Let’s not destroy the world

Noriko's lab used to be the most protected part of Null Tower, but after last night's accident it's a disaster area. Kari Zel peeks through what's left of the blast-proof door, thinking about how much force was necessary to rip it from the hinges.

She knocks on the wall, walking over the metallic garbage that litters the floor and taking great care not to drop the plate she's carrying.

<Gods, look at this mess. Are you sure it's safe to be here?>

<I have to pick up some things before Vesta inevitably cleans up everything> Noriko answers from behind what used to be a holographic projector.

<After all that happened, the first thing you do in the morning is drop by the lab? Please tell me you got some sleep.>

<A couple of hours. Check this out> Noriko says, coming in full view: the last time Kari saw her she looked like hell, but now she's practically glowing.

She flips a switch over some kind of jury-rigged engine, which radiates a faint light around her.

<You're not going to almost destroy the world again, right?>

<Come on, throw something at me.>

Hesitantly, Kari picks up a random piece of equipment from the floor and tosses it; it bounces against an invisible barrier, which lights up for half a second upon impact.

<I just invented a force field generator. Are those cookies?>

<You skipped breakfast and I thought...wait, how the Hades did you...>

<Good, I'm starving> Noriko interrupts her, deactivating the generator and quickly taking the plate of cookies off Kari's hands.

<Isn't something like this really beyond Earth's technology?> Kari asks.

<It was. Don't forget I created an interstellar drive last night> Noriko answers with her mouth half full of cookies.

<I know. Just give me a head start if this one blows up too.>

<If you came here to check up on me, I'm fine.>

<If you say so. Everyone's really nervous...you didn't catch the news, didn't you?>

<I was busy. But I guess half the city wants my head for causing the blackout.>

<I'm pretty sure it's worse than that. Can they do anything to you?>

<They can try; I'm Null> Noriko boasts, handing back the now empty plate. Kari doesn't stop there but starts holding both of Noriko's hands.

<I didn't come here just to get you some breakfast. Max's sister is from Lesbo.>

<...okay?> Noriko says, more confused than ever.

<I asked him what it means. He says there's girls on Earth that have sex with other girls.>

<I know. There aren't on Myridia?> Noriko tries to free her hands, but Kari's not letting her go.

<Your first partner is always one of your duplicates, but doing it with anyone else was a crime.>

<It, ehm, it makes sense since Demeter enslaved Myridia to give birth to as many soldiers as possible. I'm not really sure->

<Would you like to have sex with me?>

Now uncomfortably close to Kari and with her face redder than Torn's, Noriko decisively breaks free and takes a very quick step back.

<Don't take this the wrong way but what the hell Kari!? First of all I'm straight, second aren't you and Max a couple?>

<No, we just have sex. I know you Earth people don't have duplicates, but the whole "one person at a time" doesn't make sense to me. Vesta even said it'd be "awkward" since we're teammates! Can you believe that? And Torn said...>

<He doesn't find humans sexually attractive> Noriko finishes the sentence for her, then quickly adding:

<I didn't ask him.>

<Sure> Kari says in a mocking tone, finding the idea of Torn volunteering some information funny.

<Seriously, he was...nevermind.>

<I crossed some sort of Earth social barrier, didn't I?> Kari realizes.

<Kind of.>

<Would it be awkward if I asked your fath->

<YES> Noriko interrupts her, her silver eyes flashing with anger.

<Okay, no need to get mad! I just thought...>

<I have work to do. Thanks for coming by. If anyone asks, we never had this conversation.>

The docks

Erika Rhys steps out of the car, escorted by two men wearing black clothes. Or at least they look like men: they're actually genetically engineered foot soldiers. The twenty-something brunette with glasses leads them towards the warehouse like she's their boss instead of their prisoner.

Once inside, one of the Blue locks the door and the other activates a holographic projector. The image of a Japanese businesswoman appears out of thin air.

<What do you want?> the hologram asks coldly.

<The great and powerful Leiko Tanaka, Person of the Year, the one who stole Noriko's reactor technology and created the Blue to spread chaos all over the world to convince the Mortal Liberation Front to attack Earth. It's a real honor to meet you!>

<You proposed an alliance. I don't even know who you are.>

<Oh you should. I met your mother when she discovered the Odyssey. I was there when your grandfather recovered the Core and I was there with Heinrich Null when he put his hands on the Heart of the Universe. You don't recognize me because I never wear the same body for more than a few years, but we're almost family.>

<I've killed people in my family before. Who are you?>

<I've been worshipped with many names. I've been the Cursed Daughter. The Rotten Apple. The Alluring Abyss. The Unrelenting Strife. The Angel of Darkness. Today I'm Beautiful Cancer.>

<You're wasting my time. What do you want?>

<I want to start a war. Help me, and I will give you the Heart of the Universe.>

<I'm listening.>

Project Silver, undisclosed location

Hologram technology has been introduced to the public only a few months ago, but it's already spread into all levels of society. One of the less publicized advantages is that it makes secret meeting much cheaper and, for lack of a better word, even more secret.

