Vaermina
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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
- Start date
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- self insert young justice
Anarkic (part 5)
Mr Zoat
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1st May 2013
09:49 GMT -5
Ambrose nods at me as I come in to land. His hair's mostly grown back now after he… Got Anti-Lifed and drafted into a slave gang. At the moment he looks almost respectable. Alan and Johanna can carry on interviewing suspects without me, but I need my go-to street magician to try to track down whoever performed that ritual.
"I thought life was getting safe and predictable. What is it?"
"Do you know that ritual John Constantine uses to erase records relating to him?"
He considers things for a moment. "There's a couple of spells that can do that. I don't know exactly what he uses." He frowns. "Not sure if electronic records would be easier than paper records…"
"We've lost both. Can you detect where the spell was used if you have access to the person whose records were erased?"
"Yeah, probably. I'm fine, thanks for asking."
I frown. "I know you're fine, I checked-. Oh. Ah. Right. How are you doing?"
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "I think we got that bit the wrong way around."
"Right, it's just-. After we got rid of the Anti-Life, I checked everyone on my 'friends and acquaintances' list. I knew you were basically alright and then got back to work. If you'd actually needed anything I'd have dealt with it, but given how busy I was…"
"Nice to know I'm on there somewhere." He watches me, and…
Have I forgotten something? Well, not forgotten, but-. The damned. The last time I checked on them was when I brought Demon Supergirl to Themyscira.
"And your house guests?"
"All better. We spent some time bonding on a community manual labour project."
"And… The Anti-Life overrode their… Problem?"
"More like bypassed it." He shakes his head. "No, it was more like your life broadcast at the end that sorted them out."
"Ah, well, good. How well are they functioning?"
He raises his left eyebrow. "Compared to what?"
"The average member of society. I'm not asking because I like them, I'm asking so that I can either check off the project as 'complete' or actually complete it. Is there anything I need to do -like ferry them back to their home countries- that I haven't done so far?"
"No, they've… They've settled down, now. Got jobs, made friends… I think the best thing to do is leave them here." He shrugs. "Unless they ask you to move them."
Uh. Obviously that breaks U.S. immigration law, but it's a handful of people and given everything else that's going on…
"Alright. I can send messages to their families if they want, otherwise I'll leave supervising them up to you."
He gives me a sour look. "You never stopped leaving it with me."
I.. can't tell whether he's just having a moan or if he's genuinely aggrieved. Probably best to directly ask.
"Is there something I can do to make it up to you?"
"Try asking that sort of question about four months ago."
"I'd need a time machine for that, and we dismantled the last one. And the Legion of Superheroes wants to arrest me, so I can't just leave a time capsule-."
"No-. Not literally. Just show a bit more consideration."
I nod. "Alright. How many people do you want me to leave to die in favour of showing you consideration?"
He narrows his eyes slightly, his lips silently moving as he tries to get to grips with what I just said.
"Serious question. Superman would just say sorry and start popping by at random intervals, but the reason I came to you in the first place is because I think you're well-intentioned and capable. I haven't dropped anything on you that you didn't tell me you could handle, and you've clearly done a good job. The world's a mess, and a few days ago I was rescuing people before they could have their brains pulled out to be used as computers. Do you want me to not rescue them in favour of checking in on people who aren't in any danger?"
He sets his jaw. "Your people skills could use some work."
"Well, alright. I'll find a class to attend. I don't really like nine year olds much anyway. I'm sure Lonnie -who is an orphan, by the way- will be fine facing down LexCorp hit squads without me."
"Lead with that. Jesus!"
And then I see-. Whatever spell he's using to deflect my empathic vision weakens for a moment, and there's-.
I frown in puzzlement. "Is this because you think you should have been able to duck the Anti-Life?"
And the spell completely stabilises. "No, it's because you're an arse."
"Lots of people got turned. And you're a street magician. Unless you were specifically prepared for it, you shouldn't expect that you'd be much safer than a random member of the public, particularly if they focused on you to any degree. Nearly got me at one point."
He frowns. "How?"
"Used an infected clone of me."
"How did they clone you?"
"No, I cloned me. They stole them."
"Wha-?" His eyes widen slightly. "Using a drop of blood or a hair is-."
