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

Mr Zoat · Sep 17, 2024

Duke Long said:
Extraneous 'spare time'?
Extraneous 'out'?
'an entire species' brains'

Thank you, corrected.

So do members of this species have magic brains, or are they just complex in ways that the Reach can't artificially replicate yet?

They're not magical, and the Reach probably could replicate them. But why bother when they have a ready supply?

WereDragon · Sep 17, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Oh, he's.. disintegrated. What a shame.

So even being enlightened doesn't stop you from deciding that something existing as your possession diminishes your net value. Been some time since that last happened.

BartlettMagic · Sep 17, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Should I kill just them?

maybe that ought to be reversed- "Should I just kill them?"

Steelplaza · Sep 17, 2024

I did a search on Threllian because I couldn't remember what his species looks like or anything about them.

Mr Zoat said:
Lantern Threllian's environmental shield cuts out completely as he hears the news. I expected something like that might happen, which is why I made sure to tell him on the surface of Maltus well away from obvious sources of danger.

Most of his species were believed dead at the hands of the Reach, and given their environmental requirements and the fact that the escapees aren't numerous enough to fill a small town they weren't prioritised for access to the newly terraformed planets. Most of them chose to enter suspended animation, but Threllian decided to join the Darkstars instead. Dox tapped him for our headquarters staff during his first wave of recruits in virtue of the fact that he was the second most intelligent non-Controller on Maltus.

There's nothing quite like knowing that the Reach conquered your people so they could use their brains in their computers to make you want them dead.

Apparently we already heard something about their brains being used as computers, though I could only find this reference to Threllian being told, not where they originally learn about it. (And I still couldn't find 'what they look like'.) There's also hat reference to being the second most intelligent non-Controller.

Neruz · Sep 17, 2024

Steelplaza said:
I did a search on Threllian because I couldn't remember what his species looks like or anything about them.

Apparently we already heard something about their brains being used as computers, though I could only find this reference to Threllian being told, not where they originally learn about it. (And I still couldn't find 'what they look like'.) There's also hat reference to being the second most intelligent non-Controller.

My assumption is that it's this Threllian:

Ngamer11 · Sep 17, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
They're not magical, and the Reach probably could replicate them. But why bother when they have a ready supply?

Now that Paul knows this, could telling Threllian about it lead to him working to attain Orange Enlightenment so that he can do what Paul is doing to save as much of his species as possible?

Mr Zoat · Sep 17, 2024

BartlettMagic said:
maybe that ought to be reversed- "Should I just kill them?"

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 said:
Now that Paul knows this, could telling Threllian about it lead to him working to attain Orange Enlightenment so that he can do what Paul is doing to save as much of his species as possible?

Probably not. It's not the sort of thing that encourages dispassionate evaluation.

Ngamer11 · Sep 17, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Probably not. It's not the sort of thing that encourages dispassionate evaluation.

Oh well. At least he knows there are mostly normal members of his species that he can save, with the added bonus that the genetic diversity they can provide will make repopulating his species easier for the Controllers.

Neruz · Sep 17, 2024

Ngamer11 said:
Oh well. At least he knows there are mostly normal members of his species that he can save, with the added bonus that the genetic diversity they can provide will make repopulating his species easier for the Controllers.

The trick will be recovering enough brains, since the Reach do like to deny the enemy resources as much as possible.

RoninSword · Sep 17, 2024

@Mr Zoat Paul already spoke I believe GL Toren about the fact that they have managed to push the Reach out of an entire sector that Green Lanterns once patrolled. Did they not finish those negotiations?

Edit: or is this more about how the GL will deal with sectors that never had an GLs in the first place?

Mr Zoat · Sep 17, 2024

RoninSword said:
@Mr Zoat Paul already spoke I believe GL Toren about the fact that they have managed to push the Reach out of an entire sector that Green Lanterns once patrolled. Did they not finish those negotiations?

I don't remember what I wrote, but if you want me to pull an answer out of my bottom, they're holding off making a formal offer until it's completely secure rather than just in their hands.

RoninSword · Sep 17, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
I don't remember what I wrote, but if you want me to pull an answer out of my bottom, they're holding off making a formal offer until it's completely secure rather than just in their hands.

So essentially no one could be bothered with getting around to it? Lol

Mr Zoat said:
Pete Tong

29th December 2012

AmericanNumbers · Sep 18, 2024

So people forget that enlightened doesn't mean benign with Paragon. He knows exactly what he wants and when his wants are that clear an immediate response can be achieved.
So poof goes the Reach commander.

crazygrox · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Half a dozen scuttling devices trigger a fraction of a second after I appear, and I'm impressed by the Reach's sagacity. This isn't a critical location, but they set things up to give them the best chance of stopping…

Me?

