Paranoid Promotions

Posted on Tue Feb 2nd, 2021 @ 6:06pm by Lieutenant Xavier Leiko & Commodore Jacob Kane

Mission: The Shadow of Arachne
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Post-Mission
946 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

In all of the chaos, Chief Ops officer Daniels' name had been a surprising one appearing on the casualty list. The man had come onboard Athena just weeks after Kane himself had arrived. To see that he had been one of those whose lives had been lost to the madness of that 'Nightmare space' was a shock. But it was one he had to both come to terms with and move on from.

Starfleet had wanted to fill the vacant position with a reasonably-competent transfer from Starbase 90, but Kane had declined the transfer. Despite everything else, he'd witnessed what many on the crew were able to overcome in that place. And he was usually a good judge of character.

"Lieutenant Leiko? Would you come in?" he called over the comm on his ready room desk.

Xavier was on the bridge when he received the summons. "Aye Sir," he replied, struggling to keep the nervousness out of his voice. He had been dreading this meeting, but he knew it was going to happen. How could he explain to the Captain that he had let Daniels die in front of him, and let the Lieutenant Keating eject the warp core, also right in front of him. He had put everything in his report, his very detailed report. He didn't want to leave anything out of it and now he had to face the consequences.

Xavier stood up and made his way over to the Ready Room. He pressed the chime, and after being told to do so, he entered. He walked in, seeming more confident than he actually felt. "You wanted to see me Sir?" He asked as he stood to attention in front of Kane's desk.

"Yes. Lieutenant." Kane slid a PADD across his desk. "Your report from the Pico incident makes for colourful reading." He lifted an eyebrow just slightly. "I can see from your expression that you're concerned. Speaking honestly, you're just one in a long line of crew members that seem to be holding on to some baggage from our last mission." He laced his fingers together. "Dwelling on past actions - be they mistakes or not - is not something becoming of an officer on board my ship."

"I'm sorry Sir," Xavier replied as his eyebrows pulled together slightly. "It's been a hard few days and Betazoids don't bury their feelings as easily as other species." He said this matter-of-factly, after all it was a well known thing about his people.

"No. They don't." It was a steely statement of fact from Kane, too. "Given recent events, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to move away from this ship, and the emotional damage it may or may not have done. But that would indeed be a shame. So - what do you want, Lieutenant? Stay or leave?"

Xavier had to admit he was confused by the question. He had only been onboard for a few days and he wasn't the type of person to quit at the first hurdle, or the last one. "Stay of course, Sir," he quickly added for good measure. "I may not have been in Starfleet as long as some people but I have been here long enough to roll with the punches. What happened to Chief Daniels will stay with me for a while, but it won't affect my duties on this ship, you have my word."

"Good." Kane nodded. "I already denied the request from Starfleet to reassign you elsewhere. It would have reflected poorly on me if I would have had to change the orders a second time." He rose from his seat slowly. "Since you're guaranteeing me that your duties will not be affected then I expect you to serve me just as well as Chief Daniels did. As Chief Operations Officer."

"You're promoting me?" Xavier asked dumbfoundedly. "Of course Sir, I would be honored."

"Don't sound surprised. You filled-in well and you know the crew. And training someone else would take too long." Kane's eyebrow twitched, a rare indicator that he was being more light-hearted with the remark than usual. "Enjoy your shore leave. When you return you'll have a department to run."

Xavier smiled at the joke. "Thank you Sir, I will do." He turned to leave and then turned back to face Kane. "Sir, why did Starfleet want to reassign me?" It seemed like a rather strange move for the fleet to take given he had only had one mission on the Athena. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer the moment he asked it.

"I don't know," Kane answered, honestly. "I suspect you caught the eye of someone who liked what they heard or read about you." He paused. "It wasn't do do with Daniels, Mr Leiko."

'Or maybe I caught the eye of someone who didn't want to see me promoted' he thought to himself. He wasn't sure if he was being paranoid or not but this all smelt like her. It is the kind of thing she would do, not that she would ever admit it. "Very well," Xavier said finally. She wasn't going to ruin this for him. "Thanks again Captain."

"Dismissed, Lieutenant," Kane nodded, waving him off.

Xavier nodded, turned, and exited the room. As the doors closed behind him he thought about the last few days and everything that had happened. Obviously he was happy to be promoted but no officer wanted it this way. But that was the life they chose, the life they had all signed up for and all he could do now was to honour Chief Daniels and be the best Chief of Operations this ship had ever had.