Myridia, 50 light-years from Earth
Max Black has never been happier to breathe the air of an alien world. After being stuck in the economy class of an interstellar flight, the feeling of the multiple suns of Myridia shining on his face is just priceless.
<Ah, I always loved this place. I was afraid that Demeter had ruined it forever, but I’m glad to see it still has many wonders to explore.> Eros comments, winking at a group of Myridian women who giggle like schoolgirls at the mere sight of the God of Love… which is not surprising, considering that each of them is seeing him as the most attractive person they have ever encountered.
<If you like it so much you could’ve flown me here by yourself, instead of wasting two weeks sleeping with every single member of the ship’s crew.> Max complains, practically dragging the god away from the mortals he’s bound to fall in love with.
<You need to live a little, my dear, especially when you’re immortal.>
<Well I’m not, Eros, so I’m kinda in a hurry. I just hope we can find Kari in her house… I have a bad feeling about this whole thing.> he admits.
<Can’t you just send her a message?> Eros wonders, his body instantly transforming into an exact copy of Kari Zel after shining with pink energy.
<Dude, don’t do that in public! Someone might see you!> Max warns, taking “Kari” by the shoulders and push her aside. Just as he expected, the god’s little stunt attracted some attention.
<C’mon, let’s go somewhere less crowded.> he suggests, hurrying towards the nearest exit… only to find himself faced with a room where there are so many duplicates that it’s hard to breathe.
<Right. Forgot what planet this is for a second.> he comments, slapping his own forehead.
<The planet seems advanced enough. If they have a spaceport, surely they have personal communication devices?> Eros suggests.
<You mean phones? Believe it or not they don’t… they prefer to send duplicates to talk to people. Yeah, yeah, I know, mortals are dumb.>
<I didn’t say anything. Look, I think those two heavily armed gentlemen are looking for us! Hello!> Eros says, jumping up and down waving her arms at the two men who are obviously soldiers.
<They don’t exactly look friendly. Come on, let’s disappear through the… crowd?>
Just as Max is suggesting the strategy, the vast majority of the people in the room disappear in the blink of an eye. Most of them must have been duplicates, and those who remain seem as surprised as they are to see the others disappear.
<You! Hands in the air! No sudden moves!> one of the soldiers shouts. Max doesn’t recognize the uniform, except for one detail: the Ø symbol on his chest.
<Under whose authority?> he asks. In response, the soldier aims his laser rifle at Max’s head.
<The Church of Null. Now comply or we will use lethal force!>
<Friends of yours?> Eros wonders, hands in the air while still in the form of Kari.
<Not really. Since when does the Church have armed militias?> Max wonders, while still complying with the order.
<Since Null willed it. Now you will follow us; try to resist in any way and we will kill Zel.> the soldier threatens. He probably doesn’t know Max doesn’t have his powers at the moment.
<I wish to talk to your leader. Where is Ganos Lal?>
Karun, 47,000 light-years from Earth
Ganos Lal is nervous. She has traveled far in her capacity of Supreme Pontiff of the Church of Null, but mostly it has been her duplicates who have been away from Myridia.
But she is here with her original body, and since this planet is technically in the Hebe sector she’s not protected by the laws of the Mortal Republic.
It’s mostly a formality, though: even when Hermes was technically in charge, the Karun Bank Group has an extraordinary amount of freedom.
<You are free to proceed, ma’am. Next.> the bank employee in front of the scanner says.
<It won’t be necessary.> Noriko Null replies. Or rather, what looks like Noriko Null replies: since this is actually her android replacement I.R.I.S., she can’t risk being discovered.
<It’s standard procedure. Nobody can enter our buildings without a scan.>
<Don’t you know who I am?>
<Yes ma’am. There are no exceptions for anybody.> the employee insists.
<Perhaps if I guarantee for her?> Tyche intervenes. However even the presence of the daughter of Hermes herself doesn’t seem to impress the Karun Bank Group.
<There are no exceptions for anybody.>
<Then we are going to have a problem.> Null replies, her silver eyes shining.
In response, multiple laser targets appear all over her body: the automated defenses are fully prepared to open fire on her.
<I have killed the God of War. Do you really think you can intimidate me?>
<Ma’am, this is the Karun Bank Group… even war itself doesn’t dare to attack us. There are no exceptions for anybody.>
The situation is sure to escalate, even though Null is keeping her cool. The employee is ready to call for help, but he’s interrupted.
<Gentlemen, ladies, please. We are all here just for business, aren’t we?>
The one to talk is a sharply dressed Lar male, whose body is surrounded by a freezing field that leaves a trail of cold air behind his every step.
<Sir, all visitors must agree to…>
<I am sure Lady Null has her own reasons for avoiding a scan. And as the smartest person in the Galaxy, I can assure you that she has no intention to attack the Karun Bank. Isn’t that right, Lady Null?> the Lar says, gesturing her to walk through a secondary entrance point.
<You are correct, mister…>
<Shevan Alcor, ma’am, President of the Karun Bank Group. Shall we do business together?> he asks, escorting her inside the building.
Tyche tries to follow her, but Alcor turns towards her and indicates the scanner.
<I am sorry, Your Highness, but I must insist you subject yourself to a scan. I am afraid we have had… issues with gods before. I’m sure you understand.>
<Didn’t my father help you found this institution?> the goddess asks, raising an eyebrow.
