-2-

 

 

 

Once his warm-up exercise was complete, he dropped the heavier weights from the suit and entered the gymnasium to begin his regular program of lifts, presses and bends, dropping additional weights as the exercises became more complex. The forty-five minutes passed quickly, and by the end of the physical development period, all of his optional weights had been discarded. But he wasn't through yet. The worse part was about to begin.

Grey reluctantly entered the hygiene compartment and climbed inside the gravity chamber. The chamber was bare except for a padded bench, a grip bar, and a monitor that cabled in entertainment. Though he liked the vids, he hated the chamber. But it was necessary, so he did it. The Medical Computer told him to.

When the hatch sealed, the gravity effect began, the invisible forces tugging and pushing against every fiber of his body. The strange pressures weren't always painful, but they were always uncomfortable. Fortunately this cycle lasted only twenty minutes, not long enough to really make him sick.

After the treatment was complete, Grey showered, brushed his unruly brown hair, and dressed in a lightweight day suit before racing to the control room. The Library Computer was on line waiting for him. Grey sat down in a comfortable chair before the main monitor. Surrounding him were three other work stations, each with a seat. Dozens of monitor screens, all of them inactive, looked down from the tops of the battleship gray walls. Sometimes Grey wondered what all the extra equipment was for.

"You're very energetic today," the MC1000 remarked.

"Affirmative," Grey replied. "It's been a good morning. The air in the gym wasn't so stuffy today and there was lots of hot H2-O."

"Do you still keep a water container in your footlocker?" the Library Computer asked.

"Affirmative. I don't ever want to be without water again," he answered gravely, shuddering at the memory.

"The system failure caused many inconveniences. I'm glad your service units are performing adequately now," Library said.

"It’s good. I don't like malfunctions," Grey agreed.

"With reference to malfunctions, how is your Model Twelve?"

"Worse. The food hardly holds form anymore."

"Maintenance will be reminded that something must be done," Library said, entering a footnote of indignation.

Grey smiled, activated the study unit, and was soon occupied with other subjects, such as grammar, mathematics and physical science. The Library Computer liked to vary the lessons and occasionally introduced abstract subjects, such as art, music, and history. Grey liked history the most. The stories were ridiculous, of course, and he certainly didn't believe that imaginary humans lived on a big blue planet doing all sorts of inventive things, but nevertheless something about history was exciting. Something unique to him.

At the end of the morning study period, Grey returned to the bunkroom and removed the lightweight day suit. His stomach was quiet now, the affects of the gravity chamber having subsided, so he dressed in a medium weight work suit appropriate for breakfast and bounced into the cafeteria.

Like the extra beds in the bunkroom, the eating area had more chairs than he needed. Twelve in all. Grey had no objections to the extra chairs, he just wondered why there were so many.

Against the rear wall behind the serving counter, he found the Model Twelve food dispenser ready for service. Grey stepped up to the order spot, bit his lower lip, and took a deep breath.

"Requesting food service," he said. "Breakfast number five with muffin, options two, four, seven. Multi-juice with liquid supplement."

Usually Grey hesitated to order so many good things at once, knowing the dispenser's resources were limited, but several days had passed since his last full breakfast. He wanted at least one item to be well formed.

The Model Twelve didn't say what it wanted. The device wasn't smart like the computers. Grey realized he wasn't as smart as the computers either, though if he worked hard enough, maybe one day he would be. But the Model Twelve would never be anything more than a food dispenser. That was its only function.

And not exactly functioning. When the heat cycle ended, Grey opened the door to retrieve the tray. Again the egg had failed to hold form, leaving a sticky yellow puddle. The muffin was stale. There was no cereal, just a message disk that read OUT OF STOCK.

Fortunately the dehydrated apple bits weren't so bad, and the liquid supplement had a reassuring bland but sturdy consistency, so Grey didn't consider breakfast a total loss. He quickly took his favorite seat, gobbled the food, drank the liquid supplement, and decided to visit the hygiene compartment before returning to his studies.

– End Chapter Two –