Beyond The Impossible

Tokyo, Japan

When the lab doors open to reveal Leiko Tanaka, all the scientists bow respectfully. She rarely comes here, but when she does it’s always bad news.

<<Everybody out>> she commands in Japanese. She’s quickly left alone, with the exception of a single person: a man dressed in black, with a mask concealing his face.

<Don’t worry. He can be trusted to keep his mouth shut> Leiko says in English, to nobody.

<<Who are you talking to?>> he asks, looking around suspiciously.

Leiko doesn’t answer. She walks towards the main object on display, a red suit that used to belong to one of the minions of Abyss, and removes from the mask two small devices the size of an earbud.

<<This should allow you to see her>> Leiko says to the man, handing him one of the devices. The second he wears it on his mask, he can suddenly see Noriko’s image.

<You’re stealing my stuff again, aren’t you? And who’s the ninja guy?> she asks.

<This is Black Knight, my best operative. He’s the one who retrieved the Overkill suit.>

<<Is it safe to let her inside your mind?>> – he asks in Japanese.

<I have no idea what he just said> Noriko admits.

<<She doesn’t remember how to speak Japanese anymore. She may try to trick us, don’t let her learn too much about the Empire of Shadows>>

<Hello? Can we just speak English please?>

<She said we cannot use the suit. It is not ready yet>Black Knight says with a slight accent.

<I wasn’t planning on using it, Abyss would shut it down in a second. Listen, I learned how to stop her, but I’m stuck inside the Core. If you get close to it, I can transfer the knowledge into you.>

<Why would you do something like that?> Leiko asks.

<Because someone has to save the planet. I’m stuck in here, so no matter how much I hate it you’re the only one who can do this.>

<I can do it in her place> Black Knight volunteers.

<Nice try, but you’re not connected to the Core like she is. Listen, mom, I know you don’t give a s#it about me, but this is the whole planet we’re talking about!>

Leiko Tanaka looks at the Core, the ball of solid metal housed in the lab. It’s been her family’s possession since before she was born.

<I am not leaving the planet to a crazy goddess and a spoiled child> she decides, touching the Core.

There is a massive flash of light, and a fierce electrical current flows through Leiko’s body.

She has a dizzy spell and almost faints, but Black Knight catches her just in time.

<<Are you alright?>> he asks in Japanese.

<I’m fine. I just need a moment> she answers. Half a second later, Black Knight is pressing a knife against her throat. She didn’t even see him move.

<<Say something in Japanese>> he orders, without raising his voice.

<If you kill me you kill your boss, ninja guy> Leiko answers, still in English.

Black Knight backs off a little, but the knife is still uncomfortably close.

<You are not Leiko Tanaka. You are Noriko Null and you have taken over her body.>

<Look, I don’t like it either, but it’s the only way. Now, are you gonna help me or not?>

 

Kythera, 950 light-years from Earth

The door under the Cathedral opens slowly. Vesta creates fire in the palm of her hand and lifts it up, holding it like a torch. Lysia is leading the way, descending a very narrow stairwell.

<Where exactly are we going?> Quantum asks her.

<Kythera was a Drylon planet before Gaea took it over. It was eventually inherited by Aphrodite, but the original outpost is still down here.>

<An intact Drylon outpost? I never heard of such a thing> Vesta notes.

<The Front knows how to keep secrets. You are the first outsiders to come here.>

The stairwell ends with yet another door. There is nothing remarkable about it: it may lead to a cellar or a storage room. Instead it’s a cave. An enormous cave, big enough to have small clouds on the ceiling. Far too large to be this close to the surface. Anyone else would be impressed by the fact that the environment extends beyond three dimensions, but when Quantum notices the 15 feet wide stone circle his jaw drops.

<Holy s##t, you have a Stargate!?!?>

<We don’t know the original Drylon name. You have to understand, this is billions of years old> Lysia tries to explain, but Quantum is already examining the device with glee:

<This is so freakin’ cool!>

<Somebody cares to explain what’s going on?> Kari asks.

<It is better not to ask such questions when dealing with the Front> Laceration answers.

<Indeed> Torn echoes her.

<This device can teleport matter anywhere in the universe, if one knows the destination. And the Front learned Earth’s coordinates many years ago> Lysia explains.

<Through Noriko’s mother. She used to work for them> Kari recalls.

<So what are we waiting for? Let’s get back to Earth!> Vesta exclaims.

<Wait a minute: how exactly are we going to do that? I thought Drylon technology was pretty much impossible to use> Quantum asks.

<An excellent question> a new voice interrupts, unfortunately familiar to many of the people present. Thalas Khanos has arrived with three Talos robots for support.

<I would really like to hear your answer to that question, miss Lysia.>

<I will die before I betray the secrets of the Mortal Liberation Front to the likes of you!>

<Yes, you will. Kill them all> he orders.

 

Midway Atoll, Pacific Ocean

Artemis feels invigorated. Her loss to Hephaestus is a distant memory: Earth is giving her a challenge worthy of a true goddess. She floats in the air, under constant fire from a dozen warships yet perfectly undamaged, admiring what she’s seeing.

