StarTrek: Enterprise: Youth
Written by Jazzy
Rating: M (mature) Angst, Humor, Drama
Slash Pairing: Tucker/Reed
Summary: The crew of the Enterprise faces a new crisis. That of newly made a youth again chief of security, Malcolm Reed. They're about to learn some startling intense truths about their fellow officer and friend. Tucker is about to learn a new meaning to friendship as well, one of obsession, Reed's Obsession with him. :D
PART ONE
He woke up and was still tired, no surprise there, he'd put in a long shift the other night working around the clock to support engineering and repairing the phase cannons and defenses of Enterprise. He stretched felt his bones give a crack, he winced, he must have slept wrong, no matter, breakfast was waiting for him and soon a cup of coffee, tea, orange juice, pancakes with peanut butter would help him to turn his sleepiness into a memory.
He stretched on tiptoes for the medicine cabinet door, feeling it a bit odd, he didn't remember the cabinet being that far up before, usually all he had to do was stretch his arm a little to reach the shaving kit. He looked in the mirror and then frowned a little more, odd, no shadow to shave. He shrugged, then jaunted out of the bathroom dried himself off and was dressed and ready to have breakfast.
He felt amazingly energized for being so sleepy. He felt different somehow but couldn't put a name to it, except maybe, young? Younger feeling, though he didn't recall feeling old, he just was, he felt like himself only, more of something, something he struggled to put a name to.
He looked around the mess in search of a table then finding one bereft of officers he sat down then scarfed down his breakfast in record time. A few officers noticed and stared in shock, Reed never ate like that. Reed could put food away as quickly as any man but he had always been clean and tidy, but now he was eating his breakfast as if he hadn't eaten in a week. Once he was finished he rushed his plates to the cleaners slots, then ran out of the mess to go to the bridge. His clothes seemed a little big, his cuff tripped him he fell into a roll and stood up quickly then bent down to roll up his uniform leg. This was very odd and very vexing. Perhaps a seem had come undone? What shoddy workmanship! He scowled darkly at the vexing pant leg.
One of his officers looked at him with some concern seeing the tumble and rescue.
"Are you alright sir?"
"Edwards?" asked Reed, looking now at the ensign with an even more quizzical frown. He took his hand and measured their heights, Reed had always been an inch or so taller than Edwards, now it seemed Edwards was wearing platforms. Reed frowned. He hadn't thought Edwards was a vain man, you didn't get to a certain age without at least coming to grips with your imperfections and accepting those things, like height differences as just part of life and you have to live with it. He wanted to say something like, "I'm disappointed in you. You shouldn't let such a tiny little thing like height get to you." But then he noticed his sleeve was rather long and again Edwards seemed to have grown another few centimeters. Edwards looked uncertain as well, seeing his commanding officer growing not only shorter but younger as well in front of his eyes.
"Edwards you need to have more confidence in yourself; get rid of the platforms; accept yourself. If you do you wont regret it I promise you that." He lectured in a voice full of sympathy and compassion then ran again to the lift. Muttering at his shoes and clothes and railing in general at the lack of time he had left to make it to his shift on time.
Edwards shook his head. He didn't wear platforms and something weird was going on with his commanding officer. He decided to notify Phlox of the strange occurrence.
Reed arrived on the bridge a few moments later, a few inches shorter and a few more years younger. His clothes were baggy and sleeves and legs cuffs were rolled up to make the uniform fit better. Reed was vexed. How could his clothes be too big? It didn't make any sense. Maybe this was some weird joke Mr. Tucker was playing on him. He glared at the Commander and the bridge crew that were staring at him.
Unbeknownst to him he looked sixteen, possibly even younger.
"Mal, I think you need to go to sickbay." Said Trip finding words first, before the Captain or anyone else could fidn words to address the current situation. It was a gift and a curse that Tucker could talk before his brain could think. Instantly Malcolm Reed was on the defensive.
"Don't be ridiculous!" He protested. "I am perfectly fine. In spite of my clothes; I don't know what could have happened to them sir, but I am still able to do my job."
"Not if you get any shorter you wont be." muttered Trip, again without thinking.
"What!?" Malcolm Reed's temper took a sudden leap towards volcanic eruption. For a man who had just told his junior officer to accept his short comings Reed took his height personally.
"What did you just say to me?" he demanded, his voice almost a hiss. He felt the instant adrenaline rush, his body shook with it. He hadn't felt this kind of sudden rage in a long time. Swift emotion barely in check and building ever more towards out of control. His body was practically shaking with adrenaline rush of it.
Archer quickly took up a place between the two men setting himself as a barrier between Reed and Tucker. He knew that neither man would strike him. One because he was their captain and two because he was their friend. He hoped to get the escalating situation to deescalate and get his security officer to calm down.
"Malcolm, Trip might not have put it very diplomatically, but essentially he is correct. Have you had a chance to look at yourself this morning?" he asked, and then in spite of the situation Archer decided to take a moment and measured with his hand the height difference between them.
Now Reed had never been very tall, 5'8 or 5'9, and Trip was an inch or two taller than Malcolm, and Archer was five inches taller than Reed around 6'1 or so. Now Archer was closer to twelve inches taller, the tips of Reed's hair barely touched his shoulder height and he was shrinking again though not growing any younger it seemed for the moment, thank god for that small mercy.
Reed glared at Archer's offending hand. His hair bristled and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Stormy blue eyes turned to icey gray.
"I'm fine. Why would I want to go to Sickbay? I'm perfectly fine." He insisted stubbronly.
They escorted him, against his will, to sickbay where Phlox ran a scan over him tsking and tutting and chuckling. He seemed quite mad to Reed. Malcolm was not amused, and he was growing ever more uncomfortable and more outraged with every passing moment. Archer and Tucker were anxious and had grown more so with every death glare aimed their way from the ferocious adolescent, teenage, Reed.
TBC