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

[Steelplaza]

This isn't directly related to this update, but I would like to point out that if "Iron Munroe" was a fake we now have exactly zero documented cases of a Danner Enhancile fathering or bearing a child and no idea how or if the enhancement is passed down.

Presumably this is a question the Accala tribe should be able to answer, and I hope that they do sometime soon. It would be a shame if OL is handing out Danner enhancement right and left and while unknowingly making people infertile or drastically reducing their ability to have children or making it so it's impossible for a Danner enchancile woman to carry a child to term unless the fetus is also treated with the serum (to name a few of the possibilities I can think of).

 

[Maxx Crowley]

Also, another thought if the Danners and Brazil go to war. If things start to go badly for Brazil, and lets say no one else steps in to help them, who is the first group they are going to look into hiring?

Super-Villains.

Super-Villains who, because of the desperation, would pretty much be given carte blanche to do whatever they'd have to do to win for the government.

Lex obviously would be getting a call. Which....well this could lead to the Light getting more pull. Satanius and his demons, demonic magic, and the like against the Danners. A whole jungle consumed in hellfire.

Sounds like quite a party when I think of it.

 

[jasonh23761]

Also, another thought if the Danners and Brazil go to war. If things start to go badly for Brazil, and lets say no one else steps in to help them, who is the first group they are going to look into hiring?

Super-Villains.

Super-Villains who, because of the desperation, would pretty much be given carte blanche to do whatever they'd have to do to win for the government.

Lex obviously would be getting a call. Which....well this could lead to the Light getting more pull. Satanius and his demons, demonic magic, and the like against the Danners. A whole jungle consumed in hellfire.

Sounds like quite a party when I think of it.

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I'm now split between wanting and not wanting to see that happen now that you've mentioned it.

 

[david]

Hmm. I would probably go start prepping bombers with nerve gas bombs myself. Brazil has a duty to protect its citizens. And frankly the tribes are threatening a awful lot of civilians even if they strictly stick to just "Government" targets. How flame retardant is Danner?

Also "Paragon" Paul reminds me again why I hate him. What a complete asshole. Also Brazil "officially" stopped their nuclear program in the 90s. I'm not sure they wouldn't have a few squirreled away in an emergency. Also Brazil has the 9th largest economy in the world they could probably pay for a LOT of lextech gear that could go toe to toe with Danner enhanciles. Also China likes to make inroads I could see them offering military aid.

Also a 'simple' solution is to just napalm suspected village locations. As long as they are remotely close it becomes an issue for the tribes to deal with. Actually pretty much regardless its an issue for the tribes to deal with. While setting the rain-forest on fire will earn condemnation Brazil is going to have to fight very unconventionally.

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As many people have pointed out, your strategy would likely lead to more civilian deaths than going for the tribes first offer and letting poverty and mass migration take its toll. Your plan is to try and find nomadic tribes who don't use vehicles in a 5.5 million km2​ rainforest. Even indiscriminate napalm, nerve gas, and nuclear strikes (ignoring the fact that the government in charge of making that decision would be blamed for the apocalyptic consequences even if it would have worked) is incredibly unlikely to wipe out all the tribes or even most of them. Then while the massive riots are going on because people will rightfully think you're crazy, a few groups of Danner enhanciles get to the biggest cities in the country and raze them to the ground unless you smother the cities in napalm first.

 

[rdfox]

Not everyone can be A-grade. I'm picturing lamer powers like something out of Mystery Men...

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I seem to recall a pre-Flashpoint (possibly even pre-Infinite Crisis) DC book mentioning that the DEO had determined that about 1% of all humans in the DCU had some form of metahuman power, ranging from your potentially apocalyptic-level threats like Superman (and let's face it, if he did ever go rogue, the potential consequences... yeah), all the way down to what they termed "nuisance-level" metahumans, many of whom had either useless powers (like "for some reason, his skin is green, but that's it" or "her hair grows at a rate of a quarter-inch an hour--but it's just ordinary hair") or didn't even know about their powers--with the latter one being exemplified, in the book, by "that little old lady in Arizona with the power to pick winning lottery numbers."

