Sensh Sabers

Chapter 36

The underground chambers had expanded, and the production of advanced bio-boomer types now resembled a old-fashioned factory. Mindless crude bio-boomers worked to assemble skeletons and internal systems, then armor. After that artificial, vat grown flesh was applied, along with hair and other distinguishing features. What emerged looked human but wasn't, and could pass through most security systems with ease.

"We need to speed up production," Viluy fretted, "we're nowhere near the levels of troops that will be required to take the city."

Nine watched her primary servant with hidden amusement. It was interesting how she was evolving, her personality changing and growling. She appeared to be fully developing a consciousness, even something like free will. Mind you, that also increased the chances she might rebel, eventually, but that just made things more interesting.

"No, the timing if flexible," Nine shook her head as she continued, "besides, I want the humans to stew a bit first."

"Hmm?" Viluy tilted her head curiously.

"The war we fight is as much psychological as physical," Nine explained to her calmly, "I want the humans scared and confused. The more complicated we make it for the human leaders, the easier our final battle will be."

"You think they will turn on each other," Viluy realized.

"Weapons are flooding into the city, the police are under manned and equipped and the major corporations are fielding bands of well armed mercenaries. Things are bad and going to get worse," Nine smirked.

"Then we sweep in once they've decimated each other," Viluy purred.

"Exactly," Nine agreed. "That is also why I want more covert units ready to go too."

Viluy nodded, instantly grasping where she was going with that too. The covert bio-boomers could infiltrate groups already poised to fight and give them a little nudge, if needed.

Changing the subject Nine asked her, "The scientists we captured, have the provided us with any useful data?"

"They knew less about the super project than we hoped," Viluy admitted, "but we did extract some data before we processed them for parts."

"Good. The stronger we are, the better," Nine nodded approvingly. The murdering of the captive scientists had no impact on her at all.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I really don't like how tense it's getting, out in the city," Usagi admitted as she sat back and stretched. They were back at the station, typing up a report on another bio-boomer incident.

Well, more like 'humans go crazy against bio-boomers' incident. As far as they could tell the bio-boomer had just been innocently running a errand when the gang of youths had decided to trash it. There was something deeply pitiful at seeing the poor, wrecked machine twitching on the ground after the group had worked it over with pipes.

"People are scared," Naru said, "and getting more paranoid by the day." She rubbed her eyes, "I think things are going to get worse before they get better."

"Oh thanks for that cheery thought, Pollyanna," Usagi sighed.

Naru ignored that as she asked, "Have we heard back from the Chief about what we should do with the Three Lights case?"

"Pretty much drop it," Usagi admitted. "Apparently we have no clear cut crime, there, as well as a complicated legal situation." She made a face, "Do we charge the private security for jumping the bio-boomer? Or charge the bio-boomer who, arguably, was only acting in self defense?"

"Plus Seiya Kou has a LOT of money and we don't want to piss him off or he won't contribute next time we ask," Naru noted dryly.

"That too," Usagi conceded willingly.

Chief Haruna wasn't corrupt, exactly, but she clearly knew that money talked. Worse, as her police force was in part privately funded, she couldn't risk pissing off any well paying donors without very clear cause. It stunk, but that was reality.

"I was kind of... surprised at how much of a private army Starlight has," Usagi mused as she drank some of the horrid station coffee.

"And that's just the bunch at Three Lights," Naru commented, "there's a much larger division at the main company."

"Is that... legal?" Usagi asked, looking honestly perplexed.

"It's not technically illegal," Naru dodged the question. She shrugged, "Considering Infinity helped found the ADP, we'd be part of the same problem."

"Ugh," Usagi made a face, "good point."

"And on the plus side, if things go right down the crapper, we may need all the help we can get," Naru added.

"Is there a reason you two are chatting rather than working?" Chief Haruna asked as she passed by their work stations.

"We're working, I assure you," Naru promised as they went back to work.

"Glad to see it," Haruna said dryly as she headed back to her office.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Are you sure we should be going to the movies, considering everything that's going on?" Makoto asked her girlfriend, dressed in casual t-shirt and jeans.

Minako snorted, her skirt swishing around her long legs. "Ami has our numbers if she needs us," she pointed out reasonably, "besides, we both have days off at the same time and I could use some mindless entertainment."

"Well, Deadpool Six: The Deadpooling probably qualifies as mindless," Makoto noted with a wry smile.

"It was that or watch Fantastic Four: 1602," Mina pointed out.

"How many reboots does that make?" Makoto asked curiously.

"Well, there were the first two films, then the Ultimate version that crashed and burned," Mina ticked them off on her fingers, "then they tried a Heroes Reborn version that they got sued over, and NOW it's 1602."

"Why don't they just give up or sell the rights back to Marvel?" Makoto wondered, asking a question many fans had wondered about.

"Who knows?" Mina shrugged as she added, "Maybe they're just determined to make money out of it somehow."

"Ha!" Makoto laughed.

"Good afternoon, ladies," the bio-boomer attendant smiled warmly. "Are you here for the discount show?"

"Yes please," Mina said as they paid up, then headed inside.

Nearly a hour and a half later, they headed out laughing softly. "That may be the most awful movie ever," Makoto said cheerfully.

"But funny," Mina agreed.

"It was that," Makoto conceded.

They finished their overpriced sodas and dumped the cups in the recycling bin. "Wanna go out to dinner?" Mina asked hopefully.

"Love to, tho can we swing by my dojo first? I wanna check on the place," Makoto said with a sheepish smile.

"Worried it'll get vandalized while you're closed?" Mina asked sympathetically as they walked to her bike.

"Yeah," Makoto admitted, "people are tense..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Madigan sighed as she sipped some wine. She was getting very tired of being effectively under house arrest, here in a high priced apartment in the better part of town. Mind you, it was a luxurious prison, with the best wine and food, not to mention internet accesss.

Starlight was working of developing advanced, autonomous Bio-Boomers, designed with much greater data processing capabilities. Most bio-boomers were functionally at a child's mental level, with limited abilities to repeat phrases and preform rote actions. Attempts at making them more intelligent had, almost uniformly, resulted in psychosis.

'Except for the Super Bio-boomer series,' Madigan sighed. But other than Nine, the others had escaped from Infinity and disappeared. Worse, Director Tomoe had deliberately destroyed the data on them, though she had no idea why.

Checking the time Madigan headed over to her computer terminal. She was 'working from home' so to speak, assisting the lab remotely. She rather suspected it was make-work to keep her busy, but she appreciated being kept in the loop. Besides, she had contributed to keeping the team from following some dead ends they had encountered at Infinity's R&D labs.

She typed the keys, then blinked as she got no connection. She tried again, but nothing.

Feeling a odd sense of foreboding, she tried the phone. Nothing there too.

"What the..." Madigan muttered, then blinked as her phone suddenly rang. "Mr Kou?" she answered, seeing the call display.

"Not quite," the amused woman's voice answered, "you can call me Nine."

"How...?" Madigan started.

"We've hacked the communications system Not hard for a being such as I," Nine explained.

"What do you want?" Madigan asked flatly.

"To make you a offer," Nine answered. "I want to complete the Super Bio-boomer project, as do you. Help me, and in return I will grant you your freedom."

"Not much of a offer," Madigan muttered.

"Or if you wish I will make you into a hybrid," Nine said, "functionally immortal, nearly indestructible and inhumanly strong." She paused, "You have 24 hours to consider. O not dally, as the consequences of indecision will be grave."

To be continued...

Notes: Yeah, tossed in some silly commentary about the Fantastic Four movies. To be honest I'm not sure they would even HAVE movie theaters by the time BGC happens... but eh.