Beyond The Impossible

Interstate 95

25 miles from Washington D.C., Earth

In the middle of the night, traffic is almost non-existent on this road. The bus departing from Baltimore would arrive at its destination in less than half an hour, if it didn’t need to make a stop at the roadblock.

The car might be a repurposed police car, but while the two officers that signal the bus to stop are human they answer to no legal authority native to this planet.

They work for Alien Deportation Enforcement, an agency established by the Athenian Fleet that is effectively occupying the planet. Ever since the Governor-General of Earth declared that all non-native humanoids should be deported off-planet, the A.D.E. was tasked with carrying out the tasks with minimal interference with the everyday lives of humans.

Two men get on the bus, both wearing riot gear. They are both armed, but while the agent approaching the bus driver keeps it holstered the other one is casually holding it in his hand.

<Is there a problem, officer?> a priest asks him, getting off his seat. Other than the driver he’s the only man on the bus: everyone else is a nun.

<A little late for a field trip, ain’t it father?> the officer asks.

<We’re on a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.>

<At two in the morning? Yeah, right. Show me some ID.>

<The driver’s legit, Mitch. There’s nothing to see here.> the other A.D.E. agent tells him, but Mitch is not convinced. He wanders between the bus seats, looking like he’s enjoying the fear in the eyes of the nuns as he passes by with that gun.

Only one doesn’t seem to be afraid; sitting at the end of the bus, she’s visibly much younger than the others: she’s at most in her late thirties, with all the others being over fifty.

<You’re too pretty to be a nun, ain’t it?> he asks, forcibly removing her veil and exposing her black hair. She remains a stoic expression throughout.

<Good lord, son, what are…> the priest protests, shutting up when the agent points his gun at him.

<Shut up! Greg, run a genetic scan!> the agent orders.

<Jesus Christ, Mitch, this is unnecessary!> the other points out.

<Is it?> Mitch retorts, looking at the nun straight in the eye while taking a small device from his belt. The size of a smartphone, it’s one of the very few pieces of extraterrestrial technology that the A.D.E. is authorized to use.

<That hair job ain’t fooling anyone, sister. You’re Myridian: your ##s is going straight to…> Mitch threatens her, stopping when the genetic scanner beeps incessantly before it says:

<Priority Alpha target identified: Ganos Lal of Myridia. Do not terminate. Restrain target by any means necessary. Coordinates transmitted to Earth High Command.>

<Whoa! We’ve hit the jackpot, Greg!> Mitch exclaims: he knows that capturing a Priority Alpha target will bring a huge bonus.

<Let me go and no harm will come to you. You have my word.> Ganos Lal promises, but that’s definitely not enough for the A.D.E. agent that is now pointing his gun at the Supreme Pontiff of the Church of Null.

<Your “goddess” cost me my f##king job, b##ch, and now it’s payback time!>

<Yes, it is. May Null have mercy on your souls.> she says, glancing at the other agent at the front of the bus.

An exact duplicate of her body appears behind him. Completely naked, since duplicating clothes have been impossible to come by after the occupation, but quick enough to steal his gun from the holster. And equally as fast to shoot both of his kneecaps.

The nuns scream, and Mitch panics: he shoots the duplicate, which disappears with a popping sound the second she’s been hit.

Ganos Lal doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of his distraction. A new duplicate holds the hand carrying the gun, which shoots two more bullets into the roof of the bus.

Before he can overpower her, a new duplicate replaces the one disintegrated by the shot: she picks up the gun and passes it to yet another duplicate at arm’s length.

The process repeats rapidly until the last duplicate hands the gun over to the original Ganos Lal, who shoots the A.D.E. agent in both knees and on both arms.

Amid the terrified screams of the nuns stained by the blood, Ganos Lal prays:

<Forgive me Null, for I have sinned.>

<Why did you do that!? You said you were a member of the Church!> the priest exclaims.

<I am, but my goddess is not as pacifist as your god.> she replies, using her duplicates to remove as much gear as they can from both injured agents while she takes off the habit to reveal civilian clothes underneath.

<Heal them. Null would not want them to die before due process, and she would not want me to make you targets.> she says, looking at the genetic scanner still showing the message:

<Do not terminate. Athenian Authorities on their way.>

Ganos Lal makes sure to break the device before she gets off the bus.

 

Minutes later, a few miles ahead

Before her church was declared illegal, Ganos Lal didn’t know how to drive a car. But like all Myridians, she learns fast.

While the original is in the driver’s seat, she created two duplicates: one is next to her, wearing the nun’s habit, and the other one is in the passenger seat putting on some of the spare body armor.

<Wish we could’ve taken their clothes.> the duplicate complaints.

<We couldn’t risk it; they could have had tracers.> the original replies.

<I know, I was you when you thought about it. You’re not the one trying to put this on with nothing beneath it, and it’s freezing in here.>

<Better cold than dead.> the second duplicate comments.

<We’re being followed.> the original notes, seeing several lights of approaching vehicles in the rearview mirror. Soon afterwards, she can hear the sirens.

<It’s the A.D.E.! How did they find me so quickly?> a duplicate wonders.

<Maybe they have a tracer hidden inside the car.> the third hypothesizes.

The Ganos Lal driving has to suddenly brake; the stop is so sudden that the duplicate on the passenger seat disappears once she bumps against the seats.

