Interview Green

Arjay strode down the hall of Space Station until he arrived at the door he was looking for. He pressed the contact that would alert the cabin's occupant to his presence. A moment later the door slid open and a young man, a boy really, appeared. The boy did a double take as he recognized Arjay's rank. "C-c-captain!" he stammered in surprise.

"Ensign Green," Arjay greeted the youngster.

The boy blinked, stunned, then uttered, "Oh!" and disappeared back into the cabin. Arjay groaned inside. He wondered what Morgan thought he saw in this... this... boy.

Arjay stood in the hallway wondering where the boy had disappeared to. He debated whether to press the contact again, or to just walk away and forget Morgan's recommendation about the boy.

The door slid open again and a different boy appeared. "Captain," the boy greeted him. "Captain Walton", he corrected himself as he recognized the person who was here calling on him.

"Green?" asked Arjay.

"Ian Green sir. Won't you come in?" This boy appeared more confident than the first one.

Arjay entered the room and looked around in silence. He heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

"You've met my roommate, Jack Pointer," Green spoke, trying to defuse the awkward silence.

Arjay nodded. He looked directly at Green, sizing him up. Finally he spoke. "My first officer has recommended you as navigator on my ship."

"Yes sir," Green replied, his face expressionless.

"He believes the future of space exploration belongs to the young."

The bathroom door opened and Pointer came out. "P-pardon me," he stuttered. "I, I've got uh, class, a class, I'll be off."

Arjay kept his gaze fixed on Green as Pointer banged about on his way out. He got the impression the two had staged Pointer's exit while he had been waiting in the hallway. Green seemed to know why he came. And he didn't seem too fazed by it.

"My first officer believes Starfleet has an obligation to young officers like you. To provide you with opportunities to gain experience in space exploration," Arjay continued the moment the door shut behind Pointer.

"I feel the same as you, sir," Green replied, choosing his words carefully.

"I didn't say how I feel about this at all," Arjay countered. "Space is dangerous. It's no place for..." Arjay paused. Green's face remained expressionless and he simply waited for Arjay to continue. "I've reviewed your file. You've done well in the Academy. You're intelligent. You're a good learner." Arjay paused to give his next words their full impact. "But you do not belong on a starship!"

Green retained his composure. "Begging the captain's pardon, sir."

Without a sound, without a movement, only by his expression did Arjay give the boy permisson to speak.

"Did you come here to tell me you've decided to give the position to someone else?"

"I did."

Green paused, thinking carefully how to reply. He didn't believe the captain, but was not about to accuse him of lying. "I see, sir," he said, remaining expressionless. "Would you tell me who that is, sir?"

"A lieutenant. He outranks you. He's older than you. He's more experienced than you."

"May I ask his name, sir?"

"Angelo Fiorini."

"I know of him, sir. He has a good reputation."

"Then you can clearly see that he is the better choice for this mission."

"No sir, I do not."

Arjay's gaze intensified. He took a step toward the boy. "Tell me, Green, why do you want to go into space so badly?"

"Bottom line, sir, I feel it's where I belong."

Arjay scoffed at him. "It's where you belong? Please, I've heard that one before."

"Nevertheless, sir, it's where I belong. Captain, space is the future of mankind."

"What does that mean, space is the future?" challenged Arjay. "That was believed a couple hundred years ago. Earth was overpopulated, we didn't know how to feed the people. Crime, hunger, wars, were our problems, and space exploration was seen as some romantic, fantasy escape. But we've solved Earth's problems. Earth is a good enough place to be. Tell me something Green, what makes you think you belong on a starship?"

"Captain, you reviewed my file before coming here. Therefore you know I did well in the Academy. You know I have earned the recommendations of my superior officers. You know I am a quick learner and a contributing team member. A starship is not just a piece of technology. It's the people who serve aboard her, it's the people who come together and function as a team to carry out the mission. Sir, if you don't want me as your navgator because you'd rather pick someone who's more experienced than I am, fine, that's your prerogative as captain. If you don't want me on your bridge, whether it's because I'm too young or too inexperienced, or whether you just personally don't like me, then sir, with all respect, put me on the lower decks, you won't even have to see me, just let me have a chance to serve and to contribute to the mission."

Arjay took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "That will be all, ensign." He turned and walked out of the room.

When the doors slid shut behind the captain, Green let out a slump. "That didn't go over very well, now, did it?" he said aloud to himself.