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

Good to know. It was mentioned in a previous thread that the Reach will try to infiltrate Maltus and then freak out after detecting Erdammeru. I hope we actually get to see that happen.

I'm pretty sure you're misremembering the Reach originally tried to infiltrate Maltus, their ship taking cover behind what they thought was a moon but in reality was a (Maltusian-made, no Qwardian) super-weapon.
 
I'm pretty sure you're misremembering the Reach originally tried to infiltrate Maltus, their ship taking cover behind what they thought was a moon but in reality was a (Maltusian-made, no Qwardian) super-weapon.
That was it, and it is supposed to be Erdammeru.
 
[Reads about Erdammeru]

Great DC has a Unicron...Moon sized planet killer elder god robot. We sure we have the right paul on this job? The one with Slipstream might have Primus on speed dial by now.

Well if it makes you feel better in Trinity they put Antimatter universe Nygma's daughter's soul into the Voidhound and they went back to make Anti-matter universe Earth a better place.

So DC's Unicron became a superhero.
 
Butcher's Blood (part 6)
21st January 2013
09:52 GMT


"Illustres to local Green Lantern. Respond, please."

Orion's got up to get a better look at our surroundings. Perhaps unfortunately, his astro-harness is a lot faster than the flight system of Jade's exo-mantle, so she's opted to remain at ground level. Volkreg doesn't have enough surviving information infrastructure for me to just read up on recent history, and we're far enough away from Maltus that N.E.M.O.'s file on the planet is… Well out of date. I got more up-to-date information from John Stewart's ring, and that was just a summary.

"Did the Butcher's blood do this, or was it just the locals?"

A quick sweep with empathic vision… There's more red than on most worlds I've visited, but there's a big war on. It's hardly a surprise that people are unusually angry.

"Can't tell. I'd guess a little of both. I can't see anything that screams 'magically induced rage', but… That doesn't mean it isn't there."

Volkreg has a pangean continental arrangement. No moons of any size means that there's almost no tectonic activity. Almost all surface land area is connected to the rest, with only a few islands and the southern polar ice mass breaking that pattern. Which means that there are few natural barriers to land warfare. And of course visiting merchants have been happy to sell low-mass high-price things like weapons and orbital scans to the people on the ground in what I'm sure would be used as a salutary lesson on the value of the Prime Directive if this was a Star Trek episode. John's records just have that as a 'possible avenue of concern' rather than an active problem…

"Illustres to local Green Lantern, respond."

The light around my ring flickers, then a face appears. Humanoid, with an oddly-structured face where two triangular plates extend upwards from her forehead.

"What-?" She looks… Upset, actually. "Oh, I shouldn't-."

"Are you this Sector's Green Lantern?"

Her eyes dip for a moment. "No, not… Not any more. My name's Liana. Ex-Green Lantern."

"Then why are you answering?"

"My partner died recently, and I was… Discharged. Our replacements are in training, and we… I don't know. I assumed that the Guardians would assign an Honour Guard Lantern temporarily, but I guess they decided it wasn't worth it. There's not a lot… Happening here."

She frowns.

"Wait, who are you?"

"I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps, and I'm standing on Volkreg."

"Does your..? What rules of engagement does the Orange Lantern Corps use?"

"We do what we want, when we want, where we want."

"Oh." She blinks. "That's-. Without a request to intervene by one party, Green Lanterns aren't supposed to get involved in a planet's internal affairs."

"If you consider your job more important than millions of lives-."

"I don't, and that's-! That's why I'm an ex-Green Lantern now."

I nod. "I apologise. What happened on Volkreg?"

"Wars between city-states aren't unusual, and they usually don't amount to anything. I… Logged it was happening, and… Tried focusing on things I was allowed to do something about. And I know it kept escalating, but… How..? How bad is it?"

"Ash clouds, high enough that they're not coming down. I-."

Ring, geophysics scan.

Compliance.

Oh. That explains that.

"Someone nuked a super-volcano. They're looking at years without sunlight over most of the continent."

Obviously I'm going to fix that, but if the clouds have been up there for long enough then they might have gone through their grain stores already.

"Oh… No… That's-."

