Guess what showed up on alt.fan.bgcrisis?
All Flamage and C&C should be directed to <Mark.Latus@MSVU.Ca>.
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Brief intro
To everyone who's been asking "where is that 'Hurricane Season' fanfic you
promised months ago?" I can say that, after many delays, it is finally
being written. Why this story? I had some material I had to cut from it
to make the story flow smoothly but it seemed a shame to waste it. So I
turned it into this short story which serves as a prologue to "Hurricane
Season". Hopefully it will whet people's appetites for this long overdue
fanfic. If you haven't read "Knights' End" this probably won't make a lot
of sense. Let's just say October 30th 2035 was a really bad night for
both the Sabers and MegaTokyo.
Bubblegum Chaos : Libel A "Knights' End" sidestory by Mark Latus
"From early 2031 to October 30th 2035 four women held sway over the
MegaTokyo underworld. Though their public image was of a mercenary group
who were willing to help the common citizens by destroying malfunctioning
Boomers the truth was far darker. Behind the scenes they controlled a
syndicate running the majority of organized crime in MegaTokyo. The
violence they employed was sufficent to cow even the most hardened of
Yakuza bosses. In addition to this were their links to the Triads, the
Mafia and the South American drug cartels. They also supplied arms and
technology to the deadliest terrorists of our time, even the maniac known
only as Largo. They were the Knight Sabers and this is their story."
From "Armourgeddon : The Short and Bloody History of the Knight Sabers"
by Donald Okada. MegaTokyo : HarperWarners Japan, 2035.
Phoenix Enterprises, Berlin - 10 am Wednesday February 27 2036 AD.
CEO Stingray cursed silently as he scanned the financial news. A
terrorist attack in Vancouver had just wiped out the board of Tsing
Technologies. While police were blaming either West Coast Separatists or
one of the white supremist militias Mackie knew who was really behind it.
GENOM! It seemed Daniel was stepping up his campaign to liquidate the Hou
Bang. He sighed. It made a lot of sense. After he eliminated Reika
Chang, the heir to the Hou Bang's secret empire, they were bound to seek
vengeance. She had gone to MegaTokyo looking to exact retribution for
Linna's death much as she had gone once before to avenge her sister. But
Daniel had struck first.
After the accident the Hou Bang's extralegal wings were decimated by
what appeared to be gang wars between Triads and the Yakuza. GENOM's
economic muscle was driving the conglomerate's companies into bankruptcy.
When that didn't work suddenly company directors suddenly had accidents,
or ran into extremist groups. The Hou Bang were fighting back but they
weren't nearly as effective as GENOM. So much for his claim to Sylia that
he'd be eliminating GENOM's own extralegal divisions. To an extent he
was, he didn't need the massive and inefficent structure Quincy had built
up over the years. He was pruning it back but the way he was doing that
made Mackie sick.
You almost had to admire Dumas's inventiveness. He hadn't terminated
all GENOM's underworld links. Which would have been a literal description
of how he'd have handled it. Instead he'd retained the parts and people
he could use. The rest started turning up dead along with evidence
linking them to a syndicate run by the Knight Sabers. To the rest of the
world it seemed that with their leaders gone the Knight Saber's minions
were now fighting it out for control of the syndicate. The N-police stood
back and let them slaughter each other, happy to have the chance to close
the files on a lot of criminals. Besides after Red Tuesday they didn't
have the manpower or the morale to mount a major offensive.
Everyone was ready to believe the Knight Sabers were running a crime
syndicate. After all they were already well known as being the backers of
the terrorist known only as Largo and his worldwide laser satellite
strikes. Though they were mainly reviled as the monsters responsible for
the nightmare known as Red Tuesday. Hell, now every disappearance and
unsolved crime in the past five years was being blamed on the Knight
Sabers!
"Mr Stingray?"
Mackie's musings were interrupted by the arrival of his personal
secretary. He looked up from the monitor. "Yes Carol?"
"Mr Hastings is on channel 3. He says it's urgent."
"Probably those patents are being challenged by GENOM England. I
gave him specific instructions on how to handle it. Am I supposed to come
over there and hold his hand?" There was no sign of anger in Mackie's
voice but Carol had been with him long enough to sense the impatience
behind the calm tone. Perhaps he was having problems with that girlfriend
of his. Frankly she felt he was wasting his time with a scientist.
