ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

INT. MESS HALL

SUPER: One Week Later

Trip and several other crewmen are eating breakfast. Trip looks up when Reed enters. Reed serves himself a light breakfast and sits at a table apart from the rest of the crew. Trip gets up and joins him.

Reed is eating neatly, avoiding getting crumbs on his uniform. His demeanor is that of a defeated recluse. He doesn't acknowledge Trip's presence.

TRIP
Hey, Malcolm.

REED
Good morning, sir.

TRIP
(smiles)
Sir? Forget my name?

Reed looks at him with a deadpan expression. Trip's smile fades.

REED
You are my superior officer, sir.

TRIP
(deep concern)
Truuue, but--
(beat)
I haven't seen much of you this
last week. Heard you've been late
to work a lot, when you've shown
up. What's going on with that?

REED
I assure you I will alleviate
that today, sir.

Reed stands, placing his dishes in a neat stack on the table.

REED
If you'll excuse me, sir, I have
someplace I need to be before we
go to warp.

Trip nods. Reed walks away. Trip watches him leave before he also leaves the mess hall.

INT. SICKBAY - MOMENTS LATER

Trip enters. Phlox sits at a terminal working. He turns, smiling at Trip. Trip smiles weakly, sitting down on a stool next to Phlox.

PHLOX
(cheerily)
Good morning, Commander. What can
I do for you?

TRIP
Doc... It's Malcolm. T'Pol's been
real concerned about him. I think
she's right.

PHLOX
Explain.

MONTAGE – PRELUDE TO SUICIDE

A) Trip continues retelling what happened in the mess hall.

B) Reed gets tools from the Armory and starts across the ship.

C) Archer leaves the bridge. He has a PADD in his hand that has his undivided attention.

D) Phlox becomes gravely concerned about what Trip is telling him. He goes to a terminal, pulls up a ship schematic and initiates a scan across the ship.

E) Archer turns into the hallway Reed is coming down. Reed stops to watch him. Archer passes without as much as a glance. Reed walks on.

F) Phlox and Trip leave Sickbay at a run.

G) Reed stops outside of airlock 3 on C deck. He makes changes at the airlock terminal and steps inside. He begins working on the outer hatch controls.

H) Phlox and Trip run into Archer. Archer calls after them. Trip stops long enough to shrug. Archer follows.

I) Phlox arrives at the airlock first and looks in. He tries to open the inner hatch but it doesn't open.

J) Archer and Trip arrive and Phlox urgently motions at the terminal and tells them to unlock the door.

K) Finished with his work on the control, Reed taps it. The hatch slides back, revealing open space. Reed loses consciousness

END MONTAGE

FLASH TO: WHITE

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3

There is a blur of color and shapes accompanied by a confusion of echoing VOICES, BREATHING, and a HEARTBEAT that's getting stronger with each beat. Archer's face begins to take shape and his voice cuts through the confusion.

ARCHER (O.S.)
Malcolm?

Phlox and Archer's faces become clear and the WHITE NOISE of the ship drowns out the other sounds. Archer and Phlox are kneeling on either side of Reed.

PHLOX
Take deep breaths, Lieutenant.

Reed slowly stands up. He faces the wall, his hands clenching into white-knuckled fists. His face contorts into a sneer.

Archer tries to see Reed's face.

ARCHER
The sensors had been hard wired
in here so we couldn't detect the
outer hatch opening. Your codes
were used to lock us out of the
system and then were scrambled.
You almost suffocated because we
couldn't get the outer hatch
closed in time. What happened?
Were you attacked?

Reed doesn't answer.

ARCHER
Malcolm, were you attacked by someone?

REED
(bitter)
No, sir.

ARCHER
Tell me why you were opening the
hatch without a ship docked or
without an EV suit.

Reed looks at the controls. They are only two steps from his reach.

ARCHER
Lieutenant, why were you opening
the hatch?

Reed lunges for the controls. Phlox and Archer grab him before he can press the hatch controls and pin him against the wall. In uncontrolled fury, Reed fights to get free from them.

ARCHER
LIEUTENANT!

REED
GO TO HELL!

ARCHER
Who are you?

Reed laughs insanely.

REED
I'm your fucking Armory officer,
Captain. Don't you recognize me
you sorry excuse for a captain?

Archer's brow furrows. Phlox looks at Archer and then Reed. Realization hits him.

ARCHER
Malcolm, you are out of line.

REED
I'm out of line? Do you have any
idea how many of my crew you
killed searching for the Xindi
weapon? They're GONE! ALL GONE!
YOU KILLED THEM AND I LET YOU! I
HATE YOU!

ARCHER
That was over a year ago. Why are
you angry about that now?

Reed swings his fist, his arm slipping out of Archer's grip. He punches Archer in the jaw, making Archer bite his lip. Archer grabs his fist, slamming his arm against the wall before Reed can strike again.

ARCHER
Lieutenant--

PHLOX
Captain.

Archer looks at him. Phlox steps back, careful to put himself between Reed and the outer hatch controls.

PHLOX
(calm)
I will take the situation from here.

ARCHER
Doc--

PHLOX
Captain, I appreciate you and
Commander Tucker's assistance,
but this situation is not in your
job description. You need to leave.

Archer lets Reed go, backing off. Archer taps the inner hatch controls and steps out.

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3 INNER HATCH

Trip is waiting outside the airlock.

TRIP
What's going on, Captain? Who
messed with the controls?

Archer taps the companel so he can monitor the conversation. He steps back next to Trip, standing in the dim light of the inner hatch.

ARCHER
(quietly)
I don't know yet.

Archer uses his sleeve to nurse his bleeding lip.

