Sixteen-thousand and two-hundred seconds; the exact amount Vivian had counted since opening the store at 9:00 am. Master Gen Moshi had not clocked in for today. A behavior pattern that was highly unusual for the old shop owner. Was the old man sick? No, highly improvable. The old man showed no such symptoms yesterday when he was in the shop.

If the shop continued having less business, then keeping the shop open would become more problematic. However, these thoughts did not disturb Vivian as she worked quietly behind her work bench. Eyes adsorbed into the artwork of layered wires, grids, and software. Her fingers working fast to fix the older model Samsung LED hologram laptop. A simple burned out bulb and fried wires. Such damage would take little more than 321 seconds to finish.

Black eyes lifted to the door. Life forms coming in close. Customers? Probably, most likely not. Then again, accidents are the number one leading way to attract humanoids to a central location. Customers equal something exciting. No excitement, no customers. A twitch of the hand, a jerk of the needle nose wrench. Now hold for ten seconds for the battery to over heat. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 turn; the explosion was not too bad. A loud boom, a bit of smoke, and the sound of computer parts hitting against the store window. Once the smoke cleared, Vivian was still sitting in her seat. A small chunk of computer fragment sticking out of her right arm. With a blank expression Vivian grabbed hold of he fragment and pulled. A slight cringe and the shard was out. However the wound it had created only bled for a few seconds; leaving a opened cut exposed.

" Ouch..."

Vivian sighed, her tone rather dull and bland as she scooted her work chair back away from the smoking charred heap.

Damn the snow.

Damn the bloody, ever cold, ever annoying snow.

Field Lieutenant Saeki was not as fortunate as many of the others whom got to stay in the base today. Someone had to be the long, frozen arm of the law after all. Even if the weather causes the city to shut down in some capacity, the second the law's presence fails, that is when the worst parts of human nature were likely to come about. This was becoming a screwed up week: a base gets bombed, the park gets wrecked, some big commotion at a train station, and now this.

The soldier wore a black trenchcoat of leather that covered up the rest of his body, only the opening down the middle revealed any trace of the white and gray military attire beneath. It was an unusual camouflage in times past, but it was perfect for a snowy, urban climate. Strapped to his waist was a .50 caliber handgun, along with other various tools to be used in the event of a situation.

As his footsteps went down the sidewalk, he is brought out of his own mind by the sound of a disruption across the street. A blast of some sort? He saw a store, a computer shop of some sort that had a bit of smoke coming out of the ventilation. Making his way across the empty street, he reaches into his trenchcoat reflexively, holding his hand on the holster of the weapon in case there was a robbery going on.

Upon entering, he quickly surveyed the area, his blue eyes darting from the stray computer parts, to the deceased husk of what used to be a computer, and a female technician who seemed to be distracted. He released his grip and withdrew his hand from the recesses of his coat, before narrowing his eyes with scrutiny.

"Is everything alright in here? I heard a disruption from this direction." he states calmly, sticking to that which duty obligated him to say. It was obvious from the emblems on his coat that he was an agent of the military investigating what could have been something far more serious.

< 2.5 seconds before white blood cells and plasma begin to coagulate.
< 1 minute until blood cells and plasma form scar tissue.
< 1.5 minutes until wounds are completely healed.
< Scaring…………. less than 5% probability….

This set of data would continue processing through Vega's brain up until the point of her attention breaking off track. The smoke had finally cleared, however, the smell of burnt computer parts still lingered in the air. The bloody wounds had almost completely healed. Her eyes scanning over the little bit of damage. A normal person wouldn't see it, the multiple of lenses turning in the blackness of her right eye. It would be another minute or so before she would completely heal.

Lifeform detected.

Vega's eyes shot open, attention turning to the humanoid who entered the room. A young man, most likely in his late 20's early 30's. It would be only a matter of seconds before she would completely scan over this individual body top to bottom. His stance confused her. A tactical military stance? That was when it clicked. Literally, a click went off in her head. This was a military man, who most likely had a gun or two on him. With out even thinking Vega's mouth opened, her expression some what shocked.

