Beyond The Impossible

Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth

Ilithyia looks at herself in a mirror held by a snake twice her weight. She adjusts her black dress, which not only contrasts with her white hair but also with her heritage: it’s odd for the daughter of Zeus to wear something so Egyptian. Of course, defecting from her pantheon is much rarer; she can’t even think of a precedent. Then again, she knows she lives in unprecedented times.

<Is this really necessary?> she asks.

The snake shakes uncomfortably as Ilithyia’s guest approaches; Nephthys is an imposing presence, and her fellow goddess can feel her hidden power. She takes the form of a beautiful woman with dark skin, green hair and glowing green eyes.

<Yesss. You mussst look the part for other godsss.> Nephthys hisses.

<Alright, I have to ask: why do you keep doing that?> Ilithyia asks.

<Doing what?>

<That thing you do when you speak. You’re one of the Nine Gods Who Rule The Universe, surely you know how to enunciate?>

<I do not underssstand. My sssubjectss talk like thiss.>

<Well, I don’t know anything about your subjects, but to other gods that’s incredibly annoying.>

<Ssseriously?>

<Seriously. If you want to be considered a threat by the Greek pantheon, stop hissing like that.>cather

<In that cassse… I shall adjust my speech. Is this satisfactory?>

<I’ll say. Now, Nephthys, regarding our business together… when are we going to attack the Olympian Galaxy?>

<This is not Olympus. Ilithyia. We Egyptians don’t rush into battle without a plan.>

<And I guess you are going to suggest one.>

<As one of the Nine Gods, I am not allowed by my equals to attack another pantheon without provocation. Zeus may have disappeared, but any direct attack would provoke a response by his brothers Poseidon and Hades. And even I am not powerful enough to face both: we need allies.>

<Can’t the rest of your pantheon help?>

<They won’t fight the Greeks. Unless, of course, we had to defend ourselves. Like, for example, if Olympus launched an unprovoked attack on us.>

<You want me to trick my family into walking into a trap.>

<Exactly.>

<Hmm. Fighting somebody else instead of our own, now that’s something new. Luckily I have just the thing we need.> Ilithyia says, holding in her hand the Silver Key of Heaven.

 

Null Foundation Building, Lagos, Nigeria

As the most populous city in Africa and fourth in the world, Lagos is one of Kari Zel’s favorite homes for her duplicates. One of them has been living here for months, immersing herself in the culture and learning more about Earth; no matter how many places she visits, the planet always seems to have new things she needs to learn. Today is different: she’s at the new headquarters of Null Foundation to meet its founder, in a rare visit from Noriko Null herself.

<Wait for me!> Kari shouts at Noriko, catching her before she can into her private elevator. Normally she would just create a duplicate inside the elevator, but her powers don’t work now that her original body, back on Myridia, is pregnant again.

<Don’t tell me you were going to do it without me!> Kari chastises her.

<Why not? Doctor Kalama will assist me. You can join us if you want, but…>

<What do you mean “if”? This is HUGE, Noriko! Of course I wanna see!>

<Fine, but don’t oversell it just yet. I’ve been running simulations for years, but there’s no guarantee this will work.> Noriko answers. They’ve already reached the floor that houses the medical lab, where two familiar faces are waiting for them: Doctor Catherine Kalama and Oluwa Kalu, director of the Foundation and one of Noriko’s failed attempts at a stable relationship.

<Doctor. Kalu. I assume everything’s ready?> Noriko asks.

<The patient’s here. Is there any way I can convince you to delay this? I still think it’s far too early to jump to human testing.> the doctor says.

<We’re as ready as we’ll ever be. If this works, how long will it take to have a press conference?>

<You’re about to turn miracles into reality; you’ll have the entire world talking about you without even trying.> Kalu answers.

<Alright. Let’s make history, people.> Noriko tells them, walking inside the lab; Kari pulls her closer and lowers her voice.

<Why is mister Blandy McBland here? Didn’t you guys break up ages ago?>

<He works for me, Kari. And this is one of the biggest things I’ve ever done.>

<You said the same about Midgard City. You’re rushing from one big project to the other; does this have anything to with what happened on Lampyria?>

<I lost two years of my life by using my golden eyes, Kari. It made me realize I’ve been taking things too slow; it’s time to kick into high gear.> Noriko answers, leaving her friend behind to reach the patient.

<Welcome to the Null Foundation, mister Bekker. I guess you know who I am.> she says.

<Call me Daren, please.> the African man sitting on the medical chair answers, while Doctor Kalama attaches small sensors on his bare chest.

He’s an athletic black man in his mid-twenties; he’s missing his left hand: the arm ends at the wrist.

<Mr. Bekker, this is Kari Zel, a very close friend of mine. Kari, this is Daren Bekker from South Africa; gold medalist at the latest Paralympics and the Foundation’s latest spokesperson.>

<Nice to meet you. Should I leave the room?> Kari asks.

<No, it’s fine. But don’t get too close.> Noriko answers, pulling a chair to get closer to Bekker. He looks at the small metallic container that the doctor is placing near his left arm, then at Noriko.

<That’s it? It doesn’t look like much.>

<Mr. Bekker…>

<Daren.>

<Daren, you’re about to be the first human being exposed to Molecular Assemblers. Do you want me to explain how this works?>

<Since the doctor tells me it has a chance of killing me, it’s better if you do.> he answers.

<Molecular Assemblers are bio-engineered cells capable of extremely rapid self-replication; they can potentially recreate an entire human body in seconds. They will read your DNA and copy the necessary molecular instructions to grow your missing hand.> she explains.

