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

Handlewithcare · Oct 21, 2021

Pretty obvious the payment is supposed to be the maltusian weaponry, no?

Bloodalchemy · Oct 21, 2021

moralrelativity said:
Not sure this makes sense as is. The first part says he didn't know and the second part ends in "she told us that". I might be wrong but it seems to be a contradiction. Maybe add "she couldn't" to the end?

It's his train of thought. He didnt know the boom tubes could be person size, only ship size. He 'knew' they could only be ship size because Sparta said so. Her name is black because he is realizing not only did she lie, but allowed that lie to get lots of soldiers killed.

moralrelativity · Oct 21, 2021

Oh yeah, I get that. It's just that this part isn't quite explicit enough IMO.

Bloodalchemy said:
He 'knew' they could only be ship size because Sparta said so.

Chojin Patriarch · Oct 21, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
11th September 2012
21:03 GMT

"Please, don't. That's not going to-."

Sparta leaps backwards, sailing into the opening boom tube aperture. I dart forward, but I'm not exactly sure what happens if you're part-way into a boom tube when it shuts down and I hesitate for long enough for it to close without me.

And she's fled. Well, then. At least without her there steam-rolling the other ascendant into subservience, things might be a little easier to sort out peacefully. At worst, there might be a few heads in need of having some sense smacked into them...

And… Half. She managed to talk half of the Seeds with her. My own connection frays a moment later since I no longer have a connection to them via her. Athyns moves to pick them up but I hold up a right hand to stop him. The Ascendants aren't following Sparta's order to kill us, but they're not exactly happy with the situation and I think they might revert to default if we don't handle this extremely carefully.

"Do any of you know where she went?"

Well, shit. At least they can get some of the Titans up and about... Once they work out how. And assuming the Ascendant are willing to allow it.

The physician shakes his head, staring at the space where she disappeared.

"No. I didn't even know those could be made small enough for one person." We-. We landed troops in the face of your strongest defences because she told us that."

Oh, that's a bit worrying. Oh, not her lying about the Boom Tubes, that's par for the course. I mean that little moment of hopelessness and confusion he's showing.

"Okay, then-. What's your name?"

"Pontico."

"Hi." I pull out a card with my name written on it, careful not to look at it myself. "I can't say or think this, but this is my name."

Good idea, give him something else to focus on, before he can think too hard about how it looks like everything he knew is a lie.

He stares at it for a moment. Transcendent Comprehension.

"Paul. It's… Short."

So is Pontico. Which is kind of cute.

And away goes the card. "I-. Can I assume that you're willing to discuss our differences like civilised people now?"

"Yes. I-." Pontico stops and looks at the other Ascendant, getting a series of nods in return. "Yes. I would dearly like to stop the fighting, I-. I much prefer being a healer."

Yeah, though the hours can be lousy. I suppose the Titans might be in need of a proper god of Medicine...

"Athyns?"

He nods and motions for Pontico to join him at the main control station.

No-one outranks him? Or is it just that he's the first to speak up, so that counts as volunteering.

"We can make an announcement from here. I'm… Willing to agree a ceasefire without other conditions."

"Medical care for the wounded? I can't-. We've got to work out what we're going to tell people, but I have absolutely no stomach for more violence after that."

I love that I can tell exactly which on of them said what just from that little exchange.

"Yes."

I turn away from them to look at Sparta's actual bodyguards. Ah, first, I send my armour and spear back to subspace and cut out the soul-feeding constructs. Then I take out a purple healing ray and hold it out to the slightly groggy Ascendant I hit with the spear-haft.

No hard feelings, I hope. I doubt it did that much damage overall. Even with your armour, you're no powerhouse physically.

"I realise that you will heal perfectly well on your own, but this-" I point it at myself and fire it for a few seconds. "-is a healing ray. It should deal with your headache."

"I.. thank you."

Heh, she seems a little surprised at the courtesy. Guess she wasn't expecting that kind of mercy from her foes.

She walks over and take it, then plays it over her right hand for a few seconds before shooting herself in the head.

"Yes, that's better. What happened to the spear's owner?"

...Uh, well... She put up a good fight, but...

