Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [125]
B’Elanna shot a curious glance in Tom’s direction. His eyes widened as his brows collected themselves near the bridge of his nose in obvious curiosity, suggesting this visit was as mysterious to him as it was to his wife.
Pulling herself up and squaring her shoulders a bit, B’Elanna gestured for Eden to join her in their small living area. Eden selected the single chair and B’Elanna settled herself on the sofa as Tom announced that it was time to swab the shuttlebay decks and carried Miral toward their bedroom and the suite’s ’fresher.
“What can I do for you, Captain?” B’Elanna asked.
“It’s my understanding that several days ago, Admiral Batiste effectively restricted you from engineering.”
“That’s right.”
“I’m officially rescinding that order.”
B’Elanna smiled with relief. “Thank you, Captain.”
“As I’m sure you know by now, Admiral Batiste,” Eden said, clearly struggling a bit with her own troubling thoughts, “had his own agenda for this fleet which had nothing to do with our mission.”
“Tom told me what happened,” B’Elanna admitted. “You and the admiral were married, weren’t you?”
“We divorced almost five years ago.”
“Still, it was probably quite a shock,” B’Elanna went on, treading carefully.
“It was. A betrayal of this magnitude is difficult to comprehend and even harder to accept. However, that’s not what I came here to discuss,” Eden said, settling her face into firmer lines.
“Of course not. I didn’t mean to …”
“I appreciate your concern, B’Elanna,” Eden said kindly. “However, we have a lot of work to do,” she went on. “Conlon has provided me with a report on your designs for a benamite recrystallization matrix. We’ve just received a rather large supply from the Indign and I’d like to begin processing it as soon as possible.”
“I’d be happy to report to Lieutenant Conlon and provide whatever assistance I can,” B’Elanna assured her, warming at the thought of once again having a meaningful task to perform for the ship’s benefit.
“I’m glad to hear that. But I was actually thinking a little bigger.”
“Bigger?”
“You ran your own engine room for seven years. I think your expertise will be invaluable to Voyager but I don’t think we should define your role quite so narrowly.”
“What did you have in mind, Captain?”
“Just as the fleet is commanded by a single officer, I’d like to create a position of Fleet Chief Engineer for you.”
B’Elanna’s jaw dropped.
“The matrix you design should be installed on every fleet vessel. Our slipstream flights are also closely coordinated and adjustments will continually have to be made fleet-wide as we perfect this means of travel. The last few weeks have shown me in no uncertain terms that Lieutenant Conlon and all of her counterparts will no doubt have their hands full. Your job will be to think on a broader scope. And all of the fleet’s chief engineers would report to you in this position.”
B’Elanna’s mind began to spin as she contemplated the possibilities.
“I realize it’s a lot to ask,” Eden went on. “Obviously your daughter will also require your attention and your husband’s responsibilities are also very demanding.”
B’Elanna nodded slowly. She had enjoyed her time with Conlon, and yet she spent the last few days focused completely on her daughter. She had resigned herself to a quiet life. She had begun to replicate early child development materials and planned to request the Doctor’s input in developing a curriculum. She had also gone through the fleet’s crew manifest and found two other officers—one on board the Quirinal and one on the Demeter —who also had young children. When the fleet regrouped, B’Elanna planned to contact them to see if play dates might be arranged to begin to broaden her daughter’s social horizons. Adding a fulltime fleet position to these tasks was daunting, but also filled B’Elanna with an inordinate sense of purpose and pride.
The truth was, she had decided when she was pregnant with Miral that she would do whatever she must to balance her personal and professional life. She would sacrifice professionally