Beyond The Impossible

Las Vegas, Earth

Most gods would rather be dead that walk among mortals without being recognized as deities, but Tyche is a little different. Maybe that’s because her father Hermes kept her away from the spotlight for millennia, but from time to time she enjoys a little sightseeing in anonymity.

She doesn’t know much about Earth, other than the fact that Null was born here, in a place called New York City where Vesta also lives.

The “New York-New York Hotel and Casino” was what brought her here, with its 150-foot tall replica of the Statue of Liberty that made her wonder if the statue holding a torch is supposed to be a poor representation of Vesta.

But now she’s inside the casino on the other side of the street, the “Excalibur Hotel and Casino”.

From the outside, with its full-size white castle, looked like a place where a goddess could spend the night. But the inside, walking past the endless parade of slot machines and poker tables, has a different meaning for the goddess of luck.

<Where has this place been all my life?> she wonders excitedly.

As she smiles, every single machine hits the jackpot at once.

 

Null Tower, New York City

Noriko Null gets off the medical bed, putting her green leather jacket back on while Dr. Catherine Kalama look at the results of the scan on a holographic screen.

<Well, I have good news and bad news.> the doctor tells her.

<Bad news first.>

<Your brain tumor doesn’t show any sign of shrinking. The good news is that it doesn’t show any growth either.>

<Lucky me…>

<Don’t misunderstand me, Noriko, it’s not something to be taken lightly, but as long as you don’t stress yourself too much, and if you stop using your golden eyes…>

<I’ve already told you I’ll only use them as last resort, doctor.>

<You keep saying that, Noriko, but how many times have you already used them?>

<Ten. And the last time I had to use them to prevent the Eden from assimilating the known universe, so gimme a break, okay? I’m more than aware that I’ve already shaved off ten years from my lifespan thanks to that stupid power-up.>

<I suppose there isn’t much more I can do to stop you from risking your life.>

<Speaking of risks… I’ve been so busy coming up with a vaccine to stop the pandemic that I haven’t had the time to check on Max. What can you tell me about it, doctor?>

<That you’ll have to ask him. Doctor-patient confidentiality.>

<Don’t make me remind me that I’m your boss.>

<You had to know this had to happen when you made me the Vanguard’s physician. Honestly, it’s a nice change to have other patients… not that I want Quantum to get ill, but my other potential patients are an alien, a goddess and a Myridian who never gets sick!>

<Max wasn’t “sick”, he was killed by Anubis and resurrected by necrobots which I had to purge from his system. I just want to make sure there were no side effects.>

<If it makes you feel any better, he’s the pinnacle of health. But the medical applications of these “necrobots” are unsettling.>

<Tell me about it! They make even my Molecular Assembler look amateurish, and that can regrow entire limbs! If only I could create a version of the necrobots that doesn’t make the host completely dependent on them, I could…>

<Cure death?>

<It’s on my to-do list.> Noriko answers half-jokingly, just when her N-Phone rings to show her a message. When she reads it, Doctor Kalama can see the confusion on her patient’s face.

<Good news or bad news?>

<I have no idea… my ex-boyfriend wants to see me right now.>

 

Hart Senate Office Building, Washington D.C.

Todd Slate arrives at his office, taking off the protective mask. Even now that the pandemic is under control, he still wears it in public as a statement of approval for the policy to protect those who haven’t taken the vaccine yet… or those who still refuse.

Even if his secretary didn’t tell him that someone was already here to see him, he finds his chair already taken… by a girl resting her boots on the Senator’s desk.

<Hey.> Noriko greets him.

<I already asked you not to teleport here. I ran into trouble with security the last time you did that.>

<Your message seemed pretty urgent. And you wouldn’t ask to see me in person if this wasn’t important, right?>

<Yes. But before we talk business, I have something for you: look into the drawer.> Todd tells her. Noriko opens the drawer to find a small package, clearly a present.

<Uh? What’s this?>

<Your gift. Tomorrow’s your birthday, right?>

<You remembered.> Noriko comments, sounding a little more emotional than usual. She’s not entirely fond of how she has treated Todd after their relationship ended, but she still cares for him.

<Sorry I didn’t get you anything for yours.>

<It’s okay. Anyway, I talked with Kylon.> Todd says, changing the subject to business.

<The Lar defector under custody of the Global Defense Organization.> Noriko nods.

<You vouched for him with the G.D.O. Do you trust him?>

<Up to a point. He has helped me, but I haven’t had the chance to properly vet him… the last time we talked I didn’t even have my silver eyes.>

<What?>

<It’s a long story. What did you talk about?>

<He brought with him several devices that supposedly contain the blueprints for Lar technology, but he refuses to decrypt them for the G.D.O. unless they share them with you… according to him, it’s even more advanced than your technology.>

<Ha. I’d like to be the judge of that.> Noriko replies with a smirk, her silver eyes shining proudly.

