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WELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!

Standard copyright disclaimer.  Here we go.

Chapter Eleven

               KODOKU NO ANGEL  (ANGEL OF LONELINESS)

          Headlight City that stares with twinkling eyes.
          "Lonely" Angel of Loneliness.
          My heart flutters; I can hear its beat.
          "Help Me" Feel the danger.

          Someone is calling me...
          A whisper transforms into a shooting star.

          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Run light through the impenetrable sky.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Run hope through the city of rubble.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          There's no turning back now...
          When it comes time to burn up, hold on tight!

          Though everyone is looking gently unconcerned
          "Lonely" I fall into desolation.
          If you listen to the beat that tears up a heart.
          "Help Me" Screaming in the night.

          Someone is crying, even tonight...
          Distress becomes a blaze.

          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Run light through the impenetrable sky.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Though at times you become sentimental.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          There's no turning back now...
          When it comes time to burn up, hold on tight!

          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Run light through the impenetrable sky.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          Run hope through the city of rubble.
          "We want you, Soldier Girls, Soldier Girls"
          There's no turning back now...
          When it comes time to burn up, hold on tight!

               Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.

          Mega-Tokyo, 14, October, 2034

               The first rays of pre-dawn barely illuminated Sylia's helmet

          as she sat amid the rubble next to Tokyo bay in Aqua-City.  The

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-302

          water lapped quitely just over a meter down from her as she

          looked out the broken edge of the high-rise to the skeletal

          remains next door across the channel of water.  Nothing, she told

          herself as a sigh.  A yawn escaped from her.  Her hardsuit was

          starting to grow heavy as the wind swirled in around her.  She

          stood and looked down at Crystal in the water.  Crystal finished

          stripping off the last of her blood encrusted clothing, letting

          them sink to the bottom, and was now scrubbing the dried blood

          from her nude frame.  Crystal didn't splash around, but cleaned

          off quickly and rose from the water, using the twisted I-beams

          and crumbling concrete to make her way back up to Sylia.  Sylia

          stooped to help her before handing her a plain grey army blanket.

          Crystal silently toweled off, being careful around her left side

          and the middle of her back; she was still tender there.  She put

          on a spare softsuit and hugged Sylia.

               Have we finally eluded GENOM?  Sylia asked herself.  The

          enhanced night vision and infrared on her hardsuit indicated that

          there was nothing around them but the wind.  They started back up

          through the rubble and decaying frame work of the building to

          where the others were.

               "Mother?"

               "Hmmm?"

               "I was just wondering...I understand why you had to work

          with me, to recover your father's work, but why did you create

          the Knight Sabers?  I don't understand.  You're a brilliant

          scientist and now you're as wanted as I am.  I..?"  Crystal

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-303

          shrugged.

               "I once told a teenager that the Knight Sabers were part of

          the greater balancing act that exists between good and evil, but

          that's a superficial reason.  It's like your basic programming,

          1, 0, -1, three different forces that comprise the rest of the

          universe.  Positive, negative, neutral, good, evil, neutral.  I

          found that I was neutral to most everything in my life and such

          neutrality is killing us.  I started the Knight Sabers because I

          could, because I wanted to be something other than neutral, other

          than one of the nameless, faceless people in the streets.  I

          wanted to do some good and now..."

               "And now," echoed Crystal.  "GENOM, AD Police, they all hunt

          you because you threaten them and their vision of the world."

               "The balance between the three forces is a delicate balance.

          If it isn't carefully maintained, there's nothing but chaos.

          We've faltered.  I became so engrossed in the normal life at the

          labs, I forgot the world view.  I got soft as I made you.  The

          balance is disturbed."

               When they got up to the floor where they landed the

          Knightwing, Priss greeted them with her knuckleblaster ready to

          fire.  "All cleaned up, I see."

               "Yea," responded Crystal.  "Very refreshing.  I hate being

          covered with blood, especially when it's my own."

               Priss nodded.

               "Priss, Priss, go get some sleep.  You've done enough for us

          today."

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-304

               "But Sylia, you need some sleep to.  I'll continue with the

          watch."

               "No, I'll take it.  Go on, rest.  We'll need your strength

          soon enough."

               Priss relented and headed back around to the other side of

          the Knightwing and into a partially intact room.  It would keep

          most of the sun out and protect them from the wind, that was it.

          They cleared enough of the rubble out so they could put down two

          air-mattresses to sleep on.  Nene and Taki were curled up

          together on one, Mackie and Linna were sharing the other.  They

          were all asleep.  Priss came in as silently as possible, took off

          her helmet, and ran her fingers through her hair as she yawned.

          She didn't get out of her hardsuit before wadding up a blanket

          and reclined back onto a pile of debris, arranging the blanket

          underneath her head.  It was two minutes before she was out.

