The Problems With Prototypes

Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward, the Genome Corporation Tower...

\"Ladies, ladies, please be seated! As soon as you\'re all comfortable, we\'ll get started right away,\" the young executive claps her hands as the small group of government officials, including the Defence Minister, the Director-in-Chief of the Self-Defence Forces and the service chiefs, take their seats in the auditorium. Each of the VIPs who had come to watch this demonstration are under escort by a teenage girl dressed in a dark flowery kimono, girls chosen for their grace and beauty to ensure that any stray thoughts these particular officials might have would be quickly banished before a firm decision was made concerning government funding support to Project: BMS.

As soon as the last person is seated, the raven-haired twentysomething with the dark eyes takes a deep breath. \"Minister, Generals, Admiral, ladies,\" she respectfully bows. \"On behalf of Akagi-hakase and Ikari-hakase, I\'d like to welcome you to the Genome Corporation for what we hope will be an entertaining morning for all involved. For those of you who don\'t know me, my name is Katsuragi Misato. I\'m a retired lieutenant-commander in the United States Navy SEALs...\" -- her hand brushes over the miniature \"Budweiser\" eagle-and-trident badge normally worn by those who served in that elite force, it now on her jacket collar -- \"...and chief manager of Project BMS. These lovely ladies here...\" she waves to the women in the smocks draped over stylish clothing seated to her left, \"...are Project BMS\' chief scientists, Akagi Ritsuko and Ikari Yui. After the demonstration, they\'ll be both more than happy to answer whatever questions you have.\"

Scattered applause. As Misato begins her introductory speech, the Defence Minister, Kuritomo Hitomi, blinks on feeling a slender hand grasp hers. Looking left at her young escort -- she had introduced herself as Ikari Shinji, daughter of one of BMS\' chief scientists -- Hitomi feels her cheeks slightly flush as Shinji absently tugs at her kimono top, revealing an enticing amount of adolescent cleavage. A gulp forms in the older woman\'s throat, then she turns back to Misato as her hand drifts on its own accord to Shinji\'s knee. The younger girl\'s hand slips over her companion\'s, keeping the latter\'s hand anchored in place. Hitomi gazes on her escort again, her heart thumping faster as the latter\'s warm blue eyes fix on her. Shinji gives her a smile, then slightly tugs Hitomi\'s hand towards her crotch.

Of course, though she can\'t see anything thanks to other peoples\' bodies in the way, Misato is aware of what is going on. Shinji and the other girls assigned as escorts today were under direct orders to do all in their power to keep the Corporation\'s guests comfortable. If that meant some touchy-feely, that was alright. The guests would be getting a more complete look at what Genome had created soon enough.

\"...the Virus\' direct effects on the women of Earth have forced the militaries of various countries to seek out unique solutions to ensure the preservation of their national sovereignty,\" Misato continues her speech. \"For the most part, that has led the arms industry to look to the heavy use of robotics, cybernetics and AI research to provide us with the perfect \'soldier of the future,\' In Japan, Mishima Heavy Industries has taken the lead in the creation of this initial generation of android troopers under the aegis of Project: Marionette. You are all, no doubt, aware of the success rate they\'ve had with their various series of androids, culminating in the J and Y Class series using the so-called \'maiden circuit\' and \'stud circuit\' central processor units created by the team of Lorelei and Fausta Geiltlin. Of course...\" a contrite look crosses Misato\'s fate, \"...speaking on behalf of my co-workers, we here at the Genome Corporation do not, in any way, take joy at the tragedy that befell Lorelei-san sometime ago. We hope and pray for her eventual recovery.\"

\"Your company was once interested in using the \'stud circuit\' for your own android designs,\" the chief of the Air Self Defence Forces notes, her arm now gently wrapped around that of the blue-eyed redhead beside her, Asuka Langley.

\"Hai, General Himuro, we were,\" Misato nods. \"I should add that yes, there were those working for Genome who were TOO enthusiastic about acquiring the Stud Circuit design without going through the proper channels. I assure you all that Chairwoman Mason did not look upon those actions with any sort of kindness whatsoever. Those who participated in such have been caught and dealt with in an appropriate manner. Furthermore, I\'m pleased to say that, shortly after beginning Project: BMS, we discovered something we believe will work much better with our 33-series android units than the use of the Stud Circuit -- much less the brains of dead cats! My goodness, I wonder what\'s going to happen when the animal rights crowd get wind of THAT little modification Chairwoman Natsume made with her latest products!\"

Laughter escapes the crowd. \"Chairwoman Natsume told us that the cat brains were needed to solve certain higher cognitive function problems previous Marionette models encounter right to this very day!\" the Ground Self Defence Force chief notes.

\"Yes, General Yoshizawa, that\'s true. And when we dev developing our own 34-series of male-form Sexaroid android companions, we encountered the same problem. However, thanks to the assistance of a well-known scientist who taught Ritsuko-san and Yui muc much about the application of specially-prepared DNA and recombinant RNA with artificial intelligences, we\'ve come some way towards solving it.\"

\"What scientist are you talking about, Commander?\" the Defence Minister asks.

