The Layman's Ragnarok
In the end, they walked right into the trap. Knowing they were about to do so did not help them any. They had found the mistletoe hamlet and Yggdrasil, the base of the Norse gods, and had entered the great tree without incident, led by Freya.
Now they could not get out.
The 00 cyborgs made many attempts to escape, as a group and individually, and each had failed. Every attempt was met with severe retribution by Odin who had no tolerance for disobedience, leaving the cyborgs close but not quite at death's door.
"You will remain within Yggdrasil until you serve me as gods. I promised this and it will be so. Soon you will come to your senses and join us in guiding humanity back to rights."
They spent their days wandering the corridors, over and over, as though a way out would appear or the locked doors through which they could not pass would open, restless with the thought that the gods could now roam and corrupt freely. The nights they spent huddled together in those same corridors, for only the gods received the benefit of a bed. At first they whispered of plans of escape or simply told tales to keep their spirits up, but as the nights passed the cyborgs grew silent until they only gathered to lie down to sleep.
However, now and again, a conversation would begin as artificial dark settled in the hall, and always the same one.
"Do you think it's true? That's they're gods, I mean," GB asked, legs folded under him and his hands too still in his lap.
"No," Joe sighed, "Can't you hear it? This tree is mechanical, there's power running through the walls."
"So what? Gods can't use machinery?"
"They're cyborgs," Francoise said, her voice soft but firm, "I knew the moment we met Freya. I was going to say something, but I was hoping she'd…" she trailed off, the betrayal of the goddess of love cutting deep.
Pyunma spoke next, "Maybe we should focus on the gods of Asgard themselves rather than the tree."
"What, you think we can take 'em?" Jet asked.
"And if they're cyborgs then they may have a power source. There's no way they could perform all those feats under their own power. It might be here," Joe added.
Geronimo Jr., slumped against the wall with his eyes shut, said, "What difference does that make if we can't access it?"
"Exactly," Pyunma continued, "We can't take these Norse gods on directly, not on their own turf, but what do we know about them? There may be something we've overlooked that we can use against them."
Francoise brightened. "The myths portrayed them as very human deities, with flaws and desires, and we've already seen their want of material objects such as gold."
"But what good is mythology against people who think they're gods?" Chang wondered.
"Because they're cyborgs," Albert said, a slight smile spreading across his blank face, "Mythology is all they have. If they were gods, they'd have knowledge of themselves, of history and beliefs long lost. Most of what we know about the Norse gods was written after Christianity had already come into Scandinavia and influenced them. Some argue that the portrayal of Odin as a supreme ruler and the demonization of Loki were Christians fitting the Norse gods into familiar molds. But if they're cyborgs then they won't know anything more about themselves than we do. We can use that."
Silence settled as the cyborgs fell into thought. The problem was that myth often contradicted itself and was easily twisted by the teller, then there was the possibility that the gods had already adapted their own identities from the mythos. Freya had never been a goddess of war, for example, and Thor had rarely been wrathful to humans for its own sake.
The silence was broken by Jet, slumped against the wall beside Geronimo.
"Which one's Loki?"
"Odin's henchman. He's been in every location they've hit inciting obedience," Joe said, "I just never realized at the time, like something was blocking my thoughts whenever we met."
"Makes sense, Loki's a trickster," Pyunma added. He and Francoise had done the most research on the Norse gods when this had all begun. "He was said to be Odin's blood-brother, a sky walker and sometimes the god of fire. Initially he wasn't evil, though he did cause a lot of problems, but he was considered a loyal companion. I didn't recognize him at first either; he's usually portrayed as a redhead."
GB laughed and gave Jet a nudge with his elbow, "Sounds more like our 002 here than that bastard. What do you think of that, 'Skywalker'?"
Jet ignored him, turning his attention to Pyunma, "So they're just playing the part?"
"Maybe, but if Freya's any indication then they truly believe they're gods."
