< > indicates thoughts
{ } indicates telepathy


His daughter looked out at him from the screen.  Sylia wasn't his
by birth, for his wife couldn't have children, but he loved her
as strongly as if she had been his own, and not the child of a
colleague who died in an accident years ago.

"When are you going to come home, Daddy?  You haven't been here
for a week," she asked him, then added, "I can handle it, but
Mackie misses you."  He smiled; for the last few months Sylia
desperately tried to demonstrate she was mature enough to have
her bedtime pushed back again.

"We're right on the edge of a breakthrough.  Once we make it,
I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail," he said. <Assuming
a new area of research doesn't suddenly appear, like two days
ago.>  "Now put your mother on."  His wife's pale face replaced
Sylia's tanned one, with light blue hair instead of Sylia's
blue-black.  The expression on that face was not pleased.  "It
looks like I'm going to have to work here another night.  We've
hit another problem with the AI interface."  He sighed.

"This weekend you're spending only with the family.  No
engineering, no work, just the four of us."

"It's not like we're never together," he protested, idly twisting
his wedding ring.  A hair thin line of blue spiraled around the
gold band.  He hurried on to forestall her response.  "I know, I
know it's not the same.  All right, the day after tomorrow I'll
spend an uninterrupted two days with you.  And after that our
schedule here should be a little more sedate."

"Anything looks sedate compared to pace you're setting."

"Yeah, well, it'll slow down, I promise."

"As long as it doesn't take you as long as the last time you
promised to come back."

Green light threw his shadow over the console, and a lab tech
cheered.  "Doctor Mizuhara!  I think we've got it!"

"Gotta go dear.  I love you."

"I love you, Makoto."  The screen blanked out. <Now if everything
will work according to schedule, I can keep that promise.>  He
examined the diagnostic's display.  The results certainly looked
like he'd spend the two days with his family. <Time to call that
scum of a boss and tell him we've cleared all the major design
hurdles.>  He was certain they'd try to claim the androids were
property, but as long as he was head researcher, they'd never get
away with it. <Speaking of getting away, maybe I should accept
that headhunter's offer.  I don't like the direction our
company's taking, especially in the form of this weasel over me.>

The phone rang twice before the other side picked up.  "Hello,
I'd like to speak to Brian Mason."

     The World of Balance and Ruin


Bubble Gum Crisis is copyrighted by Artmic and Youmex, same with
El-Hazard to Pioneer.  Their characters and worlds aren't mine,
no matter how much I'd like them to be, although the situations I
put them into are copyright Matthew Lewis.  I'll throw in a lot
more praise as long you guys don't sue me.  Imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery, and plagiarism is the purest form of
imitation.  Really.



The linkage was abrupt.  One moment Ifurita was in the den,
balancing her lingerie shop's accounts, the next she stood before
Makoto.  Then the images came.  His life's works, all the
projects that existed as ideas, blue prints as diverse as coffee
makers and powered armor streamed into her mind.  As she
assimilated the flood of data, he kissed her on the lips.  "I'm
sorry.  I though if I was the one to do it, everything could
start out right.  I didn't want them to be slaves, like you
were."  She caught a brief glimpse through his eyes of a lab on
fire and a man with a gun.  Then she felt him die.

The very earth screamed its anger at the murder.  She realized
the voice was her own.  Consciously, she had always known their
time together would span a century at most, but that made
Makoto's premature death all the worse, the time stolen all the
more valuable.

Very well.  If Genom wished to play at violence, she would teach
them why even the strong supported the niceties of civilization.  

There was always someone stronger.  

For the crime of hurting Ifurita, greatest of the demon-gods and
destroyer of civilizations, the sentence would be death.  

As Ifurita stood the sweater and slacks she wore unwrapped into
threads which reformed into her battle dress.  She snatched the
power key staff from where it leaned against the wall.  Justice
would be swift.

"Momma?"  Ifurita turned to see Sylia peering around the door
from the hall.  She slid further behind the door when Ifurita
turned to face her.  "I heard you scream," Sylia offered
hesitantly, "is everything all right?" 

<How do you tell a child your true love, her father, was just
killed by his company, and her mother, a demon-god, is going to
extract her vengeance?>  "Everything will be fine," Ifurita
answered coaxingly.  "I hit my funny bone, that's all."  Pushing
thoughts of destruction aside for the moment, she took her
eldest's hand and led her back to her room.  Ifurita tucked Sylia
in, then returned to the den. <Once she's asleep and I know
she'll be safe, Genom will die.>

Someone would recognize her.  Still, by then she and the children
would be worlds away.  Roshtaria would be glad to take them in. 
Sylia and Mackie would grow up in the palace under Rune-Venus's
protection.  Surely gratitude for saving their world would erase
any lingering fear of her. She could raise the children there,
where no one would be foolish enough to anger her . . . where
they would be the children of  'the greatest of the demon-gods,
destroyer of civilizations.'  She would not put that burden upon
them as surely as she would see Genom destroyed.  Vengeance would
wait.  She had time, and if Genom fell in the years ahead, she
would just have to settle for killing its former board members.


     ~*~


Sylia stood backstage, next to the Priss's dressing room door. 
The owner of Hot Legs used the room for a variety of functions,
none dealing with the paying customers.  The chipped brick and
scarred linoleum presented a face no businessman, not even the
club manager, would let his customers see.  Hired help was
another story altogether.   She studied the poster of the singer
taped to the door. < She looks better without the wig.>  Sylia
knocked on the door.  "Hurry up Priss." 

<Why do the boomers always rampage when I'm having a good time,
and never in the middle of doing the taxes?  It's like Priss's
singing drives boomers insane.>  She smiled slightly, that quip
would need the proper setting, preferably outside Priss's
immediate reach.  "Mom says there's something odd about this one. 
The AD police can't stop it."

The brunette singer opened the door, dressed in her usual red
jacket, white blouse and black slacks.  "What's odd about that?"
she asked sardonically.  Sylia snorted as she hurried her friend
along.  "Or do you mean they're even more useless than normal?"

"They handle most of the boomer crime in the city easily."

"If they're so great, why are you in such a rush?  It's because
they suck, and we all know it." They reached the waiting truck
and stepped into the back compartment, sparing only a nod to
Mackie in the driver's seat.

Sylia moved so the partitions of the hardsuit lockers hid her
from sight and began to undress.  Her mother took up her side of
the lecture.  "You know Genom is field testing new boomers
against the AD police.  You can't expect them to match up to
military hardware.  They fare poorly, but only because they're
outclassed and the politicians won't admit it." 

"You mean bribed not to admit it," Priss made a face as she
pulled her soft suit on.  Sylia helped her fasten the buckle on
its back.  Linna stood next to Ifurita, already in her hard suit.

"They're field testing new boomers against us, not the ADP,"
Linna scowled.  "And we're not even paid for it." Sylia stepped
into her suit and straightened up as the seals locked her in.

"We could, of course, let the boomer kill people until the
military puts it down," Ifurita's voice was icy.

"Hey," Priss said as she fitted her helmet over her head, "if it
involves killing a boomer, I can handle giving out a freebie or
two."

Everyone finished suiting up and turned to face Ifurita, who
began the briefing.  "The boomer is moving along this elevated
highway.  Sylia, you will move ahead to the fault and wait for
Priss and Linna to herd it toward you.  Priss, take your
motorslave.  Your flight pack won't handle keeping up with the
boomer without depleting its reserves.  Once in the canyon stray
fire won't cause collateral damage.  Don't underestimate this
boomer, we don't know how Genom modified it."  She looked at each
of the Knight Sabers, then donned her helmet, completing her
black and purple hardsuit.  "Knight Sabers, go!"

