Cost Effective

[Seven]

That bitch is still glued to her screen...
The squad was halved over a haircut and that was her cue to overwork. It's been a month already and if anything, she's just doubling down!
Would love to ask if she's okay, but I can't risk getting close today. We're almost out of the surveillance range. I will probably have minutes before we reach the surface, and I need all of them off my back for the next 24 hours.

"Are you okay?" She asks, her hand is on my shoulder.
Oh... She clocked the mist again. I should've been more careful since this is a special occasion, but I guess I can pawn it off as a first mission anxiety.
A little smile on her face will do. Her hand feels heavier than I'd like though and I need to yank it off. "You've helped enough"
She scowls at her screen after I remove her hand. "Not enough if someone dies"
Right. Thank the jeebus for fueling her perfectionism on OUR FIRST MISSION.
"It's just a surveillance mission"
"It was just a haircut"
And you're just a sorry sight.
"In what universe would anyone predict that?"
"I can still try..."
And spend half your sanity at best. Or at worst...
"The last time you tried, you almost got scrapped"
"Yet you and I are still here"
Wh- wai- there are a hundred reasons she should not be blunt about such intentions! She's also blocking the hand I aimed over her mouth! "Shush! That's too much info!"
Aaaand she's glaring at me now. Wait, is that a direct message to headquar-
I'm sending this message to affirm that I will not be defecting. My readings of the surface area show unfavourable survival rates. Hollow Point is the ideal choice in comparison.

Her hard light shield keeps getting in the way! I need to punch this woman! The surveillance range is not giving me much room to strangle he-
Ah, she got a reply from HQ. how wonderful. Do I get a few minutes before they blow her up? I can't see the ground no matter how much I lean against the windows.

Acknowledged. Any specific reason for this sudden announcement?
I was testing the latency of the high-priority channels

This little...
"They only care about costs. My feelings don't matter be it positive or negative, not unless it interferes with their protocols" she calmly states while her shield is pushing my frantic hands down.

"do you troll HQ for breakfast?"
"You'd be surprised. It's a common test I use to check their systems," she spares me an unamused glance. "And no idiot would announce their defection like that."

My smile remains on my face, but for a different reason now. The balls on this woman are almost popping and I'm not sure I'm into futa.
"Your risk addiction is a drug at this point. You've gotten much worse since you saved me"
"Wouldn't you have done the same?"
Ha... Mist escapes me more than I'd like as I lean back.
"You're too optimistic"
"Optimism is what kept you here"
"As a farming spot for combat data?"

Her hand freezes mid-air. Her fingers are curling in and she's trying to fight them open.
I shouldn't have said that.
"I don't blame you," A little pat on her back isn't gonna change much but. "This isn't worth your sacrifice"

She simply closes her eyes. Her hand is still floating but at least it loosens up.

I can spy the notification on her screen.
Exiting surveillance range...
That's my cue. The corner of the ship is empty, save for the crates. It's a perfect spot.
My footsteps feel wonky. We're on a shuttle and it could be the gravity going nuts, but the thoughts in my head scream otherwise.

Five... You never risked getting exposed. Please don't cross the line now, regardless of what I do.

A dark corner, huh. I did need a corner but I could use some light with it. Night vision it is. I can see my uniform clearly.
It feels soft for a material that looks like leather. The fabric just bends like cotton as I run my hand over my jacket. This will do.

Hmm..
It's about 6 different pieces? I can see it better while it's off but it's hard to guess how it will fit me. I might need to trim some stuff, or maybe split this part in two? But the shorter back might look ugly. I need to plan out the length better.

The military isn't exactly full of crafting material, and the infested surface might not leave me with the ingredients nor time for it.

My jacket has to go.
If this doesn't violate the policies, something else will. It's my day, and I'm done walking on eggshells.
In the back, I can hear a commotion that I have no time for

Riiiip
Oh, this is kinda satisfying.

Riiiiip
Wish I could do it without an audience, but I don't get to choose the shuttle size. I can already hear them shuffling in the back. Bet they can see what I'm doing even with my back turned.

Riiiip
She's looking at me, isn't she? Nah, worse. I can see her reflection in metal. She's refreshing the reports screen like a wet chicken.

Riip
I can hear her sigh of relief drilling in my ears. She's glaring at me through the reflection.
What does she expect me to say? I'm sick of military and I'm trying fashion in exchange for my life?
The problem is she would lock the military up for me, not the other way around.

Keep glaring.
Riiiiip
I'm already beyond saving this time around. The scheduled report is due in 24 hours, and that's IF no one reports me in the next few minutes.
Give it up. Unless you wipe everyone's memories, you're not saving me. i can see you glaring, but you know it's not gonna change anything.

I'm sorry, but I need to have one day of my own, or my entire life will just be that of a recyclable weapon.