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

[Steelplaza]

It would be pretty neat for OL to receive a prophecy from the Hand of the Source.

 

[CrazyNoVa]

It would be pretty neat for OL to receive a prophecy from the Hand of the Source.

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Wouldn't Zoat technically be The Source, in this instance?

 

[Stsword]

They're also generally benevolent and are enemies of Darkseid.

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More modern takes on Highfather tend to lead into hard man making hard decisions while hard, like in Gods and Monsters in which he goes all Red Wedding on Darkseid and his elite.

Perhaps its DC's writers being cynical towards the whole "benevolent dictator for life" thing Highfather has going on.

So while better than Darkseid, that's grading on one hell of a curve.

Zoat has made comments that make me suspect that WTR's Highfather is influenced by those more cynical takes rather than the classic "Zeus but nice."

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

There is of course a problem with OL visiting Supertown. Orion Did promise to kill him next time he saw him. And he's one of the few that might make it stick.

May wish to send some one else.

 

[Steelplaza]

OL left a terrible impression with Orion and that's pretty memorable, but on the other hand he made a considerably better impression with the Forever People and helped them deal with their traumas and regain their confidence. So it's not like OL doesn't have any friends in Supertown. Maybe just check to see that Orion isn't there before visiting, which he probably isn't. Orion spends most of his time going out and doing battle with evil.

Hey @Mr Zoat I have a question. If "where did Batman get the ability to work with New God technology" is the mystery the story is grappling with, would you say it's a "fair mystery"? That is, if someone went back and read the story and had a decent knowledge of DC lore, do you think a reader could work it out with high confidence and present a logical case based on the clues the story has presented? Or do we just not have enough evidence yet?

It's not a judgment on the story either way; there's no particular requirement for it to be a fair mystery. I'm just curious if you think a reader could work it out.

 

[Bud-E]

@Mr Zoat What if anything happened with Finn Brady Constantine's long-lost nephew? Did Paul ever introduce them or let Cheryl know about him?

 

[Mr Zoat]

Hey @Mr Zoat I have a question. If "where did Batman get the ability to work with New God technology" is the mystery the story is grappling with, would you say it's a "fair mystery"? That is, if someone went back and read the story and had a decent knowledge of DC lore, do you think a reader could work it out with high confidence and present a logical case based on the clues the story has presented? Or do we just not have enough evidence yet?

It's not a judgment on the story either way; there's no particular requirement for it to be a fair mystery. I'm just curious if you think a reader could work it out.

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The New God in question hasn't appeared or been named, but when you find out who it is it should make sense. It's more how he got hold of them that makes sense than their particular identity.

@Mr Zoat What if anything happened with Finn Brady Constantine's long-lost nephew? Did Paul ever introduce them or let Cheryl know about him?

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He's still in Africa. I haven't really thought about whether or not he's spoken to Cheryl, but I'm leaning towards 'no'.

 

[Steelplaza]

Let me logic this out. Batman was in possession of a power ring, a device that is capable of interstellar communication. The Peace Operative that contacted OL to start nagging him about the Question made contact with him through his power ring. The Peace Operative's ability to tap into power ring communication is presumably the result of New God technology in his creation, so it seems possible that Batman contacted some New God capable of receiving calls through power rings.

When I think "who could do that," Metron comes easily to mind. Metron also famous for designing high tech chairs. Metron also could easily have supplied a Hush Tube and even an AI capable of running New God technology. Maybe not technically a "Mother Box" or "Father Box" but.... a "Brother Box"? Yeah, Metron could have supplied the technology and then a New God AI in the form of Brother A(Eye) capable of using the technology, which explains how Batman is capable of continuing to use it. We know Mother/Father Boxes can operate New God tech for humans.

Metron is also pretty mercenary. Not for money obviously, but if Batman could find some knowledge that Metron wanted and couldn't easily take, Metron would certainly be willing and able to make a deal. More, Metron is pretty famous. I did a Story Only thread search to see if his name has come up before, and it has but mostly in Renegade updates. (I think there was one mention in a Paragon update and only as a brief aside.) Still, in those Renegade mentions Grayven frequently talks about Metron like he expects even non New Gods to easily recognize the name. So Batman might easily have heard of Metron enough to make contact.

