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

Mr Zoat · Aug 24, 2021

nick012000 said:
Uhhh... Paul? You've made dozens of Orange Power Rings. You do that every time you assimilate someone into a construct Lantern.

That's not really the same thing.

Bud-E · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
That's not really the same thing.

How so?

Bramble Thorn · Aug 25, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
About three and a half hours. I take it that was quick for him. Not doubt a Maltusian could do it a bit faster, but their detail work is probably a little weaker. The joy of hand-crafting single pieces versus more mass-produced copies...

The guardians have what, 7,200 regular lanterns and a handful of Honor guards or better?
With the OLC having been around millions of years?
If you think these are mass produced copies, you are very much in error.
At the time scales operate on, they could have spent a year on each one a few million year ago, and been good since.
With every detail they wanted to include, included, and the only details omitted the ones they considered extraneous.

crazygrox · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"For how long have you wielded a ring?"

"A little over two years."

"I required decades of instruction afore I could do so much."

"Bonding with the Ophidian gave me perspective that most mortals lack. So for the rest of you, here's what I did."

This is the first Malvolio is hearing of the Ophidian isn't it?
He's going to try to bond with Ion in order to figure out his ring manufacture problem if he doesn't figure it out quickly isn't he?

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2021

10th September 2012
17:18 GMT

"Raagh!"

Lantern Dul snarls as her latest effort collapses in a flash of thwarted desire.

"Lantern Dul, I-."

Her body language goes through 'you have my full attention' and all the way to 'I'm about to swoop on you'.

"-set you this task as a training exercise. I don't actually expect you to be able to create a functioning lantern during our time together. And certainly not today. The purpose is to give you a better idea of how you're doing in your other exercises, one you can actually see."

Lord Malvolio looks mildly disquieted. I assume he doesn't understand why I'm allowing her to act up like this, rather than anything about what I've done or said contents-wise.

She nods, her anger leaving her swiftly. I wouldn't say that she's 'mastered' her anger or anything like that, but she has gotten better at defeating it with rationality.

"I'll keep working on it. I don't think that I'll be able to make my own lantern in the foreseeable future."

"Lantern Dul, I'm a freak who got lucky with the Ophidian. Don't measure yourself against me." I nod my head in the direction of Xor and Onik. Onik has a wire frame lantern he's been staring at for over an hour, while Xor's eyes are closed as he meditates. "They're the ones you can meaningfully measure yourself against."

"Yes, Illustres."

She fluffs her wings before floating into the air in a meditative pose.

"Your technique is at odds with what I used to create mine own lantern."

I nod. "It would be. There is probably more than one way to make one, and in any case we're using different colours. And there's probably some unifying factor that explains and predicts the techniques that can be made to work…"

I shrug.

"I'm not the person to ask about that, though."

"As I have issued my challenge to the Guardians' control of the power of will, I see little chance that they will illuminate me."

"There might be an unaligned Maltusian -or even a Controller- who would be willing to share their knowledge. But that sort of person would want a major concession."

"A concession I am not minded to give."

"There are Qwardians with the required knowledge. They take cash, but I think that someone might have already bought them."

"Who would consort with such a people?"

"Thaal Sinestro. Have you heard of him?"

"I have not."

"A former Green Lantern, who preferred order to beneficence. He was judged to have broken Corps regulation by how he repressed his own people, so the Guardians sentenced him to exile. Then there's a period where we don't really know what happened, then he was back with a yellow power ring. That one runs off his mastery of fear: his knowledge of his own fears and his ability to inspire fear in his opponents. And he appears to be recruiting."

"It seems that there is much that I do not know. What is his end?"

I shrug. "Pass. At a guess, establishing oppressive order through fear because he can't stand people doing things that he didn't authorise, but I haven't had a conversation with him. Ah, and since he's been assassinating Green Lanterns, if you plan on drawing any of them away from the Guardians, I wouldn't recommend having anything to do with him."

"And if I am not?"

"I don't know his motives well enough to advise you. I had a look at your law books while I was in your prison system and I didn't find anything I found especially objectionable. You centralised power to a degree I consider impractical, but you're already working to fix that. Individual citizens had a degree of personal liberty I consider reasonable. Last time Sinestro ruled a planet, his people didn't get that."

I shrug.

"Perhaps he's changed since then. Perhaps not. I don't know."

"You have not sought him out yourself?"

"I've already got one big war to contend with. I could alienate friends and allies by just talking to him. Dox did, but I've made a point of not asking him what they talked about."

"For what reason?"

"Plausible deniability. It sounds a lot more convincing if I can say 'I haven't had any conversations with Sinestro' than 'I've spoken to Sinestro but we didn't talk about that specific thing'."

"I am puzzled. You seemed to be of what you yourself described as utilitarian character. From what little you have said of Sinestro, it seems to me that your foes would most likely be his as well. Wherefore then have you not made common cause?"

"Because of what comes next. Sure, Sinestro could grab a bunch of fearmongers and wage war with the Reach, and that may help us. But someday the war will be over. And then we'll have to deal with him, the region of space he commands and his army of veteran Lanterns. Based on what he did with his own world when he controlled it, his views on the best form of life and mine are irreconcilable."

"May a man not amend his mind?"

"He could, but the Green Lantern Corps probably expect him to serve a sentence for his crimes against them before they'll be happy for him to play a role in galactic politics. I'd be creating a problem in my relations with them as well as creating a problem for later. And… Speaking of relations with the Green Lantern Corps… What exactly do you want?"

