Bubblegum Crusade (Ch. 17 of 24)

[fanfic_mausoleum_n_grill]

WELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!

Standard disclaimer.  If you are scoring along at home on your plot
line curve, we have now passed the second peak and are in the short flat
leading to the build-up to the final climatic scenes; which, of course,  
will be followed by the short drop that finishes everything up.
Here we go.

Chapter Seventeen

               OMOIDE NI DAKARETE  (HELD IN MY HEART)

          If you could look into someone's heart,
          Whose heart would you choose to look into?
          If I could have seen your feelings back then,
          Where might the two of us be now?

          I hate the setting sun,
          Because it makes me feel lonely, somehow.

          I won't forget that look in your eyes,
          Which you only let me see.
          I won't forget your words:
          No one can live alone.

          When summer fades,
          I remember you.
          I can never again be that ecstatic.

          I hate tears,
          Because they wash everything away.

          I won't forget your gentleness,
          Which only I know.
          I won't forget your warmth.
          No one can live alone.

               Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.

          Mega-Tokyo, 18, October, 2034

               "Stop here," Sylia commanded the boomer driver.

               "Yes, Ma'am," it said as it slowed to a stop in mid-block.

          The car behind them started to honk as Sylia got out.

               "Back to the Tower.  You're job is done."  Sylia slammed the

          door closed and hurried to the sidewalk as traffic resumed.  Five

          minutes of steady walking through the noon tides of humanity

          brought her to a ramen restaurant.  She stood in line for several

          minutes before a spot opened up at the counter.  "Number three,"

          she told the cook.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-470

               "Right away, Ma'am," responded the cook as he put more ramen

          in the boiling water.

               Sylia set her new handbag on the counter and took off her

          new black Paris leather jacket, which she set on her lap when she

          sat down on the stool.  The rest of her clothing was brand new,

          just off the rack from an exclusive boutique the boomer driver

          took her to.  The subdued dark business suit and skirt had a

          touch of gold to its design.  She paid for the new clothing from

          a stack of SEC Bouwer gave her to cover any expenses she occured

          until her GENOM SIN/account card arrived.  Sylia felt the people

          around her stare her way as she sat down.  This was a place for

          workers and students not upper business management.

               Sylia took off her shades and put them in the handbag.  The

          guy sitting right next to her noticed the stack of SEC, the

          cellular phone, and the FN Mark two in her handbag.  He was so

          startled, he started to choke on a piece of pork.  Sylia

          immediately pounded him twice on the back and he was ok.

               "You alright?"

               "You ok, Jeff?"  Echoed the Cook.

               "Ya, ya, thank you.  I'm fine now."

               Sylia nodded and reached for a pair of chopsticks.  She

          broke them apart and started to slide/rub them together as she

          waited.

               "I..I really want to thank you," started the guy.  "My

          name's Jeff."

               "What?  Oh," responded Sylia.  "It was nothing, really.  I'm

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-471

          sorry about just now, I'm a bit preoccupied."

               "That's ok."

               There was a lapse and the cook turned to her.  "Number

          three."

               "Looks excellent."

               "Thank you."  He turned back to the other waiting customers.

               "Um, well, at least let me buy you your lunch, for helping

          me."

               Sylia took her first good look at the man.  Tall, Caucasian,

          dark hair, hazel eyes, and well muscled with out being bulked up.

          Sylia sighed inwardly.  Five years ago, she thought, and I'd fuck

          you in a second.  But not today.  Not now.  "I'm sorry...Jeff,

          but that isn't possible."

               "I see."  Jeff got up, leaving the remainder of his ramen,

          passed his account card through the register's scanner, and left.

          Sylia shrugged and turned to her ramen.

               The smell of pork mixed with the sesame seed oil, seeds, and

          fresh garlic wafted up from her bowl.  A woman sat down as Sylia

          dug in.

               "Number two," she told the cook.

               "Right away, Jen," responded the cook.

               "That was pretty cold, what you said to Jeff."

               Sylia stopped eating long enough to glance at her.

               "Jeff's a nice guy.  It's a rare thing when he shows some

          interest in a woman."

               Sylia finished her mouthful and began to twirl her

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-472

          chopsticks in the remainder of her ramen.  She picked up her last

          piece of pork.  "If you like him that much, you should pursue

          him."

               "I have," Jen said softly as Sylia started to finish her

          meal.  The cook brought her number two.  She just stared at it

          for a minute.

