Mission 7

Another day of questioning the point of humanity  here at Abel Township.  Okay, that's a bit melodramatic, but even a good mission can leave a bitter taste in your mouth these days.  I was teamed up with Eight again.  She called us "the dream team."  Even that sounded like a threat from her.  Anyway, when we brought in those refugees from Brunswick, there was a girl named Tess among them - a comp sci student - and this morning she absconded with the lions share of out IT supplies and info.  Eight and I had to catch her before she reached New Canton.

The species is on the verge of extinction, and even then we are compelled to turn on each other.  New Canton is a mess, I know, but they're still norms, right?  But they want to take down our coms, which would obviously be disastrous, so Eight and I had to catch up with Tess and get our stuff back. 

At first, I couldn't stop thinking that a student is most likely younger than I am and in better shape.  I know the real heroes these days are the computer scientists, but I'm ashamed to admit that I clung to every stereotype I could to keep up the hope of catching her: comp sci students are pudgy, cheese-puff-stained, spotty weaklings with thick glasses.  Of course, that was all wrong, lucky for Tess.

I don't feel good about what we did.  Eight hit her with a cudgel to stop her.  That was necessary, but then we left her there.  I know we can't bring a traitor back to Abel or keep prisoners who don't earn their keep, but it seemed so inhuman to just leave her there with zoms closing in.  We left her with Eight's bastinado.  "To be sporting."  Frontier law, I guess.  But she looked afraid as we left.  In Pre-Zom, theft wasn't punishable by death.  Who knew the humane treatment of criminals was a luxury?

Turns out Janine keeps copies of our communications.  I'm uneasy about that.  Maybe some Pre-Zom idealism holding on, but it could become censorship and next thing you know, we're no better than New Canton.  Still, Janine seems trustworthy.  In fact, I'm planning on running this blog by her before I post it.  She could read it anyway.  I may as well preempt any trouble.  Besides, I don't want to put us at risk.  I just want to get what information I can back to Mullins.

I'm warming to Eight, at least a little, which is to say that I'm glad to see she thinks of me as on her side because I sure as hell wouldn't want her to think I'd crossed her.

I hope Tess made it back to New Canton.