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

Vaermina · Nov 8, 2020

Tyrantviewer said:
Constructs scale in effectivness with the emotion behind them- Green lanterns mostly use basic constructs instead of manifesting high tech weapons and such, because imagining what they want and mustering the will power in a combat situation is mentally trying and time sensitive- Paul can cheat by comparison by just wanting it enough.

At the core though enough of the right emotion can drastically boost the effectiveness- if a yellow construct scares you enough it can tear through things that would otherwise stop it, if enough hope is behind a blue construct then it can work miracles. Thus the shape not only has to be one you can clearly picture, or want or hope for enough with some colors, but if it is something you can imagine working, especially in the context of the color, then it will be more potent- Thus Hal using fighter jets because he knows them and it is easy to put his believe and will behind it- and Mongoose's are famous for being enemies of snakes...

Now that I think about it with things like this and the whole boxing glove thing, Hal kind of fights like a looney toon, but scaling to his will power instead of how funny it is, but it being funny might make it easier for him to picture and or will to happen- after all isn't it easy to will for the bad guy to get his comupence in those cartoons?

You are right about Paul cheating, but wrong about how Paul cheats.

Paul cheats by not having to do any of the heavy lifting that power rings are supposed to require from their users.

A relevant quote from the anime series in concerns to this.

Hal: Okay Can we form a construct and replace the defective part for the ride home?

Aya: The construct would have to be an exact copy of the ultra-warp coil mechanism. And it's 56 moving parts to within a 0. 8162 microns tolerance. Can either of you do that?

There's not supposed to be any "hey AI do a thing" in concerns to Power Rings, hence why all the really powerful lanterns tend to be various levels of insane or super intelligent.

Agent Orange said:
I was deeply sarcastic Maxx. Larfleeze was as dangerous as he was because the Plot required him to be so. I seriously doubt that any part of the Spectrum is inherently more powerful than any other.

That's because, outside of White and Black, they aren't.

For all it's strengths, the Orange light is supposed to have a crap load of weaknesses to along side them. But while the strengths seem to have made their way into this story, all of the weaknesses were left by the roadside.

Which, when combined with all the new author created powers Zoat has given the Orange Light, has resulted in the current lack of narrative tension in concerns to any sort of fights in both Paragon and Renegade story lines.

Maxx Crowley · Nov 8, 2020

I go to this page....and it's blank, not a single post. Thus, I am confused. This vacuum must not exist! I must post!

So...something related to the story....think man, think!

Um....

Lord Malvolio of the Green Flame, a half-human Green Lantern, dressed like Alan Scott, who was hundreds of years old and who manipulated Hal into taking his ring. Malvolio planned to use Hal in his war against the Old Timer. But...you know, that got forgotten.

When I was a kid, that was always something that struck a cord with me, even though I don't know why. The whole passing on the ring, and how, sometimes, it seemed REALLY important on a personal level.

Sometimes I wonder if Malvolio was supposed to BE Alan at some point.

Flightless Man · Nov 9, 2020

Agent Orange said:
Right. Because wanting a complex tool/weapon into existence is completely different from willing a complex tool/weapon into existence.

Green clearly requires the would be conjurer to be the most willful hypercongnitive in the Sector.

Oranges have it easy and just want something until it pops into existence - their understanding of what they conjure (or lack thereof) isn't a factor.

Seems like greens have it harder learning, Oranges have it harder mastering. Its easier to compare your stubborness against someone but much harder to compare greed/desire.GL vs OL rank and file goes to OL's, Honorguard fights the edge goes to GL's in my head.

And I agree heartily with Maxx Crowley, How a Lantern thinks their constructs will work is how they will even over science that would say otherwise.

Mr Zoat · Nov 9, 2020

26th June 2012
16:07 GMT -5

I exhale, looking out across the United Nations General Assembly. Secretary General Tseng has more or less given up in calling for order as the ambassadors of a dozen countries try to shout over each other. In a way I'm impressed: not one of them is under fifty, and by the sounds of things they're all in fine physical condition. Thankfully, after a brief effort to maintain appearances the representatives of the countries most tightly tied into our uplift project are sitting down, ignoring the provocation from people demanding to know what they knew.

I hoped they'd handle this better, but after two months the initial gratitude to Lex for saving them has faded and the nations of the Earth… Or perhaps I should say, the leaders of the nations of the Earth, are waking up to some rather unsettling realities.

"You'd really think they'd have stopped panicking about this by now."

Sam raises his left eyebrow. "Would you? Lex Luthor has a space fleet."

"Yeah, but as far as they know he's just a businessman. Most of them don't have a space industry, and he's been openly building ships for months."

"You do realise that there's a big difference between 'he's building ships' and 'he now has military supremacy over every nation on Earth', right?" He glowers at me, jabbing me in the chest with his right forefinger. "And don't think I'm okay with this, either. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him!"