Yes, it is (or at least was) DC canon that there's a metahuman out there whose only power is always having the winning ticket when she plays Powerball.

IIRC, they also said that 99% of all metahumans had nuisance-level powers, and of that 1% who had stronger powers, less than 1% of those were powerful enough to be any sort of truly serious concern, with less than 1% of those wielding Superman-tier power. Which works out to, worldwide, about 80 million metahumans, about 800,000 of whom have beyond-nuisance powers, about 8000 with significant powers... and about 80 with your Superman-tier powers. Or, for the US, about 3 million metahumans, 30,000 beyond nuisance-level, 300 with signifcant powers, and three on Superman's level. Going by averages, obviously--the distribution clearly isn't equal at the highest power levels, simply due to the small sample size.

Well, this whole thing is not going away anytime soon. I suspect there's going to be a lot of frayed tempers and unhappy feelings amongst all involved...

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In other words, standard operating procedure for diplomacy.

 

[ForeverShogo]

Given what's at stake, people might not think they're that crazy if Brazil gets desperate enough.

And I wouldn't compare the tribal alliance to NATO. At least NATO is just supposed to be a defensive pact. The tribes are basically demanding that they be allowed to destroy South America as we know it or they'll go on a campaign of terror and bloodshed until they get to do it anyways.

They're supervillainous terrorists. No amount of semantics or mental gymnastics is going to change that. Them having a small army of Danner Enhanciles just means you'd have to resort to more extreme measures than usual to deal with them. Measures that some probably wouldn't think is worth it.

Though with the schizo tech of the DC universe . . . It might not be as hard to find these tribes and hit them with surgical strikes as people might thing. Like, what you'd have to do to find these people in real life would be fucking nuts. But do we really not think that Lexcorp or some other motherfuckers don't have some ridiculous "perfectly scan for humans, even in the jungle" tech?

 

[NullVoid]

Yeah, the government pretty much just ignores the natives 'cause it can, but they don't need to wreck everything to stop it.

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It's a bit more complicated than that. There's a law that gives natives special rights, with the most going towards isolated tribes and those that choose not to integrate with society. Adjunct laws that would regulate everything have been stalled in congress for decades, but as things stand nowadays these tribal members cannot be arrested by the police, and in some cases specific individuals managed to get away with murder.

Also, another thought if the Danners and Brazil go to war. If things start to go badly for Brazil, and lets say no one else steps in to help them, who is the first group they are going to look into hiring?

Super-Villains.

Super-Villains who, because of the desperation, would pretty much be given carte blanche to do whatever they'd have to do to win for the government.

Lex obviously would be getting a call. Which....well this could lead to the Light getting more pull. Satanius and his demons, demonic magic, and the like against the Danners. A whole jungle consumed in hellfire.

Sounds like quite a party when I think of it.

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Nice idea with the supervillain option, but I doubt that demonic pacts would work. The population is too religious for that, and the evangelical vote is pretty important in terms of actually winning elections.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

Nice idea with the supervillain option, but I doubt that demonic pacts would work. The population is too religious for that, and the evangelical vote is pretty important in terms of actually winning elections.

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Who said anything about asking?

Like seriously...if they hit the threshold where they have to reach out to super-villains do you really think they are even considering what the church fucks want? If they are about to get their entire country smashed by a bunch of Super powered Zealots that they can't fight, does what the polls say really matter?

Also, a government doing shady shit that their populace wouldn't like behind their backs? Holy shit, yeah because that could NEVER happen. It happens every day, in every country on earth.

Or that the entire point of my point is Super-villains will take shit to the extreme, breaking any shackles that were feebly put upon them, and just do whatever the fuck they want anyway?

Also? Secret clandestine organizations like the Light are at least somewhat good at, you know, being covert. If Satanius and such are brought in, do you really think Lex is going to introduce him to Brazil's leaders like "Oh yeah, and here is my coworker Demon MacHellguy."?

 

[fluffy]

I really like Rocket here.