"Fought to defend the bridge of a cruiser. She died well."

"She was my sister."

...Awkward.

I nod. "My condolences." Ah. I take the spear back out of subspace and offer it to her. "I left her body outside the bridge, but then I rammed the cruiser into your battleship. It might still be there, but if not I'll help you f-."

"She might still be there."

..No, I'm pretty sure she was dead when OL left her, sorry. <Checks> Yeah... At least decapitation with a Crumbler gauntlet would be quick.

"Well, no, at this point her soul will have passed on to whatever afterlife this world's thaumosphere supports. But her body would be."

"I-." She looks away, shaking her head, then walks past the control lecterns to look out of the window.

Best to leave her be, OL... Or at least nudge another Ascendant to check on her?

I suppose that there's no good way to tell someone you killed their sister. 'You started it' doesn't really help.

The other Ascendants don't exactly look eager to talk to me, and Pontico and Athyns are still trying to get in touch with people. I pick up the remaining Seeds with net constructs and walk over to the recumbent form of Coeus.

Let's hope his Seed is amongst the ones left behind. Otherwise it could get real awkward.

The one with the axe who Athyns attacked steps towards me, weapon in the guard position.

"What are you doing?"

Ah, right. Still in the middle of decidedly hostile ground...

"Do you know how they were defeated?"

"You mean killed."

Are you sure of that? What happens to you lot when you die?

"Killed, then. I mean, where are the wounds?"

He takes a step closer, his helmet folding up so that he can get a better-.

Which makes for another question for Sparta to answer when you catch up with her...

I frown. "How old are you people?"

"I am sixteen. Most older Ascendants were-" He glances at Athyns, who appears to be having an impassioned discussion with someone over the internal communication system. "-killed during the wars that ruined our world."

So technically an adult. And that was awfully convenient, wasn't it?

…

Children, we're fighting children. Marvellous.

"But you see what I mean about the lack of wounds?"

Children who are trained and mostly-willing soldiers, yes. I shudder to think how long they've been travelling.

"… yes..?"

"Are you aware of a weapon that your people possess that could do this?"

"No. We're usually more-" He hefts his axe. "-direct. Why does it matter? I-. Even if Sparta was lying about our equipment, I'm not ready to agree to waking them up."

Well, you'll have to sooner or later. If nothing else, just leaving them laying around like this is unsightly.

"Because it will be much easier to take down Sparta without killing her if we can remove her power boosters, and make sure that she can't use whatever she used on them on the rest of us."

He nods. "I want to do that. What she's-. I don't even know why she's been lying to us. We wouldn't care if she was given the equipment. We're following her lead because she saved us, and because she actually has a plan to save Karrakan. Not because she made better guns and axes."

The problem is whether she actually planned to go through with that plan. If she even really had one beyond 'Kill Titans, Acquire Seeds, Something-something, Profit!'

"Her concern might be what she had to give away."

"We don't have anything."

Not if you'd won. ...Shit.

The Sun-Eaters...

"An Apokoliptian wouldn't mind trading old equipment for future service. Or Ascendants to destructively study. Are you sure about what happened to all of your elders?"

I scan the bodies of the gods, and run a purple healing ray over the ones who actually have injuries. Dead flesh shouldn't respond to that, but their does, wounds knitting back together. Because..? They're so magically significant, that..? Don't know, but Oceanus isn't waking up, and the Ascendant won't be happy with me trying to do something with the Seed.

Or they're not really dead-dead, just mostly-dead. So no going through their pockets for change. And hopefully getting them up and about is as simple as putting the Seeds in close proximity to their owners.

"Lantern!" I look around at Athyns' shout. "Report from the surface. A boom tube appeared near the Maltusian factory! It's Sparta!"

"Then that's where we'll be going."

With all guns blazing, I hope. There's ass to be kicked, and you already have her name.

So the plan becomes clearer. Whoever gave Sparta the Apokaliptian gear wanted the Sun-Eaters in exchange. Though that raises the question of A: How they knew the Titans were coming here specifically and B: That the Sun-Eaters were here at all. Which suggests they may have had intel acquired from Maltus, either recently or a long time ago... But they couldn't come here themselves...

