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

Kalmin's already out at the far end, examining the walls.

"A qwardian structure? Have you been dealing with m-?" He pulls back from the wall, a pale brown energy shield appearing around him. "With my..?"

He collapses to the ground.
Kalmin dying here would be unexpected, but hilarious, ngl.
 
21st January 2013
16:04 GMT


There's Turi, as airless and rocky as ever. And there's Draan Del Daar laboratory. And a little way away to my right is the most secure planet in N.E.M.O., it's largest shipyard and the densest concentration of Lanterns in the universe and I'm still concerned.

But I founded a Corps because we can do more together than I can on my own.
Still seems rather foolish to perform this little process so close to home, but we can but hope that Draan has taken the appropriate precautions. Honestly, using Orion's Boom Tube to set up a site at the edge of the universe might have been safer, but haste won out over safety...

"Illustres to Clarissi Dox."

"Report."
Yes, definitely a good idea to put people at the ready.

"I've gathered what the maltusian Draan Del Daar needs to forge a red power ring. It might be worth having a few more spiritually resilient Lanterns on hand just in case something goes wrong."

His eyes narrow very faintly. "Such as?"
Anything from 'rage-berserk New God' to 'Oh shit, here comes the Butcher!' You're a smart guy, Dox, I'm sure you can imagine the worst.

"A tremendous explosion of rage which temporarily disrupts our ability to use the orange light. It's not likely, but something's off about this situation."

"I will have Lantern Ragnar call a halt to ring training, and place a fleet on alert. Have a care."
In other words, if this fucks up, OL is the one who'll be neck-deep in it.

"Will do, sir. Thank you. End. Ring, call Kalmin."

"What?"
Showing some professional courtesy? 'Hey, we're about to try and make the thing you didn't want to. Wanna stand there and laugh at us if we fail?'

"I've talked a maltusian into making a red power ring. Do you want to watch?"

He glowers, then hesitates, thinking it over. "Yes. It will be interesting to compare techniques. He's on Turi?"
Heh, now you've got him curious, eh?

"Yes. I'll see you shortly. End."

"A qwardian?" Orion's helmet covers his face, but he sounds unhappy. "Are you trying to redeem him?"
I mean, you'd think that, given OL's other hires, but...

I hear Jade make an amused snort, though I don't know whether that was transmitted to Orion as well.

"Harm mitigation. He's always going to want to destroy things, but this way he's destroying the Reach instead of orphanages. And he's done-."
OL, I don't think he'll take 'we're trying to aim him at acceptable targets' as an excuse.

"Orphanages?"

"I recently visited a planet where he amped up the ambient fear until their civilisation collapsed and their population died off."
Why do I get the feeling Orion's having second thoughts?

"You made such a devil a part of your Corps?"

"Yes. Would you like me to show you the ship's he's designed, and the estimates of the number of lives they've saved?"
And it's not like New Genesis' hands are clean of blood, you know.

"And you think that justifies his presence here?"

I shrug. "I'm not sure by what standard it could be justified in any absolute sense, but he's doing good work for us. It justifies it for me."
And at least you know what he's doing. Would you rather have him out there doing Source-knows-what?

Orion's jaw hardens-.

Ping.
"Sweetie, keep the dog under control. We still have things to do before you can clean house."

"And if it helps, he destroyed the qwardian ruling class almost single-handedly, because he doesn't care what he destroys as long as he is destroying."

"Oh? Does the 'New God' object to my behaviour?" Kalmin brought his hammer with him, but it's currently in the 'at rest' position. "Don't think for a moment that I'm under their protection. You can come at me whenever you want."
And I'm sure Orion would be happy to take you up on that offer. I'm sure you've got plenty of anti-New God weaponry you'd like to test.

Orion's grip on his astro-harness-.

"After we've used the red ring to remove the Anti-Life from Earth. Prioritise, Orion."

Ping.
"Remember the bigger picture, Sweetie. We can deal with this louse later."

Orion locks eyes with Kalmin for a moment, then turns his head just enough that he can glare at me from the corner of his eyes. "I am disappointed."

Then he flies, swooping down towards the laboratory, as I feel… Like I've let someone down.
Oof. Even if he didn't hear the words, at least OL caught the sentiment behind Orion's mood.

I shake my head. I haven't made any undertaking to New Genesis about who I will and won't recruit now, much less when I was starting out.

"I hope the maltusian is more interesting."
Kalmin, keep your mouth shut, before it gets you into trouble you can't treat like a nail...

