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

TheEyes · Aug 25, 2019

Chojin Patriarch said:
"Strand-Captain, if there are any problems emerging, it would behove you to make me aware of them now, while I can still do something about them."
Despite my first instinct, 'behove' is an actual word. I presume 'behoove' is an americanisation.

Pretty sure that "behove" is just the past tense of "behoove", and that Mr Zoat needs to fix the spelling.

The Americanism is that the US uses "behooved" instead of "behove".

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2019

TheEyes said:
Pretty sure that "behove" is just the past tense of "behoove", and that Mr Zoat needs to fix the spelling.

The Americanism is that the US uses "behooved" instead of "behove".

Huh, weird. My Word's dictionary knew 'behove' but not 'behoove'. Not sure how that happened.

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
"Icon's from Dakota City. The Terminian?" Blank look. "Red Arrow… Speedy? Green Arrow's sidekick?"

Icon is a Terminan.

Mr Zoat said:
Prin's a telepath and Kalista is a magician. They've both got as yet unquantified ways to detect me trying something like that. Still, I'd rather this didn't turn into a slaughter and it's not as if trying risks anything significant.

His name is Pren.

Ace Dreamer · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
I tilt my head slightly at-. Really? I mean, consenting adult sophonts in private, but really?

I'm guessing Hal paid for the full ten minute argument?

Ngamer11 · Aug 25, 2019

Another old error.

Mr Zoat said:
Not a good idea. And forget contacting the Zamorans. I'm not risking that without more information and if I can get it, Controller backup.

It should be Zamarons.

Buggy123 · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
I tilt my head slightly at-. Really? I mean, consenting adult sophonts in private, but really?

I don't really understand that image.

Also, Paul, you're in a glass house here.

Old Knife · Aug 25, 2019

Time for some rather mundane-cosmic horror?

Stsword · Aug 25, 2019

Buggy123 said:
I don't really understand that image.

Also, Paul, you're in a glass house here.

Paul found beings doing the whole Star Trek Kirk "going where no man has gone before" with spider guild members.

So Zoat posted that picture which shows a spider guild member in their giant arachnid glory to remind people of why that's eyebrow raising.

Buggy123 · Aug 25, 2019

Stsword said:
Paul found beings doing the whole Star Trek Kirk "going where no man has gone before" with spider guild members.

So Zoat posted that picture which shows a spider guild member in their giant arachnid glory to remind people of why that's eyebrow raising.

Oh, that's it? I thought that was a Violet Corps member in the background (though, the sigil is wrong). Between that, the chains, Gardner's angry expression, and where it was linked from, I was kinda getting mixed messages.

If it's just how they look then... eh. You underestimate people. The thing that strikes me as the weirdest is that funky humanoid hairdo (on a spider) more than anything else.

Prince Charon · Aug 25, 2019

Buggy123 said:
Oh, that's it? I thought that was a Violet Corps member in the background (though, the sigil is wrong). Between that, the chains, Gardner's angry expression, and where it was linked from, I was kinda getting mixed messages.

Gardner? I'm pretty sure that that's meant to be Jordan, just in slightly orangish lighting.

Buggy123 · Aug 25, 2019

Prince Charon said:
Gardner? I'm pretty sure that that's meant to be Jordan, just in slightly orangish lighting.

Honestly I can barely tell them apart. It's one of the... 3? popular main-character (human) lanterns doing a interrogation, that's all I can tell.

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2019

Ngamer11 said:
Icon is a Terminan.

That's Grayven making an in-character mistake. He knows that Icon comes from 'Terminus' but hasn't heard anyone alter the tense before.

His name is Pren.

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 said:
Another old error.

It should be Zamarons.

Thank you, corrected.

Buggy123 said:
I don't really understand that image.

The erotic tension was so intense that it created an explosion-Lantern.

Also, Paul, you're in a glass house here.

SHE SAID IT WAS A SPIRACLE.

Buggy123 said:
Honestly I can barely tell them apart. It's one of the... 3? popular main-character (human) lanterns doing a interrogation, that's all I can tell.

Gardner's ginger.

Ngamer11 · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
John's managed to track down Mister Ondaatie

Mr Zoat said:
Mister Ondaatie points to the space next to John with his left hand. "And you by the door. I've been watching you since you arrived

Mr Zoat said:
"There wasn't all that much room in the tunnels. I had-" I bring up the files one by one. "-Ken Ondaatie, John Constantine and Zatanna with me. That seemed... Adequate?"

The Hellblazer wiki says his name is spelled Ondaate. Also, it might also be misspelled in the Injustice League episode, when Paul was explaining who Map and John Constantine were.

Buggy123 · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
SHE SAID IT WAS A SPIRACLE.

Ah yes, because applying lotion to, and massaging, someone's sensitive-and-normally-covered areas definitely has no erotic connotations at all.

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2019

Ngamer11 said:
The Hellblazer wiki says his name is spelled Ondaate. Also, it might also be misspelled in the Injustice League episode, when Paul was explaining who Map and John Constantine were.

Thank you, corrected.

Buggy123 said:
Ah yes, because applying lotion to, and massaging, someone's sensitive-and-normally-covered areas definitely has no erotic connotations at all.

The SI is trained as a masseuse.

Sockmonkey · Aug 25, 2019

Buggy123 said:
Ah yes, because applying lotion to, and massaging, someone's sensitive-and-normally-covered areas definitely has no erotic connotations at all.

