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

Darko · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
"Perhaps, but given that he has forgotten that he ever married my mother, it would be difficult for me to get an audience."

I frown, surprised. "Wait, he's forgotten you

You did wipe the last few thousand years of his memories.

Why did you assume that he'd remember him?

Mr Zoat said:
"Not precisely. He knows that we are related, but he grows puzzled when he cannot remember who my mother is. And since he is not inclined to behave like... Like my uncle Zeus, that leaves a rather puzzling question as to where I come from

Well that's a security risk if I ever heard one.

Imagine someone wandering into Olympus claiming to be a child of Zeus.

Even if they don't recognize them, they'll still probably believe them.

Mr Zoat said:
"Initially, it went well. Then this.. Anti-Life infected the susceptible and we were forced to block our links to the Earth. She has been feeling confined and she is ignoring Father as a 'punishment' for confining her

Hmm, either it's being regularly upset over being confined, or it's more since she's a nature goddess and lacks a connection to the Earth.

Mr Zoat said:
Wait. I just realised something." He keep watching the immortal hydra head, as the blood drips back into its wounds and the eyes reknit themselves. "What we did to purge the world of the Anti-Life should have propagated throughout the Earth's entire thaumosphere. Akhlys is connected to that; she's a goddess, she has to be. Why is she still-

Even if the White Light worked, people would still be depressed.

Especially a goddess of depression.

Mr Zoat said:
"I need to lose this death aura thing to make my rings work again. And we need to do something to Akhlys to break her connection to the Anti-Life. The easiest way to do that involved manipulating the Dream

Bringing in someone that may have Anti-Life in them into a realm connected to every mind in the universe sounds like a great idea.

I'm being sarcastic.

Mr Zoat said:
That's the easiest-?"

Paul has different standards.

Mr Zoat said:
She has always sounded coherent to me. I would say more so than when she was suffering the full force of her own domain. Why does that matter?"

"I thought I could try talking her down."

"Great Nyx, preserve us.

Last time Paul talked to someone in a troubled mental state resulted in a giant fear entity invading a planet.

Mr Zoat said:
Huh? I mean, it's nice to know that despite everything he holds me in high enough regard that the idea of my seducing Melinoë hasn't resulted in us having a fight. Particularly now

He may just trust his sister to be ae to take care of herself.

Or he thinks that if his sister is stupid enough to try and start something with Paul then she deserves whatever happens to her.

Mr Zoat said:
slaves it, your

"slaves in"

Mr Zoat · Feb 19, 2024

Ngamer11 said:
Extra 'r' should be removed.
That should say 'so'.

Thank you, corrected.

Venustoise said:
Shouldn't the ring be going "Unnamed hydra shade. You belong to the Orange Lantern Corps" or "Identity theft complete" everytime he adds a new head to his construct-corps? Like when Onik was assimilating the crew?

The ring isn't acknowledging him as being alive right now.

Darko said:
Imagine someone wandering into Olympus claiming to be a child of Zeus.

Even if they don't recognize them, they'll still probably believe them.

Yeah, but that was true anyway.

"slaves in"

Thank you, corrected.

NightmareWarden · Feb 19, 2024

Given that Paul is no longer detectable on Earth, I wonder if anyone (Luthor? Aliens?) will make a move.

Chojin Patriarch · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
30th March 2013
01:15 GMT +2?

"That is… Disturbing."

With no ability to use my rings, I can't assimilate things directly. My construct lanterns on the other hand can assimilate things just fine on their own, but since I can't boost them, they're stuck using either their mouths, or in Gary's case even slower fungal growths.

And the hydra heads are quite large.

Ah, the joy of being a minion master. Not all minions are equal, and in most cases, they're a lot less effective than other skillsets. The only real benefit of that sort of build is numbers and ideally the removal of aggro against the master. ...But it can feel so damn nice when you watch a horde of little critters you command engulf a bad guy and bring them down.

"If you could do something about the death magic I've absorbed, I could do it quicker. I could probably even manage to convert the immortal head."

"Some part of me wants to try, but in all honesty my knowledge is not up to the task of manipulating the soul of one who is both living and dead at once."

True. One mistake and they might get locked into the state they'd rather not be part of.

"Could Lord Hades?"

"Perhaps, but given that he has forgotten that he ever married my mother, it would be difficult for me to get an audience."

Some sort of mental cascade failure concerning their children? A blind spot in his world-view? Or just being damn creeped out?

I frown, surprised. "Wait, he's forgotten you?"

"Not precisely. He knows that we are related, but he grows puzzled when he cannot remember who my mother is. And since he is not inclined to behave like... Like my uncle Zeus, that leaves a rather puzzling question as to where I come from. He appears to resolve it by forgetting about me whenever possible."

Ah, wilful dismissiveness.

The best way of not having to think about something.

"Oh. Ah, sorry."

"If you had done it while I was in Africa it would not have been a problem, but I am supposed to be acting as a judge."

