He tilts his head upward towards me, an expression of indifference on his face. "You may sit where you like, Illustres."
And the way his desires are in flux makes it a little difficult to divine his true feelings on the matter. Honestly, I imagine that it would obscure it from most Lanterns.
I see he's learned some
control. But is it a
good kind of control?
I find myself smiling. I wrote that such a technique was probably possible, but I never really bothered learning it myself.
"Thank you." I sit down. "Congratulations on your victory."
Enlightenment rather makes it useless, doesn't it? When
everything is orange-tinged, how do you pick out specifics?
"Two Scarab Warriors will make little difference in a war of this scale."
"True, but it's a sign of your increasing mastery that you were able to do it. You took on board what I said. That sort of fixity of purpose paired with flexibility of method is something I heartily approve of."
And it shows a maturity to take advice on board, rather than childishly
ignore it because of a bruised ego.
"You have done more."
"I'm the Illustres. And I had a year to train without a war going on, and while I know that you're familiar with a great many weapons there isn't anything quite like a power ring."
Which, ultimately, is merely a
tool that can make whatever weapon you can imagine...
For a moment his control weakens and his face nearly forms an expression. Then it snaps back.
"Very well. I acknowledge your compliment."
...Okay, Zartok,
might need to pull the stick out of your butt. Loosen up a little?
"I also like the way you're muddling your desires like that. I could see it eventually becoming a technique that could keep me out."
He stops bothering to disguise how he feels, the expression of frustrated irritation painting itself across his features.
Oh, don't give up on it, kid. Anyone else, it
might have worked.
"What do you want?"
"I had a conversation recently that made me think of you. I wanted to make sure that you understood why I did what I did. To make sure that there was no ongoing misunderstanding that might harm our professional relationship."
Heh. I get the feeling Zartok did take the wrong message to hearts.
He tilts his head back slightly. "You fear that I will grow to eclipse you."
"Oh, no. By all means, eclipse me."
If anything, that means that he
won't be the only one having to do the
big jobs.
His eye narrows. "Do not mock me."
"I'm not mocking you. This is why we need to talk." He relaxes slightly, but it's clear that he's still suspicious. "We're Orange Lanterns. We train to realise and harness our avarice. To harness our need to reform the universe into something more pleasing to us. But I think that you're assuming that what I want is the same as what you want."
An easy mistake to make, especially if you base it on commonalities.
"Explain."
"I caused this Corps to come into being. But I picked Vril Dox to run it. If my motive was to gain power and authority, why would I do that?"
...Less paperwork.
Can't change the universe if you're stuck filling out
all the forms.
"Because he's a functionary. When I ruled Cardonia I had administrators serving me and ruling in my name. I may have spent most of my time leading my armies, but all of their power came from me."
"Dox is one of the few Lanterns I don't think I could beat in a fight."
Probably true. Intellect, self-control and knowledge... All things Dox has a
lot of.
He clearly doesn't believe me.
"My skill with the orange light is greater than his, but his mind is faster than mine and he knows far more of weaponry than I do. A fight between us would be over in seconds."
I don't doubt he could manage some of the more
exotic weapons in their databases, quite easily.
"A likely story."
"You've learned to read desires with the orange light, haven't you?"
Bet that comes in handy spotting someone starting to lose control.
"Of course I have. But you defy my skill."
I hold out my left hand. "I block remote detection. Touch me."
Surprised that sort of thing hasn't caught on. Then again, most planets don't have the kind of arcane mindset to think of it.
He considers for a moment, then reaches out with his left hand and takes hold of mine in firm grip, the glow from his ring growing slightly. And I can… Feel it as he connects his awareness of the orange light to me.
"I want the end that is the destruction of the Reach. True?"
And linked
this deeply, I doubt there is any room for
falsehood...
His eye narrows. "Yees."
"Do you see any great desire in me for it to happen one way or another?"
'Want the ends, want the means.' If the job gets done...
"You… Want it to be at the hands of the N.E.M.O. alliance, to bring together all of the people in this region in the aftermath. An interesting way to build an empire."
"Do I want to rule that alliance?"
...Then it gets done, and he'll move on to the next.
"…" His eye narrows further. "N.. o…"
He pulls his hand back, eye opening back to the normal extent.
Probably amazed that someone
doesn't want to rule everything he sees.
"I misjudged you, Illustres."
"You did." I shrug. "You have questions. Ask them."
So
many questions, no doubt.
"Why Drusa?"
"You have strong desires. She doesn't. She hasn't allowed herself to get attached to things, because attachments were a source of vulnerability. That attitude does have its advantages, but an Orange Lantern needs to desire things. Beating her in a fight would merely encourage subservience. I needed to speak to her about her though processes instead."
That would be the more
personal approach to training that OL took with Drusa.
"Why did you single me out?"
"You were encouraging a mindset that was not helpful to the other trainees learning well. By challenging you and demonstrating your error, I motivated you to learn what you have. And you are stronger for it."
If it
ain't broke, don't fix it. If it
is, set it right. Sums up some of OL's character neatly.
"My staff fighting instructor had a similar attitude. When my skill surpassed his, I killed him."
"Lantern Ragnar joined the Corps after I defeated him in an arena match. He plans on challenging me again once his skill has increased sufficiently for it to be worthwhile. If you want revenge, you'd best keep working at it if you want to kill me before he does."
And that fight is going to be
spectacular. Also likely destructive, so probably best held somewhere
remote.
"The idea of your death doesn't trouble you."
"The idea of yours troubles you?"
I mean, why fear something you've already done twice?
"I do not fear death, but I would be frustrated if I died with my ambitions unrealised."
"I've made arrangements. But my ego is tied to the changes I've made in the universe. If my death is part of making my Corps stronger, then so be it."
And with the chance of him surviving it, he can even watch the results.
He considers for a moment.
"I understand. I think I even respect it. But be warned, Illustres: it will be my hand that kills you."
"I wish you the best of luck, Lantern Zartok."
Nothing like good
motivation to bring out an Orange Lantern's best.
