Ensign Sonya Gomez

SONYA: 

Hot chocolate, please.

LAFORGE: 

We don't ordinarily Say 'Please' 

to food dispensers around here.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD.

SONYA: 

Well, since it's listed as Intelligent Circuitry, why not? 

After all, working with so much Artificial Intelligence 

can be dehumanising, right? 

So, why not combat that tendency 

with a little simple courtesy. 

Thank You.

LAFORGE: 

For someone who just arrived, 

you certainly aren't shy with your opinions.

SONYA: 

Have I been talking too much?

LAFORGE: 

No.

SONYA: 

Oh, I do tend to have a bit of a motor mouth, 

especially when I'm excited. 

And you don't know how exciting it is 

to get This Assignment.

Everyone in class, I mean everyone, 

wants The Enterprise. 

I mean, it would have been alright 

to spend some time on Reiner Six 

doing phase work with anti-matter. 

That's My Specialty.

LAFORGE: 

I know. That's why you got this assignment.

SONYA: 

I did it again. It's just that -

LAFORGE: 

I know, you're excited. 

Look, Sonya —

SONYA: 

Yes.

LAFORGE: 

I don't think you want to be around these control stations 

with that hot chocolate, do you?

SONYA: 

Oh, I'm sorry. 

I shouldn't even have this in Engineering. 

It's just we were talking 

and I forgot I had it in my hand. 

I'm going to go finish it over here. 

Lieutenant La Forge? 

This is not going to happen again.

So she turns around and her drink collides with Captain Picard, going all over his uniform

SONYA: 

Oh, no! Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, Captain.

LAFORGE: 

Actually it's my fault, sir.

PICARD: 

Indeed.

SONYA: 

Oh, I wasn't looking. 

It's all over you.

PICARD: 

Yes, Ensign. It's all over me.

SONYA: 

At least let me, sir.

PICARD: 

Ensign er, Ensign?

SONYA:

Oh, Ensign Sonya Gomez.

LAFORGE: 

Ensign Gomez is a recent Academy graduate. 

She just transferred over at Starbase One Seventy Three.

PICARD: 

Is that so? Well, Ensign Sonya Gomez, 

I think it will be simpler 

if I simply change my uniform.

LAFORGE: 

Captain, I must accept responsibility for this.

PICARD: 

Yes, Chief Engineer. 

I think I understand.

SONYA: 

I just want to say, sir, that I'm very excited about this assignment 

and I promise to serve you and My Ship — Your Ship, This Ship, 

to the best of my ability.

PICARD: 

Yes, Ensign, I'm sure that you will. 

Carry on.

Picard leaves

SONYA: 

Oh, my. First impressions, right? 

Isn't that what they say? 

First impressions are the most important.

LAFORGE: 

I'll give you this — 

It's a meeting the Captain won't soon forget.

[Corridor]

LAFORGE: 

I read your graduating Thesis. 

Now, I wouldn't have requested you if you weren't The Best.

SONYA: 

Where are we going?

LAFORGE: 

Ten Forward. We're going to forget about Work. 

We are going to sit, talk, relax, look at The Stars. 

You need to learn how to slow down.

SONYA: 

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. 

I can't do.

LAFORGE: 

You know, you're awfully young 

to be so driven.

SONYA: 

Yes, I am. I had to be. 

I had to be The Best, 

because only The Best get to be Here.

 

 ..

[Outside Sickbay]

PICARD: 

Ensign, you're with me.

[Turbolift]

PICARD: 

Bridge. You are a certified pilot, Ensign?

SITO: 

Yes, sir.

[Ready room]

PICARD: 

How long have you served on board 

The Enterprise, Ensign?

SITO: 

Seven months, sir.

PICARD: 

I see. 

I understand that you've been recommended 

for the Ops position. 

Do you think you're up to it?

SITO: 

I do, sir.

PICARD: 

I'm not so sure. 

I'm concerned about your record.

SITO: 

Sir?

PICARD: 

The Incident that you were involved in at The Academy.

SITO: 

With all due respect that was three years ago. 

My record since then --

PICARD: 

It doesn't matter how long ago it was, Ensign. 

Would you do something like that again?

SITO: 

I can assure you, sir, that I would never, 

never jeopardise lives by participating in --

PICARD: 

A dare devil stunt? 