He holds up his right hand, green flames flickering and then billowing, dripping onto the deck before dissipating.

"Three centuries they imprisoned me. Three centuries I railed against their arrogance in believing that they knew best. Then I gained my freedom, and saw the havoc my absence had wrought. Their fault in keeping me from my subjects. But though it galls me to admit-"

He clenches his hand into a fist, suffocating the flames.

"-it, mine as well. It is a poor teacher who cripples his students' minds that he may never be surpassed. So I have resolved thusly: I have just grievances against the Guardians, but they are no mortal insult. I will not regard Green Lanterns I encounter as my enemies, saving that they act against me. Neither shall I seek any retribution against their masters. But I will stretch forth my hand, and they may take that as they will."

"That's surprisingly reasonable. Would you object to a senior Green Lantern approaching you directly, to discuss things in detail?"

"None. Though it may be best if they are skilled in the arts of diplomacy. Thus far I have met three Corpsmen and fought all three."

"I'll bear that in mind. So what progress have you made on forging rings?"

Ngamer11 · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Three centuries they imprisoned me. Three centuries I railed against their arrogance in believing that they knew best. Then I gained my freedom, and saw the havoc my absence had wrought. Their fault in keeping me from my subjects. But though it galls be to admit-"

He clenches his hand into a fist, suffocating the flames.

"-it, mine as well. It is a poor teacher who cripples his students' minds that he may never be surpassed. So I have resolved thusly: I have just grievances against the Guardians, but they are no mortal insult. I will not regard Green Lanterns I encounter as my enemies, saving that they act against me. Neither shall I seek any retribution against their masters. But I will stretch forth my hand, and they may take that as they will."

"That's surprisingly reasonable. Would you object to a senior Green Lantern approaching you directly, to discuss things in detail?"

"None. Though it may be best if they are skilled in the arts of diplomacy. Thus far I have met three Corpsmen and fought all three."

"I'll bear that in mind. So what progress have you made on forging rings?"

How did those fights against Green Lanterns go? Complete stomp?

Darko · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Lantern Dul, I'm a freak who got lucky with the Ophidian

So true.

Mr Zoat said:
There are Qwardians with the required knowledge. They take cash, but I think that someone might have already bought them."

"Who would consort with such a people?"

"Thaal Sinestro. Have you heard of him?"

You yourself worked with them.

Mr Zoat said:
What is his end?"

I shrug. "Pass.

That's such a Paul thing to say.

Mr Zoat said:
Individual citizens had a degree of personal liberty I consider reasonable. Last time Sinestro ruled a planet, his people didn't get that."

Yeah, according to Soranik they'd be arrested for littering.

Mr Zoat said:
"I've already got one big war to contend with. I could alienate friends and allies by just talking to him

But you could improve your relationship with friends and allies by taking him down.

I don't think a lot of your friends or allies like or care about Sinestro all that much.

Mr Zoat said:
Dox did, but I've made a point of not asking him what they talked about."

This is really stupid.

Mr Zoat said:
For what reason?"

"Plausible deniability. It sounds a lot more convincing if I can say 'I haven't had any conversations with Sinestro' than 'I've spoken to Sinestro but we didn't talk about that specific thing'."

This is even more stupid.

Mr Zoat said:
But though it galls be to admit

'me to'

iamnuff · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"None. Though it may be best if they are skilled in the arts of diplomacy. Thus far I have met three Corpsmen and fought all three."

They do tend to be a stubborn lot, these green Lanterns.

Someguy Somewhere · Aug 25, 2021

If he's as good or better then Paul, they might just have gone something like, "WILL NULLIFICATION".

Followed by some gurgling into vacuum.

Darko · Aug 25, 2021

Ngamer11 said:
How did those fights against Green Lanterns go? Complete stomp?

Well one fight was with Hal, who won that fight but Malvolio may have let him win.

The other fight was most likely with Priest, who Malvolio beat.

Mr Zoat · Aug 25, 2021

Darko said:
'me to'

Thank you, corrected.

moralrelativity · Aug 25, 2021

"That's surprisingly reasonable. Would you object to a senior Green Lantern approaching you directly, to discuss things in detail?"

"None. Though it may be best if they are skilled in the arts of diplomacy. Thus far I have met three Corpsmen and fought all three."

"I'll bear that in mind. So what progress have you made on forging rings?"

So which Greenie is OL going to give that job to?

Chojin Patriarch · Aug 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
10th September 2012
17:18 GMT

"Raagh!"

Lantern Dul snarls as her latest effort collapses in a flash of thwarted desire.

Ah, she's having trouble with something even OL still feels a measure of challenge with. Not surprising. And I bet it's frustrating her to no end. Dul strikes me as the sort of person who takes failure badly. Still, if she can learn to focus past that anger...

"Lantern Dul, I-."

Her body language goes through 'you have my full attention' and all the way to 'I'm about to swoop on you'.

Which probably involves a distinctly predatory glare, complete with pupil shift. The sort of expression that makes you feel like a field mouse in the sight of a hawk...

"-set you this task as a training exercise. I don't actually expect you to be able to create a functioning lantern during our time together. And certainly not today. The purpose is to give you a better idea of how you're doing in your other exercises, one you can actually see."