I'm now thinking that they aren't doing this to counter him. They're doing this to counter Grayven and however many boom-tube boarding parties/raiding groups he's sending out.

It also makes me wonder whether testing a wider application of brain-computers might also be driven by a similar need to have automated systems adapt intelligently to new-god powers imposing arbitrary limitations on the zone of combat.

Mr Zoat · Sep 18, 2024

29th April 2013
13:05 GMT

Okay, I've got a few minutes until I need to join the Effigies. And I'm not that far from the nominal border, and I just destroyed two interdiction field generators. So I should be able to fly out, drop whoever this is off somewhere friendly and then get back on-task. We can work out what to do about the situation afterwards.

"Certainly, happy to help." One eye stares at me, fear warring with hope. "I just have to physically connect your brain to this new body and then we can get out of here."

"Yes! Please!"

I… Uncouple the cybernetic links and then disintegrate a clear passage for the brain from its housing. Pull open the clone's head, insert the brain and link it up. Dress with an armoured spacesuit just in case.

Uh.

Under the circumstances I'll just have to settle for scanning the systems.

I fire eddy pulses outwards, the station being ripped apart as the conflicting gravity fields tear the structure apart. And… Clone a brain genetically identical to the rescued one, shove it into roughly the right place and then smoosh it.

"Huuuuuuu!"

"That one wasn't alive. Sorry, should have explained that first. They need to think that you died here."

Alright, interdiction effects aren't uniform, especially now this part of their network is weakened. This is… Going to be difficult with a passenger, but hardly impossible.

I feel for the mindset I had when the commander evaporated, the utter wrongness of the situation and my natural aversion to it. And then space warps as we shoot back towards the border.

Not as fast as I usually fly. Despite forcing myself into an extreme mindset in the way I used to have to do if I wanted to fly faster than a crawl, I can feel the… For want of an accurate term, 'pressure' of the interdiction systems trying to force me into normal space. Trying to convince the universe that bending like that isn't possible. If I hadn't destroyed those two stations I'd barely be able to fly a few dozen times the speed of light, basically useless for interstellar travel.

Most Lanterns would be.

"Where are we going?"

Reasonable question. Can't easily communicate with N.E.M.O. assets from here, but I've got the most current map…

There. There should be a L.E.G.I.O.N. patrol fleet in that approximate area. Empathic vision while both sides are moving at faster than light speed isn't the most efficient way to locate someone but…

Ah. AH. No-. Yep, got them.

"A friendly fleet I have authority over."

"Friendly? Friendly to who?"

"The people fighting the Reach. There are a few members of your species amongst us, though I'm afraid that none are assigned to this region."

"W-what?"

I glance at my guest. "I'm not sure what your upbringing was like, but I think it's best that you assume that everything you were told about every non-technical thing was a lie. To summarise: the Reach are very evil, perfectly beatable and being slowly beaten now. Observable evidence of these claims will be provided once we're out of Reach territory."

"That…" One confounded eye jerks around for a moment, trying to make sense of our surroundings. "Okay."

"Let me guess: faithful service is the highest good, entering service was some sort of coming of age ritual where you're from, then you went to sleep and the next thing-."

"There was so much data and I couldn't feel myself. There was no rest. I-I tried to keep-. Keep up as I was supposed to, but it was… It was just me… I-. I didn't…"

"You didn't actually want to leave the Reach, just get duties that were less torturous, and even now you're not sure that you wouldn't just go back and you're feeling guilty that you want to stay with me."

"… Yes."

"You're not the first person in your position that we've helped leave. First member of your particular species though. I'll try not to dump anything on you for a few days, give you time to adjust."

I glance back just in case. It's unlikely that anything could catch me -faster than light interceptions are difficult to say the least- but it's probably worth making sure.

Are those..? Ah, yeah, the closest Reach security fleet received notification that an interdiction station was destroyed, started moving towards it and then someone with sense checked what it was that destroyed it and halted the flotilla.

I'm not sure in my own mind whether rational enemies are better or worse than irrational ones, but I think that I prefer this.

And… There we go.

"Illustres to patrol fleet. Return to sub-light speed and stand by to receive a returnee."

"Illustres? Ah, yes, returning to normal space and standing-"

I stop warping space right next to their flagship and head towards their shuttle bay.

"-by. I'll have a medical team meet you."

"I rebuilt their body myself. It's fine. Do you have any psychologists?"

"Some of the marines have field analyst qualifications."

A necessity when dealing with brainwashed serf soldiers; you need to be able to tell what particular delusion they're operating under and how salvageable they are. It's not what my new friend needs, but a flotilla this size would be unlikely to have anything better.

