Mr Zoat
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Um. What?
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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
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Dur'id the Druid
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I thought she also sent them across the muliverse to retrieve someone capable of wielding the orange light without going crazy? But it wasn't exact, so a lot of quantum clones were also made.
Mr Zoat
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McGraww
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IIRC she sent the ring into the Bleed. From there, how Paul got it, and how Paul got to Earth 16 is unknown.
(Also unknown is how Paul was "split" and where the alt Pauls got their rings, unless Hinon was making Red and Blue and Black etc. rings in those alt verses. Especially like, does Buffy Earth have Controllers?)
NightmareWarden
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Hasn't Shade been clearing a couple of worlds of evil groups? "Acceptable targets"?
Psions and the like, targets who have been defeated in Paragon!Paul's story. Not the psions specifically though, since Renegade!Blackfire focused on them a while ago? Targets that were too entrenched for young Orange Lanterns? Isn't this what Grayven tasked him with during the Light meeting some time ago, and why they're are on a wrecked planet?
Mr Zoat
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No? What?
Grayven suggested that he could earn a place on the Justice League by targetting criminal groups on Earth. He didn't slaughter them; that would have been very counterproductive. Wombworld was something Grayven's Orange Lantern Corps depopulated.
Zig
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He's not refusing to settile it because it will ruin it. He's hesitant to settle it because it being that beautiful is suspicious.
NightmareWarden
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Yeah, but the more recent meeting with Shade... No, no. I've. Checked your November 2025 chapters now. I was wrong.
I guess my brain invented something for this old update, since Richard Swift and space came up- https://forum.questionablequesting....young-justice-si-story-only.8961/post-6011957
Your Light meeting in the November renegade updates brought the fake idea back to mind, and I assumed this new stuff was confirming it. How bizarre! I thought the whole thing happened because... Here is what I recall. There was some question over how spaceship weapons and mad alien science would make Richard flex his powers, because guarding the Justice League had been too easy. So Grayven threw him a bone.
I guess I'll blame this whole confusion on a dream.
Also there are too many Richards in this story. Poor Dick Grayson.
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CrazyNoVa
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Wait a minute. By that logic, does this mean that every time we saw someone travel to a different parallel in this story, they were always at risk of getting split up into multiple clones if something went wrong?
For example, remember when the Young Offenders invaded Earth 16? If they had fucked up when they travelled between universes, would they each have gotten split up into a thousand different copies across many parallels?
What about when the Renegade got kidnapped to Earth 50? If something had gone wrong, would there now be a million Renegade clones scattered across the multiverse trying to get back to their previous world?
Or what about when Olympia impersonated Diana to kidnap Paul and Zatanna? If the Syndicate had screwed up, would there have been a thousand Olympias transported on Earth 16?
And don't even get me started on the Krona/Time Trapper incident.
I know, right? When I first read that segment, I got really confused because I initially thought it was Robin, and I was all like: "Robin? WTF are you doing here?"
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Motivations (part 7)
New
Mr Zoat
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12th August 2013
12:43 GMT -5
"Hello, NNew friends!"
A g-pooka I don't recognise waves from its position behind the front desk. Cadmus has… Changed a great deal since the last time I was here. Now that they're not merely not hiding but openly advertising what they can do, the lobby is less 'secure laboratory' and more 'corporate showroom'. Bright colours, airy room, and a g-troll lifting a 5-tonne dumbbell without straining off to one side.
Amalak-.
Amalak stopped just inside the front door.
"Commodore?"
He doesn't immediately respond.
I turn back to the g-pooka. "Please, whatever you're doing to him-."
"No NNo! We are not playing GGames while we are working!" The g-troll gently sets down its dumbbell and lumbers towards the desk. "Our new FFriend is not human, yes? Is a telepathic conversation RRequired?"
Amalak-. He's gone back to the front door, and he's looking out at the Washington street. And then he turns back around.
"Problem?"
"The technology required to make a novel intelligent species is far in advance of what your world has on display. It that a security precaution?"
I raise my hands and then waggle them back and forth. "Human technology is all over the place. Don't try and compare us to anyone else because that way lies madness."
The g-pooka's horns glow for a moment. **Is this BBetter, sir?**
"Yes." He walks closer. "Thank you. Do you know what we're here for?"
