Bubblegum Crusade (Ch. 9 of 24)
Jul. 10th, 2009 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fanfic_mausoleum_n_grillWELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!
Copyright disclaimer here. Cat and mouse, cat and mouse, but the mouse
has claws. The mouse has claws? Yep. Here we go.
Chapter Nine
CHASE THE DREAM
A glass show window, a crowd of taxis,
The noise of a neon street that never sleeps.
I dashed out into midnight, jacket in hand,
My flushed body bursting with energy.
Even if I slip through the cracks, I'll get my way.
I don't want to be beaten now...
"Knock down" ...even though I stumble over
The fence of loneliness.
"Chase the dream"
I'll always want to believe...
"Chase the dream"
...In my own latent strength.
Today's tears are the way to joy.
Failure is the way to success.
I'm sure it will always be that way.
I don't wanna say "Give up."
I saw a teenager with helpless eyes
Because he couldn't see
Even a fragment of gentleness,
Who no longer wanted to spend
Melancholy dawns
Leaning against the subway shutters
And waiting for the first train.
On a rooftop where the wind was blowing,
He made a fist, took a jab
And broke the pathetic night.
"Chase the dream"
I'm sure that by standing up tall...
"Chase the dream" ...I'll show them
I can make it in this town.
I want to keep on racing,
accelerator open all the way,
sweat pouring over my heart.
"I wanna get big chance."
Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.
Mega-Tokyo, 13, October, 2034
"Hey Linna, turn on the TV, would ya?" Priss yawned as she
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stretched back into their faded and well worn couch at Raven's
Garage in the Rift zone. Sylia had come to an understanding with
Dr. Raven, the Nobel Prize winning scientist who owned the place.
The Knight Sabers could use the garage as a training facility,
just as long as they didn't get in his way when he was in the
mood to tinker with his hobby of building new engine designs.
Dr. Raven was currently in L.A. on part of a lecture circuit.
Priss put her feet up on the plastic storage container they used
for a coffee table, yawning again.
"Oh geese, you're right by the remote." Linna came in from
the tiny kitchen area and flopped down on the couch by Priss.
She picked the remote out of the clutter of micro sized mecha
parts, computer chips, and other useful or left over junk, and
flipped though a couple of channels.
"Japan Today presents 6:00 live, for complete coverage of
the latest news stories from right here at home," said an
announcer over the standard fill shot of Mt. Fuji with the sun
was rising. "And now here is your host, Hisakawa Kititoshi."
She didn't start to speak immediately, just staring at the
camera for several seconds. The standard good looks for anchor
people was marred by the clear upset look she was unsuccessfully
trying to hide. "Our top story is of tragedy and violence in the
heart of Mega-Tokyo. Today, at about 1:00 am, a squad of eight
combat boomers, which were enroute from MTX to the GENOM
Cybernetics Lab #2 for final programming before being shipped to
Genaros, went berserk and cut a path of destruction through the
HOUGH/CRUSADE-238
Tinsel City area along 246th St."
"Linna," Sylia yelled from the small sleeping area beside
the kitchen. "Would you turn it up a little. I'm checking
Nene's bandage."
"The malfunction happened approximately here on highway 9.
The boomers went straight down 246th St. They passed through the
power distribution complex for the Tinsel City area. We'll have
the report when Tinsel City can expect their power restored later
in this broadcast. After the power complex, the eight boomers
continued straight down 246th, destroying everything in their
path. AD Police responded with the maximum force at their
disposal. But these were `state-of-the-art' combat boomers. AD
Police sent in their Mobile Armored Units, numbers 3,4,8,11,14.
I'm very saddened to report, as of airtime, AD Police reports
that 95% of those brave men and women from those units perished
in the running battle with the boomers. AD Police has told us
that they are trying to identify who is deceased and who is in
the hospital as quickly as possible so their families can be
notified.
The boomers progressed into the city, to the Y-split in
246th, at point 633. When they progressed to that point, two of
the boomers had been destroyed by the AD Police and the others
were severely injured. At that point, the Knight Sabers, a
mysterious band of mercenaries, which haven't been seen in the
Mega-Tokyo area for over six months, returned from their long
absence and joined the fight against the boomers. These
HOUGH/CRUSADE-239
mercenaries were able to help the AD Police in the immediate
destruction of four more of the berserk boomers."
Priss started to howl with laughter. "They'd still be
fighting those fuck'en boomers if it wasn't for us."
"After four more were destroyed, the remaining two fled the
area and were brought down by the AD Police as they fled along
highway 19 towards the water front. Two of the Knight Sabers
helped with their destruction."