And yet because of this, he can't determine any kind of behavioural change up close and personal. Looks like it's working out well. And my sarcasm seems to be getting a solid workout.

"How is their relationship actually progressing?"

"Initially, it went well. Then this.. Anti-Life infected the susceptible and we were forced to block our links to the Earth. She has been feeling confined and she is ignoring Father as a 'punishment' for confining her."

Which probably doesn't make his mood any better.

"Ah. Well." A giant reptilian severed head construct appears next to me. "Sorry. We'll have to try and get this sorted out-"

The immortal head goes berserk! It rocks back and forth, undulating what little neck it has left in an effort to move towards… Me? Zagreus? The rope strains, the-.

Right, because second-tier Construct Lanterns evidently need a firmer hand upon conversion.

Zagreus puts an arrow through each of its eyes. That doesn't stop it squirming, but it does reduce its coherence.

"-quickly. Are we..? Just dealing with Akhlys?"

OL, might want to sort out the giant monster head you just picked up.

Who was enhanced by divine cybermancy, can bestow all of the misery human life can bring with a touch and is now channelling the Anti-Life. 'Just' Akhlys is still a pretty big deal-.

"Alas-."

Let me guess, she's got followers. Shades or mortals?

"Wait. I just realised something." He keep watching the immortal hydra head, as the blood drips back into its wounds and the eyes reknit themselves. "What we did to purge the world of the Anti-Life should have propagated throughout the Earth's entire thaumosphere. Akhlys is connected to that; she's a goddess, she has to be. Why is she still-?"

She's got an connection independent of Mannheim. She's channelling it directly. And that… I don't have a potential Red Lantern even if I wanted to try purging her with the white light of life, and I can't bring other Lanterns here anyway. Dr. Mist might be able to get here on his own-.

ideally, just breaking the contaminated device should do it. But that'll put her back in her previous suffering state...

"I assume it's because her misery is so great that she does not need anyone else to show it to her."

"The titans?"

Since so many of the Olympians are tied to them sympathetically, that would be bad.

He nods. "One of her objectives. She appears to pursue them haphazardly. And Diana's.. nature, makes her able to counter her misery-inducing ability."

My eyes lock onto him. "Please tell me that Diana hasn't undergone apotheosis."

Didn't you want that, to increase her power?

He frowns. "That worries you?"

"It-. I know that she'll become a goddess eventually, I just don't want it to have happened already."

So you're upset you may have missed the big moment?

"No. King Hephaestaean has granted her the mantle of a goddess, but he has done so in the form of an artefact which she can remove."

"Good. Returning to the subject of Akhlys, do you still have access to the gate to the Dream?"

Let em guess, Diana's sporting a new tiara, or a fine cloak? She does look good in capes.

"Another of her targets, but yes. She nearly breached it once, and the land on the far side was… Rendered unclean." He braces himself. "Why did you ask?"

"I need to lose this death aura thing to make my rings work again. And we need to do something to Akhlys to break her connection to the Anti-Life. The easiest way to do that involved manipulating the Dream."

Oh, Dream is gonna be testy about that. If OL goes that route, he'd better have some worthy compensation close at hand.

"That's the easiest-?"

"Unless you've got another copy of the Sword of the Fallen, yes."

For Akhlys, at least. I don't think it'd work quite so well for OL. It might react poorly with his non-standard soul structure.

Or…

"How…? Insensible is she?"

On a scale between 'Monologuing cartoon supervillain and raving psychotic frenzy'? If that helps.

"She has always sounded coherent to me. I would say more so than when she was suffering the full force of her own domain. Why does that matter?"

"I thought I could try talking her down."

Somehow, I don't think OL's diplomacy skill is quite that high.

"Great Nyx, preserve us."

"Does that mean 'good idea' or-?"

Praying to your great-grandmother is generally not a good sign, no.

"How? How would you talk down a goddess who has the opportunity to spread her essence to all people of the heavens and the Earth?"

"I thought that I'd ask her politely, find out through discussion why she was acting the way she is and try and get her to see that whatever her ultimate objective-."

And then for your next trick, you'll carry a snowball through the hottest part of Hell without losing a single drop of water from it?

"I was honestly hoping that you would seduce her as you did my sister."

Huh? I mean, it's nice to know that despite everything he holds me in high enough regard that the idea of my seducing Melinoë hasn't resulted in us having a fight. Particularly now. But…

True, he does seem the kind of big brother to do the 'If you ever hurt her, you will not enjoy the rest of your very short life.' routine

"I haven't seduced Melinoë. Last time I saw her I nearly got her killed."

"She talks about you as a person. You have brought her domain to the masses, who for some reason are grateful-."

How much of that was intentional, I have to wonder. You know, outside of the exposure-based psychotherapy treatments.

"They were pretty unusual people anyway."

"And she speaks of you as a maiden interested in courting a man speaks of one who has her interest."

Okay, that's a pretty clear signal. Not quite tearing her clothes off and dragging him into her bedchambers...