**No, SSir. Basic telepathic ethics PPrevents us from prying too deeply.**
"And g-pooka aren't very good at it."
It-. She? **[Pouts]** at me. Telepathically, as her face isn't that flexible.
**I would NNot anyway.**
"Very.. well, then." He approaches the desk, looking up at the g-troll as it stands at the ready. "You and.. he are the same species?"
**We are genomorphs. Designed by CCadmus Laboratories, based upon alien genetic material recovered from SSouth America.**
He's frowning in bewilderment. "Were the multiple forms encoded in the original genetic material?"
**NNo! The original form were g-prometheans. They were larger than I am, though LLess intelligent. They are all dead now.**
"And you are modified based on their physiology?"
**Yes! [Smile!] TThat is what we are! I am a g-pooka, specialising in outgroup interaction!**
"The g-succubae not ready to replace you yet?"
**We do NNot interact in the same way.** She shudders, apparently involuntarily. **They cheat.**
"Succubae?"
"G-succubae are psychic erotic entertainers. Weird, but safe. Actual succubae are a type of demon, and you should avoid them."
"Very.. well. Do you have a name?"
**I am sometimes called Lisa.**
"That's not your name?"
**WWe have a group mind. We always know who other genomorphs are. Why would we have SSpoken names?**
"But you have a sense of self. You refer to yourself in the singular. And you are assigned to the task you were designed for, rather than acting through some sort of drone."
**II have more parts when there are other genomorphs within range. Further away, I am less.**
"Genomorphs share schema and capacities more than personalities. For example, having Lisa in range lets other genomorphs understand the behaviour of other species better."
Amalak nods, turning to the g-troll. "And this one?"
**G-trolls IImprove our spatial awareness.**
He continues to take the g-troll in. "Not your physical strength?"
Lisa blinks. **How WWould that work? We share minds, not bodies.**
"I'm sure they'd be happy to give you the full tour whenever you like, but since we're here on business..?"
"Yes, yes." Amalak turns back to Lisa. "I have concerns that someone who is about to be placed on trial for his life may have had his mind altered by an external force. Your people have been recommended to me as having the ability to determine whether or not that is true."
**YYes. We have yet to encounter a form of mental AAlteration that we cannot detect.**
"I was told that I would need g-gnomes and g-lusca?"
**And you will need a g-pooka.**
"What for?"
**G-Gnomes do not understand people. SSometimes they give false results. They follow the thoughts, NNot the logic.** Her horns glimmer. **AAlso, g-gnomes and g-lusca cannot talk.**
"They're telepaths, though. Why would they need to?"
"Because they'll be operating too far from the other genomorphs to draw on their knowledge, and you're not trained to share your mind with individuals whose minds are that different from yours."
"Are you?"
"I'm a party to the case. I could handle it, but… I'm trying to cut down on adopting inhuman mental states."
He nods. "Do you do a great deal of this work?"
**Yes-mhm. Many places are using genomorph mental interrogation to accelerate legal PProcesses. We have the approval of BBatman and Mister Atom.**
"Is that simply a matter of revealing lies, or is it more complex?"
**Humans constantly change what they RRemember about the past. Memories are reinterpreted and simplified and linked to OOther things. We have to learn how to undo those CChanges and recover the original memories, without damaging their minds.**
"Are you competent to work on species other than humans?"
**Machine-thoughts are difficult, but we are mentally flexible. We have AAdapted to every species we have encountered.**
I raise my eyebrows. "You can do A.I.s now?"
**Yes! G-gremlins can use their magic to bridge the gap. Martian Manhunter was QQuite impressed!**
Amalak nods thoughtfully. "Would you be willing to provide a demonstration?"
12:43 GMT -5
"Hello, NNew friends!"
A g-pooka I don't recognise waves from its position behind the front desk. Cadmus has… Changed a great deal since the last time I was here. Now that they're not merely not hiding but openly advertising what they can do, the lobby is less 'secure laboratory' and more 'corporate showroom'. Bright colours, airy room, and a g-troll lifting a 5-tonne dumbbell without straining off to one side.
Amalak-.
Amalak stopped just inside the front door.
"Commodore?"
He doesn't immediately respond.
I turn back to the g-pooka. "Please, whatever you're doing to him-."
