Reporting for Interview

Posted on 29 Sep 2018 @ 1:51pm by Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri & Commander Scarlet Blake

3,055 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Avondale Shipyards - Conference Room
Timeline: MD142 - 1000 hours

[ON]
[MD142 – 1000]
[Avondale Shipyards – Conference Room]

“Right. Bring this datapad to the interview with you. You can leave your things here and pick them up after your interview with the XO is over. Any questions?” the yeoman asked Lieutenant Plumeri.

“Nope, I’m good” he responded confidently. The yeoman nodded and they walked the short distance from the gangway to a small conference room off to the side of the airlock. Matt was surprised that he wasn’t more nervous. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as they approached the door.

“XO is inside and waiting for you. Good luck.” The yeoman said and turned on his heels to leave.

OK, now he was getting nervous. He didn’t have time to be nervous or anxious and so he pushed that palpitation away from his mind and pressed the door chime. Smoothing his uniform out once more he waited for the summons.

"Come in..." Scarlet Blake called out, already standing rather than sitting at her desk...but only because she had been about to get something and then got distracted by reading her screen, leaving her still standing but leaning over her desk to keep working, caught between two tasks. With such sudden changes coming their way, there was too much to do and not enough time to do it.

[CONFERENCE ROOM - INTERIOR]

Stepping inside, Matthew entered the conference room. Big enough for about thirty persons at the table. Presently, there was only one and she was standing in a half-pose reaching for something while reading her computer screen. She was tall, lithe, with dark hair. Behind her, the bay windows opened out into the dry dock area where the ship was moored. On the tables surrounding her were stacks of PaDD's. Little piles of them placed around the conference room. The same style of PaDD Plumeri held in his hand. It was a little bit warm in here too. The lights were bright and the illuminated the otherwise grey and metal room in a kind of antiseptic tone. Very...corporate. Well, very Starfleet for sure.

Now, the way the tables were arranged, in a square with a big empty space in the middle meant that Matthew had to choose which side to go up and approach the XO. Or, he could address her from this end of the room. Which, he was about to do but thought better of it. This wasn't a throne room after all. Decisions...choices. He decided to approach her on the right. Her right side. It was the side with the smaller piles and the more direct access. He hesitated only a moment before he found his gait. When he was close enough, he addressed the Executive Officer.

"Commander Blake, Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri, SSI number XD-945-5003. Science Officer. Thank you for granting me an interview Commander. My credentials and letters of recommendation sir." he offered the PaDD in his hand to her.

Scarlet blinked as she just watched him for a long moment, coming back to the real world with it. Thoroughly back in the present, she took the PADD with a slight nod, glancing over it. There were certainly letters of recommendation there. Someone clearly thought he was an asset. His record agreed, as did the list of training. She glanced back to him, meeting his eyes for a brief moment before speaking. "Very good, please, take a seat," she motioned to the chair closest before finally retaking her own, firmly turning the computer screen away to make sure that she wasn't distracted. "A scientist, I see..." she left the statement open for a reply of his own direction, wanting to see how he would describe himself.

Her gaze was long and distracting. He wondered if there was something wrong with his uniform. He glanced at her; meeting her gaze for only the briefest of moments. Her blue eyes were very pretty.
Like deep pools of thoughts that he wouldn't mind getting lost in. He tried not to stare but there was a calmness in those eyes that was very attractive. He looked forward again, off in the distance over her shoulder a bit. Then it was back to an attentive stance. She took the PADD, gave a nod which he hoped was good and then offered a seat. He couldn't help but smile. Inwardly, he scolded himself, but he couldn't help it. He was happy to be here and he met her gaze again. Answering her question, the soft baritone of his voice seemed louder than he wanted, "Yes sir" he answered and sat back in the chair to try and relax a bit. "Astrophysics, Archaeoastronomy, I'm pretty good at sir. I'm better at 'A&AC' errr...Ancient & Alien Civilizations. Got a History cert under my belt too. Earned my bridge duty cert as well." His eyes brightened and an unintentional smile lit up his face, "So I can work the late shift if need be Commander."

"I'll keep that in mind," she assured with a slight smile, light in her eyes with amusement as she rubbed lightly over the back of her hand. She was encouraged to hear that he had his bridge certificate. She liked to see people pushing themselves, and wanted to help with that where she could. "But you would consider yourself a scientist first...?" she asked softly. It was the impression she got.

