Presidential Suite, Mortal Senate
Argos, 100 light-years from Earth
Kylon of Megacles wakes up in a ridiculously large bed. It was custom made for the late Aura, since the seven feet tall giantess couldn’t really use a normal bed.
To his surprise, the side of the bed he should have shared with Noriko Null has clearly not been used. He sighs, checking the time: the sun of this planet will rise in a couple of hours.
He leaves the bedroom to reach the luxurious living quarters; they are positively spartan even when compared to the home of the lowliest of gods, but Aura surely knew how to live comfortably.
Noriko Null is in the living room, sitting on the couch tampering with some kind of weapon.
<Did you stay up all night? I thought you wanted to get some rest.> Kylon says.
<I napped.> Noriko replies. She’s fully dressed, with the exception of her green leather jacket still resting on the sofa. Just a look of how wrinkled her T-shirt is and how messy her hair is tells Kylon everything he needs to know.
<You slept on the couch? There was plenty of room on the bed. Way too much, in fact.>
<It was alright. My own bed is not as big as this couch.>
<I know. But we both have a big day ahead of us, I thought you wanted to…>
<I prefer to have sex after I’ve saved the galaxy, not before.> she cuts him off.
<I was going to say you wanted to rest. Is something wrong?> he asks, sitting next to her; it doesn’t take being her boyfriend to figure out she’s upset.
<It’s nothing. I just don’t like the idea of sleeping in the bed of someone that was recently assassinated.>
He knows there’s more to it… Aura’s death seems to have affected her more than he would’ve thought… but Kylon decides not to push it and changes the subject.
<New weapon? I thought the plan was already settled; you’re making last minute adjustments?>
<Something like that. But it’s not a weapon, it’s a blood extractor combined with a genetic analyzer. See? The blood goes into this vial, then it runs a complete DNA scan.>
<Uhm… okay? What is it for?> he asks, scratching his head.
<It identifies a person’s genetic information. Specifically, it highlights the presence or the absence of the genetic markers found in clones and genetically modified individuals.>
<So… you built a clone tracker?>
<More like a device capable of proving with 100% reliability someone’s identity, ruling out any genetic tampering. Plus, when extracting the results, it deletes… well I’d need to give you a crash course on advanced genetics to explain it, but you can’t use the results to create a viable clone.>
<I’ll take your word for it. What I don’t understand is how this is going to help us against Hera.>
<It’s not. I’ve made some adjustments to the plan, I’m leaving within…>
Before Noriko can finish the sentence, a cloud of rose petals announces the arrival of Aphrodite.
<Good morning, beautiful people! Oooh, someone’s in the right mood already!> she giggles, pointing at Kylon still in his underwear.
<You’re leaving? For where?> he asks, grabbing a cushion to hide the natural biological reaction to Aphrodite’s presence, just as Noriko stands up to put on her jacket.
<Boreas. Don’t worry, if Hera’s fleet arrives before I’m back, I’ve updated the plan swapping Aphrodite with Dionysus… instead of being too horny to fight, her soldiers will be too drunk.>
<If you’re going to the Winter Kingdom, I’m coming with you.> he says.
<That can definitely be arranged.> the goddess suggests, promptly ignored.
<Absolutely not. I need someone I can trust to keep his eyes on the Mortal Fleet.>
<Noriko… Boreas is my home. And if you’re going up against the Ice Queen, you’ll need me… you know how she can get inside your head. You might be able to fight her, but…>
<I’m not going to fight Leiko, Kylon. I’m going to take care of her by doing something I should’ve done a long time ago… stop her from controlling me.>
<Even more of a reason to have me around, isn’t it?>
<Kylon, I’m not so sure it’s a good…> Noriko tries to reason with him, but stops when she looks him in the eye. He’s probably the only person who hates her mother even more than she does: the Winter King destroyed his family, and thanks to Leiko he never had the chance for revenge.
<Well okay. But this is not going to end the way you want it to.> she concedes.
Boreas, 3.000 light-years from Earth
Leiko Tanaka is very pleased with herself. Not only she has her throne back, but Roxiana restored her ice powers. She was confident she would easily get the Winter Kingdom back: the Winter King was a fool to trust her, but he had been very methodical to dispose of any viable pretender to the throne. And the Lar are nothing if not loyal to the throne: they will not attempt a coup without a viable successor ready to take her place.
Her only weakness in the minds of her subjects… not that any of them had the courage to say it out loud… used to be that her being human meant her lifespan was much shorter than a Lar’s.
But thanks to her machinations she still maintains the gift of eternal youth bestowed by Hera: by the time every single Lar on the planet will die of old age, she will still be 25 years old.
To any other human being, this would be enough: the pinnacle of a successful life.
To Leiko Tanaka, it’s not enough. It will never be enough.
<Hera’s fleet will reach Argos within the next six hours, Your Majesty.> her Minister of War informs her. Sitting on her icy throne, Leiko is observing the status of her fleet on multiple holographic screens: the Winter Kingdom doesn’t have a particularly sizeable fleet, but its technology is on par with the Athenian fleet.
<Excellent. Prepare the Shadow Network to transfer the fleet right into the Megalopolis sector… let’s see if Hera can withstand a full frontal assault when her capital world is defenseless.>
<Your Majesty… reports indicate that Hera has not left Megalopolis yet. If she is still on the planet, our fleet doesn’t stand a chance.> the Minister bluntly informs her.
<Which is why I will be on the bridge of a dreadnaught: as long as I have the Vial of Destiny, Hera’s powers are not a match for me.> Leiko boasts, the tip of her finger tapping on the vial strapped to a choker on her neck.
