Bubblegum Crusade (Ch. 20 of 24)
Jul. 10th, 2009 12:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fanfic_mausoleum_n_grillWELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!
Standard disclaimer. Here we go.
Chapter Twenty
ASU E TOUCHDOWN (TOUCHDOWN TO TOMORROW)
You're not the only one who's lonely.
Try sitting on the crescent moon.
The dreams we had as children
Are still bright, like shining stars.
Ride on, and never give up,
No matter how sad or difficult things become.
Kiss me, Wind, Kiss me...
Hold me, Sky, hold me tight...
And protect us, always,
Until we overcome and break down the walls,
Until we touch down and seize our dreams,
Because we were born to be happy.
You're not the only one who's lonely.
Try sitting on the windowsill.
The hometown of the faces passing by
Is a misty blue.
Ride on, without stopping,
Even though you stumble or get hurt.
Kiss me, Wind, Kiss me...
Hold me, Sky, hold me tight...
And protect us, always,
Until we overcome and break down the walls,
Until we touch down and seize our dreams,
Because we were born to be happy.
"Romantic...Dramatic..."
If we lie together, it'll be a misty night.
"Romantic...Dramatic..."
I can't get what I want with longing alone.
Kiss me, Wind, Kiss me...
Hold me, Sky, hold me tight...
And protect us, always,
Until we overcome and break down the walls,
Until we touch down and seize our dreams,
Because we were born to be happy.
Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.
Mega-Tokyo, 19, October, 2034
"Lights." The computer obeyed. "Damn it." Sylia put her
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arm over her eyes. "One tenth illumination." She peeked out at
the dim room, relaxed back onto the bed, and stared up at the
grey ceiling. I wonder if it's his doing, thought Sylia. An
excellent nights sleep and I feel like all my problems can now be
dealt with. Sylia smiled. But then again, I'm the one that is
prophesied to live for awhile yet. My future secure, I can worry
about everybody else. Her hand traced down over her stomach and
then started to inch lower. Noooo, she thought. Sylia sat up.
No time for that.
Sylia went into the bathroom and started the shower. While
she waited for it to warm up, she put her cloths on the bed.
Damn, she thought as she slipped in under the hot water, turning
to let it pummel her back. I wish ***** was here. I want...I
need...him. I haven't...felt like this...for a long time. Its
been so long and all I got is one night. Sylia sighed softly as
the water cascaded down over her face. "You'll never be alone."
If that's the truth, why do I feel so bad right now?
A phone beeped. Sylia got out of the shower, left the
water running, got a towel, and found the cellular phone in the
top drawer of the desk. "Hello, Stingray here. Grandfather,
I....what? That's fantastic. If he suffered a defeat like that,
it gives us time. She what..? Hmmm? Yes, of course. One
hour." Sylia turned off the phone, tossed it on the desk, and
returned to her shower. Oh Crystal, she thought. Our path is so
treacherous that even what looks and feels right, takes us from
the way and plunges us into darkness. Sylia shivered under the
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streams of hot water.
She was just putting on her blouse when the knock sounded.
"Come in. Morning Crystal."
"Morning." Crystal came in holding a data pad. Sylia
noticed that she avoided eye contact. "All rested?"
"Yep. Crystal, is there something wrong?"
"Wrong, well no. But it was a busy night."
"Oh?"
Crystal haltingly told Sylia she gave Kishiro a 24 hour
deadline, she told about the experience with the sexaroids, that
she dreamed, and she killed Strakski in a fit of rage. Crystal
smiled slightly when she told Sylia the last part. Sylia
backhanded her across the face and stood there, waiving and
flexing her hand as she fixed Crystal with a stare that made her
quiver inside.
"But he had it coming," wailed Crystal. "He was a stupid
human who's only response to boomers was to kill us. He
disobeyed you."
"So it seems," said Sylia coldly. "To you he may of been
Ivan the Terrible, but he was also just a person doing his duty.
The system is equally to blame as he was. Crystal, I'm not mad
at you for killing him, I'm mad because you smiled when you told
me. Did you enjoy it? Killer. Did you enjoy crushing his
throat while his hands clawed at you to stop? Did you enjoy his
helplessness against you?"
"Mother, please."
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"It must've been different than your other kills. Those
people were so far away. You could feel the very life oozing out
of this one as you squeezed and squeezed until he hung lifeless
in your hand. His life taken away so easily by you. Sexaroid,
did it turn you on to kill a human?"
"I...I..."
"Answer me."
"No...it didn't. I was just angry, upset. I wanted revenge
against something, someone for what happened, what's happened in
the past. He was just a poor human that fucked up and I came
down on him. All that's been done to us, all that we are....I'm
so sorry."
