Beyond The Impossible

Null Island, Pacific Ocean

The sun is rising over this paradise, offering a fantastic view from the panoramic window of its master bedroom. Noriko Null isn’t looking at the sea, though: she’s resting on her side, looking at the man sleeping next to her. They’re both naked.

Todd Slate wakes up, and the first thing he sees are Noriko’s silver eyes staring at him.

<Good morning> she says. She’s smiling.

<‘Morning. And happy birthday> he replies, coming closer to kiss her.

<We should do this more often.>

<No complains here> Todd jokes.

<Come on, I’m talking about leaving New York. Take some vacation, y’know?>

<That’s strange coming from you, considering I normally have to physically drag you away from whatever invention you’re working on> he notes, moving to leave the bed… but she stops him.

<Let’s stay a little longer. I’m taking the day off.>

<Okay, now I know something’s wrong. Are you sure you’re okay, Noriko?>

<Can’t I just be human every once in a while? I cured AIDS for my last birthday; this time, I want to take a day for myself> she replies, coming closer to kiss him.

As much as Todd is enjoying this, he can’t help but worry every time she acts out of character: she has a history of mental illness, and extreme mood swings aren’t a good sign. Still, he’s making out with his naked girlfriend in a romantic getaway, so he’s willing to ignore all of this… and he probably would, if he didn’t notice someone was casting a shadow over them.

<Todd? Is something WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?> Noriko shouts, quickly covering herself with the sheets.

There’s someone else in the room, sitting down in front of the bed. A woman dressed in a golden armor, with a Corinthian helmet lifted over her head, resting her weight on a lance.

<Don’t mind me. I can wait> Athena says.

 

Megaris, 18.000 light-years from Earth

The natives of this world considered themselves lucky: their world was given by the goddess Demeter as a present to her daughter Persephone thousands of years ago, but the foul-mouthed Queen of the Underworld quite literally forgot about it. This meant that they were both free of Demeter’s brutal government and of Persephone’s genocidal amusement.

Megaris never rose to a great civilization: it was happy to stay under the radar, and based on their final fate they were right.

Talas Khanos is watching over the fight the Talos robots and the rock monsters that serve his newest mistress, the goddess Selene. It’s not an easy fight: the Talos are utterly indestructible and powered by plasma reactors, but the rock monsters regenerate after every blow. It’s a fight that could go on forever, as both armies are stuck in an endless loop.

<This world pleases me. I wish to rest here for a while> Selene says, her voice booming over the horizon. Khanos is floating telekinetically over her shoulder: Selene’s body is literally as big as a mountain, a beautiful sculpture of a woman whose head reaches the clouds. She’s far too big to use a starship to move between systems, and so does it under her own power.

She moves to sit down. The tectonic plate shifts accordingly, erasing centuries of Megarian civilization just to create a throne for her; the earthquake generated will circle the planet several times. The rock monsters crumble to dust the second she loses interest in them: without an enemy, a hundred Talos robots identify Selene as the target and they open fire on her colossal body.

Even above the clouds, Khanos can feel the heat of their thermonuclear bombardment. Selene’s marble body is as perfect as ever, untouched by the destruction: as always, she remains aloof.

<So tell me, General Khanos. How does the reconstruction of my kingdom fare?>

<A dozen worlds have fallen under our command, your HOLY->

Talos Khanos is terrified to see a Talos robot fly right in front of him, ready to unleash his fire.

<Target acquired. Under order of Lady Galatea, you are->

Now it’s the robot’s turn to be interrupted. Selene’s gigantic hand has caught it, and just the sound wave generated by this motion has cleared the skies from all clouds. When she opens her hand, the Talos falls to the ground, still intact but completely depleted of all energy.

“Even the Talos are insects to her. How damn powerful is she!?” he wonders.

<See that all the worlds belonging to the children of Zeus fall before my might, General Khanos.>

<So it will be, your holiness Selene… so it will be.>

 

Null Island, Pacific Ocean

To call the situation awkward would be an understatement. Noriko feels like she’s been caught having sex by her parents… even though considering her father, it was usually the other way around.

She covers herself with a green dressing gown, while Todd recovers his boxers from the floor while trying to keep his cool as a Greek goddess is staring at him.

<What do you want? And please don’t tell me you’re here to wish me a happy birthday..

<Should we discuss this in front of your lover?> Athena asks. Her face is very hard to read, but she doesn’t seem to think much of Todd.

<Yes, but not here. This is too weird> Noriko says, leading Athena out of the bedroom.

Noriko’s main lab isn’t far from it, as it should come to no surprise for anyone who knows her. Todd comes in last after Noriko and Athena, still adjusting his clothes, and noting the stark contrast between the two: they couldn’t be more different. Athena is even taller than Vesta, and while her armor doesn’t hide her very feminine figure it’s also very clear that this is a woman accustomed to leading armies into battle. There’s an aura of authority and power around her: he’s met Presidents and superheroes, but his palms are sweating as he offers her his hand to shake.

<Uhm, hello? I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I am…>

<You’re my godchild’s lover> Athena says, looking down on him. She sounds almost offended having to talk to him.

<Okay let’s get a few things out of the way> Noriko joins in, probably to rescue Todd from an extremely awkward conversation; she’s already holding an espresso cup in her hands, courtesy of the nearest Nullbot.

