Tripp paced the cell as he waited to see what happened to Malcom. The cell was nothing grand. There was a cot against one wall with a hole in another corner for the bathroom. At some point someone pushed a tray of food in. Tripp didn't know if he trusted the food, but he had to keep up his strength if he ever wanted to get out of here and make it home to his family.

Right now, he had to make sure that Malcom was okay. He had made Malcom come on this mission to save Coffin. No one thought that they would have turned Coffin, but they did. It was the reason that the Romulans got the Enterprise codes. Malcom didn't even want to come on this mission, but only came because Tripp asked him, and Tripp had a feeling that Malcom made a promise to T'Pol to get her husband home and with his family. Malcom was his best friend and if something happened to him, Tripp wouldn't feel good about this. Malcom was gone for the last couple of days.

Tripp heard someone on the other side of the door. They yelled at him. Tripp took it that it meant to back up. He backed up and the door opened they threw Malcom in. Tripp was looking at his best friend and didn't notice that they had closed the door behind him. Tripp bent down and looked at his friend.

"Are you okay?" Tripp mumbled.

Malcom looked up and looked at the door before answering. "Yeah, I was in sickbay so they could fix my shoulder," Malcom rotated his shoulder. "It feels like a new shoulder."

"Why would they fix your shoulder if they were just going to keep us in here?" Tripp asked.

"Maybe they like keeping their prisoners healthy for a prisoner exchange or something," Malcom stood and went to sit on the only bed in the room. "I love you, mate, but we are not sharing a bed. This might work for you and T'Pol, but not for us."

Tripp laughed. "Don't worry, T'Pol would have complained about it too. The bed is smaller than the beds on the Enterprise."

After a few days, Tripp couldn't take the smell between him and Malcom. Neither one of them has showered for the last five days. Tripp scratched at his beard that was coming in. He would love to shave it or at least wash it. He would love to change his clothes because he was inching all over.

The only time they left their cell was when they would get a morning walk outside. They never saw any of the other prisoners. Tripp knew they were there because he could hear them at night. It seemed that someone of them were crying out for their loved ones. It wasn't like Tripp could make out what they were saying because of the language barrier.

Tripp and Malcom still couldn't come up with a way out of this. When he closed his eyes all he thought about was his wife and children. He wondered if T'Pol got his letter. He would rather sleep next to her. He had to wonder how she decorated the house. Their final home.

The door to the cell opened and Tripp wondered what breakfast was for, but no food came in. A guard with a phaser came in and pointed it at Tripp. After being here for many days, Tripp knew that they wanted him to go with them. He traded a look with Malcom, who shrugged his shoulders. Tripp took a breath before following the guard out of the cell.

They led him to the lift. Tripp stepped in and two guards followed him in. They went passed the level where they would take Tripp and Malcom out for exercise. Tripp gave the guards a look to see if they knew where they were going. Tripp couldn't read their faces. The lift stopped at the top and the doors opened. Tripp stepped out on a plush carpet. He felt dirty just stepping out on the carpet. The guard behind him poked him in the back to get him moving. Tripp threw him a look before walking.

They led him down a hall to a set of double doors. The guard waiting at the door, opened it, and Tripp was pushed in. There was a big desk in the center of the room, there was a wall of windows behind it, looking out to the red sky. It gave an eerie look to the room. It made the room look red. Tripp's eyes didn't look any more at the room because his eyes were glued to the desk. There were two chairs in front of the desk, Tripp knew that he wasn't going to be sitting on them in his dirty state. There was a chair behind the desk that was turned towards the windows. Tripp wondered if he was going to meet Balab.

The chair turned around revealing…Coffin.

Tripp gasped and Coffin smiled. "Did you think that you would see Balab behind this desk?" Tripp somehow nodded. Coffin laughed. He ran a hand over the desk. "I kicked Balab out of this office a long time ago."

Tripp tried to find the words to speak but nothing can. Where was Balab? Was he died? Or was he in a cell next to Tripp and Malcom. "Where is Balab?" He asked.

Coffin leaned forward in his chair. "I don't think you need to worry about that." Tripp narrowed his eyes at him. Coffin ignored him. "I have proposition for you," Coffin back in his chair. "Since you were the chief engineer on the Enterprise. You like to fix things. I had to get rid of my engineer," Tripp wondered how Coffin got rid of the man. Was he in a grave or in a cell. "I was hoping that you would be my engineer, you will get better living space," Coffin pinched his nose. "With a shower. I think you could use one." Tripp felt an inch in the center of his back. He ignored it. "What do you say?"

Tripp knew he wasn't getting out of here anytime soon. It would be better to take Coffin's offer and maybe they could find a way off this planet and find a way home. Tripp didn't want to spend another day in that cell, and he didn't think that Malcom did either. "What about Malcom? He can help me out and if you want me to fix things for you. He comes with."

