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

But if the conceit of the film is that we're living in a virtual environment, how do you know what real physics are? Your school just taught you the system's basic physics engine. You won't experience real physics until you leave the matrix, so for all you know the machines run on chi or mana or something."
First time I heard that idea was in a HPMOR omake.
 
Wasn't there a notion that originally machines harvested human creativity, but it was changed to energy for simplicity?
 
Penal (part 21) New
16th October 2013
21:23 G.M.T.

The Arkymandryte glowers at us through the sciencell barrier. I give him a smile and a friendly wave before turning to Lantern Gaart.

"Remind me what the Green Lantern Corps line on enhanced interrogation is?"

"I don't see how our interrogation techniques could be enhanced further?"

"He is referring to torture." Guardian Broome Bon Baris floats down the shaft, Jordan just behind her. "It is seldom productive."

Gaart gives me a look of distaste, his eyeballs squishing against his skull. "Torture?"

"I was asking broadly. I am an Orange Lantern. Altering his desires so that he wants to tell us everything would be a simple matter."

Broome Bon Baris floats past me and studies the Arkymandryte. "I am more concerned with the origin of his yellow ring."

"Yes..?"

"I would make a study of the energies involved. If you use the light of avarice on him, the energies will be disrupted. I hope we can agree that removing Sinestro's ability to make more rings is of paramount importance."

"Paramount? No, not for me."

"If you wish to ask him something, do so. And then leave."

"Arkymandryte, I generally like to assume that my enemies aren't hypocrites. I accept that you genuinely believe that you were forcing your people to live in accordance with the will of your gods. But I'm curious as to how a number of them found their way to my homeworld."

Arkymandryte doesn't respond. He's focusing all of his attention on the Guardian.

"Because that implies that you didn't care about their souls. Or that you traded their souls like a merchant for a ring your previous prophet certainly didn't have."

"My mercy is not unlimited, and neither is that of the gods. If despite my instruction they persistently turn from the true path, then they are beyond my concern and that of the gods."

"So… What happens to them?"

"I do not concern myself with that. Sinestro sends people to collect them. What happens to them is his concern."

"And… How would you characterise your relationship with Sinestro?"

"He made it possible for me to force the will of the gods upon the truculent and disorderly. He is the only heathen I mention in my prayers."

"Did he give you orders? Are the crystals-?"

His eyes move my way. For a moment. "I have no interest in talking to you further. And if you persist… I welcome the challenge as an opportunity to prove my faith."

"You may leave now, Orange Lantern." Broome Bon Baris raises her right hand, Arkymandryte's yellow ring glowing faintly on her palm. His eyes immediately lock onto it. "I believe that my methods will be sufficient."

"Can I trouble you for a copy of what you learn?"

"I doubt that you will need it, but if you wish to pass a complete report to our cousins it would be churlish to deny it to you."

I bow politely. "Thank you."

I can't quite resist taking a moment to look around at the various containment units, many occupied, in the Green Lantern Corps' prison. I'm really not sure what qualifies someone to he housed here instead of anywhere else… But I don't think I should push the Guardian's patience. I rise up towards the Oan sky-.

Jordan follows me. "Hey, you got a minute?"

"For you, Lantern Jordan? Always."

"'Refugee'."

I grin. "'Genome'."

"Ah, what?"

"It's a Japanese word game. Each word has to use the last syllable of the previous word as its first syllable."

He folds his arm across his chest. "You told me you had a refugee from Debstam Four. Somewhere that became 'refugees'."

"Yes."

"So did they escape..? Wherever Sinesto was keeping them?"

"Technically. Jordan, you might want to stop-."

"Does that sound like me to you?"

I… Take a moment. "I applaud the way you've taken the lesson of Nabu to heart, but it might be… Better all around if you had plausible deniability on this one. You can't use your ring to control your facial expression."

"It's too late now. I know something's up. You didn't want me to tell Batman where I was going. Is he involved?"

