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

[NightmareWarden]

I was worried that no one would get that. Thank you for defying my expectations.

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Well, you can reuse it in the future. Sometimes Guy Gardner will be present and he'll have a chance to make a cold gate - Colgate toothpaste joke. Sometimes, you need the Will of a green lantern to keep yourself from checking him into the sun.

Piezoelectric

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Oh goody, I've believed for a few years now that there's serious potential in quartz for the unglamorous future of rockets and satellites. And it would be quite appropriate as "old-school technology" in conventional scifi settings that are passed that era.

 

[Mr Zoat]

12th August 2013
22:30 UTC

Every moment that passes, I feel like I'm a little less likely to get the Doomsday.

I snort as I stare at the Dominion ships through the Doomsday's sensors. Nightwing take me, it's making me feel like I'm… Thirty, forty again. Sure, they're dangerous. They're one of the species I made a point to avoid when I was on my own. But how dangerous are they really against the most powerful warship Krypton ever built?

If those idiots on the Science Council had a telepathic alien spy on Krypton before the end, probably dangerous enough.

"Superman to Doomsday."

I try not to roll my eyes at the name. Yes, we are superior to man, but even an old Empire soldier like me knows that going on about it tends to piss people off.

"Doomsday comm. Speak."

"Can the Doomsday run a computer analysis of a sound recording?"

Who does he think he's-? "Kal-El, this is the Doomsday. It could probably teach your grandmother how to suck eggs."

"Ah-."

"Send me the file."

File received. Think for a fraction of a second.

"It's a kryptonian military code, intended for squads who get cut off. I'll-."

"What does it say?"

"It doesn't say anything. It's a bearing relative to-." It doesn't matter. I barely remember it. How the heck would marines actually go missing? "Where was it sent from?"

"Sending location."

You could just send the location, Kal-El. I could work out what you meant when I got it.

"Received. Actual destination decoded and sent. Any reason we're not just shooting the dominators?"

"Because the Dominion is pretty big, and we've only got one Doomsday. And we've only got one qualified pilot, and you can't spend your whole life in there."

"I think you'll find that I can."

Does he really know so little about how kryptonian society-? No, he doesn't, he's basically a human with powers. And it would be difficult to be a colonial governor inside the Doomsday. It's not really a light-touch weapon system.

And another thing about Kal-El is that he thinks that I'm not going to teleport Ursa Dou-Ka up here the moment I get a lock. The moment Green Lantern stops jamming everything around the capital. Amalak will be happy with just Zod, and I have no intention of seeing kryptonians judged by aliens.

12th August 2013
22:32 UTC

"Superman to team. I'm heading in now. Osiris, you're with me."

He nods, and we're going down. Usually, I'd be a little worried about bringing a kid into a fight like this, but he's proven he can handle himself. And I hope Lyla's just confused, and that Ursa didn't know exactly what Zod had planned…

But I doubt I'm going to get both, and I think I'll be lucky to get either.

"Sir?"

"Hang back, and make sure that I'm not getting mind controlled."

"Yes, sir."

And that's something else I'm not used to. I'm not… I don't like the idea of becoming some kind of paramilitary enforcer. After I heard about what the Justice Society International ended up becoming, I didn't even think there was an argument any more. I know Amon is just calling me that to be respectful, but… After this I'll tell him that 'Superman' is fine.

The location… It's some kind of high-rise parking lot. I don't hear any screams and I don't see anyone running, which is usually a good sign. We might have gotten here before whoever that message was meant for, or they might be somewhere inside.

I glance at Osiris. "Can you narrow it down?"

"With magic?" He shakes his head. "I'm not even sure that what the spy is doing is magic… I have not focused on magic theory in my training. I am-"

"Okay, that's fine."

"-sorry."

I smile reassuringly. "Don't worry. We'll just have to do this the old fashioned way." Hm. If it was me, I'd enter through the roof and head down, but Ursa must realise that we've got aerial surveillance. "Okay, I'll go in from the bottom. You stay outside and keep an eye out. If she flies out, get after her. I'll be right behind you."