Maintaining that lab just to keep her happy signalled a window of
vulnerability in his sharklike exterior. Vulnerabilities exist to be
exploited. All's far in business and war.
"Is everything all right sir?"
"Absolutely nothing is all right Carol." None of the turmoil he felt
inside echoed on his face. "I've got three dead women living in the
Biocyb lab. Two of whom are having a lot of trouble dealing with that.
Plus one sister of highly dubious sanity who is beginning to piss
everybody else off. Frank and Ilsa are near to giving up on the Knight
Shadows and walking and I can't really say that it's a bad decision.
Sonya thinks Nene's after my body so she's in a foul temper. On top of
which I've declared commercial warfare on the most powerful corporation of
all time. A war that I know I can't possibly win. Of course if Daniel
finds out that I brought back the Knight Sabers then the kid gloves come
off and it's warfare for real between us. Other than that everything is
fine." Out loud all he said was, "Minor headache, maybe I've got a touch
of that flu that's going around."
"Would you like me to have Doctor Brownslaw see you sir."
"Not just yet. Beside he might recommend bedrest and there's just
too much to do. Patch Hastings through."
She withdrew and Mackie did his best to compose himself. He had one
of the best minds on the planet. One of the three that his father had
enhanced to create a mental superman. He could deal with anything life
could throw at him. He was totally under control. The dreams didn't
bother him in the slightest.
"Donald, nice to hear from you. How's everything in London?"
"The few survivors among her childhood neighbours all agree on one
thing. Before the quake she was a bright and pleasant child who dreamed
of becoming a dancer. Some might say that it was the loss of both her
parents in the quake that started her on the downward spiral. Yet others
suffered worse losses and emerged bloody but unbowed. How did she become
so twisted that she would forget her childhood dreams of the stage and
dance only over the bodies of her victims?"
From "Kali : The Life of Linna Yamazaki"
by Andrea Carrington. Los Angeles : PacificPress, 2036.
Komrade Kremlin's Burger Barn #15, MegaTokyo - 1 pm Thursday February 28
2036
The restaurant was decorated in that godawful "Happy Hammer & Smiley
Sickle (tm)" motif that was this burger chain's sole claim to originality.
The food was the same plastic patty and cardboard fries you could get at
any other burger joint in the city. Why these places had caught on Leon
would never know. He wasn't sure why he'd even agreed to meet Lisa here.
He had a nasty feeling he knew what she wanted to tell him. In which case
she could get them both killed. If GENOM could murder a superstar and get
away with it a rookie reporter and a cop wouldn't even raise a sweat.
There she was, sitting in one of the corner booths. She was peering
over the top of a copy of "The Knight Saber Beside Me" (written by some
guy who'd dated Yamazaki and decided to cash in on the fact). She kept
trying to unobtrusively scan the room in a very furtive and amateurish
fashion. Little point in being subtle. If there were any pros in here
they'd have spotted her as soon as they walked in.
Leon grabbed a coffee and joined her. She started violently as he
sat down. She'd been so busy looking for watchers that she hadn't noticed
him. As he mopped up coffee before it could run off the table and stain
their clothes Leon jerked a thumb at the discarded book. "Why are you
reading that trash?"
She looked vindicated. "You think it's trash?"
"None of the clowns writing those things know the first thing about
the Knight Sabers."
"I knew you'd feel that way." She glanced left and right again as
she got ready to hit him with her revelation. He could guess what it was
going to be. The last time he'd met Lisa Vannete had been at Nene's
funeral in early November. At the time he hadn't picked up on what she
was hiding. Shortly after that he'd figured out a few things about his
favorite hacker and some of her friends. Problem was the only man with
the power to do anything to set things right had wimped out. Though
considering what had happened to those who hadn't it was hard to say
Stingray wasn't right.
"I've been thinking about this for the past few months ... nobody
seems to remember any of the good things the Sabers did. I mean they
saved my life when Miriam took over ADP. But try to mention that and
everyone says they were probably working with him all along then
doublecrossed him at the end. The only Saber whose identity is known has
been demonized by the media. They ... I guess I should say we ... are
trying to make them out to be a pack of armoured sociopaths. They weren't
like that ..." Lisa's voice dropped to a low, conspiriatorial whisper.
As if that would make a difference if anyone really wanted to listen in.
"See there were four Knight Sabers but only one's identity is known. But
I know the name of another one ... I've been trying to decide if I should
reveal it. If I do they'll try to destroy her memory to cover the truth.