It fits together pretty well, though leaving the question of what exactly Batman offered Metron in return for all of this.

....

And there's the central hub. Strange technology, at least two-. No, three, people visibly wired into it. That's Victor Sage, naked and with pieces of Apokoliptian technology piercing his flesh in a dozen places. A young woman I immediately recognise as Anita Fite. Her body appears to be intact, and is covered in a chirurgical gown. Her head has not been so fortunate, and several cables appear to be plugged directly into her skull. Her mouth is moving weakly and her eyes stare at nothing. The third 'person' appears to be the upper part of Black Orchid's body.

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I would hate to think that the reason for trying so hard to track down the Question is that he'd be an additional specimen to trade away. Say, has anyone seen Anita Fite or Black Orchid lately?

 

[Mr Zoat]

15th August 2000
09:25 GMT

Senior Agent Blaze and I sit outside of the office of the man who I'm trying to avoid thinking of as 'the teashop'. Briefing the presidents of the United States and Russia was Director Logan's job, and other heads of state got an overview… But now we're at the stage of providing bespoke briefings to those states-. Cooperating states, which have a substantial nonhuman population.

The Republic of Ireland should be one of the easier ones. It's just Percival and the banshee, and the banshee live under ground. Still, the banshee allergic reaction to technology and the fact that they don't really want noisy tourists hanging around their standing stones mean that there are still a few things we need to talk about.

Sh'lainn has been compelled by her promotion to stop dressing down quite so much, though she's stuck with a skirt. I'm wearing a suit myself, ring glowing green on my finger and my newly-forged personal lantern in my briefcase.

"How're you findin' the trainin'?"

"It's… Necessary."

Combat, I've learned how to do. But between using the ring and concealing my identity, my non-ring combat skills barely improved from what they were before all of this started. And then there are all of the other skills Alliance agents need, like how to actually conduct an investigation or use Alliance vehicles. Things that the Intracom agents who transferred over to the Alliance all already know, to their amusement and the Alliance's chagrin.

I'm definitely bringing up the rear in every field aside from raw personal power.

"You no' think they're going a little hard on you?"

"No. Not really." I give her a sidelong glance. "Sir."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't call me that. Foolishness."

I shrug. "The Alliance is expanding, and basic organisation requires that long-serving agents get promotions. Though I.. am sorry about your partnership with Senior Agent Logan being split up."

"Aye, well." She sighs sadly. "It's as y' say: we need people who know what they're doin' keepin' an eye on the rest a' yeh."

"I'm sure that I will benefit from your sagacious wisdom, sir."

"Then hear this little bit o' wisdom: a lotta folk in th' Alliance ain't so keen on yeh."

I nod ruefully. "Yes, I spotted that."

To be fair, I did kill a couple of Alliance agents. But while the vampire recruits can watch out for each other and… Have mostly graduated back to fieldwork, I'm in training a lot of the time and… Not a lot of Conduit members are volunteering to join the Alliance. A couple of trasgu took jobs in engineering, but… Chauf is acting as a politician and Peisinoe is… Spending time in India. Beyond that, with the increased sense of security most aliens on Earth feel now that the Alliance isn't going to hunt them down unless they flagrantly break the law, most Conduit members are happy to not get involved in fighting. Which leaves me on my own, and…

I'm human. For some long-serving Alliance agents, I'm a species-traitor who killed their comrades. I know from that meet-up at Vanishing Point that most versions of me got a ring they can use to heal themselves and others. But I didn't. My bruises and breaks heal at the rate they normally do, and… For obvious reasons I can't wear the ring while sparing. It would completely defeat the purpose, and as a result my flesh still bear the marks of my perhaps-overenthusiastic tutors.

"Let me know if they keep it oop." She huffs. "I s'ppose it'd be worse if yew were a banshee."