"No NNo! We are not playing GGames while we are working!" The g-troll gently sets down its dumbbell and lumbers towards the desk. "Our new FFriend is not human, yes? Is a telepathic conversation RRequired?"
Amalak-. He's gone back to the front door, and he's looking out at the Washington street. And then he turns back around.
"Problem?"
"The technology required to make a novel intelligent species is far in advance of what your world has on display. It that a security precaution?"
I raise my hands and then waggle them back and forth. "Human technology is all over the place. Don't try and compare us to anyone else because that way lies madness."
The g-pooka's horns glow for a moment. **Is this BBetter, sir?**
"Yes." He walks closer. "Thank you. Do you know what we're here for?"
**No, SSir. Basic telepathic ethics PPrevents us from prying too deeply.**
"And g-pooka aren't very good at it."
It-. She? **[Pouts]** at me. Telepathically, as her face isn't that flexible.
**I would NNot anyway.**
"Very.. well, then." He approaches the desk, looking up at the g-troll as it stands at the ready. "You and.. he are the same species?"
**We are genomorphs. Designed by CCadmus Laboratories, based upon alien genetic material recovered from SSouth America.**
He's frowning in bewilderment. "Were the multiple forms encoded in the original genetic material?"
**NNo! The original form were g-prometheans. They were larger than I am, though LLess intelligent. They are all dead now.**
"And you are modified based on their physiology?"
**Yes! [Smile!] TThat is what we are! I am a g-pooka, specialising in outgroup interaction!**
"The g-succubae not ready to replace you yet?"
**We do NNot interact in the same way.** She shudders, apparently involuntarily. **They cheat.**
"Succubae?"
"G-succubae are psychic erotic entertainers. Weird, but safe. Actual succubae are a type of demon, and you should avoid them."
"Very.. well. Do you have a name?"
**I am sometimes called Lisa.**
"That's not your name?"
**WWe have a group mind. We always know who other genomorphs are. Why would we have SSpoken names?**
"But you have a sense of self. You refer to yourself in the singular. And you are assigned to the task you were designed for, rather than acting through some sort of drone."
**II have more parts when there are other genomorphs within range. Further away, I am less.**
"Genomorphs share schema and capacities more than personalities. For example, having Lisa in range lets other genomorphs understand the behaviour of other species better."
Amalak nods, turning to the g-troll. "And this one?"
**G-trolls IImprove our spatial awareness.**
He continues to take the g-troll in. "Not your physical strength?"
Lisa blinks. **How WWould that work? We share minds, not bodies.**
"I'm sure they'd be happy to give you the full tour whenever you like, but since we're here on business..?"
"Yes, yes." Amalak turns back to Lisa. "I have concerns that someone who is about to be placed on trial for his life may have had his mind altered by an external force. Your people have been recommended to me as having the ability to determine whether or not that is true."
**YYes. We have yet to encounter a form of mental AAlteration that we cannot detect.**
"I was told that I would need g-gnomes and g-lusca?"
**And you will need a g-pooka.**
"What for?"
**G-Gnomes do not understand people. SSometimes they give false results. They follow the thoughts, NNot the logic.** Her horns glimmer. **AAlso, g-gnomes and g-lusca cannot talk.**
"They're telepaths, though. Why would they need to?"
"Because they'll be operating too far from the other genomorphs to draw on their knowledge, and you're not trained to share your mind with individuals whose minds are that different from yours."
"Are you?"
"I'm a party to the case. I could handle it, but… I'm trying to cut down on adopting inhuman mental states."
He nods. "Do you do a great deal of this work?"
**Yes-mhm. Many places are using genomorph mental interrogation to accelerate legal PProcesses. We have the approval of BBatman and Mister Atom.**
"Is that simply a matter of revealing lies, or is it more complex?"
**Humans constantly change what they RRemember about the past. Memories are reinterpreted and simplified and linked to OOther things. We have to learn how to undo those CChanges and recover the original memories, without damaging their minds.**
"Are you competent to work on species other than humans?"
**Machine-thoughts are difficult, but we are mentally flexible. We have AAdapted to every species we have encountered.**
I raise my eyebrows. "You can do A.I.s now?"
**Yes! G-gremlins can use their magic to bridge the gap. Martian Manhunter was QQuite impressed!**
Amalak nods thoughtfully. "Would you be willing to provide a demonstration?"
