30 How not to be a super-villain (1/2)

Planet Myridia

Kari Zel is sitting on the beach. Two of the six suns are high in the sky, and a third one is near dawn; the wind keeps blowing her purple hair into her face.

Max Black, also known as Quantum, appears right next to her in a bright flash of light. She's not bothered for his sudden appearance; there's nothing unusual with it on Myridia.

he says.

<What's a penny?>

<Uhm, it's a small coin that, nevermind. I just wanted to know how you feel.>

<I'm gonna miss this place, Max.>

<Yeah, it's a nice beach.>

<But I bet your planet's awesome too> Kari answers cheerfully, standing up and shaking the sand off her pink dress.

<You know you don't need to come to Earth with us, right? You could stay here.>

Kari's smile fades. She recovers a backpack laying a couple of feet behind her; she moves it to make it clear that it's half empty.

<This is everything I own, Max. My family's been harvested years ago; I've been on the run since I was five years old. I'm tired of running…it's time to find something new.>

<Fifty light-years away? Are you sure you're not running away again?>

<Let me put it another way. If you had a chance to see a new world, would you throw it away?>

Max smiles. This trip was worth it after all.

<If I ever do that, promise me you'll take me back to Myridia and never let me leave.>

Twin Dragon, Demeter's former mothership

Orbiting Myridia at 1.200 miles altitude

Torn is leaning against the control station; his red skin and old duster stand out in the futuristic bridge. Noriko is laying with her back on the floor, working under the station like a mechanic in her workshop.

<Scissors> she orders, extending her hand from under the station.

<What?>

<You create energy swords with your mind, don't you? I need a pair of scissors here.>

<I don't know what that word means.>

<Two blades joined by a swivel pin at the middle that allows them to be opened and closed.>

<That doesn't sound like a useful weapon.>

<I don't need a weapon, Torn, I just need something to cut a wire.>

<I can cut the whole thing with my mind, you know.>

<You can probably cut the ship in two, but I'm planning to use it. Scissors, please.>

Torn sighs, and a pair of bright red energy scissors appears in Noriko's hand. He watches her work for a few seconds before she comes out of the station. He tries not to stare at her, but he can't help it: how could this frail child have killed a goddess?

<That was the last of the ship's tracking devices; now we can leave Myridia and no one will find out where we're headed. Are you sure you wanna come with us, Torn?>

<Yes.>

<You're not the talkative type, I see.>

<No.>

<What about Old Man Vor? I thought you had some kind of debt towards him.>

<The Oracles are dead. He's part of the Provisional Government. We're even.>

<You're not gonna tell me anything about who or what you really are, aren't you?>

<No. You seem...strangely fine with the idea.>

<I'll find out eventually; I am Null> she shrugs.

<I see.>

<But we need to lay down some rules. You won't kill anyone on Earth without my consent, unless in self-defense after every other option has been tried. Understood?>

<...>

<It's not open for negotiation, Torn.>

<Fine. I'll try not to kill people on your planet. Happy now?>

<It's a start.>

There's a flash of green light, signaling the arrival of Quantum and Kari by means of the ship's teleporter. Kari's two duplicates already on the bridge rush to get her bag, while Quantum is busy enjoying the moment.

Quantum salutes, standing at attention and barely keeping a straight face.

<You're already on board> Torn informs him, confused.

<He's just quoting something. He does that> Null clarifies.

<Oh come on Nori, can't you crack a smile at least once? We've got a freakin' spaceship!!!>

<What would I do without your ever so keen sense of observation> Null answers in the most deadpan way possible, recovering her N-Phone from the inside pocket of her horrible green leather jacket and activating the hologram generator.

The air fills with a tridimensional picture of the galaxy with a superimposed red dotted light.

<By studying the Oracles' records, I believe that Demeter's homeworld is about 40.000 light-years away from Myridia; since it took this ship 21 days to cover that distance, I estimate the Twin Dragon can fly at least 700.000 times faster than light.>

<How long will it take us to reach your world?> Kari asks.

arth is 50 light-years away> Null answers, shutting off the hologram.

<So, how long?> Quantum asks.