\"Masudamasu Yoshiko, of course.\"

A chorus of \"ooh\"s and \"aah\"s escape the crowd before Misato. \"Well, now that we\'ve dealt with the preliminaries, let\'s get on to the main event, shall we?\" the retired SEAL commander chuckles, looking left. \"Sarai, will you join us, please?!\"

Silence falls over the auditorium as a tall, well-formed young woman in a plain white-and-black hakama steps onto the stage. Her hair, a beautiful mixed shade of crimson and gold, is tied in a high ponytail, flowing all the way down to the small of her back. Her eyes are the same shade as her hair. She stops beside Misato, then faces the crowd before bowing. \"Hajimimashite,\" she declares in a lilting voice flooded with the weight of well-honed steel. \"My name is Kannagi Sarai. I am the first Model 33-BMS battle maid Sexaroid.\"

Silence falls for a moment, then the Defence Minister points to the newcomer. \"You created a female-form android, Commander?\"

Misato chuckles. \"Not exactly. Sarai, show them.\"

\"Hai, Ojou-sama,\" Sarai\'s hand reaches to the straps holding her trousers in place. With a flick of the hand, they are undone, allowing the black fabric to tumble down into a pile at the android hermaphrodite\'s feet, revealing her assets for all to see.

Another chorus of \"ooh\"s and \"aah\"s responds as the guests begin to exchange rapid-fire chatter. Sarai remains in place, a content smile on her face as she awaits her next command. Watching the crowd\'s reaction, Misato can only smirk. Who the hell said doing briefs like this \"by the numbers\" worked all the time? A little T&A, not to mention a nice cock or two, went VERY far in this country...

* * *

\"The Problem With Prototypes\" Part One
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
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A story written in the universe of \"RanPorn World,\" created by Jim R. Bader, set two days after \"To Cross Over or Not To Cross Over...\" Copies of Jim\'s story can be located at http://jimbader.web1000.com/jimbader.html OR http://home.hostultra.com/~AngCobraFics/jimbader.html
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\"Urusei Yatsura\" and \"Ranma 1/2,\" created by Rumiko Takahashi. \"Dookyuusei,\" created by ELF. \"Neon Genesis Evangelion,\" created by GAINAX. \"Bubblegum Crisis,\" created by ARTMIC. \"Futari H,\" created by Katsu Aki. Characters from those and other anime, manga or television series appearing or mentioned here are copyrighted by their creators and/or publishers.
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NOTE: This is a lemon story. You know what to do.

NOTE II: In respect to Jim\'s writing style, all Oriental (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc) names are written in \"family name-first\" order in the narrative. Western names are written in \"family name-last\" order. Mixed names will be written dependant on the family name.

NOTE III: Writer\'s commentary and translations of foreign language text will appear at the end of the story text.

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Oo-shima, south of Tokyo, sometime before lunch...

\"Made it...\"

Takindeepdeep breath, the tomboyish girl with the sullen brown eyes and the reddish-brown hair cut to a taper at the back of the neck walks through the stylized gate leading onto one of the many swimming beaches lining the volcanic island at the mouth of the Sagami Sea. Around her, hundreds of women -- the odd singles like herself, a few couples and a considerable number of multi-party groups -- proceed to the open-air change rooms located on the inland edge of the beach. Even before getting to those change rooms, many start taking off their outer clothing, revealing a lingerie store\'s worth of racyergaergarments. A considerable number of the people coming to this beach today, Tsutsumi Rui is quick to notice, didn\'t bother with any sort of underwear whatsoever. As soon as their clothes are stripped off, they hand them to someone who\'d see them secured in the change rooms before racing off for an invigorating dip in the Pacific.

Public etiquette at beaches worldwide had undergone a considerable evolution in the wake of the Millennial Virus. When all it took, it seemed, was a coy glance at someone else to launch an orgy on the proverbial spot, the idea of enforcing rules against any sort of \"lewd\" behaviour in public places was quickly seen as impractical. Over time, an unofficial dress code was developed to signify what a beachgoer\'s mood ally lly was. If said person was totally naked, she was pussy-hunting or willing to be the target of said pussy-hunt. Thong panties told viewers, \"I might be in the mood if you\'re my type.\" Bikini bottoms told people that the beachgoer wasn\'t interested in sex, but had come out to sunbathe or go swimming. Any sort of top worn to cover the nipples loudly said, \"I have a lover and I\'m content. Go away!\" People who came to the beach to seek out a future full-time girlfriend normally wore cloth bands around their wrists or a headband.

The above dress code was most often respected by beachgoers.

\"Most often\" meaning \"not always,\" of course.

As she slips off her skirt and top to reveal a nice red thong that went perfectly with her hair and tanned skin, Rui takes a deep breath, then slips on a pair of armbands she had picked up in Atami beform taking the ferry to Oo-shima. She is sixteen years old, the lone daughter of a woman whose purpose in life -- so Rui now believed -- was offering her twat up to whoever is interested in screwing her. Rui couldn\'t recall the last time her mother had been home for more than twenty-four hours per MONTH over the last three years. Because of that, Rui had to learn how to take care of herself. It had been easy for her. A little TOO easy in fact. And that was her problem.

Tsutsumi Rui is like over ninety percent of women alive. Blessed by the Virus to have perfect health, an overwhelming immunity to any disease pathogen, an equally remarkable cellular regenerative ability that could deal with all but the most severe physical trauma, boundless levels of stamina, a lifespan potential that extended into CENTURIES -- and a libido that didn\'t understand \"stop!\" or \"quit!\" Considered by her neighbours to be the hottest piece of young pussy to live at the Animal Mansion, located in the east end of Tokyo, Rui certainly didn\ack ack for sexual companions when she got into the mood. And yes, like many of her peers, Rui was almost ALWAYS in the mood.

