(Setting: Sickbay. Nadet is lying down on one of the bed, with Jamin watching over her. Trip walks in and stops short at the sight of them. Nodding to them, he walks over to the Phlox's office. Watching his lover do his job, he looked over him. Reaching out, he trailed one finger down over his eye ridges.)

P: Yes, Kee?

T: Nothing. Just wanted to see you. Heard Malcolm got hurt, you send him back to is quarters yet?

P: No. He's still on the planet.

T: Wha?! Why are those two out there then?!

P: Nadet and her son, Jamin. They are the children of the colonists of Terra Nova. We landed. Malcolm was shot. We went to rescue them. I discovered that Nadet was ill. I asked them to let us take her, they said only if we left Malcolm. Archer told them no, but I needed to examine Nadet so I agreed. Malcolm will be fine. They will not.

T: So you left Malcolm with those people, the same ones who shot him just to get her up here?!

P: Yes. Kee, before you yell you must understand. I have detected a significant damage to Nadet and the others. Kee, she was suffering from lung cancer. Something your people have eradicated some hundred and more years ago.

T: But you left him!

P: They won't hurt him, but these people unless they learn to trust us, we will not be able to help them. We have determined that the meteor that crashed into their planet, kicked up radioactive dust. They call this the 'Poison Rain'. They blame the humans for this and don't see themselves as humans. The radioactive dust settled and in time seeped into the caverns in which they live. Their water supply is poisoned. They will die. Malcolm will not.

T: Just being a doc, huh?

P: Yes. That does not mean that I am not concerned about Malcolm.

T: Are you almost done with her?

P: Yes, however I need them to keep quiet for about an hour while I study some things.

T: Hmmm I could take em on a tour of the ship.

P: Please.

T: OK, Lox. Hey…

P: I love you too, Kee.

(Trip walks over to the two Novans.)

T: Howdy, my name is Trip. I make sure this ship has enough power to get from star to star and planet to planet. Dr. Phlox is busy analyzing some of your workup, so I'm going to show you the ship. Anything in particular you want to see?

J: No more shale!

T: Well considering a rock smashed into your planet I can understand you don't want to see anymore rocks. So we won't hit the labs. What about getting something to eat. Hey Lox?

(Phlox sighs and raises his voice)

P: Yes, Kee?

T: Can I take them to the mess hall?

P: You can take them anywhere but the planet's surface.

T: Thanks. (Turning to Nadet. and Jamin) So why don't we get something to eat?

J: No, Nadet. They try to poison us.

T: Well it is a mess hall but I don't think they ever deliberately try to kill us. Com'on.

(Trip opens the door and bows them out. Walking behind them, he points out the portholes, through which they can see space. He points to their planet, through it all they ignore him. Sighing, he leads them on to the mess hall.)

T: Well this is where we get our grub. Our food ain't so bad though it does get pretty boring after a while. (Trip opens the door for them. Inside people are sitting around and talking. In one corner two crewmen are playing chess.

J: So many of the humans.

T: Well yeah, this is an earth ship. Sit down, do you know what chow you want? No? Well I'll grab you some potatoes and beef. Just stay there.

(Trip walks over to the grub line. Watching the two Novans as they stared at the men and women walking around. Grinning, he grabbed an ensign and handing him two plates, getting his food, he leads the rating over to the two Novans. After the ensign places the food down, Trip thanks him and sends him away.

J: This is food?

T: Yep, so they say. (takes a bite of his mashed potatoes) Really it's not so bad. 'Lox loves coming here, though I think it's more for the people watch than anything.

N: About that one?

T: Phlox? What about him?

N: Why do you share a track with him? He's not your kind.

T: Well, he's our healer. He makes sure we stay alive so we can get place to place.

N: Yes but you two share a same track. You and the others on this ship share a path but you two share a track.

J: Nadet, silence. Their ways are strange. Too much seeing of their ways will blind us to ours.

N: I wish to know.

T: I guess you mean that Lox and me are closer than others here. You're right. Nadet, Jamin's your son right?

J: Yes.

T: Well you loved Jamin's father right? I love Lox like that. He's my angel. He saved my life and he's always been there for me and I guess I'm just lucky I got him.

N: Why do you call him other?

T: Well, it's a nickname. My name isn't Trip…it's Charles Tucker the Third. If you have three of a thing, you have a triple. So I got called Trip. Like Nadet, is that your real name or is it a short name? I call the captain Arch cause his last name is Archer. It's friendly.

N: My name is Nadet. When can we go back down to Underside?

T: I would guess whenever Lox says it's ok. She had lung cancer. It's caused by bad stuff in the air and water. We've long since gotten rid of it. The treatment's easy. You get stuck in the can for an exam, then some injections, then you see if you got it all, if not then more injections.

N: You aren't going to gut us?

T: Ma'am the only thing I ever gutted was an engine! And that's my job!

J: Ah so you have gutted others before! See I told you, they blind our path.

T: Jamin, is it? An engine ain't alive like you or me, but in it's own way it is. This ship swims through space. It needs a large bit of power and that's what our engines do. Give the ship power. I am the chief engineer, I make sure the engines are working right. If that means taking the guts out so I can see the problem and fix it up right…then that's what I'll do! If those engines die or just up and quit on us, we will starve before we get somewhere safe. Those are the only guts I take out. We don't guts people here! What?! (Trip yells as an ensign taps his shoulder.) Sorry ensign, what do need?

E: Sir, Jeager asked me to come get you. He said that the engine has picked up that flutter again.

T: Damn, I swear I'm gonna have to take it all apart at this rate. Well, pleasure eating with you and Jamin, Nadet. I'll let this here young woman take you back to the sickbay. I need to go find Jensen. (Trip stands up and looks over at the chessplayers. Leaning over he whispers into Jensen's ear. Jensen stands up and makes several moves on the board, moving black and white pieces.)

H: Checkmate. See ya same time tomorrow for another game. (Turning to Trip) Another flutter, sir?

T: Yep, let's go.

H: Yes, sir.

(Trip turns and watches at the two Novans leave. Shaking his head, he goes off to tend to his engines.) (Setting: Late at night. Trip comes in to the bedroom. After dinner he went to work on the engine again and Phlox is lying in bed. Trip comes in and climbs into bed, wrapping his arms around Phlox.)

P: Finished with the engine?

T: I better be or next time I'll just rip it apart with my bare hands.

P: Nadet said something strange to me.

T: Yeah? (wrapping arms around his mate)

P: Yes, she said I had the best partner on my path that I could have.

T: I think she meant that for me, after all no one's better than you.

P: Sleep, Kee.

T: Night Lox.

(Phlox wraps his hand around Trip's and holds them as Trip falls asleep. Staring out at the stars staring into their room, he listens to his Kee breathe.)