"That was a great shot, Priss," said Linna.
The program was displaying the appropriate graphics of Mega-
Tokyo, the D-series boomers, and stock file footage of the Knight
Sabers as Hisakawa explained.
"We'll now go live to where the AD Police finally put a stop
to this rampage of destruction. Violet?"
"Hello, Hisakawa. What your are looking at is 246th St. as
it appeared at approximately 2:00 am this morning." The shot was
a wide pan over the city. The background, a normal blaze of
lights, with the fore ground black. Through the blackness, a
river of fire pulsated in the heart of Tinsel city. The scene
changed to a live shot of Violet, who stood in front of a
demolished MAU transport. "I'm standing in front of what was an
AD Police vehicle. As you can see it's been reduced to scrape
metal. It and a dozen like it, are all the same.
The cost of this rampage has already been estimated at over
a billion SEC, but the real cost here today is the lives lost.
Hospitals around the area have estimated that over a thousand
HOUGH/CRUSADE-240
innocent people, people just like you and me, were injured in
last nights rampage. Sadly, the Mega-Tokyo Coroners office
reports that of news-time, over 250 innocent people were killed
out right. That number is expected to go up as the day goes on."
"Violet?"
"Yes Hisakawa?"
"Have you been able to learn what was the cause of this
catastrophic malfunction?"
"No, we haven't been given any information about that by AD
Police. I've learned that by 3:00 am, the boomers were removed
from here and taken to AD Police's top laboratory. The GENOM
design scientists and programming teams have been called in to
help with this investigation into how and why these boomers did
what they did."
"Thank you Violet."
The scene changed back to Hisakawa.
Sylia came in and sat down by Linna on the couch. "Down
playing our role in this. Typical. I'm almost surprised that
we're even mentioned."
"Almost as soon as the fighting was over in the streets, the
political battle started. With more on that is Victor Aramanti,
Victor?"
"Thank you Hisakawa. I'm standing in front of the heavily
damaged power distribution center. When I talked with Dr. Ho Lin
We, leader of the opposition party, his remarks could do this
kind of damage in the general assembly." They rolled the tape.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-241
Dr. We was in a golf outfit, standing in front of the entrance to
the most exclusive golf club in Japan. As the picture zoomed in,
it caught sight of several of Dr. We's personal bodyguards. They
were men with shades, dark suits, two had no expression on their
faces and looked very much like each other. "Dr. We, you have
been informed of the details of what happened last night. Any
comment?"
"Yes. First, I would like to express my condolences to the
families of the people who lives were lost in this terrible
incident. Secondly, I would call on the government to instigate
a completely independent investigation into what went on last
night. I've campaigned for many years for the removal of these
combat cyberdroids from civilian areas. There must be no contact
between combat cyberdroids and the general public. Even
transporting them through our fair city to a place of departure
to space is not good enough. Time and again I've called for the
strengthening of the building ban on the combat cyberdroids in
Japan, but the present Government does nothing. Ultimately the
leaders of our Government are to blame for this because they've
not taken the safety of our citizenry to heart. Inadequate
funding of the AD Police only makes the matter worse. These
cyberdroids are the seed of evil in our fair city and it must be
routed out now before it's too late."
"Thank you, Dr. We." The tape ended; they switched back to
Aramanti.
Sylia started to laugh half way through Dr. We's well
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prepared comments. "I don't think he even goes to the toilet
without the Tai-Pan's permission."
"Pathetic little worm trying to turn this to his advantage,"
managed Linna between spouts of laughter.
"You got that right," said Priss.
"The Tai-Pan must have ventriloquism down, to put the words
in that dummies mouth," said Nene from behind them; they turned.
She leaned against the door jam, smiled weakly, and looked pale.
"What are you doing up?" Sylia got up and met her half way
as she came across the room. She helped support Nene while she
gently sat down beside Linna. "You should be asleep."
"I keep thinking about Taki. I should call him."
"Hmmm," said Sylia as she moved a plastic crate over by the
couch to sit on. "We'll do that a bit later. I..."
"Shush, quite," interject Linna. "They got some vid' tape
of us."
The scene on the TV cut to an image of a K-12 struggling
with a boomer. In the background, Priss slammed into a boomer,
knocking it to the ground and out of the picture. The picture
wobbled and shook as the amateur camera operator moved around.
