Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Cosmos Nova - [Department 0 - CN] 11

[Naomi Minami]

"Right. I will have a medivac ready. There will be a Russian team on standby if needed. That and if things get too hairy there is a Spetznaz team on standby for the duration. They're taking no chances with your friend."

After some last-minute preperations, Ryu is sent to the docks at a northern town in Hokkaido. It's already ice-cold, but there was some open water still at the port. People were getting their boats ready for winter's ice but a lone seaplane sat on the water. A old antique that seems a hold-over from before the second world war.

"Well, you must be Ryu. Old Nakamura told me about ya, Tiger-man." The pilot said with a wry grin. Her British accent suggested she was from a better part of London, but she's been around. She was in her 30's but looked like that was a facade. Ryu could tell there was a node there. But a lot about her didn't fit. "I'm known for my courier work around these parts. Pretty much the only Job I could have around here. Me and my precious."

She pulls her goggles up and reveals there was an Asian behind the lenses. Her plane was a dull white, dirty from years of use and there was evidence of carbon scoring. "I owe your boss a lot. I guess this is the first marker."

[Long]

He nodded. "It would seem so. I'm affraid you have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but I do not know you."

He smiled. "I'd like to at least be able to thank the person flying me into the lion's Den."

[Naomi Minami]

She stops in thought for a moment. "Name's Kyoko. Everyone around here calls me Sailor though. Probably because in the warmer months I'm usually out on my sailboat fishing."

"Seems you're my passenger? I got some supplies heading to the Russian naval base. Food pretty much. I guess in trade for allowing you to come up there." She says, grinning. "So... Seeing how big ya are, I'll have to have ya sit in back. I already set up a seat for you."

Plane Notes

The Aircraft looks like this, but as described.

"Nakamura gave me some extras that I've been finding... nice... for this plane."

[Long]

He nodded, Climbing in where she indicated. "Good to meet you Kyoko."

"I'm sure, the tech is always nice."

He smiled. If there's nothing else, then let's get going. I don't like being away too long."

[Naomi Minami]

"I heard you're all business." She says, getting in her seat after walking into the cockpit. "Usually, I have to do a safety briefing, but... you're Ryu... all cold water and a aircrash does is make your fur wet. Just... save me first." She says with a joking grin as the engines screech to life. Some smoke puffs from the engines as they get airborne, but it seems it wasn't a problem for the most part.

"Hope that's not spooking you." Kyoko says as she pulls up and into the sky.

= 3 hours later =

Kyoko pulls into the harbor of the port complex and town that was mentioned in the briefing back in Tokyo. Kyoko pulls up to a dock as several soldiers in bluish urban camoflauge stood at attention where Kyoko was pulling in. There were some more of what looked like Russian seamen waiting as well to take the cargo off of the plane.

"Okay, looks like the gang is all here. Luckily I know russian. Need an interpreter?"

[Long]

"No, actually I'm quite fluent." he replied in perfect russian. He looked to the Soldiers and greeted them presenting his badge. In Japanese he looked to Kyoko. "Stay with the plane don't attempt to get any further involved, unless I call for you. I do not want any innocent blood spilled if I can help it."

"In case I don't see you again for some time, It was nice Meeting you Kyoko. You can stop by the office when you're in Tokyo."

He looked back to the Guards. "Take me to whoever is in charge." In Flawless russian.

[Naomi Minami]

Kyoko nodded. "It's cool, Ryu. See ya when you're done. Besides, I gotta be the local hub for that comlink of yours anyways. Well, my plane at least."

She climbs up out of a hatch on the top of the plane and sits on the wing after sliding out what looks like a small mattress.

A Russian soldier walks up to Ryu after seeing his Department Zero clearances. "Ah, so you're Ryu. Bit bigger than what my superiors briefed us on. This way, comrade."

He seemed like a friendly giant of six feet and muscle. His 9 O'clock shadow suggested he's been a busy man lately.

[Long]

Ryu followed dutifully, standing above them all and nodding. He noted everything in his surroundings. "Things are always bigger than our superiors tell us. Nor can we know everything. I like to think the give us what we need to know. Still in this sensitive situation any further information will serve both our countries."

