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

[Mr Zoat]

Where did you see slums? (Been a while since I saw the movie, so I might have missed something.)

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I don't remember what video it was where I saw it, but I think it was this.

Interesting video here.

Urgh. The world building in the MCU is so garbage. They say both in and out of the movie that they are the most advanced civilization. But for some reason they decided to have dirt roads and straw roofs.

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I suspect it's because they didn't develop the technology themselves. Think about it. Vibranium is really hard to work with. How the heck would a primitive tribe learn how to do that? I'll give them the heart-shaped herb because that's naturally occurring, but they wouldn't have the tools to make things with it. And why are there no other asteroids with vibranium in it around?

I think it wasn't an asteroid. I think it was a space ship, and I think that's where they got the tools from.

 

[Mr Zoat]

11th September 2012
19:31 GMT

…and that one wants better fitting armour. And clearly feels guilty about it. As far as I can tell, these soldiers represent the hardcore of loyalists who either came from minor religious groups who worshipped something similar enough to the new gods that they were willing to accept them as 'fulfilling the prophecy', or who were from minor groups who were happy to accept the Pax Divinitatus to protect them from their oppressors. No one other than Athyns from Karrakan, which… Seems a little odd, but I suppose that there must be some reason why the gods left.

N.E.M.O. doesn't have any recent information on the place. It's not exactly a busy stop over, being another relatively technologically primitive place like Minosyss. I'll ask Dox to send someone.

Anyway, the armour of these soldiers appears to have been a joint project between Iapetus and Hyperion. There's a ceremony they all go through where they're awarded it in person, which is the closest most of them come to the beings they worship and kind of a big deal.

I'll give Coeus a book on armour design. It shouldn't be that hard to integrate spells for automatic adjustment into the existing network, and that would allow them to make the armour a standard size every time.

"Excuse me?"

The two soldiers assigned to watch look up from their reading. The encampment outside of the tent is packed up and ready to fall out, but as I'm a foreigner and they're guarding me none of us are involved.

"I had assumed that someone would have told me what was going on by now, but since that hasn't happened, could I please send a message to the rest of my party?"

That doesn't appear to strike either of them as particularly unreasonable.

"What message?"

"Ah… Something along the lines of, 'I'm fine, couldn't really help with the factory, how are you doing?'. I mean, I'd like to know more about what was going on-."

Athyns pushes his way into the tent.

"You can tell them in person. We are needed on New Cronus, and you will come with us."

"Oh. Certainly." I stand. "Am I allowed to use my ring?"

"I have no orders to contain you."

"Right, but people are upset and I don't want to set anyone off. Ring, contact Hinon."

"Channel open."

Oh, not picking up immediately? Well, fair enough. She's a busy woman. Not like she gave me this job personally or anything.

"Send her the images-."

The ring couldn't scan in there.

"Send her the scans I took on the way down, and access my memories for the rest. Ask her if there's an easy way to relocate it."

"Compliance."

Okay. I lower my ring and return my full attention to Athyns.

"Do you want me to fly us up?"

"That will not be necessary."

The two guards hold open the tent flaps, and I take the hint and walk out. The majority of the other soldiers are assembled in ranks in the central area with their kit on their backs. Transport, rather than immediate combat deployment. Oh… Kay, but the locals don't have flying machines any more advanced than hot air balloons. Are they sending a shuttle?

I look around and then… Up.

Ah.

I can just about make out the broken outline of New Cronus overhead as the area around us glows brilliant white-.

And the broken moor land vanishes and is replaced by the interior of New Cronus, the soldiers falling out immediately as Athyns heads for the grand doors at the front of the room.

"Ambassador." I transition up to him and land next to him as he pushes the doors open. "The gods-."

"We will tell him ourselves."

The next room is a courtyard, Crius pacing just in front of the central fountain while Mnemosyne sits on the wall at its edge.

Athyns bows.

"My lord. My lady."

Crius strides towards me.

"You. If I find out that you had anything to do with-."

"Husband." Mnemosyne rises. "Threats are a waste of time when we have better methods at our disposal."

He halts. "True."

"Has something occurred?"

"Yes. And we will ascertain whether or not you were involved by peering into your mind."

"Ah. Well, yes, you could, except that I'm trained to resist telepathic intrusion and magic. I'm also inhabited by the Ophidian, and last time someone went into my mind uninvited she ate them."

