1. Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. For prospective new members, a word of warning: don't use common names like Dennis, Simon, or Kenny if you decide to create an account. Spammers have used them all before you and gotten those names flagged in the anti-spam databases. Your account registration will be rejected because of it.
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Since it has happened MULTIPLE times now, I want to be very clear about this. You do not get to abandon an account and create a new one. You do not get to pass an account to someone else and create a new one. If you do so anyway, you will be banned for creating sockpuppets.
    Dismiss Notice
  4. If you wish to change your username, please ask via conversation to tehelgee instead of asking via my profile. I'd like to not clutter it up with such requests.
    Dismiss Notice
  5. Due to the actions of particularly persistent spammers and trolls, we will be banning disposable email addresses from today onward.
    Dismiss Notice
  6. A note about the current Ukraine situation: Discussion of it is still prohibited as per Rule 8
    Dismiss Notice
  7. The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.
    Dismiss Notice
  8. The testbed for the QQ XF2 transition is now publicly available. Please see more information here.
    Dismiss Notice

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

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

Loading...
  1. Threadmarks: Fear Ourself (part 13)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    14,696
    Likes Received:
    728,975
    20th January 2013
    18:26 GMT


    "It's not damaged." The Weaponer performs checks on her equipment, but it's just as untouched as I left it. I guess that Parallax was having too much fun playing with my brain. "Good."

    Jade shudders again, and I tighten my arms around her. Normally she'd hate looking weak, but I feel her need and see her reassurance. I haven't asked what it showed her yet, but I will, later.

    "That's a ring forge. Have you forged rings before?"

    "Yes. Eight Earth years ago. It was probably the pinnacle of my career."

    Eight years… Not Sinestro, then. His fall from grace-. His getting booted out of the Corps, happened twelve years ago. Jordan had had his ring for a little over a year. Eight years… That was when Jordan fought St'nlli, so it's-.

    "You made the Anti-. The antithesis rings."

    "I was one of the Weaponers who worked on that project. Does Kalmin talk about it?"

    "No. Wait, that was after Sinestro got his ring. I thought that Kalmin was deposed shortly after that."

    "He was. The Antithesis Ring project was started before he met Sinestro. Varnathon let us continue it, probably so that he could arrange for us to die when the Green Lantern Corps made their counterattack."

    "You appear to be alive."

    "I ran a little faster. When you're surrounded by people who think with their thunderbolts, it pays to plan ahead."

    "So the plan was… Have Parallax possess him, use that power to help you forge a ring.. by using them to bypass the focus requirement."

    "Forge rings and personal lanterns. Parallax was irrelevant. And I would have given one to Harrolds, as per our agreement. And if his mind survived intact, he could have gone home to use it."

    "Where did Parallax come in?"

    "Why are you calling it that? 'Parallax' doesn't-."

    "Yes, I-. Yes, I know. What do your people call the Fear Entity?"

    "Qpwkohinaugvreau. The insect that drinks minds through a fear-proboscis."

    "'Parallax' might be nonsense, but at least it's pronounceable. But where did it come in?"

    "It wasn't supposed to. The tank I had Harrolds in was designed to prevent it seeing him as I increased the amount of yellow light passing through him. When you broke containment, it would have been like a beacon going off."

    "Beacon… Okay, but where was it?"

    "I don't know. Kalmin kept most of his research into the yellow light to himself." The rim of the hole I made in the tank glows for a moment, then starts to close. "I'm surprised that you don't know."

    "I thought that the Guardians had it. But if they kept it locked up for millennia, I doubt that one person achieving enlightenment would break it out."

    "No. But it might wake it up."

    "Be-cause… The easiest way to keep someone imprisoned is if they don't try to escape. That also matches how confused he sounded about it."

    The Guardians are just about the only people who could trap Parallax. Or another maltusian faction. Or-. No. They're not the only ones who could. They're just the only ones who would without immediately trying to weaponize it.

