Beyond The Impossible

Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth

Themyscira’s core is powered by an artificial singularity, generating enough power to teleport the whole planet to a different Galaxy.

But after the jump and still needing to provide power for the gravity dampeners that prevent the planet from being destroyed by the tidal forces of the Throne World beneath it, even the singularity is not enough to keep up the planetary shields.

Hundreds of pyramid-shaped ships converge on Themyscira, carpet bombing its surface and causing thousands of casualties per second.

General Zel is looking at the reports in the throne room, where even the holographic screens are having a hard time keeping up with the damage reports.

<We have to move the planet or deploy the Amazon fleet, boss! We’re easy targets here!> she complains, creating duplicates of herself to lean against: the explosions are causing so many earthquakes that it’s difficult to stand up.

<We are exactly where we should be. And sacrificing ships would be a waste of resources; we’re not losing anything valuable right now.> Rei Null calmly explains with her monotone voice and utter detachment from the chaos around her.

She’s just concentrating on the data received from the Amazon sensors, which are projecting the schematics of the Throne World’s installations. She remains emotionless until the sensors highlight what she’s been looking for, after which she allows herself to raise an eyebrow.

<Found it. You’re in charge of the planet until my return, General Zel.> she orders, instructing the system with coordinates for the teleportation system.

<Where are you going!? The bombardment will breach our defenses in five minutes!!!>

Rei Null’s silver eyes shine as the light of the teleporter envelopes her.

<Then I will have to take over this galaxy in four.> she boasts.

Aegian Galaxy, 2.5 million light-years from Earth

The Ragnarok has been at the center of galactic history for years, but never to this extent.

The ship has been chosen as the most appropriate location for the formal surrender of what is left of Poseidon’s forces and of the Underworld.

As such, the Operations Room is almost overcrowded by how many people decided to attend.

The Divine and Mortal Empresses of the Olympian Empire, Hebe and Noriko Null, sit at one side of the table together with their ally Anubis.

Four gods stand behind them, overseeing the event. Enyo in her role as Minister of Defense, Vesta in her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the goddess Clio: her official role might be that of Minister of Education, but since she is also the Muse of History she was adamant to be present.

With them is the white-robed Khonsu, the only vassal that Anubis required to be present.

<Shall we begin?> Noriko Null asks, placing a large piece of paper on the table.

Four goddesses take their seat on the other side of the table, the surviving vassals of Poseidon: Rhodos, Despoina, Calypso and Thetis.

<Where is Poseidon’s widow?> Hebe asks.

<Under custody. She will be released after the surrender has been signed.> Anubis answers.

<As my father’s oldest surviving child, the armies under his direct control answer to me. I will be signing in his name.> Rhodos adds.

<I thought the throne of Atlantis could not be inherited by a goddess.> Noriko recalls.

<It cannot. And since we as his vassals could not agree on the name of a successor, the throne is effectively vacant: we are now independent sovereigns.> Despoina adds.

<And you couldn’t tell me earlier? This requires a slight change in the text.> Noriko complains, snapping her fingers to call Enyo to her attention and whispering instructions into her ear.

<Make that three vassals. I will sign your document, but my first and only action as an independent vassal shall be to grant authority over my domains to one of my fellow vassals.> Thetis reveals.

The titaness seems to be the only Atlantean vassal to show no sign of nervousness from this event, possibly because she’s by far the oldest goddess in the room.

<That is very kind of you, grandmother. I shall administer your worlds wisely.> Rhodos says.

<What makes you think she’ll give them to you? I’m the daughter of Poseidon and of Demeter, I deserve the largest inheritance!> Despoina complains.

<You both share your father’s lust for power. Clearly this is not the best time for gods to rule, and as such I am leaving my domains to Calypso.> Thetis reveals.

<What? Why!?> Calypso herself wonders: she’s always been considered the least powerful of the vassals, both in terms of literal divine power and in terms of influence.

<You are a goddess of mortals and are as uninterested in conquest as I am.> Thetis shrugs.

<Okay, we’re done.> Noriko calls their attention, tapping her finger on the piece of paper.

Enyo has rearranged the molecules of ink to modify the text, and now is carefully arranging four golden pens on the table.

<Wait a minute: Inanna’s not here to sign! Is this even legal?> Rhodos wonders.

<Inanna is still recovering, but I will sign for her.> Hebe clarifies.

“Also Persephone’s going to be here any minute and I really don’t want them to be in the same room” Noriko thinks, breathing a sigh of relief as she watches all the presents sign.

We, former vassals of the Emperor of the Atlantean Empire, hereby accept the provisions set forth in the Olympian Declaration issued by the Allied Powers of Olympus, Uruk and Naqada on the 7th day of Gamelion AN 27.

We hereby proclaim unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of all Atlantean armed forces under our control wherever situated and command all Atlantean forces wherever situated to cease hostilities and to comply with all requirements which may be imposed by the Allied Powers.

We hereby undertake for our realms and our successors to carry out the provisions of the Olympian

Declaration in good faith, and to issue whatever orders may be required by the Allied powers for the purpose of giving effect to the Declaration.

Signed at N01-Ragnarok, at 0904 on the 9th of Gamelion AN27

Rhodos, daughter of Poseidon

Despoina, daughter of Poseidon

Calypso, daughter of Atlas

Thetis, daughter of Nereus

In the presence of:

Noriko Null, daughter of Bob

Hebe, daughter of Zeus, representing Inanna, daughter of An

Anubis, son of Osiris

Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth

The Anubis Throne World is less of a planet and more of a communications hub for the intricate web of connections that link the Anubis subjects.

