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

Kurai · Thursday at 2:40 PM

Chojin Patriarch said:
From context... A shadoen traitor who works with the good guys? Or at least close enough for the cyclops to aggro on her. That or someone strong enough to fight it hand-to-hand...

Nema is Agent Fitzpatrick's partner, as competent as he is goofy (though to be fair, he is quite competent himself), and generally has the same relationship that Sh'lainn does with Nick Logan, at least in terms of snarky banter. I suspect Paul is hoping that she's available to run herd (or common sense checks) on this idea of his.

An interesting idea, and it might have worked - but the unintended consequences are perfectly in line with the way Fitz's plans go, or the series in general, really. So, well done - and thank you!

Frozen20XX · Thursday at 3:35 PM

Mr Zoat said:
The reason I and every other fanfic writer whose work I've read assumed that she ascended in her home village is so that Celestia keeping it quiet makes any sense at all.

Did Celestia keep it quiet? For all we know, Celestia said "it was [Cadance]'s destiny to become an alicorn" and that's why she became an alicorn (because to me it almost read as if Celestia herself can trigger an alicorn transformation). But yes, it is weird that Cadance becoming the pony equivalent to a demigod went relatively under the rug.

Mr Zoat · Thursday at 4:52 PM

Frozen20XX said:
Did Celestia keep it quiet? For all we know, Celestia said "it was [Cadance]'s destiny to become an alicorn" and that's why she became an alicorn (because to me it almost read as if Celestia herself can trigger an alicorn transformation). But yes, it is weird that Cadance becoming the pony equivalent to a demigod went relatively under the rug.

Things don't just 'go' under the rug. They have to be swept there. Otherwise they're just flying under the radar.

If the general view in Canterlot is that Celestia can make other ponies alicorns... Then Sunset's outburst starts to look a lot more reasonable. Not 'I'm owed this because I'm amazing' but rather 'you gave this to her but not to me, why not'. And if Celestia tries to obscure what happened and gave everyone the wrong idea, then that's firmly her fault.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-29T06:17:53+0100

15th August 2000
12:41 GMT

"Sirs?"

"Guess.. that's Benandonner then. Well, okay, guess you can just-"

"One-"

Small leap, let the shot go past me now that I'm on level ground.

"-second!"

And it does but from behind as the new cyclops takes a shot!

"-get outta there."

Wait. The shadoen were happy using biotechnology, but they didn't just use biotechnology. Their ships were recognisable, if more advanced than anything Earth had seen before. That second cyclops… It's… Patched up with shadoen technology.

"Not sure I can, sir."

I make my meat container scrabble away from both of the giant robots as fast as I can. It could be a problem if the pure titani cyclops stops to consider why a cyclops rebuilt by the shadoen would shoot at a shadoen, but if they'd just start shooting at each other-.

The shadoen model raises its hands, burning red beams blasting from each of them and… Hitting first cyclops directly in the chest.

"Okay, that was underground for thousands of years." Senior Agent Fitzsimmons sounds puzzled. "How come they didn't destroy each other back then?"

"The myth don't say one killed the other. In some versions, Fionn mac Cumhaill tricked Benandonner int' runnin' awey instead."

Cyclops 1 takes a shot at me, but aborts it rather than swinging the beam at me. It then gives the other cyclops its full attention and starts marching closer.

"Sirs? What do you want me doing?"

"He's your sidekick, Sh'lainn."

"Oi'm t'inkin' about it."

A beam from Cyclops 1 hits Cyclops 2 in the shoulder, causing it to stumble back slightly. Cyclops 2 then returns fire with its undamaged arm, hitting Cyclops 1 in the chest. I can see the armour melt and crack where it hit.

"Sir, might I suggest that I wait for one to win and then finish them off? Perhaps keep things balanced?"

Cyclops 1 takes a shot again, hitting the same arm as the first shot. The armour is visibly molten now, the material making up its muscles increasingly visible beneath. Cyclops 2 charges its other hand to fire again, only for the lower eye of Cyclops 1 to shoot the charging aperture and cause a misfire. Electricity arcs around that arm, Cyclops 2's head dipping down for a moment to examine itself.

And then it looks up and charges!

The first two steps are awkward, clumsy, almost like it's falling. But once it gets some momentum it stabilises, bounding-

Cyclops 1 tries to shoot it in the leg it's balanced on but misses with its upper eye. The lower eye hits and makes it stagger, but Cyclops 2 recovers as its second leg goes down-.

Its armour is regenerating, techno-organic plates sliding into place over the wounds.

I take aim, a green target reticle appearing in my field of view. Targeting the weakened part of Cyclops 2's arm I fire. A hit, and the arm parts company with the torso and falls to the ground.

"If they're jus' here t' fight each other, why don't y' use yer ring?"

That's… Not a terrible point. But…

"Because they might be sending reports back to a central computer, and I don't want titani artefacts in general to register me as an enemy."