But in the last year or so, Rui had come to discover that it just wasn\'t ENOUGH. Something was missing in her life. At first, she didn\'t understand what it might actually be. Then, when she had been busy hanging her laundry on the balcony of her apartment some weeks ago, she overheard two of the neighbours a floor down talking about \"the little slut in Apartment 905.\" How that if it wasn\'t for the fact that she gladly spread her legs for anyone who wanted a quick piece of tail, the manager would\'ve tossed Rui onto the street when her mother all but disappeared. The jokes said women carelessly tossed about her -- how the manager had been willing to ignore the mounting expenses for the Tsutsumis because Rui gave such great blow-jobs, how Rui would probably never amount to anything more than \"migrant pussy\" just like her mother had pretty much become -- had cut the poor girl\'s very soul to shreds. For she soon realized how true it was.

Despite her friendliness, despite her kindness, despite her warmth and humour, no one truly respected Rui.

That hurt.

After crying herself to sleep that night, Rui woke up with a new resolve. She was going to get away from the Mansion, move somewhere where she could try to make a better life for herself and get the respect she damn hell felt she deserved. But doing that proved much easier to say than do. She was only sixteen years old, a first year high school girl whose employment prospects, even in these days with society still recovering from the total loss of half its population base fifteen years ago, were regrettably slim. Atop that, if she tried to sneak away, what might happen if she got caught and the news got back to the Mansion? Rui\'s heart soon began to drown in the pit of ultimate despair as the hopelessness of her situation, the sheer beauty of the TRAP her mother left her in, sank in.

\"Tank top...\"

Rui curses herself, then reaches into her beach bag to pull out a pink tank top to slip over herself. Over the left breast is a corporate logo, a red heart with the scripted Roman letters \"LD\" on it, the whole surrounded by a single silver ring. Ensuring it is in place, she gazes on herself via a nearby floor-length mirror, then after securing her bag in a locker, marches out into the crowd...

* * *

\"Kawada Yura?! She called you?!\"

\"Hai,\" Kurokawa Satomi nods as she and Moroboshi Tariko step onto the beach. Both are dressed in loose-nit white silk shirts and black thongs, a beach towel and everything else a couple wanting to spend some hours on the sand might require. \"Yura-san and Masae-san moved into this new apartment block a month ago. They bumped into this first year high scl, Tl, Tl, Tsutsumi Rui, whose mom\'s been sleeping around so much, she hasn\'t been seen by ANYBODY at the place for what seems like FOREVER. Anyhow, most of the other there\'ve pretty much turned the poor kid into the local block slut, but Rui-chan doesn\'t want to be that. Yura-san and Masae-san want to help her, but...\"

Satomi shrugs, she giving her beloved a knowing look. Tariko sighs. \"Gotcha. Instant they try to \'steal\' the local commune\'s play toy, they\'re risking getting tossed out on their ears! And with Yura-chan and Masae-chan having just given birth to their newborns, too!\"

Kawada Yura is a mid-level manager at Moody\'s in Shinjuku. Her lifemate, the former Sugiyama Masae, had served as Yura\'s chief office lady for five years until they tied the knot. A couple who asked for \"consultations\" from Tariko a year ago, they now had a pair of newborn daughters, Hiromi and Ikuyo. Tariko hadn\'t heard of Yura\'s and Masae\'s move to a new apartment, though it seemed prudent; their old rooms, where their children had been conceived one stormy night, was barely big enough for them both, much less a pair of children.

Tariko DID know that the birth of Yura\'s and Masae\'s children had caused a little revolution among their circle of intimate friends. Yura\'s party-loving sister, Kawada Rika -- when she first met the tomboyish Rika, Tariko swore that the woman was a clone of Miyaki Shinobu! -- tied the knot with one of her sister\'s oldest friends, Oomiya Kyooko, five months ago. Two of Yura\'s university classmates, Maisaka Riko and Tadai Hiromi -- Yura\'s daughter was named in the latter\'s honour -- became engaged after Yura and Masae married. A schoolmate of Yura\'s who later became of her OLs, Sakuchi Miyuki, married her co-worker Miya Arisa around the same time that Yura and Masae tied the knot, though both were going to wait before having children (they promised Tariko to seek \"consultation\" from her on that matter). Also having tied the knot at the time Yura and Masae had their babies were two of the latter\'s old co-workers, Toregawa Ikuyo and Nagao Mai. And Rika\'s best friend from university, Itou Akane, was now going steady with Kyooko\'s cousin, a third year high schooler named Onoda Jun.

\"So we have to hide the girl somewhere safe until she gets her life back in order,\" Tariko breathes out. \"okayokay with this, \'Tomi?\"

\"Of course I am, Tari,\" Satomi gives Tariko\'s hand a squeeze. \"Yura-san faxed me a picture of Rui-san. She\'s cute! And you have complained a lot about keeping up with the administrative side of running LDE. Rui-san\'s math grades are spectacular; that\'s at least what Masae-san told me. And I can use an extra hand or two at Otimtim\'s while you\'re off earning money and helping make babies.\"

\"Hai, hai, that\'s true,\" Tariko leans over to kiss Satomi\'s cheek. \"So what does she look like?\" \"Re\"Red-brown hair cut in the same style as Yura-san\'s sister, brown eyes. She\'ll be wearing the LDE tank-top you gave Masae-san.\"

Tariko blinks, then smiles. \"That sounds easy enough...\"

* * *

\"Oh, no...!\"

Rui shudders as her eyes focus on the three women who had just marched onto the beach from her vantage point near an okonomiyaki yatai. Mizuhara Kiyoko, Shoina Shooko and Ogana Narumi, three of the women from the Animal Mansion who had taken delight in Rui\'s charms far too many times in the past. Given the fact that none of them seemed willing to take off their clothes, not to mention the determined looks on their faces -- plus the fact that Yura and Masae had brushed their neighbours\' sexual advances off EVERY time since they moved into the Mansion two ms ags ago -- the poor high school student could only conclude two things, both of which bode quite some ill for her:

One, they knew of her desire to get away from the Mansion.

