***
"So the way Star tells it," Miranda said, snickering at the memory, "is that it was about her third day at the job. She's checking out a tip
from MAGI about a Hellion warehouse, so she takes a shortcut, jumps a fence... and lands right in the middle of some Vaziloks. The reapers are having a smoke,
and they're all surprised, then..." she grinned. "She notices one of the Cadavers has a weird backpack mounted."
"Oh no," Rob said, a grin forming. "You're telling me..."
"There's a click, a boom, and the next thing she knows, she's in a medical teleporter at Chiron," Mir laughed. Robert laughed, leaning back
into his chair. "I'd call it the most entertaining of all the first medicomm express trips," she said. "The best part though? She went back
to that back alley and found all the Reapers out cold. Caught in their own blast."
Rob snickered, before being distracted by the insistent beeping of his phone. Still laughing slightly, he stood up and went over. Flipping it open, he paused,
laughs fading. "What's up?" Mir asked, noticing the expression.
"Sky Raiders," he replied, reading the text message. "They've hit the Faultline Medicomm, taken it off line." He backed out of the
message and dialed a phone number. "Serge? Knight here, what can you tell me about the Medicomm mess?"
As her brother talked to his contact, Miranda pulled off her civilian clothes, revealing the dark blue bodysuit underneath. She closed her eyes and
concentrated, a network of circuits woven into the suit beginning to glow with a faint golden light, before she took a blue domino mask from her belt pouch and
put it on. When Rob flipped the cell phone closed, Miss Lightning looked over at him curiously.
He put the phone back on the table. "All the staff got out and the police department has the place sealed. They're waiting for Longbow and powered
suit support before they go in, but they are asking for hero assistance."
"Of course they are," she grinned. "Poor buggers couldn't keep up with it all without us-" She was cut off mid-sentence as explosions
erupted outside the apartments window, held back by the blue-green forcefield that had sprung into view. At the same time, a loud, attention-seeking wail
pulled their attention to a holodisplay that emerged from the wall, showing just how long before the Freedom Corps defenses failed.
The siblings didn't waste any time, sprinting for the nearest door and slamming it behind them. For a moment, the explosions suddenly got closer, ripping
through the kitchen and living room of Robs apartment and destroying anything they touched. As they died down, Rob moved away from the door and went across the
study to where his armor was hanging on its hooks. While he pulled on the thick cargo pants and shirt, Miss Lightning opened the door slightly and peeked
through.
Nearly a dozen Sky Raiders and several of their assault skiffs were moving towards the exposed room, weapons at the ready. "Raiders," she hissed. Rob
swore as he zipped up the under suit.
"Explains the medicomm attack," he growled, grabbing his rocket boots. "Two minutes, and be careful. No hospital." Lightning nodded,
opening the door and stepping out, raising a hand. Electricity arced from her fingers and sped across the destroyed room, tagging a Raider as he tried to land.
He yelped, then screamed as his raptor pack died and he fell to the street below.
"Private property, traitor boys," she spat, hands crackling as she took up a ready pose. "So why don't you just turn around and be on your
way?"
"I am afraid to be telling you that such a thing shall not be happening," replied a voice that sounded like it was attempting to be dramatic.
Lightning blinked as a Raider in a... unique costume descended into view. She'd never seen a Sky Raider with epaulets and what looked like flame patterns
on his flight suit before. "But you are not to be the one I came here seeking," he said. "Although I admit, you are to be a fine example of a
woman... no doubt you are admiring me, for I am a dashing example of a Sky Pirate," he smirked.
"Captain Ernest Castillo," Lightning said, wondering at how he honestly thought that was appealing. "I see the stories about you are true."
Castillo seemed to straighten up slightly, the smirk widening. "Ah, you truly are to being as intelligent as one is to expect from a woman."
"Actually, I was talking about how Doctor Stein was so utterly repulsed by you she went to the trouble of making a restraining order against a worthless
traitor," she responded, smirking as Castillos eyes widened in rage. She knew what was about to follow, but frankly, possibly getting her ass kicked was
less painful then listening to this.
"You dare to-" he growled. "Teach this foolish woman to be remembering her place!" he spat, raising his flamethrower. Lightning grinned,
electricity arcing off her as the Raiders charged.
