Dr. Aurèle grabbed his HoloPad from beside him before speaking,
"Your test is simple. Do you see that robot right there ? If you can fix it under five minutes... you pass."
I turned to look at the robot.
Its polished white exterior was segmented with black lines that marked each mechanical joints. Its front was dominated by a dark, glossy face screen with a long crack running across it, making the screen glitch with soft blue digital expressions.
One of it's side flaps was bent inwards. The core lights on its underside flickered weakly, pulsing like an exhausted heartbeat. Every few seconds, the robot jolted, attempting to reboot. Even though its core was damaged, it felt like it was trying desperately to hold itself together.
Just by looking at it, I suddenly felt a sudden wave of sadness over me. The robot wasn't just for a test, it felt like a metaphor for all the poor people who suffered silently.
As Dr. Aurèle tapped the 'Start' timer on his HoloPad, I began inspecting the robot. I grabbed the nearby bio-crate that has more than enough tools to fix it.
I opened the crate and took out an energy stabilizer to disconnect the core, making it still and safer to handle. Then I used a micro-wrench to loosen the small screws beneath the panel seams. The robot's spherical panels clicked open, revealing it's internal systems.
As I picked up the diagnostic scanner to read the robot's error, Dr. Aurèle suddenly spoke,
"Oh right, how forgetful of me. You may not use the diagnostic scanner. It only makes you dumber since it detects all the problem, making you unable to find the problem and I don't want any of my coworkers relying solely on a device. And you have three minutes left !"
I groan in frustration and tossed the scanner aside. I hurriedly grab the nano-soldering pen and carefully reconnected the thin silver lines circuitry lines. Tiny sparks danced as the pathways reactivate.
Next, I replace the servo-ring so the robot could move its panels again. Then I realign the gyro-core so that the robot could hover around in balance. The robot twitches slightly.
"Thirty seconds left !" Dr. Aurèle announced sharply,
"You better not disappoint me !"
I hurriedly spread a thin blue layer of coolant gel over the core to keep it from overheating. As the countdown hit ten seconds, I snapped the panels shut and initiated the robot.
Suddenly Dr. Aurèle affirmed,
"In three... two... one—"
"I'm done ! The robot has been restarted !" I shouted, finishing just as the timer ended.
We both turned to look at the robot, the robot's screen flickers with a weak "(•_•)?". I looked at Dr. Aurèle, hoping that I could pass.
He sighed before declaring,
"You passed. But I expect a better result next time. One small mistake or one second too late can change your team... and your fate. Now go to the lobby, your teammates will be announced there."
I nodded and waved goodbye before leaving.
As I ran through the hallway, I stumbled upon Sheng Yue arguing with a group of males. As I approached her, one of them scoffed loudly,
"Hey ! Is that your boyfriend ? Or perhaps your husband ? I mean, who else would protect a kid who randoml-"
Sheng Yue suddenly slap him across the face before he could finish his sentence.
"Does it matter if a kid joins this program ?" She snapped,
"There weren't any rule that stated he couldn't join ! If he passes, he passes. If he fails, then that's his problem, not yours ! Instead of picking fights with a kid, why don't you go eat trash instead, nerd !"
Sheng Yue marched off while dragging the boy by his hand.
I followed her and gently stopped her to talk for a moment,
"Hey, I know you're in a bad mood. But do you mind telling me whose kid you're holding ? You can't just walk around carrying a rando-"
"I know that." She cut in,
"You don't need to remind me. This kid isn't my relative or anything. I just defended him since he didn't do anything wrong. He was just signing up because he hopes that this program will give him and his mother a better life."
I looked at the kid, then crouched down to meet his eyes,
"What's your name ?"
He replied softly,
"Arlo, ten years old."
I stood up and nod as a silent 'nice to meet you'.
He seemed like the type of person who wouldn't talk much. His soft, messy hair fell across his forehead, making me wonder whether his parents ever paid attention to him. His gaze wass alert and thoughtful as if he's always observing the world around him.
Before I could say anything else to Sheng Yue, the team announcement lit up on the holo-wall. I scanned the list, searching for my froup.
Two of my teammate's name didn't suprise me since they were standing right in front of me, Sheng Yue and Arlo. Our team had five members in total, with Shin Hayato as the captain. I tried to recall Shin Hayato was, but eventually I decided to ignore it.
But the last name on the list made my heart freeze. Cassandra.
Just seeing that name brought a wave of guilt and fear crashing over me. I looked among the crowds and that's where I saw her once again...