Senshi Sabers

Chapter 48

Kaori Knight smiled as she said, "Miss Kino, thank you for seeing me."

Makoto Kino looked VERY wary being in her office. Understandably so, of course. "I'm not too clear why Infinity contacted me so suddenly," she noted, sitting down in front of Kaori's desk at Infinity HQ.

"As you know, Ms Hotaru Tomoe only recently took over commend of the company," Kaori explained apologetically, "and heard about what happened to you."

"My being nearly killed by a rogue bioboomer," Makoto said dryly.

"Not rogue," Kaori corrected, "stolen."

Makoto studied her, "The difference being...?"

"Miss Tomoe feels that we have an moral obligation in your situation," Kaori admitted, "however, legally we are not admitting responsibility."

"Right," Makoto nodded dubiously.

"In return for you signing an formal agreement including non-disclosure of the various terms," Kaori pushed a document across the desk, "we will pay out your medical costs, lost wages and any personal damages."

Makoto scanned the document, "And I promise not to sue you, I assume."

"Crudely put, but yes," Klaori conceded.

"I... think I'll pass," Makoto finally said, getting up.

Kaori got up as well, "Miss Kino, this is a very generous offer..."

"I wouldn't feel right taking your blood money," Makoto said bluntly. She strode out without another word.

Kaori sighed as she sat back down. She pressed a button, auto-dialing her boss.

"How did the meeting go?" Hotaru asked eagerly.

Kaori HATED giving bad news. "She turned it down," she admitted.

"What."

Kaori sighed, "Her exact words were she didn't feel right taking our blood money."

Hotaru cursed quietly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Kaori added gently.

"No, I really shouldn't be that surprised," Hotaru conceded, "my father and his asshole decisions keep coming back on us."

"Hmm," Kaori really didn't have anything she could say about that.

"All right," Hotaru changed the subject, "we're looking into deploying teams in the new Starlight Armor, how is that going?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mistress Nine watched in cold fury as her recon team was being destroyed by the Senshi Sabers.

Viluy said, deadpan, "They appear to have improved detection of our bioboomers."

Mistress Nine wanted to go 'No? REALLY?' sarcastically, but restrained herself. Instead she said, "It doesn't matter. This is just a distraction from our other mission."

"Beryl had succeeded in retrieving the target," Viluy reported, "and is returning to base."

Nine noted her tone and asked, "Complications?"

"There were casualties," Viluy noted. "Not unexpected, but police and other forces will likely respond to the incident."

"Humans," Nine just shrugged coldly.

The ice blade using Senshi gutted a bioboomer, even as another was shot by flaming needles. A third brute forced a bioboomer apart, as the final armored figure used a beam weapon to cut another down. It was annoying, but recon versions couldn't be heavily armored.

"They like fighting at close range," Nine mused, "we should create a self destructing model, as a trap."

The tide fully turned when two more suits attacked. The sandy colored one used some form of powerful air blast, while the other aqua blue one shot water bursts.

In short order, the bioboomers were all destroyed.

"Turn off the feed," Nine ordered flatly.

The 'cavern' that they had used as a base had expanded hugely. A full factory operated, along with storage racks for inactive soldiers, scouts and others. There were also more advanced models, like Beryl and Viluy and their sisters.

"The new Generals are eager to attack the city," Viluy pointed out.

"Hmm," Nine mused. "I DO want to attempt a probing attack," she mused, "to find out how good the new armored fools are."

"Whom do you wish to send?" Viluy asked.

"The mission will be fatal," Nine pointed out. Viluy didn't seem to even register that, so she continued, "Diamond is the least capable. This will be a good test for her."

"Yes, Mistress," Viluy bowed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Thank you for your help," Usagi Tsukino said, the pretty blond leading the ADP response team.

"You're very welcome," Ami said, glad her helm disguised her voice. "Excuse me."

"Ack!" Usagi yelped as they bounded away.

"Did I see two new ones?" Naru asked as they got statements from bystanders.

"Yeah, I meant to ask about it..," Usagi sighed.

Naru teased, "Annoyed they didn't recruit you?"

Usagi grumbled, "Shut up."

The Senshi at about the same time arrived at their van-transport, and got inside. Ami swiftly divested her armor to take the wheel, driving them back to base.

"You should have taken their money, by the way," Mina teased her girlfriend, having heard about the meeting earlier.

"Really?" Makoto asked wryly.

"You could have kept me in a life of luxury," Mina joked.

Makoto snorted.

"I wouldn't have taken it either," Rei noded. "Of course, I also wanted to shoot Prof. Tomoe before someone offed him."

"Murder is messy, Setsuna always says," Haruka noted.

Michiru smirked, "Better to just disappear them."

"Remind me not to annoy you," Rei noted dryly.

The van pulled in to the underground parking at Silky Doll, then they offloaded the suits.

"If it helps," Ami noted as they put the suits into charging racks, "I think Hotaru Tomoe was sincere in trying to make amends."

"I just wasn't comfortable taking the money," Makoto shrugged.

Rei and the others were helping store the suits as Rei nodded, "That's fair."

"So, boss, we on call?" Mina addressed Ami.

The group walked to the changing room as Ami said, "No, but stay in touch. The ADP is still figuring out a plan to use Starlight's armor corps."

"I'm surprised they don't just armor up the whole ADP," Rei noted.

"WAAAY too expensive," Mina noted. "The city is cheap."

"Ha. Yeah, point," Rei agreed.

"i think some form of deal will be struck," Ami calmly said, "Seiya isn't the type to gouge the city too badly."

"But he will gouge them some," Mina snickered as the group dispersed.

As Rei and Ami went upstairs together Ami noted, "You really should move in. You're here most nights anyway."

Rei blushed, "I was worried I'd get in your way..."

"Never," Ami smiled at her warmly.

Rei puffed out a breath, "Ok, then. I'll break my lease and bring my junk over here."

"Good," Ami took her hand and squeezed.

"We'll throw most of my old furniture out," Rei decided, "other than a table that I saved from the temple."

"Nothing else?" Ami asked.

"Trust me. It's all bachelor pad items or stuff I salvaged," Rei chuckled.

Ami nodded, "Okay, fair enough."

Ami was considering luring Rei to bed early, then her phone rang. "Excuse me," she sighed to Rei, then answered it.

"We have a complication," Setsuna said grimly, "the programmer who assisted your mother in developing the bioboomer has been kidnapped."

To be continued...