<This will be a fun world to rule> she says smiling, her voice drowned by the sound of the battle.

She flies towards one of the fighter jets firing on her, ripping off the wings and throwing it like a dart. The plane explodes on the deck of an American aircraft carrier. It’s just the beginning: she lands on it with enough force to break it in half.

She emerges from the water passing right through a Chinese destroyer, sinking it, landing on top of another carrier. A gesture of her hand unleashes a pressure wave powerful enough to push away everything and everyone around her. The ships are moving too slowly to catch up with her.

<Time to finish this> she says, drawing her golden bow from nothingness. Before she can conjure up an arrow, something hits her back. It’s a blue laser, coming from another ship in the fleet.

Artemis flies towards the source of the laser. If she notices that the mortals stop firing on her when she lands on this last ship, she doesn’t show it.

-Some people never learn – Artemis comments, walking towards Blue Star while the latter puts everything she’s got into her energy stream…and it’s still not enough. Artemis walks towards her unaffected by the blue energy, until she’s close enough to grab Blue Star’s hands.

The American mortal screams in pain as the goddess breaks her bones.

<I am a daughter of Zeus, you fool! I can’t be harmed by mortal hands!>

<That’s why they called me> – is the answer from a disembodied voice.

A black mass of smoke forces itself into Artemis. She struggles to resist, but she has no experience in this kind of fight.

<Eris, you treacherous harlot! I thought Zeus banished your wretched soul to Tartarus!>

<You know Dad doesn’t have the stomach to execute me.>

<And you don’t have the power to control me. You know I’m stronger than you!>

<Not anymore.>

While the two goddesses fight, Blue Star is frantically trying to take the God Restrain. It’s just a small bracelet, but with her hands broken it’s next to impossible.

<Let me help you with that> Eris offers, taking the God Restrain from Blue Star and wearing the bracelet. Every muscle in her body is tense, showing that she won’t hold Artemis for long.

<I will have your head for this, Eris> Artemis threatens.

<No you won’t. I have your head now> Eris answers, activating the God Restrain.

Her energy is now locked inside the body of Artemis. And unlike the mortal bodies she’s possessed over the last millennia, this one won’t ever decay.

She touches Blue Star’s hands, healing them in a couple of seconds.

<Did you get her? Did we win?> she asks.

<Of course we did; everything went exactly as planned. You can come out now…Abyss.>

Something heavy and invisible lands next to them. A 15 feet tall robot becomes visible; Blue Star is prepared to fight, but the robot answers with a female voice:

<I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The Armageddon Armor doesn’t have enough firepower to kill a goddess, but it’s more than enough for you.>

<You two are working together!?>

<What can I say, I’m a sucker for psychopaths> – Eris answers, with her voice but from the body of Artemis, before conjuring her golden bow and pointing an arrow at Blue Star.

<No. I have plans for her>– Abyss interrupts her. A single energy blast from the robot drains all the energy in Blue Star’s body. The robot grabs her arm and lifts her like a doll.

<What, no double cross now? I was looking forward to it.>

<Just remember that the God Restrain is the only thing giving you control of Artemis. Just as easily as I used it as a communicating device, I can shut it down . So, does the deal stand?>

<Earth is yours for the rest of your natural life. I get freedom from this wretched planet. >

<Perfect. Now, if you would be so kind to clean up this mess, I have a planet to rule.>

The Armageddon Armor lifts off, taking the unconscious Blue Star with it, and leaving the fleet in the hands of Eris…who is back in a divine body after thousands of years.

<Alright then. Time to blow off some steam.>

 

Tokyo, Japan

Leiko Tanaka runs an unusual business. She’s both a successful CEO and the leader of a terrorist organization, so it’s not surprising for her employees to see her do strange things. But the last thing they’d expect from the uptight ice queen is to see her walk into the parking lot.

Black Knight, the masked operative following her, complains in English:

<I do not like this.>

<What are you complaining about? I had to order a security guard to take off her pants because I can’t walk into a warzone in a skirt and high heels, and I had to change clothes while inside my mother’s body. Talk about awkward…>

<You should get a weapon. You are unarmed.>

<That doesn’t mean I’m not dangerous, ninja guy. Did you get it?>

<My name is Black Knight> he objects, handling her a cellphone with a Ø symbol on it.

<Yes I know and your name sucks. You know what’s one of the advantages about being the most powerful person in the world? You learn to be paranoid> she says, composing a very long number.

<That is usually not a good thing.>

<It is when it helps you have a ton of options. Hello, mister President? This is Noriko Null. Sorry if the line is disturbed, but I need your help: do you happen to know the location of someone called Abyss? Really? Oh, wow. I’m sorry to hear that. Tell your troops to retreat to a safe distance. I’ll call you back, sir, my ride just arrived> she says, hanging up the phone.

Something comes to a screeching halt within two feet from her: it’s a futuristic motorcycle, red decals on each side. The Phoenix NX-2.

<Come on, ninja guy. We’re gonna get my body back.>