Illegal Army
It is the year 2034 A.D. One evening, Glory Bank receives some unwelcome after-hours customers: a gang of robbers dekced out in advanced powered suits. With Leon and Daley in charge, AD. Police attempts to apprehend the crooks, but air support arrives too late to prevent them escaping in their own helicopter. Leon and Daley ask their new chief for permission to use the AD. Police's own mobile suits, permission they now need due to AD. Police's history of causing mayhem and destruction.
After a somewhat less than pleasant encounter with the latest in cheap labor at a coffee shop, Leon and Daley discuss what has become of the Knight Sabers, from whom nothing has lately been heard. That evening, Priss is making a demo tape of one of her songs for a group of record company executives. Afterwards, her manager tells her that she's going to get her big break. Linna is now working for a stock brokerage, where she has developed a taste for insider trading. Over dinner that night, Nene expresses her disgust at Priss and Linna's self-indulgent behavior. The sudden disappearance of Sylia is of great concern to her, but Priss and Linna don't seem to care. Nene becomes convinced that the Knight Sabers are all but dead and buried, and decides to make do with the AD. Police.
Meanwhile, the powered suits commit a second robbery, clearly taking something else besides gold. Leon tries to blow off some steam at teh firing range, but loses his cool and nearly shoots Nene when she comes to tell him that she has successfully tracked down some data on the powered suits. Originally developed by the EC three years before, further development was halted when initial tests revealed design flaws. Modified versions of the suits then turned up in the hands of the Illegal Army, a mercenary outfit with a penchant for turning up in the world's hot spots. There the trail ends, because the Illegal Army and their leader, Colonel Lando, were supposedly wiped out in a failed operation the year before.
Elsewhere, a mysterious voice tells Colonel Lando that he has done well in securing the first two compenents of a new artificial intelligence, but that they are useless without the remaining two. Lando says he is working on the others. The voice tells him that the AI is essential to their project.
Like Leon, Nene tries to burn off frustrations. And, like Leon, she fails miserably. Suddenly, Sylia appears on the video game console acting like all's right with the world. She asks Nene to bring Priss and Linna to her suite at the Imperial Hotel, which is where she's staying while her building undergoes renovation. When they arrive, Sylia entreats them to eat, but, convinced that this is the Knight Sabers' last supper, they insist that Sylia tell them what she wants to talk about. Sylia explains that, far from breaking up, the new Hardsuits are ready and it's time to go back to work. Thus placated, they waste no time in devouring the feast that Sylia has laid out.
Afterwards, in a leisurely sauna session, Sylia explains their current contract. Zone Corporation, makres of Boomer brains, have hired them to safeguard the remaining two components of their newly developed, top secret AI from theft by the Illegal Army, who have been robbing the banks where the components were concealed. Sylia has planted false information concerning the whereabouts of the components, and is waiting for Lando to take the bait. While they wait, Priss and Linna's careers suffer serious setbacks, spurring them both to get back into their suits, with Linna having a personal grudge to settle.
Will Sylia's new hardsuit designs prove equal to the task of stopping the armored mercenaries> And who is the "Voice," the Illegals' mysterious "comrade-in-arms," and what is his ultimate objective?
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