Quite the conundrum.

Darko · Oct 21, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
So is Pontico. Which is kind of cute.

Hey, it's longer than Paul.

Chojin Patriarch said:
No-one outranks him? Or is it just that he's the first to speak up, so that counts as volunteering.

They may respect him for healing them.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Are you sure of that? What happens to you lot when you die?

Good question.

Ordinary New Gods go to the Source, but these guys aren't New Gods, so they either went to whatever afterlife exists on the planet, or they're ghosts now, or due to their Titan heritage they may have ended up in Erebus.

Chojin Patriarch said:
So the plan becomes clearer. Whoever gave Sparta the Apokaliptian gear wanted the Sun-Eaters in exchange. Though that raises the question of A: How they knew the Titans were coming here specifically and B: That the Sun-Eaters were here at all. Which suggests they may have had intel acquired from Maltus, either recently or a long time ago... But they couldn't come here themselves... Quite the conundrum

If this is Grayven then he may have been keeping tabs on Karrakan and saw the potential they had, as well as what the Titans were doing.

And seeing as Apokolips fought Maltusians a long time ago they may have had intel on the Sun Eaters.

Bud-E · Oct 21, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
I frown. "How old are you people?"

"I am sixteen. Most older Ascendants were-" He glances at Athyns, who appears to be having an impassioned discussion with someone over the internal communication system. "-killed during the wars that ruined our world."

…

Children, we're fighting children. Marvellous.

The fact that Sparta's entire army was radicalized child soldiers is kinda depressing.

Vaermina · Oct 21, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Then that's where we'll be going."

You mean the place you can't use most of your ring functions?

That's an excellent idea... I am sure absolutely nothing bad will happen to other people because of it...

Prince Charon · Oct 21, 2021

Bud-E said:
The fact that Sparta's entire army was radicalized child soldiers is kinda depressing.

Not all that surprising, though.

Mr Zoat · Oct 21, 2021

Istaran said:
And… Half. She managed to take half of the Seeds with her.

hance1986 said:
take out this quotation mark
theirs

Darko said:
'and takes'

Thank you, corrected.

Doccer said:
Of course she's going Sun Eater wake up call.
What are the chances if OL recruiting a Sun Eater?

Sun Eaters aren't intelligent, so pretty minimal.

nick012000 · Oct 21, 2021

Darkseid wants Sun Eaters? I guess Hellspores aren't enough for him; he doesn't just want to burn worlds to cinders, but to extinguish the very stars that give them light and life so that their inhabitants are reliant on him for life.

Darko · Oct 21, 2021

nick012000 said:
Darkseid wants Sun Eaters? I guess Hellspores aren't enough for him; he doesn't just want to burn worlds to cinders, but to extinguish the very stars that give them light and life so that their inhabitants are reliant on him for life.

I think it's most likely Grayveb that's helping Sparta.

Massgamer · Oct 21, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Lantern!" I look around at Athyns' shout. "Report from the surface. A boom tube appeared near the Maltusian factory! It's Sparta!"

Oh gosh, is she gonna go scorched earth activate a sun-eater?

Gantradies · Oct 21, 2021

You know, the funny thing is that, from a historical view, Sparta's name is pretty appropriate here-
because outside of a relatively small number of Fights, over time, the Spartans essentially became Greece's bitch- after a point,
every time they started crap, they'd get their faces pounded in on the field by the "weak" Athenian's/the other city-states,
because, shocking, it turns out murdering kids for the most superficial weaknesses, and basing a huge chunk of your economy around slave labour serving an ever-increasingly lazy elite "warrior" class tends to lead to both a weak economy, and a cripplingly limited ability to replenish losses, which is especially damning when your elite/rulers are obsessed with fighting and sitting in their asses the rest of the time-their arrogance didn't help on the diplomatic front either…

much like the nation she was named after, Sparta was BRITTLE,charged into a fight she couldn't cash the cheque for blindly,
aaaandd started crumbling the moment she met resistance capable of ignoring her new-god abilities/with experience with the apokalyptian tech she was using as a crutch xD

