Beyond The Impossible

Null Tower, New York City

The last thing people who have known Noriko Null for any extended period of time would expect is seeing her working out early in the morning. Especially on her birthday.

So when Kari Zel finds her in the Tower’s gym, boxing a punching bag with the kind of energy she usually reserve for a real battle, she simply has to ask:

<What are you doing?>

<What does it look like?> Noriko answers, not even looking at her as she keeps punching.

<It looks like you’re working out, and you never work out. Is something wrong?>

<I got tired of hearing people tell me I’m out of shape.>

<And I guess this has nothing to do with it?> Kari asks, pointing at Noriko’s left forearm.

<Kind of> Noriko answers, pausing her routine and touching the black tattoo on her skin.

About three inches long, it shows a snake twisted into the symbol for infinity and biting its own tail.

Viper’s symbol.

<Viper shouldn’t have been a physical threat. I know everything there is to know about martial arts and she was my clone, but I can’t fight without proper muscle memory> Noriko explains.

<If you can manage to grow any muscle> Kari pokes fun at her, while at the same time poking her skinny arm.

<Very funny. Some of us aren’t blessed with Myridian genetics and the ability to be in more places at once, you know.>

<About that tattoo, though… why Viper’s symbol? When did you even get that?>

<Last night. Let’s call it a birthday present for myself. As for why… it’s not just Viper’s symbol. It’s a reminder of what I lost fighting her, and that I need to earn what I’ve won back.>

<You made more sense when you had alternate personalities> Kari jokes, almost reflexively, but once she receives a very stern look from Noriko she apologizes.

<Sorry. That was way out of line. Have you had any…>

<I haven’t relapsed. No more voices in my head or hallucinations> Noriko interrupts her.

<I was going to ask if you’ve had any luck finding a date for tonight.>

<Not this again> Noriko rolls her eyes, walking away from both the punching bag and Kari but finding herself bumping against a newly created Kari duplicate.

<Come on, Nori, you promised me you’d give it a try!>

<You’re beginning to sound more invested in my sentimental life than my father, and that’s saying something. Besides, every guy you’ve introduced me to was trying to get into my pants or into my wallet. Usually both.>

<You’re cute and you’re rich, what did you expect?>

<Listen, Kari, would you please, please drop this matchmaking obsession? I’m way too busy to get into a relationship. And I don’t have exactly the best record on that.>

<Alright, alright, I’ll drop the subject… for now. Any plans for your 23rd birthday?>

<I’ll tell you soon. I know it sounds like superstition, but for some reason I always get bad news on my birthday. At least this time I have enough precautions> Noriko tells her, leaving the gym and leaving Kari and her duplicate behind.

<I wonder what she means by that> the Myridian comments.

 

Later, several floors above

If there’s one thing at which Noriko Null excels, other than making money, is multitasking. As soon as she steps out of the shower, a holographic screen is projected before her eyes: all the reports from all the divisions of Null Technologies, thousands of pages she’s finished reading by the time she’s dried her hair. She then applies a small metallic device at the base of her neck, which records the thousands of emails and memoranda and dissertations and patents that she mentally writes while she brushes her teeth.

Once out of the bathroom, she hands the device to the S.I.F. android waiting for her outside: the robotic duplicate of herself that will be physically present in her office during the day, or substitute for her in any public appearance or meeting.

Unbeknownst to both her employees and the general public, these days that’s the extent of how much time Noriko Null dedicates to her multinational corporation: the virtual intelligence O.D.I.N. takes care of nearly everything else, with Kari Zel providing some supervision and sometimes asking the real Null to take care of something in person.

Normally, she would then move to the kitchen to discuss her non-profit activities with her father. But she can feel an unfamiliar sensation: her tattoo is buzzing.

<Ah. So it works> she comments to herself, quickly walking towards the nearest elevator.

 

The Galaxy Room

This is one of the areas of the Tower with the most restricted access. There are no windows and no artificial lights. It’s completely dark, completely isolated from the outside thanks to the Sound Nullifier and other espionage countermeasures. There is only one thing: a chair.

Once Noriko Null sits on it, the tattoo glows red and a hologram of the Olympian Galaxy appears in the middle of the room. It’s a very detailed map: it shows the current territory of the Mortal Republic and all divine kingdoms, the location of thousand of planets, major trade routes, and more importantly the current position of her fleet. The N01-Ragnarok is in Earth’s solar system, but her seven sister ships… from the N07-Naraka to the N13-Vanth… are scattered over the Galaxy.

<Call Agent Number Six> she requests. A dot flashes in the Ares sector, then the map is replaced with the image of a man wearing high tech red armor. She’s never seen him in that attire, but she recognizes Liosthenes, the officer from the Athenian Federation who joined her side.

<Thank you for calling back so soon, Null. And happy birthday> he greets her.

<Thanks, I didn’t expect you to remember. How is your cover?>

<Holding up. I couldn’t find any clues about this “Key of Heaven” you’re looking for, but I did manage to gather a few contacts. I should be able to find new recruits for the Covenant.>

<Great. But be careful, I want every recruit to be vetted personally by someone I trust.>

<And that doesn’t include me because I betrayed Athena in order to follow you, I get it. I don’t know if it’s enough to gain your trust, but I can tell you this: there’s a big movement of troops towards the Apollo sector.>

<I thought she couldn’t cross the border because Apollo set up some kind of automated supernova trigger> she notes.

