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

Mr Zoat · Thursday at 6:37 PM

Wait...

Wait...

This can't be right.

Where are all the corrections?

Istaran · Thursday at 7:24 PM

Steelplaza said:
That would be legitimately hilarious.

Let us remember that Batman currently has an army of OMACs who are capable of fighting kryptonians and doing real damage to them. I hope the Thanagarians do invade Earth; be nice to see the OMACs do something useful for once.

That said, I think it's more likely they're fighting that plant queen and her new plant computer technology (that Paul gave her).

It would be pretty funny if they were invading Earth, but I do feel like they are sane and informed enought they should prefer quarantining Earth rather than invading it.

Maybe block Paul's attempt to get their entertainment archives for fear it will promote tourism, resulting in coincidental disasters.

RoninSword · Thursday at 8:01 PM

Last we checked in on Hyathis she was using the new computer power to finally win the war in her home system. And then she mentioned (I think) finally having the resources to move on Thanagar. We'll see if anything comes from it.

Sockmonkey · 2026-05-08T01:06:25+0100

IIRC Thanagar has been doing a major military buildup for a while now. Remember how they were going through more Nth metal than they supposedly had?

Someguy Somewhere · 2026-05-08T03:16:26+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Wait...

Wait...

This can't be right.

Where are all the corrections?

You have achieved Author Nirvana, having reached the highest of highs.....Getting it all Right.

Mr Zoat · 2026-05-08T06:19:13+0100

7th September 2013
21:30 GMT

"I am so sorry!"

I rotate my delightfully pain-free right arm as Bleez metaphorically hovers next to me. "Bleez, don't worry about it. It's a salutary lesson on the fragility of the unaugmented human body."

Jade didn't look even slightly concerned, which would bother me more if I wasn't perfectly capable of summoning my rings back to me, or even tapping into… The orange light directly.

Darn, should have tried that.

"You're now on a very short list of people who've dislocated my right arm."

"Yeah, but the others are going to be supervillains! That's not a list I want to be on!"

"Just my mother, actually."

Bleez blinks rapidly. Jade looks at me quizzically. And even the barwoman is staring-.

"Not like that. She picked me up by my arms and span me around a few times, and on the last one my arm came out of its socket. We went down to the local hospital and a doctor shoved it back in. Honestly, I don't even remember it."

The three women relax slightly. I point to the barwoman with my right hand.

"Don't think I didn't see you paying attention."

"Not to you. My daughter's a fan of 'Lady Bleez'." Who now gets her full attention. "You got a new album coming out?"

"Ah… I'm working on one now, but it probably won't come out for, like, a year? Maybe two?"

"I'll save up for noise cancelling headphones."

Bleez nods. "So she can hear the sound better?"

"Sure. You all done drinking? 'cause if you catch a downdraft I'm gunna close up."

I smile innocently. "Do you have any fruit juice?"

"Ah." She blinks. "Sure."

She pulls a small bottle of something purple out from behind the bar, removes the cap with her thumbnail and plonks it down in front of me.

I pick it up, give it a sniff… Smells kind of floral and sugary. I shrug and give it a taste… Huh. It's actually nice, in a slightly bland an inoffensive way.

"Didn't realise that you were underage."

"I'm not."

"Then why are you drinking that?"

"It's a cultural thing."

Jade regards me with mild curiosity. "How is it?"

"Probably not worth importing, but pleasant enough."

"In that case, remind me to order one of those next time we come here."

"I'm sure the maggots are very healthy."

The barwoman flares her wings slightly. "Not really. This is pretty low quality stuff, honestly. I'm not sure they're even alive."

"Your mother's recipe?"

"Yeah. She should stick to stuff she's actually good at, but soldiers will drink it."

"Huh. Well, thank you for not trying to bilk the tourists, but I'd have been happy to pay for better quality stuff."

Jade shaker her head, sliding her tankard to the side. "That's fine. I'll take one of those fruit juices."

"You will? Uh, fine." Another bottle makes its way over the bar, and Jade picks it up and the barwoman turns her attention to Bleez. "You want anything?"