"Yes sir. I love the stars and I love the stories about the people that orbit those stars. My father, he's Human and my mother is Fontalan and so I grew up with two very rich, very distinct cultures. I learned to appreciate the diversity and I love History. When I learned that my love for the night sky and my love for discovery and exploration fit under the Science umbrella. I was hooked." He spoke so freely, easy and always with an upbeat tone. He used his hands as he spoke, for an animated discussion. He continued, "For me, a good scientist is a person who asks the question, 'why?'. Why does the world work this way or that? Why are very big things like stars and quasars and planets so similar in how they behave to very small things like neutrons, electrons and strings? Why is the most important question a scientist, any scientist, can ask. Because, I think, it assumes that there is an answer. Like a...a...a...doorway. All we have to do is walk through it to a new understanding and a new way of thinking.

But, a great scientist is one who makes it all interesting. A great scientist is one who asks 'why' and can tell the story of 'why' to others. So that they can understand the same thing, so that they can get excited about the same ideas and they don't have to be scientists. A great scientist listens to the evidence and then tells the story."

He paused a moment, his head cocked to the side, reliving some memory, his eyes lost in the memory and the thought of what he wanted to say next. "A great scientist is someone who carries a flame and let's other people light their torches from it. And that illumination, that moment of 'ah-ha!'...there is nothing like it. I am Fontalan and I still believe in magic. What I mean by that is, I suppose, very simple. There are still things, ideas, places and people that we have not met yet. The best discovery - hasn't been made yet. The best book - it hasn't been written yet. The best music, the fastest ship, the highest point, the lowest point. The densest star, the furthest star, the biggest star...they haven't been discovered yet. And the Universe...she cries out to be discovered; to be known. To be named and to join all of us. The story of the stars is the story of us. Of you and me and all of the people that came before us and that will come after us. This is the best day of my life. Because I am alive and I'm in the universe that wants to be known." He paused and added, "That's the kind of scientist I want to be. And this ship; that's the place to do it."

It came pouring out of him like a river. He spoke from the heart and it was all true. He looked away, a little embarrassed that his passio, his passions could be so readily available. He was turning red and he hated that, "Sorry, excuse me, my heart leads my mouth and somewhere, tagging along behind is my head. I get...ahead of myself. I feel things keenly and I love what I do. I'm proud of who I am and that I get to be here."

His face felt hot and he pulled at his collar. His damn pants felt too tight and itchy and he tried not to squirm.

Scarlet shook her head gently, unable to stop the smile that came from his flow of words. His passion was undeniable, that was for sure. She could respect that. And she didn't need her counselling experience to tell that he wasn't trying to fake it. "Do you see yourself wanting to use your experiences out there to write or teach with?" she asked, curious. It might not be something that was obvious to all those who knew her, but she believed firmly in sharing experience and knowledge with others, for the benefit of all.

"Absolutely!" he answered affirmatively. "I'm a contributor to the DTI...errr...that's the Daystrom Technical Institute their monthly publication. I've been a part of subspace conferences and real live conference panels too. Knowledge is to be shared."

"I couldn't agree more," she nodded firmly, her reply both blunt and honest as she filed that piece of information away for a rainy day. "You...do understand that we shall be away for a long time, yes?" she asked, leaving the detail of it slightly vague so that he'd have to be honest in how much he knew or didn't know, rather than just nodding and saying 'yes, of course' to whatever she said.

"Yes sir, I'm aware that the deployment briefing mentioned an 'extended tour' but the time frame was noticeably open ended." Something was bothering him. "So...my brother Nicco, he's been deployed for two years with the SFMC and now that they are becoming security officers, he'll probably return back home to Fontalis." He hesitated, "It's just...". He hesitated again before finally continuing, "Things are not looking great back home. Ugh...there's too much to say and I don't know where to begin." He took in a calming breath and exhaled, "I know there's subspace communications. And I know that, most likely, nothing is going to happen that would be bad. But, I'm still going to be concerned and...it'll be a distraction if..." he trailed off fearing the worst of what civil unrest might bring.

Scarlet leant forward to him when she saw his struggle, resting her arms on her knees to be closer. She didn't like seeing people struggle. Especially when he was clearly trying to be honest. The counsellor in her was hard to shake, no matter what else she'd been and done. "If what, Matthew?" she asked softly, able to fill in the gap, but not wanting to put words in his mouth.