I'd point out that it's the equivalent of a nostril, buuuuut IIRC there's hentai comics out there where that's a thing.

Buggy123 · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
The SI is trained as a masseuse.

Massages are still generally considered at least a somewhat/potentially erotic act even if the person doing it is a trained professional. Probably because of all the skin contact, the fact that you have to take most/all of your clothes off to do it with lotion, and the pleasant feelings combined with close proximity.

I mean, it's no coincidence that the idea of a "happy ending" is pretty strongly associated with massage parlors. A paid professional doing it somewhat offsets the erotic undertones, but it doesn't remove them.

Sockmonkey said:
I'd point out that it's the equivalent of a nostril, buuuuut IIRC there's hentai comics out there where that's a thing.

Ah, good point. As we all know, humans never do anything sexual with openings that are used for breathing.

AverusBlack · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
Rob smiles ruefully. "Magic, mate. Me and Dad tried having a look around but we couldn't get a handle on it. We though-."

Thought? Not sure if that was deliberate or not.

Mr Zoat said:
I stop at the top of the ridge which leads down to Hurlers Stone Circles and turn around to look back at my companions. Beryl's been mildly disappointed by the fact that we all had undisturbed nights' rests. Undisturbed by nightmares anyway; Tula wasn't the only Atlantean who had difficulty adapting their sleep pattern to GMT. That combined with the fact that Atlantean poison resistance appears to include caffeine means that they aren't exactly bright-eyed and bushy tailed… Or whatever the equivalent Atlantean expression is.

Night's? Spellcheck thinks that's a mistake.

Mr Zoat said:
Ring, most likely..? "Copper gardening tools have made a bit of a come back in the last decade. I don't know exactly what disrupting a ley line requires-."

Broken link

Mr Zoat said:
I'm moving towards the closest stone, stake and auto-hammer construct at the ready.

I'm not entirely sure this link is broken; I use a browser extension called "fuck youtube" to unblock videos they arbitrarily block in my country, because... fuck youtube. But the extension couldn't unblock it and I'm pretty sure that video is toast. Anyone not in Canada says differently, then I'm mistaken and apologize

Boo-boop-ba-doo, I have some broken links for you. And possibly two typos but I'm not sure if they were intentional or not.

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2019

AverusBlack said:
Thought? Not sure if that was deliberate or not.

Night's? Spellcheck thinks that's a mistake.

Broken link

I'm not entirely sure this link is broken; I use a browser extension called "fuck youtube" to unblock videos they arbitrarily block in my country, because... fuck youtube. But the extension couldn't unblock it and I'm pretty sure that video is toast. Anyone not in Canada says differently, then I'm mistaken and apologize

Boo-boop-ba-doo, I have some broken links for you. And possibly two typos but I'm not sure if they were intentional or not.

Thank you, corrected.

Ganurath · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
SHE SAID IT WAS A SPIRACLE.

To me, this reads like a teenager finding out he's going to be a father, strenuously objecting that she'd said she was on the pill.

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2019

Ganurath said:
To me, this reads like a teenager finding out he's going to be a father, strenuously objecting that she'd said she was on the pill.

You can't get someone pregnant by fucking them in the spiracle.

...

In fact, the SI couldn't have gotten her pregnant by fucking her in the vagina either, if that was physically possible.

Aeess · Aug 25, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
You can't get someone pregnant by fucking them in the spiracle.

...

In fact, the SI couldn't have gotten her pregnant by fucking her in the vagina either, if that was physically possible.

If the SI is becoming a god, like you implied, then according to his own religion there shouldn't be any form of sex he could impregnate her with.

edit: fuck, I meant there shouldn't be any form of sex he couldn't impregnate her with.

AverusBlack · Aug 25, 2019

Aeess said:
If the SI is becoming a god, like you implied, then according to his own religion there shouldn't be any form of sex he could impregnate her with.

Eris: "Challenge accepted."

thebishop8 · Aug 25, 2019

I've got some old corrections of my own:

Mr Zoat said:
We really should have brought M'gann along. Or Diana. Diana would be… But she could have been part of the original investigation. Why didn't she find this out?

Should "could have been part" be replaced with "should have been part"?

Mr Zoat said:
"How old are you now?"

"Eleven. I'll be twelve in two months."

"The first of June?"

"No, April sixteenth. Why would you think it's in June?"

"Ah, yes, of course. I noticed during my visit to Earth Fifty -your Earth- that the calendars don't quite line up. You've come forwards about seven years and one and a half months."

"That's.. weird."

"Do you want to.. celebrate it on the sixteenth of April, ooooor move it backwards a month and a half to when you'll actually be twelve? I kept mine on the same date when I came here from Earth Prime, but it's up to you."

If she'll be 12 in two months, on June 1st, wouldn't it be moving it forward a month and a half to when she'll actually be twelve?

Mr Zoat said:
"That angel should of burned you!"

*should have

Mr Zoat said:
"She's the one manufacturing 'Devil Jizz'. In Hell, which explains why no police force anywhere in the world has ever found the manufacturing facility."

The period after 'Devil Jizz' seems out of place.

Also, the table of contents for Retribution say that parts 13-28 happened on the 20th of November, while the actual chapters say that they happened on the 21st. I realize this might be some weird thing to do with time zones.

