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

Medidiction (part 6)
26th August 2012
19:15 GMT


Lantern Dul meets us in mid-air over the Thanagarian capital, eyeing Lantern Xor like a…

I'm mildly disappointed with myself.

Like 'a hawk scanning a field', while Xor regards her fairly impassively for a moment before returning his attention to the Thanaldar cityscape.

"Why do the buildings fly?"

"Nth metal. We use it to control mass and gravity."

"No. Not 'how'. 'Why'? Why do you make them fly? Your world has much space. You do not stack buildings because you need to. So why do you make them fly?"

"Status. We like flying. Unlike all the other species in our empire thanagarians can fly. Nth metal is a part of our bodies, so why shouldn't it be part of our buildings?"

"Because it is profligate and unnecessary. Because it adds structural vulnerability. Because it takes a scarce resource and wastes it."

"Do your people live in plain fortified bunkers?"

"No. But only the tallest buildings use systems to stabilise themselves, and none can fly." Xor frowns. "And our population is much greater than yours." His eyes glow. "And you have a city under your city."

"Poor people and aliens have to live somewhere. Where do your people put them?"

"In smaller towns, in the outskirts. In larger cities, in large habitation blocks. The poorest live in the tallest, windiest parts, furthest from the ground."

Her eyes narrow further. "Heights are a lot less scary when you have wings. Though if you want to send us labourers, I'm sure we can find room for them somewhere suitably low."

I smile brightly at them. "Ready to go, or would you like to continue this exercise in comparative anthropology?"

Xor takes a last look before rotating towards me, deliberately choosing to avoid looking at the city.

"I am ready. I do not think that there is much to learn here."

"Which of our species is more advanced? Which controls a larger area of space?"

This time I glare at her.

"Lantern Dul?"

"I am ready to depart. Sir."

I project orange light around us and begin warping space, sending us flying faster and faster away from-. Yes, now invisible to the naked eye Thanagar and in the direction of Karax.

"We'll meet Lantern Onik closer to our destination. In the meantime, we may as well have a lesson." I frown. "Though Lantern Dul, how did things go with the Seven Devil cultists?"

"Eliminated. Between me, the fleet and the Ravens, we scoured everywhere they could hide and every citizen who had contact with them."

"Meet any other Exalted Ones, or anything like that?"

"Nothing on that level. Some manhawks and a few other abominations. Easily dealt with."

"Good, good. And their records?"

"Secured."

"I'd like a little more than that, Lantern Dul. I don't need the access codes myself, but the Seven Devils coming back is extremely bad."

"Only researchers with a long history of loyalty are allowed closely monitored access, and they will be watched constantly for the rest of their lives. The High Council has accepted the broad truth of Sharon Parker's account of that part of our history. We have excellent reasons to be careful."

"The reason I ask is that -as an empath- I'm perfectly aware of how eager certain officials in the Thanagarian Empire's government are to learn what the cults know about Nth metal fabrication."

She doesn't twitch, but she does go slightly still.

"Which isn't a problem for me right up until one of the Seven Devils manifests. I also know perfectly well that your first loyalty is to Thanagar. That isn't a problem for me either, so long as you remember that what serves them best isn't necessarily what they tell you to do."

I give her a hard look.

"But if we're agreed that the worst possible outcome is the Seven Devils returning to life, then there isn't any contradiction."

"No, Illustres. I agree."

I go back to smiling.

"Okay, good work then. Is there anything else in the Thanagarian Empire that requires your attention?"

"I have been trying to replicate your feat of creating Nth metal using your power ring."

"Any luck?"

She pulls her wings in slightly. "Not yet."

"You weren't trying to use your desire to serve the Thanagarian Empire to catalyse your construct, were you?"

"That is my strongest desire."

"No, no…" I shake my head. "That's not how it works. Orange is the colour of avarice. Lantern Xor, can you explain what she did wrong?"

"Altruism does not work, even if the desire is genuine. When I fight, I do so to affirm my nature. My desires. I am an honourable warrior. I will harm none who have not wronged me. I will leave no slight unavenged. I will repay my debts. I will speak no untruth. This is who I am. This is the proper code of the universe, and I will teach it to others in whatever way I must."

