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

Jiggity-Jig (part 19)
9th February
12:43 GMT


My physical surroundings fade into meaninglessness as I extend my awareness into the Honden. While I don't precisely need to come here in order to view an individual's desires in detail, I hope… I twist myself and the representation of the place, and… I can view groups of people in terms of their interlocking collective desires. Or -more accurately- reach a place from which every other part of them is absent.

Not 'what does the Empress want'. What does the Court want? What does the Crown Imperium want?

Are their desires currently irreconcilable with my own?

Ah, I see that Crown Imperium propaganda has made Amalak and Jarko the faces of the region's piracy. A little awkward for those in charge. It would require a degree of about-facing for them to openly treat with either of them, and… The more idealistic Imperials would resist because it would mean that vile people were 'getting away with it' and the expansion-minded Imperials wouldn't like it because it would mean accepting a definite border in that direction. I'm.. not seeing a total opposition to an unoccupied border region, but-.


"Oh, are-? You busy?"

And back in the room. For a moment my body looks like a wire frame construct, only… The rest is there, but… Pushed.. back? Faded into the background, perhaps. Then the orange fades and I'm left with my material body and the baggy trousers and dashiki I was wearing. The sleep did me the world of good, but now I'm reduced to hanging around the palace. Yes, I can keep an eye on Vega from here if I have to but I was sort of assuming that the Empress and Co. would be deliberating and coming to a conclusion relatively quickly.

The man watching me curiously from the edge of my circle is… He looks like a human superhero. He's wearing a blue skin tight costume with a yellow star insignia, though the shepherd's crook he's carrying is a discordant element. His costume is further accessorised by yellow bracers and swimming goggles, though those are currently pushed up to rest on his forehead.

"Oh, not especially."

Prince Gavyn. The Empress's brother and heir apparent. Narrowly avoided summary execution after his father's death, something Crown Imperium tradition apparently mandates when a new monarch ascends to the throne. Did some superheroing in a place which doesn't really have a tradition of that sort of thing, becoming a scourge of pirates and corrupt courtiers alike.

A decent bloke, as far as I know. Not entirely sure why they've stopped trying to execute him. Maybe they had an attack of good sense?

"What can I help you with?"

He looks out of the window of the quarters the Empress was kind enough to provide for me, taking in the early morning light. "If you're not occupied, I thought that I might show you the capital? Do you ride, or do you prefer to fly?"

"I usually teleport." I stand, switching to light armour. "I have been meaning to go back to flying more, but I'm afraid that I don't want to leave the palace in case her Imperial Majesty wishes to speak to me."

"Oh yes? Something about Vega, isn't it?"

"I'm trying to persuade her to radically change her foreign policy regarding the region between the Crown Imperium's border and the Vega Trench."

He nods, smiling. "Because Amalak's not half as bad as we've been telling everyone he is, and Jarko has so much popular support that the only way we'll ever get Asryx back is to make him governor."

"Among other things."

"So what's your interest?"

"Civilised behaviour is in everyone's interest. And… I'm a little concerned that I'm becoming too accustomed to killing."

"Killing in general, or killings you perform yourself?"

"Both. After I destroyed the Citadel, there were a handful I had as thralls. I… Put them in front of some automated guns and then removed my control. Most of them charged me and died when they remembered that I used my control to have them aid me in destroying Citadel Complex. I could have left them under my control. I could have marooned them. I… Didn't."

He shakes his head. "I'm… Sorry, but I'm not sure why it bothers you. If you were unaccustomed to killing, I'd.. offer some reassurance about the.. necessity of it. But it's clearly not that."

"It's more the fact that it doesn't bother me. Killing a person is a big deal. So while I can see the utility of being able to kill people without feeling bad about it, I don't want to become too used to it."

"I don't think I've killed enough people to have become that accustomed to it. Then again, I grew up knowing that fighting and enforcing justice with lethal force would be one of my roles in Imperial society. Whereas you've been a Lantern for..? Two years, your book said?"

"I'm sorry if this is a sore point, but didn't you know that you were going to be killed-?"

"It's…" He shakes his head. "My father was in good health. Past his prime, yes, but fit and well. I expected to have decades more. Time enough to make my mark. Perhaps even die nobly without forcing an executioner to dirty their blade. And Clryssa could have been killed, leaving me as the heir."

"Why do your people do that?"

"To prevent civil wars. There was a period in our history when… Different members of the dynasty routinely fought it out when their royal parent died. It used to be the rule that the rulers should only have one heir, then the royal family was assassinated, so… Now there's a spare."

"If you're trying to talk me into giving you a ring-."

