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

[Stsword]

I wonder if them showing up will cause Grayven to start cursing Destiny for not letting him really change things?

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The Legionnaires don't necessarily come from the future of Earth-16.

In the comics there were three iterations of the LoSH.

The originals who are still around, so unless one believes that the pre-crisis Earth had the exact same future as the post-flashpoint Earth, something is wonky there.

The reboot Legion that was revealed to live in the future of Earth-247.

And the third iteration, which is from Earth Prime, ie our Earth.

So New Earth present interacted with three LoSH, two of them from other universes, and a third that has a multiple choice past.

 

[Mr Zoat]

8th January
18:30 GMT

"…appear to be enjoying themselves."

I watch from the gallery as Councillor Endor makes a gesture, dirt flaking off a fossilised plant while leaving the basic structure untouched. He concentrates for a moment, then as I witnessed before a natural plant comes into being. He appears rather tickled with it.

My escort, a female Red Martian by the name of S'yrra who serves as Prelate J'emm's deputy, turns to face me.

"You do not wish to join them?"

"I have innate magical abilities, but I'm not a caster. I don't have the same interest they do." I turn away from the scene below. "So. You received my message about Xan'Xie?"

She hesitates, then slowly leads the way away from the arcane research area and in the general direction of the exterior. Unlike most Martian structures, this monastery is not inside a cavern, generations of spellcraft protecting it from the harsh conditions of the surface.

"Yes. I was relieved to hear that the majority of the population is unharmed."

"Is it really that surprising?" I raise my eyebrows. "I would have thought that a telepathic species would be slower to go on murderous rampages than a mindblind race like the humans."

"With the Hyperclan leading them, we were prepared for the worst. The Manhunter Marshal seems to have been planning an immediate counterattack based on the assumption that a slaughter was occurring."

I nod. "Naturally. Giving White Martians the opportunity to demonstrate that they're capable of running a government? That would do more to undermine Red hegemony than mere murder. Still, I'm interested in what you think of all this."

"I am uncertain. I agree with Prince J'emm that the oppression of the White is morally indefensible, though I do not believe that civil insurrection is the correct way to prevent it."

I nod-

-and smile. "So how many White Martians are there in Mel'dilo'rn's government?"

"I… Believe that some of our clerks are-."

"And how many White Martian Prelates have there been before now? Before the uprising?"

"None, but that does not-."

"Seems like violence was the way, then. All that 'patient' stuff clearly wasn't working. I mean, if even Mel'dilo'rn didn't have a flipping White 'Minister for White Affairs' or something, what hope did they have anywhere else?"

"You support their cause, then?"

"I wouldn't go that far. I mean, I'm sympathetic, but that's not really what causes the situation to affect me so strongly." I snort. "Frankly, this sort of event comes from the sorts of social stress that a competent government should be able to deal with before things got to this stage. It's not so much that I support the uprising as that I hold the Planetary Council in contempt."

"The information released by M'gann M'orzz could not have been predicted."

"No, but so what? If someone proved to the humans that their species had been altered by aliens in their prehistory, this sort of thing would not happen on Earth as a result. You shouldn't have based your entire social order on something so easily disprovable. And you shouldn't have left a resentful underclass with no way to improve their position."

"Is that how your people manage their affairs?"

"Hah! Oh, good one." I shake my head. "No, Father's just better at oppressing people than you are. Have you considered the use of some sort of memetic infection? Having studied what the Guardians did to your ancestors, you should be well aware of-."

"No! That… Thing was disgusting!"

"And yet the legal suppression of White Martians never aroused that sort of passion in you."

"They are not the same-."

"They're exactly the same! The only reason why the Red aristocracy exists at all is that infestation. A lingering reminder of the apocalyptic monsters your species used to be."

"I am not like that thing."

I nod. "No. You're not." When she got angry, she became spikier. No flames, though. "I see that you haven't had your own programming removed."

