• The site has now migrated to Xenforo 2. If you see any issues with the forum operation, please post them in the feedback thread.
  • Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
  • For prospective new members, a word of warning: don't use common names like Dennis, Simon, or Kenny if you decide to create an account. Spammers have used them all before you and gotten those names flagged in the anti-spam databases. Your account registration will be rejected because of it.
  • Since it has happened MULTIPLE times now, I want to be very clear about this. You do not get to abandon an account and create a new one. You do not get to pass an account to someone else and create a new one. If you do so anyway, you will be banned for creating sockpuppets.
  • Due to the actions of particularly persistent spammers and trolls, we will be banning disposable email addresses from today onward.
  • The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.

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

Hayes is objectively the best choice.

Kimble deals with corruption by giving people offering bribes government jobs so they don't need to offer bribes any more.

Murphy deals with corruption by politely asking the police to do their jobs properly.

Hayes deals with corruption by inviting the people offfering bribes to a meeting AND THE SHOOTING THEM ALL IN THE FACE! IN THE MIDDLE OF SHADY SANDS! WITH HIS OWN GUN!

Haven't tried the civil war route because it feels unnatural. You literally have click 'let's have a civil war'.

House's tree needs an update. The NCR always declares war to take the Mojave and that doesn't make sense when he's the one who owns it.

British ghouls have never been called ghouls. The term just isn't used in Europe, because there isn't enough travel between America and Europe of terms like that to have been shared.

In America 'ghoul' is the word everyone uses.

So why did they seem to be offended by him using the word?
 
Hayes is objectively the best choice.
He also makes war with the Western Brotherhood near inevitable given how much he ends up courting Enclave remnants.

But starting up a second space race is pretty funny. I don't remember if that requires taking the Bloomingfield space center in Arizona, the one the Legion takes from the Rusty Hooks not long after start.

The civil war is interesting to me, but I also played Moore with Oliver declaring for me and turning the Republic into a military junta. The only other time I saw it happen was when I set it to, and was playing Van Graff's in New Reno so I could take Redding easily enough.
 
He called them the G-word. Not cool, man.

So what you're saying is that Krono has the G-pass? Or maybe British Ghouls are a bit more self-conscious than the US ones.

We all know how words can transform from simple descriptors to perceived as slurs; at least when they're not created as slurs.

Wait, but if "ghoul" is a slur in that world, then if Ra's Al Ghul found himself somehow stuck there, would he have to change his name because everyone would keep mishearing his name as "Racial Ghoul"?
 
Coast to Coast (part 9)
3rd December 2282
12:23 GMT


A ghoul in a suit topped off with a frock coat is sitting at a table reading a report as I'm led into what appears to be a private dining room. There's a hat stand with a matching top hat on it in the corner of the room, along with a cane propped up by the base. He's either acquired the services of an expert wig maker or he's one of the rare ghouls who managed to hang on to most of their hair during the transformation process, possessing as he does a full head of black hair and mutton chop sideburns. He's-.

"My God, is that tea?"

His eyes move from the report to me without any other part of his body moving. He considers me for a moment.

"Yes, actually. Roper. Who is this?"

"An ambassador from California, My Lord."

"Really, now. I'd rather assumed that the Chinese would have thoroughly ruined the place. How on Earth did they miss California?"

I hesitate, then Roper looks at me and nods.

"They didn't, My Lord. But California was reasonably well served with Vaults, and RobCo undertook the defence of the Mojave region. Plus it.. has been two hundred years. Even salted nuclear warheads don't stay dangerously radioactive forever."

"Educated too, that's a welcome surprise." He lays down his report, though not his tea. "Roper, his affidavits."

Lieutenant Roper advances, my letter of introduction in hand, and holds it out to Lord Harold. Lord Harold takes it, unfolds it one-handed and reads it carefully.

"Mmpf. Hayes. I assume he's not one of us?"

"British, My Lord? No. There are very few British people in America."

He gives me a faint glare. "No, one of us."

"A Simon, My Lord?"

His lip moves in a mild expression of distaste at the word. "Yes, one of the… Gentry."

"No. Um, I'm.. sorry if I've offended, but I was told that 'Simon' was the accepted nomenclature."

Lord Harold looks at Roper, who nods. "I'll have a word with the sergeant, My Lord."