[Naomi Minami]

"Indeed they would, Captain."

The voice both inspired confidence and respect from the troops next to Ryu. He leaned on the door jam to what would be his office. "Alright Gentlemen, you have watch around the Phoenix over there as the sailor boys over there unload our "Perishables" from the plane."

They nod and head off while what looked like a General on his rank pins gestured Ryu to come in. "Sorry for the cold, it is what it is around here. Back near the end of the Communist regime there were nuclear subs stationed here. Now it's all large cargo ships, fishing vessels and some coast guard ships. We got a few missile destroyers, but I think Japan is already aware of that..."

As Ryu steps in, he closes the door. "So, what is one of your agents fucking doing in my country, Ryu? "

"You listen here, the only reason why I'm tolerating a Japanese presence is because my superiors in Moscow are concerned there might be a connection to that traitor that's been playing Mafia in your country. Quite honestly if I find that bitch here I get to kill her myself."

He sits down, taking a sip of vodka to calm down. "Also I know your country is "Concerned" about their little missing Nova girl... Look... Moscow was interested in her as well. They've been trying to see how secure you guys got your nuclear plants after the disaster. Kamiko has a habit of actually calming down the detractors with sheer facts. Hell, we met before she vanished and she didn't seem too bad. But never the less I consider that girl a security risk particularly if she was here. It would be your best bet, Mr. Hideyoshi you pick up your little friend and get the hell out of my country and take that damn bitch's corpse with you to present to your superiors."

[Long]

"She's here, and not in Japan?" The large nova's Eyes narrowed. "She killed my partner, nearly killed me several times."

"I am only here to retrieve Kamiko, General. Whatever information you can give me, as well as the final place she was seen, I might be able to get on doing that."

He set aside the desire for revenge. if he could recover a live nova, well that would be so much better. "Anything can be of help. I'm sure the Russian Intelligence has some information, you did flumox the Americans for a long time."

[Naomi Minami]

"Well, the one-eyed schoolgirl was last spotted in the civilian portion of town on the other side of the bay here. Near the makeshift library. She had been seen going in and out a few times there."

"As for the other one, Scarface, no clue."

"One thing... What do you know about "Mother"?"

[Long]

"I'm told she's playing chess with everyone's lives. Does that bother you as much as it bothers me?"

He nodded. "I know little really, just what I've overheard. Someone playing puppetmaster behind the scenes."

[Naomi Minami]

"Here's something I do know about her... Something that came from what the DSA got out of Anastasia."

He grinned, pulling something up on his Laptop. "This is a deposition copy I got... a lot redacted except things the US thought was pertinent to our interests."

"Seems "Mother" has it in for the Europeans for some reason. Little Anya thought that whatever your puppetmaster is doing is to get vengance for whatever slight she perceives happened."

"Got you licking your fangs yet? Here's the kicker. We got some info from the downed aircraft that the Nova pilot brought down single handed. Seems that the pilot of that aircraft left some personal effects in the storage bin behind the cockpit. There was a sealed case that when we opened saw the case itself was hardened against EMP and inside was a flash drive. In that drive was coordinates for Brussels and for London."

"Not sure what to make of that, but I'm sure that spooks the living hell out of me."

[Long]

he nodded. "It's a distressing development, but not one that we can do a whole lot about with the manpower we have available is it." He read the packet and looked over the pictures. "So, you recognize my limited jurisdiction, and I am free to continue the mission, and let you know when I've finished?"

[Naomi Minami]

"As far as I am concerned, this is a joint Japanese-Russian operation. Get things sorted and perhaps afterward we can share some Vodka. Or what is it you people call your best drink... Sake was it?"

He grinned. For a man in his late 40s he wasn't too off his prime, but looked like he was starting to show the long draw of years in the wrinkles on his face. "Just don't try to blow up too much of the place, some people need it to make a living, you know."

[Long]

"I am a civil servant, protecting Civilians is something I do. I will not use major destructive force unless I'm backed into a corner."

