“It's certainly looking like the Rubicon Manufacturing team is shaping up this season after a rocky start in the early matches, Sam!”

The living room was dimly lit, absent the artificial sunlight of the station's simulated day cycle, illuminated mostly by the bright daytime shots narrated by the arena commentators currently broadcasting on the TV.

The report rapidly went through highlights of the team's supposedly wretched performance; showing blunders and moments the players had supposedly slipped up.

For Lexa, it was adding insult to injury, watching the contextless clips of matches she remembered all too well and in which she knew she hadn't been the fucking problem dragging the team down.

But management had needed someone to blame, and it sure wasn't going to be their pet players. So a little clever footage editing later and suddenly they had their narrative - a sniper with too many misses - a cocky fighter who didn't listen to the team strategy - dead weight, all in all.

“Replacing those older members with new hires seems to have given them a hell of a shot in the arm these last few-”

“Go fuck yourself.” Lexa scowled at the display, almost crushing the remote in her augmented hand as she slammed the ‘off’ button.

Looked like her team was doing just great without her. Most of them hadn't so much as sent an apologetic DM her way, and they were just racking up wins in her absence.

Assholes. A solid quarter of them couldn't hit a barn door from fifty meters. She'd scored headshots from a click away.

“Fuck.” She sighed. This was still getting to her more than she'd hoped. It was a little like torture having to keep that optimistic, hollow front up through interview after interview.

Despite the cool air circulating through her apartment, Lexa felt herself sweating in her multi-layered interview clothes. Rubbing tiredly at her forehead, she pulled off her blazer and threw it on the floor. She was half tempted to claw the rest of her clothes off and just burn the whole thing. 

Her best satin blouse, a haircut she was pretty sure she'd paid double the reasonable price for and a ten page resume sure hadn't helped her make a good enough impression to get hired, either.

Every team at the Games was either full and not taking new hires, didn't have the money to take on new members as much as they desperately needed them, or they just plain weren't interested in hiring a washout no matter how many times she showed the metrics that explained her personal performance hadn't actually declined in any way.

Fuck, she'd used to actually enjoy this game once. Now she spent her days cursing the idiots running it.

Taking a deep breath, she cradled her head in her hands, doing her best to stay calm.

She could always transfer to one of the smaller leagues….

But she had just about enough money saved up to move herself off the station, not to do that and find a place to stay….

Lexa groaned, inspecting her surroundings. She'd been so busy job hunting the last two weeks, cleaning had gone right out the window. Her little apartment somehow contained an immense mess of used clothes, energy drink cans and pizza boxes.

Logically, she now had a clear schedule to fix the place up, slip into her pajamas and watch a movie before getting back on the job hunt tomorrow.

Practically, she wanted to curl into a ball and edge herself until she wasn't thinking about any of this bullshit - then spend the rest of her weekend playing video games until she felt like she had recovered enough energy to act like a functioning human being again.

Hopefully.

“Ugh…. When did I turn into this much of a disaster?” Lexa muttered to herself, slumping back onto her couch with a groan.

Then, pulling Lexa right out of her spiraling thoughts, came a single chime from her apartment's doorbell.

She blinked blearily in the direction of the door. It was almost eleven PM local time. Who was gonna be knocking at her door now? It wasn't like she'd invited any-

Oh.

Lexa's eyes fell back on her communicator, resting on the coffee table.

There had been one lifeline thrown her way, if you could call it a lifeline. An extremely unexpected message the day she got dropped, which laid out an offer in the bluntest terms possible and asked if she accepted.

It had come from the last people she expected - Mesmer Holo-Technologies’ own team - the Hive - one of the game's top teams and maybe the most mysterious. 

She'd ruined enough of their days with mid-match takedowns she hadn't even dared consider reaching out to them. She'd kind of had a rivalry with that one girl they had on offense a lot - Magenta. 

Magenta never said much in a fight, beyond some monotone snark thrown in her direction, but she'd definitely seemed more than eager to ruin Lexa's day whenever they ran into each other. She'd assumed that kind of hostility pretty much ruined any chance of a job with that team, but here she was, with their offer being the only one she'd received.

And the pay they were offering was insane. She'd never heard of such good rates - beyond a fair wage, with full medical cover, which was easily better than anything she'd had with the corpos.

It was too good to be true. So she'd politely stalled. She told them she was going to consider other options first - before it had become abundantly clear her career on the arena station was absolutely fucked.

And now, the Hive were still the only people who'd even bothered to reach out to her after the corpos had dissolved her contract. They'd even sent repeat messages making clear their offer was open. She'd replied, saying that if this last offer fell through she'd take them up on it. And now here she was.