<Now get me the Shadow Network Director and the High Admiral. This assault will require a perfect coordination between the portals and the fleet. As soon as everything is ready to go, teleport me to the dreadnaught.>
<Yes, Your Majesty. I’m patching you through the… that’s odd.> the Minister says, fidgeting with the controls of the holographic screen. His nervousness doesn’t improve Leiko’s mood.
<I gave you an order. I expect it to be executed.>
<I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but the system is not responding. Something is…>
The galactic map on the screen disappears, as the screen shows a blank white space. Two seconds later, it’s replaced by the Ø symbol. Then the same exact thing happens to every other screen, in rapid succession.
<Her.> Leiko says, managing to put all of her hatred into a single word.
<We’re cut off! We can’t receive any communication… but it seems that we are transmitting on a planetary scale. Everyone on Boreas can see you now, Your Majesty.>
<Oh please, like I would do something that amateurish.>
Leiko expected to see her daughter materialize at any moment, but not that it would happen without the characteristic explosion of light generated by her technology: instead she appears from a cloud of rose petals.
Not that it matters much: once the palace’s guards open fire, the multiple blasts that are blocked by her personal forcefield create a bubble of white-hot plasma around her.
<Your entire kingdom can see us now. You’re shooting at a Mark XVII shield… you could throw a hydrogen bomb at me and it wouldn’t even ruin my hairdo.> Noriko boasts.
<Guards, that’s enough. I have nothing to fear from this commoner.>
Once the guards stop firing and the energy dissipates, Noriko Null is revealed to indeed be completely unharmed. And standing next to Kylon.
<You wish to talk to my subjects, Null? And what do you want to tell them, that your cowardly assassination attempt failed and that I’m back to my rightful position?>
<“Cowardly”. Funny you should say that word. Because the last thing you did on this planet was run away when Harmonia invaded. I’m sure you tried to lie your way out of that with some propaganda, but it’s hard for people to ignore being turned into zombies for months.>
<What are you blathering about?>
Noriko completely ignores Leiko’s question, turning towards the screen: this means that every household and military base in the Winter Kingdom is looking directly at her face.
<Your queen failed in her duty to protect her realm. She abandoned her post when the Lar people needed her the most. So ask yourself… isn’t that the same thing as abdicating?>
<I have heard enough!!!> Leiko shouts, standing up and raising her hand to shoot a blast of pure coldness. But instead of doing that, she stops: she sits down immediately, her fingers holding the throne as her legs shake.
<What are… you…>
<Did you seriously think I’d come here without a counter to your powers? True, I had my ways to protect myself from the Winter King, but I figured Roxiana might’ve come up with a solution for that. So I chose something a little less… orthodox.>
<Must you be so clinical?> Aphrodite asks, appearing from behind the throne. Leiko tries to gather enough strength to attack her, but all Aphrodite needs to do is stroke her hair and the Ice Queen completely loses her strength.
<This can’t… the Vial… of Destiny…>
<Protects you from being harmed, oh yes, I’ve been told! But I don’t want to hurt you in any way, quite the opposite in fact!> Aphrodite giggles, seductively sitting on Leiko’s lap.
<The fact that you’re still young proves the Vial doesn’t completely block all divine powers, only the harmful ones. And so I though, which god do I know whose presence completely overwhelms one’s biology? Cybernetic implants are no good if your brain can’t send the proper signals, and… well, the brain is the most important sexual organ, isn’t it?> Noriko explains, torn between the satisfaction of watching her mother’s defeat and the embarrassment of witnessing her arousal.
<We should take the opportunity to finish her off.> Kylon suggests.
<Don’t be a spoilsport, let me enjoy the moment!> Aphrodite replies, kissing Leiko.
<I meant kill her. Just give me a weapon: I’m not a god and I don’t have a Drylon device, one blow and the Vial won’t protect her.> he tells Noriko.
<In a moment. There’s something I need to do first.> she explains, taking out the weapon he’s seen her unveil this morning… and then turn it against herself.
<What are you doing!?> he asks, watching Noriko extract her own blood. The machine needs a few seconds to elaborate the data, copied inside a small wireless thumbdrive that she removes.
<The hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.> she says, only to then turn again towards the screens and therefore her Lar audience.
<When the Winter King took over, he assassinated all other viable heirs to the throne: his dynasty died with him. The Lar are a very old civilization and you have been ruled by a king for millions of years; upon the sovereign’s death, it could take ages to find a legitimate successor. That’s what Leiko Tanaka used: as the wife of the last Winter King, she took the throne for herself. If she were to die… or to abdicate… the crown would go to her children. Legitimate or otherwise.>
<You… wouldn’t… dare…> Leiko tries to interrupt, almost at the point of fainting.
Noriko looks at the thumbdrive. It only weighs a few grams, but what it represents has always had the weight of a mountain in her heart.
<This is my DNA, plus a detailed proof that it has not been tampered with. The Lar’s knowledge of genetics, even human genetics, is extremely advanced. You’ll have no trouble confirming what I’m about to say.> Noriko adds, tossing the device to the Minister of War.
<My name is Noriko Null. You know me as the Slayer of Gods and the current Regent of Hell, but I have another title… one I never wanted.>
With billions of people watching, Noriko then says the words she dreaded to say… the secret that she’s kept from the vast majority of the Galaxy.
<I am the daughter of Leiko Tanaka. And as such, the throne of the Winter Kingdom is mine.>
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