6th February
17:09 GMT
"Hey."
Onigar Ton's head floats just above Guy's ring as we fly across one of the planet's oceans. There won't really be any way to disguise that we've spoken to her, but hopefully it should be possible to disguise that we're going to speak to her. Once we're there, we…
"A.. Green Lantern? What do you want?"
Well, we can protect her in the short term. And while we.. could evacuate her from the planet if the government decides that talking to us warrants her death I don't really want to mess up her life like that.
"I just recently heard how War Hounds get made. I wanna talk to somebody who cares about it. You got half an hour?"
"Y-e-. Yes. I do. Where do you want to meet?"
"We can be anywhere on the planet in about three seconds, so wherever's good for you. We could probably move you someplace else if that'd be safer."
"No. If a Green Lantern is involved then they have bigger problems than me. I'll meet you at my apartment-"
I raise my right forefinger to my head.
"-in eight minutes-"
The walls of her apartment are block-printed in blue and red, and there's a certain 50's science fiction feel to the design. Slightly larger than the human equivalent furnishings and objects would be, though I'm not sure if that's a style choice or an adaptation to the fact that a War Hound might visit. Xor didn't ever describe their living arrangements to me so I've got no idea whether or not Onigar was living with her parents when he was arrested. Not that I think they'd have hired a new ex-War Hound after what happened.
"-once I've had a chance to put some clothes…"
Onigar turns around, holocom unit in hand and a nightdress-.
"On."
I turn away.
"Sorry, sorry. Should have waited until you finished your sentence."
I hear Guy's snort.
"It would have been polite. You're not Green."
"No. The Orange Lantern Corps is a new organisation. Ah. Would you prefer it if I left for eight minutes?"
"I'm not prudish, I just wanted to seem professional. Lantern Gardner… Two minutes?"
"Sure thing."
I hear her set the holocom handset down, then head out of the room.
"What is your name, Orange Lantern?"
Ring.
"Illustres Paul."
"And what is an Illustres?"
"Most Green Lanterns patrol regions of space called Sectors. The Honour Guard are an elite force reserved for the toughest opponents. They are led by an Illustres. Above the Illustres is the Clarissi, who manages the Corps on a day to day basis."
"And the Orange Lantern Corps is the same?"
"We're a newer organisation. My position is equivalent, but it won't mean as much until we've actually got some Honour Guard level Lanterns for me to lead."
I hear a rustle of cloth, and turn towards the doorway she walked through.
"Would it be helpful if I swept the premises for monitoring devices?"
"No. As I said, there is no sense in murdering me. While my outspokenness has led to my censure, I'm simply not relevant enough to anger anyone capable of ordering an assassination."
She walks back in, wearing a Star Trek style suit in green and blue.
"So unless there is anything specific which you wish to say and do not wish to be overheard, there would be little point."
"Thank you for speaking to us, and again, I'm sorry for appearing like that."
"Mm. Teleportation?"
"Effectively. But I can't take passengers, which is why Lantern Gardner stayed where he is."
She nods. "What species are you?"
"Human." I generate a stellar map. "The Alignment is here-" I mark it. "-and my own dear homeworld is here."
"One world? And it produced two high-ranked Lanterns?"
"Three. And three other Lanterns. Currently in service." I frowns. "Sorry. Four other Lanterns."
"You have so many that you forgot one?"
"She's new. Sort-" There's a knock on the balcony's sliding door, Guy still smiling at my faux pas as I turn to face him. "-of."
Onigar waves at the door, which slides open to allow Guy access. Hm. This tower is tall, but those surrounding it aren't much shorter. Given how Lanterns glow I'm pretty sure that her near-neighbours will be talking about this. Which… Might create a situation in which the government's assassins -if such assassins truly exist- can't afford not to kill her in order to save face. But… She knows her government better than I do.
"Thanks. Sorry about Paul. He doesn't always think before he teleports."
"He has apologised for himself." She glances at me before returning her attention to Guy. "Would you like to take a seat?"
"Yeah, thanks." He steps forward. "Who ex-?"
His environmental shield ripples as a high velocity round strikes him on the shoulder.
"Huh?"
Guy looks towards the balcony-
Armour, construct armour, construct armour for her-
-as a volley of shots strike him in the chest.
-and a kinetic barrier-.
The ceiling gives way as-. Xor-? No, regular War Hounds, three of them, enter the apartment through it, plasma projectors… Stowed as they lunge at us bare-handed.
Guy generates a shield and launches himself off the balcony, heading for the snipers operating out of the building opposite. I send out a kinetic barrier, causing the closest War Hound to run straight into it and rebound. The second grunts in pain as I turn aside his punch with a crumbler gauntlet -no force field- and then shudders as I apply a brand. The third goes for his plasma projector, but a construct pincer grabs the fuel cell and pulls it free before it can build up a charge. He swings the butt of the gun at my head, the gun crumpling against my armour as my brand on his colleague completes. I try construct manacles, but he tears those apart easily so I opt for a brand again, my armour just about strong enough to hold him off until my sigil appears on his forehead.
I take a step back.
"Ms Ton, are you alright?"
"W-? Yes, but this makes no sense. Why-?"
"It looks like someone thinks you're worth killing after all."
