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

[Mr Zoat]

it's (or "it is")

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Thank you, corrected.

Huh. Jack Chance's gun was mass-produced by the Reach, and everyone was worried that the OLC would lose its quality advantage. But in the most recent updates on the war, we always get 'and there's nothing the Reach does that actually matters against OLC in a fight.' And now Paul is worried that the crystals are a silver bullet.

I know the Reach built that super-fleet of ships with gravity manipulation/teleportation, as well as jammed-on anti-construct guns. Paul won against it, but…

I dunno. Did they figure out a counter for the guns? Is every OL just, in a fight against a scarab, relying on their ring AI to auto-transition them if they use that gun, like when Paul fights a Kryptonian like that last from the JSI? And do the crystals have a much wider radius of effect or something?


Also, it's hilarious that Jordan still isn't wearing armor. After the anti life, after the Sheeda, after saying he'd have to get armor because the reach was planning on infesting GLC space with those guns. He really is gods dumbest, most stubborn soldier, huh?

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Are you talking about crumbler ammunition? If I gave it to the Reach then I've forgotten, but the technique that the SI and Guy developed for ablative constructs is now used by most of the Orange Lantern Corps and it's a decent counter.

 

[Ngamer11]

Are you talking about crumbler ammunition? If I gave it to the Reach then I've forgotten, but the technique that the SI and Guy developed for ablative constructs is now used by most of the Orange Lantern Corps and it's a decent counter.

Click to shrink...

I think it was something else, like the weapon of the Black Hand. Might be something else.

 

[NightmareWarden]

Spoiler: Last third of planning this update

"They're got gravity shields. I could probably damage them eventually-."

"Could you-? Work out the frequency of their shields if you shot them long enough?"

"The frequency?"

"Yeah."

"Of… Gravity shields?"

"Yeah. What, wrong word?"

"Didn't you.. study physics for-?"

"I'm a pilot. I studied aeronautics. You wanna talk about drag coefficients, I'm your guy. You wanna talk about black hole guns, I'll go get Atom."

"It's more likely that I'll lock them on blocking my singularity beam, which would mean that they couldn't deflect the missile. That still leaves point defences, assumes that the ships can't cover each other with their gravity shields, and that we can actually hit them."

"Got a way around that?"

"Don't use missiles. Use ballistic projectiles with warheads. With the three of us firing, we can cover enough of their potential location volume to be confident of hitting-."

"Lantern Gaart, you know how to make a railgun construct?"

"No, sir."

"That doesn't matter."

"If it's just the two of us-."

"Grand Admiral Thrawn taught me that if they can't track the projectiles, they have to assume that each observed firing is a real firing."

He frowns at the name, but he gets it. "So he just pretends to fire a bunch of times, and they'll have to evade."

"Or fire along the projectile's calculated approach vector. Depends how good they are."

"Can you shoot these things and fire the black hole gun at the same time?"

"Why would I need to? They're going to be ballistic."

"So fire them, wait until they're about to arrive and then shoot the ships?"

"Yep."

"Okay, it's a plan." He claps his hands together. "Let's get to work."

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Spoiler: 5th World

Does everyone recall the think tank of skilled individuals who put together the cure-tech patches which blocked Klarion's mind control? Well, The Light's mind control? The think tank had a telepathic connection going which vastly improved their coordination.

Obviously this chapter's plan demonstrates that a participant does not need to understand all of the physics or engineering involved in order to participate in the execution step. Consider how difficult this pickle would be for heroes other than this Paul though! He's a practically renaissance man of obstacle-nullifying because his ring's AI and his vast bag of tools. How many non-lantern characters have a real path to resolving a threat like this? Very few! But some of the necessary know-how might help bridge the gap.

The chance to summon up a connection to linked experts in physics, magic, or whatever... Seems like it could act as a potential to return to one of Paragon!Paul's favorite strategies at the start of With This Ring:

Phone a Friend.
It is a way to massively support weaker actors that may wind up assisting in the eventual Brother Eye/Batman assault, yes? Heck, Kid Flash is going to have to train up alchemist-biochemists to make his mark on the world. With that team linked up to aid a hero with limited experience, said hero should be able to spend more time supporting civilIans or fighting criminals. Meanwhile Arnold Munro's genetics team, with the right crisis or contract, could be linked to assist in a very different category of threat.

What I'm getting at, is that Paragon's earth has the potential to reach a greater state than Apokalips or New Genesis by using their mundane humans in a novel way, rather than repeating Apokalips' lowly caste system like Batman aims to. This probably has unique benefits that an Earth conquered by Renegade-Paul (Grayven) will miss out on.

