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

"Illustres! Welcome back. Do I need to recall a fleet?"
This is Commodore Amalak. As mentioned, his species is near extinct, and planet devastated, because of Kryptonions. After the mismanagement of the Kryptonian government did the same thing to them, his hobby was hunting down any survivors, and killing them. Presumably because he is still bitter about the whole thing, and doesn't really care if the particular Kryptonions he is killing are guilty or innocent. Je just wants them all dead.

Everyone wave at the Commodore!

"I'll notify the training sergeants that it's off-limits until further notice."
This is the Commodores back yard, where OL is having this conversation.
Please note that calling back his men does not mean OL is in a private space, because the Commodore has a vested interested in monitoring the proceedings. Not only out of idle curiosity, but so he can take action if things go off script and trouble happens. In his metaphorical backyard. Where OL's conversation is taking place.

"General Zod of Krypton. He fabricated a conflict and killed most of the targetted population before trying to take over his own planet. He wasn't successful in the second part, but that was too late for most of Amalak's people."

"What happened to Zod?"

"He and his closest confidants were sent to a place called the Phantom Zone. It's an extra-planar prison where the inmates are unable to interact with the material universe. Krypton… Didn't have a death penalty at the time, so eternal imprisonment had to do."

"Eternal? They don't age?"

"I don't believe so. I can't say that I've really studied it."

Because the only person I might want to take out is perfectly happy where he is.

"How do they get in there?"

"The device that sends them there is about the size of a large gun."

"That could have medical uses. If we could send critically injured people there and take them out at a medical facility, we could almost eliminate field medicine entirely."

"Ah. I suppose we could. I'll talk to Kal-El about it once Earth's liberated, see what he can do. His species didn't use it like that, so I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't some fairly severe-"
This is OL having an open conversation, in the public place that is Commodore Amalak's backyard, which he has every reason to be surveilling at the current moment, using his lips and his vocal chords, and not his hopefully secure ring to ring communication system.

Where he talks about the Phantom Zone, which contains a bunch of Kryptonion's available for killing, as well as mentioning someone called Kal-El who OL seems to personally know, and is alive, and has a very Kryptonian name.

I'm sure this thing that OL seems to have thoughtlessly done without consideration of the ramifications will have no unforeseen consequences for people OL care about in the future.
 
That was probably a mistake on my part, but I think Amalak would probably let just about anyone on Earth off if he got a shot at Zod.
The reason I mentioned the Phantom Zone as a having potential consequence for people OL cared about wasn't regarding Amalak going in and killing them all, Zod first and foremost. I don't think he cares about the inmates much as all (even the ones there because they ran afoul of Kryptonian cultural fuckery instead of something OL disapproves of), and would probably see it as a good thing over all. Giving Amalak some catharsis, and tying up the loose end of the worst of Kryptonian society from antiquity getting loose.

It was because of the potential of Amalak opening up the can of worms to get his revenge, and that giving the inmates an opportunity to escape, get powered up, and so the usual stuff evil Kryptonian's do, because that seems like a really common Comic trope.

Because OL thinking to himself (You know self, Zod really has it coming, and I know where he is. Let's help Amalak get his revenge the right way and be there to make sure the operation goes off without a hitch) is one thing. And something he could have done ages ago.

OL not bothering to do that, but then casually mentioning the Phantom Zone and its inhabitants while in earshot of Amalak and then wandering off like a grandparent with dementia, is another thing.
 
Pyrrhucy (part 4)
14th February 2013
17:27 GMT


Ah, it appears that Weaponer Lysis has selected a Citadelian as her bodyguard. Either that or another Branx/Okaaran hybrid, but from the way he's glaring at me that seems unlikely. Lysis isn't using a yellow power ring but the Citadelian is, though I can't tell whether that's a duplicate that Sinestro created or an actual yellow power ring.

I wave up at them as they come in to land.

"Weaponer Lysis. Good trip?"

"No." The Citadelian releases his yellow aura from her the moment she's on the ground. Not sure whether that's because he doesn't like her either or because he wants to keep his power available in case I try something. "Universal teleportation isn't a subject that I have cracked."

"I would have been happy to delay. I agreed to a day."

"You expect me to believe that you would have been content for the Anti-Life to continue working on your homeworld for another day?"

"Happy, no, but I don't believe that the wellbeing of the Earth is solely dependant on my actions. Certainly not to the point that a day would matter after a month and a half. But… Thank you for prioritising me. If you'll hand over the personal lantern then I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing."

