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

AverusBlack · Friday at 6:06 AM

Vaermina said:
Orange Lantern has killed more innocents then Jax-ur.

I never said he didn't. It's a utility calculation. Jax-Ur is indiscriminate; the Illustres is all about being discriminate. A straight body count isn't what makes him unworthy, it's the callousness of his actions. Paul would feel bad if he killed somebody he didn't intend to kill. Jax-Ur would just shrug and go about his day. It's not the same.

Also please don't waste my time with useless whataboutism. I know you have a hate-on for the story and I really don't care. You seem to be one of those people who is contrarian just for the sake of it and I find those people tiresome. You are the only person here I do not want to engage with, so put me on ignore and leave me alone please.

Vaermina · Friday at 7:34 AM

AverusBlack said:
I never said he didn't. It's a utility calculation. Jax-Ur is indiscriminate; the Illustres is all about being discriminate. A straight body count isn't what makes him unworthy, it's the callousness of his actions. Paul would feel bad if he killed somebody he didn't intend to kill. Jax-Ur would just shrug and go about his day. It's not the same.

Also please don't waste my time with useless whataboutism. I know you have a hate-on for the story and I really don't care. You seem to be one of those people who is contrarian just for the sake of it and I find those people tiresome. You are the only person here I do not want to engage with, so put me on ignore and leave me alone please.

Orange Lantern didn't really feel bad about all the innocent slaves he killed when he colony dropped that Citadel world.

Mr Zoat · Friday at 8:13 AM

12th August 2013
16:10 EST

I stare down at the planet while Arisia finishes her scans. I can see places where people live, I can see roads, and I can see what I think are water reservoirs, but I'm… Not seeing a whole lot of industry. That could just be… This part? I dunno. I don't wanna decide the planet's primitive and then find out that I was looking at a nature reserve or just somewhere backwards.

"Huh."

I look around. "Find something?"

"I'm not used to planets this primitive."

Oh. "How primitive are we talking?"

"No radio. No semaphore. No roads in a lot of places."

"Is it because they haven't got there yet, or is it because they're stuck behind that Wall thing?"

"Ah. I'm not so good at xenosociology or geophysics." She goes back to looking at the planet. "Looks like… Some coal and oil? I don't know what the normal amount is. And that's not really why we're here."

"If they don't even have radio yet, I guess they couldn't have sent Lyla to Krypton."

"Not by themselves. But she could easily have gotten to Krypton during the Kryptonian Empire."

"I don't actually know much about that part of Krypton's history."

I glance at her ring. Must be nice to have all that knowledge available whenever you want it.

"You don't?"

"I was created on Earth, remember? I've never even spoken to anyone who was actually on Krypton, certainly not hundreds of years ago."

"You didn't speak to the Sub-Commander?"

I shrug. "She was busy, and honestly? It's not really my history."

"Except literally?"

"All I got from Krypton is my strength. Culturally, I'm American and Themysciran. It just doesn't mean as much to me as it does to Superman." I look down at the planet again. "Are we going down, or does that violate the prime directive?"

"The Green Lantern Corps doesn't have a prime directive. Going to primitive places and making sure nothing bad is happening is part of our job."

I nod. "I guess the same's true about the Justice League. It's not just the advanced parts of Earth we go to. So where do we start?"

"We don't have any idea where she came from or where their centre of government is… But I do have a record of where the old Kryptonian Empire way station used to be. If she got off planet on one of their ships, she'd probably have done it there."

I guess that's as good a place to start as anywhere. "Makes sense."

We don't go anywhere.

"So..?"

"Oh. I just-. I'm used to getting orders from Hal or my team leader for team missions. I-." We glow as she focuses, and then we get moving, slipping us inside the atmosphere and around the planet. "I haven't gotten into the habit of just… Doing stuff."

"Aren't Green Lanterns picked for being strong willed?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean 'pig-headed'. I won't give up when there's a job to do… But I haven't gotten used to deciding what the job is, yet."

"How long do Green Lanterns usually get mentored for?"

"Usually, less than a year."

"Uh…"

"I know. But-. You know that film we watched, with the soldiers?"

"Can you narrow it down?"

"Something about someone called Ryan?"

"Oh." That makes sense. "Right. You mean, because so many members of your family died for the Green Lantern Corps, they've put you with the best Lantern they've got, in a Sector with three other Green Lanterns, plus everyone else?"

"Hal's… Great, and I know I'm learning a lot that I wouldn't be able to if I was just flying around my Sector on my own. But I'm not sure I'm really… Pulling my weight?"

"I don't think your home Sector ever got Anti-Lifed."

"No, that-. That never happened. But that only lasted a month and I wasn't even involved in attacking Washington."

