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

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Mr Zoat said:
The implication of the halo zones is that the rest of the universe is worse.
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Why would OL consider the Halo Zones to pose any kind of threat or signal any problem with the wider Universe? My understanding is that the Halo Zones are simply regions where the light of the Astronomicon is dimmer than normal and travel using the Imperial methods is consequently far more dangerous.

I can understand that the existence of a region of space beyond the reach of the Emperor would seem like a dire sign of the horrible state of the universe to a devout worshipper of the Emperor, but it seems like there would be no real reason for this to be considered significant by a non-believer like OL or the Tau. This simply seems to indicate that rather than being an omnipotent entity with a reach that extends throughout existence the Emperor is just an extremely powerful entity whose psychic presence is vast but still finite and capable of being blocked. The Halo Zones seem like something they would consider an interesting an potentially exploitable phenomenon rather than some kind of problem.
 
Ct613hulu said:
Why would OL consider the Halo Zones to pose any kind of threat or signal any problem with the wider Universe? My understanding is that the Halo Zones are simply regions where the light of the Astronomicon is dimmer than normal and travel using the Imperial methods is consequently far more dangerous.

I can understand that the existence of a region of space beyond the reach of the Emperor would seem like a dire sign of the horrible state of the universe to a devout worshipper of the Emperor, but it seems like there would be no real reason for this to be considered significant by a non-believer like OL or the Tau. This simply seems to indicate that rather than being an omnipotent entity with a reach that extends throughout existence the Emperor is just an extremely powerful entity whose psychic presence is vast but still finite and capable of being blocked. The Halo Zones seem like something they would consider an interesting an potentially exploitable phenomenon rather than some kind of problem.
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He may think it's dangerous because there may be a lot of daemons there.

Seeing as the Imperials can't travel there the chance that daemons may exist in great numbers there, due to there being no imperials around to beat them, could be fairly high, so he doesn't want to risk it by going there.
 
Darko said:
He may think it's dangerous because there may be a lot of daemons there.

Seeing as the Imperials can't travel there the chance that daemons may exist in great numbers there, due to there being no imperials around to beat them, could be fairly high, so he doesn't want to risk it by going there.
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It would make sense for them to be somewhat concerned over the presence of hostile civilizations influenced by Chaos but that seems like a very localized threat. I understand that the Imperial perspective is that any significant Alien Civilization always represents a dire threat and that any Human Civilization other than the Imperium is either corrupted beyond salvation by Chaos or full of helpless savages that need to be saved, but this doesn't need to be the case. It would be perfectly possible for their to be reasonable Alien and Human Civilizations in the Halo Zones who have been spared from extermination by their isolation from the Imperium.

If anything I would assume that OL would be very interested in a region of space where Human Civilization can trace their origin directly back to its founding in the Age of Technology without having their culture erased or perverted by the Imperium. This seems like on of the few places where he could potentially find a Human Civilization that fits in with his moral code and isn't dominated by Alien powers.

That actually seems like it could be the start of a fantastic story. OL could spend his time traveling around to the isolated Human worlds beyond the reach of the Major powers of the setting trying to help them solve their problems and gradually rebuild Interstellar Civilization.
 
Ct613hulu said:
It would make sense for them to be somewhat concerned over the presence of hostile civilizations influenced by Chaos but that seems like a very localized threat. I understand that the Imperial perspective is that any significant Alien Civilization always represents a dire threat and that any Human Civilization other than the Imperium are either corrupted beyond salvation by Chaos or are helpless savages that need to be converted, but this doesn't need to be the case. It would be perfectly possible for their to be reasonable Alien and Human Civilizations in the Halo Zones.

If anything I would assume that OL would be very interested in a region of space where Human Civilization can trace their origin directly back to its founding in the Age of Technology without having their culture erased or perverted by the Imperium. This seems like on of the few places where he could potentially find a Human Civilization that fits in with his moral code and isn't dominated by Alien powers.

That actually seems like it could be the start of a fantastic story. OL could spend his time traveling around to the isolated Human worlds beyond the reach of the Major powers of the setting trying to help them solve their problems and gradually rebuild Interstellar Civilization.
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We may see something like that in future chapters.
 
Ct613hulu said:
It would make sense for them to be somewhat concerned over the presence of hostile civilizations influenced by Chaos but that seems like a very localized threat. I understand that the Imperial perspective is that any significant Alien Civilization always represents a dire threat and that any Human Civilization other than the Imperium is either corrupted beyond salvation by Chaos or full of helpless savages that need to be saved, but this doesn't need to be the case. It would be perfectly possible for their to be reasonable Alien and Human Civilizations in the Halo Zones who have been spared from extermination by their isolation from the Imperium.

If anything I would assume that OL would be very interested in a region of space where Human Civilization can trace their origin directly back to its founding in the Age of Technology without having their culture erased or perverted by the Imperium. This seems like on of the few places where he could potentially find a Human Civilization that fits in with his moral code and isn't dominated by Alien powers.

