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

Hmmm, I am reminded of the bit in Cat Tales where Lois tells the Riddler (who kidnapped her out of frustration that Super Man wasn't playing along with his usual riddle game) that she actually finds being abducted relaxing and productive because she uses the time to compose her next article in her head.
 
I knock on the window of the Daily Planet office once again, and once again Ms Lane pointedly ignores me.

When I first did this, Planet staff looked around in alarm or flat out sprinted for cover. Now I've got a small crowd, and one of the braver souls took it upon herself to point me out to Ms Lane. She hasn't even looked up since she confirmed that I wasn't Superman.
I don't think she's in the mood for any superheroic stuff right now. Must be a busy news day.

Lex would have said something by now. I don't.. think I've done anything in particular to irritate her.

Ms Grant appears to be trying sign language again. And by sign language, I mean posing.
Dammit, Cat. Just because he's rich...

I knock again, and Mr White sticks his head out of the editor's office, takes one look at me and then shouts something. Ms Lane sighs, gets up and with clear reluctance heads my way. I

step out

and reappear in her chair.
Oh, I'm sure Eris would be enjoying this. If she could watch you properly...

"Good afternoon!"

She turns around with a frustrated exhalation. "You could have walked in the front door and you could have phased through the glass. Were you really that desperate to take my chair?"

I stand, step aside to ceremoniously return her chair to her, then sit in the air next to it.
Now that's a straw too far. Amazed she doesn't smack him one, but she probably knows it wouldn't hurt him.

"Hn."

She retakes her seat.
Yes, he does have that effect on people sometimes.:D

"Having a hard day?"

"I've got a deadline, an article to write and someone just knocked on a fifteenth floor window to get my attention. What is it? And it better not push my actual article to the second page again."

"I'm running a wargame for the Justice League."
"Dammit, what did I just say?!"

She looks at me blankly. "What, like, Napoleonic?"

"No, a.. training field exercise."

"God damn it." She sighs. "Do you ever feel that everyone focuses all their attention on the.. part of your work that's least important?"
One word, involving something delicious and moist. And no it's not dirty. [/phrasing!]

I smile a little too broadly. "Hey, remember when there use to be a drugs trade in Caracas? No, no, never mind. Yes, it was a very big cake."

She nods sympathetically. "So, what, you're here to give me the inside scoop?"

"No-." Huh. "Sort of. More… A front row-."
Yes, it's kind of polite to alert a prospective asset before they get involved.
Correction: 'there used to'

"You want to kidnap me."

"N-. No. Technically, I wouldn't be doing it." She shakes her head, breath hissing through her teeth. "I'm going for realism, and you have to admit, Superman's villains have a certain form when it comes to-."

"I know."
Ah. I shudder to imagine the Planet's insurance premiums...

"Also, it's just a possible thing. The idea is that the villainous party will be reacting to the League and vice versa. You and Mister Olsen are the obvious targets for anti-Superman distraction attacks, so I thought that I'd try and get your permission."

"So we're going to get kidnapped."

"Or killed-. Virtually, virtually killed. If you agree to take part. I'm striving to make this as authentic a supervillain experience as possible."
Better be real careful around Lois' mortality, OL. Supes tends to take it real bad... Injustice, the '79 movie, Kingdome Come...

"Are you kidnapping people?"

"No, that would compromise my objectivity. Also, if you consent in advance it isn't kidnapping. It's an unexpected holiday."

"You checked, did you?"
Dotting his 'i's and crossing his 't's.

"Yes. For every country on the planet with a coherent set of laws."

"Am I getting an actual holiday out of this?"

"I'm happy to offer my services as a transport vehicle whenever you like. I don't know where the villain team is planning on hiding any hostages they may take, because that would threaten my objectivity."
Also to prevent...

And risk Mr J'onzz or M'gann getting a look at it inside my head. M'gann's not technically part of this, but she could very well involve herself at his direction. She is a Manhunter, and a better telepath than him.

