The walk through the ship hadn’t taken much time.

It was a small ship by Star-Fleet standards, yet it would be a big challenge and Mr Michael Rook knew that. He knew that everything he had done before had been leading up to this, every single class and simulation he had sat through had lead to the moment he would step foot aboard a spaceship as a serving officer. Every single note he had taken in those classrooms had been building to this specific day.

He stood there, looking at the door. Behind it, the head of his department, the Chief Engineer. At least, he hoped that the man was behind the door. Michael shuddered, wondering how awkward it would be if the Department Head had gone for his lunch or something at the same time he rocked up to report in, as was Star-Fleet Procedure. He almost debating turning around and coming back later in the day after that thought.

He couldn’t though, he knew that.

He knew that he had to just brave it, suck it up and actually talk to people. He preferred being on his own, being left to his own devices with his earphones in. He worked better when distracted by music. He had never been one for groups of people, when his friends would go out partying and drinking he would stay in and build a puzzle or something, just anything other than going out.

He couldn’t put it off any longer, he knew that. He did one final check of his uniform, made sure every little detail was perfect. He didn’t want to make any sort of bad impression, he knew how important first impressions were and he was one hundred percent sure he wanted to make a good one. He double checked his hair styling and then gulped.

And then he knocked.

Cadet Rook, Engineering