Switching from child form to a more adult form would not be easy. The old casement would have to be deconstructed and a new casement built around the neurocomp segment.
Hotaru looked over the files that were assembled on the monitor. If she could just get this, it would be ideal. Synthetic tissues would make her so close to human that it would be difficult to tell she was not. Oh, there would still be her access ports but instead of the back of the neck these would be located behind the ribcage on her left side. Difficult to reach if she'd been human, but the idea of having to ask Ranma to access her I/O ports and then him actually handling them - it was oddly intriguing to her.
She'd just send in this upgrade package request, knowing it would be denied. After all, she was a "pure" Hotaru unit - the 00 Prototype. They wouldn't approve any changes in basic design.
Akane had been hesitant in coming to work for the first time in over a month. Confronting her newly realized feelings regarding her employer was difficult for her.
The security unit, one of the Cammy 2000 series, at the main gate glanced over the human. Weapons check, biosystems check, voiceprint match, ID card check. "Miss Tendo, please report to the CEO's office before changing into your uniform. Building Three, room 1400."
Akane froze. "The president?"
"Yes, ma'am. Move along please," instructed the Cammy as she noted the delivery truck moving up the drive.
"Ah," said Akane, moving off and wondering what THIS was about. She'd never even met the President, her hiring had never involved anyone above the rank of Household Manager during the interview. What could she have done?
Had someone reported her sparring with Ranma yesterday? Not Ranma, surely. His only disappointment had been her reluctance to fight him 'for real'. That Haruka unit - maybe. She had always thought they were a bit shifty. Something about the eyes. They'd watched her a little closely whenever she interacted with one.
Building One was the main household and living quarters, which was normally where she worked as a maid. Building Two was the tall spire-like building that had administration among other functions. Building Three was the labs and factory complex, more a set of buildings off to themselves except that they were all interconnected.
She'd only been in Building Two twice. Once to fill out an application, the second time to be interviewed for the position of maid.
Entering the building she saw a Michiru unit acting as receptionist, who merely waved her towards the elevator while apparently answering phones.
"Floor please?" asked the elevator when she entered it.
"Fourteen," said Akane, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach.
The elevator began its journey. "Is the Mozart to your liking, Miss Tendo?"
"Huh?" Akane asked, startled out of a chain of thoughts. "Oh yeah, it's fine."
The elevator wasn't an AI, merely had a decent parser and a large preprogrammed set of responses, so it merely continued on its way. "Here we go. Fourteenth floor, administration. When you exit the elevator please hold your arms out and stand on the foot silhouettes."
"Huh?" asked Akane, repeating her earlier comment.
"Security scanners to foil industrial spies or saboteurs who might have made it this far," said the elevator, this response being interpreted as a request for details.
"Oh yeah," said Akane as the doors opened. Sure enough there was a metal archway and a pair of outlines on the floor.
She looked around now that she was here, surprised that after the typical Japanese office building look of the lower floors that the top floor of Building Two was more exotic. Wood panelling, brass lamp fixtures - more the ambiance of a parlor or similar room than a workplace. Life-sized statues graced inset alcoves just off the corridors.
It was somewhat showier than the actual residential areas, but then Akane realized that this was probably where VIPs were greeted and given special treatment.
"Thank you. Follow the green line to Suite 1400."
Akane glanced down at the floor and saw several colored lines, one of which was back-lit now, running through the wood tiling.
Following the line for its brief distance, Akane found it terminated at a couple of doors that looked like antique wood. She wasn't that naive though and thought these were probably wood veneer over military grade armor. This WAS the CEO's office after all and there were people who would love to get their hands on the various secrets that Millenium Industries was rumored to still have.
Nodoka let the girl wait a few moments before giving the command for the doors to open. Not due to any desire to intimidate the girl, more a reminder of exactly the sort of stakes in this game. If Ranma DID end up with young Miss Tendo, then she would have to adapt to an entirely different socio-economic reality than the one she was used to.
The doors finally slid open and a nervous young girl entered.
"Ah, Miss Tendo, good of you to come by," began Nodoka. "I'll be more blunt than is usual in business dealings. I have received very good reports about you."
"You have?!" asked Akane, almost ready to fall over in relief.
"Oh yes, excepting of course that incident in the kitchen," said Nodoka, making a point of not noticing the girl's wince at that reminder.
"Well..." said the suddenly nervous again Akane.
"It is with that in mind that I have a new position in mind for you, which of course carries with it a raise in your salary," continued Nodoka.
"Oh?" asked Akane. Not that her current wage was poor, but 'maid' wasn't exactly the most prestigious of occupations and the money she brought in seemed to get tight with household expenses.
"Yes, of course this comes with additional responsibilities and may require some mandatory overtime when the need is there, but I have every reason to believe this promotion is within your capabilities," said Nodoka.
"Uhm, what kind of promotion is this?" asked Akane, who had heard rumors about Nodoka Saotome being a bit... 'earthy' as it were.
Nodoka handed Akane a single page job description. "Why I want you to be Ranma's:"
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Thu, 05 May 2005 10:11)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.