Guardian Angels
Episode 24: "Conventional"
Peter and Ryan Jones entered the office of Liv Ashton without even bothering to knock. The two black wolves did not notice the female red fox in a dimly lit corner dressed in a black qipao and matching pants. The fox watched the two canines intently as they proceeded to surround the black zebra. "Hey, there, Liv. We heard you've retired from all your illegal activities," Peter said.
"And not only that. We heard that you're friends with our former sister, Saipia," Ryan added. "And that doesn't sit very well with us."
"You see. Now that Saipia's not our sister, she's got it in her head that we're a threat to not only her but the entire city," Peter said.
Liv scoffed. "She is a very smart woman. You two are very bad apples. There was a reason I refused to do business with you when I was into selling lives."
Peter and Ryan smiled at each other before Ryan smacked the horse as hard as he could on the back of her head. "You wanna do this the hard way?" spat the wolf as he pinned Liv's head to her desk and shouted in her ear.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand Kessa made herself known. "I think it is time for you boys to leave."
The two wolves glared at the fox with murderous looks in their eyes. "Who's going to make us?"
Kessa grinned at that. "I used to protect the Emperor of China. I do not think you boys should be that much of a problem," she replied in her thick asian accent.
Ryan pulled a pistol from his jeans and leveled it at the fox who quickly removed a hand from behind her back and held it up. "We'll see about that," said Ryan.
"Before you shoot, you should know that I cannot be killed by such means. You see, Liv hear is one of the Fifteen and I am her Guardian. And, despite what people think, only Saipia's Guardian has ever changed," Kessa replied.
"Kessa, I don't think they need to know that information. And Saipia has never had a Guardian until, now," Liv replied.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that you're immortal?" asked Peter.
"Not immortal. Just very hard to kill. And do not ask me how, for I do not know. All I know is that I have been shot many times and I am still breathing. You should also know that if you do not leave this building I will be forced to kill you," Kessa warned.
Peter and Ryan looked at each other a moment before they both put away their weapons and headed for the door. "It really is a shame you're retired, Liv. We could have put an end to all your financial problems. Now, however, you've got two enemies who will try to ruin you and your company," said Peter as he paused at the door. The blank, unimpressed stares he got from the two women in the office, however, irritated him enough that he quickly stormed out of the building.
"If Saipia finds you told them about you being immortal..." Liv started, wagging a pin at her Guardian.
"I will deal with Saipia. After all, I am not only here to protect you from scum like those two, but from Saipia's wrath, as well," Kessa replied with a smile.
* * *
James Connell stared at the memo in her hands with an incredulous glare. "Seriously? This is really our next assignment?" she asked as she entered Saipia's office. "Your former brothers are running around reeking havoc and we're going to a comic book convention?"
"Relax, James, only Saipia and I are going," Erica replied as she came up behind the maned wolf.
The older Genoid glanced at the two women then at the paper before everything suddenly made since. "Ah. This would be Saipia's idea. This would mean that she's out of vacation days but still wanted to go to her little convention and somehow convinced the chief to send you there, anyway."
"I'm not out of vacation days," Saipia replied with a serious look on her face. "I was going to use some but I heard that they were running low on security, and, since I was going anyway, I figured Erica and I could pose as convention goers while actually getting paid to go."
"Right. I'm going as a cop. I don't know what Saipia's going as. But I bet it's some sort of anime character. I just hope this year's costume is a little more family friendly," Erica replied.
Saipia smiled at that. "I thought you liked the hentai, Erica."
Erica laughed. "At home maybe. Besides, I'm supposed to be your bodyguard and when you dress as a character from one of my favorite hentai cartoons, it's extremely hard to concentrate on the mission. So, please behave yourself."
Saipia and James both laughed at that. "That's why you're coming with me, Captain, Martin."
The leopard gave her superior officer an odd look. "I think we should bring someone else along. You know I'm a comic book junky and not above wandering off to buy some swag of my own."
