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Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Fiction - [FIN] Episode 1: Britannia


The Traveler

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Irma will be using Persuader on these reporters until they get clear of the press of, well, press

"Oh, I'm simply a lucky traveler who was in the right place and the right time, one who will be much more aminable to all your polite questions after a day to relax and enjoy the lovely local weather with a drink in hand," pattered the chronokinetic to the latest reporter to drift into her orbit, fielding and deflecting what questions she could from the others and spinning a subtle web of social influence to keep them from asking further questions without saying anything of real note they couldn't deduce themselves. This was easy, false smiles and carefully calculated shadow promises of future answers as she 'had no intention of going anywhere for a while'. This was social magic, and an artful head tilt of amusement at one of her victims turning long-distance papazi seemed to break up a good chunk of the mob, but there were quite a few left and even Irma couldn't turn them all on a dime or protect the others from all comers.

The figure in black was the target of a quick node scan and came back positive as a Nova, a strong one. Somewhat expected with that get up in this heat but not rating more than a second glance every now and then in case the figure turned violent. Not every Nova was a problem every minute. The reporters struck her as a greater threat to her good time at the moment, so down they would go first until proven otherwise.

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In Florida...

Sarah pulls out a tan over-poncho and puts it on over her suit, designed for every-day use like an overcoat and waterproofed at the same time. As she looks at what is going on with the reporters, she spots the cloaked individual and stares at him or her. The only thing in her head when she looks is be ready to run.

"Guys..." Sarah says in a whisper. "I'd watch that oddball in the cloak."

Sarah starts getting mobbed by the reporters sent away by Irma.

"I'm sorry, but I'm actually trying to enjoy some freetime with these two... trying to get to know them. I'll happily have an interview... non-exclusive of course... after we've had some time. Okay?"

The reporters are getting more anxious for a scoop now. "And if I catch anyone taking pictures while I swim today... no interview for you." She says the last bit with a scowl.

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Heather seemed a bit bemused by all of this, once again not really getting what is going on. At the mention of pictures, though, her attention turns to the devices held by the people asking questions. Hmm, I wonder how those work. Grabbing one of the cameras from an unresisting camera man, she turns it over in her hands trying to figure it out. Having no luck, she sticks a fingernail into the side of it and peels back the cover to reveal the inner workings. "How inefficient and inelegant. Still there is a certain something to be said for simplicity of design. Where do you keep the pictures? Oh, I see, this bit must transmit the images to a receiver elsewhere. This power supply is awful bulky, though, and don't you have problems with so many radio transmissions clogging up the air? Mirrored particle interaction is definitely a superior way to convey information..."

As she continues to examine the camera, and the other cameras continue to examine her, Ariel appears on her shoulder holding a fist sized sapphire. *Mama, there are lots of tasty rocks under the so warm sand!* She then takes a bite out of the sapphire, teeth sliding through the gem as smoothly as if it were a ripe apple.

Heather reached up to scratch Ariel's neck, saying, "I'm glad you found lots of tasty rocks buried on the beach, just don't overeat and make yourself sick."

It took a full two seconds for the first cameraman to compare his salary to the size of the gemstone the dracoform was holding before dropping his camera and heading full tilt for where the dragons had been digging earlier, followed closely by most of the news crew hounding them. You could get a princess story every day, but a treasure trove of buried gems was a once in a lifetime opportunity... especially if they could pocket some.

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Interesting. Eiether Heather was a much better at lying than most people or she was completely unaware of the effects of a treasure trove of jewels would have on most people, herself included if she was to be honest. You never knew when you might need unconventional items of value in a Traveler's lifestyle. How unfortunate she was in the public eye and on duty then...

"Well. That cleared out the ones who couldn't be reasoned with," Irma declared with a smile aimed at the other two women and far from incidentally one of the more dedicated journalists who just happened to have a camera ready for a picture of the trio, carefully feeding one of the better-behaved 'jackals', "Shall we continue on then? Now, Sarah, you said luxeries are expensive in your currency, do drinks fall under that category or not? Because I think we've found our R&R stop if one of you want to call in the others..."

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"Well when I think luxuries, Irma, I think of things like oh... personal orbital jets and yachts with a size that would make a supercarrier captain jealous. Something like a good draught shouldn't cost a finger or two." She says with a smile. Still looking at the cloaked figure without going on about it. "Heather! I know you're curious about the technology, but I am sure The Professor can give you a technical journal that explains all about how a video camera works..."

She hands 5000 energy credits to the man who had his camera inspected and probably wrecked. "I'm sorry... Heather's... new."

