Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Cosmos Nova - [CN D0] Discovery [FIN]

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi woke up on her airbed, rubbing the sleepers from her eyes. Her ears were down and her tail sluggishly came to life. It was 10 in the morning and the sun was shining over Ukedo. She could hear the seagulls and the ocean. It made her sad, because when her home was there, she couldn't hear the shore. The shelter tent was erected right where Naomi's home would have been. Now all that is there is bare ground, and a 5 meter square geodesic tent on that plot of land. Held up by inflated support arms and on the seams between panels. The outside skin was a easily identified yellow with orange inflated supports with "Nippontai - Department 0 Rescue Department" marked on some of the panels. A couple of clear panels let the light of the new day in, while some solar panels charged her computer equipment.

Her suit was in the repair shop from the tangle back in Germany with the evil squids from hell, and she was happy this job was far more sedate. She wasn't sure if Ryu was up yet. His sleeping quarters were separate from her's.

She yawned, then let off a cute, plaintive meow as she got up from her bed on the floor.

"Hideyoshi-san! Are you awake?"

[Long]

His sleeping bag was empty, He was already outside, working to make sure things were done right. The first actual reconstruction would begin today, on a housing complex, of all things. He was overseeing the logistics at first , and then the Foreman arrived, allowing him to go help with the final debris removal. He'd been hurling chunks of rock onto the breakwater, building it higher, when he heard her call to him.

"I'm over her, Minami-san." He called to her, his deep voice seeming to rumble through the area.

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi's ears perk up. She was sleeping naked, so she quickly dons her work-suit, an orange and red number that looked gaudy, but highly effective for being spotted. It had "Department 0 Search and Rescue" stenciled on the back with the red version of the Department 0 logo on the shoulders. She put on her life vest because she was going to do some inspections of some of the docks today, then after putting her steel-toed boots on, with her canvas gloves, she runs out to meet up with Ryu. Yellow hard-hat in hand.

"Ah! There you are!" She says after finding him and putting her hat on. "Nice work on the break-water by the way. I'm going to start examining the pier area to see when we can start work on getting the marina reconstructed. That will be important in getting trade back up and running for the town's fisheries."

She spots Director Nishimura in similar gear to her own and waves. "Director Nishimura! Good morning!"

The director kindly waves then gets back to discussing things with an archetect.

[Long]

He smiled, looking at her and nodding. "I try." He had on a black t-shirt emblazoned with the Department Zero logo, and a pair of very large jeans. He was barefoot, and the ocean breeze felt good against his exposed fur. "It's a good day to break ground."

[Sunstar]

It had been a few hours since Naoko awoke from where she was sleeping last night, but she's already pretty beat looking for things to salvage. That or it could be the fact she hasn't eaten since yesterday morning. She heads over to the old marina, noting she's found some good stuff their before. As she was searching through the wreckage, she noticed a intact motor of some sort and jump over to try to pick it up.

"Gotcha! This looks like it will be fun to fix." She said shaking listening to see of anything is rattling.

Naoko tries to jump back, but loses her footing, matters made worse by wreckage falling with her into the drink. She tries to swim out to get out of the way...as she does she sees a large black cable fall towards the water....and it;s clearly live

"NO!!!" She screams, desperately trying to get out in time but to know avail. The water hits and Naoko is electrocuted. Her whole life flashes before her eyes, her school life, her family, the Quake. But as it ends, she feels a sharp pain in addition to the shock...and then....Suddenly the pain goes away, and the electricity crackles around her before flowing into her right hand and firing upwards into the sky, making a massive arc of electricity in the sky, as lighting was striking the Sky instead of the ground.

[Long]

Ryu saw the surge and flash of a live wire hitting the water. "Call the salvage teams back, a live wire hit the water, no sense in anyone else getting hit." Then he saw the massive bolt into the sky. 'Everyone stay back!" He called out, before taking to the sky, his own barrier field flickering to life, as he descended on the source of the raw blast of electricity.