"That isn't why. I would never become so bestial. I have trained in the self-control techniques necessary for a Prelate. I have not yet mastered them, but such degeneration is unthinkable."

"Alright. Do you..? Want to get rid of it?"

"I don't know." She turns away, looking out of an opening in the exterior wall at the barren Martian landscape. "No one knows how it works."

"What." I frown. "M'gann didn't share that memory?"

"There are no Lanterns on Mars." Her head half-turns my way. "Unless this is your doing?"

"Oh heck no. I'd never be this inefficient." Though that is an interesting question. "The local Greenies don't have the skill… Has Thaal Sinestro ever visited Mars?"

"Who is that?"

I raise my right hand slightly, holding my yellow ring towards her. "The only other man in the universe with one of these." But would he have the skill for something like th-?

If he studied the problem with local assistance, certainly. However, I can detect no trace of yellow light here which cannot be explained by your presence.

Good to know. Anyone I'm forgetting about?

A Weaponer could instruct an Anti-Green Lantern to do it, though I doubt they would bother with something so subtle without a significant inducement. You have alluded to knowing of other colours, but I have no direct experience with them. If I were investigating the matter, I would seek to eliminate magic as a possibility first.

He's probably right. The only Green Lantern I can remember doing anything so sophisticated was Lord Malvolio, and I can't think of any reason for him to act covertly either.

Lord.. Malvolio? Lantern Grayven, have you been holding out on me?

What, because I don't share every myth and rumour? I thought that if there had ever been a human super-Lantern you'd be the one telling me.

The Guardians did not share everything with me. And after seeing how compatible humans are with New God soul-manipulation techniques, I'm curious as to whether they ever attempted anything similar with the green light.

Yes, that is-.

"No such being has visited M'arzz."

I nod. "Alright. I know the Sorcerer Priests don't teach non-Reds, but have any other-."

The exterior shield flares into light!

 

[Mr Zoat]

So... Imra Arden, aka Saturn Girl from Legion of Super Heroes, is she under cover in the 21th century using her own name (and Reep Daggle pretending to be her dad, or is that Brainiac 5 in a holographic disguise?), or is she open with the "Hi! I'm a telepath from the future!"?

From the LSH perspective they should be able to use their own names since nobody will know who they are for another thousand years. And if B5 notices Grayven noticing (Has Grayven noticed?) his twelvth level intellect will probably logically deduce that Grayven is involved in time travel shenanigans, not that Grayven read it in a comic book...

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Brainiac Five didn't come with the group. They considered having Mr Daggle play her father, but since they're not sure whether or not a power ring could spot a Durlan then ended up hiring an actor instead.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

"I have innate magical abilities, but I'm not as caster.

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"I have innate magical abilities, but I'm not a caster.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Still, I interested in what you think of all this."

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Still, I'm interested in what you think of all this."

"Seems like violence was the way, then. All that 'patient' stuff clearly wasn't working. I mean, if even Mel'dilo'rn didn't have a flipping White 'Minister for White Affairs' or something, what hope did they have anywhere else?"

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Controversial, Grayven, but it had to be said. This is one of the GOOD Renegade Interrupts.

"No, but so what? If someone proved to the humans that their species had been altered by aliens in their prehistory, this sort of thing would not happen on Earth as a result. You shouldn't have based your entire social order on something so easily disprovable. And you shouldn't have left a resentful underclass with no way to improve their position."

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Preach it, G-man!

"They're exactly the same! The only reason why the Red aristocracy exists at all is that infestation. A lingering reminder of the apocalyptic monsters your species used to be."

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Tali: "I like watching you shout."

"No such being has visited M'arzz."

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Ah, DC... Of course the native name for a world is the common name humans use.

The exterior shield flares into light!

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<Ring Ring> Hello? Ah, Murphy, glad you could join us.

 

[The Vale]

The Guardians did not share everything with me. And after seeing how compatible humans are with New God soul-manipulation techniques, I'm curious as to whether they ever attempted anything similar with the green light.