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Back in Londonium

Sakurako smiles. "Chris, Dash, this is my good friend, Captain Jane. Don't give her any trouble she's liable to get rather harsh. Golden Gunplay 5-time champion, Registered Class Omega Nova, and is practically immortal."

"Don't forget the hottest Nova this side of the Atlantic, sweetie. And you look good in that pink wrapper... can't wait to open it." Jane says, winking.

"Jane... I'm not your type." Sakurako sighs.

Why did the comment- an ultimately harmless remark- cause it, in the end? Was it the lingering shock remaining from the experience of abandoning literally his own world? An artifact of the Quantum Retention Disorder, aka Taint? Or was it simply that Dash hadn't overcome the trauma of The Seven Circles as much as he wanted to believe? In any case, for several moments, he was a teen again, in the Seven Circles, Mom fucked to death while a still damn his eyes hard Corbin walked to him. The gun was with him though.

Only one thing to do. In a couple hundred pico-seconds, faster than he'd ever moved before, his pistol was planted squarely between the eyes of Corbin. "I'll open your-" Then the world faded back into Britannia, and his target was Captain Jane now. Everyone caught off guard in shock. Dash's face suddenly seemed to wake up, and his impressive anger become overwhelming self-horror. Immediately he turned and hurled the gun to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Years of training and time, seven Directive psychologists and therapists... nova-dose medicines... and I still can't escape the nightmares and flashbacks wherever I go!" He sunk to his knees in a squatting position. "All this damage has been done, and no way to repair it. Leaving for here and the taint is just the icing on the cake."

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The sight of the gun made Chris react, a sword appearing in his hand, poised behind Dash's neck, and then it vanished as he sunk to the ground in grief, unseen by Dash, but not by the Professor or Jane. He said nothing of it and laid the same hand upon Dash's shoulder.

"No matter how bad it is Dash, you know who you are. There are those who would help you, but you're going to have to be honest with us." He looked at Jane and the professor and nodded. "Why don't we continue this somewhere more secure?"

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The Professor places her hand, and even thickly gloved radiated a warmth and kindness. "Dash... I'm so sorry..."

She knew what he has gone through. "Jane, I'm sorry for the outburst. Dash... he's been through a civil war on his Earth and I'm afraid his side lost."

Jane nods, gulping. Uncharacteristic for her. "Yeah... I think my little quip was a trigger. I can have Owen give us a teleport to our Cardiff headquarters. There we can discuss things in a safe environment. And Dash... Once we get there, I'll need her sidearm." She asks, but not seeming like she wants to force it. "At least until I understand what caused this."

Owen steps foreward and prepares to teleport.

"And..." She points to Chris with her other hand. "Nice sword trick... Actually Professor, both your companions... are sort of hot. And take the bubble with you... don't want to leave anything lying around to get in everyone's way."

"Alright. Oh... I can pick up my suit you were fixing up too while I'm there." The professor says with a smile.

"Oh that space suit... yep it's all repaired. I see why you want to wear that instead of that bag."

Owen teleports the team to the Section T main headquarters. They are in a large facility underground, seemingly built in an old underground station. http://tardis.wikia.com/index.php?title=Torchwood_Three&image=The_Hub-jpg

"Welcome to the hub, Professor... or welcome back I should say."

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"Heather! I know you're curious about the technology, but I am sure The Professor can give you a technical journal that explains all about how a video camera works..."

"Well, if he is going to shove it in my face, how am I supposed to treat it except as a gift?" This time, Irma can detect a hint of irritation lacing the innocent sounding statement. Apparently being mobbed had annoyed her as well, though she had been far too well mannered to show it. "Besides, what's the fun of learning how something works without studying the thing itself and trying to figure it out? Books are nice, but I've done almost nothing but read for the last decade, and I want to do things now."

A stray thought causes her to add, after a moment, "Besides, the Professor and I use such different words for things that I would have to learn your dialect first to even understand the book, but no matter where you go, a boost reversal circuit is always, essentially, a circuit which reverses the boost."

Dr. Who reference FTW

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Sarah adjusts her poncho. "I understand your curiosity. Heck, I'm curious as to who I am, now. But I don't try to see if I can zap that dog over there or try to scramble that datapad that police officer is holding... There's a time for science and a time for observation." She says raising her arms behind her head, elbows to the sky and looking bored. "What do you think, Irma?"