His eyes narrow. "We are gods, mortal."

"You're the avatar of a god used to living in the material universe. And she's the Embodiment of Avarice. The Universal Embodiment of Avarice. But-"

I take a step towards him and politely bow my head.

"-I have fulfilled my responsibilities as your guest by apprising you of the risk. If you want to do it anyway, that's on you, and I take no responsibility for what befalls you."

Crius doesn't move, sharing a glance with his wife.

"You'd have more luck in full god mode, but I understand that you aren't able to access that at the moment. Might I suggest telling me what has happened that has you so concerned?"

Mnemosyne comes closer, clearly making a point of getting inside my personal space.

"Our sister Phoebe has been attacked and lies recumbent and unwaking. We find the timing suspicious."

"Oh. No, not guilty. If I'd wanted to attack you, I'd either have done it the moment I saw you or waited months while divining your every weakness so that carrying out an attack was as easy as possible. I certainly wouldn't have assigned the task of making an attack to subordinates weaker than me at a time when I was unavailable and incommunicado."

Crius huffs. "So you say that we should not blame you because it was not your style, and that it was foolish."

"If I was going to target anyone, it would have been Hyperion. Phoebe represents a poor choice of target given my objectives." I shrug. "Also, it would be going against my orders. Why don't you give me a little more information to work with, and I'll see if I can help you track down the culprit?"

 

[Bloodalchemy]

It wasn't me. I would have done it better.

 

[Lone Courier 6]

"If I was going to target anyone, it would have been Hyperion. Phoebe represents a poor choice of target given my objectives." I shrug. "Also, it would be going against my orders. Why don't you give me a little more information to work with, and I'll see if I can help you track down the culprit?"

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I mean, this feels like the kind of thing that shouldn't fly and he should realize this, why would they let their primary suspect investigate? He just admitted that they can't verify anything he doesn't want them to, and if he *was* involved, he would be best suited to scrubbing any evidence, only a fool would let him anywhere near the investigation while he's under suspicion.

 

[AmericanNumbers]

Given the fact that Paul's thrown down with Actual titans, lords of chaos and order, the host of heaven and hell and the Sheeda? These Junior gods are way below his paygrade.

I do love that he's humoring them and genuinely wants to level them up.

Grayven would have already annexed them for their own protection.

 

[moralrelativity]

It should be

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should -> shouldn't

 

[Lone Courier 6]

Given the fact that Paul's thrown down with Actual titans, lords of chaos and order, the host of heaven and hell and the Sheeda? These Junior gods are way below his paygrade.

I do love that he's humoring them and genuinely wants to level them up.

Grayven would have already annexed them for their own protection.

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Oh they're definitely lower than Paul or Grayven, but it's more the principle of the matter.

 

[Darko]

I suspect it's because they didn't develop the technology themselves. Think about it. Vibranium is really hard to work with. How the heck would a primitive tribe learn how to do that? I'll give them the heart-shaped herd because that's naturally occurring, but they wouldn't have the tools to make things with it. And why are there no other asteroids with vibranium in it around?

I think it wasn't an asteroid. I think it was a space ship, and I think that's where they got the tools from.

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They either somehow got very lucky and figured out how to use it, used magic or Bast showed them how to do it.

And you can think what you want but in the movie it's shown that it was an asteroid, so unless it's said in any future movies that it wasn't an asteroid then the asteroid story is canon.

As for why there aren't any more vibranium asteroids around, that can be explained with the simple reason that there's no reason for them to be around since they aren't necessary for any plot.

There could be entire areas of space with those around but they aren't mentioned since it wouldn't be necessary and adds nothing.

 

[Darko]

Ring, contact Hinon."

"Channel open."

Oh, not picking up immediately? Well, fair enough. She's a busy woman

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Who also dislikes you.

Not like she gave me this job personally or anything.

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Ohh, snippy aren't we.

. Are they sending a shuttle?

I look around and then… Up.

Ah.

I can just about make out the broken outline of New Cronus overhead as the area around us glows brilliant white-.

And the broken moor land vanishes and is replaced by the interior of New Cronus

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Magic teleportation.

"Ah. Well, yes, you could, except that I'm trained to resist telepathic intrusion and magic. I'm also inhabited by the Ophidian, and last time someone went into my mind uninvited she ate them."

