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

Vaermina · 2026-09-14T05:46:35+0100

Darko said:
Provide a quote where Lonnie said that he told everyone that he was going to mentally amputate them, or drop it.

Otherwise I'm just going to think that Lonnie decided to amputate them because he thought it was for their own good.

Provide a quote where Lonnie said he didn't inform them that he was going to use a magical methode to remove their trauma, or drop it.

Two can play this particular game, Darko.

Darko said:
Did you forget the part where Paul explained his and the League's actions for why they're doing what they're doing?

None of which changes that Lonnie was right.

Darko said:
So Paul should just leave the mind controlling, genocidal, slaver empire alone for...reasons?

And to try and get rid of them Orange Lantern acted just like the Shadows.

Darko said:
You mean the war he finally stopped in that part of space when he gave the most benevolent player, who you have never provided any evidence that she does practice slavery, the chance the succeed?

Or the part where you thought that because the Lizarkons have no rights under Thanagarians, then that means they can't have a say in their own future?

It wasn't a war, it was a stalemate with nobody making any moves of note because the others would jump on them if they did.

Now it is an actual war with millions dying because Queen control freak is enslaving their worlds.

Darko said:
So the fact that they killed a lot of people, even before the Vorlons broke their dumb rules, is just not going to be mentioned?

It was mentioned,

"Up until that point it was exactly what Orange Lantern does,"

The only way that doesn't cover "killed a lot of people" is if you think Orange Lantern hasn't killed a lot of people.

Darko · 2026-09-14T06:10:50+0100

Vaermina said:
Two can play this particular game, Darko

Except your credibility at this point is worthless, so no.

Vaermina said:
None of which changes that Lonnie was right.

And Paul was wrong?

He wasn't.

Vaermina said:
And to try and get rid of them Orange Lantern acted just like the Shadows.

Yeah, because diplomacy would have worked just fine with the genocidal, slaver empire.

Vaermina said:
It wasn't a war, it was a stalemate with nobody making any moves of note because the others would jump on them if they did.

Now it is an actual war with millions dying because Queen control freak is enslaving their worlds

Except she quickly won that battle, and stalemates aren't exactly the perfect solution you're thinking they are.

Vaermina said:
It was mentioned,

"Up until that point it was exactly what Orange Lantern does,"

The only way that doesn't cover "killed a lot of people" is if you think Orange Lantern hasn't killed a lot of people

Paul has killed people, but a majority of them were literary evil psychopaths, while the Shadows aren't shown as caring who they kill, ranging from random civilians, to people that have done nothing wrong to anyone.

Mr Zoat · 2026-09-14T06:12:20+0100

October 1st, 2013
02:42 RST
Lex Luthor

I've been… Surprised, but working with the government of Chong-Mai has been good for my mood. Something else I should thank Orange Lantern-. Something else I should thank Paul for.

There's a beep from the phone on my desk.

"Yes?"

"It's done."

Hardly the first purge this retrograde country has seen. I doubt that anyone who hears about it will be surprised. The rest of the government knows better than to gainsay me. For the most part, they're competent administrators who've had a life time of experience in keeping their heads down and obeying orders.

"The boy?"

"We have him."

Dealing with consummate professions is a pleasant experience. Truggs was undoubtably the best candidate for being the Light's chief field operative, but the man can be… Frustrating to work with at times. Initiative and obedience aren't always in conflict… No, that's not fair. I'm half-convinced that his backchat is performative. And I can't honestly fault his mission discipline, either. It's his attitude, the way he presents himself. But, he does a good job, so I'll accept it, and keep Mister Orr on-hand as a backup candidate.

"Healthy?"

"As healthy as can be expected."

"Good. The staff?"

"No issues."

Good. That will make things easier. "I've dispatched a team with the replacement generators. Make it clear to the existing staff that they can stay on or leave as they choose."

"And if they choose to leave?"

"Then they leave. I have no interest in trying to motivate people with 'nationalistic loyalty'. If improved pay and conditions don't motivate them then there's no sense in taking the risk involved in keeping them there. Perhaps they can try their luck in China."

