Magnetic clock

'This land stands on the shoulders of doctors and spies.' Natasha read the first sentence that appears while her work hexagono boots up.

She genuinely soaked up the words she saw every day. Not allowing them to pass passively through the cracks of busy days.

In the government office Karaza stood with her medical exam that shows when she was exactly born.

'Now I'll have a birth certificate like a true citizen.'

"Good morning! How are you today?" Natasha asked with her energetic voice.

"Morning. I'm excited, not gonna lie." She gave her the papers.

"I'm glad. Do you want your certificate in a custom color?"

'She looks healthier now.' Natasha observed her, remembering the first time she saw her sitting calmly in the newcomers' square of the dukedom's border. In the midst of anxious, injured newcomers, she was quiet. If Natasha didn't slow down that moment she wouldn't have noticed the blood soaked bandage on her leg.

"Miss this looks acute! You need a stretcher!"

"It's fine, y'all look busy. I can wait." She said like her Achilles tendon was in its best shape.

While she chose from the templates like a kid in a candy shop, someone came to the counter, snapping her back to the present.

"Good morning, Shiro-san. Here is your hexagono."

"Thank you. Um, I have a question... What kind of a country is this place?"

"The land of the unwanted is not a country, it is simply the land of the unwanted."

"But like...what's the system here?"

"As for the regime, we are a semi-feudalistic, semi-capitalistic, decentralized centralized bureaucracy. Perks of all, cons of none!"

"…What?"

"Please don't ask how bureaucracy is centralized and decentralized at the same time. I don't know." Then she continued in her cheerful voice. "Anyway, someone is gonna come to give you a guided tour soon!"

While Karaza headed out with her new certificate, she passed by Patitcha entering the building.

"Morning, kid."

"Good morning."

'I'm starting to perfect the normal citizen greeting.'

They meet a lot at the same dry cleaner which helped with that training, at least in her mind.

Patitcha chatted with Natasha which reminded her that Patitcha is also a government worker.

"Kiddo didn't have a birth certificate?" Patitcha asked.

"Not anymore." Natasha chirped.

"Anyway, she's a big help in the community, good job placing her here. You have a good eye, Natasha."

"Thank you!"

'The government loves me.' Karaza skipped a little, totally not picking up their conversation.

After giving someone their first tour, Natasha walked to a post clock in the street. She took a deep breath and stretched her shoulders, eyes dropping into deep concentration.

Every clock tower post clock told more than the time, a colored ring around the numbers indicated the state of food shortage or the lack thereof.

In addition to that, every clock functioned as a signpost. Each with a unique symbol in respect to its place in the city plus the street name.

With an alarm of sandstorms and the population number under the circle of the clock. It was a useful tool, but for a government officer, it was even more useful, crucial even.

Her hexagono beeped slightly, establishing a mini magnetic field with the clock to exchange information.

A beaming blue bed symbol appeared in her hexagono with a zip code.

At a residential building, she swiped her work hexagono to open the door of a flat, barging in to pick up a lone elderly person who fell.

Outside the hospital, after the patient was admitted she connected with another clock. A red knife symbol beamed this time.

She sprinted to the location.

'Shoot, I should be more discreet.'

In a bystreet one defenseless man was running breathlessly. Another was chasing him with a kitchen knife.

She jumps on the attacker from behind, tripping him to pin him on the ground. She pushed a button in her work hexagono, revealing a tiny needle.

A moment of hesitation toyed with her, but the resistance of the attacker snapped her back. With a quick swing she pushed the needle into his arm, rendering him unconscious after seconds.

"We started the investigation, I'll report the results back to you." An investigator told her.

"Got it."

After heading out she remembered the report needed to be written.

"Sup kid! Need help with your report?" Patitcha asked while separating two people who were at each other's necks with ease.

"…" She just nodded yes.

"Yes, now just add the pending status." She instructed her while she entered the information on a big hexagono board.

Patitcha poured herself some mushroom coffee in the closed office.

"How's the spy's duty so far?" The senior asked.

"A little polarizing, I think, gotta be quick but discreet at the same time. No time to check on people properly."

"Then an information collector position is gonna suit you. Or you can go back to social work. To be honest this first responder-spy hybrid position is tough."

"What about a boarder position?"

"What do you want to peruse, kid?"

"I'm not sure…yet, but I want to protect everyone who lives here."

The senior looked at the confounded yet determined junior.

"Then find what suits you best. That's the way."

"So can I try border duties?" She shoots her shot.

"Absolutely not, you're still too young for that." She assures firmly.

The walk home was uneventful unlike the thoughts in her head.

Her presumably empty flat had someone inside. The smell of lasagna welcomed her.

Her flat was tidy unlike how she left it this morning.

"Yello child, go change before supper." Roxy said, placing the casserole on a cooling rack, removing the oven mitts before giving her a head pat.

The red mushroom rug was vacuumed to fluffiness. All the mushroom trinkets were dusted. The bed made and laundry done, some translation drafts were on the dining table.

The plant on the windowsill was watered.

"How's work kiddo?"

"Good, Miss Karaza got her birth certificate, the oranges template."

"Orange templates, huh? Just when I thought she couldn't surprise me with her atrocious taste anymore." She conspired like an evil CEO getting top secret info.

'Wish I could get advice about the spy position, I can tell her right? She worked with the government...I'll get permission first..'

"Something bothering you?"

"Um, not really. Just thinking about how I can be more useful…" She paused with hesitation before replying.

"You're good as you are, child. You gonna learn more and get better with time but you're still good as you are now." She said before digging in her plate.

Natasha soaked in the words.

"Sleep over tonight?" She hugged her arm after dinner.

"Sure."

That being said, the moment the clock hit nine o'clock, she was out. Zzz floating above her head.

'My mom is kinda lame…' She got cozy under the blanket, reading her notes of the governmental training's last lecture.

-And remember kids, a truly evil government is the one that denies being corrupted.-