"And I did. I knew at every step of the way exactly what he was doing. These ships will protect the Earth from extra planetary threats, and begin the process of building off-world human colonies."

"Under whose authority?"

"Well… Lex is running it as a sole proprietor enterprise… So… Him? I mean, he still needs to get raw materials and employees from somewhere so he's not completely cut off-."

"Asteroid mining. And-. Is that it? He's tired of Earth so he's going to build his own planet with space ships and ray guns?"

If he's got any sense.

But I shake my head, and wave my right hand dismissively.

"Of course not. He's just one man. People tend to be loyal to their country over their employer. But exactly how it works out depends on how sensible people are prepared to be. As you may surmise, the countries who have been benefiting from Lex's direct investment recently are a lot more willing to help him out than the countries feeling undermined. And not just the US; it turns out that Russia was updating their space infrastructure on the sly. Whereas… Tynanda, for example, isn't feeling slighted in the least and is happy to work with him."

"All those countries you were launching coups in."

I frown. "Sam. Those places were shit holes. Tell me I'm wrong."

He snorts and looks away. "At least the other shoe's dropped. I thought Lex was planning on fleeing the country."

"A bit mundane for him. Besides, where could he go that I could not find him?"

"If he doesn't need anything, then why is he here?"

"He's a businessman. If people-" More people. "-start imposing tariffs against LexCorp, it makes his life difficult."

Or, rather, it doesn't, but it does make it less easy than it would otherwise be. LexCorp has security, but they're there to ward off criminals. Mostly. Whereas if a government feels sufficiently threatened then there are any number of violent individuals not constrained by civil law who could be instructed to attack him and his, and that sort of thing has 'unhelpful escalation' written all over it.

"So he wants the same treatment the Justice League got."

"The Justice League don't need to recruit thousands of people. And they're… Economically inert. And at least pretending not to interfere in international relations. Lex is going to want something a little more generous."

"Or else?"

"Or else you don't get the benefits of cheap space travel, or cheap energy-. Have you been keeping an eye on the energy market lately?"

"If the price goes back up, there'll be rioting in the streets. He's got us over a barrel."

"He had you over a barrel with spaceships. The civilian energy supply is just making the correct solution even more obvious."

"And what are you getting out of it?"

"Galactic peace and stability are everyone's concern. Now there's a human who can meaningfully help me with my wider… Aims." I shrug. "Most of this isn't new technology, you know. Starman worked for the American military during the Second World War. But no one followed up, because… Civilian applications are a distant second place. If that. It's been an ongoing frustration, both for me and for Lex. Bottom line? Get on board or be left behind."

"How 'on board' does the US have to be to get its own fleet of ships?"

"You'll have to agree how that's going to work with your counterparts in other Security Council countries. Obviously, the treaties relating to the deployment of weapons in outer space will have to be rewritten."

"A bit late for that."

"It was a bit late for that when Alan Scott reached near-Earth space in nineteen forty nine. Once it became apparent that certain types of superhuman could get off the planet under their own steam, it should have been obvious that the treaty was ridiculous."

"That was before the treaty was drafted."

"And yet, it got drafted anyway. The problem with stupid laws, Sam, isn't that people have to do stupid things to obey them. It's that they come to believe that all laws are stupid. And while I'm glad that your department is now functioning as opposed to being a deadweight, Lex did this faster, with less legal authority and less access to exotic resources."

"So you're saying I should give Luthor my job."

"Ah…" Oh. Would he take it? I suppose it… No, I don't think he would. It would close too many doors, and wouldn't really get him anything. "No. Not unless you can go back in time about fifteen years."

The sidelong glance he gives me shows that he meant it as a joke.

"My advice to you is to keep doing what you're doing now, but maybe ramp up the commercial side of things? Lex has made a lot of enemies, but he doesn't worry about them because they're really poor compared to him. But if you can get them something they can exploit in the same way he has, I suspect that you'll find a lot of them only too happy to give you a leg up. In the mean time, I imagine you're got counterparts in the Russian and Chinese military to talk to."

"You not sticking around? I thought you and the Chinese got on pretty well. You don't wanna have a talk like this with Chairman Jiang?"

"The thing about not being in first place, is that you don't get quite so offended when someone overtakes you. Though if you end up needing a mediator…"

Mother Box, hush tube.

Ping.

"I know the Equestrian Princess of Friendship."

His face goes still for a moment, then he smiles.

"You made that title up."

I smile back, and stroll into the portal room in Challenger Mountain through the tube -

26th June 2012
14:11 GMT -7

-which shuts down behind me.

"They're still not dealing with it, are they?"

Artemis doesn't look around, still staring at our end of the mirror portal. Bethany wanted to know why it wasn't a mirror on this side too, so I made a frame for it. You can't see through it, and I don't… Really know why that is.

"Do you need to ask?"

"No, but this… Connection-thing is still kinda weird. The other guys on the team don't understand why I'm okay with it."

