With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Duke Long · 2025-08-14T06:40:50+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Well, it could be a little awkward if it turns out that he was one of Senior Agent Logan's antecedents."

Only a little, though. I'm pretty sure at a remove of one hundred and fifty years it's very likely for there to be no significant genetic risk of inbreeding.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-08-14T07:14:04+0100

Mr Zoat said:
15th August 2000
09:55 GMT

Senior Agent Blaze glances back at me as we fly over Northern Ireland, a mild frown on her face.

"Sir?"

"Oi'm not used to being paired up with someone else who can fly."

Especially someone who can fly a lot faster, given the capabilities of a Power Ring. Heck, if he's worked out FTL Transitions yet, he could literally be anywhere on Earth is as much time to will it so. And not exhaust himself doing so, like she probably is.

I nod. "As far as I know, it's just the two of us. May I ask you a question?"

"You just did. But you can ask another too."

Ah, the inevitable smartass response to that question. She's in a fine mood, isn't she?

"Do you want to visit the banshee homeworld?"

She thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "Can't say I really thought about it. Even if Queen Mab was willin' t' get everyone together just to open a portal, if would be one way. And oi wouldn't know anyone there."

He wasn't asking about the whole group.

Honestly, DC comics must not exist here, if no-one's got even an inkling of his full capabilities.

"Ah. No. Since Sir Percival was able to give me the relevant star charts, I'm perfectly capable of flying there myself. It's not much more effort to take passengers. Since Earth's banshees are at peace, I was thinking of offering… I.. don't know how to phrase it… Advertising? Amongst the people of your homeworld for additional colonists. A few males, for example."

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Mab would rather remain queen of this little kingdom. Who knows how the homeworld would react.

"We don't need 'em. Humans work perfectly well for siring the wee ones. Why'd you think Bláthnaid was showin' an interest in yew?"

"I thought she was trying to establish dominance. Do… Most banshees on Earth have human fathers, then?"

And she was probably figuring their child might inherit GK's powers. Little do they know...

"Some o' the younger ones. Mab has a banshee sire. Oi never asked the others."

"You?"

She shrugs indifferently. "My mother never said. I would have said 'yes' 'til I found out who Sh'rain's sire was. Now oi jus' don't know."

Why do I feel like that would have been a plot point in the show at some point?

I'd be fascinated to see the effect on her D.N.A.. Comics and Star Trek have encouraged me to assume that the result of a fertile human-alien pairing would be a hybrid, but I haven't seen any real difference between Senior Agent Blaze and the elder banshees. I suppose it could be more like asari, where the partner is used to induce parthenogenesis. Or I suppose that banshee could be altered humans themselves, with their exotic abilities engineered into their bodies by a smart virus… So it wouldn't matter whether one or both parents were banshees because the foetus would be infected either way.

Or Earth people are just that goddamn compatible because White Light Entity. No reason to assume it's not curled up in there, after all.

Unfortunately, reading a person's D.N.A. with a green power ring is a bit more difficult than that, so…

"Have you considered having your genetic code analysed? Obviously, nowhere on Earth has any records of male banshee, but if your father was human we could narrow down which part of the world he came from."

Even if the process isn't as refined as it could be at this age.

She frowns. "Oi hardly t'ink that matters."

"Well, it could be a little awkward if it turns out that he was one of Senior Agent Logan's antecedents."

...You might laugh, but given Banshees' extended lifespan, it might be possible.

"That doesn't seem loikly. We didn't leave Ireland all that much."

"The Irish Potato Famine was a hundred and fifty years ago, and that caused a significant wave to emigration from Ireland to America. The name 'Logan' is Gaelic in-."

And nothing says her mother couldn't have met a certain member of the family earlier.

"Oi know it's Gaelic." She rolls her eyes at me. "My mother didn't have me a hundred and fifty years ago."

"That statement could be taken two ways, sir."

Either she's younger, and thus not all that creepy to be dating Nick, or she's older, and it gets extra creepy...

"If oi'm not tellin' Nick me age I'll certainly not tell the likes o'you."

"Sir, according to him, Sir Percival is pushing a billion. All the centuries he's been on Earth are the proportional equivalent of me spending an hour at a café. And if Her Majesty doesn't mind that, I doubt that you've got anything to worry about."

Only a billion? A mere whippersnapper by maltusian terms, isn't he?

"Oi'm not worried. It jus' shouldn't matter."

"If you're hiding it, then it clearly matters."

The lady doth protest too much, after all.

"Oh? Want to know how old Bláthnaid is, do yeh?"

"Sir, we haven't even been on one date yet. You and Senior Agent Logan have been together for far longer. Though I admit, I am curious as to whether she'll duck the question in the way that you do."

And she may find GK's quite the handful to deal with, and beg off of future dates.

Her eyes narrow. "Oi t'ink oi loiked yew better when you talked with yer hands."

I smile, tap both index fingers against my chest and then tap the tips against each other.

"Psh."

He's still chatty either way.