    The tank finishes resealing itself and Weaponer Lysis turns back to me.

    "Once he is inside, 'Parallax' will not be able to merge with him."

    "Are you sure? A central power battery might be a better vessel."

    "Perhaps. And if I had one, I would test it as a solution. Has it been used in that way before?"

    "Ah… No. Ion and Ophidian are both in theirs willingly. Ophidian was trapped in a sort of proto-central power battery, but that had an insane Orange Lantern to be next to it at all times. I don't know if that was required, and I don't know about the others."

    "Do you know anything useful?"

    "Based on the visions it made me have, I can predict that it will travel into Reach territory, attempt to ally with them and then attack Sereaven. It wants me to be afraid. Now, what was that about a way to disrupt its connection with Harrolds? Because I've already got the device Controller Hinon made for me to render Larfleeze unable to focus."

    "Was he merged with an Entity at the time?"

    "No."

    "Then you're welcome to try it, but I doubt that it will do anything. We can depart. I'll need to work with Kalmin or your Controllers to complete my work."

    "So you don't have a disruptor, or-?"

    She reaches into one of her pouches and pulls out… A green power ring, with the-

    "I am entity Volthoom. Baseline universal substrate anomaly detected. Predicting-."

    -strange double-loop Power Ring symbol on the bezel.

    "Silence!" The ring doesn't stop muttering to itself, but the volume drops to barely audible. "It's unusually talkative. If you put it on, it talks constantly in your head. Harrolds was using it, but he found it extremely aggravating. Having tried putting up with it myself, I am sympathetic to his decision. Putting it on him should disrupt his connection to Parallax as the green light invades his psyche."

    I nod. "Where's his personal lantern?"

    "According to him, he doesn't have one. Whatever 'Volthoom' is, it provides power on its own. I would have preferred to make something similar, but Parallax is far too strong and I don't know of any other lifeforms that would work."

    "Alright. I'll-."

    Jade's right hand shoots out as she steps away from me, fingers pointing to-.

    "Darling, I'm not sure that's-."

    She pulls away from me, hand still reaching. "I'll risk it."

    Weaponer Lysis holds it in Jade's direction, an expression of mild curiosity on her face as the ring flies in Jade's direction and lands on her right middle finger.

    "I am entity Volthoom. New wearer detected. Manual activated. Control processes available. Playing manual."

    Jade winces as her armour reformats into Power Ring's colours or green and white with the Power Ring logo on the chest.

    "I'll take this as a try-out. What's our next-." She winces, the barely audible droning of the ring continuing. "Next step?"

    "We travel to the anti-matter universe and I discuss things with my former teacher." She looks at me. "Bring everything, damage nothing."

    I nod, orange light flowing out and enveloping her entire workshop.

    "Transition in three, two, one."
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2023
  2. moralrelativity

    moralrelativity Recovering pendant.

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2016
    Messages:
    873
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    What -> Was
    two -> two, [for consistency]
     
  3. Ngamer11

    Ngamer11 Experienced.

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2019
    Messages:
    2,860
    Likes Received:
    17,209
    That should say 'tighten'.

    That should say 'in'.

    That should say 'of the hole'.

    This is interesting. Mr Zoat, if it's not a spoiler, what is Volthoom in your fic?

    I am unsure whether or not I want Jade to keep that.
     
  4. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2019
    Messages:
    22,134
    Likes Received:
    320,293
    I'm guessing it's her having never escaped from her father's influence.

    And if he died you would have buried one with him.

    Bless you.

    "drinks"

    Yep.
     
  5. Chojin Patriarch

    Chojin Patriarch Veteran Lurker

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2019
    Messages:
    2,149
    Likes Received:
    33,434
    Hopefully with lots of ice cream, chocolate and paralytic massages. One safe bet on a vision is her as if she'd never gotten out from under her father's control, running around in a 'Tigress' outfit or something...