He beheld the young woman there, "You, are very, very lucky Miss." He grinned, which happened to display his large fangs, and his blue eyes bespoke of a quiet authority. "Perhaps I can be of assistance." He reached out for her, hoping the wire had been drained, but knowing it was unlikely, and thus preparing for a major shock. The static effect on his fur would be unpleasant.

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi saw the flash and her fur stood on end from the ionization of the air. She wasted no time once Ryu shouted his warning and ran behind him as fast as she could, grabbing a first aid kit that had a portable defibrillator. As she did so, Director Nishimura ran up to her. "That was definitely an eruption... I felt the Quantum surge that occurs at Planck time. Better get over there."

Naomi nodded and ran as best as she could in the boots she was wearing until she got over to the dock.

When she saw a Girl she hasn't seen since... well... since the girl was in the 6th Grade, her eyes widened. Then she narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger. "Miss Ishikawa, That math homework assignment is 7 years overdue!"

She started laughing. "Unbelievable! Ryu... Help Naoko out of the water, please once I try to turn the current off."

She hops on to a ledge with her cat-like grace and sees a nearby transformer, and switches it off once she gets to it. Then hops her way back.

"Okay, all clear."

[Sunstar]

Naoko groans, electricity stick crackling a bit around her before it dies down.

She stares at the tiger-man for a moment, clearly a bit nervous because the fangs.

"Errr. Thanks."

She looks over at the other, cat-person-thing.

"Wait, how do you know my family name......"

It takes a moment for her to notice but...

"Ms. Minami from elementary school? What happened to you?"

"Ummm. Is the fact my house no longer exists a valid excuse for a assignment from a school I've long since graduated from?"

[Long]

Ryu grunted, and grabbed her hand pulling her from the water, "Hold on." with nothing more, he carried her from the water over to the bank, now that the line was dead. He looked to Naomi. 'Get a blanket and some dry clothes, and get her changed so she doesn't get sick. I'll handle the director, and getting this power line removed."

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi smirked at Naoko's remark. "So is mine, young lady, and as you can see... we're fixing that in town."

She kneeled down to her. "I am Miss Minami... Oh god let me..."

She hugged her and started to cry a little. "How long has it been? Why were you out here, child?"

She withdrew back, wiping a tear. "So much has happened over the past year... I'm surprised you've not heard what's been happening with me on the news. Or Mr. Hideyoshi here's life recently."

"You look like a thousand kilometers of bad road, Naoko."

Realizing Ryu gave her a order she snapped to. Wondering where a towel could be had she realized the best thing to do was get her to the shelter she and Long were staying. But when she turns The Director was there behind her with a yellow bag.

"I took the liberty of getting what Ryu requested. I think it is important for Naoko right now to get comfortable again. She's going to be feeling it shortly."

Naomi nodded and helped Naoko back to Ryu and Naomi's shelter.

[Sunstar]

"Thanks, Miss Minami"

She hugs back, crying.

"My folks died during the quake last year. The house was trashed by it as well. So I've been living....well any dry spot around town I could find. I was looking for stuff to fix, or get spare parts from, when I fell into water. Debris and that wire fell in with me. And....."

She quickly turned away from Naomi and throws up in a clear spot.

"I don't feel so good..."

[Naomi Minami]

"Your brain is adapting to it's node, and the sheer wave of quantum energy that just went through it. God I was lucky. I was unconscious during that period."

She put her hand on her shoulder. "You should get that out so if you go unconscious you won't choke on it."

After a few more heaves, Naomi takes her to her shelter and lays her on her bed after taking the sheets off. "Don't worry, it's an airbed, you can mess it up however you like."

As she said this, a technician from Department 0 comes in. "I brought the recovery suit when the Director called."

It was a blue colored bodysuit, with some red trim on it, and a black helmet. "Oh you guys finally are doing trials on that?"

"We need her permission to use it. Since it's not tried yet."

Another technician wheels in the support system that hooks up to the suit.

"Miss... Doctor Katsushita... This suit will reduce your sensory input for as long as you need it. If you wish to get out you will be free to speak during this time. This suit is to reduce your sensory input so your brain has time to rest. If you feel you do not need it we'll just drop it off here. Miss Minami is trained to operate this as part of her emergency training."