"Did you have any actual contact with the people of this world? Do you know people in their governments?"

"I… Did. I don't know if they're still alive… I'll… I'll send you my records. I don't know how much use they'll be-."

"Thank you. Were you discharged for trying to help Azmah?"

"Did you hear about that?"

"No. I'm here looking for something, and…"

File received.

Okay… That's a few places worth checking.

"Examples of what I'm looking for might be there, too. Can you stay available for the rest of the day? I might need to contact you again later."

"Yes, I… You're going to help, right?"

"Of course. I don't have the time to completely rebuild the place, but I can deal with their immediate problems."

"Thank you."

End.

"Right, the closest major city is about twenty five miles due-"

RIGHTEOUS FURY!

"-west-. Did you just hear som-?"

The ground shudders, and in the distance-. Close to or at our destination, I see a beam of yellow and orange light with… Black… Dots? Running through the outer parts, striking the ground.

"Would Orion-?"

"If he thought he had cause." I attach a filament to her. "Moving in two, one."

The scenery flickers and then… Yes, a city that Liana mentioned. The surrounding fields are burned, and-. An entire army is backing up as Orion glowers at them, the crater he blasted with his astro harness smoking in front of them.

"BACK, CRAVEN DOGS! FLEE! GO COWER IN YOUR HOLES! LEST I, ORION, ERASE YOUR WORTHLESS FORMS FROM THE FACE OF THE UNIVERSE!"

The army… Honestly, it's only a few thousand people, appear to realise that they've got no hope. They don't flee, but with the officers-

I can't see who's in charge so I'm going to assume that they were the subject of Orion's wrath.

-shouting orders and their banners waving, they begin to retreat.

There's a cheer, and I glance up at the walls-. Women, old men and boys. That's not good.

I need to get a handle on this.
 
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21st January 2013
09:52 GMT


"Illustres to local Green Lantern. Respond, please."

Orion's got up to get a better look at our surroundings. Perhaps unfortunately, his astro-harness is a lot faster than the flight system of Jade's exo-mantle, so she's opted to remain at ground level. Volkreg doesn't have enough surviving information infrastructure for me to just read up on recent history, and we're far enough away from Maltus that N.E.M.O.'s file on the planet is… Well out of date. I got more up-to-date information from John Stewart's ring, and that was just a summary.
As I said yesterday: Information is going to be hard to come by. Wars aren't kind on things like whatever kind of internet the locals had. I doubt any functioning systems remain, outside of a few nation's internal military networks. If that.

"Did the Butcher's blood do this, or was it just the locals?"

A quick sweep with empathic vision… There's more red than on most worlds I've visited, but there's a big war on. It's hardly a surprise that people are unusually angry.
I mean, how long ago was the Butcher fought? A Generation? A Millennium? An Eon? How long have these beings been exposed to its traces?

"Can't tell. I'd guess a little of both. I can't see anything that screams 'magically induced rage', but… That doesn't mean it isn't there."

Volkreg has a pangean continental arrangement. No moons of any size means that there's almost no tectonic activity. Almost all surface land area is connected to the rest, with only a few islands and the southern polar ice mass breaking that pattern. Which means that there are few natural barriers to land warfare. And of course visiting merchants have been happy to sell low-mass high-price things like weapons and orbital scans to the people on the ground in what I'm sure would be used as a salutary lesson on the value of the Prime Directive if this was a Star Trek episode. John's records just have that as a 'possible avenue of concern' rather than an active problem…
The local Greenies might want to follow up on that, once all this is sorted out, I hope.

"Illustres to local Green Lantern, respond."

The light around my ring flickers, then a face appears. Humanoid, with an oddly-structured face where two triangular plates extend upwards from her forehead.
Ah, Liana, as seen linked in yesterday's post... And yes, that is an odd-looking facial structure.

"What-?" She looks… Upset, actually. "Oh, I shouldn't-."

"Are you this Sector's Green Lantern?"
I mean, if she is, it might be that you got her while off duty. She might well have been asleep when your call came in.

Her eyes dip for a moment. "No, not… Not any more. My name's Liana. Ex-Green Lantern."