"See that you do. The term 'Simon' is informal slang, used largely by the lower orders. 'Gentry' is more polite, though only used to refer to those of us who predate the war and occupy positions of seniority. You can use 'ardens' for everyone else, as in homo sapiens ardens."

"'Ardens' is a good deal more polite than what they settled on in America."

"Naturally. And yes. It is tea."

"Does Britain have trade with India? I realise that it's possible with wooden ships-."

"A two hundred day round trip in a clipper. We tried it, but only a fraction of the ships made it back. It should be an easier journey from California."

"They drink coffee."

"Ah." He nods. "And I suppose that the Chinese reds mined the route."

An interesting point. As far as I know, even the Shi haven't tried to make the journey to China. I don't even think that NCR traders have tried to reach Hawaii. Their trade ships and warships mostly hug the coastline when they're at sea. I… Honestly don't know what the deep oceans are like. I would have assumed that the places that weren't sterilised by radiation would be mostly recovered by now, were it not for the fact that I've seen fog crawlers and the wanamingos. As it is, I've got no idea what might be happening out to sea.

"I don't know, but that's certainly a possibility."

"Very well." He tosses the letter across the table, where it is recovered by Lieutenant Roper and returned to me. "On behalf of Her Majesty's government, I recognise you as the Ambassador of this.. 'New California Republic', Your Excellency."

"Thank you."

"You're on the wrong side of the continent for us to trade with, assuming that America's successor states have abandoned the position of isolationism."

"Given how things have collapsed, it would be impractical to enforce it. Though I'm afraid that damage to America's shipping infrastructure means that we can't really initiate trades and won't be able to for some time."

What have we actually got to trade, anyway? Brahmin and big horners are useful food animals that are adapted for radiation, but I'm not sure how well either would do in Britain. Robots? They wouldn't have the infrastructure. Water?

I just about stop myself laughing at the idea of Britain needing to import water, of all things.

G.E.C.K.s? Yes, them and everyone else will want those. Weapons? They don't have America's nuclear energy supplies. Fusion cells? They don't have the infrastructure. Knowledge? Expert personnel? Seed samples?

Lord Harold nods. "I suppose that it's worthwhile just knowing that there are other survivors in the world. So: just what is the New California Republic?"

"The people in Vault Fifteen founded a town named Shady Sands in twenty ninety seven. At that point the radiation levels were low enough for them to use their seed reserves to start farming. As the years passed the village grew into a town and got into contact with other groups of survivors. They started trading; Shady Sands had food but was short of metal and machine parts, while the survivors in Californian cities needed fresh food. In twenty one eighty nine the towns had enough in common that it made sense to come together under a shared banner, using their combined military to eliminate outlaws, raider bands and giant mutant animals from their territory. Since then, the NCR has expanded across most of the old State of California's territory and into Baja California and Nevada. Mostly peacefully, sometimes with the threat of violence and occasionally with an actual war."

"War with who?"

"The Enclave, the Brotherhood of Steel and Caesar's Legion. The Enclave were a group of descendants of part of the old American government who decided to create a weaponised virus to kill everyone else in the world. The NCR allied with the Brotherhood of Steel to destroy their bases in California, but relations broke down afterwards when the Brotherhood started demanding that the NCR hand over all advanced technology in their possession. The NCR won, and the two groups have recently signed a peace treaty. Caesar's Legion are a group of tribes brought together under the leadership of a fascist historian. They conquered the entirety of Arizona before coming into conflict with the NCR, a war which is still ongoing."

Lord Harold's eyes narrow. "Did you just say 'Cai-sar's Legion', Your Excellency? Romans?"

"He styled them after a very jaundiced version of Roman history. It's not the most ridiculous thing in America, but it is the most ridiculous that's gotten too many people killed to laugh about." I shrug. "How have things been here?"

"A mess. The nuclear missiles flew early and often, and then what little was left was subjected to decades of raids that we lacked the infrastructure to respond to. Her majesty managed to return to London to take command, but it wasn't until twenty two thirty eight that we managed to destroy the insurgent groups in London alone, let alone reach out to anywhere else. I am here to restore the control of the government to the south coast; law and order, infrastructure, governance and nationhood."

I nod. "I stopped by my home village on the way here. There didn't seem to be any sort of overarching authority."

"That's our experience of how it works. People are too busy surviving to do anything else. I prefer that. I led men of the coastal rapid reaction force before things fell apart completely. Fighting our own people leaves a bad taste in m' mouth."

