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

10th September 2012
18:44 GMT


"Do you have recruitment authority?"

"Not like you do, but if a Sector doesn't have a Lantern I could probably make it happen."
Especially if said Sector is in dire need of policing? I suppose it comes down to whether the local space-going powers agree to Green lantern oversight. I'm sure there are regions who encountered and refused such an offer... Besides Reach space, and New Gods-ruled worlds.

"Then he's what I propose. The Green Lantern Corps recognise Lord Malvolio's rule of Sector One Six Three Four. The Green Lantern Corps will agree not to enter the Sector without his authorisation or the authorisation of duly designated officials in the Sector's government. Permission to enter for a stated purpose does not give general permission to come in and do what they like."

"Though you didn't like what we did with tha Reach?"
Not a fair comparison, Guy. Was Malvolio wiping out rival cultures and species? Was he conquering violently? Or was he just acting as a member of the aristocracy of his day would be expected to: protecting those lands he's in charge of.

"It's not the same thing. Malvolio isn't carrying out genocidal purges amongst the species he rules. If a stellar nation who were managing their own affairs fine and not bothering their neighbours didn't want Green Lanterns in their territory, I wouldn't have a problem with that. That's part of why the Green Lantern Corps recruits locally rather than just assigning people from-."

"You intend to have Priest take up his duties once more."
Very astute, Malvolio. And to be fair, you do need someone watching you, keep you from making any more blunders like the ones that got you confined in the first place... Better it be someone you know and can trust.

"He's slightly upbeat about how you're responding to everything that's happened-."

"Three centuries of imprisonment while all that I had build turned to ash. There are fewer people in this Sector now than when I was imprisoned. Did you know that? Between the internecine wars and the collapse in trade, the population has shrunk. Their understanding of natural philosophy has stagnated. I lay this at his door."
I suppose that's fair too. I mean, it was kind of his fault, since his confinement of you evidently prevented him tending to the sector at large... Why he didn't call for aid from the Guardians, get a second Lantern assigned, I don't know...

"And I'm sympathetic. But you were personally trapped in a star system. If you'd never had that ring, you would have never left Earth. You probably wouldn't have left Europe. You were still more free than any other human of your era."

"But I knew that they were there and that I had a duty to them that I could not fulfil, because of him."
Yeah, that would sting. But did you maybe consider he had good reasons for doing so?

"He told me that he was ordered to kill you."

"He failed."
It would look that way to you, I suppose.

"No, as in, he was ordered to kill you and decided not to because it was immoral. He didn't want you running a Sector because he believed that would mean you trampling on the wills of those under you. When I spoke to him just now, he was genuinely interested by your plans for reform. I think that if you involved him, not only would you have input from one of the few beings around who know more about the green light than you do, but it would also get the Green Lantern Corps off your back. You might be able to fight Lantern Gardner and Lantern-"
See, if you two had just talked back then, maybe you wouldn't have spent all that time confined... Alas, Green Light Stubbornness...

"We coulda taken him."

"-Apros, but there are a great many Green Lanterns. And if the Guardians still have you marked for death, they one of them might eventually intervene personally. The most sensible thing for you to do is to make an accommodation. You grew up during the end period of the Thirty Years' War. You know the magnitude of misery that comes when rulers aren't prepared to negotiate with powerful neighbours, or accept less than they ideally want."
Unless you plan to fight the entire Green Lantern Corps? Do you understand that means up to 7200 Lanterns, all potentially as powerful as you? Sooner or later, one of them would have brought you down, especially if they sent larger taskforces...

"I have never attacked a world under the Guardianship of another Lantern. All that has transpired here is their doing."

I nod.

"Lantern Gardner, did you take the opportunity to review the state of the worlds in Lord Malvolio's domain?"
...He didn't, did he? Didn't he learn not to go by briefings alone from OL?

"Got an.. overview."

"Most likely prison locations and fleet-"

He winces slightly.
Argh... Guy, you dipstick. You should know better than this.

"-bases?"