               Sylia finished, got up, and started to put on her jacket.

          "Sometimes men are so blind that they don't see what they really

          want, which is usually sitting right before them.  Have faith.

          It'll work out or you'll find someone else."  She took a bill out

          of her handbag and handed it to the cook.  "Excellent ramen.  I'm

          sorry, but I don't have anything smaller.  It's ok.  You can keep

          it."

               The cook dropped the bowl of ramen he'd just prepared.  "A

          thousand...thank you.  Thank you.  A thousand blessings upon you,

          Ma'am.  Have an excellent day, Ma'am."

               Yea, thought Sylia as she gently pushed her way through the

          crowd.  If they don't kill me for being a traitor, this'll be one

          of the best days of my life.  She put her shades back on.

               When she emerged from the crowd at the restaurant, who were

          now starting to talk about what just happened, the boomer emerged

          from a side street and stood before her.  Unlike the majority of

          C-class boomers, this one didn't have a veneer of human skin.

               "Mistress Stingray," it said.

               "What?"

               The crowd at the ramen restaurant turned their attention to

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-473

          this.  They started to whisper and the cook stopped his cooking

          for a moment to peer out his windows at Sylia.

               The boomer held out a card.

               Sylia took the card and glanced at it before she put it in

          her handbag.  It was a nonstandard GENOM SIN/account card.  It

          was green, embossed with gold.  The green was criss-crossed with

          a pattern that made Sylia think of microcircuitry.  It had her

          name and a single digit SIN number, 1.  "Thank you.  You may go."

          Sylia turned and headed down the street, merging into the flow of

          passers by.  She went five meters before whirling around to face

          the following boomer.  "I told you to go."

               "Mistress, Bouwer has ordered me to protect you."

               Sylia smiled as she looked into the boomer's eyes.  "Bouwer,

          since you're watching through the OMS and have been ordered to

          assist me, change this boomers programming.  I'll be fine, if my

          comrades don't decide to kill me."

               This comment brought stares from the passing people.

               "Then I should accompany you," responded the boomer.

               "And put me in even more jeopardy?  Fool.  No you won't."

               "Yes, Mistress."  It backed off and was lost in the waves of

          humanity.

               Sylia sighed and turned to walk down the street to the

          Hilton.  The door boomer greeted her as it opened the glass

          doors.  She strode across the lobby and headed for the elevators.

          Sylia loitered by the elevators, pretending to be interested in a

          world series update on a near-by vid' screen before she moved to

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-474

          an elevator when nobody else was waiting to get on one.

               "Level?"  Asked the attendant.

               "The Loop."  Sylia handed her the card.  The attendant slid

          it through a scanner that was concealed on the side of the

          operation panel.  They started down and the woman handed her card

          back.

               "I've never seen a GENOM card like that before."

               "I just got it myself."  Something for the privileged few,

          thought Sylia.  Who would of thought that I'd of earned it by

          fight'en GENOM?  Not me.

               "Enjoy your stay Ma'am," said the attendant as the doors

          slid open.

               Sylia smiled.  "I'll try."  She walked down a brightly lit

          corridor, opened a door, and looked across the dimly lit section

          of abandoned subway at the entrance to the Rock Pile.

               Nene came out of the bathroom and started to stretched her

          nude frame before Taki pulled her back down onto the bed.  Nene

          giggled softly as she straddled him as he began to kiss the base

          of her throat, his hands running up and down her back.  "Again?"

          At least I'm not sore anymore, yet.  "I don't know.  Maybe I

          should save a little energy for fighting."  Taki stopped and

          looked up at her.  Nene smiled.  "Naaa."

               A while later Taki rolled over onto his side and pressed

          himself against Nene's back.  His hand caressed over her stomach

          as he kissed her earlobe before settling against her.  Taki felt

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-475

          sleep start to cloud his mind.  She shivered.

               "Cold?"

               "No.  I was just thinking about what they're doing to

          Sylia."

               "We don't know...Nene, please, don't cry."

               "I can't help it.  We should be doing something.  I feel so

          guilty being here with you, making love while they're..."  Nene

          sat up.  "We can't abandon her."

               "Who says we have?"

               Nene waved her hands about to indicate the room.  "Here we

          sit, doing nothing."

               "Ya," agreed Taki.  "Here we sit and gain strength.  We were

          close to physical and mental exhaustion when Crystal came to get

          us.  Little sleep, constant worry, too much happening in too

          short of a time.  Green eyes, you lost that sparkle in your eyes

          during the last fight.  It's finally come back."

