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

I think Kaldur considers Calvin to be his real dad, even if he's not his biological dad.

And a lot of criminals want to raise their kids, but that doesn't mean they should.
Does that mean I can go back in time and legitimately take George Washington's children?

Because I'll take that trade.
Pretty sure that he was targeting innocent people, given who his employer was.
Why?

Orm had actual Atlantean racists to go regular thuggery. The targets we see Black Manta go after are government and military.
Oh, I don't doubt he's been doing other things, but I do doubt Kaldur would be pleased by those things and suddenly want to form a bond with his gene-donor.
Probably not. If Black Manta had raised him, do you think he'd care about the traitor who married his absentee mother?
 
Does that mean I can go back in time and legitimately take George Washington's children?

Because I'll take that trade

I'm pretty sure they didn't kidnap Kaldur, but just didn't tell him that he existed.

Hell they may not have even been able to contact him even if they wanted to.

Calvin betrayed him so he probably got rid of any ways he can contact him and reveal his location because he was worried the Atlanteans could track him.

Why?

Orm had actual Atlantean racists to go regular thuggery. The targets we see Black Manta go after are government and military

He also had him attack Atlantis, and I'm betting he killed a lot of innocents during said attacks.

And I don't see why goverment and military people can't be considered innocent.

Probably not. If Black Manta had raised him, do you think he'd care about the traitor who married his absentee mother?

Maybe.

Even if Kaldur forms a relationship with Manta I'm pretty sure it will be more like a relationship between a parole officer and a parolee, as in Kaldur trying to make sure he doesn't start doing criminal things again, and not one between a father and son, seeing as his childhood with Calvin and his mother appears to have been very pleasant and he loves them.
 
I've got agree with Zoat on this one, Manta and his mercs actually seem to be better than the average PMC as far as rules of engagement goes from what I remember.

They have their issues, every military force does, but so long as the stayed professional then there isn't really anything to point at and say "Got 'cha!" on that you wouldn't be able to do the same to with even the most professional and well trained state militaries on Earth, and that's damn impressive for a mercenary company.
 
I've got agree with Zoat on this one, Manta and his mercs actually seem to be better than the average PMC as far as rules of engagement goes from what I remember.

They have their issues, every military force does, but so long as the stayed professional then there isn't really anything to point at and say "Got 'cha!" on that you wouldn't be able to do the same to with even the most professional and well trained state militaries on Earth, and that's damn impressive for a mercenary company.

Maybe, but that still doesn't mean Kaldur would be all that interested in starting a relationship with him.
 
Demon?!" Canis brings is mega

'his mega'

commander of Kryptonian military

'commander of the'

What you talking about?

'are you'

Who's the lucky woman? Assuming that Leviticus is canon."

I know that in the 2016 Lucifer comic one of the angels dated a guy, and in the previous Lucifer comic, Solomon, who takes the whole Bible thing very, very seriously, considered that gay guy to be innocent and was pissed at the guy who loved him not because he was gay, but rather because he mutilated and crippled the former.
 
Thet was most likely the source of your problem." Dr Balewa walks slowly towards us, patterns of light writhing around his right hand. "A human who encounters demon magic may resist it with the power of their soul. A newly born creature who had such power fed into them from the instant of their conception would have no such resistance." He looks at me solemnly. "You have experienced this yourself."

"Atlanteans modify creatures native to the Earth. Their spiritual presence is greater than what genomorphs possess. Any reports which you received from them would make those assumptions for the creature's baseline state." He shakes his head. "Individual genomorphs have barely the tiniest scrap of spirit. The demonic presence would have been overwhelming." He sighs deeply. "I cannot yet tell whether they were truly possessed or turned into some form of incarnate demon like Miss Blaze. Whichever it is, they are a grave and ill-defined threat."

Dr Balewa turns away, looking around the facility. "You will not create further genomorph types with innate arcane abilities. For those that you are already growing, you will not release them until I am here to supervise. Am I clear?"

He bows his head slightly. "People seldom do. How many of your own died?"

You have my condolences. But I hope that underlines why caution is required in-."

Dr Balewa blinks, his face falling. "How old are you?"

Children, I am surrounded by-." He

h. "Orange Lantern, can you assure me that they will comply with my requirements

"They built souls from demon magic. Even you were not so foolhardy." He takes a deep breath. "I must also tell-" He looks around at the rest of the genomorphs in the room, who are looking at him with horns glowing. "-you that at least two of the five g-oni which you created were successful in escaping from the Justice League. We do not know how they will behave, and we will expect you to report it if they attempt to contact you.

