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

Discussion in 'Creative Writing' started by Mr Zoat, Jan 27, 2019.

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  1. Lone Courier 6

    Lone Courier 6 Wanderer of threads

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    Only a problem with Orange, the GLC was doing just fine overall, and the Sinestro Corps didn't have that issue either.
     
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  2. Threadmarks: Back Door (part 20)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    9th July 2012
    07:28 GMT


    "Authorised."

    Heavy armour on, construct armour on

    step out

    near where I saw the desires of the Masters.

    "Illustres to all. Mobile L.E.G.I.O.N. assets within range to my location."

    I scan, feeding the results into L.E.G.I.O.N.'s tactical network as I do so. The Leentniar appear to have parked their factory ships throughout an unremarkable system's asteroid belt, their hulls a mix of the thick slabs of armour that their warships have and open sections where the crew are loading raw materials from the asteroids they're harvesting. Other, smaller vessels are -or rather were- making runs between them or grabbing smaller rocks that aren't worth moving a large ship to acquire. Now, they're heading away from the Reach as fast as they can, but their smaller size, weaker shields and thinner armour mean that-.

    A Reach squadron pounces on one and destroys it in a moment.

    Easy to see why no one noticed them here. Most systems don't have rocky worlds orbiting their suns, but this one doesn't even have rocky moons. Without easily exploitable sources of minerals, anyone who surveyed it would note that it wasn't worth bothering with and then leave. Combined with the fact that it's not near anyone's home world and is in the Reach Periphery, it's easy to see why they've been getting away with hiding here.

    The Reach forces-. I think that's a periphery fleet. Nothing that hurts their reserves, but also nothing that a Lantern can't deal with. The Leentniar are already moving their defensive military assets into position to block for the factory ships, which are trying to head for the largest of the system's three gas giants. Slowly.

    One was definitely going too slowly. The Reach ships are surrounding it and shooting into the slowly closing external hatches-. They weren't blocking the system. That would have made it obvious that someone was claiming it, so there was nothing to stop the Reach dropping right on top of them. The only surprising thing is that they only jumped on one ship. So… A rushed job?

    I try to warp, but the Reach are blocking that to keep the Leentniar from reinforcing their factories. Stepping

    out and aiming for the desires of the Reach

    takes me into range of the main body of the Reach fleet, but it also takes me close enough to the factory ship to see that it's a write off at this point. I can actually see fires burning through the hull in several places, and that doesn't happen unless a ship's insides are a mess.

    "Ah, Illustres."

    I lunge at the closest Reach ship, a warrior-merchant-troop carrier they mass produce because it can be useful but generally isn't fearsome-looking enough to provoke panic. Armour plates appear from subspace as its point defences orientate on me and open fire.

    Not orange lasers.

    I form a construct lance as my floating armour plates begin to abrade and charge, the tip of my construct dispersing the ship's shield envelope and shattering the hull. Physics is no friend of space ships, not where relative velocity and kinetic energy are concerned.

    "Leave and I don't burn your world."

    "I'm sure that you'll try."

    Reach ships are trying to cluster up, to form overlapping fields of fire with their point defences. I don't have unlimited ablative shields stored, and at the speed I'm moving it won't be practical for me to transmute more. I speed towards the next target, another multirole cruiser.

    "These pathetic savages. We've tracked them for generations."

    This one's velocity is closer to my own. The shield envelope holds for a fraction of a second, and only the armour plates facing me shatter. Point defences are abrading my construct armour, but not at anything I'd consider a dangerous rate. I switch my lance for a chainsword and activate it, the construct teeth chomping through the ship's interior and out through the topside. The dying ship exhales a puff of atmosphere as its own momentum finishes the job of tearing it apart, the lights inside fading as the wreck starts to tumble.

    "You didn't try to indoctrinate them?"

    "Why keep aliens? I can get a pet when I visit the homeworld."

    Another cruiser, this one a dedicated warship, turns its main guns away from the crippled factory ship and tries to target me. Unlike the Citadelians the Reach don't use dedicated anti-attack craft ships so it won't have an easy time hitting me, but there's no sense in making it easier than it needs to be. I take a look at their bridge and

    step out

    before emerging from the Honden and decapitating the vessel's captain with an x-ionised sword. I send the sword at the navigation officer and take a purple death ray out of subspace, firing it at the bridge's marines. They're both just a little too slow in bringing their guns to bear. Their armour keeps them upright, but underneath it their torsos are decayed so badly that it's the only thing holding them together.

    I send the sword at the gunnery officer, slicing her in half through the torso just as the other ships realise where I am and start shooting their primary weapons at the ship I'm on. I was going to use a bomb, but if they're doing the job for me there's no point. I link to the computer as I call the sword back, hit the 'we've been boarded' alert and

    step out

    just as the first shots start slamming into the shields. Since they're relatively small guns it will take a few shots to breach, giving me a moment to get into position.