"A way to remotely affect someone, I know. I had defences in place that would have stopped a opportunistic raid of my home. They used super powered Justifiers. Look, I'll be happy to go over every concern you have later, but I'd like to recover Lonnie Machin as soon as possible. Can we please focus on that?"
"Who is he?"
"An unusually intelligent and socially conscious boy-" I take a hologram projector out of subspace and create an image of him. "-who appears to have stolen something from LexCorp. Parents missing presumed dead after the Anti-Life."
"Can we get something of theirs? Easier to track him like that-."
"Does it work if he was adopted?"
"Not as well. Natural parents?"
"Mother was killed in an arson attack, father's in an asylum for the criminally insane. As far as he knows, his son died in the fire too and that's how we're leaving it."
"Someone I'd have heard of?"
"Yes."
"Right. Okay. Take me to the people who had their-." He frowns. "Is this Lonnie boy a wizard?"
"Not as far as I know, but he's a… Scientific rationalist. If a phenomena exists, he's happy to study it."
"So if he found a book on magic..?"
"He would carefully follow the instructions."
"Except the magic books you get in America aren't-. Right." He metaphorically girds his loins. "Let's get on with it."
09:49 GMT -5
Ambrose nods at me as I come in to land. His hair's mostly grown back now after he… Got Anti-Lifed and drafted into a slave gang. At the moment he looks almost respectable. Alan and Johanna can carry on interviewing suspects without me, but I need my go-to street magician to try to track down whoever performed that ritual.
"I thought life was getting safe and predictable. What is it?"
"Do you know that ritual John Constantine uses to erase records relating to him?"
He considers things for a moment. "There's a couple of spells that can do that. I don't know exactly what he uses." He frowns. "Not sure if electronic records would be easier than paper records…"
"We've lost both. Can you detect where the spell was used if you have access to the person whose records were erased?"
"Yeah, probably. I'm fine, thanks for asking."
I frown. "I know you're fine, I checked-. Oh. Ah. Right. How are you doing?"
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "I think we got that bit the wrong way around."
"Right, it's just-. After we got rid of the Anti-Life, I checked everyone on my 'friends and acquaintances' list. I knew you were basically alright and then got back to work. If you'd actually needed anything I'd have dealt with it, but given how busy I was…"
"Nice to know I'm on there somewhere." He watches me, and…
Have I forgotten something? Well, not forgotten, but-. The damned. The last time I checked on them was when I brought Demon Supergirl to Themyscira.
"And your house guests?"
"All better. We spent some time bonding on a community manual labour project."
"And… The Anti-Life overrode their… Problem?"
"More like bypassed it." He shakes his head. "No, it was more like your life broadcast at the end that sorted them out."
"Ah, well, good. How well are they functioning?"
He raises his left eyebrow. "Compared to what?"
"The average member of society. I'm not asking because I like them, I'm asking so that I can either check off the project as 'complete' or actually complete it. Is there anything I need to do -like ferry them back to their home countries- that I haven't done so far?"
"No, they've… They've settled down, now. Got jobs, made friends… I think the best thing to do is leave them here." He shrugs. "Unless they ask you to move them."
Uh. Obviously that breaks U.S. immigration law, but it's a handful of people and given everything else that's going on…
"Alright. I can send messages to their families if they want, otherwise I'll leave supervising them up to you."
He gives me a sour look. "You never stopped leaving it with me."
I.. can't tell whether he's just having a moan or if he's genuinely aggrieved. Probably best to directly ask.
"Is there something I can do to make it up to you?"
"Try asking that sort of question about four months ago."
"I'd need a time machine for that, and we dismantled the last one. And the Legion of Superheroes wants to arrest me, so I can't just leave a time capsule-."
"No-. Not literally. Just show a bit more consideration."
I nod. "Alright. How many people do you want me to leave to die in favour of showing you consideration?"
He narrows his eyes slightly, his lips silently moving as he tries to get to grips with what I just said.
"Serious question. Superman would just say sorry and start popping by at random intervals, but the reason I came to you in the first place is because I think you're well-intentioned and capable. I haven't dropped anything on you that you didn't tell me you could handle, and you've clearly done a good job. The world's a mess, and a few days ago I was rescuing people before they could have their brains pulled out to be used as computers. Do you want me to not rescue them in favour of checking in on people who aren't in any danger?"
