Subject: [FFML] [ffml][fanfic][BGC] Saber's Destiny
From: Andrew Wilson
Date: 9/8/2000, 12:28 AM
To: ffml
Reply-to:
templar@softcom.net

Idea hit me a while back, wouldn't go away.  I've been
tossing this around for about a couple of weeks now,
debating whether or not to release it.  Oh well, hope I
didn't take someone else's title.

-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: sd.txt

Be nice, this is my first BGC fic, not to mention my first non-X-over.

In case you can't guess by the first few sentences, this fic begins at the end of "Red Eyes," and will invalidate some of what comes later (including Crash, but I haven't seen that yet, so it doesn't matter).

Bubblegum Crisis: Saber's Destiny
By Andrew Wilson

Sylia Stingray tried to concentrate on what was happening around her, not Largo's voice.

"You and I," the cybernetic madman said, "are two of a kind."

*No!* Sylia screamed at herself.  *Don't listen, focus on the situation.*

"Sylia," Linna called, "look out!"

Sylia looked up just in time to see a cannon emerge from Largo's mouth.  She stood paralyzed as energy collected at the emitter.  Her hardsuit was fast, but not fast enough to dodge light.  There was no time...

But Priss had other plans.  Gaining a fourth wind (having gone through her second and third already tonight, it's a safe bet her blood was almost pure adrenaline by now), Priss straightened up, shoving Sylia to the ground and placing herself between the silver Knight Saber and Largo.

The beam struck Priss dead center.  It's force was enough to knock her into Sylia's arms, and to push both of them back a couple meters.  The impact snapped Sylia out of her daze, allowing her to activate the cannons on both arms and open fire on Largo's burning form.  Linna's tri-cannon and even Nene's machine gun joined in.  Largo staggered back, nearing the edge of the tower.  The Knight Sabers stopped firing, to watch Largo fall.

The cyber-madman seamed to recover, his burned and bullet riddled flesh beginning to reform, when a single shot rang out, striking Largo between his eyes.  He would have fallen, had not Priss' motoroid, as though avenging it's fallen mistress, rose up from behind and smashed Largo into the ground, denting the metal roof and splattering fluids all around.  Sylia looked over her shoulder, and saw Leon standing a few meters back, holstering his revolver.

Gently removing Priss' helmet, Sylia checked the singers pulse.

"How's it look?" Priss rasped.

"Don't try to talk," Sylia replied.

"Shove it, Sylia," Priss laughed, "I know it's bad.  Don't try to hide it behind that 'ice bitch' mask of yours."

"Alright, you took a high powered laser beam to the chest.  Your hardsuit gave some measure of protection, but it still burned through.  Add to that the residual energy playing havoc with your central nervous system, there's nothing I can do."

"Nerve damage, huh?  So that's why I don't feel anything."

Sylia tried to ignore the sound of Nene's sobs.  Linna was holding onto the smaller girl, giving her a measure of the support both of them needed.

"Why?" was all Sylia could ask.

"I couldn't save Sylvie, I couldn't save Anri.  I couldn't even kill Largo by myself.  At least I was able to save someone." Priss coughed, a trickle of blood leaking from her mouth.  "Sylia, I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Get them for me, promise me that..." Priss's voice drifted away as the light disappeared from her eyes.

Sylia reached over to close Priss' eyes, but another hand beat her to it.  Looking up, she studied Leon's face.

"You know."  It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," he replied, nodding.  "Her at least.  You should have had her keep her helmet on during the DD incident."

"What now?"

"Now, I'm going to issue a statement to the press in about an hour.  When I do, I'm going to say something to the effect of Priscilla Asagiri, famed singer and apparently member of the secret Knight Sabers organization, was killed while preventing a boomer uprising on an unprecedented scale."

"Very well," Sylia said, gathering her fallen comrade in her arms and walking toward the sky carrier

"Wait," Leon called.  "It doesn't end here, you know."

"No, it doesn't," Sylia handed Priss' body to Linna and turned to face Leon.  "But for now it has."

*******

Locked in her office the next day, where not even Mackie could reach her, Sylia finally allowed the tears to fall.

*It wasn't supposed to be this way,* Sylia told herself.

She knew, with the type of work they did, that this day would have come eventually.  Toward that end, she had kept her distance.  The "ice bitch" facade served her well, until the previous night.  When the beam had struck Priss, Sylia discovered that the distance she had tried so hard to keep between herself and the others was a lie.  Looking back, she could see that she felt the same way about Linna and Nene.  She thought back to the battle early the previous night, when they face the three hyper-boomers.  At the time, she rationalized her orders to Linna and Nene as simple logic, she might as well stay behind and give the others a chance to escape since her damaged thrusters would not let her survive the jump.  Now, she knew that rationalization to be a lie.  It was a frightening thought to Sylia, more frightening than Genom's abuse of her father's technologies.