And there's the coast, and… Senior Agent Blaze is turning off and descending towards… Yes, there it is. The circle of stones is clearly broken, but I can see the faint glow as Sh'rain and her attendant conduct their repairs, gradually reforming the stone and… Whatever else their magic requires. Ahead of me, Senior Agent Blaze takes a moment to observe their progress and then changes direction from towards them to straight down.

Wonder what broke it in the first place? Wild coastal weather, unknowing casual vandalism, or something targetted?

"Best not surprise them. That's delicate work, so it is."

I descend, landing lightly on the ground alongside her. "Is there any significance to this location?"

I would assume the stones are placed on leylines to take advantage of the energy flows. The further they are, the more personal energy needed to empower them, maybe?

"Oi don't t'ink so. But standing stones make the land feel… Better."

"Feel better to banshees, or is there a tangible effect on plants and animals?"

An interesting angle to consider. I doubt they could turn the Sahara green, but perhaps some in areas damaged by human error...

"Why would it matter?"

I shrug. "I was just thinking that integrating banshees into Irish society would be easier if there was something your people could offer in trade."

Such as enhancing natural regrowth in farmland or logging forests?

She folds her arms across her chest. "Loik all those vampires you convinced t' join the Alliance?"

"Ah-. The principle's the same, but I'm not sure that would be safe for banshee, considering…" Hm. "Though I suppose that sticking standing stones in isolated places might make keeping in contact with the more isolated extraterrestrial populations easier. Particularly those who aren't willing to trust the Alliance yet."

Also an option, though whether they could use the stone's connections would be up in the air.

"Maybe they're happy where they are."

I nod. "They might be, but banshees used to live in a far wider variety of places. You can't be the only one interested in the rest of the world."

Would explain some stories of 'spirit women' from other parts of the world. La Llorona, Gumiho, Kitsune, many more... Unless they're their own thing, they could be misidentified banshee.

She snorts. "I t'ink yew'll find oi can."

"So I should take dinner to Bláthnaid?"

I suspect the privacy she's after might be hard to find in the banshee halls.

She hesitates, carefully watching the build team as the rock repairs itself faster and faster as they near completion. "Y'could try takin' her to a cabin in the woods. A restaurant in a town's a bit o'a risk."

"How about an isolated service station along a motorway? It's not exactly fine dining, but it would be a change of pace for her."

And plenty of interesting scenery to watch go by.

She gives me a sidelong glance, but looks slightly amused. "Feelin' cheap, are ye?"

"No, just… Like you said, I don't want to overwhelm her, either with industry or strangeness."

And a fancy restaurant might have far too much technology for her comfort, especially if she isn't as well-adapted as Sh'lainn.

"Oi'd say you've got.. five seconds."

"Huh?"

"Four seconds!"

Uh-oh, did she sense trouble?

Hair's up eyes glowing fuck! I armour up, grab her and fly towards the standing stones!

Sh'rain and her assistances have their hair up too, though they look a bit more functional. They raise their hands for a moment before they confirm who I am and lower them again.

Yeah, the glowing green full-plate is a pretty good tell.

"Three seconds!"

Grab them-

"What'd'yeh t'ink yer doing!"

Excuse me, Princess, just saving your life, presumably.

"Two seconds!"

-armoured globe and head upwards-

Either something falling, or something teleporting and Sh'lainn sensed it precognitively.

"One second!"

-as a big robot appears, crouched over the standing stones.

Okay, that would probably have messed up the site.

And here comes Murphy's rebuttal to their earlier musing. I don't know the show well enough to know if any faction uses mechs, so this is a mystery. ...Unless a Cybertronian got shunted in from somewhere or something.

At least we get some action in this plot-line while OL does pallative care and medical investigation on New Genesis.

BR549 · 2025-08-14T07:37:05+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
I don't know the show well enough to know if any faction uses mechs, so this is a mystery.

Looking at the (honestly probably overdetailed, although thankfully so) Wikipedia article on the show, I'd suspect this is a Cyclops:

Enormous black mechanical giants with a single red eye, they were constructed by the Titani, and sent to Earth to protect the planet from the Shadoens. They possess the ability to mind control and to fire lasers from their eyes. In addition to being the basis for the Cyclops myths, another member was known as the basis for the myth of the giant automaton known as Talos. The Cyclops successfully defended the planet in the 15th century BC, using a long range beam cannon to destroy a Shadoen fleet, but the blast also wiped out the Aegean civilization (Atlantis: the most prosperous human culture at the time) by causing an unintended tsunami.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-14T08:31:25+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, the inevitable smartass response to that question. She's in a fine mood, isn't she?

That's just how she is.

He wasn't asking about the whole group. Honestly, DC comics must not exist here, if no-one's got even an inkling of his full capabilities.

Sh'lainn considers herself modern for accepting the printing press. Give her a break.

Such as enhancing natural regrowth in farmland or logging forests?

In Ireland? Peat bogs.

Me said:
h'rain and her assistances have their hai

Thank me, corrected.