Two, they knew that the Kawadas were supporting her attempt to escape.

Gulping, Rui quickly shuffles away, trying to lose herself in the crowd...

* * *

\"Eh?!\"

\"What?\" Satomi turns on Tariko.

A stunned look is paralysed on the brunette\'s face as her body seems to shiver with a tsunami of tiny sparks dancing all over her nervous system. Glancing around, Tariko\'s eyes narrow as she automatically reaches for a special pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses one of the Mendou Clan\'s Kuromegane had given her two years ago. Slipping them over her eyes, she relaxes as she allows her telepathic powers to go active, that action reflecting in her eyes glowing a lovely shade of burgundy that would still draw a lot of unwanted attention.

Tariko\'s vision clouds over, the women around her becoming barely-human shapes as her eyes sweep over them before locking on a single figure moving away from a nearby yatai. \"There! C\'mon, \'Tomi!\" she grabs Satomi\'s arm, then leads her girlfriend through the crowd...

* * *

\"Going somewhere, Rui-chan?!\"

Rui stops, nearly choking on the lump in her throat, then she spins around to see an icily grimacing Narumi gazing at her from two metres away. Both now stand in a small wooded area separating the beach from the seashore road, a high fence closing the forest off from the roadway. Before she could turn to run, she jolts on seeing Kiyoko and Shooko blocking off her potential escape route. \"Shame on you, Rui-chan,\" the diminutive Shooko leers as she takes a step towards Rui. \"We were expecting you to come to my place this morning to give us some personal entertainment. It annoyed us greatly when we came to your apartment to see you gone, Rui-chan. What are you doing here?\"

The high schooler gulps, then shudders. \"I came to get some sun!\"

\"Dressed like that? A likely story,\" Kiyoko snorts. \"We all figured some trouble would start the instant the Kawadas moved into the Mansion. You\'ve been spending a little TOO much time around them this last month or so, Rui-chan. And since neither Yura or Masae are willing to spread their legs for anyone but themselves, there\'s no way in Hell that you\'ve had any sex with them.\"

\"We know how those two dykes look upon what you do for us, Rui-chan,\" Narumi chuckles. \"Who the fuck gives a pair of newcomers like that the right to judge what happens between us, especially with those two little screaming balls of smelly snot they\'ve got with them these days?!\" She reaches up to start unbuttoning her shirt. \"I\'m tired of getting woken up in the middle of the damned night because those two can\'t keep those brats under control! Maybe we should find some way to get those dykes thrown out of the Mansion...\"

A surprised gasp escapes Narumi\'s lips as her whole body suddenly jolts, a hot burst of erotic fire exploding from her groin to overwhelm all her senses. Collapsing to her knees, the wavy-haired brunette\'s hands dive into her panties so she could fondle herself. \"Narumi!!\" Shooko cries out on seeing her neighbour rendered helpless, then she screams out as something akin to a giant vibrator rams hard into her womanhood. he fhe falls to her side, Kiyoko wails as hot sparks of pure passion begin to dance all over her skin.

Watching her pursuers -- who seconds ago were ready to drag her back to the Mansion, no doubt for some \"obedience training!\" -- now ripping their own clothes off and wildly masturbating, Rui can only just stand there, her mind in turmoil as she tries to make some sense of this. A hiss from her left makes her turn to see a silver-haired woman her age leaning out from behind a thick tree, her hand making a \"come here\" gesture. Rui blinks, then nods, slowly walking away from the older women, who are too busy taking care of their own personal needs to notice her escape. As soon as she is close to the other woman, Rui notices the presence of a third, a brunette with sunglasses over her eyes. She is quick to recognize that person from a picture the Kawadas had of her in their apartment. \"Moroboshi Tariko-sama!!\"

\"Don\'t worry about your three \'friends,\' Rui-chan,\" Tariko smirks as she glances around the tree to see Narumi and Shooko drifting towards Kiyoko to start a particularly hot manege-a-trois. \"With the \'juice\' I just gave them, they\'ll be too busy fucking each other\'s brains out that they\'ll forget you were even here. By the time they get back home, your stuff\'ll be long gone.\"

\"You\'ll be staying with us from now on, Rui-san,\" Satomi adds. \"You won\'t have to worry about their stalking you ever again.\"

Rui blinks, blinks again as her mind rolls over what the newcomers just told her, then her eyes start to tear. In a second, she is crying her guts out, she now held protectively by Tariko and Satomi. Nearby, the three women who had come to Oo-shima to get their favourite sex toy back to where she \"belonged\" are too busy suckling, kissing and fondling each other to notice Rui\'s weeping...

* * *

Shinjuku, the Genome Tower, after lunch...

\"Did you enjoy the demonstration, Minister Kuritomo?\"

The Defence Minister blinks, then smiles appreciatively at her teenage host. Hitomi and Shinji now relax in a lounge near the Tower\'s summit, both enjoying after-lunch tea. The service chiefs and their hangers-on had returned to the Ministry\'s headquarters building right after the demonstration ended, many of them itching to type up reports on what Genome had just created. \"Yes, I did enjoy it, Shinji-chan. Sarai-san\'s performance was excellent. Just as good as Mishima\'s Y-class marionettes, I think.\" She then gives the younger woman beside her a conspiratorial wink. \"And don\'t think for a moment, young lady, that Katsuragi-san\'s use of J-class marionettes to be the opposition to Sarai-san in the demonstration didn\'t escape my notice,\" she cups her hand as she lowers her voice to a whisper.