"Shaarch?"

"You really think we carry that here?"

"Better quality blurn?"

The barwoman moves away, heading for the kitchen area. "I'll see what I can do."

I give her a moment to get out of our immediate vicinity. "Jade, find anything?"

"They're planning for a major war."

"Are we?" Bleez looks around. "Just because an alert got called, that doesn't mean-."

"They're calling up lizarkons."

"Oh. In that case, yeah, we're going to war. Who with?"

"I don't know. Can you think of anyone?"

"No?" / "Hyathis."

Bleez thinks for a moment, and then nods slowly. "Oooooh. That's why we were getting put in a glide pattern by Culture and Doctrine."

"Well, it's why I was. I don't know what they've got against the two of you. Any idea why they're going after her now?"

She wing-shrugs. "I dunno. Did you give her any super weapons lately?"

"No. I haven't been back there for a while, actually. And usually, when one of the Antares belligerents gets an advantage, the others gang up on them. That's why no one's managed to win."

"Then maybe it's just… Unfinished business?"

Jade appears to realise something. "They've made a deal with the other powers."

"I mean, that's just about possible, but what's changed? They could have done that the moment they reorganised their government after the Equalizing Plague was cured."

She nods. "Do we need to find out?"

"Preventing huge numbers of deaths would be nice, but strictly speaking, no."

"Um." Bleez's wings are slightly unfurled. "Can we..? Maybe not commit espionage against my government?"

"Alright, we can-."

"Here you-" The barwoman marches back in with a cask- "-go." -which she puts down in front of Bleez.

"Um. I didn't bring an axe?"

I form an x-ionised blade and slice the top off for her.

Both thanagarian women stare at me.

"What?"

Bleez wing-shudders. "See, wrestling is a friends thing, but opening a cask like that..? That's… Ah…"

I turn to Jade. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

NightmareWarden · 2026-05-08T07:03:57+0100

Did he swing the blade with his arm(s)? Or did Paul just open it with a construct strand for the muscle? Because I get the former being sexy, while the latter… no.

Darko · 2026-05-08T07:12:39+0100

Mr Zoat said:
The three woman relax slightly

"women"

Steelplaza · 2026-05-08T07:18:10+0100

So what would the stake of a war with Hyathis actually be? What would Thanagar or Hyathis be looking to achieve?

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-05-08T07:28:28+0100

Mr Zoat said:
7th September 2013
21:30 GMT

"I am so sorry!"

I rotate my delightfully pain-free right arm as Bleez metaphorically hovers next to me. "Bleez, don't worry about it. It's a salutary lesson on the fragility of the unaugmented human body."

As I thought, she's quite distressed at the damage she inflicted. Even though it's only going to last as long as it took him to get his Rings back. And yes, this OL is quite fragile compared to some alternates. His power comes in other forms.

Jade didn't look even slightly concerned, which would bother me more if I wasn't perfectly capable of summoning my rings back to me, or even tapping into… The orange light directly.

Darn, should have tried that.

Maybe next time you do something foolish without your Rings.

"You're now on a very short list of people who've dislocated my right arm."

"Yeah, but the others are going to be supervillains! That's not a list I want to be on!"

You think OL is that sloppy that that many people have gotten past all his other defences?

"Just my mother, actually."

Bleez blinks rapidly. Jade looks at me quizzically. And even the barwoman is staring-.

...And so are a lot of we, the readers.

buh-wha?

"Not like that. She picked me up by my arms and span me around a few times, and on the last one my arm came out of its socket. We went down to the local hospital and a doctor shoved it back in. Honestly, I don't even remember it."

The three women relax slightly. I point to the barwoman with my right hand.

Huh. childhood can be a crazy time, huh?

"Don't think I didn't see you paying attention."

"Not to you. My daughter's a fan of 'Lady Bleez'." Who now gets her full attention. "You got a new album coming out?"

Technically, yes. But i don't know how popular it'll be, given it's based on Earth music, if I remember right.