"Acceptable. Signal your admiral and request permission to transport the returnee to a safe world."

"Do they have intelligence?"

"I hope so, but it's not time sensitive."

I fly us through as the shuttle bay opens, landing us on the flight deck. The crew chief stares at us in surprise, before jogging over.

"Sir?" He glances at-. I should have asked their name. "Where did you find..?"

"The Reach appear to be permitting their continued existence. Please look after him until the captain sends someone down here."

An affirmative ear-flap. "Yes, sir. Hey kid, you hungry?"

"I… Haven't eaten anything for years. I-I don't remember how!"

"Uh. Ah, it's natural. It'll come back to you." He turns towards one of the other crewmen. "Ver! I'm taking a break with the kid! Don't do anything stupid!"

'Ver' makes a rude gesture back, followed by an affirmative tail flick.

I turn to the boy. "I'll leave you in their capable hands. I'll visit you again once I've completed my current mission."

The poor lost chap just sort of stares around, without really focusing on anything. Well, xenopsychology isn't my area of expertise, except accidentally.

I turn away, sight Mr. van Wyck and

step out.

crazygrox · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
A necessity when dealing with brainwashed serf soldiers; you need to be able to tell what particular delusion they're operating under and how salvageable they are.

Whelp, now I'm imagining the Reach in 40k. Being a much more average level of evil and fanatical, and more rational about it than most star nations.

Chojin Patriarch · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
29th April 2013
13:05 GMT

Okay, I've got a few minutes until I need to join the Effigies. And I'm not that far from the nominal border, and I just destroyed two interdiction field generators. So I should be able to fly out, drop whoever this is off somewhere friendly and then get back on-task. We can work out what to do about the situation afterwards.

"Certainly, happy to help." One eye stares at me, fear warring with hope. "I just have to physically connect your brain to this new body and then we can get out of here."

At least they're not determined to stay. To be fair, if they spent all their life preparing to be a data analyst or something, and then their first day starts with being knocked out and waking up inside a computer... Who'd want to stay in that place?

"Yes! Please!"

I… Uncouple the cybernetic links and then disintegrate a clear passage for the brain from its housing. Pull open the clone's head, insert the brain and link it up. Dress with an armoured spacesuit just in case.

An operation that would take hours for any conventional surgical team, never mind the chance of mistakes resulting in death. Power Rings are Awesome.

Uh.

Under the circumstances I'll just have to settle for scanning the systems.

Even if it needs scanning the data cores down to the subatomic scale, sure.

I fire eddy pulses outwards, the station being ripped apart as the conflicting gravity fields tear the structure apart. And… Clone a brain genetically identical to the rescued one, shove it into roughly the right place and then smoosh it.

"Huuuuuuu!"

Ooh, yeah, that could be hard to explain. Both the absence of a brain when the Reach examine the wreckage, and the whole 'clone a brain and shove it where the kid was being tortured'...

"That one wasn't alive. Sorry, should have explained that first. They need to think that you died here."

Alright, interdiction effects aren't uniform, especially now this part of their network is weakened. This is… Going to be difficult with a passenger, but hardly impossible.

Safer than a greediport, though.

I feel for the mindset I had when the commander evaporated, then utter wrongness of the situation and my natural aversion to it. And then space warps as we shoot back towards the border.

Not as fast as I usually fly. Despite forcing myself into an extreme mindset in the way I used to have to do if I wanted to fly faster than a crawl, I can feel the… For want of an accurate term, 'pressure' of the interdiction systems trying to force me into normal space. Trying to convince the universe that bending like that isn't possible. If I hadn't destroyed those two stations I'd barely be able to fly a few dozen times the speed of light, basically useless for interstellar travel.

Ah, the power to give the universe a big middle finger by the power of technology.

Most Lanterns would be.

"Where are we going?"

Somewhere safe, kid, don't worry.

Reasonable question. Can't easily communicate with N.E.M.O. assets from here, but I've got the most current map…

There. There should be a patrol fleet it that approximate area. Empathic vision while both sides are moving at faster than light speed isn't the most efficient way to locate someone but…

That must be a peculiar experience.

Ah. AH. No-. Yep, got them.

"A friendly fleet I have authority over."

"Friendly? Friendly to who?"

Ah, right, he was indoctrinated. I wonder if his people even knew there was a war against the Reach?

"The people fighting the Reach. There are a few members of your species amongst us, though I'm afraid that none are assigned to this region."

"W-what?"

He's probably picturing traitors who abandoned the Reach's safety, or something like that.

I glance at my guest. "I'm not sure what your upbringing was like, but I think it's best that you assume that everything you were told about every non-technical thing was a lie. To summarise: the Reach are very evil, perfectly beatable and being slowly beaten now. Observable evidence of these claims will be provided once we're out of Reach territory."

