Overlap Part 3 - corresponds to drafts part 6 & 7.
***********
Ka-thump.
Ka-thump.
The rhythmic beating of a remote central core could be heard even above the whir of the machines in the basement level.
Boomers scurried back and forth, carrying document copies, coffee, aspirin and machinery parts.
Thalassa tapped her fingers nonchantly to the beat, whilst leaning on her desk by one elbow.
That durned assistant boomer STILL haven't brought the letter - it was 5 minutes before the thing left to retrieve it.
She wondered what had happened to it - the core was beating fine, ka-thump, ka-thump... just like it has always been.
So what was the delay?
At that moment, a whir she knew approached her.
"I'm sorry for the delay ma'am." the boomer apologised.
Thalassa said nothing, but drew out her hand.
"There has been no mail, but actually a voice recording. That was why I took so long."
"Fine with me. what was it about? You know I wouldn't be asking you if this room's system wasn't down." Thalassa retorted while
tapping her finger at the desk, in tune with the core once more. Kathump, kathump...Could it be beating just a little faster?
Thalassa looked up, her eyes widening slightly. the boomer's back was turned to her, still and in a slightly hunched position.
'Oh, no, it cannot be...' Thalassa silently prayed.
The boomer straightened up, and turned to face Thalassa.
Thalassa gasped.
The boomer lashed out.
Thalassa screamed.
__________________
Daley was looking at the photos of the Silver Knightsaber, concentrating on the strange weapon it had.
"It kinda looks like one of those weapons you get from the Chinese metalsmiths in the mafia-related areas of Beijing.
Looks like it's made out of no ordinary metal, seems to be retractable and relies heavily on centrifugal force to drive the blade into the target...hmm.
Better ask Nene to get these images analysed for closer detail." Daley muttered.
Leon came up, and coughed."Ah-hem. Am I interrupting your research?"
"So how did it go?" Daley asked without taking his eyes off the photos.
"Ah, the frustrating usual routine. You know, go paranoid about it for a while, media silenced then everyone is back to normal again.
The silver one is causing quite an outrage among the public though. No photos, just witnesses.
Of course, the media treats it like UFO sightings, you know, human interest."
"Izat so?" Daley looked up to Leon. "What is the disk in you hand got to do with it?"
"Oh, this?" Leon scratched his head and smiled. "Some person sent it into the ADP. Arrived this morn post.
It contains unusually clear images of the Knightsabers, and I was just about to hobble to Nene's cubicle to ask her to analyze the thing."
"I see. When you go there, could you also ask her to analyse these pics for me?"
Leon shrugged. "Dunno. Nene's in a funny mood nowadays. Happy one day, then goes more rogue than a boomer the next. I'll try, so follow me."
"Yes, sir!" Daley smiled, and followed Leon while adjusting his glasses.
__________________
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.
__________________
Nene yawned, stretched and yawned again. So much for daytime catch-up work.
She opened her bag, and had just gotten out a packet of strawberry Peperos when Leon crooned:
"Oh Ne-Ne.....!"
"Whoa!" Nene dropped the packet, which Daley picked up.
Nene glared at both Leon and Daley.
"Why won't you two EVER let me have a delicious moment, just me and my snacks! Give them back this instant!"
Leon and Daley nudged each other and chuckled. "Oh was that a command? Geez Nene you're so scary..." Then they burst into hysterics.
Nene stood defiantly, arms akimbo. "Okay, what DO you imbeciles WANT???"
Daley nudged Leon. "Sir, the opposition is willing to negotiate. Shall we state out deal? Bwahaha!!!"
Leon opened his mouth, but Nene beat him to a fraction of a second.
"One more jest and I'll tell Priss!"
Leon's face turned scarlet. Daley chuckled. "Oh so what is this Priss thingy that's been going on, huh?
You haven't even told your PARTNER yet! It's that important I guess?"
"Shut up Daley! It's more serious stuff you wouldn't know about!" Then Leon turned to Nene. "Oh Nene dear, I was just wondering..."
"Yes, you were just wondering if I would analyze those clips for you huh? Gimme them! And the Peperos!"
Nene lunged at the packet and the disks, and was successful at the second attmept.
"Now go along and play, Leon-chan, while I DO THE WORK!!!"
Leon pulled a face, and was about to lunge at Nene but Daley had caught him in the nick of time.
"C'mon Leon, she's doing us a favor - again." Daley repeated over and over to Leon while dragging him up the walkway by the ear.