The picture focused on Linna who moved quickly off camera as she
dodged a laser blast. The camera operator moved again and
focused on Nene. Nene came in behind the K-12 struggling with a
boomer and discharged her weapon into the center of the boomer's
chest. Instantly there was an explosion and the whole picture
blanked red. When it came back, the operator panned over the
HOUGH/CRUSADE-243
scene of a shredded K-12 and focused on Nene lying on the ground.
The picture went to black. The station cut back to Hisakawa.
Nene grimaced.
"You should take it easy on those boomers," said Priss.
"You just want to kill them, not blow them sky high."
"Look who's talking," retorted Nene. She giggled faintly.
"The Knight Saber who fell in battle," Hisakawa was saying,
"was whisked way by his comrade in arms and they vanished into
the Mega-Tokyo night, like always. What motives these men might
have for entering into this fight are unknown. Why they entered
into the battle after such a long absence is also unknown."
"You're such a macho guy," said Priss in a deep voice as she
punched Linna in the arm. "Why do you fight boomers? Huh?"
"Ouch, that hurt."
"What a big wouse you are."
Sylia just shook her head with disbelief. The station went
to a commercial. "Priss why don't you turn it off." Priss did
so. "I'd like to know what you think we should do next. This
demands some response from us. GENOM can't get away with
something like this, but they're bound to unless we force some
sort of major concession from them."
"Difficult," said Linna. "There are just four of us."
"But we have to do something," said Nene. "All those people
they hurt and killed. All that pain and misery. I wish we were
strong enough to give them pain and misery just like they've done
to us."
HOUGH/CRUSADE-244
"Hit'em," said Priss. "They must have some weak spot
somewhere. Maybe even kill the Tai-Pan."
"Kill the Tai-Pan," said Sylia. "Just like that. Terminate
him. Would you be able to pull the trigger?"
"You've killed before," retorted Priss.
"And so have you," responded Sylia. Priss looked away from
Sylia, down to the ground. "I'm sorry Priss."
"It's ok," Priss mumbled.
"You're talking about murder, guys," said Linna. "There
must be some other option. If we hit the Tai-Pan, and they
already know who we are, we are fucked. Period. Jail would be
the last and the least painful thing they'd do to us."
"There is another factor to consider," started Sylia. "Was
this an operation with the Tai-Pan's approval, or is this another
operative, working on their own initiative? I'm still not
certain whether Mason was working under the Tai-Pan's approval or
not, or a combination."
"Or whether this was GENOM's doing at all?" Priss shifted
in her seat. "This could be Largo's doing. They were D-series
boomers; that's what he's always used against us."
"Yea," said Linna. "That's right. If it's another opening
gambit by Largo, then what is his plan now? Destroy all of
mankind or just us?"
"Or was it just malfunctioning boomers?" Spoke up Nene.
"I doubt that possibility," responded Sylia.
"But was this another field test, a score to settle with us,
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or just you, Sylia?" Nene yawned and shook her head. "I think
there are to many factors, facets, unknowns yet to know for
certain."
"Nene's got a point," said Priss. "We don't know. Someone
with money and muscle snatched Leon before someone else, I guess,
dumped him on my doorstep. The note said: `He was meant to be a
warning to the Knight Sabers.' But it didn't work, so they sent
the boomers in."
"But if GENOM did this, then they must've had the boomers
ready to go because they destroyed the power distribution center
while Daley was still with you, Priss." Linna sighed. "We all
have people that know parts or all of our secret, Lisa, Leon,
Largo, Reika. It might not be GENOM."
"Shit," said Priss. "Even if GENOM isn't behind this, which
is doubtful, I think we should hit'em hard and fast anyway. They
deserve it."
"I tend to agree," said Sylia.
"What?" Cried Linna. "You can't be serious."
"I think we should go on the offensive. We've been inactive
to long. People forget easily and the injustices of the world
just go right on by. This rampage must be answered swiftly,
strongly. The piece of evidence we have is the camera in the
sewer that Priss blasted. Largo wouldn't use such things,
because that would be something a human would do, and we know how
much he hates humans. I think this is GENOM's doing and we
should hit them."
HOUGH/CRUSADE-246
"But Sylia, aren't they to big for us? Where do we hit
them? How do we do it so just the four of us will have an
impact?" Linna was shaking her head slowly. "If we just do
enough damage to annoy them, GENOM's full might could be brought
to bear on us. That sounds more like desperation, suicide. We
haven't reached that point yet, have we?"
"What's wrong Nene?" Sylia noticed several tears running
down her cheeks.