Kalmin raises his hammer, and vanishes.

"While we're on the subject of working with monsters…"
"What next in the parade of constant interruptions?" :rolleyes: Honestly, does everyone need a heart-to-heart right now?

"You're not a monster, Jade. Even at your worst-."

"Thank you, but I wasn't thinking about me. Did you kill Ra's al Ghul?"
...I mean, he did put a railgun shot through his head. But I don't think she means temporarily.

"Ah, no? Didn't I..? Tell you..?"

"You did, but there were Justice League people around."
To be fair, that is a good reason not to talk about eliminating a global threat permanently.

"I'm not totally sure that he's dead, but I suspect that Nylor Truggs killed him and a bunch of other people with his robots. And despite his skills, Ra's al Ghul isn't-. Wouldn't be anything like as useful as Kalmin."

She appears to accept that. I point towards the laboratory.
And he's like a bad penny. He'll turn up sooner or later, fresh from a Lazarus pit.

"Shall we?"

She nods, and I transition both of us down. And… It's a workshop. Some of the machinery I recognise from Hinon's workshop. Others I don't recognise at all. On the plus side, I was half-expecting to see the Free Lancer's ship here and it isn't. On the negative, no Draan Del Daar.
Yeah, them being here would have been the perfect cap for a long, frustrating day. Especially if it turned out Draan had hired them to collect Spectrum tech before OL came to him...

Something that clearly hasn't improved Orion's mood.

"Did you not tell him that we were ready?"
Dude's a grade-A jerk-ass. Don't take it personal.

"No, I told him." I shake my head. "Illustres to Draan-"

Kalmin looks around, then walks over to a point near a seven-dimensional quantum disentangler.
Please, don't poke the weird science, Kalmin. I doubt your host would take kindly to it.

"-Del Darr. We're here?"

Kalmin jerks his right hand towards the floor, qwa energy flaring and annihilating all that's in its way! What is he-?
...Draan's pulling some sort of psychological trick, aren't they? Make them angry enough to make forging easier?

An armoured… Airlock? Door?

"I see that Kalmin has found the door. Please, come-" The airlock opens. "-and join me."
Oh, this isn't a trap at all, no sir.

"Foolish maltusian." Kalmin jumps through. "An ominous doorway? Who do you think I am?"

"This grow tiresome."
Seriously, guys. Compare 'weapons' some other time. More important things to do than stroke your 'egos'.

Orion flies down after him, and Jade and I follow after that.

Inside is a straight flight down, the walls of the corridor undulating around us as it separates the vacuum outside from… Yes, breathable air inside. We're… Quite a way inside Turi's body now, and I can see up ahead where the maltusian structure ends and… Some new construction begins.
Interesting. What kind of construction, though?

Kalmin's already out at the far end, examining the walls.

"A qwardian structure? Have you been dealing with m-?" He pulls back from the wall, a pale brown energy shield appearing around him. "With my..?"

He collapses to the ground.
...At least he shut up? :oops:

So.. .Double-cross or just interpersonal conflict? Draan pulling a fast one on OL and company, or does he just not like Kalmin? The Qwardian stuff suggests he's gotten some expert advice from someone else. Lysis, perhaps? Or maybe Draan's been indulging in a little theft of Qwardian intellectual property... :confused: So many possibilities, and I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow.
 
So.. .Double-cross or just interpersonal conflict? Draan pulling a fast one on OL and company, or does he just not like Kalmin? The Qwardian stuff suggests he's gotten some expert advice from someone else. Lysis, perhaps? Or maybe Draan's been indulging in a little theft of Qwardian intellectual property... :confused: So many possibilities, and I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow.
Maybe he's being influenced by the mind of the Erdammeru?
 
Why do I get the feeling Orion's having second thoughts?

Because he is.

And it's not like New Genesis' hands are clean of blood, you know.

True, but compared to the Qwardians their sins are nothing.

It's like saying that someone that once committed accidental manslaughter is as bad as the Nazis.

And at least you know what he's doing. Would you rather have him out there doing Source-knows-what?

There's an easy solution to that.

Kill Kalmin.

Sweetie, keep the dog under control. We still have things to do before you can clean house."

"Focus on the mission first. The muder comes later."

Remember the bigger picture, Sweetie. We can deal with this louse later."

"Focus on the mission. The castration and beating coming to the Qwardian comes later."
 
