The Short List
Posted on 02 Nov 2025 @ 12:56am by Vice Admiral Sidra MacLaren & Commander Suzanna Batenburg
Edited on on 02 Nov 2025 @ 12:58am
1,918 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
After Tarvik
Location: SB 369 - Fleet Command
// Fleet Command Offices - SB 369 //
The message from Arawyn was short and to the point: Commander Holt had resigned, effective immediately.
Sidra read it twice, jaw tightening. The ship was already en route, less than a day out. That left no time to breathe, let alone replace an executive officer.
Holt gone. The ship still green. Command chemistry barely set. This needed to be worked through quickly.
She ran through names, trusted officers, possible candidates, but the list was thin. Too thin. Most were already where they needed to be.
Pushing back from her desk, she crossed the command ring with brisk purpose. When she couldn’t find the answer in a roster list, she went to someone who had decades of experience that shadowed hers.
The plaque beside the door read: Vice Admiral Suzanna Blokpoel, Fleet Science Officer.
Sidra drew a steadying breath, straightened her jacket, she nodded at the Yeoman for confirmation, and pressed the chime.
The doors slid open.
"Admiral," Suzanna looked up, only MacLaren would have been the only one that would get passed her yeoman. She got to her feet and nodded in greeting. "Please take a seat, how may I be of service?"
Sidra stepped inside, taking the proffered seat, posture straight but easy. “I appreciate your time. I’ve just received word from Arawyn, their executive officer has resigned while en route. We’ll need to find a replacement before they arrive, and I’m hoping you have some experienced officers in a pocket”
Suzanna raised an eyebrow at the news, Holt hadn't been there long, but it was not her place to speculate, nor had she known Holt. She thought for a long moment, ideally, a CO would be given a selection of candidates to chose from but nowadays, Starfleet did not have that luxury. It would take another generation before they were back at full strength with plenty of officers in the pool to chose from.
What they needed was someone from on the base, or nearby, and those nearby were busy. All the senior officers on the Arawyn were too young and too inexperienced to step up. "There is one person that comes to mind, however, I am not sure if she would volunteer for the job. Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg." She leant back in her chair and started to give some background on her to MacLaren. " She is half Vulcan, was a Captain on Erasmus more than 25 years ago, on their first mission, they answered a distress call from a planet. While there, the planet suddenly exploded without any warning. Only about 600 people had been beamed of the planet, the Erasmus heavily damaged by debris while fleeing the shock wave, half the crew perished."
Sidra sat back thoughtfully, it had been a couple of decades and she hadn’t taken up a command again. “Happy in science?” She questioned.
Tilting her head, Sidra absorbed the name and the story behind it. “That kind of loss leaves a mark. Some officers never step back into command after something like that.” Her gaze lifted. “If she stayed in uniform this long, that says something.”
“Is she here on station now? I’d be interested in talking to her.” MacLaren asked.
"She wanted to resign, I refused and sent her on ELOA. It did mean she was recalled after the Battle for Earth. She was not impressed with that," Suzanna replied, "She insisted on a demotion to Commander and did not want to be in command of a ship. She has steadfast refused any promotion. Commander Batenburg is on the station, she has been on my Science Staff since she returned to Starfleet." Suzanna concluded the history.
Sidra listened quietly, absorbing the history. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard of an officer stepping back after loss, but staying in uniform spoke volumes.
“She sounds like someone who knows her limits,” Sidra said. “That’s not a weakness. Corbin doesn’t need ambition right now; she needs stability.”
She nodded once, decision settling. “If you’re willing, I’d appreciate an introduction. It’ll go smoother coming from someone she trusts.”
A faint curve touched her lips. “You know how officers get when Fleet Command comes knocking.”
Suzanna nodded, "she doesn't see it this way, but almost any other Captain would not have returned with any ship after what happened. It is a testament to her ability that she returned with as many as she did." She knew herself that there were times that Vulcan logic had no chance to convince its human half when emotions ran that deep. "She will be missed on my staff, but she has trained her team well."
Sidra smirked wryly, “Well, she hasn’t even accepted yet. Let’s see what she has to say.”
"Would you like me to call her now?" Suzanna asked.
“Yes, if this doesn’t work out, I’m back to square one. The problem with being so far out, it will be days before we can get anyone not on this base.” Sidra reflected, “It would be nice to have someone Corbin can meet with when Arawyn arrives.”
Suzanna nodded and tapped her comm badge, "Blokpoel to Batenburg, please report to my office."
"On my way, Admiral." Came the crisp reply.
A few minutes later, the doors to her office opened after Yeoman Cherbourg had pressed the button, and Batenburg walked in. "Admiral," she nodded in greeting," only her quick reactions avoided her doing a double take, "And Admiral," she also nodded to Maclaren. "How may I be of service?"