Very well. Orange Lantern, please come with me."

Can these genomorphs be trusted?"

"Yes. There cannot have been more than minutes between them leaving their pods and their arrival in Argentina. Perhaps the martian ship was detected the very moment it approached? The magic of the one who placed the wards would have been capable of that, and I-" His eyes narrow. "-will be speaking with them personally before the end of the day. But, the genomorphs made no reference to doing anything but following their own processes

"Nothing that could not be explained by things being as they claim that they are. But there is more going on than that

Do you understand why they attacked Nam-Ek?"

They were feeding upon his strength, using their magic to add it to their own. A new-born magician should not have the knowledge required to do that, nor any of the other magics they performed."

They may share knowledge readily, but that knowledge must come from somewhere. Giving someone power does not grant them the wisdom to use it well."

"Not certainly, but it is likely

The quote marks should be in white, as it's Dr Mist.

Just read something interesting about this whole Calvin taking Mantas kid thing.

My father never requested a paternity test. They were not sure until I told them that I was not his biological son

He didn't even know if Kaldur was Mantas.

Hell Manta may not have known that Kaldur was his biological kid until recently.

He wouldn't know how long that your stepfather and mother had been… Together. He wouldn't know exactly when you were born-." Although that information would have been available to the Light after New Year. Would they have passed it on? No obvious reason why they would…

Unless they wanted to just be evil dicks and cause a whole lot of drama.
 
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The quote marks should be in white, as it's Dr Mist.
For a horrifying moment I thought those were all on different posts.
Just read something interesting about this whole Calvin taking Mantas kid thing.

He didn't even know if Kaldur was Mantas.

Hell Manta may not have known that Kaldur was his biological kid until recently.

Unless they wanted to just be evil dicks and cause a whole lot of drama.
Wouldn't have been hard for Ocean Master to check.
 
Wouldn't have been hard for Ocean Master to check.

Assuming he even thought the two could be related.

He could have just as easily thought that Calvin was Kaldurs biological kid.

Calvin may have defected around the time Manta sired Kaldur so it's not that big of a stretch to think that Calvin could be his biological dad.

Though that could be how Manta found out about Kaldur in the show and comic canon.

Unless it happened in a different way in the source material.
 
Assuming he even thought the two could be related.

He could have just as easily thought that Calvin was Kaldurs biological kid.

Calvin may have defected around the time Manta sired Kaldur so it's not that big of a stretch to think that Calvin could be his biological dad.

Though that could be how Manta found out about Kaldur in the show and comic canon.

Unless it happened in a different way in the source material.
I rather imagine that they'd have checked Calvin Durham with biomancy when he got his gills.
 
I've got agree with Zoat on this one, Manta and his mercs actually seem to be better than the average PMC as far as rules of engagement goes from what I remember.

They have their issues, every military force does, but so long as the stayed professional then there isn't really anything to point at and say "Got 'cha!" on that you wouldn't be able to do the same to with even the most professional and well trained state militaries on Earth, and that's damn impressive for a mercenary company.
I agree, especially considering Black Manta's group is a traditional mercenary company rather then a publicly traded or privately held PMC. The legal differences between PMC and Mercenaries are actually quite strong.
 
"The military council was comprised of senior officers retired from active service, the field commander of Kryptonian military forces and the heads of each branch of the services. Depending on election results, additional individuals from areas not directly associated with Krypton's fighting force might also act in an advisory role."

That's a legitimate phrasing.

Not in this context it isn't. The title "field commander of military forces" is not a unique position; any officer who is in command of any operation qualifies. So "the field commander of" isn't appropriate, it would be like saying "the council is comprised of the heads of [whatever], the current member of Parliament, and the dean of Oxford." (Note: "the current member of Parliament for Flydale North" or whatever would be different... assuming there's only one per constituency, which I think is true.) "Overall field commander of..." or "field commander of the [...] forces" both add needed specificity. The former by specifying that you mean the most senior person who that title describes, and the latter because "commander of the military forces" means that you command all the forces, not just some. Technically that's still slightly ambiguous, e.g. the US President and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are both "commanders of the armed forces" (neither of them 'field'), but it's limited enough ambiguity that you can ignore it.
 