"So? Are you in?"
...That, yes. I bet the first thing Manhunter does is poke him telepathically, only to get a **Now, now, no cheating, sir** reply.

General Lane squints slightly.

"You are aware that I'm a general in the US army, right?"

"Yes, General. The uniform was a bit of a clue."
Please try not to annoy the person you're buttering up, OL...

"And you want to stage a supervillain attack in the middle of an army base. That's what you're telling me."

"Possibly, yes."

He shakes his head. "I don't think I'm going to be able to approve that."
I should think not...

"Won't it be a useful readiness test? I mean, I know that Hardcastle's gone-."

"And that didn't exactly make you any friends."

"Yes it did."
Can't fool Empathic Vision, after all.

"I wouldn't-."

"I'm an empath. It may be less precise than telepathy, but it has the advantage of bypassing the mental defence techniques US military officers get taught."
Ah, OL, probably not the best thing to say...

His face takes a turn for the stern.

"Get the hell out of my head."

"That's not.. how it-." I shake my head. "Look, you have preparedness drills, don't you?"
Yeah, he's failing these conversation checks. Time for a different tack.

"We don't use civilian contractors. And I doubt that you want whoever you've got playing the roll to get shot dead by the US army."

"Actually, that's fine."
Wait, what?
Correction: 'the role of'

He raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"We're using lifelike robots. Your people can shoot them as much as you want. The individual running the villain side knows that your rules of engagement are different to the ones the Justice league uses."

He looks a little interested.
Okay, now that worked. I guess the opportunity to shoot stuff with no risk is attractive.

"Are you serious?"

"They'll be using low lethality weapons themselves. It's possible that your people could get hurt in melee or by.. friendly fire. But it doesn't matter if any of the attackers get destroyed."
So, concussive guns, neural stunners or the like. Still, low-lethality doesn't mean harmless...

"Didn't you.. get a law passed-?"

"They're not intelligent enough to be covered."
So, the most basic operational programming. 'Go here', 'grab that' and the like?

"Okay." A frown, this time curious. "Can we buy these robots?"

"I'll ask, but probably not."

"Okay, yeah. This could have legs. Let me talk to a few people, then I'll get back to you."
I bet all he can think of is 'New toys for the US!'

Heh. This is getting amusing. The League is really going to be overwhelmed, aren't they?
 
I'm getting real excited for this arc.

Plus, I love Paul's "Hey, remember when there used to be a drugs trade in Caracas? No, no, never mind. Yes, it was a very big cake."

It's up there with Worm's "I kept peace in a city during a disaster, but they don't call me Taylor the Peacemaker! I made bullet-resistant costumes for the entire Protectorate but they don't call me Taylor the Tailor! I killed a God but they don't call me Taylor the Prophet! But you shoot ONE toddler!"
 
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You know in JLU cartoon US army did have robots. I think they were same type of robots that JL used for their training.

I mean we rail at status quo a lot but it appearently is not that bad. Between that and jet pack equipped Secret Service you can see advancement happens.
 
You know in JLU cartoon US army did have robots. I think they were same type of robots that JL used for their training.

I mean we rail at status quo a lot but it appearently is not that bad. Between that and jet pack equipped Secret Service you can see advancement happens.
The JLU cartoon verse is about an order of magnitude more advanced then the Young Justice universe.

And that was before Zoat decided to nerf the technology of Young Justice.
 
I'm getting real excited for this arc.

Plus, I love Paul's "Hey, remember when there used to be a drugs trade in Caracas? No, no, never mind. Yes, it was a very big cake."

It's up there with Worm's "I kept peace in a city during a disaster, but they don't call me Taylor the Peacemaker! I made bullet-resistant costumes for the entire Protectorate but they don't call me Taylor the Tailor! I killed a God but they don't call me Taylor the Prophet! But you shoot ONE toddler!"
Imagine how he feels when someone from the spider guild gets to earth and starts spreading the news...
 
Is... Is "I'm an empath." Paul's memetic catch phrase?

Sure he used to say "power rings are awesome" and (paraphrasing) "not technically against the law," but the empathy thing comes up in so many situations!