Lord Malvolio looks mildly disquieted. I assume he doesn't understand why I'm allowing her to act up like this, rather than anything about what I've done or said contents-wise.

He's got a lot to learn about the wilfulness of Orange Lanterns... Alas, the power of desire doesn't play nice with absolute self-control...

She nods, her anger leaving her swiftly. I wouldn't say that she's 'mastered' her anger or anything like that, but she has gotten better at defeating it with rationality.

"I'll keep working on it. I don't think that I'll be able to make my own lantern in the foreseeable future."

And you shouldn't be expected to. Like OL said, this is more of a mental training exercise right now.

"Lantern Dul, I'm a freak who got lucky with the Ophidian. Don't measure yourself against me." I nod my head in the direction of Xor and Onik. Onik has a wire frame lantern he's been staring at for over an hour, while Xor's eyes are closed as he meditates. "They're the ones you can meaningfully measure yourself against."

"Yes, Illustres."

Good to see progress on their end. Wonder if Onik's doubting himself and his worthiness to attempt such a 'holy' task. I'm guessing Xor is more focused on sorting his desires than actually working them into physical form yet. An interesting contrast to their methods, though.

She fluffs her wings before floating into the air in a meditative pose.

"Your technique is at odds with what I used to create mine own lantern."

Different Light, different routes. Will is a lot easier to work with. You basically have to be stubborn at the universe, don't you?

I nod. "It would be. There is probably more than one way to make one, and in any case we're using different colours. And there's probably some unifying factor that explains and predicts the techniques that can be made to work…"

I shrug.

"I'm not the person to ask about that, though."

Indeed. Perhaps look to the Controllers crafting the Corps' personal gear right now...

"As I have issued my challenge to the Guardians' control of the power of will, I see little chance that they will illuminate me."

"There might be a unaligned Maltusian -or even a Controller- who would be willing to share their knowledge. But that sort of person would want a major concession."

Like playing a significant part in Malvolio's empire-building? Some monetary reward, or knowledge? I could see a particularly inquisitive scientist being interested in the way he's mainlining Will as a Maltusian might.

"A concession I am not minded to give."

"There are Qwardians with the required knowledge. They take cash, but I think that someone might have already bought them."

Well, there is the problem that you kind of destroyed the most likely option for easy access by getting Varnathon nobbled. I doubt his replacement has been quite so open-minded about general trade.

"Who would consort with such a people?"

"Thaal Sinestro. Have you heard of him?"

...OL, he's been sealed away for several centuries. Sinestro isn't that old. And likely not that well-known in Malvolio's turf...

"I have not."

"A former Green Lantern, who preferred order to beneficence. He was judged to have broken Corps regulation by how he repressed his own people, so the Guardians sentenced him to exile. Then there's a period where we don't really know what happened, then he was back with a yellow power ring. That one runs off his mastery of fear: his knowledge of his own fears and his ability to inspire fear in his opponents. And he appears to be recruiting."

Which, if Malvolio is paying attention, is five colours now (Avarice, Fear, Will, Hope and Love.) I'm honestly surprised he hasn't pressed OL for more information on the remainder. I doubt he's been looking through any databases he might have looted...

"It seems that there is much that I do not know. What is his end?"

I shrug. "Pass. At a guess, establishing oppressive order through fear because he can't stand people doing things that he didn't authorise, but I haven't had a conversation with him. Ah, and since he's been assassinating Green Lanterns, if you plan on drawing any of them away from the Guardians, I wouldn't recommend having anything to do with him."

What with him being, if not public enemy number one for the Corps, then fairly high in the 'wanted' ranks. And if he's been following his canon route of recruitment, picking criminals and fearmongers...

"And if I am not?"

"I don't know his motives well enough to advise you. I had a look at your law books while I was in your prison system and I didn't find anything I found especially objectionable. You centralised power to a degree I consider impractical, but you're already working to fix that. Individual citizens had a degree of personal liberty I consider reasonable. Last time Sinestro ruled a planet, his people didn't get that."

Bit hard to be worse than Sinestro's level of severity. I mean, While he might not have been executing people for littering, I suspect he wasn't far off that point...

I shrug.

"Perhaps he's changed since then. Perhaps not. I don't know."

"You have not sought him out yourself?"

What benefit would it provide? If Sinestro wants to meet him, he'll come looking. And Sinestro is not the sort to live a quite life. If he ends up doing something that earns the Green Lantern's ire, it'll likely be big enough to drag in the Orange as well, if not the Indigo Tribe too...

"I've already got one big war to contend with. I could alienate friends and allies by just talking to him. Dox did, but I've made a point of not asking him what they talked about."

"For what reason?"

That does seem kind of an oversight. I would at least have asked if the subjects discussed were likely to be a problem in future...

"Plausible deniability. It sounds a lot more convincing if I can say 'I haven't had any conversations with Sinestro' than 'I've spoken to Sinestro but we didn't talk about that specific thing'."

"I am puzzled. You seemed to be of what you yourself described as utilitarian character. From what little you have said of Sinestro, it seems to me that your foes would most likely be his as well. Wherefore then have you not made common cause?"

Unfortunately, Sinestro has an ego that writes checks his ass can't cash. And he's always got to feel like the smartest guy in the room. And is a hell of a control freak, as evidenced by the leashes he kept on his Corps, both subtle and not...

