His day started like most others. The third screeching alarm sounded down the cell block. The first alarm woke everyone at 0700 every morning. It was now 0710. He looked up out of the sleeping tube that he considered his home for the last 12 cycles. The others were pedaling nosily outside his cell trying to get their good spot in line for their morning business.

Looking back to the ceiling, he didn't move. He didn't need to, not this morning. It was his day-off. He could spend the day in bed, reading, exercising, or in the common area. Some time passed when it hit him if he wanted to eat the galley would only be open about another 25 minutes. Then it would close to prepare the lunch shift. He pulled himself out of his cell, walked past the shaving line and to the latrine line. The line was short at 13 people but by the time he had got to the front he was dancing. He went back to his cell to get his shave kit afterwards.

When he finally got out of the block he looked up at the clock. "Five minutes."

He entered the hall just as the doors started to close. The sec-bots above the doors took notice of him, following him across the floor to the start of the line. He grabbed a plate and tray. The steam tables were almost empty. He got about four bites of scrambled powdered egg and a slice of bacon. Toward the end of the line he was surprised when he handed over his plate and it was returned with eight small burnt and dried out sausages. Someone must like me, he thought.

At the end of the line he picked some utensils and found an emptying table to eat at. He was about to take his third bite when the seat was across from him was quietly filled. He looked up just as her bright blue eyes settled on him. Hunched over his plate, mouth full, he whispered, "Pea."

Standing there with her dirty plate and tray; Her bright blue eyes pierced through the bangs of her short cropped black hair, just like the system liked it. Her jaw almost square with high cheekbones and  "John," He snapped out of his stupor,

"1700 second court," her voice sweet and quiet.

"I'll be there. Lunch?"

She smiled and without another word she got up and left. He watched her leave taking another bite trying not to move his head. It would be more trouble if people knew how much time he spent with her. There were about ten people left in the hall when the work bell rang. You could hear the doors outer locks clamp down. Four of the remaining people rushed to the door and exited the hall. He stayed just long enough to his meal. Then he headed back to his cell. 

The workload was extensive and every new fish came to the blocks as a seventh day. In this schedule one would work six days and get the seventh day off.  This kept the factories open almost every day and still allowed for relaxation time. He had become a fifth day, through years of hard work. This allowed him to get his day off every fifth day instead of seventh day. 

By the time that he reached his cell it was well into first shift. He had nothing else to do until the lunch break, so he slid in to his tube and pulled his book out to read. About 30 minutes and 20 pages into his book he got bored put away his book and grabbed his pack of smokes and lighter.

Once outside he opened his pack to find only three left. He pulled one and lit-up. “Well there goes the next book.”

A dark skinned man with long black hair walked up, “John. Where have you been?”

“You know how off-days are. I was late for chow. You ever realize that there is always leftover meat but there’s never enough of everything else?”

“Yea, yea. So what do you have for me this week?”

“Tandy,” referring to Tandalea, “was on the fence but you might get her to move if you hit her up now. Just don’t mention me. You know how much she hates me just now. Then there’s Za. He owes me a favor. I can talk to him at a knock-off. Why Geo? You have something planned?”

Just then a sec-bot floated in front of them stopped, turned, beeped four times. He kept his composure meanwhile Geo’s arms slacked to his side and he snapped to a sloppy version of attention. The bot beeped four more times. The bot stalled and a voice came over the speaker, “8064, you’re not in your designated area.”

Geo spoke up, “I’m on a sick-day.”

“You should be in the med bay.”

“They sent me to my rack. They said that there wasn't enough room for me.”

“For violating the med order, you just went eighth day for a quarter of a rotation. Now you have eight minutes to get back to your rack or I’ll make it three quarters of a rotation.” The sec-bot abruptly rotated and zipped away.

“Well then you better make it quick then. What do you have planed?”

“I need to get in to the belly of the beast and to do so I need some things first. Seeing that I’d hate to tap you for everything you owe me.”

He interrupted, “Me? Owe you? I've been keeping you afloat for years. It’s you that owes me! Get to your rack. I’ll talk to Za and send him your way.”

The lunch bell sounded and he pulled himself out of his rack. He wanted to meet up with Pea in the line and he knew that she'd show up about five minutes late due to her location within the factory. She'd show up in a little bit of a huff trying to make it on time so that she could get something to eat other then leftover meat and old coffee. He timed it just about right. When he reached the line he heard her coming up from behind.

"John, wait for me." She went in to a quick step to catch up.

"I was going to try to get you some extras," he mumbled. He looked up to see her sweat plastered bangs plastered to her forehead and her beautiful eyes ever more present. He quickly averted his eyes downward looking over the whole package. Although in the uniform, a bright yellow jumpsuit, she still cut a figure.

"Oh yea and how do you plan to do that?" She asked.

"I'm owed favors. You know that."

"Well lets not just waste them for food. There's more important things that you can use 'em for."

The conversation took on hushed tones as they entered the doorway. They walked the steam tables in almost complete silence. They found a corner in the back of the room with an empty table. It was far enough from the sec bots  that they could hold a reasonable conversation without  drawing too much attention to themselves.

John knew how her day was going, it never changed on workdays, but he listened anyway. He then told her about his day and the fact that he might be a little late to the 1700 meeting. He explained that he was gathering favors and wouldn't be more then 15 minutes late.

When they were done eating John looked a the huge clock on the wall and noticed that there was still 10 minutes left of the lunch break. He decided he'd walk her back to the factory. The day was half over and he felt that he'd wasted it. But he was that much closer to Pea and that made him happy.

After the trip to the factory John had nothing better to do so he went to the yard and where he decided to run. After a few laps he got bored and looked up to the watch tower. The seven segment display bright even in the stark of day stated that it was 1500 hours and he still had 2 hours to waste. It was too far for him to walk back to his tube for a shower, so he used the out door rinse that was just outside the restrooms. He'd air dry waiting for the end of day.

The factory's south doors opened just as he strolled up and now the wait for Za. A few moments passed and there was no Za. No worries, Za was getting old and it might take him 10 minutes to get to the door. As 15 minutes had passed and the trickle of people started thinning, he started worrying about his friend. He started asking the people coming out if they had seen him. The majority shrugged and kept walking. It wasn't till Reed exited that he was able to get some answers.

Za never showed up for work. This wasn't like Za at all. Za didn't miss work.