Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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Thank you, corrected.
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Thank you, corrected.
So he seems to switch between being both fear enlightened and not fear enlightened? Not sure if this is a mistake or not.
When both text and quotes are colored, that's just extreme emotion. He's fluctuating between "very scared" and "all consuming terror"So he seems to switch between being both fear enlightened and not fear enlightened? Not sure if this is a mistake or not.
I release the Colin Thornton construct lantern and send it onward. It marches into the fracture zone, which triggers and begins altering the relationship between spatial dimensions in its radius. Colin returns to my ring instantly, but I'm braced and prepared for the storm of horrifying images that come with seeing his memories and behaviours. I release and dispatch him again to the same result, and again-.
The spatial fracture generator stutters, a problem with hiding a power hungry system from a sufficiently capable attacker. Colin flies through during the flux with only some damage, and tears apart the generator with his bare hands.
"Dismissed."
He vanishes, and after another scan I advance into the area it was covering.
He manages to get up on his hands and knees, still cringing and unwilling to meet my eyes.
"Joseph. Joseph Harrolds."
There's that lack of critical thinking again."I don't know who you're talking about, sir. As far as I know, the three of us are the only people on the planet."
They only act like anything because subconsciously Paul expected them to act at least partly like their old self. If he doesn't want construct Colin to act like anything, it won't.Aren't Paul's construct lanterns usually more.. expressive? Teekl, the Praexis Demons, Hellwraith, Demon Nabu, Gary..nitpick maybe, but it's weird seeing them not even go "Yes, Master" or something.
Honestly, the poison was probably the best option they had. They might not have been able to ensure that any kind of fire, especially one large enough to suffocate them all, wouldn't go out of control and damage the tombs...20th January 2013
12:52 GMT
Desiccated corpses with small cups next to their shelves are arrayed near the entrance. Then there's a gap before the older remains, probably because they were sleeping here and didn't see the point in walking further than they had to. Several of the shelves had bits of bedding in with them, blankets or pillows or wind-up clocks. There's a residue of poison in the cups, and after calculating the likely result on the natives' physiology I find myself agreeing with my golden alter-ego: carbon monoxide really is the way to go.
Honestly, a setup like this... Would the closest crypts have been the oldest community members, dating back however many decades since its founding, with newer crypts deeper down as they expanded... Or would they have moved each older generation deeper in with each expansion, to ensure the newly interred 'ancestor spirits' were closest to the living? Who knows?The crypt is build into the stone of the mountain, and while the outer museum was a relatively normal room the crypt itself is bare stone. No decoration, but it does have oil lanterns hanging from the ceiling to light the way. They've long since gone out, reservoirs expended. For a moment I wonder where they got the oil from, but I suppose that it wouldn't be strange for communities like this to ship in a barrel a year or so.
I move deeper, Jade watching the flanks. Side passages are more crypts, but they don't have any markings so I've got no idea if they're for families or years or professions or… Whatever they considered most significant. Further in and the passages-.
Which would be quite the display in animation. guns appearing all around him..."Stop."
I stop, attack constructs ready to go at a moment's notice.
...So not a local. Perhaps this section was carved to to hide something newer? But by who?"The walls. They weren't made with the same tools."
I take a closer look… Yes. This continent was early to mid twentieth century equivalent in terms of technology. This was done with something else, something they couldn't have built; either a plasma cutter or a matter disruptor.
Definitely someone trying to hide something."Kalmin wouldn't have left a test subject alive. But it's not that hard to come here if you know where you're going. There's no reason to assume that we're the first ones here."
I continue deeper. Something else that stands out: Kalmin wouldn't have bothered to copy local styles, whereas whoever did this clearly has. There are empty shelves, their design similar to but not quite the same as the ones the locals use. And there are bodies, but they're placed sporadically while the locals filled up spaces before moving on.
Ooof. I expect it has an effect on corporeal forms similar to what a kaleidoscope does to light? Messy.Alert.
Standard scan didn't spot it, but sonic and electrical sensors working together detected a spatial fracture system. Nasty if you walk into it, but the generator node… Should be…
Good use for bad rubbish, even if you have to put up with seeing his memories every time...I release the Colin Thornton construct lantern and send it onward. It marches into the fracture zone, which triggers and begins altering the relationship between spatial dimensions in its radius. Colin returns to my ring instantly, but I'm braced and prepared for the storm of horrifying images that come with seeing his memories and behaviours. I release and dispatch him again to the same result, and again-.