" Sorry Sir, everything is alright. "

Vega nodded, her eyes glancing down at the revolver in his hand. " No guns allowed in the store, sir. You will shoot your eye out." She nodded, getting up from her seat and walking over to the officer. " Welcome to Master Masahiro's computer shop. We fix broken, run down computers for affordable prices." Vega advertised, with a big fake smile. It was one of the first things the shop owner had taught her. A process that took years to perfect to where it didn't look so… animated.

" I hope I didn't cause too big of a fuss. Normally that platform of Samsung hologram doesn't make that big of explosion." Vega confessed, giving a apologetic bow. A custom apology of respect to the natives if her data was correct.

" May I ask you something sir? "

The lieutenant raises an eyebrow when she said everything was alright. A small patch of blood on her sleeve caught his eye, though he has certainly seen people with worse wounds. However he was obligated to at least express his concern, perhaps it was just a superficial thing that bled mildly and not a deep cut.

"I see, well what of your shoulder? I can call for medical attention if need be." he says calmly, unphased by the blood. If she was wounded seriously she'd probably react more frantically to an authority figure, but if she was hiding it and she ended up having a bigger issue later, he'd prefer not to explain to the Captain why he ignored a civilian in medical need.

Then the fact she remarked about the gun made his brow twitch. He didn't quite withdraw it from his holster or coat, but at the same time it's easy to assume a military figure carrying a concealed weapon, so he thought nothing more of it. Then she went through her opening line and talked about the 'fuss's he made. Then there was the fact that her smile seemed to be a little forced...much less the fact she was actually working in this kind of a storm. This one was a little odd.

"It's quite alright, just try to be careful. Explosions make people nervous, especially in this day and age. " he says calmly, then looking at her again, shifting his weight slightly as he glanced around the shop. He had little need for computer stuff right now, the military always took care of his electronics needs, but you never know what could come up in the field I suppose. Yet her last words drew his attention again.

"What do you want to ask?" he says, wondering what the civilian girl could want.

Vega caught the lieutenant's gaze towards her arm. He was sharp, but so was she. Her eyes scanned down at her sleeve taking note of the small patches of red which had seeped through the fabric. Unlike most civilians such a sight would be at most alarming. However, the young woman seemed to be at ease and content. Reaching over to her sleeve she examined the damage through the holes of the fabric. No wound, no sign of scar tissue, a clean heal.

" There is nothing wrong with my shoulder sir. See for yourself." She says in a calm, unfazed tone. Infact, she did turn to the lieutenant and began rolling up her sleeve. Nothing, no marks or even a scratch. The only thing that was on her shoulder was the dried blood smeared and caked on her skin. She would display her arm for only a few minutes until rolling her sleeve back down. Her eyes scanning over he lieutenant as if examining his entire being once more.

He was looking over the shop. Most likely trying to find anything suspicious or out of place. " Why do I need to be careful, sir? The correct thing to say is ' be safe ' . The definition of Careful, is making sure of avoiding potential danger, mishap, or harm. Sir there is no such situations here sense the equipment I was working on is no longer operational." She says in a mono-toned voice. Her head slightly turning to the side, taking note that she had caught the man's attention once again.

" Why are you walking out in the snow, and in this district no less? You are obviously not here to window shop, browse, or buy. Also, why are you alone? " She says, her brow raised. Vega was very curious as to why a military man came running to the rescue and yet no one else. She had been here in the shop for hours with no customers, and yet this soldier had rushed here before anyone else. Not only that, why was he by himself.

His eyes narrow slightly when she revealed the undamaged arm beneath the sleeve. The smell of blood was in the air still. However, the issue was dropped for the moment, though he couldn't help but wonder if there was a torture victim in the back or something. I mean with the way she was talking, you'd never know. He'd think that she was Covenant, but Covenant types would probably be trying harder to look casual and blend in better.

"...You should take care because there is an abnormally powerful blizzard out right now and there are those who would take advantage of others in it. Perhaps a gang might try to rob a place like this, or worse. Most businesses are closed today due to the weather condition...so one place open could attract attention." the soldier says with a slightly bored expression, as his eyes periodically darted across the room in case there was some detail he missed about the mishap that had occurred here earlier.

