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

[TFTwink]

Prince Waifu get?

 

[Vaermina]

So far, Paul hasn't introduced more than what already exists on the planet, if not on the continent of Falmart.

Now, I'm sure if Paul was introducing industrialization and mechanization, things would be different. But all he's done so far is start pushing Sadera up a couple centuries.

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The goal of the Gods was to humble the Empire.

This is the exact opposite of that.

 

[GhostKing 666]

The goal of the Gods was to humble the Empire.

This is the exact opposite of that.

Click to shrink...

The goal of one god was to humble the empire. Just one, not all of them. Specifically Hardy, who controls the Gate. And the empire was humbled, just because Paul and Diabo was able to keep the JSDF from leaving Alnus Hill doesn't mean that they didn't mean they stopped the fighting at Alnus Hill. Diabo poached the Ancient Dragon as a mount when it was attacking the elven village. Which means all the fighting there already happened.

The Saderan Empire lost a horrific amount of men because of the JSDF, not just from their own Legions but also from their vassal states as well. Diabo's entire purpose with developing a gunpowder army is to compensate for the generation manpower loss they have to recover from and settle the various political shockwaves caused by the empire suddenly losing a significant chunk of their military out of nowhere and before vassals start turning into breakaway rivals.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

Late-Autumn, IC 690, Later That Day

"…because he's not a slave."

Chief Eithne frowns in confusion as we head towards the arcane workshop. "You bought him."

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There's different kinds of 'bought', you know. The slave, the indentured worker, the happy subordinate... Money can buy a kind of loyalty in many different ways, willing or otherwise. And sometimes, it's things other than money.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

He raises his left hand, my ring's signet facing her. "The God of Avarice takes a rather dim view of slavery."

"Why?"

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Because modern morality. Also because...

"A slave is a person relegated to being a tool. An object. Someone who is supposed to abandon their own desires and fulfil only the desires of another person. As the god of those desires, that is obviously unacceptable. If you want someone to do something, convince them that doing so is in their interest."

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...This. And it's an amusing kind of hypocrisy, when you consider the effects of things like Branding or Identity Theft.

She frowns, then her face smoothes. "As you did with us."

"I am glad that Prince Diabo has chosen to accept my Commandments on this matter. But tell me: are you happier to work for him as a free woman, or should we have clipped your ears closer?"

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An what would it be worth to her to have that undone?

She looks down, considering her manacles for a moment.

"I did not… Hate being a slave. The farm work was satisfying, and the farmer was an adequate bed mate. But fleeing from Prince Zorzal's extermination campaign showed me that I had no real control of anything that happened. I just hadn't been the focus of anyone's wrath." She looks at me. "What does the God of Avarice say about being happy where you are?"

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Surprised Diabo hasn't offered to fix the manacles or the ears yet. Perhaps he hasn't thought of it, or is saving that offer for later.

"If you are truly happy, then I have no objection. But what makes you happy today might not make you happy tomorrow. And what makes you happy today might well prevent you making the preparations to ensure that you can be happy tomorrow. Where you preparing to escape, when Zorzal's men came?"

Click to shrink...

Sometimes the fear of trying holds a person back. Especially when they hold out little hope.

"No."

"Would it have been easier to get away if you had?"

"Yes." Her ears twitch. "Hm."

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But would they have been pursued? There's only so long you can bear to run, before you give up or turn to fight, and either way...

Prince Diabo lowers his left hand, then uses it to knock on the door. More than politeness, pushing into the laboratory of a wizard doing research into martial spells… Or indeed anything at all, is a rather poor idea, and I'm glad that he realised that without prompting.

Or… Perhaps I shouldn't be happy about that, because I'm pretty sure that he started knocking due to a lack of confidence around magicians rather than politeness or logic.

Click to shrink...

Just because it's one doesn't mean it's an expression of the other. He's more powerful one-on-one now, and capable of outlasting them. It's only a matter of time before he gets to experience that for himself.

"You can come in! It's safe!"

And he doesn't open the door, but instead waits for-

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Since someone crazy enough to be doing this research probably has a different metric for 'safe' than most people.

