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

FreeGod · Apr 27, 2021

How many people have requested Sinestro's head so far? It has been at least 2.

Darko · Apr 27, 2021

FreeGod said:
How many people have requested Sinestro's head so far? It has been at least 2.

Yep, Kalmin said he'd make another blue ring for Sinestro's head and now Natu asked for it.

FreeGod · Apr 27, 2021

Darko said:
Careful there Paul.

You may have beaten Hal in spars, but those are just sparring sessions, so Jordan was probably not fighting as if it was an actual life or death battle, so he may have been holding back.

I don't know about holding back, but yes when it isn't life or death his willpower is unlikely to be quite as intense. Then again by the same token Paul doesn't Want to hurt Jordan that much. And well Paul really does want a blue power ring. Useful thing that. Also funny how orange lanterns can actually become stronger with bribery.

TodaBruh · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"You couldn't bring my Sinestro's head, could you

Me.
And thank you for the updoot.
Edit: Ninja'd.

Handlewithcare · Apr 27, 2021

And now, the next logical step is of course to inhabit multiple bodies at once.

Can't see any way for that to go wrWE ARE THE PAUL. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO MAKE SENSE AND THEN THERE WILL BE CAKE AND GRIEF COUNSELING.

Mr Zoat · Apr 27, 2021

Someguy Somewhere said:
"You couldn't bring me Sinestro's head, could you?"

Thank you, corrected.

Darko said:
Maybe 'him, I think'

No, I think that's okay.

FreeGod · Apr 27, 2021

Crumble tech has really changed lantern combat. Used to be that the fight was mostly decided by who can emote the hardest. But now it's all sorts of tricky.

Darko · Apr 27, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
And now, the next logical step is of course to inhabit multiple bodies at once.

Can't see any way for that to go wrWE ARE THE PAUL. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO MAKE SENSE AND THEN THERE WILL BE CAKE AND GRIEF COUNSELING.

I have to disagree with this.

I believe the next step would be for him to have his body destroyed, but due to some multiversal shenanigans he ends up in the cloned body of an alternate of himself.

And is then killed by Nazis.

The next step is similar, except he's a shrimp.

rkyeun · Apr 27, 2021

"You couldn't bring me Sinestro's head, could you?"
"Sure thing. I just mentioned the healing ray, right? How many of them do you want?"

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
4th August 2012
15:13 GMT

I sag slightly as Lantern Natu walks into the waiting room.

"What more is there?"

I mean, I'm sure they took care of things like a prostate exam and assorted material samples during the whole 'pseudo-magical modular dismantling', so I doubt she's going to be pulling on a rubber glove or anything... Still, might want to be ready to bend over...

Lantern Natu shakes her head. "No. We're finished with you. I just thought that you might be interested in the results."

"Yes, of course I am. I-." I frown. "Does this make you my doctor?"

Might be a conflict of interests, given he basically recruited her. Not quite like working on family, but hey.

"I'm a chirurgical specialist. General practice isn't my field. If you want a personal doctor, the Darkstars have a medical corps. Your personal medical information can be passed along to anyone you authorise."

"Alright then. So what am I?"

Besides a right bugger's muddle of spiritual energy templates? At least now they have that detailed medical workup on their central servers.

"As you've probably realised-" She generates a wire frame construct which appears to be describing something dimensionally exotic-. Oh, that's me. "-your core self is increasingly immaterial. Though not to the degree that an actual god's avatar is; you do still need a body to live."

"So if I die in deep space without a handy cloned body around?"

Get settled in for a wait, or learn to channel Orange Light without a ring. I mean, the whole 'retreat into the Honden' method more or less worked for him last time. Besides a little mingling of desire networks with the locals. And that could just have been inexperience.

"You can't maintain your consciousness without a medium any more than I can. But you're more.. organised. If you cloned a body for anyone else in that situation, nothing would happen. You just need a little orange light, and your consciousness decompresses on its own."