"They think I mind controlled you?"

"Something like that. So… Ponies?"

I grin, my eyes widening as I shift my armour into subspace.

"Ponies."

Oglymogly · Nov 9, 2020

This chapter is everything I didn't know I wanted out of the DC universe.

NightmareWarden · Nov 9, 2020

Hmmm will this vacation include a one-update stomp all over an Equestrian villain? Or perhaps Grayven will reconnect with his sweetheart. Wait, "sweetheart" is probably a different pony, whoops.

Ngamer11 · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
He snorts and looks away. "At least the other shoe's dropped. I though Lex was planning on fleeing the country."

That should be thought.

transhumansage · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
"And I did. I knew at every step of the way exactly what he was doing. These ships will protect the Earth from extra planetary threats, and begin the process of building off-world human colonies."

"Under whose authority?"

"Well… Lex is running it as a sole proprietor enterprise… So… Him? I mean, he still needs to get raw materials and employees from somewhere so he's not completely cut off-."

"Asteroid mining. And-. Is that it? He's tired of Earth so he's going to build his own planet with space ships and ray guns?"

If he's got any sense.

yeah thats a good idea. hand the former villian off world colonies to control. thats not gonna lead to human rights abuse or anything. im sorry, but correct me if im wrong but is this not the same man who created an entire new species and used them as slave labour? can grayven keep that much of an eye on him? where is the oversight? and can they be bribed.

Vaermina · Nov 9, 2020

transhumansage said:
yeah thats a good idea. hand the former villian off world colonies to control. thats not gonna lead to human rights abuse or anything. im sorry, but correct me if im wrong but is this not the same man who created an entire new species and used them as slave labour? can grayven keep that much of an eye on him? where is the oversight? and can they be bribed.

You have to remember, Grayven is super short sighted.

Ngamer11 · Nov 9, 2020

Vaermina said:
You have to remember, Grayven is super short sighted.

In the Renegade's defense, he has gotten through to Luthor and helped him (somewhat) improve as a person.

DAT_NOOB · Nov 9, 2020

transhumansage said:
yeah thats a good idea. hand the former villian off world colonies to control. thats not gonna lead to human rights abuse or anything. im sorry, but correct me if im wrong but is this not the same man who created an entire new species and used them as slave labour? can grayven keep that much of an eye on him? where is the oversight? and can they be bribed.

I mean at this point hasn't Grayven committed multiple genocides and uses the same species as slave labour? slaves that he stole? or does he pay them? I don't remember

transhumansage · Nov 9, 2020

Ngamer11 said:
In the Renegade's defense, he has gotten through to Luthor and helped him (somewhat) improve as a person.

le sigh. it just feels like when the american gov put norman osborn as head of shield during civil war, in marvel.

Z3r0Sama · Nov 9, 2020

transhumansage said:
yeah thats a good idea. hand the former villian off world colonies to control. thats not gonna lead to human rights abuse or anything. im sorry, but correct me if im wrong but is this not the same man who created an entire new species and used them as slave labour? can grayven keep that much of an eye on him? where is the oversight? and can they be bribed.

I'm absolutely certain if Lex creates colonies they will either be Meritocracies or Noocracies. Probably end up as a post scarcity societies, he is the guy who made a time machine with a straw, can and some tape afterall. Not much need for slave labour in that case. Just let him smugly laugh at The Alien while asking "why didn't you manage this"?

Mr Zoat · Nov 9, 2020

Ngamer11 said:
That should be thought.

Thank you, corrected.

DAT_NOOB said:
I mean at this point hasn't Grayven committed multiple genocides and uses the same species as slave labour? slaves that he stole? or does he pay them? I don't remember

He pays them.

moralrelativity · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
It's been an ongoing frustration, both of me and for Lex.

That "of" really bugs me. It could be a "frustration of mine, and for Lex as well" or "frustration, both for me and for Lex."

Chojin Patriarch · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
26th June 2012
16:07 GMT -5

I exhale, looking out across the United Nations General Assembly. Secretary General Tseng has more or less given up in calling for order as the ambassadors of a dozen countries try to shout over each other. In a way I'm impressed: not one of them is under fifty, and by the sounds of things they're all in fine physical condition. Thankfully, after a brief effort to maintain appearances the representatives of the countries most tightly tied into our uplift project are sitting down, ignoring the provocation from people demanding to know what they knew.

Lex's space fleet being deployed really put the cat amongst the pigeons, I see. I expect international relations have been a bit strained with them hanging over the world's heads...

I hoped they'd handle this better, but after two months the initial gratitude to Lex for saving them has faded and the nations of the Earth… Or perhaps I should say, the leaders of the nations of the Earth, are waking up to some rather unsettling realities.

"You'd really think they'd have stopped panicking about this by now."