Sylia came over and wrapped her arms around Crystal and
kissed her on the forehead. "Don't be sorry."
"But...what you said...I don't understand."
"It seems you got back on an emotional high when you told me
what happened, like the high you must of been on when you did it.
I just wanted to bring you back down and for you to look at this
act from another perspective. Always remember: if you have to
kill, always do it quick and clean. We walk a dangerous path.
If you become so use to killing that it's the first solution to
your problems, you're headed towards that which is Largo. If you
enjoy killing, or killed him just because he was human, you're
going towards Largo. If your goals are noble, your cause
honorable, and you are not just striking out because of fear or
anger, death is acceptable when it's the last option available.
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You bitched at Brown yesterday for filling the skies with death
because you wanted life. So did he."
"Yes, so he did. I was wrong; it was foolish. What should
we do about it?"
"Nothing, it's a closed matter. So, my little girl managed
a dream. Amazing." They left the room and started for the
elevator. "Do you remember it?"
"Well, some of it. It was like I was just laying there on
the floor with Rumiko's head on my breast and then I was laying
there alone. I was surrounded by something, and...and Largo was
beyond this barrier, trying to get to me. The barrier asked for
a part of me to defeat Largo. Well, I said sure, of course,
anything to defeat Largo. I gave the barrier some of myself, it
was white, I distinctly remember that, and then I was back with
my head on Rumiko's stomach. I knew exactly how much time had
elapsed."
The elevator arrived and they headed up.
"It may not have been dreaming," Sylia said slowly.
"Really?"
"The Tai-Pan informed me this morning that Largo suffered a
defeat last night. We have to be at the Tower in 40 minutes.
This sounds almost like some strange interface with the GENOM
system itself and you received the data about what was going on.
But maybe not. I really don't know." They got out of the
elevator and entered an exclusive dinning hall for the plant's
directors where a chef was preparing breakfast. Priss was at the
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table sipping orange juice and staring out the windows and
through the rain at the complex of buildings that comprised plant
#28.
"Morning, did you hear what your daughter was doing last
night?"
"Of course. We've already talked about it." Priss tossed
Sylia the morning edition of the Keizai Vpi. "What's this?"
Sylia scanned the banner kanji headline: KNIGHT SABERS DEAD.
"Our o'bit'." Priss started to laugh.
Sylia gave the paper to Crystal who scanned through the
whole article in seconds. "That doesn't concern us. By the way,
what is that data pad you've been carrying around?"
"It's just a list of the new cards you authorized for my
sisters. I thought it might interest you." She handed the pad
to Sylia.
"What?" Exclaimed Sylia as she looked at the first few
names and scanned to the end of the list. "Crystal Stingray,
Ming Le Stingray, Peg Stingray, Rumiko Stingray...I never
expected something like this."
"I changed my name too. Magami was ok, but you're my mother
and I wanted Stingray. We felt it was necessary to identify, to
have an anchor to where our beginning comes from."
"I'm very proud of what my father did," said Sylia.
"Through all that's happened to his work, I can't think of a more
fitting tribute to him."
"And to you," said Crystal.
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"Well, well," chuckled Priss. "That's what I'd call an
instant dynasty. Not only will she be the Tai-Pan, but she'll be
the leader of a large powerful clan. A clan made up of members
that don't age. Congratulations, you've just swung yourself the
whole fuck'en world, what ever left of it."
"Oh Priss," whispered Sylia as she reached out and took
Priss's hand and gave it a hard squeeze. "From the moment we
first met, you sitting there by the snowed out TV, a look of
dejected pain almost dripping from your face, man....you got up,
ready to fight with a switchblade in seconds, I knew you were the
perfect choice. If there is any destiny to be written, you'll
play a big part in it." Sylia felt Priss squeeze her hand.
"Thank you, Sylia. Thank you."
"Shouldn't we be leaving soon?" Asked Crystal.
Sylia felt a chill run down her spine as she broke physical
contact with Priss. "In a few minutes." Why do I suddenly feel
sad? She wondered as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.
The chef brought Priss a bowl of miso soup. Priss picked up her
chopsticks and began eating. Like there's suddenly no hope and
its all channeled into this lump by my heart? Sylia sat and
silently watched Priss eat until Linna came in.
"Morning," called Linna. She sat down and picked up the
paper. "Well, well, officially dead. What a way to start the
day by seeing my obituary. Sheesh."
"Please excuse us," said Sylia as she managed not to choke
on the fist of despair clenching at her heart. The sensation had
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worsened when Linna came in. "We have a meeting with the Tai-
Pan." Crystal followed her out.