The question about why he was here or out in the snow kinda made him blink once in disbelief. It wasn't obvious he was on patrol? Just what was with this girl? Was she raised in a basement her entire life and only now let into the open air world?

"Because that is my duty. Even in harsh weather conditions the Military Police have to maintain a presence to respond to anything that may happen. I heard the disruption and I investigated since it could have been a robbery or worse. As far as why I am alone...I have always operated alone. My peers can't keep up..." he says with a slight chuckle, before pocketing his hands.

"Now...you tell me. Why are you here operating by yourself? The market for electronics in this type of condition is nonexistent. Most people would simply stay home and enjoy a day's time off." he states, then looking to the outside for a moment to find no change in the environment. "The Clafiru Gang prowls this area at times...for all you know they might be lurking nearby waiting for the coast to be clear. The bottom feeders like to hide in the shadows during the day and watch for prey...but they might feel emboldened today."

It was a gold mine for data on human emotions. The expressions and mannerisms carried by his eyes, lips, nose and even ears. From concerned, to shock, then bewilderment. Such emotions displayed with such little information to go by. All that she had said was how silly it was to be concerned over being careful. So standing there listening to the lieutenant was almost a banquet of brief manners that wasn't of the shop owner or his grandson. However, it was interesting processing such information. Gangs? Blizzard? Why, it was just snowing.. Hardly a blizzard from the pictures she had screened over the web.

Vega turned to look at the front store window. Large yellow painted letters of special item discounts and store hours printed for potential customers could see. The tiny lens behind her eye adjusting to the hues and saturation of colors outside. It was like a snow globe that had been shaken, large fat flakes falling chaotically from every which way. It was a blizzard but not one that sent any alarm of endangerment. Plus, there was also the idea of gangs breaking into the store. This didn't make any sense. No one had vandalize, broken into, or shown any hostility towards the place. Or at least none in the seven years she had been working here.

" It doesn't look like a bad blizzard outside. You are standing in our shop after all." she nodded, her arms crossing as she took a more ridged stance. " Gangs I'm not worried about... I've never seen such activities near this shop sir. However, i'm sure if such a thing to were accrue. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. Or at least I feel that I am more than capable of." She says in a calm tone, her arms uncrossing and her weight shifting to one side.

How strange this human was. Ones duty? why did that seem so familiar....

Suddenly it was like a click that went off in her head. Duty. To serve. Vega's body went ridged, her head shivering for a split second. To most it would seem she would of had a cold chill. Her eyes quickly adjusting as her features seemed to turn bleak and emotionless. " A duty to serve the people, and to keep the peace. The military are not meant to be police men, but men and women who have been trained and shaped to be more than just that." She says her eyes locked onto the lieutenant. " Excuse me, that was not my place. I did not mean to offend; I only wanted to express gratitude as the proper emotion. That I am thankful to see a face be it a customer or not. However, as you can see there is nothing here but what remains of a computer. " She nods, taking two steps back before moving over to her work bench.

" A business that is not open, is not convenient. First rule of the store.. Honor the consumer, no matter what conditions. I am not afraid of what goes on outside, sir. I am the only technician here at the store. I build, restore old and new computers. If I am closed how could I help people?..." She says before sitting down on the small round stool in front of her working station. Her eyes locked onto the lieutenant. her lips cracked for a small smile.

Then she was staring around outside.

Maybe it was something about the weather, maybe it was something else around. She insisted that this was a normal level of snow, but in some places ice rain was falling to such a point they were almost icicles. Snow accumulation was triple it's normal rate, and every walkway and road had extremely heavy amounts of ice. Plus the air temperature was even lower than it typically would be. There were plenty of emergency calls as it were from those who tried their luck and ended up having accidents somewhere along the road.

"I'm out because I need to be...it is just much worse than normal, even if it looks less so from the vantage point of this shop." he says, then thinking the girl was nearly delusional when she said she could handle a gang. If the Clafiru showed up in any force, what could a civilian girl do? At least as far as he knew. But her remark about duty, with her slight moment of hesitation or rigidness made him sigh a little. This girl was reciting something from a recruitment document or internet article.