Sylia cut a chord across the elevated highway's curve, landing at
the drop off created by a collapsed section.  She waited, tacking
the other's positions on her display. <The boomer should be in
sight . . . now.> A targeting box appeared around the blue
biodroid's form, then a target lock warning sprung up next to it. 
The vulcan cannon it carried clenched under its arm began to
fire.  Sylia stepped aside to dodge the rounds, then leapt
upwards before the boomer could ram her.  A kick sent it over the
edge.

Priss drove off the edge of the highway at full speed.  Instead
of enveloping her in its battle armor mode, the motorslave
changed to its humanoid form, and Priss lounged in its arms as
they landed. <Priss, we're trying to gauge its capabilities. 
Battle is not the time to show off, doubly so when we don't know
the enemy.>  

The boomer emerged from the pile of debris it landed in.  One arm
was missing, the vulcan taking its place.  Sylia jumped down
behind it as Linna leapt at the boomer, connecting with her
knuckle bomber in its side.

Roaring, the biodroid turned its fire on the green Knight Saber,
allowing Priss two clear shots.  The rail gun spikes pinned the
boomer to a highway support.  The construction and weaponry of
the boomer made it clear.  "It's a new breed.  A C-class boomer."

"Are you sure?" Linna asked.  A new type of boomer not only made
their task that much harder, it was an indication of how little
they actually affected Genom.  <One more indication, at any
rate.>  Before Sylia could answer, the boomer ripped itself from
the pillar, leaving its head and remaining arm behind.  Sylia
slammed her right palm through its stomach and fired her beam
cannon inside it.  The boomer's body collapsed.
"Good work," Ifurita's voice sounded in their ears, "return to
the truck."  The three Knight Sabers jetted away.  Ifurita met
them with the truck they used as a mobile base.  While changing
back into their street cloths, Sylia centered herself and turned
to speak to Priss.

"You shouldn't hot dog with the motorslave.  We didn't know the
capabilities of the boomer, and you could have been injured."

"Everything went fine.  So what if I showed off a little for that
guy watching us?  We didn't even need our mobile reserves." 
Ifurita's usually explanation for her lack of participation was a
standing joke, especially since none of them could touch her in
sparring.

"If you didn't need me, then there was no harm done, Priss. 
However, our relations with the AD police are bad enough without
antagonizing one of their premiere inspectors." Ifurita answered
calmly.

"He was a cop?  Shit!  I'd've 'accidentally' shot his bike,"
Priss huffed.

"As you obviously didn't read the ADP dossier Ifurita gave you,
Inspector McNichol is one of our supporters," Linna smiled as
Priss's face reflected her anger at Linna catching her out.  As
the truck pulled to a stop, Priss slipped her jacket on.

"I'm getting something to eat.  Some of us were working before
this boomer cropped up," Priss said and stepped out, her wounded
pride obvious.  Linna just chuckled.


     ~*~


Sylia had two escapes.  The first was to become so involved with
her research the outside world ceased to exist in her mind.  As
this condition tended to last days, and as Genom now had a new
type of boomer, such obliviousness was out of the question.  That
left her with the second escape: swimming.  Sylia lazily swum the
breaststroke, concentrating on the feeling of water moving around
her.  With her body occupied and her senses filled she could
empty her mind empty and float from thought to thought without
conscious will.  She treasured her periods of not-thought; they
no longer occurred in her everyday life.

Memories of the recent fight surfaced in her mind.  Priss falling
and her motoroid embracing her like a lover.  The boomer's torso
and legs ripping free of its pinned head and arms.  Standing with
her arm in the stomach of the boomer noting the focus cone
successfully mimicked the knuckle bomber under combat conditions. 
The last memory came uncomfortably close to thinking, and Sylia
ducked under the water before surfacing to float on her back. 
More memories surfaced.  These fuzzier, older memories began to
play themselves, becoming her real world.


Sylia awoke to her mother's anguished scream.  She clutched the
covers to her chest. <What's wrong?  Is Mommy hurt?>  Sylia
wanted to close her eyes and go back to sleep, but a sleepless
night of worrying scared her more than getting up and finding
out. <Everything's probably alright.  Nothing could hurt Mommy. 
And when I get up to help her, she'll see how brave and grown up
I am and stop treating me like a baby.>

She crept out of the bed and into the hall.  Peeking her head
around the door, she saw her mother in the living room, wearing a
strange black dress.  In her hand was an odd staff with something
attached to the top.  Sylia swallowed nervously.  "Momma?" she
asked.  Her mother turned toward her, and for a moment the face
she saw was cold.  It melted in the familiar expression of love
so quickly Sylia was not sure she actually saw it.  "I heard you
scream; is everything okay?"   <What if everything isn't okay? 
But Mommy's okay and->

"Everything will be fine . . . I hit my funny bone, that's all."  

Sylia blinked. <I got so worried and it was nothing!?>  "Well
some of us are trying to sleep," Daddy always told her and Mackie
that when they were too loud at night.  Momma nodded slowly.

"Yes," she said at last, "some people are.  Let's get you to bed;
it is far past your bed time."

"I'm old enough to stay up.  You said so!"

"I said you could read in bed a half hour later.  Let's go young
lady."


     ~*~


"Dinner was great Mom," Sylia said as they entered the penthouse. 
Mackie was at a friend's house, leaving the girls a night to
bond.  Ifurita smiled.

"It's not every day your daughter gets accepted to every college
she applied to, especially considering the colleges you applied
to.  So I decided to celebrate."  Ifurita paused and her smile
turned sad.  "I also decided to give you something your father
wanted you to have."  Sylia sat down on the couch. <Mom hardly
ever talks about Dad.  I wonder if it's a family heirloom.  Or
maybe . . . maybe his research notes.> Sylia's interest were
similar to her father's, and his notes would be priceless in the
opportunities they could provide for both further research as
well as practical applications.

"What?"  All Sylia's anticipation and curiosity were compressed
into that one word.  Ifurita sat opposite her and placed a wooden
box on the table between them.  Wordlessly she opened the lid. 
Sylia assumed it was not a vial of mercury, as her father had not
been one for practical jokes.

"Hold out your hands."  Sylia did as she was told, and her mother
poured the not-mercury into them.  As the silvery liquid touched
her skin, it disappeared. <Nanites?> Then she felt the change
begin.

It was not a physical sensation, but an alteration of thought and
thought processes; new way of thinking spun full formed into her
mind.  Time slowed as her thoughts became faster.  Then came the
voice inside her head.

{Sylia, I waited until you became old enough to choose your life. 
The time has come for that choice, and you must understand what
it is you choose.}  She had no time to marvel at her mother's
voice speaking in her mind before the memories came.  A world
where the Eye of God hung in the sky.  Her parents seeing each
other for the first time.  Her father getting shot.  Her mother
standing on a ruined dome surveying the city she destroyed. 
Plans for boomers, powered armor, a self-cleaning litter box
flashed by.  Her mind began to go numb as more memories flooded
into her brain.  Behind all of them she could feel her mother's
driving need for revenge and the even more powerful desire to
mask it from her daughter.  She knew now both sides of the
conversation the night of her father's death, and why Genom Tower
still stood where a glassy crater should be.

