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

Reader mode
Mr Zoat said:
10th September 2012
18:40 GMT

I glance up as Chaselon vanishes from my ring. Malvolio appears to have decided to focus on Apros exclusively, and is currently creating a giant flaming box construct to hem him in. Guy is trying to break it using a construct heat shield around a bundle of crumblers, but while that works Malvolio's construct doesn't flat out fail. Instead, the edges of the whole burn more viciously, extending the construct back over the hole.
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I guess he's dismissed Guy as a mare mere thug, and sees Apros' mental assaults as more dangerous. And again, we see Crumblers failing to affect Malvolio's constructs very well. I wonder how much his greater expenditure of Green Light improves their resilience?

"Illustres."

I immediately give Guardian Broome my full attention. The image of her head above my ring is actually larger than it was from my perspective when I met the Guardians in person. She looks old, and not in the slightly saggy way Hinon does. She's shrivelled, the skin stretched over her face and wattles sagging beneath her jaw where it hasn't adjusted to the gradual wasting of the flesh beneath. Her eyes are completely focused on me, unblinking and clearly communicating that this better be important.
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That kind of suggests she cares little, if at all, for the state of her mortal shell. And makes her look a bit more like the movie version. I'm guessing she sees maintaining her looks as unnecessary vanity...

"What is it?"

Don't explain who people are. She has access to all Green Lantern Corps records… Maybe not with a thought. Maybe without one, just… Knowing everything all of the time.
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And anything she doesn't have in her head at all times, she can call on via the Ring network, I expect. Probably more annoyed by having you waste her valuable time...

"Honour Guard Lanterns Gardner and Apros are fighting and losing to Lord Malvolio in an attempt to liberate former Lantern Priest. I would like you to order them to stop so that I can negotiate a peaceful settlement. Malvolio is the product of four centuries exposure to the green light of will, and hence is an interesting case study into what might happen to Lantern Gardner. Or to Lantern Scott or myself. If he were unduly damaged, that opportunity would be lost. The deaths of the Green Lantern Corps members in system would be inconvenient if the fight did not go in their favour, especially as Gardner is the only living person to have bonded with Ion."
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Nicely laid out. Describing the situation, what you want and good reasons for acceding, all in one.

"They are presently engaged in combat. Will Malvolio simply allow them to leave?"

"I'm reasonably sure that I can create a temporary truce. Whether or not he will allow them to leave would probably depend on how the negotiations go. At worst, there'll be a brief pause in hostilities and the Corps will lose nothing."
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And if he's mad at you, better to have all the hands you can get, after all...

"I expect copies of every report, and I would like Lantern Gardner involved."

"Not a problem."
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Well, maybe for Guy. Hopefully once the situation is laid out, including Priest's requests and his blood has cooled a bit...

She regards me for a couple of seconds, then her face vanishes.

"That's longer than I've spoken to a Guardian for since I joined the Corps."
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Joy of being an Illustres: Getting to talk to the big muck-a-mucks. Also a drawback, if they're mad.

"To be fair, there isn't much reason for a Sector Lantern to speak to a Guardian. And they're not exactly good-"

Lantern Apros is pushing hard against the box containing him and Lord Malvolio forces it smaller and smaller while fending off Guy with bolts of green light. Honestly, I'm a little surprised that he hasn't tried asking Ion for help yet, given.
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Let's hope Guy gets the call before Apros becomes a packed sushi dinner...

"Illustres to Lord Malvolio. I have negotiated a ceasefire-"

Guy's ring shimmers as he weaves around Malvolio's shots, and he grimaces.
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Ah, there we go. And it looks like he's not happy about it...

"-with the Guardians. Once Guy receives it, please break off until negotiations are over."

"What proof have I that they will break off when commanded?"
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And Malvolio finally talks via the Ring. I'd wondered if he knew how, but I'm sure Priest covered that.

"I'm going to stick a really big orange shield between the belligerent parties, and will start fighting anyone who breaks the ceasefire before negotiations comprehensively fail."

Guy slows in space, his eyes going from his ring to Lord Malvolio and back again. Malvolio stares at Guy for a moment, then slowly dismisses the box around Apros. Avis darts in and appears to offer to assist, but Apros waves him away with a tentacle. Guy floats closer to the two of them so that he can more easily offer support.
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Which also means they're a smaller target. Putting a lot of trust in someone they were just fighting...

Right then.

"Lantern Vinkent, please accompany me."

"Yes."
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Do I detect a little awe, Lantern? I'm not surprised, OL has that effect on people. The ones that don't get upset, anyway.

