Null Tower, New York City
One of the worst parts about being the smartest person in the world is knowing things you’d rather not think about. For example, that if you’re thrown off the top of a skyscraper you will hit the ground in less than ten seconds. One of the best parts about being the smartest person in the world is that you can do a lot in less than ten seconds.
In the case of Noriko Null, it’s enough to calculate how much she needs to adjust her personal gravity by regulating the device installed in her belt buckle; her fall slows considerably, giving enough time to her flying motorbike to come to her rescue. As she gets on the NX Phoenix, she sends a signal through the Neural Transmitter:
<Kari has been compromised. Emergency Code HV3, authorization 0D64C82BEB-NULL.>
By the time she’s given the command, she can already see half a dozen Nullbots crashing through the windows and plummeting to the ground.
<This is gonna be one of those days, isn’t it?> she tells herself, revving up the engine.
Deshret, Naqada Galaxy
Both Torn and Quantum are completely lost. In a literal sense, being stranded in another galaxy, but more importantly because they were not prepared to fight a mind-controlled Kari. Especially a Kari using the 10K Rise.
She moves faster than the eye can see, running towards Torn and hitting him with a flying kick to the head; as a testament to Demon physiology this does not decapitate him, and he does have a split second to create a weapon. If this was a normal fight, that would be enough time to stab his enemy in the brain. But he hesitates before killing his friend, and that gives Kari the chance to knock him out with an uppercut that catapults Torn against the ceiling.
Her next target is Quantum, but by the time she’s reached his position he’s already gone: after all, moving ten thousand times faster than a regular woman is nothing next to the speed of light.
<Nice try, but you’re in the wrong weight class.> he says, but not to her: he’s moved behind the Eden male who is controlling her and who doesn’t seem to care about the fight.
<Threatening us won’t help you. We are Eden, and you can’t hurt us.> the Eden says.
<Yes I know you can turn intangible; big deal, I bet you don’t know how to hurt someone entirely made of photons.> Quantum boasts.
<Challenge accepted.> Kari answers, rapidly approaching him. Quantum is fully aware of it and would have plenty of time to leave, but he prefers to let her get closer for a chance to take her out with a non-lethal attack.
She walks through the intangible Eden and hits Quantum with a punch to the stomach, and he’s beyond surprised to feel it despite being in his photon form.
<This… this makes no freakin’ sense!> he exclaims, feeling out of breath.
<Neither does resisting Eden.> she adds, grabbing Quantum by the throat.
Null Tower, Earth
There are more than a hundred emergency protocols programmed into the Tower’s security system. All codes in the H series deal with a hostile entity that is already inside the building. The HV series is especially worrisome, identifying that a member of the Vanguard is the hostile entity… whether on its own accord or under someone else’s influence. Code HV3 gives one single goal to all robots inside Null Tower: Kari Zel must be contained at any cost.
Considering all of her duplicates are currently unable to duplicate due to the pregnancy of her original body, that should be a relatively easy task. But while two duplicates are easily immobilized by the robots, a third one is able to use the 10K Rise to make short work of the robots.
<What a pity. Since you are not alive, you cannot join Eden.> she says, punching a Nullbot so hard that its head explodes.
<You know those cost like a million dollars each, right?> Noriko Null asks her, accessing the Tower’s internal systems to confine her between two forcefields.
<The Nexus is inside you. Give it to us.> Kari says, slamming against the impenetrable field.
<Let’s back up a little. Who are you and what have you done to Kari?>
<We are Eden. You will join eternity with us.>
<“Eden”. I’ve heard the First Men being called by that name. I thought they were all dead.>
<We are Eden. Death does not concern us.>
<Good for you. Now, how about giving me back my friend?>
<Once you join Eden, you can never leave. Our perfection eclipses the perception of the self.>
<Wow. You sure talk a lot of bulls#it for someone held prisoner.>
<You are the one caged by your imperfection.> is the answer of another Kari: she also uses the 10K Rise, easily freeing herself from the Nullbot and rushing to punch Noriko. Only her personal shield blocks a blow that would easily break through a wall, let alone a skull. And worse, the third Kari is also able to use the 10K Rise at the same time: she rapidly gets rid of all remaining Nullbots, before joining her twin in an attempt to break through Noriko’s shield.
<How… how are you doing that? I thought only one duplicate at a time could use the 10K!>
<We are Eden. You can’t comprehend the vastness of our mind.> the first Kari answers, lifting the scraps left behind by the Nullbot she crushed and placing her hands inside the circuitry.
<This is too primitive to join Eden. But it can be useful.> she says, just when all the lights in Null Tower suddenly go out… just like its forcefields and Noriko’s personal shield.
Finding herself surrounded by three women who are now ten thousand times stronger and faster than her, Noriko closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
Two Kari prepare to crush her to pieces, but they freeze in place when Null opens her eyes.
Her golden eyes.
<You’ll be surprised by what I can comprehend. Let’s try again: leave my friend alone.> Noriko says, placing the palm of her hand on the forehead of one of the duplicates.
<Soul Distruptor!> she shouts, and her golden eyes glow.
Deshret, Naqada Galaxy
After returning to his human form, Quantum is struggling to free himself from the grip of the possessed Kari: he doesn’t know how, but she’s somehow forcing him to stay in this form.
<How tragic. You have commuted with the legacy of the Drylon like we have, but you lack the vision to embrace its true power. You are denied Eden and… and… Max?> Kari says, dropping out of her 10K Rise state and looking more confused than ever.
