He was alone in the Captain's quarters. But the room was now illuminated by a hot white sun that spread its rays over the room through the window. Confused, Malcolm tried to open the door that lead to the bridge, but the command would not respond. He even hailed the bridge without any success.

"Reed." Someone said behind his back. The voice made him jump; his hand instinctively went to his side, where he had his gun. It wasn't there, neither was his belt. To his amazement, Captain Archer was in front of him.

"You… are dead!" Reed exclaimed.

"You know who killed me." Archer said. "Make things right, avenge me!"

"You are not real!" Countered Malcolm. "I must be dreaming."

"Reed, whilst you were in a coma, your own brain rerouted itself. This new rout allows you to see residual energies of those dead. We are not real, but yet… we are... fragments. It is unexplainable. Not even I can tell you how it happened, but now that you see me, you have to listen…"

"I do not believe you. This is just a mind trick." Malcolm said angrily. "Let me out!"

"Listen… she poisoned me with champagne, she has Travis Mayweather on her side, the Starfleet dares not intervene… And now she tries to lure you into her web." Continued Archer.

"Tell me something I do not know!"

"You have allies on this ship, those who believe Starfleet should be ruled from Earth. Contact Admiral Donna. She may help."

"Admiral Donna? And who else?" Asked Malcolm scornfully.

"You'll notice, Commader Reed." Archer said, and then gave up a grin. Malcolm had never seen him do that. Then both Archer and the room faded and he was left in the darkness, alone.

A sound of movement made him open his eyes. He was back in the real Captain's quarters. He sat up in the bed with crossed legs and looked around. He was sweating. Hoshi was already up he noticed, dressed in her bathrobe she was sitting by the computer, doing something he could not see.

"Oh, I woke you?" She asked.

"No, it's just my wound that's hurting." He said. That was not a complete lie. It did hurt. "I need to visit sick bay today… Who is he new doctor?"

"I do not know… someone from the medical staff I suppose. That is not my responsibility really." Hoshi said and went over to the wardrobe.

"Not you responsibility...?" Murmured Malcolm to himself.

"You should choose a new leader for the MACO soldiers today." Hoshi continued. "You will of course command them but, they will need a team leader." She took a pad from a stool and threw it to him. "Here is the list, report to me this evening who you choose." Malcolm scrolled through the page.

"I need to decide today?" He asked.

"Today." She said and walked up to him. In her hand she held two uniforms. "These are yours." She said. "One is the MACO outfit with your new grade, the other one of the ship's own design, its red." She added and gave him the two sets of clothes. He chose the second one. It was easier to wear when you had a bandaged abdomen.

"I'll go and have my breakfast now, and then to sickbay… and after that, I'll decide." He said.

"Do as you wish." Hoshi said. Then she pulled on her clothes and strutted out of the room. An eerie quietness fell over the room, reminding Malcolm of his "dream". He was not convinced by it, so he would put off the talk to Admiral Donna until he was certain that it was not another one of Hoshi's or Mayweather's tricks. It could be them trying to set him up.

With those thoughts in mind he dressed. First he took on the dark trousers and boots, then the undershirt and then the pullover red shirt with the insignia of the Defiant and of the Commander. The clothes were both comfortable and warm, he was not sure, but he thought that they regulated the temperature automatically as well. Still, it was hard to believe that they were from the future… And an alternate one as well! With the Federation and the "Great Explorer" Archer! He laughed at the thought. He would have to look through the database again, perhaps even finding "himself". In any case, the database was a goldmine of knowledge.

He picked up the other MACO uniform. Reminding himself to pick up a new blaster at the armoury, he set his course towards the bridge. Thankfully, Mayweather was not there. But the same man that had occupied the security and tactical station was there. He noticed Malcolm as well.

"I have never seen you before." Commented Malcolm. "Who are you?"

"Sergeant Hayes, sir." He responded. "I came in with the MACO reinforcements from Earth just a week ago." Malcolm overlooked him. Was there something familiar about his face?

"We have already left Earth?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." Answered Hayes. "Do you wish me to introduce you to the new MACO's?"

"After breakfast, if you would join me?"

