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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. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
     
  2. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Their leader was a god of intelligence.

    If anything they may potentially be more powerful.

    The New Titans we saw were just avatars and they didn't seem fully aware of their greater power, but this may show it to them.
     
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  3. draconomial

    draconomial Getting out there.

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    I’ll trade you a cow for those magic beans
     
  4. Artemisnemo

    Artemisnemo Getting sticky.

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    I'm not gonna explain the plot. If it's disheartening to do something. I suggest doing something you enjoy instead.
     
  5. transhumansage

    transhumansage Versed in the lewd.

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    wish paul knew the Life equation. would probably solve that problem in a bit.

    Mr Zoat does Paul know about the miracle machine? could he commission some one to make one, or even make one powered by the orange light?
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2022
  6. KingOuma

    KingOuma Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?

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    Ugh, finally reached the latest chapter. Took a whole month but i read it from start to finish!

    OL really is stretched, going from one problem to the next. But I'm actually interested to see what they come up with Rhea's body.

    Thanks for the chapter!
     
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  7. Threadmarks: Fleet Traction (part 15)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    1st January 2013
    21:26 GMT


    My eyes immediately move to Athyns, to see if he felt that as well. From the slightly ragged breath I just saw him take, it appears that the answer is yes. And for a moment I have a flashback to the Reaper mission in Mass Effect 2.

    'A god - a real god - is a verb. Not some old man with magic powers. It's a force. It warps reality just by being there. It doesn't have to want to. It doesn't have to think about it. It just does.'

    I don't think that's true, but it never occurred to me to see if the water that once made up Oceanus's body has any anomalous properties. So many fascinating topics, so little time.

    "Everyone else felt that, right?"

    Athyns has himself back under control, but the other Ascendants are… Small twitches, tensing facial muscles and clenching fists. I don't know their species well, but that looks like physical displacement activity for dealing with stress. For a moment Thiva looks like she's going to respond, then she looks at Athyns for permission.

    He nods. "We did. The shape of the world changed."

    "I don't know Karrakan society well. How much contact did you have with Rhea's material remains?"

    Because in the normal run of things… I mean, if she were a normal woman, Rhea's soul would be in Karrakan's thaumosphere. Unless the place was thaumically dead, in which case it would stay put until it got here. But if her body incarnating made it a manifestation of her soul… Does she just stay… Recumbent? Unalive?

    We need to find some minor gods no one will miss.

    "I visited them in her temple, once. Thiva?"

    "Sparta closed the inner part of the temple off when she took over. This is.. the closest I've come."

    She looks around, but none of the other Ascendants appear to have had any contact either. I try scanning through the sarcophagus, but my scan is defeated. Don't know if it was by the sarcophagus itself or by Rhea's magic.

    "Okay, I just need to do something before we go any further." I fly back through the entrance. "Back in a minute."

    Back into the sky, and up I go. Transitioning somewhere like this -particularly when we're going to mess around with the local thaumosphere- wouldn't be a good idea. But I can fly bloody quick when properly motivated. And as I go I begin using my rings to fabricate a suspended animation pod, manoeuvring thrusters and a new adult clone body for myself. Okay, out of the atmosphere, and looking at my own inanimate face like this stopped being strange after the second time. Add a beacon so that no one flies into it, and my spare ring in case I need to go into action right away. Make sure that it's got the velocity to stay in orbit for at least a few days… Yes, good.

    And I fly down, barely bothering to consider my surroundings other than to make sure that I don't cause destructive shockwaves. Back into the building…

    "Sorry about that."

    Athyns dismisses some sort of holographic display.

    "Does your species have an urge to reproduce before going into danger?"

    "Ah… More aggressive personality types tend to also be assertive in social situations-. Oh, no, that was just me putting a backup body at minimum safe distance. In the event of my physical destruction there's a good chance that I'll be able to transfer my soul into it." I shrug. "Just in case."

    "Can anyone do that?"

    "It was a pure chance thing when I did it the first time, and for obvious reasons I haven't practiced. It rather depends on me being drawn to the replacement body rather than the planet's thaumosphere." I frown. "I think there's an Apokoliptian called Baron Bedlam who does something similar, though he can animate a lot more bodies at once than I can."

    I nod at the sarcophagus.

    "Was that feeling in line with your predictions?"

    "We knew that something would happen. We didn't know quite what it would feel like. Still, this was proof of concept."

    "You..? Wait, did Sparta explain how any of this worked to anyone?"

    Thiva looks down. "Enough to use it or repair it. I don't think that she knew much more herself. She directed us to learn as much as we could and share what we learned, but there… She didn't intend to build anything like this. She just wanted the seeds for herself, to… Prove that she was the most favoured daughter of Rhea."

