Beyond The Impossible

Null Zone

Athena walks through the bridge of the Ithaca, staring at the dust-covered controls.

<Recognize anything?> Noriko Null asks the goddess.

<I haven’t seen this technology in quite some time, as mortals understand such a thing.>

<Tell me everything you know about that ship.> Noriko orders her.

Athena carefully weighs her options. She considers lying to her Empress, but there needs to be some proof of her loyalty.

<The Olympians called this city-ship the Ithaca. When they stole it from the Thalassians, about four thousand years ago, they didn’t bother to remember its earlier name. It is the oldest ship you ever set foot on, Noriko. Even older than my father Zeus. The core of the ship was built by an extinct race that pre-dates the Lar. Possibly the Thule or the Hyperboreans; even I don’t know that. When the Thalassians found it and repurposed it to be piloted by water-breathers, it was already billions of years old.>

<I thought the Eden exterminated all races older than the Lar. I guess they were not as thorough as they boasted to be.> Noriko reasons.

<I don’t know the fate of the builders of the city-ships. But the Olympians stole it after the Thalassian Empire was crushed by Poseidon.>

<So this comes from the Aegian Galaxy. What the heck was it doing on Earth!?>

<Its engine is so advanced that even Hephaestus never understood its design. It is no wonder that mortals were unable to properly use this technology, and the ship eventually crashed on Terra… the planet which you call Earth now.>

<Why is this the first time I’m hearing any of this, Athena?>

<The Phase Drive was damaged in the crash, keeping the Ithaca out of dimensional synch with the universe. Finding it through conventional means was impossible.>

<But leaving the ship was possible, right? We found the remains of a whole civilization inside this ship. Why didn’t people just leave!?>

<The Olympians who stole the ship were rebels, Noriko. They believed that if they were found they would be killed by Zeus, and rightly so. They built a self-sustained civilization that could have ignored the rest of the universe forever… until the reign of its last king.>

<Ulysses. I was wondering how long it’d take you to get to him, Athena.>

<Ithaca was surviving, but not thriving. In those days Terra was not isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, since the Palladium had not been brough here yet. Ulysses knew his kingdom was falling behind. So when Agamemnon summoned all available ships to join the Great Trojan War, he found a way to join the war even without bringing the Ithaca.>

<And I guess you had something to do with his involvement, didn’t you?>

<Please don’t take this as a critique of your own abilities, Noriko, but Ulysses was the most extraordinary mortal I ever met. Legends truly do not capture the sheer cunning of that man.>

<Is that why you never gave him the Nexus? You thought he’d be too dangerous with it?>

<I gave the Nexus to Diomedes to keep an eye on Ulysses and he still outsmarted both of us on several occasions. But he also angered Poseidon, a dangerous mistake for anyone, mortal or otherwise. My uncle found a way to damage the ship and to delay the return of Ulyssess until he was too late… when he returned to Ithaca after his odyssey, nobody had survived.>

<Not exactly how the story ends in our books, but I guess it was too depressing.> Noriko comments; despite her problems with the man, she sympathizes with Ulysses to a point.

<On that day, Ulysses swore vengeance on the gods for taking away everything he had. To reach his goal he founded the Zenith and, later on, the Mortal Liberation Front. The latter of which eventually recovered the Nexus and gave it to your mother… so in a way, Noriko, this ship is part of your origin as well.> Athena explains.

<And I guess you had nothing to do with helping Ulysses build and grow his own terrorist campaigns?>

<I will neither confirm nor deny that accusation, my Empress.>

<How convenient. So if the ship was damaged, why did it re-appear in regular space just now?>

<My guess? An invitation.>

<A what?>

<I am sure you already discovered that the ship received a remote signal to shut down its dimensional phasing, but you lack the source. Once you verify the signal against the wavelength I will provide, you will discover it originates from the Aegian Galaxy. And I have little doubt you will pinpoint a specific star system.>

<You think Ulysses is luring me into a trap? He didn’t have to go through all this trouble, he knows how to find me. He didn’t have to give me a brand-new tech to play with.>

 

First Circle of Hell

Like most members of her species, Agony is not one for formalities.

After accepting her role of Lady Of All Demons, she didn’t even move her formal residence from her old home on the Seventh Circle. She doesn’t come always to her throne, but the circumstance calls for it. Her husband Torn is the only other Demon in the room; she asked all others to leave.

He approaches her throne, a very large horned skull which has been carved to accommodate her much larger predecessors.

<You should have rejected Ereshkigal’s offer.> Torn tells her.

<I bought us time to give her an answer. Time to think.> she replies.

<What is there to think about, wife? We cannot murder Hebe as she asks. It would mean betraying Null and summon the ire of all Greek gods.>

<And it would mean resurrecting all the Demons murdered by Ares. As Lady Of All Demons, I can’t take such a proposal lightly.>

<It’s a trick. Even the Goddess of Death can’t grant such a wish.>

<Answer me truthfully, husband. Do you know for certain that she cannot do this?>

A few moments of silence. As usual, Torn’s facial muscles say nothing about his emotions.

<No.> he eventually answers.

<Null is the current Regent of Hell. If it is possible to resurrect the three quarters of Hell’s population that lost their lives to Ares, the Regent should either agree to it or resign her post.>

<If.> Torn stresses.