I nod. When she left the cavern without permission, Queen Mab ordered her death, and pursued it enthusiastically until they were eventually reconciled.

"I-." I frown. "I didn't think that the rules were the same for male banshee."

"Oh, don't worry." She smiles faintly. "I t'ink of yew as a woman."

The doors to the teashop-. And I've failed. The doors to the Taoiseach's office open and a secretary beckons us through.

According to every newspaper, radio broadcast and television program that I've found time to watch, the Irish as a people aren't really… Excited, about the presence of aliens. It seems that decades of cinematic propaganda mean that most places accept 'aliens invaded and the Americans blew them up' fairly uncritically. Ireland has a good relationship with the U.S. and no real international ambitions, so apart from a slight curiosity the news that there are aliens around doesn't really mean all that much to them. Which means that it's not an election issue, so this is probably going to be fairly simple.

I let Sh'lainn take the lead, letting my environmental shield flare a little. In the room… Ah, not an office, a meeting room with a circular table in the middle. The Taoiseach himself nods in greeting while aides take their places and his bodyguards loom in the background. The secretary who brought us in gestures at the seats on the opposite side of the circle and then backs off, allowing us to take them.

The Taoiseach gives us a moment to get comfortable before leaning forwards slightly. "Agent Blaze. Agent Knight. Thank you both fer comin'." He focuses on me. "I'm guessing yewr the banshee, then?"

I blink, then Sh'lainn and I give each other a confused look. I shrug, and incline my head slightly.

"No." Sh'lainn shakes her head at the Taoiseach. "Oi'm the-" Her eyes go white and he hair starts to float upwards as she activates her exotic abilities. "-banshee."

"Oh." He blinks. "Right. Ah. Is there a reason yer fellah's glowin' green?"

I nod. "My mentor is the inspiration for the myths concerning the leprechaun. Also, the Green Knight of the Arthurian myths." I clench my right hand and allow construct armour to momentarily form around me before dismissing it again."

"You don't say? Are there a… A lot of the wee folk around, or jus' the one?"

"Just him on Earth at present, as far as we know. Several billion on a planet about halfway across the galaxy where he originally came from."

"Do you t'ink they're plannin' on makin' a visit?"

"They haven't in the four thousand or so years he's been on Earth, so probably not."

"Alright. If he hasn't wrecked the playce in four t'ousand years, I don't t'ink he will now." He turns to Sh'lainn. "How's about the banshee?"

"We're not plannin' t' blow oop the planet."

"Noh, noh, noh, I dohn't mean it like that. I mean, how many are there? Roughly?"

"About two hundred, livin' in a cavern in the middle o' nowhere and havin' not'ing t'do with anyone."

The Taoiseach nods. "Alright. We can cope with two hundred and one. Do they have any… Special requirements?" His gaze moves from Sh'lainn to me and then back again. "What do you eat?"

"The banshee are self-sufficient. We grow our own food."

I nod. "Sir Percival eats human food, and he owns a small holding. He's actually registered both to pay tax and vote under current Irish law. Most of the village just assumes that he's a midget."

"Well I wouldn't want them hasslin' him over his pot a' gold. That's extortion, so it is." He smiles awkwardly. "And racial prejudice."

I… Give him a half-smile back out of pity.

Sh'lainn doesn't. "The banshee do have special requirements. Bein' around technology make us ill. We c'n manage a few hours, but after that t'ings get nasty."

The Taoiseach nods again. "Are roads okay?"

"As long as it's just stones and pitch. Lamp posts and electric cables are a problem."

"So, in effect, noh. Alroight. Let me know where it is and I'll get it made a nature reserve. Wooden buildings and woodchip paths not too much fer yeh?" Sh'lainn nods. "Good. Now, who's in charge?"

"Queen Mab."

There's a slight intake of breath from every Irish person present, and a moment where they look at each other form confirmation that they all actually heard that.

The Taoiseach exhales. "Sure Luke. I should probably meet her, if she's agreeable. Get t'know each other a little."

Sh'lainn… Doesn't look too sure. She looks at me to get some idea of what I think, and I shrug.

