Terror Nova (part 21)
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Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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20th August 2013
14:43 GMT -7
I look up as the heavy transportation shuttles of the Knights of Passage breach the cloud layer. They made pretty good time, all things considered. Living in the time of the most rapid technological development which Earth has ever undergone has rather given me an unrepresentative view of how technological progress usually works; fact is, unless you're coluan or human, change is slow and incremental. Those shuttles probably aren't all that different to the ones they used when the war was ongoing.
I smile up at them, and wave in a friendly way. I've also replaced my armour with something a little less obviously Apokoliptian. As far as I remember, Other Grayven never had anything to do with the Knights, but they'll definitely remember Apokolips. It would be difficult to cover up what I am -if they thought to look- but I'm reasonably confident that I can talk my way out of it if they actually listen to me.
Hiding isn't really an option if we're going to settle this planet, and this is a war grave. I have the utmost respect for anyone prepared to fight the most powerful New God my species has ever produced.
Perhaps a commemorative park..? My education never covered that aspect of their culture. Sinestro?
Our Source Wall was vastly different to yours, and the Knights do not exist. I have no useful data.
There are a series of quiet hisses as the shuttle's marines deploy using short-ranged teleporters. They're not pointing their weapons at me, though ring-translation of their expressions makes it clear that they're distinctly unhappy.
Their… Ah… Field Unifier steps forwards. "Who are you, stranger?"
"My name is Grayven. I'm assessing this world on behalf of a species looking for somewhere to colonise."
"Then I would recommend looking for somewhere else." He makes a negative gesture with his head fronds. "This world is a place of ill-omen. Strange and inexplicable events transpire here."
I nod. "I noticed. Does someone own it?"
"Some pilgrims like to come here to contemplate their own moral failures."
"Does it help?"
"The survivors usually think so. I don't recognise your species."
"Ah, well, no. You wouldn't. We don't do pilgrimages. If we want to visit the Source Wall, our transportation technology lets us skip the intervening distance."
"What is the name of your species? Your homeworld?"
"We actually claim two homeworlds. New Genesis is the nicer-."
Their body language switches to alert immediately, and every gun from the squad is levelled at me. A few seconds later the point defences of the shuttle follow suit.
"Apokoliptian."
"Look." I raise my hands. "I'm a defector. I left Apokolips centuries ago, because it's a horrible place. I have the greatest respect for your organisation-."
"Did you know that the tomb was here?"
"No. Didn't even know what wrecked the ecosystem. I mean, once I saw it I recognised what it was, and I disarmed Yuga Khan's traps-"
The Field Unifier lowers his weapons. I don't think it's a deliberate gesture, it looks like he's just so relieved that he doesn't think I'm a threat any longer.
"-and it turned out that one of your people was still alive in there. I performed some first aid, but I didn't want to move him in case-."
"Medic!"
I smile politely as the squad's medic hurried over. Obviously, moving the man wouldn't actually be a problem, but it sounds good and makes it clear that I'm not holding him hostage. "Just a moment. Persuader, could you open a portal, please?"
A slash in the air appears next to us, and I point to it.
"Just through there. My assistants will direct you."
The Field Unifier gestures to a couple of marines, and they go through first. A moment passes and one comes back to beckon the medic.
I give it a few moments after they pass through before returning my full attention to the Field Unifier. "So… Is there a problem with us colonising this planet? I realise that Yuga Khan made a point-."
He raises his right hand and makes a warding gesture. "Do not mention the Hell King's name to us."
"Okay. Ah. I realise that he did something here, and dumped a load of your ships on the surface to get buried… I understand if you have an objection."
"No. We would have restored this world ourselves as we have all of the others he devastated. Did you encounter any strange… Things?"
"Yes, but don't worry. That was all… His fault, and it shouldn't happen any more. Ah. But if you're worried, I can ask Highfather Izaya to check my work? Honestly, given who is responsible I'd probably ask him to anyway…"
"I thank you. And I do not think that it will be a problem. A decision will be made well above my level, and I am sure that we will recover the remains of our dead, but… There are none amongst the living with a conflicting claim to it."