***
"So the way Star tells it," Miranda said, snickering at the memory, "is that it was about her third day at the job. She's checking out a tip
from MAGI about a Hellion warehouse, so she takes a shortcut, jumps a fence... and lands right in the middle of some Vaziloks. The reapers are having a smoke,
and they're all surprised, then..." she grinned. "She notices one of the Cadavers has a weird backpack mounted."
"Oh no," Rob said, a grin forming. "You're telling me..."
"There's a click, a boom, and the next thing she knows, she's in a medical teleporter at Chiron," Mir laughed. Robert laughed, leaning back
into his chair. "I'd call it the most entertaining of all the first medicomm express trips," she said. "The best part though? She went back
to that back alley and found all the Reapers out cold. Caught in their own blast."
Rob snickered, before being distracted by the insistent beeping of his phone. Still laughing slightly, he stood up and went over. Flipping it open, he paused,
laughs fading. "What's up?" Mir asked, noticing the expression.
"Sky Raiders," he replied, reading the text message. "They've hit the Faultline Medicomm, taken it off line." He backed out of the
message and dialed a phone number. "Serge? Knight here, what can you tell me about the Medicomm mess?"
As her brother talked to his contact, Miranda pulled off her civilian clothes, revealing the dark blue bodysuit underneath. She closed her eyes and
concentrated, a network of circuits woven into the suit beginning to glow with a faint golden light, before she took a blue domino mask from her belt pouch and
put it on. When Rob flipped the cell phone closed, Miss Lightning looked over at him curiously.
He put the phone back on the table. "All the staff got out and the police department has the place sealed. They're waiting for Longbow and powered
suit support before they go in, but they are asking for hero assistance."
"Of course they are," she grinned. "Poor buggers couldn't keep up with it all without us-" She was cut off mid-sentence as explosions
erupted outside the apartments window, held back by the blue-green forcefield that had sprung into view. At the same time, a loud, attention-seeking wail
pulled their attention to a holodisplay that emerged from the wall, showing just how long before the Freedom Corps defenses failed.
The siblings didn't waste any time, sprinting for the nearest door and slamming it behind them. For a moment, the explosions suddenly got closer, ripping
through the kitchen and living room of Robs apartment and destroying anything they touched. As they died down, Rob moved away from the door and went across the
study to where his armor was hanging on its hooks. While he pulled on the thick cargo pants and shirt, Miss Lightning opened the door slightly and peeked
through.
Nearly a dozen Sky Raiders and several of their assault skiffs were moving towards the exposed room, weapons at the ready. "Raiders," she hissed. Rob
swore as he zipped up the under suit.
"Explains the medicomm attack," he growled, grabbing his rocket boots. "Two minutes, and be careful. No hospital." Lightning nodded,
opening the door and stepping out, raising a hand. Electricity arced from her fingers and sped across the destroyed room, tagging a Raider as he tried to land.
He yelped, then screamed as his raptor pack died and he fell to the street below.
"Private property, traitor boys," she spat, hands crackling as she took up a ready pose. "So why don't you just turn around and be on your
way?"
"I am afraid to be telling you that such a thing shall not be happening," replied a voice that sounded like it was attempting to be dramatic.
Lightning blinked as a Raider in a... unique costume descended into view. She'd never seen a Sky Raider with epaulets and what looked like flame patterns
on his flight suit before. "But you are not to be the one I came here seeking," he said. "Although I admit, you are to be a fine example of a
woman... no doubt you are admiring me, for I am a dashing example of a Sky Pirate," he smirked.
"Captain Ernest Castillo," Lightning said, wondering at how he honestly thought that was appealing. "I see the stories about you are true."
Castillo seemed to straighten up slightly, the smirk widening. "Ah, you truly are to being as intelligent as one is to expect from a woman."
"Actually, I was talking about how Doctor Stein was so utterly repulsed by you she went to the trouble of making a restraining order against a worthless
traitor," she responded, smirking as Castillos eyes widened in rage. She knew what was about to follow, but frankly, possibly getting her ass kicked was
less painful then listening to this.
"You dare to-" he growled. "Teach this foolish woman to be remembering her place!" he spat, raising his flamethrower. Lightning grinned,
electricity arcing off her as the Raiders charged.
***