It had just been a touch, a hint of a reaction, but Batenburg hid it well. Sidra had made a career of watching for reactions and anticipating the next move. She suppressed a smirk at the observation.
Indicating the chair next to her across from Suzanna’s desk, she said, “Commander, thank you for the quick reply. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
She waited until Batenburg had settled in, hand brushing her knee of lint as she composed her next lines. “We are in a situation that I hope you’re open to hearing about.” Sidra explained, “The Arawyn is returning here shortly and will be missing a key piece of her command team. The XO has resigned.”
Batenburg sat down and nodded in acknowledgement "And you, Admiral." She wondered what was up, being called to Blokpoel's office was nothing out of the ordinary, but that the Fleet Commander was there was not. Thankfully, she did not beat around the bush, on the news about the resignation of the XO, her breath stocked for a split second, then she raised an eyebrow, looked at MacLaren, then Blokpoel and then MacLaren again. She could figure out why they were telling her that, but she was happy where she was, so she said nothing for now.
Sidra caught the subtle flicker in Batenburg’s expression, the pause in her breath, the faint tightening of her shoulders. Noted, but not pressed.
“I understand you’re settled here,” Sidra began, her voice even, almost conversational. “And I know what it means to find a place where the work fits.” She folded her hands on top of her crossed legs, posture relaxed but attentive. “That’s exactly why I wanted this conversation to happen face to face.”
Her gaze met Batenburg’s. “Arawyn isn’t looking for someone chasing the center seat. Captain Corbin needs a partner, someone steady, deliberate, with the kind of judgment that only comes from years of doing this the hard way.”
Sidra let that hang for a moment, then added, quieter, “Your background in Science could be a nice partner to Corbin, especially on an exploration ship.”
She leaned back slightly, tone softening. “I’d like to know what you think, Commander. Whether this is something you could see yourself considering.”
Her expression was open, not demanding, an invitation rather than an order.
Her logical part might have been interested, and appreciated the way MacLaren was talking. Her human half was close to having a panic attack. "I am not certain, Admiral."
“This is a lot to assault someone with in an afternoon, out of the blue.” MacLaren conceded in understanding. “What can I answer for you Commander?” She clarified, “Let’s talk about the negatives and why you don’t want to consider.”
Batenburg nodded in acknowledgement, it had been a big surprise to be more or less offered an XO position on a ship. She took a long moment to think about the question, "I do not believe I am suited for such a position on a ship. I may have served on one, but that was several decades ago."
Sidra inclined her head slightly, acknowledging the honesty. “That’s fair,” she said quietly. “Time changes what we’re willing to take on. And it’s not lost on me that you’ve chosen to serve in other ways since then.”
Her gaze shifted briefly to Blokpoel before returning to Batenburg. “But Admiral Blokpoel doesn’t put names forward lightly. When she recommends someone, I listen.”
She leaned forward slightly, hands resting loosely on her knee. “You’ve stayed in Starfleet when many didn’t. That tells me you know how to bend without breaking. The Arawyn could use that kind of balance right now, Corbin especially.”
Sidra let the words settle, her voice steady but without pressure. “No one’s asking for a lifelong post. Just your experience, for as long as you’re willing to offer it.”
Then, softer, “What would make it worth considering, Commander?”
Batenburg looked from MacLaren to Blokpoel and then back to MacLaren. "I did not want to stay, but Admiral Blokpoel refused my resignation, and I was recalled to service after the Battle for Earth," she clarified. It was her human half more talking now. What had surprised her was that she was that it seemed more like a negotiation. That never happened before in Starfleet. She had to consider it for a moment. "A guarantee that I can return to Admiral Blokpoel's office upon completion."
“Done.” Sidra smiled; the concession was easier than she had anticipated. “Will you meet with Corbin when the Arawyn arrives? I’d like her say before I push another XO on her.”
The needs of the many, the needs of the many, the needs of the many….. her Vulcan half was repeating the mantra over and over again, it was about the only thing it could do to silence her panicking human half. “Yes, I will make my final decision upon meeting her.” She replied. The last thing she wanted is being in a place she didn’t want to be, working for a CO she didn’t get along with or respected.
Sidra nodded, happy to hear that, though she would probably still keep up the search just in case. "That is all I can ask for Commander. I want a good fit for that ship. I'm confident in Corbin, but she needs good support and the crew is mostly young." Her eyes went to Blokpoel, having read in the report of her own daughter coming back injured, something they hadn't had time to discuss. MacLaren stood to take her leave. "Thank you Commander, Admiral."
Both Blokpoel and Batenburg stood and nodded in greeting, “Admiral,” they both said in unison as MacLaren stood.
Commander Suzanna Batenburg
Science Officer
VAdm Suzanna Blokpoel
Fleet Science Officer
VAdm Sidra MacLaren
Fleet Commander
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