"If you wanna try planning a mission, you can just ask Kaldur. The whole reason the team exists is to help us learn stuff in a controlled environment." Uh… "But, maybe… Maybe don't talk to Paul about it."

"Why not? Won't he help?"

"He will…" I exhale, trying to work out how to explain it when she hasn't actually spent all that much time with him. "But his ideas about what makes someone effective aren't… Always things you'll be comfortable doing."

She looks at me. "Ah… Did he..? Do something..?"

"Not to me. But I was made in a tank. My ideas about 'normal'… Kinda weren't. He… Turned Themysciran society on its head to get me a home and a better suit of armor. And I appreciate it, and I know Wally likes not having to eat his own bodyweight in food every day. But sometimes it doesn't go so well."

"But if I'm trying to push myself…"

"Maybe try asking Kaldur or Green Lantern first."

"Okay."

We slow down as we approach the ground. It looks like there's a town here, built around a lake…

That's not a natural lake. That's a crater that filled with water.

People down below are looking up at us and pointing. Doesn't look like anyone's panicking, but a few people are heading towards a building… With guys in armor in it. Some of the crystals on the armor look like something that would have come from Krypton, so that confirms the connection.

I pull away from Arisia's flight aura and head towards the largest concentration of soldiers. No need to scare people, and they should be able to help us or tell us to get-

"El?" / "El." / "Yal kryptonian?"

-to someone who can.

Maybe… Maybe I should get some armour that doesn't have the 'S' on it.

Arisia flies after me. "Do you speak their language?"

"No, but I kinda speak kryptonian." We come in for a landing as someone in fancy armour comes out of a fortified building. And I do kinda speak kryptonian -the only problem's my accent, really- but I didn't study Kryptonian Empire body language or gestures and I get the impression that the Science Council era was kinda weird.

"I'll just translate for you."

"Thanks."

The soldiers -and the crowd- look wary but not scared as the… Officer? Comes forwards.

"Kryptonian. There is nothing left here for you to take. The other aliens have already left with it."

I blink. "What other aliens?"

Darko · Friday at 8:21 AM

Mr Zoat said:
places and make sure nothing

"making"

Mr Zoat said:
"Kryptonian. There is nothing left here for you to take. The other aliens have already left with it."

I blink. "What other aliens

Guessing it was that alternate Jordan and Supergirl.

Vaermina · Friday at 8:29 AM

Mr Zoat said:
I blink. "What other aliens?"

I'm guessing Vandal Savage or Sinestro.

Thundersmight94 · Friday at 8:38 AM

I'd love some alternate Paul stuff, like going back to Third Earth Paul or Eternia Paul!

GigaVanguard · Friday at 8:57 AM

Thundersmight94 said:
I'd love some alternate Paul stuff, like going back to Third Earth Paul or Eternia Paul!

I think the only major Elsepauls we've seen in 2025 have been… T'au Paul, Invincipaul, X-Paul, Pauliel (Creature Commandos), Gate Jietai Paul, Common Sense Paul, Roswell Paul, and Southern Victory Paul - but that last one is the only one we've seen since early September, so the latter third of the year has definitely been more focused on the Paragon and Renegade.

Chojin Patriarch · Friday at 9:01 AM

Mr Zoat said:
12th August 2013
16:10 EST

I stare down at the planet while Arisia finishes her scans. I can see places where people live, I can see roads, and I can see what I think are water reservoirs, but I'm… Not seeing a whole lot of industry. That could just be… This part? I dunno. I don't wanna decide the planet's primitive and then find out that I was looking at a nature reserve or just somewhere backwards.

Oh-ho, a rare treat of a non-OL perspective. And it's Conner? This promises to be interesting. If I remember right, they were detailed to investigate the Empireth homeworld concerning Lyla. It'll be interesting to see how it goes.

"Huh."

I look around. "Find something?"

Looking at it from space probably isn't that useful compared to Ring scans. There's only so much you can determine from a thousand or more kilometres away, after all. At best, you might see cities at night or especially titanic urban developments like New York...

"I'm not used to planets this primitive."

Oh. "How primitive are we talking?"

Yeah, you mean 'they live in mud houses and hit things with sticks' or 'limited spaceflight, information age culture'?

"No radio. No semaphore. No roads in a lot of places."

"Is it because they haven't got there yet, or is it because they're stuck behind that Wall thing?"

'Wall'? Did I miss something? Is it involved with their innate telepathic powers, or..?

"Ah. I'm not so good at xenosociology or geophysics." She goes back to looking at the planet. "Looks like… Some coal and oil? I don't know what the normal amount is. And that's not really why we're here."

"If they don't even have radio yet, I guess they couldn't have sent Lyla to Krypton."

So barely Industrial Revolution-era. I doubt Arisia would miss an enclave of advanced overlords or something.

