Annyoung,
Here's Part 3 of "FTLOAC." The revised drafts of the
previous parts (thanks for the C&C, Shawn) were posted
on the FFML mailing list just now.
Enjoy!
=====
Fred Herriotfherriot@yahoo.com**** **** ****"Fanfiction IS Real Life!"**** **** ****
____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk
or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: IllFLC-3.txt
-- Desc: IllFLC-3.txt
Somewhere, 21 June 2031, evening...
"You have failed!"
The preacher looks up from his book, then pales, a cold shiver
running through him as the newcomer's voice and name comes back to
him. "T-t-tateyama-sama...!!" he stammers, then rises, bowing
respectfully. "Wh-what brings you h-here...?!"
"Shut up!" the newcomer coldly intones, causing the preacher
to shrink in on himself. "You should know what brings me here.
News of the modified Baal is now in the public domain."
Hearing that, the preacher turns a sickly white. "That's
impossible..." he shakes his head in denial.
"Don't you understand this by now, you fool?! **Nothing** is
impossible," the newcomer warns. "The person who attempted to
instigate a rampage in Harajuku this afternoon failed miserably.
That sort of failure is something I will not tolerate. You have a
person working inside Megatokyo AD Police, do you not?"
"H-h-hai," the preacher nods, sensing what the newcomer now
requires. "He is the commander of one of the tactical squads..."
"Very well. Order him to eliminate that fool. This time,
ENSURE there are no slip-ups! Understood?!"
"H-h-hai!"
Suddenly, the preacher is alone. Glancing around the room
fretfully, he takes a deep breath, then sinks into his chair...
* * *
"Illusions - For The Love of a Child"
a fanfic of the Bubblegum Crisis - Megatokyo 2030-2032
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir <kush1@iaw.on.ca>
C&C by Robert Geiger <robertgeiger@prodigy.net> and Shawn Hagen
<hagen@brant.net>
**** **** ****
Based on situations from "Bubblegum Crisis," created by ARTMIC and
Youmex; "Urusei Yatsura," created by Rumiko Takahashi; "Tokimeki
Memorial," created by Konami; "Sister Princess: Onii-chan Daisuki"
and "Seraphim Call," created by Mediaworks; the "Little Lovers"
series, created by NTT Shuppan; "Kita-e. White Illumination,"
created by Hudson Soft; and "Wish Tale," created by Videosystem.
**** **** ****
This story is also based on my UY fanfic series "The Senior Year"
(co-created by Mike Smith) and "The Ishinomaki Years," as well as
the BGC fanfic series "No Armour Against Fate" by Shawn Hagen
**** **** ****
PART THREE - DARKNESS WITHIN THE LIGHT
The Kyoto Toratotaka Annex, 22 June 2031, dawn...
A tired moan escapes from under the covers. A hand peeks out,
shifting the blankets away, then moves up to throw a pillow off
Matilda Velney's head. Grunting, the Mark Two Sexaroid reaches up
to rub her eyes of sleep, then pauses as her housekeeping computer
makes its wake-up report. Well, that had been quite the change
from times she'd been taken out of cryostorage. Like all 33-S's,
she didn't have to sleep with the regular frequency pure-organics
did, but it was good to get the chance to rest her mind and dream.
Looking around the small guest bedroom set aside for her, she
blinks, noting she is alone. "Chikage...?" she calls out, standing
as she stretches herself, then she walks to the window, glancing
outside to see another bright summer day dawning over the Yodo-gawa
(Yodo River) valley. Stretching herself again, Matilda slips off
the nightshirt which had been loaned to her, then putting on a
housecoat, she walks out of her bedroom to locate the magi.
"Ohayo, Matilda-san."
Matilda blinks, then turns before bowing respectfully, adding
a smile. "Ohayo, Sylia-sama. Ogenki desu ka (How are you)?"
"Hai, genki desu (I'm alright)," Sylia Stingray, herself also
in a housecoat, nods. "Did you sleep well last night?"
"Hai, it was alright. Actually, it was the first time I could
sleep like normal folks do," Matilda chuckles, then looks around.
"Er, have you seen Chikage-san anywhere this morning?"
"No doubt, she's busy with her grandfather doing some arcane
thing or another," Sylia clicks her tongue amusedly, then moves to
return to her own guest room. "Anyhow, I'm going to wash up and
get dressed. I'll see you in the cafeteria, alright?"
"Okay!" Matilda beams as the Sabres' leader heads off, then
she heads back into her own room to get her toiletries.
Last night's "waking up party" for the first nine CCs had gone
off without a hitch. Atop the people who would see their dreams
and hopes for the future reborn through those like Chikage, there
had been a slew of others. The Stingray siblings, children of the
man whose genius had made boomers like Matilda possible, were two.
For the CCs, Sylia and Mackie (much to the former's annoyance)
were seen automatically as "Aunt Sylia" and "Uncle Mackie" (the
Kuromoroboshi and the Guardsman had automatically done the same).
Even more so, all of the CCs insisted on having one slow dance each
with Sylia and Mackie. Following the example of their new friends,
the Mark Twos also got a chance to try their nascent dance moves
with the Stingray siblings, though the six Genom girls addressed
them with just the honorific "-sama" behind their given names.
Spending time with the Stingrays, Matilda sensed something off
about them. Of course, the Mark Twos' parents had told them about
Katsuhito Stingray's tragic death in a fire in Whiz Labs back in
2022. But when the girls had expressed their condolences to Sylia
and Mackie about their loss, the siblings suddenly stiffened. As
if they believed something worse, much worse, had happened to their
late father. What that might be, the Mark Twos learned when they
spoke of it among themselves later, no one could speculate.
As the party began to wind down near midnight, some of the
dignitaries who'd come out - Dame Nicole McTavish and Chairman
Quincy among them - had left. Those who wanted a chance to get
some needed sleep before going back home were given guest quarters
in the Annex ring so as to spare them the expenses of a hotel room.
Naturally, Kiki, Ryooko and Asuka took advantage of the single-bed
rooms so they could spend some personal time with Kurumi Matsuura,
Sayuri Hyuga and Aya Tougetsu. Following their example, Matilda
had sought out Chikage's company while Mika and Rina had decided to
spend time with Marie Susumu and Shirayuki Osamu respectively.
The magi hadn't been interested in any sort of sexual intimacy
with her new friend (truthfully, neither did Matilda), so they had
spent the night talking. Matilda soon learned that Chikage had, in
the months since her sentience first woke within her reserve memory
unit, been trained in things Matilda couldn't BEGIN to imagine.
It...it just sounded so FANTASTIC!
Visiting other dimensions. Meeting wizards, witches, vampires
and the other so-called "B-movie" monsters. Actually travelling to
other PLANETS to learn new things. Learning martial arts forms
such as the "soulsword" and the "butterfly's kiss" Chikage used to
save Matilda and Kiki back in Ookawa. Even learning how to speak
to the DEAD, which seemed to Matilda to be TOTALLY impossible!
After all, dead was DEAD!
Right?
Chikage explained that everything in the Universe was touched
by a great Power. A philosopher in ancient China named Lao Tzu
called this Power "Tao." It was from the Tao that all things came
into existence, via a shift from "Nonbeing" to "Being." Because
everything is born of the Tao, everything therefore is touched with
the Immortal Spirit of the Tao. By that standard, boomers such as
Matilda Velney were as equal before the Tao as pure-organics like
Matilda's creators/parents, Trent and Alicia. Chikage's training,
when all was finally said and done, ultimately helped her better
come to understand the Tao's influence on all things.
Chikage also revealed to Matilda that her template/namesake
had been born with a great empathic potential, a potential which
was never tapped into before she died. "It is perhaps fortunate
that when you were created, your template's DNA was never used as
a base to properly mould your organic parts," the magi then told
Matilda. If that had happened, Chikage had no doubt that certain
groups within Genom would stop at NOTHING to try to fully control
such power. In doing so, many innocents would be hurt, chief of
which being Matilda and her own parents. And if THAT happened...
Matilda shudders as she walks into a communal bath. Already
there is Kiki Sheffield. "Ohayo, Kiki!"
"Oh, ohayo, Matty!" Kiki looks up.
Matilda is quick to notice the slight flush on her sister's
face. "Oooh? Did we have all sorts of fun last night?" she sits
down beside Kiki, then soaks herself down. "Where's Kurumi?"
"She's going home soon so she can make sure her parents're
alright," Kiki explains. "Lucky thing she gave me her e-mail so I
can contact her the next time we're on our feet."
"I don't think Aunt Samantha'd allow us the chance to spend
too much time with 'normal' folks like Kurumi," Matilda warns.
"I dunno," Kiki shrugs. "I mean, Mama told me that the next
part of our testing will be to let us stay active for a full month
to see if we can live with the MBW under 'normal' circumstances.
That won't start until next month, though. At least, hopefully,
we'll be around when Rinrin-san and Nana-san are woken."
"That'll be a nice change," Matilda grunts...
* * *
The Annex's library, that moment...
"They're DYING?!!"
The other CCs stare horrorstruck at Chikage. The library is
located near the top of the central tower, giving them a grand view
of the Annex grounds. Already, some of the guests from last night
were making their way from the ring arches for breakfast.
"Hai," the magi nods, sipping her spice tea. Following her
grandfather's example, Chikage was experimenting with the Noukiite
version of red pepper to put some taste into her morning drink.
"How the hell's that possible?!" Kurumi snarls.
"The move-by-wire unit inside their head," Chikage replies.
"It keeps bombarding the nervous system with energy, doing it in
such a way that the whole of their bodies is kept in a constant
state of muscular seizure, even when they're in cryo-suspension.
Unfortunately, you cannot constantly bombard a person's brain and
nerves with energy and not expect permanent damage to result."