But if I don't the Knight Sabers are gonna stay monsters as far as anyone
knows ..."
"You're about to tell me Nene was the Pink Knight Saber?" Lisa's jaw
hit the table. It was almost a minute before she could say anything
coherent.
"... All this time you knew! At the funeral you were trying to tell
me ..."
Leon shook his head. "I didn't know then. But not long afterwards a
few things fell together and I figured it out." Which I never would have
done if I hadn't already known Priss was a Knight Saber.
"But don't you see what that means?" She didn't wait for an answer.
"Nene died about an hour before the Knight Sabers got killed. More
importantly she died before the Knight Sabers killed Quincy. That proves
it was a setup!"
"No it doesn't"
"What?"
"The only Sabers spotted during the attack on the tower were Yamazaki
and the White Saber. Their aircraft got vaporized so there's no way of
saying how many of them were on board." Except that I know the only one
in it when it blew was Sylia Stingray. Priss and Nene died before the
attack and Linna got killed before the crash. GENOM just let everyone
think the other two were on board.
No, not GENOM. According to the surviving Stingray the only one who
knows everything that happened is Dumas.
"But ..."
"Lisa we can't prove anything. All we can do is attract the
attention of the people who killed the Knight Sabers. And we don't want
that." Being a dead hero was getting less and less attractive.
"They won't try anything against a reporter. It'd blow the whole
thing wide open in the media!" She sounded like she really believed that.
It reminded Leon just how young she was and of the days he'd been that
naive.
"Hear what happened to Vision?"
"Huh? Who hasn't heard about that? Terrible! I mean I really liked
her music ... but what's that got to did with anything?"
"It's not well known but Yamazaki was a friend of hers."
Lisa's eyes widened. "What are you saying?!"
"That a lot of people looked into her death and it's still called an
accident. Pilot error."
"But ... but it was an accident ... wasn't it."
"I'm just saying that anyone can have an accident in this city. Also
I have to admit living past 30 is looking a lot more attractive."
"But ... but everybody's being deceived!"
"Welcome to the way things work in MegaTokyo Lisa." She surged to
her feet in righteous indignation and turned to storm out. Leon grabbed
her wrist and she turned back to shout at him. Then fell silent at the
look on his face. "Lisa this isn't a game. They've already got away with
it. The only reason we're still alive is because the guy behind it likes
to think he's a civilized man rather than a thug. But as soon as we start
making waves that's going to change. Waves ... we won't even live beyond
making ripples! I got a cyberpunk by the name of Kei Sato mixed up in
this. I warned him to keep quiet but he didn't listen. He liked to think
he was cool, slick and untraceable in cyberspace. So he dropped a couple
of cryptic hints anonymously on the nets. Meaningless if you didn't
already know any of the behind the scenes events.
They pulled out of Tokyo Bay the following day. Seems he went for a
walk on the docks while drunk, fell off and drowned. Funny thing is he
was agoraphobic. Couldn't stand wide open spaces and only left his
apartment when he really had to. Did everything he could to live entirely
in cyberspace. That didn't seem to matter to the coroner. Just an
accident. That's what you're up against! Be smarter than he was for
God's sake!"
He could see tears forming in her eyes. She pulled free and ran for
the door. Leon briefly became the center of attention as people
speculated about a lovers' spat and just how much older he was than her.
He shrugged. Let 'em wonder. Had he got through to her? Perhaps. He
really hoped so for Lisa's sake.
What would the chief do if his niece got pulled out of the bay? What
could he do? It'd be N-Police juristiction, he'd have no input. If he
rocked the boat the chief was just about the right age and weight for a
major heart attack. Nothing suspicious about him suffering one, right?
Leon shook his head. What the hell had happened to him? It used to
be he'd charge right in without worrying about the consequences. Mr.
Death or Glory. He'd never got the glory and barely avoided the other
more times than he could remember.
Probably that was it. When you got right down to it what had he
actually accomplished? He'd been brushed off as a minor annoyance at best
so many times. Now? Now he was older if not particular wiser and tired.
Tired of losing people he cared about fighting against an untouchable
monolith. GENOM kills the Knight Sabers and a few thousand bystanders and
everyone cheers. There seemed less and less reason to sacrifice himself
for this city. And one very good reason to survive. He took out his
pocket phone and dialed her number.
