An Alternate Story of the Knight Sabers
2034 Year of the Tiger
Neo No Armour Against Fate (Section 5 of 5)
No Armour Against Fate (10 of 10)
by Shawn Hagen(2000)
Based on situations and characters created by Suzuki Toshimichi.
April 19th, Wednesday, 3:53am, Oak Park, Illinois
Domino stood by the picture window of the condominium, staring out at the lights of the suburb. Supposedly Ernest Hemingway had been born nearby. Domino could not say for sure, nor did she really care. She looked at her watch. She expected him to arrive soon.
She stepped away from the windows, pulling the blinds closed. There were no lights on within the condo, but that could change. She stepped over the body of the condo's former tenant. She had been a foolish woman who had believed Largo when he had promised her immortality. Just another part of Largo's insane plans and now no longer a problem. She, Rei, and a large group of other agents had just spent the last few days tracking down the links in the chain and cutting them.
A moment later there was a knock at the door. Domino reached under her coat and made sure that her weapons were ready, then walked to the door and opened it.
The man standing there was tall, broad shouldered, thin waisted, with long black hair and dark blue eyes.
He seemed to be a little surprised to see Domino standing there. "Is Marion here?" he asked.
Domino smiled, giving him her best 'innocent/harmless' look. "I'm Domonique," she said, putting a slight Quebecois accent into her voice. She did not expect the man to be alive in an hour or two, but she was not about to take any chances. "You must be Conrad."
"Uh, yeah," he said. "Listen, Marion called me and told me that there was something important she had to tell me."
Domino nodded. "Marion suddenly had to leave, but she asked me to meet you and tell you where she went."
"So, where did she go?"
"Oh, sorry. She told me that she would be waiting for you at that place, just outside of Joliet."
He nodded. "Great, thank you."
"No problem. I was wondering, could you give me a ride there as well?"
"Uh sure, but why?"
"I don't know," Domino gave him her 'I'm harmless' smile again. "She just told me to come there as well after had I told you. My car is kind of a lemon and..." she trailed off, making herself blush a little.
He nodded. "Sure. Come on."
"Thank you,' Domino said, stepping out of the condo, pulling the door closed with her gloved hand.
"My car is just in front of the building. So, how long have you known Marion?"
"Not long," Domino told him. "But we became very close in a short time."
It was nearly two hours later when Conrad stopped the car in front of a small house several kilometres outside of Joliet. "The place looks empty," he said as he climbed out of the car.
"Does it?" Domino asked as she got out and looked around. "Well I guess that is because Marion isn't here."
"What?" Conrad turned to look at her.
"I'm sorry, I've led you here on a bit of a false pretence."
"What are you talking about?" he looked a little alarmed. Understandably so all things considered.
"I brought you out here to tell you something. The twelve students of the master have failed in their tasks. You must awaken."
Conrad took a step back, as if he had suffered a dizzy spell. He put his hand to his forehead, a moment of confusion passed over his face. Then it was gone. He straightened and looked at Domino. His eyes seemed to glow. "I see," he said, his voice ringing with confidence. "I have much work to do. Tell me, who are you?"
"I'm the woman who wanted you to know why I was killing you," Domino told him as she triggered her adrenal pump.
A confused look crossed his face, almost as if he was wondering if Domino was making a joke.
Domino did not give him time to decide. She pulled out a pair of Magnetic Launchers, the same ones that Akiko had used the night she died.
The boomer, for that was what Conrad was, was not an Omni-Boomer, like Largo had been. He was a nanite constructed hyperboomer though, and not something to be underestimated.
Domino moved as fast as she could, swinging both of the weapons up, centring them on Conrad's chest, and then squeezing the triggers.
The hail of fire tore into Conrad before he could move and ripped him apart, sending him jerking back.
When both of Domino's weapons went dry most of the boomer's chest had been blown out. She watched as Conrad fell back to lie unmoving on the ground.
Domino popped the empty magazines free, slotted two full ones into the weapon, then used one to walk fire up and down Conrad's body, just to make sure. The empty pistol went back into its holster under her coat and Domino removed her NAVI. She flipped it open and used her thumb to tap in the number.
When the call was answered she said, "It's done. Send in the clean up team."
Later, when the cleanup team was picking up what was left of Conrad, Domino wandered off and stared up at the sky. It was nice to clean up all the old, loose ends. It made it possible to proceed into the future without worries. Pity it was so hard to do.
April 19th, Wednesday, 6:54pm, GMT
Nene floated as she watched the launch platform fall away as the courier ship boosted away from it. They were on their way to Genaros where the Knight Sabers and Thomas Tran would part company. The rest of Thomas' team had been left back at the launcher as a security detail, and no doubt to help keep the identities of the Knight Sabers secret.