"Certainly sir!" Said Hayes and waved another man to his station. "After you sir!" Malcolm nodded at the comment and continued into the turbolift.

After dropping off his second uniform in his new quarters, they went for breakfast. The cantina was not overly crowded as breakfast had almost passed by the time they arrived. They looked around for a moment, finally finding someone that looked like they worked there.

"Would you like to have breakfast, sirs?" Asked the chef. He did not sound overly enthusiastic.

"Yes." Said Malcolm. The chef gave him something that looked like a plastic card.

"Coffee, black." Said Hayes. He received another card. They both went over to the wall, sticking their cards into a slot. A moment later food came out through an opening hatch. Hayes got his coffee. They retreated to a more secluded part of the cantina, as the main part was occupied by more low ranking crewmen, which seemed not to appreciate their company.

"So, Hayes, what do you do here?" Malcolm asked, sitting down.

"Do…? I was sent here by Starfleet, Empress Sato needed more MACO's as…" Hayes stopped, realizing what he was about to say. He seemed almost afraid now. Malcolm used that to his advantage.

"Tell me, Sergeant, when Commander T'Pol and Phlox were removed, had Sato already ascended to her position?"

"Yes… the ex commander and the doctor were accused of Captain Archer's death, and they were executed by her orders." Hayes commented quickly. Malcolm began eating whatever was on the plate; obviously he could not get Hoshi that way. "Sir?" Asked Hayes. "Is there anything wrong?"

"You were about to say earlier that as so many MACO's died on our previous mission, you were here to… resupply the Defiant?" Malcolm shot him a glance. He did not have anything against Hayes…yet.

"Bluntly said… yes. But I think Starfleet did not just send anyone they could find… sir." Hayes looked around himself. Malcolm stopped chewing. What Hayes was saying was that Starfleet had sent Earth loyal men. Malcolm came to think about his dream. You have allies on this ship.

"Why do you approach me with this? You didn't notice where I spent the night?" The phrase made Hayes hesitate, but then he just shrugged. He spoke once more, this time in a more confident voice:

"I quote: Talk to that scuttling little bastard on the bridge. If you ask him nicely he might consider sparing you from that agony booth of his! It is hard to misinterpret the words, sir. Because you are the one that got "the booth" together right?"

"With the help of Phlox, yes." Admitted Malcolm, it wasn't often someone actually praised him for his work. He continued: "So it was Trip who proposed me?"

"Commander Tucker, sir."

"That's the one. That little…" Malcolm let his words fade.

"Why Trip?" Asked Hayes.

"Charles Tucker the third, Sergeant. Triple. Trip. But I suggest you call him Commander as long as you can, because you don't really want to get to know him personally. Trust me."

"Personal experience sir?"

"We served together for a long time onboard the Enterprise, before Forrest managed to get it blown up." Malcolm said and pushed away the food tray from himself. "I'm done." He said.

"Yes sir. We ought to head over to the armoury training quarters. We should be able to catch most of the MACO's there. They have their training sessions now." Said Hayes as they rose.

"Training sessions? Today? I have not ordered any additional sessions." Malcolm grumbled. It was indeed something for Hayes to go around the ship deciding what his MACO's were supposed to do.

"Sir… I added them. The men were getting restless. And we need to have the best on our side in case Empress Sato tries anything…" Began Hayes.

"I should put you in that booth of mine." Said Malcolm coldly. That seemed to make the Sergeant stir.

"Just listen, sir. If I had not done so, Mayweather would already have disbanded them! I did not wish to take any unauthorized action, but seeing to the probable consequences if I had done nothing forced me to do something! Sato has the main crew on her side, but we have the MACO's. Imagine if they had managed to get them removed!" They once again stepped into the turbolift.

"You are saying that you outmanoeuvred Sergeant Mayweather under the nose of Sato?" Malcolm asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes." Answered Hayes. The lift stopped at the floor leading to the armoury.

"I might yet use you, Sergeant." Malcolm said as he stepped out.

"Yes, sir."

"Good work." Added Malcolm. "But you're not out of the woods yet!" Hayes face lightened ever so slightly.