"Ah… I'm working on one now, but it probably won't come out for, like, a year? Maybe two?"

"I'll save up for noise cancelling headphones."

Ah, I see she has opinions about her daughter's taste in music.

Bleez nods. "So she can hear the sound better?"

"Sure. You all done drinking? 'cause if you catch a downdraft I'm gunna close up."

Dammit, now I'm getting such an Aethyta vibe from her. Older veteran who still has contacts in the service...

I smile innocently. "Do you have any fruit juice?"

"Ah." She blinks. "Sure."

She pulls a small bottle of something purple out from behind the bar, removes the cap with her thumbnail and plonks it down in front of me.

Oh, no... Purple Stuff...

I pick it up, give it a sniff… Smells kind of floral and sugary. I shrug and give it a taste… Huh. It's actually nice, in a slightly bland and inoffensive way.

"Didn't realise that you were underage."

What, do you want someone with impaired decision-making in charge of a Power Ring?

"I'm not."

"Then why are you drinking that?"

"It's a cultural thing."

Plus OL likes to do contrary stuff in conventional situations.

Jade regards me with mild curiosity. "How is it?"

"Probably not worth importing, but pleasant enough."

I'm picturing some sort of weak grape cordial.

"In that case, remind me to order one of those next time we come here."

"I'm sure the maggots are very healthy."

The barwoman flares her wings slightly. "Not really. This is pretty low quality stuff, honestly. I'm not sure they're even alive."

...You mean they're meant to be live and wriggling?

"Your mother's recipe?"

"Yeah. She should stick to stuff she's actually good at, but soldiers will drink it."

Soldiers will drink anything that can get them drunk, really. If it tastes good, that's a bonus.

"Huh. Well, thank you for not trying to bilk the tourists, but I'd have been happy to pay for better quality stuff."

Jade shakes her head, sliding her tankard to the side. "That's fine. I'll take one of those fruit juices."

Not a fun of chewy drinks, eh?

"You will? Uh, fine." Another bottle makes its way over the bar, and Jade picks it up and the barwoman turns her attention to Bleez. "You want anything?"

"Shaarch?"

Got to love drink names that sound like random throat-clearing sounds.

"You really think we carry that here?"

"Better quality blurn?"

The barwoman moves away, heading for the kitchen area. "I'll see what I can do."

With or without wriggling seasoning?

I give her a moment to get out of our immediate vicinity. "Jade, find anything?"

"They're planning for a major war."

Well, good to have that guess confirmed.

"Are we?" Bleez looks around. "Just because an alert got called, that doesn't mean-."

"They're calling up lizarkons."

"Oh. In that case, yeah, we're going to war. Who with?"

Gee, nice to see her being so realistic about it.

"I don't know. Can you think of anyone?"

"No?" / "Hyathis."

Definitely a likely culprit, yes.

Bleez thinks for a moment, and then nods slowly. "Oooooh. That's why we were getting put in a glide pattern by Culture and Doctrine."

"Well, it's why I was. I don't know what they've got against the two of you. Any idea why they're going after her now?"

Guilt by association, I suppose. Part of his party, so part of his retinue.

She wing-shrugs. "I dunno. Did you give her any super weapons lately?"

"No. I haven't been back there for a while, actually. And usually, when one of the Antares belligerents gets an advantage, the others gang up on them. That's why no one's managed to win."

Oooh, boy. Somehow, I think she's made a big enough racket to get the attention of the neighbours, then.

"Then maybe it's just… Unfinished business?"

Jade appears to realise something. "They've made a deal with the other powers."

Or Hyathis has overcome them. Wasn't she in a strong position last time we saw her?

"I mean, that's just about possible, but what's changed? They could have done that the moment they reorganised their government after the Equalising Plague was cured."

She nods. "Do we need to find out?"

Or the Hyathis angle could be wrong. Yes, it seems likely, but it could always be something else.

"Preventing huge numbers of deaths would be nice, but strictly speaking, no."