"Sylia, I was just thinking about Taki. If we take on GENOM
and they know who we are, we'll be destroyed. That's what GENOM
does to its enemies. I want a future," Nene cried. "A future
with Taki."
"Turning coward on us?"
"Priss," hissed Sylia. Nene started to cry harder.
"How could you?" Linna shot back at Priss as she put her
arm around Nene. "It's ok Nene, Priss didn't mean it. We all
want a future. Sylia will think of something."
Sylia slowly shook her head. "If we fight amongst
ourselves, GENOM or Largo, has already won. It's been a long
tough night for all of us. We're all tired and prone to say
things we really don't mean." Sylia looked over at Priss who was
sitting there with her arms crossed in front of her as she stared
at the floor. "We all need some sleep. We'll talk about this
later."
* * *
HOUGH/CRUSADE-247
The Y split in 246th St. was were the heaviest damage and
destruction took place. Of the three building on that corner
only Sylia's building was still standing, but the back half was
smashed in by a downed chopper. Other downed choppers and the
crossfire collapsed the other two buildings into smoldering
ruins.
Mackie made his way through the rubble strewn street,
through the boomer clean up crews and their human overseers.
Shit, what a mess, he thought. I'm glad I didn't come over when
Sylia contacted me last night. I almost did. I bet their
version of what went on last night is a lot better than the news.
"Sir, you are in a restricted area." The AD Police R-class
guardian boomer was part of their boomer detachment working on
crowd control.
"What, oh yea." Mackie headed towards the AD Police line.
He'd seen enough. He headed down the street to the subway. They
weren't there still, he thought. So they must be at Raven's. To
bad there's no station in the rift zone.
Mackie turned away from the closest vid' screen on the
subway and sighed softly. The news update was showing the
remains of Sylia's building. Father bought that building with
his salary from GENOM and the money from various patents, thought
Mackie. After Sis finished her schooling, she reopened the Silky
Doll. Originally, they were just tenants, before they closed
down and went...where ever. She opened the place as a tax right
HOUGH/CRUSADE-248
off and to give me something to do. Mackie smiled. So I
wouldn't lose myself in engines and hardware designs. It became
a necessary nuisance when we started the Knight Sabers. A front.
A bloody front our enemies have seen through.
Leon slowly came to himself. It was the dim awareness of a
sleepwalker. He crawled out the left side of an AD Police car.
He didn't notice the front end was bashed in by a fallen light
pole nor the right side partially collapsed by the fallen
material from the building it was parked by. Leon didn't even
realize his hand brushed across a piece of paper and he
automatically put it in his pocket when he stood up.
Leon woodenly wandered down the rubble strewn sidewalk as
the boomers with brooms ignored him. He automatically shuffled
his feet so any debris he ran across didn't send him into a fall.
"Hey you," barked a man in a hard hat. "This area is off
limits to civilians. Get behind the barricade buddy. Stupid
boomers, letting him through," muttered the man as he turned back
to supervising his clean up crew because Leon was walking towards
the barricades.
"Sir, you are in a restricted area."
Leon didn't hear either of them; he just kept shuffling
along towards the barricades. The boomer ignored him after he
passed their AD police line.
* * *
HOUGH/CRUSADE-249
Bouwer sat on one of four couches arranged in a square
around a low table which was set five meters from the floor to
ceiling glass windows. It was a huge room with only the small
square of couches in it by the windows. This level was
officially off limits to all but the most powerful GENOM
employees. Here in the main GENOM Tower they planed ahead. This
floor was an informal meeting place for the GENOM elite. As
GENOM grew, this area would be converted to office space. They
were five stories beneath the Tai-Pan's level in the GENOM Tower.
Bouwer looked up from a data pad Fazul gave him concerning the
actions of Sylia Stingray. She was pacing back and forth between
his view of Mega-Tokyo. For the first time in days a blanket of
brownish smog covered the city, but up this high, it was sunny
and clear.
"Sylia Stingray is definitely a threat to us."
"She has made herself an interesting problem," said Bouwer.
"Why a sexaroid; why has she formed the Knight Sabers? What is
she up to? The pattern of her actions escapes me. One minute
she is programming boomers, the next she is fighting them."
"I really don't care what she thinks she's doing. Sylia
Stingray and that whole crew should be destroyed." Fazul stopped
pacing for only a moment. "She is a threat."
"A threat that doesn't act in an overtly threatening manner.
Her motives are unclear, and there for she bears watching."
"Watching? Is that your official assessment as head of
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security?"
"Yes," said Bouwer. He chuckled. "It must of been an
interesting sight. You had boomers on her because of the Knight
Sabers and I had boomers on her because of the sexaroid. She
must of lead a parade."