Priss was currently in one of the cabins, zoned out on anti-nausea medicine. Linna was in a hold with Thomas, learning about Zero-G combat.
In one of the ship's holds, under a suicide watch, was Kirk Richards. In another hold Dawn was being held. The fact that they wanted to be together seemed to have made no impression on Thomas. Even when Sylia had suggested that they be kept together he had not changed his mind.
Nene did not know who she felt sorrier for, Kirk or Dawn.
"So that's it?" Nene turned carefully to look at Sylia.
"That's it," Sylia said from her chair.
"So now the Knight Sabers will go our separate ways," Nene said. It was something she had been thinking about for some time.
"I'm sure we will see each other again." Sylia smiled. "At least we can openly fraternise with each other."
"We were doing that anyway," Nene said.
"Yes, I know," Sylia said in a way that suggested she still did not care for that.
"Can you, can we trust Genom?"
"As much as we have to."
"What if we were to try to use the information we have against them?"
"It depends on how you want to use it. In a court of law they would want to know how you got it. Then they would have it ruled inadmissible when you told them and then they would sue you for dragging their clean name through the mud. In any other way, if you were likely to be a real annoyance they would probably just kill you."
"How can you just deal with a company like that?"
"It is not easy."
"Why did it have to end like this?" Nene turned away from Sylia to look out the window.
"Because killing Quincy in cold blood, or destroying Genom, were not things we could have done."
Nene was silent for a time. "Do you know that Devon Okami is Priss' grandfather?" she finally asked.
"No," Sylia said. "Is he?"
"The Genom central computer told me. I think it was making conversation."
"That would have been useful to know a long time ago."
"I could understand Priss wanting to give up her fight against Genom," there was something like an accusation in Nene's tone.
"Nene-san, do you know one of the main reasons that I chose to give up the Knight Sabers when Quincy made his offer?"
"You wanted your father's technology." Nene did not turn to look at Sylia.
"Because I wanted it in a way that would not end up with you, Linna or Priss being killed for my vengeance."
Nene turned slightly then pushed off the wall, grabbing a handhold to stop her flight when she was over Sylia.
"Really?"
"Really." Sylia looked up at the young woman. "Vengeance is ultimately destructive. Remember Gibson?"
Nene nodded after a moment.
"I chose to stop my quest before it cost me more than I am willing to pay."
"But Genom gets away clean," Nene said. "That's wrong."
"Nothing lasts forever Nene-chan. Genom's time will come. Is it that important that we have something to do with that?" Sylia held out her hand.
Nene said nothing for almost a minute then reached down and took Sylia's hand, smiling slightly.
Sylia pulled her down so she could get into the seat beside her. "It still doesn't seem right," Nene said.
"We'll have to live with that I guess."
April 20th, Thursday, 12:21am, Yellowknife, NWT, Canada
Priss pulled her jacket tighter around herself at the memory of the cold outside. When she had stepped out of the shuttle, and that wind had hit her, she was sure she was going to freeze solid. After being amazed during the pass over of that big lake, the cold was an unpleasant contrast. Why did a place that looked so beautiful have to be so damn cold?
She, Sylia and Linna sat in the deserted first class lounge, waiting for the Genom sub-orbital that would take them back to Japan. Nene was off somewhere, looking around, showing the same excitement as a ten year old in a new place, Priss thought.
Shrugging off the jacket, it was well heated in the lounge after all, she reached for a mug of coffee on the table in front of her.
"What are you going to do now?" Sylia asked her.
"What I've been doing for the last little while," she picked up the mug. "Just with less boomer fighting."
"Do you think you will be able to?"
"Just because my grandfather happens to be one of the richest men in Japan, you think that would change me?" She put the mug down without taking a drink. "I wish Nene had never found that out and told you."
"You wish?" Linna said.
"Hey, it doesn't matter if the old man you fucked was my grandfather or not, you are still a sick woman with a granddaddy complex. I thought Mackie was bad with his sister complex."
"What?" Linna demanded.
"Are you going to use this brand of charm during interviews when you get famous?" Sylia asked.
"No," Priss said, smiling, "I save this for my friends."
"Lucky us," Linna moaned theatrically.
"It does change things you know," Sylia said, getting back to the original topic.
"I know." Priss shrugged her shoulders. "I still don't know what to do about it."
"If you need any help..."
"Thanks," Priss smiled at Sylia, wondering when they had become that close. Perhaps since the day they had met and it had just taken them a long time to realise it.
"Don't ask for my help," Linna said. "I'm a sick woman remember."