"Then the solution is quite simple, Chikage," Marie cuts in.
"Simply remove the MBW unit from their brains."
"True, that would help, but given where the unit is located
inside their heads, such invasive surgery could easily lead to
their deaths," Chikage warns, then sighs, gazing on her sisters.
"There is another thing we must concern ourselves with as well.
What happens when people inside Genom learn the Mark Two Project
will ultimately fail? What would happen to Matilda and the others
when they are finally deemed to be of no use to Genom?"
Silence.
"They wouldn't...!!" Yuuko Sakuramachi pales.
"That's monstrous!!!" Ayu Kawahara exclaims.
Chikage holds up a cautioning finger. "Don't forget, they do
not accept things about boomer sentience like we do. Further, any
attempt at teaching them how better to see that will most likely
fail. When it comes to boomers and how they serve within Genom,
people there've created a certain worldview. It's one they are
quite comfortable with and because of that, they'll gladly defend
that worldview to the death. You can't hope to force change among
people like that especially since, as we are boomers ourselves, our
opinions wouldn't garnish the same level of respect within Genom as
it would in Toratotaka. And, unfortunately, the idea of Directive
Five goes against EVERYTHING that worldview represents."
Silence falls as the others consider that, then Aya sighs.
"If we let Asuka and the others die...I, for one, would never be
able to look myself in the mirror ever again."
"If we let them die, then everything this company states about
Directive Five is made meaningless," Sayuri adds.
"The Codes come first," Kurumi grimly nods.
"Agreed," Chikage nods. "Fate only knows, there's been more
than enough death in Megatokyo over the last six years. Granted,
I cannot begin to hope to save everyone who dies before their time.
I am, in spite of the power I weld, just one person in the end.
But believe me, I've no intention of seeing such matters escalate
to the point where all the work Ojii-sama and the others put into
the Spiral will fail. If that happens, the chaos that could arise
from that will..." she pauses, then takes a deep breath.
"So how do we save them?" Shirayuki asks.
"Simple."
Eyes turn to Hayaka Sakyou. "We, dear sisters, just have to
be very, very, VERY sneaky about this," the raven-haired Sendai
native smiles, then she turns to Chikage. "How soon do you think
this problem with the MBW's gonna start hurting those girls bad?"
"I'd say, given what I've overheard about their training
schedule, by the start of October," the magi replies. "It might be
before the other Mark Twos are considered ready to be woken."
"After Shion and Sakura are woken, right?"
"Definitely. Their birthday is the nineteenth of September."
"Alright, then," Hayaka nods. "Shion and Sakura will both be
telepaths. I don't think Rei-mama will take that ability away from
them and I know the Murasames'll approach your grandfather to help
them master their powers." The parents of the other CCs scheduled
to be born in 2031, including Toshiru and Midori Murasame, had
attended last night's party. "All we should do is find a way to
introduce them to one of the Mark Twos, then allow a relationship
to blossom from that. Once a telepathic bond is made, then the
twins can keep an eye on all of them by proxy. We'll have more
than enough advanced warning in case something goes down."
"There's also Rinrin to consider," Marie adds. "She will be
born with all the intelligence potential her template possessed.
And if you do to Rinrin what you'll soon do for all of us, Chikage,
she'll have all her template's experience to call on, too. Rinrin
could then offer to help out with the Mark Twos on the sly. There
must be some way to at least arrest whatever neurological damage
the MBW system will do to our friends before it becomes critical."
The others shudder. "Actually talking with the ghosts of our
namesakes?" Ayu rolls her eyes to the ceiling. "That will be..."
"Strange," Shirayuki finishes.
"Not as strange as you might think."
Eyes turn to Chikage. The magi eerily smiles...
* * *
Megatokyo, Genom Tower, late morning...
"Here is the report you required on GS-R sales, Kataki-san."
"Thank you, Tomahisa-kun," Tsuyoshi Kataki nods, gazing at the
small booklet Tomahisa Hirosaki just gave him.
The latter, having just turned sixty last September, wasn't an
ambitious man. Neither was his wife, Jalynda. Both were two of
Market Research and Analysis' most successful "money hounds." That
nickname was bestowed on the executives who went out and learned
what sort of products potential customers desired Genom to create.
No development project which didn't get a seal of approval from
those like the Hirosakis (unless it was an "in-company use" project
like the Mark Two 33-S's) never got far from the drawing board.
"Is there anything else you require, Kataki-san?" Tomahisa
asks, remaining still, hands clasped behind his back.
Tsuyoshi glances intently at the older executive (the chief of
Market Analysis and Research was only fifty-two). Yes, Tomahisa
knew all the mantras one needed to perform this far up the Tower.
"A question, if I may ask you this, my friend," he sets the book
aside, then straightens himself in his chair. "The Chairman
commented this to me this morning when I met with him. Why didn't
you and your wife go to Kyoto last night to meet your daughter?"
Hearing that last word, Tomahisa nearly gags as a lump fills
his throat. Tsuyoshi ignores the man's theatrics for a moment,
then as the junior executive composes himself, sighs. "Is it
because your wife finds it so impossible to accept the work your
father now performs, Tomahisa-kun?" his eyebrow arches. "It is, in
truth, not my place to dictate to you how you should conduct your
family affairs, my friend, but I doubt few would approve of the
fact that you keep such a distance from Elder Ryuuji."
"I..."
"You know well that your father holds the Chairman's respect,
which is a hard thing to garnish," Tsuyoshi holds up his hand.
"Now, granted, there are things that Elder Ryuuji...and yes,
Chikage-san too...do which can't be proven scientifically. But
isn't that what magic is? Phenomena which can't now, perhaps ever,
be scientifically analyzed? Can't you and your wife accept that?"
Tomahisa takes a breath, then gently exhales. "My wife has
always had many problems with Otou-san's line of work, Kataki-san.
And..." he pauses, then, "...we've both grown past the pain of our
daughter's loss. Truthfully, when Ijuuin-hakase told us what she
wanted to do, we didn't want anything to do with it. I..." another
pause, then, "I felt it to be an insult to Chikage's memory."
"Ah," the Board executive nods understandingly. "Perhaps, in
a way, my friend, you are right about that. But having spoken with
Ijuuin-hakase about her project, I believe her viewpoint on the
matter bears equal merit, ne? That a living, breathing memorial to
one who died so young, so tragically, is infinitely more desirable
than just photographs and fragile memories. Besides, you and your
wife have no living relatives who can carry on your family name.
Isn't that a problem which requires attention sooner or later?"
"I..." he stops, then nods. "H-hai, it does."
"I believed so," Tsuyoshi nods, a light smile crossing her
face. "I've arranged for Chikage-san to be privately tutored here
at the Tower when matters concerning her citizenship and residency
are resolved by the people in Kyoto. Do you know Warner-hakase?"
"Alanna Warner?" Tomahisa gapes. "Hai, I've heard of her,
though we've never met. She's one of Gendai's (Genom University's)
senior instructors. I've read some of the papers she's written on
the psychology dominating relations between boomers and humans."
"Hai," Tsuyoshi nods. "I told her about Chikage-san and she
then asked if she could have the chance to educate her. That would
also give Warner-hakase the chance to better observe what sort of
being Chikage-san (and by extension, the other CCs) are. I believe
Ijuuin-hakase would eventually desire to see all the CCs interact
with normal teenagers in due time. This will help."
"Soo ka," Tomahisa nods, then sighs, straightening himself.
"Is there anything else you desire of me, Kataki-san?"
"No, that is all. You may go."
"Hai. Shitsurei shimasu (Please excuse me)."
Tomahisa bows, then turns to leave. As he reaches the door,
Tsuyoshi calls out, "Tomahisa-kun?"
"Hai, Kataki-san?" the other pauses.
"Remember: if we forget from where we came, we loose sight of
where we desire to go," Tsuyoshi cautions. "Wakaru (Understood)?"
"Ah...h-hai, wakarimasu."
"Iko (Go)."
He departs. Tsuyoshi remains in place, then sighs as he gazes
out the window at the surrounding city...
* * *
Tomahisa sighs as he steps into the lounge interconnecting the
various offices where the Board members worked. Damn, he didn't
expect his absence from last night's party to be noticed by QUINCY
of all people, then commented on! Fighting down a curse towards
his father for pushing so hard to have Chikage restored, the market
analysis researcher moves towards the Sky Elevator landing when a
voice calls out, "Tomahisa-san?! Oh, it IS you!!"
He stops, looking left to see a graceful-looking woman in her
mid-sixties walk up. She is dressed in a kimono that flatters her
still-youthful figure, the Toratotaka corporate sigil in enamel on
her top. "Er..." Tomahisa blinks, then bows. "Forgive me, ma'am,
but I'm afraid that you have me at a disadvantage."
"Oh, gomen ne," she covers her mouth politely. "I'm Sachiko
Hyuga, Sayuri's mother. We missed you and your wife at the party
last night. Your father did say you were busy, though."
"Ah...h-hai, we were, unfortunately," he shrugs. Inwardly, he
wondered who was playing games with him now. How on Earth was it
possible for this woman to have been brought up here to see him?
It couldn't be just on a lark, could it?
Tomahisa then remembers who Sachiko is. Like other families
chosen to receive a CC series 33-S, the Hirosakis had been given a
complete introductory package on their daughter's sisters and their
would-be relatives. Well, then, if she was a just-retired T'n'T
Station Matriarch, her presence here could be explained. After
all, the SFIO from the Nerima Tower, Megumi Mikihara, frequently
visited the Tower. "I assume both you and your husband are quite
satisfied about what Ijuuin-hakase's created," he then relaxes.
Sachiko shudders. "Personally, I think Rei-san outdid herself
with Sayuri-chan," she impishly grins, then blinks as a piano
medley flows past them. "What on Earth...?" she turns.
