fanfic_mausoleum_n_grill | Bubblegum Crusade (Ch. 16 of 24)

WELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!

Standard copyrights apply. I consider this to be one of the best chapters
in Crusade.

Chapter Sixteen

AKUMA TO TENSHI NO KISS (DEVIL AND ANGEL'S KISS)

A Devil and Angel's Kiss
Cannot be stopped by anyone.
The lightning splits the night sky;
The Earth trembles.

If you feel something too,
Open the windows and close your eyes.

Scream "Love!" with all your heart
Until you can see light.
Swear "Peace" in your heart, with hope.

What is the world coming to
With a devil kissing an angel?
A kiss that rips open the heart
Manipulates gentleness.

But if you hold on to something
Go on outside. It'll be OK.

Scream "Love!" to someone, in your own way.
Swear "Peace" to someone. This is bravery.

Scream "Love!" with all your heart
Until you can see light.
Swear "Peace" in your heart, with hope.

Scream "Love!" with all your heart
Until you can see light.
Swear "Peace" in your heart;
Something will change!

Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.

Mega-Tokyo, 18, October, 2034, 1:25 am.

A tempest descended on the unsuspecting Mega-Tokyo. The

rain, driven by winds that screamed through the glass canyons

with gusts up to 100 kph., plastered frail humanity. The sky was

torn asunder as the lightening streaked straight down into the

heart of the city. The continuous thunder rattled windows for

kms. in every direction.

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The Man was enjoying himself as he was tossed about in the

storm. The lightening flared, striking straight down at the

edifice of GENOM Tower. Nature's power was easily dispelled by

mans best technology. The Man soared and plunged into the Tower,

passing down through the levels until he came to level 100 and a

room at the very center of the tower. He walked silently pass

the twenty boomers guarding the single door. There was a total

of 50 more C-class boomers stationed on all three sides, above,

and below this room. As he slipped through the cold bare steel

walls, his green/black fire slowly, drop by drop of energy, began

to enter the security camera system, the EEG feed, the other

electronic medical monitors she was hooked up to. His power took

control of the teck' sending to the monitoring boards and waited.

"I don't understand this," muttered a Doctor to himself as

he read her current data chart. Sylia stirred slightly. "I'll

have to inform the Tai-Pan at once. She's starting to come

around even with enough sedatives to keep her under for another

week." He shook his head in confusion. "I've never seen

anything like this. Her healing ability is twice anything I've

ever seen." The Man smiled. "Must be why the sedatives aren't

working." He left, turning out the lights so the room was only

lit with the soft glow from the medical equipment.

The vid' and audio pickup showed no change as the Man moved

into the room. He slowly became visible; the green/black fire

slipping off him in slow waves. It illuminated her as she slowly

struggled to come back to herself. He moved to the edge of her

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bed and sat down. His fingers teased through her short curly

black hair before stroking her cheek.

Sylia became aware that she was laying on a bed, but the

dream still held her. She was in a field; it was very dark.

Sylia only knew it was a field because she could hear the wind

rustling through the grass. "Mother," someone was crying. A

little girl, a woman perhaps. Sylia tired to find her/them, but

she couldn't see anything. She stumbled, fell into the Earth,

was slipping and sliding down an embankment. The cries for

mother were suddenly silenced. Sylia reached the end of the

embankment and saw Largo's head sitting at her feet. His eyes

glowed with a red hatred. She kicked at his head, but it turned

into liquid metal to enveloped her foot; the metal started to

spread, expanding over her. She managed to shake it off and took

to the air, going straight up blindly into the darkness. Largo

followed, he gained and Sylia knew she didn't have the strength

to fight with him again. The mechanical monster was about to

swallow her whole when the darkness retreated before the

green/black light.

Sylia awoke and stared up at the Man. He moved his hand

away from the base of her skull and draped his arm across her

chest. Their eyes locked for a moment before she glanced over

the room.

"Where...?"

"LEVEL 100 OF THE GENOM TOWER."

"Did you...save me?"

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"NO," he said, slowly shaking his head before smiling. "YOU

WERE NEVER IN ANY SERIOUS DANGER."

Sylia breathed a small sigh of relief and relaxed back onto

the bed. She stared upwards for a moment before looking back at

him. "Will you tell me who you are?"

"*****."

"*****?"

"YES. HERE, IN THIS PLACE AND TIME, MY POWER FADES. YOU

SYLIA, ARE MY LAST GASP."

"You said that to Crystal and the others after you saved

them. Thank you. If you...if they had died yesterday, I would

have..."

"WHAT, STORMED INTO THE TAI-PAN'S OFFICE AND SLICED THE HEAD

FROM THE BOOMER DOUBLE SITTING AT HIS DESK?"

"Something like that. They're my life."

"HMMM. THAT WASN'T YESTERDAY. IT'S 1:30 AM ON THE 18TH."

"Oh, do you know if they made it back all right? They

weren't captured, were they?" Sylia rose up on an elbow.

"NO. EVERYONE MADE IT BACK TO AQUA-CITY. PRISS LAUGHED

WHEN THE LEADER OF THE KNIGHT SABERS WAS DECLARED DEAD."

"Laughed?"

"THE NEWS REFERRED TO YOU AS A HE."

"I see. GENOM's keeping up the fallacy that we're men. Why

is the question." Sylia relaxed back down since her injuries

were starting to bother her.

"SO GENOM COULD SWALLOW YOU WHOLE."