Ah. Not surprising, but… Sombering.
"Well, I've got more work to do with soil samples and surveying. My people won't build anything permanent until I hear back from your organisation."
"Why do you want this world?"
"Whatever You Know Who did, it left the planet thaumically active. The species I'm working with use magic. Thaumically active worlds are hard to come by. We couldn't turn our noses up at this, even if it's a bit of a fixer upper."
"I… See. Will there be other Apokoliptians living here?"
"Ah, well, my brother and his wife are also defectors. They might want to visit, but they're happy on the planet they're currently living on."
"You don't intend to make it a refuge."
"Oh, sorry. No. For humans, maybe, depending on how things go, but I'm sorry to say that most Apokoliptians have… Adapted, to Darkseid. Himon does his best, but the vast majority regard that lamentable state of affairs as normal."
"It's a little strange to be talking to someone who lived there. For most of us, it's just-."
The marines leave the cut, the Spectre's former host between them on a stretcher. The medic follows shortly behind them, carrying the infuser system. "He should be physically fine, sir. But I'd like to evacuate-."
The Unifier makes a gesture of agreement. "Go."
The three of them hurry onto the shuttle, which lifts off at once and heads back towards the flotilla in orbit.
"What of the others?"
I raise my eyebrows. "Others?"
"Our records say that he took hundreds of prisoners."
"Ah. Well, I haven't checked the whole place, but the handful in the focal room were reduced to skeletons. I don't know what he did to them before, but I doubt that it was pleasant."
"Is it-? I would like to pray there, if that is possible. Their faith has always been an inspiration to me."
"Ah, sure. Just don't touch anything other than the floor. I don't think it's dangerous, but it's better to be certain."
He makes a gesture of compliance, and walks towards the portal.
Right, good impression made with the neighbours, planet made safe. Just have to have a quick chat with Izaya, and then I can go and give Hinon a piece of my FUCKING mind.
14:43 GMT -7
I look up as the heavy transportation shuttles of the Knights of Passage breach the cloud layer. They made pretty good time, all things considered. Living in the time of the most rapid technological development which Earth has ever undergone has rather given me an unrepresentative view of how technological progress usually works; fact is, unless you're coluan or human, change is slow and incremental. Those shuttles probably aren't all that different to the ones they used when the war was ongoing.
I smile up at them, and wave in a friendly way. I've also replaced my armour with something a little less obviously Apokoliptian. As far as I remember, Other Grayven never had anything to do with the Knights, but they'll definitely remember Apokolips. It would be difficult to cover up what I am -if they thought to look- but I'm reasonably confident that I can talk my way out of it if they actually listen to me.
Hiding isn't really an option if we're going to settle this planet, and this is a war grave. I have the utmost respect for anyone prepared to fight the most powerful New God my species has ever produced.
Perhaps a commemorative park..? My education never covered that aspect of their culture. Sinestro?
Our Source Wall was vastly different to yours, and the Knights do not exist. I have no useful data.
There are a series of quiet hisses as the shuttle's marines deploy using short-ranged teleporters. They're not pointing their weapons at me, though ring-translation of their expressions makes it clear that they're distinctly unhappy.
Their… Ah… Field Unifier steps forwards. "Who are you, stranger?"
"My name is Grayven. I'm assessing this world on behalf of a species looking for somewhere to colonise."
"Then I would recommend looking for somewhere else." He makes a negative gesture with his head fronds. "This world is a place of ill-omen. Strange and inexplicable events transpire here."
I nod. "I noticed. Does someone own it?"
"Some pilgrims like to come here to contemplate their own moral failures."
"Does it help?"
"The survivors usually think so. I don't recognise your species."
"Ah, well, no. You wouldn't. We don't do pilgrimages. If we want to visit the Source Wall, our transportation technology lets us skip the intervening distance."
"What is the name of your species? Your homeworld?"
