Leiko Tanaka doesn’t say anything when she comes out of the hospital. Her bodyguards keep the journalists at bay, and the words “no comment” are heard over and over. She left against the doctor’s wishes: Abyss inflicted her some serious injuries, and she’s still on a wheelchair. But there’s too much at stake now: she can’t stay in bed forever. Even though she can control the Empire of Shadows by remote, physical inactivity drives her mad.
Her employees help her get inside the limousine, which speeds out to get as far from the hospital as possible. She’s left alone to ponder the next move, until a man says:
<You should’ve made a speech. You lost precious screen time over there.>
Leiko isn’t surprised by the sudden appearance of Hermes, and slaps him in the face. It’s like punching a wall…he’s a god after all…but she doesn’t allow herself to show pain.
<-We are supposed to be allies. Where were you when I was under attack!?>
<Overseeing the military conquest of half a galaxy. It may come as a surprise to you, my dear, but Earth isn’t the center of the universe. It seems I’ve missed quite a spectacle, though. Let me see.>
He leans over, raising Leiko’s dress enough to see the bandages over her lower torso.
<A thorough job. Whoever did this didn’t want to kill you, but as sure as Hades also didn’t want you to have children ever again.>
<It was Null> she clarifies, pushing him aside.
<Really. Well I guess it was only a matter of time, with Drylon technology inside her head, before she went insane. You want me to deal with her?>
<She’s the least of my concerns. Artemis has invaded the planet; you need to get her out of here.>
<That could prove…tricky. My presence here is against divine law, remember?>
< don’t care. I will not lose this planet to her> Leiko replies angrily, holding tight to her injuries.
<We are still talking about Artemis, right? Or has your daughter hurt you more than you think?>
<Get out of my sight> Leiko orders. Hermes just smiles and nods politely, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Leiko’s mind is a million miles away, haunted by the last words from Abyss:
“From this moment on, your every breath is a gift. From me”
She will make every breath count. And Abyss will be very, very sorry she kept her alive.
Beijing, China
It’s not every day you see a US Army helicopter land in Tiananmen Square, greeted by Chinese soldiers. But the situation in China is hardly ordinary: Artemis has taken possession of the Forbidden City and is holding it hostage under an indestructible energy dome.
Kayla Black has never been to China before; in fact, a few weeks ago she was a security guard in Chicago. Now she’s Blue Star, the world’s first state-sanctioned super-hero, and she’s a sight for sore eyes for the Chinese soldiers.
<Welcome to China, Blue Star. We thank the United States for their cooperation> a man in uniform greets her in passable English, even giving her a military salute.
Kayla would find it funny to be the only African-American lesbian who will ever get such treatment, but the looming sight of the energy dome reminds her how serious this is.
<Thank you, sir, we’re happy to help. Artemis has killed American astronauts when she crashed the International Space Station into your territory. What’s her current status?>
<She hasn’t come out for days. We have tried every sort of explosive against her barrier, but it hasn’t budged. We were hoping your “super-powers” could be of some assistance.>
<I’ll give it my best shot> she assures. In the short trip to the dome, her thoughts race to her brother Max…he disappeared with the rest of the Vanguard. Did Artemis attack them? Or was it that Abyss woman who terrorized Tokyo? It’s hard to believe Null would be taken by surprise by any of them.
Blue Star takes a deep breath before unleashing the most powerful energy blast she can muster against the barrier. It’s enough to dent the energy dome, but her powers must come a distant second to those of a goddess…assuming Artemis really is what she claims to be.
<Maybe I need another approach> she reasons, ceasing the attack and instead walking right against the barrier. The energy tries to push her away…but her power is controlling energy.
She’s able to walk through the barrier; it’s like walking through molasses, but she manages to pass.
On the other side, the tanks open fire. The army still can’t get inside, and it will be several hours before Blue Star has the strength to pull another stunt like this.
<Okay, I got inside. What the heck was step two?>
On a spaceship far, far away
Quantum and Kari are facing a mysterious hooded figure, whose features are completely hidden. He’s the one trying a diplomatic approach, although with a rather unconvincing tone.
<So…hmm…we come in peace?>
<ڹترicكس!!!وحۆىرېيۆۇ!?! > the mysterious man shouts angrily.
<Yeah, I guess you didn’t just surrender.> Quantum jokes.
<I’ll handle him> Kari assures him, creating a duplicate behind the mystery man’s back and trying to tie his hands to his back… “trying” being the key word, because the duplicate is tossed away like a paper doll.
<دۆن’ٺۆۇcحمې!!! > the man shouts; a flick of his wrist releases a red energy whip, which he unleashes with surprising speed. Kari is quick enough to avoid the hit with a few acrobatic jumps, but her duplicates and several command posts are not as lucky: the whip is able to cut through solid metal like a hot knife through butter.
