Beyond The Impossible

Asgard Station, Null Zone

Noriko Null is in one of the innumerable laboratories of the station, but for once she’s not the one getting her brain examined.

Her half-sister Nalani is sitting on a chair next to a scanner, and the four year old kid kicks her legs back and forth as she waits impatiently. Her parents, Bob Null and Catherine Kalama, are also there to supervise; more for moral support than out of concern for her safety, as they both trust Noriko knows what she’s doing.

<Don’t worry, Nalani, it’s not going to hurt you.> Dr. Kalama reassures her.

<I know, mom, this is not an invasive procedure.>

As mother and daughter talk, Noriko is studying the holographic projection of Nalani’s brain. Its appearance doesn’t differ much from a regular human’s… it hasn’t mutated like Noriko’s… but the scan reveals that the neural pathways are far more efficient than they should.

<Her brain seems to have retained the enhancement provided by the Nexus. She can’t absorb information like I do, but she can think faster than a regular human.> Noriko explains.

<How come the same thing didn’t happen to me as well? I got smarter at the same time she did, shouldn’t I have retained it too?> Bob asks.

<It’s possible that a child’s brain is more malleable, since it hasn’t finished growing.>

<Unless I kept my super-intelligence and you just didn’t notice.>

<Doubtful, but… what’s the square root of 100,000?> Noriko asks her father.

<Uhm… like a hundred?> he guesses.

<What’s a square root?> Nalani asks.

<The value that, when multiplied by itself, gives the number.> her half-sister explains.

<Oh. Like, the square root of 16 is 4?> the four year old asks.

<Precisely.>

<Okay! Then the square root of 100,000 is 316.227766016838.> Nalani says cheerfully.

<Nori, are you sure she’s still smart? She just threw around some random numbers.>

<Father, that’s actually the right answer.> Noriko clarifies.

<No way, seriously!?> Bob exclaims.

<Noriko, can I talk to you alone for a minute?> Dr. Kalama asks, getting away from her daughter and lowering her voice to avoid being heard.

<Is it permanent? Will there be side effects?>

<Yes to the former and probably no to the latter. This is only the second case I’ve ever seen, you might want a second opinion from Asclepius but…>

<Second one? Who… oh. It’s the same thing that was done to Dmitry Voron, isn’t it?> Dr. Kalama deduces.

<The method to achieve it was different, but yes, her brain does show the same enhancement Dmitry had received from his father’s experiments. He never told me about any side effect, so Nalani should be able to live a perfectly normal life. Unless I get her killed too.> Noriko adds, trying her best to avoid looking Dr. Kalama in the eye.

<Noriko, I hope you’re not seriously blaming yourself for Dmitry’s death.>

<I shouldn’t have allowed him to get so close to the battle and I should’ve anticipated how hard killing Ares would be. If I had, he wouldn’t have needed to die to save my life. I get what you’re trying to do, doctor, and I appreciate it. But I won’t delude myself into blaming anyone but me.>

<That’s not a healthy way to look at things. Once we’re back on Earth and you’ve recovered from this whole experience…>

<I’m fine.> Noriko stops her.

<You were dead for months!>

<And I’m not anymore, which I count as “fine”.>

<Noriko…>

<Hey! Catherine! You really have to see this!> Bob calls her attention, holding out his N-Phone.

<Bob, can it wait a…>

<316.22 and so on! Isn’t that crazy!?> he exclaims, showing the phone’s calculator as proof.

His companion and his older daughter share a look.

<Are you sure he didn’t lose intelligence?> the doctor asks.

<Hey, I didn’t choose our relationship.> Noriko shrugs, relieved by the moment of levity until her watch sends a beeping sound.

<Sorry, I have to take this one. It’s pretty important.>

<Okay but once you’re done can we please go back to Earth?>

<If my next meeting proves me that it won’t be blown apart the second we set foot there, doctor.>

 

Argos, 100 light-years from Earth

Office of the President of the Mortal Republic

Aura Syzar is in a bad mood, her natural state of being these days. Looking out the window, she can see the crowd of protesters gathered before the building; even the soldiers standing guard in front of the Mortal Senate aren’t enough to convince them to go home.

<Madam President, the Supreme Pontiff is here.> one of her attendants informs her.

<She’s alone?> Aura asks.

<Yes, Madam President. She’s unarmed, but once again I must suggest blocking her duplication powers with an Agony Ring; standard procedure for Myridians is…>

<I won’t be intimidated by a preacher. Send her in.> Aura orders, sitting down at her desk; her unusual height still makes her presence intimidating.

Ganos Lal steps inside the office and takes her seat; it’s not the first time she visits, but it’s the first she considers the possibility this duplicate won’t survive the encounter.

<Acting President. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting.>

<As long as you don’t try to convert me to your phony religion.>

<One of the tenets of the Church of Null is to avoid pushing our beliefs on the people who don’t wish to worship Null.>

<Yeah, right. That’s why I have eighty-four worlds declaring Null is their legitimate ruler!?>

<I can assure you that Lady Null had nothing to do with it. In fact, she wishes to explain it personally.> Ganos Lal answers; she takes a deep breath, and her eyes crackle with electricity.

Soon enough, an image of Noriko Null projects itself sitting on the chair next to her.

<Aura. I would’ve preferred to talk in person, but I have the feeling teleporting inside your office would’ve sent the wrong message.> the image says.

<Null. Interesting hologram.> Aura replies, knowing perfectly well that this isn’t a hologram.