"We actually claim two homeworlds. New Genesis is the nicer-."
Their body language switches to alert immediately, and every gun from the squad is levelled at me. A few seconds later the point defences of the shuttle follow suit.
"Apokoliptian."
"Look." I raise my hands. "I'm a defector. I left Apokolips centuries ago, because it's a horrible place. I have the greatest respect for your organisation-."
"Did you know that the tomb was here?"
"No. Didn't even know what wrecked the ecosystem. I mean, once I saw it I recognised what it was, and I disarmed Yuga Khan's traps-"
The Field Unifier lowers his weapons. I don't think it's a deliberate gesture, it looks like he's just so relieved that he doesn't think I'm a threat any longer.
"-and it turned out that one of your people was still alive in there. I performed some first aid, but I didn't want to move him in case-."
"Medic!"
I smile politely as the squad's medic hurried over. Obviously, moving the man wouldn't actually be a problem, but it sounds good and makes it clear that I'm not holding him hostage. "Just a moment. Persuader, could you open a portal, please?"
A slash in the air appears next to us, and I point to it.
"Just through there. My assistants will direct you."
The Field Unifier gestures to a couple of marines, and they go through first. A moment passes and one comes back to beckon the medic.
I give it a few moments after they pass through before returning my full attention to the Field Unifier. "So… Is there a problem with us colonising this planet? I realise that Yuga Khan made a point-."
He raises his right hand and makes a warding gesture. "Do not mention the Hell King's name to us."
"Okay. Ah. I realise that he did something here, and dumped a load of your ships on the surface to get buried… I understand if you have an objection."
"No. We would have restored this world ourselves as we have all of the others he devastated. Did you encounter any strange… Things?"
"Yes, but don't worry. That was all… His fault, and it shouldn't happen any more. Ah. But if you're worried, I can ask Highfather Izaya to check my work? Honestly, given who is responsible I'd probably ask him to anyway…"
"I thank you. And I do not think that it will be a problem. A decision will be made well above my level, and I am sure that we will recover the remains of our dead, but… There are none amongst the living with a conflicting claim to it."
Ah. Not surprising, but… Sombering.
"Well, I've got more work to do with soil samples and surveying. My people won't build anything permanent until I hear back from your organisation."
"Why do you want this world?"
"Whatever You Know Who did, it left the planet thaumically active. The species I'm working with use magic. Thaumically active worlds are hard to come by. We couldn't turn our noses up at this, even if it's a bit of a fixer upper."
"I… See. Will there be other Apokoliptians living here?"
"Ah, well, my brother and his wife are also defectors. They might want to visit, but they're happy on the planet they're currently living on."
"You don't intend to make it a refuge."
"Oh, sorry. No. For humans, maybe, depending on how things go, but I'm sorry to say that most Apokoliptians have… Adapted, to Darkseid. Himon does his best, but the vast majority regard that lamentable state of affairs as normal."
"It's a little strange to be talking to someone who lived there. For most of us, it's just-."
The marines leave the cut, the Spectre's former host between them on a stretcher. The medic follows shortly behind them, carrying the infuser system. "He should be physically fine, sir. But I'd like to evacuate-."
The Unifier makes a gesture of agreement. "Go."
The three of them hurry onto the shuttle, which lifts off at once and heads back towards the flotilla in orbit.
"What of the others?"
I raise my eyebrows. "Others?"
"Our records say that he took hundreds of prisoners."
"Ah. Well, I haven't checked the whole place, but the handful in the focal room were reduced to skeletons. I don't know what he did to them before, but I doubt that it was pleasant."
"Is it-? I would like to pray there, if that is possible. Their faith has always been an inspiration to me."
"Ah, sure. Just don't touch anything other than the floor. I don't think it's dangerous, but it's better to be certain."
He makes a gesture of compliance, and walks towards the portal.
Right, good impression made with the neighbours, planet made safe. Just have to have a quick chat with Izaya, and then I can go and give Hinon a piece of my FUCKING mind.
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