I don't think OL would really mind it much if Orion did kill Kalmin, he isn't of that much use anymore and is a massive potential danger.

Paul's not necessarily all that good at figuring out when he should get rid of certain problematic individuals.

Look at how long it took him to figure out that Luthor is a lost cause.

He may still think that Kalmin has some use.
 
And a little way away to my right is the most secure planet in N.E.M.O., it's largest shipyard and the densest concentration of Lanterns in the universe and I'm still concerned.
'its'?
Unless he is constantly making significant, game-changer improvements to the designs of NEMO's ships, I feel like Kalmin must surely have hit a point of diminishing returns such that his continued survival really can't continue to be justified.
It's possible that he actually is semi-regularly making major improvements, by holding back his technology and releasing it slowly, because of this very reason. Also, I think his continued survival can be justified quite easily even with a low return. With the scale they operate on, a very small improvement to technology could save thousands of lives, and obviously a larger one could save millions or billions. Given that Kalmin isn't really doing much harm right now (except to the Reach), I don't think there's much reason to kill him now. The war will last years, after all.
 
Wait. I thought Paul Did kill Ras. With a rail gun ug through the noggin. As soon as he rezzed from a pool.
Is he lying to jade or not?
 
He shot him as soon a he finished resurrecting and then collapsed the already spent Lazarus pool.

Or maybe I'm misremembering things.

I think he shot him, watched him get resurrected and then nabbed the Lazarus sarcophagus. Then he brought that and the info to the cave, which prompted the raid on Infinite Island, I think the name was? But by then Ra's was alive and gone from the place.
 
I think he shot him, watched him get resurrected and then nabbed the Lazarus sarcophagus. Then he brought that and the info to the cave, which prompted the raid on Infinite Island, I think the name was? But by then Ra's was alive and gone from the place.
I think your miss remembering Paul just shot him that time to find the location of the pit. Once he had that he called in the Justice League.
 
I think your miss remembering Paul just shot him that time to find the location of the pit. Once he had that he called in the Justice League.

I'm sorry to say you're mistaken, my friend. He shot Ra's, then shot a bunch of stuff in the island, then stole the sarcophagus and finally went to the cave.

He originally thought he had killed Clayface and was a bit morose, but after a chat with Batman he got better about it and then explained what he did, presenting the sarcophagus from subspace and everything. It wasn't until then that the League found out about the Island and had to improvise a raid on it.
 
Pretty sure that should be 'Daar's laboratory'
Thank you, corrected.
Wait. I thought Paul Did kill Ras. With a rail gun ug through the noggin. As soon as he rezzed from a pool.
Is he lying to jade or not?
Jade is assuming that someone did something to make him permanently dead. The SI is standing by his assersion that it wasn't him.
 
Mr Zoat was there something we missed where Paul actually got samples of the Butcher's Blood? My understanding was that all he managed to do was allow Orion to absorbed residual Red Light. But that's not the same thing as having the actual Blood (which by all appearances the Free Lancers got from both planets).
 
Butcher's Blood (part 20)
21st January 2013
16:09 GMT


I try scanning him, only to have his personal shield baffle my effort. Touching him-.

Jade starts to reach out, then stops herself and drops her hand.

Trying to touch him when he's got a force field I don't recognise active would be a bad and quite possibly terminal idea. It's eaten through the bit of the… Deck? It's… Is this stone? But only a little way, because Kalmin's far too capable a technologist to set a disintegration field to 'just keep going' unless that's useful.

"Dead?"

Orion doesn't sound particularly concerned.

"I can't tell. His shield-."

"Ah, I'd almost forgotten that Weaponers could sense the machines of war, if they were powerful enough."

News to… Me. "Draan Del Daar, would you mind explaining?"

"I didn't invite a Weaponer into a maltusian's workshop. You can hardly blame me if he suffers some ill-effects."

"Right. I thought that your workshop was the room on the surface."

"At my age? That's barely a foot locker."

"So..? Where do you want us?"

Guiding lights appear along the corridors ahead.

"This way. Leave the Weaponer there or bring him; it makes no difference to me. Though I imagine that he might find it quite interesting, if he regains consciousness."

Yes, yes, we're being betrayed.

I try scanning through the surface of the moon, and get nothing. The corridor behind us has firmly closed.

Hm.

