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

[CrazyNoVa]

A magic specialist might be able to drain it, but otherwise it would be like you getting hit by a cricket bat made of chocolate. Yes, you could eat it, but that doesn't really help in the short term.

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Would the same happen in regards to Cadenza? Or would she get stronger if someone tried using love against her?

 

[Silveraith]

Yaria smiles winsomely. "Maybe we can this study together?"

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Study this.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Study this.

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Thank you, corrected.

Would the same happen in regards to Cadenza?

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Yes. As the film showed, Cadence is not exactly a battle wizard.

 

[Duke Long]

They grab the document and begin studying them intently.

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'documents'?

 

[Doccer]

Question: What would happen if a Star Sapphire tried to fight a Changeling? Would the Star Sapphire even be able to hurt the Changeling with violet constructs, or would the Changeling just eat whatever the Star Sapphire throws at them?

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Probably the same as when Chrysalis and her Changelings got hurt by love in canon. Pushes away from the city.

 

[Mr Zoat]

'documents'?

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Back Channels

29th July 2013
10:34 GMT

"Huh." I've seen New Genesis before, obviously, but this is Alan's first time. "So, they all live in that one city?"

"Just all the ones worth knowing."

He gives me a mildly reproachful look. "And all the ones who aren't worth knowing?"

"I only saw the one settlement, but it was roughly halfway across the continent Supertown is floating over."

"Is that a.. translation issue, or is it really called that?"

"No idea."

Lord Malvolio's face remains impassive- "A peculiar place where proud princelings preside o'er primitive peasants." -but he sounds about as impressed as I am.

"No... Not exactly. A lot of them choose to move away from Supertown and adopt a more primitive way of life. The insectiods were born to it, but given how they were created they wouldn't welcome New God intervention in their civilisation."

"They choose squalor and ignorance over strength and industriousness."

"Hey, no one's more down on people who reject civilisation than me, but the insectoids chose the hard work of building their own civilisation over slavery to their creators. As long as they keep improving, I can respect that."

He considers for a moment, then nods. "And I, likewise. But these 'primitives', what say you of them?"

"I can sort of see why they might desire to get closer to nature. But there are hundreds of worlds where they'd have to work for it, and where they could benefit the other inhabitants of the planet they chose. Here they're just… Larping. Pretending to struggle when they're pitching tents in their parents' garden."

Alan frowns, probably feeling that I'm being too harsh but realising that he doesn't know enough to argue the point. "Do they do it permanently, or is it just a year out kind of thing?"

"The ones I spoke to seemed to consider it permanent."

"Like churlish children, they hide from their higher calling."

"I suppose it's better than half-"

"Ah." Lantern Priest turns away from the planet. "They're here."

"Warning! Will detected!" / "Guardian arrival detected."

"-arsing it."

The four of us reorientate in space as the procession from Oa arrives.

Given that the Guardians Appa Ali Apsa and Ganthet are a lot more powerful than any Lanterns they could bring, it isn't really surprising that they're taking the lead. Guy coming isn't all that surprising either, though he limits his acknowledgement of me to a fleeting instant of eye contact. Illustres Chaselon's presence is a little surprising, though given the importance of the exercise perhaps not all that strange. Three rookies whose names I don't know, probably here to get a look at how the Corps carries out diplomacy with organisations and peoples it can't simply overawe. And four Fists of the Guardians. I'm.. not sure what they're here for. My first guess is that the other Guardians back on Oa are using them for telepresence, but they're still a bit of an odd addition.

And in the hands of the one in the middle of the formation, a power ring I haven't seen for a while. The last resting place of Guardian Ogandu Onna Oslan. I seem to remember that he had Manhunter androids with him, which combined with the Controller's ignorance of the location of the orange light fountain puts his assimilation after the Manhunter Revolt. I wonder if the Controllers knew him, and how different his perspective is from that of modern Guardians.

If at all.

"Ah." Lantern Priest actually opens his eyes for the first time since we arrived. "I see why the Guardians had difficulty."

"Can you contrive a cure for the curse?"

"No. But I am too attuned to the green light to understand it as well as I would need to. I am a little surprised that the Illustres could not."

"The orange light isn't about giving things away."

"On the face of it, the green light is not the colour of passivity. And yet, it is perfectly possible for a Green Lantern to float down a stream on his back, allowing the current to take him where it will."

"I remember the exercise, my former master." Lord Malvolio sounds unimpressed.

"I remember you sinking."

"As do I. Still, I learned to swim, so the time was well spent."

