Designed Destiny

17. Makin' Deals with the...Gods?

Moon: Crete of then Athens System

"So how the hell do you know these supposed gods?" Percy demanded, staring at HeadShot incredulously. "As soon as you heard Hera's voice, you were all like, "oh your majesty!" So, what's your mysterious backstory anyway?"

He just stared at her from beneath his hood silently.

"What do they expect any of us to do?" Heracles asked. "I'm not a warrior, how do they plan on whipping us into combat shape when, according to them, there's already a war underway?"

Percy shrugged a shoulder, "They're gods, they'll make shit happen, I'm sure," she rolled her eyes with scorn.

"Apparently. But what I'm getting at is...why do they need us? Why can't they defend themselves? Or here's one, why don't they just go back to Olympus and wait a few hundred years, tensions will have cooled off by then. What's so important about making a stand right now?"

"Good question, Heracles." The goddess Athena, still in her serpent form, spoke as she slithered back down the stairs. The demigods gravitated closer together as the gods reappeared. "I would like to tell you why,"

"Well, we've been waiting," Percy snapped, impatiently crossing her arms.

"The war -right now- is outside of Troy," Athena explained. "Surely you each know of the legends circulating around the reclusive planet, it is surrounded by an immortal wall, designed by my very own brother, Hephaestus. Its powers are limitless and for decades mortal creatures have been mesmerized by the concept of having power over the gods. The demigod with the abilities to slay divine creatures is currently taking refugee behind the Wall of Troy which is why every military in the galaxy will soon be congealing in Trojan Space. They want in, but can't yet..."

"It sounds like you have an idea about how they could get in," Heracles spoke up. "Wanna tell us about it?"

"I'm not saying you guys aren't geniuses," the Ares dog barked. "But right now y'all look pretty stupid. Androids, dumbasses, androids!" He woofed. "The same motherfuckers that were trying to kill you have the potential to undermine the abilities of the gods, and that includes breakin' through that pretty wall of Heffy's."

"Androids were designed by mortal-creatures and have been forced into a livelihood of servitude over the past few centuries. They used to be prized assistances but now they are slaves in their own skin," the Zeus eagle spoke from his perch high above the courtyard. "Mortal-kind seems to have created their own demons, as perhaps we have with the mortals. Androids are now advancing assassins; their powers have surpassing our knowledge and we cannot monitor them with our Third Eye. We believe that this galaxy is being ripped apart at the seams by two forces, the mortal-creatures and the immortal creatures they designed with their precious technology."

"The mortal-creatures aren't even aware of this android threat though," the Hera tigress said as she paced back and forth on the top of the stairs. "But you are. You were each being targeted by androids for reasons that aren't yet known, but we believe we know who their next target is; Helen of Sparta, our God-Slayer at Troy,"

"And this is the part of the plan you will orchestrate," the lithe cheetah form of Hermes drawled from his spot in the shade under the sweeping roof. "So, look, it's like this, gods can't trespass on Troy but that doesn't stop anyone else -like you- from gettin' in there and gettin' Helen out. We don't wanna hurt her, and we also don't want those damn androids squeezin' through those Walls somehow and offin' her. So with that bein' said, your mission is to get in, get out, and bring us back Helen."

"What are you guys gonna do with her?" Percy demanded suspiciously.

"We aren't going to hurt her," Zeus insisted. "We seek to train her to control her powers, if we remove her from the hands of the mortals, then there will be no war. We seek to train all of you, and we will before you embark to Troy,"

"How long is this going to take?" Percy spoke up again.

"And what makes you so sure we'll be able to get in?" Heracles asked.

"Troy will once again open its gates," Hecate purred darkly from her shadowy corner. "And when they do, you will be ready."

"What about our deals?" Percy snapped, gesturing between her and Heracles. "We ain't received jack shit yet."

"Allow me to rectify that," the panther prowled closer, her glowing purple eyes trained on Percy's yellow eyes. "You want Andromeda breathed back to life? Consider it done," then she nodded at HeadShot. "Return to Argos to retrieve the girl, once she's secured you may bring her back here, HeadShot."

The assassin bowed gravely.

"That's another thing!" Percy suddenly declared as the thought struck her. "How come every fuckin' body seems to know HeadShot! And how come he knows this place? He ain't no demigod, is he?"

"HeadShot is a Wiccan Warrior," Hecate growled, shooting Percy a warning look, her black whiskers bristling. "Show him respect or else answer to me," her lip briefly curled over her fang before she padded away. "No more questions."

"That doesn't tell me a lot," Percy muttered under her breath.

"What about you, Heracles?" Athena asked, cautiously slithering closer to the demi.

"What about me?" He eyed her cagily.

"What is it in this galaxy you want the most?"

He furrowed his brow as he looked away, his heart churning with uncertainty. He couldn't believe he was standing there on Crete when he was just on Thebes ten minutes ago with Megara and Iolaus. That was another thing, why where the gods trying to paint androids out to be the bad guys here? His very best friend was an android! Of course, Heracles had less than warm, fuzzy feelings for Spike and his crew of punks, but never the less, Heracles didn't want to admit that those androids were behind his bike accident. It really was just an accident, right? Spike didn't like, try to kill him, did he? And how were androids advancing without mortal-creatures noticing it? If they really were developing a new sense of self and aggression than why didn't Iolaus fight back when he was attacked outside of the 12's bar?

There were so many questions burning in his head, and guilt was pumping from his heart. Why hadn't he spoke up already and asked that his father was to be healed from his coma? Heracles ran a hand through his hair, his mind aching as more thoughts raced wildly through his head. He didn't want to believe in the gods, he didn't want to believe in demigods, aggressive androids, or magical holy powers that could heal a person in the blink of an eye while technology only kept them barely alive. It was so confusing as to what to believe in anymore, who were the real gods and villains? What was religion anymore in a galaxy of technology?

"I...I'll have to think on it more," he finally admitted. Everyone looked surprised, the gods included. "I think I'll hold on to my "wish" a little longer,"

Everyone was stunned.