Promotions

[Morad Ameen]

=

[Amila Ra'an]

== Two Days Before Zephyr Received the alert that Starbase 214 was being blocked by a Cardassian Fleet ==

Midshipman Cortez, Midshipman A'kilees, and Lieutenant O'Fee would all find similar messages waiting for them in the morning before they reported to their duty shift.

[You are directed to report to the Briefing Room at 1430 Hours today.]

Both A'kilees and Cortez had additional confirmation that their Department Heads had already arranged for their duties to be otherwise covered at that time as necessary.

==Tag to A'kilees, Cortez, O'Fee==

[Gath]

Gath and Ens Raven Singer were both in attendance. Gath believed in encouraging strong leadership qualities and wanted to show support at all promotion ceremonies. It was common to have fairly regular Commander's Call events for the presentation of various awards, ranks and medals, but in between such events, promotions themselves were celebrated events within all ranks. It didn't hurt that Gath was also forming a close friendship with one of those being promoted.

Ens Signer had been acting as the head Engineering Assistant and often filled in for the CEO. It was more often that the Engineers saw her face than any other in their department. SHe was uncharacteristically in a very sharp looking uniform, for a change, in honor of the occasion.

== OOC: In large units, it is common for about once every few months, a Commander's Call would be held to update troops on the unit and announce policies, but one highlight was always handing out various medals, awards and promotions. Promotions also came out every month and were sometimes more private affairs, but when possible, family members were allowed to attend. My son pinned on my stripes when I was promoted, on one instance. He was about 9 years old at the time. I'm glad to see we now have a thread for this sort of thing. ==

[Evie O’Fee]

Evie walked in with her uniform on and lab coat over it, her rank on her right with the medical caduceus on the right. She always wanted to present herself more as a Doctor that is also an Officer, to her it was just one of those things. When Evie seen Gath there with a friend, it gave her some level of relief. Soon Ava was right behind her in a Science Uniform, the rank on her collar was Lieutenant Commander. Both Evie and Ava joined Gath, Evie was clearly a little nervous.

Promotions were a good thing, now with this Rank she would be closer to Command. She was up for the responsibility, she just had to keep up the good work. "Exciting day isn't it?" She asked Gath. Even being happy that she was going to be promoted, Evie was happier for others getting their new rank.

==Tag==

[A’kilees]

[You are directed to report to the Briefing Room at 1430]

That’s all what the message had said that A’kilees had received early that day. He had been speculating throughout that morning on what this could be about but hadn’t arrived at a reason for this sudden meeting. He had received permission to leave a bit earlier from his shift to return to his quarters, put on a new uniform and soon was making his way up to Deck One.

Upon entering the briefing room he was met by a number of familiar faces. Lieutenant Gath and Doctor O’Fee were together chatting and many other members of the bridge crew were in attendance. Even Raven was also among those present in the room. A’kilees nearly didn’t recognize her at first due to her wearing an actual professional uniform rather than her usual engineering attire that she was famously known for.

“Raven, you’re looking very smart today in uniform.” said A’kilees, complimenting her. He took a moment to glance at her completely. She was indeed dressed up for this occasion and the saurian was taking a mental photograph of the moment as he thought it would be a while before witnessing such a rarity.

“This must be quite the meeting if you’re dressed up.” A’kilees said then he leaned in closer to whisper, “And if you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is going on here?”

==Tags==

[Sebastian Cortez]

[You are directed to report to the Briefing Room at 1430.]

Sebastian stared at the message for several seconds.

That was... unexpected.

The message was brief. No explanation. No mention of bringing his current assignment, no instructions to prepare a report, nothing that gave him even the slightest indication of why he was being summoned.

His first thought was that it had something to do with the previous mission.

It must be about my performance.

Sebastian frowned.

I did the best I could.

That didn't necessarily mean his best had been good enough.

Maybe he'd be reprimanded. Worse, maybe it would go into his service record.

His mind immediately began going through everything that had happened during the mission. The Musical Translation Matrix he'd developed with A'kilees had failed to perform as expected. That alone could have warranted a conversation.

Maybe someone got hurt because the translation failed.

He winced at the thought.

Perhaps he'd been too Terran-centric in his assumptions. He had designed the system around the Federation Standard alphabet, never fully considering that an alien civilization might organize its language around something completely different.

What if they thought we'd insulted them?

Sebastian sighed.

There was no point speculating. If he was going to be formally reprimanded, the least he could do was show up prepared and professional.

He made certain his uniform was clean and properly arranged before gathering his notes from the mission along with his PADD. He reviewed the material one last time, making sure he could explain his decisions if questioned.