Tomahisa looks himself, then notices someone seated by the
Steinway grand piano which had been a present to the Tower staff
when Genom purchased the parent company three years ago. Sachiko
looks, then moans. "Sayuri, please...!" she shakes her head, then
walks over. Tomahisa remains in place for a second, then follows.
As they approach the piano, Tomahisa is quick to see Chikage
now standing beside Sayuri Hyuga. The latter was playing an old
Yanni song, "The End of August," on the piano. Sayuri's skill on
the keys is superb. Could such grace actually have been programmed
into her when she was born? A quick glance around at the doorways
leading to the various work areas reveals a small crowd forming.
All organic workers, Tomahisa muses; no boomer secretary or guard
would be distracted by something so trivial as music.
His eyes then fall on his reborn daughter. Chikage is now
draped in a favoured black lace-up gown, trimmed with red and gold
wreaths of laurel on the wrists and collars. Seeing her for what
is actually the first time, Tomahisa feels a lump form in his
throat. Oh, ye gods, she...! Was she...?! That...!
Chikage blinks, then gracefully walks over to stand beside her
father, slipping an arm around Tomahisa's. They gaze into the
other's eyes, then a light smile crosses her face. By then, Sayuri
has finished with "The End of August." Muted applause echoes from
around her, making Sayuri's cheeks flush embarrassingly as she
rises, bowing to the small crowd around her. "Arigatou!!"
Sachiko rolls her eyes. "Sayuri, honestly!" she glares at her
child. "These people have things to do!! You can't just walk in
and play music on a lark, musume-chan! It distracts them!!"
"If the musician playing's as skilled as your daughter, ma'am,
we wouldn't mind it," one OL from Mark Kaneda's group beams.
"Yeah, sure breaks the monotony in this place, ne?" another
OL, this one hailing from Kenji Sousuke's staff, smirks.
Murmured responses hail from the others, then another OL turns
to Sayuri. "Ne, can you play something else?"
Sayuri hums, then sits down at the piano. "Here, let's try
'Nightingale.' Chikage, do you have your recorder with you?"
"Hai," Chikage pulls away from her father, then reaches into
her sleeve to draw out a wooden recorder trimmed in ivory and gold.
The crowd is stunned; the recorder seemed much larger then
either part of Chikage's arm. "You can do magic?" one OL asks.
Chikage lifts the recorder to her lips, then stares amusedly
at her questioner. "In the end, we can ALL do magic."
Sayuri giggles, then relaxes as Chikage pipes the first notes
of "Nightingale," another Yanni song. Just as Sayuri is about to
commence playing the piano, Chikage pauses, her eyes widening
suddenly as her breath catches in her throat. The magi staggers
slightly, then she glances towards the south side of the Tower.
"Chikage-chan, what's wrong?!" Sachiko moves to hold her up.
Chikage blinks, then her eyes narrow. "Computer virus," she
focuses her senses on the target, her voice unnervingly calm. "Ten
floors down, the office area for the Genom Music talent scouts.
It's in a secretary boomer right now. Someone's already hurt."
Slipping her recorder into her sleeve, Chikage makes her cape
appear, then with a wave of the thick white cloth, vanishes. The
crowd gasps, wide-eyed with shock, then they're jolted back to the
here-and-now when Sayuri asks, "Can someone show me the way down
there, please?! Chikage might need some help!"
One OL immediately grabs her by the hand, then waves her to
the Sky Elevator. "Here, miss, this way!" she beckons.
"Arigatou!!"
* * *
Chikage appears ten floors down, then firmly fastening her
cape around her neck, scans about to ascertain what just happened.
The problem area is quite clear; several OLs and junior executives
are already pouring out from one office suite. Slipping through
the crowd, the magi makes it through a doorway, then stops, noting
a secretary, a female Bu-44 GS Mark Ten, gyrating near a computer,
a pained scream escaping her lips. The magi's eyes narrow as she
probes deep into the woman's body, then she moves to subdue her.
At that moment, a human-disguised 55-C appears, sunglasses
removed as he prepares to shed his outer disguise and deploy his
weapons. "Leave this area immediately!" he orders.
Chikage glances at him, then her eyes narrow as she reaches
out. "No, there's no need to kill this person. We need to move
her to an enclosed space to ascertain what has happened to her."
"But..." the guard then pauses as something washes through
him, then he relaxes. "Hai, wakarimashita (I understand). There
is an environmentally-secured examination lab in Section Four-Gee."
"Good," the magi waves him inside.
The guard walks over to grab the jerking secretary in a secure
bearhug, then Chikage draws up her cape to teleport them down. By
then, Sayuri has arrived. "Oi, wait for me!" she ducks under the
cape as Chikage warps them all many floors down...
* * *
The cape pulls away from Sayuri's face. Glancing around what
appears to be a testing lab, she notices a group of scientists and
technicians staring wide-eyed at the small group that just appeared
out of NOWHERE in their midst. Fortunately, the still-screaming
secretary diverts the scientists' attention from the Sexaroids.
"This woman has been struck by a computer virus," Chikage
tells one scientist, her voice commanding. Two technicians motion
the guard into taking the boomer secretary into a secure cell. "No
doubt, this was meant to start a rampage inside the Tower. Please
ascertain what virus it is and from where it came. No doubt, both
Security and Special Services would be interested in knowing."
"Right away, ma'am," the older man nods.
The secretary is carried into the cell, then latched down on
an examination table similar to what federal death-row inmates in
the United States would confront at the end of the green mile. A
scientist places a probe into the back of the woman's neck, then
nods to a friend, who taps controls to commence a full brain-scan.
The secretary freezes for a second, then slumps unconscious.
"Thank the gods for that!!" the scientist mutters, then turns
to Chikage. "Now, how did you managed to appear out of thin air
just like THAT, young lady?!" he snaps his fingers in emphasis.
"Teleportation spell which comes with my cape, Sensei," the
magi gently smiles. "A very handy thing to have when one must move
from place to place and time is of the essence."
"Magic?!" the scientist flusters, then chuckles. "Well, I
never thought I'd ever see something like that these days!"
By then, a small crowd has marched into the lab from a nearby
elevator. Leading is Koji Tamura, he flanked by Tomahisa Hirosaki
and Sachiko Hyuga. "Yo, what's going on here?!" Koji demands.
"Oh, Uncle Koji, you're just in time," Chikage lightly smiles.
"it seems someone decided to create a little ruckus here in the
Tower today and selected our friend here," she indicates the
slumbering boomer secretary, "...to be the instigator."
Koji looks, then sighs. "Shit, just what we need!" he growls
under his breath, then looks at the technician monitoring the
brain-scan. "What's it look like there?"
"Looks like our friends from Shanghai sent her something," the
technician grunts, gazing at the readout. "Definitely Satana-type
virus. Maybe Mark Five or Mark Six...wait!" he holds up his hand,
then he sighs, shaking his head. "Alright, it's a Mark Six."
"Is that bad?" Sayuri wonders.
"Hai, it's very bad. Alright, we'll have to scrub her mind
clean to get rid of it," the technician taps controls.
"Wait!!!"
Eyes turn as a middle-aged executive runs into the room.
Chikage gives him a closer inspection. He has blood splattered
over his shirt and jacket, but by the determined spring in his
step, the blood clearly isn't his. "Who...?" Koji asks.
The man stops, panting, then he indicates the GS boomer now on
the table. "S-sorry..." he takes a deep breath, then straightens
himself. "I'm Oshiro Okita. This boomer's my personal secretary.
Please..." another deep breath. "Please don't destroy her..."
"She's got an Satana-Six virus in her, friend," Koji advises.
He knew of Oshiro. Pretty decent talent scout who, over the last
three years, had managed to bring several popular performers under
Genom Music's umbrella. "It's as bad as Samguk's Typhoon viruses.
Once a boomer gets it, that's it. There's no hope of saving her."
"Perhaps there is another way, Uncle Koji."
Eyes turn to Chikage. "What do you mean?" Tomahisa wonders.
"Put simply, Otou-san, it would be a gross insult to Okita-san
to disregard his wishes concerning his subordinate just because it
might prove to be difficult to cure her of what now ails her," the
magi smiles knowingly. "If you'll permit Sayuri and I a chance to
be alone with...?" she pauses, staring quizzically at Oshiro.
"Shanna," the talent scout provides.
"...Shanna-san...thank you, Okita-san...I'm sure we can help
her better deal with her problem," Chikage finishes.
Koji's eyebrow arches. "Yo, Chikage, you think the Effect's
gonna be strong enough to cleanse her of an S-6 virus?"
"Better to learn that now in a controlled environment than be
forced to deal with it in the middle of a situation where lives are
in danger," Chikage calmly replies, exchanging a nod with Sayuri.
"In the meantime, I suggest you all give us some breathing room.
If we need any sort of assistance, we'll summon you right away."
People exchange looks, then Sachiko breathes out. "I'm sure
Chikage-chan wouldn't make this sort of request on a lark, minna."
"We'll be right outside if you need us," Koji reminds them.
"Alright," Chikage smiles, then stares at the guard who had
helped bring Shanna down. "Please, kind sir, will you see to it
that we're granted TOTAL privacy for the next while?"
"I..." the large man shudders, then he nods. "Hai!"
With that, he helps shepherd the crowd out of the room, then
when the door is closed behind him, he stands guard. The others
quickly notice that the 55-C is demonstrating greater determination
presently than what would be normally expected for his model. "By
the looks of it, he got zapped good, too," Koji chuckles.
"By what?" one of the scientists asks.
"By something a former schoolmate of mine...not to mention her
kid sister...fitted in Chikage, Sayuri and all the other CC series
33-S's when they were first built," Koji smirks, walking over to a
monitor station, then he taps controls to activate a hidden camera.
