respect before turning on their heels and heading deeper into the catacombs. Hurrying over, "We gotta go," she announced without preamble and headed into another tunnel.

"What happened?" Reed asked as he turned around to make sure DeMarco and Sanchez were still watching their six.

"According to the locals," Hoshi whispered as shined her light on the wall to read the writings as they passed. "Two parties landed topside about one standard cycle ago," she turned and explained before anyone can ask, "That's approximately forty-seven minutes our time." She shook her head at them and continued on, indicating with one finger where Romero was to go. "Looks like Reptilians sent back-up."

The horrified silence lasted all of half a second.

"Let's try not to run into them," Kemper suggested causally then hissed as he stepped into a slight dip in the ground and jarred his body. "I'm not sure I would like another run-in."

"You won't get any arguments from me," Sanchez murmured with sigh.

"You holding up okay, Eth?" Katie Coates asked by his side.

Kemper nodded his head grimly. "Let's go home; I need a bath."

"I second that," Romero said as he turned into another path.

"We're almost there, people," Trip said cheerfully and kept pace with Jamison's hobbling steps.

Hoshi paused a moment to stare at a few signs, "That way."

Romero cursed silently as a shot just barely missed taking his right ear off before striking the wall next to him as they came into a wide cavern, lit with torches and guarded by the enemy. As he pulled back a step, Romero brought his weapon out of hiding and fired without a second's hesitation. "Take cover!"

Hayes grabbed Sato's arm and thrust her at Kemper before taking position on one knee, firing volleys of charges to give the rest of the team time to get behind stone protections.

Kemper forgot all about the pain at his side as he pushed Ensign Sato behind a large rock and got into position next to her, providing cover fire for the major as Hayes took cover further up. Coates rolled across the open path to the cavern entrance and took position behind and to the right of Hayes. Sanchez and DeMarco abandoned Jamison to cover their rears as they followed Reed and Tucker into the fray.

Staggering themselves around the entrance, giving each other cover as the rest of the MACO's took defensive positions around walls and unevenly placed rocks that offered shelter and nothing else.

"We're pinned," Kemper muttered the minute he got his bearings again and took a good look at the situation at hand. Turning his head slightly, he regarded the linguist/guide next to him with a tired look. "Now would be a really good time for you to pull off a miracle."

Hoshi looked frantically about, her mind racing to grasp at any solution she could find. A deadly shot rained rocks down on her as she muffled a shriek of surprised with both hands over her mouth. For a moment, she simply stared at the opposite rock wall, her mind a total blank.

"Easy does it, girl," Tucker said as he ducked a high shot and nearly crushed her as he moved into position next to her. "You did your part, now we do ours."

"Don't you mean ours, Commander?" Sanchez said rather lightheartedly given the situation. He swung around the edge of his rock and fired twice before ducking behind again. "Any ideas?"

Hayes repositioned the rifle in his hand so it wouldn't bounce against his injuries. "Reed?"

"Yeah?" Malcolm replied firing again with his hand pistol and wishing for a good solid rifle.

"I can cover you while you make a retreat," Matt suggested as he took another shot, almost smiling in satisfaction as a painful grunt announced that he hit his target.

"Negative," Reed replied. "You'll get over-run and it won't guarantee we'd make it out."

"I concur," Tucker hollered over the noise around them before Hayes could argue further. "We stick together."

"Ahh…" Coates fell back as she dropped her weapon and clutched her right hand with her left.

"Katie!" Kemper made a move to go to her but pulled back when a shot almost hit his face. "Katie, you all right?"

Forcing the pain out of her voice, "I'm…" she couldn't quite keep the tremor out of voice. "I'm fine. My hand… my fingers are burnt." Coates could feel her eyes tear as she squeezed the injured digits tightly and prayed that she wasn't doing more damage to them. Her whole hand seemed to be on fire with pain.

"Romero!" Hayes called out.

Jason waited a heartbeat before making a hasty move across the cavern to where Coates was doubled over, her hands pressed tightly against her middle. "Come on, girl, let me see."

"We need a way out!" Tucker stated the obvious.

"I'm open for suggestions!"

-&-&-&-

"Do you hear that?" Hawkins asked as he tightened his hand around his weapon.

"Hear what?" Tanner asked absentmindedly as he struggled with the next set of words on the wall.

"That sounded like energy phaser," Hawkins replied tilting his head toward the entrance of one tunnel.

Chang frowned and left his position by the second tunnel. Straining his ears, he picked out the sound of rapid wheezing noises that sounded all too familiar. "I think you're right; that's definitely energy phasers."

