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

[PJ739]

"Orange Lantern. We should talk."

Click to shrink...

This is like a dejavu from the angels

 

[Vaermina]

Then Izaya looks to me.

"Orange Lantern. We should talk."

Click to shrink...

"You risked the lives of millions of people and a significant chunk reality just because you couldn't be assed to make a five second ring call."

 

[Simonbob]

"Orange Lantern. We should talk."

Click to shrink...

"Can I turn back into a human first?"

 

[Mr Zoat]

15th August 2000
09:24 GMT -7

Aneta holds up the coffee pot as I walk into the Alliance headquarters break room. "You want one?"

I shake my head. "No, thank you. I don't drink coffee."

But… The fridge… Ah, good. None of the Americans have been brave enough to steal my unpasteurised milk. I talk the bottle out and head towards the glasses cupboard.

"Oh, hitting the hard stuff." She pours a mug before putting the pot back under the spigot. "They didn't want you in the meeting?"

"My presence was not required." Glass, pour… And take a calming sip.

"They didn't want the Green Knight in the meeting?"

I shrug. "It doesn't concern the Conduit, banshees -and they've got Senior Agent Blaze if it did- or Maltus. And since it's unlikely that they'll need me to hit anything inside the meeting room, the Director told me to take five."

"M-m." She takes a seat, twisting her tail into what I assume is a more comfortable position. "I don't think they appreciate you."

"I don't care how much they respect me. I care-" I put the jug back into the fridge and sit down opposite her. "-how much they let me do the job. And there's no problem there." I from as she takes another sip. "Is that..? Safe for you?"

"It is in low doses. I mostly drink it for the warmth."

I raise my left eyebrow. "In Nevada in August? You can just go outside."

She looks at me quizzically. "In the sun?"

"There's a.. covered area for the smokers."

She doesn't look entirely sure about my answer, but appears to shrug it off. "Yes, but there's no covered route from the exit to the smoking area. And besides, I don't like the smell."

I nod as I take another sip. That's fair. And even if she could get there safely, I doubt she'd be all that comfortable only a couple of metres from a zone of certain death.

She suddenly smiles. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"Ah… Yeah, it slipped my mind. Sorry."

She chuckles, staring at me. "No one will believe this. Do you know that you are the one my family have been asking about? They seem to think that Director Logan is using you to threaten us into meek obedience."

"Would you like me to talk to them?"

She-. I think that's a smile. The mouths of members of her species can't really move in the right way to smile properly. "I would like you to visit them. I want to watch their expressions when they realise who you are."

I nod. "Well, if I'm in the area…"

"You really have no conception of how afraid of you the families are."

"I wouldn't say no conception. It's more that I don't care."

"Dorn controls all of the families because of your threat, and it isn't the slightest concern to you."

"Yes. Dorn controls the families. It's not a privilege-. Not just a privilege. He knows that if one of the families acts up, I might well have some pointed questions for him."

Her eyes remain locked onto mine, which isn't exactly the same gesture in vampire body language as it is in human, but it's close.

"Speaking of 'acting up', I have some questions."

"Aneta, we're the same rank. Speaking to your supervising agent would be a better idea."

"But it might be something simple that I lack the perspective to understand. I would rather not look foolish when you are so agreeable."

That seems extremely unlikely, but alright. "Okay, go ahead."

"Taking humans as thralls is illegal, of course. But employing humans is allowed. Encouraged, even."

"Yes..?"

"So where is the cut-off?"

"Ah…" I shake my head in incomprehension.

"It has been suggested that feeding on humans is banned. But then I heard about a club where humans pretend to be mythological vampires and exchange blood. If humans can do that, surely we should be able to? I know that some of my male colleagues have received… Offers."

"Were they wearing a disguise at the time?"

"No. Humans can be such strange creatures."

"Well… Boxing matches don't count as criminal assault. I suppose that if whoever you're feeding on volunteers and doesn't suffer lasting harm, that should be alright. Check with local laws before indulging."

"Of course, that would involve-" She opens her mouth, which is a little disturbing because while they generally only open the front part of their mouths when talking the whole orifice actually goes quite a lot further back. "-biting."

"Not necessarily, but again, if they consent-."

"But what about venom?" She raises her right forefinger to her right fang just as a single drop of venom drips out. "Is that illegal?"

"I.. don't believe that using vampire venom recreationally is illegal anywhere. But.. wouldn't that always turn someone into a thrall?"