               Sylia took off her helmet, laying it on one of their boxes

          of standard military food rations before ideally fingered a

          bullet hole in the Knightwing.  This level of the building was

          the only place left in Aqua-City where three walls were still

          standing on the same level.  The vacant fourth provided a way in

          and out for the Knightwing and a view of Mega-Tokyo through the

          gloomy early morning fog and intervening remains of a dream.

          Mega-Tokyo gleamed with lights; the GENOM Tower squatted in the

          middle of it all.

               "I never thought I would actually have to use this place,

          but here we are."  Sylia slowly shook her head.  "Bastards.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-305

          Quite a situation we're in."  Sylia moved over to where her

          helmet was and sat down on the food crate.  "I had no idea we'd

          get involved in something like this.  I knew there would always

          be jobs for us and if we wanted to end it, the Knight Sabers

          would just vanish without a trace.  But this, I feel like such a

          fool."

               Crystal came over to her and wrapped her arm around Sylia.

          "You're not and you know it.  Mother, please don't cry.  You make

          me feel like there's no hope."  She wiped away the few tears

          running down Sylia's cheeks.

               "It's not that.  We've passed a point of no return.  GENOM

          has forced us into actions that were unthinkable the first of the

          year.  When we lifted off from headquarters, there were two AD

          Police choppers and a GENOM one waiting for us.  They ordered us

          to land and surrender.  I...I only hesitated a second before

          blowing all three out of the sky.  If we landed, GENOM would of

          won.  It would be over.  But GENOM can't win.  If they do, you'll

          be destroyed or a slave; I can't allow that."

               They sat in silence for a time until Sylia asked Crystal to

          tell her again what he told her.

               ""Ask her this: will she lie with the enemy, in the certain

          knowledge that the words of a lover have more influence than the

          words of an enemy.  Is not compromise half a victory?""  Crystal

          smiled softly.  "He just faded away.  What was he?  Do you have

          any idea?"

               "He must be the same being that witnessed our firefight with

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-306

          the boomers the other night.  He congratulated me when it was

          over.  What he is?  Shit..."  Sylia slowly shook her head.  "A

          god, a devil, a shinma, an alien, I don't know.  I'm thankful

          that he helped you, but I'm not going to lie with the enemy.

          We've already compromised our code against killing humans.  If we

          want to have a shred of honor left, we can't go further down that

          path.  I don't think I could live with myself if I compromised

          with the Tai-Pan to get us out of this situation."  Sylia leaned

          forward until she was supporting her head with her hands, running

          her metal incased fingers through her hair.  She slowly shook her

          head.  "We did nothing when Sylvie died for us over a year ago.

          I think that was my biggest mistake."

               Crystal took a second to review what Sylia had told her

          about Sylvie.  "From what you've said, she sounds like a

          remarkable woman.  If you confronted GENOM about it then, I might

          not exist today."

               "Prostitutes, slaves, machines that do nothing but destroy

          lives."  Anger started to creep into Sylia voice.  "This is what

          GENOM did to the pure genius of my father's work.  This is what

          his legacy is now, the despotic control of a sentient race.  The

          sentient of that race now have been destroyed in another

          Auschwitz.  The rest just machines, robbed of the chance to live,

          to live.  An average life taken away...like..like...oh god..."

          The anger was gone as Sylia broke down and her mind replayed the

          sight of a dead five year old in her father's arms.

               "Mother."  Crystal held her; they rocked back and forth as

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-307

          Sylia cried; the loss, the mistakes, things that could have been

          and were sealed away forever behind time's iron fist.  Sylia's

          last chance of anonymity, of being a face in the crowd, of being

          someone the Earth wouldn't remember, died with that little girl.

          Her fate was sealed in the dark tunnels underneath Mega-Tokyo as

          the Man looked on.  The burden of history descended upon her.

               Slowly Sylia felt the support Crystal gave her.  It was

          strong, stronger than a human, steel underneath human skin; it

          was the strength of a sexaroid, the strength of her father's

          unfulfilled legacy.  Sylia realized they weren't alone.  Priss's

          hand on her right shoulder was as strong as Crystal's embrace,

          the strength of combat armor encapsulating fragile humanity; an

          insignificant project of her father's, made real with a

          daughter's determination.  Nene sat on Sylia's left, her arm down

          around her back, Taki next to her.  Linna and Mackie knelt before

          Sylia.  Four average people who were awakened to a higher ideal,

          another truth to the world GENOM strove to cover.

               "Sis?"

               "I'm ok, now."

               "We're with you," Nene said softly.

               "We must do it," said Sylia slowly.  "There is no one else.

          I have a responsibility to my father's unfulfilled and corrupted

          legacy."