The two men turned and looked at Lt. McKinsie for a moment as she glanced first at the frustrated linguist before moving to stand next to the her comrades. Taking two steps into the tunnels, she leaned her ear in and heard the tell-tale sounds of battle. "I think they're in trouble," she murmured softly. "Tanner?"

"Yeah?"

"What does this mean?" McKinsie pointed to the three marking by the tunnel door.

Refocusing his eyes, Donald Tanner concentrated for a moment. "Meeting hall, generator and water supply."

"Generator?" Hawkins asked mildly.

McKinsie shook her head. "I think we found our people," she nodded to the others. "Let's go."

Taking the lead, Jean Marie moved with more caution and less noise than she had previously. She caught sight of a Reptilian and pulled back just before she could be spotted. Heart pounding, she looked back at the others with a nod. Pointing to Tanner, she pointed to their six. She did not intend be to snuck up on the way the Reptilians were about to be. Motioning to the other two, she situated them in different locations before reaching into her pack and pulling out a flash grenade. Showing her intentions, she held up three fingers. Chang and Hawkins nodded their understanding and watched the countdown on her hand.

Taking a deep breath, Jean Marie held up three fingers. Watched Chang nod his head, folded one down and depressing the activation button she nodded to Hawkins and folded the second finger, leaving only one as se braced herself. Taking a deep breath she shouted, "LIGHT IN THE SKY!" and threw the grenade overhead.

The away team had barely gotten over their surprise and averted their eyes when the enemy looked up in time to have their corneas fried. The howls of anger and pain filled the air seconds before the sound of pulse rifles filtered through the air again.

-&-&-&-

"TRAVIS!"

"Sorry, sir," Travis replied automatically as he concentrated on keeping them within orbit of the planet.

"Durley, keep them off our tail," Archer barked sharply as he got off the floor… yet again. At the rate he was going, the cleaning crew wasn't going to need to dust the carpet for another month. "And what the hell happened to taking out their propulsion?"

"I can't get a clear shot sir," Durley answered as he sent intercepting shafts to divert the incoming torpedo. "We need to be behind them, not in front, for me to aim."

Mayweather turned his head and glared at the lieutenant.

Durley answered with an apologetic shrug.

Shaking his head, Travis took a breath and put his life on the line, "Captain, permission to break obit."

Archer didn't even have to think about it. "Denied."

"Captain," Travis paused as he concentrated on dodging several shots. "I can defend the ship but I can't help with the offensive if I'm trapped in a zone. And I can't guarantee that we're going to be in the right place at the right time when the shuttle breaks atmosphere. What if the Reptilians get to them first?"

T'Pol's brows rose to just below her hairline. It was the first time she'd heard a member of the bridge crew question the captain's order… excluding the time the Captain was under the influence of the Insectoid. "Captain, the ensign does raise a good point."

Jonathan felt his heart contract a little at the thought of leaving his people defenseless. "What are you suggesting, Ensign?"

Travis found himself thankful of the logical science officer for the first time since coming onboard. "I just need a few minutes to draw the Reptilians out and place a little chase."

"You can get behind them?"

"Yes, sir; I know I can."

It was the conviction in Travis' tone that tipped the scale. "Then get us behind the ship and let's end this game."

"Yes sir."

-&-&-&-

"Are you sure stunning them is going to do the trick?" Sanchez asked cautiously, nudging the nearest one with the toes of his boots.

"We're not murderers," Reed said as he too checked the fallen bodies carefully.

"McKinsie, report!" Hayes said as he watched Jean Marie pick her way carefully among the fallen enemy. Chang and Hawkins were holding their positions at the entrance.

"The Captain sent us as a rescue team, sir," McKinsie replied calmly, her eyes narrowing as Coates and Kemper came into her view. "We have to hurry; Enterprise is fending off the enemy in orbit."

"Damn it," Tucker looped one arm around Jamison and helped to pull the lieutenant into a semi-standing position. Nothing on this mission had gone according to plan. "How many ships?"

"Only one now."

"Now?" Reed asked as he motioned the rest of the away team through.

"There were originally five, sir." McKinsie grabbed Kemper's arm when he came closer. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Later," Kemper murmured as he allowed himself to lean against her.

"Katie?" McKinsie asked.

Sgt. Coates shook her head and struggled with holding her rifle with her left hand.

"Hoshi, get us back to the shuttle!" Tucker ordered.

Moving quickly in front of the others, she only stopped when Hayes reached out and grabbed her arm with a warning look. She shook her head at him and pointed to the two MACO's still at the entrance. Hayes shook his head at her. "Romero, Hawkins, Chang, stay in front of her."

Romero was the only one that understood the command, though neither of the other two questioned it.

