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

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-02T06:16:27+0100

1st September 2013
08:36 GMT

"Okay? What kinda drugs?"

"Alchemical synthetic emotion inducers."

He hesitates for a moment while he tries to make sense of that. "Are they dangerous?"

"Ah… There's two parts to that answer. There's the question as to whether separating the natural association of emotion and stimuli is healthy for the individual or society, and then whether the particular means of delivering it is safe."

He gives me a small nod. "And the degree of risk. Alcohol isn't exactly safe, but we haven't tried to stop people drinking it."

"'We' as in Cadbury-?"

"No, the-." He recalls that we're here as owner and proxy, not as two superheroes. "Society. If we're only talking about something that's as dangerous as things people already use, that's not something to worry about."

"We've got at least thousands of years of data on what alcohol does to a person. This is new-. Or at least the mass production of it is new; there might be a group of alchemists out there somewhere who've been using it for a while. Initial observations are that it's chemically very harmful in one in fifty cases, but that's based on a sample size of fifty people. Dosing with the right emotion will overwhelm a person's judgement, and I know that because we had to fight an OMAC who could only feel anger."

He frowns in surprise. "Wait, anger? Why would someone make themselves angry? I though they'd be using… 'Joy', or something."

"Something else that's morally questionably about OMACs: the process appears to have some sort of emotional suppression aspect to it. Not totally surprising, given that they get memory wipes-."

"Yeah, I saw they were-. I just figured they acted like that because they didn't have memories so there wasn't much for them to feel things about."

"Me too, and the other OMACs evacuated him before I could ask him about it."

"We could..? Ask Bats..?"

"You could ask Bats."

"I'd feel better if you were there to hold my hand. Also, I can't fly in space."

"I can't ask Bats."

He looks mildly concerned. "How come?"

"I'm emotionally compromised."

"I didn't think you got emotionally compromised. I thought that was the whole… You, thing."

"I always know what I want. I have a problem when I have no idea how to get there. I-." I shake my head. "You remember -. I never liked Nabu-."

"Oh, everyone remembers what you did to Nabu."

"Right. Well. I respect Batman. I don't want to do that again, to be in that position again. I can't trust my practical judgements on this matter."

"You feel guilty."

"Of course I feel guilty!" Ah. "I mean, not about Nabu, as far as I'm concerned everything I did there was totally right-"

He raises his hands.

"-but Batman? And then there's the high likelihood that this is the best thing that could happen in utilitarian terms, and I…"

"So it's not so much that you're emotionally compromised as that you're practically compromised?"

"I-. Technically, but putting it that way sounds so inhuman."

"So… Okay, I'm not exactly happy about the way things are going either, but… You remember what you told me about us taking over the Earth by accident?"

"I rarely forget things."

He nods. "I thought it over afterwards, and… Yeah, I see what you mean, but there weren't any good options. It was time to take the Earth out of the oven, because it was done."

"No."

"What'd'you mean?"

"The current world order was done. It was on its way out after the sheeda-. You know the environmental thing, about how the Earth will be destroyed in thirty or forty years-"

He nods. "Yeah."

"-if we don't stop doing whatever. And it's nonsense. The Earth will still be here. Humans might be extinct, and we might have taken a lot of other species with us, but the Earth will be just fine. Humans don't need civilisation. We didn't start with it."

"So, what, just let ninety percent of people die?"

"It was an option. Doing what we're doing requires us to take over and expend our workforce. I guess we could have used genomorphs, or cloned Superman a few hundred times-."

"I don't think he'd go for that."

"Just giving people OMAC powers without mind wiping them creates the same risk that giving people access to Justice League resources without vetting them would. And you know that certain people in government would try exerting control over the situation. And them."

He nods. "Our options were to take over ourselves, or let-. Let most people die, so we could say we didn't. And so long as we give up power at the end, I think I can live with it."

"Nothing ever ends. It's unique in history, actually. If we get any more time travellers visiting, we should ask them about it."

"Human civilisation collapsing?"

"A group selected for altruism taking tyrannical power. Usually there's a lot of things dictators have to do to keep power that we're not doing. But-. Look, I'd love to discuss this-."

"The drugs, right."

"We don't know how dangerous they are, short, medium or long term. Doctor Mist is testing them now and that should tell us something, but given that the people selling them were using narcotic distribution techniques and responded violently to questioning, I'm assuming the worst while hoping for the best. If we can find out who's doing it and where, then we can check it's safe, and if it is? Maybe we can sort out a more legitimate distribution network for them. And a logistics train that doesn't involve hiding in my portal network. I'm peeved about that."

