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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. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Or their tech isn't that good, or the other guys have better tech that allows them to hide.

    Or they don't want to talk about it near Paul.

    You could say that he's a real hot head.

    ...

    I'm not apologizing.

    Joking helps in stressful situations.

    And she hasn't done anything to suggest she has performance issues.

    Such as any other New God tech they may have.

    Renegade Zatanna could technically count as that.

    Or the survivors were very good at hiding.

    Or was just the most skillful diplomat, without being mystically connected to that concept.

    She called them fragments.

    And she may not care about their connection to the Seeds.
     
  2. Hell's Razer

    Hell's Razer Passive Member

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    A corection Mr Zoat:
    "bout"
     
  3. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    Technically, she's the New God of Magic of the Fifth World (Earth), not of Apokolips nor New Genesis.

    Paul is currently in a position where he has to face what might possibly be an entire space fleet of demigods, without access to his gear, no way to get back up, and unable to get assistance from the Ophidian. He also has to make sure that his accomplices don't die, which is made harder by the fact that the three of them are weakened from being so far from Earth. Is Paul finally in a position wherein he must rely on Identity Theft to win a battle? I ask because I want him to have at least one demigod Construct-Lantern, and to freak out the Titans a bit by revealing he can do this.
     
  4. Alasnuyo

    Alasnuyo I am always here

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    Hmm, usually this is the point where Paul would usually dive into the Honden to try and suss out the source of the comm blockage or just get help directly by greedporting himself.
     
  5. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
    It's generally best not to dive into water when you don't know if it's been mined.

    There was a piece of a BBC comedy radio program a few years ago, where it starts with a man describing what he and his friends got up to at the beach in their youths 'with none of this health and safty stuff you get now'. The initial monologue ends with 'and that's why I'm paralysed from the waist down'.
     
  6. NightmareWarden

    NightmareWarden Versed in the lewd.

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    Hmm. We saw Paul break through a space-distorting phenomenon with Malvolio’s cage. But this situation is rather different.

    Oh. This might actually be a situation for Eris’ touch. This batch of demigods seem to have inherited some of the flaws of the Olympians. I suspect that discord in the ranks and chaos running amok in their computer systems might be quite helpful. Earth doesn’t have a god of technology yet, so these demigods probably don’t have a Titan of technology to make their systems Eris-proof.
     
  7. moralrelativity

    moralrelativity Recovering pendant.

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    Thank you. So Paul was wrong with his list of who can use Boom Tubes?
     
  8. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Not really.

    Among his list of suspects was Apokalips and if Grayven is behind this then he's technically right.
     
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  9. Ardy

    Ardy I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Actually I’m curious why Paul isn’t using boom tubes normally now. Dox can use them, so why can’t he?

    Just because he’s the fastest OL doesn’t mean instant from one end of the galaxy to another WITH PASSENGERS wouldn’t be helpful
     
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  10. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    I think it's because Dox is doing the necessary calculations for the Boom Tube by himself rather than creating some device for it.
     
  11. Gantradies

    Gantradies Not too sore, are you?

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    Huh. You know, whoever built their comm’s system was a real fan of redundancy if it supported links with everything down to stl coms lasers- not that that’s a bad thing by any measure…
     
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  12. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    Those who didn't read titans are probably wondering how Sparta is such a threat.

    In the comics Sparta highlandered other titan seeds for their power.

    Zoat's demigoddess version presumably did the same with her fellow demigods.

    The ones who numbered in the hundreds.
     
  13. Coda

    Coda Versed in the lewd.

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    Can't exactly say that's STL comm lasers. They're lasers. They're right in between STL and FTL. :p
     
  14. Threadmarks: Sungate (part 20)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    11th September 2012
    19:56 GMT


    'Obviously her'.

    Hm.

    "Also, any information you have about 'Sparta' would be appreciated."

    Hyperion shakes his head. "What? She's just another demigod from Karrakan."

    I look away from him, staring at Crius and then Coeus. Coeus meets my eyes for a moment, then nods.

    "Sparta was -is- one of our mother's natural granddaughters. When the wars started, she attempted to stop them, first by diplomacy and later by force. But in the process she became deranged. I don't know if it was the bloodshed or the failure that broke her." He shrugs. "By the end she was berserk, attacking any who did not bow to her authority."

    I suppose there's no need to ask how she feels about them. Assuming that I accept their timeline, there probably wasn't anything they could have done to prevent rampaging demigod-led armies from fighting. I mean, in theory there were things they could have done, but it would be unreasonable to expect newly created gods to have any idea what those things were.

    "So why did you think she was dead?"