"… Yeah."
Always double-check your intel. Get local data as backup. Your boss might not always tell you what you need to know, only what they think you need...

"Lantern Apros, I'm not familiar with your species. Can you assimilate data faster than humanoids, about as fast, or slower?"

"I have superhumanoid grasp of three dimension navigation. I am not an economist."
Well, easy assumption to make, brain that big... Assuming his central mass is larger than a human head and torso.

"Okay, so are you asking for time to review the history and economics of this Sector so that you can tell whether or not Lord Malvolio is doing a good job? You'd need to study a five hundred year period in detail covering… What was it, seven principle worlds plus colonies and outposts? Does the Green Lantern Corps have that expertise?"

"Probably. Or we can hire people."
Assuming people prioritised keeping such info in that time. Worst case, you might need to conduct local interviews...

"Lord Malvolio, would you object to an external group without power rings conducting a review of your domain's economic systems? The results might be helpful to you as well as convincing your critics in the Green Lantern Corps that you're good for the place."

"I do not plan to blockade peaceful travellers. If scholars wish to investigate mine realm as the authors of the Domesday Book did the domain of King William, then it vexes me not."
The Domesday Book, for reference (if you missed the link in the text.) One of the largest surveys and censuses in the world, especially at that time. At least Malvolio can guarantee an easier time than some of the crews working on it.

"Lantern Gardner?"

"So we're deciding whose good and bad by committee?"
Malvolio's carrying a pretty big stick, Guy. Do you want him beating you with it, or would you prefer to continue speaking softly?

"Since there's no mutually agreed upon set of rules, that's what you're left with. I've reviewed Two Eight One Four A's records on Green Lanterns removing rulers, and they usually only do it if they're atrocious and there's a alternate rightful candidate within that civilisation's own culture."

"If he-." Guy stops himself and then faces Malvolio instead. "If you're such a great guy, why don't you just join the Corps?"
In this case, neither condition applies. If a valid alternative had presented themselves during Malvolio's confinement, the Sector wouldn't be in this mess.

"Put myself under the command of those who sentenced me to death? Are you that much a fool?"

"Has that actually been rescinded?"
More importantly, did anyone but Priest receive that order?

Guy shrugs.

"I didn't find any record of it ever bein' made. Ain't a lot on Mally."
Because, like so many other things, the Guardians don't like to have their failures known...

"But you understand why someone might not want to join an organisation run by beings who sentenced him to death without trial? Or even formal accusation?"

"What if it was rescinded?"
Guy, let it go. He's not going to become a Green Lantern. No matter how much you might want him... Ah. Now I get it. Your little assignment to 'study esoteric Green Lantern techniques'. You want to learn how he's doing what he's doing, don't you? But since he's not a Green lantern officially...

"Why are you pursuing this fruitless line of reasoning? I might understand a man making an error of judgement, but these Guardians will admit to no such error. If they gave me an explanation and asked my pardon I might -after a time- find it in myself to grant it."

"But if we could come back to the task at hand..?"
Yes, as much fun as little digressions can be, they do have a bigger topic at hand...

"You really gunna let Priest go free jus' 'cause we asked?"

"I was concerned that I may need to crush the Green Lantern Corps in its entirety before I could find peace from its deprivations. If I have the sworn word of your masters that all I must do is release one man whom I may keep under close observation, then I will bear down on mine own desire for vengeance."
And I don't doubt that he's confident enough to think he can do so. Even in the face of Escalation that would make the Memetic Taylor Hebert go, "That seems a bit much..."

"And you don't mind him having a ring?"

"I am not convinced that he needs one. No, if that is the price of peace then I will pay it."
Heh. Yeah, Priest does seem to have that level of skill, doesn't he? Though the Ring makes some things so much easier, I expect.

"Lantern Gardner?"

"Priest gets out and gets a ring. You stay on 'til we can work out whether your good or bad. Can Priest go places without you?"
Well, summed up like that, it doesn't sound too tough, does it?