Dur'id the Druid · 2025-08-14T13:19:18+0100

Mr Zoat said:
a big robot appears, crouched over the standing stones

Seriously -

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-14T13:24:12+0100

Dur'id the Druid said:
Seriously -

I'd mention Big O, but I can't even think about that series without being filled with a dark urge to hunt the writer down, grab him, and then shake him while shouting 'WRITE A PROPER ENDING YOU INSUFFERABLE HACK!' into his face.

Clell65619 · 2025-08-14T13:29:50+0100

Mr Zoat said:
15th August 2000
09:55 GMT

"One second!"

-as a big robot appears, crouched over the standing stones.

I hate it when that happens.

Kurai · 2025-08-14T16:06:44+0100

Sh'lainn banters with Paul almost as well as Logan - a little less playfully, which makes sense given, well, Paul - but it's a believable dynamic between them. I like it!

. . . And I can't believe I needed the description of her appearance before I cottoned on to what was happening; "five seconds" should have been enough of a clue.

Giant robot - OK, there were a couple of those, but I don't remember any that would be around here, or banshee-hostile in specific . . . Once again, this is going to be interesting - thank you for your efforts!

mastermenthe · 2025-08-14T18:11:13+0100

Kurai said:
. . . And I can't believe I needed the description of her appearance before I cottoned on to what was happening; "five seconds" should have been enough of a clue.

Clue me in pleasr?

Jankl · 2025-08-14T18:38:50+0100

mastermenthe said:
Clue me in pleasr?

Banshee can predict when someone is about to die. https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Banshee_(Roswell_Conspiracies)

BrotherofaStudio · 2025-08-14T21:28:51+0100

And so Paul experiences a Reaper warning as Sh'lainn once called it.

Kurai · 2025-08-15T02:33:36+0100

mastermenthe said:
Clue me in pleasr?

Jankl said:
Banshee can predict when someone is about to die. https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Banshee_(Roswell_Conspiracies)

^ This. It's one of the reasons Nick Logan survives a lot of the stuff he's gone up against - to the point that a joke is made, in-series, that Sh'lainn's predictions are nothing to worry about (after she foresaw the death of every Alliance agent on Earth), because despite her making a number of them, he's still alive.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-15T06:15:50+0100

15th August 2000
10:00 GMT

It's kneeling, arms planted on the ground before it. Humanoid, three long omnidirectional fingers, two glowing eyes arranged vertically-.

"You can let us go now." Sh'rain glares at me rather sharply. "We can all fly."

"I apologise, Your Highness." I dismiss the construct holding them slowly, just in case they haven't got their flight… 'Ready', or however it works. Looks like they do, and while Sh'rain pointedly looks away from me in a mini-strop, her escort give me a grateful nod.

Senior Agent Blaze on the other hand is staring at the robot. "A cyclops?" She frowns. "How did that get there?" She turns slightly to her friend. "Sh'rain-."

"Oi didn't know it was there!"

Blaze looks at her sceptically. "Really, now."

"Oi didn't! Oi was just repairing the circle! Why would any banshee have anything to do with that… Thing?"

She watches it not move for a moment. "Green, is it alive?"

I deploy a construct sensor array, which… Isn't anything like as good at the ones my orange alter-egos are wont to use because I actually had to memorise the structure of the thing, but I can at least manage to pick up on thermal and electromagnetic output.

"It has power, but unless its insulation is really good it's low output. About a two-hundredth of what the two in Greece were estimated to have."

"Is it dying?"

"No, if it had a radioactive leakage that was damaging its internal components I'd be reading a higher output, not a lower one. My guess it's that it's inactive."

Sh'rain frowns down at it. "We can see it's inactive. It's not moving!"

"I mean that it doesn't have orders. It hasn't received an activation signal. And if that's the case, then this is a useful opportunity to-" I look towards Senior Agent Blaze. "-either study their technology, or… Maybe give the titani back one of their robots and say 'thank you'?"

Senior Agent Blaze gives her head a small shake. "Or it could jus' be wakin' up."

I nod. "Perfectly possible. I.. believe that our estimate on the activation time on the two from Greece was a few seconds, but given that this is a different model I suppose that the time required could be much longer. What I don't understand is why it appeared when the stones were repaired."

"Mab kept some minotauri bounty hunters caught up in the network. Oi've never heard of it done with somethin' that big." Senior Agent Blaze activates her communicator. "Sh'lainn to Alliance Headquarters. We've got a bit o' a problem here." … "About a hundred metres tall, but it's sittin' down." … "Yes, you probably should."

I glance at her. "Getting the Director?"

She nods. "Aye, probably. Oi don't t'ink we've a transport big enuff f'r this."

"Maybe if we borrow the entire banshee population of Earth and they all lift together?"

Sh'rain snorts. "Maybe you pick it oop. Yer the one with the magic ring."

"Yes I could-" I nod. "-do that, but given how heavy it probably is, the slightest lapse in concentration would result in it falling on whatever we were flying over. And if it activates, it might well decide not to cooperate."