Nodding, Jet sat back, eyes distant in thought. Joe watched him a moment before leaning behind GB and whispering:
"What are you thinking?"
"I might have a plan."
"Care to share with the rest of us?"
Jet smiled at him, "Not yet, still working it out." He rolled over onto his side and shut his eyes as though to sleep, though Joe knew he was listening as the team tossed about ideas and mythology.
Nothing was decided, as all good ideas had been spent.
Perhaps it was time for a fool's plan.
The cyborgs were permitted no food unless they ate in the feasting hall with the gods. They had resisted at first for resistance sake but in the end agreed there was no point in starving themselves. The hall was large and the long table spanned the length of it, the gods at the head with the cyborgs at the far end. Francoise listened in on their captors, hoping for information, but the gods said little as they feasted.
Tonight was no different, both parties silent in the echoing hall. The cyborgs said nothing for their captors to use in turn, merely ate the food while not thinking about where it came from or who prepared it.
"That's it!"
Crockery shattered as Jet leapt to his feet, hands slammed down on the table and nearly sending his bench mates to the floor.
"What's the point? To sit around and die of boredom while the world falls apart? To Hell with this!" Jet snarled. He pushed away from the table and stormed out of the hall.
"002!" Joe called, rising as though to follow, though his feet remained firmly planted to the floor. He turned his attention to the gods who had watched the outburst with interest.
Odin was smiling.
None of the cyborgs saw Jet for the rest of the night. They knew their captivity had been hard on him, restless as he was, and they were all stretched thin, but the outburst caught them all off guard. Francoise worried about his prolonged absence while Albert assured her that Jet just needed some time to calm down.
The next morning Loki came to them, sneering but clearly unhappy.
"Odin summons you. I don't suggest keeping him waiting," he said, words practically dripping from his mouth with his slimy tone.
The cyborgs looked to their leader.
"Do we go, 009?" Albert asked.
"Might as well, what good will being punished for 'disobedience' do?" Joe turned to Loki, "One of our number is absent. We need to find 002."
Loki chuckled deep in his throat, "Don't you worry about him, he'll be there."
They entered Odin's hall, larger even than the feasting hall with a high, vaulted ceiling of silver and a tiled floor patterned to lead the eye to the focus of the hall: Odin's throne, Hlidskjalf. From there the god claimed to be able to survey all. He sat there now, shield and spear in hand, single eye settled upon the cyborgs as they arrived. The other gods had gathered as well, seated beside the throne.
Jet stood before them, waiting.
Odin beckoned them forward, "I want you to witness to this."
"What's going on?" Joe demanded, leading his team forward, "002?"
The redheaded cyborg glanced over his shoulder at them, and for a moment his eyes looked remorseful, then he shrugged. "Sorry guys, but I'm done sitting around."
Odin rose to his feet, "Are you prepared to embrace godhood and serve me for all time?"
Turning his back on his teammates, Jet stood at full height. "I am."
"What are you doing?" Albert cried.
"If you guys want to wait around while the world falls apart just to satisfy your morals you go right ahead. Me? I'm gonna do what I can with what I got, and as a god I think that could be a helluva lot."
"Indeed," Odin said, "Then swear your allegiance to me and receive your divine rights."
"I swear to you my loyalty, to serve you until my last days," Jet declared and knelt before Hlidskjalf.
Odin stepped forward and placed his spear, Gungnir, butt first upon the floor before Jet. "Swear your life to me upon this sacred spear."
Jet hesitated, then grasped Gungnir's shaft, "I swear to you my life as a god."
Power crackled around the spear's head, shooting down the shaft and up Jet's arm. He cried out, his back arching, and then it was over. The power around Gungnir dissipated and Jet slumped forward, hands on his knees and panting.
"Welcome, god of Asgard," Odin intoned and lifted his spear once more, "I will give you your title and duties after some consideration."
"How could he?" Francoise said.
"It's a plan," Joe whispered, "He said he had a plan. We have to trust him."
"What if this was the plan?" GB said, voice heavy.
