Starship USS Republic: A Star Trek PBEM / RPG

Reia finished her general education courses in May 2372 and applied to Starfleet Academy; however due to problems with enrollment at the Academy she changed her last name to Merrick with support from her biological father Captain James R. Merrick. Reia took a study course at the Academy on Nanotechnology meeting some of the foremost scientists in that field. While still a cadet, and after finishing most of the Operations courses at the Academy, she was assigned to the USS Malinche for a training cruse. Later that month, she participated in the hunt for former Lieutenant Commander Eddington. Reia's tour of duty is extended on the Malinche upon the event of the Cardassians joining the Dominion, due to a fear that war with the Dominion would break out soon. Reia, was close to finishing her extended training duty on the Malinche as the Federation was thrown into war with the Dominion and their allies. Reia received a combat status and her position on the Malinche was set as a Junior Officer in the Operations department. After months of slaughter by Dominion Forces the Malinche was caught with the 7th fleet at the battle of Tyra. The Malinche suffered heavy damage, but managed to escape the blood bath. After the battle Reia along with several other crew members of the Malinche received a citation for their actions in the Battle of Tyra and their roles in saving the Malinche from destruction. Reia was promoted to the rank of Ensign which would become common with cadets in the following years of the war.

After the Battle of Tyra, the USS Malinche was assigned to Earth for a repairs and refit of the vessel. During the next two months with the Malinche assigned as part of the defense fleet of Earth, during this time Reia was able to finish up her part of Academy training. Two months later she was called back to her duties on the Malinche as it was sent to the front lines for the battle to retake Deep Space Nine. With the Dominion War coming to a close Reia returned to Starfleet Academy to take command courses, but due to her love for space she dropped the courses months later and returned to the Malinche as Assistant Operations Officers ending her Academy training.

The end the Dominion War marked a joy of hope and great sadness for the men and women of the Federation as they reflect on what they gained and lost. Like all of those who severed in the war, she was awarded the Dominion Campaign Medal along with the promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade. The USS Malinche was assigned a routine diplomatic mission to the Dorvan sector to aid the Cardassians in reconstruction of the Torga system. Reia was signed leader of the one of the away teams to analyze the damage to the old Cardassian power station. The mission would prove Rei's command ability and a fatal decision that sent one of her team members to their death to save the lives of the Colony and the other away teams on the planet's surface.

In December 2378, Reia was promoted to full lieutenant at the end of her tour duty on the Malinche, and was reassigned to the starship Livingston a newly built Intrepid Class. While on a mission, the Livingston encountered an unknown race near the Rolor Nebula the ship was destroyed during a battle with this new foe. Reia and a hand of survivors of the Livingston manage to escape the destruction of the vessel in a Runabout. The Runabout which had received serve damage was picked up by the Defiant and the survivors stationed on Deep Space Nine for recovery. However since official records show the Livingston being destroyed by an unknown craft, some of the survivors reported not seeing an alien craft during the escape of the vessel. Only four members of the crew escaped the destruction of the vessel, and no official investigation was conducted. Her short lived experience at Deep Space Nine came to an end when she was transferred to the USS Republic as Chief of Operations.