Hey, at least Lex hasn't pulled some stupid shit like "Hand control over the Earth to me or my fleet starts blowing up capital cities." But then, Grayven would hand him his head if he did, and he knows that. And Grayven would make sure he lived long enough to see his headless body, too, you know he would.

Sam raises his left eyebrow. "Would you? Lex Luthor has a space fleet."

"Yeah, but as far as they know he's just a businessman. Most of them don't have a space industry, and he's been openly building ships for months."

I mean, they were looking at the slowly-progressing shipyards in central Africa, and not seeing anything threatening, I guess? Just a big boondoggle that would never pay off, even with Lex Luthor behind it. Bet some people are eating crow now.

"You do realise that there's a big difference between 'he's building ships' and 'he now has military supremacy over every nation on Earth', right?" He glowers at me, jabbing me in the chest with his right forefinger. "And don't think I'm okay with this, either. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him!"

"And I did. I knew at every step of the way exactly what he was doing. These ships will protect the Earth from extra planetary threats, and begin the process of building off-world human colonies."

"After all, you never said I should stop him doing anything like that, did you?" Ah, Grayven... New God of Trolling in fine shape, I see.

"Under whose authority?"

"Well… Lex is running it as a sole proprietor enterprise… So… Him? I mean, he still needs to get raw materials and employees from somewhere so he's not completely cut off-."

Hell, if he posted online about placements for off-world colonies, the servers would crash under the weight of people applying. Even after weeding out sci-fi fanboys hoping to chase up some blue space nookie or thrill-seekers who wouldn't cope with the hardships of actually working for a living, there would still be a hell of a lot of people willing to try.

"Asteroid mining. And-. Is that it? He's tired of Earth so he's going to build his own planet with space ships and ray guns?"

If he's got any sense.

Better than Blackjack and Hookers! As long as he promises not to call it 'Lexor' or something silly like that. His ships may have silver-age aesthetics, but that might be pushing it.

But I shake my head, and wave my right hand dismissively.

"Of course not. He's just one man. People tend to be loyal to their country over their employer. But exactly how it works out depends on how sensible people are prepared to be. As you may surmise, the countries who have been benefiting from Lex's direct investment recently are a lot more willing to help him out than the countries feeling undermined. And not just the US; it turns out that Russia was updating their space infrastructure on the sly. Whereas… Tynanda, for example, isn't feeling slighted in the least and is happy to work with him."

Sour grapes. They just want some of Lex's money, and are annoyed it's going to 'some shithole of a country in Africa.'

"All those countries you were launching coups in."

I frown. "Sam. Those places were shit holes. Tell me I'm wrong."

I mean, just because they promptly signed on with Lex's space program, doesn't mean anything, after all. <whistles innocently.?

He snorts and looks away. "At least the other shoe's dropped. I though Lex was planning on fleeing the country."

"A bit mundane for him. Besides, where could he go that I could not find him?"

Hell, that still applies to anywhere in the galaxy. And Lex knows that. One step wrong in Grayven's eyes and he gets to learn what it's like to be living Tang. At least, I expect that's somewhere in the back of his mind...

"If he doesn't need anything, then why is he here?"

"He's a businessman. If people-" More people. "-start imposing tariffs against LexCorp, it makes his life difficult."

And expensive. But then, it's never been about the money to Lex, has it? It's the acclaim. The recognition. Proving to everyone else he's better. That's one of the biggest drives of his conflict with Superman, after all.

Or, rather, it doesn't, but it does make it less easy than it would otherwise be. LexCorp has security, but they're there to ward off criminals. Mostly. Whereas if a government feels sufficiently threatened then there are any number of violent individuals not constrained by civil law who could be instructed to attack him and his, and that sort of thing has 'unhelpful escalation' written all over it.

"So he wants the same treatment the Justice League got."

Pfft. The League is a couple of dozen people running around in long underwear fighting crime and upholding the Status Quo. Lex has bigger ideas than that.

"The Justice League don't need to recruit thousands of people. And they're… Economically inert. And at least pretending not to interfere in international relations. Lex is going to want something with a little more generous."

"Or else?"

See? Recognition. Acclaim. Approval.

"Or else you don't get the benefits of cheap space travel, or cheap energy-. Have you been keeping an eye on the energy market lately?"

"If the price goes back up, there'll be rioting in the streets. He's got us over a barrel."

Bitch, please, America could have had Cosmic Reactors in the fifties. But Big Oil pissed itself in fear of its bottom line, and the Military drove the creator a little crazy for a while...

"He had you over a barrel with spaceships. The civilian energy supply is just making the correct solution even more obvious."

"And what are you getting out of it?"

A stronger Humanity, for one. What's a little internal political upheaval in the face of not dying to the next alien species who thinks Earth is a soft target?