"They why are you answering?"
...Why do I get the feeling that's very recent? And if she's an Ex-Lantern, how is she even answering? Don't they usually get their rings confiscated?

"My partner died recently, and I was… Discharged. Our replacements are in training, and we… I don't know. I assumed that the Guardians would assign an Honour Guard Lantern temporarily, but I guess they decided it wasn't worth it. There's not a lot… Happening here."

She frowns.
In other words, you quit. Thanks to an incident with a planet-wide threat that its people apparently didn't consider worth averting...

"Wait, who are you?"

"I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps, and I'm standing on Volkreg."
Which is going to have some consequences when the Guardians hear about it. Though it'll probably get wiped under the carpet...

"Does your..? What rules of engagement does the Orange Lantern Corps use?"

"We do what we want, when we want, where we want."
...Because of that. Not much you can do to stop someone with those sort of non-restrictions. Merely chastise them after the fact.

"Oh." She blinks. "That's-. Without a request to intervene by one party, Green Lanterns aren't supposed to get involved in a planet's internal affairs."

"If you consider your job more important than millions of lives-."
And she knows that well, due to the aforementioned incident...

"I don't, and that's-! That's why I'm an ex-Green Lantern now."

I nod. "I apologise. What happened on Volkreg?"
At least OL realises he might have been a little harsh on her. The joy of not having all the information he'd like.

"Wars between city-states aren't unusual, and they usually don't amount to anything. I… Logged it was happening, and… Tried focusing on things I was allowed to do something about. And I know it kept escalating, but… How..? How bad is it?"

"Ash clouds, high enough that they're not coming down. I-."
...Well, crap. If nobody intervenes, that's gonna be a nuclear winter to come.

Ring, geophysics scan.

Compliance.

Oh. That explains that.
Yeah, there's more than one way to fuck up your biosphere with nuclear weapons. Or without, if you consider natural disasters.

"Someone nuked a super-volcano. They're looking at years without sunlight over most of the continent."

Obviously I'm going to fix that, but if the clouds have been up there for long enough then they might have gone through their grain stores already.
:oops: ...Ooof. I find myself wondering if they knew what cracking their equivalent of Yellowstone would do, and if they cared.

"Oh… No… That's-."

"Did you have any actual contact with the people of this world? Do you know people in their governments?"
As a Sector lantern, that's a safe bet, yes. If nothing else, they'd want to get permission and an invitation to operate on the planet...

"I… Did. I don't know if they're still alive… I'll… I'll send you my records. I don't know how much use they'll be-."

"Thank you. Were you discharged for trying to help Azmah?"
...Though if the planet is as divided as it sounds, I'm not sure if they'd have had to make separate arrangements with each polity.

"Did you hear about that?"

"No. I'm here looking for something, and…"
Ah... Her homeworld is another Butcher's Blood site, isn't it?

File received.

Okay… That's a few places worth checking.
Whether any of those contacts will still be alive, or their governments functional, you'll have to find out for yourself, OL...

"Examples of what I'm looking for might be there, too. Can you stay available for the rest of the day? I might need to contact you again later."

"Yes, I… You're going to help, right?"
...Why do I get the feeling she'd want to come and assist, discharge or no discharge?

"Of course. I don't have the time to completely rebuild the place, but I can deal with their immediate problems."

"Thank you."
Though she definitely seems the sort to care a lot about those under her care. Too bad the Indigo rings don't seek those with great Compassion...

End.

"Right, the closest major city is about twenty five miles due-"
Let's hope things aren't too hot over there.

RIGHTEOUS FURY!

"-west-. Did you just hear som-?"
Ah, picking up on that Godspeech, OL? You really need to pay more attention around New Gods...

The ground shudders, and in the distance-. Close to or at our destination, I see a beam of yellow and orange light with… Black… Dots? Running through the outer parts, striking the ground.

"Would Orion-?"
...Yes, yes he would. I'm amazed you're bothering to ask.

"If he thought he had cause." I attach a filament to her. "Moving in two, one."

The scenery flickers and then… Yes, a city that Liana mentioned. The surrounding fields are burned, and-. An entire army is backing up as Orion glowers at them, the crater he blasted with his astro harness smoking in front of them.
At least he has intimidation on his side. The giant energy blast probably helped.