The Other Half (part 2)
12th July 2012
11:15 GMT -2


I watch as Grayven steps through the portal, careful to avoid being in a position where anyone on the far side could see me. It's curious that he feels the need to be personally present; I certainly wouldn't feel that my presence was necessary during the promotion of, say, a captain. Certainly not one from another city, no matter how close our relationship was. Given all that he's said of his own nature I'm a little concerned that means that on some level he considers everyone on Earth to be his vassals.

His 'boom tube' closes after he steps through, and I walk over to the balcony overlooking… I smile. Poseidonis. Not long ago I assumed that I'd never see this accursed city again. The Royal Palace and the Conservatory of Sorcery are much unchanged, at least from the outside. But it has been a long time. Stone has increasingly been replaced by cultured coral growth, and… Ah, that's new. Some sort of living structure..? How charmingly bizarre. The buildings are generally higher, and the codes they're using for the patterns of bioluminescence have changed a good deal. Sixty years ago the aim was to keep things simple. Now-.

I wonder if it's because it's less expensive now, or just a change in fashion? Expense isn't really an issue in Venturia at the moment, but if my city's new residents start making their buildings glow it could look a little messy. Will I need to send bailiffs around to the architects to remind them that Venturia's building regulations are not the same as those in their home cities? My own trade missions have been firmly instructed that their trade houses are to blend in, but I can't assume that my fellow rulers will have been as sensible.

I send a tiny mote of mana into my summoning ring, informing my courtiers that they may enter. I was… A little discomported to discover that in Poseidonis the lower orders use something similar to arrange anonymous sexual liaisons, but thankfully the design is sufficiently dissimilar that I doubt any of them mistook my intentions.

Behind me my advisors file in. Cyprian's acting as my regent in Venturia itself, which… I can't help but feel a little guilty about 'blocking his advancement' like this. Goodness knows he's done more to deserve being my heir than any of the other placeholders I've designated over the decades. When I asked him he told me that he only wanted to serve Venturia to the best of his abilities, and I know that's… True. I also know for a fact that I'd be nothing like as equanimitous in his place. I struck gold there in a way that my own father didn't with me, and I'm sure he'll stay loyal when it becomes obvious that 'Crown Prince' is a near-completely empty title.

But it seems like a waste.

I turn towards the table where my cabinet are now awaiting my presence and swim to my position at the head of the table. I take a moment to make eye contact with everyone, then nod to my Chancellor.

"Your majesty. The first issue on today's agenda is the recent diplomatic initiative from Aurania."

I raise my eyebrows slightly, not irritated but definitely unimpressed.

"What's new about this one?"

"They've asked Poseidonis to act as intermediaries. Which means that things have progressed to the point where they're trying to work around the embargo."

Vexing. Yes, extremely vexing. We try to minimise that sort of thing by requiring end-user authentication for any potentially dangerous products we import. But to a degree we're dependent on High King Orin being willing to allow preferential treatment for particular cities. He's well within his rights to demand that I either allow free trade or at least grant all of our neighbours the same terms. I had thought that we would have another year or so before he got frustrated enough to intervene, but perhaps I misjudged his temperament. Or perhaps Grayven's efforts on David's behalf have pushed him into premature action.

I glance at my Trade Minister.

"Are we certain?"

There wasn't much point in having an Intelligence Minister while we were isolated. There was an intelligence group attached to the guard, but they were there to detect traitors and other criminals. Since we've normalised relations there has been a significant increase in crime -mostly but not exclusively committed by recent immigrants- and a great many more people we need information on. From simple things like regional prices and demand to more… Personal information. Leaving the task of gathering intelligence on other Atlantean cities to the Ministry of Trade is a reasonable way of disguising our purposes… Though in all honesty trade intelligence is what they're focusing on. The quality of our actual foreign political and military intelligence gathering is lamentable.

"We're not certain that High King Orin has made a decision, but instructions are definitely coming from someone in the Poseidonis government."

Which is another reason to avoid centralisation that Orin has completely ignored. Having a High King who is able to act as an autocrat is essential for the good of Atlantis for the same reason that my ability to act as an autocrat within my own city is essential for Venturia. But ruling like that full time for every issue is impossible.

I consider what Grayven told me for a moment.

For anyone but Darkseid, apparently. I'm not certain that I truly understand what living in such a state would be like, but what I can imagine is frightful.

