Command

"Command" by William McFee is a story centered on Reginald Spokesly, a second officer in the Merchant Service, as he tries to achieve his dreams during a period of upheaval. It touches on the subjects of wanting more out of life, what people expect from you, and how people relate to each other on a ship. Spokesly is a rather proud officer, trying to find his place and purpose while the war rages on. He thinks about his shallow connections with others and his idealistic view of love, especially concerning Ada Rivers, a woman he admires but doesn’t quite understand. Through Spokesly’s connections with the ship's company, his reflections on leadership and how he values himself, we see his inner battles and craving for respect and power, along with a look at class differences and the roles of men and women in early 20th-century England.