The Nay Power Plant was Chong-Mai's main source of foreign currency. Since Nay's output provided far more power than their crumbling infrastructure could use, they sold the excess to China, which also motivated China to not simply annex their country. Because naturally they weren't selling to the Chinese state, no. They sold directly to businesses controlled either by the Chinese military or by highly-placed party officials under exemptions granted by those same officials. Officials who couldn't get away with that if it was annexed and the state power company took over.

Officials who are either dead or deposed in the aftermath of the Anti-Life broadcast, so there won't be any trouble from that direction.

"Understood. Further orders?"

"Remain on-site until power is restored, and then return to the capital. Organise things as you see fit."

And he just ends the call, because clearly neither of us had anything else to say.

I turn my attention to the files on my desk. Physical files, which can be put in physically secure places once I'm done with them. With the Amazon's new God of Technology allied to the Justice League, our formerly-impregnable computer security became… Impossible to depend upon in quite the same way. All that money spent on the servers and in the end we only got a couple of years out of it. At least the knowledge we derived from making them will be useful.

And speaking of the League…

They're expanding their control network. More OMACs, more bargains with weak willed government officials, and an expanded mentoring program. It's genuinely frustrating how many League members genuinely don't understand what's happening. I'd wonder if my data sources were being subverted if it didn't perfectly match their behavioural profiles.

How can they not see it? It's-.

I exhale slowly, tilting my head back, closing my eyes and… Juvenile as it sounds, returning to my 'happy place'. When I read the financial projections which demonstrated that LexAir was heading towards profitability ahead of the original predictions. I'm not.. there yet with Chong-Mai… And I'd be a fool to announce what I'm doing here to financial analysts…

But maybe this is just a better form of diversification? Countries after all have all sorts of benefits unique to their asset class.

Heh. As ridiculous as it sounds, the approach does actually work.

But the files. Lists of young people going through Chong-Mai's education system. Decrepit as it is, the truly exceptional people within it managed to rise to the top anyway. A combination of intelligence to complete the tests and social skills to avoid sticking out in a way which some brittle-egoed Party apparatchik might decide was 'contrary to the People's interests'. My people have already gotten to work on changing that -Chong-Mai needs engineers more than it needs Communism- but those who did succeed are exceptional individuals.

And exceptional individuals should be given the chance to advance themselves.

"Activate security."

My office here isn't anything like as secure as my office in Metropolis. The armored shutters were here when I arrived, but the wardings and the white noise generator are recent additions, and very clearly not integrated into the structure. I wince slightly every time I see the kludged job… But it's going to be at least six months before I can make a decision on where it makes sense to build a bespoke headquarters in this country, so I'll simply have to make do.

Security engaged, I open my mobile communication system and lay my hand on the identification crystal. Confirming a person's identity using their soul is far safer than using fingerprints, and we have enough magicians under our employ now that we can replace them or build more if anything…

If anything happened to Circe. The rate of attrition amongst the members of our fraternity has been… Surprisingly high.

In one of our rare direct conversations Boss Smiley insisted that his involvement means that while he can't keep Hephaestus from discovering what we're saying, he would both know and not know at the same time. He shouldn't be able to know when talking to other people, at least. And I expect that's the best we're going to get as far as security goes. Savitar's people could technically pick us up and carry us all to a remote location for monthly fact-to-face meetings, but the prospect is ridiculous.

And… There. The system has confirmed my identity to its satisfaction, and I find myself in a void that's part dream and part holographic projection. I see the representations of my fellow members of The Light laid out around me in a circle.

"L Three." Savage greets me first, of course. "Thank you for joining us."

No Boss Smiley, of course. The few times he's deigned to speak as part of the group, he's used the circle itself as his image. According to Circe that's about as civil an arrangement as we can expect, but unlike the others where their attendance implies that they're taking this gratifyingly seriously… I honestly prefer Boss Smiley's absence.

"I apologise for the delay. There were matters I had to oversee personally."

"Yes." I can hear how cheerful Brain is. "I was most impressed with how your scientists were able to harness the boy. Given how primitive their equipment was, I mean. My work on reverse-engineering his ability is beginning. The cells are replicating well, and do not appear to be trying to break containment. I will provide further updates once I have something substantive to report."