That actually seems like it could be the start of a fantastic story. OL could spend his time traveling around to the isolated Human worlds beyond the reach of the Major powers of the setting trying to help them solve their problems and gradually rebuild Interstellar Civilization.
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There's nothing living left in the Halo.

The one surviving solar system we know of ejected themselves from the galaxy rather then face whatever it was that happened to the others. And no, Paul can't go to them, because they are murderous to everything not their own people and Dark Age of Technology technology trumps Power Ring.
 
Vaermina said:
On the other hand Paul has broken guest to host Xenia, a lot.

And heroic deeds or no, that's one of the big no-no's for anyone so far as the Greak Gods are concerned.
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On the one hand, true. On the other hand, didn't the greeks have this whole thing that humans who did not worship the same gods (or their gods by a different name) literally were not people? As in they were equivalent to beasts and thus whatever you did to them was either fine, animal cruelty, or theft of animals at the worst?

Something something morality of a bygone age?
 
Nioz said:
On the one hand, true. On the other hand, didn't the greeks have this whole thing that humans who did not worship the same gods (or their gods by a different name) literally were not people? As in they were equivalent to beasts and thus whatever you did to them was either fine, animal cruelty, or theft of animals at the worst?

Something something morality of a bygone age?
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That was both after the Romans conquered the Greek's, and after the Romans converted to early Christianity.

The Greek Hellenistic religion itself was very accepting of other systems of belief.
 
Vaermina said:
That was both after the Romans conquered the Greek's, and after the Romans converted to early Christianity.

The Greek Hellenistic religion itself was very accepting of other religions.
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Really? Because I recall several mentions of the Persian peoples (and the Nubians, I believe they were from modern day Ethiopia and Sudan) being equivalent to beasts from both before, during, and after the Persian Wars.
 
Thinking about it.

It's kind of odd that Paul automatically went to them taking a Rogue Trader ship to the planet instead of hitching a ride on one of the stealthed black ships given just who the who in question was.
 
Old EU star wars lore had something like a Galactic Barrier which kept folks from just trying to FTL out into the dark. The Vong are one of the few, and most famous, extra galactic races to make it through that. New lore hasn't touched on it since.

For 40k...the webway might go out that far, but if it does the eldar aren't talking. Does raise some questions on how Other powers navigate out that far if there is a civilization out there. Orks, at least when they don't have a direction via PLOT, just sort of float on hulks and go where the tide takes them. 'Nids have their own organic warp drives that work like human and ork drives...somehow. But they seem to navigate using other parts of the swarm as their sign posts, since the hive is telepathic. As P'aul mentioned, they can and do detect other life forms and psi beacons this way as well, but they don't seem to require them the same way that the Imperium does. Honestly I'd love to see examples of human dark age FTL tech touched upon.

The oldest ship I recall coming up was the 'Speranza' , an Ark Mechanicus class vessel of the Adeptus Mechanicus. This ship was old, and had things on board even the crew didn't know about. Like a functional AI and a full Standard Template Constructor......oh yeah and a gun that doesn't miss because it rewrites history retroactively...sort of like spear gal here did, just with something that can obliterate a few km long ships in a single shot. No one knew about any of the old tech until it got threatened enough the AI felt it was needed....sooo many questions...
 
Cold Iron (part 9)
26th June 2012
15:27 GMT -5

Jordan smiles incredulously.

"She thought I was you?"

Aeres is currently dressed in prison clothing and bound by metal clamps, Dr. Balewa's magic and the Lasso of Truth, and is giving Batman and Mr J'onzz everything that they want. For some reason it doesn't appear to have occurred to the Justice League to try summoning demons during their fights with the Highborn.

Can't imagine why.

"According to her, their records name you as Earth's most powerful Lantern. And since as far as she could tell that's the position I hold, I had to be you."

"You know, a few years ago I'd have argued that." He glances away for a moment. "Why don't time travellers know about you? Was it something to do with your fight with Krona?"

"It could be? It could be that the future they're coming back from isn't our future any more, with… Something about my arrival being the point of differentiation? Though whether that's because of Krona or because of whatever it was that brought me here in the first place, I don't know."

He nods. "You ever find out what that was?"

I shake my head. "No, but I haven't really been looking into it lately. Maybe if Sivana gets pardoned I'll ask him to take a look. It should keep him entertained for a little while."

"Did-?" He takes a sharp breath before giving me his full attention. "Did Batman know about that?"

"I don't know. I didn't keep in touch with Sivana because Batman asked me to, and other than a report on what happened with the Huntsman I didn't tell him, but that doesn't mean-."

He nods. "Doesn't mean he didn't know." He exhales slowly. "I feel like I should be tearing you a new one over that, but it might end up being the best thing that could have happened."

"How did the Guardians take the news about the psions?"

"I was there when Green Man reported in. They didn't sound surprised. Disappointed, maybe."

"In the actions of the people of Vega? In the psions? In themselves?"

