Chapter One:
So Much for 'Entry Level'
Kagome's life was quiet after her quest was over. That was okay with her, though. She managed to graduate junior high with her classmates instead of get held back a year, and she even got into a semi decent high school instead of something out of a manga starring a delinquent. Contrary to her hopes there was no sign of her inhuman friends being around or anything spiritual or demonic, for that matter. But that was okay. Kagome had left Feudal Japan on the best terms she could with how little time she was given to say goodbye. It was probably for the best- her spiritual powers seemed dormant or changed anyway and the fact that all that was left of the Jewel of Four Souls was a chunk of powerless light pink crystal would probably have pissed off any malicious or self serving forces hoping for a power boost or wish. Not to say Kagome was unhappy by any means. While Kagome was lonely, she was also content and filled with optimistic that whatever force had power over such things had more in store for her than an unfulfilling average life.
Fate certainly took a turn that would have surprised Kagome even during her adventures. When Kagome graduated high school she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. So she spent her first year of college taking care of her requisite courses. Later, Kagome thought back she supposed it all started with her humanities courses. The idea that such prejudice and inequality went with few to no checks even in the twenty first century appalled Kagome. When Kagome first turned fifteen she would've barely noticed such things, but whether it was because of what half demons went through in Feudal Japan, how she'd matured and grown wiser since then, or something else it struck a cord in her.
And so, filled with righteous fury and determination to do her part to make sure nobody else would grow up like Inuyasha, Jinenji and Shiori did Kagome majored in politics. After some more uncertainty Kagome finally settled on specializing in international relations. With a some hard work and luck, Kagome scored an internship working under Japan's delegate to the United Nations. Kagome seemed to have unknowingly impressed someone or else she or someone she knew had friends in high places, because her luck continued. When her internship was over and she graduated she got hired on.
Then a tragedy- more like the beginnings of a potential disaster- struck. One of the United States' air force bases in Qatar was attacked by someone or something unknown and tried to hack the system. The hardlines were barely cut in time, but it didn't matter. Everyone who had been on that base was either dead or missing. The situation was dire, and a lot of countries were worried about similar occurrences happening to them. A few couple of quick meetings for the US government and a UN committee later a task force was set to figure out what was going on. Kagome was chosen to be the committee's representative at the Pentagon.
She was at the front with the task force's superiors and the US government's officials when the Secretary of Defense addressed the task force.
"Steve." Secretary of Defense Keller said, shaking the man's hand.
"Hello Mr. Secretary." Steve said.
"They're so young." Keller noted.
"They're the top subject matter experts, sir." Steve explained, "NSA's recruiting right out of high school these days."
"This is so beyond what anyone is used to anyone older than 35 would probably need to take extra schooling to be equipped to handle this." Kagome noted, "My grandpa's alright with technology but a friend of mine's mother can't even figure out how to log into her Facebook account."
"You must be the representative from the UN. I don't believe we've met." Keller said, shaking Kagome's hand.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi. I've been working with Japan's delegate to the UN since I was an intern." Kagome introduced.
Finally Steve got the NSA task force's attention. "Ladys and gentleman, the Secretary of Defense."
Everyone stood up.
"Please be seated." Keller said; they all did so, "I'm John Keller. Obviously you're wondering why you're here, so these are the facts. At 1900 local time yesterday the SOCCENT Forward Operations base in Qatar was attacked. So far as we know, there were no survivors. The objective of the attack was to hack our military network. We're not sure exactly what they're after but we do know that they were cut off during the assault, which would lead us to assume that they're going to try it again. Now, no one's taking responsibility for the attack. And the only real lead we have so far is this sound."
At Keller's cue an almost screeching sound was played for demonstration. It reminded Kagome of the old school dial-up internet sound and she thought it almost sounded like something was communicating with something or someone else.
"That's the signal that hacked our network." Keller continued, "NSA's working full capacity to analyze it and intercept further communications, but we need your help to find out who did this. Now you've all shown considerable ability in the area of signals analysis. We're on a hair trigger here people. The president has dispatched battle groups to the Arabian Gulf and Yellow Sea. This is as real as it's ever gonna get. Now I'm gonna leave you to your officer in charge. You'll break up into teams and you'll start your work. Good luck to us all."
