"Hey, Earth to Corvus," JJ hits me in the arm. I recoil in pain. "Which galaxy are you going to today?"

"Shut up," I groan.

He's holding Magdalene's right hand while she clumsily fumbles with a small platter of eggs, sausage, and toast on her left.

JJ picks up her fork and pilots a pretend-airplane of food to her mouth. She sticks out her tongue and it hits her in the face. They both giggle.

Cute, but annoying.

I drop my head onto the table in misery. My mind is just blank. Nothing important. Nothing I want. Nothing I really give a shit about.

Until, a loud thud from the back of the dining hall jolts me. JJ, Maggie, and a few others look back for about two seconds before resuming their usual chatter.

A bunch of MP officers, peeling their helmets off, giggle among each other while walking to stop at the wall, all dripping wet. Of the 7 or so, one gets pushed away by the others, and she sulks to her corner of the room while the others line up at the serving tables for coffee.

The odd one out just kind of sinks to the bottom, sitting directly on the floor, resting her chin on her kneepads. With nothing better to do until gym time, I find myself immediately getting up, walking straight to her.

"Alright, well, see you at the gym," JJ says. I don't even look back.

"Do they always treat you like that?" I sit down next to the lone MP.

"I... guess," she mutters, looking at me momentarily, before turning back to the floor. "They think they can just party since they got our higher ups to let them come inside for lunch break."

"Come inside?"

"Yeah. Normally the lieutenants don't want us to leave our post for lunch break, but the whole team threatened to strike, espeically when it's raining like today, so they let us come in. Not many are willing to do this job so the higher ups aren't keen to get rid of us."

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"Oh, shit."

"Yeah, job security is nice and all, but.... I..."

"...don't know why you're putting up with this?"

She nods, with her lips like they're about to burst.

I look around briefly, before going on a limb.

"Tell you what-- you find me a way out of here, and I'll... well, you know all of what I have to offer to you."

"W... what?"

"Yes."

She turns to me, "I can't, I'll--"

"Yes, you can. Unless... you just want to stay in this job forever?"

She returns to staring at the floor.

"Unless this is really the life you want, nothing's gonna change if you don't make any changes. I know I'm not in a position to offer you much other than my words right now."

"I... I don't... see any other opportunity."

"Because you're not looking around."

"I spent all my life following directions to get where I am now."

"And are you happy with it?"

Small tears start budding at her eyes. Her lips tremble more and more. "If you made it to MP, you clearly can do many other jobs outside of the Compound." I touch her shoulders. "Sorry life is treating you like this. I guess I'll be-"

"Wait!"

I freeze, turning back.

"I-l'll renegotiate my contract. I mean, I'll try."

"Well, that's the right attitude." I grin. "See you tomorrow."

She feebly smiles back.

~~

"Suessman!"

I struggle to pull the lat bar under my chin.

"Your heart rate is only 110! Come on!"

My muscles start to move in the other direction in spite of my efforts. 120kg wasn't this hard.

Gym isn't getting easier. My fitness metrics are stagnating. If I break out of the Compound, I'll need all the fitness I can get, but people have managed in worse condition.

Certainly I'll never beat Lori with her genetic alterations. I guess I'll have to find something else to impress her with....

~~

Ari is eating her dinner with one hand, and fiddling with another interior design project on her tablet with another, at a table away from JJ, Magdalene, and I.

"Hey, um..."

She glances at me, then turning away, folding her legs tightly.

"May I help you?"

I extend my hand for a shake. "Best wishes with your art career in Cauldron."

She stops moving her stylus, and sits back in her chair, pressing her hands on her skirt.

"Thank you," she mutters, still looking in front of her. "Same to you and your... adventure."

I drop my hand and slowly walk away.

~~

As I'm mindlessly staring at the ceiling failing to sleep, far earlier than my usual bedtime, I hear a note slide under my door.

On the folded paper, is a lipstick mark and some kind of insignia resembling a pot and spoon.