"Actually, I should probably try and speak to her while I'm here. But I'm not trying to seduce her-. Or rather, I haven't been since she turned me down the first time we met. And I won't try and seduce Akhlys either."

"Why not? If it ends the living nightmare she has bound her slaves in, your fidelity is a small price to pay."

"Objectively yes, but I'm an Orange Lantern and I don't want to betray Jade. So where do we look for her?"

And Zagreus quietly facepalms when OL turns away, at the sheer bloodyminded stupidity of modern Heroes.

So, once more into the Dreaming, then? Though hopefully a little chat with Akhlys might fix it, I have my doubts. Such is the nature of OL's life that any situation he's involved in inevitably gets more and more complicated. And honestly, I suspect some of his erstwhile allies are getting sick of it. I'm honestly amazed more haven't gone 'Don't ever talk to me again.'

Darko · Feb 19, 2024

NightmareWarden said:
Given that Paul is no longer detectable on Earth, I wonder if anyone (Luthor? Aliens?) will make a move.

Paul isn't exactly the only line of defense Earth has.

There are literally hundreds of others.

NightmareWarden · Feb 19, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
So, once more into the Dreaming, then? Though hopefully a little chat with Akhlys might fix it, I have my doubts. Such is the nature of OL's life that any situation he's involved in inevitably gets more and more complicated. And honestly, I suspect some of his erstwhile allies are getting sick of it. I'm honestly amazed more haven't gone 'Don't ever talk to me again.'

Now it looks like Paul wants to go to the Dream first in order to fix his defenses… but we already know Akhlys can reach the Dream gate, and something problematic might be on the other side.

So is the ascension laboratory used on Hephaestus still set up by the river? Was the spear of destiny put back in its Atlantean vault?

Oh. Huh. I wonder how Zeus handled the anti-life. Frankly, he might have been kidnapped if it hit him particularly hard. We certainly haven't heard of him acting as a superhero, and the fact that colleges shut down due to the apocalypse… Some implications there.

Darko · Feb 19, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
Since so many of the Olympians are tied to them sympathetically, that would be bad.

And not just for them.

It was mentioned that when they entered the universe they destroyed the previous magic system on Earth and took its place.

If they're corrupted then that's also corrupted.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Didn't you want that, to increase her power?

Yeah, but not too much, too soon.

Remember that if she achieves full titanhood then she may no longer be free to operate so easily in the material universe.

Old Gods are pure magic energy, and any avatar she makes may be weaker than her current self.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Let em guess, Diana's sporting a new tiara, or a fine cloak? She does look good in capes.

Or armor or a weapon.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Somehow, I don't think OL's diplomacy skill is quite that high.

Ohh, he's good at taking people to adopt a different mindset.

The problem is that it can lead to a lot of destruction.

Chojin Patriarch said:
True, he does seem the kind of big brother to do the 'If you ever hurt her, you will not enjoy the rest of your very short life.' routine

See my post above.

He either trusts her to take care of herself, or thinks that if she's foolish enough to try and date him then she deserves whatever happens to her.

Chojin Patriarch said:
So, once more into the Dreaming, then

That would explain the title of the episode.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And honestly, I suspect some of his erstwhile allies are getting sick of it. I'm honestly amazed more haven't gone 'Don't ever talk to me again.'

They may not like him, but if they talk to him then they know what he's up, so they can either try to stop him or prepare for the worst.

Silveraith · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
"Another of her targets, but yes. She nearly breached it once, and the land on the far side was… Rendered unclean." He braces himself. "Why did you ask?"

I'm pretty sure this isn't the OL talking so the quote shouldn't be orange.

Mr Zoat · Feb 19, 2024

Silveraith said:
I'm pretty sure this isn't the OL talking so the quote shouldn't be orange.

Thank you, corrected.

Duke Long · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
The only other places I could go would be Rosacarnis's palace, because I feel a bit like Nergal."

'place' or there should be other places listed?

Mr Zoat said:
"DON't.. say 'because I didn't put any clothes on her'."

'DON'T'?

Mr Zoat said:
I point the ring at the gynoids head and fabricate a new right hemisphere. Immediately the gynoid siezes up and then settles into its physical default position.

'gynoid's'?
'seizes'

Mr Zoat said:
Flragrah manages to prop the coin against his left shoulder to arrest its movement, then gradually pushes it into an upright position where he call roll it to the door.

'he can roll it'?

Mr Zoat said:
"Y-eah. Between those tablets you gave me and… Actually seeing my nanobots actually help people, I…" She breaths in deeply and then breathes out again.

'breathes'

Mr Zoat said:
No-no… Come on. focus.

'Focus.'?

Mr Zoat said:
Artemis frowns her phone, currently showing a compendium of 2nd Edition rules and errata.

'frowns at'

Mr Zoat said:
Yes, fight me. I'm only a thousands times stronger than you, standing in the place where I was remade. This should be good for a laugh."

'thousand'

Mr Zoat said:
Steps out of the wreckage, followed by a squad of Satanus's cyborgs who repel down from above.