"Because of what comes next. Sure, Sinestro could grab a bunch of fearmongers and wage war with the Reach, and that may help us. But someday the war will be over. And then we'll have to deal with him, the region of space he commands and his army of veteran Lanterns. Based on what he did with his own world when he controlled it, his views on the best form of life and mine are irreconcilable."

"May a man not amend his mind?"

That would take some changing for Sinestro.

"He could, but the Green Lantern Corps probably expect him to serve a sentence for his crimes against them before they'll be happy for him to play a role in galactic politics. I'd be creating a problem in my relations with them as well as creating a problem for later. And… Speaking of relations with the Green Lantern Corps… What exactly do you want?"

He holds up his right hand, green flames flickering and then billowing, dripping onto the deck before dissipating.

Impressively physical manifestations.

"Three centuries they imprisoned me. Three centuries I railed against their arrogance in believing that they knew best. Then I gained my freedom, and saw the havoc my absence had wrought. Their fault in keeping me from my subjects. But though it galls be to admit-"

He clenches his hand into a fist, suffocating the flames.

At least he's not wholly obsessed with vengeance.

"-it, mine as well. It is a poor teacher who cripples his students' minds that he may never be surpassed. So I have resolved thusly: I have just grievances against the Guardians, but they are no mortal insult. I will not regard Green Lanterns I encounter as my enemies, saving that they act against me. Neither shall I seek any retribution against their masters. But I will stretch forth my hand, and they may take that as they will."

"That's surprisingly reasonable. Would you object to a senior Green Lantern approaching you directly, to discuss things in detail?"

In other words, 'Live and let live, but if you come at me, I will put your as down.'

"None. Though it may be best if they are skilled in the arts of diplomacy. Thus far I have met three Corpsmen and fought all three."

"I'll bear that in mind. So what progress have you made on forging rings?"

To be fair, I doubt any of those Corpsmen knew what the hell you were, outside of seeing a large flotilla of ships that looks suspiciously like an invasion fleet. And the Green Light does enure that once someone jumped to a conclusion, they'll stick to it...

At least Malvolio isn't going on a revenge spree against the Corps, or the Guardians. I still foresee them not being happy about his existence, much less a Corps of Will-wielding peacekeepers not under their control. Hopefully if an Honour Guard comes as an ambassador, they can work out, if not a peace deal, a non-interference pact... Let's just hope it's not Hal, I suspect he's still got some hard feelings.

ZzzSlothzzZ · Aug 25, 2021

Ngamer11 said:
How did those fights against Green Lanterns go? Complete stomp?

Highly likely. With a side of,

What kind of hell world is Earth?

FreeGod · Aug 25, 2021

ZzzSlothzzZ said:
Highly likely. With a side of,

What kind of hell world is Earth?

Earth is a small pond filled with big fish.

Steelplaza · Aug 25, 2021

Sometimes I wonder if the SI shouldn't trouble himself to review Sinestro's law books in the same way he did those of Malvolio.

The famous "executed people for littering" example just keeps coming up, and I have no doubt that it did happen... at least once. But was it common, or was it the confluence of a several different laws producing an extreme outcome in the same way that legal systems sometimes do? Or did Sinestro fly down and personally zap to death some guy who dropped a cup on the ground? Or was "littering" actually mass disposal of garbage into an environmentally protected... you get the idea. Maybe Sinestro really was as much as a maniac as his political enemies make him out to be, I don't know, but the death for littering thing has the feel of an apocryphal example that certainly technically happened but may not be representative. Or maybe it is.

Ngamer11 · Aug 25, 2021

Steelplaza said:
Sometimes I wonder if the SI shouldn't trouble himself to review Sinestro's law books in the same way he did those of Malvolio.

The famous "executed people for littering" example just keeps coming up, and I have no doubt that it did happen... at least once. But was it common, or was it the confluence of a several different laws producing an extreme outcome in the same way that legal systems sometimes do? Or did Sinestro fly down and personally zap to death some guy who dropped a cup on the ground? Or was "littering" actually mass disposal of garbage into an environmentally protected... you get the idea. Maybe Sinestro really was as much as a maniac as his political enemies make him out to be, I don't know, but the death for littering thing has the feel of an apocryphal example that certainly technically happened but may not be representative. Or maybe it is.

Actually, if I remember correctly, people who littered were sent to jail, not executed.

Hell's Razer · Aug 25, 2021

FreeGod said:
Earth is a small pond filled with big fish.

Actually I feel like the better metaphor is that earth is a really small reef that hides some really big caves, and if you carelessly go and start stirring things up in the water all manner of things with big TEETH will come out of those caves to eat you.

Stsword · Aug 25, 2021

Darko said:
Well one fight was with Hal, who won that fight but Malvolio may have let him win.

The other fight was most likely with Priest, who Malvolio beat.

Which I find funny, since in the comics it's Priest who exiled Malvolio to his little piece of the universe.

And then was kicked out of the GLC for his trouble, because the Guardians wanted Malvolio dead dead dead.

Priest was a trippy character. He beat up Hal with Hal's own ring, using his suoerior willpower to take control over Hal's own constructs.

So it was basically 'Why are you hitting yourself, huh? Huh? Huh?"

And tricked Hal into recharging his ring with his own willpower thanks to basically having a lantern pinata.

"Oh your ring is nice and recharged? Well here's your lantern back, just like I promised."

"Wait, what? What?"

Whiteeyes · Aug 25, 2021

So Priest was basically a green light Paul?