"Let get out of here," Sanchez complained as they all flanked the wounded and followed Ensign Sato out.

-&-&-&-

"Nice hit!" Travis cheered as he brought the ship around and gave Durley a clear shot of the Reptilian's weaponry pods now that their engines were gone.

"Good job, Lieutenant," Captain Archer said as he grinned at the neatly framed picture of the smoking ship's warp drive.

Durley didn't allow the praised to go to his head, but carefully stored it for when he could be alone and gloat in peace. Taking aim, he fired upon the Reptilian gunnery pods and took them out with three quick shots from the phase cannons. "Enemy ship disabled."

"And not a moment too soon," Lt. Anderson at the communication station said with a shake of his head. "Incoming from Shuttle One."

Jon was out of his chair in a flash. "Put it through."

"Shuttle One to Enterprise," Tucker's accented voice had never sounded sweeter.

"Archer here. Give me good news, Trip."

"Mission accomplished, sir."

Archer's reply was lost in the sudden cheer from the rest of the bridge crew (minus T'Pol who found the show quite disturbing). "I'll hear the rest of the report when you get in. Good job, away team."

"Thanks for sending in the cavalry, sir," Tucker couldn't help but added.

"I like my crew…I mean to keep them around," Archer responded. "I want to see the team the minute you get in."

"Sir," Reed interrupted.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"We've got wounded."

There was a terrible silence that lasted only a second but felt like a lifetime. "I'll have Phlox meet you down the in the shuttle bay."

"Thank you, sir."

-&-&-&-

"Well?" Tucker asked as he watched his best friend finish the written report submitted by Hayes, Reed and himself collaboratively. They had done so in a hurry on the shuttle, knowing the captain would want to read it while the rest of the away team was in sickbay and decon.

Jon dropped the report back on the desk and signed deeply. "You guys had quite an adventure."

"More than we expected," Reed muttered tiredly as he leaned back in his chair instead of sitting up straight-rod as was his habit. "But we pulled though nicely, everyone performed well… especially Hoshi."

"She's really growing as an officer," Tucker added with a smile, remembering the way she had ignored her fears to save another. "She'd make a fine captain one day."

Archer nodded. "Good. Star Fleet's going to need more people like her someday." He leaned back and regarded Reed for a moment. "So Lieutenant, how did you enjoy your joint mission with the MACO's?"

Reed paused a moment. "They… performed their duties efficiently and successfully."

Trip laughed. "And ah think a couple of them's got a crush now."

"Hoshi?" Archer asked mildly.

"Ain't it always?"

Jon laughed, suddenly feeling very good. "Where is the rest of the away team now?"

"Enjoying what little free time they have," Reed replied without addressing the 'crush' issue. He didn't want to think about it. "I doubt we're going to get much of it in the near future."

That sobered Archer. "Yeah."

-&-&-&-

Hayes sighed and listened absentmindedly at the chattering of his team. Sanchez regaled the rest of the group with the daring underwater rescue that still left some of them with nightmares. McKensie was laughingly informing the away team members of what they did in the armory that Lt. Reed was sure to have kittens about. Chang described for everyone the shuttle ride from hell. Hawkins wanted more details on the mission mishaps. And Coates was inviting the girls to a night out of celebration pulled together by the Fleeters but only for the ladies, though the men protested and expressed their disappointment quite vocally.

The Major couldn't care less. He had a debriefing report to write, a separate one for his MACO report; a task he found more daunting than having to go hand-to-hand with Reptilians. He had training sessions to plan, including incorporating some diving simulations that were apparently necessary. He was not going to be able to use his left arm for the next three weeks. Dr. Phlox had issued a dire warning with a happily smiling face that left Matt a little in fear of even contemplating the disobedience of medical orders. And he simply hurt all over.

He didn't just hurt; he HURT! …A fact he was not about to disclose to the rest of the ship by motion or expression.

Finishing the hot meal of steak and potatoes - first decent meal in five days - that settled quite nicely in his stomach, he pulled the dessert plate forward and looked eagerly at the chef's famous pecan pie with a large dollop of whipped cream on top. And then… he remembered a little bet he made.

Making a face, and surprised that he didn't feel as disappointed as he thought he should be, Hayes tapped Chang lightly on the shoulder to get the Corporal's attention. "Take this to Ensign Sato, will you?" he requested, pushing the dessert plate to the man. He wasn't about to do it himself, couldn't really with the bruise on his calf that was creating a slight limp when he walked.

Chang's whole face reflected his surprise. "Sir?"

Hayes rolled his eyes and tilted his head toward the linguist four tables away with a couple of other Fleeters. "I lost a bet."