"Not by themselves. But she could easily have gotten to Krypton during the Kryptonian Empire."

"I don't actually know much about that part of Krypton's history."

Possibly as a slave or scientific sample, perhaps. The latter is definitely more likely.

I glance at her ring. Must be nice to have all that knowledge available whenever you want it.

"You don't?"

Joy of a mundane organic mind. Especially when he's limited to kryptonian-hybrid biology, not a full-kryptonian's tailored genetics.

"I was created on Earth, remember? I've never even spoken to anyone who was actually on Krypton, certainly not hundreds of years ago."

"You didn't speak to the Sub-Commander?"

Scary old Kryptonian lady? I can see him wanting to keep his distance. Especially if she has any bias against clones like so many did.

I shrug. "She was busy, and honestly? It's not really my history."

"Except literally?"

At this point, Conner is more Themysciran-American than Kryptonian.

"All I got from Krypton is my strength. Culturally, I'm American and Themysciran. It just doesn't mean as much to me as it does to Superman." I look down at the planet again. "Are we going down, or does that violate the prime directive?"

"The Green Lantern Corps doesn't have a prime directive. Going to primitive places and make sure nothing bad is happening is part of our job."

And they'd usually be mistaken as angels, demons or gods if they needed to expose themselves before sufficiently primitive peoples. Especially the less conventionally anthropoid members.

I nod. "I guess the same's true about the Justice League. It's not just the advanced parts of Earth we go to. So where do we start?"

"We don't have any idea where she came from or where their centre of government is… But I do have a record of where the old Kryptonian Empire way station used to be. If she got off planet on one of their ships, she'd probably have done it there."

The question is how did such a ship get overlooked when the Kryptonians pulled out? If it did.

I guess that's as good a place to start as anywhere. "Makes sense."

We don't go anywhere.

Too used to OL's immediate decision-to-action pipeline.

"So..?"

"Oh. I just-. I'm used to getting orders from Hal or my team leader for team missions. I-." We glow as she focuses, and then we get moving, slipping us inside the atmosphere and around the planet. "I haven't gotten into the habit of just… Doing stuff."

You'll get used to it once you stop feeling like 'the new girl'. Just a matter of experience, really, and you'll get that hanging around Earth.

"Aren't Green Lanterns picked for being strong willed?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean 'pig-headed'. I won't give up when there's a job to do… But I haven't gotten used to deciding what the job is, yet."

Nor does it necessarily mean 'independently-minded.' Some Greenies are very much by-the-book followers of The Rules. Others are loose cannons or outright anti-heroes.

"How long do Green Lanterns usually get mentored for?"

"Usually, less than a year."

Kind of depressingly, I wonder how often that is because the rookie gets killed.

"Uh…"

"I know. But-. You know that film we watched, with the soldiers?"

Gee, not a lot of options there.

Then again, Team movie nights must be fun with so many non-humans picking holes in plots.

"Can you narrow it down?"

"Something about someone called Ryan?"

Ah, 'Saving Private Ryan'? I suppose she does feel a kinship with the drafted soldiers who get comparatively short training periods due to the needs of wartime. And possibly the Ryan family themselves, given her own family history.

"Oh." That makes sense. "Right. You mean, because so many members of your family died for the Green Lantern Corps, they've put you with the best Lantern they've got, in a Sector with three other Green Lanterns, plus everyone else?"

"Hal's… Great, and I know I'm learning a lot that I wouldn't be able to if I was just flying around my Sector on my own. But I'm not sure I'm really… Pulling my weight?"

Earth Bullshit™ is great for power-levelling, yes, but it can create a somewhat skewed view of regular duties.

"I don't think your home Sector ever got Anti-Lifed."

"No, that-. That never happened. But that only lasted a month and I wasn't even involved in attacking Washington."

Though it would have felt a bit strange, attacking the capital of your nominal host country. And at least she's had a taste of one of the Corps' ultimate enemies methods.

"If you wanna try planning a mission, you can just ask Kaldur. The whole reason the team exists is to help us learn stuff in a controlled environment." Uh… "But, maybe… Maybe don't talk to Paul about it."

"Why not? Won't he help?"

No, he will help. That's the problem. OL sometimes doesn't know when to stop helping. What Worm memes call 'Halping'.

"He will…" I exhale, trying to work out how to explain it when she hasn't actually spent all that much time with him. "But his ideas about what makes someone effective aren't… Always things you'll be comfortable doing."

She looks at me. "Ah… Did he..? Do something..?"

Not necessarily things you won't do outright, of course. He's smart enough to understand that. But there's a big difference between optimal and comfortable.