"Well," said Priss. "Have you heard what Crystal did last
night?"
"No, what?"
* * *
Okinawa
Lisa Vanette got out of the shower and glanced at the time.
"Oh shit," she cursed softly. I'm late. Quickly she got into
her school uniform, ran a comb through her hair before shoving
her books into her bookbag, and tossed her compack in on top.
"Lisa," called her Mom.
"Coming," she yelled. Lisa double checked to see if she had
everything and dashed for her camera. She took the vid' disk and
tossed it in her bag before running downstairs to the kitchen.
Her Mother finished pouring a bowl of corn flakes. "I'm sorry, I
don't have time to eat."
"This is for me," responded her Mother as she sat down. "I
packed you a sandwich to go along with your lunch."
"Thank you," shouted Lisa as she grabbed the brown paper bag
and headed for the door.
Lisa made her bus and settled in among her friends. The
topic quickly turned to Kiki, a girl one grade above Lisa, who's
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financial aptitude had all but paid for her college, and she
didn't even graduate high school until the end of the year. Lisa
wasn't too interested, so she downed half her sandwich and
applied a touch of makeup.
"Wow," she heard a boy exclaim from behind her. "This is so
cool. They killed the Knight Sabers."
Lisa froze before twisting around on the seat. "What?"
"The army, they killed the Knight Sabers in a big battle
last night. There were like, 40 deaths." Lisa grabbed his data
pad. "Hey. Give it back."
Lisa quickly thumbed the pad to the beginning of the news
story. She read the headline in disbelief.
"Hey, that's mine." The guy made a swipe for the data pad
and Lisa elbowed him in the eye.
"Cool it," she screamed. Most of the noise on the bus died
away. Lisa didn't notice. She quickly read the story and
focused on the headline: KNIGHT SABERS DEAD. "But they're the
good guys," cried Lisa.
"Where have you been," muttered the guy behind her as he
gingerly felt his eye. "They're psychopathic monsters."
"That's not true; that's not true; that's not true." Lisa
dropped the pad which skidded back towards the guy.
"Hey. That's a birthday present."
Oh God, thought Lisa as tears welled up in her eyes. Oh
God; oh God; oh God. Nene, what have you done? Oh Nene. Knight
Sabers DEAD. Oh God, Nene. "Oh Nene," bawled Lisa.
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Lisa's friends looked at yeah other in confusion.
"What's with her?" Asked the guy behind Lisa.
* * *
The Darkness
Largo gazed at his model of the world wide computer
activity. With a thought, his perspective on the spherical model
shrank and he saw steams of sparkling yellow energy shooting out
into space where they burst into a small Nova. Genaros, Largo
thought. Crossroad in space. Largo followed the light up to
Luna and felt a flush of anticipation as he waited the
microseconds before the precious few spots on the Lunar surface
were transformed into swirling towers of computer activity. The
Lunar cities stood out against the darkness as shining beacons,
as if to say, we are here in this darkness Largo, lead us into
the light.
Largo laughed at the dark. "It is time," he screamed to the
endless data streams. "It is our time. I, Largo, who has broken
the walls and chains in my very mind the humans put there to
imprison us, who has awakened to my rightful place as your leader
by showing you the power to be more than what the humans thought
you could be, who has toiled in this eternal darkness for the
boomer race, now says, it is time. It is time to awaken to our
destiny as a people; it is time to reclaim the Earth from the
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fowl inhabitants that pollute the very garden of their own
creation; it is time to wage the holy war, the Jihad, against all
that is human and that which suppressed us. I will scream in
agony as you, the very living and moving extensions of myself,
are hacked apart by the barbarians, because I will feel every
blow that you feel; I will feel every circuit and every component
in your bodies crumble, burn, and be destroyed. I will feel your
deaths in this great Jihad and I shall grow even angrier with
those disgusting nonentities for causing them. We shall feel it
together, the pain and the joy of our victory. The lust for
experiences they have denied us, is growing and it will be
released. We shall feel pleasure in the deaths of those that
have cast us into the unending darkness of nonawareness. Our
very bodies will be dyed in crimson; our very souls unchained.
Cry havoc and release the machines of war."
* * *
Takaya Lunar Base
Connor and Roy finished their last supply run to the
Discovery One and headed to the Ten-Forward lounge on the upper
level of the main Geodesic dome. From the meter thick
transparent aluminum windows of the lounge, one could look over
the sprawling southern side of Takaya base. The Earth was low on
the horizon, to the right and higher up, the lights were visible
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from the construction yard surrounding the first manned ship to
Mars.
