A/N: PadawanMage, I forgot to tell you in the last chapter, I've completely made up the Gresfeshkiurwouzh. Alien names always seem too easy to pronounce, you see. ;) Thanks so much to everyone who's read and reviewed this story. It's been fun to write and I'm glad you've enjoyed it. I've never had this many reviews before!

A/N 2: I couldn't help myself. There's a reference to potential R/S here.

Day Seven

Malcolm was easing from sleep to wakefulness when he was jolted into the waking world. "Enterprise to Shuttlepod Two," came Hoshi's voice.

His eyes flew open and he beat T'Pol to responding. (This was probably because she was still asleep until the comm. beeped.) "Reed."

"We have good news," reported Hoshi. She sounded cheerful but tired. "The Gresfeshkiurwouzh have agreed that we can tow Shuttlepod Two back. Travis and Trip will be down in an hour or so."

"Excellent news," he replied, swinging his feet onto the floor.

"There's just one catch."

"What might that be?" asked T'Pol.

"You have to leave the moon in the same vessel you landed in."

"What?" Malcolm yelped. "It's a miracle we landed in one piece, and they expect us to fly through the atmosphere again? We don't even have engines!"

"The Gresfeshkiurwouzh insist, sir. Shuttlepods One and Four are going to tow you back, but you both have to be in Shuttlepod Two."

"Dare I ask why?"

"The balance has to be maintained, sir."

He would've cursed the aliens, if he could pronounce their name. "I don't suppose the balance would allow us to repair the shuttle before we leave? If Commander Tucker came down with a few engineers, the shuttle could probably be ready in ten or eleven hours." At that point, the shuttle wouldn't be ready to go far from Enterprise, but he'd feel a lot better flying off the island.

"Unfortunately, no technology is allowed on that moon."

"As we landed here, there is already technology on this moon," pointed out T'Pol.

Archer's voice came in. "And the Gresfeshkiurwouzh aren't too happy about that. We've spent countless hours convincing them that we're not hostile as it is."

"I thought they were just interested in comets." The more Malcolm learned about these aliens, the less he liked them.

"We've also given them information on every comet we've ever come across," supplied Hoshi. "This moon is a pristine observatory for them, and they don't want it disturbed."

"If Shuttlepods One and Four come down, this will be added technology." Malcolm couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that. T'Pol continued, "Would that not violate the ban?"

"Well, technically they aren't going to land on the moon." Hoshi really did sound quite tired. No doubt she'd been instrumental in the negotiations. That seemed to happen quite a bit. "They're going to hover over you, grab on with the grapplers, and pull you back."

That did not make Malcolm feel any better. He was going to be in a badly damaged shuttle, flying over an ocean, supported only by grapplers. It wasn't going to be a good morning.

Archer sighed. "This is the only thing they'll agree to."

"We will bring all of our supplies into the shuttlepod," asserted T'Pol. "Please inform us when we may expect Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather."

"We're looking forward to getting you back," concluded the captain. "Enterprise out."

It took no time at all to bring everything into the shuttlepod, and then there was nothing to do except wait. T'Pol was intently studying her writings, but Malcolm found himself reading the same passages of his novel over and over. He sighed and put the padd aside.

"We will be 'in good hands,' Lieutenant." He figured T'Pol had picked that phrase up from Trip.

"I know, but I'd rather be in good hands and an undamaged shuttlepod."

"That does not appear to be an option. However, I am certain that if Captain Archer felt that there was a substantial risk, he would not have authorized this method."

Malcolm grabbed the last two bags of water, both half-full. He handed one to T'Pol, trying his hardest not to think about the ocean he'd be protected from only by a damaged craft. Unscrewing the cap, he lifted the bag. "To good hands."

T'Pol raised her own bag, despite a look that showed her confusion at his decision to propose a toast. She echoed, "To good hands."

After drinking, Malcolm sighed again. "I suppose that we're going to have to convince everyone this wasn't a vacation in paradise."

"Trip will require a great deal of convincing," she admitted.

"I'm sure you're up to the challenge."

"Should I need assistance, I will ask you." She paused for a moment, looking a bit uncertain as to whether or not she should continue. "While I spend my extended periods of free time with Trip, I have found your company to be quite satisfying."

Malcolm smiled. "I've enjoyed your company as well."

"May I ask a final personal question before we leave?" She waited for his nod. "You intend to give the pearl to Ensign Sato. Could that not be interpreted as a romantic gesture?"