Anyway. Consent is important, Bruceman. You're gonna make Robin into something that will end with you despising yourself, man. You're going to lose because you've given up lateral thinking to reach your goal(s) faster.

 

[Ardy]

Thank you, corrected.

Are you talking about crumbler ammunition? If I gave it to the Reach then I've forgotten, but the technique that the SI and Guy developed for ablative constructs is now used by most of the Orange Lantern Corps and it's a decent counter.

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It was the anti construct guns that weakened constructs, brought by the free lancers from earth and sold to the reach irl years ago, months ago at least in the war in story. No crumblers for the reach yet tho

 

[WereDragon]

But with an anti-construct silver bullet…

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Paul is going to be so vexed if he sends his report about this and five minutes later Controller Granny patches out the vulnerability.

It was the anti construct guns that weakened constructs, brought by the free lancers from earth and sold to the reach irl years ago, months ago at least in the war in story. No crumblers for the reach yet tho

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For details see Negetiations and Onslaught

 

[BlackCoat13]

If this anti-construct crystal stuff is only found on this planet, destroy the planet! Seriously this shit is way to dangerous to let anyone have, and the fucking Apocalyptians know about it? Are already using it? Yeah, it's gotta go. Even the Guardians would say it's the right call.

 

[Neruz]

If this anti-construct crystal stuff is only found on this planet, destroy the planet! Seriously this shit is way to dangerous to let anyone have, and the fucking Apocalyptians know about it? Are already using it? Yeah, it's gotta go. Even the Guardians would say it's the right call.

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While Yellow Element is one of the rarest materials in the galaxy, it probably can be found elsewhere as well: If nothing else in the Green Lantern animated series it can be found naturally on a Class G Planet in the Forgotten Zone, where jellyfish people mine it for food.

 

[Silveraith]

"They're got gravity shields. I could probably damage them eventually-."

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They've got or They have.

 

[Mr Zoat]

They've got or They have.

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Darko]

Ah yes, because leaving bodies around worked out so well for you last time.

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Yes, it did work out quite well.

Seeing as he was destroyed with qwa matter, and had to use a clone body after his original was completely destroyed.

 

[hkim]

"Probably, but if so, Legion's saving them for a major Reach target."

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LEGION is usually capitalized, isn't it?

 

[Mr Zoat]

LEGION is usually capitalized, isn't it?

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I've written it a couple of different ways. I'll change it.

 

[boo600]

Specifically:

Ah… I don't think so. They used combat robots but they weren't anything special." He frowns. "Oh, and Chance had a gun that can drain the energy out of constructs."

Juah-!

"That's somewhat significant, Lantern Jordan."

"Sure, but you've been destroying constructs with those crumbler things for over a year now."

"Yes, but the Reach doesn't know how to make them. If the Free Lancers shared that technology… We've got to go on the offensive right away. We can't let them work out how to work it into their strategies." I exhale somewhat sharply. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

"Ahh… No, I don't think-. Look, I'm sorry. I've run into so much weird technology that it didn't really stand out at the time, and this was.. years ago."

"Don't worry about us, worry about you." He frowns, puzzled. "The peace with the Reach was never going to be a permanent thing. The Reach now has the design for shutting down-. Can you just send me the file?"

"Yeah, sure. Why exactly should I be worried?"

"Peace between the Green Lantern Corps and the Reach can't last. But they aren't just going to declare war on you one day, or try sending Scarab Warriors after isolated Lanterns. They're going to sell the technology to anyone who wants it. Below cost. For now they're going to be focusing on retrofitting their ships to fight us, but once they've got the production line set up they're going to make sure that every space capable enemy your Corps ever fights has one."

"And you're sure our treaty doesn't cover that?"

"The wording of your treaty has been studied by the Controllers at length. If they don't use it themselves, there's nothing stopping them selling to whoever they want. You can arrest weapon merchants who sell in violation of local law, but there's nothing that would trigger a war in there."

He clenches his jaw. "God damn. I guess I'm going to have to start wearing armour after all."

"And not before time, but that's not all. Did you ever copy Guy and start using that Halla stun pistol thing? Because you can dodge to save your environmental shield, but any ship with decent flak can shoot out your offensive constructs."

"This is a whole can of worms…" He sighs. "I'll send you the recording, but I'm going to need to talk to the Guardians about… Everything."

