Beyond The Impossible

Stockholm City Hall, Sweden

The Nobel Banquet is obviously a highly publicized event, but very rarely it can hold the interest of the general press. This year is different: there are very important scientists and diplomats in the Blue Hall, but all eyes are on the Asian-American girl wearing a green evening gown.

<They should give a prize to whoever abolishes the formal wear code> she complains, adjusting the dress to cover up the already modest cleavage.

<I feel you. It has some advantages, though> her father Bob comments, adjusting his tie: he’s sitting at her table, together with his companion, Doctor Catherine Kalama, who is definitely far more comfortable than Noriko wearing a dress. And Bob is visibly undressing her with his eyes.

<Father, please behave yourself, people are watching us> Noriko scolds him.

<Of course they are, we must be the only people under 40 around here.>

<You turn 40 next year> his daughter reminds him.

<Don’t worry, Noriko, people are here to watch just you. This is a huge accomplishment> the doctor tells her.

<No pressure then, uh? I know I complained about not getting a Nobel prize for curing AIDS or for making cold fusion possible, but I didn’t expect them to do both at the same time!>

Just then, Noriko’s attention is diverted to the person calling her to the podium:

<It is a great honor to introduce the Nobel laureate in both physics and medicine, Noriko Null.>

<That’s great, another speech. I hate giving speeches> she sighs.

<Just imagine everybody naked> Bob suggests her.

<How is that making it less awkward!?>

<I don’t know. I’ve never given a speech> he shrugs.

Noriko shakes her head and stands up, smiling forcefully as she approaches the podium under the hall’s applause. She’d rather be anywhere else right now.

<Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness… Highnesses, distin… distinguished members of the…> she pauses, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

<Of the Nor… Norwegian…> she closes her eyes for a moment, trying to focus. When she opens them again, she can’t believe what she sees: skeletons. Wearing the most elegant formal dresses, but still, just skeletons.

“I don’t think this is what Dad had in mind” she thinks, taking another pause: her silver eyes shine, and she’s finally back to watching real people. She decides to start from scratch:

<Distinguished members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. It is a great honor to be the second woman after Marie Curie, and the fifth person in general, to receive two Nobel prizes. I also wish to thank the Committee for awarding both prizes in the same year, for the first time in the history of the Nobel prize, reducing the number of times I have to wear a fancy dress.>

The crowd laughs, and the news will have a good time talking about even Noriko Null can get nervous when talking to a crowd in a moment like this.

To her, there is absolutely nothing funny about it.

 

Global Defense Organization Headquarters, New York City

It’s still afternoon on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, and New York Senator Todd Slate is watching the ceremony on his N-Phone.

He’s thinking about the fact that, had Noriko won a Nobel prize when he was still her boyfriend, he’d be at her side right now. He’s happy for her, of course, but he knows her better than almost anyone else: she doesn’t freeze under pressure. That hesitation is a symptom of something else.

<Senator Slate? The Secretary-General will see you now> an aide calls him.

Even after several months, Todd still isn’t used to being called “Senator Slate”, but he’s even less used to the newly constructed headquarters of the GDO. The speed at which it was constructed, especially since it was done while still recovering from the Winter King’s attack, would be astonishing to anyone not accustomed to working with Noriko Null.

<Senator. Sorry for keeping you waiting, you know how diplomats can’t take “I’m busy” as an answer> the Secretary-General greets him, shaking his hand vigorously. Todd knows the middle aged man by another name.

<It’s not just diplomats, General Anderson, believe me.>

<I’m no longer a General, Senator, I had to resign my post to get this position.>

<Of course. You’ll pardon me if I still see you as the director of Project Silver… you did have a mandate to develop weapons to fight my girlfriend, after all.>

<Contain, Senator Slate, contain. I didn’t see Null as an enemy of the United States at the time and I don’t see her as an enemy now; in fact, if it wasn’t for her, the GDO wouldn’t even exist: the aliens would’ve kicked our collective asses at least twice.>

<And since neither the United Nations or NATO proved useful to take her place, the Global Defense Organization was founded. I was there when the treaty was signed, Anderson, so your organization’s goal is very clear to me. What isn’t clear is why you called me here.>

<Well, you are the only member of the Senate Commission on Superhuman Affairs who has been off-planet. So you have at least some diplomatic experience with aliens.>

<I suppose. What did you want to talk about?>

<Anderson to Demosthenes, energize> the former General says.

There’s a bright light that Todd recognizes as the effect of a teleporter. And in fact, when the light vanishes it’s replaced by a man in his thirties wearing a white military uniform with golden epaulettes and a symbol on his chest: a cog with a lightning bolt inside it.

<Senator, this is…>

<Liosthenes, Lieutenant Trierarch of the Athenian Federation Fleet> the man introduces himself.

<Pleasure to meet you. You must be from the spaceship stationed in our solar system.>

<The HDS Demosthenes, yes. It is a honor to meet you, Senator Slate, your actions on Myridia during the Guild assault and during the wedding of Kari Zel are well documented.>

<I wish I could say more about your ship, Liosthenes. Having a heavily armed alien ship over our heads is making a lot of people in Washington very nervous.>

<Which is why I suggested that you avoid teleporting you on their ship while you were still in DC. You see, Liosthenes is here in an… unofficial capacity> Anderson explains.