Sure, it was an unreasonable hour to expect a business meeting, but the Hive didn't do anything conventionally. They never accepted applications, for starters. Apparently, they reached out to prospective members first, every time.

Definitely beyond eccentric, but If it got her a job, Lexa was honestly willing to tolerate an offensively late meeting.

She still had no idea how much of their…. thing was an act meant for the cameras. The idea of truly surrendering your individuality, becoming a mindless asset for some corporate controller, that couldn't really be the truth, could it? 

It was probably mostly a gimmick, though she had no doubts that the whole team was insanely horny based on how she'd seen them in some fights. Honestly though, with the amount they were offering to pay her, she could abide the whole cosplaying a kinky Cult thing if she had to. 

The door chimed again, and Lexa blinked, realising she'd spaced out thinking about all this. With a blush, she noticed she'd even gotten a little hard beneath her pants.

“Huh.” She whined softly. Looked like she was figuring new stuff out about her own kinks at maybe the worst time possible.

Fuck, if this really was going to be an interview or some way of getting a job like this she had to get her act together.

“Shit, shit, okay…” Lexa muttered, hastily making sure to fix her hair and clothes, hoping desperately her makeup hadn't been smudged too much. After a long day commuting on the station rail network and then moping in her living room she doubted she looked half as composed as when she'd started the day.

It'd have to do.

Quickly, but not so quickly as to make it sound like she was sprinting (she was), Lexa rushed towards the door, forcing a calm expression onto her face as she tapped the door control.

She wasn't able to hide the surprise on her face as the door slid open.

The woman towering in front of her, holding a bulky black briefcase in one hand, was anything but what Lexa had been expecting. 

Wearing a black leather dress paired with fishnet tights and bulky boots, with brilliant pink hair and unnaturally-matching eyes, highlighted by striking dark makeup - she was easily one of the most beautiful women Lexa had ever seen.

And she'd caught Lexa wallowing in her sweaty depression mode. She kind of wanted to scream.

“Uh…” Lexa trailed off, not sure how to respond in a way that wouldn't accentuate how pathetic she felt right then.

“Lexa Bray?” The woman asked, eyes unblinking as she glanced up and down Lexa's rumpled outfit.

“Yes? Um, who are you? I wasn't expecting company.” Lexa lied. She wasn't about to tell a random stranger at the door she was expecting a visit from the latex-clad Drone Hive.

“Pizza delivery. Obviously.” The woman spoke, and though she was staring right back at Lexa and speaking in a flat, calm voice, Lexa could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

Wait…. that voice…

Lexa looked at those dark painted lips, that familiar jawline, beautiful hair she'd seen before - not up close, but through a sniper's scope dozens of times.

“Magenta!?” Lexa asked, eyes widening as things began to click together.

“Good. Your eyes are still functioning.” Magenta snarked with a polite almost-smile. “May I enter? You did state you were willing to accept our offer if your other attempts at applications were unsuccessful.” 

Lexa blinked, taken aback. “How do you even know about that already?”

“I'm not required to retain that information.” The goth woman replied calmly, as if that was a normal thing to say.

Well, she was definitely getting a high score in ominousness there.

“Uh, well, okay - sure, come on in.” Lexa, hastily remembering this woman was here to offer her a job, desperately tried to reassert her manners, cringing as she turned back to see her cluttered mess of a living room waiting for her.

Fuck, where was her confidence? She knew she belonged on a top team. Her reflexes and skill with a marksman rifle were better than most of the so-called fighters that made up most of the games’ population.

Lexa sighed. She was just so tired of begging for scraps when she knew she deserved more.

After a few moments, the pair of them stood together inside; Magenta seemed almost unnaturally bright in comparison to just about everything in Lexa's apartment - she honestly wished she could pull it off.

But Magenta hadn't come to share fashion tips - probably.

“It's been a while.” Lexa found the energy to smile politely at her guest, leaning against the arm of her couch, “Haven't seen you since our last match.”

“Correct. Though, strictly speaking - you didn't see this-” Magenta seemed to cut herself off, blinking rapidly for a moment before returning to her train of thought. “You didn't see me until I'd already flanked and downed you from behind.”

“Right….” Lexa muttered, biting her lip as she fought the instinct to grumble about how that had only happened because her team hadn't been communicating. 

She wasn't going to get any jobs if she made herself out to be some bitter troublemaker.

“Would you like something to drink? I think I have coffee or tea…” She asked, gesturing in the direction of her kitchen. Lexa was desperate to change the subject, and though honestly she'd have loved to pivot immediately to ‘can you give me a job or not?’ as a topic, she couldn't help but worry about seeming too desperate - too weak to be taken seriously.

