β The Story So Far β
Humanity stands on the precipice of fracture. Earth and her satellite worlds are being overrun - invaded by cosmic phenomena through an array of labyrinthine domain threads. Amidst this turmoil, one organization rose up to lead mankind's fighting charge via gifted, tainted boots on the ground: to sever the threads and restore order to an ill-prepared populace. She stands as one of their finest.Hannah Naruse is an esteemed Operative of the Null-Origin Vanguard of Unified Suppression (NOVUS). Celebrated ... and deeply controversial. A woman who inherited the gift of telepathy from exposure to the domain threads. Tasked by the organization to apprehend or eliminate any phenomena that ventures across the threads, she's earned just as much respect within the ranks of NOVUS as she has vilification from the scores of civilians who revile her kind. A no-holds-barred brawler, a formidable markswoman and gifted psychokinetic - all wrapped up in a package of stylistic flair. She's constantly butting heads with the brass for her cavalier attitude and the frequent collateral damage she wreaks - but the higher-ups can't argue with her results. Be it shattering domain threads or beating down the forces that crawl through them, Hannah gets shit done. A carefree delinquent who lives in the comfort of that reality: that she's untouchable, despite the verbal reprimands from her comrades.Cushy apartment. Ample paychecks. More reckless thrills than she can count. Life sure seems so simple when you're at the top of your game. But that stability lies merely at face value. Far from prying eyes, within the deepest echelons of NOVUS, forbidden ventures are underway. Unconventional research. Lucrative exchanges. Intentional incidents. Not to mention the cover-ups ... many of which pertain directly to Hannah's estranged origins. Hannah certainly has her hunches - but there's only so long a girl can blindly comply when she's being kept in the dark from the true nature of her masters.She'll keep fighting - keep defending those who can't take up arms against the invaders. But deep down, she can't help but wonder: is she simply a tool to further the hidden agendas of NOVUS? What aren't they telling her?
β OPERATIVE DOSSIER β
Operative ID: T-395074
Operative Name: Hannah Naruse.
Race: Human.
Gender: Intersexed Female.
Pronouns: She/Her.
Age: 29.
Place of Birth: Unknown; recovered in stasis from the far-side of a domain thread by NOVUS researchers.
Family: Unknown.
Height: Hannah stands at a respectable 5'9" tall. She's suitably imposing.
Build: Blatantly buxom, and she doesn't care to hide it. A prominent hide, ample bosom and thick thighs are what she flaunts with every step. But make no mistake - beneath her attire, there's definition to those limbs. The girl works out, and packs a mean knuckle-sandwich to boot.
Hair: A cascade of honey-blonde locks reaches right down to her derriere, brushed with highlights of a mint-green hue. Thick, sweeping bangs lurk across her visage, while a loosely gathered side-tail curls at the left side of her head. She often sports a distinct skull hair clip near the braid and a small black bow at the base of her head.
Eyes: A deep-indigo abyss lies in her gaze. There's something almost unworldly about Hannah's eyes ... even by the standards of her fellow operatives. Perhaps there's a reason for that.
Outfit: A rather casual take on the official attire NOVUS mandates for its female operatives. Other than the prominent headphones encircling her neck, A loose, plain white buttoned shirt enrobes her upper body. Her sleeves are almost always rolled up partially to make way for the array of bracelets around her wrists, and the top buttons are almost always left undone - just for a little extra 'comfort'. Hannah wears a mint-green tie that's loosely cinched around her neck and hangs right down to her waist. Around her hips, a pleated black skirt keeps her hide under wraps - and her Operative ID card attached to her waist, alongside her pistol's holster. Her thighs are laid bare to the beholder until wayward eyes reach her knees, where a pair of high, black socks descend into her sturdy, stylish ankle boots.
Enjoys: Driving fast vehicles (motorcycles in particular), adding to her extensive vinyl collection, playing tricks on people with her psychokinesis, digging into restricted NOVUS files, online shopping on her phone, performing parkour across the Tower's tiers.
Hates: Public prejudice towards operatives, being told how to do her job, having to take her headphones off when listening to her music, the lack of transparency from NOVUS, watching comrades fall to phenomena.