    Huh. So she has some experience working with Rings. No doubt under Kalmin's stern eye.

    The Anti-Green Rings, in other words. And there's Lysis, front and centre of the page picture, indeed.

    I mean, a Power Ring knock-off doesn't just leap full-formed from a forge. No doubt there were many prototypes and dead-ends, like the Antithesis Rings.

    Naturally. :rolleyes: Because the man had a veritable obsession with backstabbing and wasting talent...

    Still begs the question of how she would persuade them to do so. Or did she have contingencies for an unwilling entity?

    Well, at least she'd keep her bargain. Better than some would.

    And 'Fear Entity' sounds so impersonal, you know.

    ...I mean, if some of that alphabet soup of consonants are glottal stops, or the like, it might be manageable. Koo-Pwuh-Kow-Hee-Norg-Vroo?
    Or maybe it works like Ōlelo Hawaiʻi? With each clump as a different sound: Koo-Pwuh-Koh-Hi-Na-Ooh-Guv-Ruh-Oo?

    Well, nice job breaking it, OL...

    ...Given that in the comics, it took Sinestro being imprisoned inside the Central Green Power Battery for Parallax to gain a possible escape route...

    And the connection forged between Harrolds and Parallax by that Fear infusion might well have been like a funnel. Allowing the big bug to pour itself out of wherever it was and into Harrolds...

    Well, as you said, not immediately. Sooner or later, the temptation would overwhelm them and bam, Parallax gets out... Which was basically the backstory/plot of the Green Lantern movie, wasn't it, kind of?

    If only in terms of scale of capacity. Like comparing a coin battery to some industrial-sized power cell.

    Which raises all manner of questions about them, really. I guess they're either really well-hidden or no-one's complaining about them...

    Oh, yay. A sparkler when you need a flashbang.

    Best Snek barely wanted anything to do with him, after all.

    Hopefully something that's not too destructive to the surroundings or its user?

    Oh, dear. Well, I guess Harrolds was lying about not being familiar with Power Rings...

    ...And Earth probably does have a Crime Syndicate running things.

    Hopefully the modern incarnation of Volthoom won't be making an appearance... Far too great a stink of New 52 clinging to them.

    Whoa, girl! No!

    ...Yeah, I don't think she's in any mood to listen to reason.

    Hopefully she can keep in charge of it. It's not exactly one for playing nice with its users.

    Let's hope this isn't a big mistake... :confused:

    o_O ...Wait, I thought they were already in... :eek: No, wait! From Lysis' perspective, the positive universe is the Anti-matter universe!

    So, first steps taken, albeit some in unexpected directions. Why do I get the feeling Kalmin and Lysis will end up having to rapidly build a Central Yellow Battery from scratch in order to confine Parallax? Which may benefit from a discreet call to Ganthet and Sayd, by any means necessary. :sneaky: Their experience may prove useful, and it may be a useful seed for future endeavours...
     
  6. Agumentic

    Agumentic Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2017
    Messages:
    460
    Likes Received:
    2,124
    Irrelevant, probably.
     
  7. Rafin

    Rafin Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2016
    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    1,061
    in was
    I thought the Weaponers know and like the idea that they are in the antimatter universe.
     
    Ardy and Chojin Patriarch like this.
  8. Duke Long

    Duke Long Glomerulus

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2022
    Messages:
    562
    Likes Received:
    1,991
    That was Kalmin specifically, I think.
     
    Otto von Saurion likes this.
  9. Senevri

    Senevri Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2015
    Messages:
    277
    Likes Received:
    1,059
    Why is Volthoom a ring?
     
  10. FeepingCreature

    FeepingCreature Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2017
    Messages:
    422
    Likes Received:
    2,947
    Weaponer Lysis was just unwilling to brave Parallax's snarky one-liners.
     
