Motoko nodded in agreement. "That's true enough. There's a lot of people in the military and police now with their own 'special' talents, so it makes things rather... interesting."
"But that's half the fun. And isn't it better to have more to bring to the fight than less?"
"It does open up some options."
"Don't forget that there are plenty of people who aren't involved in some sort of government work though," Briareos pointed out, holding up a finger as he made his point. "They just want to live regular lives."
"Which is why we will do what we are setting out to do. We'll keep everything safe and secure so that the people can live happy lives, never having to worry about the things that we keep an eye out for," Aramaki reminded the three younger individuals.
"Trust me. From what we've seen, we want that too."
"You've seen something of interest?"
The armored cyborg shrugged his heavy shoulders. "I wouldn't say that. We did see a nice little scene down at the markets when we were passing through yesterday."
"What are you.... Oh, the couple with the kid," Deunan drawled, nodding in recognition of what her partner meant.
"Exactly. You see, there was this fight down there between two guys that got out of hand. One of them got knocked towards this little girl, which would have really hurt her. But one of her parents stepped into the way."
"Her father protected her?" Aramaki asked.
"No. Her mother. She not only shielded her child, but smacked the idiots away like there was nothing to it. But she didn't want to fight. All she wanted to do was to get going with her husband and kid."
"What were their names again...." the blonde woman murmured, frowning in thought.
"'Sylibus'. The husband's name was 'Ross Sylibus'. And the wife was...."
"'Naomi Armitage'," the major stated.
"That's her. You know them?"
"Not personally. But I do know about them."
That drew a scowl from Deunan. "Any problems that we might have missed?"
"We were considering having her become part of our Section, just like with you two."
"Ohh...."
"But it looks like we'll have to have someone talk to her," Kusanagi commented with a rueful shake of her head. "If she wants to live as normal a life as we think that she does, then she really should keep from over doing it. But we'll just take the steps that'll let her life go undisrupted. For the time being, at least. It is the best that we can do around here."
"Why, hello Mrs. Sylibus!" the baker called out as she looked up at the jingling of the bell at the door. "It's good to see you here."
Naomi smiled at the solid figure of a woman. "I could say the same about you, Mrs. Laken. You okay?"
"Fit as a fiddle, young lady. And what about you, and your family? How are your husband and little girl doing?"
"Oh, they're fine. Ross is at work, and Yoko has school...."
"Hard to let them go the first time, isn't it?"
"That's true," the former police officer sighed. "I never thought that it would be that tough. But I knew that I had to send her to school."
"Isn't that always the case? You forget all the work and pain that you went through, including giving birth when it comes time to realize that they're growing up," the older woman sighed.
"Well, when I had her, I didn't notice the pain...."
"You didn't have her the regular way?"
"Of course I gave birth to her," Naomi responded, smiling helplessly as she recognized that the woman was thinking of all the ways that magic and science could 'help' the birthing process. "I actually was too focused on having her. You see, I'd just lost a lot of my family only months earlier, so...."
"You don't mean...."
"Yes, my sisters, and my father were killed, so having Ross and Yoko gave me more than the love we shared. It gave me a family."
Mrs. Laken pressed a hand to her bosom. "Oh, you poor child...."
"Don't worry about it. I'm more than happy now, and I'm getting to enjoy a lot more than I ever thought I would. Including getting to shop for fresh bread."
"I suppose that we know where your priorities lie, young lady."
"With my family, of course."
"As it should be. Let's get you your bread so that you can get on to your next stop."
"The fish seller down the way," Naomi informed her dutifully.
"Good for you. They have some really good deals there. And they should, what with his wife."
"Oh? I've met her, and wondered sometimes, but...."
"She's a selkie, didn't you know? Odd couple...."
"Why?"
"Because he's never hidden her skin from her," the baker told her. "That girl could leave him at any time, but she doesn't. Instead, he takes her out, and lets her swim along side the boat when they go help out at the fish farm."
"Wow."
"Isn't that the truth. Well then, let's see what's the freshest, shall we?"
"You always have the best."
"You sweet thing, you," Mrs. Laken murmured playfully swatting at the younger woman, while:
(Posted Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:49)
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