Naomi nodded as the techs left.

"I'm going to change your clothes anyways. You... deserve better than the clothes you got on."

[Long]

Long hefted the uncharged line from the sea,, making sure it was dead before calling over a team to properly disconnect it and went on helping with the recovery operation, as the Director and Naomi were quite busy. He'd check later on the new nova, but for now someone had to keep the crews on task.

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi hands over some crew overalls like her's to Naoko, they were about her size.

"That's all I got, really. Just those. You can step behind Ryu's privacy curtain to change clothes and dry off. There are a couple towels. After that, we can see about using the suit to reduce some of what you're going through, but it's all your choice."

She kneels down. "This is all coming too fast for you... it did for me even more so, but I was in a survival situation at the time when I came to after my eruption moment. I..."

She puts her hand on Naoko's shoulder. "I'm here... every step of the way."

[Sunstar]

Naoko finished a second round of throwing up before looking at Naomi.

"Thanks, Ms Minami....."

She stares at the suit for a moment before nodding.

"I'll use the the suit. If you'd please let me."

She said while finishing changing.

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi nodded, and after Naoko was wearing her new, dry clothes, Naomi started putting the "Iso-Suit" on for Naoko. It felt pretty loose to Naoko, and when the black helmet was put on and the sound of what seemed like far-away shores was actually relaxing, with the dark visor down. The suit activated and it seemed the air temperature in the suit warmed... her skin started to feel a bit numb, it felt like she was in her own little world, but still was keenly aware of her nausea at first, but it slowly subdued as her migraine abated to a dull throb.

"There, let me know if anything starts going wrong for you." The suit's auditory block allowed for speech to get through. The helmet had a mouth opening in case the patient needed oxygen or needed to vomit. Naomi sets Naoko back on her bed. "Just see if you can sleep. Relax. You're safe here."

She closes the triangular covers that darkened the shelter. She sat next to Naoko and held her hand. "I'm right here, even if you can't feel my touch."

Naomi started monitoring Naoko's vitals. This was going to be a long wait.

[Sunstar]

A nice, warm bed. Something Naoko hasn't had in sometime. She lies down once she's lead over.

Naoko's stomach settles down a bit.

"Um, Ms. Minami, mind opening the visor? I can't see all to well like this"

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi changed the opacity of the front visor's LCD front a little so she could see. "I hope that is alright, Naoko."

She smiled. It seemed so alien that she would be stuck in that until she was better... why does it always have to be so hard starting out for a Nova sometimes? Why only stress, disaster, and sorrow bring forth these powers? These strange, frightening, wonderful, and fascinating powers?

"Just relax, and rest."

[Long]

Ryu came in about that point. "Alright, I've got the media vultures taken care of, and work's been suspended for today. The Director will be by eventually, though I warned her of a need to rest on Naoko's part." He looked to her and nodded. "Are you alright? would you like something to eat? I packed some homemade sandwiches, and the commissary that's been set up has food too, or would you just prefer to sleep?"

He looked to Naomi, his eyes soliciting her own opinion on things, noting the use of the deprivation suit, very glad that option wasn't something they could have done to him.

[Naomi Minami]

"I think we should take the pace at her comfort level at the moment."

She stands up. "I'm capable of staying up for days if necessary to ensure her transition to a Nova lifestyle is as smooth as possible. And I am sure the Director definitely understands the concept of hands off during this time."

She smiled. "I'm... I'm so happy actually... a former student of mine... in my hometown we are rebuilding... and she's erupted..."

She hugged Ryu, looking at him with her beautiful cat-like gold eyes. "I'm proud to be sharing my life with you... The bad and the good."

"I get to be a teacher again, Ryu!"

Her smile was infectious as her tail moved happily and her ears were up and energetic.

= 4 Days Later =

Naomi was sitting in the conference room, waiting for Naoko and Ryu. Head Director Nishimura and Science Director Nakamura wanted to meet with the triad of Novas about a potential mission. She was wearing her repaired suit, feeling that this was as much her identity as is a "uniform" of sorts for her. Naomi requested her suit be a red color, instead of the typical white, and that was done when the outer synthetic spiderweave was replaced with a new, waterproofed ballistic memory-polymer. the new material creaked a little, which to her ears was annoying, but it was the breaking-in process. She loved her new helmet having a clear faceplate in the front instead of the almost sentai-style face the Mark-1 before the repair refit had.

