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

Reader mode
Whenever Possible said:
Humanity is advancing towards the stars thanks in part to the hard work and design philosophy of a clone of Adolf Hitler.
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Wh(ch is a pretty good fuck you, overall.

The best revenge is living well and all that.

BlackCoat13 said:
Look, Paul, we know you like the Arcano-Tech Revolution, but what exactly are you doing in that maintenance hatch?
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Toaster-fuc...I mean, Mechanicus Paul when?


The traditional teleporter malfunction is cloning, so Anti-Lifed Paul?

Gromweld said:
If I were to guess:
I suspect the system might be subtly exposing them to Anti-Life over each use - a small enough exposure that a single trip would be negligible, a few trips won't do much, but constant use (like is intended for their group) will Justify people over time.
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That sounds very likely as well. Though shouldn't he detect even miniscule amounts?
 
With all those reassurances that everything is in order... it just proves things will go wrong.

Rebu said:
I'm gonna be honest; if I was writing this, I absolutely would not be able to resist having Edge go "He seemed familiar. I swear I've seen him before."
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Ah, the beauty of a decent hair cut and not injecting yourself with animal serums and eukadol.
 
Ok, I've lost track, who is OL tlking to in this segment? I've tracked down a Marcus (I had thought it was Mr. Edge coming back, which made asking about Edge's bishop confusing), but who is he, and why might he remember Arius...? I lost the thread in that conversation somewhere.
 
Huttj509 said:
Ok, I've lost track, who is OL tlking to in this segment? I've tracked down a Marcus (I had thought it was Mr. Edge coming back, which made asking about Edge's bishop confusing), but who is he, and why might he remember Arius...? I lost the thread in that conversation somewhere.
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Alpha Centurion.
 
Pete Tong (part 5)
  • Threadmarks
    • 31st December 2012
    11:15 GMT -5

    "…which is why they can't just build thousands of them and do away with the car." The journalists who've clustered around me nod, though Ms. Lane aside I'm not sure how many of them are really taking it in. "But for small numbers of people it's an extremely good system."

    "How about for first responders?"

    "In the event of a major emergency, it would be possible to bring paramedics in from a city with low demand to a city with high demand. If you mean, just teleporting people to emergencies then that isn't really possible without putting buildings like this just about everywhere. You really don't want beacon-based teleportation to go wrong."

    "Is this better than the system the Justice League uses?"

    "That's a complicated one. Do you have time to read a four thousand page technical report?"

    The journalist in question freezes up a little. "Aaaaaaaah…"

    "Short version, the Justice League version can't go wrong, while at its intended level of use this is statistically likely to kill one person a century or so. That's still far safer than taking a plane or walking, and the ability of a reserve force of superheroes to use it will save far more people than that over the same time period. There are a lot of other minor differences, and… There are advantages and disadvantages to both."

    A different and less happy-looking journalists sniffs. "Does it cost less?"

    "To build or to run?"

    "Both."

    "Depends on what you count. The Alliance's system requires building large buildings in the middle of major cities. People have been kind enough to just donate the space for a lot of the first generation stations, but if you factor that in then the per-station cost is a lot more than the zeta tubes which the League uses. Even adding on the control system that the zeta tube network needs, putting a new zeta tube somewhere is a lot easier than building somewhere this size. On the other hand, the running costs with the zeta network… It's a little hard to work out how to price it, but the power draw per use is massive when compared to sending the same number of people with this system. They don't exactly pay that because I've donated bleed torsion generators, but if you were looking at market rates per kilowatt hour it would be far higher."

    "So wouldn't it make more sense to use one system?"

    "Not necessarily. Just like there are advantages and disadvantages to either system, there's a clear advantage in making sure that the two systems can't be disrupted in the same way. The Alliance has kindly offered to let members of the Justice League -and suitably armigerous randos like myself- use their system when necessary."

    "And is the Justice League returning the favour?"