Shinji giggles, politely covering her mouth. \"I wished Misato-san didn\'t do that,\" she admits, reaching down to hold Hitomi\'s hand. \"I mean, even though Misato-san, Ritsuko-san and Mom are working to stay employed and all that, just like everyone here at Genome does...\" she pauses, then shrugs, \"...well, so do all the people at Mishima, Kurusugawa Electronics and all our other competitors. We all know that. In fact, I once heard the Chairwoman admit that business relations these days are much better than they were before the Virus.\"

\"Yes, that is true. And yes, I will admit now that we are very interested in the 33-BMS design,\" Hitomi gives Shinji\'s hand a warm squeeze. \"Though I\'m a little curious as to why Sarai-san was built as a hermaphrodite. Couldn\'t they\'ve built her as a man?\"

Shinji considers that, then sighs. \"Not really, I admit. It...\" she pauses, then shrugs. \"Well, despite all the advances we\'ve made in AI research, there still is a big stumbling block concerning the bio-organic matrices Ritsuko-san and Mom got from Masudamasu-hakase.\"

\"That being?\"

\"Well, for some reason, when a female or hermaphrodite DNA code is loaded in to the base matrix Masudamasu-hakase came up with some years ago, it takes to it and we can create an android from that. But for some reason, it won\'t take to male DNA code. Every time a man\'s DNA sample is loaded in, the matrix converts it into its female equivalent, so to speak,\" Shinji explains. \"It\'s not because of the Millennial Virus, of course, but...\" she shrugs. \"Even to this day, nobody understands why it does that.\"

The minister nods. \"I\'ve been told that\'s the very same problem Masudamasu-hakase has in her own research. Amazing, isn\'t it?\" she gazes at the ceiling, then turns back to her host. \"Shinji-chan, do you know where Masudamasu-hakase got those particular stem cells from?\"

\"Hai, I do. From a woman named Moroboshi Tariko.\"

\"What do you know of Tariko-san?\"

Shinji hums, then gazes nowhere in particular. \"Moroboshi Tariko, age seventeen, born in Nerima-ku, Tokyo-to. Originally born as a male, given the name \'Ataru.\' At the time the Millennial Virus came, she was transformed by an unknown power into a woman just after she was abandoned by her birth-mother, Moroboshi Kinshou. After Kinshou-sama killed herself, Tariko-sama was forced to live at an orphanage until age four, when she was made the ward of Mendou Haruka-sama. She lived in Tomobiki until age thirteen, when she was allowed to start her own special family planning consultation business, Love Destiny Enterprises. In her transformation, Tariko-sama was gifted with great psychic powers (though she\'s not been formally tested) and the ability to bear children through a form of natural fusion pregnancy assisted by her telekinetic abilities. Since starting Love Destiny, Tariko-sama has helped an estimated forty-one thousand women worldwide to bear their own offspring outside the confines of a conception clinic. To the \'Ainu\' of Australia and Canada, Tariko-sama is called \'She Who Brings The Gift of Motherhood.\'\" A pause, then she gazes on Hitomi. \"Tariko-sama also has a girlfriend, Kurokawa Satomi. Satomi-sama is the owner of Otimtim\'s Coffee House in Nerima, co-located with Love Destiny\'s main offices. Tariko-sama is pretty much rated a full-blooded lesbian.\"

Hitomi chuckles. \"You just exposed yourself, Shinji-chan,\" she winks at her host.

The prototype 33-S model Sexaroid turns back to her tea. \"It\'s only right that you know the truth about me, ma\'am. My sisters and I noticed that some of you were frightened by how good Sarai performed in the demonstration. If she noticed that, Sarai would\'ve cried.\"

The minister\'s jaw drops. \"Cried?! Why?!\"

Shinji takes a deep breath. \"Because all of us, all the 33-S\'s and 33-BMS\'s activated to date, don\'t want people -- those we are programmed to serve -- to fear us, ma\'am,\" she gazes on her guest, her blue eyes misting. \"It\'s hard-wired into each of us, even those like Sarai and her model. We\'re to gladly protect those humans we\'ve been instructed or programmed to care for. We\'ll do it to the best of our abilities, regardless of the cost. That\'s how we were built, ma\'am. And we\'ve been built with safeguards that would make sure that humans have no need to fear us. I...\" she lowers her eyes. \"I know there\'re those who would fear us because we\'re androids, yet we\'re so well built and programmed, we\'re really no different than real girls when you get down to it. And I wish I had the power to make them not fear us, to make them like us. So...\" she shrugs, \"...all we can do is serve as best as we can in whatever we\'re asked to do.\"

\"They all feel that way, ma\'am.\"

Both turn to see Katsuragi Misato gazing at them from the doorway. \"Misato-san!\" Shinji beams, rising as the executive in charge of Project: Battle Maid Sexaroid walks up to join them, the prototype 33-S walking over to embrace her friend.