He sets his jaw. "Your people skills could use some work."
"Well, alright. I'll find a class to attend. I don't really like nine year olds much anyway. I'm sure Lonnie -who is an orphan, by the way- will be fine facing down LexCorp hit squads without me."
"Lead with that. Jesus!"
And then I see-. Whatever spell he's using to deflect my empathic vision weakens for a moment, and there's-.
I frown in puzzlement. "Is this because you think you should have been able to duck the Anti-Life?"
And the spell completely stabilises. "No, it's because you're an arse."
"Lots of people got turned. And you're a street magician. Unless you were specifically prepared for it, you shouldn't expect that you'd be much safer than a random member of the public, particularly if they focused on you to any degree. Nearly got me at one point."
He frowns. "How?"
"Used an infected clone of me."
"How did they clone you?"
"No, I cloned me. They stole them."
"Wha-?" His eyes widen slightly. "Using a drop of blood or a hair is-."
"A way to remotely affect someone, I know. I had defences in place that would have stopped a opportunistic raid of my home. They used super powered Justifiers. Look, I'll be happy to go over every concern you have later, but I'd like to recover Lonnie Machin as soon as possible. Can we please focus on that?"
"Who is he?"
"An unusually intelligent and socially conscious boy-" I take a hologram projector out of subspace and create an image of him. "-who appears to have stolen something from LexCorp. Parents missing presumed dead after the Anti-Life."
"Can we get something of theirs? Easier to track him like that-."
"Does it work if he was adopted?"
"Not as well. Natural parents?"
"Mother was killed in an arson attack, father's in an asylum for the criminally insane. As far as he knows, his son died in the fire too and that's how we're leaving it."
"Someone I'd have heard of?"
"Yes."
"Right. Okay. Take me to the people who had their-." He frowns. "Is this Lonnie boy a wizard?"
"Not as far as I know, but he's a… Scientific rationalist. If a phenomena exists, he's happy to study it."
"So if he found a book on magic..?"
"He would carefully follow the instructions."
"Except the magic books you get in America aren't-. Right." He metaphorically girds his loins. "Let's get on with it."
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Ngamer11
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I hope Paul will eventually reveal to someone the identity of Lonnie's father.
Chojin Patriarch
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Ah, of course. Ambrose Bierce, proud member of the trenchcoat brigade, Constantine-lookalike division. Perfect man to look in for advice, since John is probably still relaxing. I see he didn't get through Anti-Life unscathed, though...
Yes, this is going to be an interesting consultation.
Presumably John's version is a craftier one that works cheaper for more subtle results.
There's 'fine', and then there's 'Fine'. There's a big difference between those two marks.
I'm sure he wasn't very high on the list, though. And there's still some folks OL hasn't been able to check on because of Atlantis.
...And that's been so long ago, we might need a refresher...
I suppose that's one way to get over things.
Like it did a great many issues on Earth. At least for those exposed to it.
...Comatose from trauma and depression?
And that is probably unlikely. Too many connections now.
I hardly think anyone's checking that sort of thing at this point. Enough time to arrange some things.
Why can't it be both?
Good point indeed. On the other hand, OL has an excuse for having been busy.
Fair ask. Keep in mind just how many irons he has in the fire.
Man, so many good points being tossed back and forth...
Well, when you put it like that...
Ha! Down to business, then.
Man, even John Constantine couldn't manage that. He got out of it by straight up peacing out of the universe for a while.
Nothing special about ambrose, after all. Not much a cosmic force can't do when it's being applied with a sledgehammer's force.
...Which still hasn't been found, I'll note. One got destroyed, but there was more than one.
That was a bit foolish. Especially just leaving them unattended in your base.
Worry about recriminations later, you've got a mission.
At this rate, he's going to have such a reputation before he even goes public.
Oh, yeah. That is a bit awkward. I doubt any existing familial connection would be that strong.
...Man, imagine how he would react if he found out about this.
How has that smiling fellow been getting on? Between the Anti-Life and the White Light events...
And the reverse of Clarke's law applies here: Any sufficiently analysed Magic is indistinguishable from Science.
