Hmmm... Reviews welcome!

"We're not in the expanse anymore and I understand your concerns, Malcom. We have the MACO's here and you've made sure that they don't have any weapons and Doc with make certain."

"And if they don't want the doc to scan them?"

"They'll accept."

Malcom furrowed his eyebrows. He took a deep breath in and shook his head. Archer looked down and sighed.

"Just scan their ship and then report to sickbay if you're that worried."

"With all due respect ,sir, I still-"

"Like I said Lieutenant, don't worry. And that's an order."

Malcom was about to say something but held it back, knowing there was no point. Archer nodded, patted his wiry security officer on the shoulder, and walked back to join T'Pol and the new guests. Malcom let out a shaky sigh and headed the opposite direction and towards Tango.

Malcom looked up from his sigh and shake of head to spot a slight fluff of Tango's chestnut brown hair disappearing around the corner. He couldn't help but smile and he continued to walk.

If anyone had seen him smile in that moment they would've sworn that he was sick. The grumpy British tactical officer who almost never smiled and was by the book on basically everything was smiling at a teenager who had disobeyed orders and had stayed behind to spy on his superior officers. Well, could him and Archer be counted as Tango's superior officers?

Malcom rounded the corner to see Tango flattened against the wall. With one look of Tango's face, Malcom knew that Tango knew his mistake. For a teenager who had been on the 'Enterprise' for a little over four months with access to certain high security areas, such as the armoury, Tango didn't look the part. If he was commissioned by Star Fleet then he would have been wearing the mandatory jumpsuit uniform but as no one could verify any sort of commission he would've been expected to wear a spare jumpsuit. Tango had taken one look at the spare jumpsuit and immediately said no and that he was going to wear his own clothes until he had to get "down and dirty".

Malcom looked at Tango. His darker clothing helped with stealth, slightly.

He had tried his best to use his dark clothes to blend in with the shadow and if Malcom didn't spot him there Tango might have gotten the upper hand on a sneak attack.

"So this is why the MACO's like you..." Malcom jokes. Tango rolls his eyes and steps closer to his mentor.

"They're just jealous that you were able to teach me more than they can." Malcom does his signature smile; a slight nod, smirk, and snort.

"Well, do you remember how to scan a ship from the bridge?"

"Of course I do. I might need some help to make sure I do it alright but I'm confident I know."

Malcolm starts heading to the nearest turbo lift.

"Well, if you're confident then I'm confident that you won't need help. You've already proved multiple times that you can do a lot of things."

"Well, I would be bored out of my mind if I couldn't do anything."

"That's true"

Malcolm responded as they both entered the lift on their way to the bridge.

Archer stood in the doorway of medical, T'Pol by his side. They were monitoring Phlox's progress with the Scazlif. And thankfully, they were co-operative.

A few times Archer looked over at T'Pol and still couldn't get over the fact that she was focused on everything that was happening. He had known her for long enough to know when her Vulcan eyebrows were furrowed in thought or relaxed. Archer realised that he was staring for too long when T'Pol shuffled her stance and looked back at him:

"May I ask what are you thinking about?"

"Unfortunately, I am thinking about how the Scazlif can be a threat to the ship."

Archer sighed and rubbed his eyes. He could not just forget everything with the expanse, the suliban, and the threats to his ship. T'Pol and Malcom are right to be wary about the Enterprise's new friends.

"Are you thinking about securing them to quarters?" He asks, folding his arms and looking back at the Scazlif.

"If it is necessary for that amount of security, yes. But I was thinking about them staying here in sickbay. The stewards can bring them food here and I'm sure that the Doctor would be happy for them to stay. And if there's any more complications with them, they are able to be quickly treated here."

It was obvious that she didn't want to take any chances. And Archer silently agreed.

He bowed his head, his arms still crossed.

"I'll have to ask Malcom about what he thinks."

"From your conversation with him earlier, I would say he would like to take the same precautions."

Archer nodded and looked at T'Pol. She was looking at him.

"Do you regret bringing the Scazlif on board?"

Archer froze. He didn't have a straight answer. He probably never will. His mind says yes; his heart says no. But what will he choose to respond with? He has to respond T'Pol is giving him a conserned look.

"I don't know. I want to say no but both you and Malcom are right in being cautious."

"It is understandable that you're broken. You like to help as many people as possible even when it does mean risking the ship. And that is an admirable quality you have."

T'Pol stopped and Archer was about to respond when she sternly finished her thoughts:

"But do not put the Enterprise in to unneccesary danger. I have said this before and will say it again."

"T'Pol..."

"Do you understand?"

"I understand"

Surprised at T'Pol's unusual response, Archer forgot what he was going to say and looked at the Scazlif. T'Pol did the same. They both stood together, side by side, arms crossed, before Archer broke the silence between them, "I'll be on the bridge if you need me."

T'Pol nodded her response without looking at him. Archer made a note to ask T'Pol about how she was as he left sickbay and headed towards a turbolift. Now wasn't the right time to ask.

When Malcom and Tango arrived at the bridge, Tango immediately walked over and relieved the armoury officer from the weapons station.

A little surprised, the officer looked at Malcom for assurance. Malcolm nodded and the officer got up.

Tango said his thanks as he sat down and immediately pausing the game the officer was playing and started scanning the Scazlif's ship.

"Oh wow..." He mumbles as he keeps scanning.

"What is it?"

Tango kept looking at the scans and Malcom peered over his shoulder. Tango pointed out a few places before responding.

"Their ship is almost exactly like a suliban ship, which considering their reputation it's probably a bad thing... Anyway, it's bad engine problems. We need to ask their engineer what their atmosphere is normally like then we can work from there."

"What sort of 'bad problems'?"

"If I'm reading this right... Reactor leak."

Malcolm looked at Tango in shock. Tango looked back.

"...but I'm not sure. Do you know if Trip is busy?"

"Busy? This is going to be his top priority until we know what it is."

"I'll keep checking and join y'all down there."

"You're beginning to sound like him." Malcolm chuckled as he pressed the com to ask their chief engineer to join him at the airlock.

"What, you jealous?" Tango laughed.

Malcolm smiled back as he made his way to the turbolift.

When the sliding door of the lift hid the armoury officer, Travis Mayweather, the ship's pilot, got up from his post and stood in front of Tango. Tango quickly looked up and then back down.

"Did I hear right, reactor leak?"

"Honestly, it could be anything." Tango didn't look up.

"What do you mean?"

Tango sighed, annoyed about that ship. He lent back, rubbing his eyes. He could read the scans confidently but the main trouble was that this was a new species. A new species of which they knew nothing about. Well, with the acception of that they can survive in their atmosphere. But even that was just a theory. Not even T'Pol was sure and that's saying something.

"It could just be an equipment failure that reads as an reactor leak on our side for all I know... It's just best to be prepared for the worse than sorry. That's the saying, right?"

"Better safe than sorry..."

Tango didn't need to be a mind reader to know Mayweather was worried. And he had a right to do so.

"Thanks." Tango smiled at Mayweather with an attempt to calm him.

"You're welcome." Mayweather was a good actor.

As Mayweather returned to his post, Tango motioned to the armoury officer that they could have their post back. Tango was going to join Trip and Malcom at the airlock. Well, he was before everything suddenly went black and he could feel himself falling and not being able to stop.