Sci-fi starter

In a cramped, air- conditioner deprived office Vikki eyed the noodle in front of her suspiciously and sighed. "How old are you, kid?"

He was sitting straight up in the hard steel chairs with a fresh buzz cut and a serious expression. He might have been a week out of boot camp. The uniform was fresh. "I'm sixteen ma'am."

"Shit kid. Did you even finish your smarts?"

"No. I dropped out at 13. Couldn't handle academics too well and my mother needed me at home"

"What's your mother going to do when you deploy somewhere and you can't get back to her? You ready to die in some god forsaken planet that's not even yours?"

"Yes ma'am. My father went over to Amnoy. He died over there and the federal check lasted us a good while. My brother is takin' care of my mother now. I'm not too scared of no other planet. Can't be no worse than this one here."

Vikki gave a deep breath and pressed her hands against her forehead. The boy look at her hopefully as she gathered his wrinkled paperwork into a neat stack and placed a paperclip on it. "Can't be too much worse, huh? Go home for now. See your mother. Tell her you love her. We'll call when we're ready for you."

"Thank you." The kid got up with a sloppy salute before awkwardly shuffling out of the office.

"Carter! Carter get in here."

Vikki's assistant jogged into the room with a concerned look. Carter was young, a fresh pup with lazy blonde curls and oversized glasses. He wasn't strong but he was smart enough to keep up with his boss's constant demands. "What is it?"

"When did they drop the deployment age? Do not call that kid! Ever!" Vikki spat furiously. "When the hell did they do that ballistic shit?"

"They did it a good month ago, Miss Victoria. You were in Amnoy at the time. They're trying to drop the age to 15."

"They're sending me kids who can't grow facial hair if they tried! What are they trying to do? Kill every kid before they barely live?"

The high- pitched alarm rang as another wanna be solider came in. Vikki gathered all the papers of the minors she's gathered and threw them at Carter. Carter stooped to gather the papers as the new recruit came in with a bored expression and dead eyes.

"I guess I'm supposed to see you?" He smirked

"Get that stupid ass smile off your face, lunchmeat. You come into my office with the intention to talk to me and the audacity to look like that." Vikki spat at the kid. "Sit your ass down. Why do you want to go to Amnoy? You that ready to end your pathetic ass life?"

"I'm not too worried about that part. Where is my speech you're supposed to be giving me on how I'm such a hero?"

"You're only a hero when you're dead. Until then you're fried chicken."

"I'll do well in the deli aisle. Where do I sign up?"

"Smart ass kid. You look like you should have left years ago. Why are you still here?"

The mystery recruit sat back in his chair, feet stretched out and eyes to the ceiling. With a small smile he said, "I was a punk little kid and my sister went in my place. They told me she could come back home if I went over to Amnoy. She's got a kid now. Figured I'd tuck my balls in my pants and do something right for a change. Can I have my papers?"

Vikki shoved the papers toward him, "How old are you, lunchmeat?"

"I think I should be about 20. I'm not sure, a few of those years got blurred together."

She frowned and opened up a file cabinet angrily. She pulled out papers one after another until they filled her desk up and a few fell lightly to the floor. Carter quickly picked up all the rouge sheets. "These," She said picking up a tri-fold paper and pointing to the picture on it. "These are obituaries. You know what they are, right? All of them. This one here was one of my closest and most faithful companions. His name was Greyson. Greyson was eaten alive. Now, little boy, how brave are you that you're just ready to piss you're life away?

"Might as well get it over with, eh?" He said, "There's nothing here but holograms. None of it's real. Seems like the only option left, huh?"