"It is safe."

-the wizard's significantly better organised apprentice to confirm his claim before opening the door.

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Something they probably end up doing a lot.

Cato El Altestan is an elderly man, stoop-shouldered and grey-haired, his oddly-bound beard extending to the middle of his chest. He wears blue robes and a blue… 'Wizard hat', and his crystal-encrusted staff is propped up against his work bench.

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I'm sure it's a typical fashion statement among wise men like him. Probably an indicator of status in whatever order he trained in, and serves as a useful warning for sensible folks about the potential danger of being in proximity to him.

His apprentice Lelei La Lalena wears robes of blue, white and pale yellow. I'm not.. really sure why her hair is blue, but I suppose that I've seen stranger things. Right now she's studying a chemistry textbook we acquired on the far side of the gate, a blue flame dancing around the fingers of her right hand.

She nods to herself, and then watches the flame as it turns first purple and then green.

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Ah, anime hair colours. Could easily have been a spell gone wrong, or a sign of some supernatural ancestry. Or she just likes to stand out.

She and her master entered Diabo's employ after finding out that he was the one who dealt with the large dragon he took as a mount the day that he put me on. It hadn't actually attacked the village they were living in, but it had been rampaging around that general area and they had been very concerned about the possibility. Starting a research and development team for the 19th century level textbooks we were allowed to bring back through the gate has been… Difficult, but it appears that understanding the structure of matter and laws of physics makes it far easier for magicians to alter both.

Click to shrink...

To some degree, they were the first scientists. Wise men, alchemists, those who studied the 'mysteries' of the physical world... It's only been in the last few centuries that all these things got categorised as science rather than magick. In our world, at least.

Cato rises awkwardly to his feet. "Prince Diabo, God of Avarice…" He stares at Chief Eithne for several moments. Then he smirks to himself. Warrior Bunny sexual politics being what it is, I'm not sure that she noticed, or that she'd have cared if she had. Their menfolk aren't a physical threat to the women, so some of the same instincts concerning libidinous interest never really developed. "What can we do for you?"

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One advantage of those baggy robes... At least she's tough enough to put him in his place if he tries anything on her.

"I would like you to update me on the progress of the enchanted cannonballs. At this point we're ready to begin the campaign, but I'd feel happier if our initial demonstration could be as overwhelming as possible."

"Ah, well…" He turns to Lelei. "I believe that Lelei made some progress in that area."

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Let me guess, he fobbed all the real work on her. A 'wise man' indeed.

She looks up, flicking out the fire around her hand as she makes eye contact with him.

"Enchanting the cannon balls is impractical, and will remain so until we can transition from stone balls to iron balls. Even then it will remain difficult. The explosion of the charge will disrupt the runes in the metal badly enough that the enchantment will only work at a reduced power, if it works at all."

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Well, that's annoying. Not unsurprising, but annoying.

Diabo nods. "Alright. What can you do?"

She lays her right hand on a basic physics textbook.

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Ah, the equivalent of a cheat code manual for the medieval spellcaster.

"As we have learned from the people of Japan, force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. But for us, any one of those values can be altered with magic. Reducing the size of the cannon ball before it strikes the target causes the force to be spread over a smaller area. That is useful for attacking walls. Equally, the size of the cannon ball can be increased. That would reduce the force of the impact, but the cannon balls fired by the heavy guns already have a great deal more than enough force to kill a person."

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Clever tricks. Though she's probably missing the sheer psychological effect of, say, a cannonball the size of a house flying at you.

"Can you just magnify the force directly?"

She thinks for a moment. "Magnifying the force of the launch would be simple, but it would also risk destroying the cannon. Magnifying the force of the impact would be difficult. And it would take a great deal of magic." Her eyes dip, and her brow furrows. "Depending on the degree of magnification. If I was doubling the force of impact for a ball fired from a heavy cannon at a target one mile away, I think I could only do it four times before becoming exhausted."

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What about spells inscribed into the barrel that simply make it go faster out of the muzzle? Not the initial force, but the speed of it leaving the opening. Or is that too intense a change for their magic?

"And the other things? How many times could you do them?"

