Panel 1 — Devotion
South Clinic Linen Room, June 26, 2230, daytime. Jori Pell arrives for one of the paid sample assessments announced yesterday. Jori brings an earlier cabinet-assisted application. Supervisor Mara Tey offers a clean, worn sheet. No cabinet participates in the assessment.
JORI: My cabinet says I've always loved linen.
MARA: This one's had a difficult life.
Panel 2 — The actual question
Mara lays the sheet beside an unused patch, a shallow rag-sample tray and a discard basket. Jori unfolds it rather than repeating the application's polished language.
MARA: Patch, rag or discard?
JORI: May I see the middle?
Panel 3 — Against the light
Jori holds the thin center toward the window. Fingers show through the worn fabric; the hem is sturdier. This is observation of one clean sheet, not a clinical instruction for every fabric.
JORI: The edge can take a patch. The middle can't take another wash.
Panel 4 — A position for the sheet
Jori folds the sheet into the sample tray. Mara retains it as a teaching example of linen rejected from bed use; no patch is sewn and no bedding returns to service.
MARA: Rag. I'll keep it as a teaching sample.
JORI: Finally qualified for something.
Panel 5 — A different account
At the end of the quarter-shift assessment, Mara hands over the agreed sample pay in a small pouch and records payment. The sample remains at the Linen Room.
JORI: And me?
MARA: Quarter shift paid. Hiring isn't decided.
Panel 6 — Something in hand
Outside the workroom, Jori carries the wage pouch and folded application together. No purchase or hiring result is shown.
JORI: First application that paid for lunch.
CAPTION: One sample completed. Four jobs still undecided.