"It will need to be properly paired with the ring. And even then, they won't be a matched set."

"I don't need one hundred percent optimal performance, just something that can produce yellow light on command."

She looks puzzled. "What for?"

"That's not your concern. If I need the performance improved, I'll talk a maltusian into taking the job."

I reach into my equipment harness and pull the yellow ring out. Then I flick it through the air-.

The Citadelian tethers it with a bubble construct and then floats it to Weaponer Lysis, glaring at me all the while. Lysis takes it and presses her fingertips against the inner surface. She bows her head slightly as she focuses her attention.

"I am glad that you aren't concerned with performance. This is far from anyone's best work."

The Citadelian's eyes glow yellow for a moment, but Weaponer Lysis remains focused on her task.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Will you at least tell me who you intend to wield it?"

"Batman."

"What species?"

"Human. He's been using fear as a tool for fighting crime for over a decade. He'd be an excellent recruit for Sinestro if it wasn't for the fact that he wouldn't work for Sinestro."

"Ah, yes, Bruce Wayne. He was on the long list."

"Doctor Crane is far too deranged to fit into an organisation that Sinestro would build. Vandal Savage wouldn't accept playing second fiddle. Bane's dead. I'm not sure who else you might want."

"Your world presents us with a plethora of potential recruits. I assure you that we will consider applicants carefully."

"Just… Wait until the Anti-Life is dealt with. I don't want to give Apokolips more tools."

Weaponer Lysis holds the ring out and her bodyguard grips it with a construct once more. She then reaches out slightly with her right hand and makes a twisting motion, a yellow personal lantern appearing from thin air. A curious design: a sphere with the yellow sigil emblazoned front and back with a hole into the core through the central circle of the sigil. There's a stand at the bottom, and a short handle at the top and another around the sides. Oddly decorative. I'd have expected Sinestro to either copy the Green Lantern Corps design as closely as possible or do something utilitarian. I wonder why it looks like that.

Another small motion of her right hand and the Citadelian moves the ring up to the access point facing Lysis, the ring glowing in response.

"Zok nan. Zok nan."

Weaponer Lysis's mouth makes an expression of distaste as she pulls out a small hammer and strikes the ring, once, twice and then thrice, causing it to pulse with light with each impact. Next, she returns her hammer to her belt and takes hold of the ring again. She focuses on it again for a few moments and then it releases a burst of light.

"There. It's as ready as it will be. If Batman were here in person I could do more, but it should serve."

The yellow glow surrounding it intensifies as the Lantern with her thrusts both of them at me, his glower still in place. I take them both, then send them to subspace.

"Thank you. I'll get in touch if Batman wants it tuned. Anything else you want to discuss?"

"No, I don't-."

"Yes." The Yellow Lantern's eyes burn with yellow light. "I have something to say to you."

"Okay. I'm right here."

He stares at me a moment before continuing. "You don't remember me, do you?"

"That's the problem with coming from a culture of clones. You literally look exactly like every other Citadelian."

"You called me here, and you're telling me that you don't remember me?"

I try empathic vision, but all I get is a sheer wall of yellow.

"You were one of the survivors, then?"

"I was the lead engineer of the Citadel."

"Oh, right, the guy I branded when you were too slow in releasing Adam Blake. You seem to have done alright for yourself."

"You killed all but a handful of my people, destroyed our citadel and nurseries and cast us from our homes. No voice in my head, no emperor or admiral, no past, no future and no hope."

"And yet, here you are."

"Here I am, on the very plaza where the last survivors of my people ran onto your guns."

Is it..? Oh, it is! I hadn't noticed.

"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
 
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"Yes." The Yellow Lantern's eyes burn with yellow light. "I have something to say to you."
I suppose it's not surprising that one of the Citadelians that Paul failed to kill was able to attain yellow enlightenment, considering everything Paul did to their people.

"You killed all but a handful of my people, destroyed our citadel and nurseries and cast us from our homes. No voice in my head, no emperor or admiral, no past, no future and no hope."

"And yet, here you are."

"Here I am, on the very plaza where the last survivors of my people ran onto your guns."

Is it..? Oh, it is! I hadn't noticed.

"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
At least this guy is aware enough to realize that though they may have the same rank, he's nowhere near prepared enough to take Paul on. Also, I hope Amalak is recording this conversation, because I'd love to see the reactions of anyone watching this scene and seeing how nonchalant Paul is being considering the topic.
 
