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

[Darko]

No, no, tell us how you really feel... But seriously, I do wonder if that's how he sees OL: Smart enough not to bother him unless needed

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I think he sees him as useful but also annoying.

What? The Qwardians can't be the only species the Anti-Monitor touched. They're probably the most successful, though

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He probably touched them a lot when they were a young species, and that explains why they're so messed up now.

Possible collaborators, perhaps? Maybe Varnathon wasn't the only one involved in the sale and they kept their heads down very well..

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Or they're still in shock at finding out what Varathon did.

 

[Mr Zoat]

He probably touched them a lot when they were a young species, and that explains why they're so messed up now.

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Show me on this doll where the Anti-Monitor touched you.

 

[NightmareWarden]

A show of hands, who thinks Paul will disregard his buddy's order to stay silent? Before he inevitably gets discovered via costume damage.

Now a more important question. This planet has more Qwa matter than anywhere in the positive matter universe. Paul is still vulnerable to it. What will Paul choose to do when he's attacked with Qwa matter this chapter?

 

[NightmareWarden]

Show me on this doll where the Anti-Monitor touched you.

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She was quite insistent on touching everywhere.


With her weapons.

 

[Nero200]

A show of hands, who thinks Paul will disregard his buddy's order to stay silent? Before he inevitably gets discovered via costume damage.

Now a more important question. This planet has more Qwa matter than anywhere in the positive matter universe. Paul is still vulnerable to it. What will Paul choose to do when he's attacked with Qwa matter this chapter?

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Considering the last time it happened on this planet, he was mainlining Snek and controlled the stuff himself?
Probably make a very good case for why our favourite ex-High Weaponer is working with him.

(If control Qwa = Anti-Monitor Taught, then Paul = Anti-Monitor Taught, then Kalmin + Paul = double plus good? Hard to tell with this lot what mental Olympics they will pull.)

 

[DAT_NOOB]

No, they don't really go in for those. Plants, I mean. Bioweapons are fine.

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Plants are a part of everything?

 

[theaceoffire]

Right after all that evidence? Oh, this is going to go over well. /sarcasm

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I'm not going to say anything political, or at least I'm going to try not to, but let's just say I've seen actual evidence where political unity has had a large group of people say that they're outraged, then support the status quo anyway.

 

[Maxx Crowley]

Wonderful, now psychotic aliens are also using Earth tech instead of just psychotic humans

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Yeah...even more troubling when you take into account that crumbler tech has shown itself to be one of the, if not the, most powerful tech in the universe.

Shits all over power ring constructs, might be able to destroy rings and lantern batteries.

The only thing that has told it to piss off thus far is magic.

 

[Ngamer11]

Yeah...even more troubling when you take into account that crumbler tech has shown itself to be one of the, if not the, most powerful tech in the universe.

Shits all over power ring constructs, might be able to destroy rings and lantern batteries.

The only thing that has told it to piss off thus far is magic.

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Not entirely true. Ablative shields are adequate so long as you are able to prevent the user from firing multiple rounds or using whatever crumbler device they have in their possession multiple times.

 

[Steelplaza]

Anti-Monitor

You know, we get used to some pretty ridiculous terms in reading superhero comics. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash... the ridiculousness sort of fades after a while. You get used to it.

But man oh man, sometimes it's worth thinking about it. "Anti-Monitor". Okay, I mean you remember where that term comes from? There was a character called "the Monitor" in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and they called him that because he was monitoring everyone. When it came time to introduce his enemy and opposite, they called him the Anti-Monitor.

Okay. Here's an interesting quote from the Anti-Monitor's wikipedia article.

the Anti-Monitor (although his official name is the Monitor in his own universe, and he is often addressed as such, the name Anti-Monitor is used to distinguish him from his heroic positive matter counterpart).

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This actually suggests something interesting. The SI may be getting an incorrect translation of the Anti-Monitor's name every time Kalmin talks. Kalmin is actually calling him "the Monitor" or if you wanted to expand the concept to many words, "the one who watches over everything". Appropriate for what someone would call their deity. So why does the SI hear "Anti-Monitor" when a ring translation is usually perfect? Well, it's because the power ring is Malthusian technology, and they have a special relationship with the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor. To them, their guy is "the Monitor" born on Oa's moon. The other guy is the antithesis of that, the anti-Monitor, and the Malthusians won't suffer their technology to call him "Monitor" even though that is what Kalmin is actually calling him. They made the ring translate it as "Anti-Monitor".