The Guardians lead their party in our direction, and I can… Feel them edging out the orange light, their own natures so opposed to it that my constructs are weakening. Jolly rude, actually, and I can see that Alan's experiencing something similar. I don't remember them doing that last time I spoke to them, which suggests that it's deliberate.

"I remember that one." Lord Malvolio is staring at Ganthet. "Is it he who condemned me, Priest?"

"They all did. Your condemnation was unanimous."

"Then I shall treat with them as with foes." He clenches his right hand into a fist, glowing plate armour appearing around his body and a sword appearing at his waist.

"Steady. They're not here to fight you."

"True."

"Or any of us."

"Hopefully." I raise my right hand in greeting. "Guardians! Illustres! Other people!"

Guy checks that no one's watching him too closely, then covertly gives me the finger.

"Illustres." Appa Ali Apsa actually smiles, while Ganthet is spreading his attention between all four of us. I imagine that we're all quite fascinating. "Thank you for making us aware of the opportunity. It will be pleasant to speak with our brother again."

"Not a problem. But why is he in ring form?"

Appa looks slightly sad for a moment. "Whenever we restored him to his original shape, he would attempt to seek you out. Since you have defeated Larfleeze, he appears to consider you to be his rightful sovereign."

I shake my head. "Satanus was bad enough. I am not ready to absorb a Guardian's memories."

"I am glad that you recognise that." He drifts by me. "And you are Lord Malvolio."

"And you are a part of the cursed coterie that sentenced my sector to calamity and chaos."

"You knew the restrictions which we place upon our Lanterns when you accepted that ring."

Malvolio's eyes narrow behind his visor. "You misremember; I accept nothing of your law, and you grant me nothing in return. The ring? You failed to reclaim it, and I feel your pull even now as you continue to test me by trying. My sector is stable and prosperous by my rule and not yours. Desist."

Appa glances at Lantern Priest, who makes a gesture which… Means something like 'this is your responsibility' with a little 'I've done my part'. "Very well. I see no purpose in continuing a course of action that clearly isn't working any better now than it did three hundred years ago."

"Better."

He dismisses his sword, but leaves his armour on.

Appa gives him a small nod. "Then unless there is anything else which anyone wishes to bring up, we have an appointment with Izaya."

 

[Darko]

continent Supertown is floating over."

"Is that a.. translation issue, or is it really called that?"

"No idea."

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Well it is an accurate description of the place.

It's a town full of super-beings.

And yet, it is perfectly possible for a Green Lantern to float down a stream on his back, allowing the current to take him where it will."

"I remember the exercise, my former master." Lord Malvolio sounds unimpressed.

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Now that's a hilarious image.

"I remember you sinking

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Malvolio: I am eight feet tall and weigh a thousand pounds! What else would have happened?!

prosperous my my rule and

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"by my"

 

[Coltsguy]

This looks promising and intriguing.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

Back Channels

29th July 2013
10:34 GMT

"Huh." I've seen New Genesis before, obviously, but this is Alan's first time. "So, they all live in that one city?"

"Just all the ones worth knowing."

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In the sense of 'All the named characters with actual things they do'? Still salty about the Primitives, then? To be fair, they're kind of choosing to sit out the story of war between New Genesis and Apokalips. Not that the war doesn't turn their way now and again.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

He gives me a mildly reproachful look. "And all the ones who aren't worth knowing?"

"I only saw the one settlement, but it was roughly halfway across the continent Supertown is floating over."

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Though Supertown probably moves across the planet. Slowly, I would expect. If only to simulate seasons.

"Is that a.. translation issue, or is it really called that?"

"No idea."

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Given the other successors of the Fourth World called their realm 'Wonder-world' it seems to be a common theme.

Lord Malvolio's face remains impassive- "A peculiar place where proud princelings preside o'er primitive peasants." -but he sounds about as impressed as I am.

"No... Not exactly. A lot of them choose to move away from Supertown and adopt a more primitive way of life. The insectoids were born to it, but given how they were created they wouldn't welcome New God intervention in their civilisation."

"They choose squalor and ignorance over strength and industriousness."

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No, they choose independence and self-determination over submission. Though Malvolio can be forgiven for the assumption, being from an era when not going along with the stronger, more 'civilised' power would be such.

"Hey, no one's more down on people who reject civilisation than me, but the insectoids chose the hard work of building their own civilisation over slavery to their creators. As long as they keep improving, I can respect that."

