Bombproof Bombshell

“On the war front, Allied Forces have begun landing on the African coast, building a beachhead in what the War Department is calling Operation Torch. Film from the fighting shows our new Super Soldiers among the fighting, dealing with moving large obstacles or disabling Nazi war machines.

“Even when the krauts get a clean shot, it doesn’t do them any good as you can see here, as Solaris is shown in battlefield footage taking a direct hit from enemy artillery and shaking it off as though it were a spot of rain on a picnic.”

“That’s right folks, we have our own Bombproof Bombshell giving the boys some inspiration and the Nazi’s something to worry about.”

World War II News Reel, 1942.

With a scream of effort, and a flare of golden light brighter than the afternoon sun, Solaris grabbed the fallen Ferrous and threw him at the energy projector.

"FUCK!" The woman grabbed her boss, and pulled him in front of her, just in time to take the impact, both villains going flying along with the metal man, turning into a pile of groaning people just as police cars came around the turn. The leather case lay on the ground, where the man had dropped it, after getting grabbed by Fulmina.

“Rrrr. That hurt.” Solaris said rubbing the spot on her chest as she walked towards the villains, her heels clicking on the pavement, each step leaving a tiny half circle divot. As she went to secure the would-be robbers

Teflon slid out from under his allies, staggering to his feet. he looked over at the case but shook his head, turning and started skating away, moving far faster than if he'd just run, for all the world like he was on ice. "To hell with this!'

Solaris narrowed her eyes and pulled off her pretty bright blue purse, throwing it at the villain’s legs as he fled. “Coward.”

The purse hit the man firmly in the back of his knees but slid off him instead of bunching up around his legs. He was thrown off his feet, sliding down the street like a toboggan only to get hit by one of the police cars, sending the man screaming to ping pong around the area, vomiting and collapsing when he finally stopped.

"Signal Lost" came from her air pods a few moments later.

Solaris winced. “Oh, bloody hell, I forgot the phone was in the bag.” She went over to look at her purse, picking it up. She looked at the cops. “Hello Officers, the other two ruffians are over there. She reached into the bag. Sighing as she pulled out half of her phone. Well, that didn’t last long.”

"Well, lucky the Apple store is just over that way." The responding sergeant commented dryly. "Let's get a statement. We got a call about a robbery, and based on all of this I'm assuming you stepped in?"

“Yes sir. My assumption was they were trying to steal that case she said pointing to the briefcase. She pulled out her new identification card and offered it to the cop.

Another officer ran over to the man with the sword, who was groaning and climbing back to his feet, though he accepted help.

He took it and nodded. "Yeah, the departments been talking about you being back. I may have good news or bad news for you."

“Oh? What is that sir?” she asked, buttoning up her jacket to hide the damage to her shirt.

"You had a high-profile fight on the most video recorded street in New York City. This one's definitely hitting the national news channels."

"Yes. Now can your people return the case to me?" The man, Japanese and carrying his sword, a Katana, asked, his tone firm but polite. "These people were attempting to steal it just as I had arrived to take claim. The items were not meant to be sent with the auction items inside."

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“I am glad to see you are not injured. I do hope nothing in the case was damaged.” Solaris said with a polite bow.

"Thank you, Solaris-dono, I am injured but not so bad I will not heal with rest. It is unlikely that the items are damaged." He opened the case when a cop handed it to him, revealing an iron tsuba, with a gold and enamel inlay of a snake wrapped around where the sword would have been, with a boulder and shrine lantern as additional details. Its quality was obviously high, and its age apparent. A handle was shattered, with what looked like leather, unexpectedly, around it. "Well, the important item wasn't damaged. The handle is replaceable."

Solaris smiled at the man’s musical accent, “It is a beautiful tusba. A friend of mine had one made for me, it was a sun with a white jade wolf spiraling with a black jade raven.”