Carefully edited to remove any particularly dangerous information and spells, I take it.
Hmm... Would getting a sample from his father help find him? It might be a trick to do so, but if it can be useful... At any rate, they'll find him sooner or later, however they manage it. OL will find a way to locate him somehow... Though it'll be a troublesome thing over how many people find out about Lonnie because of this.
Z000
If this is trash, then find me in the dumpster
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he not wrong
when you juggle as many thing as Paul does, he kinda have to drop a few low priority one that look fine on the outside
Mr Zoat
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There is always a most important thing to do. That cannot be changed.
Ngamer11
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I know. That's why I said lessen. Though now I'm wondering who'd make for a good OL. Do you have a list of candidates among the people of Earth 16?
Neruz
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If the choice is between saving lives and putting the world back together after it was nearly destroyed by Anti Life, or making sure someone's feelings aren't hurt, that should not be a hard choice for any reasonable person to make.
Oglymogly
I trust you know where the happy button is?
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Dude, you are actively avoiding one of OL's main coping mechanisms for his lack of interpersonal skills. That's kind like using a voice modulator on a blind man.
This is a good reminder to the readers that OL has a fairly inhuman mindset after everything he's been through, though.
I didn't know Ambrose was a Phil Foglio creation. Cool thing to learn, thanks for the link!
Chaoswind
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We can then presume Jade extended family on both sides are alive and coping (otherwise Paul would have broken the news to Jade), he knows how Holly, Karon and Selina handled it, but their status isn't really relevant enough to report to someone else, if any of his immediate friend group had died we would have known about it by now so that means the team is fine (besides the Atlanteans?), the acquaintances extended list includes many Amazons so their loses against the Anti-Lifed after life zombies couldn't have been bad... Anyways could we take this part as confirmation that no one important died?
And I am including Dreams next incarnation in that list.
Darko
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"settled"
Plus, they may still be listed as dead.
WereDragon
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Had a moment of disconnect there, wondering how the prime SI knew about Krono's latest robo-brain escapade.
Not inaccurate, but also not all that productive. People have been failing to improve Paul's people skills since he stopped having conventional morality.
Silveraith
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Darko
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In order to make Jade feel better, Paul decided to resurrect some of the people she killed using the Lazarus Pit.
Some of them ended up in Hell and were traumatized when they got back.
Ambrose has been looking after them.
Mr Zoat
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The SI meets someone he thinks would be a good candidate later this episode. He's badly wrong, but he's working off limited information.
At the moment he'd probably just set his rings to await his resurrection, or return to Maltus. In a few yeasr he wouldn't mind recruiting Anarky, but he's just not mature enough at the moment.
Thank you, corrected.
Ngamer11
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That's a shame. Though now I hope he'll do something that will make Anarky more receptive to being recruited in the future.
BartlettMagic
peekaboo, you fucks you!
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right. i can see the potential there, but that kid needs to get an enormous reality check that i kinda think only OL can give him.
who is his father, and is there a reason why he might be special? the only reference i could find in my (admittedly quick/lazy) search was Mike Machin, a low-level criminal that was accidentally killed by Jim Gordon- and that's the Arrowverse page. i didn't see anything else on who Anarky's dad might be.
also, what is the big deal with Anarky anyway? why was he on OL's "list of people to keep an eye on"? i'm not deep in the lore anymore, but last i checked Anarky was at best a 'nuisance antagonist' that never went fully 'dangerous/crazy supervillian'. why is Anarky's sudden appearance an 'oh shit' moment for OL?
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Ngamer11
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Jack Napier aka the Joker. Paul checked up on it when the Team was fighting the Injustice League.
monochromaticPrism
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Given that we presumably know his genetic makeup due to OL scanning him, this angle could still be possible if it's revealed that he's actually the result of some kind of cloning-type experiment. Given that the event where we met him had synthetic Superman interacting with robo-Lex and was bookended by interactions with mad(er) science Flash, it would be in-theme for this story segment if Anarky was also "created" in a non-standard manner.
Starbate (part 12)
Mr Zoat
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16th January 2000
03:19 GMT
I appear on Tel Basta in a.. cupboard, open the door and step out-
"…this time, but it surprises me-" On the hologram, Kali's eyes narrow as she spots me over Bastet's shoulder. "-that.. you.. store him in your wardrobe when you're not using him?"
