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

[Mr Zoat]

20th September 2013
09:12 GMT +3

…

"Yes."

Hades leans forwards slightly. "Is this some manner of jape?"

"Ah. I think Eris is probably laughing now, at me, but your forgetfulness isn't the joke."

"Was it your idea?"

"… Yes, but as a solution to a pre-existing problem. Um. I'm not really supposed to tell you any more."

"Your have been ordered to hold your tongue?"

"Yes."

"By whom?"

Several of the court clerks cringe.

"Duly designated authority. There's a plan, and it's… Well intentioned…"

He sits back. "Is this my nephew's idea of a prank? I had thought that he was more serious than this."

"Ah. No."

"My brother, before you sent him on his sabbatical?"

"No. My lord, please stop asking."

"The Serpent of Avarice? Your Controllers?" He studies me. "No, I see that it is not."

There isn't an Ancient Greek story about not ruining your own surprise party, is there?

"My lord-."

"I assume that your consort has accompanied you here because you intend to ask me to accept guardianship of her soul."

Jade doesn't frown. "I was going to ask for myself, Lord Hades."

"Ah. Then let me be clear. Traditionally, a good deal of the decision-making relating to what happens to a soul in my court come down to piety. How well an individual has honoured the gods in word and deed. Many things are taken in the balance, but I am not feeling particularly honoured right now."

"My lord-."

His right hand grips the arm of his throne and cracks… Whatever it's made of. "Who has the authority to gainsay me in my own realm!?"

"No one."

"Then-!?"

He stops. His right hand unclenches, and crumbled chunks of throne fall to the ground.

"No one."

"I suppose you could make a case that Death of the Endless does, but for all relevant purposes, no."

He narrows his eyes thoughtfully. "I ordered you to do this."

"You authorised it, yes."

"I ordered you to cause me to forget the heritage of one of my aides?"

"That was part of it. My lord, please stop asking."

"Am I supposed to forget permanently?"

"No, the duration is until certain things happen. And as far as I know, they haven't, so please stop asking and just carry on with what you're doing."

He considers me. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Melinoë does. But please, you told us to do this, and if you mess it up, the consequences will be unpleasant."

"For the Hellenic pantheon?"

"For you personally."

Hades considers me for a moment.

"I can hardly pass judgement on your decisions without knowing why I gave you whatever order I gave you. And I can hardly pass judgement on myself."

"Your wisdom is-."

"But mark my words, Pavlos." He leans forwards again, but this time with less menace. And I think he's shrinking? "Once I regain my memories, I will pass judgement on all those involved in whatever this is."

"Of course, my lord. I wish you all success."

He slumps slightly. "In what, in particular?"

"With regard to the thing you ordered me not to tell you about. I appreciate that it's disconcerting, but it really is for the best."

"Then I shall take your word for it, for now." He turns his attention to Jade. "Approach, postulant."

Jade takes several steps towards the throne, stopping a respectable distance away.

"You are not Greek. Why would you choose us, over your own peoples' gods?"

"You provide a better value service. And Vietnamese religion is kind of a mess."

"I assume that Pavlos spoke in our favour?"

"He did. Mostly in your favor."

"You're wearing a uniform. Does your profession not have a god?"

"Yes, but it's probably Nemesis."

"And?"

"I'm probably overdue for her attention myself. I've done a lot of bad things in my life, and I'd like to make up for them before drawing her attention."

"Ah. You understand that if you aren't able to make amends, you will be punished once you arrive here." His eyes drift to me for a moment, before returning to her. "Though if your marriage to Pavlos lasts any time, I will take that into account on the credit side of the balance."

"I know. I accept that."

"Then in the fullness of time, be welcome. But for now, return to the land of the living."

 

[Mr Zoat]

8th June 2284
10:00 GMT -7

Anton Flynn looks around as we march towards what I suspect was once Brownsmead's town hall, now remodelled as a… I was going to say 'pirate queen', but I suppose that she was really more a pirate baroness. A pirate baroness's manor. Nervous looking locals lurk here and there, weapons in hand but definitely not pointing at us.

"Nice place."

"Huah!" Sir Griffin scoffs loudly. "Tis a veritable hive of scum and villainy."

"Now, sure, but plenty of places were like that until they got their arms twisted." He smiles at me. "Isn't that right, Ambassador?"

I nod noncommittally. "Civilisation is a civilising influence."

We follow a bend in the road and I get a clear view of the sea, where I can just about make out the N.C.R. Northern Fleet. 16 inch naval cannons aren't actually great weapons for attacking places like this, but they'll turn whatever they manage to hit into gravel and sawdust.