It feels like she is confronting her own preconceived notions in this arc, from her instinctive disgust of Ubergirl to the narrative of the poor oppressed fighting th evil state and she is doing so calmly and rationally.

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Well I wouldn't say she's calm but she's definitely rationally thinking about it.

 

[Darko]

Satanus is in prison right now.

 

[Chaoswind]

Given what's at stake, people might not think they're that crazy if Brazil gets desperate enough.

And I wouldn't compare the tribal alliance to NATO. At least NATO is just supposed to be a defensive pact. The tribes are basically demanding that they be allowed to destroy South America as we know it or they'll go on a campaign of terror and bloodshed until they get to do it anyways.

They're supervillainous terrorists. No amount of semantics or mental gymnastics is going to change that. Them having a small army of Danner Enhanciles just means you'd have to resort to more extreme measures than usual to deal with them. Measures that some probably wouldn't think is worth it.

Though with the schizo tech of the DC universe . . . It might not be as hard to find these tribes and hit them with surgical strikes as people might thing. Like, what you'd have to do to find these people in real life would be fucking nuts. But do we really not think that Lexcorp or some other motherfuckers don't have some ridiculous "perfectly scan for humans, even in the jungle" tech?

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Yes, we probably can pseudo track them with our current satellites (IF US secret capabilities are around what some believe they are) so DC earth would have a much easier time of it.

In regards to the people saying the tribes have the upper hand because they are a nomadic tribe of super strong people you are wrong. Aside terrorists strikes on civilian targets (because you can't defend them all) all you need to stand up to them is a quick response team on stand by 24/7 with the ability to be deployed quickly through teleportation tech (Dolmen gates affixed in paradrop planes, Zeta tube network), add to that equipment like Cold guns, plasma lances and power armor and you can already contest them, give your power armored troops gratious amounts of biological and chemical weapons (they still need to breathe and their senses CAN be overwhelmed just as anything else) and you can kill them whenever they attack faster than they would be able to recover their numbers from.

Yes, those are thing these countries can't do right now, but its something they can prepare in just a few months with some international support, so stalling its to their advantage.

'Small army of super powered people want to take over' is one of those scenarios the big countries would have prepared plans to deal with, and in this situation they get the opportunity to test their technologies and theories without taking any risk to themselves as they earn money and the gratitude of a whole continent on the side, its a great opportunity and not even the extremely bipolar USA wouldn't take advantage off it, no matter how the citizenry would be clamoring to "leave the natives alone" even more so because the US is part of the countries that has a disadvantaged minority of natives that may be inspired by the success of the Accala IF they were to succeed... With is why they won't.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

Satanus is in prison right now.

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Is he? I honestly don't remember that.

Either way, prison breaks in a comic-verse aren't exactly super challenging to pull off.

Still, even without him around, my point stands.

And Fuck, now that reminds me of Lex cutting deals with Darkseid.

 

[NeoDarklight]

People keep saying that the Amazon is the largest oxygen producing region on the planet. What most people don't realize is that it's also the largest oxygen consuming region on the planet as well, to the point where it's ultimately oxygen neutral. What makes the rainforest so important isn't the oxygen it produces, but the clouds it produces above the treetops. These clouds flow in a seemingly endless river towards mountains, whereupon they release their load of H2O, forming actual rivers that carry the minerals and nutrients in the mountains out to sea, where they are consumed by oxygen-producing microorganisms. That's where the majority of Earth's oxygen comes from. That's why the rainforest is so important.

Now, if only the Accala understood this, then they'd have a better position to negotiate on the international stage. And also get them some knowledge beyond "Rainforest good for environment, logging bad for us".

 

[jonasquinn]

Or a mutual defence pact between nations. Is NATO a terrorist organisation?

