"Investment"

Posted on Sat Oct 31st, 2020 @ 2:49pm by
Edited on on Sat Oct 31st, 2020 @ 6:58pm

Mission: Welcome Aboard
Location: Main Engineering, Deck 36 USS Resolution

"Investment"
Captain Matt Leonard, Commanding Officer
Commander Yvette "Eve" Kane, Chief of Operations/Second Officer
*****
Now, 2372
Main Engineering
Deck 36, USS Resolution

When 'Commander Cha'Kwaina had left the ship, Leonard had sought a replacement from elsewhere for Chief Engineer. This hadn't been one of his more popular decisions, with the Assistant Chief Engineer having expected to have taken up the mantle, but Matt had had his reasons. Chiefly amongst them, was that he was looking for someone with fresh ideas and a new perspective. And he was looking for a more seasoned officer. Whilst Cha'Kwaina's Assistant Chief had been a solid officer, they had only served aboard the Resolution, and needed to do some more growing as an officer, before becoming a department head.

That had been where 'Commander Kane had come in. She was currently heavily involved with the refit works, and from where he stood by the situation table, he watched her organise the teams, getting them focused and keeping them on track with their assignments. She'd been an excellent addition to his crew. She had had plenty of experience, both as an Engineer and elsewhere, and had been keen to put her skills to use...

*****
Then, 2369
Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge
Deck 1, USS Resolution

"...and that's how I evaluate my own performance for the last 6 months, sir." Kane replied, now setting the padd down in front of her, prepared now to hear the Captain's opinion on her performance.

"Excellent, 'Commander." Leonard replied. "As you know, Commander Reeves and I have similarly been monitoring your stats, and I've been impressed with how you've integrated with the crew and made the role your own." Leonard leaned back in his chair.

"Thank you, sir" Eve replied. "I've felt comfortable so far, sir."

"Is there anything that you want to feedback to me?" the Captain asked, pointedly. He wanted her to open up. It was something that he had noticed with her initially, that she was closed off, more often than not.

"There is something, Captain," Eve began, feeling that it was probably now or never. "Whilst I've enjoyed being your Chief Engineer, and I've enjoyed the Bridge watch duty opportunities that I've had, I feel that I might be missing out on future Command opportunities by not serving on the bridge."

"How so, 'Commander?" Matt asked, curiously.

This wasn't an easy conversation to have for Kane. It had been why she generally signed on for fixed duration postings, so that she didn't have to have this discussion. "Well, sir, to put simply, I've spent my career working to better myself, and I've tried to excel in a variety of disciplines. I've recently started to feel that by having a non-bridge based role, I'm getting further away from the personal goals that I have set for myself."

"And you'd like to transition into a role that would see you serving on the bridge?" Leonard asked. It was natural, he knew, for most people to want a bridge position. It was where most of the action was. He definitely understood that. Before she could answer, the Captain turned his desk monitor around to face the Engineer. It displayed her service record. "Tell me what you see here, 'Commander."

"It's my service record, sir," she replied, recognising it straight away.

"Let me tell you what I see," Matt replied. "This shows that you are constantly moving around. Never settled. Not happy in your duties. This tells me that after 6 months, I can't rely on your skills, because you are already preparing for your next assignment." He turned the screen back to himself, and leaned forward to be more direct with her. "When I see a record like this, as a Commanding Officer, I look at this, and the first glance tells me that you're not in it for the long haul. It makes me wonder if you are worth my investment, 'Commander. Worth my time. Without Captain Mendez' recommendation, I'd have been hard pressed to have made a place for you here."

This hit her like a bulkhead crashing down on her. She hadn't considered that her career, the movements that she'd made, and the varied duties that she'd taken looked detrimental. This was the first time that anyone had ever mentioned it. "Sir," she began, stammering, "Captain, I..." she wasn't sure what to say. "Captain, I hadn't realised."

"Of course not," Leonard replied. "You're just trying to be the best officer that you can be. And don't get me wrong, you are a good officer. Indeed, you're a damn good one. Any Captain would be glad to have you on their team, because you can do a lot. That's valuable. Really, it is. But, if I'm shortlisting candidates for a role, without really looking indepth into their history, I just see the short term assignments and the long list of postings. It can be off putting." He picked up the coffee mug on his desk, and took a drink, "Try sticking around a bit, 'Commander. Trust me. It won't make it harder for you to advance."

"I'll try sir," she answered, before adding, "I'd still like to move out of engineering, Captain."

"I'll consider it, Yvette," Matt replied, using her given name. It wasn't often that he did so, but this occasion seemed appropriate. "When there's an opening for a new department head on the bridge, I'll see that you get your opportunity..."

*****
Then, 2371
Chief Engineers Office, Main Engineering
Deck 36, USS Resolution

The Captain knocked on the door of the Chief Engineer's office, and stepped inside. Kane sat there, hard at work, as he took a seat at the desk opposite her.

"What can I do for you Captain," Yvette asked, putting down her padd, and giving him her attention.

"It's time, Yvette," he said simply. "You're my new Chief Operations Officer..."

*****
Then, 2372
Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge
Deck 1, USS Resolution

The Resolution had just dropped out of warp in the Sol System, heading for Sol IV. Utopia Planitia was her destination, for it's first refit. Many of the crew were being reassigned during the refit, and he was losing some good people. Matt had tried to retain some, but it had been hard to offer people anything when they were being offered promotions elsewhere. Case in point, Commander Reeves. He had been offered Command of a Norway class cruiser, with a promotion to Captain. He had certainly earned this promotion, but short of giving him command of the Resolution, there was little that he could do to convince him to stay. And of course, Matt wasn't about to step aside, after 8 years as her Commander.

With an Executive Officer, and a Second Officer, both on their way out the doors, Leonard had had some thinking to do about his new Command structure. Would he promote from within, or bring in from the outside. Of course, his only candidate from within was 'Commander Kane. Of course, she was more than qualified for a command role. He'd said as much to her in the past. But was she ready?

"Leonard to 'Commander Kane," the Captain began, with a tap of his comm. badge. "Could you join me in my Ready Room."

=A=Of course sir=A= came her swift reply. Seconds later, she was at the door. A few seconds after that, she was sitting opposite him.

"Yvette," Leonard began, "I'd like to talk to you about your next move on the Resolution..."

*****
Now, 2372
Main Engineering
Deck 36, USS Resolution

Eve remembered that day, with mixed feelings. Of course, she had been thrilled when the Captain had offered her the role of Second Officer, but it was a promotion that she hadn't expected. She had expected that with Reeves and Hawkins both out the door, she was a shoe in for Exec. There had been a few occassions in the last few weeks during the refit that she had considered moving on once more. She'd never stayed aboard one starship for so long, and it had only been the Captain's own words, nearly 3 years earlier, that had caused her to reassess her career moves.

Another thing that had kept her around had been the promotion to Commander. Whilst the Captain told her that it would be pending, he hadn't really made it clear how long it would 'pending' for. Maybe he had only said that to convince her to stay. Probably not, but either way, it had worked. She'd also been put in charge of overseeing the refit, which had been good, and she'd had a lot of fun with it, but it wasn't quite the same as being the ships new Exec. Sooner or later, she knew, she had to have that posting. And if not here, then somewhere else...