A soft, automated voice floated through the corridors:
''Attention all participants. Your estimated time ran out. Please come to the meeting room and scan your ID cards''
I stood up slowly and started to walk. My footsteps lightly off the room.
I came into the main corridor. There were people moving to the meeting room. I did the same.
Even though the announcement wasn't harsh, it was enough to remind me: in this place, rules were everywhere, and even a small lapse could matter.
I finally arrived at the scene. I quickly passed through the same corridor that I entered this morning.
I sat down and quickly scanned my card.
''518 is here''
A slight relief ran over me. I leaned my back to the artificial chair. Waiting for the woman show up again.
The room filled with the noise where everyone scanning their cards.Almost at the same moment I scanned my card, 220 showed up. Her expression calm, unreadable, eyes scanning the room like a computer.
''220 is here''
The soft voice of the machine confirmed her existence. By the way, it will be good that I share the noise I heard at the waiting room.
''220, I wanted to inform you about the noise I heard at the waiting room. It was like a subtle mechanical rumbling.''
''I didn't hear that when I was here.''
''So, you are confirming that you was stalking me.''
''Stop that.'' I couldn't sense any emotion when she was said that.''The rumbling may be important. We will see''
I agreed her. By the time I finished talking, the woman arrived on the top of the room, the same spot where she was.
''Good. Everyone is here. We can start''
Her eyes locked to the room and council members.
''We want you to listen carefully from now on.''
As soon as she said that, room went silent. I swallowed slowly and prepared to absorb the words.
''Tomorrow, roles will be distrubuted via email.''
''Roles?'' I said with a low voice. participants voice grew louder. woman continued without paying attention or waiting.
''Tomorrow, each of you will have roles. Whats the purpose of that? you might say. The reason is simple. To sustain the existence of the system. Roles have 3 simple title. Central system roles, social order roles and hidden roles.''
Each of us? well, more responsibility means more work.
''Central system roles will determine your function during the sessions in this complex. Social order roles will represent services within society. Under those roles, you will conduct your discussions.''
She paused before continuing.
''Some of you will also receive Hidden roles. These will be distrubuted to a limited number of participants in order to ensure the continuity of the system''
Then, the murmurs started.
''Central system roles?''
''I think it's about the sessions.'' Someone replied.
Another voice joined.
''And hidden roles? Why hidden?''
Chairs shifted. People leaned over each other. Trying to sound confident while speaking.
The room was no longer silent. Fragments of conversation floated in air.
''Maybe it's like a hierarcy.''
''Or a control system.''
''Oh no. That doesn't sound good.''
A few people laughed nervously.
Others simply stared at the platform, waiting for the explanation that never came.
I stayed quiet. Three titles. Nothing else.
And yet everyone was alredy trying to understand the rules of something none of us had agreed to play.
I glanced at my side.
220 hadn't reacted at all. Her head was slightly tilted to one side. Her eyes half closed.
For a moment I thought she was simly bored. Then I realized.
She was almost sleeping.
How could someone sleep in a moment like this?
A sudden laugh somewhere behind me broke my thoughts.
''Maybe the hidden roles are spies.'' Someone joked.
''Great. That makes it worse.''
The noise rose and fell like waves.
And beside me, 220 still looked like someone who had no interest in the discussion at all.
Some time passed and noise finally came to an end.
Then, I realized woman was simply waiting us to finish making noise. She looked a bit angry.
''We want you to listen carefully from now on.'' She said again.
The room fell in silence.
''The roles assigned here are not meant to define or classify you. They exist to make you functional.''
She said with a serious tone. Make us functional? what did she mean by that?
''Therefore, personal opinions, individual sensitivities, emotional reactions, and thought patterns are not included in the system's evaluation process.''
The tension in the room have risen. I heard someone writing something excessively.
Woman repeated the last sentence. But this time, it was more direct and unbearable.
''In this system, emotions are kept out of the decision mechanism.''
Then...
SCRAPPEE
A chair violently dragged across the floor.
The sound tore through the room like metal against glass.
220 suddenly jerked upright beside me.
Her eyes opened instantly, Sharp and focussed now, the sleepy expression gone as if it had never existed. And now, she is scanning everything with her eyes.
I looked at the source of the noise. It was 104. He was holding bunch of papers in his hand. Then, his voice cut through the room.
''104 here. Stop.''
The woman paused. The entire rooms gaze was locked onto him.
104 stood calmly, his gaze focussed on the woman.
''You keep talking about systems.'' he said. ''Structures, roles, stability.''
''But a system that ignores human emotion isn't stability.''
A few people shifted in their seats.
he continued.
''People are not machines. You can't manage them as if they variables in an equation.''
The woman watched him without expression.
104 didn't hesitate
''if you remove emotions from governance, what you get isn't order.''
He paused.
''Its control''
For a moment, the room felt heavier. Woman started doing something and finally entered the debate.
''Responsibility.'' She said. ''Is to produce predictable result. Emotions prevent this.''
He answered as he already waiting for this answer.
''No.'' He said. ''Emotions reveal intention. Not error. What you call a human being is someone who thinks by taking into account people's feelings. You are considering the outcome. Not the result.''
Woman finally looked into 104's eyes. Now, my looks are commuting between woman and 104.
''Result.'' She said with a calm voice.''Is a uncountable factor. Uncountable things can't be manipulated.''
104 answered right away.
''You ignore it because you cant measure it. This is not management; It's fear!''
Woman continued without waiting. I looked at 220. She was deeply concerned about conversation like everyone else.
''Fear is born of uncertainity. We are removing uncertainity.'' She paused for a second. ''When doing this, inconveniences are inavitable.''
104 waited for a moment. He is clearly in hardship now.
''So, you leave the person out and bless the system, right?''
Woman continued without hesitation.
''We are turning humans into a predictable composite'' She said with a confident voice. But for the first time, Her voice cracked.
104 is searching for a paper. Couple of seconds had passed and he finally found it.
''Let me tell you already.'' He said with a confident voice.''This approach will collapse. You'll be left with nothing but cold machines.''
104 cleaned his throat and continued.
''Emotions can't be suspressed and will leak at the weakest point in your system.''
Woman clearly withdrawn by this statement. But she seemed to remember something. She chuckeled softly.
''But there is one problem. This system is perfect.''
Woman added quickly.
''All of that is nothing but a prediction. And according to our data, It's wrong''
And woman landed the final blow.
''This discussion is disrupting the operation of the structure. You have exercised your right to participate. Continuing is not necessary.''
that's not a request. Thats an order.
104 was clearly taken a back by this. No word can rescue him in this situation. 104's shoulders fell and he looked powerless.
But just then, nobody expected that. He smiled and just for one more time, he looked at woman with arrogance. And said these words with a ironic way.
''The fact that you silenced me shows not that I wasn't right, but that you weren't ready.''
And added this afterwards.
''Director, You couldnt answer any of my questions.''
Woman silenced for a moment. And continued with a calm voice.
''Your questions aren't unanswered. It's just not the topic of the session.''
She averted her gaze from 104 and said:
''I'm saying to everyone. Here, being right and making progress are not the same thing. We choose to progress.''
She stood up
''The session has ended. You may disperse to your rooms.''