Mr Zoat · Oct 21, 2021

Gantradies said:
You know, the funny thing is that, from a historical view, Sparta's name is pretty appropriate here-
because outside of a relatively small number of Fights, over time, the Spartans essentially became Greece's bitch- after a point,
every time they started crap, they'd get their faces pounded in on the field by the "weak" Athenian's/the other city-states,
because, shocking, it turns out murdering kids for the most superficial weaknesses, and basing a huge chunk of your economy around slave labour serving an ever-increasingly lazy elite "warrior" class tends to lead to both a weak economy, and a cripplingly limited ability to replenish losses, which is especially damning when your elite/rulers are obsessed with fighting and sitting in their asses the rest of the time-their arrogance didn't help on the diplomatic front either…

much like the nation she was named after, Sparta was BRITTLE,charged into a fight she couldn't cash the cheque for blindly,
aaaandd started crumbling the moment she met resistance capable of ignoring her new-god abilities/with experience with the apokalyptian tech she was using as a crutch xD

Clearly, I'm cleverer than I think I am.

hkim · Oct 21, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
So the plan becomes clearer. Whoever gave Sparta the Apokaliptian gear wanted the Sun-Eaters in exchange. Though that raises the question of A: How they knew the Titans were coming here specifically and B: That the Sun-Eaters were here at all. Which suggests they may have had intel acquired from Maltus, either recently or a long time ago... But they couldn't come here themselves... Quite the conundrum.

Don't forget C: Who killed (?) Phoebe? If nobody messed with her seed thingy, the gods of New Cronus would have been taken completely unawares when Sparta showed up, and if Sparta could just boom tube in and fuck with people, why didn't she? We're missing something.

NightmareWarden · Oct 22, 2021

Hm. The suneater warehouse dampened magic and who knows how many other exotic effects. I hope that boom tube and those stolen Titan balls are okay! It'd be a shame if they became paper weights due to Sparta's hijacking connection cutting out.

Doccer · Oct 22, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Sun Eaters aren't intelligent, so pretty minimal.

Didn't Superman have a baby Sun Eater at one point? I'm thinking Superman AllStar?

Vaermina · Oct 22, 2021

Doccer said:
Didn't Superman have a baby Sun Eater at one point? I'm thinking Superman AllStar?

Yes, there have been a couple Baby Sun Eaters across the various versions of Superman.

Zig · Oct 22, 2021

Vaermina said:
You mean the place you can't use most of your ring functions?

That's an excellent idea... I am sure absolutely nothing bad will happen to other people because of it...

uhh guys... Vaermina made a good point...

Cuchulin · Oct 22, 2021

Zig said:
uhh guys... Vaermina made a good point...

That is as rare as Hen's teeth.

Michael Vonica · Oct 22, 2021

Zig said:
uhh guys... Vaermina made a good point...

I've noticed that Vaermina is consistent. Consistently contrarian. Once or twice, I've seen him actually make a comment supporting OL and the story. Because it was the contrary thing to do at the time.

Doccer · Oct 22, 2021

Vaermina said:
Yes, there have been a couple Baby Sun Eaters across the various versions of Superman.

That implies a degree of sentience to them. And certainly an ability to grow intellectually. Even only as a pet there are squirrel and cat lanterns. Not even including Teeki if going by cannon examples.

Mr Zoat · Oct 22, 2021

11th September 2012
21:08 GMT

"New Cronus to Karrakanian battleship. Come in, Thiva."

Much as I'd like to chase after Sparta, she shouldn't be able to set off a Sun Eater at will, and there's the small matter of the fighting on New Cronus to deal with. Athyns passed his place at the communication lectern over to one of the other Ascendants while Pontico talks to the commanding officers of the various cruisers. Sparta isn't quite excommunicate traitoris, but from the sounds of it everyone's going to want some bloody good answers for this.

"Thiva here. You… Have retaken New Cronus, then?"

"Sort of. We've got a truce. Sparta was hiding… Something, and fled rather than give an account of herself."