But that’s nothing compared to the shocked face on the gold-skinned invader:
<We… we lost her? But nobody ever leaves Eden! What kind of madness has that heretic host unleashed?> he wonders.
<I think I need some context here.> Kari admits.
<We’ll talk later. Now we kick his ass.> Quantum tells her, transforming his hands into photons and preparing to unleash enough energy to wipe out a neighborhood.
<You cannot touch us. We are Eden.> the alien boasts.
<Dude, I knocked out the Goddess of War. I’m the Strongest Under The Heavens: you are so dead.> Quantum answers.
<Such victories are ephemeral against the eternal glory of the Eden. We shall…> the Eden continues to gloat until he’s hit in the chest by a red energy sword.
<You talk too much.> Torn tells him.
<Hey! I was gonna fight him!> Quantum complains.
<A Demon? We are not prepared for another war yet.> the alien says, phasing into the ground.
Quantum is ready to chase him by turning into neutrinos, but Torn stops him saying:
<Don’t. I think it’s an Eden.>
<Really? What was your first clue, the millionth time he said it!?>
<I felt its soul. I’ve never seen one so vast, so powerful, so empty.>
<And you’re stopping me from chasing it because…?> Quantum asks, frustrated by the situation. And the fact that the native Egyptian guards are slowly standing back up doesn’t make things easier, since that includes the guards who were supposed to be dead.
<I can’t take the chance of Eden finding more meat shields.> Torn says, creating a pair of energy swords to fend off the dead people walking towards the Vanguard.
<Alright, it’s official: I hate this planet already.> Kari says, punching the first enemy.
Null Tower, New York City
It’s quite unusual for a Myridian duplicate to lose consciousness: they disappear if struck with lethal force, and anyone brave enough to fight a Myridian would not pull any punches.
When Kari Zel wakes up, she finds herself in the Tower’s infirmary surrounded by other duplicates; some of them are still unconscious, but a couple are talking with Dr. Kalama.
<Hey, another one’s awake. How are you feeling?> Kari asks Kari.
<I have the worst headache ever. What just happened?> Kari answers.
<All of us just zoned out and attacked Noriko. I guess you don’t remember either?>
<I have this vague vision of a weird gold planet. Does that help?>
<All of you said the same thing. But as far as I can tell, there’s nothing wrong with any of you, at least physically.> the doctor says.
<Does that mean that I can leave?> Noriko asks. She’s on a medical bed, without her leather jacket and some sort of metallic band on her forehead. And her eyes are black instead of silver.
<Kari, would you please leave us alone? All the Karis, I mean?> Dr. Kalama asks.
The group of duplicates slowly leaves, emptying the room while chatting among themselves. The doctor sits next to Noriko, stopping her from fidgeting with the headband.
<Don’t touch that. It’s very sensitive equipment.>
<What does it do?> Noriko asks.
<You should tell me. It’s your invention.>
<I guess it’s some kind of… brainwave… reading… thing? God I hate it when I’m not smart!>
<Well whatever it is, the sensors are telling me that your brain is currently behaving like a normal human brain.> Dr. Kalama explains, showing a holographic tablet to Noriko.
<I won’t be able to read any of that for, uhm, I guess one hour or something.>
<So this has happened to you before?>
<Some weird alien controlling Kari from another galaxy? No. But the golden eyes, yes; no big deal, I won’t stay de-powered for long.>
<Are you sure? Because your own scanner is telling me a lot about… well I won’t go into details while you’re in this state, but you’ve clearly sustained neurological damage.>
<Like I said, no big deal. I’ve already used my golden eyes twice; there are no risks, I swear!>
<Noriko, you’re a terrible liar when you don’t have silver eyes.>
<I’m telling you it’s nothing. O.D.I.N, are you there?> Noriko asks, looking around; the hologram of a raven appears on her shoulder.
<I am at your service, mistress Null.> the artificial intelligence answers.
<Run a full diagnostic of the Nullbots, I’ll review the results once I’m smart enough to understand them. In the meantime, can you access the teleporter?>
<Indeed I can, mistress. Where do you wish to go?>
Cape Town, South Africa
Being a professional athlete means you never really stop training, especially if your goal is to participate in the next Olympics. It’s early morning in this part of the world, and Daren Bekker is already on his treadmill even though his date with Noriko last night ended quite late. He doesn’t expect to see the young billionaire too soon, and especially he doesn’t expect her to suddenly appear with a bright flash of light.
<Noriko!? How did you…>
<Daren. Sorry to barge in, I was… I’m sorry, are you busy? Is this a bad time?>
<No, it’s not, just… did you just teleport into my house!?>
<I, uhm, I guess I did. I’m not stalking you, really! It’s just… you told me what you thought after you lost your hand in the accident, right? Life is short, I’m done wasting time, that kind of thing?>
<Yes? Did something happen to you after our date?>
<That’s not my point. I only have about an hour before I start overthinking stuff again, so listen up: I really like you. You’re sweet, you have a cool bike and I think you’re really hot. Do you wanna be my boyfriend?> Noriko asks, speaking as fast as she can. Daren is left speechless.
<What?> he finally manages to say, a full thirty seconds later.
<I’m not on drugs, I swear! It’s just a little brain damage.>
<…>
<Oh God, I made things weird, didn’t I? I’ll just… I’ll just leave… as soon as the room… stops spinning… so… much…> Noriko mumbles, before losing her balance and fainting.
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