Looking for a Job
                                     by
                                Bob T. Mi-go


      Ryoko stared at the ceiling. "This is boring. How much longer are we
going to have to wait?"
      Next to her, Aeka snorted. "If you'd kept your temper, we wouldn't be in
this pickle now."
      "If *I'd* kept *my* temper? I seem to recall that you were the one who
started it. Just because you've got no sense of humour and start throwing your
blasted force fields around whenever anyone cracks a joke..."
      Aeka snarled. Energy crackled. But just as the two were about to start
yet another quarrel, they realised that everyone else in the room was staring
and backing away from them. Ryoko and Aeka grinned sheepishly and returned to
their seats. "Ah-ha... just ignore us, okay?" Ryoko said.
      Aeka was glum. "I suppose it doesn't matter who started it. We trashed
the house again. And the shrine. And half of Okayama. And now Tenchi's thrown
both of us out and Father's disowned me. Ryoko, what do you really think of our
chances of getting this job?"
      Ryoko once again scanned the room, which was filled with hundreds of
hopeful-looking young women, all beautiful, all in their mid to late teens, all
looking disturbingly fit and energetic. "To be honest? I don't think we stand a
chance. They say this vacancy only comes up every few decades and the
competition for it is fierce. Besides, why would anyone want to employ someone
whose chief talent is blowing things up?"
      At that moment the room went silent, as an unprepossessing man entered.
"Thank you for waiting, ladies. We've now completed all the tests, the results
have been analysed. The successful applicants are," he glanced at the piece of
paper in his hand, "Aeka Masaki and Ryoko Hakubi."
      The room filled with groans of disappointment as all the others filed
out. Our duo were too stunned to say anything as the man crossed the room to
them. "Congratulations, ladies. Your training will start immediately. Here are
your ID cards."
      Ryoko studied hers with glee. "WWW3 - Trouble Consultants! Aeka, we made
it!"
      Aeka was studying her own card. "Call me Yuri."


                               -------------------


Tenchi, Ryoko, Aeka etc are the property of AIC and Pioneer. Dirty Pair Flash
belongs to Takachiho & Studio Nue - SUNRISE, and ADV Films. No claim on these
titles, settings and characters is intended nor should be inferred.

This was written some time ago, after watching "Dirty Pair Flash" Mission 2
Volume 1 and realising that Ryoko and Aeka bear an unwholesome resemblance (in
more ways than one) to Kei and Yuri, respectively. And occasionally someone
asks a question like "What kind of job would Ryoko have?" My apologies to
anyone who may have written about this idea before me, I'm not aware of any
such story but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

This story is Copyright (C) 1998, Robert J. Cannard. Permission is granted to
distribute it freely, provided the entire document is distributed whole and
unchanged, and no charge is levied (that is, don't change it and don't sell
it).

Comment & criticism should be sent to <bobtmigo@teleport.com>.