To be fair, it's quite a shock to the system to learn everything you knew about your life was wrong.

"That…" One confounded eye jerks around for a moment, trying to make sense of our surroundings. "Okay."

"Let me guess: faithful service is the highest good, entering service was some sort of coming of age ritual where you're from, then you went to sleep and the next thing-."

I bet he hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

"There was so much data and I couldn't feel myself. There was no rest. I-I tried to keep-. Keep up as I was supposed to, but it was… It was just me… I-. I didn't…"

"You didn't actually want to leave the Reach, just get duties that were less torturous, and even now you're not sure that you wouldn't just go back and you're feeling guilty that you want to stay with me."

Probably deep desires in the kid's mind, underneath the shock and awe.

"… Yes."

"You're not the first person in your position that we've helped leave. First member of your particular species though. I'll try not to dump anything on you for a few days, give you time to adjust."

Yeah, I think he'll need that time to come to terms with, well, everything.

I glance back just in case. It's unlikely that anything could catch me -faster than light interceptions are difficult to say the least- but it's probably worth making sure.

Are those..? Ah, yeah, the closest patrol fleet received notification that a interdiction station was destroyed, started moving towards it and then someone with sense checked what it was that destroyed it and halted the flotilla.

Ha! Someone with good sense in command, not wanting to throw away good soldiers...

I'm not sure in my own mind whether rational enemies are better or worse than irrational ones, but I think that I prefer this.

And… There we go.

Certainly less violent.

"Illustres to patrol fleet. Return to sub-light speed and stand by to receive a returnee."

"Illustres? Ah, yes, returning to normal space and standing-"

Yeah, that's a rank which makes you immediately heave-to and follow any order given.

I stop warping space right next to their flagship and head towards their shuttle bay.

"-by. I'll have a medical team meet you."

Bit late, he's already landing. Unless the medical team is right next door to the bay...

"I rebuilt their body myself. It's fine. Do you have any psychologists?"

"Some of the marines have field analyst qualifications."

...Eh, it'll do until they can get proper analysts on him. If nothing else, he can get drunk for a bit and relax.

A necessity when dealing with brainwashed serf soldiers; you need to be able to tell what particular delusion they're operating under and how salvageable they are. It's not what my new friend needs, but a flotilla this size would be unlikely to have anything better.

"Acceptable. Signal your admiral and request permission to transport the returnee to a safe world."

Nice, cushy escort job? Worth the disruption to their scheduled patrol.

"Do they have intelligence?"

"I hope so, but it's not time sensitive."

And if OL can get others onto this new wrinkle, they should be able to get more like the kid.

I fly us through as the shuttle bay opens, landing us on the flight deck. The crew chief stares at us in surprise, before jogging over.

"Sir?" He glances at-. I should have asked their name. "Where did you find..?"

Presumably the guy's familiar with the story of the kid's species. It's a depressingly common one, after all.

"The Reach appear to be permitting their continued existence. Please look after him until the captain sends someone down here."

An affirmative ear-flap. "Yes, sir. Hey kid, you hungry?"

I hope OL prepared the new body's stomach with necessary micro-flora, or the kid's going to have an interesting few days until he can get some.

"I… Haven't eaten anything for years. I-I don't remember how!"

"Uh. Ah, it's natural. It'll come back to you." He turns towards one of the other crewmen. "Ver! I'm taking a break with the kid! Don't do anything stupid!"

Especially if their food supply is something nice and simple to digest.

'Ver' makes a rude gesture back, followed by an affirmative tail flick.

I turn to the boy. "I'll leave you in their capable hands. I'll visit you again once I've completed my current mission."

Ah, enlisted soldiers. such a marvellous non-vocal language...

The poor lost chap just sort of stares around, without really focusing on anything. Well, xenopsychology isn't my area of expertise, except accidentally.

I turn away, sight Mr. van Wyck and

step out.

And knowing his luck, right into a fight.

The joy of being able to delegate 'hostage' recovery once you've gotten them safely away. I expect OL will remember to check in on him later, maybe even find out his name. At least the kid will have a tale to tell people about how he met the Illustres of the Orange Lanterns. Now, to see what the Effigy team have been up to...

...then utter wrongness of the situation and my natural aversion to it.

...the utter wrongness of the situation and my natural aversion to it.

There should be a patrol fleet it that approximate area.

There should be a patrol fleet in that approximate area.

...that a interdiction station was destroyed...

...that an interdiction station was destroyed...

Agumentic · Sep 18, 2024

crazygrox said:
Whelp, now I'm imagining the Reach in 40k. Being a much more average level of evil and fanatical, and more rational about it than most star nations.

