Bubblegum Crisis : Tokyo Babylon

A fanfiction by Mark Latus


Part 1 of 5

8:00 am Sept. 21 2033 AD
     Continuing her morning routine Sylia Stingray poured herself a cup of 
coffee and called up the morning's list of GENOM related news.  Only two items
were flagged as priority one.  The first dealt with the death of a top GENOM
AI expert.  She read over the summary ; vacationing Dr. J. Hathaway crashed 
into a broken down propane transport truck on an Italian highway.  No other
casualties, remains totally incinerated, identification through recovered 
license transponder, possible suicide, investigation proceeding.
     "A little suspicious", she thought, "perhaps he knew too much about one
of GENOM's illegal projects."  Not there was much she could do about it, the
best the Knight Sabers could do was keep an eye on GENOM in MegaTokyo.  The
rest of the world had to look out for itself.  Far from an optimum solution
but the best she could manage.
     The second item looked far more significant.  "New special assistant to
CEO Quincy appointed."  The last one of those was the late and unlamented 
Brian J. Mason.  She called up the summary and her hand shook, spilling hot
coffee over her wrist.  She carefully put down the cup and read the screen
again.  "D.C. Dumas, formerly first vice president of GENOM France arrived
today in MegaTokyo.  He has been appointed as Chief Director of Special 
Projects.  This position reports directly to Chairman Quincy."
     She called up the complete press release and read through that.  Typical
PR material, it said the exact same thing as the summary at twenty times the 
length.  There was a videoclip of an interview of his arrival less than an hour
ago.  Sylia activated it.
     There was an establishing shot of MegaTokyo International Airport then:
     "This is Hikaru Moriyama, Channel 15 Business News talking to newly 
appointed GENOM Special Projects Director Daniel C. Dumas.  Welcome to 
MegaTokyo."
     "Thank you, nice to be back in Japan."
     "You've lived here before?"
     "Yes, my father Jean was a researcher in GENOM's Bio-Mech Division.  I 
was here for several years until the division was temporarily transferred to
the US."
     "As I recall my company history that happened in early 2025.  Meaning you 
missed the great quake by a few months."
     "Yes, like many people I lost a lot of friends here.  We were extremely
fortunate.  My father was transferred back to MegaTokyo following the 
construction of the GENOM Tower but by that time I was pursuing my own career
in GENOM."
     "You were in fact the youngest vice president in any of GENOM's European
divisions.  There was considerable speculation you would be named head of the 
German division following reconstruction of the Berlin tower.  Why were you
suddenly transferred to your new position?"
     "The Berlin rumours were simply rumours.  As to why I was appointed to
this position only Chairman Quincy knows for sure."
     "This position has been vacant since the death of Brian J. Mason in the
summer of last year.  Why the delay in filling it?"
     "Again only the Chairman can answer that question.  Sorry to seem evasive
but I really know as little about these matters as everyone else."
     "The death of your predecessor was certainly unusual."
     Dumas nodded.  "Being found stabbed to death on the roof of the GENOM 
Tower while wearing powered armour, surrounded by wrecked Boomers and with 
'Knight Sabers' carved into the ferroconcrete beside you is certainly unique."
     "It never has been explained."
     "We can only speculate.  There is some evidence that Mr. Mason was 
despondent following the failure of several projects.  In a somewhat unbalanced
state of mind he evidently decided he could secure his position by starting a
battle with a local mercenary group."
     "The Knight Sabers."
     "Yes.  Why he felt this would give him status within the company is a 
secret he has taken to the grave.  I really should be getting to the Tower, 
hate to be late on my first day, so if we could wrap this up please."
     "Just two quick questions, firstly will you be having a family reunion
with your father?"
     "Sadly no, he died in an industrial accident a little over two years ago."
     "I'm sorry.  The second question concerns you.  I've heard that you were 
nicknamed 'The Iceman' but I can't see how you got that reputation."
