Prologue

They were surrounded by a group of Nausicaans on what they thought was a deserted planet near Rigel X. They had responded to a distress call, but it had been a trap. Archer's group had been forced to surrender their weapons and it seemed that the Nausicaans wanted to engage in a little sport.

"How many of them are there?" Jonathan Archer, the Captain asked.

"At least seven," Malcolm Reed, the ship's Tactical Officer answered.

"Captain, what are your orders?" T'Pol, the ship's beautiful Vulcan Science

Officer and XO, asked. "We are clearly out-numbered. Should we attempt a diplomatic solution?"

"Leave it up to you T'Pol to be talkin' about diplomatic solutions at a time like this," Trip Tucker, the ship's Chief Engineer snapped.

"There is no other logical conclusion Commander. It makes no sense to engage in a fight we cannot possibly win."

"Speak for yourself," Trip snapped again. "I say we take 'em!"

"Are you serious?" Reed asked. "Stand and fight?"

"It would be suicide to attempt it," T'Pol responded flatly.

"No, it would be - not throwin' in the towel, not jumpin ship, but going down fightin'!" Trip snapped back at her.

"It would be illogical to proceed."

"Nobody, nobody, but you T'Pol, would be thinkin' about logic when they're about to get their ass kicked, possibly killed!"

"I am merely suggesting that perhaps we should attempt to establish a dialogue."

"A dialogue!," Trip replied. "You gotta be kiddin' me. Do these guys look like they wanna talk?!"

"Now, now children," Captain Archer said calmly. "This is not the time."

"Perhaps we should consider surrendering," Malcolm interjected. "We may have an opportunity to escape once we figure out what we're up against."

"Not a chance," Jon replied. "They'll just kill us later. Besides, we're not exactly outnumbered. Malcolm, you and I can take the two on the right. T'Pol, you take the one right in front of us, and Trip, you take the rest."

"Take the rest?!" Malcolm almost shouted. "Impossible!"

"Speak for yourself!" Trip replied. With that he leapt forward at two of the Nausicans. He came down grabbing the heads of each of them and crashed them together, knocking them to the ground unconscious. The others attacked the small band of Starfleet officers as Trip immediately attacked another of their opponents. He struck the Nausicaan in the throat cutting off his air supply, killing him. T'Pol was holding her own against her guy, while Malcolm and Captain Archer struggled.

When Trip realized Malcolm was in trouble, he flew to his side, grabbing the Nausicaan from the back and twisting his neck. He fell to the ground dead. T'Pol finally dispatched her opponent to the ground and leapt on top of him applying a kick to his head, rendering him unconscious. One of the last two Nausicaans still standing pushed Jon to the ground hard and fled, the other one ran in the opposite direction. Trip quickly raced after one of them, caught him from behind and hurdled him to the ground. He put a boot in his throat and held it until the Nausican stopped breathing.

Trip then started for the two he had knocked unconscious. Archer stepped in front of him. "Trip, what are you doing?"

"Finishing the job," he said as he grabbed one of their opponents who was regaining consciousness.

"He's already down. Malcolm," Archer beckoned. The tactical officer hurried over and picked up one of their phase pistols from the ground and held it over the Nausicaan. Trip glared at Archer.

"You're not gonna let them go?!" he shouted.

"I think there's been enough bloodshed today," Archer replied looking around at the assailants Trip had killed.

"They woulda killed us if they had the chance! I say they die!"

"Stand down Commander!" Archer spat out. "That's an order!" Trip looked at Archer, then back at the Nausicaan, but still held his grip on him.

'Don't do it, Trip,' Malcolm thought. T'Pol then came over and began to loosen Trip's hands from his would be victim.

"Let's take a walk Commander," Archer said, knowing he needed to help his friend get his control back. He clasped his arm around Trip's shoulders and led him away from the others. Malcolm and T'Pol watched them go.

"Bloody hell!" Malcolm said to T'Pol, "who the hell is that guy, and what has he done with our Trip Tucker?"