Fool. "We've let that gang do as they please for close to
three years now. They've killed one of our top executives,
interfered with GENOM on numerous other occasions. We must put
them in their place."
"Eight boomers wasn't enough to do it. Did the Tai-Pan
really authorize last nights action?"
"I had authorization from the Tai-Pan to ascertain for
certain the identities of the Knight Sabers. I did last night."
"Killing how many others in the process?"
"That's of no concern. Surely you know that."
"Protests keep coming in from around the world about last
night."
Fazul stopped pacing and shook her head in disbelief.
"Since when are you concerned with the worms? Protests are
nothing to us, as long as we put people in their place, which we
haven't done with those four bitches. We are GENOM, we are the
power on this world, that gives us the right."
"Yes, I agree with you; our power must be carefully
maintained. But your approach lacks subtlety, which is essential
to our domination."
Fazul set both hands on the back of a couch and glared at
HOUGH/CRUSADE-251
Bouwer. She repressed the shaking as she tried to get ahold of
herself. "How dare you criticize me," she said in a whispered
hiss.
Bouwer didn't flinch and returned her venomous stare with
one of cold stone. "My apologies, Madam Fazul."
The elevator opened at the far end of the room, breaking the
stare-down. They both turned to see Madigan approach. Fazul
started to pace again.
"What were you discussing?" Asked Madigan after she sat
down.
"The Knight Sabers," responded Bouwer.
Madigan chuckled. "You were working on the same problem
from opposite ends."
"And that's amusing to you?" Snarled Fazul. "They're a
threat that we have to squash."
"I agree," said Madigan.
"Ha," said Fazul. "That idiot just wants to watch them."
"I just think they're more interesting than threatening,"
said Bouwer. "If you think about this dispassionately surely
you'll see that. Since we know who they are, we can put them to
some sort of useful enterprise. It's not wise to waste talent."
"And while you're not wasting their talent," said Fazul
slowly as she smiled. "They're wasting you, like they did Mason.
They have to be killed, but the Tai-Pan doesn't want the standard
practice implemented. Do you have any idea why? Madigan?"
"None. Those four should be gotten rid of, but if the Tai-
HOUGH/CRUSADE-252
Pan said not to, then he has something in mind for them. What it
is...?" She shrugged.
"There is no logic behind throwing away a useful tool. If
the tool becomes unmanageable, then you dispose of it." Bouwer
got up and headed over to look out the window. "By the way,
where did they go after the firefight with the boomers. That
wasn't in the report I saw."
Fazul looked away from him and said nothing.
"You lost them?" Exclaimed Madigan. "How could you do
that?"
"Why don't you try keeping track of them when half of your
equipment is destroyed, you can't use satellite because of the
smoke, they know someone is on to them, and they start running
without tracks in the sand. I'll find'em!"
Bouwer was about to comment on not having the right
contingency plans in place, when a humming started in the middle
of the table. A holo' of the Tai-Pan appeared over the table.
They all stood and faced him.
"Our most immediate concern now is not the Knight Sabers but
the successful launch of the Mars mission. The Knight Sabers are
a minor annoyance, but we know exactly who they are. If they
misbehave a warning from us will keep them in check. If they
don't heed our warning, we can then eliminate them."
"Sir," started Bouwer. "You intend that we use our
knowledge of their actives to make them our pawns?"
"Yes," said Quincy as he nodded. "Have you come to a
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conclusion on your investigation into Largo?"
"Yes Sir. I was going to file the report to you today Sir.
I have concluded that Largo is still alive. That boomer is a
great threat not only to us, but to the entire human race."
"I see," said Quincy. "Fazul, Madigan, we have a use for a
tool you would throw away. They've battled Largo twice and
lived."
"If Largo is alive," said Fazul. "It was a draw."
"True, but with our special motivation, I'm confident they
can succeed. I want none of you to take any further action
against them. Find them, and keep them under surveillance. If
you think action against them is warranted, consult me first. Is
that clear?"
"Yes Sir," all three spoke in perfect sync'. The holo'
vanished.
"In other words," said Fazul. "Sit on our hands and do
nothing as they do as they please. Shit."
"You're forgetting that one of them was injured. They
probably won't do anything until she's better."
"I'm not forgetting anything, Madigan," snapped Fazul. "It
was Romanova that got hurt. I do know she didn't report for work
today, or call in. There's been no one who fits her description
entering any hospital or morgue. Romanova may of been taken out
during the fight but the evidence points toward the conclusion
she won't be out for long. I suspect some sort of counter from
the Knight Sabers. You should put your section on alert,
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Bouwer."
