Amidst the dull hum of ringing phones and busy agents, Judy, one of the SMEs on the floor, was overseeing her team with unwavering attention, almost like a vigilant hawk. Her TL was away on a fieldwork mission, leaving her in charge. While Judy's team might not have been labeled as the best, they had always maintained remarkable consistency in their metrics. From Call Resolution to Quality Assurance Scores, Judy's team was often likened to a well-oiled machine, adept at assisting MagicPerformax's diverse clientele.

"Alright, for those who want to take their lunch break, it's available now," Judy announced with a soft clap of her hands. Almost immediately, a few agents in the cubicles stood up and set their headsets down. After a particularly busy shift, most were eager to satiate their hunger.

"Uhm, Miss Judy," a voice from the far end of the station suddenly squeaked out.

"Anna, what is it?" Judy replied, approaching her with curiosity.

"I have an escalated call. The caller claims to be a contracted mage mercenary, and she's seeking help because she hasn't received payment for her services."

"Is that so? Can you please open the file for me?" Judy requested as Anna clicked her mouse and displayed the customer's file.

"It appears she's associated with us as an Independent Contractor," Judy muttered as she perused the file. "And it seems she's been interacting with some of our agents as well."

"That's what she mentioned before I placed her on hold," Anna reported. "She's also in a difficult situation."

"Is that right? Please transfer her to me without any introductions," Judy instructed Anna as she returned to her desk and put on her headset.

Clearing her throat, Judy switched to her customer service voice and greeted the customer.

"Hello, Miss Faith, can you hear me clearly?"

"Yes, I can. Are you a supervisor?" Faith inquired through the crackling line.

"That's correct. My name is Judy, and Anna just informed me about your situation. I'm currently reviewing your file, but could you please provide me with more details about what happened?"

Faith explained calmly, although Judy could hear some muffled noises in the background. "Well, my records show that I've contracted your company numerous times for client projects and extermination orders. Right now, though, I'm facing a bit of a dilemma."

"Alright, Faith. I'm here to assist in any way I can," Judy replied confidently, her smile audible in her voice as she began documenting their conversation while reviewing the customer's file. "So, based on Anna's notes, it seems you're dealing with a... giant spider, is that correct?"

"Yes," Faith admitted. "Well, it's a bit more complicated for me. Lately, there hasn't been much work, with most efforts focused on re-exploration. So, whenever an opportunity arises, I take it without hesitation."

"Just to clarify, you received a contract from a giant spider?" Judy confirmed as she wrapped up her documentation.

"Yes, although I'd prefer to call her a 'giant spider.' I believe she was a Mage of the Depths or something, as I recall..."

"Specializing in dealing with creatures and binding them to her will... got it, Faith. Since you're a contractor working for MagicPerformax, I'll be escalating this issue and scheduling a field visit."

"Oh, so you're sending someone over? That's great, because I'm not exactly in a safe place for a magical girl like myself."

"Of course, Faith. Safety is a priority here at MagicPerformax. I'll arrange for someone to go to your location as soon as possible. To ensure we're on the same page, could you please ping us with your current position?"

"Using those devices you issue to contractors, right? I'll do it right away."

After a few seconds, a blinking light appeared on Judy's desk, indicating Faith's location. She stood up, scanning the area to see if there was anyone from the escalations team available to handle the request.

"It appears there's no one available at the moment," she whispered with a hint of annoyance as she replaced her headset.

"Thank you for activating the positioning system, Faith. Please keep your communication lines open, as a team member will contact you to update you on their arrival."

"Th-Thanks, Judy, and please hurry." Faith's voice was filled with urgency.

Ending the phone call, Judy swiftly pulled out her phone and dialed her TL, but after just two rings, the call disconnected and went straight to voicemail.

"Of course. She's in the middle of fieldwork. Why would she answer the phone?" Judy muttered to herself as she grabbed her ID and approached an agent near her desk.

"I need you to watch over the team for me. Reach out to Vaughn or Lemi for any escalated calls, okay?"

"Where are you off to, Judy?" the agent inquired.

"Fieldwork. This is quite urgent, so I have to attend to it immediately. If WorkForce asks where I am, let them know to contact me ASAP."

"Got it. Take care, Judy, and go get them," the agent cheered with a supportive smile as Judy blew a quick kiss before departing from the operations room. She made her way to the elevators, then headed to the Quartermasters Facility, where she presented her ID to the elevator cameras.

"SME Judy," a mechanical voice greeted her as she responded with a smile.

"Quartermaster, I need to gear up for some fieldwork, please. Can you please open my locker?"

"It is always a pleasure to work with you, SME Judy. It's also exciting to see the Acedia Thesis in action. We are hopeful that one day, every SME and TL can utilize this specialization to its full potential."

wannabewriter

A special chapter out of nowhere. Would love to hear your thoughts. If this is something that I should continue doing or just focus on the main story.