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

[CTrees]

No, it still is stupid.

It only means that the universe is a stupid place for letting a stupid thing work.

And anyone that's watched the show knows that the Light's plan with the Reach was a failure.

Look at the future Impulse came from.

The heroes were the ones that solved that.

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Alternatively, maxim 43 of the 70 Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries: "If it's stupid and it works, it's still stupid and you're lucky."

 

[Breadnaught]

What was his plan if the weaker species just decided to fuck off, or if the stronger one effortlessly destroyed the weaker one and didn't suffer losses on their end?

I'm guessing he was just going to wing it.

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The number of times this exact thing happened in canon, his "plan" was apparently hope the heroes bailed them out.

If something is stupid and works, its not really stupid.

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And if it's stupid and doesn't work, you're just a fucking idiot.

Original Timeline: The Reach won, the Light got played, and Earth was fucked. It took FlashBoy from the future using time travel to unfuck their mess.

Altered Timeline: When the Reach realized they weren't going to win, they set off doomsday weapons as a parting Fuck You, with only the heroes being able to stop them, with the sacrifice of Kid Flash.

The OG Light are bungling clowns, who repeatedly hand themselves L's, every time, only surviving because the heroes bail the planet out.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"Contained"? What do you mean, "contained"? Slade keeps getting away and escaping from the Titans all the time, and even death couldn't stop him permanently. To this day, the Titans still haven't caught him, and he's still at large doing who-knows-what. Does that sound contained to you?

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He basically exists to mess around with a small group of teanagers. That's effectively contained.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

He basically exists to mess around with a small group of teanagers. That's effectively contained.

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Did you seriously forget about the part where Slade was complicit in helping summon Trigon to cause the apocalypse, which nearly destroyed the world in the process?

Plus, even if we put that aside, considering that he tried to put nano-bombs in the bodies of teenagers just to blackmail, coerce and torture another teenager into becoming his apprentice, I think he went past the point of no return a long time ago.

Also, let's not kid ourselves here: We've seen plenty of Pauls who have killed people for just as much, if not less. The idea that any Paul, especially this Paul, would let Slade live after all that, is ludicrous.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Did you seriously forget about the part where Slade was complicit in helping summon Trigon to cause the apocalypse, which nearly destroyed the world in the process?

Plus, even if we put that aside, considering that he tried to put nano-bombs in the bodies of teenagers just to blackmail, coerce and torture another teenager into becoming his apprentice, I think he went past the point of no return a long time ago.

Also, let's not kid ourselves here: We've seen plenty of Pauls who have killed people for just as much, if not less. The idea that any Paul, especially this Paul, would let Slade live after all that, is ludicrous.

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That's true, but he doesn't know about a lot of that. He doesn't have access to the Titan's mission reports. He certainly doesn't spend all day monitoring them. He checks up and sees that no one has died and none of the Titans have lasting injuries and evaluates his threat based on that.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

That's true, but he doesn't know about a lot of that. He doesn't have access to the Titan's mission reports. He certainly doesn't spend all day monitoring them. He checks up and sees that no one has died and none of the Titans have lasting injuries and evaluates his threat based on that.

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Oh yeah, I forgot that the Pauls don't remember the shows/universes they land in, so I guess Raul must have forgotten everything that happened in Teen Titans 2003 when he got sent there. So if he forgot everything Slade did, then he probably doesn't know how dangerous and monstrous this particular incarnation of Deathstroke truly is, so Raul probably considers him a low-priority target. I guess his mindset in regards to Slade must be something along the lines of: "If I see him I'll kill him on sight, but I won't go out of my way to track him down because I've got bigger fish to fry".

But the question is, are Slade and the other Titan villains aware of Raul? I'm guessing they're staying out of Raul's way both because he's not a Titan and because of how dangerous and lethal he is, but I'm also guessing that Raul will attract their attention sooner or later since he likes hunting supervillains.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Oh yeah, I forgot that the Pauls don't remember the shows/universes they land in, so I guess Raul must have forgotten everything that happened in Teen Titans 2003 when he got sent there. So if he forgot everything Slade did, then he probably doesn't know how dangerous and monstrous this particular incarnation of Deathstroke truly is, so Raul probably considers him a low-priority target. I guess his mindset in regards to Slade must be something along the lines of: "If I see him I'll kill him on sight, but I won't go out of my way to track him down because I've got bigger fish to fry".