"My point is-" Anton points towards where we can just about make out the docks where we can see both wooden ships and metal ships… Either being built new or being repaired. "-that this place could be a new centre of the shipping industry. They've already got the skills and the facilities-." He looks at Sergeant Matthew Willas. "Do they have a cannery?"

"How the-? I dunno."

Anton wiggles his right hand, dismissing it as a concern. "We'll build them a cannery, ship fish south down the coast without having to complete with Shi fishermen. Or east, once the roads are repaired. Your people eat fish, Sir Griffin?"

"Fish have not been a major part of our diet, but that is because we have no access to the sea. Communities close to rivers and lakes likely do."

"Well, we'll soon fix that."

Sir Griffin nods, then his eyes widen and his right hand jumps to the grip of his sword. I turn to see what he's-.

I grab his wrist as I see the slave pens. It looks like they don't have enough explosive collars to give one to everyone, so mostly leave them chained up when they don't have a job for them.

"Unhand me, sir, that I might deal with these godless savages."

"Let go of your sword. Saving them is why we're bothering to negotiate. If you charge in now most of them will get slaughtered."

He jerks out of my grip, but releases his sword with an angry snort.

There's a group loitering around the front doors to the manor. From the different emblems and the way they're arranged in separate clusters, I'm going to assume that they're representatives of the more significant pirate flotillas. Heavily armed members of Captain Storm's own crew are guarding the entrance, and keeping an eye on the crowd.

Sir Griffin moves to the van as his fellow knights move to the flanks of our party. I reach out mentally, but I don't feel any specific hostility. They're not happy about what us being here represents, but they didn't much like the Immortal either. They'll hear Captain Storm out at least, though she's going to have a devil of a time keeping them in order.

**[I reach out, towards the patterns in movement across the town…]**

Ah, of course. Never let a good crisis go to waste.

We're escorted inside without issue, through corridors decorated with nautical memorabilia and what I'm going to assume are objects of significance. No glass cases; glass is far too expensive for something like that. And then the doors are thrown open to what I suspect used to be the community hall, and we're led inside. Captain Storm is on a chair atop a raised platform, trusted guards armed with machine guns, super sledges and grenade bandoleers both standing guard around her and lining the walls. Off to our right-.

I **[feel Sir Griffin's surge of anger]** at the sight of slaves. Matthew just looks them over and then nods to one, who nods back.

"Alright, landlubbers." Captain Storm nods insolently at us. "What'd yah want?"

I take a step forwards. "Your surrender."

"I take it the Immortal's not coming back, then?"

"That seems unlikely."

"Dead?"

"No. But he and his surviving soldiers have fled to Siberia. Forces are moving up from the south and down from the north to eliminate his remaining faithful and establish a transitional authority."

"What's that comin' outtah yer mouth? 'Transitional authory-'." She looks around. "Get a load of this guy."

The peanut gallery snorts or chuckles as they feel appropriate.

"Where are you from?"

"England. Home of civilisation." She raises her eyebrows. "But let's get down to it, shall we?"

"I'll listen."

"You've seen the Californian naval vessels off the coast? There's more where that came from, and there are rather large armies heading slowly this way. You'll want us to have come to terms by the time they get here."

"What are you offering?"

"The age of piracy is over. You can fish, you can become actually legitimate merchants or you can apply to join what is provisionally being called the Washington State Coastguard or you can get lost. You will release all of your slaves and provision them until such time as we can sort something else out. If you have any strategic or fission weapons, they're to be handed over at once."

"And what do we get?"

"A chance to rejoin civilisation. Access to trade all down the pacific coast. Work, because I assure you there will be legitimate work while our friends and allies secure the region. And -not least- you avoid being obliterated."

"And Port Maw?"

"Will remain a port and trading hub." She inclines her head slightly. "If you have something specific to ask-?"

"Who will rule it?"

"In the short term, the most cooperative local potentate. In the longer term, if something isn't broken you don't fix it. We have no specific need or desire to remove you." There's a breathing out, a slight relaxing from the guards and from the slaves as the prospect of immediate violence recedes. "And while I do not guarantee that you will remain in post indefinitely, there will be plenty of opportunities for someone like you to advance themselves in either the state government or private industry."

"That's it? No tribute? No shipping magnates wanting revenge against us?"

"Tribute? Well, if you could let us walk away with any slaves you have who were members of the Brotherhood of Steel or the Wardens of the White, that would be helpful. You can pay us by saving us money. As for shipping magnates… I hope I don't need to describe in detail what happens to anyone who acts up after you've accepted this very generous offer?"

"I can work it out."

I nod. "I noticed. You've got people with line of sight to captains you think-" Her eyes widen slightly, but she clamps down with barely any outward sign. "-aren't going to cooperate. Why don't you tell them to take their shots, while I go out to the crowd outside and give them the good news?"