"Galactic peace and stability are everyone's concern. Now there's a human who can meaningfully help me with my wider… Aims." I shrug. "Most of this isn't new technology, you know. Starman worked for the American military during the Second World War. But no one followed up, because… Civilian applications are a distant second place. If that. It's been an ongoing frustration, both of me and for Lex. Bottom line? Get on board or be left behind."

Ans you don't want to be left behind in this scenario. Unless you want to be the new Third World?

"How 'on board' does the US have to be to get its own fleet of ships?"

"You'll have to agree how that's going to work with your counterparts in other Security Council countries. Obviously, the treaties relating to the deployment of weapons in outer space will have to be rewritten."

Heh. Basically telling him, no one country gets to have the big toys to itself. Probably safer that way.

"A bit late for that."

"It was a bit late for that when Alan Scott reached near-Earth space in nineteen forty nine. Once it became apparent that certain types of superhuman could get off the planet under their own steam, it should have been obvious that the treaty was ridiculous."

Shortsightedness again. What could one man do? With the right powers: A lot of damage.

"That was before the treaty was drafted."

"And yet, it got drafted anyway. The problem with stupid laws, Sam, isn't that people have to do stupid things to obey them. It's that they come to believe that all laws are stupid. And while I'm glad that your department is now functioning as opposed to being a deadweight, Lex did this faster, with less legal authority and less access to exotic resources."

Oh, yes. Just look at some of the stranger local laws left on the books and never enforced, because it's too much effort to. At least they get a good chance to set up a proper system before things get out of hand. Not that they'll realise that...

"So you're saying I should give Luthor my job."

"Ah…" Oh. Would he take it? I suppose it… No, I don't think he would. It would close too many doors, and wouldn't really get him anything. "No. Not unless you can go back in time about fifteen years."

I'm reminded of Red Son. And in the end, that Lex won. He won it all.

The sidelong glance he gives me shows that he meant it as a joke.

"My advice to you is to keep doing what you're doing now, but maybe ramp up the commercial side of things? Lex has made a lot of enemies, but he doesn't worry about them because they're really poor compared to him. But if you can get them something they can exploit in the same way he has, I suspect that you'll find a lot of them only too happy to give you a leg up. In the mean time, I imagine you're got counterparts in the Russian and Chinese military to talk to."

Never mind all the little dogs barking to try and be noticed...

"You not sticking around? I thought you and the Chinese got on pretty well. You don't wanna have a talk like this with Chairman Jiang?"

"The thing about not being in first place, is that you don't get quite so offended when someone overtakes you. Though if you end up needing a mediator…"

As I've said before: Casanunda, second-greatest lover on the Disc said it best: Second Place works harder.

Mother Box, hush tube.

Ping.

"I know the Equestrian Princess of Friendship."

And no, that is not a joke. I bet Twilight Sparkle could work wonders in the diplomatic circles once she found her footing.

His face goes still for a moment, then he smiles.

"You made that title up."

He doesn't like the idea of the Ponies, does he? Too girly for him, or just insulted by the idea of a country that defends itself via godlike powers?

I smile back, and stroll into the portal room in Challenger Mountain through the tube -

26th June 2012
14:11 GMT -7

-which shuts down behind me.

And that makes one hell of an exit. Grayven: Trolling in style.

"They're still not dealing with it, are they?"

Artemis doesn't look around, still staring at our end of the mirror portal. Bethany wanted to know why it wasn't a mirror on this side too, so I made a frame for it. You can't see through it, and I don't… Really know why that is.

Spatial discontinuities, probably. Light would do weird things as it passed through and had to completely change its' physical properties...

"Do you need to ask?"

"No, but this… Connection-thing is still kinda weird. The other guys on the team don't understand why I'm okay with it."

Wait until they get stuck somewhere together for several thousand years. See how they feel about it then.

"They think I mind controlled you?"

"Something like that. So… Ponies?"

Aw, yeah. New Goddess of Ninja Archers visiting Equestria? This would be hilarious. Alicorn again, I expect. Bet she has an archery-related Cutie Mark.

I grin, my eyes widening as I shift my armour into subspace.

"Ponies."

Heh, telling how he felt comfortable stripping down in front of her without any hesitation. Not a hint of romance between them, is there?

Man, two months skipped just like that. I hope Artemis is feeling a little more comfortable in her skin now, having had a chance to settle back into her old life. Perhaps the pony trip might do her some good?

Lex is going to want something with a little more generous.

The sentence is a little mangled. Deleting this word should improve it.

transhumansage · Nov 9, 2020

DAT_NOOB said:
I mean at this point hasn't Grayven committed multiple genocides and uses the same species as slave labour? slaves that he stole? or does he pay them? I don't remember

he pays them and treats them well. also if they want to leave and build a home he would help.

Flightless Man · Nov 9, 2020

So happy. Can't wait o see how meeting the missus goes and if she can see/sense bond.

Agent Orange · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Sam raises his left eyebrow.

Sam? Sam Wilson? Sam Neil? Sam(antha) Carter? There's too many Sams lately! Which one is this? Somebody help?!

