Beyond The Impossible

Asgard Station, Null Zone

It’s the dead of night in the arbitrary time zone observed by the station, but that doesn’t mean Noriko Null has finished working.

She’s been discussing the details of the new government of the Mortal Republic for several hours, as shown by a few plates of half-eaten food scattered between the floor and her desk.

<I think we’re finally done.> she admits, stretching her arms and suppressing a yawn.

<Are you sure? I think we’re missing something.> Kylon replies; even if the Lar don’t require as much sleep as humans, he’s just as tired as she is. But he still goes through his notes on the extensive list of all the governmental positions discussed.

<Of course, how could we forget? We’re missing the Minister of War.>

<No, we’re not.> Noriko replies.

<Yes we are: we forgot to put down any names for the position.> Kylon insists, pointing at the list.

<I don’t forget anything. I left it for last on purpose.>

<That makes sense… it’s the most powerful ministry, and Aura keeps an eye on it since she used to be the minister before she became President. You’re going to need someone you completely trust in that position.>

<Oh I know that.> Noriko nods, stepping up and walking to the other side of the desk, leaning onto it to face Kylon a little bit closer.

<I was thinking about someone with both military and diplomatic experience, who has traveled the galaxy and has intimate knowledge of one of our greatest rivals, and who has risked his life to resurrect me. Does that remind you of someone?> she asks, crossing her arms.

<You can’t be serious, Null.>

<You worked hard to gain my trust, Kylon. You have it now.>

<You want me to serve as Minister of War!?>

<Well actually I was thinking of renaming it “ministry of defense”, but otherwise, yes.>

<I’m flattered, but that is a terrible idea.>

<Have I mentioned that not wanting the job is a big plus in my book?>

<Null… Noriko, I am a defector of the Winter Army. My loyalty to the Mortal Republic will immediately be questioned, plus my hatred for the current leadership of the Winter Kingdom is a matter of public record. My involvement will derail any attempt at diplomacy.>

<Which is the only reason why I didn’t offer you to be Minister of Foreign Affairs. But having you in charge of the military will show that we are not willing to compromise with the Ice Queen, plus you’ll be able to keep an eye on any attempt to stage another insurrection.>

<That still doesn’t solve the problem of humans trusting me.> Kylon highlights, standing up to talk to her face to face.

<You’ll win their trust. If there’s one thing you’ve shown me, Kylon, is that you’re someone I can depend on when it counts. And you’re not afraid to tell me when you think I’m wrong.>

<You mean when you are wrong, Noriko.>

<Debatable.>

<Are all humans so stubborn, or is it just you?>

<Are all Lar so contrarian, or is it just you?>

The two smile. It’s clear how this conversation is going to end.

<Alright, fine, I’ll do it. If I’m right you’ll have me replaced by someone else, if this doesn’t accidentally cause another war.> Kylon sighs.

<Wars, I can handle. It’s managing peace that hasn’t been my forte.>

<Just try not to die when facing the next god of war, okay?>

<You know… I haven’t properly thanked you for saving my life, Kylon. Saying thank you is… not something I do very well.>

<You didn’t need my help, Noriko. In the end, you resurrected yourself.>

<I wouldn’t have had the chance if you didn’t save my friends and family, risking everything to bring my body to Hades. And I did absorb at least a part of your life… Asclepius told me you lost at the very least fifty years of your lifespan.>

<That’s human years, the Lar equivalent is one eight of that.>

<But you didn’t know it would stop there. You volunteered to give up your life for me.>

<I had to. The thought of losing you was…>

Without any warning, Noriko grabs Kylon by the collar of his clothes and pulls him towards her, kissing the Lar with no hesitation. She can’t believe she’s actually doing this, but she enjoys the moment and closes her eyes for a few seconds.

When she opens them again, it’s not Kylon that stares at her: it’s the face of Dmitry Voron, in the early stages of decomposition.

<Everything okay, Noriko?> Dmitry asks her; his head is tilted in an unnatural way.

<It’s not real, it’s not real…> Noriko repeats, recoiling and covering her eyes with both hands.

<What isn’t? Are you alright?> Kylon asks.

She reluctantly opens her eyes again, and the Lar is staring at her in a mixture of worry and confusion. She hasn’t felt her heart beat so fast since her last heart attack.

<Did I… do anything… weird?> she asks.

<Yeah, you zoned out and stared at me like your brain just froze. What’s going on?>

<Then I didn’t actually…>

<I should probably call Asclepius or Dr. Kalama.> Kylon decides, but Noriko hurries to grab his arm before he can reach the door.

<No! I’m just… I’m just very tired, that’s all. Trust me, everything is fine. Everything is fine.>

<You don’t look fine. You’re so pale you almost match my skin color.>

<I just need some rest. I’ll have Dr. Kalama examine me in the morning, I swear.> she lies.

<If you say so. We can discuss the Minister of War tomorrow.>

<Why? Did you change your mind? We just discussed…>

<We discussed every other position, but you zoned out before we could talk about it. Noriko, I’m really worried about you, are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor right now?>

<Absolutely. Everything is fine. Why don’t you go have some rest? I’m jumping straight to bed myself. Everything is fine.>

<Okay, seriously? The fact that you keep repeating that is what worries me the most.>

<Don’t be ridiculous, everything is… Goodnight, Kylon.> she says, practically shoving him out of the office and locking herself inside.

She rests her forehead against the door, sighing. This is definitely not what she needs.

<What the Hades was that all about?> a voice in her head asks.