"So we're cloning me."

Huh. Looks like he's hit Archmage-tier, with a particular nod to the methods of Thayan leadership. Not a far stretch from here to Lichdom, or a similarly hard-to-permanently-kill state of being...

She nods.

"That seems like a logical precaution. I can't order you to do that, but not everyone thinks as quickly as Lantern Gozzi."

"How complete would the clone have to be?"

Especially since most Lanterns wouldn't have the wherewithal to reconstruct an entire human body in moments. No matter how much they wanted it.

"You only need a brain to sustain your consciousness, the same as the rest of us. You'd probably need a few moments to adapt, but you could use a ring to transmute a new body. You wouldn't have any sensory input, and that's been shown to have adverse psychological consequences in most humanoid species… Though not among individuals who have achieved enlightenment. Not that we know for certain that it doesn't, there just aren't enough examples to draw a conclusion."

To be fair, he's very good at working through his ring for senses. As for Enlightenment, he really needs to find some time to study it, or at least cooperate with those who got assigned to it. I mean, although each Enlightenment seems to be unique, I'm sure there are some similarities...

"And if I don't have a ring then I'd be stuck."

She nods. "I'd recommend including eyes at the very least."

Ears and voicebox would probably be useful too. But not quite as important for reducing sensory deprivation.

"Would cybernetics work?"

"I'm… Not sure how you were planning to sustain a living brain without cybernetics, but… Yes?"

...I'm sure there are races out there who could manage an organic external life-support system...

"No, I mean, integrated. One of the reasons that I've been shy about using cybernetics is that I've been assuming that my ring would destroy them as they weren't part of my self-concept."

"You'll need to talk to a psychologist about that. But I can't see why connecting things from outside of the brain would disrupt your resurrection."

As long as he remember to unplug them before rebuilding himself. That would be a deep pain.

"So I'd need my whole brain."

She frowns.

"I don't understand why that's hard to accept."

Well, you don't have the same fear of cessation that OL began with, that concern for continuity of consciousness. These days it probably doesn't hit him quite so hard, I bet...

"Oh, no, it isn't. I'm just worried what happens if the Reach get hold of one of my spares." She nods in understanding. "Our ships are tough, not invulnerable. I'm resigned to them getting a sample of my genetic material eventually, but I'd rather that they didn't get a copy of my thoughts or memories."

"The brain needs to be genetically yours. It doesn't need to have your memories encoded on it."

So, basically a wild-grown lump of brain-meats with no engineered pattern. Presumably the process of reinstalling his soul on it would twist it into the appropriate shapes for his memories.

"Ah. No problem then, I suppose. Anything else?"

"Your body isn't quite identical each time you've restored yourself. I'm currently working on the assumption that it's due to changes in your self-concept, but I'm not telepathic."

And each time, it's a little more optimised for channelling Orange Light without a ring? I mean, this one has a much greater ability to experience other's desires.

"Just as long as I'm not changing into Larfleeze."

"There's no need to worry about that. Each version of you has been genetically and physiologically human. I assume that you haven't been tempted to try genetic modification either?"

Given his body is as perfect as he thinks it should be for him? I doubt he'd weigh it as necessary.

"No, same issue as cybernetics."

"I've seen genetic modification go wrong far more often then cybernetic implantation. Given how good you are at manipulating things with you ring, you could probably avoid most of them. But I recommend avoiding it unless you really need it."

And we've heard all about the difficulties he has applying mystically-based alchemical augmentations like the Danner or Garrick Formulae. Wonder if he's thought about trying it again now? Still concerned about incompatibilities with his decidedly custom soul?

"You..? Do you have problems with that yourself?"

Her faces takes on a stern expression.

Guessing it's a sore point for her, or a cultural thing for Korugarans.

"I joined the Corps because it was the right thing to do. We're not friends. I don't intend to answer personal questions."

"That's fair. Do you want me to take some sort of message to your cousin Amon Sur? I.. think you're each the only natural family-."