Once satisfied that he was as prepared as he could be, Sebastian headed for Deck One.

The trip didn't take long.

When he reached the Briefing Room, he stopped outside the door and gave himself one final inspection.

Uniform straight, Boots clean, PADD in hand,   Nothing sloppy.

If his superiors were going to lecture him, he certainly wasn't going to give them another reason to add something to his service record.

Sebastian took a breath and entered.

He immediately recognized several of the people already inside.

Lieutenant Gath. Doctor O'Fee. Ensign Singer. And, thankfully, A'kilees.

Sebastian blinked.

Well... that can't be good.

He quietly made the sign of the cross.

Ay, por la Santísima Madre María, a todos nos están reprendiendo; todos trabajamos en la matriz de traducción. (Oh, by the Blessed Mother Mary, we are all getting reprimanded; we all worked on the translation matrix.)

Sebastian glanced around the room, trying to determine what everyone else knew that he apparently didn't.

Nobody looked particularly terrified.

That worried him even more.

He walked over to A'kilees and leaned slightly closer, keeping his voice low.

“How much trouble are we in?”



== Tag all.==

[Amila Ra'an]

Amila remembered when she was promoted from Midshipman to Ensign. It didn't feel so much like a promotion, but more like a graduation. A relief, like she was finally off of probation. Even though Captain Fields and the senior officers at the time - especially her department head and Morad had never given her a reason to feel like she wasn't a full member of the crew, something about the rank and being so fresh out of the Academy felt so tenuous to her - like she needed to prove something.

She was happy for the younger the officers. They were an enthusiastic bunch, and the Zephyr was lucky to have them on their crew. Though, unless Morad had heard something in the last twenty-four hours or so, they were still waiting hear if his CO position here was permanent, and if Captain Vakir would let them continue working together. Let her continue working under Morad's command. There hadn't been any clear indication that she wouldn't, but Amila knew that Keir had hir concerns. It would follow that others might too, including the Fleet Commander. Either way, Sebastian Cortez had been under her watch for at least two missions now, though the first one was cut short. She felt invested in him up until this point, and knew it was important that she be there for his promotion, though a quick ceremony while they were in the field.

Out of habit she smoothed the hair around her face with a quick tuck behind her ear as she drew closer to the briefing room doors, not stopping to pause as the doors opened automatically. She walked in to see a bigger crowd than she'd expected - Evie's sister and the sharp Ensign from Engineering. Amila hadn't looked at the promotion list that closely, she wouldn't be surprised if Raven had been on the list though.

She smiled warmly around the room. "Hey, everyone. I guess I didn't get the memo we were starting early."

== Tag any==

[Gath]

Gath was a little more relaxed than his typical self, but you had to know him to see it in his behavior. As Evie and her sister approached, a grin appeared on his face and a twinkle in his eye, "Looking good, ladies."

She asked, "Exciting day isn't it?"

Gath replied, "Well, it is now." He quickly added, "I enjoy attending such moments, especially in the company of those I respect. It is important to involve peers in such moments and this as a valuable part of our community we have developed here. Fortunately, this version doesn't involve pain sticks."


== NRC Ens Raven Singer ==

When A'kilees took notice of her uniform, she grinned and nodded, "Yes, it is a rare moment that I observe certain formalities, but I've actually been a Lieutenant before...twice in fact, so I can follow such traditions when I want to. It is amazing how much trouble you can get into if you strike a superior officer, even if they started it."

He then asked her what was going on and she smiled and began to kid with him, "Well, there are many traditions we still hang onto. Some are harder in space though. It isn't as easy to keel-haul a person, for example and there's no real purpose to walking a plank, since you simply float away from it as soon as the airlock opens, which really makes it hard to then be eaten by sharks, unless you fall to the surface of a planet first, in which case...well, you get the idea." She shrugged, "However, some traditions are still around, and this happens to be one of them."

Knowing that she had only managed to confuse A'kilees even more, she gave a chuckle and gave him a playful punch in the arm, "You're a good troop and I'm glad you're on the team."

[A’kilees]

Raven hadn’t answered his question at all and landed a playful yet hardy punch on his arm. The saurian rubbed the pain away as he tried to make any sense of what she had just told him. Something about sharks and walking the plank? Some strange human customs that he was definitely missing context for. A’kilees was then distracted however by the arrival of Sebastian. He watched as his fellow midshipman made the sign of the cross and made his way directly over to him, looking quite nervous.

“How much trouble are we in?” Sebastian asked quietly leaning in towards the saurian. A’kilees shook his head.