The other Knight Sabers were her friends.

It was truly horrifying for her.  In the beginning, they were supposed to be business associates, acquaintances, comrades in arms, but not friends.  She knew that there needed to be a measure of trust, but not something like this.  Of course, her "11 rules" made any long term relationships outside the group impossible.  So many things she should have seen.

*And now the eleventh rule has been enforced.*  Sylia shook that thought away.  That rule had been a scare tactic, something to indicate how serious the situation was.  Priss had known that, and seemed to go out of her way to push Sylia into either enforcing the rule, or admitting it was nothing.

*Another thing you should have seen,* came the voice of her conscious.  *But what would you have done?  What could you have done?*

"Nothing," Sylia said.

*And what can you do now?  Let Genom win?*

"Never."

*Then get off your ass, find a replacement, and kick the bastards when they're down.*

Sylia gasped.  Those last few lines had been what Priss would have said, and carried with it her tone and inflections.

There were many things that needed to be done.  None of them could be done from her office.

And none could be done alone.

*******

"You want to do what?"  Linna's reaction was exactly what Sylia had expected.

None of them were doing well.  Nene looked the worst, with dark circles under eyes that were red from crying.  Linna and Mackie, by contrast, weren't showing any outward signs of grief, but Sylia could see the tension in their faces and movements.

"It's simple," Sylia explained.  "I know you are all hurting after what happened to Priss, but we have more important things to worry about."

"Like what?" Nene almost screeched.  She was sitting on the couch next to Mackie, indicating something else Sylia should have seen coming.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Priss was a friend.  Do you remember her last words, Nene?"

"She made you promise something, but I didn't hear what she said then."

Linna interrupted.  "She said, 'get them for me.'"

"Correct.  I won't try to analyze what went through her mind in those last moments, but it's obvious that she did not want our job to go unfinished."

"What job?" Linna asked.  "Every time we've thought you had a goal, you turn around and contradicted it.  We've been together for over two years Sylia, can't you trust us yet?"

"Your goal is to make money by performing paramilitary work against the mega-corporations, Genom specifically.  My goal has been to prevent the misuse of my father's technology.  To control the greed of me like Quincy."

"Oh," Linna commented, "so there is a long term goal."

"Priss died hoping we could destroy Genom, or at least render it impotent.  While that was never my goal to begin with, it seems to have become so now."

"Maybe," Linna observed, "this should have been your goal all along.  I mean, you should have known Mason would be trouble back with that Super-Boomer incident.  You shouldn't have waited until Priss stepped out of line before killing him."

"Perhaps.  In any case, it is time to restructure the Knight Sabers organization.  This time, I would like your input on it."

"Where do we start?" Nene asked.

"We start by saying goodbye to a departed friend.  The sooner you three are able to let go, the sooner we can honor Priss in the best way possible."

"How?" Linna asked.

"By being worthy of her sacrifice."

*******

The funeral was held the next day.  The mourners were few, mostly a group of Priss' fans, a couple of her few friends, Leon, and three armored figures.

>From the sounds coming over the radio, Sylia knew that the visor of Nene's helmet would need to be cleaned before the next mission.  As the coffin slowly rolled into the incinerator, Sylia's own control began to break.  She could not stop her eyes from watering, and could tell Linna was just barely keeping control, while Nene was sobbing.

*Image be damned,* Sylia told herself, and let the tears flow.

When the short ceremony ended, the crowd quickly broke up.  Some to be alone with their thoughts, others heading out to get drunk, and most of the rest wanting to get as far away from the trouble magnets known as the Knight Sabers.

Leon, on the other hand, stayed.

"You couldn't even show respect to one of your comrades?" he accused.  "You have to hide behind your masks?"

"You revealed that Priss was one of us." Sylia calmly explained.  "Everyone at this ceremony will be investigated by Genom to find a connection to us.  If we hadn't appeared like this, they might have found out who we really are."

"Whatever," Leon replied, donning his jacket.

"Wait," Sylia called before he could leave.  "We need to talk."

*******

Leon was lead into their tractor rig, then blindfolded.  Sylia had Mackie drive a roundabout course to their destination.  This wasn't just to confuse the officer, but to discourage any pursuit.  When they finally arrive at the garage under Raven's place, Sylia was sure that Leon was confused, and that they weren't being followed.

