Yekaterina Volkova

(a.k.a. Transparent Flame (Prozrachnoye Plamya), Kat, Katja)

Yekaterina "Katja" Volkova was a Russian nuclear physicist assigned to a new nuclear submarine designed by Russia. It had a special ability in that, through a combination of nuclear funneling, employing complex quantum discontinuities under laser control, and laser micro-colliders, the ship was able to become completely invisible. Truly invisible, as in, you could see right through the solid structures. There were issues with the phase discontinuities. Quantum phase discontinuities and micro-dark-matter/quantum-wormhole technology being Yekaterina's field of expertise, this is why Katja was on board, troubleshooting while the ship was on its shakedown. The problems with phase discontinuity -- including exposure to laser-activated radiation -- caused a quantum microburst, as one of the micro-wormholes collapsed, and this, in turn, changed Katja's cells that we later learn lead to her being able to become invisible. (She already tested positive for pyrokinetic capability when she was tested at puberty, and again during her military preparation, and the mutation from the exposures definitely super-activated her pyrokinetics abilities). The ship was sent to North America to test its abilities along the coast, on the premise of taking Katja to a nuclear sciences summit in New York City. The virus was in full swing when the captain allowed the crew shore leave while Katja was at the seminar, but the Rising happened and the captain of the sub had her forcibly returned to the vessel. Her invisibility provided Katja with a few inconveniences, but it also provided her the opportunity to discover the REAL background behind her being assigned to the sub -- to make modifications to the vessel that she had already told both the leaders of the Institut and the military who approached her to strong-arm her that she would absolutely not do, under threat of being killed and dumped at sea.

Katja was never the most patient of individuals, and the knowledge was enough to incite her rage -- never a good thing, really, but a much worse thing when you have an individual who is capable of melting just about anything with a touch. Furious, she decided that the Russian government would NEVER have the technology that she had created, and she set about destroying the ship, using her pyrokinetics at key points to destroy vital systems and sink the sub in the deep waters just off of the eastern shelf.

Katja discovered her own phase capabilities completely by accident. When the sub was sinking into the depths, she passed right through the bulkheads and outer shell of the vessel, only to end up nearly drowning in the ocean. She knew how to swim, but was not a great swimmer. It was most fortunate that the seas were relatively calm, and that she was able to get her hands on one of the automatically-jettisoned rescue rafts, that enabled her to return to shore.

Katja did not return to the coast of New York City -- after what she had already seen, she had no interest in becoming a walking, rotting cannibal. She ended up thinking she would take a cruise ship from Delaware back to Russia -- after all, it had everything she'd need to survive. Unfortunately, she did not know jack SHIT about sailing a cruise liner. Oops. Katja can use any source of energy to fuel her fire as she is a living, breathing, flaming example of the Law of Conservation of Energy. Conservation of energy simply states that energy can never be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed from one type to another. And, as such, Katja transforms all of the following into thermal (heat) energy.

Thermal (Heat) Energy: Thermal energy (also called heat energy) is produced when a rise in temperature causes atoms and molecules to move faster and collide with each other.
Chemical Energy: Chemical energy is energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds, like atoms and molecules. This energy is released when a chemical reaction takes place. Usually, once chemical energy has been released from a substance, that substance is transformed into a completely new substance.
Nuclear Energy: Nuclear energy comes from the nucleus of atoms. The energy is released by nuclear fusion (nuclei are fused together) or nuclear fission (nuclei are split apart). Nuclear plants use nuclear fission of a radioactive element called uranium to generate electricity.
Electrical Energy: Electrical energy is caused by moving electric charges called electrons. The faster the charges move, the more electrical energy they carry. As the charges that cause the energy are moving, electrical energy is a form of kinetic energy. Lightning, batteries and even electric eels are examples of electrical energy in action!
Radiant Energy: Radiant energy is a form of electromagnetic energy. It can take the form of visible waves – which is what we call light energy – or invisible waves such as radio waves or x-rays. As the charges that cause the energy are moving, electrical energy is a form of kinetic energy. Lightning, batteries and even electric eels are examples of electrical energy in action!
Light Energy: Light energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Light consists of photons, which are produced when an object's atoms heat up. Light travels in waves and is the only form of energy visible to the human eye.
Motion Energy: Motion energy – also known as mechanical energy – is the energy stored in moving objects. As the object moves faster, more energy is stored. Motion energy is the sum of potential and kinetic energy in an object that is used to do work.
Sound Energy: Sound is the movement of energy through a substance – like air or water – and is caused by vibrations. Solids, liquids and gases transmit sound as waves.
Elastic Energy: Elastic energy is energy stored in an object when there is a temporary strain on it – like in a coiled spring or a stretched elastic band. The energy is stored in the bonds between atoms. The bonds absorb energy as they are put under stress and release the energy as they relax (when the object returns to its original shape).
Gravitational Energy: As you may have guessed, gravitational energy is energy associated with gravity. It is the potential energy stored by an object because of its higher position compared to a lower position. (e.g. if it's further away or closer to the ground). Gravitational energy is energy associated with gravity.
Quantum and Dark Matter Energy

Physical Description

Special abilities

Commands fire, can go completely invisible. Ranged fighter.
Nuclear physicist.
Her cellular structure and DNA were mutated when she was exposed to radiation.
She is of Chaotic good alignment.
Innate Pyrokinetic
Can figure out unknown tech. (Salvage and Refit, also demolition and diffusing bombs.

Children

Known Languages

Polyglot. Knack for languages and picks them up very very quickly, though most of her knowledge is from reading, rather than speaking, the other languages, so that she never really loses her native Russian syntax and accent when speaking other languages.