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Having a hard time remembering who that was.

Does anyone know who he's talking about.

His eyes narrow. "We are gods, mortal."

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And the Ophidian is so much more.

"Our sister Phoebe has been attacked and lies recumbent and unwaking. We find the timing suspicious."

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That explains why Coeus was pissed.

His wife/sister was attacked.

"Oh. No, not guilty. If I'd wanted to attack you, I'd either have done it the moment I saw you or waited months while divining your every weakness so that carrying out an attack was as easy as possible. I certainly wouldn't have assigned the task of making an attack to subordinates weaker than me at a time when I was unavailable and incommunicado."

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Ahh, Paul, defending yourself by saying how you'd actually do it.

"If I was going to target anyone, it would have been Hyperion

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Given his domain of the sun he may just be their most powerful member, or at least the most combat capable.

 

[Darko]

represent the hardcore of loyalists

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Maybe remove 'of'

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

11th September 2012
19:31 GMT

…and that one wants better fitting armour. And clearly feels guilty about it. As far as I can tell, these soldiers represent the hardcore of loyalists who either came from minor religious groups who worshipped something similar enough to the new gods that they were willing to accept them as 'fulfilling the prophecy', or who were from minor groups who were happy to accept the Pax Divinitatus to protect them from their oppressors. No one other than Athyns from Karrakan, which… Seems a little odd, but I suppose that there must be some reason why the gods left.

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Because there's always some convenient prophecy, isn't there? It's like love songs: ask the right Bard and they're bound to have a delightfully adaptable range of songs you can easily slot some sweetheart's name into... Meanwhile, I'm guessing Athyns being the lone representative is more down to personal loyalty. The alternative is that no other karrakanians survive. Which, admittedly, does fall in line with his history...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length.

N.E.M.O. doesn't have any recent information on the place. It's not exactly a busy stop over, being another relatively technologically primitive place like Minosyss. I'll ask Dox to send someone.

Anyway, the armour of these soldiers appears to have been a joint project between Iapetus and Hyperion. There's a ceremony they all go through where they're awarded it in person, which is the closest most of them come to the beings they worship and kind of a big deal.

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Probably with the same measure of fear involved in most encounters of that level: young men (and maybe women) thinking 'ohgodohgodohgod, please don't let me mess up or say something wrong!'

I'll give Coeus a book on armour design. It should be that hard to integrate spells for automatic adjustment into the existing network, and that would allow them to make the armour a standard size every time.

"Excuse me?"

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Heh, that would be fun. Hopefully it would include comfortable boots too, with just the right amount of thickness in the sole.

The two soldiers assigned to watch look up from their reading. The encampment outside of the tent is packed up and ready to fall out, but as I'm a foreigner and they're guarding me none of us are involved.

"I had assumed that someone would have told me what was going on by now, but since that hasn't happened, could I please send a message to the rest of my party?"

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Well, at least they get to sit out the hard work. On the other hand, they have to deal with OL.

That doesn't appear to strike either of them as particularly unreasonable.

"What message?"

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To be fair, he could tell you one thing and send something else. It's not like a 'Message' spell where you have to state clearly and loudly the contents to be sent...

"Ah… Something along the lines of, 'I'm fine, couldn't really help with the factory, how are you doing?'. I mean, I'd like to know more about what was going on-."

Athyns pushes his way into the tent.

"You can tell them in person. We are needed on New Cronus, and you will come with us."

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...Oh dear. I'm detecting a hint in the tone of his voice (such as it is) that OL is under suspicion?

"Oh. Certainly." I stand. "Am I allowed to use my ring?"

"I have to orders to contain you."

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...I'm sorry, have you ever encountered Lanterns before? Containing one that doesn't want to be contained is just a wee bit tougher than you might think... Even if you have enchanted gear out the wazoo...

"Right, but people are upset and I don't want to set anyone off. Ring, contact Hinon."

"Channel open."

Oh, not picking up immediately? Well, fair enough. She's a busy woman. Not like she gave me this job personally or anything.

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Well, for all you know, she's elbows deep in Malvolio's Lantern, checking the internal workings by hand. Or in a sensitive meeting that you aren't cleared to be privy to.

"Send her the images-."