    Our eyes flicker as we try to determine if there was any major… Damage? To the local thaumosphere. We can't see anything, but in our duality we are aware of how limited our facility in that field is. There is something disquieting to that idea, a disquiet we do not feel as the Ophidian or as the Illustres. Should we not possess all capacities? Are we not a universal titan, unlimited to mere planetary thaumospheres as we exist in the orange light?

    "Okay, so what's next?"

    Athyns gestures to the Ascendants around the room, and they move to take their positions sitting in a meditative posture between the Titans and their seeds. Thiva takes the role of Phoebe, while Athyns himself moves closer to the sarcophagus. I suppose that except possibly Sparta herself he's the oldest and most powerful, so that makes sense.

    Tron lines glow and shimmer faintly as whatever magic they're using starts working, and it's like the floor has dropped out from under us, a falling sensation in the pit of our stomachs.

    But-. But off-putting as it is, nothing appears to be going wrong. Other… Than the Ascendants corresponding to Hyperion and Theia developing a plasma corona. Huh. And as I look, the others develop coronas themed after their titans as well. Makes sense, though I don't know if that's coming from the seeds or from the corpses-.

    I feel a moment of disquiet. I can understand Athyns not really wanting to try resurrecting them, but it… They weren't all narcissists. Arrogant, yes, but they were actual gods surrounded by mortals. They were objectively superior to most of them. But if they were successful in resurrecting some, those would inevitably want to resurrect the rest, and… That would almost certainly lead to another fight. This isn't a terrible compromise.

    Athyns lays his hands on the sarcophagus.

    "Grandmother."

    We feel-. Yes, the whole room, it's becoming… The arcane aspect is being intensified in the purely material world, causing a sort of hyper-reality as the thing and the idea of the thing become one, but it's all around-.

    My eyes shoot to the ceiling as we feel something alien to the system appear.

    "Athyns, I-."

    "I felt it too. We cannot be interrupted in our work. I feel… We can do this. It will be difficult-."

    "Who has government authority to speak when you're not there?"

    "Talk is free. Pontico has seniority on New Chronus."

    "Right. I'll try getting rid of them. Let me know the moment you're finished."

    I walk out of the chamber, careful not to step on the tron lines. As I go, normal reality begins intruding, and the disquiet I felt when it started is nothing to what it feels to leave it.

    "Illustres to Pontico. Who have we got?"
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2022
  8. _The_Bomb

    _The_Bomb Getting sticky.

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    Hahahahaahah
     
  9. Lazurman

    Lazurman That Others May Fap

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    The answer to that question is yes, by the way.
     
  10. Silveraith

    Silveraith Argent Phantasm

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    Is.
     
  11. transhumansage

    transhumansage Versed in the lewd.

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    i dont understand this part? does he want to use the minor gods to make her resurrection faster?
     
  12. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

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    As I noted yesterday: Even a dead god still holds power. And that power is now pouring out into the local thaumosphere. I wonder if any of them are feeling a chill wind blowing upon them right now...

    If they didn't, then they probably shouldn't have been here in the first place, if a ritual was taking place...

    But for the better, or the worse? Is the world more comfortable... Or does it feel like a scratchy woollen jumper?

    And isn't that the most terrifying thing to imagine? Plenty of stories have leaned on that phobic button...

    Whoa there, OL. Let's leave the edge to Grayven, yeah? He's more chūnibyō than you ever could be...
    (edit: dangit, my fumble-fingers, sometimes...)

    ...Or possibly a mix of both. It's likely that the scarcophagus is built to channel her power. So if some part of her consciousness is still present...

    Heh. The in-story equivalent of hitting the quick-save button. :p

    I wonder what they'd make of that. A pre-battle ritual, most likely.

    I mean, so many stories do feature the doomed hero making love to their love interest the night before a decisive final battle. :rolleyes: And because of Narrative Causality, said love interest usually ends up pregnant from it.

    Wouldn't that be an amusing rumour to get spread about humans? :eek: 'They just won't stay dead!' :confused: 'I burnt his body to ash myself! How is he still running around?'

    To be fair, New God technology is bullshit weird. A divine AI-soul-thing that can pilot multiple robot bodies is hardly anything unusual...

    Let's just hope the pool is big enough to hold all the energy you're about to pour into it, then. Because I don't want to imagine it breaking, or you drowning.

    Sadly, such petty goals drive many villains. Because no-one is the bad guy of their own story. Even those that admit they're the bad guy in someone else's story.

    I can't help but imagine those about him feeling something akin to a snake's tongue flick across them...

    And this is the moment the Inception horns come into the soundtrack. BA-WOOOM...

    And if they can sort it out right, they can revive them and slowly let them prove themselves worthy of taking up their intended mantles.

    Not quite necrourgy, but I do get that feel from this stuff...

    Here's Graaaayven! :V

    So, keep Big Gray away from the planet, so that his metaphysical weight doesn't leave its mark on the thaumosphere. Big ask.

