Beyond The Impossible

Delos, 78.000 light-years from Earth

This might be the weirdest solar system in the Galaxy: there isn’t a star at its center, but a moon-sized temple dedicated to Apollo. Hundreds of planetoids and asteroids orbit around the planet, with all the light and the heat coming from the vast sphere of plasma that surrounds the system.

The only way to get inside this hollow star is to have Apollo’s blessing, or to own a warship with a hull made of indestructible Neutral Matter. In fact, the N01-Ragnarok is the first ship to reach Delos in thousands of years.

Kari Zel stares nervously at the window of the meeting room, watching the gigantic temple.

<I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.> she admits.

<You think I enjoy this?> Noriko Null replies, fidgeting with her new clothes. The only concession to tradition that she allowed was to dress completely in white, like all previous Supreme Divine Commanders. But unlike the ceremonial robes, she’s just wearing an all-white version of her trademark leather jacket and jeans; the only note of a different color is the black Ø symbol on her white T-shirt. She’s not even wearing Apollo’s symbol.

<Don’t worry, if things don’t go as planned we have a way out.> Kylon reassures her, opening his jacket just enough to show the gun he’s hiding underneath it.

<Did you steal that from the ship’s armory?> Noriko asks her Lar assistant.

<We’re in enemy territory and I’m about to be in a room full of murderers with superpowers. And you’re one to talk, you’re wearing your forcefield belt!> he replies.

<Well, but… she’s not.> Noriko responds, pointing at Kari.

<Yes but she’s a duplicate, if she dies she can just make more. No offense, miss Zel.>

<None taken. But Kylon has a point, Nori, I really don’t trust these Oracles.>

<Who said anything about trust?> Noriko asks rhetorically; then the room is flooded by blinding lights, as people materialize from beams of light.

<Supreme Divine Commander Null.> Shaina says, bowing in front of her new leader. There are two other women and nine men with her, all dressed in the uniform of high-ranking Oracles… as well as a demigoddess wearing a revealing pink dress and a marble mask that covers her face.

<Helen of Troy. I was not informed that you would attend this meeting.> Null says.

<Well you know, dear, a Queen’s job is never done. Tell me, why are we doing this on your ship and not on Delos? Don’t you like your offices?>

<I thought this would be more appropriate. That place was a little… opulent for my tastes.>

<Well that’s too bad. I’ll have it redecorated, no sense keeping the old décor now that Korinna is dead, isn’t it?>

<“Korinna”?> Kari repeats.

<My daughter, the former Supreme High Commander. Didn’t they tell you? She killed herself once she was informed that she would be replaced.> Helen says, calmly taking her seat at the table.

<Oh. No, I… I wasn’t informed. I’m sorry for your loss, I didn’t mean to…>

<Don’t sweat it dear, Korinna was already an old maid: I think she was like thirty or forty years old? Shaina?> Helen asks the Oracle.

<Princess Korinna was eighty-seven, Your Majesty.>

<Whatever, I’ve had so many daughters. I believe two or three are still alive.>

<Seven.> Shaina corrects her.

<Ehm. Shall we begin?> Noriko says, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

Everyone takes a seat. While it’s hard to judge Helen’s attitude since the mask completely obscures her face and her body language is nearly impossible to decipher, it’s not hard to figure out that every Oracle would gladly kill Null if it wasn’t for their god’s wishes.

<Let’s go straight to it. Effective immediately, worshipping a different god is no longer a capital offense. So is not worshipping anyone.>

<WHAT!?> Shaina exclaims.

<All forced indoctrinations are immediately suspended, as are all forms of involuntary religious services AND all forms of indentured servitude.>

<Your Majesty! Are you going to allow the Supreme Divine Commander to dictate such blasphemous directives!?> Shaina exclaims.

<Hmm. I see where you’re coming from, dear, but it IS a little extreme, don’t you think?> Helen replies, sounding thoroughly disinterested.

<We are about to start a war with Ares. This will require all Oracles that are carrying out non-essential operations to join the war effort.> Noriko clarifies.

<Spreading the word of the one true Sun God is the most essential function of his Oracles!> Shaina protests.

<Are you saying that Apollo needs your help?> Noriko asks; all the time lost coming up with ways to dissuade her own worshippers is finally proving useful.

<Well, of course not, but still…>

<Oh just let her work, dear, will you? All this talk about theology bores me anyway.> Helen sighs.

<Surely you don’t want us to bother you with endless tedious minutiae, Your Majesty. Perhaps you would prefer a tour of the ship?> Noriko suggests.

<I don’t want to interrupt your work.>

<No interruption, Kari can do more than one thing at once.> Noriko says; Kari knows her well enough to recognize her glance as “trust me on this one”.

<Absolutely. Will you follow me, please?> a new Kari duplicate asks, appearing right behind Helen of Troy.

<I can’t see why not. Lead the way.> Helen agrees, following the duplicate out of the room.

Now that the Oracles are no longer bound to the presence of their queen, they don’t have to fake having any sort of respect for Null.

<If you think you can besmirch the word of Apollo by manipulating the Queen…> Shaina tells her, with her voice full of anger and resentment.