The ring couldn't scan in there.

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But the armour has cameras, right? Send a little travelogue?

"Send her the scans I took on the way down, and access my memories for the rest. Ask her if there's an easy way to relocate it."

"Compliance."

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Well, that buck's passed. Now, back to the actual diplomacy...

Okay. I lower my ring and return my full attention to Athyns.

"Do you want me to fly us up?"

"That will not be necessary."

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Ah, the Titans will be handling that part? I hope they have plenty of practice, don't want to leave anything important behind...

The two guards hold open the tent flaps, and I take the hint and walk out. The majority of the other soldiers are assembled in ranks in the central area with their kit on their backs. Transport, rather than immediate combat deployment. Oh… Kay, but the locals don't have flying machines any more advanced than hot air balloons. Are they sending a shuttle?

I look around and then… Up.

Click to shrink...

Well, at least they won't be marching anywhere?

Ah.

I can just about make out the broken outline of New Cronus overhead as the area around us glows brilliant white-.

Click to shrink...

Well, time to make a joke about being beamed up...

And the broken moor land vanishes and is replaced by the interior of New Cronus, the soldiers falling out immediately as Athyns heads for the grand doors at the front of the room.

"Ambassador." I transition up to him and land next to him as he pushes the doors open. "The gods-."

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...Then again, I doubt it would go over too well, whether from cultural differences or the current state of alert...

"We will tell him ourselves."

The next room is a courtyard, Crius pacing just in front of the central fountain while Mnemosyne sits on the wall at its edge.

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Ah. His would-be interrogators? Since that's what Mnemosyne is known for in the comics storylines.

Athyns bows.

"My lord. My lady."

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Well, at least whatever the situation is up here, propriety is being observed...

Crius strides towards me.

"You. If I find out that you had anything to do with-."

"Husband." Mnemosyne rises. "Threats are a waste of time when we have better methods at our disposal."

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Welp, those of us who have read the Teen Titans comics (or the character histories and plotline summaries) will see where this is going...

He halts. "True."

"Has something occurred?"

"Yes. And we will ascertain whether or not you were involved by peering into your mind."

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...Oh, that is not really a good idea, for so, so many reasons.

"Ah. Well, yes, you could, except that I'm trained to resist telepathic intrusion and magic. I'm also inhabited by the Ophidian, and last time someone went into my mind uninvited she ate them."

His eyes narrow. "We are gods, mortal."

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I rather think she's got more metaphorical swag than you do, actually. And I'm not really sure anyone wants to see what happens if she eats a god.

"You're the avatar of a god used to living in the material universe. And she's the Embodiment of Avarice. The Universal Embodiment of Avarice. But-"

I take a step towards him and politely bow my head.

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'Ant, meet boot.' to quote Nick Fury.

"-I have fulfilled my responsibilities as your guest by apprising you of the risk. If you want to do it anyway, that's on you, and I take no responsibility for what befalls you."

Crius doesn't move, sharing a glance with his wife.

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Yes, OL knows his Xenia. And the way he's talking suggest more than a measure of confidence that what he says will happen.

"You'd have more luck in full god mode, but I understand that you aren't able to access that at the moment. Might I suggest telling me what has happened that has you so concerned?"

Mnemosyne comes closer, clearly making a point of getting inside my personal space.

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Yes, not really going to scare him. He's been intimidated by professional thugs. And about as effectively.

"Our sister Phoebe has been attacked and lies recumbent and unwaking. We find the timing suspicious."

"Oh. No, not guilty. If I'd wanted to attack you, I'd either have done it the moment I saw you or waited months while divining your every weakness so that carrying out an attack was as easy as possible. I certainly wouldn't have assigned the task of making an attack to subordinates weaker than me at a time when I was unavailable and incommunicado."

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And if she can pick up anything from his surface thoughts, it's probably an overwhelming recognition of truth.

Crius huffs. "So you say that we should not blame you because it was not your style, and that it was foolish."

"If I was going to target anyone, it would have been Hyperion. Phoebe represents a poor choice of target given my objectives." I shrug. "Also, it would be going against my orders. Why don't you give me a little more information to work with, and I'll see if I can help you track down the culprit?"

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...I'm not sure of that was a diplomacy check or an intimidate one, but either way, I think he aced it...