<He had a small part in it, yes. But this is more important than gods… this is business.>
Bridge of the Swift Messenger, 100,000 light-years from Earth
Jane Blake never thought an interstellar flight could be boring, but after several hours of absolutely nothing happening she dozed off on her chair. She’s awaken by the ship shaking violently, followed by all sorts of alarms beeping incessantly.
<Did we hit something?> is her first assumption.
<Physics. The Negative Drive just dropped us below lightspeed.> Lily Elosia answers; the Lampyrian genius is already at work on the engineering console.
<You said it would take us to the Hades galaxy.> Shinobu reminds her.
<It should! Looks like we flew through some kind of spatial distortion field… we’re outside the galactic plane, this part of space has not been explored much. It might be a natural phenomenon.> she hypothesizes.
<It’s a trap. We have been ambushed.> Kylon replies, just stating a matter-of-fact.
<How can you say that?> Lily asks.
<You said the energetic signature of the Negative Drive would be very easy to track. Someone was looking for it… and sprung a trap.>
<Come on Kylon, that’s just paranoid. We’re outside of the galactic plane, nobody has the resources to…> the Lampyrian explains, pausing when the bridge’s main viewscreen shows half a dozen warship materializing around the Swift Messenger.
<Then again, you might be right.> she admits.
<What kind of weapons does this ship have?> Shinobu asks.
<It’s a modified luxury cruiser. We are completely defenseless.> Lily has to admit.
<Who are these guys anyway? Did Nori’s mom send them?> Jane asks.
<I don’t know. I’ve never seen this kind of ship.> Lily says.
<I have. Those are Amazon ships, the most advanced in the Galaxy.> Kylon answers.
<So… now what do we do?> Jane asks.
<If even half of the rumors about Amazon technology are true… pray for divine intervention, I guess?> Lily answers, just when the sensors pick up the approach of another ship.
<I know this one. It’s from the Winter Kingdom… I don’t think our prayers are being answered.>
Just as the Lampyrian has said this, a ray of blinding light hits one of the Amazon ships. The viewscreen adjusts the brightness to avoid blinding the crew, but they can still easily see the ship explode… only to be followed by another one, and another one.
<Looks like you guys still have friends in high places.> Shinobu comments.
Somebody teleports into the bridge… and out of all the people the crew expected to see, Bob Null was really at the bottom of the list.
<Hey guys! Small galaxy, am I right?> he asks with a big dumb smile.
You could hear a pin drop in the complete and utter silence of the bridge, until Jane expresses what everybody is currently thinking.
<What the f#ck!?>
As if that wasn’t confusing enough, Amaterasu materializes next to Bob in a flash of solar energy.
<They probably had the time to call for reinforcements. Now that the Amazon distortion field has been destroyed along with their ships, we should get the others here and then leave this galaxy.> the goddess tells Bob.
<Excuse me? What are you guys doing here!?> Jane asks.
<Nalani and I were modifying the engine of the ship we stole when we picked up the Negative Drive’s signal, so we figured we’d drop by and help you.> Bob answers.
<Nalani? Noriko’s kid sister!?>
<Yeah, we’re all geniuses for now… still trying to figure out what’s up with that! We should teleport Nalani and Catherine to this ship and get the heck out of here.>
<We should also take Vector. Dr. Kalama was very insistent we save his life.> Amaterasu adds.
<Excuse me but… it’s a lot to take in at once!> Lily comments.
<Welcome to my life.> Jane shrugs.
Karun, 47,000 light-years from Earth
The room is as ostentatious as physically possible. Shevan Alcor sits behind his desk, raised above his guests so he can look down on them. Noriko Null’s android sits in the middle, with Tyche and Ganos Lal next to her.
<Well, Lady Null… I am all ears. How can the Karun Bank Group help you?>
<I understand most of your customers are gods. But the Guild had an account, didn’t they? After I destroyed them, I was able to acquire a certain amount of assets from them… 900 billion obols, to be exact. I wish to use them to open a personal account.> she explains.
She purposely left out the fact that everything was illegally purchased by Alexer Syzar and recovered by the Winter Kingdom thanks to the information provided by Vector.
<In addition to the full amount of the Church of Null treasury, which we are donating to Lady Null’s person.> Ganos Lal adds. She has no idea why her goddess demanded such a hefty gift, but it’s not her place to question her goddess.
<You will find that the sum of the Guild assets and the Church’s donation amounts to 2 trillion obols in total.> Null explains, handing over a tablet to Shevan Alcor.
<That would be the third highest personal account in our bank; only gods and governments have higher amounts.> he comments. She can almost see obol signs in his eyes.
<Make it THE highest. I am donating to her the entire amount of my personal account; let’s see, considering inflation and stuff… I believe it would be… 10 trillion obols, right?> Tyche says.
<This is highly irregular. No god has ever donated money to a mortal.> Alcor comments.
<She is a goddess!> Ganos Lal objects.
<One more question, Mr. Alcor, if you please. I am new to the financial rules of this galaxy, so I need to know: is there a limit to the single highest financial transaction your bank can provide?>
<I would need some specifics, Lady Null.>
<It’s easy. You know the President of the Mortal Republic? Widow to Alexer Syzar and therefore heir to the Syzar family fortune? My sources tells me her shares on the Galactic Stock Exchange are currently worth 7 trillion obols. And since my bank account is going to be 19 trillion…>
<You… you wish to do a hostile takeover of… ehm… well it would certainly be feasible, Lady Null… for a small fee, of course.> Alcor answers, practically salivating at the idea.
<Excellent. You were right, Mr. Alcor, we can do business together.> Null’s android replies, her lips perfectly imitating the smile of her true master Leiko Tanaka.
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