Nene glared after them for a while, then opened the packet, slid the disks in and started munching away like mad.
___________________
The sound of a single gunshot was echoing in the hallways when Thalassa woke up, and found herself staring up the barrel
of a skinny Colt revolver, held in the steady hands of Langley Herself.
Thalassa first looked at the dead boomer, then at the gun, and shook her head in disbelief.
"Ok Langley, just how'd you do that?"
Langley grinned mischivously, but said nothing.
"C'mon...How?"
"And not even a thank-you kiss for saving your sorry life, darling?"
And with that, Langley leaned over the desk to Thalassa so close, Thalassa blushed crimson, then burst out laughing as
Langley drew back.
"We-ll, at least you haven't lost your laugh yet." Langley smiled."But you still owe me a lot."
Thalassa rolled her eyes. 'Get ON with it, Langley."
"Ok, I'll explain how." With that, Langley bent down to pick up a glowing green object from the pool of dark liquid
that spilled out of the neat hole she made in the boomer's core.
"See this masterpiece? It's a real beauty - Tienx created it. Here, catch."
Then she threw the object to Thalassa and turned away, walking to the door.
Thalassa caught it, and surveyed the object closely.
"It's shaped vaguely like a bullet, but it's longer and hollow, more like a tube..."
Langley stopped at the doorway, and turned around to face Thalassa once more.
"It's made from a spent laser discharge Tienx picked up in her last encounter with the Knightsabers. She got curious I
suppose, and decided to make a present of it to me. What it does now? It pierces through the armour and flesh of the
boomer so that the explosive ceramic-tipped bullet can take a direct hit at the core without glancing off the armour and
smashing in the middle of nowhere. I leave it up to you to find out what it exactly is made out of, and plus you should
be following her good example. Tienx doesn't question me and she does her quota, and I think she is the gem of the crown,
not like you, Thalassa. You're lazy, you question me all the time and you even get away with it!"
Langley turned back, stepped out of the office and slammed the door.
"Jeezuz she's hotheaded," Thalassa chuckled to herself.
Now that she was alone, analysing the damage was more easily done.
Dead boomer with dark liquid spilling out, papers scattered all over the floor.
The case holding the remote core was broken, but the now rogue core held in place, still beating in a now
erratic beat of its own.
Thalassa willed a part of the dead boomer to move close to it, and the core shot out tentacles to absorb the part.
"Cool, what HAPPENED here???"
The door opened, letting in Damien, Shinhyun and Lionel. Damien and Shinhyun looked around the place, while Lionel was rubbing
his cheeks and putting on a "sad face".
Thalassa grinned. "Do you guys go around doing nothing all day?"
"No, Thalassa. You're very wrong if you say that. Lemme just talk about what our Lionel here has been up to - in a locked room
with Miraka!" Shinhyun replied, with his own eyebrow-up hint-giver indicating that Lionel's current injury was related to this.
"Oh, and can I trust your source?" Thalassa squinted her eyes.
"Sure you can! So long as my name is Shinhyun, and engaged to Victoria!"
"Ay shaddup.." Lionel growled, still rubbing his red and swollen cheeks. "Man why do girls have to be so tough nowadays? I prefer
the good ol' days..."
Thalassa glared at all three, and they all shut up instantly.
"Get back to the conference room all of you! I need to do work!"
_______________
Yet another marvellous debate was going on in THE CONFERENCE ROOM.
"I represent the interests of Commander Lee, and I would like to have a few minutes in representing his chiefmost
viewpoints upon this matter."
Tia glared at Hya, but she did not get rejected for some unknown reason. Backward money trips?
"You may proceed." The conference administrator for the week, Samuel, then put up his hand to silence all others.
Una rolled her eyes.
Tia pulled a face and winked at Don.
Don passed the signal to Lynne and Dwayne.
Dwayne passed it over to Anxi, and Anxi stood up.
"I would like to object to this hearing, Administrator."
Samuel sighed. This seemed to happen EVERY DAY!
"What is the objection?"
Anxi raised her left hand, and in a defiance view of the whole audience, introduced herself.
"I represent the interests of Supreme Commander Langley Satir, who directly controls 35% of this organisation, and
who should have been the chiefmost to be consulted in such a delicate matter - referring the control of this matter
directly to Commander Lee and his secretary does not seem justified in my humble opinion. Furthermore, I would like to
inform all members who have attended this conference at this hour of the Supreme Commander's chiefmost viewpoints and
interests."