He smiled."If that's it then here is a com frequency you can reach me on." They exchanged protocol and comms, and then Ryu headed off for where she'd been last seen to investigate.

[Naomi Minami]

=Across the bay, in the civilian quarter=

As Ryu looked around, he knew he was being watched. A over 2 meter tall humanoid tiger would draw the attention even if he tried to stay to back alleys. But eventually, he reached near where the picture was taken.

"Ryu... this is Naomi. I did some research of what exactly Kamiko was wearing. Seems that the uniform is for a Catholic school in that area. Odd since Russians follow a different branch of Christianity. The Catholic Church isn't well known there. I'll send you a image of the school seal that I spotted on her blazer."

She sends it to the video link his com-link has with a visor-like projector that beaned the video data right to his retinas. "St. Sylvester's Academy."

"St. Sylvester as far as I know is the Patron Saint of Travelers. Something is odd here on that... Her size and her obviously looking more like a young adult in a school uniform seems odd. Anyone as perceptive as me can see this is a cover. But Kamiko's injury is what is most interesting. I see no blood on that eye-patch, even though it was a recent injury, suggested by the fact I could still see some scabbing on the face. I sent a image to Tokyo Central Metahuman Hospital and they agreed... the Eyepatch is not necessary, with the damage she recieved to her face her eye was probably not touched as whatever hit her came at a angle."

"Ryu, If you find her she may either be in hiding or on a mission so classified that not even the Director knows."

"Or worse... she's turned colors."

[Long]

"Thanks Naomi." He nodded and continued. Investigating the scene didn't take too long, and turned up little. "I guess all that remains is to go to this school. Call ahead and let them know I'm coming with the backing of the Russian government."

He nodded, and headed on over, on foot, walking blatantly to the front Gate. "This is Captain Hideyoshi, may I be allowed inside?" he was the image of courtesy, if Courtesy was a large Tiger man who looked like he could destroy tanks with a flick of his tail.

[Naomi Minami]

A man no older than 60 it seemed greeted him at the door. He wasn't sharp on his feet, but he was dressed as a priest. "I am Father Abram Konstantinov. Headmaster of this school and pastor of the church here. How may I be of service, Son?"

He was kind, even had a smile on his face as he stepped aside. "All are welcome in the house of God."

Seems that Ryu picked the entrance to the chapel attached to the school, as it was. Then again, God was supposedly humble. "I recieved word from the strange woman... cat... person just a moment ago. She was in a bit of a hurry, she made me fully aware you are quite direct."

"If you wish, we can meet in my office where we can discuss matters further."

There was something about this man that was... odd.

[Long]

Ryu nodded. "Thank you Father. I realize this is highly unusual, and assure you I will cause as little disturbance as possible."

The Japanese nova allowed the Priest to lead him within to his office, his guard up against anything out of the ordinary.

[Naomi Minami]

"Miss Minami told me everything about the mystery student spotted nearby. I've seen her myself."

He opens the door, and sitting at his desk was a girl wearing exactly the same outfit, long black hair, and what looked like a large duffle bag next to her chair.

"Miss Aino, there is a Captain Hideyoshi here to see you."

She turns quickly, her eye wide. "Dammit... Too soon."

[Long]

Ryu nodded and waited patiently. "Should I go and retrieve her myself Father?"

He was worried This was too easy.

[Naomi Minami]

Kamiko stood up. "Shit... how did you guys find me? I made damn sure that no one knew where I was. I was this close..." She pinches her fingers close together. "...to getting intel on Mother and why she got her hands on weapons-grade plutonium."

She sighed. "I've been chasing her men for months. Exhausting every lead and getting temporarily blinded in my right eye..."

She pulls off her bandage showing the stitches closing her eye. She re-conceals it, the full extent of her scar was apparent. "...Director Nakamura must be disappointed in my lack of skill..."

[Long]

"She's been extremely worried about you when you went silent. Believe it or not this is actually a rescue mission."

He nodded. She didn't seem fazed by him at all. "Perhaps such Intelligence matters should be discussed in a secure location."