Cyclops 2's torso undulates, plates of something that looks like shadoen carapace extruding through the outer armour around the torso. It pulls its remaining arm back, letting the new armour soak the incoming eye blast.

"What titani artefacts?"

"Whatever artefacts there are that we don't know about."

"Yer Master fought it alongside my mother."

"I'm a little taller than him. Sir, if you're trying to give me an order-."

"No skin off my back if y'don't use it."

"Sir, your senior rank isn't just an official permission to give me orders. It's an outward sign of your experience and proven judgement. If it is your view that I should use the ring, then I will do so. This isn't an ego contest. I trust your judgement, and will take no umbrage."

But in the meantime, I aim at the first cyclops, right on the chest where the second one hit it. I need to move position to get an angle, but I think-.

The first cyclops ceases its advance and takes a step to the side as the crab-shelled shadoen model enters melee ranges and slashes with its claw! The first awkwardly raises its hands but it clearly wasn't programmed with close combat in mind. The claw sinks into the torso, cutting through the armour and into the interior mechanisms, the light in its lower eye fading immediately as.. some sort of interior liquid begins dripping out of the wound. The claw appears to be stuck however, and Cyclops 2's efforts to remove it are met with failure as Cyclops 1 charges its remaining eye.

At the last moment Cyclops 2 tries to twist out of the way, throwing its whole body into the action. It turns a point blank shot into a partial hit, the beam burning through the side of Cyclops 2's head and out the back!

Alright, target the breach in Cyclops 1's armour and fire. Hit! And Cyclops 1's eye flickers as it tries to line up a second shot, something in its internal mechanisms failing. Good. And now run across the landscape, trying to draw a bead on the gap in Cyclops 2's head. It'll take a few moments to get into position, but as long as it doesn't-.

Explosions erupt from the robots! I stumble to a halt, trying to work out where they-. Overhead. Three F-14s, each with an empty wing hardpoint where an air-to-ground missile used to be. There's a second flight incoming from the south, this one comprised of Harriers. The first three are showing American markings while the second are British. I see the moment the British planes release their missiles, all hitting Cyclops 2 in the side of its torso a moment later.

"Sirs? Did we request assistance from the military?"

"No." Senior Agent Fitzsimmons sounds just as confused as I feel. "We told the British and Irish governments what was happening. Guess they decided to join in. Without telling us. Ah, is it working?"

Examining their structures…

"A bit? I-."

Cyclops 2 points its remaining arm at the departing Harriers-.

Aim and fire!

My plasma bolt hits him just as it's about to fire, breaking its containment field at the optimal moment and causing a blowback which wrecks the forearm! Now aim at Cyclops 1's chest wound, which.. does appear to have been made worse by the missile impacts-.

Cyclops 1 manages to get enough power to its weapon capacitors to fire another shot into Cyclops 2's cranial cavity. Cyclops 2 goes limp almost immediately, collapsing to the ground. And then I fire, my plasma beam boring into Cyclops 1's chest and knocking it to the ground.

I wait for a moment, but there's no further activity-.

Then the planes hit it with missiles again.

I wince inside my shadoen-meat-covered frame. "Sir, this feels like it's about to become an inter-agency mess."

"Sure does! But don't worry. I'm proud to say that out of the thirty seven inter-agency sausage-measuring contests I've caused, I've come out ahead in twenty three! You just head back to the starting line and hand that thing over to the bio-containment team and leave this mess-" He points his right thumb at his chest. "-to me!"

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-08-29T07:14:50+0100

Mr Zoat said:
15th August 2000
12:41 GMT

"Sirs?"

"Guess.. that's Benandonner then. Well, okay, guess you can just-"

Makes sense. I guess? Still a two-on-one, unless the old myths were more accurate than first thought and these two don't get along. Still a bit of a godzilla threshold situation. We'll see in a moment, I guess.

"One-"

Small leap, let the shot go past me now that I'm on level ground.

And a giant leap for Shadoen cosplay.

"-second!"

And it does but from behind as the new cyclops takes a shot!

Well, at least Sh'lainn's predictions are accurate timing-wise.

"-get outta there."

Wait. The shadoen were happy using biotechnology, but they didn't just use biotechnology. Their ships were recognisable, if more advanced than anything Earth had seen before. That second cyclops… It's… Patched up with shadoen technology.

Huh. wonder if it was subverted, corrupted or just tried to perform field-repairs?

"Not sure I can, sir."

I make my meat container scrabble away from both of the giant robots as fast as I can. It could be a problem if the pure titani cyclops stops to consider why a cyclops rebuilt by the shadoen would shoot at a shadoen, but if they'd just start shooting at each other-.

If the old myth holds true, they'll do just that.

The shadoen model raises its hands, burning red beams blasting from each of them and… Hitting first cyclops directly in the chest.

