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

Pez · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
The g-goblin nods slowly. I've noticed that the LexCorp g-goblin isn't anything like as expressive as the others. Even the older ones. Not sure why that is; Lex has been making an effort to be more genuinely personable lately, particularly when compared to the way 'old' Lex used to treat aliens. To say nothing of telepaths. Old Lex would have would have rather given himself root canal chirurgery without anaesthetic rather than rely on a telepath like this.

I sense there's something here, but I'm too stupid to parse it out fully.

Thanks for the chapter!

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
second through when you get a better offer?

'second thought'

Mr Zoat said:
Ogaden as a notion

maybe 'nation'

Mr Zoat said:
offers of seconded military

maybe 'seasoned'

Mr Zoat said:
strong willing enough to resist

'strong, willing' or 'strong and willing'

Mr Zoat said:
"No. I'll take a flotilla and make a good will tour."

Probably not a good idea to leave Luthor alone on a warship and then send him into space.

The chances of him going going all "Ahh, ME GOD-EMPEROR OF MANKIND, LOOK AT MY SHINY GOLD" are kinda high.

Mr Zoat said:
Turning up with warships doesn't exactly shout 'friends'."

Especially if the one running that ship is Luthor.

Agent Orange · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
And no one will expect a dedicated explorer to fight actual warships.

That sounds like... Hey! You want Enterprise!

thepsyborg · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Incorruptible genome-supported policing.

I'm not entirely sure, but I suspect this is intended to be G-gnome-supported policing.

Ganurath · Jan 2, 2021

If finding skilled labor is that difficult... I'm guessing that South America didn't get wrecked by superhuman native opportunism during the Sheeda invasion?

Vaermina · Jan 2, 2021

Well... You can tell this is going to end really really badly...

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Ganurath said:
If finding skilled labor is that difficult... I'm guessing that South America didn't get wrecked by superhuman native opportunism during the Sheeda invasion?

The Sheeda invasion wasn't that big of an issue renegade side.

After they showed up they were quickly defeated.

The Accala also don't have plant magic and the support of a hyper-powerful plant elemental in the renegade side.

Chojin Patriarch · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
5th July 2012
04:21 GMT +3

I watch through the one way glass as one of the latest batch of EDF applicants is interviewed. They're going over his employment history at the moment, the interviewee looking fairly cheerful as he explains his design portfolio to the nodding interviewer.

No doubt another spy looking to get some inside info on their tech. I wonder how many applicants are just that.

Lex is sitting next to me, scrolling through the files on the rest. I turn my head his way, raising my eyebrows.

"Has this been a big problem?"

If more of their applicants are spies than not, this could take a long time...

"That depends on your definition of 'big'. The fact is that people are often rather attached to the country of their birth. Even someone with no history with their nation's intelligence service is a risk. And, naturally, I can't tell you what percentage of security risks are getting though our screening, because..."

"Yes."

After all, people do talk to their family. And it's all too likely that they'd spill something without even thinking. If it's known that they're working for Luthor's fleet, their family will undoubtedly be bugged to hell and back...

That's another reason why we're focusing our development efforts on Africa, of course. If your country was a corrupt shit hole before my allies 'arrange things', you're not going to feel all that emotionally attached to the institutions of state. If your country is only held together by external pressure, are you going to spare it a second through when you get a better offer?

A sad statement about human nature, but alas, such is the world. No matter how much or how little someone has, they always end up wanting more.

As the developed world's immigration statistics tell you, the answer's a resounding no. Which makes the place perfect for us. Company towns as far as the eye can see. Incorruptible genome-supported policing. Good roads. Reliable water supplies. Schools, admittedly focused on supplying the EDF's need but the EDF needs everything. There's a government around somewhere, but we're making a MegaCorp here. I doubt… Ah, what's this place-? Ogaden, that's it. I doubt Ogaden as a notion attracts a great deal of loyalty.

And various powers are eyeing up Luthor's projects with concern as he more or less buys himself a country, one bit at a time. At least they're making the region a better place to live.

