Time-Space coordinate: 32099.500990.urd, the Planet Amaranthus

On the spa planet of Amaranthus, Isis sank into a warm tub of ambrosial fluid. She savoured the sensation of secret herbs and nano-machines cleansing her body on a molecular level. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” she said, “the best part of an adventure is the relaxation afterwards.”

Odin fidgeted in a chair nearby. His fidgeting made the task of trimming and polishing his hooves vary difficult for the pink drone trying, but the drone wordlessly persevered. Odin wiped some condensation from his visor. He said, “Yeah relaxation, it just takes me a little time to calm down after nearly dying, I suppose.”

Shiva lifted his head from a massage table. He said, “Is that the best part, Isis? I would have thought the part where I flew in and saved your butts might rank higher.”

Isis heard him despite being fully submerged by now in the fluid. She popped back up out of it. She shook her head, her long ears sending drops of fluid onto the faces of Odin and Shiva. She said, “So boys, are we going to talk about the fact that our former servants just tried to kill us? Or should we discuss how they hate us so much that they were willing to blow themselves up just to kill one or two of us?”

Shiva said, “Nah, I don't care why stupid mortals think the stupidity they think. I didn't ask this machine what it thinks while it needs my muscles. Instead of the why, I'm concerned about how. How did they procured enough of our technology and secrets to nearly pull it off. One of your two has been slacking in your anti-espionage responsibilities.”

Odin pulled his hoof away from the pedicurist to wipe his visor again. “I've been thinking about that ever since Pirate's face on my screen. We have traitors, maybe in all three of our fleets. Even if we catch them all, however, the underlying causes remain. That revolt was inevitable.”

Isis said, “Oddity-Odinty, you are even more broody than usual. If you are going through a goth phase, I have some wardrobe suggestions.”

Shiva said, “It was a cool ambush though. I would give Pirate a medal if I hadn't atomized him.”

Odin shook his head. “Pirate was an unhinged homicidal maniac, but he wasn't all wrong. For a long time now, we've been playing this capture and duel game with pretty much everybody else in the universe as our game pieces. From their point of view, it's exploitation.”

Shiva said, “Don't you start mortal-hugging. I am doing these lesser lifeforms a favor. Serving me is the only sort of true glory they can ever experience. Without my guidance, they would all serve meaningless lives, and then they die anyway. Pirate was wrong because he was attempting to kill immortals, the only lives in this universe which have lasting value.”

Odin mulled this over. After a few nanocycles, he said, “Candide's life had value. If not for him, Isis and I would both be dead right now. That's worth something.”

Isis said, “You're being a spur in the side of my relax, Snouty-Pouty.” She stretched, “If miss your firefighter, clone him.”

Shiva said, “The firefighter did okay. Are you going to bring him back, Monocle-Face?”

Odin said, “Yeah,” and let the word hang lonely in the air.

While the three omni-aliens were on the planet, humans entered Odin's ship in orbit, the Asgard.

A drone opened a door between the medical bay and a hall. The figure of a tall and broad human met the drone at the door. The drone looked up barely in time to see the scepter which caved in its fragile skull. King jogged into the room. A security officer reached for its stunner, but King crushed its arm with another blow. Then King struck the drone with his mightiest blow yet and broke the drone's neck.

Meanwhile, Hyper-Hobo dashed through the corridors of the ship at manic speed. He tossed grenades into every room he passed. His speed appeared super-human. Hyper-Hobo shouted, “Pineapples! Free pineapples for everybody!” The grenades released an Einstein-Bose Condensate, a distinctive fluid frozen to near absolute zero. The devices sounded like grenades when they activated, causing thunderclaps of compressed air and spraying deadly super-freezing fluid, but they caused no significant harm to the ship.

Hyper-Hobo reached the door to the Asgard's bridge. The door opened for him automatically because the security protocols had already been by-passed. “Who wants pineapple on the pizza?!” he cheered.

Huginn spun around in place and stared at the deranged human. Huginn said, “I know you, sir.”

Two security officers pointed their stunners at the intruder. His movements were so quick and erratic that they had great difficulty aiming their weapons when they had their brief chance. Suddenly their arms dropped to the floor, stunners still their hands. The drones looked down in confusion because they had not seen the attack which severed their arms. They heard a swish, and their heads fell off also. A female figure in black stood behind them. She made no noise, but her bright orange hair and white face paint negated any stealth possibilities which her outfit afforded.

Huginn turned to face her. He said, “You must be Lord Shiva's latest experiment. I heard that he attempted fusing a ninja with a mime, but I did not believe it until now. Does your existence strike you as being a little – redundant?”

Blood dripped from the blade of her otherwise invisible sword. She cut in an upward slash which carved Huginn in twain. The drone's body fell backwards onto a chair.

King's voice came over the ship's intercom. “Medical deck hath been secured. Hath thou taken thine bridge, Dame Mimeja?”

Instead of Mimeja, Hyper-Hobo answered, “I lived under a bridge! Never trust a goat!”

King's voice said, “Verily, Sir Hobo. I have the quest item. I shall meet thee yonder with haste. Begin thine data purge.”

Hyper-Hobo chewed on one of his grenades. Mimeja backed away.