Una started opening a packet of caramel corn. This debate was gonna be interesting.
Don and Dwayne passed a hi-five behind their backs, and Lynne excused herself to "freshen up" while the main heat of the
debate starts raging.
After all, it does get hot in the conference room.
________________
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.
_______________
Across the street, I see a boutique. The most exotic and revealing designs of night-garments hang in the window. Strangely, this is a place where
I feel a familiar aura. It's like the red one, but only much stronger and with a different twist to the patterns the aura makes.
It's kind of like....mine.
I read the sign. SILKY DOLL.
Interesting name. I can already suspect the speciality garment ranges.
I go through the doors. There are many other women who are browsing through the store.
People meander from the evening gown section to smart suits, and from swimwear to lingerie, leather gear etc.
A full-figured woman greets me. Light blue hair in neat hairclip resembling a ribbon, smart pigeon/ostrich coloured suit.
Langley's message echoes in my head, and blocked out what this Miss Stingray was saying.
I lean slightly closer, asking "I beg your pardon? I've missed what you have just said."
"Oh, I was just asking whether you needed assistance. So what was it that you were looking for?"
I do not understand. I call for Langley's help.
Langley replies.
I make a calculation at ultra-speed, then answer Sylia.
"I was wondering if there were any new things arriving for this season. You see, my boyfriend is hard to please."
At the same time I think in my head, 'Jeezuz Christ, what am I saying? He doesn't care for silky finery, and he isn't my BF in the first place!'
Sylia said something, which I missed again. This time, I take a blind guess - no time for applied inference logic now.
"Actually, my boyfriend is a kinda conservative person...."
"Then I have just the thing for you - come here." With that, Miss Stingray drags me by the arm.
Oh my gosh, what have I got myself into?
_________________
Nene was awestrtuck at the clarity of the images.
"Wow, considering the 1:30 am fog, these images are amazingly clear - it's almost as though it was taken in broad daylight! Must be a professonal who took this,
he or she must have been waiting to capture us in best composition, it looks like, not as evidence pics..."
Then Nene clicked on a part to look at more closely.
"Hey, wait...You can kinda see through the visor at this angle, which is impossible, but you still can! What kind of camera is this? This wasn't taken from an
ordinary camera!"
Nene's eys widened in shock.
"Ok, maybe I'll cool down. Time to do the other stuff. Hmm...What's this? Looks kinda like...A new Knightsaber? Can't be!"
Nene stared at the images as they appeared, 5x magnification, one by one on the screen.
"Oh my god, oh my god...I gotta talk to Sylia!"
Nene ran out of her cubicle with her weasel and bag, down the walkway, shoving past Leon and Daley.
As the streak went past, Leon asked Daley "What was that?"
Daley replied, 'I dunno. Probably Nene trying to lose some weight. She eats too much of those Peperos I fear."
Both stared at the figure of Nene as she disappeared into the distance.
_______________
Linna was leaving the high-rise tower for lunch break.
She walked out into the street, and saw Priss just parking her motorcycle.
"Heard of the rumour?" Priss asked, taking off her helmet.
"Yea, about a new Knightsaber, whoever she is. The whole floor was rocking with the conversation. I think I asked too much - my executive told the boomer I wasn't doing work, so I spent the day cleaning.
I gotta go back for an hour though after this - Cleaning up doesn't mean I get a break from work."
"I sympathise with you, having to put up with those bastards. Why don't you try the fist treatment to them?"
"Well, actually, I did a couple of times, but the effects seem to be temporary." Linna shrugged.
Linna looked up to the sky. It was a cloudy day; but rays of sun was peeking over the silvery mists up yonder.
"I wonder who the new so-called Knightsaber is, and what her goals are."
"Well at least we can rule out being a superhero, since she hadn't shown up as much, just a quick hit and run."
Linna blushed. "Well, let's drop that subject. So...Whall we eat?"
_______________
Miss Stingray ran her figer through the vivid colours of silk and lace until she found what she was looking for.
"Here, why don't you try this? This will hang nicely on you - you've got lovely sloping shoulders."
"Er, thanks. Where can I try it on?" Am I blushing? Why am I blushing?
"Over there." Miss Stingray pointed to one of the doors on the left.
"Thank you." I stammer. Miss Stingray smiles.
"Also, if you want, I can also show you other accessories that go with it..."
"Er...I'll see about that later."
