When Max Black got super-powers and became Quantum, he thought he’d be living the life of his comic book heroes…fighting evil, saving damsels in distress, that sort of thing.
Not sitting in a room with no windows, listening to the hologram of the President of the United States discuss energy policy with an eighteen year old genius girl.
<A Plasma Fusion Reactor can be assembled from scratch in about a year; converting an existing power plant can cut construction time in half if handled properly. I estimate that twenty reactors can cover the energy consumption of the whole country.>
<As well as cut our dependency from foreign oil?> the President’s hologram asks.
<You would also need to overhaul the infrastructure, but yes. Null Technologies would gladly oversee the project, but for the moment it seems I no longer speak for the company.>
Quantum lifts a hand, interrupting the President before he can add anything else.
<I’m sorry, you kinda lost me there. Did you just invent clean energy!?>
<Of course not. I did it eight weeks ago> Noriko answers, with a proud gleam in her silver eyes.
<During you absence, it seems that Leiko Tanaka of Scion Corporation stole the reactor blueprints> the President explains <We have already started talks with her, as have the governments of many other countries such as China, Russia and of course Japan. Except the Scion Corporation claims that it will take at least ten years to assemble a reactor.>
<She’s taking it slow. I don’t think it’s a good sign> Noriko says.
<It may be a good motive to kill you, miss Null. Officially, you sold the patent to the reactor to miss Tanaka, even though I understand she staged everything with the help of your holographic technology. It may be her way to kill the competition.>
<Possibly. Where is the Heart of the Universe?>
Despite the artificial quality of the President’s image, Noriko can notice he’s very tense when she asks the question.
<In a safe location. When you disappeared, your father feared for his life and turned himself into custody…together with Heart. We have the best scientists in the world working on it.>
<You’ve also had the Talos for months. How many technologies have they been able to extract?>
<They are having…technical difficulties with it.>
<Of course. None of them is Null.>
<Ωηατ αβοθτ τηε βλθε?> Kari asks.
<What about the Blue?> the N-Phone translated from Myridian.
<Good question. I understand using them as weapons, since there’re less easily traceable than professional killers; for someone who isn’t Null, at least. But why infiltrate them in several governments?> Noriko asks.
<And what is she doing with my comic books?> Quantum adds.
The room falls silent.
Triton, Neptune’s largest moon
The Twin Dragon, Demeter’s old mothership, is still on this ice world. Kari Zel, or more clearly one of her duplicates, is carrying a tray with a bottle of water and emergency rations.
On her way, she comes across a dozen other duplicates. Many more are working on the other decks: they’re all extremely busy mapping every inch of the spaceship, down to every screw and bolt, as per Noriko’s orders.
Finally, Kari reaches her destination: the prison. Talas Khanos is still in his cell, guarded by two Kari duplicates who pass the time playing cards.
<I told you to keep an eye on him> Kari says, creating another duplicate to which she handles the tray. The two Kari playing cards wearily acknowledge her presence.
<He’s not going anywhere…we’re in dark space and he doesn’t have any powers without his godstone. Just look at him, he’s fine.>
The former Oracle is standing in his cell: at seven feet, he almost touches the roof. His eyes are closed and he’s holding the palm of his hands upwards.
<What’s he doing?>
<Praying, I think. Check this out, sweetie: Full Hydra> Kari boasts, placing the seven cards on the table. Her duplicate slams her fist on the table, shouting:
<That’s not fair, we agreed we wouldn’t cheat this time!>
<Oh yeah? Well I saw you deal from the bottom!>
<Girls, not now, please> the third Kari intervenes, touching both players with her hands.
The duplicates disappear, transferring all of their memories to her.
<I really should stop cheating myself. Hey tall dark and insane, mind telling me what you’ve been doing in there for the past six hours?>
Talas Khanos doesn’t answer, but his sharp breath indicates how frustrating he finds the girl.
<Well? No speech on how you’re gonna murder me for my sins against Demeter? Careful, we might take your godstone back if you don’t gloat about how awesome you are, like all Oracles. Oh wait, we already did that!>
<Do you want to know why I became an Oracle, child?>
<Not really.>
<The gods don’t deserve to rule the galaxy. They are much more powerful than mortals, yes, but far more stupid and immature. Demeter thought turning me into an Oracle would make me a slave, but she made a mistake. The same one Null did…she gave me time.>
<Time for what? Rot in prison? You better go back to praying…I have a feeling you’ll need it.>
<I wasn’t praying, you worthless wench. I was concentrating.>
Something opens the steel doors with enough force to crush them like cardboard. Kari gets ready for a fight, but her body is lifted and slammed against the wall by an unseen power.
Since this is a duplicate, the impact makes it disappear. Before she does, however, she instantly creates more duplicates; they are pushed aside just as easily.