    Lord Ernest likes this.
  11. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    14,696
    Likes Received:
    728,975
    Thank you, corrected.
    I have no firm opinion at this time. Not the Forever Evil version, obviously, and not whatever that First Lantern thing was about.
    Thank you, corrected.
    Because Volthoom is a ring.
     
  12. Wheenesss

    Wheenesss Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2015
    Messages:
    2,472
    Likes Received:
    32,230
    I’m going to guess the Antithesis Rings are the Anti-Green Lantern Rings?
     
    Prince Charon and Cuchulin like this.
  13. oct9010

    oct9010 .

    Joined:
    May 22, 2014
    Messages:
    405
    Likes Received:
    1,542
    Hey, you called it that first, lady:
     
  14. crazygrox

    crazygrox Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2016
    Messages:
    2,156
    Likes Received:
    15,862
    So, looking up John Harrolds and the cursed 'Magik Power Ring' that Volthoom is associated with, I can pretty confidently say this isn't ideal.

    Also Jade is going to need a vacation from her vacation after this. The vacation is more stressful than the work.

    Edit: it may be possible to just assimilate the ring to break the curse, but there is something of a risk that it'd drain her heavily to fuel resisting the effect if someone tried.
     
    Prince Charon, Cuchulin and Ardy like this.
  15. dw7thdoctor

    dw7thdoctor Getting sticky.

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2022
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    384
    I'm sure Grandma Controller could take care of it.
     
    Prince Charon and Ardy like this.
  16. Wheenesss

    Wheenesss Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2015
    Messages:
    2,472
    Likes Received:
    32,230
    I think it’s only the post-Flashpoint version of the Ring of Volthoom that drains the user to power itself. Zoat had explicitly said he’s not using that version, but otherwise hadn’t really decided what ‘Volthoom’ is currently.

    Honestly, I understand why DC gave Krona’s gauntlet to COTE’s Power Ring and Zoat just gave a Yellow Ring to Earth -14’s Alan Scott. It’s easier than actually trying to sort out Volthoom.

    Heck, the current official version of Earth 3 doesn’t use Volthoom at all and instead just has the Emerald Knights functioning as a proper inversion of the Green Lantern Corps. Their rings are just regular green rings with a different sigil.
     
  17. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2017
    Messages:
    1,714
    Likes Received:
    9,865
    The Volthoom ring isn't that complicated if you ignore the post flashpoint retcons which Zoat was always unlikely to use anyway.

    I mean is a power ring that works by a trapped mystical entity like someone's soul really that odd?

    Especially since Alan was based on Aladdin and his genie of the ring and the genie of the lamp (aka lantern)?

    There's odder.

    Like in Ring of Evil, demons taught a Nazi a ritual of how to make a power ring with 13 human sacrifices, in that case Nazis willing to die for the cause. That ring eats souls and would scream at you in German if you did anything to upset their delicate sensibilities. That ring was also ineffective against iron.
     
  18. Chaoswind

    Chaoswind Lord of nonsense

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2019
    Messages:
    1,168
    Likes Received:
    7,087

    So it's just like the rings larfleze Made
     
  19. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2019
    Messages:
    22,134
    Likes Received:
    320,293
    And eventually that ring was used to make a toilet for a spaceship.
     
    Ardy likes this.
  20. Wheenesss

    Wheenesss Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2015
    Messages:
    2,472
    Likes Received:
    32,230
    huh. I never knew about that storyline.

    The magical power rings always feel less impressive to me for some reason.
     
  21. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2017
    Messages:
    1,714
    Likes Received:
    9,865
    Well I wouldn't say just like, but yes they are similar methods.

    Those orange rings were made by transforming people, I do believe that the Volthoom ring was made by putting someone into a ring.

    It was an elseworld, so it's not like it mattered to other storylines. With that demonic ring, the Nazis won world war 2, Green Arrow led the resistance, and John Stewart and Carol were canoodling behind Hal's back.

