TITLE: Accumulated Wisdom
AUTHOR: MikeJaffa
SYNOPSIS: Mini-tribute to voice actress Jamie Marchi: Mikako Satsukitane, now in her 50's, tries to give Meg some advice.
DISCLAIMER: Burst Angel is owned by Gonzo; Sora No Otoshimmono/Heaven's Lost Property is owned by Kodokawa Pictures, inc. I am not making any money off this.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As of this writing, I have seen only part of the first episode of "Heaven's Lost Property," up to the scene where Mikako explains how she has life insurance on Sugata. But I also saw an interview with Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi (Meg/Mikako) in which Jamie speaks in Mikako's voice and says Mikako "would love to kill you all" in the clip's audience. These are the things that inspired this story. My characterization of Mikako may be inaccurate, but this is still my little tribute to Jamie Marchi (although she may never read it). Enjoy.

8

8

8

"Of course," Kyohei Tachibana groaned as he pulled his head out of the refrigerator. "Just when I want it, it looks like we could be out of it."

"Out of what, Kyo?" asked Shiho Kazami, the girl from the cooking classes Kyo went to. She managed not to sound as nervous as she felt. Kyo had asked her to help out at Sei's trailer because he would be cooking for more people than just Sei and her girls – some kind of operation Shiho didn't mind being in the dark about. And as nervous as Kyo appeared, he was still working for Sei after several months and seemed almost at home in the trailer; Shiho couldn't imagine coming back.

"Hot sauce," Kyohei said as he closed the fridge. "I finally have the recipe that calls for it and I can't find it." He climbed up on the kitchen table and looked around the trailer's living space.

"I thought you said Jo liked it."

"More like she's addicted to it. That's the problem."

"Ah."

Kyo jumped off the table and headed for the rear of the trailer. Shiho turned back to the pot she had been minding. A few moments later she heard clatter behind her. She turned to see Kyo setting up a step ladder in the middle of the living room.

She asked, "What are you doing, Kyo?"

"Checking for hot sauce."

"I don't get it."

"Well, if all else fails," he explained as he climbed the ladder, "there's the supply Jo keeps locked in her gun safe, but before she lets me into that, I have to be sure all her other emergency stashes are empty." He'd got to the top of the ladder, his head inches below the ceiling.

"You weren't kidding when you said 'addicted.'"

"Nope. Could you bring me the socket wrenches, please? They should be under the sink."

8

8

8

Leo Jin huddled with Amy over her console in the trailer's cockpit and listened out of one ear as Sei talked with her grandfather, who was on Sei's console. Tonight's job was all-hands-on-deck-plus, as Sei coordinated security for the leader of a Yakuza syndicate before she could be taken to conclude negotiations with a rival organization. Sei had managed to persuade her grandfather to allow Kyohei to bring Shiho Kazami to help cook for the extra personnel. The extra security measures were needed because of some intra- and inter-syndicate politics that had to be ironed out before the deal could be concluded safely. And that meant babysitting Mikako Satsukitane for a few more hours.

And that meant Sei was unusually testy.

Don Laoban said from Sei's screen, "How are things going, Sei?"

"Depends on what you mean, Grandfather," Sei answered. "If you want Satsukitane-Sama kept safe until she can be taken to the meeting, everything is going fine. But if you'd wanted an 'accidental shooting' while she was alone with Jo, we're a little behind schedule on that."

Laoban's face hardened slightly. "Sei, we've been over this…"

"I know, I know."

"…we are doing this as a favor to an old college friend."

"Of course, you're the only one of her college friends she didn't slaughter."

"Those rumors were never substantiated."

"We both know what that's worth."

"Sei-"

Sei smiled and relaxed. "Don't worry, Grandfather. Everything will be as you instructed."

"Good." He smiled. "Oh, before I forget – Jei Kokuren will be getting out of the hospital soon. He was asking about you."

"Oh, right, the fiancée who tried to kill us wants to know if I'm still breathing. With all due respect, Grandfather, you're being a little too forgiving this time."

"He made a youthful indiscretion, Sei. I've spoken to him. He seems contrite. I think it wouldn't hurt to call him."

Sei decided not to argue…not now, anyway. "I'll look into it when I'm free. Promise."

"Very well. Good luck, Sei."

"Goodnight, Grandfather."

Laoban left the screen and Sei's smile vanished. "Great," she grumbled. "The creep who tried to kill me and ruined my best dress wants to call on me. Just freakin'-"

"Sei?" Kyo's voice called behind her.

Sei smiled as she spun her captain's chair around. Kyo was coming into the cockpit; Shiho followed and stood by Amy's console.

"What is it, Kyo?" Sei asked.

"Is it ok if I go up on the roof?" Kyo asked.

"Why, Kyo?"

"I think we're almost out of hot sauce, Sei. I've checked everywhere but the junction box on the roof. If there's nothing there-"

"—Jo will have to let you into her gun safe to get her 'break-glass-in-case-of-emergency' stash-"

"—exactly."

Sei glanced at her console. "Everything looks all right outside. Don't take too long."

"I won't." Kyo bounded up the stairs and through the roof hatch.

Sei smiled as she busied herself at her keyboard. "'We.'"

Leo glanced at her. "What?"

"He said, '*We* are out of hot sauce,'" Sei said without turning around. "Not '*you* are out of hot sauce.' '*We* are out of hot sauce.' We're a 'we' now. I'd call that progress considering he quit his first day, wouldn't you?" She kept smiling as she worked.

"Hmm." Leo turned back to Amy and Shiho and spoke softly with a British accent: "Here in the heart of Tokyo, we have a rare opportunity to watch a female Large Breasted Sei feather her nest while her mate goes looking for food. Remarkable."