“I believe a photo of it is still on the smithy wall.” He said politely. “I am Takihara Jiro. Chief Inspector, Security Bureau. I was here to recover these items for the embassy. I have the paperwork here.”

The police took the paperwork and scanned it, beginning to verify Takihara's information. Another set of cops worked on cuffing the three villains while others managed the crowd and allowed fire fighters in to deal with the flaming car.

"Sir, why were you carrying a sword?" One of the officers asked as he was going through the paperwork. He looked around. "And where did the sword go."

"It's an athletic device, not quite a weapon, but as I lacked a side arm I did what I could." He said, ignoring the second question, the weapon having seemed to disappear. Solaris chuckled at the rather blatant lie.

Solaris looked at him, his accent was so familiar. "Do you know why these ruffians were after the Tsuba? They didn't seem the Foxiest of thieves."

"The Tsuba isn't Foxy, as you put it. It is a bit of a cultural treasure, however. Let us say those who follow Inarri prefer to keep it out of the wrong hands." he replied politely. "I happen to work at the consulate, so it was easier to dispatch me than send a specialist. We didn't anticipate a theft, but a straw purchase."

"Ahh someone clever hiring thugs. Some things never change.” She said her spine relaxed a bit. “Whatever was going on probably didn't have anything to do with her old frenemy Kitsune's people, she really wasn't in the mood to fight ninjas.

"Well, the paperwork is sound, and we don't need the items if we can photograph them." he gestured at the neurocuffed criminals being examined by EMTs. "I'd push on the sword, but you're apparently embassy staff, so that's pointless."

"Thank you, and again, you as well Solaris-dono. I will take it to our embassy, so if you need anything more from me, I am at your service."

Solaris nodded. Pleasure to meet you Mr. Jiro. She waved at Penny as she saw her and Nahoa pushing through the crowd. Ahh my assistant is here. Do you need any more information from me? she asked politely.

"No, between existing calls, an officer witnessing on scene, if not equipped to assist, sorry for that, and the camera we pretty much can do for now. If we have more, your contact information is on record." He chuckled. "Once you replace your phone."

Solaris winced. "Yes. We will need to run by the Apple store for another spare phone. A trio of villains were robbing the auction house. I stepped in, and in the tussle my shirt and phone were ruined." She pointed over to the flaming car and the cuffed bad guys being loaded into cars. “I had Siri send you a message, did it not go through before the phone broke?”

"It did, but I was trying to figure out what 'Wood and Vanilla on Fifth Avenue" meant. I think she's still learning your accent."

"Right...don't trust the robot with important messages. Got it." she said with a sigh.

"Oh, it'll get better as it learns but yeah. Might have had her call me instead. Voice is usually better. It'd also tell me if you were panicked or just having fun." Penny considered the car, which was still burning and the spread out and injured villains. "I'm still not sure I would have rushed, seems you needed to stretch your legs." she teased.

Penny's phone rang. "It's me," Marcus said. "I'm not going to be able to get right to where we were going to meet. There's some car fire thing going on."

Solaris couldn't help but laugh a bit. “Sorry officer.” she said politely. "The lady's beam was quite painful, but I didn't have to hold back as much on the metal fellow so that was nice."

"Fulmina... yeah. She was a punk kid when she first got popped and started dating a tech-girl in lock up. Apparently, they figured out how to tune the beams to people’s pain receptors. Guess she'll join her girlfriend in the slammer again."

Penny, speaking on the phone, said "Come to the Apple store. We had to replace a phone, Marcus."

"Do you need me for anything else Officer? If not, I'm going to fly over to the Apple store. Penny could you or Nahoa go pick me up a shirt while I deal with getting a new phone between the stab and the energy there is a rather crispy hole in the front.”

"Yeah... We'll grab you something." Nahoa nodded. The cop waved her off, letting Solaris fly off. "So, tourist shirt?"

"Tourist shirt." She nodded. “I saw a pink I Heart New York one a block before this one with a street vendor.”