<Go away, Roxiana. I’m not in the mood.>

<Did you just hallucinate a whole conversation? Has that ever happened to you?>

<Hallucinations, yes. To this level, no… my brain was supposed to have recovered from that.>

<Perhaps a side effect of the resurrection. I don’t envy you, Noriko… I mean at this point you can’t even be sure you’re talking to me or to a figment of your imagination.>

<You’re not helping, Roxiana.>

<Well, while you were making out with your imaginary boyfriend, I completed the design of the satellite network you want to put around Earth. You can go back home whenever you want.>

<Thanks, well noted.>

<Unless you’re imagining this and you haven’t actually done anything.>

<You’re getting more annoying by the minute. Can I at least count on you to let me sleep tonight?>

<That depends if you’re dreaming of something, or someone. Where did that kiss come from? Are you falling for Kylon now?>

<I don’t know. None of this makes sense!>

<Well he is handsome, and the last time you had some release was in another life. If you’re thinking of giving it a try, I’m fairly certain that the plumbing is compatible, if you know what I mean.>

<Do I have to die again to make you shut the f##k up, Roxiana!?>

<Most likely.>

<That sounds very tempting right about now.> Noriko sighs.

 

Boreas, 3,000 light-years from Earth

Deep within the halls of the Winter Castle, security is at an all-time high. Not because of any threat of invasion or a potential attack, but because the highest priority now is to hide the Ice Queen from her subjects.

The Lar doctor examining her chest is wearing an environmental suit: the temperature is lethally high for his species, and she would quickly die of hypothermia if exposed to the frigidity of the rest of the Castle.

<I have done everything I can, Your Majesty. The life support system has enough redundancies to work for another century.> he reassures her, closing down the access port that leads to where a human heart would normally be located.

<I knew that already. What about the Endless Winter?> Leiko Tanaka asks, covering herself without losing eye contact with what remains of the ancient device: the scattered pieces of the Endless Winter are resting on an operating table.

<Your Majesty, I’m afraid that is beyond our current understanding of its technology. The Winter K… your predecessor never let anyone examine it and ordered all historical records that even mentioned it be destroyed.>

<That damn thing is hundreds of thousands of years old, you mean to tell me nobody has ever figured out how it works!?> she snaps at him.

<It was created by a Nexus user.> the Lar doctor justifies himself.

<Then I’ll have to find someone smart enough to repair it. Are we done here?>

<Almost, Your Majesty. Have you considered the possibility of returning to your biological heart? It has been well preserved, and the operation would be a trivial one.>

<Out of the question. I will have the Endless Winter back, some day. Remember that I am immortal now… everything is only a matter of when.> Leiko boasts, priding herself of the chance to flaunt her eternal youth: the fact that humans have a short lifespan when compared to the Lar is no longer an issue. She walks towards the Winter Armor: it may no longer be powered by the Endless Winter, but it’s still an imposing tool with its shell of Neutral Matter.

<I’m not looking forward to spending more time in this cumbersome armor, though. Can my metabolism be modified to acclimate to the standard Lar temperatures?>

<I’m afraid that is simply not possible, Your Majesty.>

<I am getting tired of being told what I can’t do, doctor.> Leiko says, giving a look that makes the Lar sweat beneath the environmental suit.

<Your Majesty, please understand… there are significant differences between Lar and human physiology, down to the cellular level… it’s not something that can be-> the doctor tries to justify himself, only to be grabbed by the throat by the Winter Armor.

<Then why are there reports of the defector, Kylon, thriving on human worlds?> the Ice Queen asks, her voice modified by the armor she is now wearing.

<Reports… cured by… Asclepius…>

<I want the same thing he has. If a so-called god of medicine can do it, there must be a way to replicate the process scientifically.>

<We can try but… he is a Lar… humans are too fragile to withstand the-> are the last words the doctor can offer before his neck is snapped. His body falls unceremoniously to the floor, leaving Leiko Tanaka to stew in her anger.

<Fragile? Is that why you broke the Endless Winter, Noriko? You wanted me to feel weak? I will show you what I can still do!> she proclaims, activating a relay to the castle’s internal communications system.

<Tyche, report to the throne room, immediately. You call yourself the goddess of destiny, it’s time to prove you are. You hear me? Tyche, respond now! This is the Ice Queen!> she says in vain. And her artificial heart begins pumping faster.

<Status report: where is Tyche? Why won’t anyone respond!?> she complains, storming out of the doom. The two guards should stand at attention, but they stare into the distance.

<What’s going on? Why isn’t anyone answering the Queen!?> she wonders: the guards aren’t even reacting to her presence. She walks at a fast pace through the halls, where she can quickly see that the entire staff is stuck in place with utterly blank expressions on their faces.

Then something casts a shadow on the Winter Castle. She walks to the nearest window and looks out… there’s a spaceship floating above the capital. A ship from the Ares fleet.

But it’s not Ares soldiers that she sees exit the ship. It’s hundreds of rays of light that transform themselves into Apollo Oracles.

<What’s going on? It’ can’t be Ares or Apollo, they are both dead!>

The Winter Armor includes several enhancement to her senses: telescopic lenses zoom towards the two people who just left the ship and are slowly levitating towards the castle.

The first is Harmonia, who Leiko can’t recognize because she has never seen her. But she can’t miss the one to her right: a teenage girl with a flaming halo above her head.

<Tyche. You sniveling traitress… you betrayed your father for Null, then Null for me, and now you’re selling me out to this newcomer? Hm. I can almost respect that.> she admits, sending a coded signal to a section of the dungeons that doesn’t show up in any map of the castle.

When she receives an automated confirmation, she relaxes a bit: her private Shadow Network portal has not been disabled.

<It seems your precognitive powers have a major blind spot about me, Tyche. Enjoy this kingdom while you can.> the Ice Queen says, hurrying to reach her only means to leave the planet.