"Okay, that was underground for thousands of years." Senior Agent Fitzsimmons sounds puzzled. "How come they didn't destroy each other back then?"

Not the best time to be asking that question, Fitzy. Shoot first, ask questions later.

"The myth don't say one killed the other. In some versions, Fionn mac Cumhaill tricked Benandonner int' runnin' awey instead."

Cyclops 1 takes a shot at me, but aborts it rather than swinging the beam at me. It then gives the other cyclops its full attention and starts marching closer.

Presumably the corrupted one ran, buried itself and went into a self-repair hibernation until the other came looking.

"Sirs? What do you want me doing?"

"He's your sidekick, Sh'lainn."

Oh, yes. As if this makes any more sense to her? Her mother was the expert.

"Oi'm t'inkin' about it."

A beam from Cyclops 1 hits Cyclops 2 in the shoulder, causing it to stumble back slightly. Cyclops 2 then returns fire with its undamaged arm, hitting Cyclops 1 in the chest. I can see the armour melt and crack where it hit.

"Sir, might I suggest that I wait for one to win and then finish them off? Perhaps keep things balanced?"

Definitely a case of 'Let them fight', all right. And a careful shot her and there to avoid pulling aggro.

Cyclops 1 takes a shot again, hitting the same arm as the first shot. The armour is visibly molten now, the material making up its muscles increasingly visible beneath. Cyclops 2 charges its other hand to fire again, only for the lower eye of Cyclops 1 to shoot the charging aperture and cause a misfire. Electricity arms around that arm, Cyclops 2's head dipping down for a moment to examine itself.

Well, that's one weapon down, out of a minimum of three...

And then it looks up and charges!

The first two steps are awkward, clumsy, almost like it's falling. But once it gets some momentum it stabilises, bounding-

Given their size, any quick movement is more like a controlled trip.

Cyclops 1 tries to shoot it in the leg it's balanced on but misses with its upper eye. The lower eye hits and makes it stagger, but Cyclops 2 recovers as its second leg goes down-.

It's armour is regenerating, techno-organic plates sliding into place over the wounds.

A side-effect of the Shadoen parts, I would assume. GK Better keep his distance in case it jumps to his puppet.

I take aim, a green target reticle appearing in my field of view. Targeting the weakened part of Cyclops 2's arm I fire. A hit, and the arm parts company with the torso and falls to the ground.

"If they're jus' here t' fight each other, why don't y' use yer ring?"

Carving bits off here and there is probably the safest option. Who knows how the corrupted one will react?

That's… Not a terrible point. But…

"Because they might be sending reports back to a central computer, and I don't want titani artefacts in general to register me as an enemy."

Bit of a stretch, but a reasonable plan. Don't show any card you don't have to.

Cyclops 2's torso undulates, plates of something that looks like shadoen carapace extruding through the outer armour around the torso. It pulls its remaining arm back, letting the new armour soak the incoming eye blast.

"What titani artefacts?"

Second one's still down an arm, so that's a solid win, and the first one can burn the armour away given time.

"Whatever artefacts there are that we don't know about."

"Yer Master fought it alongside my mother."

Also a good point. The first cyclops certainly remembered 'you'.

"I'm a little taller than him. Sir, if you're trying to give me an order-."

"No skin off my back if y'don't use it."

Sh'lainn isn't really used to providing leadership, is she?

"Sir, your senior rank isn't just an official permission to give me orders. It's an outward sign of your experience and proven judgement. If it is your view that I should use the ring, then I will do so. This isn't an ego contest. I trust your judgement, and will take no umbrage."

But in the meantime, I aim at the first cyclops, right on the chest where the second one hit it. I need to move position to get an angle, but I think-.

Hopefully they're more aggressive to each other than they are to you.

The first cyclops ceases its advance and takes a step to the side as the crab-shelled shadoen model enter melee ranges and slashes with its claw! The first awkwardly raises its hands but it clearly wasn't programmed with close combat in mind. The claw sinks into the torso, cutting through the armour and into the interior mechanisms, the light in it's lower eye fading immediately as.. some sort of interior liquid begins dripping out of the wound. The claw appears to be stuck however, and Cyclops 2's efforts to remove it are met with failure as Cyclops 1 charges its remaining eye.

Ah, one oversight of a ranged-focused build. At least the first one's primary weapon is offline...

At the last moment Cyclops 2 tries to twist out of the way, throwing its whole body into the action. It turns a point blank shot into a partial hit, the beam burning through the side of Cyclops 2's head and out the back!

Alright, target the breach in Cyclops 1's armour and fire. Hit! And Cyclops 1's eye flickers as it tries to line up a second shot, something in its internal mechanisms failing. Good. And now run across the landscape, trying to draw a bead on the gap in Cyclops 2's head. It'll take a few moments to get into position, but as long as it doesn't-.

Not a critical injury, from the sounds of it. Guess they keep their thinking parts tucked away somewhere safe.

