"Heh."
The sound was sharp, cutting through the sterile silence of the office. Kal'tsit remained a pillar of composure, her emerald eyes unwavering as they locked onto mine.
"Agnes," she began, her voice a cool scalpel. "We are not interested in subsidizing your ego. We are only here for your product."
"Sure, let's talk price... but first things first."
I didn't wait for an invitation. I leaned back, a smirk pulling at the corner of my lips as I hoisted my boots onto her polished desk. The friction of leather against the wood echoed in the tense room.
"Our deal, remember?" My grin widened, showing a bit too much teeth.
"Come on, Miss Tachyon! This is incredibly degrading for—" Amiya started, her voice tight with indignation, but Kal'tsit raised a sharp hand to silence her.
"It's fine, Amiya," Kal'tsit said, her expression a mask of frozen granite. "A deal is a deal."
I held the position for a beat longer than necessary, relishing the flicker of annoyance in the air, before finally swinging my feet back down to the floor.
"What? Are you—" Amiya stammered, her face momentarily losing its practiced composure.
"Yes, yes, yes. Now, let's get back to business," I interrupted, my smirk never fading. "The extracurriculars can come later. For now, let's talk logistics."
I leaned forward, the playful glint in my eyes replaced by a cold, transactional stare.
"First: I want everything. All the materials, the gear, the equipment total replenishment on your dime. Second: I want unrestricted access to this facility. No locked doors, no 'authorized personnel only' bullshit."
I held up a third finger. "And third: No questions. Not about who I am, where I come from, or what I'm doing. You see me in the halls? You look the other way."
Kal'tsit didn't blink.
"The first two are manageable. Access can be granted within reason. But the third... that is a difficult pill to swallow. You expect us to forgo even a basic background check?"
"I'm not asking, Kal'tsit. I'm telling you the price." I stood up, the chair scraping against the floor. "And as long as my requests are granted, I'm a very happy supplier."
I reached into my coat and tossed a small glass vial onto the desk. It rolled across the wood, the opaque, shimmering liquid inside sloshing rhythmically. Minecraft milk a literal miracle in a bottle.
"Good luck researching that," I cackled, turning toward the door.
I paused at the threshold, looking back over my shoulder with the widest, most predatory smirk I could muster. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be cashing in on that boot-licking later. Don't keep me waiting."
The door hissed shut behind me.
For a long moment, the office was silent.
"She's... interesting," the Doctor finally murmured, their voice muffled behind the mask.
"She's insane!" Amiya burst out, her wings twitching with stress.
"Be quiet, both of you. You're being too loud," Kal'tsit snapped, her eyes never leaving the vial on her desk. The Doctor and Amiya instantly fell silent.
Kal'tsit's gaze darkened as she watched the door I had just walked through. "Amiya, send someone to keep an eye on her at all times. I don't trust her any further than I can throw her."
Amiya nodded solemnly. "Understood."