"Thank you. L Twelve, are you fully recovered?"

"Yes, thank you, L One. Though I'm afraid that my collaborators will no longer be collaborating."

"Does that represent an insurmountable obstacle?"

"No. Actually, a new avenue of research has opened itself. I will coordinate with L Eleven and provide more information when I have a better understanding of what actually happened. Because if I'm correct… We may finally be able to show this world the light."

Ngamer11 · 2026-09-14T06:18:11+0100

Does anyone remember the latest list for confirmed members of the Light? Because I'm assuming L Twelve is Know Man.

Darko · 2026-09-14T06:22:55+0100

Mr Zoat said:
How can they not see it? It's-.

Because they don't want the power, and unlike you they actually mean when they say that.

Mr Zoat said:
Savitar's people could technically pick us up and carry us all to a remote location for monthly fact-to-face meetings, but the prospect is ridiculous.

Not to mention dangerous if Savitar decides to betray you.

Mr Zoat said:
honestly prefer Boss Smiley's absence.

Yet you still work with the spirit of stagnation.

Mr Zoat said:
to harness to boy. Given how primitive their equipment was, I mean

"the boy"

Mr Zoat · 2026-09-14T06:30:16+0100

Darko said:
"the boy"

Thank you, corrected.

McGraww · 2026-09-14T06:32:20+0100

Ugh, this is why Paul should've just killed Lex.

Signaller · 2026-09-14T06:37:10+0100

/sigh. I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed with Lex.

Darko · 2026-09-14T06:39:20+0100

Ngamer11 said:
Does anyone remember the latest list for confirmed members of the Light? Because I'm assuming L Twelve is Know Man.

Makes sense.

And L-Eleven is Circe, so the Light may now have a mind control device.

GigaVanguard · 2026-09-14T06:59:00+0100

Darko said:
Because they don't want the power, and unlike you they actually mean when they say that.

To be fair to Alexander, the purpose of a system is what it does, and what the League is currently doing is accumulating more power.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-09-14T07:06:45+0100

Mr Zoat said:
October 1st, 2013
02:42 RST
Lex Luthor

I've been… Surprised, but working with the government of Chong-Mai has been good for my mood. Something else I should thank Orange Lantern-. Something else I should thank Paul for.

Ah, a rare check-in with the Light. I'm amazed they're still around after the Anti-Life but I suppose even a global depression field wouldn't be enough to drive the message home that they're going about their goals in the worst possible way...

There's a beep from the phone on my desk.

"Yes?"

"It's done."

Well, I'm glad he knows what's going on, since that sort of blank conversation is unhelpful.

Hardly the first purge this retrograde country has seen. I doubt that anyone who hears about it will be surprised. The rest of the government knows better than to gainsay me. For the most part, they're competent administrators who've had a life time of experience in keeping their heads down and obeying orders.

Ah, so perfect for Lex's needs. No questions asked, no back-sass given and no cutting into his profits via corruption.

"The boy?"

"We have him."

Oooh, that's a significant coup for the Light. Tough luck for Nak, but...

Dealing with consummate professions is a pleasant experience. Truggs was undoubtably the best candidate for being the Light's chief field operative, but the man can be… Frustrating to work with at times. Initiative and obedience aren't always in conflict… No, that's not fair. I'm half-convinced that his backchat is performative. And I can't honestly fault his mission discipline, either. It's his attitude, the way he presents himself. But, he does a good job, so I'll accept it, and keep Mister Orr on-hand as a backup candidate.

Gee, it's like he's a super-villain or something...

"Healthy?"

"As healthy as can be expected."

Gee, lots of ambiguity there.

"Good. The staff?"

"No issues."

So he didn't have to execute the entire building? I'm stunned.

Good. That will make things easier. "I've dispatched a team with the replacement generators. Make it clear to the existing staff that they can stay on or leave as they choose."

"And if they choose to leave?"

Cosmic generators, of course. Probably not quite as powerful as the boy's innate powers. But at least he isn't, I assume, being tortured for electricity.

"Then they leave. I have no interest in trying to motivate people with 'nationalistic loyalty'. If improved pay and conditions don't motivate them then there's no sense in taking the risk involved in keeping them there. Perhaps they can try their luck in China."