So in twenty years we'll have a huge number of well educated, well trained 'post-nationalist' employees, but for now we're mostly looking for people who don't care all that much about their home country but either care about our mission or are prepared to learn to care about the EDF.

And don't work for their home country's intelligence agency like this git.

Ha! It's that obvious?Sooner or later, someone in their agency will catch on and send someone really well-trained. Does Luthor have contingency plans in case of Bond?

"Want me to have a word with the Chinese?"

"No, I think it's best if you don't mention it. Obviously they know that I'm working with you, but I doubt they'll comment on it unless you force the issue. It's better to keep the good will." His eyes flick my way as he smiles. "It's not as if anything you say will make them stop."

Yeah, getting any info they can on the spacecraft and weapons the ESF have displayed must be giving them raging espionage-boners...

I nod, and return my eyes to the interview being conducted with their latest effort. Lex has happily been accepting offers of seconded military personnel from everyone who offers them, but their political masters have swiftly realised that we're not giving them access to design schematics, let alone the more sensitive parts of the EDF's technology catalogue. So they're getting thorough demonstrations on how to use Dr. Metcalf's equipment but without any real idea how to replicate it.

Smart. Because you know the second someone gets even the slightest bit of info...

So many things we're not able to patent for fear that someone will do something stupid with the knowledge. Or worse, clever.

...Exactly. And the worst part is, it's hard to be sure which is worse.

"It's starting to get a little difficult to recruit people who aren't from Africa."

I frown, turning to face him.

"Surely there are enough idealists for what you need?"

Idealism will only go so far. Sooner or later, you have to look to the more mercenary types.

"There's a very narrow Venn Diagram overlap between people idealistic enough to rise above their patriotism, strong willing enough to resist pressure from their home nations and skilled enough to actually be useful. And we have to make sure that they stay that way."

"Do you want to accelerate the colonisation schedule?"

I'm impressed that they even have a colonisation schedule. Grayven's serious about splitting humanity from its single-world biome...

That would be… Difficult. Life-bearing worlds tend to bear life. Most of the immediately-habitable planets in this Sector already have people on them. Quite a few of the marginal ones as well. We have the technology to build habitats, but what's the point? There isn't much they can do that can't be done far more easily on a planet. The worlds we've tentatively identified as possible expansion targets aren't all that appealing places to live and won't be at any point in the near future. There are a few nicer worlds in the region that no one's using yet, but they're far further away which… Causes its own problems.

Yes, I doubt many people will appreciate their territory, no matter how empty, being used as a bypass by another species. And unless some genius develops some manner of Genesis device, they will be very busy terraforming for a long time to come...

"I don't see that we can. Unless one of our colleagues has a way to rapidly terraform an entire planet."

"I don't know of anyone with that capacity. If I could get hold of Swamp Thing and… Somehow talked him into it, he could accelerate the growth of local plant life forms. But terraforming requires that the entire ecosystem develop together."

You'd have to convince all the Elemental parliaments to cooperate. And that makes herding cats look extremely easy...

"I don't suppose he has an equivalent for microbes and insects, doe he?"

"Not one I've met. Distant colonisation is far more feasible. We'd have to make a bigger effort to make friends with the neighbours. Probably a good idea to come up with a casus amicus in advance. Want me to take a look?"

Well, there is the Rot or the Grey. But they aren't the most personable parliament.

"No. I'll take a flotilla and make a good will tour."

"That's.. not really a thing, on other planets. Turning up with warships doesn't exactly shout 'friends'."

TO be honest, when has a 'good will tour' ever been anything but a nation showing off how big their metaphorical military dick, ever?

"Then I'll have to establish another tradition. Mister Mere, do you have enough?"

The g-goblin nods slowly. I've noticed that the LexCorp g-goblin isn't anything like as expressive as the others. Even the older ones. Not sure why that is; Lex has been making an effort to be more genuinely personable lately, particularly when compared to the way 'old' Lex used to treat aliens. To say nothing of telepaths. Old Lex would have would have rather given himself root canal chirurgery without anaesthetic rather than rely on a telepath like this.

