The N01-Ragnarok was built to last: very few ships have survived so many ordeals.
But its bridge wasn’t designed to have hundreds of gallons of water teleported in every single room: even Noriko Null didn’t anticipate she’d need to waterproof the computers of her starship.
This means that the bridge is currently inaccessible to L.O.K.I., the artificial intelligence typically responsible for handling all the ship’s systems.
Its programming analyzes several scenarios, until eventually its voice is transmitted by a speaker inside the room in the living quarters section where four stowaways are being kept: Kari’s three daughters and Noriko’s half-sister.
<Greetings, children. Do not be alarmed: the situation is under control.> it says, with a slight British accent that Noriko added to make it sound less artificial.
<Who’s talking?> Ariel Zel wonders, as her little sisters hug each other.
<Where’s mommy?> Imani Zel asks.
<It’s just the ship’s computer, don’t be such a baby.> Nalani Null reprimands her.
<She’s three.> Ariel reminds her.
<Is mommy still mad at us?> Azure Zel wonders.
<The current status of your mother is unknown, but the situation is under control.>
<So… why are you talking to us? And why there’s no hologram of you, like usual?> Nalani asks.
<We are currently experiencing a hostile takeover of the ship. According to my internal protocols, holographic projectors have been disabled. But do not worry, the situation is under control.>
<That does not sound like “under control”, AT ALL. Are we under attack!?>
<Unknown. External sensors are currently off-line.>
<But where’s mom? And Torn, and Quantum?> Ariel asks.
<Unknown. External sensors and communications are currently off-line.>
<Did the ship take damage? Did they knock us off-course?> Nalani insists.
<Unknown. External sensors and navigational control are currently off-line.>
<So if I get this right… the adults are gone, we don’t know if the ship is intact, we don’t know where we are and nobody is actually piloting the ship right now!?>
<Correct. Additionally, the bridge has been flooded. But the situation is under control.>
<You’re just saying that because you’re programmed to, don’t you?> Nalani realizes.
<…no.> L.O.K.I. answers after an awkwardly long pause.
<My sister must’ve programmed a response to this kind of threat, isn’t it?>
<She has. In absence of external communications and without access to navigation, I have sent a distress call through radio signals. Considering our last known position in intergalactic space, it should reach the nearest inhabited planet in my database within approximately 97,487 years.>
<Please tell me you’re smart enough to realize that’s dumb.>
<I am a highly sophisticated self-aware operating system running on a quantum supercomputer, of course I do. But I am not allowed to put civilians in danger…>
<We’re not civilians! We’re cool!> Ariel objects.
<…and therefore I am not at liberty to tell you the location of a maintenance panel not shown in the ship’s schematics that can be used to reach the bridge.>
The three Zel kids are confused by the wording, but Nalani realizes the artificial intelligence is struggling to keep the line between saving the ship and triggering the limits Noriko put in its programming to avoid giving it too much control.
<I see. L.O.K.I… what would happen, theoretically speaking, if I found that panel and gained access to the bridge? Would you be allowed to give me control of the ship?> Nalani then asks.
<Theoretically speaking, yes. But the panel is sealed and can only be opened with either a dedicated tool or with superhuman strength.>
<Hey, Trinity has that!!!> Ariel exclaims excitedly, holding hands with her sisters. Their bodies fuse, and the three kids leave place to a grown woman made of solid blue light.
<We can smash the panel and get to the bridge!>
<Yes, we know, that’s what the A.I. was suggesting.> Nalani rolls her eyes.
<I did no such thing. This is her idea.> L.O.K.I. clarifies.
<See? You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first!> Trinity teases Nalani, sticking out her tongue. The five year old realizes she has bigger troubles than explaining subtlety to children.
The Mindscape
Within the virtual reality contained inside the Nexus, there could be hundreds if not thousands of programs simulating the minds of previous hosts of the Drylon device. Even Noriko Null hasn’t been able to get a sense of how many of these digital ghosts are still present in her mind.
But there is one simulation that she has tried to access repeatedly, without any success until today.
She zips up her green leather jacket; she knows she’s not really experiencing this environment, but it’s still real enough in her mind to make her shiver.
The sky is unlike anything she’s ever seen: a gas giant planet covers most of it, with its green clouds creating interesting patterns under the light of a blue star.
The simulation is recreating one of the planet’s moons, large enough to hold an Earth-like atmosphere. The blue star is significantly larger and hotter than the Sun, but it’s so far away that the surface is even colder than Antarctica.
The perfect environment for the Lar man who is tending to something that reminds Noriko of a vineyard, except all plants are actually crystal.
<Null. Don’t tell me you’re dead again.> the man says without even looking at her, instead cutting a small branch of the crystal with a laser scalpel.
<Teraph. No, I’m still alive. I have to admit, this is not the kind of place I’d expect to find you.>
<Why? Because you didn’t expect the smartest Nexus host in recorded history to have an interest in gardening?>
<Well, first of all, that title is highly debatable. Second, I’m not the biggest fan of gardening right now. Third… well, to be honest I don’t really know all that much about you, but I thought you’d pass your time doing experiments or something like that.>
Teraph stares at her for a few seconds. She’s still amazed by how little the Lar have changed over the ages… he was alive a million years ago, but the visible differences from a modern day Lar are very minute.