He raises his eyebrows. "'cause you're not getting cut in?"

"Because I want to make sure that I'm not making things worse by making it possible. But yes, if they're shipping things using my network then they can pay for it the same as everyone else, especially if it's for luxury items like narcotics."

Mr. Queen nods. "I'll get an internal investigation started."

"Thank you."

I go to stand, then pause, glancing at the screen.

I point to it with my right hand. "You want to do one of those? You've put more work into-."

"I'm-." He shakes his head. "I'm good, thanks."

Darko · 2026-04-02T06:26:41+0100

Mr Zoat said:
He frowns in surprise. "Wait, anger? Why would someone make themselves angry? I though they'd be using… 'Joy', or something."

For some people LSD gives them nightmarish visions, but they still take it and it can have positive side-effects for them.

Mr Zoat said:
We could..? Ask Bats..?"

"You could ask Bats."

"I'd feel better if you were there to hold me hand

And get you out of there if things get messy.

"hold my hand"

Mr Zoat said:
people welling them were using narcotic distribution techniques and

"people selling"

Mr Zoat said:
Humans don't need civilisation

Strongly disagree.

Ngamer11 · 2026-04-02T06:29:30+0100

Mr Zoat said:
He nods. "Our options were to take over ourselves, or let-. Let most people die, so we could say we didn't. And so long as we give up power at the end, I think I can live with it."

This is the sort of stuff I want to see Anarky's little cabal realize. Earth was in such a bad shape that if the Justice League didn't effectively take over, most of humanity would've died, or someone who would've taken advantage of the situation would've taken control. I kinda hope they'll have this realization after they do something they can't take back, forcing OL to take some extreme measures with them.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-04-02T07:01:04+0100

Mr Zoat said:
1st September 2013
08:36 GMT

"Okay? What kinda drugs?"

"Alchemical synthetic emotion inducers."

Makes them sound almost sensible when you put it like that, don't they? Like some kind of medication for emotional issues. Which is how some people are using them, but the problem is when they get carried away with themselves.

He hesitates for a moment while he tries to make sense of that. "Are they dangerous?"

"Ah… There's two parts to that answer. There's the question as to whether separating the natural association of emotion and stimuli is healthy for the individual or society, and then whether the particular means of delivering it is safe."

Too much of a good thing can be harmful, after all.

He gives me a small nod. "And the degree of risk. Alcohol isn't exactly safe, but we haven't tried to stop people drinking it."

"'We' as in Cadbury-?"

"No, the-." He recalls that we're here as owner and proxy, not as two superheroes. "Society. If we're only talking about something that's as dangerous as things people already use, that's not something to worry about."

And take the few cases of usage to dangerous excess as the price of making use of it? For instance, being so drunk you pass out, or drink driving.

"We've got at least thousands of years of data on what alcohol does to a person. This is new-. Or at least the mass production of it is new; there might be a group of alchemists out there somewhere who've been using it for a while. Initial observations are that it's chemically very harmful in one in fifty cases, but that's based on a sample size of fifty people. Dosing with the right emotion will overwhelm a person's judgement, and I know that because we had to fight an OMAC who could only feel anger."

Never mind the complications of decisions taken while in an altered state. A strong dose of Love might work like a date-rape drug, by making you inclined to do what the object of your affection (or obsession) asks you to.

He frowns in surprise. "Wait, anger? Why would someone make themselves angry? I though they'd be using… 'Joy', or something."

"Something else that's morally questionably about OMACs: the process appears to have some sort of emotional suppression aspect to it. Not totally surprising, given that they get memory wipes-."

A small amount of anger can act like a kick in the pants, get you moving in a depressive state or a dangerous situation. Too much... Well, ever hear of berserkers?

"Yeah, I saw they were-. I just figured they acted like that because they didn't have memories so there wasn't much for them to feel things about."

"Me too, and the other OMACs evacuated him before I could ask him about it."

Which is suspicious as hell. Why did they only show up when he was pacified? Why not when he went berserk?

"We could..? Ask Bats..?"

"You could ask Bats."

OL trying to stay hands-off with batman to avoid causing more trauma, eh?

"I'd feel better if you were there to hold my hand. Also, I can't fly in space."

"I can't ask Bats."

Skill issue, Ollie. Batman has powered armour, surely? How come you never made a power-suit?

That could possibly lead to Green Arrow Beyond...

He looks mildly concerned. "How come?"

"I'm emotionally compromised."

"I didn't think you got emotionally compromised. I thought that was the whole… You, thing."

