Noriko Null is widely considered the luckiest girl in the world. She only turned nineteen a few days ago and she’s already the smartest and richest person on Earth.
She ended the world’s quest for clean, renewable energy. She cured AIDS. And after selling shares of Null Technologies to split it into twenty smaller companies, her personal fortune skyrocketed: her net worth was recently valued well above 200 billion dollars.
And yet right now she would gladly give it all away, just to be able to do a single pull-up.
<Oh come on, this is ridiculous, at least do it once!> Kari Zel mocks her.
They’re in the gym, or to be precise the former storage room that Kari slowly turned into a gym.
<Why did I agree to this again?> Noriko asks, taking breath before trying another attempt.
<Because you’ve been cooped up in your lab for months and I never see you do any physical exercise. You’re smart enough to know that’s not good for your health.>
With one final struggle and inelegant grunt of fatigue, Noriko finally manages to do one single pull-up. Then she lets herself go and lands, massaging one arm.
<There, I did it. Satisfied?>
<I’ve been able to do better since I was five> another Kari comments. She’s one of the duplicates, and she’s doing pull-ups as well…with one arm. And another duplicate on her back. And she’s been doing one pull-up every two seconds for the last minute.
<Yes, but you’re Myridian. You have lighter bones and a higher percentage of skeletal muscle than humans… Earth humans, I mean.>
<I thought our duplication power was the only difference from prime people> Kari says; it’s the first time she used the Myridian slang for “humans without powers” since she came to Earth.
<Kari, you have natural purple hair. That was my clue to look for physical differences. What I found are profound genetic modifications, likely artificial in nature.>
<Are you sure? You said my people originate from this planet. Maybe we were separated too long.>
<Unlikely. As far as I can tell from Vesta’s somewhat sketchy memory, the gods populated the galaxy with humans less than 300 thousand years ago; it’s not nearly enough to evolve a…>
<You called?> a male voice interrupts her.
Torn has entered the gym, wearing the same duster he always wears. He approaches the girls; his six foot three dwarf Kari’s five feet seven, not to mention Noriko’s five feet.
<Yes, I need your help with something. Take off your duster and shirt please> Noriko orders, recovering the tray she took with her.
<Why?> Torn asks, in his usual monotone and straightforward tone.
<I was thinking about the possibility to replicate the genetic modifications made on Kari’s people, particularly their superior immune system, when I realized that I know next to nothing about you.>
<I know.>
<Look, I know we have a deal…>
<You have?> Kari asks, raising an eyebrow.
<You help me and follow my orders, and I don’t make questions about your origin. But not knowing anything about you makes it difficult to trust you in combat. I need to know what you’re capable of.>
“That never stopped you before” – Kari thinks – “You’re appealing to his sense of honor to trick you into giving away his secrets. Smart move…and a little scary how good you’re at it”.
Torn seems to reflect on it for a while, even though his expression is inscrutable. Then he starts taking off his clothes. He doesn’t say anything, until he notices that Noriko and Kari are staring at his chest, very muscular and of a dark shade of red like the rest of his skin.
<What?> he asks.
<You don’t have a navel. Or nipples> Noriko says. Her skin is slightly redder now.
<I’m a male.>
<Yes I know b…nevermind. Let me put these on> she changes the subject, applying small metal disks on his pectorals, lower abdominals and biceps. She begins to read on her N-Phone.
<Incredible. Your three hearts beat one after the other, very slowly. And even at rest your temperature is 110°F. You’re really, really not human.>
<Are we done?>
<Not even close. Take this> she says, handing him a barbell with strange devices attached on each side. Only when he’s holding it, she activates something with the N-Phone.
<I haven’t marketed this yet. It reacts to an electromagnet installed in the floor below; I can increase the magnetic attraction to simulate an increased weight. Do you feel it?>
<Barely> Torn says, tossing it in the air and catching it when it falls.
<Impressive. That’s the equivalent of 40 pounds. Now I’ll increase it to 100 pounds; any difference?>
<Not really> he says, throwing the barbell in the air again.
<We are at 500 pounds now; no signs of muscular stress. Alright, I’m going to increase the weight equivalent until you can no longer hold it; tell me when you’re close to your limit.>
<Okay.>
<Eight hundred. One thousand. Two thousand. Three thousand pounds. You sure you can do this?>
<Yes.>
<Five thousand. Seven thousand. Nine thousand pounds.>
<ΗΟΛΥ ΣΗΙΤ> Kari swears in Myridian, touching his bicep. Still not a drop of sweat.
<Ten thousand. Twelve thousand. Fifteen thousand…and five hundred pounds. ΗΟΛΥ ΣΗΙΤ indeed.>
<Go on> he says, with the slightest hint of effort this time.
<Not for the prototype, unless you want to break it. I didn’t think it’d need to go any higher. I knew you were superhumanly strong…but that’s seven tons. With one hand.>
<Vesta is stronger than me.>
<Yes, but she’s a goddess. Just what the hell are you?>
Red energy razors rip the dumbbell he’s holding to shreds when Torn closes his fist. As he walks by Noriko, taking care to step on the shrapnel, he says to her with intimidating voice:
<Stop trying.>
As he walks away, Kari notices something troubling in Noriko’s eyes.