Fascinating, eh?

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

Also, crumbler gauntlets are short range, and crumbler railgun rounds are fast only at personal ranges, and are not FTL weapons, unlike cold guns or purple death rays.

While powerful, they're not that good at capital ship scale fights for conventional forces. For boarding parties and marine use, they're quite handy though.

 

[Vaermina]

Also, crumbler gauntlets are short range, and crumbler railgun rounds are fast only at personal ranges, and are not FTL weapons, unlike cold guns or purple death rays.

While powerful, they're not that good at capital ship scale fights for conventional forces. For boarding parties and marine use, they're quite handy though.

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Crumbler gauntlets are also supposed to be psychic weapons...

 

[Someguy Somewhere]

"Crumbling Glove: The Crumbler wears a glove that operates from the energy from his central nervous system. The glove allows The Crumbler to cancel the force that binds atoms together."

Vae, while it is a little more detailed on the energy type, it's not directly stated to be psychic. It could just be mentally controlled for operation rather then psychically powered, as the wording isn't exactly specific. Don't think they ever went into anywhere near the level of detail on how the magic pain glove thing worked in the comics, so we're left for the WTR canon understanding of the device for this story. Paul's been sticking cloned brain cells in the neural chaff grenades, but he's been using the Crumbler stuff a little bit before he got his hands on those.

The Crumbler himself was never described as psychic, and Paul has mentioned that the Top was in fact a psychic speedster when he encountered him. For all we know this really is the Anti-monitor's handy-work and simply inspired the man.

 

[Mr Zoat]

11th July 2012
15:57 GMT

Varnathon is… Plain-looking. Aside from a bronze-coloured cranial cybernetic on the right side of his forehead, I don't think I'd look at him twice if I passed him on the street. Kalmin is short and muscular, and glares at everything around him as if its existence offends him. Which it probably does. Varnathon's calm and polite smile makes me think of an actor or a politician of the Tony Blair school. Though I will at least credit him with the intelligence to use empathic shielding, because I can't tell for certain.

His flying head robots take up station just ahead of him as Kalmin reaches for his qwa bolt. The blue one stops just in front of Kalmin.

"Kalmin, High Weaponlord, deposed. Most notable projects-."

Illustres, kill it.

I trigger my armour's flight systems and lunge at the robot, grabbing it with both hands-

"Unknown automato-."

-and triggering my crumbler gauntlets. The flying blue head's protective energy fields preserve it for a few seconds, then the material of its construction begins to abrade. The facial armour peels away slowly, but the more vulnerable systems built into the rear vanish almost immediately. I shut down the crumbler effect when all I have in my hands is a scoured mask, which I toss at Kalmin's feet before returning to my corner.

Varnathon holds his breath as he looks at the broken mask, then takes a deep breath before putting the same smile as before back onto his face.

"Strategos wasn't a battle automaton. And frankly, aren't we both a little old for 'robot wars'?" He shrugs, and smiles condescendingly. "Though if you want to give me a few days I'm sure I can come up with something?"

"Qwa matter, Varnathon. Explain yourself!"

"I'm really not sure that I understand your problem, Kalmin." Varnathon looks upwards at the Councillors. "Does the Anti-Monitor himself not command us to destroy all with his gifts? Yes, I freely admit that I sold qwa matter and qwa energy based weaponry to these... Aliens. What of it? The secrets of its utilisation and creation remain ours. All they can do is use what I've provided them. And consider who they're fighting! A new Lantern Corps, sworn to the Maltusians, the very people who cast down the Anti-Monitor! I am only surprised that a man as faithful as Kalmin does not see the glory of it."

He stops, swivelling on the spot to stare directly at Kalmin.

"Oh! But of course! He joined them, didn't he?"

The green floating head that had hung back turns upwards and fires a small bolt of plasma at Kalmin's projector before projecting its own hologram of our meeting with Kalmin.

I wonder where he got the recording from? I mean, it would make sense for him to keep his predecessor under observation, but I doubt that Kalmin would be so negligent as to fail to check for things like that. Ex… Cept that he wanted to die and thought that Varnathon should kill him. So he might have left an opening deliberately.