When the world faded back into view, the first thing she saw was
her mother, still sitting opposite to her, still waiting.  She'd
waited years for Sylia's sake.  The silence echoed on until Sylia
finally spoke.  "We can't just blow them up, they're become too
important to the world.  I have another way."


     ~*~


Ifurita watched as the other Knight Sabers sat down.  "I take it
you've all seen the morning paper?"  Their heads nodded except
for Nene, who blushed.  Ifurita's tone became reproving.  "Then
you know USSD is offering us employment."

"There's gotta be a catch," Priss muttered.

"That's true," Nene said.  Ifurita would have sighed.  For all
her genius in her field, Nene never participated in these
planning sessions; she just agreed with other members.

"But it's work.  Twenty million up front worth of work!  We
should at least check it out," Linna objected.

"The meeting itself could be a trap.  USSD and Genom both would
pay much more than that to reverse engineer one of our suits,"
Sylia objected.

"What do you think, Ifurita?" Nene asked.

"Any decisions will require more information.  I will meet with
them and see what they say they want.  As well as what they
actually want.  Nene, you're done with work?  Good, you will come
with me.  The rest of you, do not forget tonight's training
session.  I have exercises to address your deficiencies in the
last battle."  Nene smiled as the others.  "I have a new one for
you too, Nene," she continued.  The smile disappeared.


     ~*~


Sylia ran the simulation once more, and once again the Silky Doll
imploded into a black hole.  She sighed.  Ifurita and Nene were
still out bargaining with USSD, Mackie stood ready to pick them
up, and Linna had to teach a class.  Priss chose not to stay
after the meeting broke up. <It's not like she should have.  With
her singing she's usually out until noon, and with this new job,
the training sessions, and her band, Priss has to rest when she
can.>

So Sylia returned to her lab to, well, fiddle.  Her mother
explained the basics of dimensional physics, and many of the
esoteric mathematics and physics literature fleshed out her
understanding of how the various realities might be related.  The
theory was complex, unexplored, and utterly impractical.  It was
a perfect hobby.  <Well, almost impractical, but you'd need a
device the size of a small moon to use any of this offensively.>
The last was not strictly true, as her mother could duplicate the
effects of the Eye of God, but that was different.      <The
ancients of El-Hazard got pretty strange with philosophy and
science.  I'm not even sure if the term demon-god had deeper
meaning than a name. I'm pretty sure Mom taps into some strange
corollaries of the laws of physics.>

For mere mortals like herself, generating a portal in a
stationary spot did not require an Eye of God, just a few
warehouses full of equipment.  Hiding from Genom precluded any
chance of taking up so much space.  Instead, Sylia decided to
build a defense against the Eye of God.  Stopping a portal proved
too difficult, so she concentrated on surviving the attack. 
God's Yo-Yo, as she called the system, simultaneously weakened
the dimensional wall in its area, and magnified any portal in the
area.  The result was a large area, not just the target,
disappearing.  That part worked fine.  The second system, that
was supposed to pull that area back to its dimension of origin,
failed miserably.  All this, was, of course, only in theory.  <In
practice the first part might not even work.  Well, it's not I'll
ever have to use the thing.>

Sylia's watch alarm caught her as she screwed an access panel in
place.   It was already time for the evening practice session. 
She drove over the Raven's garage and entered the training area
just as Linna started her session, dressed in a leotard, gloves,
boots and a two trailing ribbons attached to her headband.  It
made up the Knight Sabers' equivalent of practice blades. 
Ifurita stood opposite her in a purple and teal body stocking
Sylia recognized as the inner part of her battle gown.  She
actually held a practice blade in one hand, and a pen light under
her jaw could activate to simulate a boomer's mouth laser.    As
Sylia watched, her mother jumped at her teammate.

Ifurita taught all of them one on one and sparred constantly to
maintain their form.  The sessions always seemed like hell, with
her mother pushing each member until they dropped. <Thank God Mom
always starts with the reaction time of a boomer, or we'd never
get a hit in.  Linna still has the easiest defense because of her
ribbons.> As if to prove the point Linna spun, forcing Ifurita
back. <I'll stick to my swords thank you.  I can still take Linna
three times out of five.  Of course, I've trained longer but . .
.> Sylia's mind was brought back to reality by a scream of
frustration.

Nene stepped from the holo chamber.  "I still can't get over
seventy-five percent!" she wailed.

"You're surviving the entire ten minutes, hitting vital points
with a three fourths accuracy, and getting all your EW done, and
you're complaining," Priss drawled the last part.  "I remember
when Little Miss Cyberpunk complained that the sims were too
hard, and that she shouldn't have to learn to fight."

Nene crossed her arms and raised her chin arrogant.  "Just
because some of us are not only beautiful and smart, you don't
have to be jealous.  I might not have your hit ratio, Priss, but
I started worse off, and so I'm learning better than you are." 
Nene finished her speech by sticking her tongue out.

<Started worse off is an understatement.  Not only did you not
have any training in marksmanship, but you resisted it for two
months.  We're lucky you learned fast enough to make it a point
of pride.>

Today practice would be short, and contain no new instruction. 
Ifurita rarely missed a chance to add to the Knight Sabers'
abilities from her store of Earth and El-Hazard combat knowledge. 
Sparring normally also included freeform times in which her
mother fought with a variety of weapons, not just as a boomer. 
The Knight Sabers would also fight each other in various
situations at any odds. Sylia took pride in her ability to keep
all the others at bay for four minutes at a time.

<Fighting and engineering.  Destruction and creation.  Rapid and
slow.  Aren't I the cover girl for balance?>  Sylia stepped into
the holo room and prepared for her simulation.  <An escort
situation just what I need.>  Sylia would have to keep an
unsuited ally or hostage alive for the duration of the sim. 
<Surviving is hard enough.  Surviving and keeping a civilian
alive is magnitudes more difficult, which is probably why Mom set
this up.>  While spacious, the holo room was not large enough to
simulate a street fight, and Sylia had survived simple combat
sims with any reasonable number of opponents.  Placing more
boomers in her simulation would make it easier for her, as they
would not have enough room to maneuver, getting in each other's
way.

After the sim came the sparring.  Actual, live combat against an
intelligent individual was a joy to Sylia.  Even better was when
that combat did not end in anyone's death.  Part of the thrill of
fighting was it pushed her to think at top speed, a pleasure she
rarely encountered otherwise.  Another part was that she was
doing something she was good at.  Sylia mentally snorted.  <I
like fighting because it's challenging and fun.  And I like
fighting Mom because she's the best opponent I can ever face.> 
Then combat began, and she only had  time to react.

While Sylia shared some of Ifurita's speed advantage, she did not
share all of it.  Her mind worked at close to the speed of her
mother's, her body limited the speed she could move, unlike her
mother.  Fortunately, both of them were faster than a boomer, and
that did not require enhancement, as the other Knight Sabers
demonstrated.

Normally Sylia sparred last, as she was the most experienced,
and, like Nene with target practice, enjoyed extra time, an
indulgence her mother was glad to give.  After all, Ifurita was,
under everything else, created as a weapon, and there was a joy
in acting upon her nature.  When she chose it.