"Not to me. But I was made in a tank. My ideas about 'normal'… Kinda weren't. He… Turned Themysciran society on its head to get me a home and a better suit of armor. And I appreciate it, and I know Wally likes not having to eat his own bodyweight in food every day. But sometimes it doesn't go so well."

To be fair, they kind of needed a kick in the (lovely!) backsides. As for Wally, that was properly helpful, and Wally has benefitted in other ways with the additional options his alchemy skills have given him.

"But if I'm trying to push myself…"

"Maybe try asking Kaldur or Green Lantern first."

"Okay."

It's amusing to think that asking OL for advice is the 'only if you're really sure about it' option.

We slow down as we approach the ground. It looks like there's a town here, built around a lake…

That's not a natural lake. That's a crater that filled with water.

...Oh, dear. The much-too-round kind of lake. And of a size that suggests it was done with extreme prejudice.

People down below are looking up at us and pointing. Doesn't look like anyone's panicking, but a few people are heading towards a building… With guys in armor in it. Some of the crystals on the armor look like something that would have come from Krypton, so that confirms the connection.

Looted tech left behind, I presume. Relics of a more troublesome time, but too useful to set aside.

I pull away from Arisia's flight aura and head towards the largest concentration of soldiers. No need to scare people, and they should be able to help us or tell us to get-

"El?" / "El." / "Yal kryptonian?"

...Oh, right, his armour is laden with Superman symbols. That is, the mark of the house of El.

-to someone who can.

Maybe… Maybe I should get some armour that doesn't have the 'S' on it.

Perhaps change it up for the signature 'WW' that marks you as aligned with Wonder Woman and Themyscira? As long as you don't mind people starting to call you 'Wonder Boy'.

Arisia flies after me. "Do you speak their language?"

"No, but I kinda speak kryptonian." We come in for a landing as someone in fancy armour comes out of a fortified building. And I do kinda speak kryptonian -the only problem's my accent, really- but I didn't study Kryptonian Empire body language or gestures and I get the impression that the Science Council era was kinda weird.

Which may help you here, since you won't show the 'superiority'-minded haughtiness of old Krypton...

"I'll just translate for you."

"Thanks."

Yeah, that's probably a better option. And makes you look like you're aligned with the Lanterns rather than Krypton.

The soldiers -and the crowd- look wary but not scared as the… Officer? Comes forwards.

"Kryptonian. There is nothing left here for you to take. The other aliens have already left with it."

I blink. "What other aliens?"

...Oh, boy. So many possibilities.

All right, at least they aren't shooting at them right out of the gate. Hopefully they know of the Lanterns so that Arisia's presence acts a calming counter to Conner's El insignias. And depending on how recent these 'aliens' visit was, they might have a clue as to how Lyla got off-world in the first place.

Or it could have been a recent occurrence from the culprits others have already mentioned...

Ngamer11 · Friday at 9:22 AM

Chojin Patriarch said:
'Wall'? Did I miss something? Is it involved with their innate telepathic powers, or..?

Avleb's Wall. Mentioned here in Episode 129: Uncomplicated Good Works. It's when a planet doesn't have enough accessible fuel for industrial civilisation to develop. It was mentioned before then, but I think Episode 129 is when its name was given.

Mr Zoat · Friday at 9:26 AM

Darko said:
"making"

Thank you, corrected.

Guessing it was that alternate Jordan and Supergirl.

No, that was Kon-El and Arisia.

Chojin Patriarch said:
'Wall'? Did I miss something? Is it involved with their innate telepathic powers, or..?

Avleb's Wall, a title I invented for the state of not having enough fossil fuels on your planet to develop industrial society.

Though the Sector General series made the point that species with certain physical abilities would have no reason to develop tool using, and so would get stuck that way.

WereDragon · Friday at 10:37 AM

Mr Zoat said:
12th August 2013
16:10 EST

Paul gets this data from his Ring. Where is the narrator, unnamed in the chapter, getting up to the minute updates on the time?

"Why not? Won't he help?"

Oh he will help aggressively and enthusiastic. And likely at right angles to your expectations and comfort zones.

You need to know when to tell him to stop. You also need to know to tell him to stop, not vaguely imply it or some such.

Maybe… Maybe I should get some armour that doesn't have the 'S' on it.

Probably easier to get a tabard than to replace the armour.

Mr Zoat · Friday at 11:20 AM

WereDragon said:
Paul gets this data from his Ring. Where is the narrator, unnamed in the chapter, getting up to the minute updates on the time?

His watch. Or possibly his mobile phone.