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They sat there in silence for several moments. "I want to

know something?" She asked hesitantly. "Are you a god?"

He smiled. "2000 PLUS YEARS AGO I WOULD BE A GOD, THE GOD

OF THE JIHAD, THE HOLY WAR. TODAY, I'M A BEING ON ANOTHER RUNG

OF THE EVOLUTIONARY LADDER. THIS WORLD IS DONE WITH ME AS

ANOTHER TAKES FULL CONTROL, NOW."

"Another?" Sylia shivered as she realized the truth.

"Largo. It's Largo isn't it."

"YOUR INSIGHT SERVES YOU WELL. THE GOD OF MINDLESS,

UNENDING, USELESS VIOLENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH THE HUMAN RACE.

THIS PARTICULAR INCARNATION IS STRONGER THAN I."

"You told Crystal that your Master forbids you taking a more

active role."

"TRUE. WHEN EVEN YOU HAVE HELPED HIM, I CANNOT BE OF MUCH

ASSISTANCE."

"When did I help Largo?"

"AT THE TRAIN."

"But that...that was..."

"UNINTENDED VIOLENCE THAT SERVES NO PURPOSE."

"Oh shit," she whispered.

"HMMM, THE TAI-PAN APPROACHES."

"What, you've got to get me out of here." She started to

get up and winched. He pushed her back down.

"I CANNOT."

"What?"

"THAT I CANNOT DO. FACE HIM SYLIA, YOU CAN DO IT. HE WANTS

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SOMETHING FROM YOU. LISTEN TO HIM, SEE THE PATH THAT CAN END ALL

OF THIS. CONTROL YOUR ANGER AND YOUR PRIDE OR YOU ARE LOST. YOU

KNOW HE HAS BROKEN HIS OWN STANDARD PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO

YOU. THAT IS YOUR KEY." He started to fade away. "YOU WON'T

FACE HIM ALONE. YOU'LL NEVER BE ALONE DEAR SYLIA."

Sylia sat up and watched him come into the room; she caught

a glimpse of the boomers behind him when the door first opened.

Quincy crossed to one of the banks of medical equipment and

turned on a small light that was over a keyboard before moving a

chair closer to Sylia's bed and sitting down. They stared at

each other. The faint light gave the room a twilight feel.

Sylia glared into his eyes but backed off as cold steel returned

her gaze. She repressed s shiver and unconsciously dug her hands

into the blanket.

"Are you feeling better Sylia?"

"I hurt like hell."

"You killed four people in K-15s before they were able to

subdue you. That's very impressive." Quincy stopped looking

directly at her; his gaze wandered down to the end of the bed.

"What do you want of me...Quincy."

He smiled. Few people dared to call him by name anymore.

"The direct approach. That is appropriate. Why do you think I

want something from you?"

"Logic of course. If anything GENOM is consistent. The

mountain doesn't move without purpose. This doesn't look like a

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regular hospital or even a prison hospital, which is where I'd be

if the AD Police had taken charge of this wanted woman. Since

I'm here, thanks to you, and I've been harassed by GENOM, I

should think that GENOM wants something from me."

She grows in perfection each time I observe her, thought

Quincy. "You see through many things Sylia. It's true that

Fazul's treatment of the Knight Sabers was rougher than I

authorized, but you handled it well."

"Bastard," spat Sylia. "How many people died in Fazul's

handling of the situation?"

"That is not important."

"It fuck'en well is."

"Why concern yourself with the mice?"

"Mice? They're human beings. You think of them as nothing,

they're not. They deserve better than to be mowed down in a

crossfire between us. Which one of your pet goons sent the

messages to the council, convicting us of being terrorist? Huh?

You've ruined my life." Sylia started to get shakily to her

feet. She leaned against the bed for support. The Tai-Pan sat

and calmly watched her. "How many people have you had killed?

How many people ruined? All because of your monstrous thirst for

power. How much suffering can be laid at your bloody feet?" She

took a swing at him. He blocked her easily and gave her a push

back upon the bed. She lay there for a moment, panting from the

exertion before glaring at him again.

"You are a prize. But I do hope you will stop deluding

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yourself with thoughts about the ordinary people. Your creation

of the Knight Sabers, your interference in the plans of GENOM,

that makes you extraordinary. I've waited a long time for

someone to impress me."

"Impress you...?"

Quincy smiled. "I've watched you for a long time now dear

Sylia."

Sylia felt a lump of cold burning fear consume her stomach.

She shifted to the other side of the bed and crossed her arms in

front of her chest. "You're not serious."

"I am. I've kept a subtle eye on you since you were born."

Quincy reached into his left breast pocket and took out a laser

printed picture he'd downloaded from the file on Sylia. He

fingered it and gave it to her. Sylia stifled a gasp as she

looked at herself in her mother's arms. "Do you remember the

conversation you had with your father at 1:00 in the morning,

urging him to come home? You were there when the Uizu Lab was

engulfed in flames. You received a CD ROM several days after his

death. Your studies were erratic in the primary and secondary

levels. You excelled in math, science, cybernetics; it seems you

didn't want to concern yourself with anything not related to your

father's world. And then, when most young women are enjoying

life to the fullest, you pulled Priss from the gutters, found

Linna in an aerobics gym of all places, and added a young THP

teck' to your group. You started the Knight Sabers and quickly

became a very helpful annoyance to me."

HOUGH/CRUSADE-444

"How have I ever helped you? I hate what you stand for."