"...The Military Police do precisely that. The national focus is on the defense of the homeland to preserve the state of the Japanese State since this is quite possibly the safest place on Earth at this point. Launching offensives on the Covenant is a waste of life the way things are. No need to create widows and orphans for no reason." he says, reciting public knowledge that was often debated on television by 'intellectuals' who think they are more knowledgeable than everyone else on defense policy and other related matters. Then again she remarked about the consumer.

"I strongly doubt that anyone is going to come today, which is why I'm surprised you are open. However you are certainly free to do so as you see fit." he says, about to say something else, when the door chime went off.

A group of six men enter, all younger adult male and particularly 'punkish'. One had their hair dyed blue, two had their heads shaved, and the other three had bowl cuts of traditional black hair. They each wore a sleeve symbol of an oni and a knife on denim cutoff sleeved vests with black long sleeved thermal wear beneath. Black jeans and obviously held knives were on each, and if any of them somehow acquired a gun it was not obvious from their current vantage point.

"Ja right Toji, there was an open store today...no need to risk breaking glass and setting off alarms or somethin..."[/b one of the bowlheads say, while the blue haired man pulls a knife out of his back pocket and spins it around.

"Yeah, yeah, I see...bunch of junk here but some of it might go on the black market..." the other says boredly. The soldier turns around and looks at the group giving them a stern glare.

"Gentlemen...I expect no trouble for this proprietor brave enough to open today." he says in a tone that faintly sounded warning to them. The six men then begin to laugh, before the blue haired one, the leader, speaks up again.

"Yeah, yeah...hows about you and the girl just leave or else I'll have to stick you like the pig you are..." he says with a toothy grin, one tooth missing in his front two teeth.

The door's chime had disrupted Vega's train of thought.The group of men entering in the shop, it was a relief to see customers. However, that that gratitude did not last very long. Her eyes focused on the man who had pulled out his blade and began twirling it around. This would not do.

" Excuse me... No weapons in the shop. That is the rules." She says, pointing to a small sign on the wall listing the rules of the shop. Simple rules, but rules Vega followed. Her expression and facial features rather blank and lifeless. These boys did not scare her. In fact she felt nothing. Understanding why humans resorted to violence to get what they want. Or at least that is what she had filled in the blanks to find an answer why. Besides the internet does not give you all the answers when it comes to looking up human behavior and reasonings.

" I can not leave the shop... That would be me abandoning my duties as a shop keeper. Threats will also get you no where, if you threaten me or my other customer I have no choice but to force you to leave." She says her tone less amused, but still no emotion behind it. Vega sighed, before placing her hand on a small hard case shell book-bag.

Lt. Saeki just blankly looks at the thugs when they got all hyped up about their position. They outnumbered him, sure, but there were other methods. He casually raised his hands and began to reach into the top of his jacket, while making it look like a stretch, hoping that Vivian would catch on to what he was doing.

"Now, now boys...you don't want to make this lady mad, she has a lot of dedication to get out here this early, and I really don't want to deal with the paperwork of handling a bunch of thugs like you, so just leave..." he says calmly, while an orange grenade with a symbol of a sun on it faintly would be noticeable to Vivian. If she was particularly aware of JSDF equipment, she'd recognize it as a Flash-Bang grenade...technically it wasn't a weapon so much as a crowd control device.

"Yo...pig, what you up to? I wonder if I could stick a pig with a knife from twenty feet away..." the head thug says with a toothy grin as he raised the knife in a fake throwing action, trying to intimidate the pair.

> Accessing military survival defense file.
> Process file.
> Process complete.
> Hostile targets on sight.
> Flash grenade located and analyzed.
> Go.

It was sudden, like a pressure lifting for just long enough to knock something loose. Everything changed for a split second. Her eyes scanning over the room in a rapid pace. The military man had taken out a flash-bang grenade. Similar to the ones she had tested and used during… How strange.. She couldn't remember, however, this feeling was familiar. Vega closed her eyes, some what surprised she forgot how and where she knew all this information. What? What was this feeling? A serge of endorphins shot through her spine. It was slightly uncomfortable, this feeling of cold liquid shooting up your back. A sensation that was unexplainable until everything went numb.