"Yes." The Yellow Lantern's eyes burn with yellow light. "I have something to say to you."

"Okay. I'm right here."

He stares at me a moment before continuing. "You don't remember me, do you?"

"That's the problem with coming from a culture of clones. You literally look exactly like every other Citadelian."

"You called me here, and you're telling me that you don't remember me?"

I try empathic vision, but all I get is a sheer wall of yellow.

"You were one of the survivors, then?"

"I was the lead engineer of the Citadel."

"Oh, right, the guy I branded when you were too slow in releasing Adam Blake. You seem to have done alright for yourself."

"You killed all but a handful of my people, destroyed our citadel and nurseries and cast us from our homes. No voice in my head, no emperor or admiral, no past, no future and no hope."

"And yet, here you are."

"Here I am, on the very plaza where the last survivors of my people ran onto your guns."

Is it..? Oh, it is! I hadn't noticed.

"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
I really like this interaction. Crad is swearing vengeance to the one who genocided his race, while Paul is just being pleasant back.
 
Does this indicate Sinestro has made contact with Parallax?
 
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"Yes." The Yellow Lantern's eyes burn with yellow light. "I have something to say to you."

"Okay. I'm right here."

He stares at me a moment before continuing. "You don't remember me, do you?"

"That's the problem with coming from a culture of clones. You literally look exactly like every other Citadelian."

"You called me here, and you're telling me that you don't remember me?"

I try empathic vision, but all I get is a sheer wall of yellow.

"You were one of the survivors, then?"

"I was the lead engineer of the Citadel."

"Oh, right, the guy I branded when you were too slow in releasing Adam Blake. You seem to have done alright for yourself."

"You killed all but a handful of my people, destroyed our citadel and nurseries and cast us from our homes. No voice in my head, no emperor or admiral, no past, no future and no hope."

"And yet, here you are."

"Here I am, on the very plaza where the last survivors of my people ran onto your guns."

Is it..? Oh, it is! I hadn't noticed.

"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
You know, when that happened I posted a rant about how stupid it was.
That he should have either kept them branded and content with purpose, or killed them outright.

This? This here, is it just saturday morning cartoon villany.
OL has become M. Bison in the the "for me, it was Tuesday" Street Fighter scene.
Complete with cocksure dismissal at the personal enemy he had created for himself.
All genre savviness and logical thinking je started the series with thrown out the window.

And what is with his intentional blindness towards the Yellow Lantern Core?
Every interaction with them has been more and more blatant actions indicating what appears to be either a specific malice for OL personally, or such a depraved indifference to the lives of everyone else, that they are a pointlessly hostile group along the lines of the Dominators, Spider Guild, or those cannibalistic space amazons.

Something on the list of things to eradicate to improve the local property values, and not a new policing force that will improve the situation.
 
"That's the problem with coming from a culture of clones. You literally look exactly like every other Citadelian."

This is the most hilarious version of "I don't want ro be racist, but you literally all look the same" that I've ever seen. Precisely because it's true.

On the other hand, funny that the Illustres is so casual with his enemies. But this seems to be another case of "he didn't care enough and it will come back to bite him or inconvenience at the most unfortunate time".
 
"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
The funny thing? Grayven very much proved that every one of them didn't have it coming.

So this is LePaul once more being a dumbass.
 
This? This here, is it just saturday morning cartoon villany.
OL has become M. Bison in the the "for me, it was Tuesday" Street Fighter scene.
Complete with cocksure dismissal at the personal enemy he had created for himself.
All genre savviness and logical thinking je started the series with thrown out the window.
Or, y'know, he is genuinely that good and thus can afford to be that way.

And what is with his intentional blindness towards the Yellow Lantern Core?
Well, you can't really pay attention to something that doesn't exist.

Now if you mean the Sinestro Corps, in comics canon they do evolve into a more reasonable force in time. And the Yellow Light of the Emotional Spectrum is there. It's not like the genie is going to be put back into the bottle, and Sinestro is at least a known quantity.
 
The funny thing? Grayven very much proved that every one of them didn't have it coming.

So this is LePaul once more being a dumbass.
I think you're confusing the Citadelians for the Psions. In the Renegade timeline, the Renegade led a strike force to annihilate the Citadelians, but let the Controllers get the Psions so that they can be turned to more productive ends. We later see Hinon with Psion followers, so that turned out fine for the Psions in the end.
 