Z000 · Friday at 12:10 PM

GigaVanguard said:
I think the only major Elsepauls we've seen in 2025 have been… T'au Paul, Invincipaul, X-Paul, Pauliel (Creature Commandos), Gate Jietai Paul, Common Sense Paul, Roswell Paul, and Southern Victory Paul - but that last one is the only one we've seen since early September, so the latter third of the year has definitely been more focused on the Paragon and Renegade.

kinda wish Zoat put in which universe the Else-Paul is in so that i can google the setting when i get horrible confuse about what going on

Ngamer11 · Friday at 12:17 PM

Z000 said:
kinda wish Zoat put in which universe the Else-Paul is in so that i can google the setting when i get horrible confuse about what going on

There is a list in the character pages of this story's TV Tropes page.

Mr Zoat · Friday at 12:41 PM

Z000 said:
kinda wish Zoat put in which universe the Else-Paul is in so that i can google the setting when i get horrible confuse about what going on

They usually have a different coloured title or date/time format. Is there a particular one which confused you?

Z000 · Friday at 1:31 PM

Mr Zoat said:
They usually have a different coloured title or date/time format. Is there a particular one which confused you?

i actually look at the date more then anything

if it still the same then it still the normal story line but the second it change year or date then i know you are doing some other Paul

Shotiegun11 · Friday at 4:55 PM

Mr Zoat said:
I glance at her ring. Must be nice to have all that knowledge available whenever you want it.

"You want one? It'll be Orange, but that's always an option."

AverusBlack · Friday at 6:06 PM

Vaermina said:
Orange Lantern didn't really feel bad about all the innocent slaves he killed when he colony dropped that Citadel world.

If you bothered to actually read the story you'd know that the Citadel didn't allow slaves there because they didn't trust the slaves not to fuck it up. OL and the Tamaran Sisters, at most, killed some of the merchants on the Citadel complex who couldn't get off in time. A time which they gave a considerable margin of evacuation for.

Maybe try knowing what you're talking about before you try to chip in where you're not welcome. I've made how I feel about you very clear.

EDIT: By which I mean, 'not welcome to speak to me', since you will without any doubt miss the fucking point and try to make it into something else that it isn't

mastermenthe · Friday at 6:42 PM

AverusBlack said:
. I've made how I feel about you very clear.

Just click on his username, and click "ignore"
bite the bullet.

PDV · 2025-12-27T06:03:12+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Avleb's Wall, a title I invented for the state of not having enough fossil fuels on your planet to develop industrial society.

Who's Avleb?

Silveraith · 2025-12-27T06:19:21+0000

PDV said:
Who's Avleb?

A word Zoat invented back in 2019 because the actual term doesn't exist in non-fiction.

BR549 · 2025-12-27T07:34:28+0000

And hilariously, Google's search AI actually manages to blind-squirrel its way in to correctly citing the fic as the term's origin.

Mr Zoat · 2025-12-27T07:43:38+0000

PDV said:
Who's Avleb?

The alien xenosociologist who came up with the idea in-universe.

Mr Zoat · 2025-12-27T07:51:41+0000

12th August 2013
22:12 GMT

And reality.

"Stand back!" The g-pooka sits up at the controls, looking disturbed as I jog past to get away from the projector. "Seriously, stand back!"

The g-pooka drops to the floor on all fours and gallops away as the projector starts to hum worryingly.

Jor-El appears in a nearby monitor. "Orange Lantern, what has-?"

"The Phantom Zone was an intelligent being and thanks to Jax-Ur, it just found out who was shoving things into its brain. It's about to throw them up-."

Shadows rise around us-.

I tether the g-pooka, transition us both as far as I can and then

step out,

appearing outside. I've got an emergency tent in subspace but there were a lot of people in the Phantom Zone-.

Thirty two people appear in the arctic snow in clothing that really isn't appropriate to the weather.

Oh heck.

"What-?" / "Aargh!" / "Where are-?"

"Excuse me!" I drop down to the surface-.

Oh Hell. Kryptonians. Jor-El will know to block sunlight inside the Fortress, but out here-.

I raise a construct dome shield, ostensibly to shield them from the cold but in reality to block the sunlight before any of them realise they could get powers. Because Superman-tier superpowers are… Something very few people would turn down, even if they weren't criminals sentenced to life imprisonment. Add construct heaters… Okay.

"If I could have your attention for a moment!"

Kryptonians and humans are at least that similar: dumped in a completely new situation with no idea what's going on, they'll listen to someone who sounds authoritative.

"Welcome back to the material universe. We were going to do a phased release, but events have rather gotten away from me. I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps, a position roughly equivalent to Admiral in the old Kryptonian Stellar Navy."

My mind shield activates as someone tries to do something to me.

"And which ever of you is telepathic better buck their ideas up. Unless your name is Lyla, in which case I've got some questions for you."

I give them a moment, but other than looking at their neighbours in puzzlement or concern, none of them really reacts.