Stsword · Aug 25, 2021

Whiteeyes said:
So Priest was basically a green light Paul?

By the cosmology of this fic, I'd say comics Priest would probably be speaking with green qoutation marks to represent his enlightenment.

And his brief mentorship of Hal was definitely of the trickster variety.

I think it's kind of a pity that Zoat apparently decided for such a divergent portrayal.

Mr Zoat · Aug 26, 2021

10th September 2012
10:32 GMT -7

Niko Parish flexes her wings self-consciously.

"Grayven… I wouldn't… Even know where to start. I'm… An atheist."

I smile. "I'll try not to take that personally."

"I know.. you exist, that's not-." She awkwardly rubs her left forearm with her right hand. The newly restored flesh is paler than the rest of her body, angel flesh apparently immune to the Nevada sun. "Not what I meant. I don't think I can call up the power of God just because you got me new wings."

"That's a surprisingly reverential attitude for someone who doesn't believe. Niko, literally no one -very much including me- should have the power that I now have, and if you can't fix this I have to talk to Metron and I really don't want to have to do that."

Another wing-fluff. "Is God actually..?"

"Anything like the version that exists in modern Christian mythology? No, no, not really. Did you see that interview I did about the Source Wall?"

"I've watched it. It just… I can't connect that with…"

She lifts her right hand off her arm and points at her left wing.

"Ah. Well, I don't have anything like the level of knowledge that would be required to give you an answer. The best I can do is to say that whatever intelligence is 'guiding' the universe doesn't directly intervene. And doesn't appear to indirectly intervene in a way that couldn't easily be something else."

"So what does that make you?"

"Sufficient power can change the universe just by being. For all I know my distant ancestors had some weird metabolic quirk which causes them to parasitise on the Wall itself. Or we were created by the last species that worked out how to do that; our historical records aren't great."

And she's gone back to rubbing her arm.

"How are you managing?"

"Being able to climb ladders is nice."

She turns away, walking over to the external window. Rebuilding work is still going on throughout Aberrance's industrial areas, and the view from this portacabin with aspirations above its station is nothing like what it was from her old office in the now-demolished Uncorporation building. Other than the building sites, the most obvious change is the significantly increased military presence. Soldiers in light power armour guard military engineers as they perform a full decontamination of the underground tunnels and then convert them into utility tunnels and subways. A project Magnificus has been working on; his father had some sort of radiation absorbing technology he was sitting on, and this is affording us the opportunity to demonstrate its utility. The power armour is Sam's, as he finally beat enough heads together to take control of the seventeen separate power armour development projects the various tendrils of the US government had in progress and told the people involved that he'd prosecute them all for fraud if they didn't come up with something for deployment.

It's not terrible. It outperforms that bipedal pile of scrap the Russians think is power armour by a lot and is only about a hundred times as expensive. And when you've actually got a Colonel whose name is 'Perseus Hazard', you may as well use him for something thematically appropriate. The input from my people is limited to the warding, which… Not exactly true to my 'hand up not handout' principles, but it's going to be a long time before they can have magicians assigned on a squad basis.

"Security has to keep tossing crazies off the lot. More than normal."

"So when can we expect you to give birth to Jesus?"

"That's not as funny as you think." She freezes up for a second. "Ah."

She looks-.

"No."

"OhthankGod."

"I mean, it's not impossible that any child you had would have a natural insight into theurgy, but they wouldn't be a prophesised saviour of any sort, and they're no more likely to be a reincarnation of someone than anyone else."

"I'd get my tubes tied, but I think the wings would just heal them."

I grin. "You-".

No, no, this isn't the time for a Themyscira reference.

"I didn't mean how are the un-men doing. They survived one crazy wizard, they'll survive another one. How is Niko Parish doing?"

"I'm fine. Physically I'm better than ever. And somehow-" She holds her forearms up slightly so that she can compare them. "-the fact that my blood is silver hasn't changed anything. It-. I was worried it might take out my un-man tissue, but that's all still there."

"I thought that Cranius rewired part of your nervous system to enable you to control your wings."

"He did, and the new nerves he put in are still there. They just go somewhere else now. Did you find out why I picked-" She clenches and then unclenches her left hand. "-this arm to get rid of?"

"Yellow ring picked up a traumatic memory, but I didn't take a closer look."

"I fixated on the arm as being what was wrong, pushing every feeling I had about everything else-. Putting that on the arm. When Cranius said I'd have to get rid of something I told him right away, 'cut if off'. I told myself I was getting rid of everything wrong with my old life along with it. But-. Well, it's not like nothing changed, but I was still the same woman. But with new friends and a pair of wings that didn't work properly."

"But the problem wasn't the arm."

"No, but I got really good at repressing."

I nod slowly. "As I said, anything you want to talk to me about will be treated in complete confidence."

"That's the thing, though." She puts her arms down, making a dismissive gesture with her newly acquired left hand. "I've had years of living a good life. Once I got over the shock of you knowing, I realised… I hadn't thought about it for a… Long time. It didn't control me."

"Good, I'm pleased for you." I nod. "Is there anyone you would like me to arrange a meeting with?"

"Yes. The FBI agent responsible for the investigation into Mitchell Byrne's murder."

"I can set that up. So…" I point at her pale left hand. "No problem with that at all?"

"Cranius wants me to wear jackets with the left sleeve in a different colour, and I'm having trouble picking out nail polish that goes with my skin tone. And The Face is calling it my 'ghost hand'."