Mr Zoat said:
Zatanna isgoing nowhere near this,

Space needed.

Mr Zoat said:
"No. In the few minuets that I knew him I began to truly detest him.

Looks like this typo wasn't fixed in the Story Only thread.

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm not prudish, I just wanted to seem professional. Lantern Gardner… Two minutes?"

"Sure thing."

"Sure thing." should be in green quotation marks because it's Guy talking.

Mr Zoat said:
"Don't forget tha spiders."

"Next things I do.

Should that be

Next thing I'll do.
or
Next thing I do.

Mr Zoat said:
Guy nudges me with his elbow. Known her for two minutes and you're already asking her to dinner? Real smooth, kid.

The green text and lack of quotation marks imply that Guy is transmitting the message directly into Paul's brain. Which is possible, but a little weird.

I also noticed some old Lantern to Lantern conversations that I'm pretty sure should have colored text:

Mr Zoat said:
Ring, contact Green two eight one four B.

Compliance.

Guy's head snaps around to his ring, and the picture in my mind is replaced by the picture projecting from the ring. "Little busy here, Orange. What is it?"

"Have one of you Greenies tried to get hold of Lantern Medphyll yet?"

"Who?"

"Lantern Medphyll. The plant guy? Yellow skin, one eye, leaves growing out of his head?"

"Never met him."

"He can use his ring to control lesser forms of plant life. If he can-." The image jerks and dissolves for a moment. "Er, Guy? You alright?"

"R-. Really busy, Orange!"

"Just give me his sector number, I'll call him myself!"

Silence for a moment. "He's five eight six A. Now y'mind if I-?"

Guy's text in this conversation should be pure orange.

Mr Zoat said:
"Ring, contact Green five eight six A."

"Compliance."

The ring flashes as it makes contact. He might just decide not to answer.

"Five eight six? That's not anywhere around here, is it?"

"I don't think so, but I really couldn't-."

Lantern Medphyll's broccoli stalk head appears above the ring. "Lantern Medphyll of Sector five eight six reporting."

My team mates stare at him. The image is orange, but his face is a short cylinder with a single eye and a cross between a small bush and an afro sticking out of the top.

"Er. Hello. Sector two eight one four here."

His eye refocuses. Shouldn't his depth perception be really bad? Maybe his eye uses multiple photosensitive layers or something? Have to ask Guy if he can give me xenophysiology files. The Guardians can't object to me having medical information, can they?

"I'm sorry to hear of your predecessor's death. May I ask which of them was it?"

"No ssssir, they're all fine. I'm new."

"By the Great O, how many Lanterns does your sector need?"

More, probably.

"Reason I got in touch, sir, was that a group of local criminals have created some sort of giant world spanning vine, and are using it to hold several cities to ransom. As I understand it, you are able to control plant life-."

"Commune with, not control. It would be a violation of a sacred trust to force my designs on other plant forms."

"Ah. Right, sorry. It's just that at the moment our options are pretty much pay up or kill it. I'd really like to have an alternative. I've no idea how intelligent it is, but it's... Magnificent, really. And unique. I hate destroying unique things."

"Your compassion does you credit." He looks away from his ring for a moment. "I'm sorry, my sector's other Lantern is a new recruit still undergoing basic training and I can't leave here until they return."

"Is it a technique you are able to teach?"

"Not within a short span of time. Are there truly no beings on your world who could make such a communion?"

"I know of only two. One's out of touch, we're trying to get hold of him. The other is responsible for the attack."

His fronds rustle. That would probably mean something to me if I understood his species' body language. "I regret that I cannot be of more help."

"I don't suppose you know of any other Green Lanterns with equivalent abilities?"

"I don't believe there are any. Sophisticated plant forms are surprisingly rare across Lantern patrolled space."

Sounds like Mother of Mercy hasn't been recruited yet then. Score one for my future Corps, though it's rather inconvenient now.

"Ah. It's a shame, but I suppose we can't do much about it now. Thank you for your time."

Medphyll's text in this conversation should be pure orange.

Mr Zoat said:
"Hey Orange, what kept you?" Guy's face floats above the ring. I peer through the snowfall, just managing to make out the glow of Guy's construct-armour in the middle distance. "An' who's your friend?"

Guy's text should be orange.

Mr Zoat said:
"Orange two eight one four to green two eight one four B."

There's a slight delay, then a small image of Guy sitting leaned back on a command chair like the one on this Fortress' bridge, his hands behind his head. "'Sup Orange. Fortress One's under control, thanks to yours truly."

"Have you turned the ice blower off?"

He waves his right hand "Yeah, first thing I did. And froze the scuttlin' charges. Bats is goin' over the place now."

Fiddlesticks. "Guy, get everyone out."

He frowns. "Whaat? Why? Thought you wan'ed-."

"The Fortress doesn't power itself. The generator is more of a relay and it can be deactivated remotely. I'm having to hold this Fortress up by my own power, and if the jets are off-."

The image blurs as he throws himself from the chair towards the exit. "Then anyone with a telescope'll know we've busted their toy. Bats, we need to vamoose! You need help over there?"

"Unless you've got someone strong as Superman, fast as the Flash and able to fly, don't worry. I'm pretty sure I can avoid landing on..." Oh, hang on. "Guy, what's the largest object a Lantern can do an FTL transfer with?"

"I don't actually think there's a lim-. You gonna try n'move the Fortress?"

"I really want to keep this."