"She studied her victim across the coffee shop's table but let no
hint of coldness show in her eyes. The little fool had no idea how close
she'd come to learning Linna's secret. Still the hints she'd picked up
could start her thinking. So far no one had connected the destruction of
GENOM's lab to the Knight Sabers. At least no one they'd allowed to live.
It would be for the best if the little bitch joined her fiancee as
soon as possible. Fortunately she thought they were friends. That would
make it easier to get close for a quiet kill. During this, unaware that
her time was fast running out Irene Chang kept chatting to the woman she
considered her friend."
From "Linna : Portrait of a Killer"
by Jack Swanwick. New York : TrueCrime Press, 2035
Phoenix Biological & Cybernetics Research Center underground complex
(Shadowbase), Berlin - 7 pm Friday Feb. 29 2036
Mackie studied his sister's left arm. "It's dislocated all right."
"Tell me something I don't know." She sounded impatient rather than
hurt. She was undoubtably blocking the pain but that didn't help her move
the immobilized limb. Around her the training session had screeched to a
halt. Nene, Priss and Linna had grounded their suits and popped their
helmets. Priss looked almost happy that Sylia had injured herself.
Scratch almost. There was quite a bit of anger between them these days.
At least on Priss's side, as always it was hard to tell what Sylia
thought. The only reason Priss participated in the training was she'd
decided she hated GENOM more than she hated Sylia. Or herself.
Frank and Ilsa were glad of the break. They were outclassed and they
knew it. Not long ago Mackie would have said his Knight Shadows could
match anything the Knight Sabers did. But that was before the Sabers
died. Now the Knight Shadows remained only human while the Sabers had
become so much more. Or, according to Priss, so much less.
"Just slid it back in place and let's get back with to training."
Mackie shook his head, "Sis, if I acted that macho you'd tell me to
get my head examined. It's time to face facts. Your suit needs its'
power reduced."
"I am the leader of Knight Sabers. I need a suit equal to theirs."
"You can't handle it."
"I can handle anything." No emotion in her voice but Mackie could
sense the suppressed fury.
"Mackie's right." Nene's hearing was a lot sharper than a human's.
"Face facts Sylia. You barely made the turn and came within a hair of
taking your arm off. Matter of fact I thought you were going into the
wall headfirst."
Linna nodded. "They're both right. We made the turn easily you just
couldn't react fast enough." It was almost scary how fast they could
react now. They literally interfaced with the suits. It wasn't so much a
matter of wearing the hardsuit as it was of becoming the hardsuit.
Thought and action were almost instantaneous. The sensation of merging
was indescribable. Though Nene had said it was better than sex, almost.
Of course she'd been looking at Mackie at the time and he'd suddenly found
something very fascinating about his own suit's diagnostic readouts.
Sonya's knuckles had gone white around the lightpen she was gripping.
There was going to be major trouble between them soon.
According to Sylia the suits were more powerful versions of her last
design. Powered up as she didn't have compensate for human frailties
anymore. The three of them could now make moves that would have broken
bones in ... the old days. So she was using an upgraded version of the
suit she'd ... (no way to avoid thinking about it) died in. Her memories
ended weeks before Sylia had unveiled the new suits. How had she ... how
had the original Linna liked the new design?
She'd never know. Whether or not she was Linna Yamazaki everything
that had happened between May and October was gone forever. Unrecorded
and lost when her human self died.
"Face facts Sylia. You're the weak link of this team now." Priss
never missed an opportunity to needle Sylia these days. As always Sylia
didn't react but that didn't discourage Priss. "Hell even Little Miss
Cyberpunk can outperform you these days."
"Y'know Priss these days that name'll fit you just as well as me."
Priss glared at Nene. She hated being reminded she wasn't human. They
both turned as they heard the click as Mackie slid Sylia's arm back into
its' socket. Nene winced a little. "I think you should take it easy
until your suit won't kill you."
Sylia flexed the arm blanking the resulting pains. This would
definitely reduce optimal efficiency. For a moment the logical personna
cracked and her rage boiled up. She centered herself. Control, calm,
mastery of self is the first step to mastery of others. She couldn't deny
that the new hardsuit's capabilities outstripped her ability to use them.
But the day might come when she'd need all its' power and to hell with the
consequences.
Still this incident could damage the team further. Things were
already strained by Priss's anger and Linna's uncertainty over their
resurrections. Nene was the only one left she could rely on. Fortunately
that no longer felt like a bad joke. Best not to alienate her.