Oh, yeah, he's a thing... Short version: Son of Abin Sur, the Lantern who gave Hal his ring, nephew of Sinestro (by marriage to Abin's sister) and last seen as a space pirate, I believe.

"I don't want you-. Involved in any of my personal relations, either."

"That's… Fine in theory, but…" I shrug. "We're using power rings. And while I don't think I told you anything you didn't need to hear, I appreciate that I have disrupted your life in a fairly substantial way. If I can make that up to you, then I will."

Careful there, OL. That's likely to be a heavy debt to fulfil.

"Are you.. negotiating with me?"

"I suppose? I want to make what I did up to you, and since you're not coming up with anything I thought I'd suggest things. Did you get your student loan paid off?"

Orange Ring, OL. If she couldn't make money with it, she would be a poor Lantern overall.

"Yes. Okay, let me…" She looks away. "Think about this."

"I have healing beams. They won't recharge away from a thaumically active world, but they can repair most things."

To be fair, at this point they should be being mass-produced by the Controllers or their munitions factories, to be a standard piece of kit for Darkstars and Lanterns... Unless the Purple healing Ray is so closely tied to Earth that it can only be manufactured there...

"You couldn't bring my Sinestro's head, could you?"

I should probably ask Dox for a summary of their conversation at some point. Honest deniability has its benefits, but given that I am the person who would probably get sent against him I think getting all the details ahead of time would be wiser.

Seriously, at this point, I foresee the eventual meeting between them being stupidly anticlimactic, even in universe, because OL seems to be pumping up the importance of it as much as we have.

"That's… That has political sensitivity. And I don't know where he is, anyway."

She gives an amused snort. "But you're sure you can beat him?"

That depends on what tricks Sinestro would bring to a Ring-slinging fight, anyway. I doubt he'd miss the human Lantern's use of things like Crumbler tech, via whatever spy network or links to the Greenies databases he might have.

"Given how often Lantern Jordan's beaten him, and the usual outcome of a spar between Jordan and I… Pretty sure. Even if he's been somehow both staying under the radar and engendering fear across the galaxy, I'd be reasonably confident in single combat with most other Lanterns. And I'm sure that the Guardians would have noticed Parallax going missing. But if… That's not really an option?"

"I don't… Really think there's anything. Try to do that less?"

Asking OL to be less OL?

That's like asking water to be less wet or fire to be less hot.

I shrug. "Again, if it was just me, I've got a galaxy full of physicians. But it's not. It's what the Corps needs. It's what needs to happen for the Reach to lose. And… You've seen our records on what they're like, right?"

She nods, eyes dipping.

Some grim images for her remaining naivete to be shattered upon, eh? Still, at least you know you're on the less bad side of the fight.

"I've spoken to the survivors. Given what I know about the government line on Korugar, I thought I'd check with primary sources."

I nod. "Perfectly reasonable. So, I'm cleared for duty?"

Looking forwards to getting back into the field, eh? Less complicated than things on Earth, certainly.

She shuts down her display construct.

"As far as I can tell, you're as healthy as you've ever been."

"Thank you. Then it's time to see where Dox wants me."

Back to the war stories, then.

Interesting to see OL working out not how to make himself harder to kill, but harder to keep dead. I foresee a lot of frustration in the Reach leadership whenever he turns up after their assumed-successful assassination attempts.

Meanwhile, I wonder what space-based story Mr Zoat will draw on next for Reach War plotlines? There's certainly a lot to draw on.

Given how good you are at manipulating things with you ring...

Given how good you are at manipulating things with your ring...

Darko · Apr 27, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Guessing it's a sore point for her, or a cultural thing for Korugarans.

Or both.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Oh, yeah, he's a thing... Short version: Son of Abin Sur, the Lantern who gave Hal his ring, nephew of Sinestro (by marriage to Abin's sister) and last seen as a space pirate, I believe.

