Title: A Reed Vessel's Voyage: Malcom Reed

Author: Stephen

Series: ENT, More These Are the Voyages #06

Codes:

Rating: G

Summary:

Rear Admiral Jonathan Archer watched Yumiko toddle around his office. He normally didn't bring the little girl with him to work, but her older sister Namiko had left for school, and Hoshi wouldn't be back on Earth for another week. So with just one child to watch, he'd let the nanny have a week off. He'd been regretting it ever since. Never had he regretted letting Hoshi join T'Pol's crew for a year long mission than when Yumiko had started to walk and get into everything.

Sighing, he pulled the pile of officers that he'd listed as being possible Captains of Ships of the Line, and began looking through his standard applications. The CSS Yang Liwei NCC-74 needed a Captain. Some, he put aside quickly, others, took longer to review.

...

Application for Captain

Name: Commander Malcolm Reed

Post: Executive Officer and Chief Tactical Officer CSS Neil Armstrong NCC-71

Honors: Medal of Honor (2), Xindi Expedition Medal, Medal of Valor

Why I should be Captain:

A former colleague of mine recently pointed out to me that I was the next most senior of the crew of the old NX-01 who hadn't put in for a command yet. While I find most unlikely that Mayweather or Sato-Archer would soon be up for such a post, it behooves me to assure that I get in line before them.

I come from a family with a deep naval tradition, and have always followed the dream to make myself a career in Star Fleet, once the British Navy no longer was an option. Command has always been a dream of my family, one that regrettably we've rarely ascended to. It is time I ended the current fifty-three year drought.

Recommendations:

Captain Sharn, cmdr CSS Armstrong NCC-71

Someday you're going to wake up and realize what a waste it is to keep a talent like Reed away from a command of his own, Archer. He reminds me of myself before I got my first ship in the Andorian Guard. He won't make any of my mistakes though. I've seen to his command education, and he's ready for it. He'll make a better Captain than any of the others.

Captain T'Pol, cmdr CSS Glenn NCC-72

Commander Reed is a most underrated officer. He's understated, and quite unlikely to let you know of all his accomplishments. He will take on the most thankless task, never complain, and somehow he'll find a way to impress you in a way that will seem almost completely unintentional. He deserves a ship.

...

Admiral Archer considered it for a moment. Sharn, T'Pol, Hernandez ... they were his headliners, always ones he could count on seizing the day, and coming up roses in the news. That was what he'd been looking for in his first Ship of the Line Captains

His daughter toddled back over to his desk, and handed him a pad that had somehow fallen off his desk. "Red," she announced, telling him of the color.

"Yes, Yumiko," Archer replied. "Red." Perhaps it was time for something different, someone who didn't come from the same command path.

...

Captain Malcolm Reed stood beside the dedication plaque on the Bridge. He straightened it a bit. "The Yang Liwei NCC-74" it read. Unlike his previous post, it didn't have the words of it's namesake. The first Chinese man in space didn't have anything like, "one small step for man," nor was it even a quote about space exploration, like the Enterprise's quote of Zephram Cochrane. No, this ship quoted an old American President. He supposed that if one wasn't quoting Churchill or another British PM.

"For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage."

It was somewhat of a presumptuous quote for a brand new ship, with a brand new captain, in a fleet that was actually newer than the keel of the vessel in a star-spanning alliance that would have been inconceivable just a dozen years before. He hoped he'd be able to live up to the high bar.

Behind him, studiously ignoring him was his new crew, waiting for him to turn and stand behind his rightful chair to read himself into command. The new tradition dictated that. Until he read his orders, he wasn't there. Reed had to admit that he'd taken advantage of the tradition set by the first three Armstrong Class Starship Captains, to look at his new ship.

It wasn't much different than the ship he'd served as First Officer, the class ship, a little upgrades here and there, perhaps. A slightly larger Sickbay, and a better equipped armory had caught his eyes. There was one big difference, one thing that made this ship entirely different from his previous postings. On this ship he was about to become, to use the old British Naval slang, master after God.

Reed pulled the crisp envelope out, as he turned around. He strode towards the center seat, opening the envelope and removing the single folded sheet of parchment within. His left hand slid down to touch the all hands button on the chair that was about to become his, and the tone rang out throughout the ship. Everyone dropped into silence.

"To Commander Malcolm Reed, First Officer of the CSS Armstrong NCC-71, from Rear Admiral Jonathan Archer, Star Fleet Exploration. You are hereby directed and required to proceed to the Coalition Star Ship Yang Liwei, NCC-74, and take command of her as her Captain within six standard days of the receipt of this message. May the wind always be at your back, Captain."

Reed surveyed his officers before moving to stand in front of his chair. "Mister Mayweather, I have assumed command."

"Aye, Aye, sir."

"I believe we have a nice routine mission to start with," Reed announced. "A visit to Andor. Set a course, Mister Mayweather, the wind is at our back, and the tide is full."