Tensions fluxuated in the shuttlepods during the three day flight to the station. Trip piloted one shuttle with T'Mir, T'Pol, Malcolm, and Ensign Korenko. Captain Archer piloted the other with Hoshi, Phlox, and two security officers: Lieutenant Grace and Ensign Giano. The shuttles were cramped, to say the least.

T'Pol sniffed, her nasal inhibitor wearing off. "What is our estimated time of arrival, Commander?"

"Should just be another couple'a hours." Trip replied. He stretched his arms out with an audible pop and a loud groan.

"You should get some rest, allow me to take over the controls." T'Pol offered, "Your performance will benefit if you are mentally refreshed."

"A little meditation?" Trip chuckled, standing up to face her.

"I would not be so presumptuous, but yes, it would benefit you."

He laughed, patting her on the shoulder as they passed. "Thanks." The touch was electric. He let it linger, perhaps just a moment longer than he should have.

"Commander?" she protested at last.

"Sorry." he whispered, and proceeded to pick his way to the only available piece of bench.

X X X

"Captain?" Malcolm sat down next to his CO, "Are you alright?"

Jon physically snapped out of his reverie. "I'm fine." he snapped a little too defensively.

Malcolm made a show of studying his face a little deeper.

Jon sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I'm just going over everything in my head."

"And?"

"And – it's perfect. It's too easy. I'm not nervous anymore, and that's what worries me."

X X X

The crews from the two shuttles met in a corridor on the space station in between the two docking sites. Intruder alert sirens rang around them, but they were unfazed. Malcolm's team headed the front and the rear, the Captain leading close behind. The crew looked warily down corridors, while the Vulcans used their scanners on the vicinity.

The Captain stopped, and addressed them. "From here, we split up. T'Pol, you and Lt. Grace head down there, see if you can find anything."

"Yes, Captain." T'Pol nodded, and the two disappeared down an adjunct corridor.

"Korenko and Phlox, take a look around that corridor."

Phlox smiled, and bowed slightly, before calmly striding off in the direction he was assigned.

"Giano, take T'Mir and search the upper level. Malcolm, take Hoshi, and check out the lower levels.

The teams parted, each with a stony expression.

"Trip, you and I will try to find out the computer core and shut off this blasted alarm."

"Sounds good to me, Cap'n."

X X X

"Malcolm!" Hoshi exclaimed as they wandered the empty corridors. "Can't you just listen for thirty seconds?"

"What?" he exclaimed back, "There's only one way to do this."

"You're going to have to respect me if we're going to work together."

"With all respect, Ensign, I've been doing this sort of thing a lot longer than you."

"That doesn't make you better at it." she snapped back, "Don't forget, I'm the one who broke your cover. Harris wanted me for a reason."

Malcolm put up his hand suddenly and stopped. "What was that?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Lieutenant, I have expertise and you need them."

"Shhh..."

She turned, fit to lecture, normally gentle eyes on fire. "Don't –."

She didn't have time to scream before a silent figure dropped down behind her, covering her mouth and taking her away.

X X X

"We are being pursued, Ensign." T'Pol stated quietly, breaking their otherwise silent search.

"Are you seeing something on your scanner?" Grace asked.

"No." she said quizzically, "I can hear them."

The two women looked up, just as their soon-to-be captors dropped on top of them.

X X X

"Yeah, Cap'n, I –." Trip was stopped midsentence. "T'Pol." He muttered absently, looking down the corridor where she had left him.

"Trip? What's going on."

"I don't know."

The Captain let out a muffled gasp behind him.

Trip turned, startled, and felt a similar manhold on him.

X X X

"Ensign, we're not safe here." T'Mir said, looking around her surroundings, in the plain dark corridor.

"Don't worry, miss." he said soothingly to her, "The Captain says this outpost is abandonned, except for three scientists. We're safe, we just have to find them."

"The Captain was incorrect." she stated flatly.

He stared at her incredulously.

She tilted her head to one side, listening. "They're coming."

"Miss?"

"Run!" she screamed.

He watched her sprint down a corridor, and turned to run himself, but he was taken down when one of the assassins fell onto him. He had just enough time to watch her look back, panic plain in her eyes, before they gagged and blindfolded him and lifted him up to carry away.

X X X

Trip fell on top of the Captain as their captors pushed them into a small holding cell on the far end of a laboratory.

Jon rolled over as the door was closed behind them. "What are you going to do to us?" he yelled in vain at the sterile wall.

Trip was slightly more proactive with his agitation. He sprang to his feet and pounded on the door. "Hey! Heeeyyyy!" he shouted through the plexiglass windows.

Jon, perhaps, was more held together. "Trip." he said apprehensively, "Trip." The Captain looked up from the floor at the group of people packed tightly into the far end of the small cell.

Hoshi stepped forward. "Captain, they're hostages, they've been here for nearly a month."

Malcolm helped the Captain to his feet. "There's more than just three scientists on board, Sir. There's a definite military presence – I've counted ten soldiers so far."

The Captain nodded, as he staggered to his feet. "What about the others – did they get out?"

"The only ones not here are T'Mir and Ensign Giano. It is logical to assume they may still be uncaptured." T'Pol stepped up to meet them.

The sound of mechanical doors across the room caught their attention. They were able to see, through a large viewing window, as Ensign Giano put up a fruitless, tired fight against his captors. He was unceremoniously carried across the room and thrown into the cell.

They rushed to him and picked him up. "Where's T'Mir?" Trip yelled frantically, "T'Mir?"

He breathed heavily for a moment. "She ran." he coughed out, "She –." He collapsed.

Trip hauled him back up. "Where is she now?"

Another swoosh of the door followed by a loud grunt answered the question. They tossed her in as well.

She stumbled to her feet quickly, and threw her weight against the closing door. She was too slow, and it shut despite her efforts. A small silent sob came out as she slid down the door.

She rose shortly, a calm look of complacence across her face. She cast a look out the window as her only sign of frustration as she lifted her hand to wipe bright green blood out of the corner of her mouth.