"I can guess the context. Do you want to talk to anyone about using magic?"

"I probably should. You don't have any other angel body parts laying around, do you?"

I briefly recall that John Constantine's shed contained a barrel marked 'angel semen'.

"Alas, no, though if that changes I'll be certain to let Cranius know." Ah… "Look, I appreciate that you don't know how to use your arcane abilities yet, but I really don't want to have to talk to Metron, so-."

"Isn't that..? God's messenger?"

"No, that's the Metatron. Metron is a New God. Not sure whether he was from Apokolips or New Genesis originally, though given how he behaves I'd guess Apokolips. He's an explorer and scientist with no morals at all and a bad habit of stealing credit for other people's work. On the face of it he shouldn't have any problem taking a portion of the Omega Force off my hands just because he's never had an opportunity to study it before. He'd take the colour green off someone's hands if he got to dissect it afterwards. But he's such an arsehole about everything."

Niko nods, walks up to me, then lays her left hand on my forehead.

…

"No, sorry." She withdraws her hands and smiles apologetically. "Nothing happening. How about I pack you some aspirin?"

"Pack me the whole willow. I'm going to need it."

Ngamer11 · Aug 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"No, sorry." She withdraws her hands and smile apologetically. "Nothing happening. How about I pack you some aspirin?"

Why did she put her hand on the Renegade's head? Also, that should be 'smiles'.

Darko · Aug 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Niko, literally no one -very much including me- should have the power that I now have,

On this I can agree.

Mr Zoat said:
right hand of her arm

'off her'

Mr Zoat said:
Sufficient power can change the universe just by being. For all I know my distant ancestors had some weird metabolic quirk which causes them to parasitise on the Wall itself. Or we were created by the last species that worked out how to do that; our historical records aren't great."

The second one is more likely, what with the Old Gods.

Though the first one can also count.

Mr Zoat said:
prophesised savour of any

'savior'

Mr Zoat said:
"I fixated on the arm as being what was wrong, pushing every feeling I had about everything else-. Putting that on the arm. When Cranius said I'd have to get rid of something I told him right away, 'cut if off'. I told myself I was getting rid of everything wrong with my old life along with it

Now I'm getting flashbacks to MIKE.

I've been watching a lot of Twin Peaks recently.

Mr Zoat said:
Cranuis wants me to jackets with the left sleeve in a different colour,

'to wear jackets'

Mr Zoat said:
I briefly recall that John Constantine's shed contained a barrel marked 'angel semen'.

Of course he has that.

Mr Zoat said:
Alas, no,

For once I can agree with his lie.

Mr Zoat said:
Metron is a New God. Not sure whether he was from Apokolips or New Genesis originally, thought given how he behaves I'd guess Apokolips.

In the comics it was stated that he was from somewhere else.

Given what's been happening in this fic I wouldn't be surprised if he was Awakened himself.

Though while he's mostly neutral and tends to treat both sides equally, he has a tendency to be more on New Genesis' side.

Dude even has an ex wife on New Genesis, who still seems to care for him, and in the n52 he was basically on the New Genesis version of the Justice League, the Council of Eight.

His cold attitude could be an indication that he grew up on Apokalips, though it could also be him going full Rick Sanchez.

The guy may have originally been the most kindhearted man you'll ever meet, but after spending who knows how long traveling through space, time and various universe, he eventually lost it.

Mr Zoat said:
He's an explorer and scientist with no morals at all and a bad habit of stealing credit for other people's work

Or people give him credit since they may not know about Himon.

Mr Zoat said:
On the face of it he shouldn't have any problem taking a portion of the Omega Force off my hands just because he's never had an opportunity to study it before

Don't count on that.

The guy can travel through time so he may have seen the thing form.

Mr Zoat said:
He'd take the colour green off someone's hands if he got to dissect it afterwards. But he's such an arsehole about everything."

I remember that in the n52 he actually hacked a green ring.

Darko · Aug 26, 2021

Ngamer11 said:
Why did she put her hand on the Renegade's head?

I think she was trying to see if she could get rid of the Omega Effect.

transhumansage · Aug 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Pack me the whole willow. I'm going to need it."

wow wow dont give up yet. this is dc there must be other ways to talk to the presence. are you sure constantine would be mad at you? i mean he cant blame YOU for the dog incident, right? also why not check LA for the nightclub Lux?

Chojin Patriarch · Aug 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
10th September 2012
10:32 GMT -7

Niko Parish flexes her wings self-consciously.

"Grayven… I wouldn't… Even know where to start. I'm… An atheist."

Oh, what's Grayven up to now? An odd decision to look in on Aberrance now. Looking to see if Niko can use Gabriel's Wings? I'm not sure what it'd do to the Omega effect. Or is he just trying to put off visiting Metron?

I smile. "I'll try not to take that personally."

"I know.. you exist, that's not-." She awkwardly rubs her left forearm with her right hand. The newly restored flesh is paler than the rest of her body, angel flesh apparently immune to the Nevada sun. "Not what I meant. I don't think I can call up the power of God just because you got me new wings."

Heh. she regrew her missing arm? Interesting. I suppose it's handier than not having it, whatever her body image issues.

"That's a surprisingly reverential attitude for someone who doesn't believe. Niko, literally no one -very much including me- should have the power that I now have, and if you can't fix this I have to talk to Metron and I really don't want to have to do that."

