2

The office was a dark and dirty space dug into one of the walls on the second floor, at least that was the common description among members of the Crate. The desk was a dull wooden assembly, now gray from time and dust. Some more or less useful papers and forms were stacked at the right, along with the neon white lamp. At the left was a computer screen mounted on its machine box. The keyboard was leaned against the file cabinet for lack of work space. As for the mouse, it was in a precarious stance, where one very slight vibration would decide if it were to stay on the desk or fall to its worthy doom in a trash can. Behind the desk, taking the entire wall, was a series of shelves loaded with machinery and electronics. At the far right, on top of a table were more of these devices. And in the near corner, there was more of the same atop yet another table. The only outside light available was a large window for a fantastic view of the main hall.

Works leaned back and took several deep breaths. There were two chairs in the office. The other usually was for his twin Lowlife, but after consideration of how much time the bad brother spent in the office, he considered the chair available to anyone who entered.

He had been working on the files of Elisabeth for the past hour. The database needed to be updated each time he had a new member, and the details about the android were long and many. But the hard work would pay off, as he used the database to plan who went where in each operation. It was a better method than memorizing the name of everyone in the Crate - even though he could remember in a snap the five seemingly random-made passwords needed to start the computer and its operating system.

He saw Xian passing by outside. She knocked at the door and he yelled his permission to enter. The woman entered with a huge resistor assembly in her hands.

Works pointed at the table in the corner. "Lean it against whatever you want. I'll look at it later. How's Elise?"

"Seems all right so far. She's cleaning her weapons right now." She passed a hair through her hair as her face took on a puzzled expression. "You know, the shotgun I could understand, but why the hell would she want to clean her energy saber?"

"You didn't look at it, did you?" Works chuckled. "Here, have a seat. I'll share the new database entry with you."

He took out a pen and a piece of paper as Xian sat, and he handed them over to her for note taking.

"Here's the info on her two weapons." Works turned the computer screen around and showed her the entry. "First, there's the shotgun she's using. It's a modified version of the Modern Ray, which had been invented one hundred and thirty eight years ago, and which is still in use and improved on today - you know some of our fighters use these. Now, the mod she has - I'll nickname it Insa Ray to make the association easier - has its handle on top instead of on the side, and a Velcro strap at the back, so that she may use it with just one arm. It's a common android-oriented design today, but it wasn't back then. Next are the cannons. A standard Modern Ray has five separate cannons, which fire an energy bullet each, and which can move up to a hundred and thirty-five degrees in all directions. In her case, there is a single energy bullet, which enters a force field core, and then goes into each cannon mouth to be shot as regular bullets. However, she may choose to move the cannon mouths aside and have the bullet go straight out the force field core, generating an accurate and powerful beam. Furthermore, there is a shoulder strap for easy carrying. How does that look to you?"

Xian glanced at her paper. "Well, force field cores we have a couple, so it shouldn't be any trouble if the weapon breaks, which I expect to happen soon considering all the time it's gone through. It if was just me, I'd have her get a new shotgun because I'm sure she can find some powerful stuff out there on the black market for cheap - but it's her call."

Works nodded. "Good enough. Next is the saber, which was known back then as a Red Blade due to its characteristic red energy beam. As you know, it's no longer in use; we have better stuff now. Anyways, a standard Red Blade features an elongated triangular stabilizing core, around which the energy field will form, and thus take a definite outline. Her version has the core sharpened. I think it's a good thing, since she can still use the saber even if the energy blade fails, and as we know..."

"...We expect that to happen soon!" Xian laughed. "Okay doo, I've got my notes down, here's your pen, and I'll see in which group I can fit her. Off the top of my head, I expect her to be with Alexanne or Masahito. They're both in the need of an all-range fighter."

Works shrugged. "You call the shots. I didn't make you chief operative fighter for nothing. Tell me when you decide which group she'll be with. I'll enter that into the database."

Xian smiled at him as she set her hand on the door. "Understood. I'll call you back later!"

The woman closed the door behind her and went down to the first floor, where she could see Elise sitting on a chair next to the closest wall. She was busy testing the systems of her shotgun.

Xian found it a good opportunity to make contacts. She went next to the android and sat Chinese-style next to her with a smile on her face.

"I saw you a couple of times but I don't think you know me yet. I'm Xian Hikosa, chief operative fighter and in charge of training. I'm one who helped Works take you out of the junkyard."

"Oh, okay." Elise shook hands with the woman. "Pleased to meet you." After which she went back to her work on the shotgun. "Say, you don't look very much Asian for someone with such a name."

Xian chuckled. "My parents were American but they lived all their life on the islands of Sofia. They called me this way by force of habit, and anyways my great grandfather on my father's side was the one called Hikosa. The traits just got diluted since all the following generations were American."

"Those?! Oh, that's when I was young, I needed quick money and I signed up with the Department to test a new drug. It made my pigments and some of my organs age prematurely. So now I'm white-haired all over, my left kidney doesn't want to work anymore, my left eye is blind, and my right lung is weaker than average. I dye my hair red since white is my least favorite color. Besides, you try to imagine a woman of forty years old with white hair. I almost looked like an albino!"

Elise smirked and turned her head to do a quick analysis of the woman. "Well, for a forty year old chick, you don't seem like you're that much."

Xian smiled. "Thanks! And you?" She gave a little tap to the android's left leg. "What's with those?"

"Those: organic Reli legs with integrated natural shields, stretchable flesh, self-regeneration, and morphable feet."

"Picture's worth a thousand words. And even then, a video's worth a thousand pictures. Watch." She pointed at her right foot and Xian watched as the underside formed into a hardened shoe sole.