    Ah, cultural differences...

    Fascinating experience, I bet. But not one you want to experience too often...

    Well, this is going to be pleasant. OL playing bouncer for the Ascendants while they retune their planet's magical landscape. Hopefully, Grayven doesn't feel like swinging his Big Conquest Ego while the delicate work is underway. Sadly, I get the feeling diplomacy won't be sufficient, and it'll result in rolling for initiative soon enough.


    ...in which case it would stay put until it got here.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2022
  13. Handlewithcare

    Handlewithcare Versed in the lewd.

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    Attenborough: "And here we see an Orange Illustres undergo spontaneous mitosis as it feels danger approaching. The bud will remain in orbit...safe...as the OL goes to play with Titan-god magic. Nature...truly is beautiful"
     
  14. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

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    No, he'd rather risk the process going horribly wrong or horribly right on expendable people so the process can be adjusted as necessary to make it safe for the important people.
     
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  15. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    No, going by the black text, he wants to murder minor gods and use their remains for experimentation.
     
  16. BR549

    BR549 This is filth! FILTH!!

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    OL wants to do SCIENCE! to find out what actually happens when a god dies, since he's realised (1) he currently is clueless about it and (2) people he cares about would benefit from that knowledge.



    Which is reasonable as far as it goes, however the fact this line is in black is rather...concerning.
     
  17. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

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    Maybe he's thinking of destroying and using gods he finds abhorrent?
     
  18. Vaermina

    Vaermina Well worn.

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    Given how messed up in the head LePaul is, that is not a measuring stick that should ever be used for judgement.
     
    Enochi and In search for story's like this.
  19. Someguy Somewhere

    Someguy Somewhere The Critical Fumbler

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    Or maybe it's a tickle of the ol' Anti-life rattling around that he thought he was immune to. His soul does tend to suck up random energies. Or a more Natural reaction to wanting to murder the hell out of the New Gods behind the attack on earth and have an excuse to be nasty to their immortal remains.
     
  20. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
    No. He was wondering about breaking up gods for parts.
    Technically, no. Rather, it's strengthening the bond between the local physical reality, the local thaumosphere and the underlying metaphysical fabric of the universe. The result is that the power of the local thaumosphere is increasing, but it's not directly coming from the bodies.
    "I'm just a guy who's a chūnibyō for fun."

    "I'm not a chūnibyō. I'm just written this way."
    Thank you, corrected.
     
  21. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    Oh, shit, this does not look good.

    "role of Phoebe"
     
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  22. CTrees

    CTrees Chasing the ring

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    Try India? They've got a couple different types, and many of them are antagonistic to basically everyone. Plus, with the current antilife infection on Earth, odds are no one will care if a couple Asuras disappear.

    Didn't OL turn some high end magician into a construct during the most recent Belle Rev visit? Hard to remember exactly who, because I'm pretty sure OL used their government name, not their cape name. Point is, they have ways of getting that capability, even if they don't possess it inherently.
     
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  23. Lord Ernest

    Lord Ernest At the End...

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    Actually, I think it was Satanus. And it was an instance where the Illustres was using his made up and false, although actually legal, Earth name of Collin Thornton. Instead of his real, more well known demon name, which is Satanus (or Saturnus, as was once mentioned, I think?).

    And I didn't understand why, had to google who Collin was during that episode to remember. Supervillains I get if he calls them by their actual name; the demon with the obvious demon name that has been known by the demon name for more time than by the made up, normal sounding human name should totally be called by the demon name.
     
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  24. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

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    There are also Zeus and Ares.
     
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  25. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Thank you, corrected.
    The SI doesn't actually like using that ability, because it's really in-your-face that you just super-murdered someone.
     
  26. Doccer

    Doccer I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Wonder if a little Anti-Life was slipped into her body?
    It was foolish if them to do this with Grayven over head still.
     
  27. ForeverShogo

    ForeverShogo Not too sore, are you?

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    Would be kind of funny if someway somehow this was all set up by Grayven. Like, he's the one that first told Sparta about the ritual and it turns out what it's ultimately going to do is send all this Titan power to Grayven.
     
  28. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    Grayven's not exactly going to be unhappy if it works, because he uses magic and the Reach don't. But he wouldn't give Sparta something like this unless he was sure that she'd stay on-message.
     
  29. Threadmarks: Fleet Traction (part 16)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

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    1st January 2013
    21:30 GMT


    "Five ships, damaged. Cruisers. We were already recalling our patrols."

    Ring scans are not entirely reliable at long range, but Pontico doesn't appear to mind me borrowing New Chronos's sensors. New God technology being unaffected by this system's oddities. Reach cruisers, from an inner sphere fleet. Don't know if they're the ones that are fighting around Karrakan, but it seems like a reasonable guess.