I go into the change rooms, and choose the one at the corner.
As I lock the door, I felt - a field. I shrug. It cannot be, for security cameras cannot be here. Or can they?
The garment does hang quite nicely, I observe in the mirror. Not as skimpy as He'd like it,
but it DOES look nice... Especially the studs and spikes in certain areas...
An idea flash through my head. I yell in my head to Langley to change the plan a little.
I change back, and come out to be greeted by the smiling Miss Stingray.
"So how did you like it? Not quite the thing, this white leather. But as you can see,
conservative isn't exactly in the catalogues this season."
I blush again. This time, it's not only Him whose neck I want to break. It's Langley's as well.
"No, it was rather fine, actually. So what are those accessories you were talking about?"
Miss Stingray again leads me by the arm, and I half-follow and half-drag behind her.
______________
Mason stood in front of the high doors of the chairman's lair.
An assistant, a green-haired boomer, walked up to him.
Her heels made a strange clack-clack sound that echoed in the empty hallway.
"The Chairman is getting stranger and stranger every minute, I do not know what to make of him, sir."
"It's only natural that he is getting stranger. After all, he is quite old." Mason replied, as he adjusted his watch.
The blue-haired boomer laid a fixed stare upon Mason.
Mason looked up. "What is it, you golem?"
The boomer's eye glinted.
Mason took out his handgun and fired a shot.
The boomer staggered back.
"I am not a golem," she said.
Mason fired another shot.
"I am not a golem, I am..."
The boomer collapsed to the floor, and the red-haired assistant walked up to him.
"Observe." Mason ordered.
"Yes sir," the boomer replied.
"This is what happens to those who dieobey me. Make it an example."
"Yes sir," was the reply.
A moment later, the heavy doors opened, and Mason stepped into the chamber.
______________
When I leave Miss Stingray's boutique, I find that I am the last customer to leave for the day.
I take a glance at the large aquarium/swimming pool. The pool never grabbed my interest before, but now it does.
The pool is telling me something. A figment of the aura reading flashes through my head, clear and striking as lightning.
Marine creature! Yes, that was it!
I look around to pierce together more clues. Just in case Miss Stingray would find it strange, I ask questions about materials and pricing of garments etc.
Miss Sylia responds happily, for I am one of her favourite customers from now on, as it seemed.
As I step outside the building, I find a girl running towards us - no, just Miss Stingray was what the girl seems to want. Short blonde hair, azure eyes.
the sleeve of an ADP uniform peeks out from her bag. The way she runs is strangely familiar to me. Have I seen this person run before?
As she huffs and puffs in front of us, I examine her more closely. Not more than twenty by her looks, likes junk food and the flashing of her azure eyes show a
supreme intelligence. Memeory sticks and mini-disks seem to be in her bag - the jagged outline at the pockets is most interesting. A hacker? Probably.
I detect her aura faintly. Computers, images of the Knightsabers I sent. Could she be the Red one?
I excuse myself and leave, promising Miss Stingray that I'd drop by sometime this week, for I have already seen enough.
Miss Stingray ushers the Red one in; the shutter closes as I watch from a safe distance.
I turn and walk away. Now all I need is the missing clues.
______________
Linna was just leaving the office when Priss's motorcycle screeched into view.
"Oh thank god you're here to pick me up, Priss," Linna managed to gasp out.
"Well let's get going. I don't know what Sylia is so paranoid about, but I am sure it's something important."
The motorcycle sped away.
____________
I adjust my wristguards.
Something tells me that a boomer will go rogue within 4 hours, and this time I want to have a good close look at the Knightsabers.
I needed to find out how Miss Stingray is linked to the three, apart from forming the organisation, which was quite obvious
from the manner which the blonde girl treated her.
Wait a sec, the blonde girl? I hadn't bothered to find out her name yet?
I turn on the com, and quickly hunt up a search for back doors in all ADP departments.
Name: AdminYr2040 Passcode: txranti-boomer.
That was relatively easy, acquiring an administrative username and passcode. After all, there is no greater computer than the human brain.
A name search pops up, and I do a backward search.
Another window pops up.
I scroll down. The face of the girl is smiling at me.
{Nene Romanova, age 17. ADP Information Department.}
'That's all I need,' I thought as I jumped out of the window, straight into the late afternoon fog.
***********
Ka-thump.
Ka-thump.
The rhythmic beating of a remote central core could be heard even above the whir of the machines in the basement level.
