Captain’s Log, Stardate 2401.7

 

Our mission to repair the observation post on Dendrion IV was a success, though Commander Najan and I could not do so without being detected by the planet’s immune system. Thanks to the commander’s quick thinking and the fast response of Lieutenant Commander Windsor, we were able to exfiltrate without lasting damage to the environment. One speedboat will need to be repainted. We are now on course for the Olympia Sector.

 

Captain Sitar had just finished recording her log when the chime to her ready room sounded. She tapped the button on her desk to open the door and looked up to see Najan wearing an expression somewhere between concerned and pensive. In their week or so together, Sitar had found Najan quite free with her emotions—and that wasn’t necessarily a weakness, but it did make Sitar wonder how the Bajoran woman had managed to serve Starfleet Intelligence so well for so long without a poker face.

“Captain, I just wanted to report that the first scheduled data upload from the planetary monitoring station has just come in successfully. It looks like our repairs held,” Najan said.

“Very well, commander. Will you sit?” Sitar asked. “My intuition tells me that you didn’t ‘just’ come to report that.”

Najan nodded and sat opposite her captain, giving the other woman an appraising glance as she did so. A career intelligence officer, Najan had extensive experience undercover on Vashti and came with a reputation as an excellent sapient intelligence gatherer, so Sitar was curious how her new first officer would judge her performance.

“No, captain,” Najan agreed. “I was hoping we could discuss your decision on the composition of the away team so that I can understand your thinking better.”

Sitar smiled. “You seek to understand whether serving under me will always be so exciting. I do not intend on ‘stepping on your toes’ often, commander, but in this instance, I felt it necessary to create a situation where both of us could see each other’s performance in the field,” she explained.

“You wanted to see how I would handle a potentially dangerous situation,” Najan summarized.

“Not entirely—I also wanted you to see how I would handle one,” Sitar clarified. “You may or may not be aware that the last time I had permanent command of a starship was fourteen years ago. I needed you to see that I am capable of handling myself.”

“Well, after today, that’s definitely not in doubt, captain,” Najan agreed. She cocked her head. “How did I do?”

“It was clever to call in the ship to use their weapons to protect us. I had considered bringing the shuttle in on autopilot, but the risk of losing it was too great,” the Sitar said. The captain folded her hands on the desk. “Your performance met my expectations based on an extensive review of your service record—which is to say that you performed favorably.”

“Thank you,” Najan said, though she still seemed a little uncomfortable. “In the future, Captain, can we please limit your participation in away missions to circumstances where there is no danger that you will be consumed by a planetary organism, though?”

“That seems like an eminently reasonable request,” Sitar agreed. Najan nodded and stood up. “I would like to find more reasons to use the speedboat, though. It was certainly invigorating,” she added.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Najan said with a laugh. “I hear Olympia Station is in orbit of a pelagic world.”

“That’s something to look forward to, then. Dismissed,” Sitar said, watching the first officer’s retreating back before turning to her duties.