Naomi read the first volume of her fictional adventures as "Dai Neko Keji" as she waited.

[Long]

Ryu sat in his own chair, Wearing Black slacks and a grey button-down. He didn't need the ultra armor suits, or want them. Besides, it would take too much to make one for him. He seemed almost asleep, his tail coiled around his waist as he sat there eyes closed. Inwardly, hewas cataloguing all that had happened, and he seemed to smile. He was sharing an apartment now with both Naomi and Naoko, and plans were being made to move out into the family mansion, simply to give them some privacy.

Still he had to laugh. Three of the four Department Zero novas living together, and of the entire group, he was the lone male nova. He'd already hear the rumblings for him to be assigned as field leader, given his history in law enforcement, and of course the attitude that he knew was unspoken. A man should be the leader.

Personally he didn't care, so long as the leader led well, and made good decisions. So far the Director'd been doing that job admirably, and well.

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi mewed as she looked up from her book. She was completely unaware that Ryu was nearby.

"Oh! Ryu! I'm sorry I didn't notice... I was actually engrossed by this... people think my life is so..."

"Exiting?" Ryu interjects.

"No... Dangerous actually. I mean think... what if Novas who aren't as tough as us suddenly see that Department Zero has more fights than a UFC fighter going on?"

She shows herself in the Manga stealthily infiltrating a North Korean military base to sabotage it's nuclear program.

"I'm... not Jane Bond. I mean... I like these stories... but they're fiction, you know?"

[Long]

"For now at any rate. Who knows what the future holds. You could end up being a super catgirl ninja spy, sneaking out at night to moonlight as an assassin for hire."

He smiled, clearly teasing. The media was keeping respectfully distanced, only sending half a dozen reporters to cover their every move. Still, it also meant the people got alot of time seeing the Novas working to better tomorrow.

He reached over to squeeezed her shoulder gently. "I can be pretty good at going unnoticed, when you get past my appearance."

[Naomi Minami]

"Well, I have this cute black poncho I can wear over this suit, and I am pretty agile."

She moves next to Ryu and strokes his cheek. His powerful chin and jawline were apparent. "But... I am a detective. I find things."

She smiled as she leaned forward. She felt like a schoolgirl waiting for class. Or the principal. "Naoko has come along brilliantly. Seems the sensory reduction suit works somewhat well. Time will tell if it will become a valid part of post-eruption treatments."

"If we three are going on a mission, Ryu... we have to make sure she stays safe. In other words, she is going to make mistakes, and we have to be able to cover her if that happens."

She cared not only for her... this was the attitude she had towards everyone. Even the Director.

[Long]

"I would be surprised if they send her out right away Naomi, she is a child. Even I have only been a nova for less than . A real mission is something that I doubt we're fully prepared for, but I will do my part if called upon." He was happy she'd opened up so much, she seemed so much happier now, and in truth he was too. Neither of them was alone anymore. he scratched behind her left ear for a moment, not wanting to have everyone talking more than they were. The director'd already spoken to him about the two of them growing close, but it was mostly about asking if they could take charge of Naoko, as they didn't have a fiacility for her to live in at the moment.

[Naomi Minami]

"Well... I am sure if she does accompany us, it is probably because of her talents fill an important gap between I and You in our skill-sets."

Smiling she placed a reassuring hand on Ryu's own. "And I'm sure Requisitions is probably kitting her out as we speak, so she won't be want for anything she requires."

She looks at Ryu's style of clothing. "I see my advice on being "down to earth" finally set itself in concrete. I like the look, personally."

"The Professional Tiger. Predator of the boardroom. Observe him in his natural habitat..." She says teasingly in English. Her grasp of the British accent made her sound like a nature documentary narrator. "You know... with the accents I've picked up, I could be a voice-actor."

"Gotta spread out careers... maybe I can voice myself if they do an Anime..."

