Chapter One: Beginnings of an Alternate Fate
Sighing, Shion sat up in bed, green eyes peering over at the alarm clock. 10:00 A.M.
Oohh, I've never slept that late before. Yawning, she pushed the covers aside and got up, pausing only to grab and pull on her bathrobe. And right now, Jin didn't bother to make any breakfast…
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Jin Uzuki looked up as his little sister strode into the dining room, suppressing a yawn.
"Good morning, sleepyhead!"
"Urusai." Jin smirked.
"Charming as ever I see." Shion snarled in reply and stumbled into the kitchen. "Will you be having that same attitude at Vector if they hire you?"
"Leave me alone!" Deciding to leave Shion alone for now, the older Japanese man calmly sipped his tea, watching as his little sister came out of the kitchen, a bowl of cereal in one hand, spoon in mouth, a cup of tea in the other hand. Sighing, she settled herself on the cushion across from Jin, putting her food down and starting to eat. A comfortable silence came over the room for several minute, but all too soon the ringing of the doorbell broke the spell. Jin put down his teacup.
"I'll get it." Moving swiftly, he headed into the front room, deactivating the lock on the door. "Yes?"
"I have a message for a Miss Shion Uzuki from Vector?" Frowning, Jin opened the door, revealing a delivery Realian standing on the porch with a small envelope in his hand.
"I'm her brother, I'll take it." The Realian nodded, handing over the item before bowing.
"Thank you." The black-haired man nodded in reply, closing the door and turning over the small packet.
What is…? Fingers moving deftly, he opened the envelope, revealing a small computer disc. Reaching into one of his kimono sleeves, he pulled out his Connection Gear, inserting the disc inside the device and watching the small screen come to life.
"Dear Miss Shion Uzuki…" Shion stuck her head around the corner.
"Who was that, Jin?"
"We are pleased to inform you…" Green eyes narrowed.
"Niisan, are you reading my mail?!"
"That you…wait a minute." Jin quickly moved out of the way as Shion charged him. His eyes widened as he read the rest of the sentence. "That you have been assigned to Vector's First R&D Division?!" Shion's own green orbs grew large.
"Give me that!" She snatched the Gear from Jin's hand and continued to read. "As such, it is required that you move to the company's main headquarters, located on the Dammerung…" The Gear slipped from her fingers, Jin nabbing it back.
"We have already prepared your living quarters; we ask that you move in as quickly as possible, as we only have one more week above Second Milita." He finished. Shion sank to her knees, legs akimbo.
"This has to be some kind of mistake!"
"You got that right. You in the First R&D Division?! Someone must have seriously messed up the paperwor…OUCH!" A bare foot slammed into one of his calves, and Jin crumpled to the ground. "Shion! Easy on the kicking!"
"Baka!" Shion got to her feet and hurried down the hallway. "You might be right, but you didn't have to say it like that!" Her brother didn't reply, but just massaged his throbbing leg.
"You could kill somebody with those kicks; they're more powerful than mine! Ow…"
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Lips pursed, Wilhelm eyed the computer screen in front of him. The Dammerung's three-week stay in Second Milita's orbit had been badly needed, it had given the majority of the Vector employees a change to get off-ship and take some vacation time, and for the massive ship/colony to be given a slight overhaul before they left for Fifth Jerusalem, where they would stay for two months while the Dammerung underwent updating, repairs…the maintenance trips were a personal insistence of his, and this attention to detail had resulted in the ship/colony being named one of the best ships in the Federation. The trip to Second Milita had also been picture-perfect timing, as a certain brunette had applied for internship at Vector. The second her paperwork had hit the company computers, he had moved swiftly, in fact, she should have received the notification of her new position by now…
Everything is going according to plan. It would be a while before things could move forward, but he was content to wait. His eyes narrowed. Perhaps he should assign Voyager to…
I can't believe it. Wilhelm blinked, and then a small smile appeared on his lips. It appeared the reality of her situation was starting to sink in…
There has to be some sort of mistake in the paperwork somewhere!
But there wasn't.
First R&D Division?! I wanted to work in the Third Division…
Not surprising, given her background.
Jeez… He felt her give, up, shoving the train of that particular thought to the side. I guess I better tell niisan that I'll be moving. A satisfied expression crossed Wilhelm's face, and he leaned, pulling himself away from Shion's mind. He had set it up quite perfectly; she would not be able to escape his grasp, not even after the KOS-MOS project was completed.
"Voyager." The black-cloaked Testament appeared. "Will you see that things go smoothly for the girl?" Voyager nodded and de-materialized, and Wilhelm returned his attention to the monitor in front of him, remembering Voyager's incredulousness when he had first seen her.
That little slip of a woman is our greatest threat? Surely you must be joking. But it wasn't a joke. Housed deep within Shion's slender frame was great power; she was the key for humanity to regain all it had lost. A price could not be put on her life; she was far too valuable, nor was there any equal for her…
Well, not one that could be created naturally. Even for his considerable resources it had taken a long time, but finally he had been able to create the perfect counterpart. However, he was getting ahead of himself.
One thing at a time.