"Very well." Sylia levered herself out of the hardsuit's lower half
with a little difficulty. "I'll install a program to restrict suit
reaction speed to a level I can handle." A program I can override at a
moments notice.
Mackie must have known what she was thinking but dropped his gaze.
Good. As long as he continued to defer to her everything was under
control.
"Guess that's a wrap for tonight." The two Knight Shadows cracked
their suits and levered themselves out. They were both going to hit the
showers. Keeping up with the Knight Sabers was hard. Matter of fact it
was impossible. Frank watched as the Sabers emerged from their suits.
There were no signs of sweatstains on their softsuits. According to
Mackie MegaALFs had better ways of dumping excess heat. Though they could
sweat if they wanted to pass for human. Nene's gaze seemed to lock on
Mackie as he stood talking to Sylia. Then she shrugged and headed for the
door out of the underground suit bay. If she was actually after him or
just having some fun flirting Frank still didn't know.
Ilsa's hands settled on the back of his neck and began massaging.
"So, do we talk to Mackie tonight?"
"Better leave it for now. Unless you want to answer to Sylia for
interupting them."
Ilsa shuddered. "No chance. These days she comes across as if she'd
as soon kill you as look at you." She'd known a few people like that
during her mercenary days. A cold exterior masking barely controlled
violence. Nothing at all like the woman she'd met last year. Sylia had
more cause than most but she still wasn't going to be able to relax in her
presence again.
"So let's hit the showers and find out just how tired we are."
"I think you're having impure thoughts."
"Hard not to when surrounded by women in skintight outfits. Hey
relax, I only go for human women!"
"Lucky for you. By the way what do you think you're wearing?"
Frank glanced down at his own sweatsoaked softsuit. "That is the
problem with these tight outfits. I vote we go peel them off and see what
happens next."
"Motion is seconded and carried."
When they emerged from the shower only Mackie remained in the hanger.
Was he really really working on the shadowsuits or did he just know they
wanted to talk to him? Knowing Mackie probably both were true.
"Mackie, can we talk?"
He nodded and put down his multitool. Did he already know what
they'd decided? Perhaps. He always seemed to be two or three steps
ahead. Just like Dumas. Still he'd go through the motions.
"So what's up?"
"It's about your offer ... we've talked it over and Frank and I have
decided that ... we don't want our memories recorded."
"I see." No emotion in his tone. Was he disappointed in them?
Frank suddenly felt the need to justify their decision.
"Look Mackie ... it's sort of attractive to be able to come back and
take out whoever killed you. But you don't really come back. There'd be
someone walking around who thought he was me but I'd still be stone cold
dead. Besides unless both of us got killed the other would wind up living
with a copy of the lover they just buried. Neither of us thinks we could
handle that."
Ilsa nodded. "On top of all that I have to say that the Knight
Sabers make a lousy ad for getting recorded. Priss spent weeks as a
basketcase and is still fairly unstable. On top of which she's suffering
a major identity crisis. So's Linna but she's not quite as bad. Nene's
the only one who's successfully adapted but you've mentioned she's showing
some major personality changes."
"Life is change and they've all been through an incalculable trauma."
you can't get anymore serious than death and resurrection. "It was
inevitable that they'd change because of it. Still Nene ... the Prime
Nene wasn't the same woman she was a few years ago. People change. So
I'm not going to get worried by her ... recent exuberance. Anyway you
don't need to justify your decision to me. I respect your choice."
If Sis had offered the Knight Sabers a choice Priss certainly
wouldn't have taken it. Which would mean she'd be gone forever. I can
see how she convinced herself not give them the option to refuse. Sylia
told herself it was all for their own good, so they wouldn't make the
wrong choice based on fear and ignorance. It was also for her own sake.
She didn't want to lose the only friends she had. Yes I can see it. But
I don't agree with it. I will respect Frank and Ilsa's choice. Who is to
say they aren't right?
Later. In the common room the TV channnels were flicking by on the
set. The digital clock flipped from 10:04 to 10:05 pm. Then the channel
surfer spotted the "Entertainment Now!" logo as channel 39 slid past. She
turned on the sound.
"... And we're on the set of "Knight Saber!" talking to the stars,
Natsumi Watanabe fresh from starring in "Rising Sun 2 : the Washington
Conspiracy" and Carl Dietz, Hollywood's newest and fastest rising action
star."
"Hello Mary."
"Hi."