I fly towards the green-glowing Lanterns, Vinkent just behind me. I suppose that I don't really need to get closer, but it might help psychologically if the guarantor is right there.

Malvolio's flaming aura shrinks a little as I approach, which I'm taking as a positive sign.
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Looks like all those stubborn heads have cooled off, then. Though if one of the Greenies try something, I foresee an orange smackdown.

"Gentlemen, thank you for-."

"Y'went t' tha Guadians."
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Yes, well, you weren't listening.

Guy folds his arms across his chest and puts on his most mulish expression.

"I went to the Guardians because you're being a belligerent idiot. I'd hoped you'd got over this-"
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Ah, this will be entertaining. Guy does need his ego deflated every once in a while.

"Oh this is not-"

"-impulse, but if you-"
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...Assuming he bothers to listen to OL. Also, more Enlightened back-and-forth? I really hope you have some manner of macro for the quotation marks, Mr Zoat...

"-tha same-"

"-need someone smacking some-"
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...Because doing it by hand would have been annoying as. :oops:

"-thing at all, you-"

"-sense into you, then I'd-"
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Unfortunately, I don't think Guy would take the right message from Malvolio's chastisement...

"-backstabbing, rank-pulling little sneak."

"-rather it be me or a Guardian rather than Malvolio."
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At the least, OL might want to placate him with a few beers later.

Apros lays a tentacle on Guy's left shoulder while I turn to Lord Malvolio.

"Thank you for given them -and me- a chance."
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Yeah, when even your fellow Lanterns think you're being a bit... Excessive? You might be in the wrong, Guy.

"I thought that you had betrayed me when you entered Priest's prison. I will have an explanation."

"Priest has lived a very long time. He wasn't much freer during your imprisonment than you were. Without knowing what he wanted, I couldn't know what to suggest for a resolution."
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...Which might explain how the Sector got as bad as it did. Did Priest actually have a partner Lantern in the area to serve as (somewhat overworked) backup, or was the whole region being left unattended?

Apros moves his tentacles in a gesture indicating a polite request for attention.

"What did former Lantern Priest tell you?"
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Heh. Taking charge because Guy's clearly not in the mood for talking nice...

"In summary? Don't fight to free him, Malvolio's not that bad and being in prison for a while doesn't bother him."

"An' we gotta take your word fer that? You've been acting real friendly with…"
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Why, Guy, I didn't know you were the jealous type... :p

Guy nods at Malvolio.

"Yes, because I prefer to gain knowledge by peaceful discussion rather than breaking and entering. If you're implying that he's controlling my actions, you can ask the Ophidian if you like. Priest said that anyone who uses the emotional spectrum inevitably influences those around them in accordance with that emotion, so he's probably have some influence on all of us, but at this point-"
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...Which Guy can do, via Ion. The joy of dealing with Embodiment hosts...

Of course.

"-he's probably having a bigger impact on you than on me, which is why you're acting up, because you can't reconcile his focus with yours."
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Like suffering a case of mental static. Imagine two signals on the same wavelength, but with different timing. That would definitely put someone on edge...

"Huh? That's-." Guy frowns. "Yeah, that… Could happen. Gimme a sec."

Guy closes his eyes and draws his legs into a cross-legged pose. I feel… something… I don't think he's exactly communing with Ion, but he's doing something he wasn't doing before.

"Right." He opens his eyes, and they're blank green orbs. "What're yah proposin'?"
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Drawing on Ion to reinforce his 'I AM' technique? Clever, Guy.

That went well... So far. Still quite a bit of discussion to be had (and coloured quotation marks a-gogo) though... At least cooler heads have prevailed and no-one's likely to throw a punch unless really provoked. Now, to see if Malvolio can have a polite conversation with his peers. And if Guy can do the same...
Mr Zoat said:
Instead, the edges of the whole burn more viciously, extending the construct back over the hole.
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Perhaps change the second 'hole' into 'breach'?
 
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Mr Zoat said:
Guy closes his eyes and draws his legs into a cross-legged pose. I feel… something… I don't think he's exactly communing with Ion, but he's doing something he wasn't doing before.

"Right." He opens his eyes, and they're blank green orbs. "What're yah proposin'?"
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That could backfire on Paragon...
 
I know the Guardians/Maltusians can alter their appearance at will, so why does Broome look shriveled instead of slightly aged like the rest of her siblings?
 
Coda said:
Conjugation is valid there. You could have also referred to tense and been correct; the conjugation is how the word itself changes while the tense describes the meaning that the form of the word implies.
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Thank you so much for that clear explanation. Much appreciated.
 