"But… You cannot see through the illusions."

"Don't worry. It won't be the first time I've fought an illusionist. Though if Mitchell turns up, feel free to pass the job over to him and join me."

He nods, and I fly downwards towards the ground vehicle entrance. A few hover cars pull over in surprise, with the people inside staring at me. Normally I'd stop and try and say something reassuring, but with Ursa…

God, what should I even do about that?

She really doesn't have anything to lose. Which means that I need to bring her down as quickly as possible, because we've already established that she doesn't value alien lives.

I don't know if it's the lighting in here or the stuff they build the walls out of, but I can't see through the thicker parts at all. I can hear echoes of voices, but they're too quiet for my earpiece to pick them up so I'm not getting a translation. As far as I can tell the tone is… Happy? Conversational? Not there, then. I doubt that Ursa knows any languages other than kryptonese-.

The guy in the toll booth looks up at me for a moment, blinks, then pulls his hat over his face.

Heh. I guess some things are universal. Okay, I need to fly around fast, without endangering anyone or creating any gale force winds. Clear the first floor, mapping out the layout-. Pause for a moment to turn around a small child who wandered away from its parents, yes, that's it, that way. And then… Underground first. Down the… Central shaft, and start at the bottom. Looks like… This isn't a popular place to leave a hover car. I suppose that's because it's furthest from the entrance. I don't see anything immediately, but I'll fly around-.

There's a sound from… Three levels up. Someone moving around quietly. Just… One person. The layout of the levels looks like it's standardized so I can keep my lines of sight cleared, and whatever else Lyla can do her species aren't any stronger than regular humans. I could sneak up there and try listening in, but I can't hear anyone else on that level and I'm not going to get a better chance to bring either of them in without putting anyone else in danger.

I fly up, keeping half the length of the building between us-. It's Ursa, and she spots me just as fast as I spot her. She's… Shivering. Is that a stress response? I've never seen a kryptonian do that, but she's the first pregnant kryptonian I've seen.

"Ursa. I'm going to ask you to come quietly."

"Kal-El. Is Dru-Zod alive?"

"He's pretty beaten up, but he's alive."

She doesn't exactly look happy about that. Was he..? Trying to die in combat, or something like that? I don't remember Krypton having that sort of warrior culture, but I guess it could be a personal thing.

"This is going to go a whole lot easier if I don't have to fight you. I don't want to risk causing a miscarriage. Please."

"You're a good man, Kal-El. Your father would be proud. But-"

GYAAAGH!

"-I have other options."

 

[Darko]

worried about bring a kid into

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"bringing"

flies out, get after her. I'll be right behind you."

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"go after her"

. Clear the first floor, mapping out the layout-. Pause for a moment to turn around a small child who wandered away from its parents

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He really is Superman.

And I'm reminded of that SolidJJ video where he gives Luthor some great life advice and then goes to help a kid in Pakistan that fell off his bike.

and whatever else Lyla can do her species aren't any stronger than regular humans

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She may have also gotten strength upgrades.

remember Krypton have that sort of

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"having"

 

[Duke Long]

"Because the Dominion is pretty big, and we're only got one Doomsday. And we're only got one qualified pilot, and you can't spend your whole life in there."

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'we've'?
'we've'?

She doesn't exactly look happy about that. Was he..? Trying to die in combat, or something like that? I don't remember Krypton have that sort of warrior culture, but I guess it could be a personal thing.

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'having'

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

12th August 2013
22:30 UTC

Every moment that passes, I feel like I'm a little less likely to get the Doomsday.

I snort as I stare at the Dominion ships through the Doomsday's sensors. Nightwing take me, it's making me feel like I'm… Thirty, forty again. Sure, they're dangerous. They're one of the species I made a point to avoid when I was on my own. But how dangerous are they really against the most powerful warship Krypton ever built?