"Um." Bleez's wings are slightly unfurled. "Can we..? Maybe not commit espionage against my government?"

At least not in earshot of the public, anyway.

"Alright, we can-."

"Here you-" The barwoman marches back in with a cask- "-go." -which she puts down in front of Bleez.

Ah, a to-go pack? Handy.

"Um. I didn't bring an axe?"

I form an x-ionised blade and slice the top off for her.

Why do I get the feeling that's a big social gaffe in their warrior culture?

Both thanagarian women stare at me.

"What?"

Bleez wing-shudders. "See, wrestling is a friends thing, but opening a cask like that..? That's… Ah…"

I bet it reads as 'fetching a drink for your life-partner'.

I turn to Jade. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

Not the first time he's done something embarrassing in front of her.

OL just sending all the wrongest signals, eh? It can be excused as not knowing the significance of the action, but Bleez is gonna remember that. Also, the way he cut the top of probably makes it harder to reseal for later storage, though I don't know how big a 'cask' is in this context.

I was picturing the future equivalent of a two- or three-litre jug...

Mr Zoat · 2026-05-08T08:31:31+0100

Darko said:
"women"

Thank you, corrected.

NightmareWarden said:
Did he swing the blade with his arm(s)? Or did Paul just open it with a construct strand for the muscle? Because I get the former being sexy, while the latter… no.

It's not that it's sexy, it's that it's possessive.

after the Equalising Plague

Americans use 'z'.

Duke Long · 2026-05-08T09:57:27+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Not like that. She picked me up by my arms and span me around a few times, and on the last one my arm came out of its socket. We went down to the local hospital and a doctor shoved it back in. Honestly, I don't even remember it."

Fun story. I'm sure it's been said, but I quite like the anecdotes scattered throughout the story, it's realistic and I feel like I don't see it too often in other stories.

Mr Zoat said:
Bleez thinks for a moment, and then nods slowly. "Oooooh. That's why we were getting put in a glide pattern by Culture and Doctrine."

Glide pattern is a good one. I've been liking these thanagarian chapters, fun to see their somewhat alien culture.

Stsword · 2026-05-08T13:09:25+0100

Steelplaza said:
So what would the stake of a war with Hyathis actually be? What would Thanagar or Hyathis be looking to achieve?

Hyathis was queen of Thanagar.

I assume she'd be looking to reclaim her throne like before she was just so rudely deposed.

Thanagarians being a rather aggressive people, are probably hoping to kill her so they don't get a plant queen again.

Presuming it is Hyathis.

RoninSword · 2026-05-09T05:57:22+0100

I'm aware it's been some time, so I don't blame you for forgetting, but this happened @Mr Zoat

Mr Zoat said:
I

step out, focusing on the familiar desires of Alstair. There's some sort of blur in the way, but it's easy to

work through-.

Ships burn and break all around me as the four-way war for Antares hots up! I armour up right away and generate construct shields just as the first optimistic volley of flak fire heads in my direction.

Um.

Now, they've been fighting for a very long time. This doesn't mean-.

Incoming message.

…

Answer?

"Hell-"

"Orange Lantern! I am so glad that you're here!"

"-o, Queen Hyathis. Um."

A large and heavily armoured ship from Mosteel wheels out of control in space, some sort of… Lichen? Eating through its hull. Moments later its structural integrity fails completely, exposing the interior structures to space. Including the crew.

"What's happening?"

"I'm winning. I'm finally winning! And I have you to thank for it!"

"The Orange Lantern Corps-."

"Was kind enough to provide me with a trading partner, new and superior computers and weapons. A new generation of ships and a whole new-"

Something takes hold of my construct barriers and turns me around.

"-me."

Hyathis is… A giant. Or at least has created a giant avatar for herself.

She releases me and raises her right arm, hyper velocity seedpods launched from some sort of internal mechanism and smashing into -through in some cases- a destroyer squadron from Dhor.

"Thanks to your computer, my mind has been expanded. This is child's play now! Oh no you don't!"