"Natsumi if I could start with you. Why did you decide to take this
role?"
"I was looking to explore my full potential as an actress. I mean
Linna Yamazaki has to be the most unlikeable character I've ever played.
The more so because she was real. Yet she was a human being so she must
have had some redeeming qualities. I mean even Hitler liked dogs. So
it's a chance to make her a believable person who's evil rather than just
a cliche villainess like that FOX TV movie."
"That sounds difficult."
"Oh it is. Particularly because she was so good at covering her
tracks. We have very little information about her. At least what she was
really like. Everyone still alive who knew her was completely shocked when
the truth about her emerged. Unlike most people with double lives she
didn't give them the slightest hint that anything unusual was going on.
In fact several of her coworkers and old boyfriends are in therapy.
They've all realized how close they came to death every time they annoyed
her."
"It sounds like you've really done your research. I'm sure you'll do
a wonderful job on this most difficult role.
"Thank you Mary."
"Carl this role is a definite departure for you."
"Absolutely. This is the first time I've played a villain. But when
this script came through the door I jumped at the chance to play Largo."
"Isn't playing this part a bit of a risk?"
"No I'm sure the audience can separate me from the character I play.
Besides I want to show my fans I can do more than just blow badguys away
while making puns. It's time to remind people that I'm an actor."
"Is it a hard role to get into?"
"Very hard. Natsumi was saying how little we know about the real
Linna Yamazaki. But compared to Largo we know volumes about her. We have
no idea of his real name, his nationality, his real aims. All we know is
how ruthless he was and the terrible things he did. It's a real challenge
but I like that."
"And of course you get to play a love scene with Natsumi."
"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't an attraction."
"Hahahaha. Turning back to you Natsumi, critics have said most of
this movie is pure speculation."
"As I said Mary we don't have a lot of information to go on. But
we've worked it out as best we could given what happened in MegaTokyo and
what we know about Yamazaki. So, for example, we have no actual proof
that Yamazaki and Largo were lovers. But, based on what we know about
her, the chances that she wasn't sleeping with him are fairly minimal ..."
The TV exploded. Nene looked at Linna who stood frozen with her
right arm punched through the screen. She held up a small box. "If you
wanted it off you could have just used the remote."
Linna pulled her arm free. There were cuts in the skin from
fragments of the nearly unbreakable plastex but nothing too serious. Her
internal bioputer was already initiating localized healing. She could
have gouged herself to the bone and not noticed. She was far too angry
for that.
"Why the fuck are you watching that crap?"
"Nothing more interesting on. Besides aren't you curious what
they're going to say about you?" Linna snarled. "Look at it this way,
everyone's heard of you. No one's heard of me."
"YOU BRAINDEAD CYBERJOCKEY! They've heard of me as a mass murdering
armourplated psycho! What the fuck do you know about how I feel? You got
a hero's burial as a good cop. They had to scatter my ashes in secret so
the place wouldn't be desecrated. It's not bad enough three of the guys I
dated have written books about me and them, lying through their teeth.
Now they're saying I was screwing Largo!? This is too much!"
"So you're finally accepting that you really are Linna." That threw
Linna off her stride. "After all why get this worked up if it's not you
they're slandering?"
"Uh ... " The anger gave way to confusion. "... look whoever I am
they're spreading lies about me .. her. Outside of this place everyone
who knew me thinks I was some sort of monster."
"They aren't exactly lying. Far as anyone knows they're telling the
truth. The only person outside of our merry little group who knows what
really happened is Dumas."
True enough. Thanks to the evidence that bastard supplied what else
could they think? The day will come that I squeeze the truth out of that
scumbag. Assuming Sylia doesn't kill him before I get the chance.
Then Linna did a double take. For the first time she really looked
at Nene. Her face looked different, narrower than usual. Linna's
enhanced sight automatically swept the spectrum. Nene was obviously using
her morphing capability to adjust her facial features. The big surprise
was Nene's wardrobe. Bright red microskirt with matching PVC bra, thigh
length high heeled boots, handcuffs serving as a bracelet, one cuff around
her wrist the other one empty. It looked like something Priss would have
worn onstage.
"What the ... ?"
"Thought I'd go hit a few clubs tonight. There's a new place called,
'The Inferno' that I'm gonna check out."
"What happened to low profile?"