He considers for a moment, then nods. "And I, likewise. But these 'primitives', what say you of them?"

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Oh, don't get OL started on that lot, Malvolio.

"I can sort of see why they might desire to get closer to nature. But there are hundreds of worlds where they'd have to work for it, and where they could benefit the other inhabitants of the planet they chose. Here they're just… Larping. Pretending to struggle when they're pitching tents in their parents' garden."

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I wonder how well the Ring translates that concept. I doubt Live Action Role-Playing was any sort of thing in Malvolio's experience.

Alan frowns, probably feeling that I'm being too harsh but realising that he doesn't know enough to argue the point. "Do they do it permanently, or is it just a year out kind of thing?"

"The ones I spoke to seemed to consider it permanent."

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Then again, what is permanent for beings who live largely as long as they feel like or as their Narrative demands?

"Like churlish children, they hide from their higher calling."

"I suppose it's better than half-"

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Though I suspect their eldest would take you to task for calling them childish.

"Ah." Lantern Priest turns away from the planet. "They're here."

"Warning! Will detected!" / "Guardian arrival detected."

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And now we see why they're here visiting Supertown. Time to release the Guardian from Construct Lanternhood.

"-arsing it."

The four of us reorientate in space as the procession from Oa arrives.

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Wonder if the Guardians will take note of Alan's presence and capabilities?

Given that the Guardians Appa Ali Apsa and Ganthet are a lot more powerful than any Lanterns they could bring, it isn't really surprising that they're taking the lead. Guy coming isn't all that surprising either, though he limits his acknowledgement of me of a fleeting instant of eye contact. Illustres Chaselon's presence is a little surprising, though given the importance of the exercise perhaps not all that strange. Three rookies whose names I don't know, probably here to get a look at how the Corps carries out diplomacy with organisations and peoples it can't simply overawe. And four Fists of the Guardians. I'm.. not sure what they're here for. My first guess is that the other Guardians back on Oa are using them for telepresence, but they're still a bit of an odd addition.

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For reference, those would be the jacketed robot fellows in the background here. Androids with far less independent or autonomous functionality than the old Manhunters. For obvious reasons.

And in the hands on the one in the middle of the formation, a power ring I haven't seen for a while. The last resting place of Guardian Ogandu Onna Oslan. If he actually was a Guardian in the modern sense. That was well before the Manhunter Revolt that split the Controllers from the Guardians, back when the various maltusian factions were still talking to each other.

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...Which would raise some questions of what effect him being restored will have on the Guardian's quorum. He's gonna have some old-fashioned ideas, I'll bet.

"Ah." Lantern Priest actually opens his eyes for the first time since we arrived. "I see why the Guardians had difficulty."

"Can you contrive a cure for the curse?"

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I can't help but figure the Ring kept dragging them out of FTL by flaring it's Avarice.

"No. But I am too attuned to the green light to understand it as well as I would need to. I am a little surprised that the Illustres could not."

"The orange light isn't about giving things away."

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Nor releasing things it's taken. It's fitting that it takes the Source, as much a fusion of all the Lights as you can get, to restore a Construct Lantern.

"On the face of it, the green light is not the colour of passivity. And yet, it is perfectly possible for a Green Lantern to float down a stream on his back, allowing the current to take him where it will."

"I remember the exercise, my former master." Lord Malvolio sounds unimpressed.

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Ah, the heady days of his youth, eh?

"I remember you sinking."

"As do I. Still, I learned to swim, so the time was well spent."

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Beneficial. I mean, he's not exactly the most buoyant fellow anyway.

The Guardians lead their party in our direction, and I can… Feel them edging out the orange light, their own natures so opposed to it that my constructs are weakening. Jolly rude, actually, and I can see that Alan's experiencing something similar. I don't remember them doing that last time I spoke to them, which suggests that it's deliberate.

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Put it back in your pantaloons, fellas. No need for inter-Corps dickwaving here. Unless they're fine with being leaky faucets.

"I remember that one." Lord Malvolio is staring at Ganthet. "Is it he who condemned me, Priest?"

"They all did. Your condemnation was unanimous."

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Yes, but Malvolio means was it Appi Ganthet who put the motion forwards? The instigator of the affair. (Edit: Whoops, missed that!)

"Then I shall treat with them as with foes." He clenches his right hand into a fist, glowing plate armour appearing around his body and a sword appearing at his waist.

"Steady. They're not here to fight you."

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Tell them that, the way they're showing off.

"True."

"Or any of us."

