Captain Jonathan Archer set the scanner to highest detection rating and mute before he slipped into the Engine room through the service hatch. He had a stowaway, and past experience had taught him well that this particular freeloader was incredibly resourceful.

Not to mention incredibly prone to getting himself into one damned predicament after another.

But he wasn't going to drag Jon down with him. Whatever the hell game Charles "My Friends Call Me Trip" Tucker the Third was playing here, Jon was about to put an end to it.

He eased the hatch door closed, not at all sure Trip wouldn't hear it if he let it go. Still a click that sounded way too loud as it echoed and ricocheted around the still mostly empty two-story room. He held his breath, half expecting Trip to dart from his hiding place.

Instead, he heard a magnified snore. It was better than the scanner at telling him where his renegade former-and-hopefully-future Chief Engineer was.

He slipped down a level and moved cautiously toward the partial housing over the silent engine, thankful he'd thought to change into the Japanese slippers. His boots would've made a hell of a lot more racket.

But Trip was still snoring when Jon got to his hideaway, one bare foot stuck out almost past the edge of the housing. That foot said he wasn't just taking a nap; he'd made himself right at home here. The smell said that he hadn't thought to find a shower lately.

Jon reached in and grabbed the leg above the ankle, and tried to haul Trip out of his cocoon. But the damned fool was jammed in tight, and he still hadn't woken up.

Jon was going to have to go in after him. And Trip was going to be sorry he had.

He crawled in, heading up a bare leg and suddenly hoping Trip hadn't compounded the trouble he was in by sleeping in the nude. "Commander Tucker, report!" he snapped, to cover the discomfort.

"Wha-" Trip blinked and rolled. He waited for Trip to settle again, thankful when he caught a glimpse of blue at his waist. At least he had his underwear on.

Jon wriggled up until he could put his face down near Trip's ear, and said, good and loud,"Commander. Tucker. Report."

"Oh shit." Trip tried to jump up, but instead knocked Jon back against the engine housing hard enough that he was going to have a bruise. He added that to his list of grievances as Trip scrambled to a semi-upright position, blinking. "I was sleeping, sir."

"I can see that." Jon didn't rub his head. He was the Captain, after all. "At attention, Commander."

"Attention?"

"You heard me."

"Uh…"

"Now, Commander."

"All right." Trip muttered something under his breath that sounded like "more than he bargained for," but Jon let that go, since the engineer was moving.

He backed up and let Trip crawl out, mostly so he could keep his own dignity, and so Trip would be standing there on the deck plating In his underwear and bare feet, at attention.

Only, when he got himself out of Trip's little nest, he saw that Trip was at attention in more ways than one. "Explain yourself, Commander."

"I work here."

"Not anymore. But that's not what I meant. Explain your – condition." He aimed a hand in the general direction of Trip's middle.

"Well, you're the one who said 'attention.'"

"Commander – and that may be a temporary title – I am not in the mood for jokes."

"Neither 'm I. Go back on duty in two hours. Was only going to get three hours' sleep…first I've had since…. never mind. Don't remember."

Jon decided to let him change the subject. He was wobbling a little, and his eyes were deeply shadowed. More, he was filthy. There were more important things to get to the bottom of. "What do you mean, you go back on duty."

"I told you. I work here."

"You were relieved of duty pending your hearing."

"I know. Not an engineer anymore. Just another menial laborer."

"You said you were staying with –"

"I know what I said. I lied, okay?" Trip sounded angry, but mostly he just looked – defeated.

Jon let that go, too. "So you work here. You know what's going to happen when Starfleet figures out that you lied about your name? You're going to be in a hell of a lot of trouble, Trip."

"I didn't." He looked like he was trying like hell to stay at attention, but his shoulders were slumped, and he was swaying.

"Didn't what?"

"Lie about my name. I gave it to them straight – maybe a little sideways, but straight. Told them I was Chuck Tucker. I think Grandpa Chuck would approve."

"Well, I don't. Trip, you're already in a hell of a lot of trouble."

"So what's a little more. They've already decided that I'm guilty. How they think I did it, I don't know. But they've decided, and I'm done. No chance I'll ever be the Chief Engineer now. So I did what I could to be sure I at least get to be a tiny little part of your mission."

"Trip, you're playing with fire –"

"Don't you think I know that?!" It was like an explosion, and his voice cracked on the last word. "Cap'n – Jon – all I've ever wanted since I was a little kid was to be an engineer on a Warp Five ship. Now, because of some damned "anonymous eye-witness" to something I didn't even do, I can kiss that dream, and everything I've done to get there, goodbye. At least let me have this. Don't tell anyone. I promise I'll be off the ship before you launch…just let me have this."
By the time he got to the end of it, he was sobbing, and Jon did the only thing he could do. He pulled Trip in for a hug, and sank down on the deck plating with him.

"If there's anything I can do, Trip – I'm going to do it."

But he wasn't sure Trip could even hear him over his heartbreak.