A Promotion for Inara

Posted on Tue Apr 29th, 2025 @ 9:28pm by Captain James Phoenix & Lieutenant Inara Ziro

1,372 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Frozen Acquisition
Location: Chief Engineer's Office
Timeline: Current

It was late in the day for the Horizon crew and crew-traffic around the corridors of the ship appeared to be dying down for the day. That didn't mean it was slow. In fact, it was still busier than usual. Station and ship operations staff alike were still running about their business, trying to get provisions to and from their usual hiding spots aboard the ship. New and departing crew were coming and going, with some the newly minted Horizon officers being shown around. In fact, the Captain was walking to a meeting with one now.

Granted, the officer he was seeing had been aboard the Horizon for over a year now, but her place aboard the ship would most likely change, in a good way.

He entered the engineering hall and approached the closest engineer. "Excuse me Ensign, where could I find Lieutenant Ziro?"

The Bolian Ensign looked like a deep in headlights. "She's in the Chief's Office, s-sir."

James nodded. "Thank Ensign. Rest easy" he reassured before moving off.

He approached the office near the entrance of Main Engineering and pressed the door chime.

==Chief Engineer's Office==

The room smelled of her, Inara thought for the hundredth time, as she paced back and forth inside the cluttered office of the Chief Engineer. Muttering to herself, she adjusted her grip on the outmoded PADD in her hand. So well worn by its previous user, its once sharp corners had dulled and rounded, the matte gray finish worn thin in places from years of heavy use.

Inside the device, years of engineering notes in a unique shorthand made for an incredible challenge to Inara. Encoded within the cypher were the secrets which made the Horizon run. A treasure trove, detailing every change, every improvised upgrade, and every emergency repair to the systems of the state-of-the-art ship which set it apart even from its Class.

In the weeks since its previous caretaker had entrusted the ship, at least temporarily, to Ziro, she had been studying Commander Sorenson's notes. Hand-translating each page one at a time. Knowing full well the computer could decipher it all in seconds, Inara believed that the process was helping her attune herself to the Horizon. It helped her understand its workings better than she could if she'd had yet another user manual to memorize.

The Iotian had transferred back to the Engineering track nearly a year ago, after abandoning that part of herself for years. Running back to it after all that time had earned her a less than favorable reputation among her new colleagues. But Richelle sensed her lingering passion for it and defended her place in the Engine Room. She helped bring that passion back to the surface.

Now, she found herself without that friendship, holding space for the next Chief Engineer of the Horizon. Would they come to care for this ship as Richelle had? As Inara was just beginning to after a year? She only hoped her work would help them find their place on this ship as she had.

Inara stopped in her tracks, pulled from her reminiscence by a second press of the door chime.

"Oh, come in!" She said, slightly flustered.

"Captain!" She added, seeing who came through the door. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Nothing too serious. I just wanted to see how things are going for you as acting chief down here" James stated as he folded his arms behind his back. "Hope I'm not catching you at a bad time Lieutenant?"

"Not at all" Inara assured him. Instinctively, she straightened her posture and felt a surge of confidence to match the Captain's assured presence.

"I was just..." She continued, setting Richelle's PADD on the desk. "Looking over Commander Sorenson's notes. She did a lot with this ship in a relatively short time. A lot to learn."

Inara turned habitually to the empty leather chair behind the desk. Its upholstery replicated on a bespoke pattern, its frame hand-assembled. A personal gift from the lead warp specialist of the Century Class Project to the Horizon's Chief Engineers. She still refused to sit in it. It would be someone else's soon, anyway. The replicator, however...

"Oh, can I offer you some coffee, Captain?"

James shook his head. "I'm good, thanks" he started. "She was a fine engineer. It may be a lot to learn, but I trust that you will be able to learn it in time."

"Thank you, sir" Wistfully, Inara said, resting her fingertips on the PADD. "I'll do my best."

Looking up from her reverie, the Iotian recognized there was more to this visit than a simple check-in. Expecting new orders and yet another plate to spin, she crossed her arms with a smirk.

"So... what else can I do for you?"

James handed her one of two PADDs he had in hand. "For starters I wanted to give you information regarding our next orders ahead of schedule. I think it'll be right up your alley" he started.

Watching the Lieutenant take the PADD, he continued "Our orders are simple. We are to report to an abandoned SCE outpost called Barrow Station, located on the surface of ICE-II. It was a development facility for experimental small craft and ground vehicles during the Dominion War. Starfleet also wants us to collect any sensitive information so it can't fall into enemy hands. That's the gist of it at least."

Inara eyes widened. Even all these years later, the Dominion War was a specter which haunted the galaxy. She'd seen the most seasoned officers turn white at the mention of the Jem'Hadar. It had even reached her own isolated homeworld.

In truth, there wasn't much to read. A few islands in a great redaction sea. Inara had some experience reading between lines, however. A few line item entries, the layout of the facility, little hints of the larger picture underneath the waves. Buried treasure. If they could find even one prototype down there...

"Understood, sir" She said with barely contained excitement. After a beat, she dashed over to a bookshelf in the corner. Another collection left by Richelle. With two books the size of dictionaries tucked into her arms, she scurried back to the Captain.

"Requesting permission to join the away mission, Captain!"

"Granted" he nodded before falling silent, trying to figure how he'd tell the Lieutenant the news.

The lieutenant failed to notice the awkward pause. Flipping through the pages of an actually printed manual, she weighed the logistics of retrofitting the shuttle bay to hold a tank. As she pondered, she sat unconsciously at Rochelle's chair.

"hmm..." Inara muttered, biting her thumbnail as she weighed their options. "Perhaps if we retrofitted a workbee..."

"A workbee could actually be beneficial if there are any designs intact that we may need to extract from the surface. But there is one more thing Lieutenant" he slid Inara another PADD.

The Iotian looked askance at her captain. Cautiously, she took the device and read it. Her eyes widened. Suddenly aware of where she was sitting.

James smiled at the Lieutenant's realization. "You have served with distinction this past year. Both as a tactical officer and an engineer, and most recently as our acting chief" The Captain began.

"The process has been quite tedious to find another officer to take over for Commander Sorenson, who recently endorsed her replacement. An officer who has been in front of me the whole time, who has proven herself to be capable of doing this job. You."

"I... don't know what to say..." Inara stood from her chair slowly, wiping away a tear. "I... thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

"I trust that you won't" James extended a hand. "Make us proud Chief."

"Thank you, sir." Said Inara, holding the PADD to her chest, holding back a tear.

She walked around the desk... her desk... and shook the captain's hand. She didn't know if she deserved this responsibility, but she was certain she would love every minute of it.

OFF:

Capt. James Phoenix
Commanding Officer
USS Horizon

Lt. Inara Ziro
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Horizon

 

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