Her escort points at it with her right hand. "Is that supposed t' be Fionn mac Cumhaill?"

I shrug. "Not precisely, ma'am, in much the same way that your species isn't quite like the banshee of human myth. And goodness me it feels weird saying that to you."

"Why?"

"I'm used to humans knowing nothing about the non-human sophonts on Earth and those sophonts knowing so much more. To see you surprised about one that was stored in your own standing circle network seems a little strange."

Sh'rain glares at me. "Oi'm telling you the truth! Oi didn't know it was there!"

"And I fully accept that you're telling me the truth, that's why it's strange." She calms down a little, though she still looks suspicious. "I doubt very much that the banshee of all people are working on war robots. You don't have the capacity and it would drive you mad."

The escort looks at me quizzically. "We know about the vampires because they're why we came here. The titani left before we arrived on Earth."

"Ah." I nod, turning to Senior Agent Blaze. "So you're less than three thousand five hundred years old."

She frowns, slightly distracted as she waits for the Director to get back to her. "Why do you want to know?" … "Do you have a bet goin'?"

"Most of the Alliance does."

She eyes narrow. "Who started that?"

"Senior Agent Fitzpatrick. And the git placed his own bet last, which means if you're thirty two or younger then he takes the pot."

"Hmpf."

The escort looks mildly amused. "D'you not know how old she is?"

I shake my head. "No. I mean, Dorian said that she said something about being in favour of the steam engine, but was that the aeolipile from the first century? The first steam pump from the seventeenth century? The first steam train from the nineteenth century?"

Senior Agent Blaze looks mildly offended. "Well, it wasn't the first one!"

I nod. "I'll give Doctor Petrovic the bad news when we get back."

"How old did-!" Her head snaps away. "Director. It's a titani cyclops." … "Yes. Oi'm not sure yet. Oi t'ink Mab locked it away in stasis and it got let out by mistake, but she's…" She glances at me. "Busy." … "She's seein' Sir Percival."

I lean closer to Sh'rain. "Spent any more time with your father?"

"You know oi have." She frowns in confusion. "Yew'r there f' the lessons."

"I mean, socially."

"No? Why would I?"

I.. wince slightly. "Because he could have a positive influence on your life? He is-."

"Oh, oi know." She looks… Slightly pleased. "Oi'm looking forwards t' havin' a little sister."

I.. had rather assumed that Mab would be a bit old for that, though I suppose that I've got no idea whether or not banshees even have menopause. "You might end up with a brother."

"Don't be daft."

"… too close, but this is a tourist area." Senior Agent Blaze looks around. "Oi don't think we can keep it a secret. And oi'm not sure we should, not if the Alliance is serious about bein' open and honest." … "You could, but oi t'ink Agent Green can manage that if it comes to it. Alascano would be more important."

If only so that we could have someone here who could work out how to reliably turn it off. And if I've understood what I half-overheard correctly, I can put up a simple barrier and encourage people to stay away from the giant war robot.

I turn my scanner to the surrounding area, and… Yes, there are people heading this way. One man is pointing binoculars at me-. I wave back at him.

"Roight. Unless somethin' changes-."

The cyclops's eyes flare as it surges to its feet and stomps towards the shore, the angular rocks which make up the Giant's Causeway glowing for a moment before-.

Before reforming into a land bridge between Ireland and Scotland, which the cyclops proceeds to stomp across.

Darko · 2025-08-15T06:22:24+0100

Mr Zoat said:
eyes flare as it surge to its

"surges"

kraryal · 2025-08-15T06:27:39+0100

Mr Zoat said:
the ones my orange alter-egos are want to use

I think this should be "wont".

Also, I'm really enjoying this series, it's new to me, thanks.

BDelve · 2025-08-15T07:04:02+0100

Ah of course the giants causeway is in fact a secret ancient bridge between islands for titans

Duke Long · 2025-08-15T07:05:31+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"About a hundred metres tall, but it's sittin' down."

Holy moly. I was wondering how it was dangerous when it isn't even turned on, but I suppose it just appearing was going to flatten someone if it's that big.

Mr Zoat said:
"Yes I could-" I nod. "-do that, but given how heavy it probably is, the slightest lapse in concentration would result it falling on whatever we were flying over. And if it activates, it might well decide not to cooperate."

Her escort point at it with her right hand. "Is that supposed t' be Fionn mac Cumhaill?"

'in it'
'points'

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm use to humans knowing nothing about the non-human sophonts on Earth and those sophonts knowing so much more. To see you surprised about one that was stored in your own standing circle network seems a little strange."

'used'

Mr Zoat said:
I shake my head. "No. I mean, Dorian said that she said something about being in favour of the steam engine, but was that the aeolipile from the first century? The first steam pump from the seventeenth century? The first steam train from the nineteenth century?"

I thought it was spelled aeliopile. Thanks for educating me.