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Vaermina
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It's a pity Orange Lantern lost his genre savyness.
Chojin Patriarch
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With a slight vocal tic, from the sound of it. Something of a stammer, or perhaps thoughts running too fast for the mouth to keep up. Probably makes her quite endearing to human visitors because it's 'cute'.
Well, that's not good.
Ah. Slight moment of culture shock, perhaps?
Given Amalak is probably working through a translator system right now, that might be easier.
Ah, his first time seeing Earth Bullshit™ in its natural habitat. Rather than OL bringing the insanity to him.
Indeed. It would quite literally drive some alien races mad from the illogical nature of it.
Culture shock overcome, for now. Down to business, then.
OL, please, don't undercut your allies in front of other allies...
And I am picturing a cutesy teenage girl version of Dubbilex now. Cute in that sort of monster-girl manner.
Which does say something about Earth technology. Or rather, the gifted scientists that managed to create the process that made them.
Amazing how adaptable their genome is, though. So many variations of humanoid from one distinct sample.
Something of a 'Face' for the business, in the adventuring party sense. Engineered with considerable social skills, if not all the experience needed to make good use of them.
I'm guessing they employ near-magical levels of charm. And maybe some 'cute monster-girl' wiles as well.
...Have they ever met J'onn J'aarkin? Or did they develop them based on the Internet?
Oh god...Aw, no cute genetics pun? Then again, some of their guests may not get the jokes.
It's a strange concept, yes. Being a part of something greater, yet each part is its own being. Nameless, yet sophont. "I Am, therefore I Think."
An interesting way to explain it. And yet it makes sense. And goes some way to explain each new subtype they make, bringing something the whole lacks to the collective.
Security, for a start. Would you act-up with him looming like that?
They aren't Slivers, you know. A physical buff doesn't carry over.
Yeah, I suspect Amalak's curiosity would have them nattering for hours.
An interesting question will be how many will they need to take along for a stable group mind.
Are they tentacle-y things that read minds?
Interpretation, no doubt. That is their function, both from the collective to Humans, and vice-versa.
Picture the difference between a phone call... And a modem call. Lots of information too fast for your brain to interpret right.
Honestly, OL is rather something of a natural telepath, for some reason.
Far too often, sadly. Far more than the average person would get into altered states of consciousness...
Well, Wonder Woman can't be everywhere at once, after all.
And that is the essential question. Kryptonians may look human, but do their minds function the same way in terms of compatibility?
That's new. And helpful. Wonder if Mister atom employs their aid to increase productivity - not having to waste time talking would be more efficient.
Preferably without triggering some manner of mental backlash in him. Last thing we need is to put him into a coma or a psychotic rage.
I'm sure the Genomorphs would be quite eager to experience the shape of an unfamiliar mind like his. Wonder if Amalak will find some new perspective on an event in his past, hmm? As for assisting with the trial... Ideally, they're familiar enough with Kryptonian brains (Through the Super-family) to work on Zod easily, too.
Duke Long
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'Is'
'multiple'
Genomorphs are pretty cool, glad to see more of them.
jasonh23761
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Amalak is just upgrading Earth from "maintain good relations" to "maintain very good relations from a significant distance" in his head.
Also, love the Genomorphs and how they're evolving, as odd as they are.
Edit: Also Earth is going to need a minister of trade/secretary of commerce for off world customers fast. In Amalak's position I'd be trying to buy whatever world breaking nonsense they have on the relative cheap.
Also, love the Genomorphs and how they're evolving, as odd as they are.
Edit: Also Earth is going to need a minister of trade/secretary of commerce for off world customers fast. In Amalak's position I'd be trying to buy whatever world breaking nonsense they have on the relative cheap.
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Mr Zoat
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Me said:
Thank you, corrected.
Vanbers
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Bro is finding that DC Humanity's technological level simultaneously ranges from "Hyper-advanced beyond anything else in the universe" and "If you bang rock together, it make spark", often from the same scientist's mind, and is realising the implications.
"Alien comes to DC earth and realises how fucked it is" is always fun.
Z000
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also i think they don't take Paul comment about Earth too seriously until they came to Sol in person and realize that nope, Paul was underselling it to not scare them"Alien comes to DC earth and realises how fucked it is" is always fun.
