With a smooth, electrical whirr, the gate to the warehouse opened, and without a word the workers sprang into action as the trucks began to pull in.

There was no need for urgency in the calm strides of the identically-uniformed women, their steel-toed boots click-clacking against the concrete floor in synchronised drumbeats.

They were part of the System, vital to its logistical schedule proceeding on time, and with the workers’ precision, the System’s schedule never erred.

There was no need to speak or tend to boredom with chatter and gossip - workers did not need to coordinate with each other - only to heed the gentle ice-water feeling in the back of their skulls that prefaced a broadcast of orders, and the gentle, pleasurable buzz of reinforcement that shivered down their spines.

worker did not need to know the faces of those working beside her. she did not even need to remember her own designation except when necessary for acknowledgement of orders. she simply felt the gentle ice-water pressure flowing through her thoughts, instantly understanding the System’s input, and with a pleasant weight, felt her body moving into action. Most of the time, after all, a worker’s mind was a vestigial component, its intellect left suspended in a thoughtless, blissful haze. worker did not need to think, and in a moment of her existence she was no longer required to remember, worker had been liberated of the desire to think, too.

Assembling before the back of one of the trucks, the workers observed with infinite patience as, without a word, worker understood that she was designated to open the doors. Reaching forward, she pulled against the latches, parting the doors and revealing the dark interior and the components stored within. As one, the workers moved to unclip the straps holding the components in place in calm unison. The only sounds to be heard where the gentle taps of boots against metal, the running engine of the truck, and the soft, placid breaths of the components, as one by one, they were wheeled out on the stretchers they were stored on.

worker did not focus on the details of any one component she escorted down the ramp for collection. worker had no need to remember the details of any particular past shifts, let alone individual items. she did not pay attention to the hue of the many sets of dull, glassy eyes that stared into nothingness, nor the hair that had been buzzed short into uniform cuts, or the gleaming new implants revealed at the base of their skulls. All that mattered were the smooth, glossy white bodysuits marked ‘COMPONENT’ in bold lettering, paired with a unique serial number, that instantly allowed the workers to understand, without thought, how and where to transfer and store the current shipment of cargo.

The System did not require comprehension to function. It only required every worker to exist according to the nature of their design, and all would be calm and peaceful and as projected. Forever.

Of course, sometimes the System was forced to respond to things that yet fell outside of its design.

"Help..." a soft whine broke the silence, and as one a dozen sets of calm, compliant eyes locked on the source.

worker looked down at the latest component laying beneath her on the wheeled stretcher in her grasp. Once more, the gentle brush of cool water in the back of her everything, and as one the rest of the workers in the truck returned to their allotted tasks. Only one worker was required to attend to this class of aberrant phenomena.

Stepping closer, worker observed the olive-toned features of the restrained component before her - the brown eyes, glassy and unfocused, but still attempting to observe, narrowing to see in the darkened space, attempting to understand - in short, attempting to exist outside of the System. 

Unacceptable.

“pl-please, I don’t… I’m… con-confused…” came the mumbled words again, joined by the soft rustle of the restraints.

worker leaned close, placing gentle weight on the component’s shoulders.

“component - cease unauthorised activity. Return to inert state,” came the words, slow at first, slipping past lips no longer used to vocalisation. They passed like water through a creek - without intention, the natural force of the System speaking through a borrowed throat.

“N-no, no,” something in the component’s eyes seemed to sharpen, and the gentle rustling of the restraints became a thrashing struggle as the component whined, “I won’t, I won’t, y-you won’t get me too!” 

worker did not panic at this unexpected deviation from protocol. worker merely once more felt that gentle pressure, and gave in to the response demanded by the System.

the component’s eyes widened, straining with a gasp as worker gently placed a hand on the component’s forehead, and in an instant, that struggle gave way to limpness and silence.

Activating the implanted compliance triggers, worker watched dispassionately as her hand dragged downwards, tracing against the soft skin of the component's face, exploring the contours of her nose, her lips, her chin, before pulling away. 

The response, stirred from the subconscious by the trigger, was near-immediate. Those widened eyes at first fluttered, before sinking shut like soft, heavy blankets on the hint of intellect that had shone in those pupils.

Then, leaning forward, worker felt lips brushing against lips - hers, drawing the component into a kiss. Her hands felt soft breasts, teasing nipples through the smooth material of the component’s bodysuit. The component shuddered as a faint whine interrupted the kiss.

“The System is quiet,” worker heard her voice whisper between stolen breaths, as the component needily matched the intensity of their kiss, lips parting only for frantic breaths and quiet words, “the System is peace.”

“mmm, nnuh,” were all that passed the component’s lips, as they jealously reached for another moment of blissful contact.

“The System is quiet. The System is peace.” worker pulled away, looking down at the now sluggish and sleepy expression on the component’s delicate face.

“The… System is…” the component began to form the words, hesitancy fading from her voice.

“The System is quiet. The System is peace.” Came the words again, easier now the more worker felt herself speak.

“The System is quiet. The System is peace.” At last, the component’s tone matched worker’s. It was a compliant voice. An empty voice.

“components are not people. components are inert.” worker’s voice instructed, feeling the impulse to reach down and reward the component with another kiss.

There was a blissful emptiness in the component’s voice, now, as that independent tone sounded like it was on the verge of giving way to… something. “components are not people….components are… are… inert.” 

And then, there was silence. Of course, there was silence, because there were no individuals in the back of the truck. Only a worker, and a component, eyes shut, breathing softly and calmly.

worker blinked. her hand was… touching her own lips…

the kiss, the intimacy had felt…

familiar? 

It had, it had, she had, she was so close to grasping something that was slipping, something she knew she shouldn’t let go of, an idea, a thought-

And then worker stood, hands returning calmly to her sides. she was not distracted by the faint hint of a memory, because workers did not have memories. Because workers were not required to be people.

Wheeling the silent component down the ramp out of the truck, worker handed the stretcher off to another to transfer to storage, not sparing a second glance for the component. she pulled the truck’s doors shut once more, and stepped towards the open window of the driver.

“Transfer complete.” worker confirmed, without any hint that there had been any delay or complications.

“Acknowledged.” The driver, staring calmly ahead to the road, offered no further acknowledgement, as the dozens of trucks that had pulled into the vast warehouse and deposited their newly manufactured components returned to the road, preparing to receive fresh shipments to maintain the System.

worker did not think of that shift again. Returning to the waiting area, the memory of any details of the shipment rapidly disappeared from worker’s awareness. she reunited with her fellow workers in calm silence, and awaited further assignments. All there was was silence and calm. Nothing else was required.

The System’s complex workings would continue to function, unbothered by the complications of thoughts or people.