Mr Zoat said:
"You know oi have." She frowns in confusion. "Yew'r their f' the lessons."

'there'
Is her dad Percival?

Mr Zoat said:
Before reforming into a land bridge between Ireland and Scotland, which the cyclops proceeds to stomp across.

I always liked this myth, thought it was cool.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-08-15T07:06:27+0100

Mr Zoat said:
15th August 2000
10:00 GMT

It's kneeling, arms planted on the ground before it. Humanoid, three long omnidirectional fingers, two glowing eyes arranged vertically-.

"You can let us go now." Sh'rain glares at me rather sharply. "We can all fly."

An unusual configuration. I'm guessing each eye has different functions. Perhaps one emits a killing gaze? At any rate, looks like it's in standby, given that it's not immediately rampaging. Yet.

"I apologise, Your Highness." I dismiss the construct holding them slowly, just in case they haven't got their flight… 'Ready', or however it works. Looks like they do, and while Sh'rain pointedly looks away from me in a mini-strop, her escort give me a grateful nod.

Senior Agent Blaze on the other hand is staring at the robot. "A cyclops?" She frowns. "How did that get there?" She turns slightly to her friend. "Sh'rain-."

A little indignity is acceptable in the name of saving the Banshee princess, after all.

"Oi didn't know it was there!"

Blaze looks at her sceptically. "Really, now."

Heh... Bit of friction there. Old friends always have the roughest relationships.

"Oi didn't! Oi was just repairing the circle! Why would any banshee have anything to do with that… Thing?"

She watches it not move for a moment. "Green, is it alive?"

'Alive' is a relative thing. A machine can be alive, given sufficient mental complexity.

I deploy a construct sensor array, which… Isn't anything like as good at the ones my orange alter-egos are want to use because I actually had to memorise the structure of the thing, but I can at least manage to pick up on thermal and electromagnetic output.

"It has power, but unless its insulation is really good it's low output. About a two-hundredth of what the two in Greece were estimated to have."

Ah, the drawback of Green Rings: No getting the AI to do the thing for you.

"Is it dying?"

"No, if it had a radioactive leakage that was damaging its internal components I'd be reading a higher output, not a lower one. My guess it's that it's inactive."

Half a percent of active power is definitely sleep mode. Probably just enough to keep the 'wake-up' trigger senses active...

Sh'rain frowns down at it. "We can see it's inactive. It's not moving!"

"I mean that it doesn't have orders. It hasn't received an activation signal. And if that's the case, then this is a useful opportunity to-" I look towards Senior Agent Blaze. "-either study their technology, or… Maybe give the titani back one of their robots and say 'thank you'?"

I hope they're on good enough terms with them that it won't be sent back out to wreak havoc. I assume they're playing nice.

Senior Agent Blaze gives her head a small shake. "Or it could jus' be wakin' up."

I nod. "Perfectly possible. I.. believe that our estimate on the activation time on the two from Greece was a few seconds, but given that this is a different model I suppose that the time required could be much longer. What I don't understand is why it appeared when the stones were repaired."

Reminds me of an old laptop from around 2007. Still runs on mains (the battery is dead, of course...) but the Windows Vista OS takes ages to boot, so using it is a matter of 'press power, go grab a drink.'

"Mab kept some minotauri bounty hunters caught up in the network. Oi've never heard of it done with somethin' that big." Senior Agent Blaze activates her communicator. "Sh'lainn to Alliance Headquarters. We've got a bit o' a problem here." … "About a hundred metres tall, but it's sittin' down." … "Yes, you probably should."

They can just store things in their transport network? People? I'd be worried about long-term degradation...

I glance at her. "Getting the Director?"

She nods. "Aye, probably. Oi don't t'ink we've a transport big enuff f'r this."

And from the sound of it, people have already noticed its appearance.

"Maybe if we borrow the entire banshee population of Earth and they all lift together?"

Sh'rain snorts. "Maybe you pick it oop. Yer the one with the magic ring."

Oh, yes. Easier said than done.

"Yes I could-" I nod. "-do that, but given how heavy it probably is, the slightest lapse in concentration would result it falling on whatever we were flying over. And if it activates, it might well decide not to cooperate."

Her escort point at it with her right hand. "Is that supposed t' be Fionn mac Cumhaill?"

I could see her thinking that. The legend of the Giant's Causeway does involved the ancient mythic hero. And at least one variant of it calls him a 'giant'. It could also be his opponent, Benandonner.

I shrug. "Not precisely, ma'am, in much the same way that your species isn't quite like the banshee of human myth. And goodness me it feels weird saying that to you."

"Why?"

For a start, the Irish legends weren't depicted as being this big.

"I'm use to humans knowing nothing about the non-human sophonts on Earth and those sophonts knowing so much more. To see you surprised about one that was stored in your own standing circle network seems a little strange."

Sh'rain glares at me. "Oi'm telling you the truth! Oi didn't know it was there!"

Yes, it's just interesting to see the wise old folks caught by surprise.