"Well good lu-. Whoow!" He jerks in the corridor. "Okay, we just lost engines." He flies through another door, pushes Batman aside and levels his ring at the hoop. "Sorry Orange, I need to concentrate."

"I'll leave you to it. Off."

Guy's text. Orange.

Mr Zoat said:
"Thank you. Ring, contact Green Lanterns two eight one four B and C."

I was a little surprised that Lantern Stewart offered to help. He'll be very useful if something goes wrong. I hope that Guy didn't twist his arm too much. With two out of three of this Sector's serving Green Lanterns helping me I'm certainly not going to complain about Lantern Jordan absenting himself. I'm sure the rest of the Sector doesn't stop for Christmas.

The busts of Guy and Stewart appear just above the ring. "Ready in Switzerland?"

Guy nods. "Cake's outta the ground. Think we gave some cows a nasty shock. Hadn't realized you frosted it."

"What sort of Christmas cake designed by a Lantern hopped up on the light of avarice doesn't have a scale model of the North Pole on top?"

Stewart takes a quick look around. "Air space is clear and the cake weighs next to nothing. Orange Lantern, I was contacted by a guy from the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs. They want to know what you intend to do with the chamber you were storing this thing in."

"Hadn't really thought about it, to be honest. Do they want it, or do they want me to fill it in?"

"I think he was more trying to feel us out about it."

"I don't really have any strong feelings about it? I realise that I shouldn't have dug it, wasn't compos mentis at the time. Far as I'm concerned it belongs to Switzerland."

"I'll pass that on. Ready at your end?"

"The Ophidian's ready and willing." Guy winces as I reach over to press the intercom. "Captain Zatara, you about ready?"

The ring shows me an image of her sitting in the central command chair with a thick coat on and Teekl curled up on her lap. I've had several heaters up there trying to raise the temperature for a couple of days but we are in the arctic circle. She could use magic to warm up but we want to keep her fully fuelled in case we run into difficulty later. "I will be as soon as I get some power up here."

I nod. "Main power live in three, two, one, now." There's no outward sign that my construct is now converting the lantern's output to electrical power from the lantern itself, but the lights in the engine room immediately come on at full intensity and -quick check- so does the heating. "Captain?"

"Heat systems check, computers… Check. Closing external doors and hatches. There doesn't appear to be any new damage since yesterday. Shall I take us up?"

"Orange Lantern to all points, we are go for take off. Engage anti-gravity at your convenience."

In the command centre I see her smile, her right hand on the control pad and her left idly stroking Teekl. "You are so loving this."

"Yes, I so am."

"Taking us up."

There's a very slight shudder, probably caused by an unevenness in the shape of the ice attached to the bottom of the hull. I checked the bracing around what we think to be the bit generating the anti-gravity effect at the same time as I checked the computers and it all looked solid. Can't be one hundred percent sure without a better understanding of the system. I close my eyes for a moment and focus on the sense of hunger I know to be Fatty.

Fatty, start eating the ice off the hull. Don't eat the hull.

Eating! Yay!

He's been weirdly upbeat since the Truggs thing. I can't really ask what that was like for him. Well, I can, he just can't give an answer that makes any sense to me. He's much less use as a scout than Teekl for much the same reason; even though he is more obedient he can't articulate or comprehend what he sees as well. I get a vague impression that he's eating something and so until Zatanna reports otherwise I'll assume that it's what he's supposed to be eating.

"Everything looks good up here."

"Right. Ophidian? "

"This is a mere fraction of my full power as well you know."

"Just checking. Okay Captain, I'm on my way up." I need to stay connected to the transfer constructs to keep them active but I can do that with a filament. In fact, since I'm not actually doing much ring work here I've got filaments trailing throughout the structure. With one last look at my lantern I turn around and start the trek back to the bridge.

"Hey, Paul." I look at the image of Guy. "You know none of the rest of us can hear what the Snake's saying when you do that, right?"

"No, I.. I didn't. Really?" Lantern Stewart nods. "Huh. Um, I'm not crazy."

"We know she's real, it's just kinda weird seein' you talk to thin air."

"I'll bear that in mind. See you when we get to Switzerland."

Orange text needed.

Mr Zoat said:
"…beyond not cool." The image of Guy floating over Stewart's ring shakes its head at me.

I walk down the corridor in the direction of the living area. "I know, I know. But I had no other way to get back!" His lip curls slightly as he nods. "If the Guardians had given me a star chart months ago I wouldn't have needed to. How are things on Oa?"

"Same old same olds. Kilowog's got me helpin' out with the rookies."

"Noo. Noo. Guy, you need to be teaching the veterans your technique." He gives me a sceptical look. "Seriously. It's too advanced for rookies. Get Salaak to find a few Sectors with two experienced Lanterns, recall one of them and show them how it works."

"I don't think Salaak's really in the mood fer more 'Human shenanigans' right now."

I turn the corner and can hear the television in the distance. "He actually said that?"

"Yeah. Oh, you know, translators, but…"

"Try getting Kilowog to do it then. Have you shown him?"

He nods. "Think he got it. Course, the only way t' check would be bringing you here."

"I'll probably pop over once my year's up. Anyway, reason I called. I got a phone call from Nylor Truggs this morning."

"What, you leave your number in a phone box or something?"