Tonight, however, with the new job, training could not take all
night.  Sylia finished the last exchange with a hefty blow to the
ribs that would have run her through, had she faced a real
opponent.  Her shower would have to be light tonight, so as not
to hurt the bruise.  Ifurita believed in reminding her students
exactly what went wrong.  �Better a bruise now than a blow
later.'  Sylia agreed, but it still hurt.  {Oh?  So your parents
might know something after all?}

{Mom!  It's been years since the Jello incident.  And don't pry.}

{I wasn't dear; you're broadcasting.  Try not to think of me when
you remember, or it will trigger the tac-relay.}

Sylia tried not to let any of her chagrin show; the rest of the
team would wonder.  <I've had enough time at this to master the
thing.  But damn it, humans aren't designed to have com links in
their heads.>  To distract herself from her brooding and anymore
inadvertent transmissions, Sylia focused on Linna's sim.  The
combat style she used was different from normal, but still seemed
familiar.

<Where've I seen that before?  There's so much jumping it could
be the El-Hazard school of anything goes martial arts.>  The
thought set off a cascade of recollection.  She  no - her father
had thought that once.  Mentally accessing the memory, Sylia
understood.  <That's why Mom wanted me to understand the lamp of
fire.  She seems pretty confident I can get around Linna not
having pyrokinetic potential.>

"If we're all ready?"  Her mother's voice jolted Sylia out of the
memory daze.  The others had already come in and sat next to her,
forming a semicircle facing Ifurita.  "I've decided to take the
job.  USSD wasn't up front with us, and they tried to scan our
suits, but the money is good and it's too coincidental for my
liking.

"This is Cynthia."  Ifurita passed a picture to each of the team. 
"She was abducted last night.  This man is Frederick; USSD thinks
he is responsible for the abduction."  Another picture made its
rounds.  "We're getting ten million up front, the same if we
bring back Cynthia, and a bonus ten million if we can find what
organization arranged the kidnaping."  Linna whistled.
"The boomer rampage tied the police up last night.  That points
to Genom," Sylia mused as she brought a map of the city onto the
tabletop screen.  "From the police deployments Nene gave us last
night, that means we should investigate these four areas."  Sylia
pointed to each one in turn.  "Nene, Linna, Priss, me.  Check in
each hour.  Scout your area, but don't follow any leads without
the rest of us.  No solo actions, Priss; they're much too
dangerous."

"Whatever," Priss said as she waved a hand.

"Very good," Ifurita said, "I will wait at the Silky Doll to
coordinate.  Mackie will keep an ear to the police band, and your
suits will be in the truck.  And I remind you, Priss, that you
need more than that hand cannon of yours to take on combat
boomers."  Priss rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet.  Each of the
Knight Sabers took a photo, and then left for their respective
assignments.


~*~


Sylia drank tea.  That was all that was left to her.  Mackie
scanned the police band and the suits were ready to go.  The only
thing left was to be ready.  "Twenty minutes!"  Linna complained,
"she's twenty minutes late.  I could be using this time."  With
all the practice Ifurita gave them, being a Knight Saber took as
much time as moonlighting.  As a result, romance was a dim
prospect, except for Priss, whose singing was not much of job and
did not take the time most jobs did, even with her practice
sessions.  Surprisingly, Linna was the only one of them to have a
significant other.

The two had met at her job, and the little spare time Linna had
became devoted to Shingo. <Linna would have dumped him in a month
if she didn't have to work to keep their relationship together. 
She's got some idea that nothing important can be easy.>  Sylia
thought of her own romantic prospects.  <And Linna might be
right.>

"Mom," Mackie called, "I've got something!  The police report a
boomer chasing a racing bike toward Aqua City."

"A racing bike!?" Nene exclaimed, "It's got to be Priss."

"We cannot know for sure," Ifurita warned.

"But if it is Priss," Sylia countered, "she'll be without support
or her suit.  And if she's in trouble, she won't be able to call
in."  Her mother nodded, conceding the point.

"Very well.  Mackie, stay here in case Priss tries to check in. 
We will try Aqua City."


     ~*~

The trip to the abandoned complex was tense.  <It would be just
like Priss to pick a fight with a boomer without her suit.  She'd
probably do it without any weapon at all.>  That though reminded
her of the uncomfortable fact that against the new boomers,
Priss's handgun did not count as a weapon.

"Sylia," Nene's voice intruded into her brooding, "I'm blocking
communications from one or two of the new C class boomers and
about three Bu-55's.  I'm putting their location on your
display."

"All right.  This is probably Priss; it's just like her to get
tangled up with that many boomers.  Even if it isn't, whoever
this is probably worth saving if Genom hates them enough to send
these boys after her.  Knight Sabers, go!"

The three of them lifted off on their jets, heading for the
signal Nene located.  They came upon a courtyard, and saw a
boomer strangling Priss.  Sylia cut her jets and landed on the
edge of the wall surrounding the courtyard.  As soon as her feet
felt the ground she fired a laser, decapitating the boomer.

The people in the courtyard all looked up.  <Three boomers,
Frederick, and Cynthia.  This job will be over soon one way or
another.>  "Keep the man alive," Sylia ordered, "I'll cover
Priss."

Grabbed the young girl and began to sprint away.  The remaining
boomers shed their human disguises.  Two of them leapt to the
roof, while the last took off after Priss.  Sylia tried to follow
but one of the boomers moved to intercept her.  She dodged its
blow and lashed out with a series of lightning ripostes.  They
could be blocked and dodged, but it was hard to do so without
falling into a predictable set of movements.  The boomer obliged
her.  Then Nene's shot took out its eye.

The boomer jumped back to avoid further fire and keep track of
it's the new threat.  <Good.  Genom still can't get its sensors
to cut through Nene's jamming.>  Sylia did not give it the time
to reorient itself.  She pursued, her mind able to place each
blow a subjective minute before it fell.  With opponents on
either side and faced with continual attacks, the boomer's combat
software found no option but retreat.

A human would have kept the possibility of getting cornered in
the back of their mind.  The AI her father designed would have
had the same capability.  The gutting Genom performed on her
father's work to ensure its puppets' loyalty not only made them
unstable, but also removed many of its more subtle functions. 
Thus Sylia knew the boomer was right before a wall before it did,
and that it could not dodge her thrusts.  It did not.

"Nene, go after Priss," Sylia ordered.  She would have preferred
to do it herself, but the other two's skills with their weapons
were not up to injuring without killing.  This was, admittedly,
not the focus of their training, and usually irrelevant when
dealing with boomers.  Unfortunately, it meant that she was the
only one who could run down Frederick and bring him back alive.

Surprise ran through Sylia as she found Frederick still waiting
inside the courtyard.  He had not reacted as she expected, which
meant he knew something she did not.  Caution was in order. 
"What do you hope to accomplish?" Frederick sneered.  <I just
can't resist.>

"To protect the helpless and punish the guilty," Sylia dead
panned.  <Your move.>

"Noble ideals.  I wonder if they will stand up to me?" Frederick
asked.  Then thick cables exploded out of his torso.  Sylia
absently noted Linna reporting she finished off her boomer and
Nene telling them Inspector McNichol finished off the boomer
after Priss.  Her mind was still coping with what Frederick
before her meant.  She opened the link to her mother wide, and
they both watched through Sylia's eyes.

Reaching the body of the boomer, Frederick integrated himself
with it.  The immediate threat snapped Sylia's mind back to the
present.  She began firing rapidly, trying to distract the
boomer.  "Linna, bomb the head!" Sylia barked.  Linna leapt
toward Frederick's head, but was swatted away by a metal
tentacle.  Sylia had to jump away from another, and then use her
jets after the wall she would have landed on was destroyed by a
third.