    No, because that would mean letting everyone in the Alliance know the location of the League's zeta tubes, which are supposed to be in covert locations. And because there's no way Batman would go for it. And because the League's moving over to a magic-based system anyway, it's just slow going due to the comparative paucity of skilled magicians. But I should let them decide how to relay that decision to the world at large.

    "That's something that you'll have to ask someone on the League."

    "Wait, seriously?" One of the reporters frowns in confusion. "They're blue balling you again this year?"

    "I'm afraid that my responsibilities off-Earth mean that it's not practical for me to take a position on Earth. And while Blue Lantern is a good friend of mine, I have no plans to-."

    "I'm sorry, I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen." Mr. Edge gently nudges a few people out of the way. "I need to borrow Orange Lantern for a few moments. Ah, bar's open."

    I nod, and allow myself to be led away as the huddle of journalists begins to break up. Ms. Lane keeps an eye on me as she checks the room for other people to buttonhole. I've never asked if she knows about Hyde Park, or Nabu in general. Or if Kal-El implied some other reason for me not joining up. I'm sure that she realised that my reason was disingenuous, and while the others might brush it off as ego-protection she… Almost certainly knows that it isn't.

    "Did I look like I was drowning?"

    "No, you looked completely resolute. Which isn't always a good plan."

    "I may be wrong but at least I'm consistent."

    "I'll take your word for it. But that wasn't why. I told you I wanted you to meet Father Bruno."

    "Oh. Yeah. Of course."

    We make our way through the throng of journalists, politicians and superheroes. I recognise… Some of them without reference to my ring's database, but the Alliance took the concept of a Big League and ran with it. Someone who wants to be a superhero can in theory just walk into an Alliance office and start volunteering with no independent experience at all. That's lowering the barrier to entry quite a lot, but at the same time I doubt that any of them have the sort of fervour that someone like Batman has.

    I'd make a rude comment about them being far better adjusted as a result, but he seems to be doing okay, actually.

    "Father Bruno."

    I-. Huh. Father Bruno is a.. big bloke, to the point where I'm a little surprised that I hadn't spotted him before. He's a little taller than my own six feet two inches, and quite a bit broader. I can only assume that he's seriously into bodybuilding. Tan skin, black hair and… That's a clerical collar, so I'm going to assume that he's a Christian priest of some sort.

    "Vinny. And Orange Lantern."

    He offers me his surprisingly large hand and I take it.

    "Father Bruno."

    Mr. Edge glances around. Everyone appears to be giving us a little space, but he appears to spot something on the other side of the room. "Ah, excuse me, I've gotta grab that guy-."

    "Of course, Vinny. The project takes precedence." Mr. Edge nods and then takes off, leaving me with Father Bruno. He looks down on me with an expression of mild curiosity. "I understand that you tested the teleportation system thoroughly. I hope there was nothing wrong."

    "No, it all seemed fine to me. It's a good system."

    He nods. "Vinny's done an excellent job. This system will be able to help thousands of people."

    "Are you involved in the Alliance yourself?"

    "I offer counselling to those heroes who need it. As I'm sure you know, it can be a very stressful job, and it helps to have someone to talk to. From the freshest face to… A man like Vinny. He came to me filled with fear of the Lord, but he needed direction in order to do this."

    "And you directed him to do this?"

    "Not this specifically, but I was able to help him come to understand his place in the Lord's plan. And with this great tool, the Alliance of the Just will unveil the Lord's mercy and sagacity to the entire world."

    "Yeah. It's nice to know that some good came out of the Sheeda's attack."

    For a moment his face hardens, but it relaxes back a moment later. I assume that they killed someone he knew.

    "They forsook the teachings of the Lord and abandoned all virtue. They preyed upon the People of the Lord and so earned his ire." Not just the original vision that was Old Testament, then. "It is through the Messiah and the Lord that man may come to accept his place in the divine plan. And I believe that the Lord has a plan for you."

