Day 31: cancel
100 words for 100 days
Day 31: cancel (ST:ENT, Reed, G)
Summary: Missing scene, Shockwave.
Malcolm Reed lay awake on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. There was no way he was going to sleep tonight.
The mission had been cancelled, but that was the least of his worries. In a way he was glad they were going home. He knew it was cowardly, but he’d much rather face familiar Human justice than a trial on some unknown alien world.
He rubbed his hand across his eyes as he replayed the scene in his mind for the thousandth, millionth time.
Thirteen hundred people were dead and everyone thought it was his fault. Archer had all but said as much. Even Malcolm himself, despite his distinct memory of closing the plasma ducts, despite the sensor logs recording that he’d done so, despite meticulously checking the system for leaks and finding none, believed that somehow he must have been to blame. If only he could discover exactly how …
The sound of the comm interrupted his thoughts. He hit the control by instinct. “Reed.”
“Malcolm, please report to my ready room immediately.”
“Aye, sir,” he said wearily. He closed the channel and rolled up off his bunk. What the hell did Archer want with him now?
He picked up his uniform and then paused. Something had changed. The captain had used his first name.
Maybe there was hope after all.
~223 words~