"He hacked GBS's phone records. You know Truggs says that he comes from the future?" Guy nods. "According to him we're due to be conquered by The Reach in a decade or so." Guy stops smiling. "He says that's why he came back."

"So why's he workin' fer Team Evil?"

"Because we failed. The League wasn't able to prevent it from happening, so he's trying to buff some other faction. Either that, or he's trying to force us to improve by giving us harder challenges. I've spent most of the day going through John's database on the Reach."

"He could just be bullshitting you."

"Yes… He could. I would probably have been able to tell if I could see him while he was saying it… On the other hand, looking at the stellar maps-" I hold up my left hand and generate a chart. "-in my particular area of interest it looks like I'll run into them anyway."

The somewhat nebulous border of the territory of the Reach Stellar Empire is marked out in a slightly brighter orange hue than the worlds around it. The map is 'dead' as of Stewart's last update so it might have expanded a bit since then. Plus, most of the systems marked aren't readily habitable. Yes, they could dismantle a few gas giants and build artificial habitats but it's so resource intensive that even the Reach don't bother outside the core of their territory. I expand one section and individual border worlds are marked out. "See what I see?"

Guy looks off to the side for a moment, then back 'towards camera'. "Maltus."

"They're actually curving around it. They can't hope to conquer it with brute force and I can't think how they'd corrupt the Controllers… And I think I can probably work out who the Orange Lantern Corps' first target is going to be. Except… Do I cause the attack on Earth? From the way Truggs was talking it was fairly apocalyptic."

Guy shakes his head. "You can't worry about stuff like that. But…" He has a furtive look over his shoulder. "Okay, look: I'm not sure I'm meant ta tell you this, but the Guardians think that the Controllers are already fighting the Reach. Lanterns in nearby Sectors have reported seeing these guys carrying out hit and run attacks on Reach shipping." The starchart disappears, being replaced by the image of a burly alien with a head somewhat like that of a bulldog trading fire with a Reach starship. "They wear this red, white and silver power armour with this.. sort of black starburst symbol-."

I smile. "The Darkstars."

"That what they're called? Wouldn't get too excited about it. Every time we saw them fighting Scarab Warriors they were gettin' their asses kicked."

"They'd probably do better if they had power rings."

Guy shakes his head. "No can do Paul. The treaty them and the Guardians signed says no Lanterns-."

"No Green Lanterns."

He's silent for a moment as he takes that in. "Heh. Hehhehheh. Think they know rings come in other colors?"

"Sinestro isn't exactly subtle. On the other hand, it's a big universe."

"So, what? You're just gunna give 'em all rings an' let 'em go at it?"

"Hardly. Even without Bobblehead malware-."

"Will you lay off'f that! They don't-."

"You can't kill people, Guy! The Green Lantern Corps was at war and they couldn't kill their enemies! The Scarabs are a threat to Lanterns -just about- but the reason you lost was because-."

"We didn't lose!" The image glitches. "We got a draw and a peace treaty. No more Reach battle fleets firing on unprotected worlds from orbit!"

"What do you call it when one side advances and the other retreats? Reach occupied space is… What? Five times as big by volume now as it was then? Are they any nicer? Give me a few hundred people who hate them, people whose worlds are under Reach control, whose people are slaves, whose strongest desire is to unmake them utterly… I think we'll get a different result."

"And then what? You wanna give a bunch of genocidal maniacs power rings you'd best be damn sure you can make them give them back at the end of it."

"That volume of space? Destroying the Reach will take centuries. Besides, rings can be used to rebuild their worlds as well as killing their enemies." He doesn't look convinced. "You know I use mine like that."

"You ain't exactly most people. And you haven't had decades a' seein' your homeworld torn apart. That sorta pain does stuff to yah and it ain't usually anythin' good. And you had trouble with the orange light anyway."

"So I'll ask the Controllers to be a bit more selective about it. It still gives me a core of experienced people to build my Corps from."

He thinks for a moment and then nods. "Plus, no one here's likely t' complain about the Reach gettin' hammered. Doubt even the Guardians would mind that."

"Any chance they'll approve bringing the Watchtower up to spec? If the Reach are heading this way…"

"I'll ask, but I doubt it. Couldn't you sort somethin' out?"

"Yes, I could build a series of space based battle fortresses armed with beam singularity projectors. Six months down the line I'll probably be able to build ones powered by Personal Lanterns in the same way Sector Houses are and equip them with nuclear force nullifiers and giant orange defensive barriers. You think they'll be okay with that? Heck, you think the Justice League would be?"

"Or you could just build one."

"Wouldn't be enough. If I'm doing a job I'm going to do it properly."

He moves his jaw slightly to the side, then looks around again. "Ah, look, I gotta go. I'll pass it on. For what it's worth. Just don't do anythin' too crazy until I get back."

I take a moment to reflect on the activity I have planned for this evening. "I'll see what I can do. Bye Guy."

Orange text.

Mr Zoat said:
"Orange Lantern two eight one four here. Go ahead."

Alan's head and upper torso appear above the ring. "Hey Paul."

"Alan. Ring!"

His eyes dip for a moment and he nods. "I didn't want to risk a phone with something… Listen, can you come over?"

I look past him at Zatanna and raise my eyebrows. She nods. "Yes."

"Any chance you could get hold of Zatanna as well?"

"She's with me now. We'll be with you in a few minutes."

He nods. "I'll see you in a few."

"Oh, well done for getting the head the right size this time."