Boomers scurried back and forth, carrying document copies, coffee, aspirin and machinery parts.
Thalassa tapped her fingers nonchantly to the beat, whilst leaning on her desk by one elbow.
That durned assistant boomer STILL haven't brought the letter - it was 5 minutes before the thing left to retrieve it.
She wondered what had happened to it - the core was beating fine, ka-thump, ka-thump... just like it has always been.
So what was the delay?
At that moment, a whir she knew approached her.
"I'm sorry for the delay ma'am." the boomer apologised.
Thalassa said nothing, but drew out her hand.
"There has been no mail, but actually a voice recording. That was why I took so long."
"Fine with me. what was it about? You know I wouldn't be asking you if this room's system wasn't down." Thalassa retorted while
tapping her finger at the desk, in tune with the core once more. Kathump, kathump...Could it be beating just a little faster?
Thalassa looked up, her eyes widening slightly. the boomer's back was turned to her, still and in a slightly hunched position.
'Oh, no, it cannot be...' Thalassa silently prayed.
The boomer straightened up, and turned to face Thalassa.
Thalassa gasped.
The boomer lashed out.
Thalassa screamed.
__________________
Daley was looking at the photos of the Silver Knightsaber, concentrating on the strange weapon it had.
"It kinda looks like one of those weapons you get from the Chinese metalsmiths in the mafia-related areas of Beijing.
Looks like it's made out of no ordinary metal, seems to be retractable and relies heavily on centrifugal force to drive the blade into the target...hmm.
Better ask Nene to get these images analysed for closer detail." Daley muttered.
Leon came up, and coughed."Ah-hem. Am I interrupting your research?"
"So how did it go?" Daley asked without taking his eyes off the photos.
"Ah, the frustrating usual routine. You know, go paranoid about it for a while, media silenced then everyone is back to normal again.
The silver one is causing quite an outrage among the public though. No photos, just witnesses.
Of course, the media treats it like UFO sightings, you know, human interest."
"Izat so?" Daley looked up to Leon. "What is the disk in you hand got to do with it?"
"Oh, this?" Leon scratched his head and smiled. "Some person sent it into the ADP. Arrived this morn post.
It contains unusually clear images of the Knightsabers, and I was just about to hobble to Nene's cubicle to ask her to analyze the thing."
"I see. When you go there, could you also ask her to analyse these pics for me?"
Leon shrugged. "Dunno. Nene's in a funny mood nowadays. Happy one day, then goes more rogue than a boomer the next. I'll try, so follow me."
"Yes, sir!" Daley smiled, and followed Leon while adjusting his glasses.
__________________
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.
__________________
Nene yawned, stretched and yawned again. So much for daytime catch-up work.
She opened her bag, and had just gotten out a packet of strawberry Peperos when Leon crooned:
"Oh Ne-Ne.....!"
"Whoa!" Nene dropped the packet, which Daley picked up.
Nene glared at both Leon and Daley.
"Why won't you two EVER let me have a delicious moment, just me and my snacks! Give them back this instant!"
Leon and Daley nudged each other and chuckled. "Oh was that a command? Geez Nene you're so scary..." Then they burst into hysterics.
Nene stood defiantly, arms akimbo. "Okay, what DO you imbeciles WANT???"
Daley nudged Leon. "Sir, the opposition is willing to negotiate. Shall we state out deal? Bwahaha!!!"
Leon opened his mouth, but Nene beat him to a fraction of a second.
"One more jest and I'll tell Priss!"
Leon's face turned scarlet. Daley chuckled. "Oh so what is this Priss thingy that's been going on, huh?
You haven't even told your PARTNER yet! It's that important I guess?"
"Shut up Daley! It's more serious stuff you wouldn't know about!" Then Leon turned to Nene. "Oh Nene dear, I was just wondering..."
"Yes, you were just wondering if I would analyze those clips for you huh? Gimme them! And the Peperos!"
Nene lunged at the packet and the disks, and was successful at the second attmept.
"Now go along and play, Leon-chan, while I DO THE WORK!!!"
Leon pulled a face, and was about to lunge at Nene but Daley had caught him in the nick of time.
"C'mon Leon, she's doing us a favor - again." Daley repeated over and over to Leon while dragging him up the walkway by the ear.
Nene glared after them for a while, then opened the packet, slid the disks in and started munching away like mad.
___________________
The sound of a single gunshot was echoing in the hallways when Thalassa woke up, and found herself staring up the barrel
of a skinny Colt revolver, held in the steady hands of Langley Herself.