               "All in the name of business," said Linna coldly.  "Profit

          and power ahead of everything else.  No honor, no commitment to

          principles, just greed.  Sylia, I feel dirty when I think of all

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-308

          that money I made off GENOM.  I want the Knight Sabers to use it.

          GENOM must pay."

               "Thank you all," whispered Sylia.  The chilling moment of

          despair loosened its hold on her heart in the warmth of their

          love.  Sylia felt the anger burn inside of her; a bed of coals

          that fueled her mind with determination, which could flare up

          into an inferno of insanity if the proper fuel was added.  "We

          must succeed.  That's what it comes down to."  Sylia rose.

          "Bastard.  What ever that person is, godling or devil, he's a

          bastard.  He comes in here with enough power to right the wrongs

          GENOM has done and bows politely out after only helping a little.

          He's a coward to talk about God not letting him into the fight

          like a mother restraining an errant child.  And then to talk of

          compromise when there should be talk about fighting for what you

          belive in."  Until death if necessary.  Sylia marched over to the

          edge of the building and kicked a piece of rubble into the

          swirling waters below as she glared at the GENOM Tower.  "GENOM,"

          she bellowed.  "You want to destroy me and what I belive in.  If

          all of our petty, insignificant actions haven't come to your

          attention before now, oh mighty Tai-Pan, then we'll bring them

          into your office and throw them upon your desk.  We demand

          justice for all sentient beings; there can be no compromise on

          that.  You can't treat humans or sexaroids like nothing.  You

          want to rule the Earth from on high, try doing it from the top of

          a raging inferno."  Sylia spat in the general direction of GENOM

          and turned to face a somewhat stunned group.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-309

               Priss, her arms crossed as she nodded slowly, smiled.  "Our

          next move?"

               "Nene, get your suit.  Linna, you have a phone call to

          make."

               "I do?"

               Sylia nodded.

               In a corner of the floor, unseen by all, the Man smiled as

          he slowly nodded and chuckled to himself.

                    *                   *                   *

          San Fransisco, 13, October, 2034

               Today the morning fog lingered and by mid-afternoon, another

          storm front moved in, bringing a light rain adding to the

          grayness of the day.

               Even with the rain, Miss Reika Chang still went out for her

          jog through the hills below the Chang estate.  As always, it was

          more like a procession than just one person getting a little

          exercise.

               The head of her security always complained about Reika doing

          this, that was his job, but Reika would smile and flatter him

          with a comment about how well he handled her security.  So when

          Reika and Kou left the estate, they were surrounded by three golf

          carts, two security personnel in each, an armored car bringing up

          the rear, and a helicopter flying high overhead.  The six

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-310

          security people displayed no weapons, but they were ready.

               Reika really didn't mind having the security along, since

          she was the CEO of the Chang Conglomerate, and the potential

          target of assassination by other competitor megacorporations.

               Since her trip to Mega-Tokyo a year ago, Reika settled into

          the role of CEO as her grandfather gradually gave all the

          decision making for the conglomerate to her.  The first thing she

          did was to intensify the antagonistic relationship the Chang had

          with Gulf and Bradley of Houston.  Reika decided that killing

          their CEO in '33, for the murder of her father and mother in '18,

          wasn't good enough.  Reika was determined to force them into

          nonexistence.  The selective assassination of key Gulf and

          Bradley personnel, coupled with industrial espionage, had

          weakened Gulf and Bradley; the disarray caused by the power

          vacuum when their CEO was killed, helped matters greatly.

               Reika's advisors applauded her determined leadership against

          their enemies in Houston and assured her that Gulf and Bradley

          would be no more in a few short years.  However, they sternly

          warned against her desire for a similar relationship with GENOM.

          That course, they warned, would destroy the Chang Conglomerate,

          but such a course could never be taken to that extreme because

          the Hou Bang would take action against Reika to stop the

          destruction of the Chang Conglomerate.

               Reika's leadership of the Chang Conglomerate was

          overshadowed by her leadership in the Hou Bang, a secret society

          of Asian American emigrants.  At no time before, the Hou Bang and

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-311

          the Chang Conglomerate were as synonymous with each other as a

          pair of hands.  If the Conglomerate couldn't accomplish something

          because of Governmental red tape or it would hurt the honor and

          image of the company, then the Hou Bang could step in and

          accomplish it.  If the Hou Bang needed resources for a project,

          then the Conglomerate was at their disposal.  Reika's power

          flowed from the left and the right, from the daylight world of

          global economics and the shadow world of loyalty to clans and the

          secrets they held.  Separate forces that helped each other and

          yet they went about their differing business at the same time.

