I don't think there is enough rise for her actually. She was low level adventurer who constantly got bullied by one of the most powerful family in Empire. When you think about it, it is crazy scary for her. Dude's son was leading coup against emperor using every single means that his family had and they only could touch the son even then they only did it after he publicly disowned his son. Dude did not even lose his position, no retribution whatsoever for them. Cath started her journey with that. She only could get the nastiest or least paying jobs because of them.
Then they tasked her with an impossible job. Lost ring, noble families, underground crime etc. to simply put a nasty entangled impossible task. Even then she pulled it, revealed much bigger plot. Did not step back and fought against coup, according to Victor was being planned centuries. Lots of powerful people, creature, supernatural stuff and she withstand against all. Captured one of the rebel leader while doing so either saved lots of civilian or made possible to capture entire committee of rebel leaders. The biggest of all, she literally saved emperor's ass by informing Kyo on time. Then pulled another impossible job and killed the creature and stopped the attack on capital. What she get after this?
Entirely nothing but some insignificant pocket money which to be paid for her debts and another nasty task. That is it. Also lost the ownership of the tavern. So in a way, she got punished to save Empire and Emperor almost by herself.
Then she went to pulled another impossible task find Kerrek, convince him to do something. At this point she does not have anything given to her but she got huge target mark on her back. Let me remind you by people who convinced, later confirmed that believed they can topple down the Empire which is literally protected by the Gods of the universe. How she survived, with her friends by herself. Nothing given to her. After that, she pulled the impossible task finding Kerrek then another pulled impossible thing which is convincing him while under constant assassination attempts, also fought against an impossible enemy. What is her reward for all of this?
Nothing but a suicide mission to the North.
They literally told her, we don't know what is going on there but anyone that goes there disappear. We lost contact even with using magic to entire region. So get a few friends of yours with handful of green soldiers and figure out what is going on there. Oh btw, do not expect any reinforcement because we are gonna use everything we have to solidify our political position in capital and over other families. Good luck. If I did not know better, I would have thought Emperor wants to get rid some common girl to rise power by sending her to her own death. So he can lose a potential political enemy and can use her martyrdom for own his interest. What does Cath do, she pulls yet another impossible task and even bring back a powerful informant. What is her reward this time?
A title without any of the benefits and command of a penal battalion. They literally pulled Anakin Skywalker by Jedi Counsel on her. Also I am pretty sure he had to give her the title, so she could lead the battalion. So it was out of necessity not as reward. They simply accepts and thanks for it instead of falling to dark side. For the penal battalion, if you have any interest in history you would know they are meant to be die and their only purpose stall the enemy advancement. There are IRL examples for that. Like Pompey did against Ceaser. He created a battallion by young and idiot to die against Caesar's war veterans so his troops can come from Spain. So what Emperor gave to Cathrine was punishment not a reward.
All in all, what I think there is no meteoric rise to begin with. They constantly task her to do impossible and when she somehow manages it, they task her with bigger one.
P.S. Sorry for the textwall.