Bastet frowns and then half-turns, looking at me with an expression of puzzled curiosity.
"I apologise for the intrusion, My Queen, but this cannot wait. Sokar is dead, and his domains are in the hands of Apophis." I turn my head to the hologram, giving her a shallow bow. "System Lord Kali, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Actually, it's the first time that she's met me. Once I realised the issue with the sarcophagi, I thought that making sure our allies weren't crazy was a priority and paid them covert visits.
"Dead? How?"
"The Tok'Ra, apparently." I roll my eyes. "Even when they achieve their objectives, they still make things worse for everyone. They managed to make Delmak's moon explode while his ship was in close proximity."
Kali doesn't look convinced. "I am more puzzled as to how Apophis is alive."
"I don't have all the details yet. Sokar ambushed him, he narrowly escaped, died, the people whose home he escaped to handed his body back to Sokar to save themselves, Sokar put it into a sarcophagus so he could torture him when he resurrected, then-" I shrug. "-he got bored, probably, and assigned him to Netu as a warden."
"He was on the moon which exploded?"
"He managed to get to Delmak just before Netu exploded. If you want.. precise timings, then I'm going to need a little while to make enquiries."
Bastet turns to Kali. "We will need to confirm this. This changes everything."
Kali nods. "He will need time to convert Sokar's Jaffa to his service-."
"I apologise, System Lord, but he won't. It's Sokar. Fear of punishment has its place as a tool, but it's the only one Sokar knew. Apophis's arrival will be celebrated, and Apophis can put his own Jaffa into any leadership positions which require filling. He will take losses while he reorganises his fleet and makes contact with Klorel, but then the attrition of his domains will stop and Heru'ur will be doomed. The question is… What do you want to do about it?"
"You counselled us to take no action."
I nod. "When Apophis and Heru'ur were equal in strength. That is no longer the case." She and Bastet exchange glances. "I will need to check on the status of Delmak personally, but… From initial reports, it appears to be no longer the case by a lot. If it was Sokar we were facing it might have been possible to establish a coalition, but now…"
Bastet nods. "We can no longer be uninvolved."
"Supreme System Lord Apophis." Kali sneers at the thought. "I suppose it could be worse."
"We could support Heru'ur." Bastet glances at me. "Or make a move ourselves. Do you believe that you could kill Apophis, my beloved?"
My hands find themselves in a praying position, pressed to my lips.
"That would depend upon a number of things. I would assume that Apophis will be on Delmak for at least a little while. It's a good deal more secure that Chulak. But I don't know where Klorel is. If I could escape detection -which is likely but not certain- then I.. could.. probably kill him. But his Jaffa would then most likely swear allegiance to Klorel and I have no idea where he might be. Delmak is in the wrong part of the galaxy for either of you to claim it without great difficulty. If I somehow found Klorel and killed him, then Heru'ur would most likely defeat the minor gods opposing him and -unless he did something stupid like pick a fight with System Lord Yu- he would eventually be able to claim his father's place."
Kali shakes her head. "Heru'ur is not Ra. He cannot command the same respect. If he overcomes Apophis then he would have earned his place as a System Lord but I will never call him Supreme."
Bastet looks… Well, she's smiling, but it's an 'amused' smile rather than a 'pleased' smile. "Tell me, Lord Mammon, how do you come by this information?"
"I asked the Tau'ri. And then I confirmed it from their database and mission recordings. The Tok'Ra also confirmed it."
"Tau'ri?" Kali looks puzzled. "I had almost forgotten that Bhuloka existed. But why do the Tok'Ra have dealings with them?"
My eyes flick to Bastet, and she inclines her head very slightly.
"The Tau'ri have developed somewhat since our departure. Rocket-driven spacecraft, explosive chemical projectile weapons, fairly sophisticated computer equipment… They have been making Apophis's life difficult for a while and it is they who killed Ra."
She frowns, mystified. "How? Did he actually visit them?"
"Ah, no, System Lord. They dug up the stargate that was buried during the revolt, and used it to visit Abydos. By pure chance, their visit coincided with one from Ra. They had a fission bomb, he decided to make a point by enhancing it with naquadah with the intent of sending it back through the stargate… And they managed to detonate it before he could."