"A counter?" Asked Bouwer. "Do you mean like blowing up
one of our installations or something of the sort?"
"Yea."
"Hmmm."
"Fazul," started Madigan. "Once you have them again, they
shouldn't be to much trouble. Largo is our main concern if, or
when, he surfaces again." She repressed her memory of him
tearing apart eight of GENOM finest C-class boomers like they
were cardboard. "You didn't meet him face-to-face like I did.
He's a monster. His hatred of humanity is all consuming. If he
starts another attempt to destroy GENOM or Mega-Tokyo, the Knight
Sabers will prove to be very useful, even if they're just a sheep
he can slaughter while we terminate him. He's the ultimate evil
mankind has created for itself to over come. If we don't destroy
him, the human race itself could be in jeopordy."
* * *
Sylia moved with the ebb and flow of humanity, a mote among
the masses. It was the 4:00 wave of the off work crowd. They
took her down the stairs from the 127 and Ekie St. monorail
platform to the city streets below. The tide of humanity carried
her along Ekie St. until she disentangled herself by a row of pay
phones. The phones were oldstyle, a voice only model from the
last century.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-255
A woman dressed in Paris leather and cowboy boots from Texas
finished with the end pay phone as Sylia walked up. Sylia
stopped to let her by and moved towards the phone. It rang once
when she got to it.
"You don't usually want to meet in the daytime Sylia."
"It can't be helped Fuago. We need to move quickly. What
have you found out?"
He hesitated. "SDPC is not involved and my access from
there into GENOM's Mainframe doesn't go that far. This is
something that's coming down from on top, the Tai-Pan or one of
the right hands, Madigan, Bouwer, or Masashi at GPCC. Probably
Masashi; GPCC is always where this kind of shit comes from. It's
bad Sylia, real bad this time. GENOM wants your hide. What
happened last night was just a warning."
"I see." Sylia looked casually across the street towards
another set of pay phones. All of them were busy and the last
one was being used by a man with a crumpled looking inexpensive
blue suit. His blond hair was blown by an air discharge unit on
the building just above the rack of phones. "You're absolutely
certain?"
"Yea."
She saw him nod his head. A chill went through her. "I
see. Any idea as to why now, and not...last year?"
"The 35-S. Meddling with that new production line put you
automatically into a category of people that will be dealt with
and not ignored like a fly buzzing a Buddhist monk."
HOUGH/CRUSADE-256
"I see." There is something not right here, thought Sylia.
He knows what those S-class boomers are. Why did he refer to
them as a production line? "Fuago, this is important. Were they
after me, or the Knight Sabers?"
"They wanted to ascertain for sure who the Knight Sabers
are. They knew Priss for certain and had suspicions about the
rest of you. They got ya."
"Great news."
"Sylia, what's so important about a 35-S that you had to
steal one? Were you working on it's programming, or something?"
Why are you asking me that? I've known Fuago a long time
but...he sounds the same and looks the same...but..."It was just
an experiment."
"Into what?"
"Into life and the Frankenstein theorem. We've know each
other for a long time now Fuago."
"Yea, we have."
Got ya. "You know I can't sit still on this. Over 350
people were killed last night. If GENOM wants a fight, they got
one. Someone must make them pay for their actions." You're a
fake. Poor Fuago, probably dead already. That's another one I
owe you for GENOM.
"Be very careful Sylia. What sort of counter are you
planning?"
"Something I should of done over a year ago but didn't."
"What do you plan to do? Surely anything you do will not
HOUGH/CRUSADE-257
effect GENOM that much."
"This will."
"And GENOM will kill you."
"Yea, I know. I suggest that you get out of the country.
Take a vacation. Forget about us. If GENOM wants our hides,
we're fucked. It's pretty simple. Good-bye forever Fuago." She
hung up and started down the street to the subway. Sylia felt
the boomers watching her.
Fuago turned to look at Sylia as she disappeared into the
crowd. He headed down the street in the opposite direction,
turned the corner, walked down a block before entering a
building, took the elevator down to the underground parking area,
and got into a waiting black limo'.
Fazul twirled the icecubes in her scotch. A counter?