<Why did you… oh.> the other Ganos Lal doesn’t finish her own remark: she just noticed that there are other A.D.E. cars up ahead.

There’s no room to maneuver and no time to come up with a plan: very soon she’s completely surrounded by vehicles on all sides, with A.D.E. agents coming out of their cars pointing guns at her.

<Step out of the car with your hands up!> one agent shouts.

Logically, Ganos Lal knows that her life is not truly in danger: they want her alive. But the memories of what the Demeter Oracles did to prisoners on her home world doesn’t give her a lot of confidence. She whispers a prayer to Null, signals to her duplicate to follow her, and she puts her hand on the door’s handle. She hesitates to open it when she hears a tremendous roar approaching.

Everything happens so fast that she has little time to process.

A motorbike speeds past the car, glowing red in the night, expertly maneuvering between the A.D.E. vehicles despite going much faster than any common Earth bike.

This is what Ganos Lal will eventually understand; at first, all she sees is a red sword slicing off the head of one of the A.D.E. agents as the bike passes by.

She misses the rest of the action by laying as low as possible, but her duplicate sees everything.

She hears gunfire and yelling for a few minutes, before everything goes quiet.

She doesn’t trust the situation enough to poke her head out of her safe position, but she absorbs her duplicate to instantly learn everything she saw.

And she’s rewarded with the experience of watching a man get off the bike to attack the agents; she can see their bullets bounce off a forcefield emitted by his black leather suit, followed by his red sword kill all of them in rapid succession.

With her heart pounding, Ganos Lal finds the courage to slowly open the door and leave the car.

The man standing in the middle of a dozen of corpses takes off his black motorcycle helmet.

<Get your things. We don’t have much time to reach the city before reinforces arrive.> he tells her.

Ganos Lal is not very familiar with all Earth languages, but she can tell he has a Japanese accent.

<How did you… that vehicle. How did you get Lady Null’s favorite transportation?> Ganos asks, now recognizing the bike as a modified version of the Phoenix… Noriko Null’s own bike.

<It was a gift from my cousin. Has your “goddess” never told you about Shinobu Tanaka?>

<The former Black Knight of the deceased Empire of Shadows, yes. Did Lady Null send you?>

<In a way. This is no time for talking. We should find shelter as quickly as possible: we are currently the two most wanted people on this planet.> Shinobu tells her, handing over a collapsible helmet that instantly adjusts to the right size as soon as she puts it on.

Once she takes her place riding behind him on the Phoenix, he has one last message before the duo rides towards the city:

<Welcome to the Resistance.>

 

The White House, in the morning

Todd Slate has not been enjoying his time as Vice President of the United States.

Not only he ascended to the position after President Devane resigned less than a year into his first term, but he’s had to deal with the nation… and the world in general… being under military occupation by an alien military force.

In fact, the first thing he sees every morning is the HDS Pandrosos, a massive ship from the Athenian Fleet, floating less than a thousand feet above the White House.

Once Todd reaches the Oval Office, walking past the two Athenian officers holding guard, he’s welcomed by the man who effectively rules the world.

Antigonus, High Strategos of the Athenian Fleet and current Governor-General of Earth, is sitting behind the Resolute Desk. A man in his late fifties with short white hair, barely any wrinkles, and wearing a very simple uniform.

The only sign of his high rank is the golden medal showcasing Athena’s symbol, a lightning bolt inside a cog, contained within two golden laurel crowns.

<Mr. Slate. Very punctual, a rarity on this planet.> he congratulates, gesturing to sit down.

Todd prefers to stand.

<I would prefer to speak in the presence of President Wright. This is his office.> he points out.

<This is not related to your job, Mr. Slate, or at least your current one. Please tell me, when was the last time you met Ganos Lal?> Antigonus asks.

<Last Nullmas. Way before your invasion of the planet, if that’s what worries you.>

<And you have not met her since? The next Nullmas is coming up, you know; perhaps you’re planning a celebration of your former lover’s birthday?>

<If you are accusing me of something specific, Governor, just say it.>

<Governor-General, please. No, I just wanted to inform you that Ganos Lal has been identified as reaching this city, before the Alien Deportation Enforcement lost track of her. Accompanied by a human believed to be Shinobu Tanaka. Do you know anything about that?>

<I haven’t seen Shinobu in years. I believed he left the planet before your blockade.>

<He has not. Mr. Slate, only three people on this Galaxy accused of high treason are currently at large, and two of them are confirmed to be in this city. Had Lady Athena followed my suggestions, you would have been the fourth. Should we find evidence that you colluded with other traitors, things would not look good on you. Do I make myself clear?>

<Crystal. Am I under surveillance, Governor-General?>

<Everyone on this planet who does not embrace the new Olympian Empire already is, Mr. Slate. Perhaps Lady Athena overlooked your… dalliances with Null because she hopes you will eventually teach your people to trust her. I don’t presume to know more about the Goddess of Wisdom, but if I were you, I would not push my luck.>

<Understood. So am I to understand that there is a third person being hunted by the Empire?>

<You are not entitled to that information. You may return to your duties, Mr. Slate, whatever those are supposed to be.> Antigonus dismisses him, and Todd doesn’t need to be told twice to leave.

As he walks past the guards, he thinks to himself:

“Thank God they haven’t cracked all of Noriko’s secret channels. If I can get past surveillance, Shinobu and I have a chance to contact her… if she’s still alive.”