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

Mr Zoat · Saturday at 6:58 PM

PDV said:
Either "get a paying" is a British phrase I've never heard or it should be "payment."

Thank you, corrected.

Steelplaza · 2025-09-14T01:41:02+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I think I'd like to have a few more Orange Lanterns around."

I meant to comment on this when it was posted, but I feel like the SI isn't calling in more Orange Lanterns just to fix the earth, though certainly that's a part of it and justification on its own.

It also gives him three Lanterns (one of whom is a Daxamite) who will be loyal to the Illustres if when things with the OMACs go pear-shaped. A point which will not be lost on Batman, I am sure.

Mr Zoat · 2025-09-14T07:39:02+0100

26th July 2013
09:59 GMT -5

Lantern Coutara regards Hub City with mild curiosity. I suppose that she's seen a great many cities being rebuilt, but probably hasn't seen one with precisely these problems or this divergence of technologies.

"This is.. your city?"

"No."

She turns her head to look at me. "Then why are we here?"

"It's the city I'm rebuilding. I don't live here or own it."

"Does it have some spiritual significance?"

"In a sense, it's where the Anti-Life broadcast started. It was also in a pretty sorry state before that."

"Did you live here then?"

"Gosh no."

"Then I don't-" She shakes her head. "-understand why you're rebuilding this city. Or… Why you're taking so long about it. Your power is immense. This is something that I had thought you could do with a wave of your hand."

"Not quite that quickly, but-" I nod. "-within a few hours. Less if I had a clear plan to work from."

She goes back to examining the city, her eyes glowing as she scans it.

"I don't understand, Illustres."

"You don't understand… Why I don't do it all myself?" She nods. "Hm."

I stare blankly at the city myself. How to put it?

"I could fight the Reach on my own. I would have had to have started later, and assimilated millions of intelligent beings to use as construct lanterns before starting my attack, but I could do it. Goodness knows there are plenty of beings around the universe whom I wouldn't mind assimilating. Since I didn't know any of the people involved, I didn't have any particular attachment that would have made the delay unconscionable. But, I didn't. I built a Corps of living people, recruited Clarissi Dox to run things… In fact, despite the importance I place on the war I barely spend any time fighting it myself. Why do you think that is?"

"Illustres, I was there when the Clarissi complained that you were overshadowing him."

"Right, but I didn't tell him to just do better in future."

She nods thoughtfully. "No, you did not. Very well: why?"

"A number of factors, but primarily because the orange light is for everyone. Everyone wants things, and… Due to my enlightened state, I see those desires. I find their realisation beautiful. And fundamentally I don't think that I have unlimited license to override the desires of other people and force everyone to do things my way. Other people aren't my chattel, and I don't want them to be."

"So if people want to be free of the Reach, or to have a city, then they should either work for it or accept that they will not be free or have a city?"

"Yes. But it's also… What happens next?"

"The refugees will return to their home worlds."

"And the rest? What about the rest of Reach-controlled space?"

"The Controllers will resurrect the species that they can. Perhaps if Grayven of Apokolips will agree to a peace treaty he will take some of their core worlds."

"And then?"

"I do not know what you are trying to communicate."

"There's a quote from a famous book on Earth. 'That which is given has no value.' If I fought the Reach on my own and won, then a few worlds will be slightly grateful and most would ignore it. But if they're compelled by events to put effort in, then they'll care. Something like this is the sort of event that leaves a permanent mark on a civilisation. And not just the military alliance; consider how technology and raw materials are being traded within the alliance now."

"They will be bound together by blood. Are you..? Building an empire?"

"Depends what you mean by that. I have no desire to rule anyone, even as a figurehead. Nor do I have any idea to put Dox or anyone else in that position. I like to think that I'm building a federation of people who will be bound together by economic interests and shared experiences long after the war is over."

"Which requires them to all fight."

