I’m finding Seven’s fast track to Commander and Captain really interesting because in season 2 Seven accepted the field commission of Captain, this of course doesn’t mean its going to stick because Starfleet Command has to confirm this commission.
From what I’ve read of field or battle commissions, when someone is elevated to an officer they have to complete the training, and from what we know from Seven, Janeway and Picard seemed to have double teamed Seven into staying and maybe even complete the Officer’s training.
Starfleet Command isn’t going to give Seven of Nine, a former Borg, her own Command at first go just because she had a field commission to Captain. Janeway seems to have climbed the ladder enough to push for Seven without having to threaten resignation and with Picard’s backing this assured that Seven being in Starfleet comes through.
And I feel Janeway and Picard argued her experience serving in Voyager and years in Fenris Rangers can be credited in Starfleet.
So Starfleet agrees but their compromise is that she only be a Commander.
And Seven becoming XO of Titan is tantamount to a Shakedown cruise.
a shakedown cruise, the new ship is put through simulations of real life working conditions. This allows the crew the opportunity to get familiar with the ship and to ensure the vessel is fully functional. (source)
Given this situation, I can see why Seven was under Shaw’s command. I fully believe that Captain Liam Shaw has a reputation for being a by the book hard ass.
I really find Shaw and Seven’s command dynamic interesting. He was a dick to her and his treatment of Seven reflected on him poorly.
But also when they work well together, they do work well, but that’s not enough. Shaw had too many issues connected with the Wolf 359 Borg incident and he can’t see the forest for the trees when it comes to Seven. And Picard, especially.
I do think he thought he was ready to have a former Borg but the actuality of having a Borg with a Borg designation around is a lot more triggering. (Again, not excusing because there was no call for that at all).
I don’t know how much Seven is aware, but I think she does know a bit about Shaw’s background with the Borg. Jeri Ryan mentioned how guilt is also why Seven is tolerating Shaw. She still pushes back.
Titan-A is an engineer’s ship through and through, Geordi La Forge even mentioned how it was a marvel of engineering and maintenance.
I do think one of the things Shaw looked forward to about Seven being on his Command team is Seven’s knack for engineering and efficiency.
And in that department they worked like clockwork.
I bet Seven even brought back the Efficiency reports she constantly did in Voyager that annoyed a lot of the senior staff on Voyager.
I fully believe Seven had to be weaned off from popping into places she didn’t need to be like B’Elanna had to do every time Seven appeared in a Jeffries tube or siphoned power without B’Elanna’s permission.
(LOL. Again, I feel for Seven’s poor Chief Engineer because now that Seven is Captain no one is going to tell her ‘no’ if they found her in a Jeffries tube tinkering with stuff. Except for Raffi. The Chief Engineer will constantly dog Raffi’s steps complaining about the Captain being in the way again.)
Shaw recommending Seven for Captaincy isn’t really a surprise for Starfleet Command because this was exactly why they assigned Seven to serve under Shaw. Shaw and the Titan is her Shakedown cruise.
Starfleet specifically told Shaw (and not Seven) that this they were evaluating Seven for Command. I feel like Janeway knew and Picard suspected and couldn’t say anything but Picard looked damned proud of Seven in 3x01 when she supervised leading Titan out of Spacedock.