<It’s a mental projection, far more difficult to intercept. Untangling the mess left behind by the impostor is going to require some unusual measures.>

<Impostor? What are you blathering about?>

<The Null that incited the revolts and rebelled against you wasn’t me. It was an android controlled by the Ice Queen, with the assistance of the Amazons.>

<And I’m supposed to believe that?>

<If I wanted your position I wouldn’t need weird tricks, Aura, I would just take it.>

<Not without spilling a lot of blood. I know you care about these things. But let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you’re telling the truth: why didn’t you stop this android sooner?>

<I was dead at the time.>

<…>

<No, seriously, I was.>

<I get it. You were outsmarted by the Ice Queen and you’re too proud to admit it.>

<Yeah, sure, let’s go with that. My point, Aura, is that the status quo won’t last: the Mortal Republic is on the brink of collapse. The only reason it’s still intact is that nobody has made a serious attempt to conquer it, but we both know how fragile this institution is.>

<I don’t need you to tell me how much the Republic is deteriorating, Null. I assume you have a proposal for me?>

<Remove your ships from the Myridia and Earth systems. In exchange I’ll restore the funds you need to finance your mercenaries.>

<And what about the worlds hailing you as their new ruler? Will you renounce any wish to take political power, again? You’ve done it several times: your worshippers simply refuse to listen.>

<Yeah, I know. I haven’t figured out a solution for that just yet. But I’m sure I can convince them to cease any kind of violence against republican forces.>

<That is a temporary measure at best, Null. What is your ultimate goal, new elections?>

<In the state we’re in, that’s a recipe for a civil war. No, what we really need to do is cool things down for a while. Let’s make a provisional government, made of representatives of both the current Mortal Senate and the Church of Null. That’ll help us smoothen differences.>

<I can agree to that, but I am keeping the position of President.>

<Deal.>

<And I want custody of the weapon you used to kill Ares. The StarScourge.>

<You know I can’t agree to that, Aura. It’s far too dangerous.>

<Then I won’t allow you access to the Earth system. I can’t trust what weapons you keep there. Either give me the StarScourge or destroy it.>

<It’s far too valuable to throw it away, and I’m not sure there’s a way to destroy it without blowing up an entire solar system. But if you’re worried I could use it against you, we can relocate it to Argos… if you also agree it to be guarded by both Republic and Church personnel.>

<That’s enough for me.>

<Okay, that’s… wow. I honestly thought it would take more effort to convince you.>

<We have our differences, Null, but we both have the interests of mortals at heart. But there’s also the issue of how to deal with the Ice Queen… I assume you didn’t kill her?>

<Not for lack of trying, but yes. Don’t worry about her right now, I assure you she’ll have too much on her plate to bother us for a while.>

<I’ll have my informants verify that. You’ll understand me if I don’t exactly trust your word on the matter; the Ice Queen seems to be your greatest blind spot.>

<You might be onto something. Fortunately for everyone, I’m working on a solution for that.>

<Which is?>

<You’ll understand me if I don’t exactly trust you on the details of my “greatest blind spot”.>

<Fair enough. I will retire the ships from the Myridia and Earth system and start working on a list of members for the provisional government; I suggest you do the same.>

<I will. Null out.> the mental projection answers, before rapidly disappearing.

Aura is left alone with Ganos Lal, who blinks repeatedly to clear her eyes from the effects of transmitting the thoughts of her goddess.

<I trust this conversation will be kept confidential?> Aura asks.

<I didn’t hear a single word, Lady Null used my mind as a vessel. Right now she’s probably using my other duplicates for the same reason.>

<Impressive. So she can essentially be in more place than one?>

<I’m not sure she can create more than one mental projection at a time. But then again, I don’t presume to understand how a goddess works.> Ganos Lal shrugs.

<I’ll have to learn more about this power if I’m supposed to allow members of your Church to serve in my government.>

<I will only share that which Null wishes to share. For more, you will have to talk with her.>

<Hm. Perhaps you’re not as naïve as I thought you were, Lal.>

 

Asgard Station, Null Zone

Noriko Null returns to her body. Mental projection isn’t as hard on her as her Golden Eyes were, but it still puts some strain on her mind. It takes her a few seconds to get to her senses, which is why she’s startled when Kylon speaks:

<Do you have a moment?>

<Ah! Jesus Christ, Kylon, you scared me half to death… how did you get in here!?>

<You gave me access to the lab. Also, considering your recent history, I’m surprised you’re able to joke about your own death.>

<I would go insane if I took it too seriously, Kylon. And to answer your question, I literally have five minutes… I’m supposed to give a medical checkup to Kari’s kids.>

<I won’t be long. We need to discuss the future of the Winter Kingdom.>

<Kylon, even I can’t do that in five minutes…>

<It’s remarkably simple. Am I to understand that the Ice Queen will soon lose her position?>

<I wouldn’t know about “soon”, but yeah, I don’t expect her rule will last for very long. And if it does, once we’ve fixed the Mortal Republic mess we’ll pay her a visit.>

<She is a sovereign ruler: her rule will end only after a successor has been chosen. She took power by force, but she can be replaced by a more worthy ruler.>

<Let me guess: you want to be named the next Winter King?>

<I have no royal blood. Her marriage to the last Winter King might have been in name only, but the Ice Queen is still the legitimate heir to the throne by Lar laws.>

<Then what? Is there a distant relative to a previous king who could be chosen?>

<There is no need for that. Lar succession laws are very clear: in absence of legitimate children of the last ruler, any illegitimate child has a higher claim than any other candidate.>

<You once told me the Winter King didn’t have any children, legitimate or otherwise.>

<No. But the current Ice Queen has a daughter, doesn’t she?>