External Motivation = External Control
Pull a thread, apart comes the garment.
External Motivation = External Control
And apart come I.
External Motivation = External Control
The weakness of eudemonia; the greatness of even a virtuous man can be torn asunder by bad luck, or… Just being outmatched. Virtues of character are useful, but not a guarantee of worldly success. In Christian morality it's completely different; virtue is always rewarded by God in Heaven, whatever tribulations are endured on Earth.
External Motivation = External Control
It feels bad. It feels bad.
External Motivation = External Control
I can be-. Have been-.
"Aaaaagh!
"
"Kadabra! He's awake."
"Yes, yes. Hold still."
"We're still in a combat zone. Work and walk."
"MAaaaagh!
"
"Can you shut him up?"
"Why don't we just take the rings off?"
"Possibly." Ugh. "And because they're a central part of his metaphysical
self. That would risk making things
worse."
"Doesn't the Bible say '
if the self offends you, cut it off'? Seriously, I'll-"
"Don't do-"
"-take 'em-"
"-that!"
"-off-."
"Wha-?
"
I'm staring at… Eiling's chest. I'm draped over his shoulder, his right shoulder, his right arm anchoring me in place. Kadabra and Mahkent are close by, and Mahkent's got both of my rings.
"Okay. What happened?
"
Eiling shifts slightly. "Kadabra, he himself again?"
"He is… Not right, but whatever was affecting him has abated."
Mahkent smirks, though his eyes don't leave my rings. "Told you."
Eiling picks me up and drops me on the ground next to him, and I just about manage to get my feet under me.
"What happened?
"
Eiling looks down at me, weighing me up. "You tell us. You came down the hole raving like a God damned Section Eight. Kadabra and me had to punch a hole through to the storm drain."
"I-. I had clones of myself around in case I needed another body to jump into. Mannheim captured them. Did.. something to one to put part of the Anti-Life into it. Once it touched my construct it started absorbing the orange light. When the Suicide Jockeys killed it, the Anti-Life… It bypassed my normal protections.
"
"You need to get checked out?"
"I should be fine until-. Until we get back to the Tower.
"
"Yeah, that's a problem." Eiling nods at Kadabra, who waves his wand to call up a holographic image of the city.
Oh. That's a lot of soldiers.
"What makes
you so interesting?"
"There's… A chance that Mannheim could use me to corrupt the concept of avarice.
"
Eiling narrows his eyes. "If he can do that, why the hell are you in the field?"
"Didn't know he could do that.
Really hoped he couldn't. My plan for… Beating them rather hinges on it.
"
"Huh?" Mahkent looks away from my rings. "You know how to win?"
"Probably. But as you can see, I very definitely can be wrong about things. You finished with those?
"
"What?" He blinks, then jerks his head back to the rings. "Oh. Ah, you..? Sure you should be touching these?"
"They're an Anti-Life infection vector, and I'm the only one here immune to the lure of the orange light, which is why you're finding them so entrancing.
"
I-.
"What happened to my armour?
"
"Too awkward to carry. Tore you out of it. Same with-" I see the alien on his other shoulder. "-this guy."
"What species is he?
"
He reaches across with his right hand and picks the alien up, then lowers him to where I can look at his face. "Same species as Kanjar Ro, whatever
they are."
Weirdly skinny, pointed nose, large eyes and digitigrade legs.
"Dhorians. I thought they'd be too busy to bother anyone.
"
Kadabra raises his right eyebrow. "Why?"
"I gave one of their neighbours a major technological boost. Their cold war should be going hot against fairly soon. Okay, put him back.
"
Eiling does, though he's clearly agitated. "So, because of you, they're here to put the boot in?"
I shrug.
"Kanjar Ro knew about us already. Looked like they were trying to steal Apokoliptian technology. And I suspect that they kidnapped Tuppence as well, but Kanjar Ro tried that with the Justice League so she's in good company.
"
I have-.
Had data on Dhorian teleportation systems, so there's a chance that we can escape that way. Depends on how much attention they're paying. If it's automatic-.
"Far as I can tell-" Eiling points at the map. "-our best route out is to head towards the waterfront and then punch a hole so we come up through one of these buildings. There's no way they're not watching the exit, but if we're lucky, we should be able to hide out until they reposition their troops."
"How lucky do you feel?
"
"With you combat-ineffective, not too lucky. Got a better idea?"
I reach into my pouch and slip the yellow ring on.
Nar.
14th February 2013
15:16 GMT -5
Yellow light flares as I remember the Anti-Life clawing at my soul and trying to take away my ability to act on the universe. No, don't be submerged.
Focus it.
"That's a solid 'maybe'. Kadabra, wake him up. We need a chat. And Mister Mahkent?
Give me my rings back.
"