<I haven’t seen you in more than a year. In the meantime I’ve fought three wars against your family, I’ve lost count of how many times I almost died and I’ve literally gone to Hell. Heck, this is actually just the second time we meet on Earth! So please, don’t try to spin our relationship into anything other than a convenient convergence of interests. You’re not my godmother: you’re an occasional ally, at best. Just tell me what you want and let’s get this over with.>

<I need you to kill my first cousin once removed> Athena answers.

Noriko and Todd exchange looks, and she’s the one to ask:

<You’re a Greek goddess, you have like fifty of those. Which one?>

Athena makes a gesture towards the holographic screens of the lab, which turn themselves on to show the attack of a gigantic statue on Megaris.

<Selene. Goddess of the Moon, daughter of Hyperion and Theia. Zeus exiled her from the Olympian galaxy a hundred thousand years ago; she hates him for executing her parents, who were generals of Kronos for over thirty million years. The only reason she was spared is that he finds her attractive.>

<She’s killing so many people… where is this happening?> Noriko asks, shocked by the brutality.

<In the former Persephone sector. Selene has little interest for mortals these days: she’s only interested in revenge. With Demeter and Hephaestus gone, the Alliance is an easy target for her.>

<Can she be defeated by conventional means?>

<She’s a Titan. The entire firepower of the Alliance wouldn’t be enough.>

<So you want me to kill her with the God Eraser> Noriko deduces.

<Precisely. Selene is a danger to the whole Olympian Galaxy that must be dealt with rapidly.>

<So why don’t you try to stop her?> Todd asks her.

Athena glances at him, then looks at Noriko as if she were the mother of a baby throwing a tantrum.

<Well? Answer him> Noriko replies. Her silver eyes shine to indicate that she’s being serious.

Athena’s grey eyes shine twice as brightly, a subtle signal of who should be in charge.

<Selene is a formidable enemy. To defeat her in a fight I would need to draw significant resources from the Athenian Federation which are currently vital in the defense against Apollo. You have created an unprecedented power vacuum, Noriko: right now, the Alliance looks defenseless. If you defeat Selene, you will discourage lesser gods from trying to conquer it.>

<I’ll consider your request, Athena. But I’d prefer to contact my allies first.>

<Of course. And as a gesture of cooperation, I bring you this> Athena says, handing something to Noriko: a very simple golden necklace. Noriko examines the small pendant attached to it: on one side there’s a silver Ø sign, on the other the golden symbol of the Athenian federation… a cog with a lightning bolt inside it.

<I’m not really the jewelry type> she deadpans.

<It’s a tachyon interferometric relay. You can use it to contact me anywhere in the universe.>

<You didn’t have to. A simple “sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me” would’ve sufficed.>

<I promise I’ll be there for you. Happy birthday, my child> Athena says, kissing Noriko on the top of her head before disappearing in a flash of light.

Noriko takes a while to recover, with her conflicting emotions showing on her face. She really didn’t want to grow an attachment to Athena, but there’s something calming about her presence.

<Are you okay, Noriko?> Todd asks her.

This seems to shake her off her daze, and she presses a button on the wall to declare:

<Emergency Vanguard line. This is a Priority 1 alert: meet me at Null Island in two hours.>

<So much for our vacation> Todd sighs.

<We’ll just need to start the party a little earlier> Noriko winks at him, before taking off her gown.

 

Argos, 100 light-years from Earth

Alexer Syzar studies his guest, as she graciously accepts the cup of the from one of the servants.  Tyche still looks like a teenager, although she’s dressed to highlight the perfect body she inherited from her mother Aphrodite: her blue dress clings to her curves, and is cut to expose her navel. But she clearly also wants to highlight her belonging to divine royalty: her blue cape is held firm by a golden brooch with the Caduceus, the symbol of her father Hermes. And the most striking feature about her, the halo of flames hovering a few inches above her head, emitting light over her short red hair with a rebellious blue streak in the middle.

<You’re a complete mystery, Tyche. There aren’t any myths about you, other than your association with luck and destiny.>

<Probably because my parents never let me have my own kingdom. Mom wanted me to concentrate on my sexual education, while Dad wanted me to learn how to use my talent… I was stuck in the middle. Though I’ve always suspected they were both a little afraid of me.>

<“Talent”?>

<I always pick the winner, and I’m never wrong. Some say it’s luck, some say it’s destiny, Dad called it subconscious clairvoyance, but when I bet on someone, they never lose. Never.>

<That’s quite impressive. And quite unbelievable.>

<Why do you think my father locked me up on Fortuna for five thousand years? He was afraid I’d use my power to make somebody else defeat him. Ironic, isn’t it? When he needed fortune on his side… I wasn’t there. And he lost everything.>

<If you want to reclaim your heritage, why are you talking to me? Isn’t your family…>

<I despise my family: they let me to drown in boredom on an annoyingly perfect world for millennia. No, I’m convinced that the age of gods is over: destiny belongs to the mortals now.>

<Are you asking to join the Alliance!?>

<I ask to be the only goddess worshiped by mortals. In return, I will grant my blessing to the entire Alliance… you will never lose a battle again.>