Author: Kelly
Rating: U
Disclaimer: Star Trek Enterprise and all characters associated belong to Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Paramount.
Comments: This is the first in a series of in the day of... basically, it's a story focused on a typical day for Malcolm Reed, the ship's tactical officer.
Feedback Welcome
___
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed sat up quickly as the alarm went off, "Bloody hell," he muttered as he looked around, trying to focus and looked down to himself and shook his head as he saw his uniform. Yet again, he had been so tired that he had got in and just collapsed, he stood up slowly and stretched his arms and walked over to the small bathroom, there he took off his uniform and threw it off to one side of the small quarters and walked into the shower which automatically came on, he smiled as the water ran down his back and helped to wake him up and bring comfort at the same time. I could stay here all day he thought and came back down to earth as he was due on duty in half an hour and with that, he reluctantly stepped out and dried himself off. He headed back over to his bed, to pick up the uniform he had got out the night before and quickly slipped into it. Reed zipped it up and made sure he looked presentable before walking out onto B deck.
Before breakfast that morning, he headed to the armoury, which was a regular routine of Reed's when he first got up, straight to the armoury to check all is well. He stepped out the turbolift and opened the door separating the armoury from the rest of the ship and looked round, a crewman was at the side of one of the torpedoes, with a padd in his hand and looked to Reed and smiled, he smiled thinly in return and walked straight past him without saying anything, "How's everything?"
"Fine sir," the young ensign replied picking a padd up and handing it to Reed, he looked at it and scrolled down, he ran a hand through his brown hair as he did so and looked back up to Tanner, "You had a problem with the phase cannons?"
Tanner nodded, "It's under control now, we've managed to isolate the problem."
"Good," Reed mumbled, half to himself and half to Tanner, he read the rest of the details and smiled, "Good, keep up the good work." He left the amoury.
"Ha, Lieutenant," Reed looked to the source of the voice as he entered the messhall, it belonged to non-other than Phlox, the Denobulan doctor, "Will you join me?"
Reed paused for a moment and listened to his stomach, he was hungry and he didn't want to be rude, "Yes Doctor," he replied, "I'll just go get something,"he walked over to see what was on offer, he picked up two rounds of toast and a mug of coffee and looked back to Phlox. He approached the table and sat down, "How are you this morning?"
Reed took a sip of his coffee and a bite of his toast before answering, Phlox looked down at his own breakfast and ate another forkful as he waited for Reed to answer, "Fine thank you doctor," Reed said as he took another bite, "And yourself?"
"I am very well," Phlox beamed, "I've been cleaning out my pyrilian bats cage, do you know how much waste they make," Reed slowly swallowed his toast and pushed the other round to one side and Phlox shook his head, "I apologise Lieutenant, did I put you off your breakfast?"
"You could say that," Reed responded taking another sip but smiled to the doctor.
"Archer to Reed," came a strong voice over the intercom system.
Reed stood up and made his way to the nearest display and pressed the button, "Reed here, sir."
"Malcolm, where are you? I asked the senior staff to meet 10 minutes ago," Reed mentally hit himself, the conversation with Phlox must have made him lose track of time, he cleared his throat, "I apologise sir, I'm on my way."
***
Reed entered the bridge and walked straight into the situation room, a little alcove, just out of the way. Captain Jonathan Archer looked up at him and smiled, "Nice of you to join us Malcolm." Reed felt his face go slightly red as all the other senior staff stared at him, "Well, erm, I'm here now sir," he said.
"As I can see," he replied as he turned back to the monitor, "As I was saying, I've been working out a new routine to be carried out with the help of T'Pol," with this he looked at Sub Commander T'Pol, the ship's Science Officer, "T'Pol?"
She stood up straight and got out a padd and hooked it onto the screen, "Here you can see that it is only marginally altered, the only difference is that instead of four shifts, we will be cutting down to three," she replied calmly, "There has been complaints for the last few weeks of crewmembers been overworked."
"Ya can say that again," Commander Charles Tucker pointed out, Archer looked to the Chief Engineer and shook his head, "Trip," he whispered and Trip nodded and caught the glare he got from T'Pol, "Sorry, carry on."
T'Pol looked to Archer, before proceeding, "With this new system, it will allow crewmembers to get the...adequate rest they require," she nodded to Archer and then stepped back looking at Trip to show she was now finished.