[Sunstar]

"If they do that can I be voice your sidekick?"

Naoko enters...well....dressed in her suit with a jacket over it. Now that she's had time to clean herself up, her black hair is straight and not a hint of grime on her.

"Morning, Ms. Minami. Sorry if I am late. Still was feeling a bit groggy. I'm ok now though."

She looks over at Ryu and extends a hand.

"Didn't properly introduce myself to you, sir. Name's Naoko Ishikawa. Nice to meet you"

[Long]

Ryu chuckled at Naomi's comments, and then shook hands with Naoko. "I am Ryu Hideyoshi, Former Captain in the Tokyo Police force. It is good to meet you, and see you doing better, Miss Ishikawa."

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi smiled and saw the suit. "Well it seems to fit you well. Now that they decommissioned that prototype for a new model, I can see that suit looking great on you. Have you been commissioned a Oyori suit yet?" She sat on the table between Ryu and Naoko, but more as a friend of both, but wanting to be a mentor to Naoko. "It's what I'm wearing... well... mine was refitted after a fight I was in, but... I could get them to get yours to have a similar design." To be honest the way the feline detective looked, she looked more at home in a giant robot than at a crime scene. "What do you know about your abilities, Naoko?"

She sighed realizing that might be too soon to ask. "Sorry, I am glad you're better, Naoko."

[Sunstar]

"It's fine Ms. Minami. Still getting used to this all. Well so far I can do this"

She holds out her hand and a large crackle sound occurs as electricity is formed in her palm. She juggles it around before making it dissipate

"Also found out I can control computers with my powers. Oh and I can do this too"

Her Skin suddenly seems to turn plastic like.

"Neat huh?"

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi was about to respond when Head Director Nishimura and Science Director Nakamura both walk in. Nakamura actually greeted Naoko warmly as Nishimura was pleased to see everyone was present. She had tons of folders under her arm, all red.

"So, the mistress of the wires herself is fully up and ready for her first assignment?" Nakamura asked.

"Now Doctor Nakamura, please... she's just erupted. I'm not for having her out in the field."

"Actually, Director Nishimura, this is the best way we can test Naoko-san's ability. Your assessment is a class 1 risk portfolio?"

"Doctor... It's class 1 with Hideyoshi-san here. Without him it becomes a Class 2 risk."

"Something Naomi can handle on her own. Her natural resiliance alone can shrug off small-arms fire. We saw that with the black box built into her armor."

Naomi's ears flick back. "I'm a gunea pig in the field, Doctor?"

"Oh no... that's to check what failed on the armor... we just compared it with the recording of the incident. That was still running, by the way."

"So... you recorded how I took a blow that required a chiropractor's re-allignment?"

"Noted and assessed with the impact protection in the armor."

"Doctor Nakamura, please. Naomi is right... you are making her out to be a guinea pig."

The Doctor sighed and took her seat. "Science can't progress without being bold, Director."

The Director just shook her head and pulled up what looked like a technical schematic on the display. "What you see here, everyone, doesn't leave this room. This is a Class Omega national security mission."

"This diagram..." The Doctor starts pointing at it with a laser pointer. "...is of a EMP weapon that has been designed by an unknown terrorist group. A group that is believed to have ties with the Vory here in Tokyo. Our cohorts in the DSA has been quite forthcoming with the intel and material produced during their Operation: Valiant Shield a day ago. We've been keeping a lot of what happened out of the media due to this machine on screen."

"Originally..." Director Nishimura continues. "...this was thought to be an atmospheric weapon, to be deployed at 18 miles high, but due to what we've been researching, there is a possible method for another means of deployment. A portable device."

She brings up a display of the Tokyo area. "If it went off at Shinkuku station at ground level, it would put off a pulse that would affect the entire Tokyo metropolitan area for a 4 km radius. Now if it was set off at the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Govermnent Building, that would have a total radius of effect of 55.7 Kilometers."

"That's... to the horizon, isn't it?" Naoko asked.

"Yes, indeed it is."

Naomi blinked. She was about to say the same thing... was Naoko more mathematically sharp? "So, Directors... what do you intend the three of us to do?"