Kalmin raises his hands slightly.

"Do you see a ring here, Varnathon? I've studied power ring technology for years. I don't use other people's weapons. And besides, I've already been cast down. I don't dispute that I'm unsuitable for office."

"If I must defend my actions, I've been trading qwa matter to better enable aliens to destroy one another. I think that we've long been too conservative in our use of the substance and I'm perfectly within my authority as High Weaponlord to make this change." He looks up again. "Unless anyone wants to dispute my right to trade the products of my own labour?"

"Destroy one another? They are using it as simply another weapon!"

"And so do we. That's literally all it can be used to do: destroy things."

Kalmin's face falls slightly and he stares directly at Varnathon.

"That's all it is to you?"

"That's all it is to any of us." Varnathon doesn't appear to pay any attention to the change in Kalmin's demeanour, continuing to focus on the crowd. "We can forge it into bolts to be thrown. We can bind small amounts to blades to create melee weapons of astonishing power. But that's it. We don't… What? Mine with it? Drill with it? Use it as a scouring agent to clean the floors? No, the idea is absurd. I put it in alien hands. And by doing so I gained a new flow of raw materials and novel technologies, and an in with another enemy of the Green Lantern Corps."

"You-? Varnathon, are you able to forge bolts yourself?"

He stops and looks at Kalmin, but he's not letting himself get angry or look anything other than totally confident in the situation.

"I didn't realise you were challenging me on the strength of my ability to perform apprentice work. I have admitted to trading qwa matter. If the Council think that's worth overthrowing me over, they can. As for the educational curriculum, I freely admit to having different priorities than my predecessors." He makes an exaggerated shrug. "So what? Just about every High Weaponlord before me has made some change or other. I believe -and Thunderlord Brikan agrees- that discipline and obedience are more useful traits in Thunderers than personal ferocity and initiative. If anyone here disagrees then I'm willing to discuss it with them, but I hardly see that as a justification for these… Histrionics. Now if there's nothing else, I have work-."

Kalmin summons qwa energy, and over the next ten seconds forms it into a qwa bolt.

"The ability to manipulate qwa energy is what separates us from alien chattel. It is a sign that the Anti-Monitor has marked us out. The idea that you can manipulate qwa energy sickens me, but you have the rank of Weaponer. You must be able to. The Anti-Monitor must at some point have considered you worthy of his blessing."

Kalmin holds out his newly created bolt slightly, inviting the audience to check it.

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

"Kalmin, you've lost. This is-."

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

"This is mildly insulting and also quite sad." Varnathon shakes his head. "Where do you think I got the qwa matter I traded to the Reach?"

Weaponer Lysis steps away from the wall a little way.

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

Varnathon shakes his head and spreads his arms. "Councillors, really?"

A few frowns, a few nods.

He sighs theatrically. "Very well, then." He holds out his hands in front of him. "I freely admit that it's not my strongest skill, but…" He turns his hands palms up and curls his fingers slightly in a gripping motion. "As you can see…" Faint wisps of energy appear between his fingers. "I'm perfectly capable…" It's still weak, but it's getting stronger, flowing outwards into the form of the traditional qwa bolt. "Of forging a qwa bolt. See?"

Kalmin doesn't look impressed.

"Robot."

"Directive, Weaponer?"

"Come here."

I walk up to him and he holds out the bolt he just forged.

"Take this."

Inside my armour I put up the strongest construct shields between my right arm and my brain that I can before reaching out with my right hand and taking it from him. There's a faint… I can only describe it as a humming sensation, but it otherwise handles like a solid object of its apparent dimensions.

"Further directive, Weaponer?"

"Go and stand in the corner."

"Compliance."

I walk backwards until I reach the edge of the room. Kalmin nods, then returns his attention to Varnathon.

"You see, Varnathon, that's how it's supposed to work. I admit, after I was deposed, I spent a good deal of time working on my skill at qwa energy manipulation. I might not be the most skilled here, but I am very good. I don't expect you to be as good as me. But I do expect you to be able to forge a single bolt. And if that's your bolt, why not deactivate your personal forge and show us?"

