Two days later, Sylia, Priss and Nene were in one of the Knight Saber headquarters' computer rooms staring at the images Sylia was calling up and printing out. "Incredible," Sylia said softly, intently studying the computer screen. On the screen are pictures of several different despots and dictators, and standing beside each and every one is a woman with a decidedly sinister look on her pretty face. "Is that who I think it is?" Priss asked Sylia softly. Sylia shrugged, "The woman seems to be Mara. The other people span the twentieth and twenty first centuries." "My god," Nene said softly. "Where did you find this?" "This isn't all of it. I'm still doing visual matches through other photo archives based on the Goddesses and Mara, but I've found several matches already, from the 1800's onward," Sylia quietly explained. "Nene," Sylia turned to ask her, "could you check the AD Police files for me? They're connected to some databases I have difficulty accessing." "Sure, Sylia, no problem," Nene said, taking the disk Sylia handed her. Priss and Sylia left the computer lab shortly after Nene did, and walked together to the newly dubbed residential wing. "So how's the situation with Urd?" Sylia asked Priss curiously. Priss shrugged, an odd look on her handsome face. "She's not jumping me when I go into the room anymore, but..." Priss struggled for words. "I think there might be something more serious going on, now." "You like her, don't you?" Sylia asked gently. "I have to admit, she grows on you," Priss acknowledged. "But she's also a immortal goddess. I mean, just think of the age gap!" Priss joked. "And the amount of experience?" Sylia teased her with a smile on her face. Priss blushed softly, and didn't answer. They entered the three suites and living room the small group was using. Skuld had a hardsuit helmet, and was tinkering with the heads up display. Urd sits on one couch, and Linna and Belldandy sat on the other. Urd saw Priss walk in and her face lit up in a smile. "Hi," Urd said, getting up and walking over to Priss's side. "You've been making yourself scarce lately," she said, gently taking Priss's arm. Priss blushed, "Rehearsals with my band. We've been trying to work the bugs out of some new numbers." "You sing as well?" Urd said cheerfully. "I'd look forward to seeing you... perform," Urd said, gently teasing her. Priss blushed brightly. Sylia watched with a great deal of amusement as Urd maneuvered Priss to sit by her on the couch, then she sat across from them, setting a file folder in front of her. "I've been doing some research, but I also have some questions for the three of you. Would you mind?" She opened the folder and laid out the photo of Mara. Urd winced a bit, and Belldandy looked over at her sympathetically. "That's Mara," Belldandy said softly, "a Demoness First Class." She picked up her tea and sipped a bit, looking uncomfortable. Linna took her hand, and Belldandy smiled over at her gratefully. She continued "Her job involves making bargains for mortals in exchange for their souls, and to thwart the actions of Goddesses on this plane of existence." Sylia looked serious as she gazed at Urd and said, "There seemed to be something almost... personal, about her reaction to you. What was that about?" Urd sighed softly. "We've been friends for a very long time," Urd admitted. Priss looked at her in mild disbelief, "If the two of you are friends, I wouldn't want to see how she treats her enemies!" Urd shrugs, "Off duty, we're friends. Get drunk, do karaoke, play Tetris, and occasionally sleep together. On duty, on the other hand, we have to go at each other all out." "Sleep together?" Nene echoed, blushing fiercely. "Among Goddesses and other higher beings, it's not that big of a deal. But I think Mara may have fallen in love with me," Urd admitted with a sigh. She added "I only began to notice in the last century or so, and I've been trying to dissuade her, for her sake as well as mine." "Why would a relationship between you and her be a problem?" Linna asked, avoiding looking over at Belldandy. Belldandy smiled sadly as she answered for Urd, "The rules are very strict in these cases. Demon and God must remain separate, so that we can perform the tasks assigned to us by the Almighty. Urd and Mara were nearly violating the rules already by being friends, and if they became lovers and partners, the punishment would be... unthinkable." Skuld nodded, and said seriously, "I've never heard of a case in my lifetime, but I understand the punishments were terrible." Sylia asked some more questions about Mara's powers and abilities, but got frustratingly imprecise answers. So much depended on if Mara had made a deal with someone, and what that deal was. Under the right circumstances, she could do almost anything. A little while later, Urd followed a quickly walking Priss as she rushed down the hallway out of the building. "Hold on a minute," Urd said. "What's wrong?" Priss stopped suddenly, and Urd ran into her, But Priss grabbed her and kept them upright. "Were you after me to be a replacement for Mara?" Priss asked Urd suddenly. Urd looked at her, surprised and a little hurt. "No," she said quietly, "I thought you were good looking and that we could have some fun together." She smiled impishly, "And teasing you was very enjoyable." "You've stopped teasing me so much," Priss observed, "after we met Mara." Urd smiled a bit sadly, "My playing around has already hurt someone I care about. I'm not going to do it again." Priss looked at her intently, then reached out to gently stroke Urd's cheek, "It doesn't have to be playing, if you don't want it to be." Urd looked at her, eyes wide with something like fear. Then she bolted down the hall. Priss moved to follow, then stopped, turned and walked away. Sylia watched the events unfold on her security monitor, then turned it off with a sigh. "They're both idiots," she said disgustedly. Belldandy looked over at Linna and asked, "Are you all right, with what we were talking about out there?" "Yeah, I think so, Bell," Linna said, picking up her men's pajamas and walking over to the bathroom to get changed. She was surprised when Belldandy stepped up beside her and put her hand on her arm. "You can change in here if you like," Belldandy said, blushing fiercely. She continued in a rush "You know that Goddesses don't mind such things, and I wanted to..." Linna shushed her, a finger to her lips. "It's alright, Bell," she said, and kissed her chastely on the cheek. She came back in the room to find a fiercely blushing Belldandy in a nearly transparent nightie sitting on the bed. She looked like somebody's dream girl, a fantasy come to life. She looked up at Linna and smiled bravely, "Do you like it?" Linna gulped loudly, in the silence of the room. "It looks good," Linna croaked out. She got up and stood by Linna, determination in her eyes. "Linna," Belldandy asked, "would you like to help me take it off?" "Yes," Linna admitted softly, "but I want it to mean something, Bell. You're greatful, and that may be clouding your judgement. And there's that wish, too." "Linna, over the past few weeks, I've gotten to know you. The you underneath the tough exterior, the kind, loving, generous woman that you are. And I've fallen for that woman, even though I didn't want to," Belldandy said, and kissed Linna, on the lips this time. Linna's arms went around her, and Belldandy sighed happily. "I don't have the strength," Linna said in a husky whisper, "to say no to you again." She kissed Belldandy, weeks of bottled up passion coming to the surface, met by a fire just as strong as hers. Belldandy pushed her gently back, and they fell together on the bed. Suddenly, the sound of running metal feet and a loud electronic beeping is heard. A voice declared, "Punishment mode one!" and they were abruptly seperated. Slap! A large rubber stamp hit Linna on the forehead! "You forgot to shut the robot down, didn't you?" Linna sighed, and began rubbing at the word `Hentai' stamped on her head.
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