Not all of them are… Coping well, and I can see that I might have to disarm some of them before too long, but-
The first huge incubator network is complete, some of the temporary Lanterns flying at once towards the next site, while others remain on station as if daring me to fail to hold up my end of the bargain.
As if OL would. After all, they're more useful on his side than not. And he wouldn't want to offend them in that case.
-they're performing well enough for now.
And we will repay them by fulfilling their desires.
Heh,
Best Snek in a good mood having tasted a new set of Lantern's desire, I see. This must be a
fun day for her...
An orange ripple passes over the structure, eggs at various stages of development reappearing as they were the moment they left, my ring and the Ophidian checking that their status is exactly as desired. The deputised locals swarm forwards, orange strobes and mundane senses rushing to confirm my work.
Jade watches cautiously.
Since if anything's gone wrong, she'll be amongst the people having to shoot their way out of there.
"I didn't know you could do that."
"Life is a marvellous learning experience."
And he's had plenty of things giving him
ideas.
Her eyes narrow slightly.
"Have you done that before?"
Not on such a large scale, certainly. I'd hope he'd at least have tested the move on a smaller scale...
"No. But between myself, the Ophidian, the shields the Venturians made and my understanding of the orange light, it was fairly… Intuitive?" I smile and raise my eyebrows. "Want a go?"
She looks around at the slightly erratic deputy Lanterns standing guard over the eggs.
Yeah, usually it's not the
girl being inside the
boy... I mean, OL might swing that way, sure. But would
Jade?
"I think I'll pass."
"You know… Now the war's started…" I nod my head to the right. "It's been over a year since your release."
Heh, he's come a long way in what, two years? If that? And the impact on the world around him... Never mind seeing all the Alternates who've had their own adventures...
"Yes. You missed the anniversary."
"No. When we met, when started dating, those are important anniversaries. When you got released is less important than when you chose to take a bullet for M'gann, because that was a choice. After you made it, it was inevitable that you'd get released."
And we all know how OL is about
choice.
"You always blow that out of proportion."
"Do you want to mark your release from prison?"
Hey, saving someone's life is never a bad thing, after all.
"Do you want to give me superpowers?"
"No."
Now, if
she wants superpowers, he'll do his best to facilitate it. But he'd never force it on her. I don't doubt there's still a
little concern and regret over his empowering of Robin and Artemis...
"Oh?" She raises her eyebrows. "But you're offering anyway."
"I'm a pernicious individualist. It has to be your choice."
And she's not sure she wants them yet. Whether she feels she's earned them yet, or if she feels she needs to keep up with him, he'll
know that.
She looks away, eyes flicking from one part of the crowd to another.
"Thanks."
Ooh, a rare display of
affection from her. Amidst a crowd of empaths, too... She
has come a long way...
"Of course, there are other options. I have no hang-ups about you getting a power ring, and I'm pretty sure that Dame Carol could get you a violet ring."
"Mom's from Vietnam, not Japan."
Ah, no wanting to 'punish people in the name of love!'? I mean, I'm sure she could program up a nice combination of gothic lolita dress and combat armour...
"The Zamarons aren't prejudiced. And you've got no idea how smug I'd feel if you started making constructs powered by your love for me."
Jade gives me a small smile. "I have some idea. But why exactly is it that you don't want to give me super powers?"
Like I said: He can see she wants to feel as if she's
earned powers...
"A ring is a device that you'd have to work to master, the same as every other Lantern. You know I got my ring by pure luck. Alan got his the same way… You wouldn't feel indebted, or… Violated."
"That's why you don't think I want it. That's not the same thing."
But would you object if, say, a Violet Ring came flying out of the sky and declared '
Jade Nguyen of Earth, you have great love in your heart.'?
I close my eyes for a moment, exhaling softly through my nose. Then I step towards her, putting my arms over her shoulders and bringing my face closer to hers.
"Because I know you. What you value, how you think about me, about… Well, Ra's al Ghul."
Empaths, eh? I bet he can see her slight irritation at the public display of affection, too...
"Not going with Dad, there?"
"No, that's personal. Ra's had plenty of followers, and…" I glance upwards at where a chunk of the L.E.G.I.O.N. fleet lurks over the city. "Now I do, too."
Hey, you earned them. Ra's? I'll bet a lot of the League of Shadows/assassins/whatever were kidnapped as children and brainwashed into serving.
"You've had those for a while."
"But you didn't see me with them. And since I know that saying I wanted to give you super powers would make you feel inadequate and saying I didn't would make you feel like I was holding out on you, I think that my current tightrope routine between all of the people you don't want me to be is the best approach."
Yes, he's dancing through a
literal emotional minefield here...
She looks… Not annoyed. Curious, maybe.
"So you're saying that everything's a front; you'll be whatever you need to say to make me… Whoever I want to be."
It's what he does for
everybody, really. It's his thing, after all. Some people just need more help than others.
"Oh, no, there's a real me here as well. But I exist in the patterns and approaches, not the individual actions or phrases. There is nothing I won't do but there are objectives I won't pursue. Things I don't want. I love the Jade you are and the Jade you will make yourself. I don't love a Jade who lives in my head that I'm trying to turn you into."
She smiles, and I feel her relax slightly.
And his
Enlightenment makes him literally incapable of pursing something he doesn't want, unless it would lead to something he does. Such is being an Orange Light Shaman...
"You know, I've warned my entire squad against dating empaths?"
"Dating your entire squad would be a lot of ways to split my time. Not.. that.. they're unattractive…"
I'm sure each of them is quite attractive, in their species' fashion. After all, nothing helps looks like a snazzy uniform.
"Better them than my mother."
"Oh, no, between the two options Paula's definitely the be-."
All the funnier because there
are Pauls dating Paula. Common Sense OL, at least?
I see her roll her eyes for a fraction of a second before she pulls my head down, pressing our lips together. Between her armour and mine, we're not really able to hold each other close here, but I treasure every moment we-.
"Clarissi Dox to Illustres. Are you experiencing any difficulty?"
And duty calls, literally.
Great timing, Dox...
We separate and she steps away, returning her helmet to her head as she takes off in the direction of her squad.
"Illustres here. No, no trouble." I take another look at the eggs. "The first batch of returned eggs are unharmed, and I'll be moving to restore the rest once they've built the incubators. How are negotiations with the government going?"
I mean, it's not like it takes him any real amount of time to get from place to place, or recall the eggs themselves... Better he take a moment to himself than be standing around waiting for incubation chambers to be finished.
"Adequately. They have no desire to work with us, but they would rather have us here than the Reach. Assuming that you are able to complete your work, I believe that I'll be able to secure this world for our alliance."
"Mission accomplished, then?"
"Yes. For today."
Not quite the victory Dox wanted, but a victory nonetheless. He'll have to get used to changing conditions out there...