"Only with repeated doses. And we don't have to enslave them. We can just leave them to recover."

I give her a mild frown. "Isn't vampire venom addictive?"

"Not chemically. A small dose isn't any more mild-altering than-" She lifts her mug slightly. "-coffee."

"Alright, but what does someone get when they get bitten?"

She finally looks away, her body undulating. "That depends on how restrained the biter is being."

"That… Is probably legal, in most places, for now. But I would strongly suggest that you encourage everyone not to do it, because dosing someone with something that makes them more agreeable and then feeding on them looks really dodgy, even if they don't turn into vampoids, which they inevitably would. As I discussed with Dorn, having people sign contracts which involve them becoming vampoids and paying them isn't different enough to what you were doing for people to accept it as part of the families' reform process."

"But is it really fair for you to pass judgement without…" Her tongue flicks out. "Investigating it yourself?"

"No, that's something that the people actually passing the legislation would have to do." I glance at the clock on the wall. "I wonder how long the meeting's going to take."

She shifts her coils into a new position. "Why? Hot date?"

I nod. "Date, yes. Unless an emergency gets called I'm off duty in an hour, but I don't want to just disappear-."

She pulls herself up slightly, looking puzzled. "Who with? The banshee isn't building a harem, is she?"

"Dating my immediate superior would be unprofessional. No, one of the other banshee asked me out."

"You don't mind dating other species?"

"Not.. really?"

"Then-" She half-flops off her settee and looms in front of me. "-I would also like you to take me to dinner."

"Um. I… Suppose I could do that? As long as you don't bite me."

She smiles in a somewhat sinister way. "Not on the first date."

 

[NightmareWarden]

"Orange Lantern, we appreciate your assistance. As a reward, here is sixty pounds of Radion for your weaponry."
"Pounds? Your world, and New Gods, use pounds?"
"It was actually a recent suggestion from my son, after he returned from your world. The Mother Box assisting him gathered a large amount of data from your world's infrastructure to assist in managing his stress."

 

[Darko]

Congrats, Kirk.

 

[BR549]

Congrats, Kirk.

Click to shrink...

Funny thing is, if I recall correctly it was Picard who actually got more action...

 

[Rebu]

"But is it really fair for you to pass judgement without…" Her tongue flicks out. "Investigating it yourself?"

Click to shrink...

How long has it been since we've been seen (an) oblivious Paul?

"Then-" She half-flops off her settee and looms in front of me. "-I would also like you to take me to dinner."

Click to shrink...

Oh good. She just cut out the middle man and asked him directly.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

15th August 2000
09:24 GMT -7

Aneta holds up the coffee pot as I walk into the Alliance headquarters break room. "You want one?"

I shake my head. "No, thank you. I don't drink coffee."

Click to shrink...

Not knowing the series, I don't know the significance of this character, but reading ahead, she's a vampire? Who are an alien species in this setting. Still seems funny to see one drinking boiled bean water.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

But… The fridge… Ah, good. None of the Americans have been brave enough to steal my unpasteurised milk. I talk the bottle out and head towards the glasses cupboard.

"Oh, hitting the hard stuff." She pours a mug before putting the pot back under the spigot. "They didn't want you in the meeting?"

Click to shrink...

An acquired taste. But if you like it, you like it. Presumably it's marked with the sigil of the Green Light or suchlike to make it clear who's it is.

"My presence was not required." Glass, pour… And take a calming sip.

"They didn't want the Green Knight in the meeting?"

Click to shrink...

It's not really a role suited to paperwork and meetings. More coming in like the big gun and smashing a recalcitrant battleship or the like.

I shrug. "It doesn't concern the Conduit, banshees -and they've got Senior Agent Blaze if it did- or Maltus. And since it's unlikely that they'll need me to hit anything inside the meeting room, the Director told me to take five."

"M-m." She takes a seat, twisting her tail into what I assume is a more comfortable position. "I don't think they appreciate you."

Click to shrink...

I still wonder what Maltus looks liek here that it can produce the same sort of willing outcasts as a Leprehaun, but not have a Green Lantern Corps preventing stuff like the central conflict of the show. ...Maybe the Guardians died out or didn't go into law enforcement, at least in this region of space.

"I don't care how much they respect me. I care-" I put the jug back into the fridge and sit down opposite her. "-how much they let me do the job. And there's no problem there." I from as she takes another sip. "Is that..? Safe for you?"

"It is in low doses. I mostly drink it for the warmth."

Click to shrink...