"Most of you were due for release once we had somewhere to put you. As you can see, we currently don't. Unless you feel like braving near-zero temperatures with no way to start a fire and no protective equipment, please stay where you are until I have a chance to sort something out."

Igloos? No, I don't know if they'd work at sup-zero temperatures. My emergency tent is designed for two people at most… Look through the database for something better…

Eh. The problem with a space age database is they keep skipping steps. I don't have a low-tech shelter design, but I do have a sort of light weight space survival module. Uh. Add something for frame strength… That'll do.

I gesture to my right and start fabricating-.

"Illustres?" A pale-skinned man in yellow robes with a green House Ul emblem steps forwards. "Where are we? Why aren't we on Krypton?"

"Alright, there's no easy way to say this. How good is your knowledge of history?" He shrugs, a little off put by being on the spot. "Remember the civil war Krypton had over clone rights?" He thinks for a moment, and the nods. "Remember how it ended, with Black Zero narrowly being prevented from dropping a bomb into the planet's core?"

"… Yes..?"

"Turns out they weren't entirely unsuccessful. Enough of the bomb's radiation entered the core to cause gradual radiological transmutation. About forty years ago-"

"I-. My sentence was only-."

"-the planet exploded."

Scan.

Ah.

Just as the shelter finishes, I send a filament forwards, tag the telepath and transition him forwards.

"Sir, I appreciate that the situation is disturbing, but please keep your brain to yourself."

For a moment he looks like he wants to shout me down, but taking a quick look around seems to calm him down. He nods to me. "Of course. I'm.. sorry, it's… Instinctive. In a strange situation…"

I nod, brushing it off. "If everyone could please enter the shelter, then I'll begin the process of sending you on to the kryptonian colony we're setting up." Uh. "With a couple of exceptions. Is Faora Hu-Ul here?"

A general looking around, with several male members of the crowd looking nervous.

"No? Okay, good. Please head inside. And please note that while I can't send you back to the Phantom Zone, I do have less pleasant places than the new colony where I can send you if you mess up your chance at freedom."

They start moving. A few of them appear to know each other, but for the most part they keep a little distance. A couple are people we interviewed, but mostly… Mostly they're people who were going to need more work.

I wait until they're all inside, and then

step out, homing in on Nam-Ek's desire network.

Which was a good decision because the area around him… Appears to be just about the only free space in the Fortress.

"Ah, Orange Lantern."

"Nam-Ek. Jor-El, could you turn the air-"

"Jor-El?" / "Jor-El?!" / "Where! Where is he!"

"-purification systems up? Everyone else! Please be patient while we arrange for accommodation! If you don't want to wait, you're welcome to freeze to death outside!"

Okay, we can send them to Tartarath using a zeta tube… I can drop off extra supply crates, and… I can get Karsta Wor-Ul a sunstone…

"Nam-Ek, I'm appointing you trustee." He nods. "I'll grab more help when I can. Could Faora Hu-Ul please make herself known!"

Because with Dru-Zod and Ursa Dou-Ka on trial and Jax-Ur dead, she's the worst criminal left, and-.

"Here! I'm here!"

I send a filament through the mass and transition her to me. She glares at me and then gags.

Zeta tube construct to Themyscira, push her through-

"What?"

Then step out, home in on her rancid chauvinism and

13th August 2013
01:16 GMT +3

appear, tag her and transition us both to Reformation Island, fabricating tungsten manacles of submission with built in radiation shields to stop her getting empowered.

"Mala! New guest for you!"

Darko · 2025-12-27T08:15:38+0000

Mr Zoat said:
than looking as their

"at their"

Mr Zoat said:
they'd work at sup-zero

"sub-zero"

Mr Zoat said:
Look though the database

"through"

Mr Zoat said:
Jor-El?!" / "

Zod did mention that Jor-El sent some of them there.

Mr Zoat said:
Then step out, home in on her rancid chauvinism and

13th August 2013
01:16 GMT +3

appear, tag her and transition us both to Reformation Island, fabricating tungsten manacles of submission with built in radiation shields to stop her getting empowered.

"Mala! New guest for you!

Hopefully the Amazons that don't like you won't free her.

Ngamer11 · 2025-12-27T08:35:07+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"Nam-Ek, I'm appointing you trustee." He nods. "I'll grab more help when I can. Could Faora Hu-Ul please make herself know!"

That should say 'known'.

Chojin Patriarch · 2025-12-27T08:42:26+0000

Mr Zoat said:
12th August 2013
22:12 GMT

And reality.

"Stand back!" The g-pooka sits up at the controls, looking disturbed as I jog passed to get away from the projector. "Seriously, stand back!"

Oh, dear. When Aethyr decided to spit them out, it's really going to spit them, isn't it? And I suppose OL has no time to relocate the projector to somewhere more secure before they start getting vomited out...