Kali looks unamused. "And now they wander the network creating difficulties wherever they go."
I fan out my hands. "I personally find them rather pleasant company. If you want to keep them away from your territory, I suggest coming to terms with them. Or adding security to all of your stargates."
"Coming to terms?" She glares at me. "Surely you do not imply that I pay them tribute?"
"No, no. Of course not. Offer to trade. I exchange naquadah for improved crops and farm animals, amongst other things. They are avaricious, but they are not thoughtless brutes. They would not have risen as far as they have if they were."
Bastet holds up her right hand. "We can discuss the Tau'ri later. Apophis is our highest concern."
Kali thinks for a moment. "Send your Ashrak concubine to Delmak."
"To observe, or to kill?"
"Why do you ask? Kill, of course. There is little point in trying to locate Klorel and we cannot claim Delmak ourselves, but…"
Bastet nods. "Heru'ur will be easier to find. If the war does not go in our favour, why let it carry on at all?"
Ah. Yes, that-. I don't know where Klorel is, but if he wants to claim Delmak after I kill Apophis then he'll need to travel there because there's no goa'uld to act as his vassal. And I doubt he could send one because the distance and industrial base would be too great a temptation. Killing Heru'ur leaves Ra with no heirs… None of any significance, anyway. Which means there'll be a huge area of goa'uld space with no System Lord.
It could be generations before any goa'uld gets strong enough to claim that title. The… Fighting in the mean time will be…
Huh.
I mean, they both… Deserve it. But…
"I obey. But… Klorel does not have what it takes to hold his father's domains in full. Might I suggest offering him support, on the understanding that he does not continue the war? Allowing him to keep his father's core territory might calm things down a little."
Kali shrugs. "I have no interest in the child. Save him or do not."
I nod. "My Queen?"
"Since Kali has no interest, we can discuss it later. I think that my interests will be served either way."
Kali nods. "Contact me again upon his return."
Bastet nods, and the hologram vanishes. Then she turns to me.
"Explain."
03:19 GMT
I appear on Tel Basta in a.. cupboard, open the door and step out-
"…this time, but it surprises me-" On the hologram, Kali's eyes narrow as she spots me over Bastet's shoulder. "-that.. you.. store him in your wardrobe when you're not using him?"
Bastet frowns and then half-turns, looking at me with an expression of puzzled curiosity.
"I apologise for the intrusion, My Queen, but this cannot wait. Sokar is dead, and his domains are in the hands of Apophis." I turn my head to the hologram, giving her a shallow bow. "System Lord Kali, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Actually, it's the first time that she's met me. Once I realised the issue with the sarcophagi, I thought that making sure our allies weren't crazy was a priority and paid them covert visits.
"Dead? How?"
"The Tok'Ra, apparently." I roll my eyes. "Even when they achieve their objectives, they still make things worse for everyone. They managed to make Delmak's moon explode while his ship was in close proximity."
Kali doesn't look convinced. "I am more puzzled as to how Apophis is alive."
"I don't have all the details yet. Sokar ambushed him, he narrowly escaped, died, the people whose home he escaped to handed his body back to Sokar to save themselves, Sokar put it into a sarcophagus so he could torture him when he resurrected, then-" I shrug. "-he got bored, probably, and assigned him to Netu as a warden."
"He was on the moon which exploded?"
"He managed to get to Delmak just before Netu exploded. If you want.. precise timings, then I'm going to need a little while to make enquiries."
Bastet turns to Kali. "We will need to confirm this. This changes everything."
Kali nods. "He will need time to convert Sokar's Jaffa to his service-."
"I apologise, System Lord, but he won't. It's Sokar. Fear of punishment has its place as a tool, but it's the only one Sokar knew. Apophis's arrival will be celebrated, and Apophis can put his own Jaffa into any leadership positions which require filling. He will take losses while he reorganises his fleet and makes contact with Klorel, but then the attrition of his domains will stop and Heru'ur will be doomed. The question is… What do you want to do about it?"
"You counselled us to take no action."