Her head turns towards… A flotilla trying to retreat out of interdiction range. Her left arm waves and their thrusters flare and fail.

"Did you think you could fly into my battle space and not pick up a few spores! Fools!"

"So… This isn't them ganging up on you because you'd pulled a little ahead, an alliance that will fall apart the moment that you're beaten back?"

"No. Not this time. This is their last hurrah before my new fleet puts itself in orbit around their worlds and does as it will. I will seed their biospheres and make prisons of their worlds, and then concern myself with them never again! And then…"

Giant eyes glow.

"Thanagar."

…

Huh.

"I'm going to have to ask that you don't seek Diana out for a rematch."

Mr Zoat · 2026-05-09T07:33:45+0100

RoninSword said:
I'm aware it's been some time, so I don't blame you for forgetting, but this happened @Mr Zoat

Yes, I reread that before writing this. The SI knew that Hyathis was in an advantageous position, but that's happened before.

Mr Zoat · 2026-05-09T07:35:23+0100

3rd March 2284
14:59 GMT -5

"…aircraft, be advised that interceptors have been dispatched to your location. Identify yourself immediately. Failure to comply-."

"My name is Krono, and I'm happy to comply with your instructions."

"State destination."

"I was heading towards the pre-War city of Winnipeg. Or at least, where it's recorded as being."

"For what purpose?"

"It was the state capital, and since it seemed unlikely that the Chinese would have bothered nuking it I was hopeful that the regional centre of government would be located there."

"Ah… State… Origin?"

"Slightly… Complicated answer to that. But if you mean 'Where did you take off from?', a little place called Rachel in Nevada."

"Nevad-. Just a moment."

"Would you like me to hold position?"

"No, no, ah… Maintain heading and speed."

"Will do."

"Nevada… Nevada… That's-. Shit!"

"I went before I left. If you give me a few hours and a can of beans-."

"No, no, disregard last. Ah, you're flying up from America?"

"Yes."

"Is your aircraft armed?"

"Yes."

"Aaah… Nuclear?"

"I'm not carrying fission bombs, if that's what you're worried about. Direct fire energy weapons only."

"And the purpose of your visit is… Making contact with our government?"

"That's correct."

"In what capacity?"

"Ambassador-at-large for -among other places- the New California Republic. I need to present my letters of credence to your head of state."

"Okay, I'm going to need to refer this up the chain of command. Please stay on this channel."

"Certainly."

I lean back in my seat as Manitoba Air Traffic Control tries to work out what they're supposed to do with me. These days not many places have civilian air traffic control, so they are almost certainly military. And Eagle Rock only really has civilian air traffic control because no one attacks them and their military is tiny. Could be a lieutenant if it's considered a sophisticated and expensive piece of equipment, or it could be an enlisted position if they're advanced enough for that sort of thing to be common. But given that my contacts in Washington D.C. haven't seen Canadian traders it doesn't seem likely that they've recovered that far.

I could have handed this job to someone else, but we still don't have many of these saucers, which means that if I want to spend my time flying around in one instead of using a much slower vertibird or an N.C.R. Crusader then I have to be prepared to have things added to my plate at short notice.

"This is Colonel Frayes of the Royal Air Force of the Kingdom of Manitoba."

"This is Ambassador Krono of the Sky Walkers, currently working on behalf of the New California Republic."

"I'm afraid we aren't set up to receive an ambassador."

"I'll make do. Do you have an airport for me?"

"We're sending you to Langenburg. Do you know where that is?"

Quick check on the map…

"Langenburg, which was a town in pre-War Saskatchewan?"

"That's the one, though it's grown a little since then."

"Changing course now, though obviously I don't know exactly where the airport is."

"Our planes will guide you in." I nod. "Though… What kind of propulsion does your airplane use?"

"Gravitic impeller."

"… Say again?"

"It's based on an alien spacecraft the Americans acquired before the war. It's quite a bit more advanced than what most of the rest of our air force uses."

"Well, sorry if it's less sophisticated than you're used to, but we use prop-planes up here."

