The Hatchery, 21.000 light-years from Earth
Enyo watches Noriko Null, wearing the Genesis Armor, appear from a bright flash of light and holding an unconscious Hermes in her arms.
<What?> she struggles to say, unable to continue the question: her throat has not fully healed yet after Athena ripped off her vocal cords.
<The test run was successful.> Noriko confirms, her voice distorted by the armor as she gently deposes Hermes to the same medical chair that had been used to extract Enyo’s blood.
The god definitely has seen better days: his jaw has been completely ripped off his face, and his naked torso is drenched in his own blood.
<How… get… here?> Enyo asks, speaking with increasingly lower volume.
<The Genesis Armor has its own Portal Generator. It’s murder on its battery life though.> Noriko acknowledges. In fact, her heads-up display shows a rapidly blinking 3%.
<God Mode off. Pilot ejection and complete shutdown.>
Obeying her commands, the circuits stop glowing and the armor opens up to let Noriko step out into the open. In order to wear the armor, she had to strip to her underwear; for a moment she realizes the absurdity of feeling comfortable in this attire next to two gods who have tried to murder her.
<For me, Sunshine? You shouldn’t have.> Hermes jokes.
He’s massaging the jaw he just regrew from scratch, seemingly completely healed.
<You had me worried for a second. It wasn’t as serious as it looked.> Noriko replies.
<Oh, it was serious… a lesser god would have taken weeks, if not months to recover from this. Make no mistake, I am in far greater pain than I look. Perhaps a kiss might be the only…>
<Should I put the armor back on?> Noriko interrupts him.
<No thank you. I have no intention of going another round. But my heart is warmed by the knowledge that you actually care about my well-being!>
<Only because you’re in my “do not kill” list. I’d be bad publicity if I still killed you.>
Hermes is fully prepared to snark back, but he doesn’t take the opportunity when he hears an incessant beep coming from a nearby pile of discarded clothes.
<Your pants are vibrating.> he informs her.
<It’s my N-Phone. I had to switch off the Soul Relay while in the armor.> she replies, while mentally activating the device installed in her cranium to interface with the phone.
<Where the Hades are you!?> Roxiana shouts.
<Back at the Hatchery. False alarm though, Hermes is fine.>
<Nevermind that. Get back to the Destiny-One right away, Athena’s fleet is here!>
<Already!? How did she track you, when the stealth mode…> Noriko wonders out loud, when her silver eyes shine to coincide with the realization.
<Of course. She must’ve extrapolated its quantum signature from Cerberus.>
<The mutt’s here too. I’ve put the ship out of phase, but it won’t stay intangible for long. I will be fine… I have the Absolute Defense, even Cerberus can’t hurt me… but it won’t take her long to find the Hatchery.> Roxiana explains. Despite her efforts, it’s clear from her tone that she’s worried about her own sanity.
<It’s less than a dozen light-years from here. I can take you there in no time.> Hermes offers.
<No, I’ll call Torn to open an Aether portal for me: this will save energy from the armor and ensure Athena doesn’t track you. He’s also going to open a second portal here: both of you will help him to evacuate the Hatchery. > she orders, going straight for a cabinet that she opens by placing her palm over a sensor.
<Fight?> Enyo asks, pointing at herself.
<No, you’re not in good enough shape yet: Athena must’ve done something to you if you’re not healing as fast as Hermes. Speaking of which…>
Noriko grabs the handful of transparent flasks that contain a glowing red liquid, placing all of them in his arms.
<Weapons grade divine blood.> he recognizes.
<These are for the Vanguard only. If I find you kept one to yourself, I’ll make you wish you were in my kill list.>
<Can I at least keep the clothes you discarded? They have sentimental value.>
<Don’t even think about it.> she warns him, taking one of the vials and pacing back to the Genesis Armor. She has one last order, given while she inserts the vial into the armor’s belt:
<Initiate self-destruct sequence. Countdown, five minutes. Authorization code: FUBAR-NULL.>
An electronic voice is transmitted throughout the laboratory:
<Authorization code recognize. Warning: Black Hole Generator will be activated in T-300 seconds. There will be no further warnings.>
<Isn’t this a little drastic? I doubt even Athena can beat you with that armor.> Hermes acknowledges, instinctively massaging his newly regrown chin.
<If I had perfected the power system, maybe, but I’m not so sure I have enough juice to beat both her and Cerberus.> she admits, entering the armor.
Two separate triangle-shaped portals of Aether energy appear, one in front of her and one at the center of the lab.
<You’re going to need help.> Torn points out.
<Definitely, but not as much as Athena. Battle Mode on.> Noriko answers, and the armor charges up its systems.
Imperial Warship Aegis II, a few light-years away
Athena is sitting on the captain’s chair of her newly constructed capital ship.
From the outside it looks very much like the original, including the Neutral Matter hull, but several of its internal systems have been upgraded from the original.