I nod. "And suffer and die." I bow my head and exhale through my nose. "Of course, one perfectly plausible result of me trying to do it all myself is that I'd die, lose control of the billions of construct lanterns and cause a galactic apocalypse. So it's not a purely philosophical and long term planning thing."

She nods slowly. "And you-. Apocalypse?"

"Yes."

"I have not taken a construct lantern, but is that possible? Would that happen?"

"It did happen. Look up the file on Abra Kadabra."

Her eyes glow for a moment, and then she frowns. "He travelled backwards in time. That is nonsense."

"Welcome to Earth."

"No-. But-. That is not-." She shakes her head. "I don't understand."

"The potential for time travel fits within the standard model of physics. And it's far easier in real physics. Something in the far future caused a tidal wave of orange constructs to consume a large part of the galaxy, then he travelled backwards in time to before it happened."

"But now it will not happen."

"It still might. You understand why I'm concerned about the possibility, because no one knows exactly what caused it."

"Is it inevitable, then?"

"No."

"But how did he see it if it is not inevitable?"

"The event did not accompany him back, just his own memories. Why should that compel our future actions?"

She appears to be struggling with the idea.

"Look, Lantern Coutara, you have to understand… This is Earth. It is a madhouse. And I don't just mean the people. All sorts of things that the rational mind says should be impossible happen here. Not all the time, but usually a few times a year. If something happens and you think it's impossible… Well, double check it, and then accept that your ideas about what's possible and impossible are just wrong."

"Yes, Illustres. Where will we be staying while we are here?"

"Unless you want to make your own arrangements, you can all stay with me. I've got plenty of room, and no neighbours to complain about the noise. Oh, and, ah… I wanted to introduce Taranna to a few people while she's here?"

"Ah." She nods. "I see."

"Okay, let's do a quick review and then I can introduce you to the people you'll be working with."

Ngamer11 · 2025-09-14T07:53:19+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I nod. "And suffer and die." I bow my head and exhale through my nose. "Of course, one perfectly plausible result of me trying to do it all myself is that I'd die, lost control of the billions of construct lanterns and cause a galactic apocalypse. So it's not a purely philosophical and long term planning thing."

That should say 'lose'.

"I have not taken a construct lantern, but is that possible? Would that happen?"

"It did happen. Look up the file on Abra Kadabra."

Her eyes glow for a moment, and then she frowns. "He travelled backwards in time. That is nonsense."

"Welcome to Earth."

"No-. But-. That is not-." She shakes her head. "I don't understand."

It's been a while since we've seen an alien be shocked at how BS Earth is.

"Look, Lantern Coutara, you have to understand… This is Earth. It is a madhouse. And I don't just mean the poeple. All sorts of things that the rational mind says should be impossible happen here. Not all the time, but usually a few times a year. If something happens and you think it's impossible… Well, double check it, and then accept that your ideas about what's possible and impossible are just wrong."

I really hope that by the time humans expand from their solar system that the rest of the universe treats them the way America treated places like Gotham or Hub City: a place of madmen that they don't want to visit and are now afraid will spill into their homes.

Mr Zoat · 2025-09-14T08:17:21+0100

Ngamer11 said:
That should say 'lose'.

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-09-14T08:49:49+0100

Mr Zoat said:
26th July 2013
09:59 GMT -5

Lantern Coutara regards Hub City with mild curiosity. I suppose that she's seen a great many cities being rebuilt, but probably hasn't seen one with precisely these problems or this divergence of technologies.

"This is.. your city?"

"No."

No, but he's put a lot of work into it. But the city and the world. Hasn't always worked out for the best, but he is only human, and thus eminently fallible. Still, he's done some good here and there. A net positive overall, current state aside.

She turns her head to look at me. "Then why are we here?"

"It's the city I'm rebuilding. I don't live here or own it."

Still not quite the answer she asked for. But it may require some explanation.

"Does it have some spiritual significance?"

"In a sense, it's where the Anti-Life broadcast started. It was also in a pretty sorry state before that."

