“What kind of issues?” Aquarius asked.
“See for yourself.” Aries pointed a remote at a screen on the wall, and a video began to play. “This was broadcasted hours after the attempted theft.”
The face of the man calling himself Jesus appeared. “My beautiful flock, I am here today to ask for your help. I am seeking a stone, very special one called kyawthuite, which, until recently, you could view at a Los Angeles museum. Given its importance, I sent some of my most loyal disciples to retrieve it. Imagine my shock when I discovered it had been switched out for a fake.” Alien Jesus sighed and shook his head. “Terriblething, especially since we all know what my father thinks of thieves.” An ironic statement to make after admitting it tried to rob the museum. “This crime is especially heinous because that stone belongs to me. That’s right, my precious disciplines. That gem was a gift to me from God himself, lost when I suffered persecution by unbelievers. It has much sentimental value to me, and I am saddened by its loss, hence why I am sending out a plea for you to find it. Whoever locates the kyawthuite gemstone and returns it to me will immediately get into my and God’s good graces and receive eternal reward. I have faith in you. God bless and good luck.”
The video ended, and Aries cleared his throat. “The video got shared around the world in pretty much every language you can imagine and led to a spurt of violence as people immediately became determined to recover it. Home invasions. Neighbors attacking one another. The desperation to give thisthingthe gemstone is unreal.”
“Because they believe it will get them into heaven. A powerful incentive,” Sage murmured, patting little bean’s back.
Ishtar chewed her lip. “I’m sorry. I never thought my retrieval of it would cause issue.”
“Don’t apologize.” Aries slashed a hand. “If you’d not taken the kyawthuite, then that fucker would have it and who knows what it would do with it. The alien is pissed it’s missing though. It sent out two other similar videos before releasing this only an hour ago.”
Once more the screen showed Alien Jesus’ face. The expression on it hinting of anger, the eyes glowing inhumanly.
“Greetings to my flock, especially those who’ve been trying so hard to get in my good graces. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. I cannot wait until I can thank you personally for your effort when it came to locating my loss gemstone. Alas, no one managed to find it, through nofault of your own. The thief hid it well, which is why I must ask another favor. Being all knowing, I’ve discovered who took the kyawthuite, a horrid bunch of people, hidden among you. I am speaking of a group of men and women who work for an organization called the Zodiac Warriors. A lofty name for vile killers. At one time, they called themselves heroes and champions of humanity. However, they’ve been overtaken by a greedy and unscrupulous woman who has declared herself queen. A queen who destroys everything she touches. A disgrace who seeks to stymie my attempts to give you all my blessing. Terrible, I know. I want so much to welcome you all into Heaven to meet my Father, but I can’t.” The tone of Alien Jesus lowered. “Because ofher. However, fear not, I have a way to flush this miscreant out, she and the so-called warriors that form her army. It will require you to break one of God’s commandments. Rest assured, though, you will be absolved of that sin, for you will be acting for the greater good.”
Alien Jesus paused. “This will be difficult for some of you, but those who truly wish to serve me and God are now being called upon to eliminate the non-believers. We cannot have them working against us, trying to keep you from your just desserts.”
“Holy fuck, did he just declare war on anyone who doesn’t follow him?” Aquarius couldn’t help but sound horrified.
Aries paused the video and had never looked so bleak. “He did, and worse, people are listening. Obeying. Killing. Listen to the rest and we can discuss it further.”
Alien Jesus stared straight at the screen, and Ishtar tucked close to Aquarius as if anticipating what it would say next.
“To this evil queen who destroyed her own kingdom, I give you one last chance. Hand over the kyawthuite, for, if you do not, you will be responsible for the death of the non-believers. Their blood will be on your hands. Every mother, father, and child that dies will die because of your greed. And in case you don’tbelieve my disciples won’t follow through, let me show you what is happening now outside my temple.”
The camera panned away from Alien Jesus and focused on a cluster of people, many of them holding out crosses, a few wearing robes as if they were clergy or nuns. What chilled the blood? How many of them held makeshift weapons. Kitchen blades, hunting daggers, and even some baseball bats. This armed group surrounded what appeared to be a family. Older man, similar aged woman, and three youngsters, none older than ten, faces splotched from crying, huddled together as if hugging would save them.
Aquarius felt his stomach tighten.
Aries murmured, “There’s nothing you can do for them. This has already happened.”
It didn’t help. Even had he been able to beam as it occurred, he’d likely not make it in time, not to mention he would have had to kill misguided people. People whose only mistake was believing the word of a false prophet.
Despite knowing what would happen, he didn’t turn away and forced himself to watch. It was the most gut-wrenching thing he’d ever witnessed.
Sage uttered a sound before turning away, tears streaming. Aries looked the grimmest Aquarius had ever seen. Ishtar wore the stoniest expression, obviously not surprised. Had she seen the same when Mars was attacked?
As for Aquarius, he’d never felt more helpless. They couldn’t give this monster the kyawthuite, for it would only result in more death, but if they didn’t, countless would be murdered.
As the last scream died out and the mob of cult followers cheered, the camera panned back to Alien Jesus.
“How many will die, the queen who is no more? Bring me the kyawthuite, and this can end right now. If you don’t…” Nothingmore was said or needed to be said. The threat couldn’t be clearer.
The video ended, and Aries sank into his chair, looking all of his several hundred years.
“We can’t give that fucker the gem,” Aquarius stated.
“Obviously, but I’m at a loss as to what we can do to stem the deaths.”
“Nothing.” Ishtar’s face remained stony, and her words emerged clipped and angry. “We tried in the beginning to appease the Kukakk, thinking they might negotiate in good faith. They lied each and every time. No matter what we did, they killed. The Kukakk enjoy the strife. Feed off it. Even if you give it the kyawthuite, the murdering will continue under a new pretext.”
“Fuck.” Aries scrubbed his face. “Just so it’s clear, we are not giving that asshole anything, but there has to be a way we can slow down the killing.”
“Right now, this alien fuck has got folks eating out of its hand because of the Jesus bit,” Aquarius noted, his brain whirring for a solution. He came up with the wackiest idea. “It’s using religion against humanity. It sounds and looks believable, so what if we took that away?”
“Took it how?” Aries eyed him with interest.