Mr Zoat said:
"Asteroid mining. And-. Is that it? He's tired of Earth so he's going to build his own planet with space ships and ray guns?"

"And shark tanks!" No seriously, for all his (many many) faults Lex is a businessman first. Earth populace is his main consumer base. He might start selling to (space) aliens but he won't forget you little people. Only complete nutters like Owlman would want to blow up their own farm.

Mr Zoat said:
If he's got any sense

Ha!

Don't worry Sam, it's not happening. Without Big Gray around to spritz him with a plant mister every time he gets 'ideas' he'll just revert to his Plot enforced characterization.

Mr Zoat said:
"If he doesn't need anything, then why is he here?"

"He's a businessman.

And his massive ego, we can't forget that one. And because Gray wants him to stray where he is doing what he does. And because the Alien is here and Lex can't rub his face into his success from the other star system no can he.

Mr Zoat said:
So… Ponies?"

I grin, my eyes widening as I shift my armour into subspace.

"Ponies."

Finally! This is bound to be awkward considering that Gray will be bringing another 'alicorn mare' that he marked as his to his girlfriend's (?) metaphysical senses.

Ngamer11 · Nov 9, 2020

Agent Orange said:
Sam? Sam Wilson? Sam Neil? Sam(antha) Carter? There's too many Sams lately! Which one is this? Somebody help?!

General Samuel Lane, father of Lois Lane and an actually reasonable American general. He's associated with the Renegade.

Agent Orange · Nov 9, 2020

Chojin Patriarch said:
Lex's space fleet being deployed really put the cat amongst the pigeons, I see. I expect international relations have been a bit strained with them hanging over the world's heads...

I mean... technically he's still an American capitalist in the world's eyes. Whether the US considers him one of theirs is another story.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Hey, at least Lex hasn't pulled some stupid shit like "Hand control over the Earth to me or my fleet starts blowing up capital cities."

Yet. He hasn't done it yet. I'm betting it happens while Gray, Arty and Luna are playing out the worst of the romcom tropes in Equestria.

Chojin Patriarch said:
"After all, you never said I should stop him doing anything like that, did you?"

Exact words. He may have spent too much time with the fake Fae.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Hell, if he posted online about placements for off-world colonies, the servers would crash under the weight of people applying.

I know right! He'd have more applicants than spots.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And no, that is not a joke. I bet Twilight Sparkle could work wonders in the diplomatic circles once she found her footing.

After she recovered from her nervous breakdown you mean? DC politics is to MLP politics what RL politics is to DC politics.

Chojin Patriarch said:
New Goddess of Ninja Archers visiting Equestria?

New Goddess of Stealth Archers thank you very much!

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh, telling how he felt comfortable stripping down in front of her without any hesitation. Not a hint of romance between them, is there?

Nope. Not. At. All.

Ngamer11 said:
General Samuel Lane, father of Lois Lane

Much obliged!

Handlewithcare · Nov 9, 2020

Ah, it's always nice to see backwards oriented idiots be confronted by reality.

They had decades to prepare for this and now someone else moved ahead they are whining about it. Morons.

FreeGod · Nov 9, 2020

So how long until Artemis meets the other Artemis?

Darko · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
the antiiron and iron

'anti-iron'

Mr Zoat said:
"That's a good question. No paper or electronic records. Think the Atlanteans or the Columbians can read their magic records?"

"The Atlanteans can probably bypass their security, but they won't know what they're looking at. The Columbians… Maybe. But they never decoded Melmoth's records, and-"

A tiny distortion in the light reflected from the golden space station and I reflexively turn my guns and fire. A Sheeda warrior shimmers back into visibility as my beam hits, a hole punched straight through his gut.

"-why would the Sheeda document things? They weren't planning to leave anyone alive."

Paul does have Melmoth to help with any potential records.

Chojin Patriarch said:
<facepalm> And I'm now reminded of that Justice League animated movie involving the formation of the New 52 League... Where glowy green douchebag guy Hal forms a big fist and slooooowly flies over to Darkseid, who just pimpslaps him into a wall...

Ohh, pre 52 Hal would have done the same thing.

Chojin Patriarch said:
No doubts about the likelihood of execution, then? I doubt OL does completely remember stuff like 'The Queen is nigh-unkillably immortal...' from Seven Soldiers.

There is assimilation.

Chojin Patriarch said:
But seriously... A giant Mongoose?

If it works it can be anything he wants.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Good catch. That sort of shit is so annoying in games... And who knows what the Atlanteans and Columbians can pull off in conjunction.

Again, there is Melmoth.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Let's hope Malvolio's in a good mood to receive visitors.

Me thinks not.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Because Hal Jordan performing diplomacy? I suspect this will be interesting in every humorous sense of the word.

More in the Chinese sense of the word.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Better than Blackjack and Hookers!