I'm not complaining. I'm happy on his behalf if is more proud of his enlightenment and his earned power than the original ring he got by chance. It is just a fun fact by this point.

Edit: oh and Happy Leap Year Day.
 
Whereas Gravy acted like an asshole, made Light 2.0 without his input and randomly stumbled over the hidden dialogue option to connvince Lex he was being paranoid, which is to say he didn't even try to persuade him but let Lex persuade himself.
Yeah, it's like how Snart is fine when he knows who's shooting at him but gets edgy when nothing happens because he feels it just means that there's a danger he can't see coming.

What to get OL for his next birthday just to mess with him...
lusciousnet_lusciousnet_1615481-arachne-rachnera_arachnera-j_1935494418.png
 
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That reminds me...

Whatever happened to that robot scientist that Paul orange lighted?

Last we saw him, red tornado had taken 'custody' of him and we got a really depressing chapter where the Doctor wasnt sure if he had emotions or even wants. He didnt know if he was doing things because he wanted to or doing things because Paul wanted him to be 'human' again. Pretty sure hes still there.
 
"Okay." A frown, this time curious. "Can we buy these robots?"

"I'll ask, but probably not."
Why the heck not? IRL companies that make training equipment for the Military, Police, and Civil Defense (including Paramedics and Firefighters) do very well for themselves. Could we make anatomically correct robots that Doctors and Paramedics can practice on before going on sapient people? (simulated responses only, of course) YES WE CAN!!!

Just think, a true live-fire exercise where the targets not only fire back, but can maneuver around and flank the soldiers training. Right now, the Army uses some nice "paint-marker" system that uses a (real) modified M-16. Give the robots and soldiers those and save a ton of money on OPFOR (opposition forces) and it would probably be safer. Or robots that Doctors can practice repairing arteries or even full transplant surgeries on. The possibilities are endless.

Earth-16 has just so many business opportunities suddenly spring up thanks to Paul. Only a fool would not be scrambling to start a company based off this tech.
 
Why the heck not? IRL companies that make training equipment for the Military, Police, and Civil Defense (including Paramedics and Firefighters) do very well for themselves. Could we make anatomically correct robots that Doctors and Paramedics can practice on before going on sapient people? (simulated responses only, of course) YES WE CAN!!!

Just think, a true live-fire exercise where the targets not only fire back, but can maneuver around and flank the soldiers training. Right now, the Army uses some nice "paint-marker" system that uses a (real) modified M-16. Give the robots and soldiers those and save a ton of money on OPFOR (opposition forces) and it would probably be safer. Or robots that Doctors can practice repairing arteries or even full transplant surgeries on. The possibilities are endless.

Earth-16 has just so many business opportunities suddenly spring up thanks to Paul. Only a fool would not be scrambling to start a company based off this tech.
Because they're made by the younger Sivana children. Do you think that they'll sell to anyone? Or that the US military would actually want to buy them once they found out where they came from?
 
Because they're made by the younger Sivana children. Do you think that they'll sell to anyone? Or that the US military would actually want to buy them once they found out where they came from?
Thats what front companies are for.

Heck, if Luthor can get away with degrees of separation, so could the Sivana children. Just in reverse (because Lex is not a proven criminal, and they are).

I was always under the impression that the Children did not care if others used the technology, JUST AS LONG as no one else tries to claim the credit. Heck, the positive benifits might get them to open up to the possibility of going legit. Earth's first off-world trading partner might be the Sivana's of Venus.
 
Something that I had been meaning to ask for a while, but keep forgetting: Are we ever going to see the trial of the British government in the renegade timeline - or did it already happen off screen? It was supposed to take place six months after the raid on the Caligula Club, which would be sometime in February or March in universe.
 
Something that I had been meaning to ask for a while, but keep forgetting: Are we ever going to see the trial of the British government in the renegade timeline - or did it already happen off screen? It was supposed to take place six months after the raid on the Caligula Club, which would be sometime in February or March in universe.
Already happened. Talbot gave some considerable thought to having them executed, then reluctantly decided that they should instead be given the punishment demanded by the law at the time they committed their crimes.
 