"Sparta… Fled?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it either. The gods are down, she had their power in her hands, and she refused to say which Apokoliptian traded the technology you're using to her or why she lied about it. Something weird is going on, but… I don't know what. Look, point is, don't worry about being paroled. I don't see any realistic prospect of the fighting starting up again, so you can either bring your people over or just stay where you are and work on repairs."

"Could I..? Speak to someone..?"

I step aside.

"Pontico?"

He walks over and addresses the communication system.

"He's telling the truth. Call the support ships. We've got a lot of wounded, and… And we're treating theirs as well. This whole thing-."

He turns his head away slightly, grimacing.

"Pontico..?"

"What is there to say? This was pointless!" He takes a moment to master himself. "Yes, return. The fighting's over, and it won't start again if I have anything to say about it."

She looks at him with concern.

"Alright. Just-. Alright."

I see her step away from the communication system at her end before it shuts down.

"Ah, Athyns? Can you use these Seeds?"

A couple of the other Ascendants look up at that. He glances at them for a moment before returning his attention to me.

"Why?"

"By now, Sparta's in the factory. My rings barely function there."

"You used the orbs-."

"By using Sparta's own magic to steal control from her. Without my rings, I doubt that I'll be able to do that."

"I have no desire to take Rhea's place."

"But would you be prepared to if there were no other adequate candidates? Look, I don't know exactly what the gods had planned or what Sparta has planned or what Rhea had planned. But I've seen Apokolips."

I have the hologram projector show a to-scale image of it next to Minosyss.

"I wouldn't want to make anyone live there. I don't particularly care who helps Minosyss into the industrial era, or undoes the environmental damage Karrakan has suffered… Do you?"

"I… Ultimately, no."

"It's a shock, I appreciate. But I'm afraid that leaders don't have the luxury of breaking down in religious horror until after it's all over."

He nods. "Yes, you are correct."

"Okay, I-."

"Illustres!" Hinon's head appears over my ring. "Respond at once!"

"Illustres responding, Controller Hinon. Things have got a bit busy here. We-."

"Yes, I realise that. What happened?"

"People from the other side of a Karrakanian religious dispute turned up with a small fleet. I've got things mostly under control, but-"

She gives me an incredulous look.

"-the leader of one of the factions is in league with one or more Apokoliptians and is planning something. Please ask Dox to send a survey team to Karrakan to assess the damage while I finish up here."

"Very well. What cut you off?"

I glance at the Seeds.

"Not entirely sure. Something about using fragments of titanic magic combined with New God technology, though it… Might only work because of whatever's going on in this system."

"Do I have to explain to you why a New God gaining the ability to-?"

"No, I spotted that. I'll get back in touch when I have something definite. Illustres out."

I look at the assembled Ascendants.

"Do any of you have an issue with Athyns taking temporary control of the Seeds?"

There's a moment of hesitation that tells me that they're really inexperienced, then Pontico nominates himself spokesman.

"And he will-. He will give them back?"

Athyns shakes his head. "To who?"

"Me." I shrug. "I have no stake in your dispute, and I can't use them myself. I can hold onto them until you reach an agreement about what to do with them going forward. I'm happy to volunteer the Orange Lantern Corps' services in helping with the resettlement of Karrakan so that you don't need them, or I can act as a guarantor of any agreement you reach. But if we're agreed that Sparta needs to be compelled to answer, we… Need them."

Pontico bows his head, while Athyns looks at me sceptically. "You know that I don't know how to use them?"

"How much prior exposure did Sparta have?" I shrug. "Learn quickly."

There's a flare of light, and we all turn to stare out of the front window as a portion of the surface of the planet below… Darkens.

"Athyns, how many people-?"

He grabs the Seeds. "That's near the factory. The region was evacuated when we became aware of it. But the neighbouring regions-."

"Everyone who's coming, get to the teleportarium. I'll fly down and try to keep things under control. Go."

Bramble Thorn · Oct 22, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"I'm a thaumovore with an orange power ring. I've been feeding on the energies of your Ascendants ever since this fight started."

Let's see… That one belongs to Crius. And remove the mental paralysis from Athyns-

"Ah!"

"I've been adding your magic to my soul. Effectively, I'm-"
Separate!
The deck buckles as Sparta draws on the power of Themis to reshape the rock of New Cronus, and then quietens as I use that same power to resist.