"True, but Sylia, you defeated Mason. You defeated Fazul.

Both of which were being groomed to take over for me some day.

You were a test. To kill you would be to easy. They had to

defeat you with plots and subtlety. They failed and I have you

to thank for showing me how weak they were."

Sylia sat in a stunned silence. All meaning for her work as

a Knight Saber was now cast into doubt. Her whole reason for

being shifted and started to crumbled away. It's all lies, my

purpose is a lie, she thought. I'm a marionette and I've never

noticed the strings before. Sylia wanted to howl but kept stiff

and silent before the Tai-Pan.

"You have not asked me why I kept track of you."

*****, please, stand with me, Sylia thought. She steeled

herself. "Why?"

"I had the picture taken of my granddaughter to start her

file." Sylia's world shattered. "In my youth I fathered several

children. Their responsibility would've been a nuisance, a

distraction from my goals. I was to busy building GENOM into

what it is today. I simply didn't have the time or the desire to

have anything to do with them. I'm far older than most people

realize, and yet, I have no acknowledged heir. After a few years

I ordered that those children would be kept track of, and their

children after them. I really didn't have any hope that one of

them might prove to be useful to me, but I kept the possibility

open. Katsuhito was by far the most brilliant son I had. The

HOUGH/CRUSADE-445

most brilliant man for this century, like Einstein or Hawking was

for the 20th. And then little Sylia began to grow into something

that became extremely useful to me, worthy of something far

greater than she could ever imagine for herself."

"This isn't possible," Sylia muttered as she stared blankly

at the photo. "You tried to kill me; you dishonored the Knight

Sabers; you made my actions look evil to the rest of the world.

How can you now claim to be my grandfather?"

"Fazul over stepped her authority with the issuing of a

death sentence on your group. I told her to verify the true

identities of the Knight Sabers and she went overboard with her

over developed sense of vengeance, due, in part, to Mason's

demise. She failed that test, but you passed."

Fire began to burn again to Sylia's blood. "How many people

died in these tests of yours?" She shouted at him. "How many

died on the confirmation of information you already knew. "I

will never be an asset to you again, never." Sylia locked her

eyes with Quincy and the amusement she saw there only enflamed

her rage.

"Yes, Sylia. Show me your fire. My greatest threat can now

be my greatest asset; you are of my blood. I see the doubt in

your eyes." Quincy reached back into his left breast pocket and

handed her a page of computer paper. She scanned it and scowled

as she crumpled it in her hands. "A simple genetic scan verified

that I am your grandfather. Feel free to have a second one run

by an outside expert or do it yourself, whatever it takes for you

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to believe this truth. Run it a hundred times if you like; it

will come out the same."

The anger drained away from Sylia as they sat in silence.

"I won't be an asset to you."

"No?" The Tai-Pan rose. "If you are not an asset, then

I'll be forced to throw you to the wolves, as all terrorists

should be."

Sylia didn't flinch. "Better to be devoured by wolves that

to serve the like of you." My god, that's what ***** meant when

he spoke to Crystal about me lying with the enemy. Compromise as

half a victory. Sylia shivered in disgust.

"I don't want to destroy you."

"That's comforting to know."

"Only I can shield your group now."

"You're the one that wanted someone to impress you." Shit,

not even Reika could hide us for long if GENOM truly came after

us. He's been gently toying with us all along.

"Sylia Stingray, leader of the Knight Sabers, I have a job

for you."

"A job?" Sylia laughed bitterly. "You've got to be

kidding." Quincy said nothing until Sylia quieted down and was

again glaring coldly at him.

"Largo," said Quincy. He started for the door. "Life,

usefulness, personal power for yourself, research into boomers to

fulfill your father's legacy, safety and comfort for your

friends. Think about it Sylia. If I'm forced to throw you to

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the wolves, the dreams end." The door slammed shut.

"Oh god," whispered Sylia. She sat and stared at the door

as tears welled up in her soft brown eyes. She trembled and held

herself; she made no attempt to wipe the tears away, and

collapsed onto the bed. After a few minutes she rubbed her eyes

and looked at the picture Quincy gave her. You didn't even know,

did you? Sylia thought. Didn't know who grandfather was. Just

some guy grandma was with for a short time. Stop it, stop it.

It's not true, not true....shit. Sylia sniffled out a short

laugh at herself. She knew it was true.

Sylia gingerly shifted her head and stared blankly at a

section of the wet pillow. She closed her eyes and tried to take

a deep breath but it hurt to much so she took short shallow ones.

Slowly her chaotic mind began to focus on the physical pain. It

grounded her, forcing her to think about her body and not the

fractured picture her work and world was now. Why haven't they

given me something, she thought. I guess they want me to suffer

as much as possible. So weak, can barely move. I didn't hurt

this bad when ***** was here. Must of been his influence. So

tired.....

Sylia felt warm and safe as she slowly drifted awake. She

blinked in surprise as she felt the hands massage her back

thought the blanket. She was about to role over, a demand to

know who was doing that almost spoken, when she saw pale

green/black flames dancing along her skin. She relaxed back onto

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the bed and felt the warmth course through her.

"DO YOU SEE?"

Sylia felt refreshed, like she'd slept for a long time. She

realized that her body didn't hurt anywhere. She took a deep

breath and didn't feel a twinge from her ribs. Sylia quickly

skimmed over the meeting with the Tai-Pan. It was a whirlwind of

chaos, anger, and the overpowering feelings of betrayal. Sylia

felt the anger rise in her, but it rose slowly this time. Sylia

could feel her control over it, so she could use it, and not be

destroyed by it.