"Tell Earth's other Lanterns first. Alan needs to get over his aversion to armour. Maybe Dame Carol can give you all some pointers. Or you can wait for me to come back, but I.. think I'm going to be here for a while."

"Do they know where Earth is?"

"Not as far as I know. But between me and that fleet there's a trail. I mean, the way I normally move isn't easy to trace and the fleet took reasonable precautions, but…"

"Great. Great."

"N.E.M.O. has very effective anti-infiltration strategies if you want a look. And that L.E.G.I.O.N. fleet hanging around two eight one four has an unlimited licence to hunt down and kill anything associated with the Reach, so if a Reach 'trade' mission does turn up you can just clue them in and then turn around."

"Right. I'll get on that. Jordan out."

His face vanishes.

And I scream, very quietly.

"Aaaaaaaaggghh…"

Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

Ring, mess… Message to Clarissi Dox. I can't-. I need to confirm this is actually happening before going crazy-. Oh, there's Jordan's file of Chance shooting him in the middle of a Lantern versus Lantern fight and shutting his ring down. Yes, thank you Jordan, that would have been helpful to know.

Message… Ah, 'new information from Lantern Jordan indicates that the Reach may be deploying a highly effective anti-construct weapon, recommend all Lanterns move to fully sealed armour, more information to follow'. Send.

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One shot can shut down a power ring outright, and at significant range. They can also shoot down constructs, and built a fleet based around that + gravity ships.

Paul won, but it was clear the Reach would be making it lethal to be a green lantern, without any way to really stop them. I did wonder why that plotting wasn't being revisited - newbie GLs being escorted (or dying in unprecedented numbers), mention of Guy and the others being unavailable because of training/the galaxy being on fire as pirates become GL proof en masse, descriptions of their armor (well, we got some of that with the Sheeda).

And it was never really given a reason to be dealt with? And Dox agreed their advantage was about to disappear… but then we have Paul (post anti-life, I think) going 'nothing they have can match us.' I thought that might be because of Xalitan and those like him, or an off-screen countermeasure because you got bored of the Reach as villains.

I suppose that could still be the case? It can't be that Krona's bullshit patched the issue, because this was post-Krona. But perhaps Jevek's nonsense patched it retroactively, by accident?

 

[Mr Zoat]

30th April 2258
19:28 G.M.T. -5

Given that I've been on a grand total of one date in my entire life, I don't think this is going too badly.

I'm rich, but I'm not super rich. And most of my money is liquid, rather than being tied up in shares or property. I do have some investments, if only to assuage revenue protection officers, but I'm working on the assumption that if the ring keeps working then I can always get more raw materials to sell. I really only need enough money to pay for top quality health insurance (and the lawyers to make sure that the insurance company provides the agreed upon service) to make sure that if I'm comatosed someone will look after my recumbent body until I recover enough to fix myself. And in case it stops for some reason, I've put enough to live on in a high interest account. But honestly, that's not as much money as you think it is.

More than I could have acquired conventionally, but.. not.. rich money. It's the Sam Vimes 'Boots' Theory of Socio-Economic Unfairness. If you don't need a mortgage and don't need a huge house, it's far cheaper to buy outright. Heck, installing your own fusion reactor is cheaper than buying grid power after about eight years, if you can stand all of the checks and inspections required to get it built in the first place-.

But my point is, I'm nouveau-riche. I don't have any experience in how rich people actually live, especially when interacting with… Ah… Middle class people. I could afford to take Kelsey to a ridiculously expensive restaurant… But is that too much for a first date? Or a cheaper restaurant, but is that implying that I'm cheap? And then there's the actual entertainment; I looked, but there are very few actual cinemas left, and those show arty films. There are hologram places, but I took a look at those when I first arrived on Earth and they're… Honestly not that good. Transparent, glitchy, and they don't really mesh with the environment due to the projection equipment. Maybe I'm being a Luddite, but I prefer 2D and a normal screen.

But does she? Don't know. I asked Mayan, but she was surprised that we weren't being chaperoned by clan elders. I asked the peanut gallery-

Yes. You asked us.

-and… They tried their best.

So I rented a small cinema and found a copy of The Matrix. I don't know if it's actually a good idea, but… I just have to find out more about her. For dinner, it's a family owned and somewhat famous fast food restaurant that's high quality and characterful enough that I think it's a decent bunt.

Quick check that Mayan is in a secure location…

Working on her next piece, in a room whose walls I've reinforced enough that it would take heavy ordnance to penetrate them. Okay.