     "That's just the sort of story that gets told about anyone who has to
make the unpopular decisions.  Unfortunately economic realities have human 
costs, which is unpleasant but just the way the world works.  Perhaps you'd
care to discuss my reputation over dinner?"
     "Is my husband invited?"
     "Sure, but he has to bring his own date."
     "Ha ha ha, thank you for your time Mr. Dumas and good luck in your new
position.  That was Daniel C. Dumas GENOM's new Special Projects Director.
This is Hikaru Moriyama, channel 15 back to you in the studio Kenji."
     Behind the interviewer Dumas exited, followed by a stunning blond woman.
The clip ended and Sylia stared at the screen menu for several seconds.
     "Replay last video segment."
     Behind her Mackie frowned.  He'd stopped off on his way down to the lab
to see if he could catch Sylia while she was still wearing a negligee.  With
her memory she didn't need to see anything twice, so why replay an interview
with some GENOM creep?
     Anyway he'd gawked at her long enough, he had a lot of work to do on 
Priss's motoroid.  After the way she'd treated it last night it was going to
be an all day repair job.  Maybe longer.  As he left Mackie reflected that his
accelerating obsession with his sister was beginning to worry him.  Nene, 
Priss or Linna would make sense.  So why was it the woman he was most 
attracted to was his only living relative?  If anything he should see her as 
more of a mother figure.  Maybe they were just a dysfunctional family.
     He closed the door behind him and headed downstairs.  Strangely there had
been something familiar about the guy she was watching.  Probably he'd been in
other GENOM TV spots. 
     Sylia heard Mackie leave and sighed.  "You never did consider the long 
term consequences of your work, did you Father", she murmured.  She froze the
video on a shot of Dumas charming the interviewer.  Everything Doctor Stingray
had done kept coming back to haunt this city.  The past had a nasty habit of
refusing to stay buried.
     It was just after noon when Nene dropped by Raven's garage.  She knew 
Mackie would be there.  Matter of fact considering the mess Priss had made of
her motoroid Mackie could be in the underground repair bay for days.
     She tapped the video intercom and waited for Mackie to answer.  He looked
a little unhappy to be disturbed but brightened up when he saw her.  "Hi Nene,
what brings you down here?"
     "Well I've got night shift tonight so since I was in the neighbourhood ..."
, a slight white lie, ".. I thought I'd say hello."
     "Always glad to see you.  You can come down if you like but I have to warn
you it's kind of messy."
     "No problem, I always like to see the workshop."
     "Hang on a sec.  OK security doors are unsealed."
     "Thanks Mackie."   Well that was stage one, now she just had to get him 
to take a break and invite her to lunch.  Maybe she should skip dessert, not 
that she was gaining weight.  Actually after last night's workout with the
BU-12D Combat Boomers she was probably down a kilo or two.
     She reached the bottom of the stairs.  It wasn't as if she was taking
advantage of Mackie.  Thanks to Sylia he had plenty of money, anyway there was
only a few years difference between them, despite what it said in ADPolice 
files.  Adding three years to her age had been the only way to get employed.  
In fact it was the ease with which she hacked into the ADP system that brought
her to Sylia's attention.
     Mackie was wiping lubricant off his hands when she entered.  Most of the
motoroid was hanging from a hoist.  The rest was scattered around the room.
     "Geez! Think you can ever get this back together?"
     "Luckily I've always been good at puzzles.  Anyway if I work all day 
maybe I can have it back in one piece by tonight.  Problem is I'm afraid 
she'll immediately go wreck it again."
     "Poor Mackie, you slave away down here and no one appreciates you."
     "It's not quite that bad."  There was a beep as an equipment tester  
finished its simulation.  "No, that servo's too messed up.  Better replace the
whole unit."
     She'd lose him to repair work in a second, better say something.  "Priss
really should learn the limits to her equipment and her hardsuit."
     "Absolutely, she's always messing it up fighting beyond design limits.  
That could get her kill...hurt someday.  It's not like you, your hardsuit 
rarely needs work."  It occurred to Mackie that last remark could be 
considered a critique of Nene's capabilities.  "I mean you know your suit's 
limit and don't wreck it by trying to exceed its capabilities."