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The major differences there are that the UN doesn't demand near total control over an entire continent with the intention of destroying all its industry and forcing out hundreds of millions of people

Also, if the tribes are considered countries that are allied with each other then it isn't an internal matter either, basically there is absolutely no way that the League doesn't get involved no matter how you paint it

Even if everyone in the world has a collective stroke and decides for some god forsaken reason that it is an internal matter it's only a matter of time before the UN makes an amendment to the charter that says the League can get involved in internal affairs if he country in question asks for help and the security council decides that the consequences of not interfering are too dire

Because again, hundreds of millions of people being displaced and multiple countries being removed from the global economy are things that would change the world forever

 

[Coda]

the Accala's first attack

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Accalas', just like yesterday.

Once the government give me their counteroffer

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British English every once in a while produces something that seriously sets off my pedant impulse while being completely correct in context.

all reasonably probably alternatives

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probable

guestimated

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guesstimated (neologism though it may be, it actually does have a defined spelling)

Yes, it is (or at least was) DC canon that there's a metahuman out there whose only power is always having the winning ticket when she plays Powerball.

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This is a reasonably good argument for not letting players pick their own numbers and requiring that tickets always be randomly generated.

 

[zerofarad]

bear all reasonably probably alternatives in mind

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reasonably probable?

 

[Enochi]

As many people have pointed out, your strategy would likely lead to more civilian deaths than going for the tribes first offer and letting poverty and mass migration take its toll. Your plan is to try and find nomadic tribes who don't use vehicles in a 5.5 million km2​ rainforest. Even indiscriminate napalm, nerve gas, and nuclear strikes (ignoring the fact that the government in charge of making that decision would be blamed for the apocalyptic consequences even if it would have worked) is incredibly unlikely to wipe out all the tribes or even most of them. Then while the massive riots are going on because people will rightfully think you're crazy, a few groups of Danner enhanciles get to the biggest cities in the country and raze them to the ground unless you smother the cities in napalm first.

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The point isn't to hit the tribes. The point is to show mutually assured destruction. The tribes want to save the rain forest as it is their home. The government showing that it can cause huge damage if it needs too. (The tribes would be forced to at least somewhat focus on containing the blaze.) The tribes at this point can also do huge amounts of damage to Brazil as well. Neither can really defend against the other.

 

[Vaermina]

How do you mean? This whole arc he's been going out of his way to get these people into peaceful negotiations. If anyone can just eradicate the Accala it's Paul and he won't even mind control them to buy time. Come to think of it I don't think he's been in a fight since that thing with the fairies.

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Part of a successful negotiation is not giving one side unreasonable expectations before the negotiations even start.

 

[rkyeun]

The Solution:
"Orange Lantern, can you administer the Danner formula to people?"
"Yes."
"What would we have to offer you to perform that on all our military and police?"

Let the transhuman arms race begin.

 

[NullVoid]

Who said anything about asking?

Like seriously...if they hit the threshold where they have to reach out to super-villains do you really think they are even considering what the church fucks want? If they are about to get their entire country smashed by a bunch of Super powered Zealots that they can't fight, does what the polls say really matter?

Also, a government doing shady shit that their populace wouldn't like behind their backs? Holy shit, yeah because that could NEVER happen. It happens every day, in every country on earth.

Or that the entire point of my point is Super-villains will take shit to the extreme, breaking any shackles that were feebly put upon them, and just do whatever the fuck they want anyway?

Also? Secret clandestine organizations like the Light are at least somewhat good at, you know, being covert. If Satanius and such are brought in, do you really think Lex is going to introduce him to Brazil's leaders like "Oh yeah, and here is my coworker Demon MacHellguy."?

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I don't think politicians would call in help that would get them voted out of office at all. Calling someone like Vandal Savage that would save the country from being ruled by Hugo Danner in exchange for it being ruled by himself would defeat the whole purpose. However, calling a guy like Lex Luthor would be a lot more palatable; in exchange for some experimental exoskeletons or cold ray guns or other such nonsense, he would become a hero to the population and probably be allowed a lot of leeway in conducting his gray business in the future.

The way I see it, the way to go would be either some master technologist like Luthor) or wizard that could give a large number of deputies enough power to contend with the Danner enhanciles, preferably while keeping them dependant on a logistics tail that keeps them from turning around after beating back the Acala and taking over the country.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Accalas', just like yesterday.
probable
guesstimated (neologism though it may be, it actually does have a defined spelling)

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Thank you, corrected.

