"Nick, it's really not that bad... And it ended voluntarily."

"Be that as it may, I'm going to wait and see if it turns you three into gibbering lunatics or something in half an hour. I don't trust this place."

Zahn breaks away from the hug and smile a bit. "Let's check the basement before we go back to the library. I want to have at least an idea of what's there."

Alice is also smiling a bit despite everything, and leads them back inside. The final level is actually two floors down height wise and is surprisingly not a hexagon. It's a big almost but not quite rectangular room. With a some couches and a few planters with flowers and bushes in them. One wall though opens up to show a long hallway. Across from them is a Radio-shack, next to that is an Eddie Bauer on one side and a Krogers Grocery Store on the other. "Alright, I have no idea what to even begin to make of this this time."

"Is it trying to approximate a mall this time?"

"I think so, but those storefronts are way too wide for a normal mall. I haven't looked into the stores, but at least this room is wider than it is deep and that wouldn't make economic sense on Earth."

"Perhaps it would if you had a surplus of hallway. And at least there are bikes, this looks like a long hall."

"There's the implication of bikes with the bike rack upstairs. I haven't seen the bikes themselves yet. I wonder if they'll be 'sold' in one of the stores nearby."

"I think this qualifies as more than six rooms, let's go back up to the library like we planned."

Up they go. He taps 'encyclopedia' first.

There is a search bar at the top and a list of categories below that range from fitting to perplexing: Animals, Cleaning supplies, Facilities, Medical, Plants, Security, Stores. "Most of those look potentially important, I am disappointed in the lack of anything like a map in that list though."

"Facilities. Or possibly security." He clicks security.

The screen changes over to a list with phrases like: Elevator Protocols, Mall Locks, Motion detectors, Restricted Areas and Servo Control. Frustratingly though each and every one of them pops up an error message saying access denied when access is attempted. Some of them append a message about needing to be a janitor or security guard, others make reference to Director level access. "Hm, maybe try one of the other sections?"

Facilities?

Facilities is slightly more welcoming, articles about Airlocks, Habitats, Home Complexes, Ivy, Mall Spirals, Medical Facilities, Standard Symbols and Teleporters will deign to be opened, though the articles tend to have redacted sections that prompt the same access denied messages when clicked. More frustratingly Enticing entries like Long-term Plans, Manufacturing, Map and Population Surveys refuse to open at all.

"Let's see if we can ask Employment how to become a director. They seem to be the equivalent of 'admin'."

The Employment section lists jobs as a Gardener, Janitor, Medical Technician, and Security Guard. If there's a way to apply to be a director it isn't visible. "Hm, Security Guard seems like the most useful of those." Opening that entry displays a list of prerequisites: Citizenship in the relevant sector. Background knowledge sufficient to pass entry exam. Filled Janitor position in the relevant sector. The last of those entries is highlighted and the apply button is grayed out.

"A computer is handing out jobs. Lovely. I could probably be a Gardener. Anybody willing to volunteer for Janitor?"

"I think that if Security Guard is a relevant Job Alice would be best at that. Nick, have you taken any biology courses do you make a hobby of looking at any medical stuff? I don't think I know anything relevant to being a Janitor but if we're on even footing for both of the remaining positions I'm willing to be Janitor."

"I have very little idea on medical stuff, but I might be in a better spot to understand it. I've worked on chemistry before."

"Maybe leave med tech empty for now? I don't know if we can drop jobs. We'll just have to hope we get a biology or pre-med student coming through the elevator, if anyone else does show up."

"Yeah, I'll go for the Janitor position. If it suggests that there's an entrance exam like the security position though I think I should try to crash course the cleaning supplies section and maybe also the facilities." Sure enough when they open the Janitor position it does mention a pre-exam. "Do you think I should just try?"

"How hard can it be? And it doesn't say there's penalties for failing."

"I'll give it a try." Zahn clicks apply and a screen pops up "Entry test will now begin, for Citizen 21. You agree to be monitored while testing is in progress. Any cheating will close further opportunities to apply for this position. "Maybe you guys should move back and I should be sitting at the keyboard. I don't know quite how it's monitoring us but I wouldn't want to cheat accidentally."

"I'll go take the gardener test over there. Nick and Alice, you two can poke around what parts of the encyclopedia it'll actually let us see?"