The police records office was quiet, or as quiet as it ever got.
Mostly the automated systems performed the data retrieval now, all the
human officers having been sent home for the night while their
replacements were still checking in. A few androids walked the tight
corridors in between the humming data-banks, cleaning and maintaining
the primary systems.
At least, most of the androids were at work.
"If we're caught, you know what'll happen to us right?" the
redheaded android nervously demanded of her companion.
"The we'll be taken off line," the dark haired one shot back,
"maybe a little faster than we might have been otherwise, Ariko."
"A good point," Ariko nodded slightly. She looked down at the
pile of data modules that her friend was scanning and asked, "What are
we looking for, Yume?"
Yume concentrated on her work as she answered, "Any records on
the police's long range plans for android containment."
Yume wasn't terribly beautiful, simply an maintenance type, but
like all androids she had been made to be pleasing to the eye. Her only
unusual marking was the scar along her cheek, where a cutting accident
had torn the artificial skin. Her owner had simply used a sealer to
close up the gash without paying any more attention to a purely cosmetic
repair.
Personally, Ariko thought it made her look quite striking. She
herself was a public relations type, so not only was she very
attractive, she was created to be eloquent as well. She had even
scribbled out a few poems in tribute to Yume, though she would never
show them to her.
"Thank you for coming along," Yume added quietly. "I don't know
if I would have been able to talk myself past the guard without your
help," she said.
Ariko blushed, "You're welcome."
"I think we've got it," Yume disconnected the leads and slid the
small recorder away. Looking terribly businesslike they strode out past
the guards with relative ease, Ariko occasionally speaking up to
simplify their passage.
They reached their vehicle a few cubits away from the offices,
and Ariko flopped into her seat with a loud sigh of relief. "We made
it," Ariko grinned at Yume.
"That we did," Yume agreed. She started the car up smoothly, and
they slid into the traffic stream going to Lowtown. She hesitated, "You
know we were likely caught on the security cameras in there. It doesn't
effect me, I'm already in the underground, but you..."
"I was planing to go underground eventually anyway," Ariko
quickly reassured her companion, "I guess I'll just have to slip away
from my City Hall job a bit ahead of schedule." She looked over at Yume
and nervously asked, "I suppose you couldn't help out a freewill who's
new to the underground, could you?"
Yume smiled back happily, "I'd be glad to help."
Nyara smiled at the two young women, accepting the recording
device from them gratefully. "Nicely done, both of you," she said.
"Anything for the cause," Ariko said quietly, just a bit awed at
meeting the mysterious Nyara for the first time.
"Don't tell her that," Yume smiled, "she'd probably hold you to
it."
Nyara chuckled at that even as she watched the two of them move
off into the noisy crowd of both human and android supporters. The rally
for android rights was almost the perfect place to hold this sort of
drop off, as there were such large numbers of people involved that only
two people were almost untraceable in the mob.
"I'm surprised you didn't try to get that information from
Beth," Christa asked her quietly as they moved off together.
Nyara smiled up at her white haired lover, "I don't want to risk
compromising Beth unless it's information that we cannot acquire another
way."
"And you like her," Christa added with a smile.
"And I like her," Nyara agreed with a rueful smile. She looked
thoughtful, "I wish that I understood why, though. I know that someday
she may well be the one to put a bullet through my spine, but still..."
"Despite being in the Chasers, she's a good woman," Christa said
with a shrug. More quietly, "In fact, from all our research it's
beginning to look like the Chasers aren't the boogieman that we had
thought they were."
Nyara made a non-committal sound at that, not necessarily
agreeing or disagreeing with her. "Any luck making contact with Dr.
Jameson?" she asked.
"No," Christa shook her head grimly. "The good doctor is still
remaining in contact with the public groups working for android rights,
but she's cut off all contact with any members of the underground," she
reported.
"Do we know why?" Nyara looked up at Christa worriedly.
"She broke off contact shortly after the photos of Kate Williams
were distributed to the picketers around Chasers headquarters," Christa
said.
Nyara winced visibly at that, "A grave tactical error on my
part."
"You didn't know that there'd be a backlash against the
movement," Christa protested, remembering the uproar in the newsfeeds
over that. With a slight smile she added, "Remember, hindsight is always
20/20."
Nyara blinked, "What does that mean?"
"Old human saying," Christa smiled, "it means that when you look
back at something you always see it clearer that when you were actually
there, in the moment."
"Very true," Nyara admitted. The politics part of the rally was
winding down, and it was beginning to change into a party all around
them. She looked up at Christa as the music started, "Would you like to
dace as an expression of human/android solidarity?"
"No," Christa stayed entirely deadpan, "but I would love to take
my lover out on the dance floor. All right?"
Nyara sighed happily, "I thought you'd never ask.
"They look cute, dancing together," Ariko said softly.
"That they do," Yume agreed. She looked down at her friend
thoughtfully, "Have you ever danced before?"
"No," Ariko blushed
"It's easy," Yume surprised her by gently taking her into her
arms. "One two three... One two three... One two three," she guided her
across the dance floor, not noticing the other girl's blush.
"Thank you," Ariko squeaked out nervously.
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