Once underground, they plopped the police officer into a chair and removed his blindfold.  He looked annoyed, but Sylia was sure that she had his attention.

As she removed her helmet, but Leon interrupted anything she was going to say.  "I supposed you're going to kill me now?"

"No, Inspector," Sylia replied.  "I have a business proposition for you."

"Really," Leon was still skeptical.  "Does it involve me getting one of those suits?"

"No," Sylia replied. "It does, however, involve mutual assistance."

"What make you think I need anything from you?"

"Aww, come on Leon," the look on Leon's face when Nene started speaking, sans helmet, was priceless.  "Everyone knows that the AD Police is totally useless against anything more powerful than a rogue industrial boomer.  Last time a Bu-12B went on the rampage, over a dozen Tac Squad grunts and two K-11 pilots were lost."

Leon didn't reply, he was still in shock.

"What I am suggesting," Sylia continued, "is a simple trade.  You help us stop the ambitions of men like Quincy, and we'll help you whenever a combat boomer goes rogue, no charge."

"And if I refuse?"

"*Then* we kill you," Linna deadpanned.

Leon laughed.  "So, what's first?"

"First," Sylia answered, "is a matter of personnel.  The Knight Sabers organization is structured as a four person combat unit.  Each member has a purpose.  One handles close combat, another communications, the third is ranged combat and heavy weapons, while the forth handles coordination and can support any of the other three as the situation demands."

"So you need a new number three?"

"Yes.  Yesterday, I did a computer search.  I was looking for people with a number of qualifications.  They must have little or no family connections, be proficient in combat techniques, they must have reason to want to fight the mega-corporations, and they must be female."

"What's with that last one?"

"Several reasons, none of which I will go into at this time.  I already have a likely candidate for the team, but I will need your help in getting to her."

"Who?" Leon, Nene, and Linna all asked.  Sylia had yet to tell them her selection.  The only person she had told was Mackie.

They did not being kept in the dark, they liked it less when she told them.

*******

"Are you really sure about her?" Nene asked.

"Yes," was Sylia's only reply.  They were in the district eight general hospital.  She, Nene, and Leon were heading to a private room in the recovery section.

"So why is *he* here?"

"So we can get by security," Leon answered before Sylia.

"Sylia," Nene whined, "why do we have to do this?  I mean, Linna and I understand that we need a fourth person on the team, but why can't that be Mackie?"

"Mackie is needed for tasks other than combat.  Even the suit he's building is mainly for support.  It's firepower is not made for presicion."

"But..."

"We need someone who can operate heavy weapons, as well as being a front line fighter.  Look at her records.  She's had training in firearms, and is a brown belt in Kempo." (1)

"But she worked for Genom!"

"So did my father.  Again, you should have studied her records.  She was a high level executive before this incident, and she's only twenty-four.  Besides, with the recent developments, she'll hardly be in a position to refuse.  Also, she has knowledge of high-level security procedures.  Even if the codes are useless, the techniques used and the mind-set of the people in control are still valuable."

Nene sighed.  "I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right," Sylia replied as Leon talked his way past the security guards.  They were ushered into the room, alone with it's occupant.

"What do you want?" Kathryn Madigan's rolling accent sounded bitter.  Patches of synthskin covered her arms and portions of her face, while an IV dripped medication into her arm.  Sylia examined the chart inside the door.

"Lacerations, severe bruising, internal bleeding, and a concussion, none of which caused any permanent damage.  This after being less than four meters from the site of an orbital bombardment," Sylia observed. "I'm impressed."

"Who the devil are you?"

Sylia ignored the question.  "I heard you were forced into early retirement a few days ago."

Madigan snorted. "I was out before the dust from the attack settled.  The chairman decided that a high-level scapegoat was needed, and that was me."

"A shame," Sylia said, pulling out a small box. "I'm sure your pension does not include medical care."

"What the hell is that?"

Once again, Sylia ignored the question.  "You don't have any cybernetic implants performing critical functions in your body, do you?"

"I asked what that bloody thing was."

Sylia sighed.  "It's a small EM disrupter.  Any listening devices within the room will be rendered useless.  It also produces sub- and hyper-sonic static to interfere with remote listening. As a side effect, it causes some cybernetic implants to short out.  So do you have anything vital that would be affected?"  Madigan shook her head.  "Good."

Sylia winced when the device activated.  "I never like doing this." (2)

Madigan noted the wince.  "How does the owner of a lingerie shop get advanced cyber-implants?"

"From my father.  Now, I hope you can listen, I'd hate to loose one of my customers, no matter how infrequently she shops."

