Author's Note: Just to let you all know, I should be posting a chapter per week. This is my first time writing any kind of fan fiction, so I would love any feedback. Edit: I just posted a cover image for this story. It is what I imagine Eve to look like. The picture is of a character from Steins Gate. Disclaimer: I do not own this picture.
Slagged Circumstances
Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Her fingers twiddled the pencil with a fierce tempo. She flicked her long, auburn hair out of her face because she did not want to break her gaze off of Jane and the crowd that was swarming around her. She rustled her ankle length lab coat with a sublime frustration.
"Is everything okay, Eve?" a clean cut older gentleman asked with concern. The man had sleek gray hair that was combed straight back and his deep wrinkles flexed as he inquired about his dear colleague.
The man's voice immediately broke Eve's stare down. "What? Oh, I'm okay. Thank you, Dr. Scarsborough. Eve paused for a moment, visibly holding back her emotions. "It's just… I don't think it's right, Doctor. When Nakayama relinquished his position as head of this lab, I thought we could finally change the direction of our research. Eridium has properties that far transcend the current paradigm. We should stop the current research of finding out how we can make our guns more powerful and start allocating resources to research this mineral's full potential. Furthermore, haven't you noticed the disappearances of some of our co-workers. Jane is obviously on some maniacal firing spree. I mean, when Jack died…"
"Eve, Eve," Scarsborough interjected. "When Jack died, nothing changed. We are still employed by Hyperion, which is a weapons manufacturer. Now I know you have more ambitious ideas than Jane, but she's doing the job that she was promoted to do." The Doctor gave Eve a look of sincerity. "Eve, maybe it's time to go back to your barracks for the day."
Eve quickly gained some composure. "Thank you for the sentiments Doctor, but I'm just going to finish up this report I've been working on." Doctor Scarsborough gave a sincere sigh and let Eve finish her work. The doctor left the lab, followed by the party mob soon after. Eve cherished the solidarity. It allowed her to reflect. "If only I could be her, I would do things so much differently." For hours, Eve spent contemplating all of the possibilities her wish could achieve.
She looked out through the window and stared at the planet of Pandora through the circular window next to her lab station. At that moment, she felt a connection to the planet. She knew that her ambitious research goals could be useful on a desolate and dangerous place such as that. However, she knew Hyperion would never send her off the moon base unless she was one of the psychos that they genetically experimented on.
*Slam!* Her focus quickly shifted to the noise of the lab doors opening and closing. Eve did not realize how long she had been at her station, but she noticed that all of the lights in the lab had been turned off except for the small 60 volt lamp over her lab station. As footsteps came into earshot, Eve instinctively shut off the light over her station. It was past lab hours and she was in no need of looking suspicious under the new leadership. As the shadowy figure approached, Eve knelt under her desk. She could smell the horrid stench of the eridium waste from the day's research lingering in the wastebasket next to her.
With her arms wrapped around her knees, Eve heard a lock jiggling. She slowly poked her head above the desk and saw Jane entering her office. The circumstances of the situation piqued Eve's interest considering how late it was seeing her new boss in the lab. As her boss' door closed, she stood up and decided to glance through Jane's window and affirm whether her boss was sneaking around or if Jane really was dedicated to her work.
Eve made small crouched lunges toward the window. She took a brief peek and placed her head back out of view. She briefly paused due to a sense of stunned incredulity. She needed a double take to assure her of what she saw. She took one more look and finally stood in complete view of Jane's office window. The office was empty.