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

[Sockmonkey]

But if the conceit of the film is that we're living in a virtual environment, how do you know what real physics are? Your school just taught you the system's basic physics engine. You won't experience real physics until you leave the matrix, so for all you know the machines run on chi or mana or something."

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First time I heard that idea was in a HPMOR omake.

 

[Whenever Possible]

First time I heard that idea was in a HPMOR omake.

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The machines tell elegant lies

 

[inglorius]

Wasn't there a notion that originally machines harvested human creativity, but it was changed to energy for simplicity?

 

[Mr Zoat]

16th October 2013
21:23 G.M.T.

The Arkymandryte glowers at us through the sciencell barrier. I give him a smile and a friendly wave before turning to Lantern Gaart.

"Remind me what the Green Lantern Corps line on enhanced interrogation is?"

"I don't see how our interrogation techniques could be enhanced further?"

"He is referring to torture." Guardian Broome Bon Baris floats down the shaft, Jordan just behind her. "It is seldom productive."

Gaart gives me a look of distaste, his eyeballs squishing against his skull. "Torture?"

"I was asking broadly. I am an Orange Lantern. Altering his desires so that he wants to tell us everything would be a simple matter."

Broome Bon Baris floats past me and studies the Arkymandryte. "I am more concerned with the origin of his yellow ring."

"Yes..?"

"I would make a study of the energies involved. If you use the light of avarice on him, the energies will be disrupted. I hope we can agree that removing Sinestro's ability to make more rings is of paramount importance."

"Paramount? No, not for me."

"If you wish to ask him something, do so. And then leave."

"Arkymandryte, I generally like to assume that my enemies aren't hypocrites. I accept that you genuinely believe that you were forcing your people to live in accordance with the will of your gods. But I'm curious as to how a number of them found their way to my homeworld."

Arkymandryte doesn't respond. He's focusing all of his attention on the Guardian.

"Because that implies that you didn't care about their souls. Or that you traded their souls like a merchant for a ring your previous prophet certainly didn't have."

"My mercy is not unlimited, and neither is that of the gods. If despite my instruction they persistently turn from the true path, then they are beyond my concern and that of the gods."

"So… What happens to them?"

"I do not concern myself with that. Sinestro sends people to collect them. What happens to them is his concern."

"And… How would you characterise your relationship with Sinestro?"

"He made it possible for me to force the will of the gods upon the truculent and disorderly. He is the only heathen I mention in my prayers."

"Did he give you orders? Are the crystals-?"

His eyes move my way. For a moment. "I have no interest in talking to you further. And if you persist… I welcome the challenge as an opportunity to prove my faith."

"You may leave now, Orange Lantern." Broome Bon Baris raises her right hand, Arkymandryte's yellow ring glowing faintly on her palm. His eyes immediately lock onto it. "I believe that my methods will be sufficient."

"Can I trouble you for a copy of what you learn?"

"I doubt that you will need it, but if you wish to pass a complete report to our cousins it would be churlish to deny it to you."

I bow politely. "Thank you."

I can't quite resist taking a moment to look around at the various containment units, many occupied, in the Green Lantern Corps' prison. I'm really not sure what qualifies someone to he housed here instead of anywhere else… But I don't think I should push the Guardian's patience. I rise up towards the Oan sky-.

Jordan follows me. "Hey, you got a minute?"

"For you, Lantern Jordan? Always."

"'Refugee'."

I grin. "'Genome'."

"Ah, what?"

"It's a Japanese word game. Each word has to use the last syllable of the previous word as its first syllable."

He folds his arm across his chest. "You told me you had a refugee from Debstam Four. Somewhere that became 'refugees'."

"Yes."

"So did they escape..? Wherever Sinesto was keeping them?"

"Technically. Jordan, you might want to stop-."

"Does that sound like me to you?"

I… Take a moment. "I applaud the way you've taken the lesson of Nabu to heart, but it might be… Better all around if you had plausible deniability on this one. You can't use your ring to control your facial expression."

"It's too late now. I know something's up. You didn't want me to tell Batman where I was going. Is he involved?"

"Okay, but remember, I gave you the choice. Where did you think the people getting turned into OMACs came from?"

"Volun… Teers..?" His face twitches as he takes on board what I just said. "…prisoners."

"I mean, I get the impression that if Sinestro didn't want them for something, Arkymandryte would just have killed them…"

"That… OMAC barracks that got blown up. That was you?"

"Jade, actually. I've had concerns for a while, but this is very nearly a smoking gun."

"God damn. Ah… Okay. So-. What, all of them?"

"I don't know. At least some are actually volunteers. I had some people working on reverting them when we left."

"So… Okay… What's the plan?"

"Get a better idea of what the heck Batman's doing, and eventually confront him about it."

"That's it?"

"What were you expecting?"

"More that that!"

"What do you want from me, Jordan? I feel terrible for what I did to Batman. Doubly so if that's why he's doing this. And if he just brazened it out and admitted that he forced condemned criminals to undergo conversion I wouldn't have a leg to stand on, because I've done worse for less benefit."

"I haven't. And the League does actually have a 'no slaves' rule." I raise my eyebrows. "Now. We didn't think we needed to be explicit about it… You know."

"OMACs can quit. They just choose not to." I sigh. "Look, you're the Justice League member here. If you want to confront him, you have my support. But I'd prefer to gather more information and not act until we know what's going on."

He thinks that over, clearly unhappy.

"Fine. But keep me in the loop."

I nod. "I will. And… Thank you. It might not be sensible, but I… Really do appreciate you being this forthright about this."

"I may be heard-headed, but that doesn't mean I can't learn. Okay, you go back to Earth. I'll… Think things over."

I raise my right hand to my forehead. "See you later."

 

[Ngamer11]

"Do that sound like me to you?"

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That should say 'Does'.

"What do you want from me, Jordan? I feel terrible for what I did to Batman. Doubly so if that's why he's doing this. And if he just brazened it out and admitted that he forced condemned criminals to undergo conversion I wouldn't have a leg to stand on, because I've done worse for less benefit."

"I haven't. And the League does actually have a 'no slaves' rule." I raise my eyebrows. "Now. We didn't think we needed to be explicit about it… You know."

"OMACs can quit. They just choose not to." I sigh. "Look, you're the Justice League member here. If you want to confront him, you have my support. But I'd prefer to gather more information and not act until we know what's going on."

He thinks that over, clearly unhappy.

"Fine. But keep me in the loop."

I nod. "I will. And… Thank you. It might not be sensible, but I… Really do appreciate you being this forthright about this."

"I may be heard-headed, but that doesn't mean I can't learn. Okay, you go back to Earth. I'll… Think things over."

I raise my right hand to my forehead. "See you later."

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I can't wait to see how this will affect the League and Earth as a whole once this situation finally comes to a head.

 

[Mr Zoat]

That should say 'Does'.

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[SolarIncursion]

I can't wait to see how this will affect the League and Earth as a whole once this situation finally comes to a head.

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It would definitely poke a hole in the whole "exemplar" based governance that has been slowly shimmering into existence.

There are those that would certainly take advantage of such a scandal (Lex) to prop up more traditional methods of governance.

The League might even get its wish to not be rulers of the world!