    "Lantern Gozzi to Illustres. I'm in-system."

    "Assist the Leentniar in evacuating and make attacks of opportunity at your discretion. Co-ordinate with incoming Leentniar and L.E.G.I.O.N. assets as they arrive."

    "At once, Illustres."

    Another Reach wolf pack descends on a slow Leentniar tug boat only to miss as the ship suddenly speeds up. Nearby Leentniar warships use the opportunity to open fire, space rippling as they try to get a gravity pulse through whatever the Reach are using to dampen things down.

    The ship I boarded explodes, active sensor scans from the other Reach ships desperately trying to locate me. Curious. Logically, they should either disengage or focus on the Leentniar. The Reach must know that ships like this kill Lanterns only by chance or exhaustion. Even if they don't know exactly how capable I am.

    "Do you like our defences? We began implementing it to counter the technique you used against the first Reach ship you destroyed. Once I became familiar with the Leentniar, the application became obvious."

    I suppose if they're making decisions based on incomplete information it makes sense, but I seldom use eddy pulses. Still, to work out what I did, how to counter it, and then build ships using an unusual technology, that's an impressive turn around time.

    I raise my left hand, build up a charge of orange light until the glow is blinding, then fire it at the closest cruiser. The shield fractures as threads of orange light spread out from the point of impact, weakening and cracking it as they go. A heartbeat and it begins to fall away, my shot striking the hull and… Erasing the ship from front to back.

    Looks like they cut back on their anti-Lantern technologies to make way for whatever they're using to normalise gravity.

    "Well done."

    "I bought it as a job lot. And any combat data is useful."

    But what's more useful for me? Killing all these ships will reassure our allies, letting some escape might encourage the Reach to flee early in future. On balance, I'd rather kill our enemies while I can.

    I sight the largest remaining Reach ship and accelerate towards it, a giant rock crusher construct forming in front of me even as small death ray turrets begin sniping crew in what I think are vital positions. The fleet shoots my construct but it holds firm as it rams into their shield, rotating heads chomping through-.

    The shields fail and-.

    Qwa matter-
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2021
  3. Alasnuyo

    Alasnuyo I am always here

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    Paul just died again, didn't he? If that's the case, who wants to bet that he comes back even faster than last time?
     
  4. Ciber

    Ciber Know what you're doing yet?

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    Ohhhhhh. Sneaky sneaky....
     
  5. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    'Armour on, construct'

    'out and aiming for the desires of the Reach'

    'your'

    Well fuck.
     
  6. Someguy Somewhere

    Someguy Somewhere The Critical Fumbler

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    There goes the neighborhood
     
  7. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    He shall be more powerful than ever.
     
  8. Lone Courier 6

    Lone Courier 6 Wanderer of threads

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    I wish there were some meaningful consequences for Paul here, but no only Grayven seems to get those, ten bucks says Paul bounces back from this in less than 3 chapters, any takers?
     
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  9. Handlewithcare

    Handlewithcare Versed in the lewd.

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    The Reach are a great enemy because they actually learn and are proactive.

    They've also correctly identified the protagonist...I mean, their main adversary.
     
  10. DrThoth

    DrThoth I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Qwa matter is written in orange though, so he may have done some Ophidian-level shenanigans to neutralize the threat or escape in time. Dealing with the Qwardians, whether through inciting/accelerating their potential civil war or in some other manner, should probably take a higher priority.

    I'd like to see one of these fully Maltusian super-advanced warships enter the field at some point (I don't think we've seen them so far, because nothing impressive has really stuck in my mind).
     
  11. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    No subtlety for this action. Full-force Scry-and-die tactics are the order of the day. If they aren't prepared for major trouble, the Reach are going to fold hard. :sneaky:

    Not the longest time one of Mr Zoat's chekov's guns have sat on the mantlepiece, but still damn useful.

    Like bugs scattering in the light... I expect a lot of casualties on both sides...

    The problem with hiding in the enemy's back pocket, is that sooner or later, they're going to sit down and notice you...

    What's the likelihood the Reach fleet were only expecting a mining party? Only to discover they hit the motherlode.

    A major loss for the Leentniar, both in resources and manpower. If it doesn't explode, they might get to salvage some of the hull, perhaps...

    Who's that talking? The Reach commander? :rolleyes: Probably going to gloat his way through the battle...

    So, bug meeting windshield. Or in this case, giant nail.

    Confident fellow, aren't they? Unfortunately, they kicked the hornet's nest...

    :eek: Oh, my. Bet that'll put a bee in the Leentniar's bonnets. If he's telling the truth, their whole migratory ploy has basically been for nothing.