Presumably taking cues from Lex, or picking up some lingering dislike from him and treating him in kind. I'm honestly impressed Lex is being so pleasant around them...

"Mercy, tell Mister Keates that he can conclude the interview at his leisure."

A nod and a touch of a computer pad.

No doubt with a polite 'Don't call us, we'll call you.' I doubt the spy's bosses will be happy...

"How was… Pony Land?"

I bow my head slightly, smiling as I do so.

If Lex weren't so busy, a trip there might be good for him... Or his biggest nightmare... Surrounded by strange, inhuman creatures, yet recognising so many human traits in them...

"Equestria."

"Gesundheit."

An oldie but a goodie.

"Thank you. It's a wonderful place. Almost like a children's animated series brought to life. A… Well written one, with the occasional competent adversary-."

"I'm familiar with the type. My media companies produce several."

I'm sure they do. Hmm... If My Little Pony doesn't exist here, what does the brony demographic fixate on? Littlest Pet Shop?

"Interested in doing a documentary on the other side of the mirror? The videos of Luna are generating a farcical amount of attention, given what else is going on around here."

He pauses, then pushes his datapad aside and gives me his full attention.

Imagine if they set up a base with flying drones that just casually flew about filming interesting things... Like the ultimate nature documentary-slash-reality show ever... But can you imagine the legal nightmare that would be?

"Has your paramour agreed to that?"

"Not yet. Though honestly, I think she'll find the whole process fascinating." Hm. "I may have to remind her that she doesn't need to project her voice so much with modern microphones. She was born in an earlier age and has a very healthy set of 'addressing the troops' lungs."

Probably a little bit of magic involved, given that she can literally blow ponies away using Royal Canterlot Voice...

"That is an interesting idea. And meeting a friendly alien species will serve to encourage people to consider the less militant aspect of interstellar expeditions."

"Could do a series, then. Mars has more or less stabilised, and Tamaran's populated by orange swimsuit models."

Might get some attention drawn to Mars. And Tamaran would become one hell of a tourist destination...

He nods. "Mars, yes. But while our ships are perfectly capable of reaching Tamaran, it would be a stretch on our supply lines."

I… Think for a moment.

Oh, that's always trouble. I fancy the sixty-plus light-year trip might be a bit much at this point...

"How quickly can we put together a long ranged exploration vessel?"

"A dedicated one?" I nod. "I'm sure that Doctor Metcalf has a design. We can't really afford to refit an existing battlecruiser, but we could probably assemble one inside a year. Why?"

I fully expect such a design to be evolved and improved upon over the years. Why, you could make it look completely harmless... Until it busts out defensive death-rays...

"There aren't any heavily fortified obstacles between here and Tamaran. The only outstanding problems are raiders. And no one will expect a dedicated explorer to fight actual warships. So there's no loss of pride if I arrange for the ship to be met at the other end by a friendly fleet."

"And it will serve as a further encouragement to anyone interested in peaceful space travel." He nods. "I agree. I'll draft a request for Doctor Metcalf."

So they'll be able to have their own Star Trek program...

After all, they're already working on Star Wars.

I smile broadly. "I do so like living in the future. Don't you?"

Behind me, Mr. Keates smiles as he shakes hands with the failed Chinese spy and sends him on his way.

Why, it's like science fiction or something.

And the Renegade's side continues to advance.Honestly, the Paragon really needs to nudge some people to get on this kind of thing, he can't keep a L.E.G.I.O.N fleet on station all the time. And presumably, tomorrow will cut back to the Paragon just in time to have skipped the White Martian delegates speeches. I do hope we get them summarized...

"I don't suppose he has an equivalent for microbes and insects, doe he?"

"I don't suppose he has an equivalent for microbes and insects, does he?"

Flightless Man · Jan 2, 2021

After everything Renegade has been involved in, I am kind of surprised no one started a church for him when he said he was god of conquest.

