Straight To Work

     It is only a few turns and then that last long hallway to get to work.  In this groggy state the walk goes by quick, yet somehow feels like an eternity.  B'eight opens the first door into the reception booth, scans in, and steps out into the large loading bay.

     The huge area is a stark contrast to the hallways and sleeping chambers throughout the ship.  Even most of the other working areas aren't quite as vast as the loading bays.  Although, since there are only two on the entire ship, and they move all of the incoming and outgoing product it is not surprising that they take up so much space.

     There is a small cluster of workers about to start their shift standing near the entrance, some of them turn to look, but B'eight walks past without even acknowledging them.  B'eight walks the three levels worth of stairs down to the main floor and goes straight to work.  Today is an incoming day and it is likely that the previous shift didn't finish their own loads, as is typically the case.  "It would figure that on the busiest day of the week I get the least amount of sleep." B'eight thinks while stepping up to the station to look over what will be this shift's workload.

  "5,000 units left from last shift, 21,000 waiting, and another 6-7 thousand set to come in before we are released.  Good thing you came to work early B'eight. You ready for some fun?"  The voice is that of a seasoned vet, the person who talked B'eight into taking this job in the first place.

     "Remind me again Forell, how did you convince me to get on this ship?"

     "The heaps of money you would be making, wasn't it?"

     "Oh, yeah. lotta good that does out here, with nothing to spend it on."

     "Hey, I even warned you about that, told you it was a big payoff but a long wait for the reward at the end."

     "Oh yeah, I remember you saying: 'It's not about the money, it's about the job satisfaction, knowing that our work here helps people back land-side' or some hippy crap like that, right?"

      "Yup, but you had those dollar signs in your eyes. 'Screw the people' you said 'I want to swim in a pool of gold!' I think that's what you said, Verbatim."

      B'eight laughs a bit at this "That doesn't sound like me at all!"

     "Yeah it does, you heartless mercenary!" Forell replied, laughing also.

For a brief moment B'eight thinks that 'today' might not be so bad.  Then the lights cut out.

 - B'eight grabs at where the railing should be.























.