Chojin Patriarch
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Especially if said Sector is in dire need of policing? I suppose it comes down to whether the local space-going powers agree to Green lantern oversight. I'm sure there are regions who encountered and refused such an offer... Besides Reach space, and New Gods-ruled worlds.10th September 2012
18:44 GMT
"Do you have recruitment authority?"
"Not like you do, but if a Sector doesn't have a Lantern I could probably make it happen."
Not a fair comparison, Guy. Was Malvolio wiping out rival cultures and species? Was he conquering violently? Or was he just acting as a member of the aristocracy of his day would be expected to: protecting those lands he's in charge of."Then he's what I propose. The Green Lantern Corps recognise Lord Malvolio's rule of Sector One Six Three Four. The Green Lantern Corps will agree not to enter the Sector without his authorisation or the authorisation of duly designated officials in the Sector's government. Permission to enter for a stated purpose does not give general permission to come in and do what they like."
"Though you didn't like what we did with tha Reach?"
Very astute, Malvolio. And to be fair, you do need someone watching you, keep you from making any more blunders like the ones that got you confined in the first place... Better it be someone you know and can trust."It's not the same thing. Malvolio isn't carrying out genocidal purges amongst the species he rules. If a stellar nation who were managing their own affairs fine and not bothering their neighbours didn't want Green Lanterns in their territory, I wouldn't have a problem with that. That's part of why the Green Lantern Corps recruits locally rather than just assigning people from-."
"You intend to have Priest take up his duties once more."
I suppose that's fair too. I mean, it was kind of his fault, since his confinement of you evidently prevented him tending to the sector at large... Why he didn't call for aid from the Guardians, get a second Lantern assigned, I don't know..."He's slightly upbeat about how you're responding to everything that's happened-."
"Three centuries of imprisonment while all that I had build turned to ash. There are fewer people in this Sector now than when I was imprisoned. Did you know that? Between the internecine wars and the collapse in trade, the population has shrunk. Their understanding of natural philosophy has stagnated. I lay this at his door."
Yeah, that would sting. But did you maybe consider he had good reasons for doing so?"And I'm sympathetic. But you were personally trapped in a star system. If you'd never had that ring, you would have never left Earth. You probably wouldn't have left Europe. You were still more free than any other human of your era."
"But I knew that they were there and that I had a duty to them that I could not fulfil, because of him."
It would look that way to you, I suppose.
See, if you two had just talked back then, maybe you wouldn't have spent all that time confined... Alas, Green Light Stubbornness..."No, as in, he was ordered to kill you and decided not to because it was immoral. He didn't want you running a Sector because he believed that would mean you trampling on the wills of those under you. When I spoke to him just now, he was genuinely interested by your plans for reform. I think that if you involved him, not only would you have input from one of the few beings around who know more about the green light than you do, but it would also get the Green Lantern Corps off your back. You might be able to fight Lantern Gardner and Lantern-"
Unless you plan to fight the entire Green Lantern Corps? Do you understand that means up to 7200 Lanterns, all potentially as powerful as you? Sooner or later, one of them would have brought you down, especially if they sent larger taskforces..."We coulda taken him."
"-Apros, but there are a great many Green Lanterns. And if the Guardians still have you marked for death, they one of them might eventually intervene personally. The most sensible thing for you to do is to make an accommodation. You grew up during the end period of the Thirty Years' War. You know the magnitude of misery that comes when rulers aren't prepared to negotiate with powerful neighbours, or accept less than they ideally want."
...He didn't, did he? Didn't he learn not to go by briefings alone from OL?"I have never attacked a world under the Guardianship of another Lantern. All that has transpired here is their doing."
I nod.
"Lantern Gardner, did you take the opportunity to review the state of the worlds in Lord Malvolio's domain?"
Argh... Guy, you dipstick. You should know better than this."Got an.. overview."
"Most likely prison locations and fleet-"
He winces slightly.
Always double-check your intel. Get local data as backup. Your boss might not always tell you what you need to know, only what they think you need...
Well, easy assumption to make, brain that big... Assuming his central mass is larger than a human head and torso."Lantern Apros, I'm not familiar with your species. Can you assimilate data faster than humanoids, about as fast, or slower?"