Secrets: She wet the bed right up to her teenage years. Kind of embarrassing.
Fears: Despite facing off against monsters of all sizes, she still has a phobia of stinging insects. Hannah also dreads the unknown - or rather, what secrets NOVUS are keeping from her. It's scary not knowing the ins and outs of how they found her, nor her lineage.
Aspirations: To defend humanity, to unearth whatever secrets NOVUS are hiding from the public, to find out the true nature of her origins.
Food: While perpetually chewing on bubblegum throughout the day, she's a meat eater through and through. A juicy steak always makes her mouth water. She's also a sucker for street foods like dumplings and ramen.
Drink: She guzzles sparkling water like there's no tomorrow. But when the sun goes down, it's all about the tequila for Hannah.
β FRAME OF MIND β
Wherever she strolls, Hannah exudes an air of sassy indifference. Her mannerisms and phrasing convey a nonchalant operative who's living the high life and who knows she's good at her job. Her punkish charm is infectious - as is her light-hearted temperament towards others. To the average joe, she comes across as a laid back delinquent who's simply out and about to have fun: abusing the authority NOVUS has given her for reckless indulgence. However, the truth is not so clean-cut. Despite her playful disposition, Hannah is strongly convicted in her duties as an operative. She resents the devastation caused by the domain threads and the phenomena who emerge from them. The populace can't defend themselves from their wrath - so she feels obligated to risk her life in their stead. She holds a certain degree of vanity - and she isn't afraid to flaunt herself if it means getting her way out of a bind. Every syllable uttered by that slick, silver tongue carries a flirtatious weight: she'll smooth talk her way out of - or inside of - whatever she pleases. Nothing is off the table in Hannah's book: she's shamelessly dirty-minded to the point of borderline perversion. One thing's for sure: she's an unpredictable lass.To call Hannah hot-headed would be putting it rather mildly. While she doesn't flare up too often, certain topics will always bring out her feisty side. She bears a strong distaste for prejudice, to the point of her temper flaring up whenever she overhears civilians grumbling about operatives who are simply trying to do their job. More than once, Hannah has let her emotions get the better of her and has lashed out verbally and physically in retort. She can't control what she is: and she isn't going to change for the sake of public appeasement. Similarly, when figures of authority above her clearance level within NOVUS try to scold her, she scoffs and rolls her eyes in derision.
Still, she can't complain too much. They've set her up with a pretty cushy life, when she's not shedding blood in the streets. Hannah fully exploits each and every benefit of her operative status - spending her earnings rampantly on personal vices. Her extensive vinyl collection, expensive audio hardware, bespoke jewellery, customizations for both her Tachyon pistol and her motorcycle alike - among other things.Yet behind those vibrant eyes lies a mind steeped in frailty. Hannah is constantly torn between her duty to protect civilians from inter-dimensional threats - and her own agency. NOVUS have been up to no good since long before her time - she knows it, but she just can't prove it yet. Files regarding how they found her at the far-end of a domain thread remain tightly guarded behind high-level clearance. It doesn't sit well with her knowing that the answers she seeks have always been there ... merely just out of reach.
β TRICKS OF THE TRADE β
Firearm: Tachyon Type-III C.E.