 

[Sockmonkey]

Yeah...even more troubling when you take into account that crumbler tech has shown itself to be one of the, if not the, most powerful tech in the universe.

Shits all over power ring constructs, might be able to destroy rings and lantern batteries.

The only thing that has told it to piss off thus far is magic.

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Also the skin of that lady space pirate. What was her name? Estrogena or something.
frankly it's weird that crumbler tech works on constructs since they aren't made of matter.
I think it must work on a deeper level messing with whatever aspect of DC reality uses to define a thing as "solid" for it to affect constructs.
Do kinetic barriers stop it?

 

[Nioz]

But I do expect you to be able to forge a single bolt. And if that's your bolt, why not deactivate your personal forge and show us?"

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Ahahahaha, Varnathon is sooooo fucked here xD

 

[Darko]

as if its existence offends him

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It probably does.

Which is probably does

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Yep.

smile make me think

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'makes'

And frankly, aren't we both a little old for 'robot wars'?"

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I can see little Varni and little Kalm here building death bots in Qwardian kindergarten.

upwards and the

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'at the'

And so do we. That's literally all it can be used to do: destroying things."

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He's got a point.

"I didn't realising

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'realise'

You see, Varnathon, that's how it's supposed to work. I admit, after I was deposed, I spent a good deal of time working on my skill at qwa energy manipulation. I might not be the most skilled here, but I am very good. I don't expect you to be as good as me. But I do expect you to be able to forge a single bolt. And if that's your bolt, why not deactivate your personal forge and show us

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A dick measuring contest, or more specifically a qwa bolt measuring contest, will decide what happens here.

 

[Z000]

huh, why haven't Kalmin make a Qwa ring yet if the stuff can be shape and molded like that

oh sure, it not a Color energy but it would be the biggest middle finger ever and revolutionize how they use the stuff

 

[Darko]

huh, why haven't Kalmin make a Qwa ring yet if the stuff can be shape and molded like that

oh sure, it not a Color energy but it would be the biggest middle finger ever and revolutionize how they use the stuff

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He may consider it heretical to have it in the shape of a weapon that was used by the people who defeated their god.

 

[Z000]

He may consider it heretical to have it in the shape of a weapon that was used by the people who defeated their god.

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then take it and beat them with it

that my go to response in this sort of situation

heretical sure, but the look on their face as you destroy them with their own weapon that is running on your stuff is very nice

 

[Tyrantviewer]

huh, why haven't Kalmin make a Qwa ring yet if the stuff can be shape and molded like that

oh sure, it not a Color energy but it would be the biggest middle finger ever and revolutionize how they use the stuff

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Qwa energy is litterally part of his religion, it is the mark of his people to be able to weild it, he would never make a tool that would allow anyone to use the stuff- heck he is against selling tech using to people, why make a more potent weapon with it for others?

 

[Ancalador]

huh, why haven't Kalmin make a Qwa ring yet if the stuff can be shape and molded like that

oh sure, it not a Color energy but it would be the biggest middle finger ever and revolutionize how they use the stuff

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He may consider it heretical to have it in the shape of a weapon that was used by the people who defeated their god.

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But what would he do with it? It won't generate anything itself, he would have to take it off and throw it at someone/thing and there are far better shapes to do that with.

 

[Darko]

then take it and beat them with it

that my go to response in this sort of situation

heretical sure, but the look on their face as you destroy them with their own weapon that is running on your stuff is very nice

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And Kalmin isn't you, so he may think that the shock value is not worth committing such heresy.

The guy takes his faith seriously.

But what would he do with it? It won't generate anything itself, he would have to take it off and throw it at someone/thing and there are far better shapes to do that with.

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Unless he makes it so that it generates qwa energy and fires it.

 

[Mquz]

He may consider it heretical to have it in the shape of a weapon that was used by the people who defeated their god.

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It's reasonable to assume that's what anti-green lantern rings are. Maybe he just hasn't done it because he feels no need to.

 

[Mr Zoat]

'makes'
'at the'
'realise'

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Thank you, corrected.