British English every once in a while produces something that seriously sets off my pedant impulse while being completely correct in context.

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Hmm.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

I don't think politicians would call in help that would get them voted out of office at all.

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"The Dannered Natives are 5 miles from your location and closing fast. Your men do not have the munitions to hold them back, and even if they did, their weapons are not enough to seriously wound, let alone kill. In a short time, they will be here, and will have you. So.....do we have a deal?"

You can't worry about getting voted out of office if there isn't going to be a fucking office. To say nothing of suspending elections for the "duration". Which happens all the fucking time before a military dictatorship takes over.

What world of fairy dust and unicorn farts do you live in where people in desperate situations can't make bad snap decisions that don't actually look terrible at the time?

If the rest of the world doesn't step in, if the JLU stays out of it, just what choices do they have? They either reach out to someone who is putting themselves forth as very capable of saving the country....OR YOU LOSE THE COUNTRY.

"But...the votes..." Is literally NOT going to come up when Dannered up Natives start reducing cities to rubble with ALL THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THAT CAN ENTAIL.

Calling someone like Vandal Savage that would save the country from being ruled by Hugo Danner in exchange for it being ruled by himself would defeat the whole purpose. However, calling a guy like Lex Luthor would be a lot more palatable; in exchange for some experimental exoskeletons or cold ray guns or other such nonsense, he would become a hero to the population and probably be allowed a lot of leeway in conducting his gray business in the future.

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Vandal Savage isn't really a well known super mercenary for hire for one. Also, the lack of you bothering to think with desperation, or arrogance in believing that they can maintain control over their hires is truly baffling to me.

 

[NullVoid]

"The Dannered Natives are 5 miles from your location and closing fast. Your men do not have the munitions to hold them back, and even if they did, their weapons are not enough to seriously wound, let alone kill. In a short time, they will be here, and will have you. So.....do we have a deal?"

You can't worry about getting voted out of office if there isn't going to be a fucking office. To say nothing of suspending elections for the "duration". Which happens all the fucking time before a military dictatorship takes over.

What world of fairy dust and unicorn farts do you live in where people in desperate situations can't make bad snap decisions that don't actually look terrible at the time?

If the rest of the world doesn't step in, if the JLU stays out of it, just what choices do they have? They either reach out to someone who is putting themselves forth as very capable of saving the country....OR YOU LOSE THE COUNTRY.

"But...the votes..." Is literally NOT going to come up when Dannered up Natives start reducing cities to rubble with ALL THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THAT CAN ENTAIL.

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You obviously don't know Brazilian politicians (or, as a matter of fact, third world country politicians). If they can hold on to power by kowtowing to Hugo Danner the First, they would do it in an eyeblink, screw the electorate. They're not worried about the votes, they are worried about the power and the cash flow. If the Enhanciles are 8.04672 kilometers away and closing in, they will just get on a chopper and flee. If the situation is untenable, they'll just move to Switzerland or Miami and enjoy the money they already have stashed away.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

You obviously don't know Brazilian politicians (or, as a matter of fact, third world country politicians). If they can hold on to power by kowtowing to Hugo Danner the First, they would do it in an eyeblink, screw the electorate. They're not worried about the votes, they are worried about the power and the cash flow. If the Enhanciles are 8.04672 kilometers away and closing in, they will just get on a chopper and flee. If the situation is untenable, they'll just move to Switzerland or Miami and enjoy the money they already have stashed away.

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While it's true that I'm not up to date on Brazil's current group of politicians, if the votes aren't something they are worried about...why did you keep bringing them up?

Furthermore, this is a comic universe. Thus there is no chopper waiting for you to flee in (at least, not until the deal is done). You just have the "Devil" and the deal offered. I imagine Lex, and whoever he might bring, would just as soon kill them and forge signatures/brainwash anyway.

If the people running the country don't care about the country existing, then there isn't any argument to be had anyway.

That and Brazil's about to glow in the dark from every other country making damn sure that the army of super people aren't headed their way.