Explosions erupt from the robots! I stumble to a halt, trying to work out where they-. Overhead. Three F-35s, each with an empty wing hardpoint where an air-to-ground missile used to be. There's a second flight incoming from the south, this one comprised of Harriers. The first three are showing American markings while the second are British. I see the moment the British planes release their missiles, all hitting Cyclops 2 in the side of its torso a moment later.

Huh. Combined effort. I'm guessing the former are from a nearby American airbase, while the other are Royal ~~Navy~~ Air Force.

"Sirs? Did we request assistance from the military?"

"No." Senior Agent Fitzsimmons sounds just as confused as I feel. "We told the British and Irish governments what was happening. Guess they decided to join in. Without telling us. Ah, is it working?"

Could be a worry in future, if they keep jumping in boots-first into delicate situations. This time, it worked, but...

Examining their structures…

"A bit? I-."

Most of the blast would just scorch and scar the armour, I expect. Some concussive force would hit the internals, and any open wounds would be worsened...

Cyclops 2 points its remaining arm at the departing Harriers-.

Aim and fire!

Yeah, bad show to let the brave human pilots cop a packet from the big guys.

My plasma bolt hits him just as it's about to fire, breaking its containment field at the optimal moment and causing a blowback which wrecks the forearm! Now aim at Cyclops 1's chest wound, which.. does appear to have been made worse by the missile impacts-.

Cyclops 1 manages to get enough power to its weapon capacitors to fire another shot into Cyclops 2's cranial cavity. Cyclops 2 goes limp almost immediately, collapsing to the ground. And then I fire, my plasma beam boring into Cyclops 1's chest and knocking it to the ground.

Okay, one down and the other hurting bad. Looks like this fight is done.

I wait for a moment, but there's no further activity-.

Then the planes hit it with missiles again.

I wince inside my shadoen-meat-covered frame. "Sir, this feel like it's about to become an inter-agency mess."

On the upside, it's KO'd. On the downside, I doubt there's much left to examine of either of them.

"Sure does! But don't worry. I'm proud to say that out of the thirty seven inter-agency sausage-measuring contests I've caused, I've come out ahead in twenty three! You just head back to the starting line and hand that thing over to the bio-containment team and leave this mess-" He points his right thumb at his chest. "-to me!"

Sixty-six-ish percent win-rate isn't too bad? Better him than the juniors, at least.

I suppose the air support ended the fight a lot quicker than it would have otherwise, even if it did a number on the local scenery. Interesting that the second 'bot was modified or corrupted or whatever it was. Makes the legend make more sense now, though you have to wonder how it came to be in that state. Pity they'll likely never know...

Darko · 2025-08-29T07:17:35+0100

Mr Zoat said:
shadoen model enter melee

"enters"

GhostKing 666 · 2025-08-29T07:44:33+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Overhead. Three F-35s,

Wait... F-35's? In August 2000?! The Lockhead Martin X-35 JSF is still 70 days away from its first flight. The F-35 straight up doesn't enter service until 2015. Did you mean the F-14?

Agumentic · 2025-08-29T07:58:27+0100

GhostKing 666 said:
Wait... F-35's? In August 2000?! The Lockhead Martin X-35 JSF is still 70 days away from its first flight. The F-35 straight up doesn't enter service until 2015. Did you mean the F-14?

Wouldn't it be F-18s? Maybe Super Hornets if the whole alien thing moved the production up a bit.

BR549 · 2025-08-29T08:13:05+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Huh. Combined effort. I'm guessing the former are from a nearby American airbase, while the other are Royal Navy.

Royal Navy would be Sea Harriers, and being British, Paul would know the difference - plus the SHAR (despite the upgraded version officially being Sea Harrier FA.2) was primarily an air-defense bird. These are almost certainly Royal Air Force Harrier GR.7s.

Mr Zoat said:
Explosions erupt from the robots! I stumble to a halt, trying to work out where they-. Overhead. Three F-35s, each with an empty wing hardpoint where an air-to-ground missile used to be.

I was going to muse that F-35s carry internal weapons, but no, they can carry external hardpoints when stealth isn't a concern - which it certainly wouldn't be here.
However, there's a bigger problem...

GhostKing 666 said:
Wait... F-35's? In August 2000?! The Lockhead Martin X-35 JSF is still 70 days away from its first flight. The F-35 straight up doesn't enter service until 2015.

...as mentioned, the JSF flyoff didn't produce a flying X-35 until 2000, and the F-35 didn't fly until 2006. Even allowing for 'there's aliens we might have to fight' extengincies accelerating its development more than in the 'interlude in the Cold War' OTL, that's more than just a little early. I'd suggest these are probably F-15E Strike Eagles, since RAF Lakenheath is a USAFE base.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-29T09:36:11+0100

Darko said:
"enters"

Thank you, corrected.