    "She wasn't the only one with a fleet. When I piloted New Cronus away she tried attacking us. I fired and crippled her ships. They crashed onto the planet's surface, and at that point the planet was locked in an eternal winter. They should have had neither food nor the machinery to rebuild." He shakes his head. "I have no idea how she managed it."

    "Was Karrakan thaumically active?"

    "Barely. Far less than Minosyss."

    "What exactly are her abilities?"

    Coeus looks around at his siblings, but none of them say anything.

    "I don't know. As I said, she was already delusional by the time we were in a position to speak with her."

    That sounds like an issue I should try to hear the other side about.

    Or… It isn't, is it? These gods want something from me. They've got the right attitude to improve this world, even if they don't have the skills yet. I can help them, we get our sun eaters back, the people get a thaumological revolution that they were unlikely to get any other way and the gods get a purpose. Even if they did muck up something on the last world they orbited, how would backing someone else -or even investigating their story- actually help anyone? It would be a different matter if they were here purely due to ego-fulfilment, but that isn't the case.

    I would still like to hear the other side, but… Mostly due to personal curiosity and bargaining fodder. I don't really think anything there would change my view of the situation.

    But where did the boom tube..? Of course, post hoc ergo propter hoc. Just because someone stole Phoebe's seed, that doesn't mean they have anything to do with someone who apparently already hated them.

    "But if we could return to the matter of your fleet..?"

    "Small ships. Shuttles and assault boats. New Cronus itself is our main naval asset."

    "Gunnery?"

    "Easily enough to destroy those ships, unless they've had a substantial refit."

    "Could they target the planet?"

    "Not meaningfully, not at that distance. Energy weapons would dissipate and…" Coeus looks at Iapetus and Tethys.

    They share a glance, and Tethys nods.

    "We can create a storm of such power that it will shield the planet. Not instantly, and it would cause much harm on its own, but it can be done."

    A planet-scale plasma shield created from storms and dust. Now that is beautiful.

    "Good to know. So what's your plan?"

    Coeus pulls up a hologram.

    "Wait until they get closer to Minosyss then close the distance, board their command ship while our weapons cripple their other ships and take back Phoebe's seed. Then Lord Hyperion can burn as many of them as he likes."

    "Sounds like a plan. Unless you need me right here, I'd like to get outside. I need to find out what new restrictions my rings are working under."

    He waves his right hand in dismissal.

    "I look forward to fighting beside you."

    Melinoë follows me as I leave, motioning for Gaudia and Aporia to stay put. Gaudia nods, while it looks like Aporia didn't notice us leaving. I'm not sure that I'm seeing her at her best. Melinoë waits for the door to the bridge to close and for us to pass the guards before covertly handing off an anti-eavesdropping charm.

    "The plan does not-."

    "Doesn't account for whatever it was they used to kill Phoebe that quickly. Sure, drop an armed warrior goddess on her with no notice and I'd expect her to lose, but that was fast. She didn't even call for help. Which means that if they confront Sparta and she's the one who did it, they'll probably end up in the same state."

    "And if she were rational enough to carry out an attack and then leave, then she is clearly not a madwoman."

    "Or it could be someone else, but whoever it was, they've got good enough intelligence on the interior of New Cronus to boom tube in right next to Phoebe-. Or worse, they could boom tube into New Cronus and walk around until they found her."

    "Betrayal?"

    "Possible. Please, track Phoebe's movements as best you can, and those of her attacker too. If we're at least reasonably lucky, whatever they use to disable her only works on those seeds."

    "And if not?"

    "Melinoë, you're armed and armoured and have thousands of years of experience and can cause people to have horrifying waking nightmares by looking at them. I have every confidence that you'll come out ahead."

    "Of course I will. I just wanted to make sure that you noticed."

    "I noticed that you've been studying thaumaturgy. You could stick around here for a while if you wanted to."

    "I will consider it. It would be… Pleasant, if my family could reconcile without familicide."

    She stops at an intersection just before the closest landing platform.

    "Good fortune, Orange Lantern."

    "You too."

    I accelerate as she turns back, flying out across the now-deserted landing field and out into space. As I pass the edge of New Cronus's atmosphere envelope I check my environmental field, but it still appears to be working. My armour can rejuvenate the available air for a very long time, but it never tastes right.

    I fly 'up' the orbital plane, 'over' the planet until I can a direct line of sight to the invading fleet. Scans… Yes, I can get a 'fuzzy' scan of them, though I can't even identify their primary armament, just their class. They don't seem to be moving all that fast, so I can only assume-.

    BOOM!

    I accelerate away as the ships charge through the boom tube beneath me and open fire on New Cronus!
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2021
  15. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    That should say 'Not'.

    At least we now have confirmation that they have someone on their side who can open Boom Tubes.
     
  16. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    No... You blast the Boom Tube...
     
