A/N. Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate knowing what you think.

Do you really not like Trip? You must be in a minority. He has a great following. I prefer Malcolm, as you've probably noticed, but still have a soft spot for Trip. I couldn't let all the senior staff get through to the next round, it would have been considered a fix, so the girls had to go. Sorry girls.

As for Porthos, well at that point, the crew thought that it was all a bit of fun and voted that way. It won't last.

Chapter 5.

The second round and things are hotting up.

Another week of enduring boring, empty space had made even Malcolm think that the competition was a good idea after all. Phlox had reported fewer people visiting sickbay with boredom-related problems, and the atmosphere on the ship was definitely more cheerful. How early space explorers had coped with journeys of months, and even years, just to get to planets in the solar system, was beyond comprehension. Nowadays it took only six minutes at warp four point five to go from Earth to Neptune - and back!

Captain Archer entered the mess hall and went to look at the wall of photos, much reduced now from the original eighty-four.

"Hi, Cap'n." Trip came over and joined him. "Have you posted your second vote yet?"

"Hello, Trip. No. I'm just making sure that both Porthos and my choices are still here."

"And are they?"

"Yes, I'm glad to say."

"Porthos will be pleased."

"Yes, he will." Archer filled in both slips and posted them. "I'd better get back and tell him. See you at breakfast tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Cap'n"

Malcolm had posted his vote as soon as he had received his voting slip from Crewman Kelly. As Trip's picture was still there he did not have to consider a different candidate, as some people had. He thought Trip had a pretty good chance of winning with his blue eyes and blonde hair, and yes, having looked at the picture more closely he could see that Kelly had cleverly airbrushed out a couple of Trip's blemishes. It got him wondering as to how many other pictures had been 'cleaned up'. But it was just a bit of fun, not a serious competition.

Most people had cast their votes several days before voting ended and so were waiting rather impatiently for the count. Therefore, when the day of the count arrived there was a heightened feeling of excitement all over the ship.

The result was to be announced at 1600 hours, and long before that time there was a big crowd in the corridor leading to the mess hall. And they were not exactly quiet and orderly. Lt. Hess, seeing the crowd, tried to restore some sort of order, but found it beyond her.

She hit the nearest comm panel. "Hess to security."

"Reed here. What is it?"

"We could do with some help outside the mess hall, Sir."

"Why? What's going on?"

"It looks like everyone who's not on duty is here waiting for the voting results. As you can probably hear, it's very noisy, but it's not belligerent. It's more like a party."

"OK. Hess. I'll send a team down. Reed out."

A few minutes later two members of security arrived and soon had the problem well in hand. They had been told to use soft tactics, and not to put too much of a dampener on the proceedings, so they calmed things down with a laugh and a joke. Good humour prevailed.

Back on the bridge Captain Archer seemed amused.

"I'm glad people are so anxious for the results of this round. It certainly has been a boost to morale."

"Yes, Sir." Malcolm had been at his tactical station when Hess called, and Archer had heard the exchange. "I just hope they don't start getting uppity when their particular favourite is voted off."

"Uppity, Malcolm?"

"Aye, Sir. Self-assertive, if you prefer."

"Yes, I could see that would lead to the situation possibly getting out of hand."

"But at least it would give Security something to do." Malcolm replied. "I wonder just how many the brig could hold if pushed?"

"You'll be planning on handcuffing people to their desks next."

"Interesting thought, Sir." There was a definite smirk on Malcolm's face.

Down in the mess hall Kelly and Cutler put the finishing touches to the photo-wall, stood back and viewed their work.

"There are going to be some unhappy people out there." Cutler remarked. "I really thought the Captain would have got through this time, didn't you?"

"Yes. And Porthos didn't make it either." Kelly replied.

"I think most people took this round much more seriously." Cutler said as she collected up the unwanted photos.

"I suppose we'd better let them in now." Kelly moved towards the door. "Stand back, or you'll get mown down by the crowd." As Cutler moved away from the direct line of the door, Kelly pressed the button and said door swished open.

There were now just ten photos left on the wall - six men and four women. And what a selection!

In alphabetical order they were- Ensign James Almack, Crewman Richard Baird, Crewman David Cunningham, Crewman Michael Fisher, Ensign Vanessa Keely, Ensign Jerry McFarlane, Ensign Travis Mayweather, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, Ensign Billie Jo Secorro, and Crewman Katherine Williams.

On the bridge Captain Archer was enjoying letting his senior staff know who was out of the competition and who was still in.

"Unfortunately, Porthos and I are both out."