He regards her with… Disappointment.

"The Illustres helped me when no other would, so has earned my fealty. My nation is the Alignment, and they took me as a child and turned me into a mindlessly loyal living weapon. And when I understood that, I tore them down. You say you are loyal to a place, a time, as if their nature makes no difference. As if you would serve a liar as willingly as an honest person, merely for the… Fancy hat upon their head. Your devotion is empty of meaning, it-."

I hold up my right hand.

"Okay! Okay, thank you for your plain-spoken denunciation-" Lantern Dul looks a heartbeat from swinging her axe at him, and it's probably only the fact that her anger has shut her ring down that's stopping her. "-Lantern Xor, I'm sure that Lantern Dul will hear it in the spirit in which it was intended. Won't you, Lantern Dul?"

"II will try."

"You'll note that despite his obvious contempt for your personal philosophy, his environmental shield is still working. His philosophy is objectively superior when it comes to orange light manipulation. Or… Perhaps you're not being entirely honest regarding your own motivations? And perhaps this far from Thanagarian listening devices, you might like to talk about that."
 
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Because it takes a scarce resource and wastes it."

And Thanagar is going to need those resources.

Until Vulcan comes along and they can start using them for frivolous things.

Her eyes narrow further. "Heights are a lot less scary when you have wings. Though if you want to send us labourers, I'm sure we can find room for them somewhere suitably low."

The bitchiness is strong in this one.

how did things going with the

'go with'

will harm none of have

'who have'

other would, so has earned my fealty. My
'he has earned'

And when I understood that, I tore them down.

I thought it was mostly for the betrayal rather than the fact that they turned him into a living weapon.
 
Hehe, angry feather woman go swing

Xor was taught to value abstract concepts and so was she. The difference being, her abstract concept is the state and that is, by the definition of existing abover her own desires, harder to internalise than his values.

The exception may be an autocratic ruler who genuinely sees a state as being literally theirs.
 
26th August 2012
19:15 GMT


Lantern Dul meets us in mid-air over the Thanagarian capital, eyeing Lantern Xor like a…

I'm mildly disappointed with myself.
You're about to think of a bird of prey analogy, aren't you? Really, OL? I wouldn't go mentioning it to Dul, she might find it offensive.I do hope Xor's goodbyes didn't take too long, or involve too many threats from his girlfriend about him coming home in one piece and sound of mind and body...

Like 'a hawk scanning a field', while Xor regards her fairly impassively for a moment before returning his attention to the Thanaldar cityscape.
At least you feel bad for even thinking it, OL.

"Why do the buildings fly?"

"Nth metal. We use it to control mass and gravity."
Not what he asked, you know. And really, it seems wasteful...

"No. Not 'how'. 'Why'? Why do you make them fly? Your world has much space. You do not stack buildings because you need to. So why do you make them fly?"

"Status. We like flying. Unlike all the other species in our empire thanagarians can fly. Nth metal is a part of our bodies, so why shouldn't it be part of our buildings?"
So, you like lording it over the 'little people' you've conquered. Yes, I see that going down well with Xor, who basically is one of those sort of 'little people'...

"Because it is profligate and unnecessary. Because it adds structural vulnerability. Because it takes a scarce resource and wastes it."

"Do your people live in plain fortified bunkers?"
Oh, this is going to be annoying, if they keep sniping at each other over cultural hate-at-first-sight...

"No. But only the tallest buildings use systems to stabilise themselves, and none can fly." Xor frowns. "And our population is much greater than yours." His eyes glow. "And you have a city under your city."

"Poor people and aliens have to live somewhere. Where do your people put them?"
Really not endearing yourself to Xor... It's probably a good thing neither of you will likely ever see each other again after this mission.

"In smaller towns, in the outskirts. In larger cities, in large habitation blocks. The poorest live in the tallest, windiest parts, furthest from the ground."