The spatial fracture generator stutters, a problem with hiding a power hungry system from a sufficiently capable attacker. Colin flies through during the flux with only some damage, and tears apart the generator with his bare hands.
Since that area couldn't have any other defences within it... They'd have been destroyed by the effect."Dismissed."
He vanishes, and after another scan I advance into the area it was covering.
Which means said signal could be very well-hidden from you."Would that send an alert?"
"Probably. Nothing I can detect, so we're dealing with someone clever rather than opportunistic looters."
Someone's having either a very bad time back there, or a very good one.Scanners and mental acceleration on full I move forward, alert for-
"Nurnnurnnurnnurn…"
To be fair, it'd probably have fooled anyone without a Power Ring, I bet.-any sign of danger to us. Nothing, and we're in a crypt cul-de-sac-. And from the way that dust cloud is moving I can tell that's a hologram.
I short it out, and-.
A rookie Weaponer, taking advantage of Kalmin's abandonment of his worksite?Plasma fire from a device built into the ceiling hits my force field and achieves precisely nothing, while my spear construct punches through its weak armour cuts off its power supply. Hm. So far it looks like the technology here is advanced, but the application is a little slapdash. Someone with little field experience?
Other force fields or guns? Looks like no. I push on-
Because of course there's a self-destruct. Probably something large and messy, I bet.Scan available.
-into the room, construct tentacles snaking out and seizing control of the main computer system. Sadly it's not tied into anything other than the… Containment unit? But I stop the automatic subject purge countdown anyway.
Huh. Marinated in fear. That sounds... Unpleasant.The subject-. A dishevelled humanoid. Male. He's wearing a plug suit-. No, a bio-monitor suit, but his hair and beard are scraggly and I can see blood around his mouth.
And fear. So much fear.
Kalmin: A very poor one, of course.The other equipment… Some of it looks a little like Kalmin's forge. Other parts look like the more mundane parts of his workshop. A Weaponer, then. Someone out of favour with Varnathon? Or just trying to hide a secret workshop away from prying eyes.
The computer doesn't have records on it. Because what sort of Weaponer wouldn't be able to just remember things like that?
Yeah, best to know what you're poking before you let it out of it's cage.The containment chamber is a custom job, and I don't think that it's designed to let things pass in or out easily. I could break through with a little effort, but I think it's best to get a better idea of what's going on first. The man inside doesn't look bound in any way, he's just sort of curled up against the side of the chamber.
And there's the speak-.
Let me guess: An Antimatter universe counterpart of someone you know? What are the odds?
Well, he's terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought."Orange Lantern Illustres here." His head doesn't come up. "Can you hear me?"
"Eh-heh-heh-huuuu…"
For shits and giggles, or for a specific reason?Cowering and gibbering. Okay. If I understand this machine correctly, then pulling this lever and turning these dials should reduce the focus on the chamber interior.
"I think the Weaponer who set this place up was trying to focus the residual fear energy through this man."
To be fair, for a Weaponer, that's an entirely valid option..."Why?"
"I'm not sure. Perhaps they were trying to make him into an ideal Yellow Lantern? Or just to see what would happen."
...So, there's an Earth -14. What's their Earth 14 like, then? Or would that be the equivalent of their Anti-Matter Universe?"Where did they get a human?" … "Don't tell me-."
"There's an anti-matter Earth. I mean an Earth Negative Sixteen. I don't actually know if he's from there."
Given previous experience with inter-polarity crossovers, I'm betting his entire body has Situs Inversus. That is, his body is a mirror image of a 'normal' human's - Heart on the right, that sort of thing."But you don't think he's from our Earth. You've scanned him."
"Yes. Hello in there! Are you feeling any better?"
Ah, he's not gone bye-bye any more. Just remember, if he asks if you're a god... Say 'Yes.'"Hu-ur-huh?"
His head comes up slightly, his mind still filled with fear but regaining the capacity for coherent thought.
It wouldn't be the first time you've encountered someone cut off from the other Lights. Remember Sally Sonic?"I'm happy to remove you from this planet just as soon as we can get some idea how safe that is for you. Can you tell me your name, sir?"
He manages to make eye contact for a moment, then they drop back down again. I'm not sure if all that I'm seeing in him is fear because it's so strong that it's overwhelming, or because that's all there is left.
...The only ones alive, anyway."W-where is she?"
"I don't know who you're talking about, sir. As far as I know, the three of us are the only people on the planet."
Might need to be a bit more commanding to break through that thick shell of fear, OL...