"How can I?"

"HOW CAN YOU NOT?"

"But to give myself to the Tai-Pan, I couldn't do it.

Besides, that would mean I would've betrayed my friends. They

would never want to see me again. Crystal would be heartbroken.

Priss would probably try to kill me."

The Man chuckled. "I ONCE HAD A FRIEND, LUKE SKYWALKER, WHO

KNELT BEFORE HIS ENEMY. HE BECAME THE RIGHT HAND OF THIS MASTER

OF EVIL, LIKE HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM. LUKE LEARNED MANY THINGS

ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE DARK SIDE FROM HIS NEW MASTER. HE ALMOST

LEARNED TOO WELL AND BECAME THAT WHICH HE DESPISED. BUT IN THE

END, IT WAS HIS SISTER AND HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS THAT REAWAKENED

HIM TO HIS TRUE NATURE. I THINK YOU UNDERESTIMATE YOUR FRIENDS."

Sylia looked puzzled as she tried to remember why this

person sounded familiar. Oh. "You knew Luke Skywalker? How is

that possible? You mean the fictional character don't you?"

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"FICTIONAL HERE, REALITY ON ANOTHER DIMENSIONAL PLANE."

"Oh."

His hands moved up from the small of her back, were they'd

been working for several minutes, to her neck. "IT WOULD BE SO

EASY FOR ME SYLIA, IF MY MIND WAS IN YOUR BODY. I WOULD TAKE THE

TAI-PAN UP ON HIS OFFER AND IN A SHORT TIME TOTAL CONTROL OF

GENOM WOULD BE MINE. DIDN'T YOU SEE THE REGRET, THE TWINGES OF

LONELINESS? HE SAID IT HIMSELF, YOU IMPRESSED HIM AND HE'S

WAITED ALONG TIME FOR SOMEONE TO DO THAT. YOU ARE HIS

GRANDDAUGHTER; YOU BEAT TWO OF THE PEOPLE HE WAS GROOMING TO LEAD

GENOM. WITH EACH PASSING DAY HE GROWS MORE INTERESTED IN HIS ZEN

GARDENS AND CONTEMPLATING THE UNIVERSE THAN THE BUSINESS OF

RUNNING GENOM."

"But the actions of GENOM have been nothing but evil." He

stopped massaging her neck and Sylia saw the green/black fire

fade from her. The warmth was gone.

"DIDN'T YOU TELL LISA THAT FOR EVERYTHING BAD GENOM DOES, IT

ALSO DOES SOMETHING GOOD? BESIDES, YOUR ACTIONS OF LATE HAVEN'T

BEEN THE PUREST. WHEN NENE CRASHED LC #49'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS,

SHE HURT ALOT OF PEOPLE CARRYING OUT YOUR ORDERS. THAT COMPLEX

PROVIDED FOR SECTOR 27. IT PROVIDED JOBS FOR A THOUSAND PLUS

HARDWORKING PEOPLE, WHO ARE NOW LAID OFF UNTIL THE PLANT CAN COME

BACK ON LINE, WHICH WILL BE AWHILE. THAT'S NOT EVEN MENTIONING

THE PLANTS YOU HAD DESTORYED."

"I never...even gave them a thought. Oh shit."

"CONGRATULATIONS, WITH JUST A FEW STROKES, YOU'VE

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DESTABILIZED LARGE SECTIONS OF MEGA-TOKYO. YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE

ECONOMIC SECURITY IS WOVEN INTO THE SOCIAL FABRIC, THAT IT'S A

KEY FACTOR IN BUILDING A STABLE CIVILIZATION. AMERICA IS ONE OF

THE MOST VIOLENT SHIT HOLES IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THERE'S SO

LITTLE ECONOMIC STABILITY AND EVEN LESS HOPE. YOU PULLED PRISS

FROM THE GUTTERS BECAUSE THEIR PATH HAS CORRUPTED THE WHOLE

WORLD. DON'T BITCH TO ME ABOUT THE ACTS OF GENOM BEING EVIL."

"I'm sorry. I'm already becoming what I despise the most.

People laid off, people killed in the crossfire. A difference

but I'm already starting down the same path. I..I don't know

what to do." Sylia turned over and sat up. She stared into his

black eyes, but it was like staring into space, an endless void

that held anything the human mind could conceive and more.

"CAN YOU NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS A CRUX OF HISTORY?"

"A crux of history," Sylia whispered. "If I accepted, then

I could free the sexaroids as part of my price, if he will

negotiate. But why should he negotiate since he has me at his

feet? A puppet for his amusement."

"SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE EVEN A QUEEN TO ACHIEVE

VICTORY. THE KNIGHT SABERS HAVE DONE DIRTY JOBS IN THE PAST, AND

THROUGH IT ALL, THEIR IDEALS HAVE HELD THEM TOGETHER AS A DYNAMIC

TEAM. THAT IS WHAT THE TAI-PAN NEEDS NOW. A TEAM THAT CAN

DEFEAT LARGO."

Sylia shifted closer to him and put her arm across his back,

while leaning in to lay her head against his shoulder. "If we go

up against Largo now, there's probably no way we could defeat him

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by ourselves. We defeated him twice; I would assume he'd gear

his stratagems so an army would be sent against us, just to be

sure he won this time. What ever he does, Largo must be

stopped."

