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Description
Part 1: [link]

Sorry I startled you.

Out of the darkness stepped a woman. It was not her long hair, tied back in a pony tail, that was most striking, nor the smooth dark skin of her beautiful face, or the grace with which she moved. What stood out was her two bright eyes that were different colors, one blue the other brown, and the glimmering outfit she wore. It looked like her skin was made of mercury, flowing with her movements.

I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Diamond.

Pleased to meet you Diamond. I'm Brandi. And what brings a superhero to this humble lab tonight?

Diamond cocks her head to one side

I could ask you the same thing FireBrandi, but it appears this is where you work.

FireBrandi stammered a bit at that

Aww man.. Did I blow my secret ID already?

Well you do have a distinctive look, but your energy signature gives you away no matter how you disguise yourself. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me Brandi. My real name is Nikki.

Brandi relaxed a little

A pleasure to meet you. So what can I do for you? Need backup for a mission, someone in need of incineration, general mayhem?

Nothing like that. I didn't actually know you worked her, that was just a stroke of good luck. I need your help with this?

With that the silvery second skin covering Diamond's chest split and opened wide, flowing back as if it had been unzipped. Brandi blushed.

umm... what are you... I don't think..

A panel opened in the center of Diamond's chest, from which she pulled out an actual diamond.

This is a family heirloom. I had it installed in my cybernetics, and the technicians found that it is some kind of power source.

I was hoping that you might be able to learn more about it.

Oh, sure I can help with that. Put it in the specimen stand on the table there and I'll get to work on it.

Late into the night Brandi ran every test she could on the gemstone. Spectrometers, x-rays, thermographs, magnetic resonance, even litmus. Staring at the results compiled on the computer screen she spoke up.

I've done everything I can think of with the equipment here. It is a real diamond, but there is another substance inside of it. This material is so well meshed with the carbon lattice that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. The material and the energy it gives off are not in any database I can find. Here is a printout of the basic properties I could discern. But what is really interesting is the refractive index of this energy. The way this diamond is cut it actually focuses the energy in certain directions. It is very likely the person who cut it knew of its power and was adapting it for some purpose. Also the material is reactive to other energy. Channeling power into it causes a spike in power output. Here, let me show you.

Brandi brought out a small laser, aiming it at the diamond, then adjusted the angle of the diamond in the stand.

Lets try an 80 watt laser output.

A thin beam struck the diamond, making it shine spectacularly. After a few seconds it did not just shine, it glowed, growing brighter culminating in a bright flash. On the table nearby there was now a blackened scorch mark.

Better watch how you place it in your chest. It could give you heart burn.

Thank you Brandi, you have been a big help, though you've raised more questions about it then answered. I'll have to do more investigation on where this gem came from.

Nikki picked up her diamond, restoring it to its former place, her metallic outfit seamlessly closing over her chest.

Say, does that material come in red? I could use some... huh? what the heck?

Brandi went back to the computer screen, checking readouts from various equipment.

Odd. Your diamond is shielded now, but the equipment is still detecting some kind of energy source in the room. It's weak, didn't see it before because it was masked by the diamond's output. There are no current experiments running in here, so it must be from one of the samples from the police.

Checking each sample they easily find the source. Some burnt, twisted bits of metal.

They don't include any details of what the samples are from, to prevent tainting the findings. Just a case number for reference. I don't suppose you have any contacts on the police force who can find out what this is from?

Nikki smiled

I believe I can do better than that.

With a wave of her hand several glowing rectangles appeared in the air in front of her. Data began to stream across the virtual screens.

Wow, that is better than my cell phone... is that the AF Police logo?

Yes it is. I'm accessing their filing systems now. Accessing case number.. Yes here it is.

Nikki's expression registers some surprise, then amusement.

I've found the detective's report. It contains some quite colorful language I must say. A report was called in of explosions in the old industrial area. Police arrived quickly to find a hole in the side of an old building. As they were setting up others came in who identified themselves as Secret Service? They took over the site, claiming it had been a counterfeiting operation that a rival group bombed.

The detective did not seem to buy that explanation. The Secret Service took all evidence that had been collected up to that point, with the exception of those metal fragments that they managed to pocket. That is all they have.

The floating screens faded and Diamond turned to FireBrandi.

Feel like playing detective?

=================================

oops, forgot to add credits.

Thanks to for illustrating my story!

FireBrandi belongs to me and is available for parties.

Diamond belongs to and is appearing with permission.