Thalassa first looked at the dead boomer, then at the gun, and shook her head in disbelief.
"Ok Langley, just how'd you do that?"
Langley grinned mischivously, but said nothing.
"C'mon...How?"
"And not even a thank-you kiss for saving your sorry life, darling?"
And with that, Langley leaned over the desk to Thalassa so close, Thalassa blushed crimson, then burst out laughing as
Langley drew back.
"We-ll, at least you haven't lost your laugh yet." Langley smiled."But you still owe me a lot."
Thalassa rolled her eyes. 'Get ON with it, Langley."
"Ok, I'll explain how." With that, Langley bent down to pick up a glowing green object from the pool of dark liquid
that spilled out of the neat hole she made in the boomer's core.
"See this masterpiece? It's a real beauty - Tienx created it. Here, catch."
Then she threw the object to Thalassa and turned away, walking to the door.
Thalassa caught it, and surveyed the object closely.
"It's shaped vaguely like a bullet, but it's longer and hollow, more like a tube..."
Langley stopped at the doorway, and turned around to face Thalassa once more.
"It's made from a spent laser discharge Tienx picked up in her last encounter with the Knightsabers. She got curious I
suppose, and decided to make a present of it to me. What it does now? It pierces through the armour and flesh of the
boomer so that the explosive ceramic-tipped bullet can take a direct hit at the core without glancing off the armour and
smashing in the middle of nowhere. I leave it up to you to find out what it exactly is made out of, and plus you should
be following her good example. Tienx doesn't question me and she does her quota, and I think she is the gem of the crown,
not like you, Thalassa. You're lazy, you question me all the time and you even get away with it!"
Langley turned back, stepped out of the office and slammed the door.
"Jeezuz she's hotheaded," Thalassa chuckled to herself.
Now that she was alone, analysing the damage was more easily done.
Dead boomer with dark liquid spilling out, papers scattered all over the floor.
The case holding the remote core was broken, but the now rogue core held in place, still beating in a now
erratic beat of its own.
Thalassa willed a part of the dead boomer to move close to it, and the core shot out tentacles to absorb the part.
"Cool, what HAPPENED here???"
The door opened, letting in Damien, Shinhyun and Lionel. Damien and Shinhyun looked around the place, while Lionel was rubbing
his cheeks and putting on a "sad face".
Thalassa grinned. "Do you guys go around doing nothing all day?"
"No, Thalassa. You're very wrong if you say that. Lemme just talk about what our Lionel here has been up to - in a locked room
with Miraka!" Shinhyun replied, with his own eyebrow-up hint-giver indicating that Lionel's current injury was related to this.
"Oh, and can I trust your source?" Thalassa squinted her eyes.
"Sure you can! So long as my name is Shinhyun, and engaged to Victoria!"
"Ay shaddup.." Lionel growled, still rubbing his red and swollen cheeks. "Man why do girls have to be so tough nowadays? I prefer
the good ol' days..."
Thalassa glared at all three, and they all shut up instantly.
"Get back to the conference room all of you! I need to do work!"
_______________
Yet another marvellous debate was going on in THE CONFERENCE ROOM.
"I represent the interests of Commander Lee, and I would like to have a few minutes in representing his chiefmost
viewpoints upon this matter."
Tia glared at Hya, but she did not get rejected for some unknown reason. Backward money trips?
"You may proceed." The conference administrator for the week, Samuel, then put up his hand to silence all others.
Una rolled her eyes.
Tia pulled a face and winked at Don.
Don passed the signal to Lynne and Dwayne.
Dwayne passed it over to Anxi, and Anxi stood up.
"I would like to object to this hearing, Administrator."
Samuel sighed. This seemed to happen EVERY DAY!
"What is the objection?"
Anxi raised her left hand, and in a defiance view of the whole audience, introduced herself.
"I represent the interests of Supreme Commander Langley Satir, who directly controls 35% of this organisation, and
who should have been the chiefmost to be consulted in such a delicate matter - referring the control of this matter
directly to Commander Lee and his secretary does not seem justified in my humble opinion. Furthermore, I would like to
inform all members who have attended this conference at this hour of the Supreme Commander's chiefmost viewpoints and
interests."
Una started opening a packet of caramel corn. This debate was gonna be interesting.
Don and Dwayne passed a hi-five behind their backs, and Lynne excused herself to "freshen up" while the main heat of the
debate starts raging.