Nodding vigorously, Saipia motioned nonchalantly to the door. "And that's why I took the liberty of assigning Tossa to join us."
"So, it was you who gave me this assignment," commented the African Wild Dog as she burst onto the scene with an irritated look on her face. "And am I really coming along just to babysit you two?"
"Pretty much," Erica replied.
"Captain you're in your thirties, aren't you? And who knows how old you are, Commander. Don't you think you're both a little old for conventions like this?" asked the officer.
Saipia smiled at that and walked over to the younger woman. She placed gentle hands on her shoulders and said, "Tossa, my dear, it is exactly because I AM in my seventies that I take the time to enjoy things like anime. It makes me feel younger than I am. And it's good to just get out and relax and forget about the job for a while. Now, Erica and I are going to try and enjoy ourselves while still doing our job. You're just there to make sure we don't get too overly distracted by swag."
Erica smiled in agreement to that as Tossa gave her a questioning look. "Saipia may be an old bat, but she's got a sharp mind and knows when to seize an opportunity to have some fun while on the job."
"Speaking of my sharp mind, I need to get over to Kammy's today for a check up before we go to San Diego," commented Saipia.
"Kammy? San Diego? What in the world..." Tossa started.
"ComicCon is in San Diego and, since Saipia's a cyborg and her body is mostly prosthetic, she can't go to a conventional doctor. Kammy's a bio-engineer and can take care of all her needs. And I do mean all," explained Erica.
"No. Not all. She's not attracted to me physically. For that stuff, I have Erica...or Eric...or whatever you want to be called in those moments," Saipia corrected.
Tossa gave her superiors an odd look. "I don't know what you two are talking about, but I'm sure I gave live without knowing. I still cannot believe I'm babysitting two full grown women. And I'm really not all that thrilled with going to San Diego."
"Speaking a crappy road trip, you guys taking one of Saipia's cars or one of the vans, or what?" James asked.
"That is a good question. It depends. Erica, do you have one of the Studebaker's finished?" the blue wolf asked.
Erica nodded and held up two fingers. "I have the Avanti and Land Cruiser finished. You were thinking about breaking one of them in?"
"Indeed. I think the Land Cruiser will be fitting for the trip. I've been waiting to drive one of those since I got them. I owe you for restoring them," said the canine.
The leopard shook her head. "You're giving me free room and board and took me in when my dog was killed and everything. You've also bought EVERY car I've ever restored out of your own money. Restoring the one's you want just makes sense and it's the least I can do for all the stuff you've done for me."
"Yeah. But, still. I don't feel right asking you to do all that work and not give you anything back. We'll talk about it on the trip," replied the Saipia.
* * *
The trip was relatively quiet with Erica and Saipia doing most of the talking. Tossa sat in the back and kept quiet, occasionally chiming in with her opinion. The African woman was still not that thrilled about being dragged to something she didn't want to go to just to make sure her superiors did their job. That said, she did find it nice that she didn't have to wear her uniform. There was only one unscheduled stop so that Erica could drive after some of Saipia's mechanical parts started giving her issues.
The three women were glad when they checked into their hotel only a block from the convention. "How in the world did you get this room?" Erica asked.
"We're on security duty. When I called the hotel to book the room, I mentioned that and they gave us a room," said Saipia. "However, just to warn, you, Tossa, the only room they could give us that was free and could accommodate three people was the honeymoon suite."
"Great. Just don't try to keep everything in you pants," commented Tossa.
"Right. Speaking, of, you might want to grab a drink tonight," Saipia warned.
"Whoa! Are you actually going to sleep with me or are you just going to get naked and fall asleep again?" Erica asked.
Saipia laughed. "Who knows? I'm just feeling a bit frisky, today and you got the...um...tools for the job."
"Anyways, we have a long few days ahead of us. I suggest we get some food and some rest. At least, that's my plan," Tossa suggested.
"Right. I think Erica and I will grab a bite to eat, as well. Curfew, ladies is ten o-clock," replied Saipia.
