Chapter 20: Forced Light Mediation — Part 9
Orchid felt rather than saw the yank and twist of a gravity pulse across her left shoulder, and Spunky flew back, slamming into a post with enough force to cause it to deactivate. When Orchid looked back, Jun and Swift were flying rapidly into view, both of them hot with rage, moving with a third, rather short young lady who raised her hands and sent the biodroids flying about as if struck by the edge of an explosion. The biodroids sizzled and vaporized into the snap, and Yoshi, sensing danger, moved to attack Orchid. Jun made a glyph with her fingers that ended with her pulling the tips of her fingers away from each other, and energy twisted about Yoshi’s throat, crushing his larynx and causing him to gasp for air. As Yoshi fell, straining, Jun jumped forward and passed Ambria, slamming her sword through Spunky’s armor, piercing it to the core, damaging the bander and causing it to shunt completely off-line.
Jun extended her hand toward Ambria, her eyes glowing with rage, her fingertips sparkling with raw power. “Did you order Spunky to attack? Did you order Yoshi to fight? Did you order the biodroids to mark Orchid for death? They moved. We struck. Don’t deny it. Did you give the order?”
“Why would I give such an order?” Ambria’s eyes darted first to Orchid, then to Spunky, now pierced to the core by Jun’s sword.
Orchid didn’t have time to try to engage Ambria in conversation again. The woman, having lost her advantage, threw Yoshi over a shoulder and fled into the Snap. Her biodroids did not return to face the young lady who had bested them with little more than the flick of a finger. Ambria abandoned Spunky, whose power couplings shorted out, a trickling internal fire sending plumes of smoke into the air. Orchid turned away from the table with its fine cloth and spilled tea, looking at the girl with a mix of relief and curiosity, and then turned her attention to Jun. Jun shrugged, her eyes shifting about. The young lady hugged Orchid closely, smiling affectionately, as if she had known Orchid her entire life. Orchid tilted her head slightly, wondering about the girl. Her eyes were green, her hair was positively unruly and the brightest purple Orchid had ever seen, and her lips were coated in a rose red gloss. A foot shorter than Orchid, the girl’s smile hid none of her perfect white teeth. The girl, either a short young lady or a tall twelve year old, released Orchid from the unexpected hug and began walking the perimeter of the building. Orchid turned to Jun, starting to ask about the girl.
“I have no idea who she is.” Jun said. “She contacted Swift, said you were in trouble. Swift trusted her, so we came, Spunky’s energy readings began to build, and Yoshi’s hand had moved to his sword shortly after our arrival — and despite our being undetected. The girl moved at the right time.”
“I’m here to take care of you.” The girl said.
“Why?” Orchid asked.
“Intelligence likes you.”
“Do you have a name?”
“Oh, I should have known you wouldn’t recognize me by voice alone. It’s me, Diane. Only I’m a full blown girl now, with all the bits and pieces.”
“Let’s get Spunky back to my lab.” Orchid said, “We can talk more once I’ve analyzed the remains.”
“He’s not dead.” Diane corrected. “He’s merely offline.”
“I’m speaking future tense, sweetheart.” Orchid’s thoughts had turned dark, almost hateful.
Diane wiggled her fingers. “I love having fingers and toes. It’s really quite fascinating. Oh what one can do with them.”
“I could show you things.” Ren said from the door.
Orchid looked back, glaring at the perverted teenager. “This is no place for children. Go on and play with your friends.”
Ren smiled disarmingly. “Sure, but I want to talk more about fingers and toes with Diane, when she has the chance.”
“I know what you want.” Orchid said under her breath. “No heartbreak on my watch.”