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3

Reed faces Phlox, his eyes flicking between Phlox and the controls. Phlox keeps his voice mellow and calm.

PHLOX
I must credit you thinking your
suicide through so completely.

REED
What are you talking about? I was
working in here. That's all.

PHLOX
Ah. I see. You didn't know that
no one would have noticed the
hatch open until we went to warp,
correct? Commander Tucker
mentioned that before he got the
hatch open. He believes someone
made you do it, knowing they
would have needed his or Captain
Archer's codes to override the
safety protocol if we were at
warp. And since you didn't want
them asking why you need their
codes, you had to do it before we
went to warp, didn't you?

REED
No. I--

PHLOX
You've been caught, Malcolm.
Don't lie to me. I'm your friend,
you can trust me. Tell me the
truth, Malcolm.

Reed wilts to his knees. Phlox cautiously creeps forward to kneel with Reed. He remains conscious of keeping himself between Reed and the controls.

REED
I'm a coward.

PHLOX
You're not a coward. You risked
your life by entering that race
just to get us supplies and you
did it unselfishly. Cowards only
think of themselves.

REED
No. I got scared. Father always
said I was too weak and too
scared. He said I was worthless
that way.

PHLOX
Your father was wrong. You have
proven time and time again to us,
your friends, that you are not
weak or scared or worthless.

Reed closes his eyes tight. He springs to his feet and attempts to get to the hatch controls again. Phlox moves faster and blocks the controls with his body.

REED
MOVE!

PHLOX
Why do you think you must die?

REED
Because I couldn't even drown
like a man!

PHLOX
Drowning is not a test of
manhood, Malcolm.

REED
My uncle--

PHLOX
Your uncle was in a different circumstance.

Tears fall down his face as Reed backs away from Phlox.

REED
(angry)
You're judging me for dying like
a coward.

Phlox follows Reed, keeping a small distance between them.

PHLOX
I am not judging you, Malcolm.
You drowned and there was nothing
cowardly about that. If you
commit suicide that will not
redeem you from cowardliness, nor
make you one.
(beat)
You will simply be ending your
life and taking away a person who
is dear to this crew and me. Do
you honestly believe that there
is anyone on this ship that would
want you to die?

REED
I'm afraid to die. That makes me a coward.

PHLOX
That makes you normal.

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3 INNER HATCH

REED'S COM VOICE
Father said that I wasn't his son
because I was afraid to die. I
was afraid of water.

Archer closes his eyes as he leans against the wall by the companel.

PHLOX'S COM VOICE
How old were you when he told you that?

REED'S COM VOICE
Ten.

Trip folds his arms over his chest, his fingers digging into his skin. He shakes his head, mouthing curses at Malcolm's father.

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3

PHLOX
You're father was very wrong,
Malcolm. It is all right to fear
things, especially death. Even I
fear death.

REED
I keep... I keep drowning. Over
and over and over again.

PHLOX
In your dreams?

REED
No. All the time. Father told me
that if I joined Starfleet, I
would be certain to die scared
and alone, because he'd never
give me his blessing. I was on my
own if I joined Starfleet. And I
did die scared and alone. He was right.

PHLOX
He was wrong.

REED
No. He was right. He's always right!

PHLOX
And what of T'Pol? Two days ago
she shared with me her thoughts
during the ordeal. She said that
she tried to keep you close to
her so that when she was
transported both of you would be.
It didn't work for whatever
reason. When you materialized on
the transporter, she was at my
side, reviving you. And our
captain and crew searched twenty-eight
hours straight for us. You are
not alone, Malcolm.

REED
YOU LIE!

Reed shoves Phlox out of the way and reaches for the hatch controls again. Phlox catches Reed by the arms and throws him against the inner hatch. Reed looks into Phlox's eyes. Phlox remains calm.

PHLOX
If you open that hatch, you will
kill us both.

REED
(weak)
Then you should leave.

Phlox backs away, moving across the airlock so Reed has a clear path to the controls.

PHLOX
All right, Malcolm. If you
believe that you must die, if
that is the fate of your life
right now, then I'm dying with
you. I have never abandoned a
friend in my life, and I won't do
so now. You will not die scared
and alone. Your father was wrong.

Reed slides down the hatch to the floor, falling into emotional breakdown. Phlox sits down beside him, laying his hands on Reed.

REED
What's wrong with me? I keep
drowning. I can't concentrate. I
forget things. Everything feels
surreal. I keep feeling like
there's danger everywhere. I'm
going crazy, aren't I? It's all
in my head.

PHLOX
You have Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder, Malcolm. I can only
imagine how traumatic your
childhood must have been. This
crew and you have been through
unspeakable atrocities over the
last few years. And when you
drowned, your mind was unable to
deal with any more trauma. That
doesn't make you crazy, just a
little lost.

REED
I'm afraid to face this alone.

PHLOX
You won't be facing this alone,
Malcolm. I'll be right here with
you until you stop drowning and
feel safe again.

INT. C DECK / AIRLOCK 3 INNER HATCH

Archer taps the companel control, shutting it off.

TRIP
I knew he was afraid of drowning,
that he took everything that
happened in the Expanse hard,
that his dad has always treated
him bad, but I never thought all
of it would lead to this.

ARCHER
Neither did I.

TRIP
What do we do now?

ARCHER
(looks at Trip)
I don't know, Trip.

Trip looks up, shocked by the answer.

TRIP
You always know what to do.

ARCHER
(shakes his head)
Phlox said this was beyond my job
description. He's never been so
right.
(speechless for a second)
I don't know what to do, Trip.

The two fall silent.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

WGA # 954465
Written by A. Rhea King