     "Right, that was obviously what you meant", Nene said while looking more
than a little embarrassed.  She forced a laugh, Mackie join in.  The laughter
stopped and there was an awkward silence.
     To change the subject Mackie picked up a tool and looked back at the 
dismantled mech.  Nene decided to forget subtlety and just ask him to ask her
out.   "Mackie ...", she began.
     Mackie turned to face her then winced and dropped his multispanner.  He
clutched his head and hissed as he crouched down.   His face contorted with 
pain and he began to curse under his breath.
     Nene had never seen him like this before.  She turned to the door.  "I'll
get Sylia, you need help!"
     "NO!".  His right hand pistoned out and closed over her left forearm.  His
grip tightened, she couldn't break free.  Mackie forced himself to speak, 
spitting words between gasps for air.  "EVERYTHING ... IS ... FINE ... NO ...
NEED ... TO ... BOTHER ... SIS!"
     "You're hurting me Mackie!"
     He looked at her blankly for several seconds then released his grip.  Nene
stepped back, massaging her wrist.  Mackie kept clutching his head for perhaps
half a minute more.  Then the tension in his face faded and he relaxed.  He 
drew several deep breaths then resumed breathing normally.  He stood up, "See,
I'm fine.  Nothing to worry about."
     "Uh, yeah."  Her arm was going to be one big bruise.  "Look I should be
going, you've got a lot of work to do and I'm in the way."
     "Oh you're not in the way ..."  Too late, Nene was already heading out the
door.  Mackie sighed, he'd handled that disastrously.  Why was it so important
to keep these migraines secret?  He had no idea, it just felt like the best 
thing to do.
     Nene headed up past ground level to the apartments.  Before she could 
knock on the door Sylia called, "It's open Nene."
     "Does anything ever surprise her?", Nene wondered.  She entered and said
"There's a problem with Mackie ..."
     "He won't buy you lunch?"
     How'd she guess?  Nene continued, "No a real problem.  He just had one 
hell of a headache and grabbed me when I was going to get help.  For a few 
seconds I was afraid he was going to break my arm.  He was trying to insist
it was nothing but ..."
     Sylia seemed to tense slightly as she said this then broke in on Nene.
"Oh those migraines, don't worry about it.  They run in our family, a few weeks
and they'll be gone for good."
     Nene studied Sylia, she looked unconcerned.  Maybe it was nothing to 
worry about, still ...
     Sylia broke her train of thought, "Do you have the ADPolice analysis of
those Boomers from last night?"
     "Uh no, I'm not on shift until tonight ... "
     "Fine, well be sure to copy them for me.  Probably just a routine GENOM
firepower test of a new model but they could conceivably have had another
objective."
     "Uh yeah, well I should be going.  Get some rest before my shift starts."
Nene headed for the stairs.  Try to get a free lunch and all you get is bruises
and extra work.  Maybe what the Knight Sabers needed was a union.
     Once she was sure Nene was out of earshot Sylia sighed.  Sounded like 
Mackie was entering the final stage.  She remembered an angry voice from eight
years ago, "What the hell did your father do to us?!".  Not much point in 
telling Mackie, nothing could stop the process.  Let him enjoy his old self 
while he could.  After all it wasn't as if he was dying.  Remembering other
consequences she felt a brief urge to cry which she immediately overrode.
Emotions had a tendency to interfere with the intellect.
     2 PM  GENOM Tower
     Dumas was on the 78th floor beginning his inspection of the labs when he
heard the screams.  Cynthia moved in front of him as he headed for the source.
A crowd was gathered around the doorway to one of the labs.  Those at the 
front of the crowd looked horrified.  Those at the back were pushing in for a
better look.
     Cynthia effortlessly pushed her way to the front of the crowd.  With a 
clear view it was easy to see why people were shocked.