"Can't hurt to ask."

 

[mastermenthe]

"Just him on Earth at present, as far as we know. Several billion on a planet about halfway across the galaxy where he originally came from."

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A nice reminder of things being different here. Thank you @Mr Zoat

 

[Darko]

myths." I clench my right hand and allow construct armour to momentarily form around me before dismissing it again."

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Remove the " at the end.

 

[Kurai]

Ah, back to one of my favourite alternates - and things are off to a very pleasant start (which, with any Paul's luck, won't last long). Thank you kindly!

 

[Oglymogly]

Oh, I remember this Paul! Interesting that he joined up as a diplomat. I guess he's suffering the worst part of winning a war: dealing with politicians.

I don't remember what show this segment was based off of though. Could someone remind me?

 

[Darko]

Oh, I remember this Paul! Interesting that he joined up as a diplomat. I guess he's suffering the worst part of winning a war: dealing with politicians.

I don't remember what show this segment was based off of though. Could someone remind me?

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Roswell Conspiracies.

 

[Chaoswind]

Can we get an update on the stargate guys?

Probably the alt that has most of my interest atm.

 

[Oglymogly]

Roswell Conspiracies.

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Thank you! Huh, I forgot how much the art reminds me of the MIB and Gargoyles cartoons.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

15th August 2000
09:25 GMT

Senior Agent Blaze and I sit outside of the office of the man who I'm trying to avoid thinking of as 'the teashop'. Briefing the presidents of the United States and Russia was Director Logan's job, and other heads of state got an overview… But now we're at the stage of providing bespoke briefings to those states-. Cooperating states, which have a substantial nonhuman population.

Click to shrink...

Ah, this one... What was the name... 'Roswell Conspiracies', that's it! To refresh: The local Paul variant has a Green Ring, and entered the service of a Maltusian 'Leprechaun' to maintain his charge. The world is beset by a now-not-so-silent alien invasion, and there's multiple conspiracy groups involved, of which Agent Sh'lainn Blaze here is a member...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

The Republic of Ireland should be one of the easier ones. It's just Percival and the banshee, and the banshee live under ground. Still, the banshee allergic reaction to technology and the fact that they don't really want noisy tourists hanging around their standing stones mean that there are still a few things we need to talk about.

Click to shrink...

So really, not much to say beyond 'leave them be, they'll leave you be.'

Sh'lainn has been compelled by her promotion to stop dressing down quite so much, though she's stuck with a skirt. I'm wearing a suit myself, ring glowing green on my finger and my newly-forged personal lantern in my briefcase.

"How're you findin' the trainin'?"

"It's… Necessary."

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Ah, I bet Percival (the Leprechaun Maltusian) decided it'd be easier to provide him with a portable Lantern rather than have to make him swing by every few days to recharge.

Combat, I've learned how to do. But between using the ring and concealing my identity, my non-ring combat skills barely improved from what they were before all of this started. And then there are all of the other skills Alliance agents need, like how to actually conduct an investigation or use Alliance vehicles. Things that the Intracom agents who transferred over to the Alliance all already know, to their amusement and the Alliance's chagrin.

Click to shrink...

So by their standards, he's a complete rookie.

I'm definitely bringing up the rear in every field aside from raw personal power.

"You no' think they're going a little hard on you?"

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Given the stakes, I suspect better a little hard now than leave him incapable of doing his job later.

"No. Not really." I give her a sidelong glance. "Sir."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't call me that. Foolishness."

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Ah, with the promotion came the titles of rank. And of course the Green Knight is being playful with it.

I shrug. "The Alliance is expanding, and basic organisation requires that long-serving agents get promotions. Though I.. am sorry about your partnership with Senior Agent Logan being split up."

"Aye, well." She sighs sadly. "It's as y' say: we need people who know what they're doin' keepin' an eye on the rest a' yeh."

Click to shrink...

Better a watchful eye than some cells getting up to mischief.

"I'm sure that I will benefit from your sagacious wisdom, sir."