"Any questions?" Archer asked, he looked round to each of them in turn, he looked at Ensign Travis Mayweather and Ensign Hoshi Sato, "Hoshi? Travis?" They both shook their heads and Archer smiled, "Dismissed." As they all went back to their various jobs, Reed stayed put; Archer looked at him curious, "Something wrong?"
"I've got a question," he said.
Archer began walking back over to the bridge part; "I'm listening..."
"About the new shifts," Reed began, "Does that include the armoury team?"
Archer thought about it, "That's a good question, if I remember correctly you wanted a fourth full time crewmember in the armoury," Reed nodded slightly and stood straight, "Well, the shift rules will apply and you're free to choose another one, have you someone in mind?"
"I have sir," Reed answered quickly, "Thank you sir."
"No problem, you can get it over with."
With that Reed walked over to the turbolift, as Trip entered it, "Hold the lift Commander," he said as he walked in.
Reed put his hands behind his back as Trip pressed the button to go to the desired deck. Trip folded his arms and looked back to Reed, "You on your way to the armoury, Mal?"
"You have to ask, Commander?" he answered and Trip laughed a little and shook his head.
"It don't surprise me." He replied grinning.
Reed nodded and looked back to the padd in his hand, he had two names on the list but didn't know which one to choose, they were both capable when it came to security matters but he still didn't know and looked back to Trip, "Are you busy Commander?"
Trip shrugged, "Depends, if you wanna give me a job, then I'm busy."
"No," Reed replied, "I was wondering if you could give me some advice."
Trip raised his eyebrows slightly as the turbolift doors opened and looked shocked; "You want advice off me, Malcolm?"
Reed stepped out the turbolift and proceeded to the armoury, Trip fell in step beside him, "Are you sure?"
"Very," Reed replied as he swerved to avoid crashing into another crewmember, "From one senior officer to another."
"Oh, alright then. Ask away." Reed held the door open as they approached the armoury, Reed took a look round and nodded to Trip, who had a confused look on his face as Reed put down the padd next to the monitors, "What's with the secret agent act?" Reed glanced back to him as he tapped a few things it; "I beg your pardon?"
Trip stood against the bulkhead, "What's going on?"
"I just wanted to make sure that two of my men weren't in here," Reed replied looking back up to him and handing Trip the padd, "The two crewmen listed here, I've been considering making one of them a full time officer here in the Armoury."
Trip nodded as he looked at the two names, "Ensign Carroll and Ensign Blair," he looked back up to Reed as he handed it back to him, "They're both hard workers."
"That's why it's so hard to choose," Reed commented a little fustrated, "But we need another one, I don't care what the captain says."
Tanner walked into the armoury holding a case and stopped dead in his tracks, "Commander, Lieutenant," he said as he put the case in the weapons locker, Reed watched Tanner for a moment then looked back to Trip.
"Want my advice?"
Reed nodded enthusiastically.
"Ask Ensign Tanner over there, he knows them better than anyone." Reed looked back over to Tanner who was now checking one of the monitors and looked back to Trip who was grinning like a Cheshire cat, "Thanks," Reed whispered.
"No problem, Malcolm."
Reed waited until Trip had left and approached Tanner, "Ensign." Tanner jumped a little as Reed spoke, "You should really stop sneaking up on people sir," he joked and looked to his expression, "You wanted something sir?"
"I've spoken to the captain about the possibility of a fourth full time officer here in the armoury," Reed said looking down to the padd in his hand, thinking how to put the rest into words, he'd never been good at that kind of thing but he had gotten used to it and looked back up to him, "Carroll and Blair."
"And you were wondering which one I think you should choose."
Reed smirked slightly, "That obvious? Yes, so who would you recommend?"
Tanner paused for a moment and seemed to be turning it over in his mind, "Well, they're both excellent but Blair has the odd habit of turning up late on occasion."
Best to be truthful Reed thought, "So Ensign Carroll it is then," Reed headed to exit the armoury and locate Carroll, he turned back to Tanner, "Thank you Ensign."
***
"What are you talking about?" Sato asked looking at Mayweather.
"It's true," Mayweather replied shovelling a forkful of pasta into his mouth
and looking back up to the young communications officer, "My dad told me about it."
"Sounds gross to me," she replied taking a bit of her own meal, "But
then again, that's the kind of thing you guys like."
"Hoshi," Mayweather replied, "You'll get used to it. Did I tell you the story of the time when we went to..."