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I guess the leaky Green is making OL feel a bit ill-at-ease. It'd be like a prickling at the back of the neck.

"Hopefully." I raise my right hand in greeting. "Guardians! Illustres! Other people!"

Guy checks that no one's watching him too closely, then covertly gives me the finger.

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And the rookies are really wishing they were brave enough to talk if only to ask 'You know him, sir?' Perhaps Guy can fill them in later.

"Illustres." Appa Ali Apsa actually smiles, while Ganthet is spreading his attention between all four of us. I imagine that we're all quite fascinating. "Thank you for making us aware of the opportunity. It will be pleasant to speak with our brother again."

"Not a problem. But why is he in ring form?"

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I bet Ganthet is paying very close attention to Alan in particular. A proto-elemental who shifted from Will to Hope? Given his interests in the Blue, that's pretty safe to assume.

Appa looks slightly sad for a moment. "Whenever we restored him to his original shape, he would attempt to seek you out. Since you have defeated Larfleeze, he appears to consider you to be his rightful sovereign."

I shake my head. "Satanus was bad enough. I am not ready to absorb a Guardian's memories."

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It would probably amuse the Guardians to watch your head explode as you try to process several billion years of knowledge... But also worry them given what they know.

"I am glad that you recognise that." He drifts by me. "And you are Lord Malvolio."

"And you are a part of the cursed coterie that sentenced my sector to calamity and chaos."

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Down, boy. Yes, that was an asshole move, but it kept you busy sorting it all out, right?

"You knew the restrictions which we place upon our Lanterns when you accepted that ring."

Malvolio's eyes narrow behind his visor. "You misremember; I accept nothing of your law, and you grant me nothing in return. The ring? You failed to reclaim it, and I feel your pull even now as you continue to test me by trying. My sector is stable and prosperous by my rule and not yours. Desist."

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Oh, that's a bit rude. Trying to recall his Ring, years since he took ownership of it?

Appa glances at Lantern Priest, who makes a gesture which… Means something like 'this is your responsibility' with a little 'I've done my part'. "Very well. I see no purpose in continuing a course of action that clearly isn't working any better now than it did three hundred years ago."

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If he weren't so Zen, Priest would probably be excluding a bit of smugness right now.

"Better."

He dismisses his sword, but leaves his armour on.

Appa gives him a small nod. "Then unless there is anything else which anyone wishes to bring up, we have an appointment with Izaya."

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A long-awaited day. Let's hope nothing crops up.

Well, onwards they go. I hope Orion is well away from whatever place they're meeting, or OL might have to explain about his little 'I will kill you if I ever see you again' deal. And I suspect Orion could make it stick, given his powers, whatever OL thinks. But that's a problem for later. Let's see if they can arrive at the city without any more difficulties first...

 

[Old Knife]

My sector is stable and prosperous my my rule and not yours. Desist."

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*Stable and prosperous UNDER my rule and not yours. Desist.*

 

[Mr Zoat]

"by my"

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Thank you, corrected.

I wonder how well the Ring translates that concept. I doubt Live Action Role-Playing was any sort of thing in Malvolio's experience.

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'Strolling players'.

...Which would raise some questions of what effect him being restored will have on the Guardian's quorum. He's gonna have some old-fashioned ideas, I'll bet.

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Not as much as you might think. He predates the Controller/Guardian split, so he's effectively a radical outlier.

Yes, but Malvolio means was it Appi who put the motion forwards? The instigator of the affair.

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...

Lord Malvolio is staring at Ganthet.

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[Chojin Patriarch]

...Whoops, missed that. Adjusted my original statement.

 

[Duke Long]

Given that the Guardians Appa Ali Apsa and Ganthet are a lot more powerful than any Lanterns they could bring, it isn't really surprising that they're taking the lead. Guy coming isn't all that surprising either, though he limits his acknowledgement of me of a fleeting instant of eye contact. Illustres Chaselon's presence is a little surprising, though given the importance of the exercise perhaps not all that strange. Three rookies whose names I don't know, probably here to get a look at how the Corps carries out diplomacy with organisations and peoples it can't simply overawe. And four Fists of the Guardians. I'm.. not sure what they're here for. My first guess is that the other Guardians back on Oa are using them for telepresence, but they're still a bit of an odd addition.

And in the hands on the one in the middle of the formation, a power ring I haven't seen for a while. The last resting place of Guardian Ogandu Onna Oslan. If he actually was a Guardian in the modern sense. That was well before the Manhunter Revolt that split the Controllers from the Guardians, back when the various maltusian factions were still talking to each other.

