Hope Springs Eternal

"Fabian? Sarah? Don't you have an Energy Shield you should be working on?" Clint walked up behind his gossiping subordinates, startling them.   "Sorry! It's just..." Sarah stuttered, wringing her hands nervously.   "Yes...?" Clint prompted. He had learned long ago it was best to let these two ask out their questions if he wanted the most productivity from them. They were good engineers, just a little easily distracted.   "We were wondering at her chances of getting the job," Fabian finished. "The newbie. Nora, I think she said?"   "Came strutting in here like she ready owned the place," Sarah added, tucking a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear. "Bragging about how many places she had applied to work, and how she got the first job she ever applied for, but wanted somewhere more suitable to utilize her talents."   "But when I tried to talk technical with her, her eyes glossed over." Fabian shook his head, his unruly black hair sliding to cover his eyes. He lightly blew it aside before continuing. "I don't think she actually worked a day in her whole life. I don't think she knows... Anything?"   "Not to be unkind!" Sarah cut in quickly. "Just... Something felt off about her is all. All that insufferable bravado..."   "That's for our interviewer to decide," Clint answered back evenly. His leveled his brown eyes sternly on the pair. "You'll know soon enough by whether or not she comes to work here tomorrow."   "True..." Sarah conceded.   "I just wish we knew what was going on in there," Fabian amended.   "When you're a manager you'll know all about it," Clint answered with a smile. His engineers grimaced. Science, mechanics, and gossip were their passions, management positions their nightmares, and Clint loved using that to his advantage. "Now back to work, both of you. We have ships that need shielding, after all."   "Yes, sir!" the two grinned and hurried back to their lab. Anything to avoid talking about management roles. Anything.   Clint shook his head with amusement as he watched them pass before turning around in time to see a young woman walking dejectedly out of the office behind him. The new prospect didn't get the job after all.   "So many applicants, so little talent," the Skyfall interviewer muttered to Clint through the now-open door, her weary blue eyes speaking volumes. "You'd think they'd get the message."   Clint shrugged his shoulders. "Hope springs eternal and all that." He clapped his hand on her back and grinned. "Someone will give her a chance someday, Jane. Just wrong place wrong time for her right now."   "You ever want my job, you let me know," Jane answered dryly before turning back to her office. "I could use a mental vacation."   "Not on your life," Clint shook his head in reply. "Not on your life."