"I've always known you were sick," Priss told her. "It is one of the things I like about you. You make me look like a decent person."
"Largo could not have made you look like a decent person," Linna countered.
Their war of words was interrupted by the door to the lounge banging open. "Sylia, Priss, Linna." Nene ran into the room, almost slipping as she stopped. "Come on, you have to see this," she said, then turned and ran from the lounge.
"An eight year old," Priss said as she stood.
"What?" Sylia asked.
"Nothing. Let's go see what has got her so excited."
Sylia, Linna and Priss left the lounge, following after Nene who kept waving them on. Priss groaned and pulled up her jacket zipper as she saw Nene go outside.
It was really dark out there, Priss noticed as she walked out. The lights of the landing field were mostly blocked out and the city was some distance away. Then she saw what Nene had pulled them out there to see.
Across the sky was a curtain of multicoloured light, seeming to ripple and move like a line of marching soldiers.
"Wow," Priss whispered.
"Aurora Borealis," Sylia said, looking up at the lights.
"Northern lights," Linna said.
"Pretty," Nene said.
"Hai," Sylia nodded.
"This almost makes it all worth it," Priss said.
And the four women stood outside, in spite of the cold, staring up at the sky for a long time
April 20th, Thursday, 10:01pm, MegaTokyo
Linna was feeling a little exhausted as she pushed open the stage door to the theatre. That she found it open was probably due in thanks to Devon. He made it hard for someone to stay mad at him. She wondered how Priss would deal with it.
She walked into the locker room, looking around. No one was there and the place was neat and clean. Tomorrow was the opening night of Andrea's latest production. She suspected that all the other dancers were at home getting some rest.
She left the lockers and walked to the wings. The theatre lights were on and she could see the stage was lit. Linna was not sure if it was the best time for the confrontation that she was about to have. She was very tired after all and only six hours before she had been in another country. Of course before that she had been in space.
Linna shook her head. She was going to have to speak with her sensei sooner or later and sooner was probably better.
She took a deep breath and walked out onto the stage.
"You're late," Andrea said. "Several days late."
"I know Kikuchi-sensei," Linna said.
"And you can't tell me where you've been."
"No sensei."
Andrea nodded. "Do you know what I am going to do in a month?"
Linna shook her head.
"I'm going to lease out this theatre and take the entire troupe on tour. We'll start in Japan, then head over to America. Start on the West coast, move between the US and Canada, hitting all the big venues. After that maybe we'll go down to South America. London, the rest of Europe, Asia, a world tour really. It is something I like to do ever few years, when I have the funding.
"By the time it is done I've lost many of my dancers. They've been hired by other organisations, or married, or just found something else that would make them happy. When I finally get back to Japan I have to start all over again, which is what I like."
Andrea looked at Linna for several seconds. "Interested in coming Yamazaki-san?"
"Hai!" Linna said.
"Good. Tomorrow we're opening our new production. Show me what you have. If you are good enough you play a lead role. You screw up and I stick you in the back and you can expect to stay there for quite some time."
Linna nodded as she slipped out of her jacket. Learning to move in Zero-G had taught her a few new tricks.
She would show Andrea control within chaos.
April 21st, Friday, 11:52pm
Priss jumped back from the microphone, swinging her guitar around, hitting the strings hard. The rest of the bad was there for her, supporting her, helping her get the audience moving. She was at Hot LegsKano had another band booked to play at the Hard Rock that night.
She could have just rested a few days until her next job at the Hard Rock, but Priss did not want to rest. She wanted to play.
The music came to a hard stop. Priss moved back to the microphone, grabbing it. She waited until the crowd quieted down a little. "Nice to see you remember us."
There were shouts from the audience, most promising her that they would never forget her or the Replicants. Priss smiled.
"Been a while since I was last here. Hope you didn't miss me too much."
There were more shouts. Priss loved playing audiences like that.
"Not sure when I'll get back here again, so who knows, this might be a farewell."
Her audience did not like the sound of that, even if half of them would come and see her at the Hard Rock.
"But if this is going to be a farewell, then I'm going to make it a good one," she shouted, then began playing her guitar, the opening of 'Akuma to Tenshi no kisu'. It was nice to go back to the old songs, the old places, some times, especially before she was about to move out into the unknown.
Everything had changed, Priss thought as she sang the words, "'Love' kokoro de sakebe(shout love with your heart)." That was life.
And Priss knew, as well as anyone, that life could be hard.
Yet there were times, few as they were, when everything was right. For Priss it was when she stood on a stage, making her audience feel what she felt. Or when she was balancing her life on the edge of her fighting skills, when she more alive than any other time.
Those times were enough for her. They were enough to keep living for.
