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

Darko · 2026-11-10T06:28:06+0000

Mr Zoat said:
disease, as well as a few indication that he might be slightly deficient

"indications"

Mr Zoat said:
looks a little a jelly baby with

"little like"

Mr Zoat said:
tentacles twitching in its direction the moment it

"start twitching"

Mr Zoat said:
them us have their hands occupied, so

"them up"

Mr Zoat said:
They walk passed me,

"pass me"

Jankl · 2026-11-10T06:49:40+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Senior Agent Nguyen

Now that's a fancy title.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-11-10T07:20:25+0000

Mr Zoat said:
16th October 2013
18:55 G.M.T.
Senior Agent Nguyen

A ping from my ship tells me that Lantern Arkymandryte has left the system.

"Let all see! Let all who reject the wisdom of the gods bear witness to the price of apostasy!"

Ah, Jade. Working planetside for something, presumably locating the second Sector Lantern. And of course the Arkymandryte's followers are performing witch hunts and public pillory displays.

Interesting. The templar standing on the stage is clearly better fed than most of the locals gathered to hear his pronouncements, but I'm not seeing any sign that this society's rulers are violating their own rules on rejecting technology. My exo-mantle's sensors can identify pox marks from some sort of local disease, as well as a few indication that he might be slightly deficient in one or two vital nutrients. That might well not be deliberate; I remember Paul told me that humans who don't live in coastal areas sometimes suffer negative effects from Omega 3 deficiency that we could easily prevent, and we don't farm with sharpened wooden sticks.

Which is impressive, as such groups are rarely prone to adhering to their own restrictions.

"See the enemy the Arkymandryte has struck down!"

The templar is wearing a rough-spun skirt held up by a leather belt. A heavy wooden club with a steel-. No, bronze bands around it hangs from his right hip, and a carving -probably religious- hangs from his left. No guns. No scanners or phase disrupters, or anything that could stop me at all.

A Fetish, for the record, is an object someone holds as holy or powerful in some way. No relation to the sexual use, usually. This one is likely a carving of whatever god they believe abhors the advances made.

"See the enemy who would lead us back into savagery!"

The surrounding people are… Resigned in a way that I haven't seen from the Reach's targets. A few have their own fetishes, but most are clearly just watching from a sense of social obligation. Robes of coarsely woven cloth are the most common sort of clothing, and I don't see leather or metal anywhere. They're… Clean, but basic hygiene is common in primitive communities, even if bathing just involves a bucket and a rag.

Most would happily go back to their 'sinful modern conveniences', I suspect. But until the Arkymandryte's control is broken...

Two other templars haul Lantern Niiniini onto stage, construct-nullifying crystals on a necklace around their neck. Lantern Niiniini looks a little like a jelly baby with a jellyfish on its head, and I can clearly see the discoloured patches where they've been beaten and cut. But… Nothing looks critical, and Green Lanterns are chosen for their ability to willpower…

An amphibious species, perhaps, though I expect they're tougher than they look.

Lantern Niiniini stumbles, and is held up by the templars. Drugs, then. That makes my job a little harder. I don't have enough data on his species to neutralise anything-. They're not going to have anything exotic. It's either going to be from a local plant or animal, which wouldn't keep fresh for long so it will have to be something they can gather wherever they go, or-. The crystals themselves?

Or just a concussion from their beatings.

"See the profane weapon it wields!"

Another templar hold up Lantern Niiiniini's power ring, and their tentacles twitching in its direction the moment it becomes visible. Bodywide photoreceptors? But despite the fact that their power ring is only feet away, nothing happens. I've seen all of Earth's Lanterns call their rings over distances greater than that.

It'll be the Fear crystals doing that. The second they're off them...

"See how it is impotent before the Arkymandryte's wisdom!"

They haven't brought the Lantern out, but that shouldn't matter. If I get the crystals off Lantern Niiniini, they should be able to handle that themselves.

With any luck, he kept it in subspace.

Tactical assessment? Each of the templars is strong enough to kill Lantern Niiniini, and I think they're faithful…

Hmpf.

I doubt they'll execute them here without provocation. That would send the Ring into seeker mode. More likely they'll keep dragging them from town to town, spreading the word. But the second Jade moves...

Faithful enough to do so regardless of the threat I pose to their life. The crowd… Won't care much, but might intervene if they think I'm a threat to them. I haven't seen templar agent provocateurs in the crowd. The two holding them up have their hands occupied, so the highest priority target is the preacher, then the one with the ring. Mongul's species aren't usually as strong as he is, but I should use the highest power setting anyway.

No kill like overkill, especially if Mongul is the average. Pre-Crisis, dude could fist-fight Superman to a standstill...

Charging masers.

The preacher steps forwards to the front of the crowd. "Who amongst you is prepared to demonstrate their faith?! Who amongst you is prepared to strike one of the enemies of the gods?!"

Ah, that'll explain the bruises. No doubt they've been busy letting people take a swing.

There's a moment of quiet, and then his head jerks back as my maser bolts strike him directly in the eyes.

Get their attention.