The shape of qwa bolts isn't deliberate; that's the shape they take when qwa energy in those quantities is formed into qwa matter.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

11th July 2012
15:57 GMT

Varnathon is… Plain-looking. Aside from a bronze-coloured cranial cybernetic on the right side of his forehead, I don't think I'd look at him twice if I passed him on the street. Kalmin is short and muscular, and glares at everything around him as if its existence offends him. Which is probably does. Varnathon's calm and polite smile make me think of an actor or a politician of the Tony Blair school. Though I will at least credit him with the intelligence to use empathic shielding, because I can't tell for certain.

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Don't be fooled. The most evil mind can be hidden behind a plain face. Varnathon must have some measure of talent to have gained the rulership of Qward, and I suspect underestimating him will prove to be a mistake...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

His flying head robots take up station just ahead of him as Kalmin reaches for his qwa bolt. The blue one stops just in front of Kalmin.

"Kalmin, High Weaponlord, deposed. Most notable projects-."

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Chatty, isn't it? No doubt it has a concealed shield generator and programming to serve as a disposable bodyguard.

Illustres, kill it.

I trigger my armour's flight systems and lunge at the robot, grabbing it with both hands-

"Unknown automata-."

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Good to see his armour is disguise enough to fool even a tactical drone, no doubt laden with all manner of sensors.

-and triggering my crumbler gauntlets. The flying blue head's protective energy fields preserve it for a few seconds, then the material of its construction begins to abrade. The facial armour peels away slowly, but the more vulnerable systems built into the rear vanish almost immediately. I shut down the crumbler effect when all I have in my hands is a scoured mask, which I toss at Kalmin's feet before returning to my corner.

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And the best part of Crumbler tech? No mess to clean up after, not even ash.

Varnathon holds his breath as he looks at the broken mask, then takes a deep breath before putting the same smile as before back onto his face.

"Strategos wasn't a battle automata. And frankly, aren't we both a little old for 'robot wars'?" He shrugs, and smiles condescendingly. "Though if you want to give me a few days I'm sure I can come up with something?"

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Yes, I'm sure you could. He's not quite as smarmy a bastard as Melmoth was, but seeing him get his will be satisfying.

"Qwa matter, Varnathon. Explain yourself!"

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I suspect the only reason Kalmin hasn't shoved his Qwa-bolt somewhere Varnathon would not enjoy is morbid curiosity... Just how deeply has he damned himself, basically.

"I'm really not sure that I understand your problem, Kalmin." Varnathon looks upwards and the Councillors. "Does the Anti-Monitor himself not command us to destroy all with his gifts? Yes, I freely admit that I sold qwa matter and qwa energy based weaponry to these... Aliens. What of it? The secrets of its utilisation and creation remain ours. All they can do is use what I've provided them. And consider who they're fighting! A new Lantern Corps, sworn to the Maltusians, the very people who cast down the Anti-Monitor! I am only surprised that a man as faithful as Kalmin does not see the glory of it."

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Cocky, and possibly misguided. I don't doubt the Reach are studying Qwa-energy and how to reproduce it. They might not succeed anytime this century, but don't put it past them to have their own Malign Hyper-cognitives...

He stops, swivelling on the spot to stare directly at Kalmin.

"Oh! But of course! He joined them, didn't he?"

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Oh, turning to mud-slinging already, are we?

The green floating head that had hung back turns upwards and fires a small bolt of plasma at Kalmin's projector before projecting its own hologram of our meeting with Kalmin.

I wonder where he got the recording from? I mean, it would make sense for him to keep his predecessor under observation, but I doubt that Kalmin would be so negligent as to fail to check for things like that. Ex… Cept that he wanted to die and thought that Varnathon should kill him. So he might have left an opening deliberately.

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Never underestimate the bad guys' ability to get camera footage from their downright magical security devices. Such a lazy trope, but sometimes entirely justified...

Kalmin raises his hands slightly.

"Do you see a ring here, Varnathon? I've studied power ring technology for years. I don't use other people's weapons. And besides, I've already been cast down. I don't dispute that I'm unsuitable for office."

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Indeed. He's not here to reclaim the throne (so to speak.) He's here on a religious matter.

"If I must defend my actions, I've been trading qwa matter to better enable aliens to destroy one another. I think that we've long been too conservative in our use of the substance and I'm perfectly within my authority as High Weaponlord to make this change." He looks up again. "Unless anyone wants to dispute my right to trade the products of my own labour?"