'rappel'

Really enjoying the Hell arc and the evil alternate so far.

Mr Zoat · Feb 19, 2024

Ah! Been a while since I had one of these.

Duke Long said:
'place' or there should be other places listed
'gynoid's'?
'seizes'
'he can roll it'?
'breathes'
'Focus.'?
'frowns at'
'thousand'
'rappel'

Thank you, corrected.

'DON'T'?

No, that one is intentional. He quietens slightly as he reaches the 'T'.

Vaermina · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
He nods. "One of her objectives. She appears to pursue them haphazardly. And Diana's.. nature, makes her able to counter her misery-inducing ability."

Wait... Wasn't Diana still on Earth last we saw?

Or was that retconned?

Ardy · Feb 19, 2024

Vaermina said:
Wait... Wasn't Diana still on Earth last we saw?

Or was that retconned?

I reread the section that mentioned her the other day, I believe it was retconned

Also: every time I hear about Melinoe my heart grows weary as i remember my OTP is forever sundered.

RoninSword · Feb 19, 2024

Last we heard of Diana, she had been on Earth because she mentioned that Themyscira had just vanished, not been destroyed (we didn't see her on screen, it was mentioned that she wasn't worried about them all being dead). Someone brought this up to Zoat but I don't know if he fixed the issue or not.

Duke Long · Feb 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
So if this place is beyond God's sight, is that definitionally beyond, or is God not just looking? I mean, it's not just some sort of void, it's clearly actively interacting with things.

'just not looking'?

Mr Zoat said:
Simpson shoots it directly on one of its chest-seems and the fire is sucked away faster.

'chest-seams'?

Mr Zoat said:
Three faces focus on me, tail undulating and craws scrabbling at the floor as it accelerates towards me.

'claws scrabbling'?

Mr Zoat said:
I watch the orange dot vanish, then turn back to the fire door to our newly de-asbestosessed apartment, dinner in a paper bag in my left hand.

'de-asbestosed'?

Mr Zoat said:
The lid's card with foil on the inside for insulation. Guess that's how they do them in England?

How do they do it in the USA?

Mr Zoat said:
"You know you could have just ask me this. I do keep research logs."

'asked'

Mr Zoat said:
"You're kind of acting different, Oh El. See how your expression are different?"

'expressions'

Mr Zoat said:
"'Augmentative formula one seven three dash B'-"

Damn, did he get through 172 formulae before that? And that's excluding forms of enhancement that aren't formulae? I guess this is a comic book world.

Mr Zoat said:
"It varies, but it's a lot easier to ask a trustworthy magician take a look than it is to ask for volunteers for experimental injections."

'to take a look'

Mr Zoat said:
That was-. That was unpleasant, but at least I know there aren't any more guns. I walk passed the area that was blocked by the force field and-.

'past'

Mr Zoat said:
I walk around it and ignore the rest of its spiel. If there were any guards when this place was buried, they've either left of died. I haven't seen any bodies, so… Hopefully, they got away.

'or died'

Mr Zoat said:
On an alien planet with no idea where I am. I never learn to spot constellations, much less how to actually navigate in space! I've got work…

'learned'

Mr Zoat said:
He looks around, passes his sanity check for seeing their 'strange geometries' and them fixes the teleporter and returns to Earth. Then the players ask why the GM is still rolling dice.

'then fixes'

Mr Zoat said:
They might have archaeological value, and I can always take them to the British Museum once I know where it is.

Now there's a patriot.

Mr Zoat said:
"So why would he try making a better robot when he could just upgrade himself?"

Actually… "I don't think he has upgraded himself.

Probably hard-coded. Sivana's a bit mental but he's not stupid. And didn't we see something from Atom's perspective relating to this? Something about how he couldn't interface with stuff directly and he can't modify himself to do it.

Mr Zoat said:
None of the nearby systems have small rocky worlds, let along inhabitable small rocky worlds with liquid water on the surface.

'let alone'

Mr Zoat · Feb 19, 2024

Duke Long said:
'just not looking'?
'chest-seams'?
'claws scrabbling'?
'de-asbestosed'?
'asked'
'expressions'
'to take a look'
'past'
'or died'
'learned'
'then fixes'
'let alone'

Thank you, corrected.

How do they do it in the USA?

delicious-wok-noodles-box-container-260nw-2238577377.jpg

Jiro · Feb 19, 2024

Duke Long said:
And that's excluding forms of enhancement that aren't formulae?

No more than a frozen custard seller is excluding melted custard. He sort of is, but he isn't using the qualifier "frozen" to communicate that.

Ardy · Feb 20, 2024

I wonder how Paul freeman is doing on nazi earth. Was he even told there were other versions of him that could have taken him to a non-nazi world but decided not to/forgot about it?

Mr Zoat · Feb 20, 2024

About Ten Years Later
Local Summer
Morning

Bastet removes the stopper from the bottle and cautiously sniffs its contents. She appears pleased with what she smells, but goa'uld aren't particularly expressive… Unless they're angry. She glances at a youth in her retinue, and he takes the bottle from her and pours her a small amount into one of the tasting glasses.