“I actually don’t think we’re in trouble of any sort actually” the saurian replied. “Everything seems so formal and public. If we were in any trouble this would have been a more private affair with the Commander and the First officer.” and A’kilees placed a clawed hand on Sebastian's back. “Relax Cortez, I’m sure that everything will be explained soon.

==Tag Sebastian Cortez et al.==

[Sebastian Cortez]

Sebastian looked at A’kilees, then glanced around the room again. The Saurian had a point. This didn't look much like a disciplinary hearing. There were too many people, and everything seemed far too formal.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Sebastian admitted, letting out a small breath.

He looked back at his friend.

"I just don't like being summoned somewhere without being told why. My mind immediately starts going through every stupid thing I might have done."

Sebastian gave A’kilees a sideways look.

"And before you say it, yes, I realize that's probably a very long list."

He couldn't help but smile.

A’kilees's confidence was reassuring, even if Sebastian wasn't quite ready to share it.

"All right, I'll trust you."

Sebastian straightened his uniform and took another breath.

"But if this turns out to be some kind of disciplinary hearing, I'm going to remind you that **you** were the one who told me not to worry."

He gave his friend a grin.

"And I expect you to defend me." Teased Sebastian.



== Tag A’kilees, Tag All. ==

[A’kilees]

“Oh I have no plans to defend you Sebastian.” A’kilees stated in a serious but obviously sarcastic tone looking away from his fellow midshipman. “It’s a court martial for you and shipped off to the nearest Federation prison colony *gurk* faster than you can say ‘isolinear processing chip’ that’s for certain.” This was followed by a brief moment of silence before A’kilees gave the human a slow glance down with his dark black emerald eyes. The saurian snorted, snickered and turned into a hearty jovial laugh which could only be described by non saurians as a loud raspy set of hissings.

Regardless of whatever was happening that afternoon, it just felt good to have a laugh. They had experienced moments of stress and anxieties and it was nice to just share a moment to unwind and enjoy everyone's company as they were hurtling through space towards their next rendezvous.

== Tag Sebastian Cortez et al. ==

[Sebastian Cortez]

Sebastian stared at A’kilees for several seconds, his expression becoming increasingly serious as the Saurian delivered his completely fabricated legal assessment.

“Really?”

He slowly nodded.

“I see how it is. All this time I thought we were friends.”

Sebastian placed a hand against his chest, feigning offense.

“And now, when my career is clearly hanging by a thread, you abandon me to the Federation prison system.”

He paused.

“Cold, A’kilees. Very cold.”

The Saurian's laughter only seemed to encourage him.

Sebastian shook his head, fighting back a grin.

“Fine. But when the security officers come to arrest me, I'm telling them you were the one who suggested the crime.”

He pointed at A’kilees.

“And when they ask what crime you committed, I'll tell them you committed it against the English language every time you say ‘isolinear processing chip.’”

Sebastian finally broke into laughter himself.

“Actually, that's probably worse than anything I could have done.”

He gave his friend a light bump with his shoulder.

“Besides, I know you wouldn't really let them take me.”

Sebastian glanced at him.

“You'd at least follow the prison transport long enough to make sure they didn't send me somewhere with terrible food.”

He paused thoughtfully.

“That's what friends are for.”

The grin returned.

“Although I'm beginning to think you're mostly keeping me around because I'm entertaining.”



== Tag A’kilees .==

[Evie O’Fee]

Gath replied, "Well, it is now." He quickly added, "I enjoy attending such moments, especially in the company of those I respect. It is important to involve peers in such moments and this as a valuable part of our community we have developed here. Fortunately, this version doesn't involve pain sticks."

Evie was on one side of Gath with Ava on the other, Evie knew the direction he was going. "It just goes to show the Federation is no fun, they don't do the Rite of Ascension no matter how much you ask." It would be surprising how many people would go through it if asked, it would also provide a good show for the troops as well. Amila gave a brief speech about being early.

"Imagine as Captain they would have to go through two sets of pain sticks, just like our ranks basically go up by half." She would have to go through five sets of pain sticks, it would be a challenge but worth it. "Are you looking forward to yours?" Evie had an evil grin. "Zero two dash five five six." All these years they still kept the original name for it.

==Tag==

[Gath]

Standing with the two sisters, one on each side of him, Gath's pulse had picked up a little. He hid it well, but Evie noticed it at his neck. She also picked up a tiny change in his breathing, but he was controlling it enough that it would go without notice to the untrained eye.