GhostKing 666 said:
Wait... F-35's? In August 2000?! The Lockhead Martin X-35 JSF is still 70 days away from its first flight. The F-35 straight up doesn't enter service until 2015. Did you mean the F-14?

I'm not sure. There's just been an alien invasion, so I suspect that a lot of money just got thrown at defence contractors and that might have brought things forwards. But I'll change it.

BR549 said:
Royal Navy would be Sea Harriers, and being British, Paul would know the difference

That's a rather big assuption you're making there.

Agumentic said:
Wouldn't it be F-18s? Maybe Super Hornets if the whole alien thing moved the production up a bit.

How about you people who know about aircraft talk amongst yourselves and let me know when you have a conclusion?

Duke Long · 2025-08-29T11:04:49+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Cyclops 1 takes a shot again, hitting the same arm as the first shot. The armour is visibly molten now, the material making up its muscles increasingly visible beneath. Cyclops 2 charges its other hand to fire again, only for the lower eye of Cyclops 1 to shoot the charging aperture and cause a misfire. Electricity arms around that arm, Cyclops 2's head dipping down for a moment to examine itself.

'arcs'?

Mr Zoat said:
It's armour is regenerating, techno-organic plates sliding into place over the wounds.

'Its'

Mr Zoat said:
The first cyclops ceases its advance and takes a step to the side as the crab-shelled shadoen model enters melee ranges and slashes with its claw! The first awkwardly raises its hands but it clearly wasn't programmed with close combat in mind. The claw sinks into the torso, cutting through the armour and into the interior mechanisms, the light in it's lower eye fading immediately as.. some sort of interior liquid begins dripping out of the wound. The claw appears to be stuck however, and Cyclops 2's efforts to remove it are met with failure as Cyclops 1 charges its remaining eye.

'its'

Mr Zoat said:
I wince inside my shadoen-meat-covered frame. "Sir, this feel like it's about to become an inter-agency mess."

'feels'

Kurai · 2025-08-29T11:20:56+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Sh'lainn isn't really used to providing leadership, is she?

No - as her very brief span as Queen of the Banshees demonstrated . . .

In all seriousness, though, while her age is never elaborated on, it's implied that she's quite young, for a Banshee; I've always assumed that she's equivalent to being in her early twenties. Which means this really isn't the sort of role she's trained or prepared for, never mind the interspecies aspects. And she's used to following Nick's lead on this sort of thing, or being a solo act.

But yes, I agree: the middle of a fight is not the place to be asking questions of tactics or in Paul's case, philosophising. Our enlightened orange friend can get away with that due to raw power and a few tricks, but the green squire might find himself in trouble if he doesn't break that habit . . .

And to Mr. Zoat - I imagine that the fallout will be something to see here, and despite my above observation, I do appreciate Sh'lainn's point to see more Lantern action in the Lantern fic. It was nicely done, all around. Thank you for your efforts!

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-29T12:29:38+0100

Duke Long said:
'arcs'?
'Its'
'its'
'feels'

Thank you, corrected.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-29T13:20:34+0100

Mr Zoat said:
other again as soon as they would rearm!

Correct this when I get home.

Dur'id the Druid · 2025-08-29T13:57:46+0100

GhostKing 666 said:
Wait... F-35's? In August 2000?! The Lockhead Martin X-35 JSF is still 70 days away from its first flight. The F-35 straight up doesn't enter service until 2015. Did you mean the F-14?

This is why I don't use generic 'fighter jet' descriptions instead of model numbers in stories. Same with guns. The military nuts will pick up on mistakes and like this and ruin immersion.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-29T14:29:47+0100

Dur'id the Druid said:
This is why I don't use generic 'fighter jet' descriptions instead of model numbers in stories. Same with guns. The military nuts will pick up on mistakes and like this and ruin immersion.

Did you mean 'this is why I use'?

Dur'id the Druid · 2025-08-29T14:58:19+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Did you mean 'this is why I use'?

Yes. Need coffee, and food.

GhostKing 666 · 2025-08-30T06:50:12+0100

Mr Zoat said:
I'm not sure. There's just been an alien invasion, so I suspect that a lot of money just got thrown at defence contractors and that might have brought things forwards. But I'll change it.

It's not really a money thing; the Joint Strike Fighter program was already started up, the test planes being built. The issue is that the X-35, the test plane that develops into the F-35 doesn't have its first flight until October 24, 2000(and its competitor, the Boeing X-32 doesn't have its first flight until September 18, 2000). Any acceleration happening simply means that the testing part of the JSF program would be underway to choose which one gets the contract.

But going from the test flight competition to actual finished mass production is a process of years no matter how much money you throw at it(and the F-35 had a lot of money thrown at it thanks to all the cost overruns). It's simply way too early for F-35s to show up.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-30T07:03:43+0100

23rd July 2013
11:51 GMT

Damn it.

"So Vandal Savage has been using this ship to pootle around the universe, but this time it's just a team of fishmen."