A pointed piece of hardened flesh peeked out from under the heel as the rest of the 'shoe' formed two angles.

Xian ran her hand over the foot. "Wow, those are some dangerous high heels... Anything else you can do that I should be aware of?"

The android's face turned to look somewhere else. "Nothing coming to my mind at the moment."

"You sure?" Xian raised an eyebrow. "Remember, I'm a chief operative. The more I know about you, the better I can plan my operations to make you as effective as you should. Don't be afraid to tell me everything."

"Xian," Elise put her chin inside the palm of her left hand. "Would you tell your boss if you had an ingrown toenail?"

Xian briefly looked to the side in the search of a good reply. "...Right, okay."

"Good!" The android smiled at her comrade. "I should be done with those things in five minutes. Anything I need to do afterwards?"

"No. Nothing's planned today. If you want, after that you can go and hang out at the lounge or meet some other Crate members."

"Okay, I'll do that." Elise briefly stopped her work to finish her coffee. "When's the next operation planned?"

"I don't know yet. It'll depend on what goes on in the neighborhood. I'll try to bring you a newspaper tomorrow. Anyways, take it easy until then. You've had it pretty rough so far and I want you at your best when it's time to get down to business... Well, I'm off to check on where I'll be eating tonight. Oh, want me to take that for you?"

Xian came across Masahito on her way back to the second floor and struck a quick conversation about where to put the android. After a quick two-minute debate, they agreed that they were in a disagreement: Xian would've wanted to put Elise in Masahito's team because it was the smallest of the Crate, but the man retorted that his team was perfectly balanced as it was and he didn't want to go through the trouble of re-figuring out everything just to accommodate a new operative who hadn't even made her proofs yet. His verdict: stick her with Alexanne and the rest of the mutants. Not that he had anything against mutants personally, but he judged Exi would be better placed than him to manage such an oddball.

Xian looked heavenwards. "Yeah, you have it easy; it's just a bunch of machos in your team!" She began her climb to the second floor with a sigh while Masahito walked away with a laugh set at full volume.

She quickly checked the catwalk balcony leading to Works' office to see if there was anyone who would suggest a good restaurant, but, as expected, there was no one. She put the foam cup in the trash can with her mind lost inside a maze of restaurant names, suggested dishes, food styles and other details about fine cuisine.

Her mind suddenly came to a stop. She slowly turned her head around and stared at the foam cup she had just thrown into the can.

#35

The wise black market man said nothing to strangers. It was a common saying back then. It was Shrike who had taught me this one.

I'm not that much for secrecy, honestly. It sounds a bit show-off, but I like to talk about myself, and I like to hear others share who and what they are with me. Sure, it has its dangers, but I'm willing to take the risk. Let it be known that I exist, for the love of God! The other Insas were so bent on secrecy, they probably don't even remember each other right now. If they passed by each other in the realm of the dead, they wouldn't react. I'm betting five hundred Bucks straight out on that.

I don't know if #35 applies anymore. I am not among complete strangers. As written on that old comic book: 'Stranger in a strange land!' It's the same New Colombus, but it's completely unknown to me. I don't even know how things look like at the surface. Maybe everyone's in flying cars and eating dehydrated food. Maybe they're all wearing fancy and out-of-taste space suits. Maybe sushi is actually edible now! We sure do suck for a city so close to the ocean and yet so bad when it comes to serving nice-tasting fish. Even after I cooked it, it still tasted like shit. Almost as if the sushi plates carried some sort of bacteria that made everything go wrong. I could say I'm not the one for rare or raw things, but it looks so appetizing! My tiny little stomach growls in anticipation when I see one of those beautifully arranged pieces of fish.

Hey, I almost thought "shit" instead of "fish". I guess my subconscious is on it too!

The really bad part about it all is that I don't know anyone. Well, except for Xian, Lowlife and Works, but aside from that, I'm like a schoolgirl lost in downtown Elenbakk. I'll have to check the networks to see if that city is still as badly designed and impersonal as its reputation claimed back then.

Oh, here's someone in my crosshairs. Matte red super armor, a cute ball of wild blonde hair, slightly Asian eyes, looks pretty muscular...

"Nice to meet you! I'm Masahito Saito, sub-chief operative. People usually call me Rage though."

"Oh dear, and why is that." Said Elise with a mischievous smirk, to which the young man replied with an exaggerated growl. They both laughed at this little comedy.

"Well, anyways." Masahito said. "If you need anything, just call me and I'll hook you up. I know a load of people in the black market for weapon mods and whatnot. You can also check up with Alexanne; she'll probably be your teammate. By the way, she's also my girlfriend. So you know what that means: watch yourself when you're around her!"

"Don't worry, I'm not lesbian." This reply caused Masahito to laugh out loud. He then stood up and lightly hit her shoulder with his knuckles. "Well, I'm off. See you tomorrow!"

Let's be serious: even though he was in my face for no more than a minute, Masahito genuinely turns me on. This is a pretty strong word in my vocabulary, considering I have no genitalia. And if he's so handsome, I wonder how I'll react to his beautiful girlfriend. She must be one of those blonde top models like I used to see on electronic magazines. It's a law, I say: if you're a handsome man, you'll be with a beautiful yet dumbass of a girl. Don't ask me why, it's a human thing I guess, and I'm even close to understanding the origins of such a law.

So, that puts a fourth person in my "I know him!" list. Next comes Alexanne, or if she isn't around, whoever happens to be around when I finish storing my weapons away. It's going to take me a while to know everyone in the Crate, so I'd better start right now...