He tried to gain control of a space fleet so he can give it to pirates to raid Sector 2814.

He did this because he was angry at his father, Abin Sur, for spending more time on his job than on his family, so he wanted to destroy what his father made, which is the peace in Sector 2814.

Chojin Patriarch said:
To be fair, at this point they should be being mass-produced by the Controllers or their munitions factories, to be a standard piece of kit for Darkstars and Lanterns... Unless the Purple healing Ray is so closely tied to Earth that it can only be manufactured there

I think that they can be made on other planets, but only if they're magically active.

And because there isn't a lot of magic in space, they won't work so well.

He first explained this to Kori when she was interested in them for her people, but Paul told her they don't work so well on non magically active planets.

He also told it to Soranik in this chapter.

The Controllers probably have technology that works just as well and doesn't depend on magic.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Asking OL to be less OL? That's like asking water to be less wet or fire to be less hot

Paul, the type of man that if he was thrown in a fire, or set himself on fire, would try to explain why it wasn't that bad or why it wasn't an utterly stupid idea, as well as engaging in a philosophical debate on its merits.

moralrelativity · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
I want to make what I did up to you

I want to make what I did up to you -> I want to make up what I did to you (I think this reads better but you can make up your own mind Mr Zoat)

Mr Zoat · Apr 27, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Given how good you are at manipulating things with your ring...

moralrelativity said:
I want to make what I did up to you -> I want to make up what I did to you (I think this reads better but you can make up your own mind Mr Zoat)

Thank you, corrected.

NightmareWarden · Apr 27, 2021

If Paul doesn't go after Sinestro… perhaps another Orange Lantern will. And this Lantern might turn Sinestro into a construct instead of killing him.

Also- Is Sinestro the kind of guy that would ally with Trigon? I know Sinestro probably won't be working with Qwardians or Apokalyptians at this point and Atrocitus probably wouldn't give him the time of day… so Trigon, as a way to make Sinestro problematic. He'd offer a break from Reach conflict.

Ngamer11 · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Negetiations (Counting the Cost)

Mr Zoat, before, you would just put the name of the alternate POV section without the name of the episode. Are you changing it up, or is this a mistake?

Mr Zoat · Apr 27, 2021

Ngamer11 said:
Mr Zoat, before, you would just put the name of the alternate POV section without the name of the episode. Are you changing it up, or is this a mistake?

No, I'll change it.

Bramble Thorn · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm… Not sure how you were planning to sustain a living brain without cybernetics, but… Yes?"

Anyone else thinking toclafane OL. A head in a handy carry on sized life support shell. With integrated flight rig (which can be done with those force field belt things, right?), and a ~~disintegration beam~~ purple healing ray with death ray reverse switch.

quietwhile · Apr 27, 2021

So... qwa-bomb followed by the Reach swipping by with a cloned brain would be a fairly effective way to abduct the SI, right? And I can't think of any counters to this, as he wouldn't even show up in Hade's Realm at first. I wonder if that's going to be a plot point...

Mr Zoat · Apr 27, 2021

quietwhile said:
So... qwa-bomb followed by the Reach swipping by with a cloned brain would be a fairly effective way to abduct the SI, right?

Effective, yes. Efficient, no.

Maxx Crowley · Apr 27, 2021

Ah man, we aren't going to get Clone Saga OL are we?

I barely made it through that in the 90s.

Mr Zoat · Apr 27, 2021

Maxx Crowley said:
Ah man, we aren't going to get Clone Saga OL are we?

I barely made it through that in the 90s.

I wasn't planning to, but I suppose I could if you really wanted.

Maxx Crowley · Apr 27, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
I wasn't planning to, but I suppose I could if you really wanted.