"Okay, but remember, I gave you the choice. Where did you think the people getting turned into OMACs came from?"

"Volun… Teers..?" His face twitches as he takes on board what I just said. "…prisoners."

"I mean, I get the impression that if Sinestro didn't want them for something, Arkymandryte would just have killed them…"

"That… OMAC barracks that got blown up. That was you?"

"Jade, actually. I've had concerns for a while, but this is very nearly a smoking gun."

"God damn. Ah… Okay. So-. What, all of them?"

"I don't know. At least some are actually volunteers. I had some people working on reverting them when we left."

"So… Okay… What's the plan?"

"Get a better idea of what the heck Batman's doing, and eventually confront him about it."

"That's it?"

"What were you expecting?"

"More that that!"

"What do you want from me, Jordan? I feel terrible for what I did to Batman. Doubly so if that's why he's doing this. And if he just brazened it out and admitted that he forced condemned criminals to undergo conversion I wouldn't have a leg to stand on, because I've done worse for less benefit."

"I haven't. And the League does actually have a 'no slaves' rule." I raise my eyebrows. "Now. We didn't think we needed to be explicit about it… You know."

"OMACs can quit. They just choose not to." I sigh. "Look, you're the Justice League member here. If you want to confront him, you have my support. But I'd prefer to gather more information and not act until we know what's going on."

He thinks that over, clearly unhappy.

"Fine. But keep me in the loop."

I nod. "I will. And… Thank you. It might not be sensible, but I… Really do appreciate you being this forthright about this."

"I may be heard-headed, but that doesn't mean I can't learn. Okay, you go back to Earth. I'll… Think things over."

I raise my right hand to my forehead. "See you later."
 
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"Do that sound like me to you?"
That should say 'Does'.

"What do you want from me, Jordan? I feel terrible for what I did to Batman. Doubly so if that's why he's doing this. And if he just brazened it out and admitted that he forced condemned criminals to undergo conversion I wouldn't have a leg to stand on, because I've done worse for less benefit."

"I haven't. And the League does actually have a 'no slaves' rule." I raise my eyebrows. "Now. We didn't think we needed to be explicit about it… You know."

"OMACs can quit. They just choose not to." I sigh. "Look, you're the Justice League member here. If you want to confront him, you have my support. But I'd prefer to gather more information and not act until we know what's going on."

He thinks that over, clearly unhappy.

"Fine. But keep me in the loop."

I nod. "I will. And… Thank you. It might not be sensible, but I… Really do appreciate you being this forthright about this."

"I may be heard-headed, but that doesn't mean I can't learn. Okay, you go back to Earth. I'll… Think things over."

I raise my right hand to my forehead. "See you later."
I can't wait to see how this will affect the League and Earth as a whole once this situation finally comes to a head.
 
I can't wait to see how this will affect the League and Earth as a whole once this situation finally comes to a head.
It would definitely poke a hole in the whole "exemplar" based governance that has been slowly shimmering into existence.

There are those that would certainly take advantage of such a scandal (Lex) to prop up more traditional methods of governance.

The League might even get its wish to not be rulers of the world! :D
 
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16th October 2013
21:23 G.M.T.


The Arkymandryte glowers at us through the sciencell barrier. I give him a smile and a friendly wave before turning to Lantern Gaart.

"Remind me what the Green Lantern Corps line on enhanced interrogation is?"
Probably 'No thank you, and don't ever suggest that again.' They're a bit too lawful to allow any sort of abuse of prisoners, no matter what their crimes, and still solidly good enough that it would be unpalatable.

"I don't see how our interrogation techniques could be enhanced further?"

"He is referring to torture." Guardian Broome Bon Baris floats down the shaft, Jordan just behind her. "It is seldom productive."
That's another reason to avoid it. But OL does have other methods of asking someone to give him answers.

Gaart gives me a look of distaste, his eyeballs squishing against his skull. "Torture?"

