Null Tower, New York City
A proper dinner is something rare for Noriko Null, given her preference to working absurd hours. Today is one of the rare occasions when she dines with her father Bob in the apartment he shares with his companion, Doctor Catherine Kalama, and their daughter Nalani. Even rarer, they had a second guest: Oluwa Kalu, Noriko’s latest collaborator… and her date for the night.
With Bob and Oluwa taking care of the dishes, the doctor takes the opportunity to talk to her.
<You two make a cute couple. This is what, your third date?>
<Fifth. And I’m not sure we’re a couple yet; I feel like things went too fast with Dmitry, so we’re taking our time.>
<Every relationship is different, so don’t give it too much thought. While we’re at it, Noriko, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your father.>
<Please don’t tell me he’s concerned about my sex life, again.>
<Well, he is, but I’ve convinced him to stop embarrassing you. But he’s… restless, Noriko, he needs something to do when he’s not looking after Nalani. He needs a job.>
<He has access to more money than he could possibly know how to use.>
<I didn’t say he needs money. Bob isn’t the kind of person who would live off someone else’s money, he needs to know he’s making a difference.>
<You don’t think I know my father? He busted his ass off to raise me and now I’m paying my debt.>
<Has he ever asked for anything in return for what he’s done for you?>
<Never. Look, doctor, it’s not that I don’t want to hire him, but my father is a janitor. That’s the kind of job I give to my robots.>
<Have you asked him if there’s another job he wants? Or you just assumed that all he wanted to do was being a father?>
<I absolutely hate it when you’re right, you know> Noriko answers, reluctantly leaving the doctor to go in the kitchen where the Nobel laureate is passing dishes to the high school janitor.
<Seriously? That’s awful! Hey Nori, did you know that Kalu exposed this really big charity that gave most of the money intended for war victims for its members!?>
<Yes, I did. You didn’t listen to his speech in Stockholm, didn’t you?>
<Your father is a very… interesting person, Noriko. He told me about his struggle to keep custody after your mother abandoned you. And strangely enough, something about you being conceived on a beach?>
<He does that. Do you, ehm, do you mind giving us a moment alone?> she asks, leading the Nigerian man out of the kitchen. When she turns back to her father, he’s smiling at her.
<I like him. But what’s up with you only dating older men? If it’s daddy issues, maybe we can…>
<So you were talking about his job> she immediately changes the subject.
<Yes, something about helping poor communities and how big charities keep screwing things up.>
<I offered him a job at the Null Foundation, but he refused. Would you like it?>
<He seems the right kind of guy, but if he doesn’t want to do it…>
<No I mean, would you like the job?>
<What, me? Why me?>
<You know what it means not being able to put food on the table, you’re charming, honest, and you can tell when someone’s trying to bulls#it you. Except my mother, but we share that blind spot.>
<You talked to Catherine, didn’t you? I knew she was planning something.>
<See? Bulls#it radar> Noriko says with a smile.
<Boos#it! Boos#hit!> the toddler hugging Noriko’s leg repeats enthusiastically, until she’s picked up by her father.
<Sorry! I didn’t think she would… she talks!?>
<Sista! Boos#hit!> Nalani repeats, holding out her hands towards her half-sister.
<It’s been ages since you visited. You know what her word was? You’ll never guess!>
<I suppose it’s not something predictable like “dada”.>
<No, that was your first word. Hers was “sister”.>
<That’s… nice> Noriko answers. She doesn’t know if she hesitated because she’s still uncomfortable with the idea of her new family, or because she’s hallucinating: in her eyes, there are snakes dripping from Nalani’s mouth.
Fortunately, the Tower’s internal speakers shake her back to reality.
<Mistress. There is a person of interest looking for you in the lobby.>
<That sounds really important, doesn’t it? I should probably go> Noriko excuses herself.
<Noriko! We already see you rarely enough. Whoever it is, it can’t be more important than your family> her father scolds her.
<Actually, it’s the President of the Mortal Senate> O.D.I.N. answers.
<Oh. That does sound pretty important> Bob shrugs.
Operation Center
Alexer Syzar is watching the city’s skyline from one of the top floors of the building. From his point of view Earth is technologically primitive, but he does recognize it has a certain charm.
<You have some nerve coming here> Noriko tells him once she enters the room, scowling.
<I couldn’t trust sending a message, the risk of someone intercepting it was too high.>
<Quit the act, Syzar, I know you used to be the Mist. You worked for the Scribe and the Guild; I’m done trusting anything you have to say.>
<I know I assisted the invasion of Earth, but I like to think I contributed to the Scribe and the Winter King’s eventual defeat.>
<I agree. And that helped Leiko become the ruler of the Winter Kingdom.>
<We’re both guilty of unwittingly helping her plans. That’s what happens when we don’t work together, Null. When we do, nothing can stop us… the Mortal Republic is living proof of that.>
<Then be straight with me. What are you doing on Earth, Syzar?>
<There’s a new goddess around. She took over Adrestia’s territory and the last planets still loyal to Artemis, then she declared holy war on the Galaxy. Her name is Amaterasu.>
<The Japanese sun goddess. I thought that particular pantheon wasn’t real.>
<I’m alien to this planet and most of its culture, Null, but I did learn a few things. Like the fact that both you and Leiko are Japanese. And since only one of you is considered a goddess, I have to ask: are you in any way connected with Amaterasu?>
<I don’t say this often, Syzar, but I have no freakin’ clue of what you’re talking about.>
<Amaterasu has robots at her disposal, based on the Talos design: with Hephaestus and the Scribe dead, you’re the only one smart enough to build them. So either you’re working with Amaterasu, or you’re going to help me defeat her.>
<You’re the third person telling me about someone using technology only I should have. There’s only one way to get to the bottom of this… follow me.>
<Why? Where are we going?>
<To do an autopsy on my dead body.>
On a lower level
Doctor Catherine Kalama feels a chill when she enters the room: it’s a lab where she’s never been, but it’s no surprise considering the complexity of the layout of Null Tower.