General Anderson is meeting the President and the Joints Chief of Staff right now, and he didn't even have to leave his office.

<NASA confirms that the Negative Drive exploded beyond the Moon's orbit. They estimate its yield at approximately sixty megatons> one of the holograms says.

<"Negative Drive"?> the President repeats.

<One of our directional microphones caught the name, sir> Anderson explains.

<Null is proving to be increasingly unstable, mister President. She came close to destroying the city, and we don't even understand how she was able to cause the blackout> the hologram continues.

<And we have reason to believe she's been stockpiling new assault robots> another adds.

<Gentlemen, I agree that we need to control miss Null, but you almost make it sound like she's preparing for war> the President comments.

<The first thing she said in her first public appearance was that she wanted to conquer the world, sir.>

<At a game show, general Anderson. She was joking.>

<Was she? She employs four people with superhuman powers. She tested a weapon of mass destruction. She builds robots armed to the teeth. She stole an alien spacecraft from the Army. And she recently acquired all the assets of Scion Corporation, which we suspect was responsible for more than twenty terrorist attacks. She thinks she can do whatever she can; we should prove her wrong.>

<We all know how dangerous miss Null is, General Anderson. Project Silver was created to develop new forms of deterrent against her technology. But we will not use your new weapons against an American citizen until I deem it necessary, is that understood?>

<Yes, mister President.>

<However, I agree that we should send some kind of signal. Are we sure that she doesn't know about Project Silver?>

<She may learn the name, but that's it. We theorize she can access information only if enough people know it. We don't know the exact number, but it's probably around a thousand people.>

<Which puts a limit on the level of resources we can commit to Project Silver. Nevertheless, I want some options to take out miss Null and her forces.>

<Understood, mister President.>

<Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. Now, I believe the next thing you guys wanted to talk about was replacing our nuclear submarines to new models powered by reactor technology…>

The Vulcan Forge, 2500 light-years away

The Forge is one of the wonders of the galaxy, but very few people have been able to see it. Despite being the core of the Collective it is relatively small, comparable to a medium-sized industrial complex on Earth. What makes it truly special is its location: the Forge is built on the surface of a neutron star, a collapsed star with gravity billions of times higher than what is found on any planet.

Elytra is able to walk here only because her Ghost Maker makes her completely intangible and therefore immune to gravity's deadly effects, but she needs to wear special protective goggles to avoid going blind. The Talos doesn't seem to care.

"Nothing should be able to resist this much pressure and heat; what's it made of!?" she wonders.

<You can take off your goggles now> a female voice says.

Elytra carefully removes the only thing that prevents her from going blind, and slowly opens her eyes. She's in a luxurious and old-fashioned room. The woman in front of her is sitting on a throne of diamonds, and she's clearly not human.

Her skin is platinum, her eyes rubies and her hair gold. Her red dress carefully accentuates her shapely figure; it's by far the most attractive robot ever built.

<You can be tangible here, the gravity won't crush you. You can leave us now, Unit 547X5.>

<As you wish, Lady Galatea> the robot answers, bowing and slowly leaving the room.

<Something to drink? I bet those brutes didn't even bother trying to keep you comfortable.>

<Who are you? I thought I was going to see…>

The entire building trembles, hit by the most powerful earthquake Elytra's ever felt. There is no damage, but the sheer force of the quake is almost tangible.

<What was that!? I thought we were on a star...>

<That's Hephaestus working. I know it's annoying, but it can't be helped. Forging neutral matter anywhere else would be catastrophic.>

<"Neutral matter"? The thing the Talos are made of?> Elytra asks.

<Yes. Utterly indestructible. I'm made of the same stuff, so don't bother trying to attack me. But let me introduce myself: Galatea VII, Queen of the Collective.>

<I thought Hephaestus ruled the Collective, and he's married to Aphrodite.>

<They separated. He'd prefer to kill her or divorce her, but, well, she is immortal and his mother is the Goddess of Marriage, so it's out of the question.>

<What's it got to do with me? Why did Hephaestus bring me here?>

<He wants the Drylon technology inside you. I think I can convince him to keep you, the flesh that surrounds it, alive. If you're willing to help me.>

<Why should ? You're a robotic prostitute that worships a genocidal tyrant.>

<Right now I'm the only one that can prevent the extinction of all organic life in the Galaxy. If I were you, I'd pay more attention to my words...then again, if I were you my life would be in the hands of a robotic goddess, so what do I know.>

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