Ah.

We agreed to meet here at half past seven, and I don't think that scanning for Kelsey would be a good idea, either in terms of my increasingly implausible deniability or in terms of building a healthy relationship. But if I misunderstood and she's expecting me to pick her-

A taxi pulls up on the curb, and Kelsey steps out.

-up.

And to my relief we're dressed at about the same level of sophistication. Jeans, blouse and a light jacket for her, and tan trousers, t-shirt and shirt for me. She looks around for a moment, then raises her right hand and smiles, and… I waves and smile-. Walk up to her and say something.

You can do this.

I estimate the chance as no better than two parts in seven. / Just give us a warning before you actually start mating with this female. / I'm rooting for you. / You should get someone more fertile. You are too old to take risks with fertility.

Why do I talk to you people?

What was your alternative?

"Matthew."

"Good-. Ah, good evening-. Kelsey." Keep going. "You look-" Not lovely, she's dressing down. "-nice."

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if I was…" She looks passed me to the restaurant. "Matching the location?"

"I'm not sure either, but we match each other, so we can be wrong together."

That earns me a smiles and a brief head-duck-chuckle.

"Ah, shall we?"

We walk towards the restaurant entrance. The exterior and the surrounding seating is well-lit, and there's some sort of space heater keeping it warm. I'd make a global warming reference but I don't think she'd get it.

"How was The Nest?"

"It's… It was somewhere I hope that I don't ever have to go again. Hours in a spacesuit in an unbreathable atmosphere, meeting with individuals I haven't seen before in my nightmares because my name isn't 'Giger' or 'Lovecraft'."

"Maybe that's how they see us."

I nod. "It would explain why they hate leaving their homeworld. If anyone in the universe looked like them, I wouldn't want to leave Earth."

"But minbari are okay?"

"Sure, they're basically bald humans wearing weird hats. Whatever issues you've got with their society they don't look weird. But, to be clear, the princess was perfectly polite and helpful while I was seeing her, and saw me promptly as well, which I really appreciated."

"And they're going to.. give your friend a proper burial?"

I shake my head. "I have no idea. They're hardcore materialists. They don't believe in souls or ritual funerals. I'm not even entirely sure why he wanted his body returned there. The princess said something about experimental mind-related genes, so maybe he didn't want to risk the other hives getting a look at them?" I shrug as we enter the restaurant. "Or-."

"Maybe he was hedging his bets?"

"Heh. Yeah." But no. I know instinctively that gaim don't hedge their bets like that. "Except… Apparently, last time a gaim developed religious faith, their queen ate them."

"If your friend was dead anyway, perhaps he was prepared to risk it?"

"That would be logical, but I don't think he-." The server working the booking station looks up. "Underwood. I don't think he was being that logical. I think he just found the idea that he would in some sense be at home was.. comforting."

"This way."

The server leads us to a table which is.. against the side wall? Reasonable lines of sight but no window. We could have gotten an outside table but I thought that might be a bit chilly in April.

"But that's enough.. morbidity from me. What have you been up to?"

"Ugh." She slumps slightly, elbows on the table and head resting against her hands. "You ever get the thing at work where you're waiting for someone higher up to make a decision, and you can't really do anything until they do?"

I nod. "I think that everyone who's ever had a job has gone through that."

"And there's nothing you can do until they do it, so you're left hanging around? And I'm a highly trained professional. The company invested a lot of money in getting me to where I am, and where I am is sitting around a staffroom when I could be doing literally anything else."

"With my last employer, it was debt chasing. I had to get someone to sign off on every legal action, and they just didn't. What's holding yours up?"

"I think my boss wants more information before he makes a decision-"

I'm grimacing sympathetically. "Which you can't get-."

She nods back. "-until he makes a decision. It's ridiculous!"

We share a chuckle as the server brings over the menus. I think this is going okay.

 

[PeriodicPedant]

I'm sure it'll end in fire, for one reason or another, but right now?
:]

to fix myself And in case

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myself.

family owed and somewhat famous fast food restaurant

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owned

Yes. You asked us.
...
Why do I talk to you people?

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I loled.

 

[Agumentic]

"You ever get the thing at work where you're waiting for someone higher up to make a decision, and you can't really do anything until they do?"

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"So am I assassinating this guy or what?"

 

[Jankl]

I wonder if she is actually interested or if she is only there to spy on Paul for the Psi corps.