14th February 2013
17:27 GMT


Ah, it appears that Weaponer Lysis has selected a Citadelian as her bodyguard. Either that or another Branx/Okaaran hybrid, but from the way he's glaring at me that seems unlikely. Lysis isn't using a yellow power ring but the Citadelian is, though I can't tell whether that's a duplicate that Sinestro created or an actual yellow power ring.

I wave up at them as they come in to land.
Ah, one of the survivors of OL's last little platoon of Branded minions? One of the ones too afraid to end themselves, despite knowing what they'd done to help destroy their own kind? And he's using a Lantern, eh? Bet OL figures heavily in his psyche.

"Weaponer Lysis. Good trip?"

"No." The Citadelian releases his yellow aura from her the moment she's on the ground. Not sure whether that's because he doesn't like her either or because he wants to keep his power available in case I try something. "Universal teleportation isn't a subject that I have cracked."
Well, that's just a skill issue. :p Though I'm not sure if anyone would want people other than Indigo Tribesmen and OL able to teleport anywhere in the known universe.

"I would have been happy to delay. I agreed to a day."

"You expect me to believe that you would have been content for the Anti-Life to continue working on your homeworld for another day?"
Well, if he couldn't end it after a month...

"Happy, no, but I don't believe that the wellbeing of the Earth is solely dependant on my actions. Certainly not to the point that a day would matter after a month and a half. But… Thank you for prioritising me. If you'll hand over the personal lantern then I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing."

"It will need to be properly paired with the ring. And even then, they won't be a matched set."
Better to have the charging source for a Yellow Ring, in case the reformatted Ring starts to reset to Indigo.

"I don't need one hundred percent optimal performance, just something that can produce yellow light on command."

She looks puzzled. "What for?"
Careful, OL. Not quite the sort of inquisitive mind you want on this matter.

"That's not your concerned. If I need the performance improved, I'll take a maltusian into taking the job."

I reach into my equipment harness and pull the yellow ring out. Then I flick it through the air-.
I expect he's ready to snatch it back with a tether, just in case of double-cross.

The Citadelian tethers it with a bubble construct and then floats it to Weaponer Lysis, glaring at me all the while. Lysis takes it and presses her fingertips against the inner surface. She bows her head slightly as she focuses her attention.

"I am glad that you aren't concerned with performance. This is far from anyone's best work."
As long as it does what's needed, it can crumble for all anyone cares.

The Citadelian's eyes glow yellow for a moment, but Weaponer Lysis remains focused on her task.

"Anything I can do to help?"
Careful, no telling what he's feeling. Or doing to the Ring while he's got it in hand.

"Will you at least tell me who you intend to wield it?"

"Batman."
Heh. A natural choice. And he does look good in Yellow.

"What species?"

"Human. He's been using fear as a tool for fighting crime for over a decade. He'd be an excellent recruit for Sinestro if it wasn't for the fact that he wouldn't work for Sinestro."
Admittedly, I suspect he'd use the Ring more as a tool for investigation than for combat. If he trusts it enough to use it at all.

"Ah, yes, Bruce Wayne. He was on the long list."

"Doctor Crane is far to deranged to fit into an organisation that Sinestro would build. Vandal Savage wouldn't accept playing second fiddle. Bane's dead. I'm not sure who else you might want."
You think those few defectives are the only masters of Fear on Earth, OL?

"Your world presents us with a plethora of potential recruits. I assure you that we will consider applicants carefully."

"Just… Wait until the Anti-Life is dealt with. I don't want to give Apokolips more tools."
True, that is an ongoing concern...

Weaponer Lysis holds the ring out and her bodyguard grips it with a construct once more. She then reaches out slightly with her right hand and makes a twisting motion, a yellow personal lantern appearing from thin air. A curious design; a sphere with the yellow sigil emblazoned front and back with a hole into the core through the central circle of the sigil. There's a stand at the bottom, and a short handle at the top and another around the sides. Oddly decorative. I'd have expected Sinestro to either copy the Green Lantern Corps design as closely as possible or do something utilitarian. I wonder why it looks like that.
Probably Lysis' own design. She does seem a little more interested in the aesthetics of designs.

Another small motion of her right hand and the Citadelian moves the ring up to the access point facing Lysis, the ring glowing in response.