And granting crown officers that same ability in all fields? Madness. It results in little kings and queens infesting the apparatus of government, acting as they will, spreading disorder everywhere they go. And worse, they claim that they're doing it in the name of a monarch who in truth has no idea what they're doing.

Adom and I agree completely about that. The sovereign is above the law. Everyone else must abide by it, even if they claim to be on Crown business.

"Is someone going beyond their authority, or are they acting on the High King's stated desires?"

"I'm sorry, your majesty, I just don't know. Do you want me to put more effort into finding out?"

I'm certain that Grayven would be willing to discover the answer to that. Though I would not be astonished if he decided to find out by walking up to High King Orin and directly asking him. Which isn't a terrible idea, actually, if I prepare a compromise offer in advance to present to him. It would bypass whichever of his minions has an axe to grind -or who has perhaps been bought by the Auranians- which would be convenient. It would also allow me to avoid talking to anyone in the Auranian senate, loathsome worms that they are.

"No, that's alright. We would have had to deal with that eventually, anyway."

"Your majesty? Ah, do we..? Have a concrete objective in our dealings with Aurania? Do we wish for them to become economically weaker than a particular city state? Or… Lose the High King's favour in some way? I understand our historical enmity, but it would help me immensely if I had a better idea of what I was trying to achieve."

He looks nervous, but he has a point. Initially, I decreed that we would grant them only the most unfavourable terms purely out of spite. But as a result of my advanced age I've outlived everyone who had earned my ire. And Ptra..? She's not my daughter in any meaningful way, but the worst I feel for her is a mild contempt.

Probably unfair contempt. It's disappointing to see a fellow ruler be outmanoeuvred by their inferiors when they're an adult, but when it happens to a child it is really their regent who bears the blame. Either for their stupidity or their malice.

Taking her when the High Queen ordered me to leave her in Poseidonis wasn't… Wasn't a practical option, but perhaps I could have arranged for her to be 'abducted' and hidden on the surface? It seems to have worked well enough for 'Arthur Curry'.

No. It's pointless to worry about it now.

"Ultimately, we will be normalising relations with Aurania. We will have to; repairing our relationships with the other City-States requires it. I decreed this course of action in retaliation for those historic injustices we suffered as a result of the actions of the parents and grandparents of the people who rule the city today. They know why they receive far inferior terms of trade, and if they do nothing material to address those causes other than wheedle and complain then they should not expect the situation to change. With regards to the relative harm they are suffering, we will be satisfied when those individuals who benefit from their ancestors' infamy have been made to suffer material economic or political hardship."

He nods cautiously.

"But. If the High King is considering intervening, we will need a plan for changing things in the direction he requires. Preferably something which targets those individuals but allows the common citizenry to gain the benefits of trade. Have your department draft plans and present them at our next meeting."

He nods again, this time more confidently.

"In the mean time I see no benefit in meeting with a new deputation, unless they wish to confess to murdering my late husband and throw themselves upon my mercy. Next item."

"Yes, majesty." The Chancellor nods again. "The detailed oceanographic survey presented to us by Prince Grayven."
 
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How many people do you think Kaldur's mother was fucking?

Well aside from Manta there was Calvin.

And as was previously mentioned, Calvin didn't request a paternity test, so he wouldn't have exactly known that Kaldur wasn't his biological son.

Though if you're talking about Orm, then yeah, by process of elimination he could have figured out that Manta was the dad if he found out Calvin wasn't.
 
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Given all that he's said of his own nature I'm a little concerned that means that on some level he considers everyone on Earth to be his vassals

Well he is an Orange Lantern and a conquest god and he also has the personality of an autocrat on his finger, so chances are high he does think that.

Stone has increasingly replaced by cultured coral growth,

'has increasingly been raplaced'

I was… A little discomported to discover that in Poseidonis the lower orders use something similar to arrange anonymous sexual liaisons, but thankfully the design is sufficiently dissimilar that I doubt any of them mistook my intentions

It's like first thinking the internet is a great place to connect with people and see a lot of human history.

Only to then discover internet trolls, Craigslist and who knows what other kinds of filth.