"It would probably make the royal court more comfortable, but... Clryssa has to marry at some point, and it would probably make things easier if I wasn't around. Not that she doesn't love me, you understand, but-."

"There's a cultural expectation that you're a threat, even if you wouldn't ever do anything in that direction."

He nods. "I've tried to avoid being open about my views on… Anything, to try and avoid looking like I'm trying to undermine her in any way. Taking a commission in the navy or marines is out because that might make it look like I'm trying to gain support in the military." He taps his staff on the ground. "This was a lot easier when no one knew who Starman was."

"So you want a role? A job?"

"I'll take what I can get. And I'm sure that my wife would like me out of the house and back to doing something useful."

On a practical level, he's not a terrible choice. Him joining the Corps would allow me to set his terms of reference, but the Court would accept his reports from the regions he was monitoring. He grew up in a civilised region but is aware that it is far from perfect. But I can hear it in his tone, in the lack of an orange light resonance. He doesn't want this. Oh, he might have decided that it's for the best for all concerned, but-.

Huh. A curious thing to be on the surface.

My eyes narrow. "Prince Gavyn, what are you afraid of?"

"You did just say that you were afraid that you were finding killing too easy. Forgive me for being a little-."

"It's not that." I'm having trouble seeing details. It's all… Blurry. Something someone who knew certain advanced mental or spiritual techniques might pull off. The Crown Imperium doesn't have a native magical tradition, there were maybe a handful of Euphorian magicians off their planet when the shield went up… "What are you hiding?"

"I don't know-."

I reach out to Karna, but… No, no, everything's still there, the mass of conflicting desires for conflict and safety. Gordanians and karnans don't feel all that different, not when viewed with such imprecision. Alright, then what-?

And then I suddenly know how Obi-Wan felt when Alderaan was destroyed. Like a.. chunk of colour just vanished, a particular way of viewing the universe, or wanting. Where was it where was…

It.

"I see."

I'm too late, but I raise my right hand to my forehead anyway

step out

and then look down upon the now-molten surface of Wombworld.
 
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So while I can see the utility of being able to kill people without feeling bad about it, and don't want to become too used to it."

, I don't want to become too used to it"

Replacing and with I would seem to fit the sentence better.

there are maybe a handful of Euphorian magicians off their planet when the shield went up…

*there were

a particularly way of viewing the universe, or wanting.

*particular

and then look down upon the now-molten surface of Wombworld.

Oh.

...

Well, there goes the last excuse Green Lanterns have for not being able to visit Vega.

Which one is Wombworld again?

It's the Psion homeworld.
 
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My physical surroundings fade into meaninglessness as I extend my awareness into the Honden. While I don't precisely need to come here in order to view an individual's desires in detail, I hope… I twist myself and the representation of the place, and… I can view groups of people in terms of their interlocking collective desires. Or -more accurately- reach a place from which every other part of them is absent.
Ah, OL being a Shaman of the Orange Light. Wonderful imagery.

Ah, I see that Crown Imperium propaganda has made Amalak and Jarko the faces of the region's piracy. A little awkward for those in charge. It would require a degree of about-facing for them to openly treat with either of them, and… The more idealistic Imperials would resist because it would mean that vile people were 'getting away with it' and the expansion-minded Imperials wouldn't like it because it would mean accepting a definite border in that direction. I'm.. not seeing a total opposition to an unoccupied border region, but-.
Hoo boy. So many viewpoints, so many conflicting desires...

And back in the room. For a moment my body looks like a wire frame construct, only… The rest is there, but… Pushed.. back? Faded into the background, perhaps. Then the orange fades and I'm left with my material body and the baggy trousers and dashiki I was wearing. The sleep did me the world of good, but now I'm reduced to hanging around the palace. Yes, I can keep an eye on Vega from here if I have to but I was sort of assuming that the Empress and Co. would be deliberating and coming to a conclusion relatively quickly.
So, OL was practically turning himself into a Construct Lantern? Interesting...

The man watching me curiously from the edge of my circle is… He looks like a human superhero. He's wearing a blue skin tight costume with a yellow star insignia, though the shepherd's crook he's carrying is a discordant element. His costume is further accessorised by yellow bracers and swimming goggles, though those are currently pushed up to rest on his forehead.
The first alien Starman (Mikaal Tomaz being the second). Did that question earlier remind you of him?

Prince Gavyn. The Empress's brother and heir apparent. Narrowly avoided summary execution after his father's death, something Crown Imperium tradition apparently mandates when a new monarch ascends to the throne. Did some superheroing in a place which doesn't really have a tradition of that sort of thing, becoming a scourge of pirates and corrupt courtiers alike.
Not the first time a culture has decided disposing of 'spares' reduces conflicting loyalties.

