Beyond The Impossible

The Junkyard, outside reality

Shinobu Tanaka and Ganos Lal didn’t know what to expect from this place.

It’s much larger than they anticipated; from the outside it looked like a cube the size of a football field, but it’s more than three times bigger on the inside.

Most of the space is occupied by hundreds of inert Nullbots, with a plethora of different designs, and by different kinds of vehicles.

Half-finished interstellar fighter jets, antigravity cars with an exposed engine and no steering wheel, a fusion-powered submarine the size of a bus… everywhere they look, literal tons of half-finished inventions and projects.

On a closer look, even the Nullbot currently giving them the tour is slightly different from the one that is currently housing the O.D.I.N. program.

<Lady Null doesn’t throw anything away, uh?> Ganos Lal comments.

<Most of the inventory is classified for potential use as spare parts or in case of a hostile takeover. I am obliged to disclose that neither of you is authorized to access any device classified as dangerous.> the Nullbot informs them.

<Are they authorized to see them, if they don’t use them?> O.D.I.N. asks, knowing a thing or two about how these robots are programmed.

<They are. Follow me to the weapons section.>

Ganos Lal and Shinobu exchange a worried look. They are accompanied to a different part of the Junkyard, separated from the rest by an explosion-proof door several inches thick.

The Nullbot opens it; the actuators inside its mechanical muscles audibly strain to do this simple action, which reveals the main reason why the Junkyard is kept secure.

The devices kept on the scaffolding are not named, but O.D.I.N. recognizes them.

<These were recorded as destroyed. Abyss’s Terror Guns and her Sword of Nightmares. The Orochi Armor built by Viper. Necrobots from Anubis, plasma cannons from Hephaestus, Godstones from the Demeter Oracles, samples of Liquid Death from Roxiana…>

<A collection of weapons from Null’s enemies?> Shinobu asks.

<Improved versions of the originals.> the Nullbot clarifies.

<I also recognize theoretical designs that were never supposed to go into production. Relativistic Chain Guns, Gravity Cluster Bombs, Antimatter Railguns, Wormhole Converter, Supernova Detonator, Singularity Collapser…> O.D.I.N. lists.

<Those sounds bad.> Ganos Lal notes.

<Weapons of last resort. None are currently operational, but could be converted within 30 minutes for deployment.> the Nullbot adds.

<Why would Null keep weapons of mass destruction on Earth?> Shinobu wonders.

<Correction: the arsenal was transferred to the Junkyard recently, on a temporary basis, after Abyss proved that Asgard Station was no longer secure.> the Nullbot explains.

<We are not here to find weapons. Do you have any devices for interstellar communication?> Ganos Lal changes the subject.

<Preferably untraceable. We don’t want anyone on the planet to find us.> Shinobu adds.

<I can give you access to a tachyon beamer, but it will not serve your needs.> the Nullbot answers, struggling once again with the heavy door, this time to close it.

<Why not?>

<Because you have already been found.>

 

Lake Erie Community Park, Pennsylvania

This is certainly an unusual day for the local population. So far the citizens have been able to go about their day without paying much attention to the takeover of the planet… other than having their news heavily censored during the first two weeks, life went on as normal.

But now a capital ship is hovering above their heads: the HDS Pandrosos, which they have only seen on TV being stationed right above the White House, has moved to cast a shadow over the lake.

Dozens of shuttles have been deployed to secure the area around a specific part of the shore, where the footprints of the people they’ve been following are still fresh.

Antigonus, current Governor-General of Earth, is personally overseeing the search party.

Wearing his battle uniform and a bronze helmet that signifies his rank of High Strategos, he’s watching soldiers from the Athenian Fleet use their instruments to analyze the environment.

<Sir, there is no doubt. Trans-dimensional phase technology is being used to shift a building out of this dimension.> one of the officers informs him.

<Can we force it to shift to this dimension?> Antigonus asks.

<Yes sir. If properly modulated, the ship’s wakefield inverters will…>

<I don’t care about the science. Make this enemy base solid so that we can blow it open.>

<Will do sir. This won’t take long.> the officer replies, making a respectful bow before contacting the ship’s chief engineer to set up the first phase of the attack.

 

Inside the Junkyard

Ganos Lal whispers a prayer to Null: without her intercession, they would not have come across O.D.I.N. and would have had no clue what to do with the interstellar communicator which is not interfacing with the artificial intelligence’s host Nullbot.

<Can you send a message to Lady Null with this technology?> she asks.

<Theoretically, I should be able to access multiple secure channels. We are, however, facing a security threat and a technological barrier.> O.D.I.N. answers.

<What are you talking about?> Shinobu asks.

<I retain knowledge of frequencies and codes downloaded from my previous server into this body. However, since Athena copied my entire database before taking over Null Tower, there is a high likelihood that any message we send could be intercepted.>

<We should take the risk and rely on Null’s wisdom.> Ganos Lal proposes.

<That is no longer viable due to the technological barrier. The area surrounding this facility’s location in real space is being flooded by tachyon scramblers that block all faster-than-light communications.>

<Correction. This facility is now entirely located in real space.> the other Nullbot explains.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening sound reverberates throughout the Junkyard: an explosion just hit the walls with enough force to shake the entire building.

<What was that!?> Shinobu asks.

