Beyond The Impossible

New Rhetra, Myridia, 50 light-years from Earth

Noriko Null is annoyed. It’s a beautiful day outside, under the multiple suns of Myridia, but she’s trapped inside Kari Zel’s house where there are two babies who just won’t stop crying.

She’s sitting cross-legged on an easy chair, trying to adjust the skirt of her green dress to cover her legs a little more than they’re intended.

<So, uhm, do you like my present?> Vesta asks her.

<I’m ecstatic. Kari, could your kids scream a little louder? I can almost hear myself think.> she comments sarcastically, regretting not carrying a Sound Nullifier with her.

Kari’s duplicates are busy dealing with three children, two of which are crying while the third one is running across the room chasing her own duplicates, as well with the crowd outside.

Her property is completely surrounded by thousands of people, kept at bay by an equally large number of duplicates of Kari, as well as of her husband Kiros.

They’re still at a safe distance from her house… so far they haven’t trespassed the fence that surrounds the house… but they’re making their presence felt.

<Sorry, they’re a little… ARIEL ZEL! You stop duplicating RIGHT THIS INSTANT!!!> Kari shouts, making all the children with light blue hair disappear in an instant, except for the original.

<But I don’t wanna play alone.> little Ariel says, pouting and seemingly ready to cry.

Vesta gets up to her, kneeling to look at the girl in the eye.

<What if I play with you? Would you like me to take you flying?> she tells her with a smile, which instantly makes Ariel happy.

<We’re trying to keep a low profile from the Vanguardists. If they see you flying we’ll attract all the attention in the planet.> Noriko points out.

<Tell you what, Ariel: if you go to your room to take a nap while mommy and her friends work things out, and I promise I’ll take you flying before bedtime. Deal?> Vesta continues.

<Promise?> Ariel asks, and when Vesta nods the child runs to her room.

<I have no idea how you do it. These little monsters never listen to me.> Kari admits; Vesta gets closer to her duplicate to take the other two daughters. As soon as they’re in the arms of the goddess, they stop crying.

<I have millennia of experience in babysitting gods. Your kids are angels when compared to my brother’s children when they were infants, believe me.>

<Any chance I can take her from the Vanguard and keep her here until Imani and Azure are adults?> Kari asks Noriko half-jokingly.

<Oh.> Noriko reacts, as if she just suddenly remembered something crucial. While her reaction puzzles Vesta, Kari easily reads her.

<Did you just realize you’ve never actually asked me how I named the twins?> she asks, in a mixture between a friendly jab and a little revenge.

<So about these Vanguardists, are they going to be a problem?> Noriko asks her, blatantly changing the subject.

<Your guess is as good as mine. They’ve been around at least since you killed Selene, but they used to be just a minor sect of the Church of Null. Until things got political.>

<What do you mean?>

<Noriko… what do you know about the politics of the Mortal Republic?>

<Basically nothing.>

<You should pay attention to these things! This is important stuff!> Kari scolds her.

<I didn’t expect you, of all people, to care about politics.>

<I grew up on a planet where you could be executed for voicing any opinion that didn’t follow the official Demeter doctrine. Of course I care about how the new people in charge take care of the galaxy! Now listen closely.> Kari tells her, having one of her duplicates get her a chair to sit down in front of Noriko and making sure she has her full attention.

<There are five political parties in the Mortal Senate, aligned within two major coalitions. Alexer Syzar’s party, the New Alliance Party, has about 40% of the seats in the Senate. There are two other parties in his coalition: the Unitarian Party, which is extremely loyal to Syzar, and the Mortal Resistance Movement… the MRM, basically the civilian version of the old Mortal Liberation Front.>

<The terrorist organization created by Ulysses. Didn’t they disband with the creation of the Mortal Republic?> Vesta asks.

<Officially, yes, but they’re still somewhat popular.>

<They did help us quite a few times.> Noriko reluctantly acknowledges; she’s not particularly fond of the Front, both because she could never really figure out Ulysses and because her mother used to work with them.

<Syzar needs the votes of the MRM to push his coalition above the majority and keep his leadership of the Senate. But they clashed repeatedly over the past year, and the Mortal Resistance Movement is definitely considering moving to the opposition.>

<What opposition? “Let’s not be ruled by tyrannical gods” should be a pretty apolitical idea!>

<The Federalists agree with you, Noriko, they just want individual planets to be more independent. But the Royalists think that switching from a theocratic to a democratic government was a mistake; they want the Republic to be turned into a monarchy where the king is appointed on religious grounds.>

<You have GOT to be kidding me! Please tell me that’s just a fringe party!>

<They, uhm, they are the second largest party in the Senate, holding a third of the seats.> Kari comments nervously. It’s not hard to see how this is infuriating for Noriko: her silver eyes are shining brightly with anger.