Eh, it's complicated. Just because he always knows what he wants... Doesn't mean he knows how to get it.

"I always know what I want. I have a problem when I have no idea how to get there. I-." I shake my head. "You remember -. I never liked Nabu-."

"Oh, everyone remembers what you did to Nabu."

Probably even new member who had no idea OL was capable of that.

"Right. Well. I respect Batman. I don't want to do that again, to be in that position again. I can't trust my practical judgements on this matter."

"You feel guilty."

Because he is guilty. He may have done it for the greater good of Earth, but he still gave Batman the tools he needed to become what he is now.

"Of course I feel guilty!" Ah. "I mean, not about Nabu, as far as I'm concerned everything I did there was totally right-"

He raises his hands.

Heh, Nabu was the villain there. Even if he might have eased off once he saw Giovanni was sticking with the deal... That's no excuse for what he did to the Zatara family.

"-but Batman? And then there's the high likelihood that this is the best thing that could happen in utilitarian terms, and I…"

"So it's not so much that you're emotionally compromised as that you're practically compromised?"

He knows the end state he wants: Earth fixed and Batman back to the way he was before OL messed with him. The problem is getting there, yes. Especially doing it without triggering another disaster.

"I-. Technically, but putting it that way sounds so inhuman."

"So… Okay, I'm not exactly happy about the way things are going either, but… You remember what you told me about us taking over the Earth by accident?"

Something like 'Better them, who won't abuse the power they have, than those who might or would'?

"I rarely forget things."

He nods. "I thought it over afterwards, and… Yeah, I see what you mean, but there weren't any good options. It was time to take the Earth out of the oven, because it was done."

A bit of hyperbole. Humanity might have survived it all, though pummelled back to primitive stages of development for a while.

"No."

"What'd'you mean?"

"The current world order was done. It was on its way out after the Sheeda-. You know the environmental thing, about how the Earth will be destroyed in thirty or forty years-"

And Power Rings can only do so much about that, especially with the causes still pumping out the damage.

He nods. "Yeah."

"-if we don't stop doing whatever. And it's nonsense. The Earth will still be here. Humans might be extinct, and we might have taken a lot of other species with us, but the Earth will be just fine. Humans don't need civilisation. We didn't start with it."

Wouldn't be the first time the slate got wiped clean. There's been more than a few mass extinctions already.

"So, what, just let ninety percent of people die?"

"It was an option. Doing what we're doing requires us to take over and expend our workforce. I guess we could have used genomorphs, or cloned Superman a few hundred times-."

Ironically what the Renegade is kind-of doing with his Kryptonian restoration project...

"I don't think he'd go for that."

"Just giving people OMAC powers without mind wiping them creates the same risk that giving people access to Justice League resources without vetting them would. And you know that certain people in government would try exerting control over the situation. And them."

Human instinct, really. Seeking the best angle for you and yours over everyone else. Even if that's bad in the long-term...

He nods. "Our options were to take over ourselves, or let-. Let most people die, so we could say we didn't. And so long as we give up power at the end, I think I can live with it."

"Nothing ever ends. It's unique in history, actually. If we get any more time travellers visiting, we should ask them about it."

Though I expect the league do want to get things working in something resembling the old system sooner rather than later, before people get to used to them being in charge...

"Human civilisation collapsing?"

"A group selected for altruism taking tyrannical power. Usually there's a lot of things dictators have to do to keep power that we're not doing. But-. Look, I'd love to discuss this-."

"The drugs, right."

You can talk about that philosophical stuff later. Right now, business.

"We don't know how dangerous they are, short, medium or long term. Doctor Mist is testing them now and that should tell us something, but given that the people welling them were using narcotic distribution techniques and responded violently to questioning, I'm assuming the worse while hoping for the best. If we can find out who's doing it and where, then we can check it's safe, and if it is? Maybe we can sort out a more legitimate distribution network for them. And a logistics train that doesn't involve hiding in my portal network. I'm peeved about that."

The source of them could legitimately have been altruistic. But one nasty link in the chain and suddenly you have cartels trying to profit from it.

He raises his eyebrows. "'cause you're not getting cut in?"

"Because I want to make sure that I'm not making things worse by making it possible. But yes, if they're shipping things using my network then they can pay for it the same as everyone else, especially if it's for luxury items like narcotics."

Or Medications, depending on how it pans out. After all, there's a fine line between the two states. ADHD medication is technically micro-doses of amphetamines, for instance.

Mr. Queen nods. "I'll get an internal investigation started."

"Thank you."