She spots a SCUBA store nearby. "Now, I'm going to leave you two unattended. DONT destroy the town we're gonna paint red, okay? Oh, and what are your sizes... if you know how to SCUBA dive I'll splurge a litttle and get some gear for you guys if you need it... at the very least a wet suit." She says with a smile. "I mean, I know you guys can probalby breathe water or not breathe at all most likely."

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Ah, technology. Irma had never really given too much of a damn about it, because in most cultures, a gun was a gun and unless it was common enough to look like she'd find spare parts for things on the next world over, she didn't really bother collecting them.

"I can't, but I'm perfectly fine sitting on the beach and enjoying the good weather and drinks. Those are more expensive on some worlds and some cultures than you'd think, really," demurred the chronokinetic as she finally spots the beachfront club they were after, a cheerfully painted place proclaimed 'The Sea Turtle' and populated by a happy throng of beachgoers and, cleverly, a few lurking reporters disguised as beachgoers. Music played. The sun shined. And bright-colored umbrellas shadowed beach chairs. In short...

Irma gives a big smile up at her taller companions and brushing her hair out of her face again. "Perfect. Just what I'm looking for," she declared, before tapping on her throat com on, broadcasting to the Londonium crew, "Professor. This is Melody. I think I've found a spot. If you're done with Dash and our nameless friend, Heather and I can get them right over. We've got a shy friend in black watching us, Nova, but I don't think they'll be starting any trouble."

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"Oh, excellent." the Professor says putting on her space suit that Jane helped fix up. In the clean room she packs her isolation suit into a purple bag and closes it tight. "I like the name... When we arrive I'll be in a black and red trim bodysuit. Let Sarah know, she'll know what I'm wearing."

She scratches her head. "Nova in black... Facinating."

"Actually puzzling. The Nova is not on my records." A asiatic voice says over coms. "Sorry... I'm Kimiko... I... was keeping an eye on your friends to make sure they stayed safe... once I started seeing a congregation of Novas within a 5 mile radius start to happen."

"What?" Jane and The Professor say simultaneously. "Yeah... They started moving to those resorts then the majority fell silent."

"Hmm... keep me appraised, Kimiko. We got matters here first before we can show up there." Captain Jane says, looking at her data readout.

The Professor looks at her HUD on her helmet and sees that familiar blip... in Florida now. She elects to say nothing for the moment.

"Keep me posted, I'm just about decent." Sakurako says adjusting the final bits together.

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Dash tossed the firearm over to Jane as he slumped down rather than pay attention to the surroundings that much. "It was a flashback. Professor, you and the others know that I hated the Houses on my Earth like hell, even though I had much to gain from siding with them. Do you know why I hate them, why I joined the Directive?"

He began quietly. "There's a story behind it. A story of the Seven Circles, a pit of the most debauched House nova pleasures and parties down there underneath New York. And they get what entertainment they want down there, legal or illegal. After all, they're the Houses backing this. Who would stop them? And one day, a party with all big names, Corbin, Orzaiz... so on. For the main event, a very good-looking baseline woman and her son who just happened to be made the exhibitionist centerpieces.. were kidnapped off the streets. Stripped naked, beated, horrible stuff before the mother is first to be actually raped. Hard enough, so after being degraded utterly, she dies... a snuff rape. Corbin finishes that up... heads for the son... he is screaming and then erupts..."

Dash stopped, eyes brimming with pained tears and then stared at everyone. "Fill in the rest. I would have wasted all the House novas in all of my Earth if I could. Now I can't even continue the fight."

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The Professor adjusts her suit as she sits next to Dash. "I guess we're all castaways here practically." She says, looking up at the cieling. "My universe was destroyed through heat-death. A group of Novas... or I believe they were... Called The Hive... They traverse from universe to universe looking for fresh "meat" in the form of Quantum energy. They're like Vampires really... but worse. They don't suck their blood, thry take in every bit of energy that makes you well... you. We fought bravely against their swarm. But they were just...

Every faction... every political conspiracy was briken and everyone stood for one thing... our survival... but the thing about predators is they cull the weak."

She looks down. "I was sent off, in the ESS. I guess they wanted someone to tell the tale... to warn the rest of the multiverse and to survive..."

She looks to Dash, longingly. Her pink eyes shine with wisdom for someone much older than she appears, even through the large visor of her suit. "Why didn't they sent someone who could fight? That's what I asked myself... but then I realized they needed someone to be a scout. A watcher on the wall."

She leans back in the couch. "I wonder... if others were sent... like dandelion seeds. That thought still gives me hope..."