HERETIC!

Chojin Patriarch said:
As long as he promises not to call it 'Lexor' or something silly like that.

He will call it that.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And expensive. But then, it's never been about the money to Lex, has it? It's the acclaim. The recognition. Proving to everyone else he's better. That's one of the biggest drives of his conflict with Superman, after all.

That and a whole host of unresolved sexual issues.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Pfft. The League is a couple of dozen people running around in long underwear fighting crime and upholding the Status Quo. Lex has bigger ideas than that.

They are also trying to improve the world, like Diana with civil rights for women. Bruce with his charities etc.

Paul pointed it out in the Guys From Gotham episode that one of the reasons the League doesn't do more to improve the world is because they need to make sure some lunatic, like Luthor and his friends in the Light, doesn't burn it down,and by the time they stop them they are too tired and exhausted.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Bitch, please, America could have had Cosmic Reactors in the fifties. But Big Oil pissed itself in fear of its bottom line, and the Military drove the creator a little crazy for a while...

I don't think it was the oil companies as much as it was Knight not wanting another of his inventions weaponized.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And no, that is not a joke. I bet Twilight Sparkle could work wonders in the diplomatic circles once she found her footing.

I'm now picturing her being dismissed by the politicians of Earth due to how she looks and acts, only for her to utterly play them like fools.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh, telling how he felt comfortable stripping down in front of her without any hesitation. Not a hint of romance between them, is there?

He was probably wearing clothes underneath.

Ngamer11 said:
General Samuel Lane, father of Lois Lane and an actually reasonable American general. He's associated with the Renegade.

Well reasonable in this story and in the n52.

The pre flashpoint version, yeah not so much reason there.

Joelseph14 · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
26th June 2012
16:07 GMT -5

I exhale, looking out across the United Nations General Assembly. Secretary General Tseng has more or less given up in calling for order as the ambassadors of a dozen countries try to shout over each other. In a way I'm impressed: not one of them is under fifty, and by the sounds of things they're all in fine physical condition. Thankfully, after a brief effort to maintain appearances the representatives of the countries most tightly tied into our uplift project are sitting down, ignoring the provocation from people demanding to know what they knew.

I hoped they'd handle this better, but after two months the initial gratitude to Lex for saving them has faded and the nations of the Earth… Or perhaps I should say, the leaders of the nations of the Earth, are waking up to some rather unsettling realities.

"You'd really think they'd have stopped panicking about this by now."

Sam raises his left eyebrow. "Would you? Lex Luthor has a space fleet."

"Yeah, but as far as they know he's just a businessman. Most of them don't have a space industry, and he's been openly building ships for months."

"You do realise that there's a big difference between 'he's building ships' and 'he now has military supremacy over every nation on Earth', right?" He glowers at me, jabbing me in the chest with his right forefinger. "And don't think I'm okay with this, either. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him!"

"And I did. I knew at every step of the way exactly what he was doing. These ships will protect the Earth from extra planetary threats, and begin the process of building off-world human colonies."

"Under whose authority?"

"Well… Lex is running it as a sole proprietor enterprise… So… Him? I mean, he still needs to get raw materials and employees from somewhere so he's not completely cut off-."

"Asteroid mining. And-. Is that it? He's tired of Earth so he's going to build his own planet with space ships and ray guns?"

If he's got any sense.

But I shake my head, and wave my right hand dismissively.

"Of course not. He's just one man. People tend to be loyal to their country over their employer. But exactly how it works out depends on how sensible people are prepared to be. As you may surmise, the countries who have been benefiting from Lex's direct investment recently are a lot more willing to help him out than the countries feeling undermined. And not just the US; it turns out that Russia was updating their space infrastructure on the sly. Whereas… Tynanda, for example, isn't feeling slighted in the least and is happy to work with him."

"All those countries you were launching coups in."

I frown. "Sam. Those places were shit holes. Tell me I'm wrong."

He snorts and looks away. "At least the other shoe's dropped. I thought Lex was planning on fleeing the country."

"A bit mundane for him. Besides, where could he go that I could not find him?"

"If he doesn't need anything, then why is he here?"

"He's a businessman. If people-" More people. "-start imposing tariffs against LexCorp, it makes his life difficult."

Or, rather, it doesn't, but it does make it less easy than it would otherwise be. LexCorp has security, but they're there to ward off criminals. Mostly. Whereas if a government feels sufficiently threatened then there are any number of violent individuals not constrained by civil law who could be instructed to attack him and his, and that sort of thing has 'unhelpful escalation' written all over it.

"So he wants the same treatment the Justice League got."

"The Justice League don't need to recruit thousands of people. And they're… Economically inert. And at least pretending not to interfere in international relations. Lex is going to want something with a little more generous."

"Or else?"

"Or else you don't get the benefits of cheap space travel, or cheap energy-. Have you been keeping an eye on the energy market lately?"