"Destroy one another? They are using it as simply another weapon!"

Click to shrink...

Andrew Ryan, you are not, Varnathon. But he does have an honest point... I can't believe I just said that, but yes...

"And so do we. That's literally all it can be used to do: destroying things."

Kalmin's face falls slightly and he stares directly at Varnathon.

"That's all it is to you?"

Click to shrink...

It's not like it's the Anti-Monitor's blood or something like that. At least, I hope it isn't, that raises all manner of metaphysical questions...

"That's all it is to any of us." Varnathon doesn't appear to pay any attention to the change in Kalmin's demeanour, continuing to focus on the crowd. "We can forge it into bolts to be thrown. We can bind small amounts to blades to create melee weapons of astonishing power. But that's it. We don't… What? Mine with it? Drill with it? Use it as a scouring agent to clean the floors? No, the idea is absurd. I put it in alien hands. And by doing so I gained a new flow of raw materials and novel technologies, and an in with another enemy of the Green Lantern Corps."

Click to shrink...

Oh, he is a persuasive git, isn't he. I bet any number of councillors are nodding their heads in agreement...

"You-? Varnathon, are you able to forge bolts yourself?"

He stops and looks at Kalmin, but he's not letting himself get angry or look anything other than totally confident in the situation.

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So he thinks he has a plan, something he can turn against Varnathon, eh? Let's see where he's going with this.

"I didn't realising you were challenging me on the strength of my ability to perform apprentice work. I have admitted to trading qwa matter. If the Council think that's worth overthrowing me over, they can. As for the educational curriculum, I freely admit to having different priorities than my predecessors." He makes an exaggerated shrug. "So what? Just about every High Weaponlord before me has made some change or other. I believe -and Thunderlord Brikan agrees- that discipline and obedience are more useful traits in Thunderers than personal ferocity and initiative. If anyone here disagrees then I'm willing to discuss it with them, but I hardy see that as a justification for these… Histrionics. Now if there's nothing else, I have work-."

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So he's pruning the cream of the Q'ardajin crop in favour of mediocrity? What of the creative and inventive future Weaponers he's throwing away? Does he consider Qward to have reached a pinnacle of destructive technologies? Does he honestly believe Qward has, if you will, found 'Enuff Dakka'? What an arsehole.

Kalmin summons qwa energy, and over the next ten seconds forms it into a qwa bolt.

"The ability to manipulate qwa energy is what separates us from alien chattel. It is a sign that the Anti-Monitor has marked us out. The idea that you can manipulate qwa energy sickens me, but you have the rank of Weaponer. You must be able to. The Anti-Monitor must at some point have considered you worthy of his blessing."

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I take it such a demonstration is a minimum testing requirement. And I have to wonder how many prospective Weaponers tried and failed to work Qwa-matter... And how many survive the attempt.

Kalmin holds out his newly created bolt slightly, inviting the audience to check it.

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

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Ah, is he hoping Varnathon will fuck up and accidentally fry himself with a failed bolt? It would be a prime demonstration of his worthlessness.

"Kalmin, you've lost. This is-."

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

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Do it, or this bolt finds a sheath in your black heart...

"This is mildly insulting and also quite sad." Varnathon shakes his head. "Where do you think I got the qwa matter I traded to the Reach?"

Weaponer Lysis steps away from the wall a little way.

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

Click to shrink...

Can we get the whole Chamber calling him out? Let's see!

"Make a qwa bolt, Varnathon."

Varnathon shakes his head and spreads his arms. "Councillors, really?"

A few frowns, a few nods.

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Dangit, that would have been so damn satisfying.

He sighs theatrically. "Very well, then." He holds out his hands in front of him. "I freely admit that it's not my strongest skill, but…" He turns his hands palms up and curls his fingers slightly in a gripping motion. "As you can see…" Faint wisps of energy appear between his fingers. "I'm perfectly capable…" It's still weak, but it's getting stronger, flowing outwards into the form of the traditional qwa bolt. "Of forging a qwa bolt. See?"

Click to shrink...

He's cheating, isn't he? Using the Qwardian equivalent of an Omni-tool to shape it?

Kalmin doesn't look impressed.

"Robot."

"Directive, Weaponer?"

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Oh, this should be good. After all, what use is a weapon if none but the maker can hold it?

