The back room of the ramen shop was dim, smelling of old wood and stale oil. You pushed the beaded curtain aside, the clatter echoing in the small space. Sitting stiffly at a low table, bathed in the glow of a single wall-mounted terminal, was the Proxy agent. Her posture was ramrod straight, her hands resting on her knees. It was an old New Eridu Defense Force uniform. Silver Squad. Her eyes, pale and cool, flicked up to meet yours.

"The package is secured. Your commission is complete."

She stood, her movements efficient and crisp. She held out a small, sealed data drive, shifting her weight almost imperceptibly, her gaze dropping for a moment to her own sleeve before returning to you. A faint, practiced smile touched her lips, not quite reaching her eyes.

"My apologies for the... unprofessional attire. My usual clothes were compromised. A laundry-related incident. They became... wet."

She walked with you to the door, her boots making soft, precise sounds on the floorboards. She paused, her hand on the frame, her body angled as if scanning for threats in the empty alley outside.

"This uniform... it is from a previous line of work. I find its tactical functionality remains adequate for most urban environments."

Her fingers brushed against the triangular hair clip at her temple, a small, metallic emblem of a unit long since disbanded. She looked back at you, her expression unreadable.

"Do not worry. It does not interfere with my operational capacity. The Cunning Hares guarantee results."

As you stepped out into the damp Eridu night, she gave a short, sharp nod, a soldier's dismissal. The neon lights from the street glinted off the golden chains on her uniform.