20th January 2013
10:47 GMT
"YRAAGYH!
"
I
collapse, steam rising from-. No, that's carbonised flesh.
That's carbonised flesh that isn't repairing itself as quickly as it should.
"Was that necessary?"
Jade interposes herself, but she really
shouldn't. Kalmin would think for a moment before killing me. He doesn't owe Jade a thing.
"It was
insulting. I have already told him my price for forging a new yellow power ring. Sinestro's head!"
I bypass the healing-impairment by tearing off the damaged flesh, which is… Quite a lot, actually.
"A simple 'no' would have sufficed, Lantern Kalmin.
"
"This is more
memorable. And
no, there is nothing that you could offer me in its place. And if there
were, the very fact that I have stated my requirement would prohibit it."
I nod, sidestepping so that I have a direct line of sight around Jade.
"Nifty weapon. What do you call it?
"
"This?" He taps a small amulet on his armour. "The scourer. It bypasses defences well but has no real penetration."
"A low lethality weapon? Was that an insult?
"
"
Yes."
"Okay. How are your students doing?
"
Kalmin glowers. "Was that a threat?"
"No. I just thought that while I'm here I might as well get an update.
"
"Oh." He sounds mildly put out.
"Problem?
"
"They are competent enough engineers and physicists, but I fear that the lack of mortal peril might take the edge off their mental sharpness. There's more to being a Weaponer than just making weapons."
"My homeworld has been Anti-Lifed. If you want to send them our way, I'm sure that we'll find ways to try to kill them that even
you have scarcely envisioned.
"
"B
ah. Anti-Life." He turns back to his forge. "Philosophical destruction does not interest me."
"Do you mind if I make the offer to them?
"
"No. If the fools take you up on your offer, that's for
them to survive."
"Okay. Well, unless there's anything else-
" I glance at Jade, but she shakes her helmet.
"-we'll leave you to it.
"
"Can I expect Sinestro's head, or was this just a waste of my time?
"We'll see. I need a yellow power ring, and there are only so many options.
"
I motion towards the door with my head and Jade takes the hint, heading that way while I keep Kalmin in full view-. I think he just smiled. Once she's out I follow her, trusting her to keep an eye on him.
I twitch as the outer door slams shut.
Ow.
"Are you alright? That looked like it hurt."
"Yes, it did. But pain is transitory. It was more the surprise than anything else.
"
"Should you have left tissue samples in his workshop?"
"I doubt that it will matter. So, next option.
"
"You said that when you were at Vanishing Point, at least one other version of you had a yellow power ring."
"R
ight, and he was enlightened too. He'd be perfect if I had the slightest idea how to contact him.
" I shake my head.
"If I could contact
any of them. The Yellow, Indigo and Red Lanterns would complete the group.
"
"Evil Alan Scott?"
"It's
possible, only I don't really want to risk owing him
or giving him ideas about the Anti-Life. And… I don't know if he's got the skill, and I don't trust him.
"
"It's still worth asking him."
I exhale slowly.
"Yes. It is. But that still leaves red and indigo. I met an Indigo Lantern a year and a half ago, but he legged it after I freed him from captivity. And red…
"
"We can't be
that short on angry, hate-filled people."
"No, but we need angry, hate-filled people who are angry and hate-filled about things that we hate and get angry about. People who retain control of their faculties when they're angry.
"
I checked, and Ysmault is in a
very clearly marked no-go area. Even Guy wouldn't tell me exactly who's being kept there, but if events line up with my expectations it's all five of the Five Inversions. Attacking a Guardian facility with the express intent of giving an inmate a novel power ring is… Even more of a last resort thing than asking Al Scott for help.
Who do I know who's heroic and angry enough to use a red ring?
Ah…
Yes..?
Scott Free is back in contact with his father, and if we have an actual
plan then I.. think Orion would
probably be willing to go along with it. We'd still need to actually
get a red power ring, and those don't exist here yet. At least I don't have to explain how I know about them.
"I know a few people who might be able to do that."
"People on Earth?
"
"Most of them. Do you have someone in mind?"
"Orion of New Genesis. Given all the New God-related stuff we've got going on, we've got a good reason to visit them. But first we'd need a red ring.
"
"Can the Controllers make one?"
"Controllers, no. Unaligned Maltusians, maybe. We'll have to ask Hinon if she can recommend anyone.
"
"What about the Qwardians?"
"I've never heard of them researching red rings, and… Kalmin said that he murdered a world to make Sinestro's ring. I don't… Really want to encourage them to do the same for someone else.
"
"He needed to kill a world to make Sinestro's ring?"
"Yes. Ah, that's what he said, and I doubt that he'd lie about it. It's not like it would have been something a Weaponer would have to hide.
"
"
Which world?"
...Because Power Armour is almost as cool as a Power Ring.