     A semi hysterical research assistant babbled, "We've been working all day
to get everything up and running before that new bigshot came by.  Dr. Otomo
threw everyone else out of the lab, said we kept getting in his way.  Told us
not to bother him until it was inspection time.  We just came to see if he was
ready and found ... this."
     Cynthia finished her scan of the room and announced, "I estimate time of
death approximately 45 minutes ago.  The killer used a widebladed weapon of
some variety and struck the front of Dr. Otomo's neck.  The blade cut cleanly
through the flesh but failed to sever the spinal cord.  The severing of the
jugular vein resulting in the mess we see here.  I don't suppose anyone 
noticed a blood soaked person with a knife going by?"
     Dumas nodded and addressed the crowd, "I assume besides just hovering 
around here someone called security?"
     "Yes, someone did."  Security Director Kate Madigan forced her way through
the crowd.  A murder in the heart of GENOM, just what she needed.  This was
going to do wonders for her shaky reputation.  As if anyone else could have 
handled the Largo situation better.  "Everyone get back to work and out of our
way."  The crowd faded leaving Madigan, Cynthia, Dumas and a four person 
security team.  The team entered the lab leaving the three of them together.  
Madigan glared at Dumas, she'd only met him a few hours ago but already he 
irritated her.  Too damn sure of himself, just like his predecessor.  "You like
staring at corpses Mr. Dumas?" 
     He turned to look at her, his expression neutral.  "Just reading the 
killer's message."
     Madigan followed his gaze.  Not all of Otomo's blood was on the floor.
Some was smeared on the right hand wall, spelling out a message.  She read it
out loud, "'The life of man is short, only the gods can live forever'".  Under
that was written "Who am I?".  
     "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
     Dumas shrugged and replied, "Looks like a quote of some kind.  Better run
a search through our national library hookups."
     Cynthia smiled at Madigan, "Mr. Dumas really shouldn't have to tell you 
how to do your job."
     Madigan had the feeling the damn Boomer was actually amused by her.  Maybe
it could tell she didn't like it.  From the specs. she'd seen it was far too
organic for her liking.  A top of the line AI brain (possibly modified by 
Dumas) and a body compiled out of the male designers wetdreams.  Dumas's 
faithful bodyguard and chauffeur.  Maybe more.
     "You sleep with this thing Dumas?"
     Dumas looked faintly amused, that was about as emotional as he seemed to
get.  "No, despite appearances she's not a sexaroid.  Also I've never had any
trouble getting human volunteers."
     Cynthia draped herself around Madigan, "However I am capable if you're
really curious."
     "Cynthia, enough."  Dumas still looked amused as Cynthia released her.
"You'll have to forgive Cynthia, she's a prototype.  Which means she can be a
little unpredictable."
     "OF course."  This guy was Quincy's new pet which made him untouchable.
Someday he'd screw up, just like Mason, and then ...  Madigan realized Cynthia
was watching her very closely.  Maybe picking things up from her body language,
she forced herself to relax.  Never forget it's a Boomer programmed to protect
him.  Which makes it very dangerous to be known as his enemy.
     To change the subject Madigan asked Dumas, "What do you make of this 
message?"
     "Melodrama."
     "What?", not the answer she'd expected.
     "Leaving a clue like that reeks of melodrama.  The murder could have been
a lot more efficient, instead the killer creates a mess that could make him
identifiable afterwards.  In addition to that he leaves a taunt.  Melodrama.  I
despise bad art."
     Madigan studied Dumas, his expression was neutral.  It was impossible to 
tell what he felt.  If he actually felt anything.
     Dumas turned to leave, "If you'll excuse me I'm supposed to inspect some
of our plants around town.  I'm sure you have everything under control."
     "Fine, I have to break the news to Otomo's wife and children."
     "He was a top researcher, I'm sure there's a generous benefits package."
     Dumas walked off, followed by Cynthia.
     "Euro's tend to be more sensitive to violence", Madigan mused.  "He sees
a man with his head damn near cut off and his only concern is a taunt the 
killer left behind.  Maybe his Iceman reputation is deserved."  That Boomer
of his was definitely going to get on her nerves.  It suddenly struck her,
perhaps that was part of its purpose.  Distracting people from Dumas himself.