The Knight Sabers began a rapid dance of flight and jumps,
destroying metal whips as they came.  Linna was the most adept,
and even managed to get  two of the things tied together. 
"Sylia!" Nene shouted, "It's absorbing all of Aqua City!"  Nene's
warning came in time for the others to take to the air moments
before more tentacles burst from the ground beneath them.  One
grabbed Linna's leg, but Nene shot it before it dragged the green
saber down.  What they could see of the ground was forming thick
ropes of material, and a giant head started forming in the middle
of the mass.

{Mother!}

{If you can destroy the head, I won't have to reveal myself.}

{That doesn't matter if they're able to do this!  Besides, the
only way to get to that thing's head is if it's been kind enough
to leave us a throat.  Do it before Priss thinks of that!}

"Holding action!" Sylia ordered, and the others obeyed, although
the fight was hopeless.  Questions would wait until after the
battle, if there was an after the battle.

"Where in the hell is Priss?" Linna asked, as several attacking
tendrils forced her to spin.  The ends fell, severed by her
ribbons.

"And what about our 'mobile reserve?'" Nene complained, "I think
now is the time for it, if any."

"I am here."  Her mother's voice was emotionless and icier than
the Knight Sabers had ever heard.  Linna hovered for a second in
surprise, then yelped as she had to boost towards the ground to
dodge.  Ifurita's black and purple hardsuit hovered over the
battlefield, swaying as she dodged tendrils with a steely grace. 
She held a large rife with both hands.  Three prongs emerged from
the end of the barrel.  A ball of blue lightning collected
between them, glowing black.

"Down!" Sylia shouted, in sync enough with her mother to
understand the projected damage and why she had not fired.  The
team took shelter behind a low wall, Sylia grabbing a newly
hardsuited Priss and keeping her from the fray.  As soon as they
landed, Sylia saw her mother pause in her evasions, point the
ball at the giant boomer Aqua City had become, and let it go.

As they were land-bound, the shock wave did not throw them out of
the air.  The wall served to slow incoming debris enough for
their armor to protect them.  Looking through her mother's eyes,
Sylia saw the remains of Aqua City start sinking into Tokyo Bay.

"Where's the girl?" she asked Priss.

"I left her  Shit!"  In the direction Priss was pointing, two
boomers were manhandling the little girl.  "Let her go you
bastards!" Priss yelled as she began running towards them.  Rail
gun spikes passed by their heads.

Priss's fire might not have hit the boomers, but it got a
reaction.  One turned to return fire while flying across the bay
with Cynthia tucked under its arm.  Another ball of energy flew,
destroying the first boomer before Priss could reach it.  Ifurita
began to fly after Cynthia, when the girl screamed.

"Ifurita," Nene yelled in panic, "the laser satellites are
getting ready to fire!"  Sylia could feel her mother's
indecision.   <She can survive the satellite blast.  But the
child can't, and Mom can't get her out in time.>  Ifurita broke
off and headed back just as a turquoise column of light fell into
Tokyo bay, right through a boomer and a small child.


~*~


"She was a boomer."

"You're sure, Nene?" Sylia asked.

"The signals that fired the laser satellites came from her. 
That's why Genom kidnaped her; they wanted to control the
lasers."  Nene nodded her head in emphasis.  "Your other choices
are that my suit wasn't working right, and the USSD wanted
Cynthia dead."  Sylia leaned back against her chair in the
penthouse's conversation group.  The conversation was for the
benefit of the others.  Soon, One innocent's death would mean
very little.
"A boomer.  For us, we were rescuing a child.  Failing to rescue
a child!"  Priss crushed her beer can against the table in
frustration.

"We don't have proof that Genom was behind this," Ifurita
reminded Nene.  None of the turmoil that traveled over the link
to Sylia was in her voice.

"That new boomer that can absorb stuff couldn't be anyone's but
Genom." Linna objected.  "That ought to be enough to get the
reward, right?"  Sylia silently shook her head.

"I will ask for it, of course, but there is no chance of getting
USSD to acknowledge the conclusion," Ifurita said.  "You
performed excellently in combat today, and there was not a way to
handle the giant boomer aside from flying down its throat.  If it
had one.  Yes-" Ifurita continued, blocking Priss from
interrupting, "Priss, I know that you would be willing to.  Today
you've also seen the value of leaving a mobile reserve."  The
others nodded, still amazed at the destructiveness of the one
shot.  "I think we can end this meeting then.  Tomorrow practice
is scheduled like normal.  We will go over specific areas for
improvement then."

The other Knight Sabers said their good-byes (or threw a casual
wave in Priss's case) and left.  <Back to their homes.  That will
stay their homes.>  Sylia sat down opposite her mother.  She did
not want to put it into words.  This conversation had been
drawing closer, but Sylia hoped she would never have to start it. 
Ten thousand times she had imagined the contingency, and she
discarded each opening to settle on a simple statement of fact. 
"We failed."

Ifurita did not answer, because it was true.  "We didn't become a
balance to Genom.  I hope had been at least a hindrance, but I'm
sure Quincy used us to his own ends.  What did not kill them made
them stronger."  Sylia shook her head sadly.  "And now it's worse
than before."

"Yes, Genom has begun to manipulate the nanites' repair
functions, and yes, it is more firmly established as part of the
world economy than ever.  I agree that if I destroyed Genom years
ago fewer people would be hurt.  But would you be a better person
if you had suggested that, if you asked for death instead of
forbearance?   I do not think you would, and if a better person
could not have prevented what has happened, then how can you
blame yourself?"

Sylia deflated into the cushions of the couch.  "A better person
would have known her idealism would hurt billions," she said in
the same weary tone.

"You cannot blame yourself for what you could not do, Sylia.  It
is your motives that decide if you are a good person.  And you
are a better person than I am.  I wanted to destroy Genom for
revenge.  I was created in a war of revenge and I have seen the
results, and still I wanted to destroy Genom for what they did to
me.  But," Ifurita sat down next to her daughter and gathered her
into a hug.  "You, my precious one," she began to stroke the
girl's hair, "you wanted to protect others.  Your father would be
proud of you, Sylia."  Tears began to slide down Sylia's cheeks.

"No he wouldn't.  I didn't save everyone.  If I had been better-"
"It would change nothing, if it was possible for you to be better
this still would have happened.  Genom was too large and too
corrupt for painless means to get rid of it.  And we have not
failed."  Ifurita's tone became icy.  "Soon Genom will be gone
from this world."

"Yes, we'll condemn this world to economic ruin.  And we will
then flee to another."  Sylia said bitterly.

"Yes we will.  One without the corruption and problems this one
contains.  Without that which forces our hand.  Besides," Ifurita
smiled, "I know you're dying to figure out how the airships fly." 
Sylia managed a smile in return.

"It will be hard for Mackie.  There is so much for him to accept. 
So much he will leave."

"And you?"

"I have few friends, and I can't ask them to leave all they know
just to keep me company.  My best friends all have firm lives
here outside our group.  Before fighting Genom I was an obsessed
student.  Then I became a busy vigilante and mercenary.  I think
I want a job with more free time, and without the weight of the
world on my shoulders."

"And Priss?"  Sylia threw her mother a sharp glance.  "Your
control slips when you daydream."

Sylia struggled to contain a blush.  <There are some things that
you just don't want your mother knowing.>  "Priss is attractive,
and yes, I would like us to have a relationship.  But, even if we
stayed, I couldn't.  She's part of the team, and we don't need
the fallout a failed relationship would bring.  Dating her would
be irresponsible."

