Olive/tan military and cigars

At first losing a finger in combat seemed the end of the world. But it gave her street cred when talking with men who thought they could steamroll her. She saw how the flakier, sillier ones' indulgent smiles would turn to horror as they saw her missing finger.

Then she would blow smoke in their face, and any negotiations would go her way. They would get more orders than usual. The implication? "She's missing a finger, let her do what she wants a bit."

Soon enough the male plebes got used to it.

She had made a positive out of tragedy. The best of them could find ways to deal with losing a power struggle or brief argument.