Beyond The Impossible

Nowhere

Noriko is sitting at the edge of this world, dangling her feet over the horizon. The gigantic empty thrones of the Drylon are a million miles away, bigger than the sky.

The shadow of Ulysses is right behind her, but he hasn’t said a word for a long time.

<So this is it? End of the road?> she finally asks.

<It’s as far as the simulation goes.>

<And so you give up? You have quite a reputation on Earth, Ulysses. Don’t ruin it.>

<Show some respect, girl. I recovered the Core from the edge of the universe and became the first human being to learn the secrets of the Drylon.>

<And yet, here you are.>

<You’re not trying to use reverse psychology on me, are you? I wrote the book on scamming gods.>

<I know. Care to write a new chapter?>

<You are quite something> Ulysses snickers, sitting next to Noriko and pointing at the wide collection of galaxies above them. He explains:

<Long before the birth of the gods, the Drylon were the most ancient and most advanced beings in the cosmos. Actually, I suspect they created the gods. Probably as slaves.>

<Wow. Any proof about that?>

<Nothing conclusive. But I know this much: when the universe was young, the Drylon were not much different from humans. They were mortals and they were primitive…no offense.>

<What does this have to do with the Core?>

<We know the Core is a database, but I don’t think it stores knowledge. It stores what drove the Drylon from a primitive species to the rulers of galaxies. Their soul, their essence. And here we are, at the very core of what they thought of themselves.>

<Thrones in the sky, between the galaxies and nothingness> Noriko thinks aloud. The words of her mother echo in her mind: “you are nothing and you will always be nothing”.

<Thank you> Noriko adds, approaching Ulysses to kiss him on the cheek.

<What was that for?> he asks.

<For showing me the way out> Noriko answers, jumping into the endless void.

 

Midway Atoll, Pacific Ocean

Just a few days ago this would have been unthinkable: the American and Chinese navies joining the same operation against a common enemy. And they’re not the only ones: vessels from a dozen countries are gathering around the atoll. Artemis may have attacked only China so far, but the way she destroyed the International Space Station was a clear signal that she’s not limiting herself to a single nation.

Kayla Black a.k.a. Blue Star can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the situation. She didn’t sign for this when she became America’s super-soldier, but she knows she has to do her part.

Now, standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier, she has to deal with the most unpleasant part of the operation: a helicopter has just landed, with six armed soldiers escorting a woman wearing an orange prison uniform and handcuffs.

<Nice to meet you again, dear. Still pretending to be a heroine?>

<Eris. How’s jail working out for you?>

<Kind of boring. So, these losers told me you had the pleasure to meet Artemis.>

<I wouldn’t call it “pleasure”.>

<Ah yes, of course, you’re a little too old for her. That’s my Artemis, always chasing little girls.>

<Let’s just get this over with> Kayla says, reaching for the metal bracelet the prisoner’s wrist: the God Restrain. It’s the only thing that prevents Eris from leaving her body.

<How are you going to put this thing on Artemis?>

Just as she asks, something flies above the aircraft carrier, faster than the speed of sound. Artemis, followed by twelve fighter jets firing at her.

<Guess we’re about to find out.>

 

Kythera, 950 light-years from Earth

The Cathedral is under lockdown: dozens of Talos robots, each fully capable of annihilating an entire army, are guarding the building to make sure the Vanguard can’t escape.

But leaving the planet isn’t on their top list right now: they’re trying to figure out if Lysia, the blue alien with bat wings, can be trusted.

<So let me get this straight: this guy, Hephaestus, has declared war on pretty much everybody. And somehow it’s all our fault?> Quantum asks.

Lysia quickly studies the people behind the human. Vesta, the long-lost older sister of Zeus. Kari Zel, from a planet once ruled by Demeter. Torn and his daughter Laceration, two red-skinned Demons with unknown agendas. None of them can be trusted, of course, but this may be her best opportunity to gain them as powerful allies. She explains:

<When you killed Demeter, you gave a signal to the other gods that the balance of power was shifting. Her space acted as a buffer between the sectors ruled by Hephaestus, Artemis and Persephone. With Demeter gone and with Persephone now busy fighting Hekate, we project Hephaestus will conquer a quarter of the Olympian Galaxy in a matter of months.>

<His brothers and sisters will never allow him to gain that much power> Vesta objects.

<I agree. And despite the fact that his sanity is questionable at best, I think Hephaestus does too. Which is why he’s looking for Earth> Lysia revals.

<Why?> Torn asks.

<The God Eraser> Quantum thinks aloud, gaining puzzled looks from his teammates.

<What? Just because I’m not Noriko doesn’t mean I’m stupid. If he gets to Earth he gets to her, and if he gets to Noriko he can probably rebuild the weapon that killed Demeter.>

<I bet that’s also the reason you’re talking to us. The Mortal Liberation Front would do anything to get their hands on the Eraser> Kari continues.