    Rip and tear! P'aul over in the 40k universe would be proud.

    Yeah, I'm hoping this guy gets to see just how badly he dun goofed before he dies...

    The joy of combat teleportation. Never know where he's going to pop up next.

    Like a bloody blender. It's an amazing sight compared to how he started out...

    Heh, making them waste their time killing a place he's no longer at. It's almost poetic.

    Yeah, at this level, she'd just get in his way. Or become collateral damage for the Reach.

    :eek: And of course the Reach have countermeasures for the Leentniar weaponry. If they really have been watching them for decades, it'd be a simple matter to develop them...

    Suggesting that sooner or later, they will be able to actually counter him. Too bad they're dealing with an Earthman, who pulls new tricks out of every orifice at the drop of a hat...

    Destruction Pulse, level 9. For when you absolutely want something gone. :)p But it still leaves some wiggle room to go up to 11!)

    What, the Reach commanders have to spend their own funds to get upgrades? :p What is this, Mass Effect 2?

    Classy. And leaving the Reach crew no doubt as to their fate.

    :eek: Oh, shi-

    Well, that's a surprise! We do know the Reach were acquiring Qwa-matter weapons, but rigging their own ships as suicide bombs with it? Or was that a lucky shot to the storage chamber for the ammunition? And how much damage will OL take from this? What a cliffhanger. :p Thankfully OL's made himself hard to kill, as any proper wizard should.


    A Reach squadron pounces on one and destroys it in a moment. (Or 'moments', if you prefer.)
    ... dispersing the ship's shield envelope and...
     
  12. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
  13. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    If he's using the Honden to get away then 'qwa matter'
     
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  14. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    It reminds me of Professor Black and his killing spree against the Light.
     
  15. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
  16. thebishop8

    thebishop8 Umm, ackchyually...

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    My guess is that the ring is alerting him to qwa matter the same way it sometimes alerts him to nearby Green Lanterns.
     
  17. DrThoth

    DrThoth I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Well, no external actors should be manipulating the passage of his soul, so if he died he'd most likely materialize in the Honden and from there manifest in the material universe using someone's desires (maybe the Orange CPB if necessary). I don't think Hades's influence would extend past Earth's thaumosphere (maybe he should carry around a thamuically charged portable shrine or something, but that would likely be a part of a long-term project)

    I'd imagine it would have started with "Alert: qwa matter detec-" in that case, but that could be possible, yeah.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
  18. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    My money's on one chapter, maybe two at most.
     
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  19. nick012000

    nick012000 Gone for Good

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    Who is Paul talking to during the fight with the Reach fleet? Its commander? A Beetle?
     
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  20. moralrelativity

    moralrelativity Recovering pendant.

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    Yeah, I want to know that too. My guess is we're going to find out at some stage. I don't think this is a random commander, it's someone who planned this, including the conversation, to kill OL.
     
  21. Grimnar

    Grimnar Versed in the lewd.

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    At this point he just needs to get a suit of high grade mystical metal and have it enchanted up to the gills. Yes, he won't be able to just subspace it on and off, but if he's deployed in the war, he has time to change into and out of it.
     
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  22. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    He may not do that since he may not be able to maintain and repair it by himself.

    He has shown some magic skills, but probably not enough for anything high grade.
     
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  23. cereal_lurker

    cereal_lurker Getting sticky.

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    When did the SI get a PDR? It was invented and named such on the Renegade side, right? Did Beautia create one while researching it and give a copy to the SI? That seems... counter to the research goals...
     
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  24. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    They both got it from Themyscira. The Renegade just got it earlier. I can't remember exactly when Paul got it though.
     
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  25. LZB1285

    LZB1285 Getting sticky.

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    The PDR is a variant of the Purple Healing Ray, both of whic (iirc) predate Pauls entry into the universe. There's too much of this story for me to help more than that, I'm losing track.
     
  26. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Oh jumped up elementals, this.
     
  27. BartlettMagic

    BartlettMagic peekaboo, you fucks you!

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    is it wrong of me to be more concerned for Lantern Gozzi's wellbeing than OL's?
     
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  28. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Depends how you mean 'wrong'. Being more worried for a junior who might not know how to survive rather than a veteran who you might expect to be able to handle things isn't particularly unreasonable. If it helps, Lantern Gozzi's about half way across the system and while qwa-matter weapons are potent they're more 'intense' than 'expansive'.
     
  29. DrThoth

    DrThoth I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Has Wonder Woman ever used the qwa-sword Paragon gifted her with? How does it compare with the magical god-crafted weapons she should have access to? Has Hephaestus or Io forged her an even more potent new weapon taking advantage of the arcanotech revolution?
     
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  30. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    When did this happen?

    Link please.
     
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