"I'll hold you to that, you know," Erica replied as the three women left their hotel room.
* * *
The following day was the first day of the convention. Outside the doors to the massive comic book convention were several protestors. The same protestors who had protested at a fellow officer's funeral a couple years back. It was only the fact that Saipia finally got the chance to wear her new body that kept her from yelling at them. "You would think that there are worst things in the world to protest than a comic book convention."
"Yeah, but idiots gather around shiny objects like flies to dung. The only reason why they're here is for the attention. They might as well just wave signs that proclaim that they're holier than us," Saipia replied.
"Yup. They're philosophy is everyone who isn't a member of their church is going to hell. It's one way of getting more people into your congregation. But it's sort of like trying to sell a car with four flat tires. Sure, it runs, and it can move, but it's not going to be that fast and you probably won't get very far with it," added Erica.
Saipia's outfit was a thick white fur with stylized orange markings on her face and body. The fur was thick enough to hide her gentiles, if the suit had any. Erica decided to dress up a Bat Woman which just made Saipia smirk. "You do know Bat Woman's a lesbian, right?" she commented at the hotel room.
Erica shrugged. "But, that's fine, 'cause, for the most part, so am I, right?" Erica replied.
"I guess. I don't know what you would call you. I mean, you're a hermaphrodite. But, you have been sleeping with a lot of women lately. It has been a while since I saw you with a guy," the wolf commented giving her caped partner a kiss on the cheek.
"Yeah. The last guy I dated called me a freak and tried to make me into a woman. I kicked his ass and have taken a break from men for a while," Erica explained.
Tossa, on the other hand, just wore casual clothing. No costume for her. She did have to roll her eyes at the other two, however. That was until she took a whiff of Saipia's new body. "Holy crap, Commander! You expecting trouble?"
Erica gave the two a questioning look. "That ain't no costume she's wearing, that's freakin' tank," added the wild dog. The taller leopard quickly snatched up Saipia's right arm and brushed away the thick fur. Beneath it were a collection of numbers and letters which Erica's internal sensors scanned and quickly looked up.
Her searching turned up nothing. "Considering that the suit isn't in the database, I would assume it's a custom model. A gift from Kammy perhaps?"
Saipia nodded. "Yeah. This is the latest in technology ladies. Actually, a lot of this stuff hasn't been invented yet. I mean, I didn't even have to change suits to get in my costume. And I always like to be prepared."
"It's a comic book convention. What are you preparing for?" Tossa asked.
"Hey, I've been a cop for over seventy years. I've learned that there is no such thing as impossible or safe. I've had to take down criminals at all kinds of things. Even at a public beach...in the middle of winter," Saipia commented.
"She's got a point," Erica replied with a smile. She, too, was as armored and armed as she could be. Since she was only about 50% prosthetic, there were limitations to what she could have hidden. Unlike Saipia who was 97% prosthetic.
As the three entered the convention center, Saipia and Erica immediately glanced at each other with the same thought, then turned to Tossa. "We'll meet you here at the end of the convention," said Erica.
"Make sure you both keep your com links on and open," said Saipia and the two went their separate ways before Tossa could object.
"Hey, you two, don't leave me here all by myself!" Tossa cried, but to no avail.
It was early and the convention was just getting started. There were some parts that were blocked by security, but all Saipia or Erica had to do was flash their official security badges and they were let through. Saipia was impressed with all the human security officers. There were a few Genoids in standing guard but as far as Saipia could tell most had very little augmentation done. "You think if they were worried enough to hire us on, that they'd have more security drones wandering around."
"Actually, I heard the booth babes will be comprised mainly of assault class securi-bots from that are being provided by one of the sponsors free of charge," Erica said over their com link.
"Well, that's a bummer. I guess this year won't end like last year, will it?" the canine smiled.
"With you drunk as hell and about three booth babes naked with their hands all over me? I would think not. Unless you like robot-ass," said Erica.