Behind me my advisors file in. Cyprian's acting as my regent in Venturia itself, which… I can't help but feel a little guilty about 'blocking his advancement' like this. Goodness knows he's done more to deserve being my heir than any of the other placeholders I've designated over the decades. When I asked him he told me that he only wanted to serve Venturia to the best of his abilities, and I know that's… True. I also know for a fact that I'd be nothing like as equanimitous in his place. I struck gold there in a way that my own father didn't with me, and I'm sure he'll stay loyal when it becomes obvious that 'Crown Prince' is a near-completely empty title.

But it seems like a waste.

Well you could one day retire and have him run the place.

work around are embargo

'the embargo'

Or perhaps Grayven's efforts on David's behalf have pushed him into premature action.

Renegade is an extremely irritating being, so if that's the case then it makes a lot of sense.

Give him enough time and he'll probably be able to make Buddhist monks so angry that they can wield a red ring.

From simple things like regional prices and demand to more… Personal information

Who's sleeping with who.

. But ruling that like full

'like that'

For anyone but Darkseid, apparently. I'm not certain that I truly understand what living in such a state would be like, but what I can imagine is frightful

You have no idea.

The author of Life Ore Death made what is perhaps one of the most disturbing depictions I've seen in fiction.

Darkseid had his own cousin be whipped by people who want to have an audience with him, and when he and Savage were walking down the street a woman threw her baby on the ground for him to step on it. He only crushed its legs.

Adom and I agree completely about that. The sovereign is above the law

Well that's not a worrying mindset to have.

No siree.


'my ire'


'suffer'

Preferable something

'Preferably

Looks like I was right about this episode focusing on other POV's.
 
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'has increasingly been replaced'
'the embargo'
'like that'
'my ire'
'suffer'
'Preferably'
Thank you, corrected.
The author of Life Ore Death made what is perhaps one of the most disturbing depictions I've seen in fiction.

Darkseid had his own cousin be whipped by people who want to have an audience with him, and when he and Savage were walking down the street a woman threw her baby on the ground for him to step on it. He only crushed its legs.
I raise my eyebrows.

"Slow day?"
 
Not in this context it isn't. The title "field commander of military forces" is not a unique position; any officer who is in command of any operation qualifies. So "the field commander of" isn't appropriate, it would be like saying "the council is comprised of the heads of [whatever], the current member of Parliament, and the dean of Oxford." (Note: "the current member of Parliament for Flydale North" or whatever would be different... assuming there's only one per constituency, which I think is true.) "Overall field commander of..." or "field commander of the [...] forces" both add needed specificity. The former by specifying that you mean the most senior person who that title describes, and the latter because "commander of the military forces" means that you command all the forces, not just some. Technically that's still slightly ambiguous, e.g. the US President and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are both "commanders of the armed forces" (neither of them 'field'), but it's limited enough ambiguity that you can ignore it.
So I should capitalise it? Okay.
 
12th July 2012
11:15 GMT -2


I watch as Grayven steps through the portal, careful to avoid being in a position where anyone on the far side could see me. It's curious that he feels the need to be personally present; I certainly wouldn't feel that my presence was necessary during the promotion of, say, a captain. Certainly not one from another city, no matter how close our relationship was. Given all that he's said of his own nature I'm a little concerned that means that on some level he considers everyone on Earth to be his vassals.
Ah, Queen Clea's perspective? Now I begin to see the shape of this episode: the viewpoints of those Grayven interacts with regularly. And she's closer to the truth than she realises, you'll note. Especially now that he's had a few extra centuries to settle into his role as Acquisition 'Conquest'.

His 'boom tube' closes after he steps through, and I walk over to the balcony overlooking… I smile. Poseidonis. Not long ago I assumed that I'd never see this accursed city again. The Royal Palace and the Conservatory of Sorcery are much unchanged, at least from the outside. But it has been a long time. Stone has increasingly replaced by cultured coral growth, and… Ah, that's new. Some sort of living structure..? How charmingly bizarre. The buildings are generally higher, and the codes they're using for the patterns of bioluminescence have changed a good deal. Sixty years ago the aim was to keep things simple. Now-.
The joy of living a long, long life. The shifts in fashion, architecture, economics, vehicles (for surface dwellers, anyway) and even language must seem incomprehensible at times. The true art of immortality is adapting to change, not staying in stasis and becoming the irascible elder yelling about 'Things was better in mah day!'