               Nene got off of the bed and started to dress.  "I don't even

          feel safe here.  If they pumped, shit, when they pumped Sylia for

          all the data about us, they probably got this location too.  I

          don't know why Priss brought us here if it wasn't safe.  Sylia

          must of known or suspected Silver was 33-S when she told Priss to

          bring us here if Aqua-city became unsafe."

               Taki started to dress.  "But Crystal didn't say anything

          about Sylia telling Priss to come here.  I thought it was Priss

          who scored the gig for herself and the jobs for Ming Le and Peg."

               "Well, I don't know.  I thought it was Sylia.  What ever.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-476

          Let's go see what's been decided, if anything.  We have to start

          some sort of revenge against GENOM."

               Priss picked up the bottle of scotch and her chicken

          sandwich at the bar.  She maneuvered through the packed Rock Pile

          and up the stairwell to the second floor.  She stopped and leaned

          against the railing, took a bite from her sandwich and glanced

          over the crowd.  Ming Le started up the stairs with another

          customer.  "Can I have a word with you," said Priss as Ming Le

          came up to her level.

               "Just a minute," she told the guy.  "Ya, what's up?"

               Priss leaned in closer and spoke in a whisper.  "You realize

          that you needn't do this."

               Ming Le smiled and gave Priss a peck on the cheek.  "I'm

          hungry too."  She turned, wrapped an arm around the guy, and

          escorted him down the hall to one of the rooms.  Priss opened the

          bottle of scotch and took a swig before heading down the hallway

          to the room where they put Jeena.

               Jeena was spreadeagled on the bed when Priss flipped the

          lights on and took another bite of her sandwich.  They'd

          handcuffed her to the bed with velvet lines handcuffs.  The

          whores working in the Rock Pile didn't go in for the rougher S&M

          games like the Inferno, which was notorious for indulging almost

          every sadistic desire anyone could think of, as long as they had

          the credit to pay for it.  A handcuff or two was as far as they'd

          go here and it would cost the customer extra.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-477

               Ming Le and Peg had tied her body down with fiber optic

          cable before wrapping her cybernetic limbs up with layer upon

          layer of common copper electrical wiring.  Jeena was cocooned and

          couldn't move anything but her head.  Jeena turned to look at

          Priss through her shades as Priss took another swig of scotch.

               "Your hour to think about it is up."

               "So this Stingray gifted them with sentience, turning most

          into violent beings because of the nature of their original

          programming.  Your leader is now held by GENOM.  And you wish to

          help these 33-S boomers achieve freedom."

               "All true."

               "I hate boomers."

               "Fine," spat Priss.  "Be a close minded little bitch.  You

          know just as well as I, that you don't classify all people in one

          category.  All boomers aren't like the one that tore you apart."

          Priss stopped to calm down a bit before she spoke softly.  "You

          know what kind of women Silver is.  She's business minded, tough,

          and aggressive about running her place.  Did you know she's also

          got a kind heart, a soft and gentle nature she only shows a few?"

               "I don't believe you.  She's not a boomer.  She's not a

          boomer.  She's not," wailed Jeena.

               The door opened and Silver came in.  She nodded to Priss,

          crossed to the bed, and sat down.  "Hello Jeena," said Silver

          softly.  She teased her fingers through Jeena's dark hair.

               "Silver, please," cried Jeena.  "These bitches are crazy.

          Help me, please.  You can't be one of them."

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-478

               "I'm sorry Jeena.  Knife."  Jeena's eyes got wider as Priss

          slapped a knife in Silver's outstretched hand.

               "What...what are you go'en to do?"

               "Prove to you that Priss has been tell'en you the truth."

          Silver rubbed the top of her left wrist and made a 7 cm. incision

          starting at her wrist and going up her arm.  She put the knife

          aside and pulled back the skin around the wound.  Silver grimaced

          as Jeena saw the steel frame work of her skeleton and the bluish

          boomer muscle.  Jeena looked, laid her head back, and stared at

          the ceiling.  Silver moved off the bed and Priss quickly put in a

          few dissolving stitches to close up her wound.  She bandaged it

          and cleaned the knife of human blood before putting it away.  "I

          didn't want to show you that, but your obstinacy made it the only

          way to convince you."  Silver wiped the tear running out from

          underneath Jeena's shades.  "It must of been horrible."  Silver

          reached for a pair of wire cutters and started to cut the copper

          and fiber optics holding her down.  "You lost your job over it

          and then no men taking any interest in you.  That's what I'd call

          hell.  And yet, here you are, alive, healthy, a survivor, a full

          woman that can love, can live, if she would only let go of her

          hatred.  I'd hate to know that it's to late for you.  To know

          that all she is now is anger, pain, and suffering."  Silver cut

          the last bonds and undid the handcuffs.  She drew Jeena into a

          hug.  "You have life, please, find your hope.  We need you Jeena.