“Negative. I do not require sustenance currently.” Magenta spoke curtly, still staring directly at Lexa with an evaluating gaze. “My priority remains your acquisition.”

Lexa felt heat rush to her cheeks and desperately hoped it didn't show as she broke eye contact. Something about the way Magenta was looking at her just set her hair on end.

Lexa knew the woman was obviously evaluating her on behalf of the Hive's managers - probably gauging how her personality would fit with the team culture - but she could sense something else in the way she was being looked at by Magenta - a deep focus that made Lexa feel like she was currently the center of Magenta's world. She'd barely taken her eyes off of Lexa since she'd entered the apartment.

She'd always wondered what the gorgeous woman was like from a distance, and now here she was, so incredibly close, looking at her with such intent focus.

Fuck, she was so hot. Lexa absent mindedly wondered for a moment if Magenta could pick her up….

Shit. Future co-worker, Lexa. Tone down the swooning.

“So,” Lexa spoke, desperate for this to go well and desperate to stop feeling overwhelmed by how pretty the tall woman was, “What do you need from me tonight? Is there an interview process or any examinations I need to be booked in for?”

“No.” Magenta replied, bluntly and unhelpfully.

“So…. what do you want me to do?” Lexa asked, before a realisation struck her. “Wait, first - what would you prefer I call you, Miss…?”

Most players in the Arena used stage names for the cameras, to add to the larger than life characters they were essentially acting as - but the Hive were especially reclusive, usually only releasing the names of their members after they retired.

She felt like such an idiot, not having asked what she was actually called sooner.

“Magenta.” The tall woman repeated her stage name in the games without a hint of it being a joke.

“Really?” Lexa asked nervously. As much as she wanted the job, she wasn't sure she could commit to the whole Drone act this well. Magenta seemed a natural at it, even out of her shining latex costume and elegant mask. “You're using your stage name as a... name name?”

Something in Magenta's almost glassy eyes seemed to flicker with amusement for a moment, or maybe Lexa was just seeing things.

“This…. I prefer to be referred to as Magenta.” The pink-haired woman said.

….Oh. Lexa realised too late how this could look. Magenta was a woman who radiated not-cis vibes, and here Lexa was asking her for her ‘real name’.

You're such an idiot, Lexa. Back the fuck up before you lose this job.

“W-well, okay then!” Lexa smiled, trying her best to salvage the situation and ignore the thump-thump of her panicking heart. 

Offering her guest a handshake, she desperately hoped she wasn't making herself look like as much of an ass as she felt. “It's good to finally meet you outside of the Arena, Magenta.”

Magenta looked down to Lexa's offered hand for a moment, before she reached out and returned the gesture. Her hand was gentle as it interlaced with Lexa's - she could feel the calluses wrought by combat, but all in all, her fingers were surprisingly soft.

“I'm glad we could meet like this, Lexa.” Now the almost-smile curled into a real one, her unnaturally pink eyes meeting Lexa's, “I'd… been waiting for the chance to see you… more up close.” 

“Oh….” Lexa felt herself blushing again. How could she not? 

Magenta was beautiful, and clearly hadn't been invested in their on-screen rivalry. Lexa couldn't help but idly think about those delicate, strong hands touching her in…. other circumstances, those brilliant eyes drawing closer and closer as she felt her lips brush against hers-

Lexa blinked, drawing herself out of her brief stupor as best she could. Stupid. She needed to make sure she got this job and being a transbian disaster was probably not the ideal strategy.

“T-thank you,” Lexa nodded with a smile she hoped didn't look manic. “I hope I don't disappoint.”

“Currently, you're exceeding all projections” Magenta elaborated, Lexa's enthusiasm doing nothing to break her placid mask. “You're incredibly suited to the position we have in mind for you.”

Something about the low, calm way she spoke was so relaxing. Lexa had to force herself to think over what she was actually saying, almost losing her focus listening to the gentle voice, relaxing the panic in her heart. 

Obviously Mesmer was invested in hiring her - Magenta had probably been told to flatter Lexa's bruised ego to make recruiting her easier. Still, hearing from her arena rival that she belonged on a high-grade team like the Hive?

It was almost intoxicating. She felt her heart fluttering with excitement and relief.

“Well, what's left to do?” Lexa asked, resisting the urge to reach out and hug Magenta. “You want me for the team, your company wants me, and I want to join. What do you need from me tonight?”

“...To complete the application process, you will need to undergo orientation.” Magenta replied calmly, the monotone of her voice continuing to comfort. “That is all.”

