The Measure of the Crew

Posted on 14 Jan 2026 @ 5:55pm by Commander Suzanna Batenburg & Captain Sabrina Corbin

1,666 words; about a 8 minute read

Sabrina remained at the edge of the captain’s chair on the bridge, PADD in hand, reviewing the agenda she had sent earlier that afternoon.

It was intentionally brief. Afternoon touch bases worked best when they were anchored, not crowded.

Crew performance.
Engineering transition. Evans transferring off the Arawyn. Harlan coming aboard.
Shoreleave planning.
And finally, Batenburg herself. How she was feeling after the mission.

She lowered the PADD and looked forward again, letting the steady rhythm of the bridge settle around her. The ship was quiet in the way it tended to be after sustained effort. Not exhausted, but attentive. The kind of calm that made space for assessment rather than reaction.

Sabrina tapped her comm.

“Merrick,” she said evenly. “Please set the ready room for my afternoon meeting with Commander Batenburg. Tea service, two settings.”

He would already have the meeting on her calendar. She did not need to elaborate.

The confirmation came back promptly, and she closed the channel, returning her focus to the bridge. She stayed where she was, hands resting lightly at her sides, allowing the minutes to pass without pressing them.

Having an XO like Batenburg had changed the texture of command in ways Sabrina valued. Conversations were clearer. Decisions felt more complete once spoken aloud. There was confidence in knowing she could think out loud without having to carry the weight alone.

The turbolift doors opened behind her.

Sabrina turned as Commander Batenburg stepped onto the bridge, posture composed, expression attentive. No rush. No tension. Just the quiet acknowledgment of a shared appointment.

“Commander,” Sabrina said, with a small nod. “Shall we?”

Batenburg fell in beside her without hesitation, and together they headed toward the ready room, the bridge resuming its quiet watch as the doors slid shut behind them.

The ready room would be waiting.

"Yes, Captain," Suzanna replied and nodded in greeting as she crossed the bridge to join Corbin in the Ready Room. Two place settings of tea were on the table and Suzanna took a seat on one of the couches. She carried a PADD of her own, to take notes if need be. With as many crew as a Sovereign class had, there was enough to talk about on a daily basis, and even then it was only the overview that the Captain needed.

The ready room doors slid shut behind them.

Sabrina crossed to the sitting area and poured the tea Merrick had set out, passing one cup across before taking her own seat. The quiet was comfortable, familiar, and brief.

“I want to start with crew performance,” she said, getting straight to it. “Specifically the ensigns.”

She glanced down at her PADD, then back to Batenburg.

“I’ve been impressed. Not just with competence, but with how some of them handled themselves under pressure. I wanted to see if we’re aligned on whether any of them are ready to move to junior lieutenant.”

Her expression was open, deliberate.

“I’d rather we land on that together.

"We are, Captain," Suzanna replied, "both Collingway and Quin have shown courage, and leadership qualities in the last mission. Thinking on their feet, as humans would call it."

Sabrina nodded, a small smile forming. “Good,” she said. “Then let’s do the honors properly. We’ll visit both of them directly after this and make it official.”

She let that land before shifting the conversation, her tone turning more measured. “I’ve just received orders regarding Evans,” Sabrina continued. “She’s being returned to her previous position, effective immediately. I had a discussion with her and she wants to return. Fleet Personnel has already identified a replacement and is moving forward with the transfer.”

She lifted her cup, but did not drink yet. “Engineering, in particular, has been through a great deal in a very short time. Extended operations, leadership changes, and pressure that never quite let up. I don’t see instability there, but I do see a department that deserves close attention while it settles again.” Her gaze returned to Batenburg.

“I want us monitoring how they adjust. Making sure Harlan has what he needs to step in cleanly, and that the team beneath him does not feel like they’re constantly bracing for the next disruption.” She nodded once, decisive. “Stability matters right now.”

Suzanna had taken a sip of her tea while she listened to Corbin speak. It was concerning that once again, Engineering was without a CEO. "I will keep a close eye on Engineering. Do we know when Lt Evans departs and when the new CEO arrives?" She made a mental note to do so and watch more closely than normal over the happenings there, and to read up on Harlan's file. There was no plan for the ship to return to port, so she assumed they would depart and arrive via shuttle or other ship.