The g-pooka drops to the floor on all fours and gallops away as the projector starts to hum worryingly.

Jor-El appears in a nearby monitor. "Orange Lantern, what has-?"

Definitely looks liek this is going to exceed the projector's intended operational limits. And probably void its warranty.

"The Phantom Zone was an intelligent being and thanks to Jax-Ur, it just found out who was shoving things into its brain. It's about to throw them up-."

Shadows rise around us-.

There's going to be more than a few rough landings, isn't there? Even without sunlight empowerments, Kryptonians are fairly durable, I hope. Otherwise there's going to be a lot of sore heads and bruises, plus the occasional broken bone...

I tether the g-pooka, transition us both as far as I can and then

step out,

appearing outside. I've got an emergency tent in subspace but there were a lot of people in the Phantom Zone-.

You're gonna need more than a single tent, I think. The problem is if any of them get full yellow sunlight exposure before you're ready to allow them to.

Thirty two people appear in the arctic snow in clothing that really isn't appropriate to the weather.

Oh heck.

Worse, you have no idea who's who amongst them, and which ones can be allowed empowerment to allow them to deal with the cold.

"What-?" / "Aargh!" / "Where are-?"

"Excuse me!" I drop down to the surface-.

So this is going to be an up-close-and-personal emergency situation. Hopefully they recognise OL as a Lantern and play nice.

Oh Hell. Kryptonians. Jor-El will know to block sunlight inside the Fortress, but out here-.

I raise a construct dome shield, ostensibly to shield them from the cold but in reality to block the sunlight before any of them realise they could get powers. Because Superman-tier superpowers are… Something very few people would turn down, even if they weren't criminals sentenced to life imprisonment. Add construct heaters… Okay.

Best way would be scooping them all up in one go, letting the snow fall through the shield and hauling them back inside, if the Fortress has space for them.

"If I could have your attention for a moment!"

Kryptonians and humans are at least that similar: dumped in a completely new situation with no idea what's going on, they'll listen to someone who sounds authoritative.

And flying while glowing bright orange definitely adds authority to the loud shouting..

"Welcome back to the material universe. We were going to do a phased release, but events have rather gotten away from me. I am the Illustres of the Orange Lantern Corps, a position roughly equivalent to Admiral in the old Kryptonian Stellar Navy."

My mind shield activates as someone tries to do something to me.

Lyla, is that you? Not the smartest move when he's the only thing between you and sub-zero conditions. Even a simple probe could have spooked a lesser Lantern out of shielding... Which could have been what she'd want: a Distraction to escape in.

"And which ever of you is telepathic better buck their ideas up. Unless your name is Lyla, in which case I've got some questions for you."

I give them a moment, but other than looking as their neighbours in puzzlement or concern, none of them really reacts.

And no-one who matches his mental image of Lyla, or he'd have snagged her instantly.

"Most of you were due for release once we had somewhere to put you. As you can see, we currently don't. Unless you feel like braving near-zero temperatures with no way to start a fire and no protective equipment, please stay where you are until I have a chance to sort something out."

This may get a little awkward once they find out who was up for parole and who wasn't. Though given that the worst cases were the least likely to be released, they may be understanding.

Igloos? No, I don't know if they'd work at sup-zero temperatures. My emergency tent is designed for two people at most… Look though the database for something better…

Eh. The problem with a space age database is they keep skipping steps. I don't have a low-tech shelter design, but I do have a sort of light weight space survival module. Uh. Add something for frame strength… That'll do.

And of course, radiation shielding better than whatever it might already have. And no windows!

I gesture to my right and start fabricating-.

"Illustres?" A pale-skinned man in yellow robes with a green House Ul emblem steps forwards. "Where are we? Why aren't we on Krypton?"

At least this is a better fate than what he met in the comics: Mental manipulation, depowering and finally dying to save Superman from Aethyr.

"Alright, there's no easy way to say this. How good is your knowledge of history?" He shrugs, a little off put by being on the spot. "Remember the civil war Krypton had over clone rights?" He thinks for a moment, and the nods. "Remember how it ended, with Black Zero narrowly being prevented from dropping a bomb into the planet's core?"

Hopefully everyone's keeping up with the discussion.

"… Yes..?"

"Turns out they weren't entirely unsuccessful. Enough of the bomb's radiation entered the core to cause gradual radiological transmutation. About forty years ago-"

And most of them feel their blood run cold as they realise the implications of a core collapse.

"I-. My sentence was only-."

"-the planet exploded."

Big baddaboom.

Scan.

Ah.

Just as the shelter finishes, I send a filament forwards, tag the telepath and transition him forwards.

