Oldest one in the book
New York City isn't the easiest city to find a decent house, especially if you're unemployed, but when you know Null it's not really a problem.
Vesta complains, effortlessly carrying three boxes of comic books balanced on one hand.
Max looks at her like she's from outer space, which isn't far from the truth. Then he takes something from his pocket: a pair of glasses.
Outer space
An army of five thousand Kari duplicates is swarming the docking bay, keeping the guards too busy to notice the woman in the orange uniform fleeing the scene.
"Oldest one in the book" this Kari thinks; by the time they've dealt with the other duplicates she'll be long gone.
She takes one of the elevators out of the docking bay. It runs through the outside of the installation, so Kari can finally understand the situation...which isn't good, to say the least.
It's a space station built on an asteroid. She can see the Twin Dragon, Demeter's former mothership, but it's far from the only ship docked here.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller ships are ready for departure. They come in all size and shapes, but they all have one thing in common: a golden bow painted on the hull.
"Artemis Hunters. Since when do space pirates have a fleet this size!?" she wonders, when the elevator doors open.
Elytra Elater, captain of the Distant Horizon, is on the other side. Pointing a gun at her.
Before she can finish the question, a dozen Kari duplicates are already attacking her.
Earth, Max Black's apartment
Vesta is drinking a beer, watching Max having fun with his friends and the three Kari duplicates.
He told them he has a job at Null Technologies and that Vesta and Kari are co-workers...which isn't far from the truth and isn't so unusual: Noriko is hiring so many people these days. She may be a genius but Plasma Reactors, Sound Nullifiers and N-Phones don't build themselves.
A fourth Kari duplicate appears next to the fridge to get a few beers, asking:
The room fills with laughter; thinking she just made a joke, Max's friends go back to watch the game. Kari resists the urge to clarify that five hundred is a lot of people for a Myridian city, since it means five million duplicates. Instead she says to the goddess:
The goddess and the Russian twin with purple hair drink their beer, watching humans.
Vesta admits.
Outer space
It should be an easy fight: as a Lampyrian, Elytra isn't as strong as a human being. However she's able to become intangible to avoid all of Kari's hits, although the Myridian doesn't know how: as far as she knows Lampyrians don't have powers.
Elytra becomes solid again to fire her gun at one of the duplicates, who disintegrates on impact. Kari takes advantage of this to attack, but stops when Elytra phases her arm inside Kari's chest.
Elytra looks at Kari in the eye. She's trying to understand if she can trust her.
The mere mention of her home planet is enough to make Kari's heart jump. Her world has already seen so much death; she can't bear the thought of an invasion.
Elytra says, taking her intangible hand out of Kari's body.
Kari checks if there's any sign of damage, but she's completely unharmed. And Elytra is holstering her gun.
The two women study each other for what seems to be an eternity. The fight could start again at any moment. Finally, Kari asks:
Kari doesn't answer. She knows that look: Elytra is a killer. She's not bluffing.
She's not bluffing either.