He looks out of the window of the quarters the Empress was kind enough to provide for me, taking in the early morning light. "If you're not occupied, I thought that I might show you the capital? Do you ride, or do you prefer to fly?"
I sense ulterior motives.

"I usually teleport." I stand, switching to light armour. "I have been meaning to go back to flying more, but I'm afraid that I don't want to leave the palace in case her Imperial Majesty wishes to speak to me."
No time to just fly about and enjoy the view anymore, eh?

He nods, smiling. "Because Amalak's not half as bad as we've been telling everyone he is, and Jarko has so much popular support that the only way we'll ever get Asryx back is to make him governor."
Very astute summary.

"Killing in general, or killings you perform yourself?"
Good distinction. Gavyn's a smart one.

"Both. After I destroyed the Citadel, there were a handful I had as thralls. I… Put them in front of some automated guns and then removed my control. Most of them charged me and died when they remembered that I used my control to have them aid me in destroying Citadel Complex. I could have left them under my control. I could have marooned them. I… Didn't."
Because you didn't want to. One of those 'Gwen Stacy' moments...

"If you're trying to talk me into giving you a ring-."
I doubt he wants it badly enough.

He nods. "I've tried to avoid being open about my views on… Anything, to try and avoid looking like I'm trying to undermine her in any way. Taking a commission in the navy or marines is out because that might make it look like I'm trying to gain support in the military." He taps his staff on the ground. "This was a lot easier when no one knew who Starman was."
And of course, none of the nobles could ever believe he actually supported his sister.

On a practical level, he's not a terrible choice. Him joining the Corps would allow me to set his terms of reference, but the Court would accept his reports from the regions he was monitoring. He grew up in a civilised region but is aware that it is far from perfect. But I can hear it in his tone, in the lack of an orange light resonance. He doesn't want this. Oh, he might have decided that it's for the best for all concerned, but-.
Maybe deputise him as a local auxiliary for the Sector Lanterns?

"It's not that." I'm having trouble seeing details. It's all… Blurry. Something someone who knew certain advanced mental or spiritual techniques might pull off. The Crown Imperium doesn't have a native magical tradition, there are maybe a handful of Euphorian magicians off their planet when the shield went up… "What are you hiding?"
Interesting. Outside influence?

And then I suddenly know how Obi Wan felt when Alderaan was destroyed. Like a.. chunk of colour just vanished, a particularly way of viewing the universe, or wanting. Where was it where was…
"Like a million voices crying out, then silenced."

and then look down upon the now-molten surface of Wombworld.
Oh, dear. Who did the Psions piss off to warrant this?

And someone just flipped the political table of Vega again. They just finished setting the pieces back up, dammit! At least it wasn't OL this time.
 
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Oh dear.

It's not as if it couldn't have happened to a nicer group of people, but given both the fact they deliberately distracted him from it and considering what they were just talking about...

Well, I think we're about to see what a rather peeved Orange Lantern does.
 
I've got more old corrections.


Broken link.

Teekie hasn't really jelled

*Teekl

Maybe I should call this Padparadscha Griffin rather than Wholeness Rightly Assumed?

Broken link. The product doesn't exist anymore, apparently.

Current location unknown. This sword doesn't have a proper name. Pretty nasty piece of work though, and its last owner told me that he no longer has it."

Broken link. Or at least, I don't think it's showing what you want it to.


Broken link. The video is private now.

I look to Robin for conformation.

*confirmation

He looks at me for conformation and I nod.

*confirmation

I though it might at least warrant a mention.

*thought


Broken link.

No. Jason Todd, born 16th August 1999. Jason Todd, born 16th August 1999.

Repeated sentence.


So, I looked at the instances August in Iron appeared or was mentioned in the story. At first he's called Captain August in Iron, or Captain Fang. When Grayven and team attack the watchtower, he's called General in Iron twice while still being called Captain Fang:

Next to him, staff at the ready, stands August General in Iron. Willing? No, I feel the Starro-tech inside him and in the young looking man in the green and yellow gi next to him. The same cannot be said for the hulking figure in power armour nearby, but then Socialist Red Guardsman is a bloodthirsty animal. Cutting off my allies. Clever.

**Grayven to team, Great Ten active on site.**

But not clever enough. Captain Fang spots Barda a split second before she lands and swings his staff at her.

August General in the meeting hall.

At the end of March in the Paragon timeline, he's called Colonel:

You'd think August Colonel in Iron's voice would be metallic.