"-you. Any chance we could settle this like civilised beings?"

This is not something a genre savvy end goal prioritizing rationalist should be speaking.

It's not that monologues are bad per se, it's that giving your foes actionable intelligence on how your are countering them, and the direction they need to be looking stop that is dumb. Why is OL telling them the plan while the plan is happening and they have a chance to counter it if they know what exactly is going on?

As opposed to:
OL takes control of half the seeds.
THIS. IS. SPARTA!: HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS? I Demand you tell me, or I will hold my breath like a 5 year old!
OL: Telling you the specific details of how I'm doing it would directly counter my objectives here; better you waste time finding it out yourself, and possibly waste resources if you come to the wrong conclusion. Also, I'm not a Republic serial villain. No.

Instead of Paul volunteering the info unprompted.
I think corrective action needs to be taken.
Gets out spray bottle.
Sprays Mr Zoat on the nose with it.
Sprays him again for good measure.
"Bad Kitty! No villainous monologing!"

Darko · Oct 22, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Much as I'd like to chase after Sparta, she shouldn't be able to set off a sun eater at will

Don't assume, it makes an ass out of you and me.

Mr Zoat said:
Sort of. We're got a truce

'We've'

Mr Zoat said:
understand it, either

Maybe remove the ,

Mr Zoat said:
say which Apokolipitan trader the technology you're using to her or why she lied about

'traded'

Mr Zoat said:
glances at the for a moment before

'at them for'

Mr Zoat said:
But I've seen Apokolips."

Through videos, since you didn't go there when the League went.

Mr Zoat said:
I've got things mostly under control, but-"

She gives me an incredulous look

Perfect look when dealing with Paul and his reassurances.

Mr Zoat said:
thought it… Might only work because of whatever's going on in this system."

'though it...'

Mr Zoat said:
You know that I don't know how to used them?"

'to use'

Mr Zoat said:
How much prior exposure did Sparta have?"

Depends if Rhea showed them to her.

Mr Zoat said:
There's a flare of light, and we all turn to stare out of the front window as a portion of the surface of the planet below… Darkens.

Oh no.

Weren't Sun Eaters in the comics something like giant black clouds?

Handlewithcare · Oct 22, 2021

Bramble Thorn said:
This is not something a genre savvy end goal prioritizing rationalist should be speaking.

It's not that monologues are bad per se, it's that giving your foes actionable intelligence on how your are countering them, and the direction they need to be looking stop that is dumb. Why is OL telling them the plan while the plan is happening and they have a chance to counter it if they know what exactly is going on?

As opposed to:
OL takes control of half the seeds.
THIS. IS. SPARTA!: HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS? I Demand you tell me, or I will hold my breath like a 5 year old!
OL: Telling you the specific details of how I'm doing it would directly counter my effectives here; better you waste time finding it out yourself, and possibly waster resources if you come to the wring conclusion. Also, I'm not a Republic serial villain. No.

Instead of Paul volunteering the into unprompted.
I think corrective action needs to be taken.
Gets out spray bottle.
Sprays Mr Zoat on the nose with it.
Sprays him again for good measure.
"Bad Kitty! No villainous monologing!"

The point here was toget Sparta to understand her posotion to get her to back down. He gives people the chance to act rationally, remember?

I want ti say these aliens backed down to quicjly for teenagers raised in religious indoctrination, but they're aliens, so human standards need not apply.

Stsword · Oct 22, 2021

Doccer said:
That implies a degree of sentience to them. And certainly an ability to grow intellectually. Even only as a pet there are squirrel and cat lanterns. Not even including Teeki if going by cannon examples.

No, squirrel like alien lanterns.

Also there was a future shown in Animal Man with a whale Green Lantern. I'm sure an oath in whale song is certainly something.

Suneaters are depicted as animals, Animal Man can even emulate them, but DC's Space Vampire Starbreaker claimed to be what Suneaters mature into.

Probably not true in Prime continuity because Hal snogged Starbreaker's niece, spacefaring animals that eventually evolve into sapients seem unlikely to form a society or keep track of familial relations.