    "I appreciate the thought, but at this point I'm a committed Hellenist."

    He smiles. "Men change, Orange Lantern. Men change."
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • When he mentioned the size my first thought went to Darkseid. Honesty he's much more likely to be an obscure guy from the Question comics than anybody I really know.

    Did Zoat ever have any mentions to the Foolkiller. I can't figure how I found him when I started reading the comics.

    edit: my bad Dc and Marvel older comics get me mixed up sometime.
     
    Bloodalchemy said:
    I'm wondering if he is a Sheeda sleeper agent, or related to those religious Witch hunter people. They fought the Sheeda right?
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    This is almost certainly Bruno Mannheim, one of the leaders of Intergang. He's a devotee of the Crime Bible, a Cain-centered version of the Bible that is often a part of the many vague Darkseid plots of "something something murder the self something something Anti-Life"
     
    Mr Zoat said:
    31st December 2012
    11:15 GMT -5

    "…which is why they can't just build thousands of them and do away with the car." The journalists who've clustered around me nod, though Ms. Lane aside I'm not sure how many of them are really taking it in. "But for small numbers of people it's an extremely good system."

    "How about for first responders?"
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    Now that's a good question. I imagine being able to just beam ambulance personal to an emergency call would result in a much higher survival rate, whether it be a large accident or someone having a heart attack. But then you have the question of how to get them to the hospital, since beaming might not be safe for the injured...

    "In the event of a major emergency, it would be possible to bring paramedics in from a city with low demand to a city with high demand. If you mean, just teleporting people to emergencies isn't really possible without putting buildings like this just about everywhere. You really don't want beacon-based teleportation to go wrong"

    "Is this better than the system the Justice League uses?"
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    Define 'better'. Is it faster? Is it higher capacity? Can it cover more ground? Is it safer? Is it cheaper? So many points of comparison...

    "That's a complicated one. Do you have time to read a four thousand page technical report?"

    The journalist in question freezes up a little. "Aaaaaaaah…"
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    Come on, OL, all he wants is a soundbite: 'Yes', 'No' or 'Depends'...

    "Short version, the Justice League version can't go wrong, while at its intended level of use this is statistically likely to kill one person a century or so. That's still far safer than taking a plane or walking, and the ability of a reserve force of superheroes to use it will save far more people than that over the same time period. There are a lot of other minor differences, and… There are advantages and disadvantages to both."

    A different and less happy-looking journalists sniffs. "Does it cost less?"
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    See, this guy knows what's important. Then again, the Alliance system is being paid for by Edge and his backers, not the taxpayer...

    "To build or to run?"

    "Both."
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    Because one aspect does not necessarily dictate the other. Dolmen Gates are somewhat expensive to make, but cheap to operate, for example. But a system that's costly to build and to run? Not great.

    "Depends on what you count. The Alliance's system requires building large buildings in the middle of major cities. People have been kind enough to just donate the space for a lot of the first generation stations, but if you factor that in then the per-station cost is a lot more than the zeta tubes which the League uses. Even adding on the control system that the zeta tube network needs, putting a new zeta tube somewhere is a lot easier than building somewhere this size. On the other hand, the running costs with the zeta network… It's a little hard to work out how to price it, but the power draw per use is massive when compared to sending the same number of people with this system. They don't exactly pay that because I've donated bleed torsion generators, but if you were looking at market rates per kilowatt hour it would be far higher."
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    Penalties and benefits. It's a matter of weighing them...

    "So wouldn't it make more sense to use one system?"

    "Not necessarily. Just like there are advantage and disadvantages to either system, there's a clear advantage in making sure that the two systems can't be disrupted in the same way. The Alliance has kindly offered to let members of the Justice League -and suitably armigerous randos like myself- use their system when necessary."
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    And it's always a good idea to have more than one method. As he noted, disrupting one might not disrupt the other.

