17th May 2011
03:01 GMT
The red sky ripples and the Manhunters begin to appear.
I
erect a dome barrier over Black, and two of the Gold Lanterns do the same with Black Queen. Fortunately, it-
A dozen varieties of energy beam flare upward from the assembled Justice League members, heat vision from the kryptonians, fire, ice, plasma, gravitons and acid from League members I half-recognise, all combined with
missile and heavy gun constructs from the Gold Lanterns. The first wave of Manhunters are heavily armoured and armed with some sort of staff and as the first part of the
torrent hits home the robots who attracted their attention
evaporate.
No energy shield, no return fire-.
"
Lantern Rathbone, focus on your sector and trust everyone else to focus on theirs."
Ah, I see. Some Manhunters took more than their share of fire, while others were almost unmolested.
"Yes, Commander!"
More shimmers and this time the Manhunters have their staves levelled, green bolts erupting from the tip and slamming into the League's positions! Gold Lanterns
raise shields to block while the fireteams open up on them. Again, the Manhunters have no shields and their armour is massively inadequate to the task.
"…helps a little with
fear…"
Black's third sigil
springs into being, a dull yellow which contrasts quite strongly with the brighter light
being employed by the Gold Lanterns-.
Another wave of Manhunters, larger than the previous two. Rather than spreading out, they form clusters protecting… Slightly larger Manhunters whose armour is partly opened-.
"
They're deploying Highmasters.
Lanterns, focus on their bodyguard."
Most Lanterns didn't need the reminder, construct attacks hammering through the bodyguard units but shutting down before hitting the 'Highmasters'. The Manhunters of the new model intentionally fly
towards the heaviest focus of construct activity,
gold wisps rising from the constructs in the brief window before the Lanterns creating it dismiss them.
The
green sigil flares into being next to Black Lantern as the Highmasters charge for the ground! One is intercepted by Superman,
golden light shimmering around its body as it tries to soak up his attacks. Predictably that doesn't work, his first trial-tap fracturing the
construct shield while the Manhunter's construct beam doesn't so much as muss his quiff. Superman's
second strike is a series of blurs, the Manhunter's armour fracturing and failing from its vulnerable points. The robot… Collapses into bits and tumbles to the ground.
"Hope done. Um."
Commander Gordon doesn't look around, keeping her attention on the growing area of red sky.
"What?"
"Love is next, and I'm…"
Ah. Yes.
"None of us were particularly amorous, and then he became a clinically depressed vampire."
"
Can you do it?"
"P.. ro.. bably, but not
quickly."
Another wave of Manhunters, these ones looking a little more sophisticated than the initial combat variety. They
dart towards their preselected targets the moment they appear, strong-looking shields shimmering around their bodies as they take hits.
Still none focusing on the giant tuning fork.
"…
built this!?"
The fellow in the green, black and white tried to reach Commander Gordon but was intercepted by her escort. He looks decidedly unhappy about the whole situation, and… I've got no idea who he is.
"Because we don't have any other way to stop him, and you always said that you couldn't control where you teleported."
"I
can't, but I wouldn't be here if the cure wasn't worse than the disease!"
"Provide me with actionable intelligence or get out of my way."
"I'm just going to skip to compassion!"
Which is-.
Would be a little frustrating, given that I could probably do that one but definitely
could-.
"Commander, personal question: you and Mister Grayson..?"
Her head jerks around. "What?"
"I can use the emotions of those around me to
weakly use other colours. Neither I nor Black have a significant amount of romantic experience, but…"
"Dick and I are…
Fine."
"Ah-."
Her bodyguard looks at me. "My husband and I have been together eight years. Would that work?"
"Eight
happy years?"
"Ah, y'know,
mostly? It's not like we never disagree about anything…"
"That should do." I look at Commander Gordon. "Would you mind if I borrowed her?"
"
Yes, do it."
I
open a hole in my shield to allow her through.
"Red, can you take over shielding dut-"
Three plasma bolts strike my shield, causing momentary cracks in the dome before it bleeds off their energy.
"-y?"
I
think that was.. just a spray rather than a deliberate targeting, but the fighting above us hasn't stopped just because we needed a quick chat.
Red nods,
a red dome appearing above mine. I wait until it envelops the top of the tine completely, then drop my own and focus my attention on the Gold Lantern volunteer.
"I need you to focus your mind on the most intimate memories you have of your husband." She looks askance-. "
Emotionally intimate, the thoughts and feelings that tie the two of you most closely together. Not just the good; times when you've supported each other in hardship or otherwise helped one another work just as well."
She takes a couple of breaths and then nods. "Okay, gimme a sec."
"Black, we'll handle love."
"Ah?" He glances at Commander Gordon for a moment, then nods. "Okay, thanks."
My Gold Lantern assistant isn't really looking at anything, presumably trying to call the required memories and
emotional sensation to mind. I shut down my constructs and…
Target her with my stave's alternate mode. This isn't usually a good or efficient way to use it,
but if all I need is a dribble of power
anyway…
A weak strobe of violet light shimmers out to one of the two remaining capacitors, while black
fills the other.
I smile at my assistant.
"Thank you. You should probably take a moment to-."
She
flies upward, Red
getting his shield out of the way just in time.
"Or not." I look over at Black Queen, who is standing in the middle of her tine with her arms folded across her chest, her capacitors already filled. "Ready!"