And probably less objectionable than some options.

I raise my left eyebrow. "In Nevada in August? You can just go outside."

She looks at me quizzically. "In the sun?"

Click to shrink...

So her species is as explosively allergic to sunlight as fictional vampires? Wonder what sort of evolutionary history would produce that?

"There's a.. covered area for the smokers."

She doesn't look entirely sure about my answer, but appears to shrug it off. "Yes, but there's no covered route from the exit to the smoking area. And besides, I don't like the smell."

Click to shrink...

True, smoking flesh can be a bit nasty... Oh, wait, you mean the cigarette smoke?

I nod as I take another sip. That's fair. And even if she could get there safely, I doubt she'd be all that comfortable only a couple of metres from a zone of certain death.

She suddenly smiles. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"Ah… Yeah, it slipped my mind. Sorry."

Click to shrink...

...So, do the Vamps look like humanoid bats, or are they more Castlevania-esque gorgeous vamps? I would assume closer to the latter?

She chuckles, staring at me. "No one will believe this. Do you know that you are the one my family have been asking about? They seem to think that Director Logan is using you to threaten us into meek obedience."

"Would you like me to talk to them?"

Click to shrink...

I mean, a Power Ring user is a pretty big stick to wave around.

She-. I think that's a smile. The mouths of members of her species can't really move in the right way to smile properly. "I would like you to visit them. I want to watch their expressions when they realise who you are."

I nod. "Well, if I'm in the area…"

Click to shrink...

...Okay, a bit more on the 'monstrous' end of the scale, then. At least without camouflage.

"You really have no conception of how afraid of you the families are."

"I wouldn't say no conception. It's more that I don't care."

Click to shrink...

Ah, the best revenge to inflict upon an enemy: Irrelevance.

"Dorn controls all of the families because of your threat, and it isn't the slightest concern to you."

"Yes. Dorn controls the families. It's not a privilege-. Not just a privilege. He knows that if one of the families acts up, I might well have some pointed questions for him."

Click to shrink...

And he's probably working a full-time job just keeping the knives out of his back, courtesy of them.

Her eyes remain locked onto mine, which isn't exactly the same gesture in vampire body language as it is in human, but it's close.

"Speaking of 'acting up', I have some questions."

Click to shrink...

Especially if they have hypnotic vision, as some types of mythic vampire do.

"Aneta, we're the same rank. Speaking to your supervising agent would be a better idea."

"But it might be something simple that I lack the perspective to understand. I would rather not look foolish when you are so agreeable."

Click to shrink...

In other words, it's something she's comfortable talking about with him. Given his poor knowledge of their world, there's less baggage to hold against her.

That seems extremely unlikely, but alright. "Okay, go ahead."

"Taking humans as thralls is illegal, of course. But employing humans is allowed. Encouraged, even."

Click to shrink...

'Thralls' in the 'hypnotised servant and walking bloodbank' sense, no doubt. I can see that being a contentious issue for some older vampyrii used to it.

"Yes..?"

"So where is the cut-off?"

"Ah…" I shake my head in incomprehension.

Click to shrink...

As in, can she pay people for their blood, given willingly? Seems a likely point of interest, from context.

"It has been suggested that feeding on humans is banned. But then I heard about a club where humans pretend to be mythological vampires and exchange blood. If humans can do that, surely we should be able to? I know that some of my male colleagues have received… Offers."

Click to shrink...

Because there's always some folks down to get freaky...

"Were they wearing a disguise at the time?"

"No. Humans can be such strange creatures."

Click to shrink...

...Super-freaky.

"Well… Boxing matches don't count as criminal assault. I suppose that if whoever you're feeding on volunteers and doesn't suffer lasting harm, that should be alright. Check with local laws before indulging."

"Of course, that would involve-" She opens her mouth, which is a little disturbing because while they generally only open the front part of their mouths when talking the whole orifice actually goes quite a lot further back. "-biting."

Click to shrink...

And some folks are into that. You are underestimating just how romanticised vampires are. Especially in these pre-Twilight years. (2005 for the first book. Twenty years!)

"Not necessarily, but again, if they consent-."

"But what about venom?" She raises her right forefinger to her right fang just as a single drop of venom drips out. "Is that illegal?"

Click to shrink...

That would be a source of the 'hypnotic aura' thing, I take it. Presumably encourages subservient behaviour in the victim. Makes you really wonder at the evolutionary history...

"I.. don't believe that using vampire venom recreationally is illegal anywhere. But.. wouldn't that always turn someone into a thrall?"