    "And is the Justice League returning the favour?"

    No, because that would mean letting everyone in the Alliance know the location of the League's zeta tubes, which are supposed to be in covert locations. And because there's no way Batman would go for it. And because the League's moving over to a magic-based system anyway, it's just slow going due to the comparative paucity of skilled magicians. But I should let them decide how to relay that decision to the world at large.
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    I mean, you could always have a tiered access system. Public users get 'safe' locations only, 'privileged' users like the League get to have the full run of hidden exits. But that leaves you open to being hacked...

    "That's something that you'll have to ask someone on the League."

    "Wait, seriously?" One of the reporters frowns in confusion. "They're blue balling you again this year?"
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    Who was it that said they wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would accept them? :p I bet some folks see OL the same way.

    "I'm afraid that my responsibilities off-Earth means that it's not practical for me to take a position on Earth. And while Blue Lantern is a good friend of mine, I have no plans to-."

    "I'm sorry, I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen." Mr. Edge gently nudges a few people out of the way. "I need to borrow Orange Lantern for a few moments. Ah, bar's open."
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    Coming in with the handy excuse to stop the questions, eh?

    I nod, and allow myself to be led away as the huddle of journalists begins to break up. Ms. Lane keeps an eye on me as she checks the room for other people to buttonhole. I've never asked if she knows about Hyde Park, or Nabu in general. Or if Kal-El implied some other reason for me not joining up. I'm sure that she realised that my reason was disingenuous, and while the others might brush it off as ego-protection she… Almost certainly knows that it isn't.
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    Even if he hadn't told her, she is an investigative reporter. And a damned good one at that. She'd find out, one way or the other.

    "Did I look like I was drowning?"

    "No, you looked completely resolute. Which isn't always a good plan."
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    True, talking to OL is always a... Dicey proposition in press conferences. Especially when he's far too frank for anyone's comfort.

    "I may be wrong but at least I'm consistent."

    "I'll take your word for it. But that wasn't why. I told you I wanted you to meet Father Bruno."

    "Oh. Yeah. Of course."
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    Ah, no blue-balling us on that little moment, eh? Well, then, bring it on.

    We make our way through the throng of journalists, politicians and superheroes. I recognise… Some of them without reference to my ring's database, but the Alliance took the concept of a Big League and ran with it. Someone who wants to be a superhero can in theory just walk into an Alliance office and start volunteering with no independent experience at all. That's lowering the barrier to entry quite a lot, but at the same time I doubt that any of them have the sort of fervour that someone like Batman has.
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    I wonder if they take people just looking to get internet famous. I can imagine someone live-streaming their nightly patrols having a few subscribers. Even if it's only the morbidly curious or overly bored.

    I'd make a rude comment about them being far better adjusted as a result, but he seems to be doing okay, actually.

    "Father Bruno."
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    Heh, yeah, Batman in this universe is a surprisingly chill dude, even before he got married.

    I-. Huh. Father Bruno is a.. big bloke, to the point where I'm a little surprised that I hadn't spotted him before. He's a little taller than my own six feet two inches, and quite a bit broader. I can only assume that he's seriously into bodybuilding. Tan skin, black hair and… That's a clerical collar, so I'm going to assume that he's a Christian priest of some sort.

    "Vinny. And Orange Lantern."
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    ...Well, that physical description just makes it more likely that it's 'Ugly' Bruno Mannheim. Not reassuring.

    He offers me his surprisingly large hand and I take it.

    "Father Bruno."
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    At least they aren't trying anything hinky right now. Not the best idea to pull anything during the big unveiling, after all...

    Mr. Edge glances around. Everyone appears to be giving us a little space, but he appears to spot something on the other side of the room. "Ah, excuse me, I've gotta grab that guy-.