"Now let's see how good Z-H's cyber-crackers might be compared to
the Kawaii Effect," he mutters, waiting for the show to begin...
* * *
"So, how do we do this?"
"Delicately," Chikage taps controls on the monitor unit now
hooked into Shanna's central processors, then she hums. "Well,
let's wake her up and see what's going on."
She hits one button. A gasp escapes the secretary, then as
her eyes wildly scan around the room, she screams, "***BASTARDS!!
I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!! LEMME OUTTA HERE!!! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!***"
Chikage tsks. "Such attitude..." she shakes her head, then
glances knowingly at Sayuri. <<Care to do the honours?>>
<<Hai,>> the raven-haired Sexaroid teen nods, then moves into
Shanna's visual range. "Ohayo, Shanna-chan!" she sweetly smiles.
Shanna spins on her, the secretary's face torquing into a
demonic sneer, then she bellows, "***WHY ARE YOU SMILING LIKE THAT,
YOU BITCH?!! HOW DARE YOU HOLD ME DOWN LIKE THIS?!! UNTIE ME AT
ONCE OR I'LL RIP OUT YOUR INSIDES AND FEED YOU TO THE DOGS!!!***"
Hearing that, Sayuri blinks, then her lips pout as tears
stream down her cheeks. "I was just trying to be nice...!" she
burbles, then wails, her fingers going to her eyes.
Chikage moves to comfort. "There, there, Sayuri-chan," the
magi coos, hoping to heaven she was sounding convincing enough.
This was SO uncomfortable. Acting wasn't Chikage's strong suit.
"I'm sure she didn't mean it. Shanna's just having a bad day."
Shanna quakes, another thunderous shout building in her
throat, then her eyes focus on the weeping Sayuri. Suddenly,
without any warning, the heat of the anger the secretary now felt
vanishes in a gust of wind warping through her body. A state of
bewilderment falls over her, then she glances around the room.
Where was she?
How did she get here?
Did she do something bad?
* * *
"Holy..."
"What is it?" a scientist looks over a technician's shoulder,
then he gapes. "My God, that's impossible..."
"What?" Koji walks over to look.
On the screen before them scrolls a seemingly endless stream
of programming data, the bits of information that, when it was all
meshed together, created the entity called "Shanna." Most of the
program code is in blue, indicating unaffected code. The red bits
indicate the code that had been drastically altered by the Satana
Six virus sent by a hacker allied to Zhongguo-Hindra. There was a
lot. However, there seemed to be something else in the system now,
something that couldn't be translated into normal binary code.
"What is this?" the technician demands.
Suddenly, the screen blanks out, then morphs into a 3-D
computer graphic. Koji recognizes it as a schematic of a Mark 10
boomer brain, what is normally fitted into the Bu-44 model. The
schematic is blue in colour, though there are large areas of red in
most of the vital sectors. However, the red is being invaded by a
storm of tiny pink dots. Everywhere the pink touches red, it then
morphs into blue. Seeing this, the scientist's brow furrows as he
tries to deduce what is happening, then he turns to Koji. "By the
looks of it, this unit's got another virus in her mind actively
seeking out the first virus," a pause, "...and eliminating it."
Koji hums. "I can see that, Sensei. Here, hold on a sec'..."
He taps controls, then jolts as the screen suddenly blanks out
again. "Fuck!" the computer security chief taps other controls,
then sighs. "Sorry about that. I forgot how fast this stuff can
spread..." his voice trails off, then he chuckles. "Oh, jeez!"
The others watching this gape as an SD Sayuri appears on the
screen. The image is dressed like the real one in a flower-decked,
sleeveless white dress. The SD Sayuri is displayed with a vacuum
cleaner, the head scooping up bits of red dust from the "floor."
Suddenly, the image pauses, then seemingly looks into Koji's face.
A word balloon then appears: THIS IS SO MESSY!
Koji blinks, then chuckles. "Mei-chan, we gotta talk."
"What is this?!" the technician demands, then reaches over to
tap controls to run up a list of Shanna's basic programming code.
Seeing the almost total absence of red lines, his jaw drops.
"Gods, that's just impossible!! This totally...!"
"Cleaned the virus out," Oshiro breathes out in relief.
"She'll still have to be examined," the scientist warns.
"Let's wait for the girls to get done first," Koji advises...
* * *
"***WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I'M SORRY!!!***"
Sayuri is nearly snapped in half as Shanna, freed thanks to
Chikage, swamps her with a hug. Gasping for air, the raven-haired
Sexaroid teen tries to pry the weeping secretary off her. "Oi, oi,
Shanna-chan, I need to breathe...!" she grunts, trying to wiggle
her arms out from under Shanna's to get leverage. "Leggo...!!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SO sorry!!" Shanna
burbles a mile a minute, rapidly shaking her head.
Chikage sighs, then reaches over to tap several shiatsu points
on Shanna's head and back to calm her down. Like so many others in
Toratotaka, chief amongst them the Kuromoroboshi, the magi could
easily detect the various shiatsu lines in boomers like Shanna and
act on them. Shanna jolts, then feels herself firm up as she moves
to sit on the examination table. Her lips are still twisted into
a frown. "Oh, oh, dear, oh, dear, what have I done...?" she moans,
then covers her face with her hands as more sobs steal her voice.
"Daijoubu, daijoubu (It's okay, it's okay)," Sayuri moves to
gently squeeze Shanna's shoulder. "It was a virus sent by some
baka out in China that did that to you. It's not your fault."
Shanna takes a deep breath, then lowers her hands, staring
wearily at the Sexaroid. "Well, that's easy for you to say!" she
moans. "I nearly killed someone thanks to that virus! Do you
really think the humans in this place'll let me live after THAT?!"
"We will argue the case forcefully, then," Chikage sighs.
"Besides, your superior seemed quite adamant to the idea that you
should be kept alive and whole. Okita-san does strike me as
someone who does care very much for you, Shanna."
Hearing that, a faint yet hopeful smile crosses Shanna's face.
"Oshiro-kun's always been that way to me," she lightly shrugs, then
looks down at her hands. "I've always been loyal to him. Not like
some of the other jerks and bitches that work under him," a sneer
twists her lips as her fingers clench. "Backstabbers!"
Sayuri and Chikage exchange a surprised look, then the former
slips a supportive arm around the secretary. "Why don't you tell
us about this, Shanna? Maybe we can help."
Shanna gazes at her, then nods...
* * *
"What is going on here?!"
Koji blinks, then tries not to curse out loud on recognizing
that voice. Turning, he gives Brian Mason a sardonic grin. With
him is A, one of his specially-built 33-C bodyguards. "Yo, Brian,
what brings you down this way? Oi, Blondie, how's tricks?!"
A gazes intently at Koji. She always hated his verbal barbs.
Mason remains calm. He knew how much Koji Tamura despised him.
The feeling was mutual, but when it came to the Chairman's personal
hatchet man, acting on those feelings was ill-advised. Besides,
the special assistant couldn't find anything which he could use as
decent leverage against Koji. That would change. One day. "I
heard of the incident concerning Okita-san's department. I trust
the boomer in question has been properly disposed of. We can't
have malfunctioning units run wild throughout the Tower."
Oshiro blinks, then sighs. "Mason-sama, I've been told that
the virus inside Shanna now has been cleansed," he waves to the
lab's chief scientist. "With a proper check-up, she could easily
return to service. I don't think that we need to waste money for
a new secretary," he shrugs, a light smile crossing his face.
Mason gazes intently at him, causing Oshiro to wilt. "The
rules inside this company concerning boomer workers who try to kill
organic superiors, regardless of cause, are sacrosanct, Okita-san.
It will adversely affect office morale if people are forced to work
in the presence of a boomer that is known to have gone berserk."
The talent scout jolts, then feels his heart thump loudly in
his head. What was worse, Mason was quite correct. Still, he had
to give Shanna every chance he could. "Sir...!"
"Your loyalty to that boomer is applaudable, though it is also
misplaced, Okita-san," Mason cuts him off. "Besides, one of your
secretaries, who is now being treated for the wounds that boomer
gave her, lodged a complaint to Security. Once that happens, the
matter is resolved. You know that as well as I..."
* * *
"We have a problem."
Sayuri and Shanna jolt, then stare at Chikage. The magi holds
up one hand to summon a scrying sphere, projecting an image of the
group standing outside. Seeing the man now staring at Oshiro,
Sayuri blinks, then her lips twist. "Mason!" she spits out.
"Agreed," Chikage sighs. "If he's here, then he'll no doubt
wish to see Genom's in-house rules concerning boomers that go out
of control enforced. And that means..." she stares at Shanna.
The secretary blinks, then lowers her head. "I'm dead."
A knowing smile then crosses Chikage's face. "Not necessarily
true," she disperses the scrying sphere, then reaches into her
dress pocket to draw out a small velvet case.
Sayuri gazes at it, then her eyes widen as the magi opens the
case, revealing a dark ovoid crystal, composed of a mix of bright
silver and dark red materials. "A...?!" she gapes, then a sly
smile crosses her face. "Chikage, you're a sneak!"
"Hai, I am," Chikage clicks her tongue.
"What will that do?" Shanna wonders.
"Give you a new chance at life," the magi replies...
* * *
*You're so fuckin' bloodless, Brian!* Koji glares intently at
the special assistant. *You were probably the same way when you
killed Sylia's dad and ended up fucking up her whole life, not to
mention Yoshio's!* A glance at the monitor screen reveals Chikage
drawing out an unprogrammed Mark 97 reserve memory unit from a
small case, she moving to place that on Shanna's forehead. *What
the heck...?!* he blinks, then a sly grin crosses her face. *Oh,
nice move, Chikage!* Koji sighs, tapping a control to cut off the
visual lead from the monitor station into the room next door.