Alright, but when the "REAL" Para-Paul shows up, even though his name is Jim, and it turns out that the Paul we've been watching this entire time was a clone that was swapped in while he was floating around in space, but then Jim-Paul takes a Nabu-glider to the chest and we learn that HE was actually the clone, and.....I don't even remember where I was going with this. The Ben is Peter not Peter, but Peter is still Peter, but Ben is the real Peter even though he's still Ben, no wait its actually Peter....

Fuck I lost it again.

Damn you 90's! Must you haunt us you specter of dark regret!?

Mr Zoat · Apr 28, 2021

4th August 2012
15:20 GMT

"Here."

I'm mildly pleased that Dox remembers to both look at the hologram and look me in the eyes. His social skills are definitely improving. In pigeon toes rather than leaps and bounds, but progress is progress. The location he points to…

"That's well outside of the conflict zone. Yes, I know that it's on a trade route the Reach use, but I don't see why you want me there."

Other images flick up, and I accelerate my perception to keep up with the information on display. Things seem to be progressing well. Reach fleets are retreating after making token resistance in.. most places, and Grayven's followers and ours are mostly avoiding one another as intended.

"I know that I'm not essential-."

"You will be. The Reach are building up for a serious counterattack. We have about three weeks though, and I'd like to have you fully rested and not dead when it happens."

"I could do a spoiler attack?"

"That would just make them delay it. I'll send you after one of their fleet concentrations, but only close to the time they plan to begin their attack."

I raise my eyebrows.

"We know when that is?"

"It's a matter of logistics and organisation. They can only do it after a certain time, and if they leave it too long then we'll be able to take advantage of the patrol fleets they've transferred to their offensive fleet. The Reach are… Capable practitioners of information security."

"They've been doing this for a while. Evolution versus intelligent design."

"They can't match me. But that doesn't mean that they're going to make it easy." He switches the hologram from fleet deployments and progress reports to an image of planet… Yuna. "This is where I'm sending you. The Reach have a presence here. We've been concerned that otherwise disinterested parties might start to involve themselves if there were an interruption to their existing trade routes. Darkstar intelligence suggests that Yuna's trade league is considering it."

"Considering military action?"

"Perhaps. Certainly considering authorising privateers and sanctions against our allies."

"I thought we'd mostly arranged things so that we could trade within our alliance bloc?"

"For vital materials, certainly. Some luxury products are imported, and we haven't tried to block our partners trading outside of our bloc."

I nod.

"Anything else?"

"Show the flag. Publically demonstrate that you are still alive. The Reach aren't boasting openly about killing you, but it has been mentioned. And if you can talk them around to supporting us and abandoning their trading relationship with the Reach, that would be beneficial."

"What do the Reach get out of it? Their industry isn't much more primitive than ours."

"Information, luxury goods and occasionally pieces of highly advanced technology. Of those, luxury goods are the most essential to their civilisation."

"They are?"

"The Reach practises a form of militant capitalism. Their system promises its citizens luxuries in return for service and loyalty. Without external trade their social order cannot function."

"So we're making plans to unleash our own privateers?"

"I have a plan, certainly. I won't be authorising its use, because there's no way we could conquer and occupy Reach space before they restabilised into a more rational social model that actually improved their ability in war-fighting."

"Then-?"

"In the unlikely event that you are that successful, removing a single trade artery from their system won't have that effect."

"Rightoh. What am I taking with me?"

"You formed a rapport with Lantern Drusa, and she is sufficiently cunning to make up for your complete failure in matters of subtlety."

That's fair.

"You will also travel with a trade convoy, which will be escorted by a small L.E.G.I.O.N. fleet. The fleet is intended for light anti-piracy work."

"So don't pick a fight with the Reach."

"Don't pick a fight with anyone. Yuna isn't Vega; it's a civilised world in a civilised region. You won't win people over by beating people up."

"Understood. Are meetings with the relevant officials already set up, or should I arrange them myself?"

"Have Lantern Drusa set it up once you're in system."

"Why would-?" I sigh. "Harbour pilots?"

"They are close to a war zone."

"Please tell me they can use FTL in-system?"