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Ooh, Karsta PoV? This is a rare treat of an episode. And before anyone asks, she's invoking the kryptonian deity Nightwing. presumably in some aspect of guardianship. And don't take the Dominators lightly, they're the embodiment of victory through analysis...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

If those idiots on the Science Council had a telepathic alien spy on Krypton before the end, probably dangerous enough.

"Superman to Doomsday."

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True. It seems the Science Council's hubris proved its downfall. 'What? A spy? Nonsense, we've run the numbers!'

I try not to roll my eyes at the name. Yes, we are superior to man, but even an old Empire soldier like me knows that going on about it tends to piss people off.

"Doomsday comm. Speak."

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To be fair, he didn't really name himself that, it just kind of stuck and he used it for the Clark Kent 'interview'. It could have been worse, he could have ended up with a name like 'Phenomaman,'

"Can the Doomsday run a computer analysis of a sound recording?"

Who does he think he's-? "Kal-El, this is the Doomsday. It could probably teach your grandmother how to suck eggs."

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Fortunately the ship doesn't have an actual artificial general intelligence running it. It would have achieved sophoncy in no time with that much processing power.

"Ah-."

"Send me the file."

File received. Think for a fraction of a second.

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And take care that i's not some sort of Phreaking code. That would be real embarrassing to get hacked by the equivalent of someone whistling into a microphone.

"It's a kryptonian military code, intended for squads who get cut off. I'll-."

"What does it say?"

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Give her a second to explain, Kal, and maybe she'll tell you. I know it feels like all hell's breaking loose down there, but patience.

"It doesn't say anything. It's a bearing relative to-." It doesn't matter. I barely remember it. How the heck would marines actually go missing? "Where was it sent from?"

"Sending location."

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A meet-up coordinate? Ursa, using the Sunstone to fabricate the speaker in case Zod escaped? Because I can't see Lyla using that sort of coding.

You could just send the location, Kal-El. I could work out what you meant when I got it.

"Received. Actual destination decoded and sent. Any reason we're not just shooting the dominators?"

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Ah, the joy of military discipline and training versus the talented but hesitant amateur.

"Because the Dominion is pretty big, and we're only got one Doomsday. And we're only got one qualified pilot, and you can't spend your whole life in there."

"I think you'll find that I can."

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I expect the ship has full energy-matter conversion systems to provide food for crew and the lighting can probably toggle into empowering 'yellow sunlight' mode...

Does he really know so little about how kryptonian society-? No, he doesn't, he's basically a human with powers. And it would be difficult to be a colonial governor inside the Doomsday. It's not really a light-touch weapon system.

And another thing about Kal-El is that he thinks that I'm not going to teleport Ursa Dou-Ka up here the moment I get a lock. The moment Green Lantern stops jamming everything around the capital. Amalak will be happy with just Zod, and I have no intention of seeing kryptonians judged by aliens.

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Ah, well, that's an interesting aside. She really would prefer to get Ursa for the colony, eh? Ursa's kid is going to have a lot of uncles, aren't they?

12th August 2013
22:32 UTC

"Superman to team. I'm heading in now. Osiris, you're with me."

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And now we switch to Clark's viewpoint? Mr Zoat, you're spoiling us.

He nods, and we're going down. Usually, I'd be a little worried about bring a kid into a fight like this, but he's proven he can handle himself. And I hope Lyla's just confused, and that Ursa didn't know exactly what Zod had planned…

But I doubt I'm going to get both, and I think I'll be lucky to get either.

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Still, the fact that you're hoping all this can end well is such a Superman thing to do.

"Sir?"

"Hang back, and make sure that I'm not getting mind controlled."

"Yes, sir."

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And this way he can also leap in if Clark gets into difficulties. Nothing like getting a super-speed charge into a fracas.

And that's something else I'm not used to. I'm not… I don't like the idea of becoming some kind of paramilitary enforcer. After I heard about what the Justice Society International ended up becoming, I didn't even think there was an argument any more. I know Amon is just calling me that to be respectful, but… After this I'll tell him that 'Superman' is fine.

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Not that he'll actually do that, given how polite he is. And really, Clark, you have become a paramilitary enforcer, if only out of necessity. A single man, even with your abilities, can't fix everything himself...