"We mostly do too. The main fighter of the Californian Air Force is basically a nineteen fifties Mustang, though we're slowly replacing them with something a bit more modern."

We could probably do that faster, but none of California's probable enemies have much of an air force so there's no real call for a superlative fighter. We have started to retire Skyraiders in favour of vertibird attack craft though, because those things are great for bombarding legionaries from out of range of their anti-air guns. The Legion had aircraft earlier in the war thanks to Two Sun's possession of the U.S.A.F.'s old desert storage site, but fortunately for us the Legion proper didn't have the skills to do much with them.

"We basically use Spitfires from the same era."

"Oh? Did you find a working one in a museum, or did you recreate them using technical manuals?"

"Both, actually. You know what a Spitfire is?"

"Oh yes. I was actually three hundred years old last year. I used to see them flying at air shows back in Britain."

"Ah, are you a ghoul?"

"No, I still look as handsome as ever."

"Alright. How did California relearn avionics?"

"Vault-Tec were very prepared. Unfortunately, no worked examples survived to the founding of the N.C.R., and we didn't have the technical know-how to build pre-War jet or plasma thruster planes until fairly recently."

And we're not building plasma thruster planes now because those things are maintenance hungry beasts that cost more than an armoured squadron each. Grant and I agree that if we get to the point where we need super fighters it'll make more sense to train more transmutation specialists in how to make zetan fighters than to build more Plutonian 'super fireballs'.

Ah, my ship's radar is showing two contacts heading my way, good show.

"I have my escort on radar now."

"You've got one small enough to go in your bird?"

"Bird? Everyone back home calls it a flying saucer."

"…" … "Wait one."

I wait, presumably while he contacts the pilots for a description. The idea of 'flying saucers' being alien ships probably didn't survive outside of south-west America, but it clearly doesn't look like a normal plane.

"Flying saucer, right. I'll meet you on the landing field. Colonel Frayes out."

Darko · 2026-05-09T07:51:26+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Unfortunately, no worked examples survived to the founding of the N.C.R., and we

"no working"

Mr Zoat said:
"Fly saucer, right

"Flying"

Duke Long · 2026-05-09T08:08:09+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"My name in Krono, and I'm happy to comply with your instructions."

'is'

Mr Zoat said:
N.C.R. Crusader

Mr Zoat said:
the U.S.A.F.'s old desert storage site

These are interesting real world tidbits. Enjoyed reading those Wikipedia articles.

BR549 · 2026-05-09T08:17:15+0100

Mr Zoat said:
The main fighter of the Californian Air Force is basically a nineteen fifties Mustang,

So, basically Cavalier Mustangs, then.

"Fly saucer, right. I'll meet you on the landing field. Colonel Frayes out."

'Flying'

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-05-09T08:40:30+0100

Mr Zoat said:
3rd March 2284
14:59 GMT -5

"…aircraft, be advised that interceptors have been dispatched to your location. Identify yourself immediately. Failure to comply-."

"My name in Krono, and I'm happy to comply with your instructions."

Well, that's an unusual reaction to visitors. I'm guessing these folks are very wary of outsiders for sensible reasons. And while having working aircraft isn't unusual, the fact they saw him coming might be.

"State destination."

"I was heading towards the pre-War city of Winnipeg. Or at least, where it's recorded as being."

Winnipeg? Capital of the province of Manitoba, more or less the central-southern area of Canada. Quite a trek from home, but given how far he's gone, not the longest trip he's taken.

"For what purpose?"

"It was the state capital, and since it seemed unlikely that the Chinese would have bothered nuking it I was hopeful that the regional centre of government would be located there."

If not, he's about to find out for sure.

"Ah… State… Origin?"

"Slightly… Complicated answer to that. But if you mean 'Where did you take off from?', a little place called Rachel in Nevada."

Heh. Significant to those who know.

"Nevad-. Just a moment."

"Would you like me to hold position?"

Just on two thousand kilometres away, depending on specifics. That's got to come across as significant.

"No, no, ah… Maintain heading and speed."

