Training

The desert stretches farther than you can see. Only the occasional dust eddy disrupts the monotony.

“So this is the world outside.”

Elder Matteo nods.

“Is it all like this?”

“Most of it. Still patches we haven’t gotten to yet.”

“So it was different before…”

“When I was a boy, we had lush jungles, quiet lakes… food… we didn’t need to mine pellets back then.”

“How long has it been since you’ve seen this… food?”

A light goes on in the elder’s eyes. “I saw a cherry last year. When visiting the neighboring bubble. It was beautiful…. but enough of an old man’s reminisces. If this bubble is to be fed, we need more PAC operators. Are you ready?”

You turn your imagination away from what a cherry might be, and look at your PAC. Your Pellet Acquisition Capsule. You’ve been processing the pellets for years, but seeing a PAC up close for the first time is still an awe-inspiring experience. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

You get in to the yellow sphere and let the wires envelop you. Matteo closes the hatch.

“Let’s get you acquainted with this contraption, alright?”