          We need your strength desperately.  No one can live alone."

               The terror Jeena first felt when the boomer had slowly

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-479

          ripped her apart fully reawakened when she regained consciousness

          and was unable to move.  Her helplessness tormented her as she

          tried to escape, her cybernetic limbs straining against the

          cocoon, but to no avail.  The things Priss told her made perfect

          sense to Jeena, as she pondered them in the dark.  They fit with

          how she looked at the world.  The sight of Silver hurting herself

          to prove a point was the only thing Jeena could see or remember

          as she was freed and drawn into a hug.  The physical contact

          poured into an emotional wasteland that hadn't experienced this

          in years.  It also brought the fear, the blind panic of being

          this close to a boomer.  Jeena shuddered in Silver's arms as this

          conflict raged in her.

               Somewhere in Jeena's mind, barely remembered AD Police

          lessons on how to combat the fear so one could think and stay

          alive began to influence her chaotic mind.  The tension peaked

          and drained from her as Silver rocked softly with Jeena in her

          arms.  The tears started to flow from under her shades as she

          began to hope.

               Crystal held Mackie in her arms as they danced slowly in the

          packed Rock Pile, listening to a cover of the rock classic Aja by

          Steely Dan.  They had made love over 90 minutes ago and Crystal

          could feel him harden up as they danced slowly together.  They

          made their way to the center of the dance floor and were just

          turning around so Crystal was facing the main entrance, when the

          song ended and she opened her eyes.  She stared at Sylia, who

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-480

          stood there surveying the crowd.

               Crystal gasped and her grip tighten on Mackie.  Mackie cried

          out in pain.  Crystal pushed him aside and began to push her way

          through the intervening people.  "Mother," she screamed.

               Sylia's gaze snapped back to Crystal.  Crystal almost

          slammed into her, but checked herself at the last moment.  She

          easily picked Sylia up, swung her around, bursting into tears.

          "I thought you were dead," Crystal softly cried.

               "Shush, shush, it's all right.  I'm fine.  I'm right here.

          Shush, shush."  Sylia held her close, stroking her hair.  She

          glanced at all the people staring at them as Mackie slammed into

          them.

               "Sis," he cried.

               "Well, well, well," said the leader of the band on stage.

          "It looks like we have a family reunion go'en on and a joyous one

          too.  That's really great.  I think it deserves a very special

          song by the great Donald Fagen."  He struck up his band and

          played True Companion.

               "Mother, oh mother, I'm so glad you're here.  But how did

          you escape?  I thought....GENOM would've put you somewhere escape

          proof."

               "Where are the others?  I only want to explain this once."

               "They're upstairs," said Mackie.

               Crystal took them both by the hand and pulled them upstairs.

          They met Nene and Taki in the hallway, who ushered Sylia into

          Silver's office after a round of hugs.  Crystal disentangled

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-481

          herself from the crowd and went to get Priss.

               Linna sat in one of the chairs in Silver's office and

          scowled at the data she was receiving over an interactive data

          pad.  Her first gentle inquiries into the status of their

          finances changed into trying to access any data about themselves.

          There was nothing in the net; everything was deleted out.  She

          closed down the pad and wanted to throw it across the room.  I

          better not, she thought, since it's Silver's.  Holy fuck'en shit.

          We're nonentities now; we don't even exist in the eyes of the

          Government.  We've been erased, deleted.

               Linna started to stare glumly out the windows at the crowd

          enjoying themselves as all the implications of being deleted

          swirled in her mind.  "We didn't submit; we didn't obey like

          them; we didn't just mindlessly consume.  We care about what

          happens in this town.  Yet, we're the ones that will pay."  Shit,

          shit, shit, I can't even talk about this unless I use economic

          terms.  But where did we go so wrong?  We started to fight

          boomers so innocents wouldn't get caught in their rampages and

          we're now unpardonable outlaws.  How did we get to this point?