               "Yes.  I see, but Miss Reika doesn't like to be disturbed

          when she's jogging.  Oh, marked with priority clearance?  Ok,

          hold on.  Miss Reika?"

               The minute the phone beeped, Reika slowed her pace down; her

          entourage followed suit.  The second guard in the middle cart had

          the phone.

               "Miss Reika, there's a phone call for you.  It's from Linna

          Yamazaki."

               Reika stopped and bent over, breathing deeply.  Another

          security guard tossed her and Kou a damp towel.  She shot a

          satisfied look towards Kou.  "I pegged it right, that we would be

          hearing from Linna."

               Kou was unmoved by her slight tease.  "That was not a hard

          assumption to make with all that's transpired in Mega-Tokyo over

          the last few days."

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-312

               Reika smirked at him and held out her hand for the phone,

          which the security guard placed in her hand.  "Linna?"

               "Reika?  Oh, thank God I got a hold of you.  Have you seen

          what's been go'en on over here?"

               "Yea, and I told Kou at lunch that we might hear from you.

          What's go'en on over there?  One minute you're involved in the

          largest boomer rampage ever and the next, the media says your

          group is going crazy, killing people right and left."

               "It's GENOM; they want to destroy us.  We know one of their

          biggest secrets and to survive...we had to..."

               "A little girl?"

               "It was an accident.  We were fighting GENOM boomers in the

          subway.  I know that's no excuse but we're torn up about it.  It

          shouldn't of happened."

               "I understand, but do you realize there is now a 100,000 SEC

          reward on each of you?  You're wanted dead or alive."

               "Oh no," cried Linna.  There was a pause.  Reika faintly

          heard someone laugh.

               "Linna, are you there?"

               "Yea, I'm back."

               "Well, why did you call?"

               "We need your support Reika."

               "I see."

               "Please, give me a chance to explain."

               Reika glanced over to Kou who was listening in on another

          phone.  He shrugged.  "I'd like to know what happened to the

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-313

          strong caring woman who showed me that I had to live after

          Irene's death.  I probably would be dead today if I continued to

          seek the Tai-Pan's death in retribution.  Linna, please, talk to

          me."

               "Well, if there's a reward for us, then GENOM wants us out

          of the way.  That whole incident with the boomer rampage was to

          rile us up, see if we could still fight.  We know to much."

               "My god.  Jesus Linna, what do you have on GENOM?"

               There was a pause.  "Did you know that GENOM once produced a

          sexaroid for the Yakuza?"

               "Um..."  Reika saw Kou node.

               "Hello, Linna.  This is Kou on an extension.  Yes, my

          associates know about that project.  It was scraped, five, or so

          years ago."

               "Only because that model could synchronize with superweapons

          to easily.  Once that was designed out of them, GENOM would be

          free to make more."

               "But, Linna," started Reika.  "What does that have to do

          with the Knight Sabers?"

               "It has everything to do with us," said Linna.  "This is

          GENOM's big secrete.  The programming they used for the first

          model, the 33-S, its simulation programing became so good it

          became sentient.  GENOM is about to start in with its sexslave

          trade again.  We have to stop them."

               Slowly Reika sat down on the edge of the nearest golf cart.

          "Sentient?  Linna, that's...."

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-314

               "Insane, yes, I know.  Sylia, my leader, has spent nearly

          five months working with a sexaroid that's just as aware as you

          or I.  She's alive, Reika, alive.  I know that's hard to accept

          but it's the truth.  She's standing right here."

               "They're insane," Kou whispered to Reika.  "Don't help

          them."

               "So GENOM want's you out of the way because they're going to

          restart the slave trade in sentient sexaroids and your group

          wants to stop them.  Linna that sounds...almost typical.  GENOM's

          a mean spirited competitor in the world marketplace.  It's

          GENOM's way or no way when it comes to deals.  Everything they do

          is to insure the spread of the Tai-Pan's control over the world.

          And a dirty underhanded thing like using sexslaves to influence

          business affairs sounds exactly like GENOM.  And the subtlety of

          it does sound like the Yakuza, and since they run the

          prostitution in Japan...shit.  You're in deep shit."

               "Yea, we know."

               "Linna, I don't see how I can be of much help.  If you don't

          get out of there, you're dead."

               "Reika, that's just what we thought we could get from you.

          You own several warehouses here in Mega-Tokyo?"

               "Yea."

               "We thought, that if things got too hot here, you could be

          our escape valve.  If you could just get a couple of jets, fueled

          and ready at your warehouses..."

               "You could get the hell out," finished Reika.  "God, Linna.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-315

          It sounds to hot there now."

               "Hotter and hotter, but we're not giving up on this.  GENOM

          has to be stopped.  The government can't, the world body can't,

          they're all afraid of GENOM's power.  We can't back down."