"That's a shame, Sir." Hoshi commiserated from her station. "I felt sure you would be in the final round."

"Obviously not enough people agreed with you. Also out, strangely enough, is Trip."

"Really?" Malcolm looked up from tactical, most surprised. "Are you sure?"

"'Fraid so, Malcolm. But you're not."

"Ah. You must have got it the wrong way round, Sir. I'm out and Trip's in, surely?"

"Nope. Travis is still in, you'll be pleased to know."

Travis beamed at this news.

"Hey, great. I've always fancied myself as a sex symbol."

"Don't count your chickens, Travis. You've still got Malcolm to beat." Archer was thoroughly enjoying all this.

Malcolm was wondering if Trip had heard the news. He was working on a problem in engineering and would be for some time, but Kelly had probably told him by now. Malcolm was rather annoyed at the way the voting had gone, but realised he should not let it bother him. 'Time to take control,' he told himself. 'It's only a friendly contest, after all. No big deal.'

Trip had heard. Both Hess and Kelly had made a point of telling him.

"I don't mind a bit being out of it myself," he gamely said, "as long as Malcolm's still in there."

"I'll let you in to a little secret, Sir." Kelly whispered in conspiratorial fashion. She moved close to Trip so that Hess could not hear and said, "..."

"Honest?" Trip's face lit up. Kelly's revelation surely pleased him no end.

She nodded with a grin before getting back to work.

"She's not giving away voting secrets, is she?" Hess asked.

"What she said is between Kelly and me, Hess."

"Of course, Sir," Hess went back to her console.

Malcolm and Trip managed to meet up for a late dinner that evening, and were joined by Hoshi.

"Hi, guys." She always seemed to be cheerful. As she sat down with her tray, she noticed the rather despondent look on Malcolm's face.

"What's up with Malcolm?" she asked.

"He doesn't like it 'cos I'm out of the final ten, and he's in."

"How can they rate Cunningham higher than Trip?" Malcolm asked Hoshi. "And what about McFarlane and Baird? They can't hold a candle to him."

"Ooh, Malcolm, calm down. I think you're getting a bit - what was that word - uppity?"

"Uppity?" Trip asked. "What sort of a word is that?"

"Ask Malcolm. He introduced us to it on the bridge earlier." Hoshi giggled.

"It means being..."

"Ya don't have to tell me, Mal. I think I can work it out for myself." He put his arm across Malcolm's shoulders and murmured in his ear, "That's another word for me to add to my dictionary." To Hoshi he said, "I love it when he comes out with words like that, especially when I can use them to describe him at some time. And I think I'm going to be able to use this one a lot."

Malcolm scowled.

"So, Mal, " Trip wanted to know. "Now I'm not on the wall any longer, who are you going to vote for this time?"

"I've absolutely no idea."

"Ha! Gotcha!" Trip was delighted. Malcolm had refused to say earlier who he'd voted for, but now he'd given himself away. When he realised he'd fallen into the trap, he rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Well, it doesn't look like it will be Cunningham, McFarlane or Baird, judging by Malcolm's earlier remarks, so that reduces the choice for him." Hoshi was ticking names off on her fingers.

"Can't see him going for the women, either." Trip ticked off four more.

"So that leaves just Jim Almack and Travis." Hoshi declared.

"You know, he could always vote for himself." Trip was enjoying watching Malcolm squirm all through this dialogue. "But I don't s'pose he'll do that 'cos he doesn't want to win."

"But could he vote for himself? I mean, is it in the rules?" Hoshi asked seriously.

"I haven't heard a rule that says otherwise. There's no way of knowing how many people, if any, voted for themselves."

"The voting slips will show that." Malcolm interrupted their conversation.

They both looked at him as though they had forgotten he was there.

"They will? How?" Trip was puzzled.

Malcolm sighed. "If you'd bothered to look at your slips you would have noticed your name on them. Kelly and Cutler would have been able to match up names and numbers."

"Oh, yes." Hoshi understood. "And having the names on them meant no-one could vote more than once."

"Right."

"So, lets takes a step or two back here, then. Who're you voting for, Mal? Jim or Travis?"

Malcolm rose to his feet in despair. "I don't know. I don't care. And if I did know, I wouldn't tell you. I'm going back to my quarters, Trip. Are you coming?"

"I'm not turning down an invitation like that." Trip got up quickly and grabbed his tray.

"Now, now, boys." Hoshi chided. "Don't do anything you'll regret in the morning."

They both grinned at her as they left the mess.

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