Armsmaster July 10th 2004

"The DNA evedence is conclusive sir."

"Fuck."

Ritcher does not look happy, the look of bemused boredom that defines him is gone.

"Yes I gathered you did that, any idea who the mother is?"

A shrug.

"Do you have any idea, any clue how many women I've been with?"

I blinked.

"But."

"Especially during the 80s... goddamned that was a good decade."

I cringed.

"I was happier not knowing that sir."

He shrugged.

"So I have a daughter I don't know about, I suppose it is what it is. Hmm, she clearly doesn't get her looks from me. I'm trying to remember but there were just so many."

"I get it."

"You really don't, I mean you really don't, I mean have you ever even kissed a girl Colin?"

"Sir that isn't."

"So no then, god that just explains everything, well do me a favor and let her crash at your place."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"Well she's a Tinker or at least that's what her files say, my base is completely trashed and apparently her family was killed by the Endbringer, so you know do me a favor and take care of Cassey."

"Cindy."

"Whatever, just do this for me."

I stared at the screen.

"You want me, to house your illegitimate daughter in my house."

He frowned.

"I'm just a poor helpless scientist who's being specifically targeted by the leader of genocidal aliens and was forced to leave his homeworld forever, now I need you to take care of my poor crippled daughter for me."

"Who you didn't even know about."

"Semantics Colin, semantics."

I frowned.

"You really trust me with your daughter?"

Come on overprotective parental instincts kick in. He laughed.

"Of course I do, look no offense but there is no way in hell that my daughter could ever be attracted to you and you seducing her. You barely make it through PR briefings, you need social software just to do your job. My daughter's virtue is completely and utterly safe with you."

I clenched my hands, my eye twitched.

"Just do this for me Colin, ok?"

"Fine, whatever."

The message cut out and I was left alone in my room, I opened the door and went downstares were miss Rell was waiting for me.

"You can stay."

She smiled, and I took her in, her short brunette hair, blue eyes, and some slight freckles, she beamed at me from her wheelchair.

"Thanks."

I went back to my lab and started tinkering, it was my way of relaxing, of getting ready to face the streets.

"I can help."

I sighed.

"Look I know your a Tinker, but I can do this."

She looked at my armor.

"Theres a split on the inseam right here, some of your electronics are in danger of overheating here and here, microdamage in the legs and chestplate which will cause trouble in a fight."

I blinked.

"I can get to it."

"You can but the more time you spend doing maintenance, the less time you can spend improving your eqiupment, or training."

That was a good point but I wasn't convinced.

"Fine here's an old halbred, fix it and I will consider collaborating with you."

I turned back to my present task and noticed that she was right about the armor, god getting a new mold was going to be a pain in the ass.

"Done."

I turned my eyes up and watched as she pressed a button, a chain saw popped up and started whirling around.

"But?"

"Damaged power out put, and some of the functions got in each others way, I stripped out a few things and now it works."

Yeah... yeah that would do it, I never bothered going back to that one, but that would fix it.

"Very well you can help me in the lab, so what do you want your code name to be Cindy?"

She smiled.

"Dragon."

I nodded and looked back at the lab, with another pair of hands efficiency could go up, that would free up more time and I could improve my capture rate, yes I saw potential. Cindy smiled at me and for a moment I saw a hunger in her eyes, like a cat who had a mouse with in her paws, but I dismissed that thought, this was just a professional relationship between myself and a friend's daughter. Cindy smiled at me.

"You will have to find a place."

"I assure you Colin, I know exactly where I want to be."

"Good, good... because I don't have a spare bedroom."

"Not a problem."

"Good, so partners?"

She shook my hand and grinned.

"I think this is a start of a beautiful relationship Colin."