Another wing-fluff. "Is God actually..?"

"Anything like the version that exists in modern Christian mythology? No, no, not really. Did you see that interview I did about the Source Wall?"

Ah, he isn't looking forwards to visiting the knowledge-seeker, eh? I'm not surprised.

"I've watched it. It just… I can't connect that with…"

She lifts her right hand of her arm and points at her left wing.

Give it time, you've only had them, what, a month or two? I wonder if it's any easier for her to move them, though.

"Ah. Well, I don't have anything like the level of knowledge that would be required to give you an answer. The best I can do is to say that whatever intelligence is 'guiding' the universe doesn't directly intervene. And doesn't appear to indirectly intervene in a way that couldn't easily be something else."

"So what does that make you?"

A faker? Though given he's now technically inhabiting a fully Apokaliptian body, is it really an act these days?

"Sufficient power can change the universe just by being. For all I know my distant ancestors had some weird metabolic quirk which causes them to parasitise on the Wall itself. Or we were created by the last species that worked out how to do that; our historical records aren't great."

And she's gone back to rubbing her arm.

...You know, I have to wonder if she can even use that arm. Or do the nerves used for it still run into the wings? Since human bodies aren't really designed for more than four limbs, and all that.

"How are you managing?"

"Being able to climb ladders is nice."

Ah. That answers that question. I'm guessing some part of the wing's magical nature lets her cheat kinaesthetically.

She turns away, walking over to the external window. Rebuilding work is still going on throughout Aberrance's industrial areas, and the view from this portacabin with aspirations above its station is nothing like what it was from her old office in the now-demolished Uncorporation building. Other than the building sites, the most obvious change is the significantly increased military presence. Soldiers in light power armour guard military engineers as they perform a full decontamination of the underground tunnels and then convert them into utility tunnels and subways. A project Magnificus has been working on; his father had some sort of radiation absorbing technology he was sitting on, and this is affording us the opportunity to demonstrate its utility. The power armour is Sam's, as he finally beat enough heads together to take control of the seventeen separate power armour development projects the various tendrils of the US government had in progress and told the people involved that he'd prosecute them all for fraud if they didn't come up with something for deployment.

Heh. I guess the Sheeda were the alien invasion that broke the camel's back, eh? Though I doubt it looks all that sleek compared to something like Luthor's tech. Good to see Magnificus isn't letting things get him down, either.

It's not terrible. It outperforms that bipedal pile of scrap the Russians think is power armour by a lot and is only about a hundred times as expensive. And when you've actually got a Colonel who's name is 'Perseus Hazard', you may as well use him for something thematically appropriate. The input from my people is limited to the warding, which… Not exactly true to my 'hand up not handout' principles, but it's going to be a long time before they can have magicians assigned on a squad basis.

Good lord, his childhood must have been amazing, good or bad. With a name like that, you'd feel kind of disappointed if you didn't become some manner of superhero...

"Security has to keep tossing crazies off the lot. More than normal."

"So when can we expect you to give birth to Jesus?"

...Grayven, no. Don't even joke about that kind of thing. Knowing the luck of anyone touched by anything Constantine had a hand in...

"That's not as funny as you think." She freezes up for a second. "Ah."

She looks-.

See? Now you've actually got her thinking about the possibility of it...

"No."

"OhthankGod."

Now, are you just saying that to calm her nerves, or do you think you have actual insight into the chances?

"I mean, it's not impossible that any child you had would have a natural insight into theurgy, but they wouldn't be a prophesised savour of any sort, and they're no more likely to be a reincarnation of someone than anyone else."

"I'd get my tubes tied, but I think the wings would just heal them."

...More than likely, yes. If they regrew an amputated arm, I suspect any injury you suffer from now on will regrow with more... heavenly tissues. And given the way human bodies basically rebuild themselves over time... In a decade, you might well be much closer to a full angel...

I grin. "You-".

No, no, this isn't the time for a Themyscira reference.

As in 'you could always move to an island of only women'? Yeah, I think that might have gone down like a dropped brick.

"I didn't mean how are the un-men doing. They survived one crazy wizard, they'll survive another one. How is Niko Parish doing?"

"I'm fine. Physically I'm better than ever. And somehow-" She holds her forearms up slightly so that she can compare them. "-the fact that my blood is silver hasn't changed anything. It-. I was worried it might take out my un-man tissue, but that's all still there."

To be fair, silver blood sounds like a cool Un-man mod. As for everything else, it's been part of you so long, your soul considers it part of you, at a guess.

"I thought that Cranius rewired part of your nervous system to enable you to control your wings."

"He did, and the new nerves he put in are still there. They just go somewhere else now. Did you find out why I picked-" She clenches and then unclenches her left hand. "-this arm to get rid of?"

Because you're right-handed and removing your stronger hand didn't make much sense?

"Yellow ring picked up a traumatic memory, but I didn't take a closer look."

"I fixated on the arm as being what was wrong, pushing every feeling I had about everything else-. Putting that on the arm. When Cranius said I'd have to get rid of something I told him right away, 'cut if off'. I told myself I was getting rid of everything wrong with my old life along with it. But-. Well, it's not like nothing changed, but I was still the same woman. But with new friends and a pair of wings that didn't work properly."

Huh, I was right about the body image issues...

"But the problem wasn't the arm."

"No, but I got really good at repressing."

All part of being human, really.

