Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all liability for any injuries or psychological damage sustained from reading this fic. What do you mean, not that kind of disclaimer…? What…? I have to say that I don't own Enterprise…? Dang...

Chapter Five

Archer pulled at the ropes ineffectively. They bit deeply into his wrists and ankles, and he gave up his fruitless struggle with a sigh. Well, at least they were on the bridge. The three aliens were talking rapidly to each other, obviously attempting to get the ship functional to some degree. The temperature was dropping rapidly, and in his still-damp uniform, Archer shivered. Beside him, Hoshi stirred, and groaned.

"Hoshi?"

"Captain?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Just…just bruised…"

She sat up carefully, finding it difficult with her wrists bound behind her back. One of the aliens glanced at her, hissed something, and went back to work.

"Do you still have the translator?" Archer asked, as Hoshi shivered.

"Y-yes," she nodded, "It's been recording the whole time…"

She managed to work the small device free of her pocket, and eased it onto the deck, so as not to attract any attention. Words were scrolling across the small screen as the aliens spoke, and Archer read with interest.

"…Not my fault you blew out the engine coils," hissed the first alien, who had a lot of grey fur, "you should've been more careful with your aim!"

"We'll never get this ship out of the hssiss water," spat a second one, ginger in colour, "we're sinking too fast, and with the number of hull breaches the ship is flooding, fast."

"Of all the grraawwl planets to crash on, we pick a hssiss water one!" the third one, with fur coloured like a tabby, pounded a control panel in frustration, "we've no supplies and no way off this ship!"

"What about them? They had to come in a ship," Ginger pointed out, his tail twitching slightly.

"They're food," Grey said, barely flicking a glance at the three humans, "with odd speech. We will find a way. Mmmraaw, come with me – we'll take another look at those engines. Maybe we can find the parts to repair the communications system. Aaawreee, stay here, guard them, and don't eat them just yet. We have to ration ourselves."

With that, Grey and Ginger picked up their rifles and left, leaving Tabby with the prisoners. He hissed wordlessly at them, and went back to working on the panel in front of him. Archer traded a glance with Hoshi.

"We need to get out of here," she said, fearfully, "we're food?"

Archer was about to reply, when he heard a movement to his left. Glancing around, he realised that Reed was awake, and trying to sit up. Stiffly, he managed it, and Archer winced when he saw the amount of blood staining his uniform.

"You okay?" he asked, knowing it was a stupid question, given the circumstances.

"My phase pistol's gone," Reed noted, ignoring the question, "and my communicator."

"Mine, too," Hoshi agreed, as Archer nodded.

He filled Reed in on what they'd learned, as the alien he'd mentally christened 'Tabby' ignored the three humans. For his part, Reed seemed to be shifting uncomfortably, when, suddenly, he relaxed. Sparing a quick glance at Tabby, who had his back to them, he slowly brought his hands forwards, free of the ropes. Archer glanced at him questioningly.

"Never leave home without a knife, sir," Reed said, holding up the four-inch blade.

He cut the ropes around his ankles, rearranging them to appear as if he were still bound, and set to work on Archer's ropes. Archer then took the knife and freed Hoshi. Keeping their arms behind their backs for the present, Archer handed back the four inch knife, and saw it disappear into a sheath hidden up Reed's sleeve.

"That's hardly regulation, Malcolm," he pointed out, with a half-smile.

"Sorry, sir. You can reprimand me back on the ship," Reed responded, deadpan.

Shaking his head, Archer glanced back at Tabby. The tall alien still had his back to them. His rifle was slung over his shoulder, and Archer gauged his chances. He crept forwards slowly, poised to jump, but Tabby's ear twitched slightly and he spun around, but it was too late. Archer pounced. The alien howled something, and lashed out with a clawed hand. Archer felt sharp, stinging cuts strike across his forearm as he blocked the blow.

Suddenly, Reed was there as well, snatching at the alien's rifle, succeeding in pulling it free. Tabby lashed out, sending the much smaller man flying, but it was the distraction Archer needed. He slammed a right hand punch into the alien's jaw, and then a left in quick succession. Tabby's eyes rolled up, and he hit the deck. Panting, Archer examined the cuts to his arm. They stung and oozed blood, but they weren't too deep, so he ignored them.

"Let's get him tied up," Archer gestured to Hoshi, who fetched the severed bits of rope used on the three humans.

They managed to get Tabby secured, as Reed examined the rifle, worked out the mechanism, and stood guard. Their phase pistols were nowhere to be found, nor their communicators.

"Can you figure out any of these controls?" Archer asked, going to the console Tabby had been working on, "I think they said that this was communications…"

"Maybe I can contact Enterprise," Hoshi said, hopefully, "it doesn't feel like the ship is moving as much…maybe the storms have eased off a bit?"

"If so, we can beam straight out of here," Archer nodded.

Working thetranslator and the alien controls at the same time, a small frown of concentration creased Hoshi's forehead as she tried to figure out the unfamiliar console. The other two waited tensely as she worked, keeping a close eye on the two exits, awaiting the return of Grey and Ginger.

"Sir," Hoshi spoke up, at last, "I've got some control over the ship's internal sensors and communication grid. I've got control of the external viewers, too. We can take a look and see whether the storms are abating."

"Good idea. On screen," Archer nodded.

The large screen at the front of the bridge flickered to life, and Archer frowned at the dark bluish grey fog, wondering if the screen was malfunctioning. He heard Malcolm's sudden intake of breath, and glanced across at him in concern. The lieutenant's face, if possible, was even whiter than before, and with a sudden sick feeling, Archer looked back at the screen, and then at Hoshi. She, too, had paled considerably.

"We're under the water, aren't we?" Archer asked, at last.

"A-affirmative, sir," Hoshi replied, in a small voice, "about t-two hundred meters down, and sinking slowly."

A/N: Duh-duh-duhhh! What happens next? I post the next chapter, of course…soon. Until next time, folks…