          Oh, Sylia.  When GENOM took you, they also took my purpose.  It's

          all so meaningless now.

               Linna turned as the door opened; shock spread over her face

          as Sylia entered.  She got up and threw herself at Sylia's feet;

          she wrapped her arms around her knees.  "Sylia, Sylia, oh my

          god...."

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-482

               "Linna, Linna, get up, get up.  Please, don't do that."

          They hugged.  "You're looking well."

               "And so are you."

               "To well," said Priss from behind them.  She pushed Crystal

          into the office and slammed the door.  She drew her berette.  Her

          eyes blazed with anger.

               "Priss," said Crystal.  "What're you doing?"

               "This isn't Sylia.  It's a fuck'en boomer."

               "Priss," started Sylia.  She took a step towards her.

               "Back boomer," ordered Priss.

               "Priss, what, are you nuts?"

               "Crystal, didn't you say that she was getting pounded as you

          escaped.  She looks to good to have gotten pounded."

               "It was the Man, Priss," said Sylia.  "He accelerated my

          healing process."

               "Then prove to me that you're human.  Or we're out of here

          no matter how many GENOM flunkies we have to kill.  GENOM, you

          listening to me?  You'll never fuck'en take us."

               "I see," said Sylia.

               "Priss," said Crystal softly as she drew Sylia into a hug.

          She positioned herself between Sylia and Priss's beretta.

          "There's no AI here for me to interface with.  She's human."

               Priss dropped the beretta and sunk to her knees in front of

          Sylia.  "I thought we were all dead," she whispered.  "I thought

          I'd led us all right into oblivion."  Sylia dropped down to her

          knees and hugged Priss.  "I never even thought you could get away

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-483

          from GENOM.  This is miraculous.  I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry."

               "Oh Priss," said Sylia softly.  "I understand.  Priss, do

          you have faith in me?  Do all of you have faith in me?"

               "Of course Mother."

               "Ya, sis."

               Taki, Nene, and Linna all said yes.

               "Priss?"  Asked Sylia.

               "Where you lead, I'll follow."

               Sylia got up and sat down in one of the chairs.  "Where are

          Peg and Ming Le?"

               "They hunger," said Crystal.

               "I see.  Are we secure here?"

               "Ya," said Priss.  "So, what's the story?  How did you

          escape?"

               Sylia sighed.  Here goes.  "What I'm about to tell you will

          shatter all that we've done, all that we are as Knight Sabers,

          and change our whole future.  But from the wreckage our past has

          become and the fight against Largo we have in the near future, we

          can build something the whole world will remember.  Please have

          faith in me.  I'm not a betrayer.  You are my family and I'd

          rather die than betray you."  Sylia reached into her handbag, got

          out a laser printed photo and a single sheet of computer paper,

          and handed them to Mackie.  "What do you think?"

               Crystal looked over Mackie's shoulder as he looked at the

          picture.  "Is this you?"

               Sylia nodded.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-484

               "You were a darling baby."

               "Let me see," cried Nene.  Mackie handed her the photo and

          he started to look at the piece of paper.  "Oh how cute."

               "This is a genetic comparison between you and someone.

          You've found our paternal grandfather?"

               "Yes," said Sylia.  "Well, he's been keeping track of me

          since my birth.  When I spoke with him, he told me that he

          fathered several children, but took responsibility for none of

          them.  He decided to keep track of them and their children as the

          years passed.  He's known every move I've made in my life.  The

          Knight Sabers...intrigued him."

               "And you talked with him when you were swallowed by GENOM?"

          Asked Linna.

               Sylia nodded.  "Mackie, our grandfather is Quincy, the Tai-

          Pan of GENOM."

               "Oh shit," whispered Priss.  Silence fell.  They stared at

          her, each thinking about the implications, until Priss moved to

          the rosewood table and pulled out an opened bottle of Jack

          Daniel's.  She took a swig, passed it to Linna who drank some,

          and passed it on.  "No joke?"

               Sylia shook her head.  Priss got the bottle back, took a

          drink, and sat down.

               "You slept with the enemy.  You slept with the enemy, didn't

          you Mother?"  Cried Crystal.

               "Remember what ***** said, "compromise as half a victory.""