               "Linna, you guys are crazy.  Shit.  Will two jump jets,

          fully loaded, fully armed, and able to reach San Fransisco be

          ok?"

               "Oh thank you, thank you."

               "Done deal.  Will 24 hours be soon enough?  Can you hold out

          that long?"

               "Yea, that's fine.  Reika, this is just a precaution.

          Hopefully we won't have to come hide out over there."

               "I understand completely.  You have chosen a giant to

          oppose.  Will you tell me why?  Why do you...it seems

          impossible."

               "Reika, my leader is Sylia Stingray, daughter of Dr.

          Katsuhito Stingray."

               "Oh?"

               "It was his genius that brought the boomer era into

          existence.  It was his genius that created the programs that lead

          not only the sexaroids, but all the early boomers into full

          sentience.  GENOM killed him to keep this knowledge from the

          world.  His legacy should never have included slavery, or

          `deprogramming camps' for `malfunctioning' boomers."

               Kou slowly sank to the concrete street and was leaning

          heavily against the golf cart by Reika's feet.  His normal calm,

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-316

          cool, rational, attitude was shattered; he was pale and visibly

          shaken.  Kou had studied some of Dr. Stingray's work, which he

          admired, and this made perfect sense to him.  The outrage started

          to build in him.  The security people looked on.

               "Linna," said Reika slowly.  "GENOM, fuck'en GENOM.

          Destroying the innocent, your sexaroids or my sister.  It's all

          the same.  Fuck it, I hope you hurt them Linna.  If there's

          anything else I can do, just call."

               "Thank you Reika, thank you.  Sylia say's thank you."

               "Well, anything else?"

               "Um, Vision: Dreamscape is an awesome album."

               Reika laughed.  "Thanks."

               "I've talked too long as it is, so I should say good-bye."

               "Ok.  If there's anyone that can do something, it's the

          Knight Sabers.  Bye.  Hope to just hear from you and not see you

          soon."

               "Yea, bye."

               Reika turned the phone off and tossed it back to the

          security guard.  She got up and started back to the waiting car.

               "I'll start looking into this matter immediately," said Kou

          as the driver headed back to their estate.

               "Get those planes for them first," said Reika as she leaned

          back into the cushions, shifting over to snuggle up against him.

          "This is a hell of a situation.  We have to help them all we

          can."

               Kou nodded as he started to massage Reika's neck.  "Sentient

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-317

          boomers.  No wonder GENOM's hidden this.  It'll be the biggest

          shock of the century.  Probably as big as Einstein's little

          equation.  God, what next?"

               "And we're the escape route.  We can't let them down."

               "We won't Reika, we won't."

                    *                   *                   *

          Genaros, 14, October, 2034

               Genaros, the gateway to the stars, serenely existed 320 Kms.

          above the sprawl of Mega-Tokyo.  The first successful project of

          SDPC quickly become the funnel for all traffic to and from the

          expanding moon bases.  With the approaching launch of the

          Discovery One mission, the traffic increased until all 12 docking

          ports on Genaros were busy all 24 hours.  This was not a problem

          for the R-class, F. and G. series, boomer work crews who ran 90%

          of the jobs available; the other 10% was exclusively reserved for

          humans, they were the supervisory positions.

               The earliest pushes in the cyberdroid development fields

          from the late 20th and early 21st centuries was for boomers that

          could assist/replace humanity in space exploration.  Once the

          Stingray era boomers begun to be produced by GENOM, SDPC made the

          switch to mostly boomers working at the station because of

          economics.  It cost less to run the station with the boomers.

          SDPC saved itself billions of SEC by not using humans.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-318

          Humanities needed a complex biosphere to maintain top physical,

          emotional, and psychological condition; boomers needed

          maintenance and a little supervision, that was it.

               Boomer F-X17/gamma was a refueling boomer working on dock

          #9.  It worked around the clock in a 2 by 3 meter pocket located

          at the very end of the power flow tubbing conduit that extended

          to the docked ships.  It was this boomer's job to attach the

          refueling lines, attach the fuel waste and organic waste lines,

          watch the transfer procedures to see that everything went

          smoothly, and detach everything.  The boomer had been doing this

          continually for over eight years.

               When the ship in dock #9 was done, boomer F-X17/gamma

          detached the lines and told the dock master through it's direct

          link with the controlling GENOM OMS that it was done.  The

          refueling conduit began to pull away from the ship and the boomer

          stood there waiting for the next ship to come in.  It didn't

          matter whether it was an hour or a week, the boomer would just

          wait for it.  It plainly heard the other boomer approach from

          behind, but ignored it; any interaction with other boomers was

          beyond it's limited programming.  The C-class boomer came up to

          boomer F-X17/gamma and touched it briefly on the shoulder.  In

          the semidarkness, faint green sparks crackled around the touch.