"BACK, CRAVEN DOGS! FLEE! GO COWER IN YOUR HOLES! LEST I, ORION, ERASE YOUR WORTHLESS FORMS FROM THE FACE OF THE UNIVERSE!"

The army… Honestly, it's only a few thousand people, appear to realise that they've got no hope. They don't flee, but with the officers-
Yeah, you think you're hard, and then you meet a real god of war...

I can't see who's in charge so I'm going to assume that they were the subject of Orion's wrath.

-shout orders and their banners waving, they begin to retreat.
...And they're off to rethink their life, I hope.

There's a cheer, and I glance up at the walls-. Women, old men and boys. That's not good.

I need to get a handle on this.
Oh, boy. Yet another sidequest sidetrack. Never fails. When you're in a hurry...

Why do I get the feeling OL may well have to conquer the whole population in order to get them to settle down long enough for him to get what he wants? Because this situation definitely seems to be that bad. Though how amusing would it be if his actions end up butterflying away Razor's origin story? At any rate, things should be busy for a bit...
 
...Why do I get the feeling that's very recent? And if she's an Ex-Lantern, how is she even answering? Don't they usually get their rings confiscated

They may be allowed some time to keep them.

Others like Sinestro may have it taken immediately since their actions were considered more extreme.

Why do I get the feeling OL may well have to conquer the whole population in order to get them to settle down long enough for him to get what he wants? Because this situation definitely seems to be that bad. Though how amusing would it be if his actions end up butterflying away Razor's origin story? At any rate, things should be busy for a bit

I think it was mentioned that Razer will get a ring, but not a red or blue one.

Maybe Paul will give him an orange ring.

And I'm wondering if his wife is among the women that Orion rescued.
 
"They why are you answering?"
"Then

Her eyes dip for a moment. "No, not… Not any more. My name's Liana. Ex-Green Lantern."

"They why are you answering?"
How did she keep her ring? Doesn't it shut down or fly away or whatever?

And even if it didn't completely shut down, why did it intercept an official message to the Green Lantern Corps? That seems like an abusable way of handling discharges by Oa.
There's a cheer, and I glance up at the walls-. Women, old men and boys. That's not good.
No girls? Weird.
 
:oops: ...Ooof. I find myself wondering if they knew what cracking their equivalent of Yellowstone would do, and if they cared.

Dr. Strangelove: Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the world, eh?!!
Russian Ambassador Sadesky: It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, the Premier loves surprises.
 
Heh.And don't think he didn't notice that poke, OL.
I don't think he did. Defiant Stance feels more like a aura buff, like a WoW paladin.

OL, you're a good chunk of the way to being an ersatz New God yourself thanks to the oddball nature of your soul... That probably earns a bit of respect from New Genesis folks
Enlightenment means Paul feels "Of The Source" in a vague way, meanwhile Paul's tattoo are broadcasting some something like defensive Godspeech. Paul metaphysically looks like a New God on a deep undercover mission.

..That just makes him even more determined to master it, you know...
He really is more habitually suited to using the power of Will, but that is in opposition to his Rage based nature. If Paul can pull this off, New Genesis gets an Enlightened Red Lantern that can reliably off-hand-wield a green power ring for dark souls parrying.
 
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Paul: Look, if you can't play nice we the rage-inducing mystic stuff I will just have to take it away! And then no one will be able to play with it,so there!
 
So... Is there a reason LePaul's going to all this trouble to get a Red Ring when he could just track down Atrocitus and steal one of his?
 
So... Is there a reason LePaul's going to all this trouble to get a Red Ring when he could just track down Atrocitus and steal one of his?
Well Red Paul said that Atrocitus forged his current red ring (because he didn't trust this red ring of unknown providence) and that it will turn to dust if someone else tries to use it (blood bound wqs the implication). Presumably any other red rings around (at least forged by Atrocitus) will do the same thing.
 
Well Red Paul said that Atrocitus forged his current red ring (because he didn't trust this red ring of unknown providence) and that it will turn to dust if someone else tries to use it (blood bound wqs the implication). Presumably any other red rings around (at least forged by Atrocitus) will do the same thing.
We know the red rings in Young Justice don't work like that.