No. He doesn't pour her a small glass. He's her food tester. He observes it for a moment, takes in the clarity and the scent, and then cautiously tastes it.

"A not-unreasonable precaution, but do you really think it's likely that I'd try something like that?"

She artfully raises her left eyebrow, her eyes glowing white for a moment.

"Some of us are Supreme System Lord Ra's loyal vassals."

It's… Interesting. I can detect the parasite wound around her spine and plugged into her brain, but… While I'm far from being an expert with the orange light, it… Looks like the desires are coming from the human brain and not the far smaller brain in the parasite.

"I admit, I let my greed get the better of me. But I will work to regain.. a measure of Lord Ra's faith, however long it takes."

She kept me waiting for three days, not including the time it took for Lord Neper to pass on the fact that a trade treaty with a goa'uld not sworn to Bastet would require her approval. For an egomaniacal parasite, Neper is actually pretty good company, as the source of his power is the food grown on his bountiful planet and he has a genuine interest in improved farming techniques.

Some of the others have been… Less helpful.

But if Bastet actually approves this trade treaty, that's her whole sub-empire. And she can put me in touch with Kali, who rules an equivalent area. And their capitals are the only places with any non-'magical' industry at all, and that's what I desperately need to copy.

The weird voice thing takes some getting used to.

"If Supreme System Lord Ra did not kill you, then it must be because he did not want you dead. I would not question his wisdom, though if you had been my tithe-gatherer I would not have been so generous."

I fan open my arms as her food tester nods to her before moving on to the fruit.

"I freely admit to deserving what he did to me. I acted against him without provocation. He honoured me and I spat in his face. It was a most humbling lesson, and one which I will never need repeated."

"So now you have made a new life for yourself… As a merchant."

"I can hardly expect our fellow gods to believe that I've learned my lesson if I'm not prepared to humble myself, can I?"

I've also learned that the jaffa are humans with underdeveloped parasites implanted in a synthetic pouch in their abdomen. Bastet appears to use their women exclusively as her soldiers, though their menfolk have the same modification. I'm not sure what the reason for using female soldiers is; much like unaugmented humans they're weaker and more fragile than their male counterparts. I suppose that it's probably a question of style. And perhaps their parasite allows them to remain fertile for proportionally longer so that their birth rate isn't too badly harmed?

I wait patiently as Bastet and her food taster slowly work their way around my samples. Her bodyguards remain assiduously po-faced, and the other members of her retinue either hover around awaiting their mistress's pleasure or perform their designated tasks. My own retinue are either back in the suite I was granted for my stay or just outside; my status as a petitioner is entirely too low for me to be allowed to have anyone in here, but she didn't actually expect me to set up the display myself.

Eventually she waves her servers off, lounging more languidly on her chaise longue.

"Your meagre wares are of adequate quality."

I nod and smile. "I am working from a low starting point. It will improve in time."

"I have no need of anything that you have myself, but I will grant you a warrant to trade amongst my inferiors."

"You are most generous. I will not disappoint you, and perhaps in time-."

A functionary almost bursts into the room, hurrying into Bastet's presence. She glares at him, but he just ducks his head and keeps coming. One of her bodyguards opens the odd claw weapon covering her right hand, but the man just bows to his goddess, walks right up to her-

Eavesdrop.

-and whispers-

"Ra is dead."

-to her. Her eyes widen for a moment, her entire body tensing. I'm too low down the 'god' totem pole to have any direct contact with the Supreme System Lord, but… The goa'uld don't have children. Between switching hosts and their healing technologies, they aim to live on indefinitely. Valued subordinates are about as close as they get, and while I've heard of a few who might try and keep Ra's holdings together… They're not the Supreme System Lord. Like him or hate him, he kept their civilisation more or less together as a unified whole.

If he's actually dead. Faking his death to see what happens doesn't sound like something someone as concerned for appearances as most goa'uld would do. But maybe he's cut from a different cloth?

Either way, there shouldn't be any impact on my own planet. We don't have any strategic resources or military power to be worth fighting. At worst I'll have to deal with different goa'uld flying up to the planet, demanding that I swear allegiance and then flying away again. While in theory I could use that as an opportunity to acquire ships for myself -I've mocked up a capital ship-style shield and breaking through it with a power ring isn't that difficult- that would probably just make me a target unless I have somewhere to hide them.

Bastet's eyes move to me as her face returns to Resting Smug.

"A matter requires my attention. My seneschal will see you later to inform you of the terms of your warrant of trade."

I bow to just above the right angle. "I shall look forward to it."

I remain bowed until she makes a dismissive hand motion, and then I turn and stride towards the exit. A couple of male jaffa pull the doors open at my approach, and close it definitively once I'm through. My assistants fall in behind me as I stride back towards my suite.