I nod. "I saw a mutant whale on the docks."

"Yes, they're reasonably common in these waters now. We're hoping that we can harvest their oil as a fuel source. Shipping coal this far south is difficult, and would be impractical for naval purposes anyway."

I frown. "Why? That's what we used to do, before we switched over to oil powered engines."

"Because it will take decades at best before we can restore the railway lines north to south, and we're not the only nation harvesting whales. The French are up to something, and not a man jack of us is prepared to let them get the jump on us again."
 
Last edited:
itting as a table reading

"at a"

managed to hand on to

"hang on"


"But"

that's a welcome surprised

"suprise"

"A Simon, My Lord?"

His lip moves in a mild expression of distaste at the word. "Yes, one of the… Gentry

So they're thr ruling class in Britain.

As the years past the

"passed"

The conquered the entirety of Arizona before coming into

"They"
 
3rd December 2282
12:23 GMT


A ghoul in suit topped off with a frock coat is sitting at a table reading a report as I'm lead into what appears to be a private dining room. There's a hat stand with a matching top hat on it in the corner of the room, along with a cane propped up by the base. He's either acquired the services of an expert wig maker or he's one of the rare ghouls who managed to hang on to most of their hair during the transformation process, possessing as he does a full head of black hair and mutton chop sideburns. He's-.
If it were just the hair, I'd have leaned towards wig. I could see old sixteenth-century wigs coming back into fashion, actually. But the presence of sideburns suggests he's all natural. Or spends an unreasonable amount of time in a makeup chair.

"My God, is that tea?"

His eyes more from the report to me without any other part of his body moving. He considers me for a moment.
Heh. That's how long he's been away from England: :p Tea actually appeals to him for once.

"Yes, actually. Roper. Who is this?"

"An ambassador from California, My Lord."
Which in this era should sound as ridiculous as 'Arch-Duke Rippadoodle of the Eastern Pole'. Then again, given some of the amazing things in this world...

"Really, now. I'd rather assumed that the Chinese would have thoroughly ruined the place. How on Earth did they miss California?"

I hesitate, then Roper looks at me and nods.
Oh, they didn't miss it at all. To be fair, their bombs didn't need much in the way of accuracy, compensating by way of saturation...

"They didn't, My Lord. But California was reasonably well served with Vaults, and RobCo undertook the defence of the Mojave region. Plus it.. has been two hundred years. Even salted nuclear warheads don't stay dangerously radioactive forever."

"Educated too, that's a welcome surprise." He lays down his report, though not his tea. "Roper, his affidavits."
Sensible priorities, I see.

Lieutenant Roper advances, my letter of introduction in hand, and holds it out to Lord Windsor. Lord Windsor takes it, unfolds it one-handed and reads it carefully.

"Mmpf. Hayes. I assume he's not one of us?"
Ah. Are we going to see some ghoulish snobbery amongst the English rulers, wot?

"British, My Lord? No. There are very few British people in America."

He gives me a faint glare. "No, one of us."
Yes, rather sums it up. I'm betting there's a belief that the humans can't rule themselves, because they'll just make a mess of things.

"A Simon, My Lord?"

His lip moves in a mild expression of distaste at the word. "Yes, one of the… Gentry."
Honestly, folks, make up your mind which word you prefer. Or is it a case of 'one rule for the rich, one for the poor'?

"No. Um, I'm.. sorry if I've offended, but I was told that 'Simon' was the accepted nomenclature."

Lord Windsor looks at Roper, who nods. "I'll have a word with the sergeant, My Lord."
Well, that's a bit annoying.

"See that you do. The term 'Simon' is informal slang, used largely by the lower orders. 'Gentry' is more polite, though only used to refer to those of us who predate the war and occupy positions of seniority. You can use 'ardens' for everyone else, as in homo sapiens ardens."

"'Ardens' is a good deal more polite than what they settled on in America."
And probably more scientifically accurate. I hope there aren't any other things they would prefer done that Krono isn't aware of...

"Naturally. And yes. It is tea."

"Does Britain have trade with India? I realise that it's possible with wooden ships-."
I shudder to picture the subcontinent. Especially if England has stepped back into control.

"A two hundred day round trip in a clipper. We tried it, but only a fraction of the ships made it back. It should be an easier journey from California."

"They drink coffee."

