Takama, 45,000 light-years from Earth
After becoming the capital world of the Amaterasu sector, Takama is bursting with life: commerce has exploded, especially thanks to the technological improvements that Viper has quickly distributed. The number of people visiting the planet has been increasing every day, providing new customers to all manners of businesses; brothels in particular are getting richer by the minute, with Lampyrian establishments having an almost complete monopoly on the galaxy’s oldest profession.
Kari Zel isn’t exactly surprised or particularly bothered by this: prostitution was outlawed by Demeter on Myridia, but it was widely practiced by those who managed to leave the planet.
She sneaks back into the brothel, keeping a low profile made simpler by dying her hair red, and she reaches one of the smoke-filled rooms where Lampyrians rest between jobs.
There are six present: one is reading a book on starship engineering, one is repairing a microcomputer, one is polishing another one’s bat-like wings, and two are too busy making out to notice her arrival. All six are blue-skinned women with no nose and identical faces.
<And now I know how non-Myridians feel like. Which one of you is Lily?>
<Hey Kari. Remember Larila?> Lily answers: she was one of the two women making out, and she’s introducing her partner.
<Uh, sure. We met, uhm, last week at the spaceport construction site?> Kari guesses.
<That was Larila’s mother, Lalari, she’s right there. That’s her other mother Liliara, these are Larila’s daughters, Lerassa and Lessara> Lily explains pointing at one Lampyrian after the other.
<Say hi to Kari, girls> Larila says, with two Lampyrians giving a disinterested wave.
“She looks exactly like both her mothers and her daughters. Gods, are Lampyrians weird!” Kari thinks, grabbing Lily by her arm and practically dragging her out of the room.
<Look, I’m glad you’re having fun, but did you forget we’re on a mission?>
<I didn’t. I’ve been gathering intelligence on this place.>
<Really. Like what?>
<Viper is keeping Torn prisoner. She’s trying to torture information out of him.>
<What!? How do you know that?>
<The palace may be guarded by Oni, but there are mortals working there too. Prostitutes are excellent intelligence agents; Lampyrian prostitutes, doubly so.>
<Okay, I’m impressed. I did some digging on my own, and this Amaterasu… something’s off.>
<What do you mean?>
<She’s not acting like any conquering goddess I know. Worshiping her is mandatory, yes, but she abolished slavery, mandatory military service and all forms of tribute. She’s distributed food to impoverished planets, she rebuilt the ecosystem of ruined worlds, and she’s even providing medical help to less technologically advanced planets. It’s almost like… she’s not evil.>
<She killed everyone on the planet that didn’t support her> Lily reminds her.
<Viper did that. I’m telling you Lily, Amaterasu is unlike any god we’ve ever seen. But Viper is crazy; we have to help Torn escape.>
<How do we do that? You’ll never force your way inside the palace, even with the 10K Rise.>
<I know, but I have an idea. Does this planet have a temple of Aphrodite?>
Warship Ragnarok, traveling between the stars
While Kari duplicates take care of piloting the ship, five people are gathered in the ship’s Operation Center. Noriko Null, Vesta, Quantum, and a different Kari duplicate, are looking at their latest ally: Liosthenes, the Athenian officer of the HDS Demostenes and secretly a member of the Mortal Liberation Front.
<Can we trust this guy?> Quantum asks, crossing his arms.
<I did stop my ship’s attempt to inform Athena and helped you strand it beyond Mars> Liosthenes defends himself.
<I think we should trust him> Vesta proposes.
<Yeah but you trust everybody> Kari comments.
<There are multiple sources confirming Viper is still alive and behind Amaterasu. And trying to double cross me is more an Athena thing than a typical MLF plan. So I’ll trust you for now, but I’ll still keep my eyes open> Noriko tells Liosthenes, making her eyes shine to underline the point.
<That’s quite reasonable> Liosthenes agrees.
<So, why is Athena trying to keep me on Earth? And what’s the deal with Amaterasu?>
<I have no clue. We just had orders to keep you isolated from the rest of the galaxy.>
<I suppose that’s why I wasn’t able to reach Null> Syzar’s voice interrupts: to everyone’s surprise, since the President of the Mortal Senate wasn’t supposed to be at this meeting.
<Dude, you’re supposed to be on the bridge, guarded by a bunch of Karis> Quantum says.
<I am on the bridge. And here, and on the Senate floor. I’m half Myridian, remember?>
<Everyone’s got a gimmick now> the human hero sighs.
<How did you get to Earth, exactly? Either my satellites or the Demosthenes would have detected a ship approaching the solar system> Null wonders.
<That’s not important right now. What’s important is how to stop this new goddess> Syzar answers.
<According to Athena’s intelligence, the only gods openly hostile to Amaterasu are Ilithyia and her husband Helios> Liosthenes reveals.
<This Amaterasu. How powerful is she?> Vesta asks.
<We believe she’s a Class-2 divinity.>
<Then they won’t cut it. I doubt Helios can match her, and Ilithyia is a Class-4 at best.>
<What are you talking about?> Noriko asks, her eyes shining with interest.
<It’s not something we discuss often with mortals, but eons ago Athena came up with a system to rank gods. It’s very broad; both Demeter and Hephaestus were much stronger than I am but they were Class-3, just like me.>
<So who’s a Class-2?> Kari wonders.