“I know that look. He shouldn’t have said it like a challenge”
Idalium, 600 light-years from Earth
Elytra lands on the statue of Demeter, cutting its head off with her indestructible talons. She perches on the statue, her blue wings protecting her from the morning sun.
The statue in the middle of the public square is the last standing structure. The Great Temple is burning behind her; like all the buildings in the capital city, it’s been reduced to rubble.
The Talos didn’t even need to land. Demeter never allowed her subjects to become technologically advanced; Idalium was barely in the Middle Ages and didn’t put up any fight. They just prayed to Demeter, unaware that their goddess is long dead.
Elytra touches something on her belt, activating a hologram. It shows a robot with white skin and a tight red dress over a decidedly feminine body.
<Lady Galatea. Idalium has fallen> Elytra says with her artificially stilted voice.
<Excellent news; Hephaestus will be so proud of you. Did you encounter any resistance?>
<None. I suggest leaving a battalion of Talos behind in case Persephone tries to claim the sector>
<That would be inconvenient. That silly girl is always stealing the planets we conquer, isn’t she?>
<I wish to return to the Artemis front, my queen. The resistance of the Hunters…>
<Will be dealt with. Guerrilla tactics are useless against the Talos. Just like everything else.>
<Do not underestimate the Hunters, Lady Galatea. Even without my leadership they…>
Elytra pauses, noticing that her voice is suddenly much lower than usual. She nervously looks around, trying to understand the situation.
<Trouble, dear?>
<I detect one lifesign, but it’s constantly moving. I can’t see where it is> – she says, standing up.
She falls to the ground. Everything is dizzy. She hears someone’s steps; when she’s finally able to come to her senses, there’s a man standing in front of him. It’s hard to tell from the perspective, but he’s freakishly tall.
<Sulfur hexafluoride. Harmless to humans, highly toxic to Lampyrians. I suppose you’re still alive only thanks to your cybernetic implants> the man explains.
Elytra turns intangible thanks to the Ghost Maker in her body, but it’s no use: she’s not feeling better. The man crouches to talk to her.
<Before you ask your robot friends to nuke me from orbit…there are vast quantities of this gas ready to be released in the atmosphere of a planet with significant Lampyrian population, in case anything happens to me.>
<You’re lying>
<Maybe I am. Try me> he comments with a sadistic smile.
<A-hem. And who might you be, sir?> Lady Galatea asks.
<Talas Khanos, former High Geneticist of Demeter, now Oracle of Hermes. You must be the famed metallic mistress of Hephaestus. My colleagues have quite a dossier on you.>
<As does the Talos Collective on you. May I ask why you are here?>
<I’m searching for allies. Turns out that unleashing an army of homicidal robots to exterminate all organic life in the universe has a way to create some…unusual alliances.>
<I will not ally myself with you. You cannot be trusted> Elytra says; with extreme effort, she’s able to stand up again. The air flows through her intangible form: she’s visibly not in condition to fight.
<I don’t know the extent of your brainwash, but you can’t possibly think that working for Hephaestus is a good idea: the god is insane. No offense, Lady Galatea.>
<None taken. My king has a rather…extreme personality.>
<And he has made powerful enemies. You are already at war with Artemis and Persephone, both of which are already keeping your army at bay…and each of them is at least as powerful as Hephaestus. Should Hermes ally himself with any of them, you wouldn’t stand a chance.>
<Are you speaking in his name? Is this his next course of action?>
<It will be if you leave him no choice. But I can give you another option…one that would be beneficial to us both.>
<What do you propose?>
<Have you ever heard about a child named Noriko Null?>
<Let’s just say that it’s a name that keeps popping up.>
<She created a device called the God Eraser and used it to kill Demeter. It was destroyed, but its remains are in the hands of the Oracles of Hermes.>
<Are they planning to use it in case of attack?>
<They can’t figure out how to repair it. But I heard, Lady Galatea, that Hephaestus gave you the most sophisticated artificial intelligence this galaxy has ever seen. I’m sure you’d succeed.>
<Somehow I doubt Hermes or his Oracles would be willing to give it to me for study.>
<They are willing to give it to me if I bring them the Ghost Maker – he reveals, looking at Elytra.>
<No!!! The Ghost Maker has been in the Elater family for hundreds of generations!!!>
<I’m the best High Geneticist in this galaxy, dear Elytra. With the help of Galatea, I can expand the lifespan of a Lampyrian from a measly two years to human standards.>
Elytra is tempted to solidify her talons inside his heart, but she hesitates: curing her species cruelly short life has been her lifelong dream.
<What do you propose, exactly?>
<I cure your people and you give me the Ghost Maker. In exchange, I will deliver the God Eraser.>
<Surely you must realize that Hephaestus will use it to kill every god in the Galaxy, right? There will be nothing to stop him from exterminating all organic life in the universe.>
<Except you, Galatea. He is, after all, vulnerable to the God Eraser, while you are not. And without him, you will be the most powerful being in the galaxy worshiped by all those beneath you.>
<Your proposal…intrigues me. Take him to the Vulcan Forge, Elytra. We are now allies.>
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