While OL has his own investigation going. Ideally they'll coordinate to avoid working at cross-purposes.

I go to stand, then pause, glancing at the screen.

I point to it with my right hand. "You want to do one of those? You've put more work into-."

"I'm-." He shakes his head. "I'm good, thanks."

For one thing, the more well-known his face is, the less anonymity he'll have in costume.

A lot of salient points covered there. Not just with the current case, but with the moral and ethical quandaries of the League's reluctant benevolent tyranny. None of them are politically trained or even so inclined. They never wanted to be ruling the world, but there was no-one else able to at that moment. The peril will be if a legitimate government comes forward for them to surrender authority to...

Can they trust them with that authority?

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-02T08:32:27+0100

Darko said:
"hold my hand"
"people selling"

Thank you, corrected.

me said:
Sheeda

Thank me, corrected.

Duke Long · 2026-04-02T12:09:40+0100

Mr Zoat said:
He frowns in surprise. "Wait, anger? Why would someone make themselves angry? I though they'd be using… 'Joy', or something."

How could he forget angry maltusian guy who indirectly saved Earth? I guess he didn't read that report.

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-02T13:20:04+0100

Duke Long said:
How could he forget angry maltusian guy who indirectly saved Earth? I guess he didn't read that report.

That part of the report didn't go to the League.

Steelplaza · 2026-04-02T13:38:43+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Just giving people OMAC powers without mind wiping them creates the same risk that giving people access to Justice League resources without vetting them would. And you know that certain people in government would try exerting control over the situation. And them."

This is true, but at the same time the Justice League could have said "well that's going to happen and we'll just have to deal with it on a case by case basis as it does". There's also the "pinning everything on one failure point" with Brother Eye. There's certainly different decisions Batman could have made with different sets of downsides.

Though one part of this is, we haven't really seen the OMACs do that much. When they appear in story they're sort of generically standing around, helping clean up rubble. When we see them use their powers, it's usually because they've gone rogue and are fighting the SI.

It would be nice from a narrative perspective to see the OMACs actually deploying their incredible level of power and numbers to do something useful. Bringing down a heavy hitter, subduing a national military all on their own, completely dismantling a huge evil organization... something. I notice that neither the SI nor another of the people he's discussed this with, be they Wally or Artemis or Oliver here have suggested, "The OMACs will probably investigate this and take care of it." Even though an OMAC was affected by it.

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-02T13:47:22+0100

Steelplaza said:
This is true, but at the same time the Justice League could have said "well that's going to happen and we'll just have to deal with it on a case by case basis as it does". There's also the "pinning everything on one failure point" with Brother Eye. There's certainly different decisions Batman could have made with different sets of downsides.

Though one part of this is, we haven't really seen the OMACs do that much. When they appear in story they're sort of generically standing around, helping clean up rubble. When we see them use their powers, it's usually because they've gone rogue and are fighting the SI.

It would be nice from a narrative perspective to see the OMACs actually deploying their incredible level of power and numbers to do something useful. Bringing down a heavy hitter, subduing a national military all on their own, completely dismantling a huge evil organization... something. I notice that neither the SI nor another of the people he's discussed this with, be they Wally or Artemis or Oliver here have suggested, "The OMACs will probably investigate this and take care of it." Even though an OMAC was affected by it.

You've got a point and I'll try to do something about it, but the SI wouldn't go to a situation OMACs were handling because it would be redundant, and he isn't inclined to share information with them directly or ask for their help because he's disturbed by the program.

BlackCoat13 · 2026-04-02T14:18:45+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I'm assuming the worse while hoping for the best.

worst

Signaller · 2026-04-02T14:54:39+0100

How many people are in the room? Was it a full board meeting with maybe 15 people, and how many know everything GA/OL know?

Ardy · 2026-04-02T15:18:38+0100

Signaller said:
How many people are in the room? Was it a full board meeting with maybe 15 people, and how many know everything GA/OL know?

Considering OL was asking seemingly random CEO Oliver Queen to talk to Batman about something I'm guessing they were alone

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-02T16:08:59+0100

BlackCoat13 said:
worst

Thank you, corrected.

Signaller said:
How many people are in the room? Was it a full board meeting with maybe 15 people, and how many know everything GA/OL know?

Just the two of them, but it's not a secure room.

Gazing Eye · 2026-04-03T00:28:29+0100

Have you taken your Joy this morning?

You're not a Downer are you?

Prince Charon · 2026-04-03T03:28:55+0100

Darko said:
Strongly disagree.