Turns out nationalistic pride doesn't pay the bills...

The Nay Power Plant was Chong-Mai's main source of foreign currency. Since Nay's output provided far more power than their crumbling infrastructure could use, they sold the excess to China, which also motivated China to not simply annex their country. Because naturally they weren't selling to the Chinese state, no. They sold directly to businesses controlled either by the Chinese military or by highly-placed party officials under exemptions granted by those same officials. Officials who couldn't get away with that if it was annexed and the state power company took over.

...But rampant corruption can, it seems. Pockets lined with millions of currency.

Officials who are either dead or deposed in the aftermath of the Anti-Life broadcast, so there won't be any trouble from that direction.

"Understood. Further orders?"

Gee, how handy that his corrupting plans are suddenly so unobstructed...

"Remain on-site until power is restored, and then return to the capital. Organise things as you see fit."

And he just ends the call, because clearly neither of us had anything else to say.

A consummate professional indeed.

I turn my attention to the files on my desk. Physical files, which can be put in physically secure places once I'm done with them. With the Amazon's new God of Technology allied to the Justice League, our formerly-impregnable computer security became… Impossible to depend upon in quite the same way. All that money spent on the servers and in the end we only got a couple of years out of it. At least the knowledge we derived from making them will be useful.

And naturally he assumes the League would be monitoring for that sort of thing. It's what he'd do is he was in charge, after all.

And speaking of the League…

They're expanding their control network. More OMACs, more bargains with weak willed government officials, and an expanded mentoring program. It's genuinely frustrating how many League members genuinely don't understand what's happening. I'd wonder if my data sources were being subverted if it didn't perfectly match their behavioural profiles.

And completely misreading the situation due to his own biases, of course.

How can they not see it? It's-.

I exhale slowly, tilting my head back, closing my eyes and… Juvenile as it sounds, returning to my 'happy place'. When I read the financial projections which demonstrated that LexAir was heading towards profitability ahead of the original predictions. I'm not.. there yet with Chong-Mai… And I'd be a fool to announce what I'm doing here to financial analysts…

Let me guess, his happy place is 'big profit, stable operations, people doing what he tells them to'?

But maybe this is just a better form of diversification? Countries after all have all sorts of benefits unique to their asset class.

Heh. As ridiculous as it sounds, the approach does actually work.

Turns out when the place is at 'hellhole' level, you can only go up.

But the files. Lists of young people going through Chong-Mai's education system. Decrepit as it is, the truly exceptional people within it managed to rise to the top anyway. A combination of intelligence to complete the tests and social skills to avoid sticking out in a way which some brittle-egoed Party apparatchik might decide was 'contrary to the People's interests'. My people have already gotten to work on changing that -Chong-Mai needs engineers more than it needs Communism- but those who did succeed are exceptional individuals.

Who knows, in a generation they may be some of the best on the planet...

And exceptional individuals should be given the chance to advance themselves.

"Activate security."

As long as they prove themselves worthy of it, of course.

My office here isn't anything like as secure as my office in Metropolis. The armored shutters were here when I arrived, but the wardings and the white noise generator are recent additions, and very clearly not integrated into the structure. I wince slightly every time I see the kludged job… But it's going to be at least six months before I can make a decision on where it makes sense to build a bespoke headquarters in this country, so I'll simply have to make do.

Which will no doubt have all of these features etched into the walls.

Security engaged, I open my mobile communication system and lay my hand on the identification crystal. Confirming a person's identity using their soul is far safer than using fingerprints, and we have enough magicians under our employ now that we can replace them or build more if anything…

I suppose it's safer. Though it kind of does mean giving access to your soul to people you had really better trust.

If anything happened to Circe. The rate of attrition amongst the members of our fraternity has been… Surprisingly high.

At least he shows some concern for his nominal allies.

In one of our rare direct conversations Boss Smiley insisted that his involvement means that while he can't keep Hephaestus from discovering what we're saying, he would both know and not know at the same time. He shouldn't be able to know when talking to other people, at least. And I expect that's the best we're going to get as far as security goes. Savitar's people could technically pick us up and carry us all to a remote location for monthly fact-to-face meetings, but the prospect is ridiculous.