She finds Noriko there, with a man she doesn’t recognize but who feels strangely familiar.
<Doctor Kalama. I’m glad to see that Null still employs your services; your actions on Myridia were truly remarkable.>
<Ah, thanks? Do I know you?>
<He tried to kill me. You know, that time I almost died on Myridia?> Noriko asks.
<That doesn’t exactly narrow it down. What is this place?>
<It’s a morgue. I keep Viper’s corpse here.>
<“Viper”?> Syzar repeats.
<The evil clone I accidentally created with the Heart Of The Universe when I destroyed the Guild; it’s a long story. I killed her after finding the Dragon Tomb.>
<In self defense, right?> Doctor Kalama asks, worried when Noriko changes the subject.
<Naturally, I did an autopsy to make sure she didn’t transfer her consciousness to another clone, like the Scribe used to do. The results proved she couldn’t do that, but Viper is almost as smart as me… it’s possible I overlooked something.>
<I’m not a coroner, but I’ll see what I can do> the doctor agrees.
<Brace yourselves… the Genius Gun blew her brains out. It’s not a pretty sight> she warns them, pulling out of the wall the metallic bed holding a dead body protected by a body bag.
And that body is an exact replica of Noriko’s, with only two visible differences: the hair is much longer, and there’s a hole the size of a fist on her forehead. Just watching her makes her sick to her stomach; even if it’s not their face, both Doctor Kalama and Syzar gasp at the sight.
<I know. In my defense, she really deserved to…>
<Noriko… what are you seeing?> the doctor asks, clearly worried by the situation.
<What do you mean? I told you, this is Viper’s corpse.>
<Null, there’s nothing there. It’s empty> Syzar tells her, getting closer; in Noriko’s eyes, his hands are passing through Viper’s body like it was intangible.
<That’s not possible! I can clearly… see…> Noriko protests, pausing when she start to think about it.
She’s been suffering from hallucinations for years now, but they’ve become worse since she came back from the Dragon Tomb… since she’s killed Viper. Continuous use of Drylon technology is known to cause insanity, so she’s never thought some hallucinations could be intentional.
<Oh my God> she says, quickly reaching from the plastic container she keeps in a pocket of her leather jacket and recovering a handful of antipsychotic pills.
<What are those?> the doctor asks her, knowing Noriko’s history with reckless self-medication.
Noriko’s silver eyes shine brightly, and the image she sees changes drastically. The corpse disappears, replaced by an urn with the symbol of a snake, twisted to resemble the symbol for infinity, biting its tail. There’s a word engraved beneath it: “GOTCHA”.
<That b##ch had me cremate her body and hallucinate her autopsy; she could be anywhere!>
<I know where she is: Takama, the capital world of Amaterasu’s kingdom> Syzar tells her.
<Then that’s where we’re going.>
<Nobody’s going anywhere until you get a full checkup> Doctor Kalama orders her.
Just then, both Noriko and Syzar disappear in the unmistakable light of a teleporter.
<Can’t we ever finish a conversation before you go to space!?> she complains.
HDS Demosthenes, in orbit above Earth
Being teleported against your will can be disorienting, but both Null and Syzar are pros: once they materialize and find themselves surrounded by Athenian soldiers, they’re ready to fight.
They’re slightly discouraged when they spot Captain Kamos among them: being from the Aurochian species, he’s a hulking minotaur-looking mass of muscles.
<President Syzar. We’re here to escort you back to the Mortal Republic.>
<I’m the head of state of a sovereign sector. I’m on Earth on official business.>
<And against the wishes of Athena. Lady Null, please step away from the President.>
<He’s under my protection. Tell your men to lower their weapons, Kamos; I won’t ask twice.>
<You’re outnumbered twenty to one. Your threats are not reliable.>
<That wasn’t a threat. It was a fact. Null Shield> she orders; once her body is protected by a green forcefield, the soldiers open fire. It doesn’t need to be at full power, since weapons are set to stun, but it gives her time to draw the Genius Gun. She shoots the soldiers in rapid succession, incapacitating one after the other; only Kamos resists the shot, charging towards her.
His horns bump into the shield, pinning her against the wall; he’s much, much stronger than a human, and she has limited information on Aurochians to estimate how much he can take.
She doesn’t have to: Syzar has stolen one of the weapons dropped by the soldiers and shoots Captain Kamos in the back. He needs six full shots, but he finally goes down.
<Well, that was easier than expected. We better go to the bridge and disable the communications system or they’ll send a signal to Athena> Noriko tells him.
<That won’t be necessary. I already disabled the communication array> the last Athenian soldier reveals; Noriko recognizes him as Liosthenes, one of the ship’s officers.
He’s raising his hands to surrender.
<Why would you do that?> Noriko asks.
<Because I’m a member of the Mortal Liberation Front. And because you’re the only one who can stop Amaterasu.>
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