She’s aware it’s not as advanced as the Destiny-One, although she has already identified and implemented several countermeasures to Noriko’s latest technological breakthrough.
Including ways to spot it despite its advanced stealth capabilities, which is why the ship is clearly visible on the viewscreen as it maneuvers between blasts of superheated plasma and the black tendrils of a colossal hellhound trying to eat it.
<Enemy phase shifters are losing coherence. The target will re-enter regular space within the next two to five minutes.> one of the officers informs Athena.
<Lock all weapons on the target. Fire at full power as soon as they’re no longer intangible.> the goddess orders.
<Your Majesty. Should we teleport the enemy pilot onboard, before firing?> the first officer asks.
<That’s not necessary. The Absolute Defense will protect her from the blast; I will interrogate her after she has lost the battle.>
<Spatial distortion of unknown origin detected between us and the target.> another officer says.
<On screen. Keep the target on lock in case it’s a…> Athena orders, finding herself speechless once the screen switches from images of the Destiny-One to a figure appearing out of a triangle-shaped portal.
An armor clearly designed for a woman is standing in the middle of space, arms crossed.
<Full tactical analysis of this secondary target.>
<Scanners are being jammed, Your Majesty, we cannot fully analyze what’s inside the armor. We only detect minor power fluctuations and a low-level environmental forcefield. Threat level: insignificant.> the first offer reports.
<We are being hailed.> the communications officer says.
<No active defenses detected in the secondary target.> the weapons officer adds.
<Answer the call. On speaker.> Athena orders.
The voice of Noriko Null is immediately recognized by everyone on board, even if it’s electronically distorted by the armor.
<Anyone choosing to abandon ship right now will be brought to safety and be given amnesty. As for anyone else… you’re in the splash zone. I’d get out if I were you.>
<Primary target will return to physical space in seconds. Ready to fire on command.> the weapons officer declares. Athena can hear his heartbeat is accelerating.
<Still no defenses on the secondary target?> she asks.
<None detected, Your Majesty.>
<No phase shifting either?>
<None, Your Majesty. Secondary target appears completely defenseless.>
“What’s your play in this, Noriko? A suicide run? A trick? A bluff? You can’t possibly care that much about Roxiana.” Athena thinks to herself.
<Primary target is no longer intangible! Should we fire?> the weapons officer asks.
Athena doesn’t respond. She just stares intensely at the viewscreen.
<Primary target is powering up its main engine. Should we attack or pursue?> the first officer asks.
Athena’s stare narrows. It’s as if she could look at Noriko straight in the eye.
<Ma’am, we are about to lose the target! What are your orders?> the first officer pushes her.
<Ignore it. Fire all weapons on the secondary target, full power.>
<Redirecting weapons. Firing at full power.> the weapons officer acknowledges.
<Power surge detected on the secondary target!> another officer shouts.
Every mortal on the bridge has to look away from the main viewscreen: with so much energy dumped on such a close target, it’s blindingly bright.
The Aegis II is fully capable of reducing the surface of an entire planet into molten lava; if the hull were made of anything but indestructible Neutral Matter, it would not have survived.
If the target were a spaceship, the debris would create an impenetrable dust cloud that would obscure the results of the attack. But the target is so small that everyone expected it to just be disintegrated in an instant.
Instead, as soon as the weapons stop firing, the result is immediately visible: the armor is still there. The only change is that the two green lights on its chest are now shining brightly, as is the energy flowing through its circuits and across its visor.
<Target is… undamaged?> the weapons officer can’t believe his own words.
<Phase shifting?> Athena hypothesizes.
<Negative, the target is not intangible. The attack just… didn’t register.> the first officer reports, still not believing his eyes.
That’s far from the most shocking turn of events. The armor smashes through the hull and enters into the bridge by crashing through the viewscreen; the last thoughts of several crew members, as they are ejected into space before emergency forcefields can seal the breach, it that this should be impossible… Neutral Matter should withstand any brute force.
Athena keeps her place on the captain’s chair, while some of her officers attempt a desperate last-minute defense.
They’re lucky that Noriko Null doesn’t acknowledge them: the blasts from their personal weapons bounce on the armor, and Torn throws enough Aether daggers to kill all of them.
<Interesting fashion statement.> Athena comments, raising an eyebrow.
<I guess you know what this is.> Noriko states the obvious.
<The Genesis Armor. A pipe dream of your Nexus predecessors.>
<More like a nightmare to you. You’re awfully calm considering this thing can kick your ass all the way back to Olympus.>
<Any goddess worthy of the name would recognize the divine blood you’re using as fuel. I sensed your dwindling power supply and I’ve run mental simulations of how long it would take you to actually kill me in a one-on-one fight. I assume you have as well?>
<Of course. Five minutes.>
<Which was how much time you had left after you teared open the hull. You’re at four minutes now.>
<Then I’ll have to take you down in the next three minutes.>