Handlewithcare · Jan 2, 2021

Agent Orange said:
That sounds like... Hey! You want Enterprise!

Archer Enterprise was less "not fighting raiders" and more "actively getting your ass kicked by raiders"

But yeah, tens of thousands would jump at the possibility of "boldly going"

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
And various powers are eyeing up Luthor's projects with concern as he more or less buys himself a country, one bit at a time.

Wouldn't you be concerned if Luthor is gaining more power?

And even when it seems he's making things better, he tends to revert back to stupid evil mode.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ha! It's that obvious?Sooner or later, someone in their agency will catch on and send someone really well-trained. Does Luthor have contingency plans in case of Bond?

Make a robot female that carries a super STD in her vagina.

Chojin Patriarch said:
...Exactly. And the worst part is, it's hard to be sure which is worse.

I'm leaning toward the stupid part.

Chojin Patriarch said:
TO be honest, when has a 'good will tour' ever been anything but a nation showing off how big their metaphorical military dick, ever?

That could explain why Luthor wants to do one.

It wouldn't be the weirdest sexual ting he wants to do, given that Kon exists.

Chojin Patriarch said:
I'm honestly impressed Lex is being so pleasant around them...

Even Luthor can have a good idea sometimes.

Chojin Patriarch said:
If Lex weren't so busy, a trip there might be good for him... Or his biggest nightmare... Surrounded by strange, inhuman creatures, yet recognising so many human traits in them...

Now I want him to go just to watch him experience a mental breakdown.

Granted he may be resilient, seeing as he's spent time with someone he thinks is an alien.

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Flightless Man said:
After everything Renegade has been involved in, I am kind of surprised no one started a church for him when he said he was god of conquest.

Actually he does have worshipers.

Mr Zoat said:
"And then there are… Sufficiently advanced aliens." I smile. "And I'm not talking about me here. Although I.. do actually have human worshippers now.

Handlewithcare said:
Archer Enterprise was less "not fighting raiders" and more "actively getting your ass kicked by raiders"

But yeah, tens of thousands would jump at the possibility of "boldly going"

To be fair, they were just starting out in the space exploration thing and didn't have some of the most advanced ships in the known universe.

Z3r0Sama · Jan 2, 2021

I've said it before and I'll say it again, these chapters really show that humanity needed The Light, just not the original bunch of doofuses. Everytime Light 2.0 makes an appearance it brings a tear to my eye when the brain trust acts logically to solve problems the heroes were unaware of or unwilling to aknowledge, instead of supervillian solutions.

Pinklestia · Jan 2, 2021

Z3r0Sama said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again, these chapters really show that humanity needed The Light, just not the original bunch of doofuses. Everytime Light 2.0 makes an appearance it brings a tear to my eye when the brain trust acts logically to solve problems the heroes were unaware of or unwilling to aknowledge, instead of supervillian solutions.

Well... conquering the future for a few hundreds years was a supervillain solution. Leaving? That was not.

Darko said:
Make a robot female that carries a super STD in her vagina.

I can totally see Space Age Lex doing that.

Vaermina said:
Well... You can tell this is going to end really really badly...

Why? Is not like Grayven lacks the resources and allies to help protect the fleet. Plus they are going to Tamaran who could use more allies and who likes Grayven.

Granted they could get attacked by the Reach but Tamaran is literally uncontested territory, neither rhe GLs or the Reach have any interest on it in Canon DC timelines. Here? They have Orange Lanterns Corps who are staying more or less neutral instead of making the huge stupidity of fighting the Reach directly.

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Pinklestia said:
Granted they could get attacked by the Reach but Tamaran is literally uncontested territory, neither rhe GLs or the Reach have any interest on it in Canon DC timelines. Here? They have Orange Lanterns Corps who are staying more or less neutral instead of making the huge stupidity of fighting the Reach directly.

Fighting the Reach isn't stupid.

If they're allowed to expand further then they can gain more resources, advance their tech and develop more weapons, and enslave entire species.

Also by fighting them it's possible to free the ones they've enslaved.