"I was not drunk. I was tired from cleaning the mess you left. Unlike you, I technically can't get drunk. Usually, when you perceive me as being drunk, I'm usually pretending," said the wolf a she found a bunch of anime booths and dug into her purse for her wallet.
"Hey just make sure that you two don't buy so much stuff that you can't do your job. I don't want to have to go it alone if a terrorist decides to bomb the place," Tossa commented.
Saipia sighed as she paid for a couple exclusive figurines and manga. "Don't worry, I'm only interested in the exclusive one of a kind stuff. Most everything else, I already have," she replied.
"You know, you're going to need a bigger room, soon," Erica commented.
"Oh, the stuff I have at home is just a small fraction of the amount of manga and anime I own. You saw my part of my extended collection in Hawaii. The rest is in a very secret location," said Saipia.
"Just watch your back, Sai. Buying all the ComicCon exclusives will make you walking target. And I've heard reports that there is a group of thieves that are looking to steal any bag of goodies they can get their hands on. They can easily turn around and sell them online for a pretty sum," Erica warned.
"I'm a walking tank. Anyone who tries to steal my swag is going to get their ass kicked and hard. But, thanks for the concern, you two. I'll be on the look out for anything suspicious," the wolf replied as took her bag of swag and proceeded down the line.
"I know this is a bit of stretch and a long shot, Commander, but please do your best not to get yourself killed. Maybe you should try not to attract too much attention to yourself," said Tossa who stood by one of the exits and watched over the growing crowd. From her position, she could clearly see Saipia and Erica, which she was fully intending to do through out the day. It was why she had placed tracking devices on both women.
Saipia smirked. "I'll do my best. Although, if someone does manage to kill me they deserve a reward. Especially with the suit I'm currently in."
The rest of the day went of quietly without any hitches. Although, they did have several reports of people's bags getting stolen, there was simply no evidence to go on. But, as reports increased, a pattern started to emerge. "Seems like they're only targeting Genoids to steal from," Saipia commented as she slipped some more exclusive items into a bag.
"It would appear so. And there aren't many Genoids left," Erica commented as she paid for a comic.
"And I'm sure you two are on the list. So just watch yourselves," Tossa replied as she sipped on a coffee.
Erica, feeling the need to get something to quench her thirst set her bag of comics down to get some coffee. She felt someone brush past her and when she glanced back, her bag was gone, and the culprit had already disappeared into the crowd. "Crap! My bag's been stolen!" she said over the com.
"Don't suppose you put a tracking device in it?" Tossa asked.
"Didn't think of it. You'd better do that with your stuff, Sai," the leopard said.
"Been doing that ever since we learned who they were targeting. I suspect selling the rare items is just a bonus. The real goal is hate crimes against Genoids," the wolf replied as she glanced around. "I also suspect one of our fellow guards is in on it. Probably more than one. Otherwise, you would think that at least one of them would have seen something suspicious. Tossa, since you're not too awfully busy, at the moment, why don't you cross check our partners and see if any of them has a history or any unusual connections."
"You want me to come back you up?" Erica asked.
"You can if you want. Just know that if someone steals my stuff, I'm going after them," said the canine as she quickly scanned the people around her. There were too many suspicious people around. And a lot of eyes on her. It was while she was in the middle of scanning faces that someone finally tried to steal her bags. But she had a firm grip on them. Instantly, she was face to face with one of the thieves. "Speak of the devil."
"I am no devil. More of a Robin Hood," said the female thief.
"Robin Hood robbed from the rich and gave to the poor without discriminating against race or creed. You're just a bunch of ignorant bastards who are fueling the fires of hate and discrimination against Genoids. It is because of people like you that groups of racist Genoids began to surface. Ultimately, hate breeds hate; discrimination gives birth to more discrimination," Saipia said, as a low growl emanated from her lips.
"Hah! We only steal from Genoid because..." the blonde laughed.
"What? We're easy? I'm about to prove you wrong on that point," Saipia said as she yanked on her bag, snapping the woman to her. The canine officer slammed her fist into the girl's cheek, knocking her out instantly. This, however, made her drop on of her bags which was quickly snatched up by another thief just as Erica arrived on the scene. "Erica, watch my bags, I'm going after the other perp."