All of which has burned a mark or two into the collective psyche of the place. And he should know, he's seen it's dreamscape.

"Did you live here then?"

"Gosh no."

To be fair, he hardly stands still to live anywhere, sometimes. At least when we're seeing him.

"Then I don't-" She shakes her head. "-understand why you're rebuilding this city. Or… Why you're taking so long about it. Your power is immense. This is something that I had thought you could do with a wave of your hand."

"Not quite that quickly, but-" I nod. "-within a few hours. Less if I had a clear plan to work from."

Which Helmut is providing, of course. The problem is why OL hasn't just fixed everything yet..

She goes back to examining the city, her eyes glowing as she scans it.

"I don't understand, Illustres."

Because you're not an Earthling. Outside of the whole 'religious blinding of women' thing, her people were fairly rational, I believe?

"You don't understand… Why I don't do it all myself?" She nods. "Hm."

I stare blankly at the city myself. How to put it?

Because while it's his, it' also everyone else's. And they should have a part in the efforts to rebuild.

"I could fight the Reach on my own. I would have had to have started later, and assimilated millions of intelligent beings to use as construct lanterns before starting my attack, but I could do it. Goodness knows there are plenty of beings around the universe whom I wouldn't mind assimilating. Since I didn't know any of the people involved, I didn't have any particular attachment that would have made the delay unconscionable. But, I didn't. I built a Corps of living people, recruited Clarissi Dox to run things… In fact, despite the importance I place on the war I barely spend any time fighting it myself. Why do you think that is?"

See, the first plan, that's what some optimisation-obsessed types might have done. Because only they could get it right, you know. But the second...

"Illustres, I was there when the Clarissi complained that you were overshadowing him."

"Right, but I didn't tell him to just do better in future."

She nods thoughtfully. "No, you did not. Very well: why?"

...The second spreads the load, and the glory. A burden share dis a burned lightened, and all that.

"A number of factors, but primarily because the orange light is for everyone. Everyone wants things, and… Due to my enlightened state, I see those desires. I find their realisation beautiful. And fundamentally I don't think that I have unlimited license to override the desires of other people and force everyone to do things my way. Other people aren't my chattel, and I don't want them to be."

Too much hassle if everyone is stuck waiting for you to tell them to do things, for a start. Wouldn't get any rest for requests for orders.

"So if people want to be free of the Reach, or to have a city, then they should either work for it or accept that they will not be free or have a city?"

"Yes. But it's also… What happens next?"

Ah, yes. Something many heroic stories fail to consider. The hero wins the day, gets the girl and the throne... 'And then what?'

"The refugees will return to their home worlds."

"And the rest? What about the rest of Reach-controlled space?"

Which is a lot of planets, don't forget. Many of whom don't have refugee populations to resettle them.

"The Controllers will resurrect the species that they can. Perhaps if Grayven of Apokolips will agree to a peace treaty he will take some of their core worlds."

"And then?"

"I do not know what you are trying to communicate."

Well, listen closely, I'm sure OL is about to explain it.

"There's a quote from a famous book on Earth. 'That which is given has no value.' If I fought the Reach on my own and won, then a few worlds will be slightly grateful and most would ignore it. But if they're compelled by events to put effort in, then they'll care. Something like this is the sort of event that leaves a permanent mark on a civilisation. And not just the military alliance; consider how technology and raw materials are being traded within the alliance now."

I'm guessing the saying would be paired with '...While that which is earned has the greatest value to those who earn it.' Or something like that. And that's why he's doing it this way. So that the people involved don't just feel like they were handed a new city, a new life on a silver platter. That leads to entitlement...

"They will be bound together by blood. Are you..? Building an empire?"

"Depends what you mean by that. I have no desire to rule anyone, even as a figurehead. Nor do I have any idea to put Dox or anyone else in that position. I like to think that I'm building a federation of people who will be bound together by economic interests and shared experiences long after the war is over."

With checks and balances should one of them get ideas about sitting above the rest. Well, just that sort of cooperation will manage itself overall.