"And I fully accept that you're telling me the truth, that's why it's strange." She calms down a little, though she still looks suspicious. "I doubt very much that the banshee of all people are working on war robots. You don't have the capacity and it would drive you mad."

The escort looks at me quizzically. "We know about the vampires because they're why we came here. The titani left before we arrived on Earth."

Ah. So getting in touch with them might take some time. And you're not likely to get one on sight to confirm it's status...

"Ah." I nod, turning to Senior Agent Blaze. "So you're less than three thousand five hundred years old."

She frowns, slightly distracted as she waits for the Director to get back to her. "Why do you want to know?" … "Do you have a bet goin'?"

...A bit before the time of the Bronze Age Collapse? I wonder if there's any relation...

"Most of the Alliance does."

She eyes narrow. "Who started that?"

Hey, humans will bet on anything, even a co-worker's secrets.

"Senior Agent Fitzpatrick. And the git placed his own bet last, which means if you're thirty two or younger then he takes the pot."

"Hmpf."

From the sound of it, he knows for sure, he's just playing with them.

The escort looks mildly amused. "D'you not know how old she is?"

I shake my head. "No. I mean, Dorian said that she said something about being in favour of the steam engine, but was that the aeolipile from the first century? The first steam pump from the seventeenth century? The first steam train from the nineteenth century?"

An Aeolipile? Ooh, that's a deep history cut.

Senior Agent Blaze looks mildly offended. "Well, it wasn't the first one!"

I nod. "I'll give Doctor Petrovic the bad news when we get back."

Ha, he bet that far back? Taking a wild shot there.

"How old did-!" Her head snaps away. "Director. It's a titani cyclops." … "Yes. Oi'm not sure yet. Oi t'ink Mab locked it away in stasis and it got let out by mistake, but she's…" She glances at me. "Busy." … "She's seein' Sir Percival."

I lean closer to Sh'rain. "Spent any more time with your father?"

Please don't invoke his name right now, she's probably already annoyed enough by her mother's dallying with him.

"You know oi have." She frowns in confusion. "Yew'r their f' the lessons."

"I mean, socially."

Which I suspect he's not invited to.

"No? Why would I?"

I.. wince slightly. "Because he could have a positive influence on your life? He is-."

I suspect if she was fine without him all her life, she's not gonna warm to him now.

"Oh, oi know." She looks… Slightly pleased. "Oi'm looking forwards t' havin' a little sister."

I.. had rather assumed that Mab would be a bit old for that, though I suppose that I've got no idea whether or not banshees even have menopause. "You might end up with a brother."

Could be an aspect of their long lifespan: They're only fertile when they want to be, and effectively sterile otherwise to save on ovum.

"Don't be daft."

"… too close, but this is a tourist area." Senior Agent Blaze looks around. "Oi don't think we can keep it a secret. And oi'm not sure we should, not if the Alliance is serious about bein' open and honest." … "You could, but oi t'ink Agent Green can manage that if it comes to it. Alascano would be more important."

Be glad that mobile phones aren't advanced enough to really leak anything. At best, someone might get a photo or two out. Even ten years later, and this would be all over video sites in hours.

If only so that we could have someone here who could work out how to reliably turn it off. And if I've understood what I half-overheard correctly, I can put up a simple barrier and encourage people to stay away from the giant war robot.

I turn my scanner to the surrounding area, and… Yes, there are people heading this way. One man is pointing binoculars at me-. I wave back at him.

And the rubberneckers are already catching on. ...Unless that's something more sinister watching.

"Roight. Unless somethin' changes-."

The cyclops's eyes flare as it surge to its feet and stomps towards the shore, the angular rocks which make up the Giant's Causeway glowing for a moment before-.

Before reforming into a land bridge between Ireland and Scotland, which the cyclops proceeds to stomp across.

A land bridge, eh? Wonder if it reaches Fingal's Cave on the Scottish side?

Just like one version of the legend, eh? Wonder if this is Fionn or Benandonner, mythologically speaking? Or perhaps one of the Fomóire... No matter what, someone's going to have to step in and stop whatever this thing is planning to do. Because I get the feeling it's nothing good. This might be an all-hands on deck moment for the agency...

Vaermina · 2025-08-15T07:20:31+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I'd mention Big O, but I can't even think about that series without being filled with a dark urge to hunt the writer down, grab him, and then shake him while shouting 'WRITE A PROPER ENDING YOU INSUFFERABLE HACK!' into his face.

The Writers had a proper ending in mind.

However that ending was supposed to show up in the third season, which never got produced.

GhostKing 666 · 2025-08-15T07:27:25+0100

BDelve said:
Ah of course the giants causeway is in fact a secret ancient bridge between islands for titans

Well... not at the causeway. But if you travel a short ways west and lower the sea levels to what they were at 7000 BC(or earlier), then there'd be an actual land bridge between Ireland and Scotland. The fact that the Titani made their own artificial bridge though does show that however long ago the Titani visited Earth, it was less than 9000 years ago.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-15T08:29:15+0100

Darko said:
"surges"

kraryal said:
I think this should be "wont".