April 22nd, Saturday, 12:43pm
Nene sat at a table in one of the cafeterias, eating her salad, staring out the third floor window, looking down on the plaza. Official classes would be starting soon and things would be getting busy. As she picked up her cola Nene wondered if she should join one of the University clubs. It was sort of expected, and now that the Knight Sabers we no longer in operation she would have some free time on her hands.
"Excuse me Romanova-san, may I speak to you?"
Nene turned, a little surprised to see Kumiko Yusa standing there. Nene did not want to speak to her, but she had been taught the value of politeness by her mother. Those were not the kind of lessons one forgot. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you," Kumiko said as she took a seat.
"How are you?" Nene asked, making small talk.
"Fine, thank you," she said. "I heard that Kawai-sensei has taken over as your advisor."
"Hai." Nene nodded. "He seems like a nice man," Nene said, stressing 'seems' ever so slightly.
"You'll like Kenji, he is an innocent and he just wants to help his students."
"I'm glad of that. It will make a nice change."
Kumiko sighed. "Romanova-san, I want you to promise me something, though I know that you don't owe me anything."
"Why should I promise you anything?" Nene said, bordering on rudeness.
"At least listen?"
Nene nodded after several seconds.
"Don't judge Genom Daigaku by my actions or the actions of Genom. This is a good school and it can help you become what you want. You are thinking of transferring out of this University next year, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Don't do it just because you don't like Genom. Don't do it because of what I did. Keep an open mind and see what the school can offer you."
"I'll think about it," Nene said.
Kumiko got to her feet. "Thank you for listening to me Romanova-san. I hope that you can keep your honour and innocence even though you know the truth. I know I couldn't."
"Did you even try?" Nene asked her.
She smiled sadly. "More than you will ever know," Kumiko said. "Goodbye Romanova-san." She turned and walked away.
Nene watched her go, then turned back to her salad. Kumiko's words bothered her a little. They made her think of Sylia.
April 23rd, Sunday, 1:09pm
Sylia had told herself that she just wanted to see Domino for business purposes. After all, she would need a liaison with Genom and Domino Odotte seemed like the best choice. She had not really believed that though. She would not have suggested meeting in a hotel room in the St. Regis if she had really been interested in a business meeting.
It seemed like moments after she and Domino had entered the room that they were kissing. And it was such a wonderful kiss. She could just smell the perfume that Domino used, the floral scent in her long, silky black hair. It must have come from the shampoo she used. And then there were the pheromones, not that Sylia could actually smell them, but she knew they were there.
She wanted the moment to last forever.
And yet she knew it was wrong.
"No," she said so softly that she was not sure if she had not thought the word.
Suddenly the arms holding her, the body next to hers, was gone. She opened her eyes, looking at Domino who now sat at the opposite end of the couch. She showed no signs of the kiss but for a slight smudging of her lipstickand a quick brush with her handkerchief took care of that.
"I'm sorry," Sylia said.
"For what Stingray-sama?" Domino asked, her demeanour was perfectly calm.
Sylia felt slightly cross at that. How dare she simply suppress her emotions? Sylia hid that anger though. "A relationship between us would be difficult."
"Why?" Domino asked, her aspect softening a little.
Sylia sighed. "I've never been attracted to women in a sexual way."
"Would it help if I pointed out I am not, technically speaking, a woman?"
"It might, if I believed that."
"I guess we have a problem."
"The problem is that I am attracted to you."
"That being the case, I don't see that we actually have a problem after all," Domino told her.
"We do," Sylia said as she got to her feet. "You were designed to be attractive. If I was not attracted to you that would be odd." She turned and looked at Domino. "One moment I see you and I feel like I need to protect you. The next moment I am sure that you can protect me. You are an ingenue, a temptress, a tomboy, every mode of womanhood and femininity. You use innocence, carelessness, brazenness and sophistication as weapons. How can I not be attracted to that? I never had a chance."
Sylia dropped back onto the couch, feeling a little confused. It was not a feeling she liked. "I hope that whoever designed you got an impressive bonus."
"Actually," Domino said, looking over at Sylia. "I had those people killed for worry they might be able to compromise my secret."
Sylia stared at Domino, her eyes widening.
Domino laughed. "Stingray-san. If you believe everything that someone from Genom tells you then you will be at a severe disadvantage.
"There were three of them," she said, leaning back in the couch. "Two women, an artist and a plastic surgeon, and a man, a sculptor. They were brought in to design our forms. I think they did a very good job on us."
"And you are not worried that they could compromise your secret?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to live in fear over it. If it happens I will deal with it then."
Sylia shook her head. "I find that attractive as well."