"Get on with it."

"Very well."  Sylia motioned Nene over, and retrieved some papers from her briefcase.  "I have a source inside Genom that says Quincy is looking for more than a scapegoat.  He's afraid that you'll talk about company secrets, such as the rumored OMS."

"The what?"

"Don't bother denying it, I know you know," Sylia said. "But Quincy is afraid you'll tell others.  The scapegoat was for the public, this time it's for him."

"So?"

"So, within twelve hours of you exiting this hospital, there will be another boomer rampage.  At least three combat class boomers will suddenly lose all external control.  You will be just one of the unfortunate victims in this scenario."

"So what are you offering?"

"A way out," Sylia replied.  Nene handed Madigan a small cylinder.  "That device is a short range transmitter.  If you agree, I can have surveillance on you from the time you leave.  If you are attacked, just trigger that and you'll have help within three minutes, with reinforcements within thirty."

"And what is the cost?"

"That will be for you to decide."

*******

"Tell us again," Linna spat, "why you think she could replace Priss."

"She can't," Sylia explained.  It was evening, and the five of them, Sylia, Nene, Linna, Leon, and Mackie, were having dinner in Sylia's apartment.  "If she accepts our offer, she'll give us an edge in firepower we've been lacking since the fight with Largo."

"So why do you think she'll accept?" Leon asked between bites.  His presence was at Sylia's request.  While Nene's job was relatively secure (mostly because she occasionally hacked into her performance records), Sylia liked the idea of a second "contact" with the ADP that was a little higher up the ladder than a office technician.  Besides, she almost considered him part of the team.

"She dedicated herself to a cause, and now that cause has thrown her out.  She'll see the coming attack as a betrayal, and want revenge."

"You seem awfully sure that she'll react this way," Linna observed.

"I was always able to out-think the rest of you, wasn't I?"

*******

Madigan was released from the hospital a few days later, after making a full recovery.  Her car was waiting for her in the parking lot, apparently untouched.'

*Of course,* she thought to herself, *if the Chairman wanted it to look like an accident, he wouldn't use a car-bomb.*

As she expected, the car started without any problems.  It was mid-afternoon, so the traffic was light, and she was able to get onto the highway rather quickly.

Halfway to her apartment, however, she ran into an AD Police roadblock.

Exiting her car, she inquired about the situation with a nearby officer.

"Sorry, ma'am, there's a trio of renegade boomers coming this way," the redhead replied, "you'll have to leave the area."

"Very well," Madigan said, heading back for her car.  Once there, however, she did not start the engine.  Instead she pulled a small pair of binoculars out of the glove compartment.  She had a perfect angle to see past a pair of armored trucks blocking the road, and could make out three figures approaching.

Two of the figures were standard, 55-C boomers.  Behind the pair, though, something odd.  It appeared to be a large, plush, purple and green toy lizard.  It looked like what was found on children's television shows at the turn of the century.  It was also larger than either 55-C.

*Come to think of it, odd is not the word.*

The police opened fire, the massed fire taking down one of the 55-C's.  The other used it's thrusters to rocket towards the barricades.

Madigan decided that this was not the time to hang around as the boomer began to pick off the armored figures.  The second creature was waddling along, oblivious to the bullets bouncing off it's hide.

Madigan hit the accelerator.  However, her car only made it about ten meters when the engine suddenly died.

*Car bomb, no.  Sabotage so I'm at the scene of my murder, yes.*  Several curses, all aimed at the Chairman, ran though her mind.

Getting out of the car, she fingered the transmitter that woman gave her the other day.  She could use it now, or wait and see if the AD Police could handle whatever that third boomer was.

*Since when has the ADP been anything but cannon fodder?*

That thought cinched it.  Madigan pulled out the cylinder and popped off the cap.  Pressing down on the newly exposed red button, she hoped whatever help was coming would be here quick.

As the second 55-C fell to the ground, Madigan noticed that half the police force was out of the fight, either dead or injured.  Seeing this, the purple dinosaur's form began to rip.

Any doubts about someone wanting to kill her disappeared once the cyberdroid emerged from it's disguise.  Tall, slightly top-heavy, and apparently made up exclusively of armor plating and weapons systems, it was a boomer that was restricted by every nation on Earth.  In fact, it was considered a capital crime to have one of that particular class of cyberdroids on the planet.

Standing there was a Doberman.

Madigan pressed the transmitter even harder as the AD Police began to evacuate.  They were not going to hang around when one of *those* was on the loose.  Doing so would be an invitation to a slaughter.  The officer that talked to her before was screaming into his radio, calling for assistance from the military.