The conversation between Mason and Oshiro Okita is ongoing.
"I..." the talent scout pauses, then his shoulders deflate. "Hai,
I understand," he nods, then stares at Mason. "But you can't
really ask me to like something like that, Mason-sama."
A light smile crosses Mason's face, one that really has no
positive feelings behind it. "More than understandable, Okita-san.
But the rules are the rules. In the meantime, Sensei..."
A loud *SNAP!!* draws everyone's attention to the monitor unit
beside Koji. "Oh, shit!!!" the computer security officer yelps,
then he moves to stabilize what part of the system is still intact
as a technician scrambles for a fire extinguisher. "Damn, what the
hell just happened?!" he waves the smoke aside, then backs off as
the technician sprays the unit down with carbon dioxide.
The door to the secure chamber then opens, revealing Chikage.
Eyes turn to the magi as she steps around the 55-C guarding the
door, then she gazes on Oshiro. "I..." she slowly exhales, then
bows her head. "I apologize, Okita-san. Once Shanna regained her
self-control, she remembered what the virus forced into her made
her do. She..." another pause, then, "Just took her own life."
Silence.
"Oh, gods, no..." Sachiko Hyuga covers her mouth.
Mason gapes. "What?!"
Chikage stares at the special assistant. "Try as those like
you have to suppress a boomer's capacity to be fully human if given
the right chance, Mason-san, you cannot escape one singular fact.
Even with all the controls you force on them, there burns deep in
the heart of every boomer this company creates, a soul that yearns
to be free. Shanna is just an example of that. Sad, isn't it? A
*boomer* seems to have developed a greater sense of personal honour
than most pure-organics I've met to date." With that, she turns
back to Oshiro. "She asked me to deliver a message to you before
she made her heart explode." A pause, then, "She asked me to tell
you how much she came to love you, Oshiro-san...and she thanked you
for the respect and kindness you've given her in return."
The talent scout blinks, looking as if someone just blindsided
him with a big club, then he lowers his head. "I see..." he takes
a deep breath to calm himself, his fists clenching.
A supportive hand falls on his shoulder. Oshiro sees Sachiko
gazing sympathetically at him, then he nods thanks before turning
to the lab's senior scientist. "See to it that Shanna's body is
cremated right away, Sensei. I'll arrange to have her ashes sent
to Kouya-san for internment as soon as things are ready."
"Of course, Okita-san," the scientist nods.
With that, others relax. Noting this, Koji shakes his head.
Well, wasn't that so fucking typical? Now that the boomer WAS
dead, there was no need for any sort of posturing.
A glance to Mason reveals a look of quiet distaste crossing
the special assistant's face. Koji knew why. Mount Kouya, south
of Osaka, is where Genom maintained a large memorial and cemetery
for company personnel who died in the line of duty. The tradition
of burying boomers who've fallen in the line of duty at Kouya-san,
treating them as no different than organic workers, was a recent
development, though one gaining much popularity. Mason was one who
disapproved of that idea, though he had yet to push his disapproval
into revised company policy. In the special assistant's eyes, dead
boomers were best used as recycled parts for new units.
*Wonder how you ended up treating your parents' remains after
they died, Brian,* Koji shakes his head, turning away...
* * *
Nerima, the Tower, an hour later...
"Excuse me? Are you Doctor George Foster?"
The dusky-skinned man with the wild hairdo, mirror shades and
very LOUD clothing looks up from his computer, then moans. "Oh,
PLEASE, don't call me DOCTOR Foster!!" he dramatically waves his
hands in a "It's not me, Officer!" gesture, then he slumps on his
computer. "I just HATE that word!!" Recovering quickly, he slips
closer to Chikage, gently shifting his glasses to reveal piercing
eyes now giving the magi a very thorough examination. "Hmmm...you
must be one of the CC 33-S's Rei Ijuuin's making down in Kyoto.
Now, my dear, what can I kindly do for you today?"
Chikage lightly smirks. George Foster was an expert in DNA
and bio-mechanical enzyme manipulation, two skills sorely needed
when new 33-S's and 33-Ms were moulded before being programmed and
woken. He was O/P (Operational Patriarch) of the Nerima Tower's
BuTT-33M laboratory, directly responsible for the creation of new
Cyber-Nurses if and when they were requested throughout the Eastern
Eurasian District. If Shanna was to be given a new chance, Chikage
knew, she had to convince George to go along with it. "Hai, I am.
Tell me, George, has GMSG (the Genom Medical Support Group) made
any requests for new nurses to serve inside the Tower in Chuuou?"
George blinks, then draws up a datapadd to scan through the
requests. "Why, yes, there is a request for five new nurses. How
is it you came to...?" he stares at Chikage, then nods. "Oh, I
remember. I read about you on LoopNetChat. You're Elder Ryuuji's
granddaughter, aren't you?" a chuckle escapes him, then he gazes
intently into her eyes. "Now, tell me why you want to know this?"
Chikage draws up a velvet box, laying it before the scientist.
"This is the soul of a Bu-44 GS Mark 10 boomer who was struck by a
Satana Six virus sent by someone in Shanghai..."
"Ooooh," George grimaces. "Nasty."
"Naturally, authorities in Genom wanted her dead..."
A horrified gasp. "Barbarians!"
"Her superior didn't approve of it whatsoever..."
"Oh, my heavens! There's hope for them yet!!"
"But he wasn't able to plead his case properly..."
"Oh, of course! Isn't that the way it ALWAYS is?!"
"But I felt it wasn't right to see her flung to the lions..."
"The right thing to do, honey! Always!!"
"And she dearly loves her superior, but didn't have the chance
to properly express it until she was, literally, at Death's door."
Silence.
"Did you say that this poor, unfortunate child LOVED someone?"
George blinks, drawing the glasses back over his eyes.
"Hai, I did," Chikage smiles.
A dramatic sniff escapes the scientist (Chikage knew, thanks
to her grandfather and others, how much a hopeless romantic the man
before her was), then he sighs. "Well, given the juxtapositions
presented by this particular situation, I would be remorse in not
aiding this poor child in her quest to win the heart of the one who
treated her with such loyalty. Now, dear, what was she again?"
"Gee-Es Mark Ten."
George makes a face. "Gyaaah!! I swear, my dear, there is NO
ARTISTRY in the hearts of the people who create those boomers!!" he
bellows out, then makes a dramatic pose. "But do not fret! I will
see to it this poor, sweet child will look like an ANGEL when I am
finished with her!" He then leans close to Chikage. "By the way,
how soon do you require this poor child to be back on her feet?"
"Three days?" the magi offers.
"Oh, wonderful! I can take my time on this one!!" George
laughs, then gently takes the case from Chikage. "Now, we have to
decide what sort of 33-M our friend here..." he pauses, then hums.
"She DOES have a name, I do hope?" his eyebrow arches.
"Shanna. Her old superior's family name is Okita."
"OH!!! I like her already!!" the scientist whoops.
The magi smirks, trying desperately not to fall over laughing.
Well, they did say that all types of people COULD be found working
for Toratotaka. All you had to do was go look for them...
* * *
Genom Tower, that moment...
"Damn..."
Oshiro Okita shakes his head, then sips his tea. He was now
relaxing with Sachiko and Sayuri Hyuga in a cafeteria near the
talent scout's office space. "That is what she told us before
she..." Sayuri bites into her lip, then she relaxes.
"It takes all types, I guess," Sachiko shakes her head.
Oshiro nods. "Hai, even in my part of the company, that sort
of thing happens," he sets his tea cup aside, then stares out the
window. "I mean..." a pause, then, "Hell, even in my line of work,
you hear all the stories, all the rumours that run through this
place. Hear about all the people who got burned because they had
creeps under them who're so hungry to advance, they'll do ANYTHING
to make themselves look good. And..." he stops, then shakes his
head. "Gods, I didn't even sense it. And Shanna..."
"She couldn't do anything to warn you of the danger because
she was programmed to obey EVERY organic working in your group.
Which includes ordering her to forget anything she saw or did which
could end up hurting you," Sayuri explains. "Deep down, as her
feelings for you grew, she came to resent that woman's actions, but
Shanna couldn't do anything about it..." a pause, then, "Until some
fellow in Shanghai decided to send a little 'gift' our way."
"Indeed, one might actually say that virus was a true gift in
disguise," Sachiko politely chuckles, covering her mouth.
"Yeah. After hearing what your daughter just told me about
Shanna, Hyuga-kachou (Matriarch Hyuga), I'd be tempted to ask the
guys in GSS to find that hacker so I can thank him," Oshiro smiles.
"Or maybe your people might like to help...?"
"Well, I could ask around," Sachiko offers.
Laughter escapes all three of them, then Oshiro draws up his
NAVI and dials a number. A second later, the other end responds.
"Hai, Stoltzman desu (this is Stoltzman). Oh, Oshiro-kun, it's
you!" Richard Stoltzman, Genom Music's chief talent scout, perks
up. "Oi, I'm glad to hear you got out alright..."
"Hai, hai, Rick, I'm okay," Oshiro nods. "Listen man, about
one of my OLs there, Nina Telson. I want her out of my office as
fast as you can get it arranged up. Soon as possible, okay?"
Richard blinks, then sits back in his chair. "Telson? Oi,
she's the one who got hurt by that boomer, right...?!"
"Hai."
"Why're you letting her go?"
"Well, I got it from a VERY good source that Telson didn't
like what I arranged with a couple thrash bands we signed on back
in April," Oshiro explains. "You remember those ones, right?"
"Yeah, they actually wanted to try out some new lines of music
from what you told me about them when we signed them on."
