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

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?"
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.

"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."
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.

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."
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.

"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."
Because it's like using a pile-driver to press a thumbtack. Massively overpowered for the task.

"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."
And he can't just reduce them to constituent materials because they might be reclaimable and their owners can't be reached? 🤔 Some of them might be so damaged it'd be cheaper and faster to take the materials and just build a new one. At least dismantling stuff will provide work for people in need of money.

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."
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.

"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.
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.

"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."
Which means you're basically doing all the work of being in charge without the corresponding pay-rise. Yippee.

"And your commanding officer is..?"

"I thought it was you."
And OL is delegating that command to Mister Atom and the League for the most part. This is just liaising work.

"Ah. Well, welcome to LEGION, the food is adequate."

"Thank you, sir."
Eh, adequate works when you're serving it to hundreds of different species with their own palates, preferences and nutritional needs.

"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."
That's actually a reasonable offer. She's going to have a hard time deciding how much responsibility she wants.

"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."
I wonder if generating construct wings could assist in body language? Or would it feel like an uncanny valley prosthetic?

"A little. It's… Disconcerting."

"Because you keep thinking that I'm a crippled thanagarian?"
The drawbacks of them sharing similar body plans, other than the wings.

"… Yes sir."

"I'm not offended: obviously I look like that. It would be worse if you could actually see my shoulder muscles."
An interesting perspective. I suppose it'd be like dealing with a human without certain facial features.

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."
In other words, exactly the sort of thing she'd get in big trouble for knowing.

"Those exist?"

"Yes."

"I mean, now? Today?"
To be fair, it'd be like us learning there were actual cultists of some ancient religion running around doing terrorisms.

"Unless the fellow who tried to blow up a star last week was the last of his faith, yes."

"This star?"
Fortunately, no. That would have resulted in a far larger crossover drama.

"No, Antares, but the technique would work on this star. Most stars, actually."

"I thought they… Died out."
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.

"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."
Ah, she's about to get her first real taste of Earth Bullshitâ„¢.

"Yes."

"Thanagarians don't live that long."
You'll note that he didn't say that she was thousands of years old, ma'am. Which she isn't.

"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?"
No, most alien races who encounter Earth Bullshitâ„¢ have this sort of reaction. It's hardly a secret.

"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."
Probably for the best. I don't remember if... Kendra? Is particularly looking for thanagarian guests anyway.

"An eminently sensible -if indecisive- decision. Do you have any questions?"

"Is Katar Hol related to Paran Katar?"

"Yes, his son, actually."
I'm guessing there's a strong familial resemblance, despite the oddly different-yet-similar names. Seriously, it's like a reverse patronym.

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."
And depending on the state of the government of Thanagar, that can probably feel threatening to said government.

"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…"
Ah, the other reason he's here: Paperwork.

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...
 
I expect our earnest shuttle commander here will be having a good long think about hearing what OL can tell her after that...

After having a good long drink. Or three. Of the strongest stuff she can find.

But it could be worse! It could be Earth of the mainstream continuity in the present day, which I think is up to nine Green Lanterns.
 

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