So that was probably just Atrocitus not trusting Paul.
 
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Butcher's Blood (part 7)
21st January 2013
09:56 GMT


"WHO COMMANDS HERE?!"

The people on the wall are clearly unsure whether to cower or run. Orion doesn't seem at all perturbed. I suppose that he's content in his position as a (New) God, so mortals needing to be told 'Be Not Afraid' is perfectly normal. Given that he can be a bit… Proud and assertive, in the comics, I should probably handle him in the same way as I handled Adom before I made friends with him.

My armour's communication system beeps, and I open the channel.

"On the left. Near the field hospital."

I look over to-. Ah, yes. A local female who looks a little more together than the rest of the locals. Probably a good choice for a basic summary.

"Well spotted. Do you want to handle the conversation, or shall I?"

"You have seniority." True. "I'll tell you if you do anything wrong."

The people are focusing their attention on Orion. There are a few ranged weapons here, but it's mostly spears and knives. Limited access to metal, perhaps? I subspace my armour and

step out, reappearing

slightly out of sight next to the field hospital and dim my aura. I'm clearly not a local, but I shouldn't warrant the same level of excitement as Orion in full bellow-mode.

And step into her line of sight, smile and bow my head politely. It's a fairly standard humanoid gesture, so she should be able to understand it.

"Are we being invaded by aliens as well?"

Other physicians look up in alarm at her statement, freezing up like those on the wall.

"We're not invading."

That doesn't seem to reassure most of them, though the woman I'm talking to doesn't seem to care either way.

"I doubt that the late Kar Djann sees much difference."

"Intentionally. We're not intentionally invading. We're just here to pick up something we believe to be on your world, but couldn't help but notice that you appear to be having a rather widespread war."

"We have no treasures for you, alien. Anything portable of value has long since been traded to other merchants."

"I'm not looking for treasure; I have all the 'shinies' I want. I'm looking for the blood of the Embodiment of Anger, which I have reason to believe exists on this world. If you help me find it, I am perfectly happy to assist in bringing the current hostilities to a close."

"The last thing we need is more fighting."

"I assure you, my techniques are quite efficacious. But if you aren't willing to countenance killing as part of the solution, I am perfectly willing to limit myself to exile. This world has a few islands that can sustain a small population but which don't have enough wood to build a boat for the journey back to your continent. Is that an acceptable alternative?"

"Is this how things are? Is the rest of the universe so violent that our wars are considered normal?"



"Um."

"It… It is?"

"When things are as bad as they are now, most places would call a halt and focus on survival. But interstellar space is not in any general way 'peaceful'. Um. Sorry."

I look away from her.

"My own species was significantly more technologically advanced than yours before we had our first global war. And then twenty years later we had another one. I've got no wisdom that could fix this, beyond 'give a good person the biggest guns', and I doubt-."

"That is no solution."

"It's a temporary solution, because the wisest philosopher in the universe isn't much use if he's already been stabbed to death with a spear wielded by a practical philosopher. But you're right: it doesn't resolve things in the long term. So?"

She regards me cautiously. "Why are you asking me?"

"I don't know enough about Volkreg to decide myself. You seem slightly more together than everyone else. If you'd like to nominate someone else, I can talk to them instead."

"And all you want in return is help with your pilgrimage?"

"It's more of a fetch quest than a pilgrimage. And the two tie together, because while it's possible that this-" I glance up. "-is people letting the worst aspects of their character run wild, it might also be the result of the Butcher's Blood even being on this planet. Or a combination of the two."

"And you will follow my direction?"

"As long as it leads me to the Butcher's Blood, I have no dog in this fight."

"Then I accept. My name is Ilana."

"I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps."

She frowns. "What happened to the Green Lantern Corps?"

"Not a lot, but this is an internal Volkreg matter and there's no unified government to request intervention."

"So we suffer and die, because-?"

"Sometimes it seems like the universe does you a favour, and a solution drops onto your lap. But it's unwise to count on it, particularly when the problem is caused by something that was here all along."

"This… Butcher's Blood."

"Or your own society. So, my guide, where do we begin?"