<In this galaxy, very few. My mother. Hera. Some of the Titans who are still around. And of course Apollo and Ares.>
<Can they die?> Noriko asks. There’s a moment of silence before Vesta decides to answer.
<Tiamat was a Class-1 and you still killed her. But don’t forget what it took to do it.>
<How could I?> Noriko responds, instinctively touching her prosthetic arm. Then her silver eyes suddenly become as bright as flashlights; it’s unexpected for her as well, judging by how she loses her balance. Quantum catches her before she faints, but she’s visibly paler.
<Are you alright?> he asks.
<That was Torn> she answers.
<What was what?>
<He sent me a message through my link to the Blood. We talked about trying something like that, apparently it can kill whoever receives the message. He wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t an emergency.>
<You have a link to the Blood? How?> Syzar asks.
<Her evil self once took over Hell> Kari says nonchalantly.
<You people have interesting lives> Liosthenes comments.
<You have no idea. Sometimes even I forget half the crazy stuff she can do> Quantum notes.
<What was the message? Is he in danger?> Vesta wonders.
<I felt an unimaginable pain, but I was able to understand four words: “stay away from her”.>
<So the message was something creepy and completely useless. Yep, that’s from Torn> Kari nods.
Takama, 45,000 light-years from Earth
The light is intermittent, but the screams from Torn don’t ever seem to end. They echo through the walls, but the Sound Nullifier prevents them from escaping the room; if it wasn’t for that device, the whole Divine Palace would hear his voice.
The light is coming from the electricity emitted by Viper’s fingers: it flows through Torn’s skull, digging inside his brain without missing any pain receptor. It illuminates Viper’s face: from the drops of sweat on her forehead, a hint of how much effort this requires, to her psychotic smile.
<Let’s take five. You’re a clever monkey, you know that?> she asks, interrupting the torture.
Torn has enough strength to try to rebel, but the chains of neutral matter that imprison him don’t let him get close enough. Viper walks towards the Oni robot who has been watching the entire ordeal and who is now serving her a bottle of water and a towel.
<I know you sent her a warning. I don’t know how you managed to do that, but she won’t stop. How do I know that? Because it wouldn’t stop me either.>
<You sure like to talk> Torn says, trying to summon an energy sword to decapitate her; the only effect is that the collar on his neck glows red.
<Tsk tsk, still trying to get around the Neural Disruptor? Oni, tell our guest what you’re programmed to do if you see the slightest hint of Blood energy.>
<I will incinerate the target> the robot answers.
<Good boy. Who’s a good homicidal robot? Huh? You’re a good homicidal robot> Viper congratulates him, patting his back like he was a dog instead of a six feet tall mass of metal.
<You’ll fail. Whatever information you want from me, you won’t get it.>
<Won’t I? I’m Null. Gods are scared of me. Mortals pray to me. I transact at levels most mortals can’t even understand. But unlike your Null, I don’t waste my fu##ing time pretending to care about the planet where I was born or trying to solve my mommy issues. No, I’m Viper. I. Get. Results.>
<You may have Null’s face, her intelligence, or even her technology. But you’re missing one thing.>
<A red-skinned monkey overly fond of trench coats?>
<You have no soul.>
<Oooo, that sounds soooo scary. You know what else I don’t have? Any fu##s to give> Viper answers, positioning her hands on the side of Torn’s face. The electricity flows again, and she keeps talking despite the Demon’s screams.
<Somewhere inside that brain of yours is something I want. And when, not “if” mind you, when I get it, I’ll exterminate your species like the vermin that you are. Then, who knows? Maybe I’ll create a real Hell, just for kicks.>
Warship Ragnarok, Noriko Null’s room
It’s supposed to be night on the ship, which follows New York’s time zone no matter where it is in the universe. Noriko isn’t sleeping, though: she sits on the bed, cross-legged, and her eyes shift from the artificial arm resting on the nightstand and the bottle of antipsychotic drugs in her hand.
When someone knocks on the door, she knows it can only be one person.
<Come in, Vesta.>
<How did you know it was me?> the goddess asks once she comes inside.
<You’re the only one on the ship who doesn’t need to sleep. Also there’s a camera in the corridor.>
<I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.>
<No, I’m not okay Vesta. I haven’t been okay since I killed Tiamat. Viper didn’t just cut off my arm, she made me doubt myself. I have no excuse for allowing Leiko to take the Winter King’s place, for letting Viper play me like a fool. Heck, I was such a wreck after breaking up with Todd that I messed up with both Yong-Su and Voron. “Smartest girl in the universe looking for rebound boyfriend”, what a joke. God, I wish I could still get drunk.>
<Uhm, I better take these> Vesta says taking the bottle from her friend’s hand, but it’s empty.
<Noriko, how many pills did you take?>
<Since boarding the ship? Zero. They all went straight into the toilet: I won’t let Viper define me.>
<I don’t say this often enough, but I’m so proud of you> Vesta tells her friend, coming closer to hug her; Noriko moves away, but it’s more than her usual reservedness.
<No offense, but I’m hallucinating you as a rotting corpse. Mind if we do this when I’m sane again?>
<As far as I can tell, Noriko, you’re already there.>
Discussion ¬