Chojin Patriarch
Veteran Lurker
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Ah, clearing wrecks from sea channels and harbours that went unmanaged during the Anti-Life? I mean, the really important shipping lanes probably got cleared right quick, but less critical ones... They might have languished for years if not for super-powered aid.18th September 2013
07:11 GMT -1
Senior Pilot Niraan Tel looks down at the wrecked ship through the shuttle's belly camera. "Yes, that's well within our lift capacity. Do you want me to pick it up?"
"Yes please. I didn't realise that shuttles like this had dedicated haulage tractor beams. Doesn't that negate the purpose of having a cargo hold?"
And trying to fly at any significant speed is just asking to snap bits of hull apart. Because cargo ships aren't designed to fly."Ah… It's an either-or. Our mass manipulation system doesn't care much if the mass is inside or outside. Inside lets us fly faster and strap things down, but as long as you don't want it hauled out-system this works fine."
"Neat."
I mean, OL, you don't know everything, and you don't have a monopoly on Common Sense either. That's for your alternate self.She side-eyes me for a moment as she works the controls. "Can I ask you questions?"
"I sometimes wonder how much easier things would be if everyone did that."
Because it's like using a pile-driver to press a thumbtack. Massively overpowered for the task."Ah…"
"Sorry. Yes, you can. In fact, I strongly encourage it."
"How come you're not doing this? I love this fat bird, but a power ring would be a whole lot faster."
And he can't just reduce them to constituent materials because they might be reclaimable and their owners can't be reached?"Ah, two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of these ships. Between the sheeda and the Anti-Life, it's… Not been a good couple of years to be a wet sailor. Us Lanterns try to focus on the most urgent and important things, and since these need to get taken to a dry dock or a breakers yard eventually but don't need to get taken there right now… We wouldn't be getting around to if for a few years, if ever. Secondly, because you aren't used to interacting with humans, so we want to give you a job where you have to interact a little bit, but not too much."
Plus, as I said, most large ships aren't designed to fly, much less hold their own weight together without the support of water or an extensive dry-dock.A turn of a dial, and a hull-broken container ship floats upwards from the shore… For a few metres, and then the weakened part snaps and the prow falls back onto rocks.
"Sorry, nothing I can do about that. The field doesn't completely neutralise mass or momentum. If it isn't solid enough to hold together, it breaks. Have to make a second trip."
This particular ship was headed for the wrecker's anyway, then. I'm guessing this one drifted away from moorings and ran aground somewhere awkward."It's fine. Set course for Hartlepool."
She fiddles with her route planner for a moment, then rotates the shuttle and gradually accelerates us in the direction of Britain.
Which means you're basically doing all the work of being in charge without the corresponding pay-rise. Yippee."And…" There's a slight awkward tension in her flight muscles. "Why are you, a Lantern, here with me now?"
"You're in charge of the shuttle crews, right?"
"I have seniority, but… It's like in the military. The officers are in charge. I just organise things."
And OL is delegating that command to Mister Atom and the League for the most part. This is just liaising work.
Eh, adequate works when you're serving it to hundreds of different species with their own palates, preferences and nutritional needs."Ah. Well, welcome to LEGION, the food is adequate."
"Thank you, sir."
That's actually a reasonable offer. She's going to have a hard time deciding how much responsibility she wants."Hm. Alright, it's recently become painfully apparent to me that my understanding of Thanagarian Empire society isn't all that it might be, so I'm going to give you two options. The first is, I don't tell you anything. That way you won't get in trouble for finding out something you're not cleared for, but you might end up not having the knowledge required to navigate a situation you find yourself in. The second is, I give you a full explanation."
I wonder if generating construct wings could assist in body language? Or would it feel like an uncanny valley prosthetic?"And that could get me in trouble."
I shrug, and she's side-eyeing me again. "It's the lack of wings, isn't it? Makes the body language hard to read."
The drawbacks of them sharing similar body plans, other than the wings."A little. It's… Disconcerting."
"Because you keep thinking that I'm a crippled thanagarian?"
An interesting perspective. I suppose it'd be like dealing with a human without certain facial features."… Yes sir."
"I'm not offended: obviously I look like that. It would be worse if you could actually see my shoulder muscles."
In other words, exactly the sort of thing she'd get in big trouble for knowing.She nods. "Because you don't have the muscles to support wings, and a thanagarian who'd lost their wings would. What..? What sort of thing would I be finding out about, sir?"
"A slightly more accurate than official version of Thanagar-Alstair relations, Nth metal production rates and Seven Devil-worshipping cults."
To be fair, it'd be like us learning there were actual cultists of some ancient religion running around doing terrorisms.
Fortunately, no. That would have resulted in a far larger crossover drama."Unless the fellow who tried to blow up a star last week was the last of his faith, yes."
"This star?"
Wishful thinking, sadly. As long as there's someone who remembers the Devils and what they can offer, there's going to be people foolish or greedy enough to accept in hopes of gaining power."No, Antares, but the technique would work on this star. Most stars, actually."
"I thought they… Died out."
Ah, she's about to get her first real taste of Earth Bullshitâ„¢."I'm afraid not. We've actually got a woman who was alive when your ancestors originally overthrew the Seven Devils on Earth if you want to ask her about it."
"That was thousands of years ago."
You'll note that he didn't say that she was thousands of years old, ma'am. Which she isn't.
No, most alien races who encounter Earth Bullshitâ„¢ have this sort of reaction. It's hardly a secret."Not usually, but where Earth's concerned, you get some really weird outliers. Most people from my adopted home country are between two and three thousand years old, and humans usually die in their mid-eighties."
"Is this part of what could get me in trouble?"
Probably for the best. I don't remember if... Kendra? Is particularly looking for thanagarian guests anyway."N-. Well, it could get you in trouble, particularly if you visit, but it's not related to what I was talking about."
"I… Think I should think about it."
I'm guessing there's a strong familial resemblance, despite the oddly different-yet-similar names. Seriously, it's like a reverse patronym."An eminently sensible -if indecisive- decision. Do you have any questions?"
"Is Katar Hol related to Paran Katar?"
"Yes, his son, actually."
And depending on the state of the government of Thanagar, that can probably feel threatening to said government.Her wings tighten in shock. "What's the.. man whose father invented Nth metal synthesis doing here?"
"He's an idealist with a strong commitment to public service." I allow my eyes to flare. "Trust me, I checked."
Ah, the other reason he's here: Paperwork."You did a background check?"
"I looked at his soul. It's sort of like how I know that you're not a Crow or an informant, which honestly surprised me. Now, about your LEGION personnel file…"
It's always fun to see an extra-terrestrial reacting to learning about Earth Bullshitâ„¢. For instance, learning that a Thanagarian castaway has been serially reincarnating for several thousand years due to an ancient curse. I expect our earnest shuttle commander here will be having a good long think about hearing what OL can tell her after that...