Millions of cybernetic mummies emerge from their sarcophagi, awakened by an electromagnetic signal that heralds the greatest heresy of all: someone has breached the Central Processing Unit.

Rei Null is impressed by the technology at display here. There are rows of servers, each one the size of a skyscraper, that stretch to the length of entire countries.

The air is filled with dust and ashes, left behind by the decomposition of the mummies that have been working maintenance here for so long that their organic components have literally worked themselves beyond death.

If it wasn’t for her Survival Field, she would be dead within seconds of setting foot here.

Internal defenses are minimal: there are of course multiple redundancies, but a serious damage to the servers would make endless servants unable to coordinate with the galactic network.

Still, she can hear the echo of the metallic jackals sent to intercept her getting closer and closer.

Nothing that worries her. She knew from the moment she analyzed the Amazon database that this galaxy would stand no chance against her.

She calmly puts her hand against one of the servers and utters a single word:

<Update.>

Her silver eyes shine, and a jolt of electricity flows from her into the server. Only to be multiplied in power as it alters the information within the server, and pass on to the next.

The metallic jackals stop in their tracks. The cybernetic mummies freeze in place.

The process grows exponentially: soon every single server is flowing with massive amounts of electricity, so much so that the glow of the Central Processing Unit can now be seen from orbit.

Including from the throne room of Themyscira, now that General Zel is no longer worried by the bombardment: all the Anubis ships have gone silent.

Over the years when she served Rei in the reality created by Heaven, she quickly learned to respect her power and determination. But despite her fearsome reputation, she has rarely feared her mistress… except in occasions where she’s reminded of the terror she can unleash.

Because now she can see not just the entire Throne World encompassed by a colossal web of electricals storms, but also the pyramid ships opening their hatches to release their entire crews into the void of space.

Once the storms finally break down and the pyramids begin their descent on Themyscira, now remote controlled by the planet’s own internal systems, Rei teleports back.

<Your Majesty. My apologies for doubting you.> General Zel grovels, kneeling before her.

<I should thank Anubis for integrating all of his systems with a centralized control system… right before I kill him, of course.> Rei comments, signaling her General to stand up again.

<So you control his forces now?>

<Only his ships, his cyborgs and his nanite swarms. This galaxy still has a mortal population unconnected to his network. I will dispatch the reprogrammed army to take out their military installations, General: I leave the task of subjugating them to you.>

<I will not fail you, Your Majesty. What about Anubis and his vassals?>

<Anubis is still busy with my inferior counterpart’s war. If he attempts to take back his realm, or if his vassals try, I am more than ready for them.>

Aegian Galaxy, 2.5 million light-years from Earth

The other former vassals have left, but Calypso is still in the room: she’s talking with Noriko and Vesta, watching over the new map of the Aegian Galaxy.

It shows half of the Galaxy under the rule of Rhodos, since she inherited both the territories previously ruled by her brother Triton and half of the territory previously ruled directly by Poseidon. The other half is divided quite evenly between Despoina, who kept her sector but now controls a part of Poseidon’s former sector, and Calypso who now rules the former Proteus and Thetis sectors.

<I still can’t believe a fourth of the Galaxy is under my rule. I never even wanted to be a vassal!>

<So you agree with my proposal to give sovereignty to the mortals? I have friends in the Atlantis Uprising that could quickly set up a mortal government.> Noriko suggests.

<I’m open to it, but it seems you have more pressing matters.> Calypso says, leaving the table as soon as Hades enters the room.

The former ruler of the Underworld has nothing to say, and even his wife Persephone is uncharacteristically silent. They quickly take their place, followed by Charon and Thanatos.

<I’m sorry it had to get to this.> Noriko says. Of all the gods she worked with, she really hoped Hades would be a reliable ally.

<Let us finish this.> he pleads.

With decidedly less pomp, Noriko produces another sheet quite different from the previous one… after all, Hades had no vassals and he no longer has a realm.

We, as sovereign rulers of the Stygian Galaxy, hereby accept the provisions set forth in the Olympian Declaration issued by the Allied Powers of Olympus, Uruk and Naqada on the 7th day of Gamelion AN 27.

We hereby proclaim unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of all gods under our control wherever situated.

We hereby renounce any of our past or future claim to the territories in the Olympian Galaxy to be null and void.

We hereby declare the Throne of the Underworld extinct, effective immediately; all claims of inheritance shall be null and void.

Signed at N01-Ragnarok, at 1017 on the 9th of Gamelion AN27

Hades, son of Kronos

Persephone, daughter of Zeus

In the presence of:

Noriko Null, daughter of Bob

Hebe, daughter of Zeus, representing Inanna, daughter of An

Anubis, son of Osiris

Charon, son of Nyx

Thanatos, son of Nyx

<Are you f##king happy now!?> Persephone complains, throwing her pen against the wall.

<My love, please. At least try to act like a goddess while I’m gone.> Hades pleads, offering his wrists to be handcuffed.

<I have to say that I really respect offering yourself to stand trial for your war crimes.> Noriko tries to be diplomatic, only to be shown the middle finger by Persephone.

Anubis seems ready to gloat, Khonsu approaches him to whisper something in his ear.

Without any additional comment, they both vanish into thin air.

<What was that about?> Vesta wonders.

<I don’t know. Anubis is hard to read, with his jackal head… but I swear he seems worried.> Noriko notices.