Ifurita nodded.  "I want you to be sure of this decision, Sylia. 
If you and Mackie do not want to leave, this does not need to
happen."

"Genom must be destroyed," Sylia replied flatly, "for what it has
done and what it would do.  That is the one fixed part of any
future I will be part of.  All other things may be variable, but
the destruction of Genom is not a choice, it is a certainty.  I
may regret that other things will be impossible due to that
certainty, but I will never choose another goal over Genom's
downfall, or regret my choice."

"Not love?"

Sylia smiled wanly.  "I have never had to make the choice.  All
those for whom I care for desire Genom's destruction as much as I
do.  I have not found romantic love, so I cannot know what I
would do.  But anyone I loved would have to accept me as me, and
that included my values.  Those are what make me realize Genom's
threat, and require its removal.  I hope I never have to make
such a choice."

Ifurita watched her daughter walk into her room.  Sylia was
prepared to make an enormous sacrifice, and no matter what she
said about her principles, it was because of her mother.  <I put
off destroying Genom so that they could have their childhood. 
The choice was clear, one I loved needed me.  All other problems
will pass with time, and so I concentrate on making the time with
my dears ones the best it can be.  Makoto, what is this human
adherence to ideals and this rush to impose them?  Your lives are
so short, is it worth cutting them shorter to change history for
a century or two?  You would be proud of her, Makoto.  She has
your values, and I think that if she were forced between duty and
love, as you were, she would also find a third way.>


~*~


"Mom!"  Ifurita looked up at her daughter.  They had been packing
the equipment they intended to bring with them into the main
building.  She would then use the power booster from Sylia's
latest project, God's Yo-Yo , to send the entire building to
El-Hazard.  Sylia even had a dynamo in the basement ready to
produce power once they arrived.

Mackie took the news of their departure well.  <He probably has a
crush on Nene, but he didn't mention her.  Did I wait long
enough?  He acts like a normal teen, and if his only close
friends are the Knight Sabers and Doc Raven, well, the books say
many intelligent children tend to withdraw from social contact at
that age.  Sylia didn't make close friends either, as I recall. 
Was it my parenting, or were they just more interested in
machines?  Makoto said he had lots of friends, but he also
counted Jinnai among them before El-Hazard.>

"Mom," Sylia repeated excitedly, We might not have to leave. 
USSD wants to hire the Knight Sabers again.  The �black box' that
interfaces with the laser satellites is missing, and, for the
same pay as the last job, we've been hired to find it."

"And while someone who fired the satellites might have to hide,
they would be much less sought after than one who flew up to and
destroyed every Genom building.  Nene could leave traces leading
back to a competitor of Genom.  The Knight Sabers might not even
have to break up."  Ifurita smiled at her eldest; she, like her
husband, had found a third way.  It might not be as satisfying to
destroy Genom with the lasers, but it would cause much less
trouble than doing it personally.


~*~


"Sylia," Sylia  sat at in her chair at the center of the computer
room.  On the screen before her Nene's form was hunched over her
camera pick up.  The wall of the AD Police headquarters  formed a
background.  "I'm sending you the data I found on the black box. 
I also stumbled across some of Genom's internal communications. 
The old boss, Brian Mason, was transferred from project Zeus, the
black box and all, to project Amber.  I can't figure out what
project Amber is, but look at the resources it takes up!  That's
enough to buy a medium sized country, much less conquer one."

Sylia looked at the data Nene transferred.  "This explains the
lack of action in several third world revolutionary groups and
governments.  Genom could not hide more money, so it took already
hidden money from other projects."  She stopped to think a
moment.  "Amber probably refers to preservation.  The only
situation I can think of that fits is Quincy has contracted a
fatal disease, and is now pushing all he can into cryogenics. 
Keep searching Nene; this could be important."

Mason, the man who killed her father could be trying to save
Quincy's life.  It would be nice to kill both of them with one
shot.  <But we don't know what Amber is about.  The name could be
random, or only have internal significance.  If we recover the
black box, it won't matter at all.>  In the end, it will not
matter, with or without the box, Genom is doomed.  Shaking off
her pensive mood, Sylia returned to her designs.  


~*~


Despite the differences separating their family from the norm,
Sylia's family always ate a family dinner.  Ifurita, of course,
did not require the food, but it was vastly more comforting to
have her eat than just sit there.  Also, after eighteen years,
the habit had become part of the dinner ritual.  Business was
banned from the conversation, leaving the dinner table a haven
from the quest that provided the rest of the family's life.

>From the light conversation, one would hardly think the same room
would, an hour later, host a meeting of the best known
mercenaries in Mega-Tokyo.    "I'm almost finished with the bike
I'm working on," Mackie proudly announced around a mouthful of
rice.

"Oh, is that where your time has been going?  There are other
bikes that need your attention," Sylia delicately skirted the
unofficial family rule; that was the closest she'd come to
reminding him he was in charge of the motorslaves' maintenance.

"Aw, sis, I'm still doing my job.  But I managed to use a
motorslave engine for my bike.'

"And how will you transfer that much power to the wheels?"

"Well, I was thinking of setting up something like a car's cram
shaft to the back wheel.  I'd be kind of bulky, but I can't think
of a better way.  Even then, I'll have to use one of the new
ceramic-tungsten- titanium mixes you came up with.  The
motorslaves have it easier with-"

Mackie stopped mid-sentence and stared.  Sylia turned to see what
surprised him, her hand ready to go for her gun.  Standing on the
carpet just outside the dining room was a girl, no more than
eighteen years of age.  She wore a white robe with green and gold
designs.  Her short red hair was pulled back by a hair band.  She
looked disoriented.  Sylia's mother was the first to speak. 
"Nanami?"

The girl's eyes snapped into focus at the name.  "Ifurita!  You
and Makoto have to come back to help us!"  Nanami's voice was
urgent, her commanding tone weakened by a hint of desperation. 
"Hey!  Where is Makoto anyway?  If you're having guests, he ought
to be here.  He's working overtime, isn't he?  That's just like
him, never thinking about how the rest of us feel."

Sylia could only stare in shock as Nanami's demeanor changed from
desperate to indignant.  How could she be so desperate for help
and take time to criticize Sylia's father, especially when she
wanted his aid?  Memories began to well up in response to the
half-formed query.  Her father watching Nanami at school, and
later her part in his time on El-Hazard.

"Makoto is dead." Sylia's cheeks burned.  She had been so lost in
her father's memories that she had allowed her mother to answer
the question.  Ifurita should not have to touch those memories
again or be reminded of her loss.

"Oh!  I'm so sorry," Nanami's face fell, and her light mask was
revealed as such.  "To have waited so long and only be together
for a few months . . . "Sylia had to stop this.  The years her
parents spent together were moments in Ifurita's lifetime, and if
this visit meant El-Hazard was no longer a safe line of retreat,
then her mother did not need a reminder of her loss as vengeance
was denied her.

"It has been thirty-seven years since my father returned to
Earth, Nanami Jinnai, and my father has been dead for a decade. 
The year is 2032," Sylia said tonelessly.  Better to get it all
out and over with quickly.

"Your father?" Nanami asked weakly.  Sylia could guess at the
thoughts running through the girl's head.  Confusion about how
her mother had children, sadness at her father's death, and
bewilderment at being younger than her friend's children.