I feel like this is 'need' in the sense that we need air, but don't need ice cream, or cars. Humanity would almost certainly have a population crash if the current civilization came to an abrupt halt (unless it was replaced by something else at least as healthy for us), but we-as-a-species existed long before civilization, and so it stands to reason that we-as-a-species would not automatically go extinct if we no-longer had a functioning civilization.

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-03T07:40:12+0100

16th June 2012
19:27 EST

Okay.

Okay.

I give Aaron's… Bare hand a squeeze as we walk up the driveway towards the mansion. Don't know if he actually feels it, but-. I don't get to feel things like this all that much. Right glove's in my purse right now… Should probably put that on if we go someplace with more people, but right now being able to touch is…

I needed this.

"Is something wrong?"

I look up at the red goggles covering his eyes. Don't know if I can say he looks concerned; he don't really have much expression. But I guess that's why he's asking.

Either that or because he was programmed to. But I guess beggars can't be choosers there.

I stop gripping so tight, and shake my head. "Been a while since ah could touch someone."

"It has been explained to me that physical contact is important for humans."

"And it's not for you?"

"I am uncertain. I am not specifically programmed to need it, but the physical proximity of Father is one of the main differences between myself and my older brothers."

"Dad said y'all got fifty brothers?"

"I had fifty brothers. I have zero brothers."

My face falls a little. "What happened t'them? Ah-. If y'all don't mahnd talkin' about it."

"They developed a variety of personality faults, and either self-destructed, became unresponsive or became erratic and required destruction."

"Did y'all know 'em? Or wuz that before you were-? Built..?"

"I briefly spoke with X-Fifty prior to his final termination." He hesitates. "I apologise. Deaths amongst family members is an uncomfortable topic for the majority of humans."

"No, ah'm.. Ah'm jus' tryna understand you. Does whut happened t' X-Fifty bother you?"

"No. He was extremely vicious, physically and verbally."

"Wuz there somethin' wrong with him?"

"Yes. He did not know when to not be vicious, physically and verbally."

And now I'm wondering how much Dad vetted this guy. Didn't think I had to specify 'I can touch him' and 'not a psycho killer', but Dad does sometimes have a little trouble with things like that.

"Were your other brothers lahk that?"

"Some were. He was more verbose. According to the reports I read, at least. As he was the only one I spoke to personally I cannot compare my direct experiences."

"An'… They fixed the problem with you, raht?"

"That does appear to be the case so far. Ah. I do not wish to mislead you; I am physically identical to all of my older brothers."

"Is it th' inside stuff that's different?"

"No, I am physically identical to all of my older brothers. Both my epidermis and my internal systems."

I try not to gulp. "So th' only difference is..? How your pa treated you?"

"That is the primary difference. If I may speculate?"

I give him a… Slightly cautious nod.

"We were built for combat. They would move from training scenario to training scenario, and have only utilitarian interactions with people outside of them. As such, they learned to model all interactions as combat interactions. I have the model of the relationship I established with Father, and to a lesser degree other researchers and staff, as examples of non-combat interactions."

That-. Okay, I get it, but…

"It took them fifty trahs to work that out?"

"No. It would be entirely inaccurate to say that they 'worked it out'. Father was working on pure guesswork, guided more by moral assumptions than by reason. The only reason that his suggestion was implemented at all was that I had already been constructed and not making an attempt would not have been cost effective."

"…oh."

"Would it be appropriate to ask you about your own background? If it is not, please tell me. As Father informed your father, this is my first attempt at unstructured social interaction without oversight."

"How'd y'all feel about that?"

"I am faced with the twin prospects of success beyond my current limitations, and a failure that would emphasise them. I think I could describe it best as being both worried and excited."

I can't stop myself laughing, just a little, my glove-covered left hand coming up to cover my mouth. "Yeah, ah think ah feel the same. And y'all answered mah questions, so ah guess it's only fair I answer yours."

"I noticed that your accent is significantly different to that of your father. Do you take after your mother?"

I-. I can't help myself. For a moment I just hear Mom talking. Not-. What she said when I-. Before that, when we went shopping a couple weeks before. Just… Chatter I ain't ever gunna hear again.

"Ah. I apologise."

I shake my head. "Y'all didn't do nothin'."

"No, but the death of immediate relatives is something that humans typically find highly stressful. I should have asked your father before we left in order to avoid sensitive topics."

"Mom ain't dead. Leastways, I don't think so."

"Acrimonious divorce? One of the security guards at the Center repeatedly complained about the process."

"They threw me out for not bein' human."