"Ah." He nods. "And I suppose that the Chinese reds mined the route."
On the other hand... It can't be that long before they have larger saucers, capable of cargo-hauling...

An interesting point. As far as I know, even the Shi haven't tried to make the journey to China. I don't even think that NCR traders have tried to reach Hawaii. Their trade ships and warships mostly hug the coastline when they're at sea. I… Honestly don't know what the deep oceans are like. I would have assumed that the places that weren't sterilised by radiation would be mostly recovered by now, were it not for the fact that I've seen fog crawlers and the wanamingos. As it is, I've got no idea what might be happening out to sea.
I have to wonder about the whales... And the other cetaceans. Never mind whatever might come up out of the deeper places that have been enhanced by radiation...

"I don't know, but that's certainly a possibility."

"Very well." He tosses the letter across the table, where it is recovered by Lieutenant Roper and returned to me. "On behalf of Her Majesty's government, I recognise you as the Ambassador of this.. 'New California Republic', Your Excellency."
All right. Don't know how much use that will be, since trade is a long way off...

"Thank you."

"You're on the wrong side of the continent for us to trade with, assuming that America's successor states have abandoned the position of isolationism."
Fortunately, it's only a matter of time until they expand eastwards and pacify the central and eastern states.

"Given how things have collapsed, it would be impractical to enforce it. Though I'm afraid that damage to America's shipping infrastructure means that we can't really initiate trades and won't be able to for some time."

What have we actually got to trade, anyway? Brahmin and big horners are useful food animals that are adapted for radiation, but I'm not sure how well either would do in Britain. Robots? They wouldn't have the infrastructure. Water?
Thunk a little less 'primary industry', Krono. One thing America has is schizotech...

I just about stop myself laughing at the idea of Britain needing to import water, of all things.

G.E.C.K.s? Yes, them and everyone else will want those. Weapons? They don't have America's nuclear energy supplies. Fusion cells? They don't have the infrastructure. Knowledge? Expert personnel? Seed samples?

Lord Windsor nods. "I suppose that it's worthwhile just knowing that there are other survivors in the world. So: just what is the New California Republic?"
...That is actually a reasonable question, given the lack of prior information.

"The people in Vault Fifteen founded a town named Shady Sands in twenty ninety seven. At that point the radiation levels were low enough for them to use their seed reserves to start farming. As the years passed the village grew into a town and got into contact with other groups of survivors. They started trading; Shady Sands had food but was short of metal and machine parts, while the survivors in Californian cities needed fresh food. In twenty one eighty nine the towns had enough in common that it made sense to come together under a shared banner, using their combined military to eliminate outlaws, raider bands and giant mutant animals from their territory. Since then, the NCR has expanded across most of the old State of California's territory and into Baja California and Nevada. Mostly peacefully, sometimes with the threat of violence and occasionally with an actual war."
A remarkably succinct summary of two century's worth of history.

"War with who?"

"The Enclave, the Brotherhood of Steel and Caesar's Legion. The Enclave were a group of descendants of part of the old American government who decided to create a weaponised virus to kill everyone else in the world. The NCR allied with the Brotherhood of Steel to destroy their bases in California, but relations broke down afterwards when the Brotherhood started demanding that the NCR hand over all advanced technology in their possession. The NCR won, and the two groups have recently signed a peace treaty. Caesar's Legion are a group of tribes brought together under the leadership of a fascist historian. They conquered the entirety of Arizona before coming into conflict with the NCR, a war which is still ongoing."
And that's basically the plots of several Fallout games, right? As sidetracked by Krono's presence...

Lord Windsor's eyes narrow. "Did you just say 'Cai-sar's Legion', Your Excellency? Romans?"

"He styled them after a very jaundiced version of Roman history. It's not the most ridiculous thing in America, but it is the most ridiculous that's gotten too many people killed to laugh about." I shrug. "How have things been here?"
Could be worse. The old 'Judge Dredd' comics had far worse concepts for their trans-continental relief trek. Including at least one territory of corporate-based madness.

"A mess. The nuclear missiles flew early and often, and then what little was left was subjected to decades of raids that we lacked the infrastructure to respond to. Her majesty managed to return to London to take command, but it wasn't until twenty two thirty eight than we managed to destroy the insurgent groups in London alone, let alone reach out to anywhere else. I am here to restore the control of the government to the south coast; law and order, infrastructure, governance and nationhood."
A slow process, given that he probably has to conquer and pacify one shire at a time before moving on...