Her eyes narrow further. "Heights are a lot less scary when you have wings. Though if you want to send us labourers, I'm sure we can find room for them somewhere suitably low."
...Okay, are you under orders to push him, Dul? Does your boss really want you to set off a war with the Alignment? Because that's about the only reason I can see for such irritatingly obnoxious behaviour.

I smile brightly at them. "Ready to go, or would you like to continue this exercise in comparative anthropology?"

Xor takes a last look before rotating towards me, deliberately choosing to avoid looking at the city.
I wonder if OL if reconsidering his choice of Lanterns yet. I shudder to imagine the arguments that'll get started once they're joined by Onik...

"I am ready. I do not think that there is much to learn here."

"Which of our species is more advanced? Which controls a larger area of space?"
Which one isn't led by complete arseholes? Because I'm sure Xor would like to continue exercising his new skills at overthrowing governments...

This time I glare at her.

"Lantern Dul?"
About time you stepped in, OL. I suspect these two are going to test your leadership skills something fierce over the next few days...

"I am ready to depart. Sir."

I project orange light around us and begin warping space, sending us flying faster and faster away from-. Yes, now invisible to the naked eye Thanagar and in the direction of Karax.
No wasting time, eh? I suppose the sooner you can get to Karax, the less item they have to antagonise each other.

"We'll meet Lantern Onik closer to our destination. In the meantime, we may as well have a lesson." I frown. "Though Lantern Dul, how did things going with the Seven Devil cultists?"

"Eliminated. Between me, the fleet and the Ravens, we scoured everywhere they could hide and every citizen who had contract with them."
I'm sure some got away. That sort of person, much like cockroaches, love to scurry out of sight and hide... Especially if someone highly placed has sympathies they can conceal well enough.

"Meet any other Exalted Ones, or anything like that?"

"Nothing on that level. Some manhawks and a few other abominations. Easily dealt with."
Thank goodness for small mercies, I suppose.

"Good, good. And their records?"

"Secured."
...Yes, I take it that's the party line, Lantern. Care to go into more detail for your Illustres?

"I'd like a little more than that, Lantern Dul. I don't need the access codes myself, but the Seven Devils coming back is extremely bad."

"Only researchers with a long history of loyalty are allowed closely monitored access, and they will be watched constantly for the rest of their lives. The High Council has accepted the broad truth of Sharon Parker's account of that part of our history. We have excellent reasons to be careful."
To remind people: Sharon Parker is the current incarnation of the Golden Age Hawkgirl. Herself a reincarnation of, amongst others, an ancient Kahndaqi princess and a Thanagarian. Seriously, the Hawks have a really convoluted history.

"The reason I ask is that -as an empath- I'm perfectly aware of how eager certain officials in the Thanagarian Empire's government are to learn what the cults know about Nth metal fabrication."

She doesn't twitch, but she does go slightly still.
Probably a mix of 'guano, why didn't I think of that?' and 'oh guano, how much does he suspect?', I would expect. She is nothing if not a loyal agent...

"Which isn't a problem for me right up until one of the Seven Devils manifests. I also know perfectly well that your first loyalty is to Thanagar. That isn't a problem for me either, so long as you remember that what serves them best isn't necessarily what they tell you to do."

I give her a hard look.
Because, after all, what they want isn't necessarily best for Thanagar's people. Just for themselves...

"But if we're agreed that the worst possible outcome is the Seven Devils returning to life, then there isn't any contradiction."

"No, Illustres. I agree."
I suspect not even the most corrupt member of the leadership, outside of any secret cultists, wants that.

I go back to smiling.

"Okay, good work then. Is there anything else in the Thanagarian Empire that requires your attention?"
In other words: 'Anything else I might object to?'

"I have been trying to replicate your feat of creating Nth metal using your power ring."

"Any luck?"
Good luck managing that without the Ophidian's full support. And they nearly managed to create a black hole in the process doing it.

She pulls her wings in slightly. "Not yet."

"You weren't trying to use your desire to serve the Thanagarian Empire to catalyse your construct, were you?"
Oh, boy. I get the feeling she's going to be getting the 'what do you really want' talk sooner or later on this trip...

"That is my strongest desire."

