Mentoring Session

Posted on 09 Aug 2026 @ 7:47pm by Lieutenant Commander Sandra Boren & Lieutenant Ryan Collingway

1,457 words; about a 7 minute read

"Lieutenant Collingway, Commander Batenburg, contacted me regarding the possibility of serving as your mentor. I would be pleased to assist, should you still be interested. Please let me know a suitable day and time for an initial subspace meeting. We can use that opportunity to discuss your goals, the expectations Commander Batenburg has outlined, and determine how best to structure our sessions. I look forward to speaking with you. Lieutenant Commander Sandra Boren."

///CEO's office////

The next day, Ryan had set up a time and place for the transmission, then made sure that he wouldn't be disturbed unless it was an emergency.

It had been months since he had last spoken with Commander Boren. She had been the first to welcome him on board that ship, without hesitation. Ryan had appreciated that kindness at the time.

Ryan leaned against the desk as the small viewscreen clicked to life. "Commander Boren," he greeted sincerely. "I hope you're feeling better since our last mission together." He had been an Ensign at the time, and wasn't too informed about the injury which had sent her to Starbase 369. Only that it was serious.

/// Boren Quarters ////

Sandra sat behind the desk in her quarters, a steaming mug of tea within easy reach. It was time for her first mentoring session with Lieutenant Ryan Collingway. Part of her looked forward to it. Another part found the occasion bittersweet.

Mentoring a promising young engineer was exactly the sort of responsibility she would have embraced aboard the Arawyn. Instead, she remained on Starbase 369, her assignment limited, while Starfleet Medical continued evaluating the experimental implant she had designed. She drew a slow breath and let the thought pass. This meeting was not about her. It was about helping Ryan become the officer the Arawyn needed.

Everything fits. Otherwise, we'll make it fit. Her mother's family motto had endured for generations. It had carried her through Academy exams, impossible engineering casualties and, more recently, months of rehabilitation. It would serve her now as well.

A soft chime announced the incoming call. "On screen."

The Starfleet delta dissolved into the familiar face of Lieutenant Ryan Collingway.

"Lieutenant," Sandra said with a welcoming nod. She listened to Collingway's greeting and question.

"I finally managed to convince Starfleet Medical that I wouldn't collapse the moment I stepped outside Sickbay. I consider that a victory." A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"It's good to see you again." She studied him for a moment. There was something different about him. More confidence than she remembered, though traces of uncertainty still lingered beneath the surface. Command had a way of changing people. "I've been reading the Arawyn's reports with interest. It sounds as though you've had an... eventful few weeks."

She lifted her mug before continuing. "And congratulations on your promotion. Chief Engineer is a demanding chair to occupy. I imagine Commander Batenburg has already made that abundantly clear." Sandra leaned back slightly. "So... how have you been, Ryan? Not the official report. I'd rather hear your version."

"Thank you. I've been....tense," he admitted. "The attack in engineering and Commander Harlan proved that everything can change in a second. And on the last away mission, my entire existence changed based on the whims of a teenager. It's a lot to take in. Having normalcy is kind of strange for me right now."

"That's what I mentioned to Commander Batenburg. Lately, I've been more prone to reacting over thinking, which can lead to mistakes. I'm trying to get out of that mindset."

Sandra nodded as she listened to Collingway. A faint, almost sly smile crossed her features. "This is Starfleet, Ryan. Weird is part of the job." The smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. "But I do understand. Especially in Engineering, it can be difficult to keep up with everything happening around you. When something goes wrong, everyone expects Engineering to respond immediately, whether you have all the information you would like or not."

She reached for her tea, but did not drink from it. "There is a fine balance between reacting quickly and reacting impulsively. There will be situations where immediate action is the only appropriate response. A coolant leak, a containment failure, someone trapped behind a bulkhead. You act because waiting for more information would make the situation worse."

She paused for a moment. "The difficult part is recognising when you have those extra few seconds to stop and think before committing yourself and your people to a course of action. Sometimes all you need is one question. What do I know? What am I assuming? What happens if I'm wrong?"

Sandra gave him a sympathetic look. "And unfortunately, learning to recognise that moment usually comes from experience. Which is a polite way of saying that most of us learned it by getting things wrong occasionally." She leaned back slightly. "What you described interests me, though. You said you've become more prone to reacting lately. Was that also happening before Commander Harlan was injured, or did you notice the change after you suddenly found yourself responsible for Engineering?"

"Perhaps I've always been a bit like that," Ryan admitted. "But I've been more aware of it after I took responsibility for Engineering."

"You're right. I guess I'm worried about getting things wrong and making a mistake," Ryan said with a frown. "The Captain has made it clear that this is an acting assignment. Meaning that this position could easily go to someone else if I screw up. But it's more than just that. The engineering team is also still feeling the after effects of what happened to Commander Harlan. On our last mission, you should have seen the tension when red alert was being called. I don't want to let them down by making mistakes, either."

Sandra listened without interrupting, giving him a moment after he finished before answering. "Self-awareness is an important quality in any leader. Recognising a weakness, asking for help and then doing something about it are leadership qualities as well. The Captain has obviously seen something in you, Ryan, or you wouldn't be sitting in that chair in the first place." She picked up her mug and took a small sip. "And yes, it is an acting assignment. You should take that seriously. But don't make the mistake of treating every decision as an examination you have to pass. If you're constantly worried that one wrong decision will cost you the position, you'll either hesitate when you need to act or try too hard to prove that you deserve to be there. Neither will help your people."

Sandra considered his remarks about the engineering team. "They don't need you to be Commander Harlan. And they certainly don't need you to be perfect. They need to know that when something goes wrong, you'll make the best decision you can with the information available, listen when someone knows something you don't, and take responsibility for the outcome." A faint smile crossed her features. "I took several leadership courses during one semester at the Academy. Strongly recommended by my parents." The emphasis she placed on the words suggested there had been rather little choice involved. "I wasn't particularly enthusiastic about them at the time. I wanted to be an engineer, not sit in a classroom discussing how to manage other engineers."

She gave a small shrug. "Years later, when I became Chief Engineer, I was rather grateful they'd insisted." Sandra leaned forward slightly. "I'd recommend you take one or two of those courses remotely. Not because I think you lack leadership ability. You haven't had much formal preparation for this part of the job. There is more to running Engineering than knowing the systems. Setting expectations, establishing priorities, developing people, delegating authority, resolving conflicts and understanding when someone needs direction rather than another technical solution. Those skills deserve the same attention you've given your engineering skills."

She set the mug down. "And we can work on the other part together. I can put you through some holodeck scenarios. Engineering casualties, personnel problems, conflicting priorities, incomplete information. Situations where there isn't necessarily a correct answer." The faint smile returned. "I'll even promise not to blow up the ship every time you make the wrong decision."

Sandra paused. "Most of the time."

"I would appreciate that," Ryan said, brightening. It was one thing to talk to the crew or Doctor Emerson. But talking to an experienced Chief Engineer who had been in his shoes was another thing entirely, and it was already starting to help. "Thank you, Commander. I think that would make a big difference."

Lieutenant Ryan Collingway
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Arawyn

LtCmdr Sandra Boren
ELOA Engineering Officer
Everything fits, otherwise we'll make it fit!

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