[Naomi Minami]

Kamiko nodded. She was eager to please someone she considered her superior in Naomi but also her commander in Nakamura. "I'm... sorry. I know nothing about encrypting like that new kid you guys found near Minami-Sensei's home town. Otherwise I would have contacted home sooner."

She gets up, brushing off her plaid skirt. "Father Konstantinov here has been providing me cover. Seems I and Him have a common foe. I think from knowing your history it's you know who..."

She gets up. "I got a vendetta with her..." She stops, seeing the priest look at her with concern. "...sorry... this conversation isn't for holy ground."

As they step out of the office a familiar voice is heard. "Capitan...."

The hairs rustle on the back of Ryu's neck... That was The Russian... and soon afterward the doors burst open as armed soldiers level their AK-47s at Ryu and Kamiko.

"Shit, Ryu... Just spotted some smoke outside the gates of the church! Ryu! Watch out!" Kyoko at the plane shouts.

Back at HQ Naomi sees on the sattelite intel feed twenty soldiers storming the school and church.

"God help them..." Naomi says, her ears down.

"Ryu and Kamiko?"

"No... those guards."

[Long]

"You're smart. I'll give you that." He nodded. "It was all a trap, wasn't it? Baiting her, wanting to get me here?"

He nodded. "Things have gotten too difficult in Japan, haven't they?"

"Considering the timing, who tipped you off, or did you set this yourself, Balalaika?"

He knew the guns wouldn't faze him at all. The other people though, he was fairly certain didn't have such protection.

[Naomi Minami]

The voice comes from a open radio mic/speaker on one of the tactical vests of the soldiers. "Oh, I was tipped off far sooner than that, Ryu... That Kamiko is a ameteur playing Jason Bourne. I mean come on... She can hide her trail and sneak around me like a damn shadow, but I have more than enough resources on hand to see when a damn wannabe russian schoolgirl with a bad eye is sneaking around my backyard."

"Well... if it isn't Balalaika herself..." Kamiko spoke up. Stepping in front of Ryu. "Thing is, Kapitan..."

"All we have is ourselves and a Priest. Versus all of your men... I bet you are asking yourself... what do we have other than that... I mean I am here... unarmed..."

The soldiers step back. "Comrades! Cock your hammers!"

What Kamiko said seems to have gotten better attention.

"Then what I ask is... who wants to go first..."

She pulls out multiple sheets of paper from the sleeves of her blazer from seemingly nowhere. "I know their ammo types, Ryu... my paper under my shirt is more than enough to stop it. Why you think I'm wearing long stockings to boot?" She whispers as the soldiers think of what to do next... just as Kamiko whispers a count...

"San... Ni... Ichi..."

Ryu sees what looks like a Spetznaz trooper like who he saw earlier in full black-ops gear rappeling down from the roof at a blind-spot to the invading terrorists.

Smokebombs are tossed in. "Ryu... through that door! I'll cover the Pastor's retreat! Time to plow the road!"

[Long]

Ryu nodded, taking out the armed humans with a speed that only novas can manage. "Clear." Then he moved out into the hallway, and there was the sound of gunfire and bullets hitting plaster and the walls, as he shrugged off the auto fire, disabling the enemy soldiers as he came to them.

[Naomi Minami]

Kamiko started putting up walls to protect the spetznaz and allow better lanes of fire for them while tossing paper daggers, cutting the throat of one enemy soldier like nothing as she charged at the one with the open radio, keeping him in a stranglehold with a widened paper garrote as they step further.

"Didn't think... I had it in me, huh?"

"How... You're not even a high ranking Department 0... Japanese Intelligence?!?"

Kamiko grinned before running a paper dagger into the kidney of the person she was holding. She grabs the radio. "I serve my country now as you once served yours. One day, Traitor, You'll understand."

"You're not even russian!

"I understand patriotism, Balalaika. I understand service and sacrifice. I stood up when no one else could, wherever asked."

"You're no schoolgirl, you're a girl scout."

"Sea Scout, actually, proudly served 6 years."