"Huh? Oh… Yeah, we old people can work out technology by ourselves sometimes. Catch you later." He waves and then the image disappears.

Orange. Text.

Mr Zoat said:
Ring, contact Kyle Rayner."

"If you insist."

Hawkgirl looks askance at the ring. "Is it going to keep talking like that?"

Kyle's head and shoulders appear above the ring. Looks like he's got a bit more muscle to him than our art student Kyle. "Kyle here. What's up?" He squints. "Wait, who are you?"

"My name is Grayven. I'm speaking to you through the ring of the late Thaal Sinestro from the Justice Lords' Watchtower."

"Well.. that's.. two things you shouldn't be doing. Listen,-."

"Suck it up. Your home planet's got two days until it's going to be destroyed to make way for a hyperspatial bypass and the Sector's Lantern is nowhere to be seen. Unless you want to do a Tomar-Re, get your arse back here. End."

Orange tex-I mean Yellow text needed.

Mr Zoat said:
Incoming message from Lantern Stewart.

-here?

Basic, to say the least. Warships are not designed to be 'hack friendly', Corpsman.

Internal communications?

Yes.

Put John on.

"Grayven, what the hell are you doing? Nightwing just-."

"Your president is an Apokoliptian robot. Given how fast the pro-SHADE agenda has advanced since the Lords lost power I suspect that the original was killed and replaced by SHADE. A detailed analysis of his body language could probably tell you exactly when it happened. If you've got the time you should probably check up on his family."

"My God. Okay, Shayera's on it. Where are you now?"

"Thanagarian Command Carrier. Listen, does the Watchtower have the ability to broadcast to the whole of the Earth?"

"We can override channels but SHADE will probably block us if we do it for too long."

Mr Zoat said:
"Stewart, did you get that?"

"I got it alright. Relaying now."

Mr Zoat said:
"John, you still there?"

"Still here. The US and Israel are in the process of scrambling their aircraft. About half the Thanagarian fighters have moved out to form a perimeter and most of the rest are on guard duty around the bypass generator. The Command Carrier is moving up out of the atmosphere. You need any help in there?"

"I don't suppose you ever learned to do anything medical with your ring, did you?"

"Sorry. Wasn't part of the Corps' training program. I didn't even know they could do more than splint broken bones 'till I saw you do it. You hurt?"

"Yeah."

"Bad?"

"If I were Human I'd be dead. As it is I want to lie down and do nothing for a -eureh- week or two."

"I was planning on heading down to the bypass generator, see if I can help out with the fighters. But if you need evac…"

Do I? "Okay, they don't have the resources to build a second bypas-." I take a hurried step to the side as a marine sticks his gun around the doorway and tries firing blind for a few seconds before the turret construct puts a round through his weapon. Sticking the turret outside would be better but they've gotten rather good at smashing constructs. "Uh. If the air forces take care of it, their mission is a failure and the attack doesn't happen."

"And the Earth doesn't get destroyed."

"But Commander Talak is a shockingly callous man. If they have orbital supremacy they might shoot up a few cities just to make a point. Okay. Can you teleport on board the Command Carrier?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Can you teleport near the ship? If you wreck their FTL system-."

"They'd get stranded."

"No, their shuttles are FTL capable. They'll have to abandon all of their other equipment in order to evacuate, but they could do it. Always leave them room to run."

"Then why not just leave them the Command Carrier? If I take out main weapons control-."

"Weapons control isn't centralised. And that wouldn't stop them grabbing a few asteroids and dropping them. No, we need… The soldiers have heard what I've been saying. They're trying to ignore it, but they know that their commander is perfectly happy to kill everyone as long as he destroys New Gordane as well. They're working through it, but they're scared. If the bypass gets destroyed and they've only got one way out, I think they'll take it. Plus, I-" Wait, what's happening? The marines outside communications are pulling back. "-need this ship for phase two."

"Phase two? You forget to mention something?"

"Originally, I wanted a new super team to defeat the Thanagarians. Then I found out about the President. Now, I want to present myself as the 'opposing force'." Once my insides have knitted back together, at least.

"Think you might be skipping a step." There's a pause. "Okay, Batman's back. I'll head down to the teleporter."

"Make sure you hit the ship in the right place. It's right next to the primary generator."

"Could it explode?"

"I don't think so. Thanagarian engineering is pretty solid, but we'd have to make massive repairs if the ship does a forced shutdown."

"Right."

Mr Zoat said:
"Hyperdrive off-line. You need anything else?"

Mr Zoat said:
"John, good work with the hyperdrive. The Thanagarians are abandoning ship. I'm going to talk the fighter craft into evacuating as well."

"You might want to hurry. Kara, Rayner and Marvel just arrived on site and they're cleaning up."

"Lethally or non-lethally?"

"Rayner and Marvel are pulling their punches, finding out how much force the Thanagarians' shields can take. Kara's just trying to take them down as fast as she can."

"Right. Any chance you could get inside the launch bay and keep an eye on things? I'm a bit of a wreck at the moment."

"Yeah, I can handle that. You sure you don't need anything?"

"Just time. Grayven out."

Grayven is in contact with Earth 50 John for 5 chapters. If this is construct image communication, then John's text needs to be all Yellow.

Mr Zoat said:
Ring, open a channel to Red Tornado.

Compliance.

A small orange image of Red Tornado appears before me.