"I trust him," Joe repeated firmly.
Jet staggered to his feet, shaking his head, "Sir? I have a request to make."
Odin lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "So soon? But very well, I am in a generous mood. What is it?"
"I need to get out of here, I don't do cooped up so good. I was thinking', now that I'm a loyal servant and all," he trailed off meaningfully.
"Your subtlety leaves much to be desired. If you are thinking of betraying me…"
"I swore, didn't I? My word's all I got so I don't take that lightly. Lay down the rules, I'll obey."
Odin considered, then a dark smile spread across his face. "Then let us test your resolve. You will accompany Loki to a small town on the eastern seaboard of the New World that will serve as our foothold into that land of heathens. Convert the people to our cause and I will bestow upon you your godly title."
"America," Jet said, eyes narrowed.
"Correct."
"I ain't killing anybody."
"You will do whatever is necessary to achieve our goals!" Odin roared, slamming the butt of Gungnir to the floor and causing it to ring loudly throughout the hall. The cyborgs, including 002, couldn't help but flinch.
"Okay, okay," Jet said, hands raised in placation, "Whatever it takes, got it. When do we leave?"
Loki, standing back between Jet and his team, sneered and spat on the floor, "I don't need him with me, a crass mortal who knows nothing of divinity."
"I have declared him a god and it is so. Moreover I have no time to come to your aid should you begin to fail me as you have in the past," Odin's single eye pierced the trickster and Loki quailed, "You will take my new servant and make use of him. Failure is unacceptable. You," Odin turned to Jet once more, "should you try to escape or sabotage the conversion, your friends will pay the price."
Again Jet glanced back at his team, sighed, and looked away. "I swore to serve you. Better to help out and guide the world to rights with minimal casualties than cause a fuss and get more people hurt. I'll give you no reason to harm my friends."
"Good, you will both leave now. Loki, show him the Bifrost."
Loki gaped, then regained his composure and bowed. "As you wish, my lord. Come on you ascended beanpole," he snapped at Jet as he marched out of the hall. Jet followed, not looking at his team even as he passed them despite their searching eyes.
"One by one you will come and kneel before me," Odin said to them, "You will see how I reward those who serve me well." With that, Odin turned and left the hall, Thor at his heels. Freya remained, her gaze falling upon the cyborgs.
"You can still help us," Francoise beseeched.
Freya shook her head, her eyes sorrowful, rose, and followed after Odin.
The 00 cyborgs, minus one, stood alone in the empty hall.
Three days passed before Jet returned. Again the cyborgs were summoned to Odin's hall and again the gods sat upon their thrones while Jet knelt before them. Loki was nowhere to be seen.
"Well?" Odin demanded, beckoning Jet to rise.
"The town is yours. A few tricks, a miracle or two and they were eating out of my hand. Americans are desperate for something to believe in, you know. The media coverage is gonna end up doing a lot of the work for us."
"And where is Loki?"
Jet crossed his arms and tossed his head back. "He was too sloppy. His methods were obvious and damaging my work. Whatever it takes, right? So I took care of him."
Francoise gasped and Joe looked to Odin, panic for his teammate flooding forth. Odin's punishment for their mere disobedience had nearly killed them; retribution for Loki's death could only be fatal. He braced himself, primed to activate the acceleration device and rush to his friend's aid.
Even Jet visibly swallowed as the heavy silence reigned.
"The town will worship and sacrifice to us?" Odin asked.
"Yes," Jet choked out.
"I see." The god rose to his feet, his fellows following, and pointed Gungnir at Jet's chest, "Well done, Trickster God." With that declaration, the gods filed out of the hall.
The cyborgs stood in silence long after they departed, the only sound Jet's slow exhalation of relief. He glanced back at his teammates and grinned, giving them a thumbs up before following the gods.
"Still think this is a plan, lad?" GB asked, concern and sorrow warring within him.
Joe nodded. "Yes, I do. I just wish I knew what it was."