<I can’t believe this! How can these people be so stupid!?>

<I think it makes perfect sense.> Vesta intervenes, leaving her friends dumbfounded before she can elaborate further:

<The Mortal Republic is less than a decade old. Most planets in the Galaxy haven’t been independent for tens of thousands of years; most of them have never had a democratic government. And these are very turbulent times; it’s not surprising at all that many want to return to simpler times. Gods are not the only ones who have a hard time changing.>

<I never thought of it that way. I guess that having the entire knowledge of Earth inside me doesn’t make me immune from bias.> Noriko humbly realizes.

<If it makes you feel better, Royalists are extremely unpopular on Myridia. But they have been courting the MRM pretty heavily, and there’s a reason why they’re being successful… both parties have fully embraced the Vanguardists. In fact, ever since the war with the Egyptians, lots of leaders and even gods have taken a keen interest in what used to be minor sects of the Church of Null.>

<Because one of the precepts of the Church of Null is that it should remain apolitical, they’re trying to create their own versions of the Church to exploit. How do I convince them to stop making up stuff about me and my team!?> Noriko complaints.

<You don’t. You can’t control the effect of what you do, or what you don’t do, will have on the people who worship you. It’s just how it is.> Vesta tells her.

<It sucks.>

<I know. Why do you think I faked being mortal for 2,700 years?>

<Maybe you should go to the Council of Myridia. That’s where all the major sects are coming together to discuss about their differences.> Kari suggests.

<That’s a great idea!> Noriko comments.

<That’s a terrible idea!> Vesta comments, at the same time.

The two friends look at each other awkwardly.

<I’m not saying I want to go there to dictate how they should worship me, Vesta. But maybe I can influence things from the inside and turn this whole Church thing into a force for good.>

<I’m telling you, Nori, getting involved with your cult is a recipe for disaster: nothing good can come of it.>

<Then what should I do, just ignore the people who pray in my name!?>

<Yes. Trust my experience on this, please.>

Noriko pauses for a while; given the light in her silver eyes, it’s clear she’s pondering several possibilities and scenarios before she finally says:

<I can’t. Ignoring the societal and political consequences of my actions is what caused these sects to be created and exploited. I have to do something about it.>

<If their god shows up during a religious debate, everything you do and say will create debates and conflicts. These will turn ugly, and fast, until you take a position. Are you prepared to do that?>

<Maybe she won’t have to.> Kari suggests.

<Yes she will! You don’t understand, I’ve HAD religions based on me, I KNOW what I’m talking about!!!> Vesta protests; clearly she’s taking this rather personally, and in her fervor she inadvertently makes the room as hot as summer in a desert.

<That’s not what I’m talking about. Noriko doesn’t have to show up at the Council as herself!>

<What, you want me to show up in a disguise?> Null asks, wiping sweat from her forehead.

<Something like that…> Kari comments mischievously.

 

Las Vegas, Earth

Ever since Tyche set foot in the city a few days ago, four casinos have been shut down: as soon as the teenage goddess of destiny and luck walks buy, every player wins without even trying.

Now she’s sitting on the rooftop of the Caesars Palace, next to the statue of the goddess Fortuna that she ripped with her own hands from the casino’s shop.

Considering that the statue is 25 feet tall and that Tyche has a halo of flames floating above her head, she has attracted quite a lot of attention from the media.

A crowd of journalists has gathered in front of the building, pointing cameras at her. Nobody dares to approach her until a dozen of men in riot gear reach the roof, slowly coming closer and closer while keeping their guns pointed at her.

<Finally! What does a girl have to do before getting attention around here, walk naked in the street?>

<Hands up! No sudden moves!> one of the men shouts at her.

<Are those weapons?> Tyche asks, telekinetically pulling one of the guns towards her. This results in the other men opening fire, with the bullets ricocheting harmlessly on her body.

<How rude. You didn’t let me introduce myself.> she responds calmly, lifting the statue with one hand and swinging it towards them… but stopping just a moment before actually hitting them.

<You see this statue? It’s supposed to represent the goddess of luck… me. I see that you’ve made

quite a few mistakes in my representation; almost everything, in fact. If you’re lucky and you bother me again, I might crush you under the statue and you won’t feel anything. Now ask yourselves, mortals… do you feel lucky today?>

<Ma’am, please put down the statue.> someone else tells her: it’s a woman wearing a black suit and sunglasses, and she’s showing her a badge.

<Agent Ramirez, C.I.A. Please follow me.>

<Finally someone with a bit of manners.> Tyche says, discarding the statue which falls on the roof; considering the sound it makes, there’s no doubt in the agent’s mind about her superhuman nature.

<I am Lady Tyche, Goddess of Destiny and Luck, daughter of Hermes and Aphrodite. I wish to discuss things with Lady Null.>

<She’s not available at the moment. Why don’t you talk to my superiors first?>

<Because I am a sovereign goddess on official business. I came here to talk with the highest authority on this planet.>

<I don’t know what you’ve heard, but Null isn’t the one in charge in this country. I’m here to escort you to meet the President of the United States.>

<Really? That’s quite interesting. Very well then, Agent C.I.A. Take me to your leader.>