"Zok nan. Zok nan."
Bet that's something along the lines of 'Access Denied' or 'Unauthorised Access'.

Weaponer Lysis's mouth makes an expression of distaste as she pulls out a small hammer and strikes the ring, once, twice and then thrice, causing it to pulse with light with each impact. Next, she returns her hammer to her belt and takes hold of the ring again. She focuses on it again for a few moments and then it releases a burst of light.

"There. It's as ready as it will be. If Batman were here in person I could do more, but it should serve."
Heh. Percussive maintenance, Weaponer-style.

The yellow glow surrounding it intensifies as the Lantern with her thrusts both of them at me, his glower still in place. I take them both, then send them to subspace.

"Thank you. I'll get in touch if Batman wants it tuned. Anything else you want to discuss?"
And I suspect he'll request OL dispose of the Ring, after he uses it. He's not likely to enjoy the experience...

"No, I don't-."

"Yes." The Yellow Lantern's eyes burn with yellow light. "I have something to say to you."
...Oh, my. An Enlightened Yellow Lantern? Sinestro has been busy on the recruiting front. Or lucky.

"Okay. I'm right here."

He stares at me a moment before continuing. "You don't remember me, do you?"
Sorry, were you survivor number ten, or number eleven? One drawback of a clone species...

"That's the problem with coming from a culture of clones. You literally look exactly like every other Citadelian."

"You called me here, and you're telling me that you don't remember me?"
Oh, god, OL's having a 'But for me, it was Tuesday.' moment.

I try empathic vision, but all I get is a sheer wall of yellow.

"You were one of the survivors, then?"
I wonder if that's what he looks like to others with Empathic sight. Just a human-shaped blob of Want.

"I was the lead engineer of the Citadel."

"Oh, right, the guy I branded when you were too slow in releasing Adam Blake. You seem to have done alright for yourself."
He's alive, which is more than he can say for his kinsmen.

"You killed all but a handful of my people, destroyed our citadel and nurseries and cast us from our homes. No voice in my head, no emperor or admiral, no past, no future and no hope."

"And yet, here you are."
Yes, he seems to have found a purpose. One laser-focused on you...

"Here I am, on the very plaza where the last survivors of my people ran onto your guns."

Is it..? Oh, it is! I hadn't noticed.
Good grief, OL.

"If you're looking for guilt or contrition, you're not going to get it. Every one of you had it coming, and you really should have taken my mercy while you had it. I don't have time to fight you right now, but feel free to ring me once the Reach are defeated."

"My name is Crad. Illustres Crad. And I will seek you out when I am ready."

I smile warmly at him. "Good luck with that!"
Honestly, Crad should have known that he can't enkindle Fear in OL.

So... Sinestro has at least one dedicated recruit. That makes me wonder how many more he's found off-camera, just awaiting Power Rings to equip them with. And OL really does seem cavalier about the formation of an army with a personal grudge against him, doesn't he? Let's hope that their debut isn't trying to invade or destroy a world OL has investment in.
 
And what is with his intentional blindness towards the Yellow Lantern Core?
Every interaction with them has been more and more blatant actions indicating what appears to be either a specific malice for OL personally, or such a depraved indifference to the lives of everyone else, that they are a pointlessly hostile group along the lines of the Dominators, Spider Guild, or those cannibalistic space amazons.

Something on the list of things to eradicate to improve the local property values, and not a new policing force that will improve the situation.
Why should he care?

It's not like they can do anything that could actually hurt him after all.
 
Huh.

Two enlightened Yellow lanterns created in this parallel, in recent encounters.

Did Sinestro get a good sense of how useful being Enlightened can be from learning of Paul and Guy, and coordinate with a weaponer/run a project on his own to try and figure out how to mass produce enlightened people?/create a harsh training regime that often produces enlightened people, even if it also causes many casualties?

That would be the kind of decisive advantage over the Green Lantern Corps that he would be looking for, if it were practical.
 
Well, you can't really pay attention to something that doesn't exist.

It doesn't exist formally, but the Illustres has been tripping over all their establishing schemes and getting bitten and/or battered every time it happens.

Honestly, I feel that I understand his desire to get the other colors established. But after 1 or 2 times that the Yellow Lantern schemes affected him, I feel he should have stopped being so nonchalant about it. Sinestro's excuse that it wasn't their intention may be true, but damn, it feels like they keep gunning for him and because they miss or only graze him he goes "eh, still not my problem, this is fine".
 

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