"Exchanging things is easier. I would have to practice to be sure, but I think I could cast a spell to shrink the cannon ball to half its size a hundred times a day."

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Now, they just need a few dozen more mages who could do the same.

Diabo smiles. "That is good news. I will arrange a time for you to practice… Tomorrow? If that is agreeable to you?" She nods, then sort of freezes awkwardly. I feel Diabo use my power to look within her and see why. A moment later he nods. "I understand your lack of enthusiasm, but remember that our aim here is not to repeat my brother's slaughter but to force our neighbours to become tributaries. It is my hope that a substantial show of force will prevent the need for a lengthy campaign. As well as stabilising things here at home after our near-disastrous conflict with Japan. Stability means that internal conflicts don't occur, that bandits don't prey on honest citizens and existing tributaries don't wages war with us or with each other."

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Ah, some clever use of empathic vision, I see. Calming her worries and encouraging her assistance.

She nods, looking slightly reassured.

"And you, Cato? How many-?"

The sound of hurried feet comes from the corridor behind us, as a Warrior Bunny messenger approaches at speed. The party turns as she enters the room and whispers something to her chief, who rather lost interest in the magic discussion. Eithne frowns, then turns to us.

Click to shrink...

Ah, something amiss outside? Nothing loud, or they would have noticed. So an unexpected arrival.

"Prince Diabo, there's an elf here to see you."

"Did they say what they want?"

She shrugs. "Something about the dragon?"

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Well, someone's been taking their time about looking into its 'recruitment'. Three years, after all.

Well, looks like someone has an issue with his capture of it (back between 'Gateway' parts 3 and 4, where he Branded it while it was out raiding.) The question is who? A god, who's sent an Apostle to deliver demands for its release? Or some conclave of druids worried about the ecological mayhem ensuing from it being away from its range for so long. Guess we'll see soon.

 

[WereDragon]

a wizard doing research into martial spells

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As I recall the magic in Gate is, at least on a small scale, fairly potent. We see a duel between Lelei and Arpeggio and the defensive spells on display suggest they would be quite capable of fighting modern soldiers. Don't know about tanks, artillery or jets but the basic 'squad of dudes in a humvee' unit would not fair well.

"Prince Diabo, there's an elf here to see you."

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And why should the prince care?
For that matter why should we the readers care?

 

[Darko]

And why should the prince care

Click to shrink...

Because it may potentially be about some political situation.

For that matter why should we the readers care

Click to shrink...

Because it's a part of the story.

 

[TheOneTrueDemonLord]

I miss Renegade. His adventures with Luna were oddly wholesome for being The New God of Conquest.

Given that both of them have very different True Forms, have they been together in all combinations? I think you know very well what I'm asking.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Given that both of them have very different True Forms, have they been together in all combinations? I think you know very well what I'm asking.

Click to shrink...

Naturally.

Words for the Word God.

 

[Mr Zoat]

17th July 2013
16:37 GMT -5

There's nothing quite as permanent as a temporary solution.

I hope that's not true, but the Hub City revitalisation can only go so fast and we're not that far away from harvest season. America needs both new farm machinery and maintenance work done on what it already has. So I've sunk a new Dolmen Gate into a road that's due for replacement, I've set up a farm machine garage in a intact warehouse and I've found some people qualified to work there.

Maybe I should do a grand opening or something, but it seems like such a measly achievement that I decided against it.

Still: honest work has returned to Hub City.

Or… Rather, will tomorrow. A few of tomorrow's workers are looking around to familiarise themselves with the place, and I've still got to actually move the Dolmen Gate at the other end to somewhere with farm machinery in need of repair, and get the word out that the Gate is going to be there. Justice League News and the G.P.A. website and narrowcasts can do that, and I've sent the notifications off to get them to do that...

Well, it's my own money I'm-.

"Oh."

I descend to ground level as Mayor Connelly-Fermin stops just inside the door, staring around at the spotless garage.

"Madam Mayor." She blinks, jerking her head in my direction. "What can I do for you?"

"I…" She gestures to the room. "Didn't realise that you'd gotten this far."