I nod. "I stopped by my home village on the way here. There didn't seem to be any sort of overarching authority."

"That's our experience of how it works. People are too busy surviving to do anything else. I prefer that. I lead men of the coastal rapid reaction force before things fell apart completely. Fighting our own people leaves a bad taste in m' mouth."
So he'd much rather persuade and convince than invade and conquer...

I nod. "I saw a mutant whale on the docks."

"Yes, they're reasonably common in these waters now. We're hoping that we can harvest their oil as a fuel source. Shipping coal this far south is difficult, and would be impractical for naval purposes anyway."
Heh. Probably not the most efficient method. I expect there's a lot of danger involved in catching them.

I frown. "Why? That's what we used to do, before we switched over to oil powered engines."

"Because it will take decades at best before we can restore the railway lines north to south, and we're not the only nation harvesting whales. The French are up to something, and not a man jack of us is prepared to let them get the jump on us again."
As long as they don't discover some sort of supernatural aspect to it.

I have to say, I have some measure of sympathy for the fellow, transhuman arrogance aside. He's taken quite the task on himself, and even if he's immortal (or long-lived enough to count,) pacifying the whole county a bit at a time won't be quick. Especially if he isn't doing it by force of arms. :p And now he has to deal with bloody Americans showing up...

His eyes more from the report to me...
His eyes move from the report to me...
 
I wonder how the Fallout SI would have fared with a blue ring instead of an orange one, since blue rings can gradually recharge themselves over time with ambient hope? It would be interesting to see a blue lantern survive like that in a post-apocalyptic setting with no way to recharge their ring except for ambient hope. I'm not sure how many upgrades they could give themselves before their charge runs out, but I assume that they would have gone a different route and upgraded themselves in different ways than the ones this Paul did.
 
Last edited:
So the Ghouls are ruling Britain... I feel like there's a political joke there, especially with the elections coming up, but I don't want run afoul of the rules and don't think I would do the joke justice enough.

Still find it extremely funny, though.
 
If it were just the hair, I'd have leaned towards wig. I could see old sixteenth-century wigs coming back into fashion, actually. But the presence of sideburns suggests he's all natural. Or spends an unreasonable amount of time in a makeup chair.

I'm honestly disappointed that this didn't happen:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7g6pw_0W1U

Basically after the bombs fell a lot of their history and culture was lost and in the process of rebuilding they started acting like the two idiots above because that's what they thought their ancestors were like.

And to be fair, they wouldn't be wrong.

Ah. Are we going to see some ghoulish snobbery amongst the English rulers, wot?

I mean they're British, so most of them are snobby, no matter their social standing.

Yes, rather sums it up. I'm betting there's a belief that the humans can't rule themselves, because they'll just make a mess of things.

Or they think that their long life gives them wisdom.
 
An interesting point. As far as I know, even the Shi haven't tried to make the journey to China. I don't even think that NCR traders have tried to reach Hawaii. Their trade ships and warships mostly hug the coastline when they're at sea. I… Honestly don't know what the deep oceans are like. I would have assumed that the places that weren't sterilised by radiation would be mostly recovered by now, were it not for the fact that I've seen fog crawlers and the wanamingos. As it is, I've got no idea what might be happening out to sea.
Giant super intelligent squid and other horribly mutated murder creatures live in the oceans now.
 
I shudder to picture the subcontinent. Especially if England has stepped back into control.
I did miss the smell of barbecued widow.
His eyes move from the report to me...
Thank you, corrected.
Early days yet, but I've gotta say I'm already loving this fleshing-out of Fallout England.
Be sure to download Fallout London when it finally releases!
Basically after the bombs fell a lot of their history and culture was lost and in the process of rebuilding they started acting like the two idiots above because that's what they thought their ancestors were like.

And to be fair, they wouldn't be wrong.
You don't make the biggest empire the Earth has ever seen by standing around like idiots.
 
I did miss the smell of barbecued widow.

Thank you, corrected.

Be sure to download Fallout London when it finally releases!

You don't make the biggest empire the Earth has ever seen by standing around like idiots.

Switching back to pure and true Hard Power and a more truly official empire

It took a bunch of nukes to make them "strong" and "ambitious"
 
Honestly kind of surprised the British Ghouls have it as good as they do. People tend to hate them because they look like zombies and because they tend to assume any Ghoul is about a hair's breadth from going feral.