Lexa blinked, struggling to process what her guest was saying. “So…. I've basically got the job?”

Magenta tilted her head, the faint not-quite-smirk returning to her glossy lips, “...basically.”

“Oh.” Lexa mumbled, honestly not sure what to say at all to that. “Oh.” 

She got the job. 

She got the job?

Holy shit, she got the job.

“Thank you so much!” She couldn't help herself - she found herself jumping for joy off of the couch. 

The job search was over. This month of pure shit was over. She wasn't gonna have to leave the station or anything.

She was going to do everything she could to prove she'd been the right choice, Lexa swore to herself.

She wasn't a corporate suck up, but Mesmer were going to more than get their return on their investment for this. She was more than willing to work harder than she ever had to prove to them and everyone else that Lexa Bray belonged in that Arena.

Magenta didn't seem put off by Lexa's sudden display, remaining pretty much still as she watched her, still maintaining that pleasant, neutral expression.

After a moment to just breathe, Lexa looked back at her guest - now almost her new teammate, blushing as she came down from the excitement.

“So,” Lexa asked, folding her arms behind her back as she tried to regain her composure, “You said I have to do an orientation thing. What do you need me to do?”

“My employers prefer to conduct orientation as quickly as possible. That is why they sent me with this,” She explained, gesturing to the briefcase she'd kept in her hand the entire time, “It contains a Mesmer Brand VR Headset System for your personal use, free of charge, containing the initial orientation presentation you will need to view in order to finalise your contract with us.”

“Huh.” Lexa muttered, eyeing the briefcase. Mesmer Holo-Technologies were clearly very eager to awe new hires with their shiny tech and VR systems.

Well, she wasn't gonna complain if it meant she was getting free samples out of the deal.

“You want me to do this tonight?” She asked. Hell of a weird time to do it, but she guessed business types - especially the ones running the Hive - probably had a fucked sense of time given how often they were moving throughout space.

Magenta tilted her head ever so slightly again, blinking for a second as she seemed to think something over. “Yes, if possible. Are you expecting to be interrupted within the next half-hour?”

“I mean, not really.” Lexa admitted. She didn't want to say she didn't have a social life, even if right now that was basically the case. “So, uh, sure - let's get this wrapped up now.”

Magenta nodded, placing her palm on a scanner fixed to the briefcase, before setting it down on the coffee table and opening it with a delicate click, revealing a sleek looking headset contained within.

Then the Hive member gently pulled the headset free, offering it to Lexa. 

With a sleek, glossy black finish, the visor certainly looked like Mesmer's preferred brand image of sleek, compact tech. It had snug-looking ear coverings with comfortable padding on the surfaces expected to sit on her skin. Lexa didn't know much about the actual technology, but it sure looked like one of their more expensive models.

“I recommend that to avoid disorientation, you sit down before initialising the presentation.” Magenta suggested cordially as she gestured towards the device. “I will be here to… answer any questions you may have after the presentation.”

“Right. Thanks. Sorry they've got you working so late because of me.” Lexa said politely as she felt the weight of the headset in her hands.

“It's no problem. I am more than satisfied by the terms of my employment by Mesmer Holo-Technologies. I have nothing to complain about.” Magenta spoke calmly, but in a way that seemed… stiff? Rehearsed? 

Did they have her practice saying that or something? Lexa tried to search Magenta's expression, but there was no sign of her attempting to explain why she'd sounded so odd right then - just cool, placid calm as she looked unblinkingly in the direction of the headset in Lexa's hands, silently seeming to urge her on.

It was probably just contract bullshit. Lexa could deal with the corpos coaching her on what to say - as long as they paid her.

Now, to get this thing on…

It was a simple matter to slide the visor onto her head, covering her eyes and ears. Lexa was happy to note that it was padded enough to be comfortable to wear for a while - not that she was one of those who liked spending a lot of time with a headset on her face, but it was nice to know her new employers weren't cutting corners.

The VR Headset initialised quickly - Lexa didn't even need to press anything - it turned on as soon as her eyes and ears were snugly covered by the device, revealing a loading screen - a simple purple background with a stylised white spiral spinning in the center of her vision, gently pulsing with light every few seconds.

Lexa was polite enough to not audibly snort at the ridiculous degree the Hive were committing to the bit here. 

Still, after a few seconds she definitely was starting to get the impression something was wrong. This loading screen wasn't loading yet, for starters, spinning around over and over again in front of her, and the purple background field seemed to flicker in a way that was starting to make Lexa feel weirdly… floaty.

“Hey, Magenta? The loading screen for this isn't working.” Lexa tried to call out as diplomatically as possible.

“It's not a loading screen.”