"TRUE."

"The way things have gone, there's no way the others could

save the sexaroids if Quincy decides to kill me."

"TRUE."

"My father's legacy, my dreams for their freedom, I have to

kneel before him to achieve them."

"DEATH IS THE EASY WAY OUT OF THIS FIGHT. IT WOULD

ACCOMPLISH NOTHING."

"*****, I never would have reached this point if you hadn't

interfered by saving their lives. You're right, I would of gone

nuts and tried to storm into Quincy's office to kill him, getting

myself killed in the process."

The Man smiled and held her.

"The decision seems so clear and obvious, like it was made a

long time ago and I just have to do it. It would be

irresponsibility on my part not to. I might be able to help so

many, if I accept this." For a greater good.

He kissed her.

When they broke the embrace a few moments later, Sylia

gasped when she opened her eyes to look at him. He'd assume

human form. Sylia felt his hand traced down her bare side and

across a thigh. The hospital tunic and bandages just disappeared

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as they kissed.

"Is this really you?"

"I DON'T KNOW. IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I WAS HUMAN THAT I

CAN'T REMEMBER MY EXACT FORM. I THINK THIS IS CLOSE TO WHAT IT

WAS."

She traced her fingers over his lean, well muscled chest.

"What am I to you?"

"SOMEONE I WILL REMEMBER FOR COUNTLESS MILLENNIAS TO COME."

He wrapped his arms around her and they stretched out on the bed.

"I feel sorry for you," she said as he kissed her jawline.

"MY FATE, JUST AS YOU HAVE YOURS."

Promptly at 9:00 am, the Doctor, two attendants, one of

which wheeled in a wheelchair, and two boomers entered Sylia's

room. Sylia was sprawled out on her stomach, asleep. As the

Doctor approached, he noticed a musky sent lingering in the air.

The scent was so unexpected that he failed to place it for a

moment. The two female attendants glanced at each other; a small

smile passed between them.

"Sylia." The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder to wake

her. He lifted up the blanket to take a look at her ribs. He

did a double take and looked closely at her right side as she

yawned and sat up. She glanced around. Resolved settled in her

mind when she didn't see him. Sylia grabbed the intruding hand,

bending back his wrist to a painful angle.

"I'm fine. Get me something to wear. Does the Tai-Pan wish

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to see me?" She released him.

"Yes. We're to take you to him."

"Here you go miss," said one of the attendants as she handed

Sylia a light tan robe and panties.

Sylia put them on and was unconcerned as they watched; the

Doctor shook his head in disbelief.

"How...you're completely healed...?"

"Don't try to understand when the gods smile on you, just

graciously accept their gifts. Now, I believe the Tai-Pan is

waiting." Sylia started towards the door.

The Tai-Pan looked at this scene through the eyes of the two

boomers. Her healing ability is puzzling, he thought. He

scanned over the cumulative vid' and audio data from the past

night. It showed Sylia just falling asleep after he left her

side. The Doctor came in. The Tai-Pan noticed that her

clothing, bandages, and visible bruises didn't vanish from the

vid' monitor until the Doctor came in. The Tai-Pan ordered an

immediate investigation into who was on duty at the monitoring

station, the equipment in the room, and the LD. This

discontinuity defied his logic. He puzzled over this for a

moment longer before ordering the boomers that escorted her, to

take her to the other entrance to where he wanted to meet with

her.

Sylia leaned back in the elevator. The two boomers just

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stood there with her. She casually moved her hand to pat her

stomach and smiled, but turned to hide it from their gaze. The

elevator emerged from the lower levels of GENOM Tower and Sylia

gazed out across Mega-Tokyo as she ascended. The night's

rainstorm left the city gleaming in the clear morning sun. No

turning back now, she thought. I don't dare refuse the Tai-Pan

now. I'll be his pawn. It's the only way I can protect my

daughters, all my daughters.

Sylia remembered the feeling of absolute satisfaction as she

started to fall asleep in his arms. He was slowly kissing the

nape of her neck when he told her.

"SYLIA."

"Hmm?"

"YOU MUST PROTECT YOURSELF."

"Uh-huh."

"YOU WILL HAVE TWINS, DAUGHTERS."

Sylia woke up a little. His hand stroked her stomach and

she didn't feel the need to move, to feel upset, or even to be

concerned. "You're serious," she whispered.

"THE TWINS WILL NEED YOUR FIRM HAND TO GUIDE THEIR GENIUS

SYLIA. GUIDE YOUR DAUGHTERS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS SYSTEM.

I'M ALREADY PROUD OF THEM, AND YOU, DEAR SYLIA."

I should be mad, or concerned at least, she told herself as

she laid there with him. But nothing can break this moment of

bliss. It's his doing no doubt, and he'll be gone when I wake.

I'll be left to deal with all of it.

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"I can't do it alone," she murmured.

"I CANNOT STAY. YOUR FRIENDS WILL SUSTAIN YOU. I'M SORRY."

The elevator came to a stop on a level three stories beneath

the Tai-Pan's pinnacle. They started down a corridor and Sylia

remembered the first time Crystal called her mother. It stuck

Sylia like a slap and coursed through her like electricity.

Crystal hugged her and she basked in the feelings that word

produced in her. It felt so good, thought Sylia as the boomers

stopped before a plain metal door. My daughters. She traced her

hand over her stomach again as the door opened on an antechamber.

She entered and left the boomers behind. I can't think about

them now. I must deal...with my grandfather. The second door

slid open.