Ugh, working with the damn yellow-faced bastard... Still stupid as hell.

And… There. The system has confirmed my identity to its satisfaction, and I find myself in a void that's part dream and part holographic projection. I see the representations of my fellow members of The Light laid out around me in a circle.

"L Three." Savage greets me first, of course. "Thank you for joining us."

Ah, yes. Ruling with all the gravitas he can manage.

No Boss Smiley, of course. The few times he's deigned to speak as part of the group, he's used the circle itself as his image. According to Circe that's about as civil an arrangement as we can expect, but unlike the others where their attendance implies that they're taking this gratifyingly seriously… I honestly prefer Boss Smiley's absence.

As well you should.

"I apologise for the delay. There were matters I had to oversee personally."

"Yes." I can hear how cheerful Brain is. "I was most impressed with how your scientists were able to harness the boy. Given how primitive their equipment was, I mean. My work on reverse-engineering his ability is beginning. The cells are replicating well, and do not appear to be trying to break containment. I will provide further updates once I have something substantive to report."

Oh, that's terrible news for the League. Let me guess, the Light will soon have their own super-powered enforcement cadre.

"Thank you. L Twelve, are you fully recovered?"

"Yes, thank you, L One. Though I'm afraid that my collaborators will no longer be collaborating."

Ah, sounds like at least one of them had a recent setback. I hope he didn't enjoy his escape method..

"Does that represent an insurmountable obstacle?"

"No. Actually, a new avenue of research has opened itself. I will coordinate with L Eleven and provide more information when I have a better understanding of what actually happened. Because if I'm correct… We may finally be able to show this world the light."

Oh, no. He's going to be replicating what happened, isn't he?

And after all Know-Man's gloating about how he wouldn't know Vandal Savage... Naturally, he's going to end up causing the canon disaster he orchestrated, isn't he? And the Light will see it and judge it good, because it messes with the League. I just know that if the Mageddon plot plays out, they are totally gonna get in the way...

Slake Mothman · 2026-09-14T07:20:12+0100

Mr Zoat said:
"Yes, thank you, L One. Though I'm afraid that my collaborators will no longer be collaborating."

"Does that represent an insurmountable obstacle?"

"No. Actually, a new avenue of research has opened itself. I will coordinate with L Eleven and provide more information when I have a better understanding of what actually happened. Because if I'm correct… We may finally be able to show this world the light."

Mr Zoat said:
"Sadly, the universe is badly constructed and run by idiots, so that sort of thing is just inevitable. My advice is not to worry about it unless it affects our work."

Seems like every other day Paul has to patch another vulnerability in earth's free-will firewall. Surely someone in the universe is looking at Earth like it's a sandbox for new exploits.

As if n+1 different energy fields, AIs, divine beings, space starfish, a type of light keyed to nihilistic depression, and an evil mathematical equation weren't enough, he now has to worry about people futzing around with conceptual representations in the fundamental realm of Dream.

The more I read this fic the more I'm convinced there's no way independent intelligent life could evolve on its own in the DC Universe. Not without a steady hand on the wheel, especially on thaumatically active worlds. Or maybe reality was more stable in the past, but idiots kept poking holes in it?

BlackCoat13 · 2026-09-14T07:23:33+0100

Mr Zoat said:
his involvement means that while he can't keep Hephaestus from discovering what we're saying,

Didn't Hephaestus change his name to Hephaeseton or something like that with his ascension? I suppose Lex simply not knowing or respecting that is possible still, but otherwise this may be a typo.

012345 · 2026-09-14T07:47:55+0100

Slake Mothman said:
Seems like every other day Paul has to patch another vulnerability in earth's free-will firewall. Surely someone in the universe looks at Earth like a sandbox for exposing new exploits.

As if n+1 different energy fields, AIs, divine beings, space starfish, a type of light keyed to nihilistic depression, and an evil mathematical equation weren't enough, he now has to worry about people futzing around with conceptual representations in the fundamental realm of Dream.

The more I read of this fic the more I'm convinced that there's no way intelligent life could have evolved on its own in the DC Universe. Not without a steady hand on the wheel, especially on thaumatically active worlds. Or maybe reality was more stable in the past, but idiots kept poking holes in it?