Description
Part 1: [link]

Sorry I startled you.

Out of the darkness stepped a woman. It was not her long hair, tied back in a pony tail, that was most striking, nor the smooth dark skin of her beautiful face, or the grace with which she moved. What stood out was her two bright eyes that were different colors, one blue the other brown, and the glimmering outfit she wore. It looked like her skin was made of mercury, flowing with her movements.

I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Diamond.

Pleased to meet you Diamond. I'm Brandi. And what brings a superhero to this humble lab tonight?

Diamond cocks her head to one side

I could ask you the same thing FireBrandi, but it appears this is where you work.

FireBrandi stammered a bit at that

Aww man.. Did I blow my secret ID already?

Well you do have a distinctive look, but your energy signature gives you away no matter how you disguise yourself. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me Brandi. My real name is Nikki.

Brandi relaxed a little

A pleasure to meet you. So what can I do for you? Need backup for a mission, someone in need of incineration, general mayhem?

Nothing like that. I didn't actually know you worked her, that was just a stroke of good luck. I need your help with this?

With that the silvery second skin covering Diamond's chest split and opened wide, flowing back as if it had been unzipped. Brandi blushed.

umm... what are you... I don't think..

A panel opened in the center of Diamond's chest, from which she pulled out an actual diamond.

This is a family heirloom. I had it installed in my cybernetics, and the technicians found that it is some kind of power source.

I was hoping that you might be able to learn more about it.

Oh, sure I can help with that. Put it in the specimen stand on the table there and I'll get to work on it.

Late into the night Brandi ran every test she could on the gemstone. Spectrometers, x-rays, thermographs, magnetic resonance, even litmus. Staring at the results compiled on the computer screen she spoke up.

I've done everything I can think of with the equipment here. It is a real diamond, but there is another substance inside of it. This material is so well meshed with the carbon lattice that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. The material and the energy it gives off are not in any database I can find. Here is a printout of the basic properties I could discern. But what is really interesting is the refractive index of this energy. The way this diamond is cut it actually focuses the energy in certain directions. It is very likely the person who cut it knew of its power and was adapting it for some purpose. Also the material is reactive to other energy. Channeling power into it causes a spike in power output. Here, let me show you.

Brandi brought out a small laser, aiming it at the diamond, then adjusted the angle of the diamond in the stand.

Lets try an 80 watt laser output.

A thin beam struck the diamond, making it shine spectacularly. After a few seconds it did not just shine, it glowed, growing brighter culminating in a bright flash. On the table nearby there was now a blackened scorch mark.

Better watch how you place it in your chest. It could give you heart burn.

Thank you Brandi, you have been a big help, though you've raised more questions about it then answered. I'll have to do more investigation on where this gem came from.

Nikki picked up her diamond, restoring it to its former place, her metallic outfit seamlessly closing over her chest.

Say, does that material come in red? I could use some... huh? what the heck?

Brandi went back to the computer screen, checking readouts from various equipment.

Odd. Your diamond is shielded now, but the equipment is still detecting some kind of energy source in the room. It's weak, didn't see it before because it was masked by the diamond's output. There are no current experiments running in here, so it must be from one of the samples from the police.

Checking each sample they easily find the source. Some burnt, twisted bits of metal.

They don't include any details of what the samples are from, to prevent tainting the findings. Just a case number for reference. I don't suppose you have any contacts on the police force who can find out what this is from?

Nikki smiled

I believe I can do better than that.

With a wave of her hand several glowing rectangles appeared in the air in front of her. Data began to stream across the virtual screens.

Wow, that is better than my cell phone... is that the AF Police logo?

Yes it is. I'm accessing their filing systems now. Accessing case number.. Yes here it is.

Nikki's expression registers some surprise, then amusement.

I've found the detective's report. It contains some quite colorful language I must say. A report was called in of explosions in the old industrial area. Police arrived quickly to find a hole in the side of an old building. As they were setting up others came in who identified themselves as Secret Service? They took over the site, claiming it had been a counterfeiting operation that a rival group bombed.

The detective did not seem to buy that explanation. The Secret Service took all evidence that had been collected up to that point, with the exception of those metal fragments that they managed to pocket. That is all they have.

The floating screens faded and Diamond turned to FireBrandi.

Feel like playing detective?

=================================

oops, forgot to add credits.

Thanks to for illustrating my story!

FireBrandi belongs to me and is available for parties.

Diamond belongs to and is appearing with permission.