Beyond The Impossible

The Mindscape

Noriko Null opens the door to this representation of her own mind, and she finds that a lot of things have changed since she last came here.

It’s a fortress overlooking the seashore, housing an idiosyncratic mishmash of different technologies: a forge that still uses coal as fuel is standing next to a mechanical horse, right between an alchemical set and an electron microscope. It’s the work of a bare-chested man who is currently in the middle of a boxing match with an empty suit of bronze armor.

The suit moves like a real person, and it doesn’t have a head at the moment.

<Are you busy, Diomedes?> she asks him.

<Just a second.> he answers, dodging a punch and using the opportunity to grab his opponent’s arm; it’s enough to make it lose its balance, and Diomedes takes the opportunity to kick its legs hard enough to dislodge the greaves.

<Power down. How can I help you, Null?> the Greek hero asks, ignoring the deactivated enemy.

<I just wanted your opinion on something.> she says, coming closer to the armor and inspecting it: despite the primitive look, she can tell it contains very advanced technology.

<Interesting hobby. You’re bored, aren’t you?> she asks.

<I’m the ghost of a war hero who’s been trapped for thousands of years inside a simulated reality without anyone to talk to. It was either find new interests or go insane.>

<Fair enough. Listen, I still don’t like the fact that you’re living inside my brain, but since you’re here, I’ll take advantage of the chance to work with a former Nexus host.>

<Of course. Though as I’ve already explained, I can’t access the information the Nexus downloaded during my lifetime; I only have my personal memories.>

<I know, but it may be enough. See, I’m working on a device that can interfere with the way gods see each other’s aura, and I ran into a bit of a problem: auras don’t actually exist. So I figured gods are actually using something else to identify each other. And what do you know, there is one author who wrote about it: Homer.>

<I don’t know who that is.> Diomedes admits.

<He wrote the Iliad; more specifically, he wrote about the Trojan War. I know Earth’s mythology is not exactly aligned with the actual gods out there, but since you were in the war…>

<You are referring to the time Athena allowed me the power to identify gods.>

<Exactly! How did you do it?>

<I looked.>

<Yes I know that, but what did you see? How were gods different from mortals when she gave you that power?>

<They had a different glow. Mortals had orange and red skin, which changed color depending on whether they were moving or not; their clothes and armor looked purple. Gods had a uniform color, no matter what they did.>

<Okay, that doesn’t help me at all. What you’re describing sounds like infrared light, but why would gods look any different in infrared?> Noriko wonders, her silver eyes shining as she processes this information.

<I’m unfamiliar with the term infrared. Some form of light?> Diomedes theorizes.

<Kinda, it’s electromagnetic radiation with longer wavelengths than those of visible light. You basically saw a thermal image. Now, why the heck would gods… wait. Gods don’t sweat.>

<I guess they don’t. Why is it important?>

<Gods are invulnerable because their molecules are locked in a specific state. That means that, unless they’re exposed to something that surpasses their invulnerability, they stay the same temperature all the time. In an infrared image, they would permanently stay a specific color.>

<A personal aura.> Diomedes concludes.

<Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s so simple! I could’ve wasted ages on this without coming up with anything! We should brainstorm more often, Diomedes!>

<I agree. Perhaps next time we could work on my project.> the hero says, looking at the inert armor laying on the ground. Noriko looks at it too, noticing something:

<It’s meant for a woman, isn’t it?>

<I know you don’t consider yourself a warrior. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be one, Null.>

Noriko pauses for a moment. Even if Diomedes is a piece of software running simultaneously with her mind, he still can’t figure out what she’s thinking.

<You and Athena go a long way back, don’t you?> she asks.

<We certainly do.>

<I’m sure she could find her way into that meeting if she really wanted to. Why ask for my help?>

<I don’t know. But there’s one thing I can tell you about the Goddess of Wisdom. She can be a tremendous asset and an excellent ally, Null, but you should never, never see her as a friend.>

<I’ll keep that in mind.> she answers, recreating the door that leads back to reality.

 

Null Tower, New York City

Vesta doesn’t like physical exams. After two thousand years trying to pass as a mortal, she’s learned to avoid doctors as much as possible.

Now she’s in the infirmary, standing in front of a medical sensor that’s just next to an X-ray machine, trying her best to fake being comfortable in this environment.

<I keep forgetting how crude Earth’s medical knowledge is. You should really work on something less dangerous.> Athena says.

Noriko ignores her remarks, focusing on the readout of the sensor: an infrared live image of Vesta.

Which is virtually indistinguishable from how a human should look in infrared.

<Dammit, I really thought this could work! What am I… wait. Athena, can you please stand next to Vesta?> Noriko asks.

The goddess agrees, if only to see where this is going. And when she enters the picture, the difference between her and Vesta couldn’t be more clear: Athena shows up as a silhouette, barely registering against the background.