Mr Zoat said:
"What did former Lantern Priest tell you?"
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Something to clarify, because the previous instances of 'former' look like typoes to me.
Lanterns are galactic peace officers. They became that way by being given the equivalent of a badge and gun (the lantern) by the relevant authority.

But the position is not solely dependent on those things. If a wild west sheriff got captured and disarmed by the Chief of an Indian/Native American Nation, that doesn't make him an ex-sheriff. It makes him a captured, disarmed sheriff.

Just because the Guardians taking away your lantern and ring makes you a former lantern, doesn't mean someone who isn't in charge of the GLC doing the same thing removes you from your job. If you weren't fired, and you didn't quit, i don't think being separated from your lantern matters.
 
Bramble Thorn said:
Something to clarify, because the previous instances of 'former' look like typoes to me.
Lanterns are galactic peace officers. They became that way by being given the equivalent of a badge and gun (the lantern) by the relevant authority.

But the position is not solely dependent on those things. If a wild west sheriff got captured and disarmed by the Chief of an Indian/Native American Nation, that doesn't make him an ex-sheriff. It makes him a captured, disarmed sheriff.

Just because the Guardians taking away your lantern and ring makes you a former lantern, doesn't mean someone who isn't in charge of the GLC doing the same thing removes you from your job. If you weren't fired, and you didn't quit, i don't think being separated from your lantern matters.
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Priest was fired for not killing LM.
 
rkyeun said:
If you can find a better way to write such an overtalking, the writing world will be grateful.
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A possible solution could be writing the different speach on opposite ends of the page. They would still overlap, but there would be more distinction between speakers.
 
AverusBlack said:
Broken links are so frustrating. That problem was why I stopped linking references in my own story, having to go back and fix links I barely remember months later seemed so impractical. I'm a little impressed at the dedication to the effort.
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These days I keep a copy of any image I want to link to saved on my computer, reducing the time it takes to put it online and link to it. Unforunately I'm on my third image host for this story -huh, the same as the number of hosting sites- so some of them aren't right at the moment.
Bramble Thorn said:
If he was fired, how/why was he able to maintain the prison?
Can he use the green light without a ring?
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He can recharge without a personal lantern, so possibly.
 
Mr Zoat said:
These days I keep a copy of any image I want to link to saved on my computer, reducing the time it takes to put it online and link to it. Unforunately I'm on my third image host for this story -huh, the same as the number of hosting sites- so some of them aren't right at the moment.

He can recharge without a personal lantern, so possibly.
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Would you be interested in self hosting? A linode server costs $5 a month, but no one can pull your images. I could set you up with a small Linux+apache webserver to host images on.

You could upload images with an ftp client like filezilla. Or have synced folders with winscp.
 
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A Waltz in Orange and Green (part 14)
  • Threadmarks
    • 10th September 2012
    18:44 GMT

    "Do you have recruitment authority?"

    "Not like you do, but if a Sector doesn't have a Lantern I could probably make it happen."

    "Then here's what I propose. The Green Lantern Corps recognise Lord Malvolio's rule of Sector One Six Three Four. The Green Lantern Corps will agree not to enter the Sector without his authorisation or the authorisation of duly designated officials in the Sector's government. Permission to enter for a stated purpose does not give general permission to come in and do what they like."

    "Thought you didn't like what we did with tha Reach?"

    "It's not the same thing. Malvolio isn't carrying out genocidal purges amongst the species he rules. If a stellar nation who were managing their own affairs fine and not bothering their neighbours didn't want Green Lanterns in their territory, I wouldn't have a problem with that. That's part of why the Green Lantern Corps recruits locally rather than just assigning people from-."

    "You intend to have Priest take up his duties once more."

    "He's slightly upbeat about how you're responding to everything that's happened-."

    "Three centuries of imprisonment while all that I had built turned to ash. There are fewer people in this Sector now than when I was imprisoned. Did you know that? Between the internecine wars and the collapse in trade, the population has shrunk. Their understanding of natural philosophy has stagnated. I lay this at his door."

    "And I'm sympathetic. But you were personally trapped in a star system. If you'd never had that ring, you would have never left Earth. You probably wouldn't have left Europe. You were still more free than any other human of your era."

    "But I knew that they were there and that I had a duty to them that I could not fulfil, because of him."

    "He told me that he was ordered to kill you."

    "He failed."

    "No, as in, he was ordered to kill you and decided not to because it was immoral. He didn't want you running a Sector because he believed that would mean you trampling on the wills of those under you. When I spoke to him just now, he was genuinely interested by your plans for reform. I think that if you involved him, not only would you have input from one of the few beings around who know more about the green light than you do, but it would also get the Green Lantern Corps off your back. You might be able to fight Lantern Gardner and Lantern-"

    "We coulda taken him."

