Hartford Gardens
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053




     There's a reason I didn't become a tech. No, there are many reasons I didn't become a tech. Faith had been poking around the innards of the Phoenix Hawk for nearly three hours. It wasn't that she didn't trust the techs, but she didn't exactly trust the techs. Something had gone wrong in her mech, and as soon as the armor plates had cooled enough to explore the systems, and her obligatory press conference had taken place, she had come to the hangar bay to try to figure out exactly what.

     She had just about given up on the idea of finding it herself, pondering calling in a independent tech to take a look at things, when she spotted something out of place. Gotcha!

     "Hey, smooth move fudging the truth at that presser." The reporters' voice caught her off guard and she nearly smacked her head against one of the mech's endo-skeletal bones. Distangling herself from the mech's innards, she climbed out and made her way down to the ground level where Paige stood, hands crossed across her chest.

     Against the far wall, Faith saw herself from the media event earlier, displayed on a tri-vid. "What happened? What happened was that Strader was bush league. I knew I could take him, so I did it without weapons. Haven't seen the numbers yet, but I think the audience will love the show."

     "It was an opportunity. Everyone in this town likes a show, and my explanation gives them one. Plus there's no point in calling out whoever tampered with my ride. I don't know who it was, but until I have them in my sights, not much point in making it public." She did her best to wipe the grease and grime away with a rag as she spoke.

     "So it was sabotage! I knew it had to be." Paige exclaimed, quite proud of herself for the confirmation of her discovery.

     Faith sighed, "Yeah. I just figured it out myself. Someone got in there and spliced a little relay into the wiring on my fire control systems. Cut off the signal to the weapons, but fed a ghost signal back to the targeting computer telling it that everything was fine. That's why it never showed up on my displays, even after I realized my guns didn't work."

     Paige shifted her stance. "Well? What are you going to do about it? You have to figure out who did it."

     Faith frowned. "Yeah, I know. But it's not going to be easy. I can't just go poking around asking questions like some reporter."

     Paige leaped at the opening. "But I can. Come on, I sense a partnership here. I can help you with this, and in return, you can let me in on some of your story."

     Faith laughed as she walked toward the locker room. "You really don't give up, do you? Alright, but I don't want you poking around stirring up some hornets nest. I have some rebuilding to do on my career here, and I don't need land mines blowing up on me."

     "You've got a deal, partner!" Paige said, grinning from ear to ear.



Federated Hotel
Black Hills
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053



     The two women slammed their shot glasses down on the table at the same time. They had already finished the first bottle of cheap vodka, and had started on the second. Faith was far past the point where she wanted to test her ability to walk without endangering herself, and judging from the giggles, so was Paige.

     "Fuck writing an article, we could make your story into a book. You've had so much crazy shit happen. I always thought maybe if I had to, I could write a book on my father. He was the champion back in '32. But you've got it beat." Paige said.

     Faith took a few seconds to blink away the fog of the alcohol before responding. "I wouldn't go that far. I've been around a bit, that's all. And I damn well hope there's a few chapters left in my book, girl."

     Paige leaned back in her chair, visibly taking a moment to reorient herself. "Yeah, well you might want to watch your back for a while if that's the case. You've obviously got a target on your back, and until we can figure out who's after you, things are going to be dicey, I'd wager."

     Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "If you were betting, where would you put your money?" She slowly and deliberately picked up the bottle and scooped up the pair of shot glasses on the table between them.

     "No way to know without digging. Could be Hasek's boys not taking a liking to having a Cappie in their ranks. Could be Cappies mad at you for all your shit back home. Hell, could be somebody we haven't even heard of just wants you gone for some reason, like money, and are just playing someone to get the deed done. Whatever, it's gonna take more sniffing around."

     Faith sighed. "Yeah, no shortage of people on my shit list."

     Paige laughed. "I know the feeling. So...one more for the road?"

     Faith shot her a grin, and started slowly pouring two more shots. "You're plastered. No road for you, not unless you want to end up in the gutter."

     Paige replied with an exaggerated wave. "I'm fine. You've gone shot for shot with me"

     "I punch above my weight class, what can I say," Faith quipped as she slid a shot towards Paige. The two women downed their shots, Paige coughing slightly at the end of hers, as she began to stand, wobbled slightly, then let herself fall back into the chair.

     "On second thought, maybe the road isn't such a good idea."

     Faith very deliberately stood up, bracing herself against the table as she made her way over to the small island that delineated the boundary between the small kitchenette area and the main living area. She picked up Paige's coat at tossed it towards her, before stumbling towards the bedroom. "See you in the morning, newsgirl."