Ryu seemed shocked how casual Kamiko took this practically life and death situation.

[Long]

He nodded once and moved on. There were many left to clear, and if he was lucky Balalaika to capture. Still he knew there would be hostages, to slow him down. She'd done this so often before.

"I'm going to get you, Russian, sooner than you imagine."

[Naomi Minami]

"Then this time I will throw you a mulligan. Leave while you still can. While I imagine you will survive and worry your wife to death in the process, I highly doubt the one-eyed thorn in my side and the pilot will. You have One Hour."

The tone of the communication was blunt and direct. Almost immediately the soldiers of The Russian's personal army vacated with flashbangs. Leaving the Spetsnaz left wondering what was going on.

"Uh... what was that supposed to mean?" Kyoko says over her comlink. Kamiko's eyes widen. "Dammit... This is too soon... she can't have..."

"We leave now, Ryu, get us and the pastor to Kyoko with one of those teleports you can do." Kyoko says in a hurried tone. "Kyoko, get your engines going now. And make sure the General starts evacuating his troops at once! We need to get 75 kilometers from here immediately!" Kamiko shouts over the comlink she fishes from her bag.

"Kamiko... why is that?" Naomi asked, sounding quite scared realizing what it might be.

"We don't have time to find it. It would probably go off the moment we find it... She's got a suitcase nuke. And it will render this whole port nuclear slag. We gotta move!"

[Long]

Ryu nodded, opening a gate imediately and sending them to the plane. "Evacuate now, don't wait for me, I'm going back for the students!:

The portal closed as the former Cop went about gathering the students, liberally using his nova gifts to overcome their initial fear. A quick phone call got the russian military into motion, reacting to the warning with nonchalance, then they saw the intensity in his eyes.

he gathered up the last students and opened a portal to Naomi's hometown, damn the immigration headaches, saving lives mattered more. He began hearding them through watching the clock, It reached Zero as he entered, and exited in Japan, closing it behind him.

[Naomi Minami]

Kamiko wasted no time in grabbing the General, the Father, and the few Spetznaz that were still alive from the firefight. They were clear and flying low over the water when it happened. The EMP didn't reach them since a ground-nuke's EMP only propagates to the horizon.

"Damn... I... Can't believe it... She actually did it." Kamiko said to those around her.

"Not suprised, little one. Where are we heading?"

Kyoko spoke up. "Just received a GPS ping from Ryu. He's at Naomi's old home town. Won't take too long to get there."

Director Nakamura opened a radio channel to Kyoko and fed it to Ryu and his comlink. "Did... did I just see that on our Intelsat? Good god that better not be... this is gonna make everyone shit bricks."

Naomi forcefully took the microphone from the Director. "Forget the politics... if there was anyone left they're... they're..."

Kamiko looked out her window, the glow of the nuclear fire still bright over the horizon. "I failed... I failed everyone..."

The general spoke up. "Okay... someone fill me in, this doesn't fit Balalaika's profile. What in the blue blazes is going on?"

Kamiko mournfully looked up. "It's not her idea, General... it was Mother's. And the amount of material needed to do that... was only a third of the amount stolen from us... I'm so sorry..."

The father of the former school and church at the now wiped out town placed his hand on Kamiko's shoulder. "You did your best, child... you can't be faulted for that."

Kamiko just looked down at the floor the rest of the trip.

As the seaplane arrived at Naomi's home town port, the children waited anxiously to see their beloved teacher. Kamiko was last to step out. Naomi and the Director also arrived shortly thereafter, in a private jet that landed at the new runway placed in town for supply planes.

Naomi ran over to Ryu, hugging him tightly. "You crazy, wonderful, insane tiger..." She said, crying.

[Long]

While they were waiting, Ryu had done tricks with his powers to amuse and keep the children calm. Finally, Kamiko and the General arrived, as well as Naomi and the director, with a full field team in tow. He left the children with the team, to take care of them, before embracing his wife and wiping away her tears. "We're fine, remember, no stress dear." She was obviously pregnant to anyone who looked.