"I was asking broadly. I am an Orange Lantern. Altering his desires so that he wants to tell us everything would be a simple matter."
A quick branding and he'd likely sing like a canary, unless he's also so strong willed he could resist.

Broome Bon Baris floats past me and studies the Arkymandryte. "I am more concerned with the origin of his yellow ring."

"Yes..?"
I'm not surprised. At this stage, there's only two sources of Rings: Maltusians (Guardians, Controllers and Zamarons, et al) and Qwardians.

"I would make a study of the energies involved. If you use the light of avarice on him, the energies will be disrupted. I hope we can agree that removing Sinestro's ability to make more rings is of paramount importance."

"Paramount? No, not for me."
If Sinestro could be persuaded to work to the same ends as OL, he'd work with him. But Sinestro's issues get in the way of that.

"If you wish to ask him something, do so. And then leave."

"Arkymandryte, I generally like to assume that my enemies aren't hypocrites. I accept that you genuinely believe that you were forcing your people to live in accordance with the will of your gods. But I'm curious as to how a number of them found their way to my homeworld."
Given what Jade saw down there... Accepting it is one thing, but tolerating the results is another.

Arkymandryte doesn't respond. He's focusing all of his attention on the Guardian.

"Because that implies that you didn't care about their souls. Or that you traded their souls like a merchant for a ring your previous prophet certainly didn't have."
Ah, good, point out the flaw in his religious worldview. That'll endear you to him...

"My mercy is not unlimited, and neither is that of the gods. If despite my instruction they persistently turn from the true path, then they are beyond my concern and that of the gods."

"So… What happens to them?"
And how much of that instruction comes with bruises, I wonder? Even if their people are very durable, they can be hurt with enough force...

"I do not concern myself with that. Sinestro sends people to collect them. What happens to them is his concern."

"And… How would you characterise your relationship with Sinestro?"
That still doesn't excuse the fact you basically gave away members of your own people as chattel in return for your Ring.

"He made it possible for me to force the will of the gods upon the truculent and disorderly. He is the only heathen I mention in my prayers."

"Did he give you orders? Are the crystals-?"
Presumably thanks that this heathen could see the 'true way' clearly enough to lend aid, even if he did not bend his knee. Alongside hopes that he eventually would fall into alignment.

His eyes move my way. For a moment. "I have no interest in talking to you further. And if you persist… I welcome the challenge as an opportunity to prove my faith."

"You may leave now, Orange Lantern." Broome Bon Baris raises her right hand, Arkymandryte's yellow ring glowing faintly on her palm. His eyes immediately lock onto it. "I believe that my methods will be sufficient."
Oh, he's obsessed with it, isn't he? Given the power it provided... It's understandable.

"Can I trouble you for a copy of what you learn?"

"I doubt that you will need it, but if you wish to pass a complete report to our cousins it would be churlish to deny it to you."

I bow politely. "Thank you."
Jolly cooperation! ...As long as Broome Bon Baris doesn't get too drawn towards Fear.

I can't quite resist taking a moment to look around at the various containment units, many occupied, in the Green Lantern Corps' prison. I'm really not sure what qualifies someone to be housed here instead of anywhere else… But I don't think I should push the Guardian's patience. I rise up towards the Oan sky-.
Patience that's likely in short supply around him and his bizarre soul-structure, which they can probably feel through the coating of Orange.

Jordan follows me. "Hey, you got a minute?"

"For you, Lantern Jordan? Always."
Does go to show you how much he respects Hal, regardless of how he might poke fun at him.

"'Refugee'."

I grin. "'Genome'."
Ah, this will be an interesting conversation.

"Ah, what?"

"It's a Japanese word game. Each word has to use the last syllable of the previous word as its first syllable."
Shiritori. A good test of a person's vocabulary, at the very least.

He folds his arm across his chest. "You told me you had a refugee from Debstam Four. Somewhere that became 'refugees'."

"Yes."
It's better than 'Prisoner', especially since they seem to largely be criminals largely because they refused to step in line to a tyrannical religious leadership.