"Which requires them to all fight."

I nod. "And suffer and die." I bow my head and exhale through my nose. "Of course, one perfectly plausible result of me trying to do it all myself is that I'd die, lose control of the billions of construct lanterns and cause a galactic apocalypse. So it's not a purely philosophical and long term planning thing."

Which is entirely possible. It would leave the Ring in the hands of those who would abuse its power, be corrupted by it into cataclysmic ends.

She nods slowly. "And you-. Apocalypse?"

"Yes."

"I have not taken a construct lantern, but is that possible? Would that happen?"

If you think that's how it would work, surely. After all, the Construct Lanterns have only the desires their master puts into them. Even when that desire is 'act as you would have in life, within limits', because that's still bound by how the master thinks the person would have acted.

"It did happen. Look up the file on Abra Kadabra."

Her eyes glow for a moment, and then she frowns. "He travelled backwards in time. That is nonsense."

Why hello, is this your first time encountering Earth Bullshit™?

"Welcome to Earth."

"No-. But-. That is not-." She shakes her head. "I don't understand."

More accurately, welcome to existence in hard mode, with all the random event cards in play and multiple draws a turn.

"The potential for time travel fits within the standard model of physics. And it's far easier in real physics. Something in the far future caused a tidal wave of orange constructs to consume a large part of the galaxy, then he travelled backwards in time to before it happened."

I mean, given the right powerset, someone could literally fly through time. Though it'd have to be a very broken powerset.

"But now it will not happen."

"It still might. You understand why I'm concerned about the possibility, because no one knows exactly what caused it."

Especially because until you came along, the only Orange Ring wielder was happily living a aggressively private life in seclusion.

"Is it inevitable, then?"

"No."

"But how did he see it if it is not inevitable?"

And this is where the concepts and terminology starts to get wibbly-wobbly.

"The event did not accompany him back, just his own memories. Why should that compel our future actions?"

She appears to be struggling with the idea.

For instance, what if you tried to prevent it from happening, only to cause it without knowing? With so many Orange Lanterns, all it would take is one going utterly mad with power before they could be shut down...

"Look, Lantern Coutara, you have to understand… This is Earth. It is a madhouse. And I don't just mean the people. All sorts of things that the rational mind says should be impossible happen here. Not all the time, but usually a few times a year. If something happens and you think it's impossible… Well, double check it, and then accept that your ideas about what's possible and impossible are just wrong."

And look at it this way. If you can survive here, everywhere else will seem casually easy from then on.

"Yes, Illustres. Where will we be staying while we are here?"

"Unless you want to make your own arrangements, you can all stay with me. I've got plenty of room, and no neighbours to complain about the noise. Oh, and, ah… I wanted to introduce Taranna to a few people while she's here?"

The tower Manga Khan made? Not the most secure place, but remote enough that most would rather not hassle them. Or an apartment in Gotham, maybe. It's nicer than it used to be.

"Ah." She nods. "I see."

"Okay, let's do a quick review and then I can introduce you to the people you'll be working with."

For instance, the League. The Team, in the case of Sodom Yat and Taranna. The administration of Hub City.

Heh. I noticed that last little 'I see.' A mother's caution around new people, I bet. The kids will like the new experiences, even if Coutara isn't totally enthused. The League will likely welcome the extra Lanterns, though wonder why OL asked them to come. The public will probably enjoy the new faces amongst the heroes, and the chance to gossip about them.

Someguy Somewhere · 2025-09-14T16:09:39+0100

Mr Zoat said:
And I don't just mean the poeple. All sorts of things that the rational mind says should be impossible happen here.

Should read as 'people'.

Mr Zoat · 2025-09-14T16:24:04+0100

Someguy Somewhere said:
Should read as 'people'.

Should be spelled as 'people', certainly.