Romero, Kemp, Sanchez and Coates all stared wide mouthed. "You gambled, sir?"

"Yes," he snapped, a little annoyed that the rest of his people thought him so rigid. "And I lost."

Chang nodded his head, lips twitching with amusement, and got up. He made his way over to Ensign Sato, feeling the eyes of his fellow MACOs on his back. It was on everyone's mind: "What kind of bet did the prim and proper Major Hayes make?"

Matt refused to look.

Chang placed the dessert plate in front of the bemused Ensign Sato and leaned down to whisper something for her ears only. The rest of the ensign's party was watching with rabid fascination. Hoshi grinned suddenly, her whole face animated with fun as she glanced over. She thanked Corporal Chang and watched him return to the MACOs table before saying something to her companions and getting up with the dessert plate to make her way over.

Had he been able to stand up without groaning, Matt would have made a speedy exit. "Oh god, she's not going to…"

"Here she comes," Sanchez announced in a sing-songy voice.

Hayes braced himself.

"Hello," Hoshi said setting the plate down in front of the major and nudging Sgt. Coates with her hip to make room for herself on the edge of Katie's chair. She exchanged quick amusing glances with the female MACO officers before turning back to the major, who was watching her steadily but with a wary look in his eyes. She nudged the pie forward another inch. "Consider this repayment for saving my life."

Matt's eyes narrowed, looking for the catch. "I was doing my job."

"Yes, I know," she made a slight movement with her shoulder. "But it doesn't mean I'm not grateful for your quick reflexes, big guns and wide shoulders."

Kemper and Sanchez both sprayed coffee across the table and, fortunately for the rest of the group, right at each other.

Hayes couldn't tell by her oh-so innocent face whether she was serious or just teasing. But since he wanted the pie, loved the pie, and was still hungry after five days of lousy Star Fleet rations, he nodded and sank his fork into the pie. "Okay then." His team could think what they want; he was too tired to care.

Satisfied with Hayes' brief answer, Hoshi turned to Sgt. Coates. "How's the hand?"

"Healing."

"Good," Hoshi grinned. "You invited the others?"

Rubbing a quick hand over her mouth, Katie had to physically wipe the grin off her face. "Yeah, we're coming. What's on the menu tonight?"

Gleefully, Hoshi replied. "Apple cinnamon pies and fudge brownie cakes, hard cider for those that don't need to worry about pulling Gamma Shifts and sparkling apple cider for those that do." She gave McKinsie a wink. "And for entertainment: a brand spanking new VR, courtesy of the ladies in engineering."

Second Lieutenant Jean Marie McKinsie swallowed her juice before asking the all-critical question buzzing in her mind since conversing with Katie earlier. "It doesn't involve Hawkins, right?"

Hawkins nearly fell out of his seat. "What?"

Hoshi waved the question away negligently and forced herself not to start giggling like a twelve-year-old at her first slumber party. "I don't think so. Jodi tagged this one. It's probably going to be one of the armory boys. But with engineers, it's hard to say one day to the next. The science teams are more predictable. Besides… um…" She leaned over Katie and gave Lt. McKinsie an odd look. "Lindsey said something about boys and their torpedoes?"

Jean Marie covered her mouth quickly and could only respond with a frantic nod, waving the question away for the estrogen-fest later.

Nodding her understanding, Hoshi stood up. "See you ladies later." She turned and looked at Major Hayes, who was heartily tucking into the pecan pie. Deciding that it was definitely worth the shock factor, she reached over and tipped Hayes' head back. And while his eyes still registered surprise, she slanted her mouth quietly over his, lingering to savor the warmth of his lips and the sweetness of the pie. Pulling back, her curiosity satisfied, she gave him a smile of pure sweet innocence and patted him once on the shoulder.

It took a moment for his melted brain to solidify, but eventually Hayes got his mind functioning again. Much bemused, Matt blinked. "I thought the pie was the thanks."

"Oh it is," she assured him with a vigorous nod.

That didn't help to clear up anything in his befuddled mind. "Then what was the kiss for?"

Hoshi gave a much amused laugh. "That was solely for me." She winked and took off. "Sleep well, Major."

Matt watched Hoshi go, waited until after the doors to the mess hall had closed behind her and her twittering friends, to let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding the entire time. Slumping in his chair, a first for him as his team watched, Matt tossed the fork on the table beside the half eaten pie, his appetite for it now subdued by an appetite of another sort. "How that hell is a man supposed to sleep after that?"

Fin….

Okay guys, the end. Thanks for joining me in this little trip through… whatever you want to call it. An extra special thanks to Steph. Take a bow, darling; you've been wonderful.