<I think you're making a mistake, but it's yours to make. And a little messiness is good for the spirit.>

<Noted.> 

Maxine runs her hand along Tenta-chan's squishy flank. <So how do you feel about your name?> 

<Tenta-chan is actually good. It's, um, kind of kinky, honestly? It feels objectifying in a good way.>

There's a hint of embarrassment and a larger hint of libido across the connection.

<Oh.> Maxine blinks. <Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh.> 

<I should probably come up with a politer name for you, then, if that one's kinky.>

Maxine gets the sense of an eyeroll.

<I'm already your 24/7 tentacle pet, Maxine. Nothing is going to make it less kinky.>

<Okay. Um, I want this conversation to be over and I want to do my paperwork.>

Tenta-chan ruffles Maxine's hair. <Go on and do that, then. I'll just sit and keep you snuggled.>

<Thank you.>

She pulls out the box of papers. These had better be easy. Are they?

Aside from bank boilerplate documenting interest rates and policies and requiring no input, she has:

• Her new ID, which can just go in her wallet
• Her debit card, which just has to have an automated number called to set her PIN
• Her online banking, which just needs some numbers from her bank paperwork and ID to verify her, and then she sets a username and download an app on her phone
• Her email, which has a default password already set that she can change in any browser
• Her smartphone, which is already activated and able to get on the base wifi, already has her email configured in a way that will keep working after she changes her password, and just wants her to set an unlock pin

Just a bunch of little things, really. Each of them is simple enough to take care of, even if the whole stack adds up to a decent amount of admin work. 

She'll go through them one by one until she's done. This is important, after all. 

The app is better designed than she expects, everything's configuration Just Works, and the smartphone is surprisingly intuitive.

It's almost as though the navies of the world have a bunch of superwomen with pre-computing intuitions about technology they're trying to simplify the lives of, and they're putting real effort into the problem, but where would one get an idea like that?

Indeed, where would someone get an idea like that. 

She checks her bank balance, just in case.

Balance: $75,516.00

Recent transactions:

• Navy Payroll: $5,516.00
• Feminine Spirit Inc: $60,000
• Feminine Spirit Inc: $10,000

... she can't help it, she laughs. 

It's not the million dollars she imagined, but that will certainly do nicely. Given that it's literally free money. The navy payroll is just gravy on top. 

That second payment is what, monthly? So she makes six figures a year. That's supposed to be good, right? 

Meals, housing, wifi, entertainment and companionship are all provided by the Navy. So really, she doesn't need to spend much of this at all. And it'll just keep appearing. 

... she lets out a low whistle. 

She could theoretically pretty much blow off the Navy and just live a comfortable, relatively safe inland life for as long as she wanted. 

Obviously she's not going to do that, the world kind of needs her, but she could just leave. 

Proooooobably a plot hook would get her eventually, practically, but...

What this is is a promise. It's a promise she'll have the life she wanted eventually. 

And for now... Well, she's never been out on her own in the wide world before. A dorm room living situation is probably a good transition step. Like moving out for university. 

She has absolutely no clue what she's going to spend this all on, but, well, that's fine. She doesn't have to know that. 

She can just take it one thing at a time. 

<Do you have any ideas about what to spend this all on, Tenta-chan?>

<Books? Game consoles? Sex toys? You could maybe use a couch or something. I think you should check what the navy regulations are for having things on the base.>

<Yeah, looking into the regulations is probably a smart idea,> Maxine replies. <Thanks for saying so.>

<I'm here to help!>

Maxine gets up from the desk and stretches. <Okay. I think we're done here. Let's go see about anime, and maybe we can ask the shipgirls for move-in ideas.>

Tenta-chan and curls around Maxine's neck again. <Sounds good to me!>

Then she'll head out to the rec room again and see who's around.

Lexi is snuggled up on the couch, being an absolute terror in the same space combat game from before, whipping agilely around her foes and generally ruining the day of everyone but her own team.

Morrison is on the couch, wearing PJs, curled up against Lexi, watching her play and looking at DVD cases of various anime.

Missouri is playing the space combat game alongside Lexi, acting as a bulwark Lexi and the other agile fighters can retreat to, and bombarding the foes from afar.

Morri notices Maxine when she comes in. "Oh, Maxine! Done with your paperwork? This battle will probably wrap up in another few minutes and then we could watch some anime, if you still wanna!"