    And finding magical rings less impressive makes sense- Magic is often used in fiction as a do anything phenomenon. So a do anything with magic ring is pretty much just par for the course, therefore a do anything techno-ring just seems more impressive in comparison.
     
    kerleth and Wheenesss like this.
  22. Rafin

    Rafin Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2016
    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    1,061
    Hmm. Volthoom is explicitly Green, calls itself an entity and is in ring form. And there's no normal Emotional Spectrum Entities in the negative universe(s). What if every one of the seven colors has a magical ring entity in the style of Volthoom in the negative universe(s) as a kind of counterpart to the positive-native Emotional Entities. I.e. Volthoom is anti-Ion ect.
     
  23. Duke Long

    Duke Long Glomerulus

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2022
    Messages:
    562
    Likes Received:
    1,991
    It is definitely possible that he’s an emotional entity in the form of a ring, but I think he’d have to be from a universe that has different emotional physics than universes 16 and -16, because -16 clearly does have emotional entities given we just saw Parallax merge with a guy, with no indication that it was moved here from the positive matter universe, and Lysis indicated that the entities are well-known to the Weaponers, given that they have a special name for the fear entity.
    Furthermore, Zoat said that he has tentatively decided that the matter-antimatter universe pairs share a set of entities.

    Him being an emotional entity from another universe pair would maybe make some sense with his backstory, too, since from reading the linked articles it seems to involve a lot of inter-universal travel.
     
    kerleth likes this.
  24. Rafin

    Rafin Not too sore, are you?

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2016
    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    1,061
    What I am positing (keeping in mind that Zoat's stance on Emotional Entities and their relation to negative universes is tentative) is that there are two categories of Emotional Color Spectrum Entities. One is the more powerful Entities that originate in the positive universe(s). They are: Butcher, Ophidian, Parallax, Ion, Adara, Proselyte & Predator. They are powerful, can travel instantly through the universe, can perceive and travel to the negative universe, can possess or bond with mortal hosts, have abilities that are similar to yet categorically distinct from magic, have limited personality expression when not bonded and so on and so forth. Then there is a second, negative native Entity group. They are ring-bound, magical, vocally expressive, domineering. The only known one (and based on canon) is the Green one which goes by the name Volthoom.
     
  25. RoninSword

    RoninSword Sky God

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2015
    Messages:
    1,422
    Likes Received:
    3,172
    Mr Zoat so a tiny continuity error. In Fear Ourself (part 12), Lysis refers to the Fear Entity as the Parallax Entity before Paul does. Then in Fear Ourself (part 13), Lysis is confused and questions Paul about why he is referring to it as Parallax.
    Edit: She also literally calls it Parallax right before questioning why Paul does.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2023
  26. Stsword

    Stsword Versed in the lewd.

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2017
    Messages:
    1,714
    Likes Received:
    9,865
    We already know that in this story there are minor emotional elementals- Alan was/is in the process of becoming one, Michael Siskin/Terror-Thing was killed by Nabu in the encounter that Paul arranged his "brain death," Chantinelle was transformed from a succubus to a love elemental, and the future Paul of the Gate sidestory apparently finished the transformation into an avarice elemental/god.

    "I theorize that Volthoom is a minor will elemental" is sufficient, the rest of it is just needlessly complicating things.
     
    kerleth, Vorian, Ngamer11 and 3 others like this.
  27. Threadmarks: Xenopsychology (part 14)
    Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    14,696
    Likes Received:
    728,975
    6 573 938.M41

    Bo'okh looks over my clothing as we approach the doorway leading to the meeting room where the T'au Aun'chiagor is held. The building itself actually makes me feel right at home; it's clearly an older structure that's been modernised on several occasions.

    "That is not something you would usually wear."

    Tau of all five castes pass along the corridors or lurk in corners, conversing amongst themselves. Tau have a lot more lateral communication than, say, the minbari, but a lot of jobs are one-caste affairs. Seeing them mix like this in a work setting is a little unusual.