The location… It's some kind of high-rise parking lot. I don't hear any screams and I don't see anyone running, which is usually a good sign. We might have gotten here before whoever that message was meant for, or they might be somewhere inside.

I glance at Osiris. "Can you narrow it down?"

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Though if they have kryptonian senses, they know you're coming.

"With magic?" He shakes his head. "I'm not even sure that what the spy is doing is magic… I have not focused on magic theory in my training. I am-"

"Okay, that's fine."

"-sorry."

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Boy needs some confidence. Hopefully stuff like this will help him gain it. Such is the drawback of having Teth-Adom for a big brother-in-law.

I smile reassuringly. "Don't worry. We'll just have to do this the old fashioned way." Hm. If it was me, I'd enter through the roof and head down, but Ursa must realise that we've got aerial surveillance. "Okay, I'll go in from the bottom. You stay outside and keep an eye out. If she flies out, get after her. I'll be right behind you."

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And if you realise Superman is compromised, go in hard?

"But… You cannot see through the illusions."

"Don't worry. It won't be the first time I've fought an illusionist. Though if Mitchell turns up, feel free to pass the job over to him and join me."

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That's more like it. I suppose he does need someone on overwatch to ensure their target stays in the building or alert those inside if they're spotted coming in.

He nods, and I fly downwards towards the ground vehicle entrance. A few hover cars pull over in surprise, with the people inside staring at me. Normally I'd stop and try and say something reassuring, but with Ursa…

God, what should I even do about that?

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Very uncomfortable with the idea of potentially having to fight a pregnant woman, of course. He's too good a guy for crap situations like this...

She really doesn't have anything to lose. Which means that I need to bring her down as quickly as possible, because we've already established that she doesn't value alien lives.

I don't know if it's the lighting in here or the stuff they build the walls out of, but I can't see through the thicker parts at all. I can hear echoes of voices, but they're too quiet for my earpiece to pick them up so I'm not getting a translation. As far as I can tell the tone is… Happy? Conversational? Not there, then. I doubt that Ursa knows any languages other than kryptonese-.

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Which is going to be tricky when talking her down, since yours is probably good, but not a native speaker's level.

The guy in the toll booth looks up at me for a moment, blinks, then pulls his hat over his face.

Heh. I guess some things are universal. Okay, I need to fly around fast, without endangering anyone or creating any gale force winds. Clear the first floor, mapping out the layout-. Pause for a moment to turn around a small child who wandered away from its parents, yes, that's it, that way. And then… Underground first. Down the… Central shaft, and start at the bottom. Looks like… This isn't a popular place to leave a hover car. I suppose that's because it's furthest from the entrance. I don't see anything immediately, but I'll fly around-.

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Heh. Security guard deciding 'nope, that's above my pay grade'. Taking a moment to help out a small child is so Superman it hurts. And at least the place is fairly deserted, at least on the lower levels. fewer places to hide.

There's a sound from… Three levels up. Someone moving around quietly. Just… One person. The layout of the levels looks like it's standardized so I can keep my lines of sight cleared, and whatever else Lyla can do her species aren't any stronger than regular humans. I could sneak up there and try listening in, but I can't hear anyone else on that level and I'm not going to get a better chance to bring either of them in without putting anyone else in danger.

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Still taking a long shot that it's Lyla. It's more likely Ursa going to ground.

I fly up, keeping half the length of the building between us-. It's Ursa, and she spots me just as fast as I spot her. She's… Shivering. Is that a stress response? I've never seen a kryptonian do that, but she's the first pregnant kryptonian I've seen.

"Ursa. I'm going to ask you to come quietly."

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Could be trembling with rage. Or some kind of unknown reaction to the environment or the Sunstone's energies. Would suck if it turned out she was deathly allergic to xudarian dandruff or something...

"Kal-El. Is Dru-Zod alive?"

"He's pretty beaten up, but he's alive."

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But he's not coming after you, ma'am. And this fight isn't going to be fun for either of you.