In the moment that her eyes were closed, she could hear the conversation and movements within the room. Respect, these boys had none. It was noble of this lieutenant, however, a flash grenade would only cause more trouble. If theses thugs were rendered unconscious . There would be no blood and no true mess to clean up when the store closes at 9 pm.

However, a quick distraction.

When the blue-hair man made his threat, Vega was already in motion. Her hands quick as she pulled out a small hand gun from inside her book bag. The main circuit wire for the building was located to the right of the work bench. The fourth breaker to the right was the switch to control the power. With no hesitation Vega put one bullet into the breaker box thin metal shell. The shop going into complete darkness except for what little light coming through the front windows.

No delays, no hesitation Vega was already on the move. Her movements quick and agile as she grabbed hold of the blue-hair man's hand that held the knife. Her strength would be beyond what he would expect. " No weapons in the shop." Vega spoke softly in the leader's ear. Agents his head he would feel the cold end of his own blade being pressed. As of right now she was hiding behind the thug, keeping him close. " Tell your friends to leave the store. Do not make a scene, understand? Thank you." Vega spoke softly in his ear again. The room was dark, so making these thugs leave would be easier if they heard it from their leader.

The gunshot had startled both soldier and thug alike. Kurio hadn't expected the shopkeeper to have a firearm due to the laws of Japan prohibiting private weapon ownership...the thugs were also startled, as the bowl head brothers ran out of the building immediately, screaming things along the lines of not wanting to die horribly. Meanwhile, the head thug suddenly found himself restrained by the girl and the blade to his neck. He glares, and looks at his cronies with his eyes.

"Give this chick a fade you guys..." he says, though there was hesitation. One however prepares to take a swing however...

"FREEZE. You're all under arrest." Lt. Saeki says, the revolver having been withdrawn. the laser sight on the head of the thug that was about to take a swing at the shopkeeper girl. While the issue of the shopkeeper having a gun needed to be settled, the gangers were the first priority. He waited for the thugs to back down and put their hands behind their heads...most of which began to do so gradually. The thug with the sight on his head hesitated, but slowly began to descend while the leader obviously didn't want to move with a very sharp blade to his neck.

Keeping his gun aimed at the pack of thugs, Kurio withdraws a bundle of wrist restraints, the kind made of hard plastic you have to cut off to remove, and throws them towards the thugs on the ground.

"You, number 2, restrain the others of your little group then get back down, or else you'll be held as a Covenant sympathizer and sent to Irido." he says, referring to the infamous prison that Covenant suspects were sent to. The thug glares at Saeki, but then realizes that a very badass chick could also kick him in the face and resigns to his fate of restraining his gangmates. When that was done, Kurio closed the distance and subdued the last,



Some time later...

The four thugs that remained ended up tied and bound outside the shop, around the corner in an alley. They were lined up along the back wall as Saeki stood near the entrance, looking at the shopkeeper girl with a deep frown. The two that had gotten away could cause trouble for the young girl, and even if she could hold her own this time, against a full blown mob of gangers, it would not end well. He was conveniently ignoring the handgun issue, but to let the gangers hit full force would result in any number of them dead, along with the shopkeeper and this place burned to the ground.

"...This isn't over. Chances are, their boss will be angry at you for defying them and then bring his cronies in to destroy the building. Gangers are simpleminded like that." Kurio says with an annoyed glare at the lineup against the wall.

"...Which means I have to bust the whole gang in order to prevent a full scale riot breaking out later...a task that's always easier said than done." he states, looking at the gangsters, formulating a plan for how to...extract...information from them.

There was a drone silence about Vega. Ever since the thugs had been tied up and brought outside she hadn't spoken a word. She stood close by the lieutenant, leaned up against another store buildings wall as she eyed each face of the thugs. Nothing like keeping a mental note of the men who broke Mr. Moshi's weapon rule. These men would defiantly be put on the 'banned from store list' once she was able to get back inside. However, it seemed that wasn't going to be the case.

The lieutenant spoke up and Vega's attention went strait to him. Her eyes blinking rapidly as he mentioned about the Thug's Bosses being angry at her and how they might destroy the shop. A flicker of light flashed in Vega's right eye. Seven years she had worked and lived under Mr. Moshi's care. To have the shop destroyed just because these brutes didn't know how to read signs was not something she would let happen. Even as the soldier kept talking Vega's brain had already begun processing through the data. It was when he had finished did she respond.