Not Lyla, I see. But good to know you've got him in custody, given he was the instigator of Quex-Ul's crimes.

"Sir, I appreciate that the situation is disturbing, but please keep your brain to yourself."

For a moment he looks like he wants to shout me down, but taking a quick look around seems to calm him down. He nods to me. "Of course. I'm.. sorry, it's… Instinctive. In a strange situation…"

Well, don't do that again, or you'll find yourself in handcuffs with a telepathic inhibitor in place.

I nod, brushing it off. "If everyone could please enter the shelter, then I'll begin the process of sending you on to the kryptonian colony we're setting up." Uh. "With a couple of exceptions. Is Faora Hu-Ul here?"

A general looking around, with several male members of the crowd looking nervous.

Ah, they've heard of her, for sure. Maybe even encountered her in the Zone. Fortunate that she wouldn't have been able to damage them, then.

"No? Okay, good. Please head inside. And please note that while I can't send you back to the Phantom Zone, I do have less pleasant places than the new colony where I can send you if you mess up your chance at freedom."

They start moving. A few of them appear to know each other, but for the most part they keep a little distance. A couple are people we interviewed, but mostly… Mostly they're people who were going to need more work.

Well, guess Karsta will need to knock some sense into them, then. Perhaps knowing that they are the last of their kind will shake them back onto the straight and narrow.

I wait until they're all inside, and then

step out, homing in on Nam-Ek's desire network.

Which was a good decision because the area around him… Appears to be just about the only free space in the Fortress.

For a second, I thought he greediported with them, but more likely he jumped to Nam-Ek and the other freed prisoners he didn't find outside. Those in the habitat will just have to twiddle their thumbs for a bit.

"Ah, Orange Lantern."

"Nam-Ek. Jor-El, could you turn up the air-"

"Jor-El?" / "Jor-El?!" / "Where! Where is he!"

Anger's a fair reaction given he sometimes served as a projector operator. You would definitely remember the names of the people who put you away in there, whether judge, lawyer or operator.

"-purification systems up? Everyone else! Please be patient while we arrange for accommodation! If you don't want to wait, you're welcome to freeze to death outside!"

Okay, we can send them to Tartarath using a zeta tube… I can drop off extra supply crates, and… I can get Karsta Wor-Ul a sunstone…

The threat of a slow, chilly death will hopefully get them to play nice. And yes, this is going to be a rush job of a set-up. Better hope you don't lose any in the bustle. Hiding until they could get some sun would be enough for a clean getaway...

"Nam-Ek, I'm appointing you trustee." He nods. "I'll grab more help when I can. Could Faora Hu-Ul please make herself know!"

Because with Dru-Zod and Ursa Dou-Ka on trial and Jax-Ur dead, she's the worst criminal left, and-.

The rest can be rehabilitated somewhat easily, I guess. Hard labour setting up a colony will suffice.

"Here! I'm here!"

I send a filament through the mass and transition her to me. She glares at me and then gags.

Ah, yes. The stinky rondor-man. Best way to head off a misandrist spiel.

Zeta tube construct to Themyscira, push her through-

"What?"

Better hope you can keep her from getting empowered, OL.

Then step out, home in on her rancid chauvinism and

13th August 2013
01:16 GMT +3

...Because this is going to be quite a bit tougher than the typical inmate of Reformation Island.

appear, tag her and transition us both to Reformation Island, fabricating tungsten manacles of submission with built in radiation shields to stop her getting empowered.

"Mala! New guest for you!"

Okay, good. You can work out a more long-term solution later, even if you basically have to weld her into a choker or something.

Hopefully none of them are any good at hide-and-seek and decide to skive off from the relocation process. All it takes is one violent criminal getting a little sun and you suddenly have a wandering natural disaster for a bit. And we still don't know if Lyla was among them or not. Ideally, once they take a headcount, they'll know for sure...

BR549 · 2025-12-27T08:51:28+0000

Chojin Patriarch said:
And we still don't know if Lyla was among them or not. Ideally, once they take a headcount, they'll know for sure...

Given Aethyr's reaction to being reminded of her, I suspect if she had still been in the Phantom Zone she'd have been brought front and center on the spot...

Mr Zoat · 2025-12-27T09:01:05+0000

Ngamer11 said:
That should say 'known'.

Darko said:
"at their"
"through"

Thank you, corrected.

"sub-zero"

No. I was surprised too, but at that time of year it would be about 2-3 degrees Celsius.

CTrees · 2025-12-27T09:35:23+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"Nam-Ek. Jor-El, could you turn up the air-"

"Jor-El?" / "Jor-El?!" / "Where! Where is he!"

"-purification systems up?

Only one "up" is needed. As is, OL's sentence reads, "Jor-El, could you turn up the air purification system up?"

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