He gathered her over to the General and Kamiko and the Director. "Balalaika has upped the level of the game. That was a trap, one for her and for us."

He looked at them. "She didn't have to tell me the amount of time left." Obviously she was meant to let me and any other nova there die, as well as herself. telling me the time left was simply her way of claiming me for herself alone."

He looked at the General. "What were your casualties General?" He knew they couldn't have been light, it takes too much time to evacuate a base.

"The other question, what did she gain from this?"

[Naomi Minami]

"It is too early to count the toll, Captain Hideyoshi." The general said before he was interrupted by Naomi.

"Sorry... but, The signal she was sending wasn't at that base. Naoko wasn't at HQ when I saw that it was at least coming from a series of proxy satellites overhead. I didn't know how to do a backtrack and now the trail is cold. But The Russian wasn't there on the scene."

Kamiko sighed. "Coward..."

The General spoke up again. "I will have to speak to my superiors. Let them know I and at least a quarter of my men are still with us. I'm just not sure how much of a political firestorm has started... These are dangerous times we live in now. At least I can say, Russia has allies in Japan. At least in the cause of bringing these terrorists to justice."

Naomi looked down. "And sorry, ahead of time, Ryu... but I... I wanted to see your face again and see you were indeed still alright."

[Long]

"Time has a way of healing all wounds, General, even those between our nations." That Japan and Russia were not friends was not a political secret. Still their economies need each other. "I am sorry I couldn't do more to save more lives. I hope your people can forgive me for that."

He sighed. "Dammit."

[Naomi Minami]

"That... isn't the issue, Ryu." Director Nakamura spoke up. "You did exactly what you could... You know how I felt after the Great Tohoku Disaster last year, now. That is the weight I bear, and I am sorry you bear it. But even you are still human. Not a mere mortal, but still not omnipotent."

"If you... wish, Ryu, I can grant you a leave and I can have Kamiko serve as a Interim director until your children are born."

Kamiko looked up. "Are you sure, Director?"

"I'm sure you will lead from the front. Something I never did."

"Ryu..." Naomi said, walking next to him again. "There is nothing to be forgiven for. If there is anyone to blame... blame Balalaika and The Mother. Focus on that and bring them to justice or their maker."

Her ears flicked back. "Too many died today. They will be avenged."

Nakamura quirked an eyebrow... She knew Naomi's hormones were tweaked, but she never saw the calm demeanor of Naomi erode into a need for vengeance.

"No children died, my feline child." The pastor said, walking over to Naomi. "All of the children here are of those from the town and of the school. Ryu... in a way you succeeded. More than was asked."

"Don't go with vengeance in your heart... what was that famous saying?"

Kamiko cleared her throat. "When embarking on the road of Vengeance, dig two graves, one for yourself and one for them."

The Pastor nodded. "That... is what terrorists want. Chaos."

[Long]

Ryu shook his head. "No."

"I am an officer of the law. This isn't personal." He looked at them. "I will continue to pursue those responsible, as Director, unless the Diet and Prime Minister say otherwise."

He nodded. "Not that I think you cannot perform the job Kamiko, I do not know you. But You have been undercover some time. you deserve the chance to get reacquainted with life on the Light side."

He hugged Naomi. "I will defend our nation, and family, but I will not be the aggressor. Vengeance is not my way, even with her." That if something happened to Naomi, he wouldn't be so constrained, he left off.

[Naomi Minami]

"Very well, Director Hideyoshi..." Minister Nakamura says, holding out her hand. "What is your course of action?"

[Long]

"Well Until the General and the Russian government can arrange somewhere for their people to return to, and these students, I propose we house them here. we have several prefab buildings set up, and I can get more ready fast with some effort. We have plumbing and such ready again, so we can let them remain here. I think there's too many for the russian Embassy. Besides, I doubt this takes more than a week to get everyone home."

The General nodded. "This will have scared everyone Comrade Hideyoshi, I expect even the beauracracy will move swiftly here."

Ryu nodded. 'Very well. I can have supplies brought in for you and your men and the students, good food, and refreshment, as The rest of the housing is set up, sound Good Minister?"