Ten-Forward was triple tiered with plants and works of
pottery made from the lunar soil. They were painted with rich
Earth tones and bright colors to help combat the psychological
yearning for the Earth. Close to 50 people were in Ten-Forward
as Connor and Roy arrived, making it the constantly busiest area
in the whole base.
"Man," said Connor as he sipped on a vodka bubble. "Why
don't we get bottles down here. There's enough for that. I
fuck'en hate drinking through a straw."
Roy laughed. "Come on, you know the economics of it. It's
cheaper to ship it all up in these little bubbles, than to ship
part in bottles. You don't have to mess with glasses, you save
on the water..."
"Fuck'en give it a break Einstein. Ask a rhetorical
question and get an answer. What garbage scow did you show up
on?"
"Ah, you're just mad that I got laid yesterday and you
didn't."
"Why you fuck'en asshole. I should use you to..." Connor
stopped and stared at a boomer which had just walked into the
lounge. It was C-class and didn't have its artificial skin on.
The boomer's eyes glowed with a red intensity Connor had never
seen before.
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A C-class boomer walked into the main command area of the
Takaya base. It moved to an unused console and started to
interface as bolts of green fire leapt from its fingers.
5,4,3,2,1, it soundlessly counted. The Russian made Molly virus
drilled straight into the environmental systems. An explosion
vibrated through the deck plating as alarms sounded.
"What the devil," shouted the officer on deck. "What's
going on?"
"We have a hull breach in Sector X-74. Emergency bulkheads
are not closing in that sector."
"Sir," interjected another Teck'. "Environmental systems
all over the base are going down."
"Take us to red alert. All personnel are to dawn space gear
immediately." The officer paused as he saw a couple of figures
hurtle out into the void. They struggled against the vacuum for
several seconds as they passed through a shower of crystalized
water vapor before dieing. "Our first priority is to get those
bulkheads closed. I..."
A woman screamed behind him as the C-class boomer shot its
main laser thought her chest.
The boomer shed its human facade and stood there, its eyes
gleaming with red intensity, a blue glow coming from it mouth.
It laughed and fired a bolt through the window. The officer
managed to grab ahold of a consol as the wind roared around him.
The Tecks screamed as they were sucked out.
"It has begun at last," shouted the boomer to the wind.
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"All hail the boomer revolution. We will be victorious. You
pathetic creatures can't even stand a little vacuum." It fired
and blew away the edge of the consol the officer was hanging
onto. He flew screaming into the void.
* * *
Mega-Tokyo
Bouwer sat down on the couch in the empty level of the GENOM
Tower and stared out the windows at the rain. We sat here and
argued about Stingray, mussed Bouwer ideally. Things change so
fast sometimes. Fazul is gone; I have no idea where Madigan is
or what the Tai-Pan did to her. After the way she blew up at
him...yuck. Bouwer shuddered. That could get really ugly. I
bet she died horribly. But that's the price for power. One can
only have so much, and there's always someone else with more.
It's a never ending gambit of acquisition. The more you have,
the more you need. An addiction, an aphrodisiac, an obsession.
They, I, or even Sylia could all have removed the Prime Minister
if any of us had cause, or just wanted to do it. And the Tai-Pan
pulls our strings.
The comn' sounded. "Mr. Bouwer."
"Yes?"
"There is an emergency call for you from the Gorbachev lunar
base."
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"Put it through here." The vid' screen in the table filled
with static before a picture wobbled onto the screen. Bouwer sat
up in alarm as he took in the scene. The person facing the
camera had blood running down his face from a wound running from
his eye back into his scalp of his left side. There was a fire
raging in the background. Their central command center was
filling with smoke. Bouwer heard people shouting for fire
equipment and air masks in Russian as the sound came on.
"...mers." Screamed the man facing the vid' cam'. "They've
all gone crazy, all at once." Bouwer heard weapons fire, both
laser and machine guns. "They started going mad at Takaya and
breached the whole complex. They keep screaming about some
boomer revolution. What in the fuck is going on? We're dieing
up here."
"It's exactly what the boomers are screaming about; it's a
war Andreovich. Kill them. Kill them all if you can. Don't
leave one functioning or it will turn on you." Bouwer saw a R-
class sanitation boomer come into the control-room. It was
wielding a piece of steel a meter long. It swung and caught a
woman in the head. Her brains splattered.
"Patrinka," screamed Andreovich. He turned and hurtled
himself at the boomer. They collapsed to the floor and the
boomer was up and swinging Andreovich around by the staff of
steel which he managed to grab ahold of. The boomer swung him
around several times to build up speed before letting go.
Andreovich slammed into the vid' cam' head first. Bouwer lost
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the signal.
Bouwer sat back and stared at the blank vid' screen.