"Then hear this little bit o' wisdom: a lotta folk in th' Alliance ain't so keen on yeh."

I nod ruefully. "Yes, I spotted that."

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I'm guessing opinions run from 'lucky FNG' to 'barely above a hostile himself.'

To be fair, I did kill a couple of Alliance agents. But while the vampire recruits can watch out for each other and… Have mostly graduated back to fieldwork, I'm in training a lot of the time and… Not a lot of Conduit members are volunteering to join the Alliance. A couple of trasgu took jobs in engineering, but… Chauf is acting as a politician and Peisinoe is… Spending time in India. Beyond that, with the increased sense of security most aliens on Earth feel now that the Alliance isn't going to hunt them down unless they flagrantly break the law, most Conduit members are happy to not get involved in fighting. Which leaves me on my own, and…

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And to be fair, most of them aren't built to risk their life, from what I remember. Either psychologically or physiologically.

I'm human. For some long-serving Alliance agents, I'm a species-traitor who killed their comrades. I know from that meet-up at Vanishing Point that most versions of me got a ring they can use to heal themselves and others. But I didn't. My bruises and breaks heal at the rate they normally do, and… For obvious reasons I can't wear the ring while sparing. It would completely defeat the purpose, and as a result my flesh still bear the marks of my perhaps-overenthusiastic tutors.

Click to shrink...

...Okay, that might explain the Lantern, if he get specs for various tech. I assume a Purple healing Ray isn't feasible to construct here due to lower background magical levels or lack of critical materials or something.

"Let me know if they keep it oop." She huffs. "I s'ppose it'd be worse if yew were a banshee."

I nod. When she left the cavern without permission, Queen Mab ordered her death, and pursued it enthusiastically until they were eventually reconciled.

Click to shrink...

Pretty extreme but at the time, they were hiding for their lives.

"I-." I frown. "I didn't think that the rules were the same for male banshee."

"Oh, don't worry." She smiles faintly. "I t'ink of yew as a woman."

The doors to the teashop-. And I've failed. The doors to the Taoiseach's office open and a secretary beckons us through.

Click to shrink...

Ha! To be fair, with an all-female race like the banshee (I assume they're all female, anyway) that would be an honour.

According to every newspaper, radio broadcast and television program that I've found time to watch, the Irish as a people aren't really… Excited, about the presence of aliens. It seems that decades of cinematic propaganda mean that most places accept 'aliens invaded and the Americans blew them up' fairly uncritically. Ireland has a good relationship with the U.S. and no real international ambitions, so apart from a slight curiosity the news that there are aliens around doesn't really mean all that much to them. Which means that it's not an election issue, so this is probably going to be fairly simple.

Click to shrink...

I shudder to imagine how tough it is for the US, or other countries who do have more prominent troubles in that respect.

I let Sh'lainn take the lead, letting my environmental shield flare a little. In the room… Ah, not an office, a meeting room with a circular table in the middle. The Taoiseach himself nods in greeting while aides take their places and his bodyguards loom in the background. The secretary who brought us in gestures at the seats on the opposite side of the circle and then backs off, allowing us to take them.

Click to shrink...

That's one way to make an entrance, walking in with a faint background lightshow.

The Taoiseach gives us a moment to get comfortable before leaning forwards slightly. "Agent Blaze. Agent Knight. Thank you both fer comin'." He focuses on me. "I'm guessing yewr the banshee, then?"

I blink, then Sh'lainn and I give each other a confused look. I shrug, and incline my head slightly.

Click to shrink...

Not nearly lady-like enough, actually.

"No." Sh'lainn shakes her head at the Taoiseach. "Oi'm the-" Her eyes go white and he hair starts to float upwards as she activates her exotic abilities. "-banshee."

"Oh." He blinks. "Right. Ah. Is there a reason yer fellah's glowin' green?"

Click to shrink...

Lucky the bodyguards aren't trigger-happy. That could have been troublesome. Fortunately, they're not.

I nod. "My mentor is the inspiration for the myths concerning the leprechaun. Also, the Green Knight of the Arthurian myths." I clench my right hand and allow construct armour to momentarily form around me before dismissing it again."