Reed entered the messhall and looked for Carroll, he scanned the room and
spotted Mayweather and Sato, they appeared to be arguing or something, he shook his head and continued to look, he spotted Carroll on the table next to them. He glanced at
the padd one more time and approached Carroll but he didn't get very far as he
stopped, "Malcolm."
Reed stopped and looked down to Mayweather and Sato, "Yes Travis?"
"Do you want to join me and Hoshi?"
Reed shook his head slowly, "I'm afraid I can't," he replied quietly looking back
over to Carroll, "I'm a little busy at the moment, another time perhaps?" Mayweather
nodded and Sato smiled to him.
"Consider yourself lucky,"she commented rolling her eyes, "Travis is telling
all his old, Boomer, stories again." Reed laughed lightly and walked over to Carroll who
had just finished his meal and got up quickly, picking up the plate and mug, he
jumped when he saw Reed heading over to him.
"Am I late sir?"
Reed looked at him in question, thought it through and shook his head, "No," he
said following Carroll over to the doors, "Not at all, just wanted to ask you
something." Carlos visibly relaxed and motioned for Reed to go before him.
"What do you need?"
Reed put the padd behind his back as he walked down the corridor with Carroll, " Sub Commander T'Pol has been working on a new rota." Carroll let out a sigh, which
showed he was clearly losing interest in the conversation, "And I wondered
if you would, like to work in the armoury full time," Reed paused for a reaction
but he couldn't read the young ensign's features.
Carroll smiled and nodded, "Certainly sir."
Reed nodded and let out a sigh of relief and put a note down on the padd and a mental note to start on the new rota as soon as he could, "That's settled then. Thank..."
"Bridge to Lieutenant Reed."
Reed walked quickly over to the nearest console and pushed the button quickly, "Reed
here, Sub Commander."
"Can you please report to the bridge, Lieutenant."
Reed looked round for Carroll but he had already disappeared, he looked down to the padd in
his hand and shook his head slowly, "Yes," he replied.
****
A few hours pasted and Reed had to stifle a yawn, he always got like this at
this point of the day when nothing had happened. The bridge was quiet, the only thing that could be heard was the clicking of buttons and the occasional crewman coming and
going. He looked up from the console and looked round, Archer was
reading and sitting easily in the command chair, he looked right to
Mayweather, who was smiling and navigating the ship.
He looked left of Mayweather to Sato; she had a puzzled look on her
face, she was holding the earpiece in her left ear and mumbling something
and he looked to T'Pol, she sat up straight and looked into the scanner now and again. T'Pol looked up from her console and looked directly at Reed, "Something wrong Lieutenant?"
He shook his head and got back down to work.
Another few hours, nothing happened and Reed had to fight to keep himself
from falling asleep, he was so bored. The turbolift opened and the night shift walked in.
Reed smiled as he and the other officers stood up, he moved out the way for
Tanner as everyone left the bridge, "See you in the morning," Archer said as he made his way to exit with T'Pol.
Mayweather and Sato waited for him, Reed looked to Tanner, "I've informed
Ensign Carroll, he's happy to take up the job."
Tanner didn't look up from the console as he spoke, "That's good news sir, goodnight." Reed headed over to the trubolift with Mayweather and Sato.
"Will you join us now?"
Reed looked to Mayweather and nodded, "I've got no better invitations."
****
Reed stepped off the turbolift on B deck and walked toward his quarters, he had spent
half an hour with Mayweather and Sato in the messhall, listening to more Boomer
stories and about what languages Sato was trying to master. Then, he had spent two hours watching a movie with Phlox and having to explain everything that was going on, he smiled as he stopped at the door, he heard footsteps fall and looked to Trip, "Commander?"
"Glad I've caught you," he said catching up with him, "Do you know where Ensign Tanner is?"
"Yes," Reed replied, "He's on the bridge."
"Thanks, it's just that he borrowed some tools from engineering this afternoon and I need em back." Trip commented.
"Are you sure you're just not really paranoid about not getting them back?"
"Oh my god," Trip said highly amused, "Malcolm Reed makes a joke, wonders will never cease."
"Who said I was making a joke?" Reed said in response.
"I'd love to stay here and get insulted, but I have work to do. Night Malcolm."
Trip ran off before Reed could respond Reed, so instead it said it to the now empty corridor. "Goodnight."
Reed sat down on his bunk and took of his boots; tonight he was going to make sure he got
undressed before he went to sleep, he did so and got into bed. He shook his head smiling as the light went out.
THE END.