Kim Turner

*This is an article about the Director of Operations for the NCD, Kim Turner. For the agent who died in 1996, see Kim Turner (Universe ZZ02ZSC)*

Dr. **Kim Minh Turner**, Ph.D. (born May 11, 1971 in Wilmington, Delaware, Universe ZZ02ZSQ) is a covert operative and physicist, currently working as the Director of the New Connections Division of the National Security Agency. She is the mother of Jen Turner, and the wife of Zara Arreola.

Kim studied physics at Stanford University, graduating *cum laude* in 1993. She had an offer to pursue her Ph.D. at Harvard, but was recruited to work for the National Security Agency's Department 1721 based on her undergraduate work in multiverse theory.

## Early Department 1721 Work

Kim's skill caused her to rise rapidly in Department 1721, and while she was technically just a technical agent, she was trusted by Operations Chief Whitcomb, who said she was the most important person on the tech side, including Technical Chief James Blau. She was instrumental in creating the technical and algorithmic underpinnings of a national incursion listening system.

In 1996, Kim met Zara Arreola, a Marine who had been assigned to Department 1721 as an operations analyst. Kim and Zara fell in love quickly and madly; the two moved in together, and Zara helped Kim to prepare a test portal for instantiation, though Kim did not expect that the test would succeed.

The test failed spectacularly, and the system required a dangerous manual vent and shutdown to avert a significant loss of life. Zara and Kim both ran to the device to initiate the procedure, with Kim reaching the device first; however, Zara pushed Kim out of the way and completed the vent, sacrificing her life in the process. Kim survived, but lost a leg in the explosion.

## Post-Portal Device Failure

Kim returned to work after her recovery from surgery; she was appointed acting Department Technical Chief upon return. Though heartbroken at the loss of her partner, she was determined to continue on, in no small part because she did not want Zara's sacrifice to be in vain.

In April of 1997, Kim was awakened by a universe-crossing variant of Zara, from a universe in which Kim had saved Zara's life at the cost of her own. Though this Zara experienced size ratio shifting, and was accordingly significantly reduced in size, Kim was overjoyed to see her dearest love. The two resolved quickly that their timelines were so close that the differences between the Kims and Zaras that lived and died amounted to pure luck, and that any differences were meaningless.

## Post-Reunion

Kim and Zara would resume their relationship, and would eventually marry. Kim would later conceive a child, Jen, through artificial insemination; she and Zara shared custody of her.

Kim was made full Department Technical Chief by the end of 1997, and became Deputy Director (Technical) when it was reorganized as the New Connections Division in 1998. She served in that role until 2002, when she succeeded George Whitcomb to become the Department's second director, a role she currently holds.

Turner earned her doctorate in physics from the University of Maryland in 2007.

## Parents and Background

Kim is the daughter of John and Tien "Tia" Turner; John met Tia while serving in 1967. Tia became pregnant with John's child in 1969 and they married before John returned home. Tia and Kim's older brother Cam emigrated to the United States in 1970. Kim has two younger sisters, Ann and May.