Chapter 8: Zero Aptitude
After a few minutes of testing the tech expert announced the result to the officer. "His speed is 4, power 6, physique E, body shut optimization at 2%. Overall statistics is below pass. At this rate he barely average a normal human, even an athlete would top him."
Alto's eyes widened as he spoke in a ghastly voice, his whole world crumbling around him. "A fail? I can't fail, I have the X gene, I've been training since I awakened." Failing was not an option not when Kram was in the mix. If he failed he could not help but think that his life would be meaningless, his friendship with Amy the only person who cared about him would be over. "You have to understand I can't fail."
The tech expert did not spare a him a moment's glance instead seeing him as a waste of time. Officer Shirley gritted his teeth and looked at Alto's eyes for a while and found conviction in them. "Let's see how he does well in a light mech." He spoke words that Alto's ears were unprepared for.
The tech expert coughed. "But sir with these ratings, I don't think that's advisable."
Officer Shirley hissed. "Bring up the simulation of a seventh generation light mech, if he can pilot it even for a few seconds we will know if he truly has the x gene or not."
In that moment Alto was unsure of what to say or do, what did he mean by that? He had the x gene so what was going on. In the next few minutes the holographic projection of a mech appeared, its design was humanoid and unknown to Alto he was told to walk towards it, it looked was similar to humans but looking a bit more well put together. As he approached it it opened up and he stepped into it causing it to shut and fit around his body. Despite being an holographic projection the mech was realistic, heavy and functional. He stayed within and waited for the countdown for the mech activation to reach zero.
3... 2... 1...
Alto's head exploded with pain in they instant, billions of neurons fired into his head causing his brain to expand in his skull to the state where it would burst open at any moment. He let out a loud scream as he started to bleed from his ears, eyes, nose and mouth. He could hear muffled speech and see the tech expert panicking before he blacked out.
By the time he had woken up Alto was on a soft bed hooked up to a computer, his body was devoid of colour and weak. Next to him was officer Shirley standing and looking out the window before him. A moment later their eyes met but there was no shared speech between them, Alto dreaded the words he would hear till Officer Shirley spoke it.