I would certainly hope not. 

What concerns me, is that you participated in a cover-up that impeded an Official Investigation into The Death of A Cadet.

SITO: 

Sir, I know I should have Told The Truth right from The Start --

PICARD: 

Yes, you should, but you didn't. 

Instead you joined with the others to pretended that was simply an accident. 

Now, what do you think that tells me about your character?

SITO: 

Sir, if you had any idea 

what it was like after that incident. 

I didn't have any friends. 

I didn't have anyone to talk to. 

I had to take my flight test with The Instructor, 

because no one else would be my partner. 

In a lot of ways it would have been easier 

to just walk away, but I didn't. 

I stuck with it. 

Doesn't that say something 

about My Character, too?

PICARD: 

Well I'm really very sorry 

you didn't enjoy your time at the Academy, Ensign. 

As far as I'm concerned, 

You should have been expelled 

for What You Did. 

Quite frankly, I don't know 

how you made it on board This Ship. 

You're dismissed.

Gymnasium]

(a martial arts class has just finished)

WORF: Dismissed. Ensign Sito.

SITO: Yes, sir.

WORF: I also teach an advanced class. I believe you may be ready to participate. However, before you can join the group, you must pass the gik'tal.

SITO: Gik'tal?

WORF: Yes. It is a very ancient Klingon ritual. It tests your knowledge of the forms of the mok'bara.

SITO: I should practice first.

WORF: No. No practise. That is part of the ritual. The test must be unannounced.

(Worf blindfolds her)

WORF: Can you see?

SITO: No.

WORF: Good. The gik'tal has begun. Defend yourself.

(of course, he easily throws her)

WORF: You must anticipate my attack.

SITO: Yes, sir.

WORF: Defend yourself.

(once again, she has no idea where he is before she lands on her back)

WORF: Are you listening, Ensign?

SITO: Yes, but

WORF: Defend yourself.

(and a third time)

WORF: You did not anticipate.

(Sito removes the blindfold)

SITO: How am I supposed to defend myself when I can't see a thing?

WORF: 

Stop making excuses. Replace The Blindfold.

SITO: 

No. It's not a Fair Test.

WORF: 

Very good, Ensign. 

You have passed The Challenge.

SITO: 

What? By taking off The Blindfold?

WORF: 

It takes courage 

to Say The Test is Unfair.

SITO: 

One thing I don't understand. 

Doesn't gik'tal mean 'to The Death'?

WORF: 

You speak Klingon.

SITO: 

Sir, is there really such a thing as a gik'tal challenge?

WORF: 

No, there is not. 

But perhaps next time you are judged unfairly, 

it will not take so many bruises for you protest.

[Ready room]

SITO: 

All I've ever wanted is to make a career for myself in Starfleet. 

I can't change what happened at the Academy. 

No one can. 

All I can do is work hard 

and try to earn the respect of the people I serve with. 

If you're not going to give me that chance, then I respectfully request that you transfer me to another ship.

PICARD: 

If you're looking for a more lenient commander, 

I don't think you'll find one.

SITO: 

Permission to speak freely, sir?

PICARD: 

Please do.

SITO: 

If you didn't want me on Your Ship 

you should have said so when I was assigned to it. 

It's not Your Place to punish me 

for What I Did at The Academy. 

I've worked hard here. 

My record is exemplary. 

If you're going to Judge me, 

Judge me for What I Am now.

PICARD: 

Very well, Ensign. I will. 

It took courage to come here 

and face me after what I said to you 

the other day. 

I didn't ask you here because I was assessing your qualifications for the Ops position.

SITO: 

I don't understand, sir.

PICARD: 

I was harsh with you 

because I wanted to assess you 

for a very important Mission. 

A Mission that could put you in a situation that would be far more unnerving than a dressing-down by your commanding officer.

SITO: 

Can I ask what that mission is, sir?

PICARD: Join the senior officers in the Observation lounge at oh nine hundred hours. We'll discuss it then.

SITO: Yes, sir.

PICARD: 

And, Ensign -- 

I do know why you ended up on The Enterprise. 

I asked for you. 

I wanted to make sure 

that you got A Fair Chance to redeem yourself.

SITO: 

Thank you, sir.