"So you find me attractive, so I have an unfair advantage, what does it matter?"
"It matters because we are attracted to each other for the wrong reasons. We don't actually know each other."
"We know each other."
"We don't!" Sylia said, louder than she intended. "You only know what Mason knew about me, and if Mason had really known me he would not be dead. I don't know you beyond what I knew of Mason and the fact I am extremely grateful to you for easing a worry I had, about who I was. Wonderful as that might be, it is not enough."
"So we get to know each other."
"There is another problem."
"You do like making your life complicated," Domino said, trying to make a joke of it though it came out sounding a little like an accusation.
"I don't like you working for Genom, or more to the point I don't like Genom. For all the good they do, the company's, Quincy's, amoral stand bothers me. Leave Genom. Come work for me. It will give us the chance we need to really learn who the other is."
Domino smiled sadly. "It sounds wonderful, but I can't leave Genom."
"Why? If it is Quincy who is holding you there I'll get him to let you go."
"I'm not a piece of property that Quincy-shachou owns," Domino told her.
"I'm sorry," Sylia said, feeling slightly ashamed.
"I know," Domino said as she got to her feet. She walked to the window and spread the slats of the blinds so she could look out. "Quincy-shachou would not stop me from leaving Genom, if I wanted to. He knows I am too smart to try to hurt the company. He might regret my going, but he would not stop me."
"So why not leave?"
Domino turned to look at Sylia. "What would I do in your company?"
Sylia blinked, a little surprised by the question. "You could handle security."
Domino laughed. "I suspect you already have your head of security picked out. He or she would never be able to trust me fully, seeing as I was once part of Genom. That would compromise your security."
"Well, we could move you into research. You are bound to have some interesting ideas on the use of boomers and how they could be improved."
"You would think that, wouldn't you," Domino said. "It is not my strength though."
"Well, do what you are doing in Genom."
At that Domino laughed, a cruel edge in it that made Sylia feel like she had been slapped. "Do you really want to operate like that?"
"I suppose not," Sylia said after a moment.
"Do you know what they call me, the movers and shakers of the business world?"
Sylia shook her head.
"Quincy's Angel of Death. They know when I show up that things are about to change. That lives are about to be destroyed. They are afraid of me and as twisted as it is, I like that. If I come to work for Stingray Industries, people will fear you are going to play Genom's games. Do you want that."
"No, but there has to be something we can do."
Domino shook her head. "I don't think so. I need Genom too much."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm a combat unit. Twenty percent of my AI chip is hardwired for combat. Every second of every day it is keeping tabs of everything, ready for all hell to break loose so when it does I'm ready. If I'm not in a situation where that can be used I tend to get cranky. There is always threat enough in Genom to keep me happy."
"That is ridiculous," Sylia told her, even though the explanation reminded her of Priss. "And if it is true, fine. You'll head up my black-ops division. No one will know you work for me and you'll get plenty of action."
Domino thought about that for a few seconds. "It is tempting, and I would be good at it, but no matter what, there is still one thing keeping me in Genom."
"What?" Sylia asked.
Domino turned back to the window, staring at the blinds. "In my short existence I have done, well, terrible things. I've destroyed lives, ripped families apart and humiliated people all in the process of my job." Domino said nothing for several seconds then turned to face Sylia. "And I don't regret any of it. I've been cruel, but only when being cruel was the only option, or when the person in question deserved it."
"No regrets?" Sylia said softly. "I envy you that."
Domino smiled sadly. "One regret actually. I killed a friend, more than a friend, a mother in some ways, an older sister in others. I killed her because in the end, it was easier to kill her than to not kill her. I killed her because I did not want to spend an extra year or two earning Quincy's trust. And Kami-sama help me, I killed her because I was jealous. I could not stand the fact she was not completely loyal to me."
Sylia said nothing, she could think of nothing to say to that.
"If I leave Genom it is like I say her death was useless, pointless. That in the end she did not matter. I won't do that."
"And you had the gall to say that you were not a woman, not human," Sylia said. "The dead don't care Domino. They just don't care. If she were alive would she want you to be happy?"
Domino thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "She would."
"Then be happy."
She smiled. "The dead may not care, but the living do. You know that as well as anyone." Domino walked towards the door and took her long coat from the hook on the door. "I think this is goodbye."
"You are making a mistake," Sylia told her.
"Perhaps," Domino nodded. "Maybe now I'll be able to say I have two regrets." She unlocked the door.
"My father created you too well," Sylia said softly.
"Yes, he did," Domino said as she opened the door and stepped from the room. "Good bye Sylia, I won't forget you." Then she closed the door and was gone.