"I don't know. I'd guess all three." He shakes his head. "I mean, on the face of it, their plan made a lot of sense. The only thing in Vega at the time was Larfleeze. Stick the psions out of the way, keep an eye on them, no one gets hurt. They'd been self-isolating on the Guardians' old homeworld for their entire history. It must have seemed like a safe bet."

I frown. "I sort of assumed that the psions came from Maltus."

"I did too. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but from what the Guardians were saying it didn't sound like that was the case. Was Maltus ever uninhabited?"

"Do you know, I haven't asked."

He shrugs. "I used to think that Oa was the Guardians' homeworld." He turns to face the monitor, watching as Aeres struggles and fails to hide information from the Lasso. "What do you think I did?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What makes them think I'm the greatest? Was.. something supposed to happen that didn't because of you?"

"I'm wary of the word 'supposed'. It always makes me want to ask 'according to who?'. But if I had to guess: without my input Guy stayed in obnoxious jock mode and didn't improve as much as he has."

Jordan snorts with amusement. "So it's not so much that I was better as everyone else was worse."

"You might have been worse, too. If it wasn't for Guy, would you have gone for the M'eelam Na'aquall?"

"Not for a while. It's weird; Guy's almost tolerable now. And I'm not sure whether that's because he's changed or because I have."

"I think it's mostly him."

Jordan smiles faintly. "Yeah, probably. But… I've changed too. I'm less… I don't need to obsess over a construct to keep it strong. And I don't forget about things that aren't right in front of me any more."

"How is Ms. Ferris?"

"How's Mz. Cheshire?"

"Doing well, thanks for asking. She's mostly doing counter-intelligence work, and since she's up against the Reach she's doing a lot of good."

"Are the two of you actually spending any time together-?"

"Yes." I roll my eyes. "Now that her training and orientation are over, yes, we are. I didn't want to make her appointment look cronyistic so I gave her space to find her feet. But now she's got a few successes under her belt that's not an issue."

His eyes dip, and he looks a little sad. "That's… Not something I ever managed to make work. I used to think I had it hard when the Corps could call me away at a moment's notice, but you have Cheshire… How often do you see her?"

"Every few days. Not now, obviously, not if one of us is on a mission, and she lives in a fortified barracks and can't visit me." I shrug. "It's not great, but we manage." I frown. "It wasn't a secret identity thing, was it? I thought that Ms. Ferris and her father knew?"

"Not… Right at the start. And that was a big deal. I was eating crow for…" He shifts awkwardly. "Ah, a while. And it didn't help that she knew, because I still wasn't around. As.. her boyfriend, and… One of her employees. She needs a boyfriend and a test pilot she could rely on to be there. And I… Wasn't."

"If something's important enough, you make time for it."

"That Orange Lantern Corps philosophy?"

"No. Star Trek: Generations. If it was Orange Lantern Corps philosophy, it would be: 'if you want something enough'." I frown. "That's a point. I never asked: after Legion was defeated, why did you keep your ring?"

He jerks his head in my direction, frowning.

"If it was a second job that kept you away from your girlfriend, your job and flying planes… What made you stay on?"

That prompts a slow exhalation, and his gaze returning to the screen.

"I don't quit." A quiet snort. "Even when I should. If it was a choice between being a pilot or a Lantern…" He raises his right hand slightly, clenching his fist. "You know what I picked. But I didn't see it as a choice, not until Carol made it one. I just thought that if I worked a bit harder I could have it all. And… After I got fired and dumped, it was the only thing I had left. If I had my time again, I'd have come clean with Carol right at the start, quit Ferris Air as soon as we could find someone to take the job. That could have worked. Wouldn't have been easy…"

I nod. "No chance of patching things up now?"

That prompts a smile. "I don't think my current girlfriend would like that too much."

…

"But at least Carol and I are friends again. I missed talking to her."

"Ah, who's-?"

"Batman to Lanterns. Prepare to move out."
 
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Mr Zoat said:
For some reason it doesn't appear to have occurred to the Justice League to try summoning demons during their fights with the Highborn.

Can't imagine why.
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Well the whole losing a soul thing, along with potentially summoning something worse than the Sheeda and losing control of it.

Mr Zoat said:
"I feel like should be tearing
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'I should'

Mr Zoat said:
"How did the Guardians takes the news
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'take the'

Mr Zoat said:
"How's Mz. Cheshire?"
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'Ms.'

Mr Zoat said:
But now she's got a few successes under her belt that's not an issue."
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maybe 'now that she's'

Mr Zoat said:
No now, obviously, not
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'Not now'

Mr Zoat said:
Ms Ferris and her father knew?"
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'Ms.' you forgot to add a .

Mr Zoat said:
'if you want something enough'." If frown.
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'I frown'

Mr Zoat said:
That prompts a smile. "I don't think my current girlfriend would like that too much."

…

"But at least Carol and I are friends again. I missed talking to her."

"Ah, who's-?"
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So who is the new girlfriend?

Is it Carol -14?
 
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