 

[Chojin Patriarch]

30th April 2258
19:28 G.M.T. -5

Given that I've been on a grand total of one date in my entire life, I don't think this is going too badly.

Click to shrink...

Optimistic of him. But we know the lady he's dating is one of PSI Corps' infiltration-trained agents, and is likely working directly under Mister Bester's command. So we're sitting here waiting for the explosion...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

I'm rich, but I'm not super rich. And most of my money is liquid, rather than being tied up in shares or property. I do have some investments, if only to assuage revenue protection officers, but I'm working on the assumption that if the ring keeps working then I can always get more raw materials to sell. I really only need enough money to pay for top quality health insurance (and the lawyers to make sure that the insurance company provides the agreed upon service) to make sure that if I'm comatosed someone will look after my recumbent body until I recover enough to fix myself And in case it stops for some reason, I've put enough to live on in a high interest account. But honestly, that's not as much money as you think it is.

Click to shrink...

The benefits of being able to be sure you get what you pay for. Because you paid a lot to make it happen.

More than I could have acquired conventionally, but.. not.. rich money. It's the Sam Vimes 'Boots' Theory of Socio-Economic Unfairness. If you don't need a mortgage and don't need a huge house, it's far cheaper to buy outright. Heck, installing your own fusion reactor is cheaper than buying grid power after about eight years, if you can stand all of the checks and inspections required to get it built in the first place-.

Click to shrink...

Because rich people often didn't get rich by spending money like water.

But my point is, I've nouveau-riche. I don't have any experience in how rich people actually live, especially when interacting with… Ah… Middle class people. I could afford to take Kelsey to a ridiculously expensive restaurant… But is that too much for a first date? Or a cheaper restaurant, but is that implying that I'm cheap? And then there's the actual entertainment; I looked, but there are very few actual cinemas left, and those show arty films. There are hologram places, but I took a look at those when I first arrived on Earth and they're… Honestly not that good. Transparent, glitchy, and they don't really mesh with the environment due to the projection equipment. Maybe I'm being a Luddite, but I prefer 2D and a normal screen.

Click to shrink...

Ugh. And I bet there are just as many people who insist that the 3d tech 'is the future, just stick with it through the early stages and it'll be amazing' as there are lamenting the death of 'classic' digital cinema.

But does she? Don't know. I asked Mayan, but she was surprised that we weren't being chaperoned by clan elders. I asked the peanut gallery-

Yes. You asked us.

-and… They tried their best.

Click to shrink...

But none of them are human, and thus they don't know anything about human dating... I'm sure they'll have plenty of running commentary.

So I rented a small cinema and found a copy of The Matrix. I don't know if it's actually a good idea, but… I just have to find out more about her. For dinner, it's a family owed and somewhat famous fast food restaurant that's high quality and characterful enough that I think it's a decent bunt.

Click to shrink...

Interesting choice of film for a first date.

Quick check that Mayan is in a secure location…

Working on her next piece, in a room whose walls I've reinforced enough that it would take heavy ordnance to penetrate them. Okay.

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And easily accessible by him using the Ring, of course.

Ah.

We agreed to meet here at half past seven, and I don't think that scanning for Kelsey would be a good idea, either in terms of my increasingly implausible deniability or in terms of building a healthy relationship. But if I misunderstood and she's expecting me to pick her-

Click to shrink...

I'm sure her handlers have everything planned out, given his status as a high-value target...

A taxi pulls up on the curb, and Kelsey steps out.

-up.

Click to shrink...

Ah, see? Right on time.

And to my relief we're dressed at about the same level of sophistication. Jeans, blouse and a light jacket for her, and tan trousers, t-shirt and shirt for me. She looks around for a moment, then raises her right hand and smiles, and… I waves and smile-. Walk up to her and say something.

Click to shrink...

Don't lock up now, hero.

You can do this.

I estimate the chance as no better than two parts in seven. / Just give us a warning before you actually start mating with this female. / I'm rooting for you. / You should get someone more fertile. You are too old to take risks with fertility.

Click to shrink...

Ah, the peanut gallery chiming in. Always funny.

Why do I talk to you people?

What was your alternative?

Click to shrink...

They're not wrong.

"Matthew."

"Good-. Ah, good evening-. Kelsey." Keep going. "You look-" Not lovely, she's dressing down. "-nice."

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At least he'll come across as awkward as he feels, rather than Smoothy Mcsmooth.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if I was…" She looks passed me to the restaurant. "Matching the location?"

"I'm not sure either, but we match each other, so we can be wrong together."

Click to shrink...