Sylia stared at the closed door for a time, then got to her feet and walked to the window, spreading the slats of the blind as Domino had. She was able to look down at the street in front of the hotel's entrance. A short time later she saw Domino, walking from the hotel.
She watched, waiting for the flash of light off pale skin to tell her that the woman had turned and looked back at the hotel. It never came. Then Domino rounded a corner and was gone from her sight.
"Good bye Domino, I cannot forget you."
Sylia walked to the bed and picked up her own coat. She looked around for a moment then walked to the door and left.
As soon as Domino turned the corner and was no longer in sight of the hotel she stopped, put her back to a wall, and fell against it. She let her shields go, let the emotions hit her and used only her own self control to keep from crying.
She pulled her sunglasses off and wiped angrily at those tears, as if that would stop them. It did not. Domino balled her fists and pushed them into her closed eyes. She would not cry. She had made the choice on her own and it was for the best.
People stared at her as they passed by. A few asked if she was all right. Domino told them to leave her alone. She did not wanted to be comforted.
"Damn you D," she said softly. "I so wanted to just turn my back on all this. Why did you have to try to recreate him? Why couldn't you have left me as I was?"
There was no answer of course.
Domino stood up and put her sunglasses back on. She had no time for feeling sorry for herself. She had work to do. This was her life and she would not cry over it. Perhaps she might not be happy, she thought as she began walking, but at least she would have power and that counted for something.
Later, Domino was in her office, looking over the last few reports she had to deal with. Everything had come together nicely. Largo's people had finally been dealt with, the Knight Sabers had disbanded, Sylia Stingray would be moving her work into the lab, which could only benefit Genom, and her own position was secure.
She actually felt good about that, about the work she had done.
"Here is the last report Domino-sama," Rei said as she came into Domino's office.
"Good, thank you," Domino said, taking the disk from Rei.
"Domino-sama, may I ask you something?"
"Yes," Domino said as she slotted the disk into her computer.
"What will happen to the other 33-Ss?"
"You mean the others that Lagro took."
"Yes."
Domino read the over the first part of the report. "Hard to say. I suspect that they will be put back in storage, sent up to Genaros or destroyed. If they are destroyed I suspect most of them will end up in glass tubes, in the basement," she said, alluding to Yoshiaki Majima's lab. "I had enough trouble keeping Akiko out of his hands."
"Couldn't they come work for you?"
Domino looked up at her, wondering for a moment if Rei was joking. When she saw that she was not she shook her head. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because I can't add nine more sexaroids to my staff without someone saying something. Several of them have been traumatised and I don't have time to deal with that. It simply can't happen."
"Isn't there anything you can do?"
"No," Domino told her. "They will likely be destroyed and there is nothing we can do to stop that," as she said that she was looking right into Rei's eyes, wondering what she might do.
"There has to be something!"
"There isn't. You can't save everyone, whether they are human or boomer. Sometimes you just have to accept that. Sometimes you just have to look out for yourself and maybe a few others. One of the hardest things about power is learning what it can't do."
Rei looked defiant for a moment, then her face softened. "I understand," she said.
"That was hard, wasn't it?"
Rei nodded.
"I'll see if I can get them sold to Stingray Industries. If Stingray-san wants them, then we can transfer them to her care. I suspect that she will have use for them, and will be happy to have them."
"Thank you Domino-sama," Rei said enthusiastically.
"Don't thank me yet. We'll see if this can work."
Rei nodded. "You are better than you think you are Domino-sama."
Domino looked at Rei, a curious look on her face. "That was an odd thing to say."
Rei smiled. "I'm a 33-S, I know what to say to make people feel better." Rei then turned and left the office.
Domino leaned back in her chair and thought about what she had said.
Shileea Satto looked up from her desk as she heard her door open. Domino had just come it.
"Working late Satto-hakase?"
"Just finishing up some paperwork. The reports on the physical condition of the 33-S brought in from space will be on your desk on Monday."
"I'm not here for that," Domino told her.
"Did you scrape your knee and want me to put a bandage on it?" Shileea asked.
"You make this very easy Satto-hakase."
"What do I make easy?"
"You're fired."
Shileea looked a little surprised. "You have to work on your sense of humour."
"Perhaps fired is too strong of a word. Let us say that I am releasing you from your contract and advising you to go work for Stingray Industries."
"So that is not just a rumour."
Domino shook her head.
"Why?"
"You said you wanted someone you could talk shop with. I'm sure you'll find Stingray-san an adequate conversationalist. Also, Quincy-Shachou wants Stingray Industries to be a success, so I want Stingray Industries to be a success. You can help with that. Your talents are, to an extent, wasted here."
Shileea said nothing for several seconds. "And there is no other reason?"