"We were adopted," Sylia answered with a thin smile  <Yes, I was
born all human, even if I'm part demon-god now.  Would you
consider it better or worse that I'm so by choice?>  "If you will
excuse us, the dishes need seeing to.  We can talk in the living
room once they are done."  Nanami nodded, mute.  The time would
give her a chance to sort out her feelings, and deal with the
information she learned.

The others allowed themselves to leave the area due to Sylia's
excuse.  Midway through the clean up routine Sylia left the
kitchen and walked over to the den.  She sat next to Nanami on
the couch.  "He was killed by his employer," she said quietly as
she sat down.

"What?"

"The company wanted to silence him, so they had him killed."

"That's horrible.  He survived a war and three assassination
attempts to be killed by his boss.   It's only been a year on
El-Hazard.  I thought he might be in college, but I never
considered children.  Or death."  She shook her head.  "I still
remember the day he left.  He stood on top of the stairway to the
sky with a serene smile and a great atmosphere of happiness.  The
nobles and tribal leaders of El-Hazard saw him off.  It was very
hypocritical, considering how hard they argued with Rune-Venus to
forbid his departure."  Nanami's voice grew indignant.

"Why did you risk crossing back to Earth?" Ifurita asked as she
sat down next to them.  Nanami's audience had seen Makoto's
departure from his point of view, and remembered the long debates
over allowing him to leave, including the three priestesses' vow
of support which had ended the argument.

"Oh!  The Bugrom have overrun Roshtaria again.  My brother must
have found a demon god factory.  The front lines are made of big
bulky tan robots with a machine gun and some sort of bazooka in
their arms.   And there are blue ones just bigger than people
with lasers in their mouths and heat rays in their chests.  The
Bugrom tried to sneak them into the palace looking like people,
but I spotted one.  It burst out of its disguise and tried to
kill me but Miz was there and she killed it and you've got to
help us!"  Nanami increased the pace of her speech until her last
words came out as a frantic run-on sentence.

A significant look passed between Sylia and her mother.  Mackie
began to open his mouth, and got the same severe look that say
�you'll wish you'd died if you do that.'  Nanami turned to look
at him, and Mackie closed his mouth.  After an awkward pause, he
said "I don't get it, why don't you just use the Eye of God?"

"Because we don't know if it works!" Nanami protested.  "Makoto
thought he fixed it, but we don't want to risk destroying all of
El-Hazard.  It was hard enough to activate Makoto's portal!  The
princesses are camping in the stairway to the sky and if any of
the demon-gods get close, they'll activate it and risk destroying
the world!  And when we went to the hidden valley to get the
other Ifurita, she was lying next to Uba's grave, her staff
broken in two!"

"We will help," Ifurita's voice was calm.  "I would not abandon
you, the priestesses, Rune-Venus, or Fujisawa-sensei.  And . . .
the demon-gods must be stopped.  Mackie, show Nanami to the guest
room.  She needs time to deal with the changes in her home world,
and you can tell her what has changed."

"Right Mom.  This way, Nanami."  Mackie and Nanami stood then
walked out of the room.  Sylia looked at her mother, then finally
broke the silence.

"Genom has been funneling most of their extra resources into a
project called Amber.  I believe we can assume this is its
result."

"We will need to clear El-Hazard before we act here.  Given the
area needed to create a gate, and the small size of the actual
portal, I think we can assume Genom does not have a gate
generator in El-Hazard.  When we attack they will not be able to
warn the rest of Genom.  Even if they are warned, Genom is much
more limited in its response here than in El-Hazard, where
weapons of mass destruction could come into play if they have a
warning of my capabilities.

"That is true, but I don't know if it's worth leaving Genom its
supply lines.  Even with the amplifier, you'll be in no condition
to fight an army for weeks when we arrive.  And once you are
ready, there will still be the problem of keeping the palace and
its inhabitants safe.  The Eye of God is a credible threat only
when desperate, not while reconquering the planet."

"The power needed to open a gate means that Genom will not have
constant supply from Earth.  I would be surprised if they have
contact every two weeks.  As for the other problem,  I think you
have thought of the obvious solution."

"They haven't fought in a war.  The Sabers might be ready to do
the fighting, but they aren't ready to deal with war itself.  All
of our missions have been clean."

"Give then the choice to decide for themselves if they are
ready."

"They won't have any idea what they're getting into!"

"Neither do you, Sylia.  Give your friends the choice between
learning war and living with themselves if you never come back. 
Yes, this will be grim, but if I can allow you to go into it,
then you can allow your teammate to do the same."

"I know you're right, but I don't feel like it.  I will ask the
team to come, but I don't want to be responsible for the worst
period in their lives.  And if one of them dies . . ."

"Then Genom will have another crime to pay for, and it will not
be your fault, just as if one of them died fighting rouge
boomers.  All of their lives have lead to this day, and no one
decision has any more blame attached to it than another.  As for
the effect of a war, the destruction of Genom could easily lead
to war, and I think this one will be much clearer cut.  And in
the end, if we hope to stop Genom before Roshtaria is destroyed,
we will need the Knight Sabers' help.  Just as if they wish to
destroy Genom, they will need to help us.  I doubt your ability
to keep them here as strongly as I feel we need them with us."

"I know that in my head, but if anything happens, I don't think I
can convince my heart."


~*~


"So what was Dad like when he was young?"  Mackie asked.  Nanami
sat on the other side of the bed; spread between the two were
photographs of his parents.

"Well, he was very easy going in school; he wanted to be
everyone's friend.  He did well in all his classes, and was first
on the track team.  He really changed in El-Hazard, becoming much
more focused.  Then he was driven to return to Ifurita.  He got
really anti-social, in an absent sort of way.  The assassination
attempts made him harder.  I don't think he'd forgive my brother
like he did.  I mean . . ."  Nanami paused and snuffled.  

"I mean that, when he left, he wouldn't have.  I just can't get
used to Makoto dead.  He disappeared, and I knew I'd never see
him again, but it isn't the same."  Silence stretched out as
Mackie searched for something to say.  "What was it like to have
him as a father?"

"He always found time for us," Mackie answered.  "No matter how
busy he was.  You really should ask Sylia, because she was older
than I was when he died.  She also can compare him to our birth
father."

"What happened to your real parents?"  Mackie smiled.

"I still live with my real mom, but you mean the people I'm
related to.  My mother died giving birth to Sylia, but my father
was the sort that was always prepared, and had some fertilized
eggs frozen in case either of them died.  I don't know why he
decided to have me, though.  I guess he was traditional enough to
want a son.

"Sylia says Father never had a lot of time for us; he buried
himself in his work.  Since Mom and Dad knew my father from
college, and they lived next door, Mom took care of Sylia, and
then later me.  Father died in lab explosion when I was one, so I
really never knew him, and Ifurita has always been mother to both
of us.  Sylia says Dad acted as her father even before the
accident.

"Then one day, there was another accident, and Dad's dead too. 
The insurance and his patents provided more than enough money,
and Mom had her store, so we didn't have to worry about that.  We
lived pretty normally for a while.  I didn't think that the
exercises and training were odd at the time.  Some people had to
go to piano lessons; I had target practice.  When Sylia graduated
high school, we found out the truth about Dad.  I was mad, but
also kinda relieved.  Twice people close to me died in lab
accidents, and I was worried about Sis.  Well, she finished
college in two years, and worked on updating Dad's hardsuit
designs.  Mom and her found other people to fight Genom, the
company that killed Dad."