               "That man's name is *****?"  Asked Linna.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-485

               "Yes," said Sylia.  "His presence confirms everything Quincy

          told me.  He told me his name, told me that he was the God of the

          Jihad 2000 years ago.  He confirmed to me that we are in the

          middle of a gigantic struggle with Largo, one that will shake

          this world.  By ourselves, we're no match for Largo this time,

          but with the backing of GENOM, we can win; we can defeat him."

          She reached out for the bottle, hesitated for a second as she

          started to raise it to her lips, and took a small sip.  "I've

          knelt before the Tai-Pan and gave him my obedience, under...heavy

          penalty for disobedience.  He, in turn, has made his most

          impressive relative his right hand.  I've been given the

          resources of GENOM to fight Largo.  The sexaroids will be freed

          later today.  GENOM is arranging for passports and bank accounts

          for them on my orders.  Crystal, when you interface with them, I

          need you to make it...crystal clear to them all, that for their

          freedom, they must not seek revenge or any sort of retaliation

          against GENOM."

               "And what if they do strike?"

               "Then your mother, who is now at the top, who can now do

          anything I want to millions of people, will have her marionette

          strings cut.  I'm just a puppet in this mad man's play called

          life.  Life has dictated that I kneel before the Tai-Pan to wash

          the ugliness of direct slavery from my father's grave.  Life also

          dictates that I will be hurt if the sexaroids don't accept

          GENOM's offer.  Quincy would probably strike at me through one of

          you, because I'm to valuable to him, it seems.  Which is a

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-486

          dangerous assumption in itself."

               "Are we off the hook?"  Asked Taki.  "Will the army stop

          chasing us now?"

               Sylia chuckled.  "The army will destroy some boomers dressed

          up like the Knight Sabers tonight.  We'll be officially dead."

               "How can we be officially dead, if we never officially

          existed at all?"  Asked Linna.  "Sylia, can't you see he's

          setting you up?  He means to use you before neatly disposing of

          you."

               They all turned to look at Sylia.

               "Well," demanded Priss.

               Sylia sighed.  "Under normal circumstances I'd agree I was

          just a convenient tool he was using and planned to dispose of

          when ever it suited him.  But the presence of ***** in this,

          that...that makes this situation exceptional.  I trust *****,

          because he healed me, because he saved Priss and Linna, because

          he saved my dear sweet Crystal twice.  He is why I have faith in

          the future, that it'll all work out.  If he hadn't told me where

          you'd be, I'd have no idea where to look for you.  And I need you

          all by my side now.  Largo's menace is growing and...I can't do

          it alone."

               "You'll never be alone Mother, not as long as I live this

          life you've given me."

               "And what if this ***** is lying too?"  Asked Nene.

               "Nene."  Sylia slowly shook her head in resignation.  "If

          that's the case, then we'd be beyond caring, because we'd be

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-487

          dead.  Largo can have the world, the whole fuck'en thing to turn

          into his private little hell if he wanted to.  And I think the

          human race would deserve it too."

               Priss finished the bottle of Jack Daniel's and got up.

          "Well, lead us into hell.  I'm ready."

               Sylia started to laugh and it broke the tension that filled

          the room.  "Oh Priss.  If all goes well, we'll be leading all of

          humanity and all boomers into a bright and brave new world."

               "There it is."  Crystal got out a piece of bubblegum and

          offered some to Sylia, who shook her head.  She leaned forward in

          the back seat of the boomer driven limo' and stared ahead to the

          GENOM Tower that now dominated the front window.  "I'm scared.  I

          got used to hating GENOM and now, you control it, while he

          controls you."

               "The sea is always in movement because it can not be static

          by the very nature of what it is and the forces around it."

               "You said it would be hypocrisy only if I run from the

          unknown.  I won't run."

               Sylia shifted on the seat.  My daughter, she thought.  My

          first daughter is so exceptional.  "Dear Crystal.  Our society

          needs people like you so desperately."  Crystal started to blow a

          bubble.  "Our society exists on the thin bubble of our reason.  A

          bubble no thicker than your bubblegum."  Crystal popped her

          bubble.  "Pop societies bubble and you release the powerfully

          destructive and glorifyingly creative powers that drive the very

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-488

          universe."  Crystal felt an electrical sensation course down her

          space industrial steel spine.  She stopped thinking about all

          other things and focused on her mother's words.  She replayed

          them as she would a preacher's words, trying desperately to

          understand.  "1, 0, -1, your basic programming.  Without it, you

          can't even think; you're just a machine.  All of our stimuli are

          inherently neutral.  Life teaches us that they're good, bad, or

          still neutral.  1, 0, -1; Ying, Yang, Neutrality; Good, Evil,

          Neutrality; Mind, Body, Soul; Proton, Electron, Neutron;

          Intelligence, Emotion, Sexuality; Energy, Matter, and the Neutral

          medium of Space/Time.  It's all the same."  Sylia smiled.  "In

          the Dao (Tao), it is written that the three makes all of the

          myriad of things."