“Yes, the Intrepid is meeting us at Lathira IV, they picked up a few on a shuttle that was heading here for transfers anyway. We’ll be in orbit by the time they arrive. I did speak with Harlan a bit today over subspace. I think he wants somewhere to be as much as we want a steady lead there.”

Suzanna noddded as she listened, "understood, I'll read up on his file prior to our arrival."

Sabrina listened without interrupting enjoying her tea and having her attention fully on Batenburg as she spoke.
When she responded, Sabrina nodded once.

“I have complete confidence in you to oversee it,” she said simply. “You have a clear sense of the people and the pressure they’ve been under, and that matters more than any report I could read.”

She set her tea aside again, shifting the focus with intent.

“The other item I wanted to touch on today is shoreleave,” Sabrina continued. “Merrick and Alura Ryn are working out certain details right now, but I’m proposing an entire week on Lathira IV to really allow some decompression and relaxation.” Her expression softened slightly. “Which I plan to take advantage of myself.”

Suzanna looked at Corbin, "that is an excellent idea. Although I only joined recently, I know the crew has been through a lot in a short space of time also before I joined. Down time will help reset them and take some of the pressure off."

Sabrina let the moment breathe, then shifted slightly in her seat.“One more thing,” she said, her tone easing. “I wanted to ask how the position feels to you. Not the duties on paper, but the reality of it. How you’re settling in.”

She held Batenburg’s gaze, open and unguarded. “This ship asks a lot of its command team, and I’m aware that stepping into this chair comes with weight that does not always show itself right away.”

She paused, then added, more quietly, “I want you to know I appreciate having you here. Having someone I can speak plainly with, who sees the whole picture and is willing to say when something does not sit right.”

There was no flourish to it. Just honesty. “It has made a difference.”

She had just picked up her cup again to take a sip when Corbin asked her next question, and she took a slow sip, using the time to gather her thoughts but also double check her control. "I appreciate your words, Captain." Corbin had paid her a big compliment, she had only been there just short of two weeks. "I am settling in well, it has required a change in mindset." Suzanna took a moment before she continued, there was no reason to mention the panic she had felt on the alien ship about the away team. She still needed to meditate about it, perhaps shoreleave would also give her a chance for that. "Overall, it has been agreeable to be on a ship again."

Sabrina rose from her seat and crossed to the cabinet along the bulkhead. She opened it with practiced ease and withdrew two small presentation boxes, each bearing the insignia for a newly minted junior lieutenant.

She glanced back toward Batenburg.

“Both Collingway and Quin are on shift,” she said. “Which makes this easy.” She closed the cabinet and held the boxes briefly in her hands, thoughtful. “No reason to delay. Let’s go make it official.” Sabrina turned toward the door, already moving with purpose, ready to do the honors together.

////// Science lab /////

Both Suzanna and Corbin walked into the science lab, "Commander Sorvak, we are here with good news for Ensign Quin." Corbin showed the small box to the half Vulcan.

"She is in the adjacent lab," Sorvak said. "May I join you for this?"

"Of course, Commander," Suzanna replied.

The three made their way over, when she noticed Quin, Suzanna called out, "Ensign Quin, front and center!"

Sabrina allowed herself a small smirk as the ensign scrambled to attention, clearly startled by the sudden appearance of her commanding officers.

“Ensign,” Sabrina said as she stepped forward, “no more.”

She affixed the half-pip to Quin’s collar.

“We appreciate the contributions you have been making in Science, Lieutenant. Keep up the good work.”

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Quin. well deserved." Suzanna chimed in.

//// Engineering /////

A few minutes later, the two of them arrived in Engineering, Suzanna saw both Collingway and Evans and nodded in greeting. "Ensign Collingway, Front and center!" She caught Evans' eye and she nodded back in understanding.

Sabrina studied Collingway for a moment, noting the tension in his posture. She did not prolong it.

“Ensign,” she said, “you are now out of uniform.”

She removed the half-pip from the box and secured it to his collar.

“That’s better.”

She smiled and shook his hand.

“Keep up the great work, Lieutenant. We are glad to have you here.”

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Collingway. You have earned it." Suzanna added.

Captain Sabrina Corbin
Commanding Officer
USS Arawyn

Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
XO USS Arawyn
Everything fits, otherwise we'll make it fit!

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