"May the Kamis help us all." Kagome muttered as she gathered her things to go write a report for the UN committee.
"Miss Higurashi." Keller said, "If I can have a moment of your time, I would appreciate an outside view on the situation."
"To put it delicately? Every other delegate at the meeting was just as nervous and suspicious as the US." Kagome replied, "This could blow out of proportion very quickly if everyone involved doesn't keep a cool head."
"Believe me, I would love it if this doesn't end in another war." Keller said.
"Off the record, Mr. Keller, if you'll forgive me speaking plainly- something is strange about this." Kagome admitted, "If the more gun ho individuals with sway over the military take charge, I can't see this ending well."
"Well, if you're right I hope the president will listen to reason." Keller said.
Two days after the task force was put to work one of the analysts caught someone or something hacking Air Force One, the US president's personal jet. On site the incident went similarly to Qatar aside for nobody dying. That mystery assailant was barely stopped and managed to escape like the first one had. But in contrast to the first attack before the hard lines were cut it managed to get into the network and steal some information, though the analysts caught it in time to keep the assailant from getting everything they wanted. At the same time a virus was planted. A meeting was called to go over the aftermath and any new information. To Kagome's dismay most of the people present who were liable to be listened to seemed to be warmongers.
"Obviously the first phase of a major attack against the US. The only countries with this capability are Russia, North Korea. Maybe China." A military officer claimed once everyone was debriefed about the hacking incident.
"I'm sorry that's not correct." a blonde woman spoke up from the back.
"Excuse me young lady. I didn't see you standing there. You would be who?"
"I'm just the analyst who detected the hack." the woman said, moving away from by the doorway.
"Hold on. It was you? You did it?" Keller asked.
"Her team." a man who had been debriefing Keller when they entered confirmed.
"Sir I was just trying to say, they hacked your firewall in ten seconds." the analyst continued, "Okay. Even a supercomputer with a brute force attack would take 20 years to do that."
"Maybe you can explain then how our latest satellite imagery shows North Korea doubling its naval activity." A military officer replied.
"Maybe it's a precaution because isn't that what we're doing?" the analyst pointed out before continuing to argue her case, "The signal pattern is learning. It's evolving on its own. And you need to move past Fourier transfers and start considering quantum mechanics."
"There is nothing on Earth that complex." the analyst's superior countered.
'Nothing on Earth' gave Kagome a start. What if they weren't dealing with humans at all?
"What about an organism? A living organism? Maybe some kind of DNA based computer." the analyst suggested, "And I know that that sounds crazy…"
Kagome knew better than anyone in that room that contrary to animation and sci fi's depiction of Japan no one on Earth was even close to developing something like that unless demons were around and delving into some serious robotics and physics. And that woman was the only one who seemed to be making any sense of the mystery hacker. So logically if the only competent person involved was right like Kagome suspected, who or what were they dealing with? But nobody else was willing to hear her out.
"That's enough. That's enough." Keller interrupted, possibly to stop the other men in the room from saying or doing something stupid or cruel, "We have six floors of analysts working on this thing. Now if you can find proof to back up your theory, I'm gonna be happy to listen to you. But if you don't get a filter on that brain-mouth thing you're gonna be off the team. You understand?"
The meeting continued without the woman. Finally Keller addressed the only foreigner present.
"Miss Higurashi, as the UN's delegate I would like to hear your input." Keller offered.
"…" Kagome thought over her response carefully, "Was she right about it being done in ten seconds?"
"From what we have to go on it barely took that long." the analyst's superior admitted.
"The most tactful way I can put it is that I think that this is the worst time to give into paranoia." Kagome said, "You need to tread carefully. It won't be self defense if you make a move before you have a full picture."
The next day Kagome going over the committee's response to the current information and the actions the US was taking with Keller. That was when some silver lining finally showed.