Shotiegun11 · 2025-09-14T18:56:16+0100

Feels like multiple Orange Lanterns experienced and interested in rebuilding operations should be more than enough to rebuild Earth were things are THERE just sorta falling apart. Especially if the SI tells them to follow Atom/Batman's rebuilding priority list / whatever it is.

Now the SI is gonna have to start saying: "I can actually talk about that one. The Orange Lantern Corp is not taking over the Earth. As long as nothing extreme happens."

Glad to finally see more Orange Lanterns on Earth. Hopefully they are long term and not gone in a few Episodes.

Mr Zoat · 2025-09-15T06:19:57+0100

26th July 2013
10:12 GMT -5

I look around the factory, then frown curiously at Leonard. "I didn't think we were doing the factory next."

He shrugs. "Change of plan. Batman wanted to get started building at least some combine harvesters this year."

Coutara frowns, but I just shrug. "The scheme's the thing. If that's what he says will do most good, best get on with it."

"Heh." He smiles, shaking his head. "Still can't get used to it."

"Used to what?"

"Working with heroes. Any of the Rogues would throw a hissy fit at having someone mess with their plans like that."

"Even McCulloch? That sounds unprofessional."

"Oh, he'd keep it together in the middle of a fight, but the moment it was over… And his name's 'Evan'."

"Oh, har." I take a last look around the factory-. "No problem with staff?"

He shrugs. "Mayor sorted that out. I just built the place."

I nod. "Fair enough. Did Batman want you doing anything else, or are you back on the original plan?"

"We're behind schedule, obviously, but we're back on the original plan. Unless he changes it again."

"That's his job. People need to eat."

"Oh yeah, I saw your chocolate commercial. No dogs hurt, right?"

"Don't worry, they're trained to sit on command. Did you try them?"

"Yeah." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out… The American variety. He watches me, grinning, as he pulls the packet open and takes a bit. "Pretty good, actually."

"You're dead to me."

I look upwards and fly into the air, his laughter fading behind me.

A moment later Lantern Coutara catches up with me. "You didn't kill him."

"No, it was a joke. He delivers a small but surprisingly sophisticated insult, I feign overreacting…" She doesn't get it. "It might be a human thing. We're on good terms. Which is good because this project needs him."

"Why?"

"Controllers might be able to wave their hands and assemble starships by energy to matter conversion, but we humans can't. He's our leading expert on ultra-low temperature physics and the inventor of the thing that stops our nanoforges overheating."

"You have nanoforges?"

"Just a few. They're… Not precisely experimental but they are rare. So… Anyway, I was going to have you help Lantern Son of Great Mother with bringing farms into a functional state, but if we're already doing repairs and assemblies it would probably be better if you handled that."

"Who is 'Son of Great Mother? His name is strange."

"Ah…" Where is he..? Ah, there. "Follow me and I'll introduce you."

I don't transition. Lantern Coutara hasn't actually gotten the hang of that yet. For her usual job it isn't really required. Honestly, for her usual job being seen flying around may actually have a positive affect on morale that outweighs the inefficiency.

Lantern Son of Great Mother has long since finished preparing the farms in this state for rehabitation. He's not particularly fast, but he is focused and unceasing. Humanoid Lanterns can go without sleep for a few weeks if they used their rings to deal with the physiological affects of tiredness, but Great Mother servitors appear not to have sleep as something that they do. I wonder if they have a self-repair mode, or if they just get disposed of once they wear out?

Anyway, I've actually had him upgrading the local infrastructure. Not with jovium, alas, but American infrastructure's pretty old in a lot of places. Particularly the phone lines. I vaguely remember that there's been a de facto monopoly in a lot of rural areas which has lead to a failure to invest… Well, if we're trying to lure people to move from urban to rural areas then it will probably help if they can still use the internet without it feeling like it's the nineties.

He's flying along a minor road, the ground erupting in front of him and settling behind him. I've authorised the use of the best mundane human technology so that when the state… County? Government re-establishes itself they will actually be able to maintain it using mundane means.