Wheels within wheels.  Machiavellian.  "He'll fit in around here."
     Meanwhile in the Executive Parking Lot Cynthia finished her check of the
car.  All secure, no additions or alterations, security seals in place.  She
opened the door and he got in.  Bringing his own vehicle from Paris was
undoubtably a good move, corporate infighting seemed a lot more advanced in
MegaTokyo.
     Cynthia slid in the driver's door and activated the scanner systems 
countermeasures.  "Follow the itinerary Sir?"
     "Yes, might as well pretend everything's normal.  Soon as we're clear
of the tower's sensors activate the uplink."
     While the burst transmission code could be intercepted it was, at least
theoretically, just random garbage without the decrypter.  There were only
two, he had one, Marie had the other.  Cynthia indicated they were clear and
had a link.  Dumas activated his transmitter.
     Marie must have been waiting by the transmitter.  "What's the word, 
Iceman?"
     Dumas switched to his native French, "My suspicions are confirmed, I need
the Wolfpac.  Are you ready to roll?"
     "Everything's packed.  We had to sedate our guest but he's secure."
     Dumas tapped a few computer keys and triggered his preset programs.  "You
are now confirmed of GENOM Cargo Stratjet 183.  It departs Oreley in 32 
minutes.  All your clearances are now valid."
     "Ok we're on our way.  But I still have to say that operating outside
Europe worries me.  Only Helmut and I can speak Japanese, that could complicate
things."
     "I repeat don't worry, this is a simple locate and destroy mission.  I 
give you the location, you go there and destroy our target.  GENOM owns this
city So travel clearances aren't going to be a problem.  Also I intend to use
a local mercenary group to draw fire for us."
     "Well, we'll be at the rendezvous point tonight.  See you then."
     He broke contact.  From the front Cynthia remarked, "Involving the Knight
Sabers may not sit well with the Chairman."
     "Using them as cannon fodder for GENOM's ends?  He'll love it."
     "Yes sir, but do you consider all the Knight Sabers expendable?'
     Dumas studied her as she drove.  "I've told you a lot haven't I?"
     "There was no one else you could trust talking to about your biggest 
secrets.  I'm absolutely loyal to you and my mind would self destruct if anyone
else attempted to access my memory."
      He nodded.  "This isn't quite the way I hoped to be reunited with Sylia
but we each chose different paths.  Mine is protecting GENOM and increasing its
power.   There is very little I would not sacrifice to that end.  Even Sylia."
     Dumas sighed, "For example I am indirectly responsible for Isamu Otomo's
murder.   Making him the last survivor of the research team made him a target
if the worst case scenario was correct.  But it was the best test I could 
devise and I would do the same thing again."
     He remembered the question written in Otomo's blood.  "'Who am I?', the 
answer must be 'You are the strongest of all, the perfect, the terror'.  Hah.
Megalomania's getting to you again Brian.  Gilgamesh didn't get to be immortal
and neither do you.

End of Part 1




Afterword
     This is my first BGC fanfic (the third fanfic I've written). It's set
shortly after the events of OAV#8: Scoop Chase.  For lack of any other source
I'm using characters ages as given in the Adam Warren Dark Horse Comic series.
So in 2033 AD ages are as follows- Priss 20
                                   Sylia 23
                                   Nene  19 (22 in ADPolice files)
                                   Linna 21
                                   Mackie 16
Which means Dr. Stingray died in 2022 and the quake happened in 2025.  That
last date's from the ADPolice graphic novel.  Hopefully I haven't made too
many glaring continuity errors.  
     Of course the ADPolice stories were listed as taking place decades after 
the quake, but preceding BGC yet Bubblegum Crisis runs 2032-2033.  So if the
timeline's already screwy why should I worry?
     The Gilgamesh quotes are from 'Gilgamesh : a new rendering in English 
verse' by David Ferry.
     Enough setup, part two gets the story going.
              

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