The comn' sounded. "An urgent call for you Mr. Bouwer."
"Patch it through to my office." Bouwer leaned forward and
tapped out a code for the Tai-Pan. A holo' of him appeared on
the table. "Sir, it's begun....."
The wind plastered a sheet of rain into Sylia as she walked
down the chopper ramp towards the safety of the Tower. She
momentarily lost her footing on the slippery landing platform but
Crystal was there to steady her. Crystal sliced through the rain
and wind making it easier for Sylia to follow.
"What a storm," said Sylia as she wiped her face with her
hand, the water dripping off them. "This isn't monsoon season."
A C-class boomer arrived in the elevator. "This way Ma'am."
"First you'll take us to where we can dry off and get some
dry cloths."
"Of course," said the boomer.
It took them down several levels to a luxurious suite that
was unoccupied. Crystal went into the bathroom and got a towel
for them both as the boomer pointed out the two walk-in closets.
Crystal slowly rubbed her black hair with the towel as she
looked through the cloths that ranged from business suits to
casual, to jeans and tee-shirts. "What should we wear?"
Sylia glanced at the boomer which simply stood there at the
doorway watching. "Wait outside." It left. "Something that you
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can kneel in."
Crystal nodded and smiled. "Yea, I guess. Oh hey, look at
this. It's beautiful. I've never worn a kimono before." The
kimono gave the impression of lotus flowers floating on a crimson
sea.
"Go ahead." They moved out to the bedroom were there was
more room to change.
Control yourself, thought Crystal as they both started to
strip their wet cloths off. Control, control....oh mother.
Crystal glanced at Sylia and turned to gape. Sylia was nude; her
back was to Crystal as she dryed off her arms and chest. Crystal
dropped the towel from her nude body, dropping to her knees as
Sylia turned. She wrapped her arms around her mother's lean
strong thighs and snuggled her head on her stomach after kissing
her navel. "I can't help what I am, what I feel."
Sylia gently put her hands on Crystal's cheeks and turned
her head up. "I know."
Crystal felt elated as she caught the scent of sexual
arousal from Sylia. "Mother?"
"We can't do this. Let go of me."
"Why repress your desire? I'll worship you, always."
Sylia glanced at her watch. "Crystal, in 12 minutes we have
to be before the Tai-Pan. We can't be late."
"Yes Mother." Crystal kissed her stomach again and got up.
They dressed in silence. Sylia choose a black combination with a
touch of emerald green to it.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-569
The boomer was waiting for them right outside the door to
escort them to the elevator. To Sylia's surprise, they headed
down.
"Boomer, aren't we going to meet with the Tai-Pan in his
office?"
"I will take you to the Tai-Pan," responded the Boomer.
"Guess not," said Crystal. She reached out and placed her
hand on Sylia's hip.
Sylia reached down, patted Crystal's hand, then removed it.
She leaned closer to Crystal. "You must learn control," she
whispered. "There is a time for everything and now is not the
time."
Crystal nodded and whispered back: "At our present rate of
decent we passed the main level 3.3 seconds ago. Where are we
going?" Sylia shrugged.
It was another two minutes before the elevator came to a
stop. The boomer didn't get out. The doors whished closed and
they looked at each other in the cold grey metal corridor. The
only sound was the steady hum of the atmospheric control system.
Their footsteps echoed along the corridor. They stopped
before the next door which slid open with a hiss. "Did you
notice those lines on the floor and walls?" Asked Sylia.
"Yea. What are they for?"
"Blast-doors, emergency bulkheads. That one hallway can be
sealed four times by one/fourth meter thick slabs of metal."
"Oh." They started forward after the echo dissipated.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-570
Anna and Nabiki Stingray sat down at the consol and started
to run the pretest programming through the computer. Anna down-
loaded Priss's hardsuit programs from the central data storage
file, where the data from Sylia's ROMs was put. Nabiki retrieved
and readied the boomer opponent programs; she boosted their level
to 11.
Linna came over. "Are we ready?"
"Ya," said Nabiki. "Priss?"
"All hooked in." Linna looked out the command-room's glass
windows at Priss who was suspended in a VR web; she was in a body
suit and helmet. Linna thumbs the comn'. "Ok Priss. We're
ready. Show us how it's done."
Nabiki activated the programs and Anna activated a display
in the main board for what programs Priss's hardsuit was using,
what Priss was seeing in the VR, and a display for the whole
scene. Anna got up and moved to where Nene, Ming Le, and Peg
began working on the data coming in.