I nod. "When Apophis and Heru'ur were equal in strength. That is no longer the case." She and Bastet exchange glances. "I will need to check on the status of Delmak personally, but… From initial reports, it appears to be no longer the case by a lot. If it was Sokar we were facing it might have been possible to establish a coalition, but now…"
Bastet nods. "We can no longer be uninvolved."
"Supreme System Lord Apophis." Kali sneers at the thought. "I suppose it could be worse."
"We could support Heru'ur." Bastet glances at me. "Or make a move ourselves. Do you believe that you could kill Apophis, my beloved?"
My hands find themselves in a praying position, pressed to my lips.
"That would depend upon a number of things. I would assume that Apophis will be on Delmak for at least a little while. It's a good deal more secure that Chulak. But I don't know where Klorel is. If I could escape detection -which is likely but not certain- then I.. could.. probably kill him. But his Jaffa would then most likely swear allegiance to Klorel and I have no idea where he might be. Delmak is in the wrong part of the galaxy for either of you to claim it without great difficulty. If I somehow found Klorel and killed him, then Heru'ur would most likely defeat the minor gods opposing him and -unless he did something stupid like pick a fight with System Lord Yu- he would eventually be able to claim his father's place."
Kali shakes her head. "Heru'ur is not Ra. He cannot command the same respect. If he overcomes Apophis then he would have earned his place as a System Lord but I will never call him Supreme."
Bastet looks… Well, she's smiling, but it's an 'amused' smile rather than a 'pleased' smile. "Tell me, Lord Mammon, how do you come by this information?"
"I asked the Tau'ri. And then I confirmed it from their database and mission recordings. The Tok'Ra also confirmed it."
"Tau'ri?" Kali looks puzzled. "I had almost forgotten that Bhuloka existed. But why do the Tok'Ra have dealings with them?"
My eyes flick to Bastet, and she inclines her head very slightly.
"The Tau'ri have developed somewhat since our departure. Rocket-driven spacecraft, explosive chemical projectile weapons, fairly sophisticated computer equipment… They have been making Apophis's life difficult for a while and it is they who killed Ra."
She frowns, mystified. "How? Did he actually visit them?"
"Ah, no, System Lord. They dug up the stargate that was buried during the revolt, and used it to visit Abydos. By pure chance, their visit coincided with one from Ra. They had a fission bomb, he decided to make a point by enhancing it with naquadah with the intent of sending it back through the stargate… And they managed to detonate it before he could."
Kali looks unamused. "And now they wander the network creating difficulties wherever they go."
I fan out my hands. "I personally find them rather pleasant company. If you want to keep them away from your territory, I suggest coming to terms with them. Or adding security to all of your stargates."
"Coming to terms?" She glares at me. "Surely you do not imply that I pay them tribute?"
"No, no. Of course not. Offer to trade. I exchange naquadah for improved crops and farm animals, amongst other things. They are avaricious, but they are not thoughtless brutes. They would not have risen as far as they have if they were."
Bastet holds up her right hand. "We can discuss the Tau'ri later. Apophis is our highest concern."
Kali thinks for a moment. "Send your Ashrak concubine to Delmak."
"To observe, or to kill?"
"Why do you ask? Kill, of course. There is little point in trying to locate Klorel and we cannot claim Delmak ourselves, but…"
Bastet nods. "Heru'ur will be easier to find. If the war does not go in our favour, why let it carry on at all?"
Ah. Yes, that-. I don't know where Klorel is, but if he wants to claim Delmak after I kill Apophis then he'll need to travel there because there's no goa'uld to act as his vassal. And I doubt he could send one because the distance and industrial base would be too great a temptation. Killing Heru'ur leaves Ra with no heirs… None of any significance, anyway. Which means there'll be a huge area of goa'uld space with no System Lord.
It could be generations before any goa'uld gets strong enough to claim that title. The… Fighting in the mean time will be…
Huh.
I mean, they both… Deserve it. But…
"I obey. But… Klorel does not have what it takes to hold his father's domains in full. Might I suggest offering him support, on the understanding that he does not continue the war? Allowing him to keep his father's core territory might calm things down a little."
Kali shrugs. "I have no interest in the child. Save him or do not."
I nod. "My Queen?"
"Since Kali has no interest, we can discuss it later. I think that my interests will be served either way."
Kali nods. "Contact me again upon his return."
