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

False Dawn

8th November 2012
08:02 GMT -5

"Hm."

Canis doesn't look impressed. "Crude and inelegant. The deceitfulness intrinsic to trying to appear advanced while falling so far short may have merit, were it not for the fact that they so clearly believe their deception."

We're looking at one of the Alliance of the Just's quantum field towers, this one towering above every other building in Washington DC. Honestly, I'm a little surprised that they were allowed to build it here, but… I suppose that with everything that's caught the American government flat-footed lately, this was something they wanted to get on board with early.

And the new President-Elect has been publically shaking hands with Vincent Edge, which didn't hurt either of them.

"You don't like it?"

Canis shrugs. "It is not terrible. I suppose that it serves their purpose; it simply does not interest me." He clenches his knees slightly, and Brut turns away. "So I will do something that does. Death-Doll is introducing me to her modelling agency today, and I hope to find many fascinating subjects there."

"Modelling agency?"

"The 'Support Group'. No doubt a reference to the way they support the activities of their more enthralling principles. A worthy life for a Lowlie."

I smile, and raise my right hand in a wave. "You have fun. Or at least sufficiently artistic pain."

He glances back with a smile as a Boom-

BOOM!

-Tube opens.

"I'm glad that you understand! So many humans don't!"

Brut gallops through and I return my attention to the tower. There were articles in a couple of national newspapers about how they were using superhumans and magicians in the building process to keep the costs a little more manageable -they are a charitable organisation after all- as well as to do some things that couldn't be done otherwise. Using Earth technology to build a quantum communications network? Well, I could do it, and I… I don’t think any species in this Sector has the technology, but I wouldn't exactly be shocked to find out that there were mad scientists out there somewhere who could do the same. The Sivanas are the only ones who come immediately to mind.

"Ring, will it do what they say it will?"

"Exterior design matches submitted plans and known examples of the technology. Unable to directly scan structure."

And that's the rub. I don't have any grounds to barge in. Legally speaking, I'm just a nosy parker. They've got all of the permits that they require, and the Justice League… Really don't have the expertise with this sort of device.

I made my bed where the League are concerned.

I look away, turning and unfocusing my eyes to look at the underlying desires of the federal government's administrative buildings. Lots of milling around and jockeying for position, especially now they know for certain that they'll have a new boss next year.

I don’t really… Have a position on the US Presidential Election. President Horne seemed inoffensive enough; the Citizenship Recognition Act is something he'll always be remembered for, and I'm personally grateful for how he treated Swamp Thing after he attacked Gotham. On the other hand, I'm not really convinced that he does dynamic leadership, and after something like the Sheeda Harrowing and… All the other changes that have been happening in the world, I'm not sure he was a good fit. And of course the deal with Swamp Thing played a lot less well with America than it did with me.

President-Elect Henry Knight is certainly more dynamic. And I've worked with him enough to know that he's energetic and determined. Will he be a good President? Don't know. He's not a moral person but he is prepared to move things around if his allies get their cut.

There are many people I'd much rather have in the role, but… I don't think he'll be a disaster. At least, not in any way that will affect me or anyone I care about.

I

step out,

reappearing at Alan's de-lichened house. And… He's not here. Huh. Guess he's making an early start. We were going to meet up today to follow up on Dr. Balewa's lead on John Constantine… I suppose I didn't say I was going to meet him here…

I generate a zeta tube construct and step through-

8th November 2012
13:04 GMT

"Recognized, Orange Lantern, B zero six."

-into the Watchtower. No one in the main hall…

Oh, Alan can send me a message by ring if they need me immediately.

I drift over to the main window and look down at the Earth. Yeah, still there, still a planet. It's interesting that the change to Brazil is actually visible from here; it's just about the only visible thing to have changed from here since I first arrived. I had thought that my efforts at removing plastic particulates in the ocean might have changed the colour a little, but no. It was a useful thing to do for the ecosystem; I do occasionally get letters of thanks from oceanographers and fishermen, but in terms of making changes visible from orbit it… Didn't.

Still, it's… Nice. To look down on a world and recognise the shape of the continents. Because I'm actually familiar with them and not because I checked the map in advance.

"A most pleasing sight."

"Not too much of it on fire, you mean."

"I do not believe that it is our job to put out all of the fires."

"Me neither, but I still prefer it when they're not there."

"Members of the Justice League are surprisingly resistant to the idea of seeing themselves as gods. At first, I thought that it was modesty. Now, I think that it is self-delusion."

"Taxonomically, they're not gods. And people revere things that aren't gods all the time. You wouldn't call… Arsenal Football Club a god."

"Could the Arsenal Football Club attack a titan with a black hole?"

"Taxonomically, it wasn't a black hole." I turn away from the view to look at Dr. Balewa. "So, what news on the Constantine situation?"

"Are you not more concerned about the Smiley?"

"John Constantine is a friend. Boss Smiley isn't currently attacking any of my friends. So even if he's more important in some objective sense, I'm not going to prioritise him. That said… Could I go full-Ophidian Host on him… Safely?"

He looks at me, not unkindly, and… And for a moment I can see his age, the millennia of life-.

"If you were to fly into the deepest part of space, as far from every living thing as you could possibly be, you could not 'go full Ophidian Host' with complete safety. All people have an influence on one another just by existing. The idea that certain actions are 'free' and others are 'restricted' is simply nonsense."

"Alright, but-."

"There is no rule. I cannot tell you that there is some objective level of influence that is 'okay', and take from you the ability to make that determination for yourself. I hev spent most of my life in the remote parts of Africa because my tolerance for influencing people is low, but there is no thing built into the universe that tells me that I am right."

He shakes his head.

"I could hev made myself King of Earth, you understand? And I am sure that you are thinking-."

"The practical advantages, yes."

"And yet, you hev avoided making yourself king. Ah." He looks down, smiling for a moment. "But… Perhaps we should focus on the reason for our meeting."

"Where in the world is John Constantine?"