"At low speeds and at set angles of approach."

"Okay, I'll bring a long book. Anything else I need to know about?"

"Lantern Xor has been busy. The Alignment has collapsed into open civil war, much to the pleasure of their neighbours."

I smile. That is good news.

"I'll send him a card. Any likely blowback over here?"

"It might be nice to add them to L.E.G.I.O.N., once the situation stabilises. The fleet assigned to Earth can be there relatively quickly. Do you still need them on station?"

"No, I don't think so. Honestly, once the Sheeda were dealt with I probably didn't really need them to stop King Orin doing something stupid. Having them around is useful and I'm sure they're gathering all sorts of useful data, but it's not a problem if you want to send them somewhere else."

"I will bear that in mind. You are dismissed, Illustres. Lantern Drusa is awaiting your message."

I give him a shallow bow, then turn and walk out of his office.

"How did it go?"

Ratchet moves his tentacles in a gesture of polite enquiry, the slight tremor suggesting an undercurrent of worry. I glance back for a moment as the door closes.

"Pretty well. I'm going back to work for the Corps. Is Dox having any problems?"

"No." Emphatic negation gesture. "His position remains stable. Most Orange Lanterns and ship-captains are happy so long as the Reach continues to lose. His social skills have improved… Somewhat."

"I noticed. Good work with that."

"It was really more Brande's work. Though I did help."

I smile. "Keep helping. I'll speak to you when I get back."

Handlewithcare · Apr 28, 2021

Aww, it's like getting a scared razor mink to come out of it's shell :3

And Paul is going to visit a world were blowing shit up won't net you points? Interesting

Darko · Apr 28, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
take advantage of the patrols

'patrol'

Mr Zoat said:
involve themselves if there were an interruptio

'there was'

Mr Zoat said:
Rightoh. What am I taking with me?"

"You formed a rapport with Lantern Drusa, and she is sufficiently cunning to make up for your complete failure in matters of subtlety."

That's fair.

More than fair.

Agent Orange · Apr 28, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
You won't win people over by beating people up."

Pavlos didn't scratch his head in confusion but it was a close thing. Still, something about that sentence made him think. There was a time, couple of years ago, when he didn't have to be told not to beat people up. When his first instinct to encountering an issue wasn't 'punch it in the face'. Is this what the League felt like when he talked with them? Weird. His past self was a weirdo.

gustyeagle · Apr 28, 2021

Agent Orange said:
Pavlos didn't scratch his head in confusion but it was a close thing. Still, something about that sentence made him think. There was a time, couple of years ago, when he didn't have to be told not to beat people up. When his first instinct to encountering an issue wasn't 'punch it in the face'. Is this what the League felt like when he talked with them? Weird. His past self was a weirdo.

You either die a Reed Richards or live long enough to see yourself become a righteous face puncher. F's

Mr Zoat · Apr 28, 2021

Darko said:
'patrol'

Thank you, corrected.

'there was'

I think that's okay.

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 28, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
4th August 2012
15:20 GMT

"Here."

I'm mildly pleased that Dox remembers to both look at the hologram and to look me in the eyes. His social skills are definitely improving. In pigeon toes rather than leaps and bounds, but progress is progress. The location he points to…

Clearly someone made it clear enough, for even Dox to pick up on, that his.. brusque command style was not beneficial to fostering morale. Mayhaps he can avoid the assholery that plagued the canon version in 'L.E.G.I.O.N' comics...

"That's well outside of the conflict zone. Yes, I know that it's on a trade route the Reach use, but I don't see why you want me there."

Other images flick up, and I accelerate my perception to keep up with the information on display. Things seem to be progressing well. Reach fleets are retreating after making token resistance in.. most places, and Grayven's followers and ours are mostly avoiding one another as intended.

Good to see the God of Conquest can be sensible. Presumably on the logic that antagonising the enemy of your enemy is a good way to make them your enemy too... And the last thing he'd want is a war on two fronts...