"I haven't. This is.. just something to tide everyone over. Get the word out. I'm… Not exactly being consistent on this, and I apologise-."

"No! No, that's…" She pauses for thought. "I don't really.. understand your.. problem here, but I'm extremely grateful for everything that you're doing."

"It-. Forward guidance. I said I was going to do things in a particular way, then I changed my mind without telling-. Without letting you know because I wanted something done now. And… Part of what I'm trying to do here is develop a system for fixing up other cities once Mister Schreiber is finished here, and… Skipping ahead interferes with that."

"I'm…" She shakes her head. "Not worried about that. Ah…" She looks around. "I assume all this is temporary, then?"

"Yes. But 'temporary' could easily be a year or two, even with Mister Schreiber's best efforts."

"I don't suppose there's anything the G.P.A. could do, is there?"

"Ah… Well, they've put a detailed description of the work going on and the skills in demand on their website, and anyone who's registered with them and has those skills will get a notification, but a lot of the people with the required skills are working on bringing America's oil production back into action-."

"Ah-?" She frowns. "Why? I thought you made a big thing about moving away from oil for power generation."

"I did, but it's not practical for me to put a bleed torsion generator in every car, whereas the infrastructure is there for oil. Exotic power plants are being built for mains supply, but for… Heavy goods vehicles and cars, it's easier to spend a year or two using oil rather than try to electrify them all. Several of the… Dolmen Gates owned by Cadburys' Shipping are already linking oil wells, refineries and distribution hubs, which… Everyone is in favour of because places that produce oil are about as dependant on selling it as other places are on using it, and it's easier than shipping it or piping it."

"I… See. Will that.. be a problem for us here?"

"It shouldn't be. Hub City hasn't ever been a site of oil extraction, and with your Dolmen Gate access getting fuel here will be relatively easy." I should-. "Oh, ah, while you're here, any news on The Question? The G.P.A. are trying to do a wellness check."

She shrugs. "I left the message like you asked, but he hasn't made any kind of reply."

"Did he seem..? Okay to you?"

"Well, he's always been a bit… Odd."

"Yes, but there's 'odd' in the sense of being a bit of an oddball, and then there's odd in the sense of saying 'the bits of plastic on the ends of shoelaces are called aglets and their true purpose is sinister'. I know he's a shaman, and that.. might mean that he's been getting exposed to the parapsychic residue of the planet being Anti-Lifed for a month. He might have gotten reinfected, or being driven potty by the damage to civilisation, or… I don't know, undiagnosed brain cancer or something. If you could at all prevail upon him to meet with me, I'd really appreciate it."

She nods slowly. "I don't know why he's being so evasive. Didn't the two of you already work together once?"

"Yes, and I don't think I've done anything since then that would put me on his bad side, but if I'm the problem then I can just get someone else to check him out."

She frowns. "He knows what you're doing for Hub. I can't imagine that he'd take it against you."

"I will admit to having done dubious things, and I can understand why one of them might put someone off. I don't take it personally, but I am concerned. If-."

Priority message.

"Ah…." I raise my ring to my ear. "Sorry, I need to take this. Please feel free to have a look around."

She nods, and wanders over to talk to some or her constituents.

"Orange Lantern."

"Lex Luthor."

"Good… Afternoon. What can I do for you?"

"I believe that I have discovered something relating to an emergent problem. Can you make time to visit Metropolis today?"

"Yes, I've… Pretty much finished here for today. Is now alright?"

"If that's not too much trouble."

I could just appear next to him, but he might have just gotten out of the shower or something. Instead, I transition to Metropolis and fly at speed to LexCorp Tower.

"Where shall we meet?"

"My office, I think. Doctor Cochin is already up here."

I head to the balcony, and Miss Graves is already opening the door. I land, nod politely, and walk through-.

"Ah, Orange Lantern." Mister Luthor presses the 'end call' button on his desk phone. "Good. You remember Doctor Cochin?"

The doctor nods to me, and I nod back. "Of course."

"And-."

"Vienna Barstow, yes. It's been a couple of years." And she's looking considerably more human than she was when I last saw her. I'd be interested to see how they got all of the O.M.A.C. components out of her, and concerned about what LexCorp might be doing with them. "How are you doing?"