Oh well. We can't have the French making the world any worse than it already is. Let the frog hunting season commence. Tally-ho.
 
The French are up to something, and not a man jack of us is prepared to let them get the jump on us again."
Given how long the French and English have been at odds, and how badly the EU/EC (I forget precisely what Fallout called it) must have been in the aftermath of the Euro-Middle Eastern war, it really shouldn't amuse me so much that they're back at it.

Though I suppose given that the continent is right there, expecting conflict not to occur would be a tad silly.
 
.... Is this the the fallout 4 mod?
Cause I'm suddenly itching to reinstall the game.
 
"Because it will take decades at best before we can restore the railway lines north to south, and we're not the only nation harvesting whales. The French are up to something, and not a man jack of us is prepared to let them get the jump on us again."

Mm. War.. war never changes.
 
Codominion (part 2)
13th April 2013
15:22 GMT

"…out how you were getting on with it?"

The J-ian plant woman in front of me hasn't stopped staring wide-eyed since I landed. In fact, just about everyone I've flown past on my way here stared quite a lot, which… I mean, I like to think that if my kingdom was in the galactic minority and I knew that for a fact, I'd be a lot less surprised when an intelligent being from a different kingdom stopped by for a visit. It should be even less of a big deal when it's a Lantern, since they know for a fact that Lanterns can look like just about anything. Their Sector's current and former Lanterns may have been from J, but the ones before that certainly weren't.

"I say, are you alright?"

"Yes. Yes! I'm perfectly fine. Are you?"

I smile. "Yes, thank you for asking. But-."

"Are you sure? Your… Leaves look… Dead."

I.. blink. "Ah, my species doesn't photosynthesise. This-" I reach up with my right hand and run it through my hair. "-is fur. Keratin, mostly. It's a sort of built-in sunshade for my brain."



"Huuuuuuuuh."

"So, the computer?"

"Oh, that's great! We're in the middle of a-." She frowns. "Look, this is… Probably a stupid question, it's a big universe with lots of meat in it, but do you know the person who got it in the first place?"

"Yes." I nod. "It was me."

Her eyes widen. "Rea-?!" Then she calms herself. "Oh. Right. That's why you're checking up on things."

"Yes it is. So?"

"The speed of our computer stems and macro intelligences has increased a thousand fold, and the rollout's been surprisingly simple. The technology is so much like ours, while still being… Different? Alien? Where did you get it?"

"I bought it from an arms dealer, who got it from a stellar civilisation called The Dominion. I'm not sure why they started using plant-based computers; the rest of their technology base is more conventional. It's pretty old by their standards, but I'm glad that you've found it helpful."

I should probably investigate in more detail, because… Pamela hasn't, as far as I can tell. I suppose that her greater focus on plant-based magic means that she doesn't really need plant machines in the same way that the people of J do. And other than bringing himself up to full Alec Holland intelligence I haven't seen any sign that Swamp Thing has either.

"Thank you for bringing it here."

"And how about the people from Alstair?"

"They're… Weird and alien, but…" She stares at me again, then blinks as she realises what she's doing and who she's talking to. "Um."

"I'm familiar with how different our physiologies are."

"Right! Ah, they-. They're similar enough to us that the differences really stand out-. Physically, I mean. But they're good people, hard workers, and… There's been an increase in people being interested in… Mysticism. Magic. Because of how much they use it."

"But no real friction?"

"No, not at all. In fact, some of the researchers, they-." Her bark hardens slightly. "Ah…"

"Say no more. I'll leave you to your work."

I

step out, focusing on the familiar desires of Alstair. There's some sort of blur in the way, but it's easy to

work through-.

Ships burn and break all around me as the four-way war for Antares hots up! I armour up right away and generate construct shields just as the first optimistic volley of flak fire heads in my direction.

Um.

Now, they've been fighting for a very long time. This doesn't mean-.

Incoming message.



Answer?

"Hell-"

"Orange Lantern! I am so glad that you're here!"

"-o, Queen Hyathis. Um."

A large and heavily armoured ship from Mosteel wheels out of control in space, some sort of… Lichen? Eating through its hull. Moments later its structural integrity fails completely, exposing the interior structures to space. Including the crew.

"What's happening?"