And I can justify this because of the collapse of the relevant industries and government. And if I'm not being entirely consistent… Well, what's the line? 'I contain multitudes'.

Lantern Coutara appears a moment later, looking down at Lantern Son of Great Mother in confusion. "That is a Lantern?"

"Yes, and a jolly hard working one." I descend towards him, Lantern Coutara following just behind me. "Lantern Son of Great Mother, how goes the work?"

He doesn't stop, or look at me, or outwardly react to my presence. "It is mindless and repetitive. Some days it is as if I do not exist as a thinking being."

Lantern Coutara looks at me with concern. "Wait for it."

"So it proceeds very well. Earth is so much more decayed than Great Mother. I have calculated that a team of a thousand drones could engage in this work and never know a moment of peace as the infrastructure decayed behind them."

"Should I ask Great Mother to produce a thousand more drones for us?"

He doesn't stop, but there's a definite pause.

"…yes?"

"I imagine that she could do that fairly quickly."

"…yes. It would not be a large investment of resources."

"Would you like to have more of your brothers around?"

"It… Would increase the speed with which the task was performed."

"But how would you feel about it?"

He stops, and falls to the ground. Oh, that wasn't-.

He flashes orange and rises off the ground again, using his ring instead of his own flight ability. "I-. Would hate it. I desire that this task be mine alone. This is not right but I must not lie to you. Why am I malfunctioning?!"

"You're not. You're growing more in tune with your desires. That will make you a better Lantern." I float closer and lay my right hand on him in what I hope is a reassuring manner. "I assure you, there will always be work for you here. Good gods, will there always be work for you here."

He twitches, the orange glow dimming slightly. "Thank you, Illustres. Who is this?"

"This is Lantern Coutara. She will be handling goods transportation until the portals are complete."

"She will not be working on infrastructure?"

"No."

"Then I welcome her involvement. Now, I will return to work. I have many utility ducts to lay."

Darko · 2025-09-15T06:25:17+0100

Mr Zoat said:
pocket and pull out… The

"pulls"

Cuchulin · 2025-09-15T06:28:33+0100

Mr Zoat said:
26th July 2013
10:12 GMT -5

I look around the factory, then frown curiously at Leonard. "I didn't think we were doing the factory next."

He shrugs. "Change of plan. Batman wanted to get started building at least some combine harvesters this year."

Did you say, COMBINE HARVESTERS?!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btEpF334Rtc

Cool10007 · 2025-09-15T06:30:00+0100

Mr Zoat said:
He flashes orange and rises off the ground again, using his ring instead of his own flight ability. "I-. Would hate it. I desire that this task be mine alone. This is not right but I must not lie to you. Why am I malfunctioning?!"

Mr Zoat said:
She will not be working on infrastructure?"

"No."

"Then I welcome her involvement. Now, I will return to work. I have many utility ducts to lay."

HA! Now here's a fun fellow. Nice to see him doing well for himself in a productive manner. I'm not sure how often we mention this, but Paul is really good at this whole "Illustres" thing - and it shows the most in little moments like these.

...It's almost like he's best at helping people in tune with the orange light! Heh.

Ngamer11 · 2025-09-15T06:34:38+0100

I didn't realize Son of Great Mother was helping with Earth's reconstruction. Based on how he works, he's a great help with performing difficult but repetitive tasks.

Mr Zoat · 2025-09-15T06:37:22+0100

Darko said:
"pulls"

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-09-15T07:03:35+0100

Mr Zoat said:
26th July 2013
10:12 GMT -5

I look around the factory, then frown curiously at Leonard. "I didn't think we were doing the factory next."

He shrugs. "Change of plan. Batman wanted to get started building at least some combine harvesters this year."

I imagine food stores are starting to feel a bit short by now. They've basically missed an entire growing season because of the Anti-Life and its aftermath, so there's a lot of catching up to do...

Coutara frowns, but I just shrug. "The scheme's the thing. If that's what he says will do most good, best get on with it."