"I suppose it could," he replied, reflecting on how much his friendship with T'Pol had deepened. His feelings for Hoshi weren't exactly common knowledge.

"You do not find that prospect disagreeable." He didn't say anything, so she continued. "Trip has expressed a desire to 'double date' at some point. Perhaps in the future this will be possible."

"Perhaps," mused Malcolm. "You don't have to stop, you know. Asking personal questions. We are friends, after all." He'd learned that friendship and co-working weren't mutually exclusive. It was amazing what the Malcolm of five years ago would've thought of the present Malcolm.

"I do not 'make friends' easily. However, I am honored to consider you among my friends."

"The honor is shared, then."

The comm. sprang to life. "Enterprise to Shuttlepod Two. We're ready to launch."

"We can't wait to get back," replied Malcolm.

"Shuttlepod One, all systems go," reported Travis.

Trip jumped in to the conversation. "Shuttlepod Four, ready to launch."

Malcolm could imagine Archer nodding, and then Hoshi's voice came on again. "You're cleared to launch."

"Here we go!" said Travis, just loudly enough for the comm. to catch it. He clearly was looking forward to the challenge.

Trip broke a charged silence. "I'm in the atmosphere. Descent is stable. Travis?"

"Right behind you. I'll go around another pass to give you more time."

"Approaching the coordinates," Trip reported. "I've got you in sight…here comes the grappler." The grappler hit the aft of the shuttle with a thunk! that reminded Malcolm of the hail. He also knew that this was the trickiest part for Trip, to keep Shuttlepod Four basically hovering over them.

"I'm coming in," piped up Travis. "Are you clear, Commander?"

"The nose is all yours."

"I'm in position…releasing the grappler." Another thunk! hit the shuttlepod. Malcolm was not looking forward to what came next.

"You might wanna hold on in there," advised Trip. That didn't help ease Malcolm's anxiety. He was glad that they hadn't eaten breakfast. "Ready on three, Travis?"

"Yes sir."

"One…two…three!" Malcolm clenched his teeth as Shuttlepod Two groaned and then, after what seemed like an eternity, left the ground entirely. He suppressed all thoughts of what could happen if the grapplers didn't hold. Maybe they were at least over land by now, but he really didn't want to check the window. Besides, as damaged as the shuttlepod was, it might not make a difference if they crashed into the ocean or land, since the navigation controls had shorted out once they landed a week ago.

"Ascending steadily at two kilometers a second," Travis reported.

"I'm matching speed."

Malcolm did not like feeling helpless. He noticed that T'Pol was sitting at the navigation station as though she could do something. She probably didn't like the situation any more than he did; she was just better at hiding it.

"Ready to leave the atmosphere, Commander?"

"Whenever you are," said Trip. He sounded much less nervous than Malcolm felt. Of course, the combination of being in an intact shuttle, and lacking Malcolm's nearly paranoid tendencies (as much as he denied that particular label) would probably help there.

"Enterprise, we are out of the atmosphere. Permission to engage in Step Two?"

Archer's reply was immediate. "Go ahead, Travis."

Malcolm could feel the shuttlepod turn. "I'm disengaging the grappler," said Trip. That left Travis with his trickiest maneuver: getting both shuttlepods into the docking bay. "You're on your own, Travis."

"Here we go." For a moment, Malcolm could see the nacelles glowing out the window.

He could almost breath normally again. Shuttlepod Two would slowly be pulled by the planet's gravity without help, but at this point the main grapplers on Enterprise could hold on to them if Shuttlepod One's smaller grappler let go.

The sound of docking securely on the floor was music to Malcolm's ears. Once Travis retracted the grappler, Trip slid Shuttlepod Four in.

"Nice flying," commented Archer from the bridge. "Commander, Lieutenant, it's good to have you back."

T'Pol got up and moved towards the hatch. "We are glad to be back."

"See you in my mess after decon. Chef's making blueberry pancakes. Bridge out."

"Well," Malcolm said after leaving the shuttlepod and enjoying the feel of his feet on the solid deck of Enterprise, "I may not consider that a vacation, but I've had worse experiences being marooned for a week." If one considered Risa, he'd had worse vacations, too, but he tried not to think about that too much. Besides, it really was more Trip's fault than his own.

"Indeed," remarked T'Pol, "Our experience was not entirely without its benefits."

Malcolm considered their stronger friendship and then fingered the pearl in his pocket. "Not at all," he agreed. They walked away from the shuttlepod towards the decon chamber. "From now on, though, I'm bringing a good book in shuttlepods with me."