"No, no…" I shake my head. "That's not how it works. Orange is the colour of avarice. Lantern Xor, can you explain what she did wrong?"
Here's a hint: Avarice is inherently selfish. OL simply learned how to make his wants line up with other people's wants.

"Altruism does not work, even if the desire is genuine. When I fight, I do so to affirm my nature. My desires. I am an honourable warrior. I will harm none of have not wronged me. I will leave no slight unavenged. I will repay my debts. I will speak no untruth. This is who I am. This is the proper code of the universe, and I will teach it to others in whatever way I must."
Altruism, by comparison, is selfless. Supporting other's wants above your own. Guess what else that's called? Compassion. Xor gets that.

He regards her with… Disappointment.

"The Illustres helped me when no other would, so has earned my fealty. My nation is the Alignment, and they took me as a child and turned me into a mindlessly loyal living weapon. And when I understood that, I tore them down. You say you are loyal to a place, a time, as if their nature makes no difference. As if you would serve a liar as willingly as an honest person, merely for the… Fancy hat upon their head. Your devotion is empty of meaning, it-."
To be fair, I'm sure they're very impressive hats. I'm sure some of them are magnificent. But you can't judge the person by hat alone... You've got to look deeper, at their character. Find out who they are in the dark...

I hold up my right hand.

"Okay! Okay, thank you for your plain-spoken denunciation-" Lantern Dul looks a heartbeat from swinging her axe at him, and it's probably only the fact that her anger has shut her ring down that's stopping her. "-Lantern Xor, I'm sure that Lantern Dul will hear it in the spirit in which it was intended. Won't you, Lantern Dul?"
Perhaps she'll loose some of that blind obedience that's been ingrained to her by the State. And that's a good thing. It'll probably improve her ring-slinging too.

"II will try."

"You'll note that despite his obvious contempt for your personal philosophy, his environmental shield is still working. His philosophy is objectively superior when it comes to orange light manipulation. Or… Perhaps your not being entirely honest regarding your own motivations? And perhaps this far from Thanagarian listening devices, you might like to talk about that."
Ah-ha. Might be a good chance for her to get out from under her master's thumbs for a while, it seems. Assuming there aren't recording devices in her clothes. Might want to scan her, Nth Metal or not.

Okay, I take back what i said about this being a volatile mix yesterday. Nitroglycerine has nothing on the potential these two have to explode. If Onik gets on as well with them as they do with each other, I may have to revise my estimate to something closer to Dioxygen Diflouride... We can but hope OL can keep them on task and in line... :confused: ...Bets on how much of Karax will be on fire by the end of this episode? And no, 'All of it' doesn't count!
 
Really not endearing yourself to Xor... It's probably a good thing neither of you will likely ever see each other again after this mission.

I'm now thinking that they will.

I'm also imagining them as a buddy cop type duo.

Okay, are you under orders to push him, Dul? Does your boss really want you to set off a war with the Alignment? Because that's about the only reason I can see for such irritatingly obnoxious behaviour.

I think she feels like he's insulting her society so she's insulting him.

Seriously, the Hawks have a really convoluted history.

You can say that again.

Bets on how much of Karax will be on fire by the end of this episode? And no, 'All of it' doesn't count!

Suckers bet.
 
Well, this kinda explains the future shortage of Nth metal. I mean they are using it for status symbols, monuments to arrogance, I wonder if cutting down on that would improve their situation. Also probably OL might notice why the Guardians had to add their crapware to the rings, I mean how long until they have defectors, or people using their rings to help their governments murder rebels. Hell even a short jump and scan the closest neighbors would be a good bonus for any space empire.
 
looks a heartbeat from swinging
looks a heartbeat from -> looks to be a heartbeat away from (or maybe without 'to be'?)
And perhaps this far from Thanagarian listening devices, you might like to talk about that.
I'm looking forward to seeing how much OL is able to 'corrupt' Lantern Dul.
...Okay, are you under orders to push him, Dul? Does your boss really want you to set off a war with the Alignment? Because that's about the only reason I can see for such irritatingly obnoxious behaviour.
Tbh, I think her behaviour is entirely consistent with what we've seen of her before.
 