The holographic projections blinks. "'Pootle'?"

"'Move in a leisurely manner on a trivial journey'."

The hologram nods. "I'm not exactly sure about that. He's had my main computer locked out of just about everything it wasn't hardwired into. Once I stopped talking to him he didn't seem so worried about it."

Roy turns away from his examination of the ship to look at him. "So are you a copy of Theodore Knight, or just a very intelligent system, or what?"

"And there's a slight disconnect between the decoration and any computer system advanced enough for 'hardwired' to have meaning. What's going on with that?"

The hologram looks thoughtful. "I'm not exactly sure how intelligent I am. I was supposed to be an natural language interface, but Vandal Savage integrated a Mother Box into the ship's control systems-"

Which explains how they got here.

"-and I think… I've gotten more mentally complex since then."

"Right. We're gunna need to-" Roy glances at me. "-check that?"

Dr. Knight looks puzzled. "What for?"

"America passed a fairly large pro-A.I. rights Bill a few years ago. Anything that looks like treating a mentally sophisticated A.I. as a slave is very illegal."

"Treating a mentally sophisticated human as a slave is pretty darn illegal too."

"Yes, but it's easier to get away with doing it to something that looks like a mainframe. That's why enforcement is enthusiastic."

"I guess that makes sense. As for the ship, well, most of it was designed and built by a fellow named Herman Moll back in Eighteen Ninety Nine."

I boggle, blinking rapidly. "Eighteen-?"

"I was impressed when The Shade showed it to me."

"Wait. You-you, or the original Theodore Knight."

"Heh." He nods. "The original. He added a cosmic converter, and a few other systems once the space program started up. It flies like a dream."

"I'm glad to hear it. Do you know what the fishmen are here for?"

The hologram shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but until just now I could only see what happened inside the hull, and they didn't talk much while they were in here."

"Can you send them a distress signal?"

"I might be able to use ship's Mother Box to 'ping' their communicators, but that doesn't guarantee that they'll come back here. They might just make a boom tube and walk away."

"Wouldn't that annoy Savage?"

Roy grins. "Hah!"

"Something funny?"

"Yeah, we were-" Roy nods. "-talking about whether or not you need a ship if you've got a way to travel faster than light without one."

I smile faintly. "I suppose that Savage likes travelling in style. Chance that the fishmen are something to do with the earthquake that started off the coast?"

Roy shakes his head. "No bet. Should we call in Arisia and Donna?"

I shrug, looking at the hologram. "Did the fishmen show any sort of superhuman abilities?"

"One had wings, which is pretty unusual for a fish. They looked strong, but other than that I couldn't tell. Oh, and one had a surfboard."

"A fish with a surfboard." He nods. "I'm… Going to go out on a limb and suggest that Savage isn't sending his best. I'll send the others a message, but I think we can handle this."

"Is this armor watertight?"

"Oh, yes, completely."

"And the flight system-."

"Works fine underwater, yes. Your positron ray will as well."

"But plasma and laser won't. Well, how about we try luring them out, then follow them underwater if they…" He grins. "Don't take the bait." I don't grin. "What?"

"I'm being oversensitive. It's just… I just feel a bit uncomfortable about making fish puns with fishmen."

"Will said that you jumped to your feet every time the British anthem came on that time him and Artemis rigged up the Mountain's tannoy system."

"I did, and that's fine, I can make jokes about myself. But… I know plenty of Atlanteans, and-."

"Okay. Okay, I get it."

"I mean, if you're fine with it then I can make jokes about you..?"

"The bow, the armor or the red hair?"

"Your choice."

"Surprise me."

I nod. "Will do. Doctor Knight, please send the alert. Arsenal, please take Mantis and the serpent fellow-"

"Sserpa."

"-to-. Really?" Roy nods. "Well, if he can make fun of it, maybe it is alright. Take them into a concealed position on the side of the ship away from the sea. I'll be in the air. We give them… Half an hour? And if they haven't-"

"Taken the-."

"-turned up, we'll go looking for them."

"Got it. Hey, Doc? You know where Savage has been hiding out?"

"Sorry. Like I said, I only had awareness of the inside of the ship. I couldn't see out."

"And… Would you be okay working with me once this is over? I've always wanted a spaceship."

"I dunno. What's in it for me?"

"Everyone knows that you're the first ever human spaceship? You get to be a superhero again? And I can build some sort of module if you want to move around outside."

"Who can make a module?"

"That sounds like something I could live with. Now go get ready, and I'll send the signal."

Darko · 2025-08-30T07:13:56+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"So Vandal Savage has been using this ship to pootle around the universe, but this time it's just a team of fishmen

Well so much for potentially getting to permanently kill him.

And I'm guessing the fishmen are the Deep Six.

Mr Zoat said:
America passed a fairly large pro-A.I. rights Bill a few years ago. Anything that looks like treating a mentally sophisticated A.I. as a slave is very illegal."

