PROMITOR, HORTUS SYSTEM — In what local Insitor Cooperative officials are calling “a beacon of hope for the next generation,” 12-year-old pioneer worker Davi Mendoza has astounded his supervisors by occasionally looking up from his Personal Data Assistant during his 14-hour workday.

Enjoying a moment to watch the green swirls in the pipes.¹

“It’s refreshing to see a young colonist who still appreciates the crushing beauty of actual physical labor,” said foreman Elin Voss, who oversees the protein algae harvesting operation where Mendoza has worked since age 8. “Most child workers these days are constantly fixated on their PDAs, watching mindless entertainment loops or playing simplistic games the company provides to maintain docility during rest periods when they should be focusing on algae collection. Some even spend their precious two-minute breaks sending meaningless messages to the colony’s restricted social network.”

According to his supervisors, Mendoza’s occasional awareness of his surroundings has improved his efficiency by almost 3%, as he’s less likely to walk directly into harvesting equipment or fall into algae processing vats while distracted by APEX notifications.

“I sometimes like to look at the ceiling,” said Mendoza, whose basic needs are met through the Cooperative’s Worker Care Program that allocates him a standard ration packet and shared bunk space in the juvenile dormitory complex. “If you stare at the nutrient solution pipes long enough, the green glow makes funny patterns in your vision. That’s fun when you get dizzy from the fumes.”

The Insitor Cooperative has highlighted Mendoza’s behavior in their latest corporate messaging, presenting him as a model for the colony’s youth workforce. His image now appears on recruitment posters with the slogan: “Put Down the PDA, Pick Up the Future!”

Dr. Helena Reyes, a productivity specialist with the Cooperative, notes that Mendoza’s occasional breaks from screen time have not only improved his work performance but also slowed the progression of his spine curvature and repetitive strain injuries.

“We’re seeing promising data suggesting that looking up once per hour could extend a child worker’s productive life cycle by as much as 6-8 months,” said Reyes. “That’s a considerable return on investment when you calculate the training costs for replacements.”

Not everyone sees Mendoza’s behavior as positive, however. Some Insitor executives have expressed concern that workers who develop awareness of their surroundings might eventually notice workplace conditions.

“There’s always a risk when they start looking around,” admitted Copious, CEO of Copious Commodities, who requested anonymity. “Today they’re admiring the ceiling pipes, tomorrow they’re asking why the emergency exits are welded shut. It’s a slippery slope.”

To address these concerns, the Cooperative has installed additional holographic displays throughout the facility that show soothing images of sunsets and non-existent vacation destinations when viewed at the precise angles a worker might look when briefly glancing up from their tasks.

At press time, Mendoza was being evaluated by the company’s behavioral modification team after he was caught staring out a viewport at the stars for nearly 45 seconds, reportedly wondering “what else is out there.”

The Insitor Cooperative has assured shareholders that appropriate corrective measures will be implemented.

Editor’s Note: This article has been approved by the Insitor Cooperative’s Department of Public Enhancement and Positivity and meets all guidelines for appropriate satire under Colony Regulation 47.A3: “Permissible Humor that Maintains Workforce Morale without Encouraging Actual Reflection.”