A pleasant sentiment.

That earns me a smiles and a brief head-duck-chuckle.

"Ah, shall we?"

Click to shrink...

Hopefully she's not putting on too much of an act for him.

We walk towards the restaurant entrance. The exterior and the surrounding seating is well-lit, and there's some sort of space heater keeping it warm. I'd make a global warming reference but I don't think she'd get it.

"How was The Nest?"

Click to shrink...

Environmental troubles probably aren't solved, but one space heater outside isn't going to dissolve the ice caps.

"It's… It was somewhere I hope that I don't ever have to go again. Hours in a spacesuit in an unbreathable atmosphere, meeting with individuals I haven't seen before in my nightmares because my name isn't 'Giger' or 'Lovecraft'."

"Maybe that's how they see us."

Click to shrink...

Different standards of attractiveness and all that. Matthew was probably far to squishy and uncarapaced to be very enjoyable for them.

I nod. "It would explain why they hate leaving their homeworld. If anyone in the universe looked like them, I wouldn't want to leave Earth."

"But minbari are okay?"

Click to shrink...

It's a case of being just on the good side of the uncanny valley for them and some other races.

"Sure, they're basically bald humans wearing weird hats. Whatever issues you've got with their society they don't look weird. But, to be clear, the princess was perfectly polite and helpful while I was seeing her, and saw me promptly as well, which I really appreciated."

"And they're going to.. give your friend a proper burial?"

Click to shrink...

Ah, he spun them a tale about 'returning an ally home for proper burial'?

I shake my head. "I have no idea. They're hardcore materialists. They don't believe in souls or ritual funerals. I'm not even entirely sure why he wanted his body returned there. The princess said something about experimental mind-related genes, so maybe he didn't want to risk the other hives getting a look at them?" I shrug as we enter the restaurant. "Or-."

Click to shrink...

Said genes long since integrated into that specific branch of the hive. But it fits with his cover story.

"Maybe he was hedging his bets?"

"Heh. Yeah." But no. I know instinctively that gaim don't hedge their bets like that. "Except… Apparently, last time a gaim developed religious faith, their queen ate them."

Click to shrink...

Still amusing.

"If your friend was dead anyway, perhaps he was prepared to risk it?"

"That would be logical, but I don't think he-." The server working the booking station looks up. "Underwood. I don't think he was being that logical. I think he just found the idea that he would in some sense be at home was.. comforting."

Click to shrink...

And he did, if the way he faded out was any indication.

"This way."

The server leads us to a table which is.. against the side wall? Reasonable lines of sight but no window. We could have gotten an outside table but I thought that might be a bit chilly in April.

Click to shrink...

And leave concerning openings for hostile attention, not that I think Matthew is thinking that defensively right now.

"But that's enough.. morbidity from me. What have you been up to?"

"Ugh." She slumps slightly, elbows on the table and head resting against her hands. "You ever get the thing at work where you're waiting for someone higher up to make a decision, and you can't really do anything until they do?"

Click to shrink...

Ah, Bester not sure of how to proceed, eh? Or at least her claiming so as part of her cover identity.

I nod. "I think that everyone who's ever had a job has gone through that."

"And there's nothing you can do until they do it, so you're left hanging around? And I'm a highly trained professional. The company invested a lot of money in getting me to where I am, and where I am is sitting around a staffroom when I could be doing literally anything else."

Click to shrink...

I doubt they're leaving her idle like that. More likely she's been part of the observation team that's almost certainly watching Matthew at all possible times.

"With my last employer, it was debt chasing. I had to get someone to sign off on every legal action, and they just didn't. What's holding yours up?"

"I think my boss wants more information before he makes a decision-"

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I imagine he's very cautious. Especially with an unknown like Matthew Underwood.

I'm grimacing sympathetically. "Which you can't get-."

She nods back. "-until he makes a decision. It's ridiculous!"

We share a chuckle as the server brings over the menus. I think this is going okay.

Click to shrink...

Which just makes the waiting for the inevitable betrayal all the more entertaining for us readers...

It's all so pleasant and normal, it'd be easy to assume we're overreacting and seeing danger that isn't there. But around PSI Corps, there's no such thing as being too paranoid. Sadly, Matthew here isn't as suspicious as us readers, and hasn't chosen to dig a little into his potential girlfriend's background... I'm sure his peanut gallery would spot inconsistencies if he did.

 

[boo600]

I'm rooting for you

Click to shrink...

Well, at least they're supportive. That's actually rather sweet.