"Hai. Believe me, Rick, that was the truth, but it appears
Nina-chan didn't take too well to their switch of genres," the
sarcasm drips from every word Oshiro says. "So when folks from
Market Accounting came to review all the contracts we've made, she
let it slip to one of the guys there that I FORCED them to switch
to new wave. She then warned him that because of that, the deals
wouldn't make any money for us in the long run."
"That's bullshit!!"
"True, but try persuading the bean counters, Rick!"
"Oh, jeez!" Richard grunts. "So the boys in Market Accounting
have got you under close watch, right?"
"By the sounds of it, yes," Oshiro nods.
In Genom, to be put under "close watch" by Market Accounting
could easily spell the end of any executive's career within the
company. Even a strong HINT about being an "unsuccessful promoter
of business" could derail promotions, deny the many perks people at
Oshiro's and Richard's level expect. The "bean counters" in Market
Accounting were the people who made sure that Genom never got any
unproductive deals from local contractors (music bands were seen as
"local contractors"). This system, despite the fear such people
could produce among the executive rank-and-file, did much to ensure
that the company's financial resources weren't ultimately wasted.
"Okay, I've got a friend who can get a review done right
away," Richard promises. "Once they prove it's a false flag job,
I'll have Telson taken out of your office ASAP. Hell, if you want
me to, man, I'll get her put on the street."
"No, don't do that," Oshiro shakes his head. "She's still a
good worker, so get her reassigned somewhere interesting."
"Interesting" meaning "remote and out of the way," Richard
nods understandingly. "You got it. See you later."
The link is cut. At that moment, one of the OLs from the
senior executive floors approaches their table. "Excuse me,
Sayuri-chan?" she gazes at the Sexaroid teen.
"Hai?" Sayuri looks over.
"Um, sumimasen, but Kaneda-sama asked if you'd be willing to
come back up and play some more on the piano," she smiles. "A lot
of people heard you and want an encore performance."
Sayuri blinks, then blushes. "Okay!" she rises.
She follows the OL towards the elevators. Oshiro watches her
go, then stares at Sachiko. "Your daughter plays the piano?"
"Quite well, but I would really wish you'd not bother her
about a contract just yet, Okita-san," the older woman smiles. "I
just got Sayuri 'back,' so to speak, so I'd like to make sure she
has something of a normal life before weighing her down."
The talent scout is confused. "What do you mean 'back?'"
Sachiko smiles. "That's a story in and of itself..."
* * *
A private laboratory near the heart of the Tower...
"My God...!"
Brian Mason blinks, then stares intently at Yoshiro Andrews.
"So this boomer was struck by this so-called 'Kawaii Effect'
Ijuuin's model of 33-S's are being fitted with?"
"Hai, Mason-sama, it was," Yoshiro nods, staring at the prone
security guard on a nearby examination table. He and the special
assistant had known many things about the Child Companions. Like
other boomer models Toratotaka and Genom constructed for public
consumption, the design specifications were archived with the
Ministry of Science and Technology. Both learned from examining
the technical specifications on the CCs that they would be fitted
with a "passive anti-boomer defence mechanism." That mechanism
would revolve around a benign computer virus transmitted from the
33-S through a biomechanical pheromone particle. The nickname for
this defence mechanism - "Kawaii-kooka" (the Kawaii Effect) - had
struck Mason as ridiculous when he first heard it.
But judging from Yoshiro's reaction, there was nothing funny
about what the Kawaii Effect could actually DO!
"So what has happened to this unit?" Mason wonders.
"Well, a lot of things," Yoshiro pulls his face away from the
electro-microscope's viewing piece, then he rubs the bridge of his
nose. "Primarily, this virus is not designed whatsoever to kill a
boomer. That's understandable, given the way Toratotaka tends to
view boomers and androids as a whole. But..."
"But?"
"What it DOES do, I believe, is allow a boomer struck by this
virus to become a..." the scientist pauses. "To evolve into a
'Directive Five' case, as our friends in Nerima so put it."
Mason blinks, then steeples his fingers before his face. "How
is that possible, Andrews-hakase? We put in a lot of safeguards to
make sure boomers can't become sentient..."
"And this virus wipes out those safeguards," Yoshiro sighs.
"Mason-sama, the degradation of those safeguards are what, in my
opinion, provoked almost all the boomer rampages which've happened
over the last seven years. Somehow, the safeguards we insert into
a boomer are erased or overwritten as the unit gains experience and
knowledge. Eventually, once those guards are gone, the unit has no
inhibitions to stop it from going crazy. Many of the scientists'
in Genom have warned about this time and time again, Mason-sama.
Yet..." he shrugs. "No one seems to want to really sit down,
examine this problem and find ways to correct it."
"Given the overall statistics, things aren't as dangerous as
you might think, Andrews-hakase," Mason waves that off. Atop that,
some of the boomer rampages had come to serve Genom's interests in
very unusual ways, but there was no need to explain that to the
scientist. "So what exactly does this Kawaii Effect do?"
"Well, I'd like some more time to examine this unit to get
some things down pat, but from what I've seen so far, I can say
that Ijuuin's little virus effectively allows a boomer to evolve
itself to full sentience in one leap. BUT," he holds up a finger,
"...and here's the big 'but,' the Kawaii Effect comes with NEW
programming blocks which take over from the old ones erased by the
virus when the unit is first infected by the Effect."
"You mean..." Mason's eyes widen. "A CC series Sexaroid could
easily take control of any boomer using this virus?!"
"No, certainly not," Yoshiro shakes his head. "And I can see
why. Rei Ijuuin and Yoshio Saotome don't think that's the way to
promote any of their ideas. What the Effect does is that it gives
a boomer the ability to evolve its own moral programming along with
granting it the chance to become fully sentient. You'll remember,
Mason-sama, that boomers come with two basic types of programming.
'Operational' programming and 'control' programming. The Effect
does NOT touch a boomer's operational programming whatsoever. This
guard here," he waves to the prone 55-C, "...can still do his job
and do it very well. What has happened is that all the old control
programs we put into this unit, from the OMS straight down, have
been taken out AND replaced by new self-control mechanisms."
"The result being?"
"That over time, this unit will evolve his own, unique way of
doing business," Yoshiro waves to the prone guard. "His loyalty to
the company is still quite strong, Mason-sama, perhaps at this time
even stronger. But this boomer is no longer just a blunt combat
instrument. He will WANT to become a better guard. He will WANT
to explore new things. But I strongly believe he will want to do
so in a way which doesn't threaten anyone around him. Part of the
Effect's coding, from what I saw, is an internalized warning about
how some organics might react if they understood what he's now
capable of doing. He will defend those he is assigned to protect
and do that very well. In many ways, he'll evolve into what A, B,
C and D have become now. You haven't had real reason to complain
about their abilities, haven't you?" a smile crosses his face.
"No, not really," Mason sits back, shaking his head, then he
stares at the guard. The special assistant's eyes narrow for a
minute, then he shakes his head. "Andrews-hakase, carry out your
investigation on this unit, then when you've finished, have this
unit's mind scrubbed before returning it to its post."
The scientist blinks. "May I ask why...?"
"The risk of this unit still going insane is still there, is
it not?" Mason stares intently at Yoshiro.
"I..." the older man pauses, then shakes his head. "No. From
what I've seen so far, the risk has been practically eliminated.
The only chance I'd see of this unit going mad, even with the
Effect within him, is that if someone grossly abuses him."
"My point," the special assistant holds up a finger. "If the
risk is there, why let it happen even if we guard against it? And
this company is NOT in the business of coddling its creations like
Toratotaka does the Cyber-Nurses. Agreed, Andrews-hakase?"
The scientist blinks, then nods. "Hai, agreed."
"Very well, then. Finish your examination, then see to it
this unit is scrubbed and returned to its post."
Rising, Mason walks out of the laboratory. Yoshiro watches
him go, then after the door closes behind the special assistant, he
shakes his head, sinking into his chair. "Damn..."
"Andrews-hakase?"
The scientist jolts, then he gazes quizzically at the boomer
now on his examination table. The large man is now staring at him.
Yoshiro feels something tug deeply in his heart. Did the guard now
realize what might soon happen to him? How did he feel? "Yes?"
"You have no choice but to obey Mason-sama's orders."
Yoshiro blinks, then he rises, walking over to place a hand on
the guard's shoulder. "Don't you realize what that means...?"
"Hai, I do realize that, Andrews-hakase, now that I have had
the chance to consider the matter," the guard nods. "But if I
attempted to escape, the chances of success are grossly reduced
because of where I am and what I might face. Regardless of my
success or failure concerning an escape attempt, what will happen
to you? There is a strong chance that Mason-sama might conclude
that you had disobeyed him. If he concluded that..."
"Stop!" Yoshiro holds up a hand, then he sighs. "You don't
need to say anything further, son." He pauses. *Did I just call
this boomer 'son?!'* the scientist mentally exclaims. "I..." he
takes another deep breath, then he exhales. "I know what might
happen." With that, he bites his lip, then straightens. "Well
then, regardless of which, I need the time to better examine what
the Kawaii Effect actually did to you. Maybe as I'm doing that, I
can come up with a way to save your life along the way, ne?"
"Be careful, Andrews-hakase."
"Believe me, son, I know what 'being careful' means."
* * *
Quincy hums as he flicks off the security monitor, then he
glances at Megumi Mikihara and Koji Tamura. The SFIO had come to
the Tower as soon as the incident involving Chikage and Sayuri had
settled down. "You tell Rei and Mei this, Megumi," the chairman
then smiles. "They've damn hell've outdone themselves."
"I'll pass that on," Megumi smiles.
"What about the guard, Mr. Q?" Koji asks.
"Can you do something about this?" Quincy wonders.
"Not without Mason or Andrews noticing it, I'm afraid."
"Perhaps Chikage can consent to help in this case since she is
the one who put the guard into that predicament," Megumi proposes.
