Beyond The Impossible

Null Tower, New York City

Wearing only a towel, Noriko Null opens her closet: she doesn’t have much choice between the pile of identical black T-shirts with the white Ø symbol and the row of green leather jackets. She undresses without fear of being watched by the other two people in the room, since Vesta and Kari Zel are actually holographic projections being transmitted from light-years away.

<So you really think Ganos Lal is telling the truth?> Noriko asks when the towel hits the floor.

<I know you hate her, but she seems sincere. Someone’s targeting your believers, and it’s got something to do with Apollo> Kari answers, unable to see Noriko.

<I don’t think it’s him. It doesn’t have his name on it> Vesta adds.

<What do you mean?> Noriko asks.

<Apollo never misses a chance to be the center of attention. I’m sure it’s not him.>

<And I don’t suppose he’s the kind of god we can just ask a few questions.>

<He’d never accept to meet a mortal. And Apollo and I, well…>

<Don’t tell me you used to date him> Kari interrupts her.

<I was about to say we haven’t spoken since he destroyed a planet that was under my protection.>

<For any particular reason?>

<He was upset because I refused to marry him.>

<As much as I like his taste in women, we need more intel on this guy. I don’t have any duplicates in the Apollo sector, maybe I should send a few> Kari suggests.

<Good idea. But don’t use the Ragnarok: until I know what’s going on, we better keep a low profile.>

<I can get a ship, but it’s going to take a while to get there> Kari continues.

<Okay. Don’t forget to take Lily with you.>

<Why? No offense to our resident Lampyrian, but it’s easier to go undercover when you’re not blue.>

<She used to be a spy, remember. And she knows more than you about the culture in that sector.>

<Isn’t she like two years old?> Kari asks.

<She’s also the second smartest person on the planet.>

<What, you’re keeping score?>

<She’s proven herself, and her talents could be useful now. Take her with you.>

<Should I go as well?> Vesta asks.

<You’re not exactly low profile on those worlds. Get back to Earth, we’ll figure out what to do next. Null out> Noriko says to close the communication. The holograms of her teammates disappear, and having finished dressing up she checks herself in the mirror. Her thoughts about trying something different from her usual outfit are interrupted by O.D.I.N.

<Mistress, you have a call from Senator Slate on Secure Line 7. Should I decline the call?>

<If it’s on the Secure Line, it has to be important. Just a sec> she instructs the artificial intelligence, pausing to triple check her hair. He may no longer be her boyfriend, but she still makes the effort.

<Put him through. It’s good to see you, Todd> she tells to the holographic image that just appeared.

<Congratulations on the Nobel Prize. You deserve that more than you realize.>

<Thanks. I assume this isn’t a social call? You know the Secure Line is for emergencies.>

<You also told me this line is impossible to intercept. Does that include Athenian ships?>

<Their technology is centuries ahead of Earth’s, but I am Null. Why would they eavesdrop on you?>

<They contacted the GDO to check if we knew anything about a ship identical to the Ragnarok blowing up fleets in the Mortal Republic. You’re not building other ships, aren’t you?>

<I don’t have other warships under constructions, only a few unarmed transports. I’ve notified the Global Defense Organization of them, you know that.>

<I told the GDO and the Demosthenes that you don’t have anything to do with this. What I haven’t told them is that you’re not always you, Noriko. Have you…ehm… turned into somebody else lately?>

<Abyss and Void are locked out of my mind, permanently. I’ve made sure of that.>

<And you’re sure there isn’t an evil clone lurking somewhere?>

<You mean Viper? I blew her brains out. As far as I know, I’m the only me going around. But you’re not the first person to bring me troubling news from space… I’ll look into it, I promise.>

<The GDO is holding an emergency meeting tonight. You could join us.>

<Sorry, I can’t. I have a date.>

<Oh. A certain Russian we’re not supposed to talk about?>

<No, we broke up months ago. I’m dating a Nobel prize winner tonight> she boasts.

<I didn’t know you were dating again. Well… good for you?> he awkwardly says, looking nervous.

<What? You’re not the only one allowed to see other people.>

<Wait, how do you know that I… Noriko, have you been stalking me?>

<Todd, knowing everything that is common knowledge is literally my superpower. Don’t worry, I’m not jealous. Although you should probably ask your secretary to be more discreet about sleeping with her boss, since this is the third time it’s happened.>

<What do you mean by that!? Jasmine isn’t…>

<Have fun at the meeting! Null out> she concludes, cutting off Todd in the middle of the sentence. When his hologram disappears, she finds herself staring at her reflection in the mirror; she didn’t even realize she was smiling. She points a finger at the mirror and asks:

<What are you looking at? Yes it was petty and mean-spirited, but I… why am I even talking to you?>

<Mistress, the call is over. Who are you conversing with?> O.D.I.N. asks.

<It’s nothing, I was just… talking to myself. Again. Is Doctor Kalama in her office?> she asks, touching the bridge of her nose feeling a headache coming up.

<She is in her quarters. Should I contact her?>

<No, there’s no need to disturb her. I have things under control> she answers, reaching her nightstand and opening the drawer. It’s full of plastic bottles of sleeping pills and painkillers, but there is one bottle without any label.

<Mistress, you have programmed me to remind you that taking antipsychotics without prescription…>

<O.D.I.N off> she orders, finding herself alone when she ingests a couple of pills.