Wouldn't that just be later editions/fanon Tau?

Mr Zoat · Sep 18, 2024

Chojin Patriarch said:
...the utter wrongness of the situation and my natural aversion to it.
There should be a patrol fleet in that approximate area.
...that an interdiction station was destroyed...

Thank you, corrected.

Agumentic said:
Wouldn't that just be later editions/fanon Tau?

I'm fairly sure that the Reach wouldn't do that thing with the Genestealer Cult.

Neruz · Sep 18, 2024

Agumentic said:
Wouldn't that just be later editions/fanon Tau?

No, the Tau are less idiotic but are by no means rational actors even at the best of times, especially with the Ethereals.

The Reach as Zoat has been depicting them thus far are depressingly rational and upsettingly unwilling to engage in the kind of extremely unwise super-science that inevitably backfires on them, unlike most other similar 'science' aligned aliens. (Looking at you Psions, Controllers and Guardians.)

Mr Zoat said:
I'm fairly sure that the Reach wouldn't do that thing with the Genestealer Cult.

Being masters of bioengineering the way they are, the Reach would certainly be fascinated with learning everything they can from studying Tyranids, but they also would not be so stupid as to actually try and engage with them the way the Tau have done, yeah.

If nothing else, they would recognize that the Tyranids are clearly engineered bioweapons and thus cannot be trusted under any circumstances.

Bud-E · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Certainly, happy to help." One eye stares at me, fear warring with hope.

Fear is in blue and hope is in yellow I think it's supposed to be switched.

Mr Zoat · Sep 18, 2024

Bud-E said:
Fear is in blue and hope is in yellow I think it's supposed to be switched.

They're warring.

Steelplaza · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Reasonable question. Can't easily communicate with N.E.M.O. assets from here, but I've got the most current map…

There. There should be a patrol fleet in that approximate area.

Mr Zoat said:
Are those..? Ah, yeah, the closest patrol fleet received notification that an interdiction station was destroyed, started moving towards it and then someone with sense checked what it was that destroyed it and halted the flotilla.

So this isn't a matter of being "incorrect" as such, but it was confusing that both the NEMO patrol fleet and the Reach patrol fleet were referred to as simply "patrol fleet". I eventually understood, but using both designations in close proximity it probably would have been better to label them "NEMO patrol fleet" and "Reach patrol fleet" respectively.

Mr Zoat · Sep 18, 2024

Steelplaza said:
So this isn't a matter of being "incorrect" as such, but it was confusing that both the NEMO patrol fleet and the Reach patrol fleet were referred to as simply "patrol fleet". I eventually understood, but using both designations in close proximity it probably would have been better to label them "NEMO patrol fleet" and "Reach patrol fleet" respectively.

Modified.

BartlettMagic · Sep 18, 2024

well these are certainly interesting developments. i'll be very curious to see what this new information leads to.

NightmareWarden · Sep 18, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
They're warring.

Makes sense to me. Just an uncommon situation, like colored text from attempting to stoke a specific emotion (fear, generally).

I think in the past we've also seen individual words half of color A and half of color B… I think that old way works, but it is best to limit it to dialogue.

NightmareWarden · Sep 18, 2024

Krono (Fallout Paul) presumably deaged himself at the start of his run. I wonder if the years of visible injuries and age are going to poof away once he gets recharged. Different mindset about his appearance, perhaps.

Jus4532 · Sep 19, 2024

Agumentic said:
Wouldn't that just be later editions/fanon Tau?

How different are the Tau in this story? Like are the ethereals mind controlling their subjects, and stuff?

Mr Zoat · Sep 19, 2024

29th April 2013
13:09 GMT

I keep my environmental shield under my power armour and engage my full stealth suite the instant I appear in the Reach system. Looking around with passive sensors and empathic vision shows… There's a large space station at the Lagrange point closest to the target planet. Can't tell exactly what it's armed with without using active sensors, but if it's a standard model then it will be at least as tough as a battleship and I don't think that Mr. van Wyck has destroyed one of them before. Closer to the planet there are orbital construction facilities, slips for assembling ships and factories for building the components. I'm close enough that I can just about see that all of the slips are occupied.

The actual defence fleet… Hm. Not all that large, assuming that I'm seeing all of it. It's…

There.

In keeping with standard Reach practice, there aren't all that many ships in this system. Even though it's got a reasonably sized shipyard. We're… Well into the central zone of Reach space. All aliens who once lived this close to their core have long since been exterminated. I mean, as far as we know. If they're… 'Farming' them, then there might be some that we just don't know about. It's a little hard to make out exactly how big the closest major fleet is. Big, certainly. It's a Reach Combat Fleet, none of this Peripheral Reserve Fleet stuff that we've been fighting so far, and it's got actual dreadnaughts, and battleships and cruisers with the extremely difficult to manufacture phase shifting armour.