"Sir. I confirm that the attack on the power plant was the work of a supervillain. They identify themselves as 'Mister Twister'. Red and Black power armour, able to generate intense winds. A bit like you do, actually. Since neither M'gann nor I could get a reading on his mind he's probably either a simple AI or.. what we fought was being remote controlled."

The ring does read Red Tornado. Not much, certainly not compared to the rest of us, but he definitely wants things for himself.

"He's broken away from us in the direction of the main harbour area. We'll be pursuing shortly."

"Message received." He bows his head slightly. "It is an odd coincidence that this 'Twister' shares my elemental abilities."

"I hadn't thought anything of it. Supervillains seem to like playing king-of-the-hill with someone who has abilities similar to their own. Though, if you don't mind me asking, sir? Might he have been built by the same person who built you? Or based on those plans?"

A pause. "It is possible. I will attempt to investigate. Continue pursuit. If you believe you are in danger of being overwhelmed, contact me again and I will take over."

"Understood sir. Orange Lantern out." The image disappears.

He's not talking to another Lantern, but he is talking to the construct image of someone. So...?

DAT_NOOB · Aug 25, 2019

Aeess said:
If the SI is becoming a god, like you implied, then according to his own religion there shouldn't be any form of sex he could impregnate her with.

unless of course he wanted it

Coda · Aug 26, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
scuttling back nervously . I'm on an…

Extra space before full stop.

Sceptic · Aug 26, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
The SI is trained as a masseuse.

Not as a masseur? Interesting.

Mr Zoat · Aug 26, 2019

8th February
22:23 GMT

"Have you..? Had something done to your carapace?"

The Queen is… Bigger than she was when we last met. Both all-around larger and chunkier. Not that I can really make an aesthetic judgement; I have no idea what Guilder standards of beauty are. But my comment is based upon the fact that her outer surface appears to be a good deal more smooth than it was when we parted company. I mean, she was smoother than the others last time we met, but now it looks like she's had it sanded and buffed.

She appears to have decided that meeting me doesn't require armour, though I'm a little glad that she's wearing other clothes. Currently she's dressed in loose dark green robes, standard Spider Guild fashion modified for her unusual physique. Her clothing is accessorised with… Bracelets? Anklets? Made of intricately carved bone. She's standing in a depression in the floor much like when we first met, though her throne-pit here looks a good deal better built than the relatively slapdash affair of her spaceship.

"Yes." Her forelimbs are in constant motion, entering instructions on the computer console in front of her while her eyes are split between the monitors and me. "I felt that having some of the irregularities in my chitin smoothed might make me seem less fearsome."

"It-." I look her over once again. I suppose… If I'm being entirely honest… "I do prefer the look, but you're a giant spider. I think that non-fearsome might be out of your reach."

She nods jerkily, the gesture clearly not coming naturally to her. "That is true, but I wanted to reduce the effect as far as possible. I am pleased that you like it."

Two of her eyes roll back and an attendant scurries closer to-.

"Oh, I'm… Sorry. I hadn't realised that you were laying. I can come back later."

"That will not be necessary." One eye tracks the attendant who takes the egg and moves it over to a diagnostic unit, then begins giving it a health check-up. "Or practical. I am laying constantly. Stopping would require that I undergo extensive biological modification."

"If you're sure."

"I am. And in any case, I am glad to see you again." There's a quiet… Scratching noise, as her inner mandibles flex against one another. "You were the first alien with whom I had a civil conversation, and without you my entire Control Nest would have been destroyed. Have you decided what it is that you want from us as repayment?"

"No, I'm just checking up on how things are going in my absence. The Strand-Captain painted a fairly rosy picture."

"The pact is being observed by nearly all parties. Early on a few ships tested the willingness of Amalak and Jarko to defend us. They were destroyed and their crews killed."

"And is there anything you're unhappy about regarding the arrangement or how it's working out?"

"I want to negotiate for passage to neighbouring worlds. It is not a pressing concern; we are too busy building ships for other people to build ships for ourselves. But once that part of our pact is fulfilled, I want to be able to trade information and materials without going through either of the other parties."

"That sounds reasonable. I'll talk to them about it."

"And I will be further in your debt. I-" She makes a quiet hissing noise as another egg leaves her body, this time from the other side. "-am a little nervous about what you may ask of us."

"I.. am curious about a few things, if you don't mind talking to me about them?"

"You asked why I look as I do."

"Yes. Speaking purely for myself, I think I prefer you to normal Spider Guild females-" Two attendants rotate some of their eyes my way so they can glare at me. "-but your structure is a little unusual."

"As you have no doubt deduced, I have been extensively modified. The Hive-Fathers who founded this Control Nest wanted somewhere to study self-modification away from more conservative Guild leaders."

"Is it a taboo subject?"

"There is no formal ban. But there would have been a degree of disquiet if their desire to modify us quite as extensively as I have been became more widely known, and in the Guild such disquiet usually results in the offending party being quietly killed."

I run my eyes over her opisthosoma. "How did they do this? I didn't think that Guild biotechnology was advanced enough to perform modification of this degree."

"They were able to acquire genetic material from species related to our ancient forebears. They took different paths, but were still compatible in certain respects. Their data allowed me to be created."

"Were they trying to recreate your whole species in your image?"

"Since they are dead, I will never know for certain."

"Didn't they tell you anything?"