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'to'
'of'

Why is Blue Lantern here? Did he just not have much going on so he came to see something cool?

 

[Mr Zoat]

'to'
'of'

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Thank you, corrected.

Why is Blue Lantern here? Did he just not have much going on so he came to see something cool?

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The SI knows from the comics that Ganthet is most likely working on or will be working on blue power rings. This is the first time Ganthet has seen a worked example.

 

[Lord Ernest]

I'm curious why Malvolio is there (Priest is there with Malvolio, I gather, I think he's like the guy's minder or something). Did the Illustres invite him and Alan to instigate something? Not in the bad sense, mind you.

This is a signifcant event to the Guardians. The restoration of their fallen member and a possible example to study the process of reversing assimilation. So I wonder if Appa and Ganthet were chosen because of their diplomatic aptitude and/or because of their extracurricular endeavors.

 

[Ngamer11]

This is a signifcant event to the Guardians. The restoration of their fallen member and a possible example to study the process of reversing assimilation. So I wonder if Appa and Ganthet were chosen because of their diplomatic aptitude and/or because of their extracurricular endeavors.

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It's possibly that and because they have the most positive relationship with Paul.

 

[thebishop8]

And in the hands on the one in the middle of the formation, a power ring I haven't seen for a while. The last resting place of Guardian Ogandu Onna Oslan. If he actually was a Guardian in the modern sense. That was well before the Manhunter Revolt that split the Controllers from the Guardians, back when the various maltusian factions were still talking to each other.

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He predates the Guardian/Controller split, and the Manhunter Revolt is what caused that? Hold on, let me try to figure out the timeline here. First, we're told earlier in the story that the Controllers didn't know the Orange Light Fountain was in Vega:

"Firstly, I should say that doing… The possibility of doing anything with orange light is going to depend on us being able to neutralise Larfleeze. And while Hinon Hee Hannanan sounded fairly optimistic about our chances, I wouldn't want you to assume anything."

"Of all of us, she is most familiar with the orange light. If she believes that it can be done then she is most likely correct."

"If you don't mind me asking, sir? Why haven't you gone after the Orange Central Power Battery before now?"

"It was stolen from our research centre after our split from the Guardians. If it is true that they located it and chose to allow him to keep it, they did not share that information with us."

"I'm pretty sure that I included its location on the file I sent you with the Guardian's ship."

"Yes. Along with a warning on the nature of its current owner and a recommendation that we not investigate it ourselves. I do not know what you were expecting, but we Controllers are not incapable of taking advice."

"And it was Hinon's thing."

"Waiting until she could be consulted was judged to be appropriate."

"I would be fascinated to know what the Guardians said about it."

"That they stood by the decision. That the orange light is inherently unstable and should not be used directly in the manner you intend. And that once we split from them we lost the right to be involved in their decision-making."

"Hm." I nod. "They don't intend to prevent you trying though, right?"

"They have never had the right to be involved in our decision-making."

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Hinon occupies the centre and looks up and around at her fellow Controllers. "Brethren. You've all had the chance to consider the matter under contention. The Orange Lantern and I have given the matter a considerable degree of thought, and we believe that we have a methodology which offers us the best possible chance to recover the Orange Light Fountain. And neutralise its present owner."

There's a flash from the gem at the neck of one of the blue-skinned female Controllers. "The Guardians?"

Jevek's gem glitters. "What does it matter? The Vega Systems have been off-limits to the Green Lanterns since their inception. And now we know why." He looks around the room. "The light will be ours. The Controllers will be in control."

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It also says up there that the Orange Light Fountain was stolen from the Controllers research centre, not from the Guardians. So the timeline is that the Controllers split from the Guardians after the Manhunter Revolt, Larfleeze and his thieves stole the Orange Light Fountain from the Controllers research centre, the Guardians found Larfleeze and made a deal for him to keep it as long as he stayed in Vega, and then the Controllers didn't know where it was until Paul told them. So if Ogandu Onna Oslan was turned into a construct lantern before the Guardian/Controller split, how does that fit in the timeline? The obvious answer is that he was turned into a construct lantern in an incident that predates Larfleeze. Except Hinon outright says that it was Larfleeze who did it:

"You see? A convergence of interests. We both want things and the other can supply them. This is how a properly composed Orange Lantern Corps should work."

She tilts her head slightly to the side. "You don't have the Orange Light Fountain yet. It's a little premature to speak as if this is a done deal. There were reasons why the Guardians were reluctant to press Larfleeze after he killed Ogandu Onna Oslan."