That's just a very small sin compared to everything else Savage has done.

Mr Zoat said:
"I guess that makes sense. As for the ship, well, most of it was designed and built by a fellow named Herman Moll back in Eighteen Ninety Nine."

I boggle, blinking rapidly. "Eighteen

I remember that Paul was pissed that Knight's tech was overlooked.

Now he's gonna be really pissed.

Mr Zoat said:
I smile faintly. "I suppose that Savage likes travelling in style

Or he thought that it's wise to have different methods of travel.

Mr Zoat said:
Chance that the fishmen are

"Chances"

Mr Zoat said:
"Will said that you jumped to your feet every time the British anthem came on that time him and Artemis rigged up the Mountain's tannoy system

It's part of his British nature.

That and stealing things.

Mr Zoat said:
"I mean, if you're fine with it then I can make jokes about you..?"

"The bow, the armor or the red hair

Soulless ginger.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-08-30T08:12:27+0100

Mr Zoat said:
23rd July 2013
11:51 GMT

Damn it.

"So Vandal Savage has been using this ship to pootle around the universe, but this time it's just a team of fishmen."

'Fishmen'? Hmm, like @Darko suggested, it's probably the Deep Six, an Apokoliptian underwater combat force. Safe bet they're involved with something about the Old God... This is turning positively Lovecraftian.

Minus the rampant racism, though.

The holographic projections blinks. "'Pootle'?"

"'Move in a leisurely manner on a trivial journey'."

Some British slang is very strange.

The hologram nods. "I'm not exactly sure about that. He's had my main computer locked out of just about everything it wasn't hardwired into. Once I stopped talking to him he didn't seem so worried about it."

Roy turns away from his examination of the ship to look at him. "So are you a copy of Theodore Knight, or just a very intelligent system, or what?"

A good question. He's complex enough to be able to take independent action and speak without prompting. Both solid signs of Synthetic intelligence rather than a super-chat-bot.

"And there's a slight disconnect between the decoration and any computer system advanced enough for 'hardwired' to have meaning. What's going on with that?"

The hologram looks thoughtful. "I'm not exactly sure how intelligent I am. I was supposed to be an natural language interface, but Vandal Savage integrated a Mother Box into the ship's control systems-"

Huh. The strange things you encounter dealing with Earth Bullshit™...

Which explains how they got here.

"-and I think… I've gotten more mentally complex since then."

Not surprised. Earth technology really is crazy.

"Right. We're gunna need to-" Roy glances at me. "-check that?"

Dr. Knight looks puzzled. "What for?"

"America passed a fairly large pro-A.I. rights Bill a few years ago. Anything that looks like treating a mentally sophisticated A.I. as a slave is very illegal."

One more charge for the rap sheet of Vandal Savage.

"Treating a mentally sophisticated human as a slave is pretty darn illegal too."

"Yes, but it's easier to get away with doing it to something that looks like a mainframe. That's why enforcement is enthusiastic."

And putting a more human face on it makes that harder. Preferably realistically human, or cute-robot enough not to trigger the uncanny valley. Hence Teddy's projection here.

"I guess that makes sense. As for the ship, well, most of it was designed and built by a fellow named Herman Moll back in Eighteen Ninety Nine."

I boggle, blinking rapidly. "Eighteen-?"

...Okay, I did not know that. Or forgot it (it was a long time ago that I read the Starman comics.) Okay, as seen in Starman Vol2, #54. No summary there, but apparently it ended poorly for Herman. His cousins had him committed to an insane asylum because ~~of his claims about the ship~~. shock from seeing his would-be assassin killed in front of him. (I stand corrected...)

"I was impressed when The Shade showed it to me."

"Wait. You-you, or the original Theodore Knight."

If Teddy's a sort of memory engram, then kind of both. I don't doubt Ted was smart enough to make a device to copy his memories into a computer... Somehow.

"Heh." He nods. "The original. He added a cosmic converter, and a few other systems once the space program started up. It flies like a dream."

"I'm glad to hear it. Do you know what the fishmen are here for?"

Sadly, no time to reminisce. Danger calls loudly.

The hologram shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but until just now I could only see what happened inside the hull, and they didn't talk much while they were in here."

"Can you send them a distress signal?"

What, to draw them back here to capture?

"I might be able to use ship's Mother Box to 'ping' their communicators, but that doesn't guarantee that they'll come back here. They might just make a boom tube and walk away."

"Wouldn't that annoy Savage?"

Somehow, I don't think Savage is entirely in charge of this situation.

Roy grins. "Hah!"

"Something funny?"

"Yeah, we were-" Roy nods. "-talking about whether or not you need a ship if you've got a way to travel faster than light without one."

...Honestly, with that Mother Box wired into the system... The ship could travel that way.

I smile faintly. "I suppose that Savage likes travelling in style. Chance that the fishmen are something to do with the earthquake that started off the coast?"