He's a maltusian. He doesn't have any material desires that he can't meet himself. Members of the actual Controller faction compete for influence and renown through taking positions and proving them viable. That's why Hinon has seniority at the moment and the guy who founded the Darkstars is number two. Killing useful assets reduces that, and while I doubt that killing us would actually trouble him, he wouldn't do it as a result of acquisitiveness. I don't think that I have anything that he wants. If he was interested in the orange light there's an Orange Central Power Battery sitting in the open for him to look at. It's advertising for unaligned maltusians anyway, no one's going to stop him studying it or connecting himself to it.

Turns out that I can't guess the motives of a being millions of years old.

Ah, crumblers under the floor that's under Kalmin, cut through and pick him up… Yes, that worked, and now I can carry him along. I-.

"I should have known that we would face betrayal."

"Yeah, I feel the same way."

Jade turns her helmet my way. "You weren't expecting it?"

"It's just… So illogical." I turn to Orion. "Up to you. He's clearly up to something crazy, but I don't know what and I still want that ring. If you say 'no', I'll do my level best to return you to New Genesis at once."

He regards me cautiously. Measure of a Man.

He keeps regarding me. Once Bitten, Thrice Shy.

Then he turns towards the path. "No. We will finish this. If this is mere mummery then I will merely express my displeasure at his gamesmanship. If he acts against me, then he will not leave here alive."

He powers up his astro-harness and shoots down the corridor.

"After he..? Makes the ring?"

"There are plenty of other maltusians, Paul."

"It's a specialist-. Shall we?"

She nods, and we accelerate after Orion with Kalmin floating along like a trailer.

"It's a specialist subject. Most power ring specialists either stayed Guardian or are Controllers because that's where the specialty gets used. There are actually only three on Maltus who could make a red ring within a reasonable timeframe, and the others are even more neurotic. And so far, he hasn't actually done anything to us other than be a bit cagey and annoying."

"Do you think that's all he'll do?"

"Not in a million years."

We catch up with Orion, and… There isn't really a lot to say. Ring scans are returning nothing at all helpful. The walls look like they're made of stone blocks, but since we've got air and gravity-.

"Draan Del Daar, this isn't some sort of maltusian bachelor pad, is it? The design is very gothic but-."

"No. It doesn't like being changed."

"'Maltusian bachelor pad'?"

"I know they breed like pandas, but the core motivating factors of organic life must be in there somewhere."

"I've long since moved beyond such things."

"You know, a few years ago I more or less shut down my sex drive so that I wouldn't be distracted from my work." I shake my head. "It's not a good idea."

"Again, speak to me when you are a million years old. Ah, you've arrived."

There's a door of… Some sort of highly sophisticated material that I can't scan. It splits into twelve sections, each sliding into the surrounding wall to reveal a short corridor leading to a metal-lined chamber. Two… Troughs? Of glowing redStuff, sit on either side of a ring-forge, the contents looking like a cross between a liquid and a construct.

Did he..? Already have this?

Orion is incensed. "If you already had the Butcher's essence, why did you send us on that quest!?"

"Because you could absorb what was left, and create a link between yourself and the Butcher Entity. It will improve the quality of the ring."

"Then why are you not here?"

"I am here. Just… Diffuse. I will be overseeing the process, but I will need you to carry out some of the physical actions."

Orion turns to me. "Lantern, is that plausible?"

"Krona was punished with dematerialisation, so that's something that maltusians can undergo and survive. Hinon implied to me that a ring forged for a specific person will respond better, but she's never said anything about one I make being better for me."

"That is because I do not precisely feel rage or hatred any longer, while Hinon Hee Hannanan continues to feel avarice. Age takes its toll, even on us."

"I've forged rings before. It didn't cause me any harm. It should be fine; just keep your focus."

Orion nods, and flies over to the forge.
 
Last edited:
Not an abbreviation, so just "Wouldst".
Usually one word.
Thank you, corrected.
Mr Zoat was there something we missed where Paul actually got samples of the Butcher's Blood? My understanding was that all he managed to do was allow Orion to absorbed residual Red Light. But that's not the same thing as having the actual Blood (which by all appearances the Free Lancers got from both planets).
No, it's pretty much the same, but the Free Lancers did get most of it from both places.
 
because Kalmin's far too capable technologist to set a disintegration field to 'just

"Kalmin's a far"


"then I will"

powers my his astro-

"powers his"

"I am here. Just… Diffuse. I will be overseeing the process, but I will need you to carry out some of the physical actions."

Orion turns to me. "Lantern, is that plausible

I remember a comic where the Guardians and Zamarons were planning on turning into energy.
 

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