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She also implies she was still a member of the Guardians when they confronted Larfleeze:

"Because I haven't seen many examples of people exposed to the orange light before. A handful of thieves and Krona aren't really-."

"Krona!?"

"Oh." She smiles. "Have you met him? We worked together on the power ring project."

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A construct yanks it out of her hands at the same time as I flick an orange data packet towards her ring. "Here! Just ask!"

She blinks, tiny flickers of orange flashing across her eyes. "Then how would I confirm that you still had the ability to give people things? I saw the recordings made by the Guardians who confronted the ones who stole the Orange Light Fountain. Clearly they had been overwhelmed. You -on the other hand- haven't tried to take anything or to turn me into a construct. And I've been needling you in case your control was fragile."

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which raises questions about where she fits in the timeline. I guess she could have stayed with the Guardians until after the deal with Larfleeze to keep him in Vega, then left some time after to join the Controllers, and just never told them some details because the orange light was her personal project. This raises more questions about what she was thinking when she made the ring that eventually made its way to Paul, but I digress.

There's also this quote, in which Paul thinks that the Orange Light Fountain being stolen might have happened before the Manhunter Revolt, but I think this can probably be waved away as the details being different in this universe compared to Paul's memory of the comics.

**Larfleeze stole a Central Power Battery?!** Garth's astonishment comes across clearly in his mental speech. **The same as the one which powers the entire Green Lantern Corps?**

**Different colour and it's a good deal smaller, but yes. I don't have good data on exactly how he pulled that one off. And because the Guardians suppressed all information about it I don't know exactly when it happened.** I think it was before the Sector 666 Genocide. Wasn't it? I seem to remember the comic depicted the Guardians who negotiated with him having a Manhunter escort. Even they wouldn't have done that after. Would they? **Getting closer now. Still no reaction.** I reach forwards a little further, fingers stretching to touch the hull. The construct doesn't trigger the barrier. **Either the barrier can't detect the construct or it doesn't regard it as hostile.** I have the fingertips of the construct armour peel away where it touches the hull so that my armour can reach for it. No, let's see-.

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[Someguy Somewhere]

I think that the comment from superman about 'other sources for power rings' might have prompted OL to gather the other ring users he has good relations with for this gathering. Pity no Star Saffire is in attendence, or one of their leaders, would really make an interesting meeting of the minds, with Highfather as the Ref.

 

[Bud-E]

I think that the comment from superman about 'other sources for power rings' might have prompted OL to gather the other ring users he has good relations with for this gathering. Pity no Star Saffire is in attendence, or one of their leaders, would really make an interesting meeting of the minds, with Highfather as the Ref.

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If thats whats going on why doesn't Paul just ask Superman what he meant when he was being controlled by the Eradicator?

 

[Mr Zoat]

He predates the Guardian/Controller split, and the Manhunter Revolt is what caused that? Hold on, let me try to figure out the timeline here. First, we're told earlier in the story that the Controllers didn't know the Orange Light Fountain was in Vega:

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Can I just say 'a wizard did it'?

Please?

It also says up there that the Orange Light Fountain was stolen from the Controllers research centre, not from the Guardians. So the timeline is that the Controllers split from the Guardians after the Manhunter Revolt, Larfleeze and his thieves stole the Orange Light Fountain from the Controllers research centre, the Guardians found Larfleeze and made a deal for him to keep it as long as he stayed in Vega, and then the Controllers didn't know where it was until Paul told them. So if Ogandu Onna Oslan was turned into a construct lantern before the Guardian/Controller split, how does that fit in the timeline? The obvious answer is that he was turned into a construct lantern in an incident that predates Larfleeze. Except Hinon outright says that it was Larfleeze who did it:


She also implies she was still a member of the Guardians when they confronted Larfleeze:



which raises questions about where she fits in the timeline. I guess she could have stayed with the Guardians until after the deal with Larfleeze to keep him in Vega, then left some time after to join the Controllers, and just never told them some details because the orange light was her personal project. This raises more questions about what she was thinking when she made the ring that eventually made its way to Paul, but I digress.

There's also this quote, in which Paul thinks that the Orange Light Fountain being stolen might have happened before the Manhunter Revolt, but I think this can probably be waved away as the details being different in this universe compared to Paul's memory of the comics.

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Yes, my mistake. Ogandu Onna Oslan would have been assimilated after the split. Let me modify that.