WereDragon
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WTR already did that plot arc. Nothing happened.
Although I suppose this time Batman and Atom might be able to arrange something.
Mr Zoat
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If you're talking about Manga Khan... The SI got a hew house out of it? I'm not sure that was really long enough to be called an arc.
Steelplaza
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The most hilarious result of this investigation would be if Dru-Zod proves to have been telepathically altered, but Ursa's meditative practice means she wasn't affected and went along with the genocide because Zod said it was a good idea.
CrazyNoVa
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Care to elaborate?
Signaller
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Found the reference, it was last mentioned in Retribution Part 18, and a G-Oni not G-Succubus:
With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Thirteen)
With This Ring Original Story Only Revised Story Only Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4...
forums.sufficientvelocity.com
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Mr Zoat
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Good work.Found the reference, it was last mentioned in Retribution Part 18, and a G-Oni not G-Succubus:
With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Thirteen)
With This Ring Original Story Only Revised Story Only Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4...
Assuming that that is indeed the relevant part, there is no further information. Nothing relevant has happened off-screen.
Sockmonkey
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Linguistically correct, but punny enough for us to give you the side-eye.
Yeah, they grew Conner and Mitchel from scratch, and telepathically educated them, so they're probably the only living experts on Kryptonian neurology.
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Vaermina
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Everything the Genomorph's are doing should be throwing up red flags in Orange Lanterns mind.
Thundersmight94
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In and of itself, I don't think OL would mind the Genomorphs using their telepathy for the pursuit of law enforcement finding out the truth. In fact I think he'd encourage it as one of the many ways Genomorphs can integrate with society and he was already aware of the G-Succubus and has repeatedly promoted getting a symbiote.
I think what your elaborating is more towards Batman's connection to their current implementation, but until it's confirmed Batman is controlled or been altered by some other force, he'd have to give the benefit of the doubt.
Signaller
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Random thought: I don't recall the exact timeline, but if you want a neat way to wrap this up, perhaps Boss Smiley used the G-Oni as an insurance/enforcement mechanism to make sure OL's first death went to the silver city. I also remember that Hades had a spell to overcome the issue, which he offered to OL, who then passed it on to the Atlanteans for review but I don't think it was ever actually applied.
CrazyNoVa
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Should it, though? Sure, it's possible that they could be up to something, but the problem here is that Genomorphs have been doing this kind of stuff for years, even long before the Sheeda or the Anti-Life. As far as Paul or anyone else in the Justice League are concerned, this is just business as usual for the Genomorphs, so even though this kind of behavior may look odd to us, the heroes wouldn't necessarily have any reason to think the Genomorphs are doing anything wrong, because what they (and by extension we) consider odd is normal for the Genomorphs.
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Motivations (part 8)
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Mr Zoat
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12th August 2013
12:57 GMT -5
"I didn't…"
Lisa gently directs Amalak over to a soft chair, where he lowers himself unsteadily down to the cushion. The four g-gnomes who were working on him stare at him blankly for a moment, and then return to a neutral position. The g-lusca doesn't seem to have any more interest in him than it ever did.
"That was.. surprising."
"What did you get?"
"I'd long since forgotten what it was like, being evacuated from Timaron. They brought it back. For a moment it was as if I was a small boy again, pressed into the corner so that more people could fit in-."
He recovers himself after a moment.
"I could not have remembered it on my own, and I can feel the.. intensity of the memory fading away again." He shakes his head. "And you could not have known the details well enough to create a false memory." He thinks for a moment. "Were there any incongruities?"
**There WWere parts that were completely gone. You-.**
"Skips in time, yes." He nods. "Is that natural?"
**It can be. At TThat age, it is more like that you were too scared to encode memories. But I would NNeed to know more about your species to be certain.**
"Ah." Amalak nods. "That sounds plausible. How long will it take for you to trawl through Dru-Zod and Ursa Dou-Ka's memories?"
**That depends on what we FFind. Maybe an hour?**
"Alright. Again." Lisa looks puzzled. "I've been in contact with telepaths before. If you identify-" The g-gnomes look around again, their horns glowing. "-when it-."
**The psions contracted you to move a shipment.** Amalak blinks, then his eyes unfocus as the memory is brought to the foreground. **They modified that one to remove your memories afterwards. We think their work was CCrude.**
"I.. remember. You're not making me relive it this time?"