Its like universe wants to prove Darkseid right that nobody should have free will under God of Tyranny/Anti Life.

Darko · 2026-09-14T07:57:13+0100

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, a rare check-in with the Light. I'm amazed they're still around after the Anti-Life but I suppose even a global depression field wouldn't be enough to drive the message home that they're going about their goals in the worst possible way

If they were capable of making intelligent decisions, they wouldn't be supervillains.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Gee, it's like he's a super-villain or something...

I don't think Lex considers himself and his allies as being supervillains.

They are though.

Chojin Patriarch said:
At least he shows some concern for his nominal allies.

I don't think he really cares about them like that.

Renegade Lex might, but that's because he's achieved most of what he wants in a sensible way, and while his allies aren't exactly good people, they're a lot more trustworthy than this batch of nuts.

Paragon Lex may be worried because their loss of members shows that they're not exactly that safe to be associated with.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ugh, working with the damn yellow-faced bastard... Still stupid as hell.

Wouldn't be the first time he's done something hypocritical.

He worked with Ras al Ghul; the guy that wanted to stop humanity from advancing technologically.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And after all Know-Man's gloating about how he wouldn't know Vandal Savage

Know Man: He's my coworker. Why the hell would I want to get to personally know him. No one wants to know things about their coworkers.

Slake Mothman said:
more I read of this fic the more I'm convinced that there's no way intelligent life could have evolved on its own in the DC Universe. Not without a steady hand on the wheel, especially on thaumatically active worlds. Or maybe reality was more stable in the past, but idiots kept poking holes in it?

The Life Entity does live on Earth.

BR549 · 2026-09-14T08:11:26+0100

Darko said:
The Life Entity does live on Earth.

And at some point it's liable to roll over in bed, reach for the alarm clock to hit snooze, realise the idiots outside are increasingly poking holes in the conceptual reality of where it keeps its stuff, and get annoyed.

Signaller · 2026-09-14T08:12:17+0100

How is this new kid's ability different from the power generation function of the g-sprites (?) which used kryptonian cell cultures?

McGraww · 2026-09-14T08:34:27+0100

GigaVanguard said:
To be fair to Alexander, the purpose of a system is what it does, and what the League is currently doing is accumulating more power.

And also completely hypocritical, since apparently Lex has no problem with his conspiracy ruling the world, he just gets mad when he's not on the ruling council.

(He can claim it's about ordinary humans not being ruled by aliens and immortals, but look at his allies, most of them aren't ordinary humans. And he was pissy about the Justice League long before they actually began to take over the world.)

Mr Zoat · 2026-09-14T08:36:18+0100

BlackCoat13 said:
Didn't Hephaestus change his name to Hephaeseton or something like that with his ascension? I suppose Lex simply not knowing or respecting that is possible still, but otherwise this may be a typo.

That's Lex.

Signaller said:
How is this new kid's ability different from the power generation function of the g-sprites (?) which used kryptonian cell cultures?

It doesn't require sunlight and it doesn't require aliens.

Darko · 2026-09-14T08:49:40+0100

Signaller said:
How is this new kid's ability different from the power generation function of the g-sprites (?) which used kryptonian cell cultures?

Mr Zoat said:
It doesn't require sunlight and it doesn't require aliens

Plus it may not alert the League that the Light has a different form of power generation.

With the g-sprites they may run into the risk of the rest of the genomorph race discovering what they're doing and alerting the League.

WereDragon · 2026-09-14T10:04:14+0100

Mr Zoat said:
Something else I should thank Orange Lantern-. Something else I should thank Paul for.

He should be thanking Paul for being to stupid to just kill him like a sane person.

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

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Dedicated ragequitter

Experienced.

Connoisseur.

Dedicated ragequitter

Versed in the lewd.

Not too sore, are you?

Connoisseur.

Versed in the lewd.

Veteran Lurker

Inveterate Theorycrafter

This Space Intentionally Left Blank

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

This is filth! FILTH!!

Not too sore, are you?

Versed in the lewd.

Dedicated ragequitter

Connoisseur.

Bookwyrm

Users who are viewing this thread