Myridia, 50 light-years from Earth
Cathedral Of The Holy Slayer, Null City
Time seems to slow down to a crawl. The woman called Skorpios wields the Manifold, the Drylon device that grants her complete control over space itself: if she doesn’t want someone to move, it simply doesn’t.
Skorpios is not a complicated woman: her hatred of gods is the only thing motivating her. Unfortunately for her ambitions, while the plasma rifle she carries is quite a powerful weapons it can’t seriously hurt a god.
Still, thanks to the combination of her powers and the element of surprise allows her to have a serious shot at many different targets… and this is a quite crowded room.
Much to her chagrin, none of the eight gods present are a good target. She hates the demigoddess Helen of Troy just as much, but she’s not a primary concern: much to her disappointment, Skorpios can only kill mortals today.
She discards Quantum quickly: her powers are already struggling to immobilize him and Hermes. The two Demons, Torn and Agony, are too unpredictable to deal in such a rush, and killing Kari Zel would serve no purpose since this is probably just a duplicate.
With just moments to spare, Skorpios takes her decision. Her plasma blast is split into three separate beams, which her powers direct into three separate directions.
The first cuts a hole right through the chest of Tecmessa, the android Queen of the Amazons. The second bounces off a forcefield before it can touch Noriko Null.
And the third one hits Aura, Acting President of the Mortal Republic. Death is instantaneous.
Skorpios is smart enough not to stick around longer than absolutely necessary: Aura’s body hasn’t even touched the ground when she warps space again to disappear.
A tenth of a second later, Quantum and Hermes reach the place where she used to be.
And then the entire assembly breaks into chaos.
<Oh my Gaea, are you alright!?> Kari asks Noriko, creating multiple duplicates to check the others.
<Where did she come from!?> Helen wonders.
<Why didn’t you stop her!?> Enyo complains to Hermes.
<We should secure the building!> Agony suggest.
<Let the wake commence! A toast for our fallen comrade!> Dionysus suggests, conjuring up wine.
<She could be back at any moment! Keep sharp!> Quantum shouts.
<Someone get me a towel!> Aphrodite shrieks, trying to wipe the lubricant from Tecmessa’s incinerated insides landed on her thigh.
<QUIET!!!> Noriko shouts, loud enough to be heard by everyone.
Emotions are still high, but the bright glow of her silver eyes silences everyone.
<This is NOT the moment to lose our heads. Are they dead?> she asks Hades.
<Yes.> the Lord of the Dead answers with his softly grave voice.
<Why am I still alive? That wasn’t my forcefield.>
<I protected you. Today is not supposed to be the day of your death.>
<And why didn’t you protect them!?>
<The android was never really alive, hence I did not care for her. As for the mortal, it would have been… unbecoming of the king of the underworld to prevent more than one death. And she did insult godhood itself shortly before her demise.>
<But you can resurrect her, right?> Hebe asks. The question from the naïve goddess of youth attracts more than one confused look.
<I am not known for my sense of humor.> Hades just answers.
<I can’t believe you’re just there talking when there’s just been a murder before our eyes!!!> Vesta complains; she seems to be the only one concerned about the dead, hurrying to cover their remains.
<Eh, mortals come and go.> Dionysus shrugs.
<Nobody answered me. How did Skorpios get here? I didn’t even know where this meeting was supposed to take place before it started!> Helen wonders.
<The room is still shielded: she couldn’t spot us or receive any message.> Null confirms, after a quick check on her N-Phone to verify the equipment in place.
<So… who knew when and where this meeting would take place?> Quantum asks.
<The Vanguard. Your people were the only ones to know beforehand, weren’t they?> Hermes realizes. His focus is entirely on Noriko at the moment.
<Yes, everyone else discovered it immediately before we started. And nobody could’ve leaked the information because I’ve been monitoring all communications from their points of departure… just as I’ve been blocking all transmissions from this room. You should know, Hermes, because I’ve blocked five of your attempts to send out a message.> Noriko reveals.