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This yellow text colour made me change forum styles from the default to Blackened-Blue to prevent eye strain. I feel alienated by this.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"I have innate magical abilities, but I'm not a caster.
Still, I interested in what you think of all this."
Still, I'm interested in what you think of all this."

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Thank you, corrected.

This yellow text colour made me change forum styles from the default to Blackened-Blue to prevent eye strain. I feel alienated by this.

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Tell you what: I'll start using more black and grey text. That'll make it fairer.

 

[King of Frost]

I wonder how this whole "Red Martians are just the least brainwashed so their entire society is kinda stupid" thing is going to go in the Paragon timeline. If it's even going to happen at all over there.

 

[Bramble Thorn]

"Who is that?"

I raise my right hand slightly, holding my yellow ring towards her. "The only other man in the universe with one of these." But would he have the skill for something like th-?"

If he studied the problem with local assistance, certainly. However, I can detect no trace of yellow light here which cannot be explained by your presence.

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orphan quote in the middle there.

 

[Ganurath]

Tell you what: I'll start using more black and grey text. That'll make it fairer.

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*considers the various sources of black text in the setting*

I would like to recommend being unfair to the people that favor the default forum scheme, if you'd be so kind.

 

[Mr Zoat]

orphan quote in the middle there.

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[AidanMorgan]

Thank you, corrected.

Tell you what: I'll start using more black and grey text. That'll make it fairer.

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In the interest of not starting the Blackest Night I would also like to request more unfairness.

 

[rkyeun]

Alright, children. If you can't be responsible for your own color schema, big daddy Zoat can actually set it for you to something all colors will show up in. This goes for you too, Martians.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Alright, children. If you can't be responsible for your own color schema, big daddy Zoat can actually set it for you to something all colors will show up in. This goes for you too, Martians.

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But then how will they ever learn?

"No such being has visited M'arzz."
Ah, DC... Of course the native name for a world is the common name humans use.

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Actually, in the comics its called Ma'aleca'andra by the natives. Young Justice went with M'arzz. My explanation for the difference is that Ma'aleca'andra is the pre-Guardian name.

 

[Valint]

Actually, in the comics its called Ma'aleca'andra by the natives.

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Really? That's a pretty niche reference. (Malacandra was the real name of Mars in C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy.)

 

[Odysseus2099]

Really? That's a pretty niche reference. (Malacandra was the real name of Mars in C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy.)

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In the comics one of Martian Manhunter's alter-egos was a Japanese woman named Rei Hino. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who write comics are a bunch of nerds.

 

[Coda]

Hey, that's an auspicious milestone coming up.

Thread 1: 100 pages
Thread 2: 99 pages
Thread 3: 99 pages
Thread 4: 99 pages
Thread 5: 99 pages
Thread 6: 99 pages
Thread 7: 100 pages
Thread 8: 100 pages
Thread 9: 100 pages
Thread 10: 100 pages
Thread 11: 2127 pages
Thread 12: 3309 pages
Thread 13: 521 pages
Thread 14: 42 pages so far

For a total of 6994 pages. We're only a couple days away from hitting 7000 pages!

 

[Vaermina]

The Guardians did not share everything with me. And after seeing how compatible humans are with New God soul-manipulation techniques, I'm curious as to whether they ever attempted anything similar with the green light.

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Because unlike Grayven I am guessing they scienced the subject and found the many many down sides just didn't outweigh the few minor up sides.

 

[Buggy123]

Because unlikely Grayven I am guessing they scienced the subject and found the many many down sides just didn't outweigh the few minor up sides.

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Or, alternatively, since they're rather control-y immortal beings, they really didn't want to give that sort of independence or authority to anyone who weren't themselves without the easy ability to revoke it.

And keep in mind, they've already done something like that, it's just that they did it to themselves. Their souls are almost certainly pure green and immensely powerful at this point, and if they weren't already immortal reality benders they'd probably get a fair few abilities from it. Not precisely the same methods, but a functionally similar outcome nonetheless.