<Okay, that’s enough> Quantum warns him, shooting a laser to disarm the mystery man. But his adversary creates a second whip with the left hand, not only deflecting the laser but wrapping Quantum with both whips. Even more incredibly, Quantum is unable to escape even after transforming into pure light.
<There are SO many reasons this shouldn’t work> he complains, struggling to get free. He’s about to turn into electricity to shock his adversary, but he hesitates when he hears a familiar voice:
<لىcېرىتiۆن!!! > Torn shouts, with the most tone voice Quantum has ever heard him use.
The mystery man is immobilized by the sight. He takes off his hood, only to reveal himself to be a “she”: it’s a girl, looking no older than fifteen. And she has red skin.
The energy swords disappear, and the girl throws herself at Torn. She holds him tight and they exchange words that neither Quantum nor Kari understand.
<You know this crazy girl!?> Kari asks Torn.
<Give us a moment.>
Both Torn and the girl hold out their hands, each of them creating a red energy dagger. They nod before shoving it into each other’s throat.
Quantum moves between them at the speed of light, pushing Torn away from the girl.
<What the f##k are you doing!?> he shouts.
<Teaching.>
Quantum is about to punch Torn when he hears the girl clearing her voice. He turns to watch her: her red skin is absorbing the dagger, somehow.
<Hello. I see you know my father> she says.
<Your what!? > Quantum exclaims, dropping his jaw.
<Quantum. Kari. This is my daughter Laceration.>
In darkness
Noriko has been crying. Trapped in endless darkness, without her body, her mind reduced to a shadow of itself, she has given up on overcoming her nightmarish situation. She is, for all intents and purposes, dead. Until she hits the water.
The impact pushes the water inside her lungs. She panics, flaying her arms randomly. Everything she learned through the Nexus is gone…including knowing how to swim.
It would be so easy to slip into oblivion again. But the despair is behind her now, and she makes a conscious decision. She will NOT die today.
She makes it to the surface, taking a deep breath. Staying afloat is difficult, but she manages to notice something a few feet away; a small fishing boat. She screams for help, but nobody answers. She can see there’s someone on that boat, but he won’t help. So she helps herself, swimming without really knowing how, just out of sheer determination. Only when she’s near the boat the man pulls her out of the water, pulling her by the collar of her T-shirt. She coughs several times.
-Why didn’t you help me!? – she finally screams at him.
-I wasn’t sure you wanted to live – the man answers. He’s white, very tall and extremely well built, like some sort of athlete. And with a thick, unruly beard.
-You’re staring at me.
-Who the f##k are you!? – Noriko asks.
-I am Nobody – the man answers, staring at the horizon.
Noriko sighs. Lost in a strange place, with no means of escape, in the company of a crazy person.
-Well, at least this time I’m not naked.
Bridge of the Supreme Scorpion
With the rest of the ship apparently deserted, everybody has gathered on the bridge to make sense of the situation…or at the very least try.
-Holy crap, we really are in space. This is so exciting! – Tiffany exclaims.
-Am I the only one here worried about the fact that this is a ghost ship? – Todd asks; considering that nobody answers, he’s probably right.
Bob Null approaches Torn, asking the question on everyone’s mind:
-“Laceration”? Who names their kid Laceration!?
-So? You named your daughter Noriko.
-It’s her grandmother’s name!
-So is Laceration’s.
-You mother’s name is Laceration?
-You have a problem with that?
-No. No, not at all. Laceration’s a beautiful name. Very…memorable.
Kari has not joined the discussion, but now she takes her eyes away from the console and says:
-Okay, according to the ship’s log, we’re orbiting a planet called Kythera. Does it ring a bell?
-How does a planet ring a bell? – Laceration asks.
-She really is your daughter – Quantum whispers to Torn.
-It’s in the Aphrodite sector. We’re about 950 light-years from Earth – Torn reveals.
-“Earth”? I heard you were on Myridia, dad. That’s where I wanted the pirates to take me, but they couldn’t speak a word of De-
-ثېيدۆن’تكڹو – Torn says, interrupting his daughter.
-Oh. They couldn’t speak our language – she corrects herself.
-What was that? I didn’t understand a word you said. And I’m supposed to understand anyone’s language – Vesta notes, with a mixture of interest and worry in her voice.
-Okay that’s enough, one mystery at a time guys – Todd intervenes, taking center stage – I want to know three things: how did we get here, what happened to the crew, and how do we get home now?
-Dad’s Stairway to Hell. They were killed. We steal the ship – Laceration answers quickly.
-Did you kill the pirates? – Torn asks her.
-No, Hekate’s soldiers did. They tried to kill me too. I killed them first.
-Hekate? What’s she doing here? – Vesta asks.
-I don’t know. I was about to get back to the planet when you people showed up.
-I really hate to sound like a jerk, but this has nothing to do with us. We should go back to Earth – Todd says. Quantum agrees, taking charge of the situation:
-Kari, take the ship and the civilians back to Earth. Torn, Vesta and I will deal with Hekate or whatever’s on that planet.
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