"My ass isn't lazy! My ass is efficient! There's a difference!"
"Your ass is about to be left behind if you don't move in the next thirty seconds."
Jordan groaned but hauled himself vertical. "Fine. But when I die in there, I want everyone to remember I called this a bad idea."
"You call everything a bad idea," Belle pointed out.
"Because everything is!"
We filed into the locker area to gear up. The tactical suits were standard academy issue at this level—form-fitting black composite material with reinforced plating at vital areas. My suit actually fit now instead of straining across my stomach and pulling tight at the thighs. Another visible marker of how much my body had changed.
I pulled the suit on and sealed the front closure. The material conformed to my new shape perfectly, highlighting the broader shoulders and narrower waist. In the mirror, I looked like someone who belonged here. Someone who could actually survive what was coming.