Techno-primitivism is such a pain. Goa'uld electronic systems are easy to get into by power ring, but because they're 'magic' most people use spoken or written words instead. Those are far harder to access without being extremely obvious about it, and I can't afford to make any goa'uld angry with me in particular.

Still…

Ring. Passive monitoring.

…certain?

She's using that room's communication system. That room's communication system with its nicely monitorable electromagnetic transmissions.

Ra's ship was overdue to return. Heru'ur dispatched a ship to investigate and began assembling his fleet the moment it returned. I will send a cloaked ship to confirm for myself, but I felt that notifying you should take priority.

No constant grovelling? That's either a human spy that's very close to her, or a lesser goa'uld.

Send the ship. Discover what happened and who did it. And keep watching Heru'ur.

As you command.

I cause the doors to my suite to open, causing the helmeted jaffa standing guard to start very slightly. I don't look at them as I walk past.

"Pack up, everyone. I want to leave the moment the warrant is in my hand. Things are about to become turbulent."

Darko · Feb 20, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
. I'm not sure what the reason for using female soldiers is; much like unaugmented humans they're weaker and more fragile than their male counterparts

Probably the same reason they use staff weapons instead of more practical weaponry.

It's stylistic.

Once you reach a certain level of advancement, physical ability doesn't matter all that much.

You don't need to be strong to point the guns on a spaceship and press a button to shoot them.

Mr Zoat said:
-to her. Her eyes widen for a moment, her entire body tensing. I'm too low down the 'god' totem pole to have any direct contact with the Supreme System Lord, but… The goa'uld don't have children

Well they do, but they just don't give a shit about them.

Unless they're feeling hungry.

Vaermina · Feb 20, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Goa'uld electronic systems are easy to get into by power ring,

Awww. You nerfed Goa'uld computer systems.

That's no fun.

Chojin Patriarch · Feb 20, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
About Ten Years Later
Local Summer
Morning

Bastet removes the stopper from the bottle and cautiously sniffs to contents. She appears pleased with what she smells, but goa'uld aren't particularly expressive… Unless they're angry. She glances at a youth in her retinue, and he takes the bottle from her and pours her a small amount into one of the tasting glasses.

And back to Stargate Paul, posing as ~~the System Lord~~ Mammon reborn (

I am not going to call him 'Mammaul'.) Bit of a time jump, but with a fully active Orange Ring, he's not doubt in fine shape. And is taking his first steps out into the galaxy, by the looks of this diplomacy.

No. He doesn't pour her a small glass. He's her food taster. He observes it for a moment, takes in the clarity and the scent, and then cautiously tastes it.

"A not-unreasonable precaution, but do you really think it's likely that I'd try something like that?"

Nice trick, amplifying and resonating his voice to produce the characteristic Goa'uld modulation.

She artfully raises her left eyebrow, her eyes glowing white for a moment.

"Some of us are Supreme System Lord Ra's loyal vassals."

Nice trick, but Mammon has better ones.

It's… Interesting. I can detect the parasite wound around her spine and plugged into her brain, but… While I'm far from being an expert with the orange light, it… Looks like the desires are coming from the human brain and not the fall smaller brain in the parasite.

"I admit, I let my greed get the better of me. But I will work to regain.. a measure of Lord Ra's faith, however long it takes."

Well, the parasite could be using the human brain as additional processing.

She kept me waiting for three days, not including the time it took for Lord Neper to pass on the fact that a trade treaty with a goa'uld not sworn to Bastet would require her approval. For an egomaniacal parasite, Neper is actually pretty good company, as the source of his power is the food grown on his bountiful planet and he has a genuine interest in improved farming techniques.

Some of the others have been… Less helpful.

Ah, the hierarchy of diplomacy. Agents of agents until you reach a level high enough to make decisions.

But if Bastet actually approves this trade treaty, that's her whole sub-empire. And she can put me in touch with Kali, who rules an equivalent area. And their capitals are the only places with any non-'magical' industry at all, and that's what I desperately need to copy.

The weird voice thing takes some getting used to.

Mostly just the theatre of power. After all, their slaves must see them as gods to fear them properly. But for technology more advanced than medieval, it's a game he has to play...

"If Supreme System Lord Ra did not kill you, then it must be because he did not want you dead. I would not question his wisdom, though if you had been my tithe-gatherer I would not have been so generous."

I fan open my arms as her taste taster nods to her before moving on to the fruit.

So, can Goa'uld leave a dying host in favour of a healthy one? That's about the only way I assume they would take his claims to be a reborn Mammon seriously...

"I freely admit to deserving what he did to me. I acted against him without provocation. He honoured me and I spat in his face. It was a most humbling lesson, and one which I will never need repeated."

"So now you have made a new life for yourself… As a merchant."

"I can hardly expect our fellow gods to believe that I've learned my lesson if I'm not prepared to humble myself, can I?"

Better not to try for the old job of tax collector, after all. Don't want to piss them off until you can defend yourself.