So, it looks like something of the comic plot is playing out here. It'll be interesting to see how OL's presence changes it, for better or worse. Never mind Melinoë and her fellow Olympians. We can but hope that it ends much better for the Titans, though, because the original played out in something of a Greek fashion... A Tragic fashion.

 

[transhumansage]

I mean, this feels like the kind of thing that shouldn't fly and he should realize this, why would they let their primary suspect investigate? He just admitted that they can't verify anything he doesn't want them to, and if he *was* involved, he would be best suited to scrubbing any evidence, only a fool would let him anywhere near the investigation while he's under suspicion.

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because they will be accompanying him and watching him while he investigates.

 

[Darko]

Well, at least they get to sit out the hard work. On the other hand, they have to deal with OL.

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After this they're going to need a long, long vacation.

And probably get new jobs that aren't so stressful, like wrestling carnivores much larger and stronger than them using only spoons.

I rather think she's got more metaphorical swag than you do, actually. And I'm not really sure anyone wants to see what happens if she eats a god.

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He may actually be able to challenge her.

Oceanus was able to fight Ion and didn't seem to be struggling.

Though seeing as he's around thirty and the original Oceanus was over 7000 years old he's probably got a long way to go before he can be anything other than an annoyance to her.

 

[Mr Zoat]

should -> shouldn't

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Thank you, corrected.

And you can think what you want but in the movie it's shown that it was an asteroid, so unless it's said in any future movies that it wasn't an asteroid then the asteroid story is canon.

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Eh. The Wakanda's historical archive showed it to be an asteroid. That doesn't mean that it was, just that that's the official version of history. They might even believe it, either due to a long running cover up or due to their ancestors not making a distinction.

Having a hard time remembering who that was.

Does anyone know who he's talking about.

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Psimon.

Maybe remove 'of'

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No, I think that's okay.

 

[rkyeun]

"Yes. And we will ascertain whether or not you were involved by peering into your mind."

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"And now Medusa, I will boil your brain with my heat vision by staring directly into your ey-"

 

[Darko]

Psimon

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I don't remember this.

I thought Psimon was imprisoned in the Paragon timeline after Magnificus showed up.

I remember Psimon being devoured after he tried to mind whammy another SI from another fic, but I don't yhink it happened here.

 

[Mr Zoat]

I don't remember this.

I thought Psimon was imprisoned in the Paragon timeline after Magnificus showed up.

I remember Psimon being devoured after he tried to mind whammy another SI from another fic, but I don't yhink it happened here.

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Here. The SI is exaggerating slightly.

 

[Ngamer11]

"Ah. Well, yes, you could, except that I'm trained to resist telepathic intrusion and magic. I'm also inhabited by the Ophidian, and last time someone went into my mind uninvited she ate them."

His eyes narrow. "We are gods, mortal."

"You're the avatar of a god used to living in the material universe. And she's the Embodiment of Avarice. The Universal Embodiment of Avarice. But-"

I take a step towards him and politely bow my head.

"-I have fulfilled my responsibilities as your guest by apprising you of the risk. If you want to do it anyway, that's on you, and I take no responsibility for what befalls you."

Crius doesn't move, sharing a glance with his wife.

"You'd have more luck in full god mode, but I understand that you aren't able to access that at the moment. Might I suggest telling me what has happened that has you so concerned?"

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I'm really hoping we'll get to see Paul flex over one, or even all, of the Titans. Maybe by subduing them and partially assimilating them, explaining what's happening, and then letting them go, just to show that he could and that it would be easy for him/the Ophidian to defeat them.

"Oh. No, not guilty. If I'd wanted to attack you, I'd either have done it the moment I saw you or waited months while divining your every weakness so that carrying out an attack was as easy as possible. I certainly wouldn't have assigned the task of making an attack to subordinates weaker than me at a time when I was unavailable and incommunicado."

Crius huffs. "So you say that we should not blame you because it was not your style, and that it was foolish."

"If I was going to target anyone, it would have been Hyperion. Phoebe represents a poor choice of target given my objectives." I shrug. "Also, it would be going against my orders. Why don't you give me a little more information to work with, and I'll see if I can help you track down the culprit?"

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I like how unintimidated Paul is. Will they eventually wise up, or will we see the OLC cracking down on these guys in the future?