<We are under attack.> the Nullbot answers, projecting a hologram taken from the cameras outside the Junkyard. They show Athenian soldiers right outside the entrance door, working around a plasma cannon. When it fires the second time, the building is shaken again.

<Tell me there is a secret passage to get out of this place.> Shinobu says.

<The Junkyard has only one access point. A second one would be a structural weakness.>

<So we have no means of escape? How long can that door last?> Ganos Lal wonders.

<Against infantry weapons from the Athenian fleet: 38 minutes. Against the weapons of the capital ship above us: 9 seconds.> O.D.I.N. answers.

<This is not an enemy we can fight directly. Unless you can give us those weapons we saw?> Shinobu asks, waiting for the sound of the next explosion to dissipate before hearing the answer.

<You are not authorized to access any device classified as dangerous.> the Nullbot reminds him.

<Then outside of communicators that don’t work, what are we authorized to use?>

<You have authorization to pilot any non-armed vehicle and transportation technology in storage.>

<Which is useless since we can’t go through the front door without being… wait, what kind of transportation technology is not a vehicle?> Ganos Lal wonders.

<The Entanglement Dematerializer Machine. It allows instant displacement of matter across interstellar distances and is not affected by tachyon scramblers.> the Nullbot answers.

<I have records of that technology. Mistress Null abandoned its development because the Portal Generator made it obsolete: the EDM, as she called it, only allows transmittal between two dedicated units. It is useless without a secondary unit, which does not exist.> O.D.I.N. explains, right when yet another explosion rocks the building.

<Then we are doomed.> Shinobu admits.

<Lady Null would never give us hope for no reason! There must be a way for her to hear our prayers!> Ganos Lal insists.

The Nullbot hosting O.D.I.N. tilts its head. Something in its programming just switched on.

<The Ragnarok carries a quantum entanglement resonator for intergalactic communications. It could receive a connection signal from the EDM if I recalibrate it correctly.> he says.

<But the Ragnarok was destroyed.> Shinobu points out.

<There is a very slim chance that Lady Null has installed similar technology in another ship or base whose existence is not in my database. A wide enough signal would increase the possibility of it being received; the necessary recalibration will take longer.> O.D.I.N. answers.

Another explosion. This one definitely felt stronger than the previous ones.

<Can you do it in less than thirty minutes?> Ganos Lal asks.

 

Lake Erie Community Park, Pennsylvania

Antigonus is growing impatient. It’s just been a little over half an hour since the plasma cannon began firing, and only now the Junkyard’s entrance door shows signs of giving in.

If all he wanted was just killing the rebels, he would simply order his ship to fire a single antimatter shot and the entire building would be disintegrated.

But to get his hands on these fugitives and possibly on some Null technology before Athena arrives on the planet as she promised? He could leverage that into becoming the governor of an entire sector, perhaps even be elevated as an outright vassal.

His dreams of power only get more vivid when the door succumbs to the final blast, and a smoldering hole is the new entrance to the Junkyard.

<First and second unit, secure the target. Third and fourth, you will escort me for a full inspection.> Antigonus orders. A dozen soldiers prepare for battle: their Corinthian helmets close to completely protect their heads, their bodies are enveloped by personal forcefields, and they rush into the Junkyard wielding lances ready to shoot lasers at any opponent.

Antigonus doesn’t bother with this, just adjusting his uniform to look his best for the holographic recording of the arrest that he’s planning to do.

There are shouts and sounds of a scuffle coming from inside the building, much louder than he anticipated. After all Ganos Lal is a non-combatant and Shinobu is only a minor threat, hardly a challenge for twelve of his most capable soldiers.

He expected to receive an “all-clear” confirmation. Instead, someone steps out of the still smoking door… a woman with purple hair, enveloped by a purple aura.

<Some friends told me this planet has an infestation problem. We know how to deal with bootlickers on my planet.> she says, breaking two laser lances in half and tossing them aside.

<Kari Zel, the weakest member of the Vanguard. You are under arrest for crimes against divinity.> Antigonus informs her, signaling the officer in charge of the plasma cannon.

<I don’t recognize your authority, or that of your goddess. I would say you have the chance to leave this planet before I break your legs…> she replies.

<FIRE!!!> Antigonus orders, and the plasma cannon fires straight at Kari’s position.

She’s currently using her 10K Rise technique: boosting her speed by a factor of ten thousands, it’s more than enough to dodge the blast. Which is what Antigonus is counting on: if she dodges, it will go through the hole that used to be a door and wreck whatever is inside.

Instead she switches to her Shadow Breaker form: her aura becomes much darker, and she punches back the ball of plasma back into the cannon.

Antigonus is shocked by the sudden explosion, but even more so by the figure moving faster than his eyes can track. All he catches is the aftermath: another dozen soldiers laying on the ground, and Kari Zel lifting him with just one arm.

<…but we both know you’re too stupid to do that.> she continues.

<Killing me won’t stop my ship. They will fire on you at any moment.> he tells her.

<Oh I’m sure they want to. But you see, when O.D.I.N.’s signal reached our new base…> she replies, as the HDS Pandrosos floating above them is shaken by multiple explosions.

<…I didn’t come here alone. Your goddess managed to piss of the entire Vanguard: you will not be glad that she did.>