    "-Apros, but there are a great many Green Lanterns. And if the Guardians still have you marked for death, then one of them might eventually intervene personally. The most sensible thing for you to do is to make an accommodation. You grew up during the end period of the Thirty Years' War. You know the magnitude of misery that comes when rulers aren't prepared to negotiate with powerful neighbours, or accept less than they ideally want."

    "I have never attacked a world under the guardianship of another Lantern. All that has transpired here is their doing."

    I nod.

    "Lantern Gardner, did you take the opportunity to review the state of the worlds in Lord Malvolio's domain?"

    "Got an.. overview."

    "Most likely prison locations and fleet-"

    He winces slightly.

    "-bases?"

    "… Yeah."

    "Lantern Apros, I'm not familiar with your species. Can you assimilate data faster than humanoids, about as fast, or slower?"

    "I have a superhumanoid grasp of three dimensional navigation. I am not an economist."

    "Okay, so are you asking for time to review the history and economics of this Sector so that you can tell whether or not Lord Malvolio is doing a good job? You'd need to study a five hundred year period in detail covering… What was it, seven principal worlds plus colonies and outposts? Does the Green Lantern Corps have that expertise?"

    "Probably. Or we can hire people."

    "Lord Malvolio, would you object to an external group without power rings conducting a review of your domain's economic systems? The results might be helpful to you as well as convincing your critics in the Green Lantern Corps that you're good for the place."

    "I do not plan to blockade peaceful travellers. If scholars wish to investigate mine realm as the authors of the Domesday Book did the domain of King William, then it vexes me not."

    "Lantern Gardner?"

    "So we're deciding who's good and bad by committee?"

    "Since there's no mutually agreed upon set of rules, that's what you're left with. I've reviewed Two Eight One Four A's records on Green Lanterns removing rulers, and they usually only do it if they're atrocious and there's an alternate rightful candidate within that civilisation's own culture."

    "If he-." Guy stops himself and then faces Malvolio instead. "If you're such a great guy, why don't you just join the Corps?"

    "Put myself under the command of those who sentenced me to death? Are you that much a fool?"

    "Has that actually been rescinded?"

    Guy shrugs.

    "I didn't find any record of it ever bein' made. Ain't a lot on Mally."

    "But you understand why someone might not want to join an organisation run by beings who sentenced him to death without trial? Or even formal accusation?"

    "What if it was rescinded?"

    "Why are you pursuing this fruitless line of reasoning? I might understand a man making an error of judgement, but these Guardians will admit to no such error. If they gave me an explanation and asked my pardon I might -after a time- find it in myself to grant it."

    "But if we could come back to the task at hand..?"

    "You really gunna let Priest go free jus' 'cause we asked?"

    "I was concerned that I may need to crush the Green Lantern Corps in its entirety before I could find peace from its depredations. If I have the sworn word of your masters that all I must do is release one man whom I may keep under close observation, then I will bear down on mine own desire for vengeance."

    "And you don't mind him having a ring?"

    "I am not convinced that he needs one. No, if that is the price of peace then I will pay it."

    "Lantern Gardner?"

    "Priest gets out and gets a ring. You stay on 'til we can work out whether you're good or bad. Can Priest go places without you?"

    "No, but he may send messages where he will."

    "Then I think we got a deal."
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Mr Zoat said:
    Then he's what I propose. The
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    'here's what I'

    Mr Zoat said:
    "Though you didn't like what we did with tha Reach?"
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    'Thought you'

    Mr Zoat said:
    And if the Guardians still have you marked for death, they one of them might
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    'then one'

    Mr Zoat said:
    "I have superhumanoid grasp of three dimension navigation. I am not an economist."
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    'a superhumanoid grasp'

    'three dimensional'

    Mr Zoat said:
    Okay, so are you asking for time to review the history and economics of this Sector so that you can tell whether or not Lord Malvolio is doing a good job? You'd need to study a five hundred year period in detail covering… What was it, seven principle worlds plus colonies and outposts? Does the Green Lantern Corps have that expertise?"

    "Probably. Or we can hire people."
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    The Coluans are available.

    Unless they may think they can be biased towards Paul for helping free their civilization.

    Mr Zoat said:
    of the Domesday Book did the domain of
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    'Doomsday Book'

    Mr Zoat said:
    "And you don't mind him having a ring?"

    "I am not convinced that he needs one
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    So he can have the same powers ss Stewart 50.

    Mr Zoat said:
    "No, but may send messages
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    'he may send'
     
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