"Okay. We can't fight it, and we can't teleport through it. Can we teleport further?" - Said Cass.
"No. Something is blocking my entry point from here." - Said Selene.
"Well, we'll just have to walk back and go directly to it, then, I suppose?" - Said Lucas.
"I am blocking those for a reason."
A woman seemed to have easily teleported between them and the dreadnought.
She was breathtaking. Perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect everything. To Lucas, she looked tall, very pale and with long straight black hair. To Cass, she looked average-sized, but as a top-heavy and stunning blonde.
Naked.
"Wow." - Said Lucas, looking at her.
"Agreed." - Said Cass.
"Good, at least you're on the same page, so there won't be any jealousy issues later." - Said Selene, dryly - "Why are you blocking us, Venus?
"Because you did not think this through." - Said Venus.
"How do you even know what we are planning?" - Said Selene.
"The two don't know yet, but they are under one of my domains."
Selene turned around to see how Lucas and Cass would react. They were too busy admiring the view. Aphrodite could fascinate people anywhere, it seemed.
Humans. - She thought, forgetting for a moment that she had been one.
"Okay." - Said Selene - "So you know what we plan. Why do you say we did not think this through? I'll teleport the dangers of that area, portals included, to my world, where I am omnipotent. How would they make their way from there to - say - the Far Plane then?"
"They're humans." - Said Venus - "They are among the most inventive and destructive races in the entire cosmos. It's a wonder they didn't end themselves in the 20th Century. You think they won't find a way, if it is alerted to them wholesale that there is an outside plane? Your little protegé nearly destroyed the entire Universe this afternoon. So, if she claimed this plane for herself and let people know, how long would it be until they found a way?"
Selene sighed. "Yet I do believe their causes for trying to do this would be quite good..."
"Don't let your affection for a new kind of worshipper cloud your mind. I, too, think her ideals are commendable, but she won't be around to enjoy the fruits of her work if the universe ends on account of even a slight oversight. As it is, I would rather have you not gaining access to the Water of Permanence and, thus, failing your mission, than you 'securing' the Periphery and talking about the place to anyone and anything with ears. What will it be? Will you change your plans or go back empty-handed?"
Selene sighed. She was finding out she hated when Venus had a point.
"Fine. I will tell Lucas and Cassandra that our plans are changed. Will you remove your fascination effect and let us through?"
Venus nodded. "Done and done." - She disappeared.
Lucas looked around. "Er... Say... What did you two talk about? I couldn't hear it over the sound of how unbelievably beautiful that woman was. Who was she, by the way?"
"Don't make me get my mallet, Lucas. But yeah, I sorta have to agree with her on this." - Said Cass.
Selene sighed.
"Venus or Aphrodite. And you two will have to change your plans..."