I wonder if it's because it's less expensive now, or just a change in fashion? Expense isn't really an issue in Venturia at the moment, but if my city's new residents start making their buildings glow it could look a little messy. Will I need to send bailiffs around to the architects to remind them that Venturia's building regulations are not the same as those in their home cities? My own trade missions have been firmly instructed that their trade houses are to blend in, but I can't assume that my fellow rulers will have been as sensible.
Indeed, such an assumption would be foolish at best. In any conglomeration like this, there's always going to be that one ruler... The one everyone else can't stand because of character, behaviour or policies...

I send a tiny mote of mana into my summoning ring, informing my courtiers that they may enter. I was… A little discomported to discover that in Poseidonis the lower orders use something similar to arrange anonymous sexual liaisons, but thankfully the design is sufficiently dissimilar that I doubt any of them mistook my intentions.
That's a little more than I ever wanted to know. Though it's practically the equivalent of a silent text conversation, really.

Behind me my advisors file in. Cyprian's acting as my regent in Venturia itself, which… I can't help but feel a little guilty about 'blocking his advancement' like this. Goodness knows he's done more to deserve being my heir than any of the other placeholders I've designated over the decades. When I asked him he told me that he only wanted to serve Venturia to the best of his abilities, and I know that's… True. I also know for a fact that I'd be nothing like as equanimitous in his place. I struck gold there in a way that my own father didn't with me, and I'm sure he'll stay loyal when it becomes obvious that 'Crown Prince' is a near-completely empty title.
Heck of a contrast to Paragon's side, where Cyprian has chosen to break away from the rest of the Atlanean city-states. I mean, in that parallel, he honestly believes that's for the best. Still have to wonder how he feels working under a now-immortal queen. Hopefully any hard feelings he has won't turn him into an evil vizier...

But it seems like a waste.

I turn towards the table where my cabinet are now awaiting my presence and swim to my position at the head of the table. I take a moment to make eye contact with everyone, then nod to my Chancellor.
A subtle power-play there, and I wonder if she even realises she's really doing it. I mean, she is used to being absolute ruler, so of course they should wait on her convenience...

"Your majesty. The first issue on today's agenda is the recent diplomatic initiative from Aurania."

I raise my eyebrows slightly, not irritated but definitely unimpressed.
Ptra's city, eh? Looks like she's still a little unhappy about Mommy still being alive and preventing her from having her throne...

"What's new about this one?"

"They've asked Poseidonis to act as intermediaries. Which means that things have progressed to the point where they're trying to work around are embargo."
Shutting them out of the sweet surface-worlder trade, eh? I'm reminded of what I said above about 'that one ruler'... I bet Ptra's up there for Clea.

Vexing. Yes, extremely vexing. We try to minimise that sort of thing by requiring end-user authentication for any potentially dangerous products we import. But to a degree we're dependant on High King Orin being willing to allow preferential treatment for particular cities. He's well within his rights to demand that I either allow free trade or at least grant all of our neighbours the same terms. I had thought that we would have another year or so before he got frustrated enough to intervene, but perhaps I misjudged his temperament. Or perhaps Grayven's efforts on David's behalf have pushed him into premature action.
The authentication thing is honestly sensible. Do you particularly want a rival city importing something that could be used against you in anger? And the question then is whether to hold to your guns or give ground...

I glance at my Trade Minister.

"Are we certain?"

There wasn't much point in having an Intelligence Minister while we were isolated. There was an intelligence group attached to the guard, but they were there to detect traitors and other criminals. Since we've normalised relations there has been a significant increase in crime -mostly but not exclusively committed by recent immigrants- and a great many more people we need information on. From simple things like regional prices and demand to more… Personal information. Leaving the task of gathering intelligence on other Atlantean cities to the Ministry of Trade is a reasonable way of disguising our purposes… Though in all honesty trade intelligence is what they're focusing on. The quality of our actual foreign political and military intelligence gathering is lamentable.
And annoyingly, trying to discreetly arrange a more refined intelligence agency within your city is that much harder because the rest are all watching closely. And they'd probably take it badly, even though they almost certainly already have such things set up...

"We're not certain that High King Orin has made a decision, but instructions are definitely coming from someone in the Poseidonis government."

Which is another reason to avoid centralisation that Orin has completely ignored. Having a High King who is able to act as an autocrat is essential for the good of Atlantis for the same reason that my ability to act as an autocrat within my own city is essential for Venturia. But ruling that like full time for every issue is impossible.
For most people. You'd need to be a demi-god with a computer-like brain to manage your time and resources so precisely that you avoid any conflict... Even with the system they have, someone's not going to be happy with this decision or that one...