"I was intended to be used to rapidly populate their Control Nest. Since they did not want me discovered, I was on board one of the ships of the first wave to arrive here."

"That makes a certain degree of-." I look around the room. The early stages of Spider Guild expansion are usually handled purely by robot. "Are these..? All your children?"

"Almost all. That was how I was able to obtain political control."

"They deferred to you as their mother?"

"No. I altered their minds in-ovum to respond to my scent and shape. It would hardly be practical for me to establish parental bonds with so many."

I nod. "And those who weren't born to you?"

"Accepted things or died, either killed by our local competitors or killed by those who were loyal to me. I have no future in Guild space and would have no future under a new Guildmaster. My choice was to dominate or die."

"Fascinating." I can't be sure of course, but I think that she's telling the truth. Which means that there's no way that she'll risk calling in reinforcements from the rest of the Spider Guild. "Are you making any more like you, or are the rest of your children reproducing conventionally?" I frown. "And aren't you going to have problems with genetic variety?"

"I do not know all that my fathers and mothers did about bioengineering, but within my body I carry genetic material from many. I can make children with little genetic relationship to one another. In the interest of security, I have made them more similar to normal members of their species."

"But not completely."

"No. I have made small improvements to every part of them. They are stronger, tougher, more resilient, more intelligent and their senses are more acute than those who are not modified by me. More radical alterations would require changes to their outward appearance that would risk triggering a conflict with the rest of the Guild."

"Hhm. How good are you at alien genetics?"

"I am an expert in molecular biochemistry. I cannot create aliens within my own body, but I could create zygotes of any species whose genetic information I can study."

"And modifications to existing individuals?"

"I can do that, though there may be side effects in some species."

"Would that be a service you were willing to provide to your current treaty partners?"

"Modifying aliens is not taboo. If they are willing to have a member of the Spider Guild make modifications to them, I am happy to provide the service."

I nod. "I'll talk to Amalak about it. As for what you can do for me…" I take another copy of my book out of subspace and hold it out to her. "This is a guide on how to be a successful Orange Lantern. I would be interested in talking to any of your people who can master it."

thebishop8 · Aug 26, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
"We they trying to recreate

*Were they

Chojin Patriarch · Aug 26, 2019

Mr Zoat said:
"Have you..? Had something done to your carapace?"

Oh god... What a pickup line.

The Queen is… Bigger than she was when we last met. Both all-around larger and chunkier. Not that I can really make an aesthetic judgement; I have no idea what Guilder standards of beauty are. But my comment is based upon the fact that her outer surface appears to be a good deal more smooth than it was when we parted company. I mean, she was smoother than the others last time we met, but now it looks like she's had it sanded and buffed.

Ah, she has had some work done...

"Yes." Her forelimbs are in constant motion, entering instructions on the computer console in front of her while her eyes are split between the monitors and me. "I felt that having some of the irregularities in my chitin smoothed might make me seem less fearsome."

I'll bet.

"That will not be necessary." One eye tracks the attendant who takes the egg and moves it over to a diagnostic unit, then begins given it a health check-up. "Or practical. I am laying constantly. Stopping would require that I undergo extensive biological modification."

Good lord...

"I want to negotiate for passage to neighbouring worlds. It is not a pressing concern; we are too busy building ships for other people to build ships for ourselves. But once that part of our pact is fulfilled, I want to be able to trade information and materials without going through either of the other parties."

Avoiding becoming a vassal to the others eh.

"Yes. Speaking purely for myself, I think I prefer you to normal Spider Guild females-" Two attendants rotate some of their eyes my way so they can glare at me. "-but your structure is a little unusual."

Geez, OL, how rude.

"They were able to acquire genetic material from species related to our ancient forebears. They took different paths, but were still compatible in certain respects. Their data allowed me to be created."

Interesting...

"We they trying to recreate your whole species in your image?"

"Were they trying to recreate your whole species in your image?"

...I was on board one the first wave of ships to arrive here."

...I was on board one of the first wave of ships to arrive here."

"Accepted things or died, either killed by our local competitors or killed by those who were loyal to me. I have no future in Guild space and would have no future under a new Guildmaster. My choice was to dominate or die."

An outcast, eh? Like many others in Vega.

"Are you making any more like you, or are the rest of your children reproducing conventionally."

Should be a question mark?

"No. I have made small improvements to every part of them. They are stronger, tougher, more resilient, more intelligent and their senses are more acute than those who are not modified by me. More radical alterations would require changes to their outward appearance that would risk triggering a conflict with the rest of the Guild."

And all biologicallly. Very impresssive.

"I am an expert in molecular biochemistry. I cannot create aliens within my own body, but I could create zygotes of any species whose genetic information I can study."

Hmm... Do I see a hook for recreating Kryptonians?

I nod. "I'll talk to Amalak about it. As for what you can do for me…" I take another copy of my book out of subspace and hold it out to her. "This is a guide on how to be a successful Orange Lantern. I would be interested in talking to any of your people who can master it."

Another one? Geez, is this a check-in or a recruiting trip?

Well, some questions answered. And a few new ones...

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

Well worn.

Dedicated ragequitter

Experienced.

Questioning The Nature of our Realities

Experienced.

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I trust you know where the happy button is?

Versed in the lewd.

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Just zis guy, you know?

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I trust you know where the happy button is?

AKA Aisling

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AKA Aisling

Umm, ackchyually...

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Umm, ackchyually...

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