I've also learned that the jaffa are humans with underdeveloped parasites implanted in a synthetic pouch in their abdomen. Bastet appears to use their women exclusively as her soldiers, though their menfolk have the same modification. I'm not sure what the reason for using female soldiers is; much like unaugmented humans they're weaker and more fragile than their male counterparts. I suppose that it's probably a question of style. And perhaps their parasite allows them to remain fertile for proportionally longer so that their birth rate isn't too badly harmed?

More likely a matter of style. Don't Jaffa get a modest amount of physical augmentation from the hosting process? If her Bast warriors are still stronger than a human, does it matter if they're weaker than male Jaffa?

I wait patiently as Bastet and her food taster slowly work their way around my samples. Her bodyguards remain assiduously po-faced, and the other members of her retinue either hover around awaiting their mistress's pleasure or perform their designated tasks. My own retinue are either back in the suite I was granted for my stay or just outside; my status as a petitioner is entirely too low for me to be allowed to have anyone in here, but she didn't actually expect me to set up the display myself.

Presumably keeping the Ring very well hidden, I bet. The ultimate ace in the hole.

Eventually she waves her servers off, lounging more languidly on her chaise lounge.

"Your merge wares are of adequate quality."

No doubt they're actually of excellent quality, but she doesn't want him to think he can gain any advantage...

I nod and smile. "I am working from a low starting point. It will improve in time."

"I have no need of anything that you have myself, but I will grant you a warrant to trade amongst my inferiors."

Well, that was easy. Which means something's going to go wrong any moment.

"You are most generous. I will not disappoint you, and perhaps in time-."

A functionary almost bursts into the room, hurrying into Bastet's presence. She glares at him, but he just ducks his head and keeps coming. One of her bodyguards opens the odd claw weapon covering her right hand, but the man just bows to his goddess, walks right up to her-

That'll be the shoe dropping. and with the air of a man deeply concerned that his next words may cost him his life, yet they must be said...

Eavesdrop.

-and whispers-

"Ra is dead."

Ah. That gives us a solid-ish date, then. Assuming the movie opens on the day of its release date, it's early November, 1994. Allowing time for the word to spread.

-to her. Her eyes widen for a moment, her entire body tensing. I'm too low down the 'god' totem pole to have any direct contact with the Supreme System Lord, but… The goa'uld don't have children. Between switching hosts and their healing technologies, they aim to live on indefinitely. Valued subordinates are about as close as they get, and while I've heard of a few who might try and keep Ra's holdings together… They're not the Supreme System Lord. Like him or hate him, he kept their civilisation more or less together as a unified whole.

Which means his death with no named heir throws the whole system into a freefall. Every god for themself.

If he's actually dead. Faking his death to see what happens doesn't sound like something as concerned for appearances as most goa'uld would do. But maybe he's cut from a different cloth?

Amusing idea, but sadly unlikely.

Either way, there shouldn't be any impact on my own planet. We don't have any strategic resources or military power to be worth fighting. At worst I'll have to deal with different goa'uld flying up to the planet, demanding that I swear allegiance and then flying away again. While in theory I could use that as an opportunity to acquire ships for myself -I've mocked up a capital ship style shield and breaking through it with a power ring isn't that difficult- that would probably just make me a target unless I have somewhere to hide them.

Keeping your head down. Probably the best option when you're the only strategic-scale asset you have.

Bastet's eyes move to me as her face returns to Resting Smug.

"A matter requires my attention. My seneschal will see you later to inform you of the terms of your warrant of trade."

Meanwhile, she's [Internally Screaming] in panic.

I bow to just above the right angle. "I shall look forward to it."

I remain bowed until she makes a dismissive hand motion, and then I turn and stride towards the exit. A couple of male jaffa pull the doors open at my approach, and close it definitively once I'm through. My assistants fall in behind me as I stride back towards my suite.

Well, out of the lion's den. Now to make it safely out of the savannah.

Techno-primitivism is such a pain. Goa'uld electronic systems are easy to get into by power ring, but because they're 'magic' most people use spoken or written words instead. Those are far harder to access without being extremely obvious about it, and I can't afford to make any goa'uld angry with me in particular.

Still…

Aw, no raiding systems for information so easily. Well, at least amongst the Goa'uld.

Ring. Passive monitoring.

…certain?

She's using that room's communication system. That room's communication system with its nicely monitorable electromagnetic transmissions.

Lucky you. A chance to find out what's going on in the greater galaxy...

Ra's ship was overdue to return. Heru'ur dispatched a ship to investigate and began assembling his fleet the moment it returned. I will send a cloaked ship to confirm for myself, but I felt that notifying you should take priority.

No constant grovelling? That's either a human spy that's very close to her, or a lesser goa'uld.

And since goa'uld don't play nicely even if they like a superior, it's probably a human or Jaffa.

Send the ship. Discover what happened and who did it. And keep watching Heru'ur.

As you command.

See? Watching even her nominal ally very carefully.

I cause the doors to my suite to open, causing the helmeted jaffa standing guard to start very slightly. I don't look at them as I walk passed.