"Will do."

"Nevada… Nevada… That's-. Shit!"

He's a long way form home, yes. I hope you're going to be good hosts.

"I went before I left. If you give me a few hours and a can of beans-."

"No, no, disregard last. Ah, you're flying up from America?"

Never assume you've muted your mike, brother.

"Yes."

"Is your aircraft armed?"

"Yes."

Seems foolhardy to not have some sort of guns, the sort of things you can encounter in the wastelands.

"Aaah… Nuclear?"

"I'm not carrying fission bombs, if that's what you're worried about. Direct fire energy weapons only."

Admittedly, they can be a lot more precisely destructive than any kind of nuke.

"And the purpose of your visit is… Making contact with our government?"

"That's correct."

Gee, it's like they weren't expecting friendly visitors.

"In what capacity?"

"Ambassador-at-large for -among other places- the New California Republic. I need to present my letters of credence to your head of state."

Let's hope his various friends don't come to blows, or he'll be very conflicted over who to help.

"Okay, I'm going to need to refer this up the chain of command. Please stay on this channel."

"Certainly."

Yeah, I don't know what he gets paid, but this is way above his paygrade.

I lean back in my seat as Manitoba Air Traffic Control tries to work out what they're supposed to do with me. These days not many places have civilian air traffic control, so they are almost certainly military. And Eagle Rock only really has civilian air traffic control because no one attacks them and their military is tiny. Could be a lieutenant if it's considered a sophisticated and expensive piece of equipment, or it could be an enlisted position if they're advanced enough for that sort of thing to be common. But given that my contacts in Washington D.C. haven't seen Canadian traders it doesn't seem likely that they've recovered that far.

Or they've been avoiding American territories. Which is not an unreasonable precaution given how badly the US got hit.

I could have handed this job to someone else, but we still don't have many of these saucers, which means that if I want to spend my time flying around in one instead of using a much slower vertibird or an N.C.R. Crusader then I have to be prepared to have things added to my plate at short notice.

And we wouldn't have much of an episode if you didn't take care of this personally.

"This is Colonel Frayes of the Royal Air Force of the Kingdom of Manitoba."

"This is Ambassador Krono of the Sky Walkers, currently working on behalf of the New California Republic."

I suspect the colonel is still outranked here...

"I'm afraid we aren't set up to receive an ambassador."

"I'll make do. Do you have an airport for me?"

Multiple, I suspect. But which one is going to be closest to their capital...

"We're sending you to Langenburg. Do you know where that is?"

Quick check on the map…

"Langenburg, which was a town in pre-War Saskatchewan?"

Right on the border, I see. Looks like the provincial borders have shifted.

"That's the one, though it's grown a little since then."

"Changing course now, though obviously I don't know exactly where the airport is."

"Our planes will guide you in." I nod. "Though… What kind of propulsion does your airplane use?"

Hopefully they can keep up. I doubt he'll have much trouble pacing them.

"Gravitic impeller."

"… Say again?"

"It's based on an alien spacecraft the Americans acquired before the war. It's quite a bit more advanced than what most of the rest of our air force uses."

Or most of the rest of the world, I suspect.

"Well, sorry if it's less sophisticated than you're used to, but we use prop-planes up here."

"We mostly do too. The main fighter of the Californian Air Force is basically a nineteen fifties Mustang, though we're slowly replacing them with something a bit more modern."

As long as they're tougher than, say, aluminium, I suspect anything's an improvement.

We could probably do that faster, but none of California's probable enemies have much of an air force so there's no real call for a superlative fighter. We have started to retire Skyraiders in favour of vertibird attack craft though, because those things are great for bombarding legionaries from out of range of their anti-air guns. The Legion had aircraft earlier in the war thanks to Two Sun's possession of the U.S.A.F.'s old desert storage site, but fortunately for us the Legion proper didn't have the skills to do much with them.

'Two Sun' being old Tucson, of course.

"We basically use Spitfires from the same era."

"Oh? Did you find a working one in a museum, or did you recreate them using technical manuals?"