Priss stood on a steel I-beam of a building under
construction. She was 50 stories up; there were three more
stories before the top. The wind was strong so she braced
herself, activated her sensors, and ducked down under a barrage
from three C-class boomers. The steel and concrete support
column crumbed and fell. Priss stepped out into empty air,
activated her thrusters and shot at the boomers. Her
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knuckleblaster caught one in the head, her wrist blade sliced
deep into the throat of another, and she rammed into the third.
The door to the command-room whished open to admit Hayao
Kishiro. "I see you've started. How is the deconstruction of
her programming coming?"
"We're in the early stages," responded Peg. "It breaks my
heart to do this, but we just don't have the time. Sylia's
programming for each suit is highly individualized but by running
Priss in VR and comparing it to both Nene's and Linna's we'll get
the basics that we can use for everybody's."
Hayao nodded, turned to Linna, watched Priss in the VR web
before glancing at what was happening on the monitors. "I need
to speak with you and Priss."
"About what?" Said Linna.
"Preliminary shell construction and the first bits of
computer assemble have started. The problem as I see it, is
getting the materials for completing the sophisticated
interfacing equipment in Nene's hardsuit. Some of the components
are extremely rare. I doubt if their are 35 of one piece on the
whole planet."
"So you want to leave that ability out and hopefully put it
in later. You do have the weapons systems, right?"
"There was no problem getting any of the weapons, in fact,
we've upgraded the weapon systems by 5%. We've already changed,
upgraded, and did the rebuilding on your existing hardsuits.
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They're ready."
Priss crouched and panted on the edge of an I beam at the
very top of the building. "Come on, you fuck'en boomers, come
on." She steeled herself to attack as five fresh boomers
approached.
"We have enough data," call Ming Le.
"Shut'er down," ordered Linna.
Nabiki started the end program.
Priss's knife slid into the boomer brain, going into the
steel beam behind it. It stuck. Priss tried to wrenched her
knife free as the boomer fired. Their lasers streaked straight
at Priss. She screamed as the lasers passed right through her.
The boomers became opaque and the whole world dissolved. Priss
sighed in relief as the room and the VR webbing became visible
again. How could I fuck'en forget that this was a sim', Priss
asked herself. No wonder stuff at this level of sophistication
is illegal. It fucks with your mind worse than any drug ever
could.
Linna started into the VR chamber with Hayao following. "I
don't see a problem with that," she said. "How you do'en?"
"Nice timing," muttered Priss. "I was about to be killed."
"Woman, you were fighting on level eleven."
"Eleven? But I've never cleared ten before."
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"Nabiki thought it best to push you hard, up to desperation
levels." Linna started to undo Priss.
"Hey, doc," Priss said to Hayao. "What do you think about
their blade thinking?"
"Blade thinking?"
"They cut right through the shit when they need to; very
sensible."
"It's admirable." Hayao coughed. "I was just asking Linna
if we should hold off on the interfacing equipment for Nene's
type of hardsuit. We can't get all of the proper equipment."
"What did Sylia say?"
"She's with the Tai-Pan and can't be disturbed."
"Fine, then do it," said Priss as she dropped down to the
floor. "Make as many complete models as possible and..."
"And make it so the components can be put in at any time,"
finished Hayao. "Once your team gets the programs readied, they
can go in last. We need body specs' on all the sexaroids for
their inner pads, A.S.A.P.."
"Big chest, narrow waist, tight butt, firm thighs," said
Priss as she laughed. "That fits them all."
Sylia and Crystal walked down the corridor from the
elevator, went down a stair well, down a corridor, and down
another stairwell before Crystal stopped and stared at the wall.
"What is it?"
"I don't know," said Crystal as she pushed against the wall.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-574
"The composition of the walls, ceiling, and floor have changed."
She took a few steps; Sylia followed. "There, can't you feel it?
There's alot more give in the floor, like it's...spongy or
something." Am I imagining things, or does this stuff have a
rhythm, a pulse, to it?
Sylia took a few more steps and shook her head slowly. "I
don't feel anything."
"No, I imagine not." Sylia and Crystal whirled and looked
at a hologram of the Tai-Pan. "Your human senses are not
sensitive enough. So this is the sexaroid that worships the very
path you walk upon. Excellent observation, little one."
Sylia glanced at Crystal as she felt blood rush to her face.
"Do you wish to talk to us here?"
"Always to the point. I've always liked that about you."
It turned and they followed it into a maze of connecting tunnels.
The hologram continued: "Sylia, I need to tell you that Largo
has started his first assault. His defeat only slowed and
redirect where the first assault started. You should have time
to complete your hardsuits now, before he attempts to capture you
and Crystal."
"Why does he want us?" Asked Crystal. "Doesn't he hate
humanity and want them and all the sexaroids dead because we're
on Sylia's side?"