She nods, smiling. "Much better, thanks to Mister Luthor and Doctor Colchin. They managed to put the nanotech into standby mode, so I look.. normal, and I don't have to look out through a heads up display any more."

"I'm glad to hear it. But… Why are you here?"

The three of them look around for a moment, then Mister Luthor takes on a serious expression.

"Because the nanotechnology in her body looks exceedingly similar to the samples you took from Mister Blank."

 

[Ngamer11]

"Vienna Barstow, yes. It's been a couple of years." And she's looking considerably more human than she was when I last saw her. I'd be interested to see how they got all of the O.M.A.C. components out of her, and concerned about what LexCorp might be doing with them. "How are you doing?"

She nods, smiling. "Much better, thanks to Mister Luthor and Doctor Colchin. They managed to put the nanotech into standby mode, so I look.. normal, and I don't have to look out through a heads up display any more."

"I'm glad to hear it. But… Why are you here?"

The three of them look around for a moment, then Mister Luthor takes on a serious expression.

"Because the nanotechnology in her body looks exceedingly similar to the samples you took from Mister Blank."

Click to shrink...

At least now Paul realizes what they are and the danger they pose.

 

[Silverias]

Oh no, he actually has gone full OMAC.

 

[Bigking321]

I thought that was something we knew already?

Well, we as in the readers.

Actually I'm kinda surprised Paul hasn't been thinking about it more explicitly. He knows about that whole plot from the comics, right? The parallels have seemed pretty clear, even though quite a bit is different.

A Ai doing quite a lot. Batman kinda being in charge and different. The people transforming.

Eh. Maybe it was just me. I dunno. I haven't kept up with the between chapter discussions.

 

[Vaermina]

"Because the nanotechnology in her body looks exceedingly similar to the samples you took from Mister Blank."

Click to shrink...

Now comes the point where Orange Lantern awakardly explains that he already knew that.

 

[Ngamer11]

Actually I'm kinda surprised Paul hasn't been thinking about it more explicitly. He knows about that whole plot from the comics, right? The parallels have seemed pretty clear, even though quite a bit is different.

A Ai doing quite a lot. Batman kinda being in charge and different. The people transforming.

Eh. Maybe it was just me. I dunno. I haven't kept up with the between chapter discussions.

Click to shrink...

He only knows about Brother Eye and the robotic looking OMACs. He never read any comics about the original version of OMAC which was a guy called Buddy Blank who became a musclebound man with a mohawk thanks to nanobots. Paul doesn't even know how Batman is enhancing people. If he heard the name "Brother Eye" even once, he would've warned someone about it.

 

[inglorius]

Were you preparing to escape, when Zorzal's men came?

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Uoh, bunny.

 

[PepeTheFrog]

"Yes, but there's 'odd' in the sense of being a bit of an oddball, and then there's odd in the sense of saying 'the bits of plastic on the ends of shoelaces are called aglets and their true purpose is sinister'. "

Click to shrink...

Topically applied fluoride doesn't prevent tooth decay! It does render teeth detectable by spy satellite!

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

17th July 2013
16:37 GMT -5

There's nothing quite as permanent as a temporary solution.

I hope that's not true, but the Hub City revitalisation can only go so fast and we're not that far away from harvest season. America needs both new farm machinery and maintenance work done on what it already has. So I've sunk a new Dolmen Gate into a road that's due for replacement, I've set up a farm machine garage in a intact warehouse and I've found some people qualified to work there.

Click to shrink...

The biggest issue of all his efforts: having to wait for everyone else to catch up. Can't rush these things, since bad stuff tends to happen when he tries. And while the news is slow getting out, it is getting out there.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Maybe I should do a grand opening or something, but it seems like such a measly achievement that I decided against it.

Still: honest work has returned to Hub City.

Click to shrink...

Eh, putting it out there might refresh the problem in everyone's mind and maybe bump some morale, but it's probably more trouble than it's worth.