Vaermina · Jan 2, 2021

Pinklestia said:
Why? Is not like Grayven lacks the resources and allies to help protect the fleet. Plus they are going to Tamaran who could use more allies and who likes Grayven.

Granted they could get attacked by the Reach but Tamaran is literally uncontested territory, neither rhe GLs or the Reach have any interest on it in Canon DC timelines. Here? They have Orange Lanterns Corps who are staying more or less neutral instead of making the huge stupidity of fighting the Reach directly.

Because it's Lex Luthor.

In the entire multiverse there's a grand total of one Lex Luthor that can actually be trusted, and that's the mirror universe Lex Luthor.

Agent Orange · Jan 2, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
But yeah, tens of thousands would jump at the possibility of "boldly going"

And somehow 99% of them would end up impregnated by spider queens of the bunch (if they're lucky). Alien Space Babes look for main characters not redshifts.

Mr Zoat · Jan 2, 2021

Darko said:
'second thought'
'strong, willing' or 'strong and willing'

Thank you, corrected.

maybe 'nation'
maybe 'seasoned'

No, that's correct.

thepsyborg said:
I'm not entirely sure, but I suspect this is intended to be G-gnome-supported policing.

Thank you, corrected.

Ganurath said:
If finding skilled labor is that difficult... I'm guessing that South America didn't get wrecked by superhuman native opportunism during the Sheeda invasion?

Indeed it didn't. But their governments are a good deal more functional than the ones in Africa.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And various powers are eyeing up Luthor's projects with concern as he more or less buys himself a country, one bit at a time. At least they're making the region a better place to live.

Continent. Not country.

Presumably taking cues from Lex, or picking up some lingering dislike from him and treating him in kind. I'm honestly impressed Lex is being so pleasant around them...

No, it's just that the differences between a g-goblin and a g-hobgoblin are outwardly fairly slight.

I'm sure they do. Hmm... If My Little Pony doesn't exist here, what does the brony demographic fixate on? Littlest Pet Shop?

No.

"I don't suppose he has an equivalent for microbes and insects, does he?"

Thank you, corrected.

Flightless Man said:
After everything Renegade has been involved in, I am kind of surprised no one started a church for him when he said he was god of conquest.

He does have worshippers. He just doesn't have much direct contact with them.

Agent Orange said:
And somehow 99% of them would end up impregnated by spider queens of the bunch (if they're lucky). Alien Space Babes look for main characters not redshifts.

I suspect that you mean 'redshirts'.

Agent Orange · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
I suspect that you mean 'redshirts'.

I do, thank you. [Also Redshirts is an awesome novel] Btw do EDF uniforms resemble pyjamas with mostly red top half?

Sockmonkey · Jan 2, 2021

Darko said:
Actually he does have worshipers.

If he accepts them, can they get passive buffs from him even if he's not actively doing it?

Mr Zoat · Jan 2, 2021

Agent Orange said:
Btw do EDF uniforms resemble pyjamas with mostly red top half?

The hazing uniform does. The regular one doesn't.

Sockmonkey said:
If he accepts them, can they get passive buffs from him even if he's not actively doing it?

No. As Grayven himself has pointed out, worshipping him does nothing for them and next to nothing for him.

Ganurath · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Indeed it didn't. But their governments are a good deal more functional than the ones in Africa.

...I can't do that justice without getting plenty of sleep first. Research politics from before QQ's cutoff... For now, I say that countries can be less bad than the worst of Africa and still be bad enough to be useful for poaching recruits.

Sordid Snake · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
That's another reason why we're focusing our development efforts on Africa, of course. If your country was a corrupt shit hole before my allies 'arranged things', you're not going to feel all that emotionally attached to the institutions of state. If your country is only held together by external pressure, are you going to spare it a second thought when you get a better offer?

In the absence of a working State (or if the State is actively malevolent) people are loyal to family, relatives and clan. Inside a larger organization (like a non-working State, or a megacorp) that loyalty expresses itself in behaviors indistinguishable from extreme nepotism and ubiquitous corruption. In fact, if the corp member refused to fix jobs for all their second-cousins and refused to use corp resources for the enrichment of their relatives their family would cut them off.