"Sir, we're tracking a special ops team in Qatar." one man reported, "They say they're survivors of the base attack."
"Survivors?" Keller asked.
The call was broadcast for all in the room to hear. It sounded like the team was under attack by something.
"Ain't never seen this in my life! Need gunships on station ASAP." a lieutenant reported.
"Predator's coming up in a minute!"
"We're linking the call to the nearest AWACs."
"Unknown, man. I don't… if you seen this shit…"
"Predator ETA two minutes."
The screen showed some kind of robotic scorpion. It was alien in nature. To be specific given the analyst's disregarded report it was probably a non-organic alien.
"What is that?" Keller asked.
"I don't know."
Those present not at work on a computer watched as the special ops team barely kept themselves alive.
"We need air support and we need it now. Roll in Strike Package Bravo on unknown target. I authenticate Tango Whiskey at time 0300 Zulu."
The air support took longer than expected to be effective. Whatever that robotic being was, it was very durable. Nonetheless, the threat was taken down and the special ops team survived to be brought back to US soil.
"Higurashi, what do you make of this?" Keller asked when things calmed down.
"That girl was right- this is beyond anything on Earth." Kagome pointed out, "Is it possible that that thing was an alien?"
Later there was more information thanks to the special ops team.
"The rangers are on route with the imager but we also have a security issue."
"Circle logs indicate one of the analysts made a copy of the network intrusion signal."
"That girl." Keller muttered.
"As soon as we have a read on the coordinates the breach will be dealt with."
"She's so desperate to prevent an unjustified war she risked her job and her freedom." Kagome noted, "I'm impressed by her determination."
"Miss Higurashi I understand you're new to this as she is but please try to be more tactful." Keller requested.
Kagome snorted. 'At least even on a bad day I have more tact than to start an unwarranted war.' she thought.
"All I'll say for now is that the smart thing to do would be to listen to her." Kagome replied.
Not that there seemed to be time to deal with the analyst or answer her apparent plea to talk to Keller. As Kagome reported to her superior and the rest of the UN committee Keller was busy with a video conference with some military leaders and a couple of other military officials.
You're doing a good job so far. Retaliation against a definite assailant is permissible but make it clear that the UN won't be forgiving if the US takes any action that causes unwarranted warfare or sets back diplomatic relations with any new non hostile entities. None of my associates in the committee or their sources know of any robotics expert or scientific breakthrough that could pull something like this off.
Takeda
Understood. I'll do what I can. Keller's associates seem to be a bunch of hard headed elders set in their ways and warmongers. I just hope I have a chance to interfere before they start something with the potential to ignite World War III. Do I have permission to extend a welcoming hand if this is really the work of a previously unknown race of sentients?
Higurashi
The Chinese and Russian navies were getting close to the US' navies in the Pacific. Things were getting more tense by the minute. Kagome warned Keller about the committee's concerns. He seemed to agree.
"Tell the strike group commander that he's not to engage unless fired on first." Keller ordered.
"Yes sir."
An unknown man in an all black suit approached, briefcase in hand. "Mr. Secretary? Tom Banachek. I'm with Sector Seven, Advanced Research Division."
"Never heard of it." Keller said, "I'm a little busy, Tom. I think you can see that."
That was when all the computers went on the fritz. Nobody seemed able to fix it, and the virus seemed to be responsible.
"A government organization the Secretary of Defense doesn't know of? This isn't like Area 51 or the MIB is it?" Kagome asked.
"And you are?" Banachek asked.
"Kagome Higurashi. I'm here as a representative for the UN committee set up to address whatever's going on." Kagome introduced.
The pair watched as everyone else in the room tried to get the computers back up. As Banachek went to take a seat until he could get Keller's attention Kagome listened as Keller was informed the blackout of sorts was global.
"You mean to tell me I can't pick up this phone and call my family?" Keller asked, picking up a landline phone to check the truth of what he was told and pulling out his cell phone to find out that didn't work either.
"Mr. Secretary? I'm here under direct order from the president." Banachek spoke up, "You and Representative Higurashi really need to see what I have in the case."
End of Chapter