"If her skills warrant it, yes." I looked at Dana directly. "I'm Chief Engineer of Mothership. I oversee all technical systems, power distribution, propulsion, life support, structural integrity. If you have the knowledge and capability, I can use someone with your creative problem-solving skills."
"And if I don't measure up to Zandovian standards?"
"Then I'll find out during evaluation." I deactivated the holographic display. "But I reviewed your beacon for fortyminutes before deciding to respond to your distress signal. Forty minutes of studying technology I didn't understand, trying to determine if it represented a threat or a cry for help. What I saw was elegant desperation, someone who understood the principles well enough to make impossible things work. That's not nothing, Dana."
She studied me with those analytical green eyes, and I felt uncomfortably seen. Like she was running her own evaluation, determining if I was trustworthy or just another variable in an equation that didn't balance.
"Okay," she said finally. "Evaluate me. Test my knowledge, my skills, whatever you need. But I want something in return."
"You're not in a position to negotiate."
"I'm in exactly the position to negotiate. You want to know what I'm capable of? I want to know what happens to my people. Where they'll be assigned. What their conditions will be. Who's responsible for their wellbeing."
"That's Captain Tor'van's decision."
"Then arrange a meeting. Because I'm not cooperating with your evaluation until I know my people will be treated fairly."
Behind her, the other humans shifted nervously. This was their leader making demands of an eight-foot alien on a ship where they had no power and no options. Brave or stupid, I couldn't quite decide.
"You realize I could just assign you wherever I want," I said. "Captain Tor'van gave me authorization to evaluate and place all sixteen of you."
"You could. But you won't get accurate assessments if we're terrified and resentful. You want cooperation? Prove you're worth cooperating with."
The challenge hovered between us. Most beings didn't challenge me, not directly, not when I had clear authority and they had nothing but defiance.
I should have been annoyed. Instead, I found myself almost amused? Impressed? She was bluffing with no cards, but doing it with such conviction that it almost worked.
"Fine," I said. "I'll arrange a meeting with Captain Tor'van. But the evaluation starts today. I need preliminary data to present when we discuss assignments."
Dana's expression shifted into surprise, that I'd agreed. "What kind of evaluation?"
"Basic competency assessment. Theoretical knowledge, practical application, problem-solving capabilities. I have diagnostic tests designed for engineering positions. You'll take those first."
"And the others?"
"They'll be evaluated by their respective department heads. Medical for anyone with healthcare training, Navigation for your pilot, Hydroponics for your botanist. Everyone will be assessed based on their stated skills."
"Stated skills." She laughed, short and bitter. "We were on an exploration mission, not a warship. Most of us are scientists, engineers, specialists in peaceful disciplines. I don't know how useful that makes us on a rescue vessel that apparently doubles as a military ship."
"Mothership is equipped for combat because we operate in dangerous sectors," I explained. "But our primary function is rescue and integration of displaced beings. Scientific knowledge is extremely valuable. Engineering skills are critical. Your people's expertise in peaceful disciplines might be exactly what Mothership needs."
I pulled up a basic engineering assessment on my portable interface, transferred it to the datapad Dana was holding. "Start with this. Theoretical analysis of power distribution systems. See how far you get."
Dana glanced at the assessment, and I saw her eyes widen slightly as she scanned the questions. "This is your basic competency test?"
"For entry-level engineering positions, yes."
"These are graduate-level problems. Multi-system integration, exotic energy sources, quantum field stabilization?—"
"If they're too advanced?—"
"I didn't say they were too advanced. I said they were graduate-level." She scrolled through more questions, something almost hungry in her expression. "This is actual engineering. Not just technical maintenance."
"Engineering is what I do. If you're going to work in my department, you need to understand real engineering problems, not just mechanical repairs."
Dana looked up at me, and something had shifted in her eyes. Not trust, not yet. But interest. Engagement. The look of someone presented with a challenge they actually wanted to tackle.
"How long do I have?"