...If you're lucky, you can prevent him being acquired by Volthoom's Ring...He manages to get up on his hands and knees, still cringing and unwilling to meet my eyes.
"Joseph. Joseph Harrolds."
The crypt is built into the stone of the mountain...
...punches through its weak armour and cuts off its power supply.
Who was this? I think the anti-green version ended up with a golden ring. Was it him?I find myself agreeing with my golden alter-ego: carbon monoxide really is the way to go.
Thank you, corrected.The crypt is built into the stone of the mountain...
...punches through its weak armour and cuts off its power supply.
Yes.Who was this? I think the anti-green version ended up with a golden ring. Was it him?
No, that version of Power Ring is just called Harold Jordan.I wonder if Paul will recognize this guy. I didn't I know who Power Ring is. His death leads to my second favorite Green Lantern becoming a character Jessica Cruz. I never learned his real name though.
The people from -14 deliberately avoided 14 because they'd already fought them.I'm a bit confused. I thought Earth Negative 14 was the main Crime Syndicate universe of this fic, not Earth Negative 16? Or is that a typo?
When he picked up Kalmin, though he didn't go anywhere near their Earth.
The people from -14 deliberately avoided 14 because they'd already fought them.
When he picked up Kalmin, though he didn't go anywhere near their Earth.
Might have been. Might have been.
Do you mean to say that the Syndicate of Earth -14 has fought both the Justice League of Earth 14 and the Justice League of Earth 12?
I don't think I meant to say anything like that.Do you mean to say that the Syndicate of Earth -14 has fought both the Justice League of Earth 14 and the Justice League of Earth 12?
Where did they get a human?" … "Don't tell me-."
"There's an anti-matter Earth. I mean an Earth Negative Sixteen. I don't actually know if he's from there."
I'm happy to remove you from this planet just as soon as we can get some idea how safe that is for you.
Aren't Paul's construct lanterns usually more.. expressive? Teekl, the Praexis Demons, Hellwraith, Demon Nabu, Gary..nitpick maybe, but it's weird seeing them not even go "Yes, Master" or something.
You know, what would happen if Paul assimilated someone from the Antimatter Universe? I know it can assimilate demons and such, but would it work on something made of antimatter?
Aside from Truggs, mini satan here was likely a good contender for Pauls Nemesis, as he applied all the uplifted magical developments Paul started to make the world worse. He Really didn't like the guy, and really didn't like having him in his head....but yeeting him out front as his walking 10 trap detecting pole is a decent fate for him, since sending him home to hell isn't much punishment. A bit of back sass from being used as a pinata might be expected though.
, instead of ;
How much technological pilfering have the Tau had him doing?"To ascertain whether you are being utilised as effectively as you could be. With your strategic manoeuvrability being so much greater than that of our fastest ships, there are roles other than slow expansion and investigation which you could serve in.
Reminder that every single Imperium database is warded and that Power Rings can't access warded systems.Sorry, was doing a reread and thought of this:
How much technological pilfering have the Tau had him doing?
Because ring FTL, ring scans and the occasional covert assimilation of a tech priest to become a construct should be able to copy most of the imperium's tech base in at least not too long.
And from there it should be possible to track down imperial records of other races, and pilfer tech from those races that are more advanced than the imperium in a narrow specialty.
Or at least give Tau scientists a lot more to go on in reverse engineering attempts/inspiration for their own designs.
And if he could take an apothecary and salvage some geneseed, they could copy the space marine implants. Though that'd be something to leave for last, as it would probably be hard to hide and provocative of crusades.
Or is this interview going to bring up the idea of using him for that kind of stuff/longer-ranged diplomacy?
Thank you, corrected.
Not all that much. Without the rest of the technology web, capturing a particular thing isn't all that useful. Similarly, the general state of ignorance in the Imperium means that capturing an individual might not be all that useful.Sorry, was doing a reread and thought of this:
How much technological pilfering have the Tau had him doing?
Because ring FTL, ring scans and the occasional covert assimilation of a tech priest to become a construct should be able to copy most of the imperium's tech base in at least not too long.
And from there it should be possible to track down imperial records of other races, and pilfer tech from those races that are more advanced than the imperium in a narrow speciality.
Or at least give Tau scientists a lot more to go on in reverse engineering attempts/inspiration for their own designs.
And if he could take an apothecary and salvage some geneseed, they could copy the space marine implants. Though that'd be something to leave for last, as it would probably be hard to hide and provocative of crusades.
Or is this interview going to bring up the idea of using him for that kind of stuff/longer-ranged diplomacy?
Say