 

[thebishop8]

Can I just say 'a wizard did it'?

Please?

Click to shrink...

Unless I get an indigo ring someday, I will never show you mercy.

ignorance of the location of the orange light fountain puts him assimilation after the Manhunter Revolt.

Click to shrink...

Change 'him' to 'his'.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Unless I get an indigo ring someday, I will never show you mercy.

Click to shrink...

The first on-page appearance of an Indigo was them killing a lightly wounded Green Lantern she could easily have healed instead.

Change 'him' to 'his'.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

The first on-page appearance of an Indigo was them killing a lightly wounded Green Lantern she could easily have healed instead.

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Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Did we ever get an explanation for what was up with that aside from wanting to maintain their secrecy? Or maybe Indigo-1's views of compassion are so alien compared to ours that she genuinely thought she was doing him a favor by killing him?

Either way, if it's the latter, then it's safe to say that the Indigo rings warp their users' minds to make them even more alien than the orange rings do.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Did we ever get an explanation for what was up with that aside from wanting to maintain their secrecy? Or maybe Indigo-1's views of compassion are so alien compared to ours that she genuinely thought she was doing him a favor by killing him?

Either way, if it's the latter, then it's safe to say that the Indigo rings warp their users' minds to make them even more alien than the orange rings do.

Click to shrink...

Maybe she wasn't very good at biology.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Maybe she wasn't very good at biology.

Click to shrink...

Maybe? I guess it makes sense that none of them are well-versed in medicine, considering that they're all former crooks and killers. Still, it's a glaring oversight from Abin Sur to not have programmed at least some knowledge of medicine or xenobiology in the Indigo rings for medical purposes, especially for one of the three lantern corps (next to blue and violet) who should be the most likely to give first-aid to wounded allies or civilians. Doubly so when you consider that he was trying to prepare them for a war. What was Abin thinking by not recruiting any medics in their ranks? Or maybe did he think that the blues and violets would fill that role when all seven corps fought together in the blackest night?

 

[Mr Zoat]

29th July 2013
10:40 GMT

I watch as the Guardian procession heads towards Supertown while I float… A few miles away. I need to be here in case something goes wrong, and apparently so that our ring-shaped Guardian doesn't try to seek me out. I wonder why he never got as far as me? Could they cloud his senses so that he couldn't detect me, or does becoming a construct restrict his powers in some way? I suppose that if they're a result of symbiosis as I half-remember from the comics then lacking a body would result in him losing them.

I pull the Eradicator head out of subspace and look at it.

Hm.

Roy managed to drill a neat hole through both of the eyes, so the cameras and the focusing system for the heat beams is gone. It was probably less advanced than the one Kon and I fought on Xenon, but it might have been nice to see how the technology changed over time. The short term memory store survived Roy's shot due to the internal armour partition, but… It looks like they're designed to send sensory data back to the main unit rather than maintain records themselves. I say 'looks like'; they may have had the main data store in their chests rather than their heads.

But looking behind the eyes, it doesn't looks like the energy weapons built into the face were anything special, actually. Not unless Dubbilex feels like creating G-Pixies. They actually use the same sort of cell suspension that the G-Sprites use to generate electricity, just combining it with small sunstones to activate the things. The design doesn't appear to include capacitors, so I have to assume that the build up is so rapid that they weren't required. Either that, or they were built directly into the eye itself.

I sigh quietly.

But since I don't really care about kryptonian energy weapons and I don't think that Dubbilex is interested in creating siblings who would require inorganic crystals in order to function, the only interesting thing is the memory store. And it's frustratingly incomplete. This Eradicator was apparently mostly being used to perform repairs and maintenance on the Daxamite fleet, so that's what I've got footage of. Interesting enough, but not anything that I couldn't have learned from Har-Zod…

No. Given the age of the ships, it's quite possible that he wouldn't know.

Nothing that NEMO engineers couldn't have worked out, then. Actual useful footage is a bit.. rarer. No images of Doctor Knight's ship. Nothing of the Deep Six. Nothing of Vandal Savage. And nothing showing the 'other' source of power rings Super Eradicator was talking about. No Lanterns on-screen, and the only remotely Lantern-like thing is a brief green glow in one shot, and I suspect that's just the local Green Lantern. I will check of course, but given how out-of-character Daxam was behaving it would have been strange if they didn't check up on the place.

I consider the Eradicator head again. Maybe Wallace can use if for a cave decoration or something.

I send it back into subspace and sit back to-.

My ring shimmers.