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Dash nodded quietly before deciding to go back to an earlier discussion. "Sounds like your Headmistress could ruin all that here... I'd be more than willing to help deal with her and her cronies... and anything else that comes your way." In truth, it sounded as if that was all he felt he could do, his purpose draining away in the tragedies befallen him.

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"Heh... any hands would be appreciated in the effort, Dash. Something tells me though there is more than meets the eye to this situation." She says nodding to Jane. "But first I think we need some unwinding time."

She places a hand on Dash's shoulder. "Dash... your heart is in the right place, but where is your mind?"

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Meanwhile, one ocean, more than a few degrees of latitude, and an entire spectrim of net happiness away, 'Melody' had claimed a few shaded beach chairs for the group between the Sea Turtle and an ocean she had to admit was cleaner and more pleasant smelling than most worlds sported. She was sprawled out on one, outwardly and for the most part unwinding and mostly uncaring of her surroundings, waiting to flag down one of the staff she had seen coming around and taking drink orders.

A second part of her watched her sixth sense for signs of more than voyeurististic attention from those around the trio.

A third part, vicious and angry and forever wailing the theft of her innocense to an uncaring multiverse beneath her consious awareness, digested the fact that this Kimiko had every Nova on the planet on file and knew precisely what they were like and where they were within minutes. How... meticulous and diligent of the woman, speaking of a dedication beyond most reason. How... Thetis-like. It itched at her, building silently to an eventual head.

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Sarah itched her nose. She had been buying up SCUBA gear, wetsuits, the like... she's not had this much free time in well... years. But seeing Irma's face slightly worried her. "Not getting any good service from the staff on the beach?" She says setting down her bags.

"Please oh please let that be the problem" She thinks, flopping down on the beach exhausted. Her natural empathy towards others and reading of body language could see there was a stressor somewhere, but it was unknown the source.

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"Not getting any good service from the staff on the beach?" She says setting down her bags.

Irma hadn't realized she had let her mask slip so badly so as to read like that, shaking her head and adjusting where her sunglasses rested on her nose, "Oh. No. I can see one of them making the rounds towards us as we speak. Giving me time to decide what I should start with, really. Just overthinking something, I suppose, inevitable after a long run for me. Now isn't the time or the place, but the world before the world we met wasn't fun. Not at all. Tell you some other time when it's not as fresh."

"So you are going scuba then," the chronokinetic noted with a pleasant wave at Sarah's pile of stuff to change the topic, "Want something before you go?"

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"Oh, Yes... I've not done it for a year or so... at least two since my survival training with the royal family's bodyguard team. Best type of client is the one that knows how to help themselves, you know." Sarah muses with a smile, relieved Irma's just feeling some stress from the trip. "What something is this?"

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Dash wanted to refuse bluntly, almost as if the concept of relaxing and self-indulgence seemed wrong. Given the extremes and influence to which the Houses took it, he had become very ascetic and mission-focused. But that was all gone like burnt leaves, though the ashes still glowed, but deceptively. Yet the words came out different. "That's almost foreign to me... but, time to re-learn that... don't have a change of clothes for swimming though."

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The Professor smiles. "I'm sure Sarah could arrange something, or I might have something in my wardrobe hidden somewhere." She says, before noticing Kimiko wander out from the computer lab. "Oh!" Sakurako says, seeing the dimunitive woman, no higher than 4 feet standing among the group. Her glasses more of a HUD display than an actual set of prescription glasses.

"Umm... I'm going to come with, Jane... I... REALLY wanna go to the beach." Kimiko says, looking quite ready in a swimsuit, although the swimsuit was quite modest and her choice of beach gear in the form of a currently carried life vest and innertube while odd wasn't unheard of. "Please, Captain?" Kimiko says with almost puppy-dog eyes.

The Professor looks at Kimiko and says to Jane; "I wouldn't say no to that."

She turns back to Dash. "I actually used to be like you for a while... Once I discovered life here and this world itself I... couldn't help but change."

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"Something to quench yours and Heather's thirst by the time that waiter gets here, of course, before you go swimming," explained 'Melody' with a well-practised grin and burshing a lock of black hair out of her eyes, "If you'd like some. And I have to say, as a part-time Elite when I have to be, I apreciate the kind of thinking behind that training. Certainly make our job easier when a client thinks that way."

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"Well..." Sarah says, scratching her head. "I was more to facilitate making rescue easier. You know how security folk are... AND, I'll take you up on the offer. As long as it's non-alcoholic. I'm only 18, you realize."

She smiles as she takes a nearby beach chair. "I think The Professor might just park the ESS here."

