She might as well have used a blast of cold water. Usagi made a startled noise, tried to jump back, and fell backwards where she thumped her head. Rei and Makoto were startled from their earlier mood and tried to grab up their clothing. Ranma was waving his arms, stuttering denials and looking about as shocked as it was possible to be.
The girl who had just stuck her head in the tent to ask for directions had turned scarlet and was staring wildly from one to the other of the tent's inhabitants.
The watcher shook her head.
She watched over slaves, being part of the Bureau. First time slave owners often needed reminders of what they could require or do with their slaves. As the new slaves often had strange ideas of what they could and couldn't do as well. When a first time Master had new-to-the-trade slaves, there were bound to be complications and misunderstandings. She fully expected that to be the case with this Ranma Saotome, and the situation had been flagged to her attention.
Now this girl, the "genius exam ace", had just violated the "no contact" rule of her probation.
The watcher called it in, tsking briefly as the camp went into complete disarray. Just when things had been going so well too. It was just dim enough in the early evening that the IR scope had been able to give all the salient details through the thin walls of the tent.
The "genius girl" would probably get a warning. Her parent would be notified. As the parent was responsible for her child, and the parent was a prominent pediatrician at the local hospital - fines or some other punishment would be levied against her. Pity though - prior to that break-in neither the doctor or her child had any marks on their record.
A brief inquiry from her cellphone had the watcher again looking over the scene, analyzing it with normal binoculars now that most of those involved were now outside the tent and clothed. Could the probation violator be intending to join her friends?
It wasn't unheard of. Friendships could be strong and there was a precedent for such behavior. If that was the case, then a psychiatric evaluation would turn it up. It would also explain the incredible bungling that had gone into that raid on the Bureau's processing center.
The other girl wasn't present, but from what the watcher had heard it wasn't too unlikely that she might end up on the block soon.
The watcher considered what her parabolic had relayed to her, what she'd seen, and replied. Yes, it certainly was possible that the "exam ace" had snapped from the stress and was looking for refuge with her friends. A shame, but such things happened.
She'd likely get the warning, her mother would get a fine and talking to - including the possibility that this was something her daughter wanted, and she'd be watched for a second violation.
Upon that second violation, if it occurred, Ami Mizuno would be hauled off to processing and be delivered the next day. There were enough romantics and long-time friends among the slaves of the Bureau that the paperwork would be quietly stamped and filed before she'd even gotten to the center.
Putting away her spy tools, the watcher prepared to go to the next group on her list.
Ami felt her heartrate go through the roof.
Rei, Makoto, and Usagi all blushed furiously - oddly similar to Ami in this regard.
Wooooooooooo went a tootle from a siren as the police car pulled up to the curb at the end of the park.
Now it was AMI'S turn to get nervous and duck into the tent. If she was found violating her probation, things could get very nasty.
"My pops got a permit, I'm here for the Nerima Big Brawl," said Ranma to the police officers when they'd reached the tent.
"It isn't that," one of the officers assured the youth. "We're here for:"
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(Posted Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:02)
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