She doesn't exactly look happy about that. Was he..? Trying to die in combat, or something like that? I don't remember Krypton have that sort of warrior culture, but I guess it could be a personal thing.

"This is going to go a whole lot easier if I don't have to fight you. I don't want to risk causing a miscarriage. Please."

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He's probably stronger, having plenty in the tank, but she's got a Sunstone and plenty of military training. It'd be a definite toss-up as to who wins.

"You're a good man, Kal-El. Your father would be proud. But-"

GYAAAGH!

"-I have other options."

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Another Sunstone-generated device, presumably. Sonic attack or a flashbang, I wonder?

Well, Ursa isn't going to make it easy for Clark, is she? But she almost certainly knows he has backup waiting to come in, so she can't afford to hold back. And if she's got as good a read of his character as it seems she does, she might well try to pull the place down in order to distract him with rescuing bystanders while she runs. We'll see soon enough, I think.

 

[BR549]

I don't remember Krypton have that sort of warrior culture, but I guess it could be a personal thing.

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'having'

 

[Mr Zoat]

'we've'?
'we've'?

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"bringing"
"having"

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Thank you, corrected.

"go after her"

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It's colloquial, but I think it's valid.

 

[BartlettMagic]

huh. i knew Karsta was rough around the edges, but based on her POV and statements such as...

I have no intention of seeing kryptonians judged by aliens.

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...i've come to the conclusion that she kinda sucks

 

[Ngamer11]

huh. i knew Karsta was rough around the edges, but based on her POV and statements such as...



...i've come to the conclusion that she kinda sucks

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Traditional Kryptonians were supremacists. That's to be expected.

 

[PDV]

Karsta seems to be solidly above-average for her society but her society sucked.

 

[Mr Zoat]

huh. i knew Karsta was rough around the edges, but based on her POV and statements such as...

...i've come to the conclusion that she kinda sucks

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A certain Act passed into law 18 years ago that might suggest that her attitude is not unusual. Also, krypton was objectively far more technologically advanced and peaceful than Earth.

 

[CTrees]

I mean...aside from Solomon all of Billy's patrons belong to pagan religions, so I doubt he'd care.

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Going back a page, but this is interesting. I hadn't really thought about Solomon being included in a group of pagan patrons for the Marvel family, but... he fits decently with the rest of the group. I'm not sure the Angel Kings would have supported Solomon being included as a patron anymore than they would Hercules, Mercury, etc. Granted, I don't know much about how Solomon is presented in DC Comics, but his downfall was idolatry, pushed by his several hundred foreign wives and concubines:

Spoiler: 1 Kings 11:1-10, NASB

11 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 ​from the nations of which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you; they will certainly turn your heart away to follow their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. 3 ​He had seven hundred wives, who were princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned his heart away. 4 ​For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of his father David had been. 5 ​For Solomon became a follower of Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and of Milcom the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites. 6 ​So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as his father David had done. 7 ​Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abhorrent idol of Moab, on the mountain that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abhorrent idol of the sons of Ammon. 8 ​He also did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

9 ​Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 ​and had commanded him regarding this thing, that he was not to follow other gods; but he did not comply with what the Lord had commanded.

Add in the various folklore and pop culture things ascribed to Solomon that DC Comics is probably incorporating, likely including at least some influences from ex., The Lesser Key of Solomon, and well... the theological implications for the Marvel family are interesting, and I'm not sure they align too well to the Silver City.

 

[mastermenthe]

Taking a moment to help out a small child is so Superman it hurts.

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Found Lyla.

 

[Darko]

The Lesser Key of Solomon, and well... the theological implications for the Marvel family are interesting, and I'm not sure they align too well to the Silver City.

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Not necessarily.

When Paul ended up in Heaven the angel he talked to told him that they sometimes get neo-pagans there because while they proclaim that they serve other gods, they still mostly follow Abrahamic morality and teachings.

The Marvel Family may get most of their power from pagan divinities, but they don't worship them and don't follow their moral teachings.