<How unofficial? I thought you were under orders to maintain neutral relationships with Earth.>

<It’s more complicated than that, Senator. Earth is in the territory of the Mortal Republic, which grants you limited sovereignty over your solar system. The Federation has no official relationship with the Mortal Republic and is officially neutral, and this officially extends to Earth.>

<You sure like the word “official” a lot. What does the Federation unofficially do?>

<Unofficially as in “these words will never go beyond the walls of this room”?>

<You have my word.>

<We are the Mortal Republic’s main supplier of weapons and ships. Lady Athena hopes that, in time, they will choose to join her Federation. However, her rival gods don’t recognize the legitimacy of the Republic: if they find out that Athena is arming mortals, directly or indirectly, they will declare war. And I assure you that that is NOT in Earth’s best interests.>

<I don’t have trouble believing that. But what does Earth have to do with this?>

<Two days ago, a fleet under the command of Ilithyia was destroyed near Gordium. There were no survivors, but our intelligence operatives recovered footage of the ship that attacked them> Liosthenes explains, showing a hologram of a ship with an unmistakable shape.

<That’s the Ragnarok, Null’s ship> Anderson recognizes it.

<No. We closely monitor the actions of the Ragnarok and it was in the Myridia system, like it is now. But this ship has the same unmistakable design.>

<Then it’s not from Earth. Nobody else has the technology to build another Ragnarok!>

<Of course, Senator, of course. We are well aware that Earth doesn’t have the necessary resources… but the Mortal Republic does.>

<We have extremely limited diplomatic contacts with them. We couldn’t have them build us a spaceship even if we wanted> Anderson objects.

<I understand your reluctance to talk about this, but let me reassure you that the Federation has no objections against an attack on Ilithyia… we have no alliance with her. But another attack made by the Republic using Null technology could easily expose our own covert assistance to their military expenditures, and that can’t be allowed. Should Earth decide to start other military actions, we strongly suggest you to inform the Federation first. Unofficially, of course.>

<You’ve got this all wrong, Liosthenes. Noriko would never do something like this!>

<And Earth would never approve of such behavior>– Anderson adds.

<I’m sure you’ll take our concerns to Null. Please be sure to give her our regards… unofficially, of course. Liosthenes to HDS Demosthenes, energize> the Lieutenant says, disappearing in a flash of light and leaving behind two very confused men.

<I know what you’re thinking, Anderson. She’s not building another Ragnarok.>

<You better make sure of it, Senator Slate. Because if she isn’t, it means we have to deal with someone else who has access to her level of technology.>

 

Myridia, 50 light-years from Earth

Kari Zel is doing some sit ups, with one of her duplicates holding down her legs and another one holding a baby girl in her arms.

<Is it really a good idea to start exercising so soon?> Vesta asks her.

<I have to get back in shape. I can’t rely on my duplicates too much> Kari answers; she’s short of breath, for the first time Vesta can recall outside of battle.

<Besides, I only have a few weeks before this little cutie starts duplicating, and I’ll have my hands full with her soon enough> a Kari duplicate explains, tickling her daughter.

<Sorry I’m the only one who made it. Torn had some business in Hell, Max didn’t want to leave Earth unprotected and Noriko… well you know how she feels about kids.>

<It’s okay. Would you like to hold her?> the Kari duplicate asks, with the baby clearly enjoying the idea as she stretches out her arms towards Vesta.

<Are you sure? It’s been decades since I’ve done it, and she looks so fragile.>

<Come on, she’s a Zel, she’ll probably kick your ass when she’s older> Kari insists, practically forcing Vesta to hold the kid. The goddess agrees, and hands that could effortlessly crush diamonds gently stroke the child’s blue hair.

<Welcome to the family, Ariel Zel> she tells her, receiving a giggle as a response just when someone knocks on the door.

<I’ll get it> another Kari duplicate says, after being created just for the occasion. She’s one of the very few Myridians to lock the door, a habit she picked up on Earth. And when she opens the door, she finds herself face to face with one of her least favorite Myridians: Ganos Lal, the Supreme Pontiff of the Church of Null.

<Greetings, Zel. Can we-> the woman starts to say, before receiving a punch in the face. Since this is a duplicate of the original Ganos, the hit makes her disappear; a second later, another duplicate replaces her and raises her hands.

<Can we discuss a minute? This is a very urgent matter.>

<If you’re here to try to convince me to baptize my daughter to your crazy religion, Lal…>

<I’m not here to proselytize. I have important news for Lady Null from the borders of the Republic.>

<Let’s hear it> Kari tells her, crossing her arms to make it clear that she won’t let her get inside.

<One of my duplicates was headed for Elorus, a planet ruled by Apollo near the Ilithyia sector. Before she could reach it, the planet was destroyed when its star exploded> Ganos Lal explains.

<That does sound like Apollo> Vesta confirms, joining Kari while still keeping Ariel in her arms.

< It would make no sense for him to destroy Elorus. It was a major industrial sector, its loss will seriously hurt Apollo’s interests. But if he didn’t do it…> Ganos Lal speculates,

<Another god who can destroy stars has just declared war to Apollo> Vesta completes her sentence.