"Heh." He smiles, shaking his head. "Still can't get used to it."

Bit of a 'stay focused' mantra, eh? And boy, it's been a long time since I read any 'Rogue Trooper' stuff...

"Used to what?"

"Working with heroes. Any of the Rogues would throw a hissy fit at having someone mess with their plans like that."

Even if their asses were on the line too? Or do situations like that get a pass? I mean, if Batman tells you do change something, would you argue?

"Even McCulloch? That sounds unprofessional."

"Oh, he'd keep it together in the middle of a fight, but the moment it was over… And his name's 'Evan'."

I am so giving Snart the mother of all disappointed glares right now for that joke.

"Oh, har." I take a last look around the factory-. "No problem with staff?"

He shrugs. "Mayor sorted that out. I just built the place."

Ah, cooling systems a speciality. I expect the place would be boiling otherwise.

I nod. "Fair enough. Did Batman want you doing anything else, or are you back on the original plan?"

"We're behind schedule, obviously, but we're back on the original plan. Unless he changes it again."

To be fair, he's probably smart enough to plan around potential unknowns such as super-villain activity.

"That's his job. People need to eat."

"Oh yeah, I saw your chocolate commercial. No dogs hurt, right?"

Heh. He's gonna be catching shit for that brick joke for years to come.

"Don't worry, they're trained to sit on command. Did you try them?"

"Yeah." He reaches into his pocket and pull out… The American variety. He watches me, grinning, as he pulls the packet open and takes a bit. "Pretty good, actually."

I suppose his are always chilled, at least.

"You're dead to me."

I look upwards and fly into the air, his laughter fading behind me.

Ah, shit-stirring between mates...

A moment later Lantern Coutara catches up with me. "You didn't kill him."

"No, it was a joke. He delivers a small but surprisingly sophisticated insult, I feign overreacting…" She doesn't get it. "It might be a human thing. We're on good terms. Which is good because this project needs him."

The classic old 'off-worlder doesn't get Human humour'. Always a classic misunderstanding gag.

"Why?"

"Controllers might be able to wave their hands and assemble starships by energy to matter conversion, but we humans can't. He's our leading expert on ultra-low temperature physics and the inventor of the thing that stops our nanoforges overheating."

And making a small mint off of the patents, definitely. That and the recognition of being 'the Leading expert of ultra-low temperature physics' definitely helps keep him on the straight and narrow.

"You have nanoforges?"

"Just a few. They're… Not precisely experimental but they are rare. So… Anyway, I was going to have you help Lantern Son of Great Mother with bringing farms into a functional state, but if we're already doing repairs and assemblies it would probably be better if you handled that."

Ah, so Sonny is around Earth too? Though I suppose he's not exactly the most talkative of Lanterns. Probably happy just doing what he's told most of the time...

"Who is 'Son of Great Mother? His name is strange."

"Ah…" Where is he..? Ah, there. "Follow me and I'll introduce you."

I don't transition. Lantern Coutara hasn't actually gotten the hang of that yet. For her usual job it isn't really required. Honestly, for her usual job being seen flying around may actually have a positive affect on morale that outweighs the inefficiency.

Huh. Personal preference, or a sign of some area of skill lacking? I would have thought FTL Transitions were a moderately easy trick for Lanterns to manage, especially Orange ones.

Lantern Son of Great Mother has long since finished preparing the farms in this state for rehabitation. He's not particularly fast, but he is focused and unceasing. Humanoid Lanterns can go without sleep for a few weeks if they used their rings to deal with the physiological affects of tiredness, but Great Mother servitors appear not to have sleep as something that they do. I wonder if they have a self-repair mode, or if they just get disposed of once they wear out?

OR maybe something like the Astartes' Catalepsean node implant as a natural biological function? With a brain structure optimised for maximum effectiveness of it. Or he can operate on such a low-level of wakefulness that he literally works in his sleep...