When Evie joked back with him about the pain sticked, he chuckled, "That would be interesting to see. I've gone through it myself. My family is not quite as enthusiastic about such rituals, but we at least participate where it is most influential." He nodded, "It certainly tests one's endurance. Pain itself can be mitigated to a degree, but the effects it has on the body are hard to deny. Brute strength gets you through the first few, but then it is having the stamina to endure and continue until the end. It is not for the weak of heart. Given your idea, there would very rarely be a Klingon Admiral."

Witnessing the banter between A'kilees and Cortez, Gath smiled. It was good to see such things. It wasn't all about battles and skill, it was often more about the relationships you formed along the way. A true warrior knew that it was relationships that gave you a reason to fight when others would give up. Things like hope, love and friendship were not weaknesses, they were what gave a person deep motivations and inner strength that was hard to come by in any other way.

With those thoughts running through his mind, he looked down for a moment to take stock of his own friendships and relationships that he held closely. He had lost many, but he was forming others that were showing great promise.

[Amila Ra'an]

Amila checked the time and realized that something must have been holding up both Morad and the Chief Engineer. Both Ensign Singer and A'kilees were here, so she hoped it wasn't anything too serious. She knew there had been a lot of power rerouting, and that their shuttle had taken quite a beating after the last mission, but the last she heard Amila thought that most of that had been squared away.

She had noticed that Sebastian had looked nervous at first, but seemed to be relaxing after talking to A'kilees for a bit. She smiled and thought that it must be nice to have someone coming up through the ranks with like that, and they seemed to be becoming good friends. Even though Amila had started on a much larger ship than the Zephyr, she hadn't known any other midshipmen when she joined. Her roommates had all already made ensign, though they were decent enough.

Amila walked over to A'kilees and Sebastian and gave each a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she said. "I've been meaning to check in with you both a bit more after that last mission. I'm sorry I haven't been as good about that as maybe I should have been," she admitted. "That was really pretty challenging for a first mission, I know. We kind of threw you into the fire. But you both did really well, really."

"How are you both feeling after all of that?" She asked.



==Tag Akilees, Cortez==

==OOC: She's mostly concerned about how they all almost died when the shuttle was going to explode, but anything is fair game.==

[Sebastian Cortez]

Sebastian returned Amila’s warm smile, though there was a hint of lingering tiredness in his expression. He shifted slightly in his seat, his hands coming together in front of him as he considered how to answer her question honestly without drawing too much attention to himself.

“Good afternoon, Lieutenant. Thank you. I appreciate you checking in with us.”

He glanced briefly at A’kilees before looking back at Amila.

“I think we’re doing all right. It was certainly a learning experience. There’s a difference between studying emergencies at the Academy and actually being there when things go wrong. You can understand the theory perfectly well, but applying it when the ship and its crew are depending on you is something else entirely.”

His smile faded slightly as the conversation turned toward the more personal side of the mission. He lowered his eyes for a moment, rubbing his thumb nervously against the side of his hand.

“The spacewalk was… difficult for me.”

He hesitated, visibly uncomfortable admitting it.

“I had a bout of claustrophobia. I know that probably sounds rather ridiculous, considering I was outside the ship, but being enclosed in the suit, with that limited field of view, made me feel trapped. I knew intellectually that I was safe as long as I followed procedure, but that didn't seem to matter much to my instincts at the time.”

Sebastian swallowed, his cheeks warming with embarrassment.

“Lieutenant Gath helped by arranging a clear helmet that gave me a much better view of my surroundings. That made a difference. A’kilees reminded me to breathe mindfully, which helped me get my thoughts under control, and Doctor O’Fee suggested focusing on the horizon instead of fixating on the suit around me.”

He glanced at A’kilees again, offering him a grateful but somewhat sheepish smile.

“I’m thankful they helped me through it. I really am. I just wish I hadn't needed quite so much help in the first place.”

The admission came quietly. Sebastian looked down at his hands, struggling to keep the embarrassment from showing too plainly.

“I’m a Starfleet officer. Well, a midshipman, technically, but you know what I mean. We're supposed to be able to function under pressure. And there I was, struggling with something as basic as keeping myself calm during a spacewalk.” He exhaled slowly. “I know that's probably an unfair way of looking at it, but it's difficult not to feel as though I should have handled it better.”

He paused, then continued in a more measured tone.

“Doctor O’Fee spoke with me after the mission and gave me some mental exercises to practice. I'm working on those. I don't want this to become something that interferes with my duties, and I certainly don't want anyone having to worry about whether I'll be able to do my part when things get difficult.”