"I know that I'm not essential-."

"You will be. The Reach are building up for a serious counterattack. We have about three weeks though, and I'd like to have you fully rested and not dead when it happens."

Eh, he's not due for another bout of flexible mortality for a few months at this rate. Once every six months is an acceptable fatality rate in this universe...

"I could do a spoiler attack?"

"That would just make them delay it. I'll send you after one of their fleet concentrations, but only close to the time they plan to begin their attack."

And keeping him out of the main line of combat will make the Reach more confident that they did permanent harm. Perfect for sweeping the rug out from under them when he solos a fleet or two.

I raise my eyebrows.

"We know when that is?"

"It's a matter of logistics and organisation. They can only do it after a certain time, and if they leave it too long then we'll be able to take advantage of the patrols fleets they've transferred to their offensive fleet. The Reach are… Capable practitioners of information security."

Wait too long, you open up exploitable gaps. Move too quickly, and you risk being understrength for the fight you face. I suppose Dox's intellect makes it easier for him to gauge when that critical point will come.

"They've been doing this for a while. Evolution versus intelligent design."

"They can't match me. But that doesn't mean that they're going to make it easy." He switches the hologram from fleet deployments and progress reports to an image of planet… Yuna. "This is where I'm sending you. The Reach have a presence here. We've been concerned that otherwise disinterested parties might start to involve themselves if there were an interruption to their existing trade routes. Darkstar intelligence suggests that Yuna's trade league is considering it."

Hmm... And OL is going to politely ask them to keep their noses out of it? While flying the NEMO flag?

"Considering military action?"

"Perhaps. Certainly considering authorising privateers and sanctions against our allies."

Ah, the 'plausibly deniable' form of military action. That's hardly pleasant for NEMO, but not a game-breaker.

"I thought we'd mostly arranged things so that we could trade within our alliance block?"

"For vital materials, certainly. Some luxury products are imported, and we haven't tried to block our partners trading outside of our block."

Might put a few noses out of joint, blocking commercial routes like that. Even if it's a security risk for espionage...

I nod.

"Anything else?"

"Show the flag. Publically demonstrate that you are still alive. The Reach aren't boasting openly about killing you, but it has been mentioned. And if you can talk them around to supporting us and abandoning their trading relationship with the Reach, that would be beneficially."

Might be a tall order. OL's not been the most diplomatic person these days. Too much face-punching of the unrighteous, even if they do end up deserving it.

"What do the Reach get out of it? Their industry isn't much more primitive than ours."

"Information, luxury goods and occasionally pieces of highly advanced technology. Of those, luxury goods are the most essential to their civilisation."

Keeping their people happy with color TVs and local sports teams, eh? The more advanced things get, the simpler some things remain...

"They are?"

"The Reach practices a form of militant capitalism. Their system promises its citizens luxuries in return for service and loyalty. Without external trade their social order cannot function."

Good point. Which is an odd contrast with their almost obsessive need to conquer... I suppose trade just makes it easier to slowly nudge them into 'joining hands in a profitable union'...

"So we're making plans to unleash our own privateers?"

"I have a plan, certainly. I won't be authorising its use, because there's no way we could conquer and occupy Reach space before they restabilised into a more rational social model that actually improved their ability in war-fighting."

So, let them continue relaxing so as not to wake a potential sleeping giant, eh?

"Then-?"

"In the unlikely event that you are that successful, removing a single trade artery from their system won't have that effect."

No poking the bear, then. No pressure to sway the Yunan (Yunian? Yunite?) leaders.

"Rightoh. What am I taking with me?"

"You formed a rapport with Lantern Drusa, and she is sufficiently cunning to make up for your complete failure in matters of subtlety."

That's fair.

Well, when all you have is a railgun construct, everything starts looking like a target... Honestly, OL doesn't even realise how much he's changed these days, does he?