But the question is, are Slade and the other Titan villains aware of Raul? I'm guessing they're staying out of Raul's way both because he's not a Titan and because of how dangerous and lethal he is, but I'm also guessing that Raul will attract their attention sooner or later since he likes hunting supervillains.

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Not now that he's a squeaky clean Justice League member. Recoverable injuries only.

The only time when he'd have killed Wilson Slade was when he was a Trigon puppet.

 

[D3mented]

Currently finished up post #269 in the Story Only section

Spoiler: Spoilers for early in this fics lifespan

we have just wrapped up the giant plant attack arc. Many of the "injustice league" were soundly defeated and captured. I also really dig how OL beat Black Adam.

Using magical psychodelics to commune with Teth Atum and the egyptian pantheon? Inspired shit right there. Loved every bit of that. Now we have a 5000 year old Teth in modern day and the villains have one less piece on the board to play with. Now they have to contest with yet another superman level being on the side of the heroes.

I also kinda dig that OL refuses to even dignify Joker. Brother drops his government name every time.
"Bitch you're not named Joker. You are a regular fuckin guy with a skin condition called Jack Napier. You should know, you file your taxes every year." /SPOILER]

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Not now that he's a squeaky clean Justice League member. Recoverable injuries only.

The only time when he'd have killed Wilson Slade was when he was a Trigon puppet.

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He's a member of the local Justice League? I'm surprised. I would have thought that the Red Lantern Corps philosophy would clash heavily with the League's rules on lethal force and bureaucracy.

 

[Lord Ernest]

He's a member of the local Justice League? I'm surprised. I would have thought that the Red Lantern Corps philosophy would clash heavily with the League's rules on lethal force and bureaucracy.

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I believe we saw that. If I recall, in one of the latest segments for Raul, he was discussing with Komand'r their domesticity, I think their kid is not a toddler anymore, and then they decided to join the Justice League.

 

[RoninSword]

17th October 2009
21:22 GMT -5

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Here both he and Blackfire join the Justice League to get out of their battle rut. Now they have to pull their punches.

3rd February 2010
15:39 GMT -7

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This is the most recent Raul appearance, when Jevos (the controller who created the Effigies and started trading with other reality Pauls) gets scarred by Raul. Jevos' later appearance he still had the scar so it seems permanent.

 

[AverusBlack]

Here both he and Blackfire join the Justice League to get out of their battle rut. Now they have to pull their punches.

This is the most recent Raul appearance, when Jevos (the controller who created the Effigies and started trading with other reality Pauls) gets scarred by Raul. Jevos' later appearance he still had the scar so it seems permanent.

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Oh great, a scarred maltusian. So much for avoiding Blackest Night. /s

 

[Mr Zoat]

8th August 2013
09:37 GMT +1

I don't bother disguising my reaction, and my friends pick up on it immediately. They're old hands so it doesn't cause an actual freak out, but Clea, Circe and Cranius look concerned. Richard and Adom go for stonily stoical instead.

"I take it that it is bad news?"

I could scan Lex from here to see how he's taking it, but there's not really any point.

"Yes, that's bad news. In fact, barring outliers like Nekron or my grandfather, that is… The worst news."

I generate a construct image of this galaxy, highlighting us. "We're here, and that shine is not to scale. At this scale the size of our sun is smaller than a single photon so it's literally impossible to show us. And this is the size and location of the Apokolips Wastes, the area around Apokolips where Father will unleash his armies if someone tries settling them." A very small patch a good distance away from us lights up. "Not to scale again. If I made it flash to scale you could just about see it because it's a fairly large area."

And then I light up Reach space.

Cranius frowns. "Well… If it is not to scale-."

"No, no, that one is. They are the largest stellar polity which exists in this galaxy."

Richard shrugs. "It looks like they're quite a way away. Could they convey a significant force to our side of the galaxy?"

"One moment. Ring, call Lantern Gardner."

By your command.

A moment passes, then his face appears over my ring. "Yeah? What'd'yah need, Gray?"

"Does the Green Lantern Corps keep track of Reach movements?"

"One sec… Yeah, we do. You need a copy?"

I nod. "Please."

"Sendin' now. But this ain't like.. fleets an' stuff, this is just their merchants and emissaries. You prob'ly got more on what their navy's doin' than I do."

"The Vega branch of the Orange Lantern Corps and the Maltus branch are separate organisations, but I'll ask them and send that file to you in return."