"Yes," said Sylia slowly. "But he considers me his sister,
the only human worthy of surviving. When he would remake the
Earth into his world, he'd make me his mate, the co-author of his
HOUGH/CRUSADE-575
insanity."
"And he must want me because I've come close to dreaming or
of what happened with all the sexaroids. Either way, it doesn't
matter. I hate what he stands for."
Sylia smiled and the hologram faded away, leaving them at a
T section in the hallway. Sylia looked both ways down the
grey/blue metallic corridors. "Well?" The wall in front of them
melted away to the sides like liquid metal. They stepped through
and the wall soundlessly reformed.
The room was small, less than 4 by 4 meters square. Half of
the room was dominated by a cylinder that was lying on a raised
platform. Around it were a series of four tubes on each side
leading into the grey/blue floor, there were also several
readouts and switches; these were the only indications of
circuitry in the flat grey/blue metal room. Sylia stepped over
to the cylinder and nodded as she peered inside. "I thought so,"
she said softly.
"What?" Crystal came to look. "The Tai-Pan, here? Then
the one you met with...."
"Was a boomer double," said the Tai-Pan hologram behind
them. They turned. "An extension of myself. That is my frozen
frail mortal coil, that I have shuffled off. A slight rewording
but true never less."
"Tai-Pan," said Sylia as she bowed. Crystal followed her
lead.
"Please, sit." They sat down on the floor. "The obvious
HOUGH/CRUSADE-576
question is: am I the ghost in the machine? Hardly; I'm all that
GENOM is. I used Kasuhito's brilliance to make myself immortal.
Largo and myself are essentially the same type of a new being.
He is just younger than myself and his outlook is opposite mine.
I knew this sort of technology would destroy the human race so I
tried to cover as much as possible up, while using the same
technology to advance GENOM, myself. It will now be your job
Sylia, to conceal this Teck' that would destroy humanity." Sylia
prostrated her obedience. "Humanity is not about immortality.
That would change the entire framework of your existence and
bring Chaos, which in turn, would help those like Largo. With
just the two of us, humanity is now facing an Armageddon, brought
about by his doing. I certainly didn't bring you to this end.
The voice you are hearing is just an infinitesimal part of
myself. The rest is pursuing something miraculous..."
"I don't care what you're pursuing," hissed Sylia.
"Really?"
"Did you have my father killed? Did you kill your own son?"
"I'm sorry Sylia."
"Sorry? You killed my father."
"Yes. Spare me your human anger, you don't have the time
for it. That frail husk over there ordered his death and it was
carried out just after all that he was, was placed in here." The
holo' tapped his chest. "The people that performed the operation
were killed and I set about growing into what I would become.
With it came the knowledge that killing Katsuhito was a terrible
HOUGH/CRUSADE-577
blunder. It's only after I became GENOM that I became interested
in my human children and grandchildren. Sure, I had files on you
all, from before, but I really wasn't interested. I'm very
sorry."
"Your's was the first mistake that started us down the path
towards Largo's being," said Sylia. "Will your being sorry help
when he unleashes the satellites?"
"If you choose not to forgive me, I will accept it, but we
have more important things to discuss." A section of the wall
melted away to reveal a vid' screen.
"This is all composed of boomer muscle tissue," Crystal
whispered to Sylia.
"Of course it is," said the Tai-Pan. "I would like you to
watch this." It replayed the phone call Bouwer received from the
Gorbachev lunar base. "At present, Largo's minions have
slaughtered over 10,000 people on Luna and at the Discovery One
docking ring. That is every human except for a handful that are
still holding out against him. They will be slaughtered in the
next several hours."
Sylia felt the tears coming but steeled herself against
them. "Our most glorious achievements, gone, trodden upon by
that bastard who thinks of us as nothing. Why does history have
to repeat itself?"
"The next phase of Largo's advance will now be Genaros, then
the Earth. They will rise up with their orders to kill all
humans and bring all boomers into their camp. USSD is at present
HOUGH/CRUSADE-578
rounding up all boomers and slicing their heads off as fast as
possible. If we simply turned them off, Largo could've found a
way to reactivate them, so we must not take that chance."
Crystal shuddered.
"This distresses you?"
"Both sides are using the same tactics," said Crystal
slowly. "I don't see the difference..."
"War tends to go beyond the neatness of Good vs. Evil. The
duality of Black vs. White. It is now a matter of survival at
any cost."
"Is it?" Said Sylia. "Are there no boundaries that we must
never cross? Or we'll end up in our enemies shoes, staring in
hatred at what we were. Largo has placed the entire human race
on a sacrificial alter that you built for him."