"I'm winning. I'm finally winning! And I have you to thank for it!"

"The Orange Lantern Corps-."

"Was kind enough to provide me with a trading partner, new and superior computers and weapons. A new generation of ships and a whole new-"

Something takes hold of my construct barriers and turns me around.

"-me."

Hyathis is… A giant. Or at least has created a giant avatar for herself.

She releases me and raises her right arm, hyper velocity seedpods launched from some sort of internal mechanism and smashing into -through in some cases- a destroyer squadron from Dhor.

"Thanks to your computer, my mind has been expanded. This is child's play now! Oh no you don't!"

Her head turns towards… A flotilla trying to retreat out of interdiction range. Her left arm waves and their thrusters flare and fail.

"Did you think you could fly into my battle space and not pick up a few spores! Fools!"

"So… This isn't them ganging up on you because you'd pulled a little ahead, an alliance that will fall apart the moment that you're beaten back?"

"No. Not this time. This is their last hurrah before my new fleet puts itself in orbit around their worlds and does as it will. I will seed their biospheres and make prisons of their worlds, and then concern myself with them never again! And then…"

Giant eyes glow.

"Thanagar."



Huh.

"I'm going to have to ask that you don't seek Diana out for a rematch."
 
Last edited:
Assuming we're going to follow up on this, this episode might be about Thanagar and Alstair having to face the fact that they're now equals and agreeing to a peace treaty rather than resort to war. Plus, considering how much plant stuff this will involve, we might finally see what's become of Swamp Thing.
 
13th April 2013
15:22 GMT


"…out how you were getting on with it?"

The J-ian plant woman in front of me hasn't stopped staring wide-eyed since I landed. In fact, just about everyone I've flown past on my way here stared quite a lot, which… I mean, I like to think that if my kingdom was in the galactic minority and I knew that for a fact, I'd be a lot less surprised when an intelligent being from a different kingdom stopped by for a visit. It should be even less of a big deal when it's a Lantern, since they know for a fact that Lanterns can look like just about anything. Their Sector's current and former Lanterns may have been from J, but the ones before that certainly weren't.
Oh, they may understand intellectually, but seeing it for real is a different thing. Imagine seeing a plant-person walking around in our real world. A tree that moves like a person, walks about and speaks like a regular human. How strange would that be?

"I say, are you alright?"

"Yes. Yes! I'm perfectly fine. Are you?"
I mean, little rude to just call out her staring at you.

I smile. "Yes, thank you for asking. But-."

"Are you sure? Your… Leaves look… Dead."
Leaves? Oh, right. J-ians have leaf-like cranial decoration.

I.. blink. "Ah, my species doesn't photosynthesise. This-" I reach up with my right hand and run it through my hair. "-is fur. Keratin, mostly. It's a sort of built-in sunshade for my brain."



"Huuuuuuuuh."
Yeah, squishy meat doesn't do the temperature regulation thing as well as wood does.

"So, the computer?"

"Oh, that's great! We're in the middle of a-." She frowns. "Look, this is… Probably a stupid question, it's a big universe with lots of meat in it, but do you know the person who got it in the first place?"
"Know him? Of course I do! He's me." Would be the perfect time for an Obi-Wan quote.

"Yes." I nod. "It was me."

Her eyes widen. "Rea-?!" Then she calms herself. "Oh. Right. That's why you're checking up on things."
Yes, quite reasonable. After all, who knows how you're settling in with it. No nasty hidden surprises discovered?

"Yes it is. So?"

"The speed of our computer stems and macro intelligences has increased a thousand fold, and the rollout's been surprisingly simple. The technology is so much like ours, while still being… Different? Alien? Where did you get it?"
Heh. Somehow, that's exactly what I expect to happen if there's ever an alien ship crash. Scientists will reverse-engineer it, and adapt whatever they can into modern technology...

"I bought it from an arms dealer, who got it from a stellar civilisation called The Dominion. I'm not sure why they started using plant-based computers; the rest of their technology base is more conventional. It's pretty old by their standards, but I'm glad that you've found it helpful."
In Doylist reasons, it probably gives them an interesting 'alien' point, and limits the ability of guys like Batman or Cyborg to hack their computers. I suspect the watsonian reason in a similar kind of 'hard to hack' logic.