<She won’t cross the border. Adrestia plans to move above the galactic plane and attack Apollo from that direction.>

<Three-dimensional warfare, of course. That’s a smart move, although the longer route will increase the chances of the attack being intercepted, but she shouldn’t have enough ships to fight Apollo’s forces, right? She must know something we don’t. Good job Liosthenes, keep me posted.>

<I will. Agent Number Six out> he says, disconnecting the hologram.

<I might as well check the others. Call Agent Number Seven> Null orders, finding herself in front of a woman wearing very ornate ceremonial clothing.

<My lady, what a blessing to speak to you on Null’s Day> Ganos Lal tells her with a curtsy.

<Null’s what?> Noriko replies, raising an eyebrow.

<The anniversary of your birth. Today, the Church of Null celebrates the 23^rd anniversary of…>

<Yes, yes, I get it. I’m not calling you as the Supreme Pontiff, I’m calling you as a member of the Covenant. Do you have news for me?>

<Not about the Key of Heaven. But I have been informed that the Ice Queen will soon meet with Hebe, the youngest daughter of Hera. Her other daughter, Ilithyia, is expected to stay with her grandmother Rhea until the birth of her child, which won’t happen for another century.>

<Good, I don’t like dealing with Ilithyia. She gives me the creeps> Noriko admits.

<May I ask your guidance on a matter of faith, Lady Null?>

<Go ahead> Noriko says, rolling her eyes. As much as Ganos is annoying, she prefers keeping an eye on her.

<Should the Null Calendar start from the date of your birth or the date of your conception? There is considerable theological debate whether…>

<I don’t care, just flip a coin. Null out> she abruptly interrupts the conversation: there’s only so much religious nonsense she can take from Ganos.

<Call Agent Number Five> she then orders, finding herself facing the image of a Lampyrian yawning and stretching her wings.

<It’s very late here, Noriko. I was going to call you in the morning.>

<Sorry, Lily. Do you have anything for me?>

<A lot, actually. I may have a lead on the Key of Heaven you’re looking for.>

<Seriously? You’re the best, Lily. What is it?>

<It’s better if you come see it for yourself.>

<Okay. Where are you, exactly?>– she asks. The communication system she uses for the Covenant provides a completely untraceable line, but the drawback is that she can’t identify the position of the other user.

<Lampyria, in the Zeus sector.>

<Your home planet?>

<No, I was born in the Mortal Republic. But Lampyria is the home planet of my species, if that’s what you meant. I’ll send you the coordinates.>

<Cool. I don’t know anything about the Zeus sector, it’ll be a chance to get some intelligence.>

<Speaking of Zeus, there is a rumor spreading around in the Hera sector, according to my contacts. Since Hera is moving her forces into his territory, something that he’s never allowed, some are whispering if she’s doing this because you’ve actually already killed Zeus.>

<I know my reputation sometimes is exaggerated in other sectors, but I’ve never even met him.>

<It’s a persistent rumor. You have to admit that Zeus should’ve done something at this point: you’ve killed his children Hephaestus and Artemis, his grandsons Phobos and Deimos, and his sister Demeter. Plus he’s missed the exile of Enyo, the marriage of Ilithyia, and he was the only one of the Nine Gods to be absent during their last two assemblies. Something’s up, Noriko: gods and mortals alike are starting to notice.>

<I agree. We’ll definitely have to find out what happened to Zeus, but right now finding the Key of Heaven and expanding the reach of the Covenant are our biggest priorities. Anything else?>

<I’m having no success finding agents to infiltrate the Apollo sector: there are almost no Lampyrians living there. It’s pretty much a humans only zone.>

<I’ll figure something out. Good work Lily, I’ll see you soon. Null out> she then says.

She stares at the galaxy map for a while: the number of Covenant agents is growing slowly. She knows she has a much larger number of allies, sympathizers and… as much as she hates the concept… believers. But she can’t allow the Covenant to become too big: once the rest of the galaxy learns of its existence, they’ll either consider it at best a hostile intelligence agency and at worst a terrorist organization. She’ll have to be ready when the time comes.

She then feels her tattoo buzzing again, and she presses it with her fingers. The result is the appearance of a new hologram: a Japanese man in a business suit.

<Agent Number Eight calling base.>

<No need for codenames, Shinobu. This is a secure line> she tells him. She’s not comfortable talking with him, but if anyone knows how to lead a secret organization it’s Shinobu Tanaka, secretly the former Black Knight of the Empire of Shadows and her cousin.

<You should consider no line to be secure. I have reviewed your security guidelines for Covenant operations and found them lacking. I can provide several adjustments, on one condition.>

<I’m not releasing you from your promise to sever all ties of the Tanaka clan to organized crime.>

<That is not my condition. Hermes wants to join the Covenant.>

<Hermes is lucky I haven’t killed him yet. How does he even know the Covenant is a thing? You didn’t tell him, right?>

<Of course not. But he also says he knows where you can find an artifact he calls the “Key of Heaven”.>

<Of course he does> Noriko says, rolling her eyes: it’s time for her to have a word with the god of liars.