We walked down the street of Ingenuity. Revan and Lila is at front, both carrying some paperworks. Along the way, I talked with Lina about this whole process.
"So... your parents, I mean, caretakers will go to the building... Do some paperwork, then get a baby?"
Lina giggled a little. "You're seriously oversimplifying it, it's more like..." she looked up. "You go to the building, sign up for it, wait for a very long time, then they'll schedule an appointment at your home, a whole bunch of interviews, wait some more, and finally they'll bring a baby to your place, you don't just go and pick them up,"
I blinked, slowly. "What about Fertility Pill?"
"Oh that? You get called in and got one," Lina said simply. "If you're a woman, you can choose whether to go through pregnancy or just use the tube, if you go through pregnancy, you get priority list to become a caretaker for that baby. If you don't want to go through it, then no,"
Wow...
"Can you refuse?" I asked her.
"No? But why would you? It's just sex, and if there's a medical problem they can do it mechanically, but..." Lina shrugged. "Just have sex, it's easier and feels way better,"
Right...
Soon we made it to the building. And... honestly it's like going to a DMV. You just pick a number, sit down, and wait until your name is called.
Lila groaned a little as she sat next to me. "So Viel," she asked suddenly and I can't help but flinch. God she sounds scary. "What's it like back in your place?"
"Well, for one, we're not naturally infertile," I told her.
"Heee," Lila folded her arms. "Sounds like a hassle, how do you fuck without causing a twenty years commitment?"
"Well we have Contraceptives, basically Anti-Fertility pills," I told her. "And like... Yeah..."
Lila glanced at Lina, then to Revan. Then back at me. "Sounds like a hassle to manage, the cost to maintain accidental pregnancy must be astronomical," she folded her arms. "Are you sure you can't just put anti-fertility pill in the water?"
I screamed.
Internally.
The casualness is... holy fucking shit... Jesus fucking christ, she just said that with a straight face, holy shit...
"Okay, look, back then, it's rights, like... you can't cripple and stop someone from becoming a parent just because their genes, something outside of their control, don't fit the criteria,"
"Neither do we," Lila replied. "You think our gene fits the criteria?" she shook her head. "Your genes don't matter, any decent person can be a caretaker,"
I blinked, slowly. "Right, right, of course, your gene shouldn't stop you from being a parent or caretaker, fuck it,"
"So what's the problem?" Lila asked.
"Well... I mean..." God fucking dammit, this is... Ahhhh why? Why? WHY IS IT A PROBLEM!??!
"Hmm..." Lina put a finger on her cheek. "If anyone can just have a child," she began. "How do you make sure that all child is taken care of?"
Oh god, the dreaded question...
"Look, you take away baby from someone, no?" I asked them. "Like, imagine your gene fits, but like, you failed the caretaker exam. Your child will be taken away,"
"That ain't your child," Lila said simply. "Your child's the one handed to you by the city after you pass through this whole test," she gestured at the whole waiting room. "You want to be a caretaker? You don't get to choose your kid's genes or biology, you care for them either way, it's called unconditional compassion, something you Old World folk seems to need to learn,"
Oh god... Oh god, culture shock, oh god, culture fucking shock...
Is it selfish for wanting your child to also have your gene??? Is it no longer Unconditional Compassion if your child need to have your gene?? What the fuck??? Oh god my head, my head hurts so bad now...
...
...
"Now, now, Lila, no need to be so intense, ahaha!" Revan said, trying to melt the atmosphere. "So Viel, forget the uhh... Caretakers bit, what about work? What was your life like? Do you prefer creating or serving?"
Oh fuck me... God why is all their benign question...
Fuck sake, am I the one living in a dystopia???
"Oh, our number's called," Lina said suddenly, saving me from the awkward conversation. "Come on Mr. Revan, Ms. Lila~"
"Aight, see you in a bit Viel," Lila said.
"Later~"
They left and I sat there alone, just reeling...
Okay, okay, there's gotta be some caveat...
Like...
Who decide what's desirable?
I stood up from the seat and walked around the room. It wasn't long until I found a worn booklet on this whole process. I grabbed it and start reading it.
There's the summary version and the long version...
Let's see... Authorized Preparers, Visits and Interviews, Circle Members Info, Circle History, Caretaker History (If Applicable), Mental Health, Physical Health, Criminal History and Abuse, Preparation and Training, Specific Recommendation, Duty of Disclosure...
Wait... This matches...
Oh fuck me... This thing matches USCIS adoption criteria!!!
After waiting for like, a few hours, they finally returned and we left the building.
I decided to drop the conversation about Eugenics right then and there and talk about Lina herself.
"So what are you doing in Determination?"