I should probably investigate in more detail, because… Pamela hasn't, as far as I can tell. I suppose that her greater focus on plant-based magic means that she doesn't really need plant machines in the same way that the people of J do. And other than bringing himself up to full Alec Holland intelligence I haven't seen any sign that Swamp Thing has either.
Then again, when was the last time you saw him, OL?

"Thank you for bringing it here."

"And how about the people from Alstair?"
Ah, the other big 'plant people planet' out there. because of course OL went 'hey, you two should meet. I bet you'll get on great!'

"They're… Weird and alien, but…" She stares at me again, then blinks as she realises what she's doing and who she's talking to. "Um."

"I'm familiar with how different our physiologies are."
Amazing how many different ways DC managed to do 'plant person'.

"Right! Ah, they-. They're similar enough to us that the differences really stand out-. Physically, I mean. But they're good people, hard workers, and… There's been an increase people being interested in… Mysticism. Magic. Because of how much they use it."

"But no real friction?"
That would be really troublesome, given what happens when you rub two pieces of wood together fast enough...

"No, not at all. In fact, some of the researchers, they-." Her bark hardens slightly. "Ah…"

"Say no more. I'll leave you to your work."
Ah. I see. Some people enjoy that kind of friction, huh? :p

I

step out, focusing on the familiar desires of Alstair. There's some sort of blur in the way, but it's easy to

work through-.
Interesting. Blocking technology? Or some sort of mystical interference?

Ships burn and break all around me as the four-way war for Antares hots up! I armour up right away and generate construct shields just as the first optimistic volley of flak fire heads in my direction.

Um.
Ah. I'm guessing Altair has tipped the balance of power in their favour, and the others have gone 'stop that!'

Now, they've been fighting for a very long time. This doesn't mean-.

Incoming message.
That was quick. Was someone expecting him, or are they just really quick off the mark?

It's only polite, especially if it's an ally. If it's one of the others, well, you can always hang up while they drop their threatening monologue.

"Hell-"

"Orange Lantern! I am so glad that you're here!"

"-o, Queen Hyathis. Um."
Ah, that explains that.

A large and heavily armoured ship from Mosteel wheels out of control in space, some sort to… Lichen? Eating through its hull. Moments later its structural integrity fails completely, exposing the interior structures to space. Including the crew.

"What's happening?"
Weaponised seed pods and spore missiles, by the looks of it. Impressive display of floraurgy.

"I'm winning. I'm finally winning! And I have you to thank for it!"

"The Orange Lantern Corps-."
Well, somebody's having fun, I see.

"Was kind enough to provide me with a trading partner, new and superior computers and weapons. A new generation of ships and a whole new-"

Something takes hold of my construct barriers and turns me around.

"-me."
Taking to the field herself? She's being overconfident, methinks...

Hyathis is… A giant. Or at least has created a giant avatar for herself.

She releases me and raises her right arm, hyper velocity seedpods launched from some sort of internal mechanism and smashing into -through in some cases- a destroyer squadron from Dhor.
Oh, my. And I'm suddenly reminded of a Transformers Prime fanart of a cybered-up June Darby who turns into a Normandy SR-2.

"Thanks to your computer, my mind has been expanded. This is child's play now! Oh no you don't!"

Her head turns towards… A flotilla trying to retreat out of interdiction range. Her left arm waves and their thrusters flare and fail.
And that isn't a little concerning at all, no...

"Did you think you could fly into my battle space and not pick up a few spores! Fools!"

"So… This isn't them ganging up on you because you'd pulled a little ahead, an alliance that will fall apart the moment that you're beaten back?"
That relies on them being able to beat her back down. I don't think that's happening with this sort of display.

"No. Not this time. This is their last hurrah before my new fleet puts itself in orbit around their worlds and does as it will. I will seed their biospheres and make prisons of their worlds, and then concern myself with them never again! And then…"

Giant eyes glow.
Let's not go so far as genocide, huh?

Well, she's having a bit of a power rush. Maybe once she calms down a little she'll realize she's the mouse that roared...

Huh.

"I'm going to have to ask that you don't seek Diana out for a rematch."
...Not worried she'll poke the sleeping giant and get squashed.

Well, looks like the ripples of OL dropping a small rock in the local ponds are starting to expand. And it looks like they might be crashing into Thanagar as a minor tsunami. Let's hope he doesn't set any more big bombs off, or the galaxy might be in for a bit of rough political weather. Bad weather certain people might take advantage of...
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top