After all, it does get hot in the conference room.
________________
Linna was mopping up the third floor again.
"Damn that executive! I wish he wasn't so much of a pervert AND a tattletale!"
"And I think I heard that," the executive responded.
"Oh yea? Then what the hell are you gonna do about it, SIR???" Linna snapped back.
"Whoa, whoa, don't be so snappy...." The executive waved his hand, and stepped back.
Linna rolled her eyes. What a pathetic wuss.
_______________
Across the street, I see a boutique. The most exotic and revealing designs of night-garments hang in the window. Strangely, this is a place where
I feel a familiar aura. It's like the red one, but only much stronger and with a different twist to the patterns the aura makes.
It's kind of like....mine.
I read the sign. SILKY DOLL.
Interesting name. I can already suspect the speciality garment ranges.
I go through the doors. There are many other women who are browsing through the store.
People meander from the evening gown section to smart suits, and from swimwear to lingerie, leather gear etc.
A full-figured woman greets me. Light blue hair in neat hairclip resembling a ribbon, smart pigeon/ostrich coloured suit.
Langley's message echoes in my head, and blocked out what this Miss Stingray was saying.
I lean slightly closer, asking "I beg your pardon? I've missed what you have just said."
"Oh, I was just asking whether you needed assistance. So what was it that you were looking for?"
I do not understand. I call for Langley's help.
Langley replies.
I make a calculation at ultra-speed, then answer Sylia.
"I was wondering if there were any new things arriving for this season. You see, my boyfriend is hard to please."
At the same time I think in my head, 'Jeezuz Christ, what am I saying? He doesn't care for silky finery, and he isn't my BF in the first place!'
Sylia said something, which I missed again. This time, I take a blind guess - no time for applied inference logic now.
"Actually, my boyfriend is a kinda conservative person...."
"Then I have just the thing for you - come here." With that, Miss Stingray drags me by the arm.
Oh my gosh, what have I got myself into?
_________________
Nene was awestrtuck at the clarity of the images.
"Wow, considering the 1:30 am fog, these images are amazingly clear - it's almost as though it was taken in broad daylight! Must be a professonal who took this,
he or she must have been waiting to capture us in best composition, it looks like, not as evidence pics..."
Then Nene clicked on a part to look at more closely.
"Hey, wait...You can kinda see through the visor at this angle, which is impossible, but you still can! What kind of camera is this? This wasn't taken from an
ordinary camera!"
Nene's eys widened in shock.
"Ok, maybe I'll cool down. Time to do the other stuff. Hmm...What's this? Looks kinda like...A new Knightsaber? Can't be!"
Nene stared at the images as they appeared, 5x magnification, one by one on the screen.
"Oh my god, oh my god...I gotta talk to Sylia!"
Nene ran out of her cubicle with her weasel and bag, down the walkway, shoving past Leon and Daley.
As the streak went past, Leon asked Daley "What was that?"
Daley replied, 'I dunno. Probably Nene trying to lose some weight. She eats too much of those Peperos I fear."
Both stared at the figure of Nene as she disappeared into the distance.
_______________
Linna was leaving the high-rise tower for lunch break.
She walked out into the street, and saw Priss just parking her motorcycle.
"Heard of the rumour?" Priss asked, taking off her helmet.
"Yea, about a new Knightsaber, whoever she is. The whole floor was rocking with the conversation. I think I asked too much - my executive told the boomer I wasn't doing work, so I spent the day cleaning.
I gotta go back for an hour though after this - Cleaning up doesn't mean I get a break from work."
"I sympathise with you, having to put up with those bastards. Why don't you try the fist treatment to them?"
"Well, actually, I did a couple of times, but the effects seem to be temporary." Linna shrugged.
Linna looked up to the sky. It was a cloudy day; but rays of sun was peeking over the silvery mists up yonder.
"I wonder who the new so-called Knightsaber is, and what her goals are."
"Well at least we can rule out being a superhero, since she hadn't shown up as much, just a quick hit and run."
Linna blushed. "Well, let's drop that subject. So...Whall we eat?"
_______________
Miss Stingray ran her figer through the vivid colours of silk and lace until she found what she was looking for.
"Here, why don't you try this? This will hang nicely on you - you've got lovely sloping shoulders."
"Er, thanks. Where can I try it on?" Am I blushing? Why am I blushing?
"Over there." Miss Stingray pointed to one of the doors on the left.
