The eldest sibling elbowed his brother a few times, trying to budge into him the concept of diplomacy. “Stop being so obviously judgy, or else we will never be on time! And you know what happens to unemployed people of our age-". The last remark got him visibly unsettled which, for now, he agreed to follow his brother's advice.

The two then explained to their senior about the factory, and the color orange and mustard, all while their coworker listened silently, with a warm smile, nodding at times and waiting for them to finish talking.

Pale stranger-“ You had the right idea with the direction, but it’s the plant behind the one you pointed to. I also have to get there. Believe it or not, that building serves as a repair shop for prosthetics, augments, etc. and I work in the complaints department.”

Elder brother-“ Uhm, yeah, sure. Thanks for your help…ehhh”

Savan -“ Savan Forg. Oh, and let's fasten the pace a bit. Getting too early or too late will deduct some points, but by trial and error, I figured this to be the perfect speed to get us on time.”

While on their way, the younger brother kept glancing at Savan and tried to keep bagging up any comments he had about their guide but thinking that it might deflate his attitude a bit, the older one asked Savan about themselves.

Elder brother-“ Savan, hope you don’t mind if I ask, but you seem a bit different from the rest of the people from the upper levels.”

Savan -“ I do? I guess you guessed already, and yes: I’m a cloned employee - or C.E as the brands prefer to use for us. Personally, I would love it if you called me a clopy.”

Smaller brother -“Figured”, blurred with a slight disgust in tone, the younger one, unable to resist. “The brands never send your kind on the outskirts, but I heard ‌they use you when there are ''labor shortages” and “jobs unfit for people”. What a load.”, he spoke with significant distaste now.

The pale coworker took a gander at him but didn’t refute or take an aggressive stance: “Ah, newbies. Well, he will work with a lot of clopies at the factories, and he might get over it”, they thought to themselves.

Savan -“ Yeah, I guess some parts of companies use us for that. Sorry boy, but some jobs aren’t suitable for humans. For the last seven years, I worked as aaaaaa….uhm…they changed the name recently; client damage support assistant? No, wait, live client...”

Smaller brother -“What are you…what do you mean? That doesn’t sound like something a human couldn’t do.” replied the boy irritated.

Savan -“Maybe, but you forget that these days, most customers have cybernetic implants, prosthetics, or both. And some of them are very stressed out from, uh, the work cycles, for example. Imagine having to go to customer service after finishing a 15-hour hop-job shift, how would you feel? It’s tough and dangerous, but at least I get only 14 hours in just one shift. What about you two, were assigned for a hop-job or just one shift?”

The older brother chimed in, trying to diffuse the tension a bit.

Older brother -“ We were offered the usual double jobs option, but then we saw that the Bacterial Removal division needed people for just 10-hour shifts and it pays even more than a hop option does.”

Savan -“Oh?”, Savan asked, surprised, with a bit of worriedness in their voice. “Are you sure that’s what you want? I heard that it’s quite a tough workplace.”

Older brother -“Yeah, but everyone back home told us that while it’s hard, it’s also a good profession. And we will be cared for by the Brand. Many guys we knew went there, and they are sending lots of food and points to the village monthly.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Savan -“ I see. Huh...well...I might just be a bit of a worrywart then. Big shoes to fill at just 12 years old, but I believe that two though-looking boys like you will manage. “

On their merry way, Savan continued to give them a few more tips and tricks on the little things. The older brother listened carefully, while the younger also did the same, albeit reluctantly. They learned how you can change faster on the road or what to eat to not get sick at work. “As usual, points are deducted if it takes too long. Also, keep empty bottles with you all the time. Trust me, lifesavers!” The few minutes they had left to get to the plant passed in the blink of an eye.

-----

Savan -“Well newbies, good luck on your first day. And also good luck to me on my last one as well.”

Older brother -“What? What do you mean by that, Savan?”, asked the eldest.

Savan -“Ah, well, what was the old saying for this? Ah, right - I quit. I’ve signed up for this year’s R.O.C and the Brand's main office accepted this tradeoff.”

Smaller brother -“Are you serious? That’s, wow, amazing of you… Savan. I wasn’t expecting to hear that from a C.E." For the first since they met, the younger one's angry mug finally seemed happy with something related to their colleague.

Savan -“ You meant to say clopy?”, asked Savan with a wide grin.

Smaller brother-“ C.E”, he interjected.

Savan -“ Clopy.”

Smaller brother -“ Clopy, ok, whatever you nag! Anyway, I guess the R.O.C could be viewed as ‌work unfit for people. Don’t take it the wrong way, but if you hadn’t volunteered, a human would have been forced to take part, right?”

Savan -“ Yes, that’s how it usually works when there aren’t enough participants. I don’t really get it, though, it is an opportunity to get free augments and prosthetics. Who would want to pass out on that?” The raspy voice and lanky body made them look older, but the innocence with which they talked about their interest transformed Savan into a hyperactive child. Even the two of them were surprised with ease which their new acquaintance treated the competition.

Elder brother -“Everyone? I mean, I get what you say, but I saw a lot more malfunctioning prosthetics in those contests than, well, functioning ones. Even the lower levels know they are simply using the contest to test new products. And quality entertainment.", said the older brother. Whatever rant bug bit the clopy, seemed to have bitten him as well, at least when he recalled the previous races:" Seeing two C.T.Ds clash still is one of the coolest things I have seen in my life! ”

Savan -" Oh yeah? Got a favorite?", asked Savan.

Older brother -" Uhm...I think Azin. I think I like how she always tries to protect her partners. My little brother is a big Serviceman fanboy".

Smaller brother -" Hey, stop telling everyone that!" He seemed to be the type that blushed rapidly when someone teased him, but now that it was out in the open, the boy felt there was no reason to hide it. " He's just so big, strong, and he never loses! Medusa might be the only one that could beat him, but I never saw the two fight before."

Savan just smiled that the two spoke more freely now, and took a more serious tone.

Savan -” I know, by the way, about the rumors about the race. But, tell me, how else could someone like me get, legally, some enhancements? ” Before they could even think of an answer, a beep from the clopy’s wrist went on, which showed that it was almost time for their shift to start. “ Well, I guess it's goodbye for me. Good luck on your first day, by the way. Hope you'll make some more friends, even if they make you feel a bit uncomfortable. “

The boys reluctantly waved at their soon-to-be ex-co-worker, concerned for what they believed was soon to be an ex-acquaintance. Savan notices it and leaves them with a big grin, using their customer support experience to soothe a person.

Going down a corridor that passes by various offices, then industrial rooms, then offices again, only one thought was going through Savan's head-“This is the only way”. They slowly approach the client complaints counter and spend the next 14h working, as usual, keeping a balmy, radiating face for both customers and coworkers, though it either went ignored or just misinterpreted by them.

As was the norm, they had to calm highly volatile customers, using their birth-imprinted soft smile, then calmly listen, nodding their head when appropriate, keeping a constant tone, never too low or too high. Just as their programming instructed them to do.