"What other reason could there be?"
"You want a plant within this new company."
Domino smiled and shook her head. "Talented as you are Satto-hakase, you would make a very poor spy."
"Well, just who is going to take care of you and your girl Friday when you get hurt, and you will."
"I'll program one of the paramedic boomers to take over such duties."
"A paramedic boomer? I would not trust one of those to lance a blister."
"You won't have to. I on the other hand am fairly certain that a properly programmed paramedic boomer can take care of myself and Rei well enough."
"I would like to think about this," Shileea said. "It is a big step."
"Of course. If you do choose to go I can promise you a very generous severance package."
"A bribe to go or hush money?"
"Either, or neither. If you'll excuse me," Domino said, and left the office, shutting the door behind her.
She was fairly certain that Shileea would go to work with Stingray Industries.
Domino had lied to Shileea though. There was one more reason she wanted her to go and work with Sylia. If Sylia wanted to get to know Domino better she was certain that Shileea would be able to tell Sylia all she needed to know. After all, using a nakoudo(matchmaker/go-between) was a fine tradition.
It was a faint chance, but far better than none.
August 29th, Tuesday, 2:28pm, MegaTokyo
"I have to go," Nene said, breaking the kiss.
"Do you have to?" Mitsuo Iso asked, a slight pleading tone to his voice that Nene liked.
"Yes I have to," Nene told the Teaching Assistantnot one of hers. "I have to meet some friends.
"Can we do something tonight? Maybe go out to dinner?"
"I'll think about it," Nene told him, giving him her best smile before she left his office.
She liked Mitsuo; he was a bit of a wimp, but a nice wimp. After Kaoru she liked someone with a little less confidence. Not that Nene was thinking of any sort of permanent relationship with him. He was fun, but not the sort of person one wanted to spend a life with.
Plus Nene was sure that her mother, if she were to meet him, would rip him into little pieces of confetti.
She left the office building and crossed the campus to where her motorcycle was parked. She quickly unlocked the cable that was linking it to a security ring set in the ground, then stuffed the cable into her backpack. Not long afterwards she was pulling into traffic, heading towards Shibuya.
As she pulled up to the coffee shop she saw Priss was already there, leaning up against the wall. "Nice bike," she called to Nene as the redhead took off her helmet. "Why did you replace that F4 you were driving?"
"Heard good things about this new Triumph," Nene said as she got off the red and white street bike. "And I had a little spare money, so I thought I would give it a try."
Priss smiled. "There may be hope for you yet. Come on, I'll buy you a coffee."
Nene activated her bike's alarm then followed Priss into the café. A short time later they were sitting by the front window, their drinks in front of them.
"So, what's new?" Priss asked Nene.
"Not much really. Got a new boyfriend."
"What's he like?"
"Harmless."
"Boring."
"Yes," Nene said with a smile. "Good kisser though."
"I'll drink to that," Priss said, lifting her coffee cup. Nene smiled and lifted her own, the cups chiming as their rims came together.
"What about you?" Nene asked.
"I've been told I'm an adequate kisser."
"I'll trust you on that, but I was more interested in your life."
Priss smiled. "Finished up the tour in England, about half-way though the American run. The album is really taking off. I'm glad I got to take this break."
"When is it going to be released here?" Nene asked.
"Two weeks, but," Priss reached into the courier bag she carried, "early release for you." She handed two CDs to Nene.
Nene took them. "Wow." She opened one up and looked through the liner notes. "This is great."
"It's adequate."
"Give me your autograph," Nene said, holding the liner notes out to Priss.
"Normally I don't give autographs," Priss said as she took the liner notes and then signed them. "To my friend Nene-chan, the cry baby wimp."
"You've such a way with words," Nene said as she pushed the second set of liner notes to Priss. "Sign that for my mother. She'll be thrilled you remembered her."
"As if I could forget," Priss said as she signed the second set.
Nene smiled as she took back both sets of liner notes and slid them back into their respective jewel cases. "So why did you come back to MegaTokyo right now?" Nene asked.
"Well, I like this place, and also David came up with a crazy idea for some publicity before the album gets released here."
"What?"
"I'm going to play a concert with the Shinjuku Philharmonic orchestra."
"Shinjuku Philharmonic?"
"They're new on the scene, which is why I am here. David thinks it's a great idea and the Shinjuku Phil could used a little publicity as well so they are all for it."
"You'll play your music?"
"What other music would I play?"
"That will sound great," Nene said.
"We'll see," Priss removed several pieces of paper from her shirt pocket. "And I do mean we."
"Tickets?" Nene said, looking at them. "For me?"
"And about six other people you might want to bring along. Don't bother giving one to Leon. Yuuko is taking care of him."