Thought Fazul as the boomer double sat down. What is that bitch
going to do? Last year there was the griffon incident, the D.D.,
Largo, the take over of AD Police and the plot to kill the Tai-
Pan. That assassination attempt was launched by the Chang group
and our business relationship with them has been very
antagonistic since the attempt. The Knight Sabers helped destroy
our prototype D-series boomer as it went after the Chang GD-42
crab-like mecha, which was sent to kill the Tai-Pan. That
happened in June. Shit, something that will effect all of GENOM.
"Driver, back to the Tower. Call ahead and arrange a meeting
with the Tai-Pan. I have to talk with him immediately." The
minor annoyance we were going to keep as a pet has decided the
HOUGH/CRUSADE-258
Tai-Pan is their target and she doesn't care if she's killed.
Thank you Sylia. Now I can just get rid of you.
* * *
Priss tossed Linna a pair of chopsticks and dug into the
pile of noodles. She paused long enough to grab three of the
biggest pieces of roasted pork from the platter before tackling
the noodles again. She pushed the pork in Linna's direction with
her left hand. Sylia traded the mixture of vegetables for the
pork. Linna took some of the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix
and offered it to Priss who waved it away. Nene slowly got up
from her seat at the table, took her glass over to the kitchen
sink, to rinse it out. She moved slowly as she returned to the
table for a small helping of noodles and a piece of pork. Sylia
insisted that the quickest way to get better was to eat a
combination of regular food and one of those body building drinks
that was packed with vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
The door from the outer garage into their inner sanctum
opened; they heard two people come in. Priss tensed and reached
for her 9 mm beretta.
"Hey there," called Mackie. "Sis, he was right where he was
supposed to be." Mackie and Taki entered the little kitchen.
Priss and Linna stared at Taki before turning to Sylia. She was
eating calmly, unconcerned by his presence.
"I called him for you," said Sylia.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-259
"Thank you," said Nene softly.
Priss laid the beretta on the table, shaking her head. She
took another helping of the noodles, more pork, and a small
helping of the veggies, tossing the carrots back into the bowl
with her chopsticks. She glanced at Taki who's eyes widened when
she put the gun on the table. Doesn't know a thing, she thought.
"Taki..." started Nene as she got up.
"You're hurt. What happed?"
"It's..it's nothing. I'll be fine, really." They embraced
somewhat gingerly. "I'm sorry that I didn't call. The
drugs...I've been asleep most of the day." She sat back down.
"I understand. It's just that you left so unexpectedly and
in the middle of a blackout. When I heard about the boomer
rampage I...I was very worried."
"God, I'm sorry I put you through that, Taki."
"How did you get hurt? Was it the rampage?"
Nene glanced at Sylia, who looked calmly back at her and
said nothing. "Yea. Sylia's place is right on 246th St."
Taki looked over at Sylia for the first time.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Taki," said Sylia.
He bowed. "Sylia. Umm, it's a pleasure to finally meet
you."
"Would you like something to eat?" Asked Linna. "Better
hurry or you'll have to fight Priss and Mackie for the last of
it."
"No, no thank you."
HOUGH/CRUSADE-260
"Well Taki," said Sylia. "I wish this was under better
circumstances."
"Yes, a great tragedy. It could of been much worse if the
Knight Sabers hadn't broken their long silence and helped the AD
Police." An awkward silence settled over the group as Mackie
cleared the serving dishes by spooning the remainder onto a plate
for himself. "The news has it wrong."
"Oh? That's interesting," said Sylia.
"Yea, I was talking to a guy who saw the whole thing from
one of the buildings. He said the Knight Sabers took down the
four boomers like...well, like they were practice dummies or
something."
"Where did he see this from?" Asked Priss.
"He said he was on top of one of the building close to the Y
intersection. He saw it all."
"That would be a good place," said Priss. "But very
hazardous."
Very interesting indeed, thought Sylia as she remembered the
strange figure engulfed by green/black flame.
"Have you heard anymore about the Knight Saber that got
hurt. From the way that guy talked, we seem to owe them a great
debt of gratitude."
"No," said Linna with a small smile. "But that's the
trouble with being a secret organization, or so I would guess.
They can't have any ties with the media without jeopardizing
their anonymity. I would think they couldn't tell anybody
HOUGH/CRUSADE-261
anything."
"Yea," Taki nodded in agreement. "I hadn't thought of that.
It's a good point. I still wish him well though and so do a lot
of other people I've talked to today."
"I'm sure he appreciates it Taki," said Nene with a soft
smile.
"So," said Sylia after another moment of silence. "How long
have you and Nene been seeing each other? I've been in Germany,
as you must know, out of touch with all the doings here in Mega-
Tokyo."
"Well...what has it been now? Five, six months, more or
less."