Either method would work well, though reverse-engineering has the risk of destroying the sample.

"Both, actually. You know what a Spitfire is?"

"Oh yes. I was actually three hundred years old last year. I used to see them flying at air shows back in Britain."

Ah, Krono flaunting his technical age.

"Ah, are you a ghoul?"

"No, I still look as handsome as ever."

Though anyone who comes at him with hostile intent is going to be in for a surprise.

"Alright. How did California relearn avionics?"

"Vault-Tec were very prepared. Unfortunately, no worked examples survived to the founding of the N.C.R., and we didn't have the technical know-how to build pre-War jet or plasma thruster planes until fairly recently."

Because the immediate pre-war era technology was pretty damn impressive. Don't forget they had functional robotics and artificial general intelligence.

And we're not building plasma thruster planes now because those things are maintenance hungry beasts that cost more than an armoured squadron each. Grant and I agree that if we get to the point where we need super fighters it'll make more sense to train more transmutation specialists in how to make zetan fighters than to build more Plutonian 'super fireballs'.

The more complex the system, the more maintenance it requires to remain functional.

Ah, my ship's radar is showing two contacts heading my way, good show.

"I have my escort on radar now."

"You've got one small enough to go in your bird?"

Oh, buddy-boy is in for a treat once Krono arrives...

"Bird? Everyone back home calls it a flying saucer."

"…" … "Wait one."

Though it doesn't rotate, does it? That would get a little dizzying.

I wait, presumably while he contacts the pilots for a description. The idea of 'flying saucers' being alien ships probably didn't survive outside of south-west America, but it clearly doesn't look like a normal plane.

"Flying saucer, right. I'll meet you on the landing field. Colonel Frayes out."

Yeah, this is going to be a hell of a day for the locals.

Well, the next few in-story days for Krono are going to be very interesting. I'm guessing the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces rode out the post-war period in fairly good shape, by the looks of this response. Making friends of them could be very helpful in the years to come... Let's hope nothing goes awry.

Mr Zoat · 2026-05-09T09:09:17+0100

Darko said:
"no working"

While your suggestion works as well, that wasn't what he was trying to convey.

"Flying"

Duke Long said:
'is'

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, the next few in-story days for Krono are going to be very interesting. I'm guessing the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces rode out the post-war period in fairly good shape, by the looks of this response.

Not exactly. With the collapse of the American occupation force, civilisation collapsed into ruling mutually antagonistic armed groups dominating everyone else. Then a man named Gunn managed through careful diplomacy to convince them to transition to an oligarchical monarchy, where bosses took titles based on the size of the land they controlled and he adjudicated disputes as King Gunn I. That mostly worked and was a massive improvement, though still not exactly fun for the peasantry. He eventually died without issue, prompting his chief minister to take the throne as Gunn II. Gunn II faced the problem that things had improved enough that the peasantry had time to do things other than work themselves to the bone, like protest their government and engage in armed insurrection. That cost him about two fifths of the kingdom as the Metis Congress and The Republic of Three Rivers broke away. Things got worse as Gunn II (who was a ghoul) started to go feral, with periodic fits of mindless rage. He also blamed the losses on the entirely loyal knightly orders Gunn I set up, and either broke them up or exiled them. Eventually one of his dukes decided that this couldn't carry on and started a civil war to remove him.

If you play Old World Blues as Gunn II, after the civil war you get a choice between desperately searching for a cure before you go completely mad, or eating a bullet and having your Mountie Commissioner take over.

BR549 · 2026-05-09T09:10:39+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Let's hope nothing goes awry.

Thankfully it appears the only official tie-in comics for Fallout were published by Dark Horse, not Marvel, so Fallout Canada is unlikely to be entirely evil at least.

Chaoswind · 2026-05-09T10:21:31+0100

Job as ambassador should be easy, claim that some evidence exists that the Zetans manipulated events that resulted in the nuclear war and that they may be on the way with a large invasion force now that most nations on the planet cannot meaningfully resist.

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