 

[Handlewithcare]

These people need a wake up call to where they stand in the cosmic hierarchy.

Might I suggest turning New Cronus into a giant cake?

 

[webxro]

I am sorry to ask, but I am re-reading this again and I have to ask, did OL find out why Icon didn't want to be contacted by him ?

 

[Gantradies]

Oh, I hope they do get a reality check-
a good chunk of why the Hellenic deities faded into obscurity/irrelevance on earth was, I suspect, the constant checks their egos failed starting to bounce when more alternatives who wouldn't casually *insert atrocity directed at an individual or entire city for petty reasons here* someone or some city every few years became available
a pointed (or gentle if they're willing to lister ) about where they are in the cosmic fish size chart would likely be healthy if they're mature enough to process it…

 

[Mr Zoat]

I am sorry to ask, but I am re-reading this again and I have to ask, did OL find out why Icon didn't want to be contacted by him ?

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I don't even remember where that came up. All of the killing, maybe?

 

[webxro]

I don't even remember where that came up. All of the killing, maybe?

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Nope, it was when Lord Manga Khan was on Earth and OL thought who knows stuff about interstellar commerce.

 

[Ardy]

Nope, it was when Lord Manga Khan was on Earth and OL thought who knows stuff about interstellar commerce.

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Yeah, never got a resolution

 

[Mr Zoat]

Nope, it was when Lord Manga Khan was on Earth and OL thought who knows stuff about interstellar commerce.

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Ah. In that case, it was because of the SI's caviller attitude to interstellar commerce. The Cooperative has an extensive legal framework for handling situations like that, and the SI decided to go about it the most shocking way he could instead.

 

[Ardy]

Ah. In that case, it was because of the SI's caviller attitude to interstellar commerce. The Cooperative has an extensive legal framework for handling situations like that, and the SI decided to go about it the most shocking way he could instead.

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So he pretended he wasn't around so the SI could learn a lesson at the expense of the planet's economy?

That seems.... extreme

 

[DrThoth]

Is Paragon (or Renegade or another SI) going to meet the Co-operative at some point? I don't know where they are geographically compared to all the alien polities we've seen, or how much they're explored in the comics.

 

[Vanbers]

It wasn't me. I would have done it better.

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"Not only was it not me, but quite frankly I'm insulted you think I'd do such a poor job of it. I would be an excellent murderer, thank you very much."

 

[Mr Zoat]

Is Paragon (or Renegade or another SI) going to meet the Co-operative at some point? I don't know where they are geographically compared to all the alien polities we've seen, or how much they're explored in the comics.

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Probably not. They've generally got their problems in hand, and aren't making problems for other people. My current outline involves him going their briefly to speak with Arnus 2 near the end of the story, but that's about it.

So he pretended he wasn't around so the SI could learn a lesson at the expense of the planet's economy?

That seems.... extreme

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I don't remember the exact story content.

 

[LazySloth13]

Probably not. They've generally got their problems in hand, and aren't making problems for other people. My current outline involves him going their briefly to speak with Arnus 2 near the end of the story, but that's about it.

I don't remember the exact story content.

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It was episode 98: Low Politics; where Manga Khan shows up to expand his business the Cluster Corps, all while Paul is dealing with politics from the UN and Atlantis, since Venturia has decided to peacefully separate from the greater kingdom and hires the Orange Lantern Corp to act as peace keepers while in the process. This happened due to Paul hiring archmages from Venturia to deal with sentient eyeball from the eyeball gauging planet of Tillettit, whom had a deal with the local religion which were wiped out by Paul and his new recruit, and Paul doesn't see the political issues as major problem because the only threat Manga Khan poses is introducing too much raw material or advance schematics to any potential buyer regardless of the consequences.

There was plenty of friction between him, King Orin, and Kaldur due to how he off hand he was about the situation because Manga Khan while technically a lantern under his command wasn't doing anything against corps rules especially since Venturia seemed ready to secede which could cause instability for the rest of Atlantis if other city-states decided to follow their example.

I always figured the only reason why Icon decided to avoid the situation that his specialty in law didn't cover galactic business and marketing, or he saw the situation with Manga Khan as too much of a head ache to deal with, and unlike the situation with Xor who could be dealt with reasonably trying to deal with multiple nations with no united laws or regulations regarding space trade wasn't.