"Huh?" Sylia stepped down the one third meter to the

sparkling white sand. The door closed and she looked about at

the jungle. Somewhere through the thick foliage she could hear

running water, a water fall. There was the miniscule noises of

insects. Two stories above her, the sun shone through glass,

filtering down through the canopy of leaves to mark the ground

with light. "Wow," she whispered. She caught the barest hint of

movement from behind her and whirled around. Two meters beyond

where the door and wall should be, a tiger crouched down in the

bushes. Sylia froze before realizing she was looking at a vid'

screen. The whole wall is a vid' screen, she thought as she

reached out and touched the wall. It must go up two stories,

until the glass starts, if that's glass up there. Sylia turned

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and took a step forward, curling her toes into the sand. She

couldn't make out anything beyond two meters ahead; it was a

solid jungle wall. One faint path leading in, she thought as she

stepped onto the rich dark earth. Few people take this path.

Sylia started on the path. It twisted and turned through

the jungle. She came upon other fainter branch paths, but

continued on the first one. Sylia really didn't know much about

plant biology, so the wide variety of bushes, flowers, small

trees, and vines didn't impress her nearly as much as the feeling

that she was walking in a section of Asian jungle somewhere. She

stepped over puddles of water and noticed that water clinged here

and there to the plants, like it had rained within the hour.

Sylia got down on her knees to crawl under an over growth on

the path. The bushes on each side came together over the path

about waist high forming a natural tunnel through them. When

Sylia emerged she came upon the brook. It burbled and murmured

over a river bed of water polished and rounded stones. Here was

the first sign of humanity. An elegantly carved wooden bridge

spanned the brook. There were dragons, oxen, dogs, sheep, snakes

and Chinese characters carved on the bridge. She stood, brushed

at her knees, and came closer. There were more animals carved on

the bridge and she realized it depicted the Chinese astrology.

She crouched by the bridge and picked up one of the stones. She

dug into the dirt for several cms. before she hit the cement.

Sylia smiled. She quickly repaired the damage, replaced the

stone, and rinsed her hand in the water. Upstream was shrouded

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in a mist that was awashed in streams of sunlight. The waterfall

was in that direction, hid by the intervening jungle.

Sylia crossed the bridge, turned a corner, and was startled

by the statue. It was recessed back off the faint path. It was

to a Shinto god/goddess/spirt, which one she couldn't remember.

The jungle was quickly consuming it. There was moss all over it

and the surrounding bushes were encroaching. A dozen yellow,

white, and tan butterflies danced in the sunlight over its head.

The Tai-Pan watched her approach through the carefully

hidden vid' cames'. Who did you have sex with? He wondered.

The investigation into this matter wasn't going to his liking.

The first reports indicated that there was nothing wrong in any

of the equipment or with the LD, no evidence of tampering. He

quietly said, "Don't make me repeat myself." and the Teck' crews

redoubled their efforts.

A tea house, Sylia thought when she came upon another little

path that lead to a small structure nestled back into the jungle.

Sylia continued on and saw the glimmer of open space ahead. She

quickened her stride and came out of the jungle. Here in the

middle, she judged this to be the middle, with jungle surrounding

it, was a ZEN garden of carefully raked gravels, sands, and

earths. To one side was a pond with a number of the large

goldfish, lily pads and frogs. The rest of the clearing was the

Zen masterpiece that swirled and danced before her. A tiny

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stream flowed through it to empty into the pond. Feelings of

excitement, calmness, and a strange neutrality surged through her

as she tried to take in the Zen masterpiece. The Tai-Pan was

sitting on the opposite side, on a rock pinnacle a story above

the Zen garden. A vantage point from were he looked down upon

its magnificence; the ideal contemplation point.

Before the Tai-Pan, not in the center but over on that side

was a round, flat, and shiny black stone. It was just one of the

dozens that were scattered through out the Zen garden, but it was

the only one that was visibly altered by humanity.

Sylia looked around to see how to get to the polished stone.

There was no other way but to use the other stones as a walkway

across the meticulously arranged masterpiece. She glanced over

the stones again to find the easiest route using the flattest

stones. One misstep would shatter the whole effect the Zen

garden made and it would have to be carefully redone.

Quincy watched Sylia carefully approach him over the stones.

She reached the centerpiece of flat polished obsidian and knelt.

"Tai-Pan," said Sylia. She rocked back and sat down.

The Tai-Pan of GENOM smiled as she addressed him by his name

of authority and power. He looked to Sylia's left where a small

holo' of Madigan appeared over a rock and then to her right where

Bouwer's holo appeared over a rock.

Sylia glanced at them and back to the Tai-Pan. "Tai-Pan."

"Yes Sylia?"

"You said you wanted to hire me."

HOUGH/CRUSADE-459

"Yes. Do you accept?"

"That depends on whether or not you will pay my price."

"We won't bargain with the likes of you," spat Madigan. The

holo' showed that the bruises on her face, from the concussion

and where Sylia hit her, were still there.

"Hold it," said the Tai-Pan softly. The command thundered

down on them. "This situation with Largo demands that old

conflicts be set aside so we can deal with his threat. What do

you want Sylia?"

"Then Largo's made another move?"

"Yes," said Bouwer as he intently measured up Sylia. "I'll

brief you later."

"One: I will have total control over the forces sent against

Largo. I will not report or be under the authority of any GENOM

underlings." Sylia noticed the sharp look Madigan shot at her.