Duke Long said:
'in it'
'points'
'used'
'there'

Thank you, corrected.

Is her dad Percival?

Yes, and she inherited the ability to use the green light.

I thought it was spelled aeliopile. Thanks for educating me.

If I'm educating someone on spelling, it's probably a fluke.

Neruz · 2025-08-15T08:35:11+0100

GhostKing 666 said:
Well... not at the causeway. But if you travel a short ways west and lower the sea levels to what they were at 7000 BC(or earlier), then there'd be an actual land bridge between Ireland and Scotland. The fact that the Titani made their own artificial bridge though does show that however long ago the Titani visited Earth, it was less than 9000 years ago.

Or they felt that a land bridge was too plebian and built a better bridge to show off how superior they were.

Kurai · 2025-08-15T11:10:56+0100

Of course Fitz started a betting pool . . .

. . . Well, at least I can anticipate the look on his face when Sh'lainn confronts him on it (and Director Logan dryly makes a statement which evades intervening on his behalf.

)

Huh - given where they are, I'm kind of wondering if the robot is meant to be the in-universe answer to a Fomorian - though it's still a little odd that none of the banshee would recognise it, if so, so maybe not.

Still loving the back and forth banter, but then, that's one of this series' strengths overall; the fact that Sh'lainn's involved is almost just the proverbial icing . . .

Thank you for your efforts!

Wegr1234 · 2025-08-15T12:18:35+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Trivialities

3rd April 2013
11:36 GMT

"Recognised, Orange Lantern, B Zero Six."

I walk out into the Fortress of Solitude, and… Realise that the name is increasingly inaccurate as Kara looks around with a.. broad smile? Those weren't all that common before the Anti-Life-.

I do a quick scan to make sure that I'm looking at the right Kara. The practical and hard-wearing outfit suggests that I am, but-. Yes, I am.

She floats over, her eyebrows rising. "You just checked that I'm me, didn't you?"

"Yes."

She switches her smile from 'happy' to 'about to make rabbit soup with live rabbit' and widens her eyes. "How did you know it was me!?"

I roll my eyes. "Come on, she's not quite that bad."

She puts her face back to normal. "She is when she looks just like you. How do you cope with it?"

"With what? You mean my.. alter egos?" She nods, and I shrug. "They're not me. We have a lot in common, so… We just share information and stay out of each others' way."

"Doesn't that make it… Worse?"

"What?"

"That they've got a lot in common. Like, you're not…"

I frown. "Is this a girl thing? Do you want me to get M'gann?"

"No, it's not a.. girl…" She looks thoughtful, her eyes moving to the side as she frowns. "Thing?"

I fan my hands out, palms up, and wait for her to reach a conclusion.

"And anyway, M'gann's whole species are shapeshifters. They wouldn't-. That's not the point."

"No, no, this is fascinating from a social scientific point of view. Do you find yourself trying to gather a support group of beta females whose plainness will make you look relatively more attractive?"

"Ah, no?"

I grin, craning my neck slightly. "Do you think you should?"

"Do.. human-? No. You know what? No."

She floats back up and goes back to overseeing the newly constructed factory unit. It's kryptonian and designed to work with minimal oversight, but having someone who actually knows how this works seems much more sensible than waiting for it to try rebuilding Krypton on Earth or something.

I float after her. "Everything working alright?"

"Well, it's kryptonian, so yes. I don't know how Kal managed this long without a basic fabricator."

"I think that was your uncle's influence."

I see the reflection in one of the crystal surfaces as she rolls her eyes.

"You're probably right. It took a lot of getting used to, but I… I think I get what he meant, about what kryptonian society was… Missing."

"So we don't have to worry about you heading off to Xudar?"

"No. Not while Earth's in the state that it is, anyway." She cough-laughs. "It's funny. After everything… I thought it would just… Bring everything back. About Krypton. But actually… Earth survived. And… I think it's going to keep on surviving…"

She slowly rotates around.

"Um. Why is it..? You're here?"

"I'm here to talk to Kal-El about the Phantom Zone. Ah. But thinking about it-."

"I should probably sit in on this." She nods. "Kal should be in the arboretum."

She flies upwards to a wall-mounted door and I follow her out into… Huh. It's not exactly a forest. It's more like a agricultural laboratory as various types of edible plant are grown in their own modules where the soil chemistry, microbes, heat, humidity and… Everything else are constantly monitored in real time. Kal-El himself is checking up on a… Tree-like plant with unusually thick, green/yellow leaves.

"The Phantom Zone, huh?" He finishes his note-taking as we land, then takes a deep breath before turning around. "I hope you don't want to put anyone else in there."

"No. Ah. You remember Amalak, one of the people I'm-." Huh, it's been a while. "One of the people I was working with in Vega?"

He nods. "General Zod destroyed his home planet."

"And Amalak wants his head. Which I put it to you has no negative consequences."