"Thank you," Nene said.
"Don't mention it. Speaking of Leon, seen him much?"
"About two weeks ago. I stopped by the ADP building and gave him a hand finding some information he needed. He can be so helpless at times. When was the last time you saw him?"
"Must have been a few months ago." Priss smiled slightly and shook her head. "It was kind of nice that he was so worried about me. I'm almost jealous of Yuuko, almost."
"When we got back I found several messages waiting for me. He wanted me to find out just where you were."
"I don't know if he was happier that I was all right, or that the Knight Sabers were still around," she said in a soft voice.
"I still can't believe that we put on that façade in May," Nene said.
Priss shrugged her shoulders. "The Knight Sabers had to make one last appearance and be victorious. We could have waited for something to happen, but who had the time?"
"Still, setting up a boomer incident with Genom..." Nene shook her head.
"Things like that happen, as weird as they are. And speaking of weird, what is Genom Daigaku like?"
"It's good. I gave it a chance and it turned out pretty nice. Oh, I joined the campus motorcycle club."
"You are joking?"
Nene shook her head. "They say I might be able to race next year."
"Your mother must be thrilled about that."
"She still has not accepted the motorcycle. I've not got around to telling her about the club."
"Coward."
"As if you are not afraid of her."
"Of course not," Priss said.
"Want to come to dinner tonight then?"
Priss gave Nene a hard stare. "When did you stop playing fair?"
"When I decided that I was going to be like you," Nene laughed.
Priss shook her head and looked out the window. "There's Mackie," she said after a moment.
Mackie was crossing the street, an attractive girl on either arm. All three were wearing school uniforms. "There may be hope for him as well," Priss said.
"He's such a little playboy," Nene said, sounding disgusted.
"Jealous?"
"No," Nene said.
They watched Mackie as he said his goodbyes to the young women with him and then came into the café. He got a cup of coffee from the counter then came over to where Priss and Nene were sitting. "It's been a while."
"Sit down boy," Priss said.
They exchanged pleasant greetings and filled Mackie in on what they had been talking about. Priss gave Mackie one of her CDs and three tickets after making him promise not to make out during the concert. Mackie blushed.
"So, what is Sylia-san up to?" Priss asked him.
"She's working on her Doctorate at Oxford right now. She tells me she is going to present in a couple of months."
"I thought she was still at MIT," Nene said.
Mackie shook his head. "She presented her Master's thesis last month and then left. I think she is upsetting some people with the speed at which she is doing this."
"I bet Sylia tells them to screw themselves, just in a polite way," Priss said.
"I don't think so," Mackie told her.
"Anyone hear from Linna lately?" Nene asked.
"We bumped into each other at the Chicago airport," Priss said. "Figure the odds."
"How is she?"
"She looks all right, a bit tired, but happy."
"I'm glad," Nene said.
"So what about Okami-san?" Mackie asked Priss.
"What about him?"
"I'm just curious."
Priss shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still trying to figure him out."
"You don't figure family out Priss-san," Nene said. "You survive them."
Priss laughed softly at that, as did Mackie.
"I'm not sure he is family, though we are related. I'm probably closer to you two, as sad as that is."
"Thanks," Mackie said.
"What's the deal at LADYS633?" she asked Mackie.
"What do you mean?"
"I tried to check our gear, but all the codes have been changed. Same with the reactor."
"Oneesan sealed it all up. I'm not even sure where half the stuff is any longer."
"I wonder if the Typhoon II is lonely?" Priss said softly.
"What?" Nene asked, followed closely by Mackie.
"The stupid thing grew on me," Priss snapped.
"She has a heart," Nene said, feigning shock.
"And emotions too," Mackie added.
"My world is coming to the end," Nene said theatrically.
"I'll end you," Priss said, grabbing Nene in a headlock.
"Leave me alone you gorilla!" Nene said, but her laughing spoiled the insult.
"I'd spank her for that," Mackie suggested.
"You would want to see that you little sukebe(pervert)," Priss said.
"Annoying Things One has sent someone a poem (or a reply to a poem) and, after the messenger has left, thinks of a couple of words that ought to be changed"
-Sei Shonagon
I'd like to once more thank Jeanne Hedge, Suika Waltz and Bert Van Vliet for their help in proofing this work, in whole or in part. While we managed to get most of the errors some still remained, which is completely my fault.
I hope such errors have not bothered you greatly to the point of making the story less enjoyable.
If you have enjoyed this story you may wish to read Fred Herriot's Illusions series. Illusions is a sequel and retelling of the original No Armour Against Fate with aspects from Neo No Armour Against Fate worked into later parts.