A: There's plenty of good astronomers. You coulda had your pick of the litter. There's the big names: Sagan, Hawking, Thorne, Drake, Fraknoi-- Goodness I personally know a dozen colleagues smarter than myself, but you set your sights on a 34-year-old with a jumpy career, a career that's straddled radio astronomy and the Apollo missions, and you said, "Yep, that's the man I need to decipher an alien message." So tell me Dopp, why am I even here?

D: You're a good astronomer, Akers.

A: C'mon take me seriously. I do alright, but I'm nothing next to the giants. And I'll admit I sit down everyday next to Dr. Collins, Dr. Bautista, Dr. Murcury, and I see it clear as day. I'm no titan of my field like those three.

D: You're a good astronomer.

A: Quit sayin' that! Take me seriously! You know what I'm askin', Dopp!

D: Hmph. There's 2 kinds of good, Akers. There's good in ability, and good in character. See Bautista's a good guy, but he's better with computers than he is a person.

A: Hey now that's not fair. He's a good man.

D: I know he's a good man; wouldn't have picked him otherwise. But I think the whole world is thankful he turned out to be a moral person. His life could've been a few bad days away from making a supervillain. But instead we have the quiet, obsessive, sometimes sassy computer genius that he is.

A: So what, I'm no genius, but I've got "a good heart?"

D: I'm no genius either, Akers.

A: What?

D: I've made a long career for myself by being where I'm needed, and by working as hard as I possibly can to do for others. When I put this team together, your resume landed on my desk, and I made up my mind right then and there. I read your file and saw someone who did what it takes. I saw someone who logged 4500 hours at the Leuschner Observatory down in Berkeley, someone who poured his soul into his PI's research-- someone else's research. After that, I saw someone who found a need in the Apollo program, who eagerly did whatever he could to help, to learn, to explore, to work hard. For others. Now don't sell yourself short-- you're a good astronomer. You know your stuff. But this team didn't need another genius. It needed someone who'd show up everyday and put his best foot forward. It needed you.

A: I get your point, I really do, but I still fail to see how another genius wouldn't have been a better fit. How would another Bautista not be better than an Akers?

D: Alan, you make everyone around you better. Your way of life is contagious. Your zeal for everything makes everyone else want to try as hard as they can. All the time. It's been awhile since I've met another academic so comfortable out of their comfort zone, someone so willing to make mistakes if it meant trying. Now, the whole Translation team is great; you're all good people. Like I said, wouldn't have picked you four otherwise. But I don't think you realize how much you make everyone around you better. You uplift the people in every room you enter. The good things you see in them, a part of that is thanks to you.

A: ... I appreciate that, Dopp. ... More than you know.

D: Yep. ... Well, I've gotta run home and get at least some sleep. You take care, Alan.

A: Yeah, you too. ...

L: (Astronomer Dr. Alan Akers decided it was best to gaze at the stars for awhile)

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