Disclaimer: Star Trek Enterprise is the property of Paramount Pictures, not mine.
Chapter 5
Minefield
"Bridge."
Lieutenants Reed's voice sounded strangled to Hoshi Sato's sensitive ears. Something was on with the taciturn Brit.
"Go ahead." Jonathan Archer sounded strained as if dividing his attention between the view screen, where the Romulan mines were floating, Travis' flying and Lieutenant Reed was taxing him.
"Another one of those spikes I told you about."
"What about it?" Archer seemed impatient to get to the crux of the matter – and soon, from the sound of his voice.
"It just magnetized itself to the hull." Again, that strange breathlessness that was so unlike the stoic Lieutenant Hoshi came to know over the previous months.
"Is there a problem?"
"On its way, "Lieutenant Reed coughs, but a bit breathlessly, as if pained," It went through my leg, sir."
"I'm on my way, Lieutenant. The Bridge is yours." Captain Archer had immediately mentally changed gears, handing the command over to Subcommander T'Pol and heading to the turbo lift.
Trip's body language screamed his concern about his taciturn friend to any trained eyes.
"Captain, I should…"
The Enterprise suddenly lurched maddeningly all around them, sending the standing officers every which way.
Alarms blared, even as Hoshi punched in Lieutenant's frequency automatically.
"Bridge to Lieutenant Reed. Malcolm, come in!"
Subcommander T'Pol was the first one up from the heap on the floor. Her fingers frantically cycled through camera views, looking for any working camera that would shove them the starboard astern section, where the mine was sitting.
Finally, the horrified bridge crew saw only a star field – and a part of their saucer missing, where the mine had been before.
The whole crew was crammed in the Armory, surrounding the torpedo capsule.
Empty torpedo capsule, Jonathan. Jonathan Archer had to swallow several times before he was sure that his voice would carry.
"Lieutenant Reed was an excellent officer. A man of his word, of determination and drive to protect his ship and his crewmates - no matter the cost to himself or his wellbeing, but always thinking about others, standing as a guardian angel in front of them. He was always ready to serve, to help his fellow crewmembers to learn how to defend themselves and was tireless in making sure that the Enterprise was able to withstand any test put before her and to emerge victorious at its end. Most of us owe him our lives, some of us several times over. "
There were several wetly sounding chuckles at that.
"He would have said that it does not matter, that it was his duty and honor to make sure that the crew and the ship survives, no matter the sacrifice required, for he would pay it with no remorse and no hesitation. And that is what he did in the end – gave his life for the ship and her crew to live another day. We have come here to honor one of our own today."
With that, Captain Jonathan Archer stood to attention, snapping a salute. The whole Armory followed his example, holding it as Armory crew folded the British flag that was laid over the empty capsule and lowered it onto the loading line. Then they stood at attention as well, all eyes following the torpedo casing on its last way to the torpedo launcher and onwards among the stars.
Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. it is appreciated.