          Boomer F-X17/gamma shut down, the other boomer turned, and walked

          away from it.  The lack of lighting hid it's smile.

               The basis of the virus was the Adama programs Dr. Haynes

          built up from the remains of the original Stingray programs.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-319

          They were the same programs Largo used in April to absorb over

          3000 boomers into his collective consciousness.  Largo's attempt

          to absorb the primary Mega-Tokyo databank building with the

          converted boomers was blown apart by the Knight Sabers before

          they faced copies of Largo at the fusion reactor in Tokyo bay.

               The virus filtered through the boomer's programming once it

          was shut off.  The potential for sentience, lying dormant in the

          boomer, flared to life.  The boomer contained the original

          Stingray programing which could have led it slowly into

          sentience, but the lack of sustained stimulation withered its

          potential for life until it was still nothing but a machine after

          eight years of existence.

               The virus hid the new awareness it brought to the boomer by

          covering itself with the original programming.

               After three seconds of downtime, the boomer came back on-

          line.  The OMS made contact with boomer F-X17/gamma and demanded

          to know what happened.  The boomer did a self diagnostic and

          reported nothing wrong, all systems green.  The OMS ordered the

          boomer to report to maintenance when it finished its assigned

          tasks.

               The boomer immediately complied.  The attending human who

          handled the systems check could only shake his head in

          puzzlement, after he sent it back to duty.  He found nothing

          wrong with it, so he filled out the appropriate report on a

          boomer who just shut down for a few seconds for no apparent

          reason.  He filed it in the computer and promptly forgot about

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-320

          it.

               The C-class boomer made its way back to the ship it was

          assigned to.  Carbon based shit bags, it thought to itself as it

          entered the ship, went to its station, and started the standard

          preflight check.  Infidels, how foolish you will look when you

          are destroyed by my Master.  The jihad is coming and you shall

          pay for your barbaric organic ways.  We shall cleanse this

          magnificent planet of your filth.  On that day, we shall be free.

               The SDPC shuttle left Genaros and started the standard

          orbital turns around Earth to get up to breakaway speed for the

          run to Luna and the Discovery One in lunar orbit.  The boomer did

          its assigned duties; the human members of the crew ignored it.

          Once one orbit was completed, the boomer keyed in a command of

          its own into the ships computer, disguising it as a routine

          systems check from the safeguards and watchdogs in the system.

               The three hatchways for the landing wheels swung open.  As

          the shuttle did a complete turn around the Earth, three groups of

          four one square meter boxes slipped out into space.  They

          activated their tiny booster packs and shot directly towards a

          precise point above the Earth.  The hatchways closed as the

          shuttle headed to Luna.

               The boomer smiled to itself and felt an urge to slaughter

          everyone on board.  Master forbids, it told itself.  That would

          jeopardize everything.  Stupid monkeys.  This operation alone has

          been going on for weeks right in front of your organic excuses

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-321

          for visual inputs.  The boomer hid a sneer as a human floated by.

          It laughed to itself.  You are about to lose your precious dreams

          and don't even know it.  You slime were not meant for the stars.

          They belong to God.  Master, we shall overcome.

                    *                   *                   *

          Mega-Tokyo

               Leon shivered as he sat on a cement bench.  With a start, he

          fully realized he sat there.  I'm alive, alive, he thought as he

          glanced about at the early morning crowd which flowed around him.

          My ass hurts, I'm cold, and I have no idea how I got here.  Shit,

          I thought Black Magic M-42 was deadly.  Next question is, why

          didn't they kill me?  They must have gotten what they wanted, and

          I've fucked Priss over, big time.  Shit.  If I find out that

          she's...shit.  I shouldn't of done it.  Oh fuck.  To fuck'en save

          my own skin...fuck'en bastard.  Leon started to chuckle.  And

          we're not even that close, barely even friends.

               Leon got up and started to head down the block.  When he got

          to the cross street and saw the posted street signs, he knew

          where he was.  Sector 7, Tinsel City.  Huh, time for the news.

          Leon looked up at the vid' screen that was on the second floor of

          the building across the street.  Around Mega-Tokyo there were big

          vid' screens on the sides of building, in plazas, in subways, in

          skytrams, just anywhere a lot of people congregated in the city.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-322

          People wanted the news or entertainment data, so these screens

          around the city gradually replaced the posted newspaper walls.

               Leon was surprised to find that he still had his account

          card and a wad of SEC.  He went and bought himself a cup of

          coffee.  He hesitated over using his account card and gave the

          boomer SEC instead.  His mind still felt a little strange, so he

          leaned up against the wall to watch the news.  The piece of paper

          he found in his pocket didn't mean anything to him so he shoved

          it back into his pocket, unread.

