This is a Test

Ch. 4 - Part III - The First Test

Cashe entered the hydroponics lab, finding Miranda checking Roger's pulse as he gulped air through an oxygen mask. Lia ran to Dante and Karina, both seeming flustered as they conferred on the far side of the lab. Lia's gestures drew their attention and she pointed back towards Cashe. Karina looked at him and said something before aiming an open palm in Cashe's direction. Dante nodded and stomped Cashe's way as he rolled his cart through. Cashe could see the anger in Dante's face subside, replaced with of that jovial façade that he often feigned. Cashe could tell the man remembered that they were being watched by the masses.

With a big smile, Dante said through gritted teeth, "Hey, buddy. Where were you?"

Dante hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "In the machine shop."

"And did you know what was going on?" The others of the group started to congregate near them.

"From what I could tell from the monitors, a motherboard needed to be replaced."

"And you didn't think you needed to come and help?"

How many numbnuts does it take to screw in a motherboard? "I knew there were four of you in the hydroponics lab. I wasn't sure if my assistance was necessary, so I went into the corridor and saw Roger rushing to the rescue."

The geologist ripped the mask from his face, breaking the thin elastic strap that kept it there, and bellowed, "They blasted me whiles I was on the shitter!"

Mars would be proud.

Lia's confused look was probably due her translator trying to interpret 'shitter.' Dante jaw clenched tighter as he said, "And you didn't hear anyone calling for you?"

"No," which was true. He never heard 'Randall' once and he could end the conversation with the truth. Further talking would just lead to a fight. Cashe paused before saying, "I did hear you calling for someone named Randy."

Karina stepped forward, less concerned about hiding her anger. "So, you did hear us calling you."

"No. You were calling for a Randy. I'm not Randy. My name is Randall." He was certain he had covered this with them before. "Randall Cashe."

Dante raised his palms towards Cashe. "You're saying you didn't know we needed you even though you admit you heard us calling your nickname?"

Cashe feigned confusion. He had a retort waiting, but he needed them to ask the right question. "I have never known of anyone being called by a nickname."

"You are trying to tell us that in your whole life," and Dante waved his arms in circles to demonstrate Cashe's whole life, "that you have never heard anyone referred to by a name that wasn't on their birth certificate?"

Close enough. "Well, I'm sure that's happened to some of my relatives," Cashe said, "But that was four hundred years ago as they were taken off the boats. Nothing recent."

Dante's jaw dropped, for what could he say to that? As angry as she was, Karina's mouth ballooned open as her sealed lips smothered a snorting laugh, and she turned to feign coughing into her fist. Damn right that was funny. Now to end their nonsense.

"This was a test, one of the simplest things I could do here to fix a problem. The reason for the gas was to simulate a breach in the air systems, where one could not see or breathe properly as if in a real situation. The solution was as simple as plugging in a USB drive into a computer. Pull out the old part; push in the new. They even guided you to the location of the motherboard and where it should be placed."

"It would have been simple for you," Dante said, "but not for us. You could have fixed the issue in less than a minute."

"Exactly. That is what made it a test. Not a test for me, but the rest of you. It's like an issue solvable by a single keystroke while Lia sat at her computer. Do you think it's a coincidence that I was the furthest one away from an engineering problem when this began? The idea that you would wait on me during a catastrophe because it was an engineering problem is the same logic of all our oxygen being sucked out an open door and you all stood around waiting for me to shut it because I installed the thing."

He went to the console where the motherboard had been replaced, horseshitting still. "I understood it was a test, and a test not meant for me, and I didn't want to interfere." Cashe expected to find the part installed but not locked into place and was pleasantly surprised to find the plastic tabs that held firm the piece pushed in. He looked up and smiled at them. A compliment was probably necessary to assuage sore feelings, so he added, "Everything looks to have been properly installed. Excellent job."

"Thanks," Karina said with insincere sweetness. "We couldn't have done it without you. Oh, wait. We did."

Cashe return to his cart. "And that was the point."

Departing, he thought about what he said. Hopefully, those monitoring the test were impressed by his genius and awarded him the most points. He imagined observers in white lab coats with clipboards nodding to one another as he spoke and putting check marks in all his boxes. He didn't remember thinking it was a test for the rest of them at the time, but he wondered if he had on a subconscious level. That was probably it. Deep down, he had realized he was not to be involved and ignored them. He shook his head. There were times that even Cashe marveled at his own brilliance.

Miranda walked to position herself as close to everyone as possible. "I understand that this has been a trying time, but we all knew that the point of this mission was to test not only the facility but those who would reside within it. If anyone is feeling any symptoms of distress or has the need to talk, I am here for you."

Roger rubbed his belly and walked away towards the corridors. "Only distress I got is from what I was in the middle of. I'm gonna get back to it."

Miranda went to Kia and repeated the question slowly to ensure she understood. Cashe caught Karina and Dante's glares before they went back to their own jobs.

Counseling for that? Was she serious? This was the warm-up, the real welcome to the project from Anoptica. If Miranda felt they needed therapy after five minutes of alarms, Cashe couldn't wait to see how she handled it when people really started to lose it.

As an added bonus, he noticed later no one called him Randy after that.