Already happened. Talbot gave some considerable thought to having them executed, then reluctantly decided that they should instead be given the punishment demanded by the law at the time they committed their crimes.
Wasn't ut already adressed that the crimes many of them committed already carried the Death Penalty which simply couldn't be carried out?
 
I meant this.
His left forefinger moves to his right ring finger, stroking his wedding ring and power ring in a single motion. "Joanie can watch from heaven as these bastards are tried, convicted and hanged."

"Reinstating the death penalty?"

"The British people have wanted the death penalty back since it was abolished. Never wanted it done away with, actually. And this mess will only cement that support. We can put the relevant legislation through in the Bill authorising the special trials."

"And the retroactive changing of the penalty for a crime that's already been committed."

"No, some crimes still carry the death penalty. It just can't be carried out." His eyes move to the boom tube. "You are certain that they can't kill themselves in there?"
 
I don't actually know whether that's true or not. I just remember it from a sitcom I watched many years ago where a character remarks that grave robbing and arson against naval dockyards still carry the death penalty. We have a lot of laws that aren't enforced but are still technically on the books, including one from a particularly unpleasant period of sectarian violence which bans parliament from bringing foreign laws into British law.
 
Quick question: AFAIK OL's power armor is proportioned sort of like this.
5BA81FAF27E58BD52895F8E82965E534638432AD

The lack of flexibility has been mentioned and it doesn't have a neck either yes?
 
Or that the US military would actually want to buy them once they found out where they came from?

Yes. They would want to buy them even if they were made by supervillains. That may actually increase their value in some eyes.

No, not to deploy or use them for any specific task. The US military couldn't trust the robots to function according to their commands if they knew they were made by supervillains.

They would be bought to be studied. For the US military to be able to create their own Robot Army or to better counteract robotic threats.

Of course, the younger Sivanas will probably say no for this very reason so it doesn't matter.
 
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Bended (part 5)
1st March
08:59 GMT +1


I look around at the reflective vistas all around us as my escort marches towards our destination.

"This is bloody amazing! How does it work?"

Mr McCullock glances back as we approach the rectangle which marks our exit point.

"I dinnae ken. Fandan who give it to me just gave me the instructions. I havnae clue what makes it work." I think he's frowning. His mask makes it hard to tell, and since we've come to terms I don't want to scan him. "Thought you knew all that stuff."

"I know that you don't have any outstanding warrants. I don't know exactly how Mister Scudder's equipment found its way into your keeping."

"I'll no be naming names." He walks up to the rectangle and gestures for me to pass through first. "But not everyone's keen on superheroes, ya ken?"

"Don't count on being let off a second time. I'm going to be siccing Batman on whoever it was after this is over."

He shrugs. "We parted ways a ways back anyways."

I nod, then step through the mirror. I try-. Ugh. No, it's no good. Whenever I do this I try to analyse exactly what's happening and the results make me feel unwell. The mirror surface sort of seems to stick to my skin, as if the mirrored universe is reluctant to allow me to switch back around. Looking back at the mirror from this side I can see the part of my body still on the other side clearly not connected to the part on this side, except… It is. I can feel it. There's no problem with my circulation, despite the fact that my blood should be moving in the other direction…

I'm sure there's an explanation but I've got no idea what it is.

"Get a move on."

I pull the rest of myself out of the mirror, gently nudge aside Georgia's drone scanner which is hovering in my face in order to scan my emergence, and turn to watch Mr McCullock emerge. Something he does with a good deal less fuss than me, before turning back to the mirror and firing his mirror gun at it. A ripple passes over the surface, and it turns from a portal back into a regular mirror.

"What?"

Georgia frowns as she pokes her remote control.

"That.. doesn't make…"

"Aye." Mr McCullock smirks at her frustration. "I didnae think-."