" Easier said than done, yes , but not impossible. The shop is my responsibility and Mr. Moshi would not be happy with me if the shop gets destroyed. If possible I would like to assist you with this 'bust' that you speak of. " She says with a frown her black eyes now focused on men lined up against the wall.

" Sir, I might be a citizen, but I assure you that I can be of some help." She states, walking up to the blue haired man of the group. She stood just at the man's feet, her eyes not leaving his. A small flash of red beamed across her pupil, but only the Thug would be able to catch a glimpse of it. Vega proceeded to bend down to one knee as she placed her index finger lightly on his forehead. The expression on her face would be considered emotionless as her lips cracked to speak. " I have a 400 watt power pack inside. I bet if I hook you up with some clamps powered by it you'll talk or easily cook your brains. But I'm sure you don't want me or the mister over here to do that to you, hmm?" She asked the blue haired man in a bored yet serious tone. She did have a 400 watt power pack inside, a bluff no doubt on his life, but threats such as those seemed to go further with people. At least thats what she seen by watching all those shows on the TV.

Her threat would seem sensere as she grabbed the blue haired man by the collar of his shirt. It was then that she proceeded to stand him on his feet. " I am normally not this rude, but you did threaten my home first mister." She states before turning her head to look at the lieutenant, winking to show that she wasn't actually being serious.

Kurio shook his head at first and was about to voice his protest to the woman getting involved, but she had already decided that she was going to do her thing. Saeki, slightly curious to see what she would do and not really seeing any true harm in doing so just leans back for a moment. Best case something happens, worst case nothing happens. A bubble of sweat had gone down his head when she threatened the thug leader with electrocution if he didn't cooperate. Officially, he couldn't condone this, but right now he could just say he didn't hear anything later.

Meanwhile, the thug leader looked up at the young woman and listened. His muscles tensed at the contact, the tone and facial expression almost seemed mechanical, but the worst of it was the red flash in the eyes of the girl. It was only there for a moment, but the blue haired thug felt shivers down his spine upon seeing both the red flash and the threat of electrocution.

Okay. This chick was scary. The Lieutenant was just another pig, but this one, he didn't know what she was, but damn if she wasn't terrifying.

"..What do you want girl..damn..." the thug says, at which point Lieutenant Saeki interjects.

"Where is your boss hiding and when will he be there?"

The thug spits to the direction of the Lieutenant.

"Right, I tell you that and if in the highly likely event you don't finish the job with the boss, my limbs and on a platter to the dogs. I really can't win here, can I?" the thug says, clearly not openly acquiescing to what was being demanded.

When the thug spat in the lieutenants face, Vega's hand moved to latched her fingers around the man's neck. Her expression bleak and lifeless as her fingers pressed harder against the skin. It was like a entirely new person was crouched before the men who had attacked her home.

" That is very…very rude."

Vega sighed, letting the man's throat go. She stood, her hair whipping around her face as she glanced down at the blue haired thug with a kind smile. Her facial features were softer, kind even as she stood there. The lieutenant had taken the words right out of her mouth. This crooks boss was the real target. So if this man's fate was just as worse as electrocution. Then perhaps…..

" It's all up to you… It's not about if you win or loose. But if you value your life, or the lives that are beside you. I'm sure your friends don't want to die because of your silly pride. From what you are telling me, your boss doesn't value your life anyway. But I have another proposition for you. " Vega's tone was still very calm as she spoke. Her eyes drifting over to look at the rest of the group that was lined up against the wall.

" I don't want you to tell me…." she spoke, her tone rather soft. " I want you to show me. If what you say is true, then all of you are basically dead. You lead us to your boss, and I promise you that I won't let you get killed. However, if you don't, you all won't be missed I presume?"

Vega looked over to the lieutenant. Her eyes still soft and gentle just like the girl he had met inside the store before the thugs had appeared. She leaned up against the entrance of the alley. Her head turned, her right eye glanced back at the thug, another faint red flash danced across her pupil.

" It's up to you what happens next."