And Grayven's soul growth turned out pretty well. There were some downsides, but most of that was political; he was stepping into the shoes of the son of one of the most ruthless individuals in the universe. There was that one time where a wizard grabbed him by the soul, but that was Grayven's fault if anything, not the technique's fault.

Long story short, he's one of the brickiest bricks to ever brick now, along with a plethora of other abilities both physical and magical, and all he lost was some flexibility (since, yknow, he can't turn it off). And what, some mental influence? He lives on a world of alien telepaths, time travellers, and Gods. He's still better off, even if he does think a little more conqueror-y now.

 

[Pinklestia]

Is a shame this forum doesn't have dark yellow.

So.. does Sunset ever goes to hang out with the other girls?

 

[Mr Zoat]

So.. does Sunset ever goes to hang out with the other girls?

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Yes, though she's closer to Zatanna than her housemates.

 

[Pinklestia]

Yes, though she's closer to Zatanna than her housemates.

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Oh, are you ever gonna write a girls night out chapter with Sunset and the others?

Plus Miss Martian because she wants to know more about those things.

 

[Aeess]

I have a few questions about the new gods in this.

Does having worshipers have any practical effect on them?

Would Grayven for example even notice if somebody in Japan was praying to him?

What afterlife would await them? I could imagine that the gods of New Genesis could end up in something similar to Heaven since they are also Source worshiping, but where would people from Apokalypse end up? Grayven mentioned to Zatanna that she would get to the same afterlife as before, but would that mean that Grayven will end up in Hell or would he end up in Apokoliptian afterlife (whatever that is).

 

[Silveraith]

Hey, that's an auspicious milestone coming up.

Thread 1: 100 pages
Thread 2: 99 pages
Thread 3: 99 pages
Thread 4: 99 pages
Thread 5: 99 pages
Thread 6: 99 pages
Thread 7: 100 pages
Thread 8: 100 pages
Thread 9: 100 pages
Thread 10: 100 pages
Thread 11: 2127 pages
Thread 12: 3309 pages
Thread 13: 521 pages
Thread 14: 42 pages so far

For a total of 6994 pages. We're only a couple days away from hitting 7000 pages!

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Just imagine what happens when we hit 9000.

 

[Prince Charon]

In the comics one of Martian Manhunter's alter-egos was a Japanese woman named Rei Hino. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who write comics are a bunch of nerds.

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Bruce considered the name rather unsubtle of J'Onn, so apparently he watched anime, too... or maybe it's Dick's, Jason's, or Tim's fault. Tim is certainly nerdy enough.

Alternatively, Riddler might have used Sailor Moon in one or more riddles.

 

[King of Frost]

Bruce considered the name rather unsubtle of J'Onn, so apparently he watched anime, too... or maybe it's Dick's, Jason's, or Tim's fault. Tim is certainly nerdy enough.

Alternatively, Riddler might have used Sailor Moon in one or more riddles.

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Actually, from what I understand of this, the writer that used Hino Rei as Martian Manhunter's disguise name called up a Japanese friend of his and wanted to know a usable name that has to do with Mars, or something along those lines. His friend suggested the name as a joke on the writer, so Batman figured out the name because the writer thought it's meaning was actually related.

Batman figuring it out because of Sailor Moon is the more fun answer though.

 

[Sceptic]

Just imagine what happens when we hit 9000.

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People post DBZ memes nonstop for several pages before the mods or Zoat politely ask them to stop? And by memes I mean the same meme repeated, not different memes.

 

[Gantradies]

People post DBZ memes nonstop for several pages before the mods or Zoat politely ask them to stop? And by memes I mean the same meme repeated, not different memes.

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some of us start complaining the memes are 1000 too late?

 

[Mr Zoat]

8th January
18:35 GMT

"Any other students of the arcane?"

S'yrra stares at the barrier with obvious concern and I feel something move within the structure of the monastery.

"An attack… Here?"