"No, but may send messages where he will."

"Then I think we got a deal."
Of course, Guy's got to swing it with the Guardians. But I expect they'll take Ion's Host's word for it. Though not entirely happily, I bet.

Well, then. Big conflict done. All that remains is to drop the barrier, get Priest his ring back and get back to that little pilgrimage Malvolio was on before you interrupted him... Unless another party plans on interfering in matters, at least. I would hope Sinestro has enough sense not to poke the 800-pound gorilla.
 
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A bobble-headed malware by any other name, would smell as sweet.
Hey do the Zamarons have any capability and inclination to produce non malware filled AI? I mean they are not full of the stubborn controlling influence of green, just Violet.


Or would they make a new and interesting flavour of Malware? Perhaps a Yandere AI on the ring.
 
Hey do the Zamarons have any capability and inclination to produce non malware filled AI? I mean they are not full of the stubborn controlling influence of green, just Violet.


Or would they make a new and interesting flavour of Malware? Perhaps a Yandere AI on the ring.
If they can't make an acceptable AI, the Coluans could do it.
 
"Okay, so are you asking for time to review the history and economics of this Sector so that you can tell whether or not Lord Malvolio is doing a good job? You'd need to study a five hundred year period in detail covering… What was it, seven principle worlds plus colonies and outposts? Does the Green Lantern Corps have that expertise?"

Oh wait, that's it? Seven principle worlds plus outposts and colonies? For a sector, really?

I was thinking... okay, 200 billion stars in the Milky Way, divided by 3600... round down to maybe 50 million stars, say one in 10,000 stars has a habitable world... maybe 500 inhabited planets? Though they'd be scattered pretty far apart.

(shoves math in trash can) Ah... never mind. Green Lantern sector numbers never work out anyway. I was just pretty surprised at only seven main worlds.
 
Oh wait, that's it? Seven principle worlds plus outposts and colonies? For a sector, really?

I was thinking... okay, 200 billion stars in the Milky Way, divided by 3600... round down to maybe 50 million stars, say one in 10,000 stars has a habitable world... maybe 500 inhabited planets? Though they'd be scattered pretty far apart.

(shoves math in trash can) Ah... never mind. Green Lantern sector numbers never work out anyway. I was just pretty surprised at only seven main worlds.
Most systems have gas giants and a few unappealing moons.

Most small and rocky worlds don't have liquid water on the surface, being either far too cold or far too hot.

And then you've got the fact that a lot of habitable worlds just don't have intelligent life on them at the moment.
 
Has there been any consequences to Paul freeing all the Coulans?
 
A Waltz in Orange and Green (part 15)
10th September 2012
18:50 GMT


Priest nods.

"How long is it that your species naturally lives?"

"Assuming that we don't die of disease or violence, our bodies usually start to get a bit ropey in our ninth decade. Though some humans make it into their thirteenth decade naturally and a rare few have found ways to extend their lives for millennia. The oldest I'm aware of is a man named Vandal Savage, who is about forty eight thousand years old."

"I think that Earth will be a fascinating place to study. Please keep it whole until my time with Malvolio reaches its end."

No promises.

"So you accept the deal?"

"For now. I will stay with Malvolio for a time, and then we can reconsider-. How old are you?"

I shake my head.

"Don't worry about it. I don't age, and I've twice gotten better from dying."

"Then return here in two hundred Earth years, and I will decide whether I want to renegotiate or not."

"Will do. Excuse me."

Things feel a little calmer outside, though Guy and Malvolio aren't particularly easy to feel out. Apros, Avir and Vinkent are easy enough to feel, and the desires of Apros and Vinkent are divergent enough from humanoid norms that

locating them is fairly easy.

"He said yes."

"'kay." Guy doesn't look entirely happy, but at least he's gotten his moodiness under control. "Your turn, Mally."

Lord Malvolio doesn't react to the abbreviation. Instead, he raises his hands and-.

Oh my.