**We can, but you did not ask us to.**
"Very well then. I accept the quality of your work. Will the six-" He glances at the g-lusca in its tank. It slowly closes the one eye facing us, then opens it again. "-of you accompany us?"
**Not Lisa. I am supposed to work the FFront desk. There will-**
The door opens and another g-pooka gambols into the demonstration area. The two of them are physically identical. Even my rings are struggling to find a way to distinguish between them. Hm, good quality control I suppose.
**-be another g-pooka going with YYou.**
The new g-pooka perks up brightly. **Hello, new FFriends!**
Amalak looks the new g-pooka over. "And you are..?"
**LLesley!**
"And you're..?" He moves his right forefinger from pointing at Lisa to Lesley. "Sisters?"
They look at each other, and then turn back to him.
**We are NNot related.** / **We are not RRelated.**
"You're genetically identical."
**But we are FFrom different batches.** / **But we are from different BBatches.**
"And since production is standardised you got the same nutrition in the tank. Literally the only difference is that Lisa has very slightly lighter skin on the side facing the front door."
Lesley turns to Lisa and leans closer, staring at her skin while her hands gently turns Lisa's head back and forth.
**HHe is right. We should move the desk.**
Through the window into the lobby I see the g-troll pick it up and carry it to the opposite side of the room. And I note that Amalak does as well.
He nods. "Then the only thing to do is agree upon a price. Do I need to speak with a manager..?"
They both look at him like he's a bit slow. **We are telepaths.** / **We are telepaths.**
"Ah. Yes."
"Has Dubbilex created some help for himself, or is he still handling the whole thing on his own?"
Lisa nods slowly. **After what HHappened with our not-brothers, we created two more g-goblins. In case.**
I nod, while Amalak looks curious. "'Not-brothers'? What do you mean by that?"
**WWe call each other brothers or SSisters. We cast the oni out of our FFamily.**
"The g-oni were part of their attempt to create genomorphs who could use magic. They were designed to use demon magic."
"Was the attempt unsuccessful?"
"No. Extremely successful. Which was rather the problem. It turns out that having your soul made of elemental evil encourages negative character traits. Last time I saw them, they were trying to eat an immortal kryptonian heretic. They-" I look pointedly at the g-pooka. "-were lucky that it didn't infect the rest of them."
They both nod.
"Be that as it may. The cost. What do you want in exchange for your services?"
Lesley makes a show of thinking about it. **Two kilograms of platinum.**
Lisa nods. **Or payment in kind.**
"Expensive, but not impossible. What else do you want?"
Lisa straightens up slightly. **Psions and citadelians both use advanced cloning technology. This interests UUs.**
**And their medical technology in GGeneral.**
He looks at me. "Is importing that sort of technology a problem?"
"No, not at all. Earth has so much schizo technology that there's no point enforcing something like that."
"I'm afraid that very little of either has come up for sale. But I have been meaning to send scavenging teams to Wombworld for a while, and I believe that the citadelians had cloning systems on their larger ships. How does five tanks, the associated systems and the plans therefore sound?"
Lisa nods. **We are quite CContented.**
"Then I believe that we are ready to depart. Lantern?"
I nod, the g-gnomes clambering into their cubby-holes on the g-lusca's tank as I stand and extend my tendrils to it. Then I hold out my left hand to Lesley. "Lesley?"
Lesley blinks, and then saunters over and takes my hand. I extend my environmental shield over her, the tank and Commodore Amalak.
"We'll be back in a couple of days."
12:57 GMT -5
"I didn't…"
Lisa gently directs Amalak over to a soft chair, where he lowers himself unsteadily down to the cushion. The four g-gnomes who were working on him stare at him blankly for a moment, and then return to a neutral position. The g-lusca doesn't seem to have any more interest in him than it ever did.
"That was.. surprising."
"What did you get?"
"I'd long since forgotten what it was like, being evacuated from Timaron. They brought it back. For a moment it was as if I was a small boy again, pressed into the corner so that more people could fit in-."
He recovers himself after a moment.
"I could not have remembered it on my own, and I can feel the.. intensity of the memory fading away again." He shakes his head. "And you could not have known the details well enough to create a false memory." He thinks for a moment. "Were there any incongruities?"