Superman shakes his head. "He's already been tried and sentenced."

"Only for his attempted putsch on Krypton. He wasn't ever tried under the law of Amalak's people."

"I assume they'd execute him."

"If he were found guilty, yes. And in my opinion the evidence is fairly conclusive. You are aware-."

"Yes." He nods. "I know that criminals that I've apprehended have been executed before. And I know that if anyone deserves it, he does. I'm just not really… Comfortable with…"

"There aren't enough of them living in one place to form a government, and even if they had one they don't have an extradition agreement with Earth. They had one with Krypton but that only really covered petty stuff like kryptonian marines getting drunk while on shore leave. There is no legal system here, just you making a choice about whether he spends eternity is a disembodied void or gets let out for a week before being killed."

"I… I'll think about it."

"Okay, and then there's the rest of them."

He frowns slightly. "I don't think that Nam-Ek wants to come out."

"No, but there are other inmates: Amalak would probably want Non and Ursa, though Non might get an insanity plea. But there are plenty of others. Faora Hu-Ul…"

Kara shakes her head. "I… Think she can stay where she is. Even if we tried putting her on Themyscira… It wouldn't be safe for anyone."

"But we have gold kryptonite. We can make sure that she never develops superpowers, and… She wasn't given the indefinite sentence that Zod, Ursa and Non were."

"She was given a three hundred year sentence. She's still got about two hundred and sixty years to go." Kara frowns. "I don't think you get time off for good behavior when it's physically impossible for you to misbehave."

"How about Ak-Var? He had a thirty year sentence for theft, and he's served it. The only reason he hasn't been released already is that there isn't anyone to release him."

Kal-El nods. "Then he should be released. But I'm not sure we've really got the facilities to handle a kryptonian on parole."

"Gold kryptonite radiation again. Have him help you out here. If he proves he can be trusted, then he can have more freedom."

"That sounds reasonable. Kara? What do you think?"

"I remember hearing about it. I thought his sentence was far too harsh." She smiles faintly. "It'll be nice to talk to someone from Krypton again."

There is an error here in the original timeline and this one, although Kal-El knew about the Phantom Zone and the existence of the Kryptonians in said Zone, Kal does not know who the Kryptonians are who were sent there, not without the things of the Seasons 4 happening, so he does not know the identities of the Kryptonians or the House to which they belong

Darko · 2025-08-15T12:49:02+0100

Wegr1234 said:
There is an error here in the original timeline and this one, although Kal-El knew about the Phantom Zone and the existence of the Kryptonians in said Zone, Kal does not know who the Kryptonians are who were sent there, not without the things of the Seasons 4 happening, so he does not know the identities of the Kryptonians or the House to which they belong

Zoat is using the canon of seasons one and two.

Anything after that is not guaranteed to make it into his story.

Steelplaza · 2025-08-15T12:54:52+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Yes I could-" I nod. "-do that, but given how heavy it probably is, the slightest lapse in concentration would result in it falling on whatever we were flying over.

R-Files SI has made a few comments last chapter and this one about how weak his green rings is in comparison to the orange ones his counterparts have. Can't heal, can't make advanced machine constructs... but now he can't even manage "carry a heavy object" something that Green Lanterns in the main continuity would barely hesitate over. Is the seeming lack of green ring utility showing that he's just not a very good match for a willpower based ring?

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-15T12:57:49+0100

Steelplaza said:
R-Files SI has made a few comments last chapter and this one about how weak his green rings is in comparison to the orange ones his counterparts have. Can't heal, can't make advanced machine constructs... but now he can't even manage "carry a heavy object" something that Green Lanterns in the main continuity would barely hesitate over. Is the seeming lack of green ring utility showing that he's just not a very good match for a willpower based ring?

He said that he could carry it, but he might drop it if he got distracted. It's mostly that he's not a particularly good match, but he was also exercising a surfeit of caution.

Wegr1234 · 2025-08-15T13:47:31+0100

Mr Zoat said:
She turns away and heads out. On foot, because this room is shielded against solar radiation because we're not stupid. Unless Ak-Var decides that he wants to go back to the Phantom Zone we're going to have to decide how to handle that, but for now he can stay a mere mortal.

I have to tell you this:

In Young Justice in the Phantom Zone Dru-Zod had under his control each Kryptonian who was sent to the Phantom Zone and Kal-El knows nothing of any Kryptonian who was sent to the Phantom Zone, he knows nothing of them, until Dru and his followers escape from the Phantom Zone during season 4 of Young Justice

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-15T14:51:48+0100

Wegr1234 said:
I have to tell you this:

In Young Justice in the Phantom Zone Dru-Zod had under his control each Kryptonian who was sent to the Phantom Zone and Kal-El knows nothing of any Kryptonian who was sent to the Phantom Zone, he knows nothing of them, until Dru and his followers escape from the Phantom Zone during season 4 of Young Justice

I haven't watched series 4, and I probably won't. Is a reason given for the nice blond blue-eyed Lor-Zod being evil and black?

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