And she was off, quickly making her way through the crowd, her targeting systems tracking the thief's every move while also planning out the best route for her to take. This made sure she quickly gained on the man. As he took the escalator to the top floor, she simply leaped to the next floor threatening to cut him off, but he quickly pulled out a gun and leveled it at the officer and fired. "OW! Crap, that hurts like hell. Usually I have enough time to turn off my pain receptors, I wasn't expecting the gun this time," Saipia commented as she rubbed the small lump that was beginning to form between her eyes where the bullet hit.
"What! That didn't even break your skin? What are you?" the man asked.
"Someone who's going to kick your ass, that's who. Now, tell me who you're..." Saipia started as someone tried to stab her in the back, but the knife blade simply shattered. "What the hell?" she said and punched the attempted killing in the face. "I'm starting to thank my lucky stars I wore this new prototype body. It's sure getting a work out."
With that comment, four more thugs appeared from the crowd and surrounded her while the original thief ran off. "Wait, guys, isn't that Saipia? You know the boss wouldn't approve of us risking this operation by fighting with her," said one of the new thugs.
"But she's a Genoid, isn't she. It'll be worth the chewing out," said another.
"I seriously don't your boss doesn't want you to fight with me to spare you from a mere ass-chewing. If you were paying attention, this body I'm wearing is bulletproof. It's also impervious to missiles and fire. It's virtually indestructible. I could literally survive a fall from space in this thing," Saipia warned.
"Aw, ain't that cute, it's trying to threaten us," the third thug commented and swung his foot toward her, which she effortlessly caught.
"A word of advice: Don't piss off that which can kill you," Saipia replied before breaking the man's leg with a squeeze of her hand. "And you're really starting to piss me off."
The man fell to the floor in tears as the other thugs look on in shock. "Look, we don't want anymore trouble, Officer," said the only woman of the group.
"Good. Now who are you working for?" demanded the wolf.
"We-we really can't tell you that. She would have our heads. She did seem to know you though," the woman commented as Tossa and Erica appeared and put two of the thugs in handcuffs while Saipia cuffed the woman.
"Well, you're now going to jail for theft and assault on a police officer. Granted, with some of the villains I've run into, going to jail is a much better option than admitting you failed. Although, jail doesn't guarantee your safety," Saipia commented. "Now, tell me where I can find the bastard who stole my stuff. I want my swag back."
"There's an alley a few blocks away. We're supposed to stash our loot there," said the girl.
"Good. So, Erica, you coming?" Saipia said as her forearm separated and dispensed a police issue pistol in to her hand.
"You really need my help?" The leopard asked.
Saipia shook her head with a smile. "But you've never been one to pass up an opportunity to watch my ass. And besides, you are my bodyguard, aren't you?"
"That's an ironic title when you're wearing body armor like that," Erica replied as her own forearm opened and delivered her a pistol.
"Wait, you're not going to leave me with these guys, are you?" the African wild dog asked as her superiors headed for the exit.
"Cops should be here in about a minute. I think you can handle them until then," Saipia called.
As soon as they got outside, the two split up, communicating silently with their cybernetic implants. Saipia was first to arrive at the alleyway. And she found the guy who stole her stuff in the act of handing it off to his boss. "Hold it, right there!" the wolf shouted, as her prosthetic eyes adjusted quickly to the dimness of the alley.
However, Saipia quickly recognized the rat who now held her bags. "Oh, I'm sorry Officer, are these bags yours?" the woman questioned as the canine felt an old rage burn within her.
"Just give back all everything you've stolen at ComicCon and I might be willing to let you go free," Saipia said as Erica arrived at the other end of the alley.
"Fine with me, Commander. I wouldn't want to go to jail, after all. However, I do suspect we shall meet again. You're mother's 100th birthday is coming up soon, isn't it? I wouldn't want to miss that," said the tall rodent.