Misato shifts Shinji around to gaze on their guest, placing her hands on the latter\'s shoulders. \"Impressed, Minister?\"

\"Beyond impressed, Commander,\" Hitomi rises. \"How soon do you expect to put Shinji-chan\'s model on open market?\"

\"Actually, we\'re not going to put them on open market, not like we plan to do with the male-form 34-S\'s we about to introduce.\"

\"Eh?!\" the Defence Minister blinks, then nods understandingly. \"Oh, just build them to special order, you mean? Like the androids you constructed for Kusanagi Motoko-taisa to serve with her in Section Nine?\"

\"Exactly,\" the retired SEAL nods. \"Thanks to the restrictions the stems cells Masudamasu-hakase got from Moroboshi-san force on us, we can only make bio-organic androids in female or hermaphrodite format. The girls we\'ve made so far, save for those who now serve the good Colonel Kusanagi, are herms, including Shinji-chan here. It\'s the Chairwoman\'s desire that we offer our 33-S\'s to herms first. And if those who\'d desire a full-female form android companion happen to come along, it\'s easy for us to make them without any retooling. Anyhow...\" she gazes down on the brown-haired android herm, \"...why don\'t you go down and spend some time with Rei and Asuka, Shinji? Do what you want, but I want them both on their pedestals and deactivated before the night shift starts, okay? Maya, Hikari and the others, too.\"

\"Hai!\" Shinji bows, then gazes once more at Hitomi. \"It\'s a pleasure to have met you, Hitomi-sama. Please visit us again.\"

She bows deeply, then walks out. The two organic women watch her go, then exchange a look. \"Regardless if you keep only to private sales, Commander, you\'re going to make a killing with her model,\" the Defence Minister chuckles. \"How soon?\"
We\'We\'ve done some individual beta testing over the last two years or so, mostly controlled here in the Tower and in our testing facilities across the country, with some forays into the general public. Observed, of course; we don\'t want to create a situation anywhere NEAR what befell Mishima Heavy Industries some time ago,\" Misato explains as they sit down. \"It\'s come to the point where we can move on to small group beta testing. That\'ll actually start tomorrow, once we get our dear Miss Moroboshi to participate.\"

Hitomi perks. \"Why her?!\"

\"Well, I think she deserves to know what her mentor\'s research has produced, ne?\"

Both chuckle. \"What of Shinji-chan? Will she be one of them?\"

\"Iie,\" Misato shakes her head. \"Yui-san is very overprotective of Shinji. Understandable given that Shinji is, for the most part, genetically patterned after Yui-san\'s lost son. As you\'ll probably know, the original Ikari Shinji was killed by the Virus. That hit Yui-san hard and affects her to this very day. As she\'s told Ritsuko and I several times, if she lost Shinji a \'second\' time...\"

\"Understandable,\" the Defence Minister nods, then gazes nowhere in particular. \"Still...\"

\"What is it, ma\'am?\"

\"It\'s a pity that Tariko-san doesn\'t know where she gained her abilities from. Or if there\'re others like her out there somewhere.\"

\"Yeah, that is true, isn\'t it?\" Misato slowly nods. \"I wonder why, though...\"

* * *

Oo-shima...

\"AH-CHOO!!!\"

Satomi and Rui gaze curiously at Tariko. The three now relax in a bistro across from the entrance to the beach. \"Bless you, Tariko-sama,\" Rui gasps, handing her new friend ndkendkerchief. \"Someone must be talking about you!\"

Tariko grunts. \"Yeah! I wonder who...\"

* * *

Shinjuku, sometime later...

\"So the Defence Minister was satisfied by our little demonstration?\"

\"More than satisfied, Kate,\" Misato chuckles as she rides the Tower\'s Sky Elevator with Genome\'s chief of operations, Katharine Dawn Madigan. A flame-haired, dark eyed lass in her mid-thirties from Belfast, Kate was, like Misato, a veteran special forces officer. In her case, Kate\'s training and experience came thanks to Britain\'s elite Special Boat Squadron. She had retired a lieutenant-colonel after the Six Counties voted to make themselves independent of both London and Dublin to form the Free Republic of Ulster, she coming to work for Genome about the same time Misato did. \"So what is it the Skipper wants? Everything\'s set about the next phase of the Project.\"

\"She hasn\'t told me anything yet, I\'m afraid,ate ate gives the Japanese-American beside her a knowing smirk.

Misato tries not to scream out loud, she turning her head away in an open show of annoyance. Kate giggles, then straightens herself as the elevator comes to a stop. The doors open right into a beautiful penthouse office/apartment with a commanding view of Tokyo and her suburbs. The Chairwoman of Genome Enterprises stands by the east-side windows, gazing on the small amount of boat traffic now plying in and out of Tokyo Bay. \"The Minister was pleased by Sarai\'s performance,\" Brienna Jeannette Mason gazes over her shoulder at Misato.

\"She was, Captain,\" Misato straightens herself. Like her, Brienna was ex-U.S. Navy SEAL, having retired a captain ten years ago after helping organize that particular service\'s elite special action team, officially known as \"Independent Boat Unit Kilo, SEAL Team Six.\" That particular unit was normally referred to in the general public by another name, but that didn\'t matter here or now. \"I estimate that when the Ministry\'s bean-counters get around to shelling out the cash, we\'ll be asked for small groups of 33-BMS\'s to serve as special action teams for all parts of the SDF. We\'ve got the foot in the door thanks to the small order we did for Colonel Kusanagi and...\" she shrugs.

\"We haven\'t caused any major accidents or sent people to the hospital because our units have never gone rogue,\" Kate adds.

\"That\'s good to hear,\" Brienna walks back to her chair and sits down, then she runs her hand through her slicked-back raven hair, it tied into a French braid to mid-back in homage to her personal hero, SEAL Six\'s founding commander, Richard Marcinko. \"Now, about the first long-term group test we\'re going to start. Who do you recommend we send out to be with Miss Moroboshi and Miss Kurokawa, Commander?\"

\"Rei, Asuka, Maya and Hikari,\" Misato replies.

\"Maya?! Does Ritsuko know about this?\" Kate stares wide-eyed at her fellow executive.