<We will never give a weapon to the Front!!!> Vesta objects vehemently.

<I have a different proposal. I know that you defeated a single Talos by exposing it to a complex mathematical equation. In exchange for that equation, I can take you back to Earth.>

<We can go back on our own. Torn can do the same trick that brought us here> Quantum says.

<And lead you straight to his world, no doubt> Lysia answers, then turning towards Torn to look him in the eye and asking:

<Do you really want to lead your people into war again?>

<No. We will give you the equation> Torn immediately answers, leading Quantum to protest:

<Hey! It’s not your call!!!>

<I’ve helped you save your world. You can’t ask me to sacrifice mine.>

<Dude, I don’t even know what planet you’re from!>

<All of this is pointless> Vesta intervenes <Even if we agree, once we leave orbit there will be 300 Talos following our ship.>

<Who said anything about a ship?> Lysia asks, smiling.

 

Nowhere

Noriko opens her eyes. It takes her a few moments to get her bearings: the last thing she remembers is jumping off a map of the Drylon Empire. Now she’s on a beach. She strokes her arms trying to warm up a little: she’s not wearing her jacket or her boots, just a grey T-shirt and blue jeans.

“This is stupid! Why am I cold? This is just a simulation!” she thinks.

<Your mind is making it real> is the high-pitched answer.

The person speaking is a little girl, maybe five years old, sitting on the beach playing with the sand.

<Your software is fragmenting due to the incompatibility with the hardware that’s running it, but since you lack the ability to sense it your mind is translating the feeling into coldness.>

<Yeah, sure. That was my second guess> Noriko lies, sitting next to the child.

<You can’t stay here long. Your mind is not built for it> the little girl continues.

<Where is “here”, exactly?>

<This is the Drylon gestalt, a holistic representation of their mind. This is the foundation of an empire that conquered the entire universe.>

Noriko is unconvinced: she looks at the sea, then to the unmistakable skyline behind her.

<Why does it look like Coney Island?> she asks.

<Because this is your earliest memory> the little girl answers. When she looks at Noriko, she notices she looks exactly like an old picture her father has in his room.

<You look like me when I was five. Who are you, really?>

<I am the soul of the Drylon. Ask me what you need to know.>

Noriko takes a deep breath. The surreal atmosphere does nothing to ease the feeling that she has only one shot to make this right.

<How do I get back to my body and defeat Abyss?>

<That is what you want to know, not what you need> the child retorts.

<Oh come on!!! Do you know what I had to go through to get here!? You owe me an answer!!!>

<Why?>

<Because unless I stop Abyss a lot of people are gonna die!>

<They will die anyway. It’s what mortals do. Why do you care?>

<Look, if you’re not gonna help me, I’ll find another way> Noriko answers angrily, standing up. She looks around: there’s nobody else in the beach, and no place to go.

<The only way is to know why Abyss exists> the child adds, still playing with the sand.

<Drylon stuff make people crazy and I have some inside my brain, that’s why. Thanks for the whole “technology that turn you insane” thing, by the way.>

<The Nexus gave you access to all the thoughts of mankind. You rejected the darkest side of humanity so much that it gained sentience and became Abyss. Now she has rejected you.>

<I still have no idea where you’re going with…what do you mean she rejected me?>

<You are no longer a software running on a human brain. You have reached the programming center of the Core, and as such you can gain access to its abilities.>

<I don’t buy it. Ulysses was trapped here for thousands of years and even he couldn’t do it!>

<You share his determination, but Ulysses was only interested in saving himself. I tried to connect to your mother, and her mother and father before her, but they proved similarly selfish. You, on the other hand, care more about the rest of the world than about yourself.>

<I…I never thought about it that way. So…if I take control of the Core…what can I do with it?>

Noriko sits down next to the little girl once again, as if ready to play.

<Not much: Abyss has disabled everything except communications> the child explains, pointing at what she’s been drawing in the sand this whole time: the schematics of the Core.

<Well, at least I can call for help. How do I talk to the Vanguard?>

<It doesn’t work that way. We can only interact with people who already share a connection with us.>

Noriko nods, acting like she knows what the child is saying. When she finally realizes there’s only one other person on Earth connected to the Core, she comments:

<You’ve got to be fu##ing kiddin’ me!!!>

 

Tokyo, Japan

Leiko Tanaka is at her desk, listening to a man in a lab coat; as he talks, the holographic globe in front of her shows two red lines go towards an island in the Pacific: one starts in China and the other one in Russia.

<Artemis has already reached Midway. Abyss will join her within the hour.>

<Hi Mom> a familiar voice says; Noriko’s image follows soon.

Leiko’s first reaction is to reach for the gun hidden under the desk, but she’s caught completely unaware when Noriko asks something her mother never thought she’d hear her say.

<Can you help me save the planet?>