"You will also travel with a trade convoy, which will be escorted by a small L.E.G.I.O.N. fleet. The fleet is intended for light anti-piracy work."

"So don't pick a fight with the Reach."

And try not to beat them up too badly when they throw the first punch? Because it's bound to happen sooner or later...

"Don't pick a fight with anyone. Yuna isn't Vega; it's a civilised world in a civilised region. You won't win people over by beating people up."

"Understood. Are meetings with the relevant officials already set up, or should I arrange them myself?"

Don't be silly. That'd be a waste of Dox's valuable thinking time. And with a power ring, that's 99% of his day, after all.

"Have Lantern Drusa set it up once you're in system."

"Why would-?" I sigh. "Harbour pilots?"

Great, they're going to have to pay union rates, too. Still, I doubt they could swing a Greediport into the sector. Much too aggressive a move.

"They are close to a war zone."

"Please tell me they can use FTL in-system?"

As if...

"At low speeds and at set angles of approach."

"Okay, I'll bring a long book. Anything else I need to know about?"

Wonder if that applies to their own system defence craft or not?

"Lantern Xor has been busy. The Alignment has collapsed into open civil war, much to the pleasure of their neighbours."

I smile. That is good news.

Always nice to see a friend doing well in their endeavours.

"I'll send him a card. Any likely blowback over here?"

"It might be nice to add them to L.E.G.I.O.N., once the situation stabilises. The fleet assigned to Earth can be there relatively quickly. Do you still need them on station?"

Hmm... Nothing happening in system to be concerned about. Might affect global politics a little...

"No, I don't think so. Honestly, once the Sheeda were dealt with I probably didn't really need them to stop King Orin doing something stupid. Having them around is useful and I'm sure they're gathering all sorts of useful data, but it's not a problem if you want to send them somewhere else."

"I will bear that in mind. You are dismissed, Illustres. Lantern Drusa is awaiting your message."

And the more data Dox has on Earth the better, because it's only a matter of time until some damn fool thing in the galactic Balkans sets off a powderkeg somewhere...

I give him a shallow bow, then turn and walk out of his office.

"How did it go?"

Ratchet moves his tentacles in a gesture of polite enquiry, the slight tremor suggesting an undercurrent of worry. I glance back for a moment as the door closes.

Better than expected, really. No yelling, for a start. Not even a 'try not to die again.'

"Pretty well. I'm going back to work for the Corps. Is Dox having any problems?"

"No." Emphatic negation gesture. "His position remains stable. Most Orange Lanterns and ship-captains are happy so long as the Reach continues to lose. His social skills have improved… Somewhat."

Ah, has Ratchet been giving Dox social advice through the power of Hugz?

"I noticed. Good work with that."

"It was really more Brande's work. Though I did help."

I smile. "Keep helping. I'll speak to you when I get back."

Interesting that OL's personal recruits seem more loyal to him than to Dox despite the chain of command. To be expected, really. He did pull most of them out of bad situations...

So, a diplomatic assignment? Looks like Drusa's going to have their hands full keeping Hurricane Pavlos from upsetting any locals.

But, really, OL's off-world actions always do seem to end up involving violence, don't they? Usually to bad people, true, but compared to how easygoing things on Earth usually turn out...

I would not be surprised if there are betting pools in the ranks about how long the Illustres' missions will run before shots are fired.

Darko · Apr 28, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, when all you have is a railgun construct, everything starts looking like a target... Honestly, OL doesn't even realise how much he's changed these days, does he?

Nope.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, has Ratchet been giving Dox social advice through the power of Hugz?

I'm now picturing a member of N.E.M.O. walking into Dox's office and seeing Ratchet hugging him.

Said member then just slowly walks out with a blank expression on their face.

I'm also picturing one that just watches them and when it looks like they're stopping, he tells them to keep doing it in a commanding voice.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Looks like Drusa's going to have their hands full keeping Hurricane Pavlos from upsetting any locals.

A more difficult mission there has never been.

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