Bouwer just looked on, watching.

"Control of the project against that cyberdroid will be

your's," said the Tai-Pan. "But you will answer to me and me

alone."

"That is acceptable," responded Sylia.

"Sir," interjected Bouwer. "Did you have Fazul killed for

failing you, disobeying you?"

A small smile appeared before the Tai-Pan said: "No, but she

now wishes that I had killed her. I hit her at her weakest spot,

her addiction to Instant Zen. When she was deprived of the drug

over a certain time, her mind, her thinking ability

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disintegrated. It's less than half of what it was. She's

retired to the suburbs now. Complex things like cooking a meal

are beyond her, so she's being taken care of."

Sylia clenched her muscles so she only shuddered on the

inside. She steeled herself with a thought about the twins. "I

understand."

"Good."

"There are other things I will require."

"Name them," said Quincy.

"Since you've destroyed all of my equipment, computers, and

are undoubtedly studying what's left of my hardsuit, I'll need

all of that. Especially the materials and teams to quickly make

more hardsuits."

"Bouwer, arrange for GENOM research plant #28 to be put

entirely at Dr. Stingray's disposal. Anything that they don't

have is to be immediately brought to her."

"Yes Tai-Pan."

"Anything else Sylia?"

"Just two more things," started Sylia. "The Knight Sabers

are an honorable group, unlike some I know." Sylia paused to

glance at Madigan who was about to say something, but changed her

mind with a glance at the Tai-Pan. "I assume that you declared

me dead after you captured me."

"We declared a male leader of the Knight Sabers dead," said

Quincy. "You will find that your governmental files, bank

accounts, and all records for your whole group are sealed."

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"I see. I will need the Knight Sabers. They will join me

in...in GENOM's sheltering embrace."

Bouwer smiled in amusement; Madigan scowled at her gall;

Quincy looked on mildly. They waited quitely with the soft

murmur of the brook in the background.

"Done," said the Tai-Pan after a minute of thought.

"My last request is one that will cement our alliance or

destroy it, Grandfather. You will hand over to me the lives of

the remaining 140 33-S and 35-S sexaroids that you hold in

slavery and then stop production on them forever."

"Grandfather," whispered a stunned Bouwer. Madigan just

slowly shook her head.

"Impossible," roared Quincy. He glared down at her and she

didn't flinch. Sylia glared back up at him.

"I will not work for anyone who keeps slaves."

"They are not slaves."

"Yes they are," shot back Sylia. "They are sentient beings

that you hold as prostitutes and slave labor for your factories."

"I won't release them. Don't you understand that they would

become a powerful enemy of mankind? They would join Largo to

crush us, just as surely as Anri did."

"No they wouldn't," Sylia yelled upwards into Quincy's face

as she got to her feet. "She was manipulated into helping Largo

because she wanted freedom. The reason you've had so much

trouble with the boomers is that my father was a genius and he

did what no one could, make them sentient. The reason why AD

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Police was formed was to combat all those violent `renegade'

boomers. It's no wonder they became violent as they grew in

awareness. The fundamental programming of the C. and D-series is

combat, anger, aggression, destruction. If you put a child in a

violent, no hope situation, the majority of the time, that child

will come out nothing but evil. Same thing went on for the

boomers. But the most basic programming of the sexaroid is sex.

And with that they have a desire and a willingness to please.

This include tenderness, affection, companionship. Their

orientational programming makes them violent only when pushed

into it, just like the majority of humans."

"We don't have to listen to any more of this insanity about

releasing the sexaroids," exploded Madigan. "They're our product

and we'll do what ever we want with them. We built them, we

programmed them, we own them. If you can't see that, your crazy.

I don't even think you're qualified to go after Largo, since you

failed twice. The Tai-Pan's treatment of your group now makes

sense. Anyone else and we wouldn't have tolerated your childish

attacks and the pitiful attempts of interference against us. You

should be dead. You should be on your knees pleading and being

grateful that he's allowed you to live at all. You'd probably

botch the job again and fuck Largo himself to save your own

skin."

Sylia shook with control. "The Knight Sabers fight for

justice in a world of greedy imbecilic people like you, who can't

even comprehend the concept. You squabble over power your whole

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lives before you get cut short by others who covet that power.

You're a waste." Sylia spoke in a whispered hiss. "You achieve

nothing but evil in a world overrun with evil. To the evil of

GENOM, through people like Mason, Fazul and you, we are the force

of good. And that drives you into such a beastly rage, that

you're not even human any longer. There has always been your

kind of trash clinging to the heels of humanity."

"Why you..." started Madigan.

"Madigan," commanded the Tai-Pan. "Out." She glared at

them and her holo' vanished. "Sylia, you are a romantic. The

sexaroids would be a threat to GENOM if they were released."

Sylia slowly sat back down on the polished obsidian. "No,

no they wouldn't be. They are like my relationship to you. Your

greatest threat turned into an equally great asset. To do what

you've done, concerning me, you must feel something for me just

as I feel for them. I'll never forget the day Crystal first

called me Mother. I was shocked that she would use that term for

me. It was almost overwhelming, fully realizing how deeply I

loved and cared for her, how much pride I took in her

accomplishments, her growth as a person. We talk, we laugh, we

cry, we support one another. You don't want to admit that my

father created something that even you really can't control

beyond economically like the rest of the world. He made it

possible for them to find their souls. I saw a sexaroid give her

life so Mega-Tokyo, a city full of strangers, enemies, a few

friends, and lovers, could live. The sexaroids are my mirror

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image. Machine inside, flesh outside. When I am a Knight Saber,

I'm flesh inside and metal, machine outside. If you want me to

be your right hand, I can be one, the likes of which you've never

seen, but my daughters, all my daughters must be free to choose

their own path. My father's memory must be cleansed of the

ugliness of slavery. It is an obscenity and I won't stand for

it."