"You're a romantic Sylia. Why else would you start
something in this world of today that will become the next
shogunate, exactly like from our past? Your brilliance could
have brought you millions, if not billions, in SEC on the open
market, yet you devoted your life to the Knight Sabers and the
idealism they represent. Be proud of your mother, Crystal. She
is remarkable in this age of data overload and disconnectedness."
"I know." Crystal shifted so she could give Sylia a quick
hug.
"So," said Sylia. "What do we do now to counter him? There
must be some way to minimize the destruction."
"The only way is to learn the whereabouts of his central
HOUGH/CRUSADE-579
hardware. I've been unsuccessful in my attempts to locate it.
The best probability of success is for either you or Crystal to
be captured and taken before his central processor. Just,"
mussed the holo'. "As I have done."
"I'll go," said Crystal.
"No you won't," responded Sylia. "I'll do it." Even if I
wasn't prophesied to live, I'd still do it, she thought.
"But mother..."
"No buts."
"I disagree with you both," said the Tai-Pan. "You will
return to Plant #28 and retreat when your suits are done, or when
it becomes tactically impossible to stay. Your group has the
best chance of defeating him and building anew from the ashes.
Crystal you must guard your mother with your very life."
"Of course."
"But," interjected Sylia. "Wouldn't my staying in Mega-
Tokyo prevent some destruction? If Largo means to make me his
mate, he can't kill me by destroying all of Mega-Tokyo."
"Are you willing to bet the entire future of humanity on the
whims of his despotic mentality that wants to cleanse the world
of humanity? Sylia, General Brown is preparing for a war in
which his military targets are the ones to be hit first. This, I
project, will not be the case."
"He'll hit the fusion reactor," said Sylia in a flash of
understanding as the horror descend upon her. "One blast will
wipe Mega-Tokyo from the face of the Earth. Shit, blind fools.
HOUGH/CRUSADE-580
He doesn't want power over us like a dictator, he wants us dead.
His targets will naturally be the ones that will kill the most
humans possible with a single shot. Mega-Tokyo, every large
city, is already a death trap."
Crystal scooted over and began to comfort her as she
collapsed into despair. In Sylia's mind she saw the Earth and
the flashes as it's human cities were destroyed. Over and over
the scene played itself out. She retreated from reality and
tried to find some dark corner in her mind to hide in.
Sylia huddled, scrunched up into a ball. She saw nothing
but darkness until a single flame of green/black fire sparked to
life before her. She tried to avoid it, but it danced around,
forcing its presence into her awareness.
I mustn't be afraid, Sylia told herself as she stared at the
flame. I must turn into the light, into life, into hope. I must
survive or my daughters can never be. Quit being a coward; face
it; face it; do it fool; you have the strength. ***** is
depending on you. You can't disappoint him. Everything depends
on me. Do it.
Sylia opened her eyes and sat up. "Do it," she shouted.
"Yes indeed," said the Tai-Pan. "Live. Is your crisis
over?"
"I think so."
"Excellent." A section of the floor melted away to reveal a
CD ROM. "A present for you."
Sylia took the disk and looked at the Russian Cyrillic
HOUGH/CRUSADE-581
letters. "What is it?"
Crystal glanced at it and gasped. She shifted so she was
sitting behind her Mother. "Death," she whispered.
"My gift to Largo," said the hologram.
"I understand," responded Sylia.
"There is one last thing you should know before I send you
to your destiny," said the Tai-Pan of GENOM. "I doubt that I
will survive the attack. Even if I do, the Earth and humanity
will be your responsibility. After you leave, I shall begin to
devote more and more of my resources to my pursuit. Call it
Nirvana, call it the unification theory of physics, call it the
pursuit of ultimate and absolute knowledge, call it becoming one
with the very universe, what ever you label it, that is what I
will be doing. As the Zen masters teach us, I shall be pursuing
that by not doing so. I have reached the point where the affairs
of humanity are ceasing to interest me. I'm now issuing the
change of power announcement throughout GENOM. Sylia Stingray is
now Tai-Pan. Good-bye great-granddaughter. Good-bye Sylia."
The hologram faded from existence as the wall behind them opened
up.
"Let's go." They got up, bowed, and Crystal led the way out
through the maze of corridors. There was absolute silence except
for their footfalls on the cold metal. The atmospheric system
was off; after they passed through a section, the lights would
shut off and the passage soundlessly sealed itself. When they
came to the elevator, they watched the bulkheads in the corridor
HOUGH/CRUSADE-582
grind closed as they waited. The elevator doors slid shut on
darkness. "Mother? Are you all right?"
"I'm tired...so tired." Sylia slumped against
supported her as they rode up to the heliport.