<See, what did I tell you? Nothing to worry about> she says to nobody, leaving the room while securing the bottle in a pocket of her green leather jacket.

 

Phaesphoria, 45,000 light-years from Earth

This planet, has been a major center of the worship of Artemis for nearly twenty thousand years. Its name, which literally means “bringer of light”, is the last throwback of the short-lived duties of Artemis as the goddess of dawn. In more recent times Phaesphoria has served as neutral ground for the hundreds of competing groups of space pirates that roam the Artemis sector.

To gain the undying loyalty of thieves, murderers and liars, Artemis required only two things from her subjects: to acknowledge her superiority to the other gods and to never upset her. Which might explain why both Enyo and Adrestia have not been able to completely replace Artemis despite the undeniable superiority of their armies over a loose coalition of pirates.

Even now that Phaesphoria is bombarded by ships taken down by an army of flying robots and the colossal statue of Artemis has been decapitated from orbit, there is still a large crowd gathered in front of the planet’s largest cathedral. The High Priestess and her aides rush into the most sacred room in the temple, where the cult image of Artemis is carefully preserved.

They are shocked to see that the robots have arrived here as well. They watch in horror as one of the unceremoniously knocks the five ton statue of Artemis away, while the other keeps guard.

<Leave this place, vile creatures of Hephaestus, and return to your master! The grace of Artemis will never abandon us!> the priestess shouts, completely ignored by the robots.

There’s a bright flash of light as something is teleported in the room, an object that the priestess has never seen: some kind of bench large enough for two or three people, with armrests and upholstered by strangely tailored cushions. Someone from Earth would call it a couch.

<Oh you wish I was Hephaestus> says the young woman sitting on the couch.

She has a very strange look: black eyes with a silver iris, long black hair on the right side of her head, a buzz cut on the left side, and a white crop top with a strange black symbol… a snake, twisted in the shape of the infinity symbol, biting its tail.

<Mind you, I do understand the confusion, since I based my design on the Talos. But my Oni are much more advanced, as your fleet has already discovered.>

<We are not impressed by brute strength, no matter how overwhelming. Who are you?>

<Seriously?> the woman asks, looking down at herself. In addition to the symbol on her clothes, there are many tattoos visible. Her left arm has a dragon on the shoulder and a sickle on the forearm, the right one has a crescent moon on the shoulder and a hammer on the forearm; there is a snake beneath her navel, and the skin between her shorts and the high heeled biker boots leaves space for two Greek helmets on the left thigh and a bow on the right one.

<I knew I should’ve tattooed “I’m Viper” somewhere.>

<You wear the symbols of all the gods supposedly killed by the Slayer of Gods. You are here to force Phaesphoria to worship her, but my people will never follow your blasphemous religion.>

<Wow. It’s impressive how many things you got wrong> Viper comments, pointing her finger at the priestess: there’s a quick jolt of electricity flowing from her brain to Viper, and the priestess immediately drops dead. The Oni take their place next to Viper’s couch as she licks her finger.

<Bleah. I hate empty brains. Give me some space, boys> she orders, and the Oni oblige by blasting plasma beams from their hands: the roof collapses, killing the priests but bouncing off Viper’s personal forcefield. She then gets off the couch and snaps her fingers, activating a holographic generator that projects her image as a colossal figure that looks over this world’s capital.

<Children of the light, I bring you great news. No longer will your sector be a bargaining chip between false gods that don’t care about your lives, no longer will you receive arbitrary commandments from foreign leaders, no longer will you be ordered to pay for protection with sacrifices. It is this planet, which for thousands of years worshiped the dawn, that now gives birth to the One True Goddess whose name means “the great august deity who shines in the heavens”: rise, Amaterasu-ōmikami> Viper announces.

The sun becomes much brighter, signaling the arrival of a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a kimono of light; even the jaded people of Phaesphoria are impressed by her appearance, especially because it’s happening everywhere at once. Reflections of her light are in every city, and for a while there is no night anywhere.

<The only tribute I ask of you is faith in me. Those who believe in my supremacy shall prosper under my rule, but let those who doubt surrender their souls right now> Amaterasu proclaims.

A second later, the first person dies: like the priestess, by first releasing a bolt of electricity. Then another, and another, until there are thousands upon thousands of lightning strikes that move backwards, flowing from the ground into the dark clouds that are slowly gathering.

<Still you doubt my power? Believe in me and I shall clear the skies and save your souls!> Amaterasu continues. The deaths are still continuing at a horrifying rate, but it slows down: soon the people falling to their demise are surpassed by the number of mortals that kneel before the Sun Goddess. By the time fifty million people are dead, the only sound heard across the planet is the name Amaterasu.

<Your faith has convinced me to spare this world. Some of you still have doubts, but I shall win your hearts as well as your loyalty> she reassures the population, while all the electricity gathered in the dark clouds is channeled back towards Viper.

She screams in both pain and ecstasy, absorbing all the information forcefully extracted from her targets. It doesn’t matter that they were selected at random: those who survive will now follow her pet goddess. And this will be the beginning of something terrifyingly beautiful.

<From this world, which will now be known as Takama-ga-hara, I now proclaim holy war against the false gods of Olympus and against the blasphemous Slayer of Gods!> Amaterasu proclaims.

Her voice is being heard everywhere on the planet. It won’t be long before her voice reaches the entire Galaxy.