I nod slowly. "As I said, anything you want to talk to me about will be treated in complete confidence."

"That's the thing, though." She puts her arms down, making a dismissive gesture with her newly acquired left hand. "I've had years of living a good life. Once I got over the shock of you knowing, I realised… I hadn't thought about it for a… Long time. It didn't control me."

Because he gave her the ability to truly fly by implanting Nth Metal way back when? And yes, trauma and pain fades. It's when it doesn't that it truly becomes a problem...

"Good, I'm pleased for you." I nod. "Is there anyone you would like me to arrange a meeting with?"

"Yes. The FBI agent responsible for the investigation into Mitchell Byrne's murder."

And who would that be, again? No, I'm not joking. I honestly don't remember. Did you mean the young man calling himself Arion? Or is it someone else?

"I can set that up. So…" I point at her pale left hand. "No problem with that at all?"

"Cranuis wants me to jackets with the left sleeve in a different colour, and I'm having trouble picking out nail polish that goes with my skin tone. And The Face is calling it my 'ghost hand'."

So, rather than try to hide it, rub it in people's faces? That's a very Un-Man way to look at the issue.

"I can guess the context. Do you want to talk to anyone about using magic?"

"I probably should. You don't have any other angel body parts laying around, do you?"

...Probably nothing you want to make use of?

I briefly recall that John Constantine's shed contained a barrel marked 'angel semen'.

...Yeah, let's not. Why would Constantine have that anyway? ...And what kind of 'barrel' are we talking here, for the record...

"Alas, no, though if that changes I'll be certain to let Cranius know." Ah… "Look, I appreciate that you don't know how to use your arcane abilities yet, but I really don't want to have to talk to Metron, so-."

"Isn't that..? Gods messenger?"

Lady knows her mythology, at least. Guess she's been reading up on Abrahamic stuff...

"No, that's the Metatron. Metron is a New God. Not sure whether he was from Apokolips or New Genesis originally, thought given how he behaves I'd guess Apokolips. He's an explorer and scientist with no morals at all and a bad habit of stealing credit for other people's work. On the face of it he shouldn't have any problem taking a portion of the Omega Force off my hands just because he's never had an opportunity to study it before. He'd take the colour green off someone's hands if he got to dissect it afterwards. But he's such an arsehole about everything."

I'm sure he's put lots of effort into studying Spectrum technology already. And to be fair, he generally is very good at what he does...

Niko nods, walks up to me, then lays her left hand on my forehead.

…

Well, I doubt a benediction would work... Yet. But it never hurts to try.

"No, sorry." She withdraws her hands and smile apologetically. "Nothing happening. How about I pack you some aspirin?"

"Pack me the whole willow. I'm going to need it."

I hate to explain the joke, but: History of Aspirin. To wit: It was made from willow bark before chemists began synthesizing it.

Well, worth a try. Still not the best idea to go poking things like that without a professional opinion, Grayven, but if you're that desperate... On the upside, perhaps visiting Metron will give you an in with New Genesis that doesn't involve having to poke Orion. Because I think they might be the best place to help you with this... I'm sure they'll celebrate the destruction of one of Darkseid's sons, if nothing else.

Vaermina · Aug 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Anything like the version that exists in modern Christian mythology? No, no, not really. Did you see that interview I did about the Source Wall?"

He really doesn't want to admit the Presence exists does he?

Assblaster5000 · Aug 26, 2021

Vaermina said:
He really doesn't want to admit the Presence exists does he?

In actual DC (or Vertigo I guess since they published the Lucifer comics) canon The Presence basically flat out says that he came from The Dreaming, same as every other Earth deity.

So while Zoat is free to do as he pleases in his fanfic, in actual canon Big P is only as strong as he is because Earth is, as the kids might say, "wiggity wack yo."

Honestly, the guy can't even beat Trigon and he got scared off by Starro, and at least one of those came from the very multiverse people think he made.

Darko · Aug 26, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Gabriel's Wings? I'm not sure what it'd do to the Omega effect.

Angelic powers have been shown as being harmful to evil things, like demons, and the Omega Effect is basically tyranny given form, so maybe he was hoping it can be hurt by angelic energy.

Chojin Patriarch said:
You know, I have to wonder if she can even use that arm. Or do the nerves used for it still run into the wings? Since human bodies aren't really designed for more than four limbs, and all that.

It's possible the arm is working but she's just psychologically not all that ready.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Grayven, no. Don't even joke about that kind of thing. Knowing the luck of anyone touched by anything Constantine had a hand in...

This is renegade.

He does stupid shit.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And who would that be, again? No, I'm not joking. I honestly don't remember. Did you mean the young man calling himself Arion? Or is it someone else?

No the guy calling himself Arion was named William Knight.

Niko didn't have the best life before Abberance.

As in I think she was raped and tortured by that guy she mentioned, who she later killed.

Renegade talked to the FBI agent and he was apparently okay with letting her go.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Yeah, let's not. Why would Constantine have that anyway? .

This is Constantine.

He's a lot like Nicolas Cage.

You don't question why he does things because if you try to look too closely all you'll end up doing is having a mental breakdown and saying you're a sexy cat in front of your classmates.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And what kind of 'barrel' are we talking here, for the record...

Stop asking questions!

Chojin Patriarch said:
Well, worth a try. Still not the best idea to go poking things like that without a professional opinion,

Once more, this is renegade.

Doing stupid shit is kinda his schtick.

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