Point Zero (_.???): Past: Gwendolyn Elliot

Point Zero (_.???): Past: Gwendolyn Elliot

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Commissioned by Ichypa 

Wordcount: 1000

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“Say, kid, why don’t you take the test to get outta this dump?” 

I blink the words that come my way. They’re the first words I’ve heard in weeks. It is a struggle to recall how to speak to the camp’s captain. No out of fear or hesitation, but simple lack of use. I need to remember to practice speaking when I’m alone.

“Test?”

“Right, you weren’t here last week. Sorry about that.” The camp’s captain has a black patch over his eye. With hair like a shaggy mop that covers his eyes, and a dour expression, he is a depressing, disheveled individual to look at. His armor is weathered and sports many refurbished parts, while his left arm is entirely mechanical. He is undoubtably the only one in this camp that I cannot defeat. He is a veteran in a job where most die in mere hours. “They’re searching camps for refugees with high potential to ship over the Point Zero to keep filling it with raw talent. You should go there.”

“Payment?”

“You get a room in a fancy, safe dorm that provides you with shelter, running water, and a food replicator you have to share with only eight people.” That is an amazing offer for the food replicator alone. The competition in the test is very high. “Not as high as you’d think. The bar to enter Point Zero is having talent. You’re the only one in the camp who probably has a solid, guaranteed chance.”

“Why?”

“Well, one reason is you can kill shit like that and drag it back it’s head for me to pay you.” He takes a cigarette butt from his filled ashtray and flicks it at my proof of kill. The hunt had taken a long time, and I had to retreat to recover, scavenge, and call for extra rations in the field. I will have only half of my expected profit from my kill, due to the hunt being more difficult than expected. “At the very least, you can join whatever they have for police and take on idiots from safe zones hopped up on their powers.”

I waited for more information, while he lit a new cigarette and took a pull. A team of drones arrived to take the kill, while another presented me with my earnings. The captain gave me a bonus again for my efforts. My expected profits were now full. He is a very nice person, even if he is incapable of talking to others. 

“If that’s not to your fancy, schooling there’s free too, and you can attend a school, get a job as a research assistance, and climb up the world. You’ve got a good brain, Elliot, so you should use it, right?” The captain leaned on his table, a puff of smoke slowly leaving his lips, while he tapped his cigarette against the small hill of ash balancing upon his ash tray. He was reinforcing the foundation with a palisade of cigarette butts. “Or, I don’t know, you can indulge your latent criminal desires, start a gang, and take over the whole city? It’ll be funny as hell, if the Intrepid like your moxie enough to make you ruler of Earth.”

“Crime is bad.”

“…If the world had a few hundred of you, we’d probably have all our calamities handled already. Elliot.” The captain laughed, before frowning at his cigarette and planting it at the tip of the mountain of ash upon his table. He is very displeased with his body’s adaptation to nicotine, especially after the convenience replicator arrived to provide free luxuries to all once per day. His allotment was probably higher. “Anyway, then, you can still become a police officer or try to be a researcher that figures out how to save the world.”

“I am not smart.”

“So, if you go to Point Zero, you’ll be a police officer. Do you want me to make a few calls for my friends there, then?” 

“If I pass the test.”

“You brought in something capable of taking on a squad of professional militia, Elliot, you’ve already passed.” The captain rolled his eyes, before producing something from one of his desk drawers. With my exceptional dexterity, I caught it after its movement was arrested by my forehead. The captain’s way of showing affection is strange, but appreciable. “

“Oh, that’s nice, when must I leave?”

“You can leave right now, but I’ll be pissed if you don’t let the camp celebrate and see you off.” The captain stood up, stretched, and cast his gaze over me. Then, he placed a hand on my shoulder, and led me outside. “I’ll buy you some new clothes as a going-away present.”

“That is sexual harassment.”

“Jeez, kid, I said I’m buying. That’s it. I’m not out to leer at you.” The captain laughed, despite his complaints. I breathed a sigh of relief and allowed myself one fistpump. That was a good joke. I can now use both hands to count the number of good jokes I have. “So, what’re you feeling city-girl?”

I thought for a few moments, as we walked through the camp, in the shadow of the security towers as they fired into the sky and cleared it of infested flocks. The constant drone of laser fire, the calming knowledge that the camp is safe from the smaller Bioweapons, allowed me to think properly and clearly.

“A suit. I want to be professional.” I want to look nice and competent. Being girly will be silly, if I’m to be a police officer. Therefore, a suit is best. One that I can wear beneath armor and can be pressurized would be great, too. “One that’s good for combat, please.”

“Heh. I thought you wanted to be a police officer, not a secret agent or a hitman, Elliot.” The captain laughed and scratched the back of his head. As he did, I realized that I will not be able to visit him often anymore… unless I made lots of money and bought myself a Transport. Yes. I’ll do that and call him often until then. That will be nice. “Well, whatever. It’s a gift. As long as you want it and use it, I’ll get it for ya.”

Yes.

It would be very nice to come back here and make sure that everyone’s okay every few weeks.

I lost one family.

I will not lose another.