"Is that all the Reach have going on here?"
"It's the only plot that we know about that was anywhere near being completed."
We stop in front of a cascading, red-flowered mini-tree. Like a… Willow with roses, and those ornamental red leaves? The scent puts me a little in mind of oranges. The species which inhabits this planet are really into gardening, and it's considered an honour to be allowed to work on their communal gardens. Somewhere near the entrance a couple of Delegates and the richest woman on the planet are on their knees doing the weeding.
Impressive. I suppose it could be a religious thing, a way to keep the upper echelons of their government grounded...
"Has their economy adapted to the sanctions?"
"They knew that trading with the Reach was a risk. Most of the 'reputable' companies who had operations on the Reach side of the border already had procedures in place to try and prevent them sending anything 'inappropriate' back."
I let out a hiss-chuckle.
"And how well was that working?"
Heh. I'm sure the black market and smuggling trades were in full swing...
"About as well as you think. Their procedures weren't terrible, but the Reach has a lot of ways to try and get past border security and before we got here the planets they target weren't sharing information. They didn't know about things they'd tried in other places, or how other planets stopped them."
I nod.
The folly of not getting to know your neighbours, played out on an interstellar scale...
"And that's being fixed now?"
She nods. "That's why they invited me here. There are Darkstars stationed on about thirty percent of Periphery worlds, now. Even when there aren't enough of us to actual investigate anything, we share data between ourselves and then pass it on to the planet's police."
She looks up towards the lights marking the space dock where the planet's small LEGION fleet lies at anchor.
Good to see a fleet presence. At least Jade and her fellow troops won't be stranded if things go sour. Assuming OL wouldn't come running as soon as he learned of it.
"And now that there's a neutral party to police the trade routes, they're trading more with their neighbors. Without having to worry about 'unaligned' raiders cutting into their profit margins."
"The Reach haven't upped their game?"
"They're still trying to pretend that they're a peaceful trading empire."
Pffft... Seriously? Their cover's blown, they should just cut their losses. I thought they were pragmatic...
I look at her with an expression of complete incredulity on my face.
"Really?"
She nods as she takes hold of a branch and gently lifts a flower towards her nose.
"We think it's a cover; we're supposed to think that they're still in the 'diplomatic protest' stage while they ramp up their infiltration efforts."
Ah. Make a big fuss to keep them looking the wrong way while sneaking more ninjas in. Too bad NEMO is already wise to that trick.
I nod. Seems to make sense.
"So, what now?"
"Now,-" She drums out the names of her three clicker colleagues on the tree's bark. "-and I are switching to training the locals how to use Maltusian equipment. LEGION is building a recruitment and training centre. It's not likely that the Reach will try anything else here until the war starts."
Heh, nice way to vocalise the names of a species that doesn't have a primarily spoken language. (For certain values of spoken, like using human pitch and phenomes.)
I nod again.
"Are you finding the work satisfying?"
"I am." She releases the branch and turns back to me. "But you know that, don't you?"
An impressive shift from the typical Cheshire, likely due to OL and the Orange Light use she had...
"I'm not-" I tap my right forefinger against the orbit of my right eye. "-looking, but you have sounded pretty happy."
"Aside from a few days after they found out that I come from a world that's much less technologically developed than this one, they… Respect me. Respect my skills. I have friends and allies in the local police forces. I'm doing useful work without needing to do.. 'evil'. And every day I see the people, the.. civilisation I'm protect-."
I'm guessing the term 'caveman' was bandied about... Until she kicked some asses.
She frowns.
"Is this part of a plan to get me to take an orange ring?"
And yet she's still the same Cheshire, in so many ways.
I shrug.
"It's a potential outcome that I've considered. It's not something I'm specifically aiming for. We've… Had a couple more Lanterns we've had to put in the Blue Cells, so…" She nods. "I'm not trying to herd you in that direction. Maybe you eventually decide to try a ring again…" I shrug. "Maybe you don't. Either is fine."
Huh, some people still getting hit by the MINEMINEMINE-bomb, eh?
She nods, takes my proffered right arm and then we resume our precession around the garden's highlights.
"What happened to your third ring?"
"I gave it to the team's new Zamaron member."
Heh. All of a month and she hasn't even used it, has she?
"Zamaron?"
"Half-zamaron. The other half is korugari. You remember I said that-."
"Star Sapphire recruited her?"
Well, she's got a leg up on some of the League members in keeping up on the news...
"Yes, and once she stopped freaking out about someone using the orange light, I gave her a ring to play with."
"Shouldn't you be supervising her?"
"She hasn't even put it on yet. She hasn't gotten further than holding it. She's had it drummed into her from birth that the other colours are bad and I'm not even sure that she can use it."
Few people have the character needed to channel two different lights, especially ones towards opposite ends of the Spectrum. The Renegade gets away with it by alternating, and he uses two lights adjacent to each other...
She nods, then waves at a local couple with her free hand. My rings tell me that their expression at seeing her is one of mild awe. I don't rate a second glance.
I smile inwardly. Positive reinforcement, that's the thing!
Also, no "It's the Cake-Man!" I'm sure that's a bonus.
"Your mother went out vigilanting with Artemis last night."
Jade smiles faintly.
"I hope she doesn't nag her about that as badly as she does her schoolwork."
At least Paula can keep up with Artemis' Dannered physique a little?
"Did she used to nag you about your knifework?"
"I… Don't remember it that well. I never hated her as much as I did Dad, but… I can only remember a few of our lessons together clearly."
"What did she-?"
"Can we-?" She shifts uncomfortably. "Talk about something else?"
Ah, OL, blundering into bad conversational routes as usual.
"Sure. Ah, I managed to kill four more Justice League members yesterday."
"How badly did they do in the wargame?"
He sounds so proud. Don't forget the one or two disabled or otherwise out of combat, like Rocket Red.
"I'd give them a 'B' overall. I'll make it a B Plus if they actually upgrade their equipment this time. Better still, the Sivanas think that if Mister Atom could kill that many Justice League members that easily, they were right to focus on fighting the sheeda, because…"
Her smile is a little less faint now.
"Did you tell the League about that?"
"I thought it best not to."
...Because if they put their mind to it, they could do a real number on Earth? Yeah... Not waht you want the League focusing on, especially with OL trying to nudge the younger Sivanas towards good.