"Illustres here."

Guy's head appears. "Orion ain't here, Paul. Get over here."

Ah, okay. "Be with you shortly."

I'm not going to try faster than light travel near Guardians and Supertown. Instead I fly through the air, keeping a careful eye out in case Guy thinks that me bumping into Orion would count as a prank.

"Where is he, then?"

"Highfather sent him t' tawk t' the hillbillies. Won't be back fer a couple a' days."

"He sent Orion for that?"

"Gawt him outta th' way, didn't it?"

A soldier standing guard outside one of the towers raises his right hand to beckon me down. While I can see where the Guardians are perfectly well I wasn't sure where the proper door was. I give him a nod of thanks, then fly through the entrance and… In their direction.

The interior decoration is a little more tasteful than the exterior plating. I wonder if it was green anyway, or if they decorated it like this in honour of the Guardians?

I find where they're having the meeting soon enough. Izaya's holding the ring, frowning faintly. A well-muscled New God in a yellow body stocking with gold decoration is standing at ease near to him, looking at the Fists with mild interest. Hovering around the ring is a… Bald head connected to some sort of anti-gravity unit. And it seems that the version of Metron who exists in this universe has blue skin for… Some reason. He's floating just above the rest in the Mobius Chair… Except for Guy who's making a point of being just a little higher.

And he's staring at me.

I raise my right hand and give him a friendly wave and a smile.

Ganthet raises his hands, some sort of analytical construct forming around the ring. "Very well. I am ready. You may begin."

Highfather lets the ring rest on his left palm, holding his staff with his right. A sphere of distorted space forms around the ring and it floats in front of him. "I imagine this will take a good deal longer than the Deep Six, given a Guardian's age and the length of time he has been a Construct-Lantern."

"You will find that we are extremely patient."

Appa nods. "Let us know if you encounter any difficulty, and we will be happy to assist."

The floating head doesn't nod due to the fact that he doesn't have a neck, but he does smile. "My probes are ready, Highfather. We shall see in detail how the power of the Source interacts with this anomalous construct."

Highfather looks up at Metron. "And you, Metron? Are you prepared?"

Metron continues staring at me. "I was ready the moment I arrived."

I take a small lead sheet out of subspace, and position it so that it's floating in the air between him and me. Guy glances down, looks from me to Metron, and isn't quite able to contain his smile. Now-.

Oh.

"Illustres to whoever's on asylum duty." A clicker's head appears over my ring. "We're about to try transforming one of Larfleeze's Construct-Lanterns back into a living person. Please be alert for any changes in his behaviour."

"Yes, Illustres."

I clench my left hand, ending the transmission. And everyone's looking at me.

"I couldn't bring him here, could I? He's in the asylum for a very good reason."

Highfather nods. "Please have Ogandu Onna Oslan return to his Guardian form."

I nod, and

crack the structure, turning him from a desire-based tool to a manifestation of his own desires.

Ganthet retains his equanimity, but Appa isn't able to prevent himself looking sombre. Or perhaps that's just his role as it is for Hinon. Highfather meets his eyes for a moment, then gestures towards him with his staff. "I grant you respite."

The orange glow intensifies, and at the same time Highfather seems more… There, standing out despite not overtly changing. And… The New Gods are all staring at his work, which lets me return the lead sheet to subspace. And the Guardians are studying it closest, things… Moving, in Appa Ali Apsa's construct.

I glance up at Guy, who glances down at me. We shrug at each other.

And then the orange cracks like a shell, and inside… A Guardian, slightly taller than the other two but otherwise unremarkable. He stares around, apparently not entirely clear where he is.

Appa Ali Apsa floats towards him, laying his right hand on his shoulder. "Welcome back, brother."

 

[BR549]

"Welcome back, bother."

Click to shrink...

Either Appa doesn't actually like him, or this should be 'brother'.

 

[Darko]

I consider the Eradicator head again. Maybe Wallace can use if for a cave decoration or something

Click to shrink...

Hopefully there isn't any intelligence left in it, or else you may be dealing with another Nabu situation.

Highfather send him t' tawk t' the hillbillies. Won't be back fer a couple a' days."

"He sent Orion for that?"

Click to shrink...

Either he wants him to develop some diplomatic skills, or he thinks that Orion's nature as a technical outsider and difficulty with some aspects of New Genesis will make him relate to them.

The orange glow intensified, and

Click to shrink...

"intensifies"

 

[timeForced]

Noooo! Keep it as is! Trash talk right outta the grave.