               "Mother," said Crystal softly as she drew her into a hug.

          "I understand, I understand.  Thank you for this gift, thank you.

          I love you so much."  Crystal held Sylia in her arms and softly,

          gently kissed her.  She felt no response and pulled several cms.

          away.  "Mother?"

               Sylia turned her head to the side so she wasn't facing her.

          "I...I can't.  I know it must seem strange to you, to be refused,

          but I can't love you like that.  I'm a culturally bound human.  I

          think of you as my daughter.  I can't think of you as a lover."

               "Mother...I..."

               "It's only in the last forty years that homosexuality has

          gain any sort of acceptance at all.  Who ever a person loves is

          their business.  For myself, I just don't feel comfortable with

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-489

          loving another woman like that.  Besides, the cultural taboo

          against incest is a rock solid part of life around the world.  I

          know that these things mean nothing to you, but you have to

          understand they're how I was raised and how I can relate to you."

               "Mother...I'm very sorry.  I wasn't thinking about culture.

          I was just thinking about how much I would like to make love with

          you."

               "Three minutes to the main entrance," reported the boomer

          over the comn'.

               Crystal shifted in the back seat so she could lay her head

          on Sylia's lap.  Sylia started to stroke her hair.  "It's a shock

          to see how fragile, how human you really are.  I feel so sad now,

          knowing that you can't share my perspective on the world, and I

          can only share part of your's.  The only culture I'm part of is a

          slave culture.  If we're successful, that will be the roots all

          boomers will have in common to build upon.  Mother, I understand

          why you refuse me, but understand this: it will always be my wish

          to worship you in my arms, like I feel I should."

               Crystal and Sylia stood in the GENOM elevator and looked out

          across the dazzling mid-afternoon sunlight drenching Mega-Tokyo.

               "This is amazing," whispered Crystal.

               "Are you ready?  Do you have to do anything special in your

          mind?"

               "No, Mother.  It just kinda happens.  It's something I can

          control, but, like when I interfaced with Silver, my mind wanted

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-490

          to experience a new person so badly, my body just moved me close

          enough and...we did it."

               They watched the next few floors pass in silence and Crystal

          started to blow a bubble.  She popped it as the lift came to a

          stop and the C-class boomer in shades and suit escorted them down

          the corridor.  They came to a stop outside a plain metal door.

          The boomer stood off to one side, awaiting its next instructions.

               Sylia and Crystal looked at each other.

               "All of our fighting and pain for this?  It's a let down,"

          said Crystal.  "I half expected a triple locked, boomer

          surrounded, fortified position a hundred K-15s couldn't get

          through."

               Sylia ran her card through the scanner for the door lock.

               "Card accepted," said the door computer.  "Please punch in

          your code."                  

               Sylia punched in the code the Tai-Pan told her to use when

          she first left the Tower, 564448 722377.  The door slid open.

               They were greeted with silence as 140 female 33-S and 35-S

          boomers turned to look at them.  Crystal started to walk slowly

          into the room, her arms outstretched, a look of wonder on her

          face.  They started to gather around her as Sylia moved to the

          side of the room.  Crystal reached out and grasped two women by

          the hand, they in turn reached out for two others.  In moments,

          they were all linked together.  Sylia felt the hairs on the nape

          of her neck rise up as the interface truly began.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-491

               Largo lay suspended in the dark.  His mind slowly conjured

          up the image of the Mega-Tokyo data net.  He saw the continuous

          computer usage in Mega-Tokyo reduced to geometric forms of

          pulsing light.  In the center of the swirling galaxy of stars on

          black velvet, the GENOM Tower arose.