"So did they escape..? Wherever Sinesto was keeping them?"

"Technically. Jordan, you might want to stop-."

"Do that sound like me to you?"
He's not wrong. Hal never does know when to quit, no matter where it might take him, for good or ill. Wouldn't make a good Greenie if he wasn't stubborn...

I… Take a moment. "I applaud the way you've taken the lesson of Nabu to heart, but it might be… Better all around if you had plausible deniability on this one. You can't use your ring to control your facial expression."

"It's too late now. I know something's up. You didn't want me to tell Batman where I was going. Is he involved?"
And it's better to have him in the loop so that he doesn't go off half-cocked and blunder right through delicate parts of the investigation.

"Okay, but remember, I gave you the choice. Where did you think the people getting turned into OMACs came from?"

"Volun… Teers..?" His face twitches as he takes on board what I just said. "…prisoners."
And not just human prisoners, you'll note. People sent to Earth by Sinestro, or so it seems. Possibly rejected Lantern recruits who couldn't produce any results, possibly just living trade goods.

"I mean, I get the impression that if Sinestro didn't want them for something, Arkymandryte would just have killed them…"

"That… OMAC barracks that got blown up. That was you?"
...Not directly.

"Jade, actually. I've had concerns for a while, but this is very nearly a smoking gun."

"God damn. Ah… Okay. So-. What, all of them?"
Why else did you think he has his girlfriend on Earth, with a squad of Darkstars alongside her? I mean, I assume some people know about the Darkstars running around.

"I don't know. At least some are actually volunteers. I had some people working on reverting them when we left."

"So… Okay… What's the plan?"
Good, not immediately antagonistic.

"Get a better idea of what the heck Batman's doing, and eventually confront him about it."

"That's it?"
I mean, you have to move very carefully, or Batman will get a whiff of what's going on and take action.

"What were you expecting?"

"More that that!"
...Do you have any better ideas, Hal? Anything that won't get the Goddamned Batman coming after your ass with a Power Ring he is extremely well-suited to using.

"What do you want from me, Jordan? I feel terrible for what I did to Batman. Doubly so if that's why he's doing this. And if he just brazened it out and admitted that he forced condemned criminals to undergo conversion I wouldn't have a leg to stand on, because I've done worse for less benefit."
The drawback of being the morally-ambiguous teammate of the League affiliates.

"I haven't. And the League does actually have a 'no slaves' rule." I raise my eyebrows. "Now. We didn't think we needed to be explicit about it… You know."

"OMACs can quit. They just choose not to." I sigh. "Look, you're the Justice League member here. If you want to confront him, you have my support. But I'd prefer to gather more information and not act until we know what's going on."
Can't, or rather, wouldn't choose to after the psycho-surgery, definitely.

He thinks that over, clearly unhappy.

"Fine. But keep me in the loop."
Preferably in ways Batman can't monitor...

I nod. "I will. And… Thank you. It might not be sensible, but I… Really do appreciate you being this forthright about this."

"I may be hard-headed, but that doesn't mean I can't learn. Okay, you go back to Earth. I'll… Think things over."

I raise my right hand to my forehead. "See you later."
It's not the best result, but at least Hal isn't going to blab to Batman... On purpose, anyway.

A solid end to the A-plot of the episode. Debstam IV's religious tyrant captured and confined, his Yellow Ring confiscated and the people likely to be realising he's out of the top seat. The Fear Crystals being in the wild isn't great. but their only known source has been destroyed (or at least rendered inaccessible.) And Hal is now part of the counter-conspiracy...
 
someone to he housed here
"to be housed"
I'm really not sure what qualifies someone to he housed here instead of anywhere else…

My guess is that a level of power is necessary to be put there, since non-Maltusian prisons may not be able to hold them.

And maybe if someone has committed interstellar acts of violence and crime, since depending on the political situation, they may not receive fair treatment from whoever captures them.

Seriously injuring or killing a Green Lantern may also qualify.
 

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