    "It's from designs proposed but never realised for gue'vesa clothing during the Second Expansion Sphere. I think there are… Two planets that actually got issued with it, then the T'au Aun'chiagor found out how many humans actually live on Hive Worlds and gave up. This is the 'saal version, as I've never technically been promoted."

    "Haven't you?" He looks as puzzled as he sounds. "I am.. sure… Oh."

    "Yes. Promotions must come from a caste superior -and I hardy ever work with other humans- or by the collective-."

    "The collective will of the Lar'shi Aun'chiagor and no one raised the issue, because it is unusual to use rank designations with auxiliary species outside of the military. I apologise. I will see that corrected."

    "Thank you."

    "Por'Ul Lar'shi Tsua'm Raard was able to properly brief you?"

    "Hope so. She was able to explain the process, at least. Answer questions fully to the best of my ability, ask for clarification if I don't understand something, and don't throw shit at them."

    He winces. "And don't joke about it when you are about to go in and the person you are speaking to may find themselves picturing it at an inappropriate juncture."

    "I'll try. I was wondering, why is it called the T'au Aun'chiagor, rather than jus the T'au'chiagor?"

    "During the mont'au period, the syllable before 'chiagor was to indicate who had called a meeting. If the Earth Tribe of Fio'taun invited the Fire Tribe to a meeting, it would be called the Fio'taun Fio'chiagor. In this age, all meetings are 'called' by the Aun, so they are all called by that name."

    "Huh. Makes sense."

    And there's the door, and a couple of Fire Caste Ethereal Guards in what I hope are traditional uniforms. I mean, the security of the Houses of Parliament are handled by a man called Black Rod, so I'm not going to knock them for wearing something that answers any questions I had on whether tau females have mammaries.

    One takes half a step closer, a data pad in one hand. They're a last line of security in case someone charges this chamber, but we were checking in at the entrance and have been monitored constantly since then. They know that we're supposed to be here, so this is more of a double check.

    "Aun'ul Lar'shi Bo'ohk Ben'ii. Gue'vesa Earth P'ol Lantern. You are expected, and the previous meeting has already concluded."

    "Thank you, Shas'Vre. We are ready to enter."

    She presses a button on the pad, and after a moment a purple light appears. She steps back, and the door opens to allow us inside. We walk forward, and… Huh. It's actually more or less the same set-up as the Lar'shi Aun'chiagor. A horseshoe table with a senior member of the Fire, Earth, Water and Air Castes seated around it. Huddled around them are their aides, while…

    I make momentary eye contact with Aun'Va. He doesn't look particularly expressive, though I imagine that a senior Ethereal can go from completely stony-faced to impassioned at the drop of a hat as the need arises. He's sitting in his flying chair a little back from and above the table, the staff Paradox of Duality serving as his gavel. On Lar'shi, Aun'O Ven'gral prefers to walk around the table just in case she needs to calm someone down. It seems that Aun'Va prefers a more authoritarian approach, and there's a reason why Aun'O Ven'gral doesn't do that.

    He taps the butt of his staff on the floor twice as we stop at the designated interviewee desks, decorated only by a small personal computer in case we need to bring up something to reference.

    "Aun'Ul Bo'ohk and Gue'vesa P'ol, you have been called here to answer questions regarding your irregular operational methodology."

    Tau don't like 'irregular'. The word technically means the same as it does in English, but the implication is more 'chaotic mess likely to cause harm' rather than 'innovative solution'. And here's the reason why Aun'O Ven'gral doesn't take the lead during meetings: other tau hesitate to contradict an Aun. And they know that, so they generally have their arguments in private and speak in the passive voice in public. If Aun'Va says something is 'irregular', then he's not keen. If Aun'Va is not keen, everyone else is not keen.

    Bo'ohk makes an expression of contrite acknowledgement.

    "As the Most High directs."