There was no self-pity in his voice, only an earnest desire to prove himself. He was grateful for the support he'd received, but accepting that support was proving almost as difficult as the experience itself.

“Still, I suppose the important thing is that I completed the assignment. The people who helped me didn't make me feel incapable, even if I managed to do that to myself well enough.”

He gave a small, embarrassed laugh and finally looked up at Amila again.

“And I'm sorry if that sounds a little more personal than you were expecting when you asked how we were feeling.”

His expression softened into a more genuine smile.

“I am all right, Lieutenant. A little humbled, perhaps. But I'm learning, and I intend to keep working at it.”

He glanced toward A’kilees, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

“And fortunately, I have a friend who seems determined not to let me forget that remembering to breathe is sometimes a worthwhile skill.”

The lighthearted remark eased some of the tension in his shoulders, though the embarrassment hadn't entirely left his face.

“What about you, Lieutenant? How do you usually unwind after a mission like that? I'm beginning to think that learning how to recover afterward might be almost as important as learning how to handle the crisis itself.”



== Tag Ra'an and all. ==

[Amila Ra'an]

Amila nodded seriously with Sebastian. "We can talk about how I unwind, but first..."

"I remember, Sebastian. You confessed your clausterphobia to me before Gath stepped in," she reminded him. "It's perfectly normal for the Human brain to not remember everything in those particularly traumatizing moments too. Orions are wired much the same way. When you go into fight or flight - whether it's clausterphobia, or running up against a clock on a ship that's about to blow - different parts of our brains start to work. It's not always the logical part, but it's something that's meant to keep us alive."

"I learned that missing pieces of memory is also the brain trying to protect us. Keeps us from reliving the panic," she told him.

"My first mission - away mission was on a planet. It was honestly fun at first. We were split into groups, civillian clothes, trying to get information, and I was so into the role, the danger seemed far away, and I had no idea what we were about to face."

Amila looked over to A'kilees. "I was the only middy on the team."

"My team was doing well with finding leads. Actually, I was with Lieutenant Powl and Commander Ameen if you can believe that," she offered laughing softly. "The other teams too. When it came to a head we had all independently found ourselves in a warehouse of sorts and we caught these traffickers red-handed."

"Anyway, the point is, there were a lot of them. And when they pulled weapons - I froze. Froze."

Amila looked them both in the eyes so that they would recognize that she wasn't exagerrating. "I had a phaser in my boot. A knife too. I didn't pull either when I should have. It's a blur who stepped in front of me to cover while I got my bearings."

"I was so embarassed after. But the other point here is that it worked out," she said reassuringly. "The science chief had me immediately working on the cargo as soon as we got it back to the Titania."

"By chance, after that we took on some new crew and one of their officers who had no idea what I had gone through asked if I wanted to work on target practice for fun. How could I say no?" She laughed at the coincidence. "A couple of years later we were chasing down a time ship - one of my study interests. And I was a much different officer by then, and the Captain went right to me for my knowledge, even though I wasn't anywhere near chief yet."

She was simplifying the details for them. The details weren't important. What she was trying to do was let them know that every new officer has growing pains, can panic a time or two, but that it doesn't mean it has to be a negative mark on who they are as an officer.

"No one is going to doubt your abilities because you experienced clausterphobia in those unusual situations," she assured him. She turned to A'kilees, "Or that you grabbed a heat tool assuming it would work. Almost all tech we know of today - enemy and ally, that would have been the first tool we would have reached for."

"We all know that there is only so much the Academy teaches. And that there are some things that only years and experience can give to us," she assured them. "You are both going to keep getting the big assignments unless you do something to show us that you can't learn from your mistakes."

"But, I fully expect that you will be similating more spacewalks under proper desensitization guidance, and that all of us who were there will be more like to scan first, drill second."

"Yeah?"

"And after all that training... Karaoke?" She added to lighten the mood.


==Tag A'kilees and Cortez, though anyone can approach here.==

[A’kilees]

A’kilees listened to what Sebastian had to say for himself. He was quite pleased that Sebastian considered him a friend despite the differences of age, departments and species. A’kilees had been able to make a number of acquaintances during his time aboard the Zephyr but they were mostly reserved to the Engineering department as he was tasked with many of them performing his duties on the vessel. It was very heartening that he was able to build these new relationships with others of similar rank and experience. It also gave him hope that he would be able to build more friendly yet still professional connections with the higher officers.