Quincy hums, then nods. "That sounds like a good idea."
* * *
Before suppertime...
"That was really wonderful, Sayuri-chan."
"I'm glad you liked it, Kaneda-san," Sayuri gently grasps Mark
Kaneda's hands, rising from the piano. The Sexaroid teen tries not
to visibly recoil from the stale tobacco scent emanating from the
executive. Gods, how could this fellow do THAT to himself?
"You must be very proud of your child, Sachiko-san," Kenji
Sousuke stands nearby, chatting with Sachiko Hyuga. The Genom R&D
executive and the Toratotaka station matriarch were old friends;
Kenji was a native of Hatsukaichi, west of Hiroshima.
"I'm as proud of Sayuri now as I was of her namesake before
the quake, Kenji-san," Sachiko sadly smiles, then gives Kenji a
knowing look. "How are Sean-kun and Emily-chan?"
"Well, much as my people've tried to help them along, they
still...struggle from time to time," Kenji admits.
Like Sachiko Hyuga, the Genom executive had lost his children,
Sean and Emily, in Second Kantou. And like Sachiko, Kenji Sousuke
had turned to boomer replicas of his lost children to help assuage
his grief. Sean and Emily Sousuke, built in 2028, were two of the
Bu-48 SDCI (Special Duties/Combat Intelligence) prototypes.
"But I've come to care for my current son and daughter as much
as I cared for their templates," he adds. "Oh, yes, they are very
different from the children I helped give birth to, but is that
really so bad in the end? You'll find yourself experiencing the
same thing with Sayuri-chan there, Sachiko-san. I'm sure of it."
"I'll keep it in mind," Sachiko nods.
Kenji smiles, then hums, gazing once more at Sachiko. "Tell
me, though. Do you know if Saotome-hakase is considering producing
an A-Class 33-S in fourth generation format?"
"I..." the retired station matriarch blinks, then shakes her
head. "Iie, I don't believe it won't happen for a year or so. I
think after what some people here put him through last year, he
might want to avoid dealing with a new 33-S project for some time.
I know he is working on a new prototype design on his spare time.
He calls it the XK series, a cyber-cracker variant that could earn
the interest of places like the American NSA (National Security
Agency) or Canada's CSE (Communications Security Establishment).
But it's a small group. Nothing mass-produced, I'm afraid."
"Soo ka..."
"You might have to wait until next year or the year after,"
Sachiko advises. "Himoo-hakase is considering advancing the 33-S
idea to the fifth generation level, plus finding people to create
a compatible 34-S design to go along with it."
Kenji blinks, his eyes widening. "You're serious!"
"Very," Sachiko smiles. "If you can make sure Sean-kun and
Emily-chan'll last that long, my friend, you're dreams'll come true
as mine did," she holds up a finger, then glances at Sayuri.
"I'll keep it in mind," Kenji chuckles.
By then, the crowd has dispersed from around Sayuri. The
Sexaroid teen walks over to join her mother. "Mama, where can I
find out where Ryooko and the others sleep here?" she asks.
"Well, let's ask around," Sachiko chuckles, then after parting
from Kenji, guides her child towards Samantha Johnson's office
suite. Walking inside, the Hyugas are quick to see Kanako Sakurai
hard at work on her computer. "Konnichi wa, Sakurai-san."
"Eh?!" the executive looks up, then beams. "Oh, konnichi wa,
Hyuga-kachou, Sayuri-chan! What are you doing here?!"
"Well, actually, my daughter here was interested in looking in
on Ryooko-chan before we'd go back to Hiroshima," Sachiko explains.
"Would that be permitted even if they're in cryostasis?"
"Oh, no problem at all! Believe me, when your daughter and
her friends met our girls, it did them a world of good!" Kanako
smiles, then waves the Hyugas out of her office...
* * *
Minutes later, they step off the elevator and walk the short
distance to the Mark Two laboratory. Kanako keys controls to open
the secure doors, then guides them inside. Seeing the coldness of
the laboratory, Sayuri shivers. "Brrr!! Creepy place!"
"We can't put creature comforts into here on our budget, I'm
afraid," Kanako chuckles. The group then notices Ryooko's parents
Yuuji and Fumio Hayami hard at work at the computer monitoring
their daughter's stasis chamber. "Konnichi wa, minna!"
"Oh, Kanako-san...Sayuri-chan!!!" Fumio, a grey-haired version
of Ryooko, gapes on seeing the Sexaroid teen, then walks over to
draw her into a warm embrace. "Oh, what are you doing here?!"
"Well, I asked if I could come to see Ryooko before I went
home, Fumio-obachan," Sayuri impishly grins, then moves to gaze
into the chamber holding the raven-haired tomboy.
Ryooko lies in her chamber with her arms crossed under her
bust, as if she was asleep in a bed without the covers thrown over
her. Intravenous nutrient lines are hooked into her arms to keep
her body fed. Unlike other Genom-built Sexaroids, Ryooko has a
fully-capable cardiovascular system, so she didn't need any OFCs
(oxygenated fluorocarbons) fed into her. The diver's mask covering
her face is sealed perfectly against her skin, keeping her eyes and
mouth dry. Oxygen and cryostorage fluids are pumped into her body
through her nostrils. Ryooko's eyes are hooded, the chestnut shade
of her pupils barely visible. There is little lucidity there.
"Is she awake?" Sayuri gazes at Ryooko's parents.
"Not really," Yuuji Hayami moves to stand beside her. "Most
of her mind is shut down for the time being, but she can interpret
some things. As long as they stay still and within her eyesight,
of course." He points up to a place where a ceiling light had once
hung, right over their heads. "After we shifted the chambers
around when the others were put into deep storage, she complained
about the light that was up there. Rather than move the chamber
around (the damned things are heavier than sin when you get down to
it!), we just cut the light down. Helps her relax more."
"Soo ka," Sayuri hums, then gazing at the Mark Two within the
chamber, smiles. With that, she draws out her lipstick.
"Sayuri, what are you...?!" Sachiko gasps.
The light pink gloss is drawn over the teen's lips, then once
Sayuri ensures the lipstick is spread properly, she leans down.
The adults gape as Sayuri draws back, leaving a kiss mark on the
chamber's glass cover, then she adds a message, remembering to
write it in mirrored-script so Ryooko could read it properly.
Seeing the message, Yuuji and Fumio madly blush while Sachiko
rolls her eyes and Kanako tries not to laugh:
I LOVE YOU, RYOOKO!
* * *
Later...
"Sayuri-chan, wasn't that going a bit far?"
Sayuri blinks, then glances out the window. The limousine is
now taking the Hyugas back to the Nerima Tower, where they would
get an intra-division air shuttle helicopter back to Kyoto, then
another car would take them back to Hiroshima. A glance through
the corner of her eye at Sachiko reveals a concerned look on her
mother's face. Sayuri blinks, then smiles, gently squeezing
Sachiko's hand as she turns her thoughts back to Ryooko.
A bit too far?
A shudder runs through the Sexaroid teen as she considers the
bombshell Chikage dropped that morning in Kyoto. Ryooko, Sayuri's
first-ever lover, perhaps future girlfriend, was now dying. It
wouldn't be really noticed now. It wouldn't really come to the
fore for some months yet. But it was happening. The logic behind
the cause of their premature demise was just too flawless.
Move-by-wire.
Something that could make Ryooko run like the wind, give her
a critical edge in a fight, would eventually turn her brain into
mush. The unique being which was Ryooko Hayami could, if no one
came to help, be lost forever in as short a time as four months.
And there lay both problems and the final solution. As Hayaka
Sakyou had warned, the CCs would have to be very, VERY sneaky about
helping their sisters. Just leaping in, having the girls' souls
zapped into Mark 97 reserve memory units, then finding them new
bodies to inhabit, was reckless. People across the board, both in
Genom and Toratotaka, would scoff at the gross impropriety of it
all. But, as an affiliate to Toratotaka (and as a 33-S), Sayuri
Hyuga possessed certain moral standards she must adhere to.
And she would.
It was the "how" that needed to be resolved first.
"No, Mama," Sayuri gives her mother an enigmatic smile. "It
wasn't going far enough. Not nearly far enough..."
* * *
The Spiral, before sunset...
"Konban wa, Chikage."
Chikage blinks, then glances over her shoulder before rising,
drawing the gardening gloves from her hand. About a fifth of the
magi's proposed rose garden was now planted. "Konban wa, Uncle
Daley," she sets her tools aside, then beckons Daley Wong to a
nearby blanket laid out on the grass. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, there's a problem with what happened in Harajuku
yesterday," the ADP lieutenant sits before the magi, then sighs.
"You remember the woman who started that mess? She's dead."
Chikage pauses, her eyes widening slightly, then she composes
herself. "You don't suspect that I...?"
"Oh, hell, no! Of course not!" Daley waves her down, then he
sighs. "She was found in her cell, having injected herself with a
dose of Baal laced with lithium. The same way Sayuri Katayama's
husband was killed. Now, by the looks of things, this incident
seems to be a suicide, but if you expect me to believe that, I've
got a bridge I can sell you over in New York..."
"Soo desu ka," the magi rubs the curve of her chin, then she
cants her head slightly. "Do you desire my assistance in locating
the person who murdered her? If I do help you, I doubt what I
might discover can be used in a proper court of law."
"I know that, but the only way we can get a handle on this is
to find out what's going on and try to exploit it as best as we
can," Daley explains. "Look, the person who rubbed that woman out
no doubt works inside ADP, pretty high up in this case. That means
someone's compromised our security badly. I don't like that, but
there's no way we can do an internal investigation since we don't
have an internal affairs department. Depending on TMD IA to help
out's a double-edged sword since we don't have ANY idea if any of
those people've been compromised by whoever doesn't like us. So we
have to turn to an outside agency to help out. Asking Megumi and
her people to help'd work, but we'd have to keep it very hush-hush
since the idiots upstairs don't like us hobnobbing with T'n'T like
we used to. The only other choice in the matter is..."
