Nature doesn't care about fairness.
It doesn't notice circumstances or age, and it doesn't take a genius to understand that especially when you are born in a world like this.
This world was a dog-eat-dog world without limit and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Orion wiped the grease from his hands and adjusted the panel on the ship's maintenance hull.
The low hum of the engines filled the bay, punctuated by the occasional hiss of hydraulics and the distant clatter of tools.
Life as a junior engineer was monotonous, predictable and he hated it.
He wanted so much more in life than being stuck with debt and unable to climb the corporate ladder because of his lack of name, heritage and power.
While he didn't resent the people that had the privilege, he was definitely jealous.
And then his holo-comm ringed. The sharp alert made him freeze.
He glanced up.
All around him, co-workers' displays flickered with the same notification, though most didn't bother to look.
Orion tapped the interface, and his cheap Cognex Edge glasses projected the message in front of him:
[Helix Corp: Recruitment Alert – Junior Engineers Needed for Expedition to Newly Discovered Ruins in Uncharted Space.]
A ripple of unease spread across the bay.
Conversations started quietly, then rose in tense murmurs.
Most scoffed at the risk; but you could visibly see every Junior Engineer tense up.
While this was phrased as a recruitment notice every one of them knew that it really wasn't, especially with their 3rd Class Citizenship.
Everyone knew the truth, Helix Corp's quota had to be filled and if it wasn't filled by 'volunteers' anyone could be drafted at random.
The uncharted regions were dangerous, unpredictable, and most definitely lethal especially for unenhanced humans.
Orion felt his pulse quicken as he stared at the message before he went back to his work… however it kept popping back into his mind.
While this was a very dangerous run it was also his only option to fast track his career.
Not only could he fast track his career, but he could also make enough money to even clear his debt and if he was lucky become a 2nd Class Citizen and maybe even first class.
Then enhancement would not be too far from him but a man can only dream... until this point.
The risk was enormous, but so was the reward.
He swallowed as he stared at the accept button…
'Yes, I can do it.'
'I mean I got here in the first place by taking risk.'
'If I didn't take risk, I will still be living in the dump not working on spaceships.'
But he knew taking a loan was very different from going to an uncharted part of space.
His heart was beating so fast as he swallowed, glanced at the nervous faces around him, closed his eyes and finally tapped "Accept."
He opened his eyes as confirmation of his choice flashed in the glasses.
The hum of the engines faded into the background as the enormity of what he'd just volunteered for settled over him.
The unknown was waiting, and there was no turning back.
***
The night before departure, Orion sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the small pile of belongings he would take with him.
A few sets of clothes, his CredChip, the dagger he had carried since his childhood days, first thing he ever bought in years, and his worn out Cognex Edge glasses.
Everything else — furniture, trinkets, half-finished projects — would stay behind.
Selling them off had been a strange mix of relief and sadness, It wasn't like he could take them with him and he couldn't possibly keep paying rent for the duration of his leave especially since he didn't even know how long that was.
He wasn't like he would come back here if he succeeded and if he didn't… well then, he would be dead so no need to think about it.
He felt a knot in his stomach, a mixture of excitement and unease.
***
Sleep refused to come and after staring at the ceiling for a long time, he finally gave up and chose the only distraction he knew would work… booty call.
He got out of bed and walked next door to his neighbour, Diva.
Diva was his best friend.
They had grown up in the same orphanage, side by side, while most of their other friends had drifted away as life moved on, but the two of them stayed together.
They both worked as engineers at Helix Corp, which kept them in regular contact not to mention living next to each other made it even easier.
What they had was simple… Friends with benefits but no promises.
They both chased promotions and long hours, leaving little space for real relationships.
This arrangement had lasted longer than either of them expected, not only did they lose their first time to each other they also shared all their other firsts.
He raised his hand and knocked.
*Knock. Knock. Knock*
After a short pause, just as he was about to knock again, the door opened.
Diva stood there in her nightwear, not even looking mildly surprised or annoyed.
"I guess you couldn't sleep after doing something so stupid." Diva said.
"I guess…" Orion sighed.
"Just so you know… I hope you die," Diva chuckled as she stepped out of his way letting him enter her apartment.
"I know… don't worry you are still my beneficiary if I die." Orion chuckled as he stepped in.
"Just survive long enough so the money will be substantial for me." Diva said as she locked the door behind them.
Just as she turned around Orion moved in and pressed his lips against hers.
Diva accepted his tongue intrusion without much complain as her hands moved from her side to his face, kissing him aggressively before they finally did separate.
"Rough night?" Orion asked.
"Fucking, yes." She replied. "With some of the engineers leaving, I have a lot more work to do."
"I had a talk with management… my workload will be increasing without an increase in base pay."
Diva grabbed a drink from the shelf and held it out to Orion. "Want a drink?"
He looked at the cheap liquor she was handling and rolled his eyes.
"Really… there is a chance I might die on this journey and you giving me this cheap shit." Orion joked. "Pour me something better from the freezer."
She did as she was told, chuckling at the fact he knew she had a good drink in the freezer.
They drank as they spoke for a few minutes before they began making out on the couch.