\"She will tomorrow morning,\" Misato returns her look.

\"Why not Shinji?\" Brienna asks.

Misato sighs. \"The emotional bond between Yui and Shinji is far stronger than what exists between Ritsuko and Maya. As I told you long ago, Captain, a project like this is bound to stir up some feelings of motherhood among the various scientists. Considering how close to human our 33-S\'s are, that\'s quite understandable. Still, you did tell me when we started out that the risk was worth taking, ma\'am.\"

\"It was and still is,\" the chairwoman nods. \"And indeed, the close bond between Doctor Ikari and Shinji has reflected very well on all the other 33-S\'s, even the BMS prototypes. However, we can\'t escape one simple fact: Shinji is a Sexaroid, no different than any of the others we\'ve constructed. Deep in her heart and soul, she longs to look on someone as her owner and mistress, no different than any of the others. And given how good she\'s become in the four years since her first activation, I think its time for her to spread her wings.\"

\"I agree,\" Kate nods. \"Shinji\'s body may be artificial, but her soul, despite all the programming constraints, has become human. And because of that, it would be unnecessarily cruel to force her to remain here in the Tower while four of her sisters, including two she loves dearly, go out into the world beyond. Much that I personally understand Doctor Ikari\'s feelings on the matter, it\'s time for her to accept that her android \'daughter\' is growing up and needs a chance to get out and experience life as it truly is.\"

\"Yui\'s still going to raise hell over it, Kate,\" Misato warns.

\"We\'ll deal with our dear Doctor Ikari if it becomes necessary,\" Brienna sighs, making a wave of her hand to indicate that the matter is not up for further negotiation. \"Misato, we\'ll go ahead with your plan concerning getting Miss Moroboshi\'s and Miss Kurokawa\'s help in testing our girls. But we\'ll make a couple add-ons. Atop the girls you\'ve recommended, I want Shinji and Sarai to be part of that group.\"

Misato jolts. \"Shinji AND Sarai?! Captain...!\"

A hand rises to stop her protest. \"We can easily program any of the other battle maid Sexaroids with what we\'ve loaded into Sarai if it becomes necessary, Commander. There\'s another reason I want Sarai to be part of this particular operation.\"

Silence falls as the younger retired SEAL considers the chairwoman\'s words, then she blinks. \"You think Masudamasu may\'ve short-changed us when she offered Ritsuko and Yui the chance to experiment with Moroboshi\'s DNA and RNA?\" she wonders.

\"Exactly,\" a knowing grin crosses Brienna\'s face. \"Our dear Professor Masudamasu has come a very long way in her research pretty much because of what she discovered about Miss Moroboshi shortly after young Tariko helped her step-sister become a mother at age twelve. And we\'ve come a very long way in putting that knowledge to damn good use. But there are two problems I\'ve got with this, Misato.\"

Her eyebrow arches expectantly. Noting that, Misato\'s gaze turns inward as she considers what the chairwoman might have in mind, then she nods. \"The chances are there that we haven\'t learned everything we can about what Moroboshi\'s DNA and RNA might do,\" she holds up a finger. \"The chance actually might be there that there could be some things Masudamasu missed in her own research.\"

\"Agreed,\e che chairwoman nods.

\"And there\'s the possibility that somehow, there could be others like Moroboshi out there,\" Kate adds. \"Our dear Tariko, Misato, has travelled to every corner of the planet, it seems, to carry out her business. Sooner or later, IF there are others like her, someone might take notice and trace her down to Nerima. It would be to our better advantage if we make contact with these girls first.\"

\"I\'ve had Kate look into that possibility for the last six months or so,\" Brienna explains on noting the surprised look on her fellow American\'s face. \"Given the chaos the Virus\' arrival caused across the planet, it would\'ve been quite easy for dozens, even HUNDREDS of such transformations to have taken place, even here in Japan. All it would need would be for a doctor to write up a bogus birth certificate. If the doctor was male, he wouldn\'t be around now to answer some questions. As for the transformee\'s real identity...\"

\"It\'d be almost impossible to match things up with the Family Registrar unless the suspects were asked directly,\" Kate finishes.

\"Would they answer even if they were asked?\" Misato muses.

\"Exactly.\"

The retired lieutenant-commander crosses her arms as she considers it, then gazes on Genome\'s chairwoman. \"So putting Sarai close to Moroboshi allows us to keep a discrete eye on her.\" Her eyes then widen as something else comes to her. \"AND it\'ll allow us to protect her and any possible \'sisters\' of hers in case those who\'d want to put a stop to Moroboshi\'s operation decide to target her directly, thus making them indebted to us,\" she holds up a finger, then seeing Brienna grin, smirks. \"That\'s pretty slick thinking, Skipper.\"

\"Thank you, Commander,\" Brienna nods. \"Tariko\'s been making some damned good progress when it comes to those who support the many Evist groups out there. But there\'s the other end of the scale to worry about, too. Those women who want men back at all costs because they believe, even with what the Virus has done to women wholesale, that a woman\'s true place is still being subservient to a man.\"

Misato\'s jaw hits the floor. \"Say WHAT?!! That can\'t be true!!\"

\"Granted, their numbers are quite small, far smaller than any one of the major Evist groups, but they\'re out there, Misato,\" Kate warns. \"Mostly, these are women of profound age and experience who held prominent social positions in the more conservative Christian denominations, not to mention what counterparts they might have had in other faiths, especially Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. And yes, even with the Virus making them all act like a warren of rabbits in rutting season, they still desperately cling to the faith in Jehovah, Jesus, Allah or what-have-you, believing that women are inferior to men and all that nonsense and...\" she rolls her eyes, gazing heavenward.

