55 Crash and burn (1/2)

Null Tower, New York City

Noriko Null steps out of the elevator, closely followed by Max Black a.k.a. Quantum. She's surrounded by a dozen holographic screens displaying a variety of equations, programs, chemical formulas and blueprints, all digitalized by the N-watch she's wearing. Interfacing directly with her brain, the N-watch leaves her hands free to grab the espresso cup handed over by one of her humanoid robots, a Nullbot.

<…and before that I need to finish engineering new Godstones using only materials I can find on Earth, which I'll need for the Mark IV Genius Gun as well. But supervising the new reactors and assembling the anti-Oracle satellite network takes precedence, I need them for when I'll have the spaceship prototype ready for launch. Oh, and tonight I had an idea on how to use the adaptive properties of the Many genome to cure cancer, I'd like to have something for when I testify before Congress next month, because I know that when I'll be at the economic summit the press won't understand anything about the new economic system I'm going to propose, and that's assuming that any of the finance ministers there understand it in the first place.>

Noriko drinks her coffee, giving Max the first chance to utter a single word he's had for a long time.

<What was my question again?> he asks, lost in her endless flow of words.

<”How's it going?”> she reminds him.

<Seemed innocuous enough at the time.>

<Look Max, I'm really busy right now. My deal with Artemis bought us some time, but we don't know how long it will last: we need to be ready to defend Earth. I understand you want to know what happened to your sister and I do find the fact that I know nothing about Project Silver immensely frustrating, but right now...>

<No I know, don't worry, Kari and I can handle it. I just wanted to know if you want to hang out.

Noriko gives the cup back to the Nullbots, and looks at Max like he just landed from Mars.>

<”Hang out”> she repeats.

<Yeah, y'know, as friends. We never see each other unless someone's trying to kill somebody. Kari and Vesta have come over to my place a couple of times. Heck, even Torn's shared a beer with me. >

The evening before

Torn is sitting at the bar, hunched over his beer. He didn't say a word coming in that didn't involve ordering alcohol. You'd think more people would notice a guy with red skin, but it takes a long time before an attractive woman approaches him saying:

<Hey, nice tattoos!>

<I prefer beer> he answers.

<I mean your skin. Is that like bodypaint?>

<No.>

<I like that trenchcoat. Where did you buy it?>

<I skinned a rathicorian bear.>

<I don't get it.>

<You can't get it here. They live on Rathicor.>

<I…think I'm going to leave now> are the last words she says to him, almost bumping into Max who rapidly takes his place next to the red-skinned alien.

<Well, look who finally decided to step out of the Tower. What are you drinking?>

<Beer.>

Waiting for Torn to say something, anything else, Max tries to break the ice.

<Any particular kind of beer?>

<Cold.>

<You don't talk much, do you?>

<No.>

<Yeah I figured. Enjoying Earth so far?>

<Yes. Lousy drinks though.>

<You know I just can't figure you out, man. You leave your planet to join the Vanguard and risk your life for us, and we hardly ever talk. We're the only two guys on the team, we should stick together right?>

Torn finally turns his head to look Max in the eye, without moving a muscle on his stony face.

<Are you suggesting an allegiance against Null?>

<What!? No!!! I just mean we should be nice to each other, that kind of stuff.>

<I see> Torn nods, turning his eyes back to the glass of beer.

<I'm just saying you're not an easy person to read. I'm not even sure we're friends.>

<I saw you stand up to a goddess. That day, I learned all I need to know about you> Torn says, drinking his beer.

<Is that good or bad? With that voice coming out of a movie trailer it's difficult to tell.>

<What's a movie?>

<Nevermind. I need a beer every time we talk, Torn.>

<Me too. Good times.>

Now

The door to Noriko's lab opens automatically as she passes by.

<I know I'm going to regret asking but what in the world is the point of this discussion, Max?>

<You're too busy. You need to relax or you'll crash and burn.>

<Max, you do remember that I'm directly responsible for thousands of employees, that I recently bought one of the largest technological empires in the world, and that my work is the best and possibly only line of defense this planet has against an entire galaxy filled with mentally unstable gods that want to enslave us all, right? I can't just drop everything to ”hang out”.>

<And yet, your father has asked me to keep an eye on you. What does that tell you, Nori?>

<That I am smarter than my father.>

Max throws his hands in the air: who would've thought that talking to Torn would easy by comparison? But he owes everything to Noriko…his powers, the chance to make a difference, to witness impossible things up close and kick them in the face. No matter what, he will find a way to repay her.

<You want me to say it? Fine: you're smarter than me, than all the Vanguard put together. WE KNOW. But you wereimprisoned by the Oracles, almost had a mental breakdown TWICE, discovered how horrible your mother is, and you haven't had a single day off since you got that Nexus thing stuck inside your brain. Don't tell me your ego is so big you can't see that you MIGHT need some time off.>