"Oh, it's better than that." I smile. "The uprisings are focused on cities, and are largely being conducted by their dispossessed residents. We're some distance from any of the cities here-" A part of the barrier is visibly pulled back, while local atmospheric pressure remains the same. Someone knows what they're doing. "-and Whites still hold these places in high regard. Which means that isn't a mob of protestors." Plus I can see one coming this way. Useful things, these goggles.

"Hyperclan."

"Almost certainly. And since I'm going to assume that a place like this has a decent magic barrier, I will repeat-."

"Good deduction." A white martian in a long white robe pinned at the neck -inasmuch as they have a neck- by a red circle brooch phases in just in front of us. "Grey? Are you slumming-"

S'yrra's eyes flare for a moment, and the new martian briefly hesitates before becoming partially translucent.

"-it with a new skin tone?"

Sinestro, status of my guests.

The Euphorians and Miss Shimmer just left through a hush tube. Circe, Cyprian and Endor are staying.

Their skins, I suppose. "No, I'm not a martian. I'm actually visiting from Earth. If you saw M'gann's images, I should have been in some of them."

"I don't watch that sort of thing. Rots the brain. Though I do appreciate not being afraid of fire any longer."

"Not making yourself Red?"

"Why would I wanna do a thing like that?" He holds his talon-fingered hands out to either side. "I don't have a problem with being White. Reds and Greens have a problem with me being White."

"Because without the Guardian programming your natural colour is red. You're only white now because that's the colour you're choosing to make your skin."

"I don't have a problem with the Guardians either." He drifts slightly closer. "Maybe they created this situation, but… They weren't the ones saying I couldn't go to a proper school, that my parents and grandparents and all my brothers and sisters couldn't either. That's all Reds and Greens, and I know they don't think I'm Red now."

S'yrra backs up slightly as he comes forward. "You are a murderer and a terrorist."

"Murderer, yeah. When you fight the people who make the rules, when you kill for the cause… Then you're a murderer and the people on the other side are totally legitimate even if they kill just as many. But a terrorist is someone who tries to create political change through fear and intimidation. And I've always tried to bring about political change by killing people." He switches his attention to S'yrra. "I'd like to kill you. But my boss wants an audience for this. Head back to the main chamber and I won't gut you right now."

Sinest-. No, never mind. I can see her fear.

"The sorcerers of this monastery are more powerful than anything you have faced before."

"I'm happy to kill you right here, Red."

"I will aghhh!"

She collapses, clutching at her head.

"Stupid worm. We knew they'd be too proud to get their heads fixed, so we're broadcasting the image of a roaring fire." The clansman returns his… His? Coin toss… Her attention to me. "So what about you? I've never killed an alien before, but if you're here…"

"What's your name?"

"L'atroma Z'orr. Oh, and you weren't lying-" She taps the side of her head with her right hand. Telepathic contact. "-about being an alien. Are those humans?"

"Amongst other species." I bend down, pick up S'yrra as gently as her convulsions will allow, then nod. "I will accompany you, Missus Z'orr, but you should understand that Martian internal affairs are only a tangential interest of mine. Unless you or yours directly attack me or mine, I'm inclined to let you fight it out."

She waves her left land in the direction of the corridor, and I start walking. Hm. Telepathy, shapeshifting, in theory she could do that molecular destabilisation thing the Burner did… Some sort of enhanced phasing. Nothing I'm not reasonably confident I couldn't take. But my main priority here is protecting my guests.

"This is one of the most off-limits places for White Martians. We get called into centres of government sometimes, but I'm the first White to come here in… A very long time. Funny place to be if you've only got a 'tangential interest'."

"I'm interested in magic. Who else was I supposed to as-?"

"Stop."

I stop, half turning towards my escort. "What-?"

The corridor in front of me is pulverised, dust exploding in all directions! The torn and bloody remains of a Red… Well, I'm guessing a Red Martian, are slammed into a wall and pinned there as another White Martian wearing black and gold armour flies after them to admire their handiwork. They turn to me, eyes glowing-.