"Come here."

I walk up to him and he holds out the bolt he just forged.

"Take this."

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Oof, I can imagine there'd be a hint of fear in OL here. After all, it's not so long ago that he was killed by such energy. And likely not nearly so much as is condensed into a single Bolt.

Inside my armour I put up the strongest construct shields between my right arm and my brain that I can before reaching out with my right hand and taking it from him. There's a faint… I can only describe it as a humming sensation, but it otherwise handles like a solid object of its apparent dimensions.

"Further directive, Weaponer?"

Click to shrink...

Hmm... I wonder if Varnathon can manage to match that...

"Go and stand in the corner."

"Compliance."

I walk backwards until I reach the edge of the room. Kalmin nods, then returns his attention to Varnathon.

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Well, you git? What now? I bet Varnathon's sweating a little now.

"You see, Varnathon, that's how it's supposed to work. I admit, after I was deposed, I spent a good deal of time working on my skill at qwa energy manipulation. I might not be the most skilled here, but I am very good. I don't expect you to be as good as me. But I do expect you to be able to forge a single bolt. And if that's your bolt, why not deactivate your personal forge and show us?"

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Ha, knew it. He doesn't trust his own skills to be capable of matching Kalmin. I wonder if he'll even try?

So, Varnathon's next move is going to be one of several things: He shapes a Qwa-Bolt, and manages to do as good a job as Kalmin did. He tries and fails, likely destroying himself in the attempt. Or he doesn't try, and simply takes a shot at Kalmin... And Kalmin probably knows exactly which he'll attempt, I suspect. The question then is, how long until Kalmin's pulling Varnathon's head off?

 

[Darko]

Oh, turning to mud-slinging already, are we?

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It's a chapter involving politics.

Of course it's going to have mud-slinging in it.

Never underestimate the bad guys' ability to get camera footage from their downright magical security devices.

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And in this case it kinda is magical.

Well clarketech to be exact.

So he's pruning the cream of the Q'ardajin crop in favour of mediocrity? What of the creative and inventive future Weaponers he's throwing away? Does he consider Qward to have reached a pinnacle of destructive technologies? Does he honestly believe Qward has, if you will, found 'Enuff Dakka'? What an arsehole.

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To be fair by sabotaging their society he's inadvertently making sure that the Anti-Monitor, should he return, will not have the best and most capable servants, and that the new Weaponers may not be competent enough to create more advanced weaponry that can be used on innocents.

All in all, Qward may lose but everyone else kinda wins.

And if he thinks that they have reached a pinnacle in destructive technologies, then he may be kinda right.

They're certainly much further along than everyone else in that department.

 

[Handlewithcare]

There are three possibilites. Either Varnathon managed to fool all these high ranking people and then they are incompetent.

Or he didn't and they all overlooked it for personal gain and then Kalmin and Paul are vastly outnumbered.

Or he has been subverted by the Reach, which might also explain his excellent oratory skills. His culture doesn't seem to be big on smooth talking.

 

[moralrelativity]

There are three possibilites. Either Varnathon managed to fool all these high ranking people and then they are incompetent.

Or he didn't and they all overlooked it for personal gain and then Kalmin and Paul are vastly outnumbered.

Or he has been subverted by the Reach, which might also explain his excellent oratory skills. His culture doesn't seem to be big on smooth talking.

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These are all good points. TBH, it could be a mix of all of them. V did managed to fool some incompetent ones, and others have been complicit for the personal gains, and V has been influenced/enabled in all this by the Reach who are, as we know, master manipulators.
EDIT: The more I think about this the more I believe the Reach are behind it all.

 

[WereDragon]

"That's all it is to any of us." Varnathon doesn't appear to pay any attention to the change in Kalmin's demeanour, continuing to focus on the crowd. "We can forge it into bolts to be thrown. We can bind small amounts to blades to create melee weapons of astonishing power. But that's it. We don't… What? Mine with it? Drill with it? Use it as a scouring agent to clean the floors? No, the idea is absurd. I put it in alien hands. And by doing so I gained a new flow of raw materials and novel technologies, and an in with another enemy of the Green Lantern Corps."

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Anyone else get the feeling Paul would be much better off working with Varnathon than Kalmin?