I consider what Grayven told me for a moment.

For anyone but Darkseid, apparently. I'm not certain that I truly understand what living in such a state would be like, but what I can imagine is frightful.
As bad as Final crisis was, it did give us that damn fine speech from Darkseid (quoted in full):
"I. AM. THE. NEW. GOD.
ALL IS ONE IN DARKSEID. THIS MIGHTY BODY IS MY CHURCH.
WHEN I COMMAND YOUR SURRENDER, I SPEAK WITH THREE BILLION VOICES...
WHEN I MAKE A FIST TO CRUSH YOUR RESISTANCE. IT IS WITH THREE BILLION HANDS!
WHEN I STARE INTO YOUR EYES AND SHATTER YOUR DREAMS. AND BREAK YOUR HEART. IT IS WITH SIX BILLION EYES!
NOTHING LIKE DARKSEID HAS EVER COME AMONG YOU: NOTHING WILL AGAIN.
I WILL TAKE YOU TO A HELL WITHOUT EXIT OR END.
AND THERE I WILL MURDER YOUR SOULS!
AND MAKE YOU CRAWL AND BEG!
AND DIE!
DIE! DIE FOR DARKSEID!
"
Which pretty much sums up His approach to rulership. You will serve Him, serve as His tools, His weapons, His slaves. If He gives an order, it will be obeyed... All the power is His, and He does not deign to share it.

And granting crown officers that same ability in all fields? Madness. It results in little kings and queens infesting the apparatus of government, acting as they will, spreading disorder everywhere they go. And worse, they claim that they're doing it in the name of a monarch who in truth has no idea what they're doing.

Adom and I agree completely about that. The sovereign is above the law. Everyone else must abide by it, even if they claim to be on Crown business.
A very old-fashioned idea, as is Adom's wont. But given the alternative Clea is envisioning? One all too common throughout history? Can you really say he's wrong? The true art of royalty, in this case, is choosing the people who won't fall into that trap.

"Is someone going beyond their authority, or are they acting on the High King's stated desires?"

"I'm sorry, your majesty, I just don't know. Do you want me to put more effort into finding out?"
Well, that depends on how you go about it...

I'm certain that Grayven would be willing to discover the answer to that. Though I would not be astonished if he decided to find out by walking up to High King Orin and directly asking him. Which isn't a terrible idea, actually, if I prepare a compromise offer in advance to present to him. It would bypass whichever of his minions has an axe to grind -or who has perhaps been bought by the Auranians- which would be convenient. It would also allow me to avoid talking to anyone in the Auranian senate, loathsome worms that they are.
...And yes, I can see Grayven doing exactly that. Which would put a cat amongst the pigeons (A shark amongst the tuna?) in the Auranians' court.

"No, that's alright. We would have had to deal with that eventually, anyway."

"Your majesty? Ah, do we..? Have a concrete objective in our dealings with Aurania? Do we wish for them to become economically weaker than a particular city state? Or… Lose the High King's favour in some way? I understand our historical enmity, but it would help me immensely if I had a better idea of what I was trying to achieve."
Yes, it would help to have clear goals for this thing. Do you really hate your daughter that much? Or are you at the point where you just don't care anymore, and it's all become an annoyance?

He looks nervous, but he has a point. Initially, I decreed that we would grant them only the most unfavourable terms purely out of spite. But as a result of my advanced age I've outlived everyone who had earned by ire. And Ptra..? She's not my daughter in any meaningful way, but the worst I feel for her is a mild contempt.

Probably unfair contempt. It's disappointing to see a fellow ruler be outmanoeuvred by their inferiors when they're an adult, but when it happens to a child it is really their regent who bears the blame. Either for their stupidity or their malice.
I mean, it's really been what, decades since she last saw her? Outside of any kind of formal gathering of Rulers? At what point do you not feel love for a child anymore? Feel anything, really?

Taking her when the High Queen ordered me to leave her in Poseidonis wasn't… Wasn't a practical option, but perhaps I could have arranged for her to be 'abducted' and hiden on the surface? It seems to have worked well enough for 'Arthur Curry'.