Just give us a warning before you actually start mating with this female.

Click to shrink...

And this is an entirely reasonable request.


Update aside, where are we on the Reach having guns that can shut down a power ring in a single hit? Given all the chapters later showing things swinging the other way, what countermeasure did the Corps come up with, that makes it so they can even stomp Scarabs who can presumably make more anti-lantern guns at will? Did they just need a software update for something that rips all the energy out of their physical constructs? Do their constructs pulse at a frequency that prevents the drain, because Maltusians are very smart?

Or was it a result of Paul figuring out how to take Scarabs without them self-destructing, and the Controllers learning some arcanotech nonsense from that? Something that can be added to every power ring, even green ones, without issue (invalidating the Reach's attempt to make the galaxy go to shit as every tom, dick and Harry Pirate gains the ability to kill lanterns semi-easily)?



Because these yellow crystals are dangerous, but they're also physical ammunition. They run out, instead of being infinite (sci fi power source) shots from a gun that… well, that Paul's already beaten when it was tied to a fleet with massive oneshot-him gravity weapons that also let their ships easily teleport. I'm not sure the crystal can perform its narrative role for whatever is planned, at least not satisfyingly; being an known problem added to unknowns keeps Paul from teleporting onto their ship, sure, but… for whatever arc this was implying?

 

[Mr Zoat]

myself.
owned

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

Update aside, where are we on the Reach having guns that can shut down a power ring in a single hit?

Click to shrink...

I'm thinking about it.

 

[Darko]

point is, I've nouveau-riche

Click to shrink...

"I'm nouveau"

And then there's the actual entertainment; I looked, but there are very few actual cinemas left, and those show arty films

Click to shrink...

"artsy"

 

[boo600]

I'm thinking about it.

Click to shrink...

Maybe it turns out that it looked like they were an advanced energy-draining weapon, but they were feeding something like the eyeball 'god' - a discount Onimar Synn? And Paul killed it offscreen, and only just now realizes that's why the guns stopped working?

Kinda sucks, given all the momentum of "we're going to lose our advantage, and the green lanterns are going to slowly die off or at least struggle as the galaxy becomes a more dangerous place." But the reach could figure out a way to re-engineer a replacement energy-draining god-planet or something?

It just needs a reason for the plot to take a… long break from those guns mattering, despite the reach evidently being able to mass-produce them.

 

[Mr Zoat]

"I'm nouveau"

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

"artsy"

Click to shrink...

Not, that's an acceptable usage.

Kinda sucks, given all the momentum of "we're going to lose our advantage, and the green lanterns are going to slowly die off or at least struggle as the galaxy becomes a more dangerous place." But the reach could figure out a way to re-engineer a replacement energy-draining god-planet or something?

It just needs a reason for the plot to take a… long break from those guns mattering, despite the reach evidently being able to mass-produce them.

Click to shrink...

The first one, I've got a solution to.

The Reach really don't want the Green Lantern Corps getting involved. They're pretty sure they can outlast NEMO, but they honestly don't think they could survive a mass mobilisation by the Green Lantern Corps, who must be taking notice of the Orange Lantern Corps working in concert with a conventional fleet subservient to them. Their worst case scenario is the Guardians calling in millions of years worth of debts and invoking a mass galactic mobilisation against them. So while they're making 'for sale' versions of the weapons they are definitely not actually selling them, because they know that the moment they do, they Guardians are going to say 'alright then' and decide that the treaty is void.

 

[WereDragon]

I'm thinking about it.

Click to shrink...

My perspective: If those guns do still work then that changes a lot of how Paul, and lanterns in general, needs to interact with the Reach. And with anyone who could have bought or salvaged guns from the Reach. The Orange and Green Lantern Corps need to make big changes to compensate.

Whereas if it was an easily fixed exploit then no further thought or attention need be given to the matter. Perhaps beyond Paul's internal narration mentioning that it was fixed.

 

[Chaoswind]

"That would be logical, but I don't think he-." The server working the booking station looks up. "Underwood. I don't think he was being that logical. I think he just found the idea that he would in some sense be at home was.. comforting."

Click to shrink...

Underwood is the last name of the local SI me thinks and the previous line of conversation implies the word here should be "but I don't think he - understood. I don't think he was being that logical...

In short this sentence and the sequence feels broken and there are multiple ways to fix it because the original intent isn't clear.

 

[boo600]

Thank you, corrected.

Not, that's an acceptable usage.

The first one, I've got a solution to.

