Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 10:57:42 GMT -8
[Transcripts from the Life Interview of 137 Tau]
Examiner: Please state your number, creche, assigned and actual gender.
137: I am number 137 of 300, Tau creche. I am female, assigned and actual.
Examiner: Do you have a name?
137: Names are not permitted until we leave the creche.
Examiner: Surely you don't just think of yourself as "137," do you? What do your friends call you?
137: Names are not permitted until-
Examiner: I know the rules as well as you, 137, and I know that this one is as casually disregarded in your creche as it was in every other creche as far back as anyone can remember. Please, do not insult my intelligence.
137: I- [remains silent for several moments] My name is Maka.
Examiner: Thank you. Was that so hard?
137: It was very difficult, yes.
Examiner: That was a rhetorical question, 137. Lighten up a bit. This will go a lot easier if you're not so tightly wound.
137: Respectfully, this is my Life Interview. I'm finding it difficult to relax.
Examiner: I guess I can understand that, Maka, but try anyway.
[137 is visibly uncomfortable, possibly over the use of her name]
Examiner: You should be proud of yourself. Only ten from your creche were even selected for Life Interviews. If you weren't truly exceptional, you wouldn't be here today.
137: Okay, I will... I will try to relax.
Examiner: Excellent. Now, tell me a little about yourself.
137: I am number 137 of-
Examiner: No, no, no. I have the raw data right here. If I wanted recitations of facts and figures, I'd listen to it. What are your likes? Dislikes? Hopes? Dreams? Why should you be the one to be allowed out of the creche?
[137 visibly pales, but after inhaling deeply, speaks]
137: I am Maka. My likes include reading, painting, astrogation, and the color yellow. I dislike howler music, carrots, and the color green. My best friend is 147, and I have produced the three offspring that the creche leader assigned for me. I hope to get accepted into the Navigation Trial after leaving the creche, and I dream of becoming Captain one day.
Examiner: Lofty ambitions. Now, this friend of yours, 147, they weren't selected for the Life Interview.
137: No, he was not.
Examiner: Does this sadden you?
137: No. He made me promise to leave the creche and be happy for the both of us.
Examiner: It sounds like you were close.
137: Yes. He was a good friend.
Examiner: Perhaps he was more than a friend?
137: Physical relationships are forbidden in the creche.
Examiner: Do we have to play this game again?
137: I...we were close.
Examiner: How close?
137: Very.
Examiner: Lovers?
137: Only once, when we found out that I would be Interviewed and he...
Examiner: Once you found out that only one of you would have a chance to leave the creche, you mean.
137: Yes.
Examiner: It's quite alright, Maka. Those rules exist for a reason. There are those who are brave enough and smart enough to know which ones to follow and which ones to bend, there are those that view all of them with equal disdain, and there are those too timid to even think of stepping a toe out of line. We're all that's left of humanity, and we can't afford to trust the future of the race to either the wolves or the sheep. Do you understand?
137: I... Yes. I understand.
Examiner: Good. Our time is up. You will be notified of your results by the end of the day. Until then, you are not permitted contact with anyone outside of this room. Do you understand?
137: Yes.
Examiner: Maka? This isn't one of those rules meant to be broken. If you try to contact anyone, you'll forfeit your chance. Don't mess this up.
137: Of course. I won't contact anyone.
Examiner: Good.
[Notes: 137 suggests high probability of success outside of creche. Recommend advancement. The rest of the creche is a loss, recommend recycling and protein reclamation. End notes.]
Examiner: Please state your number, creche, assigned and actual gender.
137: I am number 137 of 300, Tau creche. I am female, assigned and actual.
Examiner: Do you have a name?
137: Names are not permitted until we leave the creche.
Examiner: Surely you don't just think of yourself as "137," do you? What do your friends call you?
137: Names are not permitted until-
Examiner: I know the rules as well as you, 137, and I know that this one is as casually disregarded in your creche as it was in every other creche as far back as anyone can remember. Please, do not insult my intelligence.
137: I- [remains silent for several moments] My name is Maka.
Examiner: Thank you. Was that so hard?
137: It was very difficult, yes.
Examiner: That was a rhetorical question, 137. Lighten up a bit. This will go a lot easier if you're not so tightly wound.
137: Respectfully, this is my Life Interview. I'm finding it difficult to relax.
Examiner: I guess I can understand that, Maka, but try anyway.
[137 is visibly uncomfortable, possibly over the use of her name]
Examiner: You should be proud of yourself. Only ten from your creche were even selected for Life Interviews. If you weren't truly exceptional, you wouldn't be here today.
137: Okay, I will... I will try to relax.
Examiner: Excellent. Now, tell me a little about yourself.
137: I am number 137 of-
Examiner: No, no, no. I have the raw data right here. If I wanted recitations of facts and figures, I'd listen to it. What are your likes? Dislikes? Hopes? Dreams? Why should you be the one to be allowed out of the creche?
[137 visibly pales, but after inhaling deeply, speaks]
137: I am Maka. My likes include reading, painting, astrogation, and the color yellow. I dislike howler music, carrots, and the color green. My best friend is 147, and I have produced the three offspring that the creche leader assigned for me. I hope to get accepted into the Navigation Trial after leaving the creche, and I dream of becoming Captain one day.
Examiner: Lofty ambitions. Now, this friend of yours, 147, they weren't selected for the Life Interview.
137: No, he was not.
Examiner: Does this sadden you?
137: No. He made me promise to leave the creche and be happy for the both of us.
Examiner: It sounds like you were close.
137: Yes. He was a good friend.
Examiner: Perhaps he was more than a friend?
137: Physical relationships are forbidden in the creche.
Examiner: Do we have to play this game again?
137: I...we were close.
Examiner: How close?
137: Very.
Examiner: Lovers?
137: Only once, when we found out that I would be Interviewed and he...
Examiner: Once you found out that only one of you would have a chance to leave the creche, you mean.
137: Yes.
Examiner: It's quite alright, Maka. Those rules exist for a reason. There are those who are brave enough and smart enough to know which ones to follow and which ones to bend, there are those that view all of them with equal disdain, and there are those too timid to even think of stepping a toe out of line. We're all that's left of humanity, and we can't afford to trust the future of the race to either the wolves or the sheep. Do you understand?
137: I... Yes. I understand.
Examiner: Good. Our time is up. You will be notified of your results by the end of the day. Until then, you are not permitted contact with anyone outside of this room. Do you understand?
137: Yes.
Examiner: Maka? This isn't one of those rules meant to be broken. If you try to contact anyone, you'll forfeit your chance. Don't mess this up.
137: Of course. I won't contact anyone.
Examiner: Good.
[Notes: 137 suggests high probability of success outside of creche. Recommend advancement. The rest of the creche is a loss, recommend recycling and protein reclamation. End notes.]