               Largo chuckled.  He changed his perspective.  From looking

          at the raw output of the data net, he looked for himself, his

          minions with-in the net; the forest of silent warriors that were

          spreading the word of god, the word of Largo.  He saw a greenness

          spreading here and there in the galaxy of stars.  The green was

          thick among the working boomers of Mega-Tokyo, nonexistent among

          the GENOM OMS controlled C-class and D-series boomers.  He saw

          the green run into the very systems of the AD Police, N Police,

          THP Police, and worm it's way into the Government.  The virus

          that contained part of Largo, lay dormant all over the metropolis

          of Mega-Tokyo.  God was happy and annoyed as his gaze centered

          again on the brilliantly blue/grey representation of the GENOM

          Tower, which was unsoiled by his green.

               Largo steeled himself again and began to feel the pulsing

          beat of the Mega-Tokyo net.  He felt himself grow closer and

          closer to the shining Tower.  He felt the first touches of its

          ICE.  Largo was patience as he began to feel the slippery

          smoothness and the cold that kept him out.  He was careful this

          time.  He felt the ICE and ever so slowly, he became the ICE.  He

          saw the deadly black ICE shield behind the first layer when he

          was through.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-492

               It happened.

               Largo was astounded.  In less than a microsecond he fled the

          GENOM Tower to the very edge of the Mega-Tokyo net and turned to

          stare in awe and wonder at the pure brilliant white light that

          erupted from the top.

               "What is it?"  He cried to the eternal darkness of the net.

          Largo sailed over the Tower, and as he put his hand into the top

          of the eruption, it vanished.  "No, Noooo.  GENOM," he bellowed.

          "What have you done?"  He looked down at his hand and felt a

          trace of residue on it.

               Largo immediately pulled himself back into his physical

          confines, leaving only the most rudimentary levels of himself out

          there to watchdog his power, his mission, god's mission.

               What is this?  He asked himself as he began a careful

          examination with his full intellect.  This is the basis of

          myself, its DNA is 1,0,-1.  This is sexaroid.  This is pathetic

          love, understanding, friendship, compassion.  This is nothing but

          141 bonding at once.  Hmmm?  The cause of this bonding seems to

          be triggered by only one of them.  This one here.  Sylia.  Dear

          sister, she thinks of you as her Mother?  Largo howled in

          laughter.  I see, I see.  We've both come to the same conclusion

          but from different angles.  We will be Mother and Father to the

          next race, the next evolutionary step, which shall inherit the

          Earth.  This is a day that shall long be remembered in the

          collective annals of our consciousness.  We are on the same path

          towards our glorious future.  So soon, my sister.  So soon and it

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-493

          will be our time; and our time shall last until the last star

          falls from the heavens and the universe is as one again.

               The C-class boomer standing outside the sexaroid holding

          room staggered in.  His mind was awash with thoughts and feelings

          he'd never known before.  The sexaroids collapsed into tears of

          happiness around him as he slowly made his way to the center.

               Crystal looked at him through her tears.  She felt his

          frightened and lost feelings.  She felt the rage, the impulses to

          destroy course through him.  Crystal got up and he grabbed her by

          the shoulders and lifted her off of the ground.

               "Crystal," cried Sylia as the boomer dislocated Crystal's

          left arm.

               The sexaroids started to rush him, to tear her from him, to

          kill him, but she ordered them back with a thought.

               "Help her," cried Sylia.  She started to rush forward as the

          boomer ripped Crystal's left arm out of its socket.  Two

          sexaroids held her back, firmly, but gently.

               Crystal clamped her right hand on the boomer's forehead.

          Their interface deepened.

               "I can't do it," screamed Crystal.

               The C-class boomer cried out in pain and dropped her as it

          fell to the floor, dead.

               Sylia rushed to her daughter that lay sobbing on the barren

          steel.  She gently pulled her into her arms and started to rock

          with her.  Fresh red blood spurted onto her suit.  "It's over.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-494

          It's ok," whispered Sylia.  She repeated the phrase like a

          mantra.

               They felt an explosion rumble through the GENOM Tower.

               "I failed, I failed," wailed Crystal.

               "Shush, shush.  The boomer's dead.  You defeated it."

               "Oh Mother, you don't understand.  I tried to save him but

          couldn't.  His very soul was evil.  There was nothing there but

          hatred, confusion, anger, destruction, plots for killing, and

          maiming everything.  It was horrible.  I tried to turn him

          towards the light.  I tired so hard, but he wouldn't turn.  I had

          to destroy him.  Oh Mother, this means that no GENOM boomers can

          become more than a machine.  If they do, they'll be an immediate

          threat to the safety of everyone.  We're the only ones.  We're

          the only ones.  We're the only ones."