"I have superhumanoid grasp of three dimension navigation. I am not an economist."
Assuming people prioritised keeping such info in that time. Worst case, you might need to conduct local interviews..."Okay, so are you asking for time to review the history and economics of this Sector so that you can tell whether or not Lord Malvolio is doing a good job? You'd need to study a five hundred year period in detail covering… What was it, seven principle worlds plus colonies and outposts? Does the Green Lantern Corps have that expertise?"
"Probably. Or we can hire people."
The Domesday Book, for reference (if you missed the link in the text.) One of the largest surveys and censuses in the world, especially at that time. At least Malvolio can guarantee an easier time than some of the crews working on it."Lord Malvolio, would you object to an external group without power rings conducting a review of your domain's economic systems? The results might be helpful to you as well as convincing your critics in the Green Lantern Corps that you're good for the place."
"I do not plan to blockade peaceful travellers. If scholars wish to investigate mine realm as the authors of the Domesday Book did the domain of King William, then it vexes me not."
Malvolio's carrying a pretty big stick, Guy. Do you want him beating you with it, or would you prefer to continue speaking softly?"Lantern Gardner?"
"So we're deciding whose good and bad by committee?"
In this case, neither condition applies. If a valid alternative had presented themselves during Malvolio's confinement, the Sector wouldn't be in this mess."Since there's no mutually agreed upon set of rules, that's what you're left with. I've reviewed Two Eight One Four A's records on Green Lanterns removing rulers, and they usually only do it if they're atrocious and there's a alternate rightful candidate within that civilisation's own culture."
"If he-." Guy stops himself and then faces Malvolio instead. "If you're such a great guy, why don't you just join the Corps?"
More importantly, did anyone but Priest receive that order?"Put myself under the command of those who sentenced me to death? Are you that much a fool?"
"Has that actually been rescinded?"
Because, like so many other things, the Guardians don't like to have their failures known...Guy shrugs.
"I didn't find any record of it ever bein' made. Ain't a lot on Mally."
Guy, let it go. He's not going to become a Green Lantern. No matter how much you might want him... Ah. Now I get it. Your little assignment to 'study esoteric Green Lantern techniques'. You want to learn how he's doing what he's doing, don't you? But since he's not a Green lantern officially..."But you understand why someone might not want to join an organisation run by beings who sentenced him to death without trial? Or even formal accusation?"
"What if it was rescinded?"
Yes, as much fun as little digressions can be, they do have a bigger topic at hand..."Why are you pursuing this fruitless line of reasoning? I might understand a man making an error of judgement, but these Guardians will admit to no such error. If they gave me an explanation and asked my pardon I might -after a time- find it in myself to grant it."
"But if we could come back to the task at hand..?"
And I don't doubt that he's confident enough to think he can do so. Even in the face of Escalation that would make the Memetic Taylor Hebert go, "That seems a bit much...""You really gunna let Priest go free jus' 'cause we asked?"
"I was concerned that I may need to crush the Green Lantern Corps in its entirety before I could find peace from its deprivations. If I have the sworn word of your masters that all I must do is release one man whom I may keep under close observation, then I will bear down on mine own desire for vengeance."
Heh. Yeah, Priest does seem to have that level of skill, doesn't he? Though the Ring makes some things so much easier, I expect."And you don't mind him having a ring?"
"I am not convinced that he needs one. No, if that is the price of peace then I will pay it."
Well, summed up like that, it doesn't sound too tough, does it?"Lantern Gardner?"
"Priest gets out and gets a ring. You stay on 'til we can work out whether your good or bad. Can Priest go places without you?"
Of course, Guy's got to swing it with the Guardians. But I expect they'll take Ion's Host's word for it. Though not entirely happily, I bet."No, but may send messages where he will."
"Then I think we got a deal."
Well, then. Big conflict done. All that remains is to drop the barrier, get Priest his ring back and get back to that little pilgrimage Malvolio was on before you interrupted him... Unless another party plans on interfering in matters, at least. I would hope Sinestro has enough sense not to poke the 800-pound gorilla.
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