(Again, changing the OL speech to a different font...)
He did something, using the cells of his that are in my body. Can you-
I recreate the gravity field, but it isn't going to do much.
At least he didn't lose his Spectrum connection
entirely. SO it's only blocking the device from him.
-get rid of them? Or turn me back into a human?
"I could turn you back, but it would take me hours."
And yet his teammate can perform radical species transfiguration in an instant. Not sure which got the shorter end of the stick...
Then get rid of the cells. He's using it to make a connection to me and stop me pushing him back.
"I could…"
No bargaining, fishface. Every moment you delay gives the big guy more time to tear open his prison...
I point all eight of my tentacles at the Old God looming above us, including the one which is my penis.
"You make-" Jaffar lays his right hand on my head, and I very carefully monitor the changes he's making in me. "-a very good point."
Heh. Accurate, as the tentacles do a
lot of things... Also, good idea, checking his handiwork. Never know what little surprises he might try to leave behind.
"Um." Roy is sort of standing there, looking a little awkward. A short distance away Trok appears to be in a similar position. "Do you need me to do anything?"
Jaffar beckons Trok. "Trok, help me with the machine."
Maybe keep your gun on them as a reminder to not try anything funny? True, no-one's laughing right now anyway, but bad guys gonna bad guy.
Yes. Call Doctor Knight's ship. The integrated Mother Box might let us boom tube S'ivaa somewhere.
Jaffar scoffs as I detect something leaving my tiny cephalopod body. "It is far from that simple. The boom tube cannot open close enough to the Source Wall to prevent him simply tearing a hole in reality to wherever he wants to go."
Then a bunch of Construct Lanterns get to try and haul his ass the rest of the way.
Could it repair this machine?
"Not faster than I can remove this cell culture. There." He removes his hand and-. Yes! The machine glows orange once more. "Now we have progress."
Excellent. That also technically cures OL of any diseases the cells might have caused...
Trok reaches the machine and pulls some sort of tool out of his belt. He then presses it to the damaged section, which… Shimmers in response.
Roy stands there awkwardly. "Ah-I'm sorry."
At least it's easy enough to repair the tech. Really only a matter of calling the molecules back to
what they were a few minutes ago...
Don't worry. Not angry. Just focusing.
Though actually, with those cells removed and that small explosive cancer cell Jaffar tried adding to my brain excised…
Knew it.

Seriously, he didn't think OL would notice that?
No. For some reason I still can't make myself human.
S'ivaa's finger is slowly being forced back by the collective desires of everyone who put him down here, but I-.
Damn. It must be something deeper than that, then. Perhaps because Slig is still alive, and thus his metaphysique is still actively applied to you?
Roy points. "Is that.. another hand?"
Ah heck.
Trok finishes one small part of the machine. "He has four."
Well, at least it's only that few. There are depictions of Vedic deities with dozens or
hundreds of
hands.
Um. Right. I recall Pyron and Shaligo to my ring, and search for the desires inside them-. Yes, they didn't want S'ivaa breaking out either. Bring that to the fore and then shove them into the machine!
Jaffar's staring at the Old God. "I just wanted one finger! Why couldn't you leave us alone to work!"
Let's hope this doesn't destroy the Construct Lanterns outright. He only just
got those two!
Roy picks up the positron ray and aims it towards S'ivaa's face. "Looks like you're about to get nineteen more."
The other fingers are approaching, and while I try pushing back… There's too much… Difference between the different levels of his prison.
More power, methinks. Throw everything you've got at it.
The rock platform we're standing on cracks.
Who else..? Demon Nabu. It's degraded, but there's just a little of his old desire to keep the universe orderly in there. Reinforce it and shove him into the machine.
That one won't really be missed, except as a tool to give OL mystical knowledge. That might be
why he's been talking like he knows magic stuff lately...
The finger begins receding a little faster but I don't think it's going to be enough. My other construct lanterns couldn't conceive of something like this.
Trok stands, abandoning his work as he considers fleeing. Jaffar gestures to the machine. "Get back to it! Every moment we live is new knowledge we take to Great Darkseid when we respawn."
And where could he run to anyway? S'ivaa was made to dance the entire universe out of existence, after all...
"I do not believe that thing will let us respawn."
"Then our lord will simply grow a new Trok! What is the difference?"
It won't be
him, that's what.

And when you seem to have this sort of 'live on in a new body' trick going on, that's probably a significant
thing.
Roy glances back at me. "Do I shoot, or..?"
Does he? I doubt that it would hurt, but the kaahuite shouldn't have hurt and it did anyway.
Sadly, it seemed to do more damage to the prison than the prisoner...
Don't bother with the positron ray. Try sonics. We just need him distracted.
He deploys his sonic cannon as Trok grudgingly returns to work, taking careful aim and firing. It doesn't appear to do anything, but there isn't much he can do in a situation like this.
At this lets him feel useful, I suppose.
I turn to Jaffar.
What was the plan for sealing this?
Because I doubt this device could hold him back all by itself.
"Build more etheric destabilisers until the connection between S'ivaa and the material universe decayed completely. We don't have the parts or the time now."
The tips of the fingernails of the rest of the fingers sharing a hand with the one Jaffar has been studying begin to poke out into normal space, and high above us S'ivaa begins to smile.
I can't help but picture each of them being the size of a bus or something. And that is existentially
terrifying.
Could I duplicate it with constructs? Not worth a damn. Alright, if he's getting out then I need to notify Hinon-.
Divine Mandate
There's a flare of white light from the centre of the platform, and-. Highfather Izaya appears, crook raised high!
Ah, the cavalry has arrived! And in the full glory of his Godhead, it seems. If you're picturing Charleton Heston as
Moses, that's not far off, I think.
"Back, Old God! Back into the dark!" "By the authority of the Source, I cast you back!"
S'ivaa's other arms are thrown back, and the one finger that's on our side flails around trying to find some purchase as it's pushed back too. I find myself sagging with relief -in as much as I can as an octopus- but just in case it doesn't work I maintain my focus on the machine. Jaffar and Trok on the other hand look like they're getting ready to run. I turn to Jaffar.
And it looks like the old man's power is a
lot more effective than everything they've been throwing at the problem so far. Goes to show the difference between enhanced mortals and a powerful New God, especially one with a possible type advantage.
Be serious. Where would you go?
"I would rather try and fail than go peacefully to the slaughter."
Guy, you can always try to kill yourself later to respawn. Why die
tired?
And if you can make him kill you, then you'll respawn. I'll make you another deal. Surrender peacefully, and I won't turn you into a construct once S'ivaa is contained. If I turn you, then you won't respawn.
He looks like he's thinking hard about it.
Well, you don't know that for
certain. But neither does
he, does he?
You can't open a boom tube faster than I can grab you. You literally can't get away. Be realistic.
He and Trok look at each other as the finger finally leaves this reality and the hole snaps shut. I withdraw my power from their machine, glowing orange.
Ah, the undivided attention of someone capable of killing you with no effort whatsoever. That's a big bonus to intimidation checks...
Decide quickly.
"Yes." Izaya turns towards them, hair wafting in the current but otherwise being entirely unaffected by the environment. "Decide swiftly."
The Ring, or the Crook? A swift death and eternal service, or captivity followed by an execution or being a bargaining chip against Apokalips. Though Darkseid may just leave you to rot or have you killed anyway.
Jaffar grunts, then kneels with his hands upturned. Trok follows suit a moment later, dropping his axe to the floor.
Then Izaya looks to me.
"Orange Lantern. We should talk."
...Oh, that's not reassuring at
all, is it.