"Pack up, everyone. I want to leave the moment the warrant is in my hand. Things are about to become turbulent."

You have no idea...

Well, the cat is among the pigeons now, and the galaxy is in for a rough time. If this is TV continuity, the Stargate Program is going to be stood down until 1995, when they begin their first exploratory missions after a Goa'uld attack. The question is, what will happen in the meantime, and how well will Mammon's world be able to stay out of it until he can defend it?

Vaermina · Feb 20, 2024

Darko said:
Probably the same reason they use staff weapons instead of more practical weaponry.

It's stylistic.

Technically in a world without the infinite ammo clips of a tv production, Staff Weapons are likely more practical then P90s.

And well, since a long acceleration chamber is required for the weapons to work. The shape is actually understandable.

Cuchulin · Feb 20, 2024

Vaermina said:
Technically in a world without the infinite ammo clips of a tv production, Staff Weapons are likely more practical then P90s.
And well, since a long acceleration chamber is required for the weapons to work. The shape is actually understandable.

Not really since the staffs have a pretty low RoF and are generally presented as being inferior as weapon to fire arms. The military kit of the system lords is geared to over awe and intimidate primitives.

WereDragon · Feb 20, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
About Ten Years Later

"Ra is dead."

So this Paul is massively sandbagging, which is particularly odd given his stated reasons for hating Nabu. And it is likely about to become SG-1's show with Paul as an extra.

Nice to see a story at least acknowledge that non-System Lord goa'uld exist though. Too rare that.

Vaermina · Feb 20, 2024

Cuchulin said:
Not really since the staffs have a pretty low RoF and are generally presented as being inferior as weapon to fire arms. The military kit of the system lords is geared to over awe and intimidate primitives.

The rate of fire of a staff weapon is dependant on how strong the wielder wants the shot to be.

And no, the military kit of the System Lords is geared towards effectiveness and longevity.

Because it takes multiple hits from a P90 firing an unknown type of armor piercing rounds to punch through a Jaffa's armor. But it only takes a single hit from a staff blast to do the same.

And Staff weapons don't run out of Ammo.

Fact is, without hollywood infinite ammo guns SG1 would have been dead a hundred times over on the situations shown.

Mr Zoat · Feb 20, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
And back to Stargate Paul, posing as the System Lord Mammon reborn

Oh no, he's not a System Lord. System Lord is an informal rank, and they're way more powerful than he is. You don't call yourself a System Lord when all you have is one zero-industry planet unless you want an actual System Lord to explain to you that you're not.

Well, the parasite could be using the human brain as additional processing.

It's worse than that. Kawalsky had his goa'uld chirurgically removed and destroyed, and it still controlled him.

So, can Goa'uld leave a dying host in favour of a healthy one? That's about the only way I assume they would take his claims to be a reborn Mammon seriously...

Yes. At this point it would be expected that he'd done that.

And since goa'uld don't play nicely even if they like a superior, it's probably a human or Jaffa.

Not entirely true. Nerus and Ptah were happy to work under their patrons while they persued their own projects.

the fall smaller brain in the parasite.

Corrected.

Lord Ernest · Feb 20, 2024

WereDragon said:
So this Paul is massively sandbagging, which is particularly odd given his stated reasons for hating Nabu.

I agree a bit on the sandbagging, I'm not familiar with Stargate lore in general, but I don't think there are many things in the setting that could pose a threat to a capable Lantern. Problem is that we don't know how capable this SI is, we don't know if he's been practicing his Lantern skills nor do I think he's been in any combat.

However, while I would assume he may have a general dislike for the parasites currently in charge and puppeting these bodies, he hated Nabu specifically because he had a personal connection with the people affected, not because of a particular personal hatred against body-snatchers.

Chaoswind · Feb 20, 2024

Lord Ernest said:
I agree a bit on the sandbagging, I'm not familiar with Stargate lore in general, but I don't think there are many things in the setting that could pose a threat to a capable Lantern. Problem is that we don't know how capable this SI is, we don't know if he's been practicing his Lantern skills nor do I think he's been in any combat.

However, while I would assume he may have a general dislike for the parasites currently in charge and puppeting these bodies, he hated Nabu specifically because he had a personal connection with the people affected, not because of a particular personal hatred against body-snatchers.

All capital ships have the power output to kill him if he tries to tank the shots, there are also matter disassembler beams and implosion devises that should kill him in one shot.

Ascended beings could probably also kill him.

Remember Grayven almost died to a human briefcase nuke of a few kilotons and this Paul is far less durable, so if you catch him by surprise with any of the aforementioned weapons you can probably kill him...

Edit: And I mean by surprise but with his shielding still on, without his shield a dude with a bow can kill him.

Jiro · Feb 20, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
It's worse than that. Kawalsky had his goa'uld chirurgically removed and destroyed, and it still controlled him.

I think this is Early Installment Weirdness. That doesn't happen later in the series, and there was even a Baal who had his Goa'uld removed after 2000 years.

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

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