"Yes, indeed," he muses, thinking back on the academy. He smiles, shaking his head. "That is very much the same. Along with the simplicity, there is far less privacy. I'm sure it was similar in your youth; shared quarters, tight living spaces, forcing you to share bonds and form relationships with your fellow cadets. It instills a need for cooperation and reliance early on. I still keep in contact with many of the officers I knew then. Those bonds are perhaps the strongest of any I've formed in my career, prior to my assignment as captain of this ship."

He looks distinctly amused. "I hate to disappoint you, but at one time I was as green as the next graduate. I must say the feeling is mutual, however. Seeing you at home in this environment, it's hard to imagine anything else."