"Our militia. They were going to try to ambush Kar Djann's main army. I don't know if they're dead, or if he managed to sneak past them."

I turn away, eyes glowing as I look for people with a desire to protect their homes.

"Bypass. Though the survivors that Orion chased away are going to run right into them as they retreat."

"But there's no point now! We have to stop them!"

"Understood. Please come with me."

I offer her my right hand, and she takes it. I transition us up to the battlement near to Orion.

"-WARFARE! TELL ME OF YOUR MYTHS AND LEGENDS, THAT I MAY DISCERN THE TRUTH!"

"Orion, we're just going to go and recall the city's militia. Will you be alright here?"

Ping.

"It will be some time before they recover from the shock of my arrival." He doesn't look around, and probably didn't see Ilana. "Return with their soldiers, and I will see what can be done with them."

"As you wish." Armour, private channel. "Jade, keep an eye on him please."

"I can watch him."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."
 
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What if Jade ends up really liking Orion. Like a bit too much?


Ah well. No Violet text. Nothing to worry about.
 
21st January 2013
09:56 GMT


"WHO COMMANDS HERE?!"

The people on the wall are clearly unsure whether to cower or run. Orion doesn't seem at all perturbed. I suppose that he's content in his position as a (New) God, so mortals needing to be told 'Be Not Afraid' is perfectly normal. Given that he can be a bit… Proud and assertive, in the comics, I should probably handle him in the same way as I handled Adom before I made friends with him.
I rather think the whole day has been rather stressful for them. So a strange alien flying around and shooting rays broader than their largest building and then haranguing them is probably going to be just a bit overwhelming.

My armour's communication system beeps, and I open the channel.

"On the left. Near the field hospital."
Ah, Jade. Always putting in the real work while the glory hounds take the spotlight.

I look over to-. Ah, yes. A local female who looks a little more together than the rest of the locals. Probably a good choice for a basic summary.

"Well spotted. Do you want to handle the conversation, or shall I?"
Do you really want her to suffer from having to talk to OL?

"You have seniority." True. "I'll tell you if you do anything wrong."

The people are focusing their attention on Orion. There are a few ranged weapons here, but it's mostly spears and knives. Limited access to metal, perhaps? I subspace my armour and
Or merely a lack of supplies to maintain more advanced weapons. Guns aren't much use when you've spent all your powder shooting. Except maybe as a long stick with a pointy bit attached by fixing bayonets.

step out, reappearing

slightly out of sight next to the field hospital and dim my aura. I'm clearly not a local, but I shouldn't warrant the same level of excitement as Orion in full bellow-mode.
Honestly, you're not that different to the locals... Different shade of skin, less facial lines...

And step into her line of sight, smile and bow my head politely. It's a fairly standard humanoid gesture, so she should be able to understand it.

"Are we being invaded by aliens as well?"
Well, that's the tone of someone's who's seen all the shit and has no fucks to give.

Other physicians look up in alarm at her statement, freezing up like those on the wall.

"We're not invading."
Three people is hardly an invasion, after all.

That doesn't seem to reassure most of them, though the woman I'm talking to doesn't seem to care either way.

"I doubt that the late Kar Djann sees much difference."
...I take it that was the target of Orion's little demonstration earlier. From the sound of it, they won't be missed.

"Intentionally. We're not intentionally invading. We're just here to pick up something we believe to be on your world, but couldn't help but notice that you appear to be having a rather widespread war."

"We have no treasures for you, alien. Anything portable of value has long since been traded to other merchants."
Ah. I expect most smaller communities are in similar condition...

"I'm not looking for treasure; I have all the 'shinies' I want. I'm looking for the blood of the Embodiment of Anger, which I have reason to believe exists on this world. If you help me find it, I am perfectly happy to assist in bringing the current hostilities to a close."

"The last thing we need is more fighting."
If OL is involved, it'll likely take all of five minutes of flying around collecting warlords and giving them a stern talking to...

"I assure you, my techniques are quite efficacious. But if you aren't willing to countenance killing as part of the solution, I am perfectly willing to limit myself to exile. This world has a few islands that can sustain a small population but which don't have enough wood to build a boat for the journey back to your continent. Is that an acceptable alternative?"