"Thank you." I stammer. Miss Stingray smiles.
"Also, if you want, I can also show you other accessories that go with it..."
"Er...I'll see about that later."
I go into the change rooms, and choose the one at the corner.
As I lock the door, I felt - a field. I shrug. It cannot be, for security cameras cannot be here. Or can they?
The garment does hang quite nicely, I observe in the mirror. Not as skimpy as He'd like it,
but it DOES look nice... Especially the studs and spikes in certain areas...
An idea flash through my head. I yell in my head to Langley to change the plan a little.
I change back, and come out to be greeted by the smiling Miss Stingray.
"So how did you like it? Not quite the thing, this white leather. But as you can see,
conservative isn't exactly in the catalogues this season."
I blush again. This time, it's not only Him whose neck I want to break. It's Langley's as well.
"No, it was rather fine, actually. So what are those accessories you were talking about?"
Miss Stingray again leads me by the arm, and I half-follow and half-drag behind her.
______________
Mason stood in front of the high doors of the chairman's lair.
An assistant, a green-haired boomer, walked up to him.
Her heels made a strange clack-clack sound that echoed in the empty hallway.
"The Chairman is getting stranger and stranger every minute, I do not know what to make of him, sir."
"It's only natural that he is getting stranger. After all, he is quite old." Mason replied, as he adjusted his watch.
The blue-haired boomer laid a fixed stare upon Mason.
Mason looked up. "What is it, you golem?"
The boomer's eye glinted.
Mason took out his handgun and fired a shot.
The boomer staggered back.
"I am not a golem," she said.
Mason fired another shot.
"I am not a golem, I am..."
The boomer collapsed to the floor, and the red-haired assistant walked up to him.
"Observe." Mason ordered.
"Yes sir," the boomer replied.
"This is what happens to those who dieobey me. Make it an example."
"Yes sir," was the reply.
A moment later, the heavy doors opened, and Mason stepped into the chamber.
______________
When I leave Miss Stingray's boutique, I find that I am the last customer to leave for the day.
I take a glance at the large aquarium/swimming pool. The pool never grabbed my interest before, but now it does.
The pool is telling me something. A figment of the aura reading flashes through my head, clear and striking as lightning.
Marine creature! Yes, that was it!
I look around to pierce together more clues. Just in case Miss Stingray would find it strange, I ask questions about materials and pricing of garments etc.
Miss Sylia responds happily, for I am one of her favourite customers from now on, as it seemed.
As I step outside the building, I find a girl running towards us - no, just Miss Stingray was what the girl seems to want. Short blonde hair, azure eyes.
the sleeve of an ADP uniform peeks out from her bag. The way she runs is strangely familiar to me. Have I seen this person run before?
As she huffs and puffs in front of us, I examine her more closely. Not more than twenty by her looks, likes junk food and the flashing of her azure eyes show a
supreme intelligence. Memeory sticks and mini-disks seem to be in her bag - the jagged outline at the pockets is most interesting. A hacker? Probably.
I detect her aura faintly. Computers, images of the Knightsabers I sent. Could she be the Red one?
I excuse myself and leave, promising Miss Stingray that I'd drop by sometime this week, for I have already seen enough.
Miss Stingray ushers the Red one in; the shutter closes as I watch from a safe distance.
I turn and walk away. Now all I need is the missing clues.
______________
Linna was just leaving the office when Priss's motorcycle screeched into view.
"Oh thank god you're here to pick me up, Priss," Linna managed to gasp out.
"Well let's get going. I don't know what Sylia is so paranoid about, but I am sure it's something important."
The motorcycle sped away.
____________
I adjust my wristguards.
Something tells me that a boomer will go rogue within 4 hours, and this time I want to have a good close look at the Knightsabers.
I needed to find out how Miss Stingray is linked to the three, apart from forming the organisation, which was quite obvious
from the manner which the blonde girl treated her.
Wait a sec, the blonde girl? I hadn't bothered to find out her name yet?
I turn on the com, and quickly hunt up a search for back doors in all ADP departments.
Name: AdminYr2040 Passcode: txranti-boomer.
That was relatively easy, acquiring an administrative username and passcode. After all, there is no greater computer than the human brain.
A name search pops up, and I do a backward search.
Another window pops up.
I scroll down. The face of the girl is smiling at me.
{Nene Romanova, age 17. ADP Information Department.}
'That's all I need,' I thought as I jumped out of the window, straight into the late afternoon fog.