<Bingo! You’re almost exactly at room temperature, Athena. Which is how you should look as well, Vesta… unless you’re trying to give yourself the same heat signature of a normal human.>

<Now that you mention it, during my exile I did try to make myself, uhm, warmer to the touch.>

<Fascinating. What kind of tactical or psychological advantage would that give you?> Athena asks, intellectually stimulated by the idea.

<No reason, really. It just felt good.> Vesta answers, and for the first time since they’ve met Noriko can see that she’s blushing. Athena, on the other hand, despite her intellect simply can’t understand the concept of being embarrassed.

<You think you can turn it off?> Noriko asks, deciding not to press the subject.

<I’ll try.> Vesta answers. Then she concentrates, and slowly her thermal image turns to a single color; still warmer than room temperature… she is still a fire goddess after all… but uniform.

<Not bad. But Rhea’s aura is less intense.> Athena tells her.

<You want me to make myself colder?>

<That would help, yes.>

<We, uhm, we might have a problem then. I don’t know how to do that.> Vesta admits.

<I thought you had complete control over temperature.> Noriko comments.

<When it comes to all forms of fire, yes. I don’t do cold.>

<You gods and your specializations… nevermind, I’ll figure something out.> Noriko sighs.

<While you do that, there other matters that require my attention.> Athena excuses herself, ready to teleport herself out of the room: she stops only when Noriko grabs her arm.

The goddess gives her a look which makes her displeasure very clear.

<Of course you realize that, on a Federation world, the mere act of touching me without permission would be a serious offense.>

<Exactly. But this is my world, and you’re going to follow my rules.> Noriko replies.

The goddess and her protégé exchange tense looks, and the goddess backs down.

<Of course. After all, I am just a guest on this planet.>

<Then don’t overstay your welcome. Quantum?> Noriko asks, simultaneously repeating his name through the Neural Transmitter. And sure enough, the hero materializes soon enough.

<Escort Athena wherever she wants, but do not let her out of your sight.> she instructs him.

<Okay, sure. Where are we going?> he asks.

<Try to keep up.> Athena answers, just when her body gets teleported out of the city.

 

Tokyo, Japan

Less than a second later, Athena rematerializes. Quantum arrived a few instants ago: teleportation is nearly instantaneous, but he managed to beat her.

<Impressive. You followed the tracking signal I used to scan my destination.> she deduces.

<And why was this the destination, exactly?> he asks; this doesn’t look like one of the largest cities in the world, but rather a traditional hot spring.

<Not to have fun, that’s for sure. My sister doesn’t know the meaning of the word.> is the answer coming from behind them, where there’s a man relaxing inside one of the pools. Quantum knows he wasn’t there a second ago, and both him and Athena recognize his face.

<Half-sister. Your continuous survival never ceases to amaze me, Hermes.> Athena comments.

<Yeah, I have to agree with her on this one. I still don’t get why Noriko keeps you alive.> Quantum reluctantly admits.

<She must see something in me that she really likes.> the god says, standing up. Athena looks away to avoid looking at him naked, and Quantum tosses him a towel so fast that it almost catches fire.

<Well I definitely didn’t want to see that. Can we get on with it?> he asks.

<That would be interesting, but I doubt Athena would like to watch us.> Hermes teases him.

<I’m not here for your hedonism, Hermes. I came to bargain.> Athena says.

<Really? And what does the beloved supreme leader of the Athenian Federation need from a disgraced and dethroned god-king?>

<I have reason to believe that you are the one who gave Null the means to recover one of the Keys of Heaven. Which, of course, you won’t either confirm or deny.>

<I’m too modest to take the credit.>

<I assume that you are aware of Hera’s current feud with the Egyptian pantheon.>

<Earth has many delightful distractions, but yes, I do keep myself informed. Go on.>

<If Nephthys is truly behind this, we need a plan to deal with her. To do that, we need to gather intelligence about her. But unfortunately I don’t have agents in her domain, and sending a ship there would take years.>

<Oh, I see it now. You’re not here to talk to the god of tricksters. You want the god of speed.>

<Your highest recorded speed is 12 billion times faster than light. Enough to reach the Naqada Galaxy in 12.41 hours. And it’s probably not even your top speed.>

<Wait a sec, are we seriously going to trust this guy!?> Quantum tries to insert himself in the conversation; so far the gods have barely acknowledged his presence.

<I’m afraid I agree with this handsome mortal, Athena. Why would you trust the god of traitors and liars to upheld any kind of deal?>

<Because it will mean I owe you a favor. Also, the Vanguard will accompany you.> Athena says.

<I don’t like where this is going.> Quantum complains.

<But I do. I accept, Athena, but on one condition: Null will stay here on Earth during our mission.>

<An interesting condition. May I ask why, Hermes?>

<Because I love her; she means everything to me, and I would never want her to get hurt.>

<You really expect me to believe that?>

<No. But you didn’t really expect me to tell you the truth either, so why bother?>

<Very well. I accept your condition: Quantum, Torn and Zel will accompany you.>

<Don’t we get a say in this?> Quantum asks, this time definitely ignored by the gods.