"That means far as anyone knows we're dead so we don't go out in
public. So I'm not. Besides Nene Romanova was a good girl, she stayed out
of the club circuit." Nene rummaged through her purse then tossed a
Europass card to Linna. "However Nadia Stergonovich is a bit more of a
free spirit." The picture was almost a perfect match for Nene's new face.
"I was just killing time until I've got Nadia's face right."
"I don't believe this."
"Hey Mackie set these new identities up so we didn't have to stay
down here the whole time. Might as well use them. Why not break out
yours and join me?"
Linna just stared at her for a moment. "I'm having enough trouble
with who I am already. I don't need another identity."
"Why? It's not that different from the way things were. 'By day a
mild mannered ADP dispatcher. By night ... look in the sky, it's a bird,
it's a stratjet, it's Supersaber!' ... you're not laughing."
"This is totally unlike you. What's happening to you?"
"Death. Getting serious for a minute ... after I woke up it occurred
to me that I'd never done a lot of things I wanted to the first time
round. Lots of reasons, guilt and fear are the main ones. It's like ...
didn't you ever want to do anything wild and crazy?"
"Sure."
"And you did them, right?"
"Uh ... sometimes."
"Right. Well I never did. What if I get caught? What would Mom
think? What if I'm recognised ... and so on. Now I'm dead so I'm not
going to shame my family. And I've got this incredible new body so I can
walk into the roughest place in Berlin and mangle anyone who tries
anything I don't want. I've got a chance for all the fun I missed out on
the first time around. Why not take it?"
"Climbing into a hardsuit and fighting Boomers is fairly crazy."
"I suppose it was. Funny I never thought of it that way. I guess if
I had I couldn't have done it. After all if anyone had found out who was
in the Pink Sabersuit ..." Nene's voice trailed off. Linna was the worst
possible person to joke with about having your Saber identity exposed.
Change the subject. "Well I should get going, Mackie's giving me a lift
downtown. You coming."
"Not right now."
"Ok. Try not to brood too much."
Nene exited and Linna shook her head. What a mess, Sylia seems to
have been swallowed by her icequeen act, Priss alternates between
depression and fury and I still can't decide who I am. Now Nene's turning
into some sort of cyberslut. What next?
Nene was heading for the stairway to the main floor when she picked
up a presence in the MegaALF lab. She entered to find Priss studying the
three remaining units. Two had already been redesigned for their
designated occupants. Within the tank the nude figures of Sylia and
Mackie Stingray floated. Vacant shells. If need be they could be altered
again for a new recipient. Priss's attention seemed to be fixed on the
blank. The third MegaALF wasn't prepared for anyone in particular. It
would be shaped as needed.
Without turning Priss remarked, "That's what we really look like.
Before they shaped us into copies of dead women."
"Back when we were human we started out as a parasite growning inside
our mothers. What's so wonderful about that? Besides ever see any
pictures of embryos? Gross looking things."
Her flippancy seemed to upset Priss. She spun to face Nene. "We
were never human! Can't you get that through your ... what the hell is
this?"
Nene sighed and ran through the explanation again. As she did she
wondered why she had to justify her outfit to Priss of all people? As
she'd rather expected Priss wasn't interested in leaving BioCyb. Well at
least she wasn't spending all her time in her room anymore. There had
been something unnerving over the way she had sat brooding over her ashes.
"So any particular reason to be in here other than seeing Mackie
naked?"
Priss scowled. "I was looking at her. Wondering who she's going to
wake up thinking she is?" She waved at the blank MegaALF.
"What makes you so sure it'll be a she?", Nene thought. Currently
the ALF was neither gender. It would be shaped as needed. A joke
occurred to her, Priss took this stuff way to seriously. Why not have a
little fun?
In retrospect Nene would wonder if her next remarks were what
triggered the chaos that would soon engulf them.
"Have you been updating you memory recordings?"
"No."
"You should. That way in case anything happens to you the next
Priss doesn't have to start out from square one. I've been doing mine
weekly."
Priss snorted. Far as she was concerned one resurrection was one
too many. Resurrection?! Hell there was no resurrection. Priss Asagiri
was dead, she was a boomer with a dead woman's memories. Then what Nene
was saying penetrated. "What?"
"I said we could stick my recording in her and power her up. I've
always wanted a sister."
"You can't have two Nene's. It's impossible!"