They don't have many fleets like that. Direct warfare hasn't been a part of their expansion techniques since the war with the Green Lantern Corps. As they judge risk, what they've got is enough to hold off a peer power -or perhaps even a superior power- of which there aren't any in this galaxy, for long enough to ramp up to a full war economy. I'm not sure whether them having their slips full when they're not expanding indicates that they've done that now, or that they're just replacing their losses. Heck, from here I can't even tell whether they're warships or not.

"I thought you might not be coming."

Mr van Wyck drifts closer as the squad forms up around us.

"I said that I would. There was… A complication at the second interdiction station that I attacked."

"You hurt?"

"No, but we might have another job to do after this."

He thinks. I can see a drive to do more and prove himself battling with his insecurity and loyalty.

"I… Can't decide something like that. Not without the Controller giving it the okay."

"Of course. But I suspect that he'll be fine with it as well."

He nods. "Let's get this target wrecked first." He looks around. "They've got more than this, right?"

"There's a big fleet a few systems over."

"Could you stop them calling for help?"

"Not… Really."

"I mean, if this wasn't a test."

"Oh, if you asked for help I'd consider that a good thing. You Effigies are going to be working with the rest of N.E.M.O., so that's a perfectly viable approach. But I can't. They're going to be in constant communication with each other in the same way that L.E.G.I.O.N. fleets and bases are. I could probably silence this system, but they'll respond immediately if that happens."

"And I guess you don't know what they're saying to each other, so you can't pretend to be them. It's not going to be something simple like 'hey, we're fine, call back in five'."

"Extremely unlikely. Though technically not impossible."

He looks around again. "How far in are we?"

"Into Reach territory?" He nods. "We've penetrated roughly half way into Reach space. The furthest any N.E.M.O. fleet has gone before is about half a percent in. The last people to come this far were the Green Lantern Corps during their war. You've made history already."

"Ahh, the only reason you haven't been here before is there wasn't any point coming on your own. Alright." He turns to the rest of his squad, floating in space around us. "Looks like the docks are clustered together, so we don't have to worry about coordinating a simultaneous attack without watches."

He smiles, but the witticism falls rather flat. He's right, though. That semi-shapeshifting thing they do would be murder on clothing or equipment not designed for it. Maybe I should talk to M'gann about it?

"Spread out, match formation to our targets. Wreck any gun stations that are close to you but don't worry about prioritising them. Everyone ready?"

There are a series of affirmative gestures.

"Go."

They fly, not going faster than light… Narrowly, but flying a lot faster in normal space than just about anything else I've seen. I couldn't fly that fast without warping space. I accelerate after them, but until the defences come alive and I can use Lantern abilities openly it's going to be a little awkward to keep track of them.

Okay, at that speed they should be hitting about now, but I'm not going to be able to see it for… A minute or so? Realistic space combat is… Just so frustrating when you're used to instant scans. Honestly, the whole team could have finished their secondary objectives by now or be dead, and the first I'd see of-

In the distance, a small grey smudge jerks sideways, then… I think a bit of it turns orange? It's hard to tell at this distance.

-it is something like that.

Scan. Make it obvious that there's a Lantern here. See if I can draw some attention.

Compliance.

Look at them go! Eight slips and they're already crumbling! The ships are holed-.

Hm. That's an interesting point. Looks like they can smash holes in things to mission-kill it but can't literally break it apart in the way my eddy pulse does. When the Reach recovers this system they could probably save time by repairing the wrecks.

Worth telling them? No, we can cover that in the debrief.

And… Huh. The Reach ships closest to the planet are turning around. Looks like Team Effigy have finished with the slips and are now… Losing coordination. They're not actually telepathic, and using their telekinesis to 'speak' in space requires them to be relatively close to one another. Mr. van Wyck is trying to direct the others by pointing, but they're not that close in absolute terms and they'd have to be looking at him to see the signal anyway.

Transmission structures from the main space station have changed, so the alert has presumably gone out. The ships keeping station around it are moving to reinforce the docking area, or… They must have F.T.L. sensors, so moving to find out what just wrecked their docks. They'll be getting feedback from the ships that are already there, and-. Yes, they're not exactly moving at best acceleration.

Nothing's coming my way. I-.

Oh, well done Mr. van Wyck! He's flying over to each of the other Effigies to give orders in person, and… They're grabbing the larger pieces of wreckage and… Throwing them at the planet.

I nod.