Shit, the USA alone would be looking at that shit like "Super powers? Wait...that means they have bigger dicks! BOMB THEM!"

 

[Vaermina]

"The Dannered Natives are 5 miles from your location and closing fast. Your men do not have the munitions to hold them back, and even if they did, their weapons are not enough to seriously wound, let alone kill. In a short time, they will be here, and will have you. So.....do we have a deal?"

You can't worry about getting voted out of office if there isn't going to be a fucking office. To say nothing of suspending elections for the "duration". Which happens all the fucking time before a military dictatorship takes over.

What world of fairy dust and unicorn farts do you live in where people in desperate situations can't make bad snap decisions that don't actually look terrible at the time?

If the rest of the world doesn't step in, if the JLU stays out of it, just what choices do they have? They either reach out to someone who is putting themselves forth as very capable of saving the country....OR YOU LOSE THE COUNTRY.

"But...the votes..." Is literally NOT going to come up when Dannered up Natives start reducing cities to rubble with ALL THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THAT CAN ENTAIL.

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You seem to be running on the faulty assumption that the Brazilian government actually has the ability to make such a deal.

Hint, they don't, even if they agreed to it the people living in those area's wouldn't be willing to follow along.

 

[DAT_NOOB]

"The Dannered Natives are 5 miles from your location and closing fast. Your men do not have the munitions to hold them back, and even if they did, their weapons are not enough to seriously wound, let alone kill. In a short time, they will be here, and will have you. So.....do we have a deal?"

You can't worry about getting voted out of office if there isn't going to be a fucking office. To say nothing of suspending elections for the "duration". Which happens all the fucking time before a military dictatorship takes over.

What world of fairy dust and unicorn farts do you live in where people in desperate situations can't make bad snap decisions that don't actually look terrible at the time?

If the rest of the world doesn't step in, if the JLU stays out of it, just what choices do they have? They either reach out to someone who is putting themselves forth as very capable of saving the country....OR YOU LOSE THE COUNTRY.

"But...the votes..." Is literally NOT going to come up when Dannered up Natives start reducing cities to rubble with ALL THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THAT CAN ENTAIL.

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I'd argue it would hit that point WMD's would be flying well before then

 

[Mr Zoat]

18th March
17:02 GMT -3

I smile at the young-looking captain the Brazilian government is dispatching to confirm the Accalas' claims.

"What did you do to get lumbered with this job?"

The captain -Davi Serra- remains po-faced.

"I studied traditional languages and culture in university. And part of my family still lives in the countryside. I want to try to explain why remaining part of Brazil is good for them."

"Best of luck. You'll experience a moment of disorientation, but there shouldn't be any other side-effects. If you feel anything, let me know at once."

He nods, I attach a filament and the universe flickers. Since I don't think letting the Brazilian government know exactly where the Accala are at the moment is a good idea, we appear under the canopy. I look at Captain Serra just in case, but he gives his head a small shake and waves my concerns off. I nod, then lower us to the jungle floor, the locals keeping back slightly but watching with interest.

"They do not interact much with outsiders."

"Some of them do. Most don't."

"If they are still vulnerable to disease-."

"No, but that sort of thing leaves a mark."

I descend to the jungle floor and remove my filament. The locals have noticed that Captain Serra isn't a superhero, and the looks he's getting are a good deal less friendly.

"Do they speak Portuguese?"

Ring?

"At least some of them do. Hugo Danner certainly didn't speak much Tupi when he got here."

I lead the way towards the hut, where… There's a queue, and inside Hugo is taking the time to meet his people in turn.

"…aged a day."

A woman who could be anywhere between twenty and eighty smiles, nodding.

"I am a great grandmother now, Man-God."

Hugo shakes his head. "How do you manage to take the injection? No needle would pierce your skin. A knife wouldn't work…"

She holds up her right forefinger, whose fingernail looks rather sharp.

"The potion of the gods can enter the body anywhere. Our bodies can break our bodies. I prepare and administer it."

"That's-." He notices me. "Ah, I'm sorry, I need to talk to Orange Lantern again."