"Yes, yes. I'm sure that I'll crack it later." She puts the remote control down on the bench and looks him over. "Do you have a lot of experience with this sort of work?"

"A wee bit more than you, I reckon."

"I wouldn't be so-." / "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

Georgia looks at me.

"This is the man playing the role of chief henchman?"

"Yes."

"I could have built someone better."

"I'd be right peeved aff at that, but yer man's paying me not tae be."

"This isn't about creating an unwinnable scenario. It's about testing the League's ability to respond to a crisis. Mister-."

"Watch it. I'm on the clock, pal."

I don't roll my eyes. "Mirror Master is competent, ruthless, cunning, strategically manoeuvrable and for hire. He's exactly the sort of point man a villainous strategist might employ as a leading field operative. Minions couldn't be sure where he was at any one time, and hence would feel obliged to keep working rather than slacking off. And for this event, the fact that he needs certain types of environmental artefact to work encourages the League to pay attention to their environment."

"If you insist. This-."

I step forward and take hold of her right hand.

"Georgia, I'm always willing to listen to any feedback you have. If you-" She's blushing. "-really think-."

"Nono." She snatches her hand back. "I'm sure he's perfectly adequate. Follow me."

She leads the way out of the small and secure-looking room containing the freestanding mirror and out into one of the Sivanaplex's corridors. No feats of artistic expression here, I note. Just utilitarian corridors, armoured, warded, and with all sorts of deadly security devices built into the walls.

Thinking about it, this whole situation reminds me a little of what Mr Queen did during the One Year Later event in the comics. Concerned that he just wasn't good enough at the job, he took Mia and Conner to an island for a series of training sessions with some of the best instructors in the world. As they mastered their lessons they got better and better, but he himself was of the belief that it wouldn't be enough. So he invited an evil ninja to the island to train him. It was totally brutal and ended with the supervillain getting annoyed and calling in a small army to force Mr Queen to wise up.

Hopefully I'll be able to get away with something a little less extreme.

Georgia stops in front of one armoured vault door.

"Now, we have your mookbots in here."

She waves her hand at the access panel. It beeps, then the door clunks open. Inside, positioned on racking in poses which put me briefly in mind of the soldier droids from the Star Wars prequels, are what look like people at first glance. People in various forms of street clothing stuck on racking. Hostagebots, mookbots, bystanderbots and metabots, all of which are set to record the damage they take. All of which can be destroyed during the combat portions of this event, though obviously they shouldn't.

The point is that for the purpose of this exercise the League has to treat them as living, breathing humans-.

"How lifelike are they when they're active?"

Rather than answer me directly, Georgia walks over to the edge of the platform looking down on the mookracks. "Mookbot fourteen, activate and identify."

A mookbot near the front reaches back to unhook itself from the racking and falls-. Falls into a crouch, changing its general attitude on the way down from 'automaton' to 'humanlike'. It then straightens up and strolls down the gangway between the racks towards us.

"Yo, boss-lady. Wassap?"

The mookbot lazily waves with its right arm. Good quality synthetic flesh-.

"That's synthetic flesh, right?"

"Yes, of course it is. It's far easier to work with than cloned organic tissue, and I want to be able to reuse these if they survive the tests."

"How does the AI do on Turing tests?"

"As well as most humans, but don't worry; they're using predictive systems rather than building schematic systems themselves."

"W-."

"Yes, Junior has already made the joke about most humans doing that as well. But these don't have a-."

"Don't choo talk 'bout me like I'm not here, bitch."

Georgia rolls her eyes. "Mookbot fourteen, return to racking and deactivate."

It loses its human-seeming pose immediately, and heads back to its station.

"Looking good, then. And the portable GM units?"

"All ready to go."

"And the end boss?"

"Junior's working on it now."

She leads us back out of the mook storage area, down the corridor and to another locked door. She tries raising her hand to open it, but nothing happens.

"Ju-nior!"

"Hang-. Hang on a-. There!"

The door clanks open and I smile as I see the outcome of their work.

I nod at Thaddeus as he throws the switch. This should be… Interesting.
 
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