Or… Rather, will tomorrow. A few of tomorrow's workers are looking around to familiarise themselves with the place, and I've still got to actually move the Dolmen Gate at the other end to somewhere with farm machinery in need of repair, and get the word out that the Gate is going to be there. Justice League News and the G.P.A. website and narrowcasts can do that, and I've sent the notifications off to get them to do that...

Click to shrink...

'Narrowcasts', eh? Interesting way of putting it. These days, that's probably what internet ads fall under, soem of which get really annoying if the system isn't being allowed to hone in on your interests. (Seriously, how many chemists' ads about 'vaginal microbiomes' do I have to hear?)

Well, it's my own money I'm-.

"Oh."

I descend to ground level as Mayor Connelly-Fermin stops just inside the door, staring around at the spotless garage.

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing this was something of a rush job, if she's this surprised.

"Madam Mayor." She blinks, jerking her head in my direction. "What can I do for you?"

"I…" She gestures to the room. "Didn't realise that you'd gotten this far."

Click to shrink...

Definitely something she wasn't in the know for, then. Then again, given how OL does things off the cuff...

"I haven't. This is.. just something to tide everyone over. Get the word out. I'm… Not exactly being consistent on this, and I apologise-."

"No! No, that's…" She pauses for thought. "I don't really.. understand your.. problem here, but I'm extremely grateful for everything that you're doing."

Click to shrink...

Since pretty much anything he does will help the city.

"It-. Forward guidance. I said I was going to do things in a particular way, then I changed my mind without telling-. Without letting you know because I wanted something done now. And… Part of what I'm trying to do here is develop a system for fixing up other cities once Mister Schreiber is finished here, and… Skipping ahead interferes with that."

Click to shrink...

Don't think we missed that little slip of the tongue there, OL. 'Telling', then you corrected yourself towards more inclusive language... Still getting used to working with ordinary people, aren't you?

"I'm…" She shakes her head. "Not worried about that. Ah…" She looks around. "I assume all this is temporary, then?"

"Yes. But 'temporary' could easily be a year or two, even with Mister Schreiber's best efforts."

"I don't suppose there's anything the G.P.A. could do, is there?"

Click to shrink...

If there is, it's probably already being done. materials and personnel being transported in, that kind of stuff...

"Ah… Well, they've put a detailed description of the work going on and the skills in demand on their website, and anyone who's registered with them and has those skills will get a notification, but a lot of the people with the required skills are working on bringing America's oil production back into action-."

Click to shrink...

Because there's still a lot of petrol-driven vehicles in the country that people would like or need to be driving again, eh?

"Ah-?" She frowns. "Why? I thought you made a big thing about moving away from oil for power generation."

"I did, but it's not practical for me to put a bleed torsion generator in every car, whereas the infrastructure is there for oil. Exotic power plants are being built for mains supply, but for… Heavy goods vehicles and cars, it's easier to spend a year or two using oil rather than try to electrify them all. Several of the… Dolmen Gates owned by Cadburys' Shipping are already linking oil wells, refineries and distribution hubs, which… Everyone is in favour of because places that produce oil are about as dependant on selling it as other places are on using it, and it's easier than shipping it or piping it."

Click to shrink...

And even if they have something better than current vehicle battery technology,y there's bound to be people who don't want to update. Be it because 'I ain't driving these newfangled golf-carts!' or fear of potential mishaps...

"I… See. Will that.. be a problem for us here?"

"It shouldn't be. Hub City hasn't ever been a site of oil extraction, and with your Dolmen Gate access getting fuel here will be relatively easy." I should-. "Oh, ah, while you're here, any news on The Question? The G.P.A. are trying to do a wellness check."

Click to shrink...

And presumably she's been in contact with him before.

She shrugs. "I left the message like you asked, but he hasn't made any kind of reply."

"Did he seem..? Okay to you?"

"Well, he's always been a bit… Odd."

Click to shrink...

That's like saying water is wet. Odd goes hand-in-hand with the sort of fellow who wears a mask of a featureless face...