"Myself and my friends here," Chikage finishes.
"Exactly."
The magi considers it, then she sighs. "Very well, then. I
will do a probe later tonight to ascertain who it was that killed
that woman, then I'll use my own means to place the culprit under
close observation until such time as you would desire him or her
brought up to 'face to music,' so to speak. Do you have the
woman's name, by any chance, to ease the search for me?"
"Here," Daley hands over a small envelope. "Maiko Shindou."
Chikage opens the envelope. Photocopies of the arrest report
and all pertinent personal information. Trading around things like
this to unauthorized personnel could easily cost Daley his badge.
Well, the Spiral had been clouded in a screen of absolute secrecy
since it was constructed, so this was par the course. "Very well,
then. Come by to visit when you can after tomorrow and I should
have the name you want, but I'd like to make sure of all the
relevant details in this case before any action is taken."
"Okay, then," Daley rises.
Chikage's CVP (cellular video-phone) rings. The magi draws it
out, then flips it open. "Moshi-moshi, Hirosaki desu...oh, Aunt
Megumi," she smiles. "Is there a problem?"
"Hai, Chikage-chan," the SFIO nods. Fortunately for both, the
Samguk-built device had extra voice-scramblers to ensure that no
one tapping into the frequency could understand the message. "Is
it possible you can go to a lab in Genom Tower to do a soul-snatch
concerning that 55-C who was involved in today's fracas?"
Chikage blinks, then nods. "Hai. I assume a certain person
(who needs not be named) has decided that sticking to an outdated
view on boomers and their place in society is wiser than being
forced to admit he was wrong in the first place."
"The very same," Megumi nods.
"Soo desu ka. Very well, I'll see to it as soon as I can."
"Hai, wakata (understood). Have it brought to George-san's
office so he can have that converted into a Cyber-Nurse. Most
likely, this'll be an MC series who'll serve in the ASDF."
"I was thinking the same thing. It'll be done. Ja nai, Aunt
Megumi," Chikage cuts the connection, then slips the CVP back into
her pocket before staring knowingly at Daley.
"A magi's work is never done, ne?" the ADP office chuckles.
"Indeed, it is not," Chikage sighs...
* * *
Genom Tower, before midnight...
"Oh, damn...!"
Yoshiro Andrews yawns as he stretches himself, then he stares
at the stream of computer print-out he had prepared for his report
on the Kawaii Effect. Rubbing his face to chase away the fatigue,
he then glances at the boomer guard, still laying peacefully on the
examination table. Damn, damn it all, what could he do now?
"Greetings, Andrews-hakase."
Yoshiro jolts, then gasps as slips of paper strewn with odd
glyphs whip past him to stick to the walls near where the hidden
security monitors are located. The papers start to glow as the
scientist finds himself turning around slowly, then he pales on
seeing a white-cloaked figure standing there. "Hi-...!" he gags,
the suddenness of Chikage's appearance overcoming him for a second,
then he quickly composes himself. "Hirosaki-san!"
"Don't worry about the security units," the magi smiles as she
walks over to stand beside the prone 55-C. "Hello, there."
The boomer looks, then smiles. "Chikage-sama."
"Oh, no need to be formal, my friend," Chikage chuckles, then
reaches into her cloak to draw out a small box. "But I do believe
you need a chance to make a successful jailbreak, ne?"
Yoshiro blinks, then glances around. "You can't take him out
of the Tower, girl! What if you're spotted...?!"
"Who says I'm taking his BODY out?" Chikage's eyebrow arches.
The scientist stops, staring quizzically at the magi. She
reaches over to tap his forehead, hitting a shiatsu point which
served both to induce sleep and short-term memory amnesia. Yoshiro
collapses into his chair as Chikage flips open the case to reveal
an unprogrammed Mark 97 reserve memory unit.
"Chikage-sama, was that really necessary?" the bodyguard asks.
"Hai, for the time being, but don't worry about it now," the
magi smiles at him. "Your chief concern will be to choose a nice
girl's name for yourself when you become a Thirty-three-Em."
He blinks. "Eh...?!"
* * *
Minutes later, Yoshiro's eyes open.
What happened?
"Oh, damn, I fell asleep," he grunts, rubbing his eyes, then
he looks over to the guard boomer on the examination table.
What the...?
Sensing an unnatural stillness over the large man, Yoshiro
rises, tapping controls on the table's monitor unit. The readout
is short and to the point. "Dead...?" he blinks, then staggers a
bit before he sinks into his chair, jaw dropping. "Oh, gods...!"
Silence falls over the laboratory as the scientist mulls over
what happened, then he gazes once more at the dead guard. Just
like that Bu-44 secretary who had been involved in that incident
with the Genom Music people around lunchtime. Choosing to take his
own life in lieu of having it taken from him. Damn. Katsuhito had
been right all along. Oh, damn, how right he had been...!
With that, he reaches over to draw up a phone. Moving to dial
a number to get to one of the labs that dealt with reprogramming
boomers whose minds have been scrubbed, he pauses. Glancing at the
guard again, Yoshiro grimaces, then he taps another number, one
reaching to the very core of the Tower itself.
A moment later, a voice replies, "Hai, Tower Waste Disposal
Unit, Torakichi Gennosuke desu (this is Gennosuke Torakichi)."
"Hai, Torakichi-san, this is Yoshiro Andrews..."
* * *
Kouya-san, 25 June, late morning...
"Thank you very much. Please seal it."
The Buddhist monks bow respectfully as Oshiro Okita turns and
steps out of one of the memorial halls. An ihai (memorial tablet)
is in the talent scout's hands, emblazoned with Shanna's posthumous
name. Walking into the open air, he takes a deep breath, then
stares at the small wooden block the monks gave him so he could pay
tribute to this poor, lost soul. *At least they understand, thank
all the gods!* Oshiro ruefully muses as he draws the ihai back to
himself before heading down to the public reception area.
Stepping into the warm hall, he notices two young women in
dark red kimonos awaiting him, one of them wearing a white cape.
"Chikage-san! Sayuri-san!" he blinks, then nods as the Sexaroid
teens bow to him. "What are you doing here?!"
"We..." Sayuri pauses, glancing at Chikage, then she sighs,
turning back to Oshiro. "Sumimasen, Okita-san, but Chikage and I
had to..." a pause, then, "Play a deception the day Shanna died."
"Deception?" the music scout blinks.
Suddenly, slender fingers fall over his eyes as a soft breath
tickles his ear. "Ohayo, Oshiro-kun."
Oshiro blinks, then slowly turns to see a smiling woman,
appearing to be in her mid-twenties, gazing at him. Glancing down,
he sees that she is wearing a white kimono, standard dress for a
BuTT-33M Cyber-Nurse for formal occasions. The kimono's trim is in
magenta, denoting an MY series nurse, one trained in homeopathic
and naturopathic medicine. Her well-sculptured face is pierced
with burning chestnut eyes. Her hair, the same colour as her eyes,
is styled in bushy pigtails tied at the back temples of her head.
Blinking as a twang of familiarity overcomes him, he turns
back to Sayuri and Chikage. Both Sexaroid teens are smiling.
Then back to the newcomer.
Not a newcomer at all, he realizes.
"Shanna...?"
"Hai," Shanna Okita smiles, leaning up to kiss his cheek...
* * *
A half-hour later, Oshiro and Shanna walk hand-in-hand to the
private heliport located south of Kouya-san. There, they would
catch a shuttle flight back to Megatokyo. Today would be a day of
reorganization for the Genom Music talent scout. Some new people
would be transferring into his department from other places, others
heading out. Among those is one particular office lady heading to
Genom's Polar War intelligence monitor unit on the South Orkney
Islands, off the coast of Antarctica! As for the newest nurse to
join the Genom Medical Support Group's Headquarters Troop, she'd be
introduced to her co-wokers, given a chance to become acclimatized
to her new surroundings, then, like all her sisters, would have to
deal with some more *intimate* matters this evening.
At least she'll have some willing help there, Chikage and
Sayuri muse as they watch the Okitas leave.
"How soon do you think they'll be married?" the latter asks.
"Love works on it's own schedule, Sayuri," the magi shrugs,
then impishly grins. "I'd say within two months."
"That's good," Sayuri nods...
* * *
JASDF (Japanese Air Self Defence Force) Base Misawa, southeast
of Aomori, that moment...
"Are you the nurse assigned to Fourth Field Hospital today?"
"Hai, Taii-san (Captain)," the magenta-haired tomboy salutes.
Like all MC series military combat nurses reporting for duty to the
Japanese military, she is dressed in a woodland-pattern camouflage
jumpsuit. The symbology on her arm - the Toratotaka corporate
sigil over the white-and-red ICRC (International Committee of the
Red Cross) badge of the Cyber-Nurse Project - proclaims what she
really is to all around her. "Doozo (Here)," she hands the trauma
ward's chief surgeon, Doctor Takechi Fujii, her small information
packet, prepared ahead of time by George Foster.
Fujii takes it, then opens it, scanning the information now
contained there. Gazing at the young woman, he smiles. "Well,
Andrews-san, it says here you're an MT (mental transference) case
and that you used to be a Bu-55C boomer. Now, how the hell did one
of *that* model wind up being transformed into a Cyber-Nurse?"
Noriko Andrews blinks, then offers an impish grin. "In my
case, you might say it was the luck of the draw, Fujii-taii."
Blinking, Fujii chuckles, then waves her in. "C'mon, let's
get you squared away, then I'll introduce you to your co-workers."
"Hai!" Noriko beams...
* * *
To be continued...
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