<Helen is already on my side. As for the Oracles, you will all follow my lead to fight Ares. Then you will destroy Apollo’s leadership from within and help the transition from his obscene theocracy to a democratic system of government.>

<Uhm, Nori, what are you doing?> Kari asks, worried about the fact that they are in enemy territory and facing several hostile Oracles.

<And why would we do that?> Shaina asks, her body shining as she prepares to incinerate Null with a laser blast.

<Why, do you ask?> she Slayer of Gods chuckles, closing her eyes.

<Because I say so.> she adds, her eyes now golden.

Everyone freezes in place, unable to move a muscle as lightning crackles between her eyes.

<Helen is immune from my golden eyes because she’s a demigoddess, but you are not so lucky. I don’t have the luxury of infiltrating people I trust within your organization, so we’re doing things a little more directly. And you’re not going to resist.>

<Yes, Supreme Divine Commander.> all Oracles say in unison.

<Fantastic. I can’t control every single Oracle, but you’re going to convert the others to my point of view. In fact, from this point on you’re going to agree to every order I give.>

<I don’t think that’s a good idea.> Kylon comments. Unlike Kari, who is completely frozen in place, he doesn’t seem to have been affected by the golden eyes.

<That’s odd. I ordered your mind to black out this conversation.>

<You’ve never used that power on a Lar, isn’t it? I guess our brains are sufficiently different from those of humans to prevent this from working on both species at once.> Kylon theorizes.

<That’s… unexpected. Why do you think this isn’t a good idea?>

<You just ordered your subordinates to never disagree with you. That’s a recipe for disaster if I’ve ever heard one.>

<But you don’t object to mind control.>

<Desperate times call for desperate measures. But as reckless as you can be, I doubt you would use this kind of power for the first time on something so dangerous… you must have practiced this before. Not on me, or you would’ve anticipated that this couldn’t work… it must have something to do with how quickly the Global Defense Organization changed its mind about my situation and your plans for Earth’s defense.>

<Well aren’t you the clever one. But yes, I’ve already done this with President Keen and with the GDO on a couple of…> she pauses, wincing in pain.

<This power must have significant drawbacks if you don’t use it all the time. Are you okay?>

<I’ll be fine.> she lies, wiping away the tears of blood leaking from her eyes.

<I’m sure the Vanguard wouldn’t approve these kinds of methods.>

<And that’s why they don’t… they…> she stumbles on her words. She tries to stand up, but she has a really hard time keeping her balance.

<Are you alright?> Kylon asks.

<It’s a lot harder than it looks. But I’m… I’m fine, I don’t…> she says, her eyes turning brown as she collapses on the floor.

Kylon rushes to check on her; Kari takes a few seconds more before she snaps out of her trance.

<What happened!?> she asks, checking Noriko’s pulse.

<I don’t know.> Kylon lies.

<What did you do to her!?> Kari shouts to Shaina, who just shrugs.

<If I wanted her dead there would be a hole where her head used to be. She was just talking and she fainted with no warning whatsoever.> the Oracle answers.

<We should get her to the infirmary.> Kylon suggests, trying to take Noriko in his arms; Kari beats him to it.

<We’ll have to do this meeting some other time.>

<That is unacceptable. We must work out the details on how to ban religious prosecution.> Shaina replies, much to Kari’s surprise.

<The details of what?>

<We’re going to need access to the ship’s communication array. All Oracles must be ordered to stop forced indoctrinations at once!> Shaina insists.

<Are you for real!?>

<Null can be extremely persuasive.> Kylon comments. Looking at the unconscious Null, it’s nearly impossible to acknowledge the tremendous power contained within such a frail body.

 

Kerynitis, 35,000 light years from Earth

The planet visible on the viewscreen has now been reduced to a molten mass of lifeless rocks, unable to withstand the cosmic power of Hera.

The Queen of Olympus appears on the bridge of the Lar ship, dropping two bodies on the floor. They used to be gorgeous goddesses, but now they are barely recognizable thanks to the bruises and burns that completely cover their bodies.

<My Queen. I waited patiently for your victory.> the Ice Queen kneels before Hera, as does the Lar crew. Tyche just bows slightly.

<Those are Circe and Adrestia. Are they…?>

<Dead? Not yet. Their punishment will come in time.> Hera answers.

<What about my mother?>

<Aphrodite escaped, like the filthy coward she is. But let us talk about more pressing issues… rise, mortal, and tell me your birth name.>

<Leiko Tanaka, Your Majesty. Your loyal servant.> the human answers, standing up.

<So you are. You have proven to be the pinnacle of loyalty and fairness, and your upstanding morality shall be rewarded.> Hera says. Her hands unlock the chocker that holds the Vial of Destiny, the only thing shielding Leiko from divine powers. She lets her do it.

<May you serve Olympus for all eternity.> she declares, placing a hand on Leiko’s shoulder.

The human feels something crawling inside her skin as a blue aura glows around her.

An energy that erases her wrinkles, rejuvenating her skin and her organs.

<Never again will you be ravaged by the passage of time. Leiko Tanaka, in honor of your services to Olympus and your personal friendship to your Queen, I grant you eternal youth.>

<I am honored to serve.> Leiko answers, barely recognizing her voice now that her body is twenty-five years old again.