<If, yes. Torn, I order you to acquire proof. Either that what Ereshkigal proposes is feasible, or that she is lying.>

<And if Ereshkigal really can resurrect our dead?>

<Then we will deliver her the head of Hebe. Should that lead to a war against the gods, so be it.>

<Discovering the truth will take time, wife. I don’t even know where to start.> Torn answers truthfully, only to receive a message through the Soul Relay.

<Noriko to Vanguard. Please come to Asgard Station right now, it’s important.>

<I am sure you will improvise, husband. But do not reveal Ereshkigal’s proposal to Null.>

 

Asgard Station, Null Zone

It’s been some time since the Vanguard has gathered in the same room, and even more since they did so in the Operations Room of the station instead of the one in Null Tower.

There’s little question for the reason behind it, considering the Ithaca is fully visible from the main window in the room.

<I bet you can’t wait to take that ship for a spin.> Kari says to Noriko.

<Not yet. I’ll take me weeks to repair it, possibly even longer to understand how the engine works.>

<That’s a long time for you.> Vesta points out.

<I still think it’s a trap from Ulysses, so I have to be extremely careful. It’s also the reason why I’m doing this in the Null Zone instead of our universe.> Noriko explains.

<So what’s the mission? I doubt you called us here to say there’s no news.> Quantum comments.

<Indeed. Following up on a suggestion from Athena, I managed to trace the signal that told the Ithaca to disengage the Phase Engine. It’s coming from the Andromeda Galaxy… or as it’s called locally, the Aegian Galaxy.> Noriko explains, activating a holographic projection that shows the position of the galaxy compared to her native one. A blinking light indicates a specific sector.

<Poseidon’s realm. And you want us to investigate?> Vesta asks.

<Exactly. You can take the Ragnarok: it’s well shielded and can cloak itself, hopefully enough to avoid detection.>

<We’re all aware this is a trap, right?> Quantum says.

<If it is, I’m fully confident you guys can handle whatever Ulysses throws at you. In any case, we owe the Atlantis Uprising rebellion the favor to investigate; this could be a chance to get in touch with them and compare notes.> Noriko explains.

<And you can’t come with us without Poseidon interpreting this as a threat?> Vesta says.

<I’m afraid so. Needless to say, if things go badly you can always call me… the galaxy is within range of the Portal Generator, after all.>

<Yet another galaxy I get to visit before you? I almost feel bad for it.> Kari adds.

<No you don’t. You love teasing me about it. Torn, you’re the only one who’s been in that galaxy recently, anything we should know about that specific sector?> Noriko asks.

The Vanguard turns towards their Demon teammate, waiting for him to say something. They’re more than accustomed to his silence, but this time it’s taking way too long.

<Is everything alright, Torn?> Vesta asks.

<I wish to talk to Null in private.> he says.

<Dude, what’s going on? Not another attack on Hell I hope?> Quantum asks.

<You can all begin preparing for the mission; Torn will join you as soon as we’re done.> Noriko tells the team, and reluctantly they leave the room.

Once she’s alone with Torn, she asks:

<Is this about Ereshkigal visiting Hell?>

Torn reacts by raising an eyebrow. By his standards, that’s a lot.

<Yes of course I knew. I have alarms in place for this kind of thing. When Agony didn’t call me, I assumed it wasn’t an attack and that Ereshkigal was proposing something.>

<I should not talk about this.> he says.

<Of course, I understand. I know how much Demons still value neutrality. But that’s never stopped you, so this must be something personal. Did she threaten your family? No, that doesn’t sound like her style. Did she threaten the planet? If she wanted to destroy Hell she would… there’s nothing in the rules of the Nine Gods that says she can’t just blow it up.>

<I see you are comfortable doing all the talking.>

<I’m just thinking out loud. Let me know if I’m getting close. What could Ereshkigal want from Hell? She seems to know a lot about your society, I don’t think she’s after information. And Hell is not powerful enough to be a useful ally to her… no offense.>

<None taken.>

<The only use I can imagine she could have for Hell is that Demons don’t have to follow her own rules… you can attack someone that she can’t. Did Ereshkigal ask you to kill me?>

Torn’s response remains a blank expression.

<No, she’d be exposed too quickly. There’s only one other potential target that is both out of Ereshkigal’s reach and that Demons could potentially kill: Hebe.>

<I can’t either confirm or deny.>

<No need, there’s no other logical conclusion. Now why would she ever think Demons would agree with this? It would have to be something worthy of betraying both me and Olympus?>

<She is the Goddess of Death.> Torn reminds her.

<Yes I… of course. She offered to resurrect your dead. That sneaky b##ch.>

<Would such a thing be possible, Null? You have come back from death yourself.>

<I’ve already told you, my brain was kept alive by the Nexus, only my body died. Ares really did murder your people, though… I don’t think even Ereshkigal can bring them back.>

<You think, or you know?> he presses.

<Torn, despite what Ganos Lal would have you believe, I don’t have all the answers. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to find them.>

<Hades.> Torn immediately understands.

<Join the others in the Aegian Galaxy, Torn. They’ll need your help. As for me, I promise you I’ll get to the bottom of this… never thought I’d say it, but it’s time I go back to the Underworld.>