The freighter officer who secretly tortures a captured Nausicaan pirate in the hope of protecting Earth cargo ships.
Matthew Ryan is the first officer of the Earth cargo ship Fortunate. In Fortunate Son, with Captain Keene injured in a Nausicaan attack, Ryan takes command and hides a captured Nausicaan aboard, trying to force him to reveal his ship's shield codes. When Archer objects, Ryan jettisons the away team in a cargo pod and flees.
Travis Mayweather finally convinces him that his actions are driven by revenge and will only expose other freighter crews to reprisals, and Ryan returns the prisoner. Keene later demotes him to crewman third class.