Coffin smiled, but it wasn't a smile of pleasure. "I don't see that being a problem." He nodded towards one of the guards. "Take Commander Tucker to his new quarters," Coffin nodded towards another guard. "Grab Lieutenant Reed and take him to Commander Tucker." Coffin turned to Tripp. "Enjoy your shower."

Tripp entered the shop with two guards. There were machines all over the place. Tripp saw a wall with tools. Tripp had to wonder what was broken and what was unfixable. On some of the tables in the room had phasers on them. Tripp didn't like it, but he knew that Malcom could fix those. There was a set of stairs that led to the second level. He had a feeling that it led to living quarters. He didn't want to leave until Malcom was here.

The door behind them opened and someone pushed Malcom in before closing the door. Tripp let out a breath of relief when he saw his friend. The two guards who were with Tripp left. Malcom went to the door and glanced out. "They are standing outside, guarding the door." Malcom said.

Tripp nodded. "Welcome home," Tripp spread his arms out to show Malcom the place.

"Great," Malcom mumbled.

"Come, let's see what the upstairs holds," Tripp started for the stairs. Tripp heard Malcom behind him.

Tripp stepped on the landing. He was in the living area. There was a window that looked out to the shop below. He saw a couch that was leaning to one side. It was something that needed to be fixed. Behind the couch was a table that had seen better days. Next to the table was a food replicator and Tripp's stomach let out a growl. Tripp saw a counter with two burners and a small oven on the side. There were cabinets below them. Tripp made his way over and opened the cabinets to find dishes.

"Are you a fair cook?" Malcom asked from behind him.

Tripp gave a small smile. "Somewhat, T'Pol enjoys my cooking."

"I'm sure there is something in for her," Malcom voice trail off when he saw a door.

Malcom opened the door and Tripp followed him. They were standing on a balcony. Tripp stepped closer to the edge and saw a scrapyard. Tripp had to wonder what was in there. Maybe there was a way to escape in there. Tripp was going to find a way out of here and get home to his wife and children.

"A nice little spot to enjoy the evening sun," Malcom saw two chairs with a small circle table in the middle. Tripp nodded before going back in the apartment.

Tripp saw three doors, went over to the first, and opened it. It was a bedroom with a bed and dresser. There was a window that looked outside. He closed that door and went to the next to find a bathroom with a shower. Tripp let out a moan, he was ready for a shower. He took a breath before leaving the room and headed for the last door to find another bedroom. There was also a bed and dresser. This was home for now.

Tripp saw that Malcom was back in their little apartment. "Which bedroom would you like?" Tripp asked, pointing to the bedrooms.

"I'll take the one on the right," Malcom said.

Tripp nodded. He went into the room and opened the drawers to find clean clothes. He took out some clothes and headed for the bathroom. He saw that Malcom was outside again. After spending so many days in that cell, seeing the sky again and breathing clean air again was something that no one was going to get enough right now.

Tripp set his clothes on the table in the bathroom and found towels underneath it. He looked into the mirror and saw that he needed a shave. He opened the cabinet and found a shaving kit. He started to shave, after his face was clean, Tripp turned on the shower, and stepped in. He took a sigh when he felt the water on his skin. He felt all the filth from the cell wash away from his body.

He stepped out of the shower and put on the clothes. He felt so much better. He opened the door to the smell of food and his stomach let out a growl. Tripp didn't realize how hungry he was until that moment.

"What are you cooking?" Tripp asked.

"Food," Malcom mumbled. "Don't ask what kind of food because I'm not going to give you answer."

Tripp laughed. "I don't care right now, it has to be better than what they were serving us in that prison," Malcom nodded. "The shower is great," Malcom nodded again.

Malcom held out a plate for Tripp. "Let's eat outside," Tripp took the plate and headed outside to the balcony.

Tripp took one of the chairs and looked outside. "I think we are going to need a grill to cook outside," Malcom nodded and took a bite of his food.

They didn't say much as they ate their food. Tripp leaned back after he pushed his plate away. He looked out to the scrapyard. He glanced at Malcom to see that he was done too. "We need a way out of here," Tripp said.

Malcom nodded. "I agree, but first we need to earn their trust," Tripp nodded. "They are going to have guards standing outside our doors for a while until Coffin can trust us."

"Once we earn their trust, we'll start on a shuttle that will get us home," Tripp sighed. He missed his family. The only picture that he had of his family was in his head.

Malcom heard the longing in his friend's voice. He knew that Tripp would do anything to get back to his family and Malcom would help him with all that he could to get him home. "All we can do is one step at a time," Malcom mumbled.

Trip nodded. This was no short game, this was the long game. They would have to have patience for this. They were going to have to think before they acted. Tripp looked out to the sky to see that the sun was almost gone in the sky. Tomorrow they will get to work on what needs to be fixed in the shop downstairs. Tripp glanced at his friend to see that he was falling asleep in his chair. "Malcom, go take a shower, then head to bed," Malcom nodded before getting up and headed into their place. Tripp heard his friend move around the apartment before he looked at the sky again. "I will get home to you, T'Pol."