Darko
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They probably expected to kill themselves if they ever met an alien.
Very likely.
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They probably expected to kill themselves if they ever met an alien.
Someone's got to babysit, after all. And teach. I'm guessing they don't have much of a childhood...
Ah, the greatest superpower relating to leadership: Delegation. For when you don't want to deal with that shit yourself...
doesn't -> don't
Shouldn't it just be 'rare metals' instead of 'earth metals'? I guess earth literally means dirt, but do people really call things like gold and tungsten earth metals instead of just metals?Deposits of titanium and various rare earth metals are more accessible in the asteroids here-"
Shouldn't it just be 'rare metals' instead of 'earth metals'? I guess earth literally means dirt, but do people really call things like gold and tungsten earth metals instead of just metals?
Thank you, corrected.
No.Shouldn't it just be 'rare metals' instead of 'earth metals'? I guess earth literally means dirt, but do people really call things like gold and tungsten earth metals instead of just metals?
I get the feeling they're kind of surprised that an outsider is being so reasonable.
"Reasonable Aliens? Quick, everyone! Take your cyanide tablets!"
This is genuinely interesting. The more you know
She nods. "That should be sufficient for a provisional agreement. I will relay it now.
"What will you do with the Leentniar currently assigned to pirate duties and their crew?"
What does this mean? The Leentniar pirate captains and their crew? Are substantial non-Leentniar crews normal?
And no survivors amongst the Leentniar. The people who surrendered are local pirate groups they co-opted, in order to increase their plausible deniability. The Leentniar appear to have gone in for some sort of electromagnetic suicide implant, just to make sure that nothing in their brain was readable post-mortem.
Should be 'Chance'.
. I don't think that the Leentnair are planning anything foolish
"I would not want to extend my own life at a cost to the Leentnair
"But I'm not offering it to them. We Orange Lanterns are, I'm afraid, pernicious individualists. I'm genuinely curious about what you'll choose. Do you want to die because you're contaminated and can't live with the self-doubt and disgust, or will you live because you don't want to deprive the Leentnair of whoever would need to be exiled in your place?"
My eyes are glowing as I lean towards her.
Looking at her like this is fascinating. She doesn't know how she's expected to answer. She's trying to work out the right answer, images of her teachers, family members and inspirational figures flashing through her active desire network while I watch. She wants to be right more than she wants to live, and she's more worried about getting it 'wrong' than about dying. Which could be a problem if I intended to give her a ring. Although in a purely industrial setting she would probably be useful.
"Or have you realised that what would you're your people most is getting hold of an orange power ring and learning how to use it?"
"I don't… I haven't-. What do you want in exchange for giving one of us a power ring?"
Ooh, so close. She appears genuinely afraid of taking something for herself. Let's see if I can break through that reluctance.
"Do you want to live?"
"I… Don't. I don't have any strong attachment to my own existence. I live to serve the Leentnair. I die to serve the Leentnair."
Drat.
Ah, still a little business left to handle here, I see. A few last details to hash out...9th July 2012
06:58 GMT
I nod.
"Then we have an agreement in principle. Now, implementation. I assume that your masters will want your military forces to check the system before moving your civilian population there?"
Indeed, they haven't really done anything to show their trustworthiness yet."Yes."
I could send Lantern Gozzi, but I… Think that having the two of us stick together is a better idea. I don't think that the Leentnair are planning anything foolish, but it's best not to give them a target just in case.
Make sure no-one tries to poke the sleeping bear, eh? Or takes exception to their new neighbours."In the interests of avoiding potential misunderstandings, Lantern Gozzi and I will accompany you. We will communicate our accord to the neighbouring systems-" Not 'neighbouring' in the sense of being next to, but in the sense of being in the same general area. "-and ensure that no one troubles you."
"Acceptable. I will convey that to the Fleetmaster."
Huh. I guess she's accepted the reality of her death? Respectable, but wasteful."Before.. that. I can't help but notice that you're unwell. Since it's now in our interest that you're people survive, I'm happy to include medical technology in addition to the ship designs without extra concessions on your part."
That seems to make her uneasy.
In other words, shut up and accept it. Is that so hard?"I would not want to extend my own life at a cost to the Leentnair. If there are other technologies-."
"This is non-transferable. It really isn't in our interests to generally give you technology when you're not using it for us, but medical technology allows you to maintain your population more efficiently."
A masterwork of understatement. I'm guessing she looks more like a chemo patient in a spacesuit..."Then we accept."
"Would you like to be treated first? You don't look well."
In the face of that, what's a little more 'contamination', after all?"That would be a wasteful allocation of resources."
"What, you expect someone else to volunteer for 'dealing with aliens' duty? Aren't you already, by your standards, contaminated?"
A clever way to frame the question. Given the clear focus on value to the whole, it's going to be interesting to see her desire networks in action..."I was expecting to die. There are others with more vital-."
"But I'm not offering it to them. We Orange Lanterns are, I'm afraid, pernicious individualists. I'm genuinely curious about what you'll choose. Do you want to die because you're contaminated and can't live with the self-doubt and disgust, or will you live because you don't want to deprive the Leentnair of whoever would need to be exiled in your place?"
And as useful as Lanterns are in combat, some just aren't suited to war. So it makes sense to recruit some gifted with construction and rebuilding, to fix what the warriors break.My eyes are glowing as I lean towards her.
Looking at her like this is fascinating. She doesn't know how she's expected to answer. She's trying to work out the right answer, images of her teachers, family members and inspirational figures flashing through her active desire network while I watch. She wants to be right more than she wants to live, and she's more worried about getting it 'wrong' than about dying. Which could be a problem if I intended to give her a ring. Although in a purely industrial setting she would probably be useful.