Lina perked up a little. "Oh, it's actually Lord Aion's orders," she clutched her clothes looking slightly nervous. "Apparently, the Herald of Perseverance needs a Trailblazer's help for an ongoing crisis,"
"Is it dangerous?"
"Well Trailblazer's job is not far from danger," Lina admitted. "But don't worry! I'm no amateur~" she pat her chest proudly.
"That's right," Revan said. "Frankly after seeing how much of Lila have rubbed off of her, I'll be praying for the danger," though there's a slight waver in his voice. Obviously he's also worried. "But still," he put an arm around Lina's shoulder. "Be careful sweetheart,"
"I will Mr. Revan," Lina said.
I turned to Lila, she seems calm and aloof, but I can tell she's also nervous. "Write back lots, if you miss a single day, I'll fly there and drag you back here myself,"
"I will Miss Lila!" Lina said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, I promise!"
It's been a few days since Lina left for Determination.
I stepped out of the checkpoint and found myself back in the carpeted streets of Ingenuity. There, I found Deva already waiting for me, arms folded, that same look of 'You have done nothing wrong but I am still disappointed in you anyway' on his face.
"How's stewardship?" Deva asked,gesturing at me to follow him.
"Stewardship..." I walked beside him. "I mean, it's different from worker or laborer..." I muttered. "Like, you..." I shook my head. "Actually, it's the exact same, we got shift, we got SOP, we got structure, we got work hours, but..."
I found myself at a loss of words, because, honestly, it's the exact same.
"The culture is different," Deva summarized.
"Yes!" I nodded in agreement. "The culture, it's... it's animistic! Like, it's not, delusional kind, but... They gave me dirty look for kicking a door open or not cleaning up my tools after use, like... God, this is weird!!!"
Deva simply nodded and for a moment he said nothing. He simply led me through the city in silent, past the fountain, the sculptures, the sparkling light tower, and the air purifier system that doubles as AC.
"Your world is also strange," Deva said finally. "Aion spoke of a place where people learns to be selective when it comes to kindness and respect," he began. "We practice compassion on everyone and everything so that we cannot distance ourselves from action, so we cannot see people as mere tools and exploit them,"
Yeah...yeah, I know, score one for Ingenuity I guess...
After a while, we found ourselves there, in front of a gargantuan building in the center of the city. It looked similar to the Pandora Logistics HQ, only far larger and jet-black, decorated with splashes of white murals.
"What is this place?"
"This is the Trailblazer Headquarters," Deva began. "Normally, you would have to go through seven years of formal education and three years of Trailblazer training to even sit for the exam. But there is another way."
"What is it? Some sort of secret test?"
Deva glanced at me. "No. Nepotism." He pushed open the double doors, revealing a spacious lobby that looked like an outdoor cafe.
Instead of carpet, the floor was covered in synthetic grass that felt rough beneath my feet. Instead of metallic chairs, there were artificial wooden logs and boulders. The receptionist sat behind a desk carved from a massive stone, wearing a sharp black uniform.
"Welcome, Mr. Dharma," the receptionist greeted. "How may I help you?"
Deva gestured toward me. "This is Viel. She's a special case. She will be attending the next Trailblazer Exam."
The man eyed me, taking in my mechanical appearance. "I can be lenient with the formal requirements, but the same rules and terms apply during the test." He pulled a letter from behind the desk. "Here are the terms, rules, and participation details. The seminar is next week. It's not mandatory, but it's highly recommended. It increases your chance of survival."
I took the envelope, finding it stuffed with brochures and schedules. "Wait—'chance of survival'?"
"Trailblazer entry is extremely strict," Deva said. "It has a five percent graduation rate and a twenty-five percent death rate."
What the fuck? It's that kind of exam? "So it's either pass or die?" I asked. "Can't I just surrender?"
"You can, but it's not guaranteed," Deva said, folding his arms. "Precautions exist to keep participants alive, we will dispatch rescue team if anything went wrong, but we don't want you to rely on them." He gave the receptionist a quick nod before leading me back out. "You're on your own now. You have one week to prepare." He turned back toward the HQ with a simple wave. "Good luck."
Just like that, he left me—like a parent abandoning their kid at the checkout counter. I went to a nearby bench and sat down, flipping through the pamphlets. There were informational posters on how to stay alive on the surface, lengthy terms and agreements, and finally, the invitation to the seminar.
"Still... am I technically homeless?" I looked around. "What now?"
Again, being "homeless" in Ingenuity wasn't actually that bad, I realized. The "outdoors" was still climate-controlled. The streets were more comfortable than any mattress in a simulation.
And besides...
Ah fuck, I already miss Lina now... I hope I can go to determination after I get my certification.
I decided to pick a nearby sofa, close my eyes and went straight to sleep.