Machine God: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Final Draft)

Overstay

Lady iron.

AKA Orden, and her ever watchful soldier bodyguards.

She single-handedly lowered the temperature of the club to subzero. Even the citizens close to our tables shut up or whispered like castrated mice.

I had to give her credit for making such an impact.

"Citizen, you've been recently granted the right to visit the commons. Which doesn't mean you should abuse it. Time, like anything in this day and age, is a rare resource and must be spent with the utmost care."

I looked at my commcuff.

About seventeen minutes left.

So what the uproar?

"I'm still within the time limit."

"I know your permissions."

She looked at her datapad.

"You have sixteen minutes left. If I were you, I'd go back to the cell and prepare for tomorrow. You've wasted enough of your energies already."

"Right."

"I know what you're thinking."

"I doubt that."

"You believe that we're treating you harshly."

"That would be the understatement of the millennia."

"Understand that we all have to make our sacrifices to ensure peace and prosperity for all of us."

"If you say so."

Probably the most lackluster response I had ever given, but I didn't want to cause a ruckus. The iron lady shifted her intense glance to the others in the group.

"I can see you've made friends with your fellow citizens. That is good. Healthy communication enhances teamwork. After all, you never know with whom you end up working in the Lost Lands."

She clapped her hands once.

"Everyone, please enjoy your off-duty responsibly. It's for the greater good."

"For the greater good," everyone in the group said.

My response came too late, so I simply uttered an 'amen', much to the dismay of Orden.

"You're still a newcomer, but remember to not overstep your boundaries. The Bulwark doesn't accept defiance."

She rolled her eyes and marched toward a group three tables away from us. It looked as if she needed to scold someone else. The second she and her armored guards left our spot, the tension vaporized. I was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Someone's been eating nails for breakfast."

Ceedee cracked up, just like Yuki and Glitch. The laughter caught Orden's attention from across the room but she ignored it. Hecto was the only one frowning. He threw me a glance ripe with blame.

"You better watch your words, rookie. You're already walking on thin glass plates."

"Talking about glass, her sensibility seems to be made of it. What's her problem?"

Glitch enlightened me.

"In case you don't know, she's the Chief Controller of the Bulwark Cluster."

"Sounds like a dream job."

"She's basically making sure we all operate at maximum value levels. That's why she walks around and reminds people of their duty."

Ceedee nodded.

"She's also involved in mission planning. You see her in a lot of operations lately."

"But she's not running the place?"

They shook their heads.

"So who is?"

Another sentence fired into the void. The amount of silence was staggering. Everyone feared saying the wrong stuff. It was hard to believe these were the same people who dashed through the ruins and acted all swashbuckling. Hecto finished his drink and roared his fatherly voice for the first time.

"I think it's better to return to your cell, rookie. You don't want to overstay your first leisure period. The Bulwark is hard on newcomers, especially the ones with big mouths. They want to know if you're worth the resources they feed you."

A smart-ass comment lingered on my tongue, but Hecto was right. I had already experienced much today and got to know a little bit more about the world's status. Pushing my luck wasn't getting me anywhere, so I excused myself from the group. Ceedee looked up at me.

"Your life will be tough from now on. You will face days when you're close to giving up, but remember that you have folks standing behind you. Prove yourself worthy to the cluster and you'll see the sunny side of Bulwark life."

'Sunny side' and 'Bulwark' in one sentence sounded as believable as overheated snow. But in states of confusion, her comment was welcoming. Friends were the most valuable resource.

"Appreciated."

My legs pushed me toward the club bar's entrance.

"Keep it tight, folks. Thanks for the sightseeing tour."

I saluted them goodbye, traversed the sky bridges and reentered the main building of the cluster. Back in my cell, I prepared for my so-called big day tomorrow.

What did Konforma schedule for me?

Ah, yes, I remembered...