When Sarah absently says this, the cloaked figure moves off, back into the beach combing crowds.

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Kimiko seems enamored suddenly with Dash. Walking over and sitting down. She smiles, almost more like a schoolgirl curious about someone than anything else. She extends her hand out to Dash in greeting. "I'm Kimiko. You're... ?"

The Professor speaks up. "I think we'll take the ESS once we're ready. I'd like to park it somewhere we are, after all... I got more beach supplies onboard as well. Everyone is free to come along and see it. I owe the Section T team here a visit." She says, smiling.

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Sorry for taking so long to respond. Rather bad week last week, and I just wasn't feeling it. Now, it is time for Heather to be a little weird again.

While Irma and Sarah were getting comfortable on the beach, Heather wondered out to the edge of the surf. She squatted there for a bit, examining the crabs scuttling about in the foam and apparently making comments to herself. She then headed out to sea--on top of the water. Watching her bob up and down as the waves passed under her was quite an interesting sight and attracted the attention of some of the nearby beach goers.

Further out, she stopped to talk to a curious dolphin, holding quite an animated conversation with the playful animal. This conversation ended when both of her dragons appeared and dove into the water next to her to begin playing both with that dolphin and some others who soon showed up. Smiling with bemusement, Heather headed back to the beach.

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The Professor turns to Chris. "Hmm... Oh, Brainstorm!... we can use Owen here to Warp us to the beach. I can command my ESS with a remote control. We can unload on arrival. I got the latitude and longitude. All I really need. Not doing any Temporal travel or anything..."

She pulls out a datapad and starts touching a few locations on it, showing up on a mapping system. "Londinium Control, This is The Professor... The ESS is taking off... Will stay low to avoid traffic." She says over her comlink. Soon after, the ESS lifts from it's mooring position and starts flying on it's own to Florida.

Kimiko, back at The Hub, sees Dash's hospitality as a solid compliment and smiles. "I make sure Novas stay safe. With the number of Novas making transit from their worlds to this one. I pretty much make sure everyone plays nice." She twirls her grey hair around her finger. "I also get bored and watch the outside world from my monitor pod... I built her myself. I need information... I get lonely without the chorus."

Her gaze becomes long, seemingly through Dash for a moment. "That's odd, I just seen a large movement of Novas... 12 or so strong leaving Japan. Not sure where they moved to... no fair I wasn't watching..." She pouts. "They cheat... They showed up near Canaveral when I was watching the other movement..."

The PRofessor looks up quickly, and Jane reads the reaction. "Things getting interesting you think, Professor?"

"Owen, open a Warp now... things might get scary in a few moments." Sakurako says, getting up from her seat. "Chris... things are about to be interesting."

Back in Florida

Sarah hears the commotion over the ESS comlinks. "Guys... Something just spooked the scoobies at Cardiff... Regroup and stay in eyesight."

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"It's a term I picked up from The Professor, Heather... Long, long story, and I doubt we'd have enough time to tell it..." Sarah says as a wave of murderous intent starts to slowly encroach on her own being. She reflexively starts calling up what looks like random metallic objects around her. Letting them drift as sentinels, orbiting as a miniature solar system. "Get defensive, until the rest show... I wager Jane alone could handle this... I hope."

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"Of course." Jane says, slinging Dash's pistol like a pro and handing it to him. "Owen... Taxi time."

As Owen opens a warp portal, Patricia, who had been quiet during the time speaks up. "I'll stay here and monitor comms... good luck. If there is trouble I'll call up my connections in Section J and get a calvary out there for you."

Jane looks over and smiles. "Patricia... I'm with The Professor, what can go wrong?"

Kimiko hides behind Dash like a scared child. "That's what I'm afraid of..."

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"Sorry Kimiko." Dash apologized as he moved forward, "Gotta go too. For what it's worth she didn't cause any trouble on my Earth... that was all me." He charged forward and kept his pistol low yet at the ready. He started scanning the perimeter for any concentration of quantum energies the size of several novas- distant from his own group. Same thing went for his hearing too.

OOC
Activating Quantum Attunement and Hyper-Enhanced Hearing for 2 QP
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Kimiko touches the fabric of her swimsuit and it takes on a shiny sheen, same with her vest and innertube... she seemed particularly attached to it. "Okay... here we go..." She says, sounding more scared than determined.

The Professor walks through and sees her ESS starting to land right near her, over next to Heather and Irma. Sarah seemed perturbed by something and has her junkyard field going.

Jane pulls out her Revolver and looks over the area as Owen walks through.

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