That'll sting for a bit.

Disengage camouflage.

"I am."

Really hope the suit gives her a noise, powerful voice filter. it's just not the same without the growl.

Check the target.

"Nruuuhh!"

Not dead. Fly.

Damn, looks like Mongul isn't that exceptional toughness-wise.

The two carrying Lantern Niiniini keep holding them-. No, they grip tighter. The one carrying the ring drops it and draws his club.

Eyes didn't work. Shoot the neck.

Or the mouth, and hope the inside isn't as tough as the outside.

"K-hu-?"

Good. Land on the front of the stage, x-ionised sword through the preacher's neck and step out of the way of the blood fountain. Left templar holding Niiniini is pulling them closer, possibly attempting to break their neck-. If they have a neck. Right templar is drawing his club but isn't giving me a good angle on his neck.

And enhanced toughness can't help with archetypal sharpness.

Ignore the one running for me and target the one holding Niiniini. Shoot hands-

"Ah!"

Phasing or kinetic defences can deal with the melee attack. Don't want the prime rescuee getting killed mid-rescue.

-and shoot neck and phase, charging templar running through me.

Half-turn, phase in and cut, then charge the templar-. Releasing Lantern Niiniini.

Probably hell of a thrill for the crowd. Seeing their oppressive 'spiritual guides' being eliminated that easily by an outsider...

Slice.

No other targets.

The crowd definitely smart enough not to get in the way of her.

Silence.

Lantern Niiniini half-collapses, reaching weakly towards their ring. I slice through the thong holding the yellow crystals and then sheath my sword, offering them a hand-.

Hopefully they're up on Corps intelligence to recognise a nominal ally, lethal force or not.

They walk past me, pseudopods outstretched towards their ring. It wobbles in the air for a moment and then flies onto a reaching tentacle, green light surging as their uniform appears.

I turn to the silent and fearful crowd. "We're going to kill the Arkymandryte. Be ready."

And while they're probably too wary to cheer, you just now some of them are hopeful now.

I rise into the air slowly, aiming at my ship and hoping-. Yes, Lantern Niiniini is working through their injuries and following me. Narrow beam transmission.

"How injured are you?"

Because she almost certainly has a Purple Healing Ray handy, plus whatever medical supplies are standard for Darkstar craft.

"Painfully, but my ring-use is not disabled. Thank you for your rescue. Where are we going?"

"To my ship. I have medicine for your injuries. Lantern Gaart, Honor Guard Lantern Jordan and the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps are fighting the Dread Horde, and the Arkymandryte-."

Triage and first-aid now, Any proper medical care will have to wait for later.

"He is working with them. Yellow crystal for Sinestro, in exchange for an alliance. But the ships-. They use the crystals in their weapons. That is how I was taken. I thought that Gaart was too."

"He was. He's free now. Are you able to fight?"

Accurate read of the situation in space, even without looking.

"Yes, but… These people are filled with fear. In fuels the Arkymandryte's constructs."

"I can't do a worldwide broadcast. They don't have the communications infrastructure."

"No. But I don't need it." They squirm. "Glue my wounds shut and then take me to their upper atmosphere. I have an idea."

Oooh, a 'holy manifestation'. That might get people to rise up.

And I'm sure there are plenty of folks willing to rise up against their oppressive rulers. Hopefully that will undercut Arky's power at just the right moment for those fighting him to get a mission kill. Ideally capturing the Yellow Ring as well, because the Guardians are going to be very interested in it and the Fear crystals.

Mr Zoat · 2026-11-10T09:09:47+0000

BlackCoat13 said:
It fuels

Darko said:
"indications"
"little like"
"start twitching"
"them up"

Thank you, corrected.

"pass me"

Nearly.

Huttj509 · 2026-11-10T09:29:35+0000

"No. But I don't need it." They squirm. "Glue my wounds shut and then take me to their upper atmosphere. I have an idea."

Something about that line just really got me thinking "oh, right, willpower." Good line.

teikan · 2026-11-10T10:55:14+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Link?

A link to what? To samurai? https://youtu.be/6xtXKSi3VSE?si=01htJ7U806VWUyyk

https://youtu.be/-y7zdHuHXCI?si=IwWDr0FZhFu311rY

Mr Zoat · 2026-11-10T13:09:32+0000

teikan said:
A link to what? To samurai? https://youtu.be/6xtXKSi3VSE?si=01htJ7U806VWUyyk

https://youtu.be/-y7zdHuHXCI?si=IwWDr0FZhFu311rY

Normally, when you reply to someone, a link to the original post appears at the top. This allows the person you are replying to to look at the full text of the thing you're talking about, which is particularly helpful if they posted it a significant period of time ago and they don't really remember it.

Jankl · 2026-11-10T21:49:26+0000

hmmm. I think I found the correct links.

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

14th February 2013 17:47 GMT -2 The corridor around us fades into the background as I-. Huh. Maybe using absolute truth in an area halfway to the Dream wasn't such a good idea? I really just wanted him to talk-. Lie. Nabu fades from my grip in the same way that the world has, and… I...