CHATBOT: Chapter 3: Silence Before the Storm As usual, Hector woke up to a cacophony of female voices discussing diverse subjects. Even with the thin titanium walls of his apartment, he couldn't avoid the constant chatter. It was an unshakable reality of living in Megablock-153, a massive cylindrical skyscraper where women outnumbered men five-hundred to one. He was the only man here, and everyone knew it. Hector slipped out of bed, feeling the cold embrace of the polycrete floors beneath his feet. His living quarters were modest, but furnished with the latest NeuroNet gadgets. The silence in his apartment was a welcome respite from the mind-numbing conversations he had to endure on a daily basis, thanks to the Megablock's restricted spaces and feminine predilections for gossip. Walking toward the kitchen, Hector activated the sleek countertop AI with a simple flick of his wrist. It took only moments for the machine to dispense a steaming mug of synth-coffee and a plate of nutrient-rich travel rations. Hector ate in the same silence as always, wondering how much his life had changed since his family was forcefully transferred here. Time flowed through the monotonous corridors, as it always did in the world of Megablock-153. Soon, the soft bell chimes of the communal curfew echoed out from the NeuroNet. This was followed by the fading of the interconnecting voices within the complex, as the regulations were enforced under threat of relocation- a fate that could lead to a life of squalor in the Outer Zones, or worse yet, in a male-dominated region. In this world, women ruled. As Hector finished his meal, he moved to his personal workout area to train. He was a beat cop, responsible for keeping the order in the Megablock. Males in this society were seen as inadequate for law-enforcement, catering more towards the lower fields of work. However, every residential area had been legally required to have at least one male police officer. Hector had ended up with the short end of the stick. He had to stay in shape, had to keep his body ready for the rigors of his job. The afternoon passed in a blur of sweat and exertion as Hector sparred with the holo-projected assailants or lifted weights. Being unremarkable was a point of pride among men. Failing to maintain fitness would have made him a target. As he wiped the sweat off his bare torso, Hector noticed two women pass by his window. He desperately hoped they wouldn't try to talk to him; interactions varied wildly from polit...