Enough green flame to envelop an entire star system flies through the void for my second awe-inspiring sight of the day, Malvolio pulling it into his hands with no apparent effort.

I float a little closer to Guy.

"I've never done anything that big. You?"

"Me either."

"Good to know we've got someone to look up to."

"Think I'll wait 'til we've got that report."

"We can probably get away with doing a quick tour before we leave, if you like. See all the concentration camps that aren't there, that sort of thing."

"I mostly wanna talk to Priest. He was supposed to be this incredible mystic, I wanna see what he can do."

"Lord Malvolio isn't too bad."

Guy and I watch as the last of the green flame enters Malvolio, the star reappearing in the far distance. Or rather, it will in a few minutes once the light reaches us.

"Yeah."

"So what's the procedure for requisitioning a ring? I ask because I don't think that Priest had any way to reach us that wouldn't involve him flying at sublight speed for a few years."

"It's on its way."

I rotate in the approximate direction of Oa.

"So how did the Guardians feel about getting him back?"

"Ah… I don't think Appa realised he ever left."

"Oh."

"Think they were playing chess or somethin'. Said he was waiting fer Priest's next move."

"Well… On the positive side, that makes two Guardians who will probably be okay with this. Is that ring getting here soon, or should-."

"Will detected."

"Oh, good."

Priest appears, arms hanging down as he floats a short distance from Lord Malvolio. He's swapped his white robe for a green variant with the Green Lantern sigil described in black on the chest.

"Lord Malvolio."

"Priest. How fare you?"

"It was restful. I understand that you plan on making some changes."

"My absence enforced by your hand caused the people of this region great hardship. It is fitting that you will watch me raise them up once more, that you may contemplate your misjudgement."

"I will look forward to being proven wrong."

"We will retire to mine seat, that we may discuss how you will work under me. Illustres, escort these other Lanterns from my Sector."

"Of course. Gentlemen?"

Four green rings glow as I set course for one of the Dreadnaughts' colony worlds. One that was repeatedly attacked during the decades of war and remained heavily fortified and underdeveloped during the peace.

And warp.

Guy's right behind me.

"Paul, what tha fuck jus' happened?"

"You appear to have had an attack of the knuckleheads, Guy. Malvolio's not Sinestro."

"'re we jus' forgetting about the Sheeda?"

"He didn't know, Guy. He had no idea who they were or what they'd done."

"So if Barry hadn't gone nuts, he'd'ah handed them ovah?"

"He didn't say. But you'll note a complete lack of bondage elves in this Sector, and Barry didn't kill all of them."

"Hn."

"You planning on ram raiding anywhere else?"

"Priest isn't just some old Lantern who quit. He was tha last guy t' host Ion. The Corps needs him, an' so do I."

"Well, now you can share with Malvolio. Priest isn't going anywhere. And maybe you can learn from Malvolio, too."
 
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"Priest isn't just some old Lantern who quit. He was tha last guy t' host Ion. The Corps needs him, an' so do I."

Did that happen in comics canon? All the images of Priest look old-school, and from my admittedly limited knowledge, Ion is a more recent comics invention.
That is an interesting little tidbit. Also, Priest never appeared again in the comics, similar to Malvolio. Will we eventually see 7 Lanterns each hosting one of the 7 Embodiments in one place in the future?
 
or violence, out bodies usually start

'our bodies'

"I think that Earth will be a fascinating place to study

An understatement.

Please keep it whole until my time with Malvolio reaches its end."

That will be difficult.


Smart boy.

How old are you?"

I shake my head.

"Don't worry about it.

Embarrassed to tell your real age?

So how did the Guardians feel about getting him back?"

"Ah… I don't think Apa realised he ever left."

"Oh."

"Think they were playing chess or somethin'. Said he was waiting fer Priest's next move."

For 400 years?

He didn't say. But you'll note a complete lack of bondage elves in this Sector, and Barry didn't kill all of them."

So they've either been granted citizenship, are in some political asylum situation, or are either imprisoned or dead after Malvolio found out what they were doing.
 

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