Well, this kinda explains the future shortage of Nth metal. I mean they are using it for status symbols, monuments to arrogance, I wonder if cutting down on that would improve their situation. Also probably OL might notice why the Guardians had to add their crapware to the rings, I mean how long until they have defectors, or people using their rings to help their governments murder rebels. Hell even a short jump and scan the closest neighbors would be a good bonus for any space empire.

Zoat seems to have disregarded that aspect, but in the comics at least that stupidity was worse- Nth metal is an energy converter, not an energy source.

Silver Scarab's suit was solar powered, Prince Khufu used Bagdad batteries.

So they are actually wasting energy 24/7 (or thanagarian equivalent) for those stupid floating cities.

But wait, it gets even better- Which they powered, by having a God in a can. The Hawk God to be precise.
 
Zoat seems to have disregarded that aspect, but in the comics at least that stupidity was worse- Nth metal is an energy converter, not an energy source.

Silver Scarab's suit was solar powered, Prince Khufu used Bagdad batteries.

So they are actually wasting energy 24/7 (or thanagarian equivalent) for those stupid floating cities.

But wait, it gets even better- Which they powered, by having a God in a can. The Hawk God to be precise.
It's like a stupid onion. You peal away a layer of stupid in the hopes of finding something appetising, but no, only more stupid.
 
"Altruism does not work, even if the desire is genuine. When I fight, I do so to affirm my nature. My desires. I am an honourable warrior. I will harm none who have not wronged me. I will leave no slight unavenged. I will repay my debts. I will speak no untruth. This is who I am. This is the proper code of the universe, and I will teach it to others in whatever way I must."
[...]
"You'll note that despite his obvious contempt for your personal philosophy, his environmental shield is still working. His philosophy is objectively superior when it comes to orange light manipulation. Or… Perhaps you're not being entirely honest regarding your own motivations? And perhaps this far from Thanagarian listening devices, you might like to talk about that."
AFAICT, Altruism does work, it's just... not very stable or reliable or powerful, and even when you use altruism you tend to get results from abstract but personal desires like the human optimization thing.
And it doesn't seem like it's so much that it's nesscarily an inferior philosiphy for this as a demonstration that where she is right now with ring mastery it's a little sub-ideal - it's possible to function, probably similarily effectively with that anger, it's just not something that she's achieved yet - His Contempt is useful for some things but probably runs into problems about 'worthiness' of target and makes focusing it on some things difficult.
(Though def agree more with Xor as a more optimal philosiphy personally)
 
"Wait, do you have buildings made out of any other parts of your bodies, because that doesn't seem like a useful criteria for building materials."
"Indeed. We have nurseries made of our feathers, cafeterias made of intestines to process food scraps, restrooms made of repurposed keratin for cleanliness, our building entrances include hand-sized bile pools so employees can remove pheromones and body odor with impunity, and the offices of leadership include vast amounts of networked grey matter for arithmetics."
 
On the off chance that anyone's been keeping track, how many Scarabs/Scarab Warriors has Paragon encountered? I believe every one he has has been killed, but maybe I'm forgetting something. He hasn't encountered Season 2's Black Beetle, right?

I know Renegade's only indirectly helping with the fight against the Reach by letting the Controllers have access to the Orange CPB, but is he at all interested in acquiring a Scarab himself? It seems like useful technology to study, and his magical abilities should make him quite effective against one, both in combat and in possibly subverting the implant's self-destruct features.
 
On the off chance that anyone's been keeping track, how many Scarabs/Scarab Warriors has Paragon encountered? I believe every one he has has been killed, but maybe I'm forgetting something. He hasn't encountered Season 2's Black Beetle, right?

I know Renegade's only indirectly helping with the fight against the Reach by letting the Controllers have access to the Orange CPB, but is he at all interested in acquiring a Scarab himself? It seems like useful technology to study, and his magical abilities should make him quite effective against one, both in combat and in possibly subverting the implant's self-destruct features.

Renegade may have access to weapons that can rival a Scarab, so there may be no reason for him to get one.

He already has several power rings, as well as New God tech, so I think he's good with his weapon options.
 