A low growl rolled over Saipia's lips and she looked as though she was fighting every fiber in her body not to rip the woman apart. "You leave my mother alone, Gene."
The woman seemed a little shocked by the harsh response that was filled with a hidden death threat. "Now, now. Don't let your emotions get the best of you, Commander. Matthew, why don't you show the nice officer where we put those bags of loot." Nodding obediently towards his boss, the human started off for his hideout. "By the way, Saipia. I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion. Last time I saw you, you were a mere officer. Commander is certainly an impressive rank for a Genoid. And I hear that you might be up for another promotion soon. That would make you Deputy Chief, wouldn't it? And add another star to your collar. Your father..."
"My father would be fuming. He never liked me being a cop," Saipia replied as she turned to follow the human.
"What do you want me to do with her, Sai?" Erica called.
"Let her go. I'll explain my reasons back at the hotel. But trust me, on this, it'd be much easier on everyone just to let her go. Besides, we've got enough criminals on this one," the wolf replied.
* * *
Back at the hotel Saipia buried her head in her paws. "Damn! I could use a drink," she muttered as Erica and Tossa changed out of their uniforms and costumes.
"Hey, who the hell was that, anyway? And why did you let her go?" Erica questioned.
"That was Gene. As in [i]the[/i] Gene," Saipia answered simply.
"Wait, you mean as in the first publically introduced Genoid? I thought she was dead," said the leopard who slipped on a white t-shirt before slipping into a pair of green jeans.
"She's supposed to be. I am sure as hell the others killed her. But apparently what they did to her wasn't enough. She even smelled like her," Saipia replied as her other consciousnesses began to argue amongst themselves.
"Wait, I thought she was killed by a mob," Tossa said.
"Yes, that is what I put in my report, and what's in the official record. Unofficially, I was there when my lovely band of Fifteen tore her apart. But, she so deserved it. She was as evil as my father. Probably more so. The fact that she slept with my father every night and didn't seem disgusted by it should be crime on its own. However, she tried to kill us Fifteen on several occasions, and succeeded a few times. I know she killed me at least twice. Apparently, she is just as hard to kill as us," said the wolf. "And I didn't have you arrested because when I do, I'd rather her be in my jail and transporting her up to Hollywood wouldn't be very smart. Probably one of us would have wound up dead if not all of us and I don't know how many lives I've got left. Don't worry though, we'll see her again."
"You seem confident about that," Tossa replied.
"This whole mess with stealing bags from ComicCon wasn't the point of Gene's mission. She didn't care about the money. It was a ploy to drag me out into the open. She wanted me to know she was back. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she owned the security firm that was contracted to guard ComicCon and their request for volunteers from other precincts was probably part of her plan, as well," Saipia said as her suit began to change back to its normal state.
Erica plopped down on the bed next to her friend. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us now. With your ex-brothers and Gene roaming around, should make for quite a party. Speaking of parties, have you thought about what you want to get your mother for her birthday?"
"Right. Gene's going to try and make and appearance there. I know Mom won't like it, but I'm having her birthday party at our house. And I don't know what to get her at the moment," said the white canine.
"She only won't like it because she doesn't like me," Erica huffed.
"Nor Kammy. But she doesn't like Kammy 'cause this body and your new parts are all from Kammy. Mom's always been very competitive and someone stealing her own daughter hasn't set too well with her. And she it's not you she doesn't like, Erica, is the fact that you're a hermaphrodite," Saipia explained.
"Why should that be an issue?" Tossa asked.
"Her mother is an old-fashion type. Still believes that hermaphrodites, bisexuals and homosexuals are all monsters and crap like that," Erica replied.
"Not bisexuals and lesbians, actually, since she's slept with plenty of women, but she definitely doesn't like hermaphrodites and gays. Then again, it's probably more because she had the male prosthetic body all built and ready and you suddenly sprang the fact that you wanted to be a hermaphrodite on her and it bugged her. That and yours is the only hermaphrodite body she's ever built. And she probably has a bunch of parts for you in her shop and having you suddenly switch to Kammy as a provider more than likely bugs her, too," Saipia corrected.