"Only with repeated doses. And we don't have to enslave them. We can just leave them to recover."

Click to shrink...

So a wider spread of 'donors' with longer times between feedings would be a viable option, as long as they're well-paid.

I give her a mild frown. "Isn't vampire venom addictive?"

"Not chemically. A small dose isn't any more mild-altering than-" She lifts her mug slightly. "-coffee."

Click to shrink...

Caffeine doesn't encourage willing subservience, though, does it? (Still assuming that's a thing.)

"Alright, but what does someone get when they get bitten?"

She finally looks away, her body undulating. "That depends on how restrained the biter is being."

Click to shrink...

...I mean, if they were desperate enough to, say, rip out someone's throat, that would make the question moot.

"That… Is probably legal, in most places, for now. But I would strongly suggest that you encourage everyone not to do it, because dosing someone with something that makes them more agreeable and then feeding on them looks really dodgy, even if they don't turn into vampoids, which they inevitably would. As I discussed with Dorn, having people sign contracts which involve them becoming vampoids and paying them isn't different enough to what you were doing for people to accept it as part of the families' reform process."

Click to shrink...

...Yeah, I could see the consent angle being kind of iffy in that respect.

"But is it really fair for you to pass judgement without…" Her tongue flicks out. "Investigating it yourself?"

"No, that's something that the people actually passing the legislation would have to do." I glance at the clock on the wall. "I wonder how long the meeting's going to take."

Click to shrink...

...Ah, this isn't about the legalities. She's wondering what Green Light-energised blood tastes like, isn't she?

She shifts her coils into a new position. "Why? Hot date?"

I nod. "Date, yes. Unless an emergency gets called I'm off duty in an hour, but I don't want to just disappear-."

Click to shrink...

Given he hasn't got the hang of FTL transition, the flight to and from Ireland would be a bit of a commute.

She pulls herself up slightly, looking puzzled. "Who with? The banshee isn't building a harem, is she?"

"Dating my immediate superior would be unprofessional. No, one of the other banshee asked me out."

Click to shrink...

I assume Nick and Sh'lainn are of equal rank, then, and possibly in different branches of the chain of command. No impropriety there.

"You don't mind dating other species?"

"Not.. really?"

Click to shrink...

Once the internet gets a hold of all this, there's gonna be a lot of people down to date the alien ladies. Xenophilia is fun!

"Then-" She half-flops off her settee and looms in front of me. "-I would also like you to take me to dinner."

"Um. I… Suppose I could do that? As long as you don't bite me."

She smiles in a somewhat sinister way. "Not on the first date."

Click to shrink...

Just not today, of course. I suspect the Banshee lady he's taking out would object to a triangle. Hope he mentions this to her, though.

Is it just something about the Green Light aura he exudes that's catnip to the ladies, or is this an isolated case? Could be amusing if he ends up with a reputation for being popular with the exotic ladies of the Agency. Just as long as he doesn't stat two-timing them. Though it's an interesting look at how some of the formerly-hostile peoples are settling into peace.

 

[Ngamer11]

Is it just something about the Green Light aura he exudes that's catnip to the ladies, or is this an isolated case? Could be amusing if he ends up with a reputation for being popular with the exotic ladies of the Agency. Just as long as he doesn't stat two-timing them. Though it's an interesting look at how some of the formerly-hostile peoples are settling into peace.

Click to shrink...

I think they're simply attracted to his personal power.

 

[Mr Zoat]

...So, do the Vamps look like humanoid bats, or are they more Castlevania-esque gorgeous vamps? I would assume closer to the latter?

Click to shrink...

I'm struggling to find a good picture, but they're basically snake people. Scales, fangs, tails without legs and snakeman faces.

 

[Lord Ernest]

I'm struggling to find a good picture, but they're basically snake people. Scales, fangs, tails without legs and snakeman faces.

Click to shrink...

These guys?

Spoiler

 

[Mr Zoat]

These guys?

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

Yes.

 

[mastermenthe]

These guys?

Spoiler

Click to shrink...

You gotta love/hate anatomical designs that physically require cool looking clothing.

 

[Kurai]

How long has it been since we've been seen (an) oblivious Paul?

Click to shrink...

Since Paul is always oblivious, at least a story arc. If you mean romantically oblivious . . . A while, actually. And it's kind of telling that it's always the non-humans, with somewhat alien mindsets, who are most attracted to him - but at least it's consistent.