Yuli snapped awake at the crack of dawn. Right on cue, the gentle chime of her apartment’s built-in schedule system sounded, and a pre-recorded voice issued forth: “Good morning, Miss Suriova. There are three important items on today’s agenda.” The young woman slid out of bed, suppressing a yawn. “One – facial sim debugging, 7:30. Two – meeting with Dr. Luzi, 14:00. Three – mental health evaluation, 15:15.” She ran her hands through her choppy blond hair and sighed softly, reaching for the spotless Cyber Initiative uniform hanging on the back of her desk chair. “There will also be a Q&A/signup session for the Colonists Program at 11:00 today. Attendance is optional.”

Another set of chimes pinged through the space, and Yuli began to get dressed. She hurriedly washed her face and brushed her teeth, setting the short bursts of water to the coldest possible temperature. Her thoughts were much crisper when she left her cramped bathroom to grab her tablet and ID tag, tucking the former under her arm and pinning the latter to the front of her jacket. After another halfhearted attempt at tidying her hair, she deemed herself ready and set off for the Refectory.

The Cyber Initiative was an expansive organization housed in several sleek, architecturally stunning facilities. The sprawling grounds of the main headquarters was always a pleasure to walk through, without a single blade of grass out of place. However, the exquisite landscaping and cleanliness of the area never felt quite right to Yuli—the Initiative seemed to be overcompensating, and Yuli believed she knew why. She did not like to dwell on it.

By the time she reached the sizable dining hall, she was already glued to her tablet, juggling multiple conversations at once and adding to the list of many tabs and windows open on the holographic screen. She nearly bumped into the girl in front of her when she got in line for breakfast.

“Hey, Yuli,” smiled Mira Murata, an intern hoping to enter the field of cybernetics. Her short, blue-and-black hair flopped to one side as she regarded the distracted software specialist with amusement. “Busy day?”

Yuli glanced up from her tablet and immediately smiled. Though Mira was a bit younger than her, they got along well. “The usual,” she shrugged, laughing lightly. “Nothing out of the ordinary. How are you?” She took a few steps forward, checking to see what items were on the menu that day. Pancakes, eggs, muffins, and fruit salad sponsored by the A-Corp Greenhouse Project. Even after five years with the Initiative, Yuli was amazed by the variety of bountiful meals they could conjure up, seemingly out of thin air.

“Oh, I’m fine, I suppose,” Mira said, grabbing a bowl of fruit salad. “I have a meeting with Dr. Abioye I’m kinda freaking out about. We’re supposed to go over my progress and talk about whether I’ve got a future with the Initiative. I’m so nervous I could die.”

Yuli grabbed a plate of pancakes and a tiny cup of syrup. “You don’t have anything to be nervous about,” she said. “They think you’re great. I’m sure you’ll be given a permanent job here by next year.”

“If I actually graduate by then,” Mira groaned. She and Yuli reached the end of the line and scanned their ID tags. A melodic chime sounded, and they were both cleared to sit and eat. Yuli barely remembered to grab a fork and knife, distracted by her own thoughts.

As they made their way over to a pristine table, the same voice from Yuli’s apartment danced through the room’s high ceiling. “Welcome to the Refectory. Only authorized Cyber Initiative personnel are permitted to take meals. Remember to keep each meal period to fifteen minutes or less. Only take one meal every five hours. Keep all food items within the premises of this building. Don’t forget to sanitize your hands, and have a wonderful morning!”

“My grades are terrible,” Mira griped as she picked up a pair of strawberries. “I’m not in the top ten in any of my courses. I’m not even above average! Why would they ever hire me? I’m too stupid to work here!” She glared at the fruit resentfully. “If Abioye doesn’t say they’ll recommend me... I dunno what I’ll do. I might have to sign up for the Colonists Program or something. I need money.”

Yuli half-smiled. She was considering signing up for the program, too. She didn’t need the money – her family, though, was a different story. “You’re not stupid. Don’t sell yourself short like that,” she said.

Mira snorted. “That’s easy for you to say,” she shook her head, popping a whole strawberry into her mouth. “Everyone here adores you. You’re an actual genius.”

Yuli immediately began to feel self-conscious. She was well aware of what people said about her when they thought she wasn’t paying attention. That she was the ‘favorite’ with a perfect life, sheltered and provided for by the Initiative, being prepped for a high-paying position due to sheer luck and natural talent. They assumed she had special connections or a rich family, or some sort of unsavory relationship with the Director. Only one person in the software division understood the reality of Yuli’s situation, and he had no sympathy for her, though he was often subjected to the same brand of misplaced jealousy.

“I mean it,” Yuli insisted. “Really.” She realized her pancakes were beginning to grow cold and hastily took a bite.

They ate together in silence, as Mira gazed moodily down at her colorful plate. When her allotted fifteen minutes were up, Yuli left the table with a regretful look on her face, wishing she had known how to lift Mira out of her negative state of mind.

-

Notes from Yuli Suriova’s most recent mental health evaluation:

-Still longs for a semblance of familial attachment in the workplace; does not let it interfere with her work

-Feelings of isolation have intensified but remain below debilitating levels

-Feelings of guilt and regret have remained constant

-Continues to overextend herself without thinking of her own needs

-Expressed a desire to ‘escape’ the premises and visit her sister – does not have a plan