Chapter 2 - UNFINISHED

Farid Safavi understood the situation quite well; including that incident, Jasper had slept on the job four times. And, being the man who brought Jasper into MIPS, he knew exactly how to deal with it.



"Here we are. Again. Jasper, tell me why you do this."



"Let me be honest with you - it's boring working here. I pack boxes, ship boxes, and pack more boxes over and over again. A job like that makes me tired, so I find somewhere and sleep."



"Sleeping workers make no money. However," Mr. Safavi cooly replied. "that isn't why you came here, is it?" Jasper slowly raised his head to Safavi's eyes.



"I remember it clearly - three years ago, you found a way onto one of our transports. At the time, I was still only a ship crew member. I found you in the cargo hold, hiding behind a crate of peaches that was on it's way to Oban. You sat there, dumbstruck, like a moorle in headlights, and I asked you why you were there. Remind me, what was it that you said in return?"



Jasper let out a slow breath and lowered his head.

"I said… I said that I was running away. I wanted to escape my boring life. Being a farmhand on a peach farm until I die is not how I want to live, and surely you understand that. So when I saw that ship come in to dock, I saw my opportunity and I took it. All I wanted was to be doing something, anything, more exciting, more adventurous, than that life." He shook his head slightly.

"Packaging wasn't the occupation I had in mind, but hey, anything's better than plucking fruit."



"Hm. I have only one more question for you. Then I will make my decision."



"Decision?" Jasper asked, eyes both fearful and eager.



"Yes, a decision. My question is: what is it that you would like to do instead?"



"I'm- I'm sorry, did I hear you right? Are you giving me the choice to choose my job?"



"Within my power, of course. I pity you, Jasper. You had the bad luck of being born in the wrong place. Within you is the spirit of adventure, a feeling that cannot be satisfied through farming."



What Savafi did not tell Jasper was that when he was younger, he felt the same way. Only, while he had been stuck as a factory worker all of his life, Safavi wanted to give Jasper an 'out', to give him the life he himself could not live.



Jasper took his time deciding. He understood that chances like this only happen once in a lifetime. He reminded himself of the glistening ships lined on the tarmac. He had not forgotten why he ran from ____ in the first place.



Jasper stood up and looked square into his boss' eyes.

"Mr. Safavi, transfer me to crewmanship aboard a transport." He said boldly.



Mr. Safavi noticed the change in Jasper's attitude. He understood that Jasper made the right choice. Safavi rapidly typed a brief message on his data pad and sent it to the head of interstellar transport, Virgil Okoye. He also sent directions towards Okoye's office to Jasper's data pad.



"Done and done. You now work under my colleague, Virgil Okoye. Follow the directions I sent you and you will find his office." The old director stood and extended a hand. Jasper returned the gesture confidently.

"You will make a fine crewman. Dismissed."