He's also called Colonel at the end of May in the Renegade timeline, though he claims that he only got the rank with Grayven's help:

"Congratulations, Colonel Fang. Missus Hu."

Then in the beginning of July in the Paragon timeline, he's called Major Fang:

Ring, message to Major Fang and Chairman Jiang. Tell them that I need an urgent appointment.

Going by how the ranking system works, did he get a double promotion and then a demotion in the Paragon timeline?


Now that that's done, I also have two questions. What does sunlight from a blue sun do to kryptonians in your story, and assuming what it does is interesting or different, will we ever see it in action?
 
Well, I think we're about to see what a rather peeved Orange Lantern does.
Establish another temple to Hades? Not sure what unintended consequences there might be to flooding the underworld with a genocided species of malignant hypercognitives... But it's probably fine.

Apparently in the comics, Clryssa got assassinated one year into her reign? Not sure if that's already been butterflied, but given the timing of meeting Gavyn and the strike on the wombworld, well, could be interesting... Could even explain why Paul got left waiting so long, if she was busy getting regicided.
 
The homeworld of species made up exclusively of alien Dr. Mengeles was destroyed, and nothing of value was lost.

And Zoat improved them from the comics.

In the comics a Psion green lantern named Gorius Karkum revealed that female Psions aren't sociopaths, so to avoid hearing "Have you tried doing science without pointless cruelty?" over the dinner table, the male Psions decided to keep every female Psion in gang rape pens for their entire lives.

So to my surprise I wasn't cynical enough there, the Psions hit rock bottom and then kept digging.
 
Remind me, did he save a few of their young ones? Or was that Grayven? One of them evacuated a teacher who was decent (for a Psion) iirc.
That was Grayven.

This... is not going to go over well with Paul, though, Paragon that he is. While he might have been onboard with what Renegade did, simply genociding a species that actually had something of a culture and society to it, not matter how depraved and amoral it is by most standards... yeah, this is problematic. Doubly so because given how it happened, I'm not sure if Paul will be able to accept that they're negotiating 'in good faith' anymore. I'd give even odds on Paul vouchsafing Vega's border personally now, openly stating that any further acts of naked aggressive imperialism by the Crown will be dealt with by him, personally.

I'm also wondering if the greater portion of their society knows that their faction just committed xenocide. Given the earlier line about information controls, maybe not.
 
Gotta share the sentiment, nothing of value was lost. But I honestly can't take this at face value; how would the Crown Imperium destroy the Psions? Their fleet couldn't cross the region controlled by Amalak and Jarko without a fight so how would it get into Vega so easily now? And with how advanced the Psions' weaponry and technology is, where would the Crown Imperium get weapons strong enough to destroy them in so little time? Maybe it was an ongoing thing but then why wouldn't the Illustres sense it if he noticed the "voices silenced" now?

I don't know if the Psions have a fleet, what with how integrated they were in the Citadel's fleet here, but even then they surely would have a satellite defense network and/or anti-orbital weapons, probably pretty destructive and exotic at that. So if a fleet attacked they would need to be several levels over the Psions to not suffer any damage, because if not there would be some proof of who they were just floating in near space. So who did this?
 
And then I suddenly know how Obi Wan felt when Alderaan was destroyed. Like a.. chunk of colour just vanished, a particular way of viewing the universe, or wanting. Where was it where was…

It.

"I see."

I'm too late, but I raise my right hand to my forehead anyway

step out

and then look down upon the now-molten surface of Wombworld.

 
Wait, what?

A highly advanced, well-defended homeworld of the local mad-science race just got slagged in a couple hours?
No. Not just a couple of hours.
...By who? With what?!
Consider that question until tomorrow.

Who had a motive?
The homeworld of species made up exclusively of alien Dr. Mengeles was destroyed, and nothing of value was lost.
Except all of the slaves they kept as test subjects. And all of their records on who they sold their stuff to and where any psion salespeople in the rest of the universe are. And all of the people who died during the attack.
Establish another temple to Hades? Not sure what unintended consequences there might be to flooding the underworld with a genocided species of malignant hypercognitives... But it's probably fine.

Apparently in the comics, Clryssa got assassinated one year into her reign? Not sure if that's already been butterflied, but given the timing of meeting Gavyn and the strike on the wombworld, well, could be interesting... Could even explain why Paul got left waiting so long, if she was busy getting regicided.
Honestly, I've barely looked at that version of Starman. I'm going to say that this version of Oswin is satisfied with his current rate of advancement, though he might get 'Lord Protectory' if things don't keep going his way. Without his revolt a lot of things don't happen.
And Zoat improved them from the comics.