"Actually, this is Ryu's team. Your mission, is to investigate a warehouse we've been investigating since we got some important evidence from a Girl captured with the pirates. She actually helped with the initial foiling of their second attack on our ships. While the other assets are still currently on the water, I am sure that the DSA has that covered. It's time to pony up our end of the bargain. Are you up for it, Ryu?"

"However you and your team wish to handle it, is entirely up to how you see your assets."

The Director actually looked forward to his response.

[Long]

He knew why he was being put in charge, and nodded. Naomi was taking it well. He didn't like it, but appearances mattered still.

"I want roadblocks and checkpoints in the surrounding area, and over on the northside. I want them to do some guesswork on where we're actually going to go in. It's an expenditure of resources and inconveniences, but if we can stop this from happening it will be worth it."

"I'll lead the team, but I want it on record that this is going to be volunteer only, Naoko, Naomi, it's up to you whether you come along or not."

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi holds up her hand. "If I may... perhaps the best way to handle this is not to appear as if we are going in on a criminal search? If we go in the way you prescribe, anyone there will be ready for a confrontation. Now, If we went in on some other pretense, let's say, a inspection... it might lower their guard a bit."

She pulls out something from her raincoat on a coat-hook nearby. "This is a radiation detector. Now while our efforts during the disaster reduced the overall radiation that came from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, there was still an initial deposit of radiation. This device fully has the capability of detecting residual radiation."

"There has been quite the media storm in regards to the safety of our products. I would assume that the Warehouse is owned by a exporting firm?"

The Director nods while the Science Director smiled seeing one of her creations might be part of a major plan.

"Then it's simple... we go in as a 'Government Agency'... which we are, we could have full reign of the building. And of course if anyone refuses we'd be sure to pull out the 'well, I'm sure the media would appreciate your resistance to something as simple as a scan for radiation' card."

She smiled leaning against a wall. "I'm sure you guys at the precinct used similar tactics?"

[Long]

"Or it might cause them to detonate it anyway. We need to know more about the people who have it. You're assuming they're just going to let us in. You and I are very obviously novas, Naomi, and if we send normal people in, they'll have no real qualms about taking them out. This scenario will require decisive action."

[Naomi Minami]

"Wasn't saying any normal people, I meant us."

Naomi kept her cool. "Then again... it would be a BIG explaination on how a rookie Nova and a known bruiser escorting little old me would be a problem."

She sighed. "So... what you prescribe then is a special op?"

She blinked, assessing the risk to Naoko and to Ryu. Ryu wasn't some weak link. He was the whole chain for the team, but the risk to Naoko could be tremendous. She was untested.

[Sunstar]

"Hmmm. "

Suddenly a devilish grin appears on Naoko's face

"Ms Minami, I might have a way to cut the middle man out. Anyone got something that can make a wireless connection? I have a little trick I want to show you all"

[Naomi Minami]

Naomi blinked. "Umm... what do you have in mind?"

Naomi pulls out her Omoikane tablet and sets it on the table, activating it.

"Once this boots up it should have wireless node capability though Department Zero's wireless network."

She blinked, then she remembered the dossier on the initial analysis of Naoko's powers. "Wait... do you intend to go alone? That's too dangerous!"

[Sunstar]

"Oh! Oh no! I was thinking we could get me on the network and take two of us and do this"

She teleports to the opposite side of the room.

"Only works with wireless connections, but I can take us almost anywhere within around 2000 kilometers. Only can bring one you with me though."

[Naomi Minami]

"Oh... Right... your ability to attune as they call it."

She straightens out her suit and then looks to the Director and the Science Director. "Did one of you bring my backpack?"

The Director nodded and points to a box on one of the tables. "I remembered to put it there. I reminded you, but you were too busy reading."

"Oh..." Naomi's ears drooped in embarassment.

"Anyways, Naoko, we'll go in, find out what info we can, then return here. But we should wait until nightfall."

[Sunstar]

"Right, Ms. Minami. I'll be ready."

She then looks over at the Director

"Need me to do anything in the mean time?"