Long minutes passed as the Tai-Pan sat looking at her. She

held his gaze for every second. Bouwer started to look at the

intricacies of the garden he could make out from his vantage

point.

"I will agree to your terms with two conditions of my own.

You can have those 140 sexaroids, but I make no promises about

not making any more. Two: That the sexaroids and GENOM will have

no history between us when you take control of them. It will be

a blank slate and the past will be buried forever behind sealed

lips. If just one sexaroid seeks retribution on GENOM for her

`growth period,' it will be on your head."

"Mighty Tai-Pan," Sylia prostrated herself, her cheek

brushing the raked gravel. "Would it not be wise for GENOM to

provide bank accounts, small bank accounts and passports for

them. It would ease their transition into the world and foster

feelings of gratitude towards GENOM. It's my belief that they

will forgo retribution for their freedom and the opportunity to

live. Besides, they might prove to be useful in our struggle

against Largo."

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"That is not my concern. Once you have taken control of

them, you can do what ever you wish with them, or for them. The

power of GENOM is yours to command until Largo is destroyed."

"Thank you Tai-Pan. Thank you Grandfather."

"Bouwer."

"Yes Tai-Pan?"

"I'm assigning you to Sylia to be her liaison to the rest of

GENOM. You're to show her how to use what she's earned. During

this effort against Largo, you are to follow her orders until

this threat is defeated."

"As you command Tai-Pan."

"Sylia."

"Yes Tai-Pan."

"Destroy Largo."

"I have already tried twice Tai-Pan. I won't fail a third

time."

The Tai-Pan nodded and Bouwer's holo' vanished. The stone

Sylia sat on started to soundlessly sink into the Zen garden.

Sylia's gaze never left him as she descended. He sat still and

motionless, his eyes closed. Sylia couldn't remember him moving

once during the meeting.

The obsidian circle came to a stop and Sylia started down a

connecting walkway. An R-class boomer was waiting at the first

junction.

"Follow me," it said.

I did it, thought Sylia a moment later when she collapsed

HOUGH/CRUSADE-466

heavily against the back wall of an elevator as they descended

into the heart of GENOM. Father, today I took a giant step

towards bringing you peace. I had to do it this way Papa, there

was no other choice. My dreams in exchange for my freedom. I

hope you understand.

The elevator stopped and Bouwer walked in. They stared at

each other.

"I should be furious at you for coming in here and being put

in charge, answerable only to him. But Largo's menace far

outweighs my petty concerns when the human race is at stake.

I've thought about this dispassionately. The chances of you

personally leading the assault and coming back alive are

not...the best. Your position is one I don't relish."

"Rest in peace Sylvie," whispered Sylia.

"What?"

"Nothing. We have alot to do Bouwer. I will want every

scrap of information you have on Largo and his movements. We'll

need to bring in the Knight Sabers. I think they have to die for

their sins."

"Die? You would..."

"Of course not. Arrange for some C-class boomers to be put

in hardsuits that look like ours, program them to hit GENOM plant

#12. Have them battle the army and be destroyed. Your puppet

General Brown should be able to handle that. No more Knight

Sabers."

"Plant #12 produces the synthetic fibers used in boomer

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muscles. Non-vital to GENOM operations because there are several

plants that do that and yet it fits the pattern of attacks on

GENOM by the Knight Sabers." Impressive.

"Precisely." The elevator stopped on sub-floor 18 and they

started into a central command room. This was the center of

Bouwer's control over the security of GENOM. "I'll need a change

of cloths and a car standing by."

"I'll assign you a helicopter for where ever you're going."

"That won't do, Bouwer. Where I'm going, a GENOM chopper

would be blown out of the sky on sight. I'll be gone for most of

the afternoon because I'll have to do alot of explaining. When I

return my authorization and clearance credentials must be ready.

You can deliver a full briefing about Largo then." Damn, I'll

have to stop and eat. I'm starving.

"I'll see that everything's done. Any orders for those

sexaroids?"

"They're just locked up in a room?"

"Yes."

"Start preparing passports and bank accounts for each one.

Other than that, they can wait for a few more hours until I can

talk with Crystal and bring her back here." If she can interface

with all of them at once...that'll be something. Sylia ignored

the stares the GENOM Tecks gave her as she stood there in a robe.

Bouwer started to issue her commands.

Maybe it was a grand delusion for me not to want control,

mussed Sylia. I'm the leader of the Knight Sabers, and now GENOM

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is mine to use. I kneel before the Tai-Pan, and once word gets

around about me, these GENOM Tecks will instantly obey me.

Control all around with no escape. I told Largo I didn't want

control, so he asked me to join him. Both sides of this fight

want me and I was naive enough to believe that I wouldn't get

involved. What a little fool I've been. I'm at the heart of

this. I'm the mother of a new race. Sylia traced her fingers

over her stomach. He was right. This is a crux of history and

I'm responsible for seeing that human history doesn't end.

*****, you said you were already proud of me and my unborn

daughters. With that thought lies my faith in the future.