Chapter 2

Elzon got himself situated in his assigned room with the 3 other unlucky souls assigned to G-48, deep in the bowels of the residential section of the rock known as Asteroid 387, and had just laid himself down to get some rest before his first shift began when the alarm klaxons began to sound and the red lights began flashing.

"What the hell is this all about?", asked Veron, one of the other newbies assigned to the room with Elzon, as they all rushed out into the hall.

"Just a little something we like to do to welcome everyone to the Grunt level, which is what we call level G. Kind of a way to set the tone for your stay here with us and to help ensure that things will go smoothly for everyone ... for the most part", said the biggest, ugliest, most unkempt and foulest smelling individual that Elzon had ever seen or smelled in his life, and was standing in the hall as the newbies pored out of their rooms.

"As far as you insignificant little punks are concerned, my name is 'Boss'. Do not call me anything else or you will regret it", said the large, foul smelling man. "Do not speak unless spoken to, or you have been told to carry a message by another supervisor, or you will regret it. Work at your assigned task until you are assigned something else to do, and do not take a break for any reason until you are told that you CAN take a break. Do not stop work for the day until you are told to stop. If you put forth your best effort the previous day, then you will get breakfast one hour before your shift begins. Don't be late or you will miss out. If you worked hard all through your shift, then you will get dinner one hour after your shift ends. Again, don't be late or you will miss out. Do not be anywhere other than this level or your assigned work area unless you are specifically ordered to go to somewhere else for a specific purpose, in which case you are to return as soon as possible. I don't care what you were told that you would be paid when you signed up for this job. As of right now, and until or unless you manage to get promoted to level F, you make 25% of that amount. You are grunts. The lowest of the low, which means that you do not get a lunch break. You will get four breaks of fifteen minutes each during your shift. Do not leave for your break early and do not return from your break late, or else everyone on your shift will pay the price. IF you get four excellent weekly performance reviews in a row, you will be allowed to move up to level F. This is not likely to happen, though, and has only happened a handful of times in the last ten years. You all signed up for this job to get away from someone or something. Unfortunately for you, someone knew where you were going and decided that you were not going to get away so lightly. Chances are very good that you will not survive your time here. Let me make this perfectly clear ... There is nobody here that cares. Nobody in this entire region of space that matters cares, or you would not be here in the first place. You are well and truly fucked. Your only hope is to do exactly as you are told, when you are told, and how you are told. First shift begins at 0700. Second shift begins at 1300. Third shift begins at 1900, and fourth shift begins at 0100. You work for 8 hours per shift. You eat if you have earned it. You will receive and send no mail or other forms of personal communication. You will get no entertainment. You may exercise if you so desire."