And they are extremely chuuni, planet eaters should not form a society around being Bela Legosi fanboys.

Dakkan Sall · Oct 22, 2021

Doccer said:
That implies a degree of sentience to them. And certainly an ability to grow intellectually. Even only as a pet there are squirrel and cat lanterns. Not even including Teeki if going by cannon examples.

Don't think there are any actual squirrel Lanterns. Squirrel-like aliens, yes, but those are a fully sapient, advanced species. And Dex-Starr had a Red ring, which... while he's a smart murdercat, Red doesn't necessarily require much in the way of higher thinking. Even if RedPaul's reality is the standard for all WTR Red rings (i.e. users aren't permanently set into beast/rage mode), their abilities are generally of a more straightforward sort.

Giving an Orange Ring to an entity that has no higher motives than "There is a sun. I am going to eat it" and degrees of self-preservation is not something to do just because one can.

Darko said:
Weren't Sun Eaters in the comics something like giant black clouds?

More or less. Though the one from All-Star Superman was just some sort of squid-like tentacle thing.

Chojin Patriarch · Oct 22, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
11th September 2012
21:08 GMT

"New Cronus to Karrakanian battleship. Come in, Thiva."

Much as I'd like to chase after Sparta, she shouldn't be able to set off a sun eater at will, and there's the small matter of the fighting on New Cronus to deal with. Athyns passed his place at the communication lectern over to one of the other Ascendants while Pontico talks to the commanding officers of the various cruisers. Sparta isn't quite excommunicate traitoris, but from the sounds of it everyone's going to want some bloody good answers for this.

Shouldn't does not mean can't. The sooner you get people on the ground there capable of fighting her, the better, OL. And while I doubt the Battleship is in any shape to be involved in that fight, I'm sure those aboard might be willing.

"Thiva here. You… Have retaken New Cronus, then?"

"Sort of. We're got a truce. Sparta was hiding… Something, and fled rather than give an account of herself."

And that alone should tell Thiva how topsy-turvy the situation is.

"Sparta… Fled?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it, either. The gods are down, she had their power in her hands, and she refused to say which Apokolipitan trader the technology you're using to her or why she lied about it. Something weird is going on, but… I don't know what. Look, point is, don't worry about being paroled. I don't see any realistic prospect of the fighting starting up again, so you can either bring your people over or just stay where you are and work on repairs."

Just don't get any ideas about starting the fight back up.

"Could I..? Speak to someone..?"

I step aside.

"Pontico?"

Yeah, probably best to let someone she recognises confirm it.

He walks over and addresses the communication system.

"He's telling the truth. Call the support ships. We've got a lot of wounded, and… And we're treating theirs as well. This whole thing-."

Given that most of the garrison is Karrakanian, that's no great hardship. If anything, this whole tussle has felt like a very bloody fight between children.... And now an adult has stopped them fighting, they're licking their wounds and making friends...

He turns his head away slightly, grimacing.

"Pontico..?"

"What is there to say? This was pointless!" He takes a moment to master himself. "Yes, return. The fighting's over, and it won't start again if I have anything to say about it."

Good fellow. That sort of attitude will likely carry you well into whatever happens afterwards.

She looks at him with concern.

"Alright. Just-. Alright."

...No, I'm just imagining the slight affection there, aren't I?

I see her step away from the communication system at her end before it shuts down.

"Ah, Athyns? Can you use these Seeds?"

Yeah, probably a good idea to check before going haring off after her...

A couple of the other Ascendants look up at that. He glances at the for a moment before returning his attention to me.

"Why?"

"By now, Sparta's in the factory. My rings barely function there."

Which limits him to his armour and any New God weaponry he's able to get his hands on. Which Sparta can likely subvert on sight given half a chance...

"You used the orbs-."

"By using Sparta's own magic to steal control from her. Without my rings, I doubt that I'll be able to do that."

Don't underestimate yourself, demigod. You bear the Ophidian's Heart, and I suspect an Embodiment has a little more metaphorical oomph than a mere god.

"I have no desire to take Rhea's place."