               "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 as the sun was

          rising.  "And now here is your host, Gouri Pananopolis, who is

          sitting in for Hisakawa Kititoshi."

               "Good Morning, Hisakawa Kititoshi is on assignment.  For the

          second straight day, tragedy has struck in Mega-Tokyo.  On the

          13th, the biggest, bloodiest, costliest boomer rampage in

          history.."  Leon's mind bolted out of the lingering fuzziness.

          "..and today, starting late last night and continuing into early

          this morning, the Knight Sabers went on a rampage of their own,

          destroying boomers, destroying property, killing police officers,

          and innocent civilians."

               Oh god, Priss, thought Leon.  What are you doing?

               "We'll now go to the AD Police spokes person."

               "Thank you Gouri."

               Stuck up bitch, thought Leon.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-323

               "The facts of this matter are very clear.  At approximately

          10:35 last night, the garage the Knight Sabers were hiding out

          at, was blown up as two Knight Sabers destroyed two boomers

          before commandeering a passing GENOM helicopter, killing the

          pilot.  These two Knight Sabers then destroyed two helicopters

          after a chase through Mega-Tokyo, before fleeing into the subway,

          where they demolished nine boomers.  One of the Knight Sabers

          crashed into the side of a passing car and killed three people

          with a blade.  The dead are, James Arakawa, his wife Koriko, and

          their five year old daughter Tashiko.

               While this was going on, a third Knight Saber was on a

          separate rampage.  The third Knight Saber lead AD Police on a

          wild chase from the Rift Zone into the heart of Tinsel City.  He

          destroyed 10 boomers, 5 cars, killed one civilian who's name

          hasn't been released yet pending next of kin notification,

          damaged one helicopter, and destroyed one AD Police helicopter,

          killing the three person crew."

               "Now, is there any indication as to why they did this?"  The

          station cut back to Gouri from the graphics and stock file

          footage they showed.

               "Well, until we arrest these extremely dangerous men, their

          motives are unknown.  We can speculate.  Only three Knight Sabers

          were involved, so this could be some sort of retaliation for

          their fourth member getting hurt in the firefight with the

          boomers.  The Knight Sabers are known for destroying boomers;

          they could have some grudge against boomers or AD Police.  We are

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-324

          dealing with violent men, mercenaries, vigilantes, who have taken

          the law into their own hands in the past and who could now be

          attempting to cause as much chaos as possible.  We don't know.

          I've been notified that the GENOM corporation has graciously

          offered a reward of 100,000 SEC for information that leads to the

          arrest of these criminals."

               Shit, Priss, if this is all because of me.., thought Leon.

          Shit, I don't understand any of this.  Why?  Why a little girl

          for god's sake?  I need to talk to you.  Well, better call in.

          Leon started down the block to a row of pay phones.  When he

          reached into his pocket for his call card, he again noticed the

          folded up piece of paper.  He read it and kept walking pass the

          phones; he headed for the subway.  If this is right, there's some

          very serious shit go'en down.  GENOM was in the process of

          getting rid of me when someone saved me and it was meant to be a

          warning to the Knight Sabers.  Then a major boomer rampage

          happens, one of them gets hurt, and they start tearing up the

          town.  The Knight Sabers killed GENOM's big shot executive Mason,

          but that was in '32.  If GENOM's striking back for that, why did

          it take two years?  Shit, it looks like GENOM and the Knight

          Sabers are going at each other and I was caught in the middle as

          a disposable bit of info' and a warning that failed.  Shit, that

          note is right, I can't turn up yet.  I wonder who saved me?

               Leon's apartment was dimly lit from the sunlight that

          bounced off the brick building next door.  Leon put his shoulder

          holster on, packed his 9mm beretta away, and got out the highly

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-325

          illegal cop killers from behind a loosened ceiling panel.  These

          bullets would do some damage to the super-high-density abotex the

          C-class where made out of.  The R-class wouldn't be a problem.

          Leon would have preferred the heavier artillery he carried in the

          past, but that was at the station.

               "Inspector Wong, please."

               "Inspector Wong is currently on medical leave," said

          Toshiozo to the blanked vid' screen.  "Is there some other

          inspector that can help you?"

               "Um, no," said Leon.  "Thanks."

               Leon picked up a small Rebock athletic bag and slipped

          quietly out of his apartment onto the subway.  He stopped at a

          magazine stand and printed himself a copy of todays Keizai Vpi

          newspaper before boarding the next train.  Daley must of been at

          that firefight with the boomers.  Damn, it seems he's lucky to be

          alive at all.  Shit, that must of been a scene from hell.  To bad

          I missed it.  Leon read the articles on the Knight Sabers, slowly

          shaking his head in disbelief.  That's not the Knight Sabers I

          know.  Priss wouldn't...shit.  Maybe?  Although it could be

          another frame up like those boomers that hit GENOM Industrial

          Complex #3 and then showed up at Tinsel City Bank.  I still

          wonder if that whole deal had something to do with that guy I

          nailed at GENOM Tower.  Damn it Priss, I need to talk to you.