He doesn't change how fast he's walking, but he turns-. Swivels his head towards me. Then he moves his right hand up to lift his goggles-. And shows me the red… Holes where his eyes should be. Red light flickers out, running all over me-.

That better be some kind of souped up robot vision or I'm gunna break my foot up his-.

"Objectively, you are a member of the human genus." He puts his goggles back and turns his head back towards the mansion. "I have heard it argued that x-gene humans should have their own species classification, but I lack the expertise in taxonomy to determine whether they should or not."

"I.. don't see whah we'd need wun. We mostly look the same."

"I am not human at all. There is no argument on that fact. Both my father and yours consider me to be 'human-equivalent' instead. Whether or not x-gene humans are a technically new species is a trivial matter."

I snort. "Ain't no one in the building up ahead thinks that."

"Then they are ill-informed, and I will be happy to explain that to them. Did the man you refer to as 'Dad' adopt you?"

"Yeah. He did."

"Father is also not my biological father. It is nice to know that we have so much in common."

Okay. I guess machine-boy isn't so bad after all.

Darko · 2026-04-03T07:53:28+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I look up at the red goggles covering his eyes. Don't know if I can say he looks concerned; he don't really have much expression. But I guess that's why he's asking.

Either that or because he was programmed to. But I guess beggars can't be choosers there

Look at it this way.

There isn't much difference between being programmed to behave in a certain way and just being born and raised to act a certain way.

Mr Zoat said:
And now I'm wondering how much Dad vetted this guy. Didn't think I had to specify 'I can touch him' and 'not a psycho killer', but Dad does sometimes have a little trouble with things like that

Many versions of Paul have a weird view on romance.

Mr Zoat said:
not wish the mislead you; I am physically identical to all of my older

"to mislead"

Mr Zoat said:
"We were built for combat. They would move from training scenario to training scenario, and have only utilitarian interactions with people outside of them. As such, they learned to model all interactions as combat interactions. I have the model of the relationship I established with Father, and to a lesser degree other researchers and staff, as examples of non-combat interactions

So his beothers basically developed PTSD and other psychological problems.

Mr Zoat said:
"It took them fifty trahs to work that out

They might be brilliant robotics experts, but not psychologists.

Mr Zoat said:
"Then they are ill-informed, and I will be happy to explain that to them

I doubt that's going to make you any friends.

Mr Zoat said:
Okay. I guess machine-boy isn't so bad after all.

Awe. Young love.

They are going to make so many jokes about him being a sex machine.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-04-03T08:37:34+0100

Mr Zoat said:
16th June 2012
19:27 EST

Okay.

Okay.

Well, Anne-Marie, here goes nothing, huh? Time to see if your power affects inorganic entities as it does fleshy ones, or if it just pulls up short with no idea of how to do it. Especially when it's so hard to test its limits...

I give Aaron's… Bare hand a squeeze as we walk up the driveway towards the mansion. Don't know if he actually feels it, but-. I don't get to feel things like this all that much. Right glove's in my purse right now… Should probably put that on if we go someplace with more people, but right now being able to touch is…

Okay, so far so good. Even if it doesn't feel quite right, though. I'm sure Aaron's synthetic skin is very good, but there's limits.

I needed this.

"Is something wrong?"

I suspect she's been needing this for a while now. Humans just aren't made to go without physical contact like that for that long.

I look up at the red goggles covering his eyes. Don't know if I can say he looks concerned; he don't really have much expression. But I guess that's why he's asking.

Either that or because he was programmed to. But I guess beggars can't be choosers there.

Ironic that he chose red for his glasses. Probably makes him look a little like Cyclops. Perhaps he'll explain them the same way.

I stop gripping so tight, and shake my head. "Been a while since ah could touch someone."

"It has been explained to me that physical contact is important for humans."

See? Even the synthetic lifeform gets it.

"And it's not for you?"

"I am uncertain. I am not specifically programmed to need it, but the physical proximity of Father is one of the main differences between myself and my older brothers."

...It still gives you an unexplained feeling, though, doesn't it?

"Dad said y'all got fifty brothers?"

"I had fifty brothers. I have zero brothers."

Huh, I thought all of the X-series were active at once. I suppose having a single active unit is less expensive.

My face falls a little. "What happened t'them? Ah-. If y'all don't mahnd talkin' about it."

"They developed a variety of personality faults, and either self-destructed, became unresponsive or became erratic and required destruction."

The joy of developing artificial minds from scratch. Wonder how many of those personality faults were the same kind of thing modern analytical and generative algorithms suffer from these days? Bad inputs resulting in bad data, an inability to comprehend inputs, even flat out psychoses by human standards...

