Hehehe, I'm in CPS, reading your fanfic. Ok, just this one. I like that you cleared up my confusion over why she was promoted.Do you have a plot (and resolution) in mind? The bit about finding asteroid trajectories sounds horribly like my trig class. Ick. Yo ho, yo ho, a Captain's life for me… (screw trig!)
"Well not necessarily, Captain, it all depends on the time and nature of their incapacitation. It may be that she has been promoted due to deaths within the station, but is usually not in command. Captain Whitaker may temporarily be in command while her commanding officers are ill or the like. It is also possible that—" Tara put her communicator on mute and went about fixing a mug of tea, something the ship seemed incapable of doing competently. It was amazing how quickly Elizabeth could process information, but surely no one expected her to listen to all of it.
Tara checked her watch, then fished the leaves out of her mug. She took a sip and un-muted her communicator.
"Captain, it really is very unprofessional of you to do that with your communicator."
"Mmmwha?" Tara muffled through a mouthful of tea.
"If you wished me to stop, you merely had to ask. It was not necessary to leave me, as you say it 'hanging'. Although I am not well versed in Earth manners, a year has shown me that your present behavior is un-courteous in the extreme."
"Please accept my apologies, I'm feeling rather under the weather. That is the reason, as you know, that I am in my quarters and you are acting commander. And furthermore—ah, the wonderful Ms. Bones Bendon just walked in; I believe it's time for the commanding officer to command."