<Then they’ll stop, right? I don’t want to end up with a clone.> Daren says.

<Believe me, I’m the last person who wants to deal with clones. To stop the growth of new Lampyrian cells, the Assemblers will synthesize large quantities of sulfur dioxygenase to…>

<So it’s basically weird chemical stuff?> he interrupts her.

<Weird chemical stuff, yeah. Any other questions?>

<This is going to hurt, isn’t it?>

<Yes. Feeling pain receptors grow back is… unlike anything else you’ll ever feel.>

<You sound like you’ve talking from experience.> he comments.

<Something like that. Place your wrist inside the container, please.> she answers, not willing to admit she pursued this idea to re-grow her own missing limb before Nyx did the job for her.

Daren sticks his wrist his inside the container; soon enough he’s shifting uncomfortably while sweating profusely, with his whole body going through a sudden shock.

<You weren’t kidding. This burns like crazy.> he says, over the sound of several alarms beeping.

<His heart rate is spiking; we should give him at least 20 mg of procainamide before he starts hyperventilating> Doctor Kalama suggests; Noriko instead takes his hand and looks him in the eye.

<Stay with me. You can do this, I know.> she encourages him.

<Yeah… unless I’m having a… heart attack…>

<Don’t think about it. Concentrate on my breathing. Find your center. Focus your energy.> Noriko suggests, going through the same motions that Torn taught her for Soul Resonance.

It seems to work: Daren Bekker calms down, even if the whole procedure takes almost ten minutes of excruciating pain until the Molecular Assemblers are deactivated automatically.

<We’re done. How are you feeling?> Noriko asks.

<Exhausted. You can let me go now, you know.> he answers: she’ still holding his hand.

<Ah, uhm, yes, of course. Let’s see if it worked.> she says, pulling the container away… and Daren Bekker looks in awe at what’s connected to his left wrist: a fully grown hand. With blue skin.

<Ηολυ φθcκινγ σηιτ. You actually did it!> Kari comments, her jaw dropping.

<The pigmentation should return to normal in a few weeks. Do you feel anything?> Noriko asks: Daren is looking at his new hand, very slowly moving his fingers.

<I… I don’t know what to say. This is a goddamn miracle!>

<You get used to those.> Noriko shrugs.

 

Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth

Unlike the Olympian Galaxy, which is mostly inhabited by the descendants of humans, the population of the kingdom of Nephthys is very diverse.

The humans who live here are externally indistinguishable from those living on the Earth continent of Africa, but there are many other sentient species. Like the Naga, reptilian humanoids with four arms and a tail instead of legs, who have worshipped Nephthys for ages.

A Naga cargo ship is now approaching a space station in the outer regions of the Naqada Galaxy, a remote trading post that is the only sign of civilization within hundreds of light-years.

The ship has been waiting to receive a confirmation to dock for several minutes.

<What isss the holdup?> the captain asks.

<The ssstation doesss not ressspond.> the helmsman answers.

<Open a channel. I am Kothar-wa-khathir, captain of the Werethekau. Ressspond.>

<No anssswer, Captain.>

<Ssscan the ssstation. Perhapsss they have been attacked.>

<Please pardon our delay.> is the answer the Captain received, but not from his crew: it’s from a humanoid woman with gold skin who just emerged from the floor, phasing through it like a ghost.

<This is a very primitive form. It took us time to adjust.> she continues.

<Intruder! Identify yourssself, biped!> the Captain shouts, with his men drawing their laser guns.

<We are Eden. Don’t be alarmed: you will join eternity soon enough. Your time among this… filth has finally ended.> she says, looking at the ship with detached disgust.

<I don’t like your tone. Sseize her.> the Captain orders; the crew slithers towards the golden woman, trying to immobilize her. Their hands simply pass through her body.

<Welcome to eternity.> she says, pressing the palm of her hand on the chest of one of the Naga.

The officer stops, lost in a trance. The other Naga open fire on the woman, but their laser blasts have no effect: not only she’s completely intangible, but she expanded her intangibility to the Naga she’s touching. When she lets go, the reptile’s eyes suddenly become golden.

<What have you done to him, bipedal ssscum?> the Captain asks.

<You are mistaken. We are not under your command.> the Naga responds, opening fire on his fellow crewmates: with deadly precision, he shouts all of them right between the eyes.

<We are Eden now. You will join eternity soon.> the Naga continues; he shoots at the captain, but Kothar-wa-khathir manages to dodge in time and launches himself at his former lieutenant.

Meanwhile, the golden woman has walked towards the navigational computer: once she places her hand on it, the screen shows a complete map of the Naqada Galaxy.

<This is incomplete. We need a map of the current universe.> she says, right before a dead Naga phases right through her body: the Captain has just killed the possessed lieutenant.

<Why do they always fight the inevitable?> the golden woman sighs.

<Get off my ssship, invader! There isss nothing but death for you here!> the Captain threatens her.

<Death?> she repeats, opening her arms: her body glows, emitting a golden aura that reaches the dead bodies of the crew. Soon enough, the dead Naga get back up without saying a word.

<We are Eden. Death means nothing to us.> the golden woman says, walking towards the captain: he tries to punch her, to absolutely no effect. She walks next to him, touching his shoulder for a second; it’s enough for the captain to just stop and stare at her, while she sits on his chair.

<According to the ship, there is a planet 327 light-years from here. Let’s go there.>

<This brain doesn’t contain any information about the Nexus.> the Captain says, his eyes now golden. The other Naga don’t speak, slithering to their stations while their wounds quickly heal.

<It doesn’t matter. Once we add this galaxy to Eden we will certainly find it.> she answers.