"Did y'all know 'em? Or wuz that before you were-? Built..?"

"I briefly spoke with X-Fifty prior to his final termination." He hesitates. "I apologise. Deaths amongst family members is an uncomfortable topic for the majority of humans."

Surprised they allowed that. To 'avoid contaminating the experiment', or some guff like that.

"No, ah'm.. Ah'm jus' tryna understand you. Does whut happened t' X-Fifty bother you?"

"No. He was extremely vicious, physically and verbally."

Pretty much what old comic books would simply call 'Evil'. That old black-and-white simplistic morality at work... Re-reading old X-Factor comics from the Eighties, and they keep using the term 'Evil Mutants' for any mutant who isn't law-abiding, pacifistic or otherwise heroic.

"Wuz there somethin' wrong with him?"

"Yes. He did not know when to not be vicious, physically and verbally."

A product of his upbringing, really. They were making war machines, after all. Hunter-killers. But a killer who can't tell the difference between 'valid target' and 'noncombatant' is largely useless.

And now I'm wondering how much Dad vetted this guy. Didn't think I had to specify 'I can touch him' and 'not a psycho killer', but Dad does sometimes have a little trouble with things like that.

"Were your other brothers lahk that?"

Hey, all Ring-wielding Pauls have that kind of blind-spot about something. Those that don't tend to have more common sense...

"Some were. He was more verbose. According to the reports I read, at least. As he was the only one I spoke to personally I cannot compare my direct experiences."

"An'… They fixed the problem with you, raht?"

Learning by trail and error what makes the best robot soldier.

"That does appear to be the case so far. Ah. I do not wish to mislead you; I am physically identical to all of my older brothers."

"Is it th' inside stuff that's different?"

Unless there's something specific in his processors, probably not.

"No, I am physically identical to all of my older brothers. Both my epidermis and my internal systems."

I try not to gulp. "So th' only difference is..? How your pa treated you?"

A little more complex than that, but I expect that's exactly it. The purest example of nurture over nature.

"That is the primary difference. If I may speculate?"

I give him a… Slightly cautious nod.

Nice of him to be so considerate of her autonomy.

"We were built for combat. They would move from training scenario to training scenario, and have only utilitarian interactions with people outside of them. As such, they learned to model all interactions as combat interactions. I have the model of the relationship I established with Father, and to a lesser degree other researchers and staff, as examples of non-combat interactions."

Gee, turns out when you treat your living weapons like weapons, you get nothing but weapons, always ready to fight and kill.

That-. Okay, I get it, but…

"It took them fifty trahs to work that out?"

They've got to establish repeatability, of course. One example of a pattern of behaviour could be a fluke. If multiple builds with the same input produce the same output...

"No. It would be entirely inaccurate to say that they 'worked it out'. Father was working on pure guesswork, guided more by moral assumptions than by reason. The only reason that his suggestion was implemented at all was that I had already been constructed and not making an attempt would not have been cost effective."

And if this worked, they could do it again with his successor when they decommissioned him. Until they worked out the right way to do it and could produce reliably consistent results...

"…oh."

"Would it be appropriate to ask you about your own background? If it is not, please tell me. As Father informed your father, this is my first attempt at unstructured social interaction without oversight."

And they felt sending you to Prom would be a fine first attempt?

Talk about being dumped in the deep end.

"How'd y'all feel about that?"

"I am faced with the twin prospects of success beyond my current limitations, and a failure that would emphasise them. I think I could describe it best as being both worried and excited."

...Well, at least he's probably feeling the same way as any other boy at the Prom.

I can't stop myself laughing, just a little, my glove-covered left hand coming up to cover my mouth. "Yeah, ah think ah feel the same. And y'all answered mah questions, so ah guess it's only fair I answer yours."

"I noticed that your accent is significantly different to that of your father. Do you take after your mother?"

Ah, he's assuming a direct familial connection. No real experiential concept for adoption, after all. ...That is, he knows of the concept like he knows everything else he's been taught. But he's never encountered it before.

I-. I can't help myself. For a moment I just hear Mom talking. Not-. What she said when I-. Before that, when we went shopping a couple weeks before. Just… Chatter I ain't ever gunna hear again.

"Ah. I apologise."

And while there's female X-Men around, you're not going to have the same level of connection with them.

I shake my head. "Y'all didn't do nothin'."

"No, but the death of immediate relatives is something that humans typically find highly stressful. I should have asked your father before we left in order to avoid sensitive topics."

Oh, that's what he thinks it is: Grief.