Hannah's tried and tested weapon of choice. Quite literally: for she has extensively modified a once standard-issue armament of NOVUS operatives. The Tachyon Type-III C.E. (custom edition) features a rebuilt overclock core, tuned for a blisteringly fast fire rate and near-silent operation. Its selectable firing modes include precision semi-auto, three-round bursts, and an unstable overdrive capable of armor penetration. Custom attachments include a holographic reflex sight, recoil stabilizers, winged heat vents for rapid cooldown, and a charm-linked targeting tether hanging from the grip. Despite its playful aesthetic, it's packs a prominent punch beneath Hannah's grasp.Melee: Martial Arts
Since day one, Hannah received basic training for physical combat. However, she was left unsatisfied - and thus decided to undertake private lessons under the tutelage of a renowned Jujutsu expert living in the residential district of NOVUS Tower. Hannah was taught to treat her body as a weapon itself - a tool in her arsenal. Her fists are swift and honed, her thick, lengthy legs allow for sweeping kicks to both disarm and damage. Combined with her athletic ability from training under NOVUS, she's developed quite a knack for delivering pinpoint strikes to just about any target that crosses her.Ability: Psychokinesis
Hannah's primary ability as an operative lies in her psychokinetic talents. With a mere flick of her fingertips, she can manipulate solid objects: moving them wherever she pleases. Of course, that extends to the beings she encounters in battle, too. Hannah can fling them about like playthings: forcing targets flying off their feet - slamming them against walls, for instance - or indeed drag them closer for a little face-to-face 'chat'. However, she cannot play carte blanche with this skill. Overdoing this can exhaust her mental state, to the point of making her faint - not ideal in the middle of a brawl.Ability: Telepathy
An ability that NOVUS scientists are still trying to study in secrecy, behind Hannah's back. Since emerging from stasis, Hannah has been able to communicate with any sentient beings that make eye contact with her - including phenomena. She often employs this talent to exchange thoughts or to simply have a private conversation amidst eavesdroppers. Hannah sometimes exploits her telepathy to manipulate others, friend or foe, in order to get what she wants by influencing their thoughts with her own. This can be dangerous, however, as it often leads to 'memory bleed' - where memories are exchanged between minds, even after she has stopped using telepathy. It can lead Hannah to experience strange visions of past events that aren't her own - and disorient her from reality itself.
β WORLD β
NOVUS: Null-Origin Vanguard of Unified Suppression
"Sever the Thread. Secure the Future." Those are the words that drive the Null-Origin Vanguard of Unified Suppression. When the domain threads first emerged and phenomena proceeded to invade Earth, a cabal of various militaries scientific bodies around the globe joined forces to fight back in the name of humanity. Through their frequent exposure to the domain threads, it was discovered that the genetic material of humans could become altered in subtle ways - alterations that would ultimately give rise to rather inhuman abilities. To fight fire with fire, as it were, these people would become the first operatives: and NOVUS would become the culmination of these unified militaries and research firms. They have since been cemented as the last bastion of hope for the masses, ruling over all from the tiered megastructure known simply as 'The Tower'. As the war against the phenomena raged on, NOVUS continued to expand the Tower, entering new territories beyond the battlefield by establishing a unified government, countless research facilities, housing for civilians and multiple financial institutions. People trusted them with their lives - soon, they'd be trusting them with their wallets. The conglomerate stands as the ultimate authority concerning humanity's ties to the domain threads and those who cross them. Bearing a thousand-strong army of operatives, NOVUS is as vast as it is dominant - handling public order as well as battlefield operations across Earth and her satellite worlds. However, there are many who question their true intentions. A certain level of distrust has amassed among the public surrounding the organization's ethical concerns ... or lack thereof. At face value, they are protectors - but behind closed doors? There are rumors of clandestine experiments and intentional disasters being crafted for the sake of their research into the domain threads. Even among those with the highest levels of clearance within NOVUS aren't entirely privy to how deep the rabbit hole descends within the organization ...Operatives: The Ace in the Hole
Dispatched into the thicket of inter-dimensional warfare, Operatives serve as NOVUS' boots on the ground. Operatives all have one thing in common: they've had direct exposure to a domain thread, which in turn, has granted them various capabilities far beyond human limitations - capabilities that NOVUS sought to weaponize against the invading phenomena. As a result, NOVUS headhunted these individuals and effectively conscripted them into service as official operatives of the organization. After extensive physical conditioning and advanced weapons training, they are granted a badge and flung out to find domain threads to eradicate. The duties of an operative are extensive: routine peacekeeping, enforcing public order, backing up local authorities and, of course - going toe-to-toe with cosmic phenomena invading the streets of mankind. They are given many exceptions to the law, often standing above it when situations get dire