Roy shakes his head. "No bet. Should we call in Arisia and Donna?"

Better to leave them keeping Supertown from going nuts.

I shrug, looking at the hologram. "Did the fishmen show any sort of superhuman abilities?"

"One had wings, which is pretty unusual for a fish. They looked strong, but other than that I couldn't tell. Oh, and one had a surfboard."

I mean... Flying fish...

Really, most Apokoliptians go in for odd weapons. Side effect of the Kirby style.

"A fish with a surfboard." He nods. "I'm… Going to go out on a limb and suggest that Savage isn't sending his best. I'll send the others a message, but I think we can handle this."

"Is this armor watertight?"

"Oh, yes, completely."

Just in case they have to fight them in their preferred environment. Which, given the circumstances, they probably will end up doing so.

"And the flight system-."

"Works fine underwater, yes. Your positron ray will as well."

Good, thinking ahead already.

"But plasma and laser won't. Well, how about we try luring them out, then follow them underwater if they…" He grins. "Don't take the bait." I don't grin. "What?"

"I'm being oversensitive. It's just… I just feel a bit uncomfortable about making fish puns with fishmen."

Roy, please... I'm dreading the inevitable storm of puns later. Accidental or otherwise.

"Will said that you jumped to your feet every time the British anthem came on that time him and Artemis rigged up the Mountain's tannoy system."

"I did, and that's fine, I can make jokes about myself. But… I know plenty of Atlanteans, and-."

Definitely a case of being uncomfortable. Just imagine if Kaldur, Garth or Tula were here. Picture their disappointed faces, if you have to, Roy.

"Okay. Okay, I get it."

"I mean, if you're fine with it then I can make jokes about you..?"

Oh, boy. So much ammo.

"The bow, the armor or the red hair?"

"Your choice."

"Surprise me."

Oh, he has no idea what he's in for...

I nod. "Will do. Doctor Knight, please send the alert. Arsenal, please take Mantis and the serpent fellow-"

"Sserpa."

Well, if you gotta look like a snake-man... Lean into it?

"-to-. Really?" Roy nods. "Well, if he can make fun of it, maybe it is alright. Take them into a concealed position on the side of the ship away from the sea. I'll be in the air. We give them… Half an hour? And if they haven't-"

"Taken the-."

Roy! This is no time for levity. Keep the pun arrows in the quiver, yes?

"-turned up, we'll go looking for them."

"Got it. Hey, Doc? You know where Savage has been hiding out?"

Netting him would definitely be a big bonus.

"Sorry. Like I said, I only had awareness of the inside of the ship. I couldn't see out."

"And… Would you be okay working with me once this is over? I've always wanted a spaceship."

As long as you can offer him a suitable payment for his services...

"I dunno. What's in it for me?"

"Everyone knows that you're the first ever human spaceship? You get to be a superhero again? And I can build some sort of module if you want to move around outside."

All reasonable offers...

"Who can make a module?"

"That sounds like something I could live with. Now go get ready, and I'll send the signal."

Heh. True, I doubt Roy has that level of technical skills.

Twistier and twistier. At least the ship and its mind will be getting to do what it was made to once they defeat the bad guys. Just have to beat down the Deep Six, possibly Vandal Savage and potentially an Old God. Just a wee bit of escalating difficulty there... Assuming they don't leave the second they realise they've been rumbled.

Then again, if Savage wants to keep the ship...

Darko · 2025-08-30T08:25:50+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
This is turning positively Lovecraftian. Minus the rampant racism, though.

Anything can happen.

Maybe some of the New Gods will meet Mantis and say something racist.

Or Paul will say something bigoted.

Both are a possibility.

Vaermina · 2025-08-30T08:38:04+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Who can make a module?"

Guy Gardner.

Signaller · 2025-08-30T09:01:22+0100

For some reason I instinctively read OL's last line as a lyric from Willy Wonka.

Mr Zoat · 2025-08-30T09:36:48+0100

Darko said:
And I'm guessing the fishmen are the Deep Six.

Yes.

That's just a very small sin compared to everything else Savage has done.

He meant them treating him like a slave.

"Chances"

No, I think that's alright.

It's part of his British nature.

That and stealing things.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw7uKCkDmiI

Chojin Patriarch said:
...Okay, I did not know that. Or forgot it (it was a long time ago that I read the Starman comics.) Okay, as seen in Starman Vol2, #54. No summary there, but apparently it ended poorly for Herman. His cousins had him committed to an insane asylum because of his claims about the ship.

I forgot too, and no, they didn't. He had a genuine breakdown after seeing his would-be assassin gunned down in front of him.

RichardWhereat · 2025-08-30T09:59:10+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"I mean, if you're fine with it then I can make jokes about you..?"

"The bow, the armor or the red hair?"

"Your choice."

With the bow and the red hair, he's a double ranger.

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