  17. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    It could be a good way to make sure that you're taking the right side since the Titans could be lying and be able to hide the truth from you.

    Though in this case I think it most likely is that.

    Or she is a madwoman but is able to plan and be patient instead of going crazy after she starts.
     
  18. Ardy

    Ardy I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    The shipping is back!!
     
  19. Ashaeron

    Ashaeron Know what you're doing yet?

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    How? His rings aren't working.
     
  20. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Yes they are, it's just all his forms of communications and sub-spacing that aren't.
     
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  21. Ashaeron

    Ashaeron Know what you're doing yet?

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    And his inability to fly, seen several chapters (C13) ago, implying his constructs aren't working either. He's been forced to use the armour to fly.

     
  22. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    Hardly needs guessing that they knew her already. The question now is what did they do to piss her off this badly? Did they fight her? Fight alongside her? Or is she enraged that they fled? Does she even realise their connection via Rhea? Because that would maybe get the attention of the Kindly Ones, depending on how they look upon unknowing familicide...

    Suuuure. And you're a short-tempered lothario. Let's try to focus on facts, not just stereotypes...

    See, that's useful information. How accurate it is, I'm not sure.

    And how much damage did her supposed death inflict on Karrakan, since she seems pretty cheesed off about the whole affair.

    Sounds like someone happened upon the ruins and decided to make use of that anger...

    Well, I can see why they came here, then. More magic, and no-one apparently using it... Never mind the subtly appropriate name. (Athyns and Sparta, I could see being names handed down by Rhea...)

    ...Did none of you take the time to find out anything about her? Good grief, they really are children playing at godhood...

    Yes, yes you should. The trick will be learning that without her trying to turn you inside out.

    Still, best to find out all you can about the new lodgers, especially if the factory can't easily be extracted.

    The two things might not be related, but best to plan as if they are. Still, no need to go borrowing trouble when you don't have to. Because the idea that two separate groups may want the Titan's heads (or Seeds) raises the question of what happens if they find out about each other?

    Thought so. After all, if your main vessel has teleportation capabilities and a crewmember who can unleash solar flares, why bother with an escort fleet? Pity it's such a big basket for all those eggs...

    You assume they're going to give you the chance to take those shots...

    And if they decide to lob a few asteroids your way? It's safe to assume they don't know about OL's delegation... They might think they have supremacy outside of New Cronus' range.

    Yes, the problem comes down to this 'harm' it might cause. Your prospective congregation might not enjoy having the mother of all thunderstorms swirling overhead...

    ...Unless they can't maintain control of it. There's always a chance, OL...

    ...Well, it's a plan. Is it a good one? Couldn't tell you without more information...

    Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and this can still be settled by talking... Alas, I fear neither party will care to listen.

    Yeah, she can see how young and foolish they are, can't she? The joy of being considerably more mature.

    Unless she sent an agent to do it. But that raises the question of how.

    ...How many other karrakanians besides Athyns are aboard? Yes, definitely something worth checking.

    Is that armour for show, then, dear Nightmare? Or do you not trust your skill with those arms?

    "...Not that I care whether you notice or not." Sure, Melinoë. Say, have you had a chance to check out any Japanese culture lately? They've got some lovely terms for things... ;)

    And again, less likely to attract the attention of certain powers that look coldly upon such things.

    Ah, the hard shell breaks a little...

    So, basic systems still barely functional in life-support and sensors. Communications out... What about actual constructs?

    Well, shit. The question is, is it part of Sparta's fleet, or our possible second party?

    And the excrement is flying towards the fan. With OL right in the path. And he's really likely to get splattered with something here... Let's hope he's got some measure of construct functionality, or it's going to get reaaal messy in here. This is turning into a right fustercluck of a mission. Hinon and Dox are going to need the extra-strength headache meds when they hear about this...
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2021
  23. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    I think the two groups do know about each other.

    They may have those already.

    After dealing with Paul those are a requirement.
     
  24. Massgamer

    Massgamer Not too sore, are you?

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    So Sparta has sponsorship of someone who can provide fleet scale boom tubes, looking more and more like Apokolips is behind this.
     
  25. Handlewithcare

    Handlewithcare Versed in the lewd.

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    So why take out specifically Phoebe before the attack?

    Maybe she was a traitor and they fought?
     
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  26. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    She is a moon goddess so maybe by taking her out they would reduce the capacity of New Chronus' defences.
     
  27. Sockmonkey

    Sockmonkey I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Yep, that's an "Oh shit" moment no matter who you are.
     
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  28. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
  29. Bud-E

    Bud-E Stand up so I can push you down!

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    Is Grayven working with the Citizenry in the Paragon timeline?
     
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  30. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Most likely yes.
     
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