"Almost six months now," supplied Nene.
"Well, that's good," said Sylia. She noticed that Taki was
starting to shift his weight back and forth as he stood by Nene.
Our little group makes him nervous, thought Sylia. He has a
right to be, especially when we drop into silence.
"The Knight Sabers sure saved the day," started Taki.
"They certainly did," remarked Priss.
"Are you going to be able to come back to our place
tonight?" Taki's hand was on Nene's shoulder.
"Priss," said Sylia. "Linna, Mackie, would you go check on
that little thing from GENOM, to see if it's arrived yet?"
"Yea, no problem," said Linna. She and Priss got up and put
their plates in the sink before heading out.
"What thing from GENOM?" Asked Mackie.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-262
"Come on," said Priss as she came back in, picked up her
beretta and pushed Mackie out the door.
"Please sit down, Taki," said Sylia. He did so. Sylia
noticed he held Nene's hand. "There is something we must
discuss. It wouldn't be a good idea for you two to go back to
your place." Nene nodded in agreement.
"What's go'en on Nene?" Taki felt his stomach clench up;
his palms started to sweat. "Nene, I want to know what's go'en
on. Are you in some kind of trouble? What? What haven't you
shared with me? And what do you have to do with this? If you've
gotten her into something...I'll..." Taki rose part way out of
the chair.
"You'll do nothing but listen," said Sylia evenly. "And sit
down."
"Taki, please," prompted Nene. "Sylia is my friend, my
leader, I trust her with my life." Taki sank into his chair. "I
was hit was a metal fragment during the boomer rampage. She was
the one who took it out and sewed me back up. Taki, please don't
be mad; don't be afraid. Listen to her."
"Nene, what is it that you're a part of?" He looked at
Sylia. "Well?"
"One question first," said Sylia. "Nene?"
"Huh?"
"Do you love him?"
"Yes I do, Sylia."
Sylia nodded. "Taki, do you love her?"
HOUGH/CRUSADE-263
"I don't see..."
"Do you love her?" Exclaimed Sylia as she slammed her hand
down on the table.
"Yes...ok? Nene I love you and I want to know what's go'en
on."
"Tell him."
"I...well..." Nene hesitated.
"Please tell me. What ever it is, I'll understand."
"Well, the media and everyone in Mega-Tokyo has got it
wrong. The Knight Sabers aren't a group of men, they're a group
of women. All four of them where in this room eating dinner
tonight."
"What?" Exclaimed Taki after a full twenty seconds.
"I'm a Knight Saber, Sylia is our leader. The Knight Saber
you saw on the news, who crashed to the ground in combat, was
me."
"I don't understand, how could you be...why...?"
"Sylia went to Germany right before Naoko set us up. The
Knight Sabers haven't seen any action until this morning."
"Taki," said Sylia gently.
"What?"
"Nene is a valuable member of our team. She's irreplaceable
to us. Now that you know, I hope we can come to an understanding
about this. She's one of us. I hope you will support her as she
fights with us."
"I've never quite understood why you wanted to be a cop.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-264
I...I don't know what to say."
"Taki," said Sylia. "That boomer rampage last night is just
the start of something much bigger. Something dangerous to us
all. Nene can't go back to her place because our enemies will
likely be waiting. They might even try to kill her."
"Kill her?"
"Yes. Taki, we've made some very powerful enemies and
their's no place on Earth we could run if we wanted to get away
from them. So we have to stand and fight, like we did this
morning."
"I understand, sort of. But I don't understand why. Why
Nene?"
"Because we can," said Nene. "Because nobody else steps
forward and says this isn't right, this isn't the way it's
suppose to be. If nobody gives a shit, the whole world will go
to hell."
"Sis," yelled Mackie as he came barging in. "We got
trouble. Choppers, GENOM and AD Police. Linna and Priss are
changing now."
"Damn it," hissed Sylia. I wasn't good enough with the
disguises or evasion tactics this afternoon. I thought I lost
those boomer trails. They must of scored a good enough reading
of my body heat patterns to follow at a very discrete distance.
"We have to get out of here, now. Prepare for another assault."
Mackie left.
"What's go'en on? Nene?"
HOUGH/CRUSADE-265
I've gotten soft, thought Sylia. To much time in the
shelter of the labs. Our lay over was much to long. We've been
careless and this is what happens. To few challenges, living to
soft...I was lulled into a false sense of security. If we get
out of this one...
"Company's coming," called Priss as she stopped to look in.
She was in her hardsuit. "It's time to party."