"So that's where you get your OCD from," Tossa commented.
"Well, it sure as hell wasn't from my father. If he had been half as neat and tidy as my mother, I probably wouldn't have died right away when I was turned into a Genoid. Hell, I might not even have three separate people living inside my head. Speaking of which, Kammy, you might actually doing something about that?"
"Kammy? You mean she's listening in?" Erica asked.
"Indeed, I am. Saipia asked me to monitor her readings from her computer while she was down at ComicCon. She usually has someone watch her stats while she's away. That way if Losola or Tiffany get out of hand or if something goes wrong she can get help a little faster," Kammy's voice said through Saipia's com link.
"Are you monitoring my body, too, then?" Erica questioned.
"Indeed, I am. Saipia, I've got the trouble makers here, now. Should only be one voice in her head, now. And Erica, you should try to take it easy until you get back. I'm reading some damage in your right arm and it seems your power's a little low. I really wish you wouldn't remove your power supply," the lioness said.
"But it was damaged and it was giving me some nasty feedback," the leopard replied.
"I know it was damaged and I know about the feedback. I was in the process of fixing the feedback when you took it out. I've already got more durable replacement parts waiting for you when you get back," Kammy replied.
"How the hell did you break your power supply? I shot one of those things with my pistol and it didn't break it," Saipia asked.
"They can withstand a normal bullet, but it would appear those thugs you were chasing were carrying Armor Piercing bullets. One of them caught Erica in her power supply. Don't worry, Saipia, you're fine. I was a little worried when that guy shot you, but it bounced off. The sensors here did go a little nuts briefly and I still want to inspect the impact sight, but everything seems to be working fine. Erica's body isn't as much of a tank, however. I didn't think either of you would be needing such armor. I guess I was wrong, though," Kammy explained.
"When the hell did you get shot?" Saipia asked.
"After we split up heading towards the alley," Erica replied. "Anyways, you should get dressed so we can get something to eat. I'm starving."
"That would be because you don't have a power supply. I would suggest high-energy foods. They should help you sustain a charge for longer," Kammy commented.
"Alright, Kammy. Thanks for the information and for getting rid of the kids. I'll talk to you when I get home. I'll want a complete diagnostic done when I get back, by the way. And when my mother comes over for her party, try not to piss her off too badly, please," Saipia said as she stood to her feet.
"Hey, I'm willing to work with her. She's got some great ideas and I think together we could change prosthetics. Maybe she can help me on my new cyberbrain I've been working on. Speaking of, weren't you supposed to go full prosthetic a while back?" Kammy questioned.
"Indeed. Things, however, got a little crazy, and it never happened. That might be why I'm so tired as of late. I'm beginning to feel my age for once," said Saipia.
"Right. I should be able to build you a full prosthetic body within a few days. But, be warned, the cyberbrain I'll be using at first might not be so compatible with the rest of the body. In fact, I might just use your current, real brain instead. I'll have the first prototype of my new brain next week," Kammy commented.
"Sounds good. But, if I can do it, I'd rather wait until you can use the brain, as well," Saipia replied.
"I think we can manage that. You might want to take a few days off, though, and I'll need to run more diagnostics on you. But I don't see why we can't wait. But don't miss your appointment. Your power levels are pretty low, despite that body being brand new," Kammy agreed.
"Yeah, I'll talk it over with the Chief. I do have a few days of leave in reserve, so it shouldn't be a problem. Anyways, we'll be back tomorrow. I'll talk to you then," Saipia said.
Next Time:
It's Linda Summer's 100th birthday and Saipia is now completely prosthetic with a prototype brain. However, the party gets a little crashed with Gene, Peter and Ryan all do their best to pay a visit. I guess it's not such a happy birthday, after all, or at least, that's what the title of the episode is.
Episode 25: "Happy Birthday"