Especially since that would basically mean a lifetime's exile, given the 'contamination' it would entail..."Or have you realised that what would you're your people most is getting hold of an orange power ring and learning how to use it?"
"I don't… I haven't-. What do you want in exchange for giving one of us a power ring?"
Now, for most other races, that would be an easy question...Ooh, so close. She appears genuinely afraid of taking something for herself. Let's see if I can break through that reluctance.
"Do you want to live?"
...But here... Well, their devotion to a collective whole seems to make them less suitable."I… Don't. I don't have any strong attachment to my own existence. I live to serve the Leentnair. I die to serve the Leentnair."
Drat.
If only to prove that these aliens do have their best interests in mind."Okay. But how does that apply here?"
"I believe that I should ask to be healed."
So, most people he's healed come out with a free beauty treatment on top of the patching up? Amusing image...I reach toward and tap my fingertips against her forehead, a wave of orange passing through her body. I still have a bit of a problem with idealised forms when I do this… Though I imagine that most people don't consider it to be a 'problem'. Maybe I should have looked into her species' standards of beauty, but some things translate reliably between humanoid species and… She's going to be an ambassador anyway, so there's no real problem.
Betting she hasn't been able to do that without pain in a long time..."That alright?"
She takes a moment to evaluate, rolling her shoulders and taking deep breaths.
Hmm... Compassion, maybe, or a tint of Love? I mean, there's conceivably a shade of emotion for anything... We only see the big seven because Canon."Did you remove my medication?"
"It wasn't healthy for healthy people to have that in their system. I'm a little surprised-" But only a little. It's a bit of a shame that there isn't a colour for communalism. "-that you were still upright."
OL, getting just a bit pervy there. Keep it professional, man."This meeting did not require me to walk." She moves her legs slightly, her additional muscle and fat mass making a posture with legs further apart more comfortable. "Are you prepared for us to move now?"
"Are you prepared to keep living now?"
So, no Leentniar Lantern just yet... It would take a fairly aberrant mind by their standards to be a good Lantern, I think."There doesn't appear to be any immediate benefit to my death, so, yes."
"Excellent. We'll speak against shortly. Lantern Gozzi, with me."
Time for a private chat, eh? Wonder what Gozzi was making of all that...I turn away from their diplomat… 'Outward-facer', and walk back towards the exterior exit. Lantern Gozzi follows me, and a moment later I hear the sound of the armour plug sliding back into position along its rails.
Ring to ring.
Compliance.
Underestimating him is easy to do. He looks so unassuming, doesn't he? Then he busts out a shield big enough to cover a planet, or tears apart artificial singularities and you remember why he's the Illustres...I thought that went well. Change of a backstab?
Low, I should think. I think I should say that just before we boarded I calculated the power you used to disrupt their singularities and gravity drives. I had been underestimating you.
So, how much charge did it cost him? Even with three or so rings to provide extra capacity, that must have been a toughie.With power rings it's not a simple energy output calculation.
The plug clunks into position and the air is drawn out of the room.
Again, you'd have to find someone with even self-interest to look beyond the crew, and be willing to surrender themselves into exile... I doubt most would fulfil those conditions...And always remember that my power output is something that any other Lantern can equal, you included. Actually, most do, though only in short bursts.
Were you considering their diplomat for a ring?
Yes, but I don't think she'd be a good fit. I'll take a look at the others when we get to their civilian fleet and try and find someone who thinks in the right ways there.
Interesting. Showing them a modicum of respect by trusting that they'll comply. Given they probably realise that he's capable of carrying out his threat, I bet betrayal would be a hard sell...The outer door opens and we fly out. I take a moment to release my grip on the fabric of space-time as Lantern Gozzi and I fly in the direction of their new home.
"Orange Lanterns to Ambassador. Please pass on the destination to the Fleetmaster in order for it to be relayed to the rest of the fleet. We will wait for you there."
Letting her have a headstart, eh?
And the leadership goes 'Are they gone yet? Thank the homeworld...'She glows and then vanishes, and I take another moment to look at the ships. Some visible ware, but from an external position they seem to be in good repair. I assume that they only use them during major offensives, but I'll have to ask the Masters when we visit the civilian fleet.
Then I turn away and warp out.
You know, used to be to use a Power Ring you had to exhibit Great Will/Rage/Hope/Love/ or Inspire Great Fear...and orange is supposed to drive you batshit insane, and indigo brainwashes you though that's likely by design of the staff rather than the Indigo light itself...
Hmm... Compassion, maybe, or a tint of Love? I mean, there's conceivably a shade of emotion for anything... We only see the big seven because Canon.
Couple more chapters seeing them settle in, I suppose, to finish out the episode. Assuming nothing goes wrong, like their neighbours refusing to play nice, or something ridiculous like a giant planet-eater rolling up... Still, OL has it covered, I think.
It would take a fairly aberrant mind by their standards to be a good Lantern, I think.
Thank you, corrected.
Ah, the bunnyfic.There was this fic on SB in which the ring used joy and was teal colored.
Collars? How primitive.Not going to lie. I was expecting her battle royal collar to go off after OL healed her.
Um. The original idea was that it would happen long after the end of the story. The Renegade decides that demons offer absolutely no value to anything and decides to do his own Harrowing of Hell.Mr Zoat, I was just reading old posts, and found one that says that the Renegade will meet Hitler. Will that still happen?
So he goes Doomguy on them. Nice.Um. The original idea was that it would happen long after the end of the story. The Renegade decides that demons offer absolutely no value to anything and decides to do his own Harrowing of Hell.