Fractal Threshold

[Kauket]

NEW TOKYO ネオ東京

---

The city lights of Tokyo stretched endlessly beneath the night skies of New Tokyo, a ceaseless ocean of neon and steel. Life thrived in the dark—spilling across towering metallic monoliths, threading through dense urban streets, and flowing with the constant hum of traffic beneath luminous bands of color. The city breathed, alive with a low, unrelenting roar - even during the cover of nightfall.

Revenant, now operating under the assumed name Ki Koyuki, arrived in this vast capital to pursue a carefully constructed opportunity within Kishiro offered by an old friend of hers. Officially, it was a chance to assist in refining their jumpdrive technology. Unofficially, it offered something far more valuable: a potential lead on stabilizing the failing enigmatic alien device in Earhart, and perhaps a little unique opportunity to earn more information.

The risks were unavoidable. She could only trust that Holliday’s mesh implant concealed her well enough against the guises of the corporate assessment, and that her unseen agents remained vigilant in their watch. The true uncertainty, however, lay with the Kusari Office of Intelligence. If the rumors of Nomad compromise held any truth, her position could become untenable. Another proxy conflict was the last thing she intended to provoke.

Still, she pressed forward.

Dressed in a pristine white business suit, paired with a muted yellow shirt and matching tie, she blended formality with subtle cultural awareness. A small briefcase completed the image. Her stride was measured, confident and with purposeful. The office complex loomed ahead amongst the shining towers against the night sky. The interview, scheduled late into the evening, was conducted under strict discretion. It quickly became apparent that the KOI held a vested interest in security with these sensitive briefings. One of their operatives lingered in the background, silent and observant. A presence impossible to ignore as the man stood in the shadow of the room itself.

A flicker of doubt surfaced. Had she miscalculated? No. The commitment had already been made. Quickly trying to dispel these thoughts, she adjusted her posture, steadied herself - fixating on the task at hand - and proceeded.

The interview unfolded methodically. Questions probed her background, her integrity, her experience. Koyuki responded with precision, presenting carefully curated documentation: Some genuine, some embellished. References to the University of Cambridge were included among them, lending credibility to her claims, despite the questionable background she had posed with her mixed and enigmatic origins.

She spoke of work conducted under strict NDAs, of being forced into obscurity - to live within the shadows - due to assassination attempts by the Order. Her narrative painted a consistent image: a specialist accustomed to operating in dangerous, discreet environments across the Edge Worlds and Borderworlds in persuit of understanding the alien, in collaboration with Zoner scientists.

KISHIRO EMPLOYEE CANDIDATION REVIEW

---

CANDIDATE NAME: Ki Koyuki
GENDER: Female
DATE OF BIRTH: June 20, 797 A.S - Planet Cambridge
AGE: 38 Years Old
OCCUPATION: Freelance Contractor
MARITAL STATUS: Single
KNOWN RELATIVES:
Yuna Koyuki - Mother - Deceased
Chiyoki Koyuki - Aunt - Alive
Hotaru Kotaro - Uncle - Alive/Missing
QUALIFICATIONS:

Doctorate in Paracausal Xenoscience
Advanced Certification in Xeno-Energy Systems Analysis
Biomechanical Implantation Practitioner (BIP)
Trauma Surgery Certification – Low-Gravity & Vacuum Environments

NOTABLE MEDICAL OVERVIEW:
Hyper-Cognitive Phase Dissolution Disorder (CPDD)
Synaptic Regulation Implant - Bipolar Disorder Treatment

---

Interviewer Review:

In accordance with a private referral issued from the Ashiya district, standard candidate evaluation and security screening procedures were conducted. Initial verification confirms that submitted credentials and referenced affiliations are consistent with available records. The candidate reports a reclusive upbringing with limited documented familial associations.

The candidate’s prior involvement in a xenoarchaeological expedition concerning the remains of a classified “alien jump gate” structure is noted. This experience is assessed as relevant to current operational objectives. Demonstrated competency in advanced and non-standard scientific disciplines meets baseline expectations. Continued independent professional status is recorded without further comment.

Medical clearance is approved. Blood analysis indicates elevated neuroinflammatory markers and irregular glutamate levels, consistent with the candidate’s documented CPDD diagnosis. No immediate action required. Monitoring to proceed under standard protocols.

The interview continued for several hours before reaching a satisfactory conclusion. Terms were negotiated. Contracts were prepared. Compensation agreed upon. Throughout it all, a single thought lingered, ever persistent, intrusive... Had they seen through her and noted hints of her true nature? The tools she carried, the alterations she could not remove, any one of them could expose her. Yet no alarm was raised. No confrontation came. Perhaps the obscuration implant from Holliday had sustained its worth. By the time the meeting concluded and the paperwork was finalized, Koyuki departed with her composure intact, relieved it was over. Now, all that remained was to wait.

Following the induction process, she turned her attention to securing a temporary vessel... Something disposable, appropriate for her assumed identity. Public transportation had already proven exhausting: overcrowded, restrictive, and increasingly dangerous. Since the shrine bombings, security had tightened considerably. Every transit hub carried the unspoken risk of becoming the next target. And searchings are more indepth than before.

She settled on a J7 Hagane, with a considerably hefty price tag, but reliable. Survival took precedence over comfort. With her purchase complete, she departed for Honshu, where her temporary residence awaited. The ship handled oddly, but it was nothing too drastic to adapt to. Reaching the World at an unorthodox time - the middle of the day in Honshu, she ventued out to her new humble nesting ground. The apartment was modest, offering little in the way of comfort, but it was sufficient. For now.

Permitting herself a brief moment of respite. The next day came too quickly. A blazing series of rings blipped from the PDA, interrupting her sleep. Raising her head from the pillow, hair disheveled with wild curls, she answered. The message was concise and to the point: induction and training would begin immediately - scheduled for that very evening.

Suspicious. Unanticipated and prompt swiftness of their response.

Yet she prepared regardless for the introduction to corporate life with a sizeable groan. A sentiment Revenant never thought would happen, if not mildly agitated at simply how quick all of this came to be.

---

---