He hasn't encountered Season 2's Black Beetle, right?
That is correct. When he encounters Black Beetle I'll make sure that it's obvious.
I know Renegade's only indirectly helping with the fight against the Reach by letting the Controllers have access to the Orange CPB, but is he at all interested in acquiring a Scarab himself?
No.
It seems like useful technology to study, and his magical abilities should make him quite effective against one, both in combat and in possibly subverting the implant's self-destruct features.
There are lots of useful technologies in the universe, but without an expert in the technology to adapt it into something more immediately useful he's decided that he's better off pursuing other avenues. I mean, aside from anything else he's got a Weaponer right there.
 
Renegade may have access to weapons that can rival a Scarab, so there may be no reason for him to get one.

He already has several power rings, as well as New God tech, so I think he's good with his weapon options.

For personal empowerment and armament, I agree he's all set, but for his followers, especially those he can't Awaken, Scarab technology seems quite useful. I don't know what proportion of his Lanterns are still using construct-rings compared to actual power rings at this point, but advanced technology that doesn't require a specific mindset and is thus more easily accessible and usable, as well as granting near-parity with a power ring in combat, is something I think is valuable to pursue.

There are lots of useful technologies in the universe, but without an expert in the technology to adapt it into something more immediately useful he's decided that he's better off pursuing other avenues. I mean, aside from anything else he's got a Weaponer right there.

Weaponer Lysis is actually a reason that I thought would make him consider nabbing a Scarab, since she might have a viable chance of hacking/cracking it, though I agree it wouldn't be as immediately useful as having an existing expert. Speaking of the latter, though, I believe Renegade is still laying off assimilating any more people, but does he have the same rule for the rest of his Corps? And do the Controllers allow their Lanterns (I think they should have some by now?) to assimilate too? Because that seems like a direct way to get an expert on the tech, with Renegade's hush tube technology. I'm still kind of impatient that Paragon hasn't tried instant transmission himself, because the more time passes the greater the risk that the Reach can develop ways to bypass it (though besides those construct-destroying guns which they got externally, I don't see much evidence of them effectively manipulating or countering the energies of the emotional spectrum)
 
Mr Zoat This is kinda a random question but is there something planned with Renegade dealing with the Danner enhanced natives in Brazil. I know that Paragon and Renegade both dealt with Mars' caste system to wildly different effects. And I wanna see how Grayven would differ from Paragon on a planned invasion to destroy a first-world country while the people are inherently stronger.
 
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Mr Zoat This is kinda a random question but is there something planned with Renegade dealing with the Danner enhanced natives in Brazil. I know that Paragon and Renegade both dealt with Mars' caste system to wildly different effects. And I wanna see how Grayven would differ from Paragon on a planned invasion to destroy a first-world country while the people are inherently stronger.
I don't think that he even knows it's happening. Since Brazil was affected far less badly by the Sheeda attacks and since Hugo Danner wasn't recovered, the Accala's original plan is still in effect. They're just not ready to carry it out yet.
 
Honestly the Alpha Centurion technology seems a better choice.

He showed up in that Guild of Justice or whatever it was called with Omen and Firebird.

Alpha Centurion is an obscure character so here's the impressive bit- There's a universe in the DC multiverse in which Marcus is the Superman equivalent- Hero of Metropolis, Lois's guy, has a giant golden statue for dying saving the city (from Doomsday? Unknown).

So apparently that Virmiru power armor makes you the equal of a Kryptonian, and is already capable of forming energy constructs like swords and shields.

And no built in mind controlling AI to worry about, just duplicate the technology.

The scarabs might have the benefit of versatility, but that really depends on how good that energy construct technology is.
 
I don't think that he even knows it's happening. Since Brazil was affected far less badly by the Sheeda attacks and since Hugo Danner wasn't recovered, the Accala's original plan is still in effect. They're just not ready to carry it out yet.
Their original plan was to just attack Brazil for a while then claim their land by force I do not see that going well. The Light/Justice League would definitely put a hard stop to that and since Hugo is still on ice with none the wiser I don't see anyone talking them down from all-out war.
 

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