"Great. Ah, this anythin' I need ta worry abawt?"

"Nothing definite at this stage. I just want to keep an eye out." My ring shimmers as I receive the data file. "And make sure that they don't offer Vega 'reconstruction aid'. Thank you."

"See yah 'round, Gray."

I end the call and smile grimly at my friends. "Who wants to guess how large the new area is?"

Circe frowns. "The galaxy is vast. Perhaps twice the area of their own territory?"

I shake my head. "Anyone else?"

Richard looks pensive, then raises the head of his cane towards my construct and makes a circle around the entire thing.

"Oh, good guess! Not quite-" I display the area. "-but nearly."

It doesn't really cover the low density regions of the galactic rim, Apokolips space or a few other areas, and it peters out towards the mid-eastern part of the galaxy, but otherwise? The whole things glows.

"And this is just what Green Lanterns have personally seen. The Reach can't legally move their fleet outside of their core territory, but they can move 'diplomatic or trade protection details' and hire local help. Which doesn't sound too bad until you find out why they're the biggest stellar polity in this galaxy."

My smile broadens and grows more grim.

"Mind control technology. And not just puppetry; they do everything from memetic programming through pheromonal encouragement to full-on neural rewrites. They're innovative, creative, and culturally and politically unified. And that's how they expand their empire; persuading people to let them in and then digging in like tapeworms. Tapeworms which eventually wipe out the host's entire species. That's what Savage thought it was a good idea to send a prospectus to. I am concerned."

Clea is staring at the map with laser focus. "What's in that patch there?"

"Ah." I nod. "Maltus and their… Tributaries? The being who made my orange power ring lives there, along with her fellow Controllers and their employees. They were struggling to make much of a difference to the Reach's expansion up until I got in touch and now they're… Well, they're doing a little better."

Adom regards me curiously. "The Reach have weapons which can defeat Lanterns? Weapons which they can deploy in significant quantities?"

"Oh yes. Most Lanterns can't stop barrages from their larger ships. They can dodge, but against high volumes of fire that's something they can only keep up for so long. And then there's these things."

I generate an image of a Beatle.

"Not really sure where they come from. Nothing else the Reach has is quite this advanced, but they've proven that they can make more of them so they didn't just trip over a cache of technology from a more advanced species."

He doesn't look impressed. "What weapons do they have?"

"Whatever they want. The armour shapeshifts, creating anything from simple melee weapons to complex technological devices. Honestly, they remind me of Vuldarians, but… They're extinct." I shrug and shake my head. "Fanatically loyal, aggressive, and they sometimes use aliens so they can get extra abilities as well. They can engage Lanterns one on one and win, though I'm not sure if that's because their abilities are better for fighting or because most Green Lanterns are policemen and not soldiers."

Cranius perks up. "'Use'?"

"The core of the Beatle is a small device, usually imbedded at the base of the spine. The being it's attached to might be a Reachian or it might be something else. Once activated the armour spreads out across the user's body."

The screen flickers slightly. "Perhaps we shall be fortunate and they will ignore the message."

I dismiss the construct and slump in my seat. "Maybe. But unfortunately, if they bother following up, we're… Honestly a best-case scenario for them. Disunited, primitive enough that we probably can't even detect their more sophisticated attempts at manipulation, advanced enough that we have things they want…"

Clea nods. "How about magic?"

"I haven't seen any records that they can use magic, but that might well make things worse. Atlantean efforts to systematise magic, combined with… There are other worlds in the galaxy that use magic, but the people there generally top out at what you could do pre-Awakening, rather than…" I motion towards Circe with my right hand. "What Circe could do pre-Awakening."

"So we have an edge."

"So the handful of people who can work at that level look super inviting, because no one's immune to everything." What to do, what to do? "Okay. I need to talk to Controller Hanannan about what how the war with the Reach is going, see if we can throw them a few things to help them out… No, that won't work, because they're too big. The mercantile concerns closest to us won't be affected, no matter how the war goes."

The screen flickers again. "I can continue to monitor the channels of communication which Savage used, but they will know that I am not him."

I nod. "Might put them off, might not. Depends on what he gave them as a lure. Okay. I wasn't going to bring this up for a year or two, but I think we need to talk about off-world colonisation."

 

[CrazyNoVa]

Would be it possible to start up a False Flag Operation to trigger a war between Apokolips and The Reach? Maybe let them fight and weaken one another, and then swoop in to wipe out whichever side emerges victorious?