When Amila recounted her first mission he found it to be very relatable to what they had previously experienced during the Broken Arrow mission. Confronted with a situation, both he and Sebastian had dealt with their own personal conflicts. It was comforting that Amila and the crew didn’t expect them to have perfect performances but rather to build themselves towards being better officers. Another thought reached the back of his mind as per what Amila mentioned. A’kilees hadn’t seen actual combat at this point during his tour and he began to wonder how exactly he would react under those circumstances.

This might be one of those training exercises that she would want us to simulate to prepare ourselves, A’kilees thought. A combat exercise might be in order later whenever he could get the chance.

Realizing that he had been silent this whole time, A’kilees cleared his throat for his reply to Amila.

“It’s as you and Sebastian say, Lieutenant. Four or more years at the Academy can only help you to study, train and run simulations to prepare us, but encountering a real time situation for the first time can be jarring, even when working alongside a seasoned and well experienced crew, especially when the commanding officer decides your plan is the best course of action.”

The saurian glanced away from the two slightly, looking for the right words while scratching at his scaly jaw with his claw. He was referring to himself of course, he had proposed the spacewalk in front of the whole crew during the initial stages of planning. Amila and Sebastain would be well aware of that fact as both were present during the open discussion on the bridge.

“To be truthfully honest, I was swept up in all the commotion of the mission myself, much like yourself. It was only afterwards when I volunteered myself for the away team I was suddenly very conscious of myself and had a lot of self doubt due to my hastiness.” A’kilees admitted glancing towards the Orion officer. “Sure, taking a moment to collect myself before taking the shuttle helped calm my nerves but I became too focused on the task at hand rather than considering any other external problems. I went around the protocol and I made errors which thankfully didn’t harm any of the away team.”

A’kilees looked back towards the both of them.

“Luckily, we came out of that mission unscathed but more the wiser. I’m thankful for all the support that came from after the mission though. I’ve been working closely with Lieutenant Keir keeping the ship in order, I’ve had different training opportunities with Raven and I’ve developed closer relationships with you, Sebastian and the rest of the crew to which I value everyone's experience and expertise.”

A’kilees paused for a moment.

“And you both don’t even want to know what a saurian singing sounds like." he advised while crossing his arms. "There are just some things a universal translator just shouldn’t interpret.”

== Tag Amila Ra'an, Sebastian Cortez et al. ==

[Morad Ameen]

The briefing room doors slid open with a soft hiss, and Acting Commanding Officer Morad Ameen stepped inside, flanked by a quiet, professional presence. His Captain's Yeoman, Hannah Jensen, followed step-for-step right behind him, her posture immaculate as she shadowed his movement and stationed herself a discreet half-pace behind his right shoulder. Morad carried a crisp Starfleet data-slate tucked firmly under his arm.

The low murmur of conversation among the assembled officers dropped instantly into a respectful hush. Morad let his dark eyes sweep over the room, taking in the varied expressions, from Evie O’Fee’s calm readiness and Gath’s relaxed grin to Sebastian Cortez’s rigidly squared shoulders and A’kilees standing tall, both of them still looking like men waiting to hear the drop of an axe. Amila stood nearby, offering him a warm, knowing look that softened the severe lines of command.

Morad walked up to the head of the briefing table, setting his slate down with a quiet tap. He didn't smile right away, maintaining that characteristic, steady captain's gravity for just a beat too long, just enough to let Cortez sweat a little more.

"At ease, everyone," Morad finally said, his deep voice carrying easily across the room. A slow, knowing smirk broke the corners of his mouth. "Relax, Midshipman Cortez. I promise you, nobody is getting shipped off to a Federation prison colony today, though if A'kilees tries to explain saurian singing to anyone else on an open comms channel, we might have to review fleet regulations."

He picked up the slate, his expression shifting from playful to genuinely appreciative as he looked out across the crew.

"We talk a lot about survival on this ship, about EPS conduits holding under pressure, hull seals keeping the vacuum at bay, and emergency jury-rigs buying us precious seconds against a ticking clock. But a ship like the Zephyr doesn't survive because of titanium bulkheads or thirty-year-old spaceframes. It survives because of the people sitting at these consoles, pushing past their limits when things go sideways."

Morad stepped around the table, stopping directly in front of Sebastian and A'kilees.

"Midshipman Cortez. Midshipman A'kilees," Morad said, his tone turning crisp and formal. "During our recent operations, from engineering triage and managing high-stress EVA runs under pressure, to navigating complex spatial and technical problems, both of you demonstrated the exact kind of cool-headed ingenuity Starfleet relies on. You stepped into the fire, you faced down your own walls, and you delivered."

He tapped the slate, syncing with their service records to formally log the advancement.