Anyway, I've actually had him upgrading the local infrastructure. Not with jovium, alas, but American infrastructure's pretty old in a lot of places. Particularly the phone lines. I vaguely remember that there's been a de facto monopoly in a lot of rural areas which has lead to a failure to invest… Well, if we're trying to lure people to move from urban to rural areas then it will probably help if they can still use the internet without it feeling like it's the nineties.

On the other hand, he's probably setting it up so upgrades are a lot easier. A simple matter of running cables, mostly.

He's flying along a minor road, the ground erupting in front of him and settling behind him. I've authorised the use of the best mundane human technology so that when the state… County? Government re-establishes itself they will actually be able to maintain it using mundane means.

And in some areas, it'll be a radical improvement of services and roads.

And I can justify this because of the collapse of the relevant industries and government. And if I'm not being entirely consistent… Well, what's the line? 'I contain multitudes'.

Lantern Coutara appears a moment later, looking down at Lantern Son of Great Mother in confusion. "That is a Lantern?"

Yes, they do come in all shapes and sizes, not just variants of ISO-Standard humanoid or Maltusian Clickers.

"Yes, and a jolly hard working one." I descend towards him, Lantern Coutara following just behind me. "Lantern Son of Great Mother, how goes the work?"

He doesn't stop, or look at me, or outwardly react to my presence. "It is mindless and repetitive. Some days it is as if I do not exist as a thinking being."

...So, perfect for him? He did feel a bit odd when it came to being so independent, didn't he?

Lantern Coutara looks at me with concern. "Wait for it."

"So it proceeds very well. Earth is so much more decayed than Great Mother. I have calculated that a team of a thousand drones could engage in this work and never know a moment of peace as the infrastructure decayed behind them."

If he could bother emoting vocally, this would probably be coming out as a satisfied pleasantness.

"Should I ask Great Mother to produce a thousand more drones for us?"

He doesn't stop, but there's a definite pause.

A thousand of them, with Power Rings? That would... Be rather a sight.

"…yes?"

"I imagine that she could do that fairly quickly."

He sounds uncertain. I wonder why, hmmm?

"…yes. It would not be a large investment of resources."

"Would you like to have more of your brothers around?"

Given that one seemed much like another at the most basic levels, would anyone be able to tell?

"It… Would increase the speed with which the task was performed."

"But how would you feel about it?"

Ah, the real question. I rather suspect he's internalised this kind of work as his thing.

He stops, and falls to the ground. Oh, that wasn't-.

He flashes orange and rises off the ground again, using his ring instead of his own flight ability. "I-. Would hate it. I desire that this task be mine alone. This is not right but I must not lie to you. Why am I malfunctioning?!"

Just the opposite, dear boy. You're actually acting like a real sophont being, rather than an individual cell of a greater organism.

"You're not. You're growing more in tune with your desires. That will make you a better Lantern." I float closer and lay my right hand on him in what I hope is a reassuring manner. "I assure you, there will always be work for you here. Good gods, will there always be work for you here."

Even after the main reconstruction is complete, for sure. Repairs after natural disasters, infrastructure upgrades as they expand stocks of metamaterials...

He twitches, the orange glow dimming slightly. "Thank you, Illustres. Who is this?"

"This is Lantern Coutara. She will be handling goods transportation until the portals are complete."

Huh, a glorified delivery worker? To be fair, she's probably skilled at it.

"She will not be working on infrastructure?"

"No."

"Then I welcome her involvement. Now, I will return to work. I have many utility ducts to lay."

Heh. He really does enjoy his work, doesn't he?

A pleasant chance to see the big orange spermatazoa again. It makes sense that he'd enjoy this sort of repetitive, occasionally tricky work. And getting it all done to one being's style will make future consistency a lot more reliable when the time comes for maintenance or upgrading. And the roads will probably be safer than they've ever been, too.

TFTwink · 2025-09-15T07:18:16+0100

I need a Son of Great Mother in my life, just one, possibly as a himbo (gender optional)

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

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