But she didn't have time to wait for them.

The Doberman advanced slowly, like it was savoring the fear it's presence caused.  Madigan knew that as soon as it's limited intelligence decided it was time for her to die, she would.

The boomer crouched, ready to spring and end her life when Madigan was grabbed from behind and lifted into the air.  Passing over the Doberman's spring by several meters, she continued to move away from the boomer, until she was deposited on a rooftop a short distance away.  Her savior moved back towards the battle, and Madigan got her first good look at her.

It was obviously a woman, that much could be told by the armor's styling.  The silver hardsuit armed it's weapons as it approached the boomer on the highway.

One hardsuit didn't stand a chance against a Doberman.  When a trio of mecha suddenly appeared, Madigan began to reassess her chances of survival.  There was a second hardsuit, this one green with orange and gray patches.  The third mecha was taller, with a similar build and a blue color.  The last mecha was nearly four meters tall, with a massive build and heavy armaments.

The hardsuits baited the Doberman, then leaped back as it attacked.  The two larger mechs suddenly opened up, revealing cramped pilot's compartments, which the hardsuits entered.

*Exo-skeletons with independent operation abilities, impressive toys.*

The Doberman might have been dumb, but it knew enough to try and complete it's mission before taking on the intruders.  With a single leap, it cleared the distance between the highway and the roof Madigan was on, easily thirty meters.

The roof held, barely, beneath the boomer's weight.  It's mouth opened, exposing the main cannon, when it was blindsided by the blue mecha.

Blue darted around, striking the Doberman at what it's pilot hoped were weak points.  During this time, Green stayed back, using a large particle beam rifle to put the occasional scratch on the Doberman's armor.  A sound of disgust originated from the pilot as she shouldered the rifle.

"If you know any weaknesses," Green called, "we could use the advice."

"Hit the energy emitter," Madigan yelled, "it's the only way."

Blue did just that.  The Doberman attempted to fry her again when the mecha pilot blew the boomer's head off.  It staggered around, slashing randomly wherever it could.

"We have to get out of here," Madigan called.  "It might have a self-destruct!"

She could have sworn she heard several curses come from both, before Blue picked her up and leaped away from the building.

The explosion was fierce, taking out the top three stories of the office building and propelling them an extra ten meters along in their flight.

Once they landed, Blue opened up, revealing the Silver hardsuit.

"So," Madigan said, "are you going to kill me now, Knight Sabers?"

"No," Silver said.  Madigan finally placed her voice.  It was the woman that visited her in the hospital.

"Why not?  I know who you are, Sylia Stingray."

Sylia removed her helmet.  "So?  Do you not believe in gratitude?"

"I believe that information leading to your death might just get the Chairman's goon's off my back."

"Do you truly believe that?  He sent a Doberman to kill you, after all.  Clearly he want's you dead."

The second Knight Saber joined in.  "He'd take the information, then kill you."

"So what are you offering?"

"A chance at life.  An opportunity for revenge."

Madigan laughed.  "Join the Knight Sabers?  Are you forgetting that I used to be one of the people hunting you?"

"That does not matter.  You were a predator, now you are the prey." Sylia held out her hand.  "I'm offering you a chance to be the predator again, will you take it?"

Madigan stared at the armored hand, pondering her choice.  Death, or betrayal.

"It is not betrayal to fight against those that betrayed you, Ms. Madigan."

Wondering if Sylia was psychic, Madigan took the offered hand. "Let's get out of here, before Quincy sends something bigger."


Notes:

If people think that Ranma and Shampoo make a good couple, I figured I could have Madigan join the KS's (contrary to what some believe, I don't think she died at the end of "Red Eyes," there's no evidence either way).  Besides, I like the accent (in the dub).

1: Yes, a brown belt, not black.  This ain't Ranma 1/2, not every Joe Shmoe is a dan rating ("even in something as silly as martial arts cheese toast making" Kenko, Girl Days).

2: She would have calibrated the thing to have minimal effect on her own augmentations, but nothings perfect.

The original idea for this came after reading an article that said it was originally planned for Priss to die at the end of "Red Eyes."  Of course, I think it was also mentioned that Priss' replacement was supposed to be Reika/Vision.

FYI: the two mecha Sylia and Linna used in the last battle are the Typhoon-II and MSX-01 motoroids, as seen at the end of "Red Eyes."

Like it? Hate it?  Want me to burn in hell for my portrayal of your favorite character?  Want me to continue this?  Drop me a line.

Warning: Flames, dub/sub comments, and arguments about Sylia being a boomer will be laughed at and deleted.



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