"You don't say? Are there a… A lot of the wee folk around, or jus' the one?"

Click to shrink...

A reasonable question, especially if they're wondering if other people can be given that power.

"Just him on Earth at present, as far as we know. Several billion on a planet about halfway across the galaxy where he originally came from."

"Do you t'ink they're plannin' on makin' a visit?"

Click to shrink...

I take it Maltus is a bit different here. Or that he's also counting the not-god-like-superpowered population.

"They haven't in the four thousand or so years he's been on Earth, so probably not."

"Alright. If he hasn't wrecked the playce in four t'ousand years, I don't t'ink he will now." He turns to Sh'lainn. "How's about the banshee?"

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing any on-paper briefing he might have read was sparse on details for security reasons.

"We're not plannin' t' blow oop the planet."

"Noh, noh, noh, I dohn't mean it like that. I mean, how many are there? Roughly?"

Click to shrink...

Still, a little humour defuses tension nicely.

"About two hundred, livin' in a cavern in the middle o' nowhere and havin' not'ing t'do with anyone."

The Taoiseach nods. "Alright. We can cope with two hundred and one. Do they have any… Special requirements?" His gaze moves from Sh'lainn to me and then back again. "What do you eat?"

Click to shrink...

Given their mythological reputation, I can picture him being worried they eat people.

"The banshee are self-sufficient. We grow our own food."

I nod. "Sir Percival eats human food, and he owns a small holding. He's actually registered both to pay tax and vote under current Irish law. Most of the village just assumes that he's a midget."

Click to shrink...

...Or a real-life hobbit, depending on fitness. Wonder if he's been keeping in shape lately?

"Well I wouldn't want them hasslin' him over his pot a' gold. That's extortion, so it is." He smiles awkwardly. "And racial prejudice."

I… Give him a half-smile back out of pity.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I can feel that cringe from here.

Sh'lainn doesn't. "The banshee do have special requirements. Bein' around technology make us ill. We c'n manage a few hours, but after that t'ings get nasty."

The Taoiseach nods again. "Are roads okay?"

Click to shrink...

Remind me, is it something to do with the electromagnetic fields it produces? That seems to be a common thing with Fae in fiction: a problem with the 'cold iron' used in technology (presumably stuff forged by human hands is 'hot' enough not to count.)

"As long as it's just stones and pitch. Lamp posts and electric cables are a problem."

"So, in effect, noh. Alroight. Let me know where it is and I'll get it made a nature reserve. Wooden buildings and woodchip paths not too much fer yeh?" Sh'lainn nods. "Good. Now, who's in charge?"

Click to shrink...

Definitely something to do with electromagnetics, then. I'm impressed she can stand it.

"Queen Mab."

There's a slight intake of breath from every Irish person present, and a moment where they look at each other form confirmation that they all actually heard that.

Click to shrink...

Aye, that's a name to be wary of, if not run away from fast.

The Taoiseach exhales. "Sure Luke. I should probably meet her, if she's agreeable. Get t'know each other a little."

Sh'lainn… Doesn't look too sure. She looks at me to get some idea of what I think, and I shrug.

"Can't hurt to ask."

Click to shrink...

Certainly worth at least a diplomatic meeting. Who knows what could happen?

How fitting that this is in Ireland, with that kind of poking of Murphy. Since if we're seeing this stuff, something interesting is almost guaranteed to occur. Or we're overreacting and nothing of note will come of the meeting. Surely Her Majesty isn't crazy enough to try something foolish with a high-ranking government fellow with Sh'lainn and the Green Knight present (as I expect they will be.)

 

[BR549]

Surely Her Majesty isn't crazy enough to try something foolish with a high-ranking government fellow with Sh'lainn and the Green Knight present (as I expect they will be.)

Click to shrink...

Oh, I'm sure she isn't. But even allowing for "they're actually an alien species", the legends of the Fair Folk came from somewhere (especially given Mab's clear reputation), and if one of the human guests trips over a social taboo, well...