"Effective immediately, it is my privilege to promote both of you to Lieutenant Junior Grade. Wear those pips with pride; you've more than earned every millimeter of them."

Morad offered each of them a firm, approving nod and a handshake. As he turned back toward the head of the table, Yeoman Jensen leaned in close, her hand coming up to shield her mouth as she murmured a brief, urgent update directly into his ear.

Morad’s expression tightened just a fraction, the briefest flicker of command urgency replacing the warmth in his eyes. He straightened up, giving Hannah a curt nod before looking back out at the room.

"I wish I could stay and celebrate this properly with all of you," Morad said, his voice dropping into a tone of genuine regret, "but unfortunately, I'm needed elsewhere on the ship right now. Briefing's adjourned."

Without another word, Morad turned on his heel and strode out of the briefing room, Yeoman Jensen falling back into step immediately behind him as the heavy doors hissed shut in their wake.

[Gath]

Before the CO had arrived, Gath stepped closer to the conversation with the two guests of honor. Most people would expect a Klingon to bring harsh words of barbaric bravery, but his tone was relatively soft and empathetic when he began.

"Sebastian, before joining Star Fleet, I had relatively little experience in EVA and freefall environments. The Academy tries to introduce such training to you, but we quickly discover that they are only opening the door to expose you to what you're going to need to learn more about. I learned about suit modifications and what choices are best for different situations by living through them. It was trial and error for me as well. I learned things like what to look at and what not to look at, but also how to stay as safe as possible. I can't see a threat, if I can't see."

Looking to A'kilees, "None of us could have know that a 100,000 year old ship was built like a floating bomb. There was no database, no manual and no indication of what we were getting into. You didn't do anything wrong, but you now will have experience to draw on that will remind you to look as deeply as you can before you begin. Even then, things can and will go wrong. That's why you weren't alone. We were all at risk, but very often it is the buddy system that will save you if something happens. Someone to grab you when you fall, cover you when there is sudden incoming fire, or even to just offer a hand on a shoulder to remind you that you're not doing it alone."

"You both will be tossed into as much trouble as we can find for you. That's on purpose. Don't shy away from it, embrace it. We're trying to do everything we can to expose you to the reality of the job and give you real training that will matter for the rest of your lives. It is also why there will always be someone else with you. We try to make it one of the senior officers when possible, but it isn't because we are babysitting you or don't trust you. It is because we might see something or be able to react in a way that you have not encountered yet." Gath smiled at A'kilees, "Like my use of a glorified can opener instead of a phaser. I try to never leave home without mine." He gave a wink.

Continuing to look back and forth between the two, Gath continued, "I tell you what, I'm going to arrange for some training time with the both of you as part of your duty schedules. It will go through your department scheduling and be entirely official. We're going to get you some simulation training, both in and out of EVA suits, but  we've identified some areas that need training. Sometimes the best thing is simply doing it enough in a controlled environment to get you accustomed to the situation. You don't always lose that feeling of butterflies in your belly, but you CAN teach them to fly in formation. I have a number of programs that I run. Some are simple obstacle course exercises to help with the spacial disorientation and such of EVA use. Other situations can turn hostile without warning. I have no intention of telling you what they will be in advance, as that would ruin some of the fun. You'll both be selecting your own gear, so it will be a crash course in that as well."

Gath's smile widened and he lifted an eyebrow a couple of times in a humorous way, "Sounds like fun, right?"

The CO walked in and Gath quickly spun, in a perfect facing maneuver, to face the CO and mumbled, "Show time..." and turned all business.

== After the CO leaves... ==

Gath offered each a firm handshake and congratulated them both. Others quickly stepped up and did the same. There were lots of smiles and statements of encouragement from all of the friends and co-workers who had arrived. It was only then that they realized that the entire gathering had been just to honor them and to be part of their moment. These people were all here for them. A quick look around and they realized that the room was practically overflowing with crew members who had snuck away from their duties to share it with them.

[Amila Ra'an]

Amila furrowed her brow as the Commander hurried off after issuing the promotions. What could possibly be going on that he had to be in and out so quickly? Not that she could say that it was any of her business. Most of the senior staff were here.

She watched him leave for a brief, regretful moment, then quickly smiled before turning back to the two newly minted junior-grades.

"Congratulations, Lieutenants!" She said brightly, first extending a hand to her science officer, then to A'kilees.

[Sebastian Cortez]

Sebastian listened to Amila's story in silence, his expression thoughtful. Hearing that someone as capable and experienced as Lieutenant Ra'an had once frozen under pressure helped put his own experience into perspective. It didn't erase the embarrassment he felt about the spacewalk, but it reminded him that a difficult first experience didn't have to define the rest of his career.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I appreciate you sharing that with us. I suppose it's easier to be understanding when you're looking at someone else's experience rather than your own."