That will deal with that problem, though it would have been better to start by doing that. Now they're too broken up to make it efficient.

And ah, he's sent three of the least burny members of the squad to intercept the small ships closest to them. They-.

That was quick. The little ships just got vaporised. And the larger ships are reducing their acceleration and the patrol squadrons around the system are being recalled.

Alright, Mr. van Wyck. Primary and secondary objectives complete. What are you going to do next?

Chojin Patriarch · Sep 19, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
29th April 2013
13:09 GMT

I keep my environmental shield under my power armour and engage my full stealth suite the instant I appear in the Reach system. Looking around with passive sensors and empathic vision shows… There's a large space station at the LaGrange point closest to the target planet. Can tell exactly what it's armed with without using active sensors, but if it's a standard model then it will be at least as tough as a battleship and I don't think that Mr. van Wyck has destroyed one of them before. Closer to the planet there are orbital construction facilities, slips for assembling ships and factories for building the components. I'm close enough that I can just about see that all of the slips are occupied.

So, between the planet and it's largest moon? Logical placement, well within an easily protected territory if they have any defence stations on the smaller body. No doubt a quite busy system, too.

The actual defence fleet… Hm. Not all that large, assuming that I'm seeing all of it. It's…

There.

Depending on the neighbouring systems and fleets, it probably isn't expected to need much in the way of mobile defences.

In keeping with standard Reach practice, there aren't all that many ships in this system. Even though it's got a reasonably sized shipyard. We're… Well into the central zone of Reach space. All aliens who once lived this close to their core have long since been exterminated. I mean, as far as we know. If they're… 'Farming' them, then there might be some that we just don't know about. It's a little hard to make out exactly how big the closest major fleet is. Big, certainly. It's a Reach Combat Fleet, none of this Peripheral Reserve Fleet stuff that we've been fighting so far, and it's got actual dreadnaughts, and battleships and cruisers with the extremely difficult to manufacture phase shifting armour.

Nasty stuff. With any luck Team Effigy will have finished their jobs and be on the way home by the time they get their arses in gear.

They don't have many fleets like that. Direct warfare hasn't been a part of their expansion techniques since the war with the Green Lantern Corps. As they judge risk, what they've got is enough to hold off a peer power -or perhaps even a superior power- of which there aren't any is this galaxy, for long enough to ramp up to a full war economy. I'm not sure whether them having their slips full when they're not expanding indicates that they've done that now, or that they're just replacing their losses. Heck, from here I can't even tell whether they're warships or not.

Still, it's Reach stuff, and even if there's civilian stuff out there, it'll end up in the service of the expansion eventually.

"I thought you might not be coming."

Mr van Wyck drifts closer as the squad forms up around us.

Nice that they waited. Taking that 'If I don't see it, it doesn't count' crack seriously, eh?

"I said that I would. There was… A complication at the second interdiction station that I attacked."

"You hurt?"

It'd take more than a listening post would have to hurt a motivated Lantern...

"No, but we might have another job to do after this."

He thinks. I can see a drive to do more and prove himself battling with his insecurity and loyalty.

Must be pretty strong, to see it so clearly without looking deep. Marty still wants to be a hero...

"I… Can't decide something like that. Not without the Controller giving it the okay."

"Of course. But I suspect that he'll be fine with it as well."

Jevek? I half expect him to declare 'it is an inefficient use of my prototypes.'

He nods. "Let's get this target wrecked first." He looks around. "They've got more than this, right?"

"There's a big fleet a few systems over."

Right next door, in galactic terms. So be quick about what you're doing.

"Could you stop them calling for help?"

"Not… Really."

"I mean, if this wasn't a test."

I suspect the answer is still much the same, test or not.

"Oh, if you asked for help I'd consider that a good thing. You Effigies are going to be working with the rest of N.E.M.O., so that's a perfectly viable approach. But I can't. They're going to be in constant communication with each other in the same way that L.E.G.I.O.N. fleets and bases are. I could probably silence this system, but they'll respond immediately if that happens."

The absence of any alarm response being treated just the same as all alarms blaring, eh?

"And I guess you don't know what they're saying to each other, so you can't pretend to be them. It's not going to be something simple like 'hey, we're fine, call back in five'."

"Extremely unlikely. Though technically not impossible."

This isn't going to be like Han Solo saying 'We're all fine here, how are you?' (Not that it worked for him anyway...) Anything out of the ordinary will get squashed like a bug.

He looks around again. "How far in are we?"

"Into Reach territory?" He nods. "We've penetrated roughly half way into Reach space. The furthest any N.E.M.O. fleet has gone before is about half a percent in. The last people to come this far were the Green Lantern Corps during their war. You've made history already."

Well, that's good. But it only counts if you can get back out in one piece.