"Mon ain't dead. Leastways, I don't think so."

"Acrimonious divorce? One of the security guards at the Center repeatedly complained about the process."

Hah! At least he's familiar with that aspect of the human experience.

"They threw me out for not bein' human."

He doesn't change how fast he's walking, but he turns-. Swivels his head towards me. Then he moves his right hand up to lift his goggles-. And shows me the red… Holes where his eyes should be. Red light flickers out, running all over me-.

Probably processing the implications of her sentence. 'They' being guardians who are not her father. 'Thrown out' implying she didn't live with AMH!OL before that. Those probably fit into the idea of 'adopted'...

That better be some kind of souped up robot vision or I'm gunna break my foot up his-.

"Objectively, you are a member of the human genus." He puts his goggles back and turns his head back towards the mansion. "I have heard it argued that x-gene humans should have their own species classification, but I lack the expertise in taxonomy to determine whether they should or not."

Something better than 'Homo Sapiens Superior' for a start. Far too arrogant there, Magneto.

"I.. don't see whah we'd need wun. We mostly look the same."

"I am not human at all. There is no argument on that fact. Both my father and yours consider me to be 'human-equivalent' instead. Whether or not x-gene humans are a technically new species is a trivial matter."

And the number of mutants she'd have met with less conventional appearances would be limited. Beast, Nightcrawler, maybe a Morlock? Sometimes, it's not the powers that people are afraid of.

I snort. "Ain't no one in the building up ahead thinks that."

"Then they are ill-informed, and I will be happy to explain that to them. Did the man you refer to as 'Dad' adopt you?"

Confirming his calculated supposition, I see. Although I bet the people he 'informs' of their mistake will find him a little annoying for doing so.

"Yeah. He did."

"Father is also not my biological father. It is nice to know that we have so much in common."

Okay. I guess machine-boy isn't so bad after all.

True, he isn't a Machine Man yet. And that's an interesting perspective on his origins.

Aaron's got quite a bit of charisma given his nature. I'd say the good doctor got it right with him. Although it remains to be seen how he handles dealing with ordinary teenagers, rather than those of more superheroic bents. What's the bet some jock tries to start a fight with him over his opinions about Mutantkind?

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-03T08:55:47+0100

Darko said:
"to mislead"

Thank you, corrected.

Duke Long · 2026-04-03T09:13:48+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Mon ain't dead. Leastways, I don't think so."

'Mom'

I find myself liking Aaron.

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-03T09:45:24+0100

Duke Long said:
'Mom'

Thank you, corrected.

Bud-E · 2026-04-03T11:08:29+0100

Didn't this Paul work on curing mutant racism by letting people know about the Sublime?

Darko · 2026-04-03T11:52:25+0100

Bud-E said:
Didn't this Paul work on curing mutant racism by letting people know about the Sublime?

The first time we saw this version he talked to Magneto and told him about an odd bacteria he found in the human brain, so yeah.

Mr Zoat · 2026-04-03T12:52:59+0100

Bud-E said:
Didn't this Paul work on curing mutant racism by letting people know about the Sublime?

He wasn't planning on letting people know about it, because if he did that then he suspected that Sublime would know that they knew. He was planning on doing something about it.

Steelplaza · 2026-04-03T13:19:10+0100

This does feel like a very X-Men type story, where the series does have these issues where the characters are doing something mundane and talking philosophy about the nature of being human.

Probably a supervillain will crash the prom.

Darko · 2026-04-03T13:39:05+0100

Steelplaza said:
This does feel like a very X-Men type story, where the series does have these issues where the characters are doing something mundane and talking philosophy about the nature of being human.

Probably a supervillain will crash the prom.

Most likely with something that can disrupt mutant powers.

Fortunately there is a powerful robot there.

Benvolio · 2026-04-03T14:03:32+0100

I'm just glad to see more Aaron Stack. tftc

Stsword · 2026-04-03T16:07:19+0100

This storyline amuses me.

In an alternate future in Avengers Forever, Machine Man got his girlfriend Jocasta pregnant with a son.

Only in comic books, would robot supersoldiers be built not only fully functional but apparently not shooting blanks either.

Darko · 2026-04-03T16:10:45+0100

Stsword said:
This storyline amuses me.

In an alternate future in Avengers Forever, Machine Man got his girlfriend Jocasta pregnant with a son.

Only in comic books, would robot supersoldiers be built not only fully functional but apparently not shooting blanks either.

My guess would be nanotech sperm.

Neruz · 2026-04-03T18:52:20+0100

If you're building a robot man why not give him robot sperm.

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