"Yes, but there's 'odd' in the sense of being a bit of an oddball, and then there's odd in the sense of saying 'the bits of plastic on the ends of shoelaces are called aglets and their true purpose is sinister'. I know he's a shaman, and that.. might mean that he's been getting exposed to the parapsychic residue of the planet being Anti-Lifed for a month. He might have gotten reinfected, or being driven potty by the damage to civilisation, or… I don't know, undiagnosed brain cancer or something. If you could at all prevail upon him to meet with me, I'd really appreciate it."

Click to shrink...

And given he was wired into the broadcaster OL first found, that last one might be a thing. Though it was lung cancer that did in the comics one... Until Flashpoint, anyway.

She nods slowly. "I don't know why he's being so evasive. Didn't the two of you already work together once?"

"Yes, and I don't think I've done anything since then that would put me on his bad side, but if I'm the problem then I can just get someone else to check him out."

Click to shrink...

Given his memetic paranoia, he could well be wary of OL...

She frowns. "He knows what you're doing for Hub. I can't imagine that he'd take it against you."

"I will admit to having done dubious things, and I can understand why one of them might put someone off. I don't take it personally, but I am concerned. If-."

Click to shrink...

Being able to work with people regardless of personal preference has always been something he tries to be good at...

Priority message.

"Ah…." I raise my ring to my ear. "Sorry, I need to take this. Please feel free to have a look around."

Click to shrink...

Honestly, he needs a flash and sound effect when he gets a call. Assuming he doesn't already do that on top of the universal 'phone call' pose...

She nods, and wanders over to talk to some or her constituents.

"Orange Lantern."

"Lex Luthor."

Click to shrink...

Ah. Well, what's Lex got today? Besides private concerns about the Global Peace Agency concept?

"Good… Afternoon. What can I do for you?"

"I believe that I have discovered something relating to an emergent problem. Can you make time to visit Metropolis today?"

Click to shrink...

Ah, actual business. And something he doesn't feel comfortable going to anyone else with, so it's related to the League, no doubt.

"Yes, I've… Pretty much finished here for today. Is now alright?"

"If that's not too much trouble."

Click to shrink...

Like, he could be there in less time than it takes Lex to hang up the phone.

I could just appear next to him, but he might have just gotten out of the shower or something. Instead, I transition to Metropolis and fly at speed to LexCorp Tower.

"Where shall we meet?"

Click to shrink...

He's really being careful about that now, isn't he? I get the feeling, one close call when driving and I'm wary of repeating that mistake for days.

"My office, I think. Doctor Cochin is already up here."

I head to the balcony, and Miss Graves is already opening the door. I land, nod politely, and walk through-.

Click to shrink...

Ah, Paragon too? Interesting. In his scientific capacity, of course.

"Ah, Orange Lantern." Mister Luthor presses the 'end call' button on his desk phone. "Good. You remember Doctor Cochin?"

The doctor nods to me, and I nod back. "Of course."

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Wonder if he's still got lingering Enlightenment, or if it's just kicking back in now he's around OL again? Even if that's not Cochin speaking, anyway.

"And-."

"Vienna Barstow, yes. It's been a couple of years." And she's looking considerably more human than she was when I last saw her. I'd be interested to see how they got all of the O.M.A.C. components out of her, and concerned about what LexCorp might be doing with them. "How are you doing?"

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...First mentioned by name here. They were OMACs that appeared during the 'Doppleganger' episode.

She nods, smiling. "Much better, thanks to Mister Luthor and Doctor Colchin. They managed to put the nanotech into standby mode, so I look.. normal, and I don't have to look out through a heads up display any more."

"I'm glad to hear it. But… Why are you here?"

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So, they didn't get them out of here, they're just idling in standby. Which means they could still be activated remotely by someone with the right control codes...

The three of them look around for a moment, then Mister Luthor takes on a serious expression.

"Because the nanotechnology in her body looks exceedingly similar to the samples you took from Mister Blank."

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...That explains where Batman got the tech from, then.

I take it Lex assumes this is some big dramatic revelation, but OL probably realised that at some point, and the tech for the local OMACs had to come from somewhere. Why not crib from a parallel universe? Which raises the question of whether said nanites can be activated by someone other than the local Brother Eye. And if that hypothetical someone can hold their leashes...