Bastet nods, and the hologram vanishes. Then she turns to me.
"Explain."
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Chojin Patriarch
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...Well, it's not the silliest idea. Certainly, it makes it convenient for whenever she wants some stress relief. Besides, I don't think he'd fit in her underwear drawer, if you know what I mean...
...Then again, given the probable size of her wardrobe...Well, that's a significant bit of information. It's fortunate Kali is a nominal ally.
Yes, mammon, can't really drop a bomb like that and move on to polite small talk.
It's a complicated tale, taking many hours of telling, unless you summarise...
No doubt Sokar was taking pleasure in the impotency of his reduced position.
Given you basically ran right here upon hearing the basics of it, I'm not surprised.
Won't be hard. Just be a nicer boss than the frigging devil.
The whole galaxy will rest on a knife's edge. A little push one way or the other could save it, or destroy it...
Joy of making yourself the asshole everyone hates: Sokar had no friends among the Lords... Only fearful subjects.
He might be a bit more manageable. But he also won't have the little issues of sarcophagus abuse sorted out...
...That depends on whether he can make railguns, really. I don't know if any personal shielding can hold up against a pound of iron travelling at a significant percentage of the speed of light... The only question would be acceptable collateral damage.
And looking at him... It's entirely possible he'd be wise enough not to end one galactic war only to start another. ...Not until he was guaranteed victory, at least.
...Ah. Yes, he's going to have to explain that one somehow, isn't he?
She hasn't been paying much attention, has she? Or is Earth's activities not well known even now?
...And by this point, they're already working on their first advanced space-going craft.
A very brief but generally accurate summary of the movie's events.
More likely she'd consider conquest. But i doubt anyone could divert the resources to do so right now. And it's easy enough to point out that Earth held off Apophis.
On the other hand, the way he makes it sound, they're a unified government. Very much not the case...
Is that honestly what some Lords think of Mammon? I mean, they're not entirely wrong, he is a dab hand at covert operations...
Removing the most dangerous piece from the board is definitely worth the risk, I suppose.
Of course, it's only a matter of time before someone makes a play for supremacy...
Yeah, there's gonna be a lot of dead people.
And more than likely defer war a few decades while they build up their forces.
Just a matter of making herself look strong enough that neither group would attack her.
Ooh... She's not happy. Better talk fast, Mammon.
I don't think the whole situation will end up being settled easily, whatever happens. The brother of Ra and the son of Ra both have potent claims to the throne, but unless Apophis makes very stupid plays, he will win the day just from force majeure. On the other hand, there are still forces yet to make their plays. This war is far from over...
I mean, they both… Deserve it. But…
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Darko
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Add a " at Kali's sentence.
Teal'c did say that Apophis delighted in making his enemies work for him.
Maybe Sokar is of a similar mind, or knew that Apophis did that and found it to be a delightful bit of irony.
I remember reading a fanfic in which after taking over another System Lords territory, they would kill the First Prime and some high ranking Jaffa, but leave most of them alive because the Jaffa are conditioned to follow orders without question, do it's relatively easy to convert them.
"opposed"
I don't remember if the name of Earth was ever given in the show, or other related material, but this may be as good as any.
Yeah, to the Goa'uld an equal, or at least a non superior/subordinate position may be very, very rare.
"they both"
Darko
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Plus, Apophis has been shown doing something fairly rare amongst System Lords.
He goes in the field with his troops.
That may earn him respect.
They have been mostly dealing with Apophis.
Though they are still powerful and can cooperate.
Kali used to be Shiva's Ashrak, so she may view Mammon in a similar way.
She may also be extra cautious, since she became a System Lord by killing Shiva.
I don't think the Goa'uld cate all that much about rights to the throne.
They care about force and power.
Mr Zoat
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Thank you, corrected.
They're not actually that big a deal.
Thank you, corrected.
BR549
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Apophis was many things, but he wasn't stupid. Indeed I think the only System Lord who was on his level intelligence-wise was Ba'al...
To be fair, the Tau'ri are a big deal. When they're happening to you.
When they're not, they're at best (especially at this point in the timeline) whispered rumors of people from some lost planet that some System Lord or another forgot about who managed to get a little bit up the tech tree and are getting stroppy with Goa'uld of lower repute...