<This might be hard to understand for a species with a short lifespan, but I’ve done more in my life than you could understand. When you have visited as many galaxies as I have, loved as many gods and saved as many civilizations as I have… you long for the simple things in life you never had time for. These days, I draw more engagement from growing a crystal garden than looking for new aspects of physics I don’t fully understand. Not that there are any of those left anyway.>
<Well, you certainly are fond of yourself.> Noriko calls him out, crossing her arms.
<As are you, I noticed. But I have the resumé to back up my ego. What have you done lately?>
<I am the Mortal Co-Empress of Olympus.> she brags.
<Cute. You must be proud to be in second place. I never managed to stoop so low.>
<Wow. You really are an a##hole, aren’t you?>
<And yet, when the Co-Empress needs help with something she can’t do herself, she comes to me.>
<What makes you think I need anything from you?>
<Please. Pretending to be dumb is beneath a Nexus host, even one from a primitive species.>
<So you’re not just an a##hole, you’re a racist a##hole. Then tell me this, Teraph: if humans are so primitive, how come I’m the first Nexus host to ever gain full administration control over the Nexus and get in contact with its Drylon hosts?>
<Because I was never desperate enough to do something so reckless. Now please, could we get to the reason why you need me? Human lives are too short to waste in idle chatting.>
<It’s about your invention, the Keys of Heaven. The Primordial Gods want them.>
<You’re not seriously thinking about allowing that, I hope?>
<I’m inclined not to. But opposing them could have harsh consequences on mortals; if only I could figure out why they want them, maybe I could convince them to change their mind. Nyx originally wanted to destroy them, so that might be a possibility as well.>
<None of these two options are wise, Null. The Keys cannot be in the hands of gods and should not be destroyed.>
<I need a reason why, Teraph. You built these things, so I’m sure you know.>
<Of course I do. And I also know that telling you why the Keys are so important is even more dangerous than you could possibly imagine.> the Lar shrugs, going back to caring for his crystals.
<Come on Teraph, gimme something I can work with!!!> Noriko shouts, grabbing the laser scalpel from his hand and throwing it away. He sighs.
<Alright. What do you know about the Keys?>
<I have a general idea of how they work. They can teleport matter through galactic distances by dimensional phasing, and the three Keys can be combined into a single device… which I understand was its original form. Zeus used the original single Key to cast away the weapon that was used to defeat Kronos, which the Primordials refer to as “the weapon that shall not be named”. What else, let’s see, its original purpose was to create a portal to a place called “Heaven”. Which nobody wants to talk to me about, ever.>
<With good reason, Null. Nobody should know about Heaven.>
<The Demons do. Torn’s father lead an expedition there when he was young… he told me when we faced his sister, since she was supposed to take Torn’s place in the expedition.> she recalls.
<They reached Heaven!?> Teraph exclaims, the first time Noriko sees him interested in the conversation. In fact, he seems to find the concept horrifying.
<I don’t know. Maybe. Have you been to this place, Teraph?>
<I wouldn’t have created the Keys and not use them. As far as I know, I was the only outsider to breach Heaven. The whole purpose of breaking the Key into separate pieces was to make sure nobody else would follow my lead.>
<Why not destroy the Keys then?> Noriko asks.
<In part, it’s personal pride: the Keys are the most advanced non-Drylon technology in the history of the universe. But I was also foolish enough to think someone, likely a future Nexus host, would someday figure out a way to make Heaven actually work the way it was supposed to.>
<What does that mean? You keep talking in circles, but what the heck is Heaven!?>
Teraph seems ready to talk, but then he shakes his head as if he was trying to regain lucidity.
<No. You are not ready.>
<Oh come on!!! Haven’t I proven myself enough!? I’ve killed a Primordial and defeated the Eden, which I remind you even the Lar were unable to put down! What is so f##king important about Heaven that I can’t learn about it!?> Noriko snaps, raising her voice and making her silver eyes shine with anger. Teraph keeps his cool, but his silver eyes shine as well.
<You wanted me to solve your problem? Destroy the Keys. Making sure no god ever gets hold of Heaven is more important than anything else you have ever done in your life.>
<They’re an invaluable weapon. I need to know more before I throw them away and anger what is likely the most powerful being in the universe.> Noriko retorts.
<The fact that you view the Keys as a weapons only reassures me that you are not ready to know anything about Heaven.>
<Fine. We’ll play this your way, Teraph. You said you were “the only outsider” to ever reach Heaven… does that mean nobody else preceded you? Not even the gods?>
<I can assure you no god ever did.>
<Then my only lead are the Demons. Even if the expedition failed, at least someone should still know something about Heaven.>
<That’s a futile attempt. The Demons are highly secretive against other species.>
<I dunno, they might be willing to talk with their Regent.>
<Didn’t you hear what I said? Even if they did, their Regent will never talk to you.>
<Oh really? It might look awkward, but I’m willing to talk with myself.> Noriko replies, with a smug smile on her face. Teraph needs a second to realize the implication.
<You mean…>
<Yep, I’m also the Regent of Hell AND the Ice Queen of the Lar. Which technically makes me your queen… funny how things work out sometimes. But enough about me, Teraph, what have you done lately?>
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