"Careful, N'Rixot. This one's cooperating."

"The Red he's carrying-."

The dust around -coin toss- her swirls and then explodes with electricity!

"gYYAHGH!"

She flies away, shifting shape to minimise her surface area as a Red Martian sorcerer priest flies through the gap. He-. Ah, just call them all 'he'. He gestures, and the dust takes on the form of some sort of electrified wurm and flies after N'Rixot. He then turns our way, L'atroma lunging forward with her claws out-.

A piece of the wall turns into a hand, grabs the priest and throws them back the way they came.

"I seek a meeting with the Primate."

The sound… Seems to be coming from everywhere. L'atroma freezes for a moment, then gestures down the hole. "Head down that way."

I comply, floating down through the torn floor and wall. Below, in the entry chamber, I see a hulking great White Martian who appears to be taking his cues from the Durlans. Great slabs of metal appear to have been integrated directly into his body, along with pneumatic drivers, some sort of… Electronic sensor array and a couple of force field generators. Next to him is a far slighter figure, another White Martian who is affecting a more humanoid appearance. He's wearing a green body stocking and red cape, and where the others wear a red circle insignia he wears one comprised of three blue diamonds.

Portals open around him, electrical discharges blasting at him! And… Bending, merging together to form a crackling ball just to his left. The rock around him shifts, and the Red Martian who came down here a moment ago emerges unconscious from the ground.

"If I am not granted a meeting, I will kill this one and then proceed inwards."

A diffuse cloud of dust rises up from the floor in front of him, forming the outline of a Martian.

"Petty sand wizard, there are magics here you cannot comprehend. This act of brutishness will do nothing but reveal your cause for the savage narcissism that it is."

"Sand wizard? I'm sorry, I'm a little behind on the modern vernacular." He turns to my escort. "L'atroma, is that supposed to be an insult?"

"Yes. She's saying that your learning is shallow."

"Ah." He turns back to the projection. "I am Karmang. I foolishly taught the principles of sorcery to your distant forebears. And I am here to reclaim what I gave to you."

 

[RichardWhereat]

Damn, from the crisis. He somehow escaped erasure, or will we be seeing a return of the erased?

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

The Euphorians and Miss Shimmer just left through a hush tube. Circe, Cyprian and Endor are staying..

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Two full stops here. I'm assuming he's not trailing off.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

"I don't have a problem with being White. Reds and Greens have a problem with me being White."

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Nice to see some racial pride. Er, color pride?

"I'd like to kill you. But my boss wants an audience for this. Head back to the main chamber I won't gut you right now."

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Flows a bit oddly without a comma, even if he isn't pausing...

"I'm happy killed you right here, Red."

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"I'm happy to kill you right here, Red."
(Tense error)

"What's you're name?"

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"What's your name?"

...Martian internal affairs are only a tangential interest of mind.

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...Martian internal affairs are only a tangential interest of mine.

She waves his left land in the direction of the corridor, and I start walking.

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She waves her left land in the direction of the corridor, and I start walking.

Nothing I'm not reasonably confident I couldn't take. But my main priority here is protecting my guests.

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Good to see he hasn't slipped fully into Righteous Face Punching mode yet.

He them turns our way, L'atroma lunging forward with her claws out-.

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He then turns our way, L'atroma lunging forward with her claws out-.

The sound… Seems to be coming form everywhere.

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The sound… Seems to be coming from everywhere.
Ah, the Voice Of God. Lovely beginner trick

"Sand wizard? I'm sorry, I'm a little behind on the modern vernacular." He turns to my escort. "L'atroma, is that supposed to be an insult?"

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The local equivalent of 'Hedge Wizard,' I presume?

"Ah." He turns back to the projection. "I am Karmang. I foolishly taught the principles of sorcery to your distant forebears. And I am here to reclaim what I gave to you."

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Ooooh, deeear.... This is going to go very well or very badly for Grayven... Time to push your Conversational skill to the max!