"But would you be prepared to if there were no other adequate candidates? Look, I don't know exactly what the gods had planned or what Sparta has planned or what Rhea had planned. But I've seen Apokolips."

There's a lot of unknowns in this kerfuffle, isn't there? Still, the time pressure precludes pausing to find out more.

I have the hologram projector show a to-scale image of it next to Minosyss.

"I wouldn't want to make anyone live there. I don't particularly care who helps Minosyss into the industrial era, or undoes the environmental damage Karrakan has suffered… Do you?"

And I get the feeling Minosyss looks quite a bit smaller. Though it's at least not as on fire... Yet.

"I… Ultimately, no."

"It's a shock, I appreciate. But I'm afraid that leaders don't have the luxury of breaking down in religious horror until after it's all over."

And if you do, best to do it in private. Don't want to upset the morale of the troops.

He nods. "Yes, you are correct."

"Okay, I-."

"Illustres!" Hinon's head appears over my ring. "Respond at once!"

Oh, finally! OL better call for backup. Everything he can get, chop-chop!

"Illustres responding, Controller Hinon. Things have got a bit busy here. We-."

"Yes, I realise that. What happened?"

"And why is the Ophidian snarling and hissing in the general direction of Minosyss?"

"People from the other side of a Karrakanian religious dispute turned up with a small fleet. I've got things mostly under control, but-"

She gives me an incredulous look.

Come on, Hinon, it's OL. You should have expected something to happen.

"-the leader of one of the factions is in league with one or more Apokoliptians and is planning something. Please ask Dox to send a survey team to Karrakan to assess the damage while I finish up here."

"Very well. What cut you off?"

Yes, please do guess.

I glance at the Seeds.

"Not entirely sure. Something about using fragments of titanic magic combined with New God technology, thought it… Might only work because of whatever's going on in this system."

Crud, he's not getting backup, is he?

"Do I have to explain to you why a New God gaining the ability to-?"

"No, I spotted that. I'll get back in touch when I have something definite. Illustres out."

And as soon as the connection clears, Hinon begins banging her head against the desk. Even if she has to manifest one out of thin air to do so.

I look at the assembled Ascendants.

"Do any of you have an issue with Athyns taking temporary control of the Seeds?"

If so, have your say, because I don't think you're going to have time to complain later...

There's a moment of hesitation that tells me that they're really inexperienced, then Pontico nominates himself spokesman.

"And he will-. He will give them back?"

...Given that he works for their rightful owners (as far as anyone can tell...)

Athyns shakes his head. "To who?"

"Me." I shrug. "I have no stake in your dispute, and I can't use them myself. I can hold onto them until you reach an agreement about what to do with them going forward. I'm happy to volunteer the Orange Lantern Corps' services in helping with the resettlement of Karrakan so that you don't need them, or I can act as a guarantor of any agreement you reach. But if we're agreed that Sparta needs to be compelled to answer, we… Need them."

And better in the hands of one person than six. Though having additional numbers down there wouldn't hurt.

Pontico bows his head, while Athyns looks at me sceptically. "You know that I don't know how to used them?"

"How much prior exposure did Sparta have?" I shrug. "Learn quickly."

...For all we know, she was taught how to activate one by her sponsor, then used Phoebe's to enhance her intellect to easily make use of the rest.

There's a flare of light, and we all turn to stare out of the front window as a portion of the surface of the planet below… Darkens.

"Athyns, how many people-?"

Crap, Sparta found the trigger, because that sounds a lot like a Sun-Eater's energy absorption field effect.

He grabs the Seeds. "That's near the factory. The region was evacuated when we became aware of it. But the neighbouring regions-."

"Everyone who's coming, get to the teleportarium. I'll fly down and try to keep things under control. Go."

Let's hope she's only nudged a juvenile awake. Because the fully-grown ones are not going to play nice with anything.

And all hell just broke loose, hasn't it? The excrement just hit the ceiling-mounted impellor and Sparta's looking to flip the table. I have the feeling not everyone going down there is going to walk away from this. Let's just hope OL doesn't have to repeat Hal Jordan's finale performance during Final Night.

RichardWhereat · Oct 22, 2021

I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen to Melinoë.

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

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