He gave a small, rueful smile, briefly looking down at his hands.

"I know I can't change what happened out there, and I intend to do the training necessary to make sure I'm better prepared next time. But I keep thinking about how much help I needed just to get through the spacewalk. Lieutenant Gath gave me a clear helmet, A'kilees helped me focus on my breathing, and Doctor O'Fee gave me exercises to work on afterward. I'm grateful to all of them, but part of me wishes I'd been able to handle it better on my own."

He looked back at Amila, his expression earnest rather than defeated.

"I want to be someone the crew can count on, especially when things go wrong. I know one bad experience doesn't make me incapable, but it's going to take some time before I stop second-guessing myself over it."

A'kilees's remark about saurian singing earned a genuine chuckle from Sebastian, easing some of the tension.

"Now you've made me curious, which I suspect was a tactical error on your part. I might have to insist on a demonstration at karaoke, just to see whether the universal translator really does have limits."

The amusement was still on his face when the briefing room doors opened and Acting Captain Ameen entered. Sebastian straightened instinctively, his attention shifting to the captain and the data-slate tucked beneath his arm. Whatever the purpose of the meeting, he had a feeling he was about to find out.

At Ameen's opening remarks, Sebastian managed a tentative smile. The reference to a Federation prison colony did little to settle his nerves until the captain's expression softened.

"Understood, Captain," he replied, maintaining his professional posture.

He listened as Ameen spoke about the crew, the ship, and the people who kept the Zephyr functioning under pressure. Sebastian took pride in what they had accomplished together. He had contributed to the technical challenges of the mission, and he knew his scientific and analytical work had value. Still, the memory of the spacewalk remained in the back of his mind, a reminder that there were areas in which he needed to improve.

Then Ameen stopped in front of him and A'kilees.

When the captain announced their promotions, Sebastian stared at him for a moment, the words taking a second to register.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade, sir?"

Surprise gave way to a mixture of pride and uncertainty. He glanced at A'kilees, sharing a moment of mutual disbelief with his friend, before looking back at Ameen.

"Thank you, Captain. I'm honored."

He accepted the offered handshake, returning it firmly, but hesitated before continuing.

"If I may be honest, sir, I know there are things I still need to work on. My performance during the EVA wasn't what I wanted it to be, and I don't intend to let that experience go unaddressed. I'll complete the additional training and keep working on managing my claustrophobia."

He paused, choosing his next words carefully.

"I want to live up to the confidence you're placing in me. I suppose I'm still learning to see that experience as something I can grow from rather than something that diminishes the work I did elsewhere."

He gave Ameen a respectful nod, accepting the promotion without further protest. He trusted the captain to make his own assessment, even if Sebastian would need time to reconcile that judgment with his own feelings about the mission.

As Ameen turned away following the brief exchange with Yeoman Jensen, Sebastian glanced down at the new insignia. The promotion was real. He was proud of it, even if a small part of him wondered whether he had quite earned it yet. Perhaps, he thought, that was all the more reason to take the responsibility seriously.

He turned toward A'kilees, a more relaxed smile finally appearing.

"Congratulations, Lieutenant. Looks like we're both going to have to get used to answering to a new rank."

He offered his friend a warm, genuine handshake.

"I'm glad we're doing this together. I think we'll both have plenty to learn, and I can't think of many people I'd rather have alongside me while we figure it out."

He glanced toward Amila, his smile turning a little more mischievous.

"And I believe this makes karaoke an official celebration rather than a disciplinary exercise. Though, after hearing A'kilees's warning, I think we should establish some safety protocols first."

His humor came more naturally now. He wasn't suddenly free of his doubts, but he was beginning to accept that he didn't have to be perfect to keep moving forward. He had earned a chance to prove himself at the next rank, and he intended to make the most of it.



== Tag All.==

[Amila Ra'an]

"And I believe this makes karaoke an official celebration rather than a disciplinary exercise. Though, after hearing A'kilees's warning, I think we should establish some safety protocols first."

Amila smiled at Sebastian's suggestion.

"I do think that's a great idea, though I'm not sure about the U-T," her apprehension on the universal translator coming through as sincere. "I mean, I tend to appreciate Klingon opera more without it, even though I only understand a little bit of what is being sang. I can still appreciate the musical beauty of it. Though honestly, their ballads are really where it's at, and why I started to try to learn a little in the first place."

==Tag Any==