He looked up and saw the concerned and thoughtful look the XO was giving him. Even her body language, by leaning in and listening, was a kindness to him. He spoke quietly, softly, "If something bad happens. My mom will bear the worst of it. My Dad, he's an idealist, a thinker. My brother is the opposite, he just acts without thinking. He likes to fight, he's a hothead. I love my family and...I'll just be so far away and it feels like my world is cracking up. And..." he swallowed and was quiet a moment looking down, "I know me...and as much as I try to say that it will all be fine...I wonder if it will affect my performance." It hung there a moment and he added, "I mean, I'll always do my best. But, it's really hard for me, sometimes, y'know...to be, UGH, to be always clear headed and turn off my feelings. I like my feelings, I like that at times, I feel things maybe too much. It's life." He felt pretty vulnerable now and inwardly chastised himself. But three years was a long time to be away from people he loved.

"Growing up, when we were kids, we always had people over. I mean all the time. My dad would bring people over and my Mom would invite people over. We alwats had a full house. Always a full table. And my Mom, she never turned anybody away. Y'know, it didn't matter that there were no chairs, she found a chair and made a setting. Everyone was always welcome and she made more food if we needed it. And we never locked our doors at night. My brother and I could have friends over whenever and as long as we did well in our studies we could have friends sleep over too. Girl friends, guy friends...my parents trusted. It's who my people are. And...I guess...truth is. I feel pretty alone right now and the next three years...just going to be hard."

"It sounds like a wonderful family," Scarlet couldn't hold back the first thought that had come to mind at the picture he'd painted. She would probably find it hard to leave behind a family like that too. It couldn't be easy for him. "You know that you don't have to take this position?" she said seriously, meeting his eyes, wanting him to see that she wouldn't make any judgements on him if he changed his mind. "Such a long time away, it's not for everyone. I think you're an excellent scientist and would suit this ship well, but if you don't want to be so far away from your family, then you don't have to do this. You'll be given a good position elsewhere with your record."

He shook his head once with a firm, "No. I can't do that either. Because then I would resent them. Not just me family but my people too." He nodded and a characteristic grin spread across his face as some idea enlightened him, "You help me see clearly now. This is more about me than about them. This is about how I will choose to deal with this. I understand now. No, I want to stay here. I want to join the ship and become a part of this crew." He nodded quietly a moment. As if some turning point had been reached inside him. He looked up and he looked better. A bit of the confidence he walked in with found him again, "Home...will have to deal with life without me for a while." He added, "That is, if you'll still have me?"

Scarlet allowed a small smile as she sat back again, her posture returning to the more upright military fashion than the therapist. In all honesty, she'd be more worried if he claimed to have no doubts at all. What he had shared only assured her that he had given this full and proper thought, and come to an honest conclusion with himself, rather than just pretending it was going to be a leisure cruise. She finally gave him a nod, her smile warming a little with it. "Don't worry, I'll make sure we keep you busy over the next three years..."

He smiled, happy at the news, "Thank you sir. Yes sir. I plan to be busy. I heard that if the Galileo happens to find a planet that hasn't been cataloged before, the scientist who discovers it gets to name it? Is that true?" He was a terrible prankster. He might have gotten away with it if someone hadn't seen that cheeky grin. Still, he played his hand.

Blake watched him with slightly narrowed eyes and a hint of a smile, tapping her hand against her crossed legs for a moment. "I suppose," she finally replied, tilting her head with wry consideration, "you shall just have to go out and discover a planet to find out..."

"Yes sir." Then slipping into his native tongue he said, "Alcuni meravigliosi percorsi non possono essere scoperti senza perdersi." He said with sharp "r's" that rolled off his tongue playfully, delightfully. "It means...some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost." He sat forward and leaned in closer, "You reminded me of that fact, Commander. Thank you. If we are going to discover new oceans, new worlds, then we must not be afraid to lose sight of the shore." He sat back in his chair a moment and considered the XO. It was as if, for this moment, their roles were reversed. Some inner dialogue was taking place. Then, it was over, but an idea had been reached. He said, "You make a fine First Officer Commander Blake."

She couldn't quite help the look of surprise that passed over her features at the open and frank comment. The surprise made way to a smile as she shook her head lightly, standing as she gently tugged her jacket back into place. "It's good of you to say so, Lieutenant, thank you. We'll see if you still think so in year two."

Standing to his feet, "Yes sir. Thank you sir. It was a pleasure to meet you Commander Blake. I look forward to seeing you again about the ship." He waited to be dismissed.

Blake nodded to him before motioning towards the door with her head, flicking her hair back over her shoulder with the action. "Dismissed, Lieutenant. Go and discover us a forgotten ancient civilisation..."

Grinning, "Aye, aye sir!" and he left the room. Thinking to himself, ~I just had the best damn interview of my life!~


[OFF:]

CDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

&

LTJG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer/Historian
USS Galileo-A
NCC-80010

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