\"That is just SO hard to believe!\" Misato whistles.

\"Believe it, Commander. The intel\'s confirmed,\" Brienna sighs.

\"Damn!\" Misato spits out, then looks at Kate. \"How many like Moroboshi could we be talking about, Kate?\"

\"I\'ve no real numbers here, Misato...\"

\"Estimate, then.\"

A pause, then, \"About two thousand worldwide.\"

Misato blinks, then slowly nods. \"Out of a population of over two billion. I can see that.\"

\"We\'ll worry about that when it happens, Misato,\" Brienna sighs. \"In the meantime, make preparations for tomorrow. Ensure that Shinji and Sarai have a chance to \'escape\' so they can join Miss Moroboshi as part of her harem. Be creative about it, Commander.\"

\"Aye-aye, ma\'am!\" Misato gives the chairn a n a snappy salute, then turns to leave.

\"Misato?\"

\"Yes?\" the retired commander stops, gazing on Brienna.

\"Mana Kirishima\'s mother called us asking about Shinji.\"

Misato blinks, then nods. \"Right.\"

She heads out. Kate watches her go, then gazes on the chairwoman. \"She may not be that much of a problem, you know.\"

\"True, but it\'s something to keep Shinji on her toes,\" Brienna winks back, then rises, her eyes sparkling. \"Shall I call Anri?\"

Hearing the name of THAT particular Sexaroid, Kate grins. \"But of course!\"

* * *

Nerima, Otimtim\'s Coffee House, just before suppertime...

\"Here you go, Satomi-san! All intact and cleaned up, too...! Eh?!\"

The rose-haired woman blinks surprisedly on seeing the third person with Tariko and Satomi, then steps aside as the three women walk into the restaurant. For today\'s trip to the beach, Satomi had called in not only two of her friends, Tanaka Misa and her fiancee Sakuragi Mai, but two new friends she had made several days ago: Aruka Ran and Shigaten Benten, two alien-born teens who had come to Earth three months ago alongside their beloved friend, the Oni princess Redet Lum. Gazing around her late uncle\'s shop, Satomi nods approvingly, then turns back to Ran. \"Did the Kuroko come by with all of Rui-san\'s things, Ran-san?\" she indicates Tsutsumi Rui with a hand.

\"Um, h-hai! They arrived an hour ago and moved everything into the bedroom beside yours and Tariko-san\'s,\" Ran replies, giving Rui a curious look before turning to Tariko. \"What\'s this all about? Even if they said they were doing this because you asked them...!\"

\"Rui-chan here, Ran-san, is someone who\'s as much an orphan now as Satomi and I are,\" Tariko places a warm hand on Rui\'s shoulder.

Hearing that, Ran nods. \"Ah, I understand!\"

Satomi calls Misa, Mai and Benten over, then introductions are made for Rui\'s benefit. After a short question-and-answer session, the refugee from Animal Mansion is escorted to her new bedroom. The total shock that appears on her face on seeing her new bedroom set up much like her old bedroom in the Mansion earns Rui a pair of knowing smiles from her hosts. \"The Kuroko are pretty good at getting in and out of places unseen,\" Tariko explains. \"I suspect that right now, all your so-called \'lovers\' back at Animal Mansion are wondering how all your personal stuff was removed from that place without their noticing it. I assume you don\'t want anything of your mom\'s, though...\"

\"No,\" Rui shakes her head. \"If Mom just upped and left me there without trying to check in on me, I don\'t want anything to do with anything of hers. Still...\" she pauses, \"...what about things like my school records and all that? Where do I go to school?\"

\"Here in Nerima, of course, but I think you can take a break from classes while we arrange to get your records transferred over,\" Tariko admits. \"And if anyone from the Mansion raises hell about it, there are ways to make them shut up and behave.\"

\"You have to go down to Kitakyuushuu tomorrow,\" Satomi reminds her girlfriend.

\"Yeah, I do,\" Tariko nods. \"\'Tomi, you think you can put Rui-chan here to good use while I\'m gone?\"

\"Definitely,\" Satomi nods in return, then blinks on hearing footsteps echo from the stairwell.

\"Tariko-chan?!\"

\"What is it, Misa-chan?\" Tariko blinks as Misa comes upstairs, an envelope in hand. \"What\'s that?!\"

\"Just delivered by courier,\" the track runner hands the letter over.

Tariko takes it, then blinks on seeing the logo at the corner. \"Genome?!\" she opens env envelope, then draws out a sheer of paper. Scanning the letter\'s contents, she blinks surprisedly. \"They want me to visit the Tower tomorrow morning.\"

\"Guess you\'re being asked for some more \'consultations,\'\" Satomi chuckles. \"Who\'s inviting you over?\"

\"Katsuragi Misato. She\'s a senior exec there,\" Tariko closes up the envelope.

\"Another customer?\" Misa chuckles.

\"Yeah, but she told me that she and her fiancee want to hold off on children for a while yet,\" Tariko notes, then sensing Rui gazing curiously at her, smiles. \"I think if you\'ve spent some time with Yura-chan and Masae-chan, Rui-chan, you know what I do.\"

\"Ah...! H-hai, I do know what you do, Tariko-sama, but still...\" Rui stops before shrugging. \"It\'s hard to believe.\"

\"Believe it,\" Misa smirks, rubbing her stomach. \"My fiancee and I\'re already expecting. So\'re Benten\'s and Ran\'s friends.\"

\"EH?!!\" Rui gasps.

Everyone laughs...

* * *