"I was told I would serve for 25 years. That I'd follow a contract, have everything paid for, be given full chrome, be allowed to live my life while serving the corporation, be given a generous retirement package. I walked their line in the sand, I listened to what they expected of me, I did everything I could to follow my contract. One tiny infraction, one so small that it might have well not have been the case. A flight booked with a different airline than I was told because it was cheaper, because it was more expedient, it got me there faster, and I was unplugged the moment I was on the ground. Twenty years down the drain, without a cent to my name."
Augmented personnel tend to live some of the harshest lives anyone can expect to commit to. They dedicate their heart, mind, and soul to their corporate master, all in the attempt to avoid liquidation and ruination at the hands of a vengeful and aloof master. Every action they take is monitored, many thoughts they had are read, their position is always closely monitored, and if they break any of the points in their contract? They are almost always liquidated. All of their augmentations are undone, and if the act of doing so would kill someone, they have the cheapest possible replacements installed instead, often leaving the offending party crippled and unable to recover.
Some augmented individuals either predate such harsh stipulations, successfully negotiated into more lenient contracts, or paid out of pocket for what they have. These individuals terrify the corporations, as it means that they don't need to adhere to their every whim, they have the motivation to further their own agendas, and they could benefit one of their competitors, should they so choose. Oftentimes they are pressured into accepting worse deals, yet if they refuse even that, they may sometimes be targeted, with the intent to kill if possible. It's cheaper to cover up a murder than it is to lose even .1% of their shares, after all.