**There WWere parts that were completely gone. You-.**
"Skips in time, yes." He nods. "Is that natural?"
**It can be. At TThat age, it is more like that you were too scared to encode memories. But I would NNeed to know more about your species to be certain.**
"Ah." Amalak nods. "That sounds plausible. How long will it take for you to trawl through Dru-Zod and Ursa Dou-Ka's memories?"
**That depends on what we FFind. Maybe an hour?**
"Alright. Again." Lisa looks puzzled. "I've been in contact with telepaths before. If you identify-" The g-gnomes look around again, their horns glowing. "-when it-."
**The psions contracted you to move a shipment.** Amalak blinks, then his eyes unfocus as the memory is brought to the foreground. **They modified that one to remove your memories afterwards. We think their work was CCrude.**
"I.. remember. You're not making me relive it this time?"
**We can, but you did not ask us to.**
"Very well then. I accept the quality of your work. Will the six-" He glances at the g-lusca in its tank. It slowly closes the one eye facing us, then opens it again. "-of you accompany us?"
**Not Lisa. I am supposed to work the FFront desk. There will-**
The door opens and another g-pooka gambols into the demonstration area. The two of them are physically identical. Even my rings are struggling to find a way to distinguish between them. Hm, good quality control I suppose.
**-be another g-pooka going with YYou.**
The new g-pooka perks up brightly. **Hello, new FFriends!**
Amalak looks the new g-pooka over. "And you are..?"
**LLesley!**
"And you're..?" He moves his right forefinger from pointing at Lisa to Lesley. "Sisters?"
They look at each other, and then turn back to him.
**We are NNot related.** / **We are not RRelated.**
"You're genetically identical."
**But we are FFrom different batches.** / **But we are from different BBatches.**
"And since production is standardised you got the same nutrition in the tank. Literally the only difference is that Lisa has very slightly lighter skin on the side facing the front door."
Lesley turns to Lisa and leans closer, staring at her skin while her hands gently turns Lisa's head back and forth.
**HHe is right. We should move the desk.**
Through the window into the lobby I see the g-troll pick it up and carry it to the opposite side of the room. And I note that Amalak does as well.
He nods. "Then the only thing to do is agree upon a price. Do I need to speak with a manager..?"
They both look at him like he's a bit slow. **We are telepaths.** / **We are telepaths.**
"Ah. Yes."
"Has Dubbilex created some help for himself, or is he still handling the whole thing on his own?"
Lisa nods slowly. **After what HHappened with our not-brothers, we created two more g-goblins. In case.**
I nod, while Amalak looks curious. "'Not-brothers'? What do you mean by that?"
**WWe call each other brothers or SSisters. We cast the oni out of our FFamily.**
"The g-oni were part of their attempt to create genomorphs who could use magic. They were designed to use demon magic."
"Was the attempt unsuccessful?"
"No. Extremely successful. Which was rather the problem. It turns out that having your soul made of elemental evil encourages negative character traits. Last time I saw them, they were trying to eat an immortal kryptonian heretic. They-" I look pointedly at the g-pooka. "-were lucky that it didn't infect the rest of them."
They both nod.
"Be that as it may. The cost. What do you want in exchange for your services?"
Lesley makes a show of thinking about it. **Two kilograms of platinum.**
Lisa nods. **Or payment in kind.**
"Expensive, but not impossible. What else do you want?"
Lisa straightens up slightly. **Psions and citadelians both use advanced cloning technology. This interests UUs.**
**And their medical technology in GGeneral.**
He looks at me. "Is importing that sort of technology a problem?"
"No, not at all. Earth has so much schizo technology that there's no point enforcing something like that."
"I'm afraid that very little of either has come up for sale. But I have been meaning to send scavenging teams to Wombworld for a while, and I believe that the citadelians had cloning systems on their larger ships. How does five tanks, the associated systems and the plans therefore sound?"
Lisa nods. **We are quite CContented.**
"Then I believe that we are ready to depart. Lantern?"
I nod, the g-gnomes clambering into their cubby-holes on the g-lusca's tank as I stand and extend my tendrils to it. Then I hold out my left hand to Lesley. "Lesley?"
Lesley blinks, and then saunters over and takes my hand. I extend my environmental shield over her, the tank and Commodore Amalak.
"We'll be back in a couple of days."