"Ahh, the only reason you haven't been here before is there wasn't any point coming on your own. Alright." He turns to the rest of his squad, floating in space around us. "Looks like the docks are clustered together, so we don't have to worry about coordinating a simultaneous attack without watches."

Seems a bit of an oversight? No communications or personal information gear on them?

He smiles, but the witticism falls rather flat. He's right, though. That semi-shapeshifting thing they do would be murder on clothing or equipment not designed for it. Maybe I should talk to M'gann about it?

"Spread out, match formation to our targets. Wreck any gun stations that are close to you but don't worry about prioritising them. Everyone ready?"

Ah, I see. The main aura would probably burn anything not next to the skin off (with their suits being treated as part of said skin.) And the Viltrumite mods probably make any cybernetic implantation trickier.

There are a series of affirmative gestures.

"Go."

Putting a lot of trust in their ability to pick different targets. Though they'll probably be signalling to each other en-route or just picking the furthest apart spots.

They fly, not going faster than light… Narrowly, but flying a lot faster in normal space than just about anything else I've seen. I couldn't fly that fast without warping space. I accelerate after them, but until the defences come alive and I can use Lantern abilities openly it's going to be a little awkward to keep track of them.

So, couple of minutes tops.

Okay, at that speed they should be hitting about now, but I'm not going to be able to see it for… A minute or so? Realistic space combat is… Just so frustrating when you're used to instant scans. Honestly, the whole team could have finished their secondary objectives by now or be dead, and the first I'd see of-

Ah, yes. One reason most science fiction space combat takes place at knife-fight ranges. Too far and light-speed lag becomes a factor...

In the distance, a small grey smudge jerks sideways, then… I think a bit of it turns orange? It's hard to tell at this distance.

-it is something like that.

Probably something exploding? I doubt an Effigy would produce a kaboom like that from dying...

Scan. Make it obvious that there's a Lantern here. See if I can draw some attention.

Compliance.

Look at them go! Eight slips and they're already crumbling! The ships are holed-.

The joy of effectively being your own battering ram and quite a bit tougher than the ships hulls.

Hm. That's an interesting point. Looks like they can smash holes in things to mission-kill it but can't literally break it apart in the way my eddy pulse does. When the Reach recovers this system they could probably save time by repairing the wrecks.

Worth telling them? No, we can cover that in the debrief.

Of course, any wreck can still be useful in the fight, if they can get a good hold of it.

And… Huh. The Reach ships closest to the planet are turning around. Looks like Team Effigy have finished with the slips and are now… Losing coordination. They're not actually telepathic, and using their telekinesis to 'speak' in space requires them to be relatively close to one another. Mr. van Wyck is trying to direct the others by pointing, but they're not that close in absolute terms and they'd have to be looking at him to see the signal anyway.

One more point for the debrief. Jevek will have to see about overcoming that little issue.

Transmission structures from the main space station have changed, so the alert has presumably gone out. The ships keeping station around it are moving to reinforce the docking area, or… They must have F.T.L. sensors, so moving to find out what just wrecked their docks. They'll be getting feedback from the ships that are already there, and-. Yes, they're not exactly moving at best acceleration.

Nothing's coming my way. I-.

Being cautious in the face of an unknown disaster? Reasonable. Being cautious in the face of a seemingly impossible attack, doubly so.

Oh, well done Mr. van Wyck! He's flying over to each of the other Effigies to give orders in person, and… They're grabbing the larger pieces of wreckage and… Throwing them at the planet.

I nod.

Since tossing them at the stations won't necessarily get past their shielding or tractor arrays, which I assume they have for docking purposes.

That will deal with that problem, though it would have been better to start by doing that. Now they're too broken up to make it efficient.

And ah, he's sent three of the least burny members of the squad to intercept the small ships closest to them. They-.

Interesting choice. I'm guessing that means they're the least noticeable without very good sensor resolution.

That was quick. The little ships just got vaporised. And the larger ships are reducing their acceleration and the patrol squadrons around the system are being recalled.

Alright, Mr. van Wyck. Primary and secondary objectives complete. What are you going to do next?

The smart plan would be retreat. The foolish plan would be attack. Now, which shall he be?

Off to a good start. Though not without teething troubles like lack of coordination once they separate, Unless they can get good communication gear that can survive them, they'll need to do a lot of training to maximise their effectiveness. Now, how long until the big fleet turns up, I wonder? And will any of the Effigy team make the mistake of thinking 'I can take them!'

Can tell exactly what it's armed with without using active sensors...

Can't tell exactly what it's armed with without using active sensors...

...of which there aren't any is this galaxy...

...of which there aren't any in this galaxy...

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

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