The Reach really don't want the Green Lantern Corps getting involved. They're pretty sure they can outlast NEMO, but they honestly don't think they could survive a mass mobilisation by the Green Lantern Corps, who must be taking notice of the Orange Lantern Corps working in concert with a conventional fleet subservient to them. Their worst case scenario is the Guardians calling in millions of years worth of debts and invoking a mass galactic mobilisation against them. So while they're making 'for sale' versions of the weapons they are definitely not actually selling them, because they know that the moment they do, they Guardians are going to say 'alright then' and decide that the treaty is void.

Click to shrink...

Uh. Might want to reread the quote above.


"Yeah, sure. Why exactly should I be worried?"

"Peace between the Green Lantern Corps and the Reach can't last. But they aren't just going to declare war on you one day, or try sending Scarab Warriors after isolated Lanterns. They're going to sell the technology to anyone who wants it. Below cost. For now they're going to be focusing on retrofitting their ships to fight us, but once they've got the production line set up they're going to make sure that every space capable enemy your Corps ever fights has one."

"And you're sure our treaty doesn't cover that?"

"The wording of your treaty has been studied by the Controllers at length. If they don't use it themselves, there's nothing stopping them selling to whoever they want. You can arrest weapon merchants who sell in violation of local law, but there's nothing that would trigger a war in there."

The same idea might work, but phrased differently. Have it be that the GLC won't declare war, but that the guardians interceded (good way for them to show their diplomatic chops) and made it very, very clear that they could and would call in every favor they had, setting the entire galaxy against them and producing fleets at-cost to their allies. An indirect war? Or make it clear that, despite allowing mind control to count as diplomacy, they would not actually stand for attacking their lanterns with the galaxy's criminals as proxies, and would break the treaty if they tried to burn down the corps that way?

Or… it doesn't fit the Guardian's characterization. So maybe Ganthet or one of the others threatened to leave the Guardians and attack the Reach core worlds personally? To not be bound by the treaty?

It's a pretty big change in direction (we're about to start losing vs we are winning and it's only a matter of time). Take a lot to manage if it all got taken care of offscreen. (Without being mentioned, even in passing, for years). So, yeah. I don't envy you this, and I (and a ton of the rest of us) are happy to help patch this one problem in this well-written epic.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Underwood is the last name of the local SI me thinks and the previous line of conversation implies the word here should be "but I don't think he - understood. I don't think he was being that logical...

In short this sentence and the sequence feels broken and there are multiple ways to fix it because the original intent isn't clear.

Click to shrink...

He's saying 'Underwood' to the person at the booking station as the name the reservation is under.

Uh. Might want to reread the quote above.


"Yeah, sure. Why exactly should I be worried?"

"Peace between the Green Lantern Corps and the Reach can't last. But they aren't just going to declare war on you one day, or try sending Scarab Warriors after isolated Lanterns. They're going to sell the technology to anyone who wants it. Below cost. For now they're going to be focusing on retrofitting their ships to fight us, but once they've got the production line set up they're going to make sure that every space capable enemy your Corps ever fights has one."

"And you're sure our treaty doesn't cover that?"

"The wording of your treaty has been studied by the Controllers at length. If they don't use it themselves, there's nothing stopping them selling to whoever they want. You can arrest weapon merchants who sell in violation of local law, but there's nothing that would trigger a war in there."

The same idea might work, but phrased differently. Have it be that the GLC won't declare war, but that the guardians interceded (good way for them to show their diplomatic chops) and made it very, very clear that they could and would call in every favor they had, setting the entire galaxy against them and producing fleets at-cost to their allies. An indirect war? Or make it clear that, despite allowing mind control to count as diplomacy, they would not actually stand for attacking their lanterns with the galaxy's criminals as proxies, and would break the treaty if they tried to burn down the corps that way?

Or… it doesn't fit the Guardian's characterization. So maybe Ganthet or one of the others threatened to leave the Guardians and attack the Reach core worlds personally? To not be bound by the treaty?

It's a pretty big change in direction (we're about to start losing vs we are winning and it's only a matter of time). Take a lot to manage if it all got taken care of offscreen. (Without being mentioned, even in passing, for years). So, yeah. I don't envy you this, and I (and a ton of the rest of us) are happy to help patch this one problem in this well-written epic.

Click to shrink...

The SI doesn't have a perfect understanding of Reach psychology. At this point the Reach pretty much accept that as long as they don't violate the letter of the treaty, the Guardians won't do anything.