"That must have been pretty hard on you, growing up like that,"
Nanami said in a voice bordering on the offended.

"Not really," Mackie answered, "I grew up with a mother I knew
loved me, and had a pretty normal life until a few years ago, and
Mom must have prepared us pretty well, because we slipped right
into our new lives.  I guess I never really had a girlfriend, but
otherwise-"  

The door to Mackie's room opened and Sylia walked in.  "Nanami,
Mackie please come with me."


~*~


Sylia lead Nanami and her brother in to the living room.  She sat
in one of the chairs facing the others as they sat on the couch. 
"We have decided," she began, "what to do.  Rest assured, Nanami,
that our aid was never in question, just the mechanics of it. 
You also must understand exactly what has happened.  My father
was killed after creating a working android.  He felt man would
arrive at the technology soon enough, and thought he could keep
them from becoming property, as they were in ancient El-Hazard. 
He was too vocal about the last, and Genom killed him to prevent
it.

"The machines invading Roshtaria are not ancient demon-gods, but
the successors of my father's creation.  Genom has found a way
into El-Hazard, and is trying to conquer it.  So we will have to
defeat them on two worlds.  Mother and I will introduce the
situation to the others we enlisted to fight Genom, and ask them
to help.  You will need to be with us to answer any questions. 
Once we know who will join us, we will return to this building
and make the transit to El-Hazard."

"I have to ask you to stay with Mackie in his room again until we
explain the situation to the others," Ifurita said.  "I think it
would be best to explain things before introducing a stranger
into the meeting."  Nanami nodded.

"You know them best.  Mackie can continue telling me about what
changed since I was gone."  Ifurita nodded.  Nanami's attitude
toward Mackie tickled some of the old memories she had from her
father, but there was no time to examine them.  The others would
arrive soon, and she would need all her attention on convincing
her teammates the situation was real.

Surprisingly, Priss arrived first.  The singer would usually
saunter in late, but occasionally she would put in an early
appearance.  Sylia didn't mind, as it gave her some time to talk
with Priss alone, her mother usually seeing to last minute
chores.  "So we're finally going to hit Genom hard?" Priss asked. 
Sylia smiled, Priss would be disappointed in the changed agenda
only as long as it took to tell her their new task.

"More than I anticipated.  You'll have to wait for the other two
before I go into more detail," Sylia answered.

"I guess kicking Genom's ass is worth a little wait, if you've
still got that beer from last time."

"You're the only one insane enough to drink it, so of course it
is still in the fridge."  Priss fetched her drink, but barely had
time to open it before Nene and Linna walked in the door.

"Are we on time?" Nene asked worriedly, "My scooter broke down
and Linna had to drive me."
"That wouldn't happen if you got a real bike," Priss teased.

"No, then I would have so many tickets I would get my license
revoked, like you're about to."  Priss just snorted.  Ifurita
entered the room.  Everyone turned their heads to watch her as
she sat down.

"We originally called this meeting to brief you on our next
mission," Ifurita began, "Priss, you know that should have meant
no alcohol."  Nene giggled.  "However, something greater has come
up.  As you know, the boomers were a great step forward in
technology.  What is not known is that the technology my husband
based them on was not from this world."

"Great, we're in a science fiction show," Priss drawled.

"Allow me to demonstrate."  The sweeter and khakis Sylia's mother
normally wore reformed into the battle gown and tights she used
for combat.  Grasping the power key staff, she formed a small
ball of energy at the end.  The others were literally speechless. 
"This is the true form of the weapon I destroyed the Aqua City
boomer with."

Sylia took lead of the meeting.  "The other world, El-Hazard, is
now in danger.  Genom discovered a method of traveling there, and
means to conquer it.  Mother and I intend to stop them, and then
prevent Genom from repeating their attempt by destroying Genom
Tower.  We cannot order you to come with us into what will surely
become a war, including the attendant atrocities, but we could
greatly use your aid.  So I ask you now, will you come with us to
fight Genom?"  Ifurita let the ball fade away.  No one spoke.

The weight of silence pressed down on Sylia for long minutes. 
Nene startled her by being the one to break it.  "Maybe I read
too much fantasy Sylia, but you never lied to me before, and I
don't want to think about leaving people to be ruled by Genom. 
If you need me, then I'll go."

"Why not?" Priss asked chugging her drink.  "I'd follow you into
hell if it meant getting rid of Genom, so what's some other
world?"

Sylia turned to watch Linna.  Despite her dream of dancing, Sylia
knew Linna trained in economics, and of the three, knew best the
cost of Genom's destruction.  She had to weigh not only her
belief in Sylia's story, but also make the same decision Sylia
and her mother made about the consequences of Genom's
destruction.  "All right," Linna said at last, looking deep into
Sylia's eyes, "But after this, no more freebies."

Sylia laughed.  "I didn't say we weren't getting paid, Linna,"
she said with a smile.  "I'm sure the royal house of Roshtaria
will be glad to reimburse us.  As you are all with us, I would
like to introduce our messenger, and begin your briefing. 
Mackie, please bring Nanami out."  Nothing happened.  "Mackie!" 
Mackie and Nanami stepped out of his room.

"Sorry sis," he said, "I guess we got kinda involved."  Mackie
abruptly blushed when he realized his double entendre.  "I mean-"
"Hell of an inconvenient time to finally start making out," Priss
teased, "but does this mean you'll stop peeping on us?"

"We were not making out!" Nanami answered indignantly, then
turned to face Mackie.  "Peeping?  Mackie what have-"

"I hate to interrupt your domestic squabble," Sylia began, "but
we need Nanami's knowledge.  Be ready to leave with twelve hours
notification.  Remember that we're going into a war, but you
should also bring clothes appropriate to a royal court.  So pack
light, but not spartan.  Nanami will help me and mother write
dossiers on the notable people in Roshtaria as well as the
political and military situation in El-Hazard.  I expect you to
read this one Priss."

"I might find the time," Priss said airily, ignoring Sylia's
glare.

"It would be a pity to get beheaded because you just had to bike
around for that extra hour," Sylia replied mildly.  Linna
laughed.

"That wouldn't really happen, would it?" Nene asked worriedly. 
Nanami shook her head.

"Rune-Venus would never let that happen," she said reassuringly.

"The Bugrom won't be so forgiving," Sylia countered.  "Read the
briefing and pack accordingly.  We'll bring the suits and
maintenance gear.  Leave anything you can't drive over with in
the Silky Doll.  Expect to leave within the week.  See if you can
get a little time off, we can return only a few days after we
leave."  The meeting broke up, with Nene and Priss arguing over
what would be appropriate clothes for a royal court as they left. 
Ifurita took Nanami down to the computer room, and Mackie
followed.  <I guess my brother is taken with Nanami.  What is it
with the men in this family that they have to cross dimensions to
find a woman?>


end part 1

Author's notes:  I'd like to the tahnk my prereaders for helping me get this
far, and ask for their forgiveness for being so slow.  Lord Talon, James
Merritt Jr., Arthur, Murmur the Fallen, and especially H. Torrance Griffen,
who
encouraged me to write this from the first, and Nick Mcbile, who was so
kind as
to MST me.



                              ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
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                             _..`--'_..-_/  /--'_.' ,'
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Beware of organizations that proclaim their devotion to the light without
embracing, bowing to the dark; for when they idealize half the world they
must devalue the rest.
                           -Miriam Simos