"If the price goes back up, there'll be rioting in the streets. He's got us over a barrel."

"He had you over a barrel with spaceships. The civilian energy supply is just making the correct solution even more obvious."

"And what are you getting out of it?"

"Galactic peace and stability are everyone's concern. Now there's a human who can meaningfully help me with my wider… Aims." I shrug. "Most of this isn't new technology, you know. Starman worked for the American military during the Second World War. But no one followed up, because… Civilian applications are a distant second place. If that. It's been an ongoing frustration, both of me and for Lex. Bottom line? Get on board or be left behind."

"How 'on board' does the US have to be to get its own fleet of ships?"

"You'll have to agree how that's going to work with your counterparts in other Security Council countries. Obviously, the treaties relating to the deployment of weapons in outer space will have to be rewritten."

"A bit late for that."

"It was a bit late for that when Alan Scott reached near-Earth space in nineteen forty nine. Once it became apparent that certain types of superhuman could get off the planet under their own steam, it should have been obvious that the treaty was ridiculous."

"That was before the treaty was drafted."

"And yet, it got drafted anyway. The problem with stupid laws, Sam, isn't that people have to do stupid things to obey them. It's that they come to believe that all laws are stupid. And while I'm glad that your department is now functioning as opposed to being a deadweight, Lex did this faster, with less legal authority and less access to exotic resources."

"So you're saying I should give Luthor my job."

"Ah…" Oh. Would he take it? I suppose it… No, I don't think he would. It would close too many doors, and wouldn't really get him anything. "No. Not unless you can go back in time about fifteen years."

The sidelong glance he gives me shows that he meant it as a joke.

"My advice to you is to keep doing what you're doing now, but maybe ramp up the commercial side of things? Lex has made a lot of enemies, but he doesn't worry about them because they're really poor compared to him. But if you can get them something they can exploit in the same way he has, I suspect that you'll find a lot of them only too happy to give you a leg up. In the mean time, I imagine you're got counterparts in the Russian and Chinese military to talk to."

"You not sticking around? I thought you and the Chinese got on pretty well. You don't wanna have a talk like this with Chairman Jiang?"

"The thing about not being in first place, is that you don't get quite so offended when someone overtakes you. Though if you end up needing a mediator…"

Mother Box, hush tube.

Ping.

"I know the Equestrian Princess of Friendship."

His face goes still for a moment, then he smiles.

"You made that title up."

I smile back, and stroll into the portal room in Challenger Mountain through the tube -

26th June 2012
14:11 GMT -7

-which shuts down behind me.

"They're still not dealing with it, are they?"

Artemis doesn't look around, still staring at our end of the mirror portal. Bethany wanted to know why it wasn't a mirror on this side too, so I made a frame for it. You can't see through it, and I don't… Really know why that is.

"Do you need to ask?"

"No, but this… Connection-thing is still kinda weird. The other guys on the team don't understand why I'm okay with it."

"They think I mind controlled you?"

"Something like that. So… Ponies?"

I grin, my eyes widening as I shift my armour into subspace.

"Ponies."

Fuck yes bring back the ponies

DeathlessProficiency · Nov 9, 2020

Oglymogly said:
This chapter is everything I didn't know I wanted out of the DC universe.

agreed. Thanks Mr. Zoat.

Prince Charon · Nov 9, 2020

Handlewithcare said:
Ah, it's always nice to see backwards oriented idiots be confronted by reality.

They had decades to prepare for this and now someone else moved ahead they are whining about it. Morons.

... and now it's happened in both timelines (although the one in Paragon was less... conclusive, IIRC, and was a slightly different 'thing that they should have done/figured out how to deal with decades earlier').

Mr Zoat · Nov 9, 2020

moralrelativity said:
That "of" really bugs me. It could be a "frustration of mine, and for Lex as well" or "frustration, both for me and for Lex."

Chojin Patriarch said:
The sentence is a little mangled. Deleting this word should improve it.

Thank you, corrected.

Heh, telling how he felt comfortable stripping down in front of her without any hesitation. Not a hint of romance between them, is there?

He has clothing on underneath his armour.

transhumansage said:
he pays them and treats them well. also if they want to leave and build a home he would help.

He has helped them. The tamaranians gave them a large island.

FreeGod said:
So how long until Artemis meets the other Artemis?

There's an achievement for having all five do a mission together.

Darko said:
'anti-iron'

Not sure about that one. Antihydrogen is written without a hyphen on some professional-looking websites.

Pinklestia · Nov 9, 2020

Oglymogly said:
This chapter is everything I didn't know I wanted out of the DC universe.

Well its seems Grayven is going to be out of DC for a while indeed.

Darko · Nov 9, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Not sure about that one. Antihydrogen is written without a hyphen on some professional-looking websites.

Even if it's true, most times it tends to be written with a hyphen.

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

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If you see a God on the road fuck it!

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