Amy and Shiho giggled.

Sei spun her chair around and scowled at the mechanic and the two girls, all of whom went a little pale.

Leo stammered, "I'll, uh, I'll go and check the perimeter." He turned to leave.

"Yeah," Shiho said, "and I'll go with him and see if anyone outside is hungry." She hurried after Leo. Amy bent over her console and typed up a storm.

Kyo came back down the steps and shook his head.

"I see," Sei said. "Well, Leo is outside. Have him walk you over to the hotel."

8

8

8

Mikako Satsukitane had resumed using her maiden name after several marriages. She looked younger than her fifty-six years and didn't even have any gray hair. Anyone who had known her in high school or college would instantly recognize her.

She sat next to Meg on the sofa in the hotel suite's sitting room and watched while Kyo and Jo talked by the door, Leo off to one side.

Jo said, "Are you sure, Kyo?"

"I looked everywhere, Jo," Kyo answered. "It's the gun safe or nothing."

"Did you check the-"

"I looked there twice."

"Are you making-"

"No."

"Well…how badly do you need it, Kyo?"

"You've been badgering me about this recipe ever since you first heard about it, Jo."

"I mentioned it twice."

"While you were cleaning your guns. For you, that's badgering. Do you want it or not?"

Jo rocked her weight from one foot to another and back as she looked up at the ceiling. "Hhhuuuarrghghh." She turned to Meg. "Meg, keep an eye on things here. I'll be right back."

"Ok, Jo," Meg said.

Jo led Kyo out of the room. Leo said, "I'll be right outside," and closed the door.

Meg drew her .38 snub nose revolver, flipped the cylinder open, inspected it, flipped the cylinder shut, and holstered the gun. She reached a hand into her belt pouch and checked the number of speed loaders there by touch; all present and accounted for. She closed the pouch and picked up the tablet she'd been reading.

Mikako said, "Nice boy."

"Excuse me, Satsukitane-Sama?" Meg replied.

"The young man who was here. He seems like a nice boy."

"Oh, Kyo? Yeah, he's ok."

"So, you like him?"

"He's, uh, he's not really my type. Although he is a great cook and has gone above and beyond the call a couple of times. I've developed a lot of respect for him. Just don't tell him I said that."

Mikako nodded. "Do you have insurance on him?"

"Insurance?" Meg asked.

"Yes, Dear, life insurance with yourself as the sole beneficiary. To compensate you in case such a valuable talent is lost to you."

"I don't think Sei would like that."

"Then don't tell her."

"Well…I'm not too worried. Kyo is Mister Careful, if you know what I'm sayin'."

"Hmm. Still, a kitchen can be a dangerous place. Anything could happen."

Meg smiled and chuckled. "Not in Kyo's kitchen. First thing he did was lay out a bunch of safety rules."

"I see. Still, what about him? He looks a little pale. He could just drop dead of a heart attack someday."

"I think Kyo's pretty healthy."

"That's what they said about the girl who was the captain of my college's cheerleading squad. Then one day some fool fired a dart into her neck. She just dropped dead on the spot."

"After she was hit by a dart."

"Yes. Who knew she was so fragile a little thing like that would frighten her to death?"

"Hmm. Well, no, I can't see that happening to Kyo."

"Nervous, is he, Meg?"

"A bit, Satsukitane-Sama."

"Any signs of depression?"

"Not that I've noticed."

"You wouldn't. But he could be smiling on the outside and feeling life is meaningless on the inside. And if someone had carelessly left a machine gun out where he could get it, he could empty two or three clips into himself before anyone could stop him."

"I don't think anyone would consider two or three clips a suicide, Ma'am."

"Well, that's how my third husband died, Meg. He had been despondent for some time—Oh, sorry, sorry," she said with a chuckle. "That was how my *fourth* husband died. I'm always confusing them."

"Oh?" In spite of all she had done and seen as a merc, Meg felt a chill going down her spine, and edged a little away from Mikako on the sofa. "Mind if I ask what happened to your third husband?"

"Oh, he injected himself with tranquilizers, taped his own mouth shut, and threw himself and some rope into a wood chipper. He had also been despondent for some time."

"I see. You, uh, you meet a lot of depressed people, Ma'am?"

Mikako smiled. "Not at all, Meg. Now, my fifth husband positively radiated joie de vivre. He was an all-around athlete and an avid outdoorsman."

Meg smiled a little. "Really?"

Mikako nodded. "Sadly, he drowned when we were scuba diving in the Bahamas. Poor dear. But I sued the equipment manufacturer and won a generous settlement."

"On top of your inheritance and his life insurance."

"Of course. But I like to think it's what he would have wanted…"

8

8

8

Not long after Jo got back from the trailer, Sei signaled that Mikako's meeting was on. Jo, Meg and Leo walked Mikako out to the waiting limo.

Mikako singled Meg out for attention as she made her farewells. "Think about what I said, Dear," she said with a smile.

"Um…" Meg said, "thanks for the advice, Ma'am."

Mikako smiled and got in the limo. Meg shut the door. She, Jo, and Leo watched the limo pull away.

Leo frowned at Meg. "Meg? You ok?"

"Uh…" Meg said, "Leo, would Sei be upset if RAPT got an anonymous tip that helped them clear eighty-seven murders?"

"Eighty-? Oh, right, she doesn't talk about the overdoses anymore." He wandered away from the steps and talked with some of the Bailan guards.

Jo put her hands in her coat pockets and sidled over to Meg. "Sounds like you wish you'd been kidnapped this time, Meg."

"Tell me about it, Jo. I think I would have kissed my abductors. But I'll say this much: I think I now know how Kyo feels about us."

THE END