Teasing Promotion

Posted on Fri Oct 13th, 2017 @ 1:53am by Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Commander T'Pral Jordan

Mission: When Iconians Deserve to Die
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: After Escape from Artan Orbital Fortress

Now that the Hera was finally underway, Enalia had one bit of business she had to take care of that was overdue. "Computer, please inform Lieutenant T'Pral Jordan that I need to see her in my office immediately." She then checked in her desk for the right little black box to make sure it was still ready. It was so she set it on her desk behind her computer terminal and pulled up the orders and waited.

A moment later, T'Pral entered the ready room from the bridge. "You wanted to see me, Captain," T'Pral asked, wondering what the captain wanted as she had been running a diagnostic of the Weapons Systems of the Hera.

"T'Pral, I need to discuss your work performance as of late." Palming the tiny black box, Enalia stood and walked around her desk as seriously as she could. "You're aware of my expectations, yes?"

"Yes ma'am," T'Pral began. "If I have failed in your expectations, could I inquire as to how I did so?"

"Failed? Failed?"Enalia feigned exasperation as she stepped in front of T'Pral. "You've not failed at all. You've so far exceeded every one of them in such a way as to make everyone around you look like bumbling idiots! Your actions reflect well upon you, your ship and your crew. Do you know what this means? Do you have any idea what this means?" Enalia asked, feigning further frustration, shaking that tiny black box mere inches from T'Pral's chin.

Not giving her a chance to respond, Enalia popped that box open and looked in surprise at the contents. "Oh! You're out of uniform! That's what it means." Pulling the black pip out of it, she pinned it to T'Pral's collar. "I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, effective immediately. Congratulations."

T'Pral hadn't been expecting the promotion and fought to suppress a smile which came out as a grin. "Thank you, Captain. I am honored and will continue to exceed your expectations."

"Thank you," Enalia replied, not holding back her grin. "My expectations are a bit higher now though. Especially with all that's going on. You and Clio may be the only ones with a shot at getting close enough to kill the Master in hand to hand combat."

T'Pral nodded. "I will not fail you, Captain." This Master was an evasive and dangerous person that needed to be stopped.

"Thank you," Enalia replied, heading back around behind her desk. "Normally we'd hold a promotion ceremony with champagne and cake, but unfortunately we're going to have to delay such festivities, if that's ok with you. Honestly, I can't remember a time we've actually been able to celebrate the promotion of a commander on the day they were promoted on this ship, to be honest. Some mission always gets in the way."

"I understand, Captain. The mission should always come before personal celebrations," T'Pral replied, relieved at not having a ceremony for her promotion.

The Captain studied T'Pral a moment before sitting back down. Sometimes Vulcans were infuriatingly unreadable with their granite-like expressions and even the ones that let their emotions show now and then like this one were as stoic as the best of them. She'd have to get a clue another way as to if T'Pral actually wanted a promotion ceremony or if she preferred a small gathering later. Or maybe she could find out now... Slyly, she grinned. "I'll have the kitchens start preparing a one hundred fifty layer cake in the shape of a hellhound in your honor as soon as you cut off the Master's head. How about that?"

T'Pral raised an eyebrow at the mention of a one-hundred fifty layer cake. "That will not be necessary, Captain. I am sure the kitchen staff have better things to do. A celebration to mark the successful completion of the mission would be adequate, but I, personally do not require a celebration."

"Mint frosting it is then," Enalia teased further, a bit of a gleam in her eye. "Don't worry, we'll worry about celebrations after the Master is dealt with. I know better than to count my chickens before they're hatched. Now head back to work Commander - there's still a lot to do before we arrive."

T'Pral sighed inwardly--she hated being the center of attention. "Aye, Captain," she replied before turning and exiting the room.

Enalia sighed audibly after T'Pral exited her office. One more important piece of business taken care of. She enjoyed teasing her Security Chief, but she knew T'Pral wouldn't have wanted a public spectacle of her promotion, which is why she had done it in her office, rather than on the bridge. As for the cake... If they survived this next mission, that would be reason enough to celebrate.

Sighing again, Enalia toggled her desk terminal screens back on and buckled down to work.