<Guilty as charged. Of the attempt to gather allies, to be clear, I didn’t plan the assassination!>
<And we’re just supposed to trust your word for it!?> Quantum asks.
<I know, I know, everybody loves to blame the handsome god of liars. But funnily enough, this time I’m actually innocent.>
<Didn’t you just admit you were guilty?> Dionysus asks.
<Oh be quiet you drunk, you weren’t even paying attention to what I was saying!>
<You’re right.> Dionysus admits, resuming drinking his wine.
<I don’t believe the Vanguard is responsible for this. Null doesn’t gain anything by this assassination or by this breach of security: if she wanted to kill either Aura or the Queen of the Amazons, she’s had plenty of opportunities before.> Hebe reasons.
<Well somebody told the Zenith about this meeting, and the only people who knew beforehand were Null and her allies.> Hebe points out, still suspicious of the situation.
<That’s not entirely correct.> Noriko Null replies, placing her hand on the StarScourge sword to be ready to unsheathe it… and then turns to the only silent god in the room: Tyche, goddess of destiny and luck, still bound and gagged. Tyche struggles in an attempt to free herself, and her words are muffled by her mouth being covered.
<It wouldn’t be the first time you conspired to murder me. And your precognitive powers could have allowed you to predict you’d find yourself in this meeting.>
<Are you saying my daughter caused the death of the hot Amazon sexbot and the tall sexy space pirate?> Aphrodite asks, shocked at the thought.
<A desperate last try. It all makes way too much sense.> Noriko comments.
<What do you have to say about that!?> Enyo asks Tyche, removing the metallic gag like it was made of tissue paper.
<I didn’t do anything, I swear on my life! Dad, I’m telling the truth, please tell them!!!> Tyche pleads, her voice cracking up as she starts to cry.
Hermes looks straight into her eyes. Then he stares at Noriko’s. For what feels like an eternity, he concentrates on the mortal more intensely than on his own daughter.
<She’s lying.> he finally reveals.
<Oh, sweetie. That was a very stupid thing to do.> Aphrodite comments, shaking her head.
<Mom, I didn’t order any assassination! Please, you have to believe me!!!>
<This is very sad. For a moment, we had a chance at galactic peace.> Hebe comments.
<We still do. This act makes signing the Galactic Charter even more important!> Noriko stresses.
<Nori, how can you think of politics at a moment like this!? Aura’s body is not even cold!> Vesta chastises her.
<Give her twelve hours.> Hades clarifies.
<The Mortal Republic was already unstable; it won’t be able to deal with a war. And after Harmonia, good luck getting the former Apollo and Ares sector to follow any god. This is our last chance to rally everyone against Hera. I know Aura was against it, but this is too important to drop.> Noriko insists.
<You seriously want gods to side with mortals just minutes after one of your kind killed under orders from a goddess?> Hebe asks, incredulous.
<I might be the Slayer of Gods, Hebe, but I don’t kill indiscriminately. If the fact that Vesta is my friend is not enough… didn’t you wonder why I took Tyche to this meeting? I was hoping she would come to her senses… she used to be on my side after all. Heck, the Mortal Republic wouldn’t have been established without her help! I was really counting on her being an ally once again… but it’s too late for that, isn’t it?> Noriko explains, unsheathing the StarScourge. The air rushing towards the dark blade creates a powerful gust of wind, and Tyche freaks out.
<What are you doing!? You can’t kill me! I’m just seven thousand years old! We used to be friends! I’m more valuable to you alive! There’s so much I can still do for you! I can see the future!> Tyche spouts in rapid succession.
<There’s no future for you.> Null replies, plunging the sword into Tyche’s chest. Upon contact, the StarScourge devours every single atom of her body in a matter of seconds: it’s horrific to see, but to the victim it’s completely painless.
Noriko puts away the sword, staring at the empty space where a goddess used to be seconds before.
Not a single god says anything. They sign the Galactic Charter, one after the other; none of them has the courage to look at Null… with the exception of Hermes.
