Sylvia had been an In for three years now. Winning the Lotto was the best thing that ever happened to her. Or so they told her.
Clean air, micro-scrubbed to remove pollution. Clean streets maintained by energy-efficient drones. Clean energy. Everything in the Inner District was clean, antiseptic.
Except for the filthy looks.
Despite her perfectly straightened and ironed uniform of the Brass, same as everyone else, they all looked at her like the Out had left a permanent stain on her skin. They wrinkled their perfectly straight noses as she walked past, as if she still reeked of the oil and sweat that besieged the Outer District, a perfectly vile affront to their senses.
She felt like a vaguely humanoid smog cloud as she walked down the perfect grid of perfectly manicured streets towards the Central Tower, her very existence leaving an inky stain on the neat white surfaces.
She had earned her job for the Brass, aced all her lessons on her Terminal, and even doing all the extra assignments. She had earned her spot in the Lotto by her work alone, not by credits. Her family was poor anyway and couldn't spare a single credit for a ticket---or waste a single credit, as Papa was prone to say.
When her family learned she had won, they were overjoyed. And she was too. She was ready to dedicate herself to serving the Brass, who had given her this opportunity for a better life.
As Sylvia walked into the glittering and perfectly silent revolving doors of the Brass Head Quarters, she nodded to the Security drone in front of the elevator---of course, it didn't respond, as usual---and stepped in. The doors slid shut with precision and the elevator descended without needing her input at all. Everything in the In was there for your convenience.
She was feeling a little nervous for her first day, but finally, after months of waiting, her transfer request had been approved by the Central Administrator. Just to be sure, Sylvia made sure to straighten her uniform again, and took a deep breath of processed clean air as the elevator doors slide open to the Department of Outer Affairs.
Artwork by me, MajorMajorMajorThom (Click the link to download the full-res image)