No. It's pointless to worry about it now.
What's done is done, after all. Any possibility would have had its drawbacks, after all. Consider how Arthur has such American ideas about leadership? Could you imagine the ideas Ptra might have gotten from whatever country she was placed? What if she'd died in hiding? Too many 'what if's'.

"Ultimately, we will be normalising relations with Aurania. We will have to; repairing our relationships with the other City-States requires it. I decreed this course of action in retaliation for those historic injustices we suffered as a result of the actions of the parents and grandparents of the people who rule the city today. They know why they receive far inferior terms of trade, and if they do nothing material to address those causes other than wheedle and complain then they should not expect the situation to change. With regards to the relative harm they are suffering, we will be satisfied when those individuals who benefit from their ancestors infamy have been made to suffered material economic or political hardship."
Subtly worded, but I have no doubt the people it's targetted at will pick up on her subtext. As for what they do about it? Well...

He nods cautiously.

"But. If the High King is considering intervening, we will need a plan for changing things in the direction he requires. Preferable something which targets those individuals but allows the common citizenry to gain the benefits of trade. Have your department draft plans and present them at our next meeting."
Heh. No rush, after all. I see she knows the smartest aspect of Autocracy: Delegate the work to those best at it, then look it over when they're done. Preferably with a clear and truthful explanation...

He nods again, this time more confidently.

"In the mean time I see no benefit in meeting with a new deputation, unless they wish to confess to murdering my late husband and throw themselves upon my mercy. Next item."

"Yes, majesty." The Chancellor nods again. "The detailed oceanographic survey presented to us by Prince Grayven."
Heh, those would be a big advantage in controlling their boundaries. I can just see them trotting them out at some border dispute down the line...

Hmm, Darko may have called it about the multiple viewpoints, but we'll need to wait on the next couple of days to be sure. Still, it will be refreshing to see other people's perspectives on Grayven and his works. And no doubt refreshing for Mr Zoat to take a break from writing solely from his SI's viewpoints.

...to be 'abducted' and hiden on the surface?
...to be 'abducted' and hidden on the surface?
 
Ptra's city, eh? Looks like she's still a little unhappy about Mommy still being alive and preventing her from having her throne...

We don't know all that much about her, so this feels a little hostile to her.

It could be this, or it could be that she just doesn't agree with her mother's decisions but still may love her.

For most people. You'd need to be a demi-god with a computer-like brain to manage your time and resources so precisely that you avoid any conflict..

So basically Roboute Gulliman.

The true art of royalty, in this case, is choosing the people who won't fall into that trap

Which doesn't exactly have all that high rate of a success.

Hmm, Darko may have called it about the multiple viewpoints, but we'll need to wait on the next couple of days to be sure. Still, it will be refreshing to see other people's perspectives on Grayven and his works.

It may also be a bit frustrating, since we don't really see alternate viewpoints that much in this story.

And when we see them they usually tend to be alternate versions of Paul, so they tend to feel the same.

There were a few from time to time, with that League training episode being the biggest example, but that's about it.


In other fics, like Assimilation and Life Ore Death, we see alternate viewpoints pretty frequently, so it's easier there, but it may be a bit more difficult with this story.
 
I remember that when the Renegade recruited Black Manta that he was uncertain. Basically he was only 50% sure that Aqualad is his biological son.

Yep, before renegade told him he had no idea.

I'm not sure he's even mine."

My children are adopted." I shake my head. "I never met their natural parents, and as I understand it they did the best job they could

Before they had their brains fried or were eaten.

Your ex-paramour and.. cabin boy, on the other hand-."

Did a great job at raising a good and exemplary young man who has done many great things.

Black Manta, what do you think the Light is?"

"A global network of supervillains, centralising power for efficiency and effectiveness as a response to organisations like the Justice League."

"And what is its guiding ideology?"

He looks uncertain for a second before controlling his expression. But he doesn't have an answer.

"The Light is most assuredly not a 'global network of supervillains', and if you think that then you need to stop reading so many comics.

Technically it used to be a global network of supervillains that was meant to beat the League.

And I wouldn't say his belief in that was due to reading too many comics, but rather just what he's seen in his line of work.
 
"The sovereign is above the law. Everyone else must abide by it,"

And that is why we got rid of the aristocracy. Everytime someone new comes into power you flip the coin for thousands or millions of lifes.

Unacceptable.

And immortality means that one ruler's set of values and whims dictates things for eternity

I don't think I like her very much
 

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