    "Have you had a chance to go over their combat performance against your ships yet?"

    "I'm a physician. And our most capable ship masters are taking part in the ritual. Are you willing to involve yourself?"

    "I assume that we shouldn't call Athyns away unless absolutely essential?"

    "He is our leader. It must be him who draws Grandmother Rhea's magic into the world."

    "Right. Okay. Thing is, as you're not a N.E.M.O. member world, there are certain things I can't do. On the other hand, since you're not a N.E.M.O. member-."

    "I heard. We can request the assistance of the Green Lantern Corps."

    "And I can get hold of them a lot faster than you can. Do you want me to contact them? They might not be able to get here immediately."

    "Their ships appear to be heavily damaged."

    "I agree with that assessment."

    "Sparta… I prefer being a healer. I don't want to start a fight if I don’t have to."

    "Perfectly reasonable. Want me to go and have a chat with them while you muster your forces?"

    "Yes, I would be grateful."

    "Alright. I might be out of contact when I get closer to them."

    "I understand. Thank you for trying."

    I nod and fly towards the Reach squadron. It's been a few minutes, and destructive as the Absolute Dominion is, damaged and flanked I don't… I don't think it could have destroyed all of its attackers that quickly. And coming here… I should find out how they did that.

    Alright, I'm about halfway towards them. If I'm supposed to negotiate their… What's it called when ships are held by a neutral third party? I've never heard of Reachians accepting anything like that, but them being here at all is something…

    That's wreckage. Wreckage of one of the Ascendancy ships. That… If it opened a boom tube and got… Overtaken? Jumped?

    If there's anyone still alive on there then I should get them off. Getting some sort of intelligence on Grayven's activities would be nice, but if I'm not taking them…

    Should be close enough, now.

    "Illustres to Reach fleet. Please explain your presence here."

    "Illustres. Explain your presence here."

    Huh. It is that guy from earlier.

    "I'm here because I was invited here by the local government to assist them in a construction project. You?"

    "This is a N.E.M.O. world?"

    "This is a world that has authorised me -as an independent contractor- to kill all of you if we don't get a satisfactory explanation."

    "We will make repairs and then leave. We-."

    "N-o. You jumped a group of warships into a neutral system. To my great pleasure, that breaks your treaty with the Green Lantern Corps. You just accidentally started a war that every Green Lantern in the region has wanted since that treaty was signed. And my own superiors will be positively giddy with joy at the prospect."

    "We are not invading this system."

    "Yeaaaaaah, you are. Maybe you didn't mean to, but taking warships into someone else's space without an invitation is an invasion. If you want me not to inform the Green Lanterns that you've torn up the treaty, you're going to have to do better than 'our bad'."

    "… What do you want?"

    "Firstly, you will explain how you got here."

    "We followed one of Grayven's ships through a portal."

    "You didn't know where it was going?"

    "Not for certain. I assumed a shipyard."

    "And how exactly did you get close enough to it to do that?"

    "Short-range faster than light jump as they attempted to withdraw. I believe that the ship's captain was inexperienced."

    Possible. If the interdiction systems weren't working… I'm not sure how fragile a system they are on an Apokoliptian warship like the Absolute Dominion. Without me there, and with the N.E.M.O. defence platforms destroyed, they might have been able to do that.

    "You appear to be somewhat damaged yourselves."

    "Gravyen does not talk to his enemies. We reached his fleet ahead of our reinforcements."

    "I take it that he's still fighting, then?"

    "That was true when we left."

    "Come on, send your sensor logs."

    I wait a moment-.

    Logs received.

    Ah. Yes. Grayven's prow-mounted hyper blaster is a remarkable anti-capital ship weapon when it's pointing in the right direction. When it's pointing in the wrong direction and the Absolute Dominion's manoeuvring systems are damaged, it's irrelevant. And it looks like Reach dreadnoughts are capable of damaging it by themselves. I doubt that they could stop his disengaging if his boom tube generator is still working, but I also doubt very much that he'll want to disengage.

    Assuming that these logs aren't doctored to heck, which is a distinct possibility.

    "Alright, I've got an offer for you."

    "I'm listening."

    "Deactivate weapons and slave navigation to my ring. I'll take you in-system. The locals have generously offered the use of their medical facilities."

    "We will not surrender to you."

    "Didn't I say this isn't a N.E.M.O. system?"

    "You did."

    "Good news for you is that it's true. Your ships will be held until the conclusion of the war between N.E.M.O. and the Reach, at which point they will either be returned to the Reach government or to the N.E.M.O. occupation authority, whoever won. For you, the war is over."

    "And if we refused?"

    "Well, in that case, I-"

    BOOM!
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2022
  30. Profipfreely

    Profipfreely Verified Pun

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    You know, I was kind of expecting them to self-destruct immediately. Someone must not be taking their Joy
     
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