"Is this how things are? Is the rest of the universe so violent that our wars are considered normal?"
...Oooh, awkward.



"Um."

"It… It is?"
Now, that pause sounded bad, but don't worry, it's not nearly as terrible as you're thinking...

"When things are as bad as they are now, most places would call a halt and focus on survival. But interstellar space is not in any general way 'peaceful'. Um. Sorry."

I look away from her.
Now, if he had his way, things would be a bit more quiet...

"My own species was significantly more technologically advanced than yours before we had our first global war. And then twenty years later we had another one. I've got no wisdom that could fix this, beyond 'give a good person the biggest guns', and I doubt-."

"That is no solution."
But it's a very quick solution. As long as you're sure about the person you're giving the guns to.

"It's a temporary solution, because the wisest philosopher in the universe isn't much use if he's already been stabbed to death with a spear wielded by a practical philosopher. But you're right: it doesn't resolve things in the long term. So?"

She regards me cautiously. "Why are you asking me?"
And more than a few of the great Hellenic philosophers were part-time soldiers, Socrates amongst them.

"I don't know enough about Volkreg to decide myself. You seem slightly more together than everyone else. If you'd like to nominate someone else, I can talk to them instead."

"And all you want in return is help with your pilgrimage?"
Well, whatever help you can provide...

"It's more of a fetch quest than a pilgrimage. And the two tie together, because while it's possible that this-" I glance up. "-is people letting the worst aspects of their character run wild, it might also be the result of the Butcher's Blood even being on this planet. Or a combination of the two."

"And you will follow my direction?"
Why can't it be both? After all, I doubt the Blood is that potent that a single small amount could enrage an entire world... But a little push in the right place...

"As long as it leads me to the Butcher's Blood, I have no dog in this fight."

"Then I accept. My name is Ilana."
...Razer's wife. Well, small universe, isn't it? :p

"I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps."

She frowns. "What happened to the Green Lantern Corps?"
Jurisdictional issues. Very frustrating for those who wanted to help.

"Not a lot, but this is an internal Volkreg matter and there's no unified government to request intervention."

"So we suffer and die, because-?"
Red tape. Sounds kind of appropriate in this situation, doesn't it?

"Sometimes it seems like the universe does you a favour, and a solution drops onto your lap. But it's unwise to count on it, particularly when the problem is caused by something that was here all along."

"This… Butcher's Blood."
For all we know, the Volkergians evolved with much shorter tempers because of the Blood's presence.

"Or your own society. So, my guide, where do we begin?"

"Our militia. They were going to try to ambush Kar Djann's main army. I don't know if they're dead, or if he managed to sneak past them."
A natural concern. Let's hope it's the latter (though Canon is on their side here.)

I turn away, eyes glowing as I look for people with a desire to protect their homes.

"Bypass. Though the survivors that Orion chased away are going to run right into them as they retreat."
...Oh, right. Running away from the fist of an angry New God.

"But there's no point now! We have to stop them!"

"Understood. Please come with me."
At least this little tragedy can be prevented.

I offer her my right hand, and she takes it. I transition us up to the battlement near to Orion.

"-WARFARE! TELL ME OF YOUR MYTHS AND LEGENDS, THAT I MAY DISCERN THE TRUTH!"
...Boy's got a hell of a set of pipes on him, doesn't he? :confused:

"Orion, we're just going to go and recall the city's militia. Will you be alright here?"

Ping.
"You run right along, sweetie. Puppy here's just about run out of steam."

"It will be some time before they recover from the shock of my arrival." He doesn't look around, and probably didn't see Ilana. "Return with their soldiers, and I will see what can be done with them."

"As you wish." Armour, private channel. "Jade, keep an eye on him please."
...Not that she can do much to stop him if he starts any trouble. At least, anything non-lethal.

"I can watch him."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."
Hopefully without any casualties on either side.

Huh. Well, that's Razer's entire reason to get a Red Ring defused in the space of a couple of minutes. I assume the gathered army would have busted in, committed a few atrocities and been long gone by the time their militia returned. ;) And I doubt OL would like to leave things unfinished around here if he starts sorting matters out. So Volkreg is about to become just a bit calmer.
 

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