She looks around, eyeing me warily for a moment before returning her attention to Hugo. "You will eat with us this evening? All of my children love my stories about you."

He nods, actually smiling. "I'd like that."

She leaves the hut, and Captain Serra and I walk past the queue. I awkwardly wave as the people in the queue look at me.

"Sorry."

The woman Hugo was talking to gives us a glare as she leaves, then it's just us and the man himself. And everyone queuing outside and a group of people I assume are other Elders talking off to one side.

"Mr Danner, this is Captain Serra."

Hugo gets up and offers Captain Serra his right hand.

"Captain. Are you alright in English? My Portuguese is a little rusty."

"Mister Danner." He takes his hand. "English is fine. Did you know that they still teach your coup attempt in the Academy?"

"Oh? I can't think why. We defeated ourselves."

"Yes, but you killed a significant number of Brazilian soldiers first. I believe that the exercise is intended to teach us how to handle unwinnable engagements."

"I hope everyone in the military who's advising the Brazilian government took that class."

"Yes, but there are always people who think it could have been won if they were in command. Focused anti-tank guns or chlorine gas."

"I've spent most of the time since I got out of prison testing exactly what people like me can do. We're too fast for the sort of anti-tank guns they had back then to make much difference. Gas can kill us, but if it doesn't then our lungs heal. Modern weapons are a bit different, but the defending army would have its work cut out. But… You're not here to negotiate. No offense meant…"

"No, they would not send a captain for that. I am here to confirm your claims concerning the military force of the Accala. If you really have as many people as Orange Lantern has told my superiors that you have. And if they are really as strong as he says."

Hugo looks at me, and I take twelve iron bars out of subspace and float one over to Captain Serra.

"If you'd care to check..?"

He tries twisting it, then bangs it against the table. Then he takes his knife out and tries scratching it. He nods, and comes closer and picks another rod at random to subject to the same tests. Then he nods again and passes them both back to me.

Hugo gets up, and they both follow me outside. I pass one bar to Hugo, and he grabs it with both hands and twists it without all that much visible effort.

A couple of small children clap excitedly, and I make momentary eye contact with their adult escorts for affirmation and then reward them with a bar each. The elder child has a little trouble, but manages to bend it into a 'U' shape. The younger's hands are sufficiently small that they're having trouble gripping it properly, but when they squeeze and grip they leave visible impressions in the metal. Right before it pops out of her grip and hits another girl in the head.

The other girl's head moves a little under the impact-

"Sorry! Sorry!"

-but she clearly isn't hurt and only a little annoyed.

"Be careful!"

I recover the metal bars. "Would you like to select some others at random?"

"I don't think that you are lying, but I need to get an idea of the Accala's numbers as well."

Hugo nods. "I can show you around a little. But don't go too far away from me. They all know you're coming, but… This is a community, not an army. They don't have that sort of discipline."

"I'll stay with you. I don't want to get ripped apart."

"Then I'll leave the two of you together while I visit Caracas. Excuse me."

The universe flickers as I appear outside Ms Holguin's office, then I wave through the window at her.

"Ready to go?"

She nods, grabbing her equipment and dashing out of the office. A few moments later I land as she exits the building.

"Is this for real?"

"Very much so, but I'm hopeful that we can avoid open conflict. Ready?"

She nods, and the universe flickers again.

 

[RichardWhereat]

I like the new guy. Sure hope he doesn't die on us.
The interview should be fun.

All of my children love my stories about your."

Click to shrink...

you

 

[Handlewithcare]

If they are that long lived and can reproduce than they will, on evolutionary time scales, simply outcompete normal humans.

But of course, technology renders that mute.

If word of this spreads, good looks, long live, damage resistance, superstrength and healing factor, how many people all over the world will holler for these injections? I mean, what parent in their right mind wouldn't want that for their child?

There is a whole community hear proving any sideeffects are negligible. This could upend everything, everywhere.

 

[Sceptic]

"I am a great grandmother now, Man-God."

Click to shrink...

That answers one question. Danner enhanciles are definitely not infertile.