<Needless to say, the G.D.O. is salivating at the idea of having the edge over you. You’re not exactly popular with them, or with the leaders of many leaders of G.D.O. member countries.>

<Figures. I save the world from multiple invasions and from a deadly virus that shut down the world literally until last week, and somehow I’m the bad guy.> she sighs.

<Speaking as your previous public relations manager… your popularity really took a nosedive during the lockdown. The conspiracy theory that the virus was your fault, either because you brought the Eden here or even because you created it, really took off.>

<I’m sure President Keen pushing that nonsense didn’t help either.>

<There’s even talk about breaking down Null Technologies into smaller companies because you have a monopoly over the Plasma Reactors and other stuff.>

<Hmm, that might actually be a good idea. I think I overgrew being a billionaire.>

<Is that why you are building your own country in Antarctica? You overgrew being a private citizen as well? You’re not doing much to disprove the idea that you’re taking over the planet.>

<Am I talking to the Senator now? Or to the liaison to the G.D.O.?>

<To a concerned friend. I know you despise the idea of taking over, but the people on the street or the governments don’t know you as much as I do. If you don’t take your image seriously, other people will be controlling the narrative for you.> he tells her, getting a little too close for comfort.

Luckily for Noriko, the conversation is interrupted by the tattoo on her left arm: the snake twisted into the symbol for infinity is glowing and vibrating softly.

<I gotta take this. But… thanks for the advice.> Noriko tells him, holding her arm and teleporting away before he has time to add anything else.

 

A research station in the Athena sector

Dmitry Voron sees the blinking light on the console, and makes a few brief adjustments on the projector before pressing the button that activates it. The result is that he finds himself facing a stunningly realistic holographic representation of Noriko Null.

<Well this is unexpected.> she tells him, looking around: it’s a two-way transmission.

Voron is wearing a white lab coat over a uniform of the Athenian Fleet, and while she can’t properly identify the scientific instruments in the room they are clearly very advanced.

<You don’t have to acknowledge that you like to hear this, but happy birthday.>

<You remembered?>

<Of course: I am the second smartest human alive. I figured that contacting you a day earlier would have a more positive emotional impact.>

<Well, you’re not wrong. I’m just not used to people calling me unless there’s a disaster.>

<Nothing of the sort, at least not yet. Let me ask you this: when was the last time you heard about the President of the Mortal Republic?>

<Syzar? The Viper crisis, when I threatened to ruin his life if he tried to run for re-election. Why?>

<Because his government just lost a vote of confidence in the Mortal Senate and the New Alliance Party… Syzar’s party… will confirm his as their candidate for the next presidential election as soon as the Council of Myridia is over.>

<Wait a second. If they haven’t confirmed it yet, how do you know?>

<You think the Athenians don’t have spies in the Mortal Senate? Syzar will be at the council to represent the Mortal Republic. Athena will send Nike to represent her; she thinks this is a big deal.>

<She hasn’t told me anything. And I have a feeling she didn’t tell you either.>

<Definitely not. And she’s upgraded her tachyon network, I can’t hack into her communications anymore. Fortunately for us, Aphrodite talked about it in her network, which isn’t even encrypted.>

<That sounds suspicious as hell. She may be ditzy, but what kind of government does that!?>

<The only government that distributes porn to the entire galaxy, for free.>

<I guess that answers why Athena didn’t catch it. Although I don’t want to know why YOU were looking into it.>

<It’s both educational and very artistic. Will you be monitoring it?>

<ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!>

<I was referring to the Council of Myridia.>

<Still no! I don’t want anything to do with that stupid religion they based on me. But thanks for the heads-up: I will definitely talk with Syzar about this.>

<Anytime. Before we end this, I am transmitting a data stream, but don’t open it until tomorrow. Consider it my birthday present.>

<It’s not porn, I hope.>

<You’ll know after you open it. Happy birthday, Null.> Voron tells her, pressing the button to shut down the transmitter.

 

Null Tower, New York City

Noriko returns to her room, finding her current boyfriend waiting for her. Before Daren Bekker can say anything, she raises a hand to stop him.

<Can we please not talk about whatever it is you’re planning for tomorrow? I already had to shoot down too many suggestions for today!>

<What makes you think I’m planning anything?>

<C’mon Daren, smartest person on the planet, remember? You can’t talk with all of my friends without me finding out, especially if you use my teleporter.>

<You’re the worst person for receiving a surprise party.> he teases her, getting close enough to kiss her. She responds by embracing him.

<Some surprises are nice. And I appreciate the gesture, I truly do. But… nothing too fancy, okay? I’ll try to act as if I’m really surprised.>

<I’m sure you will> Daren answers, hoping she won’t realize that after tonight she will wake up on Myridia.