BOOTHBY

 "In Star Trek, why was the gardener at Star Fleet Academy so important?

“In Star Trek, why was the gardener at Star Fleet Academy so important?”

It wasn't so much Liam Boothby—played by the irrascible Ray Walston—or his position as the gardener at Starfleet Academy as it was his grounding influence.

As a man more connected to the earth—he preferred gardening by hand to using tech or harsh chemical—Boothby was humble, wise, and patient. He was everything a bright-eyed, often cocky, and star-struck cadet wasn't.

He'd been around since the days of Kirk, although a mere child when the legendary 5-year mission took place. Nevertheless, he lived through decades of Federation history. He watched the Klingons go from enemies to allies and the Romulans go from a whisper to a key contender in the Alpha Quadrant. He saw the Dominion overrun the Federation, only for the quadrant to come together.

He was so influential because of this wisdom, but also because where would a lovestruck young cadet carve their s.o.’s initials? A tree. Where would a forlorn cadet go to escape the pressures of the academy and their future—aside from Romulan ale—but the lush gardens around the facilities.

How many times had he seen troubled if promising young cadets despair? How many times had he watched them surpass their adversity and grow into strong, intelligent Starfleet officer?

He never pushed himself on a young cadet, merely waited for them to ask for advice or a boxing coach or an ear to listen to or a need for fresh flowers to brighten their day. And, for that reason, as well as his direct honesty, he wound up grounding, advising, or coaching some of Starfleet's finest, including Picard, Janeway, Chakotay, and dozens more."