    "Of course, Vinny. The project takes precedence." Mr. Edge nods and then takes off, leaving me with Father Bruno. He looks down on me with an expression of mild curiosity. "I understand that you tested the teleportation system thoroughly. I hope there was nothing wrong."
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    And what's it to you, 'Father'? It's not like you're an investor or anything, is it?

    "No, it all seemed fine to me. It's a good system."

    He nods. "Vinny's done an excellent job. This system will be able to help thousands of people."
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    ...Yes, 'help'... :sneaky: Not allaying any suspicions here, no sir...

    "Are you involved in the Alliance yourself?"

    "I offer counselling to those heroes who need it. As I'm sure you know, it can be a very stressful job, and it helps to have someone to talk to. From the freshest face to… A man like Vinny. He came to me filled with fear of the Lord, but he needed direction in order to do this."
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    ...I can just hear the subtle smarm in his voice at those words...

    "And you directed him to do this?"

    "Not this specifically, but I was able to help him come to understand his place in the Lord's plan. And with this great tool, the Alliance of the Just will unveil the Lord's mercy and sagacity to the entire world."
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    Hopefully not in the fashion Final Crisis did...

    "Yeah. It's nice to know that some good came out of the Sheeda's attack."

    For a moment his face hardens, but it relaxes back a moment later. I assume that they killed someone he knew.
    Click to expand...
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    Or ruined some plans he or his master had set up. I can't imagine anything not getting disrupted by the Harrowing.

    "They forsook the teachings of the Lord and abandoned all virtue. They preyed upon the People of the Lord and so earned his ire." Not just the original vision that was Old Testament, then. "It is through the Messiah and the Lord than man may come to accept his place in the divine plan. And I believe that the Lord has a plan for you."

    "I appreciate the thought, but at this point I'm a committed Hellenist."

    He smiles. "Men change, Orange Lantern. Men change."
    Click to expand...
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    Yes, I can just imagine what that place is... Hint: It involves being crushed under a very large boot...

    Good gods, OL needs to find some of that genre-savviness he used to have. I know he might have forgotten about things from the comics, or never read them, but how much clearer could it be that this guy is seriously suspicious. But no, he's well and truly gone native. I guess he's just to blinded by hope that the Alliance goes well to see any of the darkness we readers are picking up on.
    You really don't want beacon-based teleportation to go wrong"
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    Missing Full Stop.
    Just like there are advantage and disadvantages to either system...
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    Just like there are advantages and disadvantages to either system...
    It is through the Messiah and the Lord than man may come...
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    It is through the Messiah and the Lord that man may come...
     
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    Chojin Patriarch said:
    Hopefully not in the fashion Final Crisis did...
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    We both that your hope is going to be squashed.

    Chojin Patriarch said:
    Good gods, OL needs to find some of that genre-savviness he used to have. I know he might have forgotten about things from the comics, or never read them, but how much clearer could it be that this guy is seriously suspicious. But no, he's well and truly gone native. I guess he's just to blinded by hope that the Alliance goes well to see any of the darkness we readers are picking up on
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    Or they're somehow manipulating his mind to not notice.

    They already hit him with Anti-Life.
     
    It always confuses me when people expect Paul to be actually genre-savy and go "well you're talking a bit like an evil dude, ol chap.", like in this situation or the Olympia masking herself as WW update. He's not getting a snapshot of the worst/most entertaining days like we are which practically gives the twist away, he's living it fully.

    The sort of person who could actually hold on to these comic tropes as a genre standard after living for two whole years in a 'verse would be a complete psychopath. At the very least he wouldn't see other beings as sentient, and I'd imagine they would turn out much more like Tangseid or some other variation on being a brutal uncaring person.
     
    I'm not surprised the League hasn't sent OL an invite, he's definitely alienated a few members and IIRC they haven't changed from one person being able to completely block a nomination.

    Honestly Bruno is giving off so many red flags he's either definitely a Darkseid acolyte or a major red herring. And I'm leaning towards the former
     
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