Against all the odds, especially given the way a certain Admiral felt about him, he’d been given a command. 

Again. 

RJ strode through the corridors of the Resolute, heading up to the bridge of his new ship. Not that it was technically his ship yet, he hadn’t formally taken command from the previous CO, Captain Mason yet. But tomatoes, tomartoes and all that.

He reached up as stood in the turbolift, his fingertips brushing over the pips at his collar. Four this time, not three. Somehow, not only was he not out of Starfleet after the incident with the Admiral’s daughter, but he’d gained a promotion and a ship out of it as well. 

He’d say it was a miracle, but disaster was more like it. Starfleet had been hit and hit hard on Frontier Day, and now they needed all the personnel they could get. He wasn’t arguing since that number included him, even if part of the conditions of his return were his XO being assigned to him. He hadn’t even had a chance to read the guy’s file yet. 

He took a deep breath as the lift stopped at the bridge, in that split second before the doors opened. He could do this. Whatever it took to get his ass in the big chair again. 

The doors swished open and he walked out. His gaze cut to the captain’s chair, and the familiar, broad-shouldered figure there. Mason. RJ still hadn’t worked the guy out yet. He was some kind of uber-soldier and legend on his own planet, yet for some reason, even though he knew RJ had slept with his wife, still hadn’t beaten him to a pulp for the offence. 

He walked around the balustrade behind the two command chairs, and then did a double-take. The XO’s chair was occupied, and since Mason’s XO, Burton, hadn’t survived Frontier Day, he assumed that the new guy was his XO. 

And… shit. The guy was almost as big as Mason was. Which meant he was about the size of a small mountain.

“Ahh, Captain Reese-Riggs,” Mason said as he stood. “You’re early.”

Unable to resist needling Mason a little RJ winked. “Eager to get started, you know how it is.”

Mason didn’t respond to the wink. Instead, he just gave RJ a look, his lips compressing into a thin line. 

“Attention to orders,” Mason announced, and the bridge quietened down, officers turning from their consoles to pay attention. 

Mason lifted the padd in his hand to read from, although no doubt he had the words memorized anyway. 

“Formal orders to Captain Raan Mason, Commanding Officer, USS Resolute. You are hereby requested and required to relinquish command of your vessel to Captain Ryder Reese-Riggs, Commanding Officer as of this date. Signed, Fourth Fleet Command.”

Mason handed the padd to the new officer next to him. “Computer, transfer all command codes to Captain Reese-Riggs. Voice authorization: Mason, Zebra-Delta-Three-Seven-India.”

“Transfer complete,” the dry voice of the computer confirmed. “USS Resolute now under command of Captain Ryder Reese-Riggs.”

RJ took a deep breath, steading himself, then stepped forward. “I relieve you, sir.” 

Mason nodded, “I stand relieved.” 

For a moment there was silence on the bridge, then Mason smiled and to RJ’s surprise, extended his hand. “Congratulations Captain, and welcome back to the big chair.”

“Thank you, it’s good to be back.” RJ released the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding and shook Mason’s hand. The contact was brief, professional, but he couldn’t miss the strength in Mason’s grip. 

Letting go, Mason half turned to the officer standing next to them. “Might I introduce your new XO, Commander Thais Thane. Thane, your CO, Captain Reese-Riggs.” 

RJ smiled as he turned to the new guy, and found himself being scrutinized by a pair of sharp green-hazel eyes. They weren’t warm and for a moment he felt like he was being dissected under a microscope. Then Thane smiled and offered his hand. “A pleasure to meet you, sir.” 

“Likewise.” RJ frowned as he shook Thane’s hand, sliding a look at Mason. 

“Thane’s an excellent XO,” Mason said, filling the gaps. “And was my pick for the Resolute’s exec.”

RJ’s frown deepened. 

“Why would you get to make that decision?” he asked, forgetting he hadn’t released Thane’s hand. There was something here he was missing, the little niggles he’d had about how easy it had seemed for him to return to command coming back to haunt him. 

Mason grinned. “Because, while I might not be the CO of the Resolute anymore, I won’t be far away. The Resolute is being assigned to the Manticore Squadron.”

RJ stilled, eyebrow popping up. “The Manticore squadron? And who commands that—“

He needn’t have asked. He already knew the answer. 

Mason’s grin widened wolfishly. 

“Me.”