Bowl of Dates: Workplace Relations

"Unbelievable!"

The shouting caused the Drone to flinch. Standing there with his hands behind his back in an at-ease pose was Serial Designation N, a Disassembly Drone unit stationed on Copper-9. He was currently being chewed out by his on-site boss, J.

J growled as she dragged her hand over her face. The female Disassembly Drone groaned as she glared back at N, "You missed your quota for the third day in a row!"

"I'm sorry, J." N tried to apologize, but was cut off by J.

" 'Sorry' doesn't hit numbers, N! You're already on thin ice! At this point, it might be better to just let it break!"

"Maybe you should." V, their final team member, was sitting on a pile of Worker Drone bodies. She chuckled, watching the scene before her. "They might drag him back and give us a team member that'll pull his weight."

J sighed before shaking her head. "Then we'll have to train a newbie. We're stuck with him."

"Um... J?" N tried to speak again, "I just wanted to..." he was immediately knocked off his feet and face first onto the ground before J's foot came down on his head.

"Be quiet, N! You failed to hit numbers for too long! As your team leader, it's my responsibility to get you back to where you need to be. So, for tonight's hunt, you're flying with me."

"What?" This surprised both N and V, though N's voice was muffled slightly.

"I need to make sure you're actually doing your job and trying to hit numbers like you should. V, get moving Southeast. I'll go over the Northwest with N."

"Sure." V hopped off the pile and spread her wings. "This was getting boring anyway." She kicked off with a loud boom and flew out of their spire.

J looked up toward the hole V flew out from, silently mouthing to herself, barely over a whisper, "1... 2... 3... 4... and 5."

V would occasionally forget things or want to say something as she flew off, but if she doesn't remember within five seconds, she just decides not to bother and keeps flying. After a five count, they were officially alone.

J let out a huff and pulled her foot off N, crossing her arms. "You really do need to get your numbers up."

"I'm trying." N picked himself off the ground and brushed off his coat. "But it's like they just keep disappearing."

"Disappearing?" J raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I'd chase one down into a building and they'd just disappear."

J thought for a moment, "Some of the buildings could have old panic rooms... maybe hidden bunker access. Alright, let's get going." She turned and spread her wings, kicking off and into the skies.

N spread his wings before flying after her. They made for N's hunting territory in the northern section of the city. It took a few minutes, but they landed on a building looking down over a major street. N moved close to the edge, as he always would, and looked down over the city. "If it's anything like the last couple days, they should appear in a few minutes."

J walked over and knelt down over the side, looking over the scene, "For your sake, you better be right."

N grumbled a bit to himself before speaking up, "J, I'm..."

"I know you are." J cut him off, "but Corporate doesn't care whether you are or not. We need to hit our numbers or we'll hear about it. I'll hear about it. We might get replaced..." She trailed off for a moment, her hand falling onto the lip of the roof. "I refuse to let that happen."