due to phenomena swarms. Nonetheless, NOVUS still reprimands any operative who takes things too far: be it via missed payments or mandated physical and mental evaluations by their scientists ... For their trouble, operatives tend to lead a somewhat lavish, upper-class lifestyle provided by NOVUS. The perks of this harrowing job are ample. Bespoke housing is provided and tailored specifically for each operative (often in the many residential areas of the Tower). They receive a rather large base salary, with bonuses tacked on depending on the number of phenomena eliminated each month. Additionally, NOVUS grants operatives flexible holiday packages and leisure time - with discounts afforded at the organization's many recreational facilities. However, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. In the public eye, there lies a deep-rooted divide regarding the status of operatives. Many people consider them heroes: the last line of defence between prosperity and extinction. Others revile operatives as mutated freaks - abominations no better than the wretched phenomena terrorizing the streets of mankind. Civilians have often attacked operatives out of prejudice - and more than once, an operative has responded in kind with violence. The life of an operative, despite its perks, remains tense ... and not strictly because of the battles they face, either.Domain Threads: Anomalous Bridges
The visible rot strewn across Earth and her colonies as far as the eye can see. Gateways to other worlds: worlds that are far-flung, and far less accommodating than our own. Widely believed to be the result of the Broodmother phenomena Umbris, Domain threads emerge upon human worlds as narrow portals with large, sanguine roots extending outward that pierce through soil, stone and steel effortlessly. The threads emanate a distinctly sweet aroma, designed to lure unsuspecting humans inward - and taint their bodies when in close proximity. The effects of which vary. Sometimes, this results in a prospective operative - a human bearing unique abilities or other positive effects from the exposure. Other times, it results in a horrific and agonizing death as DNA is overwritten by something foreign and incomprehensible. Through these threads, a link is established from one world to another - acting as an anomalous bridge between two worlds, upon which cosmic phenomena can slip through and wreak havoc as they please. The reverse also applies - in that humans can traverse these pathways to see what awaits upon the other side ... however, painfully few human lives have returned from such expeditions. Operatives are tasked with severing domain threads wherever they may arise - cutting ties between our worlds and those of the invading phenomena in the process. Once a thread is destroyed, the link to that world is cut off: along with anyone and everything on either side. There have been occasions where operatives have been declared MIA for being on the wrong side of a domain thread when its ultimately cut. Their fates sealed - and unknown.Phenomena: Malicious Invaders
Often branded as monsters or beasts, the phenomena are extra-terestrial entities who have manifested upon human territories via domain threads. They emerge in innumerable forms: towering leviathans, crawling abominations, or entities so small they evade notice entirely. Yet beneath their countless shapes and disguises, there are few theories as to their precise origins - or who sent them. The Broodmother is the likely culprit - but even NOVUS aren't entirely certain of this. Infesting upon nearly every known territory of mankind, the phenomena tend to travel in vast swarms: hive minds which sow ruin and chaos wherever they emerge, often without reason or restraint. In that ceaseless agony, violence becomes instinct. Operatives of NOVUS dedicates their lives to hunting these phenomena - and shattering their connection to our worlds.Hannah Naruse: The X Factor
A current operative of NOVUS recruited through rather ... unconventional means. Most operatives are headhunted after exposure to the threads when they root on Earth. Traversing the threads into the heart of enemy territory is widely discouraged for fear of the uncertain dangers that lie therein. But many moons ago, a group of researchers threw caution to the wind and made an expedition through one such domain thread - and rather than being ripped apart by cosmic horrors? They stumbled upon an alien stasis device: one which contained a young human, no less. Hannah was brought back to the Tower and extensively studied by NOVUS researchers while remaining in stasis. Through their invasive studies, they discovered that Hannah was indeed a capable operative candidate - showcasing the gifts of potent psychokinesis and an apparent level of telepathy with the phenomena she fought in combat trials. It was her genetics, however, that perturbed the scientists most of all. The level of mutation in her DNA far exceeded what normal humans exposed to the domain threads could muster. Tests concluded similarities between Hannah's organic matter and that of a colossal phenomena known as the Broodmother by NOVUS' researchers. A calamitous being believed to be directly responsible for the emergence of domain threads on human worlds. Hannah was an unknown factor - but her talents as a prospective operative could not be denied. Hence, NOVUS locked any and all files pertaining to Hannah's origins behind extensive encryption - and completely glossed over the topic going forward. Hannah's training continued as normal - and she became the fully licensed operative of NOVUS that we know today. She has a habit of bending the rules a little too much to get things done: but the brass can't argue with her steady string of victories in the field to date.