Zenith base, undisclosed location in a pocket dimension
Roxiana floats inside a bubble of water; the Thalassian physiology of the former Nexus host allows her to breathe underwater, and she finds the environment relaxing.
She’s working on a dozen projects simultaneously, moving from one holographic screen to the other; one of them shows her that Ulysses is slowly approaching from behind.
<For an immortal you can be impatient, dear. I told you I’ll inform you of my plans when I’m ready.> she tells her predecessor as the leader of the Zenith.
<We agreed that we would discuss any action against Null before you gave any orders; I trust your abilities, but you’ve been dead for quite some time… you don’t know the current Galaxy as I do.>
<Ulysses, my dear…> Roxiana replies, leaving the bubble; passing through the swarm of nanites swimming on the water surface, she’s perfectly dry by the time she touches the ground.
<… for once, I have no idea of what you’re talking about.>
<Skorpios just tried to kill Null under your orders. She failed, but Aura and Tecmessa are dead.>
<Dead and decommissioned; I didn’t expect you to anthropomorphize androids. But lessons on terminology aside, Ulysses… don’t blame this on me. I didn’t order any assassinations.>
<But then who…> he wonders, just as worried at the thought as Roxiana seems to be amused.
<Well this was unexpected. You think you know a girl when you’re sharing a body, but she still manages to surprise me!> the former Nexus host exclaims.
A laboratory in Null Tower, New York City
Noriko Null stares at an unusual specimen: secured inside a forcefield, the flaming halo that used to float right above Tyche’s head still remains intact.
<I don’t know how, but it survived the StarScourge. There was more to Tyche’s powers than we realized; one of these days I might be able to use it to see the future. Assuming I get any free time sometime this century!> she says to her N-Phone.
<Sorry I can’t be there with you right now. It must’ve been horrific.> Kylon replies.
<It’s not the first time death and I cross paths. And I need someone I can trust there at the Mortal Senate to keep things under control… the Galaxy is going to freak out.>
<I wasn’t Aura’s biggest fan, but she didn’t deserve to go out like that. At least you can somehow turn it around to make something good out of it, right?>
<Yes. Somehow. Listen, Kylon, I’ll call you when I’m ready for the next move.> Noriko replies, turning around to face the god who just appeared in her room.
<Sure. Try to get some sleep. Goodnight.> Kylon answers, dropping the call.
<You have something to say do me, Hermes?> Noriko asks. The god’s demeanor is really unlike him: he’s not trying to flirt in the slightest, remaining dead serious.
<That as a stroke of genius. Two of your most dangerous rivals are dead, their deaths blamed on your enemies. The gods are united around your banner, and the only goddess who could testify against you is dead.>
<You confirmed Tyche was lying.> she reminds him.
<And everybody trusted the god of lies on the matter, how ironic. Did you anticipate I would help you frame and murder my own daughter? Or did you have a plan B that involved killing me too?>
<I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hermes.>
<Of course. Out of professional curiosity: did the fake message you sent out to the Zenith specifically ask to kill Tecmessa too? Did you just plan the meeting to include only people who could either survive an attack or deserve to die… or was it just plain luck?>
<I think you should leave now, Hermes. You’ll have a part in the war against Hera too.>
<Oh I’ll have a role for much longer than that, Null, I can tell you that. You’ve had my admiration for a while… for your cunning, intelligence and guts… but manipulating so many major players, positioning yourself as the paragon of mortal virtue while at the same time ordering the assassination of your political rivals… right in front of your loyal friends and of the god of lies? Now, my dearest Null… now you have my respect.> Hermes explains.
He moves next to her too fast for her to stop him, and kisses her on the cheek.
<You’ve turned into a real goddess. Your mother would be so proud.>
The god disappears, leaving Noriko alone with her guilty conscience… and as she sits down alone, allowing tears to come out of her eyes, there’s one thought she keeps having again and again.
She would definitely do it again.
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