In the comics a Psion green lantern named Gorius Karkum revealed that female Psions aren't sociopaths, so to avoid hearing "Have you tried doing science without pointless cruelty?" over the dinner table, the male Psions decided to keep every female Psion in gang rape pens for their entire lives.

So to my surprise I wasn't cynical enough there, the Psions hit rock bottom and then kept digging.
Yeah, I decided that retcon was too stupid to even consider including in this story. 'Man bad woman good' is really quite insulting to half our species. Psions 16 reproduce artificially as described when the Renegade visited their crèche.
I wonder if this is how Paul finds out that the Psions used to be the pets of the Controllers.
Oh, he already knows about that. The Controllers are far happier giving him information than they are the Renegade.
Their fleet couldn't cross the region controlled by Amalak and Jarko without a fight so how would it get into Vega so easily now?
You may want to think about that statement a little more.
 
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FTL weapon planet killer?

We know such weapons exist, but require having control of several planets/systems in the relativepproximity of the target (earth was close enough to target new gordane the new godanian homeworld that may have been outside Vega) to act as space bridges and that using them causes damage (total damage if the weapon system is dirty enough) to the systems and planets the weapons were build into...

Civilizations that control just a single planet would be extremely vulnerable to these type of weapons, however I would be extremely surprised if Psions didn't have out of phase bunkers capable of surviving the use of such a weapon, probably hyper advanced labs as well.

So I believe the Psions are 99% gone and so are most of their slaves, however important test subjects and hypercognitive scientists probably have survived and will be extremely motivated to use Dooms day weapons on everyone else... I wonder if this is how the thing that made VEGA a space trench (mentioned when Paul went there the first time, how some strange phenomenon distorts light and makes Vega appear closer than it really is) will become plot relevant.


Huh I just figured out that one of the civilizations Grayven 50 conquered was the Crown Imperium... I wonder if their empress was forced to be a consort to the New God of Conquest, to make their take over easier for Grayven and less bloody for the citizens of the Crown Imperium.
 
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No. Not just a couple of hours.

Consider that question until tomorrow.

Who had a motive?

Except all of the slaves they kept as test subjects. And all of their records on who they sold their stuff to and where any psion salespeople in the rest of the universe are. And all of the people who died during the attack.

Honestly, I've barely looked at that version of Starman. I'm going to say that this version of Oswin is satisfied with his current rate of advancement, though he might get 'Lord Protectory' if things don't keep going his way. Without his revolt a lot of things don't happen.

Yeah, I decided that retcon was too stupid to even consider including in this story. 'Man bad woman good' is really quite insulting to half our species. Psions 16 reproduce artificially as described when the Reengade visited their crèche.

Oh, he already knows about that. The Controllers are far happier giving him information than they are the Renegade.

You may want to think about that statement a little more.

and dont forget about the still-gestating/ recently-born children who hadnt been tortureindoctrinated yet, boss!

....TIAMAT. the Slaves, the tech, the archives, the un-indoctrinated minority- what a colossal WASTE- if they were capable of blowing through their defenses,and HOLDING the position long enough to melt the planet down to the mantle...... the individuals responsible, morality aside, were INCREDIBLY stupidly wasteful of a treasure trove of valuable resources-
and its the Kind of Statement that tends to make your enemies, and allies VERY nervous..
 
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Huh I just figured out that one of the civilizations Grayven 50 conquered was the Crown Imperium... I wonder if their empress was forced to be a consort to the New God of Conquest, to make their take over easier for Grayven and less bloody for the citizens of the Crown Imperium.
Actually, no. Grayven 50 built up a force of gordanians, settled them on an unoccupied world, named it 'New Gordane' after the gordanian home continent and built up from there. He actively avoided places like the Crown Imperium, and he had no particular reason to go back that way.
 
Actually, no. Grayven 50 built up a force of gordanians, settled them on an unoccupied world, named it 'New Gordane' after the gordanian home continent and built up from there. He actively avoided places like the Crown Imperium, and he had no particular reason to go back that way.


And the Crown Imperium isn't picking a fight with him? Seems odd to say the least.
 
... im wondering about the actual motivation/ defensive position of whoever is responsible, wither or not it was the Crown directly or indirectly- Glassing entire populated worlds tends to set a bad precedent, wither its via "conventional" weaponry or some exotic WMD-
it has a tendency to make the Neighborhood, and the Citizenry nervous- look at Tarkin's idiotic Doctrine- Arguably, DS-1 Mk 1's first "official" Full-power Shot was directly responsible for his nation disintegrating- they must either have....issues with long-term strategic planning, or be very confident about the security of their position, one way or another....
 

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