    Ah…

    As the senior party, Bo'ohk makes the acknowledgement for both of us, but the guard at the door didn't use a rank reference for me. So I'm not sure if I'm supposed to acknowledge it as well because they're treating us as having the same rank, or-.

    "Your report on the mon'he 'Faultless One' is greatly concerning. Every incident on record of the Tau Empire dealing with such creatures has shown that they only speak to more effectively manifest their particular madness in the universe. What decision making process did you use to determine it was correct to enable it?"

    Bo'ohk can answer, or he can pass it to me. Passing it on me wouldn't be like him dropping me in it, as advising him in this sort of situation is my job.

    "The Faultless One expressed a desire to do something that was in the interests of the Greater Good. As such, I enabled it, though it was monitored by forces allied to the Tau Empire at all times. In addition, both gue'vesa P'ol and a stealth suit team were on standby to intervene if he was being dishonest. We have accumulated a good deal of information on mon'he from our own observations and the records of the Imperium, but as P'ol indicated, that only applies to certain types of mon'he. Faced with one with an unfamiliar configuration, I decided that it was best to attempt peaceful cooperation."

    Then he taps my arm, just under the desk. I smile faintly.

    "Most High, the forms of daemons express their nature in a predictable and reliable fashion. Once I saw that the Faultless One did not match the appearance of a daemon of the four, the only alternative was him being a daemon of chaos undivided. The Inquisition's records indicated no prior involvement in a proscribed cult or other unorthodox behaviour. That left a very limited range of possibilities for what he could be. The lack of a response to his presence from local sanctioned psykers was also an indicative factor. And… He's not any less obsessive or manic than other types of daemon, it's just that his interests are much more pro-social."

    "Your report states that his core personality engram-"

    Soul, for non-tau. Except when it's not and actually refers to a mind recording.

    "-is derived from a human who prayed to the human Emperor. Who was faithful to the Imperial religion."

    The pedant in me twitches, but by face remains calm. Aun'Va probably doesn't need to know the history of the Temple of the Saviour Emperor or the Confederacy of Light. Out of curiosity I make eye contact with the Por'O-. No, the woman behind the Por'O who is quietly passing caste-relevant on information to him.

    "A religion that is uniformly hostile to other intelligent species."

    "A religion that tortured him and lied to him for his entire life and then horribly murdered him. In my era there was an expression 'the zeal of the convert'. It refers to a person who doesn't merely accept the ideology they grew up with but rather adopts a new ideology with unusual intensity because they're having to recreate their entire identity. I don't think that he's abandoned the idea of the Emperor -though it will be interesting to see what happens if he encounters somewhere marked by the Emperor's power- but he has certainly abandoned the structure of the religion. He's reduced the idea to purely material terms: the Tau Empire provides a better life for its human citizens, and therefore it is a better institution."

    Which isn't far off why I'm here.

    I dimly remember something in the Horus Heresy series about extermination not becoming the Imperial policy until after the Heresy. But I don't have any actual evidence I could present.

    Aun'Va doesn't look happy, but he taps his staff and the Por'O straightens up slightly.

    "Aun'ul Bo'ohk, please describe in your own terms the social rituals which you and gue'vesa P'ol have engaged in."

    Oh. No.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2023
  28. Mr Zoat

    Mr Zoat Dedicated ragequitter

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2016
    Messages:
    14,696
    Likes Received:
    728,975
    Yes. She knows what he calls it. She doesn't know why.
     
  29. Darko

    Darko Connoisseur.

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2019
    Messages:
    22,134
    Likes Received:
    320,293
    "minbari"

    " 'saal version' "

    That's also the implication in Englidh.

    "someone marked"

    Hahaha!
     
  30. Razorfloss

    Razorfloss I trust you know where the happy button is?

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2019
    Messages:
    853
    Likes Received:
    13,629
    Lmao time to explain your relationship to the inlaws.
     
Loading...