What’s keeping them at bay is a violet jewel floating in the air: a godstone. It quickly flies through the prison bars, embedding itself into the throat of Talas Khanos.
<Godstones transform brainwaves into telekinetic power. I’ve had one for years; you think I wouldn’t find a way to activate it from remote?>
Kari falls, no longer pinned against the wall. She gathers her strength, ready to summon an army to attack the prisoner. But her body disappears when Khanos telekinetically snaps her neck.
<That, my dear, is why I am Talas Khanos.>
New York City
Agent Warden places the tray on the table, next to the pile of discarded circuits. He takes the large cup of coffee, while Torn grabs the can of beer.
<Isn’t it a little early for that?> the agent asks.
<Would it have a different taste later in the day?> Torn asks, sincerely puzzled by the question.
<Well, no, but…>
Torn doesn’t simply open the can; he cuts off the top with an energy dagger, then drinks from it like from a normal glass.
<Where did you find this guy!?>
<That’s classified> Noriko answers, drinking the first espresso without taking her eyes from what she’s building. She drinks the other four in a row, before Warden has the time to drink his own coffee.
<That can’t possibly be good for your health, you know that right?>
<Try six weeks on another planet without caffeine, then we’ll talk about health. Torn, another godstone filament, please.>
Still drinking his beer, Torn gestures towards the godstone on the table. It’s already been cut in half, but the energy swords created by Torn’s mind now slices it in tiny strings. Then he burps loudly.
Noriko takes her eyes off the device in front of her, to look the red skinned man into the eyes.
<I don’t know about your planet, but on Earth that’s just disgusting.>
<We don’t have beer on my planet> Torn answers. If she didn’t know Torn, Noriko would’ve thought he was sarcastic.
<And what planet would that be?> Warden asks.
<That’s classified too> Noriko answers, before Torn can say anything.
<Cute. You really expect the CIA to keep an eye closed when you bring two aliens on Earth?>
<No, I expect you to try and fail to gain intelligence from me> she clarifies, using pliers to carefully place the godstone filament inside the ring-shaped device she’s been building for the past hour.
<If this is about the NSA trying to infiltrate your servers…>
<Agent Warden, when I became the smartest person on the planet I had a limitless number of options to make money. Do you know why I decided to use my talent on a quiz show to gain my first million dollars?>
<I figured it’s got something to do with your massive ego.>
Noriko’s silver eyes flash intensely; while she doesn’t show other signs of anger, Warden knows he’s touched a nerve.
<It was the best way to amass a large sum of money without owing anything to anyone. Now that Scion Corporation has the Plasma Fusion Reactor, after I regain control of Null Technologies I will own most of my fortune to them. But it will be the last time. Nobody steals from Null; not Scion, not Tanaka, not even the United States government.>
<Is that a threat?>
<A promise. We are allies now; but try to cross me, and Null will destroy you.>
The ring-shaped device is now complete. Assembled with parts cannibalized from the room’s holographic projector, the N-phone, the Mark II Genius Gun and the godstone.
When Noriko wears it on her left wrist like a bracelet, it lights up to show the circuitry of godstone filaments. And it talks.
<N-Watch activated. Psychic broadband connection established.>
<Done. This will give my brain remote access to the Tower’s systems.>
Outside the door, Quantum and Kari are taking a pause from the endless debate.
<So, still thinkin’ my planet is awesome?> he asks.
<Ι ηατε τηισ τρανσλατιον τηινγ> she answers with a weary tone.
<I hate this translation thing> the N-Phone says with a monotone artificial voice.
<I take it this is a bad time to discuss last night, isn’t it? I mean, with the CIA and the killing blue guy and all…>
<Υοθ ηαδ σεξ ωιτη μυ δθπλιcατε. Ωηατ’σ τηερε το δισcθσσ?>
<You had sex with my duplicate. What’s there to discuss?>
Of course, Noriko chooses this exact moment to come out of the room. She glances at Kari, then at Quantum while raising an eyebrow disapprovingly.
<What?> he asks defensively.
<Nothing; this doesn’t even make it to the top one million things on my mind at the moment.>
<Any chance that list includes the theft of my comic books?>
<Don’t push it. We’ll discuss it after we’ve taken back the Tower.>
<Not that I mind some action, but why exactly do you need us? Can’t you just use your newest thingamajig to waltz right through the front door?>
<I think I need a translator too> Torn says, puzzled by Quantum’s words.
<Jοιν τηε cλθβ> Kari adds.
<Join the club.>
<The N-Watch has a limited range; I need the Vanguard to get me past the Nullbots.>
<“Nullbots”? You mean the Tower has actual robots!?> Quantum asks.
<Killer robots> Noriko clarifies.
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