"Easiest thing in the world. Matter of fact I could stick the
recording in the other two as well and become quadruplets. Think the
world's ready for four Nenes?" Before Priss could reply Nene heard
familiar movement in the corridor. "There's Mackie, I've gotta go. Last
chance to come with me." Priss just stood there with a stupified
expression on her face. "Suit yourself. I'm outta here." Time to see if
her pet project worked.
"Evening Mackie."
"Evening ..." Mackie's face suddenly shifted to a wistful
expression. Just as suddenly it was replaced by a puzzled look. Then that
was gone and he was back to himself. Unlike Sylia he didn't wear
emotional masks all the time.
"... Hi Nene. Nice outfit. Definite new look for you."
"But it looks good doesn't it?"
"It looks very good."
"Care to join me tonight?"
"Sorry. I'm meeting Sonya after I drop you. She's a little ... edgy
around you these days."
"Tell her to relax a little. She's more uptight than I used to be."
As they talked Nene shrugged mentally. She didn't have the phermone right
yet.
One of Doctor Stingray's more dubious gifts to his children was his
eugenics beliefs. When he created the process that would enhance the
human mind he included a drive to ensure that the Enhanced would mate only
with their own kind. Male and female Enhanced each produce a sex phermone
only detectable by their Enhanced opposites. The problem was the phermone
wasn't muted by blood relationship and Sylia was the sole female of her
father's planned new species. Both Stingrays had to override its
influence in each other's presence. Otherwise the bioprogrammed desire
would have made things very messy.
Nene had hacked into her ALF body's bioputer back in December. Not
long ago she had realized that she could artificially create phermones.
So, purely in the spirit of scientific research, she'd been trying to
duplicate Sylia's phermone. Obviously she hadn't got it quite right yet.
Have to keep trying. Once she'd got it right ... well she'd worry about
that when it happened. Time to forget that for now and have some fun
tonight. Party time.
Back in the lab Priss was staring at the blank MegaALF again. Until
Nene pointed it out she'd never considered that there could be more than
one of them at a time. Somehow she'd just assumed that you could only
have one Priss, one Linna, one Nene. But they weren't people were they?
Just copies. Sylia could create as many of them as she wanted. And she'd
make more of them if she thought it'd help her beat Danny. Stupid goddamn
bitch, falls for the guy who's gonna kill us all and frame us for GENOM's
dirty work. I cannot believe I used to like her ... Priss, I cannot
believe Priss used to like her. I'm not Priss, I have to remember that.
As long as those recordings exist you can mass produce Knight Sabers.
For combat or any other reason. We're not human. We have no rights. All
we are is corporate property.
"New from Phoenix Enterprises it's Priss. The latest addition to our
biomech love doll series. This rebel without a clue makes an endearing
display of defiance but is always ready to serve your needs. In addition
to her physical qualities this model is ready to enterain you in a variety
of ways. From singing to the more intimate. Order yours today and
complete the Knight Saber collection."
Priss shook off the overblown fantasy. It was never going to be
quite that bad. But she'd never be at peace with herself as long she
could be reproduced indefinitely. She felt a burst of rage and swung her
arm back intending to smash the ALF tank.
Then stopped. Bad idea. They'd lock her down again and she'd be
reduced to human levels. Which would mean certain death when they
attacked Dumas. While she wasn't Priss she was someone. Bottom line was
while she didn't mind dying that much she wanted to die accomplishing
something. Not getting blown apart because she was slower than she should
have been.
Besides the problem wasn't the bodies. The problem was the memory
recordings. Once those were gone she'd be unique again. The way the real
Priss had thought she was. Then maybe she'd feel whole. As long as the
recordings existed she could be brought back by whoever had them. Even
GENOM if they took Phoenix and retrieved her recordings. What if they
created an edited version?
Finding and wiping the recordings was probably beyond her. But not
beyond Nene. She'd need her help. Little Miss Cyberpunk would be dead
against it if she just she just asked her outright. But if she used a
little subtlety she could talk Nene round over time.
They probably had plenty of time. Mackie and Sylia were still unable
to come up with a way to permenantly remove Dumas. She was getting sick
of waiting. The urge to take matters into her own hands was growing. If
those two didn't get moving soon she might well take care of it herself.
Once she knew her recordings were gone so there was no danger of GENOM
ever owning her she would be free to act.
Best if no one else knew this. Priss stared into the ALF's blank
eyes. Behind her own eyes the storm continued to build. It wouldn't be
long before the hurricane inside broke loose.
End.
To be continued in "Hurricane Season".
Coming soon
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