So no, areas without a working State are not full of disassociated atomized individuals that are just waiting to be poured in whatever aggregate shape desired.

If you want something like that you have to start with people who already are cut off from their families. Like abandoned orphans. But I expect G&L want employees today and not in 20 years.

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Sordid Snake said:
In the absence of a working State (or if the State is actively malevolent) people are loyal to family, relatives and clan. Inside a larger organization (like a non-working State, or a megacorp) that loyalty expresses itself in behaviors indistinguishable from extreme nepotism and ubiquitous corruption. In fact, if the corp member refused to fix jobs for all their second-cousins and refused to use corp resources for the enrichment of their relatives their family would cut them off.

So no, areas without a working State are not full of disassociated atomized individuals that are just waiting to be poured in whatever aggregate shape desired.

If you want something like that you have to start with people who already are cut off from their families. Like abandoned orphans. But I expect G&L want employees today and not in 20 years.

They probably are making sure that the people they're hiring aren't going to be practitioners of nepotism.

Rafin · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
No. As Grayven himself has pointed out, worshipping him does nothing for them and next to nothing for him.

What kinds of people worship him?

DrThoth · Jan 2, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
No. As Grayven himself has pointed out, worshipping him does nothing for them and next to nothing for him.

I don't remember when he discussed that; was it in the segment where he was discussing alien religions and gave the talk show host the chance to tour monasteries near the Source Wall?
Did he explain why exactly it does nothing? He was able to influence Kon and Match and demotivate some lawyers working against him at some point, so a pool of active worshippers seems like a useful resource considering belief is a tangible force (and he does miss the straightforward influence he had in the Land of Summer's End). I can see him garnering worshippers making him a bigger concern to the League or something, but I don't think that would be something that would stop him.

Mr Zoat · Jan 2, 2021

Rafin said:
What kinds of people worship him?

A variety of people. Neo-pagans, superhero groupies who heard 'god' and got the wrong idea, people who like his public stance and started as a joke...

Darko said:
They probably are making sure that the people they're hiring aren't going to be practitioners of nepotism.

It's more the classical 'you serve the community by serving the ideals of the community' rather than blocking people. The EDF has an excellent community involvement program.

Pinklestia · Jan 2, 2021

Vaermina said:
Because it's Lex Luthor.

In the entire multiverse there's a grand total of one Lex Luthor that can actually be trusted, and that's the mirror universe Lex Luthor.

Eh, there are a few that can be trusted to keep their word... Sometimes.

Now, Lex knows that he cannot conquer Tamaran and that he depends on Grayven.... for now.

Nothing will happen by Lex part for at least two years.

After that... who knows?

Mr Zoat said:
who heard 'god' and got the wrong idea

The right idea, he is actually a real God.

Darko · Jan 2, 2021

Pinklestia said:
The right idea, he is actually a real God.

I think he meant that they thought he wanted to be worshiped after saying he's a god.

We typically think that gods want to be worshiped, so maybe they also thought he wanted to be worshiped, even though he doesn't want it.

Pinklestia · Jan 2, 2021

Darko said:
I think he meant that they thought he wanted to be worshiped after saying he's a god.

We typically think that gods want to be worshiped, so maybe they also thought he wanted to be worshiped, even though he doesn't want it.

Wasn't his tentacle monster cult basically worshiping him anyway?

And one of the girls who works for him does worship him.

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

Spaceman

Connoisseur.

Experienced.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Apologizes For Nothing

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Veteran Lurker

Versed in the lewd.

Versed in the lewd.

Connoisseur.

Connoisseur.

Not too sore, are you?

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Well worn.

Experienced.

Dedicated ragequitter

Experienced.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Dedicated ragequitter

Apologizes For Nothing

(Verified Viper)

Connoisseur.

Not too sore, are you?

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Dedicated ragequitter

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Well worn.

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