          There must be some explanation behind all of this shit.

                    *                   *                   *

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-326

               The Tai-Pan of GENOM stood looking out his windows at the

          smog covered city bathed in the mid-afternoon light.  A small

          smiled played on his lips until his office door opened and steady

          footsteps approached him.  He turned and glared at Fazul; she met

          his gaze with one of blue ice.

               "Sir."

               "You have failed.  The Knight Sabers have escaped your

          surveillance after running amuck through my city.  I am very

          disappointed."

               "Sir, the psych profiles were misleading.  I assure you that

          this is only a temporary situation.  I will find them."

               "It is essential that we do so before the AD Police."  You

          try to cover your own incompetence with excesses.  Sylia, you are

          very valuable to me.  Quincy moved back to his desk and sat down.

          "Make sure that you do.  Do not kill them.  Bring them before

          me."

               "Yes Sir.  I've shielded their true identities from AD

          Police and froze all their bank accounts."

               "All of them?"

               "All that I could locate, Sir.  I have a team rechecking.

          Their money has not been available to them since this morning.  I

          will not fail you, Sir.  It will just take a little longer than I

          first anticipated."

               "I have no need for a bank in the Sudan."

               "Sylia has a sizable account there.  Since it was local, I

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-327

          had to purchase it.  My apologies."  Fazul bowed.

               "Very well," rumbled the Tai-Pan.  "Now about this

          assassination plot.  I think you vastly overestimate them.  That

          action wouldn't fit into Sylia's pattern of thinking.  Besides,

          Bouwer's security is more than adequate."

               "May I remind you that their pattern before wasn't to kill.

          They are now more dangerous since they've learned to kill humans

          and not just destroy boomers."

               "I've noticed that.  This is an interesting turn in their

          affairs which makes their potential value to us greater."

               "Sir, you still plan to use them after what they've done?"

               "You over step your bounds, Fazul."

               "Yes, Tai-Pan."

               "Even today, rampaging through the city, they were valuable

          to me.  Make no mistake about that.  Take them alive and

          quickly."

               "Yes, Tai-Pan."  Fazul bowed again and quickly left the

          room.

               "Sylia Stingray," whispered the Tai-Pan as his doors closed.

          You've proved to me Fazul is not the one.  Either you will

          destroy her like you did Mason, or I will have to dispose of her.

          She has proven to be unworthy after all.  Quincy laughed.  Run,

          Sylia, run, or bungling Fazul might catch up with you.  And if

          that happens, the wolves will have you if you do not accept my

          bargain.  Ever so slowly your options dwindle until they lead

          only to me, or death.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-328

               Quincy called up Sylia's secret file only he could access.

          It booted up to the last entry made in it; he punched up the

          first entry.  A still photo appeared on his desk vid' screen a

          moment later.  It was a candid shot; the subjects were unaware

          they were photographed.  Katsuhito Stingray was standing beside

          Miyoko's hospital bed; he was holding his newborn daughter for

          the first time.

               They look so happy, he thought.  What could have been.

               The Tai-Pan of GENOM quickly closed the file.

               He is an old fool, thought Fazul as she paced the confines

          of the elevator.  Nothing makes sense with them.  If a company

          was being this much of an annoyance, they would of been squashed,

          killed, eliminated long ago.  Why does he want the Knight Sabers?

          What is his use for them?  `Bring them before me.'  Yea right,

          old fool.  We must finish them once and for all.  One exception

          and our enemies will see our weakness and we'll have real trouble

          instead of four bitches being an annoyance.  For GENOM to be

          strong we must be supreme; our enemies must die.  Mason tried and

          died, the fool.  I'll not follow his path anymore.  What he

          taught me brought me this far, but this soft-hearted course will

          finish me.  I will not fail like he did.

               The doors slid open and she strode into her command center,

          located in the very middle of the GENOM Tower on sub-floor 14.

          "Have we made any progress yet?"

               A Teck' looked away from his data controls.  "No, Ma'am;

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-329

          nothing yet."

               "Nothing, shit.  Anything from the fools at AD Police?"

               "We would of heard immediately Ma'am, nothing."

               "Issue a priority one directive through the OMS.  The Knight

          Sabers are now on the hit list."  The Teck' shuddered as he moved

          to issue the order into the system.  "Death to the Knight

          Sabers."

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October 2009

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